497 1 d497.htm LEGG MASON PARTNERS EQUITY TRUST Legg Mason Partners Equity Trust

Filed under Rule 497(c)

File Nos. 33-43446 and 811-6444

PROSPECTUS

April 16, 2007

The Securities and Exchange Commission has not approved or disapproved these securities or determined whether this prospectus is accurate or complete. Any statement to the contrary is a crime.

LOGO

Legg Mason Partners

Aggressive Growth Fund

Class A, B, C, FI, R and I Shares

 

 

 

INVESTMENT PRODUCTS: NOT FDIC INSURED Ÿ NO BANK GUARANTEE Ÿ MAY LOSE VALUE

 


Legg Mason Partners

Aggressive Growth Fund

Contents

 

Investments, risks and performance

  2

More on the fund’s investments

  7

Management

  9

Choosing a class of shares to buy

  12

Comparing the fund’s classes

  14

Sales charges

  15

More about contingent deferred sales charges

  19

Retirement and institutional investors

  20

Buying shares

  23

Exchanging shares

  24

Redeeming shares

  26

Other things to know about transactions

  28

Dividends, distributions and taxes

  31

Share price

  33

Financial highlights

  35

 

As part of a number of initiatives launched in 2006 to restructure and streamline the Legg Mason Partners fund complex, the fund assumed the assets and liabilities of a predecessor fund with the same name. The fund is now grouped for organizational and governance purposes with other Legg Mason Partners funds that are predominantly equity-type funds. Any information in this Prospectus relating to the fund prior to the date of this Prospectus refers to the fund’s predecessor.


 

Investments, risks and performance

Investment objective

The fund seeks capital appreciation.

Principal investment strategies

Key investments

The fund invests primarily in common stocks of companies the portfolio manager believes are experiencing, or will experience, growth in earnings exceeding the average rate of earnings growth of the companies which comprise the S&P 500 Index. The fund may invest in the securities of large, well-known companies offering prospects of long-term earnings growth. However, because higher earnings growth rates are often achieved by small- to medium-sized companies, a significant portion of the fund’s assets may be invested in the securities of such companies.

Selection process

The portfolio manager emphasizes individual security selection while diversifying the fund’s investments across industries, which may help to reduce risk. The portfolio manager focuses primarily, but not exclusively, on emerging growth companies that have passed their “start-up” phase and show positive earnings and the prospect of achieving significant profit gains beginning in the two to three years after the fund acquires their stocks. When evaluating an individual stock, the portfolio manager considers whether the company may benefit from:

n  

New technologies, products or services

n  

New cost reducing measures

n  

Changes in management

n  

Favorable changes in government regulations

Principal risks of investing in the fund

Investors could lose money on their investment in the fund, or the fund may not perform as well as other investments, if:

n  

Stock prices decline generally

n  

Small or medium capitalization companies fall out of favor with investors

n  

The portfolio manager’s judgment about the attractiveness, growth prospects or potential appreciation of a particular stock proves to be incorrect

n  

A particular product or service developed by a company in which the fund invests is unsuccessful, the company does not meet earnings expectations or other events depress the value of the company’s stock

Compared to mutual funds that focus only on large capitalization companies, the fund’s share price may be more volatile because the fund also may invest a significant portion of its assets in small and medium capitalization companies. Compared to large capitalization companies, small and medium capitalization companies are likely to have:

n  

More limited product lines

n  

Fewer capital resources

n  

More limited management depth

 

2          Legg Mason Partners Funds


 

Further, securities of small and medium capitalization companies are more likely to:

n  

Experience sharper swings in market values

n  

Be harder to sell at times and at prices the portfolio manager believes appropriate

n  

Offer potential for larger gains and losses

Who may want to invest

The fund may be an appropriate investment if you:

n  

Are seeking to participate in the long-term growth potential of small and medium capitalization companies

n  

Currently have exposure to the stocks commonly held by large capitalization and value-oriented mutual funds and wish to broaden your investment portfolio

n  

Are willing to accept the risks of the stock market and the special risks of investing in smaller companies with more limited track records

Performance information

The following shows summary performance information for the fund in a bar chart and an Average Annual Total Returns table. The information provides an indication of the risks of investing in the fund by showing changes in its performance from year to year and by showing how the fund’s average annual returns compare with the returns of a broad-based securities market index. The bar chart below shows performance of the fund’s Class A shares, but does not reflect the impact of sales charges (loads). If it did, the returns would be lower than those shown. Unlike the bar chart, the performance for Class A, B, C and I(1) shares in the Average Annual Total Returns table reflects the impact of the maximum sales charge (load) applicable to the respective classes and, where indicated, the performance for Class A shares reflects the impact of taxes paid on distributions and the redemption of shares at the end of the period. Performance information for Class FI and Class R shares is not provided as Class R shares do not have a full calendar year of performance and no Class FI shares were outstanding as of December 31, 2006. The performance information shown below is that of the fund’s predecessor. The fund’s past performance, before and after taxes, is not necessarily an indication of how the fund will perform in the future.

Total Return for Class A Shares

LOGO

Highest and lowest quarter returns (for periods shown in the bar chart):

Highest: 37.54% in 4th quarter 1998; Lowest: (25.52)% in 2nd quarter 2002.

 

(1)

 

As of November 20, 2006, Class Y shares were renamed Class I shares.

 

Legg Mason Partners Aggressive Growth Fund         3


 

Average Annual Total Returns (for periods ended December 31, 2006)

 

     1 Year   5 Years   10 Years   Inception
Date

Class A

       
Return before taxes(1)   1.78%   3.08%   14.10%   10/24/83
 
Return after taxes on distributions(1)(2)   1.78%   3.08%   13.93%  
 
Return after taxes on distributions and sale of fund shares(1)(2)   1.16%   2.64%   12.66%  
 
Other Classes (Return before taxes only)  
 

Class B

  2.09%   3.28%   13.85%   11/06/92
 

Class C

  6.30%   3.57%   13.94%   05/13/93
 

Class I(3)

  8.45%   4.75%   15.22%   01/30/96
 
Russell 3000 Growth Index(4)   9.46%   3.02%   5.34%  
 

 

(1)

 

On November 20, 2006, the maximum initial sales charge on Class A shares was increased for sales made on and after that date. The average annual returns for Class A shares in the table have been calculated as if the increased maximum initial sales charge had been in effect for the entire period.

 

(2)

 

After-tax returns are calculated using the highest historical individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes. Actual after-tax returns depend on an investor’s tax situation and may differ from those shown. The after-tax returns shown are not relevant to investors who hold their fund shares through tax-deferred arrangements, such as 401(k) plans or individual retirement accounts. In some cases the return after taxes may exceed the return before taxes due to an assumed tax benefit from any losses on a sale of fund shares at the end of the measurement period. After-tax returns shown above are for Class A shares only. After-tax returns for other share classes will vary.

 

(3)

 

As of November 20, 2006, Class Y shares were renamed Class I shares.

 

(4)

 

The Russell 3000 Growth Index is an unmanaged index which measures the performance of those Russell 3000 Index companies with higher price-to-book ratios and higher forecasted growth values. The Index does not reflect deductions for fees, expenses or taxes. It is not possible to invest directly in the Index.

 

4         Legg Mason Partners Funds


 

Fee table

This table sets forth the fees and expenses you may pay if you invest in fund shares.

 

Shareholder Fees

 

(paid directly from your
investment)
  Class A     Class B     Class C     Class FI   Class R   Class I(1)
Maximum sales charge (load) imposed on purchases (as a % of offering price)   5.75 %   None     None     None   None   None
 
Maximum contingent deferred sales charge (load) (as a % of the lower of net asset value at purchase or redemption)   None (2)   5.00 %   1.00 %   None   None   None
 

 

Annual Fund Operating Expenses

 

(paid by the fund as a % of net
assets)
  Class A     Class B     Class C     Class FI     Class R     Class I(1)  
Management fee(3)   0.69 %   0.69 %   0.69 %   0.69 %   0.69 %   0.69 %
   
Distribution and service (12b-1) fees   0.25 %   1.00 %   1.00 %   0.25 %   0.50 %   None  
   
Other expenses(4)   0.17 %   0.23 %   0.09 %   0.16 %   0.16 %   0.01 %
   
Total annual fund operating expenses   1.11 %   1.92 %   1.78 %   1.10 %   1.35 %   0.70 %
   

 

(1)

 

As of November 20, 2006, Class Y shares were renamed Class I shares.

 

(2)

 

You may buy Class A shares in amounts of $1,000,000 or more at net asset value (without an initial sales charge), but if you redeem those shares within 12 months of their purchase, you will pay a contingent deferred sales charge of 1.00%.

 

(3)

 

The fund has a management fee schedule that reduces the management fee rate as assets increase as follows: 0.750% on assets up to and including $1 billion; 0.725% on assets over $1 billion and up to and including $2 billion; 0.700% on assets over $2 billion and up to and including $5 billion; 0.675% on assets over $5 billion and up to and including $10 billion; and 0.650% on assets over $10 billion.

 

(4)

 

The amounts set forth in “Other expenses” for Class A, B, C and I shares have been revised to reflect the estimated effect of new transfer agency and custody contracts which became effective on January 1, 2006, as well as the estimated effect of the fund’s reorganization with Legg Mason Partners Health Sciences Fund. Class A, C, FI and R shares include a fee for recordkeeping services. The amounts set forth in “Other expenses” for Class FI and Class R shares have been estimated for the current year.

 

Legg Mason Partners Aggressive Growth Fund         5


 

Example

This example helps you compare the costs of investing in the fund with the costs of investing in other mutual funds. Your actual costs may be higher or lower. The example assumes:

n  

You invest $10,000 in the fund for the period shown

n  

Your investment has a 5% return each year — the assumption of a 5% return is required by the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) for purposes of this example and is not a prediction of the fund’s future performance

n  

You reinvest all distributions and dividends without a sales charge

n  

The fund’s operating expenses (before fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements, if any) remain the same

 

Number of Years You Own Your Shares

 

     1 year   3 years   5 years   10 years  

Class A (with or without redemption)

  $ 682   $ 908   $ 1,152   $ 1,849  
   

Class B (redemption at end of period)

  $ 695   $ 903   $ 1,137   $ 2,033 (1)
   

Class B (no redemption)

  $ 195   $ 603   $ 1,037   $ 2,033 (1)
   

Class C (redemption at end of period)

  $ 281   $ 561   $ 965   $ 2,096  
   

Class C (no redemption)

  $ 181   $ 561   $ 965   $ 2,096  
   

Class FI (with or without redemption)

  $ 112   $ 350   $ 607   $ 1,341  
   

Class R (with or without redemption)

  $ 137   $ 427   $ 739   $ 1,623  
   

Class I(2) (with or without redemption)

  $ 72   $ 225   $ 391   $ 871  
   

 

(1)

 

Assumes conversion to Class A shares approximately eight years after purchase.

 

(2)

 

As of November 20, 2006, Class Y shares were renamed Class I shares.

 

6         Legg Mason Partners Funds


 

More on the fund’s investments

The fund’s investment objective and principal investment strategies are described under the section entitled “Investments, risks and performance” above. This section provides further information about the investment strategies that may be used by the fund.

The fund’s investment objective may be changed without shareholder approval.

Foreign investments

The fund may invest up to 10% of its net assets (at the time of investment) in foreign securities. The fund may invest directly in foreign issuers or invest in depositary receipts. The fund’s investments in foreign securities may involve greater risk than investments in securities of U.S. issuers. Because the value of a depositary receipt is dependent upon the market price of an underlying foreign security, depositary receipts are subject to most of the risks associated with investing in foreign securities directly. Foreign countries generally have markets that are less liquid and more volatile than markets in the United States. In some foreign countries, less information is available about foreign issuers and markets because of less rigorous accounting and regulatory standards than in the United States. Currency fluctuations could erase investment gains or add to investment losses.

Derivatives and hedging techniques

The fund may, but need not, use derivative contracts, such as futures and options on securities or securities indices and options on these futures, for any of the following purposes:

n  

To hedge against the economic impact of adverse changes in the market value of portfolio securities because of changes in stock market prices or interest rates

n  

As a substitute for buying or selling securities

n  

As a cash flow management technique

A derivative contract will obligate or entitle the fund to deliver or receive an asset or cash payment based on the change in value of one or more securities or indices. Even a small investment in derivative contracts can have a big impact on the fund’s stock market and interest rate exposure. Therefore, using derivatives can disproportionately increase losses and reduce opportunities for gains when stock prices or interest rates are changing. The fund may not fully benefit from or may lose money on derivatives if changes in their value do not correspond accurately or as anticipated to changes in the value of the fund’s holdings. The other parties to certain derivative contracts present the same types of default risk as issuers of fixed income securities. Derivatives can also make the fund less liquid and harder to value, especially in declining markets.

Defensive investing

The fund may depart from its principal investment strategies in response to adverse market, economic or political conditions by taking temporary defensive positions in any type of money market instruments and short-term debt securities or cash without regard to any percentage limitations. If the fund takes a temporary defensive position, it may be unable to achieve its investment objective.

 

Legg Mason Partners Aggressive Growth Fund         7


 

Other investments

The fund may also use other strategies and invest in other securities that are described, along with their risks, in the fund’s Statement of Additional Information (“SAI”). However, the fund might not use all of the strategies and techniques or invest in all of the types of securities described in this Prospectus or in the SAI. Also note that there are many other factors, which are not described here, that could adversely affect your investment and that could prevent the fund from achieving its investment objective.

Portfolio holdings

The fund’s policies and procedures with respect to the disclosure of the fund’s portfolio securities are described in the SAI.

 

8         Legg Mason Partners Funds


 

Management

Manager and subadviser

Legg Mason Partners Fund Advisor, LLC (“LMPFA” or the “manager”) is the fund’s investment manager. LMPFA, with offices at 399 Park Avenue, New York, New York 10022, is a recently-organized investment adviser that has been formed to serve as the investment manager of the fund and other Legg Mason-sponsored funds. LMPFA provides administrative and certain oversight services to the fund. ClearBridge Advisors, LLC (“ClearBridge” or the “subadviser”) provides the day-to-day portfolio management of the fund, except for the management of cash and short-term instruments, which is performed by LMPFA.

ClearBridge has offices at 399 Park Avenue, New York, New York 10022 and is a recently-organized investment adviser that has been formed to succeed to the equity securities portfolio management business of Citigroup Asset Management (“CAM”), which was acquired by Legg Mason, Inc. (“Legg Mason”) in December 2005. As of December 31, 2006, ClearBridge’s total assets under management were approximately $116 billion.

LMPFA and ClearBridge are wholly-owned subsidiaries of Legg Mason. Legg Mason, whose principal executive offices are at 100 Light Street, Baltimore, Maryland 21202, is a global asset management company. As of December 31, 2006, Legg Mason’s asset management operation had aggregate assets under management of approximately $945 billion.

Prior to August 1, 2006, Smith Barney Fund Management LLC (“SBFM”) was the fund’s investment manager. SBFM is also a wholly-owned subsidiary of Legg Mason.

Portfolio manager

Richard Freeman, investment officer of the subadviser, has been responsible for the day-to-day management of the fund’s portfolio since its inception in October 1983. Mr. Freeman has more than 33 years of securities business experience, 24 years of which has been with the subadviser or its predecessors.

The SAI provides information about the compensation of the portfolio manager, other accounts he manages, and any fund shares held by the portfolio manager.

Management fee

For the fiscal year ended August 31, 2006, the fund paid a fee, after waivers and reimbursements, of 0.69% of the fund’s average daily net assets for advisory and administrative services. For the period from September 1, 2005, through November 30, 2005, the fund paid SBFM an advisory fee, after waivers and reimbursements, and an administrative fee equal to 0.56% and 0.15%, respectively, of the fund’s average daily net assets. For the period from December 1, 2005 through July 31, 2006, the fund paid SBFM a management fee, after waivers and reimbursements, equal to 0.69% of the fund’s average daily net assets. For the period from August 1, 2006 through August 31, 2006, the fund paid LMPFA a management fee, after waivers and reimbursements, equal to 0.69% of the fund’s average daily net assets.

A discussion regarding the basis for the Board’s approval of the fund’s management agreement and sub-advisory agreement is available in the fund’s Annual Report for the fiscal year ended August 31, 2006.

 

Legg Mason Partners Aggressive Growth Fund         9


 

Distribution plan

Legg Mason Investor Services, LLC (“LMIS”), a wholly-owned broker/dealer subsidiary of Legg Mason, Citigroup Global Markets Inc. (“CGMI”) and PFS Investments Inc. (“PFS”) serve as the fund’s distributors.

The fund has adopted a shareholder services and distribution plan for its Class A, B, C, FI and R shares. Under the plan, the fund pays distribution and/or service fees. The plan provides for payments, based on annualized percentages of average daily net assets, of up to 0.25% for Class A and Class FI shares; up to 1.00% for Class B and Class C; and up to 0.50% for Class R shares. These fees are an ongoing expense and, over time, will increase the cost of your investment and may cost you more than other types of sales charges.

In addition, the distributors may make payments for distribution and/or shareholder servicing activities out of their past profits and other available sources. A distributor may also make payments to dealers for marketing, promotional or related expenses. The amount of these payments is determined by the distributor and may be substantial. The manager or an affiliate may make similar payments under similar arrangements.

The payments described in the paragraph above are often referred to as “revenue sharing payments.” The recipients of such payments may include the fund’s distributors, affiliates of the manager, broker/dealers, financial institutions and other financial intermediaries through which investors may purchase shares of the fund. In some circumstances, such payments may create an incentive for an intermediary or its employees or associated persons to recommend or sell shares of the fund to you. Please contact your financial intermediary for details about revenue sharing payments it may receive.

Recent developments

On May 31, 2005, the SEC issued an order in connection with the settlement of an administrative proceeding against SBFM, the then-investment adviser or manager to the fund, and CGMI, relating to the appointment of an affiliated transfer agent for the Smith Barney family of mutual funds, including the fund (the “Affected Funds”).

The SEC order found that SBFM and CGMI willfully violated Section 206(1) of the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as amended, and the rules promulgated thereunder (the “Advisers Act”). Specifically, the order found that SBFM and CGMI knowingly or recklessly failed to disclose to the boards of the Affected Funds in 1999 when proposing a new transfer agent arrangement with an affiliated transfer agent that: First Data Investors Services Group (“First Data”), the Affected Funds’ then-existing transfer agent, had offered to continue as transfer agent and do the same work for substantially less money than before; and that CAM, the Citigroup business unit that, at the time, included the Affected Funds’ investment manager and other investment advisory companies, had entered into a side letter with First Data under which CAM agreed to recommend the appointment of First Data as sub-transfer agent to the affiliated transfer agent in exchange, among other things, for a guarantee by First Data of specified amounts of asset management and investment banking fees to CAM and CGMI. The order also found that SBFM and CGMI willfully violated Section 206(2) of the Advisers Act by virtue of the omissions discussed above and other misrepresentations and omissions in the materials provided to the Affected Funds’ boards, including the failure to make clear that the affiliated transfer agent would earn a high profit for performing limited functions while First Data continued to perform almost

 

10         Legg Mason Partners Funds


 

all of the transfer agent functions, and the suggestion that the proposed arrangement was in the Affected Funds’ best interests and that no viable alternatives existed.

SBFM and CGMI do not admit or deny any wrongdoing or liability. The settlement does not establish wrongdoing or liability for purposes of any other proceeding. The SEC censured SBFM and CGMI and ordered them to cease and desist from violations of Sections 206(1) and 206(2) of the Advisers Act. The order required Citigroup to pay $208.1 million, including $109 million in disgorgement of profits, $19.1 million in interest, and a civil money penalty of $80 million. Approximately $24.4 million has already been paid to the Affected Funds, primarily through fee waivers. The remaining $183.7 million, including the penalty, has been paid to the U.S. Treasury and will be distributed pursuant to a plan submitted for the approval of the SEC. At this time, there is no certainty as to how the above-described proceeds of the settlement will be distributed, to whom such distributions will be made, the methodology by which such distributions will be allocated, and when such distributions will be made. The order also required that transfer agency fees received from the Affected Funds since December 1, 2004, less certain expenses, be placed in escrow and provided that a portion of such fees might be subsequently distributed in accordance with the terms of the order. On April 3, 2006, an aggregate amount of approximately $9 million held in escrow was distributed to the Affected Funds.

The order required SBFM to recommend a new transfer agent contract to the Affected Funds’ boards within 180 days of the entry of the order; if a Citigroup affiliate submitted a proposal to serve as transfer agent or sub-transfer agent, SBFM and CGMI would have been required, at their expense, to engage an independent monitor to oversee a competitive bidding process. On November 21, 2005, and within the specified timeframe, the Affected Funds’ boards selected a new transfer agent for the Affected Funds. No Citigroup affiliate submitted a proposal to serve as transfer agent. Under the order, SBFM also must comply with an amended version of a vendor policy that Citigroup instituted in August 2004.

Although there can be no assurance, the manager does not believe that this matter will have a material adverse effect on the Affected Funds.

On December 1, 2005, Citigroup completed the sale of substantially all of its global asset management business, including SBFM, to Legg Mason.

 

Legg Mason Partners Aggressive Growth Fund         11


 

Choosing a class of shares to buy

Individual investors can generally choose among three classes of shares: Classes A, B and C shares. Individual investors that held Class I (formerly Class Y) shares prior to November 20, 2006, may continue to invest in Class I shares. Institutional and retirement plan investors and clients of financial intermediaries should refer to “Retirement and institutional investors” below for a description of the classes available to them. Each class has different sales charges and expenses, allowing you to choose the class that best meets your needs.

When choosing which class of shares to buy, you should consider:

n  

How much you plan to invest

n  

How long you expect to own the shares

n  

The expenses paid by each class detailed in the Fee table and Example at the front of this Prospectus

n  

Whether you qualify for any reduction or waiver of sales charges

If you are choosing between Class A and Class B shares, it will in almost all cases be the more economical choice for you to purchase Class A shares if you plan to purchase shares in an amount of $100,000 or more (whether in a single purchase or through aggregation of eligible holdings). This is because of the reduced sales charge available on larger investments of Class A shares and the lower ongoing expenses of Class A shares compared to Class B shares.

If you intend to invest for only a few years, the effect of Class B contingent deferred sales charges on redemptions made within five years of purchase, as well as the effect of higher expenses of that class, might make an investment in Class C more appropriate. There is no initial sales charge on Class C shares, and the contingent deferred sales charge does not apply to shares redeemed one year or more after purchase.

However, if you plan to invest a large amount and your investment horizon is five years or more, Class C shares might not be as advantageous as Class A shares. The annual distribution and service fees on Class C shares may cost you more over the longer term than the front-end sales charge you would have paid for larger purchases of Class A shares.

You may buy shares from:

n  

Certain broker/dealers, financial intermediaries, financial institutions, a distributor’s financial advisors or registered representatives that have entered into an agreement to sell fund shares (each called a “Service Agent”)

n  

The fund, but only if you are investing through certain qualified plans or Service Agents

Different types of shareholder services may be available to you under arrangements offered by different Service Agents. In addition, these services may vary depending on the share class in which you choose to invest. In making your decision regarding which share class to buy, please keep in mind that your Service Agent may receive different compensation depending on the share class in which you invest. Investors should consult with their Service Agent about comparative pricing of shareholder services available to them under each available share class, the compensation that will be received by their Service Agent in connection with each available share class, and other factors that may be relevant to the investor’s choice of share class in which to invest.

 

12         Legg Mason Partners Funds


 

Not all classes of shares are available through each Service Agent. You should contact your Service Agent for further information.

Investment minimums

Minimum initial and additional investment amounts vary depending on the class of shares you buy and the nature of your investment.

 

   

Investment Minimum

Initial/Additional Investments(1)

     Class A   Class B   Class C   Class FI   Class R   Class I
(formerly Y)

General

  $ 500/$50   $ 500/$50   $ 500/$50   n/a   n/a   n/a
 

IRAs and Uniform Gifts or Transfers to Minor Accounts

  $ 250/$50   $ 250/$50   $ 250/$50   n/a   n/a   n/a
 

SIMPLE IRAs

  $ 1/$1   $ 1/$1   $ 1/$1   n/a   n/a   n/a
 

Systematic Investment Plans

  $ 25/$25   $ 25/$25   $ 25/$25   n/a   n/a   n/a
 

Clients of Eligible Financial Intermediaries

  $ 1/$1     n/a     n/a   None/
None
  n/a   None/
None
 

Retirement Plans with omnibus accounts held on the books of the fund

    n/a     n/a    
 
None/
None
  None/
None
  None/
None
  None/
None
 

Other Retirement Plans

  $ 50/$50   $ 50/$50   $ 50/$50   n/a   n/a   n/a
 

Institutional Investors

  $ 500/$50   $ 500/$50   $ 500/$50   n/a   n/a   $ 1 million/
None
 

 

(1)

 

Please refer to the section entitled “Retirement and institutional investors” for additional information regarding the investment minimum and eligibility requirements for Retirement Plans, Institutional Investors and Clients of Eligible Financial Intermediaries.

More information about the fund’s classes of shares is available through the Legg Mason Partners Funds’ website. You’ll find detailed information about sales charges and ways you can qualify for reduced or waived sales charges, including:

n  

The front-end sales charges that apply to the purchase of Class A shares

n  

The contingent deferred sales charges that apply to the redemption of Class B shares, Class C shares, and certain Class A shares (redeemed within one year)

n  

Who qualifies for lower sales charges on Class A shares

n  

Who qualifies for a sales load waiver

To access the website, go to http://www.leggmason.com/InvestorServices and click on the name of the fund.

 

Legg Mason Partners Aggressive Growth Fund         13


 

Comparing the fund’s classes

The following table compares key features of the fund’s classes. You should review the Fee table and Example at the front of this Prospectus carefully before choosing your share class. Your Service Agent can help you decide which class meets your goals. Your Service Agent may receive different compensation depending upon which class you choose.

 

 

     Class A   Class B   Class C   Class FI   Class R   Class I
(formerly Y)
Key features  

n Initial sales charge

n You may qualify for reduction or waiver of initial sales charge

n Generally lower annual expenses than Class B and Class C

 

n No initial sales charge

n Contingent deferred sales charge declines
over time

n Converts to Class A after approximately 8 years

n Generally higher annual expenses than Class A

 

n No initial sales charge

n Contingent deferred sales charge for only 1 year

n Does not convert to Class A

n Generally higher annual expenses than
Class A

 

n No initial or contingent deferred sales charge

n Only offered to Clients of Eligible Financial Intermediaries and eligible Retirement Plans

 

n No initial or contingent deferred sales charge

n Only offered to eligible Retirement Plans with omnibus accounts held on the books of the fund

 

n No initial or contingent deferred sales charge

n Only offered to institutional and other eligible investors

n Generally lower expenses than the other classes

Initial sales charge  

Up to 5.75%; reduced or waived for large purchases and certain investors. No charge for purchases of $1 million or more

 

None

 

None

 

None

 

None

 

None

Contingent deferred sales charge  

1.00% on purchases of $1 million or more if you redeem within 1 year of purchase; waived for certain investors

 

Up to 5.00% charged when you redeem shares. The charge is reduced over time and there is no contingent deferred sales charge after 5 years; waived for certain investors

 

1.00% if you redeem within 1 year of purchase; waived for certain investors

 

None

 

None

 

None

Annual distribution and/or service fees  

0.25% of average daily net assets

 

1.00% of average daily net assets

 

1.00% of average daily net assets

 

0.25% of average daily net assets

 

0.50% of average daily net assets

 

None

Exchange

Privilege(1)

 

Class A shares of most Legg Mason Partners Funds

 

Class B shares of most Legg Mason Partners Funds

 

Class C shares of most Legg Mason Partners Funds

 

Class FI shares of applicable Legg Mason Partners Funds

 

Class R shares of applicable Legg Mason Partners Funds

 

Class I shares of most Legg Mason Partners Funds

 

(1)

 

Ask your Service Agent about the Legg Mason Partners Funds available for exchange.

 

14         Legg Mason Partners Funds


 

Sales charges

Class A shares

You buy Class A shares at the offering price, which is the net asset value plus a sales charge. You pay a lower rate as the size of your investment increases to certain levels called breakpoints. You do not pay a sales charge on the fund’s distributions or dividends you reinvest in additional Class A shares.

The table below shows the rate of sales charge you pay, depending on the amount you purchase, for purchases made on or after November 20, 2006. The table below also shows the amount of broker/dealer compensation that will be paid out of the sales charge if you buy shares from a Service Agent (except PFS). For Class A shares sold directly by LMIS, LMIS will receive the sales charge imposed on purchases of Class A shares (or any contingent deferred sales charge paid on redemptions) and will retain the full amount of such sales charge. For Class A shares sold by CGMI, CGMI will receive the sales charge imposed on purchases of Class A shares and will retain an amount equal to the broker/dealer commission paid out of the sales charge. LMIS will receive any portion not retained by CGMI. For Class A shares sold by PFS, PFS will receive the sales charge imposed on purchases of Class A shares (or any contingent deferred sales charge paid on redemptions) and will retain the full amount of such sales charge. Service Agents (including CGMI and PFS) will also receive a service fee payable on Class A shares at an annual rate of up to 0.25% of the average daily net assets represented by the Class A shares serviced by them.

 

Amount of investment   Sales Charge
as % of
offering price
  Sales Charge
as % of net
amount
invested
  Broker/Dealer
Commission
as % of
offering price

Less than $25,000

  5.75   6.10   5.00
 

$25,000 but less than $50,000

  5.00   5.26   4.25
 

$50,000 but less than $100,000

  4.50   4.71   3.75
 

$100,000 but less than $250,000

  3.50   3.63   2.75
 

$250,000 but less than $500,000

  2.50   2.56   2.00
 

$500,000 but less than $750,000

  2.00   2.04   1.60
 

$750,000 but less than $1 million

  1.50   1.52   1.20
 

$1 million or more(1)

  0   0   up to 1.00
 

 

(1)

 

A distributor may pay a commission of up to 1.00% to a Service Agent for purchase amounts of $1 million or more. In such cases, starting in the thirteenth month after purchase, the Service Agent will also receive an annual distribution/service fee of up to 0.25% of the average daily net assets represented by the Class A shares held by its clients. Prior to the thirteenth month, the distributor will retain this fee. Where the Service Agent does not receive the payment of this commission, the Service Agent will instead receive the annual distribution/service fee starting immediately after purchase. Please contact your Service Agent for more information.

Investments of $1,000,000 or more

You do not pay an initial sales charge when you buy $1,000,000 or more of Class A shares. However, if you redeem these Class A shares within one year of purchase, you will pay a contingent deferred sales charge of 1.00%.

 

Legg Mason Partners Aggressive Growth Fund         15


 

Qualifying for a reduced Class A sales charge

There are several ways you can combine multiple purchases of Class A shares of Legg Mason Partners Funds to take advantage of the breakpoints in the sales charge schedule. In order to take advantage of reductions in sales charges that may be available to you when you purchase fund shares, you must inform your Service Agent or Legg Mason Partners Shareholder Services if you are eligible for a letter of intent or a right of accumulation and if you own shares of other Legg Mason Partners Funds that are eligible to be aggregated with your purchases. Certain records, such as account statements, may be necessary in order to verify your eligibility for reduced sales charges.

n  

Accumulation Privilege – allows you to combine the current value of Class A shares of the fund with other shares of Legg Mason Partners Funds that are owned by:

  ¨  

you; or

  ¨  

your spouse and children under the age of 21

with the dollar amount of your next purchase of Class A shares for purposes of calculating the initial sales charge.

Shares of certain money market funds advised by the manager or its affiliates (other than money market fund shares acquired by exchange from other Legg Mason Partners Funds offered with a sales charge), Legg Mason Partners S&P 500 Index Fund and Class O shares of Legg Mason Partners Equity Fund may not be combined.

If you hold shares of Legg Mason Partners Funds in accounts at two or more Service Agents, please contact your Service Agents to determine which shares may be combined.

Certain trustees and fiduciaries may be entitled to combine accounts in determining their sales charge.

n  

Letter of Intent – allows you to purchase Class A shares of Legg Mason Partners Funds over a 13-month period and pay the same sales charge on Class A shares, if any, as if all shares had been purchased at once. At the time you enter into the letter of intent, you select your asset goal amount. Generally, purchases of Legg Mason Partners Fund shares that are purchased during the 13-month period by

  ¨  

you; or

  ¨  

your spouse and children under the age of 21

are eligible for inclusion under the letter, based on the public offering price at the time of the purchase, and any capital appreciation on those shares. Purchases made 90 days prior to the 13-month period are also eligible to be treated as purchases made under the letter of intent. In addition, you can include towards your asset goal amount the current value of any eligible purchases that were made prior to the date of entering into the letter of intent and are still held.

If you hold shares of Legg Mason Partners Funds in accounts at two or more Service Agents, please contact your Service Agents to determine which shares may be credited toward your letter of intent asset goal.

Shares of certain money market funds advised by the manager or its affiliates (other than money market fund shares acquired by exchange from other Legg Mason Partners Funds offered with a sales charge), Legg Mason Partners S&P 500 Index Fund and Class O shares of Legg Mason Partners Equity Fund may not be credited toward your letter of intent asset goal.

 

16         Legg Mason Partners Funds


 

If you do not meet your asset goal amount, shares in the amount of any sales charges due, based on the amount of your actual purchases, will be redeemed from your account.

Waivers for certain Class A investors

Class A initial sales charges are waived for certain types of investors, including:

n  

Employees of Service Agents having dealer, service or other selling agreements with the fund’s distributors

n  

Investors who redeemed Class A shares of a Legg Mason Partners Fund in the past 60 days, if the investor’s Service Agent is notified

n  

Directors and officers of any Legg Mason-sponsored fund

n  

Employees of Legg Mason and its subsidiaries

n  

Investors investing through certain retirement plans

If you qualify for a waiver of the Class A initial sales charge, you must notify your Service Agent or the transfer agent at the time of purchase and provide sufficient information at the time of purchase to permit verification that the purchase qualifies for the initial sales charge waiver.

If you want to learn about additional waivers of Class A initial sales charges, contact your Service Agent, consult the SAI or access the Legg Mason Partners Funds’ website, http://www.leggmason.com/InvestorServices, and click on the name of the fund.

Class B shares

You buy Class B shares at net asset value without paying an initial sales charge. However, if you redeem your Class B shares within five years of your purchase payment, you will pay a contingent deferred sales charge. The contingent deferred sales charge decreases as the number of years since your purchase payment increases.

 

Year after purchase   1st     2nd     3rd     4th     5th     6th through 8th  

Contingent deferred sales charge

  5 %   4 %   3 %   2 %   1 %   0 %
   

LMIS will pay Service Agents other than PFS, including CGMI, selling Class B shares a commission of up to 4.00% of the purchase price of the Class B shares they sell and LMIS will retain the contingent deferred sales charges. For Class B shares sold by PFS, PFS will pay a commission of up to 4.00% of the purchase price of the Class B shares sold by its Service Agents and will retain the contingent deferred sales charges paid upon certain redemptions. Service Agents also receive an annual distribution/service fee of up to 0.25% of the average daily net assets represented by the Class B shares serviced by them.

 

Legg Mason Partners Aggressive Growth Fund         17


 

Class B conversion

After approximately 8 years, Class B shares automatically convert into Class A shares. This helps you because Class A shares have lower annual expenses. Your Class B shares will convert to Class A shares as follows:

 

Shares issued:
At initial purchase
   Shares issued:
On reinvestment of
dividends and
distributions
   Shares issued:
Upon exchange from
another Legg Mason
Partners Fund
Approximately 8 years after the date of purchase payment    In same proportion as the number of Class B shares converting is to total Class B shares you own (excluding shares issued as dividends)    On the date the shares originally acquired would have converted into Class A shares
 

Class C shares

You buy Class C shares at net asset value without paying an initial sales charge. However, if you redeem your Class C shares within one year of purchase, you will pay a contingent deferred sales charge of 1.00%.

LMIS will generally pay Service Agents selling Class C shares a commission of up to 1.00% of the purchase price of the Class C shares they sell and LMIS will retain the contingent deferred sales charges and an annual distribution/service fee of up to 1.00% of the average daily net assets represented by the Class C shares serviced by these Service Agents until the thirteenth month after purchase. Starting in the thirteenth month after purchase, these Service Agents will receive an annual distribution/service fee of up to 1.00% of the average daily net assets represented by the Class C shares serviced by them.

Class FI, Class R and Class I (formerly Class Y) shares

Class FI, R and I shares are purchased at net asset value with no initial sales charge and no contingent deferred sales charge when redeemed.

 

18         Legg Mason Partners Funds


 

More about contingent deferred sales charges

The contingent deferred sales charge is based on the net asset value at the time of purchase or redemption, whichever is less, and therefore you do not pay a sales charge on amounts representing appreciation or depreciation.

In addition, you do not pay a contingent deferred sales charge:

n  

When you exchange shares for shares of another Legg Mason Partners Fund

n  

On shares representing reinvested distributions and dividends

n  

On shares no longer subject to the contingent deferred sales charge

Each time you place a request to redeem shares, the fund will first redeem any shares in your account that are not subject to a contingent deferred sales charge and then the shares in your account that have been held the longest.

If you redeemed shares of a Legg Mason Partners Fund and paid a contingent deferred sales charge, you may, under certain circumstances, reinvest all or part of the redemption proceeds within 60 days and receive pro rata credit for any contingent deferred sales charge imposed on the prior redemption. Please contact your Service Agent for additional information.

The fund’s distributors receive contingent deferred sales charges as partial compensation for their expenses in selling shares, including the payment of compensation to your Service Agent.

Contingent deferred sales charge waivers

The contingent deferred sales charge for each share class will generally be waived:

n  

On payments made through certain systematic withdrawal plans

n  

On certain distributions from a retirement plan

n  

For retirement plans with omnibus accounts held on the books of the fund

n  

For involuntary redemptions of small account balances

n  

For 12 months following the death or disability of a shareholder

If you want to learn more about additional waivers of contingent deferred sales charges, contact your Service Agent, consult the SAI or access the Legg Mason Partners Funds’ website, http://www.leggmason.com/InvestorServices, and click on the name of the fund.

 

Legg Mason Partners Aggressive Growth Fund         19


 

Retirement and institutional investors

Eligible Investors

Retirement Plans

Retirement Plans with omnibus accounts held on the books of the fund can generally choose among four classes of shares: Class C, Class R, Class FI and Class I (formerly Class Y) shares.

As of December 1, 2006, Class A and Class B shares will be available through certain Service Agents for Retirement Plans with omnibus accounts held on the books of the fund on a limited basis only. Class A shares will cease to be available to new Retirement Plan investors through a Service Agent if Class FI shares become available.

“Retirement Plans” include 401(k) plans, 457 plans, employer-sponsored 403(b) plans, profit-sharing plans, non-qualified deferred compensation plans and other similar employer-sponsored retirement plans. Retirement Plans do not include individual retirement vehicles, such as traditional and Roth individual retirement accounts, Coverdell education savings accounts, individual 403(b)(7) custodial accounts, Keogh plans, SEPs, SARSEPs, SIMPLE IRAs, or Section 529 savings accounts. Although Retirement Plans with omnibus accounts held on the books of the fund are not subject to minimum initial investment requirements for any of these share classes, certain investment minimums may be imposed by a financial intermediary.

Other Retirement Plans

Other Retirement Plans can generally choose among three classes of shares: Class A, Class B and Class C. “Other Retirement Plans” include Retirement Plans investing through brokerage accounts, and also include certain Retirement Plans with direct relationships to the fund that are neither Institutional Investors nor investing through omnibus accounts. Individual retirement vehicles, such as IRAs, may also choose among these share classes. Other Retirement Plans and individual retirement vehicles are treated like individual investors for purposes of determining sales charges and any applicable sales charge reductions or waivers.

Clients of Eligible Financial Intermediaries

Clients of Eligible Financial Intermediaries may generally choose among three classes of shares: Class A, Class FI and Class I. “Clients of Eligible Financial Intermediaries” are investors who invest in the fund through financial intermediaries that offer their clients fund shares through investment programs as authorized by LMIS. Such investment programs may include fee-based advisory or brokerage account programs, and college savings vehicles such as Section 529 plans. The financial intermediary may impose separate investment minimums.

Institutional Investors

Institutional Investors may invest in Class I shares if they meet the $1,000,000 minimum initial investment requirement. Institutional Investors may also invest in Class A, B and C shares, which have different investment minimums and fees and expenses. “Institutional Investors” generally include corporations, banks, insurance companies, foundations, retirement plans and other similar entities with direct relationships to the fund.

 

20         Legg Mason Partners Funds


 

Class C — Retirement Plans

For purchases made on or after November 20, 2006, Retirement Plans with omnibus accounts held on the books of the fund may buy Class C shares without paying a contingent deferred sales charge. As of November 20, 2006, LMIS no longer pays Service Agents selling Class C shares to retirement plans with omnibus accounts held on the books of a fund a commission on the purchase price of Class C shares sold by them. Instead, immediately after purchase, LMIS will pay these Service Agents an annual distribution/service fee of up to 1.00% of the average daily net assets represented by the Class C shares serviced by them.

Certain retirement plan programs with exchange features in effect prior to November 20, 2006, as approved by LMIS, will remain eligible for exchange from Class C shares to Class A shares in accordance with the program terms. Please read the SAI for more details.

Class R

Class R shares are offered only to Retirement Plans with accounts held on the books of the fund (either at the plan level or at the level of the financial intermediary). LMIS may pay Service Agents selling Class R shares an annual distribution/service fee of up to 0.50% of the average daily net assets represented by the Class R shares serviced by them.

Class FI

Class FI shares are offered to investors who invest in the fund through certain financial intermediary and retirement plan programs. LMIS may pay Service Agents selling Class FI shares an annual distribution/service fee of up to 0.25% starting immediately after purchase.

Class I

As of November 20, 2006, Class Y shares were renamed Class I shares and are offered only to Institutional Investors who meet the $1,000,000 minimum initial investment requirement, Clients of Eligible Financial Intermediaries, and other investors as authorized by LMIS. However, investors that held Class Y shares prior to that date will be permitted to make additional investments in Class I shares.

Class A and Class B — Retirement Plans

As of December 1, 2006, Class A and Class B shares are no longer offered through Service Agents to Retirement Plans with omnibus accounts held on the books of the fund. However, Retirement Plans that held Class A or Class B shares prior to that date are permitted to make additional investments in the applicable Class. Certain existing programs for current and prospective Retirement Plan investors sponsored by financial intermediaries also remain eligible for Class A shares. Under these programs, the waiver for the initial sales load and contingent deferred sales charge for Class A shares remains available where:

n  

Such Retirement Plan’s record keeper offers only load-waived shares,

n  

Fund shares are held on the books of the fund through an omnibus account, and

n  

The Retirement Plan has more than 100 participants, or has total assets exceeding $1 million

 

Legg Mason Partners Aggressive Growth Fund         21


 

As of November 20, 2006, LMIS no longer pays Service Agents selling Class A shares to Retirement Plans with a direct omnibus relationship with a fund a commission on the purchase price of Class A shares sold by them. However, for certain Retirement Plans that are permitted to purchase shares at net asset value on or after this date, LMIS may continue to pay Service Agents commissions of up to 1.00% of the purchase price of the additional Class A shares that are purchased with regular ongoing plan contributions. Please contact your Service Agent for more information.

Other considerations

Plan sponsors, plan fiduciaries and other financial intermediaries may choose to impose qualification requirements for plans that differ from the fund’s share class eligibility standards. In certain cases this could result in the selection of a share class with higher service and distribution-related fees than otherwise would have been charged. The fund is not responsible for, and has no control over, the decision of any plan sponsor, plan fiduciary or financial intermediary to impose such differing requirements. Please consult with your plan sponsor, plan fiduciary or financial intermediary for more information about available share classes.

With respect to Class A, Class C, Class FI and Class R shares, as applicable, the fund may pay a fee for recordkeeping services performed for the share class.

Not all share classes may be made available by your Service Agent; please contact your Service Agent for additional details.

 

22         Legg Mason Partners Funds


 

Buying shares

 

Generally    You may buy shares at their net asset value next determined after receipt by your Service Agent or the transfer agent of your purchase request in good order, plus any applicable sales charge.
 
Through a
Service Agent
  

You should contact your Service Agent to open a brokerage account and make arrangements to buy shares. You must provide the following information for your order to be processed:

n Class of shares being bought

n Dollar amount or number of shares being bought

n Account number (if existing account)

Your Service Agent may charge an annual account maintenance fee.

 
Through the
fund
  

Financial intermediary accounts, retirement plan accounts and certain other investors who are clients of certain Service Agents are eligible to buy shares directly from the fund.

n Clients of a PFS Registered Representative should write to the fund at the following address:

Legg Mason Partners Funds

c/o PFPC Inc.

P.O. Box 9662

Providence, Rhode Island 02940-9662

n All other investors should write to the fund at the following address:

Legg Mason Partners Funds

c/o PFPC Inc.

P.O. Box 9699

Providence, Rhode Island 02940-9699

n Enclose a check to pay for the shares. For initial purchases, complete and send an account application available upon request from Legg Mason Partners Shareholder Services at the number below

n Specify the name of the fund, the share class you wish to purchase and your account number (if existing account)

n For more information, please call Legg Mason Partners Shareholder Services at 800-451-2010 (or for clients of a PFS Registered Representative, call Primerica Shareholder Services at 800-544-5445)

 

Through a

systematic

investment plan

  

You may authorize your Service Agent or the transfer agent to transfer funds automatically from (i) a regular bank account, (ii) cash held in a brokerage account opened with a Service Agent or (iii) certain money market funds, in order to buy shares on a regular basis.

n Amounts transferred must be at least $25

n Amounts may be transferred monthly, every alternate month, quarterly, semi-annually or annually

n If you do not have sufficient funds in your account on a transfer date, your Service Agent or the transfer agent may charge you a fee

 

For more information, please contact your Service Agent or Legg Mason Partners Shareholder Services or consult the SAI.

 

Legg Mason Partners Aggressive Growth Fund         23


 

Exchanging shares

 

Generally    You may exchange shares at their net asset value next determined after receipt by your Service Agent or the transfer agent of your exchange request in good order.
 
Legg Mason Partners offers a distinctive family of funds tailored to help meet the varying needs of both large and small investors   

You should contact your Service Agent to exchange into other Legg Mason Partners Funds. Be sure to read the prospectus of the Legg Mason Partners Fund into which you are exchanging. An exchange is a taxable transaction, unless you are investing through a tax-qualified savings plan or account.

n If you bought shares through a Service Agent, you may exchange shares only for shares of the same class of certain other Legg Mason Partners Funds made available for exchange by your Service Agent. Not all Legg Mason Partners Funds made available for exchange by your Service Agent may offer all classes. Please contact your Service Agent for more information about the funds and classes that are available for exchange

n If you bought shares directly from the fund, you may exchange shares only for shares of the same class of another Legg Mason Partners Fund, other than shares of Legg Mason Partners S&P 500 Index Fund. Not all Legg Mason Partners Funds offer all classes

n Not all Legg Mason Partners Funds may be offered in your state of residence. Contact your Service Agent or the transfer agent for further information

n Exchanges of Class A, B, C, FI and R shares are subject to minimum investment requirements (except for systematic investment plan exchanges), and all shares are subject to the other requirements of the fund into which exchanges are made

n If you hold share certificates, the transfer agent must receive the certificates endorsed for transfer or with signed stock powers before the exchange is effective

n The fund may suspend or terminate your exchange privilege if you engage in an excessive pattern of exchanges

 
Sales charges   

In most instances, your shares will not be subject to an initial sales charge or a contingent deferred sales charge at the time of the exchange.

Your contingent deferred sales charge (if any) will continue to be measured from the date of your original purchase of shares subject to a contingent deferred sales charge and you will be subject to the contingent deferred sales charge of the fund that you originally purchased.

 

 

24         Legg Mason Partners Funds


 

By telephone   

If you do not have a brokerage account with a Service Agent, you may be eligible to exchange shares through the fund. You must complete an authorization form to authorize telephone transfers. If eligible, you may make telephone exchanges on any day the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) is open. For clients of a PFS Registered Representative, call Primerica Shareholder Services at 800-544-5445 between 8:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m. (Eastern time). All other shareholders should call Legg Mason Partners Shareholder Services at 800-451-2010 between 8:30 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. (Eastern time).

You can make telephone exchanges only between accounts that have identical registrations.

 
By mail    If you do not have a brokerage account, contact your Service Agent or write to the fund at the applicable address on the following page.
 

Through a systematic

exchange plan

  

You may be permitted to schedule exchanges of shares of any class of the fund for shares of the same class of other Legg Mason Partners Funds.

n Exchanges may be made monthly, every alternate month, quarterly, semi-annually or annually

n A predetermined dollar amount of at least $25 per exchange is required

For more information, please contact your Service Agent or Legg Mason Partners Shareholder Services.

 

Legg Mason Partners Aggressive Growth Fund         25


 

Redeeming shares

 

Generally   

You may redeem shares at their net asset value next determined after receipt by your Service Agent or the transfer agent of your redemption request in good order, less any applicable contingent deferred sales charge.

Contact your Service Agent to redeem shares of the fund.

If you hold share certificates, the transfer agent must receive the certificates endorsed for transfer or with signed stock powers with a signature guarantee before you may redeem.

If the shares are held by a fiduciary or corporation, other documents may be required.

Your redemption proceeds will normally be sent within three business days after your request is received in good order but in any event within 7 days. Your redemption proceeds may be delayed for up to 10 days if your purchase was made by check.

If you have a brokerage account with a Service Agent, your redemption proceeds will be sent to your Service Agent. In other cases, unless you direct otherwise, your redemption proceeds will be paid by check mailed to your address of record.

 
By mail   

For accounts held directly at the fund, send written requests to the fund at the applicable address:

For clients of a PFS Registered Representative, send your request to:

Primerica Shareholder Services

c/o PFPC Inc.

P.O. Box 9662

Providence, RI 02940-9662

For all other investors, send your request to:

Legg Mason Partners Funds

c/o PFPC Inc.

P.O. Box 9699

Providence, RI 02940-9699

Your written request must provide the following:

n The name of the fund, the class of shares to be redeemed, and your account number

n The dollar amount or number of shares to be redeemed

n Signatures of each owner exactly as the account is registered

n Signature guarantees, as applicable

 

26         Legg Mason Partners Funds


 

By telephone   

If you do not have a brokerage account with a Service Agent, you may be eligible to redeem shares (except those held in certain retirement plans) in amounts up to $50,000 per day through the fund. You must complete an authorization form to authorize telephone redemptions. If eligible, you may request redemptions by telephone on any day the NYSE is open. For clients of a PFS Registered Representative, call Primerica Shareholder Services at 800-544-5445 between 8:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m. (Eastern time). All other shareholders should call Legg Mason Partners Shareholder Services at 800-451-2010 between 8:30 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. (Eastern time).

Your redemption proceeds can be sent by check to your address of record or by wire or electronic transfer (ACH) to a bank account designated on your authorization form. You must submit a new authorization form to change the bank account designated to receive wire or electronic transfers and you may be asked to provide certain other documents. The transfer agent may charge a fee on a wire or an electronic transfer (ACH).

 
Automatic cash withdrawal plans   

You can arrange for the automatic redemption of a portion of your shares monthly, every alternate month, quarterly, semi-annually or annually. To qualify you must own shares of the fund with a value of at least $10,000 ($5,000 for retirement plan accounts) and each automatic redemption must be at least $50. If your shares are subject to a contingent deferred sales charge, the sales charge will be waived if your automatic redemptions are equal to or less than 2% per month of your account balances on the date the withdrawals commence, up to a maximum of 12% in one year.

The following conditions apply:

n Your shares must not be represented by certificates

n All dividends and distributions must be reinvested

 

For more information, please contact your Service Agent or consult the SAI.

 

Legg Mason Partners Aggressive Growth Fund         27


 

Other things to know about transactions

When you buy, exchange or redeem shares, your request must be in good order. This means you have provided the following information, without which your request may not be processed:

n  

Name of the fund

n  

Your account number

n  

Class of shares being bought, and if you own more than one class, the class of shares being exchanged or redeemed

n  

Dollar amount or number of shares being bought, exchanged or redeemed

n  

Signature of each owner exactly as the account is registered (redemptions only)

The fund’s transfer agent or Legg Mason Partners Shareholder Services will employ reasonable procedures to confirm that any telephone exchange or redemption request is genuine, which may include recording calls, asking the caller to provide certain personal identification information, sending you a written confirmation or requiring other confirmation procedures from time to time. If these procedures are followed, neither the fund nor its agents will bear any liability for such transactions.

Signature guarantees

To be in good order, your redemption request must include a signature guarantee if you:

n  

Are redeeming over $50,000

n  

Are sending signed share certificates or stock powers to the transfer agent

n  

Instruct the transfer agent to mail the check to an address different from the one on your account registration

n  

Changed your account registration or your address within 30 days

n  

Want the check paid to someone other than the account owner(s)

n  

Are transferring the redemption proceeds to an account with a different registration

You can obtain a signature guarantee from most banks, dealers, brokers, credit unions and federal savings and loan institutions, but not from a notary public.

The fund has the right to:

n  

Suspend the offering of shares

n  

Waive or change minimum and additional investment amounts

n  

Reject any purchase or exchange order

n  

Change, revoke or suspend the exchange privilege

n  

Suspend telephone transactions

n  

Suspend or postpone redemptions of shares on any day when trading on the NYSE is restricted, or as otherwise permitted by the SEC

n  

Pay redemption proceeds by giving you securities. You may pay transaction costs to dispose of the securities

Small account balances/Mandatory redemptions

If at any time the aggregate net asset value of the fund shares in your account is less than $500 for any reason (including solely due to declines in net asset value and/or failure to invest at least $500 within a reasonable period), the fund reserves the right to ask you to bring your account up to the applicable minimum investment amount as determined by

 

28         Legg Mason Partners Funds


 

your Service Agent. In such case you shall be notified in writing and will have 60 days to make an additional investment to bring your account value up to the required level. If you choose not to do so within this 60-day period, the fund may close your account and send you the redemption proceeds. In the event your account is closed due to a failure to increase your balance to the minimum required amount, you will not be eligible to have your account subsequently reinstated without imposition of any sales charges that may apply to your new purchase. The fund may, with prior notice, change the minimum size of accounts subject to mandatory redemption, which may vary by class, or implement fees for small accounts.

Subject to applicable law, the fund may, with prior notice, adopt other policies from time to time requiring mandatory redemption of shares in certain circumstances.

For more information, please contact your Service Agent or Legg Mason Partners Shareholder Services or consult the SAI.

Frequent purchases and redemptions of fund shares

Frequent purchases and redemptions of fund shares may interfere with the efficient management of the fund’s portfolio by its portfolio manager, increase portfolio transaction costs, and have a negative effect on the fund’s long-term shareholders. For example, in order to handle large flows of cash into and out of the fund, the portfolio manager may need to allocate more assets to cash or other short-term investments or sell securities, rather than maintaining full investment in securities selected to achieve the fund’s investment objective. Frequent trading may cause the fund to sell securities at less favorable prices. Transaction costs, such as brokerage commissions and market spreads, can detract from the fund’s performance. In addition, the return received by long-term shareholders may be reduced when trades by other shareholders are made in an effort to take advantage of certain pricing discrepancies, when, for example, it is believed that the fund’s share price, which is determined at the close of the NYSE on each trading day, does not accurately reflect the value of the fund’s portfolio securities. Funds investing in foreign securities have been particularly susceptible to this form of arbitrage, but other funds could also be affected.

Because of the potential harm to the fund and its long-term shareholders, the fund’s Board has approved policies and procedures that are intended to discourage and prevent excessive trading and market timing abuses through the use of various surveillance techniques. Under these policies and procedures, the fund may limit additional exchanges or purchases of fund shares by shareholders who are believed by the manager to be engaged in these abusive trading activities. The intent of the policies and procedures is not to inhibit legitimate strategies, such as asset allocation, dollar cost averaging, or similar activities that may nonetheless result in frequent trading of fund shares. For this reason, the Board has not adopted any specific restrictions on purchases and sales of fund shares, but the fund reserves the right to reject any exchange or purchase of fund shares with or without prior notice to the account holder. In cases where surveillance of a particular account establishes what the manager believes to be obvious market-timing, the manager will seek to block future purchases and exchanges of fund shares by that account. Where surveillance of a particular account indicates activity that the manager believes could be either abusive or for legitimate purposes, the fund may permit the account holder to justify the activity.

 

Legg Mason Partners Aggressive Growth Fund         29


 

The policies apply to any account, whether an individual account or accounts with financial intermediaries such as investment advisers, broker/dealers or retirement plan administrators, commonly called omnibus accounts, where the intermediary holds fund shares for a number of its customers in one account. The fund’s ability to monitor trading in omnibus accounts may, however, be severely limited due to the lack of access to an individual investor’s trading activity when orders are placed through these types of accounts. There may also be operational and technological limitations on the ability of the fund’s service providers to identify or terminate frequent trading activity within the various types of omnibus accounts.

The fund’s policies also require personnel such as portfolio managers and investment staff to report any abnormal or otherwise suspicious investment activity, and prohibit short-term trades by such personnel for their own account in mutual funds managed by the manager and its affiliates, other than money market funds. Additionally, the fund has adopted policies and procedures to prevent the selective release of information about the fund’s portfolio holdings, as such information may be used for market-timing and similar abusive practices.

The fund’s policies provide for ongoing assessment of the effectiveness of current policies and surveillance tools, and the fund’s Board reserves the right to modify these or adopt additional policies and restrictions in the future. Shareholders should be aware, however, that any surveillance techniques currently employed by the fund or other techniques that may be adopted in the future may not be effective, particularly where the trading takes place through certain types of omnibus accounts. As noted above, if the fund is unable to detect and deter trading abuses, the fund’s performance, and its long-term shareholders, may be harmed. In addition, because the fund has not adopted any specific limitations or restrictions on the trading of fund shares, shareholders may be harmed by the extra costs and portfolio management inefficiencies that result from frequent trading of fund shares, even when the trading is not for abusive purposes. Furthermore, the fund may not apply its policies consistently or uniformly, resulting in the risk that some shareholders may be able to engage in frequent trading while others will bear the costs and effects of that trading. The fund will provide advance notice to shareholders and prospective investors of any specific restrictions on the trading of fund shares that the Board may adopt in the future.

Share certificates

Share certificates for the fund will no longer be issued. If you currently hold share certificates of the fund, such certificates will continue to be honored. If you would like to return your share certificates to the fund and hold your shares in uncertificated form, please contact your Service Agent or Legg Mason Partners Shareholder Services.

Record ownership

If you hold shares through a Service Agent, your Service Agent may establish and maintain your account and be the shareholder of record. In the event that the fund holds a shareholder meeting, your Service Agent, as record holder, will vote your shares in accordance with your instructions. If you do not give your Service Agent voting instructions, your Service Agent may nonetheless, under certain circumstances, be entitled to vote your shares.

 

30         Legg Mason Partners Funds


 

Dividends, distributions and taxes

Dividends and distributions

The fund generally pays dividends and makes capital gain distributions, if any, once a year, typically in December. The fund may pay additional distributions and dividends at other times if necessary for the fund to avoid a federal tax. The fund expects distributions to be primarily from capital gains. Capital gain distributions and dividends are reinvested in additional fund shares of the same class you hold. You do not pay a sales charge on reinvested distributions or dividends. Alternatively, you can instruct your Service Agent or Legg Mason Partners Shareholder Services to have your distributions and/or dividends paid in cash. You can change your choice at any time to be effective as of the next distribution or dividend.

Taxes

In general, redeeming shares, exchanging shares and receiving dividends and distributions (whether in cash or additional shares) are all taxable events. The following table summarizes the tax status to you of certain transactions related to the fund.

 

Transaction    Federal tax status
Redemption or exchange of shares    Usually capital gain or loss; long-term only if shares owned more than one year
 
Long-term capital gain distributions    Long-term capital gain
 
Dividends    Ordinary income, potentially taxable at long-term capital gain rates
 

Distributions attributable to short-term capital gains are treated as dividends, taxable as ordinary income. Taxable dividends and long-term capital gain distributions are taxable whether received in cash or reinvested in fund shares. Although dividends (including dividends from short-term capital gains) are generally taxable as ordinary income, individual shareholders who satisfy certain holding period and other requirements are taxed on such dividends at long-term capital gain rates to the extent the dividends are attributable to “qualified dividend income” received by the fund. “Qualified dividend income” generally consists of dividends received from U.S. corporations (other than dividends from tax-exempt organizations and certain dividends from real estate investment trusts and regulated investment companies) and certain foreign corporations. Long-term capital gain distributions are taxable to you as long-term capital gain regardless of how long you have owned your shares. You may want to avoid buying shares when the fund is about to declare a long-term capital gain distribution or a dividend because it will be taxable to you even though it may actually be a return of a portion of your investment.

A dividend declared by the fund in October, November or December and paid during January of the following year will, in certain circumstances, be treated as paid in December for tax purposes.

After the end of each year, your Service Agent or the fund will provide you with information about the distributions and dividends you received and any redemptions of

 

Legg Mason Partners Aggressive Growth Fund         31


 

shares during the previous year. If you do not provide the fund with your correct taxpayer identification number and any required certifications, you may be subject to back-up withholding on your distributions, dividends and redemption proceeds. Because each shareholder’s circumstances are different and special tax rules may apply, you should consult your tax adviser about your investment in the fund.

The above discussion is applicable to shareholders who are U.S. persons. If you are a non-U.S. person, please consult your own tax adviser with respect to the U.S. tax consequences to you of an investment in the fund.

 

32         Legg Mason Partners Funds


 

Share price

You may buy, exchange or redeem shares at their net asset value next determined after receipt of your request in good order, plus any applicable sales charge. The fund’s net asset value per share is the value of its assets minus its liabilities divided by the number of shares outstanding. Net asset value is calculated separately for each class of shares. The fund calculates its net asset value every day the NYSE is open. This calculation is done when regular trading closes on the NYSE (normally 4:00 p.m., Eastern time). The NYSE is closed on certain holidays listed in the SAI.

The Board has approved procedures to be used to value the fund’s securities for the purposes of determining the fund’s net asset value. The valuation of the securities of the fund is determined in good faith by or under the direction of the Board. The Board has delegated certain valuation functions for the fund to the manager.

The fund generally values its securities based on market prices determined at the close of regular trading on the NYSE. The fund’s currency valuations, if any, are done as of when the London Stock Exchange closes, which is usually at 12 noon Eastern time, as the manager believes that these valuations typically reflect the largest trading volume in the foreign currency markets. A material change in the value of currency during the period between the close of the London Stock Exchange and the calculation of the fund’s net asset value on the same date is considered a significant event, as described below, in response to which the fund may use fair valuation procedures to value the affected investments. For equity securities that are traded on an exchange, the market price is usually the closing sale or official closing price on that exchange. In the case of securities not traded on an exchange, or if such closing prices are not otherwise available, the market price is typically determined by independent third party pricing vendors approved by the fund’s Board using a variety of pricing techniques and methodologies. The market price for debt obligations is generally the price supplied by an independent third party pricing service approved by the fund’s Board, which may use a matrix, formula or other objective method that takes into consideration market indices, yield curves and other specific adjustments. Short-term debt obligations that will mature in 60 days or less are valued at amortized cost, unless it is determined that using this method would not reflect an investment’s fair value. If vendors are unable to supply a price, or if the price supplied is deemed by the manager to be unreliable, the market price may be determined using quotations received from one or more broker/dealers that make a market in the security. When such prices or quotations are not available, or when the manager believes that they are unreliable, the manager may price securities using fair value procedures approved by the Board. Because the fund invests in securities of small capitalization companies — some of which may be thinly traded, for which market quotations may not be readily available or may be unreliable — the fund may use fair valuation procedures more frequently than funds that invest primarily in securities that are more liquid, such as securities of large capitalization domestic issuers. The fund may also use fair value procedures if the manager determines that a significant event has occurred between the time at which a market price is determined and the time at which the fund’s net asset value is calculated. In particular, the value of foreign securities may be materially affected by events occurring after the close of the market on which they are valued, but before the fund prices its shares. The fund uses a fair value model

 

Legg Mason Partners Aggressive Growth Fund         33


 

developed by an independent third party pricing service to price foreign equity securities on days when there is a certain percentage change in the value of a domestic equity security index, as such percentage may be determined by the manager from time to time.

Valuing securities at fair value involves greater reliance on judgment than valuation of securities based on readily available market quotations. A fund that uses fair value to price securities may value those securities higher or lower than another fund using market quotations or its own fair value methodologies to price the same securities. There can be no assurance that the fund could obtain the fair value assigned to a security if it were to sell the security at approximately the time at which the fund determines its net asset value.

In order to buy, redeem or exchange shares at that day’s price, you must place your order with your Service Agent or the transfer agent before the NYSE closes. If the NYSE closes early, you must place your order prior to the actual closing time.

It is the responsibility of the Service Agents to transmit all orders to buy, exchange or redeem shares to the transfer agent on a timely basis.

 

34         Legg Mason Partners Funds


 

Financial highlights

The financial highlights tables are intended to help you understand the performance of each class for the past five years. Certain information reflects financial results for a single share. Total return represents the rate that a shareholder would have earned (or lost) on a fund share assuming reinvestment of all dividends and distributions. The information in the following tables has been derived from the predecessor fund’s financial statements, which have been audited by KPMG LLP, independent registered public accounting firm, whose report, along with the fund’s financial statements, is included in the annual report (available upon request). The financial information shown below is that of the fund’s predecessor. Effective April 29, 2004, Class L shares of the fund were renamed Class C shares. As of November 20, 2006, Class Y shares of the fund were renamed Class I shares.

Financial highlights for Class FI and Class R shares are not provided as these classes were not outstanding as of August 31, 2006.

 

For a Class A share outstanding throughout each year ended August 31:  
Class A Shares(1)   2006     2005     2004     2003     2002  

Net asset value, beginning of year

  $ 101.83     $ 84.33     $ 78.36     $ 62.24     $ 91.46  
   

Income (loss) from operations:

         

Net investment loss

    (0.64 )     (0.63 )     (0.71 )     (0.58 )     (0.71 )

Net realized and unrealized gain (loss)

    8.17       18.13       6.68       16.70       (28.51 )
   

Total income (loss) from operations

    7.53       17.50       5.97       16.12       (29.22 )
   

Net asset value, end of year

  $ 109.36     $ 101.83     $ 84.33     $ 78.36     $ 62.24  
   

Total return(2)

    7.39 %     20.75 %     7.62 %     25.90 %     (31.95 )%
   

Net assets, end of year (millions)

    $4,274       $3,677       $2,959       $2,332       $1,639  
   

Ratios to average net assets:

         

Gross expenses

    1.13 %     1.21 %     1.21 %     1.22 %     1.21 %

Net expenses

    1.13 (3)     1.21       1.19 (3)     1.22       1.21  

Net investment loss

    (0.59 )     (0.69 )     (0.82 )     (0.86 )     (0.88 )
   

Portfolio turnover rate

    5 %     2 %     5 %     1 %     1 %
   

 

(1)

 

Per share amounts have been calculated using the average shares method.

 

(2)

 

Performance figures may reflect fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements. Past performance is no guarantee of future results. In the absence of fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements, the total return would have been lower.

 

(3)

 

Reflects fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements.

 

Legg Mason Partners Aggressive Growth Fund         35


 

For a Class B share outstanding throughout each year ended August 31:
Class B Shares(1)   2006     2005     2004     2003     2002  

Net asset value, beginning of year

  $ 91.33     $ 76.25     $ 71.43     $ 57.19     $  84.73  
   

Income (loss) from operations:

         

Net investment loss

    (1.36 )     (1.23 )     (1.28 )     (1.03 )     (1.26 )

Net realized and unrealized gain (loss)

    7.31       16.31       6.10       15.27       (26.28 )
   

Total income (loss) from operations

    5.95       15.08       4.82       14.24       (27.54 )
   

Net asset value, end of year

  $ 97.28     $ 91.33     $ 76.25     $ 71.43     $ 57.19  
   

Total return(2)

    6.51 %     19.78 %     6.75 %     24.90 %     (32.50 )%
   

Net assets, end of year (millions)

    $2,251       $2,326       $2,124       $1,984       $1,542  
   

Ratios to average net assets:

         

Gross expenses

    1.95 %     2.01 %     2.03 %     2.03 %     2.03 %

Net expenses

    1.95 (3)     2.01       2.01 (3)     2.03       2.03  

Net investment loss

    (1.42 )     (1.49 )     (1.64 )     (1.67 )     (1.70 )
   

Portfolio turnover rate

    5 %     2 %     5 %     1 %     1 %
   

 

(1)

 

Per share amounts have been calculated using the average shares method.

 

(2)

 

Performance figures may reflect fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements. Past performance is no guarantee of future results. In the absence of fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements, the total return would have been lower.

 

(3)

 

Reflects fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements.

 

For a Class C share outstanding throughout each year ended August 31:
Class C Shares(1)   2006     2005     2004     2003     2002  

Net asset value, beginning of year

  $ 91.94     $ 76.69     $ 71.79     $ 57.44     $  85.03  
   

Income (loss) from operations:

         

Net investment loss

    (1.21 )     (1.17 )     (1.22 )     (0.99 )     (1.20 )

Net realized and unrealized gain (loss)

    7.36       16.42       6.12       15.34       (26.39 )
   

Total income (loss) from operations

    6.15       15.25       4.90       14.35       (27.59 )
   

Net asset value, end of year

  $ 98.09     $ 91.94     $ 76.69     $ 71.79     $ 57.44  
   

Total return(2)

    6.69 %     19.89 %     6.83 %     24.98 %     (32.45 )%
   

Net assets, end of year (millions)

    $1,900       $1,782       $1,611       $1,415       $1,076  
   

Ratios to average net assets:

         

Gross expenses

    1.80 %     1.93 %     1.95 %     1.96 %     1.95 %

Net expenses

    1.78 (3)     1.93       1.93 (3)     1.96       1.95  

Net investment loss

    (1.24 )     (1.40 )     (1.56 )     (1.60 )     (1.62 )
   

Portfolio turnover rate

    5 %     2 %     5 %     1 %     1 %
   

 

(1)

 

Per share amounts have been calculated using the average shares method.

 

(2)

 

Performance figures may reflect fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements. Past performance is no guarantee of future results. In the absence of fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements, the total return would have been lower.

 

(3)

 

Reflects fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements.

 

36         Legg Mason Partners Funds


 

For a Class I share outstanding throughout each year ended August 31:  
Class I Shares(1)(2)   2006     2005     2004     2003     2002  

Net asset value, beginning of year

  $105.71     $ 87.18     $80.67     $63.81     $93.38  
   

Income (loss) from operations:

         

Net investment loss

  (0.19 )   (0.25 )   (0.36 )   (0.30 )   (0.41 )

Net realized and unrealized gain (loss)

  8.48     18.78     6.87     17.16     (29.16 )
   

Total income (loss) from operations

  8.29     18.53     6.51     16.86     (29.57 )
   

Net asset value, end of year

  $114.00     $105.71     $87.18     $80.67     $63.81  
   

Total return(3)

  7.84 %   21.25 %   8.07 %   26.42 %   (31.67 )%
   

Net assets, end of year (millions)

  $1,798     $1,564     $1,186     $876     $178  
   

Ratios to average net assets:

         

Gross expenses

  0.71 %   0.79 %   0.80 %   0.81 %   0.82 %

Net expenses

  0.70 (4)   0.79     0.78 (4)   0.81     0.82  

Net investment loss

  (0.17 )   (0.27 )   (0.40 )   (0.43 )   (0.49 )
   

Portfolio turnover rate

  5 %   2 %   5 %   1 %   1 %
   

 

(1)

 

Per share amounts have been calculated using the average shares method.

(2)

 

As of November 20, 2006, Class Y shares were renamed Class I shares.

 

(3)

 

Performance figures may reflect fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements. Past performance is no guarantee of future results. In the absence of fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements, the total return would have been lower.

 

(4)

 

Reflects fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements.

 

Legg Mason Partners Aggressive Growth Fund         37


 

 

 

 

(Investment Company Act

file no. 811-06444)

FD01060 04/07

LOGO

LOGO

 

Legg Mason Partners Aggressive Growth Fund

You may visit the fund’s website at http://www.leggmason.com/InvestorServices for a free copy of a Prospectus, Statement of Additional Information (“SAI”) or an Annual or Semi-Annual Report, or to request other information.

Shareholder reports Additional information about the fund’s investments is available in the fund’s Annual and Semi-Annual Reports to shareholders. In the fund’s Annual Report, you will find a discussion of the market conditions and investment strategies that significantly affected the fund’s performance.

The fund sends only one report to a household if more than one account has the same last name and same address. Contact your Service Agent or Legg Mason Partners Shareholder Services if you do not want this policy to apply to you.

Statement of additional information The SAI provides more detailed information about the fund and is incorporated by reference into (is legally a part of) this Prospectus.

You can make inquiries about the fund or obtain shareholders reports (without charge) by contacting your Service Agent, by calling Legg Mason Partners Shareholder Services at 800-451-2010, (or for clients of a PFS Registered Representative, call Primerica Shareholder Services at 800-544-5445) or by writing to the fund at Legg Mason Partners Funds, 125 Broad Street, New York, New York 10004.

Information about the fund (including the SAI) can be reviewed and copied at the Securities and Exchange Commission’s (the “SEC”) Public Reference Room in Washington, D.C. In addition, information on the operation of the Public Reference Room may be obtained by calling the SEC at 1-202-551-8090. Reports and other information about the fund are available on the EDGAR Database on the SEC’s Internet site at http://www.sec.gov. Copies of this information may be obtained for a duplicating fee by electronic request at the following E-mail address: publicinfo@sec.gov, or by writing the SEC’s Public Reference Section, Washington, D.C. 20549-0102.

If someone makes a statement about the fund that is not in this Prospectus, you should not rely upon that information. Neither the fund nor its distributors are offering to sell shares of the fund to any person to whom the fund may not lawfully sell its shares.


Filed under Rule 497(c)

File Nos. 33-43446 and 811-6444

April 16, 2007

STATEMENT OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

LEGG MASON PARTNERS AGGRESSIVE GROWTH FUND

125 Broad Street

New York, New York 10004

(800) 451-2010

This Statement of Additional Information (the “SAI”) is not a prospectus and is meant to be read in conjunction with the current prospectus of the Legg Mason Partners Aggressive Growth Fund (the “fund”), dated April 16, 2007, and is incorporated by reference in its entirety into the fund’s prospectus.

As part of a number of initiatives launched in 2006 to restructure and streamline the Legg Mason Partners fund complex, the fund assumed the assets and liabilities of a predecessor fund with the substantially same name. The fund is now grouped for organizational and governance purposes with other Legg Mason Partners funds that are predominantly equity-type funds, and is a series of Legg Mason Partners Equity Trust (the “Trust”), a Maryland business trust. Other initiatives, including the election of a new Board of Trustees (the “Board”) and the approval of certain revised fundamental investment policies, have also been accomplished, and more information on these matters appears in this SAI. Certain historical information contained in the SAI is that of the fund’s predecessor.

Additional information about the fund’s investments is available in the fund’s annual and semi-annual reports to shareholders. These reports contain financial statements that are incorporated herein by reference. A prospectus and copies of the reports may be obtained free of charge by contacting a distributor’s financial advisor or registered representative, a broker/dealer, financial intermediary or a financial institution that has entered into an agreement with one of the fund’s distributors, (each called a “Service Agent”), or by writing or calling the fund at the address or telephone number set forth above. Legg Mason Investor Services, LLC (“LMIS”), a wholly-owned broker/dealer subsidiary of Legg Mason, Inc. (“Legg Mason”), Citigroup Global Markets Inc. (“CGMI”) and PFS Investments Inc. (“PFS”) serve as the fund’s distributors.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

Investment Objective and Management Policies

   2

Disclosure of Portfolio Holdings

   12

Investment Policies

   14

Management

   19

Investment Management and Other Services

   28

Portfolio Manager Disclosure

   39

Purchase of Shares

   41

Redemption of Shares

   48

Valuation of Shares

   50

Exchange Privilege

   50

Taxes

   51

Additional Information

   57

Financial Statements

   62

Appendix A-Proxy Voting Policies and Procedures

   A-1

 

1


INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE AND MANAGEMENT POLICIES

The fund’s investment objective is to seek capital appreciation. The fund’s prospectus discusses the fund’s investment objective and policies. The following discussion supplements the description of the fund’s investment policies in the prospectus. Legg Mason Partners Fund Advisor, LLC (“LMPFA” or the “manager”) serves as investment manager to the fund. ClearBridge Advisors, LLC (“ClearBridge” or the “subadviser”) serves as the subadviser to the fund.

Principal Investment Strategies

The fund invests primarily in common stocks of companies that the portfolio manager believes are experiencing, or will experience, growth in earnings that exceeds the average rate of earnings growth of the companies which comprise the S&P 500 Index. The fund may invest in the securities of large, well-known companies that offer prospects of long-term earnings growth. However, because higher earnings growth rates are often achieved by small- to medium-sized companies, a significant portion of the fund’s assets may be invested in the securities of such companies.

Additional Information

The fund’s principal investment strategies are described above. The following provides additional information on these principal strategies and describes other investment strategies that may be used by the fund.

Although the portfolio managers anticipate that the assets of the fund ordinarily will be invested primarily in common stocks of U.S. companies, the fund may invest in convertible securities, preferred stocks, securities of foreign issuers, warrants and restricted securities. In addition, when the portfolio managers believe that market conditions warrant, the fund may invest for temporary defensive purposes in any type of money market instruments and short-term debt securities or cash. The fund is also authorized to borrow up to 5% of its total assets for extraordinary or emergency purposes.

Certain Risk Considerations.    Securities of the kinds of companies in which the fund invests may be subject to significant price fluctuation and above-average risk. In addition, companies achieving an earnings growth rate higher than that of S&P 500 companies tend to reinvest their earnings rather than distribute them. As a result, the fund is not likely to receive significant dividend income on its portfolio securities. Accordingly, an investment in the fund should not be considered as a complete investment program and may not be appropriate for all investors.

Convertible Securities.    Convertible securities are fixed-income securities that may be converted at either a stated price or stated rate into underlying shares of common stock. Convertible securities have general characteristics similar to both fixed-income and equity securities. Although to a lesser extent than with fixed- income securities generally, the market value of convertible securities tends to decline as interest rates increase and, conversely, tends to increase as interest rates decline. In addition, because of the conversion feature, the market value of convertible securities tends to vary with fluctuations in the market value of the underlying common stocks and therefore also will react to variations in the general market for equity securities. A unique feature of convertible securities is that as the market price of the underlying common stock declines, convertible securities tend to trade increasingly on a yield basis, and so may not experience market value declines to the same extent as the underlying common stock. When the market price of the underlying common stock increases, the prices of the convertible securities tend to rise as a reflection of the value of the underlying common stock. While no securities investments are without risk, investments in convertible securities generally entail less risk than investments in common stock of the same issuer.

As fixed-income securities, convertible securities are investments that provide for a stable stream of income with generally higher yields than common stocks. Of course, like all fixed-income securities, there can be no

 

2


assurance of current income because the issuers of the convertible securities may default on their obligations. Convertible securities, however, generally offer lower interest or dividend yields than non-convertible securities of similar quality because of the potential for capital appreciation. A convertible security, in addition to providing fixed income, offers the potential for capital appreciation through the conversion feature, which enables the holder to benefit from increases in the market price of the underlying common stock. There can be no assurance of capital appreciation, however, because securities prices fluctuate.

Convertible securities generally are subordinated to other similar but nonconvertible securities of the same issuer, although convertible bonds, as corporate debt obligations, enjoy seniority in right of payment to all equity securities, and convertible preferred stock is senior to common stock, of the same issuer. Because of the subordination feature, however, convertible securities typically have lower ratings than similar non-convertible securities.

Foreign Securities.    The fund may invest up to 10% of its net assets (at the time of investment) in foreign securities. The fund may invest directly in foreign issuers or invest in depositary receipts. The fund’s investments in foreign securities may involve greater risk than investments in securities of U.S. issuers. Because the value of a depositary receipt is dependent upon the market price of an underlying foreign security, depositary receipts are subject to most of the risks associated with investing in foreign securities directly. There are certain risks involved in investing in foreign securities, including those resulting from fluctuations in currency exchange rates, revaluation of currencies, future political or economic developments and the possible imposition of currency exchange blockages or other foreign governmental laws or restrictions, reduced availability of public information concerning issuers, and the fact that foreign companies are not generally subject to uniform accounting, auditing and financial reporting standards or to other regulatory practices and requirements comparable to those applicable to domestic companies. Moreover, securities of many foreign companies may be less liquid and their prices more volatile than securities of comparable domestic companies. In addition, with respect to certain foreign countries, there is the possibility of expropriation, confiscatory taxation and limitations on the use or removal of funds or other assets of the fund, including the withholding of dividends. The risks of investing in foreign securities are greater for securities of emerging market issuers because political or economic instability, lack of market liquidity, and negative government actions like currency controls or seizure of private businesses or property are more likely.

Options, Futures Contracts and Related Options.    In accordance with its investment policies, the fund may invest in certain derivative instruments which are securities or contracts that provide for payments based on or “derived” from the performance of an underlying asset, index or other economic benchmark. Essentially, a derivative instrument is a financial arrangement or a contract between two parties. Derivative contracts include options and futures contracts. Transactions in derivative instruments can be, but are not necessarily, riskier than investments in conventional stocks, bonds and money market instruments. The fund is operated by persons who have claimed an exclusion, granted to operators of registered investment companies like the fund, from registration as a “commodity pool operator” with respect to the fund under the Commodity Exchange Act, and therefore, are not subject to registration or regulation with respect to the fund under the Commodity Exchange Act.

Selling Call and Put Options. The principal reason for selling options is to obtain, through receipt of premiums, a greater current return than would be realized on the underlying securities alone. The fund’s current return can be expected to fluctuate because premiums earned from writing options and dividend or interest income yields on portfolio securities vary as economic and market conditions change. Writing options on portfolio securities also results in a higher portfolio turnover. The purchaser of a call option pays a premium to the writer (i.e., the seller) for the right to buy the underlying security from the writer at a specified price during a certain period. The fund may sell call options only on a covered basis. A call option is covered if the fund owns or has the right to acquire the underlying securities subject to the call option at all times during the option period. The purchaser of a put option pays a premium to the seller (i.e., the writer) for the right to sell the underlying security to the writer at a specified price during a certain period. The fund sells put options only on a covered basis, which means that, at all times during the option period, the fund would maintain in a segregated account

 

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with its custodian cash, cash equivalents or liquid securities in an amount of not less than the exercise price of the option, or will hold a put on the same underlying security at an equal or greater exercise price. The fund generally would sell put options when the manager wishes to purchase the underlying security for the fund at a price lower than the current market price of the security.

In order to terminate its position as writer of a call or put option, the fund may enter into a “closing purchase transaction,” which is the purchase of a call (put) on the same underlying security and having the same exercise price and expiration date as the call (put) previously sold by the fund. The fund would realize a gain (loss) if the premium plus commission paid in the closing purchase transaction is less (greater) than the premium it received on the sale of the option. The fund would also realize a gain if an option it has sold lapses unexercised. The fund may sell options that are listed on an exchange as well as options that are traded over-the-counter. The fund may close out its position as writer of an option only if a liquid secondary market exists for options of that series, but there is no assurance that such a market will exist, particularly in the case of over-the-counter options, since they can be closed out only with the other party to the transaction. Alternatively, the fund may purchase an offsetting option, which does not close out its position as a writer, but provides an asset of equal value to its obligation under the option sold. If the fund is not able to enter into a closing purchase transaction or to purchase an offsetting option with respect to an option it has sold, it will be required to maintain the securities subject to the call or the collateral securing the put until a closing purchase transaction can be entered into (or the option is exercised or expires), even though it might not be advantageous to do so.

By selling a call option, the fund loses the potential for gain on the underlying security above the exercise price while the option is outstanding; by writing a put option, the fund might become obligated to purchase the underlying security at an exercise price that exceeds the then current market price.

Each of the United States exchanges has established limitations governing the maximum number of call or put options on the same underlying security (whether or not covered) that may be written by a single investor, whether acting alone or in concert with others, regardless of whether such options are written on one or more accounts or through one or more brokers. An exchange may order the liquidation of positions found to be in violation of those limits, and it may impose other sanctions or restrictions. These position limits may restrict the number of options the fund may be able to write.

Purchasing Call and Put Options. The fund may purchase call options to protect (i.e., hedge) against anticipated increases in the prices of securities it wishes to acquire. Since the premium paid for a call option is typically a small fraction of the price of the underlying security, a given amount of funds will purchase call options covering a much larger quantity of such security than could be purchased directly. By purchasing call options, the fund can benefit from any significant increase in the price of the underlying security to a greater extent than had it invested the same amount in the security directly. However, because of the very high volatility of option premiums, the fund could bear a significant risk of losing the entire premium if the price of the underlying security did not rise sufficiently, or if it did not do so before the option expired. Conversely, put options may be purchased to protect (i.e., hedge) against anticipated declines in the market value of either specific portfolio securities or of the fund’s assets generally. The fund may purchase either listed or over-the-counter options.

Options on Stock Indices. Options on stock indices are similar to options on stock, but the delivery requirements are different. Instead of giving the right to take or make delivery of stock at a specified price, an option on a stock index gives the holder the right to receive an amount of cash upon exercise of the option. Receipt of this cash amount will depend upon the closing level of the stock index upon which the option is based being greater than (in the case of a call) or less than (in the case of a put) the exercise price of the option. The amount of cash received will be the difference between the closing price of the index and the exercise price of the option, multiplied by a specified dollar multiple. The writer of the option is obligated, in return for the premium received, to make delivery of this amount. Some stock index options are based on a broad market index such as the Standard & Poor’s 500 or the New York Stock Exchange Composite Index, or a narrower index such as the

 

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Standard & Poor’s 100. Indices are also based on an industry or market segment such as the AMEX Oil Index or the Computer Technology Index. Options are currently traded on The Chicago Board Options Exchange, the New York Stock Exchange, the American Stock Exchange and other exchanges. Gain or loss to the fund on transactions in stock index options will depend on price movements in the stock market generally (or in a particular industry or segment of the market) rather than price movements of individual securities. Accordingly, successful use by the fund of options on stock indices will be subject to the subadviser’s ability to predict correctly movements in the direction of the stock market generally or of a particular industry or market segment. This requires different skills and techniques than predicting changes in the price of individual stocks. As with stock options, the fund may offset its position in stock index options prior to expiration by entering into a closing transaction on an exchange, or it may let the option expire unexercised.

Futures Contracts. The fund may engage in transactions involving futures contracts and related options. Under the rules of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (“CFTC”), the fund is exempt from registration as a “commodity pool.”

An interest rate futures contract is a bilateral agreement pursuant to which two parties agree to take or make delivery of a specific type of debt security at a specified future time and at a specified price. Although interest rate futures contracts call for delivery of specified securities, in most cases the contracts are closed out (by an offsetting purchase or sale) prior to actual delivery, with the difference between the contract price and the offsetting price paid in cash.

A stock index futures contract is a bilateral agreement pursuant to which two parties agree to take or make delivery of cash equal to a specified dollar amount times the difference between the stock index value at a specified time and the price at which the futures contract is originally struck. A stock index fluctuates with changes in the market values of the stocks included. No physical delivery of the underlying stocks in the index is made.

Stock index futures contracts can be purchased with respect to the Standard & Poor’s 500 Stock Index on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange (“CME”), the New York Stock Exchange Composite Index on the New York Futures Exchange and the Value Line Stock Index on the Kansas City Board of Trade, among other indices. Differences in the stocks included in the indices may result in differences in correlation of the futures contracts with movements in the value of the securities being hedged.

Single Stock Futures. The trading on U.S. exchanges of standardized futures contracts on individual equity securities, such as common stocks, exchange traded funds and American Depository Receipts, as well as narrow-based securities indices, generally called security futures contracts or “SFCs,” is now permitted. As with other futures contracts, a SFC involves an agreement to purchase or sell in the future a specific quantity of shares of a security or the component securities of the index. The initial margin requirements (typically 20 percent) are generally higher than with other futures contracts. Trading SFCs involves many of the same risks as trading other futures contracts, including the risks involved with leverage, and loses are potentially unlimited. Under certain market conditions, for example if trading is halted due to unusual trading activity in either the SFC or the underlying security due to recent news events involving the issuer of the security, it may be difficult or impossible for a fund to liquidate its position or manage risk by entering into an offsetting position. In addition, the prices of SFCs may not correlate as anticipated with the prices of the underlying security. And unlike options on securities in which the fund may invest, where the fund has the right, but not the obligation, to buy or sell a security prior to the expiration date, if the fund has a position in a SFC, the fund has both the right and the obligation to buy or sell the security at a future date, or otherwise offset its position.

Margin Requirements. In contrast to the purchase or sale of a security, no price is paid or received upon the purchase or sale of a futures contract. Initially, the fund is required to deposit for the benefit of the broker an amount of appropriate securities equal to a percentage (which will normally range between 2% and 10%) of the contract amount. This amount is known as initial margin. The nature of initial margin in futures transactions is

 

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different from that of margin in securities transactions in that futures contract margin does not involve the borrowing of funds by the customer to finance the transaction. Rather, the initial margin is in the nature of a performance bond or good faith deposit on the contract, which is returned to the fund upon termination of the futures contract and satisfaction of its contractual obligations. Subsequent margin deposits, called variation margin, are made on a daily basis as the price of the underlying securities or index fluctuates, making the long and short positions in the futures contract more or less valuable, a process known as marking to market.

For example, when the fund purchases a futures contract and the price of the underlying security or index rises, that position increases in value, and the fund receives from the broker a variation margin payment equal to that increase in value. Conversely, where the fund purchases a futures contract and the value of the underlying security or index declines, the position is less valuable, and the fund is required to make a variation margin payment to the broker.

At any time prior to expiration of the futures contract, the fund may elect to terminate the position by taking an opposite position. A final determination of variation margin is then made, additional cash is required to be paid by or released to the fund, and the fund realizes a loss or a gain.

When the fund anticipates a significant market or market sector advance, the purchase of a futures contract affords a hedge against not participating in the advance (“anticipatory hedge”). Such purchase of a futures contract serves as a temporary substitute for the purchase of individual securities, which may be purchased in an orderly fashion once the market has stabilized. As individual securities are purchased, an equivalent amount of futures contracts could be terminated by offsetting sales. The fund may sell futures contracts in anticipation of or in a general market or market sector decline that may adversely affect the market value of the fund’s securities (“defensive hedge”). To the extent that the fund’s portfolio of securities changes in value in correlation with the underlying security or index, the sale of futures contracts substantially reduces the risk to the fund of a market decline and, by so doing, provides an alternative to the liquidation of securities positions in the fund with attendant transaction costs.

Options on Futures Contracts. The fund may also purchase and sell options on futures contracts which are traded on an exchange. An option on a futures contract gives the purchaser the right, in return for the premium paid, to assume a position in a futures contract (a long position if the option is a call and a short position if the option is a put), at a specified exercise price at any time during the option period. As a seller of an option on a futures contract, the fund is subject to initial margin and maintenance requirements similar to those applicable to futures contracts. In addition, net option premiums received by the fund are required to be included as initial margin deposits. When an option on a futures contract is exercised, delivery of the futures position is accompanied by cash representing the difference between the current market price of the futures contract and the exercise price of the option. The fund may purchase put options on futures contracts in lieu of, and for the same purposes as, the sale of a futures contract. The purchase of call options on futures contracts is intended to serve the same purpose as the actual purchase of the futures contract.

A position in an exchange-listed option may be closed out only on an exchange that provides a secondary market for identical options. The ability to establish and close out positions on the exchanges is subject to maintenance of a liquid secondary market. Closing transactions may be effected with respect to options traded in the over-the-counter (“OTC”) markets only by negotiating directly with the other party to the option contract or in a secondary market for the option if such market exists. Although the fund intends to purchase only those options for which there appears to be an active secondary market, there is no assurance that a liquid secondary market will exist for any particular option at any specific time. In such event, it may not be possible to effect closing transactions with respect to certain options, with the result that the fund would have to exercise those options which it has purchased in order to realize any profit. The staff of the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) has taken the position that, in general, purchased OTC options and the underlying securities used to cover written OTC options are illiquid securities. However, the fund may treat as liquid the underlying securities used to cover written OTC options, provided it has arrangements with certain qualified

 

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dealers who agree that the fund may repurchase any option it writes for a maximum price to be calculated by a predetermined formula. In these cases, the OTC option itself would only be considered illiquid to the extent that the maximum repurchase price under the formula exceeds the intrinsic value of the option.

Use of Segregated and Other Special Accounts. Use of many hedging and other strategic transactions including market index transactions by the fund will require, among other things, that the fund segregate cash, liquid securities or other assets with its custodian, or a designated sub-custodian, to the extent the fund’s obligations are not otherwise “covered” through ownership of the underlying security or financial instrument. In general, either the full amount of any obligation by the fund to pay or deliver securities or assets must be covered at all times by the securities or instruments required to be delivered, or, subject to any regulatory restrictions, appropriate securities as required by the 1940 Act at least equal to the current amount of the obligation must be segregated with the custodian or sub-custodian. The segregated assets cannot be sold or transferred unless equivalent assets are substituted in their place or it is no longer necessary to segregate them. A call option on securities written by the fund, for example, will require the fund to hold the securities subject to the call (or securities convertible into the needed securities without additional consideration) or to segregate liquid securities sufficient to purchase and deliver the securities if the call is exercised. A call option written by the fund on an index will require the fund to own portfolio securities that correlate with the index or to segregate liquid securities equal to the excess of the index value over the exercise price on a current basis. A put option on securities written by the fund will require the fund to segregate liquid securities equal to the exercise price.

OTC options entered into by the fund, including those on securities, financial instruments or indices, and Options Clearing Corporation (“OCC”)-issued and exchange-listed index options will generally provide for cash settlement, although the fund may not be required to do so. As a result, when the fund sells these instruments it will segregate an amount of assets equal to its obligations under the options. OCC-issued and exchange-listed options sold by the fund other than those described above generally settle with physical delivery, and the fund will segregate an amount of assets equal to the full value of the option. OTC options settling with physical delivery or with an election of either physical delivery or cash settlement will be treated the same as other options settling with physical delivery. If the fund enters into OTC options transactions, it will be subject to counterparty risk.

In the case of a futures contract or an option on a futures contract, the fund must deposit initial margin and, in some instances, daily variation margin, typically with third parties such as a clearing organization, in addition to segregating assets with its custodian sufficient to meet its obligations to purchase or provide securities, or to pay the amount owed at the expiration of an index-based futures contract. These assets may consist of cash, cash equivalents, liquid securities or other acceptable assets.

Hedging and other strategic transactions may be covered by means other than those described above when consistent with applicable regulatory policies. The fund may also enter into offsetting transactions so that its combined position, coupled with any segregated assets, equals its net outstanding obligation in related options and hedging and other strategic transactions. The fund could purchase a put option, for example, if the strike price of that option is the same or higher than the strike price of a put option sold by the fund. Moreover, instead of segregating assets if it holds a futures contract or forward contract, the fund could purchase a put option on the same futures contract or forward contract with a strike price as high or higher than the price of the contract held. Other hedging and other strategic transactions may also be offset in combinations. If the offsetting transaction terminates at the time of or after the primary transaction, no segregation is required, but if it terminates prior to that time, assets equal to any remaining obligation would need to be segregated.

Risks of Options and Futures. The following are the principal risks associated with derivative instruments, including options and futures.

 

   

Leverage and associated price volatility. The use of certain derivatives may involve leverage for the fund because they create an obligation, or indebtedness, to someone other than the fund’s investors and

 

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enable the fund to participate in gains and losses on an amount that exceeds its initial investment. Derivatives may magnify the fund’s gain or loss from an investment in much the same way that incurring indebtedness does.

 

   

Credit risk. Certain types of derivatives are subject to the risk that the counterparty may fail to honor contract terms. In the event of the bankruptcy of a broker through which the fund engages in transactions in listed options, futures or related options, the fund could experience delays and/or losses in liquidating open positions or incur a loss of all or part of its margin deposits with the broker. Similarly, in the event of the bankruptcy of the writer of an OTC option purchased by the fund, the fund could experience a loss of all or part of the value of the option. Transactions are entered into by the fund only with brokers or financial institutions deemed creditworthy by the manager.

 

   

Liquidity and valuation risk. Many derivative instruments are traded in institutional markets rather than on an exchange. Certain derivative instruments are not readily marketable and are subject to the fund’s restrictions on illiquid investments. As a result, these instruments may be more difficult to value.

 

   

Correlation risk. There may be imperfect correlation between the price of the derivative and the underlying asset. For example, there may be price disparities between the trading markets for the derivative contract and the underlying asset.

Each derivative instrument purchased for the fund is reviewed and analyzed by the fund’s subadviser to assess the risk and reward of each such instrument in relation to the fund’s investment strategy. The decision to invest in derivative instruments or conventional securities is made by measuring the respective instrument’s ability to provide value to the fund and its shareholders.

Special Risks of Using Futures Contracts. The prices of futures contracts are volatile and are influenced by, among other things, actual and anticipated changes in interest rates, which in turn are affected by fiscal and monetary policies and national and international political and economic events.

At best, the correlation between changes in prices of futures contracts and of the securities being hedged can be only approximate. The degree of imperfection of correlation depends upon circumstances such as: variations in speculative market demand for futures and for debt securities, including technical influences in futures trading; and differences between the financial instruments being hedged and the instruments underlying the standard futures contracts available for trading, with respect to interest rate levels, maturities, and creditworthiness of issuers. A decision of whether, when, and how to hedge involves skill and judgment, and even a well-conceived hedge may be unsuccessful to some degree because of unexpected market behavior or interest rate trends.

Because of the low margin deposits required, futures trading involves an extremely high degree of leverage. As a result, a relatively small price movement in a futures contract may result in immediate and substantial loss or gain to the investor. For example, if at the time of purchase, 10% of the value of the futures contract is deposited as margin, a subsequent 10% decrease in the value of the futures contract would result in a total loss of the margin deposit, before any deduction for the transaction costs, if the account were then closed out. A 15% decrease would result in a loss equal to 150% of the original margin deposit, if the futures contract were closed out. Thus, a purchase or sale of a futures contract may result in losses in excess of the amount invested in the futures contract. The fund, however, would presumably have sustained comparable losses if, instead of the futures contract, it had invested in the underlying financial instrument and sold it after the decline.

Furthermore, in the case of a futures contract purchase, the fund segregates and commits to back the futures contract an amount of cash and liquid securities equal in value to the current value of the underlying instrument less the margin deposit.

Most U.S. futures exchanges limit the amount of fluctuation permitted in futures contract prices during a single trading day. The daily limit establishes the maximum amount that the price of a futures contract may vary

 

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either up or down from the previous day’s settlement price at the end of a trading session. Once the daily limit has been reached in a particular type of futures contract, no trades may be made on that day at a price beyond that limit. The daily limit governs only price movement during a particular trading day and therefore does not limit potential losses, because the limit may prevent the liquidation of unfavorable positions. Futures contract prices have occasionally moved to the daily limit for several consecutive trading days with little or no trading, thereby preventing prompt liquidation of futures positions and subjecting some futures traders to substantial losses.

As with options on securities, the holder of an option on futures contracts may terminate the position by selling an option of the same series. There is no guarantee that such closing transactions can be effected. The fund will be required to deposit initial margin and maintenance margin with respect to put and call options on futures contracts described above, and, in addition, net option premiums received will be included as initial margin deposits.

In addition to the risks which apply to all option transactions, there are several special risks relating to options on futures contracts. The ability to establish and close out positions on such options will be subject to the development and maintenance of a liquid secondary market. It is not certain that this market will develop. The fund will not purchase options on futures contracts on any exchange unless and until, in the subadviser’s opinion, the market for such options has developed sufficiently that the risks in connection with options on futures contracts are not greater than the risks in connection with futures contracts. Compared to the use of futures contracts, the purchase of options on futures contracts involves less potential risk to the fund because the maximum amount of risk is the premium paid for the options (plus transaction costs). Writing an option on a futures contract involves risks similar to those arising in the sale of futures contracts, as described above.

Special Risks of Options. In the event of a shortage of the underlying securities deliverable on exercise of an option, the OCC has the authority to permit other, generally comparable securities to be delivered in fulfillment of option exercise obligations. If the OCC exercises its discretionary authority to allow such other securities to be delivered it may also adjust the exercise prices of the affected options by setting different prices at which otherwise ineligible securities may be delivered. As an alternative to permitting such substitute deliveries, the OCC may impose special exercise settlement procedures.

The hours of trading for options on U.S. government securities may not conform to the hours during which the underlying securities are traded. To the extent that the options markets close before the markets for the underlying securities, significant price and rate movements can take place in the underlying markets that cannot be reflected in the options markets.

Options are traded on exchanges on only a limited number of U.S. government securities, and exchange regulations limit the maximum number of options which may be written or purchased by a single investor or a group of investors acting in concert. The fund and other clients advised by affiliates of Legg Mason may be deemed to constitute a group for these purposes. In light of these limits, the Board of Directors may determine at any time to restrict or terminate the public offering of the fund’s shares (including through exchanges from the other funds).

Exchange markets in options on U.S. government securities are a relatively new and untested concept. It is impossible to predict the amount of trading interest that may exist in such options, and there can be no assurance that viable exchange markets will develop or continue.

Investment Company Securities.    Subject to applicable statutory and regulatory limitations, the fund may invest in shares of other investment companies, including shares of other mutual funds, closed-end funds, and unregistered investment companies. Investments in other investment companies are subject to the risk of the securities in which those investment companies invest. In addition, to the extent the fund invests in securities of other investment companies, fund shareholders would indirectly pay a portion of the operating costs of such

 

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companies in addition to the expenses of the fund’s own operation. These costs include management, brokerage, shareholder servicing and other operational expenses.

The fund may invest in shares of mutual funds or unit investment trusts that are traded on a stock exchange, called exchange-traded funds or ETFs. Typically an ETF seeks to track the performance of an index, such as the S&P 500, the NASDAQ 100, the Lehman Treasury Bond Index, or more narrow sector or foreign indices, by holding in its portfolio either the same securities that comprise the index, or a representative sample of the index. Investing in an ETF will give the fund exposure to the securities comprising the index on which the ETF is based.

Unlike shares of typical mutual funds or unit investment trusts, shares of ETFs are designed to be traded throughout a trading day, bought and sold based on market values and not at net asset value. For this reason, shares could trade at either a premium or discount to net asset value. However, the portfolios held by index-based ETFs are publicly disclosed on each trading day, and an approximation of actual net asset value is disseminated throughout the trading day. Because of this transparency, the trading prices of index based ETFs tend to closely track the actual net asset value of the underlying portfolios and the fund will generally gain or lose value depending on the performance of the index. However, gains or losses on the fund’s investment in ETFs will ultimately depend on the purchase and sale price of the ETF. In the future, as new products become available, the fund may invest in ETFs that are actively managed. Actively managed ETFs will likely not have the transparency of index-based ETFs, and therefore, may be more likely to trade at a discount or premium to actual net asset values.

The fund may invest in closed-end investment companies which hold securities of U. S. and/or non-U.S. issuers. Because shares of closed-end funds trade on an exchange, investments in closed-end investment funds may entail the additional risk that the market value of such investments may be substantially less than their net asset value.

Repurchase Agreements.    The fund may enter into repurchase agreements with banks which are the issuers of instruments acceptable for purchase by the fund and with certain dealers on the Federal Reserve Bank of New York’s list of reporting dealers. Under the terms of a typical repurchase agreement, the fund would acquire an underlying obligation for a relatively short period (usually not more than one week) subject to an obligation of the seller to repurchase, and the fund to resell, the obligation at an agreed-upon price and time, thereby determining the yield during the fund’s holding period. This arrangement results in a fixed rate of return that is not subject to market fluctuations during the fund’s holding period. Under each repurchase agreement, the selling institution will be required to maintain the value of the securities subject to the repurchase agreement at not less than their repurchase price. Repurchase agreements could involve certain risks in the event of default or insolvency of the other party, including possible delays or restrictions upon the fund’s ability to dispose of the underlying securities, the risk of a possible decline in the value of the underlying securities during the period in which the fund seeks to assert its rights to them, the risk of incurring expenses associated with asserting those rights and the risk of losing all or part of the income from the agreement. The manager reviews on an ongoing basis the creditworthiness of those banks and dealers with which the fund enters into repurchase agreements to evaluate potential risk.

Pursuant to an exemptive order issued by the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”), the fund, along with other affiliated entities managed by the manager, may transfer uninvested cash balances into one or more joint repurchase accounts. These balances are invested in one or more repurchase agreements, secured by U.S. government securities. Securities that are collateral for repurchase agreements are financial assets subject to the fund’s entitlement orders through its securities account at its custodian bank until the agreements mature. Each joint repurchase agreement requires that the market value of the collateral be sufficient to cover payments of interest and principal; however, in the event of default by the other party to the agreement, retention or sale of the collateral may be subject to legal proceedings.

Lending of Portfolio Securities.    The fund has the ability to lend securities from its portfolio to brokers, dealers and other financial organizations. Such loans, if and when made, will be consistent with applicable

 

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regulatory requirements. Loans of portfolio securities by the fund will be collateralized by cash, letters of credit or securities issued or guaranteed by the United States government, its agencies or instrumentalities (“U.S. government securities”) which will be maintained at all times in an amount equal to at least 100% of the current market value of the loaned securities. From time to time, the fund may return to the borrower and/or a third party, which is unaffiliated with the fund, Legg Mason, or CGMI and is acting as a “finder,” a part of the interest earned from the investment of collateral received for securities loaned.

Generally, the borrower will be required to make payments to the fund in lieu of any dividends the fund would have otherwise received had it not loaned the shares to the borrower. Any such payments, however, will not be treated as “qualified dividend income” for purposes of determining what portion of the fund’s regular dividends (as defined below) received by individuals may be taxed at the rates generally applicable to long-term capital gains (see “Taxes” below).

In lending its portfolio securities, the fund can increase its income by continuing to receive interest on the loaned securities as well as by either investing the cash collateral in short-term instruments or obtaining yield in the form of interest paid by the borrower when government securities are used as collateral. Requirements of the SEC, which may be subject to future modifications, currently provide that the following conditions must be met whenever portfolio securities are loaned: (a) the fund must receive at least 100% cash collateral or equivalent securities from the borrower; (b) the borrower must increase such collateral whenever the market value of the securities rises above the level of such collateral; (c) the fund must be able to terminate the loan at any time; (d) the fund must receive reasonable interest on the loan, as well as an amount equal to any dividends, interest or other distributions on the loaned securities, and any increase in market value; (e) the fund may pay only reasonable custodian fees in connection with the loan; and (f) voting rights on the loaned securities may pass to the borrower; however, if a material event adversely affecting the investment occurs, the fund must terminate the loan and regain the right to vote the securities. The risks in lending portfolio securities, as with other extensions of secured credit, consist of possible delay in receiving additional collateral or in the recovery of the securities or possible loss of rights in the collateral should the borrower fail financially. Loans will be made to firms deemed by the manager to be of good standing and will not be made unless, in the judgment of the manager, the consideration to be earned from such loans would justify the risk.

Warrants.    Because a warrant does not carry with it the right to dividends or voting rights with respect to the securities that the warrant holder is entitled to purchase, and because it does not represent any rights to the assets of the issuer, warrants may be considered more speculative than certain other types of investments. Also, the value of a warrant does not necessarily change with the value of the underlying securities and a warrant ceases to have value if it is not exercised prior to its expiration date.

Restricted Securities.    Restricted securities are those that may not be sold publicly without first being registered under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “1933 Act”). For that reason, the fund may not be able to dispose of restricted securities at a time when, or at a price at which, it desires to do so and may have to bear expenses associated with registering the securities. At any one time, the fund’s aggregate holdings of restricted securities, repurchase agreements having a duration of more than five business days, and securities lacking readily available market quotations will not exceed 15% of the fund’s net assets.

Money Market Instruments.    The fund may invest for defensive purposes in corporate and government bonds and notes and money market instruments. Money market instruments in which the fund may invest include: U.S. government securities; certificates of deposit, time deposits and bankers’ acceptances issued by domestic banks (including their branches located outside the United States and subsidiaries located in Canada), domestic branches of foreign banks, savings and loan associations and similar institutions; high grade commercial paper; and repurchase agreements with respect to the foregoing types of instruments.

 

11


DISCLOSURE OF PORTFOLIO HOLDINGS

The fund’s Board of Trustees has adopted policies and procedures developed by LMPFA, the funds’ investment manager, with respect to the disclosure of the funds’ portfolio securities and any ongoing arrangements to make available information about each fund’s portfolio securities. The policy requires that consideration always be given as to whether disclosure of information about any fund’s portfolio holdings is in the best interests of such fund’s shareholders, and that any conflicts of interest between the interests of the fund’s shareholders and those of LMPFA, the fund’s Distributors, or their affiliates, be addressed in a manner that places the interests of fund shareholders first. The policy provides that information regarding a fund’s portfolio holdings may not be shared with non-Legg Mason employees, with investors or potential investors (whether individual or institutional), or with third parties unless it is done for legitimate fund business purposes and in accordance with the policy.

LMPFA’s policy generally provides for the release of details of securities positions once they are considered “stale.” Data is considered stale 25 calendar days following quarter-end for funds other than money market funds, and 25 calendar days following month-end with respect to money market funds. LMPFA believes that this passage of time prevents a third party from benefiting from an investment decision made by a fund that has not been fully reflected by the market.

Under the policy, a fund’s complete list of holdings (including the size of each position) may be made available to investors, potential investors, third parties and non-Legg Mason employees with simultaneous public disclosure at least 25 days after calendar quarter end, except in the case of a money market fund’s holdings, which may be released with simultaneous public disclosure at least 25 days after month end. Typically, simultaneous public disclosure is achieved by the filing of Form N-Q or Form N-CSR in accordance with SEC rules, provided that such filings may not be made until 25 days following quarter-end and/or posting the information to a Legg Mason or the funds’ Internet site that is accessible by the public, or through public release by a third party vendor.

The policy permits the release of limited portfolio holdings information that is not yet considered stale in a number of situations, including:

1.  A fund’s top ten securities, current as of month-end, and the individual size of each such security position may be released at any time following month-end with simultaneous public disclosure.

2.  A fund’s top ten securities positions (including the aggregate but not individual size of such positions) may be released at any time with simultaneous public disclosure.

3.  A list of securities (that may include fund holdings together with other securities) followed by a portfolio manager (without position sizes or identification of particular funds) may be disclosed to sell-side brokers at any time for the purpose of obtaining research and/or market information from such brokers.

4.  A trade in process may be discussed only with counterparties, potential counterparties and others involved in the transaction (i.e., brokers and custodians).

5.  A fund’s sector weightings, yield and duration (for fixed income and money market funds), performance attribution (e.g. analysis of the fund’s out performance or underperformance of its benchmark based on its portfolio holdings) and other summary and statistical information that does not include identification of specific portfolio holdings may be released, even if non-public, if such release is otherwise in accordance with the policy’s general principles.

6.  A fund’s portfolio holdings may be released on an as-needed basis to its legal counsel, counsel to its independent trustees, and its independent public accountants, in required regulatory filings or otherwise to governmental agencies and authorities.

Under the policy, if information about a fund’s portfolio holdings is released pursuant to an ongoing arrangement with any party, a fund must have a legitimate business purpose for the release of the information,

 

12


and either the party receiving the information must be under a duty of confidentiality, or the release of non-public information must be subject to trading restrictions and confidential treatment to prohibit the entity from sharing with an unauthorized source or trading upon any non-public information provided. Neither a fund, nor Legg Mason, nor any other affiliated party may receive compensation or any other consideration in connection with such arrangements. Ongoing arrangements to make available information about a fund’s portfolio securities will be reviewed at least annually by a fund’s Board.

The approval of a fund’s Chief Compliance Officer, or designee, must be obtained before entering into any new ongoing arrangement or altering any existing ongoing arrangement to make available portfolio holdings information, or with respect to any exceptions to the policy. Any exceptions to the policy must be consistent with the purposes of the policy. Exceptions are considered on a case-by-case basis and are granted only after a thorough examination and consultation with LMPFA’s legal department, as necessary. Exceptions to the policies are reported to a fund’s Board at its next regularly scheduled meeting.

Currently, the funds disclose their complete portfolio holdings approximately 25 days after calendar quarter end on their website at http://www.leggmason.com/InvestorServices.

Set forth below is a list, as of March 13, 2007, of those parties with whom LMPFA, on behalf of a fund, has authorized ongoing arrangements that include the release of portfolio holdings information in accordance with the policy, as well as the frequency of the release under such arrangements, and the length of the lag, if any, between the date of the information and the date on which the information is disclosed. The parties identified below as recipients are service providers, fund rating agencies, consultants and analysts.

 

Recipient

  

Frequency

  

Delay before dissemination

State Street Bank and Trust Company (Fund Custodian and Accounting Agent)

   Daily    None

Institutional Shareholders Services (Proxy Voting Services)

   As necessary    None

Bloomberg

   Quarterly    25 days after quarter end

Lipper

   Quarterly    25 days after quarter end

S&P

   Quarterly    25 days after quarter end

Morningstar

   Quarterly    25 days after quarter end

Vestek

   Daily    None

Factset

   Daily    None

The Bank of New York

   Daily    None

Portfolio holdings information for the fund may also be released from time to time pursuant to ongoing arrangements with the following parties:

 

Recipient

 

Frequency

  

Delay before dissemination

Baseline

  Daily    None

Frank Russell

  Monthly    1 day

Callan

  Quarterly    25 days after quarter end

Mercer

  Quarterly    25 days after quarter end

eVestment Alliance

  Quarterly    25 days after quarter end

CRA RogersCasey

  Quarterly    25 days after quarter end

Cambridge Associates

  Quarterly    25 days after quarter end

Marco Consulting

  Quarterly    25 days after quarter end

Wilshire

  Quarterly    25 days after quarter end

Informa Investment Services (Efron)

  Quarterly    25 days after quarter end

 

13


Recipient

 

Frequency

  

Delay before dissemination

CheckFree (Mobius)

  Quarterly    25 days after quarter end

Nelsons Information

  Quarterly    25 days after quarter end

Investor Tools

  Daily    None

Advent

  Daily    None

BARRA

  Daily    None

Plexus

  Quarterly (Calendar)    Sent 1-3 business days following the end of a quarter

Elkins/McSherry

  Quarterly (Calendar)    Sent 1-3 business days following the end of a quarter

Quantitative Services Group

  Daily    None

AMBAC

  Daily    None

Deutsche Bank

  Monthly    6-8 business days

Fitch

  Monthly    6-8 business days

Liberty Hampshire

  Weekly and Month End    None

Sun Trust

  Weekly and Month End    None

New England Pension Consultants

  Quarterly    25 days after quarter end

Evaluation Associates

  Quarterly    25 days after quarter end

Watson Wyatt

  Quarterly    25 days after quarter end

S&P (Rating Agency)

  Weekly Tuesday Night    1 business day

Moody’s (Rating Agency)

  Weekly Tuesday Night    1 business day

Electra Information Systems

  Daily    None

SunGard

  Daily    None

INVESTMENT POLICIES

The fund has adopted the fundamental and non-fundamental investment policies below for the protection of shareholders. Fundamental investment policies may not be changed without the vote of a majority of the outstanding shares of the fund, defined under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”), as the lesser of (a) 67% or more of the voting power present at a fund meeting, if the holders of more than 50% of the voting power of the fund are present in person or represented by proxy or (b) more than 50% of the voting power of the fund.

If any percentage restriction described below is complied with at the time of an investment, a later increase or decrease in percentage resulting from a change in values or assets will not constitute a violation of such restriction.

Fundamental Investment Policies

The fund’s revised fundamental policies are as follows:

(1)  The fund may not borrow money except as permitted by (i) the 1940 Act, or interpretations or modifications by the SEC, SEC staff or other authority with appropriate jurisdiction, or (ii) exemptive or other relief or permission from the SEC, SEC staff or other authority.

(2)  The fund may not engage in the business of underwriting the securities of other issuers except as permitted by (i) the 1940 Act, or interpretations or modifications by the SEC, SEC staff or other authority with appropriate jurisdiction, or (ii) exemptive or other relief or permission from the SEC, SEC staff or other authority.

(3)  The fund may lend money or other assets to the extent permitted by (i) the 1940 Act, or interpretations or modifications by the SEC, SEC staff or other authority with appropriate jurisdiction, or (ii) exemptive or other relief or permission from the SEC, SEC staff or other authority.

 

14


(4)  The fund may not issue senior securities except as permitted by (i) the 1940 Act, or interpretations or modifications by the SEC, SEC staff or other authority with appropriate jurisdiction, or (ii) exemptive or other relief or permission from the SEC, SEC staff or other authority.

(5)  The fund may not purchase or sell real estate except as permitted by (i) the 1940 Act, or interpretations or modifications by the SEC, SEC staff or other authority with appropriate jurisdiction, or (ii) exemptive or other relief or permission from the SEC, SEC staff or other authority.

(6)  The fund may purchase or sell commodities or contracts related to commodities to the extent permitted by (i) the 1940 Act, or interpretations or modifications by the SEC, SEC staff or other authority with appropriate jurisdiction, or (ii) exemptive or other relief or permission from the SEC, SEC staff or other authority.

(7)  Except as permitted by exemptive or other relief or permission from the SEC, SEC staff or other authority with appropriate jurisdiction, the fund may not make any investment if, as a result, the fund’s investments will be concentrated in any one industry.

With respect to the fundamental policy relating to borrowing money set forth in (1) above, the 1940 Act permits a fund to borrow money in amounts of up to one-third of the fund’s total assets from banks for any purpose, and to borrow up to 5% of the fund’s total assets from banks or other lenders for temporary purposes. To limit the risks attendant to borrowing, the 1940 Act requires the fund to maintain at all times an “asset coverage” of at least 300% of the amount of its borrowings. Asset coverage means the ratio that the value of the fund’s total assets, minus liabilities other than borrowings, bears to the aggregate amount of all borrowings. Certain trading practices and investments, such as reverse repurchase agreements, may be considered to be borrowings and thus subject to the 1940 Act restrictions. Borrowing money to increase portfolio holdings is known as “leveraging.” Borrowing, especially when used for leverage, may cause the value of a fund’s shares to be more volatile than if the fund did not borrow. This is because borrowing tends to magnify the effect of any increase or decrease in the value of the fund’s portfolio holdings. Borrowed money thus creates an opportunity for greater gains, but also greater losses. To repay borrowings, the fund may have to sell securities at a time and at a price that is unfavorable to the fund. There also are costs associated with borrowing money, and these costs would offset and could eliminate a fund’s net investment income in any given period. Currently the fund does not contemplate borrowing money for leverage, but if the fund does so, it will not likely do so to a substantial degree. The policy in (1) above will be interpreted to permit a fund to engage in trading practices and investments that may be considered to be borrowing to the extent permitted by the 1940 Act. Short-term credits necessary for the settlement of securities transactions and arrangements with respect to securities lending will not be considered to be borrowings under the policy. Practices and investments that may involve leverage but are not considered to be borrowings are not subject to the policy.

With respect to the fundamental policy relating to underwriting set forth in (2) above, the 1940 Act does not prohibit a fund from engaging in the underwriting business or from underwriting the securities of other issuers; in fact, the 1940 Act permits a fund to have underwriting commitments of up to 25% of its assets under certain circumstances. Those circumstances currently are that the amount of the fund’s underwriting commitments, when added to the value of the fund’s investments in issuers where the fund owns more than 10% of the outstanding voting securities of those issuers, cannot exceed the 25% cap. A fund engaging in transactions involving the acquisition or disposition of portfolio securities may be considered to be an underwriter under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “1933 Act”). Under the 1933 Act, an underwriter may be liable for material omissions or misstatements in an issuer’s registration statement or prospectus. Securities purchased from an issuer and not registered for sale under the 1933 Act are considered restricted securities. There may be a limited market for these securities. If these securities are registered under the 1933 Act, they may then be eligible for sale but participating in the sale may subject the seller to underwriter liability. These risks could apply to a fund investing in restricted securities. Although it is not believed that the application of the 1933 Act provisions described above would cause a fund to be engaged in the business of underwriting, the policy in (2) above will be interpreted not to prevent the fund from engaging in transactions involving the acquisition or disposition of portfolio securities, regardless of whether the fund may be considered to be an underwriter under the 1933 Act.

 

15


With respect to the fundamental policy relating to lending set forth in (3) above, the 1940 Act does not prohibit a fund from making loans; however, SEC staff interpretations currently prohibit funds from lending more than one-third of their total assets, except through the purchase of debt obligations or the use of repurchase agreements. (A repurchase agreement is an agreement to purchase a security, coupled with an agreement to sell that security back to the original seller on an agreed-upon date at a price that reflects current interest rates. The SEC frequently treats repurchase agreements as loans.) While lending securities may be a source of income to a fund, as with other extensions of credit, there are risks of delay in recovery or even loss of rights in the underlying securities should the borrower fail financially. However, loans would be made only when the fund’s manager or a sub-adviser believes the income justifies the attendant risks. The fund also will be permitted by this policy to make loans of money, including to other funds. A fund would have to obtain exemptive relief from the SEC to make loans to other funds. The policy in (3) above will be interpreted not to prevent a fund from purchasing or investing in debt obligations and loans. In addition, collateral arrangements with respect to options, forward currency and futures transactions and other derivative instruments, as well as delays in the settlement of securities transactions, will not be considered loans.

With respect to the fundamental policy relating to issuing senior securities set forth in (4) above, “senior securities” are defined as fund obligations that have a priority over the fund’s shares with respect to the payment of dividends or the distribution of fund assets. The 1940 Act prohibits a fund from issuing senior securities except that the fund may borrow money in amounts of up to one-third of the fund’s total assets from banks for any purpose. A fund also may borrow up to 5% of the fund’s total assets from banks or other lenders for temporary purposes, and these borrowings are not considered senior securities. The issuance of senior securities by a fund can increase the speculative character of the fund’s outstanding shares through leveraging. Leveraging of a fund’s portfolio through the issuance of senior securities magnifies the potential for gain or loss on monies, because even though the fund’s net assets remain the same, the total risk to investors is increased to the extent of the fund’s gross assets. The policy in (4) above will be interpreted not to prevent collateral arrangements with respect to swaps, options, forward or futures contracts or other derivatives, or the posting of initial or variation margin.

With respect to the fundamental policy relating to real estate set forth in (5) above, the 1940 Act does not prohibit a fund from owning real estate; however, a fund is limited in the amount of illiquid assets it may purchase. Investing in real estate may involve risks, including that real estate is generally considered illiquid and may be difficult to value and sell. Owners of real estate may be subject to various liabilities, including environmental liabilities. To the extent that investments in real estate are considered illiquid, the current SEC staff position generally limits a fund’s purchases of illiquid securities to 15% of net assets. The policy in (5) above will be interpreted not to prevent a fund from investing in real estate-related companies, companies whose businesses consist in whole or in part of investing in real estate, instruments (like mortgages) that are secured by real estate or interests therein, or real estate investment trust securities.

With respect to the fundamental policy relating to commodities set forth in (6) above, the 1940 Act does not prohibit a fund from owning commodities, whether physical commodities and contracts related to physical commodities (such as oil or grains and related futures contracts), or financial commodities and contracts related to financial commodities (such as currencies and, possibly, currency futures). However, a fund is limited in the amount of illiquid assets it may purchase. To the extent that investments in commodities are considered illiquid, the current SEC staff position generally limits a fund’s purchases of illiquid securities to 15% of net assets. If a fund were to invest in a physical commodity or a physical commodity-related instrument, the fund would be subject to the additional risks of the particular physical commodity and its related market. The value of commodities and commodity-related instruments may be extremely volatile and may be affected either directly or indirectly by a variety of factors. There also may be storage charges and risks of loss associated with physical commodities. The policy in (6) above will be interpreted to permit investments in exchange traded funds that invest in physical and/or financial commodities.

With respect to the fundamental policy relating to concentration set forth in (7) above, the 1940 Act does not define what constitutes “concentration” in an industry. The SEC staff has taken the position that investment

 

16


of 25% or more of a fund’s total assets in one or more issuers conducting their principal activities in the same industry or group of industries constitutes concentration. It is possible that interpretations of concentration could change in the future. A fund that invests a significant percentage of its total assets in a single industry may be particularly susceptible to adverse events affecting that industry and may be more risky than a fund that does not concentrate in an industry. The policy in (7) above will be interpreted to refer to concentration as that term may be interpreted from time to time. The policy also will be interpreted to permit investment without limit in the following: securities of the U.S. government and its agencies or instrumentalities; securities of state, territory, possession or municipal governments and their authorities, agencies, instrumentalities or political subdivisions; securities of foreign governments; and repurchase agreements collateralized by any such obligations. Accordingly, issuers of the foregoing securities will not be considered to be members of any industry. There also will be no limit on investment in issuers domiciled in a single jurisdiction or country. The policy also will be interpreted to give broad authority to a fund as to how to classify issuers within or among industries.

The fund’s fundamental policies are written and will be interpreted broadly. For example, the policies will be interpreted to refer to the 1940 Act and the related rules as they are in effect from time to time, and to interpretations and modifications of or relating to the 1940 Act by the SEC and others as they are given from time to time. When a policy provides that an investment practice may be conducted as permitted by the 1940 Act, the policy will be interpreted to mean either that the 1940 Act expressly permits the practice or that the 1940 Act does not prohibit the practice.

Non-Fundamental Investment Policies

Under the non-fundamental investment policies adopted by the fund, the fund may not:

1.  Purchase any securities on margin (except for such short-term credits as are necessary for the clearance of purchases and sales of portfolio securities) or sell any securities short (except “against the box”). For purposes of this restriction, the deposit or payment by the fund of underlying securities and other assets in escrow and collateral agreements with respect to initial or maintenance margin in connection with futures contracts and related options and options on securities, indexes or similar items is not considered to be the purchase of a security on margin.

2.  Purchase or otherwise acquire any security if, as a result, more than 15% of its net assets would be invested in securities that are illiquid.

3.  Invest more than 5% of the value of its net assets (valued at the lower of cost or market) in warrants, of which no more than 2% of net assets may be invested in warrants not listed on the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) or the American Stock Exchange (“AMEX”). The acquisition of warrants attached to other securities is not subject to this restriction.

4.  Purchase, sell or write put, call, straddle or spread options.

5.  Purchase participations or other direct interests in oil, gas or other mineral exploration or development programs.

6.  Invest in companies for the purpose of exercising management or control.

7.  Invest more than 5% of the value of its total assets in securities of issuers having a record of fewer than three years of continual operation except that the restriction will not apply to U.S. government securities. (For purposes of this restriction, issuers include predecessors, sponsors, controlling persons, general partners, and guarantors of underlying assets.)

Diversification

The fund is currently classified as a diversified fund under the 1940 Act. This means that the fund may not purchase securities of an issuer (other than obligations issued or guaranteed by the U.S. government, its agencies

 

17


or instrumentalities) if, with respect to 75% of its total assets, (a) more than 5% of the fund’s total assets would be invested in securities of that issuer, or (b) the fund would hold more than 10% of the outstanding voting securities of that issuer. With respect to the remaining 25% of its total assets, the fund can invest more than 5% of its assets in one issuer. Under the 1940 Act, the fund cannot change its classification from diversified to non-diversified without shareholder approval.

 

18


MANAGEMENT

The business affairs of the fund are managed by or under the direction of the Board. The Board elects officers who are responsible for the day-to-day operations of the fund and who execute policies authorized by the Board.

The current Trustees, including the Trustees of the fund who are not “interested persons” of the fund (the “Independent Trustees”), as defined in the 1940 Act, and executive officers of the fund, their birth years, their principal occupations during at least the past five years (their titles may have varied during that period), the number of funds associated with Legg Mason the Trustees oversee, and other board memberships they hold are set forth below. The address of each Trustee is c/o R. Jay Gerken, 399 Park Avenue, New York, New York 10022.

The following information relates to the Trust’s recently elected Board of Trustees.

 

Name and

Year of Birth

 

Position(s)
with Fund

  

Term of
Office* and
Length of
Time Served**

  

Principal Occupation(s)

During Past 5 Years

  

Number of

Funds in Fund
Complex to be

Overseen

by Trustee

  

Other Board
Memberships
Held by Trustee

During Past

Five Years

INDEPENDENT TRUSTEES:            

Paul R. Ades

Born 1940

  Trustee    Since 1983    Law firm of Paul R. Ades, PLLC (since 2000)    57    None

Andrew L. Breech

Born 1952

  Trustee    Since 1991    President, Dealer Operating Control Service, Inc. (automotive retail management) (since 1985)    57    None

Dwight B. Crane

Born 1937

  Trustee    Since 1981    Professor, Harvard Business School (since 1969); Independent Consultant (since 1969)    60    None

Robert M. Frayn, Jr.

Born 1934

  Trustee    Since 1981    Retired; formerly, President and Director, Book Publishing Co. (1970 to 2002)    57    None

Frank G. Hubbard

Born 1937

  Trustee    Since 1993    President, Avatar International Inc. (business development) (since 1998)    57    None

Howard J. Johnson

Born 1938

  Trustee    From 1981 to 1998 and 2000 to Present    Chief Executive Officer, Genesis Imaging LLC (technology company) (since 2003)    57    None

 

19


Name and

Year of Birth

 

Position(s)
with Fund

  

Term of
Office* and
Length of
Time Served**

  

Principal Occupation(s)

During Past 5 Years

  

Number of

Funds in Fund
Complex to be

Overseen

by Trustee

  

Other Board
Memberships
Held by Trustee

During Past

Five Years

David E. Maryatt

Born 1936

  Trustee    Since 1983    Private Investor; President and Director, ALS Co. (real estate management and development firm) (since 1993)    57    None

Jerome H. Miller

Born 1938

  Trustee    Since 1995    Retired    57    None

Ken Miller

Born 1942

  Trustee    Since 1983    Chairman, Young Stuff Apparel Group, Inc. (apparel manufacturer) (since 1963)    57    None

John J. Murphy

Born 1944

  Trustee    Since 2002    President, Murphy Capital Management (investment advice) (since 1983)    57    Director, Nicholas Applegate funds; Trustee, Consulting Group Capital Markets Funds; formerly, Director, Atlantic Stewardship Bank (2004 to 2005); Director, Barclays International Funds Group Ltd. and affiliated companies (to 2003)

Thomas F. Schlafly

Born 1948

  Trustee    Since 1983    Of Counsel, Blackwell Sanders Peper Martin LLP (law firm) (since 1984); President, The Saint Louis Brewery, Inc. (brewery) (since 1989)    57    Director, Citizens National Bank, Maplewood (2006)

Jerry A. Viscione

Born 1944

  Trustee    Since 1993    Retired; formerly, Executive Vice President, Marquette University (1997 to 2002)    57    None

 

20


Name and

Year of Birth

 

Position(s)
with Fund

 

Term of
Office* and
Length of
Time Served**

  

Principal Occupation(s)

During Past 5 Years

  

Number of

Funds in Fund
Complex to be

Overseen

by Trustee

  

Other Board
Memberships
Held by Trustee

During Past

Five Years

INTERESTED TRUSTEE:           

R. Jay Gerken, CFA†

Born 1951

 

Trustee,

President, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer

  Since 2002    Managing Director, Legg Mason & Co., LLC (“Legg Mason & Co.”); Chairman of the Board and Trustee/Director of 149 funds associated with LMPFA and its affiliates; President, LMPFA (since 2006); Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of certain mutual funds associated with Legg Mason & Co. or its affiliates; formerly, Chairman, Smith Barney Fund Management LLC (“SBFM”) and Citi Fund Management, Inc. (“CFM”) (2002 to 2005); formerly, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer, Travelers Investment Adviser Inc. (2002 to 2005)    149    None

* Each Trustee serves until his or her respective successor has been duly elected and qualified or until his or her earlier death, resignation, retirement or removal.
** Indicates the earliest year in which the Trustee became a Board member for a fund in the Legg Mason Partners fund complex.
Mr. Gerken is an “interested person,” as defined in the 1940 Act, because of his position with the manager and/or certain of its affiliates.

 

21


Name, Year
of Birth and Address

  

Position(s)

with Fund

  

Term of Office*

and Length of

Time Served**

  

Principal Occupation(s)

During Past 5 Years

OFFICERS:

        

R. Jay Gerken, CFA

Born 1951

399 Park Avenue

New York, NY 10022

   Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer    Since 2002   

Managing Director, Legg Mason & Co.; Chairman of the Board and Trustee/Director of 149 funds associated with LMPFA and its affiliates; President, LMPFA (since 2006); Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of certain mutual funds associated with Legg Mason & Co. or its affiliates; formerly, Chairman, SBFM and CFM (2002 to 2005); formerly, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer, Travelers Investment Adviser Inc. (2002 to 2005).

Ted P. Becker

Born 1951

399 Park Avenue

New York, NY 10022

   Chief Compliance Officer    Since 2006    Director of Global Compliance at Legg Mason, Inc. (2006 to present); Managing Director of Compliance at Legg Mason & Co. (2005 to present); Chief Compliance Officer with certain mutual funds associated with Legg Mason & Co. (since 2006); Chief Compliance Officer of LMPFA and certain affiliates; Managing Director of Compliance at Citigroup Asset Management (a group of affiliated investment advisers, which included SBFM, Smith Barney Asset Management and CFM affiliated investment advisory entities) (2002 to 2005). Prior to 2002, Managing Director-Internal Audit & Risk Review at Citigroup Inc.

John Chiota

Born 1968

300 First Stamford Place,

Stamford, CT 06902

   Chief Anti-Money Laundering Compliance Officer    Since 2006    Vice President of Legg Mason & Co. (since 2005); Vice President at CAM (since 2004); Chief Anti-Money Laundering Compliance Officer of certain mutual funds associated with Legg Mason & Co. (since 2006). Prior to August 2004, Chief Anti-Money Laundering Compliance Officer of TD Waterhouse.

 

22


Name, Year
of Birth and Address

  

Position(s)

with Fund

  

Term of Office*

and Length of

Time Served**

  

Principal Occupation(s)

During Past 5 Years

Robert I. Frenkel

Born 1954

300 First Stamford Place

Stamford, CT 06902

   Secretary and Chief Legal Officer    Since 2003    Managing Director and General Counsel of Global Mutual Funds for Legg Mason & Co. (since 2005); Managing Director and General Counsel of Global Mutual Funds for CAM (since 2000); Secretary and Chief Legal Officer of certain mutual funds associated with Legg Mason & Co. (since 2003). Previously, Secretary of CFM (2001 to 2004).

Thomas C. Mandia

Born 1962

300 First Stamford Place

Stamford, CT 06902

   Assistant Secretary    Since 2000    Managing Director and Deputy General Counsel of Legg Mason & Co. (since 2005); Managing Director and Deputy General Counsel for CAM (since 1992); Assistant Secretary of certain mutual funds associated with Legg Mason & Co.

Kaprel Ozsolak

Born 1965

125 Broad Street, 11th Floor

New York, NY 10004

   Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer    Since 2004    Director of Legg Mason & Co. (since 2005); Vice President at CAM (1996 to 2005); Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer of certain mutual funds associated with Legg Mason & Co. (since 2005); Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer of certain mutual funds associated with CAM (2004 to 2005). Previously, Mr. Ozsolak was Controller of certain mutual funds associated with CAM (2002 to 2004).

* Each officer serves until his or her respective successor has been duly elected and qualified or until his or her earlier death, resignation, retirement or removal.
** Indicates the earliest year in which the officer took office for any funds in the Legg Mason Partners fund complex.

Officers of the fund receive no compensation from the fund, although they may be reimbursed by the fund for reasonable out-of-pocket travel expenses for attending Board meetings.

The Board has three standing Committees: the Audit Committee, Nominating and Governance Committee (referred to as the Nominating Committee) and Pricing Committee. The Audit Committee and Nominating Committee are composed of all of the Independent Trustees. The Pricing Committee is composed of the Chairman of the Board and one Independent Trustee.

The Audit Committee oversees, among other things, the scope of the fund’s audit, the fund’s accounting and financial reporting policies and practices and its internal controls. The primary purposes of the Board’s Audit

 

23


Committee are to assist the Board in fulfilling its responsibility for oversight of the integrity of the accounting, auditing and financial reporting practices of the fund and the qualifications and independence of the fund’s independent registered public accounting firm. The Audit Committee approves, and recommends to the Independent Trustees for their ratification, the selection, appointment, retention or termination of the fund’s independent registered public accounting firm and approves the compensation of the independent registered public accounting firm. The Audit Committee also approves all audit and permissible non-audit services provided to the fund by the independent registered public accounting firm and all permissible non-audit services provided by the fund’s independent registered public accounting firm to its manager and any affiliated service providers if the engagement relates directly to the fund’s operations and financial reporting. The Audit Committee also assists the Board in fulfilling its responsibility for the review and negotiation of the fund’s investment management and subadvisory arrangements.

The Nominating Committee is responsible for, among other things, recommending candidates to fill vacancies on the Board. The Nominating Committee may consider nominees recommended by a shareholder. Shareholders who wish to recommend a nominee should send recommendations to the Trust’s Secretary that include all information relating to such person that is required to be disclosed in solicitations of proxies for the election of Trustees. A recommendation must be accompanied by a written consent of the individual to stand for election if nominated by the Board and to serve if elected by the shareholders.

The Nominating Committee identifies potential nominees through its network of contacts and may also engage, if it deems appropriate, a professional search firm. The committee meets to discuss and consider such candidates’ qualifications and then chooses a candidate by majority vote. The committee does not have specific, minimum qualifications for nominees, nor has it established specific qualities or skills that it regards as necessary for one or more of the Trustees to possess (other than any qualities or skills that may be required by applicable law, regulation or listing standard). However, in evaluating a person as a potential nominee to serve as a Trustee, the Nominating Committee may consider the following factors, among any others it may deem relevant:

 

   

whether or not the person is an “interested person,” as defined in the 1940 Act, and whether the person is otherwise qualified under applicable laws and regulations to serve as a Trustee;

 

   

whether or not the person has any relationships that might impair his or her independence, such as any business, financial or family relationships with fund management, the investment adviser, service providers or their affiliates;

 

   

whether or not the person serves on boards of, or is otherwise affiliated with, competing financial service organizations or their related mutual fund complexes;

 

   

whether or not the person is willing to serve, and willing and able to commit the time necessary for the performance of the duties of a Trustee;

 

   

the contribution which the person can make to the Board (or, if the person has previously served as a Trustee, the contribution which the person made to the Board during his or her previous term of service), with consideration being given to the person’s business and professional experience, education and such other factors as the committee may consider relevant;

 

   

the character and integrity of the person; and

 

   

whether or not the selection and nomination of the person would be consistent with the requirements of the retirement policies of the Trust, as applicable.

The Pricing Committee is charged with determining the fair value prices for securities when required.

As indicated above, the Trust’s Board is recently elected and is newly constituted as the Board that oversees all of the equity-type funds in the fund complex. All members of the Board previously have served on Boards of Legg Mason Partners funds. The Audit, Nominating and Pricing Committees are recently established committees of this Board and did not meet during the fund’s last fiscal year.

 

24


The following table shows the amount of equity securities owned by the Trustees in the fund and other investment companies in the fund complex supervised by the Trustees as of December 31, 2006.

 

Name of Trustee

   Dollar Range
of Equity
Securities in the Fund
   Aggregate Dollar Range
of Equity Securities In
Registered Investment
Companies Overseen
by Trustee

Independent Trustees

     

Paul R. Ades

   Over $100,000    Over $ 100,000

Andrew L. Breech

   None    Over $ 100,000

Dwight B. Crane

   $50,001-$100,000    Over $ 100,000

Robert M. Frayn, Jr.

   None    Over $ 100,000

Frank G. Hubbard

   $50,001-$100,000    Over $ 100,000

Howard J. Johnson

   None      None

David E. Maryatt

   None    Over $ 100,000

Jerome H. Miller

   $50,001-$100,000    Over $ 100,000

Ken Miller

   $50,001-$100,000    Over $ 100,000

John J. Murphy

   None      None

Thomas F. Schlafly

   None    Over $ 100,000

Jerry A. Viscione

   None    Over $ 100,000

Interested Trustee

     

R. Jay Gerken

   $50,001-$100,000    Over $ 100,000

As of April 16, 2007, none of the Independent Trustees or their immediate family members owned beneficially or of record any securities of the manager, subadviser or distributors of the fund, or in a person (other than a registered investment company) directly or indirectly controlling, controlled by or under common control with the manager, subadviser or distributors of the fund.

Information regarding compensation paid by the fund to its recently elected Board and to its prior Board is set forth below. The Independent Trustees receive a fee for each meeting of the fund’s Board attended and are reimbursed for all out-of-pocket expenses relating to attendance at such meetings. Mr. Gerken, an “interested person,” as defined in the 1940 Act, does not receive compensation from the fund for his service as Trustee, but may be reimbursed for all out-of-pocket expenses relating to attendance at such meetings.

The fund pays a pro rata share of the Trustee fees based upon asset size. The fund currently pays each of the Trustees who is not a director, officer or employee of the manager or any of its affiliates its pro rata share of: an annual fee of $100,000, plus $20,000 for each regularly scheduled Board meeting attended in person, and $1,000 for telephonic Board meetings in which that Trustee participates. The lead Independent Trustee will receive an additional $25,000 per year and the Chair of the Audit Committee will receive an additional $15,000 per year.

 

25


Recently Elected Board

 

Name of Trustee

  

Aggregate
Compensation
from the

Fund(1)(2)

   Total Pension or
Retirement
Benefits Paid
as Part of Fund
Expenses(1)
    Total
Compensation
from Fund
Complex Paid
to Trustee(1)(2)
    Number of
Portfolios in
Fund Complex
Overseen by
Trustee(1)

Independent Trustees

         

Paul R. Ades

   $ 38,806    $ 0     $ 86,200     12

Andrew L. Breech

     N/A    $ 0     $ 35,750     3

Dwight B. Crane

   $ 35,010      (3 )   $ 266,500     46

Robert M. Frayn, Jr.

     N/A    $ 0     $ 17,500 (4)   1

Frank G. Hubbard

   $ 37,837    $ 0     $ 78,700     12

Howard J. Johnson

     N/A    $ 0     $ 36,000     1

David E. Maryatt

     N/A    $ 0     $ 17,500 (4)   1

Jerome H. Miller

   $ 35,250    $ 0     $ 73,500     12

Ken Miller

   $ 34,700    $ 0     $ 71,500     12

John J. Murphy

     N/A    $ 0     $ 91,200     23

Thomas F. Schlafly

     N/A    $ 0     $ 35,250     3

Jerry A. Viscione

     N/A    $ 0     $ 29,500     1

Interested Trustee

         

R. Jay Gerken

      $ 0       162

(1) Information is for the calendar year ended December 31, 2006. The disclosure of compensation paid to the Trustees is provided as of the most recent calendar year end, rather than the fund’s most recent fiscal year end, for ease of presentation and comprehension.
(2) Messrs. Hubbard and Murphy also received $5,200 and $2,200, respectively, during 2006 for each attending on behalf of his former Board an additional meeting relating to the selection of service providers for the funds in the Legg Mason Partners fund complex. This amount was paid by the manager or its affiliates, and not by the fund.
(3) Pursuant to a prior emeritus retirement plan, Mr. Crane has received or is entitled to receive, in a lump sum (calculated on a net present value basis) or in quarterly installments, an aggregate benefit having a net present value equal to $444,643. Mr. Crane elected to receive the benefit in a lump sum payment. Each fund no longer overseen by Mr. Crane will pay a pro rata share (based upon asset size) of the aggregate benefit to Mr. Crane. Legg Mason or its affiliates have agreed to reimburse these funds an amount equal to 50% of the benefits paid to Mr. Crane. None of these amounts were paid during the period covered by this table.
(4) Messrs. Frayn and Maryatt elected to defer payment of 100% of their compensation for the year ended December 31, 2006.

For the fiscal year ended August 31, 2006, the Directors of the fund were paid the compensation listed below for service as a Director. Information as to the compensation paid to the Directors of the fund for the calendar year ended December 31, 2006 also is shown below.

Prior Board

Independent Directors

  

Aggregate
Compensation
from Fund

For Fiscal Year

Ended 08/31/06

   Pension or
Retirement
Benefits
Paid as
Part of Fund
Expenses(1)(2)
    Total
Compensation
from Fund
Complex for
Fiscal Year
Ended 8/31/06
    Number of
Funds for
Which Director
Served Within
Fund Complex

Paul R. Ades

   $ 38,542    $ 0     $ 84,700 (3)   15

Dwight B. Crane

   $ 34,955      (2 )   $ 261,625 (3)   46

Frank G. Hubbard

   $ 37,791    $ 0     $ 88,100 (3)   15

Jerome Miller

   $ 34,955    $ 0     $ 72,000 (3)   15

Ken Miller

   $ 34,706    $ 0     $ 71,500 (3)   15

Interested Director

                     

R. Jay Gerken(4)

   $ 0    $ 0     $ 0     168

 

26


Independent Directors:

   Aggregate
Compensation
from Fund for
Year Ended
12/31/06
   Total Pension or
Retirement
Benefits Paid
as Part of Fund
Expenses(2)
    Total
Compensation
from Fund
Complex Paid
to Director in
Year Ended
12/31/06
  

Number of
Funds for Which
Director Served

Within Fund
Complex

Paul R. Ades

   $ 38,806    $ 0     $ 86,200    12

Dwight B. Crane

   $ 35,010      (2 )   $ 266,500    46

Frank G. Hubbard

   $ 37,837    $ 0     $ 78,700    12

Jerome Miller

   $ 35,250    $ 0     $ 73,500    12

Ken Miller

   $ 34,700    $ 0     $ 71,500    12

Interested Director:

                    

R. Jay Gerken(4)

     None    $ 0       None    162

(1) During the fiscal year ended August 31, 2006, Mr. Herbert Barg, as a former Director, received $51,500 for his services as an emeritus Director. The fund paid its pro rata share (based on asset size) of these aggregate benefits.
(2) Pursuant to prior emeritus retirement plans, Mr. Barg has received or is entitled to receive benefits (calculated on a net present value basis) of $392,886. Mr. Crane also is entitled to receive benefits under the emeritus retirement plans; his benefits are described in a table above. Benefits under the emeritus retirement plans are paid in quarterly installments unless the Director elected to receive them in a lump sum at net present value. Each fund no longer overseen by these Directors will pay its pro rata share (based on asset size) of these aggregate benefits. Legg Mason or its affiliates have agreed to reimburse the funds an amount equal to 50% of these benefits. None of these amounts were paid during the period covered by this table.
(3) In addition to the amounts set forth above, Messrs. Ades, Crane, Hubbard, J. Miller and K. Miller received $1,500, $500, $5,200, $500 and $500, respectively, during the fiscal year ended August 31, 2006, for services as Directors in attending additional meetings relating to the approval of policies and procedures under Rule 38a-1, certain other regulatory issues and the consideration of new custody, transfer agency, and accounting arrangements for funds in the fund complex. These amounts were borne by the manager and/or its affiliates and not by the fund.
(4) Mr. Gerken is not compensated for his service as a Director because of his affiliation with the manager.

As of March 16, 2007, the Trustees and officers of the Trust, as a group, owned less than 1% of the outstanding shares of the fund.

As of March 16, 2007, to the knowledge of the fund, the following shareholders or groups (as such term is defined in Section 13(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934) beneficially owned more than 5% of the outstanding shares of the following classes of the fund:

 

Class

  

Name and Address

   Percent of
Shares
 

A

  

CITISTREET RETIREMENT TRUST ACCOUNT

CITIGROUP INSTITUTIONAL TRUST

400 ATRIUM DR

SOMERSET NJ 08873-4172

   6.4752 %

I

  

STATE STREET BANK & TRUST CUST

FBO CITIGROUP 401K PLAN

105 ROSEMONT AVE.

WESTWOOD, MA 02090-2318

   41.0767 %

I

  

RPS SEG FUNDS & ACCOUNTING ET-T

JOHN HANCOCK LIFE INSURANCE CO. (USA)

601 CONGRESS STREET

BOSTON, MA 02210-2805

   13.2748 %

 

27


Class

  

Name and Address

   Percent of
Shares
 

I

  

PRUDENTIAL INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT

SERVICES FBO MUTUAL FUND CLIENTS

100 MULBERRY STREET

3 GATEWAY CENTER, FLOOR 11

MAIL STOP NJ 05-11-20

NEWARK, NJ 07102

   9.9912 %

I

  

SMITH BARNEY MUTUAL FUND MANAGEMENT LLC

CONCERT SERIES

SB ALLOCATION HIGH GROWTH

225 LIBERTY STREET, 24TH FLOOR

NEW YORK, NY 10281-2606

   5.1633 %

I

  

NEW YORK METROPOLITAN TRANS

AUTHOR 457 & 401K DEF COMP PLANS

WELLS FARGO BANK NA WEST TTEE

C/O FASCORP

8515 E ORCHARD RD., APT. 2T2

GREENWOOD VILLAGE, CO 80111

   5.0485 %

R

  

LEGG MASON, INC.

ATTN: BRIAN EMRICK

100 LIGHT STREET, 30TH FLOOR

BALTIMORE, MD 21202

   97.8506 %

INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT AND OTHER SERVICES

Manager

LMPFA serves as investment manager to the fund pursuant to an investment management agreement (the “Management Agreement”) with the fund. LMPFA, with offices at 399 Park Avenue, New York, New York 10022, is a recently-organized investment adviser that has been formed to serve as the investment manager of the fund and certain other Legg Mason-sponsored funds. LMPFA is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Legg Mason. Legg Mason, whose principal executive offices are at 100 Light Street, Baltimore, Maryland 21202, is a global asset management company. As of December 31, 2006, Legg Mason’s asset management operation had aggregate assets under management of approximately $945 billion. LMPFA provides administrative and certain oversight services to the fund and manages the cash and short-term investments of the fund.

Under the Management Agreement, subject to the supervision and direction of the fund’s Board, the manager is delegated the responsibility of managing the fund’s portfolio in accordance with the fund’s stated investment objective and policies, making investment decisions for the fund and placing orders to purchase and sell securities. The manager also performs administrative and management services necessary for the operation of the fund, such as (i) supervising the overall administration of the fund, including negotiation of contracts and fees with and the monitoring of performance and billings of the fund’s transfer agent, shareholder servicing agents, custodian and other independent contractors or agents; (ii) providing certain compliance, fund accounting, regulatory reporting, and tax reporting services; (iii) preparing or participating in the preparation of Board materials, registration statements, proxy statements and reports and other communications to shareholders; (iv) maintaining the fund’s existence; and (v) maintaining the registration and qualification of the fund’s shares under federal and state laws.

The Management Agreement has an initial term ending November 30, 2007 and will continue in effect from year to year thereafter provided such continuance is specifically approved at least annually (a) by the fund’s

 

28


Board or by a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the fund (as defined in the 1940 Act), and (b) in either event, by a majority of the Independent Trustees with such Independent Trustees casting votes in person at a meeting called for such purpose.

The Management Agreement provides that the manager may render services to others. The Management Agreement is terminable without penalty on not more than 60 days’ nor less than 30 days’ written notice by the fund when authorized either by a vote of holders of shares representing a majority of the voting power of the outstanding voting securities of the fund (as defined in the 1940 Act) or by a vote of a majority of the fund’s Trustees, or by the manager on not less than 90 days’ written notice, and will automatically terminate in the event of its assignment. The Management Agreement provides that neither the manager nor its personnel shall be liable for any error of judgment or mistake of law or for any loss arising out of any investment or for any act or omission in the execution of security transactions for the fund, except for willful misfeasance, bad faith or gross negligence or reckless disregard of its or their obligations and duties.

For its services under the Management Agreement, LMPFA receives an investment management fee that is calculated daily and payable monthly according to the following schedule:

 

Average Daily Net Assets

   Investment
Management Fee Rate
 

First $1 billion

   0.750 %

Next $1 billion

   0.725 %

Next $3 billion

   0.700 %

Next $5 billion

   0.675 %

Over $10 billion

   0.650 %

For the period from December 1, 2005 through July 31, 2006, SBFM served as the fund’s manager under the same fee schedule as described above.

Prior to December 1, 2005, SBFM served as investment adviser and administrator to the fund pursuant to separate investment advisory and administration agreements and received separate investment advisory and administrative fees. For the period from October 1, 2005 through November 30, 2005, the fund paid investment advisory fees to SBFM according to the following schedule:

 

Average Daily Net Assets

   Investment
Advisory Fee Rate
 

First $1 billion

   0.600 %

Next $1 billion

   0.575 %

Next $3 billion

   0.550 %

Next $5 billion

   0.525 %

Over $10 billion

   0.500 %

From November 1, 2003 to September 30, 2005, the fund paid investment advisory fees to SBFM according to the following schedule:

 

Average Daily Net Assets

   Investment
Advisory Fee Rate
 

First $5 billion

   0.600 %

Next $2.5 billion

   0.575 %

Next $2.5 billion

   0.550 %

Over $10 billion

   0.500 %

For the period from February 1, 2005 through November 30, 2005, the fund paid administrative fees at the rate of 0.15% of the fund’s average daily net assets. Prior to February 1, 2005, the fund paid administrative fees at the rate of 0.20% of the fund’s average daily net assets.

 

29


For the 2004 and 2005 fiscal years, the fund incurred $45,930,155 and $50,251,368, respectively, in investment advisory fees. During the 2005 fiscal year, SBFM did not waive any advisory fees. During the 2004 fiscal year, SBFM waived $1,556,101 of advisory fees. For the 2004 and 2005 fiscal years, the fund paid SBFM $15,553,127 and $14,613,261, respectively, in administration fees.

During the period from September 1, 2005 through November 30, 2005, the fund paid SBFM advisory fees of $13,162,215 and administration fees of $3,536,054. For the period from December 1, 2005 through July 31, 2006, the fund paid SBFM management fees of $47,313,286. For the period from August 1, 2006 to August 31, 2006, the fund paid LMPFA management fees of $5,940,428. During the period from December 1, 2005 through July 31, 2006, SBFM waived a portion of its management fee in the amount of $219,439. In addition, during the period from December 1, 2005 through July 31, 2006, the fund was reimbursed for expenses in the amount of $361,858. During the period from August 1, 2006 to August 31, 2006, the fund was reimbursed for the expenses in the amount of $3,809.

Subadviser

ClearBridge serves as the subadviser to the fund pursuant to a sub-advisory agreement between the manager and ClearBridge (the “Sub-Advisory Agreement”). ClearBridge is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Legg Mason. ClearBridge, with offices at 399 Park Avenue, New York, New York 10022, is a recently organized adviser that has been formed to succeed to the equity securities portfolio management business of CAM, which was acquired by Legg Mason in December 2005.

Under the Sub-Advisory Agreement, subject to the supervision and direction of the Board and the manager, the subadviser will, except for the management of cash and short-term investments that is performed by LMPFA, manage the fund’s portfolio in accordance with the fund’s stated investment objective and policies, assist in supervising all aspects of the fund’s operations, make investment decisions for the fund, place orders to purchase and sell securities, and employ professional portfolio managers and securities analysts who provide research services to the fund.

The Sub-Advisory Agreement has an initial term ending November 30, 2007 and will continue in effect from year to year thereafter provided such continuance is specifically approved at least annually (a) by the Board or by a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the fund (as defined in the 1940 Act), and (b) in either event, by a majority of the Independent Trustees with such Independent Trustees casting votes in person at a meeting called for such purpose. The Board or a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the fund (as defined in the 1940 Act) may terminate the Sub-Advisory Agreement without penalty, in each case on not more than 60 days’ nor less than 30 days’ written notice to the subadviser. The subadviser may terminate the Sub-Advisory Agreement on 90 days’ written notice to the fund and the manager. The manager and the subadviser may terminate the Sub-Advisory Agreement upon their mutual written consent. The Sub-Advisory Agreement will terminate automatically in the event of assignment by the subadviser and shall not be assignable by the manager without the consent of the subadviser.

As compensation for its sub-advisory services, the manager will pay the subadviser a fee equal to 70% of the management fee paid to LMPFA, net of expense waivers and reimbursements. For the period from August 1, 2006 through August 31, 2006, the manager paid the subadviser subadvisory fees of $4,158,300.

Expenses

In addition to amounts payable under the Management Agreement and the 12b-1 Plans (as discussed below), the fund is responsible for its own expenses, including, among other things: interest; taxes; governmental fees; voluntary assessments and other expenses incurred in connection with membership in investment company organizations; organization costs of the fund; the cost (including brokerage commissions, transaction fees or charges, if any) in connection with the purchase or sale of the fund’s securities and other investments and any

 

30


losses in connection therewith; fees and expenses of custodians, transfer agents, registrars, independent pricing vendors or other agents; legal expenses; loan commitment fees; expenses relating to share certificates; expenses relating to the issuing and redemption or repurchase of the fund’s shares and servicing shareholder accounts; expenses of registering and qualifying the fund’s shares for sale under applicable federal and state law; expenses of preparing, setting in print, printing and distributing prospectuses and statements of additional information and any supplements thereto, reports, proxy statements, notices and dividends to the fund’s shareholders; costs of stationery; website costs; costs of meetings of the Board or any committee thereof, meetings of shareholders and other meetings of the fund; Board fees; audit fees; travel expenses of officers, members of the Board and employees of the fund, if any; and the fund’s pro rata portion of premiums on any fidelity bond and other insurance covering the fund and its officers, Board members and employees; litigation expenses and any non-recurring or extraordinary expenses as may arise, including, without limitation, those relating to actions, suits or proceedings to which the fund is a party and the legal obligation which the fund may have to indemnify the fund’s Board members and officers with respect thereto.

Management may agree to waive fees and/or reimburse operating expenses for one or more classes of shares, either through contractual or voluntary arrangements. Any such waivers and/or reimbursements are described in the fund’s Prospectus. The contractual and voluntary fee waivers and/or reimbursements do not cover extraordinary expenses, such as (a) any expenses or charges related to litigation, derivative actions, demand related to litigation, regulatory or other government investigations and proceedings, “for cause” regulatory inspections and indemnification or advancement of related expenses or costs, to the extent any such expenses are considered extraordinary expenses for the purposes of fee disclosure in Form N-1A as the same may be amended from time to time; (b) transaction costs (such as brokerage commissions and dealer and underwriter spreads) and taxes; and (c) other extraordinary expenses as determined for the purposes of fee disclosure in Form N-1A, as the same may be amended from time to time. Without limiting the foregoing, extraordinary expenses are generally those that are unusual or expected to recur only infrequently, and may include such expenses, by way of illustration, as (i) expenses of the reorganization, restructuring, redomiciling or merger of the fund or class or the acquisition of all or substantially all of the assets of another fund or class; (ii) expenses of holding, and soliciting proxies for, a meeting of shareholders of the fund or class (except to the extent relating to routine items such as the election of board members or the approval of the independent registered public accounting firm); and (iii) expenses of converting to a new custodian, transfer agent or other service provider, in each case to the extent any such expenses are considered extraordinary expenses for the purposes of fee disclosure in Form N-1A as the same may be amended from time to time.

Code of Ethics

Pursuant to Rule 17j-1 under the 1940 Act, the fund, its manager, the subadviser, and the distributors have each adopted codes of ethics that permit their respective personnel to invest in securities for their own accounts, including securities that may be purchased or held by the fund. All personnel must place the interests of clients first and avoid activities, interests and relationships that might interfere with the duty to make decisions in the best interests of the clients. All personal securities transactions by employees must adhere to the requirements of the codes and must be conducted in such a manner as to avoid any actual or potential conflict of interest, the appearance of such a conflict, or the abuse of an employee’s position of trust and responsibility. Copies of the Codes of Ethics of the fund and its manager, subadviser and distributors are on file with the SEC.

Proxy Voting Guidelines and Procedures

Although individual trustees may not agree with particular policies or votes by the manager or subadviser, the Board has delegated proxy voting discretion to the manager, believing that the manager should be responsible for voting because it is a matter relating to the investment decision making process.

LMPFA delegates the responsibility for voting proxies for the fund to the subadviser through its contracts with the subadviser. The subadviser will use its own proxy voting policies and procedures to vote proxies. Accordingly,

 

31


LMPFA does not expect to have proxy-voting responsibility for the fund. Should LMPFA become responsible for voting proxies for any reason, such as the inability of the subadviser to provide investment advisory services, LMPFA shall utilize the proxy voting guidelines established by the most recent subadviser to vote proxies until a new subadviser is retained. In the case of a material conflict between the interests of LMPFA (or its affiliates if such conflict is known to persons responsible for voting at LMPFA) and the fund, the Board of Trustees of LMPFA shall consider how to address the conflict and/or how to vote the proxies. LMPFA shall maintain records of all proxy votes in accordance with applicable securities laws and regulations, to the extent that LMPFA votes proxies LMPFA shall be responsible for gathering relevant documents and records related to proxy voting from the subadviser and providing them to the fund as required for the fund to comply with applicable rules under the 1940 Act.

The subadviser’s Proxy Voting Policies and Procedures govern in determining how proxies relating to the fund’s portfolio securities are voted, a summary of which is attached as Appendix A to this SAI. Information regarding how each fund voted proxies (if any) relating to portfolio securities during the most recent 12-month period ended June 30 is available without charge (1) by calling 1-888-425-6432, (2) on the fund’s website at http://www.leggmason.com/InvestorServices and (3) on the SEC’s website at http://www.sec.gov.

Custodian and Transfer Agent

State Street Bank and Trust Company (“State Street”), One Lincoln Street, Boston, Massachusetts 02111, serves as the custodian of the fund. State Street, among other things, maintains a custody account or accounts in the name of the fund; receives and delivers all assets for the fund upon purchase and upon sale or maturity; collects and receives all income and other payments and distributions on account of the assets of the fund; and makes disbursements on behalf of the fund. State Street neither determines the fund’s investment policies, nor decides which securities the fund will buy or sell. For its services, State Street receives a monthly fee based upon the daily average market value of securities held in custody and also receives securities transaction charges, including out-of-pocket expenses. The fund may also periodically enter into arrangements with other qualified custodians with respect to certain types of securities or other transactions such as repurchase agreements or derivatives transactions. State Street may also act as the fund’s securities lending agent and in that case would receive a share of the income generated by such activities.

PFPC Inc. (“PFPC” or “ transfer agent”), located at P.O. Box 9699, Providence, Rhode Island 02940-9699, serves as the fund’s transfer agent. Under the transfer agency agreement, the transfer agent maintains the shareholder account records for the fund, handles certain communications between shareholders and the fund and distributes dividends and distributions payable by the fund. For these services, the transfer agent receives a monthly fee computed on the basis of the number of shareholder accounts it maintains for the fund during the month, and is reimbursed for out-of-pocket expenses. Prior to January 1, 2006, Citicorp Trust Bank, fsb (“CTB”) served as the fund’s transfer agent and PFPC served as the fund’s sub-transfer agent.

Counsel

Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP, 787 Seventh Avenue, New York, New York 10019-6099, serves as counsel to the fund.

Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

KPMG LLP, independent registered public accounting firm, 345 Park Avenue, New York, New York 10154, has been selected to audit and report upon the fund’s financial statements and financial highlights for the fiscal year ending August 31, 2007.

Distributors

LMIS, a wholly-owned broker/dealer subsidiary of Legg Mason, located at 100 Light Street, Baltimore, Maryland 21202; CGMI, an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of Citigroup, located at 388 Greenwich Street, New York, New York 10013; and PFS, located at 3120 Breckinridge Boulevard, Duluth, Georgia 30099-0001, serve as the fund’s distributors pursuant to separate written agreements or amendments to written agreements, in

 

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each case dated December 1, 2005 (the “distribution agreements”). Prior to December 1, 2005, CGMI and PFS Distributors, Inc. (“PFS Distributors”), the predecessor in interest to PFS, served as the fund’s distributors.

A distributor’s obligation is an agency or “best efforts” arrangement under which the distributor is required to take and pay only for such shares of the fund as may be sold to the public. A distributor is not obligated to sell any stated number of shares. Each distribution agreement is renewable from year to year if approved (a) by the Trustees or by a vote of a majority of the fund’s outstanding voting securities, and (b) by the affirmative vote of a majority of Independent Trustees who are not parties to such agreement by votes cast in person at a meeting called for such purpose. Each distribution agreement provides that it will terminate if assigned, and that it may be terminated without penalty by either party on 60 days’ written notice, provided that each of the CGMI and PFS distribution agreements may be terminated upon 90 days’ written notice by the distributor.

LMIS, CGMI and PFS may be deemed to be underwriters for purposes of the 1933 Act. From time to time, LMIS, CGMI, PFS or their affiliates may also pay for certain non-cash sales incentives provided to PFS Registered Representatives. Such incentives do not have any effect on the net amount invested. In addition to the reallowances from the applicable public offering price described below, PFS may, from time to time, pay or allow additional reallowances or promotional incentives, in the form of cash or other compensation, to PFS Registered Representatives that sell shares of the fund.

Initial Sales Charges

The aggregate dollar amount of commissions on Class A and Class C shares received by LMIS, CGMI and PFS during the fiscal years ended August 31, 2004, 2005 and 2006 were as follows:

Class A Shares†

For the fiscal year ended August 31:

 

     CGMI and LMIS*    PFS

2006

   $ 899,295    $ 2,341,745

2005

   $ 3,091,520    $ 9,357,382

2004

   $ 16,377,000    $ 8,925,775

As of November 20, 2006, the maximum initial sales charge increased.
* Initial sales charges paid during the fiscal years ended August 31, 2004 and 2005 were paid to CGMI.

Class C Shares†

For the fiscal year ended August 31:

 

     CGMI

2006

   $ 0

2005

   $ 0

2004

   $ 1,579,000

The initial sales charge on Class C shares has been eliminated.

 

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Contingent Deferred Sales Charges

Class A Shares

For the fiscal year ended August 31:

 

     CGMI and LMIS

2006

   $ 4,888

2005*

   $ 17,335

2004*

   $ 16,000

* All contingent deferred sales charges paid during the fiscal years ended August 31, 2004 and 2005 were paid to CGMI.

Class B Shares

For the fiscal year ended August 31:

 

     CGMI and
LMIS*
   PFS

2006

   $ 479,308    $ 373,133

2005

   $ 2,898,000    $ 1,702,000

2004

   $ 4,704,000    $ 1,460,955

 

  * Contingent deferred sales charges paid during the fiscal years ended August 31, 2004 and 2005 were paid to CGMI.

Class C Shares

For the fiscal year ended August 31:

 

     CGMI and
LMIS

2006

   $ 18,582

2005*

   $ 130,000

2004*

   $ 190,000

 

  * All contingent deferred sales charges paid during the fiscal years ended August 31, 2004 and 2005 were paid to CGMI.

Services and Distribution Plan Arrangements

The fund has adopted an amended shareholder services and distribution plan (the “12b-1 Plan”) pursuant to Rule l2b-1 under the 1940 Act with respect to its Class A, B, C, FI and R shares. The only classes of shares offered for sale through PFS are Class A shares and Class B shares. Under the 12b-1 Plan, the fund pays service and distribution fees to each of LMIS, CGMI and PFS, as applicable, for the services they provide and expenses they bear with respect to the distribution of Class A, B, C, FI and R shares and providing services to Class A, B, C, FI and R shareholders. The distributors will provide the fund’s Board with periodic reports of amounts expended under the Plan and the purposes for which such expenditures were made. The fund pays service fees, accrued daily and payable monthly, calculated at the annual rate of 0.25% of the value of the fund’s average daily net assets attributable to the fund’s Class A, B, C, FI and R shares. In addition, the fund pays distribution fees, with respect to Class B and C shares, at the annual rate of 0.75%, and, with respect to Class R shares, at an annual rate of 0.25%, of the fund’s average daily net assets.

Fees under the 12b-1 Plan may be used to make payments to the distributors for distribution services, to Service Agents in respect of the sale of shares of the fund, and to other parties in respect of the sale of shares of the fund, and to make payments for advertising, marketing or other promotional activity, and payments for

 

34


preparation, printing, and distribution of prospectuses, statements of additional information and reports for recipients other than regulators and existing shareholders. The fund also may make payments to the distributors, Service Agents and others for providing personal service or the maintenance of shareholder accounts. The amounts paid to each recipient may vary based upon certain factors, including, among other things, the levels of sales of fund shares and/or shareholder services provided.

The 12b-1 Plan also provides that the distributors and Service Agents may receive all or a portion of the sales charges paid by Class A, B, C, FI and R investors.

The 12b-1 Plan permits the fund to pay fees to a distributor, Service Agents and others as compensation for their services, not as reimbursement for specific expenses incurred. Thus, even if their expenses exceed the fees provided for by the 12b-1 Plan, the fund will not be obligated to pay more than those fees and, if their expenses are less than the fees paid to them, they will realize a profit. The fund may pay the fees to a distributor and others until the 12b-1 Plan or distribution agreement is terminated or not renewed. In that event, a distributor’s or other recipient’s expenses in excess of fees received or accrued through the termination date will be the distributor’s or other recipient’s sole responsibility and not obligations of the fund. In their annual consideration of the continuation of the 12b-1 Plan for the fund, the Trustees will review the 12b-1 Plan and the expenses for each class within the fund separately.

The 12b-1 Plan also recognizes that various service providers to the fund, such as the manager, may make payments for distribution related expenses out of their own resources, including past profits, or payments received from the fund for other purposes, such as management fees, and that the fund’s distributors or Service Agents may from time to time use their own resources for distribution-related services, in addition to the fees paid under the 12b-1 Plan. The 12b-1 Plan specifically provides that, to the extent that such payments might be deemed to be indirect financing of any activity primarily intended to result in the sale of shares of the fund within the context of Rule 12b-1, then the payments are deemed to be authorized by the 12b-1 Plan, if permitted under applicable law.

The 12b-1 Plan continues in effect if such continuance is specifically approved at least annually by a vote of both a majority of the Trustees and a majority of the Independent Trustees who have no direct or indirect financial interest in the operation of the 12b-1 Plan or in any agreement related to the 12b-1 Plan (for purposes of this paragraph “Qualified” Trustees). The Qualified Trustees, in the exercise of their business judgment in the best interests of the shareholders of the fund and each Class, have approved the continuation of the 12b-1 Plan. The 12b-1 Plan requires that the fund and the distributors provide to the Board and the Board review, at least quarterly, a written report of the amounts expended (and the purposes therefor) under the 12b-1 Plan. The 12b-1 Plan further provides that the selection and nomination of the Qualified Trustees is committed to the discretion of the Qualified Trustees then in office who are Independent Trustees of the fund. The 12b-1 Plan may be terminated with respect to any class of the fund at any time by a vote of a majority of the fund’s Qualified Trustees or by a vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of that class. The 12b-1 Plan may not be amended to increase materially the amount of permitted expenses of a class thereunder without the approval of a majority of the outstanding securities of that class and may not be materially amended in any case without a vote of a majority of both the Trustees and Qualified Trustees. The fund will preserve copies of any plan, agreement or report made pursuant to the 12b-1 Plan for a period of not less than six years, and for the first two years the fund will preserve such copies in an easily accessible place.

As contemplated by the 12b-1 Plan, each distributor acts as an agent of the fund in connection with the offering of shares of the fund pursuant to the respective distribution agreements.

Prior to December 1, 2005, the fund paid service and distribution fees directly to CGMI and PFS Distributors Inc. (an affiliate of PFS) under separate 12b-1 Plans with respect to shares sold through CGMI and PFS Distributors.

 

35


The following service and distribution fees were incurred by the fund pursuant to the Plans in effect during the periods indicated:

 

     Fiscal Year
Ended 8/31/04
   Fiscal Year
Ended 8/31/05
   Fiscal Year
Ended 8/31/06

Class A

   $ 7,127,634    $ 8,269,335    $ 10,215,012

Class B

   $ 21,889,194    $ 22,245,651    $ 23,452,076

Class C

   $ 16,337,516    $ 16,933,237    $ 18,864,248

As Class FI and R shares are newly offered as of the date of this SAI, no fees were paid under the 12b-1 Plan with respect to those share classes for the periods shown above.

Distribution expenses incurred by LMIS, CGMI and/or PFS for advertising, printing and mailing prospectuses, support services and overhead expenses, payments to Service Agents and for accruals for interest on the excess of expenses incurred in the distribution of the fund’s shares are expressed in the following tables.

LMIS

 

     Advertising   

Printing and

Mailing

  

Financial

Consultant

Expense

  

Branch

Expense

  

Third
Party

Service
Fees

Class A

   $ 0    $ 0    $ 0    $ 0    $ 1,421,114

Class B

   $ 626,060    $ 19,888    $ 5,828,204    $ 0    $ 245,256

Class C

   $ 1,193,505    $ 36,372    $ 1,508,609    $ 0    $ 77,821

CGMI

 

     Advertising   

Printing and

Mailing

  

Financial

Consultant

Expense

  

Branch

Expense

  

Third
Party

Service
Fees

Class A

   $ 0    $ 0    $ 1,643,126    $ 2,088,516    $ 410,657

Class B

   $ 193,779    $ 6,629    $ 3,564,605    $ 1,440,063    $ 102,692

Class C

   $ 253,184    $ 12,124    $ 6,017,858    $ 6,966,052    $ 223,486

PFS

 

     Advertising   

Printing and

Mailing

  

Financial

Consultant

Expense

  

Branch

Expense

  

Third
Party

Service
Fees

Class A

   $ 0    $ 0    $ 1,623,235    $ 2,699,178    $ 0

Class B

   $ 252,752    $ 0    $ 3,738,218    $ 1,338,341    $ 0

As Class FI and R shares were newly offered as of November 30, 2006, no expenses were incurred under the Plan during the fund’s most recent fiscal year.

Dealer reallowances are described in the fund’s prospectus.

Portfolio Transactions

Subject to policies as may be established by the fund’s Board from time to time, the subadviser is primarily responsible for the fund’s portfolio decisions and the placing of the fund’s portfolio transactions, except that the manager manages the cash and the short-term investments of the fund. Commissions are negotiated with broker/dealers on all transactions.

The cost of securities purchased from underwriters includes an underwriting commission, concession or a net price. The purchase by the fund of participations or assignments may be pursuant to privately negotiated

 

36


transactions pursuant to which the fund may be required to pay fees to the seller or forego a portion of payments in respect of the participation agreement. The aggregate brokerage commissions paid by the fund for its three most recent fiscal years is set forth below under “Aggregate Brokerage Commissions Paid.”

Pursuant to the Management Agreement and the Sub-Advisory Agreement, each of the manager and the subadviser is authorized to place orders pursuant to its investment determinations for the fund either directly with the issuer or with any broker or dealer, foreign currency dealer, futures commission merchant or others selected by it. The general policy of the manager and subadviser in selecting brokers and dealers is to obtain the best results achievable in the context of a number of factors which are considered both in relation to individual trades and broader trading patterns, including the reliability of the broker/dealer, the competitiveness of the price and the commission, the research services received and whether the broker/dealer commits its own capital.

In connection with the selection of such brokers or dealers and the placing of such orders, subject to applicable law, brokers or dealers may be selected who also provide brokerage and research services (as those terms are defined in Section 28(e) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934) to the fund and/or the other accounts over which the manager, the subadviser or their affiliates exercise investment discretion. The manager and the subadviser are authorized to pay a broker or dealer who provides such brokerage and research services a commission for executing a portfolio transaction for the fund which is in excess of the amount of commission another broker or dealer would have charged for effecting that transaction if the manager or subadviser, as applicable, determines in good faith that such amount of commission is reasonable in relation to the value of the brokerage and research services provided by such broker or dealer. This determination may be viewed in terms of either that particular transaction or the overall responsibilities that the manager or the subadviser, as applicable, and its affiliates have with respect to accounts over which they exercise investment discretion. The manager and the subadviser may also have arrangements with brokers pursuant to which such brokers provide research services to the manager or the subadviser, as applicable, in exchange for a certain volume of brokerage transactions to be executed by such brokers. While the payment of higher commissions increases the fund’s costs, the manager and the subadviser do not believe that the receipt of such brokerage and research services significantly reduces its expenses as manager or subadviser, as applicable. Arrangements for the receipt of research services from brokers may create conflicts of interest.

Research services furnished to the manager or subadviser by brokers who effect securities transactions for the fund may be used by the manager or subadviser, as applicable, in servicing other investment companies and accounts which it manages. Similarly, research services furnished to the manager or subadviser by brokers who effect securities transactions for other investment companies and accounts which the manager or subadviser manages may be used by the manager or subadviser, as applicable, in servicing the fund. Not all of these research services are used by the manager or the subadviser in managing any particular account, including the fund.

For the fiscal year ended August 31, 2006, the fund paid $204,768 in commissions on brokerage transactions totaling $81,065,629 directed to brokers because of research services provided.

The fund contemplates that, consistent with the policy of obtaining the best net results, brokerage transactions may be conducted through “affiliated broker/dealers,” as defined in the 1940 Act. The Board has adopted procedures in accordance with Rule 17e-1 under the 1940 Act to ensure that all brokerage commissions paid to such affiliates are reasonable and fair in the context of the market in which such affiliates operate. Any such compensation will be paid in accordance with applicable SEC regulations. Effective December 1, 2005, CGMI is no longer an affiliated person of the fund under the 1940 Act. As a result, the fund will be permitted to execute portfolio transactions with CGMI or an affiliate of CGMI as agent (but not as principal) without being subject to the restrictions applicable to transactions with affiliated persons.

 

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Aggregate Brokerage Commissions Paid

The fund has paid the following in brokerage commissions for portfolio transactions:

 

Fiscal Year Ending
August 31:

 

Total Brokerage
Commissions

 

Commissions
Paid to CGMI
and Affiliates

 

% of Total

Brokerage
Commissions
Paid to CGMI
and Affiliates

 

% of Total
Dollar Amount
of Transactions
Involving
Commissions
Paid to CGMI

and Affiliates

2004   $2,321,740   $39,050   1.68%   1.77%
2005   $   487,591   $  5,000   1.03%   0.31%
 2006   $1,381,757   $  9,000   0.65%   3.06%

As of December 1, 2005, LMIS became an underwriter of the fund under the 1940 Act. For the period December 1, 2005 though August 31, 2006, the fund did not pay any brokerage commissions to LMIS or its affiliates.

In certain instances there may be securities that are suitable as an investment for the fund as well as for one or more of the manager’s or subadviser’s other clients. Investment decisions for the fund and for the manager’s or subadviser’s other clients are made with a view to achieving their respective investment objectives. It may develop that a particular security is bought or sold for only one client even though it might be held by, or bought or sold for, other clients. Likewise, a particular security may be bought for one or more clients when one or more clients are selling the same security. Some simultaneous transactions are inevitable when several clients receive investment advice from the same investment adviser, particularly when the same security is suitable for the investment objectives of more than one client. When two or more clients are simultaneously engaged in the purchase or sale of the same security, the securities are allocated among clients in a manner believed to be equitable to each. It is recognized that in some cases this system could adversely affect the price of or the size of the position obtainable in a security for the fund. When purchases or sales of the same security for the fund and for other portfolios managed by the manager or subadviser, as applicable, occur contemporaneously, the purchase or sale orders may be aggregated in order to obtain any price advantages available to large volume purchases or sales.

For reporting purposes, the fund’s portfolio turnover rate is calculated by dividing the lesser of purchases or sales of portfolio securities for the fiscal year by the monthly average of the value of the portfolio securities owned by the fund during the fiscal year. In determining such portfolio turnover, all securities whose maturities at the time of acquisition were one year or less are excluded. A 100% portfolio turnover rate would occur, for example, if all of the securities in the fund’s investment portfolio (other than short-term money market securities) were replaced once during the fiscal year. Portfolio turnover will not be a limiting factor should the manager or subadviser, as applicable, deem it advisable to purchase or sell securities.

Increased portfolio turnover necessarily results in correspondingly greater transaction costs which must be paid by the fund. To the extent portfolio trading results in realization of net short-term capital gains, shareholders will be taxed on such gains at ordinary tax rates (except shareholders who invest through individual retirement accounts (“IRAs”) and other retirement plans which are not taxed currently on accumulations in their accounts). The portfolio turnover rates for the fund fiscal years ended August 31, 2005 and 2006 were 2% and 5%, respectively.

At August 31, 2006, the fund held the following securities issued by its regular broker/dealers:

 

Issuer

   Shares    Market Value

Goldman Sachs Group Inc.

   30,000    $ 4,459,500

Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc.

   13,477,996    $ 860,030,925

Merrill Lynch & Co., Inc.

   4,400,000    $ 323,532,000

 

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PORTFOLIO MANAGER DISCLOSURE

Portfolio Manager

The following tables set forth certain additional information with respect to the fund’s portfolio manager. Unless noted otherwise, all information is provided as of August 31, 2006.

Other Accounts Managed by Portfolio Manager

The table below identifies the number of accounts (other than the fund with respect to which information is provided) for which he has day-to-day management responsibilities and the total assets in such accounts, within each of the following categories: registered investment companies, other pooled investment vehicles, and other accounts. No accounts had fees based on performance.

 

Portfolio Manager

  

Registered Investment
Companies

  

Other Pooled Investment
Vehicles

  

Other Accounts

Richard Freeman

   12 registered investment companies with $2.80 billion in total assets under management    2 other pooled investment vehicles with $0.41 billion in assets under management    118,503 other accounts with $12.13 billion in total assets under management

Portfolio Manager Compensation

ClearBridge investment professionals receive base salary and other employee benefits and are eligible to receive incentive compensation. Base salary is fixed and typically determined based on market factors and the skill and experience of individual investment personnel.

ClearBridge has implemented an investment management incentive and deferred compensation plan (the “Plan”) for its investment professionals, including the fund’s portfolio manager(s). Each investment professional works as a part of an investment team. The Plan is designed to align the objectives of ClearBridge investment professionals with those of fund shareholders and other ClearBridge clients. Under the Plan a “base incentive pool” is established for each team each year as a percentage of ClearBridge’s revenue attributable to the team (largely management and related fees generated by funds and other accounts). A team’s revenues are typically expected to increase or decrease depending on the effect that the team’s investment performance as well as inflows and outflows have on the level of assets in the investment products managed by the team. The “base incentive pool” of a team is reduced by base salaries paid to members of the team and other employee expenses attributable to the team.

The investment team’s incentive pool is then adjusted to reflect its ranking among a “peer group” of non-ClearBridge investment managers and the team’s pre-tax investment performance against the applicable product benchmark (e.g. a securities index and, with respect to a fund, the benchmark set forth in the fund’s prospectus to which the fund’s average annual total returns are compared or, if none, the benchmark set forth in the fund’s annual report). The peer group of non-Clearbridge investment managers is defined by product style/type, vehicle type and geography and selected by independent vendors that track and provide (for a fee paid by Clearbridge) relevant peer group performance and ranking data. Longer-term (5-year) performance is more heavily weighted than shorter-term (1-year) performance in the calculation of the performance adjustment factor. The incentive pool for a team may also be adjusted based on other qualitative factors by the applicable ClearBridge Chief Investment Officer.). The incentive pool will be allocated by the applicable ClearBridge Chief Investment Officer to the team leader and, based on the recommendations of the team leader, to the other members of the team.

Up to 20% of an investment professional’s annual incentive compensation is subject to deferral. For portfolio managers, 25% of this deferral tracks performance of their primary managed product while another

 

39


25% tracks performance of an elected fund. Therefore, portfolio managers may potentially have 50% of their deferred award amount tracking the performance of their primary managed product. The remaining 50% of the deferral is received in the form of Legg Mason restricted stock shares.

Potential Conflicts of Interest

Potential conflicts of interest may arise when the fund’s portfolio manager also has day-to-day management responsibilities with respect to one or more other funds or other accounts, as is the case for the portfolio manager listed in the table above.

The manager, the subadviser and the fund have adopted compliance polices and procedures that are designed to address various conflicts of interest that may arise for the manager and the individuals that it employs. For example, the manager and the subadviser each seek to minimize the effects of competing interests for the time and attention of portfolio managers by assigning portfolio managers to manage funds and accounts that share a similar investment style. The manager and the subadviser have also adopted trade allocation procedures that are designed to facilitate the fair allocation of limited investment opportunities among multiple funds and accounts. There is no guarantee, however, that the policies and procedures adopted by the manager, the subadviser and the fund will be able to detect and/or prevent every situation in which an actual or potential conflict may appear. These potential conflicts include:

Allocation of Limited Time and Attention.    A portfolio manager who is responsible for managing multiple funds and/or accounts may devote unequal time and attention to the management of those funds and/or accounts. As a result, the portfolio manager may not be able to formulate as complete a strategy or identify equally attractive investment opportunities for each of those accounts as might be the case if he or she were to devote substantially more attention to the management of a single fund. The effects of this potential conflict may be more pronounced where funds and/or accounts overseen by a particular portfolio manager have different investment strategies.

Allocation of Limited Investment Opportunities.    If a portfolio manager identifies a limited investment opportunity that may be suitable for multiple funds and/or accounts, the opportunity may be allocated among these several funds or accounts, which may limit a fund’s ability to take full advantage of the investment opportunity.

Pursuit of Differing Strategies.    At times, a portfolio manager may determine that an investment opportunity may be appropriate for only some of the funds and/or accounts for which he or she exercises investment responsibility, or may decide that certain of the funds and/or accounts should take differing positions with respect to a particular security. In these cases, the portfolio manager may place separate transactions for one or more funds or accounts which may affect the market price of the security or the execution of the transaction, or both, to the detriment or benefit of one or more other funds and/or accounts.

Selection of Broker/Dealers.    Portfolio managers may be able to select or influence the selection of the brokers and dealers that are used to execute securities transactions for the funds and/or accounts that they supervise. In addition to executing trades, some brokers and dealers provide brokerage and research services (as those terms are defined in Section 28(e) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934), which may result in the payment of higher brokerage fees than might have otherwise been available. These services may be more beneficial to certain funds or accounts than to others. Although the payment of brokerage commissions is subject to the requirement that the sub-adviser determines in good faith that the commissions are reasonable in relation to the value of the brokerage and research services provided to the fund, a decision as to the selection of brokers and dealers could yield disproportionate costs and benefits among the funds and/or accounts managed. For this reason, the subadviser has formed a brokerage committee that reviews, among other things, the allocation of brokerage to broker/dealers, best execution and soft dollar usage.

Variation in Compensation.    A conflict of interest may arise where the financial or other benefits available to the portfolio manager differ among the funds and/or accounts that he or she manages. If the

 

40


structure of the investment manager’s management fee and/or the portfolio manager’s compensation differs among funds and/or accounts (such as where certain funds or accounts pay higher management fees or performance-based management fees), the portfolio manager might be motivated to help certain funds and/or accounts over others. The portfolio manager might be motivated to favor funds and/or accounts in which he or she has an interest or in which the investment manager and/or its affiliates have interests. Similarly, the desire to maintain assets under management or to enhance the portfolio manager’s performance record or to derive other rewards, financial or otherwise, could influence the portfolio manager in affording preferential treatment to those funds and/or accounts that could most significantly benefit the portfolio manager.

Related Business Opportunities.    The manager or its affiliates may provide more services (such as distribution or recordkeeping) for some types of funds or accounts than for others. In such cases, a portfolio manager may benefit, either directly or indirectly, by devoting disproportionate attention to the management of funds and/or accounts that provide greater overall returns to the manager and its affiliates.

Portfolio Manager Securities Ownership

The table below identifies ownership of fund securities by the fund’s portfolio manager.

 

Portfolio Manager

 

Dollar Range of
Ownership of Securities

Richard Freeman

  over $1,000,000

PURCHASE OF SHARES

General

Investors may purchase shares from a Service Agent. In addition, certain investors, including retirement plans purchasing through certain Service Agents, may purchase shares directly from the fund. When purchasing shares of the fund, investors must specify whether the purchase is for Class A, B, C, FI, R or I* shares. Service Agents may charge their customers an annual account maintenance fee in connection with a brokerage account through which an investor purchases or holds shares. Accounts held directly at the transfer agent are not subject to a maintenance fee.

For additional information regarding applicable investment minimums and eligibility requirements, please see the fund’s prospectus.

There are no minimum investment requirements for purchases of Class A shares by: (i) current and retired board members of Legg Mason, (ii) current and retired board members of any fund advised by LMPFA (such board members, together with board members of Legg Mason, are referred to herein as “Board Members”), (iii) current employees of Legg Mason and its subsidiaries, as well as (iv) by the “immediate families” of such persons (“immediate families” are such person’s spouse, including the surviving spouse of a deceased Board Member, and children under the age of 21) and (v) by a pension, profit-sharing or other benefit plan for the benefit of such persons. The fund reserves the right to waive or change minimums, to decline any order to purchase its shares and to suspend the offering of shares from time to time.

Share certificates for the fund will no longer be issued. If you currently hold share certificates of the fund, such certificates will continue to be honored.

Purchase orders received by the fund or a Service Agent prior to the close of regular trading on the NYSE on any day the fund calculates its net asset value are priced according to the net asset value determined on that

 

41

 


* As of November 20, 2006, Class Y Shares were renamed Class I Shares.


day (the “trade date”). Orders received by a Service Agent prior to the close of regular trading on the NYSE on any day the fund calculates its net asset value are priced according to the net asset value determined on that day, provided the order is received by the fund’s agent prior to its close of business. For shares purchased through CGMI or a Service Agent purchasing through CGMI, payment for shares of the fund is normally due on the third business day after the trade date. In all other cases, payment must be made with the purchase order.

Systematic Investment Plan.    Shareholders may make additions to their accounts at any time by purchasing shares through a service known as the Systematic Investment Plan. Under the Systematic Investment Plan, a distributor, the transfer agent, or, with respect to a PFS account, Primerica Shareholder Services is authorized through preauthorized transfers of at least $25 on a monthly, quarterly, every alternate month, semi-annual or annual basis to charge the shareholder’s account held with a bank or other financial institution as indicated by the shareholder, to provide for systematic additions to the shareholder’s fund account. A shareholder who has insufficient funds to complete the transfer will be charged a fee of up to $25 by a distributor, the transfer agent or Primerica Shareholder Services (such fee may be up to $30 for a PFS account). The Systematic Investment Plan also authorizes a distributor to apply cash held in the shareholder’s brokerage account or redeem the shareholder’s shares of certain money market funds managed by the manager or its affiliates to make additions to the account. Additional information is available from the fund or a Service Agent.

Sales Charge Alternatives

The following Classes of shares are available for purchase. See the prospectus for a discussion of who is eligible to purchase certain classes and of factors to consider in selecting which Class of shares to purchase.

Class A Shares.    Class A shares are sold to investors at the public offering price, which is the net asset value (“NAV”) plus an initial sales charge, as described in the fund’s prospectus.

Members of the selling group may receive a portion of the sales charge as described above and may be deemed to be underwriters of the fund as defined in the 1933 Act. The sales charges are calculated based on the aggregate of purchases of Class A shares of the fund made at one time by any “person,” which includes an individual and his or her spouse and children under the age of 21, or a trustee or other fiduciary of a single trust estate or single fiduciary account. For additional information regarding sales charge reductions, see “Sales Charge Waivers and Reductions” below.

Purchases of Class A shares of $1,000,000 or more will be made at NAV without any initial sales charge, but will be subject to a contingent deferred sales charge of 1.00% on redemptions made within 12 months of purchase. The contingent deferred sales charge is waived in the same circumstances in which the contingent deferred sales charge applicable to Class B and Class C shares is waived. See “Contingent Deferred Sales Charge Provisions” and “Waivers of Contingent Deferred Sales Charge” below.

Class B and C Shares.    Class B and C shares are sold without an initial sales charge but are subject to a contingent deferred sales charge payable upon certain redemptions. See “Contingent Deferred Sales Charge Provisions” below.

Class FI, R and I Shares.    Class FI, R and I shares are sold at NAV with no initial sales charge on purchases and no contingent deferred sales charge upon redemption.

Sales Charge Waivers and Reductions

Initial Sales Charge Waivers.    Purchases of Class A shares may be made at NAV without an initial sales charge in the following circumstances:

(a)  sales to (i) current and retired board members of Legg Mason, (ii) current and retired Board Members, (iii) current employees of Legg Mason and its subsidiaries, as well as (iv) by the “immediate

 

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families” of such persons (“immediate families” are such person’s spouse, including the surviving spouse of a deceased Board Member, and children under the age of 21) and (v) by a pension, profit-sharing or other benefit plan for the benefit of such persons;

(b)  sales to any employees of Service Agents having dealer, service or other selling agreements with the funds’ distributors or otherwise having an arrangement with any such Service Agent with respect to sales of fund shares, and by the immediate families of such persons or by a pension, profit-sharing or other benefit plan for the benefit of such persons (providing the purchase is made for investment purposes and such securities will not be resold except through redemption or repurchase);

(c)  offers of Class A shares to any other investment company to effect the combination of such company with the fund by merger, acquisition of assets or otherwise;

(d)  purchases by shareholders who have redeemed Class A shares in the fund (or Class A shares of another Legg Mason Partners fund that is offered with a sales charge) and who wish to reinvest their redemption proceeds in the fund, provided the reinvestment is made within 60 calendar days of the redemption;

(e)  purchases by accounts managed by registered investment advisory subsidiaries of Citigroup;

(f)  purchases by certain separate accounts used to fund unregistered variable annuity contracts; and

(g)  purchases by investors participating in “wrap fee” or asset allocation programs or other fee-based arrangements sponsored by (affiliated and non-affiliated) broker/dealers and other financial institutions that have entered into agreements with CGMI or LMIS.

In order to obtain such discounts, the purchaser must provide sufficient information at the time of purchase to permit verification that the purchase qualifies for the elimination of the sales charge.

All existing retirement plan shareholders who purchased Class A shares at NAV prior to November 20, 2006, are permitted to purchase additional Class A shares at NAV. Certain existing programs for current and prospective retirement plan investors sponsored by financial intermediaries approved by LMIS prior to November 20, 2006 will also remain eligible to purchase Class A shares at NAV.

Accumulation Privilege—Please see the fund’s prospectus for information regarding accumulation privileges.

Letter of Intent—helps you take advantage of breakpoints in Class A sales charges. You may purchase Class A shares of Legg Mason Partners funds over a 13-month period and pay the same sales charge, if any, as if all shares had been purchased at once. You have a choice of seven Asset Level Goal amounts, as follows:

 

(1) $25,000

      (5) $500,000

(2) $50,000

      (6) $750,000

(3) $100,000

      (7) $1,000,000
(4) $250,000      

Each time you make a Class A purchase under a Letter of Intent, you will be entitled to the sales charge that is applicable to the amount of your Asset Level Goal. For example, if your Asset Level Goal is $100,000, any Class A investments you make under a Letter of Intent would be subject to the sales charge of the specific fund you are investing in for purchases of $100,000. Sales charges and breakpoints vary among the Legg Mason Partners funds.

When you enter into a Letter of Intent, you agree to purchase in Eligible Accounts over a thirteen (13) month period Eligible Fund Purchases in an amount equal to the Asset Level Goal you have selected, less any Eligible Prior Purchases. For this purpose, shares are valued at the public offering price (including any sales charge paid) calculated as of the date of purchase, plus any appreciation in the value of the shares as of the date of calculation,

 

43


except for Eligible Prior Purchases, which are valued at current value as of the date of calculation. Your commitment will be met if at any time during the 13-month period the value, as so determined, of eligible holdings is at least equal to your Asset Level Goal. All reinvested dividends and distributions on shares acquired under the Letter will be credited towards your Asset Level Goal. You may include any Eligible Fund Purchases towards the Letter, including shares of classes other than Class A shares. However, a Letter of Intent will not entitle you to a reduction in the sales charge payable on any shares other than Class A shares, and if the shares are subject to a contingent deferred sales charge, you will still be subject to that contingent deferred sales charge with respect to those shares. You must make reference to the Letter of Intent each time you make a purchase under the Letter.

Eligible Fund Purchases.    Generally, shares of a Legg Mason Partners fund may be credited towards your Asset Level Goal. Shares of certain money market funds advised by the manager or its affiliates (except for money market fund shares acquired by exchange from other Legg Mason Partners funds offered with a sales charge), Legg Mason Partners S&P 500 Index Fund and Class O shares of Legg Mason Partners Equity Fund are not eligible.

This list may change from time to time. Investors should check with their Service Agent to see which funds may be eligible.

Eligible Accounts.    Purchases may be made through any account in your name, or in the name of your spouse or your children under the age of 21. You may need to provide certain records, such as account statements, in order to verify your eligibility for reduced sales charges. Contact your Service Agent to see which accounts may be credited toward your letter of intent asset goal.

Eligible Prior Purchases.    You may also credit towards your Asset Level Goal any Eligible Fund Purchases made in Eligible Accounts at any time prior to entering into the Letter of Intent that have not been sold or redeemed, based on the current price of those shares as of the date of calculation.

Purchases made 90 days prior to the 13-month period are also eligible to be treated as purchases made under the Letter of Intent. Any Eligible Fund Purchases in Eligible Accounts made during that period will count towards your Goal and will also be eligible for the lower sales charge applicable to your Asset Level Goal. You will be credited by way of additional shares at the current offering price for the difference between (a) the aggregate sales charges actually paid for those eligible shares and (b) the aggregate applicable sales charges for your Asset Level Goal.

Increasing the Amount of the Letter.    You may at any time increase your Asset Level Goal. You must however contact your Service Agent, or if you purchase your shares directly through PFPC, contact PFPC prior to making any purchases in an amount in excess of your current Asset Level Goal. Upon such an increase, you will be credited by way of additional shares at the then current offering price for the difference between: (a) the aggregate sales charges actually paid for shares already purchased under the Letter and (b) the aggregate applicable sales charges for the increased Asset Level Goal. The 13-month period during which the Asset Level Goal must be achieved will remain unchanged.

Sales and Exchanges.    Shares acquired pursuant to a Letter of Intent, other than Escrowed Shares as defined below, may be redeemed or exchanged at any time, although any shares that are redeemed prior to meeting your Asset Level Goal will no longer count towards meeting your Goal. However, complete liquidation of purchases made under a Letter of Intent prior to meeting the Asset Level Goal will result in the cancellation of the Letter. See “Failure to Meet Asset Level Goal” below. Exchanges in accordance with a fund’s prospectus are permitted, and shares so exchanged will continue to count towards your Asset Level Goal, as long as the exchange results in an Eligible Fund Purchase.

Cancellation of Letter.    You may cancel a Letter of Intent by notifying your Service Agent in writing, or if you purchase your shares directly through PFPC, by notifying PFPC in writing. The Letter will be automatically cancelled if all shares are sold or redeemed as set forth above. See “Failure to Meet Asset Level Goal” below.

 

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Escrowed Shares.    Shares equal in value to five percent (5%) of your Asset Level Goal as of the date of your Letter (or the date of any increase in the amount of the Letter) is accepted, will be held in escrow during the term of your Letter. The Escrowed Shares will be included in the total shares owned as reflected in your account statement and any dividends and capital gains distributions applicable to the Escrowed Shares will be credited to your account and counted towards your Asset Level Goal or paid in cash upon request. The Escrowed Shares will be released from escrow if all the terms of your Letter are met.

Failure to Meet Asset Level Goal.    If the total assets under your Letter of Intent within its 13-month term are less than your Asset Level Goal or you elect to liquidate all of your holdings or cancel the Letter before reaching your Asset Level Goal, you will be liable for the difference between: (a) the sales charge actually paid and; (b) the sales charge that would have applied if you had not entered into the Letter. You may, however, be entitled to any breakpoints that would have been available to you under the accumulation privilege. An appropriate number of shares in your account will be redeemed to realize the amount due. For these purposes, by entering into a Letter of Intent, you irrevocably appoint your Service Agent, or if you purchase your shares directly through PFPC, PFPC, as your attorney-in-fact for the purposes of holding the Escrowed Shares and surrendering shares in your account for redemption. If there are insufficient assets in your account, you will be liable for the difference. Any Escrowed Shares remaining after such redemption will be released to your account.

Contingent Deferred Sales Charge Provisions

“Contingent Deferred Sales Charge Shares” are: (a) Class B shares; (b) Class C shares; and (c) Class A shares that were purchased without an initial sales charge but are subject to a contingent deferred sales charge. A contingent deferred sales charge may be imposed on certain redemptions of these shares.

Any applicable contingent deferred sales charge will be assessed on the net asset value at the time of purchase or redemption, whichever is less.

Class C shares and Class A shares that are Contingent Deferred Sales Charge Shares are subject to a 1.00% contingent deferred sales charge if redeemed within 12 months of purchase. In circumstances in which the contingent deferred sales charge is imposed on Class B shares, the amount of the charge will depend on the number of years since the shareholder made the purchase payment from which the amount is being redeemed. Solely for purposes of determining the number of years since a purchase payment, all purchase payments made during a month will be aggregated and deemed to have been made on the last day of the preceding statement month. The following table sets forth the rates of the charge for redemptions of Class B shares by shareholders.

 

Year Since Purchase Payment Was Made

   Contingent Deferred sales charge  

First

   5.00 %

Second

   4.00  

Third

   3.00  

Fourth

   2.00  

Fifth

   1.00  

Sixth and thereafter

   0.00  

Class B shares will convert automatically to Class A shares approximately eight years after the date on which they were purchased and thereafter will no longer be subject to any distribution fees. There will also be converted at that time such proportion of Class B dividend shares (Class B shares that were acquired through the reinvestment of dividends and distributions) owned by the shareholder as the total number of his or her Class B shares converting at the time bears to the total number of outstanding Class B shares (other than Class B dividend shares) owned by the shareholder.

In determining the applicability of any contingent deferred sales charge, it will be assumed that a redemption is made first of shares representing capital appreciation, next of shares representing the reinvestment

 

45


of dividends and capital gain distributions, next of shares that are not subject to the contingent deferred sales charge and finally of other shares held by the shareholder for the longest period of time. The length of time that Contingent Deferred Sales Charge Shares acquired through an exchange have been held will be calculated from the date the shares exchanged were initially acquired in one of the other Legg Mason Partners funds. For federal income tax purposes, the amount of the contingent deferred sales charge will reduce the gain or increase the loss, as the case may be, on the amount realized on redemption. The fund’s distributors receive contingent deferred sales charges in partial consideration for their expenses in selling shares.

Waivers of Contingent Deferred Sales Charge

The contingent deferred sales charge will be waived on: (a) exchanges (see “Exchange Privilege”); (b) automatic cash withdrawals in amounts equal to or less than 2.00% of the shareholder’s account balance at the time the withdrawals commence per month, up to a maximum of 12.00% in one year (see “Automatic Cash Withdrawal Plan”); (c) redemptions of shares within 12 months following the death or disability (as defined in the Code) of the shareholder; (d) mandatory post-retirement distributions from retirement plans or IRAs commencing on or after attainment of age 70 1/2 (except that shareholders who purchased shares subject to a contingent deferred sales charge prior to May 23, 2005, will be “grandfathered” and will be eligible to obtain the waiver at age 59 1/2 by demonstrating such eligibility at the time of redemption); (e) involuntary redemptions; (f) redemptions of shares to effect a combination of the fund with any investment company by merger, acquisition of assets or otherwise; (g) tax-free returns of an excess contribution to any retirement plan; and (h) certain redemptions of shares of a fund in connection with lump-sum or other distributions made by eligible retirement plans or redemption of shares by participants in certain “wrap fee” or asset allocation programs sponsored by broker/dealers and other financial institutions that have entered into agreements with a distributor or the manager.

As of November 20, 2006, the contingent deferred sales charge is waived on new Class C shares purchased by retirement plan omnibus accounts held on the books of a fund.

A shareholder who has redeemed shares from other Legg Mason Partners funds may, under certain circumstances, reinvest all or part of the redemption proceeds within 60 days and receive pro rata credit for any contingent deferred sales charge imposed on the prior redemption.

Contingent deferred sales charge waivers will be granted subject to confirmation by a distributor or the transfer agent of the shareholder’s status or holdings, as the case may be.

Grandfathered Retirement Program with Exchange Features

Retirement plan programs authorized by LMIS prior to November 20, 2006 (collectively, the “Grandfathered Retirement Program”), to offer eligible retirement plan investors the opportunity to exchange all of their Class C shares for Class A shares of the fund, are permitted to maintain such share class exchange feature for current and prospective retirement plan investors.

Under the Grandfathered Retirement Program, Class C shares may be purchased by plans investing less than $3 million. Class C shares are eligible for exchange into Class A shares not later than eight years after the plan joins the program. They are eligible for exchange in the following circumstances:

If a participating plan’s total Class C holdings in all non-money market Legg Mason Partners funds equal at least $3,000,000 at the end of the fifth year after the date the participating plan enrolled in the Grandfathered Retirement Program, the participating plan will be offered the opportunity to exchange all of its Class C shares for Class A shares of the fund. Such participating plans will be notified of the pending exchange in writing within 30 days after the fifth anniversary of the enrollment date and, unless the exchange offer has been rejected in writing, the exchange will occur on or about the 90th day after the fifth anniversary date. If the participating plan does not qualify for the five-year exchange to Class A shares, a

 

46


review of the participating plan’s holdings will be performed each quarter until either the participating plan qualifies or the end of the eighth year.

Any participating plan that has not previously qualified for an exchange into Class A shares will be offered the opportunity to exchange all of its Class C shares for Class A shares of the same fund regardless of asset size at the end of the eighth year after the date the participating plan enrolled in the Grandfathered Retirement Program. Such plans will be notified of the pending exchange in writing approximately 60 days before the eighth anniversary of the enrollment date and, unless the exchange has been rejected in writing, the exchange will occur on or about the eighth anniversary date. Once an exchange has occurred, a participating plan will not be eligible to acquire additional Class C shares, but instead may acquire Class A shares of the same fund. Any Class C shares not converted will continue to be subject to the distribution fee.

For further information regarding this Program, contact your Service Agent or the transfer agent. Participating plans that enrolled in the Grandfathered Retirement Program prior to June 2, 2003 should contact the transfer agent for information regarding Class C exchange privileges applicable to their plan.

PFS Accounts

The fund offers two Classes of shares to investors purchasing through PFS: Class A shares and Class B shares.

Initial purchases of shares of the fund must be made through a PFS Registered Representative by completing the appropriate application. The completed application should be forwarded to Primerica Shareholder Services c/o PFPC Inc., P.O. Box 9662, Providence, RI 02940-9662. Checks drawn on foreign banks must be payable in U.S. dollars and have the routing number of the U.S. bank encoded on the check. Additional investments may be sent directly to PFPC. In processing applications and investments, PFPC acts as agent for the investor and for the distributors, in accordance with the terms of the prospectus. If the transfer agent ceases to act as such, a successor company named by the fund will act in the same capacity so long as the account remains open. Shares purchased will be held in the shareholder’s account by PFPC.

Purchase orders received by the transfer agent or Primerica Shareholder Services prior to the close of regular trading on the NYSE, on any day the fund calculates its net asset value, are priced according to the net asset value determined on that day.

Initial purchases of fund shares may be made by wire. Before sending the wire, the PFS Registered Representative must contact Primerica Shareholder Services at (800) 665-8677 to obtain proper wire instructions. Once an account is open, a shareholder may make additional investments by wire. The shareholder should contact Primerica Shareholder Services at (800) 544-5445 to obtain proper wire instructions.

Shareholders who establish telephone transaction authority on their account and supply bank account information may make additions to their accounts at any time. Shareholders should contact Primerica Shareholder Services at (800) 544-5445 between 8:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m. Eastern time any day that the NYSE is open. If a shareholder does not wish to allow subsequent investments by telephone by any person in his or her account, the shareholder should decline the telephone transaction option on the account application. The minimum subsequent investment by telephone is $25 and can be up to a maximum of $50,000. By requesting a subsequent purchase by telephone, you authorize Primerica Shareholder Services to transfer funds from the bank account provided for the amount of the purchase. Subsequent investments by telephone may not be available if the shareholder cannot reach Primerica Shareholder Services whether because all telephone lines are busy or for any other reason; in such case, a shareholder would have to use the fund’s regular subsequent investment procedure described above.

An account transcript is available at a shareholder’s request, which identifies every financial transaction in an account since it has opened. Additional copies of tax forms are available at the shareholder’s request.

 

47


Additional information regarding Primerica Shareholder Services may be obtained by contacting the Customer Services Department at (800) 544-5445.

Determination of Public Offering Price

The fund offers its shares on a continuous basis. The public offering price for a Class A, Class B, Class C, Class FI, Class R and Class I shares of the fund is equal to the net asset value per share at the time of purchase, plus for Class A shares an initial sales charge based on the aggregate amount of the investment. A contingent deferred sales charge, however, is imposed on certain redemptions of Class A, Class B and Class C shares.

Set forth below is an example of the method of computing the offering price of the Class A shares of the fund based on the net asset value of a share of the fund as of August 31, 2006.

 

Class A (based on a net asset value of $109.36 and a maximum initial sales charge of 5.75%)

     $ 116.03

REDEMPTION OF SHARES

The right of redemption may be suspended or the date of payment postponed (a) for any period during which the NYSE is closed (other than for customary weekend and holiday closings), (b) when trading in the markets the fund normally utilizes is restricted, or an emergency exists, as determined by the SEC, so that disposal of the fund’s investments or determination of net asset value is not reasonably practicable or (c) for such other periods as the SEC by order may permit for protection of the fund’s shareholders.

If the shares to be redeemed were issued in certificate form, the certificates must be endorsed for transfer (or be accompanied by an endorsed stock power) and must be submitted to PFPC together with the redemption request. Any signature appearing on a share certificate, stock power or written redemption request in excess of $50,000 must be guaranteed by an eligible guarantor institution such as a domestic bank, savings and loan institution, domestic credit union, member bank of the Federal Reserve System or member firm of a national securities exchange. Written redemption requests of $50,000 or less do not require a signature guarantee unless more than one such redemption request is made in any 10-day period. Redemption proceeds will be mailed to an investor’s address of record. The transfer agent may require additional supporting documents for redemptions made by corporations, executors, administrators, trustees or guardians. A redemption request will not be deemed properly received until the transfer agent receives all required documents in proper form.

If a shareholder holds shares in more than one Class, any request for redemption must specify the Class being redeemed. In the event of a failure to specify which Class, or if the investor owns fewer shares of the Class than specified, the redemption request will be delayed until the transfer agent receives further instructions. The redemption proceeds will be remitted on or before the seventh business day following receipt of proper tender, except on any days on which the NYSE is closed or as permitted under the 1940 Act, in extraordinary circumstances. Redemption proceeds for shares purchased by check, other than a certified or official bank check, will be remitted upon clearance of the check, which may take up to 10 days. Each Service Agent is responsible for transmitting promptly orders for its customers.

The Service Agent may charge you a fee for executing your order. The amount and applicability of such a fee is determined and disclosed to its customers by each Service Agent.

The fund no longer issues share certificates. Outstanding share certificates will continue to be honored. If you hold share certificates, it will take longer to exchange or redeem shares.

Additional Information Regarding Telephone Redemption and Exchange Program.    Neither the fund nor its agents will be liable for following instructions communicated by telephone that are reasonably believed to be

 

48


genuine. The fund and its agents will employ procedures designed to verify the identity of the caller and legitimacy of instructions (for example, a shareholder’s name and account number will be required and phone calls may be recorded). The fund reserves the right to suspend, modify or discontinue the telephone redemption and exchange program or to impose a charge for this service at any time following at least seven (7) days’ prior notice to shareholders.

PFS Accounts

Shareholders may redeem for cash some or all of their shares of the fund at any time by sending a written request in proper form directly to Primerica Shareholder Services c/o PFPC at P.O. Box 9662, Providence, Rhode Island 02940-9662. If you should have any questions concerning how to redeem your account after reviewing the information below, please contact Primerica Shareholder Services at (800) 544-5445, Spanish speaking representatives at (800) 544-7278 or TDD Line for the Hearing Impaired at (800) 824-1721.

All persons in whose names the shares are registered must sign the request for redemption. Signatures must conform exactly to the account registration. If the proceeds of the redemption exceed $50,000, if the proceeds are not paid to the record owner(s) at the record address, if the shareholder(s) has had an address change within 30 days or less of the shareholder’s redemption request, or if the shareholder(s) is a corporation, sole proprietor, partnership, trust or fiduciary, signature(s) must be guaranteed by one of the following: a bank or trust company; a broker/dealer; a credit union; a national securities exchange, registered securities association or clearing agency; a savings and loan association; or a federal savings bank.

Generally, a properly completed redemption form with any required signature guarantee is all that is required for a redemption. In some cases, however, other documents may be necessary. For example, in the case of shareholders holding certificates, the certificates for shares being redeemed must accompany the redemption request. Additional documentary evidence of authority is also required by PFPC in the event redemption is requested by a corporation, partnership, trust, fiduciary, executor or administrator. Additionally, if a shareholder requests a redemption from a retirement plan account (IRA or SEP), such request must state whether or not federal income tax is to be withheld from the proceeds of the redemption check. Redemption from a 403(b)(7) account requires completion of a special form. Please call Primerica Shareholder Services at (800) 544-5445 between 8:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m. Eastern time to obtain the proper forms.

Shareholders may utilize Primerica Shareholder Services Telephone Redemption service to redeem shares in their account as long as they have authorized the telephone redemption option. If a shareholder does not wish to allow telephone redemptions by any person in his or her account, he or she should decline the telephone transaction option on the account application. The telephone redemption option can be used only if: (a) the redemption proceeds are to be mailed to the address of record and there has been no change of address of record within the preceding 30 days; (b) the shares to be redeemed are not in certificate form; (c) the person requesting the redemption can provide proper identification information; and (d) the proceeds of the redemption do not exceed $50,000. 403(b)(7) accounts and accounts not registered in the name of an individual(s) are not eligible for the telephone redemption option. Telephone redemption requests can be made by contacting Primerica Shareholder Services at (800) 544-5445 between 8:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m. Eastern time any day that the NYSE is open. Telephone redemption may not be available if the shareholder cannot reach Primerica Shareholder Services because all telephone lines are busy or for any other reason; in such case, a shareholder may use the fund’s regular redemption procedure described above.

Redemption proceeds can be sent by check to the address of record, by wire transfer to a bank account designated on the application or to a bank account designated on the application via the Automated Clearinghouse (ACH). PFPC will process and mail a shareholder’s redemption check usually within two to three business days after receiving the redemption request in good order.

 

49


Automatic Cash Withdrawal Plan

An automatic cash withdrawal plan (the “Withdrawal Plan”) is available to shareholders as described in the prospectus. To the extent withdrawals under the Withdrawal Plan exceed dividends, distributions and appreciation of a shareholder’s investment in the fund, there will be a reduction in the value of the shareholder’s investment, and continued withdrawal payments may reduce the shareholder’s investment and ultimately exhaust it. Withdrawal payments should not be considered as income from investment in the fund. Furthermore, as it generally would not be advantageous to a shareholder to make additional investments in the fund at the same time he or she is participating in the Withdrawal Plan, purchases by such shareholder in amounts of less than $5,000 ordinarily will not be permitted. The Withdrawal Plan will be carried over on exchanges between Classes of the fund. All dividends and distributions on shares in the Withdrawal Plan are reinvested automatically at net asset value in additional shares of the fund.

Shareholders who wish to participate in the Withdrawal Plan and who hold their shares in certificate form must deposit their share certificates with the transfer agent as agent for Withdrawal Plan members. For additional information, shareholders should contact their Service Agent. A shareholder who purchases shares directly through the transfer agent may continue to do so and applications for participation in the Withdrawal Plan must be received by the transfer agent no later than the eighth day of the month to be eligible for participation beginning with that month’s withdrawal.

Distributions in Kind

If the Board determines that it would be detrimental to the best interests of the remaining shareholders to make a redemption payment wholly in cash, the fund may pay, in accordance with SEC rules, any portion of a redemption in excess of the lesser of $250,000 or 1.00% of the fund’s net assets by a distribution in kind of fund securities in lieu of cash. If a redemption is paid in portfolio securities, such securities will be valued in accordance with the procedures described under “Share Price” in the fund’s prospectus. Securities issued as a distribution in kind may incur brokerage commissions when shareholders subsequently sell those securities.

VALUATION OF SHARES

The net asset value per share of the fund’s Classes is calculated on each day, Monday through Friday, except days on which the NYSE is closed. The NYSE currently is scheduled to be closed on New Year’s Day, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Presidents’ Day, Good Friday, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving and Christmas, and on the preceding Friday or subsequent Monday when one of these holidays falls on a Saturday or Sunday, respectively. Because of the differences in distribution fees and Class-specific expenses, the per share net asset value of each Class will differ. Please see the prospectus for a description of the procedures used by the fund in valuing its assets.

EXCHANGE PRIVILEGE

General.

The exchange privilege enables shareholders to acquire shares of the same class in a fund with different investment objectives when they believe that a shift between funds is an appropriate investment decision. This privilege is available to shareholders residing in any state in which the fund shares being acquired may legally be sold. Prior to any exchange, the shareholder should obtain and review a copy of the current prospectus of each fund into which an exchange is being considered. Prospectuses may be obtained from a Service Agent.

Upon receipt of proper instructions and all necessary supporting documents, shares submitted for exchange are redeemed at the then-current net asset value and the proceeds are immediately invested, at a price as

 

50


described above, in shares of the fund being acquired. The distributors reserve the right to reject any exchange request. The exchange privilege may be modified or terminated at any time after written notice to shareholders.

Class A, FI, R and I Exchanges.    Class A, FI, R and I shareholders of the fund who wish to exchange all or a portion of their shares for shares of the respective class in another fund may do so without imposition of any charge.

Class B Exchanges.    Class B shares of the fund may be exchanged for other Class B shares without a contingent deferred sales charge. Upon an exchange, the new Class B shares will be deemed to have been purchased on the same date as the Class B shares of the fund that have been exchanged.

Class C Exchanges.    Class C shares of the fund may be exchanged for other Class C shares without a contingent deferred sales charge. Upon an exchange, the new Class C shares will be deemed to have been purchased on the same date as the Class C shares of the fund that have been exchanged.

Certain retirement plan programs with exchange features in effect prior to November 20, 2006, as approved by LMIS, will remain eligible for exchange from Class C shares to Class A shares in accordance with the program terms. See “Grandfathered Retirement Programs” for additional information.

Additional Information Regarding the Exchange Privilege.    The fund is not designed to provide investors with a means of speculation on short-term market movements. A pattern of frequent exchanges by investors can be disruptive to efficient portfolio management and, consequently, can be detrimental to the fund and its shareholders. See “Frequent Purchases and Redemptions of Fund Shares” in the prospectus.

During times of drastic economic or market conditions, the fund may suspend the exchange privilege temporarily without notice and treat exchange requests based on their separate components—redemption orders with a simultaneous request to purchase the other fund’s shares. In such a case, the redemption request would be processed at the fund’s next determined net asset value but the purchase order would be effective only at the net asset value next determined after the fund being purchased formally accepts the order, which may result in the purchase being delayed.

Certain shareholders may be able to exchange shares by telephone. See the prospectus for additional information. Exchanges will be processed at the net asset value next determined. Redemption procedures discussed above are also applicable for exchanging shares, and exchanges will be made upon receipt of all supporting documents in proper form. If the account registration of the shares of the fund being acquired is identical to the registration of the shares of the fund exchanged, no signature guarantee is required.

This exchange privilege may be modified or terminated at any time, and is available only in those jurisdictions where such exchanges legally may be made. Before making any exchange, shareholders should contact the transfer agent or, if they hold fund shares through a Service Agent, their Service Agent, to obtain more information and prospectuses of the funds to be acquired through the exchange. An exchange is treated as a sale of the shares exchanged and could result in taxable gain or loss to the shareholder making the exchange.

TAXES

The following is a summary of certain material U.S. federal income tax considerations regarding the purchase, ownership and disposition of shares of the fund by U.S. persons. This summary does not address all of the potential U.S. federal income tax consequences that may be applicable to the fund or to all categories of investors, some of which may be subject to special tax rules. Current and prospective shareholders are urged to consult their own tax advisers with respect to the specific federal, state, local and foreign tax consequences of

 

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investing in the fund. The summary is based on the laws in effect on the date of this SAI and existing judicial and administrative interpretations thereof, all of which are subject to change, possibly with retroactive effect.

The Fund and Its Investments

The fund intends to continue to qualify to be treated as a regulated investment company each taxable year under the Code. To so qualify, the fund must, among other things: (a) derive at least 90% of its gross income in each taxable year from dividends, interest, payments with respect to securities loans and gains from the sale or other disposition of stock, securities or foreign currencies, or other income (including, but not limited to, gains from options, futures or forward contracts) derived with respect to its business of investing in such stock, securities or currencies or net income derived from interests in “qualified publicly traded partnerships” (i.e., partnerships that are traded on an established securities market or tradable on a secondary market, other than partnerships that derive 90% of their income from interest, dividends, capital gains, and other traditional permitted mutual fund income); and (b) diversify its holdings so that, at the end of each quarter of the fund’s taxable year, (i) at least 50% of the market value of the fund’s assets is represented by cash, securities of other regulated investment companies, U.S. government securities and other securities, with such other securities limited, in respect of any one issuer, to an amount not greater than 5% of the fund’s assets and not greater than 10% of the outstanding voting securities of such issuer and (ii) not more than 25% of the value of its assets is invested in the securities (other than U.S. government securities or securities of other regulated investment companies) of any one issuer, any two or more issuers of which 20% or more of the voting securities are held by the fund and that are determined to be engaged in the same or similar trades or businesses or related trades or businesses or in the securities of one or more qualified publicly traded partnerships.

Fund investments in partnerships, including in qualified publicly traded partnerships, may result in the fund’s being subject to state, local or foreign income, franchise or withholding tax liabilities.

As a regulated investment company, the fund will not be subject to U.S. federal income tax on the portion of its taxable investment income and capital gains that it distributes to its shareholders, provided that the fund satisfies a minimum distribution requirement. To satisfy the minimum distribution requirement, the fund must distribute to its shareholders at least the sum of (i) 90% of its “investment company taxable income” (i.e., income other than its net realized long-term capital gain over its net realized short-term capital loss), plus or minus certain adjustments, and (ii) 90% of its net tax-exempt income for the taxable year. The fund will be subject to income tax at regular corporation rates on any taxable income or gains that it does not distribute to its shareholders.

On August 31, 2006, the unused capital loss carryforward of the fund was approximately $1,117,565. For federal income tax purposes, these amounts are available to be applied against the fund’s future realized capital gains that are realized prior to the expiration of the carryforward, if any. The carryforward expires as of August 31, 2011.

The Code imposes a 4% nondeductible excise tax on the fund to the extent it does not distribute by the end of any calendar year at least the sum of (i) 98% of its ordinary income for that year and (ii) 98% of its capital gain net income (both long-term and short-term) for the one-year period ending, as a general rule, on October 31 of that year. For this purpose, however, any ordinary income or capital gain net income retained by the fund that is subject to corporate income tax will be considered to have been distributed by year-end. In addition, the minimum amounts that must be distributed in any year to avoid the excise tax will be increased or decreased to reflect any underdistribution or overdistribution, as the case may be, from the previous year. The fund anticipates that it will pay such dividends and will make such distributions as are necessary in order to avoid the application of this excise tax.

If, in any taxable year, the fund fails to qualify as a regulated investment company under the Code or fails to meet the distribution requirement, it will be taxed in the same manner as an ordinary corporation and

 

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distributions to its shareholders will not be deductible by the fund in computing its taxable income. In addition, in the event of a failure to qualify, the fund’s distributions, to the extent derived from the fund’s current or accumulated earnings and profits, will constitute dividends (eligible for the corporate dividends-received deduction or for treatment as qualified dividend income in the case of shareholders taxed as individuals) that are taxable to shareholders as dividend income, even though those distributions might otherwise (at least in part) have been treated in the shareholders’ hands as long-term capital gains. Moreover, if the fund fails to qualify as a regulated investment company in any year, it must pay out its earnings and profits accumulated in that year in order to qualify again as a regulated investment company. If the fund failed to qualify as a regulated investment company for a period greater than two taxable years, the fund may be required to recognize any net built-in gains with respect to certain of its assets (i.e., the excess of the aggregate gains, including items of income, over aggregate losses that would have been realized with respect to such assets if the fund had been liquidated) in order to qualify as a regulated investment company in a subsequent year.

The fund’s investment in so-called “section 1256 contracts,” such as regulated futures contracts, most foreign currency forward contracts traded in the interbank market and options on most stock indices, are subject to special tax rules. All section 1256 contracts held by the fund at the end of its taxable year are required to be marked to their market value, and any unrealized gain or loss on those positions will be included in the fund’s income as if each position had been sold for its fair market value at the end of the taxable year. The resulting gain or loss will be combined with any gain or loss realized by the fund from positions in section 1256 contracts closed during the taxable year. Provided such positions were held as capital assets and were not part of a “hedging transaction” nor part of a “straddle,” 60% of the resulting net gain or loss will be treated as long-term capital gain or loss, and 40% of such net gain or loss will be treated as short-term capital gain or loss, regardless of the period of time the positions were actually held by the fund.

Foreign Investments.    Dividends or other income (including, in some cases, capital gains) received by the fund from investments in foreign securities may be subject to withholding and other taxes imposed by foreign countries. Tax conventions between certain countries and the United States may reduce or eliminate such taxes in some cases. The fund will not be eligible to elect to treat any foreign taxes it pays as paid by its shareholders, who therefore will not be entitled to credits or deductions for such taxes on their own tax returns. Foreign taxes paid by the fund will reduce the return from the fund’s investments.

Passive Foreign Investment Companies.    If the fund purchases shares in certain foreign investment entities, called “passive foreign investment companies” (“PFICs”), it may be subject to U.S. federal income tax on a portion of any “excess distribution” or gain from the disposition of such shares even if such income is distributed as a taxable dividend by the fund to its shareholders. Additional charges in the nature of interest may be imposed on the fund in respect of deferred taxes arising from such distributions or gains. If the fund were to invest in a PFIC and elect to treat the PFIC as a “qualified electing fund” under the Code, in lieu of the foregoing requirements, the fund might be required to include in income each year a portion of the ordinary earnings and net capital gains of the qualified electing fund, even if not distributed to the fund, and such amounts would be subject to the 90% and excise tax distribution requirements described above. In order to make this election, the fund would be required to obtain certain annual information from the PFICs in which it invests, which may be difficult or impossible to obtain.

Alternatively, the fund may make a mark-to-market election that will result in the fund being treated as if it had sold and repurchased its PFIC stock at the end of each year. In such case, the fund would report any such gains as ordinary income and would deduct any such losses as ordinary losses to the extent of previously recognized gains. The election must be made separately for each PFIC owned by the fund and, once made, would be effective for all subsequent taxable years, unless revoked with the consent of the Internal Revenue Service (the “IRS”). By making the election, the fund could potentially ameliorate the adverse tax consequences with respect to its ownership of shares in a PFIC but in any particular year may be required to recognize income in excess of the distributions it receives from PFICs and its proceeds from dispositions of PFIC stock. The fund may have to distribute this “phantom” income and gain to satisfy the 90% distribution requirement and to avoid

 

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imposition of the 4% excise tax. The fund will make the appropriate tax elections, if possible, and take any additional steps that are necessary to mitigate the effect of these rules.

Taxation of U.S. Shareholders

Dividends and Distributions.    Dividends and other distributions by the fund are generally treated under the Code as received by the shareholders at the time the dividend or distribution is made. However, any dividend or distribution declared by the fund in October, November or December of any calendar year and payable to shareholders of record on a specified date in such a month shall be deemed to have been received by each shareholder on December 31 of such calendar year and to have been paid by the fund not later than such December 31, provided such dividend is actually paid by the fund during January of the following calendar year.

The fund intends to distribute annually to its shareholders substantially all of its investment company taxable income, and any net realized long-term capital gains in excess of net realized short-term capital losses (including any capital loss carryovers). However, if the fund retains for investment an amount equal to all or a portion of its net long-term capital gains in excess of its net short-term capital losses (including any capital loss carryovers), it will be subject to a corporate tax (currently at a maximum rate of 35%) on the amount retained. In that event, the fund will designate such retained amounts as undistributed capital gains in a notice to its shareholders who (a) will be required to include in income for U.S. federal income tax purposes, as long-term capital gains, their proportionate shares of the undistributed amount, (b) will be entitled to credit their proportionate shares of the 35% tax paid by the fund on the undistributed amount against their U.S. federal income tax liabilities, if any, and to claim refunds to the extent their credits exceed their liabilities, if any, and (c) will be entitled to increase their tax basis, for U.S. federal income tax purposes, in their shares by an amount equal to 65% of the amount of undistributed capital gains included in the shareholder’s income. Organizations or persons not subject to U.S. federal income tax on such capital gains will be entitled to a refund of their pro rata share of such taxes paid by the fund upon filing appropriate returns or claims for refund with the IRS.

Distributions of net realized long-term capital gains, if any, that the fund designates as capital gains dividends are taxable as long-term capital gains, whether paid in cash or in shares and regardless of how long a shareholder has held shares of the fund. All other dividends of the fund (including dividends from short-term capital gains) from its current and accumulated earnings and profits (“regular dividends”) are generally subject to tax as ordinary income.

Special rules apply, however, to regular dividends paid to individuals. Such a dividend, with respect to taxable years beginning on or before December 31, 2010, may be subject to tax at the rates generally applicable to long-term capital gains for individuals (currently at a maximum rate of 15%), provided that the individual receiving the dividend satisfies certain holding period and other requirements. Dividends subject to these special rules are not actually treated as capital gains, however, and thus are not included in the computation of an individual’s net capital gain and generally cannot be used to offset capital losses. The long-term capital gains rates will apply to: (i) 100% of the regular dividends paid by the fund to an individual in a particular taxable year if 95% or more of the fund’s gross income (ignoring gains attributable to the sale of stocks and securities except to the extent net short-term capital gain from such sales exceeds net long-term capital loss from such sales) in that taxable year is attributable to qualified dividend income received by the fund; or (ii) the portion of the regular dividends paid by the fund to an individual in a particular taxable year that is attributable to qualified dividend income received by the fund in that taxable year if such qualified dividend income accounts for less than 95% of the fund’s gross income (ignoring gains attributable to the sale of stocks and securities except to the extent net short-term capital gain from such sales exceeds net long-term capital loss from such sales) for that taxable year. For this purpose, “qualified dividend income” generally means income from dividends received by the fund from U.S. corporations and qualifying foreign corporations, provided that the fund satisfies certain holding period requirements in respect of the stock of such corporations and has not hedged its position in the stock in certain ways. However, qualified dividend income does not include any dividends received from tax-exempt corporations. Also, dividends received by the fund from a real estate investment trust or another

 

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regulated investment company generally are qualified dividend income only to the extent the dividend distributions are made out of qualified dividend income received by such real estate investment trust or other regulated investment company. In the case of securities lending transactions, payments in lieu of dividends are not qualified dividend income. If a shareholder elects to treat fund dividends as investment income for purposes of the limitation on the deductibility of investment interest, such dividends would not be a qualified dividend income.

We will send you information after the end of each year setting forth the amount of dividends paid by us that are eligible for the reduced rates.

If an individual receives a dividend qualifying for the long-term capital gains rates and such dividend constitutes an “extraordinary dividend,” and the individual subsequently recognizes a loss on the sale or exchange of stock in respect of which the extraordinary dividend was paid, then the loss will be long-term capital loss to the extent of such extraordinary dividend. An “extraordinary dividend” on common stock for this purpose is generally a dividend (i) in an amount greater than or equal to 10% of the taxpayer’s tax basis (or trading value) in a share of stock, aggregating dividends with ex-dividend dates within an 85-day period or (ii) in an amount greater than or equal to 20% of the taxpayer’s tax basis (or trading value) in a share of stock, aggregating dividends with ex-dividend dates within a 365-day period.

Dividends and distributions paid by the fund (except for the portion thereof, if any, attributable to dividends on stock of U.S. corporations received by the fund) will not qualify for the deduction for dividends received by corporations. Distributions in excess of the fund’s current and accumulated earnings and profits will, as to each shareholder, be treated as a tax-free return of capital to the extent of a shareholder’s basis in his shares of the fund, and as a capital gain thereafter (if the shareholder holds his shares of the fund as capital assets). Shareholders receiving dividends or distributions in the form of additional shares should be treated for U.S. federal income tax purposes as receiving a distribution in an amount equal to the amount of money that the shareholders receiving cash dividends or distributions will receive, and should have a cost basis in the shares received equal to such amount.

Investors considering buying shares of the fund just prior to the record date for a taxable dividend or capital gain distribution should be aware that, although the price of shares just purchased at that time may reflect the amount of the forthcoming distribution, such dividend or distribution may nevertheless be taxable to them. If the fund is the holder of record of any stock on the record date for any dividends payable with respect to such stock, such dividends are included in the fund’s gross income not as of the date received but as of the later of (a) the date such stock became ex-dividend with respect to such dividends (i.e., the date on which a buyer of the stock would not be entitled to receive the declared, but unpaid, dividends) or (b) the date the fund acquired such stock. Accordingly, in order to satisfy its income distribution requirements, the fund may be required to pay dividends based on anticipated earnings, and shareholders may receive dividends in an earlier year than would otherwise be the case.

Sales of Shares.    Upon the sale or exchange of his shares, a shareholder will realize a taxable gain or loss equal to the difference between the amount realized and his or her basis in the shares. A redemption of shares by the fund will be treated as a sale for this purpose. Such gain or loss will be treated as capital gain or loss if the shares are capital assets in the shareholder’s hands, and will be long-term capital gain or loss if the shares are held for more than one year and short-term capital gain or loss if the shares are held for one year or less. Any loss realized on a sale or exchange will be disallowed to the extent the shares disposed of are replaced, including replacement through the reinvesting of dividends and capital gains distributions in the fund, within a 61-day period beginning 30 days before and ending 30 days after the disposition of the shares. In such a case, the basis of the shares acquired will be increased to reflect the disallowed loss. Any loss realized by a shareholder on the sale of a fund share held by the shareholder for six months or fewer will be treated for U.S. federal income tax purposes as a long-term capital loss to the extent of any distributions or deemed distributions of long-term capital gains received by the shareholder with respect to such share. If a shareholder incurs a sales charge in acquiring

 

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shares of the fund, disposes of those shares within 90 days and then acquires shares in a mutual fund for which the otherwise applicable sales charge is reduced by reason of a reinvestment right (e.g., an exchange privilege), the original sales charge will not be taken into account in computing gain or loss on the original shares to the extent the subsequent sales charge is reduced. Instead the disregarded portion of the original sales charge will be added to the tax basis of the newly acquired shares. Furthermore, the same rule also applies to a disposition of the newly acquired shares made within 90 days of the second acquisition. This provision prevents a shareholder from immediately deducting the sales charge by shifting his or her investment within a family of mutual funds.

Backup Withholding.    The fund may be required to withhold, for U.S. federal income tax purposes, a portion of the dividends, distributions and redemption proceeds payable to shareholders who fail to provide the fund with their correct taxpayer identification number or to make required certifications, or who have been notified by the IRS that they are subject to backup withholding. Certain shareholders are exempt from backup withholding. Backup withholding is not an additional tax and any amount withheld may be credited against a shareholder’s U.S. federal income tax liability.

Notices.    Shareholders will receive, if appropriate, various written notices after the close of the fund’s taxable year regarding the U.S. federal income tax status of certain dividends, distributions and deemed distributions that were paid (or that are treated as having been paid) by the fund to its shareholders during the preceding taxable year.

Other Taxes

Dividends, distributions and redemption proceeds may also be subject to additional state, local and foreign taxes depending on each shareholder’s particular situation.

If a shareholder recognizes a loss with respect to the fund’s shares of $2 million or more for an individual shareholder or $10 million or more for a corporate shareholder, the shareholder must file with the IRS a disclosure statement on Form 8886. Direct shareholders of portfolio securities are in many cases exempted from this reporting requirement, but under current guidance, shareholders of a regulated investment company are not exempted. Future guidance may extend the current exception from this reporting requirement to shareholders of most or all regulated investment companies. The fact that a loss is reportable under these regulations does not affect the legal determination of whether the taxpayer’s treatment of the loss is proper. Shareholders should consult their tax advisors to determine the applicability of these regulations in light of their individual circumstances.

Taxation of Non-U.S. Shareholders.    Dividends paid by the fund to non-U.S. shareholders are generally subject to withholding tax at a 30% rate or a reduced rate specified by an applicable income tax treaty to the extent derived from investment income and short-term capital gains. In order to obtain a reduced rate of withholding, a non-U.S. shareholder will be required to provide an IRS Form W-8BEN certifying its entitlement to benefits under a treaty. The withholding tax does not apply to regular dividends paid to a non-U.S. shareholder who provides a Form W-8ECI, certifying that the dividends are effectively connected with the non-U.S. shareholder’s conduct of a trade or business within the United States. Instead, the effectively connected dividends will be subject to regular U.S. income tax as if the non-U.S. shareholder were a U.S. shareholder. A non-U.S. corporation receiving effectively connected dividends may also be subject to additional “branch profits tax” imposed at a rate of 30% (or lower treaty rate). A non-U.S. shareholder who fails to provide an IRS Form W-8BEN or other applicable form may be subject to backup withholding at the appropriate rate.

In general, United States federal withholding tax will not apply to any gain or income realized by a non-U.S. shareholder in respect of any distributions of net long-term capital gains over net short-term capital losses, exempt-interest dividends, or upon the sale or other disposition of shares of the fund.

For taxable years beginning before January 1, 2008, properly-designated dividends are generally exempt from United States federal withholding tax where they (i) are paid in respect of the fund’s “qualified net interest

 

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income” (generally, the fund’s U.S. source interest income, other than certain contingent interest and interest from obligations of a corporation or partnership in which the fund is at least a 10% shareholder, reduced by expenses that are allocable to such income) or (ii) are paid in respect of the fund’s “qualified short-term capital gains” (generally, the excess of the fund’s net short-term capital gain over the fund’s long-term capital loss for such taxable year). However, depending on its circumstances, the fund may designate all, some or none of its potentially eligible dividends as such qualified net interest income or as qualified short-term capital gains, and/or treat such dividends, in whole or in part, as ineligible for this exemption from withholding. In order to qualify for this exemption from withholding, a non-U.S. shareholder will need to comply with applicable certification requirements relating to its non-U.S. status (including, in general, furnishing an IRS Form W-8BEN or substitute Form). In the case of shares held through an intermediary, the intermediary may withhold even if the fund designates the payment as qualified net interest income or qualified short-term capital gain. Non-U.S. shareholders should contact their intermediaries with respect to the application of these rules to their accounts.

The foregoing is only a summary of certain material U.S. federal income tax consequences affecting the fund and its shareholders. Prospective shareholders are advised to consult their own tax advisers with respect to the particular tax consequences to them of an investment in the fund.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

The Trust.    The certificate of trust to establish Legg Mason Partners Equity Trust (referred to in this section as the trust) was filed with the State of Maryland on October 4, 2006. On the date of this SAI, the fund was redomiciled as a series of the trust. Prior thereto, the fund was a series of Legg Mason Partners Investment Trust, a Massachusetts business trust. Prior to reorganization of the fund as a series of Legg Mason Partners Investment Trust, the fund was a Maryland corporation.

The fund is a series of the trust, a Maryland business trust. A Maryland business trust is an unincorporated business association that is established under, and governed by, Maryland law. Maryland law provides a statutory framework for the powers, duties, rights and obligations of the Board (referred to in this section as the Trustees) and shareholders of the trust, while the more specific powers, duties, rights and obligations of the trustees and the shareholders are determined by the trustees as set forth in the trust’s declaration of trust (referred to in this section as the Declaration). Some of the more significant provisions of the declaration are described below.

Shareholder Voting

The Declaration provides for shareholder voting as required by the 1940 Act or other applicable laws but otherwise permits, consistent with Maryland law, actions by the Trustees without seeking the consent of shareholders. The Trustees may, without shareholder approval, amend the Declaration or authorize the merger or consolidation of the Trust into another trust or entity, reorganize the Trust, or any series or class into another trust or entity or a series or class of another entity, sell all or substantially all of the assets of the Trust or any series or class to another entity, or a series or class of another entity, or terminate the Trust or any series or class.

The fund is not required to hold an annual meeting of shareholders, but the fund will call special meetings of shareholders whenever required by the 1940 Act or by the terms of the Declaration. The Declaration provides for “dollar-weighted voting” which means that a shareholder’s voting power is determined, not by the number of shares he or she owns, but by the dollar value of those shares determined on the record date. All shareholders of all series and classes of the Trust vote together, except where required by the 1940 Act to vote separately by series or by class, or when the Trustees have determined that a matter affects only the interests of one or more series or classes of shares.

Election and Removal of Trustees

The Declaration provides that the Trustees may establish the number of Trustees and that vacancies on the Board may be filled by the remaining Trustees, except when election of Trustees by the shareholders is required

 

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under the 1940 Act. Trustees are then elected by a plurality of votes cast by shareholders at a meeting at which a quorum is present. The Declaration also provides that a mandatory retirement age may be set by action of two-thirds of the Trustees and that Trustees may be removed, with or without cause, by a vote of shareholders holding two-thirds of the voting power of the trust, or by a vote of two-thirds of the remaining Trustees. The provisions of the Declaration relating to the election and removal of Trustees may not be amended without the approval of two-thirds of the Trustees.

Amendments to the Declaration

The Trustees are authorized to amend the Declaration without the vote of shareholders, but no amendment may be made that impairs the exemption from personal liability granted in the Declaration to persons who are or have been shareholders, trustees, officers, or employees of the trust or that limit the rights to indemnification or insurance provided in the Declaration with respect to actions or omissions of persons entitled to indemnification under the Declaration prior to the amendment.

Issuance and Redemption of Shares

The fund may issue an unlimited number of shares for such consideration and on such terms as the trustees may determine. Shareholders are not entitled to any appraisal, preemptive, conversion, exchange or similar rights, except as the Trustees may determine. The fund may involuntarily redeem a shareholder’s shares upon certain conditions as may be determined by the Trustees, including, for example, if the shareholder fails to provide the fund with identification required by law, or if the fund is unable to verify the information received from the shareholder. Additionally, as discussed below, shares may be redeemed in connection with the closing of small accounts.

Disclosure of Shareholder Holdings

The Declaration specifically requires shareholders, upon demand, to disclose to the fund information with respect to the direct and indirect ownership of shares in order to comply with various laws or regulations, and the fund may disclose such ownership if required by law or regulation.

Small Accounts

The Declaration provides that the fund may close out a shareholder’s account by redeeming all of the shares in the account if the account falls below a minimum account size (which may vary by class) that may be set by the Trustees from time to time. Alternately, the Declaration permits the fund to assess a fee for small accounts (which may vary by class) and redeem shares in the account to cover such fees, or convert the shares into another share class that is geared to smaller accounts.

Series and Classes

The Declaration provides that the Trustees may establish series and classes in addition to those currently established and to determine the rights and preferences, limitations and restrictions, including qualifications for ownership, conversion and exchange features, minimum purchase and account size, expenses and charges, and other features of the series and classes. The Trustees may change any of those features, terminate any series or class, combine series with other series in the Trust, combine one or more classes of a series with another class in that series or convert the shares of one class into another class.

Each share of the fund, as a series of the Trust, represents an interest in the fund only and not in the assets of any other series of the Trust.

Shareholder, Trustee and Officer Liability

The Declaration provides that shareholders are not personally liable for the obligations of the fund and requires the fund to indemnify a shareholder against any loss or expense arising from any such liability. In

 

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addition, the fund will assume the defense of any claim against a shareholder for personal liability at the request of the shareholder. The Declaration further provides that a trustee acting in his or her capacity of trustee is not personally liable to any person other than the trust or its shareholders, for any act, omission, or obligation of the trust. Further, a Trustee is held to the same standard of conduct as a director of a Maryland corporation. This requires that a trustee perform his or her duties in good faith and in a manner he or she reasonably believes to be in the best interests of the trust or a series thereof, and with the care that an ordinarily prudent person in a like position would use under similar circumstances. The Declaration also permits the limitation of a Trustee’s liability to the full extent provided under Maryland law. Under current Maryland law, a Trustee is liable to the trust or its shareholders for monetary damages only (a) to the extent that it is proved that he or she actually received an improper benefit or profit in money, property, or services or (b) to the extent that a judgment or other final adjudication adverse to the Trustee is entered in a proceeding based on a finding in the proceeding that the Trustee’s action, or failure to act, was the result of active and deliberate dishonesty and was material to the cause of action adjudicated in the proceeding. The Declaration requires the Trust to indemnify any persons who are or who have been Trustees, officers or employees of the Trust for any liability for actions or failure to act except to the extent prohibited by applicable federal law. In making any determination as to whether any person is entitled to the advancement of expenses in connection with a claim for which indemnification is sought, such person is entitled to a rebuttable presumption that he or she did not engage in conduct for which indemnification is not available.

The Declaration provides that any Trustee who serves as chair of the board or of a committee of the board, lead independent trustee, or audit committee financial expert, or in any other similar capacity will not be subject to any greater standard of care or liability because of such position.

Derivative Actions

The Declaration provides a detailed process for the bringing of derivative actions by shareholders in order to permit legitimate inquiries and claims while avoiding the time, expense, distraction, and other harm that can be caused to the fund or its shareholders as a result of spurious shareholder demands and derivative actions. Prior to bringing a derivative action, a demand by three unrelated shareholders must first be made on the fund’s Trustees. The Declaration details various information, certifications, undertakings and acknowledgements that must be included in the demand. Following receipt of the demand, the Trustees have a period of 90 days, which may be extended by an additional 60 days, to consider the demand. If a majority of the Trustees who are considered independent for the purposes of considering the demand determine that maintaining the suit would not be in the best interests of the fund, the Trustees are required to reject the demand and the complaining shareholders may not proceed with the derivative action unless the shareholders are able to sustain the burden of proof to a court that the decision of the Trustees not to pursue the requested action was not a good faith exercise of their business judgment on behalf of the fund. The Declaration further provides that shareholders owning shares representing at least 5% of the voting power of the affected fund must join in bringing the derivative action. If a demand is rejected, the complaining shareholders will be responsible for the costs and expenses (including attorneys’ fees) incurred by the fund in connection with the consideration of the demand, if in the judgment of the independent Trustees, the demand was made without reasonable cause or for an improper purpose. If a derivative action is brought in violation of the Declaration, the shareholders bringing the action may be responsible for the fund’s costs, including attorneys’ fees.

The Declaration further provides that the fund shall be responsible for payment of attorneys’ fees and legal expenses incurred by a complaining shareholder only if required by law, and any attorneys’ fees that the fund is obligated to pay shall be calculated using reasonable hourly rates. The Declaration also requires that actions by shareholders against the fund be brought only in federal court in Baltimore, Maryland, or if not permitted to be brought in federal court, then in state court in Baltimore, Maryland, and that the right to jury trial be waived to the full extent permitted by law.

Annual and Semi-Annual Reports.    The fund sends its shareholders a semi-annual report and an audited annual report, which include listings of investment securities held by the fund at the end of the period covered. In

 

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an effort to reduce the fund’s printing and mailing costs, the fund consolidates the mailing of its semi-annual and annual reports by household. This consolidation means that a household having multiple accounts with the identical address of record will receive a single copy of each report. In addition, the fund also consolidates the mailing of its prospectus so that a shareholder having multiple accounts (that is, individual, IRA and/or self-employed retirement plan accounts) will receive a single prospectus annually. Shareholders who do not want this consolidation to apply to their accounts should contact their Service Agent or the transfer agent.

Legal Matters

Beginning in June 2004, class action lawsuits alleging violations of the federal securities laws were filed against CGMI and a number of its then affiliates, including SBFM, which were then investment adviser or manager to certain of the Funds (the “Managers”), substantially all of the mutual funds then managed by the Managers (the “Defendant Funds”), and Board Members of the Defendant Funds (collectively, the “Defendants”). The complaints alleged, among other things, that CGMI created various undisclosed incentives for its brokers to sell Smith Barney and Salomon Brothers funds. In addition, according to the complaints, the Managers caused the Defendant Funds to pay excessive brokerage commissions to CGMI for steering clients towards proprietary funds. The complaints also alleged that the defendants breached their fiduciary duty to the Defendant Funds by improperly charging Rule 12b-1 fees and by drawing on fund assets to make undisclosed payments of soft dollars and excessive brokerage commissions. The complaints also alleged that the Defendant Funds failed to adequately disclose certain of the allegedly wrongful conduct. The complaints sought injunctive relief and compensatory and punitive damages, rescission of the Defendant Funds’ contracts with the Managers, recovery of all fees paid to the Managers pursuant to such contracts and an award of attorneys’ fees and litigation expenses.

On December 15, 2004, a consolidated amended complaint (the “Complaint”) was filed alleging substantially similar causes of action. On May 27, 2005, all of the Defendants filed motions to dismiss the Complaint. On July 26, 2006, the court issued a decision and order (1) finding that plaintiffs lacked standing to sue on behalf of the shareholders of the Defendant Funds in which none of the plaintiffs had invested and dismissing those Defendant Funds from the case (although stating that they could be brought back into the case if standing as to them could be established), and (2) other than one stayed claim, dismissing all of the causes of action against the remaining Defendants, with prejudice, except for the cause of action under Section 36(b) of the 1940 Act, which the court granted plaintiffs leave to replead as a derivative claim.

On October 16, 2006, plaintiffs filed their Second Consolidated Amended Complaint (“Second Amended Complaint”) which alleges derivative claims on behalf of nine funds identified in the Second Amended Complaint, including the fund, under Section 36(b) of the 1940 Act, against Citigroup Asset Management (“CAM”), ClearBridge Asset Management Inc., SBFM and CGMI as investment advisers to the identified funds, as well as CGMI as a distributor for the identified funds (collectively, the “Second Amended Complaint Defendants”). The Second Amended Complaint alleges no claims against any of the Funds or any of their Board Members. Under Section 36(b), the Second Amended Complaint alleges similar facts and seeks similar relief against the Second Amended Complaint Defendants as the Complaint.

Additional lawsuits arising out of these circumstances and presenting similar allegations and requests for relief may be filed in the future.

***

On May 31, 2005, the SEC issued an order in connection with the settlement of an administrative proceeding against SBFM, the then-investment adviser or manager to the fund and CGMI, relating to the appointment of an affiliated transfer agent for the Smith Barney family of mutual funds, including the fund (the “Affected Funds”).

The SEC order finds that SBFM and CGMI willfully violated Section 206(1) of the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as amended, and the rules promulgated thereunder (the “Advisers Act”). Specifically, the order

 

60


found that SBFM and CGMI knowingly or recklessly failed to disclose to the boards of the Affected Funds in 1999 when proposing a new transfer agent arrangement with an affiliated transfer agent that: First Data Investors Services Group (“First Data”), the Affected Funds’ then-existing transfer agent, had offered to continue as transfer agent and do the same work for substantially less money than before; and that CAM, the Citigroup business unit that, at the time, included the Affected Funds’ investment manager and other investment advisory companies, had entered into a side letter with First Data under which CAM agreed to recommend the appointment of First Data as sub-transfer agent to the affiliated transfer agent in exchange for, among other things, a guarantee by First Data of specified amounts of asset management and investment banking fees to CAM and CGMI. The order also found that SBFM and CGMI willfully violated Section 206(2) of the Advisers Act by virtue of the omissions discussed above and other misrepresentations and omissions in the materials provided to the Affected Funds’ boards, including the failure to make clear that the affiliated transfer agent would earn a high profit for performing limited functions while First Data continued to perform almost all of the transfer agent functions, and the suggestion that the proposed arrangement was in the Affected Funds’ best interests and that no viable alternatives existed. SBFM and CGMI do not admit or deny any wrongdoing or liability. The settlement does not establish wrongdoing or liability for purposes of any other proceeding.

The SEC censured SBFM and CGMI and ordered them to cease and desist from violations of Sections 206(1) and 206(2) of the Advisers Act. The order required Citigroup to pay $208.1 million, including $109 million in disgorgement of profits, $19.1 million in interest, and a civil money penalty of $80 million. Approximately $24.4 million has already been paid to the Affected Funds, primarily through fee waivers. The remaining $183.7 million, including the penalty, has been paid to the U.S. Treasury and will be distributed pursuant to a plan submitted for the approval of the SEC. At this time, there is no certainty as to how the above-described proceeds of the settlement will be distributed, to whom such distributions will be made, the methodology by which such distributions will be allocated, and when such distributions will be made. The order also required that transfer agency fees received from the Affected Funds since December 1, 2004, less certain expenses, be placed in escrow and provided that a portion of such fees might be subsequently distributed in accordance with the terms of the order. On April 3, 2006, an aggregate amount of approximately $9 million held in escrow was distributed to the Affected Funds.

The order required SBFM to recommend a new transfer agent contract to the Fund boards within 180 days of the entry of the order; if a Citigroup affiliate submitted a proposal to serve as transfer agent or sub-transfer agent, SBFM and CGMI would have been required, at their expense, to engage an independent monitor to oversee a competitive bidding process. On November 21, 2005, and within the specified timeframe, the Affected Funds’ Boards selected a new transfer agent for the Affected Fund. No Citigroup affiliate submitted a proposal to serve as transfer agent. Under the order, SBFM also must comply with an amended version of a vendor policy that Citigroup instituted in August 2004.

Although there can be no assurance, the manager does not believe that this matter will have a material adverse effect on the Affected Funds.

On December 1, 2005, Citigroup completed the sale of substantially all of its global asset management business, including SBFM, to Legg Mason.

***

Beginning in August 2005, five class action lawsuits alleging violations of federal securities laws and state law were filed against CGMI and SBFM (collectively, the “Defendants”) based on the May 31, 2005 settlement order issued against the Defendants by the SEC as described in above. The complaints seek injunctive relief and compensatory and punitive damages, removal of SBFM as the investment manager for the Smith Barney family of funds, rescission of the funds’ management and other contracts with SBFM, recovery of all fees paid to SBFM pursuant to such contracts, and an award of attorneys’ fees and litigation expenses.

 

61


On October 5, 2005, a motion to consolidate the five actions and any subsequently filed, related action was filed. That motion contemplates that a consolidated amended complaint alleging substantially similar causes of action will be filed in the future.

As of the date of this report, the fund’s investment manager believes that resolution of the pending lawsuit will not have a material effect on the financial position or results of operations of the fund or the ability of the fund’s investment manager and its affiliates to continue to render services to the funds under their respective contracts.

***

On September 16, 2005, the staff of the SEC informed SBFM and ClearBridge Asset Management Inc. (formerly Salomon Brothers Asset Management Inc.) that the staff is considering recommending that the SEC institute administrative proceedings against SBFM and ClearBridge Asset Management Inc. for alleged violations of Section 19(a) and 34(b) of the 1940 Act (and related Rule 19a-1). The notification is a result of an industry wide inspection by the SEC and is based upon alleged deficiencies in disclosures regarding dividends and distributions paid to shareholders of certain funds. Section 19(a) and related Rule 19a-1 of the 1940 Act generally require funds that are making dividend and distribution payments to provide shareholders with a written statement disclosing the source of the dividends and distributions, and, in particular, the portion of the payments made from each of net investment income, undistributed net profits and/or paid-in capital. In connection with the contemplated proceedings, the staff may seek a cease and desist order and/or monetary damages from SBFM or ClearBridge Asset Management Inc.

Although there can be no assurance, the fund’s manager believes that this matter is not likely to have a material adverse effect on the fund.

***

The foregoing speaks only as of the date of this SAI. Additional lawsuits presenting allegations and requests for relief arising out of or in connection with any of the foregoing matters may be filed against these and related parties in the future.

FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

The audited financial statements of the fund’s predecessor (Statement of Assets and Liabilities as of August 31, 2006, Statement of Operations for the year ended August 31, 2006, Statements of Changes in Net Assets for each of the years in the two-year period ended August 31, 2006, Financial Highlights for each of the years in the five-year period ended August 31, 2006, and Notes to Financial Statements along with the Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm, each of which is included in the Annual Report to Shareholders of the Fund), are incorporated by reference into this SAI (Filed on November 8, 2006; Accession Number 0001193125-06-228111).

 

62


APPENDIX A

PROXY VOTING GUIDELINES & PROCEDURES SUMMARY

Concerning ClearBridge Advisors(1) (Clearbridge)

Proxy Voting Policies and Procedures

The following is a brief overview of the Proxy Voting Policies and Procedures (the “Policies”) that ClearBridge has adopted to seek to ensure that ClearBridge votes proxies relating to equity securities in the best interest of clients.

ClearBridge votes proxies for each client account with respect to which it has been authorized to vote proxies. In voting proxies, ClearBridge is guided by general fiduciary principles and seeks to act prudently and solely in the best interest of clients. ClearBridge attempts to consider all factors that could affect the value of the investment and will vote proxies in the manner that it believes will be consistent with efforts to maximize shareholder values. ClearBridge may utilize an external service provider to provide it with information and/or a recommendation with regard to proxy votes. However, the ClearBridge adviser (business unit) continues to retain responsibility for the proxy vote.

In the case of a proxy issue for which there is a stated position in the Policies, ClearBridge generally votes in accordance with such stated position. In the case of a proxy issue for which there is a list of factors set forth in the Policies that ClearBridge considers in voting on such issue, ClearBridge votes on a case-by-case basis in accordance with the general principles set forth above and considering such enumerated factors. In the case of a proxy issue for which there is no stated position or list of factors that ClearBridge considers in voting on such issue, ClearBridge votes on a case-by-case basis in accordance with the general principles set forth above. Issues for which there is a stated position set forth in the Policies or for which there is a list of factors set forth in the Policies that ClearBridge considers in voting on such issues fall into a variety of categories, including election of directors, ratification of auditors, proxy and tender offer defenses, capital structure issues, executive and director compensation, mergers and corporate restructurings, and social and environmental issues. The stated position on an issue set forth in the Policies can always be superseded, subject to the duty to act solely in the best interest of the beneficial owners of accounts, by the investment management professionals responsible for the account whose shares are being voted. Issues applicable to a particular industry may cause ClearBridge to abandon a policy that would have otherwise applied to issuers generally. As a result of the independent investment advisory services provided by distinct ClearBridge business units, there may be occasions when different business units or different portfolio managers within the same business unit vote differently on the same issue. A ClearBridge business unit or investment team (e.g. ClearBridge’s Social Awareness Investment team) may adopt proxy voting policies that supplement these policies and procedures. In addition, in the case of Taft-Hartley clients,

 


(1) ClearBridge Advisors comprises ClearBridge Advisors, LLC, ClearBridge Asset Management Inc, Smith Barney Fund Management LLC, and other affiliated investment advisory firms. On December 1, 2005, Citigroup Inc. (“Citigroup”) sold substantially all of its worldwide asset management business, Citigroup Asset Management, to Legg Mason. As part of this transaction, ClearBridge Advisors, LLC, ClearBridge Asset Management Inc and Smith Barney Fund Management LLC became wholly-owned subsidiaries of Legg Mason. Under a licensing agreement between Citigroup and Legg Mason, the names of ClearBridge Advisors, LLC, ClearBridge Asset Management Inc, Smith Barney Fund Management LLC and their affiliated advisory entities, as well as all logos, trademarks, and service marks related to Citigroup or any of its affiliates (“Citi Marks”) are licensed for use by Legg Mason. Citi Marks include, but are not limited to, “Citigroup Asset Management,” “Salomon Brothers Asset Management” and “CAM”. All Citi Marks are owned by Citigroup, and are licensed for use until no later than one year after the date of the licensing agreement. Legg Mason and its subsidiaries, including ClearBridge Advisors, LLC, ClearBridge Asset Management Inc, and Smith Barney Fund Management LLC are not affiliated with Citigroup.

 

A-1


ClearBridge will comply with a client direction to vote proxies in accordance with Institutional Shareholder Services’ (ISS) PVS Voting Guidelines, which ISS represents to be fully consistent with AFL-CIO guidelines.

In furtherance of ClearBridge’s goal to vote proxies in the best interest of clients, ClearBridge follows procedures designed to identify and address material conflicts that may arise between ClearBridge’s interests and those of its clients before voting proxies on behalf of such clients. To seek to identify conflicts of interest, ClearBridge periodically notifies ClearBridge employees in writing that they are under an obligation (i) to be aware of the potential for conflicts of interest on the part of ClearBridge with respect to voting proxies on behalf of client accounts both as a result of their personal relationships and due to special circumstances that may arise during the conduct of ClearBridge’s business, and (ii) to bring conflicts of interest of which they become aware to the attention of ClearBridge’s compliance personnel. ClearBridge also maintains and considers a list of significant ClearBridge relationships that could present a conflict of interest for ClearBridge in voting proxies. ClearBridge is also sensitive to the fact that a significant, publicized relationship between an issuer and a non-ClearBridge Legg Mason affiliate might appear to the public to influence the manner in which ClearBridge decides to vote a proxy with respect to such issuer. Absent special circumstances or a significant, publicized non-ClearBridge Legg Mason affiliate relationship that ClearBridge for prudential reasons treats as a potential conflict of interest because such relationship might appear to the public to influence the manner in which ClearBridge decides to vote a proxy, ClearBridge generally takes the position that relationships between a non-ClearBridge Legg Mason affiliate and an issuer (e.g. investment management relationship between an issuer and a non-ClearBridge Legg Mason affiliate) do not present a conflict of interest for ClearBridge in voting proxies with respect to such issuer. Such position is based on the fact that ClearBridge is operated as an independent business unit from other Legg Mason business units as well as on the existence of information barriers between ClearBridge and certain other Legg Mason business units.

ClearBridge maintains a Proxy Voting Committee to review and address conflicts of interest brought to its attention by ClearBridge compliance personnel. A proxy issue that will be voted in accordance with a stated ClearBridge position on such issue or in accordance with the recommendation of an independent third party is not brought to the attention of the Proxy Voting Committee for a conflict of interest review because ClearBridge’s position is that to the extent a conflict of interest issue exists, it is resolved by voting in accordance with a pre-determined policy or in accordance with the recommendation of an independent third party. With respect to a conflict of interest brought to its attention, the Proxy Voting Committee first determines whether such conflict of interest is material. A conflict of interest is considered material to the extent that it is determined that such conflict is likely to influence, or appear to influence, ClearBridge’s decision-making in voting proxies. If it is determined by the Proxy Voting Committee that a conflict of interest is not material, ClearBridge may vote proxies notwithstanding the existence of the conflict.

If it is determined by the Proxy Voting Committee that a conflict of interest is material, the Proxy Voting Committee is responsible for determining an appropriate method to resolve such conflict of interest before the proxy affected by the conflict of interest is voted. Such determination is based on the particular facts and circumstances, including the importance of the proxy issue and the nature of the conflict of interest.

 

A-2


Filed under Rule 497(c)

File Nos. 33-43446 and 811-6444

PROSPECTUS

April 16, 2007

The Securities and Exchange Commission has not approved or disapproved these securities or determined whether this Prospectus is accurate or complete. Any statement to the contrary is a crime.

LOGO

Legg Mason Partners

All Cap Fund

Class A, B, C, 1 and I Shares

 

 

 

INVESTMENT PRODUCTS: NOT FDIC INSURED Ÿ NO BANK GUARANTEE Ÿ MAY LOSE VALUE

 


Legg Mason Partners

All Cap Fund

Contents

 

Investments, risks and performance

  2

More on the fund’s investments

  8

Management

  10

Choosing a class of shares to buy

  13

Comparing the fund’s classes

  15

Sales charges

  16

More about contingent deferred sales charges

  21

Retirement and institutional investors

  22

Buying shares

  24

Exchanging shares

  25

Redeeming shares

  27

Other things to know about transactions

  29

Dividends, distributions and taxes

  32

Share price

  34

Financial highlights

  36

 

As part of a number of initiatives launched in 2006 to restructure and streamline the Legg Mason Partners fund complex, the fund assumed the assets and liabilities of a predecessor fund with the same name. The fund is now grouped for organizational and governance purposes with other Legg Mason Partners funds that are predominantly equity-type funds. Any information in this

Prospectus relating to the fund prior to the date of this Prospectus refers to the fund’s predecessor.

Prior to February 2, 2007, the fund had a different manager and followed different investment strategies under the name “Legg Mason Partners Multiple Discipline Funds All Cap Growth and Value.”


 

Investments, risks and performance

Investment objective

Long-term capital growth.

Principal investment strategies

Key investments

The fund invests primarily in equity securities of any size that, in the portfolio manager’s opinion, offer the potential for capital growth. The fund does not have specific market capitalization parameters, allowing the portfolio manager greater flexibility to identify investment opportunities that are expected to help the fund achieve its investment objective.

Selection process

The portfolio manager follows an intrinsic value discipline in selecting securities, and, therefore, seeks to purchase securities trading at large discounts to the portfolio manager’s assessment of their estimated value. Intrinsic value, according to the portfolio manager, is the value of the company measured, to different extents depending on the type of company, on factors such as, but not limited to, the discounted value of its projected future free cash flows, the capability to earn returns on capital in excess of its cost of capital, private market values of similar companies and the costs to replicate the business. Qualitative factors may also be considered by the portfolio manager in selecting stocks, including an assessment of the company’s products, competitive positioning, strategy, industry economics and dynamics, and regulatory frameworks, among others. Securities may be undervalued due to, among other things, uncertainty arising from the limited availability of accurate information, economic growth and changes, changes in competitive conditions, technological change, investor overreaction to negative news or events, and changes in governmental policy or geopolitical dynamics.

The portfolio manager may decide to sell securities given a variety of circumstances, such as, for example, when a security no longer appears to offer a long-term above-average risk-adjusted rate of return, when an investment opportunity arises that the portfolio manager believes is more compelling, when the original reason for investing no longer applies, or to realize gains or limit potential losses.

Principal risks of investing in the fund

Investors could lose money on their investments in the fund, or the fund may not perform as well as other investments, if:

n  

U.S. stock markets decline or perform poorly relative to other types of investments

n  

An adverse company-specific event, such as an unfavorable earnings report, negatively affects the stock price of a company in which the fund invests

n  

The portfolio manager’s judgment about the attractiveness, growth prospects or potential appreciation of a particular stock proves to be incorrect

n  

Large-cap stocks fall out of favor with investors

n  

Mid- or small-cap stocks fall out of favor with investors. An investment in the fund may be more volatile and more susceptible to loss than an investment in a fund that invests primarily in large-cap companies. Mid- and small-cap companies may have more

 

2         Legg Mason Partners Funds


 

 

limited product lines, markets and financial resources and shorter operating histories and less mature businesses than large-cap companies. The prices of mid- and small-cap stocks tend to be more volatile than those of large-cap stocks. In addition, mid- and small-cap stocks may be less liquid than large-cap stocks

n  

Non-U.S. companies fall out of favor with investors

n  

Key economic trends become materially unfavorable, such as rising interest rates and levels of inflation or slowing economic growth

The fund is non-diversified, which means that the fund is permitted to invest a greater proportion of its assets in the securities of a smaller number of issuers. To the extent the fund concentrates its assets in fewer issuers, the fund will be more susceptible to negative events affecting those issuers.

Who may want to invest

The fund may be an appropriate investment if you:

n  

Are seeking to participate in the long-term growth potential of the U.S. stock market

n  

Are looking for an investment with potentially greater return but higher risk than a fund investing in fixed income investments

n  

Are willing to accept the risks of the stock market

n  

Are looking for an investment with potentially greater return but higher risk than a fund that invests primarily in large-cap companies

n  

Are seeking to participate in the long-term potential rewards and are willing to accept the special risks of mid- and small-cap companies

 

Legg Mason Partners All Cap Fund         3


 

Performance information

The following shows summary performance information for the fund in a bar chart and an Average Annual Total Returns table. The information provides an indication of the risks of investing in the fund by showing changes in its performance from year to year and by showing how the fund’s average annual returns compare with the returns of a broad-based securities market index. The bar chart and the information below show performance of the fund’s Class A shares, but do not reflect the impact of sales charges (loads). If they did, the returns would be lower than those shown. Unlike the bar chart, the performance for Class A, B, C and I(1) shares in the Average Annual Total Returns table reflects the impact of the maximum sales charge (load) applicable to the respective classes and, where indicated, the performance for Class A shares reflects the impact of taxes paid on distributions and the redemption of shares at the end of the period. Performance information for Class 1 shares is not provided as this class does not have a full calendar year of performance. Prior to February 2, 2007, the fund had a different manager and followed different investment strategies under the name “Legg Mason Partners Multiple Discipline Funds All Cap Growth and Value.” Prior to January 21, 2004, the fund followed different investment strategies under the name “Premier Selections All Cap Growth Fund.” The performance information shown below is that of the fund’s predecessor. The fund’s past performance, before and after taxes, is not necessarily an indication of how the fund will perform in the future.

Total Return — Class A Shares

LOGO

Highest and lowest quarter returns (for periods shown in the bar chart):

Highest: 19.01% in 4th quarter 2001; Lowest: (22.15)% in 3rd quarter 2001.

 

(1)

 

As of November 20, 2006, Class Y shares were renamed Class I shares.

 

4         Legg Mason Partners Funds


 

Average Annual Total Returns (for periods ended December 31, 2006)

 

      1 Year     5 Years     Since
Inception
    Inception
Date
 

Class A

        
Return before taxes(1)    6.93 %   2.56 %   (2.62 )%   6/30/00  
   
Return after taxes on distributions(1)(2)    6.93 %   2.56 %   (2.62 )%  
   
Return after taxes on distributions and sale of fund shares(1)(2)    4.51 %   2.19 %   (2.20 )%  
   
Other Classes (Return before taxes only)         
   

Class B

   7.67 %   2.84 %   (2.47 )%   6/30/00  
   

Class C

   11.78 %   3.06 %   (2.44 )%   6/30/00  
   

Class I(3)

              
   
Russell 3000 Index(4)    15.72 %   7.17 %   2.14 %        (5)
   

 

(1)

 

On November 20, 2006, the maximum initial sales charge on Class A shares was increased for sales made on and after that date. The average annual returns for Class A shares in the table have been calculated as if the increased maximum initial sales charge had been in effect for the entire period.

 

(2)

 

After-tax returns are calculated using the highest historical individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes. Actual after-tax returns depend on an investor’s tax situation and may differ from those shown, and the after-tax returns shown are not relevant to investors who hold their fund shares through tax-deferred arrangements, such as 401(k) plans or individual retirement accounts. In some cases the return after taxes may exceed the return before taxes due to an assumed tax benefit from any losses on a sale of fund shares at the end of the measurement period. After-tax returns shown above are for Class A shares only. After-tax returns for other share classes will vary.

 

(3)

 

As of November 20, 2006, Class Y shares were renamed Class I shares. As of December 31, 2006, there were no outstanding Class I shares of the fund.

 

(4)

 

The Russell 3000 Index is an unmanaged index which measures the performance of the 3,000 largest U.S. companies based on total market capitalization which represent approximately 98% of the U.S. equity market. It is not possible to invest directly in the Index. The Index does not reflect deductions for fees, expenses or taxes.

(5)

 

Index comparisons begin on June 30, 2000.

 

Legg Mason Partners All Cap Fund         5


 

Fee table

This table sets forth the fees and expenses you may pay if you invest in fund shares.

 

Shareholder Fees

 

(paid directly from your investment)   Class A     Class B     Class C     Class 1     Class I(1)
Maximum sales charge (load) imposed on purchases (as a % of offering price)   5.75 %   None     None     8.50 %   None
 
Maximum contingent deferred sales charge (load) (as a % of the lower of net asset value at purchase or redemption)   None (2)   5.00 %   1.00 %   None     None
 

 

Annual Fund Operating Expenses

 

(paid by the fund as a % of net assets)   Class A     Class B     Class C     Class 1     Class I(1)  
Management fee(3)   0.70 %   0.70 %   0.70 %   0.70 %   0.70 %
   
Distribution and service (12b-1) fees   0.25 %   1.00 %   1.00 %   None     None  
   
Other expenses(4)   0.28 %   0.33 %   0.13 %   0.29 %   0.04 %
   
Total annual fund operating expenses   1.23 %   2.03 %   1.83 %   0.99 %   0.74 %
   
Less contractual fee waiver and/or expense reimbursement   (0.07 )%   (0.10 )%   None     None     None  
   
Net annual fund operating expenses(5)   1.16 %   1.93 %   1.83 %   0.99 %   0.74 %
   

 

(1)

 

As of November 20, 2006, Class Y shares were renamed Class I shares.

 

(2)

 

You may buy Class A shares in amounts of $1,000,000 or more at net asset value (without an initial sales charge), but if you redeem those shares within 12 months of their purchase, you will pay a contingent deferred sales charge of up to 1.00%.

 

(3)

 

The fund has a management fee schedule that reduces the management fee rate as assets increase as follows: 0.700% on average daily net assets up to and including $2 billion; and 0.650% on average daily net assets over $2 billion.

 

(4)

 

The amounts set forth in “Other expenses” for Class A, B and C shares have been revised to reflect the estimated effect of new transfer agency and custody contracts which became effective on January 1, 2006 and the fund’s reorganization with Legg Mason Partners Growth and Income Fund, Legg Mason Partners Multiple Discipline Funds All Cap and International, Legg Mason Partners Multiple Discipline Funds Global All Cap Growth and Value and Legg Mason Partners Multiple Discipline Funds Large Cap Growth and Value. The amounts set forth in “Other expenses” for Class 1 and I shares have been estimated for the current year.

 

(5)

 

Management has contractually agreed to waive fees and/or reimburse expenses (other than brokerage, taxes and extraordinary expenses) to limit total annual operating expenses to 1.16% for Class A and 1.93% for Class B until September 1, 2008.

 

6         Legg Mason Partners Funds


 

Example

This example helps you compare the costs of investing in the fund with the costs of investing in other mutual funds. Your actual costs may be higher or lower. The example assumes:

n  

You invest $10,000 in the fund for the period shown

n  

Your investment has a 5% return each year — the assumption of a 5% return is required by the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) for purposes of this example and is not a prediction of the fund’s future performance

n  

You reinvest all distributions and dividends without a sales charge

n  

The fund’s operating expenses (after giving effect to the contractual fee waiver in effect through September 1, 2008) remain the same

 

Number of Years You Own Your Shares

 

     1 year   3 years   5 years   10 years

Class A (with or without redemption)

  $ 686   $ 936   $ 1,205   $ 1,972
 

Class B (redemption at end of period)

  $ 696   $ 927   $ 1,184     $2,146(1)
 

Class B (no redemption)

  $ 196   $ 627   $ 1,084     $2,146(1)
 

Class C (redemption at end of period)

  $ 286   $ 576   $ 991   $ 2,148
 

Class C (no redemption)

  $ 186   $ 576   $ 991   $ 2,148
 

Class 1 (with or without redemption)

  $ 942   $ 1,138   $ 1,350   $ 1,960
 

Class I(2) (with or without redemption)

  $ 76   $ 237   $ 412   $ 919
 

 

(1)

 

Assumes conversion to Class A shares approximately eight years after purchase.

 

(2)

 

As of November 20, 2006, Class Y shares were renamed Class I shares.

 

Legg Mason Partners All Cap Fund         7


 

More on the fund’s investments

The fund’s investment objective and principal investment strategies are described under the section entitled “Investments, risks and performance” above. This section provides further information about the investment strategies that may be used by the fund.

The fund’s investment objective may be changed without shareholder approval.

Other investments

The fund may invest to a limited extent in money market instruments and/or cash to pay expenses and/or meet redemption requests.

Derivatives and hedging techniques

The fund may, but need not, use derivative contracts, such as futures and options on securities, securities indexes or currencies; options on these futures; forward currency contracts; or interest rate or currency swaps for any of the following purposes:

n  

To hedge against the economic impact of adverse changes in the market value of its portfolio securities, because of changes in stock market prices, currency exchange rates or interest rates

n  

As a substitute for buying or selling securities

n  

As a cash flow management technique

A derivative contract will obligate or entitle the fund to deliver or receive an asset or cash payment based on the change in value of one or more securities, currencies or indexes. Even a small investment in derivative contracts can have a big impact on the fund’s stock market, currency and interest rate exposure. Therefore, using derivatives can disproportionately increase losses and reduce opportunities for gains when stock prices, currency rates or interest rates are changing. The fund may not fully benefit from or may lose money on derivatives if changes in their value do not correspond as anticipated to changes in the value of the fund’s holdings.

The other parties to certain derivative contracts present the same types of credit risk as issuers of fixed income securities. Derivatives can also make the fund less liquid and harder to value, especially in declining markets.

Foreign securities

The fund may invest up to 25% of its net assets in American Depository Receipts (ADRs) and ordinary shares of non-U.S. companies that trade in the U.S. markets. The fund’s investments in foreign securities may involve greater risk than investments in securities of U.S. issuers. Because the value of a depository receipt is dependent upon the market price of an underlying foreign security, depository receipts are subject to most of the risks associated with investing in foreign securities directly. Foreign countries generally have markets that are less liquid and more volatile than markets in the United States. In some foreign countries, less information is available about foreign issuers and markets because of less rigorous accounting and regulatory standards than in the United States. Currency fluctuations could erase investment gains or add to investment losses.

 

8         Legg Mason Partners Funds


 

Trading frequency

Although the fund generally invests for the longer term, the fund may engage in active and frequent trading, resulting in high portfolio turnover, in order to achieve its investment objective. This may lead to the realization and distribution to shareholders of higher capital gains, increasing their tax liability. Frequent trading also increases transaction costs, which could detract from the fund’s performance. The “Financial highlights” section of this Prospectus shows the fund’s historical portfolio turnover rate.

Defensive investing

The fund may depart from its principal investment strategies in response to adverse market, economic or political conditions by taking temporary defensive positions in any type of money market instruments and short-term debt securities or cash with respect to all or a portion of its assets. If the fund takes a temporary defensive position, it may be unable to achieve its investment objective.

Additional investments

The fund may also use other strategies and invest in other securities that are described, along with their risks, in the fund’s Statement of Additional Information (“SAI”). However, the fund might not use all of the strategies and techniques or invest in all of the types of securities described in this Prospectus or in the SAI. Also note that there are many other factors, which are not described here, that could adversely affect your investment and that could prevent the fund from achieving its investment objective.

Portfolio holdings

The fund’s policies and procedures with respect to the disclosure of the fund’s portfolio securities are described in the SAI.

 

Legg Mason Partners All Cap Fund         9


 

Management

Manager and sub-administrator

Legg Mason Capital Management, Inc. (“LMCM” or the “manager”) is the fund’s investment manager. LMCM, with offices at 100 Light Street, Baltimore, Maryland 21202, manages assets for clients around the globe including corporations, public funds, government entities, endowments, foundations and individual investors. Clients invest with LMCM through separately managed accounts, sub-advised funds and Legg Mason-sponsored mutual funds. Since 1982, with the introduction of Legg Mason Value Trust, LMCM has distinguished itself by applying its distinct value investment process. As of December 31, 2006, LMCM’s investment personnel managed approximately $67.91 billion in separate accounts and pooled assets. LMCM selects the fund’s investments, oversees its operations and provides administrative services.

Legg Mason Partners Fund Advisor, LLC (“LMPFA” or the “sub-administrator”) serves as the sub-administrator to the fund. LMPFA, located at 399 Park Avenue, New York, New York 10022, provides certain administrative services for the fund pursuant to a sub-administration agreement between LMCM and LMPFA. LMCM, not the fund, pays LMPFA for its services as sub-administrator.

LMCM and LMPFA are wholly-owned subsidiaries of Legg Mason, Inc. (“Legg Mason”). Legg Mason, whose principal executive offices are at 100 Light Street, Baltimore, Maryland 21202, is a global asset management company. As of December 31, 2006, Legg Mason’s asset management operation had aggregate assets under management of approximately $945 billion.

Prior to February 2, 2007, LMPFA was the fund’s investment manager and ClearBridge Advisors, LLC (“ClearBridge”) was the fund’s subadviser. Prior to August 1, 2006, Smith Barney Fund Management LLC (“SBFM”) was the fund’s investment manager. ClearBridge and SBFM are also wholly-owned subsidiaries of Legg Mason.

Portfolio manager

Jay Leopold, who manages LMCM’s All Cap product, is responsible for the day-to-day management of the fund. Mr. Leopold employs LMCM’s distinct value investing process, which was developed and is guided by Bill Miller, LMCM’s Chief Investment Officer. Mr. Leopold joined Legg Mason in 1986 and LMCM in 1995. After covering stocks in a variety of industries including health care, he was named Assistant Portfolio Manager of the Legg Mason American Leading Companies Trust mutual fund in 2000 and later assumed responsibility for LMCM’s All Cap product. He is a former President and current member of the Board of Directors of the Baltimore Security Analysts Society. Mr. Leopold graduated cum laude from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania with a B.A. in Finance and received his CFA designation in 1989.

The SAI provides information about the compensation of the portfolio manager, other accounts he manages, and any fund shares held by the portfolio manager.

Management fee

The fund pays LMCM a management fee at the following rates:

0.700% on average daily net assets up to and including $2 billion; and

0.650% on average daily net assets in excess of $2 billion.

 

10         Legg Mason Partners Funds


 

Prior to February 2, 2007, the fund paid LMPFA, and prior to August 1, 2006, the fund paid SBFM, a management fee at the following rates:

0.750% on average daily net assets up to and including $1 billion;

0.725% on average daily net assets up to and including $2 billion;

0.700% on average daily net assets up to and including $5 billion;

0.675% on average daily net assets up to and including $10 billion; and

0.650% on average daily net assets in excess of $10 billion.

For the fiscal year ended April 30, 2006, the fund paid a fee to SBFM, after waivers and reimbursements, of 0.75% of the fund’s average daily net assets for advisory and administrative services.

A discussion regarding the basis for the Board’s approval of the fund’s prior management agreement with LMPFA and its prior sub-advisory agreement with ClearBridge is available in the fund’s Semi-Annual Report for the fiscal period ended October 31, 2006.

Distribution plan

Legg Mason Investor Services, LLC (“LMIS”), a wholly-owned broker/dealer subsidiary of Legg Mason, Citigroup Global Markets Inc. (“CGMI”) and PFS Investments Inc. (“PFS”) serve as the fund’s distributors.

The fund has adopted a shareholder services and distribution plan for its Class A, B, and C shares. Under the plan, the fund pays distribution and/or service fees. The plan provides for payments, based on annualized percentages of average daily net assets, of up to 0.25% for Class A shares and up to 1.00% for Class B and Class C shares. These fees are an ongoing expense and, over time, will increase the cost of your investment and may cost you more than other types of sales charges.

In addition, the distributors may make payments for distribution and/or shareholder servicing activities out of their past profits and other available sources. A distributor may also make payments to dealers for marketing, promotional or related expenses. The amount of these payments is determined by the distributor and may be substantial. The manager or an affiliate may make similar payments under similar arrangements.

The payments described in the paragraph above are often referred to as “revenue sharing payments.” The recipients of such payments may include the fund’s distributors, affiliates of the manager, broker/dealers, financial institutions and other financial intermediaries through which investors may purchase shares of the fund. In some circumstances, such payments may create an incentive for an intermediary or its employees or associated persons to recommend or sell shares of the fund to you. Please contact your financial intermediary for details about revenue sharing payments it may receive.

Recent developments

On May 31, 2005, the SEC issued an order in connection with the settlement of an administrative proceeding against SBFM, the then investment adviser or manager to the fund, and CGMI, relating to the appointment of an affiliated transfer agent for the Smith Barney family of mutual funds, including the fund (the “Affected Funds”).

The SEC order found that SBFM and CGMI willfully violated Section 206(1) of the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as amended, and the rules promulgated thereunder (the “Advisers Act”). Specifically, the order found that SBFM and CGMI knowingly or reck -

 

Legg Mason Partners All Cap Fund         11


 

lessly failed to disclose to the boards of the Affected Funds in 1999 when proposing a new transfer agent arrangement with an affiliated transfer agent that: First Data Investors Services Group (“First Data”), the Affected Funds’ then-existing transfer agent, had offered to continue as transfer agent and do the same work for substantially less money than before; and that Citigroup Asset Management (“CAM”), the Citigroup business unit that, at the time, included the Affected Funds’ investment manager and other investment advisory companies, had entered into a side letter with First Data under which CAM agreed to recommend the appointment of First Data as sub-transfer agent to the affiliated transfer agent in exchange for, among other things, a guarantee by First Data of specified amounts of asset management and investment banking fees to CAM and CGMI. The order also found that SBFM and CGMI willfully violated Section 206(2) of the Advisers Act by virtue of the omissions discussed above and other misrepresentations and omissions in the materials provided to the Affected Funds’ boards, including the failure to make clear that the affiliated transfer agent would earn a high profit for performing limited functions while First Data continued to perform almost all of the transfer agent functions, and the suggestion that the proposed arrangement was in the Affected Funds’ best interests and that no viable alternatives existed.

SBFM and CGMI do not admit or deny any wrongdoing or liability. The settlement does not establish wrongdoing or liability for purposes of any other proceeding. The SEC censured SBFM and CGMI and ordered them to cease and desist from violations of Sections 206(1) and 206(2) of the Advisers Act. The order required Citigroup to pay $208.1 million, including $109 million in disgorgement of profits, $19.1 million in interest, and a civil money penalty of $80 million. Approximately $24.4 million has already been paid to the Affected Funds, primarily through fee waivers. The remaining $183.7 million, including the penalty, has been paid to the U.S. Treasury and will be distributed pursuant to a plan submitted for the approval of the SEC. At this time, there is no certainty as to how the above-described proceeds of the settlement will be distributed, to whom such distributions will be made, the methodology by which such distributions will be allocated, and when such distributions will be made. The order also required that transfer agency fees received from the Affected Funds since December 1, 2004, less certain expenses, be placed in escrow and provided that a portion of such fees might be subsequently distributed in accordance with the terms of the order. On April 3, 2006, an aggregate amount of approximately $9 million held in escrow was distributed to the Affected Funds.

The order required SBFM to recommend a new transfer agent contract to the Affected Funds’ boards within 180 days of the entry of the order; if a Citigroup affiliate submitted a proposal to serve as transfer agent or sub-transfer agent, SBFM and CGMI would have been required, at their expense, to engage an independent monitor to oversee a competitive bidding process. On November 21, 2005, and within the specified timeframe, the Affected Funds’ boards selected a new transfer agent for the Affected Funds. No Citigroup affiliate submitted a proposal to serve as transfer agent. Under the order, SBFM also must comply with an amended version of a vendor policy that Citigroup instituted in August 2004.

Although there can be no assurance, LMPFA does not believe that this matter will have a material adverse effect on the Affected Funds.

On December 1, 2005, Citigroup completed the sale of substantially all of its global asset management business, including SBFM, to Legg Mason.

 

12         Legg Mason Partners Funds


 

Choosing a class of shares to buy

Individual investors can generally choose among three classes of shares: Classes A, B and C shares. You can buy Class 1 shares if you are a Class 1 shareholder. Individual investors that held Class I (formerly Class Y) shares prior to November 20, 2006, may continue to invest in Class I shares. Institutional and retirement plan investors and clients of financial intermediaries should refer to “Retirement and institutional investors” below for a description of the classes available to them. Each class has different sales charges and expenses, allowing you to choose the class that best meets your needs.

When choosing which class of shares to buy, you should consider:

n  

How much you plan to invest

n  

How long you expect to own the shares

n  

The expenses paid by each class detailed in the Fee table and Example at the front of this Prospectus

n  

Whether you qualify for any reduction or waiver of sales charges

If you are choosing between Class A and Class B shares, it will in almost all cases be the more economical choice for you to purchase Class A shares if you plan to purchase shares in an amount of $100,000 or more (whether in a single purchase or through aggregation of eligible holdings). This is because of the reduced sales charge available on larger investments of Class A shares and the lower ongoing expenses of Class A shares compared to Class B shares.

If you intend to invest for only a few years, the effect of Class B contingent deferred sales charges on redemptions made within five years of purchase, as well as the effect of higher expenses of that class, might make an investment in Class C more appropriate. There is no initial sales charge on Class C shares, and the contingent deferred sales charge does not apply to shares redeemed one year or more after purchase.

However, if you plan to invest a large amount and your investment horizon is five years or more, Class C shares might not be as advantageous as Class A shares. The annual distribution and service fees on Class C shares may cost you more over the longer term than the front-end sales charge you would have paid for larger purchases of Class A shares.

You may buy shares from:

n  

Certain broker/dealers, financial intermediaries, financial institutions, a distributor’s financial advisors or registered representatives that have entered into an agreement to sell fund shares (each called a “Service Agent”)

n  

The fund, but only if you are investing through certain qualified plans or Service Agents

Different types of shareholder services may be available to you under arrangements offered by different Service Agents. In addition, these services may vary depending on the share class in which you choose to invest. In making your decision regarding which share class to buy, please keep in mind that your Service Agent may receive different compensation depending on the share class in which you invest. Investors should consult with their Service Agent about comparative pricing of shareholder services available to them under each available share class, the compensation that will be received by their Service Agent in connection with each available share class, and other factors that may be relevant to the investor’s choice of share class in which to invest.

 

Legg Mason Partners All Cap Fund         13


 

Not all classes of shares are available through each Service Agent. You should contact your Service Agent for further information.

Investment minimums

Minimum initial and additional investment amounts vary depending on the class of shares you buy and the nature of your investment.

 

   

Investment Minimum

Initial/Additional Investments(1)(2)

     Class A   Class B   Class C   Class I
(formerly Y)

General

  $ 500/$50   $ 500/$50   $ 500/$50   n/a
 

IRAs and Uniform Gifts or Transfers to Minor Accounts

  $ 250/$50   $ 250/$50   $ 250/$50   n/a
 

SIMPLE IRAs

  $ 1/$1   $ 1/$1   $ 1/$1   n/a
 

Systematic Investment Plans

  $ 25/$25   $ 25/$25   $ 25/$25   n/a
 

Clients of Eligible Financial Intermediaries

  $ 1/$1     n/a     n/a   None
 

Retirement Plans with omnibus accounts held on the books of the fund

   
 
None/
None
    n/a    
 
None/
None
  None/
None
 

Other Retirement Plans

  $ 50/$50   $ 50/$50   $ 50/$50   n/a
 

Institutional Investors

  $ 500/$50   $ 500/$50   $ 500/$50   $ 1 million/
None
 

 

(1)

 

Please refer to the section entitled “Retirement and institutional investors” for additional information regarding the investment minimum and eligibility requirements for Retirement Plans, Institutional Investors and Clients of Eligible Financial Intermediaries.

 

(2)

 

Class 1 shares may be purchased only if you already own Class 1 shares.

More information about the fund’s classes of shares is available through the Legg Mason Partners Funds’ website. You’ll find detailed information about sales charges and ways you can qualify for reduced or waived sales charges, including:

n  

The front-end sales charges that apply to the purchase of Class A and Class 1 shares

n  

The contingent deferred sales charges that apply to the redemption of Class B shares, Class C shares, and certain Class A shares (redeemed within one year)

n  

Who qualifies for lower sales charges on Class A and Class 1 shares

n  

Who qualifies for a sales load waiver

To access the website, go to http://www.leggmason.com/InvestorServices and click on the name of the fund.

 

14         Legg Mason Partners Funds


 

Comparing the fund’s classes

The following table compares key features of the fund’s classes. You should review the Fee table and Example at the front of this Prospectus carefully before choosing your share class. Your Service Agent can help you decide which class meets your goals. Your Service Agent may receive different compensation depending upon which class you choose.

 

     Class A   Class B   Class C   Class 1   Class I
(formerly Y)
Key features  

n  Initial sales charge

n  You may qualify for reduction or waiver of initial sales charge

n  Generally lower annual expenses than Class B and Class C

 

n  No initial sales charge

n  Contingent deferred sales charge declines over time

n  Converts to Class A after approximately 8 years

n  Generally higher annual expenses than Class A

 

n  No initial sales charge

n  Contingent deferred sales charge for only 1 year

n  Does not convert to Class A

n  Generally higher annual expenses than Class A

 

n  Only available to eligible Class 1 shareholders

n  Higher initial sales charge

n  You may qualify for reduction of initial sales charge

n  Generally lower annual expenses than Class A, B, or C

 

n  No initial or contingent deferred sales charge

n  Only offered to institutional and other eligible investors

n  Generally lower expenses than the other classes

Initial sales charge  

Up to 5.75%; reduced or waived for large purchases and certain investors. No charge for purchases of $1 million or more

 

None

 

None

 

Up to 8.50%, reduced for large purchases

 

None

Contingent deferred sales charge  

1.00% on purchases of $1 million or more if you redeem within 1 year of purchase; waived for certain investors

 

Up to 5.00% charged when you redeem shares. The charge is reduced over time and there is no contingent deferred sales charge after 5 years; waived for certain investors

 

1.00% if you redeem within 1 year of purchase; waived for certain investors

 

None

 

None

Annual distribution and/or service fees  

0.25% of average daily net assets

 

1.00% of average daily net assets

 

1.00% of average daily net assets

 

None

 

None

Exchange

Privilege(1)

 

Class A shares of most Legg Mason Partners Funds

 

Class B shares of most Legg Mason Partners Funds

 

Class C shares of most Legg Mason Partners Funds

 

Class 1 shares of Legg Mason Partners Funds that offer Class 1 shares and Class A shares of other Legg Mason Partners Funds

 

Class I shares of most Legg Mason Partners Funds

 

(1)

 

Ask your Service Agent about the Legg Mason Partners Funds available for exchange.

 

Legg Mason Partners All Cap Fund         15


 

Sales charges

Class A shares

You buy Class A shares at the offering price, which is the net asset value plus a sales charge. You pay a lower rate as the size of your investment increases to certain levels called breakpoints. You do not pay a sales charge on the fund’s distributions or dividends you reinvest in additional Class A shares.

The table below shows the rate of sales charge you pay, depending on the amount you purchase, for purchases made on or after November 20, 2006. The table below also shows the amount of broker/dealer compensation that will be paid out of the sales charge if you buy shares from a Service Agent (except PFS). For Class A shares sold directly by LMIS, LMIS will receive the sales charge imposed on purchases of Class A shares (or any contingent deferred sales charge paid on redemptions) and will retain the full amount of such sales charge. For Class A shares sold by CGMI, CGMI will receive the sales charge imposed on purchases of Class A shares and will retain an amount equal to the broker/dealer commission paid out of the sales charge. LMIS will receive any portion not retained by CGMI. For Class A shares sold by PFS, PFS will receive the sales charge imposed on purchases of Class A shares (or any contingent deferred sales charge paid on redemptions) and will retain the full amount of such sales charge. Service Agents (including CGMI and PFS) will also receive a service fee payable on Class A shares at an annual rate of up to 0.25% of the average daily net assets represented by the Class A shares serviced by them.

 

Amount of investment   Sales Charge
as % of
offering price
  Sales Charge as
% of net
amount invested
  Broker/Dealer
Commission
as % of
offering price

Less than $25,000

  5.75   6.10   5.00
 

$25,000 but less than $50,000

  5.00   5.26   4.25
 

$50,000 but less than $100,000

  4.50   4.71   3.75
 

$100,000 but less than $250,000

  3.50   3.63   2.75
 

$250,000 but less than $500,000

  2.50   2.56   2.00
 

$500,000 but less than $750,000

  2.00   2.04   1.60
 

$750,000 but less than $1 million

  1.50   1.52   1.20
 

$1 million or more(1)

  0   0   up to 1.00
 

 

(1)

 

A distributor may pay a commission of up to 1.00% to a Service Agent for purchase amounts of $1 million or more. In such cases, starting in the thirteenth month after purchase, the Service Agent will also receive an annual distribution/service fee of up to 0.25% of the average daily net assets represented by the Class A shares held by its clients. Prior to the thirteenth month, the distributor will retain this fee. Where the Service Agent does not receive the payment of this commission, the Service Agent will instead receive the annual distribution/service fee starting immediately after purchase. Please contact your Service Agent for more information.

Investments of $1,000,000 or more

You do not pay an initial sales charge when you buy $1,000,000 or more of Class A shares. However, if you redeem these Class A shares within one year of purchase, you will pay a contingent deferred sales charge of 1.00%.

 

16         Legg Mason Partners Funds


 

Qualifying for a reduced Class A sales charge

There are several ways you can combine multiple purchases of Class A shares of Legg Mason Partners Funds to take advantage of the breakpoints in the sales charge schedule. In order to take advantage of reductions in sales charges that may be available to you when you purchase fund shares, you must inform your Service Agent or Legg Mason Partners Shareholder Services if you are eligible for a letter of intent or a right of accumulation and if you own shares of other Legg Mason Partners Funds that are eligible to be aggregated with your purchases. Certain records, such as account statements, may be necessary in order to verify your eligibility for reduced sales charges.

n  

Accumulation Privilege – allows you to combine the current value of Class A shares of the fund with other shares of Legg Mason Partners Funds that are owned by:

  ¨  

you; or

  ¨  

your spouse and children under the age of 21

with the dollar amount of your next purchase of Class A shares for purposes of calculating the initial sales charge.

Shares of certain money market funds advised by the manager or its affiliates (other than money market fund shares acquired by exchange from other Legg Mason Partners Funds offered with a sales charge), Legg Mason Partners S&P 500 Index Fund and Class O shares of Legg Mason Partners Equity Fund may not be combined.

If you hold shares of Legg Mason Partners Funds in accounts at two or more Service Agents, please contact your Service Agents to determine which shares may be combined.

Certain trustees and fiduciaries may be entitled to combine accounts in determining their sales charge.

n  

Letter of Intent – allows you to purchase Class A shares of Legg Mason Partners Funds over a 13-month period and pay the same sales charge on Class A shares, if any, as if all shares had been purchased at once. At the time you enter into the letter of intent, you select your asset goal amount. Generally, purchases of Legg Mason Partners Fund shares that are purchased during the 13-month period by:

  ¨  

you; or

  ¨  

your spouse and children under the age of 21

are eligible for inclusion under the letter, based on the public offering price at the time of the purchase, and any capital appreciation on those shares. Purchases made 90 days prior to the 13-month period are also eligible to be treated as purchases made under the letter of intent. In addition, you can include towards your asset goal amount the current value of any eligible purchases that were made prior to the date of entering into the letter of intent and are still held.

If you hold shares of Legg Mason Partners Funds in accounts at two or more Service Agents, please contact your Service Agents to determine which shares may be credited toward your letter of intent asset goal.

Shares of certain money market funds advised by the manager or its affiliates (other than money market fund shares acquired by exchange from other Legg Mason Partners Funds offered with a sales charge), Legg Mason Partners S&P 500 Index Fund and Class O shares of Legg Mason Partners Equity Fund may not be credited toward your letter of intent asset goal.

 

Legg Mason Partners All Cap Fund         17


 

If you do not meet your asset goal amount, shares in the amount of any sales charges due, based on the amount of your actual purchases, will be redeemed from your account.

Waivers for certain Class A investors

Class A initial sales charges are waived for certain types of investors, including:

n  

Employees of Service Agents having dealer, service or other selling agreements with the fund’s distributors

n  

Investors who redeemed Class A shares of a Legg Mason Partners Fund in the past 60 days, if the investor’s Service Agent is notified

n  

Directors and officers of any Legg Mason-sponsored fund

n  

Employees of Legg Mason and its subsidiaries

n  

Investors investing through certain retirement plans

If you qualify for a waiver of the Class A initial sales charge, you must notify your Service Agent or the transfer agent at the time of purchase and provide sufficient information at the time of purchase to permit verification that the purchase qualifies for the initial sales charge waiver.

If you want to learn about additional waivers of Class A initial sales charges, contact your Service Agent, consult the SAI or access the Legg Mason Partners Funds’ website, http://www.leggmason.com/InvestorServices, and click on the name of the fund.

Class B shares

You buy Class B shares at net asset value without paying an initial sales charge. However, if you redeem your Class B shares within five years of your purchase payment, you will pay a contingent deferred sales charge. The contingent deferred sales charge decreases as the number of years since your purchase payment increases.

 

Year after purchase   1st     2nd     3rd     4th     5th     6th through 8th  

Contingent deferred sales charge

  5 %   4 %   3 %   2 %   1 %   0 %
   

LMIS will pay Service Agents other than PFS, including CGMI, selling Class B shares a commission of up to 4.00% of the purchase price of the Class B shares they sell and LMIS will retain the contingent deferred sales charges. For Class B shares sold by PFS, PFS will pay a commission of up to 4.00% of the purchase price of the Class B shares sold by its Service Agents and will retain the contingent deferred sales charges paid upon certain redemptions. Service Agents also receive an annual distribution/service fee of up to 0.25% of the average daily net assets represented by the Class B shares serviced by them.

 

18         Legg Mason Partners Funds


 

Class B conversion

After approximately 8 years, Class B shares automatically convert into Class A shares. This helps you because Class A shares have lower annual expenses. Your Class B shares will convert to Class A shares as follows:

 

Shares issued:
At initial purchase
   Shares issued:
On reinvestment of
dividends and
distributions
   Shares issued:
Upon exchange from
another Legg Mason
Partners Fund
Approximately 8 years after the date of purchase payment    In same proportion as the number of Class B shares converting is to total Class B shares you own (excluding shares issued as dividends)    On the date the shares originally acquired would have converted into Class A shares
 

Class C shares

You buy Class C shares at net asset value without paying an initial sales charge. However, if you redeem your Class C shares within one year of purchase, you will pay a contingent deferred sales charge of 1.00%.

LMIS will generally pay Service Agents selling Class C shares a commission of up to 1.00% of the purchase price of the Class C shares they sell and LMIS will retain the contingent deferred sales charges and an annual distribution/service fee of up to 1.00% of the average daily net assets represented by the Class C shares serviced by these Service Agents until the thirteenth month after purchase. Starting in the thirteenth month after purchase, these Service Agents will receive an annual distribution/service fee of up to 1.00% of the average daily net assets represented by the Class C shares serviced by them.

Class 1 shares

Class 1 shares are offered to eligible Class 1 shareholders at the next determined net asset value plus a sales charge. You do not pay a sales charge on the fund’s distributions or dividends that you reinvest in additional Class 1 shares.

You pay a lower sales charge as the size of your investment increases to certain levels called breakpoints.

 

Legg Mason Partners All Cap Fund         19


 

 

Amount of investment   Sales Charge
as % of
offering price
  Sales Charge as
% of net
amount invested
  Broker/Dealer
Commission
as a % of
offering price

Less than $10,000

  8.50   9.29   7.00
 

$10,000 but less than $25,000

  7.75   8.40   6.25
 

$25,000 but less than $50,000

  6.00   6.38   5.00
 

$50,000 but less than $100,000

  4.50   4.71   3.75
 

$100,000 but less than $250,000

  3.50   3.63   3.00
 

$250,000 but less than $400,000

  2.50   2.56   2.00
 

$400,000 but less than $600,000

  2.00   2.04   1.60
 

$600,000 but less than $5,000,000

  1.00   1.01   0.75
 

$5,000,000 or more

  0.25   0.25   0.20
 

Class I (formerly Class Y) shares

Class I shares are purchased at net asset value with no initial sales charge and no contingent deferred sales charge when redeemed.

 

20         Legg Mason Partners Funds


 

More about contingent deferred sales charges

The contingent deferred sales charge is based on the net asset value at the time of purchase or redemption, whichever is less, and therefore you do not pay a sales charge on amounts representing appreciation or depreciation.

In addition, you do not pay a contingent deferred sales charge:

n  

When you exchange shares for shares of another Legg Mason Partners Fund

n  

On shares representing reinvested distributions and dividends

n  

On shares no longer subject to the contingent deferred sales charge

Each time you place a request to redeem shares, the fund will first redeem any shares in your account that are not subject to a contingent deferred sales charge and then the shares in your account that have been held the longest.

If you redeemed shares of a Legg Mason Partners Fund and paid a contingent deferred sales charge, you may, under certain circumstances, reinvest all or part of the redemption proceeds within 60 days and receive pro rata credit for any contingent deferred sales charge imposed on the prior redemption. Please contact your Service Agent for additional information.

The fund’s distributors receive contingent deferred sales charges as partial compensation for their expenses in selling shares, including the payment of compensation to your Service Agent.

Contingent deferred sales charge waivers

The contingent deferred sales charge for each share class will generally be waived:

n  

On payments made through certain systematic withdrawal plans

n  

On certain distributions from a retirement plan

n  

For retirement plans with omnibus accounts held on the books of the fund

n  

For involuntary redemptions of small account balances

n  

For 12 months following the death or disability of a shareholder

If you want to learn more about additional waivers of contingent deferred sales charges, contact your Service Agent, consult the SAI or look at the Legg Mason Partners Funds’ website, http://www.leggmason.com/InvestorServices, and click on the name of the fund.

 

Legg Mason Partners All Cap Fund         21


 

Retirement and institutional investors

Eligible investors

Retirement Plans

Retirement Plans with omnibus accounts held on the books of the fund can generally choose among three classes of shares: Class A, Class C and Class I (formerly Class Y) shares.

“Retirement Plans” include 401(k) plans, 457 plans, employer-sponsored 403(b) plans, profit-sharing plans, non-qualified deferred compensation plans and other similar employer-sponsored retirement plans. Retirement Plans do not include individual retirement vehicles, such as traditional and Roth individual retirement accounts, Coverdell education savings accounts, individual 403(b)(7) custodial accounts, Keogh plans, SEPs, SARSEPs, SIMPLE IRAs, or Section 529 savings accounts. Although Retirement Plans with omnibus accounts held on the books of the fund are not subject to minimum initial investment requirements for any of these share classes, certain investment minimums may be imposed by a financial intermediary.

Other Retirement Plans

Other Retirement Plans can generally choose among three classes of shares: Class A, Class B and Class C. “Other Retirement Plans” include Retirement Plans investing through brokerage accounts, and also include certain Retirement Plans with direct relationships to the fund that are neither Institutional Investors nor investing through omnibus accounts. Individual retirement vehicles, such as IRAs, may also choose among these share classes. Other Retirement Plans and individual retirement vehicles are treated like individual investors for purposes of determining sales charges and any applicable sales charge reductions or waivers.

Clients of Eligible Financial Intermediaries

Clients of Eligible Financial Intermediaries may generally choose between two classes of shares: Class A and Class I. “Clients of Eligible Financial Intermediaries” are investors who invest in the fund through financial intermediaries that offer their clients fund shares through investment programs as authorized by LMIS. Such investment programs may include fee-based advisory or brokerage account programs, and college savings vehicles such as Section 529 plans. The financial intermediary may impose separate investment minimums.

Institutional Investors

Institutional Investors may invest in Class I shares if they meet the $1,000,000 minimum initial investment requirement. Institutional Investors may also invest in Class A, B and C shares, which have different investment minimums and fees and expenses. “Institutional Investors” generally include corporations, banks, insurance companies, foundations, retirement plans and other similar entities with direct relationships to the fund.

Class C — Retirement Plans

For purchases made on or after November 20, 2006, Retirement Plans with omnibus accounts held on the books of the fund may buy Class C shares without paying a con -

 

22         Legg Mason Partners Funds


tingent deferred sales charge. As of November 20, 2006, LMIS no longer pays Service Agents selling Class C shares to retirement plans with omnibus accounts held on the books of a fund a commission on the purchase price of Class C shares sold by them. Instead, immediately after purchase, LMIS will pay these Service Agents an annual distribution/service fee of up to 1.00% of the average daily net assets represented by the Class C shares serviced by them.

Class I

As of November 20, 2006, Class Y shares were renamed Class I shares and are offered only to Institutional Investors who meet the $1,000,000 minimum initial investment requirement, Clients of Eligible Financial Intermediaries, and other investors as authorized by LMIS. However, investors that held Class Y shares prior to that date will be permitted to make additional investments in Class I shares.

Class A — Retirement Plans

Retirement Plans with omnibus accounts held on the books of the fund may purchase Class A shares through programs sponsored by financial intermediaries. Under these programs, the initial sales charge and contingent deferred sales charge for Class A shares is waived where:

n  

Such Retirement Plan’s record keeper offers only load-waived shares,

n  

Fund shares are held on the books of the fund through an omnibus account, and

n  

The Retirement Plan has more than 100 participants, or has total assets exceeding $1 million

As of November 20, 2006, LMIS no longer pays Service Agents selling Class A shares to Retirement Plans with a direct omnibus relationship with a fund a commission on the purchase price of Class A shares sold by them. However, for certain Retirement Plans that are permitted to purchase shares at net asset value on or after this date, LMIS may continue to pay Service Agents commissions of up to 1.00% of the purchase price of the additional Class A shares that are purchased with regular ongoing plan contributions. Please contact your Service Agent for more information.

Other considerations

Plan sponsors, plan fiduciaries and other financial intermediaries may choose to impose qualification requirements for plans that differ from the fund’s share class eligibility standards. In certain cases this could result in the selection of a share class with higher service and distribution-related fees than otherwise would have been charged. The fund is not responsible for, and has no control over, the decision of any plan sponsor, plan fiduciary or financial intermediary to impose such differing requirements. Please consult with your plan sponsor, plan fiduciary or financial intermediary for more information about available share classes.

With respect to Class A and Class C shares, the fund may pay a fee for recordkeeping services performed for the share class.

Not all share classes may be made available by your Service Agent; please contact your Service Agent for additional details.

 

Legg Mason Partners All Cap Fund         23


 

Buying shares

 

Generally    You may buy shares at their net asset value next determined after receipt by your Service Agent or the transfer agent of your purchase request in good order, plus any applicable sales charge.
 
Through a
Service Agent
  

You should contact your Service Agent to open a brokerage account and make arrangements to buy shares. You must provide the following information for your order to be processed:

n Class of shares being bought

n Dollar amount or number of shares being bought

n Account number (if existing account)

Your Service Agent may charge an annual account maintenance fee.

 
Through the
fund
  

Financial intermediary accounts, retirement plan accounts and certain other investors who are clients of certain Service Agents are eligible to buy shares directly from the fund.

n Clients of a PFS Registered Representative should write to the fund at the following address:

Legg Mason Partners Funds

c/o PFPC Inc.

P.O. Box 9662

Providence, Rhode Island 02940-9662

n All other investors should write to the fund at the following address:

Legg Mason Partners Funds

c/o PFPC Inc.

P.O. Box 9699

Providence, Rhode Island 02940-9699

n Enclose a check to pay for the shares. For initial purchases, complete and send an account application available upon request from Legg Mason Partners Shareholder Services at the number below

n Specify the name of the fund, the share class you wish to purchase and your account number (if existing account)

n For more information, please call Legg Mason Partners Shareholder Services at 800-451-2010 (or for clients of a PFS Registered Representative, call Primerica Shareholder Services at 800-544-5445)

 

Through a

systematic

investment plan

  

You may authorize your Service Agent or the transfer agent to transfer funds automatically from (i) a regular bank account, (ii) cash held in a brokerage account opened with a Service Agent or (iii) certain money market funds, in order to buy shares on a regular basis.

n Amounts transferred must be at least $25

n Amounts may be transferred monthly, every alternate month, quarterly, semi-annually or annually

n If you do not have sufficient funds in your account on a transfer date, your Service Agent or the transfer agent may charge you a fee

 

For more information, please contact your Service Agent or Legg Mason Partners Shareholder Services or consult the SAI.

 

24         Legg Mason Partners Funds


 

Exchanging shares

 

Generally    You may exchange shares at their net asset value next determined after receipt by your Service Agent or the transfer agent of your exchange request in good order.
 
Legg Mason Partners offers a distinctive family of funds tailored to help meet the varying needs of both large and small investors   

You should contact your Service Agent to exchange into other Legg Mason Partners Funds. Be sure to read the prospectus of the Legg Mason Partners Fund into which you are exchanging. An exchange is a taxable transaction, unless you are investing through a tax-qualified savings plan or account.

n If you bought shares through a Service Agent, you may exchange shares only for shares of the same class of certain other Legg Mason Partners Funds made available for exchange by your Service Agent. However, if you are a Class 1 shareholder, you may exchange Class 1 shares for Class A shares of other Legg Mason Partners Funds that do not offer Class 1 shares and that are made available through your Service Agent. Not all Legg Mason Partners Funds made available for exchange by your Service Agent may offer all classes. Please contact your Service Agent for more information about the funds and classes that are available for exchange

n If you bought shares directly from the fund, you may exchange shares only for shares of the same class of another Legg Mason Partners Fund, other than shares of Legg Mason Partners S&P 500 Index Fund. However, if you are a Class 1 shareholder, you may exchange Class 1 shares for Class A shares of other Legg Mason Partners Funds that do not offer Class 1 shares. Not all Legg Mason Partners Funds offer all classes

n Not all Legg Mason Partners Funds may be offered in your state of residence. Contact your Service Agent or the transfer agent for further information

n Exchanges of Class A, B, C and 1 shares are subject to minimum investment requirements (except for systematic investment plan exchanges), and all shares are subject to the other requirements of the fund into which exchanges are made

n If you hold share certificates, the transfer agent must receive the certificates endorsed for transfer or with signed stock powers before the exchange is effective

n The fund may suspend or terminate your exchange privilege if you engage in an excessive pattern of exchanges

 
Sales charges   

In most instances, your shares will not be subject to an initial sales charge or a contingent deferred sales charge at the time of the exchange.

Your contingent deferred sales charge (if any) will continue to be measured from the date of your original purchase of shares subject to a

 

Legg Mason Partners All Cap Fund         25


 

   contingent deferred sales charge and you will be subject to the contingent deferred sales charge of the fund that you originally purchased.
 
By telephone   

If you do not have a brokerage account with a Service Agent, you may be eligible to exchange shares through the fund. You must complete an authorization form to authorize telephone transfers. If eligible, you may make telephone exchanges on any day the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) is open. For clients of a PFS Registered Representative, call Primerica Shareholder Services at 800-544-5445 between 8:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m. (Eastern time). All other shareholders should call Legg Mason Partners Shareholder Services at 800-451-2010 between 8:30 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. (Eastern time).

You can make telephone exchanges only between accounts that have identical registrations.

 
By mail    If you do not have a brokerage account, contact your Service Agent or write to the fund at the address on the following page.
 

Through a systematic

exchange plan

  

You may be permitted to schedule exchanges of shares of any class of the fund for shares of the same class of other Legg Mason Partners Funds.

n Exchanges may be made monthly, every alternate month, quarterly, semi-annually or annually

n A predetermined dollar amount of at least $25 per exchange is required

 

For more information, please contact your Service Agent or Legg Mason Partners Shareholder Services.

 

26         Legg Mason Partners Funds


 

Redeeming shares

 

Generally   

You may redeem shares at their net asset value next determined after receipt by your Service Agent or the transfer agent of your redemption request in good order, less any applicable contingent deferred sales charge.

Contact your Service Agent to redeem shares of the fund.

If you hold share certificates, the transfer agent must receive the certificates endorsed for transfer or with signed stock powers with a signature guarantee before you may redeem.

If the shares are held by a fiduciary or corporation, other documents may be required.

Your redemption proceeds will normally be sent within three business days after your request is received in good order but in any event within 7 days. Your redemption proceeds may be delayed for up to 10 days if your purchase was made by check.

If you have a brokerage account with a Service Agent, your redemption proceeds will be sent to your Service Agent. In other cases, unless you direct otherwise, your redemption proceeds will be paid by check mailed to your address of record.

 
By mail   

For accounts held directly at the fund, send written requests to the fund at the applicable address:

For clients of a PFS Registered Representative, send your request to:

Primerica Shareholder Services

c/o PFPC Inc.

P.O. Box 9662

Providence, RI 02940-9662

For all other investors, send your request to:

Legg Mason Partners Funds

c/o PFPC Inc.

P.O. Box 9699

Providence, RI 02940-9699

Your written request must provide the following:

n The fund name, the class of shares to be redeemed, and your account number

n The dollar amount or number of shares to be redeemed

n Signatures of each owner exactly as the account is registered

n Signature guarantees, as applicable

 
By telephone    If you do not have a brokerage account with a Service Agent, you may be eligible to redeem shares (except those held in certain retirement plans) in amounts up to $50,000 per day through the fund. You must complete an authorization form to authorize telephone redemptions. If eligible, you may request redemptions by telephone on any day the NYSE is open. For clients of a PFS Registered Representative, call Primerica Shareholder Services at 800-544-5445 between 8:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m. (Eastern time). All other shareholders should call Legg Mason Partners Shareholder Services at 800-451-2010 between 8:30 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. (Eastern time).

 

Legg Mason Partners All Cap Fund         27


 

  

Your redemption proceeds can be sent by check to your address of record or by wire or electronic transfer (ACH) to a bank account designated on your authorization form. You must submit a new authorization form to change the bank account designated to receive wire or electronic transfers and you may be asked to provide certain other documents. The transfer agent may charge a fee on a wire or an electronic transfer (ACH).

 
Automatic cash withdrawal plans   

You can arrange for the automatic redemption of a portion of your shares monthly, every alternate month, quarterly, semi-annually or annually. To qualify you must own shares of the fund with a value of at least $10,000 ($5,000 for retirement plan accounts) and each automatic redemption must be at least $50. If your shares are subject to a contingent deferred sales charge, the sales charge will be waived if your automatic redemptions are equal to or less than 2% per month of your account balance on the date the withdrawals commence up to a maximum of 12% in one year.

The following conditions apply:

n Your shares must not be represented by certificates

n All dividends and distributions must be reinvested

 

For more information, please contact your Service Agent or consult the SAI.

 

28         Legg Mason Partners Funds


 

Other things to know about transactions

When you buy, exchange or redeem shares, your request must be in good order. This means you have provided the following information, without which your request may not be processed:

n  

Name of the fund

n  

Your account number

n  

Class of shares being bought, and if you own more than one class, the class of shares being exchanged or redeemed

n  

Dollar amount or number of shares being bought, exchanged or redeemed

n  

Signature of each owner exactly as the account is registered (redemptions only)

The fund’s transfer agent or Legg Mason Partners Shareholder Services will employ reasonable procedures to confirm that any telephone exchange or redemption request is genuine, which may include recording calls, asking the caller to provide certain personal identification information, sending you a written confirmation or requiring other confirmation procedures from time to time. If these procedures are followed, neither the fund nor its agents will bear any liability for such transactions.

Signature guarantees

To be in good order, your redemption request must include a signature guarantee if you:

n  

Are redeeming over $50,000

n  

Are sending signed share certificates or stock powers to the transfer agent

n  

Instruct the transfer agent to mail the check to an address different from the one on your account registration

n  

Changed your account registration or your address within 30 days

n  

Want the check paid to someone other than the account owner(s)

n  

Are transferring the redemption proceeds to an account with a different registration

You can obtain a signature guarantee from most banks, dealers, brokers, credit unions and federal savings and loan institutions, but not from a notary public.

The fund has the right to:

n  

Suspend the offering of shares

n  

Waive or change minimum and additional investment amounts

n  

Reject any purchase or exchange order

n  

Change, revoke or suspend the exchange privilege

n  

Suspend telephone transactions

n  

Suspend or postpone redemptions of shares on any day when trading on the NYSE is restricted, or as otherwise permitted by the SEC

n  

Pay redemption proceeds by giving you securities. You may pay transaction costs to dispose of the securities

Small account balances/Mandatory redemptions

If at any time the aggregate net asset value of the fund shares in your account is less than $500 for any reason (including solely due to declines in net asset value and/or failure to invest at least $500 within a reasonable period), the fund reserves the right to ask you to bring your account up to the applicable minimum investment amount as determined by

 

Legg Mason Partners All Cap Fund         29


 

your Service Agent. In such case you shall be notified in writing and will have 60 days to make an additional investment to bring your account value up to the required level. If you choose not to do so within this 60-day period, the fund may close your account and send you the redemption proceeds. In the event your account is closed due to a failure to increase your balance to the minimum required amount, you will not be eligible to have your account subsequently reinstated without imposition of any sales charges that may apply to your new purchase. The fund may, with prior notice, change the minimum size of accounts subject to mandatory redemption, which may vary by class, or implement fees for small accounts.

Subject to applicable law, the fund may, with prior notice, adopt other policies from time to time requiring mandatory redemption of shares in certain circumstances.

For more information, please contact your Service Agent or Legg Mason Partners Shareholder Services.

Frequent purchases and redemptions of fund shares

Frequent purchases and redemptions of fund shares may interfere with the efficient management of the fund’s portfolio by its portfolio manager, increase portfolio transaction costs, and have a negative effect on the fund’s long-term shareholders. For example, in order to handle large flows of cash into and out of the fund, the portfolio manager may need to allocate more assets to cash or other short-term investments or sell securities, rather than maintaining full investment in securities selected to achieve the fund’s investment objective. Frequent trading may cause the fund to sell securities at less favorable prices. Transaction costs, such as brokerage commissions and market spreads, can detract from the fund’s performance. In addition, the return received by long-term shareholders may be reduced when trades by other shareholders are made in an effort to take advantage of certain pricing discrepancies, when, for example, it is believed that the fund’s share price, which is determined at the close of the NYSE on each trading day, does not accurately reflect the value of the fund’s portfolio securities. Funds investing in foreign securities have been particularly susceptible to this form of arbitrage, but other funds could also be affected.

Because of the potential harm to the fund and its long-term shareholders, the fund’s Board has approved policies and procedures that are intended to discourage and prevent excessive trading and market timing abuses through the use of various surveillance techniques. Under these policies and procedures, the fund may limit additional exchanges or purchases of fund shares by shareholders who are believed by LMPFA to be engaged in these abusive trading activities. The intent of the policies and procedures is not to inhibit legitimate strategies, such as asset allocation, dollar cost averaging, or similar activities that may nonetheless result in frequent trading of fund shares. For this reason, the Board has not adopted any specific restrictions on purchases and sales of fund shares, but the fund reserves the right to reject any exchange or purchase of fund shares with or without prior notice to the account holder. In cases where surveillance of a particular account establishes what LMPFA believes to be obvious market-timing, LMPFA will seek to block future purchases and exchanges of fund shares by that account. Where surveillance of a particular account indicates activity that LMPFA believes could be either abusive or for legitimate purposes, the fund may permit the account holder to justify the activity.

 

30         Legg Mason Partners Funds


 

The policies apply to any account, whether an individual account or accounts with financial intermediaries such as investment advisers, broker/dealers or retirement plan administrators, commonly called omnibus accounts, where the intermediary holds fund shares for a number of its customers in one account. The fund’s ability to monitor trading in omnibus accounts may, however, be severely limited due to the lack of access to an individual investor’s trading activity when orders are placed through these types of accounts. There may also be operational and technological limitations on the ability of the fund’s service providers to identify or terminate frequent trading activity within the various types of omnibus accounts.

The fund’s policies also require personnel such as portfolio managers and investment staff to report any abnormal or otherwise suspicious investment activity, and prohibit short-term trades by such personnel for their own account in mutual funds managed by the manager and its affiliates, other than money market funds. Additionally, the fund has adopted policies and procedures to prevent the selective release of information about the fund’s portfolio holdings, as such information may be used for market-timing and similar abusive practices.

The fund’s policies provide for ongoing assessment of the effectiveness of current policies and surveillance tools, and the fund’s Board reserves the right to modify these or adopt additional policies and restrictions in the future. Shareholders should be aware, however, that any surveillance techniques currently employed by the fund or other techniques that may be adopted in the future may not be effective, particularly where the trading takes place through certain types of omnibus accounts. As noted above, if the fund is unable to detect and deter trading abuses, the fund’s performance, and its long-term shareholders, may be harmed. In addition, because the fund has not adopted any specific limitations or restrictions on the trading of fund shares, shareholders may be harmed by the extra costs and portfolio management inefficiencies that result from frequent trading of fund shares, even when the trading is not for abusive purposes. Furthermore, the fund may not apply its policies consistently or uniformly, resulting in the risk that some shareholders may be able to engage in frequent trading while others will bear the costs and effects of that trading. The fund will provide advance notice to shareholders and prospective investors of any specific restrictions on the trading of fund shares that the Board may adopt in the future.

Share certificates

Share certificates for the fund will no longer be issued. If you currently hold share certificates of the fund, such certificates will continue to be honored. If you would like to return your share certificates to the fund and hold your shares in uncertificated form, please contact your Service Agent or Legg Mason Partners Shareholder Services.

Record ownership

If you hold shares through a Service Agent, your Service Agent may establish and maintain your account and be the shareholder of record. In the event that the fund holds a shareholder meeting, your Service Agent, as record holder, will vote your shares in accordance with your instructions. If you do not give your Service Agent voting instructions, your Service Agent may nonetheless, under certain circumstances, be entitled to vote your shares.

 

Legg Mason Partners All Cap Fund         31


 

Dividends, distributions and taxes

Dividends and distributions

The fund generally pays dividends and makes capital gain distributions, if any, once a year, typically in December. The fund may pay additional distributions and dividends at other times if necessary for the fund to avoid a federal tax. The fund expects distributions to be primarily from capital gains. Capital gain distributions and dividends are reinvested in additional fund shares of the same class you hold. You do not pay a sales charge on reinvested distributions or dividends. Alternatively, you can instruct your Service Agent or Legg Mason Partners Shareholder Services to have your distributions and/or dividends paid in cash. You can change your choice at any time to be effective as of the next distribution or dividend.

Taxes

In general, redeeming shares, exchanging shares and receiving dividends and distributions (whether in cash or additional shares) are all taxable events. The following table summarizes the tax status to you of certain transactions related to the fund.

 

Transaction    Federal tax status
Redemption or exchange of shares    Usually capital gain or loss; long-term only if shares owned more than one year
 
Long-term capital gain distributions    Long-term capital gain
 
Dividends    Ordinary income, potentially taxable at long-term capital gain rates
 

Distributions attributable to short-term capital gains are treated as dividends, taxable as ordinary income. Taxable dividends and long-term capital gain distributions are taxable whether received in cash or reinvested in fund shares. Although dividends (including dividends from short-term capital gains) are generally taxable as ordinary income, individual shareholders who satisfy certain holding period and other requirements are taxed on such dividends at long-term capital gain rates to the extent the dividends are attributable to “qualified dividend income” received by the fund. “Qualified dividend income” generally consists of dividends received from U.S. corporations (other than dividends from tax-exempt organizations and certain dividends from real estate investment trusts and regulated investment companies) and certain foreign corporations. In order for such dividends to be considered “qualified dividend income,” both the shareholder and the fund must meet certain holding period requirements. Long-term capital gain distributions are taxable to you as long-term capital gain regardless of how long you have owned your shares. You may want to avoid buying shares when the fund is about to declare a long-term capital gain distribution or a dividend because it will be taxable to you even though it may actually be a return of a portion of your investment.

A dividend declared by the fund in October, November and December and paid during January of the following year may in certain circumstances be treated as paid in December for tax purposes.

After the end of each year, your Service Agent or the fund will provide you with information about the distributions and dividends you received and any redemptions of shares during the previous year. If you do not provide the fund with your correct taxpayer identification number and any required certifications, you may be subject to back-up

 

32         Legg Mason Partners Funds


 

withholding on your distributions, dividends and redemption proceeds. Because each shareholder’s circumstances are different and special tax rules may apply, you should consult your tax adviser about your investment in the fund.

The above discussion is applicable to shareholders who are U.S. persons. If you are a non-U.S. person, please consult your own tax adviser with respect to the U.S. tax consequences to you of an investment in the fund.

 

Legg Mason Partners All Cap Fund         33


 

Share price

You may buy, exchange or redeem shares at their net asset value next determined after receipt of your request in good order, plus any applicable sales charge. The fund’s net asset value per share is the value of its assets minus its liabilities divided by the number of shares outstanding. Net asset value is calculated separately for each class of shares. The fund calculates its net asset value every day the NYSE is open. This calculation is done when regular trading closes on the NYSE (normally 4:00 p.m., Eastern time). The NYSE is closed on certain holidays listed in the SAI.

The Board has approved procedures to be used to value the fund’s securities for the purposes of determining the fund’s net asset value. The valuation of the securities of the fund is determined in good faith by or under the direction of the Board. The Board has delegated certain valuation functions for the fund to LMPFA.

The fund generally values its securities based on market prices determined at the close of regular trading on the NYSE. The fund’s currency valuations, if any, are done as of when the London Stock Exchange closes, which is usually at 12 noon Eastern time, as LMPFA believes that these valuations typically reflect the largest trading volume in the foreign currency markets. A material change in the value of currency during the period between the close of the London Stock Exchange and the calculation of the fund’s net asset value on the same date is considered a significant event, as described below, in response to which the fund may use fair valuation procedures to value the affected investments. For equity securities that are traded on an exchange, the market price is usually the closing sale or official closing price on that exchange. In the case of securities not traded on an exchange, or if such closing prices are not otherwise available, the market price is typically determined by independent third party pricing vendors approved by the fund’s Board using a variety of pricing techniques and methodologies. The market price for debt obligations is generally the price supplied by an independent third party pricing service approved by the fund’s Board, which may use a matrix, formula or other objective method that takes into consideration market indices, yield curves and other specific adjustments. Short-term debt obligations that will mature in 60 days or less are valued at amortized cost, unless it is determined that using this method would not reflect an investment’s fair value. If vendors are unable to supply a price, or if the price supplied is deemed by LMPFA to be unreliable, the market price may be determined using quotations received from one or more broker/dealers that make a market in the security. When such prices or quotations are not available, or when LMPFA believes that they are unreliable, LMPFA may price securities using fair value procedures approved by the Board. Because the fund invests in securities of small capitalization companies — some of which may be thinly traded, for which market quotations may not be readily available or may be unreliable — the fund may use fair valuation procedures more frequently than funds that invest primarily in securities that are more liquid, such as securities of large capitalization domestic issuers. The fund may also use fair value procedures if LMPFA determines that a significant event has occurred between the time at which a market price is determined and the time at which the fund’s net asset value is calculated. In particular, the value of foreign securities may be materially affected by events occurring after the close of the market on which they are valued, but before the fund prices its shares. The fund uses a fair value model developed by an independent third

 

34         Legg Mason Partners Funds


 

party pricing service to price foreign equity securities on days when there is a certain percentage change in the value of a domestic equity security index, as such percentage may be determined by the manager from time to time.

Valuing securities at fair value involves greater reliance on judgment than valuation of securities based on readily available market quotations. A fund that uses fair value to price securities may value those securities higher or lower than another fund using market quotations or its own fair value methodologies to price the same securities. There can be no assurance that the fund could obtain the fair value assigned to a security if it were to sell the security at approximately the time at which the fund determines its net asset value.

In order to buy, redeem or exchange shares at that day’s price, you must place your order with your Service Agent or the transfer agent before the NYSE closes. If the NYSE closes early, you must place your order prior to the actual closing time.

It is the responsibility of the Service Agents to transmit all orders to buy, exchange or redeem shares to the transfer agent on a timely basis.

 

Legg Mason Partners All Cap Fund         35


 

Financial highlights

The financial highlights tables are intended to help you understand the performance of each class for the past five years. Certain information reflects financial results for a single share. Total return represents the rate that a shareholder would have earned (or lost) on a fund share assuming reinvestment of all dividends and distributions. The information in the following tables has been derived from the predecessor fund’s financial statements, which, except for the financial highlights for the six months ended October 31, 2006, which are unaudited, have been audited by KPMG LLP, independent registered public accounting firm, whose report, along with the fund’s financial statements, is included in the annual report (available upon request). The financial information shown below is that of the fund’s predecessor. As of November 20, 2006, Class Y shares of the fund were renamed Class I shares. Financial highlights for Class I shares are not provided as no Class I shares were outstanding on October 31, 2006.

Financial highlights for Class 1 shares are not provided as this class was newly offered as of February 2, 2007.

 

For a Class A share outstanding throughout each year ended April 30, unless otherwise noted:
Class A Shares(1)   2006(2)     2006     2005     2004     2003     2002  

Net asset value, beginning of period

  $9.42     $8.02     $7.96     $6.32     $7.89     $9.23  
   

Income (loss) from operations:

           

Net investment income (loss)

  0.02     0.01     0.01     (0.03 )   (0.02 )   (0.05 )

Net realized and unrealized gain (loss)

  0.40     1.39     0.05     1.67     (1.55 )   (1.29 )
   

Total income (loss) from operations

  0.42     1.40     0.06     1.64     (1.57 )   (1.34 )
   

Net asset value, end of period

  $9.84     $9.42     $8.02     $7.96     $6.32     $7.89  
   

Total return(3)

  4.46 %   17.46 %   0.75 %   25.95 %   (19.90 )%   (14.52 )%
   

Net assets, end of period (000s)

  $86,155     $91,562     $84,629     $48,352     $25,273     $37,371  
   

Ratios to average net assets:

           

Gross expenses

  1.21 %(4)   1.21 %   1.20 %   1.19 %   1.20 %   1.21 %

Gross expenses, excluding interest expense

  1.21 (4)   1.20     1.20     1.19     1.20     1.21  

Net expenses(5)

  1.21 (4)(6)   1.19 (6)   1.18 (6)   1.19     1.20     1.21  

Net expenses, excluding interest expense(5)

  1.21 (4)(6)   1.19 (6)   1.18 (6)   1.19     1.20     1.21  

Net investment income (loss)

  0.45 (4)   0.06     0.14     (0.36 )   (0.37 )   (0.64 )
   

Portfolio turnover rate

  5 %   24 %   15 %   125 %   47 %   35 %
   

 

(1)

 

Per share amounts have been calculated using the average shares method.

 

(2)

 

For the six months ended October 31, 2006 (unaudited).

 

(3)

 

Performance figures may reflect fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements. Past performance is no guarantee of future results. In the absence of fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements, the total return would have been lower. Total returns for periods of less than one year are not annualized.

 

(4)

 

Annualized.

 

(5)

 

As a result of a voluntary expense limitation, the ratio of expenses to average net assets, other than interest, brokerage, taxes and extraordinary expenses, of Class A shares did not exceed 1.40%.

 

(6)

 

Reflects fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements.

 

36         Legg Mason Partners Funds


 

For a Class B share outstanding throughout each year ended April 30, unless otherwise noted:
Class B Shares(1)   2006(2)     2006     2005     2004     2003     2002  

Net asset value, beginning of period

  $9.02     $7.74     $7.73     $6.18     $7.78     $9.18  
   

Income (loss) from operations:

           

Net investment loss

  (0.01 )   (0.06 )   (0.05 )   (0.08 )   (0.07 )   (0.11 )

Net realized and unrealized gain (loss)

  0.38     1.34     0.06     1.63     (1.53 )   (1.29 )
   

Total income (loss) from operations

  0.37     1.28     0.01     1.55     (1.60 )   (1.40 )
   

Net asset value, end of period

  $9.39     $9.02     $7.74     $7.73     $6.18     $7.78  
   

Total return(3)

  4.10 %   16.54 %   0.13 %   25.08 %   (20.57 )%   (15.25 )%
   

Net assets, end of period (000s)

  $67,510     $71,865     $73,331     $56,434     $39,445     $61,693  
   

Ratios to average net assets:

           

Gross expenses

  1.97 %(4)   1.97 %   1.97 %   1.94 %   1.97 %   1.93 %

Gross expenses, excluding interest expense

  1.97 (4)   1.96     1.97     1.94     1.97     1.93  

Net expenses(5)

  1.97 (4)(6)   1.95 (6)   1.94 (6)   1.94     1.97     1.93  

Net expenses, excluding interest expense(5)

  1.97 (4)(6)   1.95 (6)   1.94 (6)   1.94     1.97     1.93  

Net investment loss

  (0.31 )(4)   (0.70 )   (0.62 )   (1.13 )   (1.14 )   (1.36 )
   

Portfolio turnover rate

  5 %   24 %   15 %   125 %   47 %   35 %
   

 

(1)

 

Per share amounts have been calculated using the average shares method.

 

(2)

 

For the six months ended October 31, 2006 (unaudited).

 

(3)

 

Performance figures may reflect fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements. Past performance is no guarantee of future results. In the absence of fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements, the total return would have been lower. Total returns for periods of less than one year are not annualized.

 

(4)

 

Annualized.

 

(5)

 

As a result of a voluntary expense limitation, the ratio of expenses to average net assets, other than interest, brokerage, taxes and extraordinary expenses, of Class B shares did not exceed 2.15%.

 

(6)

 

Reflects fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements.

 

Legg Mason Partners All Cap Fund         37


 

For a Class C share outstanding throughout each year ended April 30, unless otherwise noted:
Class C Shares(1)   2006(2)     2006     2005     2004     2003     2002  

Net asset value, beginning of period

  $9.03     $7.74     $7.74     $6.19     $7.78     $9.18  
   

Income (loss) from operations:

           

Net investment loss

  (0.01 )   (0.06 )   (0.05 )   (0.08 )   (0.07 )   (0.11 )

Net realized and unrealized gain (loss)

  0.38     1.35     0.05     1.63     (1.52 )   (1.29 )
   

Total income (loss) from operations

  0.37     1.29     0.00     1.55     (1.59 )   (1.40 )
   

Net asset value, end of period

  $9.40     $9.03     $7.74     $7.74     $6.19     $7.78  
   

Total return(3)

  4.10 %   16.67 %   0.00 %   25.04 %   (20.44 )%   (15.25 )%
   

Net assets, end of period (000s)

  $173,448     $190,538     $215,024     $215,044     $176,460     $299,640  
   

Ratios to average net assets:

           

Gross expenses

  1.89 %(4)   1.93 %   1.95 %   1.91 %   1.93 %   1.93 %

Gross expenses, excluding interest expense

  1.89 (4)   1.93     1.95     1.91     1.93     1.93  

Net expenses(5)

  1.89 (4)(6)   1.91 (6)   1.92 (6)   1.91     1.93     1.93  

Net expenses, excluding interest expense(5)

  1.89 (4)(6)   1.90 (6)   1.92 (6)   1.91     1.93     1.93  

Net investment loss

  (0.23 )(4)   (0.65 )   (0.60 )   (1.11 )   (1.10 )   (1.36 )
   

Portfolio turnover rate

  5 %   24 %   15 %   125 %   47 %   35 %
   

 

(1)

 

Per share amounts have been calculated using the average shares method.

 

(2)

 

For the six months ended October 31, 2006 (unaudited).

 

(3)

 

Performance figures may reflect fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements. Past performance is no guarantee of future results. In the absence of fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements, the total return would have been lower. Total returns for periods of less than one year are not annualized.

 

(4)

 

Annualized.

 

(5)

 

As a result of a voluntary expense limitation, the ratio of expenses to average net assets, other than interest, brokerage, taxes and extraordinary expenses, of Class C shares did not exceed 2.15%.

 

(6)

 

Reflects fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements.

 

38         Legg Mason Partners Funds


 

 

 

 

(Investment Company Act

file no. 811-6444)

FD01889 04/07

LOGO

LOGO

 

Legg Mason Partners All Cap Fund

You may visit the fund’s website at http://www.leggmason.com/InvestorServices for a free copy of a Prospectus, Statement of Additional Information (“SAI”) or an Annual or Semi-Annual Report, or to request other information.

Shareholder reports Additional information about the fund’s investments is available in the fund’s Annual and Semi-Annual Reports to shareholders. In the fund’s Annual Report, you will find a discussion of the market conditions and investment strategies that significantly affected the fund’s performance.

The fund sends only one report to a household if more than one account has the same last name and same address. Contact your Service Agent or Legg Mason Partners Shareholder Services if you do not want this policy to apply to you.

Statement of additional information The SAI provides more detailed information about the fund and is incorporated by reference into (is legally a part of) this Prospectus.

You can make inquiries about the fund or obtain shareholder reports (without charge) by contacting your Service Agent, by calling Legg Mason Partners Shareholder Services at 800-451-2010 (or for clients of a PFS Investments Inc. Registered Representative call Primerica Shareholder Services at 800-544-5445) or by writing to the fund at Legg Mason Partners Funds, 125 Broad Street, New York, New York 10004.

Information about the fund (including the SAI) can be reviewed and copied at the Securities and Exchange Commission’s (the “SEC”) Public Reference Room in Washington, D.C. Information on the operation of the Public Reference Room may be obtained by calling the SEC at 1-202-551-8090. Reports and other information about the fund are available on the EDGAR Database on the SEC’s Internet site at http://www.sec.gov. Copies of this information may be obtained for a duplicating fee by electronic request at the following E-mail address: publicinfo@sec.gov, or by writing the SEC’s Public Reference Section, Washington, D.C. 20549-0102.

If someone makes a statement about the fund that is not in this Prospectus, you should not rely upon that information. Neither the fund nor its distributors are offering to sell shares of the fund to any person to whom the fund may not lawfully sell its shares.


Filed under Rule 497(c)

File Nos. 33-43446 and 811-6444

April 16, 2007

STATEMENT OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

LEGG MASON PARTNERS ALL CAP FUND

125 Broad Street

New York, New York 10004

(800) 451-2010

This Statement of Additional Information (the “SAI”) is not a prospectus and is meant to be read in conjunction with the current prospectus of Legg Mason Partners All Cap Fund (the “fund”), dated April 16, 2007, and is incorporated by reference in its entirety into the fund’s prospectus. As part of a number of initiatives launched in 2006 to restructure and streamline the Legg Mason Partners fund complex, the fund assumed the assets and liabilities of a predecessor fund with the same name. The fund is now grouped for organizational and governance purposes with other Legg Mason Partners funds that are predominantly equity-type funds, and is a series of Legg Mason Partners Equity Trust (the “Trust”), a Maryland business trust. Other initiatives, including the election of a new Board of Trustees (the “Board”) and the approval of certain revised fundamental investment policies, have also been accomplished, and more information on these matters appears in this SAI. Certain historical information contained in the SAI is that of the fund’s predecessor.

Additional information about the fund’s investments is available in the fund’s annual and semi-annual reports to shareholders. These reports contain financial statements that are incorporated herein by reference. A prospectus and copies of the reports may be obtained free of charge by contacting a distributor’s financial advisor or registered representative, a broker/dealer, financial intermediary or a financial institution that has entered into an agreement with one of the fund’s distributors (each called a “Service Agent”), or by writing or calling the fund at the address or telephone number set forth above. Legg Mason Investor Services, LLC (“LMIS”), a wholly-owned broker/dealer subsidiary of Legg Mason, Inc. (“Legg Mason”), Citigroup Global Markets Inc. (“CGMI”) and PFS Investments Inc. (“PFS”) serve as the fund’s distributors.

Prior to February 2, 2007, the fund had a different manager and followed different investment strategies under the name “Legg Mason Partners Multiple Discipline Funds All Cap Growth and Value.”

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

Investment Objectives and Management Policies    2
Risk Factors    16
Disclosure of Portfolio Holdings    18
Investment Policies    20
Management    23
Investment Management and Other Services    30
Portfolio Manager Disclosure    40
Purchase of Shares    42
Redemption of Shares    50
Valuation of Shares    52
Exchange Privilege    52
Taxes    53
Additional Information    60
Financial Statements    65
Appendix A: Proxy Voting Guidelines & Procedures Summary    67

 

1


INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE AND MANAGEMENT POLICIES

The fund’s prospectus discusses the fund’s investment objective and policies. The following discussion supplements the description of the fund’s investment policies in the prospectus. Legg Mason Capital Management Inc. (“LMCM” or the “manager”) is the fund’s investment manager.

Investment Objective

The fund’s investment objective is long-term capital growth. The fund’s investment objective may be changed by the Board without shareholder approval.

Principal Investment Strategies

The fund invests primarily in equity securities of any size that, in the portfolio manager’s opinion, offer the potential for capital growth. The fund does not have specific market capitalization parameters, allowing the portfolio manager greater flexibility to identify investment opportunities that are expected to help the fund achieve its investment objective.

Additional Information

The fund’s principal investment strategies are described above. The following provides additional information on these principal strategies and describes other investment strategies that may be used by the fund. Unless otherwise noted, if any percentage restriction described below is complied with at the time of an investment, a later increase or decrease in percentage resulting from a change in values or assets will not constitute a violation of such restriction.

The fund is non-diversified, which means that the fund may invest a greater proportion of its assets in the securities of a smaller number of issuers. To the extent the fund concentrates its assets in fewer issuers, the fund will be more susceptible to negative events affecting those issuers.

The portfolio manager follows an intrinsic value discipline in selecting securities, and, therefore, seeks to purchase securities trading at large discounts to the portfolio manager’s assessment of their estimated value. Intrinsic value, according to the manager, is the value of the company measured, to different extents depending on the type of company, on factors such as, but not limited to, the discounted value of its projected future free cash flows, the capability to earn returns on capital in excess of its cost of capital, private market values of similar companies and the costs to replicate the business. Qualitative factors may also be considered by the portfolio manager in selecting stocks, including an assessment of the company’s products, competitive positioning, strategy, industry economics and dynamics, and regulatory frameworks, among others. Securities may be undervalued due to, among other things, uncertainty arising from the limited availability of accurate information, economic growth and changes, changes in competitive conditions, technological change, investor overreaction to negative news or events, and changes in governmental policy or geopolitical dynamics.

The portfolio manager may decide to sell securities given a variety of circumstances, such as, for example, when a security no longer appears to offer a long-term above-average risk-adjusted rate of return, when an investment opportunity arises that the portfolio manager believes is more compelling, when the original reason for investing no longer applies, or to realize gains or limit potential losses.

Equity Securities

Common Stocks. The fund may purchase common stocks. Common stocks are shares of a corporation or other entity that entitle the holder to a pro rata share of the profits of the corporation, if any, without preference over any other shareholder or class of shareholders, including holders of the entity’s preferred stock and other senior equity. Common stock usually carries with it the right to vote and frequently an exclusive right to do so.

 

2


Preferred Stocks, Convertible Securities and Warrants. The fund may invest in convertible debt and preferred stocks. Convertible debt securities and preferred stocks entitle the holder to acquire the issuer’s stock by exchange or purchase for a predetermined rate. Convertible securities are subject both to the credit and interest rate risks associated with fixed income securities and to the stock market risk associated with equity securities. Convertible securities enable an investor to benefit from increases in the market price of the underlying common stock. Convertible securities provide higher yields than the underlying equity securities, but generally offer lower yields than non-convertible securities of similar quality. Like bonds, the value of convertible securities fluctuates in relation to changes in interest rates and, in addition, also fluctuates in relation to the underlying common stock. Warrants entitle the fund to buy common stock from the issuer at a specified price and time. Warrants are subject to the same market risks as stocks, but may be more volatile in price. The fund’s investment in warrants will not entitle it to receive dividends or exercise voting rights and will become worthless if the warrants cannot be profitably exercised before the expiration dates.

REITs. The fund may invest in shares of real estate investment trusts (“REITs”), which are pooled investment vehicles that invest in real estate or real estate loans or interests. Investing in REITs involves risks similar to those associated with investing in equity securities of small capitalization companies. REITs are dependent upon management skills, are not diversified, and are subject to risks of project financing, default by borrowers, self-liquidation, and the possibility of failing to qualify for the exemption from taxation on distributed amounts under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”).

Foreign Securities. The fund may invest in foreign securities only through American Depositary Receipts (“ADRs”) or ordinary shares of non-U.S. companies traded in the U.S. markets. ADRs are receipts typically issued by an American bank or trust company representing underlying shares of foreign companies. ADRs are issued in registered form. ADRs are publicly traded on exchanges or over-the-counter in the United States and are issued through “sponsored” or “unsponsored” arrangements. In a sponsored ADR arrangement, the foreign issuer assumes the obligation to pay some or all of the depository’s transaction fees, whereas under an unsponsored arrangement, the foreign issuer assumes no such obligation and the depository’s transaction fees are paid by the ADR holders. In addition, less information is available in the United States about an unsponsored ADR than about a sponsored ADR, and the financial information about a company may not be as reliable for an unsponsored ADR as it is for a sponsored ADR. The fund may invest in ADRs through both sponsored and unsponsored arrangements.

The value of an ADR is dependent upon the market price of an underlying foreign security. An ADR may trade at a premium to that price due to the ease of execution and the greater liquidity in U.S. markets. An ADR may trade at a discount to the market price of the underlying foreign security based on differences in the times U.S. and foreign markets are open and other factors.

The depository for ADRs is typically a U.S. financial institution and the underlying securities are issued by a foreign issuer. For purposes of the fund’s investment policies, investments in depository receipts will be deemed to be investments in the underlying securities. Thus, a depository receipt representing ownership of common stock will be treated as common stock.

Investing in the securities of foreign companies involves special risks and considerations not typically associated with investing in U.S. companies. Because the value of a depository receipt is dependent upon the market price of an underlying foreign security, depository receipts are subject to most of the risks associated with investing in foreign securities directly. There are certain risks involved in investing in foreign securities, including those resulting from fluctuations in currency exchange rates, revaluation of currencies, future political or economic developments and the possible imposition of currency exchange blockages or other foreign governmental laws or restrictions, reduced availability of public information concerning issuers, and the fact that foreign companies are not generally subject to uniform accounting, auditing and financial reporting standards or to other regulatory practices and requirements comparable to those applicable to domestic companies. Moreover, securities of many foreign companies may be less liquid and their prices more volatile than securities of

 

3


comparable domestic companies. These include differences in accounting, auditing and financial reporting standards and political instability which could affect U.S. investments in foreign countries. Many of the foreign securities held by the fund will not be registered with, nor will the issuers thereof be subject to the reporting requirements of, the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”). Accordingly, there may be less publicly available information about the securities and about the foreign company issuing them than is available about a domestic company and its securities. Moreover, individual foreign economies may differ favorably or unfavorably from the U.S. economy in such respects as growth of gross domestic product, rate of inflation, capital reinvestment, resource self-sufficiency and balance of payment positions.

The fund’s investments in ADRs and ordinary shares of non-U.S. companies that trade in U.S. markets are limited to a maximum of 25% of its assets.

Lending Portfolio Securities. Consistent with applicable regulatory requirements and for cash management purposes, the fund may lend securities from its portfolio to brokers, dealers and other financial organizations. The fund may not lend its portfolio securities to the manager or its affiliates unless it has applied for and received specific authority from the SEC. Loans of portfolio securities by the fund will be collateralized by cash, letters of credit or U.S. government securities that are maintained at all times in an amount equal to at least 102% of the current market value of the loaned securities. Any gain or loss in the market price of the securities loaned that might occur during the term of the loan would be for the account of the fund.

In lending its portfolio securities, the fund can increase its income by continuing to receive interest on the loaned securities as well as by either investing the cash collateral in short-term instruments or obtaining yield in the form of interest paid by the borrower when U.S. government securities are used as collateral. Requirements of the SEC, which may be subject to future modifications, currently provide that the following conditions must be met whenever the fund’s portfolio securities are loaned: (a) the fund must receive at least 102% cash collateral or equivalent securities from the borrower; (b) the borrower must increase such collateral whenever the market value of the securities rises above the level of such collateral; (c) the fund must be able to terminate the loan at any time; (d) the fund must receive reasonable interest on the loan, as well as an amount equal to any dividends, interest or other distributions on the loaned securities, and any increase in market value; (e) the fund may pay only reasonable custodian fees in connection with the loan; and (f) voting rights on the loaned securities may pass to the borrower; however, if a material event adversely affecting the investment occurs, the fund must terminate the loan and regain the right to vote the securities. The risks in lending portfolio securities, as with other extensions of secured credit, consist of possible delay in receiving additional collateral or in the recovery of the securities or possible loss of rights in the collateral should the borrower fail financially. Loans will be made to firms deemed by the portfolio manager to be of good standing and will not be made unless, in the judgment of the portfolio manager, the consideration to be earned from such loans would justify the risk. From time to time, the fund may return to the borrower and/or a third party, which is unaffiliated with the fund or the manager and is acting as a “finder,” a part of the interest earned from the investment of collateral received for securities loaned.

Generally, the borrower will be required to make payments to the fund in lieu of any dividends the fund would have otherwise received had it not loaned the shares to the borrower. Any such payments, however, will not be treated as “qualified dividend income” for purposes of determining what portion of the fund’s regular dividends (as defined below) received by individuals may be taxed at the rates generally applicable to long-term capital gains (see “Taxes” below).

Repurchase Agreements. The fund may enter into repurchase agreements. A repurchase agreement is an agreement by the fund to purchase securities from a bank or recognized securities dealer and simultaneously commit to resell the securities to the bank or dealer at an agreed-upon date and price reflecting a market rate of interest unrelated to the coupon rate or maturity of the purchased securities. The fund would maintain custody of the underlying securities prior to their repurchase; thus, the obligation of the bank or dealer to pay the repurchase price on the date agreed to would be, in effect, secured by such securities. If the value of such securities were less than the repurchase price, plus interest, the other party to the agreement would be required to provide additional

 

4


collateral so that at all times the collateral is at least 102% of the repurchase price plus accrued interest. Default by or bankruptcy of a seller would expose the fund to possible loss because of adverse market action, expenses and/or delays in connection with the disposition of the underlying obligations. The financial institutions with which the fund may enter into repurchase agreements will be banks and non-bank dealers of U.S. government securities that are listed on the Federal Reserve Bank of New York’s list of reporting dealers, if such banks and non-bank dealers are deemed creditworthy by the manager. The manager will continue to monitor creditworthiness of the seller under a repurchase agreement, and will require the seller to maintain during the term of the agreement the value of the securities subject to the agreement to equal at least 102% of the repurchase price (including accrued interest). In addition, the manager will require that the value of this collateral, after transaction costs (including loss of interest) reasonably expected to be incurred on a default, be equal to 102% or greater than the repurchase price (including accrued premium) provided in the repurchase agreement or the daily amortization of the difference between the purchase price and the repurchase price specified in the repurchase agreement. The manager will mark-to-market daily the value of the securities. Repurchase agreements are considered to be loans by the fund under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”).

Pursuant to an exemptive order issued by the SEC, the fund, along with other affiliated entities managed by the manager or its affiliates, may transfer uninvested cash balances into one or more joint repurchase accounts. These balances are invested in one or more repurchase agreements, secured by U.S. government securities. Securities that are collateral for repurchase agreements are financial assets subject to the fund’s entitlement orders through its securities account at its custodian bank until the agreements mature. Each joint repurchase agreement requires that the market value of the collateral be sufficient to cover payments of interest and principal; however, in the event of default by the other party to the agreement, retention or sale of the collateral may be subject to legal proceedings.

Reverse Repurchase Agreements. The fund may enter into reverse repurchase agreements. A reverse repurchase agreement involves the sale of a money market instrument by the fund and its agreement to repurchase the instrument at a specified time and price. The fund will maintain a segregated account consisting of U.S. government securities or cash or cash equivalents to cover its obligations under reverse repurchase agreements with broker-dealers and other financial institutions. The fund will invest the proceeds in other money market instruments or repurchase agreements maturing not later than the expiration of the reverse repurchase agreement. Under the 1940 Act, reverse repurchase agreements may be considered borrowings by the seller.

Reverse repurchase agreements create opportunities for increased returns to the shareholders of the fund but, at the same time, create special risk considerations. Although the principal or stated value of such borrowings will be fixed, the fund’s assets may change in value during the time the borrowing is outstanding. To the extent the income or other gain derived from securities purchased with borrowed funds exceeds the interest or dividends the fund will have to pay in respect thereof, the fund’s net income or other gain will be greater than if this type of investment technique had not been used. Conversely, if the income or other gain from the incremental assets is not sufficient to cover this cost, the net income or other gain of the fund will be less than if the reverse repurchase agreement had not been used.

When-Issued and Delayed Delivery Transactions. The fund may purchase or sell securities on a when-issued or delayed delivery basis. Delivery of the securities in such cases occurs beyond the normal settlement periods, but no payment or delivery is made by the fund prior to the reciprocal delivery or payment by the other party to the transaction. In entering into a when-issued or delayed delivery transaction, the fund relies on the other party to consummate the transaction and may be disadvantaged if the other party fails to do so.

The fund will at times maintain in a segregated account cash or liquid securities equal to the amount of the fund’s when-issued or delayed delivery commitments. For the purpose of determining the adequacy of the securities in the account, the deposited securities will be valued at market or fair value. If the market or fair value of such securities declines, additional cash or securities will be placed in the account on a daily basis so the value of the account will equal the amount of such commitments by the fund. Placing securities rather than cash in the

 

5


account may have a leveraging effect on the fund’s assets. That is, to the extent the fund remains substantially fully invested in securities at the time that it has committed to purchase securities on a when-issued basis, there will be greater fluctuation in its net asset value than if it had set aside cash to satisfy its purchase commitments. On the settlement date, the fund will meet its obligations from then available cash flow, the sale of securities held in the separate account, the sale of other securities or, although it normally would not expect to do so, from the sale of the when-issued or delayed delivery securities themselves (which may have a greater or lesser value than the fund’s payment obligations).

Money Market Instruments. As stated in the prospectus, the fund may invest for temporary defensive purposes, to pay expenses and/or meet redemption requests in any type of money market instruments and short-term debt securities or cash. Money market instruments in which the fund may invest include: U.S. government securities; certificates of deposit, time deposits and bankers’ acceptances issued by domestic banks (including their branches located outside the United States and subsidiaries located in Canada), domestic branches of foreign banks, savings and loan associations and similar institutions; high grade commercial paper; and repurchase agreements with respect to the foregoing types of instruments. The following is a more detailed description of such money market instruments.

Certificates of deposit (“CDs”) are short-term negotiable obligations of commercial banks. Time deposits (“TDs”) are non-negotiable deposits maintained in banking institutions for specified periods of time at stated interest rates. Bankers’ acceptances are time drafts drawn on commercial banks by borrowers usually in connection with international transactions.

Domestic commercial banks organized under Federal law are supervised and examined by the Comptroller of the Currency and are required to be members of the Federal Reserve System and to be insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (the “FDIC”). Domestic banks organized under state law are supervised and examined by state banking authorities but are members of the Federal Reserve System only if they elect to join. Most state banks are insured by the FDIC (although such insurance may not be of material benefit to the fund, depending upon the principal amounts of CDs of each bank held by the fund) and are subject to Federal examination and to a substantial body of Federal law and regulation. As a result of governmental regulations, domestic branches of domestic banks are generally required to, among other things, maintain specified levels of reserves, and are subject to other supervision and regulation designed to promote financial soundness.

Obligations of foreign branches of domestic banks, such as CDs and TDs, may be general obligations of the parent bank in addition to the issuing branch, or may be limited by the terms of a specific obligation and government regulation. Such obligations are subject to different risks than are those of domestic banks or domestic branches of foreign banks. These risks include foreign economic and political developments, foreign governmental restrictions that may adversely affect payment of principal and interest on the obligations, foreign exchange controls and foreign withholding and other taxes on interest income. Foreign branches of domestic banks are not necessarily subject to the same or similar regulatory requirements that apply to domestic banks, such as mandatory reserve requirements, loan limitations, and accounting, auditing and financial recordkeeping requirements. In addition, less information may be publicly available about a foreign branch of a domestic bank than about a domestic bank. CDs issued by wholly owned Canadian subsidiaries of domestic banks are guaranteed as to repayment of principal and interest (but not as to sovereign risk) by the domestic parent bank.

Obligations of domestic branches of foreign banks may be general obligations of the parent bank in addition to the issuing branch, or may be limited by the terms of a specific obligation and by governmental regulation as well as governmental action in the country in which the foreign bank has its head office. A domestic branch of a foreign bank with assets in excess of $1 billion may or may not be subject to reserve requirements imposed by the Federal Reserve System or by the state in which the branch is located if the branch is licensed in that state. In addition, branches licensed by the Comptroller of the Currency and branches licensed by certain states (“State Branches”) may or may not be required to: (a) pledge to the regulator by depositing assets with a designated bank within the state, an amount of its assets equal to 5% of its total liabilities; and (b) maintain assets within the state

 

6


in an amount equal to a specified percentage of the aggregate amount of liabilities of the foreign bank payable at or through all of its agencies or branches within the state. The deposits of State Branches may not necessarily be insured by the FDIC.

In view of the foregoing factors associated with the purchase of CDs and TDs issued by foreign branches of domestic banks or by domestic branches of foreign banks, the manager will carefully evaluate such investments on a case-by-case basis.

Savings and loan associations whose CDs may be purchased by the fund are supervised by the Office of Thrift Supervision and are insured by the Savings Association Insurance fund, which is administered by the FDIC and is backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. government. As a result, such savings and loan associations are subject to regulation and examination.

Commercial paper consists of short-term (usually from 1 to 270 days) unsecured promissory notes issued by corporations in order to finance their current operations. A variable amount master demand note (which is a type of commercial paper) represents a direct borrowing arrangement involving periodically fluctuating rates of interest under a letter agreement between a commercial paper issuer and an institutional lender, such as the fund, pursuant to which the lender may determine to invest varying amounts. Transfer of such notes is usually restricted by the issuer, and there is no secondary trading market for such notes.

Derivative Contracts. The fund may use forward currency contracts and certain options and futures strategies to attempt to hedge against the economic impact of adverse changes in the market value of its securities, because of changes in stock market prices, currency exchange rates or interest rates, as a substitute for buying or selling securities or as a cash flow management technique. There can be no assurance that such efforts will succeed.

Writing Covered Call Options. The fund may write (sell) covered call options. Covered call options will generally be written on securities and currencies which, in the opinion of the portfolio manager, are not expected to make any major price moves in the near future but which, over the long term, are deemed to be attractive investments for the fund.

A call option gives the holder (buyer) the right to purchase a security or currency at a specified price (the exercise price) at any time until a certain date (the expiration date). So long as the obligation of the writer of a call option continues, he may be assigned an exercise notice by the broker-dealer through whom such option was sold, requiring him to deliver the underlying security or currency against payment of the exercise price. This obligation terminates upon the expiration of the call option, or such earlier time at which the writer effects a closing purchase transaction by purchasing an option identical to that previously sold. The manager and the fund believe that writing of covered call options is less risky than writing uncovered or “naked” options, which the fund will not do. Portfolio securities or currencies on which call options may be written will be purchased solely on the basis of investment considerations consistent with the fund’s investment objective. When writing a covered call option, the fund, in return for the premium, gives up the opportunity for profit from a price increase in the underlying security or currency above the exercise price and retains the risk of loss should the price of the security or currency decline. Unlike one who owns securities or currencies not subject to an option, the fund has no control over when it may be required to sell the underlying securities or currencies, since the option may be exercised at any time prior to the option’s expiration. If a call option which the fund has written expires, the fund will realize a gain in the amount of the premium; however, such gain may be offset by a decline in the market value of the underlying security or currency during the option period. If the call option is exercised, the fund will realize a gain or loss from the sale of the underlying security or currency. The security or currency covering the call option will be maintained in a segregated account of the fund’s custodian.

The premium the fund receives for writing a call option is deemed to constitute the market value of an option. The premium the fund will receive from writing a call option will reflect, among other things, the current market price of the underlying security or currency, the relationship of the exercise price to such market price,

 

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the implied price volatility of the underlying security or currency, and the length of the option period. In determining whether a particular call option should be written on a particular security or currency, the manager will consider the reasonableness of the anticipated premium and the likelihood that a liquid secondary market will exist for those options. The premium received by the fund for writing covered call options will be recorded as a liability in the fund’s statement of assets and liabilities. This liability will be adjusted daily to the option’s current market value. The liability will be extinguished upon expiration of the option or delivery of the underlying security or currency upon the exercise of the option. The liability with respect to a listed option will also be extinguished upon the purchase of an identical option in a closing transaction.

Closing transactions will be effected in order to realize a profit or to limit losses on an outstanding call option, to prevent an underlying security or currency from being called, or to permit the sale of the underlying security or currency. Furthermore, effecting a closing transaction will permit the fund to write another call option on the underlying security or currency with either a different exercise price, expiration date or both. If the fund desires to sell a particular security or currency from its portfolio on which it has written a call option or purchases a put option, it will seek to effect a closing transaction prior to, or concurrently with, the sale of the security or currency. There is no assurance that the fund will be able to effect such closing transactions at a favorable price. If the fund cannot enter into such a transaction, it may be required to hold a security or currency that it might otherwise have sold, in which case it would continue to be at market risk with respect to the security or currency.

The fund will pay transaction costs in connection with the writing of options and in entering into closing purchase contracts. Transaction costs relating to options activity are normally higher than those applicable to purchases and sales of portfolio securities.

Call options written by the fund will normally have expiration dates of less than nine months from the date written. The exercise price of the options may be below, equal to or above the current market values of the underlying securities or currencies at the time the options are written. From time to time, the fund may purchase an underlying security or currency for delivery in accordance with the exercise of an option, rather than delivering such security or currency from its portfolio. In such cases, additional costs will be incurred.

The fund will realize a profit or loss from a closing purchase transaction if the cost of the transaction is less or more, respectively, than the premium received from the writing of the option. Because increases in the market price of a call option will generally reflect increases in the market price of the underlying security or currency, any loss resulting from the repurchase of a call option is likely to be offset in whole or in part by appreciation of the underlying security or currency owned by the fund.

Purchasing Put Options. The fund may purchase put options. As the holder of a put option, the fund has the right to sell the underlying security or currency at the exercise price at any time during the option period. The fund may enter into closing sale transactions with respect to such options, exercise them or permit them to expire.

The fund may purchase a put option on an underlying security or currency (a “protective put”) owned by the fund as a hedging technique in order to protect against an anticipated decline in the value of the security or currency. Such hedge protection is provided only during the life of the put option when the fund, as the holder of the put option, is able to sell the underlying security or currency at the put exercise price regardless of any decline in the underlying security’s market price or currency’s exchange value. The premium paid for the put option and any transaction costs may reduce any capital gain or, in the case of currency, ordinary income otherwise available for distribution when the security is eventually sold.

The fund may also purchase put options at a time when the fund does not own the underlying security or currency. By purchasing put options on a security or currency it does not own, the fund seeks to benefit from a decline in the market price of the underlying security or currency. If the put option is not sold when it has remaining value, and if the market price of the underlying security or currency remains equal to or greater than the exercise price during the life of the put option, the fund will lose its entire investment in the put option. In

 

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order for the purchase of a put option to be profitable, the market price of the underlying security or currency must decline sufficiently below the exercise price to cover the premium and transaction costs, unless the put option is sold in a closing sale transaction.

The premium paid by the fund when purchasing a put option will be recorded as an asset in the fund’s statement of assets and liabilities. This asset will be adjusted daily to the option’s current market value, as calculated by the fund. The asset will be extinguished upon expiration of the option or the delivery of the underlying security or currency upon the exercise of the option. The asset with respect to a listed option will also be extinguished upon the writing of an identical option in a closing transaction.

Purchasing Call Options. The fund may purchase call options. As the holder of a call option, the fund has the right to purchase the underlying security or currency at the exercise price at any time during the option period. The fund may enter into closing sale transactions with respect to such options, exercise them or permit them to expire. Call options may be purchased by the fund for the purpose of acquiring the underlying security or currency for its portfolio. Utilized in this fashion, the purchase of call options enables the fund to acquire the security or currency at the exercise price of the call option plus the premium paid. At times the net cost of acquiring the security in this manner may be less than the cost of acquiring the security or currency directly. This technique may also be useful to the fund in purchasing a large block of securities that would be more difficult to acquire by direct market purchases. So long as it holds such a call option rather than the underlying security or currency itself, the fund is partially protected from any unexpected decline in the market price of the underlying security or currency and in such event could allow the call option to expire, incurring a loss only to the extent of the premium paid for the option.

The fund may also purchase call options on underlying securities or currencies it owns in order to protect unrealized gains on call options previously written by it. Call options may also be purchased at times to avoid realizing losses that would result in a reduction of the fund’s current return.

Stock Index Options. The fund may purchase and write put and call options on U.S. stock indexes listed on U.S. exchanges for the purpose of hedging its portfolio holdings. A stock index fluctuates with changes in the market values of the stocks included in the index. Some stock index options are based on a broad market index such as the New York Stock Exchange Composite Index or a narrower market index such as the Standard & Poor’s 100. Indexes may also be based on an industry or market segment such as the Amex Oil Index or the Amex Computer Technology Index.

Options on stock indexes are similar to options on stock except that (a) the expiration cycles of stock index options are monthly, while those of stock options currently are quarterly, and (b) the delivery requirements are different. Instead of giving the right to take or make delivery of stock at a specified price, an option on a stock index gives the holder the right to receive a cash “exercise settlement amount” equal to (a) the amount, if any, by which the fixed exercise price of the option exceeds (in the case of a put) or is less than (in the case of a call) the closing value of the underlying index on the date of exercise, multiplied by (b) a fixed “index multiplier.” Receipt of this cash amount will depend upon the closing level of the stock index upon which the option is based being greater than, in the case of a call, or less than, in the case of a put, the exercise price of the option. The amount of cash received will be equal to such difference between the closing price of the index and the exercise price of the option expressed in dollars times a specified multiple. The writer of the option is obligated, in return for the premium received, to make delivery of this amount. The writer may offset its position in stock index options prior to expiration by entering into a closing transaction on an exchange or it may let the options expire unexercised.

The effectiveness of purchasing or writing stock index options as a hedging technique will depend upon the extent to which price movements in the portion of a securities portfolio being hedged correlate with price movements of the stock index selected. The value of an index option depends upon movements in the level of the index rather than the price of a particular stock. Whether the fund will realize a gain or loss from the purchase or

 

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writing of options on an index depends upon movements in the level of stock prices in the stock market generally or, in the case of certain indexes, in an industry or market segment, rather than movements in the price of a particular stock. Accordingly, successful use by the fund of options on stock indexes will be subject to the manager’s ability to correctly predict movements in the direction of the stock market generally or of a particular industry. This requires different skills and techniques than predicting changes in the prices of individual stocks.

The fund will engage in stock index options transactions only when determined by the portfolio manager to be consistent with the fund’s efforts to control risk. There can be no assurance that such judgment will be accurate or that the use of these portfolio strategies will be successful. When the fund writes an option on a stock index, the fund will establish a segregated account with its custodian in an amount equal to the market value of the option and will maintain the account while the option is open.

Stock Index, Interest Rate and Currency Futures Contracts. The fund may enter into stock index, interest rate or currency futures contracts as a hedge against changes in prevailing levels of market values, interest rates or currency exchange rates in order to establish more definitely the effective return on securities or currencies held or committed to be acquired by the fund. The fund’s hedging may include holding futures as an offset against anticipated changes in market values, interest or currency exchange rates. The fund may also enter into futures contracts based on financial indices including any index of U.S. government securities, foreign government securities or corporate debt securities.

A futures contract provides for the future sale by one party and purchase by another party of a specified amount of a specific financial instrument or currency for a specified price at a designated date, time and place. The purchaser of a futures contract on an index agrees to take or make delivery of an amount of cash equal to the difference between a specified dollar multiple of the value of the index on the expiration date of the contract (“current contract value”) and the price at which the contract was originally struck. No physical delivery of the securities underlying the index is made. Brokerage fees are incurred when a futures contract is bought or sold, and margin deposits must be maintained at all times that the futures contract is outstanding.

Although techniques other than sales and purchases of futures contracts could be used to reduce the fund’s exposure to market value, interest rate and currency exchange rate fluctuations, the fund may be able to hedge its exposure more effectively and at a lower cost through using futures contracts.

Although futures contracts typically require future delivery of and payment for financial instruments or currencies, futures contracts are usually closed out before the delivery date. Closing out an open futures contract sale or purchase is effected by entering into an offsetting futures contract purchase or sale, respectively, for the same aggregate amount of the identical financial instrument or currency and the same delivery date. If the offsetting purchase price is less than the original sale price, the fund realizes a gain; if it is more, the fund realizes a loss. Conversely, if the offsetting sale price is more than the original purchase price, the fund realizes a gain; if it is less, the fund realizes a loss. The transaction costs must also be included in these calculations. There can be no assurance, however, that the fund will be able to enter into an offsetting transaction with respect to a particular futures contract at a particular time. If the fund is not able to enter into an offsetting transaction, the fund will continue to be required to maintain the margin deposits of the underlying financial instrument or currency on the relevant delivery date. The fund intends to enter into futures transactions only on exchanges or boards of trade where there appears to be a liquid secondary market. However, there can be no assurance that such a market will exist for a particular contract at a particular time.

As an example of an offsetting transaction, the contractual obligations arising from the sale of one futures contract of September Treasury Bills on an exchange may be fulfilled at any time before delivery under the futures contract is required (i.e., on a specific date in September, the “delivery month”) by the purchase of another futures contract of September Treasury Bills on the same exchange. In such instance the difference between the price at which the futures contract was sold and the price paid for the offsetting purchase, after allowance for transaction costs, represents the profit or loss to the fund.

 

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Persons who trade in futures contracts may be broadly classified as “hedgers” and “speculators.” Hedgers, whose business activity involves investment or other commitment in securities or other obligations, use the futures markets to offset unfavorable changes in value that may occur because of fluctuations in the value of the securities and obligations held or committed to be acquired by them or fluctuations in the value of the currency in which the securities or obligations are denominated. Debtors and other obligors may also hedge the interest cost of their obligations. The speculator, like the hedger, generally expects neither to deliver nor to receive the financial instrument underlying the futures contract, but, unlike the hedger, hopes to profit from fluctuations in prevailing interest rates or currency exchange rates.

The fund may enter into futures transactions for traditional hedging purposes; that is, futures contracts will be sold to protect against a decline in the price of securities or currencies that the fund owns, or futures contracts will be purchased to protect the fund against an increase in the price of securities or currencies it has committed to purchase or expects to purchase. The fund may also enter into futures transactions as a substitute for buying or selling securities or as a cash flow management technique.

“Margin” with respect to futures contracts is the amount that must be deposited by the fund with a broker in order to initiate futures trading and to maintain the fund’s open positions in futures contracts. A margin deposit made when the futures contract is entered into (“initial margin”) is intended to assure the fund’s performance of the futures contract. The margin required for a particular futures contract is set by the exchange on which the futures contract is traded, and may be significantly modified from time to time by the exchange during the term of the futures contract. Futures contracts are customarily purchased and sold on margin, which may be 5% or less of the value of the futures contract being traded.

If the price of an open futures contract changes (by increase in the case of a sale or by decrease in the case of a purchase) so that the loss on the futures contract reaches a point at which the margin on deposit does not satisfy margin requirements, the broker will require an increase in the margin deposit (“variation margin”). If, however, the value of a position increases because of favorable price changes in the futures contract so that the margin deposit exceeds the required margin, it is anticipated that the broker will pay the excess to the fund. In computing daily net asset values, the fund will mark to market the current value of its open futures contracts. The fund expects to earn interest income on its margin deposits.

Options on Futures Contracts. Options on futures contracts are similar to options on securities or currencies except that options on futures contracts give the purchaser the right, in return for the premium paid, to assume a position in a futures contract (a long position if the option is a call and a short position if the option is a put), rather than to purchase or sell the futures contract, at a specified exercise price at any time during the period of the option. Upon exercise of the option, the delivery of the futures position by the writer of the option to the holder of the option will be accompanied by delivery of the accumulated balance in the writer’s futures margin account, which represents the amount by which the market price of the futures contract, at exercise, exceeds (in the case of a call) or is less than (in the case of a put) the exercise price of the option on the futures contract. If an option is exercised on the last trading day prior to the expiration date of the option, the settlement will be made entirely in cash equal to the difference between the exercise price of the option and the closing level of the securities or currencies upon which the futures contracts are based on the expiration date. Purchasers of options who fail to exercise their options prior to the exercise date suffer a loss of the premium paid.

As an alternative to purchasing call and put options on futures, the fund may purchase call and put options on the underlying securities or currencies themselves (see “Purchasing Put Options” and “Purchasing Call Options” above). Such options would be used in a manner identical to the use of options on futures contracts.

To reduce or eliminate the leverage then employed by the fund or to reduce or eliminate the hedge position then currently held by the fund, the fund may seek to close out an option position by selling an option covering the same securities or currency and having the same exercise price and expiration date. The ability to establish and close out positions on options on futures contracts is subject to the existence of a liquid market. It is not certain that this market will exist at any specific time.

 

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The fund will not be a commodity pool. In addition, the manager has claimed an exclusion from the definition of commodity pool operator and, therefore, is not subject to registration or regulation as a commodity pool operator under the rules of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission. The SEC staff takes the position that the fund’s long and short positions in futures contracts as well as put and call options on futures written by it must be collateralized with cash or other liquid securities and segregated with the fund’s custodian or a designated sub-custodian or “covered” in a manner similar to that for covered options on securities and designed to eliminate any potential leveraging.

Forward Currency Contracts, Options on Currency and Currency Swaps. A forward currency contract is an obligation to purchase or sell a currency against another currency at a future date and price as agreed upon by the parties. The fund may either accept or make delivery of the currency at the maturity of the forward contract or, prior to maturity, enter into a closing transaction involving the purchase or sale of an offsetting contract. The fund engages in forward currency transactions in anticipation of, or to protect itself against, fluctuations in exchange rates. The fund might sell a particular foreign currency forward, for example, when it holds bonds denominated in that currency but anticipates, and seeks to be protected against, a decline in the currency against the U.S. dollar. Similarly, the fund might sell the U.S. dollar forward when it holds bonds denominated in U.S. dollars but anticipates, and seeks to be protected against, a decline in the U.S. dollar relative to other currencies. Further, the fund might purchase a currency forward to “lock in” the price of securities denominated in that currency which it anticipates purchasing.

The matching of the increase in value of a forward contract and the decline in the U.S. dollar equivalent value of the foreign currency denominated asset that is the subject of the hedge generally will not be precise. In addition, the fund may not always be able to enter into foreign currency forward contracts at attractive prices and this will limit the fund’s ability to use such contract to hedge or cross-hedge its assets. Also, with regard to the use of cross-hedges by the fund, there can be no assurance that historical correlations between the movement of certain foreign currencies relative to the U.S. dollar will continue. Thus, at any time poor correlation may exist between movements in the exchange rates of the foreign currencies underlying the cross-hedges of the fund and the movements in the exchange rates of the foreign currencies in which the assets of the fund that are the subject of such cross-hedges are denominated.

Forward contracts are traded in an interbank market conducted directly between currency traders (usually large commercial banks) and their customers. A forward contract generally has no deposit requirement and is consummated without payment of any commission. The fund, however, may enter into forward contracts with deposit requirements or commissions.

A put option gives the fund, as purchaser, the right (but not the obligation) to sell a specified amount of currency at the exercise price until the expiration of the option. A call option gives the fund, as purchaser, the right (but not the obligation) to purchase a specified amount of currency at the exercise price until its expiration. The fund might purchase a currency put option, for example, to protect itself during the contract period against a decline in the value of a currency in which it holds or anticipates holding securities. If the currency’s value should decline, the loss in currency value should be offset, in whole or in part, by an increase in the value of the put. If the value of the currency instead should rise, any gain to the fund would be reduced by the premium it had paid for the put option. A currency call option might be purchased, for example, in anticipation of, or to protect against, a rise in the value of a currency in which the fund anticipates purchasing securities.

The ability of the fund to establish and close out positions in foreign currency options is subject to the existence of a liquid market. There can be no assurance that a liquid market will exist for a particular option at any specific time. In addition, options on foreign currencies are affected by all of those factors that influence foreign exchange rates and investments generally.

A position in an exchange-listed option may be closed out only on an exchange that provides a secondary market for identical options. Exchange markets for options on foreign currencies exist but are relatively new, and the ability to establish and close out positions on the exchanges is subject to maintenance of a liquid secondary

 

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market. Closing transactions may be effected with respect to options traded in the over-the-counter (“OTC”) markets (currently the primary markets for options on foreign currencies) only by negotiating directly with the other party to the option contract or in a secondary market for the option if such market exists. Although the fund intends to purchase only those options for which there appears to be an active secondary market, there is no assurance that a liquid secondary market will exist for any particular option at any specific time. In such event, it may not be possible to effect closing transactions with respect to certain options, with the result that the fund would have to exercise those options which it has purchased in order to realize any profit. The staff of the SEC has taken the position that, in general, purchased OTC options and the underlying securities used to cover written OTC options are illiquid securities. However, the fund may treat as liquid the underlying securities used to cover written OTC options, provided it has arrangements with certain qualified dealers who agree that the fund may repurchase any option it writes for a maximum price to be calculated by a predetermined formula. In these cases, the OTC option itself would only be considered illiquid to the extent that the maximum repurchase price under the formula exceeds the intrinsic value of the option.

The fund may also enter into currency swaps. A currency swap is an arrangement whereby each party exchanges one currency for another on a particular date and agrees to reverse the exchange on a later date at a specific exchange rate. Forward foreign currency contracts and currency swaps are established in the interbank market conducted directly between currency traders (usually large commercial banks or other financial institutions) on behalf of their customers.

Interest Rate Swaps, Caps and Floors. Among the hedging transactions into which the fund may enter are interest rate swaps and the purchase or sale of interest rate caps and floors. The fund expects to enter into these transactions primarily to preserve a return or spread on a particular investment or segment of its portfolio or to protect against any increase in the price of securities the fund anticipates purchasing at a later date. The fund intends to use these transactions as a hedge and not as a speculative investment. The fund will not sell interest rate caps or floors that it does not own. Interest rate swaps involve the exchange by the fund with another party of their respective commitments to pay or receive interest, e.g., an exchange of floating rate payments for fixed rate payments. The purchase of an interest rate cap entitles the purchaser, to the extent that a specified index exceeds a predetermined interest rate, to receive payments of interest on a notional principal amount from the party selling such interest rate cap. The purchase of an interest rate floor entitles the purchaser, to the extent that a specified index falls below a predetermined interest rate, to receive payments of interest on a notional principal amount from the party selling such interest rate floor.

The fund may enter into interest rate swaps, caps and floors on either an asset-based or liability-based basis, depending on whether it is hedging its assets or its liabilities, and will usually enter into interest rate swaps on a net basis, i.e., the two payment streams are netted, with the fund receiving or paying, as the case may be, only the net amount of the two payments. Inasmuch as these hedging transactions are entered into for good faith hedging purposes, the manager and the fund believe such obligations do not constitute senior securities and, accordingly will not treat them as being subject to the fund’s borrowing restrictions. The net amount of the excess, if any, of the obligations of the fund over its entitlements with respect to each interest rate swap will be accrued on a daily basis and an amount of cash or liquid securities having an aggregate net asset value at least equal to the accrued excess will be maintained in a segregated account by a custodian that satisfies the requirements of the 1940 Act. The fund will not enter into any interest rate swap, cap or floor transaction unless the unsecured senior debt or the claims-paying ability of the other party thereto is rated in the highest rating category of at least one nationally recognized rating organization at the time of entering into such transaction. If there is a default by the other party to such a transaction, the fund will have contractual remedies pursuant to the agreements related to the transaction. The swap market has grown substantially in recent years with a large number of banks and investment banking firms acting both as principals and as agents utilizing swap documentation. As a result, the swap market has become relatively liquid. Caps and floors are more recent innovations for which standardized documentation has not yet been developed and, accordingly, they are less liquid than swaps.

 

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New options and futures contracts and various combinations thereof continue to be developed and the fund may invest in any such options and contracts as may be developed to the extent consistent with its investment objective and regulatory requirements applicable to investment companies.

The fund is operated by persons who have claimed an exclusion, granted to operators of registered investment companies like the fund, from registration as a “commodity pool operator” with respect to the fund under the Commodity Exchange Act, and therefore, are not subject to registration or regulation with respect to the fund under the Commodity Exchange Act.

Investment Company Securities. Subject to applicable statutory and regulatory limitations, the fund may invest in shares of other investment companies, including shares of other mutual funds, closed-end funds, and unregistered investment companies. Investments in other investment companies are subject to the risk of the securities in which those investment companies invest. In addition, to the extent the fund invests in securities of other investment companies, fund shareholders would indirectly pay a portion of the operating costs of such companies in addition to the expenses of the fund’s own operation. These costs include management, brokerage, shareholder servicing and other operational expenses.

The fund may invest in shares of mutual funds or unit investment trusts that are traded on a stock exchange, called exchange-traded funds or ETFs. Typically an ETF seeks to track the performance of an index, such as the S&P 500, the NASDAQ 100, the Lehman Treasury Bond Index, or more narrow sector or foreign indices, by holding in its portfolio either the same securities that comprise the index, or a representative sample of the index. Investing in an ETF will give the fund exposure to the securities comprising the index on which the ETF is based.

Unlike shares of typical mutual funds or unit investment trusts, shares of ETFs are designed to be traded throughout a trading day, bought and sold based on market values and not at net asset value. For this reason, shares could trade at either a premium or discount to net asset value. However, the portfolios held by index-based ETFs are publicly disclosed on each trading day, and an approximation of actual net asset value is disseminated throughout the trading day. Because of this transparency, the trading prices of index based ETFs tend to closely track the actual net asset value of the underlying portfolios and the fund will generally gain or lose value depending on the performance of the index. However, gains or losses on the fund’s investment in ETFs will ultimately depend on the purchase and sale price of the ETF. In the future, as new products become available, the fund may invest in ETFs that are actively managed. Actively managed ETFs will likely not have the transparency of index-based ETFs, and therefore, may be more likely to trade at a discount or premium to actual net asset values.

The fund may invest in closed-end investment companies which hold securities of U.S. and/or non-U.S. issuers. Because shares of closed-end funds trade on an exchange, investments in closed-end investment funds may entail the additional risk that the market value of such investments may be substantially less than their net asset value.

Fixed-Income Securities. Fixed-income securities may be affected by general changes in interest rates, which will result in increases or decreases in the market value of the debt securities held by the fund. The market value of the fixed-income obligations in which the fund may invest can be expected to vary inversely in relation to the changes in prevailing interest rates and also may be affected by other market and credit factors.

U.S. Government Securities. U.S. government securities include debt obligations of varying maturities issued or guaranteed by the U.S. government or its agencies or instrumentalities. U.S. government securities include not only direct obligations of the U.S. Treasury, but also securities issued or guaranteed by the Federal Housing Administration, Farmers Home Administration, Export-Import Bank of the United States, Small Business Administration, Government National Mortgage Association (“GNMA”), General Services Administration, Central Bank for Cooperatives, Federal Intermediate Credit Banks, Federal Land Banks, Federal National Mortgage Association (“FNMA”), Maritime Administration, Tennessee Valley Authority, District of Columbia Armory Board, Student Loan Marketing Association, and Resolution Trust Corporation. Certain U.S.

 

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government securities, such as those issued or guaranteed by GNMA, FNMA and Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (“FHLMC”), are mortgage-related securities. Because the U.S. government is not obligated by law to provide support to an instrumentality that it sponsors, the fund will invest in obligations issued by such an instrumentality only if the manager determines that the credit risk with respect to the instrumentality does not make its securities unsuitable for investment by the fund.

Illiquid Securities. The fund may invest up to 15% of its net assets in illiquid securities, which term includes securities subject to contractual or other restrictions on resale and other instruments that lack readily available markets. Restricted securities may be sold only in privately negotiated transactions, pursuant to a registration statement filed under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “1933 Act”), or pursuant to an exemption from registration, such as Rule 144 or Rule 144A. The fund may be required to pay part or all of the costs of such registration, and a considerable period may elapse between the time a decision is made to sell a restricted security and the time the registration statement becomes effective.

SEC regulations permit the sale of certain restricted securities to qualified institutional buyers. The fund’s manager, acting pursuant to guidelines established by the fund’s Board, may determine that certain restricted securities qualified for trading on this market are liquid. If qualified institutional investors become uninterested in this market for a time, restricted securities in the fund’s portfolio may adversely affect the fund’s liquidity.

Leveraging. The fund may from time to time leverage its investments by purchasing securities with borrowed money. The fund may borrow money only from banks and in an amount not to exceed 33 1/3% of the total value of its assets less liabilities. The amount of borrowings by the fund also may be limited by availability and cost of credit and by restrictions imposed by the Federal Reserve Board. The fund is required under the 1940 Act to maintain at all times an asset coverage of 300% of the amount of its borrowings. If, as a result of market fluctuations or for any other reason, asset coverage of the fund drops below 300%, the fund must reduce its outstanding bank debt within three business days so as to restore its asset coverage to the 300% level.

Any gain in the value of securities purchased with borrowed money that exceeds the interest paid on the amount borrowed would cause the net asset value of the shares of the fund to increase more rapidly than otherwise would be the case. Conversely, any decline in the value of securities purchased would cause the net asset value of the shares of the fund to decrease more rapidly than otherwise would be the case. Borrowed money thus creates an opportunity for greater capital gain but at the same time increases exposure to capital risk. The net cost of any borrowed money would be an expense that otherwise would not be incurred, and this expense could restrict or eliminate the net investment income of the fund in any given period.

Short Sales. The fund may sell securities short “against the box.” While a short sale is the sale of a security the fund does not own, it is “against the box” if at all times when the short position is open, the fund owns an equal amount of the securities or securities convertible into, or exchangeable without further consideration for, securities of the same issue as the securities sold short.

 

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RISK FACTORS

General. Investors should realize that risk of loss is inherent in the ownership of any securities and that the net asset value of the fund will fluctuate, reflecting fluctuations in the market value of its portfolio positions.

Foreign Securities. Investments in securities of foreign issuers involve certain risks not ordinarily associated with investments in securities of domestic issuers. Such risks include fluctuations in foreign exchange rates, future political and economic developments, and the possible imposition of foreign governmental laws or restrictions. Because the value of a depositary receipt is dependent upon the market price of an underlying foreign security, depositary receipts are subject to most of the risks associated with investing in foreign currencies directly. In addition, with respect to certain countries, there is the possibility of expropriation of assets, confiscatory taxation, political or social instability or diplomatic developments which could adversely affect investments in those countries.

There may be less publicly available information about a foreign company than about a U.S. company, and foreign companies may not be subject to accounting, auditing, and financial reporting standards and requirements comparable to or as uniform as those of U.S. companies. The fund might have greater difficulty taking appropriate legal action in foreign courts.

In some countries, banks or other financial institutions may constitute a substantial number of the leading companies or the companies with the most actively traded securities. Also, the 1940 Act restricts the fund’s investments in any equity security of an issuer which, in its most recent fiscal year, derived more than 15% of its revenues from “securities related activities,” as defined by the rules thereunder. These provisions may also restrict the fund’s investments in certain foreign banks and other financial institutions.

Currency Risks. The U.S. dollar value of securities denominated in a foreign currency will vary with changes in currency exchange rates, which can be volatile. Accordingly, changes in the value of the currency in which investments of the fund are denominated relative to the U.S. dollar will affect the fund’s net asset value. Exchange rates are generally affected by the forces of supply and demand in the international currency markets, the relative merits of investing in different countries and the intervention or failure to intervene of U.S. or foreign governments and central banks. However, currency exchange rates may fluctuate based on factors intrinsic to a country’s economy.

Derivative Instruments. In accordance with its investment policies, the fund may invest in certain derivative instruments which are securities or contracts that provide for payments based on or “derived” from the performance of an underlying asset, index or other economic benchmark. Essentially, a derivative instrument is a financial arrangement or a contract between two parties (and not a true security like a stock or a bond). Transactions in derivative instruments can be, but are not necessarily, riskier than investments in conventional stocks, bonds and money market instruments. A derivative instrument is more accurately viewed as a way of reallocating risk among different parties or substituting one type of risk for another. Every investment by the fund, including an investment in conventional securities, reflects an implicit prediction about future changes in the value of that investment. An investment in the fund also involves a risk that the portfolio manager’s expectations will be wrong. Transactions in derivative instruments often enable the fund to take investment positions that more precisely reflect the portfolio manager’s expectations concerning the future performance of the various investments available to the fund. Derivative instruments can be a legitimate and often cost-effective method of accomplishing the same investment goals as could be achieved through other investment in conventional securities.

Derivative contracts include options, futures contracts, forward contracts, forward commitment and when-issued securities transactions, forward foreign currency exchange contracts and interest rate and currency swaps. The following are the principal risks associated with derivative instruments.

 

16


Market risk: The instrument will decline in value or an alternative investment would have appreciated more, but this is no different from the risk of investing in conventional securities.

Leverage and associated price volatility: Leverage causes increased volatility in the price and magnifies the impact of adverse market changes, but this risk may be consistent with the investment objective of even a conservative fund in order to achieve an average portfolio volatility that is within the expected range for that type of fund.

Credit risk: The issuer of the instrument may default on its obligation to pay interest and principal.

Liquidity and valuation risk: Many derivative instruments are traded in institutional markets rather than on an exchange. Nevertheless, many derivative instruments are actively traded and can be priced with as much accuracy as conventional securities. Derivative instruments that are custom designed to meet the specialized investment needs of a relatively narrow group of institutional investors such as the fund are not readily marketable and are subject to the fund’s restrictions on illiquid investments.

Correlation risk: There may be imperfect correlation between the price of the derivative and the underlying asset. For example, there may be price disparities between the trading markets for the derivative contract and the underlying asset.

Each derivative instrument purchased for the fund is reviewed and analyzed by the portfolio manager to assess the risk and reward of each such instrument in relation to the fund’s portfolio investment strategy. The decision to invest in derivative instruments or conventional securities is made by measuring the respective instrument’s ability to provide value to the fund.

Special Risks of Using Futures Contracts. The prices of futures contracts are volatile and are influenced by, among other things, actual and anticipated changes in stock market prices or interest rates, which in turn are affected by fiscal and monetary policies and national and international political and economic events. At best, the correlation between changes in prices of futures contracts and of the securities or currencies being hedged can be only approximate. The degree of imperfection of correlation depends upon circumstances such as: variations in speculative market demand for futures and for equity securities, debt securities or currencies, including technical influences in futures trading; and differences between the financial instruments being hedged and the instruments underlying the standard futures contracts available for trading, with respect to market values, interest rate levels, maturities, and creditworthiness of issuers. A decision of whether, when, and how to hedge involves skill and judgment, and even a well-conceived hedge may be unsuccessful to some degree because of unexpected market behavior or interest rate trends.

Because of the low margin deposits required, futures trading involves an extremely high degree of leverage. As a result, a relatively small price movement in a futures contract may result in immediate and substantial loss, as well as gain, to the investor. Where the fund enters into futures transactions for non-hedging purposes, it will be subject to greater risks and could sustain losses which are not offset by gains on other assets of the fund.

Furthermore, in the case of a futures contract purchase, in order to be certain that the fund has sufficient assets to satisfy its obligations under a futures contract, the fund segregates and commits to back the futures contract with an amount of cash and liquid securities from the fund equal in value to the current value of the underlying instrument less the margin deposit.

Most U.S. futures exchanges limit the amount of fluctuation permitted in futures contract prices during a single trading day. The daily limit establishes the maximum amount that the price of a futures contract may vary either up or down from the previous day’s settlement price at the end of a trading session. Once the daily limit has been reached in a particular type of futures contract, no trades may be made on that day at a price beyond that limit. The daily limit governs only price movement during a particular trading day and therefore does not limit

 

17


potential losses, because the limit may prevent the liquidation of unfavorable positions. Futures contract prices have occasionally moved to the daily limit for several consecutive trading days with little or no trading, thereby preventing prompt liquidation of futures positions and subjecting some futures traders to substantial losses.

Non-Diversified Classification. The fund is classified as a non-diversified fund under the 1940 Act, which means the fund is not limited by the 1940 Act in the proportion of its assets it may invest in the securities of a single issuer. As a result, the fund may be subject to greater volatility with respect to its portfolio securities than funds that are more broadly diversified. The fund intends to conduct its operations, however, so as to qualify as a “regulated investment company” (“RIC”) for purposes of the Code, which will relieve the fund of any liability for Federal income tax to the extent its earnings are distributed to shareholders. To qualify as a RIC, the fund will, among other things, limit its investments so that, at the close of each quarter of the taxable year (a) not more than 25% of the market value of the fund’s total assets will be invested in the securities of a single issuer and (b) with respect to 50% of the market value of its total assets, not more than 5% of the market value of its total assets will be invested in the securities of a single issuer and the fund will not own more than 10% of the outstanding voting securities of a single issuer.

DISCLOSURE OF PORTFOLIO HOLDINGS

The fund’s Board has adopted policies and procedures developed by Legg Mason Partners Fund Advisor, LLC (“LMPFA”), with respect to the disclosure of the fund’s portfolio securities and any ongoing arrangements to make available information about the fund’s portfolio securities. The policy requires that consideration always be given as to whether disclosure of information about the fund’s portfolio holdings is in the best interests of the fund’s shareholders, and that any conflicts of interest between the interests of the fund’s shareholders and those of LMCM, LMPFA, the fund’s distributors, or their affiliates, be addressed in a manner that places the interests of fund shareholders first. The policy provides that information regarding a fund’s portfolio holdings may not be shared with non-Legg Mason employees, with investors or potential investors (whether individual or institutional), or with third parties unless it is done for legitimate fund business purposes and in accordance with the policy.

The policy generally provides for the release of details of securities positions once they are considered “stale.” Data is considered stale 25 calendar days following quarter-end. The fund believes that this passage of time prevents a third party from benefiting from an investment decision made by the fund that has not been fully reflected by the market.

Under the policy, the fund’s complete list of holdings (including the size of each position) may be made available to investors, potential investors, third parties and non-Legg Mason employees with simultaneous public disclosure at least 25 days after calendar quarter end. Typically, simultaneous public disclosure is achieved by the filing of Form N-Q or Form N-CSR in accordance with SEC rules, provided that such filings may not be made until 25 days following quarter-end and/or posting the information to a Legg Mason or the fund’s Internet site that is accessible by the public, or through public release by a third party vendor.

The policy permits the release of limited portfolio holdings information that is not yet considered stale in a number of situations, including:

 

  1. The fund’s top ten securities, current as of month-end, and the individual size of each such security position may be released at any time following month-end with simultaneous public disclosure.

 

  2. The fund’s top ten securities positions (including the aggregate but not individual size of such positions) may be released at any time with simultaneous public disclosure.

 

  3.

The list of securities (that may include fund holdings together with other securities) followed by a portfolio manager (without position sizes or identification of particular funds) may be disclosed to sell-

 

18


 

side brokers at any time for the purpose of obtaining research and/or market information from such brokers.

 

  4. A trade in process may be discussed only with counterparties, potential counterparties and others involved in the transaction (i.e., brokers and custodians).

 

  5. The fund’s sector weightings, performance attribution (e.g. analysis of the fund’s out performance or underperformance of its benchmark based on its portfolio holdings) and other summary and statistical information that does not include identification of specific portfolio holdings may be released, even if non-public, if such release is otherwise in accordance with the policy’s general principles.

 

  6. The fund’s portfolio holdings may be released on an as-needed basis to its legal counsel, counsel to its independent trustees, and its independent public accountants, in required regulatory filings or otherwise to governmental agencies and authorities.

Under the policy, if information about the fund’s portfolio holdings is released pursuant to an ongoing arrangement with any party, the fund must have a legitimate business purpose for the release of the information, and either the party receiving the information must be under a duty of confidentiality, or the release of non-public information must be subject to trading restrictions and confidential treatment to prohibit the entity from sharing with an unauthorized source or trading upon any non-public information provided. Neither the fund, nor Legg Mason, nor any other affiliated party may receive compensation or any other consideration in connection with such arrangements. Ongoing arrangements to make available information about the fund’s portfolio securities will be reviewed at least annually by the fund’s Board.

The approval of the fund’s Chief Compliance Officer, or designee, must be obtained before entering into any new ongoing arrangement or altering any existing ongoing arrangement to make available portfolio holdings information, or with respect to any exceptions to the policy. Any exceptions to the policy must be consistent with the purposes of the policy. Exceptions are considered on a case-by-case basis and are granted only after a thorough examination and consultation with LMPFA’s legal department, as necessary. Exceptions to the policies are reported to the fund’s Board at its next regularly scheduled meeting.

Currently, the fund discloses its complete portfolio holdings approximately 25 days after calendar quarter end on its website at http://www.leggmason.com/InvestorServices.

Set forth below is a list, as of March 13, 2007, of those parties with whom LMPFA, on behalf of the fund, has authorized ongoing arrangements that include the release of portfolio holdings information in accordance with the policy, as well as the frequency of the release under such arrangements, and the length of the lag, if any, between the date of the information and the date on which the information is disclosed. The parties identified below as recipients are service providers, fund rating agencies, consultants and analysts.

 

Recipient

  

Frequency

  

Delay before dissemination

State Street Bank and Trust Company

(Fund Custodian and Accounting

Agent)

   Daily    None

Institutional Shareholders Services

(Proxy Voting Services)

   As necessary    None
Bloomberg    Quarterly    25 days after quarter end
Lipper    Quarterly    25 days after quarter end
S&P    Quarterly    25 days after quarter end
Morningstar    Quarterly    25 days after quarter end
Vestek    Daily    None
Factset    Daily    None
The Bank of New York    Daily    None

 

19


Portfolio holdings information for the fund may also be released from time to time pursuant to ongoing arrangements with the following parties:

 

Recipient

  

Frequency

  

Delay before dissemination

Baseline    Daily    None
Frank Russell    Monthly    1 day
Callan    Quarterly    25 days after quarter end
Mercer    Quarterly    25 days after quarter end
eVestment Alliance    Quarterly    25 days after quarter end
CRA RogersCasey    Quarterly    25 days after quarter end
Cambridge Associates    Quarterly    25 days after quarter end
Marco Consulting    Quarterly    25 days after quarter end
Wilshire    Quarterly    25 days after quarter end
Informa Investment Services (Efron)    Quarterly    25 days after quarter end
CheckFree (Mobius)    Quarterly    25 days after quarter end
Nelsons Information    Quarterly    25 days after quarter end
Investor Tools    Daily    None
Advent    Daily    None
BARRA    Daily    None
Plexus    Quarterly (Calendar)    Sent 1-3 business days following the end of a quarter
Elkins/McSherry    Quarterly (Calendar)    Sent 1-3 business days following the end of a quarter
Quantitative Services Group    Daily    None
Deutsche Bank    Monthly    6-8 business days
Fitch    Monthly    6-8 business days
Liberty Hampshire    Weekly and Month End    None
Sun Trust    Weekly and Month End    None
New England Pension Consultants    Quarterly    25 days after quarter end
Evaluation Associates    Quarterly    25 days after quarter end
Watson Wyatt    Quarterly    25 days after quarter end
S&P (Rating Agency)    Weekly Tuesday Night    1 business day
Moody’s (Rating Agency)    Weekly Tuesday Night    1 business day
Mellon Analytical Services    Monthly    4 business day
Electra Information Systems    Daily    None
SunGard    Daily    None

INVESTMENT POLICIES

The fund has adopted the fundamental investment policies below for the protection of shareholders. Fundamental investment policies may not be changed without the vote of a majority of the outstanding shares of the fund, defined under the 1940 Act as the lesser of (a) 67% or more of the voting power present at a fund meeting, if the holders of more than 50% of the voting power of the fund are present in person or represented by proxy or (b) more than 50% of the voting power of the fund.

If any percentage restriction described below is complied with at the time of an investment, a later increase or decrease in percentage resulting from a change in values or assets will not constitute a violation of such restriction.

Fundamental Investment Policies

The fund’s fundamental investment policies are as follows:

 

  1. The fund may not borrow money except as permitted by (i) the 1940 Act, or interpretations or modifications by the SEC, SEC staff or other authority with appropriate jurisdiction, or (ii) exemptive or other relief or permission from the SEC, SEC staff or other authority.

 

20


  2. The fund may not engage in the business of underwriting the securities of other issuers except as permitted by (i) the 1940 Act, or interpretations or modifications by the SEC, SEC staff or other authority with appropriate jurisdiction, or (ii) exemptive or other relief or permission from the SEC, SEC staff or other authority.

 

  3. The fund may lend money or other assets to the extent permitted by (i) the 1940 Act, or interpretations or modifications by the SEC, SEC staff or other authority with appropriate jurisdiction, or (ii) exemptive or other relief or permission from the SEC, SEC staff or other authority.

 

  4. The fund may not issue senior securities except as permitted by (i) the 1940 Act, or interpretations or modifications by the SEC, SEC staff or other authority with appropriate jurisdiction, or (ii) exemptive or other relief or permission from the SEC, SEC staff or other authority.

 

  5. The fund may not purchase or sell real estate except as permitted by (i) the 1940 Act, or interpretations or modifications by the SEC, SEC staff or other authority with appropriate jurisdiction, or (ii) exemptive or other relief or permission from the SEC, SEC staff or other authority.

 

  6. The fund may purchase or sell commodities or contracts related to commodities to the extent permitted by (i) the 1940 Act, or interpretations or modifications by the SEC, SEC staff or other authority with appropriate jurisdiction, or (ii) exemptive or other relief or permission from the SEC, SEC staff or other authority.

 

  7. Except as permitted by exemptive or other relief or permission from the SEC, SEC staff or other authority with appropriate jurisdiction, the fund may not make any investment if, as a result, the fund’s investments will be concentrated in any one industry.

With respect to the fundamental policy relating to borrowing money set forth in (1) above, the 1940 Act permits a fund to borrow money in amounts of up to one-third of the fund’s total assets from banks for any purpose, and to borrow up to 5% of the fund’s total assets from banks or other lenders for temporary purposes. To limit the risks attendant to borrowing, the 1940 Act requires the fund to maintain at all times an “asset coverage” of at least 300% of the amount of its borrowings. Asset coverage means the ratio that the value of the fund’s total assets, minus liabilities other than borrowings, bears to the aggregate amount of all borrowings. Certain trading practices and investments, such as reverse repurchase agreements, may be considered to be borrowing and thus subject to the 1940 Act restrictions. Borrowing money to increase portfolio holdings is known as “leveraging.” Borrowing, especially when used for leverage, may cause the value of a fund’s shares to be more volatile than if the fund did not borrow. This is because borrowing tends to magnify the effect of any increase or decrease in the value of the fund’s portfolio holdings. Borrowed money thus creates an opportunity for greater gains, but also greater losses. To repay borrowings, the fund may have to sell securities at a time and at a price that is unfavorable to the fund. There also are costs associated with borrowing money, and these costs would offset and could eliminate a fund’s net investment income in any given period. Currently, the fund does not contemplate borrowing money for leverage, but if the fund does so, it will not likely do so to a substantial degree. The policy in (1) above will be interpreted to permit a fund to engage in trading practices and investments that may be considered to be borrowing to the extent permitted by the 1940 Act. Short-term credits necessary for the settlement of securities transactions and arrangements with respect to securities lending will not be considered to be borrowings under the policy. Practices and investments that may involve leverage but are not considered to be borrowings are not subject to the policy.

With respect to the fundamental policy relating to underwriting set forth in (2) above, the 1940 Act does not prohibit a fund from engaging in the underwriting business or from underwriting the securities of other issuers; in fact, the 1940 Act permits a fund to have underwriting commitments of up to 25% of its assets under certain circumstances. Those circumstances currently are that the amount of the fund’s underwriting commitments, when added to the value of the fund’s investments in issuers where the fund owns more than 10% of the outstanding voting securities of those issuers, cannot exceed the 25% cap. A fund engaging in transactions involving the acquisition or disposition of portfolio securities may be considered to be an underwriter under the 1933 Act.

 

21


Under the 1933 Act, an underwriter may be liable for material omissions or misstatements in an issuer’s registration statement or prospectus. Securities purchased from an issuer and not registered for sale under the 1933 Act are considered restricted securities. There may be a limited market for these securities. If these securities are registered under the 1933 Act, they may then be eligible for sale but participating in the sale may subject the seller to underwriter liability. These risks could apply to a fund investing in restricted securities. Although it is not believed that the application of the 1933 Act provisions described above would cause a fund to be engaged in the business of underwriting, the policy in (2) above will be interpreted not to prevent the fund from engaging in transactions involving the acquisition or disposition of portfolio securities, regardless of whether the fund may be considered to be an underwriter under the 1933 Act.

With respect to the fundamental policy relating to lending set forth in (3) above, the 1940 Act does not prohibit a fund from making loans; however, SEC staff interpretations currently prohibit funds from lending more than one-third of their total assets, except through the purchase of debt obligations or the use of repurchase agreements. (A repurchase agreement is an agreement to purchase a security, coupled with an agreement to sell that security back to the original seller on an agreed-upon date at a price that reflects current interest rates. The SEC frequently treats repurchase agreements as loans.) While lending securities may be a source of income to a fund, as with other extensions of credit, there are risks of delay in recovery or even loss of rights in the underlying securities should the borrower fail financially. However, loans would be made only when the fund’s manager or a sub-adviser believes the income justifies the attendant risks. The fund also will be permitted by this policy to make loans of money, including to other funds. The fund would have to obtain exemptive relief from the SEC to make loans to other funds. The policy in (3) above will be interpreted not to prevent a fund from purchasing or investing in debt obligations and loans. In addition, collateral arrangements with respect to options, forward currency and futures transactions and other derivative instruments, as well as delays in the settlement of securities transactions, will not be considered loans.

With respect to the fundamental policy relating to issuing senior securities set forth in (4) above, “senior securities” are defined as fund obligations that have a priority over the fund’s shares with respect to the payment of dividends or the distribution of fund assets. The 1940 Act prohibits a fund from issuing senior securities except that the fund may borrow money in amounts of up to one-third of the fund’s total assets from banks for any purpose. A fund also may borrow up to 5% of the fund’s total assets from banks or other lenders for temporary purposes, and these borrowings are not considered senior securities. The issuance of senior securities by the fund can increase the speculative character of the fund’s outstanding shares through leveraging. Leveraging of the fund’s portfolio through the issuance of senior securities magnifies the potential for gain or loss on monies, because even though the fund’s net assets remain the same, the total risk to investors is increased to the extent of the fund’s gross assets. The policy in (4) above will be interpreted not to prevent collateral arrangements with respect to swaps, options, forward or futures contracts or other derivatives, or the posting of initial or variation margin.

With respect to the fundamental policy relating to real estate set forth in (5) above, the 1940 Act does not prohibit a fund from owning real estate; however, a fund is limited in the amount of illiquid assets it may purchase. Investing in real estate may involve risks, including that real estate is generally considered illiquid and may be difficult to value and sell. Owners of real estate may be subject to various liabilities, including environmental liabilities. To the extent that investments in real estate are considered illiquid, the current SEC staff position generally limits a fund’s purchases of illiquid securities to 15% of net assets. The policy in (5) above will be interpreted not to prevent a fund from investing in real estate-related companies, companies whose businesses consist in whole or in part of investing in real estate, instruments (like mortgages) that are secured by real estate or interests therein, or real estate investment trust securities.

With respect to the fundamental policy relating to commodities set forth in (6) above, the 1940 Act does not prohibit a fund from owning commodities, whether physical commodities and contracts related to physical commodities (such as oil or grains and related futures contracts), or financial commodities and contracts related to financial commodities (such as currencies and, possibly, currency futures). However, a fund is limited in the

 

22


amount of illiquid assets it may purchase. To the extent that investments in commodities are considered illiquid, the current SEC staff position generally limits a fund’s purchases of illiquid securities to 15% of net assets. If the fund were to invest in a physical commodity or a physical commodity-related instrument, the fund would be subject to the additional risks of the particular physical commodity and its related market. The value of commodities and commodity-related instruments may be extremely volatile and may be affected either directly or indirectly by a variety of factors. There also may be storage charges and risks of loss associated with physical commodities. The policy in (6) above will be interpreted to permit investments in exchange traded funds that invest in physical and/or financial commodities.

With respect to the fundamental policy relating to concentration set forth in (7) above, the 1940 Act does not define what constitutes “concentration” in an industry. The SEC staff has taken the position that investment of 25% or more of a fund’s total assets in one or more issuers conducting their principal activities in the same industry or group of industries constitutes concentration. It is possible that interpretations of concentration could change in the future. A fund that invests a significant percentage of its total assets in a single industry may be particularly susceptible to adverse events affecting that industry and may be more risky than a fund that does not concentrate in an industry. The policy in (7) above will be interpreted to refer to concentration as that term may be interpreted from time to time. The policy also will be interpreted to permit investment without limit in the following: securities of the U.S. government and its agencies or instrumentalities; securities of state, territory, possession or municipal governments and their authorities, agencies, instrumentalities or political subdivisions; securities of foreign governments; and repurchase agreements collateralized by any such obligations. Accordingly, issuers of the foregoing securities will not be considered to be members of any industry. There also will be no limit on investment in issuers domiciled in a single jurisdiction or country. The policy also will be interpreted to give broad authority to a fund as to how to classify issuers within or among industries.

The fund’s fundamental investment policies are written and will be interpreted broadly. For example, the policies will be interpreted to refer to the 1940 Act and the related rules as they are in effect from time to time, and to interpretations and modifications of or relating to the 1940 Act by the SEC and others as they are given from time to time. When a policy provides that an investment practice may be conducted as permitted by the 1940 Act, the policy will be interpreted to mean either that the 1940 Act expressly permits the practice or that the 1940 Act does not prohibit the practice.

Diversification

The fund is currently classified as a non-diversified fund under the 1940 Act. A diversified fund may not purchase securities of an issuer (other than obligations issued or guaranteed by the U.S. government, its agencies or instrumentalities) if, with respect to 75% of its total assets, (a) more than 5% of the fund’s total assets would be invested in securities of that issuer, or (b) the fund would hold more than 10% of the outstanding voting securities of that issuer. A non-diversified fund is not subject to these limitations. Therefore, a non-diversified fund can invest a greater portion of its assets in a single issuer or a limited number of issuers than may a diversified fund. In this regard, the fund is subject to greater risk than a diversified fund. Under the 1940 Act, the fund may change its classification from non-diversified to diversified without shareholder approval.

MANAGEMENT

The business affairs of the fund are managed by or under the direction of the Board. The Board elects officers who are responsible for the day-to-day operations of the fund and who execute policies authorized by the Board.

 

23


The current Trustees, including the Trustees of the fund who are not “interested persons” of the fund (the “Independent Trustees”) as defined in the 1940 Act, and executive officers of the fund, their birth years, their principal occupations during at least the past five years (their titles may have varied during that period), the number of funds associated with Legg Mason the Trustees oversee, and other board memberships they hold are set forth below. The address of each Trustee is c/o R. Jay Gerken, 399 Park Avenue, New York, New York 10022.

The following information relates to the Trust’s recently elected Board of Trustees.

 

Name and

Year of Birth

 

Position(s)

with Fund

 

Term of

Office* and

Length of

Time

Served**

 

Principal Occupation(s)

During Past 5 Years

 

Number of

Funds

in Fund

Complex to
be Overseen

by Trustee

 

Other Board
Memberships
Held by Trustee
During

Past Five Years

INDEPENDENT TRUSTEES:

         

Paul R. Ades

Born 1940

  Trustee   Since 1983   Law firm of Paul R. Ades, PLLC (since 2000)   57   None

Andrew L. Breech

Born 1952

  Trustee   Since 1991   President, Dealer Operating Control Service, Inc. (automotive retail management) (since 1985)   57   None

Dwight B. Crane

Born 1937

  Trustee   Since 1981   Professor, Harvard Business School (since 1969); Independent Consultant (since 1969)   60   None

Robert M. Frayn, Jr.

Born 1934

  Trustee   Since 1981   Retired; formerly, President and Director, Book Publishing Co. (1970 to 2002)   57   None

Frank G. Hubbard

Born 1937

  Trustee   Since 1993   President, Avatar International Inc. (business development) (since 1998)   57   None

Howard J. Johnson

Born 1938

  Trustee  

From 1981 to 1998 and

2000 to Present

  Chief Executive Officer, Genesis Imaging LLC (technology company) (since 2003)   57   None

David E. Maryatt

Born 1936

  Trustee   Since 1983   Private Investor; President and Director, ALS Co. (real estate management and development firm) (since 1993)   57   None

Jerome H. Miller

Born 1938

  Trustee   Since 1995   Retired   57   None

Ken Miller

Born 1942

  Trustee   Since 1983   Chairman, Young Stuff Apparel Group, Inc. (apparel manufacturer) (since 1963)   57   None

John J. Murphy

Born 1944

  Trustee   Since 2002   President, Murphy Capital Management (investment advice) (since 1983)   57   Director, Nicholas Applegate funds; Trustee, Consulting Group Capital Markets Funds; formerly, Director, Atlantic Stewardship Bank (2004 to 2005); Director, Barclays International Funds Group Ltd. and affiliated companies (to 2003)

 

24


Name and

Year of Birth

 

Position(s)

with Fund

 

Term of

Office* and

Length of

Time

Served**

 

Principal Occupation(s)

During Past 5 Years

 

Number of

Funds

in Fund

Complex to
be Overseen

by Trustee

 

Other Board
Memberships
Held by Trustee
During

Past Five Years

Thomas F. Schlafly

Born 1948

  Trustee   Since 1983   Of Counsel, Blackwell Sanders Peper Martin LLP (law firm) (since 1984); President, The Saint Louis Brewery, Inc. (brewery) (since 1989)   57   Director, Citizens National Bank, Maplewood (2006)

Jerry A. Viscione

Born 1944

  Trustee   Since 1993   Retired; formerly, Executive Vice President, Marquette University (1997 to 2002)   57   None

INTERESTED TRUSTEE:

         

R. Jay Gerken , CFA

Born 1951

 

Trustee,

President, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer

  Since 2002   Managing Director, Legg Mason & Co., LLC (“Legg Mason & Co.”); Chairman of the Board and Trustee/Director of 149 funds associated with LMPFA and its affiliates; President, LMPFA (since 2006); Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of certain mutual funds associated with Legg Mason & Co. or its affiliates; formerly, Chairman, Smith Barney Fund Management LLC (“SBFM”) and Citi Fund Management, Inc. (“CFM”) (2002 to 2005); formerly, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer, Travelers Investment Adviser Inc. (2002 to 2005); formerly, Portfolio Manager, Smith Barney Allocation Series, Inc. (1996 to 2001)   149  

None


* Each Trustee serves until his or her respective successor has been duly elected and qualified or until his or her earlier death, resignation, retirement or removal.
** Indicates the earliest year in which the Trustee became a Board member for a fund in the Legg Mason Partners fund complex.
Mr. Gerken is an “interested person,” as defined in the 1940 Act, because of his position with the manager and/or certain of its affiliates.

 

Name, Year of Birth

and Address

  

Position(s)

with Fund

  

Term of Office*

and Length of

Time Served**

  

Principal Occupation(s)

During Past 5 Years

OFFICERS:

        

Ted P. Becker

Born 1951

399 Park Avenue

New York, NY 10022

   Chief Compliance
Officer
   Since
2006
   Director of Global Compliance at Legg Mason (2006 to present); Managing Director of Compliance at Legg Mason & Co (2005 to present); Chief Compliance Officer with certain mutual funds associated with Legg Mason & Co. (since 2006); Chief Compliance Officer of LMPFA and certain affiliates; Managing Director of Compliance at Citigroup Asset Management (“CAM,” a group of affiliated investment advisers, which included SBFM, Smith Barney Asset Management and CFM and other affiliated investment advisory entities) (2002 to 2005). Prior to 2002, Managing Director-Internal Audit & Risk Review at Citigroup Inc.

John Chiota

Born 1968

300 First Stamford Place,

5th Floor

Stamford, CT 06902

   Chief Anti-Money Laundering
Compliance Officer
   Since
2006
   Vice President of Legg Mason & Co. (since 2005); Vice President at CAM (since 2004); Chief Anti- Money Laundering Compliance Officer of certain mutual funds associated with Legg Mason & Co. (since 2006). Prior to August 2004, Chief Anti-Money Laundering Compliance Officer of TD Waterhouse.

 

25


Name, Year of Birth

and Address

  

Position(s)

with Fund

  

Term of Office*

and Length of

Time Served**

  

Principal Occupation(s)

During Past 5 Years

Robert I. Frenkel

Born 1954

300 First Stamford Place

Stamford, CT 06902

   Secretary
and Chief
Legal
Officer
   Since
2003
   Managing Director and General Counsel of Global Mutual Funds for Legg Mason & Co. (since 2005); Managing Director and General Counsel of Global Mutual Funds for CAM (since 2000); Secretary and Chief Legal Officer of certain mutual funds associated with Legg Mason & Co. (since 2003). Previously, Secretary of CFM (2001 to 2004).

R. Jay Gerken, CFA

Born 1951

399 Park Avenue

New York, NY 10022

   Chairman,
President
and Chief
Executive
Officer
   Since
2002
   Managing Director of Legg Mason & Co.; Chairman of the Board and Trustee/Director of 149 funds associated with LMPFA and its affiliates; President, LMPFA (since 2006); Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of certain mutual funds associated with Legg Mason & Co. or its affiliates; formerly, Chairman, SBFM and CFM (2002 to 2005); formerly, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer, Travelers Investment Adviser Inc. (2002 to 2005); formerly, Portfolio Manager, Smith Barney Allocation Series, Inc. (1996 to 2001).

Thomas C. Mandia

Born 1962

300 First Stamford Place

Stamford, CT 06902

   Assistant
Secretary
   Since
2000
   Managing Director and Deputy General Counsel of Legg Mason & Co. (since 2005); Managing Director and Deputy General Counsel for CAM (since 1992); Assistant Secretary of certain mutual funds associated with Legg Mason & Co.

Kaprel Ozsolak

Born 1965

125 Broad Street, 11th Floor

New York, NY 10004

   Chief
Financial
Officer
and
Treasurer
   Since
2004
   Director of Legg Mason & Co. (since 2005); Vice President at CAM (1996 to 2005); Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer of certain mutual funds associated with Legg Mason & Co. (since 2005); Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer of certain mutual funds associated with CAM (2004 to 2005). Previously, Mr. Ozsolak was Controller of certain mutual funds associated with CAM (2002 to 2004).

* Each officer serves until his or her respective successor has been duly elected and qualified or until his or her earlier death, resignation, retirement or removal.
** Indicates the earliest year in which the officer took office for any funds in the Legg Mason Partners fund complex.

Officers of the fund receive no compensation from the fund, although they may be reimbursed by the fund for reasonable out-of-pocket travel expenses for attending Board meetings.

The Board has three standing Committees: the Audit Committee, Nominating and Governance Committee (referred to as the Nominating Committee) and Pricing Committee. The Audit Committee and Nominating Committee are composed of all the Independent Trustees. The Pricing Committee is composed of the Chairman of the Board and one Independent Trustee.

The Audit Committee oversees, among other things, the scope of the fund’s audit, the fund’s accounting and financial reporting policies and practices and its internal controls. The primary purposes of the Board’s Audit Committee are to assist the Board in fulfilling its responsibility for oversight of the integrity of the accounting, auditing and financial reporting practices of the fund and the qualifications and independence of the fund’s independent registered public accounting firm. The Audit Committee approves, and recommends to the Independent Trustees for their ratification, the selection, appointment, retention or termination of the fund’s independent registered public accounting firm and approves the compensation of the independent registered public accounting firm. The Audit Committee also approves all audit and permissible non-audit services provided to the fund by the independent registered public accounting firm and all permissible non-audit services provided by the fund’s independent registered public accounting firm to its manager and any affiliated service providers if the engagement relates directly to the fund’s operations and financial reporting. The Audit Committee also assists the Board in fulfilling its responsibility for the review and negotiation of the fund’s investment management and sub-advisory arrangements.

The Nominating Committee is responsible for, among other things, recommending candidates to fill vacancies on the Board. The Nominating Committee may consider nominees recommended by a shareholder.

 

26


Shareholders who wish to recommend a nominee should send recommendations to the Trust’s Secretary that include all information relating to such person that is required to be disclosed in solicitations of proxies for the election of Trustees. A recommendation must be accompanied by a written consent of the individual to stand for election if nominated by the Board and to serve if elected by the shareholders.

The Nominating Committee identifies potential nominees through its network of contacts and may also engage, if it deems appropriate, a professional search firm. The committee meets to discuss and consider such candidates’ qualifications and then chooses a candidate by majority vote. The committee does not have specific, minimum qualifications for nominees, nor has it established specific qualities or skills that it regards as necessary for one or more of the Trustees to possess (other than any qualities or skills that may be required by applicable law, regulation or listing standard). However, in evaluating a person as a potential nominee to serve as a Trustee, the Nominating Committee may consider the following factors, among any others it may deem relevant:

 

   

whether or not the person is an “interested person,” as defined in the 1940 Act, and whether the person is otherwise qualified under applicable laws and regulations to serve as a Trustee;

 

   

whether or not the person has any relationships that might impair his or her independence, such as any business, financial or family relationships with fund management, the investment adviser, service providers or their affiliates;

 

   

whether or not the person serves on boards of, or is otherwise affiliated with, competing financial service organizations or their related mutual fund complexes;

 

   

whether or not the person is willing to serve, and willing and able to commit the time necessary for the performance of the duties of a Trustee;

 

   

the contribution which the person can make to the Board (or, if the person has previously served as a Trustee, the contribution which the person made to the Board during his or her previous term of service), with consideration being given to the person’s business and professional experience, education and such other factors as the committee may consider relevant;

 

   

the character and integrity of the person; and

 

   

whether or not the selection and nomination of the person would be consistent with the requirements of the retirement policies of the Trust, as applicable.

The Pricing Committee is charged with determining the fair value prices for securities when required.

As indicated above, the Trust’s Board is recently elected and is newly constituted as the Board that oversees all of the equity-type funds in the fund complex. All members of the Board previously have served on Boards of Legg Mason Partners funds. The Audit, Nominating and Pricing Committees are recently established committees of this Board and did not meet during the fund’s last fiscal year.

 

27


The following table shows the amount of equity securities owned by the Trustees in the fund and other investment companies in the fund complex supervised by the Trustees as of December 31, 2006.

 

Name of Trustee

  

Dollar Range

of Equity

Securities in

the Fund

  

Aggregate Dollar Range

of Equity Securities In

Registered Investment

Companies Overseen

by Trustee

Independent Trustees

     

Paul R. Ades

   None    Over $100,000

Andrew L. Breech

   None    Over $100,000

Dwight B. Crane

   None    Over $100,000

Robert M. Frayn, Jr.

   None    Over $100,000

Frank G. Hubbard

   $10,001-$50,000    Over $100,000

Howard J. Johnson

   None    None

David E. Maryatt

   None    Over $100,000

Jerome H. Miller

   None    $50,001-$100,000

Ken Miller

   None    $50,001-$100,000

John J. Murphy

   None    None

Thomas F. Schlafly

   None    Over $100,000

Jerry A. Viscione

   None    $10,001-$50,000
Interested Trustee      

R. Jay Gerken

   None    Over $100,000

As of April 16, 2007, none of the Independent Trustees or their immediate family members owned beneficially or of record any securities of the manager, sub-administrator or distributors of the fund, or in a person (other than a registered investment company) directly or indirectly controlling, controlled by or under common control with the manager, sub-administrator or distributors of the fund.

Information regarding compensation paid by the fund to its recently elected Board and to its prior Board is set forth below. The Independent Trustees receive a fee for each meeting of the fund’s Board and committee meetings attended and are reimbursed for all out-of-pocket expenses relating to attendance at such meetings. Mr. Gerken, an “interested person,” as defined in the 1940 Act, does not receive compensation from the fund for his service as Trustee, but may be reimbursed for all out-of-pocket expenses relating to attendance at such meetings.

The fund pays a pro rata share of the Trustee fees based upon asset size. The fund currently pays each of the Trustees who is not a director, officer or employee of the manager or any of its affiliates its pro rata share of: an annual fee of $100,000 plus $20,000 for each regularly scheduled Board meeting attended in person, and $1,000 for telephonic Board meetings in which that Trustee participates. The lead Independent Trustee will receive an additional $25,000 per year and the Chair of the Audit Committee will receive an additional $15,000 per year.

 

28


Recently elected Board

 

Name of Trustee

  

Aggregate

Compensation

from the

Fund(1),(2)

  

Total Pension or

Retirement

Benefits Paid

as Part of Fund
Expenses(1)

   

Total

Compensation

from Fund

Complex Paid

to Trustee(1),(2)

   

Number of

Portfolios in

Fund

Complex

Overseen by

Trustee(1)

Independent Trustees          

Paul R. Ades

   $ 2,029    $0     $ 86,200     12

Andrew L. Breech

   $ 0    $0     $ 35,750     3

Dwight B. Crane

   $ 1,268    (3 )   $ 266,500     46

Robert M. Frayn, Jr.

   $ 0    $0     $ 17,500 (4)   1

Frank G. Hubbard

   $ 1,370    $0     $ 78,700     12

Howard J. Johnson

   $ 0    $0     $ 36,000     1

David E. Maryatt

   $ 0    $0     $ 17,500 (4)   1

Jerome H. Miller

   $ 1,276    $0     $ 73,500     12

Ken Miller

   $ 1,194    $0     $ 71,500     12

John J. Murphy

   $ 0    $0     $ 91,200     23

Thomas F. Schlafly

   $ 0    $0     $ 35,250     3

Jerry A. Viscione

   $ 0    $0     $ 29,500     1
Interested Trustee          

R. Jay Gerken

   $ 0    $0     $ 0     162

(1) Information is for the calendar year ended December 31, 2006. The disclosure of compensation paid to the Trustees is provided as of the most recent calendar year end, rather than the fund’s most recent fiscal year end, for ease of presentation and comprehension.
(2) Mr. Hubbard and Mr. Murphy also received $5,200 and $2,200, respectively, during 2006 for attending on behalf of their former Boards an additional meeting relating to the selection of service providers for the funds in the Legg Mason Partners fund complex. These amounts were paid by the manager or its affiliates, and not by the fund.
(3) Pursuant to a prior emeritus retirement plan, Mr. Crane has received or is entitled to receive, in a lump sum (calculated on a net present value basis) or in quarterly installments, an aggregate benefit having a net present value equal to $444,643. Mr. Crane elected to receive the benefit in a lump sum payment. Each fund no longer overseen by Mr. Crane will pay a pro rata share (based upon asset size) of the aggregate benefit to Mr. Crane. Legg Mason or its affiliates have agreed to reimburse these funds an amount equal to 50% of the benefits paid to Mr. Crane. None of these amounts were paid during the period covered by this table.
(4) Messrs. Frayn and Maryatt have elected to defer receipt of 100% of their compensation for the year ended December 31, 2006.

For the calendar year ended December 31, 2005, the Directors of the fund were paid the compensation listed below for service as a Director. Information as to the compensation paid to the Directors of the fund for the calendar year ended December 31, 2006 also is shown below.

Prior Board

 

     

Aggregate

Compensation

from Fund

For Fiscal Year

Ended 4/30/06

  

Pension or

Retirement

Benefits

Paid as

Part of Fund

Expenses(2)(3)

   

Total

Compensation

from Fund

Complex for

Calendar Year

Ended 12/31/05

  

Number of

Portfolios in

Fund Complex

served by

Director

Independent Directors

          

Paul R. Ades

   $ 2,331    $0     $ 77,500    12

Dwight B. Crane

   $ 2,733    (3 )   $ 248,125    46

Frank G. Hubbard

   $ 2,963    $0     $ 81,572    12

Jerome Miller

   $ 2,733    $0     $ 67,900    12

Ken Miller

   $ 2,700    $0     $ 67,400    12

Interested Director

          

R. Jay Gerken(1)

   $ 0    $0     $ 0    162

 

29


Independent Directors

   Aggregate
Compensation from
Fund for
Year Ended 12/31/06
   Total Pension or
Retirement Benefits
Paid as Part of
Fund Expenses (2)(3)
    Total Compensation
from Fund Complex
Paid to Director in
Year Ended 12/31/06
   Number of
Funds for
Which Director
Served Within
Fund Complex

Paul R. Ades

   $ 2,029    $ 0     $ 86,200    12

Dwight B. Crane

   $ 1,268      (3 )   $ 266,500    46

Frank G. Hubbard

   $ 1,370    $ 0     $ 78,700    12

Jerome Miller

   $ 1,276    $ 0     $ 73,500    12

Ken Miller

   $ 1,194    $ 0     $ 71,500    12

Interested Director

          

R. Jay Gerken

     $0      $0     $ 0    162

(1)

Mr. Gerken was not compensated for his service as Director because of his affiliation with the manager.

(2) During the fiscal year ended April 30, 2006, Mr. Herbert Barg, a former Director, received $49,453 for his service as emeritus Director. The fund paid its pro rata share (based on asset size) of this aggregate benefit.
(3) Pursuant to prior emeritus retirement plans, Mr. Barg has received or is entitled to receive benefits (calculated on a net present value basis) of $392,886. Mr. Crane also is entitled to receive benefits under the emeritus retirement plans; his benefits are described in a table above. Benefits under the emeritus retirement plans are paid in quarterly installments unless the Director elected to receive them in a lump sum at net present value. The fund will pay its pro rata share (based on asset size) of these aggregate benefits. Legg Mason or its affiliates have agreed to reimburse the fund an amount equal to 50% of these benefits. None of these amounts were paid during the period covered by this table.

As of March 16, 2007, the Trustees and officers of the fund as a group owned less than 1% of the outstanding shares of the fund.

To the knowledge of the fund, as of March 16, 2007, no shareholder or “group” (as such term is defined in Section 13(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934) owned beneficially or of record 5% or more of any class of the shares of the fund.

INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT AND OTHER SERVICES

Manager and Sub-administrator

LMCM serves as the fund’s investment manager pursuant to an investment management agreement (the “Management Agreement”) with the fund that was approved by the Board, including a majority of the Independent Trustees, on June 29, 2006 and by the shareholders on January 12, 2007. LMCM, with offices at 100 Light Street, Baltimore, Maryland 21202, manages assets for clients around the globe including corporations, public funds, government entities, endowments, foundations and individual investors. Clients invest with LMCM through separately managed accounts, sub-advised funds and Legg Mason-sponsored mutual funds. Since 1982, with the introduction of Legg Mason Value Trust, LMCM has distinguished itself by applying its distinct value investment process. As of December 31, 2006, LMCM’s investment personnel managed approximately $67.91 billion in separate accounts and pooled assets.

LMPFA, with offices at 399 Park Avenue, New York, New York 10022, serves as the sub-administrator for the fund, providing certain administrative services for the fund pursuant to a sub-administration agreement between LMCM and LMPFA. LMCM, not the fund, pays LMPFA for its services as sub-administrator.

 

30


LMCM and LMPFA are wholly-owned subsidiaries of Legg Mason. Legg Mason, whose principal executive offices are at 100 Light Street, Baltimore, Maryland 21202, is a global asset management company. As of December 31, 2006, Legg Mason’s asset management operation had aggregate assets under management of approximately $945 billion.

Prior to February 2, 2007, LMPFA was the fund’s investment manager and ClearBridge Advisors, LLC (“ClearBridge”) was the fund’s subadviser. Prior to August 1, 2006, Smith Barney Fund Management LLC (“SBFM”) was the fund’s investment manager. ClearBridge and SBFM are also wholly-owned subsidiaries of Legg Mason.

Under the Management Agreement, LMCM, subject to the supervision of the fund’s Board, regularly provides the fund with investment research, advice, management and supervision, furnishes a continuous investment program for the fund’s portfolio of securities and other investments consistent with the fund’s investment objectives, policies and restrictions, determines from time to time what securities and other investments will be purchased, retained or sold by the fund and implements those decisions subject to the provisions of the fund’s governing documents, the 1940 Act, the applicable rules and regulations of the SEC and other applicable federal and state law, as well as any specific policies adopted by the fund’s Board and disclosed to the manager. The Management Agreement further provides that the manager provides advice and recommendations with respect to any other aspects of the business and affairs of the fund, and exercises voting rights, rights to consent to corporate action and any other rights pertaining to the fund’s portfolio securities subject to such direction as the Board may provide, and performs such other functions of investment management and supervision as may be directed by the Board.

The Management Agreement has an initial term ending February 1, 2009 and will continue in effect from year to year thereafter provided such continuance is specifically approved at least annually (a) by the fund’s Board or by a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the fund (as defined in the 1940 Act), and (b) in either event, by a majority of the Independent Trustees with such Independent Trustees casting votes in person at a meeting called for such purpose.

The Management Agreement provides that the manager may render services to others. The Management Agreement is terminable without penalty on not more than 60 days’ nor less than 30 days’ written notice by the fund when authorized either by a vote of holders of shares representing a majority of the voting power of the outstanding voting securities of the fund (as defined in the 1940 Act) or by a vote of a majority of the fund’s Trustees, or by the manager on not less than 90 days’ written notice, and will automatically terminate in the event of its assignment. The Management Agreement provides that neither the manager nor its personnel shall be liable for any error of judgment or mistake of law or for any loss arising out of any investment or for any act or omission in the execution of security transactions for the fund, except for willful misfeasance, bad faith or gross negligence or reckless disregard of its or their obligations and duties.

For its services under the new Management Agreement, LMCM receives an investment management fee that is calculated daily and payable monthly according to the following schedule:

 

Average Daily Net Assets

   Investment
Management Fee Rate
 

First $2 billion

   0.700 %

Over $2 billion

   0.650 %

Prior to February 2, 2007, the fund paid LMPFA, and prior to August 1, 2006, the fund paid SBFM, a management fee at the following rates:

0.750% on average daily net assets up to and including $1 billion;

0.725% on average daily net assets up to and including $2 billion;

0.700% on average daily net assets up to and including $5 billion;

 

31


0.675% on average daily net assets up to and including $10 billion; and

0.650% on average daily net assets in excess of $10 billion.

For the fiscal years ended April 30, 2004, 2005 and 2006, the fund paid SBFM management fees (after any applicable voluntary waivers and reimbursements) totalling $2,036,490, $2,686,870 and $2,799,688, respectively, as follows:

 

     Gross
Management
Fee
   Waiver
Amount
   Expense
Reimbursement
Amount
   Net
Management
Fee

Fiscal Year 2004

   $ 2,036,490    $ 0    $ 0    $ 2,036,490

Fiscal Year 2005

   $ 2,771,069    $ 0    $ 84,199    $ 2,686,870

Fiscal Year 2006

   $ 2,877,216    $ 8,338    $ 69,190    $ 2,799,688

Sub-administrator

The Management Agreement provides that LMCM will perform such administrative and management services as may from time to time reasonably be requested by the fund as necessary for the operation of the fund, subject to the direction and control of the Board. Such administrative services include (a) supervising the overall administration of the fund, including negotiation of contracts and fees with, and the monitoring of performance and billings of, the fund’s transfer agent, shareholder servicing agents, custodians and other independent contractors or agents; (b) providing certain compliance, fund accounting, regulatory reporting, and tax reporting services; (c) preparing or participating in the preparation of Board materials, registration statements, proxy statements and reports and other communications to shareholders; (d) maintaining the fund’s existence; and (e) during such times as shares are publicly offered, maintaining the registration and qualification of the fund’s shares under federal and state laws. LMCM has entered into an agreement pursuant to which LMPFA provides such administrative services to the fund.

Expenses

In addition to amounts payable under the Management Agreement and the 12b-1 Plan (as discussed below), the fund is responsible for its own expenses, including, among other things: interest; taxes; governmental fees; voluntary assessments and other expenses incurred in connection with membership in investment company organizations; organization costs of the fund; the cost (including brokerage commissions, transaction fees or charges, if any) in connection with the purchase or sale of the fund’s securities and other investments and any losses in connection therewith; fees and expenses of custodians, transfer agents, registrars, independent pricing vendors or other agents; legal expenses; loan commitment fees; expenses relating to share certificates; expenses relating to the issuing and redemption or repurchase of the fund’s shares and servicing shareholder accounts; expenses of registering and qualifying the fund’s shares for sale under applicable federal and state law; expenses of preparing, setting in print, printing and distributing prospectuses and statements of additional information and any supplements thereto, reports, proxy statements, notices and dividends to the fund’s shareholders; costs of stationery; website costs; costs of meetings of the Board or any committee thereof, meetings of shareholders and other meetings of the fund; Board fees; audit fees; travel expenses of officers, members of the Board and employees of the fund, if any; and the fund’s pro rata portion of premiums on any fidelity bond and other insurance covering the fund and its officers, Board members and employees; litigation expenses and any non-recurring or extraordinary expenses as may arise, including, without limitation, those relating to actions, suits or proceedings to which the fund is a party and the legal obligation which the fund may have to indemnify the fund’s Board members and officers with respect thereto.

 

32


Management may agree to waive fees and/or reimburse operating expenses for one or more classes of shares, either through contractual or voluntary arrangements. Any such waivers and/or reimbursements are described in the fund’s prospectus. The contractual and voluntary fee waivers and/or reimbursements do not cover extraordinary expenses, such as (a) any expenses or charges related to litigation, derivative actions, demand related to litigation, regulatory or other government investigations and proceedings, “for cause” regulatory inspections and indemnification or advancement of related expenses or costs, to the extent any such expenses are considered extraordinary expenses for the purposes of fee disclosure in Form N-1A as the same may be amended from time to time; (b) transaction costs (such as brokerage commissions and dealer and underwriter spreads) and taxes; and (c) other extraordinary expenses as determined for the purposes of fee disclosure in Form N-1A, as the same may be amended from time to time. Without limiting the foregoing, extraordinary expenses are generally those that are unusual or expected to recur only infrequently, and may include such expenses, by way of illustration, as (i) expenses of the reorganization, restructuring, redomiciling or merger of the fund or class or the acquisition of all or substantially all of the assets of another fund or class; (ii) expenses of holding, and soliciting proxies for, a meeting of shareholders of the fund or class (except to the extent relating to routine items such as the election of Board members or the approval of the independent registered public accounting firm); and (iii) expenses of converting to a new custodian, transfer agent or other service provider, in each case to the extent any such expenses are considered extraordinary expenses for the purposes of fee disclosure in Form N-1A as the same may be amended from time to time.

Code of Ethics

Pursuant to Rule 17j-1 under the 1940 Act, the fund, its manager, the sub-administrator, and the distributors have each adopted codes of ethics that permit their respective personnel to invest in securities for their own accounts, including securities that may be purchased or held by the fund. All personnel must place the interests of clients first and avoid activities, interests and relationships that might interfere with the duty to make decisions in the best interests of the clients. All personal securities transactions by employees must adhere to the requirements of the codes and must be conducted in such a manner as to avoid any actual or potential conflict of interest, the appearance of such a conflict, or the abuse of an employee’s position of trust and responsibility. Copies of the Codes of Ethics of the fund and its manager, sub-administrator and distributors are on file with the SEC.

Proxy Voting Guidelines and Procedures

Although individual Trustees may not agree with particular policies or votes by the manager, the Board has delegated proxy voting discretion to the manager, believing that the manager should be responsible for voting because it is a matter relating to the investment decision making process.

The manager’s Proxy Voting Policies and Procedures govern in determining how proxies relating to the fund’s portfolio securities are voted and are attached as Appendix A to this SAI. Information regarding how the fund voted proxies (if any) relating to portfolio securities during the most recent 12-month period ended June 30 is available without charge (1) by calling 1-888-425-6432, (2) on the fund’s website at http://www.leggmason.com/InvestorServices and (3) on the SEC’s website at http://www.sec.gov.

Custodian and Transfer Agent

State Street Bank and Trust Company (“State Street”), One Lincoln Street, Boston, Massachusetts 02111, serves as the custodian of the fund. State Street, among other things, maintains a custody account or accounts in the name of the fund; receives and delivers all assets for the fund upon purchase and upon sale or maturity; collects and receives all income and other payments and distributions on account of the assets of the fund; and makes disbursements on behalf of the fund. State Street neither determines the fund’s investment policies, nor decides which securities the fund will buy or sell. For its services, State Street receives a monthly fee based upon the daily average market value of securities held in custody and also receives securities transaction charges, including out-of-pocket expenses. The fund may also periodically enter into arrangements with other qualified

 

33


custodians with respect to certain types of securities or other transactions such as repurchase agreements or derivatives transactions. State Street may also act as the fund’s securities lending agent and in that case would receive a share of the income generated by such activities.

PFPC Inc. (“PFPC” or “ transfer agent”), located at 4400 Computer Drive, Westborough, Massachusetts 01581, serves as the fund’s transfer agent. Under the transfer agency agreement, the transfer agent maintains the shareholder account records for the fund, handles certain communications between shareholders and the fund and distributes dividends and distributions payable by the fund. For these services, the transfer agent receives a monthly fee computed on the basis of the number of shareholder accounts it maintains for the fund during the month, and is reimbursed for out-of-pocket expenses. Prior to January 1, 2006, Citicorp Trust Bank, fsb served as the fund’s transfer agent and PFPC served as the fund’s sub-transfer agent.

Counsel and Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP, 787 Seventh Avenue, New York, New York 10019-6099, serves as counsel to the fund.

KPMG LLP, independent registered public accounting firm, 345 Park Avenue, New York, New York 10154, has been selected to audit and report upon the fund’s financial statements and financial highlights for the fiscal year ending April 30, 2007.

Distributors

LMIS, a wholly-owned broker/dealer subsidiary of Legg Mason, located at 100 Light Street, Baltimore, Maryland 21202; CGMI, an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of Citigroup, located at 388 Greenwich Street, New York, New York 10013; and PFS, located at 3120 Breckinridge Boulevard, Duluth, Georgia 30099-0001, serve as the fund’s distributors pursuant to separate written agreements or amendments to written agreements, in each case dated December 1, 2005 (the “distribution agreements”). Prior to December 1, 2005, CGMI and PFS Distributors, Inc. (“PFS Distributors”), the predecessor in interest to PFS, served as the fund’s distributors.

A distributor’s obligation is an agency or “best efforts” arrangement under which the distributor is required to take and pay only for such shares of the fund as may be sold to the public. A distributor is not obligated to sell any stated number of shares. Each distribution agreement is renewable from year to year if approved (a) by the Trustees or by a vote of a majority of the fund’s outstanding voting securities, and (b) by the affirmative vote of a majority of Independent Trustees who are not parties to such agreement by votes cast in person at a meeting called for such purpose. Each distribution agreement provides that it will terminate if assigned, and that it may be terminated without penalty by either party on 60 days’ written notice, provided that each of the CGMI and PFS distribution agreements may be terminated upon 90 days’ written notice by the distributor.

LMIS, CGMI and PFS may be deemed to be underwriters for purposes of the 1933 Act. From time to time, LMIS, CGMI, PFS or their affiliates may also pay for certain non-cash sales incentives provided to PFS Registered Representatives. Such incentives do not have any effect on the net amount invested. In addition to the reallowances from the applicable public offering price described below, PFS may, from time to time, pay or allow additional reallowances or promotional incentives, in the form of cash or other compensation, to PFS Registered Representatives that sell shares of the fund.

 

34


Initial Sales Charges

The aggregate dollar amount of commissions on Class A and Class C shares received by LMIS, CGMI and PFS during the fiscal years ended April 30, 2004, 2005 and 2006 were as follows:

Class A Shares†

For the fiscal year ended April 30:

 

     CGMI    LMIS     PFS

2006

   $ 153,000    $ 0 ††   $ 101,000

2005

   $ 1,119,000      N/A     $ 249,002

2004

   $ 498,000      N/A     $ 51,000

As of November 20, 2006, the maximum initial sales charge increased.
†† For the period from December 1, 2005 through April 30, 2006.

Class C Shares

For the fiscal year ended April 30:

 

     CGMI    LMIS

2006

     N/A    N/A

2005

     N/A    N/A

2004

   $ 63,000    N/A

Contingent Deferred Sales Charges

Class A Shares

For the fiscal year ended April 30:

 

     CGMI    LMIS  

2006

   $ 0    $ 0

2005

   $ 0      N/A  

2004

   $ 0      N/A  

For the period from December 1, 2005 through April 30, 2006.

Class B Shares

For the fiscal year ended April 30:

 

     CGMI    LMIS     PFS

2006

   $ 80,000    $      0   $ 12,000

2005

   $ 161,000      N/A     $ 10,000

2004

   $ 112,000      N/A     $ 7,000

For the period from December 1, 2005 through April 30, 2006.

Class C Shares

For the fiscal year ended April 30:

 

     CGMI    LMIS  

2006

   $ 21,000    $      0

2005

   $ 47,000      N/A  

2004

   $ 3,000      N/A  

For the period from December 1, 2005 through April 30, 2006.

 

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As Class 1 shares were newly offered as of February 2, 2007, no sales charges were paid with respect to that share class for the periods shown above.

Services and Distribution Plan Arrangements

The fund has adopted an amended shareholder services and distribution plan (the “12b-1 Plan”) pursuant to Rule l2b-1 under the 1940 Act with respect to its Class A, B and C shares. The only classes of shares offered for sale through PFS are Class A shares and Class B shares. Under the 12b-1 Plan, the fund pays service and distribution fees to each of LMIS, CGMI and PFS, as applicable, for the services they provide and expenses they bear with respect to the distribution of Class A, B and C shares and providing services to Class A, B and C shareholders. The distributors will provide the fund’s Board with periodic reports of amounts expended under the 12b-1 Plan and the purposes for which such expenditures were made. The fund pays service fees, accrued daily and payable monthly, calculated at the annual rate of 0.25% of the value of the fund’s average daily net assets attributable to the fund’s Class A, B and C shares. In addition, the fund pays distribution fees, with respect to Class B and C shares, at the annual rate of 0.75%, of the fund’s average daily net assets.

Fees under the 12b-1 Plan may be used to make payments to the distributors for distribution services, to Service Agents in respect of the sale of shares of the fund, and to other parties in respect of the sale of shares of the fund, and to make payments for advertising, marketing or other promotional activity, and payments for preparation, printing, and distribution of prospectuses, statements of additional information and reports for recipients other than regulators and existing shareholders. The fund also may make payments to the distributors, Service Agents and others for providing personal service or the maintenance of shareholder accounts. The amounts paid to each recipient may vary based upon certain factors, including, among other things, the levels of sales of fund shares and/or shareholder services provided.

The 12b-1 Plan also provides that the distributors and Service Agents may receive all or a portion of the sales charges paid by Class A, B and C investors.

The 12b-1 Plan permits the fund to pay fees to a distributor, Service Agents and others as compensation for their services, not as reimbursement for specific expenses incurred. Thus, even if their expenses exceed the fees provided for by the 12b-1 Plan, the fund will not be obligated to pay more than those fees and, if their expenses are less than the fees paid to them, they will realize a profit. The fund may pay the fees to a distributor and others until the 12b-1 Plan or distribution agreement is terminated or not renewed. In that event, a distributor’s or other recipient’s expenses in excess of fees received or accrued through the termination date will be the distributor’s or other recipient’s sole responsibility and not obligations of the fund. In their annual consideration of the continuation of the 12b-1 Plan for the fund, the Trustees will review the 12b-1 Plan and the expenses for each class within the fund separately.

The 12b-1 Plan also recognizes that various service providers to the fund, such as the manager, may make payments for distribution related expenses out of their own resources, including past profits, or payments received from the fund for other purposes, such as management fees, and that the fund’s distributors or Service Agents may from time to time use their own resources for distribution-related services, in addition to the fees paid under the 12b-1 Plan. The 12b-1 Plan specifically provides that, to the extent that such payments might be deemed to be indirect financing of any activity primarily intended to result in the sale of shares of the fund within the context of Rule 12b-1, then the payments are deemed to be authorized by the 12b-1 Plan, if permitted under applicable law.

The 12b-1 Plan continues in effect if such continuance is specifically approved at least annually by a vote of both a majority of the Trustees and a majority of the Independent Trustees who have no direct or indirect financial interest in the operation of the 12b-1 Plan or in any agreement related to the 12b-1 Plan (for purposes of this paragraph “Qualified” Trustees). The Qualified Trustees, in the exercise of their business judgment in the best interests of the shareholders of the fund and each Class, have approved the continuation of the 12b-1 Plan.

 

36


The 12b-1 Plan requires that the fund and the distributors provide to the Board and the Board review, at least quarterly, a written report of the amounts expended (and the purposes therefor) under the 12b-1 Plan. The 12b-1 Plan further provides that the selection and nomination of the Qualified Trustees is committed to the discretion of the Qualified Trustees then in office who are Independent Trustees of the fund. The 12b-1 Plan may be terminated with respect to any class of the fund at any time by a vote of a majority of the fund’s Qualified Trustees or by a vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of that class. The 12b-1 Plan may not be amended to increase materially the amount of permitted expenses of the class thereunder without the approval of a majority of the outstanding securities of that class and may not be materially amended in any case without a vote of a majority of both the Trustees and Qualified Trustees. The fund will preserve copies of any plan, agreement or report made pursuant to the 12b-1 Plan for a period of not less than six years, and for the first two years the fund will preserve such copies in an easily accessible place.

As contemplated by the 12b-1 Plan, each distributor acts as an agent of the fund in connection with the offering of shares of the fund pursuant to the respective distribution agreements.

Prior to December 1, 2005, the fund paid service and distribution fees directly to CGMI and PFS Distributors Inc. (an affiliate of PFS) under separate 12b-1 Plans with respect to shares sold through CGMI and PFS Distributors.

The following service and distribution fees were incurred by the fund pursuant to the 12b-1 Plans in effect during the periods indicated:

 

     Fiscal Year
Ended 4/30/06
   Fiscal Year
Ended 4/30/05
   Fiscal Year
Ended 4/30/04

Class A

   $ 227,899    $ 178,878    $ 77,049

Class B

   $ 747,727    $ 692,685    $ 452,224

Class C

   $ 2,083,233    $ 2,270,436    $ 1,954,899

Distribution expenses incurred by LMIS, CGMI and/or PFS during the fiscal year ended April 30, 2006 for advertising, printing and mailing prospectuses, support services and overhead expenses, payments to Service Agents and for accruals for interest on the excess of expenses incurred in the distribution of the fund’s shares are expressed in the following tables.

LMIS*

 

Marketing Distribution Expenses  

Printing

Expenses

 

Financial Advisor

Expense

  Branch Ops
Expenses
 

Third Party

Service Fees

 
$55,845   $ 3,334   $ 292,447   $ 0   $ 18,514  

*  For the period from December 1, 2005 through April 30, 2006.

 

CGMI

    

 

Marketing Distribution Expenses  

Printing

Expenses

 

Financial Advisor

Expense

 

Branch Ops

Expenses

 

Third Party

Service Fees

 
$54,955   $ 3,334   $ 1,175,192   $ 963,007   $ (3,153 )

PFS

 

Marketing Distribution Expenses  

Printing

Expenses

 

Financial Advisor

Expense

 

Branch Ops

Expenses

 

Third Party

Service Fees

$4,317   $ 1,126   $ 54,318   $ 46,866   N/A

Dealer reallowances are described in the fund’s prospectus.

 

37


Portfolio Transactions

Subject to policies as may be established by the fund’s Board from time to time, the manager is primarily responsible for the fund’s portfolio decisions and the placing of the fund’s portfolio transactions.

Transactions on stock exchanges involve the payment of negotiated brokerage commissions. There is generally no stated commission in the case of securities traded in the over-the-counter market, but the price of those securities includes an undisclosed commission or mark-up. Over-the-counter purchases and sales are transacted directly with principal market makers except where it is believed that better prices and executions may be obtained elsewhere. The cost of securities purchased from underwriters includes an underwriting commission or concession, and the prices at which securities are purchased from and sold to dealers include a dealer’s mark-up or mark-down. The purchase by the fund of participations or assignments may be pursuant to privately negotiated transactions pursuant to which the fund may be required to pay fees to the seller or forgo a portion of payments in respect of the participation agreement. The aggregate brokerage commissions paid by the fund for its three most recent fiscal years are set forth below under “Aggregate Brokerage Commissions Paid.”

Pursuant to the Management Agreement, the manager is authorized to place orders pursuant to its investment determinations for the fund either directly with the issuer or with any broker or dealer, foreign currency dealer, futures commission merchant or others selected by it. The general policy of the manager in selecting brokers and dealers is to obtain the best results achievable in the context of a number of factors which are considered both in relation to individual trades and broader trading patterns, including the reliability of the broker/dealer, the competitiveness of the price and the commission, the research services received and whether the broker/dealer commits its own capital.

In connection with the selection of such brokers or dealers and the placing of such orders, subject to applicable law, brokers or dealers may be selected who also provide brokerage and research services (as those terms are defined in Section 28(e) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934) to the manager that may benefit the fund and/or the other accounts over which the manager or its affiliates exercise investment discretion. The manager is authorized to pay a broker or dealer who provides such brokerage and research services a commission for executing a portfolio transaction for the fund which is in excess of the amount of commission another broker or dealer would have charged for effecting that transaction if the manager determines in good faith that such amount of commission is reasonable in relation to the value of the brokerage and research services provided by such broker or dealer. This determination may be viewed in terms of either that particular transaction or the overall responsibilities that the manager and its affiliates have with respect to accounts over which they exercise investment discretion. The manager may also have arrangements with brokers pursuant to which such brokers provide research services to the manager in exchange for a certain volume of brokerage transactions to be executed by such brokers. While the payment of higher commissions increases the fund’s costs, the manager does not believe that the receipt of such brokerage and research services significantly reduces its expenses as manager. Arrangements for the receipt of research services from brokers may create conflicts of interest.

Research services furnished to the manager by brokers who effect securities transactions for the fund may be used by the manager in servicing other investment companies and accounts which it manages. Similarly, research services furnished to the manager by brokers who effect securities transactions for other investment companies and accounts which the manager manages may be used by the manager in servicing the fund. Not all of these research services are used by the manager in managing any particular account, including the fund.

For the fiscal year ended April 30, 2006, the fund paid $48,029 in commissions on brokerage transactions totaling $31,568,225 directed to brokers because of research services provided.

The fund contemplates that, consistent with the policy of obtaining the best net results, brokerage transactions may be conducted through “affiliated broker/dealers,” as defined in the 1940 Act. The Board has adopted procedures in accordance with Rule 17e-1 under the 1940 Act to ensure that all brokerage commissions paid to such affiliates are reasonable and fair in the context of the market in which such affiliates operate. Any

 

38


such compensation will be paid in accordance with applicable SEC regulations. Effective December 1, 2005, CGMI is no longer an affiliated person of the fund under the 1940 Act. As a result, the fund is permitted to execute portfolio transactions with CGMI or an affiliate of CGMI as agent (but not as principal) without being subject to the restrictions applicable to transactions with affiliated persons.

Aggregate Brokerage Commissions Paid

The fund has paid the following in brokerage commissions for portfolio transactions:

 

Fiscal Year Ending April 30:

   Total
Brokerage
Commissions
    Commissions
Paid to CGMI
and Affiliates
   % of Total
Brokerage
Commissions
Paid to CGMI
and Affiliates
    % of Total
Dollar Amount
of Transactions
Involving
Commissions
Paid to CGMI
and Affiliates
 

2004

   $ 580,000 *   $ 8,960    1.54 %   1.08 %

2005

   $ 258,775 *   $ 0    0 %   0 %

2006

   $ 229,875     $ 2,640    1.15 %   0.74 %

* The decrease in total brokerage is due to the change in the fund’s investment policies that became effective on January 21, 2004.

As of December 1, 2005, LMIS became an underwriter of the fund under the 1940 Act. For the period December 1, 2005 though April 30, 2006, the fund did not pay any brokerage commissions to LMIS or its affiliates.

In certain instances there may be securities that are suitable as an investment for the fund as well as for one or more of the manager’s other clients. Investment decisions for the fund and for the manager’s other clients are made with a view to achieving their respective investment objectives. It may develop that a particular security is bought or sold for only one client even though it might be held by, or bought or sold for, other clients. Likewise, a particular security may be bought for one or more clients when one or more clients are selling the same security. Some simultaneous transactions are inevitable when several clients receive investment advice from the same investment adviser, particularly when the same security is suitable for the investment objectives of more than one client. When two or more clients are simultaneously engaged in the purchase or sale of the same security, the securities are allocated among clients in a manner believed to be equitable to each. It is recognized that in some cases this practice could adversely affect the price of or the size of the position obtainable in a security for the fund. When purchases or sales of the same security for the fund and for other portfolios managed by the manager occur contemporaneously, the purchase or sale orders may be aggregated in order to obtain any price advantages available to large volume purchases or sales.

For reporting purposes, the fund’s portfolio turnover rate is calculated by dividing the lesser of purchases or sales of portfolio securities for the fiscal year by the monthly average of the value of the portfolio securities owned by the fund during the fiscal year. In determining such portfolio turnover, all securities whose maturities at the time of acquisition were one year or less are excluded. A 100% portfolio turnover rate would occur, for example, if all of the securities in the fund’s investment portfolio (other than short-term money market securities) were replaced once during the fiscal year. Portfolio turnover will not be a limiting factor should the manager deem it advisable to purchase or sell securities.

Increased portfolio turnover necessarily results in correspondingly greater transaction costs which must be paid by the fund. To the extent portfolio trading results in realization of net short-term capital gains, shareholders will be taxed on such gains at ordinary tax rates (except shareholders who invest through individual retirement accounts (“IRAs”) and other retirement plans which are not taxed currently on accumulations in their accounts). The portfolio turnover rates for the fiscal years ended April 30, 2005 and 2006 were 15% and 24%, respectively.

 

39


At April 30, 2006, the fund held the following securities issued by its regular broker/dealers:

 

Issuer

   Market Value

Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith, Inc.

   $ 7,375,105

Lehman Brothers Inc.

   $ 4,625,190

JPMorgan Chase & Co.

   $ 4,621,091

Bank of America Securities LLC

   $ 4,135,472

State Street Bank and Trust Co.

   $ 2,626,517

Goldman Sachs & Co.

   $ 1,602,900

PORTFOLIO MANAGER DISCLOSURE

Portfolio Manager

The following tables set forth certain additional information with respect to the fund’s portfolio manager. Unless noted otherwise, all information is provided as of December 31, 2006.

Other Accounts Managed by Portfolio Manager

The table below identifies the number of accounts (other than the fund with respect to which information is provided) for which the portfolio manager has day-to-day management responsibilities and the total assets in such accounts, within each of the following categories: registered investment companies, other pooled investment vehicles, and other accounts.

 

Portfolio Manager

  

Registered Investment

Companies

  

Other Pooled

Investment Vehicles

   Other Accounts
Jay Leopold    No other registered
investment companies
   No other pooled
investment vehicles
   10 other accounts with
$1.3 billion in total assets
under management, of
which 1 account with
approximately $700
million in assets has a fee
based on performance

Portfolio Manager Compensation

The portfolio manager has day-to-day management responsibility for multiple accounts, which may include mutual funds, separately managed advisory accounts, commingled trust accounts, offshore funds and insurance company separate accounts. The management of multiple accounts by the portfolio manager may create the potential for conflicts to arise. For example, even though all accounts in the same investment style are managed similarly, the portfolio manager makes investment decisions for each account based on the investment guidelines, cash flows, and other factors that the manager believes are applicable to that account. Consequently, the portfolio manager may purchase (or sell) securities for one account and not another account or purchase (or sell) the same security for multiple accounts at different times. A portfolio manager may also manage accounts whose style, objectives, and policies differ from those of the fund. Trading activity appropriate for one account managed by the portfolio manager may have adverse consequences for another account managed by the portfolio manager. For example, if an account were to sell a significant position in a security, that sale could cause the market price of the security to decrease, while the fund maintained its position in the security. A potential conflict may also arise when a portfolio manager is responsible for accounts that have different advisory fees - the difference in the fees may create an incentive for the portfolio manager to favor one account over another, for example, in terms of access to investment opportunities of limited availability. This conflict may be heightened where an account is subject to a performance-based fee. A portfolio manager’s personal investing may also give rise to potential

 

40


conflicts of interest. LMCM has adopted brokerage, trade allocation, personal investing and other policies and procedures that it believes are reasonably designed to address the potential conflicts of interest described above.

The portfolio manager is paid a fixed base salary and a bonus. Bonus compensation is reviewed annually and is determined by a number of factors, including the annual performance of the portfolio manager’s accounts relative to the benchmark, the portfolio manager’s performance over various other time periods, the total value of the assets managed by the portfolio manager, the portfolio manager’s contribution to the manager’s research process, the profitability of the manager and the portfolio manager’s contribution to profitability, and trends in industry compensation levels and practices.

One account managed by the portfolio manager pays a performance fee, and thus may pay higher fees than the fund and the other accounts managed by the portfolio manager if certain performance objectives and other requirements are met. Since the portfolio manager’s compensation structure does consider contribution to firm profitability as one of its criteria, it is possible under certain circumstances that the portfolio manager’s bonus compensation could be more positively impacted by the account that pays a performance fee than it would by achieving the same performance in the fund or another account. However, investment ideas are generally implemented in all similarly managed accounts at the same time, subject to considerations of each account’s investment guidelines, restrictions, tax considerations, cash balances, liquidity needs, trading costs, and other factors. In addition, the manager maintains written policies and procedures to address this potential conflict of interests and ensure that accounts are treated equitably.

The portfolio manager is also eligible to receive stock options from Legg Mason based upon an assessment of the portfolio manager’s contribution to the success of the company, as well as employee benefits, including, but not limited to, health care and other insurance benefits, participation in the Legg Mason 401(k) program, and participation in other Legg Mason deferred compensation plans.

Portfolio Manager Securities Ownership

The table below identifies ownership of fund securities by the fund’s portfolio manager.

 

Portfolio Manager

  

Dollar Range of

Ownership of Securities

Jay Leopold

   $100,000-500,000

Potential Conflicts of Interest

Potential conflicts of interest may arise when the fund’s portfolio manager also has day-to-day management responsibilities with respect to one or more other funds or other accounts, as is the case for the portfolio manager listed in the table above.

The manager and the fund have adopted compliance policies and procedures that are designed to address various conflicts of interest that may arise for the manager and the individuals that it employs. For example, the manager seeks to minimize the effects of competing interests for the time and attention of portfolio managers by assigning portfolio managers to manage funds and accounts that share a similar investment style. The manager has also adopted trade allocation procedures that are designed to facilitate the fair allocation of limited investment opportunities among multiple funds and accounts. There is no guarantee, however, that the policies and procedures adopted by the manager and the fund will be able to detect and/or prevent every situation in which an actual or potential conflict may appear. These potential conflicts include:

Allocation of Limited Time and Attention. A portfolio manager who is responsible for managing multiple funds and/or accounts may devote unequal time and attention to the management of those funds and/or accounts. As a result, the portfolio manager may not be able to formulate as complete a strategy or identify equally

 

41


attractive investment opportunities for each of those accounts as might be the case if he or she were to devote substantially more attention to the management of a single fund. The effects of this potential conflict may be more pronounced where funds and/or accounts overseen by a particular portfolio manager have different investment strategies.

Allocation of Limited Investment Opportunities. If a portfolio manager identifies a limited investment opportunity that may be suitable for multiple funds and/or accounts, the opportunity may be allocated among these several funds or accounts, which may limit a fund’s ability to take full advantage of the investment opportunity.

Pursuit of Differing Strategies. At times, a portfolio manager may determine that an investment opportunity may be appropriate for only some of the funds and/or accounts for which he or she exercises investment responsibility, or may decide that certain of the funds and/or accounts should take differing positions with respect to a particular security. In these cases, the portfolio manager may place separate transactions for one or more funds or accounts which may affect the market price of the security or the execution of the transaction or both, to the detriment or benefit of one or more other funds and/or accounts.

Selection of Brokers/Dealers. Portfolio managers may be able to select or influence the selection of the brokers and dealers that are used to execute securities transactions for the funds and/or accounts that they supervise. In addition to executing trades, some brokers and dealers provide portfolio managers with brokerage and research services (as those terms are defined in Section 28(e) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934), which may result in the payment of higher brokerage fees than might have otherwise been available. These services may be more beneficial to certain funds or accounts than to others. Although the payment of brokerage commissions is subject to the requirement that the portfolio manager determine in good faith that the commissions are reasonable in relation to the value of the brokerage and research services provided to the fund, a portfolio manager’s decision as to the selection of brokers and dealers could yield disproportionate costs and benefits among the funds and/or accounts that he or she manages.

Variation in Compensation. A conflict of interest may arise where the financial or other benefits available to the portfolio manager differ among the funds and/or accounts that he or she manages. If the structure of the manager’s management fee and/or the portfolio manager’s compensation differs among funds and/or accounts (such as where certain funds or accounts pay higher management fees or performance-based management fees), the portfolio manager might be motivated to help certain funds and/or accounts over others. The portfolio manager might be motivated to favor funds and/or accounts in which he or she has an interest or in which the manager and/or its affiliates have interests. Similarly, the desire to maintain assets under management or to enhance the portfolio manager’s performance record or to derive other rewards, financial or otherwise, could influence the portfolio manager in affording preferential treatment to those funds and/or accounts that could most significantly benefit the portfolio manager.

Related Business Opportunities The manager or its affiliates may provide more services (such as distribution or recordkeeping) for some types of funds or accounts than for others. In such cases, a portfolio manager may benefit either directly or indirectly, by devoting disproportionate attention to the management of fund and/or accounts that provide greater overall returns to the manager and its affiliates.

PURCHASE OF SHARES

General

Investors may purchase shares from a Service Agent. In addition, certain investors, including retirement plans purchasing through certain Service Agents, may purchase shares directly from the fund. When purchasing shares of the fund, investors must specify whether the purchase is for Class A, B, C, 1 or I* shares. Service

 


*As of November 20, 2006, Class Y shares were renamed Class I shares.

 

42


Agents may charge their customers an annual account maintenance fee in connection with a brokerage account through which an investor purchases or holds shares. Accounts held directly at the transfer agent are not subject to a maintenance fee.

For additional information regarding applicable investment minimums and eligibility requirements, please see the fund’s prospectus.

There are no minimum investment requirements for purchases of Class A shares by: (i) current and retired board members of Legg Mason, (ii) current and retired board members of any fund advised by LMPFA (such board members, together with board members of Legg Mason, are referred to herein as “Board Members”), (iii) current employees of Legg Mason and its subsidiaries, as well as (iv) by the “immediate families” of such persons (“immediate families” are such person’s spouse, including the surviving spouse of a deceased Board Member, and children under the age of 21) and (v) by a pension, profit-sharing or other benefit plan for the benefit of such persons. The fund reserves the right to waive or change minimums, to decline any order to purchase its shares and to suspend the offering of shares from time to time.

Share certificates for the fund will no longer be issued. If you currently hold share certificates of the fund, such certificates will continue to be honored.

Purchase orders received by the fund or a Service Agent prior to the close of regular trading on the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) on any day the fund calculates its net asset value are priced according to the net asset value determined on that day (the “trade date”). Orders received by a Service Agent prior to the close of regular trading on the NYSE on any day the fund calculates its net asset value are priced according to the net asset value determined on that day, provided the order is received by the fund’s agent prior to its close of business. For shares purchased through CGMI or a Service Agent purchasing through CGMI, payment for shares of the fund is normally due on the third business day after the trade date. In all other cases, payment must be made with the purchase order.

Systematic Investment Plan. Shareholders may make additions to their accounts at any time by purchasing shares through a service known as the Systematic Investment Plan. Under the Systematic Investment Plan, a distributor, the transfer agent, or, with respect to a PFS account, Primerica Shareholder Services is authorized through preauthorized transfers of at least $25 on a monthly, quarterly, every alternate month, semi-annual or annual basis to charge the shareholder’s account held with a bank or other financial institution as indicated by the shareholder, to provide for systematic additions to the shareholder’s fund account. A shareholder who has insufficient funds to complete the transfer will be charged a fee of up to $30. The Systematic Investment Plan also authorizes a distributor to apply cash held in the shareholder’s brokerage account or redeem the shareholder’s shares of certain money market funds managed by the manager or its affiliates to make additions to the account. Additional information is available from the fund or a Service Agent.

Sales Charge Alternatives

The following classes of shares are available for purchase. See the prospectus for a discussion of who is eligible to purchase certain classes and of factors to consider in selecting which class of shares to purchase.

Class A Shares. Class A shares are sold to investors at the public offering price, which is the net asset value (“NAV”) plus an initial sales charge, as described in the fund’s prospectus.

Members of the selling group may receive a portion of the sales charge as described above and may be deemed to be underwriters of the fund as defined in the 1933 Act. The sales charges are calculated based on the aggregate of purchases of Class A shares of the fund made at one time by any “person,” which includes an individual and his or her spouse and children under the age of 21, or a trustee or other fiduciary of a single trust estate or single fiduciary account. For additional information regarding sales charge reductions, see “Sales Charge Waivers and Reductions” below.

 

43


Purchases of Class A shares of $1,000,000 or more will be made at NAV without any initial sales charge, but will be subject to a contingent deferred sales charge of 1.00% on redemptions made within 12 months of purchase. The contingent deferred sales charge is waived in the same circumstances in which the contingent deferred sales charge applicable to Class B and Class C shares is waived. See “Contingent Deferred Sales Charge Provisions” and “Waivers of Contingent Deferred Sales Charge” below.

Class B and C Shares. Class B and C shares are sold without an initial sales charge but are subject to a contingent deferred sales charge payable upon certain redemptions. See “Contingent Deferred Sales Charge Provisions” below.

Class 1 Shares. Class 1 shares are sold to eligible Class 1 shareholders at the next determined net asset value plus a sales charge, as described in the fund’s prospectus. Investors do not pay a sales charge on the fund’s distributions or dividends that they reinvest in additional Class 1 shares. Investors pay a lower sales charge as the size of their investment increases to certain levels called breakpoints as described in the fund’s prospectus.

From time to time, Service Agents or their affiliates may also pay for certain non-cash sales incentives provided to financial professionals. Such incentives do not have any effect on the net amount invested. In addition to the reallowances from the applicable public offering price described above, Service Agents may, from time to time, pay or allow additional reallowances or promotional incentives, in the form of cash or other compensation to financial professionals that sell shares of the fund.

Investors purchasing Class 1 shares may under certain circumstances be entitled to reduced sales charges. The circumstances under which such investors may pay reduced sales charges are the same as those described below under “Purchases of Shares—Accumulation Privilege” and “Letter of Intent.”

Class I Shares. Class I shares are sold at NAV with no initial sales charge on purchases and no contingent deferred sales charge upon redemption.

Sales Charge Waivers and Reductions

Initial Sales Charge Waivers. Purchases of Class A shares may be made at NAV without an initial sales charge in the following circumstances:

 

  (a) sales to (i) current and retired board members of Legg Mason, (ii) current and retired Board Members, (iii) current employees of Legg Mason and its subsidiaries, (iv) the “immediate families” of such persons (“immediate families” are such person’s spouse, including the surviving spouse of a deceased Board Member, and children under the age of 21) and (v) pension, profit-sharing or other benefit plans for the benefit of such persons;

 

  (b) sales to any employees of Service Agents having dealer, service or other selling agreements with the fund’s distributors or otherwise having an arrangement with any such Service Agent with respect to sales of fund shares, and by the immediate families of such persons or by a pension, profit-sharing or other benefit plan for the benefit of such persons (providing the purchase is made for investment purposes and such securities will not be resold except through redemption or repurchase);

 

  (c) offers of Class A shares to any other investment company to effect the combination of such company with the fund by merger, acquisition of assets or otherwise;

 

  (d) purchases by shareholders who have redeemed Class A shares in the fund (or Class A shares of another Legg Mason Partners fund that is offered with a sales charge) and who wish to reinvest their redemption proceeds in the fund, provided the reinvestment is made within 60 calendar days of the redemption;

 

  (e) purchases by accounts managed by registered investment advisory subsidiaries of Citigroup;

 

44


  (f) purchases by certain separate accounts used to fund unregistered variable annuity contracts; and

 

  (g) purchases by investors participating in “wrap fee” or asset allocation programs or other fee-based arrangements sponsored by (affiliated and non-affiliated) broker/dealers and other financial institutions that have entered into agreements with CGMI or LMIS.

In order to obtain such discounts, the purchaser must provide sufficient information at the time of purchase to permit verification that the purchase qualifies for the elimination of the sales charge.

All existing retirement plan shareholders who purchased Class A shares at NAV prior to November 20, 2006, are permitted to purchase additional Class A shares at NAV. Certain existing programs for current and prospective retirement plan investors sponsored by financial intermediaries approved by LMIS prior to November 20, 2006 will also remain eligible to purchase Class A shares at NAV.

Accumulation Privilege—Please see the fund’s prospectus for information regarding accumulation privileges.

Letter of Intent—helps you take advantage of breakpoints in Class A sales charges. You may purchase Class A shares of Legg Mason Partners funds over a 13-month period and pay the same sales charge, if any, as if all shares had been purchased at once. You have a choice of seven Asset Level Goal amounts, as follows:

 

(1) $25,000   
(2) $50,000   
(3) $100,000   
(4) $250,000   
(5) $500,000   
(6) $750,000   
(7) $1,000,000   

Each time you make a Class A purchase under a Letter of Intent, you will be entitled to the sales charge that is applicable to the amount of your Asset Level Goal. For example, if your Asset Level Goal is $100,000, any Class A investments you make under a Letter of Intent would be subject to the sales charge of the specific fund you are investing in for purchases of $100,000. Sales charges and breakpoints vary among the Legg Mason Partners funds.

When you enter into a Letter of Intent, you agree to purchase in Eligible Accounts over a thirteen (13) month period Eligible Fund Purchases in an amount equal to the Asset Level Goal you have selected, less any Eligible Prior Purchases. For this purpose, shares are valued at the public offering price (including any sales charge paid) calculated as of the date of purchase, plus any appreciation in the value of the shares as of the date of calculation, except for Eligible Prior Purchases, which are valued at current value as of the date of calculation. Your commitment will be met if at any time during the 13-month period the value, as so determined, of eligible holdings is at least equal to your Asset Level Goal. All reinvested dividends and distributions on shares acquired under the Letter will be credited towards your Asset Level Goal. You may include any Eligible Fund Purchases towards the Letter, including shares of classes other than Class A shares. However, a Letter of Intent will not entitle you to a reduction in the sales charge payable on any shares other than Class A shares, and if the shares are subject to a contingent deferred sales charge, you will still be subject to that contingent deferred sales charge with respect to those shares. You must make reference to the Letter of Intent each time you make a purchase under the Letter.

Eligible Fund Purchases. Generally, shares of a Legg Mason Partners fund may be credited towards your Asset Level Goal. Shares of certain money market funds advised by the manager or its affiliates (except for money market fund shares acquired by exchange from other Legg Mason Partners funds offered with a sales charge), Legg Mason Partners S&P 500 Index Fund and Class O shares of Legg Mason Partners Equity Fund are not eligible.

 

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This list may change from time to time. Investors should check with their Service Agent to see which funds may be eligible.

Eligible Accounts. Purchases may be made through any account in your name, or in the name of your spouse or your children under the age of 21. You may need to provide certain records, such as account statements, in order to verify your eligibility for reduced sales charges. Contact your Service Agent to see which accounts may be credited toward your letter of intent asset goal.

Eligible Prior Purchases. You may also credit towards your Asset Level Goal any Eligible Fund Purchases made in Eligible Accounts at any time prior to entering into the Letter of Intent that have not been sold or redeemed, based on the current price of those shares as of the date of calculation.

Purchases made 90 days prior to the 13-month period are also eligible to be treated as purchases made under the Letter of Intent. Any Eligible Fund Purchases in Eligible Accounts made during that period will count towards your Asset Level Goal and will also be eligible for the lower sales charge applicable to your Asset Level Goal. You will be credited by way of additional shares at the current offering price for the difference between (a) the aggregate sales charges actually paid for those eligible shares and (b) the aggregate applicable sales charges for your Asset Level Goal.

Increasing the Amount of the Letter. You may at any time increase your Asset Level Goal. You must however contact your Service Agent, or if you purchase your shares directly through PFPC, contact PFPC prior to making any purchases in an amount in excess of your current Asset Level Goal. Upon such an increase, you will be credited by way of additional shares at the then current offering price for the difference between: (a) the aggregate sales charges actually paid for shares already purchased under the Letter and (b) the aggregate applicable sales charges for the increased Asset Level Goal. The 13-month period during which the Asset Level Goal must be achieved will remain unchanged.

Sales and Exchanges. Shares acquired pursuant to a Letter of Intent, other than Escrowed Shares as defined below, may be redeemed or exchanged at any time, although any shares that are redeemed prior to meeting your Asset Level Goal will no longer count towards meeting your Asset Level Goal. However, complete liquidation of purchases made under a Letter of Intent prior to meeting the Asset Level Goal will result in the cancellation of the Letter. See “Failure to Meet Asset Level Goal” below. Exchanges in accordance with a fund’s prospectus are permitted, and shares so exchanged will continue to count towards your Asset Level Goal, as long as the exchange results in an Eligible Fund Purchase.

Cancellation of Letter. You may cancel a Letter of Intent by notifying your Service Agent in writing, or if you purchase your shares directly through PFPC, by notifying PFPC in writing. The Letter will be automatically cancelled if all shares are sold or redeemed as set forth above. See “Failure to Meet Asset Level Goal” below.

Escrowed Shares. Shares equal in value to five percent (5%) of your Asset Level Goal as of the date of your Letter (or the date of any increase in the amount of the Letter) is accepted, will be held in escrow during the term of your Letter. The Escrowed Shares will be included in the total shares owned as reflected in your account statement and any dividends and capital gains distributions applicable to the Escrowed Shares will be credited to your account and counted towards your Asset Level Goal or paid in cash upon request. The Escrowed Shares will be released from escrow if all the terms of your Letter are met.

Failure to Meet Asset Level Goal. If the total assets under your Letter of Intent within its 13-month term are less than your Asset Level Goal or you elect to liquidate all of your holdings or cancel the Letter before reaching your Asset Level Goal, you will be liable for the difference between: (a) the sales charge actually paid and; (b) the sales charge that would have applied if you had not entered into the Letter. You may, however, be entitled to any breakpoints that would have been available to you under the accumulation privilege. An appropriate number of shares in your account will be redeemed to realize the amount due. For these purposes, by entering

 

46


into a Letter of Intent, you irrevocably appoint your Service Agent, or if you purchase your shares directly through PFPC, PFPC, as your attorney-in-fact for the purposes of holding the Escrowed Shares and surrendering shares in your account for redemption. If there are insufficient assets in your account, you will be liable for the difference. Any Escrowed Shares remaining after such redemption will be released to your account.

Contingent Deferred Sales Charge Provisions

“Contingent Deferred Sales Charge Shares” are: (a) Class B shares; (b) Class C shares; and (c) Class A shares that were purchased without an initial sales charge but are subject to a contingent deferred sales charge. A contingent deferred sales charge may be imposed on certain redemptions of these shares.

Any applicable contingent deferred sales charge will be assessed on the net asset value at the time of purchase or redemption, whichever is less.

Class C shares and Class A shares that are Contingent Deferred Sales Charge Shares are subject to a 1.00% contingent deferred sales charge if redeemed within 12 months of purchase. In circumstances in which the contingent deferred sales charge is imposed on Class B shares, the amount of the charge will depend on the number of years since the shareholder made the purchase payment from which the amount is being redeemed. Solely for purposes of determining the number of years since a purchase payment, all purchase payments made during a month will be aggregated and deemed to have been made on the last day of the preceding statement month. The following table sets forth the rates of the charge for redemptions of Class B shares by shareholders.

 

Year Since Purchase Payment Was Made

   Contingent Deferred Sales Charge  

First

   5.00 %

Second

   4.00 %

Third

   3.00 %

Fourth

   2.00 %

Fifth

   1.00 %

Sixth and thereafter

   0.00 %

Class B shares will convert automatically to Class A shares approximately eight years after the date on which they were purchased and thereafter will no longer be subject to any distribution fees. There will also be converted at that time such proportion of Class B dividend shares (Class B shares that were acquired through the reinvestment of dividends and distributions) owned by the shareholder as the total number of his or her Class B shares converting at the time bears to the total number of outstanding Class B shares (other than Class B dividend shares) owned by the shareholder.

In determining the applicability of any contingent deferred sales charge, it will be assumed that a redemption is made first of shares representing capital appreciation, next of shares representing the reinvestment of dividends and capital gain distributions, next of shares that are not subject to the contingent deferred sales charge and finally of other shares held by the shareholder for the longest period of time. The length of time that Contingent Deferred Sales Charge Shares acquired through an exchange have been held will be calculated from the date the shares exchanged were initially acquired in one of the other Legg Mason Partners funds. For federal income tax purposes, the amount of the contingent deferred sales charge will reduce the gain or increase the loss, as the case may be, on the amount realized on redemption. The fund’s distributors receive contingent deferred sales charges in partial consideration for their expenses in selling shares.

Waivers of Contingent Deferred Sales Charge

The contingent deferred sales charge will be waived on: (a) exchanges (see “Exchange Privilege”); (b) automatic cash withdrawals in amounts equal to or less than 2.00% of the shareholder’s account balance at the time the withdrawals commence per month, up to a maximum of 12.00% in one year (see “Automatic Cash

 

47


Withdrawal Plan”); (c) redemptions of shares within 12 months following the death or disability (as defined in the Code) of the shareholder; (d) mandatory post-retirement distributions from retirement plans or IRAs commencing on or after attainment of age 70 1/2 (except that shareholders who purchased shares subject to a contingent deferred sales charge prior to May 23, 2005, will be “grandfathered” and will be eligible to obtain the waiver at age 59 1/2 by demonstrating such eligibility at the time of redemption); (e) involuntary redemptions; (f) redemptions of shares to effect a combination of the fund with any investment company by merger, acquisition of assets or otherwise; (g) tax-free returns of an excess contribution to any retirement plan; and (h) certain redemptions of shares of a fund in connection with lump-sum or other distributions made by eligible retirement plans or redemption of shares by participants in certain “wrap fee” or asset allocation programs sponsored by broker/dealers and other financial institutions that have entered into agreements with a distributor or the manager.

As of November 20, 2006, the contingent deferred sales charge is waived on new Class C shares purchased by retirement plan omnibus accounts held on the books of the fund.

A shareholder who has redeemed shares from other Legg Mason Partners funds may, under certain circumstances, reinvest all or part of the redemption proceeds within 60 days and receive pro rata credit for any contingent deferred sales charge imposed on the prior redemption.

Contingent deferred sales charge waivers will be granted subject to confirmation by a distributor or the transfer agent of the shareholder’s status or holdings, as the case may be.

Grandfathered Retirement Program with Exchange Features

Retirement plan programs authorized by LMIS prior to November 20, 2006 (collectively, the “Grandfathered Retirement Program”), to offer eligible retirement plan investors the opportunity to exchange all of their Class C shares for Class A shares of the fund, are permitted to maintain such share class exchange feature for current and prospective retirement plan investors.

Under the Grandfathered Retirement Program, Class C shares may be purchased by plans investing less than $3 million. Class C shares are eligible for exchange into Class A shares not later than eight years after the plan joins the program. They are eligible for exchange in the following circumstances:

If a participating plan’s total Class C holdings in all non-money market Legg Mason Partners funds equal at least $3,000,000 at the end of the fifth year after the date the participating plan enrolled in the Grandfathered Retirement Program, the participating plan will be offered the opportunity to exchange all of its Class C shares for Class A shares of the fund. Such participating plans will be notified of the pending exchange in writing within 30 days after the fifth anniversary of the enrollment date and, unless the exchange offer has been rejected in writing, the exchange will occur on or about the 90th day after the fifth anniversary date. If the participating plan does not qualify for the five-year exchange to Class A shares, a review of the participating plan’s holdings will be performed each quarter until either the participating plan qualifies or the end of the eighth year.

Any participating plan that has not previously qualified for an exchange into Class A shares will be offered the opportunity to exchange all of its Class C shares for Class A shares of the same fund regardless of asset size at the end of the eighth year after the date the participating plan enrolled in the Grandfathered Retirement Program. Such plans will be notified of the pending exchange in writing approximately 60 days before the eighth anniversary of the enrollment date and, unless the exchange has been rejected in writing, the exchange will occur on or about the eighth anniversary date. Once an exchange has occurred, a participating plan will not be eligible to acquire additional Class C shares, but instead may acquire Class A shares of the same fund. Any Class C shares not converted will continue to be subject to the distribution fee.

For further information regarding this Program, contact your Service Agent or the transfer agent. Participating plans that enrolled in the Grandfathered Retirement Program prior to June 2, 2003 should contact the transfer agent for information regarding Class C exchange privileges applicable to their plan.

 

48


PFS Accounts

The fund offers three Classes of shares to investors purchasing through PFS: Class A shares, Class B shares and Class 1 shares.

Initial purchases of shares of the fund must be made through a PFS Registered Representative by completing the appropriate application. The completed application should be forwarded to Primerica Shareholder Services c/o PFPC Inc., P.O. Box 9662, Providence, RI 02940-9662. Checks drawn on foreign banks must be payable in U.S. dollars and have the routing number of the U.S. bank encoded on the check. Additional investments may be sent directly to PFPC. In processing applications and investments, PFPC acts as agent for the investor and for the distributors, in accordance with the terms of the prospectus. If the transfer agent ceases to act as such, a successor company named by the fund will act in the same capacity so long as the account remains open. Shares purchased will be held in the shareholder’s account by PFPC.

Purchase orders received by the transfer agent or Primerica Shareholder Services prior to the close of regular trading on the NYSE, on any day the fund calculates its net asset value, are priced according to the net asset value determined on that day.

Initial purchases of fund shares may be made by wire. Before sending the wire, the PFS Registered Representative must contact Primerica Shareholder Services at (800) 665-8677 to obtain proper wire instructions. Once an account is open, a shareholder may make additional investments by wire. The shareholder should contact Primerica Shareholder Services at (800) 544-5445 to obtain proper wire instructions.

Shareholders who establish telephone transaction authority on their account and supply bank account information may make additions to their accounts at any time. Shareholders should contact Primerica Shareholder Services at (800) 544-5445 between 8:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m. Eastern time any day that the NYSE is open. If a shareholder does not wish to allow subsequent investments by telephone by any person in his or her account, the shareholder should decline the telephone transaction option on the account application. The minimum subsequent investment by telephone is $50 and can be up to a maximum of $50,000. By requesting a subsequent purchase by telephone, you authorize Primerica Shareholder Services to transfer funds from the bank account provided for the amount of the purchase. Subsequent investments by telephone may not be available if the shareholder cannot reach Primerica Shareholder Services whether because all telephone lines are busy or for any other reason; in such case, a shareholder would have to use the fund’s regular subsequent investment procedure described above.

An account transcript is available at a shareholder’s request, which identifies every financial transaction in an account since it has opened. Additional copies of tax forms are available at the shareholder’s request.

Additional information regarding Primerica Shareholder Services may be obtained by contacting the Customer Services Department at (800) 544-5445.

Determination of Public Offering Price

The fund offers its shares on a continuous basis. The public offering price for a Class A, Class B, Class C, Class 1 and Class I shares of the fund is equal to the net asset value per share at the time of purchase, plus for Class A shares and Class 1 shares an initial sales charge based on the aggregate amount of the investment. A contingent deferred sales charge, however, is imposed on certain redemptions of Class A, Class B and Class C shares.

Set forth below is an example of the method of computing the offering price of the Class A shares of the fund based on the net asset value of a share of the fund as of April 30, 2006.

 

Class A (based on a net asset value of $9.42 and a maximum
initial sales charge of 5.75%)

   $9.99

 

49


REDEMPTION OF SHARES

The right of redemption may be suspended or the date of payment postponed (a) for any period during which the NYSE is closed (other than for customary weekend and holiday closings), (b) when trading in the markets the fund normally utilizes is restricted, or an emergency exists, as determined by the SEC, so that disposal of the fund’s investments or determination of net asset value is not reasonably practicable or (c) for such other periods as the SEC by order may permit for protection of the fund’s shareholders.

If the shares to be redeemed were issued in certificate form, the certificates must be endorsed for transfer (or be accompanied by an endorsed stock power) and must be submitted to PFPC together with the redemption request. Any signature appearing on a share certificate, stock power or written redemption request in excess of $50,000 must be guaranteed by an eligible guarantor institution such as a domestic bank, savings and loan institution, domestic credit union, member bank of the Federal Reserve System or member firm of a national securities exchange. Written redemption requests of $50,000 or less do not require a signature guarantee unless more than one such redemption request is made in any 10-day period. Redemption proceeds will be mailed to an investor’s address of record. The transfer agent may require additional supporting documents for redemptions made by corporations, executors, administrators, trustees or guardians. A redemption request will not be deemed properly received until the transfer agent receives all required documents in proper form.

If a shareholder holds shares in more than one Class, any request for redemption must specify the Class being redeemed. In the event of a failure to specify which Class, or if the investor owns fewer shares of the Class than specified, the redemption request will be delayed until the transfer agent receives further instructions. The redemption proceeds will be remitted on or before the seventh business day following receipt of proper tender, except on any days on which the NYSE is closed or as permitted under the 1940 Act, in extraordinary circumstances. Redemption proceeds for shares purchased by check, other than a certified or official bank check, will be remitted upon clearance of the check, which may take up to 10 days. Each Service Agent is responsible for transmitting promptly orders for its customers.

The Service Agent may charge you a fee for executing your order. The amount and applicability of such a fee is determined and disclosed to its customers by each Service Agent.

The fund no longer issues share certificates. Outstanding share certificates will continue to be honored. If you hold share certificates, it will take longer to exchange or redeem shares.

Additional Information Regarding Telephone Redemption and Exchange Program. Neither the fund nor its agents will be liable for following instructions communicated by telephone that are reasonably believed to be genuine. The fund and its agents will employ procedures designed to verify the identity of the caller and legitimacy of instructions (for example, a shareholder’s name and account number will be required and phone calls may be recorded). The fund reserves the right to suspend, modify or discontinue the telephone redemption and exchange program or to impose a charge for this service at any time following at least seven (7) days’ prior notice to shareholders.

PFS Accounts

Shareholders may redeem for cash some or all of their shares of the fund at any time by sending a written request in proper form directly to the Primerica Shareholder Services c/o PFPC at P.O. Box 9662, Providence, Rhode Island 02940-9662. If you should have any questions concerning how to redeem your account after reviewing the information below, please contact Primerica Shareholder Services at (800) 544-5445, Spanish speaking representatives at (800) 544-7278 or TDD Line for the Hearing Impaired at (800) 824-1721.

All persons in whose names the shares are registered must sign the request for redemption. Signatures must conform exactly to the account registration. If the proceeds of the redemption exceed $50,000, if the proceeds are

 

50


not paid to the record owner(s) at the record address, if the shareholder(s) has had an address change within 30 days or less of the shareholder’s redemption request, or if the shareholder(s) is a corporation, sole proprietor, partnership, trust or fiduciary, signature(s) must be guaranteed by one of the following: a bank or trust company; a broker/dealer; a credit union; a national securities exchange, registered securities association or clearing agency; a savings and loan association; or a federal savings bank.

Generally, a properly completed redemption form with any required signature guarantee is all that is required for a redemption. In some cases, however, other documents may be necessary. For example, in the case of shareholders holding certificates, the certificates for shares being redeemed must accompany the redemption request. Additional documentary evidence of authority is also required by PFPC in the event redemption is requested by a corporation, partnership, trust, fiduciary, executor or administrator. Additionally, if a shareholder requests a redemption from a retirement plan account (IRA or SEP), such request must state whether or not federal income tax is to be withheld from the proceeds of the redemption check. Redemption from a Section 403(b)(7) account requires completion of a special form. Please call Primerica Shareholder Services at (800) 544-5445 between 8:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m. Eastern time to obtain the proper forms.

Shareholders may utilize Primerica Shareholder Services Telephone Redemption service to redeem shares in their account as long as they have authorized the telephone redemption option. If a shareholder does not wish to allow telephone redemptions by any person in his or her account, he or she should decline the telephone transaction option on the account application. The telephone redemption option can be used only if: (a) the redemption proceeds are to be mailed to the address of record and there has been no change of address of record within the preceding 30 days; (b) the shares to be redeemed are not in certificate form; (c); the person requesting the redemption can provide proper identification information; and (d) the proceeds of the redemption do not exceed $50,000. 403(b)(7) accounts and accounts not registered in the name of an individual(s) are not eligible for the telephone redemption option. Telephone redemption requests can be made by contacting Primerica Shareholder Services at (800) 544-5445 between 8:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m. Eastern time any day that the NYSE is open. Telephone redemption may not be available if the shareholder cannot reach Primerica Shareholder Services because all telephone lines are busy or for any other reason; in such case, a shareholder may use the fund’s regular redemption procedure described above.

Redemption proceeds can be sent by check to the address of record, by wire transfer to a bank account designated on the application or to a bank account designated on the application via the Automated Clearinghouse (ACH). PFPC will process and mail a shareholder’s redemption check usually within two to three business days after receiving the redemption request in good order.

Automatic Cash Withdrawal Plan

An automatic cash withdrawal plan (the “Withdrawal Plan”) is available to shareholders as described in the prospectus. To the extent withdrawals under the Withdrawal Plan exceed dividends, distributions and appreciation of a shareholder’s investment in the fund, there will be a reduction in the value of the shareholder’s investment, and continued withdrawal payments may reduce the shareholder’s investment and ultimately exhaust it. Withdrawal payments should not be considered as income from investment in the fund. Furthermore, as it generally would not be advantageous to a shareholder to make additional investments in the fund at the same time he or she is participating in the Withdrawal Plan, purchases by such shareholder in amounts of less than $5,000 ordinarily will not be permitted. The Withdrawal Plan will be carried over on exchanges between Classes of the fund. All dividends and distributions on shares in the Withdrawal Plan are reinvested automatically at net asset value in additional shares of the fund.

Shareholders who wish to participate in the Withdrawal Plan and who hold their shares in certificate form must deposit their share certificates with the transfer agent as agent for Withdrawal Plan members. For additional information, shareholders should contact their Service Agent. A shareholder who purchases shares directly through the transfer agent may continue to do so and applications for participation in the Withdrawal Plan must

 

51


be received by the transfer agent no later than the eighth day of the month to be eligible for participation beginning with that month’s withdrawal.

Distributions in Kind

If the Board determines that it would be detrimental to the best interests of the remaining shareholders to make a redemption payment wholly in cash, the fund may pay, in accordance with SEC rules, any portion of a redemption in excess of the lesser of $250,000 or 1.00% of the fund’s net assets by a distribution in kind of fund securities in lieu of cash. If a redemption is paid in portfolio securities, such securities will be valued in accordance with the procedures described under “Share Price” in the fund’s prospectus. Securities issued as a distribution in kind may incur brokerage commissions when shareholders subsequently sell those securities.

VALUATION OF SHARES

The net asset value per share of the fund’s Classes is calculated on each day, Monday through Friday, except days on which the NYSE is closed. The NYSE currently is scheduled to be closed on New Year’s Day, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Presidents’ Day, Good Friday, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving and Christmas, and on the preceding Friday or subsequent Monday when one of these holidays falls on a Saturday or Sunday, respectively. Because of the differences in distribution fees and Class-specific expenses, the per share net asset value of each Class will differ. Please see the prospectus for a description of the procedures used by the fund in valuing its assets.

EXCHANGE PRIVILEGE

General. Except as noted below, shareholders of any of the Legg Mason Partners funds may exchange all or part of their shares for the same class of other Legg Mason Partners funds, to the extent such shares are offered for sale in the shareholder’s state of residence and provided the shareholder’s Service Agent is authorized to distribute shares of the fund.

Exchanges (other than exchanges through a systematic exchange plan) of Class A, B, C and 1 shares are subject to minimum investment requirements and all shares are subject to the other requirements of the fund into which exchanges are made.

The exchange privilege enables shareholders to acquire shares of the same class in a fund with different investment objectives when they believe that a shift between funds is an appropriate investment decision. This privilege is available to shareholders residing in any state in which the fund shares being acquired may legally be sold. Prior to any exchange, the shareholder should obtain and review a copy of the current prospectus of each fund into which an exchange is being considered. Prospectuses may be obtained from a Service Agent.

Upon receipt of proper instructions and all necessary supporting documents, shares submitted for exchange are redeemed at the then-current net asset value and the proceeds are immediately invested, at a price as described above, in shares of the fund being acquired. The distributors reserve the right to reject any exchange request. The exchange privilege may be modified or terminated at any time after written notice to shareholders.

Class A, 1 and I Exchanges. Class A, 1 and I shareholders of the fund who wish to exchange all or a portion of their shares for shares of the respective class in another fund may do so without imposition of any charge.

Class B Exchanges. Class B shares of the fund may be exchanged for other Class B shares without a contingent deferred sales charge. Upon an exchange, the new Class B shares will be deemed to have been purchased on the same date as the Class B shares of the fund that have been exchanged.

 

52


Class C Exchanges. Class C shares of the fund may be exchanged for other Class C shares without a contingent deferred sales charge. Upon an exchange, the new Class C shares will be deemed to have been purchased on the same date as the Class C shares of the fund that have been exchanged.

Certain retirement plan programs with exchange features in effect prior to November 20, 2006, as approved by LMIS, will remain eligible for exchange from Class C shares to Class A shares in accordance with the program terms. See “Grandfathered Retirement Programs” for additional information.

Additional Information Regarding the Exchange Privilege. The fund is not designed to provide investors with a means of speculation on short-term market movements. A pattern of frequent exchanges by investors can be disruptive to efficient portfolio management and, consequently, can be detrimental to the fund and its shareholders. See “Frequent Purchases and Redemptions of Fund Shares” in the prospectus.

During times of drastic economic or market conditions, the fund may suspend the exchange privilege temporarily without notice and treat exchange requests based on their separate components—redemption orders with a simultaneous request to purchase the other fund’s shares. In such a case, the redemption request would be processed at the fund’s next determined net asset value but the purchase order would be effective only at the net asset value next determined after the fund being purchased formally accepts the order, which may result in the purchase being delayed.

Certain shareholders may be able to exchange shares by telephone. See the prospectus for additional information. Exchanges will be processed at the net asset value next determined. Redemption procedures discussed above are also applicable for exchanging shares, and exchanges will be made upon receipt of all supporting documents in proper form. If the account registration of the shares of the fund being acquired is identical to the registration of the shares of the fund exchanged, no signature guarantee is required.

This exchange privilege may be modified or terminated at any time, and is available only in those jurisdictions where such exchanges legally may be made. Before making any exchange, shareholders should contact the transfer agent or, if they hold fund shares through a Service Agent, their Service Agent, to obtain more information and prospectuses of the funds to be acquired through the exchange. An exchange is treated as a sale of the shares exchanged and could result in taxable gain or loss to the shareholder making the exchange.

TAXES

The following is a summary of certain material U.S. federal income tax considerations regarding the purchase, ownership and disposition of shares of the fund by U.S. persons. This summary does not address all of the potential U.S. federal income tax consequences that may be applicable to the fund or to all categories of investors, some of which may be subject to special tax rules. Current and prospective shareholders are urged to consult their own tax adviser with respect to the specific federal, state, local and foreign tax consequences of investing in the fund. The summary is based on the laws in effect on the date of this SAI and existing judicial and administrative interpretations thereof, all of which are subject to change, possibly with retroactive effect.

The Fund and Its Investments

The fund intends to continue to qualify to be treated as a regulated investment company each taxable year under the Code. To so qualify, the fund must, among other things: (a) derive at least 90% of its gross income in each taxable year from dividends, interest, payments with respect to securities loans and gains from the sale or other disposition of stock, securities or foreign currencies, or other income (including, but not limited to, gains from options, futures or forward contracts) derived with respect to its business of investing in such stock, securities or currencies or net income derived from interests in “qualified publicly traded partnerships” (i.e., partnerships that are traded on an established securities market or tradable on a secondary market, other than

 

53


partnerships that derive 90% of their income from interest, dividends, capital gains, and other traditional permitted mutual fund income); and (b) diversify its holdings so that, at the end of each quarter of the fund’s taxable year, (i) at least 50% of the market value of the fund’s assets is represented by cash, securities of other regulated investment companies, U.S. government securities and other securities, with such other securities limited, in respect of any one issuer, to an amount not greater than 5% of the fund’s assets and not greater than 10% of the outstanding voting securities of such issuer and (ii) not more than 25% of the value of its assets is invested in the securities (other than U.S. government securities or securities of other regulated investment companies) of any one issuer, any two issuers of which 20% or more of the voting securities are held by the fund and that are determined to be engaged in the same or similar trades or businesses or related trades or businesses or in the securities of one or more qualified publicly traded partnerships.

Fund investments in partnerships, including in qualified publicly traded partnerships, may result in the fund’s being subject to state, local or foreign income, franchise or withholding tax liabilities.

As a regulated investment company, the fund will not be subject to U.S. federal income tax on the portion of its taxable investment income and capital gains that it distributes to its shareholders, provided that the fund satisfies a minimum distribution requirement. To satisfy the minimum distribution requirement, the fund must distribute to its shareholders at least the sum of (i) 90% of its “investment company taxable income” (i.e., income other than its net realized long-term capital gain over its net realized short-term capital loss), plus or minus certain adjustments, and (ii) 90% of its net tax-exempt income for the taxable year. The fund will be subject to income tax at regular corporation rates on any taxable income or gains that it does not distribute to its shareholders.

The Code imposes a 4% nondeductible excise tax on the fund to the extent it does not distribute by the end of any calendar year at least the sum of (i) 98% of its ordinary income for that year and (ii) 98% of its capital gain net income (both long-term and short-term) for the one-year period ending, as a general rule, on October 31 of that year. For this purpose, however, any ordinary income or capital gain net income retained by the fund that is subject to corporate income tax will be considered to have been distributed by year-end. In addition, the minimum amounts that must be distributed in any year to avoid the excise tax will be increased or decreased to reflect any underdistribution or overdistribution, as the case may be, from the previous year. The fund anticipates that it will pay such dividends and will make such distributions as are necessary in order to avoid the application of this excise tax.

If, in any taxable year, the fund fails to qualify as a regulated investment company under the Code or fails to meet the distribution requirement, it will be taxed in the same manner as an ordinary corporation and distributions to its shareholders will not be deductible by the fund in computing its taxable income. In addition, in the event of a failure to qualify, the fund’s distributions, to the extent derived from the fund’s current or accumulated earnings and profits, will constitute dividends (potentially eligible for the corporate dividends-received deduction and for treatment as qualified dividend income in the case of shareholders taxed as individuals) that are taxable to shareholders as dividend income, even though those distributions might otherwise (at least in part) have been treated in the shareholders’ hands as long-term capital gains. Moreover, if the fund fails to qualify as a regulated investment company in any year, it must pay out its earnings and profits accumulated in that year in order to qualify again as a regulated investment company. If the fund failed to qualify as a regulated investment company for a period greater than two taxable years, the fund may be required to recognize any net built-in gains with respect to certain of its assets (i.e., the excess of the aggregate gains, including items of income, over aggregate losses that would have been realized with respect to such assets if the fund had been liquidated) in order to qualify as a regulated investment company in a subsequent year.

The fund’s transactions in foreign currencies, forward contracts, options and futures contracts (including options and futures contracts on foreign currencies), to the extent permitted, will be subject to special provisions of the Code (including provisions relating to “hedging transactions” and “straddles”) that, among other things, may affect the character of gains and losses realized by the fund (i.e., may affect whether gains or losses are

 

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ordinary or capital), accelerate recognition of income to the fund and defer fund losses. These rules could therefore affect the character, amount and timing of distributions to shareholders. These provisions also (a) will require the fund to mark-to-market certain types of the positions in its portfolio (i.e., treat them as if they were closed out at the end of each year) and (b) may cause the fund to recognize income without receiving cash with which to pay dividends or make distributions in amounts necessary to satisfy the distribution requirements for avoiding income and excise taxes. The fund will monitor its transactions, will make the appropriate tax elections and will make the appropriate entries in its books and records when it acquires any foreign currency, forward contract, futures contract or hedged investment in order to mitigate the effect of these rules and prevent disqualification of the fund as a regulated investment company.

The fund’s investment in so-called “section 1256 contracts,” such as regulated futures contracts, most foreign currency forward contracts traded in the interbank market and options on most stock indices, are subject to special tax rules. All section 1256 contracts held by the fund at the end of its taxable year are required to be marked to their market value, and any unrealized gain or loss on those positions will be included in the fund’s income as if each position had been sold for its fair market value at the end of the taxable year. The resulting gain or loss will be combined with any gain or loss realized by the fund from positions in section 1256 contracts closed during the taxable year. Provided such positions were held as capital assets and were not part of a “hedging transaction” nor part of a “straddle,” 60% of the resulting net gain or loss will be treated as long-term capital gain or loss, and 40% of such net gain or loss will be treated as short-term capital gain or loss, regardless of the period of time the positions were actually held by the fund.

As a result of entering into swap contracts, the fund may make or receive periodic net payments. The fund may also make or receive a payment when a swap is terminated prior to maturity through an assignment of the swap or other closing transaction. Periodic net payments will generally constitute ordinary income or deductions, while termination of a swap will generally result in capital gain or loss (which will be a long-term capital gain or loss if the fund has been a party to the swap for more than one year). The tax treatment of many types of credit default swaps is uncertain.

The fund may be required to treat amounts as taxable income or gain, subject to the distribution requirements referred to above, even though no corresponding amounts of cash are received concurrently, as a result of (1) mark-to-market, constructive sale or rules applicable to PFICs (as defined below) or partnerships or trusts in which the fund invests or to certain options, futures or forward contracts, or “appreciated financial positions” or (2) the inability to obtain cash distributions or other amounts due to currency controls or restrictions on repatriation imposed by a foreign country with respect to the fund’s investments (including through depositary receipts) in issuers in such country or (3) tax rules applicable to debt obligations acquired with “original issue discount,” including zero-coupon or deferred payment bonds and pay-in-kind debt obligations, or to market discount if an election is made with respect to such market discount. The fund may therefore be required to obtain cash to be used to satisfy these distribution requirements by selling securities at times that it might not otherwise be desirable to do so or borrowing the necessary cash, thereby incurring interest expenses.

In general, gain or loss on a short sale is recognized when the fund closes the sale by delivering the borrowed property to the lender, not when the borrowed property is sold. Gain or loss from a short sale is generally considered as capital gain or loss to the extent that the property used to close the short sale constitutes a capital asset in the fund’s hands. Except with respect to certain situations where the property used by the fund to close a short sale has a long-term holding period on the date of the short sale, special rules would generally treat the gains on short sales as short-term capital gains. These rules may also terminate the running of the holding period of “substantially identical property” held by the fund. Moreover, a loss on a short sale will be treated as a long-term capital loss if, on the date of the short sale, “substantially identical property” has been held by the fund for more than one year. In general, the fund will not be permitted to deduct payments made to reimburse the lender of securities for dividends paid on borrowed stock if the short sale is closed on or before the 45th day after the short sale is entered into.

 

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Foreign Investments. Dividends or other income (including, in some cases, capital gains) received by the fund from investments in foreign securities may be subject to withholding and other taxes imposed by foreign countries. Tax conventions between certain countries and the United States may reduce or eliminate such taxes in some cases. The fund will not be eligible to elect to treat any foreign taxes it pays as paid by its shareholders, who therefore will not be entitled to credits or deductions for such taxes on their own tax returns. Foreign taxes paid by the fund will reduce the return from the fund’s investments.

Under Section 988 of the Code, gains or losses attributable to fluctuations in exchange rates between the time the fund accrues income or receivables or expenses or other liabilities denominated in a foreign currency and the time the fund actually collects such income or pays such liabilities are generally treated as ordinary income or ordinary loss. Similarly, gains or losses on foreign currency, foreign currency forward contracts, certain foreign currency options or futures contracts and the disposition of debt securities denominated in foreign currency, to the extent attributable to fluctuations in exchange rates between the acquisition and disposition dates, are also treated as ordinary income or loss unless the fund were to elect otherwise.

Passive Foreign Investment Companies.    If the fund purchases shares in certain foreign investment entities, called “passive foreign investment companies” (“PFICs”), it may be subject to U.S. Federal income tax on a portion of any “excess distribution” or gain from the disposition of such shares even if such income is distributed as a taxable dividend by the fund to its shareholders. Additional charges in the nature of interest may be imposed on the fund in respect of deferred taxes arising from such distributions or gains.

If the fund were to invest in a PFIC and elect to treat the PFIC as a “qualified electing fund” under the Code, in lieu of the foregoing requirements, the fund might be required to include in income each year a portion of the ordinary earnings and net capital gains of the qualified electing fund, even if not distributed to the fund, and such amounts would be subject to the 90% and excise tax distribution requirements described above. In order to make this election, the fund would be required to obtain certain annual information from the PFICs in which it invests, which may be difficult or impossible to obtain.

Alternatively, the fund may make a mark-to-market election that will result in the fund being treated as if it had sold and repurchased its PFIC stock at the end of each year. In such case, the fund would report any such gains as ordinary income and would deduct any such losses as ordinary losses to the extent of previously recognized gains. The election must be made separately for each PFIC owned by the fund and, once made, would be effective for all subsequent taxable years, unless revoked with the consent of the Internal Revenue Service (the “IRS”). By making the election, the fund could potentially ameliorate the adverse tax consequences with respect to its ownership of shares in a PFIC, but in any particular year may be required to recognize income in excess of the distributions it receives from PFICs and its proceeds from dispositions of PFIC stock. The fund may have to distribute this “phantom” income and gain to satisfy the 90% distribution requirement and to avoid imposition of the 4% excise tax.

The fund will make the appropriate tax elections, if possible, and take any additional steps that are necessary to mitigate the effect of these rules.

Taxation of U.S. Shareholders

Dividends and Distributions. Dividends and other distributions by the fund are generally treated under the Code as received by the shareholders at the time the dividend or distribution is made. However, any dividend or distribution declared by the fund in October, November or December of any calendar year and payable to shareholders of record on a specified date in such a month shall be deemed to have been received by each shareholder on December 31 of such calendar year and to have been paid by the fund not later than such December 31, provided such dividend is actually paid by the fund during January of the following calendar year.

The fund intends to distribute annually to its shareholders substantially all of its investment company taxable income, and any net realized long-term capital gains in excess of net realized short-term capital losses

 

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(including any capital loss carryovers). However, if the fund retains for investment an amount equal to all or a portion of its net long-term capital gains in excess of its net short-term capital losses (including any capital loss carryovers), it will be subject to a corporate tax (currently at a maximum rate of 35%) on the amount retained. In that event, the fund will designate such retained amounts as undistributed capital gains in a notice to its shareholders who (a) will be required to include in income for U.S. federal income tax purposes, as long-term capital gains, their proportionate shares of the undistributed amount, (b) will be entitled to credit their proportionate shares of the 35% tax paid by the fund on the undistributed amount against their U.S. federal income tax liabilities, if any, and to claim refunds to the extent their credits exceed their liabilities, if any, and (c) will be entitled to increase their tax basis, for U.S. federal income tax purposes, in their shares by an amount equal to 65% of the amount of undistributed capital gains included in the shareholder’s income. Organizations or persons not subject to U.S. federal income tax on such capital gains will be entitled to a refund of their pro rata share of such taxes paid by the fund upon filing appropriate returns or claims for refund with the IRS.

Distributions of net realized long-term capital gains, if any, that the fund designates as capital gains dividends are taxable as long-term capital gains, whether paid in cash or in shares and regardless of how long a shareholder has held shares of the fund. All other dividends of the fund (including dividends from short-term capital gains) from its current and accumulated earnings and profits (“regular dividends”) are generally subject to tax as ordinary income.

Special rules apply, however, to regular dividends paid to individuals. Such a dividend, with respect to taxable years beginning on or before December 31, 2010, may be subject to tax at the rates generally applicable to long-term capital gains for individuals (currently at a maximum rate of 15%), provided that the individual receiving the dividend satisfies certain holding period and other requirements. Dividends subject to these special rules are not actually treated as capital gains, however, and thus are not included in the computation of an individual’s net capital gain and generally cannot be used to offset capital losses. The long-term capital gains rates will apply to (i) 100% of the regular dividends paid by the fund to an individual in a particular taxable year if 95% or more of the fund’s gross income (ignoring gains attributable to the sale of stocks and securities except to the extent net short-term capital gain from such sales exceeds net long-term capital loss from such sales) in that taxable year is attributable to qualified dividend income received by the fund; or (ii) the portion of the regular dividends paid by the fund to an individual in a particular taxable year that is attributable to qualified dividend income received by the fund in that taxable year if such qualified dividend income accounts for less than 95% of the fund’s gross income (ignoring gains attributable to the sale of stocks and securities except to the extent net short-term capital gain from such sales exceeds net long-term capital loss from such sales) for that taxable year.

For this purpose, “qualified dividend income” generally means income from dividends received by the fund from U.S. corporations and certain foreign corporations, provided that the fund satisfies certain holding period requirements in respect of the stock of such corporations and has not hedged its position in the stock in certain ways. However, qualified dividend income does not include any dividends received from tax-exempt corporations. Also, dividends received by the fund from a real estate investment trust or another regulated investment company generally are qualified dividend income only to the extent the dividend distributions are made out of qualified dividend income received by such real estate investment trust or other regulated investment company. In the case of securities lending transactions, payments in lieu of dividends are not qualified dividend income. If a shareholder elects to treat fund dividends as investment income for purposes of the limitation on the deductibility of investment interest, such dividends would not be a qualified dividend income.

We will send you information after the end of each year setting forth the amount of dividends paid by us that are eligible for the reduced rates.

If an individual receives a dividend qualifying for the long-term capital gains rates and such dividend constitutes an “extraordinary dividend,” and the individual subsequently recognizes a loss on the sale or exchange of stock in respect of which the extraordinary dividend was paid, then the loss will be long-term capital

 

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loss to the extent of such extraordinary dividend. An “extraordinary dividend” on common stock for this purpose is generally a dividend (i) in an amount greater than or equal to 10% of the taxpayer’s tax basis (or trading value) in a share of stock, aggregating dividends with ex-dividend dates within an 85-day period or (ii) in an amount greater than 20% of the taxpayer’s tax basis (or trading value) in a share of stock, aggregating dividends with ex-dividend dates within a 365-day period.

Dividends and distributions paid by the fund (except for the portion thereof, if any, attributable to dividends on stock of U.S. corporations received by the fund) will not qualify for the deduction for dividends received by corporations. Distributions in excess of the fund’s current and accumulated earnings and profits will, as to each shareholder, be treated as a tax-free return of capital to the extent of a shareholder’s basis in his shares of the fund, and as a capital gain thereafter (if the shareholder holds his shares of the fund as capital assets). Shareholders receiving dividends or distributions in the form of additional shares should be treated for U.S. federal income tax purposes as receiving a distribution in an amount equal to the amount of money that the shareholders receiving cash dividends or distributions will receive, and should have a cost basis in the shares received equal to such amount.

Investors considering buying shares of the fund just prior to the record date for a taxable dividend or capital gain distribution should be aware that, although the price of shares just purchased at that time may reflect the amount of the forthcoming distribution, such dividend or distribution may nevertheless be taxable to them. If the fund is the holder of record of any stock on the record date for any dividends payable with respect to such stock, such dividends are included in the fund’s gross income not as of the date received but as of the later of (a) the date such stock became ex-dividend with respect to such dividends (i.e., the date on which a buyer of the stock would not be entitled to receive the declared, but unpaid, dividends) or (b) the date the fund acquired such stock. Accordingly, in order to satisfy its income distribution requirements, the fund may be required to pay dividends based on anticipated earnings, and shareholders may receive dividends in an earlier year than would otherwise be the case.

Under current law, the fund serves to block unrelated business taxable income (“UBTI”) from being realized by its tax-exempt shareholders. Notwithstanding the foregoing, a tax-exempt shareholder could realize UBTI by virtue of its investment in the fund if shares in the fund constitute debt-financed property in the hands of the tax-exempt shareholder within the meaning of Code Section 514(b). Also, certain types of income received by the fund from real estate investment trusts (“REITs”), real estate mortgage investment conduits (“REMICs”), taxable mortgage pools or other investments may cause the fund to designate some or all of its distributions as “excess inclusion income.” To fund shareholders such excess inclusion income may (1) constitute taxable income, as UBTI for those shareholders who would otherwise be tax-exempt such as individual retirement accounts, 401(k) accounts, Keogh plans, pension plans and certain charitable entities; (2) not be offset against net operating losses for tax purposes; (3) not be eligible for reduced US withholding for non-US shareholders even from tax treaty countries; and (4) cause the fund to be subject to tax if certain “disqualified organizations” as defined by the Code are fund shareholders.

Sales of Shares. Upon the sale or exchange of his shares, a shareholder will realize a taxable gain or loss equal to the difference between the amount realized and his or her basis in the shares. A redemption of shares by the fund will be treated as a sale for this purpose. Such gain or loss will be treated as capital gain or loss if the shares are capital assets in the shareholder’s hands, and will be long-term capital gain or loss if the shares are held for more than one year and short-term capital gain or loss if the shares are held for one year or less. Any loss realized on a sale or exchange will be disallowed to the extent the shares disposed of are replaced, including replacement through the reinvesting of dividends and capital gains distributions in the fund, within a 61-day period beginning 30 days before and ending 30 days after the disposition of the shares. In such a case, the basis of the shares acquired will be increased to reflect the disallowed loss. Any loss realized by a shareholder on the sale of a fund share held by the shareholder for six months or less will be treated for U.S. federal income tax purposes as a long-term capital loss to the extent of any distributions or deemed distributions of long-term capital gains received by the shareholder with respect to such share. If a shareholder incurs a sales charge in acquiring shares of the fund, disposes of those shares within 90 days and then acquires shares in a mutual fund for which the otherwise applicable sales charge is reduced by reason of a reinvestment right (e.g., an exchange privilege), the original sales charge will not be taken into account in computing gain or loss on the original shares to the

 

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extent the subsequent sales charge is reduced. Instead the disregarded portion of the original sales charge will be added to the tax basis of the newly acquired shares. Furthermore, the same rule also applies to a disposition of the newly acquired shares made within 90 days of the second acquisition. This provision prevents a shareholder from immediately deducting the sales charge by shifting his or her investment within a family of mutual funds.

Backup Withholding. The fund may be required to withhold, for U.S. federal income tax purposes, a portion of the dividends, distributions and redemption proceeds payable to shareholders who fail to provide the fund with their correct taxpayer identification number or to make required certifications, or who have been notified by the IRS that they are subject to backup withholding. Certain shareholders are exempt from backup withholding. Backup withholding is not an additional tax and any amount withheld may be credited against a shareholder’s U.S. federal income tax liability.

Notices. Shareholders will receive, if appropriate, various written notices after the close of the fund’s taxable year regarding the U.S. federal income tax status of certain dividends, distributions and deemed distributions that were paid (or that are treated as having been paid) by the fund to its shareholders during the preceding taxable year.

Other Taxes

Dividends, distributions and redemption proceeds may also be subject to additional state, local and foreign taxes depending on each shareholder’s particular situation.

If a shareholder recognizes a loss with respect to the fund’s shares of $2 million or more for an individual shareholder or $10 million or more for a corporate shareholder, the shareholder must file with the IRS a disclosure statement on Form 8886. Direct shareholders of portfolio securities are in many cases exempted from this reporting requirement, but under current guidance, shareholders of a regulated investment company are not exempted. The fact that a loss is reportable under these regulations does not affect the legal determination of whether the taxpayer’s treatment of the loss is proper. Shareholders should consult their tax advisors to determine the applicability of these regulations in light of their individual circumstances.

Taxation of Non-U.S. Shareholders. Dividends paid by the fund to non-U.S. shareholders are generally subject to withholding tax at a 30% rate or a reduced rate specified by an applicable income tax treaty to the extent derived from investment income and short-term capital gains. In order to obtain a reduced rate of withholding, a non-U.S. shareholder will be required to provide an IRS Form W-8BEN certifying its entitlement to benefits under a treaty. The withholding tax does not apply to regular dividends paid to a non-U.S. shareholder who provides a Form W-8ECI, certifying that the dividends are effectively connected with the non-U.S. shareholder’s conduct of a trade or business within the United States. Instead, the effectively connected dividends will be subject to regular U.S. income tax as if the non-U.S. shareholder were a U.S. shareholder. A non-U.S. corporation receiving effectively connected dividends may also be subject to additional “branch profits tax” imposed at a rate of 30% (or lower treaty rate). A non-U.S. shareholder who fails to provide an IRS Form W-8BEN or other applicable form may be subject to backup withholding at the appropriate rate.

In general, United States federal withholding tax will not apply to any gain or income realized by a non-U.S. shareholder in respect of any distributions of net long-term capital gains over net short-term capital losses, exempt-interest dividends, or upon the sale or other disposition of shares of the fund.

For taxable years beginning before January 1, 2008, properly-designated dividends are generally exempt from United States federal withholding tax where they (i) are paid in respect of the fund’s “qualified net interest income” (generally, the fund’s U.S. source interest income, other than certain contingent interest and interest from obligations of a corporation or partnership in which the fund is at least a 10% shareholder, reduced by expenses that are allocable to such income) or (ii) are paid in respect of the fund’s “qualified short-term capital gains” (generally, the excess of the fund’s net short-term capital gain over the fund’s long-term capital loss for

 

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such taxable year). However, depending on its circumstances, the fund may designate all, some or none of its potentially eligible dividends as such qualified net interest income or as qualified short-term capital gains, and/or treat such dividends, in whole or in part, as ineligible for this exemption from withholding. In order to qualify for this exemption from withholding, a non-U.S. shareholder will need to comply with applicable certification requirements relating to its non-U.S. status (including, in general, furnishing an IRS Form W-8BEN or substitute Form). In the case of shares held through an intermediary, the intermediary may withhold even if the fund designates the payment as qualified net interest income or qualified short-term capital gain. Non-U.S. shareholders should contact their intermediaries with respect to the application of these rules to their accounts.

A distribution from the fund to foreign shareholders who have held more than 5% of the fund at any time during the one-year period ending on the date of distribution is treated as real property gain (i) subject to 35% withholding tax, and (ii) treated as income effectively connected to a U.S. trade or business with certain tax filing requirements applicable, if such distribution is attributable to a distribution received by the fund from a real estate investment trust (“REIT”). A distribution paid prior to 2008 attributable to the fund’s sale of a REIT or other U.S. real property holding company will also be treated as real property gain if 50% or more of the value of the fund’s assets are invested in REITs and other U.S. real property holding corporations and if the foreign shareholder has held more than 5% of a class of stock at any time during the one-year period ending on the date of the distribution. Restrictions apply regarding wash sales and substitute payment transactions.

The foregoing is only a summary of certain material U.S. federal income tax consequences affecting the fund and its shareholders. Current and prospective shareholders are advised to consult their own tax advisers with respect to the particular tax consequences to them of an investment in the fund.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

The Trust. The certificate of trust to establish Legg Mason Partners Equity Trust (referred to in this section as the trust) was filed with the State of Maryland on October 4, 2006. On the date of this SAI, the fund was redomiciled as a series of the trust. Prior thereto, the fund was a series of Legg Mason Partners Investment Trust, a Massachusetts business trust. Prior to reorganization of the fund as a series of Legg Mason Partners Investment Trust, the fund was a series of Legg Mason Partners Investment Funds, Inc., a Maryland corporation.

The fund is a series of the trust, a Maryland business trust. A Maryland business trust is an unincorporated business association that is established under, and governed by, Maryland law. Maryland law provides a statutory framework for the powers, duties, rights and obligations of the Board (referred to in this section as the trustees) and shareholders of the trust, while the more specific powers, duties, rights and obligations of the trustees and the shareholders are determined by the trustees as set forth in the trust’s declaration of trust (referred to in this section as the declaration). Some of the more significant provisions of the declaration are described below.

Shareholder Voting

The declaration provides for shareholder voting as required by the 1940 Act or other applicable laws but otherwise permits, consistent with Maryland law, actions by the trustees without seeking the consent of shareholders. The trustees may, without shareholder approval, amend the declaration or authorize the merger or consolidation of the trust into another trust or entity, reorganize the trust, or any series or class into another trust or entity or a series or class of another entity, sell all or substantially all of the assets of the trust or any series or class to another entity, or a series or class of another entity, or terminate the trust or any series or class.

The fund is not required to hold an annual meeting of shareholders, but the fund will call special meetings of shareholders whenever required by the 1940 Act or by the terms of the declaration. The declaration provides for “dollar-weighted voting” which means that a shareholder’s voting power is determined, not by the number of shares he or she owns, but by the dollar value of those shares determined on the record date. All shareholders of

 

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all series and classes of the trust vote together, except where required by the 1940 Act to vote separately by series or by class, or when the trustees have determined that a matter affects only the interests of one or more series or classes of shares.

Election and Removal of Trustees

The declaration provides that the trustees may establish the number of trustees and that vacancies on the board may be filled by the remaining trustees, except when election of trustees by the shareholders is required under the 1940 Act. Trustees are then elected by a plurality of votes cast by shareholders at a meeting at which a quorum is present. The declaration also provides that a mandatory retirement age may be set by action of two-thirds of the trustees and that trustees may be removed, with or without cause, by a vote of shareholders holding two-thirds of the voting power of the trust, or by a vote of two-thirds of the remaining trustees. The provisions of the declaration relating to the election and removal of trustees may not be amended without the approval of two-thirds of the trustees.

Amendments to the Declaration

The trustees are authorized to amend the declaration without the vote of shareholders, but no amendment may be made that impairs the exemption from personal liability granted in the declaration to persons who are or have been shareholders, trustees, officers, or employees of the trust or that limit the rights to indemnification or insurance provided in the declaration with respect to actions or omissions of persons entitled to indemnification under the declaration prior to the amendment.

Issuance and Redemption of Shares

The fund may issue an unlimited number of shares for such consideration and on such terms as the trustees may determine. Shareholders are not entitled to any appraisal, preemptive, conversion, exchange or similar rights, except as the trustees may determine. The fund may involuntarily redeem a shareholder’s shares upon certain conditions as may be determined by the trustees, including, for example, if the shareholder fails to provide the fund with identification required by law, or if the fund is unable to verify the information received from the shareholder. Additionally, as discussed below, shares may be redeemed in connection with the closing of small accounts.

Disclosure of Shareholder Holdings

The declaration specifically requires shareholders, upon demand, to disclose to the fund information with respect to the direct and indirect ownership of shares in order to comply with various laws or regulations, and the fund may disclose such ownership if required by law or regulation.

Small Accounts

The declaration provides that the fund may close out a shareholder’s account by redeeming all of the shares in the account if the account falls below a minimum account size (which may vary by class) that may be set by the trustees from time to time. Alternately, the declaration permits the fund to assess a fee for small accounts (which may vary by class) and redeem shares in the account to cover such fees, or convert the shares into another share class that is geared to smaller accounts.

Series and Classes

The declaration provides that the trustees may establish series and classes in addition to those currently established and to determine the rights and preferences, limitations and restrictions, including qualifications for ownership, conversion and exchange features, minimum purchase and account size, expenses and charges, and

 

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other features of the series and classes. The trustees may change any of those features, terminate any series or class, combine series with other series in the trust, combine one or more classes of a series with another class in that series or convert the shares of one class into another class.

Each share of the fund, as a series of the trust, represents an interest in the fund only and not in the assets of any other series of the trust.

Shareholder, Trustee and Officer Liability

The declaration provides that shareholders are not personally liable for the obligations of the fund and requires the fund to indemnify a shareholder against any loss or expense arising from any such liability. In addition, the fund will assume the defense of any claim against a shareholder for personal liability at the request of the shareholder. The declaration further provides that a trustee acting in his or her capacity of trustee is not personally liable to any person other than the trust or its shareholders, for any act, omission, or obligation of the trust. Further, a trustee is held to the same standard of conduct as a director of a Maryland corporation. This requires that a trustee perform his or her duties in good faith and in a manner he or she reasonably believes to be in the best interests of the trust or a series thereof, and with the care that an ordinarily prudent person in a like position would use under similar circumstances. The declaration also permits the limitation of a trustee’s liability to the full extent provided under Maryland law. Under current Maryland law, a trustee is liable to the trust or its shareholders for monetary damages only (a) to the extent that it is proved that he or she actually received an improper benefit or profit in money, property, or services or (b) to the extent that a judgment or other final adjudication adverse to the trustee is entered in a proceeding based on a finding in the proceeding that the trustee’s action, or failure to act, was the result of active and deliberate dishonesty and was material to the cause of action adjudicated in the proceeding. The declaration requires the trust to indemnify any persons who are or who have been trustees, officers or employees of the trust for any liability for actions or failure to act except to the extent prohibited by applicable federal law. In making any determination as to whether any person is entitled to the advancement of expenses in connection with a claim for which indemnification is sought, such person is entitled to a rebuttable presumption that he or she did not engage in conduct for which indemnification is not available.

The declaration provides that any trustee who serves as chair of the board or of a committee of the board, lead independent trustee, or audit committee financial expert, or in any other similar capacity will not be subject to any greater standard of care or liability because of such position.

Derivative Actions

The declaration provides a detailed process for the bringing of derivative actions by shareholders in order to permit legitimate inquiries and claims while avoiding the time, expense, distraction, and other harm that can be caused to the fund or its shareholders as a result of spurious shareholder demands and derivative actions. Prior to bringing a derivative action, a demand by three unrelated shareholders must first be made on the fund’s trustees. The declaration details various information, certifications, undertakings and acknowledgements that must be included in the demand. Following receipt of the demand, the trustees have a period of 90 days, which may be extended by an additional 60 days, to consider the demand. If a majority of the trustees who are considered independent for the purposes of considering the demand determine that maintaining the suit would not be in the best interests of the fund, the trustees are required to reject the demand and the complaining shareholders may not proceed with the derivative action unless the shareholders are able to sustain the burden of proof to a court that the decision of the trustees not to pursue the requested action was not a good faith exercise of their business judgment on behalf of the fund. The declaration further provides that shareholders owning shares representing at least 5% of the voting power of the affected fund must join in bringing the derivative action. If a demand is rejected, the complaining shareholders will be responsible for the costs and expenses (including attorneys’ fees) incurred by the fund in connection with the consideration of the demand, if in the judgment of the independent trustees, the demand was made without reasonable cause or for an improper purpose. If a derivative action is

 

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brought in violation of the declaration, the shareholders bringing the action may be responsible for the fund’s costs, including attorneys’ fees.

The declaration further provides that the fund shall be responsible for payment of attorneys’ fees and legal expenses incurred by a complaining shareholder only if required by law, and any attorneys’ fees that the fund is obligated to pay shall be calculated using reasonable hourly rates. The declaration also requires that actions by shareholders against the fund be brought only in federal court in Baltimore, Maryland, or if not permitted to be brought in federal court, then in state court in Baltimore, Maryland, and that the right to jury trial be waived to the full extent permitted by law.

Annual and Semi-Annual Reports. The fund sends its shareholders a semi-annual report and an audited annual report, which include listings of investment securities held by the fund at the end of the period covered. In an effort to reduce the fund’s printing and mailing costs, the fund consolidates the mailing of its semi-annual and annual reports by household. This consolidation means that a household having multiple accounts with the identical address of record will receive a single copy of each report. In addition, the fund also consolidates the mailing of its prospectus so that a shareholder having multiple accounts (that is, individual, IRA and/or self-employed retirement plan accounts) will receive a single prospectus annually. Shareholders who do not want this consolidation to apply to their accounts should contact their Service Agent or the transfer agent.

Legal Matters

Beginning in June 2004, class action lawsuits alleging violations of the federal securities laws were filed against CGMI and a number of its then affiliates, including SBFM, which were then investment adviser or manager to certain of the funds (the “Managers”), substantially all of the mutual funds then managed by the Managers (the “Defendant Funds”), and Board Members of the Defendant Funds (collectively, the “Defendants”). The complaints alleged, among other things, that CGMI created various undisclosed incentives for its brokers to sell Smith Barney and Salomon Brothers funds. In addition, according to the complaints, the Managers caused the Defendant Funds to pay excessive brokerage commissions to CGMI for steering clients towards proprietary funds. The complaints also alleged that the defendants breached their fiduciary duty to the Defendant Funds by improperly charging Rule 12b-1 fees and by drawing on fund assets to make undisclosed payments of soft dollars and excessive brokerage commissions. The complaints also alleged that the Defendant Funds failed to adequately disclose certain of the allegedly wrongful conduct. The complaints sought injunctive relief and compensatory and punitive damages, rescission of the Defendant Funds’ contracts with the Managers, recovery of all fees paid to the Managers pursuant to such contracts and an award of attorneys’ fees and litigation expenses.

On December 15, 2004, a consolidated amended complaint (the “Complaint”) was filed alleging substantially similar causes of action. On May 27, 2005, all of the Defendants filed motions to dismiss the Complaint. On July 26, 2006, the court issued a decision and order (1) finding that plaintiffs lacked standing to sue on behalf of the shareholders of the Defendant Funds in which none of the plaintiffs had invested (including the fund) and dismissing those Defendant Funds from the case (although stating that they could be brought back into the case if standing as to them could be established), and (2) other than one stayed claim, dismissing all of the causes of action against the remaining Defendants, with prejudice, except for the cause of action under Section 36(b) of the 1940 Act, which the court granted plaintiffs leave to replead as a derivative claim.

On October 16, 2006, plaintiffs filed their Second Consolidated Amended Complaint (“Second Amended Complaint”) which alleges derivative claims on behalf of nine funds identified in the Second Amended Complaint, under Section 36(b) of the 1940 Act, against CAM, Salomon Brothers Asset Management Inc, SBFM and CGMI as investment advisers to the identified funds, as well as CGMI as a distributor for the identified funds (collectively, the “Second Amended Complaint Defendants”). The fund was not identified in the Second Amended Complaint. The Second Amended Complaint alleges no claims against any of the Funds or any of their Board Members. Under Section 36(b), the Second Amended Complaint alleges similar facts and seeks similar relief against the Second Amended Complaint Defendants as the Complaint.

 

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Additional lawsuits arising out of these circumstances and presenting similar allegations and requests for relief may be filed in the future.

***

On May 31, 2005, the SEC issued an order in connection with the settlement of an administrative proceeding against SBFM, the then-investment adviser or manager to the fund and CGMI, relating to the appointment of an affiliated transfer agent for the Smith Barney family of mutual funds, including the fund (the “Affected Funds”).

The SEC order found that SBFM and CGMI willfully violated Section 206(1) of the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as amended, and the rules promulgated thereunder (the “Advisers Act”). Specifically, the order found that SBFM and CGMI knowingly or recklessly failed to disclose to the boards of the Affected Funds in 1999 when proposing a new transfer agent arrangement with an affiliated transfer agent that: First Data Investors Services Group (“First Data”), the Affected Funds’ then-existing transfer agent, had offered to continue as transfer agent and do the same work for substantially less money than before; and that Citigroup Asset Management (“CAM”), the Citigroup business unit that, at the time, included the Affected Funds’ investment manager and other investment advisory companies, had entered into a side letter with First Data under which CAM agreed to recommend the appointment of First Data as sub-transfer agent to the affiliated transfer agent in exchange for, among other things, a guarantee by First Data of specified amounts of asset management and investment banking fees to CAM and CGMI. The order also found that SBFM and CGMI willfully violated Section 206(2) of the Advisers Act by virtue of the omissions discussed above and other misrepresentations and omissions in the materials provided to the Affected Funds’ boards, including the failure to make clear that the affiliated transfer agent would earn a high profit for performing limited functions while First Data continued to perform almost all of the transfer agent functions, and the suggestion that the proposed arrangement was in the Affected Funds’ best interests and that no viable alternatives existed. SBFM and CGMI do not admit or deny any wrongdoing or liability. The settlement does not establish wrongdoing or liability for purposes of any other proceeding.

The SEC censured SBFM and CGMI and ordered them to cease and desist from violations of Sections 206(1) and 206(2) of the Advisers Act. The order required Citigroup to pay $208.1 million, including $109 million in disgorgement of profits, $19.1 million in interest, and a civil money penalty of $80 million. Approximately $24.4 million has already been paid to the Affected Funds, primarily through fee waivers. The remaining $183.7 million, including the penalty, has been paid to the U.S. Treasury and will be distributed pursuant to a plan submitted for the approval of the SEC. At this time, there is no certainty as to how the above-described proceeds of the settlement will be distributed, to whom such distributions will be made, the methodology by which such distributions will be allocated, and when such distributions will be made. The order also required that transfer agency fees received from the Affected Funds since December 1, 2004, less certain expenses, be placed in escrow and provided that a portion of such fees might be subsequently distributed in accordance with the terms of the order. On April 3, 2006, an aggregate amount of approximately $9 million held in escrow was distributed to the Affected Funds.

The order required SBFM to recommend a new transfer agent contract to the Affected Funds’ boards within 180 days of the entry of the order; if a Citigroup affiliate submitted a proposal to serve as transfer agent or sub-transfer agent, SBFM and CGMI would have been required, at their expense, to engage an independent monitor to oversee a competitive bidding process. On November 21, 2005, and within the specified timeframe, the Affected Funds’ boards selected a new transfer agent for the Affected Fund. No Citigroup affiliate submitted a proposal to serve as transfer agent. Under the order, SBFM also must comply with an amended version of a vendor policy that Citigroup instituted in August 2004.

Although there can be no assurance, LMPFA does not believe that this matter will have a material adverse effect on the Affected Funds.

 

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On December 1, 2005, Citigroup completed the sale of substantially all of its global asset management business, including SBFM, to Legg Mason.

***

Beginning in August 2005, five class action lawsuits alleging violations of federal securities laws and state law were filed against CGMI and SBFM (collectively, the “Defendants”) based on the May 31, 2005 settlement order issued against the Defendants by the SEC as described in above. The complaints seek injunctive relief and compensatory and punitive damages, removal of SBFM as the investment manager for the Smith Barney family of funds, rescission of the Funds’ management and other contracts with SBFM, recovery of all fees paid to SBFM pursuant to such contracts, and an award of attorneys’ fees and litigation expenses.

On October 5, 2005, a motion to consolidate the five actions and any subsequently filed, related action was filed. That motion contemplates that a consolidated amended complaint alleging substantially similar causes of action will be filed in the future.

As of the date of this SAI, LMPFA believes that resolution of the pending lawsuit will not have a material effect on the financial position or results of operations of the fund or the ability of LMPFA and its affiliates to continue to render services to the fund under their respective contracts.

***

On September 16, 2005, the staff of the SEC informed SBFM and ClearBridge Asset Management Inc (formerly Salomon Brothers Asset Management Inc) that the staff is considering recommending that the SEC institute administrative proceedings against SBFM and ClearBridge Asset Management Inc for alleged violations of Section 19(a) and 34(b) of the Investment Company Act (and related Rule 19a-1). The notification is a result of an industry wide inspection by the SEC and is based upon alleged deficiencies in disclosures regarding dividends and distributions paid to shareholders of certain funds. Section 19(a) and related Rule 19a-1 of the Investment Company Act generally require funds that are making dividend and distribution payments to provide shareholders with a written statement disclosing the source of the dividends and distributions, and, in particular, the portion of the payments made from each of net investment income, undistributed net profits and/or paid-in capital. In connection with the contemplated proceedings, the staff may seek a cease and desist order and/or monetary damages from SBFM or ClearBridge Asset Management Inc.

Although there can be no assurance, LMPFA believes that this matter is not likely to have a material adverse effect on the fund.

***

The foregoing speaks only as of the date of this SAI. Additional lawsuits presenting allegations and requests for relief arising out of or in connection with any of the foregoing matters may be filed against these and related parties in the future.

FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

The audited financial statements of the fund’s predecessor (Statement of Assets and Liabilities as of April 30, 2006, Statement of Operations for the year ended April 30, 2006, Statements of Changes in Net Assets for each of the years in the two-year period ended April 30, 2006, Financial Highlights for each of the years in the five-year period ended April 30, 2006, and Notes to Financial Statements along with the Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm, each of which is included in the Annual Report to Shareholders of the Fund), are incorporated by reference into this Statement of Additional Information (Filed on July 10, 2006; Accession No. 0001193125-06-144029).

 

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The financial statements of the fund’s predecessor (Statement of Assets and Liabilities as of October 31, 2006 (unaudited), Statement of Operations for the six months ended October 31, 2006 (unaudited), Statements of Changes in Net Assets for the six months ended October 31, 2006 (unaudited), and the year ended April 30, 2006 (audited), Financial Highlights for the six month period ended October 31, 2006 (unaudited) and each of the years in the five-year period ended April 30, 2006 (audited), and Notes to Financial Statements, each of which is included in the Semi-Annual Report to Shareholders of the Fund (filed on January 8, 2007 Accession Number 0000950123-07-000179), are incorporated by reference into this SAI.

 

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Appendix A

PROXY VOTING GUIDELINES & PROCEDURES SUMMARY

OVERVIEW

Legg Mason Capital Management, Inc. (LMCM) has implemented the following principles and procedures for voting proxies on behalf of advisory clients. These principles and procedures are reasonably designed to ensure LMCM exercises its voting responsibilities to serve the best interests of its clients and in compliance with applicable laws and regulations. LMCM assumes responsibility and authority for voting proxies for all clients, unless such responsibility and authority has been expressly retained by the client or delegated by the client to others. For each proxy vote LMCM takes into consideration its duty to its clients and all other relevant facts available to LMCM at the time of the vote. Therefore, while these guidelines provide a framework for voting, votes are ultimately cast on a case-by-case basis. LMCM employs the same proxy principles and procedures for all funds for which it has voting responsibility.

PRINCIPLES

Proxy voting is a valuable right of company shareholders. Through the voting mechanism, shareholders are able to protect and promote their interests by communicating views directly to the company’s Board of Directors (Board), as well as exercising their right to grant or withhold approval for actions proposed by the Board or company management. LMCM believes the interests of shareholders are best served by the following principles when considering proxy proposals:

Preserve and expand the power of shareholders in areas of corporate governance—Equity shareholders are owners of the business—company boards and management teams are ultimately accountable to them. LMCM supports policies, plans and structures that promote accountability of the Board and management to owners, and align the interests of the Board and management with owners. Examples include: annual election of all Board members, cumulative voting, and incentive plans that are contingent on delivering value to shareholders. LMCM opposes proposals that reduce accountability or misalign interests, including but not limited to classified boards, poison pills, and incentives that are not linked to owner returns.

Allow responsible management teams to run the business—LMCM supports policies, plans and structures that give management teams appropriate latitude to run the business in the way that is most likely to maximize value for owners. Conversely, LMCM opposes proposals that limit management’s ability to do this. LMCM generally opposes proposals that seek to place restrictions on management in order to promote political, religious or social agendas.

Please see LMCM’s proxy voting guidelines, which are attached as Schedule A, for more details.

PROCEDURES

Oversight

LMCM’s Chief Investment Officer (CIO) has full authority to determine LMCM’s proxy voting principles and vote proxies on behalf of LMCM’s clients. The Chief Investment Officer has delegated oversight and implementation of the proxy voting process, including the principles and procedures that govern it, to one or more Proxy Officers and Compliance Officers. No less than annually, LMCM will review existing principles and procedures in light of LMCM’s duties as well as applicable laws and regulations to determine if any changes are necessary.

 

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Limitations

LMCM recognizes proxy voting as a valuable right of company shareholders. Generally speaking, LMCM will vote all proxies it receives. However, LMCM may refrain from voting in certain circumstances. For instance, LMCM generally intends to refrain from voting a proxy if the company’s shares are no longer held by LMCM’s clients at the time of the meeting. Additionally, LMCM may refrain from voting a proxy if LMCM concludes the potential impact on shareholders’ interests is insignificant while the cost associated with analyzing and voting the proxy may be significant.

Proxy Administration

LMCM instructs each client custodian to forward proxy materials to LMCM’s Proxy Administrator. New client custodians are notified at account inception of their responsibility to deliver proxy materials to LMCM. LMCM uses Institutional Shareholder Services (ISS) to electronically receive and vote proxies, as well as to maintain proxy voting receipts and records.

Upon receipt of proxy materials:

Compliance Review

A Compliance Officer reviews the proxy issues and identifies any potential conflicts of interests between LMCM, or its employees, and LMCM’s clients. LMCM recognizes that it has a duty to vote proxies in the best interests of its clients, even if such votes may result in a loss of business or economic benefit to LMCM or its affiliates.

1. Identifying Potential Conflicts.    In identifying potential conflicts of interest the Compliance Officer will review the following issues:

(a) Whether there are any business or personal relationships between LMCM, or an employee of LMCM, and the officers, directors or shareholder proposal proponents of a company whose securities are held in client accounts that may create an incentive for LMCM to vote in a manner that is not consistent with the best interests of its clients;

(b) Whether LMCM has any other economic incentive to vote in a manner that is not consistent with the best interests of its clients; and

(c) Whether the Proxy Officer voting the shares is aware of any business or personal relationship, or other economic incentive, that has the potential to influence the manner in which the Proxy Officer votes the shares.

2. Assessing Materiality.    A potential conflict will be deemed to be material if the Compliance Officer determines in the exercise of reasonable judgment that the conflict is likely to have an impact on the manner in which the subject shares are voted.

If the Compliance Officer determines that the potential conflict is not material, the proxy issue will be forwarded to the Proxy Officer for voting.

If the Compliance Officer determines that the potential conflict may be material, the following steps will be taken:

(a) The Compliance Officer will consult with representatives of LMCM’s senior management to make a final determination of materiality. The Compliance Officer will maintain a record of this determination.

(b) After the determination is made, the following procedures will apply:

(i) If the final determination is that the potential conflict is not material, the proxy issue will be forwarded to the Proxy Officer for voting.

 

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(ii) If the final determination is that the potential conflict is material, LMCM will adhere to the following procedures:

A. If LMCM’s Proxy Voting Guidelines (Guidelines), a copy of which is included as Schedule A, definitively address the issues presented for vote, LMCM will vote according to the Guidelines.

B. If the issues presented for vote are not definitively addressed in the Guidelines, LMCM will either (x) follow the vote recommendation of an independent voting delegate, or (y) disclose the conflict to clients and obtain their consent to vote.

Proxy Officer Duties

The Proxy Officer reviews proxies and evaluates matters for vote in light of LMCM’s principles and procedures and the Guidelines. The Proxy Officer may seek additional information from LMCM’s investment personnel, company management, independent research services, or other sources to determine the best interests of shareholders. Additionally, the Proxy Officer may consult with LMCM’s Chief Investment Officer for guidance on proxy issues. LMCM will maintain all documents that have a material impact on the basis for the vote. The Proxy Officer will return all signed, voted forms to the Proxy Administrator.

Proxy Administrator Duties

The Proxy Administrator:

 

  1. Provides custodians with instructions to forward proxies to LMCM for all clients for whom LMCM is responsible for voting proxies;

 

  2. Reconciles the number of shares indicated on the proxy ballot with LMCM’s internal data on shares held as of the record date and notifies the custodian of any discrepancies or missed proxies;

 

  3. Will use best efforts to obtain missing proxies from custodians;

 

  4. Informs the Compliance Officer and Proxy Officer if the company’s shares are no longer held by Firm clients as of the meeting date;

 

  5. Ensures that the Compliance Officer and Proxy Officer are aware of the timeline to vote a proxy and uses best efforts to ensure that votes are cast in a timely manner;

 

  6. Follows instructions from the Proxy Officer or Compliance Officer as to how to vote proxy issues, and casts such votes via ISS software, online or via facsimile; and

 

  7. Obtains evidence of receipt and maintains records of all proxies voted.

Record Keeping

The following documents are maintained onsite for two years and in an easily accessible place for another three years:

 

  1. A copy of all policies and procedures maintained by LMCM during the applicable period relating to proxy voting;

 

  2. A copy of each proxy statement received regarding client securities (LMCM intends to rely on the availability of such documents through the Securities and Exchange Commission’s EDGAR database);

 

  3. A record of each vote cast by LMCM on behalf of a client (LMCM has an agreement with ISS whereby ISS has agreed to maintain these records and make them available to LMCM promptly upon request);

 

  4. A copy of each document created by LMCM that was material to making a decision how to vote proxies or that memorializes the basis for such decision.

 

  5. A copy of each written client request for information on how LMCM voted proxies on behalf of such client, and a copy of any written response provided by LMCM to any (written or oral) request for information on how LMCM voted proxies on behalf of such client.

 

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Schedule A

Proxy Voting Guidelines

LMCM maintains these proxy-voting guidelines, which set forth the manner in which LMCM generally votes on issues that are routinely presented. Please note that for each proxy vote LMCM takes into consideration its duty to its clients, the specific circumstances of the vote and all other relevant facts available at the time of the vote. While these guidelines provide the framework for voting proxies, ultimately proxy votes are cast on a case-by-case basis. Therefore actual votes for any particular proxy issue may differ from the guidelines shown below.

 


Four principal areas of interest to shareholders:

 

  1) Obligations of the Board of Directors

 

  2) Compensation of management and the Board of Directors

 

  3) Take-over protections

 

  4) Shareholders’ rights

 

Proxy Issue

  

LMCM Guideline

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

  

Independence of Boards of Directors: majority of unrelated directors, independent of management

   For

Nominating Process: independent nominating committee seeking qualified candidates, continually assessing directors and proposing new nominees

   For

Size and Effectiveness of Boards of Directors: Boards must be no larger than 15 members

   For

Cumulative Voting for Directors

   For

Staggered Boards

   Against

Separation of Board and Management Roles (CEO/Chairman)

   Case-by-Case

Compensation Review Process: compensation committee comprised of outside, unrelated directors to ensure shareholder value while rewarding good performance

   For

Director Liability & Indemnification: support limitation of liability and provide indemnification

   For

Audit Process

   For

Board Committee Structure: audit, compensation, and nominating and/or governance committee consisting entirely of independent directors

   For

Monetary Arrangements for Directors: outside of normal board activities amts should be approved by a board of independent directors and reported in proxy

   For

Fixed Retirement Policy for Directors

   Case-by-Case

Ownership Requirement: all Directors have direct and material cash investment in common shares of Company

   For

Proposals on Board Structure: (lead director, shareholder advisory committees, requirement that candidates be nominated by shareholders, attendance at meetings)

   For

 

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Proxy Issue

  

LMCM Guideline

Annual Review of Board/CEO by Board

   For

Periodic Executive Sessions Without Mgmt (including CEO)

   For

Votes for Specific Directors

   Case-by-Case

MANAGEMENT AND DIRECTOR COMPENSATION

  

Stock Option and Incentive Compensation Plans:

   Case-by-Case

Form of Vehicle: grants of stock options, stock appreciation rights, phantom shares and restricted stock

   Case-by-Case

Price

   Against plans whose underlying securities are to be issued at less than 100% of the current market value

Re-pricing: plans that allow the Board of Directors to lower the exercise price of options already granted if the stock price falls or under-performs the market

   Against

Expiry: plan whose options have a life of more than ten years

   Case-by-Case

Expiry: “evergreen” stock option plans

   Against

Dilution:

   Case-by-Case—taking into account value creation, commitment to shareholder-friendly policies, etc.

Vesting: stock option plans that are 100% vested when granted

   Against

Performance Vesting: link granting of options, or vesting of options previously granted, to specific performance targets

   For

Concentration: authorization to allocate 20% or more of the available options to any one individual in any one year

   Against

Director Eligibility: stock option plans for directors if terms and conditions are clearly defined and reasonable

   Case-by-Case

Change in Control: stock option plans with change in control provisions that allow option holders to receive more for their options than shareholders would receive for their shares

   Against

Change in Control: change in control arrangements developed during a take-over fight specifically to entrench or benefit management

   Against

Change in Control: granting options or bonuses to outside directors in event of a change in control

   Against

Board Discretion: plans to give Board broad discretion in setting terms and conditions of programs

   Against

Employee Loans: Proposals authorizing loans to employees to pay for stock or options

   Against

 

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Proxy Issue

  

LMCM Guideline

Director Compensation: % of directors’ compensation in form of common shares

   For

Golden Parachutes

   Case-by-Case

Expense Stock Options

   For

Severance Packages: must receive shareholder approval

   For

Lack of Disclosure about Provisions of Stock-based Plans

   Against

Reload Options

   Against

Plan Limited to a Small Number of Senior Employees

   Against

Employee Stock Purchase Plans

   Case-by-Case

TAKEOVER PROTECTIONS

  

Shareholder Rights Plans: plans that go beyond ensuring the equal treatment of shareholders in the event of a bid and allowing the corp. enough time to consider alternatives to a bid

   Against

Going Private Transaction, Leveraged Buyouts and Other Purchase Transactions

   Case-by-Case

Lock-up Arrangements: “hard” lock-up arrangements that serve to prevent competing bids in a takeover situation

   Against

Crown Jewel Defenses

   Against

Payment of Greenmail

   Against

“Continuing Director” or “Deferred Redemption” Provisions: provisions that seek to limit the discretion of a future board to redeem the plan

   Against

Change Corporation’s Domicile: if reason for re-incorporation is to take advantage of protective statutes (anti-takeover)

   Against

Poison Pills: receive shareholder ratification

   For

Redemption/Ratification of Poison Pill

   For

SHAREHOLDERS’ RIGHTS

  

Confidential Voting by Shareholders

   For

Dual-Class Share Structures

   Against

Linked Proposals: with the objective of making one element of a proposal more acceptable

   Against

Blank Check Preferred Shares: authorization of, or an increase in, blank check preferred shares

   Against

Supermajority Approval of Business Transactions: management seeks to increase the number of votes required on an issue above two-thirds of the outstanding shares

   Against

Increase in Authorized Shares: provided the amount requested is necessary for sound business reasons

   For

Shareholder Proposals

   Case-by-Case

Stakeholder Proposals

   Case-by-Case

 

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Proxy Issue

  

LMCM Guideline

Issuance of Previously Authorized Shares with Voting Rights to be Determined by the Board without Prior Specific Shareholder Approval

   Against

“Fair Price” Provisions: Measures to limit ability to buy back shares from particular shareholder at higher-than-market prices

   For

Preemptive Rights

   For

Actions altering Board/Shareholder Relationship Require Prior Shareholder Approval (including “anti-takeover” measures)

   For

Allow Shareholder action by written consent

   For

Allow Shareholders to call Special Meetings

   For

Social and Environmental Issues

   As recommended by Company Management

Reimbursing Proxy Solicitation Expenses

   Case-by-Case

 

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APPENDIX A

Legg Mason Partners Fund Advisor, LLC

Proxy Voting Policy

LMPFA delegates the responsibility for voting proxies for a Fund through its contracts with one or more subadvisers. Each subadviser will use its own proxy voting policies and procedures to vote proxies. Accordingly, LMPFA does not expect to have proxy-voting responsibility for the Funds.

If LMPFA becomes responsible for voting proxies for any reason, such as the inability of a subadviser to provide investment advisory services, LMPFA shall utilize the proxy voting guidelines established by the most recent subadviser to vote proxies until a new subadviser is retained. In the case of a material conflict between the interests of LMPFA (or its affiliates if such conflict is known to persons responsible for voting at LMPFA) and a Fund, the Board of Directors of LMPFA shall consider how to address the conflict and/or how to vote the proxies. LMPFA shall maintain records of all proxy votes in accordance with applicable securities laws and regulations, to the extent that LMPFA votes proxies.

LMPFA shall rely on and periodically oversee the subadviser responsible for gathering relevant documents and records related to proxy voting and for providing them to the fund as required for the fund to comply with applicable rules under the 1940 Act.

Proxy Voting Guidelines & Procedures Summary

Concerning ClearBridge Advisors(1) (Clearbridge)

Proxy Voting Policies and Procedures

The following is a brief overview of the Proxy Voting Policies and Procedures (the “Policies”) that ClearBridge has adopted to seek to ensure that ClearBridge votes proxies relating to equity securities in the best interest of clients.

ClearBridge votes proxies for each client account with respect to which it has been authorized to vote proxies. In voting proxies, ClearBridge is guided by general fiduciary principles and seeks to act prudently and solely in the best interest of clients. ClearBridge attempts to consider all factors that could affect the value of the investment and will vote proxies in the manner that it believes will be consistent with efforts to maximize shareholder values. ClearBridge may utilize an external service provider to provide it with information and/or a recommendation with regard to proxy votes. However, the ClearBridge adviser (business unit) continues to retain responsibility for the proxy vote.

In the case of a proxy issue for which there is a stated position in the Policies, ClearBridge generally votes in accordance with such stated position. In the case of a proxy issue for which there is a list of factors set forth in the Policies that ClearBridge considers in voting on such issue, ClearBridge votes on a case-by-case basis in accordance with the general principles set forth above and considering such enumerated factors. In the case of a proxy issue for which there is no stated position or list of factors that ClearBridge considers in voting on such issue, ClearBridge votes on a case-by-case basis in accordance with the general principles set forth above. Issues for which there is a stated position set forth in the Policies or for which there is a list of factors set forth in the Policies that ClearBridge considers in voting on such issues fall into a variety of categories, including election of directors, ratification of auditors, proxy and tender offer defenses, capital structure issues, executive and director compensation, mergers and corporate restructurings, and social and environmental issues. The stated position on an issue set forth in the Policies can always be superseded, subject to the duty to act solely in the best interest of the beneficial owners of accounts, by the investment management professionals responsible for the account whose shares are being voted. Issues applicable to a particular industry may cause ClearBridge to abandon a policy that would have otherwise applied to issuers generally. As a result of the independent investment advisory

 


(1) ClearBridge Advisors comprises ClearBridge Advisors, LLC, ClearBridge Asset Management Inc.

 

A-1


services provided by distinct ClearBridge business units, there may be occasions when different business units or different portfolio managers within the same business unit vote differently on the same issue. A ClearBridge business unit or investment team (e.g. ClearBridge’s Social Awareness Investment team) may adopt proxy voting policies that supplement these policies and procedures. In addition, in the case of Taft-Hartley clients, ClearBridge will comply with a client direction to vote proxies in accordance with Institutional Shareholder Services’ (ISS) PVS Voting Guidelines, which ISS represents to be fully consistent with AFL-CIO guidelines.

In furtherance of ClearBridge’s goal to vote proxies in the best interest of clients, ClearBridge follows procedures designed to identify and address material conflicts that may arise between ClearBridge’s interests and those of its clients before voting proxies on behalf of such clients. To seek to identify conflicts of interest, ClearBridge periodically notifies ClearBridge employees in writing that they are under an obligation (i) to be aware of the potential for conflicts of interest on the part of ClearBridge with respect to voting proxies on behalf of client accounts both as a result of their personal relationships and due to special circumstances that may arise during the conduct of ClearBridge’s business, and (ii) to bring conflicts of interest of which they become aware to the attention of ClearBridge’s compliance personnel. ClearBridge also maintains and considers a list of significant ClearBridge relationships that could present a conflict of interest for ClearBridge in voting proxies. ClearBridge is also sensitive to the fact that a significant, publicized relationship between an issuer and a non-ClearBridge Legg Mason affiliate might appear to the public to influence the manner in which ClearBridge decides to vote a proxy with respect to such issuer. Absent special circumstances or a significant, publicized non-ClearBridge Legg Mason affiliate relationship that ClearBridge for prudential reasons treats as a potential conflict of interest because such relationship might appear to the public to influence the manner in which ClearBridge decides to vote a proxy, ClearBridge generally takes the position that relationships between a non-ClearBridge Legg Mason affiliate and an issuer (e.g. investment management relationship between an issuer and a non-ClearBridge Legg Mason affiliate) do not present a conflict of interest for ClearBridge in voting proxies with respect to such issuer. Such position is based on the fact that ClearBridge is operated as an independent business unit from other Legg Mason business units as well as on the existence of information barriers between ClearBridge and certain other Legg Mason business units.

ClearBridge maintains a Proxy Voting Committee to review and address conflicts of interest brought to its attention by ClearBridge compliance personnel. A proxy issue that will be voted in accordance with a stated ClearBridge position on such issue or in accordance with the recommendation of an independent third party is not brought to the attention of the Proxy Voting Committee for a conflict of interest review because ClearBridge’s position is that to the extent a conflict of interest issue exists, it is resolved by voting in accordance with a pre-determined policy or in accordance with the recommendation of an independent third party. With respect to a conflict of interest brought to its attention, the Proxy Voting Committee first determines whether such conflict of interest is material. A conflict of interest is considered material to the extent that it is determined that such conflict is likely to influence, or appear to influence, ClearBridge’s decision-making in voting proxies. If it is determined by the Proxy Voting Committee that a conflict of interest is not material, ClearBridge may vote proxies notwithstanding the existence of the conflict.

If it is determined by the Proxy Voting Committee that a conflict of interest is material, the Proxy Voting Committee is responsible for determining an appropriate method to resolve such conflict of interest before the proxy affected by the conflict of interest is voted. Such determination is based on the particular facts and circumstances, including the importance of the proxy issue and the nature of the conflict of interest.

 

A-2


Filed under Rule 497(c)

File Nos. 33-43446 and 811-6444

PROSPECTUS

April 16, 2007

 

The Securities and Exchange Commission has not approved or disapproved these securities or determined whether this prospectus is accurate or complete. Any statement to the contrary is a crime.

LOGO

LOGO

Legg Mason Partners Convertible Fund

Class A, B, C and I Shares

 

 

 

INVESTMENT PRODUCTS: NOT FDIC INSURED Ÿ NO BANK GUARANTEE Ÿ MAY LOSE VALUE

 


Legg Mason Partners Convertible Fund

Contents

 

Investments, risks and performance

  2

More on the fund’s investments

  6

Management

  8

Choosing a class of shares to buy

  11

Comparing the fund’s classes

  13

Sales charges

  14

More about contingent deferred sales charges

  18

Retirement and institutional investors

  19

Buying shares

  21

Exchanging shares

  22

Redeeming shares

  24

Other things to know about transactions

  26

Dividends, distributions and taxes

  29

Share price

  31

Financial highlights

  33

As part of a number of initiatives launched in 2006 to restructure and streamline the Legg Mason Partners fund complex, the fund assumed the assets and liabilities of a predecessor fund with the same name. The fund is now grouped for organizational and governance purposes with other Legg Mason Partners funds that are predominantly equity-type funds. Any information in this Prospectus relating to the fund prior to the date of this Prospectus refers to the fund’s predecessor.


 

Investments, risks and performance

Investment objective

The fund seeks current income and capital appreciation.

Principal investment strategies

Key investments

Under normal market conditions, the fund invests at least 80% of the value of its net assets, plus any borrowings for investment purposes, in convertible securities. These are either bonds or preferred shares which may be converted into common stock or other equity interests of the issuer at a predetermined price or rate. The fund also may invest up to 20% of its assets in “synthetic convertible securities,” equity securities and debt securities that are not convertible. Synthetic convertible securities are created by combining non-convertible preferred shares or debt securities with common stocks, warrants or call options. These synthetic instruments are designed to perform like convertible securities.

The fund may invest up to 25% of its assets in foreign securities. The fund may invest in securities rated below investment grade or, if unrated, determined by the subadviser to be of comparable quality. These securities are commonly known as “junk bonds” because they are rated in the lower rating categories by nationally and internationally recognized statistical rating organizations or, if unrated, determined by the subadviser to be of similar credit quality.

Selection process

In evaluating a convertible security, the portfolio manager analyzes both the equity and the fixed-income characteristics of the security.

Equity characteristics the portfolio manager looks for include:

n  

Companies with potential for real, sustainable growth

n  

Companies with competent and accessible management

n  

Companies with favorable cash flow

n  

Securities of companies in which the portfolio manager believes the underlying common stock has the potential for significant appreciation over a 12-18 month period

Fixed-income characteristics the portfolio manager looks for include:

n  

Favorable financial condition and capital structure

n  

Securities structured in a manner that reduces risk

n  

Securities where the yield more than compensates for the degree of risk

Principal risks of investing in the fund

Convertible securities are subject both to the stock market risk associated with equity securities and to the credit and interest rate risks associated with fixed-income securities. As the market price of the equity security underlying a convertible security falls, the convertible security tends to trade on the basis of its yield and other fixed-income characteristics. As the market price of such equity security rises, the convertible security tends to trade on the

 

2         Legg Mason Partners Funds


 

basis of its equity conversion features. Therefore, investors could lose money on their investment in the fund, or the fund may not perform as well as other investments, if:

n  

A common stock or other security into which a security owned by the fund is convertible falls in value

n  

The stock market declines

n  

The issuer of a security owned by the fund defaults on its obligation to pay principal and/or interest, or has its credit rating downgraded

n  

Interest rates increase, causing the prices of fixed-income securities to decline and reducing the value of the fund’s portfolio

n  

Companies in which the fund invests fail to meet earnings expectations, fall out of favor with investors, or other events depress their stock prices

n  

The portfolio manager’s judgment about interest rates or the attractiveness, value or income potential of a particular security proves incorrect

Below investment grade bonds, commonly known as “junk bonds,” are speculative and their issuers may have diminished capacity to pay principal and interest. These securities have a higher risk of default, tend to be less liquid and may be more difficult to value.

Investments in foreign securities involve special risks, such as risk of political or economic instability, imposition of exchange controls or other restrictions on investments, and losses due to currency fluctuations.

Who may want to invest

The fund may be an appropriate investment if you:

n  

Are seeking to earn current income with some potential for capital appreciation

n  

Are seeking limited exposure to the stock market, and understand the risks of investing in equity securities

Performance information

The following shows summary performance information for the fund in a bar chart and an Average Annual Total Returns table. The information provides an indication of the risks of investing in the fund by showing changes in its performance from year to year and by showing how the fund’s average annual returns compare with the returns of broad-based securities market indices and an average of comparable mutual funds. The bar chart and the information below show performance of the fund’s Class B shares, but do not reflect the impact of sales charges (loads). If they did, the returns would be lower than those shown. Unlike the bar chart, the performance for Class A, B, C and I(1) shares in the Average Annual Total Returns table reflects the impact of the maximum sales charge (load) applicable to the respective classes, and, where indicated, the performance for Class B shares reflects the impact of taxes paid on distributions and the redemption of shares at the end of the period. The performance information shown below is that of the fund’s predecessor. The fund’s past performance, before and after taxes, is not necessarily an indication of how the fund will perform in the future.

 

(1)

 

As of November 20, 2006, Class Y shares were renamed Class I shares.

 

Legg Mason Partners Convertible Fund         3


 

Total Return for Class B Shares

LOGO

Highest and lowest quarter returns (for periods shown in the bar chart):

Highest: 13.50% in 2nd quarter 2003; Lowest: (11.36)% in 3rd quarter 1998.

 

Average Annual Total Returns (for periods ended December 31, 2006)

 

     1 Year     5 Years     10 Years    

Since

Inception

    Inception
Date

Class B

          9/2/86
 
Return before taxes   5.52 %   8.42 %   6.54 %   N/A    
 
Return after taxes on distributions(1)   3.35 %   6.25 %   4.38 %   N/A    
 
Return after taxes on distributions and sale of fund shares(1)   3.58 %   5.94 %   4.31 %   N/A    
 
Other Classes (Return before taxes only)         N/A    
 

Class A(2)

  4.74 %   7.85 %   6.46 %   N/A     11/9/92
 

Class C

  9.28 %   8.34 %   N/A     5.30 %   6/15/98
 

Class I(3)

  11.53 %   9.59 %   7.55 %   N/A     2/7/96
 
Convertible 100 Index(4)(7)   12.31 %   7.03 %   7.45 %   N/A     N/A
 
Merrill Lynch All Convertibles Index(5)(7)   12.83 %   7.81 %   8.58 %   N/A     N/A
 
Lipper Average(6)(7)   11.27 %   7.75 %   7.77 %   N/A     N/A
 

 

(1)

 

After-tax returns are calculated using the highest historical individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes. Actual after-tax returns depend on an investor’s tax situation and may differ from those shown, and the after-tax returns shown are not relevant to investors who hold their fund shares through tax-deferred arrangements, such as 401(k) plans or individual retirement accounts. In some cases, the return after taxes may exceed the return before taxes due to an assumed tax benefit from any losses on a sale of fund shares at the end of the measurement period. After-tax returns shown above are for Class B shares only. After-tax returns for other share classes will vary.

 

(2)

 

On November 20, 2006, the maximum initial sales charge on Class A shares was increased for sales made on and after that date. The average annual returns for Class A shares in the table have been calculated as if the increased maximum initial sales charge had been in effect for the entire period.

 

(3)

 

As of November 20, 2006, Class Y shares were renamed Class I shares.

 

(4)

 

The Goldman Sachs/Bloomberg Equally Weighted U.S. Convertible 100 Index (the “Convertible 100 Index”) is an unmanaged, equally weighted index of 100 leading convertible securities designed to represent the broad U.S. convertible market.

 

(5)

 

The fund’s benchmark has changed from the Convertible 100 Index to the Merrill Lynch All Convertibles Index since the Convertible 100 Index is being discontinued. The Merrill Lynch All Convertibles Index is a widely used, unmanaged index that measures convertible securities’ performance. It measures the performance of U.S. dollar-denominated convertible securities not currently in bankruptcy with a total market value greater than $50 million at issuance.

 

(6)

 

The Lipper Convertible Securities Funds Peer Group Average is a total return performance average of funds tracked by Lipper, Inc. that invest in convertible securities. It does not take into account sales charges or taxes.

(7)

 

It is not possible to invest directly in an index or an average. An index does not reflect deductions for fees, expenses or taxes. An average reflects fees and expenses but does not reflect deductions for sales charges or taxes.

 

4         Legg Mason Partners Funds


 

Fee table

This table sets forth the fees and expenses you may pay if you invest in fund shares.

Shareholder Fees

 

(paid directly from your investment)   Class A     Class B     Class C     Class I(1)
Maximum sales charge (load) imposed on purchases (as a % of offering price)   5.75 %   None     None     None
 
Maximum contingent deferred sales charge (load) (as a % of the lower of net asset value at purchase or redemption)   None (2)   5.00 %   1.00 %   None
 

 

Annual Fund Operating Expenses

 

(paid by the fund as a % of net assets)   Class A     Class B     Class C     Class I(1)  
Management fees   0.70 %   0.70 %   0.70 %   0.70 %
   
Distribution and service (12b-1) fees   0.25 %   0.75 %   1.00 %   None  
   
Other expenses(3)   0.32 %   0.33 %   0.31 %   0.20 %
   
Total annual fund operating expenses   1.27 %   1.78 %   2.01 %   0.90 %
   

  Because of voluntarily waivers and/or reimbursements, actual total operating expenses are expected to be:

  1.17 %   1.71 %   1.89 %   0.78 %

    These voluntary fee waivers and/or reimbursements may be reduced or terminated at any time.

      

(1)

 

As of November 20, 2006, Class Y shares were renamed Class I shares.

 

(2)

 

You may buy Class A shares in amounts of $1,000,000 or more at net asset value (without an initial sales charge), but if you redeem those shares within 12 months of their purchase, you will pay a contingent deferred sales charge of 1.00%.

 

(3)

 

The amounts set forth in “Other expenses” for Class A, B, C and I shares have been revised to reflect the estimated effect of new transfer agency and custody contracts which became effective on January 1, 2006. Class A and C shares include a fee for recordkeeping services.

Example

This example helps you compare the costs of investing in the fund with the costs of investing in other mutual funds. Your actual costs may be higher or lower. The example assumes:

n  

You invest $10,000 in the fund for the period shown

n  

Your investment has a 5% return each year — the assumption of a 5% return is required by the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) for purposes of this example and is not a prediction of the fund’s future performance

n  

You reinvest all distributions and dividends without a sales charge

n  

The fund’s operating expenses (before fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements, if any) remain the same

 

Number of Years You Own Your Shares

 

     1 year   3 years   5 years   10 years  

Class A (with or without redemption)

  $ 697   $ 954   $ 1,231   $ 2,020  
   

Class B (redemption at end of period)

  $ 681   $ 861   $ 1,065   $ 1,962 (1)
   

Class B (no redemption)

  $ 181   $ 561   $ 965   $ 1,962 (1)
   

Class C (redemption at end of period)

  $ 304   $ 630   $ 1,083   $ 2,337  
   

Class C (no redemption)

  $ 204   $ 630   $ 1,083   $ 2,337  
   

Class I(2) (with or without redemption)

  $ 92   $ 288   $ 499   $ 1,109  
   

 

(1)

 

Assumes conversion to Class A shares approximately eight years after purchase.

 

(2)

 

As of November 20, 2006, Class Y shares were renamed Class I shares.

 

Legg Mason Partners Convertible Fund         5


 

More on the fund’s investments

The fund’s investment objective and principal investment strategies are described under the section entitled “Investments, risks and performance” above. This section provides further information about the investment strategies that may be used by the fund.

The fund’s investment objective may be changed without shareholder approval.

Derivative contracts

The fund may, but need not, use derivative contracts, such as options on securities or currencies, forward foreign currency contracts, interest rate futures and options on interest rate futures:

n  

To hedge against the economic impact of adverse changes in the market value of portfolio securities because of changes in interest rates or exchange rates or securities markets

n  

As a substitute for buying or selling securities

n  

To enhance the fund’s return

n  

As a cash flow management technique

A derivative contract will obligate or entitle the fund to deliver or receive an asset or cash payment based on the change in value of one or more indices or securities. Even a small investment in derivative contracts can have a big impact on the fund’s currency, securities market or interest rate exposure. Therefore, using derivatives can disproportionately increase losses and reduce opportunities for gains when interest rates, exchange rates or securities markets are changing. The fund may not fully benefit from or may lose money on derivatives if changes in their value do not correspond as anticipated to changes in the value of the fund’s holdings. The other parties to certain derivative contracts present the same types of default risk as issuers of fixed-income securities. Derivatives can also make the fund less liquid and harder to value, especially in declining markets. The fund may invest up to 10% of its assets in options for hedging purposes.

Equity securities

The fund may receive common stock as a result of the conversion of a convertible security held by the fund, and such common stock may continue to be held by the fund at the discretion of the portfolio manager. The portfolio manager applies essentially the same investment analysis to equity and convertible securities in determining whether to continue to hold a security, taking into account the differing risk/return characteristics of convertible and equity securities. Whether an equity security pays a dividend is a component of the analysis.

Short sales

The fund may engage in short sales “against the box” by borrowing and selling shares of common stock that the fund simultaneously holds in its portfolio or has a right to hold through conversion of another portfolio security.

Defensive investing

The fund may depart from its principal investment strategies in response to adverse market, economic or political conditions by taking temporary defensive positions in any type

 

6         Legg Mason Partners Funds


 

of money market instruments and short-term debt securities or cash without regard to any percentage limitations. If the fund takes a temporary defensive position, it may be unable to achieve its investment objective.

Other investments

The fund may also use other strategies and invest in other securities that are described, along with their risks, in the fund’s Statement of Additional Information (“SAI”). However, the fund might not use all of the strategies and techniques or invest in all of the types of securities described in this Prospectus or in the SAI. There also are many other factors, which are not described here, that could adversely affect your investment and that could prevent the fund from achieving its investment objective.

Portfolio holdings

The fund’s policies and procedures with respect to the disclosure of the fund’s portfolio securities are described in the SAI.

 

Legg Mason Partners Convertible Fund         7


 

Management

Manager and subadviser

Legg Mason Partners Fund Advisor, LLC (“LMPFA” or the “manager”) is the fund’s investment manager. LMPFA, with offices at 399 Park Avenue, New York, New York 10022, is a recently-organized investment adviser that has been formed to serve as the investment manager of the fund and other Legg Mason-sponsored funds. LMPFA provides administrative and certain oversight services to the fund and manages the fund’s cash and short-term instruments. ClearBridge Advisors, LLC (“ClearBridge” or the “subadviser”) provides the day-to-day portfolio management of the fund, except for the management of cash and short-term instruments, as subadviser.

ClearBridge has offices at 399 Park Avenue, New York, New York 10022 and is a recently-organized investment adviser that has been formed to succeed to the equity securities portfolio management business of Citigroup Asset Management (“CAM”), which was acquired by Legg Mason, Inc. (“Legg Mason”) in December 2005.

LMPFA and ClearBridge are wholly-owned subsidiaries of Legg Mason. Legg Mason, whose principal executive offices are at 100 Light Street, Baltimore, Maryland 21202, is a global asset management company. As of December 31, 2006, Legg Mason’s asset management operation had aggregate assets under management of approximately $945 billion.

Prior to August 1, 2006, Smith Barney Fund Management LLC (“SBFM”) was the fund’s investment manager. SBFM is also a wholly-owned subsidiary of Legg Mason.

Portfolio manager

The fund is managed by Peter Luke who is supported by a team of highly qualified investment professionals. Mr. Luke has been responsible for the fund’s day-to-day management and oversight since 2001. Prior to 2001, Mr. Luke was employed as a portfolio manager by General Motors Investment Management Corporation. Mr. Luke is an investment officer of ClearBridge with over thirty-four years of investment management experience.

The SAI provides information about the compensation of the portfolio manager, other accounts managed by the portfolio manager and any fund shares held by the portfolio manager.

Management fee

For the fiscal year ended July 31, 2006, the fund paid a fee, after waivers and reimbursements, of 0.55% of the fund’s average daily net assets for advisory and administrative services. For the period from August 1, 2005 through November 30, 2005, the fund paid SBFM an advisory fee and an administrative fee equal to 0.50% and 0.20%, respectively, of the fund’s average daily net assets. For the period from December 1, 2005 through July 31, 2006, the fund paid SBFM a management fee equal to 0.70% of the fund’s average daily net assets.

A discussion regarding the basis for the Board’s approval of the fund’s management agreement and subadvisory agreement is available in the fund’s Annual Report for the fiscal year ended July 31, 2006.

 

8         Legg Mason Partners Funds


 

Distribution plan

Legg Mason Investor Services, LLC (“LMIS”), a wholly-owned broker/dealer subsidiary of Legg Mason, and Citigroup Global Markets Inc. (“CGMI”) serve as the fund’s distributors.

The fund has adopted a shareholder services and distribution plan for each of its Class A, B and C shares. Under the plan, the fund pays distribution and/or service fees. The plan provides for payments, based on annualized percentages of average daily net assets, of up to 0.25% for Class A shares; up to 0.75% for Class B shares; and up to 1.00% for Class C shares. These fees are an ongoing expense and, over time, will increase the cost of your investment and may cost you more than other types of sales charges.

In addition, the distributors may make payments for distribution and/or shareholder servicing activities out of their past profits and other available sources. A distributor may also make payments to dealers for marketing, promotional or related expenses. The amount of these payments is determined by the distributor and may be substantial. The manager or an affiliate may make similar payments under similar arrangements.

The payments described in the paragraph above are often referred to as “revenue sharing payments.” The recipients of such payments may include the fund’s distributors, affiliates of the manager, broker/dealers, financial institutions and other financial intermediaries through which investors may purchase shares of the fund. In some circumstances, such payments may create an incentive for an intermediary or its employees or associated persons to recommend or sell shares of the fund to you. Please contact your financial intermediary for details about revenue sharing payments it may receive.

Recent developments

On May 31, 2005, the SEC issued an order in connection with the settlement of an administrative proceeding against SBFM, the then-investment adviser or manager to the fund, and CGMI, relating to the appointment of an affiliated transfer agent for the Smith Barney family of mutual funds, including the fund (the “Affected Funds”).

The SEC order found that SBFM and CGMI willfully violated Section 206(1) of the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as amended, and the rules promulgated thereunder (the “Advisers Act”). Specifically, the order found that SBFM and CGMI knowingly or recklessly failed to disclose to the boards of the Affected Funds in 1999 when proposing a new transfer agent arrangement with an affiliated transfer agent that: First Data Investors Services Group (“First Data”), the Affected Funds’ then-existing transfer agent, had offered to continue as transfer agent and do the same work for substantially less money than before; and that CAM, the Citigroup business unit that, at the time, included the Affected Funds’ investment manager and other investment advisory companies, had entered into a side letter with First Data under which CAM agreed to recommend the appointment of First Data as sub-transfer agent to the affiliated transfer agent in exchange, among other things, for a guarantee by First Data of specified amounts of asset management and investment banking fees to CAM and CGMI. The order also found that SBFM and CGMI willfully violated Section 206(2) of the Advisers Act by virtue of the omissions discussed above and other misrepresentations and omissions in the materials provided to the Affected Funds’ boards, including the failure to make clear that the affiliated transfer agent would earn a high profit for performing limited functions while First Data continued to perform almost all of the transfer agent functions, and the suggestion that the proposed arrangement was in the Affected Funds’ best interests and that no viable alternatives existed.

 

Legg Mason Partners Convertible Fund         9


SBFM and CGMI do not admit or deny any wrongdoing or liability. The settlement does not establish wrongdoing or liability for purposes of any other proceeding. The SEC censured SBFM and CGMI and ordered them to cease and desist from violations of Sections 206(1) and 206(2) of the Advisers Act. The order required Citigroup to pay $208.1 million, including $109 million in disgorgement of profits, $19.1 million in interest, and a civil money penalty of $80 million. Approximately $24.4 million has already been paid to the Affected Funds, primarily through fee waivers. The remaining $183.7 million, including the penalty, has been paid to the U.S. Treasury and will be distributed pursuant to a plan submitted for the approval of the SEC. At this time, there is no certainty as to how the above-described proceeds of the settlement will be distributed, to whom such distributions will be made, the methodology by which such distributions will be allocated, and when such distributions will be made. The order also required that transfer agency fees received from the Affected Funds since December 1, 2004, less certain expenses, be placed in escrow and provided that a portion of such fees might be subsequently distributed in accordance with the terms of the order. On April 3, 2006, an aggregate amount of approximately $9 million held in escrow was distributed to the Affected Funds.

The order required SBFM to recommend a new transfer agent contract to the Affected Funds’ boards within 180 days of the entry of the order; if a Citigroup affiliate submitted a proposal to serve as transfer agent or sub-transfer agent, SBFM and CGMI would have been required, at their expense, to engage an independent monitor to oversee a competitive bidding process. On November 21, 2005, and within the specified timeframe, the Affected Funds’ Boards selected a new transfer agent for the Affected Funds. No Citigroup affiliate submitted a proposal to serve as transfer agent. Under the order, SBFM also must comply with an amended version of a vendor policy that Citigroup instituted in August 2004.

Although there can be no assurance, the manager does not believe that this matter will have a material adverse effect on the Affected Funds.

On December 1, 2005, Citigroup completed the sale of substantially all of its global asset management business, including SBFM, to Legg Mason.

 

10         Legg Mason Partners Funds


 

Choosing a class of shares to buy

Individual investors can generally choose among three classes of shares: Class A(1), B and C shares. Individual investors that held Class I (formerly Class Y) shares prior to November 20, 2006, may continue to invest in Class I shares. Institutional and retirement plan investors and clients of financial intermediaries should refer to “Retirement and institutional investors” below for a description of the classes available to them. Each class has different sales charges and expenses, allowing you to choose the class that best meets your needs.

When choosing which class of shares to buy, you should consider:

n  

How much you plan to invest

n  

How long you expect to own the shares

n  

The expenses paid by each class detailed in the Fee table and Example at the front of this Prospectus

n  

Whether you qualify for any reduction or waiver of sales charges

If you are choosing between Class A and Class B shares, it will in almost all cases be the more economical choice for you to purchase Class A shares if you plan to purchase shares in an amount of $100,000 or more (whether in a single purchase or through aggregation of eligible holdings). This is because of the reduced sales charge available on larger investments of Class A shares and the lower ongoing expenses of Class A shares compared to Class B shares.

If you intend to invest for only a few years, the effect of Class B contingent deferred sales charges on redemptions made within five years of purchase, as well as the effect of higher expenses of that class, might make an investment in Class C shares more appropriate. There is no initial sales charge on Class C shares, and the contingent deferred sales charge does not apply to shares redeemed one year or more after purchase.

However, if you plan to invest a large amount and your investment horizon is five years or more, Class C shares might not be as advantageous as Class A shares. The annual distribution and service fees on Class C shares may cost you more over the longer term than the front-end sales charge you would have paid for larger purchases of Class A shares.

You may buy shares from:

n  

Certain broker/dealers, financial intermediaries, financial institutions or a distributor’s financial advisors or registered representatives that have entered into an agreement to sell fund shares (each called a “Service Agent”)

n  

The fund, but only if you are investing through certain qualified plans or Service Agents

Different types of shareholder services may be available to you under arrangements offered by different Service Agents. In addition, these services may vary depending on the share class in which you choose to invest. In making your decision regarding which share class to buy, please keep in mind that your Service Agent may receive different compensation depending on the share class in which you invest. Investors should consult with their Service Agent about comparative pricing of shareholder services available to them under each available share class, the compensation that will be received by their Service Agent in connection with each available share class, and other factors that may be relevant to the investor’s choice of share class in which to invest.

 

(1)

 

On April 21, 2006, all Class O shares converted to Class A shares.

 

Legg Mason Partners Convertible Fund         11


 

Not all Classes of shares are available through each Service Agent. You should contact your Service Agent for further information.

Investment minimums

Minimum initial and additional investment amounts vary depending on the class of shares you buy and the nature of your investment.

 

   

Investment Minimum

Initial/Additional Investments(1)

     Class A   Class B   Class C  

Class I

(formerly Y)

General

  $500/$50   $500/$50   $500/$50   n/a
 

IRAs and Uniform Gifts or Transfers to Minor Accounts

  $250/$50   $250/$50   $250/$50   n/a
 

SIMPLE IRAs

  $1/$1   $1/$1   $1/$1   n/a
 

Systematic Investment Plans

  $25/$25   $25/$25   $25/$25   n/a
 

Clients of Eligible Financial Intermediaries

  $1/$1   n/a   n/a   None/None
 

Retirement Plans with omnibus accounts held on the books of the fund

  None/None   n/a   None/None   None/None
 

Other Retirement Plans

  $50/$50   $50/$50   $50/$50   n/a
 

Institutional Investors

  $500/$50   $500/$50   $500/$50   $1 million/None
 

 

(1)

 

Please refer to the section entitled “Retirement and institutional investors” below for additional information regarding the investment minimum and eligibility requirements for Retirement Plans, Institutional Investors and Clients of Eligible Financial Intermediaries.

 

More information about the fund’s classes of shares is available through the Legg Mason Partners Funds’ website. You’ll find detailed information about sales charges and ways you can qualify for reduced or waived sales charges, including:

n  

The front-end sales charges that apply to the purchase of Class A shares

n  

The contingent deferred sales charges that apply to the redemption of Class B shares, Class C shares and certain Class A shares (redeemed within one year)

n  

Who qualifies for lower sales charges on Class A shares

n  

Who qualifies for a sales load waiver

To access the website, go to http://www.leggmason.com/InvestorServices and click on the name of the fund.

 

12         Legg Mason Partners Funds


 

Comparing the fund’s classes

The following table compares key features of the fund’s classes. You should review the Fee table and Example at the front of this Prospectus carefully before choosing your share class. Your Service Agent can help you decide which class meets your goals. Your Service Agent may receive different compensation depending upon which class you choose.

 

     Class A   Class B   Class C  

Class I

(formerly Y)

Key features  

n  Initial sales charge

n  You may qualify for reduction or waiver of initial sales charge

n  Generally lower annual expenses than Class B and Class C

 

n  No initial sales charge

n  Contingent deferred sales charge declines over time

n  Converts to Class A after approximately 8 years

n  Generally higher annual expenses than Class A

 

n  No initial sales charge

n  Contingent deferred sales charge for only 1 year

n  Does not convert to Class A

n  Generally higher annual expenses than Class A

 

n  No initial or contingent deferred sales charge

n  Only offered to institutional and other eligible investors

n  Generally lower expenses than the other classes

Initial sales charge  

Up to 5.75%; reduced or waived for large purchases and certain investors. No charge for purchases of $1 million or more

 

None

 

None

 

None

Contingent deferred sales charge  

1.00% on purchases of $1 million or more if you redeem within 1 year of purchase; waived for certain investors

 

Up to 5.00% charged when you redeem shares. This charge is reduced over time and there is no contingent deferred sales charge after 5 years; waived for certain investors

 

1.00% if you redeem within 1 year of purchase; waived for certain investors

 

None

Annual distribution and/or service fees  

0.25% of average daily net assets

 

0.75% of average daily net assets

 

1.00% of average daily net assets

 

None

Exchange

Privilege(1)

 

Class A shares of most Legg Mason Partners Funds

 

Class B shares of most Legg Mason Partners Funds

 

Class C shares of most Legg Mason Partners Funds

 

Class I shares of most Legg Mason Partners Funds

 

(1)

 

Ask your Service Agent about the Legg Mason Partners Funds available for exchange.

 

Legg Mason Partners Convertible Fund         13


 

Sales charges

Class A shares

You buy Class A shares at the offering price, which is the net asset value plus a sales charge. You pay a lower rate as the size of your investment increases to certain levels called breakpoints. You do not pay a sales charge on the fund’s distributions or dividends you reinvest in additional Class A shares.

The table below shows the rate of sales charge you pay, depending on the amount you purchase, for purchases made on or after November 20, 2006. The table below also shows the amount of broker/dealer compensation that will be paid out of the sales charge if you buy shares from a Service Agent. For Class A shares sold directly by LMIS, LMIS will receive the sales charge imposed on purchases of Class A shares (or any contingent deferred sales charge paid on redemptions) and will retain the full amount of such sales charge. For Class A shares sold by CGMI, CGMI will receive the sales charge imposed on purchases of Class A shares and will retain an amount equal to the broker/dealer commission paid out of the sales charge. LMIS will receive any portion not retained by CGMI. Service Agents (including CGMI) will also receive a service fee payable on Class A shares at an annual rate of up to 0.25% of the average daily net assets represented by the Class A shares serviced by them.

 

Amount of investment   Sales Charge
as % of
offering price
  Sales Charge
as % of net
amount
invested
  Broker/Dealer
Commission
as % of
offering price

Less than $25,000

  5.75   6.10   5.00
 

$25,000 but less than $50,000

  5.00   5.26   4.25
 

$50,000 but less than $100,000

  4.50   4.71   3.75
 

$100,000 but less than $250,000

  3.50   3.63   2.75
 

$250,000 but less than $500,000

  2.50   2.56   2.00
 

$500,000 but less than $750,000

  2.00   2.04   1.60
 

$750,000 but less than $1 million

  1.50   1.52   1.20
 

$1 million or more(1)

  -0-   -0-   up to 1.00
 

 

(1)

 

A distributor may pay a commission of up to 1.00% to a Service Agent for purchase amounts of $1 million or more. In such cases, starting in the thirteenth month after purchase, the Service Agent will also receive an annual distribution/service fee of up to 0.25% of the average daily net assets represented by the Class A shares held by its clients. Prior to the thirteenth month, the distributor will retain this fee. Where the Service Agent does not receive the payment of this commission, the Service Agent will instead receive the annual distribution/service fee starting immediately after purchase. Please contact your Service Agent for more information.

Investments of $1,000,000 or more

You do not pay an initial sales charge when you buy $1,000,000 or more of Class A shares. However, if you redeem these Class A shares within one year of purchase, you will pay a contingent deferred sales charge of 1.00%.

Qualifying for a reduced Class A sales charge

There are several ways you can combine multiple purchases of Class A shares of Legg Mason Partners Funds to take advantage of the breakpoints in the sales charge schedule. In order to take advantage of reductions in sales charges that may be available to

 

14         Legg Mason Partners Funds


 

you when you purchase fund shares, you must inform your Service Agent or Legg Mason Partners Shareholder Services if you are eligible for a letter of intent or a right of accumulation and if you own shares of other Legg Mason Partners Funds that are eligible to be aggregated with your purchases. Certain records, such as account statements, may be necessary in order to verify your eligibility for reduced sales charges.

n  

Accumulation privilege — allows you to combine the current value of Class A shares of the fund with other shares of Legg Mason Partners Funds that are owned by

  ¨  

you, or

  ¨  

your spouse and children under the age of 21

with the dollar amount of your next purchase of Class A shares for purposes of calculating the initial sales charge.

Shares of certain money market funds advised by the manager or its affiliates (other than money market fund shares acquired by exchange from other Legg Mason Partners Funds offered with a sales charge), Legg Mason Partners S&P 500 Index Fund and Class O shares of Legg Mason Partners Equity Fund may not be combined.

If you hold shares of Legg Mason Partners Funds in accounts at two or more Service Agents, please contact your Service Agents to determine which shares may be combined.

Certain trustees and fiduciaries may be entitled to combine accounts in determining their sales charge.

n  

Letter of intent — allows you to purchase Class A shares of Legg Mason Partners Funds over a 13-month period and pay the same sales charge on Class A shares, if any, as if all the shares had been purchased at once. At the time you enter into the letter of intent, you select your asset goal amount. Generally, purchases of Legg Mason Partners Funds shares that are purchased during the 13-month period by

  ¨  

you, or

  ¨  

your spouse and children under the age of 21

are eligible for inclusion under the letter, based on the public offering price at the time of the purchase, and any capital appreciation on those shares. Purchases made 90 days prior to the 13-month period are also eligible to be treated as purchases made under the letter of intent. In addition, you can include towards your asset goal amount the current value of any eligible purchases that were made prior to the date of entering into the letter of intent and are still held.

Shares of certain money market funds advised by the manager or its affiliates (other than money market fund shares acquired by exchange from other Legg Mason Partners Funds offered with a sales charge), Legg Mason Partners S&P 500 Index Fund and Class O shares of Legg Mason Partners Equity Fund may not be credited toward your letter of intent asset goal.

If you hold shares of Legg Mason Partners Funds in accounts at two or more Service Agents, please contact your Service Agents to determine which shares may be credited toward your letter of intent asset goal.

If you do not meet your asset goal amount, shares in the amount of any sales charges due based on the amount of your actual purchases will be redeemed from your account.

 

Legg Mason Partners Convertible Fund         15


 

Waivers for certain Class A investors

Class A initial sales charges are waived for certain types of investors, including:

n  

Employees of Service Agents having dealer, service or other selling agreements with the fund’s distributors

n  

Investors who redeemed Class A shares of a Legg Mason Partners Fund in the past 60 days, if the investor’s Service Agent is notified

n  

Directors and officers of any Legg Mason-sponsored fund

n  

Employees of Legg Mason and its subsidiaries

n  

Investors investing through certain retirement plans

If you qualify for a waiver of the Class A initial sales charge, you must notify your Service Agent or the transfer agent at the time of purchase and provide sufficient information at the time of purchase to permit verification that the purchase qualifies for the initial sales charge waiver.

If you want to learn about additional waivers of Class A initial sales charges, contact your Service Agent, consult the SAI or access the Legg Mason Partners Funds’ website, http://www.leggmason.com/InvestorServices, and click on the name of the fund.

Class B shares

You buy Class B shares at net asset value without paying an initial sales charge. However, if you redeem your Class B shares within 5 years of your purchase payment, you will pay a contingent deferred sales charge. The contingent deferred sales charge decreases as the number of years since your purchase payment increases.

 

Year after purchase   1st     2nd     3rd     4th     5th     6th through 8th  

Contingent deferred sales charge

  5 %   4 %   3 %   2 %   1 %   0 %
   

LMIS will pay Service Agents, including CGMI, selling Class B shares a commission of up to 4.00% of the purchase price of the Class B shares they sell, and LMIS will retain the contingent deferred sales charges. Service Agents also receive an annual distribution/service fee of up to 0.25% of the average daily net assets represented by the Class B shares serviced by them.

 

16         Legg Mason Partners Funds


 

Class B conversion

After approximately 8 years, Class B shares automatically convert into Class A shares. This helps you because Class A shares have lower annual expenses. Your Class B shares will convert to Class A shares as follows:

 

Shares issued:

At initial purchase

   Shares issued:
On reinvestment of
dividends and
distributions
   Shares issued:
Upon exchange from
another Legg Mason
Partners Fund
Approximately 8 years after the date of purchase payment    In same proportion as the number of Class B shares converting is to total Class B shares you own (excluding shares issued as dividends)    On the date the shares originally acquired would have converted into Class A shares
 

Class C shares

You buy Class C shares at net asset value without paying an initial sales charge. However, if you redeem your Class C shares within one year of purchase, you will pay a contingent deferred sales charge of 1.00%.

LMIS will generally pay Service Agents selling Class C shares a commission of up to 1.00% of the purchase price of the Class C shares they sell, and LMIS will retain the contingent deferred sales charges and an annual distribution/service fee of up to 1.00% of the average daily net assets represented by the Class C shares serviced by these Service Agents until the thirteenth month after purchase. Starting in the thirteenth month after purchase, these Service Agents will receive an annual distribution/service fee of up to 1.00% of the average daily net assets represented by the Class C shares serviced by them.

Class I shares (formerly Class Y shares)

Class I shares are purchased at net asset value with no initial sales charge and no contingent deferred sales charge when redeemed.

 

Legg Mason Partners Convertible Fund         17


 

More about contingent deferred sales charges

The contingent deferred sales charge is based on the net asset value at the time of purchase or redemption, whichever is less, and therefore you do not pay a sales charge on amounts representing appreciation or depreciation.

In addition, you do not pay a contingent deferred sales charge:

n  

When you exchange shares for shares of another Legg Mason Partners Fund

n  

On shares representing reinvested distributions and dividends

n  

On shares no longer subject to the contingent deferred sales charge

Each time you place a request to redeem shares, the fund will first redeem any shares in your account that are not subject to a contingent deferred sales charge and then the shares in your account that have been held the longest.

If you redeem shares of a Legg Mason Partners Fund and pay a contingent deferred sales charge, you may, under certain circumstances, reinvest all or part of the redemption proceeds within 60 days and receive pro rata credit for any contingent deferred sales charge imposed on the prior redemption. Please contact your Service Agent for additional information.

The fund’s distributors receives contingent deferred sales charges as partial compensation for their expenses in selling shares, including the payment of compensation to your Service Agent.

Contingent deferred sales charge waivers

The contingent deferred sales charge for each share class will generally be waived:

n  

On payments made through certain systematic withdrawal plans

n  

On certain distributions from a retirement plan

n  

For retirement plans with omnibus accounts held on the books of the fund

n  

For involuntary redemptions of small account balances

n  

For 12 months following the death or disability of a shareholder

If you want to learn more about additional waivers of contingent deferred sales charges, contact your Service Agent, consult the SAI or access the Legg Mason Partners Funds’ website, http://www.leggmason.com/InvestorServices, and click on the name of the fund.

 

18         Legg Mason Partners Funds


 

Retirement and institutional investors

Eligible investors

Retirement Plans

Retirement Plans with omnibus accounts held on the books of the fund can generally choose among three classes of shares: Class C, Class A and Class I (formerly Class Y) shares.

“Retirement Plans” include 401(k) plans, 457 plans, employer-sponsored 403(b) plans, profit-sharing plans, non-qualified deferred compensation plans and other similar employer-sponsored retirement plans. Retirement Plans do not include individual retirement vehicles, such as traditional and Roth individual retirement accounts, Coverdell education savings accounts, individual 403(b)(7) custodial accounts, Keogh plans, SEPs, SARSEPs, SIMPLE IRAs, or Section 529 savings accounts. Although Retirement Plans with omnibus accounts held on the books of the fund are not subject to minimum initial investment requirements for any of these share classes, certain investment minimums may be imposed by a financial intermediary.

Other Retirement Plans

Other Retirement Plans can generally choose among three classes of shares: Class A, Class B and Class C. “Other Retirement Plans” include Retirement Plans investing through brokerage accounts, and also include certain Retirement Plans with direct relationships to the fund that are neither Institutional Investors nor investing through omnibus accounts. Individual retirement vehicles, such as IRAs, may also choose among these share classes. Other Retirement Plans and individual retirement vehicles are treated like individual investors for purposes of determining sales charges and any applicable sales charge reductions or waivers.

Clients of Eligible Financial Intermediaries

Clients of Eligible Financial Intermediaries may generally choose between two classes of shares: Class A and Class I. “Clients of Eligible Financial Intermediaries” are investors who invest in the fund through financial intermediaries that offer their clients fund shares through investment programs as authorized by LMIS. Such investment programs may include fee-based advisory or brokerage account programs, and college savings vehicles such as Section 529 plans. The financial intermediary may impose separate investment minimums.

Institutional Investors

Institutional Investors may invest in Class I shares if they meet the $1,000,000 minimum initial investment requirement. Institutional Investors may also invest in Class A, B and C shares, which have different investment minimums and fees and expenses. “Institutional Investors” generally include corporations, banks, insurance companies, foundations, retirement plans and other similar entities with direct relationships to the fund.

Class C — Retirement Plans

For purchases made on or after November 20, 2006, Retirement Plans with omnibus accounts held on the books of the fund may buy Class C shares without paying a

 

Legg Mason Partners Convertible Fund         19


 

contingent deferred sales charge. As of November 20, 2006, LMIS no longer pays Service Agents selling Class C shares to retirement plans with omnibus accounts held on the books of a fund a commission on the purchase price of Class C shares sold by them. Instead, immediately after purchase, LMIS will pay these Service Agents an annual distribution/service fee of up to 1.00% of the average daily net assets represented by the Class C shares serviced by them.

Class A—Retirement Plans

Retirement Plans with omnibus accounts held on the books of the fund may purchase Class A shares through programs sponsored by financial intermediaries. Under these programs, the initial sales charge and contingent deferred sales charge for Class A shares are waived where:

n  

Such Retirement Plan’s recordkeeper offers only load-waived shares,

n  

Fund shares are held on the books of the fund through an omnibus account, and

n  

The Retirement Plan has more than 100 participants, or has total assets exceeding $1 million

As of November 20, 2006, LMIS no longer pays Service Agents selling Class A shares to Retirement Plans with a direct omnibus relationship with the fund a commission on the purchase price of Class A shares sold by them. However, for certain Retirement Plans that are permitted to purchase shares at net asset value on or after that date, LMIS may continue to pay Service Agents commissions of up to 1.00% of the purchase price of the additional Class A shares that are purchased with regular ongoing plan contributions. Please contact your Service Agent for more information.

Class I shares

On November 20 , 2006, Class Y shares were renamed Class I shares. Class I shares are offered only to Institutional Investors who meet the $1,000,000 minimum initial investment requirement, Clients of Eligible Financial Intermediaries, and other investors as authorized by LMIS. However, investors that held Class Y shares prior to that date will continue to be permitted to make additional investments in Class I shares.

Other considerations

Plan sponsors, plan fiduciaries and other financial intermediaries may choose to impose qualification requirements for plans that differ from the fund’s share class eligibility standards. In certain cases, this could result in the selection of a share class with higher service and distribution-related fees than otherwise would have been charged. The fund is not responsible for, and has no control over, the decision of any plan sponsor, plan fiduciary or financial intermediary to impose such differing requirements. Please consult with your plan sponsor, plan fiduciary or financial intermediary for more information about available share classes.

With respect to Class A and Class C shares, as applicable, the fund may pay a fee for recordkeeping services performed for the share class.

Not all share classes may be made available by your Service Agent. Please contact your Service Agent for additional details.

 

20         Legg Mason Partners Funds


 

Buying shares

 

Generally    You may buy shares at their net asset value next determined after receipt by your Service Agent or the transfer agent of your purchase request in good order, plus any applicable sales charge.
 
Through a
Service Agent
  

You should contact your Service Agent to open a brokerage account and make arrangements to buy shares. You must provide the following information for your order to be processed:

n Class of shares being bought

n Dollar amount or number of shares being bought

n Account number (if existing account)

Your Service Agent may charge an annual account maintenance fee.

 
Through the fund   

Financial intermediary accounts, retirement plan accounts and certain other investors who are clients of certain Service Agents are eligible to buy shares directly from the fund.

n Write the fund at the following address:

Legg Mason Partners Funds

c/o PFPC Inc.

P.O. Box 9699

Providence, Rhode Island 02940-9699

n Enclose a check to pay for the shares. For initial purchases, complete and send an account application available upon request from Legg Mason Partners Shareholder Services at the number below

n Specify the name of the fund, the share class you wish to purchase and your account number (if existing account)

n For more information, please call Legg Mason Partners Shareholder Services at 800-451-2010

 
Through a systematic investment plan   

You may authorize your Service Agent or the transfer agent to transfer funds automatically from (i) a regular bank account, (ii) cash held in a brokerage account with a Service Agent or (iii) certain money market funds, in order to buy shares on a regular basis.

n Amounts transferred must be at least $25

n Amounts may be transferred monthly, every alternate month, quarterly, semi-annually or annually

n If you do not have sufficient funds in your account on a transfer date, your Service Agent or the transfer agent may charge you a fee

 

For more information, please contact your Service Agent or Legg Mason Partners Shareholder Services or consult the SAI.

 

Legg Mason Partners Convertible Fund         21


 

Exchanging shares

 

Generally    You may exchange shares at their net asset value next determined after receipt by your Service Agent or the transfer agent of your exchange request in good order.
 
Legg Mason
Partners offers a
distinctive family
of funds tailored to
help meet the
varying needs of
both large and
small investors
  

You should contact your Service Agent to exchange into other Legg Mason Partners Funds. Be sure to read the prospectus of the Legg Mason Partners Fund into which you are exchanging. An exchange is a taxable transaction, unless you are investing through a tax-qualified savings plan or account.

n If you bought shares through a Service Agent, you may exchange shares only for shares of the same class of certain other Legg Mason Partners Funds made available for exchange by your Service Agent. Not all Legg Mason Partners Funds made available for exchange by your Service Agent may offer all classes. Please contact your Service Agent for more information about the funds and classes that are available for exchange

n If you bought shares directly from the fund, you may exchange shares only for shares of the same class of another Legg Mason Partners Fund, other than shares of Legg Mason Partners S&P 500 Index Fund. Not all Legg Mason Partners Funds offer all classes

n Not all Legg Mason Partners Funds may be offered in your state of residence. Contact your Service Agent or the transfer agent for further information

n Exchanges of Class A, B and C shares are subject to minimum investment requirements (except for systematic investment plan exchanges), and all shares are subject to the other requirements of the fund into which exchanges are made

n If you hold share certificates, the transfer agent must receive the certificates endorsed for transfer or with signed stock powers before the exchange is effective

n The fund may suspend or terminate your exchange privilege if you engage in an excessive pattern of exchanges

 
Sales charges   

In most instances, your shares will not be subject to an initial sales charge or a contingent deferred sales charge at the time of the exchange.

Your contingent deferred sales charge (if any) will continue to be measured from the date of your original purchase of shares subject to a contingent deferred sales charge and you will be subject to the contingent deferred sales charge of the fund that you originally purchased.

 
By telephone    If you do not have a brokerage account with a Service Agent, you may be eligible to exchange shares through the fund. You must complete an authorization form to authorize telephone transfers. If eligible, you may make telephone exchanges on any day the New

 

22         Legg Mason Partners Funds


 

  

York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) is open. Shareholders should call Legg Mason Partners Shareholder Services at 800-451-2010 between 8:30 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. (Eastern time).

You can make telephone exchanges only between accounts that have identical registrations.

 
By mail    If you do not have a brokerage account, contact your Service Agent or write to the fund at the address on the following page.
 
Through a
systematic
exchange plan
  

You may be permitted to schedule exchanges of shares of any class of the fund for shares of the same class of other Legg Mason Partners Funds.

n Exchanges may be made monthly, every alternate month, quarterly, semi-annually or annually

n A predetermined dollar amount of at least $25 per exchange is required

 

For more information, please contact your Service Agent or Legg Mason Partners Shareholder Services.

 

Legg Mason Partners Convertible Fund         23


 

Redeeming shares

 

Generally   

You may redeem shares at their net asset value next determined after receipt by your Service Agent or the transfer agent of your redemption request in good order, less any applicable contingent deferred sales charge.

Contact your Service Agent to redeem shares of the fund.

If you hold share certificates, the transfer agent must receive the certificates endorsed for transfer or with signed stock powers with a signature guarantee before you may redeem.

If the shares are held by a fiduciary or corporation, other documents may be required.

Your redemption proceeds will normally be sent within 3 business days after your request is received in good order, but in any event within 7 days. Your redemption proceeds may be delayed for up to 10 days if your purchase was made by check.

If you have a brokerage account with a Service Agent, your redemption proceeds will be sent to your Service Agent. In other cases, unless you direct otherwise, your redemption proceeds will be paid by check mailed to your address of record.

 
By mail   

For accounts held directly at the fund, send written requests to the fund at the following address:

Legg Mason Partners Funds

c/o PFPC Inc.

P.O. Box 9699

Providence, Rhode Island 02940-9699

Your written request must provide the following:

n The name of the fund, the class of shares to be redeemed and your account number

n The dollar amount or number of shares to be redeemed

n Signature of each owner exactly as the account is registered

n Signature guarantees, as applicable

 
By telephone   

If you do not have a brokerage account with a Service Agent, you may be eligible to redeem shares (except those held in certain retirement plans) in amounts up to $50,000 per day through the fund. You must complete an authorization form to authorize telephone redemptions. If eligible, you may request redemptions by telephone on any day the NYSE is open. Shareholders should call Legg Mason Partners Shareholder Services at 800-451-2010 between 8:30 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. (Eastern time).

Your redemption proceeds can be sent by check to your address of record or by wire or electronic transfer (ACH) to a bank account designated on your authorization form. You must submit a new authorization form to change the bank account designated to receive

 

24         Legg Mason Partners Funds


 

   wire or electronic transfers and you may be asked to provide certain other documents. The transfer agent may charge a fee on a wire or an electronic transfer (ACH).
 
Automatic cash withdrawal plans   

You can arrange for the automatic redemption of a portion of your shares monthly, every alternate month, quarterly, semi-annually or annually. To qualify, you must own shares of the fund with a value of at least $10,000 ($5,000 for retirement plan accounts) and each automatic redemption must be at least $50. If your shares are subject to a contingent deferred sales charge, the sales charge will be waived if your automatic redemptions are equal to or less than 2% per month of your account balance on the date the withdrawals commence, up to a maximum of 12% in one year.

The following conditions apply:

n Your shares must not be represented by certificates

n All dividends and distributions must be reinvested

 

For more information, please contact your Service Agent or consult the SAI.

 

Legg Mason Partners Convertible Fund         25


 

Other things to know about transactions

When you buy, exchange or redeem shares, your request must be in good order. This means you have provided the following information, without which your request may not be processed:

n  

Name of the fund

n  

Your account number

n  

Class of shares being bought, and if you own more than one class, the class of shares being exchanged or redeemed

n  

Dollar amount or number of shares being bought, exchanged or redeemed

n  

Signature of each owner exactly as the account is registered (redemptions only)

The fund’s transfer agent or Legg Mason Partners Shareholder Services will employ reasonable procedures to confirm that any telephone exchange or redemption request is genuine, which may include recording calls, asking the caller to provide certain personal identification information, sending you a written confirmation or requiring other confirmation procedures from time to time. If these procedures are followed, neither the fund nor its agents will bear any liability for such transactions.

Signature guarantees

To be in good order, your redemption request must include a signature guarantee if you:

n  

Are redeeming over $50,000

n  

Are sending signed share certificates or stock powers to the transfer agent

n  

Instruct the transfer agent to mail the check to an address different from the one on your account registration

n  

Changed your account registration or your address within 30 days

n  

Want the check paid to someone other than the account owner(s)

n  

Are transferring the redemption proceeds to an account with a different registration

You can obtain a signature guarantee from most banks, dealers, brokers, credit unions and federal savings and loan institutions, but not from a notary public.

The fund has the right to:

n  

Suspend the offering of shares

n  

Waive or change minimum and additional investment amounts

n  

Reject any purchase or exchange order

n  

Change, revoke or suspend the exchange privilege

n  

Suspend telephone transactions

n  

Suspend or postpone redemptions of shares on any day when trading on the NYSE is restricted, or as otherwise permitted by the SEC

n  

Pay redemption proceeds by giving you securities. You may pay transaction costs to dispose of the securities

Small account balances/Mandatory redemptions

If at any time the aggregate net asset value of the fund shares in your account is less than $500 for any reason (including solely due to declines in net asset value and/or failure to invest at least $500 within a reasonable period), the fund reserves the right to ask you to bring your account up to the applicable minimum investment amount as determined by

 

26         Legg Mason Partners Funds


 

your Service Agent. In such case, you shall be notified in writing and will have 60 days to make an additional investment to bring your account value up to the required level. If you choose not to do so within this 60-day period, the fund may close your account and send you the redemption proceeds. In the event your account is closed due to a failure to increase your balance to the minimum required amount, you will not be eligible to have your account subsequently reinstated without imposition of any sales charges that may apply to your new purchase. The fund may, with prior notice, change the minimum size of accounts subject to mandatory redemption, which may vary by class, or implement fees for small accounts.

Subject to applicable law, the fund may, with prior notice, adopt other policies from time to time requiring mandatory redemption of shares in certain circumstances.

For more information, please contact your Service Agent or Legg Mason Partners Shareholder Services or consult the SAI.

Frequent purchases and redemptions of fund shares

Frequent purchases and redemptions of fund shares may interfere with the efficient management of the fund’s portfolio by its portfolio manager, increase portfolio transaction costs, and have a negative effect on the fund’s long-term shareholders. For example, in order to handle large flows of cash into and out of the fund, the portfolio manager may need to allocate more assets to cash or other short-term investments or sell securities, rather than maintaining full investment in securities selected to achieve the fund’s investment objective. Frequent trading may cause a fund to sell securities at less favorable prices. Transaction costs, such as brokerage commissions and market spreads, can detract from the fund’s performance. In addition, the return received by long-term shareholders may be reduced when trades by other shareholders are made in an effort to take advantage of certain pricing discrepancies, when, for example, it is believed that the fund’s share price, which is determined at the close of the NYSE on each trading day, does not accurately reflect the value of the fund’s portfolio securities. Funds investing in foreign securities have been particularly susceptible to this form of arbitrage, but other funds could also be affected.

Because of the potential harm to the fund and its long-term shareholders, the fund’s Board has approved policies and procedures that are intended to discourage and prevent excessive trading and market timing abuses through the use of various surveillance techniques. Under these policies and procedures, the fund may limit additional exchanges or purchases of fund shares by shareholders who are believed by the manager to be engaged in these abusive trading activities. The intent of the policies and procedures is not to inhibit legitimate strategies, such as asset allocation, dollar cost averaging or similar activities that may nonetheless result in frequent trading of fund shares. For this reason, the Board has not adopted any specific restrictions on purchases and sales of fund shares, but the fund reserves the right to reject any exchange or purchase of fund shares with or without prior notice to the account holder. In cases where surveillance of a particular account establishes what the manager believes to be obvious market timing, the manager will seek to block future purchases and exchanges of fund shares by that account. Where surveillance of a particular account indicates activity that the manager believes could be either abusive or for legitimate purposes, the fund may permit the account holder to justify the activity.

 

Legg Mason Partners Convertible Fund         27


 

The policies apply to any account, whether an individual account or accounts with financial intermediaries such as investment advisers, broker/dealers or retirement plan administrators, commonly called omnibus accounts, where the intermediary holds fund shares for a number of customers in one account. The fund’s ability to monitor trading in omnibus accounts may, however, be severely limited due to the lack of access to an individual investor’s trading activity when orders are placed through these types of accounts. There may also be operational and technological limitations on the ability of the fund’s service providers to identify or terminate frequent trading activity within the various types of omnibus accounts.

The fund’s policies also require personnel such as portfolio managers and investment staff to report any abnormal or otherwise suspicious investment activity, and prohibits short-term trades by such personnel for their own account in mutual funds managed by the manager and its affiliates, other than money market funds. Additionally, the fund has adopted policies and procedures to prevent the selective release of information about the fund’s portfolio holdings, as such information may be used for market-timing and similar abusive practices.

The fund’s policies provide for ongoing assessment of the effectiveness of current policies and surveillance tools, and the Board reserves the right to modify these or adopt additional policies and restrictions in the future. Shareholders should be aware, however, that any surveillance techniques currently employed by the fund or other techniques that may be adopted in the future may not be effective, particularly where the trading takes place through certain types of omnibus accounts. As noted above, if the fund is unable to detect and deter trading abuses, the fund’s performance, and long-term shareholders, may be harmed. In addition, because the fund has not adopted any specific limitations or restrictions on the trading of fund shares, shareholders may be harmed by the extra costs and portfolio management inefficiencies that result from frequent trading of fund shares, even when the trading is not for abusive purposes. Furthermore, the fund may not apply its policies consistently or uniformly, resulting in the risk that some shareholders may be able to engage in frequent trading, while others will bear the costs and effects of that trading. The fund will provide advance notice to its shareholders and prospective investors of any specific restrictions on the trading of fund shares that the Board may adopt in the future.

Share certificates

Share certificates for the fund are no longer issued. If you currently hold share certificates of the fund, such certificates will continue to be honored. If you would like to return your share certificates to the fund and hold your shares in uncertificated form, please contact your Service Agent or Legg Mason Partners Shareholder Services.

Record ownership

If you hold shares through a Service Agent, your Service Agent may establish and maintain your account and be the shareholder of record. In the event that the fund holds a shareholder meeting, your Service Agent, as record holder, will vote your shares in accordance with your instructions. If you do not give your Service Agent voting instructions, your Service Agent may nonetheless, under certain circumstances, be entitled to vote your shares.

 

28         Legg Mason Partners Funds


 

Dividends, distributions and taxes

Dividends and distributions

The fund generally pays dividends, if any, monthly, and makes capital gain distributions, if any, once a year, typically in December. The fund may pay additional distributions and dividends at other times if necessary for the fund to avoid a federal tax. The fund expects distributions to be from both income and capital gain. Capital gain distributions and dividends are reinvested in additional fund shares of the same class you hold. You do not pay a sales charge on reinvested distributions or dividends. Alternatively, you can instruct your Service Agent or Legg Mason Partners Shareholder Services to have your distributions and/or dividends paid in cash. You can change your choice at any time to be effective as of the next distribution or dividend.

Taxes

The following discussion is very general. Because each shareholder’s circumstances are different and special tax rules may apply, you should consult your tax adviser about your investment in the fund.

In general, you will have to pay federal income taxes, as well as any state and local taxes, when you redeem shares, exchange shares or receive a distribution (whether paid in cash or reinvested in additional shares). Any tax liability that you owe as a result of any of these taxable events is your responsibility. The federal income tax treatment of redemptions, exchanges and distributions is summarized in the following table:

 

Transaction    Federal tax status
Redemption or exchange of shares    Usually capital gain or loss; long-term only if shares owned more than one year
 

Distributions of net capital gain (excess of net long-term capital gain over net short-term capital loss)

   Long-term capital gain
 
Distributions of qualified dividend income    Qualified dividend income
 

Other ordinary dividends (including distributions of net short-term capital gain)

   Ordinary income
 

Distributions of net capital gain are taxable to you as long-term capital gain regardless of how long you have owned your shares. Distributions of qualified dividend income received by a non-corporate shareholder may qualify for a reduced tax rate, provided that the shareholder satisfies certain holding period requirements. Qualified dividend income generally is income derived from dividends from a U.S. corporation; dividends from certain foreign corporations may also qualify. You may want to avoid buying shares when the fund is about to declare a capital gain distribution or a dividend, because it will be taxable to you even though it may effectively be a return of a portion of your investment.

After the end of each year, your Service Agent or the fund will provide you with information about the distributions and dividends you received and any redemptions of shares during the previous year. If you are neither a citizen nor a resident of the United States, the fund will withhold federal income tax at the rate of 30% (or such lower rate as may be determined in accordance with any applicable treaty) on ordinary dividends and

 

Legg Mason Partners Convertible Fund         29


 

other payments that are subject to such withholding. If you do not provide the fund with your correct taxpayer identification number and any required certifications, you will be subject to backup withholding at the rate of 28% on your distributions, dividends, and redemption proceeds. Backup withholding will not, however, be applied to payments that have been subject to the 30% withholding tax on shareholders who are neither citizens nor residents of the United States.

 

30         Legg Mason Partners Funds


 

Share price

You may buy, exchange or redeem shares at their net asset value next determined after receipt of your request in good order, plus any applicable sales charge. The fund’s net asset value per share is the value of its assets minus its liabilities divided by the number of shares outstanding. Net asset value is calculated separately for each class of shares. The fund calculates its net asset value every day the NYSE is open. This calculation is done when regular trading closes on the NYSE (normally 4:00 p.m., Eastern time). The NYSE is closed on certain holidays listed in the SAI.

The Board has approved procedures to be used to value the fund’s securities for the purposes of determining the fund’s net asset value. The valuation of the securities of the fund is determined in good faith by or under the direction of the Board. The Board has delegated certain valuation functions for the fund to the manager.

The fund generally values its securities based on market prices determined at the close of regular trading on the NYSE. The fund’s currency valuations, if any, are done as of when the London Stock Exchange closes, which is usually at 12 noon Eastern time, as the manager believes that these valuations typically reflect the largest trading volume in the foreign currency markets. A material change in the value of currency during the period between the close of the London Stock Exchange and the calculation of the fund’s net asset value on the same date is considered a significant event, as described below, in response to which the fund may use fair valuation procedures to value the affected investments. For equity securities that are traded on an exchange, the market price is usually the closing sale or official closing price on that exchange. In the case of securities not traded on an exchange, or if such closing prices are not otherwise available, the market price is typically determined by independent third party pricing vendors approved by the fund’s Board using a variety of pricing techniques and methodologies. The market price for debt obligations is generally the price supplied by an independent third party pricing service approved by the Board, which may use a matrix, formula or other objective method that takes into consideration market indices, yield curves and other specific adjustments. Short-term debt obligations that will mature in 60 days or less are valued at amortized cost, unless it is determined that using this method would not reflect an investment’s fair value. If vendors are unable to supply a price, or if the price supplied is deemed by the manager to be unreliable, the market price may be determined using quotations received from one or more brokers/dealers that make a market in the security. When such prices or quotations are not available, or when the manager believes that they are unreliable, the manager may price securities using fair value procedures approved by the Board. Because the fund invests in securities rated below investment grade — some of which may be thinly traded, for which market quotations may not be readily available or may be unreliable — the fund may use fair valuation procedures more frequently than funds that invest primarily in securities that are more liquid, such as securities of large capitalization domestic issuers. The fund may also use fair value procedures if the manager determines that a significant event has occurred between the time at which a market price is determined and the time at which the fund’s net asset value is calculated. In particular, the value of foreign securities may be materially affected by events occurring after the close of the market on which they are valued, but before the fund prices its shares. The fund uses a fair value model

 

Legg Mason Partners Convertible Fund         31


 

developed by an independent third party pricing service to price foreign equity securities on days when there is a certain percentage change in the value of a domestic equity security index, as such percentage may be determined by the manager from time to time.

Valuing securities at fair value involves greater reliance on judgment than valuation of securities based on readily available market quotations. A fund that uses fair value to price securities may value those securities higher or lower than another fund using market quotations or its own fair value methodologies to price the same securities. There can be no assurance that the fund could obtain the fair value assigned to a security if it were to sell the security at approximately the time at which the fund determines its net asset value.

In order to buy, redeem or exchange shares at that day’s price, you must place your order with your Service Agent or the transfer agent before the NYSE closes. If the NYSE closes early, you must place your order prior to the actual closing time.

It is the responsibility of the Service Agents to transmit all orders to buy, exchange or redeem shares to the transfer agent on a timely basis.

 

32         Legg Mason Partners Funds


 

Financial highlights

The financial highlights tables are intended to help you understand the performance of each class for the past five years. Certain information reflects financial results for a single share. Total return represents the rate that a shareholder would have earned (or lost) on a fund share assuming reinvestment of all dividends and distributions. The information in the following tables has been derived from the predecessor fund’s financial statements. These financial statements, except for the financial information for the six-month period ended January 31, 2007, have been audited by KPMG LLP, independent registered public accounting firm, whose report, along with the fund’s financial statements, is included in the annual report (available upon request). The financial information shown below is that of the fund’s predecessor. As of April 29, 2004, Class L shares of the fund were renamed Class C shares. As of November 20, 2006, Class Y shares were renamed Class I shares.

 

For a Class A share outstanding throughout each year ended July 31, unless otherwise noted:  
Class A shares(1)(2)   Six months
ended
January 31,2007
(unaudited)
    2006     2005     2004     2003     2002  

Net asset value, beginning of period

  $16.63     $17.84     $16.90     $15.32     $12.75     $15.73  
   

Income (loss) from operations:

           

Net investment income

  0.13     0.36     0.34     0.41     0.71     0.61  

Net realized and unrealized gain
(loss)

  1.88     0.31     1.27     1.78     2.58     (2.87 )
   

Total income (loss) from operations

  2.01     0.67     1.61     2.19     3.29     (2.26 )
   

Less distributions from:

           

Net investment income

  (0.16 )   (0.36 )   (0.34 )   (0.51 )   (0.72 )   (0.72 )

Net realized gains

  (0.75 )   (1.52 )   (0.33 )   (0.10 )        
   

Total distributions

  (0.91 )   (1.88 )   (0.67 )   (0.61 )   (0.72 )   (0.72 )
   

Net asset value, end of period

  $17.73     $16.63     $17.84     $16.90     $15.32     $12.75  
   

Total return(3)

  12.23 %   3.86 %   9.71 %   14.35 %   26.69 %   (14.85 )%
   

Net assets, end of period (thousands)

  $37,953     $37,302     $40,871     $43,840     $32,183     $21,958  
   

Ratios to average net assets:

           

Gross expenses

  1.33 %(4)(5)   1.31 %   1.25 %   1.18 %   1.42 %   1.23 %

Net expenses

  1.23 (4)(5)(6)(7)   1.15 (6)(7)   1.23 (7)   1.18     1.42     1.23  

Net investment income

  1.50 (4)   2.06     1.99     2.39     5.24     4.06  
   

Portfolio turnover rate

  32 %   98 %   79 %   113 %   133 %   115 %
   

 

(1)

 

Per share amounts have been calculated using the average shares method.

 

(2)

 

On April 21, 2006, Smith Barney Class A shares were renamed Class A shares. On April 21, 2006 all Class O shares converted to Class A shares.

 

(3)

 

Performance figures may reflect fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements. Past performance is no guarantee of future results. In the absence of fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements, the total return would have been lower. Total returns for periods of less than one year are not annualized.

 

(4)

 

Annualized.

 

(5)

 

Included in the expense ratios are certain restructuring (and reorganization, if applicable) fees that were incurred by the fund during the period. Without these fees, the gross and net expense ratios would have been 1.24 % and 1.16%, respectively.

 

(6)

 

As a result of a voluntary expense limitation, the ratio of expenses to average net assets, other than interest, brokerage, taxes and extra-ordinary expenses, of Class A shares will not exceed 1.17%.

 

(7)

 

Reflects fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements.

 

Legg Mason Partners Convertible Fund         33


 

For a Class B share outstanding throughout each year ended July 31, unless otherwise noted:  
Class B Shares(1)(2)   Six months
ended
January 31,
2007
(unaudited)
    2006     2005     2004     2003     2002  

Net asset value, beginning of period

  $16.56     $17.78     $16.84     $15.28     $12.69     $15.66  
   

Income (loss) from operations:

           

Net investment income

  0.08     0.27     0.24     0.31     0.62     0.51  

Net realized and unrealized gain (loss)

  1.88     0.30     1.27     1.77     2.61     (2.84 )
   

Total income (loss) from operations

  1.96     0.57     1.51     2.08     3.23     (2.33 )
   

Less distributions from:

           

Net investment income

  (0.11 )   (0.27 )   (0.24 )   (0.42 )   (0.64 )   (0.64 )

Net realized gains

  (0.75 )   (1.52 )   (0.33 )   (0.10 )        
   

Total distributions

  (0.86 )   (1.79 )   (0.57 )   (0.52 )   (0.64 )   (0.64 )
   

Net asset value, end of period

  $17.66     $16.56     $17.78     $16.84     $15.28     $12.69  
   

Total return(3)

  11.98 %   3.26 %   9.13 %   13.66 %   26.23 %   (15.32 )%
   

Net assets, end of period (thousands)

  $17,426     $18,839     $23,506     $26,109     $17,406     $8,545  
   

Ratios to average net assets:

           

Gross expenses

  1.85 %(4)(5)   1.84 %   1.81 %   1.74 %   1.89 %   1.79 %

Net expenses

  1.77 (4)(5)(6)(7)   1.68 (6)(7)   1.79 (7)   1.74     1.89     1.79  

Net investment income

  0.97 (4)   1.54     1.42     1.82     4.65     3.50  
   

Portfolio turnover rate

  32 %   98 %   79 %   113 %   133 %   115 %
   

 

(1)

 

Per share amounts have been calculated using the average shares method.

 

(2)

 

On April 21, 2006, Smith Barney Class B shares were renamed Class B shares.

 

(3)

 

Performance figures may reflect fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements. Past performance is no guarantee of future results. In the absence of fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements, the total return would have been lower. Total returns for periods of less than one year are not annualized.

 

(4)

 

Annualized.

 

(5)

 

Included in the expense ratios are certain restructuring (and reorganization, if applicable) fees that were incurred by the fund during the period. Without these fees, the gross and net expense ratios would have been 1.76 % and 1.70%, respectively.

 

(6)

 

As a result of a voluntary expense limitation, the ratio of expenses to average net assets, other than interest, brokerage, taxes and extra-ordinary expenses, of Class B shares will not exceed 1.71%.

 

(7)

 

Reflects fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements.

 

34         Legg Mason Partners Funds


 

For a Class C share outstanding throughout each year ended July 31, unless otherwise noted:  
Class C Shares(1)(2)  

Six months
ended
January 31,
2007

(unaudited)

    2006     2005     2004     2003     2002  

Net asset value, beginning of period

  $16.64     $17.86     $16.91     $15.33     $12.71     $15.61  
   

Income (loss) from operations:

           

Net investment income

  0.07     0.24     0.21     0.27     0.55     0.50  

Net realized and unrealized gain (loss)

  1.88     0.30     1.28     1.78     2.64     (2.83 )
   

Total income (loss) from operations

  1.95     0.54     1.49     2.05     3.19     (2.33 )
   

Less distributions from:

           

Net investment income

  (0.10 )   (0.24 )   (0.21 )   (0.37 )   (0.57 )   (0.57 )

Net realized gains

  (0.75 )   (1.52 )   (0.33 )   (0.10 )        
   

Total distributions

  (0.85 )   (1.76 )   (0.54 )   (0.47 )   (0.57 )   (0.57 )
   

Net asset value, end of period

  $17.74     $16.64     $17.86     $16.91     $15.33     $12.71  
   

Total return(3)

  11.82 %   3.07 %   8.96 %   13.42 %   25.76 %   (15.34 )%
   

Net assets, end of period (thousands)

  $24,329     $26,353     $37,340     $43,288     $19,824     $5,308  
   

Ratios to average net assets:

           

Gross expenses

  2.08 %(4)(5)   2.06 %   1.99 %   1.93 %   2.29 %   1.85 %

Net expenses

  1.93 (4)(5)(6)(7)   1.86 (6)(7)   1.97 (7)   1.93     2.29     1.85  

Net investment income

  0.79 (4)   1.36     1.24     1.55     4.10     3.40  
   

Portfolio turnover rate

  32 %   98 %   79 %   113 %   133 %   115 %
   

 

(1)

 

Per share amounts have been calculated using the average shares method.

 

(2)

 

On April 21, 2006, Smith Barney Class C shares were renamed Class C shares.

 

(3)

 

Performance figures may reflect fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements. Past performance is no guarantee of future results. In the absence of fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements, the total return would have been lower. Total returns for periods of less than one year are not annualized.

 

(4)

 

Annualized.

 

(5)

 

Included in the expense ratios are certain restructuring (and reorganization, if applicable) fees that were incurred by the fund during the period. Without these fees, the gross and net expense ratios would have been 1.99 % and 1.86%, respectively.

 

(6)

 

As a result of a voluntary expense limitation, the ratio of expenses to average net assets, other than interest, brokerage, taxes and extra-ordinary expenses, of Class C shares will not exceed 1.89%.

 

(7)

 

Reflects fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements.

 

Legg Mason Partners Convertible Fund         35


 

For a Class I share outstanding throughout each year ended July 31, unless otherwise noted:  
Class I Shares(1)(2)   Six months
ended
January 31,
2007
(unaudited)
    2006     2005     2004     2003     2002  

Net asset value, beginning of period

  $16.77     $17.97     $17.02     $15.44     $12.84     $15.85  
   

Income (loss) from operations:

           

Net investment income

  0.17     0.43     0.42     0.49     0.80     0.67  

Net realized and unrealized gain (loss)

  1.88     0.32     1.27     1.77     2.59     (2.89 )
   

Total income (loss) from operations

  2.05     0.75     1.69     2.26     3.39     (2.22 )
   

Less distributions from:

           

Net investment income

  (0.19 )   (0.43 )   (0.41 )   (0.58 )   (0.79 )   (0.79 )

Net realized gains

  (0.75 )   (1.52 )   (0.33 )   (0.10 )        
   

Total distributions

  (0.94 )   (1.95 )   (0.74 )   (0.68 )   (0.79 )   (0.79 )
   

Net asset value, end of period

  $17.88     $16.77     $17.97     $17.02     $15.44     $12.84  
   

Total return(3)

  12.47 %   4.28 %   10.13 %   14.72 %   27.42 %   (14.51 )%
   

Net assets, end of period (thousands)

  $8,913     $8,105     $8,395     $83,456     $78,905     $72,510  
   

Ratios to average net assets:

           

Gross expenses

  0.96 %(4)(5)   0.92 %   0.79 %   0.80 %   0.89 %   0.81 %

Net expenses

  0.83 (4)(5)(6)(7)   0.78 (6)(7)   0.78 (7)   0.80     0.89     0.81  

Net investment income

  1.88 (4)   2.43     2.39     2.84     5.84     4.49  
   

Portfolio turnover rate

  32 %   98 %   79 %   113 %   133 %   115 %
   

 

(1)

 

Per share amounts have been calculated using the average shares method.

 

(2)

 

On April 21, 2006, Smith Barney Class Y shares were renamed Class Y shares, and as of November 20, 2006, Class Y shares were renamed Class I shares.

 

(3)

 

Performance figures may reflect fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements. Past performance is no guarantee of future results. In the absence of fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements, the total return would have been lower. Total returns for periods of less than one year are not annualized.

 

(4)

 

Annualized.

 

(5)

 

Included in the expense ratios are certain restructuring (and reorganization, if applicable) fees that were incurred by the fund during the period. Without these fees, the gross and net expense ratios would have been 0.87 % and 0.77%, respectively.

 

(6)

 

As a result of a voluntary expense limitation, the ratio of expenses to average net assets, other than interest, brokerage, taxes and extra-ordinary expenses, of Class I shares will not exceed 0.78%.

 

(7)

 

Reflects fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements.

 

36         Legg Mason Partners Funds


 

 

 

(Investment Company Act file no. 811-6444)

FD04050 04/07

LOGO

Legg Mason Partners Convertible Fund

You may visit the fund’s website at http://www.leggmason.com/InvestorServices for a free copy of a Prospectus, Statement of Additional Information (“SAI”) or an Annual or Semi-Annual Report, or to request other information.

Shareholder Reports Additional information about the fund’s investments is available in the fund’s Annual and Semi-Annual Reports to shareholders. In the fund’s Annual Report, you will find a discussion of the market conditions and investment strategies that significantly affected the fund’s performance.

The fund sends only one report to a household if more than one account has the same last name and same address. Contact your Service Agent or Legg Mason Partners Shareholder Services if you do not want this policy to apply to you.

Statement of additional information The SAI provides more detailed information about the fund and is incorporated by reference into (is legally a part of) this Prospectus.

You can make inquiries about the fund or obtain shareholder reports or the SAI (without charge) by contacting your Service Agent, by calling Legg Mason Partners Shareholder Services at 800-451-2010, or by writing to the fund at Legg Mason Partners Funds, 125 Broad Street, New York, New York 10004.

Information about the fund (including the SAI) can be reviewed and copied at the Securities and Exchange Commission’s (the “SEC”) Public Reference Room in Washington, D.C. Information on the operation of the Public Reference Room may be obtained by calling the SEC at 1-202-551-8090. Reports and other information about the fund are available on the EDGAR Database on the SEC’s Internet site at http://www.sec.gov. Copies of this information may be obtained for a duplicating fee by electronic request at the following E-mail address: publicinfo@sec.gov, or by writing the SEC’s Public Reference Section, Washington, D.C. 20549-0102.

If someone makes a statement about the fund that is not in this Prospectus, you should not rely upon that information. Neither the fund nor the distributors are offering to sell shares of the fund to any person to whom the fund may not lawfully sell its shares.


Filed under Rule 497(c)

File Nos. 33-43446 and 811-6444

April 16, 2007

STATEMENT OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

LEGG MASON PARTNERS CONVERTIBLE FUND

125 Broad Street

New York, New York 10004

(800) 451-2010

This Statement of Additional Information (this “SAI”) is not a prospectus and is meant to be read in conjunction with the current prospectus of Legg Mason Partners Convertible Fund (the “fund”), dated April 16, 2007, as amended or supplemented from time to time, and is incorporated by reference in its entirety into the fund’s prospectus. As part of a number of initiatives launched in 2006 to restructure and streamline the Legg Mason Partners fund complex, the fund assumed the assets and liabilities of a predecessor fund with the same name. The fund is now grouped for organizational and governance purposes with other Legg Mason Partners funds that are predominantly equity-type funds, and is a series of Legg Mason Partners Equity Trust (the “Trust”), a Maryland business trust. Other initiatives, including the election of a new Board of Trustees (the “Board”) and the approval of certain revised fundamental investment policies, have also been accomplished, and more information on these matters appears in this SAI. Certain historical information contained in this SAI is that of the fund’s predecessor.

Additional information about the fund’s investments is available in the fund’s annual and semi-annual reports to shareholders. These reports contain financial statements that are incorporated herein by reference. The fund’s prospectus and copies of these reports may be obtained free of charge by contacting a distributor’s financial advisor or registered representative, broker/dealer, financial intermediary or financial institution that has entered into an agreement with one of the fund’s distributors (each called a “Service Agent”), or by writing or calling the fund at the address or telephone number set forth above. Legg Mason Investor Services, LLC (“LMIS”), a wholly-owned broker/dealer subsidiary of Legg Mason, Inc. (“Legg Mason”), and Citigroup Global Markets Inc. (“CGMI”) serve as the fund’s distributors.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

Management

   2

Investment Management and Other Services

   10

Portfolio Manager Disclosure

   15

Investment Objective and Management Policies

   17

Risk Factors

   33

Investment Policies

   37

Disclosure of Portfolio Holdings

   43

Purchase of Shares

   46

Redemption of Shares

   51

Exchange Privilege

   52

Distributors

   53

Valuation of Shares

   57

Taxes

   57

Additional Information

   64

Fund Shares

   69

Financial Statements

   70

Appendix A—ClearBridge Advisors, LLC Proxy Voting Policies and Procedures

   A-1

Appendix B—Description of Ratings

   B-1

This SAI is NOT a prospectus and is authorized for distribution to prospective investors only if preceded or accompanied by an effective prospectus.

 

1


MANAGEMENT

The business affairs of the fund are managed by or under the direction of the Board. The Board elects officers who are responsible for the day-to-day operations of the fund and who execute policies authorized by the Board.

The current Trustees, including the Trustees of the fund who are not “interested persons” of the fund (the “Independent Trustees”), as defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”), and executive officers of the fund, their years of birth, their principal occupations during at least the past five years (their titles may have varied during that period), the number of funds associated with Legg Mason the Trustees oversee, and other board memberships they hold are set forth below. The address of each Trustee is c/o R. Jay Gerken, 399 Park Avenue, New York, New York 10022.

The following information relates to the Trust’s recently elected Board.

 

Name and

Year of Birth

   Position(s)
with Fund
  

Term of
Office* and
Length of

Time

Served**

  

Principal Occupation(s)

During Past 5 Years

  

Number of

Funds

in Fund
Complex
to be
Overseen
by Trustee

  

Other Board
Memberships
Held by Trustee During

Past Five Years

Independent Trustees:            

Paul R. Ades

Born 1940

   Trustee    Since 1983    Law firm of Paul R. Ades, PLLC (since 2000)    57    None

Andrew L. Breech

Born 1952

   Trustee    Since 1991    President, Dealer Operating Control Service, Inc. (automotive retail management) (since 1985)    57    None

Dwight B. Crane

Born 1937

   Trustee    Since 1981    Professor, Harvard Business School (since 1969); Independent Consultant (since 1969)    60    None

Robert M. Frayn, Jr.

Born 1934

   Trustee    Since 1981    Retired; formerly, President and Director, Book Publishing Co. (1970 to 2002)    57    None

Frank G. Hubbard

Born 1937

   Trustee    Since 1993    President, Avatar International Inc. (business development) (since 1998)    57    None

Howard J. Johnson

Born 1938

   Trustee    From 1981 to 1998 and 2000 to Present    Chief Executive Officer, Genesis Imaging LLC (technology company) (since 2003)    57    None

 

2


Name and

Year of Birth

   Position(s)
with Fund
  

Term of
Office* and
Length of

Time

Served**

  

Principal Occupation(s)

During Past 5 Years

  

Number of

Funds

in Fund
Complex
to be
Overseen
by Trustee

  

Other Board Memberships
Held by Trustee During

Past Five Years

David E. Maryatt

Born 1936

   Trustee    Since 1983    Private Investor; President and Director, ALS Co. (real estate management and development firm) (since 1993)    57    None

Jerome H. Miller

Born 1938

   Trustee    Since 1995    Retired    57    None

Ken Miller

Born 1942

   Trustee    Since 1983    Chairman, Young Stuff Apparel Group, Inc. (apparel manufacturer) (since 1963)    57    None

John J. Murphy

Born 1944

   Trustee    Since 2002    President, Murphy Capital Management (investment advice) (since 1983)    57    Director, Nicholas Applegate funds; Trustee, Consulting Group Capital Markets Funds; formerly, Director, Atlantic Stewardship Bank (2004 to 2005); Director, Barclays International Funds Group Ltd. and affiliated companies (to 2003)

Thomas F. Schlafly

Born 1948

   Trustee    Since 1983    Of Counsel, Blackwell Sanders Peper Martin LLP (law firm) (since 1984); President, The Saint Louis Brewery, Inc. (brewery) (since 1989)    57    Director, Citizens National Bank, Maplewood (2006)

Jerry A. Viscione

Born 1944

   Trustee    Since 1993    Retired; formerly, Executive Vice President, Marquette University (1997 to 2002)    57    None

 

3


Name and

Year of Birth

   Position(s)
with Fund
  

Term of
Office* and
Length of

Time

Served**

  

Principal Occupation(s)

During Past 5 Years

  

Number of

Funds

in Fund
Complex
to be
Overseen
by Trustee

  

Other Board
Memberships
Held by Trustee During

Past Five Years

Interested Trustee:            

R. Jay Gerken, CFA

Born 1951

   Trustee,
President,
Chairman
and Chief
Executive
Officer
   Since 2002    Managing Director, Legg Mason & Co., LLC (“Legg Mason & Co.”); Chairman of the Board and Trustee/Director of 149 funds associated with Legg Mason Partners Fund Advisor, LLC (“LMPFA”) and its affiliates; President, LMPFA (since 2006); Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of certain mutual funds associated with Legg Mason & Co. or its affiliates; formerly, Chairman, Smith Barney Fund Management LLC (“SBFM”) and Citi Fund Management, Inc. (“CFM”) (2002 to 2005); formerly, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer, Travelers Investment Adviser Inc. (2002 to 2005)    149   

None


* Each Trustee serves until his or her respective successor has been duly elected and qualified or until his or her earlier death, resignation, retirement or removal.
** Indicates the earliest year in which the Trustee became a Board member for a fund in the Legg Mason Partners fund complex.
Mr. Gerken is an “interested person,” as defined in the 1940 Act, because of his position with the manager and/or certain of its affiliates.

 

4


Name, Year of Birth

and Address

  

Position(s)

with Fund

  

Term of

Office* and
Length of
Time

Served**

  

Principal Occupation(s)

During Past 5 Years

Officers:

        

Ted P. Becker

Born 1951

399 Park Avenue

New York, NY 10022

   Chief Compliance
Officer
   Since 2006    Director of Global Compliance at Legg Mason (2006 to present); Managing Director of Compliance at Legg Mason & Co. (2005 to present); Chief Compliance Officer with certain mutual funds associated with Legg Mason & Co. (since 2006); Chief Compliance Officer of LMPFA and certain affiliates; Managing Director of Compliance at Citigroup Asset Management (“CAM,” a group of affiliated investment advisers, which included SBFM, Smith Barney Asset Management and CFM and other affiliated investment advisory entities) (2002 to 2005). Prior to 2002, Managing Director-Internal Audit & Risk Review at Citigroup Inc.

John Chiota

Born 1968

300 First Stamford Place

Stamford, CT 06902

   Chief Anti-Money
Laundering
Compliance
Officer
   Since 2006    Vice President of Legg Mason & Co. (since 2005); Vice President at CAM (since 2004); Chief Anti-Money Laundering Compliance Officer of certain mutual funds associated with Legg Mason & Co. (since 2006). Prior to August 2004, Chief Anti-Money Laundering Compliance Officer of TD Waterhouse

Robert I. Frenkel

Born 1954

300 First Stamford Place

Stamford, CT 06902

   Secretary and
Chief Legal
Officer
   Since 2003    Managing Director and General Counsel of Global Mutual Funds for Legg Mason & Co. (since 2005); Managing Director and General Counsel of Global Mutual Funds for CAM (since 2000); Secretary and Chief Legal Officer of certain mutual funds associated with Legg Mason & Co. (since 2003). Previously, Secretary of CFM (2001 to 2004)

 

5


Name, Year of Birth

and Address

  

Position(s)

with Fund

  

Term of

Office* and
Length of
Time

Served**

  

Principal Occupation(s)

During Past 5 Years

R. Jay Gerken, CFA

Born 1951

399 Park Avenue

New York, NY 10022

   Chairman,
President

and Chief
Executive
Officer
   Since
2002
   Managing Director of Legg Mason & Co.; Chairman of the Board and Trustee/Director of 149 funds associated with LMPFA and its affiliates; President, LMPFA (since 2006); Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of certain mutual funds associated with Legg Mason & Co. or its affiliates. Previously, Chairman of SBFM and CFM (2002 to 2005); Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of Travelers Investment Adviser Inc. (2002 to 2005)

Thomas C. Mandia

Born 1962

300 First Stamford Place

Stamford, CT 06902

   Assistant
Secretary
   Since
2000
   Managing Director and Deputy General Counsel of Legg Mason & Co. (since 2005); Managing Director and Deputy General Counsel for CAM (since 1992); Assistant Secretary of certain mutual funds associated with Legg Mason & Co.

Kaprel Ozsolak

Born 1965

125 Broad Street, 11th Floor

New York, NY 10004

   Chief
Financial
Officer
and
Treasurer
   Since
2004
   Director of Legg Mason & Co. (since 2005); Vice President at CAM (1996 to 2005); Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer of certain mutual funds associated with Legg Mason & Co. (since 2005); Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer of certain mutual funds associated with CAM (2004 to 2005). Previously, Mr. Ozsolak was Controller of certain mutual funds associated with CAM (2002 to 2004)

* Each officer serves until his or her respective successor has been duly elected and qualified or until his or her earlier death, resignation, retirement or removal.
** Indicates the earliest year in which the officer took office for any funds in the Legg Mason Partners fund complex.

Officers of the fund receive no compensation from the fund, although they may be reimbursed by the fund for reasonable out-of-pocket travel expenses for attending Board meetings.

The Board has three standing committees: the Audit Committee, the Nominating and Governance Committee (referred to as the Nominating Committee) and the Pricing Committee. The Audit Committee and Nominating Committee are composed of all of the Independent Trustees. The Pricing Committee is composed of the Chairman of the Board and one Independent Trustee.

The Audit Committee oversees, among other things, the scope of the fund’s audit, the fund’s accounting and financial reporting policies and practices and its internal controls. The primary purposes of the Board’s Audit Committee are to assist the Board in fulfilling its responsibility for oversight of the integrity of the accounting, auditing and financial reporting practices of the fund and the qualifications and independence of the fund’s independent registered public accounting firm. The Audit Committee approves, and recommends to the

 

6


Independent Trustees for their ratification, the selection, appointment, retention or termination of the fund’s independent registered public accounting firm and approves the compensation of the independent registered public accounting firm. The Audit Committee also approves all audit and permissible non-audit services provided to the fund by the independent registered public accounting firm and all permissible non-audit services provided by the fund’s independent registered public accounting firm to its manager and any affiliated service providers if the engagement relates directly to the fund’s operations and financial reporting. The Audit Committee also assists the Board in fulfilling its responsibility for the review and negotiation of the fund’s investment management and subadvisory arrangements.

The Nominating Committee is responsible for, among other things, recommending candidates to fill vacancies on the Board. The Nominating Committee may consider nominees recommended by a shareholder. Shareholders who wish to recommend a nominee should send recommendations to the Trust’s Secretary that include all information relating to such person that is required to be disclosed in solicitations of proxies for the election of Trustees. A recommendation must be accompanied by a written consent of the individual to stand for election if nominated by the Board and to serve if elected by the shareholders.

The Nominating Committee identifies potential nominees through its network of contacts and may also engage, if it deems appropriate, a professional search firm. The committee meets to discuss and consider such candidates’ qualifications and then chooses a candidate by majority vote. The committee does not have specific, minimum qualifications for nominees, nor has it established specific qualities or skills that it regards as necessary for one or more of the Trustees to possess (other than any qualities or skills that may be required by applicable law, regulation or listing standard). However, in evaluating a person as a potential nominee to serve as a Trustee, the Nominating Committee may consider the following factors, among any others it may deem relevant:

 

   

whether or not the person is an “interested person,” as defined in the 1940 Act, and whether the person is otherwise qualified under applicable laws and regulations to serve as a Trustee;

 

   

whether or not the person has any relationships that might impair his or her independence, such as any business, financial or family relationships with fund management, the investment adviser, service providers or their affiliates;

 

   

whether or not the person serves on boards of, or is otherwise affiliated with, competing financial service organizations or their related mutual fund complexes;

 

   

whether or not the person is willing to serve, and willing and able to commit the time necessary for the performance of the duties of a Trustee;

 

   

the contribution which the person can make to the Board (or, if the person has previously served as a Trustee, the contribution which the person made to the Board during his or her previous term of service), with consideration being given to the person’s business and professional experience, education and such other factors as the committee may consider relevant;

 

   

the character and integrity of the person; and

 

   

whether or not the selection and nomination of the person would be consistent with the requirements of the retirement policies of the Trust, as applicable.

The Pricing Committee is charged with determining the fair value prices for securities when required.

As indicated above, the Trust’s Board is recently elected and is newly constituted as the Board that oversees all of the equity-type funds in the fund complex. All members of the Board previously have served on Boards of Legg Mason Partners funds. The Audit, Nominating and Pricing Committees are recently established committees of this Board and did not meet during the fund’s last fiscal year.

 

7


The following table shows the amount of equity securities owned by the Trustees in the fund and other investment companies in the fund complex supervised by the Trustees as of December 31, 2006.

 

Name of Trustee

   Dollar Range of
Equity
Securities in the Fund
  

Aggregate Dollar Range
of Equity Securities In
Registered Investment
Companies

Overseen by Trustee

Independent Trustees:

     

Paul R. Ades

   None    Over $100,000

Andrew L. Breech

   None    Over $100,000

Dwight B. Crane

   None    Over $100,000

Robert M. Frayn, Jr.

   None    Over $100,000

Frank G. Hubbard

   None    Over $100,000

Howard J. Johnson

   None    None

David E. Maryatt

   None    Over $100,000

Jerome H. Miller

   None    $50,001-$100,000

Ken Miller

   None    $50,001-$100,000

John J. Murphy

   None    None

Thomas F. Schlafly

   None    Over $100,000

Jerry A. Viscione

   None    $10,001-$50,000

Interested Trustee:

     

R. Jay Gerken

   None    Over $100,000

As of April 16, 2007, none of the Independent Trustees or their immediate family members owned beneficially or of record any securities of the manager, subadviser or distributors of the fund, or in a person (other than a registered investment company) directly or indirectly controlling, controlled by or under common control with the manager, subadviser or distributors of the fund.

Information regarding compensation paid by the fund to its recently elected Board and its prior Board is set forth below. The Independent Trustees receive a fee for each meeting of the fund’s Board and committee meetings attended and are reimbursed for all out-of-pocket expenses relating to attendance at such meetings. Mr. Gerken, an “interested person,” as defined in the 1940 Act, does not receive compensation from the fund for his service as Trustee, but may be reimbursed for all out-of-pocket expenses relating to attendance at such meetings.

The fund pays a pro rata share of the Trustee fees based upon asset size. The fund currently pays each of the Trustees who is not a director, officer or employee of the manager or any of its affiliates its pro rata share of: an annual fee of $100,000, plus $20,000 for each regularly scheduled Board meeting attended in person, and $1,000 for telephonic Board meetings in which that Trustee participates. The lead Independent Trustee will receive an additional $25,000 per year and the Chair of the Audit Committee will receive an additional $15,000 per year.

Recently Elected Board

Name of Trustee

  

Aggregate
Compensation
from the

Fund(1)(2)

  

Total Pension or
Retirement
Benefits Paid

as Part of Fund
Expenses(1)

    Total
Compensation
from Fund
Complex Paid
to Trustee(1)(2)
   Number of
Portfolios in
Fund
Complex
Overseen by
Trustee(1)

Independent Trustees:

          

Paul R. Ades

   N/A    $ 0     $ 86,200    12

Andrew L. Breech

   N/A    $ 0     $ 35,750    3

Dwight B. Crane

   N/A      (3 )   $ 266,500    46

Robert M. Frayn, Jr.

   N/A    $ 0     $ 17,500    1

 

8


Name of Trustee

  

Aggregate
Compensation
from the

Fund(1)(2)

  

Total Pension or
Retirement
Benefits Paid

as Part of Fund
Expenses(1)

   Total
Compensation
from Fund
Complex Paid
to Trustee(1)(2)
   Number of
Portfolios in
Fund
Complex
Overseen by
Trustee(1)

Independent Trustees (continued):

           

Frank G. Hubbard

   N/A    $ 0    $ 78,700    12

Howard J. Johnson

   N/A    $ 0    $ 36,000    1

David E. Maryatt

   N/A    $ 0    $ 17,500    1

Jerome H. Miller

   N/A    $ 0    $ 73,500    12

Ken Miller

   N/A    $ 0    $ 71,500    12

John J. Murphy

   N/A    $ 0    $ 91,200    23

Thomas F. Schlafly

   N/A    $ 0    $ 35,250    3

Jerry A. Viscione

   N/A    $ 0    $ 29,500    1

Interested Trustee:

           

R. Jay Gerken

   N/A    $ 0    $ 0    162

(1) Information is for the calendar year ended December 31, 2006. The disclosure of compensation paid to the Trustees is provided as of the most recent calendar year end, rather than the fund’s most recent fiscal year end, for ease of presentation and comprehension.
(2) Messrs. Hubbard and Murphy also received $5,200 and $2,200, respectively, during 2006 for attending on behalf of their former Boards an additional meeting relating to the selection of service providers for the funds in the Legg Mason Partners fund complex. This amount was paid by the manager or its affiliates, and not by the fund.
(3) Pursuant to a prior emeritus retirement plan, Mr. Crane has received or is entitled to receive in a lump sum (calculated on a net present value basis) or in quarterly installments, an aggregate benefit having a net present value equal to $444,643. Mr. Crane elected to receive the benefit in a lump sum payment. Each fund no longer overseen by Mr. Crane will pay a pro rata share (based upon asset size) of the aggregate benefit to Mr. Crane. Legg Mason or its affiliates have agreed to reimburse these funds an amount equal to 50% of the benefits paid to Mr. Crane. None of these amounts were paid during the period covered by this table.

For the fiscal year ended July 31, 2006, the Trustees of the fund were paid the compensation listed below for service as Trustees. Information as to the compensation paid to the Trustees of the fund for the calendar year ended December 31, 2006 also is shown below.

Prior Board

Name of Trustee

  

Aggregate
Compensation
from the Fund

for the Fiscal
Year Ended
July 31, 2006

   Total Pension or
Retirement
Benefits Paid
as Part of Fund
Expenses(1)(2)
  

Total
Compensation
from Fund
Complex
Paid to
Trustee in
Fiscal Year
Ended
July 31, 2006

   Number of
Funds for
Which Trustee
Served Within
Fund Complex
Independent Trustees:            

Leopold Abraham II

   $ 2,513.00    (2)    $ 78,900    27

Jane Dasher

   $ 2,582.00    $0    $ 84,300    27

Richard E. Hanson, Jr.

   $ 2,450.00    $0    $ 79,000    27

Paul Hardin

   $ 2,450.00    (2)    $ 168,325    34

Roderick C. Rasmussen

   $ 2,225.50    (2)    $ 86,500    27

John P. Toolan

   $ 2,457.00    (2)    $ 82,300    27
Interested Trustee:                    

R. Jay Gerken(3)

   $ 0.00    $0    $ 0    168

 

9


Independent Trustees:    Aggregate
Compensation
from the Fund
for the
Year Ended
December 31 2006
   Total Pension or
Retirement
Benefits Paid
as Part of Fund
Expenses(2)
   Total
Compensation
from Fund
Complex Paid
to Trustee
Year Ended
December 31, 2006
  

Number of

Funds for
Which Trustee
Served Within
Fund
Complex

Leopold Abraham II

   $ 2,563      (2)    $ 79,900    27

Jane Dasher

   $ 2,656    $ 0    $ 86,100    27

Richard E. Hanson, Jr.

   $ 2,513    $ 0    $ 80,900    27

Paul Hardin

   $ 2,500      (2)    $ 146,800    34

Roderick C. Rasmussen

   $ 2,500      (2)    $ 80,000    27

John P. Toolan

   $ 2,406      (2)    $ 80,900    27
Interested Trustee:                    

R. Jay Gerken(3)

   $ 0    $ 0    $ 0    162

(1) During the fiscal year ended July 31, 2006, the following former Trustees received the following payments for their service as emeritus trustees: Mr. Allan J. Bloostein: $919; and Mr. Donald R. Foley: $1,554.
(2) Pursuant to prior emeritus retirement plans, the following former Trustees have received or are entitled to receive benefits (calculated on a net present value basis) as follows: Mr. Abraham: $288,607; Mr. Bloostein: $439,878; Mr. Foley: $245,580; Mr. Hardin: $539,396; Mr. Rasmussen: $288,607; and Mr. Toolan: $288,607. Benefits under the emeritus retirement plans are paid in quarterly installments unless the Trustee elected to receive them in a lump sum at net present value. Each fund no longer overseen by these Trustees will pay its pro rata share (based on asset size) of these aggregate benefits. Legg Mason or its affiliates have agreed to reimburse the fund an amount equal to 50% of these benefits. None of these amounts were paid during the period covered by this table.
(3) Mr. Gerken was not compensated for his service as Trustee because of his affiliation with the manager.

As of March 16, 2007, all Trustees and officers as a group owned less than 1% of the outstanding shares of the fund.

INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT AND OTHER SERVICES

Manager

Legg Mason Partners Fund Advisor, LLC (“LMPFA” or the “manager”) serves as investment manager to the fund pursuant to an investment management agreement (the “Management Agreement”) with the fund. LMPFA, with offices at 399 Park Avenue, New York, New York 10022, is a recently-organized investment adviser that has been formed to serve as the investment manager of the fund and other Legg Mason-sponsored funds. LMPFA is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Legg Mason. Legg Mason, whose principal executive offices are at 100 Light Street, Baltimore, Maryland 21202, is a global asset management company. As of December 31, 2006, Legg Mason’s asset management operation had aggregate assets under management of approximately $945 billion. LMPFA provides administrative and certain oversight services to the fund and manages the cash and short-term investments of the fund.

Under the Management Agreement, subject to the supervision and direction of the Board, the manager is delegated the responsibility of managing the fund’s portfolio in accordance with the fund’s stated investment objective and policies, making investment decisions for the fund and placing orders to purchase and sell securities. The manager also performs administrative and management services necessary for the operation of the fund, such as (i) supervising the overall administration of the fund, including negotiation of contracts and fees with, and the monitoring of performance, and billings of, the fund’s transfer agent, shareholder servicing agents, custodian and other independent contractors or agents, (ii) providing certain compliance, fund accounting, regulatory reporting and tax reporting services, (iii) preparing or participating in the preparation of Board materials, registration statements, proxy statements and reports and other communications to shareholders, (iv) maintaining the fund’s existence, and (v) maintaining the registration and qualification of the fund’s shares under federal and state laws.

 

10


The Management Agreement has an initial term ending November 30, 2007 and will continue in effect from year to year thereafter provided such continuance is specifically approved at least annually (a) by the Board or by a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the fund (as defined in the 1940 Act), and (b) in either event, by a majority of the Independent Trustees with such Independent Trustees casting votes in person at a meeting called for such purpose.

The Management Agreement provides that the manager may render services to others. The Management Agreement is terminable without penalty on not more than 60 days’ nor less than 30 days’ written notice by the fund when authorized either by a vote of holders of shares representing a majority of the voting power of the outstanding voting securities of the fund (as defined in the 1940 Act) or by a vote of a majority of the Trustees, or by the manager on not less than 90 days’ written notice, and will automatically terminate in the event of its assignment. The Management Agreement provides that neither the manager nor its personnel shall be liable for any error of judgment or mistake of law or for any loss arising out of any investment or for any act or omission in the execution of security transactions for the fund, except for willful misfeasance, bad faith or gross negligence or reckless disregard of its or their obligations and duties.

For its services under the Management Agreement, LMPFA receives an investment management fee of 0.70% of the fund’s net assets, calculated daily and paid monthly.

For the period from December 1, 2005 through July 31, 2006, Smith Barney Fund Management LLC (“SBFM”) served as the manager to the fund pursuant to a prior management agreement. Fees payable to SBFM under the prior management agreement were the same as those payable to LMPFA as described above.

Prior to December 1, 2005, SBFM served as the adviser and administrator to the fund pursuant to a prior advisory and administration agreement and received separate investment advisory and administration fees. The fees payable by the fund to SBFM under its prior advisory and administration agreement were computed daily and paid monthly at the following annual rates of the fund’s average daily net assets:

 

Advisory Fee
Rate
  Administration
Fee Rate
  Total Advisory Fee
and
Administration
Fee Rate
0.50%   0.20%   0.70%

For the fiscal years ended July 31, 2004 and 2005, and for the period from August 1, 2005 through November 30, 2005, the fund paid SBFM the following advisory fees under a prior advisory agreement and for the period from December 1, 2005 through July 31, 2006, the fund paid SBFM the following management fees under a prior management agreement:

 

Advisory Fees Payable For

the Fiscal Year Ended

July 31:

  Advisory Fees
Payable for the
Period from
August 1, 2005
through
November 30,
2005
  Management Fees
Payable for the
Period from
December 1, 2005
through July 31,
2006
2004   2005    
$ 947,850   $ 909,413   $185,802   $473,000

For the fiscal year ended July 31, 2006, SBFM voluntarily waived $2,333 in investment advisory fees for the fund.

For the fiscal year ended July 31, 2006, the fund was reimbursed for $173,622 in expenses.

 

11


For the fiscal years ended July 31, 2004 and 2005, and for the period from August 1, 2005 through November 30, 2005, the fund paid SBFM administration fees as follows:

 

For the Fiscal Year Ended July 31:  

For the Period
from
August 1, 2005
through
November 30,
2005

2004   2005  
$ 379,140   $ 363,765   $74,321

Subadviser

ClearBridge Advisors, LLC (“ClearBridge” or the “subadviser”) serves as subadviser of the fund and performs the day-to-day portfolio management of the fund, except that LMPFA manages the cash and short-term investments of the fund. ClearBridge is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Legg Mason.

The subadviser serves as subadviser pursuant to a Sub-Advisory Agreement between the manager and ClearBridge (the “Sub-Advisory Agreement”).

Under the Sub-Advisory Agreement, subject to the supervision and direction of the Board and the manager, the subadviser will, except for the management of cash and short-term investments that is performed by LMPFA, manage the fund’s portfolio (or allocated portion thereof) in accordance with the fund’s stated investment objective and policies, assist in supervising all aspects of the fund’s operations, make investment decisions for the fund, place orders to purchase and sell securities, and employ professional portfolio managers and securities analysts who provide research services to the fund.

The Sub-Advisory Agreement has an initial term ending November 30, 2007 and will continue in effect from year to year thereafter provided such continuance is specifically approved at least annually (a) by the Board or by a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the fund (as defined in the 1940 Act), and (b) in either event, by a majority of the Independent Trustees with such Independent Trustees casting votes in person at a meeting called for such purpose. The Board or a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the fund (as defined in the 1940 Act) may terminate the Sub-Advisory Agreement without penalty, in each case on not more than 60 days’ nor less than 30 days’ written notice to the subadviser. The subadviser may terminate the Sub-Advisory Agreement on 90 days’ written notice to the fund and the manager. The manager and the subadviser may terminate the Sub-Advisory Agreement upon their mutual written consent. The Sub-Advisory Agreement will terminate automatically in the event of assignment by the subadviser and shall not be assignable by the manager without the consent of the subadviser.

As compensation for its sub-advisory services, the manager will pay to the subadviser a fee equal to 70% of the management fee paid to LMPFA by the fund, net of expense waivers and reimbursements.

The Sub-Advisory Agreement went into effect on August 1, 2006 and no fees were paid from the manager to the subadviser under the Sub-Advisory Agreement during the fund’s past three fiscal years.

Prior to August 1, 2006, Salomon Brothers Asset Management Inc (“SaBAM”) served as subadviser to the fund pursuant to a written agreement dated November 22, 1999. Under this prior agreement, as compensation for sub-advisory services, SBFM paid SaBAM a fee of 40% from SBFM’s fee.

For the fiscal years ended July 31, 2004, 2005 and 2006, SBFM paid SaBAM for services rendered to the fund sub-advisory fees of $758,280, $727,530 and $299,066, respectively.

 

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Expenses

In addition to amounts payable under its Management Agreement and 12b-1 plans (as discussed below), the fund is responsible for its own expenses, including, among other things: interest; taxes; governmental fees; voluntary assessments and other expenses incurred in connection with membership in investment company organizations; organization costs of the fund; the cost (including brokerage commissions, transaction fees or charges, if any) in connection with the purchase or sale of the fund’s securities and other investments and any losses in connection therewith; fees and expenses of custodians, transfer agents, registrars, independent pricing vendors or other agents; legal expenses; loan commitment fees; expenses relating to share certificates; expenses relating to the issuing and redemption or repurchase of the fund’s shares and servicing shareholder accounts; expenses of registering and qualifying the fund’s shares for sale under applicable federal and state law; expenses of preparing, setting in print, printing and distributing prospectuses and statements of additional information and any supplements thereto, reports, proxy statements, notices and dividends to the fund’s shareholders; costs of stationery; website costs; costs of meetings of the Board or any committee thereof, meetings of shareholders and other meetings of the fund; Board fees; audit fees; travel expenses of officers, Trustees and employees of the fund, if any; and the fund’s pro rata portion of premiums on any fidelity bond and other insurance covering the fund and its officers, Trustees and employees; litigation expenses and any non-recurring or extraordinary expenses as may arise, including, without limitation, those relating to actions, suits or proceedings to which the fund is a party and the legal obligation which the fund may have to indemnify the fund’s Trustees and officers with respect thereto.

Management may agree to waive fees and/or reimburse operating expenses for one or more classes of shares, either through contractual or voluntary arrangements. Any such waivers and/or reimbursements are described in the fund’s prospectus. The contractual and voluntary fee waivers and/or reimbursements do not cover extraordinary expenses, such as (a) any expenses or charges related to litigation, derivative actions, demand related to litigation, regulatory or other government investigations and proceedings, “for cause” regulatory inspections and indemnification or advancement of related expenses or costs, to the extent any such expenses are considered extraordinary expenses for the purposes of fee disclosure in Form N-1A, as the same may be amended from time to time, (b) transaction costs (such as brokerage commissions and dealer and underwriter spreads) and taxes, and (c) other extraordinary expenses as determined for the purposes of fee disclosure in Form N-1A, as the same may be amended from time to time. Without limiting the foregoing, extraordinary expenses are generally those that are unusual or expected to recur only infrequently, and may include such expenses, by way of illustration, as (i) expenses of the reorganization, restructuring, redomiciling or merger of a fund or class or the acquisition of all or substantially all of the assets of another fund or class, (ii) expenses of holding, and soliciting proxies for, a meeting of shareholders of a fund or class (except to the extent relating to routine items such as the election of board members or the approval of the independent registered public accounting firm), and (iii) expenses of converting to a new custodian, transfer agent or other service provider, in each case to the extent any such expenses are considered extraordinary expenses for the purposes of fee disclosure in Form N-1A, as the same may be amended from time to time.

Custodian and Transfer Agent

State Street Bank and Trust Company (“State Street”), located at One Lincoln Street, Boston, Massachusetts 02111, serves as the custodian of the fund. State Street, among other things, maintains a custody account or accounts in the name of the fund; receives and delivers all assets for the fund upon purchase and upon sale or maturity; collects and receives all income and other payments and distributions on account of the assets of the fund; and makes disbursements on behalf of the fund. State Street neither determines the fund’s investment policies, nor decides which securities the fund will buy or sell. For its services, State Street receives a monthly fee based upon the daily average market value of securities held in custody and also receives securities transaction charges, including out-of-pocket expenses. The fund may also periodically enter into arrangements with other qualified custodians with respect to certain types of securities or other transactions such as repurchase agreements or derivatives transactions. State Street may also act as the fund’s securities lending agent and, in that case, receive a share of the income generated by such activities.

 

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PFPC Inc. (“PFPC” or “ transfer agent”), located at P.O. Box 9699, Providence, Rhode Island 02940-9699, serves as the fund’s transfer agent. Under the transfer agency agreement, the transfer agent maintains the shareholder account records for the fund, handles certain communications between shareholders and the fund and distributes dividends and distributions payable by the fund. For these services, the transfer agent receives a monthly fee computed on the basis of the number of shareholder accounts it maintains for the fund during the month, and is reimbursed for out-of-pocket expenses. Prior to January 1, 2006, Citicorp Trust Bank, fsb served as the fund’s transfer agent and PFPC served as the fund’s sub-transfer agent.

Counsel

Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP, located at 787 Seventh Avenue, New York, New York 10019-6099, serves as counsel to the fund.

Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

KPMG LLP, independent registered public accounting firm, 345 Park Avenue, New York, New York 10154, has been selected to audit and report upon the fund’s financial statements and financial highlights for the fiscal year ending July 31, 2007.

Code of Ethics

Pursuant to Rule 17j-1 under the 1940 Act, the Trust, the manager, the subadviser and the distributors have adopted Codes of Ethics that permit personnel to invest in securities for their own accounts, including securities that may be purchased or held by the fund. All personnel must place the interests of clients first and avoid activities, interests and relationships that might interfere with the duty to make decisions in the best interests of the clients. All personal securities transactions by employees must adhere to the requirements of the Code of Ethics and must be conducted in such a manner as to avoid any actual or potential conflict of interest, the appearance of such a conflict, or the abuse of an employee’s position of trust and responsibility.

Copies of the Codes of Ethics of the Trust, the manager, the subadviser and the distributors are on file with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”).

Proxy Voting Guidelines and Procedures

Although individual Trustees may not agree with particular policies or votes by the manager or subadviser, the Board has delegated proxy voting discretion to the manager, believing that the manager and/or the subadviser should be responsible for voting because it is a matter relating to the investment decision making process.

LMPFA delegates the responsibility for voting proxies for the fund to the subadviser through its contract with the subadviser. The subadviser will use its own Proxy Voting Policies and Procedures to vote proxies. Accordingly, LMPFA does not expect to have proxy-voting responsibility for the fund. Should LMPFA become responsible for voting proxies for any reason, such as the inability of the subadviser to provide investment advisory services, LMPFA shall utilize the proxy voting guidelines established by the most recent subadviser to vote proxies until a new subadviser is retained. In the case of a material conflict between the interests of LMPFA (or its affiliates if such conflict is known to persons responsible for voting at LMPFA) and the fund, the board of directors of LMPFA shall consider how to address the conflict and/or how to vote the proxies. LMPFA shall maintain records of all proxy votes in accordance with applicable securities laws and regulations, to the extent that LMPFA votes proxies. LMPFA shall be responsible for gathering relevant documents and records related to proxy voting from the subadviser and providing them to the fund as required for the fund to comply with applicable rules under the 1940 Act.

The subadviser’s Proxy Voting Policies and Procedures govern in determining how proxies relating to the fund’s portfolio securities are voted, a summary of which is attached as Appendix A to this SAI. Information regarding how the fund voted proxies (if any) relating to portfolio securities during the most recent 12-month period ended June 30 is available without charge (1) by calling (888) 425-6432, (2) on the fund’s website at http://www.leggmason.com/InvestorServices, and (3) on the SEC’s website at http://www.sec.gov.

 

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PORTFOLIO MANAGER DISCLOSURE

Portfolio Manager

The following tables set forth certain additional information with respect to the portfolio manager for the fund. Unless noted otherwise, all information is provided as of July 31, 2006.

Other Accounts Managed by Portfolio Manager

The table below identifies the number of accounts (other than the fund) for which the portfolio manager has day-to-day management responsibilities and the total assets in such accounts, within each of the following categories: registered investment companies, other pooled investment vehicles and other accounts. No accounts have fees based on performance.

Portfolio Manager

  

Registered Investment Companies

   Other
Pooled
Investment
Vehicles
  

Other Accounts

Peter Luke    1 registered investment company with $0.02 billion in total assets under management    None    1 other account with $0.71 billion in total assets under management

Portfolio Manager Compensation

ClearBridge investment professionals receive base salary and other employee benefits and are eligible to receive incentive compensation. Base salary is fixed and typically determined based on market factors and the skill and experience of individual investment personnel.

ClearBridge has an incentive and deferred compensation plan (the “Plan”) for its investment professionals, including the fund’s portfolio manager. Each investment professional works as a part of an investment team. The Plan is designed to align the objectives of ClearBridge investment professionals with those of fund shareholders and other ClearBridge clients. Under the Plan, a “base incentive pool” is established for each team each year as a percentage of ClearBridge’s revenue attributable to the team (largely management and related fees generated by funds and other accounts). A team’s revenues are typically expected to increase or decrease depending on the effect that the team’s investment performance as well as inflows and outflows have on the level of assets in the investment products managed by the team. The “base incentive pool” of a team is reduced by base salaries paid to members of the team and other employee expenses attributable to the team.

The investment team’s incentive pool is then adjusted to reflect its ranking among a “peer group” of non-ClearBridge investment managers and the team’s pre-tax investment performance against the applicable product benchmark (e.g., a securities index and, with respect to a fund, the benchmark set forth in the fund’s prospectus to which the fund’s average annual total returns are compared or, if none, the benchmark set forth in the fund’s annual report). The peer group of non-Clearbridge investment managers is defined by product style/type, vehicle type and geography and selected by independent vendors that track and provide (for a fee paid by Clearbridge) relevant peer group performance and ranking data. Longer-term (5-year) performance is more heavily weighted than shorter-term (1-year) performance in the calculation of the performance adjustment factor. The incentive pool for a team may also be adjusted based on other qualitative factors by the applicable ClearBridge Chief Investment Officer. The incentive pool will be allocated by the applicable ClearBridge Chief Investment Officer to the team leader and, based on the recommendations of the team leader, to the other members of the team.

Up to 20% of an investment professional’s annual incentive compensation is subject to deferral. For portfolio managers, 25% of this deferral tracks performance of their primary managed product while another 25% tracks performance of an elected fund. Therefore, portfolio managers may potentially have 50% of their deferred award amount tracking the performance of their primary managed product. The remaining 50% of the deferral is received in the form of Legg Mason restricted stock shares.

 

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Potential Conflicts of Interest

Potential conflicts of interest may arise when the fund’s portfolio manager also has day-to-day management responsibilities with respect to one or more other funds or other accounts, as is the case for the portfolio manager listed in the table above.

The manager, the subadviser and the fund have adopted compliance policies and procedures that are designed to address various conflicts of interest that may arise for the manager or the subadviser and the individuals that it employs. For example, each of the manager and the subadviser seeks to minimize the effects of competing interests for the time and attention of portfolio managers by assigning portfolio managers to manage funds and accounts that share a similar investment style. The manager and the subadviser have also adopted trade allocation procedures that are designed to facilitate the fair allocation of limited investment opportunities among multiple funds and accounts. There is no guarantee, however, that the policies and procedures adopted by the manager, the subadviser and the fund will be able to detect and/or prevent every situation in which an actual or potential conflict may appear. These potential conflicts include:

Allocation of Limited Time and Attention.    A portfolio manager who is responsible for managing multiple funds and/or accounts may devote unequal time and attention to the management of those funds and/or accounts. As a result, the portfolio manager may not be able to formulate as complete a strategy or identify equally attractive investment opportunities for each of those accounts as might be the case if he or she were to devote substantially more attention to the management of a single fund. The effects of this potential conflict may be more pronounced where funds and/or accounts overseen by a particular portfolio manager have different investment strategies.

Allocation of Limited Investment Opportunities.    If a portfolio manager identifies a limited investment opportunity that may be suitable for multiple funds and/or accounts, the opportunity may be allocated among these several funds or accounts, which may limit the fund’s ability to take full advantage of the investment opportunity.

Pursuit of Differing Strategies.    At times, a portfolio manager may determine that an investment opportunity may be appropriate for only some of the funds and/or accounts for which he or she exercises investment responsibility, or may decide that certain of the funds and/or accounts should take differing positions with respect to a particular security. In these cases, the portfolio manager may place separate transactions for one or more funds or accounts which may affect the market price of the security or the execution of the transaction, or both, to the detriment or benefit of one or more other funds and/or accounts.

Selection of Brokers/Dealers.    Portfolio managers may be able to select or influence the selection of the brokers and dealers that are used to execute securities transactions for the funds and/or accounts that they supervise. In addition to executing trades, some brokers and dealers provide brokerage and research services (as those terms are defined in Section 28(e) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934), which may result in the payment of higher brokerage fees than might have otherwise been available. These services may be more beneficial to certain funds or accounts than to others. Although the payment of brokerage commissions is subject to the requirement that the subadviser determine in good faith that the commissions are reasonable in relation to the value of the brokerage and research services provided to the fund, a decision as to the selection of brokers and dealers could yield disproportionate costs and benefits among the funds and/or accounts managed. For this reason, the subadviser has formed a brokerage committee that reviews, among other things, the allocation of brokerage commissions to broker/dealers, best execution and soft dollar usage.

Variation in Compensation.    A conflict of interest may arise where the financial or other benefits available to the portfolio manager differ among the funds and/or accounts that he or she manages. If the structure of the investment manager’s management fee and/or the portfolio manager’s compensation differs among funds and/or accounts (such as where certain funds or accounts pay higher management fees or performance-based

 

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management fees), the portfolio manager might be motivated to help certain funds and/or accounts over others. The portfolio manager might be motivated to favor funds and/or accounts in which he or she has an interest or in which the investment manager and/or its affiliates have interests. Similarly, the desire to maintain assets under management or to enhance the portfolio manager’s performance record or to derive other rewards, financial or otherwise, could influence the portfolio manager in affording preferential treatment to those funds and/or accounts that could most significantly benefit the portfolio manager.

Related Business Opportunities.    The investment manager or its affiliates may provide more services (such as distribution or recordkeeping) for some types of funds or accounts than for others. In such cases, a portfolio manager may benefit, either directly or indirectly, by devoting disproportionate attention to the management of funds and/or accounts that provide greater overall returns to the investment manager and its affiliates.

Portfolio Manager Securities Ownership

The table below identifies ownership of portfolio securities by the portfolio manager.

 

Portfolio Manager

   Dollar Range of
Ownership of Securities
Peter Luke    $100,001-$500,000

INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE AND MANAGEMENT POLICIES

The fund seeks current income and capital appreciation. The fund’s prospectus discusses the fund’s investment objective and policies. The following discussion supplements the description of the fund’s investment policies in its prospectus.

Principal Investment Strategies

Under normal market conditions, the fund invests at least 80% of the value of its net assets, plus any borrowings for investment purposes, in convertible securities. These are either bonds or preferred shares which may be converted into common stock or other equity interests of the issuer at a predetermined price or rate. The fund also may invest up to 20% of its assets in “synthetic convertible securities,” equity securities and debt securities that are not convertible. Synthetic convertible securities are created by combining non-convertible preferred shares or debt securities with common stocks, warrants or call options. These synthetic instruments are designed to perform like convertible securities.

The fund may invest up to 25% of its assets in foreign securities. The fund may invest in securities rated below investment grade or, if unrated, determined by the subadviser to be of comparable quality. These securities are commonly known as “junk bonds” because they are rated in the lower rating categories by nationally and internationally recognized statistical rating organizations or, if unrated, determined by the subadviser to be of similar credit quality.

Additional Information

The fund’s principal investment strategies are described above. The following provides additional information about these principal strategies and describes other investment strategies that may be used by the fund.

U.S. Government Securities.    U.S. government securities include debt obligations of varying maturities issued or guaranteed by the U.S. government or its agencies or instrumentalities (“U.S. government securities”). U.S. government securities include not only direct obligations of the United States Treasury, but also securities issued or guaranteed by the Federal Housing Administration, Farmers Home Administration, Export- Import

 

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Bank of the United States, Small Business Administration, GNMA, General Services Administration, Central Bank for Cooperatives, Federal Intermediate Credit Banks, Federal Land Banks, FNMA, Maritime Administration, Tennessee Valley Authority, District of Columbia Armory Board, Student Loan Marketing Association, International Bank for Reconstruction and Development and Resolution Trust Corporation. Certain U.S. government securities, such as those issued or guaranteed by GNMA, FNMA and FHLMC, are mortgage-related securities. Because the United States government is not obligated by law to provide support to an instrumentality that it sponsors, the fund will invest in obligations issued by such an instrumentality only if the subadviser determines that the credit risk with respect to the instrumentality does not make its securities unsuitable for investment by the fund.

Bank Obligations.    Domestic commercial banks organized under federal law are supervised and examined by the Comptroller of the Currency and are required to be members of the Federal Reserve System and to be insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (the “FDIC”). Domestic banks organized under state law are supervised and examined by state banking authorities, but are members of the Federal Reserve System only if they elect to join. Most state banks are insured by the FDIC (although such insurance may not be of material benefit to a fund, depending upon the principal amount of CDs of each held by the fund) and are subject to federal examination and to a substantial body of Federal law and regulation. As a result of federal and state laws and regulations, domestic branches of domestic banks are, among other things, generally required to maintain specified levels of reserves, and are subject to other supervision and regulation designed to promote financial soundness.

Obligations of foreign branches of U.S. banks, such as CDs and TDs, may be general obligations of the parent bank in addition to the issuing branch, or may be limited by the terms of a specific obligation and governmental regulation. Obligations of foreign branches of U.S. banks and foreign banks are subject to different risks than are those of U.S. banks or U.S. branches of foreign banks. These risks include foreign economic and political developments, foreign governmental restrictions that may adversely affect payment of principal and interest on the obligations, foreign exchange controls and foreign withholding and other taxes on interest income. Foreign branches of U.S. banks are not necessarily subject to the same or similar regulatory requirements that apply to U.S. banks, such as mandatory reserve requirements, loan limitations and accounting, auditing and financial recordkeeping requirements. In addition, less information may be publicly available about a foreign branch of a U.S. bank than about a U.S. bank. CDs issued by wholly owned Canadian subsidiaries of U.S. banks are guaranteed as to repayment of principal and interest, but not as to sovereign risk, by the U.S. parent bank.

Obligations of U.S. branches of foreign banks may be general obligations of the parent bank in addition to the issuing branch, or may be limited by the terms of a specific obligation and by federal and state regulation as well as governmental action in the country in which the foreign bank has its head office. A U.S. branch of a foreign bank with assets in excess of $1 billion may or may not be subject to reserve requirements imposed by the Federal Reserve System or by the state in which the branch is located if the branch is licensed in that state. In addition, branches licensed by the Comptroller of the Currency and branches licensed by certain states (“State Branches”) may or may not be required to: (a) pledge to the regulator by depositing assets with a designated bank within the state, an amount of its assets equal to 5% of its total liabilities; and (b) maintain assets within the state in an amount equal to a specified percentage of the aggregate amount of liabilities of the foreign bank payable at or through all of its agencies or branches within the state. The deposits of State Branches may not necessarily be insured by the FDIC. In addition, there may be less publicly available information about a U.S. branch of a foreign bank than about a U.S. bank.

In view of the foregoing factors associated with the purchase of CDs and TDs issued by foreign banks and foreign branches of U.S. banks, the subadviser will carefully evaluate such investments on a case-by-case basis.

Corporate Debt Securities.    Corporate debt securities include corporate bonds, debentures, notes and other similar debt securities issued by companies.

 

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Ratings as Investment Criteria.    In general, the ratings of NRSROs represent the opinions of these agencies as to the quality of securities that they rate. Such ratings, however, are relative and subjective, are not absolute standards of quality and do not evaluate the market value risk of the securities. These ratings will be used by the fund as initial criteria for the selection of portfolio securities, but the fund also will rely upon the independent advice of the subadviser to evaluate potential investments. Among the factors that will be considered are the long-term ability of the issuer to pay principal and interest and general economic trends. Appendix B to this SAI contains further information concerning the rating categories of NRSROs and their significance.

Subsequent to its purchase by the fund, an issue of securities may cease to be rated or its rating may be reduced below the minimum required for purchase by the fund. In addition, it is possible that a NRSRO might not change its rating of a particular issue to reflect subsequent events. None of these events will require sale of such securities by the fund, but the subadviser will consider such events in its determination of whether the fund should continue to hold the securities. In addition, to the extent that the ratings change as a result of changes in such organizations or their rating systems, or due to a corporate reorganization, the fund will attempt to use comparable ratings as standards for its investments in accordance with its investment objective and policies.

When-Issued Securities and Delayed-Delivery Transactions.    In order to secure yields or prices deemed advantageous at the time, the fund may purchase or sell securities on a when-issued or delayed-delivery basis. The fund will enter into a when-issued transaction for the purpose of acquiring portfolio securities and not for the purpose of leverage. In such transactions delivery of the securities occurs beyond the normal settlement periods, but no payment or delivery is made by the fund prior to the actual delivery or payment by the other party to the transaction. Due to fluctuations in the value of securities purchased or sold on a when-issued or delayed-delivery basis, the yields obtained on those securities may be higher or lower than the yields available in the market on the dates when the investments are actually delivered to the buyers. The fund will establish a segregated account consisting of cash and liquid securities having a value equal to or greater than the fund’s purchase commitments, provided such securities have been determined by the subadviser to be liquid and unencumbered and are marked to market daily pursuant to guidelines established by the Board. Placing securities rather than cash in the segregated account may have a leveraging effect on the fund’s total assets.

Fixed-income securities are normally subject to changes in value based upon changes, real or anticipated, in the level of interest rates and, although to a lesser extent in the case of U.S. government securities, the public’s perception of the creditworthiness of the issuers. In general, fixed-income securities tend to appreciate when interest rates decline and depreciate when interest rates rise. Purchasing these securities on a when-issued or delayed-delivery basis, therefore, can involve the risk that the yields available in the market when the delivery takes place may actually be higher than those obtained in the transaction itself. Similarly, the sale of fixed-income securities for delayed delivery can involve the risk that the prices available in the market when the delivery is made may actually be higher than those obtained in the transaction itself.

In the case of the purchase of securities on a when-issued or delayed-delivery basis by the fund, the fund will meet its obligations on the settlement date from then-available cash flow, the sale of securities held in the segregated account, the sale of other securities or, although it would not normally expect to do so, from the sale of the securities purchased on a when-issued or delayed-delivery basis (which may have a value greater or less than the fund’s payment obligations).

Zero Coupon Bonds.    A zero coupon bond pays no interest in cash to its holder during its life, although interest is accrued during that period. Its value to an investor consists of the difference between its face value at the time of maturity and the price for which it was acquired, which is generally an amount significantly less than its face value (sometimes referred to as a “deep discount” price). Because such securities usually trade at a deep discount, they will be subject to greater fluctuations of market value in response to changing interest rates than debt obligations of comparable maturities which make periodic distributions of interest. On the other hand, because there are no periodic interest payments to be reinvested prior to maturity, zero coupon securities eliminate reinvestment risk and lock in a rate of return to maturity. The fund may also invest in hybrid zero coupon securities which possess qualities of both zero coupon and coupon bonds.

 

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Repurchase Agreements.    The fund may engage in repurchase agreements with certain member banks of the Federal Reserve System and with certain dealers on the Federal Reserve Bank of New York’s list of reporting dealers. Under the terms of a typical repurchase agreement, the fund would acquire an underlying debt obligation for a relatively short period (usually not more than one week) subject to an obligation of the seller to repurchase, and the fund to resell, the obligation at an agreed-upon price and time, thereby determining the yield during the fund’s holding period. This arrangement results in a fixed rate of return that is not subject to market fluctuations during the fund’s holding period. The value of the underlying securities will be at least equal at all times to the total amount of the repurchase obligation, including interest. Repurchase agreements could involve certain risks in the event of default or insolvency of the other party, including possible delays or restrictions upon the fund’s ability to dispose of the underlying securities, the risk of a possible decline in the value of the underlying securities during the period in which the fund seeks to assert its right to them, the risk of incurring expenses associated with asserting those rights and the risk of losing all or part of the income from the agreement. The subadviser, acting under the supervision of the Board, reviews on an ongoing basis the value of the collateral and creditworthiness of those banks and dealers with which the fund enters into repurchase agreements to evaluate potential risks.

Pursuant to an exemptive order issued by the SEC, the fund, along with other affiliated entities managed by the manager, may transfer uninvested cash balances into one or more joint repurchase accounts. These balances are invested in one or more repurchase agreements, secured by U.S. government securities. Securities that are collateral for repurchase agreements are financial assets subject to the fund’s entitlement orders through its securities account at its custodian bank until the agreements mature. Each joint repurchase agreement requires that the market value of the collateral be sufficient to cover payments of interest and principal; however, in the event of default by the other party to the agreement, retention or sale of the collateral may be subject to legal proceedings.

Lending of Portfolio Securities.    Consistent with applicable regulatory requirements, the fund may lend portfolio securities to brokers, dealers and other financial organizations meeting capital and other credit requirements or other criteria established by the Board. The fund will not lend portfolio securities to affiliates of the manager unless it has applied for and received specific authority to do so from the SEC. Loans of portfolio securities will be collateralized by cash, letters of credit or U.S. government securities which are maintained at all times in an amount at least equal to the current market value of the loaned securities. From time to time, the fund may pay to the borrower and/or a third party which is unaffiliated with the fund, Legg Mason or CGMI and is acting as a “finder” a part of the interest earned from the investment of collateral received for securities loaned. Generally, the borrower will be required to make payments to the fund in lieu of any dividends the fund would have otherwise received had it not loaned the shares to the borrower. Any such payments, however, will not be treated as “qualified dividend income” for purposes of determining what portion of the fund’s regular dividends (as defined below) received by individuals may be taxed at the rates generally applicable to long-term capital gains (see “Taxes” below).

By lending its securities, the fund can increase its income by continuing to receive interest on the loaned securities as well as by either investing the cash collateral in short-term instruments or obtaining yield in the form of interest paid by the borrower when U.S. government securities are used as collateral. The fund will comply with the following conditions whenever its portfolio securities are loaned: (a) the fund must receive at least 100% cash collateral or equivalent securities from the borrower; (b) the borrower must increase such collateral whenever the market value of the securities loaned rises above the level of such collateral; (c) the fund must be able to terminate the loan at any time; (d) the fund must receive reasonable interest on the loan, as well as any dividends, interest or other distributions on the loaned securities, and any increase in market value; (e) the fund may pay only reasonable custodian fees in connection with the loan; and (f) voting rights on the loaned securities may pass to the borrower; provided, however, that if a material event adversely affecting the investment in the loaned securities occurs, the fund must terminate the loan and regain the right to vote the securities. The risks in lending portfolio securities, as with other extensions of secured credit, consist of a possible delay in receiving additional collateral or in the recovery of the securities or possible loss of rights in the

 

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collateral should the borrower fail financially. Loans will be made to firms deemed by the subadviser to be of good standing and will not be made unless, in the judgment of the subadviser, the consideration to be earned from such loans would justify the risk.

Medium-, Low- and Unrated Securities.    The fund may invest in medium- or low-rated securities and unrated securities of comparable quality. Generally, these securities offer a higher current yield than the yield offered by higher-rated securities, but involve greater volatility of price and risk of loss of income and principal, including the probability of default by or bankruptcy of the issuers of such securities. Medium- and low-rated and comparable unrated securities: (a) will likely have some quality and protective characteristics that, in the judgment of the rating organization, are outweighed by large uncertainties or major risk exposures to adverse conditions; and (b) are predominantly speculative with respect to the issuer’s capacity to pay interest and repay principal in accordance with the terms of the obligation. Thus, it is possible that these types of factors could, in certain instances, reduce the value of securities held by the fund with a commensurate effect on the value of the fund’s shares.

While the market values of medium- and low-rated and comparable unrated securities tend to react less to fluctuations in interest rate levels than do those of higher-rated securities, the market values of certain of these securities also tend to be more sensitive to individual corporate developments and changes in economic conditions than higher-rated securities. In addition, medium- and low-rated and comparable unrated securities generally present a higher degree of credit risk. Issuers of medium- and low-rated and comparable unrated securities are often highly leveraged and may not have more traditional methods of financing available to them so that their ability to service their debt obligations during an economic downturn or during sustained periods of rising interest rates may be impaired. The risk of loss due to default by such issuers is significantly greater because medium- and low-rated and comparable unrated securities generally are unsecured and frequently are subordinated to the prior payment of senior indebtedness. The fund may incur additional expenses to the extent that it is required to seek recovery upon a default in the payment of principal or interest on its portfolio holdings. In addition, the markets in which medium- and low-rated or comparable unrated securities are traded generally are more limited than those in which higher-rated securities are traded. The existence of limited markets for these securities may restrict the availability of securities for the fund to purchase and also may have the effect of limiting the ability of the fund to: (a) obtain accurate market quotations for purposes of valuing securities and calculating net asset value; and (b) sell securities at their fair value either to meet redemption requests or to respond to changes in the economy or the financial markets. A major economic recession could likely disrupt severely the market for medium- and low-securities and adversely affect the value of such securities. Any such economic downturn also could adversely affect the ability of the issuers of such securities to repay principal and pay interest thereon.

Fixed-income securities, including medium- and low-rated and comparable unrated securities, frequently have call or buy-back features that permit their issuers to call or repurchase the securities from their holders, such as the fund. If an issuer exercises these rights during periods of declining interest rates, the fund may have to replace the security with a lower yielding security, resulting in a decreased return to the fund.

Securities that are rated Ba by Moody’s or BB by S&P have speculative characteristics with respect to capacity to pay interest and repay principal. Securities that are rated B generally lack characteristics of a desirable investment and assurance of interest and principal payments over any long period of time may be small. Securities that are rated Caa or CCC are of poor standing. These issues may be in default or present elements of danger may exist with respect to principal or interest.

In light of the risks described above, the subadviser, in evaluating the creditworthiness of an issue, whether rated or unrated, will take various factors into consideration, which may include, as applicable, the issuer’s financial resources, its sensitivity to economic conditions and trends, the operating history of and the community support for the facility financed by the issue, the ability of the issuer’s management and regulatory matters.

 

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Options on Securities. The fund may purchase and write covered call and secured put options. The fund may enter into closing transactions with respect to the options transactions in which it may engage.

The fund may utilize up to 10% of its total assets to purchase put options on portfolio securities and may do so at or about the same time that it purchases the underlying security or at a later time.

A call is covered if the fund (a) owns the optioned securities, (b) maintains in a segregated account cash or liquid securities having a value equal to or greater than the fund’s obligations under the call, provided such securities have been determined by the subadviser to be liquid and unencumbered pursuant to guidelines established by the Board (“eligible segregated assets”), or (c) owns an offsetting call option.

Writing call and put options.    When the fund writes a call, it receives a premium and gives the purchaser the right to buy the underlying security at any time during the call period at a fixed exercise price regardless of market price changes during the call period. If the call is exercised, the fund forgoes any gain from an increase in the market price of the underlying security over the exercise price. When the fund writes a put, it receives a premium and gives the purchaser of the put the right to sell the underlying security to the fund at the exercise price at any time during the option period. When the fund purchases a put, it pays a premium in return for the right to sell the underlying security at the exercise price at any time during the option period. For the purchase of a put to be profitable, the market price of the underlying security must decline sufficiently below the exercise price to cover the premium and transaction costs, unless the put is sold in a closing sale transaction; otherwise, the purchase of the put effectively increases the cost of the security and thus reduces its yield.

The fund may write puts on securities only if they are “secured.” A put is “secured” if the fund maintains cash or other eligible segregated assets with a value equal to the exercise price in a segregated account or holds a put on the same underlying security at an equal or greater exercise price.

The principal reason for writing covered call options on securities is to attempt to realize, through the receipt of premiums, a greater return than would be realized on the securities alone. In return for a premium, the writer of a covered call option forfeits the right to any appreciation in the value of the underlying security above the strike price for the life of the option (or until a closing purchase transaction can be effected). Nevertheless, the call writer retains the risk of a decline in the price of the underlying security. Similarly, the principal reason for writing covered put options is to realize income in the form of premiums. The writer of a covered put option accepts the risk of a decline in the price of the underlying security. The size of the premiums that the fund may receive may be adversely affected as new or existing institutions, including other investment companies, engage in or increase their option-writing activities.

Options written by the fund normally will have expiration dates between 1 and 9 months from the date written. The exercise price of the options may be below, equal to or above the market values of the underlying securities at the times the options are written. In the case of call options, these exercise prices are referred to as “in-the-money,” “at-the-money” and “out-of-the-money,” respectively. The fund may write (a) in-the-money call options when the subadviser expects that the price of the underlying security will remain flat or decline moderately during the option period, (b) at-the-money call options when the subadviser expects that the price of the underlying security will remain flat or advance moderately during the option period, and (c) out-of-the- money call options when the subadviser expects that the price of the underlying security may increase but not above a price equal to the sum of the exercise price plus the premiums received from writing the call option. In any of the preceding situations, if the market price of the underlying security declines and the security is sold at this lower price, the amount of any realized loss will be offset wholly or in part by the premium received. Out-of-the-money, at-the-money and in-the-money put options (the reverse of call options as to the relation of exercise price to market price) may be utilized in the same market environments that such call options are used in equivalent transactions.

 

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So long as the obligation of the fund as the writer of an option continues, the fund may be assigned an exercise notice by the broker/dealer through which the option was sold, requiring the fund to deliver (in the case of a call) or take delivery of (in the case of a put) the underlying security against payment of the exercise price. This obligation terminates when the option expires or the fund effects a closing purchase transaction. The fund can no longer effect a closing purchase transaction with respect to an option once it has been assigned an exercise notice. To secure its obligation to deliver the underlying security when it writes a call option, or to pay for the underlying security when it writes a put option, the fund will be required to deposit in escrow the underlying security or other assets in accordance with the rules of the Options Clearing Corporation (the “Clearing Corporation”) or similar foreign clearing corporation and of the securities exchange on which the option is written.

Purchasing call and put options.    The fund may purchase put and call options that are traded on a domestic securities exchange. By buying a put, the fund limits the risk of loss from a decline in the market value of the security until the put expires. Any appreciation in the value of the yield otherwise available from the underlying security, however, will be partially offset by the amount of the premium paid for the put option and any related transaction costs. A call option may be purchased by the fund in order to acquire the underlying securities for the fund at a price that avoids any additional cost that would result from a substantial increase in the market value of a security. The fund also may purchase call options to increase its return to investors at a time when the call is expected to increase in value due to anticipated appreciation of the underlying security.

Closing transactions.    The fund may engage in a closing purchase transaction to realize a profit, to prevent an underlying security from being called or put or to unfreeze an underlying security (thereby permitting its sale or the writing of a new option on the security prior to the outstanding option’s expiration). To effect a closing purchase transaction, the fund would purchase, prior to the holder’s exercise of an option that the fund has written, an option of the same series as that on which the fund desires to terminate its obligation. The obligation of the fund under an option that it has written would be terminated by a closing purchase transaction, but the fund would not be deemed to own an option as the result of the transaction. There can be no assurance that the fund will be able to effect closing purchase transactions at a time when it wishes to do so. To facilitate closing purchase transactions, however, the fund will write options only if a secondary market for the options exists on a domestic securities exchange or in the over-the-counter market.

There can be no assurance that a liquid secondary market will exist at a given time for any particular option. In this regard, trading in options on U.S. government securities is relatively new, so that it is impossible to predict to what extent liquid markets will develop or continue.

An option position may be closed out only where there exists a secondary market for an option of the same series on a recognized securities exchange or in the over-the-counter market. In light of this fact and current trading conditions, the fund expects to purchase only call or put options issued by the Clearing Corporation. The fund expects to write options only on U.S. securities exchanges.

The fund may realize a profit or loss upon entering into a closing transaction. In cases in which the fund has written an option, it will realize a profit if the cost of the closing purchase transaction is less than the premium received upon writing the original option and will incur a loss if the cost of the closing purchase transaction exceeds the premium received upon writing the original option. Similarly, when the fund has purchased an option and engages in a closing sale transaction, whether the fund realizes a profit or loss will depend upon whether the amount received in the closing sale transaction is more or less than the premium that the fund initially paid for the original option plus the related transaction costs.

Although the fund generally will purchase or write only those options for which the subadviser believes there is an active secondary market, there is no assurance that sufficient trading interest to create a liquid secondary market on a securities exchange will exist for any particular option or at any particular time, and for some options no such secondary market may exist. A liquid secondary market in an option may cease to exist for a variety of reasons. At times in the past, for example, higher than anticipated trading activity or order flow or

 

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other unforeseen events have rendered inadequate certain of the facilities of the Clearing Corporation as well as U.S. and foreign securities exchanges and resulted in the institution of special procedures such as trading rotations, restrictions on certain types of orders or trading halts or suspensions in one or more options. There can be no assurance that similar events, or events that may otherwise interfere with the timely execution of customers’ orders, will not recur. In such event, it might not be possible to effect closing transactions in particular options. If the fund as a covered call option writer is unable to effect a closing purchase transaction in a secondary market, it will not be able to sell the underlying security until the option expires or it delivers the underlying security upon exercise.

Securities exchanges generally have established limitations governing the maximum number of calls and puts of each class that may be held, written or exercised within certain time periods by an investor or group of investors acting in concert (regardless of whether the options are written on the same or different securities exchanges or are held, written or exercised in one or more accounts or through one or more brokers). It is possible that the fund and other clients of the manager, the subadviser and certain of their affiliates, may be considered to be such a group. A securities exchange may order the liquidation of positions found to be in violation of these limits and it may impose certain other sanctions.

In the case of options that are deemed covered by virtue of the fund’s holding convertible or exchangeable preferred stock or debt securities, the time required to convert or exchange and obtain physical delivery of the underlying common stocks with respect to which the fund has written options may exceed the time within which the fund must make delivery in accordance with an exercise notice. In these instances, the fund may purchase or borrow temporarily the underlying securities for purposes of physical delivery. By so doing, the fund will not bear any market risk because the fund will have the absolute right to receive from the issuer of the underlying security an equal number of shares to replace the borrowed stock, but the fund may incur additional transaction costs or interest expenses in connection with any such purchase or borrowing.

Additional risks exist with respect to certain U.S. government securities for which the fund may write covered call options. If the fund writes covered call options on mortgage-backed securities, the securities that it holds as cover may, because of scheduled amortization or unscheduled prepayments, cease to be sufficient cover. The fund will compensate for the decline in the value of the cover by purchasing an appropriate additional amount of those securities.

Currency Transactions.    The fund’s dealings in forward currency exchange transactions will be limited to hedging involving either specific transactions or portfolio positions. Transaction hedging is the purchase or sale of forward currency contracts with respect to specific receivables or payables of the fund generally arising in connection with the purchase or sale of its securities. Position hedging, generally, is the sale of forward currency contracts with respect to portfolio security positions denominated or quoted in the currency. The fund may not position hedge with respect to a particular currency to an extent greater than the aggregate market value of the security at any time, or securities held in its portfolio denominated or quoted in, or currently convertible into (such as through exercise of an option or consummation of a forward currency contract) that particular currency. If the fund enters into a transaction hedging or position hedging transaction, it will cover the transaction through one or more of the following methods: (a) ownership of the underlying currency or an option to purchase such currency; (b) ownership of an option to enter into an offsetting forward currency contract; (c) entering into a forward contract to purchase currency being sold, or to sell currency being purchased, provided that such covering contract is itself covered by any one of these methods unless the covering contract closes out the first contract; or (d) depositing into a segregated account with the custodian or a sub-custodian of the fund cash or readily marketable securities in an amount equal to the value of the fund’s total assets committed to the consummation of the forward currency contract and not otherwise covered. In the case of transaction hedging, any securities placed in the account must be liquid debt securities. In any case, if the value of the securities placed in the segregated account declines, additional cash or securities will be placed in the account so that the value of the account will equal the above amount. Hedging transactions may be made from any foreign currency into dollars or into other appropriate currencies.

 

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At or before the maturity of a forward contract, the fund may either sell a portfolio security and make delivery of the currency or retain the security and offset its contractual obligation to deliver the currency by purchasing a second contract pursuant to which the fund will obtain, on the same maturity date, the same amount of the currency which it is obligated to deliver. If the fund retains the portfolio security and engages in an offsetting transaction, the fund, at the time of execution of the offsetting transaction, will incur a gain or loss to the extent movement has occurred in forward contract prices. Should forward prices decline during the period between the fund’s entering into a forward contract for the sale of a currency and the date that it enters into an offsetting contract for the purchase of the currency, the fund will realize a gain to the extent that the price of the currency it has agreed to sell exceeds the price of the currency it has agreed to purchase. Should forward prices increase, the fund will suffer a loss to the extent the price of the currency it has agreed to purchase exceeds the price of the currency it has agreed to sell.

The cost to the fund of engaging in currency transactions varies with factors such as the currency involved, the length of the contract period and the market conditions then prevailing. Because transactions in currency exchange are usually conducted on a principal basis, no fees or commissions are involved. The use of forward currency contracts does not eliminate fluctuations in the underlying prices of the securities, but it does establish a rate of exchange that can be achieved in the future. In addition, although forward currency contracts limit the risk of loss due to a decline in the value of the hedged currency, at the same time they limit any potential gain that might result should the value of the currency increase.

Futures Activities.    The fund may enter into futures contracts and/or options on futures contracts that are traded on a U.S. exchange or board of trade. These investments may be made by the fund for the purpose of hedging against the effects of changes in the value of its portfolio securities due to anticipated changes in interest rates, currency values and/or market conditions, but not for purposes of speculation.

Futures Contracts.    The fund may acquire or sell a futures contract to mitigate the effect of fluctuations in interest rates, currency values or market conditions (depending on the type of contract) on portfolio securities without actually buying or selling the securities.

In purchasing and selling futures contracts and related options, the fund will comply with the following policies: (a) futures and related options will be used solely for bona fide hedging purposes (or the underlying commodity value of the fund’s long positions will not exceed the sum of certain identified liquid investments); and (b) the fund will not enter into futures and related options for which the aggregate initial margin and premiums exceed 5% of the fair market value of the fund’s total assets. In order to prevent leverage in connection with the purchase of futures contracts by the fund, an amount of cash or other eligible segregated assets equal to the margin requirements of futures contracts purchased will be maintained in a segregated account on the books of the fund or with the fund’s custodian. The fund will engage only in futures contracts and related options which are listed on a national commodities exchange.

The Commodity Futures Trading Commission (“CFTC”) recently eliminated limitations on futures transactions and options thereon by registered investment companies, provided that the investment manager to the registered investment company claims an exclusion from regulation as a commodity pool operator. The fund is operated by a person who has claimed an exclusion from the definition of the term “commodity pool operator” under the Commodity Exchange Act and therefore is not subject to registration or regulation as a pool operator under the Commodity Exchange Act. As a result of these CFTC rule changes, the fund is no longer restricted in its ability to enter into futures transactions and options thereon under CFTC regulations. The fund, however, continues to have policies with respect to futures and options thereon as set forth above. The current view of the staff of the SEC is that a fund’s long and short positions in futures contracts as well as put and call options on futures written by it must be collateralized with cash or other liquid securities and segregated with the fund’s custodian or a designated sub-custodian or “covered” in a manner similar to that for covered options on securities and designed to eliminate any potential leveraging.

 

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Interest Rate Futures Contracts.    The fund may purchase and sell interest rate futures contracts as a hedge against changes in interest rates. An interest rate futures contract is an agreement between two parties to buy and sell a security for a set price on a future date. Interest rate futures contracts are traded on designated “contract markets” which, through their clearing corporations, guarantee performance of the contracts. Currently, there are interest rate futures contracts based on securities such as long-term Treasury bonds, Treasury notes, GNMA certificates and three-month Treasury bills.

Generally, if market interest rates increase, the value of outstanding debt securities declines (and vice versa). Entering into an interest rate futures contract for the sale of securities has an effect similar to the actual sale of securities, although sale of the interest rate futures contract might be accomplished more easily and quickly. For example, if a fund holds long-term U.S. government securities and the subadviser anticipates a rise in long-term interest rates, the fund could, in lieu of disposing of its portfolio securities, enter into interest rate futures contracts for the sale of similar long-term securities. If interest rates increased and the value of the fund’s securities declined, the value of the fund’s interest rate futures contracts would increase, thereby protecting the fund by preventing the net asset value from declining as much as it otherwise would have declined. Similarly, entering into interest rate futures contracts for the purchase of securities has an effect similar to the actual purchase of the underlying securities, but permits the continued holding of securities other than the underlying securities. For example, if the subadviser expects long-term interest rates to decline, the fund might enter into interest rate futures contracts for the purchase of long-term securities, so that it could gain rapid market exposure that may offset anticipated increases in the cost of securities that it intends to purchase, while continuing to hold higher-yielding short-term securities or waiting for the long-term market to stabilize.

Stock Index Futures Contracts.    The fund may purchase and sell stock index futures contracts. These transactions, if any, by the fund will be made solely for the purpose of hedging against the effects of changes in the value of its portfolio securities due to anticipated changes in market conditions and will be made when the transactions are economically appropriate to the reduction of risks inherent in the management of the fund. A stock index futures contract is an agreement under which two parties agree to take or make delivery of the amount of cash based on the difference between the value of a stock index at the beginning and at the end of the contract period. When the fund enters into a stock index futures contract, it must make an initial deposit, known as “initial margin,” as a partial guarantee of its performance under the contract. As the value of the stock index fluctuates, either party to the contract is required to make additional margin deposits, known as “variation margin,” to cover any additional obligation that it may have under the contract.

Successful use of stock index futures contracts by the fund is subject to certain special risk considerations. A liquid stock index futures market may not be available when the fund seeks to offset adverse market movements. In addition, there may be an imperfect correlation between movements in the securities included in the index and movements in the securities in the fund. Successful use of stock index futures contracts is further dependent on the subadviser’s ability to predict correctly movements in the direction of the stock markets and no assurance can be given that its judgment in this respect will be correct.

No consideration is paid or received by the fund upon entering into a futures contract. Initially, the fund will be required to deposit with its custodian an amount of cash or cash equivalents equal to approximately 1% to 10% of the contract amount (this amount is subject to change by the board of trade on which the contract is traded and members of such board of trade may charge a higher amount). This amount, known as initial margin, is in the nature of a performance bond or good faith deposit on the contract and is returned to the fund upon termination of the futures contract, assuming that all contractual obligations have been satisfied. Subsequent payments to and from the broker, known as variation margin, will be made daily as the price of the securities, currency or index underlying the futures contract fluctuates, making the long and short positions in the futures contract more or less valuable, a process known as “marking-to-market.” At any time prior to expiration of a futures contract, the fund may elect to close the position by taking an opposite position, which will terminate the fund’s existing position in the contract.

 

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Several risks are associated with the use of futures contracts as a hedging device. Successful use of futures contracts by the fund is subject to the ability of the subadviser to predict correctly movements in interest rates, stock or bond indices or foreign currency values. These predictions involve skills and techniques that may be different from those involved in the management of the portfolio being hedged. In addition, there can be no assurance that there will be a correlation between movements in the price of the underlying securities, currency or index and movements in the price of the securities which are the subject of the hedge. A decision of whether, when and how to hedge involves the exercise of skill and judgment, and even a well-conceived hedge may be unsuccessful to some degree because of market behavior or unexpected trends in interest rates or currency values.

Although the fund intends to enter into futures contracts only if there is an active market for such contracts, there is no assurance that an active market will exist for the contracts at any particular time. Most futures exchanges and boards of trade limit the amount of fluctuation permitted in futures contract prices during a single trading day. Once the daily limit has been reached in a particular contract, no trades may be made that day at a price beyond that limit. It is possible that futures contract prices could move to the daily limit for several consecutive trading days with little or no trading, thereby preventing prompt liquidation of futures positions and subjecting some futures traders to substantial losses. In such event, and in the event of adverse price movements, the fund would be required to make daily cash payments of variation margin and an increase in the value of the portion of the portfolio being hedged, if any, may partially or completely offset losses on the futures contract. As described above, however, there is no guarantee that the price of the securities being hedged will, in fact, correlate with the price movements in a futures contract and thus provide an offset to losses on the futures contract.

If the fund has hedged against the possibility of a change in interest rates or currency or market values adversely affecting the value of securities held in its portfolio and rates or currency or market values move in a direction opposite to that which the fund has anticipated, the fund will lose part or all of the benefit of the increased value of securities that it has hedged because it will have offsetting losses in its futures positions. In addition, in such situations, if the fund has insufficient cash, it may have to sell securities to meet daily variation margin requirements at a time when it may be disadvantageous to do so. These sales of securities may, but will not necessarily, be at increased prices which reflect the change in interest rates or currency values, as the case may be.

Options on Futures Contracts.    An option on an interest rate futures contract, as contrasted with the direct investment in such a contract, gives the purchaser the right, in return for the premium paid, to assume a position in the underlying interest rate futures contract at a specified exercise price at any time prior to the expiration date of the option. The fund may purchase put options on interest rate futures contracts in lieu of, and for the same purpose as, sale of a futures contract. It also may purchase such put options in order to hedge a long position in the underlying interest rate futures contract in the same manner as it may purchase puts on securities provided they are similarly “secured.” An option on a foreign currency futures contract, as contrasted with the direct investment in such a contract, gives the purchaser the right, but not the obligation, to assume a long or short position in the relevant underlying future currency at a predetermined exercise price at a time in the future. Upon exercise of an option, the delivery of the futures position by the writer of the option to the holder of the option will be accompanied by delivery of the accumulated balance in the writer’s futures margin account, which represents the amount by which the market price of the futures contract exceeds, in the case of a call, or is less than, in the case of a put, the exercise price of the option on the futures contract. The potential for loss related to the purchase of an option on futures contracts is limited to the premium paid for the option (plus transaction costs). Because the value of the option is fixed at the point of sale, there are no daily cash payments to reflect changes in the value of the underlying contract; however, the value of the option does change daily and that change would be reflected in the net asset value of a fund investing in the option. The purchase of call options on futures contracts is intended to serve the same purpose as the actual purchase of the futures contract, and the fund will set aside cash and liquid securities sufficient to purchase the amount of portfolio securities represented by the underlying futures contracts.

 

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Several risks are associated with options on futures contracts. The ability to establish and close out positions on such options will be subject to the existence of a liquid market. In addition, the purchase of put or call options on interest rate and foreign currency futures will be based upon predictions by the subadviser as to anticipated trends in interest rates and currency values, as the case may be, which could prove to be incorrect. Even if the expectations of the subadviser are correct, there may be an imperfect correlation between the change in the value of the options and of the portfolio securities or the currencies being hedged.

Investment Company Securities.    Subject to applicable statutory and regulatory limitations, the fund may invest in shares of other investment companies, including shares of other mutual funds, closed-end funds, and unregistered investment companies. Investments in other investment companies are subject to the risk of the securities in which those investment companies invest. In addition, to the extent the fund invests in securities of other investment companies, fund shareholders would indirectly pay a portion of the operating costs of such companies in addition to the expenses of the fund’s own operation. These costs include management, brokerage, shareholder servicing and other operational expenses.

The fund may invest in shares of mutual funds or unit investment trusts that are traded on a stock exchange, called exchange-traded funds or ETFs. Typically an ETF seeks to track the performance of an index, such as the S&P 500, the NASDAQ 100, the Lehman Treasury Bond Index, or more narrow sector or foreign indices, by holding in its portfolio either the same securities that comprise the index, or a representative sample of the index. Investing in an ETF will give the fund exposure to the securities comprising the index on which the ETF is based.

Unlike shares of typical mutual funds or unit investment trusts, shares of ETFs are designed to be traded throughout a trading day, bought and sold based on market values and not at net asset value. For this reason, shares could trade at either a premium or discount to net asset value. However, the portfolios held by index-based ETFs are publicly disclosed on each trading day, and an approximation of actual net asset value is disseminated throughout the trading day. Because of this transparency, the trading prices of index based ETFs tend to closely track the actual net asset value of the underlying portfolios and the fund will generally gain or lose value depending on the performance of the index. However, gains or losses on the fund’s investment in ETFs will ultimately depend on the purchase and sale price of the ETF. In the future, as new products become available, the fund may invest in ETFs that are actively managed. Actively managed ETFs will likely not have the transparency of index-based ETFs, and therefore, may be more likely to trade at a discount or premium to actual net asset values.

The fund may invest in closed-end investment companies which hold securities of U.S. and/or non-U.S. issuers. Because shares of closed-end funds trade on an exchange, investments in closed-end investment funds may entail the additional risk that the market value of such investments may be substantially less than their net asset value.

Foreign Investments.    Investors should recognize that investing in foreign companies involves certain considerations which are not typically associated with investing in U.S. issuers. Since the fund may invest in securities denominated in currencies other than the U.S. dollar, and may temporarily hold funds in bank deposits or other money-market investments denominated in foreign currencies, the fund may be affected favorably or unfavorably by exchange control regulations or changes in the exchange rate between such currencies and the dollar. A change in the value of a foreign currency relative to the U.S. dollar will result in a corresponding change in the dollar value of the fund’s total assets denominated in that foreign currency. Changes in foreign currency exchange rates may also affect the value of dividends and interest earned, gains and losses realized on the sale of securities and net investment income and gain, if any, to be distributed to shareholders by the fund.

The rate of exchange between the U.S. dollar and other currencies is determined by the forces of supply and demand in the foreign exchange markets. Changes in the exchange rate may result over time from the interaction of many factors directly or indirectly affecting economic conditions and political developments in other countries. Of particular importance are rates of inflation, interest rate levels, the balance of payments and the extent of government surpluses or deficits in the United States and the particular foreign country. All these

 

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factors are in turn sensitive to the monetary, fiscal and trade policies pursued by the governments of the United States and other foreign countries important to international trade and finance. Government intervention may also play a significant role. National governments rarely voluntarily allow their currencies to float freely in response to economic forces. Sovereign governments use a variety of techniques, such as intervention by a country’s central bank or imposition of regulatory controls or taxes, to affect the exchange rates of their currencies.

Certain securities held by the fund will not be registered with, nor the issuers thereof be subject to reporting requirements of, the SEC. Accordingly, there may be less publicly available information about the securities and about the foreign company or government issuing them than is available about a domestic company or government entity. Foreign issuers are generally not subject to uniform financial reporting standards, practices and requirements comparable to those applicable to U.S. issuers. In addition, with respect to some foreign countries, there is the possibility of expropriation or confiscatory taxation, limitations on the removal of funds or other assets of the fund, political or social instability, or domestic developments which could affect U.S. investments in those countries. Moreover, individual foreign economies may differ favorably or unfavorably from the U.S. economy in such respects as growth of gross national product, rate of inflation, capital reinvestment, resource self-sufficiency and balance of payment positions. The fund may invest in securities of foreign governments (or agencies or instrumentalities thereof), and many, if not all, of the foregoing considerations apply to such investments as well.

Securities of some foreign companies are less liquid, and their prices are more volatile, than securities of comparable domestic companies. Certain foreign countries are known to experience long delays between the trade and settlement dates of securities purchased or sold. Due to the increased exposure of the fund to market and foreign exchange fluctuations brought about by such delays, and to the corresponding negative impact on fund liquidity, the fund will avoid investing in countries which are known to experience settlement delays which may expose the fund to unreasonable risk of loss.

The interest payable on the fund’s foreign securities may be subject to foreign withholding taxes, which will reduce the fund’s return on its investments. Additionally, the operating expenses of the fund can be expected to be higher than those of an investment company investing exclusively in U.S. securities, since the costs of investing in foreign securities, such as custodial costs, valuation costs and communication costs, are higher than the costs of investing exclusively in U.S. securities.

The fund may also purchase American Depositary Receipts (“ADRs”), American Depository Debentures, American Depository Notes, American Depository Bonds, European Depository Receipts (“EDRs”) and Global Depository Receipts (“GDRs”), or other securities representing underlying shares of foreign companies. ADRs are publicly traded on exchanges or over-the-counter in the United States and are issued through “sponsored” or “unsponsored” arrangements. In a sponsored ADR arrangement, the foreign issuer assumes the obligation to pay some or all of the depository’s transaction fees, whereas under an unsponsored arrangement, the foreign issuer assumes no obligation and the depository’s transaction fees are paid by the ADR holders. In addition, less information is available in the United States about an unsponsored ADR than about a sponsored ADR, and the financial information about a company may not be as reliable for an unsponsored ADR as it is for a sponsored ADR. The fund may invest in ADRs through both sponsored and unsponsored arrangements.

Securities of Developing Countries.    The fund may invest in securities of developing (or “emerging market”) countries. A developing country generally is considered to be a country that is in the initial stages of its industrialization cycle. Investing in the equity and fixed-income markets of developing countries involves exposure to economic structures that are generally less diverse and mature, and to political systems that can be expected to have less stability, than those of developed countries. Historical experience indicates that the markets of developing countries have been more volatile than the markets of the more mature economies of developed countries.

Convertible Securities and Synthetic Convertible Securities.    Convertible securities are fixed-income securities that may be converted at either a stated price or stated rate into underlying shares of common stock.

 

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Convertible securities have general characteristics similar to both fixed-income and equity securities. Although to a lesser extent than with fixed-income securities generally, the market value of convertible securities tends to decline as interest rates increase and, conversely, tends to increase as interest rates decline. In addition, because of the conversion feature, the market value of convertible securities tends to vary with fluctuations in the market value of the underlying common stocks and, therefore, also will react to variations in the general market for equity securities. A unique feature of convertible securities is that, as the market price of the underlying common stock declines, convertible securities tend to trade increasingly on a yield basis, and so may not experience market value declines to the same extent as the underlying common stock. When the market price of the underlying common stock increases, the prices of the convertible securities tend to rise as a reflection of the value of the underlying common stock. While no securities investments are without risk, investments in convertible securities generally entail less risk than investments in common stock of the same issuer.

As fixed-income securities, convertible securities are investments which provide for a stable stream of income with generally higher yields than common stocks. Of course, like all fixed-income securities, there can be no assurance of current income because the issuers of the convertible securities may default on their obligations. Convertible securities, however, generally offer lower interest or dividend yields than non-convertible securities of similar quality because of the potential for capital appreciation. A convertible security, in addition to providing fixed-income, offers the potential for capital appreciation through the conversion feature, which enables the holder to benefit from increases in the market price of the underlying common stock. However, there can be no assurance of capital appreciation because securities prices fluctuate.

Convertible securities generally are subordinated to other similar but nonconvertible securities of the same issuer, although convertible bonds, as corporate debt obligations, enjoy seniority in right of payment to all equity securities, and convertible preferred stock is senior to common stock of the same issuer. Because of the subordination feature, however, convertible securities typically have lower ratings than similar non-convertible securities.

Unlike a convertible security which is a single security, a synthetic convertible security is comprised of two distinct securities that together resemble convertible securities in certain respects. Synthetic convertible securities are created by combining non-convertible bonds or preferred shares with common stocks, warrants or stock call options. The options that will form elements of synthetic convertible securities will be listed on a securities exchange or on Nasdaq. The two components of a synthetic convertible security, which will be issued with respect to the same entity, generally are not offered as a unit, and may be purchased and sold by a fund at different times. Synthetic convertible securities differ from convertible securities in certain respects, including that each component of a synthetic convertible security has a separate market value and responds differently to market fluctuations. Investing in synthetic convertible securities involves the risk normally involved in holding the securities comprising the synthetic convertible security.

Temporary Investments.    When the subadviser believes that market conditions warrant, the fund may adopt a temporary defensive posture and may invest in short-term instruments without limitation. Short-term instruments in which the fund may invest include: U.S. government securities; certain bank obligations (including CDs, TDs and bankers’ acceptances of domestic or foreign banks, domestic savings and loan associations and similar institutions); commercial paper rated no lower than A-2 by S&P or Prime-2 by Moody’s or an equivalent rating by any other NRSRO or, if unrated, of an issuer having an outstanding, unsecured debt issue then rated within the three highest rating categories; and repurchase agreements with respect to securities in which the fund may invest.

Short Sales Against the Box.    The fund may enter into a short sale of common stock such that, when the short position is open, the fund owns an equal amount of preferred stocks or debt securities convertible or exchangeable without payment of further consideration into an equal number of shares of the common stock sold short. The fund will enter into this kind of short sale, described as “against the box,” for the purpose of receiving a portion of the interest earned by the executing broker from the proceeds of the sale. The proceeds of the sale

 

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will be held by the broker until the settlement date, when the fund delivers the convertible securities to close out its short position. Although the fund will have to pay an amount equal to any dividends paid on the common stock sold short prior to delivery, it will receive the dividends from the preferred stock or interest from the debt securities convertible into the stock sold short, plus a portion of the interest earned from the proceeds of the short sale. The fund will deposit, in a segregated account with their custodian, convertible preferred stock or convertible debt securities in connection with short sales against the box.

Short Sales.    The fund may seek to hedge investments or realize additional gains through short sales. Short sales are transactions in which the fund sells a security it does not own in anticipation of a decline in the market value of that security. To complete such a transaction, the fund borrows the security to make delivery to the buyer. The fund is obligated to replace the security borrowed by purchasing it at the market price at or prior to the time of replacement. The price at such time may be more or less than the price at which the security was sold by the fund. Until the security is replaced, the fund is required to repay the lender any dividends or interest that accrue during the period of the loan. To borrow the security, the fund also may be required to pay a premium, which would increase the cost of the security sold. A portion of the net proceeds of the short sale may be retained by the broker (or by the fund’s custodian in a special custody account), to the extent necessary to collateralize the broker and to meet margin requirements, until the short position is closed out. The fund will also incur transaction costs in effecting short sales.

The fund will incur a loss as a result of the short sale if the price of the security increases between the date of the short sale and the date on which the fund replaces the borrowed security. The fund will realize a gain if the security declines in price between those dates. The amount of any gain will be decreased, and the amount of any loss increased, by the amount of the premiums, dividends, interest or expenses the fund may be required to pay in connection with a short sale. An increase in the value of a security sold short by the fund over the price at which it was sold short will result in a loss to the fund, and there can be no assurance that the fund will be able to close out the position at any particular time or at an acceptable price. Thus, the fund’s losses on short sales are potentially unlimited.

Whenever the fund engages in short sales, it maintains cash or liquid securities in an amount that, when combined with the amount of collateral deposited with the broker in connection with the short sale, equals the current market value of the security sold short. The assets so maintained are marked to market daily.

Rule 144A Securities.    The fund may purchase Rule 144A Securities, which are unregistered securities restricted to purchase by “qualified institutional buyers” pursuant to Rule 144A under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “1933 Act”). Because Rule 144A Securities are freely transferable among qualified institutional buyers, a liquid market may exist among such buyers. The Board has adopted guidelines and delegated to the subadviser the daily function of determining and monitoring liquidity of Rule 144A Securities. However, the Board maintains sufficient oversight and is ultimately responsible for the liquidity determinations. Investments in restricted securities such as Rule 144A Securities could have the effect of increasing the level of illiquidity in the fund to the extent that there is temporarily no market for these securities among qualified institutional buyers.

Real Estate Investment Trusts.    The fund may invest in real estate investment trusts (“REITs”). REITs are pooled investment vehicles that invest primarily in either real estate or real estate related loans. The value of the REIT is affected by changes in the value of the properties owned by the REIT or security mortgage loans held by the REIT. A REIT is dependent upon cash flow from its investments to repay financing costs and the management skill of the REIT’s manager. REITs are also subject to risks generally associated with investments in real estate.

Restricted and Illiquid Securities.    The fund may invest up to 15% of its total assets in securities with contractual or other restrictions on resale and other instruments that are not readily marketable, including (a) repurchase agreements with maturities greater than 7 days, (b) futures contracts and related options for which a liquid secondary market does not exist, and (c) time deposits maturing in more than 7 calendar days. The above restriction does not apply to Rule 144A Securities.

 

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The sale of securities that are not publicly traded is typically restricted under the federal securities laws. As a result, the fund may be forced to sell these securities at less than fair market value or may not be able to sell them when the subadviser believes it desirable to do so. The fund’s investments in illiquid securities are subject to the risk that should the fund desire to sell any of these securities when a ready buyer is not available at a price that the fund deems representative of their value, the value of the fund’s total assets could be adversely affected.

 

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RISK FACTORS

The following risk factors are intended to supplement the risks described above and in the fund’s prospectus.

General.    Investors should realize that risk of loss is inherent in the ownership of any securities and that the fund’s net asset value will fluctuate, reflecting fluctuations in the market value of its portfolio positions.

Warrants.    Because a warrant does not carry with it the right to dividends or voting rights with respect to the securities that the warrant holder is entitled to purchase, and because a warrant does not represent any rights to the assets of the issuer, a warrant may be considered more speculative than certain other types of investments. In addition, the value of a warrant does not necessarily change with the value of the underlying security and a warrant ceases to have value if it is not exercised prior to its expiration date. Investments in warrants, valued at the lower of cost or market, may not exceed 10% of the value of the fund’s total assets. Included within that amount, but not to exceed 5% of the value of the fund’s total assets, may be warrants that are not listed on the New York Stock Exchange (the “NYSE”) or the American Stock Exchange. Warrants acquired by the fund in units or attached to securities may be deemed to be without value.

Securities of Unseasoned Issuers.    Securities of unseasoned issuers in which the fund may invest may have limited marketability and, therefore, may be subject to wide fluctuations in market value. In addition, certain securities may be issued by companies that lack a significant operating history and are dependent on products or services without an established market share.

Fixed-Income Securities.    Investments in fixed-income securities may subject the fund to risks, including the following:

Interest Rate Risk:    When interest rates decline, the market value of fixed-income securities tends to increase. Conversely, when interest rates increase, the market value of fixed-income securities tends to decline. The volatility of a security’s market value will differ depending upon the security’s duration, the issuer and the type of instrument.

Default Risk/Credit Risk:    Investments in fixed-income securities are subject to the risk that the issuer of the security could default on its obligations, causing the fund to sustain losses on such investments. A default could impact both interest and principal payments.

Call Risk and Extension Risk:    Fixed-income securities may be subject to both call risk and extension risk. Call risk exists when the issuer may exercise its right to pay principal on an obligation earlier than scheduled, which would cause cash flows to be returned earlier than expected. This typically results when interest rates have declined and the fund will suffer from having to reinvest in lower yielding securities. Extension risk exists when the issuer may exercise its right to pay principal on an obligation later than scheduled, which would cause cash flows to be returned later than expected. This typically results when interest rates have increased, and the fund will suffer from the inability to invest in higher yielding securities.

Lower Rated Fixed-Income Securities.    Securities which are rated BBB by S&P or Baa by Moody’s are generally regarded as having adequate capacity to pay interest and repay principal, but may have some speculative characteristics. Securities rated below Baa by Moody’s or BBB by S&P have predominantly speculative characteristics, including the possibility of default or bankruptcy of the issuers of such securities, market price volatility based upon interest rate sensitivity, questionable creditworthiness and relative liquidity of the secondary trading market. Because high yield bonds (“junk bonds”) have been found to be more sensitive to adverse economic changes or individual corporate developments and less sensitive to interest rate changes than higher-rated investments, an economic downturn could disrupt the market for high yield bonds and adversely affect the value of outstanding bonds and the ability of issuers to repay principal and interest. In addition, in a

 

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declining interest rate market, issuers of high yield bonds may exercise redemption or call provisions, which may force the fund, to the extent it owns such securities, to replace those securities with lower yielding securities. This could result in a decreased return.

Repurchase Agreements.    The fund bears a risk of loss in the event that the other party to a repurchase agreement defaults on its obligations and the fund is delayed or prevented from exercising its rights to dispose of the underlying securities, including the risk of a possible decline in the value of the underlying securities during the period in which the fund seeks to assert its rights to them, the risk of incurring expenses associated with asserting those rights and the risk of losing all or a part of the income from the agreement.

Foreign Securities.    Investments in securities of foreign issuers involve certain risks not ordinarily associated with investments in securities of domestic issuers. Such risks include fluctuations in foreign exchange rates, future political and economic developments, and the possible imposition of exchange controls or other foreign governmental laws or restrictions. Since the fund may invest in securities denominated or quoted in currencies other than the U.S. dollar, changes in foreign currency exchange rates will, to the extent the fund does not adequately hedge against such fluctuations, affect the value of securities in its portfolio and the unrealized appreciation or depreciation of investments so far as U.S. investors are concerned. In addition, with respect to certain countries, there is the possibility of expropriation of assets, confiscatory taxation, political or social instability or diplomatic developments which could adversely affect investments in those countries.

There may be less publicly available information about a foreign company than about a U.S. company, and foreign companies may not be subject to accounting, auditing, and financial reporting standards and requirements comparable to or as uniform as those of U.S. companies. Foreign securities markets, while growing in volume, have, for the most part, substantially less volume than U.S. markets, and securities of many foreign companies are less liquid and their price more volatile than securities of comparable U.S. companies. Transaction costs on foreign securities markets are generally higher than in the U.S. There is generally less government supervision and regulation of exchanges, brokers and issuers than there is in the U.S. The fund might have greater difficulty taking appropriate legal action in foreign courts. Dividend and interest income from foreign securities will generally be subject to withholding taxes by the country in which the issuer is located and may not be recoverable by the fund. Capital gains are also subject to taxation in some foreign countries.

Currency Risks.    The U.S. dollar value of securities denominated in a foreign currency will vary with changes in currency exchange rates, which can be volatile. Accordingly, changes in the value of the currency in which the fund’s investments are denominated relative to the U.S. dollar will affect the fund’s net asset value. Exchange rates are generally affected by the forces of supply and demand in the international currency markets, the relative merits of investing in different countries and the intervention or failure to intervene of U.S. or foreign governments and central banks. However, currency exchange rates may fluctuate based on factors intrinsic to a country’s economy. Some emerging market countries also may have managed currencies, which are not free floating against the U.S. dollar. In addition, emerging markets are subject to the risk of restrictions upon the free conversion of their currencies into other currencies. Any devaluations relative to the U.S. dollar in the currencies in which the fund’s securities are quoted would reduce the fund’s net asset value per share.

Special Risks of Countries in the Asia Pacific Region.    Certain of the risks associated with international investments are heightened for investments in these countries. For example, some of the currencies of these countries have experienced devaluations relative to the U.S. dollar, and adjustments have been made periodically in certain of such currencies. Certain countries, such as Indonesia, face serious exchange constraints. Jurisdictional disputes also exist, for example, between South Korea and North Korea.

Securities of Developing/Emerging Markets Countries.    A developing or emerging markets country generally is considered to be a country that is in the initial stages of its industrialization cycle. Investing in the equity markets of developing countries involves exposure to economic structures that are generally less diverse and mature, and to political systems that can be expected to have less stability, than those of developed countries.

 

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Historical experience indicates that the markets of developing countries have been more volatile than the markets of the more mature economies of developed countries; however, such markets often have provided higher rates of return to investors.

One or more of the risks discussed above could affect adversely the economy of a developing market or the fund’s investments in such a market. In Eastern Europe, for example, upon the accession to power of Communist regimes in the past, the governments of a number of Eastern European countries expropriated a large amount of property. The claims of many property owners against those governments may remain unsettled. There can be no assurance that any investments that the fund might make in such emerging markets would not be expropriated, nationalized or otherwise confiscated at some time in the future. In such an event, the fund could lose its entire investment in the market involved. Moreover, changes in the leadership or policies of such markets could halt the expansion or reverse the liberalization of foreign investment policies now occurring in certain of these markets and adversely affect existing investment opportunities.

Many of the fund’s investments in the securities of emerging markets may be unrated or rated below investment grade. Securities rated below investment grade (and comparable unrated securities) are the equivalent of high yield, high risk bonds, commonly known as “junk bonds.” Such securities are regarded as predominantly speculative with respect to the issuer’s capacity to pay interest and repay principal in accordance with the terms of the obligations and involve major risk exposure to adverse business, financial, economic or political conditions.

Derivative Instruments.    In accordance with its investment policies, the fund may invest in certain derivative instruments, which are securities or contracts that provide for payments based on or “derived” from the performance of an underlying asset, index or other economic benchmark. Essentially, a derivative instrument is a financial arrangement or a contract between two parties (and not a true security like a stock or a bond). Transactions in derivative instruments can be, but are not necessarily, riskier than investments in conventional stocks, bonds and money market instruments. A derivative instrument is more accurately viewed as a way of reallocating risk among different parties or substituting one type of risk for another. Every investment by the fund, including an investment in conventional securities, reflects an implicit prediction about future changes in the value of that investment. Every fund investment also involves a risk that the subadviser’s expectations will be wrong. Transactions in derivative instruments often enable the fund to take investment positions that more precisely reflect the subadviser’s expectations concerning the future performance of the various investments available to the fund. Derivative instruments can be a legitimate and often cost-effective method of accomplishing the same investment goals as could be achieved through other investment in conventional securities.

Derivative contracts include options, futures contracts, forward contracts, forward commitment and when-issued securities transactions, forward foreign currency exchange contracts and interest rate, mortgage and currency transactions. The following are the principal risks associated with derivative instruments:

Market risk:    The risk that the instrument will decline in value or that an alternative investment would have appreciated more, but this is no different from the risk of investing in conventional securities.

Leverage and associated price volatility:    Leverage causes increased volatility in the price and magnifies the impact of adverse market changes, but this risk may be consistent with the investment objective of even a conservative fund in order to achieve an average portfolio volatility that is within the expected range for that type of fund.

Credit risk:    The risk that the issuer of the instrument may default on its obligation to pay interest and principal.

Liquidity and valuation risk:    Many derivative instruments are traded in institutional markets rather than on an exchange. Nevertheless, many derivative instruments are actively traded and can be priced with as much

 

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accuracy as conventional securities. Derivative instruments that are custom designed to meet the specialized investment needs of a relatively narrow group of institutional investors such as the fund are not readily marketable and are subject to the fund’s restrictions on illiquid investments.

Correlation risk:    There may be imperfect correlation between the price of the derivative and the underlying asset. For example, there may be price disparities between the trading markets for the derivative contract and the underlying asset.

Each derivative instrument purchased for the fund’s portfolio is reviewed and analyzed by the fund’s portfolio manager to assess the risk and reward of each such instrument in relation to the fund’s portfolio investment strategy. The decision to invest in derivative instruments or conventional securities is made by measuring the respective instrument’s ability to provide value to the fund and its shareholders.

Special Risks of Writing Options.    Option writing for the fund may be limited by position and exercise limits established by national securities exchanges and by requirements of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”) for qualification as a regulated investment company. In addition to writing covered call options to generate current income, the fund may enter into options transactions as hedges to reduce investment risk, generally by making an investment expected to move in the opposite direction of a portfolio position. A hedge is designed to offset a loss on a portfolio position with a gain on the hedged position; at the same time, however, a properly correlated hedge will result in a gain on the portfolio position being offset by a loss on the hedged position. The fund bears the risk that the prices of the securities being hedged will not move in the same amount as the hedge. The fund will engage in hedging transactions only when deemed advisable by the subadviser. Successful use by the fund of options will be subject to the ability of the subadviser to predict correct movements in the direction of the stock or index underlying the option used as a hedge. Losses incurred in hedging transactions and the costs of these transactions will affect the fund’s performance.

The ability of the fund to engage in closing transactions with respect to options depends on the existence of a liquid secondary market. While the fund generally will write options only if a liquid secondary market appears to exist for the options purchased or sold, for some options no such secondary market may exist or the market may cease to exist. If the fund cannot enter into a closing purchase transaction with respect to a call option it has written, the fund will continue to be subject to the risk that its potential loss upon exercise of the option will increase as a result of any increase in the value of the underlying security. The fund could also face higher transaction costs, including brokerage commissions, as a result of its options transactions.

Special Risks of Using Futures Contracts.    The prices of futures contracts are volatile and are influenced by, among other things, actual and anticipated changes in interest rates, which in turn are affected by fiscal and monetary policies and national and international political and economic events.

At best, the correlation between changes in prices of futures contracts and of the securities or currencies being hedged can be only approximate. The degree of imperfection of correlation depends upon circumstances such as: variations in speculative market demand for futures and for debt securities or currencies, including technical influences in futures trading; and differences between the financial instruments being hedged and the instruments underlying the standard futures contracts available for trading, with respect to interest rate levels, maturities, and creditworthiness of issuers. A decision of whether, when, and how to hedge involves skill and judgment, and even a well-conceived hedge may be unsuccessful to some degree because of unexpected market behavior or interest rate trends.

Because of the low margin deposits required, futures trading involves an extremely high degree of leverage. As a result, a relatively small price movement in a futures contract may result in immediate and substantial loss, as well as gain, to the investor. For example, if at the time of purchase, 10% of the value of the futures contract is deposited as margin, a subsequent 10% decrease in the value of the futures contract would result in a total loss of the margin deposit, before any deduction for the transaction costs, if the account were then closed out. A 15%

 

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decrease would result in a loss equal to 150% of the original margin deposit, if the futures contract were closed out. Thus, a purchase or sale of a futures contract may result in losses in excess of the amount invested in the futures contract. The fund, however, would presumably have sustained comparable losses if, instead of the futures contract, it had invested in the underlying financial instrument and sold it after the decline. Where the fund enters into futures transactions for non-hedging purposes, it will be subject to greater risks and could sustain losses which are not offset by gains on other fund assets.

Furthermore, in the case of a futures contract purchase, in order to be certain that the fund has sufficient assets to satisfy its obligations under a futures contract, the fund segregates and commits to back the futures contract an amount of cash and liquid securities equal in value to the current value of the underlying instrument less the margin deposit.

Most U.S. futures exchanges limit the amount of fluctuation permitted in futures contract prices during a single trading day. The daily limit establishes the maximum amount that the price of a futures contract may vary either up or down from the previous day’s settlement price at the end of a trading session. Once the daily limit has been reached in a particular type of futures contract, no trades may be made on that day at a price beyond that limit. The daily limit governs only price movement during a particular trading day and therefore does not limit potential losses, because the limit may prevent the liquidation of unfavorable positions. Futures contract prices have occasionally moved to the daily limit for several consecutive trading days with little or no trading, thereby preventing prompt liquidation of futures positions and subjecting some futures traders to substantial losses.

Convertible Securities.    Convertible securities are subject both to the stock market risk associated with equity securities and to the credit and interest rate risks associated with fixed-income securities. As the market price of the equity security underlying a convertible security falls, the convertible security tends to trade on the basis of its yield and other fixed-income characteristics. As the market price of such equity security rises, the convertible security tends to trade on the basis of its equity conversion features.

Preferred Stocks.    Preferred stocks, like common stocks, represent an equity ownership in an issuer, but generally have a priority claim over common stocks, but not over debt, with respect to dividend payments and upon the liquidation or bankruptcy of the issuer. Therefore, preferred stock is subject to the credit risk of the issuer, but because of its subordinate position to debt obligations of the issuer, the deterioration of the credit of an issuer is likely to cause greater decreases in the value of preferred stock than in more senior debt obligations.

INVESTMENT POLICIES

The Trust has adopted the fundamental and non-fundamental investment policies below with respect to the fund for the protection of shareholders. Fundamental investment policies may not be changed without the vote of a majority of the outstanding shares of the fund, defined under the 1940 Act as the lesser of (a) 67% or more of the voting power present at a fund meeting, if the holders of more than 50% of the voting power of the fund are present in person or represented by proxy, or (b) more than 50% of the voting power of the fund.

If any percentage restriction described below is complied with at the time of an investment, a later increase or decrease in percentage resulting from a change in values or assets will not constitute a violation of such restriction.

Fundamental Investment Policies

The fund’s revised fundamental policies are as follows:

1.  The fund may not borrow money except as permitted by (i) the 1940 Act, or interpretations or modifications by the SEC, SEC staff or other authority with appropriate jurisdiction, or (ii) exemptive or other relief or permission from the SEC, SEC staff or other authority.

2.  The fund may not engage in the business of underwriting the securities of other issuers except as permitted by (i) the 1940 Act, or interpretations or modifications by the SEC, SEC staff or other authority

 

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with appropriate jurisdiction, or (ii) exemptive or other relief or permission from the SEC, SEC staff or other authority.

3.  The fund may lend money or other assets to the extent permitted by (i) the 1940 Act, or interpretations or modifications by the SEC, SEC staff or other authority with appropriate jurisdiction, or (ii) exemptive or other relief or permission from the SEC, SEC staff or other authority.

4.  The fund may not issue senior securities except as permitted by (i) the 1940 Act, or interpretations or modifications by the SEC, SEC staff or other authority with appropriate jurisdiction, or (ii) exemptive or other relief or permission from the SEC, SEC staff or other authority.

5.  The fund may not purchase or sell real estate except as permitted by (i) the 1940 Act, or interpretations or modifications by the SEC, SEC staff or other authority with appropriate jurisdiction, or (ii) exemptive or other relief or permission from the SEC, SEC staff or other authority.

6.  The fund may purchase or sell commodities or contracts related to commodities to the extent permitted by (i) the 1940 Act, or interpretations or modifications by the SEC, SEC staff or other authority with appropriate jurisdiction, or (ii) exemptive or other relief or permission from the SEC, SEC staff or other authority.

7.  Except as permitted by exemptive or other relief or permission from the SEC, SEC staff or other authority with appropriate jurisdiction, the Fund may not make any investment if, as a result, the fund’s investments will be concentrated in any one industry.

With respect to the fundamental policy relating to borrowing money set forth in (1) above, the 1940 Act permits a fund to borrow money in amounts of up to one-third of the fund’s total assets from banks for any purpose, and to borrow up to 5% of the fund’s total assets from banks or other lenders for temporary purposes. To limit the risks attendant to borrowing, the 1940 Act requires the fund to maintain at all times an “asset coverage” of at least 300% of the amount of its borrowings. Asset coverage means the ratio that the value of the fund’s total assets, minus liabilities other than borrowings, bears to the aggregate amount of all borrowings. Certain trading practices and investments, such as reverse repurchase agreements, may be considered to be borrowings and thus subject to the 1940 Act restrictions. Borrowing money to increase portfolio holdings is known as “leveraging.” Borrowing, especially when used for leverage, may cause the value of a fund’s shares to be more volatile than if the fund did not borrow. This is because borrowing tends to magnify the effect of any increase or decrease in the value of the fund’s portfolio holdings. Borrowed money thus creates an opportunity for greater gains, but also greater losses. To repay borrowings, the fund may have to sell securities at a time and at a price that is unfavorable to the fund. There also are costs associated with borrowing money, and these costs would offset and could eliminate a fund’s net investment income in any given period. Currently, the fund does not contemplate borrowing money for leverage, but if the fund does so, it will not likely do so to a substantial degree. The policy in (1) above will be interpreted to permit the fund to engage in trading practices and investments that may be considered to be borrowing to the extent permitted by the 1940 Act. Short-term credits necessary for the settlement of securities transactions and arrangements with respect to securities lending will not be considered to be borrowings under the policy. Practices and investments that may involve leverage but are not considered to be borrowings are not subject to the policy.

With respect to the fundamental policy relating to underwriting set forth in (2) above, the 1940 Act does not prohibit a fund from engaging in the underwriting business or from underwriting the securities of other issuers; in fact, the 1940 Act permits a fund to have underwriting commitments of up to 25% of its assets under certain circumstances. Those circumstances currently are that the amount of the fund’s underwriting commitments, when added to the value of the fund’s investments in issuers where the fund owns more than 10% of the outstanding voting securities of those issuers, cannot exceed the 25% cap. A fund engaging in transactions involving the acquisition or disposition of portfolio securities may be considered to be an underwriter under the 1933 Act. Under the 1933 Act, an underwriter may be liable for material omissions or misstatements in an issuer’s registration statement or prospectus. Securities purchased from an issuer and not registered for sale under the

 

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1933 Act are considered restricted securities. There may be a limited market for these securities. If these securities are registered under the 1933 Act, they may then be eligible for sale but participating in the sale may subject the seller to underwriter liability. These risks could apply to a fund investing in restricted securities. Although it is not believed that the application of the 1933 Act provisions described above would cause a fund to be engaged in the business of underwriting, the policy in (2) above will be interpreted not to prevent the fund from engaging in transactions involving the acquisition or disposition of portfolio securities, regardless of whether the fund may be considered to be an underwriter under the 1933 Act.

With respect to the fundamental policy relating to lending set forth in (3) above, the 1940 Act does not prohibit a fund from making loans; however, SEC staff interpretations currently prohibit funds from lending more than one-third of their total assets, except through the purchase of debt obligations or the use of repurchase agreements. (A repurchase agreement is an agreement to purchase a security, coupled with an agreement to sell that security back to the original seller on an agreed-upon date at a price that reflects current interest rates. The SEC frequently treats repurchase agreements as loans.) While lending securities may be a source of income to a fund, as with other extensions of credit, there are risks of delay in recovery or even loss of rights in the underlying securities should the borrower fail financially. However, loans would be made only when the fund’s manager or subadviser believes the income justifies the attendant risks. The fund also will be permitted by this policy to make loans of money, including to other funds. A fund would have to obtain exemptive relief from the SEC to make loans to other funds. The policy in (3) above will be interpreted not to prevent the fund from purchasing or investing in debt obligations and loans. In addition, collateral arrangements with respect to options, forward currency and futures transactions and other derivative instruments, as well as delays in the settlement of securities transactions, will not be considered loans.

With respect to the fundamental policy relating to issuing senior securities set forth in (4) above, “senior securities” are defined as fund obligations that have a priority over the fund’s shares with respect to the payment of dividends or the distribution of fund assets. The 1940 Act prohibits a fund from issuing senior securities except that the fund may borrow money in amounts of up to one-third of the fund’s total assets from banks for any purpose. A fund also may borrow up to 5% of the fund’s total assets from banks or other lenders for temporary purposes, and these borrowings are not considered senior securities. The issuance of senior securities by a fund can increase the speculative character of the fund’s outstanding shares through leveraging. Leveraging of a fund’s portfolio through the issuance of senior securities magnifies the potential for gain or loss on monies, because even though the fund’s net assets remain the same, the total risk to investors is increased to the extent of the fund’s gross assets. The policy in (4) above will be interpreted not to prevent collateral arrangements with respect to swaps, options, forward or futures contracts or other derivatives, or the posting of initial or variation margin.

With respect to the fundamental policy relating to real estate set forth in (5) above, the 1940 Act does not prohibit a fund from owning real estate; however, a fund is limited in the amount of illiquid assets it may purchase. Investing in real estate may involve risks, including that real estate is generally considered illiquid and may be difficult to value and sell. Owners of real estate may be subject to various liabilities, including environmental liabilities. To the extent that investments in real estate are considered illiquid, the current SEC staff position generally limits a fund’s purchases of illiquid securities to 15% of net assets. The policy in (5) above will be interpreted not to prevent the fund from investing in real estate-related companies, companies whose businesses consist in whole or in part of investing in real estate, instruments (like mortgages) that are secured by real estate or interests therein, or real estate investment trust securities.

With respect to the fundamental policy relating to commodities set forth in (6) above, the 1940 Act does not prohibit a fund from owning commodities, whether physical commodities and contracts related to physical commodities (such as oil or grains and related futures contracts), or financial commodities and contracts related to financial commodities (such as currencies and, possibly, currency futures). However, a fund is limited in the amount of illiquid assets it may purchase. To the extent that investments in commodities are considered illiquid, the current SEC staff position generally limits a fund’s purchases of illiquid securities to 15% of net assets. If a

 

39


fund were to invest in a physical commodity or a physical commodity-related instrument, the fund would be subject to the additional risks of the particular physical commodity and its related market. The value of commodities and commodity-related instruments may be extremely volatile and may be affected either directly or indirectly by a variety of factors. There also may be storage charges and risks of loss associated with physical commodities. The policy in (6) above will be interpreted to permit investments in exchange traded funds that invest in physical and/or financial commodities.

With respect to the fundamental policy relating to concentration set forth in (7) above, the 1940 Act does not define what constitutes “concentration” in an industry. The SEC staff has taken the position that investment of 25% or more of a fund’s total assets in one or more issuers conducting their principal activities in the same industry or group of industries constitutes concentration. It is possible that interpretations of concentration could change in the future. A fund that invests a significant percentage of its total assets in a single industry may be particularly susceptible to adverse events affecting that industry and may be more risky than a fund that does not concentrate in an industry. The policy in (7) above will be interpreted to refer to concentration as that term may be interpreted from time to time. The policy also will be interpreted to permit investment without limit in the following: securities of the U.S. government and its agencies or instrumentalities; securities of state, territory, possession or municipal governments and their authorities, agencies, instrumentalities or political subdivisions; securities of foreign governments; and repurchase agreements collateralized by any such obligations. Accordingly, issuers of the foregoing securities will not be considered to be members of any industry. There also will be no limit on investment in issuers domiciled in a single jurisdiction or country. The policy also will be interpreted to give broad authority to the fund as to how to classify issuers within or among industries.

The fund’s fundamental policies are written and will be interpreted broadly. For example, the policies will be interpreted to refer to the 1940 Act and the related rules as they are in effect from time to time, and to interpretations and modifications of or relating to the 1940 Act by the SEC and others as they are given from time to time. When a policy provides that an investment practice may be conducted as permitted by the 1940 Act, the policy will be interpreted to mean either that the 1940 Act expressly permits the practice or that the 1940 Act does not prohibit the practice.

Non-Fundamental Investment Policies

Under the non-fundamental investment policies adopted by the fund, the fund is prohibited from:

1.  Investing in oil, gas or other mineral exploration or development programs, except that the fund may invest in the securities of companies that invest in or sponsor those programs.

2.  Writing or selling puts, calls, straddles, spreads or combinations thereof, except as permitted under the fund’s investment objective and policies.

3.  Purchasing restricted securities, illiquid securities (such as repurchase agreements with maturities in excess of 7 days) or other securities that are not readily marketable if more than 15% of the total assets of the fund would be invested in such securities.

4.  Purchasing any security if, as a result, the fund would then have more than 10% of its total assets invested in securities of companies (including predecessors) that have been in continuous operation for fewer than 3 years.

5.  Making investments for the purpose of exercising control or management.

6.  Purchasing or retaining securities of any company if, to the knowledge of the Trust, any of the Trust’s officers or Trustees or any officer or director of the manager individually owns more than  1/2 of 1% of the outstanding securities of such company and together they own beneficially more than 5% of the securities.

7.  Investing in warrants other than those acquired by the fund as part of a unit or attached to securities at the time of purchase (except as permitted under the fund’s investment objective and policies) if, as a result, the investments (valued at the lower of cost or market) would exceed 10% of the value of the fund’s

 

40


total assets. At no time may more than 5% of the fund’s total assets be invested in warrants not listed on a recognized U.S. or foreign stock exchange, to the extent permitted by applicable state securities laws.

8.  Investing in securities of other investment companies, except to the extent permitted under the 1940 Act.

Diversification

The fund is currently classified as a diversified fund under the 1940 Act. This means that the fund may not purchase securities of an issuer (other than obligations issued or guaranteed by the U.S. government, its agencies or instrumentalities) if, with respect to 75% of the fund’s total assets, (a) more than 5% of the fund’s total assets would be invested in securities of that issuer, or (b) the fund would hold more than 10% of the outstanding voting securities of that issuer. With respect to the remaining 25% of its total assets, the fund can invest more than 5% of its assets in one issuer. Under the 1940 Act, the fund cannot change its classification from diversified to non-diversified without shareholder approval.

Portfolio Turnover

For reporting purposes, the fund’s portfolio turnover rate is calculated by dividing the lesser of purchases or sales of portfolio securities for the fiscal year by the monthly average of the value of the portfolio securities owned by the fund during the fiscal year. In determining such portfolio turnover, all securities whose maturities at the time of acquisition were one year or less are excluded. A 100% portfolio turnover rate would occur, for example, if all of the securities in the fund’s investment portfolio (other than short-term money market securities) were replaced once during the fiscal year. Portfolio turnover will not be a limiting factor should the subadviser deem it advisable to purchase or sell securities.

In the event that portfolio turnover increases, this increase necessarily results in correspondingly greater transaction costs which must be paid by the fund. To the extent portfolio trading results in realization of net short-term capital gains, shareholders will be taxed on such gains at ordinary tax rates (except shareholders who invest through individual retirement accounts (“IRAs”) and other retirement plans which are not taxed currently on accumulations in their accounts).

For the fiscal years ended July 31, 2005 and 2006 the portfolio turnover rates of the fund were 79% and 98%, respectively.

Portfolio Transactions

Subject to such policies as may be established by the Board from time to time, the subadviser is primarily responsible for the fund’s portfolio decisions and the placing of the fund’s portfolio transactions, except that the manager manages the cash and short-term investments of the fund. Commissions are negotiated with broker/dealers on all transactions.

The cost of securities purchased from underwriters includes an underwriting commission, concession or a net price. The purchase by the fund of participations or assignments may be pursuant to privately negotiated transactions pursuant to which the fund may be required to pay fees to the seller or forego a portion of payments in respect of the participation agreement. The aggregate brokerage commissions paid by the fund for its three most recent fiscal years is set forth below under “Aggregate Brokerage Commissions Paid.”

Pursuant to the Management Agreement and Sub-Advisory Agreement, each of the manager and the subadviser is authorized to place orders pursuant to its investment determinations for the fund either directly with the issuer or with any broker or dealer, foreign currency dealer, futures commission merchant or others selected by it. The general policy of the manager and the subadviser in selecting brokers and dealers is to obtain the best

 

41


results achievable in the context of a number of factors which are considered both in relation to individual trades and broader trading patterns, including the reliability of the broker/dealer, the competitiveness of the price and the commission, the research services received and whether the broker/dealer commits its own capital.

In connection with the selection of such brokers or dealers and the placing of such orders, subject to applicable law, brokers or dealers may be selected who also provide brokerage and research services (as those terms are defined in Section 28(e) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934) to the fund and/or the other accounts over which the manager, the subadviser or their affiliates exercise investment discretion. The manager and subadviser are authorized to pay a broker or dealer who provides such brokerage and research services a commission for executing a portfolio transaction for the fund which is in excess of the amount of commission another broker or dealer would have charged for effecting that transaction if the manager or the subadviser determines in good faith that such amount of commission is reasonable in relation to the value of the brokerage and research services provided by such broker or dealer. This determination may be viewed in terms of either that particular transaction or the overall responsibilities that the manager, the subadviser and their affiliates have with respect to accounts over which they exercise investment discretion. The manager and/or subadviser may also have arrangements with brokers pursuant to which such brokers provide research services to the manager or subadviser, as applicable, in exchange for a certain volume of brokerage transactions to be executed by such brokers. While the payment of higher commissions increases the fund’s costs, neither the manager nor the subadviser believes that the receipt of such brokerage and research services significantly reduces its expenses as manager or subadviser. Arrangements for the receipt of research services from brokers may create conflicts of interest.

Research services furnished to the manager or subadviser by brokers who effect securities transactions for the fund may be used by the manager or subadviser in servicing other investment companies and accounts which it manages. Similarly, research services furnished to the manager or subadviser by brokers who effect securities transactions for other investment companies and accounts which the manager or subadviser manages may be used by the manager or subadviser, as applicable, in servicing the fund. Not all of these research services are used by the manager or subadviser in managing any particular account, including the fund.

For the fiscal year ended July 31, 2006, the fund did not direct any amounts to brokerage transactions related to research services and did not pay any brokerage commissions related to research services.

The fund contemplates that, consistent with the policy of obtaining the best net results, brokerage transactions may be conducted through “affiliated broker/dealers,” as defined in the 1940 Act. The Board has adopted procedures in accordance with Rule 17e-1 under the 1940 Act to ensure that all brokerage commissions paid to such affiliates are reasonable and fair in the context of the market in which such affiliates operate. Effective December 1, 2005, CGMI is no longer an affiliated person of the fund under the 1940 Act. As a result, the fund will be permitted to execute portfolio transactions with CGMI or an affiliate of CGMI as agent (but not as principal) without being subject to the restrictions applicable to transactions with affiliated persons.

Aggregate Brokerage Commissions Paid

For the fiscal years ended July 31, 2004, 2005 and 2006, the fund paid aggregate brokerage commissions to CGMI and its affiliates as set out below:

 

Fiscal Year

  

Aggregate

Brokerage

Commissions

Paid

2004

   $ 184,293

2005

     —  

2006

     50,821

 

42


For the fiscal year ended July 31, 2006, the percentage of the fund’s aggregate brokerage commissions paid to CGMI and its affiliates and the percentage of the fund’s aggregate dollar amount of transactions involving the payment of commissions effected through CGMI and its affiliates were zero.

As of December 1, 2005, LMIS became an underwriter of the fund under the 1940 Act. For the period December 1, 2005 through July 31, 2006, the fund did not pay any brokerage commissions to LMIS or its affiliates.

In certain instances, there may be securities that are suitable as an investment for the fund as well as for one or more of the manager’s or subadviser’s other clients. Investment decisions for the fund and for the manager’s or subadviser’s other clients are made with a view to achieving their respective investment objectives. It may develop that a particular security is bought or sold for only one client even though it might be held by, or bought or sold for, other clients. Likewise, a particular security may be bought for one or more clients when one or more clients are selling the same security. Some simultaneous transactions are inevitable when several clients receive investment advice from the same manager, particularly when the same security is suitable for the investment objectives of more than one client. When two or more clients are simultaneously engaged in the purchase or sale of the same security, the securities are allocated among clients in a manner believed to be equitable to each. It is recognized that in some cases this system could adversely affect the price of or the size of the position obtainable in a security for the fund. When purchases or sales of the same security for the fund and for other portfolios managed by the manager or subadviser occur contemporaneously, the purchase or sale orders may be aggregated in order to obtain any price advantages available to large volume purchases or sales.

The fund may use CGMI as a commodities broker in connection with entering into futures contracts and options on futures contracts. CGMI has agreed to charge the fund commodity commissions at rates comparable to those charged by CGMI to its most favored clients for comparable trades in comparable accounts.

During the fiscal year ended July 31, 2006, the fund purchased securities issued by the following regular broker/dealer of the fund, which had the following value as of July 31, 2006:

 

Name of Regular Broker or Dealer or Parent (Issuer)

   Type of
Security Owned
   Value of
Securities
Owned at End
of Current
Period

Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith

   Debt    $ 2,793,000

DISCLOSURE OF PORTFOLIO HOLDINGS

The Board has adopted policies and procedures developed by LMPFA with respect to the disclosure of the fund’s portfolio securities and any ongoing arrangements to make available information about the fund’s portfolio securities. The policy requires that consideration always be given as to whether disclosure of information about the fund’s portfolio holdings is in the best interests of the fund’s shareholders, and that any conflicts of interest between the interests of the fund’s shareholders and those of LMPFA, the fund’s distributors, or their affiliates, be addressed in a manner that places the interests of fund shareholders first. The policy provides that information regarding the fund’s portfolio holdings may not be shared with non-Legg Mason employees, with investors or potential investors (whether individual or institutional), or with third parties unless it is done for legitimate fund business purposes and in accordance with the policy.

LMPFA’s policy generally provides for the release of details of securities positions once they are considered “stale.” Data is considered stale 25 calendar days following quarter-end for funds other than money market funds, and 25 calendar days following month-end with respect to money market funds. LMPFA believes that this passage of time prevents a third party from benefiting from an investment decision made by a fund that has not been fully reflected by the market.

 

43


Under the policy, the fund’s complete list of holdings (including the size of each position) may be made available to investors, potential investors, third parties and non-Legg Mason employees with simultaneous public disclosure at least 25 days after calendar quarter end, except in the case of a money market fund’s holdings, which may be released with simultaneous public disclosure at least 25 days after month end. Typically, simultaneous public disclosure is achieved by the filing of Form N-Q or Form N-CSR in accordance with SEC rules, provided that such filings may not be made until 25 days following quarter-end and/or posting the information to a Legg Mason or the fund’s Internet site that is accessible by the public, or through public release by a third party vendor.

The policy permits the release of limited portfolio holdings information that is not yet considered stale in a number of situations, including:

1.   The fund’s top ten securities, current as of month-end, and the individual size of each such security position may be released at any time following month-end with simultaneous public disclosure.

2.   The fund’s top ten securities positions (including the aggregate but not individual size of such positions) may be released at any time with simultaneous public disclosure.

3.   A list of securities (that may include fund holdings together with other securities) followed by a portfolio manager (without position sizes or identification of particular funds) may be disclosed to sell-side brokers at any time for the purpose of obtaining research and/or market information from such brokers.

4.   A trade in process may be discussed only with counterparties, potential counterparties and others involved in the transaction (i.e., brokers and custodians).

5.   The fund’s sector weightings, yield and duration (for fixed income and money market funds), performance attribution (e.g., analysis of the fund’s out performance or underperformance of its benchmark based on its portfolio holdings) and other summary and statistical information that does not include identification of specific portfolio holdings may be released, even if non-public, if such release is otherwise in accordance with the policy’s general principles.

6.   The fund’s portfolio holdings may be released on an as-needed basis to its legal counsel, counsel to its independent trustees, and its independent public accountants, in required regulatory filings or otherwise to governmental agencies and authorities.

Under the policy, if information about the fund’s portfolio holdings is released pursuant to an ongoing arrangement with any party, the fund must have a legitimate business purpose for the release of the information, and either the party receiving the information must be under a duty of confidentiality, or the release of non-public information must be subject to trading restrictions and confidential treatment to prohibit the entity from sharing with an unauthorized source or trading upon any non-public information provided. Neither the fund, nor Legg Mason, nor any other affiliated party may receive compensation or any other consideration in connection with such arrangements. Ongoing arrangements to make available information about the fund’s portfolio securities will be reviewed at least annually by the fund’s Board.

The approval of the fund’s Chief Compliance Officer, or designee, must be obtained before entering into any new ongoing arrangement or altering any existing ongoing arrangement to make available portfolio holdings information, or with respect to any exceptions to the policy. Any exceptions to the policy must be consistent with the purposes of the policy. Exceptions are considered on a case-by-case basis and are granted only after a thorough examination and consultation with LMPFA’s legal department, as necessary. Exceptions to the policies are reported to the fund’s Board at its next regularly scheduled meeting.

Currently, the fund discloses its complete portfolio holdings approximately 25 days after calendar quarter-end on its website: http://www.leggmason.com/InvestorServices.

 

44


Set forth below is a list, as of March 13, 2007, of those parties with whom LMPFA, on behalf of the fund, has authorized ongoing arrangements that include the release of portfolio holdings information in accordance with the policy, as well as the frequency of the release under such arrangements, and the length of the lag, if any, between the date of the information and the date on which the information is disclosed. The parties identified below as recipients are service providers, fund rating agencies, consultants and analysts.

Recipient

  

Frequency

  

Delay Before Dissemination

State Street Bank and Trust Company
(Fund Custodian and Accounting Agent)

   Daily    None

Institutional Shareholders Services
(Proxy Voting Services)

   As necessary    None

Bloomberg

   Quarterly    25 days after quarter-end

Lipper

   Quarterly    25 days after quarter-end

S&P

   Quarterly    25 days after quarter-end

Morningstar

   Quarterly    25 days after quarter-end

Vestek

   Daily    None

Factset

   Daily    None

The Bank of New York

   Daily    None

Portfolio holdings information for the fund may also be released from time to time pursuant to ongoing arrangements with the following parties:

Recipient

  

Frequency

  

Delay Before Dissemination

Baseline

   Daily    None

Frank Russell

   Monthly    1 day

Callan

   Quarterly    25 days after quarter-end

Mercer

   Quarterly    25 days after quarter-end

eVestment Alliance

   Quarterly    25 days after quarter-end

CRA RogersCasey

   Quarterly    25 days after quarter-end

Cambridge Associates

   Quarterly    25 days after quarter-end

Marco Consulting

   Quarterly    25 days after quarter-end

Wilshire

   Quarterly    25 days after quarter-end

Informa Investment Services (Efron)

   Quarterly    25 days after quarter-end

CheckFree (Mobius)

   Quarterly    25 days after quarter-end

Nelsons Information

   Quarterly    25 days after quarter-end

Investors Tools

   Daily    None

Advent

   Daily    None

BARRA

   Daily    None

Plexus

   Quarterly     (Calendar)   

Sent 1-3 business days following

    quarter-end

Elkins/McSherry

   Quarterly     (Calendar)   

Sent 1-3 business days following

    quarter-end

Quantitative Services Group

   Daily    None

AMBAC

   Daily    None

Deutsche Bank

   Monthly    Sent 6-8 business days

Fitch

   Monthly    Sent 6-8 business days

Liberty Hampshire

  

Weekly and

Month End

   None

SunTrust

  

Weekly and

Month End

   None

New England Pension Consultants

   Quarterly    25 days after quarter-end

Evaluation Associates

   Quarterly    25 days after quarter-end

 

45


Recipient

  

Frequency

  

Delay Before Dissemination

Watson Wyatt

   Quarterly    25 days after quarter-end

Moody’s (Rating Agency)

  

Weekly Tuesday

Night

   1 business day

S&P (Rating Agency)

  

Weekly Tuesday

Night

   1 business day

Electra Information Systems

  

Daily

   None

SunGard

  

Daily

   None

PURCHASE OF SHARES

General

Investors may purchase shares from a Service Agent. In addition, certain investors, including retirement plans purchasing through certain Service Agents, may purchase shares directly from the fund. When purchasing shares of the fund, investors must specify whether the purchase is for Class A, B, C or I* shares, as applicable. Service Agents may charge their customers an annual account maintenance fee in connection with a brokerage account through which an investor purchases or holds shares. Accounts held directly at the transfer agent are not subject to a maintenance fee.

For additional information regarding applicable investment minimums and eligibility requirements, please see the fund’s prospectus.

There are no minimum investment requirements for purchases of Class A shares by (i) current and retired board members of Legg Mason, (ii) current and retired board members of any fund advised by LMPFA (such board members, together with board members of Legg Mason, are referred to herein as “Board Members”), (iii) current employees of Legg Mason and its subsidiaries, (iv) the “immediate families” of such persons (“immediate families” are such person’s spouse, including the surviving spouse of a deceased Board Member, and children under the age of 21), and (v) a pension, profit-sharing or other benefit plan for the benefit of such persons. The fund reserves the right to waive or change minimums, to decline any order to purchase its shares and to suspend the offering of shares from time to time.

Purchase orders received by the fund or a Service Agent prior to the close of regular trading on the NYSE on any day the fund calculates its net asset value are priced according to the net asset value determined on that day (the “trade date”). Orders received by a Service Agent prior to the close of regular trading on the NYSE on any day the fund calculates its net asset value are priced according to the net asset value determined on that day, provided the order is received by the fund’s agent prior to its close of business.

Systematic Investment Plan.    Shareholders may make additions to their accounts at any time by purchasing shares through a service known as the Systematic Investment Plan. Under the Systematic Investment Plan, a distributor or the transfer agent is authorized through preauthorized transfers of at least $25 on a monthly, quarterly, every alternate month, semi-annual or annual basis to charge the shareholder’s account held with a bank or other financial institution as indicated by the shareholder, to provide for systematic additions to the shareholder’s fund account. A shareholder who has insufficient funds to complete the transfer will be charged a fee of up to $25 by a distributor or the transfer agent. The Systematic Investment Plan authorizes a distributor to apply cash held in the shareholder’s brokerage account or redeem the shareholder’s shares of certain money market funds managed by the manager or its affiliates to make additions to the account. Additional information is available from the fund or a Service Agent.

 


* As of November 20, 2006, Class Y shares were renamed Class I shares.

 

46


Sales Charge Alternatives

The following classes of shares are available for purchase. See the fund’s prospectus for a discussion of who is eligible to purchase certain classes and of factors to consider in selecting which class of shares to purchase.

Class A Shares.    Class A shares are sold to investors at the public offering price, which is the net asset value (“NAV”) plus an initial sales charge, as described in the fund’s prospectus.

Members of the selling group may receive a portion of the sales charge as described in the fund’s prospectus and may be deemed to be underwriters of the fund as defined in the 1933 Act. Sales charges are calculated based on the aggregate of purchases of Class A shares of the fund made at one time by any “person,” which includes an individual and his or her spouse and children under the age of 21, or a trustee or other fiduciary of a single trust estate or single fiduciary account. For additional information regarding sales charge reductions, see “Sales Charge Waivers and Reductions” below.

Purchases of Class A shares of $1,000,000 or more will be made at NAV without any initial sales charge, but will be subject to a contingent deferred sales charge of 1.00% on redemptions made within 12 months of purchase. The contingent deferred sales charge is waived in the same circumstances in which the contingent deferred sales charge applicable to Class B and Class C shares is waived. See “Contingent Deferred Sales Charge Provisions” and “Waivers of Contingent Deferred Sales Charge” below.

Class B and C Shares.    Class B and Class C shares are sold without an initial sales charge but are subject to a contingent deferred sales charge payable upon certain redemptions. See “Contingent Deferred Sales Charge Provisions” below.

Class I shares.    Class I shares are sold at NAV with no initial sales charge on purchases and no contingent deferred sales charge upon redemption.

Sales Charge Waivers and Reductions

Initial Sales Charge Waivers.    Purchases of Class A shares may be made at NAV without an initial sales charge in the following circumstances:

 

 

  (a) sales to (i) current and retired board members of Legg Mason, (ii) current and retired Board Members, (iii) current employees of Legg Mason and its subsidiaries, (iv) the “immediate families” of such persons (“immediate families” are such person’s spouse, including the surviving spouse of a deceased Board Member, and children under the age of 21), and (v) a pension, profit-sharing or other benefit plan for the benefit of such persons;

 

  (b) sales to any employees of Service Agents having dealer, service or other selling agreements with the fund’s distributors or otherwise having an arrangement with any such Service Agent with respect to sales of fund shares, and by the immediate families of such persons or by a pension, profit-sharing or other benefit plan for the benefit of such persons (providing the purchase is made for investment purposes and such securities will not be resold except through redemption or repurchase);

 

  (c) offers of Class A shares to any other investment company to effect the combination of such company with the fund by merger, acquisition of assets or otherwise;

 

  (d) purchases by shareholders who have redeemed Class A shares in the fund (or Class A shares of another Legg Mason Partners fund that is offered with a sales charge) and who wish to reinvest their redemption proceeds in the fund, provided the reinvestment is made within 60 calendar days of the redemption;

 

  (e) purchases by accounts managed by registered investment advisory subsidiaries of Citigroup Inc. (“Citigroup”);

 

47


  (f) purchases by certain separate accounts used to fund unregistered variable annuity contracts; and

 

  (g) purchases by investors participating in “wrap fee” or asset allocation programs or other fee-based arrangements sponsored by (affiliated and non-affiliated) broker/dealers and other financial institutions that have entered into agreements with CGMI or LMIS.

In order to obtain such discounts, the purchaser must provide sufficient information at the time of purchase to permit verification that the purchase qualifies for the elimination of the sales charge.

Accumulation Privilege.     Please see the fund’s prospectus for information regarding accumulation privileges.

Letter of Intent—helps you take advantage of breakpoints in Class A sales charges. You may purchase Class A shares of Legg Mason Partners funds over a 13-month period and pay the same sales charge, if any, as if all shares had been purchased at once.

You have a choice of seven Asset Level Goal amounts, as follows:

 

    

(1) $25,000

  

(5) $500,000

  
    

(2) $50,000

  

(6) $750,000

  
    

(3) $100,000

  

(7) $1,000,000

  
    

(4) $250,000

     

Each time you make a Class A purchase under a Letter of Intent, you will be entitled to the sales charge that is applicable to the amount of your Asset Level Goal. For example, if your Asset Level Goal is $100,000, any Class A investments you make under a Letter of Intent would be subject to the sales charge of the specific fund you are investing in for purchases of $100,000. Sales charges and breakpoints vary among the Legg Mason Partners funds.

When you enter into a Letter of Intent, you agree to purchase in Eligible Accounts over a 13-month period Eligible Fund Purchases in an amount equal to the Asset Level Goal you have selected, less any Eligible Prior Purchases. For this purpose, shares are valued at the public offering price (including any sales charge paid) calculated as of the date of purchase, plus any appreciation in the value of the shares as of the date of calculation, except for Eligible Prior Purchases, which are valued at current value as of the date of calculation. Your commitment will be met if at any time during the 13-month period the value, as so determined, of eligible holdings is at least equal to your Asset Level Goal. All reinvested dividends and distributions on shares acquired under the Letter of Intent will be credited towards your Asset Level Goal. You may include any Eligible Fund Purchases towards the Letter of Intent, including shares of classes other than Class A shares. However, a Letter of Intent will not entitle you to a reduction in the sales charge payable on any shares other than Class A shares, and if the shares are subject to a contingent deferred sales charge, you will still be subject to that contingent deferred sales charge with respect to those shares. You must make reference to the Letter of Intent each time you make a purchase under the Letter of Intent.

Eligible Fund Purchases.    Generally, any shares of a Legg Mason Partners fund may be credited towards your Asset Level Goal. Shares of certain money market funds advised by the manager or its affiliates (except for money market fund shares acquired by exchange from other Legg Mason Partners funds), Legg Mason Partners S&P 500 Index Fund and Class O shares of Legg Mason Partners Equity Fund are not eligible. This list may change from time to time. Investors should check with their Service Agent to see which funds may be eligible.

Eligible Accounts.    Purchases may be made through any account in your name, or in the name of your spouse or your children under the age of 21. You may need to provide certain records, such as account statements, in order to verify your eligibility for reduced sales charges. Contact your Service Agent to see which accounts may be credited toward your Asset Level Goal.

 

48


Eligible Prior Purchases.    You may also credit towards your Asset Level Goal any Eligible Fund Purchases made in Eligible Accounts at any time prior to entering into the Letter of Intent that have not been sold or redeemed, based on the current price of those shares as of the date of calculation.

Purchases made 90 days prior to the 13-month period are also eligible to be treated as purchases made under the Letter of Intent. Any Eligible Fund Purchases in Eligible Accounts made during that period will count towards your Goal and will also be eligible for the lower sales charge applicable to your Asset Level Goal. You will be credited by way of additional shares at the current offering price for the difference between (a) the aggregate sales charges actually paid for those eligible shares, and (b) the aggregate applicable sales charges for your Asset Level Goal.

Increasing the Amount of the Letter of Intent.    You may at any time increase your Asset Level Goal. You must, however, contact your Service Agent, or if you purchase your shares directly through PFPC, contact PFPC prior to making any purchases in an amount in excess of your current Asset Level Goal. Upon such an increase, you will be credited by way of additional shares at the then current offering price for the difference between: (a) the aggregate sales charges actually paid for shares already purchased under the Letter of Intent; and (b) the aggregate applicable sales charges for the increased Asset Level Goal. The 13-month period during which the Asset Level Goal must be achieved will remain unchanged.

Sales and Exchanges.    Shares acquired pursuant to a Letter of Intent, other than Escrowed Shares as defined below, may be redeemed or exchanged at any time, although any shares that are redeemed prior to meeting your Asset Level Goal will no longer count towards meeting your Asset Level Goal. However, complete liquidation of purchases made under a Letter of Intent prior to meeting the Asset Level Goal will result in the cancellation of the Letter of Intent. See “Failure to Meet Asset Level Goal” below. Exchanges in accordance with the fund’s prospectus are permitted, and shares so exchanged will continue to count towards your Asset Level Goal, as long as the exchange results in an Eligible Fund Purchase.

Cancellation of Letter of Intent.    You may cancel a Letter of Intent by notifying your Service Agent in writing, or if you purchase your shares directly through PFPC, by notifying PFPC in writing. The Letter of Intent will be automatically cancelled if all shares are sold or redeemed as set forth above. See “Failure to Meet Asset Level Goal” below.

Escrowed Shares.    Shares equal in value to 5% of your Asset Level Goal as of the date of your Letter of Intent (or the date of any increase in the amount of the Letter of Intent) is accepted, will be held in escrow during the term of your Letter of Intent. The Escrowed Shares will be included in the total shares owned as reflected in your account statement and any dividends and capital gains distributions applicable to the Escrowed Shares will be credited to your account and counted towards your Asset Level Goal or paid in cash upon request. The Escrowed Shares will be released from escrow if all the terms of your Letter of Intent are met.

Failure to Meet Asset Level Goal.    If the total assets under your Letter of Intent within its 13-month term are less than your Asset Level Goal or you elect to liquidate all of your holdings or cancel the Letter of Intent before reaching your Asset Level Goal, you will be liable for the difference between: (a) the sales charge actually paid, and (b) the sales charge that would have applied if you had not entered into the Letter of Intent. You may, however, be entitled to any breakpoints that would have been available to you under the accumulation privilege. An appropriate number of shares in your account will be redeemed to realize the amount due. For these purposes, by entering into a Letter of Intent, you irrevocably appoint your Service Agent, or if you purchase your shares directly through PFPC, PFPC, as your attorney-in-fact for the purposes of holding the Escrowed Shares and surrendering shares in your account for redemption. If there are insufficient assets in your account, you will be liable for the difference. Any Escrowed Shares remaining after such redemption will be released to your account.

 

49


Contingent Deferred Sales Charge Provisions

“Contingent deferred sales charge shares” are: (a) Class B shares; (b) Class C shares; and (c) Class A shares that were purchased without an initial sales charge but are subject to a contingent deferred sales charge. A contingent deferred sales charge may be imposed on certain redemptions of these shares.

Any applicable contingent deferred sales charge will be assessed on the NAV at the time of purchase or redemption, whichever is less.

Class C shares and Class A shares that are contingent deferred sales charge shares are subject to a 1.00% contingent deferred sales charge if redeemed within 12 months of purchase. In circumstances in which the contingent deferred sales charge is imposed on Class B shares, the amount of the charge will depend on the number of years since the shareholder made the purchase payment from which the amount is being redeemed, as further discussed in the fund’s prospectus. Solely for purposes of determining the number of years since a purchase payment, all purchase payments made during a month will be aggregated and deemed to have been made on the last day of the preceding statement month.

Class B shares will convert automatically to Class A shares approximately 8 years after the date on which they were purchased and thereafter will no longer be subject to any distribution fees. There will also be converted at that time such proportion of Class B dividend shares (Class B shares that were acquired through the reinvestment of dividends and distributions) owned by the shareholder as the total number of his or her Class B shares converting at the time bears to the total number of outstanding Class B shares (other than Class B dividend shares) owned by the shareholder.

In determining the applicability of any contingent deferred sales charge, it will be assumed that a redemption is made first of shares representing capital appreciation, next of shares representing the reinvestment of dividends and capital gain distributions, next of shares that are not subject to the contingent deferred sales charge and finally of other shares held by the shareholder for the longest period of time. The length of time that contingent deferred sales charge shares acquired through an exchange have been held will be calculated from the date the shares exchanged were initially acquired in one of the other Legg Mason Partners funds. For federal income tax purposes, the amount of the contingent deferred sales charge will reduce the gain or increase the loss, as the case may be, on the amount realized on redemption. The fund’s distributors receive contingent deferred sales charges in partial consideration for their expenses in selling shares.

Waivers of Contingent Deferred Sales Charge

The contingent deferred sales charge will be waived on: (a) exchanges (see “Exchange Privilege” below); (b) automatic cash withdrawals in amounts equal to or less than 2% per month of the shareholder’s account balance at the time the withdrawals commence, up to a maximum of 12% in one year (see “Automatic Cash Withdrawal Plan” below); (c) redemptions of shares within 12 months following the death or disability (as defined in the Code) of the shareholder; (d) mandatory post-retirement distributions from retirement plans or IRAs commencing on or after attainment of age 70 1/2 (except that shareholders who purchased shares subject to a contingent deferred sales charge prior to May 23, 2005 will be “grandfathered” and will be eligible to obtain the waiver at age 59 1/2 by demonstrating such eligibility at the time of redemption); (e) involuntary redemptions; (f) redemptions of shares to effect a combination of the fund with any investment company by merger, acquisition of assets or otherwise; (g) tax-free returns of an excess contribution to any retirement plan; and (h) certain redemptions of shares of the fund in connection with lump-sum or other distributions made by eligible retirement plans or redemptions of shares by participants in certain “wrap fee” or asset allocation programs sponsored by broker/dealers and other financial institutions that have entered into agreements with a distributor or the manager.

 

50


As of November 20, 2006, the contingent deferred sales charge will be waived on new Class C shares purchased by retirement plan omnibus accounts held on the books of the fund.

A shareholder who has redeemed shares from other Legg Mason Partners funds may, under certain circumstances, reinvest all or part of the redemption proceeds within 60 days and receive pro rata credit for any contingent deferred sales charge imposed on the prior redemption.

Contingent deferred sales charge waivers will be granted subject to confirmation by a distributor or the transfer agent of the shareholder’s status or holdings, as the case may be.

REDEMPTION OF SHARES

General

The right of redemption may be suspended or the date of payment postponed (a) for any period during which the NYSE is closed (other than for customary weekend and holiday closings), (b) when trading in the markets the fund normally utilizes is restricted, or an emergency exists, as determined by the SEC, so that disposal of the fund’s investments or determination of net asset value is not reasonably practicable, or (c) for such other periods as the SEC by order may permit for protection of the fund’s shareholders.

Any signature appearing on a written redemption request in excess of $50,000 must be guaranteed by an eligible guarantor institution such as a domestic bank, savings and loan institution, domestic credit union, member bank of the Federal Reserve System or member firm of a national securities exchange. Written redemption requests of $50,000 or less do not require a signature guarantee unless more than one such redemption request is made in any ten-day period. Redemption proceeds will be mailed to an investor’s address of record. The transfer agent may require additional supporting documents for redemptions made by corporations, executors, administrators, trustees or guardians. A redemption request will not be deemed properly received until the transfer agent receives all required documents in proper form.

If a shareholder holds shares in more than one class, any request for redemption must specify the class being redeemed. In the event of a failure to specify which class, or if the investor owns fewer shares of the class than specified, the redemption request will be delayed until the transfer agent receives further instructions. The redemption proceeds will be remitted on or before the seventh business day following receipt of proper tender, except on days on which the NYSE is closed or as permitted under the 1940 Act, in extraordinary circumstances. Redemption proceeds for shares purchased by check, other than a certified or official bank check, will be remitted upon clearance of the check, which may take up to ten days. Each Service Agent is responsible for transmitting promptly orders for its customers.

The Service Agent may charge you a fee for executing your order. The amount and applicability of such a fee is determined and disclosed to its customers by each Service Agent.

Additional Information Regarding Telephone Redemption and Exchange Program. Neither the fund nor its agents will be liable for following instructions communicated by telephone that are reasonably believed to be genuine. The fund and its agents will employ procedures designed to verify the identity of the caller and legitimacy of instructions (for example, a shareholder’s name and account number will be required and phone calls may be recorded). The fund reserves the right to suspend, modify or discontinue the telephone redemption and exchange program or to impose a charge for this service at any time following at least 7 days’ prior notice to shareholders.

 

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Automatic Cash Withdrawal Plan

An automatic cash withdrawal plan (the “Withdrawal Plan”) is available to shareholders, as described in the fund’s prospectus. To the extent withdrawals under the Withdrawal Plan exceed dividends, distributions and appreciation of a shareholder’s investment in the fund, there will be a reduction in the value of the shareholder’s investment, and continued withdrawal payments may reduce the shareholder’s investment and ultimately exhaust it. Withdrawal payments should not be considered as income from investment in the fund. Furthermore, as it generally would not be advantageous to a shareholder to make additional investments in the fund at the same time that he or she is participating in the Withdrawal Plan, purchases by such shareholders in amounts of less than $5,000 will not ordinarily be permitted. The Withdrawal Plan will be carried over on exchanges between funds or classes of the fund. All dividends and distributions on shares in the Withdrawal Plan are reinvested automatically at net asset value in additional shares of the fund.

Distributions in Kind

If the Board determines that it would be detrimental to the best interests of the remaining shareholders of the fund to make a redemption payment wholly in cash, the fund may pay, in accordance with SEC rules, any portion of a redemption in excess of the lesser of $250,000 or 1.00% of the fund’s net assets by a distribution in kind of fund securities in lieu of cash. If a redemption is paid in portfolio securities, such securities will be valued in accordance with the procedures described under “Share price” in the fund’s prospectus. Securities issued as a distribution in kind may incur brokerage commissions when shareholders subsequently sell those securities.

Determination of Public Offering Price

The fund offers its shares to the public on a continuous basis. The public offering price for each class of shares of the fund is equal to the net asset value per share at the time of purchase, plus for Class A shares an initial sales charge based on the aggregate amount of the investment. A contingent deferred sales charge, however, is imposed on certain redemptions of Class A, B and C shares.

Set forth below is an example of the method of computing the offering price of the Class A shares of the fund based on the net asset value of a share of the fund as of January 31, 2007:

 

Class A (based on a net asset value of $17.73 and a maximum initial sales charge of 5.75%)

   $ 18.81

EXCHANGE PRIVILEGE

General

The exchange privilege enables shareholders to acquire shares of the same class in a fund with different investment objectives when they believe that a shift between funds is an appropriate investment decision. This privilege is available to shareholders residing in any state in which the fund shares being acquired may legally be sold. Prior to any exchange, the shareholder should obtain and review a copy of the current prospectus of each fund into which an exchange is being considered. Prospectuses may be obtained from a Service Agent.

Upon receipt of proper instructions and all necessary supporting documents, shares submitted for exchange are redeemed at the then-current net asset value and the proceeds are immediately invested in shares of the fund being acquired at that fund’s then current net asset value. Each distributor reserves the right to reject any exchange request. The exchange privilege may be modified or terminated at any time after written notice to shareholders.

Class A and I Exchanges.    Class A and I shareholders of the fund who wish to exchange all or a portion of their shares for shares of the respective class in another fund may do so without imposition of any charge.

 

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Class B Exchanges.    Class B shares of the fund may be exchanged for other Class B shares without a contingent deferred sales charge. Upon an exchange, the new Class B shares will be deemed to have been purchased on the same date as the Class B shares of the fund that have been exchanged.

Class C Exchanges.    Class C shares of the fund may be exchanged for other Class C shares without a contingent deferred sales charge. Upon an exchange, the new Class C shares will be deemed to have been purchased on the same date as the Class C shares of the fund that have been exchanged.

Additional Information Regarding Exchanges

The fund is not designed to provide investors with a means of speculation on short-term market movements. A pattern of frequent exchanges by investors can be disruptive to efficient portfolio management and, consequently, can be detrimental to the fund and its shareholders. See “Frequent purchases and redemptions of fund shares” in the fund’s prospectus.

During times of drastic economic or market conditions, the fund may suspend the exchange privilege temporarily without notice and treat exchange requests based on their separate components—redemption orders with a simultaneous request to purchase the other fund’s shares. In such a case, the redemption request would be processed at the fund’s next determined net asset value but the purchase order would be effective only at the net asset value next determined after the fund being purchased formally accepts the order, which may result in the purchase being delayed.

Certain shareholders may be able to exchange shares by telephone. See the fund’s prospectus for additional information. Exchanges will be processed at the net asset value next determined. Redemption procedures discussed above are also applicable for exchanging shares, and exchanges will be made upon receipt of all supporting documents in proper form. If the account registration of the shares of the fund being acquired is identical to the registration of the shares of the fund exchanged, no signature guarantee is required.

This exchange privilege may be modified or terminated at any time, and is available only in those jurisdictions where such exchanges may legally be made. Before making any exchange, shareholders should contact the transfer agent or, if they hold fund shares through a Service Agent, their Service Agent, to obtain more information and prospectuses of the funds to be acquired through the exchange. An exchange is treated as a sale of the shares exchanged and could result in taxable gain or loss to the shareholder making the exchange.

DISTRIBUTORS

LMIS, a wholly-owned broker/dealer subsidiary of Legg Mason, located at 100 Light Street, Baltimore, Maryland 21202, and CGMI, an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of Citigroup, located at 388 Greenwich Street, New York, New York 10013, serve as the distributors of the fund. The distributors serve pursuant to separate written agreements or amendments to written agreements, in each case dated December 1, 2005 (the “distribution agreements”). Prior to December 1, 2005, CGMI served as the distributor of the fund.

A distributor’s obligation is an agency or “best efforts” arrangement under which the distributor is required to take and pay only for such shares of the fund as may be sold to the public. A distributor is not obligated to sell any stated number of shares. Each distribution agreement is renewable from year to year if approved (a) by the Trustees or by a vote of a majority of the fund’s outstanding voting securities, and (b) by the affirmative vote of a majority of Trustees who are not parties to such agreement or interested persons of any party by votes cast in person at a meeting called for such purpose. Each distribution agreement provides that it will terminate if assigned. The LMIS distribution agreement may be terminated without penalty by either party on 60 days’ written notice, while the CGMI distribution agreement may be terminated upon 90 days’ written notice by CGMI.

LMIS and CGMI may be deemed to be underwriters for purposes of the 1933 Act.

 

53


Services and Distribution Plan Arrangements

The fund has adopted an amended shareholder services and distribution plan (the “Distribution Plan”) pursuant to Rule 12b-1 under the 1940 Act with respect to its Class A, B and C shares.

Under the Distribution Plan, the fund pays service and/or distribution fees to LMIS and CGMI, as applicable, for services they provide and expenses they bear with respect to the distribution of Class A, B and C shares and providing services to Class A, B and C shareholders. The distributors will provide the Board with periodic reports of amounts expended under the Distribution Plan and the purposes for which such expenditures were made. In addition, the fund pays service and/or distribution fees accrued daily and payable monthly, calculated at annual rates as follows:

 

      Service Fee As a
Percentage of
Daily Net Assets
  Distribution
Fee As a
Percentage of
Daily Net Assets
  Total Service
and Distribution Fee
As a Percentage of
Daily Net Assets

Class A

   0.25%   N/A   0.25%

Class B

   0.25%   0.50%   0.75%

Class C

   0.25%   0.75%   1.00%

Fees under the Distribution Plan may be used to make payments to the distributors for distribution services, to Service Agents in respect of the sale of shares of the fund, and to other parties in respect of the sale of shares of the fund, and to make payments for advertising, marketing or other promotional activity, and payments for preparation, printing and distribution of prospectuses, statements of additional information and reports for recipients other than regulators and existing shareholders. The fund also may make payments to the distributors, Service Agents and others for providing personal service or the maintenance of shareholder accounts. The amounts paid to each recipient may vary based upon certain factors, including, among other things, the levels of sales of fund shares and/or shareholder services provided.

The Distribution Plan also provides that the distributors and Services Agents may receive all or a portion of the sales charges paid by Class A, Class B and Class C investors.

The Distribution Plan permits the fund to pay fees to distributors, Service Agents and others as compensation for their services, not as reimbursement for specific expenses incurred. Thus, even if their expenses exceed the fees provided for by the Distribution Plan, the fund will not be obligated to pay more than those fees and, if their expenses are less than the fees paid to them, they will realize a profit. The fund may pay the fees to distributors and others until the Distribution Plan or distribution agreement is terminated or not renewed. In that event, a distributor’s or other recipient’s expenses in excess of fees received or accrued through the termination date will be the distributor’s or other recipient’s sole responsibility and not obligations of the fund. In their annual consideration of the continuation of the Distribution Plan for the fund, the Trustees will review the Distribution Plan and the expenses for each class within the fund separately.

The Distribution Plan also recognizes that various service providers to the fund, such as the manager, may make payments for distribution-related expenses out of their own resources, including past profits, or payments received from the fund for other purposes, such as management fees, and that the fund’s distributors or Service Agents may from time to time use their own resources for distribution-related services, in addition to the fees paid under the Distribution Plan. The Distribution Plan specifically provides that, to the extent that such payments might be deemed to be indirect financing of any activity primarily intended to result in the sale of shares of the fund within the context of Rule 12b-1, then the payments are deemed to be authorized by the Distribution Plan, if permitted by applicable law.

As contemplated by the Distribution Plan, each distributor acts as an agent of the fund in connection with the offering of shares of the fund pursuant to the respective distribution agreement.

 

54


For the fiscal year ended July 31, 2006, CGMI incurred distribution expenses for advertising, printing and mailing prospectuses, support services and overhead expense and compensation to Service Agents as expressed in the following table:

 

      Financial
Consultant
Compensation
   Third Party
Service Fees
   Branch
Expenses
   Marketing
Expense
   Printing
Expense
   Total
Current
Expenses

Class A

   $   32,602    $ 0    $ 41,486    N/A      N/A    $ 75,523

Class B

   $ 53,860    $ 0    $ 22,627    $1,083    $   82    $ 78,569

Class C

   $ 135,170    $ 0    $ 145,292    $6,458    $ 349    $ 289,004

For the fiscal year end July 31, 2006, LMIS incurred distribution expenses for advertising, printing and mailing prospectuses, support services and overhead expenses and compensation to Service Agents and third parties as expressed in the following table:

 

      Financial
Consultant
Compensation
   Third Party
Service Fees
   Branch
Expenses
   Marketing
Expense
   Printing
Expense
   Total
Current
Expense

Class A

   $        18    $ 9,102          N/A      N/A      N/A    $ 9,120

Class B

   $ 46,054    $ 1,789    N/A    $ 2,783    $ 163    $ 50,789

Class C

   $ 14,651    $ 1,367    N/A    $ 10,590    $ 699    $ 27,306

Dealer reallowances are described in the fund’s prospectus.

Under its terms, the Distribution Plan continues in effect for one year and thereafter for successive annual periods, provided such continuance is approved annually by vote of the Board, including a majority of the Independent Trustees who have no direct or indirect financial interest in the operation of the Distribution Plan. The Distribution Plan may not be amended to increase the amount of the service and distribution fees without shareholder approval, and all amendments of the Plan also must be approved by the Trustees, including all of the Independent Trustees in the manner described above. The Distribution Plan may be terminated with respect to a class at any time, without penalty, by vote of a majority of the Independent Trustees or, with respect to the fund, by vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the fund (as defined in the 1940 Act).

Sales Charges

The following expenses were incurred during the periods indicated:

Initial Sales Charges

The aggregate dollar amount of commissions on Class A and Class C shares received by LMIS and CGMI during the fiscal years ended July 31, 2006, 2005 and 2004 were as follows:

Class A Shares*

For the fiscal year ended July 31:

 

     CGMI
and LMIS

2006

   $ 5,979

2005**

   $ 96,000

2004**

   $ 281,000

 

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Class C Shares

For the fiscal year ended July 31:

 

     CGMI and LMIS

2006

   $ 0

2005

   $ 0

2004††

   $ 148,000

* As of November 20, 2006, the initial sales charges schedule on purchases of Class A shares changed.
** All initial sales charges paid during the fiscal years ended July 31, 2004 and 2005 were paid to CGMI.
On February 2, 2004, initial sales charges on Class L shares were eliminated. Effective April 29, 2004, Class L shares were renamed Class C shares.
†† All initial sales charges paid during the fiscal year ended July 31, 2004 were paid to CGMI.

Contingent Deferred Sales Charges

Class A Shares

For the fiscal year ended July 31:

 

    

CGMI and LMIS

2006

   $ 0

2005*

   $ 260

2004*

   $ 5,000

Class B Shares

For the fiscal year ended July 31:

 

    

CGMI and LMIS

2006

   $ 12,335

2005*

   $ 63,142

2004*

   $ 69,000

Class C Shares**

For the fiscal year ended July 31:

 

    

CGMI and LMIS

2006

   $ 1,276

2005*

   $ 9,000

2004*

   $ 17,000

* All contingent deferred sales charges paid during the fiscal years ended July 31, 2004 and 2005 were paid to CGMI.
** On February 2, 2004, initial sales charges on Class L shares were eliminated. Effective April 29, 2004, Class L shares were renamed Class C shares.

Service and Distribution Plan Fees

Class A Shares

For the fiscal year ended July 31:

 

2006

   $ 120,857

2005

   $ 122,180

2004

   $ 108,709

 

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Class B Shares

For the fiscal year ended July 31:

 

2006

   $ 159,746

2005

   $ 186,353

2004

   $ 186,984

Class C Shares

For the fiscal year ended July 31:

 

2006

   $ 327,373

2005

   $ 417,565

2004

   $ 362,186

VALUATION OF SHARES

The net asset value per share of each class is calculated on each day, Monday through Friday, except days on which the NYSE is closed. The NYSE currently is scheduled to be closed on New Year’s Day, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Presidents’ Day, Good Friday, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving and Christmas, and on the preceding Friday or subsequent Monday when one of these holidays falls on a Saturday or Sunday, respectively. Because of the differences in distribution fees and class-specific expenses, the per share net asset value of each class may differ. Please see the fund’s prospectus for a description of procedures used by the fund in valuing its assets.

TAXES

The following is a summary of certain material U.S. federal (and, where noted, state and local) income tax considerations affecting the fund and its shareholders. The discussion is very general. Each current and prospective shareholder is therefore urged to consult his own tax adviser with respect to the specific federal, state, local and foreign tax consequences of investing in the fund. The summary is based on the laws in effect on the date of this SAI and existing judicial and administrative interpretations thereof, all of which are subject to change, possibly with retroactive effect.

The Fund and Its Investments

The fund will be treated as a separate taxpayer for U.S. federal income tax purposes. The fund has elected to be treated, and intends to qualify each year, as a “regulated investment company” or “RIC” under Subchapter M of the Code. To so qualify, the fund must, among other things: (a) derive at least 90% of its gross income in each taxable year from dividends, interest, payments with respect to securities loans and gains from the sale or other disposition of stock or securities, foreign currencies, other income (including, but not limited to, gains from options, futures or forward contracts) derived with respect to its business of investing in such stock, securities or currencies or net income derived from interests in “qualified publicly traded partnerships” (i.e., partnerships that are traded on an established securities market or tradable on a secondary market, other than partnerships that derives 90% of their income from interest, dividends, capital gains, and other traditional permitted mutual fund income); and (b) diversify its holdings so that, at the end of each quarter of the fund’s taxable year, (i) at least 50% of the market value of the fund’s assets is represented by cash, securities of other regulated investment companies, U.S. government securities and other securities, with such other securities limited, in respect of any one issuer, to an amount not greater than 5% of the fund’s assets and not greater than 10% of the outstanding voting securities of such issuer and (ii) not more than 25% of the value of its assets is invested in the securities

 

57


(other than U.S. government securities or securities of other regulated investment companies) of any one issuer, any two or more issuers that the fund controls and that are determined to be engaged in the same or similar trades or businesses or related trades or businesses or in the securities of one or more “qualified publicly traded partnerships.”

The fund’s investments in partnerships, including in qualified publicly traded partnerships, may result in the fund being subject to state, local or foreign income, franchise or withholding tax liabilities.

As a regulated investment company, the fund will not be subject to U.S. federal income tax on the portion of its taxable investment income and capital gains that it distributes to its shareholders, provided that it satisfies a minimum distribution requirement. To satisfy the minimum distribution requirement, the fund must distribute to its shareholders at least the sum of (i) 90% of its “investment company taxable income” (i.e., generally, the taxable income of a RIC other than its net capital gain, plus or minus certain other adjustments), and (ii) 90% of its net tax-exempt income for the taxable year. The fund will be subject to income tax at regular corporation rates on any taxable income or gains that it does not distribute to its shareholders.

On July 31, 2006, the fund had no unused capital loss carryforwards. For U.S. federal income tax purposes, these amounts are available to be applied against future capital gains, if any, realized by the fund that has the carryforwards prior to the expiration of the applicable carryforward. The carryforwards expire as follows:

The Code imposes a 4% nondeductible excise tax on the fund to the extent it does not distribute by the end of any calendar year at least the sum of (i) 98% of its ordinary income for that year and (ii) 98% of its capital gain net income (both long-term and short-term) for the one-year period ending, as a general rule, on October 31 of that year. For this purpose, however, any ordinary income or capital gain net income retained by a fund that is subject to corporate income tax will be considered to have been distributed by year-end. In addition, the minimum amounts that must be distributed in any year to avoid the excise tax will be increased or decreased to reflect any underdistribution or overdistribution, as the case may be, from the previous year. The fund anticipates that it will pay such dividends and will make such distributions as are necessary in order to avoid the application of this excise tax.

If, in any taxable year, the fund fails to qualify as a regulated investment company under the Code or fails to meet the distribution requirement, it would be taxed in the same manner as an ordinary corporation and distributions to its shareholders would not be deductible by the fund in computing its taxable income. In addition, in the event of a failure to qualify, the fund’s distributions, to the extent derived from the fund’s current or accumulated earnings and profits, including as distributions of net tax-exempt income and net long-term capital gains, would be taxable to shareholders as ordinary dividend income for federal income tax purposes to the extent of the fund’s earnings and profits. However, such dividends would be eligible (i) to be treated as qualified dividend income in the case of shareholders taxed as individuals and (ii) for the dividends received deduction in the case of corporate shareholders. Moreover, if the fund fails to qualify as a regulated investment company in any year, it must pay out its earnings and profits accumulated in that year in order to qualify again as a regulated investment company. If the fund failed to qualify as a regulated investment company for a period greater than two taxable years, the fund may be required to recognize any net built-in gains with respect to certain of its assets (i.e., the excess of the aggregate gains, including items of income, over aggregate losses that would have been realized with respect to such assets if the fund had been liquidated) if it qualifies as a regulated investment company in a subsequent year.

The fund’s transactions in zero coupon securities, foreign currencies, forward contracts, options and futures contracts (including options and futures contracts on foreign currencies), to the extent permitted, will be subject to special provisions of the Code (including provisions relating to “hedging transactions” and “straddles”) that, among other things, may affect the character of gains and losses realized by the fund (i.e., may affect whether gains or losses are ordinary or capital), accelerate recognition of income to the fund and defer fund losses. These rules could therefore affect the character, amount and timing of distributions to shareholders. These provisions

 

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also (a) will require the fund to “mark-to-market” certain types of the positions in its portfolio (i.e., treat them as if they were closed out at the end of each year) and (b) may cause the fund to recognize income prior to the receipt of cash with which to pay dividends or make distributions in amounts necessary to satisfy the distribution requirements for avoiding income and excise taxes. In order to distribute this income and avoid a tax on the fund, the fund might be required to liquidate portfolio securities that it might otherwise have continued to hold, potentially resulting in additional taxable gain or loss. The fund will monitor its transactions, will make the appropriate tax elections and will make the appropriate entries in its books and records when it acquires any zero coupon securities, foreign currency, forward contract, option, futures contract or hedged investment in order to mitigate the effect of these rules and prevent disqualification of the fund as a regulated investment company.

The fund’s investment in so-called “section 1256 contracts,” such as regulated futures contracts, most foreign currency forward contracts traded in the interbank market and options on most stock indices, are subject to special tax rules. All section 1256 contracts held by the fund at the end of its taxable year are required to be marked to their market value, and any unrealized gain or loss on those positions will be included in the fund’s income as if each position had been sold for its fair market value at the end of the taxable year. The resulting gain or loss will be combined with any gain or loss realized by the fund from positions in section 1256 contracts closed during the taxable year. Provided such positions were held as capital assets and were not part of a “hedging transaction” nor part of a “straddle,” 60% of the resulting net gain or loss will be treated as long-term capital gain or loss, and 40% of such net gain or loss will be treated as short-term capital gain or loss, regardless of the period of time the positions were actually held by the fund.

As a result of entering into swap contracts, the fund may make or receive periodic net payments. The fund may also make or receive a payment when a swap is terminated prior to maturity through an assignment of the swap or other closing transaction. Periodic net payments will generally constitute ordinary income or deductions, while termination of a swap will generally result in capital gain or loss (which will be a long-term capital gain or loss if the fund has been a party to the swap for more than one year).

The fund may be required to treat amounts as taxable income or gain, subject to the distribution requirements referred to above, even though no corresponding amounts of cash are received concurrently, as a result of (1) mark-to-market, constructive sale or rules applicable to PFICs (as defined below) or partnerships or trusts in which the fund invests or to certain options, futures or forward contracts, or “appreciated financial positions” or (2) the inability to obtain cash distributions or other amounts due to currency controls or restrictions on repatriation imposed by a foreign country with respect to the fund’s investments (including through depositary receipts) in issuers in such country or (3) tax rules applicable to debt obligations acquired with “original issue discount,” including zero-coupon or deferred payment bonds and pay-in-kind debt obligations, or to market discount if an election is made with respect to such market discount. In order to distribute this income and avoid a tax on the fund, the fund might be required to liquidate portfolio securities that it might otherwise have continued to hold, potentially resulting in additional taxable gain or loss. The fund might also meet the distribution requirements by borrowing the necessary cash, thereby incurring interest expenses.

Foreign Investments.    Dividends or other income (including, in some cases, capital gains) received by the fund from investments in foreign securities may be subject to withholding and other taxes imposed by foreign countries. Tax conventions between certain countries and the United States may reduce or eliminate such taxes in some cases. The fund does not expect to be eligible to elect to treat any foreign taxes it pays as paid by its shareholders, who therefore will not be entitled to credits for such taxes on their own tax returns. Foreign taxes paid by the fund will reduce the return from the fund’s investments.

Under Section 988 of the Code, gains or losses attributable to fluctuations in exchange rates between the time the fund accrues income or receivables or expenses or other liabilities denominated in a foreign currency and the time the fund actually collects such income or pays such liabilities are generally treated as ordinary income or ordinary loss. Similarly, gains or losses on foreign currency, foreign currency forward contracts, certain foreign currency options or futures contracts and the disposition of debt securities denominated in foreign currency, to the extent attributable to fluctuations in exchange rates between the acquisition and disposition dates, are also treated as ordinary income or loss.

 

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Passive Foreign Investment Companies.    If the fund purchases shares in certain foreign investment entities, called “passive foreign investment companies” (“PFICs”), it may be subject to U.S. federal income tax on a portion of any “excess distribution” or gain from the disposition of such shares even if such income is distributed as a taxable dividend by the fund to its shareholders. Additional charges in the nature of interest may be imposed on the fund in respect of deferred taxes arising from such distributions or gains.

If the fund were to invest in a PFIC and elect to treat the PFIC as a “qualified electing fund” under the Code, in lieu of the foregoing requirements, the fund might be required to include in income each year a portion of the ordinary earnings and net capital gains of the qualified electing fund, even if not distributed to the fund, and such amounts would be subject to the 90% and excise tax distribution requirements described above. In order to distribute this income and avoid a tax on the fund, the fund might be required to liquidate portfolio securities that it might otherwise have continued to hold, potentially resulting in additional taxable gain or loss. In order to make the “qualified electing fund” election, the fund would be required to obtain certain annual information from the PFICs in which it invests, which may be difficult or impossible to obtain.

Alternatively, the fund may make a mark-to-market election that will result in the fund being treated as if it had sold and repurchased all of the PFIC stock at the end of each year. In such case, the fund would report any such gains as ordinary income and would deduct any such losses as ordinary losses to the extent of previously recognized gains. The election, once made, would be effective for all subsequent taxable years of the fund, unless revoked with the consent of the Internal Revenue Service (the “IRS”). By making the election, the fund could potentially ameliorate the adverse tax consequences with respect to its ownership of shares in a PFIC, but in any particular year may be required to recognize income in excess of the distributions it receives from PFICs and its proceeds from dispositions of PFIC stock. The fund may have to distribute this “phantom” income and gain to satisfy the 90% distribution requirement and to avoid imposition of the 4% excise tax. In order to distribute this income and avoid a tax on the fund, the fund might be required to liquidate portfolio securities that it might otherwise have continued to hold, potentially resulting in additional taxable gain or loss.

The fund will make the appropriate tax elections, if possible, and take any additional steps that are necessary to mitigate the effect of these rules.

Taxation of U.S. Shareholders

Dividends and Distributions.    Dividends and other distributions by the fund are generally treated under the Code as received by the shareholders at the time the dividend or distribution is made. However, any dividend or distribution declared by the fund in October, November or December to shareholders of record on a specified date in such a month which is actually paid during the following January shall be deemed to have been paid by the fund and received by each shareholder on December 31 of the year in which the dividend is declared.

The fund intends to distribute annually to its shareholders substantially all of its investment company taxable income, and any net realized long-term capital gains in excess of net realized short-term capital losses (including any capital loss carryovers). However, if the fund retains for investment an amount equal to all or a portion of its net long-term capital gains in excess of its net short-term capital losses (including any capital loss carryovers), it will be subject to a corporate tax (currently at a maximum rate of 35%) on the amount retained. In that event, the fund will designate such retained amounts as undistributed capital gains in a notice to its shareholders who (a) will be required to include in income for U.S. federal income tax purposes, as long-term capital gains, their proportionate shares of the undistributed amount, (b) will be entitled to credit their proportionate shares of the 35% tax paid by the fund on the undistributed amount against their U.S. federal income tax liabilities, if any, and to claim refunds to the extent their credits exceed their liabilities, if any, and (c) will be entitled to increase their tax basis, for U.S. federal income tax purposes, in their shares by an amount equal to 65% of the amount of undistributed capital gains included in the shareholder’s income. Organizations or persons not subject to U.S. federal income tax on such capital gains will be entitled to a refund of their pro rata share of such taxes paid by the fund upon timely filing appropriate returns or claims for refund with the IRS.

 

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Distributions of net realized long-term capital gains, if any, that the fund designates as capital gains dividends are taxable as long-term capital gains, whether paid in cash or in shares, and regardless of how long a shareholder has held shares of the fund. Such distributions will not be eligible for the dividends-received deduction. All other dividends of the fund (including dividends from short-term capital gains) from its current and accumulated earnings and profits (“regular dividends”) are generally subject to tax as ordinary income.

Special rules, however, apply to regular dividends paid to individuals. Such a dividend, with respect to taxable years beginning on or before December 31, 2010, may be subject to tax at the rates generally applicable to long-term capital gains for individuals (currently at a maximum rate of 15%), provided that the individual receiving the dividend satisfies certain holding period and other requirements. Dividends subject to these special rules are not actually treated as capital gains, however, and thus are not included in the computation of an individual’s net capital gain and generally cannot be used to offset capital losses. The long-term capital gains rates will apply to the portion of the regular dividends paid by the fund to an individual in a particular taxable year that is attributable to qualified dividend income received by the fund in that taxable year if such qualified dividend income accounts for less than 95% of the fund’s gross income (ignoring gains attributable to the sale of stocks and securities except to the extent net short-term capital gain from such sales exceeds net long-term capital loss from such sales) for that taxable year. For this purpose, “qualified dividend income” generally means income from dividends received by the fund from U.S. corporations and qualified foreign corporations, provided that the fund satisfies certain holding period requirements in respect of the stock of such corporations and has not hedged its position in the stock in certain ways. However, qualified dividend income does not include any dividends received from tax-exempt corporations. Also, dividends received by the fund from a REIT or another regulated investment company generally are qualified dividend income only to the extent the dividend distributions are made out of qualified dividend income received by such a REIT or other regulated investment company. In the case of securities lending transactions, payments in lieu of dividends are not qualified dividend income. If a shareholder elects to treat fund dividends as investment income for purposes of the limitation on the deductibility of investment interest, such dividends would not be qualified dividend income.

The fund or your Service Agent will send you information after the end of each year setting forth the amount of dividends paid by us that are eligible for the reduced rates.

If an individual receives a regular dividend qualifying for the long-term capital gains rates and such dividend constitutes an “extraordinary dividend,” and the individual subsequently recognizes a loss on the sale or exchange of stock in respect of which the extraordinary dividend was paid, then the loss will be long-term capital loss to the extent of such extraordinary dividend. An “extraordinary dividend” on common stock for this purpose is generally a dividend (i) in an amount greater than or equal to 10% of the taxpayer’s tax basis (or trading value) in a share of stock, aggregating dividends with ex-dividend dates within an 85-day period or (ii) in an amount greater than or equal to 20% of the taxpayer’s tax basis (or trading value) in a share of stock, aggregating dividends with ex-dividend dates within a 365-day period.

Distributions in excess of the fund’s current and accumulated earnings and profits will, as to each shareholder, be treated as a tax-free return of capital to the extent of a shareholder’s basis in his shares of the fund, and as a capital gain thereafter (if the shareholder holds his shares of the fund as capital assets). Shareholders receiving dividends or distributions in the form of additional shares should be treated for U.S. federal income tax purposes as receiving a distribution in an amount equal to the amount of money that the shareholders receiving cash dividends or distributions will receive, and should have a cost basis in the shares received equal to such amount. Dividends paid by the fund that are attributable to dividends received by the fund from domestic corporations may qualify for the federal dividends-received deduction for corporations.

Investors considering buying shares just prior to a dividend or capital gain distribution should be aware that, although the price of shares just purchased at that time may reflect the amount of the forthcoming distribution, such dividend or distribution may nevertheless be taxable to them. If the fund is the holder of record of any stock on the record date for any dividends payable with respect to such stock, such dividends will be included in the

 

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fund’s gross income not as of the date received but as of the later of (a) the date such stock became ex-dividend with respect to such dividends (i.e., the date on which a buyer of the stock would not be entitled to receive the declared, but unpaid, dividends) or (b) the date the fund acquired such stock. Accordingly, in order to satisfy its income distribution requirements, the fund may be required to pay dividends based on anticipated earnings, and shareholders may receive dividends in an earlier year than would otherwise be the case.

Sales of Shares.    Upon the sale or exchange of his shares, a shareholder will realize a taxable gain or loss equal to the difference between the amount realized and his or her basis in the shares. A redemption of shares by the fund will be treated as a sale for this purpose. Such gain or loss will be treated as capital gain or loss if the shares are capital assets in the shareholder’s hands, and will be long-term capital gain or loss if the shares are held for more than one year and short-term capital gain or loss if the shares are held for one year or less. Any loss realized on a sale or exchange will be disallowed to the extent the shares disposed of are replaced, including replacement through the reinvesting of dividends and capital gains distributions in the fund, within a 61-day period beginning 30 days before and ending 30 days after the disposition of the shares. In such a case, the basis of the shares acquired will be increased to reflect the disallowed loss. Any loss realized by a shareholder on the sale of a fund share held by the shareholder for six months or fewer will be disallowed to the extent of any exempt-interest dividends received by the shareholder with respect to such shares and, to the extent not disallowed, will be treated for U.S. federal income tax purposes as a long-term capital loss to the extent of any distributions or deemed distributions of long-term capital gains received by the shareholder (or amounts credited to the shareholder as an undistributed capital gain) with respect to such shares.

If a shareholder incurs a sales charge in acquiring shares of the fund and disposes of those shares within 90 days and then acquires shares in a mutual fund for which the otherwise applicable sales charge is reduced by reason of a reinvestment right (e.g., an exchange privilege), the original sales charge will not be taken into account in computing gain/loss on the original shares to the extent the subsequent sales charge is reduced. Instead, the disregarded portion of the original sales charge will be added to the tax basis in the newly acquired shares. Furthermore, the same rule also applies to a disposition of the newly acquired shares made within 90 days of the second acquisition. This provision prevents a shareholder from immediately deducting the sales charge by shifting his or her investment within a family of mutual funds.

Backup Withholding.     The fund may be required to withhold federal income tax at the rate of 28% (“backup withholding”) from dividends, distributions and redemption proceeds payable to shareholders who fail to provide the fund with their correct taxpayer identification number or to make required certifications, or who have been notified by the IRS that they are subject to backup withholding. Certain shareholders are exempt from backup withholding. Backup withholding is not an additional tax and any amount withheld may be credited against a shareholder’s U.S. federal income tax liability. Backup withholding will not be applied to payments that have already been subject to the 30% withholding tax described below under “Non-U.S. Shareholders.”

Notices.    Shareholders will receive, if appropriate, various written notices after the close of the fund’s taxable year regarding the U.S. federal income tax status of certain dividends, distributions and deemed distributions that were paid (or that are treated as having been paid) by the fund to its shareholders during the preceding taxable year.

Other Taxes.    Dividends, distributions and redemption proceeds may also be subject to additional state, local and foreign taxes depending on each shareholder’s particular situation.

If a shareholder recognizes a loss with respect to the fund’s shares of $2 million or more for an individual shareholder or $10 million or more for a corporate shareholder, the shareholder must file with the IRS a disclosure statement on Form 8886. Direct shareholders of portfolio securities are in many cases excepted from this reporting requirement, but under current guidance, shareholders of a regulated investment company are not excepted. The fact that a loss is reportable under these regulations does not affect the legal determination of whether the taxpayer’s treatment of the loss is proper. Shareholders should consult their tax advisors to determine the applicability of these regulations in light of their individual circumstances.

 

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Non-U.S. Shareholders

Dividends by the fund paid to non-U.S. shareholders are generally subject to withholding tax at a 30% rate (or such lower rate as may be determined in accordance with any applicable treaty) on ordinary dividends and other payments that are subject to such withholding. In order to obtain a reduced rate of withholding, a non-U.S. shareholder will be required to provide an IRS Form W-8BEN certifying its entitlement to benefits under a treaty. The withholding tax does not apply to regular dividends paid to a non-U.S. shareholder who provides a Form W-8ECI, certifying that the dividends are effectively connected with the non-U.S. shareholder’s conduct of a trade or business within the United States. Instead, the effectively connected dividends will be subject to regular U.S. income tax as if the non-U.S. shareholder were a U.S. shareholder. A non-U.S. corporation receiving effectively connected dividends may also be subject to additional “branch profits tax” imposed at a rate of 30% (or a lower treaty rate). A non-U.S. shareholder who fails to provide any IRS Form W-8BEN or other applicable form may be subject to backup withholding at the appropriate rate.

In general, United States federal withholding tax will not apply to any gain or income realized by a non-U.S. shareholder in respect of any distributions of net long-term capital gains over net short-term capital losses, exempt-interest dividends or upon the sale or other disposition of shares of the fund.

For fund taxable years beginning before January 1, 2008, the 30% withholding tax will not apply to dividends that the fund designates as (a) interest-related dividends, to the extent such dividends are derived from the fund’s “qualified net interest income,” or (b) short-term capital gain dividends, to the extent such dividends are derived from the fund’s “qualified short-term gain.” “Qualified net interest income” is the fund’s net income derived from interest and from original issue discount, subject to certain exceptions and limitations. “Qualified short-term gain” generally means the excess of the net short-term capital gain of the fund for the taxable year over its net long-term capital loss, if any. However, depending on its circumstances, the fund may designate all, some or none of its potentially eligible dividends as such qualified net interest income or as qualified short-term capital gains, and/or treat such dividends, in whole or in part, as ineligible for this exemption from withholding. In order to qualify for this exemption from withholding, a non-U.S. shareholder will need to comply with applicable certification requirements relating to its non-U.S. status (including, in general, furnishing an IRS Form W-8BEN or substitute Form).

Special rules apply to foreign persons who receive distributions from the fund that are attributable to gain from “U.S. real property interests” (“USRPIs”). The Code defines USRPIs to include direct holdings of U.S. real property and any interest (other than an interest solely as a creditor) in “U.S. real property holding corporations.” The Code defines a U.S. real property holding corporation as any corporation whose USRPIs make up more than 50% of the fair market value of its USRPIs, its interests in real property located outside the United States, plus any other assets it uses in a trade or business. In general, the distribution of gains from USRPIs to foreign shareholders is subject to U.S. federal income tax withholding at a rate of 35% and obligates such foreign shareholder to file a U.S. tax return. To the extent a distribution to a foreign shareholder is attributable to gains from the sale or exchange of USRPIs recognized by a REIT or (for taxable years beginning before January 1, 2008) a RIC, the Code treats that gain as the distribution of gain from a USRPI to a foreign shareholder which would be subject to U.S. withholding tax of 35% and would result in U.S. tax filing obligations for the foreign shareholder.

However, a foreign shareholder achieves a different result with respect to the gains from the sale of USRPIs if the REIT or RIC is less than 50% owned by foreign persons at all times during the testing period, or if such gain is realized from the sale of any class of stock in a REIT which is regularly traded on an established US securities market and the REIT shareholder owned less than 5% of such class of stock at all times during the taxable year. In such event, the gains are treated as dividends paid to a non-U.S. shareholder.

The foregoing is only a summary of certain material U.S. federal income tax consequences (and, where noted, state and local tax consequences) affecting the fund and its shareholders. Prospective shareholders are advised to consult their own tax advisers with respect to the particular tax consequences to them of an investment in the fund.

 

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ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

The Trust

The certificate of trust to establish Legg Mason Partners Equity Trust (referred to in this section as the trust) was filed with the State of Maryland on October 4, 2006. As of the date of this SAI, the fund was redomiciled as a series of the trust. Prior to the date hereof, the fund was a series of Legg Mason Partners Investment Trust, a Massachusetts business trust. Prior to reorganization of the fund as a series of Legg Mason Partners Investment Trust, each fund was a series of Legg Mason Partners Income Funds, a Massachusetts business trust.

The fund is a series of the trust, a Maryland business trust. A Maryland business trust is an unincorporated business association that is established under, and governed by, Maryland law. Maryland law provides a statutory framework for the powers, duties, rights and obligations of the board of trustees (referred to in this section as the trustees) and shareholders of the trust, while the more specific powers, duties, rights and obligations of the trustees and the shareholders are determined by the trustees as set forth in the trust’s declaration of trust (referred to in this section as the declaration). Some of the more significant provisions of the declaration are described below.

Shareholder Voting

The declaration provides for shareholder voting as required by the 1940 Act or other applicable laws but otherwise permits, consistent with Maryland law, actions by the trustees without seeking the consent of shareholders. The trustees may, without shareholder approval, amend the declaration or authorize the merger or consolidation of the trust into another trust or entity, reorganize the trust or any series or class into another trust or entity or a series or class of another entity, sell all or substantially all of the assets of the trust or any series or class to another entity, or a series or class of another entity, or terminate the trust or any series or class.

The fund is not required to hold an annual meeting of shareholders, but the fund will call special meetings of shareholders whenever required by the 1940 Act or by the terms of the declaration. The declaration provides for “dollar-weighted voting” which means that a shareholder’s voting power is determined, not by the number of shares the shareholder owns, but by the dollar value of those shares determined on the record date. All shareholders of all series and classes of the trust vote together, except where required by the 1940 Act to vote separately by series or by class, or when the trustees have determined that a matter affects only the interests of one or more series or classes of shares.

Election and Removal of Trustees

The declaration provides that the trustees may establish the number of trustees and that vacancies on the board may be filled by the remaining trustees, except when election of trustees by the shareholders is required under the 1940 Act. Trustees are then elected by a plurality of votes cast by shareholders at a meeting at which a quorum is present. The declaration also provides that a mandatory retirement age may be set by action of two-thirds of the trustees and that trustees may be removed, with or without cause, by a vote of shareholders holding two-thirds of the voting power of the trust, or by a vote of two-thirds of the remaining trustees. The provisions of the declaration relating to the election and removal of trustees may not be amended without the approval of two-thirds of the trustees.

Amendments to the Declaration

The trustees are authorized to amend the declaration without the vote of shareholders, but no amendment may be made that impairs the exemption from personal liability granted in the declaration to persons who are or have been shareholders, trustees, officers or, employees of the trust or that limit the rights to indemnification or insurance provided in the declaration with respect to actions or omissions of persons entitled to indemnification under the declaration prior to the amendment.

 

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Issuance and Redemption of Shares

The fund may issue an unlimited number of shares for such consideration and on such terms as the trustees may determine. Shareholders are not entitled to any appraisal, preemptive, conversion, exchange or similar rights, except as the trustees may determine. The fund may involuntarily redeem a shareholder’s shares upon certain conditions as may be determined by the trustees, including, for example, if the shareholder fails to provide the fund with identification required by law, or if the fund is unable to verify the information received from the shareholder. Additionally, as discussed below, shares may be redeemed in connection with the closing of small accounts.

Disclosure of Shareholder Holdings

The declaration specifically requires shareholders, upon demand, to disclose to the fund information with respect to the direct and indirect ownership of shares in order to comply with various laws or regulations, and the fund may disclose such ownership if required by law or regulation.

Small Accounts

The declaration provides that the fund may close out a shareholder’s account by redeeming all of the shares in the account if the account falls below a minimum account size (which may vary by class) that may be set by the trustees from time to time. Alternately, the declaration permits the fund to assess a fee for small accounts (which may vary by class) and redeem shares in the account to cover such fees, or convert the shares into another share class that is geared to smaller accounts.

Series and Classes

The declaration provides that the trustees may establish series and classes in addition to those currently established and to determine the rights and preferences, limitations and restrictions, including qualifications for ownership, conversion and exchange features, minimum purchase and account size, expenses and charges, and other features of the series and classes. The trustees may change any of those features, terminate any series or class, combine series with other series in the trust, combine one or more classes of a series with another class in that series or convert the shares of one class into another class.

Each share of the fund, as a series of the trust, represents an interest in the fund only and not in the assets of any other series of the trust.

Shareholder, Trustee and Officer Liability

The declaration provides that shareholders are not personally liable for the obligations of the fund and requires the fund to indemnify a shareholder against any loss or expense arising from any such liability. In addition, the fund will assume the defense of any claim against a shareholder for personal liability at the request of the shareholder. The declaration further provides that a trustee acting in his or her capacity of trustee is not personally liable to any person other than the trust or its shareholders, for any act, omission or obligation of the trust. Further, a trustee is held to the same standard of conduct as a director of a Maryland corporation. This requires that a trustee perform his or her duties in good faith and in a manner he or she reasonably believes to be in the best interests of the trust or a series thereof, and with the care that an ordinarily prudent person in a like position would use under similar circumstances. The declaration also permits the limitation of a trustee’s liability to the full extent provided under Maryland law. Under current Maryland law, a trustee is liable to the trust or its shareholders for monetary damages only (a) to the extent that it is proved that he or she actually received an improper benefit or profit in money, property, or services, or (b) to the extent that a judgment or other final adjudication adverse to the trustee is entered in a proceeding based on a finding in the proceeding that the trustee’s action, or failure to act, was the result of active and deliberate dishonesty and was material to the cause of action adjudicated in the proceeding. The declaration requires the trust to indemnify any persons who are or

 

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who have been trustees, officers or employees of the trust for any liability for actions or failure to act except to the extent prohibited by applicable federal law. In making any determination as to whether any person is entitled to the advancement of expenses in connection with a claim for which indemnification is sought, such person is entitled to a rebuttable presumption that he or she did not engage in conduct for which indemnification is not available.

The declaration provides that any trustee who serves as chair of the board or of a committee of the board, lead independent trustee, or audit committee financial expert, or in any other similar capacity will not be subject to any greater standard of care or liability because of such position.

Derivative Actions

The declaration provides a detailed process for the bringing of derivative actions by shareholders in order to permit legitimate inquiries and claims while avoiding the time, expense, distraction, and other harm that can be caused to the fund or its shareholders as a result of spurious shareholder demands and derivative actions. Prior to bringing a derivative action, a demand by three unrelated shareholders must first be made on the trustees. The declaration details various information, certifications, undertakings and acknowledgements that must be included in the demand. Following receipt of the demand, the trustees have a period of 90 days, which may be extended by an additional 60 days, to consider the demand. If a majority of the trustees who are considered independent for the purposes of considering the demand determine that maintaining the suit would not be in the best interests of the fund, the trustees are required to reject the demand and the complaining shareholders may not proceed with the derivative action unless the shareholders are able to sustain the burden of proof to a court that the decision of the trustees not to pursue the requested action was not a good faith exercise of their business judgment on behalf of the fund. The declaration further provides that shareholders owning shares representing at least 5% of the voting power of the fund must join in bringing the derivative action. If a demand is rejected, the complaining shareholders will be responsible for the costs and expenses (including attorneys’ fees) incurred by the fund in connection with the consideration of the demand, if in the judgment of the independent trustees, the demand was made without reasonable cause or for an improper purpose. If a derivative action is brought in violation of the declaration, the shareholders bringing the action may be responsible for the fund’s costs, including attorneys’ fees.

The declaration further provides that the trust shall be responsible for payment of attorneys’ fees and legal expenses incurred by a complaining shareholder only if required by law, and any attorneys’ fees that the trust is obligated to pay shall be calculated using reasonable hourly rates. The declaration also requires that actions by shareholders against the fund be brought only in federal court in Baltimore, Maryland, or if not permitted to be brought in federal court, then in state court in Baltimore, Maryland, and that the right to jury trial be waived to the full extent permitted by law.

Annual and Semi-Annual Reports

The fund sends its shareholders a semi-annual report and an audited annual report, which include listings of investment securities held by the fund at the end of the period covered. In an effort to reduce the fund’s printing and mailing costs, the fund consolidates the mailing of its semi-annual and annual reports by household. This consolidation means that a household having multiple accounts with the identical address of record will receive a single copy of each report. In addition, the fund also consolidates the mailing of its prospectus so that a shareholder having multiple accounts (that is, individual, IRA and/or Self-Employed Retirement Plan accounts) will receive a single prospectus annually. Shareholders who do not want this consolidation to apply to their accounts should contact their Service Agent or the transfer agent.

 

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Legal Matters

Beginning in June 2004, class action lawsuits alleging violations of the federal securities laws were filed against CGMI and a number of its then affiliates, including SBFM, which were then investment adviser or manager to certain of the funds (the “Managers”), substantially all of the mutual funds then managed by the Managers (the “Defendant Funds”), and Board Members of the Defendant Funds (collectively, the “Defendants”). The complaints alleged, among other things, that CGMI created various undisclosed incentives for its brokers to sell Smith Barney and Salomon Brothers funds. In addition, according to the complaints, the Managers caused the Defendant Funds to pay excessive brokerage commissions to CGMI for steering clients towards proprietary funds. The complaints also alleged that the defendants breached their fiduciary duty to the Defendant Funds by improperly charging Rule 12b-1 fees and by drawing on fund assets to make undisclosed payments of soft dollars and excessive brokerage commissions. The complaints also alleged that the Defendant Funds failed to adequately disclose certain of the allegedly wrongful conduct. The complaints sought injunctive relief and compensatory and punitive damages, rescission of the Defendant Funds’ contracts with the Managers, recovery of all fees paid to the Managers pursuant to such contracts and an award of attorneys’ fees and litigation expenses.

On December 15, 2004, a consolidated amended complaint (the “Complaint”) was filed alleging substantially similar causes of action. On May 27, 2005, all of the Defendants filed motions to dismiss the Complaint. On July 26, 2006, the court issued a decision and order (1) finding that plaintiffs lacked standing to sue on behalf of the shareholders of the Defendant Funds in which none of the plaintiffs had invested, including the fund, and dismissing those Defendant Funds from the case (although stating that they could be brought back into the case if standing as to them could be established), and (2) other than one stayed claim, dismissing all of the causes of action against the remaining Defendants, with prejudice, except for the cause of action under Section 36(b) of the 1940 Act, which the court granted plaintiffs leave to replead as a derivative claim.

On October 16, 2006, plaintiffs filed their Second Consolidated Amended Complaint (“Second Amended Complaint”) which alleges derivative claims on behalf of nine funds identified in the Second Amended Complaint under Section 36(b) of the 1940 Act, against Citigroup Asset Management, Salomon Brothers Asset Management Inc, SBFM and CGMI as investment advisers to the identified funds, as well as CGMI as a distributor for the identified funds (collectively, the “Second Amended Complaint Defendants”). The fund was not identified in the Second Amended Complaint. The Second Amended Complaint alleges no claims against any of the Funds or any of their Board Members. Under Section 36(b), the Second Amended Complaint alleges similar facts and seeks similar relief against the Second Amended Complaint Defendants as the Complaint.

Additional lawsuits arising out of these circumstances and presenting similar allegations and requests for relief may be filed against the Defendant Funds in the future.

*    *    *

On May 31, 2005, the SEC issued an order in connection with the settlement of an administrative proceeding against SBFM, the then-investment adviser or manager to the fund, and CGMI, relating to the appointment of an affiliated transfer agent for the Smith Barney family of mutual funds, including the fund (the “Affected Funds”).

The SEC order found that SBFM and CGMI willfully violated Section 206(1) of the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as amended, and the rules promulgated thereunder (the “Advisers Act”). Specifically, the order found that SBFM and CGMI knowingly or recklessly failed to disclose to the boards of the Affected Funds in 1999 when proposing a new transfer agent arrangement with an affiliated transfer agent that: First Data Investors Services Group (“First Data”), the Affected Funds’ then-existing transfer agent, had offered to continue as transfer agent and do the same work for substantially less money than before; and that Citigroup Asset Management (“CAM”), the Citigroup business unit that, at the time, included the Affected Funds’ investment

 

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manager and other investment advisory companies, had entered into a side letter with First Data under which CAM agreed to recommend the appointment of First Data as sub-transfer agent to the affiliated transfer agent in exchange for, among other things, a guarantee by First Data of specified amounts of asset management and investment banking fees to CAM and CGMI. The order also finds that SBFM and CGMI willfully violated Section 206(2) of the Advisers Act by virtue of the omissions discussed above and other misrepresentations and omissions in the materials provided to the Affected Funds’ boards, including the failure to make clear that the affiliated transfer agent would earn a high profit for performing limited functions while First Data continued to perform almost all of the transfer agent functions, and the suggestion that the proposed arrangement was in the Affected Funds’ best interests and that no viable alternatives existed. SBFM and CGMI do not admit or deny any wrongdoing or liability. The settlement does not establish wrongdoing or liability for purposes of any other proceeding.

The SEC censured SBFM and CGMI and ordered them to cease and desist from violations of Sections 206(1) and 206(2) of the Advisers Act. The order required Citigroup to pay $208.1 million, including $109 million in disgorgement of profits, $19.1 million in interest, and a civil money penalty of $80 million. Approximately $24.4 million has already been paid to the Affected Funds, primarily through fee waivers. The remaining $183.7 million, including the penalty, has been paid to the U.S. Treasury and will be distributed pursuant to a plan submitted for the approval of the SEC. At this time, there is no certainty as to how the above-described proceeds of the settlement will be distributed, to whom such distributions will be made, the methodology by which such distributions will be allocated, and when such distributions will be made. The order also required that transfer agency fees received from the Affected Funds since December 1, 2004, less certain expenses, be placed in escrow and provided that a portion of such fees might be subsequently distributed in accordance with the terms of the order. On April 3, 2006, an aggregate amount of approximately $9 million held in escrow was distributed to the Affected Funds.

The order required SBFM to recommend a new transfer agent contract to the Affected Funds’ boards within 180 days of the entry of the order; if a Citigroup affiliate submitted a proposal to serve as transfer agent or sub-transfer agent, SBFM and CGMI would have been required, at their expense, to engage an independent monitor to oversee a competitive bidding process. On November 21, 2005, and within the specified timeframe, the Affected Funds’ Boards selected a new transfer agent for the Affected Fund. No Citigroup affiliate submitted a proposal to serve as transfer agent. Under the order, SBFM also must comply with an amended version of a vendor policy that Citigroup instituted in August 2004.

Although there can be no assurance, the manager does not believe that this matter will have a material adverse effect on the Affected Funds.

On December 1, 2005, Citigroup completed the sale of substantially all of its global asset management business, including SBFM, to Legg Mason.

*    *    *

Beginning in August 2005, five class action lawsuits alleging violations of federal securities laws and state law were filed against CGMI and SBFM (collectively, the “Defendants”) based on the May 31, 2005 settlement order issued against the Defendants by the SEC as described above. The complaints seek injunctive relief and compensatory and punitive damages, removal of SBFM as the investment manager for the Smith Barney family of funds, rescission of the Funds’ management and other contracts with SBFM, recovery of all fees paid to SBFM pursuant to such contracts, and an award of attorneys’ fees and litigation expenses.

On October 5, 2005, a motion to consolidate the five actions and any subsequently filed, related action was filed. That motion contemplates that a consolidated amended complaint alleging substantially similar causes of action will be filed in the future.

 

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As of the date of this report, the Fund’s investment manager believes that resolution of the pending lawsuit will not have a material effect on the financial position or results of operations of the Fund or the ability of the Fund’s investment manager and its affiliates to continue to render services to the Funds under their respective contracts.

*    *    *

On September 16, 2005, the staff of the SEC informed SBFM and ClearBridge Asset Management Inc (formerly Salomon Brothers Asset Management Inc) that the staff is considering recommending that the SEC institute administrative proceedings against SBFM and ClearBridge Asset Management Inc for alleged violations of Section 19(a) and 34(b) of the Investment Company Act (and related Rule 19a-1). The notification is a result of an industry wide inspection by the SEC and is based upon alleged deficiencies in disclosures regarding dividends and distributions paid to shareholders of certain funds. Section 19(a) and related Rule 19a-1 of the Investment Company Act generally require funds that are making dividend and distribution payments to provide shareholders with a written statement disclosing the source of the dividends and distributions, and, in particular, the portion of the payments made from each of net investment income, undistributed net profits and/or paid-in capital. In connection with the contemplated proceedings, the staff may seek a cease and desist order and/or monetary damages from SBFM or ClearBridge Asset Management Inc.

Although there can be no assurance, the fund’s manager believes that this matter is not likely to have a material adverse effect on the fund.

*    *    *

The foregoing speaks only as of the date of this SAI. Additional lawsuits presenting allegations and requests for relief arising out of or in connection with any of the foregoing matters may be filed against these and related parties in the future.

FUND SHARES

The fund offers shares currently classified into Class A, B, C and I* shares.

As of March 16, 2007, the following persons owned of record the amounts indicated of the shares of the fund:

Class

   Percent (%)   

Name and Address

B

   7.049   

MLPF&S FOR THE SOLE BENEFIT OF ITS CUSTOMERS

ATTN: FUND ADMINISTRATION

4800 DEER LAKE DRIVE EAST, 3RD FLOOR

JACKSONVILLE, FL 32246

I

   84.437   

WACHOVIA BANK

1525 WEST WT HARRIS BLVD.

NC1151

CHARLOTTE, NC 28288-1151

I

   15.563   

SMITH BARNEY INC.

333 W 34TH STREET

NEW YORK, NY 10001

 


*

As of November 20, 2006, Class Y shares were renamed Class I shares.

 

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FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

The audited financial statements of the fund’s predecessor (Statement of Assets and Liabilities as of July 31, 2006, Statement of Operations for the year ended July 31, 2006, Statements of Changes in Net Assets for each of the years in the two-year period ended July 31, 2006, Financial Highlights for each of the years in the five-year period ended July 31, 2006, and Notes to Financial Statements along with the Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm, each of which is included in the Annual Report to Shareholders) are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety (filed on October 6, 2006; Accession Number 0001133228-06-000637).

The unaudited financial statements of the fund’s predecessor (Statement of Assets and Liabilities as of January 31, 2007, Statement of Operations for the six months ended January 31, 2007, Statements of Changes in Net Assets for each of the six months ended January 31, 2007 and the year ended July 31, 2006, Financial Highlights for the six month period ended January 31, 2007 and each of the years in the five-year period ended July 31, 2006, and Notes to Financial Statements, each of which is included in the Semi-Annual Report to Shareholders of the fund) are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety (filed on April 5, 2007; Accession Number 0001169232-07-001827).

 

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APPENDIX A

ClearBridge Advisors1 (“ClearBridge”) Proxy Voting Policies and Procedures

The following is a brief overview of the Proxy Voting Policies and Procedures (the “Policies”) that ClearBridge has adopted to seek to ensure that ClearBridge votes proxies relating to equity securities in the best interest of clients.

ClearBridge votes proxies for each client account with respect to which it has been authorized to vote proxies. In voting proxies, ClearBridge is guided by general fiduciary principles and seeks to act prudently and solely in the best interest of clients. ClearBridge attempts to consider all factors that could affect the value of the investment and will vote proxies in the manner that it believes will be consistent with efforts to maximize shareholder values. ClearBridge may utilize an external service provider to provide it with information and/or a recommendation with regard to proxy votes. However, the ClearBridge adviser (business unit) continues to retain responsibility for the proxy vote.

In the case of a proxy issue for which there is a stated position in the Policies, ClearBridge generally votes in accordance with such stated position. In the case of a proxy issue for which there is a list of factors set forth in the Policies that ClearBridge considers in voting on such issue, ClearBridge votes on a case-by-case basis in accordance with the general principles set forth above and considering such enumerated factors. In the case of a proxy issue for which there is no stated position or list of factors that ClearBridge considers in voting on such issue, ClearBridge votes on a case-by-case basis in accordance with the general principles set forth above. Issues for which there is a stated position set forth in the Policies or for which there is a list of factors set forth in the Policies that ClearBridge considers in voting on such issues fall into a variety of categories, including election of directors, ratification of auditors, proxy and tender offer defenses, capital structure issues, executive and director compensation, mergers and corporate restructurings, and social and environmental issues. The stated position on an issue set forth in the Policies can always be superseded, subject to the duty to act solely in the best interest of the beneficial owners of accounts, by the investment management professionals responsible for the account whose shares are being voted. Issues applicable to a particular industry may cause ClearBridge to abandon a policy that would have otherwise applied to issuers generally. As a result of the independent investment advisory services provided by distinct ClearBridge business units, there may be occasions when different business units or different portfolio managers within the same business unit vote differently on the same issue. A ClearBridge business unit or investment team (e.g., ClearBridge’s Social Awareness Investment team) may adopt proxy voting policies that supplement these policies and procedures. In addition, in the case of Taft-Hartley clients, ClearBridge will comply with a client direction to vote proxies in accordance with Institutional Shareholder Services’ (ISS) PVS Voting Guidelines, which ISS represents to be fully consistent with AFL-CIO guidelines.

In furtherance of ClearBridge’s goal to vote proxies in the best interest of clients, ClearBridge follows procedures designed to identify and address material conflicts that may arise between ClearBridge’s interests and

 


1

ClearBridge comprises ClearBridge Advisors, LLC, ClearBridge Asset Management Inc, Smith Barney Fund Management LLC, and other affiliated investment advisory firms. On December 1, 2005, Citigroup Inc. (“Citigroup”) sold substantially all of its worldwide asset management business, Citigroup Asset Management, to Legg Mason, Inc. (“Legg Mason”). As part of this transaction, ClearBridge Advisors, LLC, ClearBridge Asset Management Inc and Smith Barney Fund Management LLC became wholly-owned subsidiaries of Legg Mason. Under a licensing agreement between Citigroup and Legg Mason, the names of ClearBridge Advisors, LLC, ClearBridge Asset Management Inc, Smith Barney Fund Management LLC and their affiliated advisory entities, as well as all logos, trademarks, and service marks related to Citigroup or any of its affiliates (“Citi Marks”) are licensed for use by Legg Mason. Citi Marks include, but are not limited to, “Citigroup Asset Management,” “Salomon Brothers Asset Management” and “CAM”. All Citi Marks are owned by Citigroup, and are licensed for use until no later than one year after the date of the licensing agreement. Legg Mason and its subsidiaries, including ClearBridge Advisors, LLC, ClearBridge Asset Management Inc, and Smith Barney Fund Management LLC are not affiliated with Citigroup.

 

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those of its clients before voting proxies on behalf of such clients. To seek to identify conflicts of interest, ClearBridge periodically notifies ClearBridge employees in writing that they are under an obligation (i) to be aware of the potential for conflicts of interest on the part of ClearBridge with respect to voting proxies on behalf of client accounts both as a result of their personal relationships and due to special circumstances that may arise during the conduct of ClearBridge’s business, and (ii) to bring conflicts of interest of which they become aware to the attention of ClearBridge’s compliance personnel. ClearBridge also maintains and considers a list of significant ClearBridge relationships that could present a conflict of interest for ClearBridge in voting proxies. ClearBridge is also sensitive to the fact that a significant, publicized relationship between an issuer and a non-ClearBridge Legg Mason affiliate might appear to the public to influence the manner in which ClearBridge decides to vote a proxy with respect to such issuer. Absent special circumstances or a significant, publicized non-ClearBridge Legg Mason affiliate relationship that ClearBridge for prudential reasons treats as a potential conflict of interest because such relationship might appear to the public to influence the manner in which ClearBridge decides to vote a proxy, ClearBridge generally takes the position that relationships between a non-ClearBridge Legg Mason affiliate and an issuer (e.g., investment management relationship between an issuer and a non-ClearBridge Legg Mason affiliate) do not present a conflict of interest for ClearBridge in voting proxies with respect to such issuer. Such position is based on the fact that ClearBridge is operated as an independent business unit from other Legg Mason business units as well as on the existence of information barriers between ClearBridge and certain other Legg Mason business units.

ClearBridge maintains a Proxy Voting Committee to review and address conflicts of interest brought to its attention by ClearBridge compliance personnel. A proxy issue that will be voted in accordance with a stated ClearBridge position on such issue or in accordance with the recommendation of an independent third party is not brought to the attention of the Proxy Voting Committee for a conflict of interest review because ClearBridge’s position is that to the extent a conflict of interest issue exists, it is resolved by voting in accordance with a pre-determined policy or in accordance with the recommendation of an independent third party. With respect to a conflict of interest brought to its attention, the Proxy Voting Committee first determines whether such conflict of interest is material. A conflict of interest is considered material to the extent that it is determined that such conflict is likely to influence, or appear to influence, ClearBridge’s decision-making in voting proxies. If it is determined by the Proxy Voting Committee that a conflict of interest is not material, ClearBridge may vote proxies notwithstanding the existence of the conflict.

If it is determined by the Proxy Voting Committee that a conflict of interest is material, the Proxy Voting Committee is responsible for determining an appropriate method to resolve such conflict of interest before the proxy affected by the conflict of interest is voted. Such determination is based on the particular facts and circumstances, including the importance of the proxy issue and the nature of the conflict of interest.

 

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APPENDIX B

Description of Ratings

The ratings of Moody’s Investors Service, Inc., Standard & Poor’s Ratings Group and Fitch Ratings represent their opinions as to the quality of various debt obligations. It should be emphasized, however, that ratings are not absolute standards of quality. Consequently, debt obligations with the same maturity, coupon and rating may have different yields while debt obligations of the same maturity and coupon with different ratings may have the same yield. As described by the rating agencies, ratings are generally given to securities at the time of issuances. While the rating agencies may from time to time revise such ratings, they undertake no obligation to do so.

Description of Moody’s Investors Service, Inc.’s Long-Term Obligation Ratings:

Moody’s long-term obligation ratings are opinions of the relative credit risk of fixed-income obligations with an original maturity of one year or more. They address the possibility that a financial obligation will not be honored as promised. Such ratings reflect both the likelihood of default and any financial loss suffered in the event of default.

Aaa—Obligations rated Aaa are judged to be of the highest quality, with minimal credit risk.

Aa—Obligations rated Aa are judged to be of high quality and are subject to very low credit risk.

A—Obligations rated A are considered upper-medium grade and are subject to low credit risk.

Baa—Obligations rated Baa are subject to moderate credit risk. They are considered medium-grade and as such may possess certain speculative characteristics.

Ba—Obligations rated Ba are judged to have speculative elements and are subject to substantial credit risk.

B—Obligations rated B are considered speculative and are subject to high credit risk.

Caa—Obligations rated Caa are judged to be of poor standing and are subject to very high credit risk.

Ca—Obligations rated Ca are highly speculative and are likely in, or very near, default, with some prospect of recovery of principal and interest.

C—Obligations rated C are the lowest rated class of bonds and are typically in default, with little prospect for recovery of principal or interest.

Note: Moody’s appends numerical modifiers “1,” “2” and “3” to each generic rating classification from “Aa” through “Caa.” The modifier “1” indicates that the obligation ranks in the higher end of its generic rating category; the modifier “2” indicates a mid-range ranking; and the modifier “3” indicates a ranking in the lower end of that generic rating category.

Description of Moody’s Investors Service, Inc.’s U.S. Municipal and Tax Exempt Ratings:

Municipal Ratings are opinions of the investment quality of issuers and issues in the U.S. municipal and tax-exempt markets. As such, these ratings incorporate Moody’s assessment of the default probability and loss severity of these issuers and issues. The default and loss content for Moody’s municipal long-term rating scale differs from Moody’s general long-term rating scale. (Please refer to Corporate Equivalent Ratings under Policies and Procedures.)

Municipal Ratings are based upon the analysis of four primary factors relating to municipal finance: economy, debt, finances, and administration/management strategies. Each of the factors is evaluated individually and for its effect on the other factors in the context of the municipality’s ability to repay its debt.

 

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Municipal Long-Term Rating Definitions:

Aaa—Issuers or issues rated Aaa demonstrate the strongest creditworthiness relative to other U.S. municipal or tax-exempt issuers or issues.

Aa—Issuers or issues rated Aa demonstrate very strong creditworthiness relative to other U.S. municipal or tax-exempt issuers or issues.

A—Issuers or issues rated A present above-average creditworthiness relative to other U.S. municipal or tax-exempt issuers or issues.

Baa—Issuers or issues rated Baa represent average creditworthiness relative to other U.S. municipal or tax- exempt issuers or issues.

Ba—Issuers or issues rated Ba demonstrate below-average creditworthiness relative to other U.S. municipal or tax-exempt issuers or issues.

B—Issuers or issues rated B demonstrate weak creditworthiness relative to other U.S. municipal or tax- exempt issuers or issues.

Caa—Issuers or issues rated Caa demonstrate very weak creditworthiness relative to other U.S. municipal or tax-exempt issuers or issues.

Ca—Issuers or issues rated Ca demonstrate extremely weak creditworthiness relative to other U.S. municipal or tax-exempt issuers or issues.

C—Issuers or issues rated C demonstrate the weakest creditworthiness relative to other U.S. municipal or tax-exempt issuers or issues.

Note: Moody’s appends numerical modifiers “1,” “2” and “3” to each generic rating classification from “Aa” through “Caa.” The modifier “1” indicates that the obligation ranks in the higher end of its generic rating category; the modifier “2” indicates a mid-range ranking; and the modifier “3” indicates a ranking in the lower end of that generic rating category.

Description of Moody’s Investors Service, Inc.’s U.S. Municipal Short-Term Debt And Demand Obligation Ratings:

There are three rating categories for short-term municipal obligations that are considered investment grade. These ratings are designated as Municipal Investment Grade (“MIG”) and are divided into three levels—“MIG 1” through “MIG 3.” In addition, those short-term obligations that are of speculative quality are designated “SG,” or speculative grade. MIG ratings expire at the maturity of the obligation.

MIG 1—This designation denotes superior credit quality. Excellent protection is afforded by established cash flows, highly reliable liquidity support, or demonstrated broad-based access to the market for refinancing.

MIG 2—This designation denotes strong credit quality. Margins of protection are ample, although not as large as in the preceding group.

MIG 3—This designation denotes acceptable credit quality. Liquidity and cash-flow protection may be narrow, and market access for refinancing is likely to be less well-established.

SG—This designation denotes speculative-grade credit quality. Debt instruments in this category may lack sufficient margins of protection.

 

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Description of Moody’s Investors Service, Inc.’s Demand Obligation Ratings:

In the case of variable rate demand obligations (“VRDOs”), a two-component rating is assigned; a long or short-term debt rating and a demand obligation rating. The first element represents Moody’s evaluation of the degree of risk associated with scheduled principal and interest payments. The second element represents Moody’s evaluation of the degree of risk associated with the ability to receive purchase price upon demand (“demand feature”), using a variation of the MIG rating scale, the Variable Municipal Investment Grade or VMIG rating. When either the long- or short-term aspect of a VRDO is not rated, that piece is designated NR, e.g., Aaa/NR or NR/VMIG 1. VMIG rating expirations are a function of each issue’s specific structural or credit features.

VMIG 1—This designation denotes superior credit quality. Excellent protection is afforded by the superior short-term credit strength of the liquidity provider and structural and legal protections that ensure the timely payment of purchase price upon demand.

VMIG 2—This designation denotes strong credit quality. Good protection is afforded by the strong short-term credit strength of the liquidity provider and structural and legal protections that ensure the timely payment of purchase price upon demand.

VMIG 3—This designation denotes acceptable credit quality. Adequate protection is afforded by the satisfactory short-term credit strength of the liquidity provider and structural and legal protections that ensure the timely payment of purchase price upon demand.

SG—This designation denotes speculative-grade credit quality. Demand features rated in this category may be supported by a liquidity provider that does not have an investment grade short-term rating or may lack the structural and/or legal protections necessary to ensure the timely payment of purchase price upon demand.

Description of Moody’s Investors Service, Inc.’s Short-Term Prime Ratings:

Moody’s short-term ratings are opinions of the ability of issuers to honor short-term financial obligations. Ratings may be assigned to issuers, short-term programs or to individual short-term debt instruments. Such obligations generally have an original maturity not exceeding thirteen months, unless explicitly noted.

P-1—Issuers (or supporting institutions) rated Prime-1 have a superior ability to repay short-term debt obligations.

P-2—Issuers (or supporting institutions) rated Prime-2 have a strong ability to repay short-term debt obligations.

P-3—Issuers (or supporting institutions) rated Prime-3 have an acceptable ability to repay short-term obligations.

NP—Issuers (or supporting institutions) rated Not Prime do not fall within any of the Prime rating categories.

Note: Canadian issuers rated P-1 or P-2 have their short-term ratings enhanced by the senior-most long-term rating of the issuer, its guarantor or support-provider.

Description of Standard & Poor’s Ratings Group’s Long-Term Issue Credit Ratings:

Issue credit ratings are based, in varying degrees, on the following considerations: (1) likelihood of payment—capacity and willingness of the obligor to meet its financial commitment on an obligation in

 

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accordance with the terms of the obligation; (2) nature of and provisions of the obligation; and (3) protection afforded by, and relative position of, the obligation in the event of bankruptcy, reorganization, or other arrangement under the laws of bankruptcy and other laws affecting creditors’ rights.

The issue rating definitions are expressed in terms of default risk. As such, they pertain to senior obligations of an entity. Junior obligations are typically rated lower than senior obligations, to reflect the lower priority in bankruptcy, as noted above. (Such differentiation applies when an entity has both senior and subordinated obligations, secured and unsecured obligations, or operating company and holding company obligations.) Accordingly, in the case of junior debt, the rating may not conform exactly with the category definition.

AAA—An obligation rated “AAA” has the highest rating assigned by Standard & Poor’s. The obligor’s capacity to meet its financial commitments on the obligation is extremely strong.

AA—An obligation rated “AA” differs from the highest-rated obligations only to a small degree. The obligor’s capacity to meet its financial obligations is very strong.

A—An obligation rated “A” is somewhat more susceptible to the adverse effects of changes in circumstances and economic conditions than obligations in higher rated categories. However, the obligor’s capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation is still strong.

BBB—An obligation rated “BBB” exhibits adequate protection parameters. However, adverse economic conditions or changing circumstances are more likely to lead to a weakened capacity of the obligor to meet its financial commitment on the obligation.

BB, B, CCC, CC, and C—Obligations rated “BB,” “B,” “CCC,” “CC” and “C” are regarded as having significant speculative characteristics. “BB” indicates the least degree of speculation and “C” the highest. While such obligations will likely have some quality and protective characteristics, these may be outweighed by large uncertainties or major exposures to adverse conditions.

BB—An obligation rated “BB” is less vulnerable to nonpayment than other speculative issues. However, it faces major ongoing uncertainties or exposure to adverse business, financial, or economic conditions, which could lead to the obligor’s inadequate capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation.

B—An obligation rated “B” is more vulnerable to nonpayment than obligations rated “BB,” but the obligor currently has the capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation. Adverse business, financial, or economic conditions will likely impair the obligor’s capacity or willingness to meet its financial commitment on the obligation.

CCC—An obligation rated “CCC” is currently vulnerable to nonpayment and is dependent upon favorable business, financial, and economic conditions for the obligor to meet its financial commitment on the obligation. In the event of adverse business, financial, or economic conditions, the obligor is not likely to have the capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation.

CC—An obligation rated “CC” is currently highly vulnerable to nonpayment.

C—A subordinated debt or preferred stock obligation rated “C” is currently highly vulnerable to nonpayment. The “C” rating may be used to cover a situation where a bankruptcy petition has been filed or similar action taken, but payments on this obligation are being continued. A “C” also will be assigned to a preferred stock issue in arrears on dividends or sinking fund payments, but that is currently paying.

D—An obligation rated “D” is in payment default. The “D” rating category is used when payments on an obligation are not made on the date due even if the applicable grace period has not expired, unless Standard &

 

B-4


Poor’s believes that such payments will be made during such grace period. The “D” rating also will be used upon the filing of a bankruptcy petition or the taking of a similar action if payments on an obligation are jeopardized.

Plus (+) or Minus (–): The ratings from “AA” to “CCC” may be modified by the addition of a plus (+) or minus (–) sign to show relative standing within the major rating categories.

N.R.: This indicates that no rating has been requested, that there is insufficient information on which to base a rating, or that Standard & Poor’s does not rate a particular obligation as a matter of policy.

Active Qualifiers (Currently applied and/or outstanding)

i: This subscript is used for issues in which the credit factors, terms, or both, that determine the likelihood of receipt of payment of interest are different from the credit factors, terms or both that determine the likelihood of receipt of principal on the obligation. The “i” subscript indicates that the rating addresses the interest portion of the obligation only. The “i” subscript will always be used in conjunction with the “p” subscript, which addresses likelihood of receipt of principal. For example, a rated obligation could be assigned ratings of “AAAp NRi” indicating that the principal portion is rated “AAA” and the interest portion of the obligation is not rated.

L: Ratings qualified with “L” apply only to amounts invested up to federal deposit insurance limits.

p: This subscript is used for issues in which the credit factors, the terms, or both, that determine the likelihood of receipt of payment of principal are different from the credit factors, terms or both that determine the likelihood of receipt of interest on the obligation. The “p” subscript indicates that the rating addresses the principal portion of the obligation only. The “p” subscript will always be used in conjunction with the “i” subscript, which addresses likelihood of receipt of interest. For example, a rated obligation could be assigned ratings of “AAAp NRi” indicating that the principal portion is rated “AAA” and the interest portion of the obligation is not rated.

pi: Ratings with a “pi” subscript are based on an analysis of an issuer’s published financial information, as well as additional information in the public domain. They do not, however, reflect in-depth meetings with an issuer’s management and are therefore based on less comprehensive information than ratings without a “pi” subscript. Ratings with a “pi” subscript are reviewed annually based on a new year’s financial statements, but may be reviewed on an interim basis if a major event occurs that may affect the issuer’s credit quality.

pr: The letters “pr” indicate that the rating is provisional. A provisional rating assumes the successful completion of the project financed by the debt being rated and indicates that payment of debt service requirements is largely or entirely dependent upon the successful, timely completion of the project. This rating, however, while addressing credit quality subsequent to completion of the project, makes no comment on the likelihood of or the risk of default upon failure of such completion. The investor should exercise his own judgment with respect to such likelihood and risk.

preliminary: Preliminary ratings are assigned to issues, including financial programs, in the following circumstances. Preliminary ratings may be assigned to obligations, most commonly structured and project finance issues, pending receipt of final documentation and legal opinions. Assignment of a final rating is conditional on the receipt and approval by Standard & Poor’s of appropriate documentation. Changes in the information provided to Standard & Poor’s could result in the assignment of a different rating. In addition, Standard & Poor’s reserves the right not to issue a final rating. Preliminary ratings are assigned to Rule 415 Shelf Registrations. As specific issues, with defined terms, are offered from the master registration, a final rating may be assigned to them in accordance with Standard & Poor’s policies. The final rating may differ from the preliminary rating.

t: This symbol indicates termination structures that are designed to honor their contracts to full maturity or, should certain events occur, to terminate and cash settle all their contracts before their final maturity date.

 

B-5


Local Currency and Foreign Currency Risks: Country risk considerations are a standard part of Standard & Poor’s analysis for credit ratings on any issuer or issue. Currency of repayment is a key factor in this analysis. An obligor’s capacity to repay foreign currency obligations may be lower than its capacity to repay obligations in its local currency due to the sovereign government’s own relatively lower capacity to repay external versus domestic debt. These sovereign risk considerations are incorporated in the debt ratings assigned to specific issues. Foreign currency issuer ratings are also distinguished from local currency issuer ratings to identify those instances where sovereign risks make them different for the same issuer.

Description of Standard & Poor’s Ratings Group’s Ratings of Notes:

A Standard & Poor’s U.S. municipal note rating reflects the liquidity factors and market access risks unique to notes. Notes due in three years or less will likely receive a note rating. Notes maturing beyond three years will most likely receive a long-term debt rating. The following criteria will be used in making that assessment:

—Amortization schedule—the larger the final maturity relative to other maturities, the more likely it will be treated as a note; and

—Source of payment—the more dependent the issue is on the market for its refinancing, the more likely it will be treated as a note.

Note rating symbols are as follows:

SP-1—Strong capacity to pay principal and interest. An issue determined to possess a very strong capacity to pay debt service is given a plus (+) designation.

SP-2—Satisfactory capacity to pay principal and interest, with some vulnerability to adverse financial and economic changes over the term of the notes.

SP-3—Speculative capacity to pay principal and interest.

Description of Standard & Poor’s Ratings Group’s Short-Term Issue Credit Ratings:

A-1—Short-term obligation rated “A-1” is rated in the highest category by Standard & Poor’s. The obligor’s capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation is strong. Within this category, certain obligations are designated with a plus sign (+). This indicates that the obligor’s capacity to meet its financial commitments is extremely strong.

A-2—Short-term obligation rated “A-2” is somewhat more susceptible to the adverse effects of changes in circumstances and economic conditions than obligations in higher rating categories. However, the obligor’s capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation is satisfactory.

A-3—Short-term obligation rated “A-3” exhibits adequate protection parameters. However, adverse economic conditions or changing circumstances are more likely to lead to a weakened capacity of the obligor to meet its financial commitment on the obligation.

B—A short-term obligation rated “B” is regarded as having significant speculative characteristics. Ratings of “B-1,” “B-2” and “B-3” may be assigned to indicate finer distinctions within the “B” category. The obligor currently has the capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation; however, it faces major ongoing uncertainties which could lead to the obligor’s inadequate capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation.

B-1—A short-term obligation rated “B-1” is regarded as having significant speculative characteristics, but the obligor has a relatively stronger capacity to meet its financial commitments over the short-term compared to other speculative-grade obligors.

 

B-6


B-2—A short-term obligation rated “B-2” is regarded as having significant speculative characteristics, and the obligor has an average speculative-grade capacity to meet its financial commitments over the short-term compared to other speculative-grade obligors.

B-3—A short-term obligation rated “B-3” is regarded as having significant speculative characteristics, and the obligor has a relatively weaker capacity to meet its financial commitments over the short-term compared to other speculative-grade obligors.

C—A short-term obligation rated “C” is currently vulnerable to nonpayment and is dependent upon favorable business, financial, and economic conditions for the obligor to meet its financial commitment on the obligation.

D—A short-term obligation rated “D” is in payment default. The “D” rating category is used when payments on an obligation are not made on the date due even if the applicable grace period has not expired, unless Standard & Poor’s believes that such payments will be made during such grace period. The “D” rating also will be used upon the filing of a bankruptcy petition or the taking of a similar action if payments on an obligation are jeopardized.

Active Qualifiers (Currently applied and/or outstanding)

i: This subscript is used for issues in which the credit factors, terms, or both, that determine the likelihood of receipt of payment of interest are different from the credit factors, terms or both that determine the likelihood of receipt of principal on the obligation. The “i” subscript indicates that the rating addresses the interest portion of the obligation only. The “i” subscript will always be used in conjunction with the “p” subscript, which addresses likelihood of receipt of principal. For example, a rated obligation could be assigned ratings of “AAAp NRi” indicating that the principal portion is rated “AAA” and the interest portion of the obligation is not rated.

L: Ratings qualified with “L” apply only to amounts invested up to federal deposit insurance limits.

p: This subscript is used for issues in which the credit factors, the terms, or both, that determine the likelihood of receipt of payment of principal are different from the credit factors, terms or both that determine the likelihood of receipt of interest on the obligation. The “p” subscript indicates that the rating addresses the principal portion of the obligation only. The “p” subscript will always be used in conjunction with the “i” subscript, which addresses likelihood of receipt of interest. For example, a rated obligation could be assigned ratings of “AAAp NRi” indicating that the principal portion is rated “AAA” and the interest portion of the obligation is not rated.

pi: Ratings with a “pi” subscript are based on an analysis of an issuer’s published financial information, as well as additional information in the public domain. They do not, however, reflect in-depth meetings with an issuer’s management and are therefore based on less comprehensive information than ratings without a “pi” subscript. Ratings with a “pi” subscript are reviewed annually based on a new year’s financial statements, but may be reviewed on an interim basis if a major event occurs that may affect the issuer’s credit quality.

pr: The letters “pr” indicate that the rating is provisional. A provisional rating assumes the successful completion of the project financed by the debt being rated and indicates that payment of debt service requirements is largely or entirely dependent upon the successful, timely completion of the project. This rating, however, while addressing credit quality subsequent to completion of the project, makes no comment on the likelihood of or the risk of default upon failure of such completion. The investor should exercise his own judgment with respect to such likelihood and risk.

preliminary: Preliminary ratings are assigned to issues, including financial programs, in the following circumstances. Preliminary ratings may be assigned to obligations, most commonly structured and project

 

B-7


finance issues, pending receipt of final documentation and legal opinions. Assignment of a final rating is conditional on the receipt and approval by Standard & Poor’s of appropriate documentation. Changes in the information provided to Standard & Poor’s could result in the assignment of a different rating. In addition, Standard & Poor’s reserves the right not to issue a final rating. Preliminary ratings are assigned to Rule 415 Shelf Registrations. As specific issues, with defined terms, are offered from the master registration, a final rating may be assigned to them in accordance with Standard & Poor’s policies. The final rating may differ from the preliminary rating.

t: This symbol indicates termination structures that are designed to honor their contracts to full maturity or, should certain events occur, to terminate and cash settle all their contracts before their final maturity date. Local Currency and Foreign Currency Risks: Country risk considerations are a standard part of Standard & Poor’s analysis for credit ratings on any issuer or issue. Currency of repayment is a key factor in this analysis. An obligor’s capacity to repay foreign currency obligations may be lower than its capacity to repay obligations in its local currency due to the sovereign government’s own relatively lower capacity to repay external versus domestic debt. These sovereign risk considerations are incorporated in the debt ratings assigned to specific issues. Foreign currency issuer ratings are also distinguished from local currency issuer ratings to identify those instances where sovereign risks make them different for the same issuer.

Description of Standard & Poor’s Ratings Group’s Ratings of Commercial Paper:

A Standard & Poor’s commercial paper rating is a current assessment of the likelihood of timely payment of debt having an original maturity of no more than 365 days. Ratings are graded into several categories, ranging from “A” for the highest-quality obligations to “D” for the lowest. These categories are as follows:

A-1—This designation indicates that the degree of safety regarding timely payment is strong. Those issues determined to possess extremely strong safety characteristics are denoted with a plus sign (+) designation.

A-2—Capacity for timely payment on issues with this designation is satisfactory. However, the relative degree of safety is not as high as for issues designated “A-1.”

A-3—Issues carrying this designation have an adequate capacity for timely payment. They are, however, more vulnerable to the adverse effects of changes in circumstances than obligations carrying the higher designations.

B—Issues rated “B” are regarded as having only speculative capacity for timely payment.

C—This rating is assigned to short-term debt obligations with a doubtful capacity for payment.

D—Debt rated “D” is in payment default. The “D” rating category is used when interest payments of principal payments are not made on the date due, even if the applicable grace period has not expired, unless Standard & Poor’s believes such payments will be made during such grace period.

Description of Standard & Poor’s Ratings Group’s Dual Ratings:

Standard & Poor’s assigns “dual” ratings to all debt issues that have a put option or demand feature as part of their structure.

The first rating addresses the likelihood of repayment of principal and interest as due, and the second rating addresses only the demand feature. The long-term debt rating symbols are used for bonds to denote the long-term maturity and the commercial paper rating symbols for the put option (for example, “AAA/A-1+”). With short-term demand debt, Standard & Poor’s note rating symbols are used with the commercial paper rating symbols (for example, “SP-1+/A-1+”).

 

B-8


Description of Fitch Ratings International Long-Term Credit Ratings:

International Long-Term Credit Ratings (“LTCR”) may also be referred to as “Long-Term Ratings.” When assigned to most issuers, it is used as a benchmark measure of probability of default and is formally described as an Issuer Default Rating (IDR). The major exception is within Public Finance, where IDRs will not be assigned as market convention has always focused on timeliness and does not draw analytical distinctions between issuers and their underlying obligations. When applied to issues or securities, the LTCR may be higher or lower than the issuer rating (IDR) to reflect relative differences in recovery expectations. The following rating scale applies to foreign currency and local currency ratings.

Investment Grade

AAA—Highest credit quality. “AAA” ratings denote the lowest expectation of credit risk. They are assigned only in case of exceptionally strong capacity for payment of financial commitments. This capacity is highly unlikely to be adversely affected by foreseeable events.

AA—Very high credit quality. “AA” ratings denote expectations of very low credit risk. They indicate very strong capacity for payment of financial commitments. This capacity is not significantly vulnerable to foreseeable events.

A—High credit quality. “A” ratings denote expectations of low credit risk. The capacity for payment of financial commitments is considered strong. This capacity may, nevertheless, be more vulnerable to changes in circumstances or in economic conditions than is the case for higher ratings.

BBB—Good credit quality. “BBB” ratings indicate that there is currently expectations of low credit risk. The capacity for payment of financial commitments is considered adequate, but adverse changes in circumstances and economic conditions are more likely to impair this capacity. This is the lowest investment-grade category.

Speculative Grade

BB—Speculative. “BB” ratings indicate that there is a possibility of credit risk developing, particularly as the result of adverse economic change over time; however, business or financial alternatives may be available to allow financial commitments to be met. Securities rated in this category are not investment grade.

B—Highly speculative. For issuers and performing obligations, “B” ratings indicate that significant credit risk is present, but a limited margin of safety remains. Financial commitments are currently being met; however, capacity for continued payment is contingent upon a sustained, favorable business and economic environment. For individual obligations, “B” ratings may indicate distressed or defaulted obligations with potential for extremely high recoveries. Such obligations would possess a Recovery Rating of “R1” (outstanding).

CCC—For issuers and performing obligations, default is a real possibility. Capacity for meeting financial commitments is solely reliant upon sustained, favorable business or economic conditions. For individual obligations, may indicate distressed or defaulted obligations with potential for average to superior levels of recovery. Differences in credit quality may be denoted by plus/minus distinctions. Such obligations typically would possess a Recovery Rating of “R2” (superior), or “R3” (good) or “R4” (average).

CC—For issuers and performing obligations, default of some kind appears probable. For individual obligations, may indicate distressed or defaulted obligations with a Recovery Rating of “R4” (average) or “R5” (below average).

C—For issuers and performing obligations, default is imminent. For individual obligations, may indicate distressed or defaulted obligations with potential for below-average to poor recoveries. Such obligations would possess a Recovery Rating of “R6” (poor).

 

B-9


RD—Indicates an entity that has failed to make due payments (within the applicable grace period) on some but not all material financial obligations, but continues to honor other classes of obligations.

D—Indicates an entity or sovereign that has defaulted on all of its financial obligations. Default generally is defined as one of the following: (i) failure of an obligor to make timely payment of principal and/or interest under the contractual terms of any financial obligation; (ii) the bankruptcy filings, administration, receivership, liquidation or other winding-up or cessation of business of an obligor; or (iii) the distressed or other coercive exchange of an obligation, where creditors were offered securities with diminished structural or economic terms compared with the existing obligation.

Default ratings are not assigned prospectively; within this context, non-payment on an instrument that contains a deferral feature or grace period will not be considered a default until after the expiration of the deferral or grace period.

Issuers will be rated “D” upon a default. Defaulted and distressed obligations typically are rated along the continuum of “C” to “B” ratings categories, depending upon their recovery prospects and other relevant characteristics. Additionally, in structured finance transactions, where analysis indicates that an instrument is irrevocably impaired such that it is not expected to meet pay interest and/or principal in full in accordance with the terms of the obligation’s documentation during the life of the transaction, but where no payment default in accordance with the terms of the documentation is imminent, the obligation may be rated in the “B” or “CCC-C” categories.

Default is determined by reference to the terms of the obligations’ documentation. Fitch will assign default ratings where it has reasonably determined that payment has not been made on a material obligation in accordance with the requirements of the obligation’s documentation, or where it believes that default ratings consistent with Fitch’s published definition of default are the most appropriate ratings to assign.

Description of Fitch Ratings International Short-Term Credit Ratings:

International Short-Term Credit Ratings may also be referred to as “Short-Term Ratings.” The following ratings scale applies to foreign currency and local currency ratings. A short-term rating has a time horizon of less than 13 months for most obligations, or up to three years for U.S. public finance, in line with industry standards, to reflect unique characteristics of bond, tax, and revenue anticipation notes that are commonly issued with terms up to three years. Short-term ratings thus places greater emphasis on the liquidity necessary to meet financial commitments in a timely manner.

F1—Highest credit quality. Indicates the strongest capacity for timely payment of financial commitments; may have an added “+” to denote any exceptionally strong credit feature.

F2—Good credit quality. A satisfactory capacity for timely payment of financial commitments, but the margin of safety is not as great as in the case of the higher ratings.

F3—Fair credit quality. The capacity for timely payment of financial commitments is adequate; however, near-term adverse changes could result in a reduction to non-investment grade.

B—Speculative. Minimal capacity for timely payment of financial commitments, plus vulnerability to near-term adverse changes in financial and economic conditions.

C—High default risk. Default is a real possibility. Capacity for meeting financial commitments is solely reliant upon a sustained, favorable business and economic environment.

D—Default. Indicates an entity or sovereign that has defaulted on all of its financial obligations.

 

B-10


Notes to Fitch Ratings International Long-Term and Short-Term Credit Ratings:

The modifiers “+” or “-” may be appended to a rating to denote relative status within major rating categories. Such suffixes are not added to the “AAA” Long-term rating category, to categories below “CCC,” or to Short-term ratings other than “F1.” (The +/- modifiers are only used to denote issues within the CCC category, whereas issuers are only rated CCC without the use of modifiers.)

Rating Watch: Ratings are placed on Rating Watch to notify investors that there is a reasonable probability of a rating change and the likely direction of such change. These are designated as “Positive,” indicating a potential upgrade, “Negative,” for a potential downgrade, or “Evolving,” if ratings may be raised, lowered or maintained. Rating Watch is typically resolved over a relatively short period.

Rating Outlook: An Outlook indicates the direction a rating is likely to move over a one to two-year period. Outlooks may be positive, stable or negative. A positive or negative Rating Outlook does not imply a rating change is inevitable. Similarly, ratings for which outlooks are “stable” could be upgraded or downgraded before an outlook moves to positive or negative if circumstances warrant such an action. Occasionally, Fitch Ratings may be unable to identify the fundamental trend. In these cases, the Rating Outlook may be described as evolving.

Program ratings (such as the those assigned to MTN shelf registrations) relate only to standard issues made under the program concerned; it should not be assumed that these ratings apply to every issue made under the program. In particular, in the case of non-standard issues, i.e., those that are linked to the credit of a third party or linked to the performance of an index, ratings of these issues may deviate from the applicable program rating.

Variable rate demand obligations and other securities which contain a short-term “put” or other similar demand feature will have a dual rating, such as AAA/F1+. The first rating reflects the ability to meet long-term principal and interest payments, whereas the second rating reflects the ability to honor the demand feature in full and on time.

Interest Only: Interest Only ratings are assigned to interest strips. These ratings do not address the possibility that a security holder might fail to recover some or all of its initial investment due to voluntary or involuntary principal repayments.

Principal Only: Principal Only ratings address the likelihood that a security holder will receive their initial principal investment either before or by the scheduled maturity date.

Rate of Return: Ratings also may be assigned to gauge the likelihood of an investor receiving a certain predetermined internal rate of return without regard to the precise timing of any cash flows.

“PIF”: Paid-in-Full; denotes a security that is paid-in-full, matured, called, or refinanced.

“NR” indicates that Fitch Ratings does not rate the issuer or issue in question.

“Withdrawn”: A rating is withdrawn when Fitch Ratings deems the amount of information available to be inadequate for rating purposes, or when an obligation matures, is called, or refinanced, or for any other reason Fitch Ratings deems sufficient.

 

B-11


LEGG MASON PARTNERS CONVERTIBLE FUND

Statement of

Additional Information

April 16, 2007

 

Legg Mason Partners Convertible Fund

125 Broad Street

New York, New York 10004

LOGO


Filed under Rule 497(c)

File Nos. 33-43446 and 811-6444

Legg Mason Partners Diversified Large Cap Growth Fund

Supplement dated April 16, 2007

to Prospectus dated February 28, 2007

 

The attached prospectus is now dated April 16, 2007.

As part of a number of initiatives launched in 2006 to restructure and streamline the Legg Mason Partners fund complex, the fund assumed the assets and liabilities of a predecessor fund with the same name. The fund is now grouped for organizational and governance purposes with other Legg Mason Partners funds that are predominantly equity-type funds. The prospectus is supplemented as shown below to reflect this change. Any information in the prospectus relating to the fund prior to the date of this prospectus refers to the fund’s predecessor.

 

Performance Information

The summary performance information in the prospectus is that of the fund’s predecessor.

 

Investment Objective

The fund’s investment objective may be changed without shareholder approval.

 

Management — Other Information

The paragraph beneath the heading “Other Information” in the “Management” section of the prospectus is deleted.

 

Financial Highlights

The financial information shown in the “Financial Highlights” section of the prospectus is that of the fund’s predecessor.

 

FD04051

 

 


PROSPECTUS

February 28, 2007

The Securities and Exchange Commission has not approved or disapproved these securities or determined whether this Prospectus is accurate or complete. Any statement to the contrary is a crime.

LOGO

Legg Mason Partners Diversified Large Cap Growth Fund

Class A, B, C and I Shares

 

INVESTMENT PRODUCTS: NOT FDIC INSURED Ÿ NO BANK GUARANTEE Ÿ MAY LOSE VALUE

 


Legg Mason Partners

Diversified Large Cap Growth Fund

Contents

 

Investments, risks and performance

  2

More on the fund’s investments

  7

Management

  10

Choosing a class of shares to buy

  13

Comparing the fund’s classes

  15

Sales charges

  16

More about contingent deferred sales charges

  20

Retirement and institutional investors

  21

Buying shares

  23

Exchanging shares

  24

Redeeming shares

  26

Other things to know about transactions

  28

Dividends, distributions and taxes

  31

Share price

  33

Financial highlights

  35

 

Prior to April 7, 2006, the fund was known as Smith Barney Diversified Large Cap Growth Fund.

 


 

Investments, risks and performance

Investment objective

The fund seeks long-term capital growth. Dividend income, if any, is incidental to this goal.

Principal investment strategies

Key investments

Under normal market conditions, the fund invests at least 80% of its net assets in the equity securities of large cap issuers and related investments or in other investments with similar economic characteristics. Companies that have market capitalizations with market capitalizations similar to companies in the Russell 1000 Index are considered large cap companies. Securities of companies whose capitalizations no longer meet this definition after purchase by the fund are still considered to have large market capitalizations for the purposes of the fund’s 80% policy. The fund may also invest in securities issued by smaller companies.

The fund’s equity securities consist primarily of common stocks. The fund may also invest in other equity securities that a portfolio manager believes provide opportunities for appreciation, such as preferred stock, warrants and securities convertible into common stock.

Selection process

The portfolio managers use a growth approach, emphasizing well-established companies believed to have superior management teams. The portfolio managers look principally for issuers with long histories of strong, relatively predictable earnings growth rates and the products and strategies for continuing above-average growth. The portfolio managers seek issuers that build earnings by increasing sales, productivity and market share rather than by cutting costs. The portfolio managers also emphasize issuers with stable financial characteristics and low debt levels. The fund may continue to hold securities of issuers that become mid cap or small cap issuers if, in a portfolio manager’s judgment, these securities remain good investments for the fund.

The portfolio managers generally use a “bottom-up” approach when selecting securities for the fund. This means that the portfolio managers look primarily at individual companies with consistent earnings growth against the context of broader market forces.

Principal risks of investing in the fund

Investors could lose money on their investment in the fund, or the fund may not perform as well as other investments, if:

n  

Key economic trends become materially unfavorable, such as rising interest rates and levels of inflation or deflation, or a slowdown of economic growth

n  

Stock prices decline generally, or stocks perform poorly relative to other types of investments

n  

Large capitalization companies fall out of favor with investors

n  

An adverse company specific event, such as an unfavorable earnings report, negatively affects the stock price of a company in which the fund invests

 

2         Legg Mason Partners Funds


 

n  

A portfolio manager’s judgment about the attractiveness, growth prospects or potential appreciation of a particular stock proves to be incorrect

The fund’s growth-oriented investment style may increase the risks of investing in the fund. Growth securities typically are quite sensitive to market movements because their market prices tend to reflect future expectations. When it appears those expectations will not be met, the prices of growth securities typically fall. Growth securities may also be more volatile than other investments because they often do not pay dividends. The fund may underperform certain other stock funds (those emphasizing value stocks, for example) during periods when growth stocks are out of favor.

Who may want to invest

The fund may be an appropriate investment if:

n  

You want to direct a portion of your overall investment portfolio to stocks of large cap issuers

n  

You are seeking growth of principal and not current income but are concerned about the high level of market volatility typically associated with more aggressive growth funds

n  

You are prepared to accept daily share price fluctuations and possible losses

n  

Your investment horizon is longer term — typically at least five years

Performance information

The following shows summary performance information for the fund in a bar chart and an Average Annual Total Returns table. The information provides an indication of the risks of investing in the fund by showing changes in its performance from year to year and by showing how the fund’s average annual total returns compare with the returns of The Russell 1000 Growth Index. The bar chart and the information below show performance of the fund’s Class A shares, but do not reflect the impact of sales charges (loads). If they did, the returns would be lower than those shown. Unlike the bar chart, the performance for Class A, B, C and I(1) shares in the Average Annual Total Returns table reflects the impact of the maximum sales charge (load) applicable to the respective classes. The fund’s past performance is not necessarily an indication of how the fund will perform in the future.

 

 

(1)

 

As of November 20, 2006, Class Y shares were renamed Class I shares.

 

Diversified Large Cap Growth Fund         3


 

Calendar Year Total Return — Class A Shares*

LOGO

Highest and Lowest Quarter Returns* (for periods shown in the bar chart)

Highest: 22.62% in 4th quarter 1998; Lowest: (17.66)% in 2nd quarter 2002.

 

*   The returns shown for Class A shares include returns for periods before the creation of share classes on January 4, 1999.

 

Average Annual Total Returns (for periods ended 12/31/06)

 

      1 year     5 years     10 years     Inception
Date

Class A

         10/19/90
 
Return before taxes(1)    7.52 %   (0.15 )%   4.10 %  
 
Return after taxes on distributions(1)(2)    7.23 %   (0.66 )%   2.72 %  
 
Return after taxes on distributions and sale of fund shares(2)    4.89 %   (0.52 )%   3.10 %  
 
Other Classes
(Return before taxes only)
   1
year
    5
years
    10
years
    Since
Inception
    Inception
Date
 
Class B    8.27 %   (0.28 )%   n/a     (2.20 )%   1/04/99  
   
Class C(3)    12.29 %   (0.07 )%   n/a     (4.61 )%   9/22/00  
   
Class I(4)    n/a     n/a     n/a     n/a     n/a  
   
Russell 1000 Growth Index(5)    9.07 %   2.69 %   5.44 %   ( 5)   ( 5)
   

 

(1)

 

On November 20, 2006, the maximum initial sales charge on Class A shares was increased for sales made on or after that date. The average annual returns for Class A shares in the table have been calculated as if the increased maximum initial sales charge had been in effect for the entire period.

 

(2)

 

After-tax returns are calculated using the highest historical individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes. Actual after-tax returns depend on an investor’s tax situation and may differ from those shown, and the after-tax returns shown are not relevant to investors who hold their fund shares through tax-deferred arrangements, such as 401(k) plans or individual retirement accounts. In some cases the return after taxes may exceed the return before taxes due to an assumed tax benefit from any losses on a sale of fund shares at the end of the measurement period. After-tax returns shown above are for Class A shares only. After-tax returns for other share classes will vary.

 

(3)

 

Effective April 29, 2004, Class L shares were renamed Class C shares. Effective February 2, 2004, the initial sales charge of 1.00% on Class C shares was eliminated for sales made on or after that date. The average annual returns for Class C shares in the table have been calculated as if the sales charge had been eliminated during the entire period.

 

(4)

 

As of November 20, 2006, Class Y shares were renamed Class I shares. There were no Class I shares outstanding as of December 31, 2006.

 

(5)

 

The Russell 1000 Growth Index is an unmanaged index that measures the performance of those Russell 1000 companies with higher price-to-book ratios and higher forecasted values. It is not possible to invest directly in the Index. An index does not reflect deductions for fees, expenses or taxes. The average total returns of the Russell 1000 Growth Index since the inception of each of the Class B and C shares are (0.76)% and (5.68)%, respectively.

 

4         Legg Mason Partners Funds


 

Fee table

This table sets forth the fees and expenses you may pay if you invest in fund shares.

 

Shareholder fees

 

(fees paid directly from your investment)   Class A     Class B     Class C     Class I(1)
Maximum sales charge (load) imposed on purchases (as a % of offering price)   5.75 %   None     None     None
 
Maximum contingent deferred sales charge (load) (as a % of the lower of net asset value at purchase or redemption)   None (2)   5.00 %   1.00 %   None
 

 

Annual fund operating expenses(3)

 

(paid by the fund as a % of net assets)   Class A     Class B     Class C     Class I(1)(5)  
Management fee(4)   0.75 %   0.75 %   0.75 %   0.75 %
   
Distribution (12b-1) fees (includes service fees)   0.25 %   1.00 %   1.00 %   None  
   
Other expenses(6)   0.22 %   0.35 %   0.47 %   0.22 %
   
Total annual fund operating expenses*   1.22 %   2.10 %   2.20 %   0.97 %
   

*  Because of voluntary waivers and/or reimbursements, actual total operating expenses are expected to be:

  1.05 %   1.80 %   1.80 %   N/A  

 

     These voluntary fee waivers and reimbursements do not cover brokerage, taxes and extraordinary expenses and may be reduced or terminated at any time.

 

(1)

 

As of November 20, 2006, Class Y shares were renamed Class I shares.

 

(2)

 

You may buy Class A shares in amounts of $1,000,000 or more at net asset value (without an initial sales charge), but if you redeem those shares within 12 months of their purchase, you will pay a contingent deferred sales charge of 1.00%.

 

(3)

 

Based on fees and expenses for the fiscal year ended October 31, 2006.

 

(4)

 

The management fee has been restated to reflect current expenses. Effective October 1, 2005, the fund has a management fee schedule that reduces the fee rate as assets increase as follows: 0.750% on assets up to $1 billion, 0.725% on assets between $1 billion and $2 billion, 0.700% on assets between $2 billion and $5 billion, 0.675% on assets between $5 billion and $10 billion, and 0.650% on assets over $10 billion. Prior to October 1, 2005, the management fee was 0.90% of the fund’s average daily net assets.

 

(5)

 

For Class I shares, “Other Expenses” have been estimated based on expenses incurred by Class A shares, because no Class I shares were outstanding during the fund’s last fiscal year.

 

(6)

 

The amounts set forth in “Other expenses” for Class A, B, C and I shares have been revised to reflect the estimated effect of new transfer agency and custody contracts which became effective January 1, 2006.

 

Diversified Large Cap Growth Fund         5


 

Example

This example helps you compare the costs of investing in the fund with the costs of investing in other mutual funds. Your actual costs may be higher or lower. The example assumes:

n  

You invest $10,000 in the fund for the periods shown

n  

Your investment has a 5% return each year — the assumption of a 5% return is required by the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) for purposes of this example and is not a prediction of the fund’s future performance

n  

You reinvest all distributions and dividends without a sales charge

n  

The fund’s operating expenses (before fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements, if any) remain the same

 

Number of years you own your shares

 

     1 year   3 years   5 years   10 years

Class A (with or without redemption)

  $ 692   $ 940   $ 1,207   $ 1,968
 

Class B (redemption at end of period)

  $ 713   $ 958   $ 1,229   $ 2,214
 

Class B (no redemption)

  $ 213   $ 658   $ 1,129   $ 2,214
 

Class C (redemption at end of period)

  $ 323   $ 688   $ 1,180   $ 2,533
 

Class C (no redemption)

  $ 223   $ 688   $ 1,179   $ 2,533
 

Class I(2) (with or without redemption)

  $ 99   $ 309   $ 536   $ 1,189
 

 

(1)

 

Assumes conversion to Class A shares approximately eight years after purchase.

 

(2)

 

As of November 20, 2006, Class Y shares were renamed Class I shares.

 

6         Legg Mason Partners Funds


More on the fund’s investments

The fund’s investment objective and principal investment strategies are described under the section entitled “Investments, risks and performance” above. This section provides further information about the investment strategies that may be used by the fund. The fund’s investment objective may be changed without shareholder approval.

Derivatives

The fund may, but need not, use derivative contracts, such as futures and forward currency contracts:

n  

To hedge against changes in the prices of securities held or to be bought or changes in the values (in U.S. dollars) of securities of foreign issuers

n  

To enhance potential gains

n  

As a substitute for buying or selling securities

n  

As a cash flow management technique

Derivatives may have economic characteristics similar to the large cap equity securities held by the fund. In that case, derivative investments will be considered large cap investments for the purpose of the fund’s investment policy.

Even a small investment in derivative contracts can have a big impact on the fund’s stock and currency rate exposure. Therefore, using derivatives can disproportionately increase losses and reduce opportunities for gains when stock prices or currency rates are changing. The fund may not fully benefit from or may lose money on derivatives if changes in their value do not correspond accurately or as anticipated to changes in the value of the fund’s holdings. Derivatives can also make a fund less liquid and harder to value, especially in declining markets, and the counterparty may fail to honor contract terms. Derivatives may not be available on terms that make economic sense (for example, they may be too costly).

Foreign investments

The fund may invest in foreign securities, including the securities of emerging market issuers. The fund may invest directly in foreign issuers or invest in depositary receipts.

The fund’s investments in securities of foreign issuers involve greater risk than investments in securities of United States issuers. These risks may include expropriation of assets, confiscatory taxation, withholding taxes on dividends and interest paid on fund investments, currency exchange controls and other limitations on the use or transfer of fund assets and political or social instability. The fund could also lose money if the currency in which a security is priced declines in value relative to the U.S. dollar.

In some foreign countries, less information is available about foreign issuers and markets because of less rigorous accounting and regulatory standards than in the United States. Foreign markets may offer less protection to investors. Enforcing legal rights may be difficult, costly and slow. There may be special problems enforcing claims against foreign governments.

Foreign countries generally have markets that are less liquid and more volatile than markets in the United States. In addition, there is the possibility of governmental controls on currency exchanges or governmental intervention in currency markets. Controls or

 

Diversified Large Cap Growth Fund         7


 

intervention could limit or prevent the fund from realizing value in U.S. dollars from its investment in foreign securities.

Because the value of a depositary receipt is dependent upon the market price of an underlying foreign security, depositary receipts are subject to most of the risks associated with investing in foreign securities directly.

The risks of investing in foreign securities are greater for securities of emerging market issuers because political or economic instability, lack of market liquidity, and negative government actions like currency controls or seizure of private businesses or property are more likely.

Small cap securities

The fund may also invest in common stocks and other securities issued by small companies that have market capitalizations below the top 1,000 stocks of the equity market. The securities of smaller capitalized companies may have more risks than those of larger, more seasoned companies. They may be particularly susceptible to market downturns and their prices may be more volatile, causing the fund’s share price to be volatile.

Debt securities

While the fund expects to invest mainly in equity securities, the fund may also invest in debt securities to a limited extent. The fund’s debt securities must be investment grade when the fund purchases them. Less than 5% of the fund’s assets may be invested in debt securities rated Baa by Moody’s or BBB by Standard & Poor’s. Generally, the value of these debt securities will decline if interest rates rise, the credit rating of the security is downgraded or the issuer defaults on its obligation to pay principal or interest.

Convertible securities

Convertible securities, which are debt securities that may be converted into stock, are subject to the market risks of stocks as well as the risks of debt securities.

Cash management

The fund may hold cash pending investment and may invest in money market instruments, repurchase agreements and reverse repurchase agreements for cash management purposes.

Portfolio turnover

The fund may engage in active and frequent trading to achieve its principal investment strategies. This may lead to the realization and distribution to shareholders of higher capital gains, which would increase their tax liability. Frequent trading also increases transaction costs, which could detract from the fund’s performance. The “Financial highlights” section of this Prospectus shows the fund’s historical portfolio turnover rate.

Defensive investing

The fund may depart from its principal investment strategies in response to adverse market, economic or political conditions by taking temporary defensive positions in any type of money market instruments and short-term debt securities or cash without regard to any

 

8         Legg Mason Partners Funds


 

percentage limitations. If the fund takes a temporary defensive position, it may be unable to achieve its investment objective.

Other Investments

The fund may also use other strategies and invest in other securities that are described, along with their risks, in the fund’s Statement of Additional Information (“SAI”). However, the fund might not use all of the strategies and techniques or invest in all of the types of securities described in this Prospectus or in the SAI. Also note that there are many other factors which are not described here, that could adversely affect your investment and that could prevent the fund from achieving its investment objective.

The fund’s investment objective and strategies may be changed without shareholder approval.

Portfolio holdings

The fund’s policies and procedures with respect to the disclosure of the fund’s portfolio securities are described in the SAI.

 

Diversified Large Cap Growth Fund         9


 

Management

Manager and subadviser

Legg Mason Partners Fund Advisor, LLC (“LMPFA” or the “manager”) is the fund’s investment manager. LMPFA, with offices at 399 Park Avenue, New York, New York 10022, is a recently organized investment adviser that has been formed to serve as the investment manager of the fund and other Legg Mason-sponsored funds. LMPFA provides administrative and certain oversight services to the fund. ClearBridge Advisors, LLC (“ClearBridge” or the “subadviser”) provides the day-to-day portfolio management of the fund, except for the management of cash and short-term instruments, which is performed by LMPFA.

ClearBridge, with offices at 399 Park Avenue, New York, New York 10022, is a recently-organized investment adviser that has been formed to succeed to the equity securities portfolio management business of Citigroup Asset Management “CAM”, which was acquired by Legg Mason, Inc. (“Legg Mason”) in December 2005. As of December 31, 2006 ClearBridge’s total assets under management were approximately $116 billion.

LMPFA and ClearBridge are wholly-owned subsidiaries of Legg Mason. Legg Mason, whose principal executive offices are at 100 Light Street, Baltimore, Maryland 21202, is a global asset management company. As of December 31, 2006, Legg Mason’s asset management operation had aggregate assets under management of approximately $945 billion.

Prior to August 1, 2006, Smith Barney Fund Management LLC (“SBFM”) was the fund’s investment manager. SBFM is also a wholly-owned subsidiary of Legg Mason.

Portfolio Managers

Effective April 20, 2005, Harry D. Cohen and Scott K. Glasser became responsible for the day-to-day management of the fund. Mr. Cohen is an investment officer and a managing director of ClearBridge and has been with the subadviser and its predecessors since 1980. Mr. Glasser, an investment officer of ClearBridge, has been with the subadviser and its predecessors since 1996.

The SAI provides additional information about the compensation of the portfolio managers, other accounts they manage and any fund shares held by the portfolio managers.

Management fee

For the fiscal year ended October 31, 2006, the fund paid a management fee of 0.54% of the fund’s average daily net assets for management services. For the period from November 1, 2005 though July 31, 2006, the fund paid SBFM a management fee equal to 0.52% of the fund’s average daily net assets. For the period from August 1, 2006 through October 31, 2006, the fund paid LMPFA a management fee equal to 0.61% of the fund’s average daily net assets. Effective October 1, 2005, the manager receives fees for its services at the following rates based on assets under management: 0.750% on assets up to $1 billion, 0.725% on assets between $1 billion and $2 billion, 0.700% on assets between $2 billion and $5 billion, 0.675% on assets between $5 billion and $10 billion, and 0.650% on assets over $10 billion.

 

10         Legg Mason Partners Funds


 

A discussion regarding the basis for the Board’s approval of the fund’s management agreement and subadvisery agreements is available in the fund’s Annual Report for the fiscal year ended October 31, 2006.

Other Information

The fund’s Board and (where required) shareholders have approved a number of initiatives designed to streamline and restructure the fund complex. These initiatives include the election of a new Board, the grouping of the fund for organizational and governance purposes with other funds in the fund complex that are predominantly equity-type funds, and the adoption of a single form of organization as a Maryland business trust, with all funds operating under uniform charter documents. Fund shareholders have also approved investment matters, including standardized fundamental investment policies and the ability of the fund to change its investment objective without shareholder approval. These matters generally are expected to be effectuated during the first half of 2007.

Distribution plan

Legg Mason Investor Services, LLC (“LMIS”), a wholly-owned broker-dealer subsidiary of Legg Mason, and Citigroup Global Markets Inc. (“CGMI”) serve as the fund’s distributors.

The fund has adopted a shareholder services and distribution plan for its Class A, B and C shares. Under the plan, the fund pays distribution and/or service fees. The plan provides for payments, based on annualized percentages of average daily net assets, of up to 0.25% for Class A shares and up to 1.00% for Class B and Class C shares. These fees are an ongoing expense and, over time, will increase the cost of your investment and may cost you more than other types of sales charges.

In addition, the distributors may make payments for distribution and/or shareholder servicing activities out of their past profits and other available sources. A distributor may also make payments to dealers for marketing, promotional or related expenses. The amount of these payments is determined by the distributor and may be substantial. The manager or an affiliate may make similar payments under similar arrangements.

The payments described in the paragraph above are often referred to as “revenue sharing payments.” The recipients of such payments may include the fund’s distributors and other affiliates of the manager, broker-dealers, financial institutions and other financial intermediaries through which investors may purchase shares of the fund. In some circumstances, such payments may create an incentive for an intermediary or its employees or associated persons to recommend or sell shares of the fund to you. Please contact your financial intermediary for details about revenue sharing payments it may receive.

Recent developments

On May 31, 2005, the SEC issued an order in connection with the settlement of an administrative proceeding against SBFM, the then-investment adviser or manager to the fund, and CGMI relating to the appointment of an affiliated transfer agent for the Smith Barney family of mutual funds including the fund (the “Affected Funds”).

The SEC order found that SBFM and CGMI willfully violated Section 206(1) of the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as amended, and the rules promulgated thereunder (the “Advisers Act”). Specifically, the order found that SBFM and CGMI knowingly or reck -

 

Diversified Large Cap Growth Fund         11


lessly failed to disclose to the boards of the Affected Funds in 1999 when proposing a new transfer agent arrangement with an affiliated transfer agent that: First Data Investors Services Group (“First Data”), the Affected Funds’ then-existing transfer agent, had offered to continue as transfer agent and do the same work for substantially less money than before; and that CAM, the Citigroup business unit that, at the time, included the Affected Funds’ investment manager and other investment advisory companies, had entered into a side letter with First Data under which CAM agreed to recommend the appointment of First Data as sub-transfer agent to the affiliated transfer agent in exchange, among other things, for a guarantee by First Data of specified amounts of asset management and investment banking fees to CAM and CGMI. The order also finds that SBFM and CGMI willfully violated Section 206(2) of the Advisers Act by virtue of the omissions discussed above and other misrepresentations and omissions in the materials provided to the Affected Funds’ boards, including the failure to make clear that the affiliated transfer agent would earn a high profit for performing limited functions while First Data continued to perform almost all of the transfer agent functions, and the suggestion that the proposed arrangement was in the Affected Funds’ best interests and that no viable alternatives existed.

SBFM and CGMI do not admit or deny any wrongdoing or liability. The settlement does not establish wrongdoing or liability for purposes of any other proceeding. The SEC censured SBFM and CGMI and ordered them to cease and desist from violations of Sections 206(1) and 206(2) of the Advisers Act. The order requires Citigroup to pay $208.1 million, including $109 million in disgorgement of profits, $19.1 million in interest, and a civil money penalty of $80 million. Approximately $24.4 million has already been paid to the Affected Funds, primarily through fee waivers. The remaining $183.7 million, including the penalty, has been paid to the U.S. Treasury and will be distributed pursuant to a plan submitted for the approval of the SEC. At this time, there is no certainty as to how the above-described proceeds of the settlement will be distributed, to whom such distributions will be made, the methodology by which such distributions will be allocated, and when such distributions will be made. The order also requires that transfer agency fees received from the Affected Funds since December 1, 2004, less certain expenses, be placed in escrow and provided that a portion of such fees may be subsequently distributed in accordance with the terms of the order. On April 3, 2006, an aggregate amount of approximately $9 million held in escrow was distributed to the Affected Funds.

The order required SBFM to recommend a new transfer agent contract to the Affected Funds’ boards within 180 days of the entry of the order; if a Citigroup affiliate submitted a proposal to serve as transfer agent or sub-transfer agent, SBFM and CGMI would have been required, at their expense, to engage an independent monitor to oversee a competitive bidding process. On November 21, 2005, and within the specified timeframe, the Affected Funds’ Boards selected a new transfer agent for the Affected Fund. No Citigroup affiliate submitted a proposal to serve as transfer agent. Under the order, SBFM also must comply with an amended version of a vendor policy that Citigroup instituted in August 2004.

Although there can be no assurance, the manager does not believe that this matter will have a material adverse effect on the Affected Funds.

On December 1, 2005, Citigroup completed the sale of substantially all of its global asset management business, including SBFM, to Legg Mason.

 

12         Legg Mason Partners Funds


 

Choosing a class of shares to buy

Individual investors can generally choose among three classes of shares: Classes A, B and C shares. Individual investors that held Class I (formerly Class Y) shares prior to November 20, 2006, may continue to invest in Class I shares. Institutional and retirement plan investors and clients of financial intermediaries should refer to “Retirement and institution investors” below for a description of the classes available to them. Each class has different sales charges and expenses, allowing you to choose the class that best meets your needs.

When choosing which class of shares to buy, you should consider:

n  

How much you plan to invest

n  

How long you expect to own the shares

n  

The expenses paid by each class detailed in the Fee Table and Example at the front of this Prospectus

n  

Whether you qualify for any reduction or waiver of sales charges

If you are choosing between Class A and Class B shares, it will in almost all cases be the more economical choice for you to purchase Class A shares if you plan to purchase shares in an amount of $100,000 or more (whether in a single purchase or through aggregation of eligible holdings). This is because of the reduced sales charge available on larger investments of Class A shares and the lower ongoing expenses of Class A shares compared to Class B shares.

If you intend to invest for only a few years, the effect of Class B contingent deferred sales charges on redemptions made within five years of purchase, as well as the effect of higher expenses of that class, might make an investment in Class C more appropriate. There is no initial sales charge on Class C shares, and the contingent deferred sales charge does not apply to shares redeemed one year or more after purchase.

However, if you plan to invest a large amount and your investment horizon is five years or more, Class C shares might not be as advantageous as Class A shares. The annual distribution and service fees on Class C shares may cost you more over the longer term than the front-end sales charge you would have paid for larger purchases of Class A shares.

You may buy shares from:

n  

Certain broker-dealers, financial intermediaries, financial institutions or a distributor’s financial advisors or registered representatives that have entered into an agreement to sell fund shares (each called a “Service Agent”)

n  

The fund, but only if you are investing through certain qualified plans or Service Agents

Different types of shareholder services may be available to you under arrangements offered by different Service Agents. In addition, these services may vary depending on the share class in which you choose to invest. In making your decision regarding which share class to buy, please keep in mind that your Service Agent may receive different compensation depending on the share class in which you invest. Investors should consult with their Service Agent about comparative pricing of shareholder services available to them under each available share class, the compensation that will be received by their Service Agent in connection with each available share class, and other factors that may be relevant to the investor’s choice of share class in which to invest.

Not all classes of shares are available through all Service Agents. You should contact your Service Agent for further information.

 

Diversified Large Cap Growth Fund         13


 

Investment minimums

Minimum initial and additional investment amounts vary depending on the class of shares you buy and the nature of your investment.

 

   

Investment Minimum

Initial/Additional Investment(1)

     Class A   Class B   Class C   Class I
(formerly Y)

General

  $ 500/$50   $ 500/$50   $ 500/$50     n/a
 

IRAs and Uniform Gifts or Transfers to
Minor Accounts

  $ 250/$50   $ 250/$50   $ 250/$50     n/a
 

SIMPLE IRAs

  $ 1/$1   $ 1/$1   $ 1/$1     n/a
 

Systematic Investment Plans

  $ 25/$25   $ 25/$25   $ 25/$25     n/a
 

Clients of Eligible Financial Intermediaries

  $ 1/$1     n/a     n/a     None/None
 

Retirement Plans with omnibus accounts
held on the books of the fund

    None/None     n/a     None/None     None/None
 

Other Retirement Plans

  $ 50/$50   $ 50/$50   $ 50/$50     n/a
 

Institutional Investors

  $ 500/$50   $ 500/$50   $ 500/$50   $ 1 million/None
 

 

(1)

 

Please refer to the section entitled “Retirement and institutional investors” for additional information regarding the investment minimum and eligibility requirements for Retirement Plans, Institutional Investors and Clients of Eligible Financial Intermediaries.

More information about the fund’s classes of shares is available through the Legg Mason Partners Funds’ website. You’ll find detailed information about sales charges and ways you can qualify for reduced or waived sales charges, including:

n  

The front-end sales charges that apply to the purchase of Class A shares

n  

The contingent deferred sales charges that apply to the redemption of Class B shares, Class C shares and certain Class A shares (redeemed within one year)

n  

Who qualifies for lower sales charges on Class A shares

n  

Who qualifies for a sales load waiver

To access the website, go to http://www.leggmason.com/InvestorServices and click on the name of the fund.

 

14         Legg Mason Partners Funds


 

Comparing the fund’s classes

The following table compares key features of the fund’s classes. You should review the Fee table and Example at the front of this prospectus carefully before choosing your share class. Your Service Agent can help you decide which class meets your goals. They may receive different compensation depending upon which class you choose.

 

     Class A   Class B   Class C   Class I
(formerly Y)
Key features  

n  Initial sales charge

n  You may qualify for reduction or waiver of initial sales charge

n  Generally lower annual expenses than Class B and Class C

 

n  No initial sales charge

n  Contingent deferred sales charge declines over time

n  Converts to Class A after approximately 8 years

n  Generally higher annual expenses than Class A

 

n  No initial sales charge

n  Contingent deferred sales charge for only 1 year

n  Does not convert to Class A

n  Generally higher annual expenses than Class A

 

n  No initial or contingent deferred sales charge

n  Only offered to institutional and other eligible investors

n  Generally lower expenses than the other classes

Initial sales charge  

Up to 5.75%; reduced or waived for large purchases and certain investors. No charge for purchases of $1 million or more

 

None

 

None

 

None

Contingent deferred sales charge  

1.00% on purchases of $1 million or more if you redeem within 1 year of purchase; waived for certain investors

 

Up to 5.00% charged when you redeem shares. The charge is reduced over time and there is no contingent deferred sales charge after 5 years; waived for certain investors

 

1.00% if you redeem within 1 year of purchase; waived for certain retirement plan investors

 

None

Annual distribution and/or service fees  

0.25% of average daily net assets

 

1.00% of average daily net assets

 

1.00% of average daily net assets

 

None

Exchange Privilege(1)  

Class A shares of most Legg Mason Partners Funds

 

Class B shares of most Legg Mason Partners Funds

 

Class C shares of most Legg Mason Partners Funds

 

Class I shares of most Legg Mason Partners Funds

 

(1)

 

Ask your Service Agent about the Legg Mason Partners Funds available for exchange.

 

Diversified Large Cap Growth Fund         15


 

Sales charges

Class A shares

You buy Class A shares at the offering price, which is the net asset value plus a sales charge. You pay a lower rate as the size of your investment increases to certain levels called breakpoints. You do not pay a sales charge on the fund’s distributions or dividends you reinvest in additional Class A shares.

The table below shows the rate of sales charge that you pay, depending on the amount that you purchase, for purchases made on or after November 20, 2006. The table below also shows the amount of broker-dealer compensation that will be paid out of the sales charge. For Class A shares sold by LMIS, LMIS will receive the sales charge imposed on purchases of Class A shares (or any contingent deferred sales charge paid on redemptions) and will retain the full amount of such sales charge. For Class A shares sold by CGMI, CGMI will receive the sales charge imposed on purchases of Class A shares and will retain an amount equal to the broker-dealer commission paid out of the sales charge. LMIS will receive any portion not retained by CGMI. Service Agents (including CGMI) will also receive a service fee payable on Class A shares at an annual rate of up to 0.25% of the average daily net assets represented by the Class A shares serviced by them.

 

Amount of Purchase   Sales Charge
as a % of
Offering Price
  Sales Charge
as a % of
Net Amount
Invested
  Broker-Dealer
Commission
as a % of
Offering Price

Less than $25,000

  5.75   6.10   5.00
 

$25,000 but less than $50,000

  5.00   5.26   4.25
 

$50,000 but less than $100,000

  4.50   4.71   3.75
 

$100,000 but less than $250,000

  3.50   3.63   2.75
 

$250,000 but less than $500,000

  2.50   2.56   2.00
 

$500,000 but less than $750,000

  2.00   2.04   1.60
 

$750,000 but less than $1,000,000

  1.50   1.52   1.20
 

$1,000,000 or more(1)

  -0-   -0-   up to 1.00
 

 

(1)

 

A distributor may pay a commission of up to 1.00% to a Service Agent for purchase amounts of $1 million or more. In such cases, starting in the thirteenth month after purchase, the Service Agent will also receive an annual distribution/service fee of up to 0.25% of the average daily net assets represented by the Class A shares held by its clients. Prior to the thirteenth month, the distributor will retain this fee. Where the Service Agent does not receive the payment of this commission, the Service Agent will instead receive the annual distribution/service fee starting immediately after purchase. Please contact your Service Agent for more information.

Investments of $1,000,000 or more

You do not pay an initial sales charge when you buy $1,000,000 or more of Class A shares. However, if you redeem these Class A shares within one year of purchase, you will pay a contingent deferred sales charge of 1.00%.

Qualifying for a reduced Class A sales charge

There are several ways you can combine multiple purchases of Class A shares of Legg Mason Partners Funds to take advantage of the breakpoints in the sales charge schedule. In

 

16         Legg Mason Partners Funds


 

order to take advantage of reductions in sales charges that may be available to you when you purchase fund shares, you must inform your Service Agent or Legg Mason Partners Shareholder Services if you are eligible for a letter of intent or a right of accumulation and if you own shares of other Legg Mason Partners Funds that are eligible to be aggregated with your purchases. Certain records, such as account statements, may be necessary in order to verify your eligibility for reduced sales charges.

Accumulation Privilege – allows you to combine the current value of Class A shares of the fund with other shares of Legg Mason Partners Funds that are owned by:

n  

you; or

n  

your spouse and children under the age of 21

with the dollar amount of your next purchase of Class A shares for purposes of calculating the initial sales charge.

Shares of certain money market funds advised by the manager or its affiliates (other than money market fund shares acquired by exchange from other Legg Mason Partners Funds offered with a sales charge), and Legg Mason Partners S&P 500 Index Fund and Class O shares of Legg Mason Partners Equity Fund, Inc. may not be combined. If you hold shares of Legg Mason Partners Funds in accounts at two or more Service Agents, please contact your Service Agents to determine which shares may be combined.

Certain trustees and fiduciaries may be entitled to combine accounts in determining their sales charge.

Letter of Intent – allows you to purchase Class A shares of Legg Mason Partners Funds over a 13-month period and pay the same sales charge on Class A shares, if any, as if all shares had been purchased at once. At the time you enter into the letter of intent, you select your asset goal amount. Generally, purchases of Legg Mason Partners Fund shares that are purchased during the 13-month period by

n  

you; or

n  

your spouse and children under the age of 21

are eligible for inclusion under the letter, based on the public offering price at the time of the purchase, and any capital appreciation on those shares. Purchases made 90 days prior to the 13-month period are also eligible to be treated as purchases made under the letter. In addition, you can include towards your asset goal amount the current value of any eligible purchases that were made prior to the date of entering into the letter of intent and are still held.

If you hold shares of Legg Mason Partners Funds in accounts at two or more Service Agents, please contact your Service Agents to determine which shares may be credited towards your letter of intent asset goal.

Shares of certain money market funds advised by the manager or its affiliates (other than money market fund shares acquired by exchange from other Legg Mason Partners Funds offered with a sales charge), Legg Mason Partners S&P 500 Index Fund and Class O shares of Legg Mason Partners Equity Fund, Inc. may not be combined. If you do not meet your asset goal amount, shares in the amount of any sales charges due, based on the amount of your actual purchases, will be redeemed from your account.

 

Diversified Large Cap Growth Fund         17


 

Waivers for certain Class A investors

Class A initial sales charges are waived for certain types of investors, including:

n  

Employees of Service Agents having dealer, service or other selling agreements with the fund’s distributors

n  

Investors who redeemed Class A shares of a Legg Mason Partners Fund in the past 60 days, if the investor’s Service Agent is notified

n  

Directors and officers of any Legg Mason-sponsored fund

n  

Employees of Legg Mason and its subsidiaries

n  

Investors investing through certain retirement plans

If you qualify for a waiver of the Class A initial sales charge, you must notify your Service Agent or the transfer agent at the time of purchase and provide sufficient information at the time of purchase to permit verification that the purchase qualifies for the initial sales charge waiver.

If you want to learn about additional waivers of Class A initial sales charges, contact your Service Agent, consult the SAI or access the Legg Mason Partners Funds’ website: http://wwwleggmason.com/InvestorServices, and click on the name of the fund.

Class B shares

You buy Class B shares at net asset value without paying an initial sales charge. However, if you redeem your Class B shares within five years of your purchase payment, you will pay a contingent deferred sales charge. The rate of the contingent deferred sales charge decreases as the number of years since your purchase payment increases.

 

Year after purchase   1st     2nd     3rd     4th     5th     6th through 8th  

Contingent deferred sales charge

  5 %   4 %   3 %   2 %   1 %   0 %
   

LMIS will pay Service Agents, including CGMI, selling Class B shares a commission of up to 4.00% of the purchase price of the Class B shares they sell, and LMIS will retain the contingent deferred sales charges. Service Agents also receive an annual distribution/service fee of up to 0.25% of the average daily net assets represented by the Class B shares serviced by them.

Class B conversion

After approximately 8 years, Class B shares automatically convert into Class A shares. This helps you because Class A shares have lower annual expenses. Your Class B shares will convert to Class A shares as follows:

 

Shares issued:
At initial purchase
   Shares issued:
On reinvestment of
dividends and
distributions
   Shares issued:
Upon exchange from
another Legg Mason
Partners Fund
Approximately 8 years after the date of purchase payment    In the same proportion as the number of Class B shares converting is to total Class B shares you own (excluding shares issued as dividends)    On the date the shares originally acquired would have converted into Class A shares
 

 

18         Legg Mason Partners Funds


 

Class C shares

You buy Class C shares at net asset value without paying an initial sales charge. However, if you redeem your Class C shares within one year of purchase, you will pay a contingent deferred sales charge of 1.00%.

LMIS will generally pay Service Agents selling Class C shares a commission of up to 1.00% of the purchase price of the Class C shares they sell and LMIS will retain the contingent deferred sales charges and an annual distribution/service fee of up to 1.00% of the average daily net assets represented by the Class C shares serviced by these Service Agents until the thirteenth month after purchase. Starting in the thirteenth month after purchase, these Service Agents will receive an annual distribution/service fee of up to 1.00% of the average daily net assets represented by the Class C shares serviced by them.

Class I shares (formerly Class Y shares)

Class I shares are purchased at net asset value with no initial sales charge, and no contingent deferred sales charge when redeemed.

 

Diversified Large Cap Growth Fund         19


 

More about contingent deferred sales charges

The contingent deferred sales charge is based on the net asset value at the time of purchase or redemption, whichever is less, and therefore, you do not pay a sales charge on amounts representing appreciation or depreciation.

In addition, you do not pay a contingent deferred sales charge:

n  

When you exchange shares for shares of another Legg Mason Partners Fund

n  

On shares representing reinvested distributions and dividends

n  

On shares no longer subject to the contingent deferred sales charge

Each time you place a request to redeem shares, the fund will first redeem any shares in your account that are not subject to a contingent deferred sales charge and then the shares in your account that have been held the longest.

If you redeemed shares of a Legg Mason Partners Fund and paid a contingent deferred sales charge, you may, under certain circumstances, reinvest all or part of the redemption proceeds within 60 days and receive pro rata credit for any contingent deferred sales charge imposed on the prior redemption. Please contact your Service Agent for additional information.

The fund’s distributors receive contingent deferred sales charges as partial compensation for their expenses in selling shares, including the payment of compensation to your Service Agent.

Contingent deferred sales charge waivers

The contingent deferred sales charge for each share class will generally be waived:

n  

On payments made through certain systematic withdrawal plans

n  

On certain distributions from a retirement plan

n  

For retirement plans with omnibus accounts held on the books of the fund

n  

For involuntary redemptions of small account balances

n  

For 12 months following the death or disability of a shareholder

If you want to learn more about additional waivers of contingent deferred sales charges, contact your Service Agent, consult the SAI or look at the Legg Mason Partners Funds’ website: http://www.leggmasson.com/InvestorServices, and click on the name of the fund.

 

20         Legg Mason Partners Funds


 

Retirement and institutional investors

Eligible investors

Retirement Plans

Retirement Plans with omnibus accounts held on the books of the fund can generally choose among three classes of shares: Class C, Class A and Class I (formerly Class Y) shares.

“Retirement Plans” include 401(k) plans, 457 plans, employer-sponsored 403(b) plans, profit-sharing plans, non-qualified deferred compensation plans and other similar employer-sponsored retirement plans. Retirement Plans do not include individual retirement vehicles, such as traditional and Roth individual retirement accounts, Coverdell education savings accounts, individual 403(b)(7) custodial accounts, Keogh plans, SEPs, SARSEPs, SIMPLE IRAs, or Section 529 savings accounts. Although Retirement Plans with omnibus accounts held on the books of the fund are not subject to minimum initial investment requirements for any of these share classes, certain investment minimums may be imposed by a financial intermediary.

Other Retirement Plan investors (including, for example, employer-sponsored plans investing through brokerage accounts), can generally choose among three classes of shares: Class A, Class B and Class C. Individual retirement vehicles, such as IRAs, may also choose among these share classes. These types of investors are treated like individual investors for purposes of determining sales charges and any applicable sales charge reductions or waivers.

Clients of Eligible Financial Intermediaries

Clients of Eligible Financial Intermediaries may generally choose among two classes of shares: Class A and Class I. “Clients of Eligible Financial Intermediaries” are investors who invest in the fund through financial intermediaries that offer their clients fund shares through investment programs as authorized by LMIS. Such investment programs may include fee-based advisory or brokerage account programs, and college savings vehicles such as Section 529 plans. The financial intermediary may impose separate investment minimums.

Institutional Investors

Institutional Investors may invest in Class I shares if they meet the $1,000,000 minimum initial investment requirement. Institutional Investors may also invest in Class A, B and C shares, which have different investment minimums and fees and expenses. “Institutional Investors” generally include corporations, banks, insurance companies, foundations, retirement plans and other similar entities with direct relationships to the fund.

Class C — Retirement Plans

For purchases made on or after November 20, 2006, Retirement Plans with omnibus accounts held on the books of the fund may buy Class C shares without paying a contingent deferred sales charge. As of November 20, 2006, LMIS no longer pays Service Agents selling Class C shares to retirement plans with omnibus accounts held on the books of a fund a commission on the purchase price of Class C shares sold by them. Instead,

 

Diversified Large Cap Growth Fund         21


 

immediately after purchase, LMIS will pay these Service Agents an annual distribution/service fee of up to 1.00% of the average daily net assets represented by the Class C shares serviced by them.

Class I

As of November 20, 2006, Class Y shares were renamed Class I shares and are offered only to Institutional Investors who meet the $1,000,000 minimum initial investment requirement, Clients of Eligible Financial Intermediaries, and other investors as authorized by LMIS. However, investors that held Class Y shares prior to that date will be permitted to make additional investments in Class I shares.

Class A — Retirement Plans

Retirement Plans with omnibus accounts held on the books of the fund may purchase Class A shares through programs sponsored by financial intermediaries. Under these programs, the initial sales charge and contingent deferred sales charge for Class A shares is waived where:

n  

Such Retirement Plan’s record keeper offers only load-waived shares,

n  

Fund shares are held on the books of the fund through an omnibus account, and

n  

The Retirement Plan has more than 100 participants, or has total assets exceeding $1 million

As of November 20, 2006, LMIS no longer pays Service Agents selling Class A shares to Retirement Plans with a direct omnibus relationship with a fund a commission on the purchase price of Class A shares sold by them. However, for certain Retirement Plans that are permitted to purchase shares at net asset value on or after this date, LMIS may continue to pay Service Agents commissions of up to 1.00% of the purchase price of the additional Class A shares that are purchased with regular ongoing plan contributions. Please contact your Service Agent for more information.

Other considerations

Plan sponsors, plan fiduciaries and other financial intermediaries may choose to impose qualification requirements for plans that differ from the fund’s share class eligibility standards. In certain cases this could result in the selection of a share class with higher service and distribution-related fees than otherwise would have been charged. The fund is not responsible for, and has no control over, the decision of any plan sponsor, plan fiduciary or financial intermediary to impose such differing requirements. Please consult with your plan sponsor, plan fiduciary or financial intermediary for more information about available share classes.

With respect to Class A and Class C shares the fund may pay a fee for recordkeeping services performed for the share class.

Not all share classes may be made available by your Service Agent; please contact your Service Agent for additional details.

 

22         Legg Mason Partners Funds


 

Buying shares

 

Through a
Service Agent
  

You should contact your Service Agent to open a brokerage account and make arrangements to buy shares. You must provide the following information, for your order to be processed:

n Class of shares being bought

n Dollar amount or number of shares being bought

n Account number (if existing account)

Your Service Agent may charge an annual account maintenance fee.

 
Through the fund   

Financial intermediary accounts, retirement plan accounts and certain other investors who are clients of certain Service Agents are eligible to buy shares directly from the fund.

n Write to the fund at the following address:

Legg Mason Partners Funds

c/o PFPC Inc.

P.O. Box 9699

Providence, Rhode Island 02940-9699

n Enclose a check to pay for the shares. For initial purchases, complete and send an account application available upon request from Legg Mason Partners Shareholder Services at the number below

n Specify the name of the fund, the share class you wish to purchase and your account number (if existing account)

n For more information, please call Legg Mason Partners Shareholder Services at 800-451-2010.

 
Through a systematic investment plan   

You may authorize your Service Agent or the transfer agent to transfer funds automatically from (i) a regular bank account, (ii) cash held in a brokerage account with a Service Agent or (iii) certain money market funds, in order to buy shares on a regular basis.

n Amounts transferred must be at least: $25

n Amounts may be transferred monthly, every alternate month, quarterly, semi-annually or annually

n If you do not have sufficient funds in your account on a transfer date, your Service Agent or the transfer agent may charge you a fee.

 

For more information, contact your Service Agent or Legg Mason Partners Shareholder Services or consult the SAI.

 

Diversified Large Cap Growth Fund         23


 

Exchanging shares

 

Legg Mason Partners offers a distinctive family of funds tailored to help meet the varying needs of both large and small investors   

You should contact your Service Agent to exchange into other Legg Mason Partners Funds. Be sure to read the prospectus of the Legg Mason Partners Fund into which you are exchanging. An exchange is a taxable transaction, unless you are investing through a tax-qualified savings plan or account.

n If you bought shares through a Service Agent, you may exchange shares only for shares of the same class of certain other Legg Mason Partners Funds made available for exchange by your Service Agent. Not all Legg Mason Partners Funds made available for exchange by your Service Agent may offer all classes. Please contact your Service Agent for more information about the funds and classes that are available for exchange

n If you bought shares directly from the fund, you may exchange shares only for shares of the same class of another Legg Mason Partners Fund other than shares of Legg Mason Partners S&P 500 Index Fund. Not all Legg Mason Partners Funds offer all classes

n Not all Legg Mason Partners Funds may be offered in your state of residence. Contact your Service Agent or the transfer agent for further information.

n Exchanges of Class A, B and C shares are subject to minimum investment requirements (except for systematic investment plan investments), and all shares are subject to the other requirements of the fund into which exchanges are made.

n If you hold share certificates, the transfer agent must receive the certificates endorsed for transfer or with signed stock powers before the exchange is effective.

n The fund may suspend or terminate your exchange privilege if you engage in an excessive pattern of exchanges.

 
Sales charges   

In most instances, your shares will not be subject to an initial sales charge or a contingent deferred sales charge at the time of the exchange.

Your contingent deferred sales charge (if any) will continue to be measured from the date of your original purchase of shares subject to a contingent deferred sales charge and you will be subject to the contingent deferred sales charge of the fund that you originally purchased.

 
By telephone    If you do not have a brokerage account with a Service Agent, you may be eligible to exchange shares through the fund. You must complete an authorization form to authorize telephone transfers. If eligible, you may make telephone exchanges on any day the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) is open. Shareholders should call Legg Mason Partners Shareholder Services at 800-451-2010 between 8:30 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. (Eastern time). Exchanges are priced at the net asset value next determined.

 

24         Legg Mason Partners Funds


 

  

You can make telephone exchanges only between accounts that have identical registrations.

 
By mail    If you do not have a brokerage account, contact your Service Agent or write to the fund at the address on the following page.
 
Through a systematic exchange plan   

You may be permitted to schedule exchanges of shares of any class of the fund for shares of the same class of other Legg Mason Partners Funds.

n Exchanges may be made, monthly, every alternate month, quarterly, semi-annually or annually

n A predetermined dollar amount of at least $25 per exchange is required

 

For more information, please contact your Service Agent or Legg Mason Partners Shareholder Services.

 

Diversified Large Cap Growth Fund         25


 

Redeeming shares

 

Generally   

Contact your Service Agent to redeem shares of the fund.

If you hold share certificates, the transfer agent must receive the certificates endorsed for transfer or with signed stock powers with a signature guarantee before you may redeem.

If the shares are held by a fiduciary or corporation, other documents may be required.

Redemptions are priced at the net asset value next determined after receipt of your request in good order.

Your redemption proceeds will normally be sent within three business days after your request is received in good order, but in any event within 7 days. Your redemption proceeds may be delayed for up to 10 days if your purchase was made by check.

If you have a brokerage account with a Service Agent, your redemption proceeds will be sent to your Service Agent. In other cases, unless you direct otherwise, your redemption proceeds will be paid by check mailed to your address of record.

 
By mail   

For accounts held directly on the fund, send written requests to the fund at the applicable address:

Legg Mason Partners Funds

c/o PFPC Inc.

P.O. Box 9699

Providence, Rhode Island 02940-9699

Your written request must provide the following:

n The fund name, the class of shares to be redeemed, and your account number

n The dollar amount or number of shares to be redeemed

n Signatures of each owner exactly as the account is registered

n Signature guarantees, as applicable

 
By telephone   

If you do not have a brokerage account with a Service Agent, you may be eligible to redeem shares (except those held in retirement plans) in amounts up to $50,000 per day through the fund. You must complete an authorization form to authorize telephone redemptions. If eligible, you may request redemptions by telephone on any day the NYSE is open. Shareholders should call Legg Mason Partners Shareholder Services at 800-451-2010 between 8:30 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. (Eastern time).

Your redemption proceeds can be sent by check to your address of record or by wire or electronic transfer (ACH) to a bank account designated on your authorization form. You must submit a new authorization form to change the bank account designated to receive wire or electronic transfers and you may be asked to provide certain other documents. The transfer agent may charge a fee on a wire or an electronic transfer (ACH).

 

 

26         Legg Mason Partners Funds


 

Automatic cash withdrawal plans   

You can arrange for the automatic redemption of a portion of your shares monthly, every alternate month, quarterly, semi-annually or annually. To qualify you must own shares of the fund with a value of at least $10,000 ($5,000 for retirement plan accounts) and each automatic redemption must be at least $50. If your shares are subject to a contingent deferred sales charge, the sales charge will be waived if your automatic redemptions are equal to or less than 2% per month of your account balance on the date withdrawals commence, up to a maximum of 12% in any one year.

The following conditions apply:

n Your shares must not be represented by certificates

n All dividends and distributions must be reinvested

 

For more information, please contact your Service Agent or consult the SAI.

 

Diversified Large Cap Growth Fund         27


 

Other things to know about transactions

When you buy, exchange or redeem shares, your request must be in good order. This means you have provided the following information, without which your request may not be processed:

n  

Name of the fund

n  

Your account number

n  

Class of shares being bought, and if you own more than one class, the class of shares being exchanged or redeemed

n  

Dollar amount or number of shares being bought, exchanged or redeemed

n  

Signature of each owner exactly as the account is registered

The fund’s transfer agent or Legg Mason Partners Shareholder Services will employ reasonable procedures to confirm that any telephone exchange or redemption request is genuine, which may include recording calls, asking the caller to provide certain personal identification information, sending you a written confirmation or requiring other confirmation procedures from time to time. If these procedures are followed, neither the fund nor its agent will bear any liability for such transactions.

Signature guarantees

To be in good order, your redemption request must include a signature guarantee if you:

n  

Are redeeming over $50,000

n  

Are sending signed share certificates or stock powers to the transfer agent

n  

Instruct the transfer agent to mail the check to an address different from the one on your account registration

n  

Changed your account registration or your address within 30 days

n  

Want the check paid to someone other than the account owner(s)

n  

Are transferring the redemption proceeds to an account with a different registration

You can obtain a signature guarantee from most banks, dealers, brokers, credit unions and federal savings and loan institutions, but not from a notary public.

The fund has the right to:

n  

Suspend the offering of shares

n  

Waive or change minimum and additional investment amounts

n  

Reject any purchase or exchange order

n  

Change, revoke or suspend the exchange privilege

n  

Suspend telephone transactions

n  

Suspend or postpone redemptions of shares on any day when trading on the NYSE is restricted, or as otherwise permitted by the SEC

n  

Pay redemption proceeds by giving you securities. You may pay transaction costs to dispose of the securities

Small account balances/Mandatory redemptions

If at any time the aggregate net asset value of the fund shares in your account is less than $500 for any reason (including solely due to declines in net asset value and/or failure to invest at least $500 within a reasonable period), the fund reserves the right to ask you to bring your account up to the applicable minimum investment amount as determined by

 

28         Legg Mason Partners Funds


 

your Service Agent. In such case you shall be notified in writing and will have 60 days to make an additional investment to bring your account value up to the required level. If you choose not to do so within this 60-day period, the fund may close your account and send you the redemption proceeds. In the event your account is closed due to a failure to increase your balance to the minimum required amount, you will not be eligible to have your account subsequently reinstated without imposition of any sales charges that may apply to your new purchase. The fund may, with prior notice, change the minimum size of accounts subject to mandatory redemption, which may vary by class, or implement fees for small accounts.

Subject to applicable law, the fund may, with prior notice, adopt other policies from time to time requiring mandatory redemption of shares in certain circumstances.

For more information, please contact your Service Agent or Legg Mason Partners Shareholders Services or consult the SAI.

Frequent purchases and redemptions of fund shares

Frequent purchases and redemptions of fund shares may interfere with the efficient management of the fund’s portfolio by its portfolio managers, increase portfolio transaction costs, and have a negative effect on the fund’s long-term shareholders. For example, in order to handle large flows of cash into and out of the fund, the portfolio managers may need to allocate more assets to cash or other short-term investments or sell securities, rather than maintaining full investment in securities selected to achieve the fund’s investment objective. Frequent trading may cause the fund to sell securities at less favorable prices. Transaction costs, such as brokerage commissions and market spreads, can detract from the fund’s performance. In addition, the return received by long-term shareholders may be reduced when trades by other shareholders are made in an effort to take advantage of certain pricing discrepancies, when, for example, it is believed that the fund’s share price, which is determined at the close of the NYSE on each trading day, does not accurately reflect the value of the fund’s portfolio securities. Funds investing in foreign securities have been particularly susceptible to this form of arbitrage, but other funds could also be affected.

Because of the potential harm to the fund and its long-term shareholders, the Board of the fund has approved policies and procedures that are intended to discourage and prevent excessive trading and market timing abuses through the use of various surveillance techniques. Under these policies and procedures, the fund may limit additional exchanges or purchases of fund shares by shareholders who are believed by the manager to be engaged in these abusive trading activities. The intent of the policies and procedures is not to inhibit legitimate strategies, such as asset allocation, dollar cost averaging, or similar activities that may nonetheless result in frequent trading of fund shares. For this reason, the Board has not adopted specific restrictions on purchases and sales of fund shares, but the fund reserves the right to reject any exchange or purchase of fund shares with or without prior notice to the account holder. In cases where surveillance of a particular account establishes what the manager believes to be obvious market timing, the manager will seek to block future purchases and exchanges of fund shares by that account. Where surveillance of a particular account indicates activity that the manager believes could be either abusive or for legitimate purposes, the fund may permit the account holder to justify the activity.

 

Diversified Large Cap Growth Fund         29


 

The policies apply to any account, whether an individual account or accounts with financial intermediaries such as investment advisers, broker-dealers or retirement plan administrators, commonly called omnibus accounts, where the intermediary holds fund shares for a number of its customers in one account. The fund’s ability to monitor trading in omnibus accounts may, however, be severely limited due to the lack of access to an individual investor’s trading activity when orders are placed through these types of accounts. There may also be operational and technological limitations on the ability of the fund’s service providers to identify or terminate frequent trading activity within the various types of omnibus accounts.

The fund’s policies also require personnel such as portfolio managers and investment staff to report any abnormal or otherwise suspicious investment activity, and prohibit short-term trades by such personnel for their own account in mutual funds managed by the manager and its affiliates, other than money market funds. Additionally, the fund has adopted policies and procedures to prevent the selective release of information about the fund’s portfolio holdings, as such information may be used for market-timing and similar abusive practices.

The fund’s policies provide for ongoing assessment of the effectiveness of current policies and surveillance tools, and the Board reserves the right to modify these or adopt additional policies and restrictions in the future. Shareholders should be aware, however, that any surveillance techniques currently employed by the fund or other techniques that may be adopted in the future, may not be effective particularly where the trading takes place through certain types of omnibus accounts. As noted above, if the fund is unable to detect and deter trading abuses, the fund’s performance, and its long-term shareholders, may be harmed. In addition, because the fund has not adopted any specific limitations or restrictions on the trading of fund shares, shareholders may be harmed by the extra costs and portfolio management inefficiencies that result from frequent trading of fund shares, even when the trading is not for abusive purposes. Furthermore, the fund may not apply its policies consistently or uniformly, resulting in the risk that some shareholders may be able to engage in frequent trading while others will bear the costs and effects of that trading. The fund will provide advance notice to shareholders and prospective investors of any specific restrictions on the trading of fund shares that the Board may adopt in the future.

Record ownership

If you hold your shares through a Service Agent, your Service Agent may establish and maintain your account and be the shareholder of record. In the event that the fund holds a shareholder meeting, your Service Agent, as record holder, will vote your shares in accordance with your instructions. If you do not give your Service Agent voting instructions, your Service Agent may nonetheless, under certain circumstances, be entitled to vote your shares.

Share certificates

Share certificates for the fund will no longer be issued. If you currently hold share certificates of the fund, such certificates will continue to be honored. If you would like to return your share certificates to the fund and hold your shares in uncertificated form, please contact your Service Agent or Legg Mason Partners Shareholder Services.

 

30         Legg Mason Partners Funds


 

Dividends, distributions and taxes

Dividends and distributions

The fund generally pays dividends and makes capital gain distributions, if any, once a year, typically in December. The fund may pay additional distributions and dividends at other times if necessary for the fund to avoid a federal tax. The fund expects distributions to be primarily from capital gains. Capital gain distributions and dividends are reinvested in additional fund shares of the same class you hold. You do not pay a sales charge on reinvested distributions or dividends. Alternatively, you can instruct your Service Agent or Legg Mason Partners Shareholder Services to have your distributions and/or dividends paid in cash. You can change your choice at any time to be effective as of the next distribution or dividend.

Taxes

The following discussion is very general. Because each shareholder’s circumstances are different and special tax rules may apply, you should consult your tax adviser about your investment in the fund.

In general, you will have to pay federal income taxes, as well as any state and local taxes, when you redeem shares, exchange shares or receive a distribution (whether paid in cash or reinvested in additional shares). Any tax liability that you owe as a result of any of these taxable events is your responsibility. The federal income tax treatment of redemptions, exchanges and distributions is summarized in the following table:

 

Transaction    Federal Tax Status
Redemption or exchange of shares    Usually capital gain or loss; long-term only if shares owned more than one year
 
Distributions of net capital gain (excess of net long-term capital gain over net short-term capital loss)    Long-term capital gain
 
Distributions of qualified dividend income    Qualified dividend income
 
Other ordinary dividends (including distributions of net short-term capital gain)    Ordinary income
 

Distributions of net capital gain are taxable to you as long-term capital gain regardless of how long you have owned your shares. Distributions of qualified dividend income received by a non-corporate shareholder, if any, may qualify for a reduced tax rate, provided that the shareholder satisfies certain holding period requirements. Qualified dividend income generally is income derived from dividends from a U.S. corporation; dividends from certain foreign corporations may also qualify. You may want to avoid buying shares when the fund is about to declare a capital gain distribution or a dividend, because it will be taxable to you even though it may effectively be a return of a portion of your investment.

After the end of each year, your Service Agent or the fund will provide you with information about the distributions and dividends you received and any redemptions of shares during the previous year.

 

Diversified Large Cap Growth Fund         31


 

If you are neither a citizen nor a resident of the United States, the fund will withhold federal income tax at the rate of 30% (or such lower rate as may be determined in accordance with any applicable treaty) on ordinary dividends and other payments that are subject to such withholding. If you do not provide the fund with your correct taxpayer identification number and any required certifications, you will be subject to back-up withholding at the rate of 28% on your distributions, dividends, and redemption proceeds. Backup withholding will not, however, be applied to payments that have been subject to the 30% withholding tax on shareholders who are neither residents nor citizens of the United States.

 

32         Legg Mason Partners Funds


 

Share price

You may buy, exchange or redeem shares at their net asset value next determined after receipt of your request in good order, plus any applicable sales charge. For each class of shares, net asset value per share is the value of its assets minus its liabilities divided by the number of shares outstanding. Net asset value is calculated separately for each class of shares. The fund calculates its net asset value every day the NYSE is open. This calculation is done when regular trading closes on the NYSE (normally 4:00 pm, Eastern time). The NYSE is closed on certain holidays listed in the SAI.

The fund may invest in securities that are listed on foreign exchanges that trade on weekends and other days when the fund does not price its shares. Therefore, the value of the fund’s shares may change on days when you will not be able to purchase or redeem the fund’s shares.

The Board has approved procedures to be used to value the fund’s securities for the purposes of determining the fund’s net asset value. The valuation of the securities of the fund is determined in good faith by or under the direction of the Board. The Board has delegated certain valuation functions for the fund to the manager.

The fund generally values its securities based on market prices determined at the close of regular trading on the NYSE. The fund’s currency valuations, if any, are done as of when the London Stock Exchange closes, which is usually at 12 noon Eastern time, as the manager believes that these valuations typically reflect the largest trading volume in the foreign currency markets. A material change in the value of currency during the period between the close of the London Stock Exchange and the calculation of the fund’s net asset value on the same date is considered a significant event, as described below, in response to which the fund may use fair valuation procedures to value the affected investments. For equity securities that are traded on an exchange, the market price is usually the closing sale or official closing price on that exchange. In the case of securities not traded on an exchange, or if such closing prices are not otherwise available, the market price is typically determined by independent third party pricing vendors approved by the fund’s Board using a variety of pricing techniques and methodologies. The market price for debt obligations is generally the price supplied by an independent third party pricing service approved by the fund’s board, which may use a matrix, formula or other objective method that takes into consideration market indices, yield curves and other specific adjustments. Short-term debt obligations that will mature in 60 days or less are valued at amortized cost, unless it is determined that using this method would not reflect an investment’s fair value. If vendors are unable to supply a price, or if the price supplied is deemed by the manager to be unreliable, the market price may be determined using quotations received from one or more broker-dealers that make a market in the security. When such prices or quotations are not available, or when the manager believes that they are unreliable, the manager will price securities using fair value procedures approved by the Board. Because the fund invests in securities of small capitalization companies and issuers located in emerging markets — some of which may be thinly traded, for which market quotations may not be readily available or may be unreliable — the fund may use fair valuation procedures more frequently than funds that invest primarily in securities that are more liquid, such as securities of large capitalization domestic issuers. The fund may also use fair value procedures if the

 

Diversified Large Cap Growth Fund         33


 

manager determines that a significant event has occurred between the time at which a market price is determined and the time at which the fund’s net asset value is calculated. In particular, the value of foreign securities may be materially affected by events occurring after the close of the market on which they are valued, but before the fund prices its shares. The fund uses a fair value model developed by an independent third party pricing service to price foreign equity securities on days when there is a certain percentage change in the value of a domestic equity security index, as such percentage may be determined by the manager from time to time.

Valuing securities at fair value involves greater reliance on judgment than valuation of securities based on readily available market quotations. A fund that uses fair value to price securities may value those securities higher or lower than another fund using market quotations or its own fair value methodologies to price the same securities. There can be no assurance that the fund could obtain the fair value assigned to a security if it were to sell the security at approximately the time at which the fund determines its net asset value.

In order to buy, redeem or exchange shares at that day’s price, you must place your order with your Service Agent or the transfer agent before the NYSE closes. If the NYSE closes early, you must place your order prior to the actual closing time.

It is the responsibility of the Service Agents to transmit all orders to buy, exchange or redeem shares to the transfer agent on a timely basis.

 

34         Legg Mason Partners Funds


 

Financial highlights

The financial highlights tables are intended to help you understand the performance of each class for the past five years. Certain information reflects financial results for a single share. Total return represents the rate that a shareholder would have earned (or lost) on a fund share assuming reinvestment of all dividends and distributions. The information in the following tables has been derived from the fund’s financial statements, which have been audited by KPMG LLP, independent registered public accounting firm, whose report, along with the fund’s financial statements, is included in the annual report (available upon request). The fund’s financial statements for the years ended on or before October 31, 2004 were audited by other auditors. As of November 20, 2006, Class Y shares of the fund were renamed Class I shares. Since no Class I (formerly Y) shares were outstanding at October 31, 2006, no information on Class I shares is provided below.

 

For a Class A share outstanding throughout each year ended October 31,  
Class A Shares   2006(1)     2005(1)     2004(1)     2003(1)     2002  

Net Asset Value, Beginning of Year

  $13.47     $13.51     $13.63     $11.78     $14.26  
   

Income (Loss) From Operations:

         

Net investment income (loss)

  0.10     0.12     0.01     0.03     0.01  

Net realized and unrealized gain (loss)

  1.77     (0.07 )   (0.10 )   1.82     (2.49 )
   

Total Income (Loss) From Operations

  1.87     0.05     (0.09 )   1.85     (2.48 )
   

Less Distributions From:

         

Net investment income

  (0.08 )   (0.09 )   (0.03 )   (0.00 )(2)    
   

Total Distributions

  (0.08 )   (0.09 )   (0.03 )   (0.00 )(2)    
   

Net Asset Value, End of Year

  $15.26     $13.47     $13.51     $13.63     $11.78  
   

Total Return(3)

  13.94 %   0.31 %   (0.65 )%   15.74 %   (17.39 )%
   

Net Assets, End of Year (000s)

  $152,821     $156,443     $181,843     $202,356     $188,539  
   

Ratios to Average Net Assets:

         

Gross expenses

  1.23 %   1.40 %   1.41 %   1.36 %   1.35 %

Net expenses(4)(5)

  1.03     1.05     1.04     1.05     1.05  

Net investment income (loss)

  0.71     0.86     0.08     0.28     0.06  
   

Portfolio Turnover Rate

  11 %   111 %   74 %   20 %   29 %
   

 

(1)

 

Per share amounts have been calculated using the average shares method.

 

(2)

 

Amount represents less than $0.01 per share.

 

(3)

 

Performance figures may reflect fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements. Past performance is no guarantee of future results. In the absence of fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements, the total return would have been lower.

 

(4)

 

As a result of a voluntary expense limitation, the ratio of expenses to average net assets, other than interest, brokerage, taxes and extraordinary expenses, of Class A shares will not exceed 1.05%.

 

(5)

 

Reflects fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements.

 

Diversified Large Cap Growth Fund         35


 

For a Class B share outstanding throughout each year ended October 31,  
Class B Shares   2006(1)     2005(1)     2004(1)     2003(1)     2002  

Net Asset Value, Beginning of Year

  $12.88     $12.94     $13.13     $11.43     $13.93  
   

Income (Loss) From Operations:

         

Net investment income (loss)

  (0.01 )   0.02     (0.09 )   (0.06 )   (0.10 )

Net realized and unrealized gain (loss)

  1.70     (0.08 )   (0.10 )   1.76     (2.40 )
   

Total Income (Loss) From Operations

  1.69     (0.06 )   (0.19 )   1.70     (2.50 )
   

Net Asset Value, End of Year

  $14.57     $12.88     $12.94     $13.13     $11.43  
   

Total Return(2)

  13.12 %   (0.46 )%   (1.45 )%   14.87 %   (17.95 )%
   

Net Assets, End of Year (000s)

  $7,754     $8,513     $10,310     $11,239     $10,366  
   

Ratios to Average Net Assets:

         

Gross expenses

  2.11 %   2.22 %   2.18 %   2.11 %   2.10 %

Net expenses(3)(4)

  1.79     1.80     1.79     1.80     1.80  

Net investment income (loss)

  (0.04 )   0.12     (0.67 )   (0.47 )   (0.69 )
   

Portfolio Turnover Rate

  11 %   111 %   74 %   20 %   29 %
   

 

(1)

 

Per share amounts have been calculated using the average shares method.

 

(2)

 

Performance figures may reflect fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements. Past performance is no guarantee of future results. In the absence of fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements, the total return would have been lower.

 

(3)

 

As a result of a voluntary expense limitation, the ratio of expenses to average net assets, other than interest, brokerage, taxes and extraordinary expenses, of Class B shares will not exceed 1.80%.

 

(4)

 

Reflects fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements.

 

36         Legg Mason Partners Funds


 

For a Class C share outstanding throughout each year ended October 31,  
Class C Shares   2006(1)     2005(1)     2004(1)     2003(1)     2002  

Net Asset Value, Beginning of Year

  $13.49     $13.54     $13.74     $11.96     $14.58  
   

Income (Loss) From Operations:

         

Net investment income (loss)

  (0.01 )   0.01     (0.09 )   (0.06 )   (0.06 )

Net realized and unrealized gain (loss)

  1.77     (0.06 )   (0.11 )   1.84     (2.56 )
   

Total Income (Loss) From Operations

  1.76     (0.05 )   (0.20 )   1.78     (2.62 )
   

Net Asset Value, End of Year

  $15.25     $13.49     $13.54     $13.74     $11.96  
   

Total Returns(2)

  13.05 %   (0.37 )%   (1.46 )%   14.88 %   (17.97 )%
   

Net Assets, End of Year (000s)

  $321     $334     $500     $637     $537  
   

Ratios to Average Net Assets:

         

Gross expenses

  2.21 %   2.19 %   2.22 %   2.11 %   2.10 %

Net expenses(3)(4)

  1.79     1.80     1.79     1.80     1.80  

Net investment income (loss)

  (0.05 )   0.10     (0.65 )   (0.46 )   (0.66 )
   

Portfolio Turnover Rate

  11 %   111 %   74 %   20 %   29 %
   

 

(1)

 

Per share amounts have been calculated using the average shares method.

 

(2)

 

Performance figures may reflect fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements. Past performance is no guarantee of future results. In the absence of fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements, the total return would have been lower.

 

(3)

 

As a result of a voluntary expense limitation, the ratio of expenses to average net assets, other than interest, brokerage, taxes and extraordinary expenses, of Class C shares will not exceed 1.80%.

 

(4)

 

Reflects fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements.

 

Diversified Large Cap Growth Fund         37


 

 

(Investment Company Act file no. 811-4007)

FD 02504 02/07

LOGO

Legg Mason Partners Diversified Large Cap Growth Fund

You may look at the fund’s website at www.leggmason.com/InvestorServices for a free copy of a Prospectus, Statement of Additional Information (“SAI”) or an Annual or Semi-Annual Report, or to request other information.

Shareholder reports Additional information about the fund’s investments is available in the fund’s Annual and Semi-Annual Reports to shareholders. In the fund’s Annual Report, you will find a discussion of the market conditions and investment strategies that significantly affected the fund’s performance.

The fund sends only one report to a household if more than one account has the same last name and same address. Contact your Service Agent or Legg Mason Partners Shareholder Services if you do not want this policy to apply to you.

Statement of Additional Information The SAI provides more detailed information about the fund and is incorporated by reference into (is legally a part of) this Prospectus.

You can make inquiries about the fund or obtain shareholder reports or the SAI (without charge) by contacting your Service Agent, by calling Legg Mason Partners Shareholder Services at 800-451-2010, or by writing to the fund at 125 Broad Street, New York, New York 10004.

Information about the fund (including the SAI) can be reviewed and copied at the Securities and Exchange Commission’s (the “Commission”) Public Reference Room in Washington, D.C. In addition, information on the operation of the Public Reference Room may be obtained by calling the Commission at 1-202-551-8090. Reports and other information about the fund are available on the EDGAR Database on the Commission’s Internet site at http://www.sec.gov. Copies of this information may be obtained for a duplicating fee by electronic request at the following E-mail address: publicinfo@sec.gov, or by writing the Commission’s Public Reference Section, Washington, D.C. 20549-0102.

If someone makes a statement about the fund that is not in this Prospectus, you should not rely upon that information. Neither the fund nor the distributors are offering to sell shares of the fund to any person to whom the fund may not lawfully sell its shares.


Filed under Rule 497(c)

File Nos. 33-43446 and 811-6444

April 16, 2007

STATEMENT OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

LEGG MASON PARTNERS DIVERSIFIED LARGE CAP GROWTH FUND

This Statement of Additional Information sets forth information which may be of interest to investors but which is not necessarily included in the fund’s Prospectus, dated April 16, 2007, by which shares of the fund are offered. This Statement of Additional Information should be read in conjunction with the Prospectus. As part of a number of initiatives launched in 2006 to restructure and streamline the Legg Mason Partners fund complex, the fund assumed the assets and liabilities of a predecessor fund with the same name. The fund is now grouped for organizational and governance purposes with other Legg Mason Partners funds that are predominantly equity-type funds, and is a series of Legg Mason Partners Equity Trust (the “Trust”), a Maryland business trust. Other initiatives, including the election of a new Board of Trustees (the “Board”) and the approval of certain revised fundamental investment policies, have also been accomplished, and more information on these matters appears in this SAI. Certain historical information contained in the SAI is that of the fund’s predecessor.

This Statement of Additional Information incorporates by reference financial statements that can be found in the fund’s Annual and Semi-Annual Report to Shareholders. A prospectus and copies of the reports may be obtained free of charge by contacting a distributor’s financial advisor or registered representative, a broker/dealer, financial intermediary or a financial institution that has entered into an agreement with one of the fund’s distributors, (each called a “Service Agent”), or by writing or calling the fund at the address or telephone number set forth above. Legg Mason Investor Services, LLC (“LMIS”), a wholly-owned broker/dealer subsidiary of Legg Mason, Inc. (“Legg Mason”) and Citigroup Global Markets Inc. (“CGMI”) serve as the fund’s distributors.

 

1


TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

          Page

1.

  

The Trust

   3

2.

  

Investment Objectives and Policies

   3

3.

  

Description of Permitted Investments and Investment Practices and Associated Risks

   4

4.

  

Investment Restrictions

   22

5.

  

Additional Information on the Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares and Shareholder Programs

   25

6.

  

Management

   34

7.

  

Portfolio Transactions

   50

8.

  

Disclosure of Portfolio Holdings

   52

9.

  

Portfolio Managers

   55

10.

  

Additional Information

   57

11.

  

Tax Matters

   63

12.

  

Financial Statements

   66

Appendix A—Proxy Voting Guidelines and Procedures Summary

   A-1

This Statement of Additional Information is NOT a prospectus and is authorized for distribution to prospective investors only if preceded or accompanied by an effective prospectus.

 

2


1. THE TRUST

This Statement of Additional Information describes shares of Legg Mason Partners Diversified Large Cap Growth Fund (the “Large Cap Growth Fund”) which is a separate series of the Trust. Prior to September 11, 2000, Large Cap Growth Fund was called CitiFunds Large Cap Growth Portfolio. Prior to March 2, 1998, the Large Cap Growth Fund was called Landmark Equity Fund. On April 7, 2006, the fund changed its name from Smith Barney Diversified Large Cap Growth Fund to Legg Mason Partners Diversified Large Cap Growth Fund. References in this Statement of Additional Information to the “Prospectus” of the fund are to the fund’s Prospectus, dated April 16, 2007.

The fund is an open end management, diversified fund. Under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”), a diversified management investment company must invest at least 75% of its assets in cash and cash items, U.S. Government securities, investment company securities and other securities limited as to any one issuer to not more than 5% of the total assets of the investment company and not more than 10% of the voting securities of the issuer. The fund is permitted to seek its investment objective by investing all or a portion of its assets in one or more investment companies to the extent not prohibited by the 1940 Act, the rules and regulations thereunder, and exemptive orders granted under such Act.

Legg Mason Partners Fund Advisor, LLC (”LMPFA” or the “manager“), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Legg Mason, Inc. (“Legg Mason”), is the investment manager to the fund. The manager provides administrative and certain oversight services to the fund. ClearBridge Advisors, LLC (“ClearBridge”) provides the day to day portfolio management of the fund, except for the management of cash and short-term instruments, as subadviser. The selection of investments for the fund and the way it is managed depends on the conditions and trends in the economy and the financial marketplaces.

Shares of the fund are continuously sold by LMIS and CGMI, the fund’s distributors. Shares may be purchased from the fund’s distributors, or from Service Agents. The distributors and service agents may receive fees from the fund pursuant to a shareholder services and distribution plan adopted in accordance with Rule 12b-1 under the 1940 Act.

2. INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE AND POLICIES

The investment objective of the Large Cap Growth Fund is long-term capital growth. Dividend income, if any, is incidental to the investment objective.

Principal Investment Strategies

Under normal market conditions, the fund invests at least 80% of its net assets in the equity securities of large cap issuers and related investments or in other investments with similar economic characteristics. Companies that have market capitalizations with market capitalizations similar to companies in the Russell 1000 Index are considered large cap companies. Securities of companies whose capitalizations no longer meet this definition after purchase by the fund are still considered to have large market capitalizations for the purposes of the fund’s 80% policy. The fund may also invest in securities issued by smaller companies.

The fund’s equity securities consist primarily of common stocks. The fund may also invest in other equity securities that a portfolio manager believes provide opportunities for appreciation, such as preferred stock, warrants and securities convertible into common stock.

Additional Information

The fund’s principal investment strategies are described above. The following provides additional information about these principal strategies and describes other investment strategies that may be used by the fund.

 

3


The policies described herein and those described below under “Description of Permitted Investments and Investment Practices” are not fundamental and may be changed without shareholder approval.

Of course, there can be no assurance that the fund will achieve its objective.

Although the specific investment policies may be changed without shareholder approval, the fund has adopted a policy to provide its shareholders with at least 60 days prior notice of any change in its 80% policy.

Certain investment restrictions of the fund described below under “Investment Restrictions” are fundamental and cannot be changed with respect to the fund without approval by the investors in the fund.

3. DESCRIPTION OF PERMITTED INVESTMENTS

AND INVESTMENT PRACTICES AND ASSOCIATED RISKS

This section contains a discussion of certain investment practices and certain of the risks associated with these practices, and supplements the description of the fund’s investments and risks contained in the Prospectus. The fund may, but need not, invest in all of the investments and utilize all of the investment techniques described below and in the fund’s Prospectus. The selection of investments and the utilization of investment techniques depend on, among other things, the subadviser’s investment strategies for the fund, conditions and trends in the economy and financial markets and investments being available on terms that, in the subadviser’s opinion, make economic sense.

Options

The fund may write covered call and put options and purchase call and put options on securities for hedging and non-hedging purposes. Call and put options written by the fund may be covered in the manner set forth below, or the fund will segregate cash or liquid securities equal to the value of the securities underlying the option.

A call option written by the fund is “covered” if the fund owns the security underlying the call or has an absolute and immediate right to acquire that security without additional cash consideration (or for additional cash consideration held in a segregated account) upon conversion or exchange of other securities held in its portfolio. A call option is also covered if the fund holds a call on the same security and in the same principal amount as the call written where the exercise price of the call held (a) is equal to or less than the exercise price of the call written or (b) is greater than the exercise price of the call written if the difference is maintained by the fund in cash or liquid securities in a segregated account. A put option written by the fund is “covered” if the fund maintains cash or liquid securities with a value equal to the exercise price in a segregated account, or else holds a put on the same security and in the same principal amount as the put written where the exercise price of the put held is equal to or greater than the exercise price of the put written or where the exercise price of the put held is less than the exercise price of the put written if the difference is maintained by the fund in cash or liquid securities in a segregated account. Put and call options written by the fund may also be covered in such other manner as may be in accordance with the requirements of the exchange on which, or the counterparty with which, the option is traded, and applicable laws and regulations. Even if the fund’s obligation is covered, it is subject to the risk of the full change in value of the underlying security from the time the option is written until exercise. Covering an option does not protect the fund from risk of loss.

When the fund writes a call option, the fund, in return for a fee, or “premium”, agrees to sell a security at the exercise price, if the holder exercises the right to purchase prior to the expiration date of the call option. If the

 

4


fund holds the security in question, the fund gives up some or all of the opportunity to profit from the increase in the market price of the security during the life of the option. The fund retains the risk of loss should the price of the security decline. If the option expires unexercised, the fund realizes a gain equal to the premium, which may be offset by a decline in price of the underlying security. If the option is exercised, the fund realizes a gain or loss equal to the difference between the fund’s cost for the underlying security and the proceeds of sale (exercise price minus commissions) plus the amount of the premium.

The fund may terminate a call option it has written before it expires by entering into a closing purchase transaction. The fund may enter into closing purchase transactions in order to free itself to sell the underlying security or to write another call on the security, realize a profit on a previously written call option, or protect a security from being called in an unexpected market rise. Any profits from closing a purchase transaction may be offset by a decline in the value of the underlying security. Conversely, because increases in the market price of a call option will generally reflect increases in the market price of the underlying security, if the fund holds the underlying security any loss resulting from a closing purchase transaction is likely to be offset in whole or in part by unrealized appreciation of the underlying security. If the fund does not hold the underlying security, the fund’s loss could be unlimited.

The fund may write put options in an attempt to enhance its current return. Such option transactions may also be used as a limited form of hedging against an increase in the price of securities that the fund plans to purchase. A put option written by the fund gives the holder the right to sell, and, in return for a premium, obligates the fund to buy, a security at the exercise price at any time before the expiration date.

In addition to the receipt of premiums and the potential gains from terminating such options in closing purchase transactions, the fund may also receive a return on the cash and debt securities maintained to cover the exercise price of the option. By writing a put option, the fund assumes the risk that it may be required to purchase the underlying security for an exercise price higher than its then current market value, resulting in a loss to the fund, unless the security later appreciates in value. The fund may terminate a put option it has written before it expires by a closing purchase transaction. Any loss from this transaction may be partially or entirely offset by the premium received on the terminated option.

The fund may purchase options for hedging purposes or to increase the fund’s return. When put options are purchased as a hedge against a decline in the value of portfolio securities, the put options may be purchased at or about the same time that the fund purchases the underlying security or at a later time. If such decline occurs, the put options will permit the fund to sell the securities at the exercise price, or to close out the options at a profit. By using put options in this way, the fund will reduce any profit it might otherwise have realized in the underlying security by the amount of the premium paid for the put option and by transaction costs. Similarly, when put options are used for non-hedging purposes, the fund may make a profit when the price of the underlying security or instrument falls below the strike price. If the price of the underlying security or instrument does not fall sufficiently, the options may expire unexercised and the fund would lose the premiums it paid for the option. If the price of the underlying security or instrument falls sufficiently and the option is exercised, the amount of any resulting profit will be offset by the amount of premium paid.

The fund may purchase call options to hedge against an increase in the price of securities that the fund anticipates purchasing in the future. If such increase occurs, the call option will permit the fund to purchase the securities at the exercise price, or to close out the options at a profit. The premium paid for the call option plus any transaction costs will reduce the benefit, if any, realized by the fund upon exercise of the option, and, unless the price of the underlying security rises sufficiently, the option may expire worthless to the fund and the premium would be lost.

Call options may also be purchased in order to increase the fund’s return at a time when the call is expected to increase in value due to anticipated appreciation of the underlying security. Prior to its expiration, a call option may be sold by the fund in closing sale transactions, which are sales by the fund, prior to the exercise of options

 

5


that it has purchased, of options of the same series. Profit or loss from the sale will depend upon whether the amount received is more or less than the premium paid for the option plus the related transaction costs. The purchase of call options on securities that the fund owns, when the fund is substantially fully invested, is a form of leverage, up to the amount of the premium and related transaction costs, and involves risks of loss and of increased volatility.

The fund may write (sell) call and put options and purchase call and put options on securities indices. The delivery requirements of options on securities indices differ from options on securities. Unlike a securities option, which contemplates the right to take or make delivery of securities at a specified price, an option on a securities index gives the holder the right to receive a cash “exercise settlement amount” equal to (1) the amount, if any, by which the fixed exercise price of the option exceeds (in the case of a put) or is less than (in the case of a call) the closing value of the underlying index on the date of exercise, multiplied by (2) a fixed “index multiplier.” Receipt of this cash amount will depend upon the closing level of the securities index upon which the option is based being greater than, in the case of a call, or less than, in the case of a put, the exercise price of the option. The writer of the option is obligated, in return for the premium received, to make delivery of this amount. The writer may offset its position in securities index options prior to expiration by entering into a closing transaction on an exchange or it may allow the option to expire unexercised.

The fund may cover call options on securities indices by owning securities whose price changes, in the opinion of the subadviser, are expected to be similar to those of the underlying index, or by having an absolute and immediate right to acquire such securities without additional cash consideration (or for additional cash consideration held in a segregated account by its custodian) upon conversion or exchange of other securities in its portfolio. Where the fund covers a call option on a securities index through ownership of securities, such securities may not match the composition of the index and, in that event, the fund will not be fully covered and could be subject to risk of loss in the event of adverse changes in the value of the index. The fund may also cover call options on securities indices by holding a call on the same index and in the same principal amount as the call written where the exercise price of the call held (a) is equal to or less than the exercise price of the call written or (b) is greater than the exercise price of the call written if the difference is maintained by the fund in cash or liquid securities in a segregated account. The fund may cover put options on securities indices by maintaining cash or liquid securities with a value equal to the exercise price in a segregated account or by holding a put on the same securities index and in the same principal amount as the put written where the exercise price of the put held is equal to or greater than the exercise price of the put written or where the exercise price of the put held is less than the exercise price of the put written if the difference is maintained by the fund in cash or liquid securities in a segregated account. Put and call options on securities indices may also be covered in such other manner as may be in accordance with the rules of the exchange on which, or the counterparty with which, the option is traded, and applicable laws and regulations. Investors should be aware that although the fund will only write call or put options on securities indices that are covered, covering an option does not protect the fund from risk of loss.

The fund will receive a premium from writing a put or call option, which increases the fund’s gross income in the event the option expires unexercised or is closed out at a profit. If the value of an index on which the fund has written a call option falls or remains the same, the fund will realize a profit in the form of the premium received (less transaction costs) that could offset all or a portion of any decline in the value of the securities it owns. If the value of the index rises, however, the fund will realize a loss in its call option position, which will reduce the benefit of any unrealized appreciation in the fund’s stock investments. By writing a put option, the fund assumes the risk of a decline in the index. To the extent that the price changes of securities owned by the fund correlate with changes in the value of the index, writing covered put options on indices will increase the fund’s losses in the event of a market decline, although such losses will be offset in part by the premium received for writing the option.

The fund may purchase put options on securities indices when the subadviser believes that there may be a decline in the prices of the securities covered by the index. The fund will realize a gain if the put option appreciates in excess of the premium paid for the option. If the option does not increase in value, the fund’s loss will be limited to the premium paid for the option plus related transaction costs.

 

6


The fund may purchase call options on securities indices to take advantage of an anticipated broad market advance, or an advance in an industry or market segment. The fund will bear the risk of losing all or a portion of the premium paid if the value of the index does not rise. The purchase of call options on securities indices when the fund is substantially fully invested is a form of leverage, up to the amount of the premium and related transaction costs, and involves risks of loss and of increased volatility.

Securities index options are subject to position and exercise limits and other regulations imposed by the exchange on which they are traded. The ability of the fund to engage in closing purchase transactions with respect to securities index options depends on the existence of a liquid secondary market. However, no such secondary market may exist, or the market may cease to exist at some future date, for some options. No assurance can be given that a closing purchase transaction can be effected when the subadviser desires that the fund engage in such a transaction.

Because the value of an index option depends upon movements in the level of the index rather than the price of a particular security, whether the fund realizes a gain or loss from purchasing or writing options on an index depends upon movements in the level of prices in the market generally or, in the case of certain indices, in an industry or market segment, rather than movements in the price of a particular security. As a result, successful use by the fund of options on securities indices is subject to the subadviser’s ability to predict correctly movements in the direction of the market generally or of a particular industry. This ability contemplates different skills and techniques from those used in predicting changes in the price of individual securities. When the fund purchases or writes securities index options as a hedging technique, the fund’s success will depend upon the extent to which price movements in the portion of a securities portfolio being hedged correlate with price movements of the securities index selected.

The fund’s purchase or sale of securities index options in an attempt to enhance performance involves speculation and may be very risky and cause losses, which, in the case of call options written, are potentially unlimited.

The fund may purchase over-the-counter (“OTC”) or dealer options or sell covered OTC options. Unlike exchange-listed options where an intermediary or clearing corporation assures that all transactions are properly executed, the responsibility for performing all transactions with respect to OTC options rests solely with the writer and the holder of those options. A listed call option writer, for example, is obligated to deliver the underlying stock to the clearing organization if the option is exercised, and the clearing organization is then obligated to pay the writer the exercise price of the option. If the fund were to purchase a dealer option, however, it would rely on the dealer from whom it purchased the option to perform if the option were exercised. If the dealer fails to honor the exercise of the option by the fund, the fund would lose the premium it paid for the option and the expected benefit of the transaction.

Listed options may have a liquid market while dealer options have none. Consequently, the fund will generally be able to realize the value of a dealer option it has purchased only by exercising it or reselling it to the dealer who issued it. Similarly, when the fund writes a dealer option, it generally will be able to close out the option prior to the expiration only by entering into a closing purchase transaction with the dealer to which the fund originally sold the option. Although the fund will seek to enter into dealer options only with dealers who will agree to and that are expected to be capable of entering into closing transactions with the fund, there can be no assurance that the fund will be able to liquidate a dealer option at a favorable price at any time prior to expiration. The inability to enter into a closing transaction may result in material losses to the fund. Until the fund, as an OTC call option writer, is able to effect a closing purchase transaction, it will not be able to liquidate securities (or other assets) used to cover the written option until the option expires or is exercised. This requirement may impair the fund’s ability to sell portfolio securities or, with respect to currency options, currencies at a time when such sale might be advantageous. In the event of insolvency of the other party, the fund may be unable to liquidate a dealer option.

 

7


The fund may purchase and write options on foreign currencies as more fully described in “Foreign Currency Exchange Transactions” below. The fund may also purchase or write call options on futures contracts as more fully described in “Options on Futures Contracts” below.

The use of options by the fund may involve leveraging. Leveraging adds increased risks to the fund, because the fund’s losses may be out of proportion to the amount invested in the instrument—a relatively small investment may lead to much greater losses.

Futures Contracts

The fund may enter into stock index futures contracts for hedging purposes and for nonhedging purposes.

A futures contract is an agreement between two parties for the purchase or sale for future delivery of securities or for the payment or acceptance of a cash settlement based upon changes in the value of the securities or of an index of securities. A “sale” of a futures contract means the acquisition of a contractual obligation to deliver the securities called for by the contract at a specified price, or to make or accept the cash settlement called for by the contract, on a specified date. A “purchase” of a futures contract means the acquisition of a contractual obligation to acquire the securities called for by the contract at a specified price, or to make or accept the cash settlement called for by the contract, on a specified date. Futures contracts in the United States have been designed by exchanges which have been designated “contract markets” by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (“CFTC”) and must be executed through a futures commission merchant, or brokerage firm, which is a member of the relevant contract market. Futures contracts trade on these markets, and the exchanges, through their clearing organizations, guarantee that the contracts will be performed as between the clearing members of the exchange. Futures contracts may also be traded on markets outside the U.S.

Future contracts on individual equity securities continue to be developed and the fund may invest in any such contracts as may be developed to the extent consistent with its investment objectives and regulatory requirements applicable to investment companies.

The fund may buy and sell stock index futures contracts to attempt to increase investment return, to gain stock market exposure while holding cash available for investments and redemptions, or to protect against a decline in the stock market.

A stock index futures contract is a contract to buy or sell units of a stock index at a specified future date at the price agreed upon when the contract is made. A unit is the current value of the stock index.

The following example illustrates generally the manner in which index futures contracts operate. The Standard & Poor’s 100 Stock Index (the “S&P 100 Index”) is composed of 100 selected common stocks, most of which are listed on the New York Stock Exchange. The S&P 100 Index assigns relative weightings to the common stocks included in the Index, and the Index fluctuates with changes in the market values of those common stocks. In the case of the S&P 100 Index, contracts are to buy or sell 100 units. Thus, if the value of the S&P 100 Index were $180, one contract would be worth $18,000 (100 units x $180). The stock index futures contract specifies that no delivery of the actual stocks making up the index will take place. Instead, settlement in cash must occur upon the termination of the contract, with the settlement being the difference between the contract price and the actual level of the stock index at the expiration of the contract. For example, if the fund enters into a futures contract to buy 100 units of the S&P 100 Index at a specified future date at a contract price of $180 and the S&P 100 Index is at $184 on that future date, the fund will gain $400 (100 units x gain of $4) reduced by transaction costs. If the fund enters into a futures contract to sell 100 units of the stock index at a specified future date at a contract price of $180 and the S&P 100 Index is at $182 on that future date, the fund will lose $200 (100 units x loss of $2) increased by transaction costs.

Positions in index futures may be closed out only on an exchange or board of trade which provides a secondary market for such futures.

 

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The ordinary spreads between prices in the cash and futures markets, due to differences in the nature of those markets, are subject to distortions. First, all participants in the futures market are subject to initial deposit and variation margin requirements. Rather than meeting additional variation margin requirements, investors may close out futures contracts through offsetting transactions which could distort the normal relationship between the cash and futures markets. Second, there is the potential that the liquidity of the futures market may be lacking. Prior to expiration, a futures contract may be terminated only by entering into a closing purchase or sale transaction, which requires a secondary market on the contract market on which the futures contract was originally entered into. There can be no assurance that a liquid secondary market will exist for any particular futures contract at any specific time. In that event, it may not be possible to close out a position held by the fund, which could require the fund to purchase or sell the instrument underlying the futures contract or to meet ongoing variation margin requirements. The inability to close out futures positions also could have an adverse impact on the ability effectively to use futures transactions for hedging or other purposes.

The liquidity of a secondary market in a futures contract may be adversely affected by “daily price fluctuation limits” established by the exchanges, which limit the amount of fluctuation in the price of a futures contract during a single trading day and prohibit trading beyond such limits once they have been reached. Each contract market on which futures contracts are traded has established a number of limitations governing the maximum number of positions which may be held by a trader, whether acting alone or in concert with others. The trading of futures contracts also is subject to the risk of trading halts, suspensions, exchange or clearing house equipment failures, government intervention, insolvency of a brokerage firm or clearing house or other disruptions of normal trading activity, which could at times make it difficult or impossible to liquidate existing positions or to recover excess variation margin payments.

Investments in futures contracts also entail the risk that if the subadviser’s investment judgment about the general direction of interest rates, equity markets, or other economic factors is incorrect, the fund’s overall performance may be poorer than if any such contract had not been entered into. For example, if the fund entered into a stock index futures contract in the belief that the prices of the stocks comprising the index would increase, and prices decreased instead, the fund would have both losses in its portfolio securities as well as in its futures positions.

In addition, an amount of cash or liquid securities will be maintained by the fund in a segregated account so that the amount so segregated, plus the applicable margin held on deposit, will be approximately equal to the amount necessary to satisfy the fund’s obligations under the futures contract, or the fund will otherwise “cover” its positions in accordance with applicable policies and regulations.

The use of futures contracts potentially exposes the fund to the effects of “leveraging,” which occurs when futures are used so that the fund’s exposure to the market is greater than it would have been if the fund had invested directly in the underlying securities. “Leveraging” increases a fund’s potential for both gain and loss.

Single Stock Futures. Recent legislation permits the trading on U.S. exchanges of standardized futures contracts on individual equity securities, such as common stocks, exchange traded funds and American Depository Receipts, as well as narrow-based securities indices, generally called security futures contracts or “SFCs”. As with other futures contracts, a SFC involves an agreement to purchase or sell in the future a specific quantity of shares of a security or the component securities of the index. The initial margin requirements (typically 20 percent) are generally higher than with other futures contracts. Trading SFCs involves many of the same risks as trading other futures contracts, including the risks involved with leverage, and loses are potentially unlimited. Under certain market conditions, for example if trading is halted due to unusual trading activity in either the SFC or the underlying security due to recent news events involving the issuer of the security, it may be difficult or impossible for a fund to liquidate its position or manage risk by entering into an offsetting position. In addition, the prices of SFCs may not correlate as anticipated with the prices of the underlying security. And unlike options on securities in which the fund may invest, where the fund has the right, but not the obligation, to

 

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buy or sell a security prior to the expiration date, if the fund has a position in a SFC, the fund has both the right and the obligation to buy or sell the security at a future date, or otherwise offset its position.

Options on Futures Contracts

The fund may purchase and write options to buy or sell futures contracts in which the fund may invest. These investment strategies may be used for hedging purposes and for non-hedging purposes, subject to applicable law.

An option on a futures contract provides the holder with the right to enter into a “long” position in the underlying futures contract, in the case of a call option, or a “short” position in the underlying futures contract, in the case of a put option, at a fixed exercise price up to a stated expiration date or, in the case of certain options, on such date. Upon exercise of the option by the holder, the contract market clearinghouse establishes a corresponding short position for the writer of the option, in the case of a call option, or a corresponding long position in the case of a put option. In the event that an option is exercised, the parties will be subject to all the risks associated with the trading of futures contracts, such as payment of initial and variation margin deposits. In addition, the writer of an option on a futures contract, unlike the holder, is subject to initial and variation margin requirements on the option position.

A position in an option on a futures contract may be terminated by the purchaser or seller prior to expiration by effecting a closing purchase or sale transaction, subject to the availability of a liquid secondary market, which is the purchase or sale of an option of the same series (i.e., the same exercise price and expiration date) as the option previously purchased or sold. The difference between the premiums paid and received represents the trader’s profits or loss on the transaction.

Options on futures contracts that are written or purchased by the fund on U.S. exchanges are traded on the same contract market as the underlying futures contract, and, like futures contracts, are subject to regulation by the CFTC and the performance guarantee of the exchange clearinghouse. In addition, options on futures contracts may be traded on foreign exchanges.

The fund may cover the writing of call options on futures contracts (a) through purchases of the underlying futures contract, (b) through ownership of the instrument, or instruments included in the index underlying the futures contract, or (c) through the holding of a call on the same futures contract and in the same principal amount as the call written where the exercise price of the call held (i) is equal to or less than the exercise price of the call written or (ii) is greater than the exercise price of the call written if the difference is maintained by the funds in cash or securities in a segregated account. The fund may cover the writing of put options on futures contracts (a) through sales of the underlying futures contract, (b) through segregation of cash or liquid securities in an amount equal to the value of the security or index underlying the futures contract, (c) through the holding of a put on the same futures contract and in the same principal amount as the put written where the exercise price of the put held is equal to or greater than the exercise price of the put written or where the exercise price of the put held is less than the exercise price of the put written if the difference is maintained by the funds in cash or liquid securities in a segregated account. Put and call options on futures contracts may also be covered in such other manner as may be in accordance with the rules of the exchange on which the option is traded and applicable laws and regulations. Upon the exercise of a call option on a futures contract written by the fund, the fund will be required to sell the underlying futures contract which, if the fund has covered its obligation through the purchase of such contract, will serve to liquidate its futures position. Similarly, where a put option on a futures contract written by the fund is exercised, the fund will be required to purchase the underlying futures contract which, if the fund has covered its obligation through the sale of such contract, will close out its futures position.

The writing of a call option on a futures contract constitutes a partial hedge against declining prices of the securities deliverable on exercise of the futures contract. The fund will receive an option premium when it writes the call, and, if the price of the futures contract at expiration of the option is below the option exercise price, the

 

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fund will retain the full amount of this option premium, which provides a partial hedge against any decline that may have occurred in the fund’s security holdings. Similarly, the writing of a put option on a futures contract constitutes a partial hedge against increasing prices of the securities deliverable upon exercise of the futures contract. If the fund writes an option on a futures contract and that option is exercised, the fund may incur a loss, which loss will be reduced by the amount of the option premium received, less related transaction costs. The fund’s ability to hedge effectively through transactions in options on futures contracts depends on, among other factors, the degree of correlation between changes in the value of securities held by the fund and changes in the value of its futures positions. This correlation cannot be expected to be exact, and the fund bears a risk that the value of the futures contract being hedged will not move in the same amount, or even in the same direction, as the hedging instrument. Thus it may be possible for the fund to incur a loss on both the hedging instrument and the futures contract being hedged.

The fund may purchase options on futures contracts for hedging purposes instead of purchasing or selling the underlying futures contracts. For example, where a decrease in the value of portfolio securities is anticipated as a result of a projected market-wide decline or changes in interest or exchange rates, the fund could, in lieu of selling futures contracts, purchase put options thereon. In the event that such decrease occurs, it may be offset, in whole or part, by a profit on the option. Conversely, where it is projected that the value of securities to be acquired by the fund will increase prior to acquisition, due to a market advance or changes in interest or exchange rates, the fund could purchase call options on futures contracts, rather than purchasing the underlying futures contracts.

The fund may also purchase options on futures contracts for non-hedging purposes, in order to take advantage of projected market advances or declines or changes in interest rates or exchange rates. For example, the fund can buy a call option on a futures contract when the subadviser believes that the underlying futures contract will rise. If prices do rise, the fund could exercise the option and acquire the underlying futures contract at the strike price or the fund could offset the long call position with a sale and realize a profit. Or, the fund can sell a call option if the subadviser believes that futures prices will decline. If prices decline, the call will likely not be exercised and the fund would profit. However, if the underlying futures contract should rise, the buyer of the option would likely exercise the call against the fund and acquire the underlying futures position at the strike price; the fund’s loss in this case could be unlimited.

The fund’s use of options on futures contracts may involve leveraging. Leveraging adds increased risks to the fund, because the fund’s losses may be out of proportion to the amount invested in the instrument—a relatively small investment may lead to much greater losses.

The fund is operated by persons who have claimed an exclusion, granted to operators of registered investment companies like the fund, from registration as a “commodity pool operator” with respect to the fund under the Commodity Exchange Act, and therefore, are not subject to registration or regulation with respect to the fund under the Commodity Exchange Act.

Repurchase Agreements

The fund may invest in repurchase agreements collateralized by securities in which that fund may otherwise invest. Repurchase agreements are agreements by which the fund purchases a security and simultaneously commits to resell that security to the seller (which is usually a member bank of the U.S. Federal Reserve System or a member firm of the New York Stock Exchange (or a subsidiary thereof)) at an agreed-upon date within a number of days (frequently overnight and usually not more than seven days) from the date of purchase. The resale price reflects the purchase price plus an agreed-upon market rate of interest which is unrelated to the coupon rate or maturity of the purchased security. A repurchase agreement involves the obligation of the seller to pay the agreed upon price, which obligation is in effect secured by the value of the underlying security, usually U.S. Government or Government agency issues. Under the 1940 Act, repurchase agreements may be considered to be loans by the buyer. The fund’s risk is limited to the ability of the seller to pay the agreed-upon amount on the delivery date. If the seller defaults, the underlying security constitutes collateral for the seller’s obligation to

 

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pay although the fund may incur certain costs in liquidating this collateral and in certain cases may not be permitted to liquidate this collateral. All repurchase agreements entered into by the fund shall be fully collateralized at all times during the period of the agreement in that the value of the underlying security shall be at least equal to the amount of the loan, including the accrued interest thereon, and the fund or its custodian or sub-custodian shall have control of the collateral, which the manager believes will give the fund a valid, perfected security interest in the collateral. This might become an issue in the event of the bankruptcy of the other party to the transaction. In the event of default by the seller under a repurchase agreement construed to be a collateralized loan, the underlying securities are not owned by the fund but only constitute collateral for the seller’s obligation to pay the repurchase price. Therefore, the fund may suffer delays and incur costs in connection with the disposition of the collateral. The manager believes that the collateral underlying repurchase agreements may be more susceptible to claims of the seller’s creditors than would be the case with securities owned by the fund. In the event of the bankruptcy of the other party to a repurchase agreement, the fund could experience delays in recovering the resale price. To the extent that, in the meantime, the value of the securities purchased has decreased, the fund could experience a loss.

Reverse Repurchase Agreements

The fund may enter into reverse repurchase agreements. Reverse repurchase agreements involve the sale of securities held by the fund and the agreement by the fund to repurchase the securities at an agreed-upon price, date and interest payment. When the fund enters into reverse repurchase transactions, securities of a dollar amount equal in value to the securities subject to the agreement will be segregated. The segregation of assets could impair the fund’s ability to meet its current obligations or impede investment management if a large portion of the fund’s assets are involved. Reverse repurchase agreements are considered to be a form of borrowing by the fund. In the event of the bankruptcy of the other party to a reverse repurchase agreement, the fund could experience delays in recovering the securities sold. To the extent that, in the meantime, the value of the securities sold has increased, the fund could experience a loss.

Investment Company Securities. Subject to applicable statutory and regulatory limitations, the fund may invest in shares of other investment companies, including shares of other mutual funds, closed-end funds, and unregistered investment companies. Investments in other investment companies are subject to the risk of the securities in which those investment companies invest. In addition, to the extent the fund invests in securities of other investment companies, fund shareholders would indirectly pay a portion of the operating costs of such companies in addition to the expenses of the fund’s own operation. These costs include management, brokerage, shareholder servicing and other operational expenses.

The fund may invest in shares of mutual funds or unit investment trusts that are traded on a stock exchange, called exchange-traded funds or ETFs. Typically an ETF seeks to track the performance of an index, such as the S&P 500, the NASDAQ 100, the Lehman Treasury Bond Index, or more narrow sector or foreign indices, by holding in its portfolio either the same securities that comprise the index, or a representative sample of the index. Investing in an ETF will give the fund exposure to the securities comprising the index on which the ETF is based.

Unlike shares of typical mutual funds or unit investment trusts, shares of ETFs are designed to be traded throughout a trading day, bought and sold based on market values and not at net asset value. For this reason, shares could trade at either a premium or discount to net asset value. However, the portfolios held by index-based ETFs are publicly disclosed on each trading day, and an approximation of actual net asset value is disseminated throughout the trading day. Because of this transparency, the trading prices of index based ETFs tend to closely track the actual net asset value of the underlying portfolios and the fund will generally gain or lose value depending on the performance of the index. However, gains or losses on the fund’s investment in ETFs will ultimately depend on the purchase and sale price of the ETF. In the future, as new products become available, the fund may invest in ETFs that are actively managed. Actively managed ETFs will likely not have the transparency of index-based ETFs, and therefore, may be more likely to trade at a discount or premium to actual net asset values.

 

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The fund may invest in closed-end investment companies which hold securities of U.S. and/or non-U.S. issuers. Because shares of closed-end funds trade on an exchange, investments in closed-end investment funds may entail the additional risk that the market value of such investments may be substantially less than their net asset value.

Securities of Non-U.S. Issuers

The fund may invest in securities of non-U.S. issuers. Investing in securities issued by foreign governments or by companies whose principal business activities are outside the United States may involve significant risks not present in U.S. investments. For example, the value of such securities fluctuates based on the relative strength of the U.S. dollar. In addition, there is generally less publicly available information about non-U.S. issuers, particularly those not subject to the disclosure and reporting requirements of the U.S. securities laws. Non-U.S. issuers are generally not bound by uniform accounting, auditing and financial reporting requirements comparable to those applicable to U.S. issuers. Investments in securities of non-U.S. issuers also involve the risk of possible adverse changes in investment or exchange control regulations, expropriation or confiscatory taxation, limitation on the removal of funds or other assets of a fund, political or financial instability or diplomatic and other developments which would affect such investments. Further, economies of other countries or areas of the world may differ favorably or unfavorably from the economy of the U.S.

It is anticipated that in most cases the best available market for securities of non-U.S. issuers would be on exchanges or in over-the-counter markets located outside the U.S. Non-U.S. securities markets, while growing in volume and sophistication, are generally not as developed as those in the U.S., and securities of some non-U.S. issuers (particularly those located in developing countries) may be less liquid and more volatile than securities of comparable U.S. companies. Non-U.S. securities trading practices, including those involving securities settlement where a fund’s assets may be released prior to receipt of payments, may expose the fund to increased risk in the event of a failed trade or the insolvency of a non-U.S. broker-dealer. In addition, non-U.S. brokerage commissions are generally higher than commissions on securities traded in the U.S. and may be non-negotiable. In general, there is less overall governmental supervision and regulation of non-U.S. securities exchanges, brokers and listed companies than in the U.S.

Investments in closed-end investment companies which primarily hold securities of non-U.S. issuers may entail the risk that the market value of such investments may be substantially less than their net asset value and that there would be duplication of investment management and other fees and expenses.

American Depository Receipts (“ADRs”), European Depository Receipts (“EDRs”), Global Depository Receipts (“GDRs”) and other forms of depository receipts for securities of non-U.S. issuers provide an alternative method for the fund to make non-U.S. investments. These securities are not usually denominated in the same currency as the securities into which they may be converted. Generally, ADRs, in registered form, are designed for use in U.S. securities markets and EDRs and GDRs, in bearer form, are designed for use in European and global securities markets. ADRs are receipts typically issued by a U.S. bank or trust company evidencing ownership of the underlying securities. EDRs and GDRs are European and global receipts, respectively, evidencing a similar arrangement.

ADRs, EDRs, and GDRs may be issued pursuant to sponsored or unsponsored programs. In sponsored programs, an issuer has made arrangements to have its securities traded in the form of depository receipts. In unsponsored programs, the issuer may not be directly involved in the creation of the program. Although regulatory requirements with respect to sponsored and unsponsored programs are generally similar, in some cases it may be easier to obtain financial information from an issuer that has participated in the creation of a sponsored program. Accordingly, there may be less information available regarding issuers of securities underlying unsponsored programs and there may not be a correlation between such information and the market value of the depositary receipts.

The fund may invest in securities of non-U.S. issuers that impose restrictions on transfer within the U.S. or to U.S. persons. Although securities subject to such transfer restrictions may be marketable abroad, they may be less liquid than securities of non-U.S. issuers of the same class that are not subject to such restrictions.

 

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The risks described above, including the risks of nationalization or expropriation of assets, are typically increased to the extent that the fund invests in issuers located in less developed and developing nations, whose securities markets are sometimes referred to as “emerging securities markets.” Investments in securities located in such countries are speculative and subject to certain special risks. Political and economic structures in many of these countries may be in their infancy and developing rapidly, and such countries may lack the social, political and economic stability characteristic of more developed countries. Certain of these countries have in the past failed to recognize private property rights and have at times nationalized and expropriated the assets of private companies.

In addition, unanticipated political or social developments may affect the value of the fund’s investments in these countries and the availability to the fund of additional investments in these countries. The small size, limited trading volume and relative inexperience of the securities markets in these countries may make the fund’s investment in such countries illiquid and more volatile than investments in more developed countries, and the fund may be required to establish special custodial or other arrangements before making investments in these countries. There may be little financial or accounting information available with respect to issuers located in these countries, and it may be difficult as a result to assess the value or prospects of an investment in such issuers.

Euro Conversion

Fifteen European countries participate in the European Economic and Monetary Union (“EMU”) and 12 of those countries have adopted the euro as its sole currency. EMU may create new economic opportunities for investors, such as lower interest rates, easier crossborder mergers, acquisitions and similar restructurings, more efficient distribution and product packaging and greater competition. Budgetary decisions remain in the hands of each participating country, but are subject to each country’s commitment to avoid “excessive deficits” and other more specific budgetary criteria. A European Central Bank is responsible for setting the official interest rate within the Euro zone. EMU and the introduction of the Euro, however, present unique risks and uncertainties for investors in EMU-participating countries, including: (i) monetary and economic union on this scale has never before been attempted; (ii) there is uncertainty whether participating countries will remain committed to EMU in the face of changing economic conditions; (iii) instability within EMU may increase the volatility of European markets and may adversely affect the prices of securities of European issuers in the fund’s portfolio; (iv) there is uncertainty concerning the fluctuation of the Euro relative to non-Euro currencies; and (v) there is no assurance that interest rate, tax and labor regimes of EMU-participating countries will converge over time. These and other factors may cause market disruption and could adversely affect European securities and currencies held by the fund.

Foreign Currency Exchange Transactions

Because the fund may buy and sell securities denominated in currencies other than the U.S. dollar, and receive interest, dividends and sale proceeds in currencies other than the U.S. dollar, the fund may engage in foreign currency exchange transactions as an attempt to protect against uncertainty in the level of future foreign currency exchange rates or as an attempt to enhance performance.

The fund may enter into foreign currency exchange transactions to convert U.S. currency to non-U.S. currency and non-U.S. currency to U.S. currency, as well as convert one non-U.S. currency to another non-U.S. currency. The fund either enters into these transactions on a spot (i.e., cash) basis at the spot rate prevailing in the currency exchange markets, or uses forward contracts to purchase or sell non-U.S. currencies.

The fund may convert currency on a spot basis from time to time, and investors should be aware of the costs of currency conversion. Although currency exchange dealers do not charge a fee for conversion, they do realize a profit based on the difference (the “spread”) between the prices at which they are buying and selling various currencies. Thus, a dealer may offer to sell a currency at one rate, while offering a lesser rate of exchange should a fund desire to resell that currency to the dealer.

 

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A forward contract involves an obligation to purchase or sell a specific currency at a future date, which may be any fixed number of days from the date of the contract, agreed upon by the parties, at a price set at the time of the contract. These contracts are traded in the interbank market conducted directly between currency traders (usually large commercial banks) and their customers. A forward contract generally has no deposit requirement, and no fees or commissions are charged at any stage for trades. The fund may enter into forward contracts for hedging and non-hedging purposes, including transactions entered into for the purposes of profiting from anticipated changes in foreign currency exchange rates.

Forward contracts are traded over-the-counter and not on organized commodities or securities exchanges. As a result, such contracts operate in a manner distinct from exchange-traded instruments, and their use involves certain risks beyond those associated with transactions in the futures and options contracts described herein.

When the fund enters into a contract for the purchase or sale of a security denominated in a non-U.S. currency, it may desire to “lock in” the U.S. dollar price of the security. By entering into a forward contract for the purchase or sale, for a fixed amount of U.S. dollars, of the amount of non-U.S. currency involved in the underlying security transaction, the fund may be able to protect against a possible loss resulting from an adverse change in the relationship between the U.S. dollar and the non-U.S. currency during the period between the date the security is purchased or sold and the date on which payment is made or received.

When the portfolio managers believe that the currency of a particular country may suffer a substantial decline against the U.S. dollar, the fund may enter into a forward contract to sell the non-U.S. currency, for a fixed amount of U.S. dollars. If the fund owns securities in that currency, the portfolio managers may enter into a contract to sell the non-U.S. currency in an amount approximating the value of some or all of the fund’s securities denominated in such non-U.S. currency. The precise matching of the forward contract amounts and the value of the securities involved is not generally possible since the future value of such securities in non-U.S. currencies changes as a consequence of market movements in the value of those securities between the date the forward contract is entered into and the date it matures.

At the maturity of a forward contract, the fund will either deliver the non-U.S. currency, or terminate its contractual obligation to deliver the non-U.S. currency by purchasing an “offsetting” contract with the same currency trader obligating it to purchase, on the same maturity date, the same amount of the non-U.S. currency. If the fund engages in an offsetting transaction, the fund will incur a gain or a loss (as described below) to the extent that there has been movement in forward contract prices. If the fund engages in an offsetting transaction, it may subsequently enter into a new forward contract to sell the non-U.S. currency. Should forward prices decline during the period between the date the fund enters into a forward contract for the sale of the non-U.S. currency and the date it enters into an offsetting contract for the purchase of such currency, the fund will realize a gain to the extent the selling price of the currency exceeds the purchase price of the currency. Should forward prices increase, the fund will suffer a loss to the extent that the purchase price of the currency exceeds the selling price of the currency.

Where the fund enters into a forward contract with respect to securities it holds denominated in the non-U.S. currency, it is impossible to forecast with precision the market value of the fund’s securities at the expiration of a forward contract. Accordingly, it may be necessary for the fund to purchase additional non-U.S. currency on the spot market if the market value of the security is less than the amount of non-U.S. currency the fund is obligated to deliver and if a decision is made to sell the security and make delivery of such currency. Conversely, it may be necessary to sell on the spot market some of the non-U.S. currency received upon the sale of the security if its market value exceeds the amount of such currency the fund is obligated to deliver.

When the fund enters into a forward contract for non-hedging purposes, there is a greater potential for profit but also a greater potential for loss. For example, the fund may purchase a given foreign currency through a forward contract if the value of such currency is expected to rise relative to the U.S. dollar or another foreign currency. Conversely, the fund may sell the currency through a forward contract if the value of the currency is

 

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expected to decline against the dollar or another foreign currency. The fund will profit if the anticipated movements in foreign currency exchange rates occur, which will increase gross income. Where exchange rates do not move in the direction or the extent anticipated, however, the fund may sustain losses which will reduce its gross income. Such transactions should be considered speculative and could involve significant risk of loss.

When entering into forward contracts, the fund intends to comply with policies of the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) concerning forward contracts. Those policies currently require that an amount of the fund’s assets equal to the amount of the purchase be held aside or segregated to be used to pay for the commitment or that the fund otherwise covers its position in accordance with applicable regulations and policies.

The fund may purchase put options on a currency in an attempt to protect against currency rate fluctuations or to seek to enhance gains. When the fund purchases a put option on a currency, the fund will have the right to sell the currency for a fixed amount in U.S. dollars, or other currency. Conversely, where a rise in the value of one currency is projected against another, the fund may purchase call options on the currency, giving it the right to purchase the currency for a fixed amount of U.S. dollars or another currency. The fund may purchase put or call options on currencies, even if the fund does not currently hold or intend to purchase securities denominated in such currencies.

The benefit to the fund from purchases of currency options will be reduced by the amount of the premium and related transaction costs. In addition, where currency exchange rates do not move in the direction or to the extent anticipated, the fund could sustain losses on transactions in foreign currency options.

The fund may write options on currencies for hedging purposes or otherwise in an attempt to achieve their investment objectives. For example, where the fund anticipates a decline in the value of the U.S. dollar value of a foreign security due to adverse fluctuations in exchange rates it could, instead of purchasing a put option, write a call option on the relevant currency. If the expected decline occurs, the option will most likely not be exercised, and the diminution in value of the security held by the fund may be offset by the amount of the premium received. If the expected decline does not occur, the fund may be required to sell foreign currencies at disadvantageous exchange rates, thereby incurring losses. The fund could also write call options on a currency, even if it does not own any securities denominated in that currency, in an attempt to enhance gains. In that case, if the expected decline does not occur, the fund would be required to purchase the currency and sell it at a loss, which may not be offset by the premium received. The losses in this case could be unlimited.

Similarly, instead of purchasing a call option to hedge against an anticipated increase in the cost of a foreign security to be acquired because of an increase in the U.S. dollar value of the currency in which the underlying security is primarily traded, the fund could write a put option on the relevant currency which, if rates move in the manner projected, will expire unexercised and allow the fund to hedge such increased cost up to the amount of the premium. However, the writing of a currency option will constitute only a partial hedge up to the amount of the premium, and only if rates move in the expected direction. If this does not occur, the option may be exercised and the fund would be required to purchase or sell the underlying currency at a loss which may not be offset by the amount of the premium. Through the writing of options on currencies, the fund also may be required to forgo all or a portion of the benefits which might otherwise have been obtained from favorable movements in exchange rates. The fund could also write put options on a currency, even if it does not own, or intend to purchase, any securities denominated in that currency. In that case, if the expected increase does not occur, the fund would be required to purchase the currency at a price that is greater than the current exchange rate for the currency, and the losses in this case could exceed the amount of premium received for writing the options, and could be unlimited.

Options on foreign currencies are traded on U.S. or foreign exchanges or in the over-the-counter market. The fund may enter into transactions in options on foreign currencies that are traded in the over-the-counter market. These transactions are not afforded the protections provided to traders on organized exchanges or those regulated by the CFTC. In particular, over-the-counter options are not cleared and guaranteed by a clearing

 

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corporation, thereby increasing the risk of counterparty default. In addition, there may not be a liquid market on these options, which may prevent the fund from liquidating open positions at a profit prior to exercise or expiration, or to limit losses in the event of adverse market conditions.

The purchase and sale of foreign currency options are subject to the risks of the availability of a liquid secondary market and counterparty risk, as described above, as well as the risks regarding adverse market movements, margining of options written, the nature of the foreign currency market, possible interventions by governmental authorities and the effects of other political and economic events. In addition, the value of the fund’s positions in foreign currency options could be adversely affected by (1) other complex foreign political and economic factors, (2) lesser availability of data on which to make trading decisions than in the United States, (3) delays in the fund’s ability to act upon economic events occurring in foreign markets during non-business hours in the United States, and (4) imposition of different exercise and settlement terms and procedures and margin requirements than in the United States.

In addition, because foreign currency transactions occurring in the interbank market generally involve substantially larger amounts than those that may be involved in the use of foreign currency options, the funds may be disadvantaged by having to deal in an odd lot market (generally consisting of transactions of less than $1 million) for the underlying foreign currencies at prices that are less favorable than for round lots.

There is no systematic reporting of last-sale information for foreign currencies and there is no regulatory requirement that quotations available through dealers or other market sources be firm or revised on a timely basis. Available quotation information is generally representative of very large transactions in the interbank market and thus may not reflect relatively smaller transactions (less than $1 million) where rates may be less favorable. The interbank market in foreign currencies is a global, around-the-clock market. To the extent that the U.S. options markets, or other markets used by the fund are closed while the markets for the underlying currencies remain open, significant price and rate movements may take place in the underlying markets that may not be reflected in the U.S. or other markets used by the fund.

Put and call options on non-U.S. currencies written by the fund will be covered by segregation of cash and liquid securities in an amount sufficient to discharge the fund’s obligations with respect to the option, by acquisition of the non-U.S. currency or of a right to acquire such currency (in the case of a call option) or the acquisition of a right to dispose of the currency (in the case of a put option), or in such other manner as may be in accordance with the requirements of any exchange on which, or the counterparty with which, the option is traded and applicable laws and regulations.

The fund may engage in proxy hedges and cross hedges. For example, in a proxy hedge, the fund, having purchased a security, would sell a currency whose value is believed to be closely linked to the currency in which the security is denominated. Interest rates prevailing in the country whose currency was sold might be expected to be closer to those in the U.S. and lower than those of securities denominated in the currency of the original holding. This type of hedging entails greater risk than a direct hedge because it is dependent on a stable relationship between the two currencies paired as proxies and the relationships can be very unstable at times. The fund may enter into a cross hedge if a particular currency is expected to decrease against another currency. For example, the fund would sell the currency expected to decrease and purchase a currency which is expected to increase against the currency sold in an attempt to protect against declines in value of the fund’s holdings denominated in the currency sold.

Investing in ADRs and other depository receipts presents many of the same risks regarding currency exchange rates as investing directly in securities traded in currencies other than the U.S. dollar. Because the securities underlying ADRs are traded primarily in non-U.S. currencies, changes in currency exchange rates will affect the value of these receipts. For example, a decline in the U.S. dollar value of another currency in which securities are primarily traded will reduce the U.S. dollar value of such securities, even if their value in the other non-U.S. currency remains constant, and thus will reduce the value of the receipts covering such securities. The

 

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fund may employ any of the above described foreign currency hedging techniques to protect the value of its assets invested in depository receipts.

Of course, the fund is not required to enter into the transactions described above and does not do so unless deemed appropriate by the portfolio managers. It should be realized that under certain circumstances, the fund may not be able to hedge against a decline in the value of a currency, even if the portfolio managers deem it appropriate to try to do so, because doing so would be too costly. Transactions entered into to protect the value of the fund’s securities against a decline in the value of a currency (even when successful) do not eliminate fluctuations in the underlying prices of the securities. Additionally, although hedging transactions may tend to minimize the risk of loss due to a decline in the value of the hedged currency, they also tend to limit any potential gain which might result should the value of such currency increase.

Investors should also be aware of the increased risk to the fund and its investors when it enters into foreign currency exchange transactions for non-hedging purposes. Non-hedging transactions in such instruments involve greater risks and may result in losses which are not offset by increases in the value of the fund’s other assets. Although the fund is required to segregate assets or otherwise cover certain types of transactions, this does not protect the fund against risk of loss. Furthermore, the funds’ use of foreign currency exchange transactions may involve leveraging. Leveraging adds increased risks to the fund, because the fund’s losses may be out of proportion to the amount invested in the instrument-a relatively small investment may lead to much greater losses.

Lending of Securities

Consistent with applicable regulatory requirements and in order to generate income, the fund may lend its securities to broker-dealers and other institutional borrowers. Such loans will usually be made only to member banks of the U.S. Federal Reserve System and to member firms of the New York Stock Exchange (and subsidiaries thereof). Loans of securities would be secured continuously by collateral in cash, cash equivalents or U.S. Treasury obligations maintained on a current basis at an amount at least equal to the market value of the securities loaned. The cash collateral would be invested in high quality short-term instruments. Either party has the right to terminate a loan at any time on customary industry settlement notice (which will not usually exceed three business days). During the existence of a loan, the fund would continue to receive the equivalent of the interest or dividends paid by the issuer on the securities loaned and with respect to cash collateral would also receive compensation based on investment of the collateral (subject to a rebate payable to the borrower and the lending agent). Where the borrower provides the fund with collateral consisting of U.S. Treasury obligations, the borrower is also obligated to pay the fund a fee for use of the borrowed securities. The fund would not, however, have the right to vote any securities having voting rights during the existence of the loan, but would call the loan in anticipation of an important vote to be taken among holders of the securities or of the giving or withholding of their consent on a material matter affecting the investment. As with other extensions of credit, there are risks of delay in recovery or even loss of rights in the collateral should the borrower fail financially. However, the loans would be made only to entities deemed by the subadviser to be of good standing, and when, in the judgment of the subadviser, the consideration which can be earned currently from loans of this type justifies the attendant risk. In addition, the fund could suffer loss if the borrower terminates the loan and the fund is forced to liquidate investments in order to return the cash collateral to the buyer. The subadviser will make loans only when, in the judgment of the subadviser, the consideration which can be earned currently from loans of this type justifies the attendant risk. If the subadviser determines to make loans, it is not intended that the value of the securities loaned by the fund would exceed 30% of the market value of its total assets.

When-Issued Securities

The fund may purchase securities on a “when-issued” or on a “forward delivery” basis, meaning that delivery of the securities will occur beyond customary settlement time. It is expected that, under normal circumstances, the fund would take delivery of such securities, but the fund may sell them before the settlement

 

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date. In general, the fund does not pay for the securities until received and does not start earning interest until the contractual settlement date. When the fund commits to purchase a security on a “when-issued” or on a “forward delivery” basis, it sets up procedures consistent with SEC policies. Since those policies currently require that an amount of the fund’s assets equal to the amount of the purchase be held aside or segregated to be used to pay for the commitment, the fund expects always to have cash or liquid securities sufficient to cover any commitments or to limit any potential risk. However, even though the fund intends to adhere to the provisions of SEC policies, purchases of securities on such bases may involve more risk than other types of purchases. The when-issued securities are subject to market fluctuation, and no interest accrues on the security to the purchaser during this period. The payment obligation and the interest rate that will be received on the securities are each fixed at the time the purchaser enters into the commitment. Purchasing obligations on a when-issued basis is a form of leveraging and can involve a risk that the yields available in the market when the delivery takes place may actually be higher than those obtained in the transaction itself. In that case, there could be an unrealized loss at the time of delivery. An increase in the percentage of the fund’s assets committed to the purchase of securities on a “when-issued” basis may increase the volatility of its net asset value.

Convertible Securities

The fund may invest in convertible securities. A convertible security is a fixed-income security (a bond or preferred stock) which may be converted at a stated price within a specified period of time into a certain quantity of common stock or other equity securities of the same or a different issuer. Convertible securities rank senior to common stock in a corporation’s capital structure but are usually subordinated to similar non-convertible securities. While providing a fixed-income stream (generally higher in yield than the income derivable from common stock but lower than that afforded by a similar non-convertible security), a convertible security also affords an investor the opportunity, through its conversion feature, to participate in the capital appreciation attendant upon a market price advance in the convertible security’s underlying common stock.

In general, the market value of a convertible security is at least the higher of its “investment value” (i.e., its value as a fixed-income security) or its “conversion value” (i.e., its value upon conversion into its underlying stock). As a fixed-income security, a convertible security tends to increase in market value when interest rates decline and tends to decrease in value when interest rates rise. However, the price of a convertible security is also influenced by the market value of the security’s underlying common stock. The price of a convertible security tends to increase as the market value of the underlying stock rises, whereas it tends to decrease as the market value of the underlying stock declines. While no securities investment is without some risk, investments in convertible securities generally entail less risk than investments in the common stock of the same issuer.

Rule 144A Securities

Consistent with applicable investment restrictions, the fund may purchase securities that are not registered under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), but can be offered and sold to “qualified institutional buyers” under Rule 144A under the Securities Act (“Rule 144A securities”). However, the fund will not invest more than 15% of its net assets (taken at market value) in illiquid investments, which includes securities for which there is no readily available market, securities subject to contractual restrictions on resale and Rule 144A securities, unless, in the case of Rule 144A securities, the Board of Trustees of the Trust determines, based on the trading markets for the specific Rule 144A security, that it is liquid. The Trustees have adopted guidelines and, subject to oversight by the Trustees, have delegated to the subadviser the daily function of determining and monitoring liquidity of Rule 144A securities.

Private Placements and Illiquid Investments

The fund may invest up to 15% of its net assets in securities for which there is no readily available market. These illiquid securities may include privately placed restricted securities for which no institutional market exists. The absence of a trading market can make it difficult to ascertain a market value for illiquid investments.

 

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Disposing of illiquid investments may involve time-consuming negotiation and legal expenses, and it may be difficult or impossible for the fund to sell them promptly at an acceptable price.

Bank Obligations

The fund may invest in bank obligations, i.e., certificates of deposit, time deposits including Eurodollar time deposits, and bankers’ acceptances and other short-term debt obligations issued by domestic banks, foreign subsidiaries or foreign branches of domestic banks, domestic and foreign branches of foreign banks, domestic savings and loan associations and other banking institutions. A bankers’ acceptance is a bill of exchange or time draft drawn on and accepted by a commercial bank. It is used by corporations to finance the shipment and storage of goods and to furnish dollar exchange. Maturities are generally six months or less. A certificate of deposit is a negotiable interest-bearing instrument with a specific maturity. Certificates of deposit are issued by banks and savings and loan institutions in exchange for the deposit of funds and normally can be traded in the secondary market prior to maturity. A time deposit is a non-negotiable receipt issued by a bank in exchange for the deposit of funds. Like a certificate of deposit, it earns a specified rate of interest over a definite period of time; however, it cannot be traded in the secondary market. Time deposits with a withdrawal penalty are considered to be illiquid securities.

Commercial Paper

The fund may invest in commercial paper, which is unsecured debt of corporations usually maturing in 270 days or less from its date of issuance.

Securities Rated Baa or BBB

The fund may purchase securities rated Baa by Moody’s or BBB by S&P and securities of comparable quality, which may have poor protection of payment of principal and interest. These securities are often considered to be speculative and involve greater risk of default or price changes than securities assigned a higher quality rating. The market prices of these securities may fluctuate more than higher-rated securities and may decline significantly in periods of general economic difficulty which may follow periods of rising interest rates.

Subsequent to its purchase by the fund, an issue of securities may cease to be rated or its rating may be reduced below the minimum required for purchase by the fund. In addition, it is possible that Moody’s, S&P and other rating agencies might not timely change their ratings of a particular issue to reflect subsequent events.

Additional Disclosure Regarding Derivatives

Transactions in options may be entered into on U.S. exchanges regulated by the SEC, in the over-the-counter market and on foreign exchanges, while forward contracts may be entered into only in the over-the-counter market. Futures contracts and options on futures contracts may be entered into on U.S. exchanges regulated by the CFTC and on foreign exchanges. The securities underlying options and futures contracts traded by the fund may include domestic as well as foreign securities. Investors should recognize that transactions involving foreign securities or foreign currencies, and transactions entered into in foreign countries, may involve considerations and risks not typically associated with investing in U.S. markets.

Transactions in options, futures contracts, options on futures contracts and forward contracts entered into for non-hedging purposes involve greater risk and could result in losses which are not offset by gains on other

 

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portfolio assets. For example, the fund may sell futures contracts on an index of securities in order to profit from any anticipated decline in the value of the securities comprising the underlying index. In such instances, any losses on the futures transactions will not be offset by gains on any portfolio securities comprising such index, as might occur in connection with a hedging transaction.

The use of certain derivatives, such as futures, forward contracts, and written options may involve leverage for the fund because they create an obligation, or indebtedness, to someone other than the funds’ investors and enable the fund to participate in gains and losses on an amount that exceeds its initial investment.

If the fund writes a stock put option, for example, it makes no initial investment, but instead receives a premium in an amount equal to a fraction of the price of the underlying stock. In return, the fund is obligated to purchase the underlying stock at a fixed price, thereby being subject to losses on the full stock price.

Likewise, if the fund purchases a futures contract, it makes an initial margin payment that is typically a small percentage of the contract’s price. However, because of the purchase, the fund will participate in gains or losses on the full contract price.

Other types of derivatives provide the economic equivalent of leverage because they display heightened price sensitivity to market fluctuations, such as changes in stock prices or interest rates. These derivatives magnify the fund’s gain or loss from an investment in much the same way that incurring indebtedness does. For example, if the fund purchases a stock call option, the fund pays a premium in an amount equal to a fraction of the stock price, and in return, the fund participates in gains on the full stock price. If there were no gains, the fund generally would lose the entire initial premium.

Options, futures contracts, options on futures contracts, forward contracts and swaps may be used alone or in combinations in order to create synthetic exposure to securities in which the fund otherwise invests.

The use of derivatives may increase the amount of taxable income of the fund and may affect the amount, timing and character of the fund’s income for tax purposes, as more fully discussed herein in the section entitled “Tax Matters.”

Additional Information

At times, a substantial portion of the fund’s assets may be invested in securities as to which the fund, by itself or together with other funds and accounts managed by the subadviser and its affiliates, holds all or a major portion. Although the subadviser generally considers such securities to be liquid because of the availability of an institutional market for such securities, it is possible that, under adverse market or economic conditions or in the event of adverse changes in the financial condition of the issuer, the fund could find it more difficult to sell these securities when it believes it advisable to do so or may be able to sell the securities only at prices lower than if they were more widely held. Under these circumstances, it may also be more difficult to determine the fair value of such securities for purposes of computing the fund’s net asset value. In order to enforce its rights in the event of a default under such securities, the fund may be required to participate in various legal proceedings or take possession of and manage assets securing the issuer’s obligations on such securities. This could increase the fund’s operating expenses and adversely affect the fund’s net asset value. In addition, the fund’s intention to qualify as a “regulated investment company” under the Internal Revenue Code may limit the extent to which the fund may exercise its rights by taking possession of such assets.

Defensive Strategies

The fund may, from time to time, take temporary defensive positions that are inconsistent with the fund’s principal investment strategies in attempting to respond to adverse market, political or other conditions. When doing so, the fund may invest without limit in high quality money market and other short-term instruments, and may not be pursuing their investment goals.

 

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4. INVESTMENT POLICIES

The fund has adopted the fundamental and non-fundamental investment policies below for the protection of shareholders. Fundamental investment policies may not be changed without the vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the fund, defined in the 1940 Act as the lesser of (i) 67% or more of the voting power present at a fund meeting if the holders of more than 50% of the voting power of the fund are present in person or represented by proxy, or (ii) more than 50% of the voting power of the fund.

If a percentage restriction or a rating restriction (other than a restriction as to borrowing) on investment or utilization of assets set forth below or referred to in the Prospectus is adhered to at the time an investment is made or assets are so utilized, a later change in percentage is not considered a violation of policy.

Fundamental Investment Policies

The fund’s revised fundamental policies are as follows:

 

  1. The fund may not borrow money except as permitted by (i) the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, or interpretations or modifications by the SEC, SEC staff or other authority with appropriate jurisdiction, or (ii) exemptive or other relief or permission from the SEC, SEC staff or other authority.

 

  2. The fund may not engage in the business of underwriting the securities of other issuers except as permitted by (i) the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, or interpretations or modifications by the SEC, SEC staff or other authority with appropriate jurisdiction, or (ii) exemptive or other relief or permission from the SEC, SEC staff or other authority.

 

  3. The fund may lend money or other assets to the extent permitted by (i) the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, or interpretations or modifications by the SEC, SEC staff or other authority with appropriate jurisdiction, or (ii) exemptive or other relief or permission from the SEC, SEC staff or other authority.

 

  4. The fund may not issue senior securities except as permitted by (i) the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, or interpretations or modifications by the SEC, SEC staff or other authority with appropriate jurisdiction, or (ii) exemptive or other relief or permission from the SEC, SEC staff or other authority.

 

  5. The fund may not purchase or sell real estate except as permitted by (i) the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, or interpretations or modifications by the SEC, SEC staff or other authority with appropriate jurisdiction, or (ii) exemptive or other relief or permission from the SEC, SEC staff or other authority.

 

  6. The fund may purchase or sell commodities or contracts related to commodities to the extent permitted by (i) the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, or interpretations or modifications by the SEC, SEC staff or other authority with appropriate jurisdiction, or (ii) exemptive or other relief or permission from the SEC, SEC staff or other authority.

 

  7. Except as permitted by exemptive or other relief or permission from the SEC, SEC staff or other authority with appropriate jurisdiction, the fund may not make any investment if, as a result, the fund’s investments will be concentrated in any one industry.

With respect to the fundamental policy relating to borrowing money set forth in (1) above, the 1940 Act permits a fund to borrow money in amounts of up to one-third of the fund’s total assets from banks for any purpose, and to borrow up to 5% of the fund’s total assets from banks or other lenders for temporary purposes. To limit the risks attendant to borrowing, the 1940 Act requires the fund to maintain at all times an “asset coverage” of at least 300% of the amount of its borrowings. Asset coverage means the ratio that the value of the fund’s total assets, minus liabilities other than borrowings, bears to the aggregate amount of all borrowings.

 

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Certain trading practices and investments, such as reverse repurchase agreements, may be considered to be borrowing and thus subject to the 1940 Act restrictions. Borrowing money to increase portfolio holdings is known as “leveraging.” Borrowing, especially when used for leverage, may cause the value of a fund’s shares to be more volatile than if the fund did not borrow. This is because borrowing tends to magnify the effect of any increase or decrease in the value of the fund’s portfolio holdings. Borrowed money thus creates an opportunity for greater gains, but also greater losses. To repay borrowings, the fund may have to sell securities at a time and at a price that is unfavorable to the fund. There also are costs associated with borrowing money, and these costs would offset and could eliminate a fund’s net investment income in any given period. Currently the fund does not contemplate borrowing money for leverage, but if the fund does so, it will not likely do so to a substantial degree. The policy in (1) above will be interpreted to permit a fund to engage in trading practices and investments that may be considered to be borrowing to the extent permitted by the 1940 Act. Short-term credits necessary for the settlement of securities transactions and arrangements with respect to securities lending will not be considered to be borrowings under the policy. Practices and investments that may involve leverage but are not considered to be borrowings are not subject to the policy.

With respect to the fundamental policy relating to underwriting set forth in (2) above, the 1940 Act does not prohibit a fund from engaging in the underwriting business or from underwriting the securities of other issuers; in fact, the 1940 Act permits a fund to have underwriting commitments of up to 25% of its assets under certain circumstances. Those circumstances currently are that the amount of the fund’s underwriting commitments, when added to the value of the fund’s investments in issuers where the fund owns more than 10% of the outstanding voting securities of those issuers, cannot exceed the 25% cap. A fund engaging in transactions involving the acquisition or disposition of portfolio securities may be considered to be an underwriter under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “1933 Act”). Under the 1933 Act, an underwriter may be liable for material omissions or misstatements in an issuer’s registration statement or prospectus. Securities purchased from an issuer and not registered for sale under the 1933 Act are considered restricted securities. There may be a limited market for these securities. If these securities are registered under the 1933 Act, they may then be eligible for sale but participating in the sale may subject the seller to underwriter liability. These risks could apply to a fund investing in restricted securities. Although it is not believed that the application of the 1933 Act provisions described above would cause a fund to be engaged in the business of underwriting, the policy in (2) above will be interpreted not to prevent the fund from engaging in transactions involving the acquisition of disposition of portfolio securities, regardless of whether the fund may be considered to be an underwriter under the 1933 Act.

With respect to the fundamental policy relating to lending set forth in (3) above, the 1940 Act does not prohibit a fund from making loans; however, SEC staff interpretations currently prohibit funds from lending more than one-third of their total assets, except through the purchase of debt obligations or the use of repurchase agreements. (A repurchase agreement is an agreement to purchase a security, coupled with an agreement to sell that security back to the original seller on an agreed-upon date at a price that reflects current interest rates. The SEC frequently treats repurchase agreements as loans.) While lending securities may be a source of income to a fund, as with other extensions of credit, there are risks of delay in recovery or even loss of rights in the underlying securities should the borrower fail financially. However, loans would be made only when the fund’s manager or a subadviser believes the income justifies the attendant risks. The fund also will be permitted by this policy to make loans of money, including to other funds. A fund would have to obtain exemptive relief from the SEC to make loans to other funds. The policy in (3) above will be interpreted not to prevent a fund from purchasing or investing in debt obligations and loans. In addition, collateral arrangements with respect to options, forward currency and futures transactions and other derivative instruments, as well as delays in the settlement of securities transactions, will not be considered loans.

With respect to the fundamental policy relating to issuing senior securities set forth in (4) above, “senior securities” are defined as fund obligations that have a priority over the fund’s shares with respect to the payment of dividends or the distribution of fund assets. The 1940 Act prohibits a fund from issuing senior securities except that the fund may borrow money in amounts of up to one-third of the fund’s total assets from banks for any purpose. A fund also may borrow up to 5% of the fund’s total assets from banks or other lenders for temporary

 

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purposes, and these borrowings are not considered senior securities. The issuance of senior securities by a fund can increase the speculative character of the fund’s outstanding shares through leveraging. Leveraging of a fund’s portfolio through the issuance of senior securities magnifies the potential for gain or loss on monies, because even though the fund’s net assets remain the same, the total risk to investors is increased to the extent of the fund’s gross assets. The policy in (4) above will be interpreted not to prevent collateral arrangements with respect to swaps, options, forward or futures contracts or other derivatives, or the posting of initial or variation margin.

With respect to the fundamental policy relating to real estate set forth in (5) above, the 1940 Act does not prohibit a fund from owning real estate; however, a fund is limited in the amount of illiquid assets it may purchase. Investing in real estate may involve risks, including that real estate is generally considered illiquid and may be difficult to value and sell. Owners of real estate may be subject to various liabilities, including environmental liabilities. To the extent that investments in real estate are considered illiquid, the current SEC staff position generally limits a fund’s purchases of illiquid securities to 15% of net assets. The policy in (5) above will be interpreted not to prevent a fund from investing in real estate-related companies, companies whose businesses consist in whole or in part of investing in real estate, instruments (like mortgages) that are secured by real estate or interests therein, or real estate investment trust securities.

With respect to the fundamental policy relating to commodities set forth in (6) above, the 1940 Act does not prohibit a fund from owning commodities, whether physical commodities and contracts related to physical commodities (such as oil or grains and related futures contracts), or financial commodities and contracts related to financial commodities (such as currencies and, possibly, currency futures). However, a fund is limited in the amount of illiquid assets it may purchase. To the extent that investments in commodities are considered illiquid, the current SEC staff position generally limits a fund’s purchases of illiquid securities to 15% of net assets. If a fund were to invest in a physical commodity or a physical commodity-related instrument, the fund would be subject to the additional risks of the particular physical commodity and its related market. The value of commodities and commodity-related instruments may be extremely volatile and may be affected either directly or indirectly by a variety of factors. There also may be storage charges and risks of loss associated with physical commodities. The policy in (6) above will be interpreted to permit investments in exchange traded funds that invest in physical and/or financial commodities.

With respect to the fundamental policy relating to concentration set forth in (7) above, the 1940 Act does not define what constitutes “concentration” in an industry. The SEC staff has taken the position that investment of 25% or more of a fund’s total assets in one or more issuers conducting their principal activities in the same industry or group of industries constitutes concentration. It is possible that interpretations of concentration could change in the future. A fund that invests a significant percentage of its total assets in a single industry may be particularly susceptible to adverse events affecting that industry and may be more risky than a fund that does not concentrate in an industry. The policy in (7) above will be interpreted to refer to concentration as that term may be interpreted from time to time. The policy also will be interpreted to permit investment without limit in the following: securities of the U.S. government and its agencies or instrumentalities; securities of state, territory, possession or municipal governments and their authorities, agencies, instrumentalities or political subdivisions; securities of foreign governments; and repurchase agreements collateralized by any such obligations. Accordingly, issuers of the foregoing securities will not be considered to be members of any industry. There also will be no limit on investment in issuers domiciled in a single jurisdiction or country. The policy also will be interpreted to give broad authority to a fund as to how to classify issuers within or among industries.

The fund’s fundamental policies are written and will be interpreted broadly. For example, the policies will be interpreted to refer to the 1940 Act and the related rules as they are in effect from time to time, and to interpretations and modifications of or relating to the 1940 Act by the SEC and others as they are given from time to time. When a policy provides that an investment practice may be conducted as permitted by the 1940 Act, the policy will be interpreted to mean either that the 1940 Act expressly permits the practice or that the 1940 Act does not prohibit the practice.

 

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Diversification

 

The fund is currently classified as a diversified fund under the 1940 Act. This means that the fund may not purchase securities of an issuer (other than obligations issued or guaranteed by the U.S. government, its agencies or instrumentalities) if, with respect to 75% of its total assets, (a) more than 5% of the fund’s total assets would be invested in securities of that issuer, or (b) the fund would hold more than 10% of the outstanding voting securities of that issuer. With respect to the remaining 25% of its total assets, the fund can invest more than 5% of its assets in one issuer. Under the 1940 Act, the fund cannot change its classification from diversified to non-diversified without shareholder approval.

5. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON THE PURCHASE AND SALE OF

FUND SHARES AND SHAREHOLDER PROGRAMS

General

Investors may purchase shares from a Service Agent. In addition, certain investors, including retirement plans purchasing through certain Service Agents, may purchase shares directly from the fund. When purchasing shares of the fund, investors must specify whether the purchase is for Class A, B, C or I* shares. Service Agents may charge their customers an annual account maintenance fee in connection with a brokerage account through which an investor purchases or holds shares. Accounts held directly with the transfer agent are not subject to a maintenance fee.

For additional information regarding applicable investment minimums and eligibility requirements, please see the fund’s prospectus.

There are no minimum investment requirements for purchases of Class A shares by: (i) current and retired board members of Legg Mason, (ii) current and retired board members of any fund advised by LMPFA (such board members, together with board members of Legg Mason, are referred to herein as “Board Members”), (iii) current employees of Legg Mason and its subsidiaries, (iv) the “immediate families” of such persons (“immediate families” are such person’s spouse, including the surviving spouse of a deceased Board Member, and children under the age of 21) and (v) a pension, profit-sharing or other benefit plan for the benefit of such persons. The funds reserve the right to waive or change minimums, to decline any order to purchase its shares and to suspend the offering of shares from time to time.

Purchase orders received by the fund or a Service Agent prior to the close of regular trading on the NYSE on any day the fund calculates its net asset value are priced according to the net asset values determined on that day (the “trade date”). Orders received by a Service Agent prior to the close of regular trading on the NYSE on any day the fund calculates its net asset values are priced according to the net asset values determined on that day, provided the order is received by the fund’s agents prior to its close of business. For shares purchased through CGMI or a Service Agent purchasing through CGMI, payment for shares of the fund is normally due on the third business day after the trade date. In all other cases, payment must be made with the purchase order.

Systematic Investment Plan

Shareholders may make additions to their accounts at any time by purchasing shares through a service known as the Systematic Investment Plan. Under the Systematic Investment Plan, a distributor or the transfer agent is authorized through preauthorized transfers of at least $25 on a monthly, quarterly, every alternate month, semi-annual or annual basis to charge the shareholder’s account held with a bank or other financial institution as indicated by the shareholder, to provide for systematic additions to the shareholder’s fund account. A shareholder

 


* As of November 20, 2006, Class Y shares were renamed Class I shares.

 

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who has insufficient funds to complete the transfer will be charged a fee of up to $25 by a distributor or the transfer agent. The Systematic Investment Plan also authorizes a distributor to apply cash held in the shareholder’s brokerage account or redeem the shareholder’s shares of certain money market funds managed by the manager or its affiliates to make additions to the account. Additional information is available from the fund or a Service Agent.

Sales Charge Alternatives

The following Classes of shares are available for purchase. See the Prospectus for a discussion of who is eligible to purchase certain Classes and of factors to consider in selecting which Class of shares to purchase.

Class A Shares. Class A shares are sold to investors at the public offering price, which is the net asset value plus an initial sales charge, as described in the fund’s prospectus.

Members of the selling group may receive a portion of the sales charge as described in the fund’s prospectus and may be deemed to be underwriters of the fund as defined in the 1933 Act. Sales charges are calculated based on the aggregate of purchases of Class A shares of the fund made at one time by any “person,” which includes an individual and his or her spouse and children under the age of 21, or a trustee or other fiduciary of a single trust estate or single fiduciary account. For additional information regarding sales charge reductions, see “Sales Charge Waivers and Reductions” below.

Purchases of Class A shares of $1,000,000 or more will be made at NAV without any initial sales charge, but will be subject to a contingent deferred sales charge of 1.00% on redemptions made within 12 months of purchase. The contingent deferred sales charge is waived in the same circumstances in which the contingent deferred sales charge applicable to Class B and C shares is waived. See “Contingent Deferred Sales Charge Provisions” and “Waivers of Contingent Deferred Sales Charge” below.

Class B and C Shares. Class B and C shares are sold without an initial sales charge but are subject to a contingent deferred sales charge payable upon certain redemptions. See “Contingent Deferred Sales Charge Provisions.”

Class I Shares. Class I shares are sold at net asset value with no initial sales charge and no contingent deferred sales charge upon redemption.

Sales Charge Waivers and Reductions

Initial Sales Charge Waivers. Purchases of Class A shares may be made at NAV without an initial sales charge in the following circumstances:

 

  (a) sales to (i) current and retired board members of Legg Mason, (ii) current and retired Board Members, (iii) current employees of Legg Mason and its subsidiaries, as well as (iv) by the “immediate families” of such persons (“immediate families” are such person’s spouse, including the surviving spouse of a deceased Board Member, and children under the age of 21) and (v) by a pension, profit-sharing or other benefit plan for the benefit of such persons;

 

  (b) sales to any employees of Service Agents having dealer, service or other selling agreements with the funds’ distributors or otherwise having an arrangement with any such Service Agent with respect to sales of fund shares, and by the immediate families of such persons or by a pension, profit-sharing or other benefit plan for the benefit of such persons (providing the purchase is made for investment purposes and such securities will not be resold except through redemption or repurchase);

 

  (c) offers of Class A shares to any other investment company to effect the combination of such company with the funds by merger, acquisition of assets or otherwise;

 

26


  (d) purchases by shareholders who have redeemed Class A shares in the fund (or Class A shares of another Legg Mason Partners fund that is offered with a sales charge) and who wish to reinvest their redemption proceeds in the funds, provided the reinvestment is made within 60 calendar days of the redemption;

 

  (e) purchases by accounts managed by registered investment advisory subsidiaries of Citigroup;

 

  (f) purchases by certain separate accounts used to fund unregistered variable annuity contracts; and

 

  (g) purchases by investors participating in “wrap fee” or asset allocation programs or other fee-based arrangements sponsored by (affiliated and non-affiliated) broker-dealers and other financial institutions that have entered into agreements with CGMI or LMIS.

In order to obtain such discounts, the purchaser must provide sufficient information at the time of purchase to permit verification that the purchase qualifies for the elimination of the sales charge.

Accumulation Privilege. Please see the fund’s prospectus for information regarding accumulation privileges.

Letter of Intent. A Letter of Intent helps you take advantage of breakpoints in Class A sales charges. You may purchase Class A shares of Legg Mason Partners funds over a 13-month period and pay the same sales charge, if any, as if all shares had been purchased at once. You have a choice of seven Asset Level Goal amounts, as follows:

 

(1) $25,000

   (5) $500,000

(2) $50,000

   (6) $750,000

(3) $100,000

   (7) $1,000,000

(4) $250,000

  

Each time you make a Class A purchase under a Letter of Intent, you will be entitled to the sales charge that is applicable to the amount of your Asset Level Goal. For example, if your Asset Level Goal is $100,000, any Class A investments you make under a Letter of Intent would be subject to the sales charge of the specific fund you are investing in for purchases of $100,000. Sales charges and breakpoints vary among the Legg Mason Partners Funds.

When you enter into a Letter of Intent, you agree to purchase in Eligible Accounts over a thirteen (13) month period Eligible Fund Purchases in an amount equal to the Asset Level Goal you have selected, less any Eligible Prior Purchases. For this purpose, shares are valued at the public offering price (including any sales charge paid) calculated as of the date of purchase, plus any appreciation in the value of the shares as of the date of calculation, except for Eligible Prior Purchases, which are valued at current value as of the date of calculation. Your commitment will be met if at any time during the 13-month period the value, as so determined, of eligible holdings is at least equal to your Asset Level Goal. All reinvested dividends and distributions on shares acquired under the Letter will be credited towards your Asset Level Goal. You may include any Eligible Fund Purchases towards the Letter, including shares of classes other than Class A shares. However, a Letter of Intent will not entitle you to a reduction in the sales charge payable on any shares other than Class A shares, and if the shares are subject to a contingent deferred sales charge, you will still be subject to that contingent deferred sales charge with respect to those shares. You must make reference to the Letter of Intent each time you make a purchase under the Letter.

Eligible Fund Purchases. Generally, any shares of a Legg Mason Partners Fund may be credited towards your Asset Level Goal. Shares of certain money market funds advised by the manager or its affiliates (except for money market fund shares acquired by exchange from other Legg Mason Partners Funds offered with a sales charge), Legg Mason Partners S&P 500 Index Fund and Class O shares of Legg Mason Partners Equity Fund, Inc. are not eligible. This list may change from time to time. Investors should check with their Service Agent to see which funds may be eligible.

 

27


Eligible Accounts. Purchases may be made through any account in your name, or in the name of your spouse or your children under the age of 21. You may need to provide certain records, such as account statements, in order to verify your eligibility for reduced sales charges. Contact your Service Agent to see which accounts may be credited toward your Asset Level Goal.

Eligible Prior Purchases. You may also credit towards your Asset Level Goal any Eligible Fund Purchases made in Eligible Accounts at any time prior to entering into the Letter of Intent that have not been sold or redeemed, based on the current price of those shares as of the date of calculation.

Purchases made 90 days prior to the 13-month period are also eligible to be treated as purchases made under the Letter of Intent. Any Eligible Fund Purchases in Eligible Accounts made during that period will count towards your Goal and will also be eligible for the lower sales charge applicable to your Asset Level Goal. You will be credited by way of additional shares at the current offering price for the difference between (a) the aggregate sales charges actually paid for those eligible shares and (b) the aggregate applicable sales charges for your Asset Level Goal.

Increasing the Amount of the Letter. You may at any time increase your Asset Level Goal. You must, however, contact your Service Agent, or if you purchase your shares directly through PFPC, contact PFPC prior to making any purchases in an amount in excess of your current Asset Level Goal. Upon such an increase, you will be credited by way of additional shares at the then current offering price for the difference between: (a) the aggregate sales charges actually paid for shares already purchased under the Letter and (b) the aggregate applicable sales charges for the increased Asset Level Goal. The 13-month period during which the Asset Level Goal must be achieved will remain unchanged.

Sales and Exchanges. Shares acquired pursuant to a Letter of Intent, other than Escrowed Shares as defined below, may be redeemed or exchanged at any time, although any shares that are redeemed prior to meeting your Asset Level Goal will no longer count towards meeting your Goal. However, complete liquidation of purchases made under a Letter of Intent prior to meeting the Asset Level Goal will result in the cancellation of the Letter. See “Failure to Meet Asset Level Goal” below. Exchanges in accordance with the fund’s prospectus are permitted, and shares so exchanged will continue to count towards your Asset Level Goal, as long as the exchange results in an Eligible Fund Purchase.

Cancellation of Letter. You may cancel a Letter of Intent by notifying your Service Agent in writing, or if you purchase your shares directly through PFPC, by notifying PFPC in writing. The Letter will be automatically cancelled if all shares are sold or redeemed as set forth above. See “Failure to Meet Asset Level Goal” below.

Escrowed Shares. Shares equal in value to five percent (5%) of your Asset Level Goal as of the date your Letter (or the date of any increase in the amount of the Letter) is accepted, will be held in escrow during the term of your Letter. The Escrowed Shares will be included in the total shares owned as reflected in your account statement and any dividends and capital gains distributions applicable to the Escrowed Shares will be credited to your account and counted towards your Asset Level Goal or paid in cash upon request. The Escrowed Shares will be released from escrow if all the terms of your Letter are met.

Failure to Meet Asset Level Goal. If the total assets under your Letter of Intent within its 13-month term are less than your Asset Level Goal or you elect to liquidate all of your holdings or cancel the Letter before reaching your Asset Level Goal, you will be liable for the difference between: (a) the sales charge actually paid and (b) the sales charge that would have applied if you had not entered into the Letter. You may, however, be entitled to any breakpoints that would have been available to you under the accumulation privilege. An appropriate number of shares in your account will be redeemed to realize the amount due. For these purposes, by entering into a Letter of Intent, you irrevocably appoint your Service Agent, or if you purchase your shares directly through PFPC, PFPC, as your attorney-in-fact for the purposes of holding the Escrowed Shares and surrendering shares in your account for redemption. If there are insufficient assets in your account, you will be liable for the difference. Any Escrowed Shares remaining after such redemption will be released to your account.

 

28


Contingent Deferred Sales Charge Provisions

“Contingent deferred sales charge shares” are: (a) Class B shares; (b) Class C shares; and (c) Class A shares that were purchased without an initial sales charge but are subject to a contingent deferred sales charge. A contingent deferred sales charge may be imposed on certain redemptions of these shares.

Any applicable contingent deferred sales charge will be assessed on the net asset value at the time of purchase or redemption, whichever is less.

Class C shares and Class A shares that are contingent deferred sales charge shares are subject to a 1.00% contingent deferred sales charge if redeemed within 12 months of purchase. In circumstances in which the contingent deferred sales charge is imposed on Class B shares, the amount of the charge will depend on the number of years since the shareholder made the purchase payment from which the amount is being redeemed, as further described in the prospectus. Solely for purposes of determining the number of years since a purchase payment, all purchase payments made during a month will be aggregated and deemed to have been made on the last day of the preceding statement month.

Class B shares will convert automatically to Class A shares approximately eight years after the date on which they were purchased and thereafter will no longer be subject to any distribution fees. There will also be converted at that time such proportion of Class B dividend shares (Class B shares that were acquired through the reinvestment of dividends and distributions) owned by the shareholders as the total number of his or her Class B shares converting at the time bears to the total number of outstanding Class B shares (other than Class B dividend shares) owned by the shareholder.

In determining the applicability of any contingent deferred sales charge, it will be assumed that a redemption is made first of shares representing capital appreciation, next of shares representing the reinvestment of dividends and capital gain distributions, next of shares that are not subject to the contingent deferred sales charge and finally of other shares held by the shareholder for the longest period of time. The length of time that contingent deferred sales charge shares acquired through an exchange have been held will be calculated from the date the shares exchanged were initially acquired in one of the other Legg Mason Partners mutual funds. For federal income tax purposes, the amount of the contingent deferred sales charge will reduce the gain or increase the loss, as the case may be, on the amount realized on redemption. The funds’ distributors receive contingent deferred sales charges in partial consideration for their expenses in selling shares.

Waivers of Contingent Deferred Sales Charge

The contingent deferred sales charge will be waived on: (a) exchanges (see “Exchange Privilege”); (b) automatic cash withdrawals in amounts equal to or less than 2.00% of the shareholder’s account balance at the time the withdrawals commence per month, up to a maximum of 12% in one year (see “Automatic Cash Withdrawal Plan”); (c) redemptions of shares within 12 months following the death or disability (as defined in the Code) of the shareholder; (d) mandatory post-retirement distributions from retirement plans or IRAs commencing on or after attainment of age 70 1/2 (except that shareholders who purchased shares subject to a contingent deferred sales charge prior to May 23, 2005 will be “grandfathered” and will be eligible to obtain the waiver at age 59 1/2 by demonstrating such eligibility at the time of redemption); (e) involuntary redemptions; (f) redemptions of shares to effect a combination of the fund with any investment company by merger, acquisition of assets or otherwise; (g) tax-free returns of an excess contribution to any retirement plan; and (h) certain redemptions of shares of a fund in connection with lump-sum or other distributions made by eligible retirement plans or redemption of shares by participants in certain “wrap fee” or asset allocation programs sponsored by broker/dealers and other financial institutions that have entered into agreements with a distributor or the manager.

As of November 20, 2006, the contingent deferred sales charge will be waived on new Class C shares purchased by retirement plan omnibus accounts held on the books of a fund.

 

29


A shareholder who has redeemed shares from other Legg Mason Partners Funds may, under certain circumstances, reinvest all or part of the redemption proceeds within 60 days and receive pro rata credit for any contingent deferred sales charge imposed on the prior redemption.

Contingent deferred sales charge waivers will be granted subject to confirmation by a distributor or the transfer agent of the shareholder’s status or holdings, as the case may be.

Determination of Public Offering Price

The fund offers its shares on a continuous basis. The public offering price for each class of shares of the fund is equal to the net asset value per share at the time of purchase, plus for Class A shares an initial sales charge based on the aggregate amount of the investment. A contingent deferred sales charge, however, is imposed on certain redemptions of Class A, B and C shares.

Set forth below is an example of the method of computing the offering price of a Class A shares of the fund based on net asset value of a share of the fund as of October 31, 2006.

 

Fund

Large Cap Growth Fund

  Class A (based on a net asset value of $15.26 and a maximum initial sales charge of 5.75%)    $16.19

 

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REDEMPTION OF SHARES

The right of redemption may be suspended or the date of payment postponed (a) for any period during which the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) is closed (other than for customary weekend and holiday closings), (b) when trading in the markets the fund normally utilizes is restricted, or an emergency exists, as determined by the SEC, so that disposal of the fund’s investments or determination of net asset value is not reasonably practicable or (c) for such other periods as the SEC by order may permit for protection of the fund’s shareholders.

If the shares to be redeemed were issued in certificate form, the certificates must be endorsed for transfer (or be accompanied by an endorsed stock power) and must be submitted to PFPC together with the redemption request. Any signature appearing on a share certificate, stock power or written redemption request in excess of $50,000 must be guaranteed by an eligible guarantor institution such as a domestic bank, savings and loan institution, domestic credit union, member bank of the Federal Reserve System or member firm of a national securities exchange. Written redemption requests of $50,000 or less do not require a signature guarantee unless more than one such redemption request is made in any 10-day period. Redemption proceeds will be mailed to an investor’s address of record. The transfer agent may require additional supporting documents for redemptions made by corporations, executors, administrators, trustees or guardians. A redemption request will not be deemed properly received until the transfer agent receives all required documents in proper form.

If a shareholder holds shares in more than one Class, any request for redemption must specify the Class being redeemed. In the event of a failure to specify which Class, or if the investor owns fewer shares of the Class than specified, the redemption request will be delayed until the transfer agent receives further instructions. The redemption proceeds will be remitted on or before the seventh business day following receipt of proper tender, except on any days on which the NYSE is closed or as permitted under the 1940 Act, in extraordinary circumstances. Redemption proceeds for shares purchased by check, other than a certified or official bank check, will be remitted upon clearance of the check, which may take up to ten days. Each Service Agent is responsible for transmitting promptly orders for its customers.

The Service Agent may charge you a fee for executing your order. The amount and applicability of such a fee is determined and disclosed to its customers by each Service Agent.

The fund no longer issues share certificates. Outstanding share certificates will continue to be honored. If you hold share certificates, it will take longer to exchange or redeem shares.

Additional Information Regarding Telephone Redemption and Exchange Program

Neither the fund nor its agents will be liable for following instructions communicated by telephone that are reasonably believed to be genuine. The fund and its agents will employ procedures designed to verify the identity of the caller and legitimacy of instructions (for example, a shareholder’s name and account number will be required and phone calls may be recorded). The fund reserves the right to suspend, modify or discontinue the telephone redemption and exchange program or to impose a charge for this service at any time following at least seven (7) days’ prior notice to shareholders.

Automatic Cash Withdrawal Plan

An automatic cash withdrawal plan (the “Withdrawal Plan”) is available to shareholders as described in each prospectus. To the extent withdrawals under the Withdrawal Plan exceed dividends, distributions and appreciation of a shareholder’s investment in the fund, there will be a reduction in the value of the shareholder’s investment, and continued withdrawal payments may reduce the shareholder’s investment and ultimately exhaust it. Withdrawal payments should not be considered as income from investment in the fund. Furthermore, as it generally would not be advantageous to a shareholder to make additional investments in the fund at the same

 

31


time he or she is participating in the Withdrawal Plan, purchases by such shareholder in amounts of less than $5,000 ordinarily will not be permitted. The Withdrawal Plan will be carried over on exchanges between funds or classes of the fund. All dividends and distributions on shares in the Withdrawal Plan are reinvested automatically at net asset value in additional shares of the fund.

Shareholders who wish to participate in the Withdrawal Plan and who hold their shares in certificate form must deposit their share certificates with the transfer agent as agent for Withdrawal Plan members. For additional information shareholders should contact their Service Agent. A shareholder who purchases shares directly through the transfer agent may continue to do so and applications for participation in the Withdrawal Plan must be received by the transfer agent no later than the eighth day of the month to be eligible for participation beginning with that month’s withdrawal.

Valuation of Shares

The net asset value per share of the fund’s Classes is calculated on each day, Monday through Friday, except days on which the NYSE is closed. The NYSE currently is scheduled to be closed on New Year’s Day, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Presidents’ Day, Good Friday, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving and Christmas, and on the preceding Friday or subsequent Monday when one of these holidays falls on a Saturday or Sunday, respectively. Because of the differences in distribution fees and Class-specific expenses, the per share net asset value of each Class will differ. Please see each prospectus for a description of the procedures used by the fund in valuing its assets.

EXCHANGE PRIVILEGE

The exchange privilege enables shareholders to acquire shares of the same class in a fund with different investment objectives when they believe that a shift between funds is an appropriate investment decision. This privilege is available to shareholders residing in any state in which the fund shares being acquired may legally be sold. Prior to any exchange, the shareholder should obtain and review a copy of the current prospectus of each fund into which an exchange is being considered. Prospectuses may be obtained from a Service Agent.

Upon receipt of proper instructions and all necessary supporting documents, shares submitted for exchange are redeemed at the then-current net asset value, and the proceeds are immediately invested in shares of the fund being acquired at that fund’s then current net asset value. The distributors reserve the right to reject any exchange request. The exchange privilege may be modified or terminated at any time after written notice to shareholders.

Class A and I Exchanges. Class A, and I shareholders of the fund who wish to exchange all or a portion of their shares for shares of the respective class in another fund may do so without imposition of any charge.

Class B Exchanges. Class B shares of the fund may be exchanged for other Class B shares without a contingent deferred sales charge. Upon an exchange, the new Class B shares will be deemed to have been purchased on the same date as the Class B shares of the fund that have been exchanged.

Class C Exchanges. Class C shares of the fund may be exchanged for other Class C shares without a contingent deferred sales charge. Upon an exchange, the new Class C shares will be deemed to have been purchased on the same date as the Class C shares of the fund that have been exchanged.

Additional Information Regarding the Exchange Privilege

The fund is not designed to provide investors with a means of speculation on short-term market movements. A pattern of frequent exchanges by investors can be disruptive to efficient portfolio management and, consequently, can be detrimental to the fund and its shareholders. See “Frequent Purchases and Redemptions of fund Shares” in each prospectus.

 

32


During times of drastic economic or market conditions, the fund may suspend the exchange privilege temporarily without notice and treat exchange requests based on their separate components—redemption orders with a simultaneous request to purchase the other fund’s shares. In such a case, the redemption request would be processed at the funds’ next determined net asset value but the purchase order would be effective only at the net asset value next determined after the fund being purchased formally accepts the order, which may result in the purchase being delayed.

Certain shareholders may be able to exchange shares by telephone. See the fund’s prospectus for additional information. Exchanges will be processed at the net asset value next determined. Redemption procedures discussed above are also applicable for exchanging shares, and exchanges will be made upon receipt of all supporting documents in proper form. If the account registration of the shares of the fund being acquired is identical to the registration of the shares of the fund exchanged, no signature guarantee is required.

This exchange privilege may be modified or terminated at any time, and is available only in those jurisdictions where such exchanges legally may be made. Before making any exchange, shareholders should contact the transfer agent or, if they hold fund shares through a Service Agent, their Service Agent to obtain more information and prospectuses of the funds to be acquired through the exchange. An exchange is treated as a sale of the shares exchanged and could result in taxable gain or loss to the shareholder making the exchange.

 

33


6. MANAGEMENT

The business affairs of the fund are managed by or under the direction of the Board. The Board elects officers who are responsible for the day-to-day operations of the fund and who execute policies authorized by the Board.

The current Trustees, including the Trustees of the fund who are not “interested persons” of the fund as defined in the 1940 Act (the “Independent Trustees”) and executive officers of the fund, their birth years, their principal occupations during at least the past five years (their titles may have varied during that period), the number of funds associated with Legg Mason the Trustees oversee, and other board memberships they hold are set forth below. The address of each Trustee is c/o R. Jay Gerken, 399 Park Avenue, New York, New York 10022.

The following information relates to the Trust’s recently elected Board of Trustees.

 

Name and
Year of Birth

  Position(s)
with Fund
 

Term of

Office* and
Length of
Time
Served**

 

Principal Occupation(s)

During Past 5 Years

 

Number of

Funds
in Fund
Complex
to be
Overseen
by Trustee

 

Other Board

Memberships
Held by Trustee

During
Past Five Years

INDEPENDENT TRUSTEES:    

Paul R. Ades

Born 1940

  Trustee   Since 1983   Law firm of Paul R. Ades, PLLC (since 2000)   57   None

Andrew L. Breech

Born 1952

  Trustee   Since 1991   President, Dealer Operating Control Service, Inc. (automotive retail management) (since 1985)   57   None

Dwight B. Crane

Born 1937

  Trustee   Since 1981   Professor, Harvard Business School (since 1969); Independent Consultant (since 1969)   60   None

Robert M. Frayn, Jr.

Born 1934

  Trustee   Since 1981   Retired; formerly, President and Director, Book Publishing Co. (1970 to 2002)   57   None

Frank G. Hubbard

Born 1937

  Trustee   Since 1993   President, Avatar International Inc. (business development) (since 1998)   57   None

Howard J. Johnson

Born 1938

  Trustee   From 1981
to 1998
and 2000
to Present
  Chief Executive Officer, Genesis Imaging LLC (technology company) (since 2003)   57   None

David E. Maryatt

Born 1936

  Trustee   Since 1983   Private Investor; President and Director, ALS Co. (real estate management and development firm) (since 1993)   57   None

 

34


Name and
Year of Birth

  Position(s)
with Fund
 

Term of

Office* and
Length of
Time
Served**

 

Principal Occupation(s)

During Past 5 Years

 

Number of

Funds
in Fund
Complex
to be
Overseen
by Trustee

 

Other Board

Memberships
Held by Trustee

During
Past Five Years

Jerome H. Miller

Born 1938

  Trustee   Since 1995   Retired   57   None

Ken Miller

Born 1942

  Trustee   Since 1983   Chairman, Young Stuff Apparel Group, Inc. (apparel manufacturer) (since 1963)   57   None

John J. Murphy

Born 1944

  Trustee   Since 2002   President, Murphy Capital Management (investment advice) (since 1983)   57   Director, Nicholas Applegate funds; Trustee, Consulting Group Capital Markets Funds; formerly, Director, Atlantic Stewardship Bank (2004 to 2005); Director, Barclays International Funds Group Ltd. and affiliated companies (to 2003)

Thomas F. Schlafly

Born 1948

  Trustee   Since 1983   Of Counsel, Blackwell Sanders Peper Martin LLP (law firm) (since 1984); President, The Saint Louis Brewery, Inc. (brewery) (since 1989)   57   Director, Citizens National Bank, Maplewood (2006)

Jerry A. Viscione

Born 1944

  Trustee   Since 1993   Retired; formerly, Executive Vice President, Marquette University (1997 to 2002)   57   None

 

35


Name and
Year of Birth

  Position(s)
with Fund
 

Term of

Office* and
Length of
Time
Served**

 

Principal Occupation(s)

During Past 5 Years

 

Number of

Funds
in Fund
Complex
to be
Overseen
by Trustee

 

Other Board

Memberships
Held by Trustee

During
Past Five Years

INTERESTED TRUSTEE:  

R. Jay Gerken , CFA†

Born 1951

  Trustee,
President,
Chairman
and Chief
Executive
Officer
  Since 2002   Managing Director, Legg Mason & Co., LLC (“Legg Mason & Co.”); Chairman of the Board and Trustee/Director of 149 funds associated with LMPFA and its affiliates; President, LMPFA (since 2006); Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of certain mutual funds associated with Legg Mason & Co. or its affiliates; formerly, Chairman, Smith Barney Fund Management LLC (“SBFM”) and Citi Fund Management, Inc. (“CFM”) (2002 to 2005); formerly, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer, Travelers Investment Adviser Inc. (2002 to 2005)   149   None

* Each Trustee serves until his or her respective successor has been duly elected and qualified or until his or her earlier death, resignation, retirement or removal.
** Indicates the earliest year in which the Trustee became a Board member for a fund in the Legg Mason Partners fund complex.
Mr. Gerken is an “interested person,” as defined in the 1940 Act, because of his position with the manager and/or certain of its affiliates.

 

Name, Year of Birth

and Address

  Position(s)
with Fund
  Term of
Office* and
Length of
Time
Served**
  

Principal Occupation(s)

During Past 5 Years

OFFICERS:   

Ted P. Becker

Born 1951

399 Park Avenue

New York, NY 10022

  Chief
Compliance
Officer
  Since 2006    Director of Global Compliance at Legg Mason, Inc. (2006 to present); Managing Director of Compliance at Legg Mason & Co (2005 to present); Chief Compliance Officer with certain mutual funds associated with Legg Mason & Co. (since 2006); Chief Compliance Officer of LMPFA and certain affiliates; Managing Director of Compliance at Citigroup Asset Management (a group of affiliated investment advisers, which included SBFM, Smith Barney Asset Management and CFM and other affiliated investment advisory entities) (2002 to 2005). Prior to 2002, Managing Director-Internal Audit & Risk Review at Citigroup Inc.

 

36


Name, Year of Birth

and Address

  Position(s)
with Fund
  Term of
Office* and
Length of
Time
Served**
  

Principal Occupation(s)

During Past 5 Years

John Chiota

Born 1968

300 First Stamford

Place, 5th Floor

Stamford, CT 06902

  Chief Anti-
Money
Laundering
Compliance
Officer
  Since 2006    Vice President of Legg Mason & Co. (since 2005); Vice President at CAM (since 2004); Chief Anti-Money Laundering Compliance Officer of certain mutual funds associated with Legg Mason & Co. (since 2006). Prior to August 2004, Chief Anti-Money Laundering Compliance Officer of TD Waterhouse.

Robert I. Frenkel

Born 1954

300 First Stamford Place

Stamford, CT 06902

  Secretary
and Chief
Legal
Officer
  Since 2003    Managing Director and General Counsel of Global Mutual Funds for Legg Mason & Co. (since 2005); Managing Director and General Counsel of Global Mutual Funds for CAM (since 2000); Secretary and Chief Legal Officer of certain mutual funds associated with Legg Mason & Co. (since 2003). Previously, Secretary of CFM (2001 to 2004).

R. Jay Gerken, CFA

Born 1951

399 Park Avenue

New York,

NY 10022

  Chairman,
President
and Chief
Executive
Officer
  Since 2002    Managing Director of Legg Mason & Co.; Chairman of the Board and Trustee/Director of 149 funds associated with LMPFA and its affiliates; Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of certain mutual funds associated with Legg Mason & Co. Previously, Chairman of SBFM and CFM (2002 to 2005); formerly, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of Travelers Investment Adviser Inc. (2002 to 2005).

Thomas C. Mandia

Born 1962

300 First Stamford Place

Stamford, CT 06902

  Assistant
Secretary
  Since 2000    Managing Director and Deputy General Counsel of Legg Mason & Co. (since 2005); Managing Director and Deputy General Counsel for CAM (since 1992); Assistant Secretary of certain mutual funds associated with Legg Mason & Co.

Kaprel Ozsolak

Born 1965

125 Broad Street, 11th Floor

New York, NY 10004

  Chief
Financial
Officer and
Treasurer
  Since 2004    Director of Legg Mason & Co. (since 2005); Vice President at CAM (1996 to 2005); Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer of certain mutual funds associated with Legg Mason & Co. (since 2005); Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer of certain mutual funds associated with CAM (2004 to 2005). Previously, Mr. Ozsolak was Controller of certain mutual funds associated with CAM (2002 to 2004).

* Each officer serves until his or her respective successor has been duly elected and qualified or until his or her earlier death, resignation, retirement or removal.
** Indicates the earliest year in which the officer took office for any funds in the Legg Mason Partners fund complex.

Officers of the fund receive no compensation from the fund, although they may be reimbursed by the fund for reasonable out-of-pocket travel expenses for attending Board meetings.

The Board has three standing Committees: the Audit Committee, Nominating and Governance Committee (referred to as the Nominating Committee) and Pricing Committee.

The Audit Committee and Nominating Committee are composed of all of the Independent Trustees. The Pricing Committee is composed of the Chairman of the Board and one Independent Trustee.

 

37


The Audit Committee oversees, among other things, the scope of the fund’s audit, the fund’s accounting and financial reporting policies and practices and its internal controls. The primary purposes of the Board’s Audit Committee are to assist the Board in fulfilling its responsibility for oversight of the integrity of the accounting, auditing and financial reporting practices of the fund and the qualifications and independence of the fund’s independent registered public accounting firm. The Audit Committee approves, and recommends to the Independent Trustees for their ratification, the selection, appointment, retention or termination of the fund’s independent registered public accounting firm and approves the compensation of the independent registered public accounting firm. The Audit Committee also approves all audit and permissible non-audit services provided to the fund by the independent registered public accounting firm and all permissible non-audit services provided by the fund’s independent registered public accounting firm to its manager and any affiliated service providers if the engagement relates directly to the fund’s operations and financial reporting. The Audit Committee also assists the Board in fulfilling its responsibility for the review and negotiation of the fund’s investment management and subadvisory arrangements.

The Nominating Committee is responsible for, among other things, recommending candidates to fill vacancies on the Board. The Nominating Committee may consider nominees recommended by a shareholder. Shareholders who wish to recommend a nominee should send recommendations to the Trust’s Secretary that include all information relating to such person that is required to be disclosed in solicitations of proxies for the election of Trustees. A recommendation must be accompanied by a written consent of the individual to stand for election if nominated by the Board and to serve if elected by the shareholders.

The Nominating Committee identifies potential nominees through its network of contacts and may also engage, if it deems appropriate, a professional search firm. The committee meets to discuss and consider such candidates’ qualifications and then chooses a candidate by majority vote. The committee does not have specific, minimum qualifications for nominees, nor has it established specific qualities or skills that it regards as necessary for one or more of the Trustees to possess (other than any qualities or skills that may be required by applicable law, regulation or listing standard). However, in evaluating a person as a potential nominee to serve as a Trustee, the Nominating Committee may consider the following factors, among any others it may deem relevant:

 

   

whether or not the person is an “interested person,” as defined in the 1940 Act, and whether the person is otherwise qualified under applicable laws and regulations to serve as a Trustee;

 

   

whether or not the person has any relationships that might impair his or her independence, such as any business, financial or family relationships with fund management, the investment adviser, service providers or their affiliates;

 

   

whether or not the person serves on boards of, or is otherwise affiliated with, competing financial service organizations or their related mutual fund complexes;

 

   

whether or not the person is willing to serve, and willing and able to commit the time necessary for the performance of the duties of a Trustee;

 

   

the contribution which the person can make to the Board (or, if the person has previously served as a Trustee, the contribution which the person made to the Board during his or her previous term of service), with consideration being given to the person’s business and professional experience, education and such other factors as the committee may consider relevant;

 

   

the character and integrity of the person; and

 

   

whether or not the selection and nomination of the person would be consistent with the requirements of the retirement policies of the Trust, as applicable.

The Pricing Committee is charged with determining the fair value prices for securities when required.

As indicated above, the Trust’s Board is recently elected and is newly constituted as the Board that oversees all of the equity-type funds in the fund complex. All members of the Board previously have served on Boards of

 

38


Legg Mason Partners funds. The Audit, Nominating and Pricing Committees are recently established committees of this Board and did not meet during the fund’s last fiscal year.

The following table shows the amount of equity securities owned by the Trustees in the fund and other investment companies in the fund complex supervised by the Trustees as of December 31, 2006.

 

Name of Trustee

   Dollar Range
of Equity
Securities in
the Fund *
   Aggregate Dollar Range
of Equity Securities In
Registered Investment
Companies Overseen
by Trustee *
Independent Trustees   

Paul R. Ades

   A    E

Andrew L. Breech

   A    E

Dwight B. Crane

   A    E

Robert M. Frayn, Jr.

   A    E

Frank G. Hubbard

   A    E

Howard J. Johnson

   A    A

David E. Maryatt

   A    E

Jerome H. Miller

   A    D

Ken Miller

   A    D

John J. Murphy

   A    A

Thomas F. Schlafly

   A    E

Jerry A. Viscione

   A    C
Interested Trustee   

R. Jay Gerken

   A    E

 * A. None

B. $1-$10,000

C. $10,001-$50,000

D. $50,001-$100,000

E. over $100,000

As of April 16, 2007, none of the Independent Trustees or their immediate family members owned beneficially or of record any securities of the manager, subadviser or distributors of the fund, or in a person (other than a registered investment company) directly or indirectly controlling, controlled by or under common control with the manager, subadviser or distributors of the fund.

Information regarding compensation paid by the fund to its recently elected Board and to its prior Board is set forth below. The Independent Trustees receive a fee for each meeting of the fund’s Board and committee meetings attended and are reimbursed for all out-of-pocket expenses relating to attendance at such meetings. Mr. Gerken, an “interested person,” as defined in the 1940 Act, does not receive compensation from the fund for his service as Trustee, but may be reimbursed for all out-of-pocket expenses relating to attendance at such meetings.

 

39


The fund pays a pro rata share of the Trustee fees based upon asset size. The fund currently pays each of the Trustees who is not a director, officer or employee of the manager or any of its affiliates its pro rata share of: an annual fee of $100,000, plus $20,000 for each regularly scheduled Board meeting attended in person, and $1,000 for telephonic Board meetings in which that Trustee participates. The lead Independent Trustee will receive an additional $25,000 per year and the Chair of the Audit Committee will receive an additional $15,000 per year.

Recently elected Board

 

Name of Trustee

  

Aggregate
Compensation
from the

Fund(1)

   Total Pension or
Retirement
Benefits Paid
as Part of Fund
Expenses(1)
    Total
Compensation
from Fund
Complex Paid
to Trustee(1)(2)
   Number of
Portfolios in
Fund
Complex
Overseen by
Trustee(1)
Independent Trustees        

Paul R. Ades

   N/A    $ 0     $ 86,200    12

Andrew L. Breech

   N/A    $ 0     $ 37,750    3

Dwight B. Crane

   N/A      (3 )   $ 266,500    46

Robert M. Frayn, Jr.

   N/A    $ 0     $
 
17,500
(100% deferred)
   1

Frank G. Hubbard

   N/A    $ 0     $ 78,700    12

Howard J. Johnson

   N/A    $ 0     $ 36,000    1

David E. Maryatt

   N/A    $ 0     $
 
17,500
(100% deferred)
   1

Jerome H. Miller

   N/A    $ 0     $ 73,500    12

Ken Miller

   N/A    $ 0     $ 71,500    12

John J. Murphy

   N/A    $ 0     $ 91,200    23

Thomas F. Schlafly

   N/A    $ 0     $ 35,250    3

Jerry A. Viscione

   N/A    $ 0     $ 29,500    1
Interested Trustee        

R. Jay Gerken

      $ 0          162

(1) Information is for the calendar year ended December 31, 2006. The disclosure of compensation paid to the Trustees is provided as of the most recent calendar year end, rather than the fund’s most recent fiscal year end, for ease of presentation and comprehension.
(2) Mr. Murphy and Mr. Hubbard also received $2,200 and $5,200, respectively during 2006 for attending on behalf of their former Boards an additional meeting relating to the selection of service providers for the funds in the Legg Mason Partners fund complex. This amount was paid by the manager or its affiliates, and not by the fund.
(3) Pursuant to a prior emeritus retirement plan, Mr. Crane has received or is entitled to receive, in a lump sum (calculated on a net present value basis) or in quarterly installments, an aggregate benefit having a net present value equal to $444,643. Mr. Crane elected to receive the benefit in a lump sum payment. Each fund no longer overseen by Mr. Crane will pay a pro rata share (based upon asset size) of the aggregate benefit to Mr. Crane. Legg Mason or its affiliates have agreed to reimburse these funds an amount equal to 50% of the benefits paid to Mr. Crane. None of these amounts were paid during the period covered by the table.

 

40


For the fiscal year ended October 31, 2006, the Trustees of the fund were paid the compensation listed below for service as Trustees. Information as to the compensation paid to the Trustees of the fund for the calendar year ended December 31, 2006 also is shown below.

Prior Board

 

Trustee

  

Aggregate
Compensation

from
Fund For
Fiscal Year
Ended 10/31/06(4)

  

Total

Pension or
Retirement
Benefits
Paid as Part
of Fund
Expenses(2)(3)

    Total
Compensation
from Funds and
Fund Complex
Paid to
Trustees in
Fiscal Year
Ended
10/31/06(4)
   Number of
Portfolios in
Fund Complex
Served by Trustee

Interested Trustee

          

R. Jay Gerken(1)

   $ 0    $ 0     $ 0    162

Disinterested Trustees

          

Elliott J. Berv

   $ 732      (3 )   $ 154,500    37

Donald M. Carlton

   $ 753      (3 )(5)   $ 164,500    37

A. Benton Cocanougher

   $ 1,083      (3 )   $ 161,000    37

Mark T. Finn

   $ 1,114      (3 )   $ 179,385    37

Stephen Randolph Gross

   $ 1,145      (3 )   $ 191,000    37

Diana R. Harrington

   $ 744      (3 )   $ 159,625    37

Susan B. Kerley

   $ 765      (3 )   $ 173,000    37

Alan G. Merten

   $ 732      (3 )   $ 148,500    37

R. Richardson Pettit

   $ 732      (3 )   $ 154,500    37

 

Name of Independent Trustee

   Aggregate
Compensation from
Fund for Year
Ended 12/31/06(4)
   Total Pension
or Retirement
Benefits
Paid as Part
of Fund
Expenses(2)(3)
    Total
Compensation
from Fund
Complex Paid
to Trustees in
Year Ended
12/31/06(4)
   Number of
Funds for
Which Trustee
Served Within
Fund Complex

Elliott J. Berv

   $ 733      (3 )   $ 154,500    37

Donald M. Carlton

   $ 753      (3 )(5)   $ 164,500    37

A. Benton Cocanougher

   $ 1,083      (3 )   $ 161,000    37

Mark T. Finn

   $ 1,114      (3 )   $ 179,385    37

Stephen Randolph Gross

   $ 1,145      (3 )   $ 191,000    37

Diana R. Harrington

   $ 744      (3 )   $ 159,625    37

Susan B. Kerley

   $ 765      (3 )   $ 173,000    37

Alan G. Merten

   $ 732      (3 )   $ 148,500    37

R. Richardson Pettit

   $ 732      (3 )   $ 154,500    37

Interested Trustee

          

R. Jay Gerken

   $ 0    $ 0     $ 0    162

(1) Mr. Gerken was not compensated for his service as Trustee because of his affiliation with the manager.
(2) During the most recent fiscal year, the following former Trustees received the following retirement benefits under the Retirement Plan: Messrs. Riley C. Gilley and E. Kirby Warren each received an aggregate of $70,000; Mr. William S. Woods received an aggregate of $17,250. The fund paid its pro rata share (based on asset size) of these aggregate benefits.
(3)

Pursuant to prior retirement plans, the following former Trustees have received or are entitled to receive benefits (calculated on a net present value basis) as follows: Mr. Berv; $307,130; Mr. Carlton $517,678; Mr. Cocanougher: $503,114; Mr. Finn: $306,079; Mr. Gross: $318,788; Ms. Harrington: $348,670; Ms. Kerley: $217,984; Mr. Merten: $405,257; Mr. Pettit: $424,976. Benefits under the retirement plans are paid in

 

41


 

quarterly installments unless the Trustee elected to receive them in a lump sum at net present value. Each fund formerly overseen by these Trustees will pay its pro rata share (based on asset size) of these aggregate benefits (except that Mr. Carlton’s benefits will be paid by the funds formerly in Legg Mason Partners Investment Series). Legg Mason or its affiliates have agreed to reimburse the fund an amount equal to 50% of these benefits. None of these amounts were paid during the period covered by this table.

(4) In addition to the amounts set forth above, Mr. Gross received $12,000 during the fiscal year ended October 31, 2006, for services as Trustee in attending additional meetings relating to the consideration of new service provider arrangements. These amounts were borne by the manager and/or its affiliates and not by the fund.
(5) Mr. Carlton retired as a Trustee of the fund on December 31, 2006.

As of March 16, 2007, the Trustees and officers of the fund as a group owned less than 1% of the outstanding shares of each fund.

To the knowledge of the fund, as of March 16, 2007, the following shareholders or “groups” (as such term is defined in Section 13(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934) owned beneficially or of record 5% or more of the shares of the following classes of the Large Cap Growth Fund:

 

Class

  

Name/Address

   Percent

A

   NONE   

B

   NONE   

C

   JOHN G. LORE AND
MARION R. LORE TEN IN COM
2634 EL DORADO PKWY W.
CAPE CORAL, FL 33914-6680
   8.2252
   KAY PERKINS EMERSON ACF
EVAN EMERSON WALSH U/CA/UTMA
1238 UNIVERSITY DR.
MENLO PARK, CA 94025-4221
   7.9042
   CHERIE H. FLOCK
CGM IRA ROLLOVER CUSTODIAN
2614 ISABELLE AVENUE
SAN MATEO, CA 94403-2309
   6.7247
   KAY PERKINS EMERSON ACF
MCKENNA E. WALSH U/CA/UTMA
1238 UNIVERSITY DR.
MENLO PARK, CA 94025-4221
   6.278
   SANDRA NEWMAN
CGM IRA CUSTODIAN
9A HILLSBOROUGH DR.
MONROE TOWNSHIP, NJ 08831-4746
   5.3942

Code of Ethics

Pursuant to Rule 17j-1 of the 1940 Act, the fund, its manager, subadviser, and distributors have each adopted codes of ethics that permit their respective personnel to invest in securities for their own accounts, including securities that may be purchased or held by the fund. All personnel must place the interests of clients first and avoid activities, interests and relationships that might interfere with the duty to make decisions in the

 

42


best interests of the clients. All personal securities transactions by employees must adhere to the requirements of the codes and must be conducted in such manner as to avoid any actual or potential conflict of interest, the appearance of such a conflict, or the abuse of an employee’s position of trust and responsibility.

Copies of the Codes of Ethics of the funds, their manager, their subadviser, and their distributors are on file with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”).

Proxy Voting Policies & Procedures

Although individual Trustees may not agree with particular policies or votes by the manager or subadvisers, the Board has delegated proxy voting discretion to the manager and/or the subadviser, believing that the manager and/or the subadviser, should be responsible for voting because it is a matter relating to the investment decision making process.

LMPFA delegates the responsibility for voting proxies for the fund, as applicable, to the subadvisers through its contracts with the subadvisers. The subadviser will use their own proxy voting policies and procedures to vote proxies. Accordingly, LMPFA does not expect to have proxy-voting responsibility for the funds. Should LMPFA become responsible for voting proxies for any reason, such as the inability of a subadviser to provide investment advisory services, LMPFA shall utilize the proxy voting guidelines established by the most recent subadviser to vote proxies until a new subadviser is retained. In the case of a material conflict between the interests of LMPFA (or its affiliates if such conflict is known to persons responsible for voting at LMPFA) and the fund, the Board of Directors of LMPFA shall consider how to address the conflict and/or how to vote the proxies. LMPFA shall maintain records of all proxy votes in accordance with applicable securities laws and regulations, to the extent that LMPFA votes proxies. LMPFA shall be responsible for gathering relevant documents and records related to proxy voting from the subadviser and providing them to the fund as required for the fund to comply with applicable rules under the 1940 Act.

The subadviser’s Proxy Voting Policies and Procedures govern in determining how proxies relating to the fund’s portfolio securities are voted, a summary of which is attached as Appendix A to this SAI. Information regarding how the fund voted proxies (if any) relating to portfolio securities during the most recent 12-month period ended June 30 is available without charge (1) by calling 1-888-425-6432, (2) on each of the fund’s website at http://www.leggmason.com/InvestorServices and (3) on the SEC’s website at http://www.sec.gov.

Manager

LMPFA serves as investment manager to the fund pursuant to an investment management agreement (the “Management Agreement”) with an initial term ending November 30, 2007. LMPFA, with offices at 399 Park Avenue, New York, New York 10022, is a recently-organized investment adviser that has been formed to serve as the investment manager of the funds and certain other Legg Mason-sponsored funds. LMPFA is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Legg Mason. Legg Mason, whose principal executive offices are at 100 Light Street, Baltimore, Maryland 21202, is a global asset management company. As of December 31, 2006, Legg Mason’s asset management operation had aggregate assets under management of approximately $945 billion. LMPFA provides administrative and certain oversight services to the funds and manages the cash and short-term investments of the fund.

Under the Management Agreement, subject to the supervision and direction of the fund’s Board, the manager is delegated the responsibility of managing the fund’s portfolio in accordance with the fund’s stated investment objective and policies, making investment decisions for the fund and placing orders to purchase and sell securities. The manager also performs administrative and management services necessary for the operation of the fund, such as (i) supervising the overall administration of the fund, including negotiation of contracts and fees with and the monitoring of performance and billings of the fund’s transfer agent, shareholder servicing agents, custodian and other independent contractors or agents; (ii) providing certain compliance, fund

 

43


accounting, regulatory reporting, and tax reporting services; (iii) preparing or participating in the preparation of Board materials, registration statements, proxy statements and reports and other communications to shareholders; (iv) maintaining the funds’ existence, and (v) maintaining the registration and qualification of the fund’s shares under federal and state laws.

The Management Agreement has an initial term ending November 30, 2007 and will continue in effect from year to year thereafter provided such continuance is specifically approved at least annually (a) by the fund’s Board or by a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the fund (as defined in the 1940 Act), and (b) in either event, by a majority of the Independent Trustees with such Independent Trustees casting votes in person at a meeting called for such purpose.

The Management Agreement provides that the manager may render services to others. The Management Agreement is terminable without penalty on not more than 60 days’ nor less than 30 days’ written notice by the funds when authorized either by a vote of holders of shares representing a majority of the voting power of the outstanding voting securities of the funds (as defined in the 1940 Act) or by a vote of a majority of the fund’s Trustees, or by the manager on not less than 90 days’ written notice, and will automatically terminate in the event of its assignment. The Management Agreement provides that neither the manager nor its personnel shall be liable for any error of judgment or mistake of law or for any loss arising out of any investment or for any act or omission in the execution of security transactions for the fund, except for willful misfeasance, bad faith or gross negligence or reckless disregard of its or their obligations and duties.

For its services under the Management Agreement, LMPFA receives an investment management fee that is calculated daily and paid monthly, at the following annual rates of the fund’s average daily net assets on an annualized basis for the fund’s then-current fiscal year: 0.750% on assets up to $1 billion, 0.725% on assets between $1 billion and $2 billion, 0.700% on assets between $2 billion and $5 billion, 0.675% on assets between $5 billion and $10 billion, and 0.650% on assets over $10 billion. The manager may reimburse the fund or waive all or a portion of its management fees.

For the period from December 1, 2005 through July 31, 2005, Smith Barney Fund Management LLC (“SBFM”) served as the fund’s manager under the same fee schedule as described above.

For the fiscal years ended October 31, 2004, 2005, and 2006 the fees paid, after waivers, to the manager under its Management Agreement were $1,089,119 and $960,483, and $869,861, respectively.

Subadviser

ClearBridge Advisors, LLC (“ClearBridge”), provides the day-to-day portfolio management of the fund, except for the management of cash and short-term instruments, as subadviser. ClearBridge, with offices at 399 Park Avenue, New York, New York 10022, is a recently-organized investment adviser that has been formed to succeed to the equity securities portfolio management business of Citigroup Asset Management, which was acquired by Legg Mason, Inc. (“Legg Mason”) in December 2005. ClearBridge is a wholly-owned subsidiaries of Legg Mason. As of December 31, 2006, ClearBridge’s total assets under management were approximately $116 billion.

Under the Sub-Advisory Agreement, subject to the supervision and direction of the Board and the manager, the subadviser will except for the management of cash and short-term investments that is performed by LMPFA, manage the fund’s portfolio (or allocated portion thereof) in accordance with the fund’s stated investment objective(s) and policies, assist in supervising all aspects of the fund’s operations, make investment decisions for the fund, place orders to purchase and sell securities, and employ professional portfolio managers and securities analysts who provide research services to the funds.

The Sub-Advisory Agreement has an initial term ending November 30, 2007 and will continue in effect from year to year thereafter provided such continuance is specifically approved at least annually (a) by the Board

 

44


or by a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the fund (as defined in the 1940 Act), and (b) in either event, by a majority of the Independent Trustees with such Independent Trustees casting votes in person at a meeting called for such purpose. The Board or a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the fund (as defined in the 1940 Act) may terminate the Sub-Advisory Agreement without penalty, in each case on not more than 60 days’ nor less than 30 days’ written notice to the Subadviser. The subadviser may terminate the Sub-Advisory Agreement on 90 days’ written notice to the fund and the Manager. The manager and the subadviser may terminate the Sub-Advisory Agreement upon their mutual written consent of. This Sub-Advisory Agreement will terminate automatically in the event of assignment by the subadviser and shall not be assignable by the Manager without the consent of the subadviser.

As compensation for its sub-advisory services, the manager will pay the subadviser a fee equal to 70% of the management fee paid to LMPFA, net of expense waivers and reimbursements. For the period from August 1, 2006 through October 31, 2006, the manager paid to the subadviser a subadvisory fee of $167,769.

Distributors

Legg Mason Investor Services, LLC (“LMIS”), a wholly-owned broker-dealer subsidiary of Legg Mason, located at 100 Light Street, Baltimore, Maryland 21202 and CGMI, an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of Citigroup, located at 388 Greenwich Street, New York, New York 10013 serve as the fund’s distributors pursuant to a written agreement or amendments to a written agreement, in each case dated December 1, 2005 (the “Distribution Agreements”).

A distributor’s obligation is an agency or “best efforts” arrangement under which the distributor is required to take and pay only for such shares of the fund as may be sold to the public. A distributor is not obligated to sell any stated number of shares. Each Distribution Agreement is renewable from year to year if approved (a) by the Trustees, or by a vote of a majority of the fund’s outstanding voting securities, and (b) by the affirmative vote of a majority of Trustees who are not parties to such agreement or interested persons of any party, by votes cast in person at a meeting called for the purpose. Each Distribution Agreement provides that it will terminate if assigned, and that it may be terminated without penalty by either party on 60 days’ written notice, provided that the CGMI distribution agreement may be terminated upon 90 days’ written notice by the distributor.

In addition, the distributors may make payments for distribution and/or shareholder servicing activities out of their past profits and other available sources. The distributors may also make payments to dealers for marketing, promotional or related expenses. The amount of these payments is determined by the distributors and may be substantial. The manager or an affiliate may make similar payments under similar arrangements.

Initial Sales Charges

The aggregate dollar amount of Initial Sales Charges on Class A and Class C shares received by LMIS and CGMI during the fiscal years ended October 31, 2004, 2005, and 2006 were as follows:

Class A Shares

For the fiscal year ended October 31:

 

     CGMI and
LMIS

2006

   $ 1,804

2005*

   $ 15,000

2004*

   $ 50,000

* All initial sales charges paid during the fiscal years ended October 31, 2004 and 2005 were paid to CGMI.

 

45


Class C Shares†

For the fiscal year ended October 31:

 

     CGMI

2006

   $ 0

2005

   $ 0

2004(1)

   $ 0

(1) Effective as of April 29, 2004, Class L shares were renamed Class C shares. On February 2, 2004, the initial sales charge of 1.00% on Class C shares was eliminated for purchases made after that date.

 

The initial sales charge on Class C shares has been eliminated.

Contingent Deferred Sales Charges

The aggregate dollar amount of Contingent Deferred Sales Charges on Class B and Class C shares received by LMIS and CGMI during the fiscal years ended October 31, 2004, 2005, and 2006 were as follows:

Class B Shares

For the fiscal year ended October 31:

 

     CGMI and
LMIS

2006

   $ 4,977

2005*

   $ 7,000

2004*

   $ 4,000

Class C Shares

For the fiscal year ended October 31:

 

     CGMI and
LMIS

2006

   $ 47

2005*

   $ 0

2004(1)*

   $ 0

(1) Effective as of April 29, 2004, Class L shares were renamed Class C shares.

 

* All contingent deferred sales charges paid during the fiscal years ended October 31, 2004 and 2005 were paid to CGMI.

Distribution Plan

Class A, Class B and Class C shares of the fund have adopted a shareholder services and distribution plan (each, a “12b-1 Plan”) in accordance with Rule 12b-1 under the 1940 Act. Under the 12b-1 Plan, the fund may pay monthly fees at an annual rate not to exceed 0.25% of the average daily net assets of the fund attributable to that class in the case of Class A shares, and not to exceed 1.00% of the average daily net assets of the fund attributable to that class in the case of Class B shares and Class C Shares. Such fees may be used to make payments to the distributors for distribution services, to Service Agents in respect of the sale of shares of the fund, and to other parties in respect of the sale of shares of the fund, and to make payments for advertising, marketing or other promotional activity, and payments for preparation, printing, and distribution of prospectuses, statements of additional information and reports for recipients other than regulators and existing shareholders. The fund also may make payments to the distributors, Service Agents and others for providing personal service or the maintenance of shareholder accounts. The amounts paid to each recipient may vary based upon certain factors, including, among other things, the levels of sales of fund shares and/or shareholder services provided, provided, however, that the fees paid to a recipient with respect to a particular Class that may be used to cover expenses primarily intended to result in the sale of shares of that Class, or that may be used to cover expenses primarily intended for personal service and/or maintenance of shareholder accounts, may not exceed the

 

46


maximum amounts, if any, as may from time to time be permitted for such services under NASD Conduct Rule 2830 or any successor rule, in each case as amended or interpreted by the NASD.

The 12b-1 Plan also provides that the distributors and Service Agents may receive all or a portion of the Sales Charges paid by Class A, Class B and Class C investors.

The 12b-1 Plan permits the fund to pay fees to a distributor, Service Agents and others as compensation for their services, not as reimbursement for specific expenses incurred. Thus, even if their expenses exceed the fees provided for by the 12b-1 Plan, the fund will not be obligated to pay more than those fees and, if their expenses are less than the fees paid to them, they will realize a profit. The fund may pay the fees to the distributors and others until the 12b-1 Plan or Distribution Agreement is terminated or not renewed. In that event, the distributors’ or other recipient’s expenses in excess of fees received or accrued through the termination date will be the distributors’ or other recipient’s sole responsibility and not obligations of the fund. In their annual consideration of the continuation of the 12b-1 Plan for the fund, the Trustees will review the 12b-1 Plan and the expenses for each class within the fund separately.

The 12b-1 Plan also recognizes that various service providers to the fund, such as the manager, may make payments for distribution related expenses out of their own resources, including past profits, or payments received from the fund for other purposes, such as management fees, and that the fund’s distributors or Service Agents may from time to time use their own resources for distribution -related services, in addition to the fees paid under the 12b-1 Plan. The 12b-1 Plan specifically provides that, to the extent that such payments might be deemed to be indirect financing of any activity primarily intended to result in the sale of shares of the fund within the context of Rule 12b-1, then the payments are deemed to be authorized by the 12b-1 Plan, if permitted under applicable law.

The 12b-1 Plan continues in effect if such continuance is specifically approved at least annually by a vote of both a majority of the Trustees and a majority of the Trustees who are not “interested persons” (as defined in the 1940 Act) of the Trust and who have no direct or indirect financial interest in the operation of the 12b-1 Plan or in any agreement related to the 12b-1 Plan (for purposes of this paragraph “Qualified Trustees”). The Trustees, in the exercise of their business judgment in the best interests of the shareholders of the fund and each class, have approved the continuation of the 12b-1 Plan. The 12b-1 Plan requires that the Trust and the distributors provide to the Board of Trustees, and the Board of Trustees review, at least quarterly, a written report of the amounts expended (and the purposes therefor) under the 12b-1 Plan. The 12b-1 Plan further provides that the selection and nomination of the Qualified Trustees is committed to the discretion of such Qualified Trustees then in office who are not interested Trustees of the Trust. The 12b-1 Plan may be terminated with respect to any class of the fund at any time by a vote of a majority of the Trust’s Qualified Trustees or by a vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of that class. The 12b-1 Plan may not be amended to increase materially the amount of permitted expenses of the class thereunder without the approval of a majority of the outstanding securities of that class and may not be materially amended in any case without a vote of a majority of both the Trustees and Qualified Trustees. The fund will preserve copies of any plan, agreement or report made pursuant to the 12b-1 Plan for a period of not less than six years, and for the first two years the fund will preserve such copies in an easily accessible place.

As contemplated by the 12b-1 Plan, each distributor acts as an agent of the Trust in connection with the offering of shares of the fund pursuant to the respective Distribution Agreement.

For the fiscal years ended October 31, 2004 and 2005, the fees paid to CGMI under the 12b-1 Plan with respect to Class A shares were, $491,218 and $427,755, respectively. For the fiscal years ended October 31, 2004 and 2005, the fees payable to CGMI under the 12b-1 Plan with respect to Class B shares were $110,793 and $95,328, respectively. For the fiscal years ended October 31, 2004 and 2005, the fees payable to CGMI under the 12b-1 Plan with respect to Class C shares were $5,836 and $4,405, respectively. For the fiscal year ended

 

47


October 31, 2006, the fees paid under the 12b-1 Plan with respect to Class A, Class B and Class C shares were $380,911, $80,122 and $3,141, respectively.

Distribution expenses incurred by LMIS and CGMI for advertising, printing and mailing prospectuses, support services and overhead expenses, payments to Service Agents and for accruals for interest on the excess of expenses incurred in the distribution of the fund’s shares are set forth in the following tables:

CGMI

Fund Name/Class

        12b-1 Expense   

Total
Current
Expenses

       

Financial
Consultant

Compensation

  

Third Party

Service Fees

   Branch
Operations
Expenses
   Marketing
Distribution
   Printing   

LMP Diversified Large Cap Growth Fund

                    
   A    $ 4,887    $ 8,077    $ 8,148    $ 0    $ 0    $ 21,112
   B    $ 49,597    $ 606    $ 1,085    $ 817    $ 10    $ 52,115
   C    $ 2,734    $ 141    $ 2,764    $ 266    $ 6    $ 5,911

LMIS

Fund Name/Class

        12b-1 Expense   

Total
Current
Expenses

       

Financial
Consultant

Compensation

  

Third Party

Service Fees

   Marketing
Distribution
   Printing   

LMP Diversified Large Cap
Growth Fund

                 
   A    $ 0    $ 16,602    $ 0    $ 0    $ 16,602
   B    $ 39,630    $ 1,176    $ 468    $ 109    $ 41,383
   C    $ 586    $ 62    $ 161    $ 67    $ 876

Dealer reallowances are described in the fund’s prospectus.

Expenses

In addition to amounts payable under the Management Agreement and the 12b-1 Plans (as discussed below), the fund is responsible for their own expenses, including, among other things: interest; taxes; governmental fees; voluntary assessments and other expenses incurred in connection with membership in investment company organizations; organization costs of the fund; the costs (including brokerage commissions, transaction fees or charges, if any) in connection with the purchase or sale of the fund’s securities and other investments and any losses in connection therewith; fees and expenses of custodians, transfer agents, registrars, independent pricing vendors or other agents; legal expenses; loan commitment fees; expenses relating to share certificates; expenses relating to the issuing and redemption or repurchase of the fund’s shares and servicing shareholder accounts; expenses of registering and qualifying the fund’s shares for sale under applicable federal and state law; expenses of preparing, setting in print, printing and distributing prospectuses and statements of additional information and any supplements thereto, reports, proxy statements, notices and dividends to the fund’s shareholders; costs of stationery; website costs; costs of meetings of the Board or any committee thereof, meetings of shareholders and other meetings of the fund; Board fees; audit fees; travel expenses of officers, members of the Board and employees of the fund, if any; and the fund’s pro rata portion of premiums on any fidelity bond and other insurance covering the fund and its officers, Board members and employees; litigation expenses and any nonrecurring or extraordinary expenses as may arise, including, without limitation, those relating to actions, suits or proceedings to which the fund is a party and the legal obligation which the fund may have to indemnify the fund’s Board members and officers with respect thereto.

Management may agree to waive fees and/or reimburse operating expenses for one or more classes of shares, either through contractual or voluntary arrangements. Any such waivers and/ or reimbursements are

 

48


described in the fund’s Prospectus. The contractual and voluntary fee waivers and/ or reimbursements do not cover extraordinary expenses, such as (a) any expenses or charges related to litigation, derivative actions, demand related to litigation, regulatory or other government investigations and proceedings, “for cause” regulatory inspections and indemnification or advancement of related expenses or costs, to the extent any such expenses are considered extraordinary expenses for the purposes of fee disclosure in Form N-1A as the same may be amended from time to time; (b) transaction costs (such as brokerage commissions and dealer and underwriter spreads) and taxes; and (c) other extraordinary expenses as determined for the purposes of fee disclosure in Form N-1A, as the same may be amended from time to time. Without limiting the foregoing, extraordinary expenses are generally those that are unusual or expected to recur only infrequently, and may include such expenses, by way of illustration, as (i) expenses of the reorganization, restructuring, redomiciling or merger of the fund or class or the acquisition of all or substantially all of the assets of another fund or class; (ii) expenses of holding, and soliciting proxies for, a meeting of shareholders of the fund or class (except to the extent relating to routine items such as the election of board members or the approval of the independent registered public accounting firm); and (iii) expenses of converting to a new custodian, transfer agent or other service provider, in each case to the extent any such expenses are considered extraordinary expenses for the purposes of fee disclosure in Form N-1A as the same may be amended from time to time.

Custodian and Transfer Agent

State Street Bank and Trust Company (“State Street”), One Lincoln Street, Boston, Massachusetts 02111, serves as the custodian of the fund. State Street, among other things, maintains a custody account or accounts in the name of the fund; receives and delivers all assets for the fund upon purchase and upon sale or maturity; collects and receives all income and other payments and distributions on account of the assets of the fund; and makes disbursements on behalf of the fund. State Street neither determines the fund’s investment policies, nor decides which securities the fund will buy or sell. For its services, State Street receives a monthly fee based upon the daily average market value of securities held in custody and also receives securities transaction charges, including out-of-pocket expenses. The fund may also periodically enter into arrangements with other qualified custodians with respect to certain types of securities or other transactions such as repurchase agreements or derivatives transactions. State Street may also act as the fund’s securities lending agent and in that case would receive a share of the income generated by such activities.

PFPC Inc. (“PFPC” or “transfer agent”), located at P.O. Box 9699, Providence, Rhode Island 02940-9699, serves as the fund’s transfer agent. Under the transfer agency agreement, the transfer agent maintains the shareholder account records for the fund, handles certain communications between shareholders and the fund and distributes dividends and distributions payable by the fund. For these services, the transfer agent receives a monthly fee computed on the basis of the number of shareholder accounts it maintains for the fund during the month, and is reimbursed for out-of-pocket expenses. Prior to January 1, 2006, Citicorp Trust Bank, fsb (“CTB”) served as the fund’s transfer agent and PFPC served as the fund’s sub-transfer agent.

Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

KPMG LLP, independent registered public accounting firm, 345 Park Avenue, New York, New York 10154, has been selected to audit and report upon the fund’s financial statements and financial highlights for the fiscal year ending October 31, 2007.

Counsel

Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP, 787 Seventh Avenue, New York, New York 10019-6099, serves as counsel to the fund.

 

49


7. PORTFOLIO TRANSACTIONS

Subject to policies as may be established by the fund’s Board from time to time, the subadviser is primarily responsible for the fund’s portfolio decisions and the placing of the fund’s portfolio transactions, except that the manager manages the cash and short-term investments of the fund. Commissions are negotiated with broker dealers on all transactions. The cost of securities purchased from underwriters includes an underwriting commission, concession or a net price. The aggregate brokerage commissions paid by the fund for the three most recent fiscal years is set forth below under “Aggregate Brokerage Commissions Paid.”

Pursuant to the Management Agreement and Sub-Advisory Agreement, each of the manager and the subadviser is authorized to place orders pursuant to its investment determinations for the fund either directly with the issuer or with any broker or dealer, foreign currency dealer, futures commission merchant or others selected by it. The general policy of the manager and subadviser in selecting brokers and dealers is to obtain the best results achievable in the context of a number of factors which are considered both in relation to individual trades and broader trading patterns, including the reliability of the broker/dealer, the competitiveness of the price and the commission, the research services received and whether the broker/dealer commits its own capital.

In connection with the selection of such brokers or dealers and the placing of such orders, subject to applicable law, brokers or dealers may be selected who also provide brokerage and research services (as those terms are defined in Section 28(e) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934) to the fund and/or the other accounts over which the manager, the subadviser or their affiliates exercise investment discretion. The manager and subadviser are authorized to pay a broker or dealer who provides such brokerage and research services a commission for executing a portfolio transaction for the fund which is in excess of the amount of commission another broker or dealer would have charged for effecting that transaction if the manager or subadviser determines in good faith that such amount of commission is reasonable in relation to the value of the brokerage and research services provided by such broker or dealer. This determination may be viewed in terms of either that particular transaction or the overall responsibilities that the manager, the subadviser and their affiliates have with respect to accounts over which they exercise investment discretion. The manager and/or subadviser may also have arrangements with brokers pursuant to which such brokers provide research services to the manager or subadviser, as applicable, in exchange for a certain volume of brokerage transactions to be executed by such brokers. While the payment of higher commissions increases the fund’s costs, neither the manager nor the subadviser believes that the receipt of such brokerage and research services significantly reduces its expenses as manager or subadviser. Arrangements for the receipt of research services from brokers may create conflicts of interest.

Research services furnished to the manager or subadviser by brokers who effect securities transactions for the fund may be used by the manager or subadviser in servicing other investment companies and accounts which it manages. Similarly, research services furnished to the manager or subadviser by brokers who effect securities transactions for other investment companies and accounts which the manager or subadviser manages may be used by the manager or subadviser, as applicable, in servicing the fund. Not all of these research services are used by the manager or subadviser in managing any particular account, including the fund. For the fiscal year ended October 31, 2006, the Large Cap Growth Fund paid commissions to brokers that provided research services as follows:

 

Total Dollar Amount of Brokerage Transactions
Related to Research Services
  Total Dollar Amount of Brokerage Commissions
Paid on Transactions Related to Research Services
$6,764,240   $9,874

The fund contemplates that, consistent with the policy of obtaining the best net results, brokerage transactions may be conducted through “affiliated broker/dealers”, as defined in the 1940 Act. The fund’s Board of Trustees have adopted procedures in accordance with Rule 17e-1 promulgated under the 1940 Act to ensure that all brokerage commissions paid to such affiliates are reasonable and fair in the context of the market in which such affiliates operate. Effective December 1, 2005 CGMI is no longer an affiliated person of the fund

 

50


under the 1940 Act. As a result, the fund will be permitted to execute portfolio transactions with CGMI or an affiliate of CGMI as agent (but not as principal) without being subject to the restrictions applicable to transactions with affiliated persons.

Aggregate Brokerage Commissions Paid

For the fiscal years ended October 31, 2004, 2005 and 2006, the Large Cap Growth Fund paid aggregate brokerage commissions and brokerage commissions to CGMI and its affiliates as set out below:

 

    

Aggregate Broker

Commissions Paid

    

Amount of Brokerage

Commissions Paid

by the fund to CGMI and

Affiliates

Year Ended October 31, 2004

   $ 399,359      $ 0

Year Ended October 31, 2005

   $ 276,424      $ 0

Year Ended October 31, 2006

   $ 71,523      $ 2,252

For the fiscal year ended October 31, 2006, the percentage of the Large Cap Growth Fund’s aggregate brokerage commissions paid to CGMI and its affiliates and the percentage of the Large Cap Growth Fund’s aggregate dollar amount of transactions involving the payment of commissions effected through CGMI and its affiliates were as follows:

 

    The Percentage of the Fund’s

Aggregate Brokerage Commissions

    Paid to CGMI and Affiliates

 

The Percentage of the Fund’s

Aggregate Dollar Amount of Transactions

Involving the Payment of Commissions

Effected Through CGMI and Affiliates

 
3.15%   4.57 %

As of December 1, 2005, LMIS became an underwriter of the fund under the 1940 Act. For the period December 1, 2005 through October 31, 2006, the fund did not pay any brokerage commissions to LMIS or its affiliates.

During the fiscal year ended October 31, 2006, the fund purchased securities issued by the following regular broker-dealers of the fund, which had the following values as of October 31, 2006:

 

     Broker-Dealer  

Value of Securities as of

October 31, 2006

Large Cap Growth Fund    Goldman Sachs
Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith
JP Morgan Chase & Co.
Bank of America Securities LLC
  $
$
$
$
2,847,000
2,623,000
2,327,000
2,370,000

In certain instances there may be securities that are suitable as an investment for the fund as well as for one or more of the manager’s or subadviser’s other clients. Investment decisions for the fund and for the manager’s or subadviser’s other clients are made with a view to achieving their respective investment objectives. It may develop that a particular security is bought or sold for only one client even though it might be held by, or bought or sold for, other clients. Likewise, a particular security may be bought for one or more clients when one or more clients are selling the same security. Some simultaneous transactions are inevitable when several clients receive investment advice from the same investment adviser, particularly when the same security is suitable for the investment objectives of more than one client. When two or more clients are simultaneously engaged in the purchase or sale of the same security, the securities are allocated among clients in a manner believed to be equitable to each. It is recognized that in some cases this system could adversely affect the price of or the size of the position obtainable in a security for the fund. When purchases or sales of the same security for the fund and for other funds managed by the adviser occur contemporaneously, the purchase or sale orders may be aggregated in order to obtain any price advantages available to large volume purchases or sales.

 

51


For reporting purposes, the fund’s portfolio turnover rate is calculated by dividing the lesser of purchases or sales of portfolio securities for the fiscal year by the monthly average of the value of the portfolio securities owned by the fund during the fiscal year. In determining such portfolio turnover, all securities whose maturities at the time of acquisition were one year or less are excluded. A 100% portfolio turnover rate would occur, for example, if all of the securities in the fund’s investment portfolio (other than short-term money market securities) were replaced once during the fiscal year. Portfolio turnover will not be a limiting factor should the manager or subadviser deem it advisable to purchase or sell securities.

For the fiscal years ended October 31, 2005 and 2006 the portfolio turnover rates for the Large Cap Growth Fund were 111% and 11%, respectively.

In the event that portfolio turnover increases, this increase necessarily results in correspondingly greater transaction costs which must be paid by the fund. To the extent portfolio trading results in realization of net short-term capital gains, shareholders will be taxed on such gains at ordinary tax rates (except shareholders who invest through IRAs and other retirement plans which are not taxed currently on accumulations in their accounts).

8. DISCLOSURE OF PORTFOLIO HOLDINGS

The fund’s Board of Trustees has adopted policies and procedures developed by LMPFA with respect to the disclosure of the fund’s portfolio securities and any ongoing arrangements to make available information about the fund’s portfolio securities. The policy requires that consideration always be given as to whether disclosure of information about any fund’s portfolio holdings is in the best interests of such fund’s shareholders, and that any conflicts of interest between the interests of the fund’s shareholders and those of LMPFA, the fund’s Distributors, or their affiliates, be addressed in a manner that places the interests of fund shareholders first. The policy provides that information regarding the fund’s portfolio holdings may not be shared with non-Legg Mason employees, with investors or potential investors (whether individual or institutional), or with third parties unless it is done for legitimate fund business purposes and in accordance with the policy.

LMPFA’s policy generally provides for the release of details of securities positions once they are considered “stale.” Data is considered stale 25 calendar days following quarter-end for funds other than money market funds, and 25 calendar days following month-end with respect to money market funds. LMPFA believes that this passage of time prevents a third party from benefiting from an investment decision made by the fund that has not been fully reflected by the market.

Under the policy, the fund’s complete list of holdings (including the size of each position) may be made available to investors, potential investors, third parties and non-Legg Mason employees with simultaneous public disclosure at least 25 days after calendar quarter end, except in the case of a money market fund’s holdings, which may be released with simultaneous public disclosure at least 25 days after month end. Typically, simultaneous public disclosure is achieved by the filing of Form N-Q or Form N-CSR in accordance with SEC rules, provided that such filings may not be made until 25 days following quarter-end, and/or posting the information to a Legg Mason or the funds’ Internet site that is accessible by the public, or through public release by a third party vendor.

The policy permits the release of limited portfolio holdings information that is not yet considered stale in a number of situations, including:

 

  1. A fund’s top ten securities, current as of month-end, and the individual size of each such security position may be released at any time following month-end with simultaneous public disclosure.

 

  2. A fund’s top ten securities positions (including the aggregate but not individual size of such positions) may be released at any time with simultaneous public disclosure.

 

  3. A list of securities (that may include fund holdings together with other securities) followed by a portfolio manager (without position sizes or identification of particular funds) may be disclosed to sell-side brokers at any time for the purpose of obtaining research and/or market information from such brokers.

 

52


  4. A trade in process may be discussed only with counterparties, potential counterparties and others involved in the transaction (i.e., brokers and custodians).

 

  5. A fund’s sector weightings, yield and duration (for fixed income and money market funds), performance attribution (e.g., analysis of the funds’ out-performance or underperformance of its benchmark based on its portfolio holdings) and other summary and statistical information that does not include identification of specific portfolio holdings may be released, even if non-public, if such release is otherwise in accordance with the policy’s general principles.

 

  6. A fund’s portfolio holdings may be released on an as-needed basis to its legal counsel, counsel to its Independent Trustees, and its independent public accounting firm, in required regulatory filings or otherwise to governmental agencies and authorities.

Under the policy, if information about the fund’s portfolio holdings is released pursuant to an ongoing arrangement with any party, the fund must have a legitimate business purpose for the release of the information, and either the party receiving the information must be under a duty of confidentiality, or the release of non-public information must be subject to trading restrictions and confidential treatment to prohibit the entity from sharing with an unauthorized source or trading upon any non-public information provided. Neither the fund, nor Legg Mason, nor any other affiliated party may receive compensation or any other consideration in connection with such arrangements. Ongoing arrangements to make available information about the fund’s portfolio securities will be reviewed at least annually by a fund’s Board.

The approval of the fund’s Chief Compliance Officer, or designee, must be obtained before entering into any new ongoing arrangement or altering any existing ongoing arrangement to make available portfolio holdings information, or with respect to any exceptions to the policy. Any exceptions to the policy must be consistent with the purposes of the policy. Exceptions are considered on a case-by-case basis and are granted only after a thorough examination and consultation with LMPFA’s legal department, as necessary. Exceptions to the policies are reported to the fund’s Board at its next regularly scheduled meeting.

Currently, the fund discloses its complete portfolio holdings approximately 25 days after calendar quarter end on its website: http://www.leggmason.com/InvestorServices

Set forth below is a list, as February 23, 2007, of those parties with whom LMPFA, on behalf of the fund, has authorized ongoing arrangements that include the release of portfolio holdings information in accordance with the policy, as well as the frequency of the release under such arrangements, and the length of the lag, if any, between the date of the information and the date on which the information is disclosed. The parties identified below as recipients are service providers, fund rating agencies, consultants and analysts.

 

Recipient

 

Frequency

 

Delay before dissemination

State Street Bank & Trust Co.

(Fund Custodian and Accounting

Agent)

  Daily   None

Institutional Shareholders Services

(Proxy Voting Services)

  As necessary   None
Bloomberg   Quarterly   25 Days after Quarter End
Lipper   Quarterly   25 Days after Quarter End
S&P   Quarterly   25 Days after Quarter End
Morningstar   Quarterly   25 Days after Quarter End
Vestek   Daily   None
Factset   Daily   None
The Bank of New York   Daily   None

 

53


Portfolio holdings information for the fund may also be released from time to time pursuant to ongoing arrangements with the following parties:

 

Recipient

 

Frequency

 

Delay before dissemination

Baseline   Daily   None
Frank Russell   Monthly   1 Day
Callan   Quarterly   25 Days after Quarter End
Mercer   Quarterly   25 Days after Quarter End
eVestment Alliance   Quarterly   25 Days after Quarter End
CRA RogersCasey   Quarterly   25 Days after Quarter End
Cambridge Associates   Quarterly   25 Days after Quarter End
Marco Consulting   Quarterly   25 Days after Quarter End
Wilshire   Quarterly   25 Days after Quarter End
Informa Investment Services (Efron)   Quarterly   25 Days after Quarter End
CheckFree (Mobius)   Quarterly   25 Days after Quarter End
Nelsons Information   Quarterly   25 Days after Quarter End
Investor Tools   Daily   None
Advent   Daily   None
BARRA   Daily   None
Plexus  

Quarterly

(Calendar)

  Sent 1-3 business days following the end of a Quarter
Elkins/McSherry  

Quarterly

(Calendar)

  Sent 1-3 business days following the end of a Quarter
Quantitative Services Group   Daily   None
AMBAC   Daily   None
Deutsche Bank   Monthly   6-8 Business Days
Fitch   Monthly   6-8 Business Days
Liberty Hampshire   Weekly and Month End   None
Sun Trust   Weekly and Month End   None
New England Pension Consultants   Quarterly   25 Days after Quarter End
Evaluation Associates   Quarterly   25 Days after Quarter End
Watson Wyatt   Quarterly   25 Days after Quarter End
S&P (Rating Agency)   Weekly Tuesday Night   1 business day
Moody’s (Rating Agency)   Weekly Tuesday Night   1 business day
Electra Information Systems   Daily   None
SunGard   Daily   None

 

54


9. PORTFOLIO MANAGERS

The following tables set forth certain additional information with respect to the portfolio managers for the fund. Unless noted otherwise, all information is provided as of October 31, 2006.

Other Accounts Managed by the Portfolio Manager

The table below identifies, for each portfolio manager, the number of accounts (other than the fund with respect to which information is provided) for which he or she has day-to-day management responsibilities and the total assets in such accounts, within each of the following categories: registered investment companies, other pooled investment vehicles, and other accounts. None of the accounts shown were subject to fees based on performance.

 

Portfolio Manager

  

Registered Investment
Companies

  

Other Pooled
Investment Vehicles

  

Other Accounts

Harry D. Cohen

   5 registered investment companies with $7.35 billion in total assets under management    1 other pooled investment vehicle with $0.04 billion in total assets under management    30,174 other accounts with $6.17 billion in total assets under management

Scott K. Glasser

   6 registered investment companies with $8.72 billion in total assets under management    1 other pooled investment vehicle with $0.04 billion in total assets under management    29,569 other accounts with $4.00 billion in total assets under management

Portfolio Manager Compensation

ClearBridge Advisors, LLC (“ClearBridge”) investment professionals receive base salary and other employee benefits and are eligible to receive incentive compensation. Base salary is fixed and typically determined based on market factors and the skill and experience of individual investment personnel.

ClearBridge has an incentive and deferred compensation plan (the “Plan”) for its investment professionals, including the fund’s portfolio manager(s). Each investment professional works as a part of an investment team. The Plan is designed to align the objectives of ClearBridge investment professionals with those of fund shareholders and other ClearBridge clients. Under the Plan a “base incentive pool” is established for each team each year as a percentage of ClearBridge’s revenue attributable to the team (largely management and related fees generated by funds and other accounts). A team’s revenues are typically expected to increase or decrease depending on the effect that the team’s investment performance as well as inflows and outflows have on the level of assets in the investment products managed by the team. The “base incentive pool” of a team is reduced by base salaries paid to members of the team and other employee expenses attributable to the team.

The investment team’s incentive pool is then adjusted to reflect its ranking among a “peer group” of non-ClearBridge investment managers and the team’s pre-tax investment performance against the applicable product benchmark (e.g. a securities index and, with respect to a fund, the benchmark set forth in the fund’s prospectus to which the fund’s average annual total returns are compared or, if none, the benchmark set forth in the fund’s annual report). The peer group of non-Clearbridge investment managers is defined by product style/type, vehicle type and geography and selected by independent vendors that track and provide (for a fee paid by Clearbridge) relevant peer group performance and ranking data. Longer-term (5- year) performance is more heavily weighted than shorter-term (1- year) performance in the calculation of the performance adjustment factor. The incentive pool for a team may also be adjusted based on other qualitative factors by the applicable ClearBridge Chief Investment Officer. The incentive pool will be allocated by the applicable ClearBridge Chief

 

55


Investment Officer to the team leader and, based on the recommendations of the team leader, to the other members of the team.

Up to 20% of an investment professional’s annual incentive compensation is subject to deferral. For portfolio managers, 25% of this deferral tracks performance of their primary managed product while another 25% tracks performance of an elected fund. Therefore, portfolio managers may potentially have 50% of their deferred award amount tracking the performance of their primary managed product. The remaining 50% of the deferral is received in the form of Legg Mason restricted stock shares.

Potential Conflicts of Interest

Potential conflicts of interest may arise when the fund’s portfolio manager also has day-to-day management responsibilities with respect to one or more other funds or other accounts, as is the case for the portfolio managers listed in the table above.

The manager, the subadviser and the fund have adopted compliance polices and procedures that are designed to address various conflicts of interest that may arise for the manager and the individuals that it employs. For example, the manager and the subadviser each seek to minimize the effects of competing interests for the time and attention of portfolio managers by assigning portfolio managers to manage funds and accounts that share a similar investment style. The manager and the subadviser have also adopted trade allocation procedures that are designed to facilitate the fair allocation of limited investment opportunities among multiple funds and accounts. There is no guarantee, however, that the policies and procedures adopted by the manager, the subadviser and the fund will be able to detect and/or prevent every situation in which an actual or potential conflict may appear.

These potential conflicts include:

Allocation of Limited Time and Attention. A portfolio manager who is responsible for managing multiple funds and/or accounts may devote unequal time and attention to the management of those funds and/or accounts. As a result, the portfolio manager may not be able to formulate as complete a strategy or identify equally attractive investment opportunities for each of those accounts as might be the case if he or she were to devote substantially more attention to the management of a single fund. The effects of this potential conflict may be more pronounced where funds and/or accounts overseen by a particular portfolio manager have different investment strategies.

Allocation of Limited Investment Opportunities. If a portfolio manager identifies a limited investment opportunity that may be suitable for multiple funds and/or accounts, the opportunity may be allocated among these several funds or accounts, which may limit a fund’s ability to take full advantage of the investment opportunity.

Pursuit of Differing Strategies. At times, a portfolio manager may determine that an investment opportunity may be appropriate for only some of the funds and/or accounts for which he or she exercises investment responsibility, or may decide that certain of the funds and/or accounts should take differing positions with respect to a particular security. In these cases, the portfolio manager may place separate transactions for one or more funds or accounts which may affect the market price of the security or the execution of the transaction, or both, to the detriment or benefit of one or more other funds and/or accounts.

Selection of Broker/Dealers. Portfolio managers may be able to select or influence the selection of the brokers and dealers that are used to execute securities transactions for the funds and/or accounts that they supervise. In addition to executing trades, some brokers and dealers provide brokerage and research services (as those terms are defined in Section 28(e) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934), which may result in the payment of higher brokerage fees than might have otherwise been available. These services may be more beneficial to certain funds or accounts than to others. Although the payment of brokerage commissions is subject

 

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to the requirement that the subadviser determine in good faith that the commissions are reasonable in relation to the value of the brokerage and research services provided to the fund, a decision as to the selection of brokers and dealers could yield disproportionate costs and benefits among the funds and/or accounts managed. For this reason, the subadviser has formed a brokerage committee that reviews, among other things, the allocation of brokerage to broker/dealers, best execution and soft dollar usage.

Variation in Compensation. A conflict of interest may arise where the financial or other benefits available to the portfolio manager differ among the funds and/or accounts that he or she manages. If the structure of the investment manager’s management fee and/or the portfolio manager’s compensation differs among funds and/or accounts (such as where certain funds or accounts pay higher management fees or performance-based management fees), the portfolio manager might be motivated to help certain funds and/or accounts over others. The portfolio manager might be motivated to favor funds and/or accounts in which he or she has an interest or in which the investment manager and/or its affiliates have interests. Similarly, the desire to maintain or raise assets under management or to enhance the portfolio manager’s performance record or to derive other rewards, financial or otherwise, could influence the portfolio manager in affording preferential treatment to those funds and/or accounts that could most significantly benefit the portfolio manager.

Related Business Opportunities. The investment manager or its affiliates may provide more services (such as distribution or recordkeeping) for some types of funds or accounts than for others. In such cases, a portfolio manager may benefit, either directly or indirectly, by devoting disproportionate attention to the management of fund and/or accounts that provide greater overall returns to the investment manager and its affiliates.

Portfolio Manager Securities Ownership

The table below identifies ownership of fund’s securities by each Portfolio Manager.

 

Portfolio Manager

  

Dollar Range of
Ownership of Securities in the Fund

Harry D. Cohen

   None

Scott K. Glasser

   None

10. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

The Trust. The certificate of trust to establish Legg Mason Partners Equity Trust (referred to in this section as the trust) was filed with the State of Maryland on October 4, 2006. On the date of this SAI, the fund was redomiciled as a series of the trust. Prior thereto, the fund was a series of Legg Mason Partners Investment Trust a Massachusetts business trust. Prior to reorganization of the fund as a series of Legg Mason Partners Investment Trust, the fund was a series of Legg Mason Partners Trust II, a Massachusetts business trust.

The fund is a series of the trust, a Maryland business trust. A Maryland business trust is an unincorporated business association that is established under, and governed by, Maryland law. Maryland law provides a statutory framework for the powers, duties, rights and obligations of the Board (referred to in this section as the trustees) and shareholders of the trust, while the more specific powers, duties, rights and obligations of the trustees and the shareholders are determined by the trustees as set forth in the trust’s declaration of trust (referred to in this section as the declaration). Some of the more significant provisions of the declaration are described below.

Shareholder Voting

The declaration provides for shareholder voting as required by the 1940 Act or other applicable laws but otherwise permits, consistent with Maryland law, actions by the trustees without seeking the consent of shareholders. The trustees may, without shareholder approval, amend the declaration or authorize the merger or

 

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consolidation of the trust into another trust or entity, reorganize the trust, or any series or class into another trust or entity or a series or class of another entity, sell all or substantially all of the assets of the trust or any series or class to another entity, or a series or class of another entity, or terminate the trust or any series or class.

The fund is not required to hold an annual meeting of shareholders, but the fund will call special meetings of shareholders whenever required by the 1940 Act or by the terms of the declaration. The declaration provides for “dollar-weighted voting” which means that a shareholder’s voting power is determined, not by the number of shares he or she owns, but by the dollar value of those shares determined on the record date. All shareholders of all series and classes of the trust vote together, except where required by the 1940 Act to vote separately by series or by class, or when the trustees have determined that a matter affects only the interests of one or more series or classes of shares.

Election and Removal of Trustees

The declaration provides that the trustees may establish the number of trustees and that vacancies on the board may be filled by the remaining trustees, except when election of trustees by the shareholders is required under the 1940 Act. Trustees are then elected by a plurality of votes cast by shareholders at a meeting at which a quorum is present. The declaration also provides that a mandatory retirement age may be set by action of two-thirds of the trustees and that trustees may be removed, with or without cause, by a vote of shareholders holding two-thirds of the voting power of the trust, or by a vote of two-thirds of the remaining trustees. The provisions of the declaration relating to the election and removal of trustees may not be amended without the approval of two-thirds of the trustees.

Amendments to the Declaration

The trustees are authorized to amend the declaration without the vote of shareholders, but no amendment may be made that impairs the exemption from personal liability granted in the declaration to persons who are or have been shareholders, trustees, officers or, employees of the trust or that limit the rights to indemnification or insurance provided in the declaration with respect to actions or omissions of persons entitled to indemnification under the declaration prior to the amendment.

Issuance and Redemption of Shares

The fund may issue an unlimited number of shares for such consideration and on such terms as the trustees may determine. Shareholders are not entitled to any appraisal, preemptive, conversion, exchange or similar rights, except as the trustees may determine. The fund may involuntarily redeem a shareholder’s shares upon certain conditions as may be determined by the trustees, including, for example, if the shareholder fails to provide the fund with identification required by law, or if the fund is unable to verify the information received from the shareholder. Additionally, as discussed below, shares may be redeemed in connection with the closing of small accounts.

Disclosure of Shareholder Holdings

The declaration specifically requires shareholders, upon demand, to disclose to the fund information with respect to the direct and indirect ownership of shares in order to comply with various laws or regulations, and the funds may disclose such ownership if required by law or regulation.

Small Accounts

The declaration provides that the fund may close out a shareholder’s account by redeeming all of the shares in the account if the account falls below a minimum account size (which may vary by class) that may be set by the trustees from time to time. Alternately, the declaration permits the fund to assess a fee for small accounts

 

58


(which may vary by class) and redeem shares in the account to cover such fees, or convert the shares into another share class that is geared to smaller accounts.

Series and Classes

The declaration provides that the trustees may establish series and classes in addition to those currently established and to determine the rights and preferences, limitations and restrictions, including qualifications for ownership, conversion and exchange features, minimum purchase and account size, expenses and charges, and other features of the series and classes. The trustees may change any of those features, terminate any series or class, combine series with other series in the trust, combine one or more classes of a series with another class in that series or convert the shares of one class into another class.

Each share of the fund, as a series of the trust, represents an interest in the fund only and not in the assets of any other series of the trust.

Shareholder, Trustee and Officer Liability

The declaration provides that shareholders are not personally liable for the obligations of the fund and requires the fund to indemnify a shareholder against any loss or expense arising from any such liability. In addition, the fund will assume the defense of any claim against a shareholder for personal liability at the request of the shareholder. The declaration further provides that a trustee acting in his or her capacity of trustee is not personally liable to any person other than the trust or its shareholders, for any act, omission, or obligation of the trust. Further, a trustee is held to the same standard of conduct as a director of a Maryland corporation. This requires that a trustee perform his or her duties in good faith and in a manner he or she reasonably believes to be in the best interests of the trust or a series thereof, and with the care that an ordinarily prudent person in a like position would use under similar circumstances. The declaration also permits the limitation of a trustee’s liability to the full extent provided under Maryland law. Under current Maryland law, a trustee is liable to the trust or its shareholders for monetary damages only (a) to the extent that it is proved that he or she actually received an improper benefit or profit in money, property, or services or (b) to the extent that a judgment or other final adjudication adverse to the trustee is entered in a proceeding based on a finding in the proceeding that the trustee’s action, or failure to act, was the result of active and deliberate dishonesty and was material to the cause of action adjudicated in the proceeding. The declaration requires the trust to indemnify any persons who are or who have been trustees, officers or employees of the trust for any liability for actions or failure to act except to the extent prohibited by applicable federal law. In making any determination as to whether any person is entitled to the advancement of expenses in connection with a claim for which indemnification is sought, such person is entitled to a rebuttable presumption that he or she did not engage in conduct for which indemnification is not available.

The declaration provides that any trustee who serves as chair of the board or of a committee of the board, lead independent trustee, or audit committee financial expert, or in any other similar capacity will not be subject to any greater standard of care or liability because of such position.

Derivative Actions

The declaration provides a detailed process for the bringing of derivative actions by shareholders in order to permit legitimate inquiries and claims while avoiding the time, expense, distraction, and other harm that can be caused to the fund or its shareholders as a result of spurious shareholder demands and derivative actions. Prior to bringing a derivative action, a demand by three unrelated shareholders must first be made on the fund’s trustees. The declaration details various information, certifications, undertakings and acknowledgements that must be included in the demand. Following receipt of the demand, the trustees have a period of 90 days, which may be extended by an additional 60 days, to consider the demand. If a majority of the trustees who are considered independent for the purposes of considering the demand determine that maintaining the suit would not be in the

 

59


best interests of the fund, the trustees are required to reject the demand and the complaining shareholders may not proceed with the derivative action unless the shareholders are able to sustain the burden of proof to a court that the decision of the trustees not to pursue the requested action was not a good faith exercise of their business judgment on behalf of the fund. The declaration further provides that shareholders owning shares representing at least 5% of the voting power of the affected fund must join in bringing the derivative action. If a demand is rejected, the complaining shareholders will be responsible for the costs and expenses (including attorneys’ fees) incurred by the fund in connection with the consideration of the demand, if in the judgment of the independent trustees, the demand was made without reasonable cause or for an improper purpose. If a derivative action is brought in violation of the declaration, the shareholders bringing the action may be responsible for the fund’s costs, including attorneys’ fees.

The declaration further provides that the fund shall be responsible for payment of attorneys’ fees and legal expenses incurred by a complaining shareholder only if required by law, and any attorneys’ fees that the fund are obligated to pay shall be calculated using reasonable hourly rates. The declaration also requires that actions by shareholders against the fund be brought only in federal court in Baltimore, Maryland, or if not permitted to be brought in federal court, then in state court in Baltimore, Maryland, and that the right to jury trial be waived to the full extent permitted by law.

Legal Matters

Beginning in June 2004, class action lawsuits alleging violations of the federal securities laws were filed against Citigroup Global Markets Inc. (“CGMI”) and a number of its then affiliates, including Smith Barney Fund Management LLC (“SBFM”), which were then investment adviser or manager to certain of the Funds (the “Managers”), substantially all of the mutual funds then managed by the Managers (the “Defendant Funds”), and Board Members of the Defendant Funds (collectively, the “Defendants”). The complaints alleged, among other things, that CGMI created various undisclosed incentives for its brokers to sell Smith Barney and Salomon Brothers funds. In addition, according to the complaints, the Managers caused the Defendant Funds to pay excessive brokerage commissions to CGMI for steering clients towards proprietary funds. The complaints also alleged that the defendants breached their fiduciary duty to the Defendant Funds by improperly charging Rule 12b-1 fees and by drawing on fund assets to make undisclosed payments of soft dollars and excessive brokerage commissions. The complaints also alleged that the Defendant Funds failed to adequately disclose certain of the allegedly wrongful conduct. The complaints sought injunctive relief and compensatory and punitive damages, rescission of the Defendant Funds’ contracts with the Managers, recovery of all fees paid to the Managers pursuant to such contracts and an award of attorneys’ fees and litigation expenses.

On December 15, 2004, a consolidated amended complaint (the “Complaint”) was filed alleging substantially similar causes of action. On May 27, 2005, all of the Defendants filed motions to dismiss the Complaint. On July 26, 2006, the court issued a decision and order (1) finding that plaintiffs lacked standing to sue on behalf of the shareholders of the Defendant Funds in which none of the plaintiffs had invested, including Legg Mason Partners Diversified Large Cap Growth Fund and dismissing those Defendant Funds from the case (although stating that they could be brought back into the case if standing as to them could be established), and (2) other than one stayed claim, dismissing all of the causes of action against the remaining Defendants, with prejudice, except for the cause of action under Section 36(b) of the 1940 Act, which the court granted plaintiffs leave to replead as a derivative claim.

On October 16, 2006, plaintiffs filed their Second Consolidated Amended Complaint (“Second Amended Complaint”) which alleges derivative claims on behalf of nine funds identified in the Second Amended Complaint, under Section 36(b) of the 1940 Act, against Citigroup Asset Management, Salomon Brothers Asset Management Inc, SBFM and CGMI as investment advisers to the identified funds, as well as CGMI as a distributor for the identified funds (collectively, the “Second Amended Complaint Defendants”). The Fund was not identified in the Second Amended Complaint. The Second Amended Complaint alleges no claims against any

 

60


of the Funds or any of their Board Members. Under Section 36(b), the Second Amended Complaint alleges similar facts and seeks similar relief against the Second Amended Complaint Defendants as the Complaint.

Additional lawsuits arising out of these circumstances and presenting similar allegations and requests for relief may be filed in the future.

***

On May 31, 2005, the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) issued an order in connection with the settlement of an administrative proceeding against SBFM, the then-investment adviser or manager to the fund and CGMI, relating to the appointment of an affiliated transfer agent for the Smith Barney family of mutual funds, including the fund (the “Affected Funds”).

The SEC order finds that SBFM and CGMI willfully violated Section 206(1) of the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as amended, and the rules promulgated thereunder (the “Advisers Act”). Specifically, the order found that SBFM and CGMI knowingly or recklessly failed to disclose to the boards of the Affected Funds in 1999 when proposing a new transfer agent arrangement with an affiliated transfer agent that: First Data Investors Services Group (“First Data”), the Affected Funds’ then-existing transfer agent, had offered to continue as transfer agent and do the same work for substantially less money than before; and that Citigroup Asset Management (“CAM”), the Citigroup business unit that, at the time, included the Affected Funds’ investment manager and other investment advisory companies, had entered into a side letter with First Data under which CAM agreed to recommend the appointment of First Data as sub-transfer agent to the affiliated transfer agent in exchange for, among other things, a guarantee by First Data of specified amounts of asset management and investment banking fees to CAM and CGMI. The order also found that SBFM and CGMI willfully violated Section 206(2) of the Advisers Act by virtue of the omissions discussed above and other misrepresentations and omissions in the materials provided to the Affected Funds’ boards, including the failure to make clear that the affiliated transfer agent would earn a high profit for performing limited functions while First Data continued to perform almost all of the transfer agent functions, and the suggestion that the proposed arrangement was in the Affected Funds’ best interests and that no viable alternatives existed. SBFM and CGMI do not admit or deny any wrongdoing or liability. The settlement does not establish wrongdoing or liability for purposes of any other proceeding.

The SEC censured SBFM and CGMI and ordered them to cease and desist from violations of Sections 206(1) and 206(2) of the Advisers Act. The order required Citigroup to pay $208.1 million, including $109 million in disgorgement of profits, $19.1 million in interest, and a civil money penalty of $80 million. Approximately $24.4 million has already been paid to the Affected Funds, primarily through fee waivers. The remaining $183.7 million, including the penalty, has been paid to the U.S. Treasury and will be distributed pursuant to a plan submitted for the approval of the SEC. At this time, there is no certainty as to how the above-described proceeds of the settlement will be distributed, to whom such distributions will be made, the methodology by which such distributions will be allocated, and when such distributions will be made. The order also required that transfer agency fees received from the Affected Funds since December 1, 2004, less certain expenses, be placed in escrow and provided that a portion of such fees might be subsequently distributed in accordance with the terms of the order. On April 3, 2006, an aggregate amount of approximately $9 million held in escrow was distributed to the Affected Funds.

The order required SBFM to recommend a new transfer agent contract to the Fund boards within 180 days of the entry of the order; if a Citigroup affiliate submitted a proposal to serve as transfer agent or sub-transfer agent, SBFM and CGMI would have been required, at their expense, to engage an independent monitor to oversee a competitive bidding process. On November 21, 2005, and within the specified timeframe, the Affected Funds’ Boards selected a new transfer agent for the Affected Fund. No Citigroup affiliate submitted a proposal to serve as transfer agent. Under the order, SBFM also must comply with an amended version of a vendor policy that Citigroup instituted in August 2004.

 

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Although there can be no assurance, SBFM does not believe that this matter will have a material adverse effect on the Affected Funds.

On December 1, 2005, Citigroup completed the sale of substantially all of its global asset management business, including SBFM, to Legg Mason.

***

Beginning in August 2005, five class action lawsuits alleging violations of federal securities laws and state law were filed against CGMI and SBFM (collectively, the “Defendants”) based on the May 31, 2005 settlement order issued against the Defendants by the SEC as described in above. The complaints seek injunctive relief and compensatory and punitive damages, removal of SBFM as the investment manager for the Smith Barney family of funds, rescission of the Funds’ management and other contracts with SBFM, recovery of all fees paid to SBFM pursuant to such contracts, and an award of attorneys’ fees and litigation expenses.

On October 5, 2005, a motion to consolidate the five actions and any subsequently filed, related action was filed. That motion contemplates that a consolidated amended complaint alleging substantially similar causes of action will be filed in the future.

As of the date of this report, the Fund’s investment manager believes that resolution of the pending lawsuit will not have a material effect on the financial position or results of operations of the Fund or the ability of the Fund’s investment manager and its affiliates to continue to render services to the Funds under their respective contracts.

***

On September 16, 2005, the staff of the SEC informed SBFM and ClearBridge Asset Management Inc (formerly Salomon Brothers Asset Management Inc) at the staff is considering recommending that the SEC institute administrative proceedings against SBFM and ClearBridge Asset Management Inc for alleged violations of Section 19(a) and 34(b) of the Investment Company Act (and related Rule 19a-1). The notification is a result of an industry wide inspection by the SEC and is based upon alleged deficiencies in disclosures regarding dividends and distributions paid to shareholders of certain funds. Section 19(a) and related Rule 19a-1 of the Investment Company Act generally require funds that are making dividend and distribution payments to provide shareholders with a written statement disclosing the source of the dividends and distributions, and, in particular, the portion of the payments made from each of net investment income, undistributed net profits and/or paid -in capital. In connection with the contemplated proceedings, the staff may seek a cease and desist order and/or monetary damages from SBFM or ClearBridge Asset Management Inc.

Although there can be no assurance, the fund’s manager believes that this matter is not likely to have a material adverse effect on the fund.

***

On or about May 30, 2006, John Halebian, a purported shareholder of Citi New York Tax Free Reserves, a series of CitiFunds Trust III (the “Subject Trust”), filed a complaint in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York against the independent trustees of the Subject Trust (Elliott J. Berv, Donald M. Carlton, A. Benton Cocanougher, Mark T. Finn, Stephen Randolph Gross, Diana R. Harrington, Susan B. Kerley, Alan G. Merten and R. Richardson Pettit).

The Subject Trust is also named in the complaint as a nominal defendant.

The complaint alleges both derivative claims on behalf of the Subject Trust and class claims on behalf of a putative class of shareholders of the Subject Trust in connection with the 2005 sale of Citigroup’s asset

 

62


management business to Legg Mason and the related approval of new investment advisory agreements by the trustees and shareholders. In the derivative claim, the plaintiff alleges, among other things, that the independent trustees breached their fiduciary duty to the Subject Trust and its shareholders by failing to negotiate lower fees or seek competing bids from other qualified investment advisers in connection with Citigroup’s sale to Legg Mason. In the claims brought on behalf of the putative class of shareholders, the plaintiff alleges that the independent trustees violated the proxy solicitation requirements of the 1940 Act, and breached their fiduciary duty to shareholders, by virtue of the voting procedures, including “echo voting,” used to obtain approval of the new investment advisory agreements and statements made in a proxy statement regarding those voting procedures. The plaintiff alleges that the proxy statement was misleading because it failed to disclose that the voting procedures violated the 1940 Act. The relief sought includes an award of damages, rescission of the advisory agreement, and an award of costs and attorney fees.

In advance of filing the complaint, Mr. Halebian’s lawyers made written demand for relief on the Board of the Subject Trust, and the Board’s independent trustees formed a demand review committee to investigate the matters raised in the demand, and subsequently in the complaint, and recommend a course of action to the Board. The committee, after a thorough review, has determined that the independent trustees did not breach their fiduciary duties as alleged by Mr. Halebian, and that the action demanded by Mr. Halebian would not be in the best interests of the Subject Trust. The Board of the Subject Trust (the trustee who is an “interested person” of the Subject Trust, within the meaning of the 1940 Act, having recused himself from the matter), after receiving and considering the committee’s report and based upon the findings of the committee, subsequently also has so determined and, adopting the recommendation of the committee, has directed counsel to move to dismiss Mr. Halebian’s complaint. A motion to dismiss was filed on October 23, 2006. Opposition papers were filed on or about December 7, 2006. It is uncertain when the court will rule on this motion. No assurance can be given as to the outcome of this matter.

***

The foregoing speaks only as of the date of this SAI. Additional lawsuits presenting allegations and requests for relief arising out of or in connection with any of the foregoing matters may be filed against these and related parties in the future.

11. TAX MATTERS

The following discussion is a brief summary of some of the important federal (and, where noted, state) income tax consequences affecting the fund and its shareholders. The discussion is very general, and therefore prospective investors are urged to consult their tax advisers about the impact an investment in the fund may have on their own tax situations.

Taxation of the fund

Federal Taxes. The fund has elected to be treated, and intends to qualify each year, as a “regulated investment company” under Subchapter M of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”), by meeting all applicable requirements of Subchapter M, including requirements as to the nature of the fund’s gross income, the amount of fund distributions, and the composition of the fund’s portfolio assets. Provided all such requirements are met, no U.S. federal income or excise taxes generally will be required to be paid by the fund. If the fund should fail to qualify as a “regulated investment company” for any year, the fund would incur a regular corporate federal income tax upon its taxable income and fund distributions would generally be taxable as ordinary income to shareholders.

Foreign Taxes. Investment income and gains received by the fund from non-U.S. securities may be subject to non-U.S. taxes. The U.S. has entered into tax treaties with a number of other countries that may entitle the

 

63


fund to a reduced rate of tax or an exemption from tax on such income. The fund intends to qualify for treaty reduced rates where applicable. It is not possible, however, to determine the fund’s effective rate of non-U.S. tax in advance since the amount of the fund’s assets to be invested within various countries is not known.

If the fund holds more than 50% of its assets in foreign stock and securities at the close of its taxable year, the fund may elect to “pass through” to the fund’s shareholders foreign income taxes paid. If the fund so elects, shareholders will be required to treat their pro rata portion of the foreign income taxes paid by the fund as part of the amounts distributed to them by the fund and thus includable in their gross income for federal income tax purposes. Shareholders who itemize deductions would then be allowed to claim a deduction or credit (but not both) on their federal income tax returns for such amounts, subject to certain limitations. Shareholders who do not itemize deductions would (subject to such limitations) be able to claim a credit but not a deduction. No deduction for such amounts will be permitted to individuals in computing their alternative minimum tax liability. If the fund does not qualify or elect to “pass through” to its shareholders foreign income taxes paid by it, shareholders will not be able to claim any deduction or credit for any part of the foreign taxes paid by the fund.

Capital Loss Carryforwards. On October 31, 2006, the unused capital loss carryforwards for the fund were approximately $56,646,672. For federal income tax purposes, this amount is available to be applied against future capital gains of the fund, if any, that are realized prior to the expiration of the applicable carryforwards. The carryforwards expire as follows:

 

October 31,
2009   2010   2011   2012   2013
$11,280,932   $ 26,819,033   $ 6,330,611   $ 5,053,321   $ 7,162,775

Taxation of Shareholders

Taxation of Distributions. Shareholders of the fund will generally have to pay federal income taxes and any state or local taxes on the dividends and capital gain distributions they receive from the fund. Dividends from ordinary income, and any distributions from net short term capital gain are taxable to shareholders as ordinary income for federal income tax purposes, whether the distributions are made in cash or additional shares. To the extent that ordinary dividends are derived from qualified dividend income of the distributing fund eligible for reduced tax rates for non-corporate shareholders, such dividends will be treated as qualified dividend income provided that they are so designated by that fund and that the recipient shareholder satisfies certain holding period requirements. If more than 95% of the fund’s gross income, calculated without taking into account long-term capital gains, consists of qualified dividend income, the fund may designate all distributions of such income as qualified dividend income. Qualified dividend income generally is income derived from dividends from U.S. corporations or from corporations that are either incorporated in a U.S. possession or eligible for benefits under qualifying U.S. tax treaties. Distributions from a foreign corporation that is not a “qualified foreign corporation” may nevertheless be treated as “qualified dividend income” if the applicable stock is readily tradable on an established U.S. securities market. “Passive foreign investment companies” (“PFICs”) will not be treated as “qualified foreign corporations” for these purposes. Distributions of net capital gains (i.e., the excess of net long-term capital gains over net short-term capital losses), whether made in cash or in additional shares, are taxable to shareholders as long-term capital gains without regard to the length of time the shareholders have held their shares. Any fund dividend that is declared in October, November, or December of any calendar year, that is payable to shareholders of record in such a month, and that is paid the following January, will be treated as if received by the shareholders on December 31 of the year in which the dividend is declared.

Any fund distribution will have the effect of reducing the per share net asset value of shares in the fund by the amount of the distribution. Shareholders purchasing shares shortly before the record date of any distribution may thus pay the full price for the shares and then effectively receive a portion of the purchase price back as a taxable distribution.

 

64


Dividends-Received Deduction. The portion of the fund’s ordinary income dividends attributable to dividends received in respect to equity securities of U.S. issuers is normally eligible for the dividends received deduction for corporations subject to U.S. federal income taxes. Availability of the deduction for particular shareholders is subject to certain limitations, and deducted amounts may be subject to the alternative minimum tax and result in certain basis adjustments.

Withholding Tax Payments for Non-U.S. Persons. The fund will withhold tax payments at the rate of 30% (or any lower rate permitted under an applicable treaty) on taxable dividends, redemption proceeds and certain other payments that are made to persons who are neither citizens nor residents of the U.S. Distributions received from the fund by non-U.S. persons also may be subject to tax under the laws of their own jurisdiction.

For taxable years of the fund beginning during 2007, this 30% withholding tax will not apply to dividends that the fund designates as (a) interest-related dividends, to the extent such dividends are derived from the fund’s “qualified net interest income,” or (b) short-term capital gain dividends, to the extent such dividends are derived from the fund’s “qualified short-term gain.” “Qualified net interest income” generally is interest on bank deposits, interest or original issue discount on an obligation in registered form, or original issue discount on certain short-term obligations whether or not in registered form. The term does not include interest that is disqualified as “contingent interest” under the portfolio interest rules. “Qualified short-term gain” generally means the excess of the fund’s net short-term capital gain for the taxable year over its net long-term capital loss.

Backup Withholding. The account application asks each new shareholder to certify that the shareholder’s Social Security or taxpayer identification number is correct and that the shareholder is not subject to backup withholding for failing to report income to the IRS. The fund may be required to withhold (and pay over to the IRS for the shareholder’s credit) a percentage (currently 28%) of certain distributions and redemption proceeds paid to shareholders who fail to provide this information or who are otherwise subject to backup withholding. Backup withholding will not, however, be applied to payments that have been subject to the 30% withholding tax on shareholders who are neither citizens nor residents of the U.S.

Disposition of Shares. In general, any gain or loss realized upon a taxable disposition of shares of the fund by a shareholder that holds such shares as a capital asset will be treated as a long-term capital gain or loss if the shares have been held for more than twelve months and otherwise as a short-term capital gain or loss. However, any loss realized upon a disposition of shares in the fund held for six months or less will be treated as a long-term capital loss to the extent of any distributions or deemed distributions of net capital gain made with respect to those shares. Any loss realized upon a disposition of shares may also be disallowed under rules relating to wash sales. Gain may be increased (or loss reduced) upon a redemption of Class A fund shares held for 90 days or fewer followed by any purchase of shares of the fund or another of the Legg Mason Partners mutual funds, including purchases by exchange or by reinvestment, without payment of a sales charge that would otherwise apply because of any sales charge paid on the original purchase of the Class A fund shares.

Effects of Certain Investments and Transactions

Options, etc. The fund’s transactions in options, futures contracts and forward contracts will be subject to special tax rules that may affect the amount, timing and character of fund income and distributions to shareholders. For example, certain positions held by the fund on the last business day of each taxable year will be marked to market (i.e., treated as if closed out) on that day, and any gain or loss associated with the positions will be treated as 60% long-term and 40% short-term capital gain or loss. Certain positions held by the fund that substantially diminish its risk of loss with respect to other positions in its portfolio may constitute “straddles,” and may be subject to special tax rules that would cause deferral of fund losses, adjustments in the holding periods of fund securities, and conversion of short-term into long-term capital losses. Certain tax elections exist for straddles that may alter the effects of these rules. The fund will limit its activities in options, futures contracts and forward contracts to the extent necessary to meet the requirements of Subchapter M of the Code.

 

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Foreign Investments. The fund may make non-U.S. investments. Special tax considerations apply with respect to such investments. Foreign exchange gains and losses realized by the fund will generally be treated as ordinary income and loss. Use of non-U.S. currencies for non-hedging purposes and investment by a fund in certain PFICs may have to be limited in order to avoid a tax on the fund. The fund may elect to mark to market any investments in PFICs on the last day of each taxable year. This election may cause the fund to recognize ordinary income prior to the receipt of cash payments with respect to those investments; in order to distribute this income and avoid a tax on the fund, the fund may be required to liquidate portfolio securities that it might otherwise have continued to hold potentially resulting in additional taxable gain or loss to the fund.

12. FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

The audited financial statements of the fund’s predecessors (Statement of Assets and Liabilities as of October 31, 2006, Statement of Operations for the year ended October 31, 2006, Statements of Changes in Net Assets for each of the years in the two-year period ended October 31, 2006, Financial Highlights for each of the years in the five-year period ended October 31, 2006, and Notes to Financial Statements along with the Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm, each of which is included in the Annual Report to Shareholders of the Fund), are incorporated by reference into this Statement of Additional Information (Filed on January 8, 2007; Accession Number 0000950123-07-000174).

 

66


APPENDIX A

PROXY VOTING GUIDELINES & PROCEDURES SUMMARY

Concerning ClearBridge Advisors1 (Clearbridge)

Proxy Voting Policies and Procedures

The following is a brief overview of the Proxy Voting Policies and Procedures (the “Policies”) that ClearBridge has adopted to seek to ensure that ClearBridge votes proxies relating to equity securities in the best interest of clients.

ClearBridge votes proxies for each client account with respect to which it has been authorized to vote proxies. In voting proxies, ClearBridge is guided by general fiduciary principles and seeks to act prudently and solely in the best interest of clients. ClearBridge attempts to consider all factors that could affect the value of the investment and will vote proxies in the manner that it believes will be consistent with efforts to maximize shareholder values. ClearBridge may utilize an external service provider to provide it with information and/or a recommendation with regard to proxy votes. However, the ClearBridge adviser (business unit) continues to retain responsibility for the proxy vote.

In the case of a proxy issue for which there is a stated position in the Policies, ClearBridge generally votes in accordance with such stated position. In the case of a proxy issue for which there is a list of factors set forth in the Policies that ClearBridge considers in voting on such issue, ClearBridge votes on a case-by-case basis in accordance with the general principles set forth above and considering such enumerated factors. In the case of a proxy issue for which there is no stated position or list of factors that ClearBridge considers in voting on such issue, ClearBridge votes on a case-by-case basis in accordance with the general principles set forth above. Issues for which there is a stated position set forth in the Policies or for which there is a list of factors set forth in the Policies that ClearBridge considers in voting on such issues fall into a variety of categories, including election of directors, ratification of auditors, proxy and tender offer defenses, capital structure issues, executive and director compensation, mergers and corporate restructurings, and social and environmental issues. The stated position on an issue set forth in the Policies can always be superseded, subject to the duty to act solely in the best interest of the beneficial owners of accounts, by the investment management professionals responsible for the account whose shares are being voted. Issues applicable to a particular industry may cause ClearBridge to abandon a policy that would have otherwise applied to issuers generally. As a result of the independent investment advisory services provided by distinct ClearBridge business units, there may be occasions when different business units or different portfolio managers within the same business unit vote differently on the same issue. A ClearBridge business unit or investment team (e.g. ClearBridge’s Social Awareness Investment team) may adopt proxy voting

 


1

ClearBridge Advisors comprises CAM North America, LLC, Salomon Brothers Asset Management Inc, Smith Barney Fund Management LLC, and other affiliated investment advisory firms. On December 1, 2005, Citigroup Inc. (“Citigroup”) sold substantially all of its worldwide asset management business, Citigroup Asset Management, to Legg Mason, Inc. (“Legg Mason”). As part of this transaction, CAM North America, LLC, Salomon Brothers Asset Management Inc and Smith Barney Fund Management LLC became wholly-owned subsidiaries of Legg Mason. Under a licensing agreement between Citigroup and Legg Mason, the names of CAM North America, LLC, Salomon Brothers Asset Management Inc, Smith Barney Fund Management LLC and their affiliated advisory entities, as well as all logos, trademarks, and service marks related to Citigroup or any of its affiliates (“Citi Marks”) are licensed for use by Legg Mason. Citi Marks include, but are not limited to, “Citigroup Asset Management,” “Salomon Brothers Asset Management” and “CAM”. All Citi Marks are owned by Citigroup, and are licensed for use until no later than one year after the date of the licensing agreement. Legg Mason and its subsidiaries, including CAM North America, LLC, Salomon Brothers Asset Management Inc, and Smith Barney Fund Management LLC are not affiliated with Citigroup

 

A-1


policies that supplement these policies and procedures. In addition, in the case of Taft-Hartley clients, ClearBridge will comply with a client direction to vote proxies in accordance with Institutional Shareholder Services’ (ISS) PVS Voting Guidelines, which ISS represents to be fully consistent with AFL-CIO guidelines.

In furtherance of ClearBridge’s goal to vote proxies in the best interest of clients, ClearBridge follows procedures designed to identify and address material conflicts that may arise between ClearBridge’s interests and those of its clients before voting proxies on behalf of such clients. To seek to identify conflicts of interest, ClearBridge periodically notifies ClearBridge employees in writing that they are under an obligation (i) to be aware of the potential for conflicts of interest on the part of ClearBridge with respect to voting proxies on behalf of client accounts both as a result of their personal relationships and due to special circumstances that may arise during the conduct of ClearBridge’s business, and (ii) to bring conflicts of interest of which they become aware to the attention of ClearBridge’s compliance personnel. ClearBridge also maintains and considers a list of significant ClearBridge relationships that could present a conflict of interest for ClearBridge in voting proxies. ClearBridge is also sensitive to the fact that a significant, publicized relationship between an issuer and a non-ClearBridge Legg Mason affiliate might appear to the public to influence the manner in which ClearBridge decides to vote a proxy with respect to such issuer. Absent special circumstances or a significant, publicized non-ClearBridge Legg Mason affiliate relationship that ClearBridge for prudential reasons treats as a potential conflict of interest because such relationship might appear to the public to influence the manner in which ClearBridge decides to vote a proxy, ClearBridge generally takes the position that relationships between a non-ClearBridge Legg Mason affiliate and an issuer (e.g. investment management relationship between an issuer and a non-ClearBridge Legg Mason affiliate) do not present a conflict of interest for ClearBridge in voting proxies with respect to such issuer. Such position is based on the fact that ClearBridge is operated as an independent business unit from other Legg Mason business units as well as on the existence of information barriers between ClearBridge and certain other Legg Mason business units.

ClearBridge maintains a Proxy Voting Committee to review and address conflicts of interest brought to its attention by ClearBridge compliance personnel. A proxy issue that will be voted in accordance with a stated ClearBridge position on such issue or in accordance with the recommendation of an independent third party is not brought to the attention of the Proxy Voting Committee for a conflict of interest review because ClearBridge’s position is that to the extent a conflict of interest issue exists, it is resolved by voting in accordance with a pre-determined policy or in accordance with the recommendation of an independent third party. With respect to a conflict of interest brought to its attention, the Proxy Voting Committee first determines whether such conflict of interest is material. A conflict of interest is considered material to the extent that it is determined that such conflict is likely to influence, or appear to influence, ClearBridge’s decision-making in voting proxies. If it is determined by the Proxy Voting Committee that a conflict of interest is not material, ClearBridge may vote proxies notwithstanding the existence of the conflict.

If it is determined by the Proxy Voting Committee that a conflict of interest is material, the Proxy Voting Committee is responsible for determining an appropriate method to resolve such conflict of interest before the proxy affected by the conflict of interest is voted. Such determination is based on the particular facts and circumstances, including the importance of the proxy issue and the nature of the conflict of interest.

 

A-2


LEGG MASON PARTNERS DIVERSIFIED LARGE CAP GROWTH FUND

INVESTMENT MANAGER

Legg Mason Partners Fund Advisor, LLC

399 Park Avenue, New York, New York 10022

DISTRIBUTORS

Legg Mason Investment Services

100 Light Street, Baltimore, MD 21202

Citigroup Global Markets Inc.

388 Greenwich Street, New York, NY 10013

TRANSFER AGENT

PFPC Inc.

P.O. Box 9699, Providence, RI 02940-9699

CUSTODIAN

State Street Bank and Trust Company

225 Franklin Street, Boston, MA 02110

INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM

KPMG LLP

345 Park Avenue, New York, New York 10154

LEGAL COUNSEL

Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP

787 Seventh Avenue, New York, NY 10019


 

Filed under Rule 497(c)

File Nos. 33-43446 and 811-6444

Legg Mason Partners Dividend Strategy Fund

Supplement dated April 16, 2007

to Prospectus dated February 28, 2007

The attached prospectus is now dated April 16, 2007.

As part of a number of initiatives launched in 2006 to restructure and streamline the Legg Mason Partners fund complex, the fund assumed the assets and liabilities of a predecessor fund with the same name. The fund is now grouped for organizational and governance purposes with other Legg Mason Partners funds that are predominantly equity-type funds. The prospectus is supplemented as shown below to reflect this change. Any information in the prospectus relating to the fund prior to the date of this prospectus refers to the fund’s predecessor.

Performance Information

The summary performance information in the prospectus is that of the fund’s predecessor.

Investment Objective

The fund’s investment objective may be changed without shareholder approval.

Management—Other Information

The paragraph beneath the heading “Other Information” in the “Management” section of the prospectus is deleted.

Financial Highlights

The financial information shown in the “Financial Highlights” section of the prospectus is that of the fund’s predecessor.

 

FD04052


PROSPECTUS

February 28, 2007

The Securities and Exchange Commission has not approved or disapproved these securities or determined whether this prospectus is accurate or complete. Any statement to the contrary is a crime.

LOGO

Legg Mason Partners

Dividend Strategy Fund

Class A, B, C, I and 1 Shares

 

 

 

INVESTMENT PRODUCTS: NOT FDIC INSURED Ÿ NO BANK GUARANTEE Ÿ MAY LOSE VALUE

 


Legg Mason Partners Dividend Strategy Fund

Contents

 

Investments, risks and performance

  2

More on the fund’s investments

  8

Management

  10

Choosing a class of shares to buy

  13

Comparing the fund’s classes

  15

Sales charges

  16

More about contingent deferred sales charges

  21

Retirement and institutional investors

  22

Buying shares

  24

Exchanging shares

  25

Redeeming shares

  27

Other things to know about transactions

  29

Dividends, distributions and taxes

  32

Share price

  34

Financial highlights

  36

 

Prior to April 7, 2006, the fund was known as Smith Barney Dividend Strategy Fund.


 

Investments, risks and performance

Investment objective

The fund seeks capital appreciation, principally through investments in dividend-paying stocks.

Principal investment strategies

Key investments

Under normal market conditions, at least 80% of the fund’s assets will be invested in dividend-paying stocks.

The fund may, under normal circumstances, invest up to 20% of its assets in other types of equity securities, such as preferred stocks, warrants and securities convertible into common stocks, and in other securities of issuers. The fund may also make investments in companies that are not expected to pay dividends. The fund may invest up to 25% of its assets in foreign securities directly or in the form of depositary receipts representing an interest in those securities.

Selection process

The portfolio managers’ investment strategy consists of individual company selection. The portfolio managers typically look for investments among equity securities of small to large cap issuers, consisting primarily of dividend-paying, mid cap and large cap companies that are dominant in their industries. The fund may also invest in companies with prospects for sustained earnings growth and/or a cyclical earnings record.

In selecting individual companies for investment, the portfolio managers look for the following:

n  

Current yield or potential for dividend growth

n  

Strong or rapidly improving balance sheets

n  

Recognized industry leadership

n  

Effective management teams that exhibit a desire to earn consistent returns for shareholders

The portfolio managers may also consider the following characteristics:

n  

Consistency and growth of dividends

n  

Past growth records

n  

Future earnings prospects

n  

Technological innovation

n  

General market and economic factors

Generally, companies in the fund’s portfolio fall into one or more of the following categories:

Undervalued companies: companies with assets or earning power that are either unrecognized or undervalued. The portfolio managers generally look for low market valuations, as measured by the portfolio managers’ valuation models. The portfolio managers also look for companies that are expected to have positive changes in earnings prospects because of factors such as:

n  

New, improved or unique products and services

n  

New or rapidly expanding markets for a company’s products

n  

New management

n  

Changes in the economic, financial, regulatory or political environment particularly affecting a company

 

2         Legg Mason Partners Funds


 

n  

Effective research, product development and marketing

n  

A business strategy not yet recognized by the marketplace

Growth at a reasonable price: companies with superior demonstrated and expected growth characteristics whose stocks are available at a reasonable price. Typically, there is strong recurring demand for these companies’ products.

Principal risks of investing in the fund

Investors could lose money on their investment in the fund, or the fund may not perform as well as other investments, if:

n  

Stock prices decline generally, or stocks perform poorly relative to other types of investments

n  

Companies in which the fund invests, or dividend-paying stocks in general, fall out of favor with investors

n  

The portfolio manager’s judgment about the attractiveness, value or potential appreciation of particular investments proves to be incorrect

n  

Portfolio companies do not meet earnings expectations or other events depress the value of those companies’ stocks

The fund may engage in active and frequent trading, resulting in high portfolio turnover. This may lead to the realization and distribution to shareholders of higher capital gains, increasing their tax liability. Frequent trading also increases transaction costs, which could detract from the fund’s performance.

The fund’s investments in securities of foreign issuers involve greater risk than investments in securities of U.S. issuers. Many foreign countries in which the fund invests have markets that are less liquid and more volatile than markets in the U.S. In some foreign countries, less information is available about foreign issuers and markets because of less rigorous accounting and regulatory standards than in the U.S. Currency fluctuations could erase investment gains or add to investment losses. In addition, there is a possibility of governmental controls on currency exchanges or governmental intervention in currency markets. Controls or intervention could limit or prevent the fund from realizing value in U.S. dollars from its investment in foreign securities. The risks of investing in foreign securities are greater for securities of emerging market issuers because political or economic instability, lack of market liquidity, and negative government actions like currency controls or seizure of private businesses or property are more likely.

Who may want to invest

The fund may be an appropriate investment if you:

n  

Are seeking to participate in the long term growth potential of the stock market while obtaining some current income and

n  

Are willing to accept the risks of investing in common stocks

Performance information

The following shows summary performance information for the fund in a bar chart and an Average Annual Total Returns table. The information provides an indication of the risks of investing in the fund by showing changes in its performance from year to year and by showing how the fund’s average annual returns compare with the returns of a broad-based securities market index. The bar chart and the information below show performance of the

 

Legg Mason Partners Dividend Strategy Fund         3


 

fund’s Class 1 shares, but do not reflect the impact of sales charges (loads). If they did, the returns would be lower than those shown. Unlike the bar chart, the performance for Class 1, A, B, C and I* shares in the Average Annual Total Returns table reflects the impact of the maximum sales charge (load) applicable to the respective classes and, where indicated, the performance for Class 1 shares reflects the impact of taxes paid on distributions and the redemption of shares at the end of the period. Effective as of November 1, 2004, the fund adopted its current investment policy of normally investing at least 80% of its assets in dividend-paying stocks. The fund’s previous policy was normally to invest at least 80% of its net assets in equity securities of U.S. large cap issuers and related investments. The performance information and financial highlights included in this prospectus for periods prior to November 1, 2004 reflect the fund’s previous investment policy. The fund’s past performance is not necessarily an indication of how the fund will perform in the future.

 

*   As of November 20, 2006, Class Y shares were renamed Class I shares.

Total Returns for Class 1 Shares

LOGO

Highest and Lowest Quarter Returns (for periods shown in the bar chart)

Highest: 23.52% in 4th quarter 1998; Lowest: (16.72)% in 3rd quarter 2002.

 

4         Legg Mason Partners Funds


 

Average Annual Total Returns (for periods ended December 31, 2006)

 

      1 Year      5 Years      10 Years      Since
Inception(7)
     Inception
Date
 

Class 1

              
   
Return before taxes    8.05 %    0.36 %    5.70 %         04/14/87  
   
Return after taxes on distributions(1)    6.45 %    (0.27 )%    4.40 %         04/14/87  
   
Return after taxes on distributions and sale of fund shares(1)    5.70 %    0.04 %    4.47 %         04/14/87  
   

Class A

              
   
Return before taxes(2)    10.80 %    0.34 %    5.49 %         08/18/96  
   

Class B

              
   
Return before taxes    11.74 %    0.54 %    5.30 %         08/18/96  
   

Class C

              
   
Return before taxes(3)    16.18 %    1.29 %    n/a      (3.47 )%    09/19/00  
   

Class I(4)

              
   
Return before taxes    n/a      n/a      n/a      n/a         (4)
   
S&P 500 Index(5)    15.78 %    6.18 %    8.42 %    n/a         (6)
   

 

(1)

 

After-tax returns are calculated using the highest historical individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes. Actual after-tax returns depend on an investor’s tax situation and may differ from those shown, and the after-tax returns shown are not relevant to investors who hold their fund shares through tax-deferred arrangements, such as 401(k) plans or individual retirement accounts. In some cases the return after taxes may exceed the return before taxes due to an assumed tax benefit from any losses on a sale of fund shares at the end of the measurement period. After-tax returns are shown for Class 1 shares only. After-tax returns for other share classes will vary.

 

(2)

 

On November 20, 2006, the maximum initial sales charge on Class A shares was increased for sales made on or after that date. The average annual returns for Class A shares in the table have been calculated as if the increased maximum initial sales charge had been in effect for the entire period.

 

(3)

 

Effective as of April 29, 2004, Class L shares were renamed Class C shares. On February 2, 2004, the initial sales charge of 1.00% on Class C shares was eliminated for sales made on or after that date. The average annual returns for Class C shares in the table have been calculated as if the sales charge had been eliminated during the entire period.

 

(4)

 

As of November 20, 2006, Class Y shares were renamed Class I shares. No Class I shares were outstanding for the calendar year ended December 31, 2006.

 

(5)

 

The S&P 500 Index is a market-value weighted index comprised of 500 widely held common stocks. It is not possible to invest directly in the index. An index does not reflect deductions for fees, expenses or taxes.

 

(6)

 

The total return of the S&P 500 Index since the inception of the Class C shares is 1.23%.

 

(7)

 

Information is provided only for classes with less than 10 years performance history.

 

Legg Mason Partners Dividend Strategy Fund         5


 

Fee table

This table sets forth the fees and expenses you may pay if you invest in fund shares.

 

Shareholder Fees

 

(paid directly from your investment)   Class A     Class B     Class C     Class I(1)   Class 1  
Maximum sales charge (load) imposed on purchases (as a % of offering price)   5.75 %   None     None     None   8.50 %
   
Maximum contingent deferred sales charge (load) (as a % of the lower of net asset value at purchase or redemption)   None (2)   5.00 %   1.00 %   None   None  
   

 

Annual Fund Operating Expenses

 

(paid by the fund as a % of net assets)   Class A     Class B     Class C     Class I(1)     Class 1  
Management fee(3)   0.61 %   0.61 %   0.61 %   0.61 %   0.61 %
   
Distribution and service (12b-1) fees   0.25 %   1.00 %   1.00 %   None     None  
   
Other expenses(4)   0.56 %   0.61 %   0.11 %   0.11 %   0.26 %
   
Total annual fund operating expenses*   1.42 %   2.22 %   1.72 %   0.72 %   0.87 %
   

*   Because of voluntary waivers and/or reimbursements, actual total operating expenses are expected to be:

  1.25 %   2.00 %   n/a     n/a     n/a  

 

     These voluntary fee waivers and reimbursements do not cover brokerage, taxes and extraordinary expenses and may be reduced or terminated at any time.

 

(1)

 

As of November 20, 2006, Class Y shares were renamed Class I shares.

 

(2)

 

You may buy Class A shares in amounts of $1,000,000 or more at net asset value (without an initial sales charge) but if you redeem those shares within 12 months of their purchase, you will pay a contingent deferred sales charge of 1.00%.

 

(3)

 

The fund has a management fee schedule that reduces the management fee rate as assets increase as follows: 0.65% on assets of up to $1 billion, 0.60% on assets between $1 billion and $2 billion, 0.55% on assets between $2 billion and $3 billion, 0.50% on assets between $3 billion and $4 billion, and 0.45% on assets in excess of $4 billion.

 

(4)

 

The amounts set forth in “Other Expenses” for Class A, B, C and 1 shares have been revised to reflect the estimated effect of new transfer agency and custody contracts which became effective January 1, 2006. For Class I shares, “Other expenses” have been estimated because no Class I shares were outstanding during the fund’s last fiscal year.

 

6         Legg Mason Partners Funds


 

Example

This example helps you compare the costs of investing in the fund with the costs of investing in other mutual funds. Your actual costs may be higher or lower. The example assumes:

n  

You invest $10,000 in the fund for the period shown

n  

Your investment has a 5% return each year — the assumption of a 5% return is required by the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) for purposes of this example and is not a prediction of the fund’s future performance

n  

You reinvest all distributions and dividends without a sales charge

n  

The fund’s operating expenses (before fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements, if any) remain the same

 

Number of Years You Own Your Shares

 

     1 year   3 years   5 years   10 years  

Class A (with or without redemption)

  $ 711   $ 998   $ 1,306   $ 2,178  
   

Class B (redemption at end of period)

  $ 725   $ 994   $ 1,289   $ 2,211 (1)
   

Class B (no redemption)

  $ 225   $ 694   $ 1,189   $ 2,211 (1)
   

Class C (redemption at end of period)

  $ 275   $ 542   $ 934   $ 2,030  
   

Class C (no redemption)

  $ 175   $ 542   $ 934   $ 2,030  
   

Class I(2) (with or without redemption)

  $ 74   $ 231   $ 401   $ 895  
   

Class 1 (with or without redemption)

  $ 931   $ 1,104   $ 1,292   $ 1,832  
   

 

(1)

 

Assumes conversion to Class A shares approximately eight years after purchase.

 

(2)

 

As of November 20, 2006, Class Y shares were renamed Class I shares.

 

Legg Mason Partners Dividend Strategy Fund         7


 

More on the fund’s investments

The fund’s investment objective and principal investment strategies are described under the section entitled “Investments, risks and performance” above. This section provides further information about the investment strategies that may be used by the fund.

The fund’s investment objective may be changed without shareholder approval.

Equity securities

Equity securities include exchange traded and over-the-counter common and preferred stocks, debt securities convertible into equity securities, baskets of equity securities such as exchange traded funds, and warrants and rights relating to equity securities. Equity securities may also include investments in real estate investment trusts (REITs), which are pooled investment vehicles that invest in real estate or real estate loans or interests.

Derivatives and hedging techniques

The fund may, but need not, use derivative contracts, such as futures and options on securities, securities indices or currencies; options on these futures; forward currency contracts; and interest rate or currency swaps for any of the following purposes:

n  

To hedge against the economic impact of adverse changes in the market value of its securities, because of changes in stock market prices, currency exchange rates or interest rates

n  

As a substitute for buying or selling securities

n  

As a cash flow management technique

n  

To enhance return

A derivative contract will obligate or entitle the fund to deliver or receive an asset or cash payment based on the change in value of one or more securities, currencies or indices. Even a small investment in derivative contracts can have a big impact on the fund’s stock market, currency and interest rate exposure. Therefore, using derivatives can disproportionately increase losses and reduce opportunities for gains when stock prices, currency rates or interest rates are changing. The fund may not fully benefit from or may lose money on derivatives if changes in their value do not correspond accurately or as anticipated to changes in the value of the fund’s holdings.

The other parties to certain derivative contracts present the same types of credit risk as issuers of fixed income securities. Derivatives can also make the fund less liquid and harder to value, especially in declining markets.

Short sales

The fund may engage in short sales. Losses from short sales may be unlimited.

Portfolio turnover

The fund may engage in active and frequent trading to achieve its principal investment strategies. This may lead to the realization and distribution to shareholders of higher capital gains, which would increase their tax liability. Frequent trading also increases transaction costs, which could detract from the fund’s performance. The “Financial highlights” section of this prospectus shows the fund’s historical portfolio turnover rate.

 

8         Legg Mason Partners Funds


 

Defensive investing

The fund may depart from its principal investment strategies in response to adverse market, economic or political conditions by taking temporary defensive positions in any type of money market instruments and short-term debt securities or cash without regard to any percentage limitations. If the fund takes a temporary defensive position, it may be unable to achieve its investment objective.

Portfolio holdings

The fund’s policies and procedures with respect to the disclosure of the fund’s portfolio securities are described in the Statement of Additional Information (“SAI”).

Special restrictions

The fund will not purchase any securities issued by a company primarily engaged in the manufacture of alcohol or tobacco.

Except for this special restriction, the fund’s goals and strategies may be changed without shareholder approval. However, as further described in “Management – Other Information,” the fund’s board and shareholders have approved revised fundamental investment policies that, among other things, will revise this special restriction as a nonfundamental investment restriction that may be changed by the Company’s Board of Trustees at any time. These new investment policies are expected to be effectuated during the first half of 2007.

The fund may also use other strategies and invest in other securities that are described, along with their risks, in the SAI. However, the fund might not use all of the strategies and techniques or invest in all of the types of securities described in this prospectus or in the SAI. Also note that there are many other factors, which are not described here, that could adversely affect your investment and that could prevent the fund from achieving its investment objective.

 

Legg Mason Partners Dividend Strategy Fund         9


 

Management

Manager and subadviser

Legg Mason Partners Fund Advisor, LLC (“LMPFA” or the “manager”) is the fund’s investment manager. LMPFA, with offices at 399 Park Avenue, New York, New York 10022, is a recently organized investment adviser that has been formed to serve as the investment manager of the fund and other Legg Mason-sponsored funds. LMPFA provides administrative and certain oversight services to the fund. ClearBridge Advisors, LLC (“ClearBridge” or the “subadviser”) provides the day-to-day portfolio management of the fund, except for the management of cash and short-term instruments, which is performed by LMPFA.

ClearBridge has offices at 399 Park Avenue, New York, New York 10022 and is a recently-organized investment adviser that has been formed to succeed to the equity securities portfolio management business of Citigroup Asset Management (“CAM”), which was acquired by Legg Mason, Inc. (“Legg Mason”) in December 2005. As of December 31, 2006 ClearBridge’s total assets under management were approximately $116 billion.

LMPFA and ClearBridge are wholly-owned subsidiaries of Legg Mason. Legg Mason, whose principal executive offices are at 100 Light Street, Baltimore, Maryland 21202, is a global asset management company. As of December 31, 2006, Legg Mason’s asset management operation had aggregate assets under management of approximately $945 billion.

Prior to August 1, 2006, Smith Barney Fund Management LLC (“SBFM”) was the fund’s investment manager. SBFM is also a wholly-owned subsidiary of Legg Mason.

Portfolio Managers

Since November 1, 2004, Scott Glasser and Peter Hable have been responsible for the day-to-day management of the fund’s portfolio. Mr. Glasser and Mr. Hable have been investment officers of ClearBridge and managing directors of ClearBridge for the past five years. Mr. Glasser is co-director of research for ClearBridge.

The SAI provides additional information about the portfolio managers’ compensation, other accounts managed by the portfolio managers and the portfolio managers’ ownership of securities of the fund.

Management fee

For the fiscal year ended October 31, 2006, the fund paid a management fee of 0.53% of the fund’s average daily net assets. For the period from November 1, 2005 through July 31, 2006, the fund paid SBFM a management fee equal to 0.52% of the fund’s average daily net assets. For the period from August 1, 2006 through October 31, 2006, the fund paid LMPFA a management fee equal to 0.56% of the fund’s average daily net assets.

Effective December 1, 2005, the manager receives fees for its services at the following rates based on assets under management: 0.65% on assets up to $1 billion, 0.60% on assets between $1 billion and $2 billion, 0.55% on assets between $2 billion and $3 billion, 0.50% on assets between $3 billion and $4 billion, and 0.45% on assets over $4 billion.

A discussion regarding the basis for the Board’s approval of the fund’s management agreement and subadvisory agreement is available in the fund’s Annual Report for the fiscal year ended October 31, 2006.

 

10         Legg Mason Partners Funds


 

Other Information

The Fund’s Board and (where required) shareholders have approved a number of initiatives designed to streamline and restructure the fund complex. These initiatives include the election of a new Board, the grouping of the fund for organizational and governance purposes with other funds in the fund complex that are predominantly equity-type funds, and the adoption of a single form of organization as a Maryland business trust, with all funds operating under uniform charter documents. Fund shareholders have also approved investment matters, including standardized fundamental investment policies and the ability of the fund to change its investment objective without shareholder approval. These matters generally are expected to be effectuated during the first half of 2007.

Distribution plan

Legg Mason Investor Services, LLC (“LMIS”), a wholly-owned broker-dealer subsidiary of Legg Mason, Citigroup Global Markets Inc. (“CGMI”) and PFS Investments Inc. (“PFS”) serve as the fund’s distributors.

The fund has adopted a shareholder services and distribution plan for each of its Class A, B and C shares. Under the plan, the fund pays distribution and/or service fees. The plan provides for payments, based on annualized percentages of average daily net assets, of up to 0.25% for Class A shares and up to 1.00% for Class B and Class C shares. These fees are an ongoing expense and, over time, will increase the cost of your investment and may cost you more than other types of sales charges.

In addition, the distributors may make payments for distribution and/or shareholder servicing activities out of their past profits and other available sources. A distributor may also make payments to dealers for marketing, promotional or related expenses. The amount of these payments is determined by the distributor and may be substantial. The manager or an affiliate may make similar payments under similar arrangements.

The payments described in the paragraph above are often referred to as “revenue sharing payments.” The recipients of such payments may include the fund’s distributors, affiliates of the manager, broker-dealers, financial institutions and other financial intermediaries through which investors may purchase shares of the fund. In some circumstances, such payments may create an incentive for an intermediary or its employees or associated persons to recommend or sell shares of the fund to you. Please contact your financial intermediary for details about revenue sharing payments it may receive.

Recent developments

On May 31, 2005, the SEC issued an order in connection with the settlement of an administrative proceeding against SBFM, the then-investment adviser or manager to certain of the funds, and CGMI, relating to the appointment of an affiliated transfer agent for the Smith Barney family of mutual funds (the “Affected Funds”).

The SEC order found that SBFM and CGMI willfully violated Section 206(1) of the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as amended, and the rules promulgated thereunder (the “Advisers Act”). Specifically, the order found that SBFM and CGMI knowingly or recklessly failed to disclose to the boards of the Affected Funds in 1999 when proposing a new transfer agent arrangement with an affiliated transfer agent that: First Data Investors Services Group (“First Data”), the Affected Funds’ then-existing transfer agent, had offered to

 

Legg Mason Partners Dividend Strategy Fund         11


continue as transfer agent and do the same work for substantially less money than before; and that CAM, the Citigroup business unit that, at the time, included the Affected Funds’ investment manager and other investment advisory companies, had entered into a side letter with First Data under which CAM agreed to recommend the appointment of First Data as sub-transfer agent to the affiliated transfer agent in exchange, among other things, for a guarantee by First Data of specified amounts of asset management and investment banking fees to CAM and CGMI. The order also finds that SBFM and CGMI willfully violated Section 206(2) of the Advisers Act by virtue of the omissions discussed above and other misrepresentations and omissions in the materials provided to the Affected Funds’ boards, including the failure to make clear that the affiliated transfer agent would earn a high profit for performing limited functions while First Data continued to perform almost all of the transfer agent functions, and the suggestion that the proposed arrangement was in the Affected Funds’ best interests and that no viable alternatives existed.

SBFM and CGMI do not admit or deny any wrongdoing or liability. The settlement does not establish wrongdoing or liability for purposes of any other proceeding. The SEC censured SBFM and CGMI and ordered them to cease and desist from violations of Sections 206(1) and 206(2) of the Advisers Act. The order required Citigroup to pay $208.1 million, including $109 million in disgorgement of profits, $19.1 million in interest, and a civil money penalty of $80 million. Approximately $24.4 million has already been paid to the Affected Funds, primarily through fee waivers. The remaining $183.7 million, including the penalty, has been paid to the U.S. Treasury and will be distributed pursuant to a plan submitted for the approval of the SEC. At this time, there is no certainty as to how the above-described proceeds of the settlement will be distributed, to whom such distributions will be made, the methodology by which such distributions will be allocated, and when such distributions will be made. The order also required that transfer agency fees received from the Affected Funds since December 1, 2004, less certain expenses, be placed in escrow and provided that a portion of such fees might be subsequently distributed in accordance with the terms of the order. On April 3, 2006, an aggregate amount of approximately $9 million held in escrow was distributed to the Affected Funds.

The order required SBFM to recommend a new transfer agent contract to the Affected Funds’ boards within 180 days of the entry of the order; if a Citigroup affiliate submitted a proposal to serve as transfer agent or sub-transfer agent, SBFM and CGMI would have been required, at their expense, to engage an independent monitor to oversee a competitive bidding process. On November 21, 2005, and within the specified timeframe, the Affected Funds’ Boards selected a new transfer agent for the Affected Funds. No Citigroup affiliate submitted a proposal to serve as transfer agent. Under the order, SBFM also must comply with an amended version of a vendor policy that Citigroup instituted in August 2004.

Although there can be no assurance, the manager does not believe that this matter will have a material adverse effect on the Affected Funds.

On December 1, 2005, Citigroup completed the sale of substantially all of its global asset management business, including SBFM, to Legg Mason.

 

12         Legg Mason Partners Funds


 

Choosing a class of shares to buy

Individual investors can generally choose among three classes of shares: Classes A, B and C shares. Individual investors that held Class I (formerly Class Y) shares prior to November 20, 2006, may continue to invest in Class I shares. In addition, existing Class 1 shareholders can buy additional Class 1 shares. Institutional and retirement plan investors and clients of financial intermediaries should refer to “Retirement and institutional investors” below for a description of the classes available to them.

Each class has different sales charges and expenses, allowing you to choose the class that best meets your needs. When choosing which class of shares to buy, you should consider:

n  

How much you plan to invest

n  

How long you expect to own the shares

n  

The expenses paid by each class detailed in the Fee table and Example at the front of this Prospectus

n  

Whether you qualify for any reduction or waiver of sales charges

If you are choosing between Class A and Class B shares, it will in almost all cases be the more economical choice for you to purchase Class A shares if you plan to purchase shares in an amount of $100,000 or more (whether in a single purchase or through aggregation of eligible holdings). This is because of the reduced sales charge available on larger investments of Class A shares and the lower ongoing expenses of Class A shares compared to Class B shares.

If you intend to invest for only a few years, the effect of Class B contingent deferred sales charges on redemptions made within five years of purchase, as well as the effect of higher expenses of that class, might make an investment in Class C more appropriate. There is no initial sales charge on Class C shares, and the contingent deferred sales charge does not apply to shares redeemed one year or more after purchase.

However, if you plan to invest a large amount and your investment horizon is five years or more, Class C shares might not be as advantageous as Class A shares. The annual distribution and service fees on Class C shares may cost you more over the longer term than the front-end sales charge you would have paid for larger purchases of Class A shares.

You may buy shares from:

n  

Certain broker/dealers, financial intermediaries, financial institutions, a distributor’s financial advisors or registered representatives that have entered into an agreement to sell fund shares (each called a “Service Agent”)

n  

The fund, but only if you are investing through certain qualified plans or Service Agents

Different types of shareholder services may be available to you under arrangements offered by different Service Agents. In addition, these services may vary depending on the share class in which you choose to invest. In making your decision regarding which share class to buy, please keep in mind that your Service Agent may receive different compensation depending on the share class in which you invest. Investors should consult with their Service Agent about comparative pricing of shareholder services available to them under each available share class, the compensation that will be received by their Service Agent in connection with each available share class, and other factors that may be relevant to the investor’s choice of share class in which to invest.

 

Legg Mason Partners Dividend Strategy Fund         13


 

Not all classes of shares are available through all Service Agents. You should contact your Service Agent for further information.

Investment minimums

Minimum initial and additional investment amounts vary depending on the class of shares you buy and the nature of your investment account.

 

    Investment Minimum
Initial/Additional Investment(1)(2)
     Class A   Class B   Class C   Class I
(formerly
Class Y)

General

  $ 500/$50   $ 500/$50   $ 500/$50   n/a
 

IRAs and Uniform Gifts or Transfers to
Minor Accounts

  $ 250/$50   $ 250/$50   $ 250/$50   n/a
 

SIMPLE IRAs

    $1 /$1     $1/$1     $1/$1   n/a
 

Systematic Investment Plans

    $25/$25     $25/$25     $25/$25   n/a
 

Clients of Eligible Financial Intermediaries

    $1/$1     n/a     n/a   None/
None
 

Retirement Plans with omnibus accounts
held on the books of the fund

   
 
None/
None
    n/a    
 
None/
None
  None/
None
 

Other Retirement Plans

    $50/$50     $50/$50     $50/$50   n/a
 

Institutional Investors

  $ 500/$50   $ 500/$50   $ 500/$50   $1 million/
None
 

 

(1)

 

Please refer to the section entitled “Retirement and institutional investors” for additional information regarding the investment minimum and eligibility requirements for Retirement Plans, Institutional Investors and Clients of Eligible Financial Intermediaries.

(2)

 

Class 1 shares may be purchased only if you already own Class 1 shares.

More information about the fund’s classes of shares is available through the Legg Mason Partners Funds’ website. You’ll find detailed information about sales charges and ways you can qualify for reduced or waived sales charges, including:

n  

The front-end sales charges that apply to the purchase of Class A shares

n  

The contingent deferred sales charges that apply to the redemption of Class B and Class C shares, and certain Class A shares (redeemed within one year)

n  

Who qualifies for lower sales charges on Class A shares

n  

Who qualifies for a sales load waiver

To access the website, go to http://www.leggmason.com/InvestorServices and click on the name of the fund.

 

14         Legg Mason Partners Funds


 

Comparing the fund’s classes

The following table compares key features of the fund’s classes. You should review the Fee table and Example at the front of this prospectus carefully before choosing your share class. Your Service Agent can help you decide which class meets your goals. Your Service Agent may receive different compensation depending upon which class you choose.

 

     Class A   Class B   Class C   Class I
(formerly Y)
  Class 1
Key features  

n  Initial sales charge

n  You may qualify for reduction or waiver of initial sales charge

n  Generally lower annual expenses than Class B and Class C

 

n  No initial sales charge

n  Contingent deferred sales charge declines over time

n  Converts to Class A after approximately 8 years

n  Generally higher annual expenses than Class A

 

n  No initial sales charge

n  Contingent deferred sales charge for only 1 year

n  Does not convert to Class A

n  Generally higher annual expenses than Class A

 

n  No initial or contingent deferred sales charge

n  Only offered to institutional and other eligible investors

n  Generally lower expenses than the other classes

 

n  Only available to eligible Class 1 shareholders

n  You may qualify for reduction or waiver of initial sales charge

n  Generally higher initial sales charge

n  Generally lower annual expenses than Class A, B and C

Initial sales

charge

 

Up to 5.75%; reduced or waived for large purchases and certain investors. No charge for purchases of $1 million or more

 

None

 

None

 

None

 

Up to 8.50%; reduced for large purchases

Contingent

deferred

sales

charge

 

1.00% on purchases of $1,000,000 or more if you redeem within 1 year of purchase; waived for certain investors

 

Up to 5.00% charged when you redeem shares. This charge is reduced over time and there is no contingent deferred sales charge after 5 years; waived for certain investors

 

1.00% if you redeem within 1 year of purchase; waived for certain investors

 

None

 

None

Annual

distribution

and/or service

fees

 

0.25% of average daily net assets

 

1.00% of average daily net assets

 

1.00% of average daily net assets

 

None

 

None

Exchange

Privilege(1)

 

Class A shares of most Legg Mason Partners Funds

 

Class B shares of most Legg Mason Partners Funds

 

Class C shares of most Legg Mason Partners Funds

 

Class I shares of most Legg Mason Partners Funds

 

Class 1 shares of Legg Mason Partners Funds that offer Class 1 shares and Class A shares of certain other Legg Mason Partners Funds

 

(1)

 

Ask your Service Agent about the Legg Mason Partners Funds available for exchange.

 

Legg Mason Partners Dividend Strategy Fund         15


 

Sales charges

Class A shares

You buy Class A shares at the offering price, which is the net asset value plus a sales charge. You pay a lower rate as the size of your investment increases to certain levels called breakpoints. You do not pay a sales charge on the fund’s distributions or dividends you reinvest in additional Class A shares.

The table below shows the rate of sales charge you pay, depending on the amount you purchase, for purchases made on or after November 20, 2006. The table below also shows the amount of broker-dealer compensation that will be paid out of the sales charge. For Class A shares sold by LMIS, LMIS will receive the sales charge imposed on purchases of Class A shares (or any contingent deferred sales charge paid on redemptions) and will retain the full amount of such sales charge. For Class A shares sold by CGMI, CGMI will receive the sales charge imposed on purchases of Class A shares and will retain an amount equal to the broker-dealer commission paid out of the sales charge. LMIS will receive any portion not retained by CGMI. For Class A shares sold by PFS, PFS will receive the sales charge imposed on purchases of Class A shares (or any contingent deferred sales charge paid on redemptions) and will retain the full amount of such sales charge. Service Agents (including CGMI and PFS) will also receive a service fee payable on Class A shares at an annual rate of up to 0.25% of the average daily net assets represented by the Class A shares serviced by them.

 

Amount of purchase   Sales Charge
as a % of
offering price
  Sales Charge
as a % of
net amount
invested
  Broker/Dealer
Commission
as a % of
offering price

Less than $25,000

  5.75   6.10   5.00
 

$25,000 but less than $50,000

  5.00   5.26   4.25
 

$50,000 but less than $100,000

  4.50   4.71   3.75
 

$100,000 but less than $250,000

  3.50   3.63   2.75
 

$250,000 but less than $500,000

  2.50   2.56   2.00
 

$500,000 but less than $750,000

  2.00   2.04   1.60
 

$750,000 but less than $1,000,000

  1.50   1.52   1.20
 

$1,000,000 or more(1)

  -0-   -0-   up to 1.00
 

 

(1)

 

A distributor may pay a commission of up to 1.00% to a Service Agent for purchase amounts of $1 million or more. In such cases, starting in the thirteenth month after purchase, the Service Agent will also receive an annual distribution/service fee of up to 0.25% of the average daily net assets represented by the Class A shares held by its clients. Prior to the thirteenth month, the distributor will retain this fee. Where the Service Agent does not receive the payment of this commission, the Service Agent will instead receive the annual distribution/service fee starting immediately after purchase. Please contact your Service Agent for more information.

Investments of $1,000,000 or more

You do not pay an initial sales charge when you buy $1,000,000 or more of Class A shares. However, if you redeem these Class A shares within one year of purchase, you will pay a contingent deferred sales charge of 1.00%.

 

16         Legg Mason Partners Funds


 

Qualifying for a reduced Class A sales charge

There are several ways you can combine multiple purchases of Class A shares of Legg Mason Partners Funds to take advantage of the breakpoints in the sales charge schedule. In order to take advantage of reductions in sales charges that may be available to you when you purchase fund shares, you must inform your Service Agent or Legg Mason Partners Shareholder Services if you are eligible for a letter of intent or a right of accumulation and if you own shares of other Legg Mason Partners Funds that are eligible to be aggregated with your purchases. Certain records, such as account statements, may be necessary in order to verify your eligibility for reduced sales charges.

n  

Accumulation Privilege – allows you to combine the current value of Class A shares of the fund with other shares of Legg Mason Partners Funds that are owned by:

  ¨  

you; or

  ¨  

your spouse and children under the age of 21;

with the dollar amount of your next purchase of Class A shares for purposes of calculating the initial sales charge.

Shares of certain money market funds advised by the manager or its affiliates (other than money market fund shares acquired by exchange from other Legg Mason Partners Funds offered with a sales charge), Legg Mason Partners S&P 500 Index Fund and Class O shares of Legg Mason Partners Equity Fund, Inc. may not be combined.

If you hold shares of Legg Mason Partners Funds in accounts at two or more Service Agents, please contact your Service Agents to determine which shares may be combined.

Certain trustees and fiduciaries may be entitled to combine accounts in determining their sales charge.

n  

Letter of Intent – allows you to purchase Class A shares of Legg Mason Partners Funds over a 13-month period and pay the same sales charge on Class A shares, if any, as if all shares had been purchased at once. At the time you enter into the letter of intent, you select your asset goal amount. Generally, purchases of Legg Mason Partners Fund shares that are purchased during the 13-month period by

  ¨  

you; or

  ¨  

your spouse and children under the age of 21

are eligible for inclusion under the letter, based on the public offering price at the time of the purchase, and any capital appreciation on those shares. Purchases made 90 days prior to the 13-month period are also eligible to be treated as purchases made under the letter. In addition, you can include towards your asset goal amount the current value of any eligible purchases that were made prior to the date of entering into the letter of intent and are still held.

If you hold shares of Legg Mason Partners Funds in accounts at two or more Service Agents, please contact your Service Agents to determine which shares may be credited towards your letter of intent asset goal.

Shares of certain money market funds advised by the manager or its affiliates (other than money market fund shares acquired by exchange from other Legg Mason Partners Funds offered with a sales charge), Legg Mason Partners S&P 500 Index Fund and Class O shares of Legg Mason Partners Equity Fund, Inc. may not be credited toward your letter of intent asset goal.

 

Legg Mason Partners Dividend Strategy Fund         17


 

If you do not meet your asset goal amount, shares in the amount of any sales charges due, based on the amount of your actual purchases, will be redeemed from your account.

Waivers for certain Class A investors

Class A initial sales charges are waived for certain types of investors, including:

n  

Employees of Service Agents having dealer, service or other selling agreements with the fund’s distributors

n  

Investors who redeemed Class A shares of a Legg Mason Partners Fund in the past 60 days, if the investor’s Service Agent is notified

n  

Directors and officers of any Legg Mason-sponsored fund

n  

Employees of Legg Mason and its subsidiaries

n  

Investors investing through certain retirement plans

If you qualify for a waiver of the Class A initial sales charge, you must notify your Service Agent or Legg Mason Partners Shareholder Services at the time of purchase and provide sufficient information at the time of purchase to permit verification that the purchase qualifies for the initial sales charge waiver.

If you want to learn about additional waivers of Class A initial sales charges, contact your Service Agent, consult the SAI or access at the Legg Mason Partners Funds’ website, http://www.leggmason.com/InvestorServices, and click on the name of the fund.

Class B shares

You buy Class B shares at net asset value without paying an initial sales charge. However, if you redeem your Class B shares within five years of your purchase payment, you will pay a contingent deferred sales charge. The contingent deferred sales charge decreases as the number of years since your purchase payment increases.

 

Year after purchase   1st     2nd     3rd     4th     5th     6th through 8th  

Contingent deferred sales charge

  5 %   4 %   3 %   2 %   1 %   0 %
   

LMIS will pay Service Agents other than PFS, including CGMI, selling Class B shares a commission of up to 4.00% of the purchase price of the Class B shares they sell, and LMIS will retain the contingent deferred sales charges. For Class B shares sold by PFS, PFS will pay a commission of up to 4.00% of the purchase price of the Class B shares sold by its Service Agents and will retain the contingent deferred sales charges paid upon certain redemptions. Service Agents also receive an annual distribution/service fee of up to 0.25% of the average daily net assets represented by the Class B shares serviced by them.

 

18         Legg Mason Partners Funds


 

Class B conversion

After approximately 8 years, Class B shares automatically convert into Class A shares. This helps you because Class A shares have lower annual expenses. Your Class B shares will convert to Class A shares as follows:

 

Shares issued:

At initial purchase

  

Shares issued:

On reinvestment of
dividends and
distributions

  

Shares issued:

Upon exchange from
another Legg Mason
Partners Fund

Approximately 8 years after the date of purchase payment    In same proportion as the number of Class B shares converting is to total Class B shares you own (excluding shares issued as dividends)    On the date the shares originally acquired would have converted into Class A shares
 

Class C shares

You buy Class C shares at net asset value without paying an initial sales charge. However, if you redeem your Class C shares within one year of purchase, you will pay a contingent deferred sales charge of 1.00%.

LMIS will generally pay Service Agents selling Class C shares a commission of up to 1.00% of the purchase price of the Class C shares they sell and LMIS will retain the contingent deferred sales charges and an annual distribution/service fee of up to 1.00% of the average daily net assets represented by the Class C shares serviced by these Service Agents until the thirteenth month after purchase. Starting in the thirteenth month after purchase, these Service Agents will receive an annual distribution/service fee of up to 1.00% of the average daily net assets represented by the Class C shares serviced by them.

Class I shares (formerly Class Y shares)

Class I shares are purchased at net asset value with no initial sales charge and no contingent deferred sales charge when redeemed.

 

Legg Mason Partners Dividend Strategy Fund         19


 

Class 1 shares

Class 1 shares are offered to eligible Class 1 shareholders at the offering price, which is the net asset value plus a sales charge. You pay a lower rate as the size of your investment increases to certain levels called breakpoints. You do not pay a sales charge on the fund’s distributions or dividends you reinvest in additional Class 1 shares.

The table below shows the rate of sales charge you pay, depending on the amount you purchase and the amount of broker/dealer compensation that is paid out of the sales charge. This compensation includes commissions received by Service Agents that sell shares of the fund.

 

Amount of purchase   Sales Charge
as a % of
offering price (%)
  Sales Charge as
a % of net
amount invested (%)
  Broker/Dealer
Commission
as a % of
offering price (%)

Less than $10,000

  8.50   9.29   7.00
 

$10,000 but less than $25,000

  7.75   8.40   6.25
 

$25,000 but less than $50,000

  6.00   6.38   5.00
 

$50,000 but less than $100,000

  4.50   4.71   3.75
 

$100,000 but less than $250,000

  3.50   3.63   3.00
 

$250,000 but less than $400,000

  2.50   2.56   2.00
 

$400,000 but less than $600,000

  2.00   2.04   1.60
 

$600,000 but less than $5,000,000

  1.00   1.01   0.75
 

$5,000,000 or more

  0.25   0.25   0.20
 

 

20         Legg Mason Partners Funds


 

More about contingent deferred sales charges

The contingent deferred sales charge is based on the net asset value at the time of purchase or redemption, whichever is less, and therefore you do not pay a sales charge on amounts representing appreciation or depreciation.

In addition, you do not pay a contingent deferred sales charge:

n  

When you exchange shares for shares of another Legg Mason Partners fund

n  

On shares representing reinvested distributions and dividends

n  

On shares no longer subject to the contingent deferred sales charge

Each time you place a request to redeem shares, the fund will first redeem any shares in your account that are not subject to a contingent deferred sales charge and then the shares in your account that have been held the longest.

If you redeemed shares of a Legg Mason Partners Fund and paid a contingent deferred sales charge, you may, under certain circumstances, reinvest all or part of the redemption proceeds within 60 days and receive pro rata credit for any contingent deferred sales charge imposed on the prior redemption. Please contact your Service Agent for additional information.

The fund’s distributors receive contingent deferred sales charges as partial compensation for their expenses in selling shares, including the payment of compensation to your Service Agent.

Contingent deferred sales charge waivers

The contingent deferred sales charge for each share Class will generally be waived:

n  

On payments made through certain systematic withdrawal plans

n  

On certain distributions from a retirement plan

n  

For retirement plans with omnibus accounts held on the books of the fund

n  

For involuntary redemptions of small account balances

n  

For 12 months following the death or disability of a shareholder

If you want to learn more about additional waivers of contingent deferred sales charges, contact your Service Agent, consult the SAI or look at the Legg Mason Partners Funds’ website, http://www.leggmason.com/InvestorServices, and click on the name of the fund.

 

Legg Mason Partners Dividend Strategy Fund         21


 

Retirement and institutional investors

Eligible investors

Retirement Plans

Retirement Plans with omnibus accounts held on the books of the fund can generally choose among three classes of shares: Class C, Class A and Class I (formerly Class Y) shares.

“Retirement Plans” include 401(k) plans, 457 plans, employer-sponsored 403(b) plans, profit-sharing plans, non-qualified deferred compensation plans and other similar employer-sponsored retirement plans. Retirement Plans do not include individual retirement vehicles, such as traditional and Roth individual retirement accounts, Coverdell education savings accounts, individual 403(b)(7) custodial accounts, Keogh plans, SEPs, SARSEPs, SIMPLE IRAs, or Section 529 savings accounts. Although Retirement Plans with omnibus accounts held on the books of the fund are not subject to minimum initial investment requirements for any of these share classes, certain investment minimums may be imposed by a financial intermediary.

Other Retirement Plan investors (including, for example, employer-sponsored plans investing through brokerage accounts), can generally choose among three classes of shares: Class A, Class B and Class C. Individual retirement vehicles, such as IRAs, may also choose among these share classes. These types of investors are treated like individual investors for purposes of determining sales charges and any applicable sales charge reductions or waivers.

Clients of Eligible Financial Intermediaries

Clients of Eligible Financial Intermediaries may generally choose among two classes of shares: Class A and Class I. “Clients of Eligible Financial Intermediaries” are investors who invest in the fund through financial intermediaries that offer their clients fund shares through investment programs as authorized by LMIS. Such investment programs may include fee-based advisory or brokerage account programs, and college savings vehicles such as Section 529 plans. The financial intermediary may impose separate investment minimums.

Institutional Investors

Institutional Investors may invest in Class I shares if they meet the $1,000,000 minimum initial investment requirement. Institutional Investors may also invest in Class A, B and C shares, which have different investment minimums and fees and expenses. “Institutional Investors” generally include corporations, banks, insurance companies, foundations, retirement plans and other similar entities with direct relationships to the fund.

Class C — Retirement Plans

For purchases made on or after November 20, 2006, Retirement Plans with omnibus accounts held on the books of the fund may buy Class C shares without paying a contingent deferred sales charge. As of November 20, 2006, LMIS no longer pays Service Agents selling Class C shares to retirement plans with omnibus accounts held on the books of a fund a commission on the purchase price of Class C shares sold by them. Instead, immediately after purchase, LMIS will pay these Service Agents an annual distribution/

 

22         Legg Mason Partners Funds


 

service fee of up to 1.00% of the average daily net assets represented by the Class C shares serviced by them.

Class I shares

As of November 20, 2006, Class Y shares were renamed Class I shares and are offered only to Institutional Investors who meet the $1,000,000 minimum initial investment requirement, Clients of Eligible Financial Intermediaries, and other investors as authorized by LMIS. However, investors that held Class Y shares prior to that date will be permitted to make additional investments in Class I shares.

Class A — Retirement Plans

Retirement Plans with omnibus accounts held on the books of the fund may purchase Class A shares through programs sponsored by financial intermediaries. Under these programs, the initial sales charge and contingent deferred sales charge for Class A shares is waived where:

n  

Such Retirement Plan’s record keeper offers only load-waived shares,

n  

Fund shares are held on the books of the fund through an omnibus account, and

n  

The Retirement Plan has more than 100 participants, or has total assets exceeding $1 million.

As of November 20, 2006, LMIS no longer pays Service Agents selling Class A shares to Retirement Plans with a direct omnibus relationship with a fund a commission on the purchase price of Class A shares sold by them. However, for certain Retirement Plans that are permitted to purchase shares at net asset value on or after this date, LMIS may continue to pay Service Agents commissions of up to 1.00% of the purchase price of the additional Class A shares that are purchased with regular ongoing plan contributions. Please contact your Service Agent for more information.

Other considerations

Plan sponsors, plan fiduciaries and other financial intermediaries may choose to impose qualification requirements for plans that differ from the fund’s share class eligibility standards. In certain cases this could result in the selection of a share class with higher service and -distribution related fees than otherwise would have been charged. The fund is not responsible for, and has no control over, the decision of any plan sponsor, plan fiduciary or financial intermediary to impose such differing requirements. Please consult with your plan sponsor, plan fiduciary or financial intermediary for more information about available share classes.

With respect to Class A and Class C shares, the fund may pay a fee for recordkeeping services performed for the share class.

Not all share classes may be made available by your Service Agent; please contact your Service Agent for additional details.

 

Legg Mason Partners Dividend Strategy Fund         23


 

Buying shares

 

Through a Service Agent   

You should contact your Service Agent to open a brokerage account and make arrangements to buy shares. You must provide the following information, for your order to be processed:

n Class of shares being bought

n Dollar amount or number of shares being bought

n Account number (if existing account)

Your Service Agent may charge an annual account maintenance fee.

 
Through the fund   

Financial intermediary accounts, retirement plan accounts and certain other investors who are clients of certain Service Agents are eligible to buy shares directly from the fund.

n Clients of a PFS Registered Representative should write to the fund at the following address:

Legg Mason Partners Funds

c/o PFPC, Inc.

P.O. Box 9662

Providence, Rhode Island 02940-9662

n All other investors should write to the fund at the following address:

Legg Mason Partners Funds

c/o PFPC, Inc.

P.O. Box 9699

Providence, Rhode Island 02940-9699

n Enclose a check to pay for the shares. For initial purchases, complete and send an account application available upon request from Legg Mason Partners Shareholder Services at the number below

n Specify the name of the fund, the share class you wish to purchase and account number (if existing account)

n For more information, please call Legg Mason Partners Shareholder Services at 800-451-2010 (or for clients of a PFS Registered Representative, call Primerica Shareholders Services at 800-544-5445)

 
Through a systematic investment plan   

You may authorize your Service Agent or transfer agent to transfer funds automatically from (i) a regular bank account, (ii) cash held in a brokerage account with a Service Agent or (iii) certain money market funds, in order to buy shares on a regular basis.

n Amounts transferred should be at least $25

n Amounts may be transferred monthly, every alternate month, quarterly, semi-annually or annually

n If you do not have sufficient funds in your account on a transfer date, your Service Agent or Legg Mason Partners Shareholder Services may charge you a fee

 

For more information, contact your Service Agent or Legg Mason Partners Shareholder Services or consult the SAI.

 

24         Legg Mason Partners Funds


 

Exchanging shares

 

Legg Mason Partners offers a distinctive family of mutual funds tailored to help meet the varying needs of both large and small investors.   

You should contact your Service Agent to exchange into other Legg Mason Partners Funds. Be sure to read the prospectus of the Legg Mason Partners Fund into which you are exchanging. An exchange is a taxable transaction, unless you are investing through a tax-qualified savings plan or account.

n If you bought shares through a Service Agent, you may exchange shares only for shares of the same class of certain other Legg Mason Partners Funds made available for exchange by your Service Agent. However, if you are a Class 1 shareholder, you may exchange Class 1 shares for Class A shares of other Legg Mason Partners Funds that do not offer Class 1 shares and that are made available for exchange through your Service Agent. Not all Legg Mason Partners Funds made available for exchange by your Service Agent may offer all classes. Please contact your Service Agent for more information about the funds and classes that are available for exchange

n If you bought shares directly from the fund, you may exchange shares only for shares of the same class of another Legg Mason Partners Fund other than shares of Legg Mason Partners S&P 500 Index Fund. However, if you are a Class 1 shareholder, you may exchange Class 1 shares for Class A shares of other Legg Mason Partners Funds that do not offer Class 1 shares. Not all Legg Mason Partners Funds offer all classes

n Not all Legg Mason Partners Funds may be offered in your state of residence. Contact your Service Agent or transfer agent for further information

n Exchanges of Class A, B, C and 1 shares are subject to minimum investment requirements (except for systematic investment plan exchanges), and all shares are subject to the other requirements of the fund into which exchanges are made

n If you hold share certificates, the transfer agent must receive the certificates endorsed for transfer or with signed stock powers before the exchange is effective

n The fund may suspend or terminate your exchange privilege if you engage in an excessive pattern of exchanges

 
Sales charges   

In most instances your shares will not be subject to an initial sales charge or a contingent deferred sales charge at the time of the exchange.

Your contingent deferred sales charge (if any) will continue to be measured from the date of your original purchase of shares subject to a contingent deferred sales charge and you will be subject to the contingent deferred sales charge of the fund that you originally purchased.

 

 

Legg Mason Partners Dividend Strategy Fund         25


 

By telephone   

If you do not have a brokerage account with a Service Agent, you may be eligible to exchange shares through the fund. You must complete an authorization form to authorize telephone transfers. If eligible, you may make telephone exchanges on any day the New York Stock Exchange Inc. (“NYSE”) is open. For clients of a PFS Registered Representative, call Primerica Shareholder Services at 800-544-5445 between 8:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m. (Eastern time). All other shareholders should call Legg Mason Partners Shareholder Services at 800-451-2010 between 8:30 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. (Eastern time). Exchanges are priced at the net asset value next determined.

You can make telephone exchanges only between accounts that have identical registrations.

 
By mail    If you do not have a brokerage account, contact your Service Agent or write to the fund at the address on the following page.
 
Through a systematic
exchange plan
  

You may be permitted to schedule exchanges of shares of any class of the fund for shares of the same class of other Legg Mason Partners Funds.

n Exchanges may be made, monthly, every alternate month, quarterly, semi-annually or annually

n A predetermined dollar amount of at least $25 per exchange
is required

 

For more information, please contact your Service Agent or Legg Mason Partners Shareholder Services.

 

26         Legg Mason Partners Funds


 

Redeeming shares

 

Generally   

Contact your Service Agent to redeem shares of the fund.

If you hold share certificates, the transfer agent must receive the certificates endorsed for transfer or with signed stock powers with a signature guarantee before you may redeem.

If the shares are held by a fiduciary or corporation, other documents may be required.

Redemptions are priced at net asset value next determined after receipt of your request in good order.

Your redemption proceeds will normally be sent within three business days after your request is received in good order, but in any event within 7 days. Your redemption proceeds may be delayed for up to 10 days if your purchase was made by check.

If you have a brokerage account with a Service Agent, your redemption proceeds will be sent to your Service Agent. In other cases, unless you direct otherwise, your redemption proceeds will be paid by check mailed to your address of record.

 
By mail   

For accounts held directly at the fund, send written requests to the fund at the applicable address:

For clients of a PFS Registered Representative, send your request to:

Primerica Shareholder Services

c/o PFPC Inc.

P.O. Box 9662

Providence, Rhode Island 02940-9662

For all other investors, send your request to:

Legg Mason Partners Funds

c/o PFPC, Inc.

P.O. Box 9699

Providence, Rhode Island 02940-9699

Your written request must provide the following:

n The fund name, the class of shares to be redeemed, and your account number

n The dollar amount or number of shares to be redeemed

n Signatures of each owner exactly as the account is registered

n Signature guarantees, as applicable

 

 

Legg Mason Partners Dividend Strategy Fund         27


 

By telephone   

If you do not have a brokerage account with a Service Agent, you may be eligible to redeem shares (except those held in certain retirement plans) in amounts up to $50,000 per day through the fund. You must complete an authorization form to authorize telephone redemptions. If eligible, you may request redemptions by telephone on any day the NYSE is open. For clients of a PFS Registered Representative, call Primerica Shareholder Services at 800-544-5445 between 8:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m. (Eastern time). All other shareholders should call Legg Mason Partners Shareholder Services at 800-451-2010 between 8:30 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. (Eastern time).

Your redemption proceeds can be sent by check to your address of record or by wire or electronic transfer (ACH) to a bank account designated on your authorization form. You must submit a new authorization form to change the bank account designated to receive wire or electronic transfers and you may be asked to provide certain other documents. The transfer agent may charge a fee on a wire or an electronic transfer (ACH).

 
Automatic cash withdrawal plans   

You can arrange for the automatic redemption of a portion of your shares monthly, every alternate month, quarterly, semi-annually or annually. To qualify you must own shares of the fund with a value of at least $10,000 ($5,000 for retirement plan accounts) and each automatic redemption must be at least $50. If your shares are subject to a contingent deferred sales charge, the sales charge will be waived if your automatic redemptions are equal to or less than 2% per month of your account balance on the date the withdrawals commence, up to a maximum of 12% in any one year.

The following conditions apply:

n Your shares must not be represented by certificates

n All dividends and distributions must be reinvested

 

For more information, please contact your Service Agent or consult the SAI.

 

28         Legg Mason Partners Funds


 

Other things to know about transactions

When you buy, exchange or redeem shares, your request must be in good order. This means you have provided the following information, without which your request may not be processed:

n  

Name of the fund

n  

Your account number

n  

Class of shares being bought, and if you own more than one class, the class of shares being exchanged or redeemed

n  

Dollar amount or number of shares being bought, exchanged or redeemed

n  

Signature of each owner exactly as the account is registered

The fund’s transfer agent or Legg Mason Partners Shareholder Services will employ reasonable procedures to confirm that any telephone exchange or redemption request is genuine, which may include recording calls, asking the caller to provide certain personal identification information, sending you a written confirmation or requiring other confirmation procedures from time to time. If these procedures are followed, neither the fund nor its agent will bear any liability for such transactions.

Signature guarantees

To be in good order, your redemption request must include a signature guarantee if you:

n  

Are redeeming over $50,000

n  

Are sending signed share certificates or stock powers to the transfer agent

n  

Instruct the transfer agent to mail the check to an address different from the one on your account registration

n  

Changed your account registration or your address within 30 days

n  

Want the check paid to someone other than the account owner(s)

n  

Are transferring the redemption proceeds to an account with a different registration

You can obtain a signature guarantee from most banks, dealers, brokers, credit unions and federal savings and loan institutions, but not from a notary public.

The fund has the right to:

n  

Suspend the offering of shares

n  

Waive or change minimum and additional investment amounts

n  

Reject any purchase or exchange order

n  

Change, revoke or suspend the exchange privilege

n  

Suspend telephone transactions

n  

Suspend or postpone redemptions of shares on any day when trading on the NYSE is restricted, or as otherwise permitted by the SEC

n  

Pay redemption proceeds by giving you securities. You may pay transaction costs to dispose of the securities

Small account balances/Mandatory redemptions

If at any time the aggregate net asset value of the fund shares in your account is less than $500 for any reason (including solely due to declines in net asset value and/or failure to invest at least $500 within a reasonable period), the fund reserves the right to ask you to bring your account up to the applicable minimum investment amount as determined by

 

Legg Mason Partners Dividend Strategy Fund         29


 

your Service Agent. In such case you shall be notified in writing and will have 60 days to make an additional investment to bring your account value up to the required level. If you choose not to do so within this 60-day period, the fund may close your account and send you the redemption proceeds. In the event your account is closed due to a failure to increase your balance to the minimum required amount, you will not be eligible to have your account subsequently reinstated without imposition of any sales charges that may apply to your new purchase. The fund may, with prior notice, change the minimum size of accounts subject to mandatory redemption, which may vary by class, or implement fees for small accounts.

Subject to applicable law, the fund may, with prior notice, adopt other policies from time to time requiring mandatory redemption of shares in certain circumstances.

For more information, please contact your Service Agent or Legg Mason Partners Shareholder Services or consult the SAI.

Frequent purchases and redemptions of fund shares

Frequent purchases and redemptions of fund shares may interfere with the efficient management of the fund’s portfolio by its portfolio managers, increase portfolio transaction costs, and have a negative effect on the fund’s long-term shareholders. For example, in order to handle large flows of cash into and out of the fund, the portfolio managers may need to allocate more assets to cash or other short-term investments or sell securities, rather than maintaining full investment in securities selected to achieve the fund’s investment objective. Frequent trading may cause the fund to sell securities at less favorable prices. Transaction costs, such as brokerage commissions and market spreads, can detract from the fund’s performance. In addition, the return received by long-term shareholders may be reduced when trades by other shareholders are made in an effort to take advantage of certain pricing discrepancies, when, for example, it is believed that the fund’s share price, which is determined at the close of the NYSE on each trading day, does not accurately reflect the value of the fund’s portfolio securities. Funds investing in foreign securities have been particularly susceptible to this form of arbitrage, but other funds could also be affected.

Because of the potential harm to the fund and its long-term shareholders, the Board of the fund has approved policies and procedures that are intended to discourage and prevent excessive trading and market timing abuses through the use of various surveillance techniques. Under these policies and procedures, the fund may limit additional exchanges or purchases of fund shares by shareholders who are believed by the manager to be engaged in these abusive trading activities. The intent of the policies and procedures is not to inhibit legitimate strategies, such as asset allocation, dollar cost averaging, or similar activities that may nonetheless result in frequent trading of fund shares. For this reason, the Board has not adopted any specific restrictions on purchases and sales of fund shares, but the fund reserves the right to reject any exchange or purchase of fund shares with or without prior notice to the account holder. In cases where surveillance of a particular account establishes what the manager believes to be obvious market timing, the manager will seek to block future purchases and exchanges of fund shares by that account. Where surveillance of a particular account indicates activity that the manager believes could be either abusive or for legitimate purposes, the fund may permit the account holder to justify the activity.

 

30         Legg Mason Partners Funds


 

The policies apply to any account, whether an individual account or accounts with financial intermediaries such as investment advisers, broker/dealers or retirement plan administrators, commonly called omnibus accounts, where the intermediary holds fund shares for a number of its customers in one account. The fund’s ability to monitor trading in omnibus accounts may, however, be severely limited due to the lack of access to an individual investor’s trading activity when orders are placed through these types of accounts. There may also be operational and technological limitations on the ability of the fund’s service providers to identify or terminate frequent trading activity within the various types of omnibus accounts.

The fund’s policies also require personnel such as portfolio managers and investment staff to report any abnormal or otherwise suspicious investment activity, and prohibit short-term trades by such personnel for their own account in mutual funds managed by the manager and its affiliates, other than money market funds. Additionally, the fund has adopted policies and procedures to prevent the selective release of information about the fund’s portfolio holdings, as such information may be used for market-timing and similar abusive practices.

The fund’s policies provide for ongoing assessment of the effectiveness of current policies and surveillance tools, and the Board reserves the right to modify these or adopt additional policies and restrictions in the future. Shareholders should be aware, however, that any surveillance techniques currently employed by the fund or other techniques that may be adopted in the future may not be effective, particularly where the trading takes place through certain types of omnibus accounts. As noted above, if the fund is unable to detect and deter trading abuses, the fund’s performance, and its long-term shareholders, may be harmed. In addition, because the fund has not adopted any specific limitations or restrictions on the trading of fund shares, shareholders may be harmed by the extra costs and portfolio management inefficiencies that result from frequent trading of fund shares, even when the trading is not for abusive purposes. Furthermore, the fund may not apply its policies consistently or uniformly, resulting in the risk that some shareholders may be able to engage in frequent trading while others will bear the costs and effects of that trading. The fund will provide advance notice to shareholders and prospective investors of any specific restrictions on the trading of fund shares that the Board may adopt in the future.

Share certificates

Share certificates for the fund will no longer be issued. If you currently hold share certificates of the fund, such certificates will continue to be honored. If you would like to return your share certificates to the fund and hold your shares in uncertificated form, please contact your Service Agent or Legg Mason Partners Shareholder Services.

Record ownership

If you hold shares through a Service Agent, your Service Agent may establish and maintain your account and be the shareholder of record. In the event that the fund holds a shareholder meeting, your Service Agent, as record holder, will vote your shares in accordance with your instructions. If you do not give your Service Agent voting instructions, your Service Agent may nonetheless, under certain circumstances, be entitled to vote your shares.

 

Legg Mason Partners Dividend Strategy Fund         31


 

Dividends, distributions and taxes

Dividends and distributions

The fund generally pays dividends, if any, on a quarterly basis and makes capital gain distributions, if any, once a year, typically in December. The fund may pay additional distributions and dividends at other times if necessary for the fund to avoid a federal tax. Capital gain distributions and dividends are reinvested in additional fund shares of the same class you hold. You do not pay a sales charge on reinvested distributions or dividends. Alternatively, you can instruct your Service Agent or Legg Mason Partners Shareholder Services to have your distributions and/or dividends paid in cash. You can change your choice at any time to be effective as of the next distribution or dividend.

Taxes

The following discussion is very general. Because each shareholder’s circumstances are different and special tax rules may apply, you should consult your tax adviser about your investment in the fund.

In general, you will have to pay federal income taxes, as well as any state and local taxes, when you redeem shares, exchange shares or receive dividends or distributions (whether paid in cash or reinvested in additional shares). Any tax liability that you owe as a result of any of these taxable events is your responsibility. The federal income tax treatment of redemptions, exchanges and distributions is summarized in the following table:

 

Transaction    Federal tax status
Redemption or exchange of shares    Usually capital gain or loss; long-term only if shares owned more than one year
 
Distributions of net capital gain (excess of net long-term capital gain over net short-term capital loss)    Long-term capital gain
 
Distributions of qualified dividend income    Qualified dividend income
 
Other ordinary dividends (including distributions of net short-term capital gain)    Ordinary income
 

Distributions of net capital gain are taxable to you as long-term capital gain regardless of how long you have owned your shares. Distributions of qualified dividend income received by a non-corporate shareholder, if any, may qualify for a reduced tax rate, provided that the shareholder satisfies certain holding period requirements. Qualified dividend income generally is income derived from dividends from a U.S. corporation (other than income derived from certain dividends received from REITs); dividends from certain foreign corporations may also qualify. You may want to avoid buying shares when the fund is about to declare a capital gain distribution or a dividend because it will be taxable to you even though it may effectively be a return of a portion of your investment.

After the end of each year, your Service Agent or the fund will provide you with information about the distributions and dividends you received and any redemptions of

 

32         Legg Mason Partners Funds


 

shares during the previous year. If you are neither a citizen nor resident of the United States, the fund will withhold federal income tax at the rate of 30% (or such lower rate as may be determined in accordance with any applicable treaty) on ordinary dividends and other payments that are subject to such withholding. If you do not provide the fund with your correct taxpayer identification number and any required certifications, you will be subject to back-up withholding at the rate of 28% on your distributions, dividends, and redemption proceeds. Back-up withholding will not, however, be applied to payments that have been subject to the 30% withholding tax on shareholders who are neither citizens nor residents of the United States.

 

Legg Mason Partners Dividend Strategy Fund         33


 

Share price

You may buy, exchange or redeem shares at their net asset value next determined after receipt of your request in good order, plus any applicable sales charge. For each class of shares, net asset value per share is the value of its assets minus its liabilities divided by the number of shares outstanding. Net asset value is calculated separately for each class of shares. The fund calculates its net asset value every day the NYSE is open. This calculation is done when regular trading closes on the NYSE (normally 4:00 pm, Eastern time). The NYSE is closed on certain holidays listed in the SAI.

The fund may invest in securities that are listed on foreign exchanges that trade on weekends and other days when the fund does not price its shares. Therefore, the value of the fund’s shares may change on days when you will not be able to purchase or redeem the fund’s shares.

The Board has approved procedures to be used to value the fund’s securities for the purposes of determining the fund’s net asset value. The valuation of the securities of the fund is determined in good faith by or under the direction of the Board. The Board has delegated certain valuation functions for the fund to the manager.

The fund generally values its securities based on market prices determined at the close of regular trading on the NYSE. The fund’s currency valuations, if any, are done as of when the London Stock Exchange closes, which is usually at 12 noon Eastern time, as the manager believes that these valuations typically reflect the largest trading volume in the foreign currency markets. A material change in the value of currency during the period between the close of the London Stock Exchange and the calculation of the fund’s net asset value on the same date is considered a significant event, as described below, in response to which the fund may use fair valuation procedures to value the affected investments. For equity securities that are traded on an exchange, the market price is usually the closing sale or official closing price on that exchange. In the case of securities not traded on an exchange, or if such closing prices are not otherwise available, the market price is typically determined by independent third party pricing vendors approved by the fund’s Board using a variety of pricing techniques and methodologies. The market price for debt obligations is generally the price supplied by an independent third party pricing service approved by the fund’s board, which may use a matrix, formula or other objective method that takes into consideration market indices, yield curves and other specific adjustments. Short-term debt obligations that will mature in 60 days or less are valued at amortized cost, unless it is determined that using this method would not reflect an investment’s fair value. If vendors are unable to supply a price, or if the price supplied is deemed by the manager to be unreliable, the market price may be determined using quotations received from one or more brokers/dealers that make a market in the security. When such prices or quotations are not available, or when the manager believes that they are unreliable, the manager may price securities using fair value procedures approved by the Board. Because the fund invests in securities of issuers located in emerging markets—some of which may be thinly traded, for which market quotations may not be readily available or may be unreliable—the fund may use fair valuation procedures more frequently than funds that invest primarily in securities that are more liquid, such as securities of large capitalization domestic issuers. The fund may also use fair value procedures if the manager determines that a significant event

 

34         Legg Mason Partners Funds


 

has occurred between the time at which a market price is determined and the time at which the fund’s net asset value is calculated. In particular, the value of foreign securities may be materially affected by events occurring after the close of the market on which they are valued, but before the fund prices its shares. The fund uses a fair value model developed by an independent third party pricing service to price foreign equity securities on days when there is a certain percentage change in the value of a domestic equity security index, as such percentage may be determined by the manager from time to time.

Valuing securities at fair value involves greater reliance on judgment than valuation of securities based on readily available market quotations. A fund that uses fair value to price securities may value those securities higher or lower than another fund using market quotations or its own fair value methodologies to price the same securities. There can be no assurance that the fund could obtain the fair value assigned to a security if it were to sell the security at approximately the time at which the fund determines its net asset value.

In order to buy, redeem or exchange shares at that day’s price, you must place your order with your Service Agent or Legg Mason Partners Shareholder Services before the NYSE closes. If the NYSE closes early, you must place your order prior to the actual closing time.

It is the responsibility of the Service Agents to transmit all orders to buy, exchange or redeem shares to the transfer agent on a timely basis.

 

Legg Mason Partners Dividend Strategy Fund         35


 

Financial highlights

The financial highlights tables are intended to help you understand the performance of each class for the past five years. Certain information reflects financial results for a single share. Total return represents the rate that a shareholder would have earned (or lost) on a fund share assuming reinvestment of all dividends and distributions. The information in the following tables has been derived from the fund’s financial statements, which have been audited by KPMG LLP, independent registered public accounting firm, whose report, along with the fund’s financial statements, is included in the annual report (available upon request). Effective as of November 20, 2006, Class Y shares of the fund were renamed Class I shares. No information is presented for Class I shares because no Class I shares were outstanding on October 31, 2006.

 

For a Class 1 share outstanding throughout each year ended October 31:  
Class 1 Shares(1)   2006     2005     2004     2003     2002  

Net Asset Value, Beginning of Year

  $16.90     $16.89     $16.36     $14.10     $17.55  
   

Income (Loss) From Operations:

         

Net investment income

  0.34     0.34     0.06     0.06     0.05  

Net realized and unrealized gain (loss)

  2.37     0.02     0.50     2.20     (3.39 )
   

Total Income (Loss) From Operations

  2.71     0.36     0.56     2.26     (3.34 )
   

Less Distributions From:

         

Net investment income

  (0.35 )   (0.35 )   (0.03 )       (0.09 )

Net realized gains

  (0.84 )               (0.01 )

Return of capital

                  (0.01 )
   

Total Distributions

  (1.19 )   (0.35 )   (0.03 )       (0.11 )
   

Net Asset Value, End of Year

  $18.42     $16.90     $16.89     $16.36     $14.10  
   

Total Return(2)

  16.92 %   2.12 %   3.41 %   16.03 %   (19.20 )%
   

Net Assets, End of Year (millions)

  $2,032     $2,036     $2,288     $2,435     $2,303  
   

Ratios to Average Net Assets:

         

Gross expenses

  0.88 %   0.94 %   0.90 %   1.00 %   0.90 %

Net expenses

  0.85 (3)   0.94     0.90 (3)   1.00     0.90  

Net investment income

  2.00     1.99     0.36     0.39     0.31  
   

Portfolio Turnover Rate

  21 %   135 %   35 %   69 %   38 %
   

 

(1)

 

Per share amounts have been calculated using the average shares method.

 

(2)

 

Performance figures may reflect fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements. Past performance is no guarantee of future results. In the absence of fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements, the total return would be lower.

 

(3)

 

Reflects fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements.

 

36         Legg Mason Partners Funds


 

For a Class A share outstanding throughout each year ended October 31:  
Class A Shares(1)   2006     2005     2004     2003     2002  

Net Asset Value, Beginning of Year

  $16.52     $16.47     $16.03     $13.93     $17.41  
   

Income (Loss) From Operations:

         

Net investment income (loss)

  0.27     0.28     (0.05 )   (0.06 )   (0.10 )

Net realized and unrealized gain (loss)

  2.32     0.02     0.49     2.16     (3.37 )
   

Total Income (Loss) From Operations

  2.59     0.30     0.44     2.10     (3.47 )
   

Less Distributions From:

         

Net investment income

  (0.30 )   (0.25 )            

Net realized gains

  (0.84 )               (0.01 )
   

Total Distributions

  (1.14 )   (0.25 )           (0.01 )
   

Net Asset Value, End of Year

  $17.97     $16.52     $16.47     $16.03     $13.93  
   

Total Return(2)

  16.50 %   1.82 %   2.74 %   15.08 %   (19.94 )%
   

Net Assets, End of Year (millions)

  $395     $378     $404     $414     $352  
   

Ratios to Average Net Assets:

         

Gross expenses

  1.43 %   1.59 %   1.59 %   1.80 %   1.80 %

Net expenses

  1.24 (3)(4)   1.25 (3)(4)   1.58 (4)   1.80     1.80  

Net investment income (loss)

  1.62     1.67     (0.33 )   (0.42 )   (0.59 )
   

Portfolio Turnover Rate

  21 %   135 %   35 %   69 %   38 %
   

 

(1)

 

Per share amounts have been calculated using the average shares method.

 

(2)

 

Performance figures may reflect fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements. Past performance is no guarantee of future results. In the absence of fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements, the total return would be lower.

 

(3)

 

As a result of a voluntary expense limitation, the ratio of expenses to average net assets other than interest, brokerage, taxes and extraordinary expenses of Class A shares will not exceed 1.25%.

 

(4)

 

Reflects fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements.

 

Legg Mason Partners Dividend Strategy Fund         37


 

For a Class B share outstanding throughout each year ended October 31:  
Class B Shares(1)   2006     2005     2004     2003     2002  

Net Asset Value, Beginning of Year

  $15.62     $15.55     $15.26     $13.38     $16.86  
   

Income (Loss) From Operations:

         

Net investment income (loss)

  0.14     0.15     (0.18 )   (0.18 )   (0.22 )

Net realized and unrealized gain (loss)

  2.18     0.02     0.47     2.06     (3.25 )
   

Total Income (Loss) From Operations

  2.32     0.17     0.29     1.88     (3.47 )
   

Less Distributions From:

         

Net investment income

  (0.18 )   (0.10 )            

Net realized gains

  (0.84 )               (0.01 )
   

Total Distributions

  (1.02 )   (0.10 )           (0.01 )
   

Net Asset Value, End of Year

  $16.92     $15.62     $15.55     $15.26     $13.38  
   

Total Return(2)

  15.61 %   1.09 %   1.90 %   14.05 %   (20.59 )%
   

Net Assets, End of Year (millions)

  $250     $264     $292     $305     $290  
   

Ratios to Average Net Assets:

         

Gross expenses

  2.23 %   2.38 %   2.42 %   2.66 %   2.59 %

Net expenses

  1.96 (3)(4)   2.00 (3)(4)   2.42 (4)   2.66     2.59  

Net investment income (loss)

  0.90     0.93     (1.16 )   (1.27 )   (1.39 )
   

Portfolio Turnover Rate

  21 %   135 %   35 %   69 %   38 %
   

 

(1)

 

Per share amounts have been calculated using the average shares method.

 

(2)

 

Performance figures may reflect fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements. Past performance is no guarantee of future results. In the absence of fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements, the total return would be lower.

 

(3)

 

As a result of a voluntary expense limitation, the ratio of expenses to average net assets, other than interest, brokerage, taxes and extraordinary expenses of Class B shares will not exceed 2.00%.

 

(4)

 

Reflects fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements.

 

38         Legg Mason Partners Funds


For a Class C share outstanding throughout each year ended October 31:  
Class C Shares(1)(2)   2006     2005     2004     2003     2002  

Net Asset Value, Beginning of Year

  $16.48     $16.39     $15.98     $13.87     $17.36  
   

Income (Loss) From Operations:

         

Net investment income (loss)

  0.20     0.18     (0.08 )   (0.04 )   (0.13 )

Net realized and unrealized gain (loss)

  2.30     0.04     0.49     2.15     (3.35 )
   

Total Income (Loss) From Operations

  2.50     0.22     0.41     2.11     (3.48 )
   

Less Distributions From:

         

Net investment income

  (0.19 )   (0.13 )            

Net realized gains

  (0.84 )               (0.01 )
   

Total Distributions

  (1.03 )   (0.13 )           (0.01 )
   

Net Asset Value, End of Year

  $17.95     $16.48     $16.39     $15.98     $13.87  
   

Total Return(3)

  15.94 %   1.32 %   2.57 %   15.21 %   (20.05 )%
   

Net Assets, End of Year (millions)

  $11     $12     $5     $6     $5  
   

Ratios to Average Net Assets:

         

Gross expenses

  1.73 %   1.75 %   1.77 %   1.67 %   2.00 %

Net expenses

  1.69 (3)(4)   1.75     1.77 (4)   1.67     2.00  

Net investment income (loss)

  1.18     1.05     (0.51 )   (0.29 )   (0.80 )
   

Portfolio Turnover Rate

  21 %   135 %   35 %   69 %   38 %
   

 

(1)

 

Per share amounts have been calculated using the average shares method.

 

(2)

 

On April 29, 2004, Class L shares were renamed as Class C shares.

 

(3)

 

Performance figures may reflect fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements. Past performance is no guarantee of future results. In the absence of fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements, the total return would be lower.

 

(4)

 

Reflects fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements.

 

Legg Mason Partners Dividend Strategy Fund         39


 

 

(Investment Company Act

file no. 811-05018)

FD 03062 02/07

LOGO

Legg Mason Partners

Dividend Strategy Fund

You may look at the fund’s website at www.leggmason.com/InvestorServices for a free copy of a Prospectus, Statement of Additional Information (“SAI”) or an Annual or Semi-Annual Report, or to request other information.

Shareholder reports Additional information about the fund’s investments is available in the fund’s Annual and Semi-Annual Reports to shareholders. In the fund’s Annual Report, you will find a discussion of the market conditions and investment strategies that significantly affected the fund’s performance.

The fund sends only one report to a household if more than one account has the same last name and same address. Contact your Service Agent or the transfer agent if you do not want this policy to apply to you.

Statement of additional information The statement of additional information provides more detailed information about the fund and is incorporated by reference into (is legally a part of) this Prospectus.

You can make inquiries about the fund or obtain shareholder reports (without charge) by contacting your Service Agent, by calling Legg Mason Partners Shareholder Services at 800-451-2010 (or for clients of a PFS Registered Representative, call Primerica Shareholder Services at 800-544-5445), or by writing to the fund at Legg Mason Partners 125 Broad Street, New York, New York 10004.

Information about the fund (including the SAI) can be reviewed and copied at the Securities and Exchange Commission’s (the “Commission”) Public Reference Room in Washington, D.C. In addition, information on the operation of the Public Reference Room may be obtained by calling the Commission at 1-202-551-8090. Reports and other information about the fund are available on the EDGAR Database on the Commission’s Internet site at http://www.sec.gov. Copies of this information may be obtained for a duplicating fee by electronic request at the following E-mail address: publicinfo@sec.gov, or by writing the Commission’s Public Reference Section, Washington, D.C. 20549-0102.

If someone makes a statement about the fund that is not in this Prospectus, you should not rely upon that information. Neither the fund nor the distributors are offering to sell shares of the fund to any person to whom the fund may not lawfully sell its shares.


Filed under Rule 497(c)

File Nos. 33-43446 and 811-6444

April 16, 2007

STATEMENT OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

LEGG MASON PARTNERS DIVIDEND STRATEGY FUND

125 Broad Street

New York, New York 10004

800 451-2010

This Statement of Additional Information (“SAI”) expands upon and supplements the information contained in the current Prospectus of Legg Mason Partners Dividend Strategy Fund (“Dividend Strategy Fund”), dated April 16, 2007 as supplemented from time to time, and should be read in conjunction with the Prospectus. This SAI, although not in itself a prospectus, is incorporated by reference in its entirety into the Prospectus of the fund (the “Fund”). As part of a number of initiatives launched in 2006 to restructure and streamline the Legg Mason Partners fund complex, the Fund assumed the assets and liabilities of a predecessor fund with the same name. The Fund is now grouped for organizational and governance purposes with other Legg Mason Partners funds that are predominantly equity-type funds, and is a series of Legg Mason Partners Equity Trust (the “Trust”), a Maryland business trust. Other initiatives, including the election of a new Board of Trustees (the “Board”) and the approval of certain revised fundamental investment policies, have also been accomplished, and more information on these matters appears in this SAI. Certain historical information contained in the SAI is that of the Fund’s predecessor.

Additional information about the Fund’s investments is available in the Fund’s annual and semi-annual reports to shareholders. These reports contain financial statements that are incorporated herein by reference. The Prospectus and reports may be obtained by contacting a broker-dealer, financial intermediary or financial institution that has entered into an agreement with a Fund’s distributor or a distributor’s financial consultants (each, a “service agent”), by calling the Fund at 1-800-451-2010, or by writing to the Fund at 125 Broad Street, New York, New York 10004. Legg Mason Investor Services, LLC (“LMIS”), a wholly-owned broker-dealer subsidiary of Legg Mason, Inc. (“Legg Mason”), Citigroup Global Markets Inc. (“CGMI”) and PFS Investments Inc. (“PFS”) serve as the Fund’s distributors.

 

1


TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

Management

   3

Investment Objectives, Management Policies and Associated Risks

   15

Additional Risk Factors

   31

Investment Policies

   36

Brokerage

   39

Portfolio Turnover

   41

Disclosure of Portfolio Holdings

   43

Portfolio Managers

   45

Distributors

   48

Distribution Plan

   50

Determination of Net Asset Value

   51

Additional Information on the Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares and Shareholder Programs

   52

Distributions and Federal Taxes

   61

Other Information

   63

Financial Statements

   70

Appendix A—Ratings of Bonds, Notes and Commercial Paper

   A-1

Appendix B—Proxy Voting Guidelines & Procedures Summary—ClearBridge Advisors

   B-1

This Statement of Additional Information is NOT a prospectus and is authorized for distribution to prospective investors only if preceded or accompanied by an effective Prospectus.

 

2


MANAGEMENT

The business affairs of the Fund are managed by or under the direction of the Board. The Board elects officers who are responsible for the day-to-day operations of the Fund and who execute policies authorized by the Board.

The current Trustees, including the Trustees of the Fund who are not “interested persons” of the Fund (the “Independent Trustees”) as defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”), and executive officers of the Fund, their birth years, their principal occupations during at least the past five years (their titles may have varied during that period), the number of funds associated with Legg Mason the Trustees oversee, and other board memberships they hold are set forth below. The address of each Trustee is c/o R. Jay Gerken, 399 Park Avenue, New York, New York 10022.

The following information relates to the Trust’s recently elected Board of Trustees.

 

Name and

Year of Birth

  Position(s)
with Funds 
  Term of
Office* and
Length of
Time
Served**
 

Principal Occupation(s)

During Past 5 Years

 

Number of

Funds

in Fund

Complex

to be
Overseen

by Trustee

 

Other Board

Memberships
Held by Trustee
During

Past Five Years

INDEPENDENT TRUSTEES:

       

Paul R. Ades

Born 1940

  Trustee   Since 1983   Law firm of Paul R. Ades, PLLC (since 2000)   57   None

Andrew L. Breech

Born 1952

  Trustee   Since 1991   President, Dealer Operating Control Service, Inc. (automotive retail management) (since 1985)   57   None

Dwight B. Crane

Born 1937

  Trustee   Since 1981   Professor, Harvard Business School (since 1969); Independent Consultant (since 1969)   60   None

Robert M. Frayn, Jr.

Born 1934

  Trustee   Since 1981   Retired; formerly, President and Director, Book Publishing Co. (1970 to 2002)   57   None

Frank G. Hubbard

Born 1937

  Trustee   Since 1993   President, Avatar International Inc. (business development) (since 1998)   57   None

Howard J. Johnson

Born 1938

  Trustee   From 1981 to
1998 and
2000 to
Present
  Chief Executive Officer, Genesis Imaging LLC (technology company) (since 2003)   57   None

David E. Maryatt

Born 1936

  Trustee   Since 1983   Private Investor; President and Director, ALS Co. (real estate management and development firm) (since 1993)   57   None

Jerome H. Miller

Born 1938

  Trustee   Since 1995   Retired   57   None

 

3


Name and

Year of Birth

  Position(s)
with Funds 
  Term of
Office* and
Length of
Time
Served**
 

Principal Occupation(s)

During Past 5 Years

 

Number of

Funds

in Fund

Complex

to be
Overseen

by Trustee

 

Other Board

Memberships
Held by Trustee During

Past Five Years

Ken Miller

Born 1942

  Trustee   Since 1983   Chairman, Young Stuff Apparel Group, Inc. (apparel manufacturer) (since 1963)   57   None

John J. Murphy

Born 1944

  Trustee   Since 2002   President, Murphy Capital Management (investment advice) (since 1983)   57   Director, Nicholas Applegate funds; Trustee, Consulting Group Capital Markets Funds; formerly, Director, Atlantic Stewardship Bank (2004 to 2005); Director, Barclays International Funds Group Ltd. and affiliated companies (to 2003)

Thomas F. Schlafly

Born 1948

  Trustee   Since 1983   Of Counsel, Blackwell Sanders Peper Martin LLP (law firm) (since 1984); President, The Saint Louis Brewery, Inc. (brewery) (since 1989)   57   Director, Citizens National Bank, Maplewood (2006)

Jerry A. Viscione

Born 1944

  Trustee   Since 1993   Retired; formerly, Executive Vice President, Marquette University (1997 to 2002)   57   None

 

4


Name and

Year of Birth

  Position(s)
with Funds 
  Term of
Office* and
Length of
Time
Served**
 

Principal Occupation(s)

During Past 5 Years

 

Number of

Funds

in Fund

Complex

to be
Overseen

by Trustee

 

Other Board

Memberships
Held by Trustee
During

Past Five Years

INTERESTED TRUSTEE:

         

R. Jay Gerken, CFA†

Born 1951

  Trustee,
President,
Chairman
and Chief
Executive
Officer
  Since 2002   Managing Director, Legg Mason & Co., LLC (“Legg Mason & Co.”); Chairman of the Board and Trustee/Director of 149 funds associated with LMPFA and its affiliates; President, Legg Mason Partners Fund Advisor, LLC (“LMPFA”) (since 2006); Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of certain mutual funds associated with Legg Mason & Co. or its affiliates; formerly, Chairman, Smith Barney Fund Management LLC (“SBFM”) and Citi Fund Management, Inc. (“CFM”) (2002 to 2005); formerly, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer, Travelers Investment Adviser Inc. (2002 to 2005)   149  

None


* Each Trustee serves until his or her respective successor has been duly elected and qualified or until his or her earlier death, resignation, retirement or removal.
** Indicates the earliest year in which the Trustee became a Board member for a fund in the Legg Mason Partners fund complex.
Mr. Gerken is an “interested person”, as defined in the 1940 Act, because of his position with the manager and/or certain of its affiliates.

 

5


Name, Year of Birth

and Address

  

Position(s)

with Funds

  

Term of Office*

and Length of

Time Served**

  

Principal Occupation(s)

During Past 5 Years

OFFICERS:         

Ted P. Becker

Born 1951

399 Park Avenue

New York, NY 10022

  

Chief Compliance

Officer

   Since 2006    Director of Global Compliance at Legg Mason, Inc. (2006 to present); Managing Director of Compliance at Legg Mason & Co (2005 to present); Chief Compliance Officer with certain mutual funds associated with Legg Mason & Co. (since 2006); Chief Compliance Officer of LMPFA and certain affiliates; Managing Director of Compliance at Citigroup Asset Management (“CAM,” a group of affiliated investment advisers, which included SBFM, Smith Barney Asset Management and CFM and other affiliated investment advisory entities) (2002 to 2005). Prior to 2002, Managing Director-Internal Audit & Risk Review at Citigroup Inc.

John Chiota

Born 1968

100 First Stamford Place,

5th Floor

Stamford, CT 06902

  

Chief Anti-Money

Laundering

Compliance

Officer

   Since 2006    Vice President of Legg Mason & Co. (since 2005); Vice President at CAM (since 2004); Chief Anti-Money Laundering Compliance Officer of certain mutual funds associated with Legg Mason & Co. (since 2006). Prior to August 2004, Chief Anti-Money Laundering Compliance Officer of TD Waterhouse.

Robert I. Frenkel

Born 1954

300 First Stamford Place

Stamford, CT 06902

  

Secretary and

Chief Legal

Officer

   Since 2003    Managing Director and General Counsel of Global Mutual Funds for Legg Mason & Co. (since 2005); Managing Director and General Counsel of Global Mutual Funds for CAM (since 2000); Secretary and Chief Legal Officer of certain mutual funds associated with Legg Mason & Co. (since 2003). Previously, Secretary of CFM (2001 to 2004).

R. Jay Gerken, CFA

Born 1951

399 Park Avenue

New York, NY 10022

  

Chairman,

President

and Chief

Executive Officer

   Since 2002   

Managing Director, Legg Mason & Co., LLC (“Legg Mason & Co.”); Chairman of the Board and Trustee/Director of 149 funds associated with LMPFA and its affiliates; President, Legg Mason Partners Fund Advisor, LLC (“LMPFA”) (since 2006); Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of certain mutual funds associated with Legg Mason & Co. or its affiliates; formerly, Chairman, Smith Barney Fund Management LLC (“SBFM”) and Citi Fund Management, Inc. (“CFM”) (2002 to 2005); formerly, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer, Travelers Investment Adviser Inc. (2002 to 2005)

 

6


Name, Year of Birth

and Address

  

Position(s)

with Funds

  

Term of Office*

and Length of

Time Served**

  

Principal Occupation(s)

During Past 5 Years

Thomas C. Mandia

Born 1962

300 First Stamford Place

Stamford, CT 06902

  

Assistant

Secretary

   Since 2000    Managing Director and Deputy General Counsel of Legg Mason & Co. (since 2005); Managing Director and Deputy General Counsel for CAM (since 1992); Assistant Secretary of certain mutual funds associated with Legg Mason & Co.

Kaprel Ozsolak

Born 1965

125 Broad Street, 11th Floor

New York, NY 10004

  

Chief Financial

Officer and

Treasurer

   Since 2004    Director of Legg Mason & Co. or its (since 2005); Director at CAM (1996 to 2005); Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer of certain mutual funds associated with Legg Mason & Co. (since 2005); Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer of certain Mutual funds associated with CAM (2004 to 2005). Previously, Mr. Ozsolak was Controller of certain mutual funds associated with CAM (2002 to 2004).

* Each officer serves until his or her respective successor has been duly elected and qualified or until his or her earlier death, resignation, retirement or removal.
** Indicates the earliest year in which the officer took office for any funds in the Legg Mason Partners fund complex.

Officers of the Fund receive no compensation from the Fund, although they may be reimbursed by the Fund for reasonable out-of-pocket travel expenses for attending Board meetings. The Board has a standing Audit Committee, Nominating Committee and Pricing Committee. The Audit Committee and Nominating Committee are composed of Independent Trustees. The Pricing Committee is composed of the Chairman of the Board and one Independent Trustee.

The Audit Committee oversees the scope of the Fund’s audit, the Fund’s accounting and financial reporting policies and practices and its internal controls. The primary purposes of the Board’s Audit Committee are to assist the Board in fulfilling its responsibility for oversight of the integrity of the accounting, auditing and financial reporting practices of the Fund, the qualifications and independence of the Fund’s independent registered public accounting firm, and the Fund’s compliance with legal and regulatory requirements. The Audit Committee approves, and recommends to the Independent Trustees for their ratification, the selection, appointment, retention or termination of the Fund’s independent registered public accounting firm and approves the compensation of the independent registered public accounting firm. The Audit Committee also approves all audit and permissible non-audit services provided to the Fund by the independent registered public accounting firm and all permissible non-audit services provided by the Fund’s independent registered public accounting firm to its manager and any affiliated service providers if the engagement relates directly to the Fund’s operations and financial reporting.

The Nominating Committee is responsible for, among other things, recommending candidates to fill vacancies on the Board. The Nominating Committee may consider nominees recommended by a shareholder. Shareholders who wish to recommend a nominee should send recommendations to the Trust’s Secretary that include all information relating to such person that is required to be disclosed in solicitations of proxies for the election of Trustees. A recommendation must be accompanied by a written consent of the individual to stand for election if nominated by the Board and to serve if elected by the shareholders.

The Nominating Committee identifies potential nominees through its network of contacts and may also engage, if it deems appropriate, a professional search firm. The committee meets to discuss and consider such candidates’ qualifications and then chooses a candidate by majority vote. The committee does not have specific,

 

7


minimum qualifications for nominees, nor has it established specific qualities or skills that it regards as necessary for one or more of the Trustees to possess (other than any qualities or skills that may be required by applicable law, regulation or listing standard). However, in evaluating a person as a potential nominee to serve as a Trustee, the Nominating Committee may consider the following factors, among any others it may deem relevant:

 

   

whether or not the person is an “interested person,” as defined in the 1940 Act, and whether the person is otherwise qualified under applicable laws and regulations to serve as a Trustee;

 

   

whether or not the person has any relationships that might impair his or her independence, such as any business, financial or family relationships with fund management, the investment adviser, service providers or their affiliates;

 

   

whether or not the person serves on boards of, or is otherwise affiliated with, competing financial service organizations or their related mutual fund complexes;

 

   

whether or not the person is willing to serve, and willing and able to commit the time necessary for the performance of the duties of a Trustee;

 

   

the contribution which the person can make to the Board (or, if the person has previously served as a Trustee, the contribution which the person made to the Board during his or her previous term of service), with consideration being given to the person’s business and professional experience, education and such other factors as the committee may consider relevant;

 

   

the character and integrity of the person; and

 

   

whether or not the selection and nomination of the person would be consistent with the requirements of the retirement policies of the Trust, as applicable.

The Pricing Committee is charged with determining the fair value prices for securities when required.

As indicated above, the Trust’s Board is recently elected and is newly constituted as the Board that oversees all of the equity-type funds in the fund complex. All members of the Board previously have served on Boards of Legg Mason Partners funds. The Audit, Nominating and Pricing Committees are recently established committees of this Board and did not meet during the Fund’s last fiscal year.

The following table shows the amount of equity securities owned by the Trustees in the Fund and other investment companies in the fund complex supervised by the Trustees as of December 31, 2006.

 

Name of Trustee

  

Dollar Range

of Equity

Securities in

the Dividend Strategy

Fund

  

Aggregate Dollar Range

of Equity Securities In

Registered Investment

Companies Overseen

by Trustee

Independent Trustees

     

Paul R. Ades

   $0    Over $100,000

Andrew L. Breech

   $0    Over $100,000

Dwight B. Crane

   $0    Over $100,000

Robert M. Frayn, Jr.

   $0    Over $100,000

Frank G. Hubbard

   $0    Over $100,000

Howard J. Johnson

   $0    $0

David E. Maryatt

   $0    Over $100,000

Jerome H. Miller

   $0    $50,001-$100,000

Ken Miller

   $0    $50,001-$100,000

John J. Murphy

   $0    $0

Thomas F. Schlafly

   $0    Over $100,000

Jerry A. Viscione

   $0    $10,001-$50,000

Interested Trustee

     

R. Jay Gerken

   $0    Over $100,000

 

8


As of April 16, 2007, none of the Independent Trustees or their immediate family members owned beneficially or of record any securities of the manager, subadviser or distributors of the Fund, or in a person (other than a registered investment company) directly or indirectly controlling, controlled by or under common control with the manager, subadviser or distributors of the Fund.

Information regarding compensation paid by the Fund to its recently elected Board and its prior Board is set forth below. The Independent Trustees receive a fee for each meeting of the Fund’s Board of Trustees and committee meetings attended and are reimbursed for all out-of-pocket expenses relating to attendance at such meetings. Mr. Gerken, an “interested person,” as defined in the 1940 Act, does not receive compensation from the Fund for his service as Trustee, but may be reimbursed for all out-of-pocket expenses relating to attendance at such meetings.

The Fund pays a pro rata share of the Trustee fees based upon asset size. The Fund currently pays each of the Trustees who is not a director, officer or employee of the manager or any of its affiliates its pro rata share of: an annual fee of $100,000 plus $20,000 for each regularly scheduled Board meeting attended in person, and $1,000 for each telephonic Board meeting in which that trustee participates. The lead Independent Trustee will receive an additional $25,000 per year and the Chair of the Audit Committee will receive an additional $15,000 per year.

Recently elected Board

 

Name of Trustee

  

Aggregate

Compensation

from the Dividend

Strategy

Fund(1)(2)

  

Total Pension or

Retirement

Benefits Paid

as Part of Fund

Expenses(1)

   

Total

Compensation

from Fund
Complex Paid

to Trustee(1)(2)

  

Number of
Portfolios in

Fund

Complex

Overseen by
Trustee(1)

Independent Trustees

          

Paul R. Ades

   $   0    $ 0       86,200    12

Andrew L. Breech

   $ 0    $ 0       35,750    3

Dwight B. Crane

   $ 0      (3 )     266,500    46

Robert M. Frayn, Jr.

   $ 0    $ 0       *17,500    1

Frank G. Hubbard

   $ 0    $ 0       78,700    12

Howard J. Johnson

   $ 0    $ 0       36,000    1

David E. Maryatt

   $ 0    $ 0       *17,500    1

Jerome H. Miller

   $ 0    $ 0       73,500    12

Ken Miller

   $ 0    $ 0       71,500    12

John J. Murphy

   $ 0    $ 0       91,200    23

Thomas F. Schlafly

   $ 0    $ 0       35,250    3

Jerry A. Viscione

   $ 0    $ 0       29,500    1

Interested Trustee

          

R. Jay Gerken

   $ 0    $ 0     $ 0    162

(1) Information is for the calendar year ended December 31, 2006. The disclosure of compensation paid to the Trustees is provided as of the most recent calendar year end, rather than the Fund’s most recent fiscal year end, for ease of presentation and comprehension.
(2) Mr. Murphy and Mr. Hubbard also received $2,200 and $5,200, respectively, during 2006 for attending on behalf of their former Boards an additional meeting relating to the selection of service providers for the funds in the Legg Mason Partners Fund complex. The amounts were paid by the manager or its affiliates, and not by the Fund.
(3) Pursuant to a prior emeritus retirement plan, Mr. Crane has received or is entitled to receive, in a lump sum (calculated on a net present value basis) or in quarterly installments, an aggregate benefit having a net present value equal to $444,643. Mr. Crane elected to receive the benefit in a lump sum payment. Each fund no longer overseen by Mr. Crane will pay a pro rata share (based upon asset size) of the aggregate benefit to Mr. Crane. Legg Mason or its affiliates have agreed to reimburse these Funds an amount equal to 50% of the benefits paid to Mr. Crane.
* Deferred Compensation.

 

9


For the fiscal year ended October 31, 2006, the Trustees of the Fund’s were paid the compensation listed below for service as a Trustee. Information as to the compensation paid to the Trustees of the Fund for the calendar year ended December 31, 2006 also is shown below.

Prior Board

Trustee

  

Aggregate

Compensation

from

Dividend Strategy

Fund

for fiscal year

ended 10/31/06(3)

  

Pension or

Retirement

Benefits

Paid as Part

of Fund

Expenses

for fiscal year

ended 10/31/06

   

Total
Compensation
from Funds and
Fund Complex
Paid to Trustee

for fiscal year

ended 10/31/06(3)

  

Number of Funds

in Fund Complex

Served by Trustee

for fiscal year

ended 10/31/06

Interested Trustee

          

R. Jay Gerken(1) 

   $ 0    None     $ 0    162

Independent Trustees

          

Elliott J. Berv

     4,123         (2)     154,500    37

Donald M. Carlton

     4,455         (2)(4)     164,500    37

A. Benton Cocanougher

     4,490         (2)     161,000    37

Mark T. Finn

     4,553         (2)     179,375    37

Stephen Randolph Gross

     5,072         (2)     191,000    37

Diana R. Harrington

     4,320         (2)     159,625    37

Susan B. Kerley

     4,456         (2)     173,000    37

Alan G. Merten

     4,124         (2)     148,500    37

R. Richardson Pettit

     4,124         (2)     154,500    37

 

Disinterested Trustee

   Aggregate
Compensation
from Fund for
Year Ended
12/31/06(3)
   Total Pension or
Retirement Benefits
Paid as Part of
Fund Expenses
    Total Compensation
from Fund Complex
Paid to Trustee in
Year Ended
12/31/06(3)
   Number of
Funds for
Which Trustee
Served Within
Fund Complex

Elliott J. Berv

     4,144           (2)     154,500    37

Donald M. Carlton

     4,475           (2)(4)     164,500    37

A. Benton Cocanougher

     4,612           (2)     161,000    37

Mark T. Finn

     4,574           (2)     179,375    37

Stephen Randolph Gross

     5,093           (2)     191,000    37

Diana R. Harrington

     4,340           (2)     159,625    37

Susan B. Kerley

     4,477           (2)     173,000    37

Alan G. Merten

     4,144           (2)     148,500    37

R. Richardson Pettit

     4,144           (2)     154,500    37

Interested Trustee

          

R. Jay Gerken

   $ 0    $ 0     $ 0    162

(1)

Mr. Gerken was is not compensated for his service as Trustee because of his affiliation with the manager.

(2) Pursuant to prior retirement plans, the following former Trustees have received or are entitled to receive benefits (calculated on a net present value basis) as follows; Mr. Berv: $307,130; Mr. Carlton: $517,678; Mr. Cocanougher: $503,114; Mr. Finn: $306,079; Mr. Gross: $318,788; Ms. Harrington: $348,670; Ms. Kerley: $217,984; Mr. Merten: $405,257; Mr. Pettit: $424,976. Benefits under the retirement plans are paid in quarterly installments unless the Trustee elected to receive them in a lump sum at net present value. Each fund formerly overseen by these Trustees will pay its pro rata share (based on asset size) of these aggregate benefits (except that Mr. Carlton’s benefits will be paid by the funds formerly in Legg Mason Partners Investment Series). Legg Mason or its affiliates have agreed to reimburse the funds an amount equal to 50% of these benefits. None of these amounts were paid during the period covered by this table.

 

10


(3) Mr. Gross received $12,000 during the fiscal year ended October 31, 2006, for services as Trustee in attending additional meetings related to the consideration of new service provider arrangements. This amount was borne by the manager and/or its affiliates and not by the Fund.
(4) Mr. Carlton retired as a Trustee of the Fund as of December 31, 2006.

As of March 16, 2007, all Trustees and officers as a group owned less than 1% of the outstanding shares of each Fund.

As of March 16, 2007, to the knowledge of the Fund, no shareholders or “groups” (as such term is defined in Section 13(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934) owned beneficially or of record 5% or more of the shares of any share class of the Fund.

Investment Manager

LMPFA serves as investment manager to the Fund pursuant to an investment management agreement (the “Management Agreement”) with an initial term ending November 30, 2007. LMPFA, with offices at 399 Park Avenue, New York, New York 10022, is a recently-organized investment adviser that has been formed to serve as the investment manager of the Funds and other Legg Mason-sponsored funds. LMPFA is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Legg Mason. Legg Mason, whose principal executive offices are at 100 Light Street, Baltimore, Maryland 21202, is a global asset management company. As of December 31, 2006, Legg Mason’s asset management operation had aggregate assets under management of approximately $945 billion. LMPFA provides administrative and certain oversight services to the Fund and manages the cash and short-term investments the Fund.

Under the Management Agreement, subject to the supervision and direction of the Fund’s Board, the manager is delegated the responsibility of managing the Fund’s portfolios in accordance with the Fund’s stated investment objectives and policies, making investment decisions for the Fund and placing orders to purchase and sell securities. The manager also performs administrative and management services necessary for the operation of the Fund, such as (i) supervising the overall administration of the Fund, including negotiation of contracts and fees with and the monitoring of performance and billings of the Fund’s transfer agent, shareholder servicing agents, custodian and other independent contractors or agents; (ii) providing certain compliance, fund accounting, regulatory reporting, and tax reporting services; (iii) preparing or participating in the preparation of Board materials, registration statements, proxy statements and reports and other communications to shareholders; (iv) maintaining the Fund’s existence, and (v) maintaining the registration and qualification of the Fund’s shares under federal and state laws.

The Management Agreement will continue in effect from year to year provided such continuance is specifically approved at least annually (a) by the Fund’s Board or by a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Fund (as defined in the 1940 Act), and (b) in either event, by a majority of the Independent Trustees with such Independent Trustees casting votes in person at a meeting called for such purpose.

The Management Agreement provides that the manager may render services to others. The Management Agreement is terminable without penalty on not more than 60 days’ nor less than 30 days’ written notice by the Fund when authorized either by a vote of holders of shares representing a majority of the voting power of the outstanding voting securities of the Fund (as defined in the 1940 Act) or by a vote of a majority of the Fund’s Trustees, or by the manager on not less than 90 days’ written notice, and will automatically terminate in the event of its assignment. The Management Agreement provides that neither the manager nor its personnel shall be liable for any error of judgment or mistake of law or for any loss arising out of any investment or for any act or omission in the execution of security transactions for the Fund, except for willful misfeasance, bad faith or gross negligence or reckless disregard of its or their obligations and duties.

 

11


For its services provided under the Fund’s Management Agreement, the manager is entitled to receive fees, which are computed daily and paid monthly, at the following annual rates of the Fund’s average daily net assets on an annualized basis for the Fund’s then-current fiscal year: 0.65% up to $1 billion; 0.60% on the next $1 billion; 0.55% on the next $1 billion; 0.50% on the next $1 billion; and 0.45% on net assets thereafter. The manager may reimburse the Fund for, or waive, all or any portion of its management fees.

Prior to July 31, 2006, Smith Barney Fund Management LLC (“SBFM”) served as the Fund’s manager under the same fee schedules as described above.

For the fiscal years ended October 31, 2004, 2005 and 2006 the Fund incurred management fees as follows:

 

Fund

   2004(1)    2005(2)    2006(3)

Dividend Strategy Fund

   $ 18,717,855    $ 17,449,076    $ 16,079,042

(1)

The manager waived a portion of the management fee and reimbursed certain expenses in the amount of $24,868 to the Dividend Strategy Fund. After waivers and reimbursements, management fees were $18,692,987 for the Dividend Strategy Fund.

(2)

The manager reimbursed certain expenses in the amount of $2,446,545 to the Dividend Strategy Fund. After reimbursements, management fees were $15,002,531 for the Dividend Strategy Fund.

(3)

The manager reimbursed certain expenses in the amount of $1,987,526 to the Dividend Strategy Fund. After reimbursements, management fees were $14,091,516 for the Dividend Strategy Fund.

Subadviser

ClearBridge Advisors, LLC (“ClearBridge”) serves as the subadviser to the Fund pursuant to a sub-advisory agreement between the manager and ClearBridge that was approved by the Board, including a majority of the Independent Trustees, on June 29, 2006. ClearBridge is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Legg Mason.

Under the sub-advisory agreement, subject to the supervision and direction of the Board and the manager, the subadviser will, except for the management of cash and short-term investments that is performed by LMPFA, manage the Fund’s portfolio (or allocated portion thereof) in accordance with the Fund’s stated investment objective(s) and policies, assist in supervising all aspects of the Fund’s operations, make investment decisions for the Fund, place orders to purchase and sell securities, and employ professional portfolio managers and securities analysts who provide research services to the Fund.

The sub-advisory agreement has an initial term ending on November 30, 2007 and will continue in effect from year to year thereafter provided such continuance is specifically approved at least annually (a) by the Board or by a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Fund (as defined in the 1940 Act), and (b) in either event, by a majority of the Independent Trustees with such Independent Trustees casting votes in person at a meeting called for such purpose. The Board or a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Fund (as defined in the 1940 Act) may terminate its sub-advisory agreement without penalty, in each case on not more than 60 days’ nor less than 30 days’ written notice to the subadviser. The subadviser may terminate the sub-advisory agreement on 90 days’ written notice to the Fund and the manager. The manager and the subadviser may terminate a sub-advisory agreement upon their mutual written consent. The sub-advisory agreement will terminate automatically in the event of assignment by the subadviser and shall not be assignable by the manager without the consent of the subadviser.

As compensation for sub-advisory services for the Dividend Strategy Fund, the manager will pay ClearBridge a fee equal to 70% of the management fee paid to LMPFA, net of expense waivers and reimbursements. For the period from August 1, 2006 through October 31, 2006, the manager paid the subadviser subadvisory fees of $2,836,239.13.

 

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Expenses

In addition to amounts payable under the Management Agreement and the 12b-1 Plans (as discussed below), the Fund is responsible for its own expenses, including, among other things, interest; taxes; governmental fees; voluntary assessments and other expenses incurred in connection with membership in investment company organizations; organization costs of the Fund; the cost (including brokerage commissions, transaction fees or charges, if any) in connection with the purchase or sale of the Fund’s securities and other investments and any losses in connection therewith; fees and expenses of custodians, transfer agents, registrars, independent pricing vendors or other agents; legal expenses; loan commitment fees; expenses relating to share certificates; expenses relating to the issuing and redemption or repurchase of the Fund’s shares and servicing shareholder accounts; expenses of registering and qualifying the Fund’s shares for sale under applicable federal and state law; expenses of preparing, setting in print, printing and distributing prospectuses and statements of additional information and any supplements thereto, reports, proxy statements, notices and dividends to the Fund’s shareholders; costs of stationery; website costs; costs of meetings of the Board or any committee thereof, meetings of shareholders and other meetings of the Fund; Board fees; audit fees; travel expenses of officers, members of the Board and employees of the Fund, if any; and the Fund’s pro rata portion of premiums on any fidelity bond and other insurance covering the Fund and its officers, Board members and employees; litigation expenses and any nonrecurring or extraordinary expenses as may arise, including, without limitation, those relating to actions, suits or proceedings to which the Fund is a party and the legal obligation which the Fund may have to indemnify the Fund’s Board members and officers with respect thereto.

Management may agree to waive fees and/or reimburse operating expenses for one or more classes of shares, either through contractual or voluntary arrangements. Any such waivers and/or reimbursements are described in the Fund’s Prospectus. The contractual and voluntary fee waivers and/or reimbursements do not cover extraordinary expenses, such as (a) any expenses or charges related to litigation, derivative actions, demand related to litigation, regulatory or other government investigations and proceedings, “for cause” regulatory inspections and indemnification or advancement of related expenses or costs, to the extent any such expenses are considered extraordinary expenses for the purposes of fee disclosure in Form N-1A as the same may be amended from time to time; (b) transaction costs (such as brokerage commissions and dealer and underwriter spreads) and taxes; and (c) other extraordinary expenses as determined for the purposes of fee disclosure in Form N-1A, as the same may be amended from time to time. Without limiting the foregoing, extraordinary expenses are generally those that are unusual or expected to recur only infrequently, and may include such expenses, by way of illustration, as (i) expenses of the reorganization, restructuring, redomiciling or merger of the Fund or class or the acquisition of all or substantially all of the assets of another fund or class; (ii) expenses of holding, and soliciting proxies for, a meeting of shareholders of the fund or class (except to the extent relating to routine items such as the election of board members or the approval of the independent registered public accounting firm); and (iii) expenses of converting to a new custodian, transfer agent or other service provider, in each case to the extent any such expenses are considered extraordinary expenses for the purposes of fee disclosure in Form N-1A as the same may be amended from time to time.

Code of Ethics

Pursuant to Rule 17j-1 of the 1940 Act, the Fund, the manager, the subadviser and the distributors have adopted codes of ethics that permit their respective personnel to invest in securities for their own accounts, including securities that may be purchased or held by the Fund. All personnel must place the interests of clients first and avoid activities, interests and relationships that might interfere with the duty to make decisions in the best interests of the clients. All personal securities transactions by employees must adhere to the requirements of the codes and must be conducted in such a manner as to avoid any actual or potential conflict of interest, the appearance of such a conflict, or the abuse of an employee’s position of trust and responsibility.

Copies of the codes of ethics of the Fund, the manager, the subadviser and the distributors are on file with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”).

 

13


Proxy Voting Guidelines & Procedures

Although individual Trustees may not agree with particular policies or votes by the manager or subadviser, the Board has delegated proxy voting discretion to the manager and/or the subadviser, believing that the manager and/or the subadviser should be responsible for voting because it is a matter relating to the investment decision making process.

LMPFA delegates the responsibility for voting proxies for the Fund, as applicable, to the subadviser through its contracts with the subadviser. The subadviser will use its own proxy voting policies and procedures to vote proxies. Accordingly, LMPFA does not expect to have proxy-voting responsibility for the Fund. Should LMPFA become responsible for voting proxies for any reason, such as the inability of the subadviser to provide investment advisory services, LMPFA shall utilize the proxy voting guidelines established by the most recent subadviser to vote proxies until a new subadviser is retained. In the case of a material conflict between the interests of LMPFA (or its affiliates if such conflict is known to persons responsible for voting at LMPFA) and a Fund, the Board of Directors of LMPFA shall consider how to address the conflict and/or how to vote the proxies. LMPFA shall maintain records of all proxy votes in accordance with applicable securities laws and regulations, to the extent that LMPFA votes proxies. LMPFA shall be responsible for gathering relevant documents and records related to proxy voting from the subadviser and providing them to the Fund as required for the Fund to comply with applicable rules under the 1940 Act.

The subadviser's Proxy Voting Policies and Procedures govern in determining how proxies relating to the Fund’s portfolio securities are voted, a summary of which is attached as Appendix B to this SAI. Information regarding how each Fund voted proxies (if any) relating to portfolio securities during the most recent 12-month period ended June 30 is available without charge (1) by calling 1-888-425-6432, (2) on the Funds' website at http://www.leggmason.com/InvestorServices and (3) on the SEC’s website at http://www.sec.gov.

 

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INVESTMENT OBJECTIVES, MANAGEMENT POLICIES AND ASSOCIATED RISKS

The Prospectus discusses the investment objectives of the Fund and the policies it employs to achieve such objectives. This section contains a discussion of the Fund’s investment objectives, investment policies and certain of the risks associated with these practices, and supplements the description of the Fund’s investments and risks contained in the Prospectus. The selection of investments and the utilization of investment techniques depends on, among other things, the subadviser’s investment strategies for the Fund, conditions and trends in the economy and financial markets and investments being available on terms that, in the subadviser’s opinion, make economic sense. The Fund may engage in these and any other practices not prohibited by their investment restrictions. Investment objectives and management policies may be changed by the Trustees without shareholder approval. For further information regarding the risks associated with these practices, see “Additional Risk Factors” below.

Dividend Strategy Fund seeks capital appreciation, principally through investments in dividend-paying stocks.

Principal investment strategies

Under normal market conditions, at least 80% of Dividend Strategy Fund’s assets will be invested in dividend-paying stocks. Dividend Strategy Fund may, under normal circumstances, invest up to 20% of its assets in other types of equity securities, such as preferred stocks, warrants and securities convertible into common stocks, and in other securities of issuers. Dividend Strategy Fund may also make investments in companies that are not expected to pay dividends. The Fund may also invest in securities of foreign issuers.

Additional Information

The Fund’s principal investment strategies are described above. The following provides additional information about these principal strategies and describes other investment strategies that may be used by the fund.

The Fund is permitted to seek its investment objective by investing all or a portion of its assets in one or more investment companies to the extent not prohibited by the 1940 Act, the rules and regulations thereunder, and exemptive orders granted under the Act.

Dividend Strategy Fund

The Dividend Strategy Fund seeks capital appreciation, principally through investments in dividend-paying stocks. The Fund seeks to achieve its investment objective primarily through investments in common stocks and other equity securities. Under normal market conditions, the Fund invests at least 80% of its assets in dividend-paying stocks. Although this policy relating to dividend-paying stocks may be changed without shareholder approval, the Fund will provide its shareholders with at least 60 days prior notice of any change in this policy. The Fund may also invest in securities of foreign issuers.

The Dividend Strategy Fund also may hold a portion of its assets in high grade short-term debt securities and high grade corporate or government bonds in order to provide liquidity. The amount of assets the Fund may hold for liquidity purposes is based on market conditions and the need to meet redemption requests. A description of the ratings of commercial paper and bonds is contained in the Appendix A. Short term investments may include repurchase agreements with banks or broker-dealers. The Fund may engage in portfolio management strategies and techniques involving options, futures contracts and options on futures.

Certain policies of the Dividend Strategy Fund, such as purchasing and selling options on stocks, purchasing options on stock indices and purchasing stock futures or stock index futures contracts and options thereon involve inherently greater investment risk and could result in more volatile price fluctuations.

 

15


Equity Securities

Common Stocks. Common stocks are shares of a corporation or other entity that entitle the holder to a pro rata share of the profits of the corporation, if any, without preference over any other shareholder or class of shareholders, including holders of the entity’s preferred stock and other senior equity. Common stock usually carries with it the right to vote and frequently an exclusive right to do so.

Common stocks do not represent an obligation of the issuer. The issuance of debt securities or preferred stock by an issuer will create prior claims which could adversely affect the rights of holders of common stock with respect to the assets of the issuer upon liquidation or bankruptcy.

Preferred Stocks. The Fund may invest in preferred stocks. Preferred stocks, like common stocks, represent an equity ownership in an issuer, but generally have a priority claim over common stocks, but not over debt, with respect to dividend payments and upon the liquidation or bankruptcy of the issuer. Therefore, preferred stock is subject to the credit risk of the issuer, but because of its subordinate position to debt obligations of the issuer, the deterioration of the credit of an issuer is likely to cause greater decreases in the value of preferred stock than in more senior debt obligations. The market value of preferred stocks with no conversion rights and fixed dividend rates, like fixed income securities, tends to move inversely with interest rates, with the price determined by the dividend rate. However, because most preferred stocks do not have a fixed maturity date (although they may have call features giving the issuer the right to call the securities under certain circumstances or redemption features giving the holder the right to cause the issuer to repurchase the securities under certain circumstances), these securities generally will fluctuate more in value when interest rates change than, for example, debt issued by the same issuer. Some preferred stocks may pay dividends at an adjustable rate, based on an auction, an index or other formula. In the absence of credit deterioration, adjustable rate preferred stocks tend to have less price volatility than fixed rate preferred stocks.

Unlike common stocks, preferred stocks do not typically have voting rights. Some preferred stocks have convertible features. See “Convertible Securities” below.

Convertible Securities. Convertible debt securities and preferred stock entitle the holder to acquire the issuer’s common stock by exchange or purchase for a predetermined rate. Convertible securities are subject both to the credit and interest rate risks associated with fixed income securities and to the stock market risk associated with equity securities. Convertible securities rank senior to common stocks in a corporation’s capital structure. They are consequently of higher quality and entail less risk than the corporation’s common stock, although the extent to which such risk is reduced depends in large measure upon the degree to which the convertible security sells above its value as a fixed income security. In general, the market value of a convertible security is the greater of its investment value as a fixed income security or its conversion value (the value of the underlying common stock if the security is converted). The Fund may purchase convertible securities rated Ba or lower by Moody’s Investors Service, Inc. (“Moody’s”) or BB or lower by Standard & Poor’s, a division of McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. (“S&P”) and may also purchase non-rated securities considered by the subadviser to be of comparable quality. Although the Fund selects these securities primarily on the basis of their equity characteristics, investors should be aware that debt securities rated in these categories are considered high risk securities; the rating agencies consider them speculative, and payment of interest and principal is not considered well assured. To the extent that such convertible securities are acquired by the Fund, there is a greater risk as to the timely payment of the principal of, and timely payment of interest or dividends on, such securities than in the case of higher rated convertible securities.

Warrants. Warrants acquired by the Fund entitle it to buy common stock from the issuer at a specified price and time. Warrants are subject to the same market risks as stocks, but may be more volatile in price. Because investing in warrants can provide a greater potential for profit or loss than an equivalent investment in the underlying security, warrants involve leverage and are considered speculative investments. At the time of issuance of a warrant, the cost is generally substantially less than the cost of the underlying security itself, and

 

16


therefore, the investor is able to gain exposure to the underlying security with a relatively low capital investment. Price movements in the underlying security are generally magnified in the price movements of the warrant, although changes in the market value of the warrant may not necessarily correlate to the prices of the underlying security. The Fund’s investment in warrants will not entitle it to receive dividends or exercise voting rights and will become worthless if the warrants cannot be profitably exercised before the expiration dates.

REITs. Real estate investment trusts (“REITs”) are pooled investment vehicles that invest in real estate or real estate loans or interests. The Fund’s investments in REITs are subject to the risks associated with particular properties and with the real estate market in general, including the risks of a general downturn in real estate values. REITs are dependent upon management skills, are not diversified, and are subject to risks of project financing, default by borrowers, self-liquidation, and the possibility of failing to qualify for the exemption from taxation on distributed amounts under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”). Like mutual funds, REITs have expenses, including advisory and administration fees paid by REIT shareholders, and, as a result, an investor is subject to a duplicate level of fees if the Fund invests in REITs.

Fixed Income Securities

Corporate Debt Obligations. Corporate debt obligations are subject to the risk of an issuer’s inability to meet principal and interest payments on the obligations and may also be subject to price volatility due to such factors as market interest rates, market perception of the creditworthiness of the issuer and general market liquidity. Zero coupon securities are securities sold at a discount to par value and on which interest payments are not made during the life of the security. Because zero coupon securities do not pay current interest in cash, these securities are subject to greater credit risk and greater fluctuation in value in response to changes in market interest rates than debt obligations that pay interest currently.

U.S. Government Securities. The U.S. Government securities in which the Fund may invest include bills, certificates of indebtedness, and notes and bonds issued by the U.S. Treasury or by agencies or instrumentalities of the U.S. Government. Some U.S. Government securities, such as U.S. Treasury bills and bonds, are supported by the full faith and credit of the U.S. Treasury; others are supported by the right of the issuer to borrow from the U.S. Treasury; others are supported by the discretionary authority of the U.S. Government to purchase the agency’s obligations; still others are supported only by the credit of the instrumentality.

Short-Term Investments. In certain circumstances the Fund may invest without limitation in all types of short-term money market instruments, including U.S. Government securities; certificates of deposit, time deposits and bankers’ acceptances issued by domestic banks (including their branches located outside the United States and subsidiaries located in Canada), domestic branches of foreign banks, savings and loan associations and similar institutions; high grade commercial paper; and repurchase agreements. To the extent the Fund is investing in short-term investments as a temporary defensive posture, the Fund’s investment objective may not be achieved.

Commercial Paper. Commercial paper consists of short-term (usually 1 to 270 days) unsecured promissory notes issued by corporations in order to finance their current operations. A variable amount master demand note (which is a type of commercial paper) represents a direct borrowing arrangement involving periodically fluctuating rates of interest under a letter agreement between a commercial paper issuer and an institutional lender, such the Fund, pursuant to which the lender may determine to invest varying amounts. Transfer of such notes is usually restricted by the issuer, and there is no secondary trading market for such notes. The Fund therefore may only invest in a master demand note to the extent that the investment would not violate the Fund’s limits on restricted and illiquid securities.

Commercial Bank Obligations. The Fund may invest in bank obligations, i.e., certificates of deposit, time deposits (including Eurodollar time deposits) and bankers’ acceptances and other short-term debt obligations issued by domestic banks, foreign subsidiaries or foreign branches of domestic banks, domestic savings and loan

 

17


associations and other banking institutions. A bankers’ acceptance is a bill of exchange or time draft drawn on and accepted by a commercial bank. It is used by corporations to finance the shipment and storage of goods and to furnish dollar exchange. Maturities are generally six months or less. A certificate of deposit is a negotiable interest-bearing instrument with a specific maturity. Certificates of deposit are issued by banks and savings and loan institutions in exchange for the deposit of funds and normally can be traded in the secondary market prior to maturity. A time deposit is a non-negotiable receipt issued by a bank in exchange for the deposit of funds. Like a certificate of deposit, it earns a specified rate of interest over a definite period of time; however, it cannot be traded in the secondary market. Time deposits with a withdrawal penalty are considered to be illiquid securities.

The Dividend Strategy Fund may invest in bank obligations issued by foreign banks. As with investment in foreign securities in general, investments in the obligations of foreign branches of U.S. banks and of foreign banks may subject the Dividend Strategy Fund to investment risks that are different in some respects from those of investments in obligations of domestic issuers.

Derivative Contracts

Writing Covered Call and Put Options. The Fund may write (sell) covered call and put options for hedging and non-hedging purposes. Covered call options will generally be written on securities and currencies which, in the opinion of the subadviser, are not expected to make any major price moves in the near future but which, over the long term, are deemed to be attractive investments for the Fund.

A call option written by the Fund is “covered” if the Fund owns the security underlying the call or has an absolute and immediate right to acquire that security without additional cash consideration (or for additional cash consideration held in a segregated account) upon conversion or exchange of other securities held in its portfolio. A call option is also covered if the Fund holds a call on the same security and in the same principal amount as the call written where the exercise price of the call held (a) is equal to or less than the exercise price of the call written or (b) is greater than the exercise price of the call written if the difference is maintained by the Fund in cash or liquid securities in a segregated account. A put option written by the Fund is “covered” if the Fund maintains cash or liquid securities with a value equal to the exercise price in a segregated account, or else holds a put on the same security and in the same principal amount as the put written where the exercise price of the put held is equal to or greater than the exercise price of the put written or where the exercise price of the put held is less than the exercise price of the put written if the difference is maintained by the Fund in cash or liquid securities in a segregated account. Put and call options written by the Funds may also be covered in such other manner as may be in accordance with the requirements of the exchange on which, or the counterparty with which, the option is traded, and applicable laws and regulations. Even if the Fund’s obligation is covered, it is subject to the risk of the full change in value of the underlying security from the time the option is written until exercise. Covering an option does not protect the Fund from risk of loss.

Portfolio securities or currencies on which call options may be written will be purchased solely on the basis of investment considerations consistent with the Fund’s investment objective. When the Fund writes a call option, the Fund, in return for a fee, or “premium”, agrees to sell a security or currency at the exercise price, if the holder exercises the right to purchase prior to the expiration date of the call option. If the Fund holds the security or currency in question, the Fund gives up some or all of the opportunity to profit from the increase in the market price of the security or currency during the life of the option. The Fund retains the risk of loss should the price of the security or currency decline. If the option expires unexercised, the Fund realizes a gain equal to the premium, which may be offset by a decline in price of the underlying security or currency. If the option is exercised, the Fund realizes a gain or loss equal to the difference between the Fund’s cost for the underlying security or currency and the proceeds of sale (exercise price minus commissions) plus the amount of the premium.

The Fund may terminate a call option it has written before it expires by entering into a closing purchase transaction. The Fund may enter into closing purchase transactions in order to free itself to sell the underlying

 

18


security or currency or to write another call on the security or currency, realize a profit on a previously written call option, or protect a security or currency from being called in an unexpected market rise. Any profits from closing a purchase transaction may be offset by a decline in the value of the underlying security or currency. Conversely, because increases in the market price of a call option will generally reflect increases in the market price of the underlying security or currency, if the Fund holds the underlying security or currency any loss resulting from a closing purchase transaction is likely to be offset in whole or in part by unrealized appreciation of the underlying security or currency. If the Fund does not hold the underlying security or currency, the Fund’s loss could be unlimited.

Portfolio securities or currencies on which put options may be written will be purchased solely on the basis of investment considerations consistent with the Fund’s investment objective. The Fund may write put options in an attempt to enhance its current return. Such option transactions may also be used as a limited form of hedging against an increase in the price of securities or currency that the Fund plans to purchase. A put option written by the Fund gives the holder the right to sell, and, in return for a premium, obligates the Fund to buy, a security or currency at the exercise price at any time before the expiration date.

In addition to the receipt of premiums and the potential gains from terminating such options in closing purchase transactions, the Fund may also receive a return on the cash and debt securities maintained to cover the exercise price of the option. By writing a put option, the Fund assumes the risk that it may be required to purchase the underlying security or currency for an exercise price higher than its then current market value, resulting in a loss to the Fund, unless the security or currency later appreciates in value. The Fund may terminate a put option it has written before it expires by a closing purchase transaction. Any loss from this transaction may be partially or entirely offset by the premium received on the terminated option.

Each of the United States exchanges has established limitations governing the maximum number of call or put options on the same underlying security (whether or not covered) that may be written by a single investor, whether acting alone or in concert with others, regardless of whether such options are written on one or more accounts or through one or more brokers. An exchange may order the liquidation of positions found to be in violation of those limits, and it may impose other sanctions or restrictions. These position limits may restrict the number of options the Fund may be able to write.

Transaction costs relating to options activity are normally higher than those applicable to purchases and sales of portfolio securities.

The exercise price of the options may be below, equal to or above the current market values of the underlying securities or currencies at the time the options are written. From time to time, the Fund may purchase an underlying security or currency for delivery in accordance with the exercise of an option, rather than delivering such security or currency from its portfolio. In such cases, additional costs will be incurred. The Fund will realize a profit or loss from a closing purchase transaction if the cost of the transaction is less or more, respectively, than the premium received from the writing of the option. Because increases in the market price of a call option will generally reflect increases in the market price of the underlying security or currency, any loss resulting from the repurchase of a call option is likely to be offset in whole or in part by appreciation of the underlying security or currency owned by the Fund.

The use of options by the Fund may involve leveraging. Leveraging adds increased risks to the Fund, because the Fund’s losses may be out of proportion to the amount invested in the instrument—a relatively small investment may lead to much greater losses.

Purchasing Put Options. The Fund may purchase put options. As the holder of a put option, the Fund has the right to sell the underlying security or currency at the exercise price at any time during the option period. The Fund may enter into closing sale transactions with respect to such options, exercise them or permit them to expire.

 

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The Fund may purchase a put option on an underlying security or currency (a “protective put”) owned by the Fund as a hedging technique in order to protect against an anticipated decline in the value of the security or currency. Such hedge protection is provided only during the life of the put option when the Fund, as the holder of the put option, is able to sell the underlying security or currency at the put exercise price regardless of any decline in the underlying security’s market price or currency’s exchange value. For example, a put option may be purchased in order to protect unrealized appreciation of a security or currency when the subadviser deems it desirable to continue to hold the security or currency because of tax considerations. The premium paid for the put option and any transaction costs may reduce any capital gain or, in the case of currency, ordinary income otherwise available for distribution when the security or currency is eventually sold.

The Fund may also purchase put options at a time when the Fund does not own the underlying security or currency. By purchasing put options on a security or currency it does not own, the Fund seeks to benefit from a decline in the market price of the underlying security or currency. If the put option is not sold when it has remaining value, and if the market price of the underlying security or currency remains equal to or greater than the exercise price during the life of the put option, the Fund will lose its entire investment in the put option. In order for the purchase of a put option to be profitable, the market price of the underlying security or currency must decline sufficiently below the exercise price to cover the premium and transaction costs, unless the put option is sold in a closing sale transaction.

The premium paid by the Fund when purchasing a put option will be recorded as an asset in the Fund’s statement of assets and liabilities. This asset will be adjusted daily to the option’s current market value, as calculated by the Fund. The asset will be extinguished upon expiration of the option or the delivery of the underlying security or currency upon the exercise of the option. The asset with respect to a listed option will also be extinguished upon the writing of an identical option in a closing transaction.

Purchasing Call Options. The Fund may purchase call options. As the holder of a call option, the Fund has the right to purchase the underlying security or currency at the exercise price at any time during the option period. The Fund may enter into a closing sale transaction with respect to such options, exercise them or permit them to expire. Call options may be purchased by the Fund for the purpose of acquiring the underlying security or currency for its portfolio. Utilized in this fashion, the purchase of call options enables the Fund to acquire the security or currency at the exercise price of the call option plus the premium paid. At times the net cost of acquiring the security or currency in this manner may be less than the cost of acquiring the security or currency directly. This technique may also be useful to the Fund in purchasing a large block of securities that would be more difficult to acquire by direct market purchases. So long as it holds such a call option rather than the underlying security or currency itself, the Fund is partially protected from any unexpected decline in the market price of the underlying security or currency and in such event could allow the call option to expire, incurring a loss only to the extent of the premium paid for the option.

The Fund may also purchase call options on underlying securities or currencies it owns in order to protect unrealized gains on call options previously written by it. A call option would be purchased for this purpose where tax considerations make it inadvisable to realize such gains through a closing purchase transaction.

Options on Stock Indices. Options on stock indices are similar to options on stock, but the delivery requirements are different. Instead of giving the right to take or make delivery of stock at a specified price, an option on a stock index gives the holder the right to receive an amount of cash upon exercise of the option. Receipt of this cash amount will depend upon the closing level of the stock index upon which the option is based being greater than (in the case of a call) or less than (in the case of a put) the exercise price of the option. The amount of cash received will be the difference between the closing price of the index and the exercise price of the option, multiplied by a specified dollar multiple. The writer of the option is obligated, in return for the premium received, to make delivery of this amount. Some stock index options are based on a broad market index such as the Standard & Poor’s 500 or the New York Stock Exchange Composite Index, or a narrower index such as the Standard & Poor’s 100. Indices are also based on an industry or market segment such as the AMEX Oil and Gas

 

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Index or the Computer and Business Equipment Index. Options are currently traded on The Chicago Board Options Exchange, the New York Stock Exchange, the American Stock Exchange and other exchanges. Gain or loss to a Fund on transactions in stock index options will depend on price movements in the stock market generally (or in a particular industry or segment of the market) rather than price movements of individual securities. As with stock options, the Fund may offset its position in stock index options prior to expiration by entering into a closing transaction on an Exchange, or it may let the option expire unexercised.

Futures Contracts. The Fund may enter into interest rate or currency Futures Contracts (“Futures” or “Futures Contracts”) as a hedge against changes in prevailing levels of interest rates or currency exchange rates in order to establish more definitely the effective return on securities or currencies held or committed to be acquired by the Fund. The Fund’s hedging may include holding Futures as an offset against anticipated changes in interest or currency exchange rates. The Fund may also enter into Futures Contracts based on financial indices including any index of U.S. Government securities, foreign government securities, equity securities or corporate debt securities.

A Futures Contract provides for the future sale by one party and purchase by another party of a specified amount of a specific financial instrument or currency for a specified price at a designated date, time and place. The purchaser of a Futures Contract on an index agrees to take or make delivery of an amount of cash equal to the difference between a specified dollar multiple of the value of the index on the expiration date of the contract (“current contract value”) and the price at which the contract was originally struck. No physical delivery of the debt securities underlying the index is made. Brokerage fees are incurred when a Futures Contract is bought or sold, and margin deposits must be maintained at all times that the Futures Contract is outstanding.

Although techniques other than sales and purchases of Futures Contracts could be used to reduce the Fund’s exposure to interest rate and currency exchange rate fluctuations or other market factors, the Fund may be able to hedge its exposure more effectively and at a lower cost through using Futures Contracts.

Although Futures Contracts typically require future delivery of and payment for financial instruments or currencies, Futures Contracts are usually closed out before the delivery date. Closing out an open Futures Contract sale or purchase is effected by entering into an offsetting Futures Contract purchase or sale, respectively, for the same aggregate amount of the identical financial instrument or currency and the same delivery date. If the offsetting purchase price is less than the original sale price, the Fund realizes a gain; if it is more, the Fund realizes a loss. Conversely, if the offsetting sale price is more than the original purchase price, the Fund realizes a gain; if it is less, the Fund realizes a loss. The transaction costs must also be included in these calculations. There can be no assurance, however, that the Fund will be able to enter into an offsetting transaction with respect to a particular Futures Contract at a particular time. If the Fund is not able to enter into an offsetting transaction, the Fund will continue to be required to maintain the margin deposits of the underlying financial instrument or currency on the relevant delivery date. The Fund intend to enter into Futures transactions only on exchanges or boards of trade where there appears to be a liquid secondary market. However, there can be no assurance that such a market will exist for a particular contract at a particular time.

As an example of an offsetting transaction, the contractual obligations arising from the sale of one Futures Contract of September Treasury Bills on an exchange may be fulfilled at any time before delivery under the Futures Contract is required (i.e., on a specific date in September, the “delivery month”) by the purchase of another Futures Contract of September Treasury Bills on the same exchange. In such instance the difference between the price at which the Futures Contract was sold and the price paid for the offsetting purchase, after allowance for transaction costs, represents the profit or loss to the Fund.

Persons who trade in Futures Contracts may be broadly classified as “hedgers” and “speculators.” Hedgers, whose business activity involves investment or other commitment in securities or other obligations, use the Futures markets to offset unfavorable changes in value that may occur because of fluctuations in the value of the securities and obligations held or committed to be acquired by them or fluctuations in the value of the currency in which the securities or obligations are denominated. Debtors and other obligors may also hedge the interest cost

 

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of their obligations. The speculator, like the hedger, generally expects neither to deliver nor to receive the financial instrument underlying the Futures Contract, but, unlike the hedger, hopes to profit from fluctuations in prevailing interest rates, currency exchange rates, financial indices or other instruments.

“Margin” with respect to Futures Contracts is the amount of funds that must be deposited by a Fund with a broker in order to initiate Futures trading and to maintain the Fund’s open positions in Futures Contracts. A margin deposit made when the Futures Contract is entered into (“initial margin”) is intended to assure the Fund’s performance of the Futures Contract. The margin required for a particular Futures Contract is set by the exchange on which the Futures Contract is traded, and may be significantly modified from time to time by the exchange during the term of the Futures Contract. Futures Contracts are customarily purchased and sold on margins which may be 5% or less of the value of the Futures Contract being traded.

If the price of an open Futures Contract changes (by increase in the case of a sale or by decrease in the case of a purchase) so that the loss on the Futures Contract reaches a point at which the margin on deposit does not satisfy margin requirements, the broker will require an increase in the margin deposit (“variation margin”). If, however, the value of a position increases because of favorable price changes in the Futures Contract so that the margin deposit exceeds the required margin, it is anticipated that the broker will pay the excess to the Fund. In computing daily net asset values, the Fund will mark to market the current value of its open Futures Contracts. Each Fund expects to earn interest income on its margin deposits.

Single Stock Futures. Recent legislation permits the trading on U.S. exchanges of standardized futures contracts on individual equity securities, such as common stocks, exchange traded funds and American Depository Receipts, as well as narrow-based securities indices, generally called security futures contracts or “SFCs”. As with other futures contracts, a SFC involves an agreement to purchase or sell in the future a specific quantity of shares of a security or the component securities of the index. The initial margin requirements (typically 20 percent) are generally higher than with other futures contracts. Trading SFCs involves many of the same risks as trading other futures contracts, including the risks involved with leverage, and loses are potentially unlimited. Under certain market conditions, for example if trading is halted due to unusual trading activity in either the SFC or the underlying security due to recent news events involving the issuer of the security, it may be difficult or impossible for the Fund to liquidate its position or manage risk by entering into an offsetting position. In addition, the prices of SFCs may not correlate as anticipated with the prices of the underlying security. And unlike options on securities in which the Fund may invest, where the Fund has the right, but not the obligation, to buy or sell a security prior to the expiration date, if the Fund has a position in a SFC, the Fund has both the right and the obligation to buy or sell the security at a future date, or otherwise offset its position.

Options on Futures Contracts. Options on Futures Contracts are similar to options on securities or currencies except that options on Futures Contracts give the purchaser the right, in return for the premium paid, to assume a position in a Futures Contract (a long position if the option is a call and a short position if the option is a put), rather than to purchase or sell the Futures Contract, at a specified exercise price at any time during the period of the option. Upon exercise of the option, the delivery of the Futures position by the writer of the option to the holder of the option will be accompanied by delivery of the accumulated balance in the writer’s Futures margin account which represents the amount by which the market price of the Futures Contract, at exercise, exceeds (in the case of a call) or is less than (in the case of a put) the exercise price of the option on the Futures Contract. If an option is exercised on the last trading day prior to the expiration date of the option, the settlement will be made entirely in cash equal to the difference between the exercise price of the option and the closing level of the securities or currencies upon which the Futures Contracts are based on the expiration date. Purchasers of options who fail to exercise their options prior to the exercise date suffer a loss of the premium paid.

As an alternative to purchasing call and put options on Futures, the Fund may purchase call and put options on the underlying securities or currencies themselves (see “Purchasing Put Options” and “Purchasing Call Options” above). Such options would be used in a manner identical to the use of options on Futures Contracts.

 

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To reduce or eliminate the leverage then employed by the Fund or to reduce or eliminate the hedge position then held by the Fund, the Fund may seek to close out an option position by selling an option covering the same securities or currency and having the same exercise price and expiration date. The ability to establish and close out positions on options on Futures Contracts is subject to the existence of a liquid market. It is not certain that this market will exist at any specific time.

The Fund is not regulated as “commodity pools” for purposes of the Commodity Exchange Act, regulations and related positions of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (“CFTC”). The Fund is operated by persons who have claimed an exclusion, granted to operators of registered investment companies like the Fund, from registration as a “commodity pool operator” with respect to the Fund under the Commodity Exchange Act, and therefore, are not subject to registration or regulation with respect to the Fund under the Commodity Exchange Act.

New options and Futures Contracts, such as single stock futures and narrow-based security indices futures, and various combinations thereof continue to be developed and the Fund may invest in any such options and contracts as may be developed to the extent consistent with its investment objectives and regulatory requirements applicable to investment companies.

Foreign Currency Exchange Transactions. Because the Fund may buy and sell securities denominated in currencies other than the U.S. dollar, and receive interest, dividends and sale proceeds in currencies other than the U.S. dollar, the Fund may, but is not obligated to, enter into currency exchange transactions to convert U.S. currency to foreign currency and foreign currency to U.S. currency, as well as convert foreign currency to other foreign currencies. The Fund either enters into these transactions on a spot (i.e., cash) basis at the spot rate prevailing in the foreign currency exchange market, or uses forward contracts to purchase or sell foreign currencies. The Fund also may, but is not obligated to, enter into foreign currency hedging transactions in an attempt to protect the value of the assets of the Fund as measured in U.S. dollars from unfavorable changes in currency exchange rates and control regulations. (Although the Fund’s assets are valued daily in terms of U.S. dollars, the Trust does not intend to convert the Fund’s holdings of other currencies into U.S. dollars on a daily basis.) The Fund does not currently intend to speculate in currency exchange rates or forward contracts.

The Fund may convert currency on a spot basis from time to time, and investors should be aware of the costs of currency conversion. Although currency exchange dealers do not charge a fee for conversion, they do realize a profit based on the difference (the “spread”) between the prices at which they are buying and selling various currencies. Thus, a dealer may offer to sell a currency at one rate, while offering a lesser rate of exchange should the Fund desire to resell that currency to the dealer.

A forward contract involves an obligation to purchase or sell a specific currency at a future date, which may be any fixed number of days from the date of the contract, agreed upon by the parties, at a price set at the time of the contract. These contracts are traded in the interbank market conducted directly between currency traders (usually large commercial banks) and their customers. Because these contracts are traded in the interbank market and not on organized commodities or securities exchanges, these contracts operate in a manner distinct from exchange-traded instruments, and their use involves certain risks. A forward contract generally has no deposit requirement, and no fees or commissions are charged at any stage for trades.

When the Fund enters into a contract for the purchase or sale of a security denominated in a non-U.S. currency, it may desire to “lock in” the U.S. dollar price of the security. By entering into a forward contract for the purchase or sale, for a fixed amount of U.S. dollars, of the amount of non-U.S. currency involved in the underlying security transaction, the Fund may be able to protect against a possible loss resulting from an adverse change in the relationship between the U.S. dollar and the non-U.S. currency during the period between the date the security is purchased or sold and the date on which payment is made or received.

When the Fund’s subadviser believes that the currency of a particular country may suffer a substantial decline against the U.S. dollar, the Fund may enter into a forward contract to sell, for a fixed amount of U.S.

 

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dollars, the amount of non-U.S. currency approximating the value of some or all of the Fund’s securities denominated in such non-U.S. currency. The projection of a short-term hedging strategy is highly uncertain. Under normal circumstances, consideration of the prospect for currency parities will be incorporated in the investment decisions made with regard to overall diversification strategies. However, the Fund believes that it is important to have the flexibility to enter into such forward contracts when it determines that its best interests will be served.

The Fund generally would not enter into a forward contract with a term greater than one year. At the maturity of a forward contract, the Fund will either sell the security and make delivery of the non-U.S. currency, or retain the security and terminate its contractual obligation to deliver the non-U.S. currency by purchasing an “offsetting” contract with the same currency trader obligating it to purchase, on the same maturity date, the same amount of the non-U.S. currency. If the Fund retains the security and engages in an offsetting transaction, the Fund will incur a gain or a loss (as described below) to the extent that there has been movement in forward contract prices. If the Fund engages in an offsetting transaction, it may subsequently enter into a new forward contract to sell the non-U.S. currency. Should forward prices decline during the period between the date the Fund enters into a forward contract for the sale of the non-U.S. currency and the date it enters into an offsetting contract for the purchase of such currency, the Fund will realize a gain to the extent the selling price of the currency exceeds the purchase price of the currency. Should forward prices increase, the Fund will suffer a loss to the extent that the purchase price of the currency exceeds the selling price of the currency.

It is impossible to forecast with precision the market value of Fund securities at the expiration of the contract. Accordingly, it may be necessary for the Fund to purchase additional non-U.S. currency on the spot market if the market value of the security is less than the amount of non-U.S. currency the Fund is obligated to deliver and if a decision is made to sell the security and make delivery of such currency. Conversely, it may be necessary to sell on the spot market some of the non-U.S. currency received upon the sale of the security if its market value exceeds the amount of such currency the Fund is obligated to deliver.

The Fund has established procedures consistent with policies of the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) concerning forward contracts. Those policies currently require that an amount of the Fund’s assets equal to the amount of the purchase be held aside or segregated to be used to pay for the commitment or that the Fund otherwise covers its position in accordance with applicable regulations and policies.

The Fund may also purchase put options on a non-U.S. currency in order to protect against currency rate fluctuations. If the Fund purchases a put option on a non-U.S. currency and the value of the non-U.S. currency declines, the Fund will have the right to sell the non-U.S. currency for a fixed amount in U.S. dollars and will thereby offset, in whole or in part, the adverse effect on the Fund which otherwise would have resulted. Conversely, where a rise in the U.S. dollar value of another currency is projected, and where the Fund anticipates investing in securities traded in such currency, the Fund may purchase call options on the non-U.S. currency.

The purchase of such options could offset, at least partially, the effects of adverse movements in exchange rates. However, the benefit to the Fund from purchases of foreign currency options will be reduced by the amount of the premium and related transaction costs. In addition, where currency exchange rates do not move in the direction or to the extent anticipated, the Fund could sustain losses on transactions in foreign currency options which would require it to forego a portion or all of the benefits of advantageous changes in such rates.

The Fund may write options on non-U.S. currencies for hedging purposes or otherwise to achieve its investment objective. For example, where the Fund anticipates a decline in the value of the U.S. dollar value of a foreign security due to adverse fluctuations in exchange rates it could, instead of purchasing a put option, write a call option on the relevant currency. If the expected decline occurs, the option will most likely not be exercised, and the diminution in value of the security held by the Fund may be offset by the amount of the premium received.

 

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Similarly, instead of purchasing a call option to hedge against an anticipated increase in the cost of a foreign security to be acquired because of an increase in the U.S. dollar value of the currency in which the underlying security is primarily traded, the Fund could write a put option on the relevant currency which, if rates move in the manner projected, will expire unexercised and allow the Fund to hedge such increased cost up to the amount of the premium.

The writing of put or call options on non-U.S. currencies by the Fund will constitute only a partial hedge up to the amount of the premium, and only if rates move in the expected direction. If this does not occur, the option may be exercised and the Fund would be required to purchase or sell the underlying currency at a loss which may not be offset by the amount of the premium. Through the writing of options on currencies, the Fund also may be required to forego all or a portion of the benefits which might otherwise have been obtained from favorable movements in exchange rates.

Put and call options on non-U.S. currencies written by the Fund will be covered by segregation of cash and liquid securities in an amount sufficient to discharge the Fund’s obligations with respect to the option, by acquisition of the non-U.S. currency or of a right to acquire such currency (in the case of a call option) or the acquisition of a right to dispose of the currency (in the case of a put option), or in such other manner as may be in accordance with the requirements of any exchange on which, or the counterparty with which, the option is traded and applicable laws and regulations.

Investing in depositary receipts presents many of the same risks regarding currency exchange rates as investing directly in securities denominated in currencies other than the U.S. dollar. Because the securities underlying these receipts are traded primarily in non-U.S. currencies, changes in currency exchange rates will affect the value of these receipts. For example, a decline in the U.S. dollar value of another currency in which securities are primarily traded will reduce the U.S. dollar value of such securities, even if their value in the other non-U.S. currency remains constant, and thus will reduce the value of the receipts covering such securities. The Fund may employ any of the above described foreign currency hedging techniques to protect the value of its assets invested in depositary receipts.

Of course, the Fund is not required to enter into the transactions described above and does not do so unless deemed appropriate by the Fund’s subadviser. It should be realized that under certain circumstances, hedging arrangements to protect the value of the Fund’s securities against a decline in currency values may not be available to the Fund on terms that make economic sense (they may be too costly). It should also be realized that these methods of protecting the value of the Fund’s securities against a decline in the value of a currency do not eliminate fluctuations in the underlying prices of the securities. Additionally, although such contracts, if correctly used, may minimize the risk of loss due to a decline in the value of the hedged currency, they do not eliminate the risk of loss and also tend to limit any potential gain which might result should the value of such currency increase.

Use of Segregated and Other Special Accounts. Use of many hedging and other strategic transactions including currency and market index transactions by the Fund will require, among other things, that the Fund segregate cash, liquid securities or other assets with its custodian, or a designated sub-custodian, to the extent the Fund’s obligations are not otherwise “covered” through ownership of the underlying security, financial instrument or currency. In general, either the full amount of any obligation by the Fund to pay or deliver securities or assets must be covered at all times by the securities, instruments or currency required to be delivered, or, subject to any regulatory restrictions, appropriate securities as required by the 1940 Act at least equal to the current amount of the obligation must be segregated with the custodian or sub-custodian. The segregated assets cannot be sold or transferred unless equivalent assets are substituted in their place or it is no longer necessary to segregate them. A call option on securities written by the Fund, for example, will require the Fund to hold the securities subject to the call (or securities convertible into the needed securities without additional consideration) or to segregate liquid securities sufficient to purchase and deliver the securities if the call is exercised. A call option written by the Fund on an index will require the Fund to own portfolio securities that correlate with the index or to segregate liquid securities equal to the excess of the index value over the

 

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exercise price on a current basis. A put option on securities written by the Fund will require the Fund to segregate liquid securities equal to the exercise price. Except when the Fund enters into a forward contract in connection with the purchase or sale of a security denominated in a foreign currency or for other non-speculative purposes, which requires no segregation, a currency contract that obligates the Fund to buy or sell a foreign currency will generally require the Fund to hold an amount of that currency or liquid securities denominated in that currency equal to the Fund’s obligations or to segregate liquid securities equal to the amount of the Fund’s obligations.

OTC options entered into by the Fund, including those on securities, currency, financial instruments or indices, and Option Clearing Corporation (“OCC”)-issued and exchange-listed index options will generally provide for cash settlement, although the Fund may not be required to do so. As a result, when the Fund sells these instruments it will segregate an amount of assets equal to its obligations under the options. OCC-issued and exchange-listed options sold by the Fund other than those described above generally settle with physical delivery, and the Fund will segregate an amount of assets equal to the full value of the option. OTC options settling with physical delivery or with an election of either physical delivery or cash settlement will be treated the same as other options settling with physical delivery. If the Fund enters into OTC options transactions, it will be subject to counterparty risk.

In the case of a Futures Contract or an option on a Futures Contract, the Fund must deposit initial margin and, in some instances, daily variation margin, typically with third parties such as a clearing organization, in addition to segregating assets with its custodian sufficient to meet its obligations to purchase or provide securities or currencies, or to pay the amount owed at the expiration of an index-based Futures Contract. These assets may consist of cash, cash equivalents, liquid securities or other acceptable assets. The Fund will accrue the net amount of the excess, if any, of its obligations relating to swaps over its entitlements with respect to each swap on a daily basis and will segregate with its custodian, or designated sub-custodian, an amount of cash or liquid securities having an aggregate value equal to at least the accrued excess. Caps, floors and collars require segregation of assets with a value equal to such Fund’s net obligation, if any.

Hedging and other strategic transactions may be covered by means other than those described above when consistent with applicable regulatory policies. The Fund may also enter into offsetting transactions so that its combined position, coupled with any segregated assets, equals its net outstanding obligation in related options and hedging and other strategic transactions. The Fund could purchase a put option, for example, if the strike price of that option is the same or higher than the strike price of a put option sold by the Fund. Moreover, instead of segregating assets if it holds a Futures Contract or forward contract, the Fund could purchase a put option on the same Futures Contract or forward contract with a strike price as high or higher than the price of the contract held. Other hedging and other strategic transactions may also be offset in combinations. If the offsetting transaction terminates at the time of or after the primary transaction, no segregation is required, but if it terminates prior to that time, assets equal to any remaining obligation would need to be segregated.

Other Practices

Securities of Foreign Issuers. The Fund may invest up to 25% of its assets in securities of foreign issuers. Investments in securities of foreign entities and securities denominated in foreign currencies involve risks not typically involved in domestic investment, including fluctuations in foreign exchange rates, future foreign political and economic developments, and the possible imposition of exchange controls or other foreign or United States governmental laws or restrictions applicable to such investments. Since the Fund may invest in securities denominated or quoted in currencies other than the U.S. dollar, changes in foreign currency exchange rates may affect the value of investments in the portfolio and the accrued income and unrealized appreciation or depreciation of investments. Changes in foreign currency rates relative to the U.S. dollar will affect the U.S. dollar value of the Fund’s assets denominated in that currency and the Fund’s yield on such assets.

The Fund may also purchase foreign securities in the form of American Depository Receipts (“ADRs”), European Depository Receipts (“EDRs”) and Global Depository Receipts (“GDRs”) or other securities representing

 

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underlying shares of foreign companies. Generally, ADRs, in registered form, are designed for use in U.S. securities markets and EDRs and GDRs, in bearer form, are designed for use in European and global securities markets. ADRs are receipts typically issued by a U.S. bank or trust company evidencing ownership of the underlying securities. EDRs and GDRs are European and global receipts, respectively, evidencing a similar arrangement.

ADRs, EDRs and GDRs are issued through “sponsored” or “unsponsored” arrangements. In a sponsored arrangement, the foreign issuer assumes the obligation to pay some or all of the depository’s transaction fees, whereas under an unsponsored arrangement, the foreign issuer assumes no obligation and the depository’s transaction fees are paid by the holders. In addition, less information is available in the United States about an unsponsored depository receipt than about a sponsored depository receipt, and the financial information about a company may not be as reliable for an unsponsored depository receipt as it is for a sponsored depository receipt. The Fund may invest in depository receipts through both sponsored and unsponsored arrangements.

With respect to certain foreign countries, there is the possibility of expropriation of assets, confiscatory taxation, political or social instability or diplomatic developments which could affect investment in those countries. There may be less publicly available information about a foreign security than about a United States security, and foreign entities may not be subject to accounting, auditing and financial reporting standards and requirements comparable to those of United States entities. In addition, certain foreign investments made by a Fund may be subject to foreign withholding taxes, which would reduce the Fund’s total return on such investments and the amounts available for distributions by the Fund to its shareholders. Foreign financial markets, while growing in volume, have, for the most part, substantially less volume than United States markets, and securities of many foreign companies are less liquid and their prices more volatile than securities of comparable domestic companies.

The foreign markets also have different clearance and settlement procedures, and in certain markets there have been times when settlements have been unable to keep pace with the volume of securities transactions making it difficult to conduct such transactions. Delays in settlement could result in temporary periods when assets of the Fund are not invested and no return is earned thereon. The inability of the Fund to make intended security purchases due to settlement problems could cause the Fund to miss attractive investment opportunities. Inability to dispose of portfolio securities due to settlement problems could result either in losses to the Fund due to subsequent declines in value of the portfolio security or, if the Fund has entered into a contract to sell the security, could result in possible liability to the purchaser. Costs associated with transactions in foreign securities, including custodial costs and foreign brokerage commissions, are generally higher than with transactions in United States securities. In addition, the Fund will incur expenses in connection with conversions between various currencies. There is generally less government supervision and regulation of exchanges, financial institutions and issuers in foreign countries than there are in the United States. These risks may be intensified in the case of investments in developing or emerging markets. In many developing markets, there is less government supervision and regulation of business and industry practices, stock exchanges, brokers and listed companies than in the United States. The foreign securities markets of many of the countries in which the Fund may invest may also be smaller, less liquid, and subject to greater price volatility than those in the United States. Finally, in the event of a default on any such foreign debt obligations, it may be more difficult for the Fund to obtain or to enforce a judgment against the issuers of such securities.

A developing country generally is considered to be a country that is in the initial stages of its industrialization cycle. Investing in the equity and fixed-income markets of developing countries involves exposure to economic structures that are generally less diverse and mature, and to political systems that can be expected to have less stability, than those of developed countries. Historical experience indicates that the markets of developing countries have been more volatile than the markets of the more mature economies of developed countries; however, such markets often have provided higher rates of return to investors. For more information regarding the risks of investing in securities of emerging markets, see “Additional Risk Factors—Securities of Developing/Emerging Markets Countries” below.

 

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Investment Company Securities. Subject to applicable statutory and regulatory limitations, the fund may invest in shares of other investment companies, including shares of other mutual funds, closed-end funds, and unregistered investment companies. Investments in other investment companies are subject to the risk of the securities in which those investment companies invest. In addition, to the extent the fund invests in securities of other investment companies, fund shareholders would indirectly pay a portion of the operating costs of such companies in addition to the expenses of the fund’s own operation. These costs include management, brokerage, shareholder servicing and other operational expenses.

The fund may invest in shares of mutual funds or unit investment trusts that are traded on a stock exchange, called exchange-traded funds or ETFs. Typically an ETF seeks to track the performance of an index, such as the S&P 500, the NASDAQ 100, the Lehman Treasury Bond Index, or more narrow sector or foreign indices, by holding in its portfolio either the same securities that comprise the index, or a representative sample of the index. Investing in an ETF will give the fund exposure to the securities comprising the index on which the ETF is based.

Unlike shares of typical mutual funds or unit investment trusts, shares of ETFs are designed to be traded throughout a trading day, bought and sold based on market values and not at net asset value. For this reason, shares could trade at either a premium or discount to net asset value. However, the portfolios held by index-based ETFs are publicly disclosed on each trading day, and an approximation of actual net asset value is disseminated throughout the trading day. Because of this transparency, the trading prices of index based ETFs tend to closely track the actual net asset value of the underlying portfolios and the fund will generally gain or lose value depending on the performance of the index. However, gains or losses on the fund’s investment in ETFs will ultimately depend on the purchase and sale price of the ETF. In the future, as new products become available, the fund may invest in ETFs that are actively managed. Actively managed ETFs will likely not have the transparency of index-based ETFs, and therefore, may be more likely to trade at a discount or premium to actual net asset values.

The fund may invest in closed-end investment companies which hold securities of U.S. and/or non-U.S. issuers. Because shares of closed-end funds trade on an exchange, investments in closed-end investment funds may entail the additional risk that the market value of such investments may be substantially less than their net asset value.

Illiquid and Restricted Securities. The Fund may invest up to 15% of the value of its assets in illiquid or restricted securities. As used herein, restricted securities are those that have been sold in the United States without registration under the Securities Act of 1933 and are thus subject to restrictions on resale. Excluded from this limitation, however, are any restricted securities which are eligible for resale pursuant to Rule 144A under the Securities Act of 1933 and which have been determined to be liquid by the Trustees or by the subadviser pursuant to board-approved guidelines. The determination of liquidity is based on the volume of reported trading in the institutional secondary market for each security. This investment practice could have the effect of increasing the level of illiquidity in the Fund to the extent qualified institutional buyers become for a time uninterested in purchasing these restricted securities. This could result in the Fund’s inability to realize a favorable price upon disposition of restricted securities, and in some cases might make disposition of such securities at the time desired by the Fund impossible. Since market quotations are not readily available for restricted securities, such securities will be valued by a method that the Trustees believe accurately reflects fair value.

Repurchase Agreements. The Fund may enter into repurchase agreements with broker-dealers or banks. A repurchase agreement is a short-term investment in which the purchaser (i.e., the Fund) acquires ownership of a debt security and the seller agrees to repurchase the obligation at a future time and set price, usually not more than seven days from the date of purchase, thereby determining the yield during the purchaser’s holding period. Repurchase agreements are collateralized by the underlying debt securities and may be considered to be loans under the 1940 Act. The Fund will make payment for such securities only upon physical delivery or evidence of book entry transfer to the account of the Fund’s custodian, subcustodian or other bank acting as agent. The seller under a repurchase agreement is required to maintain the value of the underlying securities marked to market

 

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daily at not less than the repurchase price. The underlying securities (normally securities of the U.S. Government, or its agencies and instrumentalities) may have maturity dates exceeding one year. The Fund does not bear the risk of a decline in value of the underlying security unless the seller defaults under its repurchase obligation. In the event of a bankruptcy or other default of a seller of a repurchase agreement, the Fund could experience both delays in liquidating the underlying securities and loss including: (a) possible decline in the value of the underlying security during the period while the Fund seeks to enforce its rights thereto, (b) possible lack of access to income on the underlying security during this period, and (c) expenses of enforcing its rights.

For the purpose of investing in repurchase agreements, the manager may aggregate the cash that certain funds advised or subadvised by the manager or its affiliates would otherwise invest separately into a joint account. The cash in the joint account is then invested in repurchase agreements and the funds that contributed to the joint account share pro rata in the net revenue generated. The manager believes that the joint account produces efficiencies and economies of scale that may contribute to reduced transaction costs, higher returns, higher quality investments and greater diversity of investments for a Fund than would be available to a Fund investing separately. The manner in which the joint account is managed is subject to conditions set forth in an SEC exemptive order authorizing this practice, which conditions are designed to ensure the fair administration of the joint account and to protect the amounts in that account.

Reverse Repurchase Agreements. The Fund may enter into reverse repurchase agreements with broker/dealers and other financial institutions. Such agreements involve the sale of portfolio securities by the Fund with an agreement to repurchase the securities at an agreed-upon price, date and interest payment and are considered to be borrowings by the Fund and are subject to the borrowing limitations set forth under “Investment Restrictions.” Since the proceeds of reverse repurchase agreements are invested, this would introduce the speculative factor known as “leverage.” The Fund may have an opportunity to earn a greater rate of interest on the cash derived from the transaction than the interest cost of obtaining that cash. Opportunities to realize earnings from the use of the proceeds equal to or greater than the interest required to be paid may not always be available, and the Fund intends to use the reverse repurchase technique only when the manager believes it will be advantageous to the Fund. The use of reverse repurchase agreements involve leverage and may exaggerate any interim increase or decrease in the value of the Fund’s assets. The Fund’s custodian bank will maintain a separate account for the Fund with securities having a value equal to or greater than such commitments. The Fund’s liquidity and ability to manage its assets may be adversely affected when it sets aside cash or securities to cover such commitments. Reverse repurchase agreements involve the risk that the market value of the securities sold by the Fund may decline below the repurchase price of those securities, that the assets purchased with the proceeds of the agreement decline in value, or that the buyer under a reverse repurchase agreement files for bankruptcy or becomes insolvent.

Short Sales. The Fund may from time to time make short sales of securities. Short sales are transactions in which the Fund sells a security it does not own in anticipation of a decline in the market value of that security. To complete such a transaction, the Fund must borrow the security to make delivery to the buyer. The Fund then is obligated to replace the security borrowed by purchasing it at the market price at or prior to the time of replacement. The price at such time may be more or less than the price at which the security was sold by the Fund. Until the security is replaced, the Fund is required to repay the lender any dividends or interest paid during the period of the loan. To borrow the security, the Fund also may be required to pay a premium, which would increase the cost of the security sold. A portion of the net proceeds of the short sale may be retained by the broker (or by the Fund’s custodian in a special custody account), to the extent necessary to meet margin requirements, until the short position is closed out. The Fund will also incur transaction costs in effecting short sales. The Fund may also enter into short sales “against the box”. A short sale is “against the box” to the extent that the Fund contemporaneously owns or has the right to obtain at no added cost securities identical to those sold short. There are certain transaction costs associated with short sales against the box, but the Fund endeavors to offset these costs with the income from the investment of the cash proceeds of short sales. The Fund does not intend to make short sales or maintain a short position if to do so would cause more than 25% of the Fund’s total assets, taken at market value, to be held as collateral for such sales.

 

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The Fund will incur a loss as a result of the short sale if the price of the security increases between the date of the short sale and the date on which the Fund replaces the borrowed security. The Fund will realize a gain if the security declines in price between those dates. The amount of any gain will be decreased, and the amount of any loss increased, by the amount of the premiums, dividends, interest or expenses the Fund may be required to pay in connection with a short sale. An increase in the value of a security sold short by the Fund over the price at which it was sold short will result in a loss to the Fund, and there can be no assurance that the Fund will be able to close out the position at any particular time or at an acceptable price. Where short sales are not against the box, losses may be unlimited.

Leverage. The Fund may borrow from banks, on a secured or unsecured basis and use the proceeds to make additional investments. This speculative factor is known as “leverage.” Leverage creates an opportunity for increased returns to shareholders of the Fund but, at the same time, creates special risk considerations. For example, leverage may exaggerate changes in the net asset value of the Fund’s shares and in the Fund’s yield. Although the principal or stated value of such borrowings will be fixed, the Fund’s assets may change in value during the time the borrowing is outstanding. Leverage will create interest expenses for the Fund which can exceed the income from the assets retained. To the extent the income or other gain derived from securities purchased with borrowed funds exceed the interest the Fund will have to pay in respect thereof, the Fund’s net income or other gain will be greater than if leverage had not been used. Conversely, if the income or other gain from the incremental assets is not sufficient to cover the cost of leverage, the net income or other gain of the Fund will be less than if leverage had not been used. If the amount of income or appreciation from the incremental securities is insufficient to cover the cost of borrowing, securities might have to be liquidated to obtain required funds. If the securities purchased with borrowed funds lose value, the net loss of the Fund will be greater than if leverage had not been used. Depending on market or other conditions, such liquidations could be disadvantageous to the Fund. The Fund is required to maintain continuous asset coverage of 300% with respect to such borrowings, and to sell (within three days) sufficient portfolio holdings to restore such coverage, if it should decline to less than 300% due to market fluctuations or otherwise, even if disadvantageous from an investment standpoint.

Lending Portfolio Securities. Consistent with applicable regulatory requirements and in order to generate income, the Fund may lend its securities to broker-dealers and other institutional borrowers. Such loans will usually be made only to member banks of the U.S. Federal Reserve System and to member firms of the NYSE. Loans of securities would be secured continuously by collateral in cash, cash equivalents, or U.S. Treasury obligations maintained on a current basis at an amount at least equal to the market value of the securities loaned. The cash collateral would be invested in high quality short-term instruments. Either party has the right to terminate a loan at any time on customary industry settlement notice (which will not usually exceed three business days). During the existence of a loan, the Fund would continue to receive the equivalent of the interest or dividends paid by the issuer on the securities loaned and with respect to cash collateral would also receive compensation based on investment of cash collateral (subject to a rebate payable to the borrower and the lending agent). Where the borrower provides the Fund with collateral consisting of U.S. Treasury obligations, the borrower is also obligated to pay the Fund a fee for use of the borrowed securities. The Fund would not, however, have the right to vote any securities having voting rights during the existence of the loan, but would call the loan in anticipation of an important vote to be taken among holders of the securities or of the giving or withholding of their consent on a material matter affecting the investment. As with other extensions of credit, there are risks of delay in recovery or even loss of rights in the collateral should the borrower fail financially. However, the loans would be made only to entities deemed by the subadviser to be of good standing, and when, in the judgment of the subadviser, the consideration which can be earned currently from loans of this type justifies the attendant risk. In addition, the Fund could suffer loss if the borrower terminates the loan and the Fund is forced to liquidate investments in order to return the cash collateral to the buyer.

When-Issued Securities. The Fund may purchase securities on a “when-issued” or on a “forward delivery” basis, meaning that delivery of the securities occurs beyond customary settlement times. In general, the Fund does not pay for the securities until received and does not start earning interest until the contractual settlement

 

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date. It is expected that, under normal circumstances, the Fund would take delivery of such securities, but the Fund may sell them before the settlement date. When the Fund commits to purchase a security on a “when- issued” or on a “forward delivery” basis, it sets up procedures consistent with SEC policies. Since those policies currently require that an amount of the Fund’s assets equal to the amount of the purchase be held aside or segregated to be used to pay for the commitment, the Fund expects always to have cash or liquid securities sufficient to cover any commitments or to limit any potential risk. However, even though the Fund does not intend to make such purchases for speculative purposes and intend to adhere to the provisions of SEC policies, purchases of securities on such bases may involve more risk than other types of purchases. The when-issued securities are subject to market fluctuation, and no interest accrues on the security to the purchaser during this period. The payment obligation and the interest rate that will be received on the securities are each fixed at the time the purchaser enters into the commitment. Purchasing obligations on a when-issued basis is a form of leveraging and can involve a risk that the yields available in the market when the delivery takes place may actually be higher than those obtained in the transactions themselves. In that case, there could be an unrealized loss at the time of delivery. An increase in the percentage of the Fund’s assets committed to the purchase of securities on a “when-issued” basis may increase the volatility of its net asset value.

ADDITIONAL RISK FACTORS

The Prospectus and the “INVESTMENT OBJECTIVES, MANAGEMENT POLICIES AND ASSOCIATED RISKS” section of this Statement of Additional Information discuss certain of the risk factors associated with the investment policies and strategies employed by the Fund. The following discussion supplements these descriptions of risk factors.

General. Investors should realize that risk of loss is inherent in the ownership of any securities and that the Fund’s net asset value will fluctuate, reflecting fluctuations in the market value of its portfolio positions.

Equity Securities. Equity securities have historically been more volatile than most debt securities in response to market risk. Market risk is the risk that the prices of securities will rise or fall due to changing economic, political or market conditions. The value of some securities held by the Fund may be quite volatile.

Fixed Income Securities. Investments in fixed income securities may subject the Fund to risks, including the following:

Interest Rate Risk. When interest rates decline, the market value of fixed income securities tends to increase. Conversely, when interest rates increase, the market value of fixed income securities tends to decline. The volatility of a security’s market value will differ depending upon the security’s duration, the issuer and the type of instrument.

Income Risk. When interest rates decline, the Fund’s income may decline.

Default Risk/Credit Risk. Investments in fixed income securities are subject to the risk that the issuer of the security could default on its obligations, causing the Fund to sustain losses on such investments. A default could impact both interest and principal payments.

Call Risk and Extension Risk. Fixed income securities may be subject to both call risk and extension risk. Call risk exists when the issuer may exercise its right to pay principal on an obligation earlier than scheduled, which would cause cash flows to be returned earlier than expected. This typically results when interest rates have declined and the Fund will suffer from having to reinvest in lower yielding securities. Extension risk exists when the issuer may exercise its right to pay principal on an obligation later than anticipated, which would cause cash flows to be returned later than expected. This typically results when interest rates have increased, and the Fund will suffer from the inability to invest in higher yield securities.

Lower Rated and Below Investment Grade Fixed Income Securities. Securities rated in the fourth highest ratings category by a nationally recognized statistical ratings organization (an “NRSRO”), such as those rated

 

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BBB by S&P or Baa by Moody’s are generally regarded as having adequate capacity to pay interest and repay principal, but may have some speculative characteristics. Securities rated below the fourth highest ratings category by an NRSRO, including those rated below Baa by Moody’s or BBB by S&P, are not “investment grade,” and may have speculative characteristics, including a greater possibility of default or bankruptcy of the issuers of such securities, market price volatility based upon interest rate sensitivity, questionable creditworthiness and relative liquidity of the secondary trading market. Because these high yield bonds, commonly referred to as “junk bonds”, have been found to be more sensitive to adverse economic changes or individual corporate developments and less sensitive to interest rate changes than higher-rated investments, an economic downturn could disrupt the market for high yield bonds and adversely affect the value of outstanding bonds and the ability of issuers to repay principal and interest. In addition, in a declining interest rate market, issuers of high yield bonds may exercise redemption or call provisions, which may force the Fund, to the extent it owns such securities, to replace those securities with lower yielding securities. This could result in a decreased return.

Subsequent to its purchase by the Fund, an issue of securities may cease to be rated or its rating may be reduced below the minimum required for purchase by the Fund. In addition, it is possible that Moody’s, S&P and other rating agencies might not timely change their ratings of a particular issue to reflect subsequent events.

Smaller Market Capitalization Companies. Investments in companies with smaller market capitalizations, including companies generally considered to be small cap issuers and medium sized companies, may involve greater risks and volatility than investments in larger companies. Companies with smaller market capitalizations may be at an earlier stage of development, may be subject to greater business risks, may have limited product lines, limited financial resources and less depth in management than more established companies. In addition, these companies may have difficulty withstanding competition from larger more established companies in their industries. The securities of companies with smaller market capitalizations may be thinly traded (and therefore have to be sold at a discount from current market prices or sold in small lots over an extended period of time), may be followed by fewer investment research analysts and may be subject to wider price swings and thus may create a greater chance of loss than investing in securities of larger capitalization companies. In addition, transaction costs in smaller capitalization stocks may be higher than those of larger capitalization companies.

Foreign Securities. Investments in securities of foreign issuers involve certain risks not ordinarily associated with investments in securities of domestic issuers. Such risks include fluctuations in foreign exchange rates, future political and economic developments, and the possible imposition of exchange controls or other foreign governmental laws or restrictions. Changes in foreign currency exchange rates will, to the extent a Fund does not adequately hedge against such fluctuations, affect the value of securities in its portfolio and the unrealized appreciation or depreciation of investments so far as U.S. investors are concerned. In addition, with respect to certain countries, there is the possibility of expropriation of assets, confiscatory taxation, political or social instability or diplomatic developments which could adversely affect investments in those countries.

There may be less publicly available information about a foreign company than about a U.S. company, and foreign companies may not be subject to accounting, auditing, and financial reporting standards and requirements comparable to or as uniform as those of U.S. companies. Foreign securities markets, while growing in volume, have, for the most part, substantially less volume than U.S. markets, and securities of many foreign companies are less liquid and their price more volatile than securities of comparable U.S. companies. Transaction costs on foreign securities markets are generally higher than in the U.S. There is generally less government supervision and regulation of exchanges, brokers and issuers than there is in the U.S. The Fund might have greater difficulty taking appropriate legal action in foreign courts. Dividend and interest income from foreign securities will generally be subject to withholding taxes by the country in which the issuer is located and may not be recoverable by the Fund or the investors. Capital gains are also subject to taxation in some foreign countries.

Currency Risks. The U.S. dollar value of securities denominated in a foreign currency will vary with changes in currency exchange rates, which can be volatile. Accordingly, changes in the value of the currency in

 

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which the Fund’s investments are denominated relative to the U.S. dollar will affect the Fund’s net asset value. Exchange rates are generally affected by the forces of supply and demand in the international currency markets, the relative merits of investing in different countries and the intervention or failure to intervene of U.S. or foreign governments and central banks. However, currency exchange rates may fluctuate based on factors intrinsic to a country’s economy. Some emerging market countries also may have managed currencies, which are not free floating against the U.S. dollar. In addition, emerging markets are subject to the risk of restrictions upon the free conversion of their currencies into other currencies. Any devaluations relative to the U.S. dollar in the currencies in which a Fund’s securities are quoted would reduce the Fund’s net asset value per share.

Special Risks of Countries in the Asia Pacific Region. Certain of the risks associated with international investments are heightened for investments in these countries. For example, some of the currencies of these countries have experienced devaluations relative to the U.S. dollar, and adjustments have been made periodically in certain of such currencies. Certain countries, such as Indonesia, face serious exchange constraints. Jurisdictional disputes also exist, for example, between South Korea and North Korea. In addition, Hong Kong reverted to Chinese administration on July 1, 1997. The long-term effects of this reversion are not known at this time.

Securities of Developing/Emerging Markets Countries. A developing or emerging markets country generally is considered to be a country that is in the initial stages of its industrialization cycle. Investing in the equity markets of developing countries involves exposure to economic structures that are generally less diverse and mature, and to political systems that can be expected to have less stability, than those of developed countries. Historical experience indicates that the markets of developing countries have been more volatile than the markets of the more mature economies of developed countries; however, such markets often have provided higher rates of return to investors.

One or more of the risks discussed above could affect adversely the economy of a developing market or the Fund’s investments in such a market. In Eastern Europe, for example, upon the accession to power of Communist regimes in the past, the governments of a number of Eastern European countries expropriated a large amount of property. The claims of many property owners against those of governments may remain unsettled. In Latin America, countries have faced currency devaluation and defaults on public debt creating national economic crises. There can be no assurance that any investments that the Fund might make in such emerging markets would not be expropriated, nationalized or otherwise confiscated at some time in the future. In such an event, the Fund could lose its entire investment in the market involved. Moreover, changes in the leadership or policies of such markets could halt the expansion or reverse the liberalization of foreign investment policies now occurring in certain of these markets and adversely affect existing investment opportunities.

Many of the Fund’s investments in the bonds of issuers in emerging markets may be unrated or rated below investment grade. Securities rated below investment grade (and comparable unrated securities) are the equivalent of high yield, high risk bonds, commonly known as “junk bonds.” Such securities are regarded as predominantly speculative with respect to the issuer’s capacity to pay interest and repay principal in accordance with the terms of the obligations and involve major risk exposure to adverse business, financial, economic, or political conditions.

Derivative Instruments. In accordance with its investment policies, the Fund may invest in certain derivative instruments which are securities or contracts that provide for payments based on or “derived” from the performance of an underlying asset, index or other economic benchmark. Essentially, a derivative instrument is a financial arrangement or a contract between two parties. Derivative contracts include options, Futures Contracts, forward contracts, forward commitment and when-issued securities transactions, forward foreign currency exchange contracts and interest rate, mortgage and currency swaps. Transactions in derivative instruments can be, but are not necessarily, riskier than investments in conventional stocks, bonds and money market instruments.

The following are the principal risks associated with derivative instruments. Please also see the description in the “INVESTMENT OBJECTIVES, MANAGEMENT POLICIES AND ASSOCIATED RISKS” section of this Statement of Additional Information of certain derivative instruments in which the Fund might invest for more information about those instruments and the risks on investing in them.

 

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Leverage and associated price volatility: The use of certain derivatives may involve leverage for the Fund because they create an obligation, or indebtedness, to someone other than the Fund’s investors and enable a Fund to participate in gains and losses on an amount that exceeds its initial investment. Derivatives may magnify the Fund’s gain or loss from an investment in much the same way that incurring indebtedness does.

Credit risk: Certain types of derivatives are subject to the risk that the counterparty may fail to honor contract terms.

Liquidity and valuation risk: Many derivative instruments are traded in institutional markets rather than on an exchange. Certain derivative instruments are not readily marketable and are subject to the Fund’s restrictions on illiquid investments. As a result, these instruments may be more difficult to value.

Correlation risk: There may be imperfect correlation between the price of the derivative and the underlying asset. For example, there may be price disparities between the trading markets for the derivative contract and the underlying asset.

Each derivative instrument purchased for the Fund’s portfolio is reviewed and analyzed by the Fund’s portfolio manager to assess the risk and reward of such instrument in relation to the Fund’s portfolio investment strategy. The decision to invest in derivative instruments or conventional securities is made by measuring the respective instrument’s ability to provide value to the Fund and its shareholders.

Special Risks of Using Futures Contracts and Options on Futures Contracts. The prices of Futures Contracts are volatile and are influenced by, among other things, actual and anticipated changes in interest rates, which in turn are affected by fiscal and monetary policies and national and international political and economic events.

At best, the correlation between changes in prices of Futures Contracts and of the securities or currencies being hedged can be only approximate. The degree of imperfection of correlation depends upon circumstances such as: variations in speculative market demand for Futures and for debt securities or currencies, including technical influences in Futures trading; and differences between the financial instruments being hedged and the instruments underlying the standard Futures Contracts available for trading, with respect to interest rate levels, maturities, and creditworthiness of issuers. A decision of whether, when, and how to hedge involves skill and judgment, and even a well-conceived hedge may be unsuccessful to some degree because of unexpected market behavior or interest rate trends.

Because of the low margin deposits required, Futures trading involves an extremely high degree of leverage. As a result, a relatively small price movement in a Futures Contract may result in immediate and substantial loss or gain, to the investor. For example, if at the time of purchase, 10% of the value of the Futures Contract is deposited as margin, a subsequent 10% decrease in the value of the Futures Contract would result in a total loss of the margin deposit, before any deduction for the transaction costs, if the account were then closed out. A 15% decrease would result in a loss equal to 150% of the original margin deposit, if the Futures Contract were closed out. Thus, a purchase or sale of a Futures Contract may result in losses in excess of the amount invested in the Futures Contract. The Fund, however, would presumably have sustained comparable losses if, instead of the Futures Contract, it had invested in the underlying financial instrument and sold it after the decline. Where the Fund enters into Futures transactions for non-hedging purposes, it will be subject to greater risks and could sustain losses which are not offset by gains on other Fund assets.

In order to be certain that the Fund has sufficient assets to satisfy its obligations under a Futures Contract, the Fund segregates and commits to back the Futures Contract an amount of cash and liquid securities equal in value to the current value of the underlying instrument less the margin deposit.

Most U.S. Futures exchanges limit the amount of fluctuation permitted in Futures Contract prices during a single trading day. The daily limit establishes the maximum amount that the price of a Futures Contract may vary either up or down from the previous day’s settlement price at the end of a trading session. Once the daily limit has been reached in a particular type of Futures Contract, no trades may be made on that day at a price beyond that limit. The daily limit governs only price movement during a particular trading day and therefore does not limit

 

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potential losses, because the limit may prevent the liquidation of unfavorable positions. Futures Contract prices have occasionally moved to the daily limit for several consecutive trading days with little or no trading, thereby preventing prompt liquidation of Futures positions and subjecting some Futures traders to substantial losses.

As with options on debt securities, the holder of an option may terminate the position by selling an option of the same series. There is no guarantee that such closing transactions can be effected. The Fund will be required to deposit initial margin and maintenance margin with respect to put and call options on Futures Contracts described above, and, in addition, net option premiums received will be included as initial margin deposits.

In addition to the risks which apply to all option transactions, there are several special risks relating to options on Futures Contracts. The ability to establish and close out positions on such options will be subject to the development and maintenance of a liquid secondary market. It is not certain that this market will develop. The Fund will not purchase options on Futures Contracts on any exchange unless and until, in the manager’s opinion, the market for such options had developed sufficiently. Compared to the use of Futures Contracts, the purchase of options on Futures Contracts involves less potential risk to the Fund because the maximum amount of risk is the premium paid for the options (plus transaction costs). Writing an option on a Futures Contract involves risks similar to those arising in the sale of Futures Contracts, as described above.

Economic and Monetary Union (EMU). Twenty-five European countries participate in the European and Monetary Union (EMU) and twelve of those countries have adopted the Euro as their sole currency. EMU may create new economic opportunities for investors, such as lower interest rates, easier cross-border mergers, acquisitions and similar restructurings, more efficient distribution and product packaging and greater competition. Budgetary decisions remain in the hands of each participating country, but are subject to each country’s commitment to avoid “excessive deficits” and other more specific budgetary criteria. A European Central Bank is responsible for setting the official interest rate within the Euro zone. EMU and the introduction of the Euro, however, present unique risks and uncertainties for investors in EMU-participating countries, including: (i) monetary and economic union on this scale has never before been attempted; (ii) there is uncertainty whether participating countries will remain committed to EMU in the face of changing economic conditions; (iii) instability within EMU may increase the volatility of European markets and may adversely affect the prices of securities of European issuers in the Fund’s portfolio; (iv) there is uncertainty concerning the fluctuation of the Euro relative to non-Euro currencies; and (v) there is no assurance that interest rate, tax and labor regimes of EMU-participating countries will converge over time. These and other factors may cause market disruption and could adversely affect European securities and currencies held by the Fund.

Special Risks of Options. In the event of a shortage of the underlying securities deliverable on exercise of an option, the Options Clearing Corporation has the authority to permit other, generally comparable securities to be delivered in fulfillment of option exercise obligations. If the Options Clearing Corporation exercises its discretionary authority to allow such other securities to be delivered it may also adjust the exercise prices of the affected options by setting different prices at which otherwise ineligible securities may be delivered. As an alternative to permitting such substitute deliveries, the Options Clearing Corporation may impose special exercise settlement procedures.

The hours of trading for options on U.S. government securities may not conform to the hours during which the underlying securities are traded. To the extent that the options markets close before the markets for the underlying securities, significant price and rate movements can take place in the underlying markets that cannot be reflected in the options markets.

Options are traded on exchanges on only a limited number of U.S. government securities, and exchange regulations limit the maximum number of options which may be written or purchased by a single investor or a group of investors acting in concert. The Trust and other clients advised by affiliates of LMPFA may be deemed to constitute a group for these purposes. In light of these limits, the Board of Trustees may determine at any time to restrict or terminate the public offering of the Fund’s shares (including through exchanges from other funds).

 

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Exchange markets in options on U.S. government securities are a relatively new and untested concept. It is impossible to predict the amount of trading interest that may exist in such options, and there can be no assurance that viable exchange markets will develop or continue.

INVESTMENT POLICIES

The Fund has adopted the fundamental and non-fundamental investment policies below for the protection of shareholders. Fundamental investment policies may not be changed without approval by holders of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Fund, defined under the 1940 Act as the lesser of (i) 67% or more of the voting power present at a meeting at which the holders of voting securities representing more than 50% of the voting power are present or represented by proxy, or (ii) more than 50% of the voting power of the Fund.

If a percentage restriction or a rating restriction (other than a restriction as to borrowing) on investment or utilization of assets set forth below or referred to in the Prospectus is adhered to at the time an investment is made or assets are so utilized, a later change in circumstance is not considered a violation of policy.

Fundamental Investment Policies

The Fund’s revised fundamental policies are as follows:

(1) The Fund may not borrow money except as permitted by (i) the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, or interpretations or modifications by the SEC, SEC staff or other authority with appropriate jurisdiction, or (ii) exemptive or other relief or permission from the SEC, SEC staff or other authority.

(2) The Fund may not engage in the business of underwriting the securities of other issuers except as permitted by (i) the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, or interpretations or modifications by the SEC, SEC staff or other authority with appropriate jurisdiction, or (ii) exemptive or other relief or permission from the SEC, SEC staff or other authority.

(3) The Fund may lend money or other assets to the extent permitted by (i) the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, or interpretations or modifications by the SEC, SEC staff or other authority with appropriate jurisdiction, or (ii) exemptive or other relief or permission from the SEC, SEC staff or other authority.

(4) The Fund may not issue senior securities except as permitted by (i) the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, or interpretations or modifications by the SEC, SEC staff or other authority with appropriate jurisdiction, or (ii) exemptive or other relief or permission from the SEC, SEC staff or other authority.

(5) The Fund may not purchase or sell real estate except as permitted by (i) the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, or interpretations or modifications by the SEC, SEC staff or other authority with appropriate jurisdiction, or (ii) exemptive or other relief or permission from the SEC, SEC staff or other authority.

(6) The Fund may purchase or sell commodities or contracts related to commodities to the extent permitted by (i) the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, or interpretations or modifications by the SEC, SEC staff or other authority with appropriate jurisdiction, or (ii) exemptive or other relief or permission from the SEC, SEC staff or other authority.

(7) Except as permitted by exemptive or other relief or permission from the SEC, SEC staff or other authority with appropriate jurisdiction, the Fund may not make any investment if, as a result, the Fund’s investments will be concentrated in any one industry.

If the shareholder proposals are approved by the Fund’s shareholders, its revised policies will set forth the following as a nonfundamental investment restriction that may be changed by the Trust’s Board of Trustees at any time: the Fund may not purchase securities of any company deriving more than 25% of its gross revenues from the manufacture of alcohol or tobacco.

 

36


With respect to the fundamental policy relating to borrowing money set forth in (1) above, the 1940 Act permits a fund to borrow money in amounts of up to one-third of the fund’s total assets from banks for any purpose, and to borrow up to 5% of the fund’s total assets from banks or other lenders for temporary purposes. To limit the risks attendant to borrowing, the 1940 Act requires the fund to maintain at all times an “asset coverage” of at least 300% of the amount of its borrowings. Asset coverage means the ratio that the value of the fund’s total assets, minus liabilities other than borrowings, bears to the aggregate amount of all borrowings. Certain trading practices and investments, such as reverse repurchase agreements, may be considered to be borrowings and thus subject to the 1940 Act restrictions. Borrowing money to increase portfolio holdings is known as “leveraging.” Borrowing, especially when used for leverage, may cause the value of a fund’s shares to be more volatile than if the fund did not borrow. This is because borrowing tends to magnify the effect of any increase or decrease in the value of the fund’s portfolio holdings. Borrowed money thus creates an opportunity for greater gains, but also greater losses. To repay borrowings, the fund may have to sell securities at a time and at a price that is unfavorable to the fund. There also are costs associated with borrowing money, and these costs would offset and could eliminate a fund’s net investment income in any given period. Currently the fund does not contemplate borrowing money for leverage, but if the fund does so, it will not likely do so to a substantial degree. The policy in (1) above will be interpreted to permit a fund to engage in trading practices and investments that may be considered to be borrowing to the extent permitted by the 1940 Act. Short-term credits necessary for the settlement of securities transactions and arrangements with respect to securities lending will not be considered to be borrowings under the policy. Practices and investments that may involve leverage but are not considered to be borrowings are not subject to the policy.

With respect to the fundamental policy relating to underwriting set forth in (2) above, the 1940 Act does not prohibit a fund from engaging in the underwriting business or from underwriting the securities of other issuers; in fact, the 1940 Act permits a fund to have underwriting commitments of up to 25% of its assets under certain circumstances. Those circumstances currently are that the amount of the fund’s underwriting commitments, when added to the value of the fund’s investments in issuers where the fund owns more than 10% of the outstanding voting securities of those issuers, cannot exceed the 25% cap. A fund engaging in transactions involving the acquisition or disposition of portfolio securities may be considered to be an underwriter under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “1933 Act”). Under the 1933 Act, an underwriter may be liable for material omissions or misstatements in an issuer’s registration statement or prospectus. Securities purchased from an issuer and not registered for sale under the 1933 Act are considered restricted securities. There may be a limited market for these securities. If these securities are registered under the 1933 Act, they may then be eligible for sale but participating in the sale may subject the seller to underwriter liability. These risks could apply to a fund investing in restricted securities. Although it is not believed that the application of the 1933 Act provisions described above would cause a fund to be engaged in the business of underwriting, the policy in (2) above will be interpreted not to prevent the fund from engaging in transactions involving the acquisition or disposition of portfolio securities, regardless of whether the fund may be considered to be an underwriter under the 1933 Act.

With respect to the fundamental policy relating to lending set forth in (3) above, the 1940 Act does not prohibit a fund from making loans; however, SEC staff interpretations currently prohibit funds from lending more than one-third of their total assets, except through the purchase of debt obligations or the use of repurchase agreements. (A repurchase agreement is an agreement to purchase a security, coupled with an agreement to sell that security back to the original seller on an agreed-upon date at a price that reflects current interest rates. The SEC frequently treats repurchase agreements as loans.) While lending securities may be a source of income to a fund, as with other extensions of credit, there are risks of delay in recovery or even loss of rights in the underlying securities should the borrower fail financially. However, loans would be made only when the fund’s manager or a subadviser believes the income justifies the attendant risks. The fund also will be permitted by this policy to make loans of money, including to other funds. A fund would have to obtain exemptive relief from the SEC to make loans to other funds. The policy in (3) above will be interpreted not to prevent a fund from purchasing or investing in debt obligations and loans. In addition, collateral arrangements with respect to options, forward currency and futures transactions and other derivative instruments, as well as delays in the settlement of securities transactions, will not be considered loans.

 

37


With respect to the fundamental policy relating to issuing senior securities set forth in (4) above, “senior securities” are defined as fund obligations that have a priority over the fund’s shares with respect to the payment of dividends or the distribution of fund assets. The 1940 Act prohibits a fund from issuing senior securities except that the fund may borrow money in amounts of up to one-third of the fund’s total assets from banks for any purpose. A fund also may borrow up to 5% of the fund’s total assets from banks or other lenders for temporary purposes, and these borrowings are not considered senior securities. The issuance of senior securities by a fund can increase the speculative character of the fund’s outstanding shares through leveraging. Leveraging of a fund’s portfolio through the issuance of senior securities magnifies the potential for gain or loss on monies, because even though the fund’s net assets remain the same, the total risk to investors is increased to the extent of the fund’s gross assets. The policy in (4) above will be interpreted not to prevent collateral arrangements with respect to swaps, options, forward or futures contracts or other derivatives, or the posting of initial or variation margin.

With respect to the fundamental policy relating to real estate set forth in (5) above, the 1940 Act does not prohibit a fund from owning real estate; however, a fund is limited in the amount of illiquid assets it may purchase. Investing in real estate may involve risks, including that real estate is generally considered illiquid and may be difficult to value and sell. Owners of real estate may be subject to various liabilities, including environmental liabilities. To the extent that investments in real estate are considered illiquid, the current SEC staff position generally limits a fund’s purchases of illiquid securities to 15% of net assets. The policy in (5) above will be interpreted not to prevent a fund from investing in real estate-related companies, companies whose businesses consist in whole or in part of investing in real estate, instruments (like mortgages) that are secured by real estate or interests therein, or real estate investment trust securities.

With respect to the fundamental policy relating to commodities set forth in (6) above, the 1940 Act does not prohibit a fund from owning commodities, whether physical commodities and contracts related to physical commodities (such as oil or grains and related futures contracts), or financial commodities and contracts related to financial commodities (such as currencies and, possibly, currency futures). However, a fund is limited in the amount of illiquid assets it may purchase. To the extent that investments in commodities are considered illiquid, the current SEC staff position generally limits a fund’s purchases of illiquid securities to 15% of net assets. If a fund were to invest in a physical commodity or a physical commodity-related instrument, the fund would be subject to the additional risks of the particular physical commodity and its related market. The value of commodities and commodity-related instruments may be extremely volatile and may be affected either directly or indirectly by a variety of factors. There also may be storage charges and risks of loss associated with physical commodities. The policy in (6) above will be interpreted to permit investments in exchange traded funds that invest in physical and/or financial commodities.

With respect to the fundamental policy relating to concentration set forth in (7) above, the 1940 Act does not define what constitutes “concentration” in an industry. The SEC staff has taken the position that investment of 25% or more of a fund’s total assets in one or more issuers conducting their principal activities in the same industry or group of industries constitutes concentration. It is possible that interpretations of concentration could change in the future. A fund that invests a significant percentage of its total assets in a single industry may be particularly susceptible to adverse events affecting that industry and may be more risky than a fund that does not concentrate in an industry. The policy in (7) above will be interpreted to refer to concentration as that term may be interpreted from time to time. The policy also will be interpreted to permit investment without limit in the following: securities of the U.S. government and its agencies or instrumentalities; securities of state, territory, possession or municipal governments and their authorities, agencies, instrumentalities or political subdivisions; securities of foreign governments; and repurchase agreements collateralized by any such obligations. Accordingly, issuers of the foregoing securities will not be considered to be members of any industry. There also will be no limit on investment in issuers domiciled in a single jurisdiction or country. The policy also will be interpreted to give broad authority to a fund as to how to classify issuers within or among industries.

The fund’s fundamental policies are written and will be interpreted broadly. For example, the policies will be interpreted to refer to the 1940 Act and the related rules as they are in effect from time to time, and to

 

38


interpretations and modifications of or relating to the 1940 Act by the SEC and others as they are given from time to time. When a policy provides that an investment practice may be conducted as permitted by the 1940 Act, the policy will be interpreted to mean either that the 1940 Act expressly permits the practice or that the 1940 Act does not prohibit the practice.

Non-Fundamental Investment Policies

Under the non-fundamental investment policies adopted by the Fund, the Fund may not:

invest more than 15% of its net assets (taken at market value at the time of purchase ) in illiquid or restricted securities (meaning securities which cannot be sold within seven days at the value carried on the Fund’s books).

The Fund is currently classified as a diversified fund under the 1940 Act. This means that the Fund may not purchase securities of an issuer (other than obligations issued or guaranteed by the U.S. government, its agencies or instrumentalities) if, with respect to 75% of its total assets, (a) more than 5% of the Fund’s total assets would be invested in securities of that issuer, or (b) the Fund would hold more than 10% of the outstanding voting securities of that issuer. With respect to the remaining 25% of its total assets, the Fund can invest more than 5% of its assets in one issuer. Under the 1940 Act, the Fund cannot change its classification from diversified to non-diversified without shareholder approval.

BROKERAGE

Subject to policies as may be established by the Fund’s Board from time to time, the subadviser is primarily responsible for the Fund’s portfolio decisions and the placing of the Fund’s portfolio transactions, except that the manager manages the cash and short-term investments of the Fund. Commissions with broker dealers are negotiated on all transactions. The cost of securities purchased from underwriters includes an underwriting commission, concession or a net price. The aggregate brokerage commissions paid by the Fund for the three most recent fiscal years is set forth below under “Aggregate Brokerage Commissions Paid.”

Pursuant to the Management Agreement and sub-advisory agreements, each of the manager and the subadviser is authorized to place orders pursuant to its investment determinations for the Fund either directly with the issuer or with any broker or dealer, foreign currency dealer, futures commission merchant or others selected by it. The general policy of the manager and subadviser in selecting brokers and dealers is to obtain the best results achievable in the context of a number of factors which are considered both in relation to individual trades and broader trading patterns, including the reliability of the broker/dealer, the competitiveness of the price and the commission, the research services received and whether the broker/dealer commits its own capital.

In connection with the selection of such brokers or dealers and the placing of such orders, subject to applicable law, brokers or dealers may be selected who also provide brokerage and research services (as those terms are defined in Section 28(e) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934) to the Fund and/or the other accounts over which the manager, the subadviser or their affiliates exercise investment discretion. The manager and subadviser are authorized to pay a broker or dealer who provides such brokerage and research services a commission for executing a portfolio transaction for the Fund which is in excess of the amount of commission another broker or dealer would have charged for effecting that transaction if the manager or subadviser determines in good faith that such amount of commission is reasonable in relation to the value of the brokerage and research services provided by such broker or dealer. This determination may be viewed in terms of either that particular transaction or the overall responsibilities that the manager, the subadviser and their affiliates have with respect to accounts over which they exercise investment discretion. The manager and/or subadviser may also have arrangements with brokers pursuant to which such brokers provide research services to the manager or subadviser, as applicable, in exchange for a certain volume of brokerage transactions to be executed by such brokers. While the payment of higher commissions increases the Funds’ costs, neither the manager nor the subadviser believes

 

39


that the receipt of such brokerage and research services significantly reduces its expenses as manager or subadviser. Arrangements for the receipt of research services from brokers may create conflicts of interest.

Research services furnished to the manager or the subadviser by brokers who effect securities transactions for the Fund may be used by the manager or subadviser in servicing other investment companies and accounts which it manages. Similarly, research services furnished to the manager or subadviser by brokers who effect securities transactions for other investment companies and accounts which the manager or subadviser manages may be used by the manager or subadviser, as applicable, in servicing the Fund. Not all of these research services are used by the manager or subadviser in managing any particular account, including the Fund. For the fiscal year ended October 31, 2006, the Fund paid commissions to brokers that provided research services as follows:

 

Fund

   Total Dollar Amount Of
Brokerage Transactions
Related To Research Services
   Total Dollar Amount of
Brokerage Commissions
Paid on Transactions
Related To Research Services

Dividend Strategy Fund

   $ 207,328,666    $ 240,906

The Fund contemplates that, consistent with the policy of obtaining the best net results, brokerage transactions may be conducted through “affiliated broker/dealers”, as defined in the 1940 Act. The Fund’s Board of Trustees has adopted procedures in accordance with Rule 17e-1 promulgated under the 1940 Act to ensure that all brokerage commissions paid to such affiliates are reasonable and fair in the context of the market in which such affiliates operate. Effective December 1, 2005 CGMI is no longer an affiliated person of the Fund under the 1940 Act. As a result, the Fund will be permitted to execute portfolio transactions with CGMI or an affiliate of CGMI as agent (but not as principal) without being subject to the restrictions applicable to transactions with affiliated persons.

Aggregate Brokerage Commissions Paid

For the fiscal years ended October 31, 2004, 2005 and 2006, the Fund paid aggregate brokerage commissions and brokerage commissions to CGMI and its affiliates as set out below:

 

Aggregate Brokerage Commissions Paid

(Fiscal Year Ended October 31)

   Dividend
Strategy

2006

   $ 1,624,492

2005

   $ 2,131,552

2004

   $ 3,532,132

 

Fiscal Year 2006 Commissions

   CGMI
and
Affiliates

Dividend Strategy

   $ 24,817

 

Fiscal Year 2005 Commissions

   CGMI
and
Affiliates

Dividend Strategy

   $ 44,707

 

Fiscal Year 2004 Commissions

   CGMI
and
Affiliates

Dividend Strategy

   $ 62,480

 

40


For the fiscal year ended October 31, 2006, the percentage of the Fund’s aggregate brokerage commissions paid to CGMI and its affiliates and the percentage of the Fund’s aggregate dollar amount of transactions involving the payment of commissions effected through CGMI and its affiliates were as follows:

 

Percentage of

Aggregate Brokerage

Commissions Paid

   CGMI
and
Affiliates
 

Dividend Strategy

   1.53 %

 

Percentage of

Aggregate Dollar Amount of

Transactions Involving

Payment of Commissions

   CGMI
and
Affiliates
 

Dividend Strategy

   2.58 %

As of December 1, 2005, LMIS became an underwriter of the Fund under the 1940 Act. For the period December 1, 2005 through October 31, 2006, the Fund did not pay any brokerage commissions to LMIS or its affiliates.

During the fiscal year ended October 31, 2006, the Fund purchased securities issued by the following regular broker/dealers of the Fund, which had the following values as of October 31, 2006:

 

Broker-Dealer

  

Value of Securities

as of

October 31, 2006

Bank of America Corp

   $ 71,098,757

Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith, Inc.

   $ 37,153,500

In certain instances there may be securities that are suitable as an investment for the Fund as well as for one or more of the manager’s or subadviser’s other clients. Investment decisions for the Fund and for the manager’s or subadviser’s other clients are made with a view to achieving their respective investment objectives. It may develop that a particular security is bought or sold for only one client even though it might be held by, or bought or sold for, other clients. Likewise, a particular security may be bought for one or more clients when one or more clients are selling the same security. Some simultaneous transactions are inevitable when several clients receive investment advice from the same investment adviser, particularly when the same security is suitable for the investment objectives of more than one client. When two or more clients are simultaneously engaged in the purchase or sale of the same security, the securities are allocated among clients in a manner believed to be equitable to each. It is recognized that in some cases this system could adversely affect the price of or the size of the position obtainable in a security for the Fund. When purchases or sales of the same security for the Fund and for other funds managed by the adviser occur contemporaneously, the purchase or sale orders may be aggregated in order to obtain any price advantages available to large volume purchases or sales.

PORTFOLIO TURNOVER

For reporting purposes, the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate is calculated by dividing the lesser of purchases or sales of portfolio securities for the fiscal year by the monthly average of the value of the portfolio securities owned by the Fund during the fiscal year. In determining such portfolio turnover, all securities whose maturities at the time of acquisition were one year or less are excluded. A 100% portfolio turnover rate would occur, for example, if all of the securities in a Fund’s investment portfolio (other than short- term money market securities) were replaced once during the fiscal year. Portfolio turnover will not be a limiting factor should the manager or subadviser deem it advisable to purchase or sell securities.

 

41


For the Dividend Strategy Fund, for the fiscal years ended October 31, 2005 and 2006, the portfolio turnover rates were 135% and 21%, respectively.

In the event that portfolio turnover increases, this increase necessarily results in correspondingly greater transaction costs which must be paid by the Fund. To the extent portfolio trading results in realization of net short-term capital gains, shareholders will be taxed on such gains at ordinary tax rates (except shareholders who invest through IRAs and other retirement plans which are not taxed currently on accumulations in their accounts).

 

42


DISCLOSURE OF PORTFOLIO HOLDINGS

The Fund’s Board of Trustees has adopted policies and procedures developed by LMPFA with respect to the disclosure of the Fund’s portfolio securities and any ongoing arrangements to make available information about the Fund’s portfolio securities. The policy requires that consideration always be given as to whether disclosure of information about a Funds’ portfolio holdings is in the best interests of the Fund’s shareholders, and that any conflicts of interest between the interests of the Fund’s shareholders and those of LMPFA, the Fund’s Distributors or their affiliates, be addressed in a manner that places the interests of such Fund’s shareholders first. The policy provides that information regarding the Fund’s portfolio holdings may not be shared with non-Legg Mason employees, with investors or potential investors (whether individual or institutional), or with third parties unless it is done for legitimate Fund business purposes and in accordance with the policy.

LMPFA’s policy generally provides for the release of details of securities positions once they are considered “stale.” Data is considered stale 25 calendar days following quarter-end for funds other than money market funds, and 25 calendar days following month-end with respect to money market funds. LMPFA believes that this passage of time prevents a third party from benefiting from an investment decision made by a fund that has not been fully reflected by the market.

Under the policy, the Fund’s complete list of holdings (including the size of each position) may be made available to investors, potential investors, third parties and non-Legg Mason employees with simultaneous public disclosure at least 25 days after calendar quarter end, except in the case of a money market fund’s holdings, which may be released with simultaneous public disclosure at least 25 days after month end. Typically, simultaneous public disclosure is achieved by the filing of Form N-Q or Form N-CSR in accordance with SEC rules, provided that such filings may not be made until 25 days following quarter-end, and/or posting the information to a Legg Mason or the Fund’s Internet site that is accessible by the public, or through public release by a third party vendor.

The policy permits the release of limited portfolio holdings information that is not yet considered stale in a number of situations, including:

 

  1. The Fund’s top ten securities, current as of month-end, and the individual size of each such security position may be released at any time following month-end with simultaneous public disclosure.

 

  2. The Fund’s top ten securities positions (including the aggregate but not individual size of such positions) may be released at any time with simultaneous public disclosure.

 

  3. A list of securities (that may include Fund holdings together with other securities) followed by a portfolio manager (without position sizes or identification of particular funds) may be disclosed to sell-side brokers at any time for the purpose of obtaining research and/or market information from such brokers.

 

  4. A trade in process may be discussed only with counterparties, potential counterparties and others involved in the transaction (i.e., brokers and custodians).

 

  5. The Fund’s sector weightings, yield and duration (for fixed income and money market funds), performance attribution (e.g., analysis of the Fund’s out-performance or underperformance of its benchmark based on its portfolio holdings) and other summary and statistical information that does not include identification of specific portfolio holdings may be released, even if non-public, if such release is otherwise in accordance with the policy’s general principles.

 

  6. The Fund’s portfolio holdings may be released on an as-needed basis to its legal counsel, counsel to its Independent Trustees, and its independent public accounting firm, in required regulatory filings or otherwise to governmental agencies and authorities.

Under the policy, if information about the Fund’s portfolio holdings is released pursuant to an ongoing arrangement with any party, the Fund must have a legitimate business purpose for the release of the information,

 

43


and either the party receiving the information must be under a duty of confidentiality, or the release of non-public information must be subject to trading restrictions and confidential treatment to prohibit the entity from sharing with an unauthorized source or trading upon any non-public information provided. Neither the Fund, nor Legg Mason, nor any other affiliated party may receive compensation or any other consideration in connection with such arrangements. Ongoing arrangements to make available information about the Fund’s portfolio securities will be reviewed at least annually by the Fund’s Board.

The approval of the Fund’s Chief Compliance Officer, or designee, must be obtained before the Fund enters into any new ongoing arrangement or alters any existing ongoing arrangement to make available portfolio holdings information, or with respect to any exceptions to the policy. Any exceptions to the policy must be consistent with the purposes of the policy. Exceptions are considered on a case-by-case basis and are granted only after a thorough examination and consultation with LMPFA’s legal department, as necessary. Exceptions to the policies are reported to the Fund’s Board at its next regularly scheduled meeting.

Currently, the Fund discloses is complete portfolio holdings approximately 25 days after calendar quarter end on its website http://www.leggmason.com/InvestorServices.

Set forth below is a list, as of March 13, 2007, of those parties with whom LMPFA, on behalf of the Fund, has authorized ongoing arrangements that include the release of portfolio holdings information in accordance with the policy, as well as the frequency of the release under such arrangements, and the length of the lag, if any, between the date of the information and the date on which the information is disclosed. The parties identified below as recipients are service providers, fund rating agencies, consultants and analysts.

 

Recipient

  

Frequency

  

Delay before dissemination

State Street Bank & Trust Co.
(Fund Custodian and Accounting Agent)

   Daily    None

Institutional Shareholders Services
(Proxy Voting Services)

   As necessary    None

Bloomberg

   Quarterly    25 Days after Quarter End

Lipper

   Quarterly    25 Days after Quarter End

S&P

   Quarterly    25 Days after Quarter End

Morningstar

   Quarterly    25 Days after Quarter End

Vestek

   Daily    None

Factset

   Daily    None

The Bank of New York

   Daily    None

 

44


Portfolio holdings information for each Fund may also be released from time to time pursuant to ongoing arrangements with the following parties:

 

Recipient

  

Frequency

  

Delay before dissemination

Baseline

   Daily    None

Frank Russell

   Monthly    1 Day

Callan

   Quarterly    25 Days after Quarter End

Mercer

   Quarterly    25 Days after Quarter End

eVestment Alliance

   Quarterly    25 Days after Quarter End

CRA RogersCasey

   Quarterly    25 Days after Quarter End

Cambridge Associates

   Quarterly    25 Days after Quarter End

Marco Consulting

   Quarterly    25 Days after Quarter End

Wilshire

   Quarterly    25 Days after Quarter End

Informa Investment Services (Efron)

   Quarterly    25 Days after Quarter End

CheckFree (Mobius)

   Quarterly    25 Days after Quarter End

Nelsons Information

   Quarterly    25 Days after Quarter End

Investor Tools

   Daily    None

Advent

   Daily    None

BARRA

   Daily    None

Plexus

   Quarterly (Calendar)    Sent 1-3 business days following the end of a Quarter

Elkins/McSherry

   Quarterly (Calendar)    Sent 1-3 business days following the end of a Quarter

Quantitative Services Group

   Daily    None

AMBAC

   Daily    None

Deutsche Bank

   Monthly    6-8 Business Days

Fitch

   Monthly    6-8 Business Days

Liberty Hampshire

   Weekly and Month End    None

Sun Trust

   Weekly and Month End    None

New England Pension Consultants

   Quarterly    25 Days after Quarter End

Evaluation Associates

   Quarterly    25 Days after Quarter End

Watson Wyatt

   Quarterly    25 Days after Quarter End

S&P (Rating Agency)

   Weekly Tuesday Night    1 business day

Moody’s (Rating Agency)

   Weekly Tuesday Night    1 business day

Elektra Information Systems

   Daily    None

SunGard

   Daily    None

PORTFOLIO MANAGERS

The following tables set forth certain additional information with respect to the portfolio managers for the Fund. Unless noted otherwise, all information in this section with respect to the Fund is provided as of October 31, 2006.

 

45


Other Accounts Managed by the Portfolio Manager

The table below identifies, for each portfolio manager, the number of accounts (other than the Fund with respect to which information is provided) for which he or she has day-to-day management responsibilities and the total assets in such accounts, within each of the following categories: registered investment companies, other pooled investment vehicles, and other accounts.

 

Portfolio Manager

 

Registered

Investment Companies

 

Other Pooled

Investment Vehicles

  Other Accounts   Accounts with Fees
based on Performance

Scott Glasser

  6 registered investment companies with $7.53 billion in total assets under management   1 other pooled
investment vehicle
with $0.04 billion
in total assets
under management
  29,569 other
accounts with
$4.00 billion in
total assets under
management
  None

Peter Hable

  20 registered investment companies with $8.72 billion in total assets under management   2 other pooled
investment
vehicles with $0.40
billion in total
assets under
management
  80,836 other
accounts with
$12.18 billion in
total assets under
management
  1 account with fees
based on
performance with
$0.01 million in
total assets under
management

Portfolio Manager Compensation

Clearbridge investment professionals receive base salary and other employee benefits and are eligible to receive incentive compensation. Base salary is fixed and typically determined based on market factors and the skill and experience of individual investment personnel.

Clearbridge has an incentive and deferred compensation plan (the “Compensation Plan”) for its investment professionals, including the Fund’s portfolio manager(s). Each investment professional works as a part of an investment team. The Compensation Plan is designed to align the objectives of Clearbridge investment professionals with those of Fund shareholders and other Clearbridge clients. Under the Compensation Plan a “base incentive pool” is established for each team each year as a percentage of Clearbridge’s revenue attributable to the team (largely management and related fees generated by funds and other accounts). A team’s revenues are typically expected to increase or decrease depending in part on the effect that the team’s investment performance as well as inflows and outflows has on the level of assets in the investment products managed by the team. The “base incentive pool” of a team is reduced by base salaries paid to members of the team and other employee expenses attributable to the team.

The investment team’s incentive pool is then adjusted to reflect its ranking among a “peer group” of non-Clearbridge investment managers and the team’s pre-tax investment performance against the applicable product benchmark (e.g., a securities index and, with respect to a fund, the benchmark set forth in the fund’s prospectus to which the fund’s average annual total returns are compared) or, if none, the benchmark set forth in the fund’s annual report). The peer group of non-Clearbridge investment managers is defined by product style/type, vehicle type and geography and selected by independent vendors that track and provide (for a fee paid by Clearbridge) relevant peer group performance and ranking data. Longer-term (5-year) performance is more heavily weighted than shorter-term (1-year) performance in the calculation of the performance adjustment factor. The incentive pool for a team may also be adjusted based on other qualitative factors by the applicable Clearbridge Chief Investment Officer. The incentive pool will be allocated by the applicable Clearbridge Chief Investment Officer to the team leader and, based on the recommendations of the team leader, to the other members of the team.

 

46


Up to 20% of an investment professional’s annual incentive compensation is subject to deferral. For portfolio managers, 25% of this deferral tracks performance of their primary managed product while another 25% tracks performance of an elected fund. Therefore, portfolio managers may potentially have 50% of their deferred award amount tracking the performance of their primary managed product. The remaining 50% of the deferral is received in the form of Legg Mason restricted stock shares.

Potential Conflicts of Interest

Potential conflicts of interest may arise when the Fund’s portfolio manager also has day-to-day management responsibilities with respect to one or more other funds or other accounts, as is the case for the portfolio managers listed in the table above.

The manager, subadviser and the Fund have adopted compliance polices and procedures that are designed to address various conflicts of interest that may arise for the investment adviser and the individuals that it employs. For example, the manager and the subadviser each seek to minimize the effects of competing interests for the time and attention of portfolio managers by assigning portfolio managers to manage funds and accounts that share a similar investment style. The manager and the subadviser have also adopted trade allocation procedures that are designed to facilitate the fair allocation of limited investment opportunities among multiple funds and accounts. There is no guarantee, however, that the policies and procedures adopted by the manager, subadviser and the fund(s) will be able to detect and/or prevent every situation in which an actual or potential conflict may appear.

These potential conflicts include:

Allocation of Limited Time and Attention. A portfolio manager who is responsible for managing multiple funds and/or accounts may devote unequal time and attention to the management of those funds and/or accounts. As a result, the portfolio manager may not be able to formulate as complete a strategy or identify equally attractive investment opportunities for each of those accounts as might be the case if he or she were to devote substantially more attention to the management of a single fund. The effects of this potential conflict may be more pronounced where funds and/or accounts overseen by a particular portfolio manager have different investment strategies.

Allocation of Limited Investment Opportunities. If a portfolio manager identifies a limited investment opportunity that may be suitable for multiple funds and/or accounts, the opportunity may be allocated among these several funds or accounts, which may limit a fund’s ability to take full advantage of the investment opportunity.

Pursuit of Differing Strategies. At times, a portfolio manager may determine that an investment opportunity may be appropriate for only some of the funds and/or accounts for which he or she exercises investment responsibility, or may decide that certain of the funds and/or accounts should take differing positions with respect to a particular security. In these cases, the portfolio manager may place separate transactions for one or more funds or accounts which may affect the market price of the security or the execution of the transaction, or both, to the detriment or benefit of one or more other funds and/or accounts.

Selection of Brokers/Dealers. Portfolio managers may be able to select or influence the selection of the brokers and dealers that are used to execute securities transactions for the funds and/or account that they supervise. In addition to executing trades, some brokers and dealers provide portfolio managers with brokerage and research services (as those terms are defined in Section 28(e) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934), which may result in the payment of higher brokerage fees than might have otherwise been available. These services may be more beneficial to certain funds or accounts than to others. Although the payment of brokerage commissions is subject to the requirement that the portfolio manager determine in good faith that the commissions are reasonable in relation to the value of the brokerage and research services provided to the fund, a portfolio manager’s decision as to the selection of brokers and dealers could yield disproportionate costs and benefits among the funds and/or accounts that he or she manages.

 

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Variation in Compensation. A conflict of interest may arise where the financial or other benefits available to the portfolio manager differ among the funds and/or accounts that he or she manages. If the structure of the investment manager’s management fee and/or the portfolio manager’s compensation differs among funds and/or accounts (such as where certain funds or accounts pay higher management fees or performance-based management fees), the portfolio manager might be motivated to help certain funds and/or accounts over others. The portfolio manager might be motivated to favor funds and/or accounts in which he or she has an interest or in which the investment manager and/or its affiliates have interests. Similarly, the desire to maintain or raise assets under management or to enhance the portfolio manager’s performance record or to derive other rewards, financial or otherwise, could influence the portfolio manager in affording preferential treatment to those funds and/or accounts that could most significantly benefit the portfolio manager.

Related Business Opportunities. The investment manager or its affiliates may provide more services (such as distribution or recordkeeping) for some types of funds or accounts than for others. In such cases, a portfolio manager may benefit, either directly or indirectly, by devoting disproportionate attention to the management of fund and/or accounts that provide greater overall returns to the investment manager and its affiliates.

Portfolio Manager Securities Ownership

The table below identifies ownership of the Dividend Strategy Fund securities by each Portfolio Manager.

 

Portfolio Manager

   Dollar Range of
Ownership of
Securities in
the Dividend Strategy Fund

Scott Glasser

   None

Peter Hable

   None

DISTRIBUTORS

Legg Mason Investor Services, LLC (“LMIS”), a wholly-owned broker-dealer subsidiary of Legg Mason, located at 100 Light Street, Baltimore, Maryland 21202; Citigroup Global Markets Inc. (“CGMI”), an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of Citigroup, located at 388 Greenwich Street, New York, New York 10013 and PFS Investments Inc. (“PFS”), located at 3120 Breckinridge Boulevard, Duluth, Georgia 30099-0001 serve as the Funds’ distributors pursuant to separate written agreements or amendments to written agreements, in each case dated December 1, 2005 (the “Distribution Agreements”). Prior to December 1, 2005, CGMI and PFS Distributors, Inc., the predecessor in interest to PFS, served as the Fund’s distributors.

A distributor’s obligation is an agency or “best efforts” arrangement under which the distributor is required to take and pay only for such shares of the Fund as may be sold to the public. A distributor is not obligated to sell any stated number of shares. Each Distribution Agreement is renewable from year to year if approved (a) by the Trustees or by a vote of a majority of the Trust’s outstanding voting securities, and (b) by the affirmative vote of a majority of Trustees who are not parties to the Agreement or interested persons of any party by votes cast in person at a meeting called for such purpose. Each Distribution Agreement provides that it will terminate if assigned, and that it may be terminated without penalty by either party on 60 days’ written notice, provided that each of the CGMI and PFS distribution agreements may be terminated upon 90 days’ written notice by the distributor.

In addition, the distributors may make payments for distribution and/or shareholder servicing activities out of their past profits and other available sources. The distributors may also make payments to dealers for marketing, promotional or related expenses. The amount of these payments is determined by the distributors and may be substantial. The manager or an affiliate may make similar payments under similar arrangements.

 

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A distributor is entitled to receive the proceeds of the initial sales charge, if any, paid upon the purchase of Class A shares, and all or a portion of said amount is paid to service agents. PFS Investments, Inc. and CGMI are entitled to receive the contingent deferred sales charge paid upon certain redemptions of Class B and C shares directly from the Fund, for PFS accounts and Smith Barney accounts, respectively, for any of the distribution and service expenses described above.

A distributor may be deemed to be an underwriter for purposes of the Securities Act of 1933. From time to time, service agents or their affiliates may also pay for certain non-cash sales incentives provided to financial professionals. Such incentives do not have any effect on the net amount invested. In addition to the reallowances from the applicable public offering price described above, service agents may, from time to time, pay or allow additional reallowances or promotional incentives, in the form of cash or other compensation to financial professionals that sell shares of the Trust.

Initial Sales Charges—Class 1, Class A, Class C and Class O

The following table shows commissions paid as initial sales charges on Class 1, Class A, Class C and Class O shares and amounts retained by LMIS, CGMI and PFS, during the fiscal years ended October 31, 2006, 2005, and 2004.

 

October 31, 2006

   Dividend
Strategy

Total Underwriting Commissions*

   $ 390,772

Amounts retained by CGMI and LMIS

   $ 0

Amounts retained by PFS

   $ 390,772

 

October 31, 2005

   Dividend
Strategy

Total Underwriting Commissions

   $ 5,865,000

Amounts retained by CGMI

   $ 5,865,000

Amounts retained by PFS

   $ 0

 

October 31, 2004

   Dividend
Strategy

Total Underwriting Commissions*

   $ 6,571,000

Amounts retained by CGMI

   $ 70,380

Amounts retained by PFS

   $ 6,500,620

* Effective April 29, 2004, Class L shares were renamed Class C shares. On February 2, 2004, the initial sales charge of 1.00% on Class C shares was eliminated for purchases made after that date.

Contingent Deferred Sales Charges—Class A, Class B, Class C, Class O and Class P

The following table shows the contingent deferred sales charges paid on Class A, Class B, Class C, Class O and Class P shares and amounts retained by LMIS, CGMI and PFS, during the fiscal years ended October 31, 2006, 2005 and 2004.

 

October 31, 2006

   Dividend
Strategy

Total Underwriting Commissions

   $ 57,102

Amounts retained by CGMI and LMIS

   $ 18,271

Amounts retained by PFS

   $ 38,831

 

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October 31, 2005

   Dividend
Strategy

Total Underwriting Commissions

   $ 26,000

Amounts retained by CGMI

   $ 26,000

Amounts retained by PFS

   $ 0

 

October 31, 2004

   Dividend
Strategy

Total Underwriting Commissions*

   $ 662,000

Amounts retained by CGMI

   $ 630,379

Amounts retained by PFS

   $ 31,621

* Effective as of April 29, 2004, Class L shares were renamed Class C shares.

DISTRIBUTION PLAN

Class A, Class B, and Class C shares of the Fund have a shareholder services and distribution plan (the “12b-1 Plan”) adopted in accordance with Rule 12b-1 under the 1940 Act. Under the 12b-1 Plan, the Fund may pay monthly fees at an annual rate not to exceed 0.25% of the average daily net assets of the Fund attributable to that class in the case of the 12b-1 Plan relating to Class A shares, and not to exceed 1.00% of the average daily net assets of the Fund attributable to that class in the case of the 12b-1 Plan relating to Class B shares and Class C shares.

Such fees may be used to make payments to a distributor for distribution services, to service agents in respect of the sale of shares of the Fund, and to other parties in respect of the sale of shares of the Fund, and to make payments for advertising, marketing or other promotional activity, and payments for preparation, printing, and distribution of prospectuses, statements of additional information and reports for recipients other than regulators and existing shareholders. The Fund also may make payments to a distributor, service agents and others for providing personal service or the maintenance of shareholder accounts. The amounts paid to each recipient may vary based upon certain factors, including, among other things, the levels of sales of Fund shares and/or shareholder services provided, provided, however, that the fees paid to a recipient with respect to a particular Class that may be used to cover expenses primarily intended to result in the sale of shares of that Class, or that may be used to cover expenses primarily intended for personal service and/or maintenance of shareholder accounts, may not exceed the maximum amounts, if any, as may from time to time be permitted for such services under NASD Conduct Rule 2830 or any successor rule, in each case as amended or interpreted by the NASD. Recipients may receive different compensation for sales of different classes of shares.

The 12b-1 Plan also provides that a distributor and service agents may receive any front-end sales charge as total or partial compensation for their services in connection with the sale of shares and all or a portion of any contingent deferred sales charges paid by investors.

The 12b-1 Plan permits the Fund to pay fees to a distributor, service agents and others as compensation for their services, not as reimbursement for specific expenses incurred. Thus, even if their expenses exceed the fees provided for by the 12b-1 Plan, the Fund will not be obligated to pay more than those fees and, if their expenses are less than the fees paid to them, they will realize a profit. The Fund may pay the fees to a distributor and others until the 12b-1 Plan or Distribution Agreement is terminated or not renewed. In that event, a distributor’s or other recipient’s expenses in excess of fees received or accrued through the termination date will be the distributor’s or other recipient’s sole responsibility and not obligations of the Fund. In their annual consideration of the continuation of the 12b-1 Plan for the Fund, the Trustees will review the 12b-1 Plan and the expenses for each class within the Fund separately.

The 12b-1 Plan also recognizes that various service providers to the Fund, such as the manager, may make payments for distribution related expenses out of their own resources, including past profits, or payments received from the Fund for other purposes, such as management fees, and that the Fund’s distributors or service agents may from time to time use their own resources for distribution related services, in addition to the fees paid

 

50


under the 12b-1 Plan. The 12b-1 Plan specifically provides that, to the extent that such payments might be deemed to be indirect financing of any activity primarily intended to result in the sale of shares of the Fund within the context of Rule 12b-1, then the payments are deemed to be authorized by the 12b-1 Plan.

The 12b-1 Plan continues in effect if such continuance is specifically approved at least annually by a vote of both a majority of the Trustees and a majority of the Trustees who are not “interested persons” of the Trust and who have no direct or indirect financial interest in the operation of the 12b-1 Plan or in any agreement related to the 12b-1 Plan (for purposes of this paragraph, “qualified Trustees”). The Trustees, in the exercise of their business judgment made in the best interests of the shareholders of the Fund and each class, have approved the continuation of the 12b-1 Plan. The 12b-1 Plan requires that the Trust and the distributor provide to the Board of Trustees and the Board of Trustees review, at least quarterly, a written report of the amounts expended (and the purposes therefor) under the 12b-1 Plan. The 12b-1 Plan further provides that the selection and nomination of the qualified trustees is committed to the discretion of such qualified trustees then in office who are not interested Trustees. The 12b-1 Plan may be terminated with respect to any class of the Fund at any time by a vote of a majority of the qualified Trustees or by a vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of that class. The 12b-1 Plan may not be amended to increase materially the amount of a class’s permitted expenses thereunder without the approval of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of that class and may not be materially amended in any case without a vote of a majority of both the Trustees and qualified Trustees. The Trust will preserve copies of any plan, agreement or report made pursuant to the 12b-1 Plan for a period of not less than six years, and for the first two years the Trust will preserve such copies in an easily accessible place.

As contemplated by the 12b-1 Plan, each distributor acts as an agent of the Trust in connection with the offering of shares of the Fund pursuant to the respective Distribution Agreements.

For the fiscal year ended October 31, 2006, the fees paid by the Dividend Strategy Fund under the 12b-1 Plan relating to Class A were $944,634 or 0.25% of the Class A shares’ average net assets; under the 12b-1 Plan relating to Class B were $2,557,277 or 1.00% of the Class B shares’ average net assets; and under the 12b-1 Plan relating to Class C were $110,050 or 1.00% of the Class C shares’ average net assets.

For the fiscal year ended October 31, 2006, distribution expenses incurred by LMIS, CGMI and/or PFS for advertising, printing and mailing prospectuses, support services and overhead expenses, payments to their financial advisers or registered representative and for accruals for interest on expenses incurred in the distribution of the Fund’s shares are set forth in the following table:

Fund Name

   Financial Consultant
Compensation
   Branch Operations    Marketing
& Advertising
Expenses
   Printing
Expenses
   Total Expenses

Dividend Strategy

              

A

   $ 0    $ 14,499    $ 0    $ 0    $ 14,499

B

     117,522      11,196      132,060      650      261,428

C

     14,236      672      8,395      98      23,401
                                  

Total

   $ 131,758    $ 26,267    $ 140,455    $ 748    $ 299,328
                                  

Dealer reallowances are described in the Fund’s prospectus.

DETERMINATION OF NET ASSET VALUE

The net asset value per share of the Fund’s Classes is calculated on each day, Monday through Friday, except days on which the NYSE is closed. The NYSE currently is scheduled to be closed on New Year’s Day, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Presidents’ Day, Good Friday, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving and Christmas, and on the preceding Friday or subsequent Monday when one of these holidays falls on a Saturday or Sunday, respectively. Because of the differences in distribution fees and Class-specific expenses, the per share net asset value of each Class will differ. Please see the prospectuses for descriptions of the procedures used by the Fund in valuing its assets.

 

51


ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON THE PURCHASE AND SALE OF FUND SHARES AND SHAREHOLDER PROGRAMS

General

Investors may purchase shares from a Service Agent. In addition, certain investors, including retirement plans purchasing through certain Service Agents, may purchase shares directly from the Fund. When purchasing shares of the Fund, investors must specify whether the purchase is for Class A, B, C, 1 or I shares. (As of November 20, 2006, Class Y shares were renamed Class I shares.) Service Agents may charge their customers an annual account maintenance fee in connection with a brokerage account through which an investor purchases or holds shares. Accounts held directly with the transfer agent are not subject to a maintenance fee.

For additional information regarding applicable investment minimums and eligibility requirements, please see the Fund’s prospectus.

There are no minimum investment requirements for purchases of Class A shares by: (i) current and retired board members of Legg Mason, (ii) current and retired board members of any fund advised by LMPFA (such board members, together with board members of Legg Mason, are referred to herein as “Board Members”), (iii) current employees of Legg Mason and its subsidiaries, (iv) the ”immediate families” of such persons (“immediate families” are such person’s spouse, including the surviving spouse of a deceased Board Member, and children under the age of 21) and (v) a pension, profit-sharing or other benefit plan for the benefit of such persons. The Fund reserves the right to waive or change minimums, to decline any order to purchase its shares and to suspend the offering of shares from time to time.

Purchase orders received by the Fund or a Service Agent prior to the close of regular trading on the NYSE on any day the Fund calculates its net asset value are priced according to the net asset value determined on that day (the “trade date”). Orders received by a Service Agent prior to the close of regular trading on the NYSE on any day the Fund calculates its net asset value are priced according to the net asset value determined on that day, provided the order is received by the Fund’s agent prior to its close of business. For shares purchased through CGMI or a Service Agent purchasing through CGMI, payment for shares of the Fund is normally due on the third business day after the trade date. In all other cases, payment must be made with the purchase order.

Systematic Investment Plan.

Shareholders may make additions to their accounts at any time by purchasing shares through a service known as the Systematic Investment Plan. Under the Systematic Investment Plan, a distributor, the transfer agent, or, with respect to a PFS account, Primerica Shareholder Services is authorized through preauthorized transfers of at least $25 on a monthly, quarterly, every alternate month, semi-annual or annual basis to charge the shareholder’s account held with a bank or other financial institution as indicated by the shareholder, to provide for systematic additions to the shareholder’s Fund account. A shareholder who has insufficient funds to complete the transfer will be charged a fee of up to $25 by a distributor, the transfer agent or Primerica Shareholder Services (such fee may be up to $30 for a PFS account). The Systematic Investment Plan also authorizes a distributor to apply cash held in the shareholder’s brokerage account or redeem the shareholder’s shares of certain money market funds managed by the manager or its affiliates to make additions to the account. Additional information is available from the Fund or a Service Agent.

Sales Charge Alternatives

The following Classes of shares are available for purchase. See the prospectuses for a discussion of who is eligible to purchase certain Classes and of factors to consider in selecting which Class of shares to purchase.

Class A Shares. Class A shares are sold to investors at the public offering price, which is the net asset value plus an initial sales charge, as described in the Fund’s prospectus.

 

52


Members of the selling group may receive a portion of the sales charge as described in the Fund’s prospectus and may be deemed to be underwriters of a Fund as defined in the 1933 Act. Sales charges are calculated based on the aggregate of purchases of Class A shares of a Fund made at one time by any “person,” which includes an individual and his or her spouse and children under the age of 21, or a trustee or other fiduciary of a single trust estate or single fiduciary account. For additional information regarding sales charge reductions, see “Sales Charge Waivers and Reductions” below.

Purchases of Class A shares of $1,000,000 or more will be made at net asset value without any initial sales charge, but will be subject to a contingent deferred sales charge of 1.00% on redemptions made within 12 months of purchase. The contingent deferred sales charge is waived in the same circumstances in which the contingent deferred sales charge applicable to Class B and C shares is waived. See “Contingent Deferred Sales Charge Provisions” and “Waivers of Contingent Deferred Sales Charge” below.

Class B and C Shares. Class B and C shares are sold without an initial sales charge but are subject to a contingent deferred sales charge payable upon certain redemptions. See “Contingent Deferred Sales Charge Provisions.”

Class 1 Shares. Class 1 shares are sold to eligible Class 1 shareholders at the next determined net asset value plus a sales charge. Investors do not pay a sales charge on a Fund’s distributions or dividends that they reinvest in additional Class 1 shares. Investors pay a lower sales charge as the size of their investment increases to certain levels called breakpoints as described in the Fund’s prospectus.

Class I Shares. Class I shares are sold at net asset value with no initial sales charge and no contingent deferred sales charge upon redemption.

PFS Accounts

The Fund offers three Classes of shares to investors purchasing through PFS: Class A , B and 1 shares.

Initial purchases of shares of the Fund must be made through a PFS Registered Representative by completing the appropriate application. The completed application should be forwarded to Primerica Shareholder Services c/o PFPC, Inc., P.O. Box 9662, Providence, RI 02940-9662. Checks drawn on foreign banks must be payable in U.S. dollars and have the routing number of the U.S. bank encoded on the check. Additional investments may be sent directly to PFPC. In processing applications and investments, PFPC acts as agent for the investor and for the distributor, in accordance with the terms of the prospectuses. If the transfer agent ceases to act as such, a successor company named by the Fund will act in the same capacity so long as the account remains open. Shares purchased will be held in the shareholder’s account by PFPC.

Purchase orders received by the transfer agent or Primerica Shareholder Services prior to the close of regular trading on the NYSE, on any day the Fund calculates its net asset value, are priced according to the net asset value determined on that day.

Initial purchases of Fund shares may be made by wire. Before sending the wire, the PFS Registered Representative must contact Primerica Shareholder Services at (800) 665-8677 to obtain proper wire instructions. Once an account is open, a shareholder may make additional investments by wire. The shareholder should contact Primerica Shareholder Services at (800) 544-5445 to obtain proper wire instructions.

Shareholders who establish telephone transaction authority on their account and supply bank account information may make additions to their accounts at any time. Shareholders should contact Primerica Shareholder Services at (800) 544-5445 between 8:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m. Eastern time any day that the NYSE is open. If a shareholder does not wish to allow subsequent investments by telephone by any person in his or her account, the shareholder should decline the telephone transaction option on the account application. The minimum subsequent investment by telephone is $25 and can be up to a maximum of $50,000. By requesting a

 

53


subsequent purchase by telephone, you authorize Primerica Shareholder Services to transfer funds from the bank account provided for the amount of the purchase. Subsequent investments by telephone may not be available if the shareholder cannot reach Primerica Shareholder Services whether because all telephone lines are busy or for any other reason; in such case, a shareholder would have to use the Fund’s regular subsequent investment procedure described above.

An account transcript is available at a shareholder’s request, which identifies every financial transaction in an account since it has opened. Additional copies of tax forms are available at the shareholder’s request.

Additional information regarding Primerica Shareholder Services may be obtained by contacting the Customer Services Department at (800) 544-5445.

Sales Charge Waivers and Reductions.

Initial Sales Charge Waivers. Purchases of Class A shares may be made at NAV without an initial sales charge in the following circumstances:

(a) sales to (i) current and retired board members of Legg Mason, (ii) current and retired Board Members, (iii) current employees of Legg Mason, Inc. and its subsidiaries, as well as (iv) by the “immediate families” of such persons (“immediate families” are such person’s spouse, including the surviving spouse of a deceased Board Member, and children under the age of 21) and (v) by a pension, profit-sharing or other benefit plan for the benefit of such persons;

(b) sales to any employees of Service Agents having dealer, service or other selling agreements with the Funds’ distributors or otherwise having an arrangement with any such Service Agent with respect to sales of Fund shares, and by the immediate families of such persons or by a pension, profit-sharing or other benefit plan for the benefit of such persons (providing the purchase is made for investment purposes and such securities will not be resold except through redemption or repurchase);

(c) offers of Class A shares to any other investment company to effect the combination of such company with a Fund by merger, acquisition of assets or otherwise;

(d) purchases by shareholders who have redeemed Class A shares in the Fund (or Class A shares of another Legg Mason Partners fund that is offered with a sales charge) and who wish to reinvest their redemption proceeds in the Fund, provided the reinvestment is made within 60 calendar days of the redemption;

(e) purchases by accounts managed by registered investment advisory subsidiaries of Citigroup;

(f) purchases by certain separate accounts used to fund unregistered variable annuity contracts; and

(g) purchases by investors participating in “wrap fee” or asset allocation programs or other fee-based arrangements sponsored by (affiliated and non-affiliated) broker-dealers and other financial institutions that have entered into agreements with CGMI or LMIS.

In order to obtain such discounts, the purchaser must provide sufficient information at the time of purchase to permit verification that the purchase qualifies for the elimination of the sales charge.

Accumulation Privilege—Please see the Fund’s prospectus for information regarding accumulation privileges.

Letter of Intent—helps you take advantage of breakpoints in Class A sales charges. You may purchase Class A shares of Legg Mason Partners Funds over a 13-month period and pay the same sales charge, if any, as if all shares had been purchased at once. You have a choice of seven Asset Level Goal amounts, as follows:

(1) $25,000

   (5) $500,000

(2) $50,000

   (6) $750,000

(3) $100,000

   (7) $1,000,000

(4) $250,000

  

 

54


Each time you make a Class A purchase under a Letter of Intent, you will be entitled to the sales charge that is applicable to the amount of your Asset Level Goal. For example, if your Asset Level Goal is $100,000, any Class A investments you make under a Letter of Intent would be subject to the sales charge of the specific fund you are investing in for purchases of $100,000. Sales charges and breakpoints vary among the Legg Mason Partners Funds.

When you enter into a Letter of Intent, you agree to purchase in Eligible Accounts over a thirteen (13) month period Eligible Fund Purchases in an amount equal to the Asset Level Goal you have selected, less any Eligible Prior Purchases. For this purpose, shares are valued at the public offering price (including any sales charge paid) calculated as of the date of purchase, plus any appreciation in the value of the shares as of the date of calculation, except for Eligible Prior Purchases, which are valued at current value as of the date of calculation. Your commitment will be met if at any time during the 13-month period the value, as so determined, of eligible holdings is at least equal to your Asset Level Goal. All reinvested dividends and distributions on shares acquired under the Letter will be credited towards your Asset Level Goal. You may include any Eligible Fund Purchases towards the Letter, including shares of classes other than Class A shares. However, a Letter of Intent will not entitle you to a reduction in the sales charge payable on any shares other than Class A shares, and if the shares are subject to a contingent deferred sales charge, you will still be subject to that contingent deferred sales charge with respect to those shares. You must make reference to the Letter of Intent each time you make a purchase under the Letter.

Eligible Fund Purchases. Generally, any shares of a Legg Mason Partners Fund may be credited towards your Asset Level Goal. Shares of certain money market funds advised by the manager or its affiliates (except for money market fund shares acquired by exchange from other Legg Mason Partners Funds offered with a sales charge), Legg Mason Partners S&P 500 Index Fund and Class O shares of Legg Mason Partners Equity Fund, Inc. are not eligible. This list may change from time to time. Investors should check with their Service Agent to see which funds may be eligible.

Eligible Accounts. Purchases may be made through any account in your name, or in the name of your spouse or your children under the age of 21. You may need to provide certain records, such as account statements, in order to verify your eligibility for reduced sales charges. Contact your Service Agent to see which accounts may be credited toward your Asset Level Goal.

Eligible Prior Purchases. You may also credit towards your Asset Level Goal any Eligible Fund Purchases made in Eligible Accounts at any time prior to entering into the Letter of Intent that have not been sold or redeemed, based on the current price of those shares as of the date of calculation.

Backdating Letter. You may establish a date for a Letter of Intent that is up to ninety (90) calendar days prior to the date you enter into the Letter. Any Eligible Fund Purchases in Eligible Accounts made during that period will count towards your Goal and will also be eligible for the lower sales charge applicable to your Asset Level Goal. You will be credited by way of additional shares at the current offering price for the difference between (a) the aggregate sales charges actually paid for those eligible shares and (b) the aggregate applicable sales charges for your Asset Level Goal.

Increasing the Amount of the Letter. You may at any time increase your Asset Level Goal. You must, however, contact your Service Agent, or if you purchase your shares directly through PFPC, contact PFPC, prior to making any purchases in an amount in excess of your current Asset Level Goal. Upon such an increase, you will be credited by way of additional shares at the then current offering price for the difference between: (a) the aggregate sales charges actually paid for shares already purchased under the Letter and (b) the aggregate applicable sales charges for the increased Asset Level Goal. The 13-month period during which the Asset Level Goal must be achieved will remain unchanged.

Sales and Exchanges. Shares acquired pursuant to a Letter of Intent, other than Escrowed Shares as defined below, may be redeemed or exchanged at any time, although any shares that are redeemed prior to meeting your

 

55


Asset Level Goal will no longer count towards meeting your Goal. However, complete liquidation of purchases made under a Letter of Intent prior to meeting the Asset Level Goal will result in the cancellation of the Letter. See “Failure to Meet Asset Level Goal” below. Exchanges in accordance with the Funds’ prospectuses are permitted, and shares so exchanged will continue to count towards your Asset Level Goal, as long as the exchange results in an Eligible Fund Purchase.

Cancellation of Letter. You may cancel a Letter of Intent by notifying your Service Agent in writing, or if you purchase your shares directly through PFPC, by notifying PFPC in writing. The Letter will be automatically cancelled if all shares are sold or redeemed as set forth above. See “Failure to Meet Asset Level Goal” below.

Escrowed Shares. Shares equal in value to five percent (5%) of your Asset Level Goal as of the date your Letter (or the date of any increase in the amount of the Letter) is accepted, will be held in escrow during the term of your Letter. The Escrowed Shares will be included in the total shares owned as reflected in your account statement and any dividends and capital gains distributions applicable to the Escrowed Shares will be credited to your account and counted towards your Asset Level Goal or paid in cash upon request. The Escrowed Shares will be released from escrow if all the terms of your Letter are met.

Failure to Meet Asset Level Goal. If the total assets under your Letter of Intent within its 13-month term are less than your Asset Level Goal or you elect to liquidate all of your holdings or cancel the Letter before reaching your Asset Level Goal, you will be liable for the difference between: (a) the sales charge actually paid and (b) the sales charge that would have applied if you had not entered into the Letter. You may, however, be entitled to any breakpoints that would have been available to you under the accumulation privilege. An appropriate number of shares in your account will be redeemed to realize the amount due. For these purposes, by entering into a Letter of Intent, you irrevocably appoint your Service Agent, or if you purchase your shares directly through PFPC, PFPC, as your attorney-in-fact for the purposes of holding the Escrowed Shares and surrendering shares in your account for redemption. If there are insufficient assets in your account, you will be liable for the difference. Any Escrowed Shares remaining after such redemption will be released to your account.

Contingent Deferred Sales Charge Provisions.

“Contingent deferred sales charge shares” are: (a) Class B shares; (b) Class C shares; and (c) Class A shares that were purchased without an initial sales charge but are subject to a contingent deferred sales charge. A contingent deferred sales charge may be imposed on certain redemptions of these shares.

Any applicable contingent deferred sales charge will be assessed on the net asset value at the time of purchase or redemption, whichever is less.

Class C shares and Class A shares that are contingent deferred sales charge shares are subject to a 1.00% contingent deferred sales charge if redeemed within 12 months of purchase. In circumstances in which the contingent deferred sales charge is imposed on Class B shares, the amount of the charge will depend on the number of years since the shareholder made the purchase payment from which the amount is being redeemed, as further described in the prospectus. Solely for purposes of determining the number of years since a purchase payment, all purchase payments made during a month will be aggregated and deemed to have been made on the last day of the preceding statement month.

Class B shares will convert automatically to Class A shares approximately eight years after the date on which they were purchased and thereafter will no longer be subject to any distribution fees. There will also be converted at that time such proportion of Class B dividend shares (Class B shares that were acquired through the reinvestment of dividends and distributions) owned by the shareholders as the total number of his or her Class B shares converting at the time bears to the total number of outstanding Class B shares (other than Class B dividend shares) owned by the shareholder.

 

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In determining the applicability of any contingent deferred sales charge, it will be assumed that a redemption is made first of shares representing capital appreciation, next of shares representing the reinvestment of dividends and capital gain distributions, next of shares that are not subject to the contingent deferred sales charge and finally of other shares held by the shareholder for the longest period of time. The length of time that contingent deferred sales charge shares acquired through an exchange have been held will be calculated from the date the shares exchanged were initially acquired in one of the other Legg Mason Partners mutual funds. For federal income tax purposes, the amount of the contingent deferred sales charge will reduce the gain or increase the loss, as the case may be, on the amount realized on redemption. LMIS receives contingent deferred sales charges in partial consideration for their expenses in selling shares.

Waivers of Contingent Deferred Sales Charge.

The contingent deferred sales charge will be waived on: (a) exchanges (see “Exchange Privilege”); (b) automatic cash withdrawals in amounts equal to or less than 2.00% of the shareholder’s account balance at the time the withdrawals commence per month, up to a maximum of 12% in one year (see “Automatic Cash Withdrawal Plan”); (c) redemptions of shares within 12 months following the death or disability (as defined in the Code) of the shareholder; (d) mandatory post-retirement distributions from retirement plans or IRAs commencing on or after attainment of age 70 1/2 (except that shareholders who purchased shares subject to a contingent deferred sales charge prior to May 23, 2005, will be “grandfathered” and will be eligible to obtain the waiver at age 59 1/2 by demonstrating such eligibility at the time of redemption); (e) involuntary redemptions; (f) redemptions of shares to effect a combination of a Fund with any investment company by merger, acquisition of assets or otherwise; (g) tax-free returns of an excess contribution to any retirement plan; and (h) certain redemptions of shares of a Fund in connection with lump-sum or other distributions made by eligible retirement plans or redemption of shares by participants in certain “wrap fee” or asset allocation programs sponsored by broker/dealers and other financial institutions that have entered into agreements with a distributor or the manager.

As of November 20, 2006, the contingent deferred sales charge will be waived on new Class C shares purchased by retirement plan omnibus accounts held on the books of a fund.

A shareholder who has redeemed shares from other Legg Mason Partners Funds may, under certain circumstances, reinvest all or part of the redemption proceeds within 60 days and receive pro rata credit for any contingent deferred sales charge imposed on the prior redemption.

Contingent deferred sales charge waivers will be granted subject to confirmation by a distributor or the transfer agent of the shareholder’s status or holdings, as the case may be.

REDEMPTION OF SHARES

The right of redemption may be suspended or the date of payment postponed (a) for any period during which the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) is closed (other than for customary weekend and holiday closings), (b) when trading in the markets the Fund normally utilizes is restricted, or an emergency exists, as determined by the SEC, so that disposal of the Fund’s investments or determination of net asset value is not reasonably practicable or (c) for such other periods as the SEC by order may permit for protection of the Fund’s shareholders.

If the shares to be redeemed were issued in certificate form, the certificates must be endorsed for transfer (or be accompanied by an endorsed stock power) and must be submitted to PFPC together with the redemption request. Any signature appearing on a share certificate, stock power or written redemption request in excess of $50,000 must be guaranteed by an eligible guarantor institution such as a domestic bank, savings and loan institution, domestic credit union, member bank of the Federal Reserve System or member firm of a national securities exchange. Written redemption requests of $50,000 or less do not require a signature guarantee unless more than one such redemption request is made in any 10-day period. Redemption proceeds will be mailed to an

 

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investor’s address of record. The transfer agent may require additional supporting documents for redemptions made by corporations, executors, administrators, trustees or guardians. A redemption request will not be deemed properly received until the transfer agent receives all required documents in proper form.

If a shareholder holds shares of more than one Class, any request for redemption must specify the Class being redeemed. In the event of a failure to specify which Class, or if the investor owns fewer shares of the Class than specified, the redemption request will be delayed until the transfer agent receives further instructions. The redemption proceeds will be remitted on or before the seventh business day following receipt of proper tender, except on any days on which the NYSE is closed or as permitted under the 1940 Act, in extraordinary circumstances. Redemption proceeds for shares purchased by check, other than a certified or official bank check, will be remitted upon clearance of the check, which may take up to ten days. Each Service Agent is responsible for transmitting promptly orders for its customers.

The Service Agent may charge you a fee for executing your order. The amount and applicability of such a fee is determined and disclosed to its customers by each Service Agent.

The Fund no longer issues share certificates. Outstanding share certificates will continue to be honored. If you hold share certificates, it will take longer to exchange or redeem shares.

Additional Information Regarding Telephone Redemption and Exchange Program. Neither the Fund nor its agents will be liable for following instructions communicated by telephone that are reasonably believed to be genuine. The Fund and its agents will employ procedures designed to verify the identity of the caller and legitimacy of instructions (for example, a shareholder’s name and account number will be required and phone calls may be recorded). The Fund reserves the right to suspend, modify or discontinue the telephone redemption and exchange program or to impose a charge for this service at any time following at least seven (7) days’ prior notice to shareholders.

PFS Accounts

Shareholders may redeem for cash some or all of their shares of the Fund at any time by sending a written request in proper form directly to the Primerica Shareholder Services c/o PFPC at P.O. Box 9662, Providence, Rhode Island 02940-9662. If you should have any questions concerning how to redeem your account after reviewing the information below, please contact Primerica Shareholder Services at (800) 544-5445, Spanish speaking representatives at (800) 544-7278 or TDD Line for the Hearing Impaired at (800) 824-1721.

All persons in whose names the shares are registered must sign the request for redemption. Signatures must conform exactly to the account registration. If the proceeds of the redemption exceed $50,000, if the proceeds are not paid to the record owner(s) at the record address, if the shareholder(s) has had an address change within 30 days or less of the shareholder’s redemption request, or if the shareholder(s) is a corporation, sole proprietor, partnership, trust or fiduciary, signature(s) must be guaranteed by one of the following: a bank or trust company; a broker/dealer; a credit union; a national securities exchange, registered securities association or clearing agency; a savings and loan association; or a federal savings bank.

Generally, a properly completed redemption form with any required signature guarantee is all that is required for a redemption. In some cases, however, other documents may be necessary. For example, in the case of shareholders holding certificates, the certificates for shares being redeemed must accompany the redemption request. Additional documentary evidence of authority is also required by PFPC in the event redemption is requested by a corporation, partnership, trust, fiduciary, executor or administrator. Additionally, if a shareholder requests a redemption from a retirement plan account (IRA or SEP), such request must state whether or not federal income tax is to be withheld from the proceeds of the redemption check. Redemption from a 403(b)(7) account requires completion of a special form. Please call Primerica Shareholder Services at (800) 544-5445 between 8:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m. Eastern Time to obtain the proper forms.

 

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Shareholders may utilize Primerica Shareholder Services Telephone Redemption service to redeem shares in their account as long as they have authorized the telephone redemption option. If a shareholder does not wish to allow telephone redemptions by any person in his or her account, he or she should decline the telephone transaction option on the account application. The telephone redemption option can be used only if: (a) the redemption proceeds are to be mailed to the address of record and there has been no change of address of record within the preceding 30 days; (b) the shares to be redeemed are not in certificate form; (c) the person requesting the redemption can provide proper identification information; and (d) the proceeds of the redemption do not exceed $50,000. 403(b)(7) accounts and accounts not registered in the name of an individual(s) are not eligible for the telephone redemption option. Telephone redemption requests can be made by contacting Primerica Shareholder Services at (800) 544-5445 between 8:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m. Eastern time any day that the NYSE is open.

Telephone redemption may not be available if the shareholder cannot reach Primerica Shareholder Services because all telephone lines are busy or for any other reason; in such case, a shareholder should use the Funds’ regular redemption procedure described above.

Redemption proceeds can be sent by check to the address of record, by wire transfer to a bank account designated on the application or to a bank account designated on the application via the Automated Clearinghouse (ACH). PFPC will process and mail a shareholder’s redemption check usually within two to three business days after receiving the redemption request in good order.

Automatic Cash Withdrawal Plan

An automatic cash withdrawal plan (the “Withdrawal Plan”) is available to shareholders as described in the prospectuses. To the extent withdrawals under the Withdrawal Plan exceed dividends, distributions and appreciation of a shareholder’s investment in the Fund, there will be a reduction in the value of the shareholder’s investment, and continued withdrawal payments may reduce the shareholder’s investment and ultimately exhaust it. Withdrawal payments should not be considered as income from investment in the Fund. Furthermore, as it generally would not be advantageous to a shareholder to make additional investments in the Fund at the same time he or she is participating in the Withdrawal Plan, purchases by such shareholder in amounts of less than $5,000 ordinarily will not be permitted. The Withdrawal Plan will be carried over on exchanges between funds or classes of the Fund. All dividends and distributions on shares in the Withdrawal Plan are reinvested automatically at net asset value in additional shares of the Fund.

Shareholders who wish to participate in the Withdrawal Plan and who hold their shares in certificate form must deposit their share certificates with the transfer agent as agent for Withdrawal Plan members. For additional information shareholders should contact their Service Agent. A shareholder who purchases shares directly through the transfer agent may continue to do so and applications for participation in the Withdrawal Plan must be received by the transfer agent no later than the eighth day of the month to be eligible for participation beginning with that month’s withdrawal.

Distributions in Kind

If the Board determines that it would be detrimental to the best interests of the remaining shareholders to make a redemption payment wholly in cash, the Fund may pay, in accordance with SEC rules, any portion of a redemption in excess of the lesser of $250,000 or 1.00% of the Fund’s net assets by a distribution in kind of the Fund’s securities in lieu of cash. If a redemption is paid in portfolio securities, such securities will be valued in accordance with the procedures described under “Share Price” in the Fund’s prospectus. Securities issued as a distribution in kind may incur brokerage commissions when shareholders subsequently sell those securities.

Exchange Privilege.

The exchange privilege enables shareholders to acquire shares of the same Class in another Legg Mason Partners Fund with different investment objectives when they believe that a shift between funds is an appropriate

 

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investment decision. This privilege is available to shareholders residing in any state in which the fund shares being acquired may legally be sold. Prior to any exchange, the shareholder should obtain and review a copy of the current prospectus of each fund into which an exchange is being considered. Prospectuses may be obtained from a Service Agent.

Upon receipt of proper instructions and all necessary supporting documents, shares submitted for exchange are redeemed at the then-current net asset value, and the proceeds are immediately invested in shares of the fund being acquired at that fund’s then current net asset value. The distributors reserve the right to reject any exchange request. The exchange privilege may be modified or terminated at any time after written notice to shareholders.

Class A, 1 and I Exchanges. Class A, 1 and I shareholders of the Fund who wish to exchange all or a portion of their shares for shares of the respective class in another fund may do so without imposition of any charge.

Class B Exchanges. Class B shares of the Fund may be exchanged for other Class B shares without a contingent deferred sales charge. Upon an exchange, the new Class B shares will be deemed to have been purchased on the same date as the Class B shares of the Fund that have been exchanged.

Class C Exchanges. Class C shares of the Fund may be exchanged for other Class C shares without a contingent deferred sales charge. Upon an exchange, the new Class C shares will be deemed to have been purchased on the same date as the Class C shares of the Fund that have been exchanged.

Additional Information Regarding the Exchange Privilege

The Fund is not designed to provide investors with a means of speculation on short-term market movements. A pattern of frequent exchanges by investors can be disruptive to efficient portfolio management and, consequently, can be detrimental to the Fund and its shareholders. See “Frequent Purchases and Redemptions of Fund Shares” in the prospectuses.

During times of drastic economic or market conditions, the Fund may suspend the exchange privilege temporarily without notice and treat exchange requests based on their separate components—redemption orders with a simultaneous request to purchase the other fund’s shares. In such a case, the redemption request would be processed at the Fund’s next determined net asset value but the purchase order would be effective only at the net asset value next determined after the fund being purchased formally accepts the order, which may result in the purchase being delayed.

Certain shareholders may be able to exchange shares by telephone. See the Fund’s prospectus for additional information. Exchanges will be processed at the net asset value next determined. Redemption procedures discussed above are also applicable for exchanging shares, and exchanges will be made upon receipt of all supporting documents in proper form. If the account registration of the shares of the fund being acquired is identical to the registration of the shares of the fund exchanged, no signature guarantee is required.

This exchange privilege may be modified or terminated at any time, and is available only in those jurisdictions where such exchanges legally may be made. Before making any exchange, shareholders should contact the transfer agent or, if they hold Fund shares through a Service Agent, their Service Agent to obtain more information and prospectuses of the funds to be acquired through the exchange. An exchange is treated as a sale of the shares exchanged and could result in taxable gain or loss to the shareholder making the exchange.

Determination of Public Offering Price.

The Fund offers its shares on a continuous basis. The public offering price for each class of shares of the Fund is equal to the net asset value per share of such class at the time of purchase, plus for Class A and 1 shares

 

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an initial sales charge based on the aggregate amount of the investment. A contingent deferred sales charge, however, is imposed on certain redemptions of Class A, B and C shares.

Set forth below is an example of the method of computing the offering price of the Class A and 1 shares of the Fund based on the net asset value of a share of the Fund as of October 31, 2006.

 

Class A (based on a net asset value of $17.97 and a maximum initial sales charge of 5.75% of net asset value per share)

   $ 19.07

Class 1 (based on a net asset value of $18.42 and a maximum initial sales charge of 8.50%)

   $ 20.13

Involuntary Redemption of Shares. Subject to applicable law, the Trustees may cause a shareholder’s shares to be redeemed under certain circumstances, including in order to eliminate small accounts for administrative efficiencies and cost savings, to protect the tax status of a Fund if necessary and to eliminate ownership of shares by a particular shareholder when the Trustees determine, pursuant to adopted policies, that the particular shareholder’s ownership is not in the best interests of the other shareholders of the Fund (for example, in the case of a market timer).

DISTRIBUTIONS AND FEDERAL TAXES

The following discussion is a brief summary of some of the important federal (and, where noted, state) income tax consequences affecting the Fund and its shareholders. The discussion is very general, and therefore prospective investors are urged to consult their tax advisers about the impact an investment in the Fund may have on their own tax situations.

The Fund declares and pays dividends quarterly and makes capital gain distributions annually. The per share dividends on each class will differ depending on the differences in distribution and service fees, if any, applicable to the classes. All income dividends and capital gains distributions are reinvested in shares of the Fund at net asset value without a sales charge on the record date, except that any shareholder may otherwise instruct the shareholder service agent in writing and receive cash. Shareholders are informed as to the sources of distributions at the time of payment.

Taxation of the Funds

Federal Taxes. The Fund has elected to be treated, and intends to qualify each year, as a “regulated investment company” under Subchapter M of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”), by meeting all applicable requirements of Subchapter M, including requirements as to the nature of the Fund’s gross income, the amount of Fund distributions, and the composition of the Fund’s portfolio assets. Provided all such requirements are met, no U.S. federal income or excise taxes generally will be required to be paid by a Fund. If a Fund should fail to qualify as a “regulated investment company” for any year, the Fund would incur a regular corporate federal income tax upon its taxable income and Fund distributions would generally be taxable as ordinary income to shareholders.

Foreign Taxes. Investment income and gains received by the Fund from non-U.S. securities may be subject to non-U.S. taxes. The U.S. has entered into tax treaties with a number of other countries that may entitle a Fund to a reduced rate of tax or an exemption from tax on such income. The Fund intends to qualify for treaty reduced rates where applicable. It is not possible, however, to determine a Fund’s effective rate of non-U.S. tax in advance since the amount of the Fund’s assets to be invested within various countries is not known.

The Dividend Strategy Fund does not expect to be eligible to pass through foreign income taxes to its shareholders.

 

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Taxation of Shareholders

Taxation of Distributions. Shareholders of the Fund will generally have to pay federal income taxes and any state or local taxes on the dividends and capital gain distributions they receive from the Fund. Dividends from ordinary income, and any distributions from net short term capital gain are taxable to shareholders as ordinary income for federal income tax purposes, whether the distributions are made in cash or additional shares. To the extent that ordinary dividends are derived from qualified dividend income of the distributing Fund eligible for reduced tax rates for non-corporate shareholders, such dividends will be treated as qualified dividend income provided that they are so designated by that Fund and that the recipient shareholder satisfies certain holding period requirements. If more than 95% of a Fund’s gross income, calculated without taking into account long-term capital gains, consists of qualified dividend income, that Fund may designate all distributions of such income as qualified dividend income. Qualified dividend income generally is income derived from dividends from U.S. corporations or from corporations that are either incorporated in a U.S. possession or eligible for benefits under qualifying U.S. tax treaties. Distributions from a foreign corporation that is not a “qualified foreign corporation” may nevertheless be treated as “qualified dividend income” if the applicable stock is readily tradable on an established U.S. securities market. “Passive foreign investment companies” (“PFICs”) will not be treated as “qualified foreign corporations” for these purposes. Distributions of net capital gains (i.e., the excess of net long-term capital gains over net short-term capital losses), whether made in cash or in additional shares, are taxable to shareholders as long-term capital gains without regard to the length of time the shareholders have held their shares. Any Fund dividend that is declared in October, November, or December of any calendar year, that is payable to shareholders of record in such a month, and that is paid the following January, will be treated as if received by the shareholders on December 31 of the year in which the dividend is declared.

Any Fund distribution will have the effect of reducing the per share net asset value of shares in the Fund by the amount of the distribution. Shareholders purchasing shares shortly before the record date of any distribution may thus pay the full price for the shares and then effectively receive a portion of the purchase price back as a taxable distribution.

Dividends-Received Deduction. The portion of the Fund’s ordinary income dividends attributable to dividends received in respect to equity securities of U.S. issuers is normally eligible for the dividends received deduction for corporations subject to U.S. federal income taxes. Availability of the deduction for particular shareholders is subject to certain limitations, and deducted amounts may be subject to the alternative minimum tax and result in certain basis adjustments.

Withholding Tax Payments for Non-U.S. Persons. The Fund will withhold tax payments at the rate of 30% (or any lower rate permitted under an applicable treaty) on taxable dividends, redemption proceeds and certain other payments that are made to persons who are neither citizens nor residents of the U.S. Distributions received from a Fund by non-U.S. persons also may be subject to tax under the laws of their own jurisdictions.

For taxable years of the Fund beginning during 2007, this 30% withholding tax will not apply to dividends that the Fund designates as (a) interest-related dividends, to the extent such dividends are derived from the Fund’s “qualified net interest income,” or (b) short-term capital gain dividends, to the extent such dividends are derived from the Fund’s “qualified short-term gain.” “Qualified net interest income” generally is interest on bank deposits, interest or original issue discount on an obligation in registered form, or original issue discount on certain short-term obligations whether or not in registered form. The term does not include interest that is disqualified as “contingent interest” under the portfolio interest rules. “Qualified short-term gain” generally means the excess of the net short-term capital gain of the Fund for the taxable year over its net long-term capital loss.

Backup Withholding. The account application asks each new shareholder to certify that the shareholder’s Social Security or taxpayer identification number is correct and that the shareholder is not subject to backup withholding for failing to report income to the IRS. The Fund may be required to withhold (and pay over to the

 

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IRS for the shareholder’s credit) a percentage (currently 28%) of certain distributions and redemption proceeds paid to shareholders who fail to provide this information or who are otherwise subject to backup withholding. Backup withholding will not, however, be applied to payments that have been subject to the 30% withholding tax on shareholders who are neither citizens nor residents of the U.S.

Disposition of Shares. In general, any gain or loss realized upon a taxable disposition of shares of a Fund by a shareholder that holds such shares as a capital asset will be treated as a long-term capital gain or loss if the shares have been held for more than twelve months and otherwise as a short-term capital gain or loss. However, any loss realized upon a disposition of shares in a Fund held for six months or less will be treated as a long-term capital loss to the extent of any distributions or deemed distributions of net capital gain made with respect to those shares. Any loss realized upon a disposition of shares may also be disallowed under rules relating to wash sales. Gain may be increased (or loss reduced) upon a redemption of Class A Fund shares held for 90 days or fewer followed by any purchase of shares of a Fund or another of the Smith Barney mutual Funds, including purchases by exchange or by reinvestment, without payment of a sales charge that would otherwise apply because of any sales charge paid on the original purchase of the Class A Fund shares.

Effects of Certain Investments and Transactions

Options, etc. The Fund’s transactions in options, futures contracts and forward contracts will be subject to special tax rules that may affect the amount, timing and character of Fund income and distributions to shareholders. For example, certain positions held by the Fund on the last business day of each taxable year will be marked to market (i.e., treated as if closed out) on that day, and any gain or loss associated with the positions will be treated as 60% long-term and 40% short-term capital gain or loss. Certain positions held by a Fund that substantially diminish its risk of loss with respect to other positions in its portfolio may constitute “straddles,” and may be subject to special tax rules that would cause deferral of Fund losses, adjustments in the holding periods of Fund securities, and conversion of short-term into long-term capital losses. Certain tax elections exist for straddles that may alter the effects of these rules. The Fund will limit its activities in options, futures contracts and forward contracts to the extent necessary to meet the requirements of Subchapter M of the Code.

Foreign Investments. The Fund may make non-U.S. investments. Special tax considerations apply with respect to such investments. Foreign exchange gains and losses realized by the Fund will generally be treated as ordinary income and loss. Use of non-U.S. currencies for non-hedging purposes and investment by the Fund in certain PFICs may have to be limited in order to avoid a tax on the Fund. The Fund may elect to mark to market any investments in PFICs on the last day of each taxable year. This election may cause the Fund to recognize ordinary income prior to the receipt of cash payments with respect to those investments; in order to distribute this income and avoid a tax on the Fund, the Fund may be required to liquidate portfolio securities that it might otherwise have continued to hold potentially resulting in additional taxable gain or loss to the Fund.

Capital Loss Carryforwards

Dividend Strategy Fund—On October 31, 2006, the Dividend Strategy Fund did not have, for U.S. federal income tax purposes, capital loss carryforwards.

OTHER INFORMATION

The certificate of trust to establish Legg Mason Partners Equity Trust (referred to in this section as the trust) was filed with the State of Maryland on October 4, 2006. On the date of this SAI, the Fund was redomiciled as a series of the trust. Prior thereto, the Fund was a series of Legg Mason Partners Investment Trust, a Massachusetts business trust. Prior to reorganization of the Fund as a series of Legg Mason Partners Investment Trust, the Fund was a series of Legg Mason Partners Investment Series, a Massachusetts business trust.

 

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The Fund is a series of the trust, a Maryland business trust. A Maryland business trust is an unincorporated business association that is established under, and governed by, Maryland law. Maryland law provides a statutory framework for the powers, duties, rights and obligations of the Board (referred to in this sector as the trustees) and shareholders of the trust, while the more specific powers, duties, rights and obligations of the trustees and the shareholders are determined by the trustees as set forth in the trust’s declaration of trust (referred to in this section as the declaration). Some of the more significant provisions of the trust’s declaration are described below.

Shareholder Voting.

The declaration provides for shareholder voting as required by the 1940 Act or other applicable laws but otherwise permits, consistent with Maryland law, actions by the trustees without seeking the consent of shareholders. The trustees may, without shareholder approval, amend the declaration or authorize the merger or consolidation of the trust into another trust or entity, reorganize the trust, or any series or class into another trust or entity or a series or class of another entity, sell all or substantially all of the assets of the trust or any series or class to another entity, or a series or class of another entity, or terminate the trust or any series or class.

The Fund is not required to hold an annual meeting of shareholders, but the Fund will call special meetings of shareholders whenever required by the 1940 Act or by the terms of the declaration. The declaration provides for “dollar-weighted voting” which means that a shareholder’s voting power is determined, not by the number of shares he or she owns, but by the dollar value of those shares determined on the record date. All shareholders of all series and classes of the trust vote together, except where required by the 1940 Act to vote separately by series or by class, or when the trustees have determined that a matter affects only the interests of one or more series or classes of shares.

Election and Removal of Trustees.

The declaration provides that the trustees may establish the number of trustees and that vacancies on the board may be filled by the remaining trustees, except when election of trustees by the shareholders is required under the 1940 Act. Trustees are then elected by a plurality of votes cast by shareholders at a meeting at which a quorum is present. The declaration also provides that a mandatory retirement age may be set by action of two-thirds of the trustees and that trustees may be removed, with or without cause, by a vote of shareholders holding two-thirds of the voting power of the trust, or by a vote of two-thirds of the remaining trustees. The provisions of the declaration relating to the election and removal of trustees may not be amended without the approval of two-thirds of the trustees.

Amendments to the Declaration.

The trustees are authorized to amend the declaration without the vote of shareholders, but no amendment may be made that impairs the exemption from personal liability granted in the declaration to persons who are or have been shareholders, trustees, officers or, employees of the trust or that limit the rights to indemnification or insurance provided in the declaration with respect to actions or omissions of persons entitled to indemnification under the declaration prior to the amendment.

Issuance and Redemption of Shares.

The Fund may issue an unlimited number of shares for such consideration and on such terms as the trustees may determine. Shareholders are not entitled to any appraisal, preemptive, conversion, exchange or similar rights, except as the trustees may determine. A Fund may involuntarily redeem a shareholder’s shares upon certain conditions as may be determined by the trustees, including, for example, if the shareholder fails to provide the Fund with identification required by law, or if the Fund is unable to verify the information received from the shareholder. Additionally, as discussed below, shares may be redeemed in connection with the closing of small accounts.

 

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Disclosure of Shareholder Holdings.

The declaration specifically requires shareholders, upon demand, to disclose to the Fund information with respect to the direct and indirect ownership of shares in order to comply with various laws or regulations, and the Fund may disclose such ownership if required by law or regulation.

Small Accounts.

The declaration provides that the Fund may close out a shareholder’s account by redeeming all of the shares in the account if the account falls below a minimum account size (which may vary by class) that may be set by the trustees from time to time. Alternately, the declaration permits the Fund to assess a fee for small accounts (which may vary by class) and redeem shares in the account to cover such fees, or convert the shares into another share class that is geared to smaller accounts.

Series and Classes.

The declaration provides that the trustees may establish series and classes in addition to those currently established and to determine the rights and preferences, limitations and restrictions, including qualifications for ownership, conversion and exchange features, minimum purchase and account size, expenses and charges, and other features of the series and classes. The trustees may change any of those features, terminate any series or class, combine series with other series in the trust, combine one or more classes of a series with another class in that series or convert the shares of one class into another class.

Each share of the Fund, as a series of the trust, represents an interest in the Fund only and not in the assets of any other series of the trust.

Shareholder, Trustee and Officer Liability.

The declaration provides that shareholders are not personally liable for the obligations of the Fund and requires the Fund to indemnify a shareholder against any loss or expense arising from any such liability. In addition, the Fund will assume the defense of any claim against a shareholder for personal liability at the request of the shareholder. The declaration further provides that a trustee acting in his or her capacity of trustee is not personally liable to any person other than the trust or its shareholders, for any act, omission, or obligation of the trust. Further, a trustee is held to the same standard of conduct as a director of a Maryland corporation. This requires that a trustee perform his or her duties in good faith and in a manner he or she reasonably believes to be in the best interests of the trust or a series thereof, and with the care that an ordinarily prudent person in a like position would use under similar circumstances. The declaration also permits the limitation of a trustee’s liability to the full extent provided under Maryland law. Under current Maryland law, a trustee is liable to the trust or its shareholders for monetary damages only (a) to the extent that it is proved that he or she actually received an improper benefit or profit in money, property, or services or (b) to the extent that a judgment or other final adjudication adverse to the trustee is entered in a proceeding based on a finding in the proceeding that the trustee’s action, or failure to act, was the result of active and deliberate dishonesty and was material to the cause of action adjudicated in the proceeding. The declaration requires the trust to indemnify any persons who are or who have been trustees, officers or employees of the trust for any liability for actions or failure to act except to the extent prohibited by applicable federal law. In making any determination as to whether any person is entitled to the advancement of expenses in connection with a claim for which indemnification is sought, such person is entitled to a rebuttable presumption that he or she did not engage in conduct for which indemnification is not available.

The declaration provides that any trustee who serves as chair of the board or of a committee of the board, lead independent trustee, or audit committee financial expert, or in any other similar capacity will not be subject to any greater standard of care or liability because of such position.

 

65


Derivative Actions.

The declaration provides a detailed process for the bringing of derivative actions by shareholders in order to permit legitimate inquiries and claims while avoiding the time, expense, distraction, and other harm that can be caused to the Funds or their shareholders as a result of spurious shareholder demands and derivative actions. Prior to bringing a derivative action, a demand by three unrelated shareholders must first be made on a Fund’s trustees. The declaration details various information, certifications, undertakings and acknowledgements that must be included in the demand. Following receipt of the demand, the trustees have a period of 90 days, which may be extended by an additional 60 days, to consider the demand. If a majority of the trustees who are considered independent for the purposes of considering the demand determine that maintaining the suit would not be in the best interests of the Fund, the trustees are required to reject the demand and the complaining shareholders may not proceed with the derivative action unless the shareholders are able to sustain the burden of proof to a court that the decision of the trustees not to pursue the requested action was not a good faith exercise of their business judgment on behalf of the Fund. The declaration further provides that shareholders owning shares representing at least 5% of the voting power of the affected Fund must join in bringing the derivative action. If a demand is rejected, the complaining shareholders will be responsible for the costs and expenses (including attorneys’ fees) incurred by the Fund in connection with the consideration of the demand, if in the judgment of the Independent Trustees, the demand was made without reasonable cause or for an improper purpose. If a derivative action is brought in violation of the declaration, the shareholders bringing the action may be responsible for the Fund’s costs, including attorneys’ fees.

The declaration further provides that the Fund shall be responsible for payment of attorneys’ fees and legal expenses incurred by a complaining shareholder only if required by law, and any attorneys’ fees that the Fund is obligated to pay shall be calculated using reasonable hourly rates. The declaration also requires that actions by shareholders against the Fund be brought only in federal court in Baltimore, Maryland, or if not permitted to be brought in federal court, then in state court in Baltimore, Maryland, and that the right to jury trial be waived to the full extent permitted by law.

Legal Matters

Beginning in June 2004, class action lawsuits alleging violations of the federal securities laws were filed against Citigroup Global Markets Inc. (“CGMI”) and a number of its then affiliates, including Smith Barney Fund Management LLC (“SBFM”), which were then investment adviser or manager to certain of the Funds (the “Managers”), substantially all of the mutual funds then managed by the Managers (the “Defendant Funds”), and Board Members of the Defendant Funds (collectively, the “Defendants”). The complaints alleged, among other things, that CGMI created various undisclosed incentives for its brokers to sell Smith Barney and Salomon Brothers funds. In addition, according to the complaints, the Managers caused the Defendant Funds to pay excessive brokerage commissions to CGMI for steering clients towards proprietary funds. The complaints also alleged that the defendants breached their fiduciary duty to the Defendant Funds by improperly charging Rule 12b-1 fees and by drawing on fund assets to make undisclosed payments of soft dollars and excessive brokerage commissions. The complaints also alleged that the Defendant Funds failed to adequately disclose certain of the allegedly wrongful conduct. The complaints sought injunctive relief and compensatory and punitive damages, rescission of the Defendant Funds’ contracts with the Managers, recovery of all fees paid to the Managers pursuant to such contracts and an award of attorneys’ fees and litigation expenses.

On December 15, 2004, a consolidated amended complaint (the “Complaint”) was filed alleging substantially similar causes of action. On May 27, 2005, all of the Defendants filed motions to dismiss the Complaint. On July 26, 2006, the court issued a decision and order (1) finding that plaintiffs lacked standing to sue on behalf of the shareholders of the Defendant Funds in which none of the plaintiffs had invested and dismissing those Defendant Funds from the case (although stating that they could be brought back into the case if standing as to them could be established), and (2) other than one stayed claim, dismissing all of the causes of action against the remaining Defendants, with prejudice, except for the cause of action under Section 36(b) of the 1940 Act, which the court granted plaintiffs leave to replead as a derivative claim.

 

66


On October 16, 2006, plaintiffs filed their Second Consolidated Amended Complaint (“Second Amended Complaint”) which alleges derivative claims on behalf of nine funds identified in the Second Amended Complaint, under Section 36(b) of the 1940 Act, against Citigroup Asset Management, Salomon Brothers Asset Management Inc, SBFM and CGMI as investment advisers to the identified funds, as well as CGMI as a distributor for the identified funds (collectively, the “Second Amended Complaint Defendants”). Neither the Growth and Income Fund nor the Dividend Strategy Fund was identified in the Second Amended Complaint. The Second Amended Complaint alleges no claims against any of the Funds or any of their Board Members. Under Section 36(b), the Second Amended Complaint alleges similar facts and seeks similar relief against the Second Amended Complaint Defendants as the Complaint.

Additional lawsuits arising out of these circumstances and presenting similar allegations and requests for relief may be filed in the future.

***

On May 31, 2005, the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) issued an order in connection with the settlement of an administrative proceeding against SBFM, the then-investment adviser or manager to the Funds and CGMI, relating to the appointment of an affiliated transfer agent for the Smith Barney family of mutual funds, including the Fund (the “Affected Funds”).

The SEC order finds that SBFM and CGMI willfully violated Section 206(1) of the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as amended, and the rules promulgated thereunder (the “Advisers Act”). Specifically, the order found that SBFM and CGMI knowingly or recklessly failed to disclose to the boards of the Affected Funds in 1999 when proposing a new transfer agent arrangement with an affiliated transfer agent that: First Data Investors Services Group (“First Data”), the Affected Funds’ then-existing transfer agent, had offered to continue as transfer agent and do the same work for substantially less money than before; and that Citigroup Asset Management (“CAM”), the Citigroup business unit that, at the time, included the Affected Funds’ investment manager and other investment advisory companies, had entered into a side letter with First Data under which CAM agreed to recommend the appointment of First Data as sub-transfer agent to the affiliated transfer agent in exchange for, among other things, a guarantee by First Data of specified amounts of asset management and investment banking fees to CAM and CGMI. The order also found that SBFM and CGMI willfully violated Section 206(2) of the Advisers Act by virtue of the omissions discussed above and other misrepresentations and omissions in the materials provided to the Affected Funds’ boards, including the failure to make clear that the affiliated transfer agent would earn a high profit for performing limited functions while First Data continued to perform almost all of the transfer agent functions, and the suggestion that the proposed arrangement was in the Affected Funds’ best interests and that no viable alternatives existed. SBFM and CGMI do not admit or deny any wrongdoing or liability. The settlement does not establish wrongdoing or liability for purposes of any other proceeding.

The SEC censured SBFM and CGMI and ordered them to cease and desist from violations of Sections 206(1) and 206(2) of the Advisers Act. The order required Citigroup to pay $208.1 million, including $109 million in disgorgement of profits, $19.1 million in interest, and a civil money penalty of $80 million. Approximately $24.4 million has already been paid to the Affected Funds, primarily through fee waivers. The remaining $183.7 million, including the penalty, has been paid to the U.S. Treasury and will be distributed pursuant to a plan submitted for the approval of the SEC. At this time, there is no certainty as to how the above-described proceeds of the settlement will be distributed, to whom such distributions will be made, the methodology by which such distributions will be allocated, and when such distributions will be made. The order also required that transfer agency fees received from the Affected Funds since December 1, 2004, less certain expenses, be placed in escrow and provided that a portion of such fees might be subsequently distributed in accordance with the terms of the order. On April 3, 2006, an aggregate amount of approximately $9 million held in escrow was distributed to the Affected Funds.

The order required SBFM to recommend a new transfer agent contract to the Fund boards within 180 days of the entry of the order; if a Citigroup affiliate submitted a proposal to serve as transfer agent or sub-transfer

 

67


agent, SBFM and CGMI would have been required, at their expense, to engage an independent monitor to oversee a competitive bidding process. On November 21, 2005, and within the specified timeframe, the Affected Funds’ Boards selected a new transfer agent for the Affected Fund. No Citigroup affiliate submitted a proposal to serve as transfer agent. Under the order, SBFM also must comply with an amended version of a vendor policy that Citigroup instituted in August 2004.

Although there can be no assurance, the manager does not believe that this matter will have a material adverse effect on the Affected Funds.

On December 1, 2005, Citigroup completed the sale of substantially all of its global asset management business, including SBFM, to Legg Mason.

***

Beginning in August 2005, five class action lawsuits alleging violations of federal securities laws and state law were filed against CGMI and SBFM (collectively, the “Defendants”) based on the May 31, 2005 settlement order issued against the Defendants by the SEC as described in above. The complaints seek injunctive relief and compensatory and punitive damages, removal of SBFM as the investment manager for the Smith Barney family of funds, rescission of the Funds’ management and other contracts with SBFM, recovery of all fees paid to SBFM pursuant to such contracts, and an award of attorneys’ fees and litigation expenses.

On October 5, 2005, a motion to consolidate the five actions and any subsequently filed, related action was filed. That motion contemplates that a consolidated amended complaint alleging substantially similar causes of action will be filed in the future.

As of the date of this report, the Fund’s investment manager believes that resolution of the pending lawsuit will not have a material effect on the financial position or results of operations of the Fund or the ability of the Fund’s investment manager and its affiliates to continue to render services to the Funds under their respective contracts.

***

On September 16, 2005, the staff of the SEC informed SBFM and ClearBridge Asset Management Inc (formerly Salomon Brothers Asset Management Inc) at the staff is considering recommending that the SEC institute administrative proceedings against SBFM and ClearBridge Asset Management Inc for alleged violations of Section 19(a) and 34(b) of the Investment Company Act (and related Rule 19a-1). The notification is a result of an industry wide inspection by the SEC and is based upon alleged deficiencies in disclosures regarding dividends and distributions paid to shareholders of certain funds. Section 19(a) and related Rule 19a-1 of the Investment Company Act generally require funds that are making dividend and distribution payments to provide shareholders with a written statement disclosing the source of the dividends and distributions, and, in particular, the portion of the payments made from each of net investment income, undistributed net profits and/or paid-in capital. In connection with the contemplated proceedings, the staff may seek a cease and desist order and/or monetary damages from SBFM or ClearBridge Asset Management Inc.

Although there can be no assurance, the fund’s manager believes that this matter is not likely to have a material adverse effect on the fund.

***

On or about May 30, 2006, John Halebian, a purported shareholder of Citi New York Tax Free Reserves, a series of CitiFunds Trust III (the “Subject Trust”), filed a complaint in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York against the independent trustees of the Subject Trust (Elliott J. Berv, Donald M. Carlton, A. Benton Cocanougher, Mark T. Finn, Stephen Randolph Gross, Diana R. Harrington, Susan B. Kerley, Alan G. Merten and R. Richardson Pettit).

 

68


The Subject Trust is also named in the complaint as a nominal defendant.

The complaint alleges both derivative claims on behalf of the Subject Trust and class claims on behalf of a putative class of shareholders of the Subject Trust in connection with the 2005 sale of Citigroup’s asset management business to Legg Mason and the related approval of new investment advisory agreements by the trustees and shareholders. In the derivative claim, the plaintiff alleges, among other things, that the independent trustees breached their fiduciary duty to the Subject Trust and its shareholders by failing to negotiate lower fees or seek competing bids from other qualified investment advisers in connection with Citigroup’s sale to Legg Mason. In the claims brought on behalf of the putative class of shareholders, the plaintiff alleges that the independent trustees violated the proxy solicitation requirements of the 1940 Act, and breached their fiduciary duty to shareholders, by virtue of the voting procedures, including “echo voting,” used to obtain approval of the new investment advisory agreements and statements made in a proxy statement regarding those voting procedures. The plaintiff alleges that the proxy statement was misleading because it failed to disclose that the voting procedures violated the 1940 Act. The relief sought includes an award of damages, rescission of the advisory agreement, and an award of costs and attorney fees.

In advance of filing the complaint, Mr. Halebian’s lawyers made written demand for relief on the Board of the Subject Trust, and the Board’s independent trustees formed a demand review committee to investigate the matters raised in the demand, and subsequently in the complaint, and recommend a course of action to the Board. The committee, after a thorough review, has determined that the independent trustees did not breach their fiduciary duties as alleged by Mr. Halebian, and that the action demanded by Mr. Halebian would not be in the best interests of the Subject Trust. The Board of the Subject Trust (the trustee who is an “interested person” of the Subject Trust, within the meaning of the 1940 Act, having recused himself from the matter), after receiving and considering the committee’s report and based upon the findings of the committee, subsequently also has so determined and, adopting the recommendation of the committee, has directed counsel to move to dismiss Mr. Halebian’s complaint. A response to the complaint is due in October 2006. No assurance can be given as to the outcome of this matter.

***

The foregoing speaks only as of the date of this SAI. Additional lawsuits presenting allegations and requests for relief arising out of or in connection with any of the foregoing matters may be filed against these and related parties in the future.

Transfer Agent

PFPC Inc. (“PFPC” or “transfer agent”), located at P.O. Box 9699, Providence, Rhode Island 02940-9699, serves as the Fund’s transfer agent. Under the transfer agency agreement, the transfer agent maintains the shareholder account records for the Fund, handles certain communications between shareholders and the Fund and distributes dividends and distributions payable by the Fund. For these services, the transfer agent receives a monthly fee computed on the basis of the number of shareholder accounts it maintains for the Fund during the month, and is reimbursed for out-of-pocket expenses. Prior to January 1, 2006, Citicorp Trust Bank, fsb (“CTB”) served as the Fund’s transfer agent and PFPC served as the Fund’s sub-transfer agent.

Custodian

State Street Bank and Trust Company (“State Street”), One Lincoln Street, Boston, Massachusetts 02111, serves as the custodian of the Fund. State Street, among other things, maintains a custody account or accounts in the name of the Fund; receives and delivers all assets for the Fund upon purchase and upon sale or maturity; collects and receives all income and other payments and distributions on account of the assets of the Fund; and makes disbursements on behalf of the Fund. State Street neither determines the Fund’s investment policies, nor decides which securities the Fund will buy or sell. For its services, State Street receives a monthly fee based upon

 

69


the daily average market value of securities held in custody and also receives securities transaction charges, including out-of-pocket expenses. The Fund may also periodically enter into arrangements with other qualified custodians with respect to certain types of securities or other transactions such as repurchase agreements or derivatives transactions. State Street may also act as the Fund’s securities lending agent and in that event would receive a share of the income generated by such activities.

Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

KPMG LLP, independent registered public accounting firm, 345 Park Avenue, New York, New York 10154, has been selected to audit and report on the Fund’s financial statements and financial highlights of the Trust for the fiscal year ending October 31, 2007.

Legal Counsel

Wilkie Farr & Gallagher LLP, 787 Seventh Avenue, New York, New York 10019-6099, is legal counsel to the Fund.

FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

The audited financial statements of the Fund’s predecessor (Statement of Assets and Liabilities as of October 31, 2006, Statement of Operations for the year ended October 31, 2006, Statements of Changes in Net Assets for each of the years in the two-year period ended October 31, 2006, Financial Highlights for each of the years in the five-year period ended October 31, 2006, and Notes to Financial Statements along with the Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm, each of which is included in the Annual Report to Shareholders of the Fund), are incorporated by reference into this Statement of Additional Information (Filed on January 8, 2007; Accession Number 0001193125-07-002681.)

 

70


APPENDIX A

RATINGS OF BONDS, NOTES AND COMMERCIAL PAPER

Moody’s Investors Service, Inc.

Aaa — Obligations rated Aaa are judged to be of the best quality with minimal credit risk.

Aa — Obligations rated Aa are judged to be of high quality and are subject to very low credit risk.

A — Obligations rated A are considered upper-medium grade and are subject to low credit risk.

Baa — Obligations rated Baa are subject to moderate credit risk. They are considered medium-grade and as such may possess certain speculative characteristics.

Ba — Obligations rated Ba are judged to have speculative and are subject to substantial credit risk.

B — Obligations rated B are considered speculative and are subject to high credit risk.

Caa — Obligations rated Caa are judged to be of poor standing and are subject to very high credit risk.

Ca — Obligations rated Ca are highly speculative and are likely in, or very near, default, with some prospect of recovery of principal and interest.

C — Obligations rated C are the lowest rated class of bonds and are typically in default, with little prospect for recovery of principal or interest.

Note: Moody’s appends numerical modifiers 1, 2, and 3 to each generic rating classifications Aa through Caa. The modifier 1 indicates that the obligation ranks in the higher end of its generic rating category; the modifier 2 indicates a mid-range ranking; and the modifier 3 indicates a ranking in the lower end of that generic rating category.

Standard & Poor’s

AAA — An obligation rated AAA has the highest rating assigned by Standard & Poor’s. The obligor’s capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation is extremely strong.

AA — An obligation rated AA differs from the highest-rated obligations only in small degree. The obligor’s capacity to meet its financial commitment is very strong.

A — An obligation rated A is somewhat more susceptible to the adverse effects of changes in circumstances and economic conditions than obligations in higher-rated categories. However, the obligor’s capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation is still strong.

BBB — An obligation rated ‘BBB’ exhibits adequate protection parameters. However, adverse economic conditions or changing circumstances are more likely to lead to a weakened capacity of the obligor to meet its financial commitment on the obligation.

BB, B, CCC, CC, and C — Obligations rated “BB”, “B”, “CCC”, “CC”, and “C” are regarded as having significant speculative characteristics. ‘BB’ indicates the least degree of speculation and ‘C’ the highest. While such obligations will likely have some quality and protective characteristics, these may be outweighed by large uncertainties or major exposures to adverse conditions.

 

A-1


Plus (+) or Minus (-) — The ratings from “AA” to “CCC” may be modified by the addition of a plus or minus sign to show relative standing within the major rating categories.

N.R. — An issuer designated “N.R.” is not rated.

Fitch Ratings

AAA — Highest credit quality. “AAA” ratings denote the lowest expectation of credit risk. They are assigned only in case of exceptionally strong capacity for timely payment of financial commitments. This capacity is highly unlikely to be adversely affected by foreseeable events.

AA — Very high credit quality. “AA” ratings denote a very low expectation of credit risk. They indicate very strong capacity for timely payment of financial commitments. This capacity is not significantly vulnerable to foreseeable events.

A — High credit quality. “A” ratings denote a low expectation of credit risk. The capacity for timely payment of financial commitments is considered strong. This capacity may, nevertheless, be more vulnerable to changes in circumstances or in economic conditions than is the case for higher ratings.

BBB — Good credit quality. “BBB” ratings indicate that there is currently a low expectation of credit risk. The capacity for timely payment of financial commitments is considered adequate, but adverse changes in circumstances and in economic conditions are more likely to impair this capacity. This is the lowest investment-grade category.

BB — Speculative. “BB” ratings indicate that there is a possibility of credit risk developing, particularly as the result of adverse economic change over time; however, business or financial alternatives may be available to allow financial commitments to be met. Securities rated in this category are not investment grade.

B — Highly speculative. “B” ratings indicate that significant credit risk is present, but a limited margin of safety remains. Financial commitments are currently being met; however, capacity for continued payment is contingent upon a sustained, favorable business and economic environment.

CCC, CC, C — High default risk. Default is a real possibility. Capacity for meeting financial commitments is solely reliant upon sustained, favorable business or economic developments. A “CC” rating indicates that default of some kind appears probable. “C” ratings signal imminent default.

COMMERCIAL PAPER RATINGS

Moody’s Investors Service, Inc.

P-1 Issuers (or supporting institutions) rated Prime-1 have a superior ability to repay short-term debt obligations.

P-2 Issuers (or supporting institutions) rated Prime-2 have a strong ability to repay short-term debt obligations.

Standard & Poor’s

A-1 — A short-term obligation rated A-1 is rated in the highest category by Standard & Poor’s. The obligor’s capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation is strong. Within this category, certain obligations are designated with a plus sign (+). This indicates that the obligor’s capacity to meet its financial commitment on these obligations is extremely strong.

 

A-2


A-2 — A short-term obligation rated A-2 is somewhat more susceptible to the adverse effects of changes in circumstances and economic conditions than obligations in higher rating categories. However, the obligor’s capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation is satisfactory.

A-3 — A short-term obligation rated “A-3” exhibits adequate protection parameters. However, adverse economic conditions or changing circumstances are more likely to lead to a weakened capacity of the obligor to meet its financial commitment on the obligation.

B — A short-term obligation rated “B” is regarded as having significant speculative characteristics. The obligor currently has the capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation; however, it faces major ongoing uncertainties which could lead to the obligor’s inadequate capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation.

C — A short-term obligation rated “C” is currently vulnerable to nonpayment and is dependent upon favorable business, financial, and economic conditions for the obligor to meet its financial commitment on the obligation.

N.R. — An issuer designated “N.R.” is not rated.

Fitch Ratings

Fitch’s short-term ratings has a time horizon of less than 12 months for most obligations, or up to three years, for U.S. public finance securities, and thus places greater emphasis on the liquidity necessary to meet financial commitments in a timely manner.

Fitch’s short-term ratings are as follows:

F1 — Highest credit quality. Indicates the strongest capacity for timely payment of financial commitments; may have an added “+” to denote any exceptionally strong credit feature.

F2 — Good credit quality. A satisfactory capacity for timely payment of financial commitments, but the margin of safety is not as great as in the case of the higher ratings.

F3 — Fair credit quality. The capacity for timely payment of financial commitments is adequate; however, near-term adverse changes could result in a reduction to non-investment grade.

 

A-3


APPENDIX B

PROXY VOTING GUIDELINES & PROCEDURES SUMMARY

Concerning ClearBridge Advisors1 (Clearbridge)

Proxy Voting Policies and Procedures

The following is a brief overview of the Proxy Voting Policies and Procedures (the “Policies”) that ClearBridge has adopted to seek to ensure that ClearBridge votes proxies relating to equity securities in the best interest of clients.

ClearBridge votes proxies for each client account with respect to which it has been authorized to vote proxies. In voting proxies, ClearBridge is guided by general fiduciary principles and seeks to act prudently and solely in the best interest of clients. ClearBridge attempts to consider all factors that could affect the value of the investment and will vote proxies in the manner that it believes will be consistent with efforts to maximize shareholder values. ClearBridge may utilize an external service provider to provide it with information and/or a recommendation with regard to proxy votes. However, the ClearBridge adviser (business unit) continues to retain responsibility for the proxy vote.

In the case of a proxy issue for which there is a stated position in the Policies, ClearBridge generally votes in accordance with such stated position. In the case of a proxy issue for which there is a list of factors set forth in the Policies that ClearBridge considers in voting on such issue, ClearBridge votes on a case-by-case basis in accordance with the general principles set forth above and considering such enumerated factors. In the case of a proxy issue for which there is no stated position or list of factors that ClearBridge considers in voting on such issue, ClearBridge votes on a case-by-case basis in accordance with the general principles set forth above. Issues for which there is a stated position set forth in the Policies or for which there is a list of factors set forth in the Policies that ClearBridge considers in voting on such issues fall into a variety of categories, including election of directors, ratification of auditors, proxy and tender offer defenses, capital structure issues, executive and director compensation, mergers and corporate restructurings, and social and environmental issues. The stated position on an issue set forth in the Policies can always be superseded, subject to the duty to act solely in the best interest of the beneficial owners of accounts, by the investment management professionals responsible for the account whose shares are being voted. Issues applicable to a particular industry may cause ClearBridge to abandon a policy that would have otherwise applied to issuers generally. As a result of the independent investment advisory services provided by distinct ClearBridge business units, there may be occasions when different business units or different portfolio managers within the same business unit vote differently on the same issue. A ClearBridge business unit or investment team (e.g. ClearBridge’s Social Awareness Investment team) may adopt proxy voting policies that supplement these policies and procedures. In addition, in the case of Taft-Hartley clients, ClearBridge will comply with a client direction to vote proxies in accordance with Institutional Shareholder Services’ (ISS) PVS Voting Guidelines, which ISS represents to be fully consistent with AFL-CIO guidelines.

 

1

ClearBridge Advisors comprises CAM North America, LLC, Salomon Brothers Asset Management Inc, Smith Barney Fund Management LLC, and other affiliated investment advisory firms. On December 1, 2005, Citigroup Inc. (“Citigroup”) sold substantially all of its worldwide asset management business, Citigroup Asset Management, to Legg Mason, Inc. (“Legg Mason”). As part of this transaction, CAM North America, LLC, Salomon Brothers Asset Management Inc and Smith Barney Fund Management LLC became wholly-owned subsidiaries of Legg Mason. Legg Mason and its subsidiaries, including CAM North America, LLC, Salomon Brothers Asset Management Inc, and Smith Barney Fund Management LLC are not affiliated with Citigroup.

 

B-1


In furtherance of ClearBridge’s goal to vote proxies in the best interest of clients, ClearBridge follows procedures designed to identify and address material conflicts that may arise between ClearBridge’s interests and those of its clients before voting proxies on behalf of such clients. To seek to identify conflicts of interest, ClearBridge periodically notifies ClearBridge employees in writing that they are under an obligation (i) to be aware of the potential for conflicts of interest on the part of ClearBridge with respect to voting proxies on behalf of client accounts both as a result of their personal relationships and due to special circumstances that may arise during the conduct of ClearBridge’s business, and (ii) to bring conflicts of interest of which they become aware to the attention of ClearBridge’s compliance personnel. ClearBridge also maintains and considers a list of significant ClearBridge relationships that could present a conflict of interest for ClearBridge in voting proxies. ClearBridge is also sensitive to the fact that a significant, publicized relationship between an issuer and a non- ClearBridge Legg Mason affiliate might appear to the public to influence the manner in which ClearBridge decides to vote a proxy with respect to such issuer. Absent special circumstances or a significant, publicized non- ClearBridge Legg Mason affiliate relationship that ClearBridge for prudential reasons treats as a potential conflict of interest because such relationship might appear to the public to influence the manner in which ClearBridge decides to vote a proxy, ClearBridge generally takes the position that relationships between a non- ClearBridge Legg Mason affiliate and an issuer (e.g. investment management relationship between an issuer and a non-ClearBridge Legg Mason affiliate) do not present a conflict of interest for ClearBridge in voting proxies with respect to such issuer. Such position is based on the fact that ClearBridge is operated as an independent business unit from other Legg Mason business units as well as on the existence of information barriers between ClearBridge and certain other Legg Mason business units.

ClearBridge maintains a Proxy Voting Committee to review and address conflicts of interest brought to its attention by ClearBridge compliance personnel. A proxy issue that will be voted in accordance with a stated ClearBridge position on such issue or in accordance with the recommendation of an independent third party is not brought to the attention of the Proxy Voting Committee for a conflict of interest review because ClearBridge’s position is that to the extent a conflict of interest issue exists, it is resolved by voting in accordance with a pre-determined policy or in accordance with the recommendation of an independent third party. With respect to a conflict of interest brought to its attention, the Proxy Voting Committee first determines whether such conflict of interest is material. A conflict of interest is considered material to the extent that it is determined that such conflict is likely to influence, or appear to influence, ClearBridge’s decision-making in voting proxies. If it is determined by the Proxy Voting Committee that a conflict of interest is not material, ClearBridge may vote proxies notwithstanding the existence of the conflict.

If it is determined by the Proxy Voting Committee that a conflict of interest is material, the Proxy Voting Committee is responsible for determining an appropriate method to resolve such conflict of interest before the proxy affected by the conflict of interest is voted. Such determination is based on the particular facts and circumstances, including the importance of the proxy issue and the nature of the conflict of interest.

 

B-2


 

Filed under Rule 497(c)

File Nos. 33-43446 and 811-6444

Legg Mason Partners Emerging Markets Equity Fund

Supplement dated April 16, 2007

to Prospectus dated February 28, 2007

The attached prospectus is now dated April 16, 2007.

As part of a number of initiatives launched in 2006 to restructure and streamline the Legg Mason Partners fund complex, the fund assumed the assets and liabilities of a predecessor fund with the same name. The fund is now grouped for organizational and governance purposes with other Legg Mason Partners funds that are predominantly equity-type funds. The prospectus is supplemented as shown below to reflect this change. Any information in the prospectus relating to the fund prior to the date of this prospectus refers to the fund’s predecessor.

Performance Information

The summary performance information in the prospectus is that of the fund’s predecessor.

Investment Objective

The fund’s investment objective may be changed without shareholder approval.

Management — Other Information

The paragraph beneath the heading “Other Information” in the “Management” section of the prospectus is deleted.

Financial Highlights

The financial information shown in the “Financial Highlights” section of the prospectus is that of the fund’s predecessor.

FD04053


PROSPECTUS

February 28, 2007

 

The Securities and Exchange Commission has not approved or disapproved these securities or determined whether this Prospectus is accurate or complete. Any statement to the contrary is a crime.

LOGO

Legg Mason Partners Emerging Markets Equity Fund

Class A, B, C and I Shares

 

 

 

INVESTMENT PRODUCTS: NOT FDIC INSURED Ÿ NO BANK GUARANTEE Ÿ MAY LOSE VALUE


Legg Mason Partners

Emerging Markets Equity Fund

Contents

 

Investments, risks and performance

  2

More on the fund’s investments

  8

Management

  10

Choosing a class of shares to buy

  13

Comparing the fund’s classes

  15

Sales charges

  16

More about contingent deferred sales charges

  20

Retirement and institutional investors

  21

Buying shares

  23

Exchanging shares

  24

Redeeming shares

  26

Other things to know about transactions

  28

Dividends, distributions and taxes

  31

Share price

  33

Financial highlights

  35

 

Prior to April 7, 2006 the fund was known as Smith Barney Emerging Markets Equity Fund.


 

Investments, risks and performance

Investment objective

The fund seeks to provide long-term capital growth.

Principal investment strategies

Key investments

Under normal circumstances, the fund invests at least 80% of its net assets in equity securities of companies domiciled in, or whose securities are traded in the stock markets of, emerging market nations, and other securities whose values are based on such equity securities. The fund considers emerging market nations to include countries that, at the time the fund makes an investment, are categorized by the World Bank and its affiliates as “low income” or “middle income,” are included in the MSCI (Morgan Stanley Capital International) Emerging Markets Index, or are believed by the portfolio manager to have similar emerging market characteristics.

Generally, the fund invests in a number of different countries and, under normal circumstances, the fund invests in companies in at least eight foreign markets and does not invest more than 25% of its assets in any one country. The fund invests across a range of industries. There are no limitations on the market capitalizations of the companies in which the fund may invest.

The fund usually invests in securities listed on securities exchanges, although it may also purchase securities which are not registered for sale to the general public, or, to a limited extent, securities that are not readily marketable. The fund may invest directly in foreign securities or may invest in depository receipts.

The fund’s assets will generally be invested in equity securities, such as common stocks, preferred stocks and convertible securities, and in other securities, such as equity-linked notes, the values of which are based on equity securities. The fund may also invest in other securities including fixed-income and other debt securities, rights to purchase common stocks, warrants, and, to a limited extent, shares of other investment companies, including closed end investment companies that invest in emerging market securities. The fund may, under normal circumstances, invest up to 20% of its assets in equity securities and other securities of issuers that are not domiciled in or traded in the stock markets of emerging market nations but whose operations, either through asset exposure, revenues or operating cash flows are derived from activities domiciled in emerging market countries.

The fund may, but is not required to, enter into forward currency transactions to buy or sell currencies at a future date. The fund may enter into these forward currency contracts to:

n  

Settle transactions in securities quoted in foreign currencies

n  

Attempt to protect against the economic impact of adverse changes in the value of the U.S. dollar or other currencies

Selection process

The portfolio manager seeks to identify companies in emerging market nations that the portfolio manager believes are experiencing, or are expected to experience, better than average growth in earnings and are trading at attractive or reasonable valuation levels. The fund may invest in the securities of large companies that offer prospects of long-term

 

2         Legg Mason Partners Funds


 

growth. However, because higher earnings growth rates are often achieved by small- to medium-sized companies, a significant portion of the fund’s assets may be invested in the securities of such companies.

The portfolio manager uses fundamental analysis to find companies that it believes have attractive future growth prospects, taking into account such factors as country and industry background, each company’s products and competitive positioning, potential future developments in end markets and management track record. The portfolio manager may also consider factors such as trends in earnings forecasts for companies in whose securities the fund is invested. Additionally, the portfolio manager may favor exposure to securities issued by companies whose forecast trends appear positive relative to those of their peers.

Principal risks of investing in the fund

The risks of investing in emerging markets are substantially greater than the risks of investing in more developed markets.

Investments in emerging market securities may be particularly susceptible to the following additional risks of investing in foreign securities:

n  

Many foreign countries in which the fund may invest have markets that are smaller, less liquid and more volatile than markets in the U.S. In a changing market, the portfolio manager may not be able to sell the fund’s portfolio securities in amounts and at prices it considers reasonable

n  

In some foreign countries, less information is available about foreign issuers and markets because of less rigorous accounting and regulatory standards than in the U.S.

n  

Foreign equity securities may trade at price-earnings multiples that are higher than those of comparable U.S. companies, and that may not be sustainable. As a result, there may be rapid changes in the value of foreign securities

n  

Enforcing legal rights may be difficult, costly and slow and there may be special problems enforcing claims against foreign governments

n  

Some foreign currency values may be volatile, and there is the possibility of governmental controls on currency exchanges or governmental intervention in currency markets which may prevent the fund from realizing value in U.S. dollars from its investment in foreign securities

n  

There may be other governmental or non-governmental actions resulting in expropriations of assets, confiscatory taxation, and limitations on the use or transfer of assets by the fund or the issuers of securities

Because the value of a depository receipt is dependent upon the market price of an underlying foreign security, depository receipts are subject to most of the risks associated with investing in foreign securities directly.

Emerging markets securities are often particularly sensitive to market movements because their market prices tend to reflect future expectations. When it appears those expectations will not be met, the prices of these securities typically fall. The fund’s investments may also be more volatile than other investments because they often do not pay dividends.

To the extent that the fund enters into forward foreign currency transactions, it may not fully benefit from or may lose money on the transactions if changes in currency rates do not occur as anticipated or do not correspond accurately to changes in the value of the fund’s holdings, or if the counterparty defaults. Such transactions may also prevent the

 

Emerging Markets Equity Fund         3


 

fund from realizing profits on favorable movements in exchange rates. The fund’s ability to use currency exchange contracts successfully depends on a number of factors, including the contracts being available at prices that are not too costly, the availability of liquid markets, and the ability of the portfolio manager to accurately predict the direction of changes in currency exchange rates.

Investing in foreign issuers, generally, involves unique risks. These risks may be more pronounced for investments in emerging markets or to the extent that the fund invests significantly in any one country or region. Investors could lose money on their investment in the fund, or the fund may not perform as well as other investments, if:

n  

Foreign securities prices decline, or foreign securities perform poorly relative to other types of investments

n  

Adverse governmental action or political, social, economic or market instability affects a foreign country or region

n  

The currency in which a security is priced declines in value relative to the U.S. dollar

n  

The portfolio manager’s judgment about the attractiveness, value or potential appreciation of a particular security or sector proves to be incorrect

n  

Foreign withholding taxes reduce the fund’s returns

n  

The economies of foreign countries grow at a slower rate than expected or experience a downturn or recession

See page 8 for more information about the fund’s investments and the risks of investing in the fund.

Who may want to invest

The fund may be an appropriate investment if:

n  

You want to direct a portion of your overall investment portfolio to securities of non-U.S. companies and you are prepared to accept the risks of investing in emerging markets

n  

You are prepared to accept significant fluctuations in share price and possible losses

n  

You are not seeking current income

n  

Your investment horizon is longer term — typically at least five years

Performance information

The following shows summary performance information for the fund in a bar chart and an Average Annual Total Returns table. The information provides an indication of the risks of investing in the fund by showing changes in its performance from year to year and by showing how the fund’s average annual total returns compare with the returns of MSCI Emerging Markets Index. The bar chart and the information below show performance of the fund’s Class A shares, but do not reflect the impact of sales charges (loads). If they did, the returns would be lower than those shown. Unlike the bar chart, the performance for Class A, B, C and I(1) shares in the Average Annual Total Returns table reflects the impact of the maximum sales charge (load) applicable to the respective classes and, where indicated, the performance for Class A shares reflects the impact of taxes paid on distributions and the redemption of shares at the end of the period. The fund’s past performance is not necessarily an indication of how the fund will perform in the future.

 

4         Legg Mason Partners Funds


 

Calendar Year Total Return — Class A Shares

LOGO

Highest and Lowest Quarter Returns* (for periods shown in the bar chart)

Highest: 16.59% in 4th quarter 2006 Lowest: (3.08)% in 2nd quarter 2006.

 

(1)

 

As of November 20, 2006, Class Y shares were renamed Class I shares.

 

Average Annual Total Returns (for periods ended 12/31/06)

 

     1 Year     Since
Inception(5)
    Inception
Date

Class A

     
 
Return before taxes(1)   24.72 %   27.34 %   01/05/05
 
Return after taxes on distributions(1)(2)   22.62 %   25.36 %  
 
Return after taxes on distributions and sale of fund shares(2)   16.44 %   22.46 %  
 
Other Classes (Return before taxes only)      
 

Class B

  26.21 %   28.93 %   08/11/05
 

Class C

  30.36 %   32.73 %   09/07/05
 

Class I(3)

  33.11 %   31.72 %   01/03/05
 
MSCI Emerging Markets Index(4)   32.17 %   (4)     (4)
 

 

(1)

 

On November 20, 2006, the maximum initial sales charge on Class A shares was increased for sales made on or after that date. The average annual returns for Class A shares in the table have been calculated as if the increased maximum initial sales charge had been in effect for the entire period.

 

(2)

 

After-tax returns are calculated using the highest historical individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes. Actual after-tax returns depend on an investor’s tax situation and may differ from those shown, and the after-tax returns shown are not relevant to investors who hold their fund shares through tax-deferred arrangements, such as 401(k) plans or individual retirement accounts. In some cases the return after taxes may exceed the return before taxes due to an assumed tax benefit from any losses on a sale of fund shares at the end of the measurement period. After-tax returns shown above are for Class A shares only. After-tax returns for other share classes will vary.

 

(3)

 

As of November 20, 2006, Class Y shares were renamed Class I shares.

 

(4)

 

The MSCI Emerging Markets Index is an unmanaged index that measures the performance of those MSCI Emerging Markets companies with higher price-to-book ratios and higher forecasted values. It is not possible to invest directly in the Index. An index does not reflect deductions for fees, expenses or taxes. The average total returns of the MSCI Emerging Markets Index since the inception of each of the Class A, B, C, and I shares are 35.47%, 34.43%, 35.68%, and 33.21%, respectively.

 

(5)

 

Information is provided only for classes with less than 10 years performance history.

 

Emerging Markets Equity Fund         5


 

Fee table

This table sets forth the fees and expenses you may pay if you invest in fund shares.

 

Shareholder Fees

 

(fees paid directly from your investment)   Class A     Class B     Class C     Class I(1)
Maximum sales charge (load) imposed on purchases (as a % of offering price)   5.75 %   None     None     None
 
Maximum contingent deferred sales charge (load) (as a % of the lower of net asset value at purchase or redemption)   None (2)   5.00 %   1.00 %   None
 

 

Annual Fund Operating Expenses(2)

 

(paid by the fund as a % of net assets)   Class A     Class B     Class C     Class I  
Management fee(3)   0.85 %   0.85 %   0.85 %   0.85 %
   
Distribution (12b-1) fees (includes service fees)   0.25 %   1.00 %   1.00 %   None  
   
Other expenses(4)   0.99 %   6.11 %   6.41 %   0.63 %
   
Total annual fund operating expenses*   2.09 %   7.96 %   8.26 %   1.48 %
   

*   Because of voluntary waivers and/or reimbursements, actual total annual operating expenses are expected to be:

  2.00 %   2.75 %   2.75 %   1.35 %

 

     These voluntary fee waivers and reimbursements do not cover brokerage, taxes and extraordinary expenses and may be reduced or terminated at any time.

 

(1)

 

As of November 20, 2006, Class Y shares were renamed Class I shares.

 

(2)

 

You may buy Class A shares in amounts of $1,000,000 or more at net asset value (without an initial sales charge), but if you redeem those shares within 12 months of their purchase, you will pay a contingent deferred sales charge of 1.00%.

 

(3)

 

The management fee has been restated to reflect current expenses. Effective October 1, 2005, the fund has a breakpoint management fee schedule that reduces the management fee rate as assets increase as follows: 0.850% on assets up to $1 billion, 0.825% on assets between $1 billion and $2 billion, 0.800% on assets between $2 billion and $5 billion, 0.775% on assets between $5 billion and $10 billion, and 0.750% on assets over $10 billion.

 

(4)

 

The amounts set forth in “Other expenses” for Class A, B, C, and I shares have been revised to reflect the estimated effect of new transfer agency and custody contracts which became effective January 1, 2006.

Example

This example helps you compare the costs of investing in the fund with the costs of investing in other mutual funds. Your actual costs may be higher or lower. The example assumes:

n  

You invest $10,000 in the fund for the periods shown

n  

Your investment has a 5% return each year — the assumption of a 5% return is required by the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) for the purposes of this example and is not a prediction of the fund’s future performance

n  

You reinvest all distributions and dividends without a sales charge

n  

The fund’s operating expenses (before fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements, if any) remain the same

 

6         Legg Mason Partners Funds


 

Number of Years You Own Your Shares

 

     1 year   3 years   5 years   10 years  

Class A (with or without redemption)

  $ 775   $ 1,193   $ 1,635   $ 2,857  
   

Class B (redemption at end of period)

  $ 1,284   $ 2,583   $ 3,795   $ 5,999 (1)
   

Class B (no redemption)

  $ 784   $ 2,283   $ 3,695   $ 5,999 (1)
   

Class C (redemption at end of period)

  $ 913   $ 2,359   $ 3,807   $ 7,031  
   

Class C (no redemption)

  $ 813   $ 2,359   $ 3,807   $ 7,031  
   

Class I(2) (with or without redemption)

  $ 151   $ 468   $ 808   $ 1,769  
   

 

(1)

 

Assumes conversion to Class A shares approximately eight years after purchase.

 

(2)

 

As of November 20, 2006, Class Y shares were renamed Class I shares.

 

Emerging Markets Equity Fund         7


 

More on the fund’s investments

The fund’s investment objective and principal investment strategies are described under the section entitled “Investments, risks and performance” above. This section provides further information about the investment strategies that may be used by the fund. Although the fund invests primarily in equity securities, it may, but is not required to, invest in other securities of companies in emerging market nations or elsewhere, including debt securities.

The fund’s investment objective may be changed without shareholder approval.

Debt securities

Debt securities, other than convertible securities, must be rated investment grade when the fund purchases them, or if unrated, of comparable quality in the manager’s opinion. After the fund buys a bond, if the credit quality of the bond deteriorates below investment grade, the fund may continue to hold the bond, commonly known as a junk bond, but the manager will consider the change in rating in deciding whether to keep the security. Generally, the value of debt securities will decline if interest rates rise, the credit rating of the security is downgraded or the issuer defaults on its obligation to pay principal or interest. The prices of lower rated securities, especially junk bonds, often are more volatile than those of higher rated securities, and the security may be difficult to sell.

Convertible securities

Convertible securities, which are debt securities that may be converted into stock, are subject to the market risks of stocks as well as the risks of debt securities.

Equity-linked notes

Equity-linked notes, or ELNs, are securities that are valued based upon the performance of one or more equity securities, such as a stock index, a group of stocks or a single stock. ELNs offer investors the opportunity to participate in the appreciation of the underlying local equity securities where the fund may not have established local access. Investors in ELNs are subject to risk of loss of principal investment.

Portfolio turnover

The fund may engage in active and frequent trading to achieve its principal investment strategies. This may lead to the realization and distribution to shareholders of higher capital gains, which would increase their tax liability. Frequent trading also increases transaction costs, which could detract from the fund’s performance. The “Financial highlights” section of this prospectus shows the fund’s historical portfolio turnover rate.

Cash management

The fund may hold cash pending investment, and may invest in money market instruments, repurchase agreements and reverse repurchase agreements for cash management purposes.

 

8         Legg Mason Partners Funds


 

Defensive investing

The fund may depart from its principal investment strategies in response to adverse market, economic or political conditions by taking temporary defensive positions in any type of money market instrument and in short-term debt securities or cash without regard to any percentage limitations. If the fund takes a temporary defensive position, it may be unable to achieve its investment objective.

Other investments

The fund may also use other strategies and invest in other securities that are described, along with their risks, in the fund’s Statement of Additional Information (“SAI”). However, the fund might not use all of the strategies and techniques or invest in all of the types of securities described in this Prospectus or in the SAI. Also note that there are many other factors, which are not described here, that could adversely affect your investment and that could prevent the fund from achieving its investment objective.

Portfolio holdings

The fund’s policies and procedures with respect to the disclosure of the fund’s portfolio securities are described in the SAI.

 

Emerging Markets Equity Fund         9


 

Management

Manager and subadviser

Legg Mason Partners Fund Advisor, LLC (“LMPFA” or the “manager”) is the fund’s investment manager. LMPFA, with offices at 399 Park Avenue, New York, New York 10022, is a recently organized investment adviser that has been formed to serve as the investment manager of the fund and other Legg Mason-sponsored funds. LMPFA provides administrative and certain oversight services to the fund. Legg Mason International Equities Limited (“LMIE” or the “subadviser”), and formerly known as Citigroup Asset Management, Ltd., provides the day-to-day portfolio management of the fund, except for the management of cash and short-term instruments, which is performed by LMPFA. As of December 31, 2006, LMIE’s total assets under management were approximately $6.8 billion.

LMPFA and LMIE are wholly-owned subsidiaries of Legg Mason, Inc. (“Legg Mason”). Legg Mason, whose principal executive offices are at 100 Light Street, Baltimore, Maryland 21202, is a global asset management company. As of December 31, 2006, Legg Mason’s asset management operation had aggregate assets under management of approximately $945 billion.

Prior to August 1, 2006, Smith Barney Fund Management LLC (“SBFM”) was the fund’s investment manager. SBFM is also a wholly-owned subsidiary of Legg Mason.

Portfolio Manager

Aquico Wen, CFA, CPA, manages the day-to-day operations of the fund. Mr. Wen has been with LMIE or its predecessor since 1998 and has been managing the fund since its inception. He is supported by a team of investment professionals.

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

The subadviser’s compensation is payable by the manager.

Management fee

For the fiscal year ended October 31, 2006, the fund paid a management fee of 0.75% of the fund’s average daily net assets for management services. For the period from November 1, 2005 through July 31, 2006, the fund paid SBFM a management fee equal to 0.80% of the fund’s average daily net assets. For the period from August 1, 2006 through October 31, 2006, the fund paid LMPFA a management fee equal to 0.64% of the fund’s average daily net assets. A discussion regarding the basis for the Board’s approval of the fund’s management agreement and subadvisory agreement is available in the fund’s Annual Report for the fiscal year ended October 31, 2006.

 

10         Legg Mason Partners Funds


 

Other information

The fund’s Board and (where required) shareholders have approved a number of initiatives designed to streamline and restructure the fund complex. These initiatives include the election of a new Board, the grouping of the fund for organizational and governance purposes with other funds in the fund complex that are predominantly equity-type funds, and the adoption of a single form of organization as a Maryland business trust, with all funds operating under uniform charter documents. Fund shareholders have also approved investment matters, including standardized fundamental investment policies and the ability of the fund to change its investment objective without shareholder approval. These matters generally are expected to be effectuated during the first half of 2007.

Distribution plan

Legg Mason Investor Services, LLC (“LMIS”), a wholly-owned broker-dealer subsidiary of Legg Mason, and Citigroup Global Markets Inc. (“CGMI”) serve as the fund’s distributors. The fund has adopted a shareholder services and distribution plan for its Class A, B and C shares. Under the plan, the fund pays distribution and/or service fees. The plan provides for payments, based on annualized percentages of average daily net assets, of up to 0.25% for class A shares and up to 1.00% for Class B and Class C shares. These fees are an ongoing expense and, over time, will increase the cost of your investment and may cost you more than other types of sales charges.

In addition, a distributor may make payments for distribution and/or shareholder servicing activities out of their past profits and other available sources. A distributor may also make payments to dealers for marketing, promotional or related expenses. The amount of these payments is determined by the distributor and may be substantial. The manager or an affiliate may make similar payments under similar arrangements.

The payments described in the paragraph above are often referred to as “revenue sharing payments.” The recipients of such payments may include the fund’s distributors, affiliates of the manager, broker / dealers, financial institutions and other financial intermediaries through which investors may purchase shares of the fund. In some circumstances, such payments may create an incentive for an intermediary or its employees or associated persons to recommend or sell shares of the fund to you. Please contact your financial intermediary for details about revenue sharing payments it may receive.

Recent developments

On May 31, 2005, the SEC issued an order in connection with the settlement of an administrative proceeding against SBFM, the then-investment adviser or manager to the fund, and CGMI, relating to the appointment of an affiliated transfer agent for the Smith Barney family of mutual funds including the fund (the “Affected Funds”).

The SEC order found that SBFM and CGMI willfully violated Section 206(1) of the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as amended, and the rules promulgated thereunder (the “Advisers Act”). Specifically, the order found that SBFM and CGMI knowingly or recklessly failed to disclose to the boards of the Affected Funds in 1999 when proposing a new transfer agent arrangement with an affiliated transfer agent that: First Data Investors Services Group (“First Data”), the Affected Funds’ then-existing transfer agent, had offered to continue as transfer agent and do the same work for substantially less money than before; and that

 

Emerging Markets Equity Fund         11


 

Citigroup Asset Management (“CAM”), the Citigroup business unit that, at the time, included the Affected Funds’ investment manager and other investment advisory companies, had entered into a side letter with First Data under which CAM agreed to recommend the appointment of First Data as sub-transfer agent to the affiliated transfer agent in exchange, among other things, for a guarantee by First Data of specified amounts of asset management and investment banking fees to CAM and CGMI. The order also finds that SBFM and CGMI willfully violated Section 206(2) of the Advisers Act by virtue of the omissions discussed above and other misrepresentations and omissions in the materials provided to the Affected Funds’ boards, including the failure to make clear that the affiliated transfer agent would earn a high profit for performing limited functions while First Data continued to perform almost all of the transfer agent functions, and the suggestion that the proposed arrangement was in the Affected Funds’ best interests and that no viable alternatives existed.

SBFM and CGMI do not admit or deny any wrongdoing or liability. The settlement does not establish wrongdoing or liability for purposes of any other proceeding. The SEC censured SBFM and CGMI and ordered them to cease and desist from violations of Sections 206(1) and 206(2) of the Advisers Act. The order required Citigroup to pay $208.1 million, including $109 million in disgorgement of profits, $19.1 million in interest, and a civil money penalty of $80 million. Approximately $24.4 million has already been paid to the Affected Funds, primarily through fee waivers. The remaining $183.7 million, including the penalty, has been paid to the U.S. Treasury and will be distributed pursuant to a plan submitted for the approval of the SEC. At this time, there is no certainty as to how the above-described proceeds of the settlement will be distributed, to whom such distributions will be made, the methodology by which such distributions will be allocated, and when such distributions will be made. The order also required that transfer agency fees received from the Affected Funds since December 1, 2004, less certain expenses, be placed in escrow and provided that a portion of such fees might be subsequently distributed in accordance with the terms of the order. On April 3, 2006, an aggregate amount of approximately $9 million held in escrow was distributed to the Affected Funds.

The order required SBFM to recommend a new transfer agent contract to the Affected Funds’ boards within 180 days of the entry of the order; if a Citigroup affiliate submitted a proposal to serve as transfer agent or sub-transfer agent, SBFM and CGMI would have been required, at their expense, to engage an independent monitor to oversee a competitive bidding process. On November 21, 2005, and within the specified timeframe, the Affected Funds’ Boards selected a new transfer agent for the Affected Funds. No Citigroup affiliate submitted a proposal to serve as transfer agent. Under the order, SBFM also must comply with an amended version of a vendor policy that Citigroup instituted in August 2004.

Although there can be no assurance, the manager does not believe that this matter will have a material adverse effect on the Affected Funds.

On December 1, 2005, Citigroup completed the sale of substantially all of its global asset management business, including SBFM, to Legg Mason.

 

12         Legg Mason Partners Funds


 

Choosing a class of shares to buy

Individual investors can generally choose among three classes of shares: Classes A, B and C shares. Individual investors that held Class I (formerly Class Y) shares prior to November 20, 2006, may continue to invest in Class I shares. Institutional and retirement plan investors and clients of financial intermediaries should refer to “Retirement and institutional investors” below for a description of the classes available to them. Each class has different sales charges and expenses, allowing you to choose the class that best meets your needs.

When choosing which class of shares to buy, you should consider:

n  

How much you plan to invest

n  

How long you expect to own the shares

n  

The expenses paid by each class detailed in the Fee Table and Example at the front of this prospectus

n  

Whether you qualify for any reduction or waiver of sales charges

If you are choosing between Class A and Class B shares, it will in almost all cases be the more economical choice for you to purchase Class A shares if you plan to purchase shares in an amount of $100,000 or more (whether in a single purchase or through aggregation of eligible holdings). This is because of the reduced sales charge available on larger investments of Class A shares and the lower ongoing expenses of Class A shares compared to Class B shares.

If you intend to invest for only a few years, the effect of Class B contingent deferred sales charges on redemptions made within five years of purchase, as well as the effect of higher expenses of that class, might make an investment in Class C more appropriate. There is no initial sales charge on Class C shares, and the contingent deferred sales charge does not apply to shares redeemed one year or more after purchase.

However, if you plan to invest a large amount and your investment horizon is five years or more, Class C shares might not be as advantageous as Class A shares. The annual distribution and service fees on Class C shares may cost you more over the longer term than the front-end sales charge you would have paid for larger purchases of Class A shares.

You may buy shares from:

n  

Certain broker / dealers, financial intermediaries, financial institutions or a distributor’s financial advisors or registered representatives that have entered into an agreement to sell fund shares (each called a “Service Agent”)

n  

The fund, but only if you are investing through certain qualified plans or Service Agents

Different types of shareholder services may be available to you under arrangements offered by different Service Agents. In addition, these services may vary depending on the share class in which you choose to invest. In making your decision regarding which share class may be best for you, please keep in mind that your Service Agent may receive different compensation depending on the share class in which you invest. Investors should consult with their Service Agent about comparative pricing of shareholder services available to them under each available share class, the compensation that will be received by their Service Agent in connection with each available share class, and other factors that may be relevant to the investor’s choice of share class in which to invest.

 

Emerging Markets Equity Fund         13


 

Not all classes of shares are available through each Service Agent. You should contact your Service Agent for further information.

Investment minimums

Minimum initial and additional investment amounts vary depending on the class of shares you buy and the nature of your investment account.

 

   

Investment Minimum

Initial/Additional Investment(1)

     Class A   Class B   Class C   Class I
(formerly Y)

General

  $ 500/$50   $ 500/$50   $ 500/$50     N/A
 

IRAs and Uniform Gifts or Transfers to Minor Accounts

  $ 250/$50   $ 250/$50   $ 250/$50     N/A
 

SIMPLE IRAs

  $ 1/$1   $ 1/$1   $ 1/$1     N/A
 

Systematic Investment Plans

  $ 25/$25   $ 25/$25   $ 25/$25     N/A
 

Clients of Eligible Financial Intermediaries

  $ 1/$1     N/A     N/A     None/None
 

Retirement Plans with omnibus accounts held on the books of the fund

    None/None     N/A     None/None     None/None
 

Other Retirement Plans

  $ 50/$50   $ 50/$50   $ 50/$50     N/A
 

Institutional Investors

  $ 500/$50   $ 500/$50   $ 500/$50   $ 1 million/None
 

 

(1)

 

Please refer to the section entitled “Retirement and institutional investors” for additional information regarding the investment minimums and eligibility requirements for Retirement Plans, Institutional Investors and Clients of Eligible Financial Intermediaries.

More information about the fund’s classes of shares is available through the Legg Mason Partners Funds’ website. You’ll find detailed information about sales charges and ways you can qualify for reduced or waived sales charges, including:

n  

The front-end sales charges that apply to the purchase of Class A shares

n  

The contingent deferred sales charges that apply to the redemption of Class B shares, Class C shares and certain Class A shares (redeemed within one year)

n  

Who qualifies for lower sales charges on Class A shares

n  

Who qualifies for a sales load waiver

To access the website, go to http://www.leggmason.com/InvestorServices and click on the name of the fund.

 

14         Legg Mason Partners Funds


 

Comparing the fund’s classes

The following table compares key features of the fund’s classes. You should review the Fee Table and Example at the front of this prospectus carefully before choosing your share class. Your Service Agent can help you decide which class meets your goals. Your Service Agent may receive different compensation depending upon which class you choose.

 

     Class A   Class B   Class C   Class I
(formerly Y )
Key features  

n  Initial sales charge

n  You may qualify for reduction or waiver of initial sales charge

n  Generally lower annual expenses than Class B and Class C

 

n  No initial sales charge

n  Contingent deferred sales charge declines over time

n  Converts to Class A after approximately 8 years

n  Generally higher annual expenses than Class A

 

n  No initial sales charge

n  Contingent deferred sales charge for only 1 year

n  Does not convert to Class A

n  Generally higher annual expenses than Class A

 

n  No initial or contingent deferred sales charge

n  Only offered to institutional and other eligible investors

n  Generally lower expenses than the other classes

Initial sales charge  

Up to 5.75%; reduced or waived for large purchases and certain investors. No charge for purchases of $1 million or more

 

None

 

None

 

None

Contingent Deferred sales charge  

1.00% on purchases of $1 million or more if you redeem within 1 year of purchase ; waived for certain investors

 

Up to 5.00% charged when you redeem shares. The charge is reduced over time and there is no contingent deferred sales charge after 5 years; waived for certain investors

 

1.00% if you redeem within 1 year of purchase ; waived for certain retirement plan investors

 

None

Annual distribution and/or service fees  

0.25% of average daily net assets

 

1.00% of average daily net assets

 

1.00% of average daily net assets

 

None

Exchange Privilege (1)  

Class A shares of most Legg Mason Partners Funds

 

Class B shares of most Legg Mason Partners Funds

 

Class C shares of most Legg Mason Partners Funds

 

Class I shares of most Legg Mason Partners Funds

 

(1)

 

Ask your Service Agent about the Legg Mason Partners Funds available for exchange.

 

Emerging Markets Equity Fund         15


 

Sales charges

Class A shares

You buy Class A shares at the offering price, which is the net asset value plus a sales charge. You pay a lower rate as the size of your investment increases to certain levels called breakpoints. You do not pay a sales charge on the fund’s distributions or dividends you reinvest in additional Class A shares.

The table below shows the rate of sales charge you pay, depending on the amount you purchase, for purchases made on or after November 20, 2006. The table below also shows the amount of broker-dealer compensation that will be paid out of the sales charge. For Class A shares sold by LMIS, LMIS will receive the sales charge imposed on purchases of Class A shares (or any contingent deferred sales charge paid on redemptions) and will retain the full amount of such sales charge. For Class A shares sold by CGMI, CGMI will receive the sales charge imposed on purchases of Class A shares and will retain an amount equal to the broker-dealer commission paid out of the sales charge. LMIS will receive any portion not retained by CGMI. Service Agents (including CGMI) will also receive a service fee payable on Class A shares at an annual rate of up to 0.25% of the average daily net assets represented by the Class A shares serviced by them.

 

Amount of purchase   Sales Charge
as % of
offering price (%)
  Sales Charge
as % of net
amount invested (%)
  Broker/Dealer
Commission
as % of
offering price

Less than $25,000

  5.75   6.10   5.00
 

$25,000 but less than $50,000

  5.00   5.26   4.25
 

$50,000 but less than $100,000

  4.50   4.71   3.75
 

$100,000 but less than $250,000

  3.50   3.63   2.75
 

$250,000 but less than $500,000

  2.50   2.56   2.00
 

$500,000 but less than $750,000

  2.00   2.04   1.60
 

$750,000 but less than $1,000,000

  1.50   1.52   1.20
 

$1,000,000 or more(1)

  -0-   -0-   up to 1.00
 

 

(1)

 

A distributor may pay a commission of up to 1.00% to a Service Agent for purchase amounts of $1 million or more. In such cases, starting in the thirteenth month after purchase, the Service Agent will also receive an annual distribution/service fee of up to 0.25% of the average daily net assets represented by the Class A shares held by its clients. Prior to the thirteenth month, the distributor will retain the fee. Where the Service Agent does not receive the payment of this commission, the Service Agent will instead receive the annual distribution/service fee starting immediately after purchase. Please contact your Service Agent for more information.

Investments of $1,000,000 or more

You do not pay an initial sales charge when you buy $1,000,000 or more of Class A shares. However, if you redeem these Class A shares within one year of purchase, you will pay a contingent deferred sales charge of 1.00%.

Qualifying for a reduced Class A sales charge

There are several ways you can combine multiple purchases of Class A shares of Legg Mason Partners Funds to take advantage of the breakpoints in the sales charge schedule. In order to take advantage of reductions in sales charges that may be available to you when

 

16         Legg Mason Partners Funds


 

you purchase fund shares, you must inform your Service Agent or Legg Mason Partners Shareholder Services if you have entered into a letter of intent or a right of accumulation and if you own shares of other Legg Mason Partners Funds that are eligible to be aggregated with your purchases. Certain records, such as account statements, may be necessary in order to verify your eligibility for reduced sales charges.

n  

Accumulation privilege – allows you to combine the current value of Class A shares of the fund with other shares of Legg Mason Partners Funds that are owned by:

  ¨  

you; or

  ¨  

your spouse and children under the age of 21 with the dollar amount of your next purchase of Class A shares for purposes of calculating the initial sales charge.

Shares of certain money market funds advised by the manager or its affiliates (other than money market fund shares acquired by exchange from other Legg Mason Partners Funds offered with a sales charge), Legg Mason Partners S&P 500 Index Fund and Class O shares of Legg Mason Partners Equity Fund, Inc. may not be combined.

If you hold shares of Legg Mason Partners Funds in accounts at two or more Service Agents, please contact your Service Agents to determine which shares may be combined.

Certain trustees and fiduciaries may be entitled to combine accounts in determining their sales charge.

n  

Letter of intent – allows you to purchase Class A shares of Legg Mason Partners Funds over a 13-month period and pay the same sales charge on Class A shares, if any, as if all shares had been purchased at once. At the time you enter into the letter of intent, you select your asset goal amount. Generally, purchases of Legg Mason Partners Fund shares that are purchased during the 13-month period by

  ¨  

you; or

  ¨  

your spouse and children under the age of 21

are eligible for inclusion under the letter, based on the public offering price at the time of the purchase, and any capital appreciation on those shares. Purchases made 90 days prior to the 13-month period are also eligible to be treated as purchases made under the letter. In addition, you can include towards your asset goal amount the current value of any eligible purchases that were made prior to the date of entering into the letter of intent and are still held.

If you hold shares of Legg Mason Partners Funds in accounts at two or more Service Agents, please contact your Service Agents to determine which shares may be credited towards your letter of intent asset goal.

Shares of certain money market funds advised by the manager or is affiliate (other than money market fund shares acquired by exchange from other Legg Mason Partners Funds offered with a sales charge) and Legg Mason Partners S&P 500 Index Fund and Class O shares of Legg Mason Partners Equity Fund, Inc. may not be credited toward your letter of intent asset goal.

If you do not meet your asset goal amount, shares in the amount of any sales charges due, based on the amount of your actual purchases, will be redeemed from your account.

Waivers for certain Class A investors

Class A initial sales charges are waived for certain types of investors, including:

n  

Employees of Service Agents having dealer, service or other selling agreements with the fund’s distributors

 

Emerging Markets Equity Fund         17


 

n  

Investors who redeemed Class A shares of a Legg Mason Partners Fund in the past 60 days, if the investor’s Service Agent is notified

n  

Directors and officers of any Legg Mason-sponsored fund

n  

Employees of Legg Mason and its subsidiaries

n  

Investors investing through certain retirement plans

If you qualify for a waiver of the Class A initial sales charge, you must notify your Service Agent or the transfer agent at the time of purchase and provide sufficient information at the time of purchase to permit verifications that the purchase qualifies for the initial sales charge waiver.

If you want to learn about additional waivers of Class A initial sales charges, contact your Service Agent, consult the SAI or access at the Legg Mason Partners Funds’ website: http://www.leggmason.com/InvestorServices, and click on the name of the fund.

Class B shares

You buy Class B shares at net asset value without paying an initial sales charge. However, if you redeem your Class B shares within five years of your purchase payment, you will pay a contingent deferred sales charge. The contingent deferred sales charge decreases as the number of years since your purchase payment increases.

 

Year after purchase   1st     2nd     3rd     4th     5th     6th through 8th  

Contingent deferred sales charge

  5 %   4 %   3 %   2 %   1 %   0 %
   

LMIS will pay Service Agents, including CGMI, selling Class B shares a commission of up to 4.00% of the purchase price of the Class B shares they sell, and LMIS will retain the contingent deferred sales charges. Service Agents also receive an annual distribution/service fee of up to 0.25% of the average daily net assets represented by the Class B shares serviced by them.

Class B conversion

After approximately 8 years, Class B shares automatically convert into Class A shares. This helps you because Class A shares have lower annual expenses. Your Class B shares will convert to Class A shares as follows:

 

Shares issued:

At initial purchase

  

Shares issued:

On reinvestment of
dividends and
distributions

  

Shares issued:

Upon exchange from
another Legg Mason
Partners Fund

Approximately 8 years after the date of purchase payment    In same proportion as the number of Class B shares converting is to total Class B shares you own (excluding shares issued as dividends)    On the date the shares originally acquired would have converted into Class A shares
 

Class C shares

You buy Class C shares at net asset value without paying an initial sales charge. However, if you redeem your Class C shares within one year of purchase, you will pay a contingent deferred sales charge of 1.00%.

 

18         Legg Mason Partners Funds


 

LMIS will generally pay Service Agents selling Class C shares a commission of up to 1.00% of the purchase price of the Class C shares they sell and LMIS will retain the contingent deferred sales charges and an annual distribution/service fee of up to 1.00% of the average daily net assets represented by the Class C shares serviced by these Service Agents until the thirteenth month after purchase. Starting in the thirteenth month after purchase, these Service Agents will receive an annual distribution/service fee of up to 1.00% of the average daily net assets represented by the Class C shares serviced by them.

Class I shares (formerly Class Y shares)

Class I shares are purchased at net asset value with no initial sales charge and no contingent deferred sales charge when redeemed.

 

Emerging Markets Equity Fund         19


 

More about contingent deferred sales charges

The contingent deferred sales charge is based on the net asset value at the time of purchase or redemption, whichever is less, and therefore you do not pay a sales charge on amounts representing appreciation or depreciation.

In addition, you do not pay a contingent deferred sales charge:

n  

When you exchange shares for shares of another Legg Mason Partners Fund

n  

On shares representing reinvested distributions and dividends

n  

On shares no longer subject to the contingent deferred sales charge

Each time you place a request to redeem shares, the fund will first redeem any shares in your account that are not subject to a contingent deferred sales charge and then the shares in your account that have been held the longest.

If you redeemed shares of a Legg Mason Partners Fund and paid a contingent deferred sales charge, you may, under certain circumstances, reinvest all or part of the redemption proceeds within 60 days and receive pro rata credit for any contingent deferred sales charge imposed on the prior redemption. Please contact your Service Agent for additional information.

The fund’s distributors receive contingent deferred sales charges as partial compensation for its expenses in selling shares, including the payment of compensation to your Service Agent.

Contingent deferred sales charge waivers

The contingent deferred sales charge for each share Class will generally be waived:

n  

On payments made through certain systematic withdrawal plans

n  

On certain distributions from a retirement plan

n  

For retirement plans with omnibus accounts held on the books of the fund

n  

For involuntary redemptions of small account balances

n  

For 12 months following the death or disability of a shareholder

If you want to learn about additional waivers of contingent deferred sales charges, contact your Service Agent, consult the SAI, or look at the Legg Mason Partners Funds’ website: http://www.leggmason.com/InvestorServices, and click on the name of the fund.

 

20         Legg Mason Partners Funds


 

Retirement and institutional investors

Eligible investors

Retirement Plans

Retirement Plans with omnibus accounts held on the books of the fund can generally choose among three classes of shares: Class C, Class A and Class I (formerly Class Y) shares.

“Retirement Plans” include 401(k) plans, 457 plans, employer-sponsored 403(b) plans, profit-sharing plans, non-qualified deferred compensation plans and other similar employer-sponsored retirement plans. Retirement Plans do not include individual retirement vehicles, such as traditional and Roth individual retirement accounts, Coverdell education savings accounts, individual 403(b)(7) custodial accounts, Keogh plans, SEPs, SARSEPs, SIMPLE IRAs, or Section 529 savings accounts. Although Retirement Plans with omnibus accounts held on the books of the fund are not subject to minimum initial investment requirements for any of these share classes, certain investment minimums may be imposed by a financial intermediary.

Other Retirement Plan investors (including, for example, employer-sponsored plans investing through brokerage accounts), can generally choose among three classes of shares: Class A, Class B and Class C. Individual retirement vehicles, such as IRAs, may also choose among these share classes. These types of investors are treated like individual investors for purposes of determining sales charges and any applicable sales charge reductions or waivers.

Clients of Eligible Financial Intermediaries

Clients of Eligible Financial Intermediaries may generally choose between two classes of shares: Class A and Class I. “Clients of Eligible Financial Intermediaries” are investors who invest in the fund through financial intermediaries that offer their clients fund shares through investment programs as authorized by LMIS. Such investment programs may include fee-based advisory or brokerage account programs, and college savings vehicles such as Section 529 plans. The financial intermediary may impose separate investment minimums.

Institutional Investors

Institutional Investors may invest in Class I shares if they meet the $1,000,000 minimum initial investment requirement. Institutional Investors may also invest in Class A, B and C shares, which have different investment minimums and fees and expenses. “Institutional Investors” generally include corporations, banks, insurance companies, foundations, retirement plans and other similar entities with direct relationships to the fund.

Class C — Retirement Plans

For purchases made on or after November 20, 2006, Retirement Plans with omnibus accounts held on the books of the fund may buy Class C shares without paying a contingent deferred sales charge. As of November 20, 2006, LMIS no longer pays Service Agents selling Class C shares to retirement plans with omnibus accounts held on the books of a fund a commission on the purchase price of Class C shares sold by them. Instead, immediately after purchase, LMIS will pay these Service Agents an annual distribution/service fee of up to 1.00% of the average daily net assets represented by the Class C shares serviced by them.

 

Emerging Markets Equity Fund         21


 

Class I

As of November 20, 2006, Class Y shares were renamed Class I shares and are offered only to Institutional Investors who meet the $1,000,000 minimum initial investment requirement, Clients of Eligible Financial Intermediaries, and other investors as authorized by LMIS. However, investors that held Class Y shares prior to that date will be permitted to make additional investments in Class I shares.

Class A — Retirement Plans

Retirement Plans with omnibus accounts held on the books of the fund may purchase Class A shares through programs sponsored by financial intermediaries. Under these programs, the initial sales charge and contingent deferred sales charge for Class A shares is waived where:

n  

Such Retirement Plan’s record keeper offers only load-waived shares,

n  

Fund shares are held on the books of the fund through an omnibus account, and

n  

The Retirement Plan has more than 100 participants, or has total assets exceeding $1 million

As of November 20, 2006, LMIS no longer pays Service Agents selling Class A shares to Retirement Plans with a direct omnibus relationship with a fund a commission on the purchase price of Class A shares sold by them. However, for certain Retirement Plans that are permitted to purchase shares at net asset value on or after this date, LMIS may continue to pay Service Agents commissions of up to 1.00% of the purchase price of the additional Class A shares that are purchased with regular ongoing plan contributions. Please contact your Service Agent for more information.

Other considerations

Plan sponsors, plan fiduciaries and other financial intermediaries may choose to impose qualification requirements for plans that differ from the fund’s share class eligibility standards. In certain cases this could result in the selection of a share class with higher service and distribution-related fees than otherwise would have been charged. The fund is not responsible for, and has no control over, the decision of any plan sponsor, plan fiduciary or financial intermediary to impose such differing requirements. Please consult with your plan sponsor, plan fiduciary or financial intermediary for more information about available share classes.

With respect to Class A and Class C shares, the fund may pay a fee for recordkeeping services performed for the share class.

Not all share classes may be made available by your Service Agent; please contact your Service Agent for additional details.

 

22         Legg Mason Partners Funds


 

Buying shares

 

Through a Service Agent   

You should contact your Service Agent to open a brokerage account and make arrangements to buy shares. You must provide the following information, for your order to be processed:

n Class of shares being bought

n Dollar amount or number of shares being bought

n Account number (if existing account)

Your Service Agent may charge an annual account maintenance fee.

 
Through the fund   

Financial intermediary accounts, retirement plan accounts and certain other investors who are clients of certain Service Agents are eligible to buy shares directly from the fund.

n Write to the fund at the following address:

Legg Mason Partners Funds

c/o PFPC Inc.

P.O. Box 9699

Providence, Rhode Island 02940-9699

n Enclose a check to pay for the shares. For initial purchases, complete and send an account application available upon request from Legg Mason Partners Shareholder Services at the number below

n Specify the name of the fund, the share class you wish to purchase and your account number (if existing fund)

n For more information, please call Legg Mason Partners Shareholder Services at 800-451-2010.

 
Through a systematic investment plan   

You may authorize your Service Agent or the transfer agent to transfer funds automatically from (i) a regular bank account, (ii) cash held in a brokerage account with a Service Agent or (iii) certain money market funds, in order to buy shares on a regular basis.

n Amounts transferred should be at least $25

n Amounts may be transferred monthly, every alternate month, quarterly, semi-annually or annually

n If you do not have sufficient funds in your account on a transfer date, your Service Agent or the transfer agent may charge you a fee

 

For more information, contact your Service Agent or Legg Mason Partners Shareholder Services or consult the SAI.

 

Emerging Markets Equity Fund         23


 

Exchanging shares

 

Legg Mason Partners offers a distinctive family of funds tailored to help meet the varying needs of both large and small investors   

You should contact your Service Agent to exchange into other Legg Mason Partners Funds. Be sure to read the prospectus of the Legg Mason Partners Fund into which you are exchanging. An exchange is a taxable transaction, unless you are investing through a tax-qualified savings plan or account.

n If you bought shares through a Service Agent, you may exchange shares only for shares of the same class of certain other Legg Mason Partners Funds made available for exchange by your Service Agent. Not all Legg Mason Partners Funds made available for exchange by your Service Agent may offer all classes. Please contact your Service Agent for more information about the funds and classes that are available for exchange

n If you bought shares directly from the fund, you may exchange shares only for shares of the same class of another Legg Mason Partners Fund other than shares of Legg Mason Partners S&P 500 Index Fund. Not all Legg Mason Partners Funds offer all classes

n Not all Legg Mason Partners Funds may be offered in your state of residence. Contact your Service Agent or the transfer agent for further information

n Exchanges of Class A, Class B and Class C shares are subject to minimum investment requirements (except for systematic investment plan exchanges), and all shares are subject to the other requirements of the fund into which exchanges are made.

n The fund may suspend or terminate your exchange privilege if you engage in an excessive pattern of exchanges.

 
Sales charges   

In most instances, your shares will not be subject to an initial sales charge or a contingent deferred sales charge at the time of the exchange.

Your contingent deferred sales charge (if any) will continue to be measured from the date of your original purchase of shares subject to a contingent deferred sales charge.

 
By telephone    If you do not have a brokerage account with a Service Agent, you may be eligible to exchange shares through the fund. You must complete an authorization form to authorize telephone transfers. If eligible, you may make telephone exchanges on any day the New York Stock Exchange Inc. (“NYSE”) is open. Shareholders should call Legg Mason Partners Shareholder Services at 800-451-2010 between 8:30 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. (Eastern time). Exchanges are priced at the net asset value next determined.
  

You can make telephone exchanges only between accounts that have identical registrations.

 
By mail    If you do not have a brokerage account, contact your Service Agent or write to the fund at the address on the following page.
 

 

24         Legg Mason Partners Funds


 

Through a

systematic

exchange plan

  

You may be permitted to schedule exchanges of shares of any class of the fund for shares of the same class of other Legg Mason Partners Funds.

n Exchanges may be made, monthly, every alternate month, quarterly, semi-annually or annually

n A predetermined dollar amount of at least $25 per exchange is required

 

For more information please contact your Service Agent or Legg Mason Partners Shareholder Services.

 

Emerging Markets Equity Fund         25


 

Redeeming shares

 

Generally   

Contact your Service Agent to redeem shares of the fund.

If the shares are held by a fiduciary or corporation, other documents may be required.

Redemptions are priced at net asset value next determined after receipt of your request in good order.

Your redemption proceeds will normally be sent within three business days after your request is received in good order, but in any event within 7 days. Your redemption proceeds may be delayed for up to 10 days if your purchase was made by check.

If you have a brokerage account with a Service Agent, your redemption proceeds will be sent to your Service Agent. In other cases, unless you direct otherwise, your redemption proceeds will be paid by check mailed to your address of record.

 
By mail   

For accounts held directly at the fund, send written requests to the fund at the applicable address:

Legg Mason Partners Funds

c/o PFPC Inc.

P.O. Box 9699

Providence, Rhode Island 02940-9699

Your written request must provide the following:

n The fund name, the class of shares to be redeemed, and your account number

n The dollar amount or number of shares to be redeemed

n Signatures of each owner exactly as the account is registered

n Signature guarantee, as applicable

 
By telephone   

If you do not have a brokerage account with a Service Agent, you may be eligible to redeem shares (except those held in certain retirement plans) in amounts up to $50,000 per day through the fund. You must complete an authorization form to authorize telephone redemptions. If eligible, you may request redemptions by telephone on any day the NYSE is open. Shareholders should call Legg Mason Partners Shareholder Services at 800-451-2010 between 8:30 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. (Eastern time).

Your redemption proceeds can be sent by check to your address of record or by wire or electronic transfer (ACH) to a bank account designated on your authorization form. You must submit a new authorization form to change the bank account designated to receive wire or electronic transfers and you may be asked to provide certain other documents. The transfer agent may charge a fee on a wire or an electronic transfer (ACH).

 

 

26         Legg Mason Partners Funds


 

Automatic cash withdrawal plans   

You can arrange for the automatic redemption of a portion of your shares monthly, every alternate month, quarterly, semi-annually or annually. To qualify you must own shares of the fund with a value of at least $10,000 ($5,000 for retirement plan accounts) and each automatic redemption must be at least $50. If your shares are subject to a contingent deferred sales charge, the sales charge will be waived if your automatic

n redemptions are equal to or less than 2% per month of your account balance on the date the withdrawals commence, up to a maximum of 12% in any one year. In order to qualify for an automatic cash withdrawal plan, all dividends and distributions must be reinvested.

 

For more information, please contact your Service Agent or consult the SAI.

 

Emerging Markets Equity Fund         27


 

Other things to know about transactions

When you buy, exchange or redeem shares, your request must be in good order. This means you have provided the following information, without which your request may not be processed:

n  

Name of the fund

n  

Your account number

n  

Class of shares being bought, and if you own more than one class, the class of shares being exchanged or redeemed

n  

Dollar amount or number of shares being bought, exchanged or redeemed

n  

Signature of each owner exactly as the account is registered

The transfer agent or Legg Mason Partners Shareholder Services will employ reasonable procedures to confirm that any telephone exchange or redemption request is genuine, which may include recording calls, asking a caller to provide certain personal identification information, sending you a written confirmation or requiring other confirmation procedures from time to time. If these procedures are followed, neither the fund nor the transfer agent will bear any liability for such transactions.

Signature guarantees

To be in good order, your redemption request must include a signature guarantee if you:

n  

Are redeeming over $50,000

n  

Instruct the transfer agent to mail the check to an address different from the one on your account registration

n  

Changed your account registration or your address within 30 days

n  

Want the check paid to someone other than the account owner(s)

n  

Are transferring the redemption proceeds to an account with a different registration

You can obtain a signature guarantee from most banks, dealers, brokers, credit unions and federal savings and loan institutions, but not from a notary public.

The fund has the right to:

n  

Suspend the offering of shares

n  

Waive or change minimum and additional investment amounts

n  

Reject any purchase or exchange order

n  

Change, revoke or suspend the exchange privilege

n  

Suspend telephone transactions

n  

Suspend or postpone redemptions of shares on any day when trading on the NYSE is restricted, or as otherwise permitted by the Securities and Exchange Commission

n  

Pay redemption proceeds by giving you securities. You may pay transaction costs to dispose of the securities

Small account balances/mandatory redemptions

If at any time the aggregate net asset value of the fund shares in your account is less than $500 for any reason (including solely due to declines in net asset value and/or failure to invest at least $500 within a reasonable period), the fund reserves the right to ask you to bring your account up to the applicable minimum investment amount as determined by your Service Agent. In such case you shall be notified in writing and will have 60 days to

 

28         Legg Mason Partners Funds


 

make an additional investment to bring your account value up to the required level. If you choose not to do so within this 60 day period, the fund may close your account and send you the redemption proceeds. In the event your account is closed due to a failure to increase your balance to the minimum required amount, you will not be eligible to have your account subsequently reinstated without imposition of any sales charges that may apply to your new purchase. The fund may, with prior notice, change the minimum size of accounts subject to mandatory redemption, which may vary by class, or implement fees for small accounts.

Subject to applicable law, the fund may, with prior notice, adopt other policies from time to time requiring mandatory redemption of shares in certain circumstances.

For more information, please contact your Service Agent or Legg Mason Partners Shareholder Services or consult the SAI.

Frequent purchases and sales of fund shares

Frequent purchases and redemptions of fund shares may interfere with the efficient management of a fund’s portfolio by its portfolio manager, increase portfolio transaction costs, and have a negative effect on a fund’s long term shareholders. For example, in order to handle large flows of cash into and out of the fund, the portfolio manager may need to allocate more assets to cash or other short-term investments or sell securities, rather than maintaining full investment in securities selected to achieve the fund’s investment objective. Frequent trading may cause the fund to sell securities at less favorable prices. Transaction costs, such as brokerage commissions and market spreads, can detract from the fund’s performance. In addition, the return received by long — term shareholders may be reduced when trades by other shareholders are made in an effort to take advantage of certain pricing discrepancies, when, for example, it is believed that the fund’s share price, which is determined at the close of the New York Stock Exchange on each trading day, does not accurately reflect the value of the fund’s portfolio securities. Funds investing in foreign securities have been particularly susceptible to this form of arbitrage, but other funds could also be affected.

Because of the potential harm to the fund and its long term shareholders, the Board of Trustees of the fund has approved policies and procedures that are intended to discourage and prevent excessive trading and market timing abuses through the use of various surveillance techniques. Under these policies and procedures, the fund may limit additional exchanges or purchases of fund shares by shareholders who are believed by the manager to be engaged in these abusive trading activities. The intent of the policies and procedures is not to inhibit legitimate strategies, such as asset allocation, dollar cost averaging, or similar activities that may nonetheless result in frequent trading of fund shares. For this reason, the Board has not adopted any specific restrictions on purchases and sales of fund shares, but the fund reserves the right to reject any exchange or purchase of fund shares with or without prior notice to the account holder. In cases where surveillance of a particular account establishes what the manager believes to be obvious market timing, the manager will seek to block future purchases and exchanges of fund shares by that account. Where surveillance of a particular account indicates activity that the manager believes could be either abusive or for legitimate purposes, the fund may permit the account holder to justify the activity.

 

Emerging Markets Equity Fund         29


 

The policies apply to any account, whether an individual account or accounts with financial intermediaries such as investment advisers, broker/dealers or retirement plan administrators, commonly called omnibus accounts, where the intermediary holds fund shares for a number of its customers in one account. The fund’s ability to monitor trading in omnibus accounts may, however, be severely limited due to the lack of access to an individual investor’s trading activity when orders are placed through these types of accounts. There may also be operational and technological limitations on the ability of the fund’s service providers to identify or terminate frequent trading activity within the various types of omnibus accounts.

The fund’s policies also require personnel such as portfolio managers and investment staff to report any abnormal or otherwise suspicious investment activity, and prohibit short-term trades by such personnel for their own account in mutual funds managed by the manager and its affiliates, other than money market funds. Additionally, the fund has adopted policies and procedures to prevent the selective release of information about the fund’s portfolio holdings, as such information may be used for market-timing and similar abusive practices.

The fund’s policies provide for ongoing assessment of the effectiveness of current policies and surveillance tools, and the Board reserves the right to modify these or adopt additional policies and restrictions in the future. Shareholders should be aware, however, that any surveillance techniques currently employed by the fund or other techniques that may be adopted in the future, may not be effective particularly where the trading takes place through certain types of omnibus accounts. As noted above, if the fund is unable to detect and deter trading abuses, the fund’s performance, and its long — term shareholders, may be harmed. In addition, because the fund has not adopted any specific limitations or restrictions on the trading of fund shares, shareholders may be harmed by the extra costs and portfolio management inefficiencies that result from frequent trading of fund shares, even when the trading is not for abusive purposes. Furthermore, the fund may not apply its policies consistently or uniformly, resulting in the risk that some shareholders may be able to engage in frequent trading while other will bear the costs and effects of that trading. The fund will provide advance notice to shareholders and prospective investors of any specific restrictions on the trading of fund shares that the board may adopt in the future.

Share certificates

Share certificates for the fund will not be issued.

Record ownership

If you hold shares through a Service Agent, your Service Agent may establish and maintain your account and be the shareholder of record. In the event that the fund holds a shareholder meeting, your Service Agent, as record holder, will vote your shares in accordance with your instructions. If you do not give your Service Agent voting instructions, your Service Agent may nonetheless, under certain circumstances, be entitled to vote your shares.

 

30         Legg Mason Partners Funds


 

Dividends, distributions and taxes

Dividends and distributions

The fund generally pays dividends and makes capital gain distributions, if any, once a year, typically in December. The fund may pay additional distributions and dividends at other times if necessary for the fund to avoid a federal tax. The fund expects distributions to be primarily from capital gains. Capital gain distributions and dividends are reinvested in additional fund shares of the same class you hold. You do not pay a sales charge on reinvested distributions or dividends. Alternatively, you can instruct your Service Agent or Legg Mason Partners Shareholder Services to have your distributions and/or dividends paid in cash. You can change your choice at any time to be effective as of the next distribution or dividend.

Taxes

The following discussion is very general. Because each shareholder’s circumstances are different and special tax rules may apply, you should consult your tax adviser about your investment in the fund.

In general, you will have to pay federal income taxes, as well as any state and local taxes, when you redeem shares, exchange shares or receive a distribution (whether paid in cash or reinvested in additional shares). Any tax liability that you owe as a result of any of these taxable events is your responsibility. The federal income tax treatment of redemptions, exchanges and distributions is summarized in the following table:

 

Transaction    Federal tax status
Redemption or exchange of shares    Usually capital gain or loss; long-term only if shares owned more than one year
 
Distributions of net capital gain (excess of net long-term capital gain over net short-term capital loss)    Long-term capital gain
 
Distributions of qualified dividend income    Qualified dividend income
 
Ordinary dividends (including distributions of net short-term capital gain)    Ordinary income
 

Distributions of net capital gain are taxable to you as long-term capital gain regardless of how long you have owned your shares. Distributions of qualified dividend income received by a non-corporate shareholder, if any, may qualify for a reduced tax rate, provided that the shareholder satisfies certain holding period requirements. Qualified dividend income generally is income derived from dividends from a U.S. corporation. Dividends from certain foreign corporations may also qualify. You may want to avoid buying shares when the fund is about to declare a capital gain distribution or a dividend, because it will be taxable to you even though it may effectively be a return of a portion of your investment.

After the end of each year, your servicing agent or the fund will provide you with information about the distributions and dividends you received and any redemptions of

 

Emerging Markets Equity Fund         31


 

shares during the previous year. If you are neither a citizen nor a resident of the United States, the fund will withhold federal income tax at the rate of 30% (or such lower rate as may determined in accordance with any applicable treaty) on ordinary dividends and other payments that are subject to such withholding. If you do not provide the fund with your correct taxpayer identification number and any required certifications, you will be subject to back-up withholding at the rate of 28% on your distributions, dividends, and redemption proceeds. Back-up withholding will not, however, be applied to payments that have been subject to the 30% withholding tax on shareholders who are neither citizens nor residents of the United States.

 

32         Legg Mason Partners Funds


 

Share price

You may buy, exchange or redeem shares at their net asset value next determined after receipt of your request in good order, plus any applicable sales charge. The fund’s net asset value per share is the value of its assets minus its liabilities divided by the number of shares outstanding. Net asset value is calculated separately for each class of shares. The fund calculates its net asset value every day the NYSE is open. This calculation is done when regular trading closes on the NYSE (normally 4:00 p.m., Eastern time). The NYSE is closed on certain holidays listed in the SAI.

The fund invests in securities that are listed on foreign exchanges that trade on weekends and other days when the fund does not price its shares. Therefore, the value of the fund’s shares may change on days when you will not be able to purchase or redeem the fund’s shares.

The fund’s Board has approved procedures to be used to value the fund’s securities for the purposes of determining the fund’s net asset value. The valuation of the securities of the fund is determined in good faith by or under the direction of the fund’s Board. The fund’s Board has delegated certain valuation functions for the fund to the manager.

The fund generally values its securities based on market prices determined at the close of regular trading on the NYSE. The fund’s currency valuations, if any, are done as of when the London Stock Exchange closes, which is usually at 12 noon Eastern time, as the manager believes that these valuations typically reflect the largest trading volume in the foreign currency markets. A material change in the value of currency during the period between the close of the London Stock Exchange and the calculation of the fund’s net asset value on the same date is considered a significant event, as described below, in response to which the fund may use fair valuation procedures to value the affected investments. For equity securities that are traded on an exchange, the market price is usually the closing sale or official closing price on that exchange. In the case of securities not traded on an exchange, or if such closing prices are not otherwise available, the market price is typically determined by independent third party pricing vendors approved by the fund’s Board using a variety of pricing techniques and methodologies. The market price for debt obligations is generally the price supplied by an independent third party pricing service approved by the fund’s Board, which may use a matrix, formula or other objective method that takes into consideration market indices, yield curves and other specific adjustments. Short-term debt obligations that will mature in 60 days or less are valued at amortized cost, unless it is determined that using this method would not reflect an investment’s fair value. If vendors are unable to supply a price, or if the price supplied is deemed by the manager to be unreliable, the market price may be determined using quotations received from one or more brokers/dealers that make a market in the security. When such prices or quotations are not available, or when the manager believes that they are unreliable, the manager may price securities using fair value procedures approved by the Board. Because the fund invests in securities of issuers located in emerging markets — some of which may be thinly traded, for which market quotations may not be readily available or may be unreliable — the fund may use fair valuation procedures more frequently than funds that invest primarily in securities that are more liquid, such as securities of large capitalization domestic issuers. The fund may also use fair value procedures if the manager determines that a significant event

 

Emerging Markets Equity Fund         33


 

has occurred between the time at which a market price is determined and the time at which the fund’s net asset value is calculated. In particular, the value of foreign securities may be materially affected by events occurring after the close of the market on which they are valued, but before the fund prices its shares. The fund uses a fair value model developed by an independent third party pricing service to price foreign equity securities on days when there is a certain percentage change in the value of a domestic equity security index, as such percentage may be determined by the manager from time to time.

Valuing securities at fair value involves greater reliance on judgment than valuation of securities based on readily available market quotations. A fund that uses fair value to price securities may value those securities higher or lower than another fund using market quotations or its own fair value methodologies to price the same securities. There can be no assurance that the fund could obtain the fair value assigned to a security if it were to sell the security at approximately the time at which the fund determines its net asset value.

In order to buy, redeem or exchange shares at that day’s price, you must place your order with your Service Agent or the transfer agent before the NYSE closes. If the NYSE closes early, you must place your order prior to the actual closing time.

It is the responsibility of the Service Agents to transmit all orders to buy, exchange or redeem shares to the transfer agent on a timely basis.

 

34         Legg Mason Partners Funds


 

Financial highlights

The financial highlights tables are intended to help you understand the performance of each class since inception of the fund. Certain information reflects financial results for a single share. Total return represents the rate that a shareholder would have earned (or lost) on a fund share assuming reinvestment of all dividends and distributions. The information in the following tables has been derived from the fund’s financial statements, which have been audited by KPMG LLP, independent registered public accounting firm, whose report, along with the fund’s financial statements, is included in the annual report (available upon request). As of November 20, 2006, Class Y shares were renamed Class I shares.

 

For a share of each class of beneficial interest outstanding throughout each year ended October 31, unless otherwise noted:   
Class A Shares(1)   2006     2005(2)  

Net asset value, beginning of year

  $13.11     $11.40  
   

Income from operations:

   

Net investment income

  0.05     0.07  

Net realized and unrealized gain

  4.41     1.64  
   

Total income from operations

  4.46     1.71  
   

Less distributions from:

   

Net investment income

  (0.03 )    

Net realized gains

  (0.54 )    
   

Total distributions

  (0.57 )    
   

Net asset value, end of year

  $17.00     $13.11  
   

Total return(3)

  35.09 %   15.00 %
   

Net assets, end of year (000s)

  $25,590     $13,074  
   

Ratios to average net assets:

   

Gross expenses

  2.10 %   3.77 (4)%

Net expenses(5)(6)

  2.00     2.00 (4)

Net investment income

  0.31     0.66 (4)
   

Portfolio turnover rate

  63 %   66 %
   

 

(1)

 

Per share amounts have been calculated using the average shares method.

 

(2)

 

For the period January 5, 2005 (inception date) to October 31, 2005.

 

(3)

 

Performance figures may reflect fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements. Past performance is no guarantee of future results. In the absence of fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements, the total return would have been lower. Total returns for periods of less than one year are not annualized.

 

(4)

 

Annualized.

 

(5)

 

As a result of a voluntary expense limitation, the ratio of expenses to average net assets, other than interest, brokerage, taxes and extraordinary expenses, of Class A shares will not exceed 2.00%.

 

(6)

 

Reflects fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements.

 

Emerging Markets Equity Fund         35


 

For a share of each class of beneficial interest outstanding throughout each year ended October 31, unless otherwise noted:   
Class B Shares(1)   2006     2005(2)  

Net asset value, beginning of year

  $11.30     $11.40  
   

Income (loss) from operations:

   

Net investment loss

  (0.04 )   (0.02 )

Net realized and unrealized gain (loss)

  3.76     (0.08 )
   

Total income (loss) from operations

  3.72     (0.10 )
   

Less distributions from:

   

Net realized gains

  (0.54 )    
   

Total distributions

  (0.54 )    
   

Net asset value, end of year

  $14.48     $11.30  
   

Total return(3)

  34.08 %   (0.88 )%
   

Net assets, end of year (000s)

  $168     $27  
   

Ratios to average net assets:

   

Gross expenses

  7.97 %   4.52 %(4)

Net expenses(5)(6)

  2.75     2.75 (4)

Net investment loss

  (0.31 )   (0.93 )(4)
   

Portfolio turnover rate

  63 %   66 %
   

 

(1)

 

Per share amounts have been calculated using the average shares method.

 

(2)

 

For the period August 11, 2005 (inception date) to October 31, 2005.

 

(3)

 

Performance figures may reflect fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements. Past performance is no guarantee of future results. In the absence of fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements, the total return would have been lower. Total returns for periods of less than one year are not annualized.

 

(4)

 

Annualized. 

 

(5)

 

As a result of a voluntary expense limitation, the ratio of expenses to average net assets, other than interest, brokerage, taxes and extraordinary expenses, of Class B shares will not exceed 2.75%.

 

(6)

 

Reflects fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements.

 

36         Legg Mason Partners Funds


 

For a share of each class of beneficial interest outstanding throughout each year ended October 31, unless otherwise noted:   
Class C Shares(1)   2006     2005(2)  

Net asset value, beginning of year

  $11.20     $11.40  
   

Income (loss) from operations:

   

Net investment loss

  (0.09 )   (0.02 )

Net realized and unrealized gain (loss)

  3.77     (0.18 )
   

Total income (loss) from operations

  3.68     (0.20 )
   

Less distributions from:

   

Net realized gains

  (0.54 )    
   

Total distributions

  (0.54 )    
   

Net asset value, end of year

  $14.34     $11.20  
   

Total return(3)

  34.03 %   (1.75 )%
   

Net assets, end of year (000s)

  $124     $64  
   

Ratios to average net assets:

   

Gross expenses

  8.27 %   4.53 %(4)

Net expenses(5)(6)

  2.76 (7)   2.75 (4)

Net investment loss

  (0.71 )   (1.37 )(4)
   

Portfolio turnover rate

  63 %   66 %
   

 

(1)

 

Per share amounts have been calculated using the average shares method.

 

(2)

 

For the period September 7, 2005 (inception date) to October 31, 2005.

 

(3)

 

Performance figures may reflect fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements. Past performance is no guarantee of future results. In the absence of fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements, the total return would have been lower. Total returns for periods of less than one year are not annualized.

 

(4)

 

Annualized. 

 

(5)

 

As a result of a voluntary expense limitation, the ratio of expenses to average net assets, other than interest, brokerage, taxes and extraordinary expenses, of Class C shares will not exceed 2.75%.

 

(6)

 

Reflects fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements.

 

(7)

 

The ratio of expenses to average net assets of Class C shares exceeds the voluntary expense limitation by 0.01% due to merger and proxy fees.

 

Emerging Markets Equity Fund         37


 

For a share of each class of beneficial interest outstanding throughout each year ended October 31, unless otherwise noted:   
Class I Shares(1)   2006     2005(2)  

Net asset value, beginning of year

  $13.14     $11.40  
   

Income from operations:

   

Net investment income

  0.15     0.14  

Net realized and unrealized gain

  4.41     1.60  
   

Total income from operations

  4.56     1.74  
   

Less distributions from:

   

Net investment income

  (0.12 )    

Net realized gains

  (0.54 )    
   

Total distributions

  (0.66 )    
   

Net asset value, end of year

  $17.04     $13.14  
   

Total return(3)

  35.97 %   15.26 %
   

Net assets, end of year (000s)

  $28,224     $11,902  
   

Ratios to average net assets:

   

Gross expenses

  1.49 %   2.73 %(4)

Net expenses(5)(6)

  1.35     1.35 (4)

Net investment income

  1.00     1.39 (4)
   

Portfolio turnover rate

  63 %   66 %
   

 

(1)

 

Per share amounts have been calculated using the average shares method.

 

(2)

 

For the period January 3, 2005 (inception date) to October 31, 2005.

 

(3)

 

Performance figures may reflect fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements. Past performance is no guarantee of future results. In the absence of fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements, the total return would have been lower. Total returns for periods of less than one year are not annualized.

 

(4)

 

Annualized. 

 

(5)

 

As a result of a voluntary expense limitation, the ratio of expenses to average net assets, other than interest, brokerage, taxes and extraordinary expenses, of Class Y shares will not exceed 1.35%.

 

(6)

 

Reflects fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements.

 

38         Legg Mason Partners Funds


 

 

(Investment Company Act

file no. 811-4006)

FD 03061 02/07

LOGO

Legg Mason Partners Emerging Markets Equity Fund

You may look at the fund’s website at www. leggmason.com/InvestorServices for a free copy of a Prospectus, Statement of Additional Information (“SAI”) or an Annual or Semi-Annual Report, or to request other information.

Shareholder reports Additional information about the fund’s investments is available in the fund’s Annual and Semi-Annual Reports to shareholders. In the fund’s Annual Report, you will find a discussion of the market conditions and investment strategies that significantly affected the fund’s performance.

The fund sends only one report to a household if more than one account has the same last name and same address. Contact your Service Agent or Legg Mason Partners Shareholder Services at 800-451-2010 if you do not want this policy to apply to you.

Statement of additional information The SAI provides more detailed information about the fund and is incorporated by reference into (is legally a part of) this Prospectus.

You can make inquiries about the fund or obtain shareholder reports or the Statement of Additional Information (without charge) by contacting your Service Agent, by calling Legg Mason Partners Shareholder Services at 800-451-2010, or by writing to the fund at 125 Broad Street, New York, New York 10004.

Information about the fund (including the SAI) can be reviewed and copied at the Securities and Exchange Commission’s Public Reference Room in Washington, D.C. Information on the operation of the Public Reference Room may be obtained by calling the Commission at 1-202-551-8090. Reports and other information about the fund are available on the EDGAR Database on the Commission’s Internet site at http://www.sec.gov. Copies of this information may be obtained for a duplicating fee by electronic request at the following E-mail address: publicinfo@sec.gov, or by writing the Commission’s Public Reference Section, Washington, D.C. 20549-0102.

If someone makes a statement about the fund that is not in this Prospectus, you should not rely upon that information. Neither the fund nor the distributors are offering to sell shares of the fund to any person to whom the fund may not lawfully sell its shares.


Filed under Rule 497(c)

File Nos. 33-43446 and 811-6444

April 16, 2007

STATEMENT OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

LEGG MASON PARTNERS EMERGING MARKETS EQUITY FUND

On April 7, 2006, Legg Mason Partners Emerging Markets Equity Fund (the “fund”) changed its name from Smith Barney Emerging Markets Equity Fund to Legg Mason Emerging Markets Equity Fund. As part of a number of initiatives launched in 2006 to restructure and streamline the Legg Mason Partners fund complex, the fund assumed the assets and liabilities of a predecessor fund with the same name. The fund is now grouped for organizational and governance purposes with other Legg Mason Partners funds that are predominantly equity-type funds, and is a series of Legg Mason Partners Equity Trust (the “Trust”), a Maryland business trust. Other initiatives, including the election of a new Board of Trustees (the “Board”) and the approval of certain revised fundamental investment policies, have also been accomplished, and more information on these matters appears in this SAI. Certain historical information contained in the SAI is that of the fund’s predecessor.

 

1


TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

   1. The Trust

   3

   2. Investment Objective and Policies

   3

   3. Description of Permitted Investments and Investment Practices and Associated Risks

   4

   4. Investment Policies

   28

   5. Determination of Net Asset Value; Valuation of Securities

   32

   6. Additional Information on the Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares and Shareholder Programs

   32

   7. Management

   41

   8. Portfolio Transactions

   58

   9. Disclosure of Portfolio Holdings

   60

10. Portfolio Managers

   63

11. Additional Information

   65

13. Tax Matters

   71

14. Financial Statements

   73

Appendix A—Proxy Voting Guidelines and Procedures Summary

   A-1

Appendix B—Proxy Forum Members

  

This Statement of Additional Information sets forth information which may be of interest to investors but which is not necessarily included in the fund’s Prospectus, dated April 16, 2007, by which shares of the fund are offered. A prospectus and copies of Annual and Semi-Annual Reports may be obtained free of charge by contacting a distributor’s financial advisor, or registered representative, a broker/dealer, financial intermediary, or a financial institution that has entered into an agreement with one of the fund’s distributors, (each called a “Service Agent”), or by writing or calling the fund at the address or telephone number set forth above. These reports contain financial statements that are incorporated herein by reference. Legg Mason Investor Services, LLC (“LMIS”), a wholly-owned broker/dealer subsidiary of Legg Mason, Inc. (“Legg Mason”) and Citigroup Global Markets Inc. (“CGMI”) serve as the fund’s distributors.

This Statement of Additional Information is NOT a prospectus and is authorized for distribution to prospective investors only if preceded or accompanied by an effective prospectus.

 

2


1. THE TRUST

This Statement of Additional Information describes Legg Mason Partners Emerging Markets Equity Fund (the “fund”), which is a series of the Trust. References in this Statement of Additional Information to the “Prospectus” of the fund are to the Prospectus, dated, April 16, 2007.

The fund is a diversified, open-end management fund. Under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”), a diversified management investment company must invest at least 75% of its assets in cash and cash items, U.S. Government securities, investment company securities and other securities limited as to any one issuer to not more than 5% of the total assets of the investment company and not more than 10% of the voting securities of the issuer. The fund is permitted to seek its investment objectives by investing all or a portion of its assets in one or more investment companies to the extent not prohibited by the 1940 Act, the rules and regulations thereunder, and exemptive orders granted under such Act.

Legg Mason Partners Fund Advisor, LLC (“LMPFA” or the “manager”), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Legg Mason, Inc. (“Legg Mason”), is the investment manager to the fund. The manager provides administrative and certain oversight services to the fund. Legg Mason International Entities Limited (“LMIE”) provides the day to day portfolio management of the fund, except for the management of cash and short-term instruments, as subadviser. The selection of investments for the fund and the way it is managed depend on the conditions and trends in the economy and the financial marketplaces. LMPFA also provides certain administrative services to the fund.

2. INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE AND POLICIES

The investment objective of the fund is to provide long-term capital growth. Of course, there can be no assurance that the fund will achieve its objective.

Principal Investment Strategies

Under normal circumstances, the fund invests at least 80% of its net assets in equity securities of companies domiciled in, or whose securities are traded in the stock markets of, emerging market nations, and other securities whose values are based on such equity securities. The fund considers emerging market nations to include countries that, at the time the fund makes an investment, are categorized by the World Bank and its affiliates as “low income” or “middle income,” are included in the MSCI (Morgan Stanley Capital International) Emerging Markets Index , or are believed by the portfolio manager to have similar emerging market characteristics.

Generally, the fund invests in a number of different countries and, under normal circumstances, the fund invests in companies in at least eight foreign markets and does not invest more than 25% of its assets in any one country. The fund invests across a range of industries. There are no limitations on the market capitalizations of the companies in which the fund may invest.

The fund usually invests in securities listed on securities exchanges, although it may also purchase securities which are not registered for sale to the general public, or, to a limited extent, securities that are not readily marketable. The fund may invest directly in foreign securities or may invest in depository receipts.

The fund’s assets will generally be invested in equity securities, such as common stocks, preferred stocks and convertible securities, and in other securities, such as equity-linked notes, the values of which are based on equity securities. The fund may also invest in other securities including fixed-income and other debt securities, rights to purchase common stocks, warrants, and, to a limited extent, shares of other investment companies, including closed end investment companies that invest in emerging market securities. The fund may, under normal circumstances, invest up to 20% of its assets in equity securities and other securities of issuers that

 

3


are not domiciled in or traded in the stock markets of emerging market nations but whose operations, either through asset exposure, revenues, or operating cash flow are derived from activities domiciled in emerging market countries.

The fund may, but is not required to, enter into forward currency transactions to buy or sell currencies at a future date. The fund may enter into these forward currency contracts to:

 

   

Settle transactions in securities quoted in foreign currencies

 

   

Attempt to protect against the economic impact of adverse changes in the value of the U.S. dollar or other currencies

Additional Information

The fund’s principal investment strategies are described above. The following provides additional information about these principal strategies and describes other investment strategies that may be used by the fund.

The policies described herein and those described below under “Description of Permitted Investments and Investment Practices and Associated Risks” are not fundamental and may be changed without shareholder approval.

Although this specific investment policy may be changed without shareholder approval, the fund has adopted a policy to provide its shareholders with at least 60 days’ prior notice of any change in this policy.

Certain of the fund’s investment restrictions described below under “Investment Restrictions” are fundamental and cannot be changed without shareholder approval.

3. DESCRIPTION OF PERMITTED INVESTMENTS

AND INVESTMENT PRACTICES AND ASSOCIATED RISKS

This section contains a discussion of certain investment practices and certain of the risks associated with these practices and supplements the description of the fund’s investments and risks contained in the Prospectus. The fund may, but need not, invest in all of the investments and utilize all of the investment techniques described below and in the Prospectus. The selection of investments and the utilization of investment techniques depend on, among other things, the subadviser’s investment strategies for the fund, conditions and trends in the economy and financial markets and investments being available on terms that, in the subadviser’s opinion, make economic sense.

Generally, the fund invests in a number of different countries and, under normal circumstances, the fund invests in at least eight foreign markets and does not invest more than 25% of its assets in any one country. While the fund’s policy is to invest primarily in equity securities of companies in Emerging Market Nations believed to possess better than average prospects for growth and are trading at attractive or reasonable valuation levels, appreciation may be sought in other types of securities, principally of non-U.S. issuers, such as fixed income securities, and convertible and non-convertible bonds, when relative values make such purchases appear attractive either as individual issues or as types of securities in certain economic environments. There is no formula as to the percentage of assets that may be invested in any one type of security.

Foreign Securities and Foreign Issuers

Investing in the securities of foreign issuers involves special considerations which are not typically associated with investing in the securities of U.S. issuers. Investments in securities of foreign issuers may involve

 

4


risks arising from differences between U.S. and foreign securities markets, including less volume, much greater price volatility in and illiquidity of certain foreign securities markets, greater difficulty in determining the fair value of securities, different trading and settlement practices and less governmental supervision and regulation, from changes in currency exchange rates, from high and volatile rates of inflation, from economic, social and political conditions such as wars, terrorism, civil unrest and uprisings, and from fluctuating interest rates.

There may be less publicly-available information about a foreign issuer than about a U.S. issuer, and foreign issuers may not be subject to the same accounting, auditing and financial record-keeping standards and requirements as U.S. issuers. In particular, the assets and profits appearing on the financial statements of an emerging market country issuer may not reflect its financial position or results of operations in the way they would be reflected had the financial statements been prepared in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles. In addition, for an issuer that keeps accounting records in local currency, inflation accounting rules may require, for both tax and accounting purposes, that certain assets and liabilities be restated on the issuer’s balance sheet in order to express items in terms of currency of constant purchasing power. Inflation accounting may indirectly generate losses or profits. Consequently, financial data may be materially affected by restatements for inflation and may not accurately reflect the real condition of those issuers and securities markets. Finally, in the event of a default in any such foreign obligations, it may be more difficult for the fund to obtain or enforce a judgment against the issuers of such obligations.

Other investment risks include the possible imposition of foreign withholding taxes on certain amounts of the fund’s income, the possible seizure or nationalization of foreign assets and the possible establishment of exchange controls, expropriation, confiscatory taxation, other foreign governmental laws or restrictions which might affect adversely payments due on securities held by the fund, the lack of extensive operating experience of eligible foreign subcustodians and legal limitations on the ability of the fund to recover assets held in custody by a foreign subcustodian in the event of the subcustodian’s bankruptcy.

There generally is less governmental supervision and regulation of exchanges, brokers and issuers in foreign countries than there is in the United States. For example, there may be no comparable provisions under certain foreign laws to insider trading and similar investor protection securities laws that apply with respect to securities transactions consummated in the United States. Further, brokerage commissions and other transaction costs on foreign securities exchanges generally are higher than in the United States.

In some countries, banks or other financial institutions may constitute a substantial number of the leading companies or companies with the most actively traded securities. The 1940 Act limits the fund’s ability to invest in any equity security of an issuer which, in its most recent fiscal year, derived more than 15% of its revenues from “securities related activities,” as defined by the rules thereunder. These provisions may also restrict the fund’s investments in certain foreign banks and other financial institutions.

Foreign markets have different clearance and settlement procedures, and in certain markets there have been times when settlements have failed to keep pace with the volume of securities transactions, making it difficult to conduct such transactions. Further, satisfactory custodial services for investment securities may not be available in some countries having smaller, emerging capital markets, which may result in the fund incurring additional costs and delays in transporting such securities outside such countries. Delays in settlement or other problems could result in periods when assets of the fund are uninvested and no return is earned thereon. The inability of the fund to make intended security purchases due to settlement problems or the risk of intermediary counterparty failures could cause the fund to forego attractive investment opportunities. The inability to dispose of a portfolio security due to settlement problems could result either in losses to the fund due to subsequent declines in the value of such portfolio security or, if the fund has entered into a contract to sell the security, could result in possible liability to the purchaser.

Rules adopted under the 1940 Act permit the fund to maintain its foreign securities and cash in the custody of certain eligible non-U.S. banks and securities depositories. Certain banks in foreign countries may not be

 

5


“eligible sub-custodians,” as defined in the 1940 Act, for the fund, in which event the fund may be precluded from purchasing securities in certain foreign countries in which it otherwise would invest or which may result in the fund’s incurring additional costs and delays in providing transportation and custody services for such securities outside of such countries. The fund may encounter difficulties in effecting on a timely basis portfolio transactions with respect to any securities of issuers held outside their countries. Other banks that are eligible foreign sub-custodians may be recently organized or otherwise lack extensive operating experience. In addition, in certain countries there may be legal restrictions or limitations on the ability of the fund to recover assets held in custody by foreign sub-custodians in the event of the bankruptcy of the sub-custodian.

Many of the risks associated with international investments and investing in smaller capital markets are heightened for investments in emerging market countries. For example, some of the currencies of emerging market countries have experienced devaluation relative to the U.S. dollar, and major adjustments have been made periodically in certain of such currencies. Certain of such countries face serious exchange constraints. In addition, governments of many emerging market countries have exercised and continue to exercise substantial influence over many aspects of the private sector. In certain cases, the government owns or controls many companies. Accordingly, government actions in the future could have a significant effect on economic conditions in developing countries which could affect private sector companies and consequently, the value of certain securities held in the fund’s portfolio.

Investment in certain emerging market securities is restricted or controlled to varying degrees which may at times limit or preclude investment in certain emerging market securities and increase the costs and expenses of the fund. Certain emerging market countries require governmental approval prior to investments by foreign persons, limit the amount of investment by foreign persons in a particular issuer, limit the investment by foreign persons only to a specific class of securities of an issuer that may have less advantageous rights than other classes, restrict investment opportunities in issuers in industries deemed important to national interests and/or impose additional taxes on foreign investors.

The manner in which foreign investors may invest in companies in certain emerging market countries, as well as limitations on such investments, also may have an adverse impact on the operations of the fund. For example, the fund may be required in some countries to invest initially through a local broker or other entity and then have the shares purchased re-registered in the name of the fund. Re-registration may in some instances not occur on a timely basis, resulting in a delay during which the fund may be denied certain of its rights as an investor.

Certain emerging market countries may require governmental approval for the repatriation of investment income, capital or the proceeds of sales of securities by foreign investors which could adversely affect the fund. In addition, if a deterioration occurs in the country’s balance of payments, it could impose temporary restrictions on foreign capital remittances. Investing in local markets in emerging market countries may require the fund to adopt special procedures, seek local government approvals or take other actions, each of which may involve additional costs to the fund.

With respect to investments in certain emerging market countries, different legal standards may have an adverse impact on the fund. For example, while the potential liability of a shareholder in a U.S. corporation with respect to acts of the corporation is generally limited to the amount of the shareholder’s investment, the notion of limited liability is less clear in certain emerging market countries. Similarly, the rights of investors in emerging market companies may be more limited than those of shareholders of U.S. corporations.

Certain markets are in only the earliest stages of development. There is also a high concentration of market capitalization and trading volume in a small number of issuers representing a limited number of industries, as well as a high concentration of investors and financial intermediaries. Many of such markets also may be affected by developments with respect to more established markets in the region. Brokers in emerging market countries typically are fewer in number and less capitalized than brokers in the United States. These factors, combined

 

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with the U.S. regulatory requirements for open-end investment companies and the restrictions on foreign investment, result in potentially fewer investment opportunities for the fund and may have an adverse impact on the investment performance of the fund.

Depository Receipts

Securities of foreign issuers may be purchased directly or through depository receipts, such as American Depository Receipts (“ADRs”), European Depository Receipts (“EDRs”) and Global Depository Receipts (“GDRs”) or other securities representing underlying shares of foreign companies. Generally, ADRs, in registered form, are designed for use in U.S. securities markets and EDRs and GDRs, in bearer form, are designed for use in European and global securities markets. ADRs are receipts typically issued by a U.S. bank or trust company evidencing ownership of the underlying securities. EDRs and GDRs are European and global receipts, respectively, evidencing a similar arrangement.

ADRs, EDRs and GDRs are issued through “sponsored” or “unsponsored” arrangements. In a sponsored arrangement, the foreign issuer assumes the obligation to pay some or all of the depository’s transaction fees, whereas under an unsponsored arrangement, the foreign issuer assumes no obligation and the depository’s transaction fees are paid by the holders. In addition, less information is generally available in the United States about the issuer of an unsponsored depository receipt as it is for the issuer of a sponsored depository receipt.

Euro Conversion

The fund may invest in securities of issuers in European countries. Fifteen European countries participate in the European Economic and Monetary Union (“EMU”), and twelve of those countries have adopted the Euro as its sole currency. EMU may create new economic opportunities for investors, such as lower interest rates, easier cross-border mergers, acquisitions and similar restructurings, more efficient distribution and product packaging and greater competition. Budgetary decisions remain in the hands of each participating country, but are subject to each country’s commitment to avoid “excessive deficits” and other more specific budgetary criteria. A European Central Bank is responsible for setting the official interest rate within the Euro zone. EMU and the introduction of the Euro, however, present unique risks and uncertainties for investors in EMU-participating countries, including: (i) monetary and economic union on this scale has never before been attempted; (ii) there is uncertainty whether participating countries will remain committed to EMU in the face of changing economic conditions; (iii) instability within EMU may increase the volatility of European markets and may adversely affect the prices of securities of European issuers in the fund’s portfolio; (iv) there is uncertainty concerning the fluctuation of the Euro relative to non-Euro currencies; and (v) there is no assurance that interest rate, tax and labor regimes of EMU-participating countries will converge over time. These and other factors may cause market disruption and could adversely affect European securities and currencies held by the fund.

Foreign Currency Exchange Transactions

Because the fund may buy and sell securities denominated in currencies other than the U.S. dollar, and receive interest, dividends and sale proceeds in currencies other than the U.S. dollar, the fund may, but is not obligated to, enter into currency exchange transactions to convert U.S. currency to foreign currency and foreign currency to U.S. currency, as well as convert foreign currency to other foreign currencies. The fund either enters into these transactions on a spot (i.e., cash) basis at the spot rate prevailing in the foreign currency exchange market, or uses forward contracts to purchase or sell foreign currencies. The fund also may, but is not obligated to, enter into foreign currency hedging transactions in an attempt to protect the value of the assets of the fund as measured in U.S. dollars from unfavorable changes in currency exchange rates and control regulations. (Although the fund’s assets are valued daily in terms of U.S. dollars, the Trust does not intend to convert the fund‘s holdings of other currencies into U.S. dollars on a daily basis.) The fund does not currently intend to speculate in currency exchange rates or forward contracts.

 

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The fund may convert currency on a spot basis from time to time, and investors should be aware of the costs of currency conversion. Although currency exchange dealers do not charge a fee for conversion, they do realize a profit based on the difference (the “spread”) between the prices at which they are buying and selling various currencies. Thus, a dealer may offer to sell a currency at one rate, while offering a lesser rate of exchange should the fund desire to resell that currency to the dealer.

A forward contract involves an obligation to purchase or sell a specific currency at a future date, which may be any fixed number of days from the date of the contract, agreed upon by the parties, at a price set at the time of the contract. These contracts are traded in the interbank market conducted directly between currency traders (usually large commercial banks) and their customers. Because these contracts are traded in the interbank market and not on organized commodities or securities exchanges, these contracts operate in a manner distinct from exchange-traded instruments, and their use involves certain risks. A forward contract generally has no deposit requirement, and no fees or commissions are charged at any stage for trades.

When the fund enters into a contract for the purchase or sale of a security denominated in a non-U.S. currency, it may desire to “lock in” the U.S. dollar price of the security. By entering into a forward contract for the purchase or sale, for a fixed amount of U.S. dollars, of the amount of non-U.S. currency involved in the underlying security transaction, the fund may be able to protect against a possible loss resulting from an adverse change in the relationship between the U.S. dollar and the non-U.S. currency during the period between the date the security is purchased or sold and the date on which payment is made or received.

When the subadviser believes that the currency of a particular country may suffer a substantial decline against the U.S. dollar, the fund may enter into a forward contract to sell, for a fixed amount of U.S. dollars, the amount of non-U.S. currency approximating the value of some or all of the fund’s securities denominated in such non-U.S. currency. The projection of a short- term hedging strategy is highly uncertain. Under normal circumstances, consideration of the prospect for currency parities will be incorporated in the investment decisions made with regard to overall diversification strategies. However, the fund believes that it is important to have the flexibility to enter into such forward contracts when it determines that its best interests will be served.

The fund generally would not enter into a forward contract with a term greater than one year. At the maturity of a forward contract, the fund will either sell the security and make delivery of the non-U.S. currency, or retain the security and terminate its contractual obligation to deliver the non-U.S. currency by purchasing an “offsetting” contract with the same currency trader obligating it to purchase, on the same maturity date, the same amount of the non-U.S. currency. If the fund retains the security and engages in an offsetting transaction, the fund will incur a gain or a loss (as described below) to the extent that there has been movement in forward contract prices. If the fund engages in an offsetting transaction, it may subsequently enter into a new forward contract to sell the non-U.S. currency. Should forward prices decline during the period between the date the fund enters into a forward contract for the sale of the non-U.S. currency and the date it enters into an offsetting contract for the purchase of such currency, the fund will realize a gain to the extent the selling price of the currency exceeds the purchase price of the currency. Should forward prices increase, the fund will suffer a loss to the extent that the purchase price of the currency exceeds the selling price of the currency.

It is impossible to forecast with precision the market value of fund securities at the expiration of the contract. Accordingly, it may be necessary for the fund to purchase additional non-U.S. currency on the spot market if the market value of the security is less than the amount of non-U.S. currency the fund is obligated to deliver and if a decision is made to sell the security and make delivery of such currency. Conversely, it may be necessary to sell on the spot market some of the non-U.S. currency received upon the sale of the security if its market value exceeds the amount of such currency the fund is obligated to deliver.

When entering into forward contracts, the fund intends to comply with policies of the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) concerning forward contracts. Those policies currently require that an amount of the fund’s assets equal to the amount of the purchase be held aside or segregated to be used to pay for the commitment or that the fund otherwise covers its position in accordance with applicable regulations and policies.

 

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The fund may also purchase put options on a non-U.S. currency in order to protect against currency rate fluctuations. If the fund purchases a put option on a non-U.S. currency and the value of the non-U.S. currency declines, the fund will have the right to sell the non-U.S. currency for a fixed amount in U.S. dollars and will thereby offset, in whole or in part, the adverse effect on the fund which otherwise would have resulted. Conversely, where a rise in the U.S. dollar value of another currency is projected, and where the fund anticipates investing in securities traded in such currency, the fund may purchase call options on the non-U.S. currency.

The purchase of such options could offset, at least partially, the effects of adverse movements in exchange rates. However, the benefit to the fund from purchases of foreign currency options will be reduced by the amount of the premium and related transaction costs. In addition, where currency exchange rates do not move in the direction or to the extent anticipated, the fund could sustain losses on transactions in foreign currency options which would require it to forego a portion or all of the benefits of advantageous changes in such rates.

The fund may write options on non-U.S. currencies for hedging purposes or otherwise to achieve its investment objective. For example, where the fund anticipates a decline in the value of the U.S. dollar value of a foreign security due to adverse fluctuations in exchange rates it could, instead of purchasing a put option, write a call option on the relevant currency. If the expected decline occurs, the option will most likely not be exercised, and the diminution in value of the security held by the fund may be offset by the amount of the premium received.

Similarly, instead of purchasing a call option to hedge against an anticipated increase in the cost of a foreign security to be acquired because of an increase in the U.S. dollar value of the currency in which the underlying security is primarily traded, the fund could write a put option on the relevant currency which, if rates move in the manner projected, will expire unexercised and allow the fund to hedge such increased cost up to the amount of the premium.

The writing of put or call options on non-U.S. currencies by the fund will constitute only a partial hedge up to the amount of the premium, and only if rates move in the expected direction. If this does not occur, the option may be exercised and the fund would be required to purchase or sell the underlying currency at a loss which may not be offset by the amount of the premium. Through the writing of options on currencies, the fund also may be required to forego all or a portion of the benefits which might otherwise have been obtained from favorable movements in exchange rates.

Put and call options on non-U.S. currencies written by the fund will be covered by segregation of cash and liquid securities in an amount sufficient to discharge the fund’s obligations with respect to the option, by acquisition of the non-U.S. currency or of a right to acquire such currency (in the case of a call option) or the acquisition of a right to dispose of the currency (in the case of a put option), or in such other manner as may be in accordance with the requirements of any exchange on which, or the counterparty with which, the option is traded and applicable laws and regulations.

Investing in ADRs and other depository receipts presents many of the same risks regarding currency exchange rates as investing directly in securities denominated in currencies other than the U.S. dollar. Because the securities underlying these receipts are traded primarily in non-U.S. currencies, changes in currency exchange rates will affect the value of these receipts. For example, a decline in the U.S. dollar value of another currency in which securities are primarily traded will reduce the U.S. dollar value of such securities, even if their value in the other non-U.S. currency remains constant, and thus will reduce the value of the receipts covering such securities. The fund may employ any of the above described foreign currency hedging techniques to protect the value of its assets invested in depository receipts.

Of course, the fund is not required to enter into the transactions described above and does not do so unless deemed appropriate by the subadviser. It should be realized that under certain circumstances, hedging

 

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arrangements to protect the value of the fund’s securities against a decline in currency values may not be available to the fund on terms that make economic sense (they may be too costly). It should also be realized that these methods of protecting the value of the fund‘s securities against a decline in the value of a currency do not eliminate fluctuations in the underlying prices of the securities. Additionally, although such contracts, if correctly used, may minimize the risk of loss due to a decline in the value of the hedged currency, they do not eliminate the risk of loss and also tend to limit any potential gain which might result should the value of such currency increase.

Equity Securities

Common Stocks. Common stocks are shares of a corporation or other entity that entitle the holder to a pro rata share of the profits of the corporation, if any, without preference over any other shareholder or class of shareholders, including holders of the entity’s preferred stock and other senior equity. Common stock usually carries with it the right to vote and frequently an exclusive right to do so.

Common stocks do not represent an obligation of the issuer. The issuance of debt securities or preferred stock by an issuer will create prior claims which could adversely affect the rights of holders of common stock with respect to the assets of the issuer upon liquidation or bankruptcy.

Preferred Stocks. The fund may invest in preferred stocks. Preferred stocks, like common stocks, represent an equity ownership in an issuer, but generally have a priority claim over common stocks, but not over debt, with respect to dividend payments and upon the liquidation or bankruptcy of the issuer. Therefore, preferred stock is subject to the credit risk of the issuer, but because of its subordinate position to debt obligations of the issuer, the deterioration of the credit of an issuer is likely to cause greater decreases in the value of preferred stock than in more senior debt obligations. The market value of preferred stocks with no conversion rights and fixed dividend rates, like fixed income securities, tends to move inversely with interest rates, with the price determined by the dividend rate. However, because most preferred stocks do not have a fixed maturity date (although they may have call features giving the issuer the right to call the securities under certain circumstances or redemption features giving the holder the right to cause the issuer to repurchase the securities under certain circumstances), these securities generally will fluctuate more in value when interest rates change than, for example, debt issued by the same issuer. Some preferred stocks may pay dividends at an adjustable rate, based on an auction, an index or other formula. In the absence of credit deterioration, adjustable rate preferred stocks tend to have less price volatility than fixed rate preferred stocks.

Unlike common stocks, preferred stocks do not typically have voting rights. Some preferred stocks have convertible features. See “Preferred Stocks and Convertible Securities” below.

Preferred Stocks and Convertible Securities. Convertible securities are typically preferred stock or bonds that are convertible into common stock at a specified price or conversion ratio. Because they have the characteristics of both fixed-income securities and common stock, convertible securities are sometimes called “hybrid” securities. Convertible bonds, debentures and notes are debt obligations offering a stated interest rate; convertible preferred stocks are senior securities of a company offering a stated dividend rate. Convertible securities will at times be priced in the market like other fixed income securities—that is, their prices will tend to rise when interest rates decline and will tend to fall when interest rates rise. However, because a convertible security provides an option to the holder to exchange the security for either a specified number of the issuer’s common shares at a stated price per share or the cash value of such common shares, the security market price will tend to fluctuate in relationship to the price of the common shares into which it is convertible. Thus, convertible securities will ordinarily provide opportunities for producing both current income and longer-term capital appreciation. Because convertible securities are usually viewed by the issuer as future common stock, they are generally subordinated to other senior securities and therefore are rated one category lower than the issuer’s non-convertible debt obligations or preferred stock.

 

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Warrants. Warrants entitle their holder to buy common stock from the issuer at a specified price and time. Warrants are subject to the same market risks as stocks, but may be more volatile in price. Because investing in warrants can provide a greater potential for profit or loss than an equivalent investment in the underlying security, warrants involve leverage and are considered speculative investments. At the time of issuance of a warrant, the cost is generally substantially less than the cost of the underlying security itself, and therefore, the investor is able to gain exposure to the underlying security with a relatively low capital investment. Price movements in the underlying security are generally magnified in the price movements of the warrant, although changes in the market value of the warrant may not necessarily correlate to the prices of the underlying security. The fund’s investment in warrants will not entitle it to receive dividends or exercise voting rights and will become worthless if the warrants cannot be profitably exercised before the expiration dates.

REITs. Real estate investment trusts (“REITs”) are pooled investment vehicles that invest in real estate or real estate loans or interests. Investments in REITs are subject to the risks associated with particular properties and with the real estate market in general, including the risks of a general downturn in real estate values. REITs are dependent upon management skills, are not diversified, and are subject to risks of project financing, default by borrowers, self-liquidation, and the possibility of failing to qualify for the exemption from taxation on distributed amounts under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”). Like mutual funds, REITs have expenses, including advisory and administration fees paid by REIT shareholders, and, as a result, an investor is subject to a duplicate level of fees if the fund invests in REITs.

Debt Obligations or Securities

The fund may invest to some extent in debt obligations. Debt obligations include bonds, debentures, notes, commercial paper, loans, and other instruments issued by banks, corporations, local and state and national governments, both U.S. and foreign, and supranational entities. Debt obligations are typically fixed-income obligations, but may have a variable or adjustable rate of interest. Changes in market yields will affect the fund’s net asset value as prices of fixed-income securities generally increase when interest rates decline and decrease when interest rates rise. Prices of longer term securities generally increase or decrease more sharply than those of shorter term securities in response to interest rate changes, particularly if such securities were purchased at a discount. It should be noted that the market values of securities rated below investment grade and comparable unrated securities tend to react less to fluctuations in interest rate levels than do those of higher-rated securities. Except to the extent that values are affected independently by other factors such as developments relating to a specific issuer, when interest rates decline, the value of a fixed-income portfolio can generally be expected to rise. Conversely, when interest rates rise, the value of a fixed-income portfolio can generally be expected to decline.

While debt securities carrying the fourth highest quality rating (“Baa” by Moody’s or “BBB” by S&P) are considered investment grade and are viewed to have adequate capacity for payment of principal and interest, investments in such securities involve a higher degree of risk than that associated with investments in debt securities in the higher rating categories and such debt securities lack outstanding investment characteristics and in fact have speculative characteristics as well. For example, changes in economic conditions or other circumstances are more likely to lead to a weakened capacity to make principal and interest payments than is the case with higher grade debt securities. Debt securities rated lower than investment grade are called high yield securities.

In addition, many fixed-income securities contain call or buy-back features that permit their issuers to call or repurchase the securities from their holders. Such securities may present risks based on payment expectations. Although the fund would typically receive a premium if an issuer were to redeem a security, if an issuer exercises such a “call option” and redeems the security during a time of declining interest rates, the fund may realize a capital loss on its investment if the security was purchased at a premium and the fund may have to replace the called security with a lower yielding security, resulting in a decreased rate of return to the fund. Conversely,

 

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during periods of rising interest rates, redemption or prepayment rates may slow, leading to an extension in the expected maturity of the obligation, leading to greater price volatility.

Floating and Variable Rate Instruments

Floating or variable rate obligations bear interest at rates that are not fixed, but vary with changes in specified market rates or indices, such as the prime rate, and at specified intervals. Certain of the floating or variable rate obligations that may be purchased by the fund may carry a demand feature that would permit the holder to tender them back to the issuer at par value prior to maturity. Such obligations include variable rate master demand notes, which are unsecured instruments issued pursuant to an agreement between the issuer and the holder that permit the indebtedness thereunder to vary and provide for periodic adjustments in the interest rate.

Certain of the floating or variable rate obligations that may be purchased by the fund may carry a demand feature that would permit the holder to tender them back to the issuer of the instrument or to a third party at par value prior to maturity. Some of the demand instruments that may be purchased by the fund are not traded in a secondary market and derive their liquidity solely from the ability of the holder to demand repayment from the issuer or third party providing credit support. If a demand instrument is not traded in a secondary market, the fund will nonetheless treat the instrument as “readily marketable” for the purposes of its investment restriction limiting investments in illiquid securities unless the demand feature has a notice period of more than seven days in which case the instrument will be characterized as “not readily marketable” and therefore illiquid.

The fund’s right to obtain payment at par on a demand instrument could be affected by events occurring between the date the fund elects to demand payment and the date payment is due that may affect the ability of the issuer of the instrument or third party providing credit support to make payment when due, except when such demand instruments permit same day settlement. To facilitate settlement, these same day demand instruments may be held in book entry form at a bank other than the fund’s custodian subject to a sub-custodian agreement approved by the fund between that bank and the fund’s custodian.

Repurchase Agreements

The fund may invest in repurchase agreements collateralized by securities in which the fund may otherwise invest. Repurchase agreements are agreements by which the fund purchases a security and simultaneously commits to resell that security to the seller (which is usually a member bank of the U.S. Federal Reserve System or a member firm of the New York Stock Exchange (or a subsidiary thereof) (the “NYSE”)) at an agreed-upon date within a number of days (frequently overnight and usually not more than seven days) from the date of purchase. The resale price reflects the purchase price plus an agreed-upon market rate of interest which is unrelated to the coupon rate or maturity of the purchased security. A repurchase agreement involves the obligation of the seller to pay the agreed upon price, which obligation is in effect secured by the value of the underlying security, usually U.S. Government or Government agency issues. Under the 1940 Act, repurchase agreements may be considered to be loans by the buyer. The fund’s risk is limited to the ability of the seller to pay the agreed-upon amount on the delivery date. If the seller defaults, the underlying security constitutes collateral for the seller’s obligation to pay although the fund may incur certain costs in liquidating this collateral and in certain cases may not be permitted to liquidate this collateral. All repurchase agreements entered into by the fund must be fully collateralized at all times during the period of the agreement in that the value of the underlying security must be at least equal to the amount of the loan, including the accrued interest thereon, and the fund or its custodian or sub-custodian must have control of the collateral, which the subadviser believes will give the fund a valid, perfected security interest in the collateral. This might become an issue in the event of the bankruptcy of the other party to the transaction. In the event of default by the seller under a repurchase agreement construed to be a collateralized loan, the underlying securities are not owned by the fund but only constitute collateral for the seller’s obligation to pay the repurchase price. Therefore, the fund may suffer time delays and incur costs in connection with the disposition of the collateral. The subadviser believes that the collateral

 

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underlying repurchase agreements may be more susceptible to claims of the seller’s creditors than would be the case with securities owned by the fund. In the event of the bankruptcy of the other party to a repurchase agreement, the fund could experience delays in recovering the resale price. To the extent that, in the meantime, the value of the securities purchased has decreased, the fund could experience a loss.

Reverse Repurchase Agreements

The fund may enter into reverse repurchase agreements. Reverse repurchase agreements involve the sale of securities held by the fund and the agreement by the fund to repurchase the securities at an agreed-upon price, date and interest payment. When the fund enters into reverse repurchase transactions, securities of a dollar amount equal in value to the securities subject to the agreement will be segregated. The segregation of assets could impair the fund’s ability to meet its current obligations or impede investment management if a large portion of the fund’s assets are involved. Reverse repurchase agreements are considered to be a form of borrowing by the fund. In the event of the bankruptcy of the other party to a reverse repurchase agreement, the fund could experience delays in recovering the securities sold. To the extent that, in the meantime, the value of the securities sold has increased, the fund could experience a loss.

Sovereign Debt

Sovereign debt is debt issued or guaranteed by foreign governments (including countries, provinces and municipalities) or their agencies and instrumentalities. Sovereign debt may trade at a substantial discount from face value. Emerging-market country sovereign debt involves a high degree of risk, is generally lower-quality debt, and is considered speculative in nature. The issuer or governmental authorities that control sovereign-debt repayment (“sovereign debtors”) may be unable or unwilling to repay principal or interest when due in accordance with the terms of the debt. A sovereign debtor’s willingness or ability to repay principal and interest due in a timely manner may be affected by, among other factors, its cash-flow situation, the extent of its foreign reserves, the availability of sufficient foreign exchange on the date a payment is due, the relative size of the debt service burden to the economy as a whole, the sovereign debtor’s policy towards the International Monetary Fund, and the political constraints to which the sovereign debtor may be subject. Sovereign debtors may also be dependent on expected disbursements from foreign governments, multilateral agencies and others abroad to reduce principal and interest arrearage on their debt. The commitment of these third parties to make such disbursements may be conditioned on the sovereign debtor’s implementation of economic reforms or economic performance and the timely service of the debtor’s obligations. The sovereign debtor’s failure to meet these conditions may cause these third parties to cancel their commitments to provide funds to the sovereign debtor, which may further impair the debtor’s ability or willingness to timely service its debts.

Supranational Debt Obligations

Supranational entities include international organizations designated or supported by governmental entities to promote economic reconstruction or development and international banking institutions and related government agencies. Examples include the World Bank, the European Investment Bank, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, the Asian Development Bank and the Inter-American Development Bank. Such supranational issued instruments may be denominated in multi-national currency units. Obligations of the World Bank and certain other supranational organizations are supported by subscribed but unpaid commitments of member countries. There is no assurance that these commitments will be undertaken or complied with in the future.

Brady Bonds

The fund may also invest in Brady Bonds. Brady Bonds are securities created through the exchange of existing commercial bank loans to sovereign entities for new obligations in connection with debt restructurings under a debt restructuring plan introduced by former U.S. Secretary of the Treasury, Nicholas F. Brady (the

 

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“Brady Plan”). Brady Plan debt restructurings have been implemented in a number of countries, including: Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Bulgaria, Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Jordan, Mexico, Niger, Nigeria, Panama, Peru, the Philippines, Poland, Uruguay, and Venezuela.

Brady Bonds may be collateralized or uncollateralized, are issued in various currencies (primarily the U.S. dollar) and are actively traded in the over-the-counter secondary market. Brady Bonds are not considered to be U.S. Government securities. U.S. dollar-denominated, collateralized Brady Bonds, which may be fixed rate par bonds or floating rate discount bonds, are generally collateralized in full as to principal by U.S. Treasury zero-coupon bonds having the same maturity as the Brady Bonds. Interest payments on these Brady Bonds generally are collateralized on a one-year or longer rolling-forward basis by cash or securities in an amount that, in the case of fixed rate bonds, is equal to at least one year of interest payments or, in the case of floating rate bonds, initially is equal to at least one year’s interest payments based on the applicable interest rate at that time and is adjusted at regular intervals thereafter. Certain Brady Bonds are entitled to “value recovery payments” in certain circumstances, which in effect constitute supplemental interest payments but generally are not collateralized. Brady Bonds are often viewed as having three or four valuation components: (i) the collateralized repayment of principal at final maturity; (ii) the collateralized interest payments; (iii) the uncollateralized interest payments; and (iv) any uncollateralized repayment of principal at maturity (the uncollateralized amounts constitute the “residual risk”).

Most Mexican Brady Bonds issued to date have principal repayments at final maturity fully collateralized by U.S. Treasury zero-coupon bonds (or comparable collateral denominated in other currencies) and interest coupon payments collateralized on an 18-month rolling-forward basis by funds held in escrow by an agent for the bondholders. A significant portion of the Venezuelan Brady Bonds and the Argentine Brady Bonds issued to date have repayments at final maturity collateralized by U.S. Treasury zero-coupon bonds (or comparable collateral denominated in other currencies) and/or interest coupon payments collateralized on a 14-month (for Venezuela) or 12-month (for Argentina) rolling-forward basis by securities held by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York as collateral agent.

Brady Bonds involve various risk factors including residual risk and the history of defaults with respect to commercial bank loans by public and private entities of countries issuing Brady Bonds. There can be no assurance that Brady Bonds in which the fund may invest will not be subject to restructuring arrangements or to requests for new credit, which may cause the fund to suffer a loss of interest or principal on any of its holdings.

Equity-Linked Notes

Equity-linked notes, which are also known as ELNs, are debt securities that pay interest based upon the performance of one or more equity securities, such as a stock index, a group of stocks or a single stock. These securities usually provide for the repayment of principal upon maturity, plus interest (if any) that is determined with reference to the percentage increase (or sometimes decrease) in the relevant equity securities, measured from a predetermined level. These notes usually have a maturity of two to nine years. ELNs typically allow an investor the choice of (i) holding the note to maturity and receiving any interest at maturity, (ii) selling the note in the secondary market prior to maturity, or (iii) electing to receive early payment of interest prior to maturity based on index performance up to the time of election and to receive the principal amount at maturity. ELNs offer investors the opportunity to participate in the appreciation of the underlying equity securities, often subject to a cap on the interest payable. ELNs are typically considered more conservative investments than investments in the equity securities to which they are linked, as ELNs generally provide for the repayment at maturity of the principal amount invested. However, in addition to the credit and market risks applicable to debt securities, ELNs are subject to the risk that an investor will receive less than the prevailing rate of interest if the value of the relevant equity securities decline or fail to increase sufficiently.

 

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Derivatives

The fund may use various investment strategies described below to hedge market risks (such as broad or specific market movements, interest rates and currency exchange rates), to manage the effective maturity or duration of debt instruments held by the fund, or to seek to increase the fund’s income or gain.

The fund may purchase and sell interest rate, single stock, currency or stock or bond index futures contracts and enter into currency transactions; purchase and sell (or write) exchange listed and over-the-counter (“OTC”) put and call options on securities, currencies, futures contracts, indices and other financial instruments; enter into interest rate transactions, equity swaps and related transactions; and invest in indexed securities and other similar transactions, which may be developed in the future to the extent that the subadviser determines that they are consistent with the fund‘s investment objective and policies and applicable regulatory requirements (collectively, these transactions are referred to as “Derivatives”). The fund’s interest rate transactions may take the form of swaps, caps, floors and collars, and the fund’s currency transactions may take the form of currency forward contracts, currency futures contracts and options thereof, currency swaps and options on currencies.

The fund is operated by persons who have claimed an exclusion, granted to operators of registered investment companies like the fund, from registration as a “commodity pool operator” with respect to the fund under the Commodity Exchange Act, and therefore, are not subject to registration or regulation with respect to the fund under the Commodity Exchange Act. The use of certain Derivatives in certain circumstances will require that the fund segregate cash or other liquid assets to the extent the fund’s obligations are not otherwise ‘covered’ through ownership of the underlying security, financial instrument or currency. See “Use of Segregated and Other Special Accounts” below.

Derivatives involve special risks, including possible default by the other party to the transaction, illiquidity and, to the extent the subadviser’s view as to certain market movements is incorrect, the risk that the use of Derivatives could result in significantly greater losses than if it had not been used. The degree of the fund’s use of Derivatives may be limited by certain provisions of the Code.

Currency Transactions. The fund may engage in currency transactions with counterparties to hedge the value of portfolio securities denominated in particular currencies against fluctuations in relative value or to generate income or gain. Currency transactions include currency forward contracts, exchange-listed currency futures contracts and options thereon, exchange-listed and OTC options on currencies, and currency swaps. A currency forward contract involves a privately negotiated obligation to purchase or sell (with delivery generally required) a specific currency at a future date, which may be any fixed number of days from the date of the contract agreed upon by the parties, at a price set at the time of the contract. A currency swap is an agreement to exchange cash flows based on the notional difference among two or more currencies and operates similarly to an interest rate swap, as described below. The fund may enter into currency transactions only with counterparties that the subadviser deems to be creditworthy.

The fund may enter into currency forward contracts when the subadviser believes that the currency of a particular country may suffer a substantial decline against the U.S. dollar. In those circumstances, the fund may enter into a currency forward contract to sell, for a fixed amount of U.S. dollars, the amount of that currency approximating the value of some or all of the fund’s portfolio securities denominated in such currency. Currency forward contracts may limit potential gain from a positive change in the relationship between the U.S. dollar and foreign currencies.

Transaction hedging is entering into a currency transaction with respect to specific assets or liabilities of the fund, which will generally arise in connection with the purchase or sale of the fund’s portfolio securities or the receipt of income from them. Position hedging is entering into a currency transaction with respect to portfolio securities positions denominated or generally quoted in that currency. The fund will not enter into a transaction to hedge currency exposure to an extent greater, after netting all transactions intended wholly or partially to offset

 

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other transactions, than the aggregate market value (at the time of entering into the transaction) of the securities held by the fund that are denominated or generally quoted in or currently convertible into the currency, other than with respect to proxy hedging as described below.

The fund may cross-hedge currencies by entering into transactions to purchase or sell one or more currencies that are expected to increase or decline in value relative to other currencies to which the fund has or in which the fund expects to have exposure. To reduce the effect of currency fluctuations on the value of existing or anticipated holdings of its securities, the fund may also engage in proxy hedging. Proxy hedging is often used when the currency to which the fund’s holdings is exposed is difficult to hedge generally or difficult to hedge against the dollar. Proxy hedging entails entering into a forward contract to sell a currency, the changes in the value of which are generally considered to be linked to a currency or currencies in which some or all of the fund’s securities are or are expected to be denominated, and to buy dollars. The amount of the contract would not exceed the market value of the fund’s securities denominated in linked currencies.

Currency transactions are subject to risks different from other portfolio transactions, as discussed below under “Risk Factors Associated with Derivatives.” If the fund enters into a currency hedging transaction, the fund will comply with the asset segregation requirements described below under “Use of Segregated and Other Special Accounts.”

Futures Contracts. The fund may trade futures contracts: (1) on domestic and foreign exchanges on currencies, interest rates and bond indices; and (2) on domestic and foreign exchanges on single stocks and stock indices. Futures contracts are generally bought and sold on the commodities exchanges on which they are listed with payment of initial and variation margin as described below. The sale of a futures contract creates a firm obligation by the fund, as seller, to deliver to the buyer the specific type of financial instrument called for in the contract at a specific future time for a specified price (or with respect to certain instruments, the net cash amount). The fund’s use of financial futures contracts and options thereon will in all cases be consistent with applicable regulatory requirements and in particular the rules and regulations of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (“CFTC”). Maintaining a futures contract or selling an option on a futures contract will typically require the fund to deposit with a financial intermediary, as security for its obligations, an amount of cash or other specified assets (“initial margin”) that initially is from 1% to 10% of the face amount of the contract (but may be higher in some circumstances particularly in the case of single stock futures). Additional cash or assets (“variation margin”) may be required to be deposited thereafter daily as the mark-to-market value of the futures contract fluctuates. The value of all futures contracts sold by the fund (adjusted for the historical volatility relationship between the fund and the contracts) will not exceed the total market value of the fund’s securities. In addition, the value of the fund’s long futures and options positions (futures contracts on single stocks, stock or bond indices, interest rates or foreign currencies and call options on such futures contracts) will not exceed the sum of: (a) liquid assets segregated for this purpose; (b) cash proceeds on existing investments due within thirty days; and (c) accrued profits on the particular futures or options positions. The segregation requirements with respect to futures contracts and options thereon are described below under “Use of Segregated and Other Special Accounts.”

Interest Rate Futures Contracts. The fund may enter into interest rate futures contracts in order to protect it from fluctuations in interest rates without necessarily buying or selling fixed income securities. An interest rate futures contract is an agreement to take or make delivery of either: (i) an amount of cash equal to the difference between the value of a particular index of debt securities at the beginning and at the end of the contract period; or (ii) a specified amount of a particular debt security at a future date at a price set at time of the contract. For example, if the fund owns bonds, and interest rates are expected to increase, the fund might sell futures contracts on debt securities having characteristics similar to those held in the portfolio. Such a sale would have much the same effect as selling an equivalent value of the bonds owned by the fund. If interest rates did increase, the value of the debt securities in the portfolio would decline, but the value of the futures contracts to the fund would increase at approximately the same rate, thereby keeping the net asset value of each class of the fund from declining as much as it otherwise would have. The fund could accomplish similar results by selling bonds with

 

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longer maturities and investing in bonds with shorter maturities when interest rates are expected to increase. However, since the futures market may be more liquid than the cash market, the use of futures contracts as a risk management technique allows the fund to maintain a defensive position without having to sell its portfolio securities.

Similarly when the subadviser expects that interest rates may decline, the fund may purchase interest rate futures contracts in an attempt to hedge against having to make subsequently anticipated purchases of bonds at the higher prices subsequently expected to prevail. Since the fluctuations in the value of appropriately selected futures contracts should be similar to that of the bonds that will be purchased, the fund could take advantage of the anticipated rise in the cost of the bonds without actually buying them until the market had stabilized. At that time, the fund could make the intended purchase of the bonds in the cash market and the futures contracts could be liquidated.

At the time of delivery of securities pursuant to an interest rate futures contract, adjustments are made to recognize differences in value arising from the delivery of securities with a different interest rate from that specified in the contract. In some (but not many) cases, securities called for by a futures contract may have a shorter term than the term of the futures contract and, consequently, may not in fact have been issued when the futures contract was entered.

Single Stock Futures. Recent legislation permits the trading on U.S. exchanges of standardized futures contacts on individual equity securities, such as common stocks, exchange traded funds and American Depository Receipts, as well as narrow-based securities indices, generally called security futures contracts or “SFCs.” As with other futures contracts, an SFC involves an agreement to purchase or sell in the future a specific quantity of shares of a security or the component securities of the index. The initial margin requirements (typically 20 percent) are generally higher than with other futures contracts. Trading SFCs involves many of the same risks as trading other futures contracts, including the risks involved with leverage, and losses are potentially unlimited. Under certain market conditions, for example if trading is halted due to unusual trading activity in either the SFC or the underlying security due to recent new events involving the issuer of the security, it may be difficult or impossible for the fund to liquidate its position or manage risk by entering into an offsetting position. In addition, the prices of the SFCs may not correlate as anticipated with the prices of the underlying security. And unlike options on securities in which the fund may invest, where the fund had a position in a SFC, the fund has both the right and the obligation to buy or sell the security at a future date, or otherwise offset its position.

Options. In order to hedge against adverse market shifts or to increase income or gain, the fund may purchase put and call options or write “covered” put and call options on futures contracts on stock indices, interest rates and currencies. In addition, in order to hedge against adverse market shifts or to increase its income, the fund may purchase put and call options and write “covered” put and call options on securities, indices, currencies and other financial instruments. The fund may utilize options on currencies in order to hedge against currency exchange rate risks. A call option is “covered” if, so long as the fund is obligated as the writer of the option, it will: (i) own the underlying investment subject to the option; (ii) own securities convertible or exchangeable without the payment of any consideration into the securities subject to the option; (iii) own a call option on the relevant security or currency with an exercise price no higher than the exercise price on the call option written or (iv) deposit with its custodian in a segregated account liquid assets having a value equal to the excess of the value of the security or index that is the subject of the call over the exercise price. A put option is “covered” if, to support its obligation to purchase the underlying investment if a put option that the fund writes is exercised, the fund will either (a) deposit with its custodian in a segregated account liquid assets having a value at least equal to the exercise price of the underlying investment or (b) continue to own an equivalent number of puts of the same “series” (that is, puts on the same underlying investment having the same exercise prices and expiration dates as those written by the fund), or an equivalent number of puts of the same “class” (that is, puts on the same underlying investment) with exercise prices greater than those that it has written (or, if the exercise prices of the puts it holds are less than the exercise prices of those it has written, it will deposit the difference

 

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with its custodian in a segregated account). Parties to options transactions must make certain payments and/or set aside certain amounts of assets in connection with each transaction, as described below.

In all cases except for certain options on interest rate futures contracts, by writing a call, the fund will limit its opportunity to profit from an increase in the market value of the underlying investment above the exercise price of the option for as long as the fund‘s obligation as writer of the option continues. By writing a put, the fund bears the risk of a decrease in the market value of the underlying investment below the exercise price of the option for as long as the fund’s obligation as writer of the option continues. Upon the exercise of a put option written by the fund, the fund may suffer an economic loss equal to the difference between the price at which the fund is required to purchase the underlying investment and its market value at the time of the option exercise, less the premium received for writing the option. Upon the exercise of a call option written by the fund, the fund may suffer an economic loss equal to an amount not less than the excess of the investment’s market value at the time of the option exercise over the fund’s acquisition cost of the investment, less the sum of the premium received for writing the option and the positive difference, if any, between the call price paid to the fund and the fund’s acquisition cost of the investment.

In all cases except for certain options on interest rate futures contracts, in purchasing a put option, the fund will seek to benefit from, or protect against, a decline in the market price of the underlying investment, while in purchasing a call option, the fund will seek to benefit from an increase in the market price of the underlying investment. If an option purchased is not sold or exercised when it has remaining value, or if the market price of the underlying investment remains equal to or greater than the exercise price, in the case of a put, or remains equal to or below the exercise price, in the case of a call, during the life of the option, the fund will lose its investment in the option. For the purchase of an option to be profitable, the market price of the underlying investment must decline sufficiently below the exercise price, in the case of a put, and must increase sufficiently above the exercise price, in the case of a call, to cover the premium and transaction costs.

In the case of certain options on interest rate futures contracts, the fund may purchase a put option in anticipation of a rise in interest rates, and purchase a call option in anticipation of a fall in interest rates. By writing a covered call option on interest rate futures contracts, the fund will limit its opportunity to profit from a fall in interest rates. By writing a covered put option on interest rate futures contracts, the fund will limit its opportunity to profit from a rise in interest rates.

The fund may choose to exercise the options it holds, permit them to expire or terminate them prior to their expiration by entering into closing transactions. The fund may enter into a closing purchase transaction in which the fund purchases an option having the same terms as the option it had written or a closing sale transaction in which the fund sells an option having the same terms as the option it had purchased. A covered option writer unable to effect a closing purchase transaction will not be able to sell the underlying security until the option expires or the underlying security is delivered upon exercise, with the result that the writer will be subject to the risk of market decline in the underlying security during such period. Should the fund choose to exercise an option, the fund will receive, in the case of a call option, or sell in the case of a put option, the securities, commodities or commodity futures contracts underlying the exercised option.

Exchange-listed options on securities and currencies, with certain exceptions, generally settle by physical delivery of the underlying security or currency, although in the future, cash settlement may become available. Frequently, rather than taking or making delivery of the underlying instrument through the process of exercising the option, listed options are closed by entering into offsetting purchase or sale transactions that do not result in ownership of the new option. Index options are cash settled for the net amount, if any, by which the option is “in-the-money” (that is, the amount by which the value of the underlying instrument exceeds, in the case of a call option, or is less than, in the case of a put option, the exercise price of the option) at the time the option is exercised.

Put options and call options typically have similar structural characteristics and operational mechanics regardless of the underlying instrument on which they are purchased or sold. Thus, the following general

 

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discussion relates to each of the particular types of options discussed in greater detail below. In addition, many Derivatives involving options require segregation of fund assets in special accounts, as described below under “Use of Segregated and Other Special Accounts.”

A put option gives the purchaser of the option, upon payment of a premium, the right to sell, and the writer of the obligation to buy, the underlying security, index, currency or other instrument at the exercise price. The fund’s purchase of a put option on a security, for example, might be designed to protect its holdings in the underlying instrument (or, in some cases, a similar instrument) against a substantial decline in the market value of such instrument by giving the fund the right to sell the instrument at the option exercise price. A call option, upon payment of a premium, gives the purchaser of the option the right to buy, and the seller the obligation to sell, the underlying instrument at the exercise price. The fund‘s purchase of a call option on a security, financial futures contract, index, currency or other instrument might be intended to protect the fund against an increase in the price of the underlying instrument that it intends to purchase in the future by fixing the price at which it may purchase the instrument. An “American” style put or call option may be exercised at any time during the option period, whereas a “European” style put or call option may be exercised only upon expiration or during a fixed period prior to expiration. Exchange-listed options are issued by a regulated intermediary such as the Options Clearing Corporation (“OCC”), which guarantees the performance of the obligations of the parties to the options. The discussion below uses the OCC as an example, but may also be applicable to other similar financial intermediaries.

OCC-issued and exchange-listed options, including options on securities, currencies and financial instruments generally settle for cash, although physical settlement maybe required in some cases. Index options are cash settled for the net amount, if any, by which the option is “in-the-money” (that is, the amount by which the value of the underlying instrument exceeds, in the case of a call option, or is less than, in the case of a put option, the exercise price of the option) at the time the option is exercised. Frequently, rather than taking or making delivery of the underlying instrument through the process of exercising the option, listed options are closed by entering into offsetting purchase or sale transactions that do not result in ownership of the new option.

The fund’s ability to close out its position as a purchaser or seller of an OCC-issued or exchange-listed put or call option is dependent, in part, upon the liquidity of the particular option market. Among the possible reasons for the absence of a liquid option market on an exchange are: (1) insufficient trading interest in certain options, (2) restrictions on transactions imposed by an exchange, (3) trading halts, suspensions or other restrictions imposed with respect to particular classes or series of options or underlying securities, including reaching daily price limits, (4) interruption of the normal operations of the OCC or an exchange, (5) inadequacy of the facilities of an exchange or the OCC to handle current trading volume or (6) a decision by one or more exchanges to discontinue the trading of options (or a particular class or series of options), in which event the relevant market for that option on that exchange would cease to exist, although any such outstanding options on that exchange would continue to be exercisable in accordance with their terms.

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

OTC options are purchased from or sold to securities dealers, financial institutions or other parties (collectively referred to as “Counterparties” and individually referred to as a “Counterparty”) through a direct bilateral agreement with the Counterparty. In contrast to exchange-listed options, which generally have standardized terms and performance mechanics, all of the terms of an OTC option, including such terms as method of settlement, term, exercise price, premium, guaranties and security, are determined by negotiation of the parties. It is anticipated that any fund authorized to use OTC options will generally only enter into OTC options that have cash settlement provisions, although it will not be required to do so.

 

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Unless the parties provide for it, no central clearing or guaranty function is involved in an OTC option. As a result, if a Counterparty fails to make or take delivery of the security, currency or other instrument underlying an OTC option it has entered into with the fund or fails to make a cash settlement payment due in accordance with the terms of that option, the fund will lose any premium it paid for the option as well as any anticipated benefit of the transaction. Thus, the subadviser must assess the creditworthiness of each such Counterparty or any guarantor or credit enhancement of the counterparty’s credit to determine the likelihood that the terms of the OTC option will be met. The fund will enter into OTC option transactions only with U.S. Government securities dealers recognized by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York as “primary dealers,” or broker-dealers, domestic or foreign banks, or other financial institutions that the subadviser deems to be creditworthy. In the absence of a change in the current position of the staff of the SEC, OTC options purchased by the fund and the amount of the fund’s obligation pursuant to an OTC option sold by the fund (the cost of the sell-back plus the in-the-money amount, if any) or the value of the assets held to cover such options will be deemed illiquid.

If the fund sells a call option, the premium that it receives may serve as a partial hedge, to the extent of the option premium, against a decrease in the value of the underlying securities or instruments held by the fund or will increase the fund’s income. Similarly, the sale of put options can also provide gains for the fund.

The fund may purchase and sell call options on securities that are traded on U.S. and foreign securities exchanges and in the OTC markets, and on securities indices, currencies and futures contracts. All calls sold by the fund must be “covered” (that is, the fund must own the securities or futures contract subject to the call), or must otherwise meet the asset segregation requirements described below for so long as the call is outstanding. Even though the fund will receive the option premium to help protect it against loss, a call sold by the fund will expose the fund during the term of the option to possible loss of opportunity to realize appreciation in the market price of the underlying security or instrument and may require the fund to hold a security or instrument that it might otherwise have sold.

The fund reserves the right to purchase or sell options on instruments and indices which may be developed in the future to the extent consistent with applicable law, the fund’s investment objective and the restrictions set forth herein.

The fund may purchase and sell put options on securities (whether or not it holds the securities in its portfolio) and on securities indices, currencies and futures contracts. In selling put options, the fund faces the risk that it may be required to buy the underlying security at a disadvantageous price above the market price.

(a) Options on Stocks and Stock Indices. The fund may purchase put and call options and write covered put and call options on stocks and stock indices listed on domestic and foreign securities exchanges in order to hedge against movements in the equity markets or to increase income or gain to the fund. In addition, the fund may purchase options on stocks that are traded over-the-counter. Options on stock indices are similar to options on specific securities. However, because options on stock indices do not involve the delivery of an underlying security, the option represents the holder’s right to obtain from the writer cash in an amount equal to a fixed multiple of the amount by which the exercise price exceeds (in the case of a put) or is less than (in the case of a call) the closing value of the underlying stock index on the exercise date. Options traded may include the Standard & Poor’s 100 Index of Composite Stocks, Standard & Poor’s 500 Index of Composite Stocks (the “S&P 500 Index”), the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) Composite Index, the American Stock Exchange (“AMEX”) Market Value Index, the National Over-the-Counter Index and other standard broadly based stock market indices. Options are also traded in certain industry or market segment indices such as the Oil Index, the Computer Technology Index and the Transportation Index. Stock index options are subject to position and exercise limits and other regulations imposed by the exchange on which they are traded.

If the subadviser expects general stock market prices to rise, the fund might purchase a call option on a stock index or a futures contract on that index as a hedge against an increase in prices of particular equity securities it wants ultimately to buy. If the stock index does rise, the price of the particular equity securities

 

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intended to be purchased may also increase, but that increase would be offset in part by the increase in the value of the fund’s index option or futures contract resulting from the increase in the index. If, on the other hand, the subadviser expects general stock market prices to decline, it might purchase a put option or sell a futures contract on the index. If that index does decline, the value of some or all of the equity securities in the fund’s portfolio may also be expected to decline, but that decrease would be offset in part by the increase in the value of the fund’s position in such put option or futures contract.

(b) Options on Currencies. The fund may invest in options on currencies traded on domestic and foreign securities exchanges in order to hedge against currency exchange rate risks or to increase income or gain, as described above in “Currency Transactions.”

(c) Options on Futures Contracts. The fund may purchase put and call options and write covered put and call options on futures contracts on stock indices, interest rates and currencies traded on domestic and, to the extent permitted by the CFTC, foreign exchanges, in order to hedge all or a portion of its investments or to increase income or gain and may enter into closing transactions in order to terminate existing positions. There is no guarantee that such closing transactions can be effected. An option on a stock index futures contract, interest rate futures contract or currency futures contract, as contrasted with the direct investment in such a contract, gives the purchaser the right, in return for the premium paid, to assume a position in the underlying contract at a specified exercise price at any time on or before the expiration date of the option. Upon exercise of an option, the delivery of the futures position by the writer of the option to the holder of the option will be accompanied by delivery of the accumulated balance in the writer’s futures margin account. The potential loss related to the purchase of an option on a futures contract is limited to the premium paid for the option (plus transaction costs). While the price of the option is fixed at the point of sale, the value of the option does change daily and the change would be reflected in the net asset value of the fund.

The purchase of an option on a financial futures contract involves payment of a premium for the option without any further obligation on the part of the fund. If the fund exercises an option on a futures contract it will be obligated to post initial margin (and potentially variation margin) for the resulting futures position just as it would for any futures position. Futures contracts and options thereon are generally settled by entering into an offsetting transaction, but no assurance can be given that a position can be offset prior to settlement or that delivery will occur.

Interest Rate and Equity Swaps and Related Transactions. The fund may enter into interest rate and equity swaps and may purchase or sell (i.e., write) interest rate and equity caps, floors and collars. The fund expects to enter into these transactions in order to hedge against either a decline in the value of the securities included in the fund’s portfolio or against an increase in the price of the securities which it plans to purchase, in order to preserve or maintain a return or spread on a particular investment or portion of its portfolio or to achieve a particular return on cash balances, or in order to increase income or gain. Interest rate and equity swaps involve the exchange by the fund with another party of their respective commitments to make or receive payments based on a notional principal amount. The purchase of an interest rate or equity cap entitles the purchaser, to the extent that a specified index exceeds a predetermined level, to receive payments on a contractually-based principal amount from the party selling the interest rate or equity cap. The purchase of an interest rate or equity floor entitles the purchaser, to the extent that a specified index falls below a predetermined rate, to receive payments on a contractually-based principal amount from the party selling the interest rate or equity floor. A collar is a combination of a cap and a floor, which preserve a certain return within a predetermined range of values.

The fund may enter into interest rate and equity swaps, caps, floors and collars on either an asset-based or liability-based basis, depending on whether it is hedging its assets or its liabilities, and will usually enter into interest rate and equity swaps on a net basis (i.e., the two payment streams are netted out), with the fund receiving or paying, as the case may be, only the net amount of the two payments. The net amount of the excess, if any, of the fund’s obligations over its entitlements with respect to each interest rate or equity swap will be accrued on a daily basis, and an amount of liquid assets having an aggregate net asset value at least equal to the

 

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accrued excess will be maintained in a segregated account by the fund’s custodian in accordance with procedures established by the Board. If the fund enters into an interest rate or equity swap on other than a net basis, the fund will maintain a segregated account in the full amount accrued on a daily basis of the fund’s obligations with respect to the swap. The fund will only enter into interest rate and equity swap, cap, floor or collar transactions with counterparties the subadviser deems to be creditworthy. The subadviser will monitor the creditworthiness of counterparties to its interest rate and equity swap, cap, floor and collar transactions on an ongoing basis. If there is a default by the other party to such a transaction, the fund will have contractual remedies pursuant to the agreements related to the transaction. The swap market has grown substantially in recent years with a large number of banks and investment banking firms acting both as principals and agents utilizing standardized swap documentation. The subadviser has determined that, as a result, the swap market is liquid. Caps, floors and collars are more recent innovations for which standardized documentation has not yet been developed and, accordingly, they are less liquid than swaps. To the extent the fund sells caps, floors and collars it will maintain in a segregated account cash and/or, cash equivalents or other liquid high grade debt securities having an aggregate net asset value at least equal to the full amount, accrued on a daily basis, of the fund’s obligations with respect to the caps, floors or collars. The use of interest rate and equity swaps is a highly specialized activity which involves investment techniques and risks different from those associated with ordinary portfolio securities transactions. If the subadviser is incorrect in its forecasts of market values, interest rates and other applicable factors, the investment performance of the fund would diminish compared with what it would have been if these investment techniques were not utilized. Moreover, even if the subadviser is correct in its forecasts, there is a risk that the swap position may correlate imperfectly with the price of the asset or liability being hedged.

The liquidity of swap agreements will be determined by the subadviser based on various factors, including (1) the frequency of trades and quotations, (2) the number of dealers and prospective purchasers in the marketplace, (3) dealer undertakings to make a market, (4) the nature of the security (including any demand or tender features), and (5) the nature of the marketplace for trades (including the ability to assign or offset the fund’s rights and obligations relating to the investment). Such determination will govern whether a swap will be deemed within the percentage restriction on investments in securities that are not readily marketable.

The fund will maintain liquid assets in a segregated custodial account to cover its current obligations under swap agreements. If the fund enters into a swap agreement on a net basis, it will segregate assets with a daily value at least equal to the excess, if any, of the fund’s accrued obligations under the swap agreement over the accrued amount the fund is entitled to receive under the agreement. If the fund enters into a swap agreement on other than a net basis, it will segregate assets with a value equal to the full amount of the fund‘s accrued obligations under the agreement. See “Use of Segregated and Other Special Accounts” below.

There is no limit on the amount of interest rate and equity swap transactions that may be entered into by the fund. These transactions do not involve the delivery of securities or other underlying assets or principal. Accordingly, the risk of loss with respect to interest rate and equity swaps is limited to the net amount of payments that the fund is contractually obligated to make, if any. The effective use of swaps and related transactions by the fund may depend, among other things, on the fund’s ability to terminate the transactions at times when the subadviser deems it desirable to do so. Because swaps and related transactions are bilateral contractual arrangements between the fund and counterparties to the transactions, the fund’s ability to terminate such an arrangement may be considerably more limited than in the case of an exchange traded instrument. To the extent the fund does not, or cannot, terminate such a transaction in a timely manner, the fund may suffer a loss in excess of any amounts that it may have received, or expected to receive, as a result of entering into the transaction. If the other party to a swap defaults, the fund’s risk of loss is the net amount of payments that the fund contractually is entitled to receive, if any. The fund may purchase and sell caps, floors and collars without limitation, subject to the segregated account requirement described above.

Investment Company Securities. Subject to applicable statutory and regulatory limitations, the fund may invest in shares of other investment companies, including shares of other mutual funds, closed-end funds, and unregistered investment companies. Investments in other investment companies are subject to the risk of the

 

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securities in which those investment companies, invest. In addition, to the extent the fund invests in securities of other investment companies, fund shareholders would indirectly pay a portion of the operating costs of such companies in addition to the expenses of the fund’s own operation. These costs include management, brokerage, shareholder servicing and other operational expenses.

The fund may invest in shares of mutual funds or unit investment trusts that are traded on a stock exchange, called exchange-traded funds or ETFs. Typically an ETF seeks to track the performance of an index, such as the S&P 500, the NASDAQ 100, the Lehman Treasury Bond Index, or more narrow sector or foreign indices, by holding in its portfolio either the same securities that comprise the index, or a representative sample of the index. Investing in an ETF will give the fund exposure to the securities comprising the index on which the ETF is based.

Unlike shares of typical mutual funds or unit investment trusts, shares of ETFs are designed to be traded throughout a trading day, bought and sold based on market values and not at net asset value. For this reason, shares could trade at either a premium or discount to net asset value. However, the portfolios held by index-based ETFs are publicly disclosed on each training day, and an approximation of actual net asset value is disseminated through the trading day. Because of the transparency, the trading prices of index based ETFs tend to closely track the actual net asset value of the underlying portfolios and the fund will generally gain or lose value depending on the performance of the index. However, gains or losses on the fund’s investment in ETFs will ultimately depend on the purchase and sale price of the ETF. In the future, as new products become available, the fund may invest in ETFs that are actively managed. Actively managed ETFs will likely not have the transparency of index-based ETFs, and therefore, may be more likely to trade at a discount or premium to actual net asset values.

The fund may invest in closed-end investment companies which hold securities of U.S. and/or non-U.S. issuers. Because shares of closed-end funds trade on an exchange, investments in closed-end investment funds may entail the additional risk that the market value of such investments may be substantially less than their net asset value.

Combined Transactions. The fund may enter into multiple transactions, including multiple options transactions, multiple futures transactions, multiple currency transactions (including forward currency contracts), multiple interest rate transactions and any combination of futures, options, currency and interest rate transactions, instead of a single Derivative, as part of a single or combined strategy when, in the judgment of the subadviser, it is in the best interests of the fund to do so. A combined transaction will usually contain elements of risk that are present in each of its component transactions. Although combined transactions will normally be entered into by the fund based on the subadviser’s judgment that the combined strategies will reduce risk or otherwise more effectively achieve the desired portfolio management goal, it is possible that the combination will instead increase the risks or hinder achievement of the fund‘s objective.

Risk Factors Associated with Derivatives. Derivatives have special risks associated with them, including possible default by the counterparty to the transaction, illiquidity and, to the extent the subadviser’s view as to certain market movements is incorrect, the risk that the use of the Derivatives could result in losses greater than if they had not been used. Use of put and call options could result in losses to the fund, force the sale or purchase of portfolio securities at inopportune times or for prices higher than (in the case of put options) or lower than (in the case of call options) current market values, or cause the fund to hold a security it might otherwise sell.

The use of futures and options transactions entails certain special risks. In particular, the variable degree of correlation between price movements of futures contracts and price movements in the related securities position of the fund could create the possibility that losses on the hedging instrument are greater than gains in the value of the fund’s position. In addition, futures and options markets could be illiquid in some circumstances and certain OTC options could have no markets. As a result, in certain markets, the fund might not be able to close out a transaction without incurring substantial losses. Although the fund’s use of futures and options transactions for hedging should tend to minimize the risk of loss due to a decline in the value of the hedged position, at the same time it will tend to limit any potential gain to the fund that might result from an increase in value of the position.

 

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There is also the risk of loss by the fund of margin deposits in the event of bankruptcy of a broker with whom the fund has an open position in a futures contract or option thereon. Finally, the daily variation margin requirements for futures contracts create a greater ongoing potential financial risk than would purchases of options, in which case the exposure is limited to the cost of the initial premium. However, because option premiums paid by the fund are small in relation to the market value of the investments underlying the options, buying options can result in large amounts of leverage. The leverage offered by trading in options could cause the fund’s net asset value to be subject to more frequent and wider fluctuation than would be the case if the fund did not invest in options.

As is the case with futures and options strategies, the effective use of swaps and related transactions by the fund may depend, among other things, on the fund’s ability to terminate the transactions at times when the subadviser deems it desirable to do so. To the extent the fund does not, or cannot, terminate such a transaction in a timely manner, the fund may suffer a loss in excess of any amounts that it may have received, or expected to receive, as a result of entering into the transaction.

Currency hedging involves some of the same risks and considerations as other transactions with similar instruments. Currency transactions can result in losses to the fund if the currency being hedged fluctuates in value to a degree or in a direction that is not anticipated. Further, the risk exists that the perceived linkage between various currencies may not be present or may not be present during the particular time that the fund is engaging in proxy hedging. Currency transactions are also subject to risks different from those of other portfolio transactions. Because currency control is of great importance to the issuing governments and influences economic planning and policy, purchases and sales of currency and related instruments can be adversely affected by government exchange controls, limitations or restrictions on repatriation of currency, and manipulations or exchange restrictions imposed by governments. These forms of governmental actions can result in losses to the fund if it is unable to deliver or receive currency or monies in settlement of obligations and could also cause hedges it has entered into to be rendered useless, resulting in full currency exposure as well as incurring transaction costs. Buyers and sellers of currency futures contracts are subject to the same risks that apply to the use of futures contracts generally. Further, settlement of a currency futures contract for the purchase of most currencies must occur at a bank based in the issuing nation. Trading options on currency futures contracts is relatively new, and the ability to establish and close out positions on these options is subject to the maintenance of a liquid market that may not always be available. Currency exchange rates may fluctuate based on factors extrinsic to that country’s economy.

Because the amount of interest and/or principal payments which the issuer of indexed securities is obligated to make is linked to the prices of other securities, securities indices, currencies, or other financial indicators, such payments may be significantly greater or less than payment obligations in respect of other types of debt securities. As a result, an investment in indexed securities may be considered speculative. Moreover, the performance of indexed securities depends to a great extent on the performance of and may be more volatile than the security, currency, or other instrument to which they are indexed, and may also be influenced by interest rate changes in the United States and abroad. At the same time, indexed securities are subject to the credit risks associated with the issuer of the security, and their values may decline substantially if the issuer’s creditworthiness deteriorates.

Losses resulting from the use of Derivatives will reduce the fund’s net asset value, and possibly income, and the losses can be greater than if Derivatives had not been used.

Risks of Derivatives Outside the United States. When conducted outside the United States, Derivatives transactions may not be regulated as rigorously as in the United States, may not involve a clearing mechanism and related guarantees, and will be subject to the risk of governmental actions affecting trading in, or the prices of, foreign securities, currencies and other instruments. In addition, the price of any foreign futures or foreign options contract and, therefore, the potential profit and loss thereon, may be affected by any variance in the foreign exchange rate between the time an order is placed and the time it is liquidated, offset or exercised. The value of positions taken as part of non-U.S. Derivatives also could be adversely affected by: (1) other complex

 

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foreign political, legal and economic factors, (2) lesser availability of data on which to make trading decisions than in the United States, (3) delays in the fund’s ability to act upon economic events occurring in foreign markets during nonbusiness hours in the United States, (4) the imposition of different exercise and settlement terms and procedures and margin requirements than in the United States and (5) lower trading volume and liquidity.

Use of Segregated and Other Special Accounts. Use of many Derivatives by the fund will require, among other things, that the fund segregate liquid assets with its custodian, or a designated sub-custodian, to the extent the fund’s obligations are not otherwise “covered” through ownership of the underlying security, financial instrument or currency. In general, either the full amount of any obligation by the fund to pay or deliver securities or assets must be covered at all times by the securities, instruments or currency required to be delivered, or, subject to any regulatory restrictions, an amount of liquid assets at least equal to the current amount of the obligation must be segregated with the custodian or subcustodian in accordance with procedures established by the Board. The segregated assets cannot be sold or transferred unless equivalent assets are substituted in their place or it is no longer necessary to segregate them. A call option on securities written by the fund, for example, will require the fund to hold the securities subject to the call (or securities convertible into the needed securities without additional consideration) or to segregate liquid high grade debt obligations sufficient to purchase and deliver the securities if the call is exercised. A call option sold by the fund on an index will require the fund to own portfolio securities that correlate with the index or to segregate liquid high grade debt obligations equal to the excess of the index value over the exercise price on a current basis. A put option on securities written by the fund will require the fund to segregate liquid high grade debt obligations equal to the exercise price. Except when the fund enters into a forward contract in connection with the purchase or sale of a security denominated in a foreign currency or for other non-speculative purposes, which requires no segregation, a currency contract that obligates the fund to buy or sell a foreign currency will generally require the fund to hold an amount of that currency or liquid securities denominated in that currency equal to the fund’s obligations or to segregate liquid high grade debt obligations equal to the amount of the fund’s obligations.

OTC options entered into by the fund, including those on securities, currency, financial instruments or indices, and OCC-issued and exchange-listed index options will generally provide for cash settlement, although the fund will not be required to do so. As a result, when the fund sells these instruments it will segregate an amount of assets equal to its obligations under the options. OCC-issued and exchange-listed options sold by the fund other than those described above generally settle with physical delivery, and the fund will segregate an amount of assets equal to the full value of the option. OTC options settling with physical delivery or with an election of either physical delivery or cash settlement will be treated the same as other options settling with physical delivery. If the fund enters into OTC option transactions, it will be subject to counterparty risk.

In the case of a futures contract or an option on a futures contract, the fund must deposit initial margin and, in some instances, daily variation margin in addition to segregating liquid assets sufficient to meet its obligations to purchase or provide securities or currencies, or to pay the amount owed at the expiration of an index-based futures contract. The fund will accrue the net amount of the excess, if any, of its obligations relating to swaps over its entitlements with respect to each swap on a daily basis and will segregate with its custodian, or designated sub-custodian, an amount of liquid assets having an aggregate value equal to at least the accrued excess. Caps, floors and collars require segregation of liquid assets with a value equal to the fund’s net obligation, if any.

Derivatives may be covered by means other than those described above when consistent with applicable regulatory policies. The fund may also enter into offsetting transactions so that its combined position, coupled with any segregated assets, equals its net outstanding obligation in related Derivatives. The fund could purchase a put option, for example, if the strike price of that option is the same or higher than the strike price of a put option sold by the fund. Moreover, instead of segregating assets if it holds a futures contract or forward contract, the fund could purchase a put option on the same futures contract or forward contract with a strike price as high or higher than the price of the contract held. Other Derivatives may also be offset in combinations. If the offsetting

 

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transaction terminates at the time of or after the primary transaction, no segregation is required, but if it terminates prior to that time, assets equal to any remaining obligation would need to be segregated.

Investors should note that the fund’s ability to pursue certain of these strategies may be limited by applicable regulations of the SEC, the CFTC and the federal income tax requirements applicable to regulated investment companies.

Smaller Market Capitalization Companies

Investments in companies with smaller market capitalizations, including companies generally considered to be small cap issuers and medium sized companies, may involve greater risks and volatility than investments in larger companies. Companies with smaller market capitalizations may be at an earlier stage of development, may be subject to greater business risks, may have limited product lines, limited financial resources and less depth in management than more established companies. In addition, these companies may have difficulty withstanding competition from larger more established companies in their industries. The securities of companies with smaller market capitalizations may be thinly traded (and therefore have to be sold at a discount from current market prices or sold in small lots over an extended period of time), may be followed by fewer investment research analysts and may be subject to wider price swings and thus may create a greater chance of loss than investing in securities of larger capitalization companies. In addition, transaction costs in smaller capitalization stocks may be higher than those of larger capitalization companies.

Rule 144A Securities

Consistent with applicable investment restrictions, the fund may purchase securities that are not registered under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “1933 Act”), but can be offered and sold to “qualified institutional buyers” under Rule 144A under the 1933 Act (“Rule 144A securities”). However, the fund will not invest more than 15% of its net assets (taken at market value) in illiquid investments, which include securities for which there is no readily available market, securities subject to contractual restrictions on resale and Rule 144A securities, unless, in the case of Rule 144A securities, the Board of Trustees determines, based on the trading markets for the specific Rule 144A security, that it is liquid. The Trustees have adopted guidelines and, subject to oversight by the Trustees, have delegated to the subadviser the daily function of determining and monitoring liquidity of Rule 144A securities.

Private Placements and Illiquid Investments

The fund may invest up to 15% of its net assets in securities for which there is no readily available market. These illiquid securities may include privately placed restricted securities for which no institutional market exists. The absence of a trading market can make it difficult to ascertain a market value for illiquid investments. Disposing of illiquid investments may involve time-consuming negotiation and legal expenses, and it may be difficult or impossible for the fund to sell them promptly at an acceptable price.

Short Sales “Against the Box”

In a short sale, the fund sells a borrowed security and has a corresponding obligation to the lender to return the identical security. The fund, in accordance with applicable investment restrictions, may engage in short sales only if at the time of the short sale it owns or has the right to obtain, at no additional cost, an equal amount of the security being sold short. This investment technique is known as a short sale “against the box.”

In a short sale, the seller does not immediately deliver the securities sold and is said to have a short position in those securities until delivery occurs. If the fund engages in a short sale, the collateral for the short position is maintained for the fund by the custodian or qualified sub-custodian. While the short sale is open, an amount of securities equal in kind and amount to the securities sold short or securities convertible into or exchangeable for

 

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such equivalent securities is maintained in a segregated account for the fund. These securities constitute the fund‘s long position.

The fund does not engage in short sales against the box for investment purposes. The fund may, however, make a short sale against the box as a hedge, when it believes that the price of a security may decline, causing a decline in the value of a security owned by the fund (or a security convertible or exchangeable for such security). In such case, any future losses in the fund’s long position should be reduced by a gain in the short position. Conversely, any gain in the long position should be reduced by a loss in the short position. The extent to which such gains or losses are reduced depends upon the amount of the security sold short relative to the amount the fund owns. There are certain additional transaction costs associated with short sales against the box, but the fund endeavors to offset these costs with the income from the investment of the cash proceeds of short sales.

The subadviser does not expect that more than 40% of the fund’s total assets would be involved in short sales against the box. The subadviser does not currently intend to engage in such sales.

Lending of Securities

Consistent with applicable regulatory requirements and in order to generate income, the fund may lend its securities to broker-dealers and other institutional borrowers. Such loans will usually be made only to member banks of the U.S. Federal Reserve System and to member firms of the NYSE. Loans of securities would be secured continuously by collateral in cash, cash equivalents, or U.S. Treasury obligations maintained on a current basis at an amount at least equal to the market value of the securities loaned. The cash collateral would be invested in high quality short-term instruments. Either party has the right to terminate a loan at any time on customary industry settlement notice (which will not usually exceed three business days). During the existence of a loan, the fund would continue to receive the equivalent of the interest or dividends paid by the issuer on the securities loaned and with respect to cash collateral would also receive compensation based on investment of cash collateral (subject to a rebate payable to the borrower and the lending agent). Where the borrower provides the fund with collateral consisting of U.S. Treasury obligations, the borrower is also obligated to pay the fund a fee for use of the borrowed securities. The fund would not, however, have the right to vote any securities having voting rights during the existence of the loan, but would call the loan in anticipation of an important vote to be taken among holders of the securities or of the giving or withholding of their consent on a material matter affecting the investment. As with other extensions of credit, there are risks of delay in recovery or even loss of rights in the collateral should the borrower fail financially. However, the loans would be made only to entities deemed by the subadviser to be of good standing, and when, in the judgment of the subadviser, the consideration which can be earned currently from loans of this type justifies the attendant risk. In addition, the fund could suffer loss if the borrower terminates the loan and the fund is forced to liquidate investments in order to return the cash collateral to the buyer. If the subadviser determines to make loans, it is not intended that the value of the securities loaned by the fund would exceed 30% of the market value of the fund’s total assets.

When-Issued Securities

The fund may purchase securities on a “when-issued” or on a “forward delivery” basis, meaning that delivery of the securities occurs beyond customary settlement times. In general, the fund does not pay for the securities until received and does not start earning interest until the contractual settlement date. It is expected that, under normal circumstances, the fund would take delivery of such securities, but the fund may sell them before the settlement date. When the fund commits to purchase a security on a “when-issued” or on a “forward delivery” basis, it sets up procedures consistent with SEC policies. Since those policies currently require that an amount of the fund’s assets equal to the amount of the purchase be held aside or segregated to be used to pay for the commitment, the fund expects always to have cash or liquid securities sufficient to cover any commitments or to limit any potential risk. However, even though the fund does not intend to make such purchases for speculative purposes and intends to adhere to the provisions of SEC policies, purchases of securities on such bases may involve more risk than other types of purchases. The when-issued securities are subject to market fluctuation, and

 

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no interest accrues on the security to the purchaser during this period. The payment obligation and the interest rate that will be received on the securities are each fixed at the time the purchaser enters into the commitment. Purchasing obligations on a when-issued basis is a form of leveraging and can involve a risk that the yields available in the market when the delivery takes place may actually be higher than those obtained in the transactions itself. In that case, there could be an unrealized loss at the time of delivery. An increase in the percentage of the fund’s assets committed to the purchase of securities on a “when-issued basis” may increase the volatility of its net asset value.

Borrowing

The fund may borrow in certain limited circumstances. See “Investment Restrictions.” Borrowing creates an opportunity for increased return, but, at the same time, creates special risks. For example, borrowing may exaggerate changes in the net asset value of the fund‘s shares and in the return on the fund’s portfolio. The fund may be required to liquidate portfolio securities at a time when it would be disadvantageous to do so in order to make payments with respect to any borrowing, which could affect the subadviser’s strategy and the ability of the fund to comply with certain provisions of the Code in order to provide pass-though tax treatment to shareholders. Interest on any borrowings will be a fund expense and will reduce the value of the fund’s shares.

Money Market Instruments

Money market instruments are short term debt obligations including U.S. government securities, including bills, notes and bonds differing as to maturity and rates of interest that are either issued or guaranteed by the U.S. Treasury or by U.S. government agencies or instrumentalities, repurchase agreements and certificates of deposit issued against funds deposited in a bank or a savings and loan association, repurchase agreements. Such certificates are for a definite period of time, earn a specified rate of return, and are normally negotiable. The issuer of a certificate of deposit agrees to pay the amount deposited plus interest to the bearer of the certificate on the date specified thereon. Under current Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation regulations, the maximum insurance payable as to any one certificate of deposit is $100,000; therefore, any certificates of deposit purchased by the fund may not be fully insured. Money market instruments also include commercial paper and bankers acceptances and bank time deposits. Commercial paper consists of short-term (usually one to 270 days) unsecured promissory notes issues by corporations in order to finance their current operations. Bankers acceptances are short-term credit instruments used to finance commercial transactions. Generally, an acceptance is a time draft drawn on a bank by an exporter or an importer to obtain a stated amount of funds to pay for specific merchandise. The draft is then “accepted” by a bank that, in effect, unconditionally guarantees to pay the face value of the instrument on its maturity date. The acceptance may then be held by the accepting bank as an asset or it may be sold in the secondary market at the going rate of interest for a specific maturity. Bank time deposits are monies kept on deposit with banks or savings and loan associations for a stated period of time at a fixed rate of interest. There may be penalties for the early withdrawal of such time deposits, in which case the yields of these investments will be reduced.

Defensive Strategies

During periods of unusual economic or market conditions or for temporary defensive purposes or liquidity, the fund may invest without limit in cash and in U.S. dollar-denominated high quality money market and short-term instruments. These investments may result in a lower yield than would be available from investments in a lower quality or longer term.

4. INVESTMENT POLICIES

The fund has adopted the fundamental and non-fundamental investment policies below for the protection of shareholders. Fundamental investment policies may not be changed without the vote of a majority of the outstanding shares of the fund, defined under the 1940 Act as the lesser of (i) 67% or more of the voting power

 

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present at a fund meeting if the holders of more than 50% of the voting power of the fund are present in person or represented by proxy, or (ii) more than 50% of the voting power of the fund.

If any percentage restriction described below is complete at the time of an investment a later increase or decrease in percentage resulting from a change in value or assets will not constitute a violation of such restriction.

Fundamental Investment Policies

The fund’s revised fundamental policies are as follows:

 

  (1) The fund may not borrow money except as permitted by (i) the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, or interpretations or modifications by the SEC, SEC staff or other authority with appropriate jurisdiction, or (ii) exemptive or other relief or permission from the SEC, SEC staff or other authority.

 

  (2) The fund may not engage in the business of underwriting the securities of other issuers except as permitted by (i) the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, or interpretations or modifications by the SEC, SEC staff or other authority with appropriate jurisdiction, or (ii) exemptive or other relief or permission from the SEC, SEC staff or other authority.

 

  (3) The fund may lend money or other assets to the extent permitted by (i) the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, or interpretations or modifications by the SEC, SEC staff or other authority with appropriate jurisdiction, or (ii) exemptive or other relief or permission from the SEC, SEC staff or other authority.

 

  (4) The fund may not issue senior securities except as permitted by (i) the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, or interpretations or modifications by the SEC, SEC staff or other authority with appropriate jurisdiction, or (ii) exemptive or other relief or permission from the SEC, SEC staff or other authority.

 

  (5) The fund may not purchase or sell real estate except as permitted by (i) the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, or interpretations or modifications by the SEC, SEC staff or other authority with appropriate jurisdiction, or (ii) exemptive or other relief or permission from the SEC, SEC staff or other authority.

 

  (6) The fund may purchase or sell commodities or contracts related to commodities to the extent permitted by (i) the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, or interpretations or modifications by the SEC, SEC staff or other authority with appropriate jurisdiction, or (ii) exemptive or other relief or permission from the SEC, SEC staff or other authority.

 

  (7) Except as permitted by exemptive or other relief or permission from the SEC, SEC staff or other authority with appropriate jurisdiction, the fund may not make any investment if, as a result, the fund’s investments will be concentrated in any one industry.

With respect to the fundamental policy relating to borrowing money set forth in (1) above, the 1940 Act permits a fund to borrow money in amounts of up to one-third of the fund’s total assets from banks for any purpose, and to borrow up to 5% of the fund’s total assets from banks or other lenders for temporary purposes. To limit the risks attendant to borrowing, the 1940 Act requires the fund to maintain at all times an “asset coverage” of at least 300% of the amount of its borrowings. Asset coverage means the ratio that the value of the fund’s total assets, minus liabilities other than borrowings, bears to the aggregate amount of all borrowings. Certain trading practices and investments, such as reverse repurchase agreements may be considered to be borrowings and thus subject to the 1940 Act restrictions. Borrowing money to increase portfolio holdings is known as “leveraging.” Borrowing, especially when used for leverage, may cause the value of a fund’s shares to be more volatile than if the fund did not borrow. This is because borrowing tends to magnify the effect of any increase or decrease in the value of the fund’s portfolio holdings. Borrowed money thus creates an opportunity

 

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for greater gains, but also greater losses. To repay borrowings, the fund may have to sell securities at a time and at a price that is unfavorable to the fund. There also are costs associated with borrowing money, and these costs would offset and could eliminate a fund’s net investment income in any given period. Currently the fund does not contemplate borrowing money for leverage, but if the fund does so, it will not likely do so to a substantial degree. The policy in (1) above will be interpreted to permit a fund to engage in trading practices and investments that may be considered to be borrowing to the extent permitted by the 1940 Act. Short-term credits necessary for the settlement of securities transactions and arrangements with respect to securities lending will not be considered to be borrowings under the policy. Practices and investments that may involve leverage but are not considered to be borrowings are not subject to the policy.

With respect to the fundamental policy relating to underwriting set forth in (2) above, the 1940 Act does not prohibit a fund from engaging in the underwriting business or from underwriting the securities of other issuers; in fact, the 1940 Act permits a fund to have underwriting commitments of up to 25% of its assets under certain circumstances. Those circumstances currently are that the amount of the fund’s underwriting commitments, when added to the value of the fund’s investments in issuers where the fund owns more than 10% of the outstanding voting securities of those issuers, cannot exceed the 25% cap. A fund engaging in transactions involving the acquisition or disposition of portfolio securities maybe considered to be an underwriter under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “1933 Act”). Under the 1933 Act, an underwriter may be liable for material omissions or misstatements in an issuer’s registration statement or prospectus. Securities purchased from an issuer and not registered for sale under the 1933 Act are considered restricted securities. There may be a limited market for these securities. If these securities are registered under the 1933 Act, they may then be eligible for sale but participating in the sale may subject the seller to underwriter liability. These risks could apply to a fund investing in restricted securities. Although it is not believed that the application of the 1933 Act provisions described above would cause a fund to be engaged in the business of underwriting, the policy in (2) above will be interpreted not to prevent the fund from engaging in transactions involving the acquisition or disposition of portfolio securities, regardless of whether the fund may be considered to be an underwriter under the 1933 Act.

With respect to the fundamental policy relating to lending set forth in (3) above, the 1940 Act does not prohibit a fund from making loans; however, SEC staff interpretations currently prohibit funds from lending more than one-third of their total assets, except through the purchase of debt obligations or the use of repurchase agreements. (A repurchase agreement is an agreement to purchase a security, coupled with an agreement to sell that security back to the original seller on an agreed-upon date at a price that reflects current interest rates. The SEC frequently treats repurchase agreements as loans.) While lending securities may be a source of income to a fund, as with other extensions of credit, there are risks of delay in recovery or even loss of rights in the underlying securities should the borrower fail financially. However, loans would be made only when the fund’s manager or a sub-adviser believes the income justifies the attendant risks. The fund also will be permitted by this policy to make loans of money, including to other funds. A fund would have to obtain exemptive relief from the SEC to make loans to other funds. The policy in (3) above will be interpreted not to prevent a fund from purchasing or investing in debt obligations and loans. In addition, collateral arrangements with respect to options, forward currency and futures transactions and other derivative instruments, as well as delays in the settlement of securities transactions, will not be considered loans.

With respect to the fundamental policy relating to issuing senior securities set forth in (4) above, “senior securities” are defined as fund obligations that have a priority over the fund’s shares with respect to the payment of dividends or the distribution of fund assets. The 1940 Act prohibits a fund from issuing senior securities except that the fund may borrow money in amounts of up to one-third of the fund’s total assets from banks for any purpose. A fund also may borrow up to 5% of the fund’s total assets from banks or other lenders for temporary purposes, and these borrowings are not considered senior securities. The issuance of senior securities by a fund can increase the speculative character of the fund’s outstanding shares through leveraging. Leveraging of a fund’s portfolio through the issuance of senior securities magnifies the potential for gain or loss on monies, because even though the fund’s net assets remain the same, the total risk to investors is increased to the extent of the fund’s gross assets. The policy in (4) above will be interpreted not to prevent collateral arrangements with

 

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respect to swaps, options, forward or futures contracts or other derivatives, or the posting of initial or variation margin.

With respect to the fundamental policy relating to real estate set forth in (5) above, the 1940 Act does not prohibit a fund from owning real estate; however, a fund is limited in the amount of illiquid assets it may purchase. Investing in real estate may involve risks, including that real estate is generally considered illiquid and may be difficult to value and sell. Owners of real estate may be subject to various liabilities, including environmental liabilities. To the extent that investments in real estate are considered illiquid, the current SEC staff position generally limits a fund’s purchases of illiquid securities to 15% of net assets. The policy in (5) above will be interpreted not to prevent a fund from investing in real estate-related companies, companies whose businesses consist in whole or in part of investing in real estate, instruments (like mortgages) that are secured by real estate or interests therein, or real estate investment trust securities.

With respect to the fundamental policy relating to commodities set forth in (6) above, the 1940 Act does not prohibit a fund from owning commodities, whether physical commodities and contracts related to physical commodities (such as oil or grains and related futures contracts), or financial commodities and contracts related to financial commodities (such as currencies and, possibly, currency futures). However, a fund is limited in the amount of illiquid assets it may purchase. To the extent that investments in commodities are considered illiquid, the current SEC staff position generally limits a fund’s purchases of illiquid securities to 15% of net assets. If a fund were to invest in a physical commodity or a physical commodity-related instrument, the fund would be subject to the additional risks of the particular physical commodity and its related market. The value of commodities and commodity-related instruments may be extremely volatile and may be affected either directly or indirectly by a variety of factors. There also may be storage charges and risks of loss associated with physical commodities. The policy in (6) above will be interpreted to permit investments in exchange traded funds that invest in physical and/or financial commodities.

With respect to the fundamental policy relating to concentration set forth in (7) above, the 1940 Act does not define what constitutes “concentration” in an industry. The SEC staff has taken the position that investment of 25% or more of a fund’s total assets in one or more issuers conducting their principal activities in the same industry or group of industries constitutes concentration. It is possible that interpretations of concentration could change in the future. A fund that invests a significant percentage of its total assets in a single industry may be particularly susceptible to adverse events affecting that industry and may be more risky than a fund that does not concentrate in an industry. The policy in (7) above will be interpreted to refer to concentration as that term may be interpreted from time to time. The policy also will be interpreted to permit investment without limit in the following: securities of the U.S. government and its agencies or instrumentalities; securities of state, territory, possession or municipal governments and their authorities, agencies, instrumentalities or political subdivisions; securities of foreign governments; and repurchase agreements collateralized by any such obligations. Accordingly, issuers of the foregoing securities will not be considered to be members of any industry. There also will be no limit on investment in issuers domiciled in a single jurisdiction or country. The policy also will be interpreted to give broad authority to a fund as to how to classify issuers within or among industries.

The fund’s fundamental policies are written and will be interpreted broadly. For example, the policies will be interpreted to refer to the 1940 Act and the related rules as they are in effect from time to time, and to interpretations and modifications of or relating to the 1940 Act by the SEC and others as they are given from time to time. When a policy provides that an investment practice may be conducted as permitted by the 1940 Act, the policy will be interpreted to mean either that the 1940 Act expressly permits the practice or that the 1940 Act does not prohibit the practice.

Diversification

The fund is currently classified as a diversified fund under the 1940 Act. This means that the fund may not purchase securities of an issuer (other than obligations issued or guaranteed by the U.S. government, its agencies or instrumentalities) if, with respect to 75% of its total assets, (a) more than 5% of the fund’s total assets would

 

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be invested in securities of that issuer, or (b) the fund would hold more than 10% of the outstanding voting securities of that issuer. With respect to the remaining 25% of its total assets, the fund can invest more than 5% of its assets in one issuer. Under the 1940 Act, the fund cannot change its classification from diversified to non-diversified without shareholder approval.

5. DETERMINATION OF NET ASSET VALUE; VALUATION OF SECURITIES

The net asset value per share of the fund’s Classes is calculated on each day, Monday through Friday, except days on which the NYSE is closed. The NYSE currently is scheduled to be closed on New Year’s Day, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Presidents’ Day, Good Friday, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving and Christmas, and on the preceding Friday or subsequent Monday when one of these holidays falls on a Saturday or Sunday, respectively. Because of the differences in distribution fees and Class-specific expenses, the per share net asset value of each Class will differ. Please see the prospectus for a description of the procedures used by the fund in valuing its assets.

6. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON THE PURCHASE AND SALE

OF FUND SHARES AND SHAREHOLDER PROGRAMS

General

Investors may purchase shares from a Service Agent. In addition, certain investors, including retirement plans purchasing through certain Service Agents, may purchase shares directly from the fund. When purchasing shares of the fund, investors must specify whether the purchase is for Class A, B, C or I* shares. Service Agents may charge their customers an annual account maintenance fee in connection with a brokerage account through which an investor purchases or holds shares. Accounts held directly the transfer agent are not subject to a maintenance fee.

For additional information regarding applicable investment minimums and eligibility requirements, please see the fund’s prospectus.

There are no minimum investment requirements for purchases of Class A shares by: (i) current and retired board members of Legg Mason, Inc., (ii) current and retired board members of any fund advised by LMPFA (such board members, together with board members of Legg Mason, Inc., are referred to herein as “Legg Mason Board Members”), (iii) current employees of Legg Mason, Inc. and its subsidiaries, (iv) the “immediate families” of such persons (“immediate families” are such person’s spouse, including the surviving spouse of a deceased Legg Mason Board Member, and children under the age of 21) and (v) a pension, profit-sharing or other benefit plan for the benefit of such persons. The fund reserves the right to waive or change minimums, to decline any order to purchase its shares and to suspend the offering of shares from time to time.

Purchase orders received by the fund or a Service Agent prior to the close of regular trading on the NYSE on any day the fund calculates its net asset value are priced according to the net asset value determined on that day (the “trade date”). Orders received by a Service Agent prior to the close of regular trading on the NYSE on any day the fund calculates its net asset value are priced according to the net asset value determined on that day, provided the order is received by the fund’s agent prior to its close of business. For shares purchased through CGMI or a Service Agent purchasing through CGMI, payment for shares of the fund is normally due on the third business day after the trade date. In all other cases, payment must be made with the purchase order.

 


* As of November 20, 2006, Class Y Shares were renamed Class I Shares.

 

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Systematic Investment Plan

Shareholders may make additions to their accounts at any time by purchasing shares through a service known as the Systematic Investment Plan. Under the Systematic Investment Plan, a distributor or the transfer agent, is authorized through preauthorized transfers of at least $25 on a monthly, quarterly, every alternate month, semi-annual or annual basis to charge the shareholder’s account held with a bank or other financial institution as indicated by the shareholder, to provide for systematic additions to the shareholder’s fund account. A shareholder who has insufficient funds to complete the transfer will be charged a fee of up to $25 by a distributor or the transfer agent. The Systematic Investment Plan also authorizes a distributor to apply cash held in the shareholder’s brokerage account or redeem the shareholder’s shares of certain money market funds managed by the manager or its affiliates to make additions to the account. Additional information is available from the fund or a Service Agent.

Sales Charge Alternatives. The following Classes of shares are available for purchase. See the Prospectus for a discussion of who is eligible to purchase certain Classes and of factors to consider in selecting which Class of shares to purchase.

Class A Shares. Class A shares are sold to investors at the public offering price, which is the net asset value plus an initial sales charge, as described in the fund’s prospectus.

Members of the selling group may receive a portion of the sales charge as described in the fund’s prospectus and may be deemed to be underwriters of the fund as defined in the 1933 Act. Sales charges are calculated based on the aggregate of purchases of Class A shares of the fund made at one time by any “person,” which includes an individual and his or her spouse and children under the age of 21, or a trustee or other fiduciary of a single trust estate or single fiduciary account. For additional information regarding sales charge reductions, see “Sales Charge Waivers and Reductions” below.

Purchases of Class A shares of $1,000,000 or more will be made at NAV without any initial sales charge, but will be subject to a contingent deferred sales charge of 1.00% on redemptions made within 12 months of purchase. The contingent deferred sales charge is waived in the same circumstances in which the contingent deferred sales charge applicable to Class B and C shares is waived. See “Contingent Deferred Sales Charge Provisions” and “Waivers of Contingent Deferred Sales Charge” below.

Class B and C Shares. Class B and C shares are sold without an initial sales charge but are subject to a contingent deferred sales charge payable upon certain redemptions. See “Contingent Deferred Sales Charge Provisions.”

Class I Shares. Class I shares are sold at net asset value with no initial sales charge and no contingent deferred sales charge upon redemption.

Sales Charge Waivers and Reductions

Initial Sales Charge Waivers

Purchases of Class A shares may be made at NAV without an initial sales charge in the following circumstances:

(a) sales to (i) current and retired board members of Legg Mason, (ii) current and retired Board Members (iii) current employees of Legg Mason and its subsidiaries, as well as (iv) by the “immediate families” of such persons (“immediate families” are such person’s spouse, including the surviving spouse of a deceased Board Member, and children under the age of 21) and (v) by a pension, profit-sharing or other benefit plan for the benefit of such persons;

 

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(b) sales to any employees of Service Agents having dealer, service or other selling agreements with the funds’ distributors or otherwise having an arrangement with any such Service Agent with respect to sales of fund shares, and by the immediate families of such persons or by a pension, profit-sharing or other benefit plan for the benefit of such persons (providing the purchase is made for investment purposes and such securities will not be resold except through redemption or repurchase);

(c) offers of Class A shares to any other investment company to effect the combination of such company with the fund by merger, acquisition of assets or otherwise;

(d) purchases by shareholders who have redeemed Class A shares in the fund (or Class A shares of another Legg Mason Partners Fund that is offered with a sales charge) and who wish to reinvest their redemption proceeds in the fund, provided the reinvestment is made within 60 calendar days of the redemption;

(e) purchases by accounts managed by registered investment advisory subsidiaries of Citigroup;

(f) purchases by certain separate accounts used to fund unregistered variable annuity contracts; and

(g) purchases by investors participating in “wrap fee” or asset allocation programs or other fee-based arrangements sponsored by (affiliated and non-affiliated) broker/dealers and other financial institutions that have entered into agreements with CGMI or LMIS.

In order to obtain such discounts, the purchaser must provide sufficient information at the time of purchase to permit verification that the purchase qualifies for the elimination of the sales charge.

Accumulation Privilege

Please see the fund’s prospectus for information regarding accumulation privileges.

Letter of Intent

Helps you take advantage of breakpoints in Class A sales charges. You may purchase Class A shares of Legg Mason Partners Funds over a 13-month period and pay the same sales charge, if any, as if all shares had been purchased at once. You have a choice of seven Asset Level Goal amounts, as follows:

 

  (1) $25,000     (5) $500,000   
  (2) $50,000     (6) $750,000   
  (3) $100,000     (7) $1,000,000   
  (4) $250,000       

Each time you make a Class A purchase under a Letter of Intent, you will be entitled to the sales charge that is applicable to the amount of your Asset Level Goal. For example, if your Asset Level Goal is $100,000, any Class A investments you make under a Letter of Intent would be subject to the sales charge of the specific fund you are investing in for purchases of $100,000. Sales charges and breakpoints vary among the Legg Mason Partners Funds.

When you enter into a Letter of Intent, you agree to purchase in Eligible Accounts over a thirteen (13) month period Eligible Fund Purchases in an amount equal to the Asset Level Goal you have selected, less any Eligible Prior Purchases. For this purpose, shares are valued at the public offering price (including any sales charge paid) calculated as of the date of purchase, plus any appreciation in the value of the shares as of the date of calculation, except for Eligible Prior Purchases, which are valued at current value as of the date of calculation. Your commitment will be met if at any time during the 13-month period the value, as so determined, of eligible

 

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holdings is at least equal to your Asset Level Goal. All reinvested dividends and distributions on shares acquired under the Letter will be credited towards your Asset Level Goal. You may include any Eligible Fund Purchases towards the Letter, including shares of classes other than Class A shares. However, a Letter of Intent will not entitle you to a reduction in the sales charge payable on any shares other than Class A shares, and if the shares are subject to a contingent deferred sales charge, you will still be subject to that contingent deferred sales charge with respect to those shares. You must make reference to the Letter of Intent each time you make a purchase under the Letter.

Eligible Fund Purchases. Generally, any shares of a Legg Mason Partners Fund may be credited towards your Asset Level Goal. Shares of certain money market funds advised by the manager or its affiliates (except for money market fund shares acquired by exchange from other Legg Mason Partners Funds offered with a sales charge), Legg Mason Partners S&P 500 Index Fund and Class O shares of Legg Mason Partners Equity Fund, Inc. are not eligible. This list may change from time to time. Investors should check with their financial professional to see which funds may be eligible.

Eligible Accounts. Purchases may be made through any account in your name, or in the name of your spouse or your children under the age of 21. You may need to provide certain records, such as account statements, in order to verify your eligibility for reduced sales charges. Contact your Service Agent to see which accounts may be credited toward your Asset Level Goal.

Eligible Prior Purchases. You may also credit towards your Asset Level Goal any Eligible Fund Purchases made in Eligible Accounts at any time prior to entering into the Letter of Intent that have not been sold or redeemed, based on the current price of those shares as of the date of calculation.

Purchases made 90 days prior to the 13-month period are also eligible to be treated as purchases made under the Letter of Intent. Any Eligible Fund Purchases in Eligible Accounts made during that period will count towards your Goal and will also be eligible for the lower sales charge applicable to your Asset Level Goal. You will be credited by way of additional shares at the current offering price for the difference between (a) the aggregate sales charges actually paid for those eligible shares and (b) the aggregate applicable sales charges for your Asset Level Goal.

Increasing the Amount of the Letter. You may at any time increase your Asset Level Goal. You must, however, contact your Service Agent, or if you purchase your shares directly through PFPC, contact PFPC, prior to making any purchases in an amount in excess of your current Asset Level Goal. Upon such an increase, you will be credited by way of additional shares at the then current offering price for the difference between: (a) the aggregate sales charges actually paid for shares already purchased under the Letter and (b) the aggregate applicable sales charges for the increased Asset Level Goal. The 13-month period during which the Asset Level Goal must be achieved will remain unchanged.

Sales and Exchanges. Shares acquired pursuant to a Letter of Intent, other than Escrowed Shares as defined below, may be redeemed or exchanged at any time, although any shares that are redeemed prior to meeting your Asset Level Goal will no longer count towards meeting your Goal. However, complete liquidation of purchases made under a Letter of Intent prior to meeting the Asset Level Goal will result in the cancellation of the Letter. See “Failure to Meet Asset Level Goal” below. Exchanges in accordance with the fund’s prospectus are permitted, and shares so exchanged will continue to count towards your Asset Level Goal, as long as the exchange results in an Eligible Fund Purchase.

Cancellation of Letter. You may cancel a Letter of Intent by notifying your Service Agent in writing, or if you purchase your shares directly through PFPC, by notifying PFPC in writing. The Letter will be automatically cancelled if all shares are sold or redeemed as set forth above. See “Failure to Meet Asset Level Goal” below.

 

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Escrowed Shares. Shares equal in value to five percent (5%) of your Asset Level Goal as of the date your Letter (or the date of any increase in the amount of the Letter) is accepted, will be held in escrow during the term of your Letter. The Escrowed Shares will be included in the total shares owned as reflected in your account statement and any dividends and capital gains distributions applicable to the Escrowed Shares will be credited to your account and counted towards your Asset Level Goal or paid in cash upon request. The Escrowed Shares will be released from escrow if all the terms of your Letter are met.

Failure to Meet Asset Level Goal. If the total assets under your Letter of Intent within its 13-month term are less than your Asset Level Goal or you elect to liquidate all of your holdings or cancel the Letter before reaching your Asset Level Goal, you will be liable for the difference between: (a) the sales charge actually paid and (b) the sales charge that would have applied if you had not entered into the Letter. You may, however, be entitled to any breakpoints that would have been available to you under the accumulation privilege. An appropriate number of shares in your account will be redeemed to realize the amount due. For these purposes, by entering into a Letter of Intent, you irrevocably appoint your Service Agent, or if you purchase your shares directly through PFPC, PFPC, as your attorney-in-fact for the purposes of holding the Escrowed Shares and surrendering shares in your account for redemption. If there are insufficient assets in your account, you will be liable for the difference. Any Escrowed Shares remaining after such redemption will be released to your account.

Contingent Deferred Sales Charge Provisions

“Contingent deferred sales charge shares” are: (a) Class B shares; (b) Class C shares; and (c) Class A shares that were purchased without an initial sales charge but are subject to a contingent deferred sales charge. A contingent deferred sales charge may be imposed on certain redemptions of these shares.

Any applicable contingent deferred sales charge will be assessed on the net asset value at the time of purchase or redemption, whichever is less.

Class A shares that are contingent deferred sales charge shares are subject to a 1.00% contingent deferred sales charge if redeemed within 12 months of purchase. In circumstances in which the contingent deferred sales charge is imposed on Class B shares, the amount of the charge will depend on the number of years since the shareholder made the purchase payment from which the amount is being redeemed, as further described in the prospectus. Solely for purposes of determining the number of years since a purchase payment, all purchase payments made during a month will be aggregated and deemed to have been made on the last day of the preceding statement month.

Class B shares will convert automatically to Class A shares approximately eight years after the date on which they were purchased and thereafter will no longer be subject to any distribution fees. There will also be converted at that time such proportion of Class B dividend shares (Class B shares that were acquired through the reinvestment of dividends and distributions) owned by the shareholders as the total number of his or her Class B shares converting at the time bears to the total number of outstanding Class B shares (other than Class B dividend shares) owned by the shareholder.

In determining the applicability of any contingent deferred sales charge, it will be assumed that a redemption is made first of shares representing capital appreciation, next of shares representing the reinvestment of dividends and capital gain distributions, next of shares that are not subject to the contingent deferred sales charge and finally of other shares held by the shareholder for the longest period of time. The length of time that contingent deferred sales charge shares acquired through an exchange have been held will be calculated from the date the shares exchanged were initially acquired in one of the other Legg Mason Partners mutual funds. For federal income tax purposes, the amount of the contingent deferred sales charge will reduce the gain or increase the loss, as the case may be, on the amount realized on redemption. The fund’s distributors receive contingent deferred sales charges in partial consideration for the expenses in selling shares.

 

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Waivers of Contingent Deferred Sales Charge

The contingent deferred sales charge will be waived on: (a) exchanges (see “Exchange Privilege”); (b) automatic cash withdrawals in amounts equal to or less than 2.00% of the shareholder’s account balance at the time the withdrawals commence per month, up to a maximum of 12% in one year (see “Automatic Cash Withdrawal Plan”); (c) redemptions of shares within 12 months following the death or disability (as defined in the Code) of the shareholder; (d) mandatory post-retirement distributions from retirement plans or IRAs commencing on or after attainment of age 70 1/2 (except that shareholders who purchased shares subject to a contingent deferred sales charge prior to May 23, 2005 will be “grandfathered” and will be eligible to obtain the waiver at age 59 1/2 by demonstrating such eligibility at the time of redemption); (e) involuntary redemptions; (f) redemptions of shares to effect a combination of the fund with any investment company by merger, acquisition of assets or otherwise; (g) tax-free returns of an excess contribution to any retirement plan; and (h) certain redemptions of shares of a fund in connection with lump-sum or other distributions made by eligible retirement plans or redemption of shares by participants in certain “wrap fee” or asset allocation programs sponsored by broker-dealers and other financial institutions that have entered into agreements with a distributor or the manager.

As of November 20, 2006, the contingent deferred sales charge will be waived on new Class C shares purchased by retirement plan omnibus accounts held on the books of a fund.

A shareholder who has redeemed shares from other Legg Mason Partners Funds may, under certain circumstances, reinvest all or part of the redemption proceeds within 60 days and receive pro rata credit for any contingent deferred sales charge imposed on the prior redemption.

Contingent deferred sales charge waivers will be granted subject to confirmation by a distributor or the transfer agent of the shareholder’s status or holdings, as the case may be.

Determination of Public Offering Price

The fund offers its shares on a continuous basis. The public offering price for each class of shares of the fund is equal to the net asset value per share at the time of purchase, plus for Class A shares an initial sales charge based on the aggregate amount of the investment. A contingent deferred sales charge, however, is imposed on certain redemptions of Class A, B and C shares. Set forth below is an example of the method of computing the offering price of the Class A shares of the fund based on the net asset value of a share of the fund as of October 31, 2006.

 

Class A (based on a net asset value of $17.00 and a maximum initial sales charge of 5.75%)

   $ 18.04

Redemption of Shares

The right of redemption may be suspended or the date of payment postponed (a) for any period during which the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) is closed (other than for customary weekend and holiday closings), (b) when trading in the markets the fund normally utilizes is restricted, or an emergency exists, as determined by the SEC, so that disposal of the fund’s investments or determination of net asset value is not reasonably practicable or (c) for such other periods as the SEC by order may permit for protection of the fund’s shareholders.

If the shares to be redeemed were issued in certificate form, the certificates must be endorsed for transfer (or be accompanied by an endorsed stock power) and must be submitted to PFPC together with the redemption request. Any signature appearing on a share certificate, stock power or written redemption request in excess of $50,000 must be guaranteed by an eligible guarantor institution such as a domestic bank, savings and loan

 

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institution, domestic credit union, member bank of the Federal Reserve System or member firm of a national securities exchange. Written redemption requests of $50,000 or less do not require a signature guarantee unless more than one such redemption request is made in any 10-day period. Redemption proceeds will be mailed to an investor’s address of record. The transfer agent may require additional supporting documents for redemptions made by corporations, executors, administrators, trustees or guardians. A redemption request will not be deemed properly received until the transfer agent receives all required documents in proper form.

If a shareholder holds shares in more than one Class, any request for redemption must specify the Class being redeemed. In the event of a failure to specify which Class, or if the investor owns fewer shares of the Class than specified, the redemption request will be delayed until the transfer agent receives further instructions. The redemption proceeds will be remitted on or before the seventh business day following receipt of proper tender, except on any days on which the NYSE is closed or as permitted under the 1940 Act, in extraordinary circumstances. Redemption proceeds for shares purchased by check, other than a certified or official bank check, will be remitted upon clearance of the check, which may take up to ten days. Each Service Agent is responsible for transmitting promptly orders for its customers.

The Service Agent may charge you a fee for executing your order. The amount and applicability of such a fee is determined and disclosed to its customers by each Service Agent.

The fund no longer issues share certificates. Outstanding share certificates will continue to be honored. If you hold share certificates, it will take longer to exchange or redeem shares.

Additional Information Regarding Telephone Redemption and Exchange Program. Neither the fund nor its agents will be liable for following instructions communicated by telephone that are reasonably believed to be genuine. The fund and its agents will employ procedures designed to verify the identity of the caller and legitimacy of instructions (for example, a shareholder’s name and account number will be required and phone calls may be recorded). The fund reserves the right to suspend, modify or discontinue the telephone redemption and exchange program or to impose a charge for this service at any time following at least seven (7) days’ prior notice to shareholders.

Automatic Cash Withdrawal Plan

An automatic cash withdrawal plan (the “Withdrawal Plan”) is available to shareholders as described in the prospectus. To the extent withdrawals under the Withdrawal Plan exceed dividends, distributions and appreciation of a shareholder’s investment in the fund, there will be a reduction in the value of the shareholder’s investment, and continued withdrawal payments may reduce the shareholder’s investment and ultimately exhaust it. Withdrawal payments should not be considered as income from investment in the fund. Furthermore, as it generally would not be advantageous to a shareholder to make additional investments in the fund at the same time he or she is participating in the Withdrawal Plan, purchases by such shareholder in amounts of less than $5,000 ordinarily will not be permitted. The Withdrawal Plan will be carried over on exchanges between funds or classes of the fund.

All dividends and distributions on shares in the Withdrawal Plan are reinvested automatically at net asset value in additional shares of the fund.

Shareholders who wish to participate in the Withdrawal Plan and who hold their shares in certificate form must deposit their share certificates with the transfer agent as agent for Withdrawal Plan members. For additional information shareholders should contact their Service Agent. A shareholder who purchases shares directly through the transfer agent may continue to do so and applications for participation in the Withdrawal Plan must be received by the transfer agent no later than the eighth day of the month to be eligible for participation beginning with that month’s withdrawal.

 

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Exchange Privilege

The exchange privilege enables shareholders to acquire shares of the same class in a fund with different investment objectives when they believe that a shift between funds is an appropriate investment decision. This privilege is available to shareholders residing in any state in which the fund shares being acquired may legally be sold. Prior to any exchange, the shareholder should obtain and review a copy of the current prospectus of each fund into which an exchange is being considered. Prospectuses may be obtained from a Service Agent.

Upon receipt of proper instructions and all necessary supporting documents, shares submitted for exchange are redeemed at the then-current net asset value, and the proceeds are immediately invested in shares of the fund being acquired at that fund’s then current net asset value. The distributors reserve the right to reject any exchange request. The exchange privilege may be modified or terminated at any time after written notice to shareholders.

Class A and I Exchanges. Class A and I shareholders of the fund who wish to exchange all or a portion of their shares for shares of the respective class in another fund may do so without imposition of any charge.

Class B Exchanges. Class B shares of the fund may be exchanged for other Class B shares without a contingent deferred sales charge. Upon an exchange, the new Class B shares will be deemed to have been purchased on the same date as the Class B shares of the fund that have been exchanged.

Class C Exchanges. Class C shares of the fund may be exchanged for other Class C shares without a contingent deferred sales charge. Upon an exchange, the new Class C shares will be deemed to have been purchased on the same date as the Class C shares of the fund that have been exchanged. Certain retirement plan programs with exchange features in effect prior to November 20, 2006, as approved by LMIS, will remain eligible for exchange from Class C shares to Class A shares in accordance with the program terms. See “Grandfathered Retirement Programs” for additional information

Additional Information Regarding the Exchange Privilege

The fund is not designed to provide investors with a means of speculation on short-term market movements. A pattern of frequent exchanges by investors can be disruptive to efficient portfolio management and, consequently, can be detrimental to the fund and its shareholders. See “Frequent Purchases and Redemptions of fund Shares” in the prospectus.

During times of drastic economic or market conditions, the fund may suspend the exchange privilege temporarily without notice and treat exchange requests based on their separate components—redemption orders with a simultaneous request to purchase the other fund’s shares. In such a case, the redemption request would be processed at the fund’s next determined net asset value but the purchase order would be effective only at the net asset value next determined after the fund being purchased formally accepts the order, which may result in the purchase being delayed.

Certain shareholders may be able to exchange shares by telephone. See the fund’s prospectus for additional information. Exchanges will be processed at the net asset value next determined. Redemption procedures discussed above are also applicable for exchanging shares, and exchanges will be made upon receipt of all supporting documents in proper form. If the account registration of the shares of the fund being acquired is identical to the registration of the shares of the fund exchanged, no signature guarantee is required.

This exchange privilege may be modified or terminated at any time, and is available only in those jurisdictions where such exchanges legally may be made. Before making any exchange, shareholders should contact the transfer agent or, if they hold fund shares through a Service Agent, their Service Agent to obtain more information and prospectuses of the funds to be acquired through the exchange. An exchange is treated as a sale of the shares exchanged and could result in taxable gain or loss to the shareholder making the exchange.

 

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Each class of shares of the fund represents an interest in the same portfolio of investments. Each class is identical in all respects, except that each class bears its own class expenses, including distribution and service fees. Each class has exclusive voting rights with respect to any distribution and service fees, and each class has exclusive voting rights with respect to any distribution or service plan applicable to its shares. As a result of the differences in the expenses borne by each class of shares, net income per share, dividends per share and net asset value per share will vary for each class of shares. There are no conversion, preemptive or other subscription rights, except that Class B shares automatically convert to Class A shares in approximately eight years and Class I shares bought under a letter of intent may convert into Class A shares in certain circumstances, each as more fully described below. In addition, shares held in a Legg Mason Partners Retirement Program may have special exchange rights.

Shareholders of each class will share expenses proportionately for services that are received equally by all shareholders. A particular class of shares will bear only those expenses that are directly attributable to that class, where the type or amount of services received by a class varies from one class to another. The expenses that may be borne by specific classes of shares may include (i) transfer agency fees attributable to a specific class of shares, (ii) printing and postage expenses related to preparing and distributing materials such as shareholder reports, prospectuses and proxy statements to current shareholders of a specific class of shares, (iii) SEC and state securities registration fees incurred by a specific class, (iv) the expense of administrative personnel and services required to support the shareholders of a specific class of shares, (v) litigation or other legal expenses relating to a specific class of shares, (vi) accounting expenses relating to a specific class of shares and (vii) any additional incremental expenses subsequently identified and determined to be properly allocated to one or more classes of shares.

Involuntary Redemptions of Shares

Subject to applicable law, the trustees may cause a shareholder’s shares to be redeemed under certain circumstances, including in order to eliminate small accounts for administrative efficiencies and cost savings, to protect the tax status of the fund if necessary and to eliminate ownership of shares by a particular shareholder when the trustees determine, pursuant to adopted policies, that the particular shareholder’s ownership is not in the best interests of the other shareholders of the fund (for example, in the case of a market timer).

 

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MANAGEMENT

The business affairs of the fund are managed by or under the direction of the Board. The Board elects officers who are responsible for the day-to-day operations of the fund and who execute policies authorized by the Board.

The current Trustees, including the Trustees of the fund who are not “interested persons” of the fund as defined in the 1940 Act (the “Independent Trustees”) and executive officers of the fund, their birth years, their principal occupations during at least the past five years (their titles may have varied during that period), the number of funds associated with Legg Mason the Trustees oversee, and other board memberships they hold are set forth below. The address of each Trustee is c/o R. Jay Gerken, 399 Park Avenue, New York, New York 10022.

The following information relates to the Trust’s recently elected Board of Trustees.

 

Name and

Year of Birth

   Position(s)
with Fund
   Term of
Office* and
Length of
Time Served**
  

Principal Occupation(s)

During Past 5 Years

  

Number of

Funds
in Fund
Complex
to be
Overseen
by Trustee

  

Other Board
Memberships
Held by Trustee
During

Past Five Years

INDEPENDENT TRUSTEES:         

Paul R. Ades

Born 1940

   Trustee    Since 1983    Law firm of Paul R. Ades, PLLC (since 2000)    57    None

Andrew L. Breech

Born 1952

   Trustee    Since 1991    President, Dealer Operating Control Service, Inc. (automotive retail management) (since 1985)    57    None

Dwight B. Crane

Born 1937

   Trustee    Since 1981    Professor, Harvard Business School (since 1969); Independent Consultant (since 1969)    60    None

Robert M. Frayn, Jr.

Born 1934

   Trustee    Since 1981    Retired; formerly, President and Director, Book Publishing Co. (1970 to 2002)    57    None

Frank G. Hubbard

Born 1937

   Trustee    Since 1993    President, Avatar International Inc. (business development) (since 1998)    57    None

Howard J. Johnson

Born 1938

   Trustee    From 1981
to 1998 and
2000 to Present
   Chief Executive Officer, Genesis Imaging LLC (technology company) (since 2003)    57    None

 

41


Name and

Year of Birth

   Position(s)
with Fund
   Term of
Office* and
Length of
Time
Served**
  

Principal Occupation(s)

During Past 5 Years

  

Number of

Funds
in Fund
Complex
to be
Overseen
by Trustee

  

Other Board
Memberships
Held by Trustee
During

Past Five Years

David E. Maryatt

Born 1936

   Trustee    Since 1983    Private Investor; President and Director, ALS Co. (real estate management and development firm) (since 1993)    57    None

Jerome H. Miller

Born 1938

   Trustee    Since 1995    Retired    57    None

Ken Miller

Born 1942

   Trustee    Since 1983    Chairman, Young Stuff Apparel Group, Inc. (apparel manufacturer) (since 1963)    57    None

John J. Murphy

Born 1944

   Trustee    Since 2002    President, Murphy Capital Management (investment advice) (since 1983)    57    Director, Nicholas Applegate funds; Trustee, Consulting Group Capital Markets Funds; formerly, Director, Atlantic Stewardship Bank (2004 to 2005); Director, Barclays International Funds Group Ltd. and affiliated companies (to 2003)

Thomas F. Schlafly

Born 1948

   Trustee    Since 1983    Of Counsel, Blackwell Sanders Peper Martin LLP (law firm) (since 1984); President, The Saint Louis Brewery, Inc. (brewery) (since 1989)    57    Director, Citizens National Bank, Maplewood (2006)

Jerry A. Viscione

Born 1944

   Trustee    Since 1993    Retired; formerly, Executive Vice President, Marquette University (1997 to 2002)    57    None

 

42


Name and

Year of Birth

   Position(s)
with Fund
   Term of
Office* and
Length of
Time
Served**
  

Principal Occupation(s)

During Past 5 Years

  

Number of

Funds
in Fund
Complex
to be
Overseen
by Trustee

  

Other Board
Memberships
Held by Trustee
During

Past Five Years

INTERESTED TRUSTEE:         

R. Jay Gerken , CFA†

Born 1951

   Trustee,
President,
Chairman
and Chief
Executive
Officer
   Since 2002    Managing Director, Legg Mason & Co., LLC (“Legg Mason & Co.”); Chairman of the Board and Trustee/Director of 149 funds associated with LMPFA and its affiliates; President, LMPFA (since 2006); Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of certain mutual funds associated with Legg Mason & Co. or its affiliates; formerly, Chairman, Smith Barney Fund Management LLC (“SBFM”) and Citi Fund Management, Inc. (“CFM”) (2002 to 2005); formerly, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer, Travelers Investment Adviser Inc. (2002 to 2005)    149    None

* Each Trustee serves until his or her respective successor has been duly elected and qualified or until his or her earlier death, resignation, retirement or removal.
** Indicates the earliest year in which the Trustee became a Board member for a fund in the Legg Mason Partners fund complex.
Mr. Gerken is an “interested person,” as defined in the 1940 Act, because of his position with the manager and/or certain of its affiliates.

 

43


 

Name, Year of Birth
and Address

   Position(s)
with Fund
   Term of Office*
and Length of
Time Served**
  

Principal Occupation(s)

During Past 5 Years

OFFICERS:

        

Ted P. Becker

Born 1951

399 Park Avenue

New York, NY 10022

   Chief Compliance
Officer
   Since 2006    Director of Global Compliance at Legg Mason, Inc. (2006 to present); Managing Director of Compliance at Legg Mason & Co (2005 to present); Chief Compliance Officer with certain mutual funds associated with Legg Mason & Co. (since 2006); Chief Compliance Officer of LMPFA and certain affiliates; Managing Director of Compliance at Citigroup Asset Management (a group of affiliated investment advisers, which included (SBFM), Smith Barney Asset Management and (CFM) and other affiliated investment advisory entities) (2002 to 2005). Prior to 2002, Managing Director-Internal Audit & Risk Review at Citigroup Inc.

John Chiota

Born 1968

300 First Stamford Place,

5th Floor Stamford, CT 06902

   Chief Anti-Money
Laundering
Compliance
Officer
   Since 2006    Vice President of Legg Mason & Co. (since 2005); Vice President at CAM (since 2004); Chief Anti-Money Laundering Compliance Officer of certain mutual funds associated with Legg Mason & Co. (since 2006). Prior to August 2004, Chief Anti-Money Laundering Compliance Officer of TD Waterhouse.

Robert I. Frenkel

Born 1954

300 First Stamford Place

Stamford, CT 06902

   Secretary and
Chief Legal
Officer
   Since 2003    Managing Director and General Counsel of Global Mutual Funds for Legg Mason & Co. (since 2005); Managing Director and General Counsel of Global Mutual Funds for CAM (since 2000); Secretary and Chief Legal Officer of certain mutual funds associated with Legg Mason & Co. (since 2003). Previously, Secretary of CFM (2001 to 2004).

 

44


Name, Year
of Birth and Address

   Position(s)
with Fund
   Term of Office*
and Length of
Time Served**
  

Principal Occupation(s)

During Past 5 Years

R. Jay Gerken, CFA

Born 1951

399 Park Avenue

New York, NY 10022

   Chairman,
President
and Chief
Executive
Officer
   Since 2002    Managing Director of Legg Mason & Co.; Chairman of the Board and Trustee/Director of 149 funds associated with LMPFA and its affiliates; President LMPFA (since 2006) Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of certain mutual funds associated with Legg Mason & Co. or its affiliates Previously, Chairman of SBFM and CFM (2002 to 2005); formerly Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of Travelers Investment Adviser Inc. (2002 to 2005).

Thomas C. Mandia

Born 1962

300 First Stamford Place

Stamford, CT 06902

   Assistant
Secretary
   Since 2000    Managing Director and Deputy General Counsel of Legg Mason & Co. (since 2005); Managing Director and Deputy General Counsel for CAM (since 1992); Assistant Secretary of certain mutual funds associated with Legg Mason & Co.

Kaprel Ozsolak

Born 1965

125 Broad Street, 11th Floor

New York, NY 10004

   Chief
Financial
Officer
and
Treasurer
   Since 2004    Director of Legg Mason & Co. (since 2005); Vice President at CAM (1996 to 2005); Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer of certain mutual funds associated with Legg Mason & Co. (since 2005); Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer of certain mutual funds associated with CAM (2004 to 2005). Previously, Mr. Ozsolak was Controller of certain mutual funds associated with CAM (2002 to 2004).

* Each officer serves until his or her respective successor has been duly elected and qualified or until his or her earlier death, resignation, retirement or removal.
** Indicates the earliest year in which the officer took office for any funds in the Legg Mason Partners fund complex.

Officers of the fund receive no compensation from the fund, although they may be reimbursed by the fund for reasonable out-of-pocket travel expenses for attending Board meetings.

The Board has three standing Committees: the Audit Committee, Nominating and Governance Committee (referred to as the Nominating Committee) and Pricing Committee.

The Audit Committee and Nominating Committee are composed of all of the Independent Trustees. The Pricing Committee is composed of the Chairman of the Board and one Independent Trustee.

The Audit Committee oversees, among other things, the scope of the fund’s audit, the fund’s accounting and financial reporting policies and practices and its internal controls. The primary purposes of the Board’s Audit Committee are to assist the Board in fulfilling its responsibility for oversight of the integrity of the accounting, auditing and financial reporting practices of the fund and the qualifications and independence of the fund’s independent registered public accounting firm. The Audit Committee approves, and recommends to the Independent Trustees for their ratification, the selection, appointment, retention or termination of the fund’s

 

45


independent registered public accounting firm and approves the compensation of the independent registered public accounting firm. The Audit Committee also approves all audit and permissible non-audit services provided to the fund by the independent registered public accounting firm and all permissible non-audit services provided by the fund’s independent registered public accounting firm to its manager and any affiliated service providers if the engagement relates directly to the fund’s operations and financial reporting. The Audit Committee also assists the Board in fulfilling its responsibility for the review and negotiation of the fund’s investment management and subadvisory arrangements.

The Nominating Committee is responsible for, among other things, recommending candidates to fill vacancies on the Board. The Nominating Committee may consider nominees recommended by a shareholder. Shareholders who wish to recommend a nominee should send recommendations to the Trust’s Secretary that include all information relating to such person that is required to be disclosed in solicitations of proxies for the election of Trustees. A recommendation must be accompanied by a written consent of the individual to stand for election if nominated by the Board and to serve if elected by the shareholders.

The Nominating Committee identifies potential nominees through its network of contacts and may also engage, if it deems appropriate, a professional search firm. The committee meets to discuss and consider such candidates’ qualifications and then chooses a candidate by majority vote. The committee does not have specific, minimum qualifications for nominees, nor has it established specific qualities or skills that it regards as necessary for one or more of the Trustees to possess (other than any qualities or skills that may be required by applicable law, regulation or listing standard). However, in evaluating a person as a potential nominee to serve as a Trustee, the Nominating Committee may consider the following factors, among any others it may deem relevant:

 

   

whether or not the person is an “interested person,” as defined in the 1940 Act, and whether the person is otherwise qualified under applicable laws and regulations to serve as a Trustee;

 

   

whether or not the person has any relationships that might impair his or her independence, such as any business, financial or family relationships with fund management, the investment adviser, service providers or their affiliates;

 

   

whether or not the person serves on boards of, or is otherwise affiliated with, competing financial service organizations or their related mutual fund complexes;

 

   

whether or not the person is willing to serve, and willing and able to commit the time necessary for the performance of the duties of a Trustee;

 

   

the contribution which the person can make to the Board (or, if the person has previously served as a Trustee, the contribution which the person made to the Board during his or her previous term of service), with consideration being given to the person’s business and professional experience, education and such other factors as the committee may consider relevant;

 

   

the character and integrity of the person; and

   

whether or not the selection and nomination of the person would be consistent with the requirements of the retirement policies of the Trust, as applicable.

The Pricing Committee is charged with determining the fair value prices for securities when required.

As indicated above, the Trust’s Board is recently elected and is newly constituted as the Board that oversees all of the equity-type funds in the fund complex. All members of the Board previously have served on Boards of Legg Mason Partners funds. The Audit, Nominating and Pricing Committees are recently established committees of this Board and did not meet during the fund’s last fiscal year.

 

46


The following table shows the amount of equity securities owned by the Trustees in the fund and other investment companies in the fund complex supervised by the Trustees as of December 31, 2006.

 

Name of Trustee

  

Dollar Range

of Equity

Securities in

the Fund*

  

Aggregate Dollar Range

of Equity Securities In

Registered Investment

Companies Overseen

by Trustee*

Independent Trustees

     

Paul R. Ades

   A    E

Andrew L. Breech

   A    E

Dwight B. Crane

   A    E

Robert M. Frayn, Jr.

   A    E

Frank G. Hubbard

   A    E

Howard J. Johnson

   A    A

David E. Maryatt

   A    E

Jerome H. Miller

   A    D

Ken Miller

   A    D

John J. Murphy

   A    A

Thomas F. Schlafly

   A    E

Jerry A. Viscione

   A    C

Interested Trustee

     

R. Jay Gerken

   A    E

*A. None
B. $1-$10,000
C. $10,001-$50,000
D. $50,001-$100,000
E. over $100,000

As of April 16, 2007, none of the Independent Trustees or their immediate family members owned beneficially or of record any securities of the manager, subadviser or distributors of the fund, or in a person (other than a registered investment company) directly or indirectly controlling, controlled by or under common control with the manager, subadviser or distributors of the fund.

Information regarding compensation by the fund to its recently elected Board and its prior Board is set forth below. The Independent Trustees receive a fee for each meeting of the fund’s Board and committee meetings attended and are reimbursed for all out-of-pocket expenses relating to attendance at such meetings. Mr. Gerken, an “interested person,” as defined in the 1940 Act, does not receive compensation from the fund for his service as Trustee, but may be reimbursed for all out-of-pocket expenses relating to attendance at such meetings.

The fund pays a pro rata share of the Trustee fees based upon asset size. The fund currently pays each of the Trustees who is not a director, officer or employee of the manager or any of its affiliates its pro rata share of: an annual fee of $100,000, plus $20,000 for each regularly scheduled Board meeting attended in person, and $1,000 for telephonic Board meetings in which that Trustee participates. The lead Independent Trustee will receive an additional $25,000 per year and the Chair of the Audit Committee will receive an additional $15,000 per year.

Recently Elected Board

Name of Trustee

  

Aggregate

Compensation

from the

Fund(1)(2)

  

Total Pension or

Retirement

Benefits Paid

as Part of Fund
Expenses(1)

   

Total

Compensation

from Fund

Complex Paid

to Trustee(1)(2)

  

Number of

Portfolios in

Fund

Complex

Overseen by

Trustee(1)

Independent Trustees

          

Paul R. Ades

   N/A    $0     $  86,200    12

Andrew L. Breech

   N/A    $0     $  35,750    3

Dwight B. Crane

   N/A    (3 )   $266,500    46

 

47


Name of Trustee

  

Aggregate

Compensation

from the

Fund(1)(2)

  

Total Pension or

Retirement

Benefits Paid

as Part of Fund
Expenses(1)

  

Total

Compensation

from Fund

Complex Paid

to Trustee(1)(2)

  

Number of

Portfolios in

Fund

Complex

Overseen by

Trustee(1)

Robert M. Frayn, Jr.

   N/A    $0    $  17,500
(100% deferred)
   1

Frank G. Hubbard

   N/A    $0    $78,700    12

Howard J. Johnson

   N/A    $0    $36,000    1

David E. Maryatt

   N/A    $0    $17,500
(100% deferred)
   1

Jerome H. Miller

   N/A    $0    $73,500    12

Ken Miller

   N/A    $0    $71,500    12

John J. Murphy

   N/A    $0    $91,200    23

Thomas F. Schlafly

   N/A    $0    $35,250    3

Jerry A. Viscione

   N/A    $0    $29,500    1

Interested Trustee

           

R. Jay Gerken

      $0       162

(1) Information is for the calendar year ended December 31, 2006. The disclosure of compensation paid to the Trustees is provided as of the most recent calendar year, rather than the fund’s most recent fiscal year end, for ease of presentation and comprehension.
(2) Mr. Murphy and Mr. Hubbard also received $2,200 and $5,200, respectively during 2006 for attending on behalf of their former Boards an additional meeting relating to the selection of service providers for the funds in the Legg Mason Partners Fund complex. This amount was paid by the manager or its affiliates, and not by the fund.
(3) Pursuant to a prior emeritus retirement plan, Mr. Crane has received or is entitled to receive, in a lump sum (calculated on a net present value basis) or in quarterly installments, an aggregate benefit having a net present value equal to $444,643. Mr. Crane elected to receive the benefit in a lump sum payment. Each fund no longer overseen by Mr. Crane will pay a pro rata share (based upon asset size) of the aggregate benefit to Mr. Crane. Legg Mason or its affiliates have agreed to reimburse these funds an amount equal to 50% of the benefits paid to Mr. Crane. None of these amounts were paid during the period covered by this table.

Information regarding compensation paid to the Board members of the fund as of the most recent fiscal year ended October 31, 2006 is set forth below. Information as to the compensation paid to the Trustees of the fund for the calendar year ended December 31, 2006 also is shown below.

Prior Board

Name of Trustee

  

Aggregate
Compensation
From the

Fund For the
Fiscal Year
Ended
10/31/06(4)

  

Total

Pension or
Retirement
Benefits

Paid as

Part of Fund

Expenses(2)

    Total
Compensation
From Fund
Complex Paid
to Trustees
in Fiscal
Year Ended
10/31/06(4)
  

Number of

Funds

for Which
Trustee Served
Within Fund
Complex

Disinterested Trustees:

          

Elliott J. Berv

   $ 566      (3 )   $ 154,500    37

Donald M. Carlton

   $ 571      (3 )(5)   $ 164,500    37

A. Benton Cocanougher

   $ 1,893      (3 )   $ 161,000    37

Mark T. Finn

   $ 945      (3 )   $ 179,385    37

Stephen Randolph Gross

   $ 958      (3 )   $ 191,000    37

Diana R. Harrington

   $ 569      (3 )   $ 159,625    37

Susan B. Kerley

   $ 583      (3 )   $ 173,000    37

Alan G. Merten

   $ 566      (3 )   $ 148,500    37

R. Richardson Pettit

   $ 566      (3 )   $ 154,500    37

Interested Trustee:

          

R. Jay Gerken(1)

   $ 0    $ 0     $ 0    162

 

48


Name of Independent Trustee

  

Aggregate
Compensation
From

Fund For
Year Ended
12/31/06(4)

  

Total

Pension or
Retirement
Benefits

Paid as

Part of Fund

Expenses(2)(3)

   

Total

Compensation
from Fund
Complex

Paid to
Trustees in
Year Ended
12/31/06(4)

  

Number of

Funds for
Which
Trustee

Served
Within Fund
Complex

 

Disinterested Trustees:

          

Elliott J. Berv

   $ 570    (3 )   $ 154,500    37  

Donald M. Carlton

   $ 575    (3 )(5)   $ 164,500    37  

A. Benton Cocanougher

   $ 1,461    (3 )   $ 161,000    37  

Mark T. Finn

   $ 949    (3 )   $ 179,385    37  

Stephen Randolph Gross

   $ 956    (3 )   $ 191,000    37  

Diana R. Harrington

   $ 573    (3 )   $ 159,625    37  

Susan B. Kerley

   $ 587    (3 )   $ 173,000    37  

Alan G. Merten

   $ 570    (3 )   $ 148,500    37  

R. Richardson Pettit

   $ 570    (3 )   $ 154,500    37  

Interested Trustee:

          

R. Jay Gerken(1)

   $ 0    $0     $ 0    162  

(1) Mr. Gerken was not compensated for his services as Trustee because of his affiliation with the manager.
(2) During the most recent fiscal year, the following former Trustees received the following retirement benefits under the Retirement Plan: Messrs. Riley C. Gilley and E. Kirby Warren each received an aggregate of $70,000; Mr. William S. Woods received an aggregate of $17,250. The fund paid its pro rata share (based on asset size) of these aggregate benefits.
(3) Pursuant to prior retirement plans, the following former Trustees have received or are entitled to receive benefits (calculated on a net present value basis) as follows: Mr. Berv: $307,130; Mr. Carlton $517,678; Mr. Cocanougher: $503,114; Mr. Finn: $306,079; Mr. Gross: $318,788; Ms. Harrington: $348,670; Ms. Kerley: $217,984; Mr. Merten: $405,257; Mr. Pettit: $424,976. Benefits under the retirement plans are paid in quarterly installments unless the Trustee elected to receive them in a lump sum at net present value. Each fund formerly overseen by these trustees will pay its pro rata share (based on asset size) of these aggregate benefits. Legg Mason or its affiliates have agreed to reimburse the funds an amount equal to 50% of these benefits (except that Mr. Carlton’s benefit will be paid by the funds formerly in Legg Mason Partners Investment Series). None of these amounts were paid during the period covered by this table.
(4) In addition to the amounts set forth above, Mr. Gross received $12,000 during the fiscal year ended October 31, 2006, for services as Trustee in attending additional meetings related to the consideration of new service provider arrangements. These amounts were borne by the manager and/or its affiliates and not by the fund.
(5) Mr. Carlton retired as a Trustee of the fund on December 31, 2006.

As of March 16, 2007, all Trustees and officers as a group owned less than 1% of the outstanding shares of the fund.

As of March 16, 2007, the following persons owned of record the amounts indicated of the shares of the Class of the fund:

 

Class   

Name / Address

   Percent
A   

DRAKE & CO.

C/O CITI A/C #25D056362768

1 COURT SQUARE, 22ND FLOOR

LONG ISLAND CITY, NY 11120

   7.2676

 

49


Class   

Name / Address

   Percent
  

SPEARS FAMILY HOLDINGS LIMITED PARTNERSHIP

UMBRELLA LEVEL V

7925 SOUTH PARK PLACE

ORLANDO, FL 32819-4885

   6.462
B   

JOHN B SAPOZNIKOFF

CGM IRA ROLLOVER CUSTODIAN

2409 PRETTY BAYOU ISLAND DRIVE

PANAMA CITY, FL 32405-2124

   7.4419
  

JUDITH A. KALISH

64 BENNETT ST.

BRIGHTON, MA 02135-2622

   7.0374
  

CITIBANK, N.A. A/T/F:

GIBSON CRAIG IRR

553 BEDFORD RD.

PLEASANTVILLE, NY 10570-3326

   6.187
  

CITIBANK, NA A/T/F:

DR. CARLOS E. ARELLANO IRR

5831 BAYVIEW DR.

FT. LAUDERDALE, FL 33308-2832

   5.365
  

DENISE AILEEN WATERS

MARTIN H. PINE

AIR, LAND & SEA LTD. DEFINED

DTD 12/16/05 BENEFIT PLAN & TR.

P.O. BOX 752

BREWERTON, NY 13029-0752

   5.3393
  

DANIEL O’BRIEN

30 GARTH RD., APT. 2R

SCARSDALE, NY 10583-3774

   5.2533
C   

DENGEL & CO

C/O FIDUCIARY TRUST COMPANY INTERNATIONAL

P.O. BOX 3199 CHURCH ST. STATION

NEW YORK, NY 10008

   19.573
  

JOSEPHINE FRIIA

TOD

SUBJECT TO ACCESS TOD RULES

20 COPPER BEACH CIRCLE

WHITE PLAINS, NY 10605-4702

   8.264
  

WEDBUSH MORGAN SECURITIES

A/C 3110-5128

1000 WILSHIRE BLVD.

LOS ANGELES, CA 90017

   6.6633
  

JOHN B. SAPOZNIKOFF

CGM IRA ROLLOVER CUSTODIAN

2409 PRETTY BAYOU ISLAND DRIVE

PANAMA CITY, FL 32405-2124

   6.2995

 

50


Class   

Name / Address

   Percent
  

R & L ASSOCIATES, L.P.

ROGER S. BROWN JR., TRUSTEE

319 SEWICKLEY RIDGE DRIVE

SEWICKLEY, PA 15143-8906

   5.2706
  

ELIZABETH O’LEARY

107 OLD LYME RD.

PURCHASE, NY 10577-1520

   5.1562
I   

FIDELITY INVESTMENTS INSTITUTIONAL

OPERATIONS CO INC / FIIOC AS AGENT

100 MAGELLAN WAY (KW1C)

COVINGTON, KY 41015

   100

Code of Ethics

Pursuant to Rule 17j-1 of the 1940 Act, the Fund, its manager, the subadviser, and the distributors have adopted codes of ethics that permit its respective personnel to invest in securities for their own accounts, including securities that may be purchased or held by the fund. All personnel must place the interests of clients first and avoid activities, interests and relationships that might interfere with the duty to make decisions in the best interests of the clients. All personal securities transactions by employees must adhere to the requirements of the codes and must be conducted in such manner as to avoid any actual or potential conflict of interest, the appearance of such a conflict, or the abuse of an employee’s position of Trust and responsibility.

Copies of the Codes of Ethics of the fund, and its manager, subadviser, and distributors are on file with the SEC.

Proxy Voting Policies & Procedures

Although individual Trustees may not agree with particular policies or votes by the manager or subadviser, the Board has delegated proxy voting discretion to the manager and/or the subadviser, believing that the manager and/or the subadviser should be responsible for voting because it is a matter relating to the investment decision making process.

LMPFA delegates the responsibility for voting proxies for the fund, as applicable, to the subadviser through its contracts with the subadviser. The subadviser will use their own proxy voting policies and procedures to vote proxies. Accordingly, LMPFA does not expect to have proxy-voting responsibility for the fund. Should LMPFA become responsible for voting proxies for any reason, such as the inability of a subadviser to provide investment advisory services, LMPFA shall utilize the proxy voting guidelines established by the most recent subadviser to vote proxies until a new subadviser is retained. In the case of a material conflict between the interests of LMPFA (or its affiliates if such conflict is known to persons responsible for voting at LMPFA) and the fund, the Board of Directors of LMPFA shall consider how to address the conflict and/or how to vote the proxies. LMPFA shall maintain records of all proxy votes in accordance with applicable securities laws and regulations, to the extent that LMPFA votes proxies. LMPFA shall be responsible for gathering relevant documents and records related to proxy voting from the subadviser and providing them to the fund as required for the fund to comply with applicable rules under the 1940 Act.

The subadviser’s Proxy Voting Policies and Procedures govern in determining how proxies relating to the fund’s portfolio securities are voted and is attached as Appendix A to this SAI.

Information regarding how each fund voted proxies (if any) relating to portfolio securities during the most recent 12-month period ended June 30 is available without charge (1) by calling 1-888-425-6432, (2) on the funds’ website at http://www.leggmason.com/InvestorServices and (3) on the SEC’s website at http://www.sec.gov.

 

51


Manager

LMPFA serves as investment manager to the fund pursuant to an investment management agreement (the “Management Agreement”) with an initial term ending November 30, 2007. LMPFA, with offices at 399 Park Avenue, New York, New York 10022, is a recently-organized investment adviser that has been formed to serve as the investment manager of the fund and certain other Legg Mason-sponsored funds. LMPFA is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Legg Mason.

Legg Mason, whose principal executive offices are at 100 Light Street, Baltimore, Maryland 21202, is a global asset management company. As of December 31, 2006, Legg Mason’s asset management operation had aggregate assets under management of approximately $945 billion. LMPFA provides administrative and certain oversight services to the fund and manages the cash and short-term investments of the fund.

Under the Management Agreement, subject to the supervision and direction of the fund’s Board, the manager is delegated the responsibility of managing the fund’s portfolio in accordance with the fund’s stated investment objective and policies, making investment decisions for the fund and placing orders to purchase and sell securities. The manager also performs administrative and management services necessary for the operation of the fund, such as (i) supervising the overall administration of the fund, including negotiation of contracts and fees with and the monitoring of performance and billings of the fund’s transfer agent, shareholder servicing agents, custodian and other independent contractors or agents; (ii) providing certain compliance, fund accounting, regulatory reporting, and tax reporting services; (iii) preparing or participating in the preparation of Board materials, registration statements, proxy statements and reports and other communications to shareholders; (iv) maintaining the fund’s existence, and (v) maintaining the registration and qualification of the fund’s shares under federal and state laws.

The Management Agreement has an initial term ending November 30, 2007 and will continue in effect from year to year thereafter provided such continuance is specifically approved at least annually (a) by the fund’s Board or by a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the fund (as defined in the 1940 Act), and (b) in either event, by a majority of the Independent Trustee with such Independent Trustee casting votes in person at a meeting called for such purpose.

The Management Agreement provides that the manager may render services to others. The Management Agreement is terminable without penalty on not more than 60 days’ nor less than 30 days’ written notice by the fund when authorized either by a vote of holders of shares representing a majority of the voting power of the outstanding voting securities of the fund (as defined in the 1940 Act) or by a vote of a majority of the fund’s Trustees, or by the manager on not less than 90 days’ written notice, and will automatically terminate in the event of its assignment. The Management Agreement provides that neither the manager nor its personnel shall be liable for any error of judgment or mistake of law or for any loss arising out of any investment or for any act or omission in the execution of security transactions for the fund, except for willful misfeasance, bad faith or gross negligence or reckless disregard of its or their obligations and duties.

Effective, October 1, 2005, for its services under the Management Agreement, LMPFA receives fees, which are computed daily and paid monthly, at the following annual rates of the fund’s average daily net assets on an annualized basis for the fund’s then-current fiscal year: 0.850% on assets up to $1 billion, 0.825% on assets between $1 billion and $2 billion, 0.800% on assets between $2 billion and $5 billion, 0.775% on assets between $5 billion and $10 billion, and 0.750% on assets over $10 billion. Prior to October 1, 2005, the management fee was 0.95%. The manager may reimburse the fund or waive all or a portion of its management fees.

For the period from December 1, 2005 through July 31, 2006, Smith Barney Fund Management LLC (“SBFM”) served as the fund’s manager under the same fee schedule as described above.

The fund was newly organized and did not pay management fees during the fiscal year ended October 31, 2004.

 

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For the period from January 3, 2005 (commencement of operations) through October 31, 2005, the manager voluntarily waived all fees. For the fiscal year ended October 31, 2006, the fund paid, after waivers, to the manager under its Management Agreement $288,664.

The manager may retain a sub-administrator.

Subadviser

Legg Mason International Entities Limited (“LMIE”) provides the day-to-day portfolio management of the fund, except for the management of cash and short-term instruments, as subadviser. LMIE is a wholly-owned subsidiaries of Legg Mason, Inc. (“Legg Mason”). As of December 31, 2006, LMIE’s total assets under management were approximately $6.8 billion.

Under the Sub-Advisory Agreement, subject to the supervision and direction of the Board and the manager, the subadviser will except for the management of cash and short-term investments that is performed by LMPFA manage the fund’s portfolio (or allocated portion thereof) in accordance with the fund’s stated investment objective(s) and policies, assist in supervising all aspects of the fund’s operations, make investment decisions for the fund, place orders to purchase and sell securities, and employ professional portfolio managers and securities analysts who provide research services to the fund.

The Sub-Advisory Agreement has an initial term ending November 30, 2007 and will continue in effect from year to year thereafter provided such continuance is specifically approved at least annually (a) by the Board or by a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the fund (as defined in the 1940 Act), and (b) in either event, by a majority of the Independent Trustees with such Independent Trustees casting votes in person at a meeting called for such purpose. The Board or a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the fund (as defined in the 1940 Act) may terminate the Sub-Advisory Agreement without penalty, in each case on not more than 60 days’ nor less than 30 days’ written notice to the Subadviser. The subadviser may terminate the Sub-Advisory Agreement on 90 days’ written notice to the fund and the Manager . The manager and the subadviser may terminate the Sub-Advisory Agreement upon their mutual written consent of. This Sub-Advisory Agreement will terminate automatically in the event of assignment by the subadviser and shall not be assignable by the Manager without the consent of the subadviser.

As compensation for its sub-advisory services, the manager will pay the subadviser a fee equal to 70% of the management fee paid to LMPFA, net expenses waivers and reimbursements. For the period from August 1, 2006 through October 31, 2006, the manager paid the subadviser subadvisory fees of $57,353.

Distributors

LMIS, a wholly-owned broker-dealer subsidiary of Legg Mason, located at 100 Light Street, Baltimore, Maryland 21202 and CGMI, an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of Citigroup, located at 388 Greenwich Street, New York, New York 10013 serve as the fund’s distributors pursuant to separate written agreements or amendments to written agreements, in each case dated December 1, 2005 (the “Distribution Agreements”).

A distributor’s obligation is an agency or “best efforts” arrangement under which the distributor is required to take and pay only for such shares of the fund as may be sold to the public. The distributor is not obligated to sell any stated number of shares. Each Distribution Agreement is renewable from year to year if approved (a) by the Trustees or by a vote of a majority of the fund’s outstanding voting securities, and (b) by the affirmative vote of a majority of Trustees who are not parties to such Agreement or interested persons of any party by votes cast in person at a meeting called for such purpose. Each Distribution Agreement provides that it will terminate if assigned, and that it may be terminated without penalty by either party on 60 days’ written notice provided that the distribution agreement with CGMI may be terminated upon 90 days’ written notice by the distributor.

 

53


In addition, the distributors may make payments for distribution and/or shareholder servicing activities out of their past profits and other available sources. The distributors may also make payments to dealers for marketing, promotional or related expenses. The amount of these payments is determined by the distributors and may be substantial. The manager or an affiliate may make similar payments under similar arrangements.

Initial Sales Charges

The aggregate dollar amount of Initial Sales Charges on Class A shares received by LMIS and CGMI during the Fiscal Years 2005 and 2006 were as follows:

 

Class

For the fiscal year ended October 31:

   CGMI and LMIS

Class A 2006

   $ 484

Class A 2005(1)*

   $ 1,000

(1) Initial Sales Charges Paid for the Period from the Inception Date through October 31, 2005. The inception date for Class A shares of the fund was January 5, 2005.
* All initial sales charges paid during the fiscal year ended October 31, 2005 were paid to CGMI.

Contingent Deferred Sales Charges

The aggregate dollar amount of Contingent Deferred Sales Charges on Class A, Class B and Class C shares received by LMIS and CGMI during the Fiscal Years 2005 and 2006 were as follows:

 

Class

   CGMI and LMIS

Class A 2006

   $ 0

Class A 2005(1)*

   $ 0

Class B 2006

   $ 91

Class B 2005(1)*

   $ 0

Class C 2006

   $ 0

Class C 2005(1)*

   $ 0

(1) Deferred Sales Charges Paid for the Period from the Inception Date through October 31, 2005. The inception dates for Class A, Class B and Class C shares of the fund were January 5, 2005, August 11, 2005 and September 7, 2005, respectively.
* All contingent deferred sales charges paid during the fiscal year ended October 31, 2005 were paid to CGMI.

Services and Distribution Plan Arrangements

Class A, Class B and Class C shares of the fund have each adopted a shareholder services and distribution Plan (each, a “Service Plan”) in accordance with Rule 12b-1 under the 1940 Act. Under the Plans, the fund may pay monthly fees at an annual rate not to exceed 0.25% of the average daily net assets of the fund attributable to that class in the case of the Plans relating to Class A shares, and not to exceed 1.00% of the average daily net assets of the fund attributable to that class in the case of the Plans relating to Class B shares and Class C shares. Such fees may be used to make payments to the distributors for distribution services, to service agents in respect of the sale of shares of the fund, and to other parties in respect of the sale of shares of the fund, and to make payments for advertising, marketing or other promotional activity, and payments for preparation, printing, and distribution of prospectuses, statements of additional information and reports for recipients other than regulators and existing shareholders. The fund also may make payments to the distributors, service agents and others for providing personal service or the maintenance of shareholder accounts. The amounts paid to each recipient may vary based upon certain factors, including, among other things, the levels of sales of fund shares and/or shareholder services provided, provided, however, that the fees paid to a recipient with respect to a particular Class that may be used to cover expenses primarily intended to result in the sale of shares of that Class, or that may be used to cover expenses primarily intended for personal service and/or maintenance of shareholder accounts, may not exceed the maximum amounts, if any, as may from time to time be permitted for such services under NASD Conduct Rule 2830 or any successor rule, in each case as amended or interpreted by the NASD.

 

54


The 12b-1 Plans with respect to Class A and Class C shares also provide that the distributors and service agents may receive all or a portion of the Contingent Deferred Sales Charges paid by Class B and Class C investors, respectively.

The 12b-1 Plans permit the fund to pay fees to a distributor, service agents and others as compensation for their services, not as reimbursement for specific expenses incurred. Thus, even if their expenses exceed the fees provided for by the 12b-1 Plan, the fund will not be obligated to pay more than those fees and, if their expenses are less than the fees paid to them, they will realize a profit. The fund may pay the fees to a distributor and others until the 12b-1 Plan or Distribution Agreement is terminated or not renewed. In that event, a distributor’s or other recipient’s expenses in excess of fees received or accrued through the termination date will be the distributor’s or other recipient’s sole responsibility and not obligations of the fund. In their annual consideration of the continuation of the 12b-1 Plans for the fund, the Trustees will review the 12b-1 Plan and the expenses for each class within the fund separately.

The 12b-1 Plan also recognizes that various service providers to the fund, such as the manager, may make payments for distribution related expenses out of their own resources, including past profits, or payments received from the fund for other purposes, such as management fees, and that the fund’s distributors or service agents may from time to time use their own resources for distribution-related services, in addition to the fees paid under the 12b-1 Plan. The 12b-1 Plan specifically provide that, to the extent that such payments might be deemed to be indirect financing of any activity primarily intended to result in the sale of shares of the fund within the context of Rule 12b-1, then the payments are deemed to be authorized by the 12b-1 Plan, if permitted under applicable law.

Each 12b-1 Plan continues in effect if such continuance is specifically approved at least annually by a vote of both a majority of the Trustees and a majority of the Trustees who are not “interested persons” (as defined in the 1940 Act) of the Trust and who have no direct or indirect financial interest in the operation of the 12b-1 Plan or in any agreement related to the 12b-1 Plan (for purposes of this paragraph “Qualified Trustees”). The Trustees, in the exercise of their business judgment in the best interests of the shareholders of the fund and each Class, have approved the continuation of the 12b-1 Plans. The 12b-1 Plan requires that the Trust and the distributor provide to the Board of Trustees and the Board of Trustees review, at least quarterly, a written report of the amounts expended (and the purposes therefor) under the 12b-1 Plan. The 12b-1 Plan further provides that the selection and nomination of the Qualified Trustees is committed to the discretion of the Qualified Trustees then in office who are not interested Trustees of the Trust. The 12b-1 Plan may be terminated with respect to any class of the fund at any time by a vote of a majority of the Trust’s Qualified Trustees or by a vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of that class. The 12b-1 Plan may not be amended to increase materially the amount of permitted expenses of the class thereunder without the approval of a majority of the outstanding securities of that class and may not be materially amended in any case without a vote of a majority of both the Trustees and Qualified Trustees. The fund will preserve copies of any plan, agreement or report made pursuant to the 12b-1 Plans for a period of not less than six years, and for the first two years the fund will preserve such copies in an easily accessible place.

As contemplated by the 12b-1 Plan, each distributor acts as an agent of the Trust in connection with the offering of shares of the fund pursuant to the respective Distribution Agreements.

For the fiscal year ended October 31, 2006, the fees paid under the 12b-l Plan with respect to Class A, Class B and Class C shares were $45,380, $1,151, and $447, respectively.

 

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For the fiscal year ended October 31, 2005, the distributors and/or service agents incurred the following distribution expenses under the 12b-1 Plan for each class of fund:

 

Class

   Financial
Consultant
Compensation
   Operational
Expenses
   Amount
Spent on
Advertising
and
Marketing
   Amount
Spent on
Printing
and
Mailing of
Prospectus
   Total

Class A 2005

   $ 12,975    $ 3,326    $ 0    $ 0    $ 16,301

Class B 2005

   $ 13,673    $ 14,707    $ 7,146    $ 0    $ 35,526

Class C 2005

   $ 1,769    $ 4,897    $ 2,835    $ 0    $ 9,501

* The inception dates for Class A, Class B and Class C shares of the fund were January 5, 2005, August 11, 2005 and September 7, 2005, respectively.

Distribution expenses incurred by LMIS and CGMI for the fiscal year ended October 31, 2006, for advertising, printing and mailing prospectuses, support services and overhead expenses, payments to their financial advisers or registered representative and for accruals for interest on expenses incurred in the distribution of the fund’s shares are set forth in the following tables:

LMIS

Class

   Financial
Consultant
Compensation
   Third Party
Service Fees
   Marketing &
Advertising
Expenses
   Printing
Expenses
   Total
Expenses

A

   $ 0    $ 661    $ 0    $ 0    $ 661

B

   $ 686    $ 91    $ 529    $ 0    $ 1,306

C

   $ 339    $ 3    $ 910    $ 0    $ 1,252

Total

   $ 1,025    $ 755    $ 1,439    $ 0    $ 3,219

CGMI

Class

   Financial
Consultant
Compensation
   Third Party
Service Fees
   Branch
Operations
   Marketing &
Advertising
Expenses
   Printing
Expenses
   Total
Expenses

A

   $ 482    $ 0    $ 23,919    $ 0    $ 0    $ 24,401

B

   $ 60    $ 0    $ 71    $ 0    $ 0    $ 131

C

   $ 151    $ 0    $ 184    $ 0    $ 0    $ 335

Total

   $ 693    $ 0    $ 24,174    $ 0    $ 0    $ 24,867

Dealer reallowances are described in the fund’s prospectus.

Expenses

In addition to amounts payable under the Management Agreement and the 12b-1 Plans (as discussed below), the fund is responsible for its own expenses, including, among other things, interest; taxes; governmental fees; voluntary assessments and other expenses incurred in connection with membership in investment company organizations; organization costs of the fund; the cost (including brokerage commissions, transaction fees or charges, if any) in connection with the purchase or sale of the fund’s securities and other investments and any losses in connection therewith; fees and expenses of custodians, transfer agents, registrars, independent pricing vendors or other agents; legal expenses; loan commitment fees; expenses relating to share certificates; expenses relating to the issuing and redemption or repurchase of the fund’s shares and servicing shareholder accounts; expenses of registering and qualifying the fund’s shares for sale under applicable federal and state law; expenses of preparing, setting in print, printing and distributing prospectuses and statements of additional information and any supplements thereto, reports, proxy statements, notices and dividends to the fund’s shareholders; costs of stationery; website costs; costs of meetings of the Board or any committee thereof, meetings of shareholders and

 

56


other meetings of the fund; Board fees; audit fees; travel expenses of officers, members of the Board and employees of the fund, if any; and the fund’s pro rata portion of premiums on any fidelity bond and other insurance covering the fund and its officers, Board members and employees; litigation expenses and any nonrecurring or extraordinary expenses as may arise, including, without limitation, those relating to actions, suits or proceedings to which the fund is a party and the legal obligation which the fund may have to indemnify the fund’s Board members and officers with respect thereto.

Management may agree to waive fees and/or reimburse operating expenses for one or more classes of shares, either through contractual or voluntary arrangements. Any such waivers and/ or reimbursements are described in the fund’s Prospectus. The contractual and voluntary fee waivers and/ or reimbursements do not cover extraordinary expenses, such as (a) any expenses or charges related to litigation, derivative actions, demand related to litigation, regulatory or other government investigations and proceedings, “for cause” regulatory inspections and indemnification or advancement of related expenses or costs, to the extent any such expenses are considered extraordinary expenses for the purposes of fee disclosure in Form N-1A as the same may be amended from time to time; (b) transaction costs (such as brokerage commissions and dealer and underwriter spreads) and taxes; and (c) other extraordinary expenses as determined for the purposes of fee disclosure in Form N-1A, as the same may be amended from time to time. Without limiting the foregoing, extraordinary expenses are generally those that are unusual or expected to recur only infrequently, and may include such expenses, by way of illustration, as (i) expenses of the reorganization, restructuring, redomiciling or merger of the fund or class or the acquisition of all or substantially all of the assets of another fund or class; (ii) expenses of holding, and soliciting proxies for, a meeting of shareholders of the fund or class (except to the extent relating to routine items such as the election of board members or the approval of the independent registered public accounting firm); and (iii) expenses of converting to a new custodian, transfer agent or other service provider, in each case to the extent any such expenses are considered extraordinary expenses for the purposes of fee disclosure in Form N-1A as the same may be amended from time to time.

Custodian and Transfer Agent

State Street Bank and Trust Company (“State Street”), 225 Franklin Street, Boston, Massachusetts 02110, serves as the custodian of the fund. State Street, among other things, maintains a custody account or accounts in the name of the fund; receives and delivers all assets for the fund upon purchase and upon sale or maturity; collects and receives all income and other payments and distributions on account of the assets of the fund; and makes disbursements on behalf of the fund. State Street neither determines the fund’s investment policies, nor decides which securities the fund will buy or sell. For its services, State Street receives a monthly fee based upon the daily average market value of securities held in custody and also receives securities transaction charges, including out-of-pocket expenses. The fund may also periodically enter into arrangements with other qualified custodians with respect to certain types of securities or other transactions such as repurchase agreements or derivatives transactions. State Street may also act as the fund’s securities lending agent and in that case receive a share of the income generated by such activities.

PFPC Inc. (“PFPC” or “transfer agent”), located at P.O. Box 9699, Providence, Rhode Island 02940-9699, serves as the fund’s transfer agent. Under the transfer agency agreement, the transfer agent maintains the shareholder account records for the fund, handles certain communications between shareholders and the fund and distributes dividends and distributions payable by the fund. For these services, the transfer agent receives a monthly fee computed on the basis of the number of shareholder accounts it maintains for the fund during the month, and is reimbursed for out-of-pocket expenses. Prior to January 1, 2006, Citicorp Trust Bank, fsb (“CTB”) served as the fund’s transfer agent and PFPC served as the fund’s sub-transfer agent.

Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

KPMG LLP, independent registered public accounting firm, 345 Park Avenue, New York, New York 10154, has been selected to audit and report upon the fund’s financial statements and financial highlights for the fiscal year ending October 31, 2007.

 

57


Counsel

Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP, 787 Seventh Avenue, New York, New York 10019-6099, serves as counsel to the fund.

8. PORTFOLIO TRANSACTIONS

Subject to policies as may be established by the fund’s Board from time to time, the subadviser is primarily responsible for the fund’s portfolio decisions and the placing of the fund’s portfolio transactions, except that the manager manages the cash and short-term investments of the fund.

Transactions on stock exchanges involve the payment of negotiated brokerage commissions. There is generally no stated commission in the case of securities traded in the over-the-counter market, but the price of those securities includes an undisclosed commission or mark-up. Over-the-counter purchases and sales are transacted directly with principal market makers except where it is believed that better prices and executions may be obtained elsewhere. The cost of securities purchased from underwriters includes an underwriting commission or concession, and the prices at which securities are purchased from and sold to dealers include a dealer’s mark-up or mark-down. The aggregate brokerage commissions paid by the fund for the three most recent fiscal years is set forth below under “Aggregate Brokerage Commissions Paid.”

Pursuant to the Management Agreement and Sub-Advisory Agreement, the manager and the subadviser are authorized to place orders pursuant to its investment determinations for a fund either directly with the issuer or with any broker or dealer, foreign currency dealer, futures commission merchant or others selected by it. The general policy of the manager and subadviser in selecting brokers and dealers is to obtain the best results achievable in the context of a number of factors which are considered both in relation to individual trades and broader trading patterns, including the reliability of the broker/dealer, the competitiveness of the price and the commission, the research services received and whether the broker/dealer commits its own capital.

In connection with the selection of such brokers or dealers and the placing of such orders, subject to applicable law, brokers or dealers may be selected who also provide brokerage and research services (as those terms are defined in Section 28(e) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934) to the fund and/or the other accounts over which the manager, the subadviser or their affiliates exercise investment discretion. The manager and subadviser are authorized to pay a broker or dealer who provides such brokerage and research services a commission for executing a portfolio transaction for the fund which is in excess of the amount of commission another broker or dealer would have charged for effecting that transaction if the manager or subadviser determines in good faith that such amount of commission is reasonable in relation to the value of the brokerage and research services provided by such broker or dealer. This determination may be viewed in terms of either that particular transaction or the overall responsibilities that the manager, the subadviser and their affiliates have with respect to accounts over which they exercise investment discretion. The manager and/or subadviser may also have arrangements with brokers pursuant to which such brokers provide research services to the manager or subadviser, as applicable, in exchange for a certain volume of brokerage transactions to be executed by such brokers. While the payment of higher commissions increases the fund’s costs, neither the manager nor the subadviser believes that the receipt of such brokerage and research services significantly reduces its expenses as manager or subadviser. Arrangements for the receipt of research services from brokers may create conflicts of interest.

Research services furnished to the manager or subadviser by brokers who effect securities transactions for the fund may be used by the manager or subadviser in servicing other investment companies and accounts which it manages. Similarly, research services furnished to the manager or subadviser by brokers who effect securities transactions for other investment companies and accounts which the manager or subadviser manages may be used by the manager or subadviser, as applicable, in servicing the fund. Not all of these research services are

 

58


used by the manager or subadviser in managing any particular account, including the fund. For the fiscal year ended October 31, 2006, the fund paid commissions to brokers that provided research services as follows:

 

Total Dollar Amount of Brokerage Transactions

Related to Research Services

  

Total Dollar Amount of Brokerage Commissions

Paid on Transactions Related to Research Services

$0

   $0

The fund contemplates that, consistent with the policy of obtaining the best net results, brokerage transactions may be conducted through “affiliated broker/dealers”, as defined in the 1940 Act. The fund’s Board of Trustees has adopted procedures in accordance with Rule 17e-1 promulgated under the 1940 Act to ensure that all brokerage commissions paid to such affiliates are reasonable and fair in the context of the market in which such affiliates operate. Effective December 1, 2005 CGMI is no longer an affiliated person of the fund under the 1940 Act. As a result, the fund will be permitted to execute portfolio transactions with CGMI or an affiliate of CGMI as agent (but not as principal) without being subject to the restrictions applicable to transactions with affiliated persons.

Aggregate Brokerage Commissions Paid

For the fiscal years ended October 31, 2005 and 2006, the fund paid aggregate brokerage commissions and brokerage commissions to CGMI as set out below:

 

    

Aggregate Broker

Commissions Paid

  

Amount of Brokerage

Commissions Paid

by the fund to CGMI

Year Ended October 31, 2005(1)

   $ 93,542    $ 0

Year Ended October 31, 2006

   $ 119,710    $ 1,150

(1)

For the period from January 3, 2005 (commencement of operations) through October 31, 2005.

For the fiscal year ended October 31, 2006, the percentage of the fund’s aggregate brokerage commissions paid to CGMI and its affiliates and the percentage of the fund’s aggregate dollar amount of transactions involving the payment of commissions effected through CGMI and its affiliates were as follows:

 

The Percentage of the Fund’s Aggregate Brokerage
Commissions Paid to CGMI

  

The Percentage of the Fund’s

Aggregate Dollar Amount of Transactions

Involving the Payment of Commissions

Effected Through CGMI

0.96%

   0.85%

As of December 1, 2005, LMIS became an underwriter of the fund under the 1940 Act. For the period December 1, 2005 through October 31, 2006, the fund did not pay any brokerage commissions to LMIS or its affiliates.

During the fiscal year ended October 31, 2006, the fund purchased no securities issued by regular broker/dealers of the fund.

Effective December 1, 2005, CGMI is no longer an affiliated person of the fund under the 1940 Act. As a result, the fund is permitted to execute portfolio transactions with CGMI or an affiliate of CGMI as agent (but not as principal). Similarly, the fund is permitted to purchase securities in underwritings in which CGMI or an affiliate of CGMI is a member without the restrictions imposed by certain rules of the SEC. The manager’s use of CGMI or affiliates of CGMI as agent in portfolio transactions with the fund will be governed by the fund’s policy of seeking best overall terms available.

In certain instances there may be securities that are suitable as an investment for the fund as well as for one or more of the manager’s or subadviser’s other clients. Investment decisions for the fund and for the manager’s

 

59


or subadviser’s other clients are made with a view to achieving their respective investment objectives. It may develop that a particular security is bought or sold for only one client even though it might be held by, or bought or sold for, other clients. Likewise, a particular security may be bought for one or more clients when one or more clients are selling the same security. Some simultaneous transactions are inevitable when several clients receive investment advice from the same investment adviser, particularly when the same security is suitable for the investment objectives of more than one client. When two or more clients are simultaneously engaged in the purchase or sale of the same security, the securities are allocated among clients in a manner believed to be equitable to each. It is recognized that in some cases this system could adversely affect the price of or the size of the position obtainable in a security for the fund. When purchases or sales of the same security for the fund and for other funds managed by the adviser occur contemporaneously, the purchase or sale orders may be aggregated in order to obtain any price advantages available to large volume purchases or sales.

For reporting purposes, the fund’s portfolio turnover rate is calculated by dividing the lesser of purchases or sales of portfolio securities for the fiscal year by the monthly average of the value of the portfolio securities owned by the fund during the fiscal year. In determining such portfolio turnover, all securities whose maturities at the time of acquisition were one year or less are excluded. A 100% portfolio turnover rate would occur, for example, if all of the securities in the fund’s investment portfolio (other than short-term money market securities) were replaced once during the fiscal year. Portfolio turnover will not be a limiting factor should the manager or subadviser deem it advisable to purchase or sell securities.

For the fiscal years ended October 31, 2005 and 2006, the fund’s portfolio turnover rates were 66% and 63%, respectively.

In the event that portfolio turnover increases, this increase necessarily results in correspondingly greater transaction costs which must be paid by the fund. To the extent portfolio trading results in realization of net short-term capital gains, shareholders will be taxed on such gains at ordinary tax rates (except shareholders who invest through IRAs and other retirement plans which are not taxed currently on accumulations in their accounts).

9. DISCLOSURE OF PORTFOLIO HOLDINGS

The fund’s Board of Trustees has adopted policies and procedures developed by LMPFA with respect to the disclosure of the fund’s portfolio securities and any ongoing arrangements to make available information about the fund’s portfolio securities. The policy requires that consideration always be given as to whether disclosure of information about the fund’s portfolio holdings is in the best interests of the fund’s shareholders, and that any conflicts of interest between the interests of the fund’s shareholders and those of LMPFA, the fund’s Distributors or their affiliates, be addressed in a manner that places the interests of fund shareholders first. The policy provides that information regarding the fund’s portfolio holdings may not be shared with non-Legg Mason employees, with investors or potential investors (whether individual or institutional), or with third parties unless it is done for legitimate fund business purposes and in accordance with the policy.

LMPFA’s policy generally provides for the release of details of securities positions once they are considered “stale.” Data is considered stale 25 calendar days following quarter-end for funds other than money market funds, and 25 calendar days following month-end with respect to money market funds. LMPFA believes that this passage of time prevents a third party from benefiting from an investment decision made by a fund that has not been fully reflected by the market.

Under the policy, the fund’s complete list of holdings (including the size of each position) may be made available to investors, potential investors, third parties and non-Legg Mason employees with simultaneous public disclosure at least 25 days after calendar quarter end, except in the case of a money market fund’s holdings, which may be released with simultaneous public disclosure at least 25 days after month end. Typically,

 

60


simultaneous public disclosure is achieved by the filing of Form N-Q or Form N-CSR in accordance with SEC rules, provided that such filings may not be made until 25 days following quarter-end and/or posting the information to a Legg Mason or the fund’s Internet site that is accessible by the public, or through public release by a third party vendor.

The policy permits the release of limited portfolio holdings information that is not yet considered stale in a number of situations, including:

 

  1. A fund’s top ten securities, current as of month-end, and the individual size of each such security position may be released at any time following month-end with simultaneous public disclosure.

 

  2. A fund’s top ten securities positions (including the aggregate but not individual size of such positions) may be released at any time with simultaneous public disclosure.

 

  3. A list of securities (that may include fund holdings together with other securities) followed by a portfolio manager (without position sizes or identification of particular funds) may be disclosed to sell-side brokers at any time for the purpose of obtaining research and/or market information from such brokers.

 

  4. A trade in process may be discussed only with counterparties, potential counterparties and others involved in the transaction (i.e., brokers and custodians).

 

  5. A fund’s sector weightings, yield and duration (for fixed income and money market funds), performance attribution (e.g., analysis of the fund’s out-performance or underperformance of its benchmark based on its portfolio holdings) and other summary and statistical information that does not include identification of specific portfolio holdings may be released, even if non-public, if such release is otherwise in accordance with the policy’s general principles.

 

  6. A fund’s portfolio holdings may be released on an as-needed basis to its legal counsel, counsel to its Independent Trustees, and its independent public accounting firm, in required regulatory filings or otherwise to governmental agencies and authorities.

Under the policy, if information about the fund’s portfolio holdings is released pursuant to an ongoing arrangement with any party, the fund must have a legitimate business purpose for the release of the information, and either the party receiving the information must be under a duty of confidentiality, or the release of non-public information must be subject to trading restrictions and confidential treatment to prohibit the entity from sharing with an unauthorized source or trading upon any non-public information provided. Neither the fund, nor Legg Mason, nor any other affiliated party may receive compensation or any other consideration in connection with such arrangements. Ongoing arrangements to make available information about the fund’s portfolio securities will be reviewed at least annually by the fund’s Board.

The approval of the fund’s Chief Compliance Officer, or designee, must be obtained before entering into any new ongoing arrangement or altering any existing ongoing arrangement to make available portfolio holdings information, or with respect to any exceptions to the policy. Any exceptions to the policy must be consistent with the purposes of the policy. Exceptions are considered on a case-by-case basis and are granted only after a thorough examination and consultation with LMPFA’s legal department, as necessary. Exceptions to the policies are reported to the fund’s Board at its next regularly scheduled meeting.

Currently the fund discloses its complete portfolio holdings approximately 25 days after calendar quarter end on its website : http://www.leggmason.com/lnvestorServices

 

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Set forth below is a list, as March 13, 2007, of those parties with whom LMPFA, on behalf of a fund, has authorized ongoing arrangements that include the release of portfolio holdings information in accordance with the policy, as well as the frequency of the release under such arrangements. and the length of the lag, if any, between the date of the information and the date on which the information is disclosed. The parties identified below as recipients are service providers, fund rating agencies, consultants and analysts.

 

Recipient

  

Frequency

  

Delay before dissemination

State Street Bank & Trust Co. (Fund Custodian and Accounting Agent)

   Daily    None

Institutional Shareholders Services (Proxy Voting Services)

   As necessary    None

Bloomberg

   Quarterly    25 Days after Quarter End

Lipper

   Quarterly    25 Days after Quarter End

S&P

   Quarterly    25 Days after Quarter End

Morningstar

   Quarterly    25 Days after Quarter End

Vestek

   Daily    None

Factset

   Daily    None

The Bank of New York

   Daily    None

Portfolio holdings information for the fund may also be released from time to time pursuant to ongoing arrangements with the following parties:

 

Recipient

  

Frequency

  

Delay before dissemination

Baseline    Daily    None
Frank Russell    Monthly    1 Day
Callan    Quarterly    25 Days after Quarter End
Mercer    Quarterly    25 Days after Quarter End
eVestment Alliance    Quarterly    25 Days after Quarter End
CRA RogersCasey    Quarterly    25 Days after Quarter End
Cambridge Associates    Quarterly    25 Days after Quarter End
Marco Consulting    Quarterly    25 Days after Quarter End
Wilshire    Quarterly    25 Days after Quarter End
Informa Investment Services (Efron)    Quarterly    25 Days after Quarter End
CheckFree (Mobius)    Quarterly    25 Days after Quarter End
Nelsons Information    Quarterly    25 Days after Quarter End
Investor Tools    Daily    None
Advent    Daily    None
BARRA    Daily    None
Plexus    Quarterly (Calendar)    Sent 1-3 business days following the end of a Quarter
Elkins/McSherry    Quarterly (Calendar)    Sent 1-3 business days following the end of a Quarter
Quantitative Services Group    Daily    None
AMBAC    Daily    None
Deutsche Bank    Monthly    6-8 Business Days
Fitch    Monthly    6-8 Business Days
Liberty Hampshire    Weekly and Month End    None
Sun Trust    Weekly and Month End    None
New England Pension Consultants    Quarterly    25 Days after Quarter End
Evaluation Associates    Quarterly    25 Days after Quarter End
Watson Wyatt    Quarterly    25 Days after Quarter End
S&P (Rating Agency)    Weekly Tuesday Night    1 business day
Moody’s (Rating Agency)    Weekly Tuesday Night    1 business day
Electra Information Systems    Daily    None
SunGard    Daily    None

 

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10. PORTFOLIO MANAGERS

The following tables set forth certain additional information with respect to the fund’s portfolio manager. Unless noted otherwise, all information is provided as of October 31, 2006.

Other Accounts Managed by Portfolio Manager

The table below identifies the number of accounts (other than the fund with respect to which information is provided) for which he has day-to-day management responsibilities and the total assets in such accounts, within each of the following categories: registered investment companies, other pooled investment vehicles, other accounts and accounts with fees based on performance.

 

Portfolio Manager

  

Registered

Investment Companies

  

Other Pooled

Investment Vehicles

  

Other Accounts

  

Accounts with Fees
based on performance

Aquico Wen    None    2 other pooled investment vehicles with $1.35 billion in total assets under management    31 other accounts with $4.59 billion in total assets under management    5 accounts with fees based on performance with $1.52 billion in
total assets under management

Portfolio Manager Compensation

Legg Mason International Equities Limited (“LMIE”) investment professionals receive base salary and other employee benefits and are eligible to receive incentive compensation. Base salary is fixed and typically determined based on market factors and the skill and experience of individual investment personnel.

LMIE has implemented an investment management incentive and deferred compensation plan (the “Plan”) for its investment professionals, including the fund’s portfolio manager(s). Each investment professional works as a part of an investment team. The Plan is designed to align the objectives of LMIE investment professionals with those of fund shareholders and other LMIE clients. Under the Plan a “base incentive pool” is established for each team each year as a percentage of LMIE’s revenue attributable to the team (largely management and related fees generated by funds and other accounts). A team’s revenues are typically expected to increase or decrease depending on the effect that the team’s investment performance as well as inflows and outflows have on the level of assets in the investment products managed by the team. The “base incentive pool” of a team is reduced by base salaries paid to members of the team and other employee expenses attributable to the team.

The investment team’s incentive pool is then adjusted to reflect its ranking among a “peer group” of non-LMIE investment managers and the team’s pre-tax investment performance against the applicable product benchmark (e.g. a securities index and, with respect to a fund, the benchmark set forth in the fund’s prospectus to which the fund’s average annual total returns are compared or, if none, the benchmark set forth in the fund’s annual report). The peer group of non-LMIE investment managers is defined by product style/type, vehicle type and geography and selected by independent vendors that track and provide (for a fee paid by LMIE) relevant peer group performance and ranking data. Longer-term (5- year) performance will be more heavily weighted than shorter-term (1- year) performance in the calculation of the performance adjustment factor. The incentive pool for a team may also be adjusted based on other qualitative factors by the applicable LMIE Chief Investment Officer. The incentive pool will be allocated by the applicable LMIE chief investment officer to the team leader and, based on the recommendations of the team leader, to the other members of the team.

Up to 20% of an investment professional’s annual incentive compensation is subject to deferral. Of that principal deferred award amount, 25% will accrue a return based on the hypothetical returns of the investment fund or product that is the primary focus of the investment professional’s business activities with the Firm, 25% will accrue a return based on the hypothetical returns of an employee chosen composite fund, and 50% may be received in the form of Legg Mason restricted stock shares.

 

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Potential Conflicts of Interest

Potential conflicts of interest may arise when the fund’s portfolio manager also has day-to-day management responsibilities with respect to one or more other funds or other accounts, as is the case for the portfolio manager listed in the table above.

The manager, the subadviser and the fund have adopted compliance polices and procedures that are designed to address various conflicts of interest that may arise for the manager and the subadviser and the individuals that it employs. For example, the manager and the subadviser each seek to minimize the effects of competing interests for the time and attention of portfolio managers by assigning portfolio managers to manage funds and accounts that share a similar investment style. The manager and the subadviser have also adopted trade allocation procedures that are designed to facilitate the fair allocation of limited investment opportunities among multiple funds and accounts. There is no guarantee, however, that the policies and procedures adopted by the manager, the subadviser and the funds will be able to detect and/or prevent every situation in which an actual or potential conflict may appear.

These potential conflicts include:

Allocation of Limited Time and Attention. A portfolio manager who is responsible for managing multiple funds and/or accounts may devote unequal time and attention to the management of those funds and/or accounts. As a result, the portfolio manager may not be able to formulate as complete a strategy or identify equally attractive investment opportunities for each of those accounts as might be the case if he or she were to devote substantially more attention to the management of a single fund. The effects of this potential conflict may be more pronounced where funds and/or accounts overseen by a particular portfolio manager have different investment strategies.

Allocation of Limited Investment Opportunities. If a portfolio manager identifies a limited investment opportunity that may be suitable for multiple funds and/or accounts, the opportunity may be allocated among these several funds or accounts, which may limit a fund’s ability to take full advantage of the investment opportunity.

Pursuit of Differing Strategies. At times, a portfolio manager may determine that an investment opportunity may be appropriate for only some of the funds and/or accounts for which he or she exercises investment responsibility, or may decide that certain of the funds and/or accounts should take differing positions with respect to a particular security. In these cases, the portfolio manager may place separate transactions for one or more funds or accounts which may affect the market price of the security or the execution of the transaction, or both, to the detriment or benefit of one or more other funds and/or accounts.

Selection of Brokers/Dealers. Portfolio managers may be able to select or influence the selection of the brokers and dealers that are used to execute securities transactions for the funds and/or account that they supervise. In addition to executing trades, some brokers and dealers provide portfolio managers with brokerage and research services (as those terms are defined in Section 28(e) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934), which may result in the payment of higher brokerage fees than might have otherwise been available. These services may be more beneficial to certain funds or accounts than to others. Although the payment of brokerage commissions is subject to the requirement that the portfolio manager determine in good faith that the commissions are reasonable in relation to the value of the brokerage and research services provided to the funds, a portfolio manager’s decision as to the selection of brokers and dealers could yield disproportionate costs and benefits among the funds and/or accounts that he or she manages.

Variation in Compensation. A conflict of interest may arise where the financial or other benefits available to the portfolio manager differ among the funds and/or accounts that he or she manages. If the structure of the investment manager’s management fee and/or the portfolio manager’s compensation differs among funds and/or accounts (such as where certain funds or accounts pay higher management fees or performance-based

 

64


management fees), the portfolio manager might be motivated to help certain funds and/or accounts over others. The portfolio manager might be motivated to favor funds and/or accounts in which he or she has an interest or in which the investment manager and/or its affiliates have interests. Similarly, the desire to maintain assets under management or to enhance the portfolio manager’s performance record or to derive other rewards, financial or otherwise, could influence the portfolio manager in affording preferential treatment to those funds and/or accounts that could most significantly benefit the portfolio manager.

Related Business Opportunities. The investment manager or its affiliates may provide more services (such as distribution or recordkeeping) for some types of funds or accounts than for others. In such cases, a portfolio manager may benefit, either directly or indirectly, by devoting disproportionate attention to the management of fund and/or accounts that provide greater overall returns to the investment manager and its affiliates.

Portfolio Manager Securities Ownership

The table below identifies ownership of funds’ securities by the fund’s Portfolio Manager.

 

Portfolio Manager

  

Dollar Range of Ownership of Securities

Aquico Wen

   None

11. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

The Trust. The certificate of trust to establish Legg Mason Partners Equity Trust (referred to in this section as the trust) was filed with the State of Maryland on October 4, 2006. On the date of this SAI, the fund was redomiciled as a series of the trust. Prior thereto, the fund was a series of Legg Mason Partners Investment Trust a Massachusetts business trust. Prior to reorganization of the fund as a series of Legg Mason Partners Investment Trust, the fund was a series of CitiFunds Trust I, a Massachusetts business trust.

The fund is a series of the trust, a Maryland business trust.

A Maryland business trust is an unincorporated business association that is established under, and governed by, Maryland law. Maryland law provides a statutory framework for the powers, duties, rights and obligations of the Board (referred to in this section as the trustees) and shareholders of the trust, while the more specific powers, duties, rights and obligations of the trustees and the shareholders are determined by the trustees as set forth in the trust’s declaration of trust (referred to in this section as the declaration). Some of the more significant provisions of the declaration are described below.

Shareholder Voting. The declaration provides for shareholder voting as required by the 1940 Act or other applicable laws but otherwise permits, consistent with Maryland law, actions by the trustees without seeking the consent of shareholders. The trustees may, without shareholder approval, amend the declaration or authorize the merger or consolidation of the trust into another trust or entity, reorganize the trust, or any series or class into another trust or entity or a series or class of another entity, sell all or substantially all of the assets of the trust or any series or class to another entity, or a series or class of another entity, or terminate the trust or any series or class.

The fund is not required to hold an annual meeting of shareholders, but the fund will call special meetings of shareholders whenever required by the 1940 Act or by the terms of the declaration. The declaration provides for “dollar-weighted voting” which means that a shareholder’s voting power is determined, not by the number of shares he or she owns, but by the dollar value of those shares determined on the record date. All shareholders of all series and classes of the trust vote together, except where required by the 1940 Act to vote separately by series or by class, or when the trustees have determined that a matter affects only the interests of one or more series or classes of shares.

 

65


Election and Removal of Trustees. The declaration provides that the trustees may establish the number of trustees and that vacancies on the board may be filled by the remaining trustees, except when election of trustees by the shareholders is required under the 1940 Act. Trustees are then elected by a plurality of votes cast by shareholders at a meeting at which a quorum is present. The declaration also provides that a mandatory retirement age may be set by action of two-thirds of the trustees and that trustees may be removed, with or without cause, by a vote of shareholders holding two-thirds of the voting power of the trust, or by a vote of two-thirds of the remaining trustees. The provisions of the declaration relating to the election and removal of trustees may not be amended without the approval of two-thirds of the trustees.

Amendments to the Declaration. The trustees are authorized to amend the declaration without the vote of shareholders, but no amendment may be made that impairs the exemption from personal liability granted in the declaration to persons who are or have been shareholders, trustees, officers or, employees of the trust or that limit the rights to indemnification or insurance provided in the declaration with respect to actions or omissions of persons entitled to indemnification under the declaration prior to the amendment.

Issuance and Redemption of Shares. The fund may issue an unlimited number of shares for such consideration and on such terms as the trustees may determine. Shareholders are not entitled to any appraisal, preemptive, conversion, exchange or similar rights, except as the trustees may determine. The fund may involuntarily redeem a shareholder’s shares upon certain conditions as may be determined by the trustees, including, for example, if the shareholder fails to provide the fund with identification required by law, or if the fund is unable to verify the information received from the shareholder. Additionally, as discussed below, shares may be redeemed in connection with the closing of small accounts.

Disclosure of Shareholder Holdings. The declaration specifically requires shareholders, upon demand, to disclose to the fund information with respect to the direct and indirect ownership of shares in order to comply with various laws or regulations, and the fund may disclose such ownership if required by law or regulation.

Small Accounts. The declaration provides that the fund may close out a shareholder’s account by redeeming all of the shares in the account if the account falls below a minimum account size (which may vary by class) that may be set by the trustees from time to time. Alternately, the declaration permits the fund to assess a fee for small accounts (which may vary by class) and redeem shares in the account to cover such fees, or convert the shares into another share class that is geared to smaller accounts.

Series and Classes. The declaration provides that the trustees may establish series and classes in addition to those currently established and to determine the rights and preferences, limitations and restrictions, including qualifications for ownership, conversion and exchange features, minimum purchase and account size, expenses and charges, and other features of the series and classes. The trustees may change any of those features, terminate any series or class, combine series with other series in the trust, combine one or more classes of a series with another class in that series or convert the shares of one class into another class.

Each share of the fund, as a series of the trust, represents an interest in the fund only and not in the assets of any other series of the trust.

Shareholder, Trustee and Officer Liability. The declaration provides that shareholders are not personally liable for the obligations of the fund and requires the fund to indemnify a shareholder against any loss or expense arising from any such liability. In addition, the fund will assume the defense of any claim against a shareholder for personal liability at the request of the shareholder. The declaration further provides that a trustee acting in his or her capacity of trustee is not personally liable to any person other than the trust or its shareholders, for any act, omission, or obligation of the trust. Further, a trustee is held to the same standard of conduct as a director of a Maryland corporation. This requires that a trustee perform his or her duties in good faith and in a manner he or she reasonably believes to be in the best interests of the trust or a series thereof, and with the care that an ordinarily prudent person in a like position would use under similar circumstances. The declaration also permits

 

66


the limitation of a trustee’s liability to the full extent provided under Maryland law. Under current Maryland law, a trustee is liable to the trust or its shareholders for monetary damages only (a) to the extent that it is proved that he or she actually received an improper benefit or profit in money, property, or services or (b) to the extent that a judgment or other final adjudication adverse to the trustee is entered in a proceeding based on a finding in the proceeding that the trustee’s action, or failure to act, was the result of active and deliberate dishonesty and was material to the cause of action adjudicated in the proceeding. The declaration requires the trust to indemnify any persons who are or who have been trustees, officers or employees of the trust for any liability for actions or failure to act except to the extent prohibited by applicable federal law. In making any determination as to whether any person is entitled to the advancement of expenses in connection with a claim for which indemnification is sought, such person is entitled to a rebuttable presumption that he or she did not engage in conduct for which indemnification is not available.

The declaration provides that any trustee who serves as chair of the board or of a committee of the board, lead independent trustee, or audit committee financial expert, or in any other similar capacity will not be subject to any greater standard of care or liability because of such position.

Derivative Actions. The declaration provides a detailed process for the bringing of derivative actions by shareholders in order to permit legitimate inquiries and claims while avoiding the time, expense, distraction, and other harm that can be caused to the fund or its shareholders as a result of spurious shareholder demands and derivative actions. Prior to bringing a derivative action, a demand by three unrelated shareholders must first be made on the fund’s trustees. The declaration details various information, certifications, undertakings and acknowledgements that must be included in the demand. Following receipt of the demand, the trustees have a period of 90 days, which may be extended by an additional 60 days, to consider the demand. If a majority of the trustees who are considered independent for the purposes of considering the demand determine that maintaining the suit would not be in the best interests of the fund, the trustees are required to reject the demand and the complaining shareholders may not proceed with the derivative action unless the shareholders are able to sustain the burden of proof to a court that the decision of the trustees not to pursue the requested action was not a good faith exercise of their business judgment on behalf of the fund. The declaration further provides that shareholders owning shares representing at least 5% of the voting power of the affected fund must join in bringing the derivative action. If a demand is rejected, the complaining shareholders will be responsible for the costs and expenses (including attorneys’ fees) incurred by the fund in connection with the consideration of the demand, if in the judgment of the independent trustees, the demand was made without reasonable cause or for an improper purpose. If a derivative action is brought in violation of the declaration, the shareholders bringing the action may be responsible for the fund’s costs, including attorneys’ fees.

The declaration further provides that the fund shall be responsible for payment of attorneys’ fees and legal expenses incurred by a complaining shareholder only if required by law, and any attorneys’ fees that the fund is obligated to pay shall be calculated using reasonable hourly rates. The declaration also requires that actions by shareholders against the fund be brought only in federal court in Baltimore, Maryland, or if not permitted to be brought in federal court, then in state court in Baltimore, Maryland, and that the right to jury trial be waived to the full extent permitted by law.

Legal Matters

Beginning in June 2004, class action lawsuits alleging violations of the federal securities laws were filed against Citigroup Global Markets Inc. (“CGMI”) and a number of its then affiliates, including Smith Barney Fund Management LLC (“SBFM”), which were then investment adviser or manager to certain of the funds (the “Managers”), substantially all of the mutual funds then managed by the Managers (the “Defendant Funds”), and Board Members of the Defendant Funds (collectively, the “Defendants”). The complaints alleged, among other things, that CGMI created various undisclosed incentives for its brokers to sell Smith Barney and Salomon Brothers funds. In addition, according to the complaints, the Managers caused the Defendant Funds to pay excessive brokerage commissions to CGMI for steering clients towards proprietary funds. The complaints also

 

67


alleged that the defendants breached their fiduciary duty to the Defendant Funds by improperly charging Rule 12b-1 fees and by drawing on fund assets to make undisclosed payments of soft dollars and excessive brokerage commissions. The complaints also alleged that the Defendant Funds failed to adequately disclose certain of the allegedly wrongful conduct. The complaints sought injunctive relief and compensatory and punitive damages, rescission of the Defendant Funds’ contracts with the Managers, recovery of all fees paid to the Managers pursuant to such contracts and an award of attorneys’ fees and litigation expenses.

On December 15, 2004, a consolidated amended complaint (the “Complaint”) was filed alleging substantially similar causes of action. On May 27, 2005, all of the Defendants filed motions to dismiss the Complaint. On July 26, 2006, the court issued a decision and order (1) finding that plaintiffs lacked standing to sue on behalf of the shareholders of the Defendant Funds in which none of the plaintiffs had invested and dismissing those Defendant Funds from the case (although stating that they could be brought back into the case if standing as to them could be established), and (2) other than one stayed claim, dismissing all of the causes of action against the remaining Defendants, with prejudice, except for the cause of action under Section 36(b) of the 1940 Act, which the court granted plaintiffs leave to replead as a derivative claim.

On October 16, 2006, plaintiffs filed their Second Consolidated Amended Complaint (“Second Amended Complaint”) which alleges derivative claims on behalf of nine funds identified in the Second Amended Complaint, under Section 36(b) of the 1940 Act, against Citigroup Asset Management, Salomon Brothers Asset Management Inc, SBFM and CGMI as investment advisers to the identified funds, as well as CGMI as a distributor for the identified funds (collectively, the “Second Amended Complaint Defendants”). The fund was not identified in the Second Amended Complaint. The Second Amended Complaint alleges no claims against any of the funds or any of their Board Members. Under Section 36(b), the Second Amended Complaint alleges similar facts and seeks similar relief against the Second Amended Complaint Defendants as the Complaint.

Additional lawsuits arising out of these circumstances and presenting similar allegations and requests for relief may be filed in the future.

***

On May 31, 2005, the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) issued an order in connection with the settlement of an administrative proceeding against SBFM, the then-investment adviser or manager to the fund and CGMI, relating to the appointment of an affiliated transfer agent for the Smith Barney family of mutual funds, including the fund (the “Affected Funds”).

The SEC order finds that SBFM and CGMI willfully violated Section 206(1) of the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as amended, and the rules promulgated thereunder (the “Advisers Act”). Specifically, the order found that SBFM and CGMI knowingly or recklessly failed to disclose to the boards of the Affected Funds in 1999 when proposing a new transfer agent arrangement with an affiliated transfer agent that: First Data Investors Services Group (“First Data”), the Affected Funds’ then-existing transfer agent, had offered to continue as transfer agent and do the same work for substantially less money than before; and that Citigroup Asset Management (“CAM”), the Citigroup business unit that, at the time, included the Affected Funds’ investment manager and other investment advisory companies, had entered into a side letter with First Data under which CAM agreed to recommend the appointment of First Data as sub-transfer agent to the affiliated transfer agent in exchange for, among other things, for a guarantee by First Data of specified amounts of asset management and investment banking fees to CAM and CGMI. The order also found that SBFM and CGMI willfully violated Section 206(2) of the Advisers Act by virtue of the omissions discussed above and other misrepresentations and omissions in the materials provided to the Affected Funds’ boards, including the failure to make clear that the affiliated transfer agent would earn a high profit for performing limited functions while First Data continued to perform almost all of the transfer agent functions, and the suggestion that the proposed arrangement was in the Affected Funds’ best interests and that no viable alternatives existed. SBFM and CGMI do not admit or deny any wrongdoing or liability. The settlement does not establish wrongdoing or liability for purposes of any other proceeding.

 

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The SEC censured SBFM and CGMI and ordered them to cease and desist from violations of Sections 206(1) and 206(2) of the Advisers Act. The order required Citigroup to pay $208.1 million, including $109 million in disgorgement of profits, $19.1 million in interest, and a civil money penalty of $80 million. Approximately $24.4 million has already been paid to the Affected Funds, primarily through fee waivers. The remaining $183.7 million, including the penalty, has been paid to the U.S. Treasury and will be distributed pursuant to a plan submitted for the approval of the SEC. At this time, there is no certainty as to how the above-described proceeds of the settlement will be distributed, to whom such distributions will be made, the methodology by which such distributions will be allocated, and when such distributions will be made. The order also required that transfer agency fees received from the Affected Funds since December 1, 2004, less certain expenses, be placed in escrow and provided that a portion of such fees might be subsequently distributed in accordance with the terms of the order. On April 3, 2006, an aggregate amount of approximately $9 million held in escrow was distributed to the Affected Funds.

The order required SBFM to recommend a new transfer agent contract to the fund boards within 180 days of the entry of the order; if a Citigroup affiliate submitted a proposal to serve as transfer agent or sub-transfer agent, SBFM and CGMI would have been required, at their expense, to engage an independent monitor to oversee a competitive bidding process. On November 21, 2005, and within the specified timeframe, the Affected Funds’ Boards selected a new transfer agent for the Affected Fund. No Citigroup affiliate submitted a proposal to serve as transfer agent. Under the order, SBFM also must comply with an amended version of a vendor policy that Citigroup instituted in August 2004.

Although there can be no assurance, the manager does not believe that this matter will have a material adverse effect on the Affected Funds.

On December 1, 2005, Citigroup completed the sale of substantially all of its global asset management business, including SBFM, to Legg Mason.

***

Beginning in August 2005, five class action lawsuits alleging violations of federal securities laws and state law were filed against CGMI and SBFM (collectively, the “Defendants”) based on the May 31, 2005 settlement order issued against the Defendants by the SEC as described in above. The complaints seek injunctive relief and compensatory and punitive damages, removal of SBFM as the investment manager for the Smith Barney family of funds, rescission of the funds’ management and other contracts with SBFM, recovery of all fees paid to SBFM pursuant to such contracts, and an award of attorneys’ fees and litigation expenses.

On October 5, 2005, a motion to consolidate the five actions and any subsequently filed, related action was filed. That motion contemplates that a consolidated amended complaint alleging substantially similar causes of action will be filed in the future.

As of the date of this report, the fund’s investment manager believes that resolution of the pending lawsuit will not have a material effect on the financial position or results of operations of the fund or the ability of the fund’s investment manager and its affiliates to continue to render services to the funds under their respective contracts.

***

On September 16, 2005, the staff of the SEC informed SBFM and ClearBridge Asset Management Inc (formerly Salomon Brothers Asset Management Inc) at the staff is considering recommending that the SEC institute administrative proceedings against SBFM and ClearBridge Asset Management Inc for alleged violations of Section 19(a) and 34(b) of the Investment Company Act (and related Rule 19a-1). The notification is a result of an industry wide inspection by the SEC and is based upon alleged deficiencies in disclosures regarding

 

69


dividends and distributions paid to shareholders of certain funds. Section 19(a) and related Rule 19a-1 of the Investment Company Act generally require funds that are making dividend and distribution payments to provide shareholders with a written statement disclosing the source of the dividends and distributions, and, in particular, the portion of the payments made from each of net investment income, undistributed net profits and/or paid-in capital. In connection with the contemplated proceedings, the staff may seek a cease and desist order and/or monetary damages from SBFM or ClearBridge Asset Management Inc.

Although there can be no assurance, the fund’s manager believes that this matter is not likely to have a material adverse effect on the fund.

On or about May 30, 2006, John Halebian, a purported shareholder of Citi New York Tax Free Reserves, a series of CitiFunds Trust III (the “Subject Trust”), filed a complaint in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York against the independent trustees of the Subject Trust (Elliott J. Berv, Donald M. Carlton, A. Benton Cocanougher, Mark T. Finn, Stephen Randolph Gross, Diana R. Harrington, Susan B. Kerley, Alan G. Merten and R. Richardson Pettit).

The Subject Trust is also named in the complaint as a nominal defendant.

The complaint alleges both derivative claims on behalf of the Subject Trust and class claims on behalf of a putative class of shareholders of the Subject Trust in connection with the 2005 sale of Citigroup’s asset management business to Legg Mason and the related approval of new investment advisory agreements by the trustees and shareholders. In the derivative claim, the plaintiff alleges, among other things, that the independent trustees breached their fiduciary duty to the Subject Trust and its shareholders by failing to negotiate lower fees or seek competing bids from other qualified investment advisers in connection with Citigroup’s sale to Legg Mason. In the claims brought on behalf of the putative class of shareholders, the plaintiff alleges that the independent trustees violated the proxy solicitation requirements of the 1940 Act, and breached their fiduciary duty to shareholders, by virtue of the voting procedures, including “echo voting,” used to obtain approval of the new investment advisory agreements and statements made in a proxy statement regarding those voting procedures. The plaintiff alleges that the proxy statement was misleading because it failed to disclose that the voting procedures violated the 1940 Act. The relief sought includes an award of damages, rescission of the advisory agreement, and an award of costs and attorney fees.

In advance of filing the complaint, Mr. Halebian’s lawyers made written demand for relief on the Board of the Subject Trust, and the Board’s independent trustees formed a demand review committee to investigate the matters raised in the demand, and subsequently in the complaint, and recommend a course of action to the Board. The committee, after a thorough review, has determined that the independent trustees did not breach their fiduciary duties as alleged by Mr. Halebian, and that the action demanded by Mr. Halebian would not be in the best interests of the Subject Trust. The Board of the Subject Trust (the trustee who is an “interested person” of the Subject Trust, within the meaning of the 1940 Act, having recused himself from the matter), after receiving and considering the committee’s report and based upon the findings of the committee, subsequently also has so determined and, adopting the recommendation of the committee, has directed counsel to move to dismiss Mr. Halebian’s complaint. A motion to dismiss was filed on October 23, 2006. Opposition papers were filed on or about December 7, 2006. It is uncertain when the court will decide the motion. No assurance can be given as to the outcome of this matter.

***

The foregoing speaks only as of the date of this SAI. Additional lawsuits presenting allegations and requests for relief arising out of or in connection with any of the foregoing matters may be filed against these and related parties in the future.

 

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13. TAX MATTERS

The following discussion is a brief summary of some of the important federal (and, where noted, state) income tax consequences affecting the fund and its shareholders. The discussion is very general, and therefore prospective investors are urged to consult their tax advisers about the impact an investment in the fund may have on their own tax situations.

Taxation of the Fund

Federal Taxes. The fund has elected to be treated, and intends to qualify each year, as a “regulated investment company” under Subchapter M of the Code, by meeting all applicable requirements of Subchapter M, including requirements as to the nature of the fund’s gross income, the amount of fund distributions, and the composition of the fund’s portfolio assets. Provided all such requirements are met, no U.S. federal income or excise taxes generally will be required to be paid by the fund. If the fund should fail to qualify as a “regulated investment company” for any year, the fund would incur a regular corporate federal income tax upon its taxable income and fund distributions would generally be taxable as ordinary income to shareholders.

Foreign Taxes. Investment income and gains received by the fund from non-U.S. securities may be subject to non-U.S. taxes. The United States has entered into tax treaties with a number of other countries that may entitle the fund to a reduced rate of tax or an exemption from tax on such income. The fund intends to qualify for treaty reduced rates where available. It is not possible, however, to determine the fund’s effective rates of non-U.S. tax in advance since the amount of the fund’s assets to be invested within various countries is not known.

If the fund holds more than 50% of its assets in foreign stock and securities at the close of its taxable year, as the fund expects to do, the fund may elect to “pass through” to the fund’s shareholders foreign income taxes paid. If the fund so elects, shareholders will be required to treat their pro rata portion of the foreign income taxes paid by the fund as part of the amount distributed to them by the fund and thus includable in their gross income for federal income tax purposes. Shareholders who itemize deductions would then be allowed to claim a deduction or credit (but not both) on their federal income tax returns for such amount, subject to certain limitations. Shareholders who do not itemize deductions would (subject to such limitations) be able to claim a credit but not a deduction. No deduction will be permitted to individuals in computing their alternative minimum tax liability. If the fund does not qualify or elect to “pass through” to its shareholders foreign income taxes paid by it, shareholders will not be able to claim any deduction or credit for any part of their foreign taxes paid by the fund.

On October 31, 2006, the fund did not have, for U.S. federal income tax purposes, capital loss carryforwards.

Taxation of Shareholders

Taxation of Distributions. Shareholders of the fund will generally have to pay federal income taxes and any state or local taxes on the dividends and capital gain distributions they receive from the fund. Dividends from ordinary income, and any distributions from net short-term capital gain are taxable to shareholders as ordinary income for federal income tax purposes, whether the distributions are made in cash or additional shares.

To the extent that ordinary dividends are derived from qualified dividend income of the fund eligible for reduced tax rates for non-corporate shareholders, such dividends will be treated as qualified dividend income provided that they are so designated by the fund and that the recipient shareholder satisfies certain holding period requirements. If more than 95% of the fund’s gross income, calculated without taking into account long-term capital gains, consists of qualified dividend income, the fund may designate all distributions of such income as qualified dividend income. Qualified dividend income generally is income derived from dividends from U.S.

 

71


corporations or from qualified foreign corporations, i.e., corporations that are either incorporated in a U.S. possession or eligible for benefits under qualifying U.S. tax treaties. Distributions from a foreign corporation that is not a qualified foreign corporation may nevertheless be treated as qualified dividend income if the applicable stock is readily tradable on an established U.S. securities market. “Passive foreign investment companies” (“PFICs”) will not be treated as qualified foreign corporations for these purposes. Distributions of net capital gains (i.e., the excess of net long-term capital gains over net short-term capital losses), whether made in cash or in additional shares, are taxable to shareholders as long-term capital gains without regard to the length of time the shareholders have held their shares.

Any fund dividend that is declared in October, November, or December of any calendar year, that is payable to shareholders of record in such a month, and that is paid the following January, will be treated as if received by the shareholders on December 31 of the year in which the dividend is declared.

Any fund distribution will have the effect of reducing the per share net asset value of shares in the fund by the amount of the distribution. Shareholders purchasing shares shortly before the record date of any distribution may thus pay the full price for the shares and then effectively receive a portion of the purchase price back as a taxable distribution.

Dividends-Received Deduction. The portion of the fund’s ordinary income dividends attributable to dividends received in respect of equity securities of U.S. issuers is normally eligible for the dividends received deduction for corporations subject to U.S. federal income taxes. Availability of the deduction for particular shareholders is subject to certain limitations, and deducted amounts may be subject to the alternative minimum tax and result in certain basis adjustments.

Withholding Tax Payments for Non-U.S. Persons. The fund will withhold tax payments at the rate of 30% (or any lower rate permitted under an applicable treaty) on taxable dividends and other payments subject to withholding taxes that are made to persons who are neither citizens nor residents of the United States. Distributions received from the fund by non-U.S. persons also may be subject to tax under the laws of their own jurisdiction.

For taxable years of the fund beginning during 2007, this 30% withholding tax will not apply to dividends that the fund designates as (a) interest-related dividends, to the extent such dividends are derived from the fund’s “qualified net interest income,” or (b) short-term capital gain dividends, to the extent such dividends are derived from the fund’s “qualified short-term gain.” “Qualified net interest income” generally is interest on bank deposits, interest or original issue discount on an obligation in registered form, or original issue discount on certain short-term obligations whether or not in registered form. The term does not include interest that is disqualified as “contingent interest” under the portfolio interest rules. “Qualified short-term gain” generally means the excess of the fund’s net short-term capital gain for the taxable year over it net long-term capital loss.

Backup Withholding. The account application asks each new shareholder to certify that the shareholder’s Social Security or taxpayer identification number is correct and that the shareholder is not subject to backup withholding of federal income tax for failing to report income to the IRS. If a shareholder fails to provide this information, or is otherwise subject to backup withholding, the fund may be required to withhold tax at the rate of 28% on certain distributions and redemption proceeds paid to that shareholder. Backup withholding will not, however, be applied to payments that have been subject to the 30% withholding tax on non-U.S. shareholders.

Disposition of Shares. In general, any gain or loss realized upon a taxable disposition of shares of the fund by a shareholder that holds such shares as a capital asset will be treated as a long-term capital gain or loss if the shares have been held for more than twelve months and otherwise as a short-term capital gain or loss. However, any loss realized upon a disposition of shares in the fund held for six months or less will be treated as a long-term capital loss to the extent of any distributions or deemed distributions of net capital gain made with respect to those shares. Any loss realized upon a disposition of shares may also be disallowed under rules relating to wash

 

72


sales. Gain may be increased (or loss reduced) upon a redemption of Class A fund shares held for 90 days or less followed by any purchase of shares of the fund or of another Legg Mason Partner mutual fund, including purchases by exchange or by reinvestment, without payment of a sales charge which would otherwise apply because of any sales charge paid on the original purchase of the Class A fund shares.

Effects of Certain Investments and Transactions

Options, Etc. The fund’s transactions in forward contracts, short sales “against the box,” and options will be subject to special tax rules that may affect the amount, timing and character of fund income and distributions to shareholders. For example, certain positions held by the fund on the last business day of each taxable year will be marked to market (i.e., treated as if closed out) on that day, and any gain or loss associated with the positions will be treated as 60% long-term and 40% short-term capital gain or loss. Certain positions held by the fund that substantially diminish its risk of loss with respect to other positions in its portfolio may constitute “straddles,” and may be subject to special tax rules that would cause deferral of fund losses, adjustments in the holding periods of fund securities, and conversion of short-term into long-term capital losses. Certain tax elections exist for straddles that may alter the effects of these rules. The fund intends to limit its activities in forward contracts and options to the extent necessary to meet the requirements of Subchapter M of the Code.

Foreign Investments. Special tax considerations apply with respect to non-U.S. investments of the fund. Foreign exchange gains and losses realized by the fund will generally be treated as ordinary income and losses. Use of non-U.S. currencies for non-hedging purposes and investment by the fund in certain PFICs may have to be limited in order to avoid a tax on the fund. The fund may elect to mark to market any investments in PFICs on the last day of each taxable year. This election may cause the Fund to recognize ordinary income prior to the receipt of cash payments with respect to those investments; in order to distribute this income and avoid a tax on the fund, the fund may be required to liquidate portfolio securities that it might otherwise have continued to hold, potentially resulting in additional taxable gain or loss to the fund.

14. FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

The audited financial statements of the fund’s predecessor (Statement of Assets and Liabilities as of October 31, 2006, Statement of Operations for the year then ended and the period from January 3, 2005 through October 31, 2005, Statements of Changes in Net Assets for the year ended October 31, 2006, and the period from January 3, 2005 through October 31, 2005. Financial Highlights for the year ended October 31, 2006, and the period from January 3, 2005 through October 31, 2005 and Notes to Financial Statements along with the Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm, each of which is included in the Annual Report to Shareholders of the Fund), are incorporated by reference into this Statement of Additional Information (Filed on January 8, 2007; Accession Number 0001104659-07-001136).

 

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APPENDIX A

Proxy Voting Guidelines & Procedures Summary

LEGG MASON INTERNATIONAL EQUITIES LIMITED

10 Exchange Square, 9th Floor, Primrose Street

London EC2A 2EN

Proxy Voting Policy

ACCOUNTS FOR WHICH LMIE Ltd VOTES PROXIES

Legg Mason International Equities Limited (“LMIE Ltd”) votes proxies for (i) each institutional client that has specifically mandated it to vote securities included under a fully discretionary investment management agreement, (ii) United States Registered Investment Company (mutual fund) for which LMIE Ltd acts as adviser or sub-adviser; and for (iii) each ERISA account where the agreement is either silent as to voting or positively requires the investment manager to vote unless the client specifically reserves the responsibility to vote proxies to the plan trustee or other named fiduciary.

GENERAL GUIDELINES

In voting proxies, LMIE Ltd is guided by general fiduciary principles. LMIE Ltd’s goal is to act prudently in the best interests of the beneficial owners of the accounts it manages, and for the exclusive purpose of maintaining or increasing shareholder value. LMIE Ltd considers relevant factors that could affect the value of the investment and will vote proxies in the manner that it believes will be consistent with efforts to benefit, protect or maximize shareholder value in the particular circumstances.

LMIE Ltd has to place reliance on the clients’ custodians as legal owner of securities to notify LMIE Ltd when a vote is required on a security. Some custodians have delegated this to a third party proxy voting service. LMIE Ltd is not able to vote proxies direct but will notify the clients’ custodians or the third party vendors of proxy voting decisions to be executed on LMIE Ltd’s client portfolios.

HOW LMIE Ltd VOTES

Generally, LMIE Ltd divides proxies into non-controversial, controversial, or extraordinary matters. It is LMIE Ltd’s general policy on non-controversial matters, absent a particular reason, to vote with management’s recommendations. Non-controversial matters are deemed to include, but are not limited to, voting on non-contested directors, company auditors, audited accounts, company fiscal year and annual meeting date proposals.

For controversial or extraordinary matters, LMIE Ltd votes on a case-by-case basis. Controversial or extraordinary matters are deemed to include, but are not limited to, voting on proposals of mergers and/or acquisitions, restructuring/recapitalization, and proposals requesting more detailed disclosure of employee compensation, especially if the company does not have a majority outside board, poison pills proposals, take over measures, and dilution of shareholder value.

For proxies which include social, environmental, or political issues, LMIE Ltd will normally support management absent a particular reason, provided that this course also supports or benefits shareholders value. If supporting management does not also support or benefit shareholder value, then LMIE Ltd will vote against management or abstain. LMIE Ltd does not restrict the type of product or business that companies pursue (such as defense related) nor does LMIE Ltd seek to impose restrictions by exercising voting rights with whom and where they do business (US Government, South Africa) unless there is a specific prohibition or restriction in the Investment Guidelines laid down by the client or a prohibition by operation of law or regulations or unless the items appear unusual or significant.

 

A-1


The decision maker in LMIE Ltd on perceived controversial issues will be the Portfolio Manager and/or Analyst. Above all, a vote will be directed in the manner that is believed to best support or benefit shareholder value.

CONFLICTS OF INTEREST

In furtherance of LMIE Ltd’s goal to vote proxies in the best interests of clients, LMIE Ltd follows procedures designed to identify and address material conflicts that may arise between LMIE Ltd’s interests and those of its clients before voting proxies on behalf of such clients.

 

  1) Procedures for Identifying Conflicts of Interest

LMIE Ltd relies on the following to seek to identify conflicts of interest with respect to proxy voting:

A. The memorandum attached hereto as Appendix A will be distributed periodically to LMIE Ltd employees. The memorandum alerts LMIE Ltd employees that they are under an obligation (i) to be aware of the potential for conflicts of interest on the part of LMIE Ltd with respect to voting proxies on behalf of client accounts both as a result of their personal relationships and due to special circumstances that may arise during the conduct of LMIE Ltd’s business, and (ii) to bring conflicts of interest of which they become aware to the attention of LMIE Ltd Compliance.

B. Legg Mason Shared Services (Financial Control) shall maintain and make available to LMIE Ltd Compliance and LMIE Ltd proxy voting personnel an up to date list of all client relationships that have historically accounted for or are projected to account for greater than 1% of LMIE Ltd’s annual revenues. LMIE Ltd relies on the memorandum directive described above to identify conflicts of interest arising due to potential client relationships with proxy issuers.

C. As a general matter, LMIE Ltd takes the position that non-LMIE Ltd relationships between a Legg Mason affiliate and an issuer (e.g. investment banking or banking) do not present a conflict of interest for LMIE Ltd in voting proxies with respect of such issuer. Such position is based on the fact that LMIE Ltd is operated as an independent business unit from other Legg Mason affiliates and because of the existence of information barriers between LMIE Ltd and certain other Legg Mason affiliates. Special circumstances, such as contact between LMIE Ltd and non-LMIE Ltd personnel, may cause LMIE Ltd to consider whether relationships between a Legg Mason affiliate and an issuer present a conflict of interest for LMIE Ltd with respect to such issuer. As noted above, LMIE Ltd employees are under an obligation to be aware of the potential for conflicts of interest in voting proxies and to bring such conflicts of interest, including conflicts of interest which may arise because of such special circumstances (such as an attempt by a Legg Mason affiliate or Legg Mason officer or employee to influence proxy voting by LMIE Ltd) to the attention of LMIE Ltd Compliance. Also, LMIE Ltd is sensitive to the fact that a significant, publicized relationship between an issuer and a non-LMIE Ltd affiliate might appear to the public to influence the manner in which LMIE Ltd decides to vote a proxy with respect to such issuer. For prudential reasons, LMIE Ltd treats such significant, publicized relationships as creating a potential conflict of interest for LMIE Ltd in voting proxies.

D. Based on information furnished by LMIE Ltd employees or pursuant to procedures described above, LMIE Ltd shall not vote proxies on behalf of client accounts until it has been determined that the conflict of interest is not material or a method for resolving such conflict of interest has been agreed upon and implemented, as described below. An exception applies with respect to a proxy issue that will be voted in accordance with a stated LMIE Ltd position on such issue. Such issues generally are not brought for the specific resolution of the conflict because LMIE Ltd’s position is that any conflict of interest issues are resolved by voting in accordance with a pre-determined policy.

 

A-2


  2) Procedures for Assessing Materiality of Conflicts of Interest and for Addressing Material Conflicts of Interest

A. LMIE Ltd shall maintain a Proxy Forum to review and address conflicts of interest brought to its attention. The Proxy Forum shall be comprised of such LMIE Ltd personnel as are designated from time to time by LMIE Ltd’s Management Committee, LMIE Ltd’s General Counsel and LMIE Ltd’s Shared Service’s Compliance Officer. The initial members of the Proxy Voting Committee are set forth in Appendix B hereto.

B. All conflicts of interest identified pursuant to the procedures outlined above must be brought to the attention of the Proxy Forum by LMIE Ltd’s Compliance for resolution. As noted above, a proxy issue that will be voted in accordance with a stated LMIE Ltd position on such issue generally is not brought to the attention of the Proxy Forum for a conflict of interest review because LMIE Ltd’s position is that any conflict of interest issues are resolved by voting in accordance with pre-determined policy.

C. The Proxy Forum shall determine whether a conflict of interest is material. A conflict of interest will be considered material to the extent that it is determined that such conflict is likely to influence, or appear to influence, LMIE Ltd’s decision-making in voting the proxy. All materiality determinations will be based on an assessment of the particular facts and circumstances. LMIE Ltd’s Compliance unit shall maintain a written record of all materiality determinations made by the Proxy Forum.

D. If it is determined by the Proxy Forum that a conflict of interest is not material, LMIE Ltd may vote proxies notwithstanding the existence of the conflict.

E. If it is determined by the Proxy Forum that a conflict of interest is material, the Proxy Forum shall determine an appropriate method to resolve such a conflict of interest before the proxy affected by the conflict of interest is voted. Such determination shall be based on the particular facts and circumstances, including the importance of the proxy issue, the nature of the conflict of interest, etc. Such methods may include:

 

  i. disclosing the conflict to clients and obtaining their consent before voting;

 

  ii. suggesting to clients that they engage another party to vote the proxy on their behalf;

 

  iii. engaging a third party to recommend a vote with respect to the proxy based on application of the policies set forth herein, including, in case of issues that LMIE Ltd votes on a case by case basis, application of the factors set forth herein that LMIE Ltd considers in voting on such issues, and following such third party’s recommendations;

 

  iv. in the case of a conflict of interest resulting from a particular employee’s personal relationships, removing such an employee from the decision-making process with respect to such proxy vote; or

 

  v. such other method as is deemed appropriate given the particular facts and circumstances, including the importance of the proxy issue, the nature of the conflict of interest, etc.

LMIE Ltd’s Compliance’s will maintain a record of the method used to resolve a material conflict of interest.

RECORD KEEPING AND OVERSIGHT

While LMIE Ltd’s portfolio management team retains the decision-making responsibility for proxy voting, the administration of the process has been delegated to an affiliated company, Legg Mason Technology Services Inc (“LMTS Inc”).

 

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LMIE Ltd or its affiliated company LMTS Inc shall maintain the following records relating to proxy voting:

 

   

a copy of these policies and procedures;

 

   

a copy of each proxy form (as voted);

 

   

a copy of each proxy solicitation (including proxy statements) and related materials with regard to each vote;

 

   

documentation relating to the identification and resolution of conflicts of interest;

 

   

any documents created by LMIE Ltd that were material to a proxy voting decision or that memoralized the basis for that decision, i.e. research received from ISS; and

 

   

a copy of each written client request for information on how LMIE Ltd voted proxies on behalf of the client, and a copy of any written response by LMIE Ltd to any (written or oral) client request for information on how LMIE Ltd voted proxies on behalf of the requesting client.

 

   

LMIE Ltd will not provide voting information to external companies.

Such records shall be maintained and preserved in an easily accessible place for a period of not less than five years from the end of the fiscal year during which the last entry was made on such record, the first two years in an appropriate office of the LMIE Ltd adviser.

Each adviser to a United States Registered Investment Company shall maintain such records as are necessary to allow such fund to comply with its record-keeping, reporting and disclosure obligations under applicable laws, rules and regulations.

LMIE Ltd Compliance will review the proxy voting process, record retention and related matters on a periodic basis.

 

A-4


Appendix A

Memorandum

 

To:

   All LMIE Ltd Employees

From:

   LMIE Ltd Compliance

Date:

  

Re:            

   LMIE Ltd London Proxy Voting Policies and Procedures Conflicts of Interest with respect to Proxy Voting

Legg Mason International Equities Limited (“LMIE Ltd”) currently has in place proxy voting policies and procedures designed to ensure that LMIE Ltd votes proxies in the best interest of client accounts. Attached to this memorandum is a copy of LMIE Ltd’s Proxy Voting Policies and Procedures which comply with the U.S. SEC rule under the Investment Advisers Act that addresses an investment adviser’s fiduciary obligation to its clients when voting proxies.

AS DISCUSSED IN MORE DETAIL BELOW, LMIE Ltd EMPLOYEES ARE UNDER AN OBLIGATION (i) TO BE AWARE OF THE POTENTIAL FOR CONFLICTS OF INTEREST ON THE PART OF LMIE LTD IN VOTING PROXIES ON BEHALF OF CLIENT ACCOUNTS BOTH AS A RESULT OF AN EMPLOYEE’S PERSONAL RELATIONSHIPS AND DUE TO SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES THAT MAY ARISE DURING THE CONDUCT OF LMIE LTD’S BUSINESS, AND (ii) TO BRING CONFLICTS OF INTEREST OF WHICH THEY BECOME AWARE TO THE ATTENTION OF LMIE Ltd COMPLIANCE.

A conflict of interest arises when the existence of a personal or business relationship on the part of LMIE Ltd or one of its employees or special circumstances that arise during the conduct of LMIE Ltd’s business might influence, or appear to influence, the manner in which LMIE Ltd decides to vote a proxy. An example of a personal relationship that creates a potential conflict of interest would be a situation in which a LMIE Ltd employee (such as a portfolio manager or senior level executive) has a spouse or other close relative who serves as a director or senior executive of a company. An example of “special circumstances” would be explicit or implicit pressure exerted by a LMIE Ltd relationship to try to influence LMIE Ltd’s vote on a proxy with respect to which the LMIE Ltd relationship is with the issuer. Another example would be a situation in which there was contact between LMIE Ltd and personnel of other Legg Mason affiliates in which the personnel of the other Legg Mason affiliates, on their own initiative tried to exert pressure to influence LMIE Ltd’s proxy vote.1

 


1

As a general matter, LMIE Ltd takes the position that non-LMIE Ltd relationships between Legg Mason and an issuer (e.g. investment banking or banking) do not present a conflict of interest for LMIE Ltd in voting proxies with respect to such issuer. Such position is based on the fact that LMIE Ltd is operated as an independent affiliate from certain other Legg Mason affiliates as well as on the existence of information barriers between LMIE Ltd and certain other Legg Mason affiliates. LMIE Ltd is sensitive to the fact that a significant, publicized relationship between an issuer and a non-LMIE Ltd affiliate might appear to the public to influence the manner in which LMIE Ltd decides to vote a proxy with respect to such issuer. As noted, LMIE Ltd seeks to identify such significant, publicized relationships, and for prudential reasons brings such identified situations to the attention of the Proxy Voting Committee, as described herein. Special circumstances, such as those described in the noted examples, also could cause LMIE Ltd to consider whether relationships between another Legg Mason affiliate and an issuer present a conflict of interest for LMIE Ltd with respect to such issuer.

 

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Of course, the foregoing examples are not exhaustive, and a variety of situations may arise that raise conflict of interest questions for LMIE Ltd. You are encouraged to raise and discuss with LMIE Ltd Compliance particular facts and circumstances that you believe may raise conflict of interest issues for LMIE Ltd.

As described in the Conflicts of Interest section of the policies and procedures, LMIE Ltd has established a Proxy Forum to assess the materiality of conflicts of interest brought to its attention by LMIE Ltd Compliance as well as to agree upon appropriate methods to resolve material conflicts of interest before proxies affected by the conflicts of interest are voted2. There are a variety of methods and approaches that the Proxy Forum may utilize to resolve material conflicts of interest. Please note that LMIE Ltd employees should report all conflicts of interest of which they become aware to LMIE Ltd Compliance. It is up to the Proxy Forum to assess the materiality of conflicts of interest brought to its attention and to agree upon an appropriate resolution with respect to conflicts of interest determined to be material.

The obligation of LMIE Ltd employees to be sensitive to the issue of conflicts of interest and to bring conflicts of interest to the attention of LMIE Ltd Compliance is a serious one. Failure to do so can lead to negative legal, regulatory, and reputational consequences for the firm as well as to negative regulatory and disciplinary consequences for the LMIE Ltd employee. Please consult with LMIE Ltd’s Compliance Officer if you have any questions concerning your obligations with respect to conflicts of interest under the updated proxy voting policies and procedures.

 


2

Exceptions apply: (i) with respect to a proxy issue that will be voted in accordance with a stated LMIE Ltd position on such issue, and (ii) with respect to a proxy issue that will be voted in accordance with the recommendation of an independent third party. Such issues are not brought to the attention of the Proxy Voting Committee because LMIE Ltd’s position is that to the extent a conflict of interest issue exists, it is resolved by voting in accordance with a pre-determined policy or in accordance with the recommendation of an independent third party.

 

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APPENDIX B

Proxy Forum Members

Investment Management Representatives

Aquico Wen (or his designate)

Legal Representatives

Christina Grove (or her designate)

Compliance Representatives

Paula Marsh (or her designate)

 

A-7


LEGG MASON PARTNERS EMERGING MARKETS EQUITY FUND

INVESTMENT MANAGER

Legg Mason Partners Fund Advisor, LLC

399 Park Avenue, New York, New York 10022

DISTRIBUTORS

Legg Mason Investment Services

100 Light Street, Baltimore, MD 21202

Citigroup Global Markets Inc.

388 Greenwich Street, New York, NY 10013

TRANSFER AGENT

PFPC Inc.

P.O. Box 9699, Providence, RI 02940-9699

CUSTODIAN

State Street Bank and Trust Company

225 Franklin Street, Boston, MA 02110

INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM

KPMG LLP

345 Park Avenue, New York, New York 10154

LEGAL COUNSEL

Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP

787 Seventh Avenue, New York, NY 10019

 

A-8


Filed under Rule 497(c)

File Nos. 33-43446 and 811-6444

Legg Mason Partners Financial Services Fund

Supplement dated April 16, 2007

to Prospectus dated February 28, 2007

And As Amended March 16, 2007

The attached prospectus is now dated April 16, 2007.

As part of a number of initiatives launched in 2006 to restructure and streamline the Legg Mason Partners fund complex, the fund assumed the assets and liabilities of a predecessor fund with the same name. The fund is now grouped for organizational and governance purposes with other Legg Mason Partners funds that are predominantly equity-type funds. The prospectus is supplemented as shown below to reflect this change. Any information in the prospectus relating to the fund prior to the date of this prospectus refers to the fund’s predecessor.

Performance Information

The summary performance information in the prospectus is that of the fund’s predecessor. The average annual total return for the one year period ended December 31, 2006 for a Class C share after taxes on distributions is 10.02%, and after taxes on distributions and sale of fund shares is 10.31%.

Management—Other Information

The paragraph beneath the heading “Other Information” in the “Management” section of the prospectus is deleted.

Financial Highlights

The financial information shown in the “Financial Highlights” section of the prospectus is that of the fund’s predecessor.

FD04054


PROSPECTUS

February 28, 2007, as amended March 16, 2007

The Securities and Exchange Commission has not approved or disapproved these securities or determined whether this prospectus is accurate or complete. Any statement to the contrary is a crime.

LOGO

Legg Mason Partners Financial Services Fund

Class A, B, C, and I Shares

 

 

 

INVESTMENT PRODUCTS: NOT FDIC INSURED Ÿ NO BANK GUARANTEE Ÿ MAY LOSE VALUE

 


Legg Mason Partners

Financial Services Fund

Contents

 

Investments, risks and performance

  2

More on the fund’s investments

  9

Management

  12

Choosing a class of shares to buy

  15

Comparing the fund’s classes

  17

Sales charges

  18

More about contingent deferred sales charges

  22

Retirement and institutional investors

  23

Buying shares

  25

Exchanging shares

  27

Redeeming shares

  29

Other things to know about transactions

  31

Dividends, distributions and taxes

  34

Share price

  36

Financial Highlights

  38

 

The fund is a series of Legg Mason Partners Sector Series, Inc. On March 16, 2007, the fund acquired the assets of Legg Mason Financial Services Fund and the fund’s financial statements, past performance information and various investment policies reflect the information applicable to that acquired fund, the adviser to which has taken on the role of sub-adviser to the fund.

Prior to April 7, 2006, the fund was known as Smith Barney Financial Services Fund.


 

Investments, risks and performance

Investment objective

Legg Mason Partners Financial Services Fund (the “Financial Services Fund” or the “fund”) seeks long-term capital appreciation by investing primarily in common stocks. The fund’s investment objective is non-fundamental and can be changed without shareholder approval.

Principal investment strategies

Key investments

Under normal circumstances, the fund invests at least 80% of its net assets in equity securities of issuers in the financial services industry. Equity securities include common stocks, preferred stocks, convertible securities, rights and warrants. These companies may include, but are not limited to:

n  

Regional and money center banks

n  

Securities brokerage firms

n  

Asset management companies

n  

Savings banks and thrift institutions

n  

Specialty finance companies (e.g., credit card and mortgage providers)

n  

Insurance and insurance brokerage firms

n  

Government sponsored agencies, such as the Government National Mortgage Association and

n  

Financial conglomerates.

The fund may invest its assets in securities of foreign financial services companies (limited to 25% of total assets, not including American Depositary Receipts).

Investments may also include companies that derive more than 50% of their revenues from providing products and services to the financial services industry, including software, hardware, publishing, news services, credit research and ratings services, Internet services and business services.

Selection process

The fund invests primarily in equity securities of financial services issuers that the subadviser believes are undervalued and thus may offer above-average potential for capital appreciation. In deciding what securities to buy, the subadviser analyzes an issuer’s financial statements to determine earnings per share potential. It also reviews, as appropriate, the economy where the issuer does business, the products offered, its potential to benefit from industry changes and the strength and goals of management. The subadviser typically will sell a security in the fund’s portfolio if that security experiences earnings problems.

The fund may lend its securities to earn income for the fund.

The fund may, but is not required to, use various techniques, such as buying and selling futures and options contracts, to increase or decrease its exposure to changing security prices or other factors that affect security values. The fund may engage in foreign currency transactions solely to manage its exposure to foreign securities. If the fund’s strategies do not work as intended, the fund may not achieve its objective.

 

2         Legg Mason Partners Funds


 

Principal risks of investing in the fund

Investors could lose money on their investments in the fund, or the fund may not perform as well as other investments, as a result of the following risks:

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Stock markets are volatile and can decline significantly in response to adverse issuer, political, regulatory, market or economic developments. Different parts of the market may react differently to these developments.

n  

Foreign markets can be more volatile than the U.S. market because of increased risks of adverse issuer, political, regulatory, market or economic developments and can perform differently than the U.S. market. Currency fluctuations may adversely impact the fund’s investments.

n  

The fund is subject to the risk of concentrating investments in financial services companies. A fund concentrating most of its investments in a single industry will be more susceptible to factors adversely affecting issuers within that industry than would a more diversified portfolio of securities. Financial services companies are subject to extensive government regulation, and their prospects may be affected by new regulations or regulatory interpretations that impede particular lines of business. The profitability of financial services companies is dependent on the availability and cost of funds and can fluctuate significantly when interest rates change. Economic downturns, credit losses and severe price competition can negatively affect this industry. Recent federal legislation permits increased competition among financial services companies. The impact of this change on any individual company or on the industry as a whole cannot be predicted.

n  

The fund is subject to small and mid-sized company securities risk. Investing in the securities of smaller companies involves special risks. Smaller companies may have limited product lines, operating histories, markets or financial resources, or they may be dependent upon a limited management group. Among other things, the prices of securities of small and mid-sized companies generally are more volatile than those of larger companies; the securities of small companies generally are less liquid; and smaller companies generally are more likely to be adversely affected by poor economic or market conditions. Smaller companies may also be more difficult to value because few, if any, investment researchers regularly follow them.

n  

The fund is “non-diversified,” which means it may invest a larger percentage of its assets in one issuer than a “diversified” fund. To the extent the fund concentrates its assets in fewer issuers, the fund will be more susceptible to negative events affecting those issuers.

n  

The fund’s investments are spread across the sector on which it focuses. However, because those investments are limited to a comparatively narrow segment of the economy, the fund’s investments are not as diversified as most mutual funds and far less diversified than the broad securities markets. This means that the fund tends to be more volatile than other mutual funds, and the values of its portfolio investments tend to increase and decrease more rapidly. As a result, the value of your investment in the fund may rise or fall rapidly.

n  

The fund is subject to value style risk. The value approach to investing involves the risk that value stocks may remain undervalued. Value stocks as a group may be out of favor and underperform the overall equity market for a long period of time, while the market concentrates on “growth” stocks. Value funds often concentrate much of their investments in certain industries, and thus will be more susceptible to factors adversely affecting issuers within that industry than would a more diversified portfolio of securities.

 

Legg Mason Partners Financial Services Fund         3


 

n  

The fund is subject to “investment model” risk: the proprietary models used by the subadviser to evaluate securities or securities markets are based on the subadviser’s understanding of the interplay of market factors and do not assure successful investment. The markets or the prices of individual securities may be affected by factors not foreseen in developing the models.

n  

The subadviser’s judgment about the attractiveness, growth prospects, value or potential appreciation of a particular stock may prove to be incorrect.

Who may want to invest

The fund may be an appropriate investment if you:

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Are seeking to participate in the long-term growth potential of the financial services sector

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Are seeking capital appreciation and can tolerate significant short-term volatility

n  

Are looking for an investment with potentially greater return but higher risk than a fund investing primarily in fixed income securities

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Are comfortable with the risks of the stock market and the risks of foreign securities, including emerging market securities

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Currently have exposure to the stock market and can tolerate concentrated investment in a single market sector

 

*   As of November 20, 2006, Class Y shares were renamed Class I shares.

 

4         Legg Mason Partners Funds


 

Performance Information

The following shows summary performance information for the fund in a bar chart and an Average Annual Total Returns table. The information provides an indication of the risks of investing in the fund by showing changes in its performance from year to year and by showing how the fund’s average annual total returns compare with the returns of a broad-based unmanaged securities market index and a sector index.

The fund acquired the assets and liabilities of Legg Mason Financial Services Fund (the “Predecessor Fund”) in a reorganization on March 16, 2007. The Predecessor Fund offered classes of shares similar to the fund’s Class A and Class C shares, known as Financial Intermediary Class and Primary Class, respectively. The Predecessor Fund’s performance and financial history has been adopted by the fund and will be used going forward from the date of the reorganization. As a result, the total returns for Class C shares in the chart below are those of the Predecessor Fund’s Primary Class, which have not been restated to reflect any difference in expenses and do not reflect the impact of sales charges (loads). If they did, the returns would be lower than those shown. The performance for Class A and Class C shares in the Average Annual Total Returns table is the performance of the Predecessor Fund’s Financial Intermediary Class and Primary Class, respectively, which has been restated to reflect the impact of the maximum sales charge (load) applicable to the respective classes but has not been restated to reflect any difference in expenses. The performance for Class B shares in the Average Annual Total Returns table is the performance of the Predecessor Fund’s Primary Class, which has been restated to reflect the impact of the maximum sales charge (load) applicable to the class but has not been restated to reflect any difference in expenses. Where indicated, the performance for Class C shares reflects the impact of taxes paid on distributions and the redemption of shares at the end of the period. The fund’s past performance, before and after taxes, is not necessarily an indication of how the fund will perform in the future.

Total Return for Class C Shares

LOGO

Highest and Lowest Quarter Returns (for periods shown in the bar chart)

Highest: 17.88% in 3rd quarter 2000; Lowest: (13.23)% in 3rd quarter 1999.

 

Legg Mason Partners Financial Services Fund         5


 

Average Annual Total Returns (for periods ended December 31, 2006)

 

      1 year      5 years      Since
Inception
     Inception
Date(1)

Class C

           
 
Return before taxes(2)(11)    12.11 %    12.73 %    9.66 %    11/16/98
 
Return after taxes on distributions(2)(3)(11)    11.01 %    11.45 %    8.90 %   
 
Return after taxes on distributions and sale of fund shares(2)(3)(11)    10.96 %    10.95 %    8.43 %   
 
Other Classes (Return before taxes only)            
 

Class A(4)(11)

   7.45 %    12.24 %    9.69 %    11/16/98
 

Class B(5)(11)

   8.11 %    12.61 %    9.66 %    11/16/98
 

Class I(6)(11)

   N/A      N/A      N/A     
 
S&P 500 Index(7)    15.79 %    6.19 %    4.11 %    11/16/98
 
S&P Financial Index(8)    19.19 %    9.50 %    8.36 %    11/16/98
 
Russell 3000 Index(9)    15.72 %    7.17 %    5.05 %    11/16/98
 
Goldman Sachs Financials Index(10)    19.75 %    11.89 %    12.03 %    1/31/00
 

 

(1)

 

Inception date of the Predecessor Fund’s Financial Intermediary Class and Primary Class shares.

 

(2)

 

The performance for Class C shares is the performance of the Predecessor Fund’s Primary Class shares, which has not been restated to reflect any difference in expenses.

 

(3)

 

After-tax returns are calculated using the highest historical individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes. Actual after-tax returns depend on an investor’s tax situation and may differ from those shown, and the after-tax returns shown are not relevant to investors who hold fund shares through tax-deferred arrangements, such as 401(k) plans or individual retirement accounts. In some cases the return after taxes may exceed the return before taxes due to an assumed tax benefit from any losses on a sale of fund shares at the end of the measurement period. After-tax returns shown above are for Class C shares only. After-tax returns shown above for Class A, Class B and Class I shares will vary because of differences in sales charges and expenses. The returns of the Predecessor Fund for certain periods reflect fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements in effect for that period; absent fee waivers and reimbursements, performance would have been lower.

 

(4)

 

The performance for Class A shares is the performance of the Predecessor Fund’s Financial Intermediary Class, which has not been restated to reflect any difference in expenses but has been restated to reflect the impact of the maximum sales charge (load) applicable to Class A shares. On November 20, 2006 the maximum initial sales charge on Class A shares was increased for sales made on or after that date. The average annual returns for Class A shares in the table have been calculated as if the increased maximum initial sales charge had been in effect for the entire period.

 

(5)

 

The performance for Class B shares is the performance of the Predecessor Fund’s Primary Class shares, which has not been restated to reflect any difference in expenses.

 

 

(6)

 

As of November 20, 2006, Class Y shares were renamed Class I shares. No performance is shown for Class I shares since no Class I shares were outstanding on December 31, 2006.

 

(7)

 

Effective March 16, 2007, the fund’s primary benchmark is the S&P 500 Index. The S&P 500 Index is a market capitalization-weighted, price-only index composed of 500 widely held common stocks listed on the New York Stock Exchange, American Stock Exchange and the over-the-counter market. The S&P 500 Index was the Predecessor Fund’s primary benchmark.

 

(8)

 

Effective March 16, 2007, the fund’s sector index is the S&P Financial Index. The S&P Financial Index is a capitalization-weighted index representing nine financial groups and 53 financial companies, calculated monthly with dividends reinvested at month end.

 

(9)

 

Prior to March 16, 2007, the fund used the Russell 3000 Index as its primary benchmark. The Russell 3000 Index is an unmanaged index which measures the performance of the 3000 largest U.S. companies based on total market capitalization which represents approximately 98% of the U.S. equity market.

 

(10)

 

Prior to March 16, 2007, the fund used the Goldman Sachs Financials Index as its sector index. The Goldman Sachs Financials Index is an unmanaged market-value weighted index composed of companies in the banking services, brokerage, asset management, insurance and real estate industries. Performance for this index is not available prior to January 31, 2000.

 

(11)

 

The fund has adopted the performance and financial history of the Predecessor Fund. As a result, the fund will carry forward the performance history of the Predecessor Fund, which has been restated to reflect differences in sales charges but has not been restated to reflect differences in expenses. Class A will carry forward the performance of the Predecessor Fund’s Financial Intermediary Class shares and Class B and Class C will carry forward the performance of the Predecessor Fund’s Primary Class shares.

It is not possible to invest directly in an index. An index does not reflect deductions for fees, expenses or taxes.

 

6         Legg Mason Partners Funds


 

Fee table

This table sets forth the fees and expenses you may pay if you invest in fund shares.

 

Shareholder Fees

 

(fees paid directly from your investment)   Class A     Class B     Class C     Class I(1)
Maximum sales charge (load) imposed on purchases (as a % of offering price)   5.75 %   None     None     None
 
Maximum contingent deferred sales charge (load) (as a % of the lower of net asset value at purchase or redemption)   None (2)   5.00 %   1.00 %   None
 

 

Annual Fund Operating Expenses

 

(paid by the fund as a % of net assets)   Class A     Class B     Class C     Class I(1)(3)  
Management fee   0.80 %   0.80 %   0.80 %   0.80 %
   
Distribution and service (12b-1) fees   0.25 %   1.00 %   1.00 %   None  
   
Other expenses(4)(5)   0.52 %   0.61 %   0.26 %   0.52 %
   
Total annual fund operating expenses   1.57 %   2.41 %   2.06 %   1.32 %
   
Fee waiver and/or expense reimbursement(6)   (0.07 %)   (0.16 %)   N/A     N/A  
   
Net annual fund operating expenses   1.50 %   2.25 %   2.06 %   1.32 %
   

 

(1)

 

As of November 20, 2006, Class Y shares were renamed Class I shares.

 

(2)

 

You may buy Class A shares in amounts of $1,000,000 or more at net asset value (without an initial sales charge) but if you redeem those shares within 12 months of their purchase, you will pay a contingent deferred sales charge of 1.00%.

 

(3)

 

For Class I shares, “Other expenses” have been estimated based upon expenses incurred by Class A shares because no Class I shares were outstanding during the most recent fiscal year.

 

(4)

 

The amounts set forth in “Other expenses” for Class A, B, C and I shares have been revised to reflect the estimated effect of new transfer agency and custody contracts which became effective January 1, 2006.

 

(5)

 

Revised to reflect estimated expense ratios after the reorganization with the Predecessor Fund, which took place on March 16, 2007.

 

(6)

 

Management has contractually agreed to waive fees and/or reimburse operating expenses (other than brokerage, taxes and extraordinary expenses) to limit total annual operating expenses to 1.50% for Class A shares and 2.25% for Class B shares until March 1, 2009.

 

Legg Mason Partners Financial Services Fund         7


 

Example

This example helps you compare the costs of investing in the fund with the costs of investing in other mutual funds. Your actual costs may be higher or lower. The example assumes:

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You invest $10,000 in the fund for the periods shown

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Your investment has a 5% return each year — the assumption of a 5% return is required by the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) for purposes of this example and is not a prediction of the fund’s future performance

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You reinvest all distributions and dividends without a sales charge

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The fund’s operating expenses (reflecting contractual fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements in effect for Class A and Class B until March 1, 2009) remain the same

 

Number of Years You Own Your Shares

 

     1 year   3 years   5 years   10 years  

Class A (with or without redemption)

  $ 719   $ 1,029   $ 1,368   $ 2,323  
   

Class B (redemption at end of period)

  $ 728   $ 1,020   $ 1,355   $ 2,511 (1)
   

Class B (no redemption)

  $ 228   $ 720   $ 1,255   $ 2,511 (1)
   

Class C (redemption at end of period)

  $ 309   $ 645   $ 1,108   $ 2,390  
   

Class C (no redemption)

  $ 209   $ 645   $ 1,108   $ 2,390  
   

Class I(2) (with or without redemption)

  $ 134   $ 418   $ 723   $ 1,589  
   

 

(1)

 

Assumes conversion to Class A shares approximately eight years after purchase.

 

(2)

 

As of November 20, 2006, Class Y shares were renamed Class I shares.

 

8         Legg Mason Partners Funds


 

More on the fund’s investments

The fund’s investment objective and principal investment strategies are described under the section entitled “Investments, risks and performance” above. This section provides further information about the investment strategies that may be used by the fund.

Foreign investments

The fund’s investments in securities of foreign issuers involve greater risks than investments in securities of U.S. issuers. Many foreign countries the fund may invest in have markets that are less liquid and more volatile than markets in the United States. In some foreign countries, less information is available about foreign issuers and markets because of less rigorous accounting and regulatory standards than in the United States. Currency fluctuations could erase investment gains or add to investment losses. The risks of investing in foreign securities are greater for securities of emerging market issuers because political or economic instability, lack of market liquidity, and negative government actions like currency controls or seizure of private businesses or property are more likely.

Small and mid-sized company securities risk

Investments in securities of companies with small and mid-sized market capitalizations are generally considered to offer greater opportunity for appreciation but also may involve greater risks than customarily are associated with more established companies. The securities of smaller companies may be subject to more abrupt fluctuations in market price than larger, more established companies. In addition to exhibiting greater volatility, small-cap and mid-cap stocks may, to a degree, fluctuate independently of larger-cap stocks, i.e., small-cap and/or mid-cap stocks may decline in price as the prices of large-cap stocks rise or vice versa. Smaller companies are often involved in actual or anticipated reorganizations or restructurings, which involve risks, including difficulty in obtaining information as to the financial conditions of such companies.

It is anticipated that some of the portfolio securities may not be widely traded and that the fund’s position in such securities may be substantial in relation to the market for such securities. Accordingly, it may be difficult for the fund to dispose of such securities quickly at prevailing market prices, and market prices may not always be readily available for use in determining the fund’s net asset value.

Portfolio turnover risk

The fund may experience higher than normal portfolio turnover during the period in which the subadviser disposes of securities that do not meet its investment criteria and acquires new securities. Higher portfolio turnover may result in larger distributions of capital gains, some of which may be short-term capital gain and subject to tax at ordinary income tax rates, and will increase the fund’s trading costs.

Fixed-income securities risk

The fund is subject to the risks of investing in debt securities for the portion of its assets not invested in equity securities in the financial services industry. Debt securities are subject to interest rate risk, which is the possibility that the rates of interest income generated

 

Legg Mason Partners Financial Services Fund         9


 

by the fund’s fixed-income investments may decline due to a decrease in market interest rates, and the market prices of the fund’s fixed-income investments may decline due to an increase in market interest rates. Generally, the longer the maturity of a fixed-income security, the greater the effect on its value when rates increase.

Debt securities are also subject to credit risk, i.e., the risk that an issuer of securities will be unable to pay principal and interest when due, or that the value of the security will suffer because investors believe the issuer is less able to pay. This is broadly gauged by the credit ratings of the securities in which the fund invests. However, ratings are only the opinions of the companies issuing them and are not absolute guarantees as to quality.

Debt securities rated BBB/Baa or better by the Standard & Poor’s Division of The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. (“S&P”) or Moody’s Investor Services, Inc. (“Moody’s”) and unrated securities considered by the fund’s subadviser to be of equivalent quality are considered investment grade. Debt securities rated below BBB/Baa, commonly known as “junk bonds,” which the fund may purchase from time to time, are deemed by the ratings companies to be speculative and may involve major risk or exposure to adverse conditions. Those in the lowest rating categories may involve a substantial risk of default or may be in default. Changes in economic conditions or developments regarding the individual issuer are more likely to cause price volatility and weaken the capacity of such securities to make principal and interest payments than is the case for higher grade debt securities. Securities rated below BBB/Baa may be less liquid than higher-rated securities, which means the fund may have difficulty selling them at times, and may have to apply a greater degree of judgment in establishing a price for purposes of valuing shares of the fund. Moody’s considers debt securities rated in the lowest investment grade category (Baa) to have speculative characteristics.

Call risk

The fund is subject to “call risk.” Many fixed-income securities, especially those issued at high interest rates and with longer maturities, provide that the issuer may repay them early. Issuers often exercise this right when prevailing interest rates are lower than the interest rate of the security. Accordingly, holders of callable securities may not benefit fully from the increase in value that other fixed-income securities experience when rates decline. Furthermore, the fund most likely would have to reinvest the proceeds of the repayment at current yields, which would be lower than those paid by the security that was paid off.

Convertible securities risk

The fund is subject to convertible securities risk: the value of a convertible security is usually a function of (1) its yield in comparison with the yields of other securities of comparable maturity and quality that do not have a conversion privilege and (2) its worth, at market value, if converted into or exchanged for the underlying common stock. Convertible securities are typically issued by smaller capitalized companies whose stock prices may be volatile. The price of a convertible security often reflects such variations in the price of the underlying common stock in a way that non-convertible debt does not.

 

10         Legg Mason Partners Funds


 

Derivatives and hedging techniques

The fund may, but need not, use derivative contracts, such as futures and options on securities, securities indices or currencies, options on these futures, forward currency contracts and interest rate or currency swaps for any of the following purposes:

n  

To hedge against the economic impact of adverse changes in the market value of its securities, because of changes in stock market prices, currency exchange rates or interest rates

n  

To settle transactions in securities quoted in foreign currencies

n  

As a substitute for buying or selling securities

n  

As a cash flow management technique

A derivative contract will obligate or entitle the fund to deliver or receive an asset or cash payment based on the change in value of one or more securities, currencies or indices. Even a small investment in derivative contracts can have a big impact on the fund’s stock market, currency and interest rate exposure. Therefore, using derivatives can disproportionately increase losses and reduce opportunities for gains when stock prices, currency rates or interest rates are changing. The fund may not fully benefit from or may lose money on derivatives if changes in their value do not correspond accurately to changes in the value of the fund’s holdings. The other parties to certain derivative contracts present the same types of credit risk as issuers of fixed income securities. Derivatives can also make the fund less liquid and harder to value, especially in declining markets.

Defensive investing

The fund may depart from its principal investment strategies in response to adverse market, economic or political conditions by taking temporary defensive positions in any type of money market instruments, short-term debt securities or cash without regard to any percentage limitations. If the fund takes a temporary defensive position, it may be unable to achieve its investment objective.

Master/feeder option

The fund may in the future seek to achieve its investment objective by investing all of its net assets in another investment company having the same investment objective and substantially the same investment policies and restrictions as those applicable to the fund.

Other investments

The fund may also use other strategies and invest in other securities that are described, along with their risks, in the Statement of Additional Information (“SAI”). However, the fund might not use all of the strategies and techniques or invest in all of the types of securities described in this prospectus or in the SAI. Also note that there are many other factors, which are not described here, that could adversely affect your investment and that could prevent the fund from achieving its investment objective.

The fund’s investment objective may be changed without shareholder approval.

Portfolio holdings

The description of the fund’s policies and procedures with respect to the disclosure of its portfolio securities is available in the SAI.

 

Legg Mason Partners Financial Services Fund         11


 

Management

Manager and subadviser

Legg Mason Partners Fund Advisor, LLC (“LMPFA” or the “manager”) is the fund’s investment manager. LMPFA, with offices at 399 Park Avenue, New York, New York 10022, is a recently-organized investment adviser that has been formed to serve as the investment manager of the fund and other Legg Mason-sponsored funds. LMPFA provides administrative and certain oversight services to the fund. Barrett Associates, Inc. (“Barrett” or the “subadviser”) provides the day-to-day portfolio management of the fund as the subadviser, except for the management of cash and short-term investments, which is performed by LMPFA. Barrrett became the subadviser to the fund on March 16, 2007.

Barrett, founded in 1937, is located at 90 Park Avenue, New York, New York 10016 and since February 2001 has been a subsidiary of Legg Mason. As of December 31, 2006, Barrett manages approximately $2.0 billion of client assets, of which approximately $1.7 billion is invested in equity securities. Barrett uses a team approach for security selection and decision making.

LMPFA and Barrett are wholly-owned subsidiaries of Legg Mason, Inc. (“Legg Mason”). Legg Mason, whose principal executive offices are at 100 Light Street, Baltimore, Maryland 21202, is a global asset management company. As of December 31, 2006, Legg Mason’s asset management operation had aggregate assets under management of approximately $945 billion.

Prior to March 16, 2007, Batterymarch Financial Management, Inc. (“Batterymarch”) served as the fund’s subadviser, and prior to August 1, 2006, Smith Barney Fund Management (“SBFM”) was the fund’s investment manager. Batterymarch and SBFM are wholly-owned subsidiaries of Legg Mason.

Portfolio manager

Amy LaGuardia became responsible for the day-to-day portfolio management of the fund on March 16, 2007. Ms. LaGuardia joined Barrett in May 2003 as Senior Vice President. Prior to joining Barrett, Ms. LaGuardia was Senior Vice President and Director of Research at Gray, Seifert & Co., Inc., a company founded in 1980 and purchased by Legg Mason in 1994, where she had worked since 1982.

The SAI provides information about the compensation of the portfolio manager, other accounts that she manages, and any fund shares held by the portfolio manager.

Management fees

For the fiscal year ended October 31, 2006, the fund paid fees of 0.80% of the fund’s average daily net assets (net of fee waivers) for advisory and administrative services. For the period from November 1, 2005 through July 31, 2006, the fund paid the fees to SBFM. For the period from August 1, 2006 through October 31, 2006, the fund paid the fees to LMPFA.

A discussion regarding the basis for the approval by the board of directors (the “Board”) of the fund’s management agreement and subadvisory agreement with the prior subadviser is available in the fund’s Annual Report for the fiscal year ended October 31, 2006.

 

12         Legg Mason Partners Funds


 

Other Information

The fund’s Board and (where required) shareholders have approved a number of initiatives designed to streamline and restructure the fund complex, which generally are expected to be effectuated during the first half of 2007. These initiatives include the election of a new Board, the grouping of the fund for organizational and governance purposes with other funds in the fund complex that are predominantly equity-type funds, and the adoption of a single form of organization as a Maryland business trust, with all funds operating under uniform charter documents. Fund shareholders have also approved investment matters, including standardized fundamental investment policies and the ability of the fund to change its investment objective without shareholder approval.

Distribution Plan

Legg Mason Investor Services, LLC (“LMIS”), a wholly-owned broker-dealer subsidiary of Legg Mason, Citigroup Global Markets Inc. (“CGMI”) and PFS Investments Inc. (“PFS”) serve as the fund’s distributors.

The fund has adopted a shareholder services and distribution plan for its Class A, B and C shares. Under the plan, the fund pays distribution and/or service fees. The plan provides for payments, based on annualized percentages of average daily net assets, of up to 0.25% for Class A shares, and up to 1.00% for Class B and Class C shares. These fees are an ongoing expense and, over time, will increase the cost of your investment and may cost you more than other types of sales charges.

In addition, the distributors may make payments for distribution and/or shareholder servicing activities out of their past profits and other available sources. A distributor may also make payments to dealers for marketing, promotional or related expenses. The amount of these payments is determined by the distributor and may be substantial. The manager or an affiliate may make similar payments under similar arrangements.

The payments described in the paragraph above are often referred to as “revenue sharing payments.” The recipients of such payments may include the fund’s distributors, affiliates of the manager, broker/dealers, financial institutions and other financial intermediaries through which investors may purchase shares of the fund. In some circumstances, such payments may create an incentive for an intermediary or its employees or associated persons to recommend or sell shares of the fund to you. Please contact your financial intermediary for details about revenue sharing payments it may receive.

Recent Developments

On May 31, 2005, the SEC issued an order in connection with the settlement of an administrative proceeding against SBFM, the then-investment adviser or manager to the fund, and CGMI, relating to the appointment of an affiliated transfer agent for the Smith Barney family of mutual funds, including the fund (the “Funds”).

The SEC order found that SBFM and CGMI willfully violated Section 206(1) of the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as amended, and the rules promulgated thereunder (the “Advisers Act”). Specifically, the order found that SBFM and CGMI knowingly or recklessly failed to disclose to the boards of the Funds in 1999 when proposing a new transfer agent arrangement with an affiliated transfer agent that: First Data Investors Services Group (“First Data”), the Funds’ then-existing transfer agent, had offered to continue

 

Legg Mason Partners Financial Services Fund         13


 

as transfer agent and do the same work for substantially less money than before; and that Citigroup Asset Management (“CAM”), the Citigroup business unit that, at the time, included the Affected Funds’ investment manager and other investment advisory companies, had entered into a side letter with First Data under which CAM agreed to recommend the appointment of First Data as sub-transfer agent to the affiliated transfer agent in exchange, among other things, for a guarantee by First Data of specified amounts of asset management and investment banking fees to CAM and CGMI. The order also finds that SBFM and CGMI willfully violated Section 206(2) of the Advisers Act by virtue of the omissions discussed above and other misrepresentations and omissions in the materials provided to the Affected Funds’ boards, including the failure to make clear that the affiliated transfer agent would earn a high profit for performing limited functions while First Data continued to perform almost all of the transfer agent functions, and the suggestion that the proposed arrangement was in the Funds’ best interests and that no viable alternatives existed.

SBFM and CGMI do not admit or deny any wrongdoing or liability. The settlement does not establish wrongdoing or liability for purposes of any other proceeding. The SEC censured SBFM and CGMI and ordered them to cease and desist from violations of Sections 206(1) and 206(2) of the Advisers Act. The order required Citigroup to pay $208.1 million, including $109 million in disgorgement of profits, $19.1 million in interest, and a civil money penalty of $80 million. Approximately $24.4 million has already been paid to the Affected Funds, primarily through fee waivers. The remaining $183.7 million, including the penalty, has been paid to the U.S. Treasury and will be distributed pursuant to a plan submitted for the approval of the SEC. At this time, there is no certainty as to how the above-described proceeds of the settlement will be distributed, to whom such distributions will be made, the methodology by which such distributions will be allocated, and when such distributions will be made. The order also required that transfer agency fees received from the Funds since December 1, 2004, less certain expenses, be placed in escrow and provided that a portion of such fees might be subsequently distributed in accordance with the terms of the order. On April 3, 2006, an aggregate amount of approximately $9 million held in escrow was distributed to the Funds.

The order required SBFM to recommend a new transfer agent contract to the Funds’ boards within 180 days of the entry of the order; if a Citigroup affiliate submitted a proposal to serve as transfer agent or sub-transfer agent, SBFM and CGMI would have been required, at their expense, to engage an independent monitor to oversee a competitive bidding process. On November 21, 2005, and within the specified timeframe, the Funds’ boards selected a new transfer agent for the Funds. No Citigroup affiliate submitted a proposal to serve as transfer agent. Under the order, SBFM also must comply with an amended version of a vendor policy that Citigroup instituted in August 2004.

Although there can be no assurance, the manager does not believe that this matter will have a material adverse effect on the Funds.

On December 1, 2005, Citigroup completed the sale of substantially all of its global asset management business, including SBFM, to Legg Mason.

 

14         Legg Mason Partners Funds


 

Choosing a class of shares to buy

Individual investors can generally choose among three classes of shares: Classes A, B, and C shares. Individual investors that held Class I (formerly Class Y) shares prior to November 20, 2006 may continue to invest in Class I shares. Institutional and retirement plan investors and clients of financial intermediaries should refer to “Retirement and institutional investors” below for a description of the classes available to them.

Each class has different sales charges and expenses, allowing you to choose the class that best meets your needs. When choosing which class of shares to buy, you should consider:

n  

How much you plan to invest.

n  

How long you expect to own the shares.

n  

The expenses paid by each class detailed in the Fee table and Example at the front of this prospectus.

n  

Whether you qualify for any reduction or waiver of sales charges.

If you are choosing between Class A and Class B shares, it will in almost all cases be the more economical choice for you to purchase Class A shares if you plan to purchase shares in an amount of $100,000 or more (whether in a single purchase or through aggregation of eligible holdings). This is because of the reduced sales charge available on larger investments of Class A shares and the lower ongoing expenses of Class A shares compared to Class B shares.

If you intend to invest for only a few years, the effect of Class B contingent deferred sales charges on redemptions made within five years of purchase, as well as the effect of higher expenses of that class, might make an investment in Class C more appropriate. There is no initial sales charge on Class C shares, and the contingent deferred sales charge does not apply to shares redeemed one year or more after purchase.

However, if you plan to invest a large amount and your investment horizon is five years or more, Class C shares might not be as advantageous as Class A shares. The annual distribution and service fees on Class C shares you would have paid may cost you more over the longer term than the front-end sales charge for larger purchases of Class A shares.

You may buy shares from:

n  

Certain broker/dealers, financial intermediaries, financial institutions, or a distributor’s financial advisors or registered representatives that have entered into an agreement to sell fund shares (each called a “Service Agent”).

n  

The fund, but only if you are investing through certain qualified plans or Service Agents.

Different types of shareholder services may be available to you under arrangements offered by different Service Agents. In addition, these services may vary depending on the share class in which you choose to invest. In making your decision regarding which share class to buy, please keep in mind that your Service Agent may receive different compensation depending on the share class in which you invest. Investors should consult with their Service Agent about comparative pricing of shareholder services available to them under each available share class, the compensation that will be received by their Service Agent in connection with each available share class, and other factors that may be relevant to the investor’s choice of share class in which to invest.

 

Legg Mason Partners Financial Services Fund         15


 

Not all classes of shares are available through each Service Agent. You should contact your Service Agent for further information.

Minimum initial and additional investment amounts vary depending on the class of shares you buy and the nature of your investment.

 

   

Investment Minimum

Initial/Additional Investment

     Class A   Class B   Class C   Class I
(formerly Y)(1)

General

  $ 500/$50   $ 500/$50   $ 500/$50     n/a
 

IRAs and Uniform Gifts or Transfers to Minor Accounts

  $ 250/$50   $ 250/$50   $ 250/$50     n/a
 

SIMPLE IRAs

  $ 1/$1   $ 1/$1   $ 1/$1     n/a
 

Systematic Investment Plans

  $ 25/$25   $ 25/$25   $ 25/$25     n/a
 

Clients of Eligible Financial Intermediaries

  $ 1/$1     n/a     n/a     None/None
 

Retirement Plans with omnibus accounts held on the books of the fund

    None/None     n/a     n/a     None/None
 

Other Retirement Plans

  $ 50/$50   $ 50/$50   $ 50/$50     n/a
 

Institutional Investors

  $ 500/$50   $ 500/$50   $ 500/$50   $ 1 million/none
 

 

(1)

 

Please refer to the section entitled “Retirement and institutional investors” for additional information regarding the investment minimum and eligibility requirements for Retirement Plans, Institutional Investors, and Clients of Eligible Financial Intermediaries.

More information about the fund’s classes of shares is available through the Legg Mason Partners Funds’ website. You’ll find detailed information about sales charges and ways you can qualify for reduced or waived sales charges, including:

n  

The front-end sales charges that apply to the purchase of Class A shares

n  

The contingent deferred sales charges that apply to the redemption of Class B shares, Class C shares and certain Class A shares (redeemed within one year)

n  

Who qualifies for lower sales charges on Class A shares

n  

Who qualifies for a sales load waiver

To access the website, go to http://www.leggmason.com/InvestorServices and click on the name of the fund.

 

16         Legg Mason Partners Funds


 

Comparing the fund’s classes

The following table compares key features of the fund’s classes. You should review the Fee table and Example at the front of this prospectus carefully before choosing your share class. Your Service Agent can help you decide which class meets your goals. Your Service Agent may receive different compensation depending upon which you choose.

 

     Class A   Class B   Class C   Class I
(formerly Y)
Key features  

n  Initial sales charge

n  You may qualify for reduction or waiver of initial sales charge

n  Generally lower annual expenses than Class B and Class C

 

n  No initial sales charge

n  Contingent deferred sales charge declines over time

n  Converts to Class A after approximately 8 years

n  Generally higher annual expenses than Class A

 

n  No initial sales charge

n  Contingent deferred sales charge for only 1 year

n  Does not convert to Class A

n  Generally higher annual expenses than Class A

 

n  No initial or contingent deferred sales charge

n  Only offered to institutional and other eligible investors

n  Generally lower annual expenses than the other classes

Initial sales charge  

Up to 5.75%; reduced or waived for large purchases and certain investors. No charge for purchases of $1 million or more

 

None

 

None

 

None

Contingent deferred sales charge  

1.00% on purchases of $1 million or more if you redeem within 1 year of purchase

 

Up to 5.00% charged when you redeem shares. This charge is reduced over time and there is no contingent deferred sales charge after 5 years; waived for certain investors

 

1.00% if you redeem within 1 year of purchase; waived for certain investors

 

None

Annual distribution and/or service fees  

0.25% of average daily net assets

 

1.00% of average daily net assets

 

1.00% of average daily net assets

 

None

Exchange privilege(1)  

Class A shares of most Legg Mason Partners Funds

 

Class B shares of most Legg Mason Partners Funds

 

Class C shares of most Legg Mason Partners Funds

 

Class I shares of most Legg Mason Partners Funds

 

 

(1)

 

Ask your Service Agent about the Legg Mason Partners Funds available for exchange.

 

Legg Mason Partners Financial Services Fund         17


 

Sales charges

Class A shares

You buy Class A shares at the offering price, which is the net asset value plus a sales charge. You pay a lower rate as the size of your investment increases to certain levels called breakpoints. You do not pay a sales charge on the fund’s distributions or dividends you reinvest in additional Class A shares.

The table below shows the rate of sales charge you pay, depending on the amount you purchase for purchases made on or after November 20, 2006. The table below also shows the amount of broker/dealer compensation that will be paid out of the sales charge. For Class A shares sold by LMIS, LMIS will receive the sales charge imposed on purchases of Class A shares (or any contingent deferred sales charge paid on redemptions) and will retain the full amount of such sales charge. For Class A shares sold by CGMI, CGMI will receive the sales charge imposed on purchases of Class A shares and will retain an amount equal to the broker-dealer commission paid out of the sales charge. LMIS will receive any portion not retained by CGMI. For Class A shares sold by PFS, PFS will receive the sales charge imposed on purchases of Class A shares (or any contingent deferred sales charge paid on redemptions) and will retain the full amount of such sales charge. Service Agents (including CGMI and PFS) will also receive a service fee payable on Class A shares at an annual rate of up to 0.25% of the average daily net assets represented by the Class A shares serviced by them.

 

Amount of Investment  

Sales Charge

as % of

Offering Price

 

Sales Charge

as % of Net
Amount

Invested

 

Broker/Dealer

Commission

as % of

Offering Price

Less than $25,000

  5.75   6.10   5.00
 

$25,000 but less than $50,000

  5.00   5.26   4.25
 

$50,000 but less than $100,000

  4.50   4.71   3.75
 

$100,000 but less than $250,000

  3.50   3.63   2.75
 

$250,000 but less than $500,000

  2.50   2.56   2.00
 

$500,000 but less than $750,000

  2.00   2.04   1.60
 

$750,000 but less than $1 million

  1.50   1.52   1.20
 

$1 million or more(1)

  -0-   -0-   up to 1.00
 

 

(1)   A distributor may pay a commission of up to 1.00% to a Service Agent for purchase amounts of $1 million or more. In such cases, starting in the thirteenth month after purchase, the Service Agent will also receive an annual distribution/service fee of up to 0.25% of the average daily net assets represented by the Class A shares held by its clients. Prior to the thirteenth month, the distributor will retain this fee. Where the Service Agent does not receive the payment of this commission, the Service Agent will instead receive the annual distribution/service fee starting immediately after purchase. Please contact your Service Agent for more information.

Investments of $1,000,000 or more

You do not pay an initial sales charge when you buy $1,000,000 or more of Class A shares. However, if you redeem these Class A shares within one year of purchase, you will pay a contingent deferred sales charge of 1.00%.

 

18         Legg Mason Partners Funds


 

Qualifying for a reduced Class A sales charge

There are several ways you can combine multiple purchases of Class A shares of Legg Mason Partners Funds to take advantage of the breakpoints in the sales charge schedule. In order to take advantage of reductions in sales charges that may be available to you when you purchase fund shares, you must inform your Service Agent or Legg Mason Partners Shareholder Services if you are eligible for a letter of intent or a right of accumulation and if you own shares of other Legg Mason Partners Funds that are eligible to be aggregated with your purchases. Certain records, such as account statements, may be necessary in order to verify your eligibility for reduced sales charges.

n  

Accumulation Privilege – allows you to combine the current value of Class A shares of the fund with other shares of Legg Mason Partners Funds that are owned by:

n  

you; or

n  

your spouse and children under the age of 21

Shares of certain money market funds advised by the manager or its affiliates (other than money market fund shares acquired by exchange from other Legg Mason Partners Funds offered with a sales charge), Legg Mason Partners S&P 500 Index Fund and Class O shares of Legg Mason Partners Equity Fund, Inc. may not be combined.

If you hold shares of Legg Mason Partners Funds in accounts at two or more Service Agents, please contact your Service Agents to determine which shares may be combined.

Certain trustees and fiduciaries may be entitled to combine accounts in determining their sales charge.

n  

Letter of Intent – allows you to purchase Class A shares of Legg Mason Partners Funds over a 13-month period and pay the same sales charge on Class A shares, if any, as if all shares had been purchased at once. At the time you enter into the letter of intent, you select your asset goal amount. Generally, purchases of Legg Mason Partners Fund shares that are purchased during the 13-month period by

n  

you; or

n  

your spouse and children under the age of 21

are eligible for inclusion under the letter, based on the public offering price at the time of the purchase, and any capital appreciation on those shares. Purchases made 90 days prior to the 13-month period are also eligible to be treated as purchases made under the letter. In addition, you can include towards your asset goal amount the current value of any eligible purchases that were made prior to the date of entering into the letter of intent and are still held.

If you hold shares of Legg Mason Partners Funds in accounts at two or more Service Agents, please contact your Service Agents to determine which shares may be credited toward your letter of intent asset goal.

Shares of certain money market funds advised by the manager or its affiliates (other than money market fund shares acquired by exchange from other Legg Mason Partners Funds offered with a sales charge), Legg Mason Partners S&P 500 Index Fund and Class O shares of Legg Mason Partners Equity Fund, Inc. may not be credited to your letter of intent asset goal.

If you do not meet your asset goal amount, shares in the amount of any sales charges due, based on the amount of your actual purchases, will be redeemed from your account.

 

Legg Mason Partners Financial Services Fund         19


 

Waivers for certain Class A investors

Class A initial sales charges are waived for certain types of investors, including:

n  

Employees of Service Agents having dealer, service or other selling agreements with the fund’s distributors

n  

Investors who redeemed Class A shares of a Legg Mason Partners Fund in the past 60 days, if the investor’s Service Agent is notified

n  

Directors and officers of any Legg Mason-sponsored fund

n  

Employees of Legg Mason and its subsidiaries

n  

Investors investing through certain retirement plans

If you qualify for a waiver of the Class A initial sales charge, you must notify your Service Agent or Legg Mason Partners Shareholder Services at the time of purchase and provide sufficient information at the time of purchase to permit verification that the purchase qualifies for the initial sales charge waiver.

If you want to learn about additional waivers of Class A initial sales charges, contact your Service Agent, consult the SAI or access the Legg Mason Partners Funds’ website, http://www.leggmason.com/InvestorServices, and click on the name of the fund.

Class B shares

You buy Class B shares at net asset value without paying an initial sales charge. However, if you redeem your Class B shares within five years of your purchase payment, you will pay a contingent deferred sales charge. The contingent deferred sales charge decreases as the number of years since your purchase payment increases.

 

Year after purchase   1st     2nd     3rd     4th     5th     6th through 8th  

Contingent deferred sales charge

  5 %   4 %   3 %   2 %   1 %   0 %
   

LMIS will pay Service Agents other than PFS, including CGMI, selling Class B shares a commission of up to 4.00% of the purchase price of the Class B shares they sell, and LMIS

will retain the contingent deferred sales charges. For Class B shares sold by PFS, PFS will pay a commission of up to 4.00% of the purchase price of the Class B shares sold by its Service Agents and will retain the contingent deferred sales charges paid upon certain redemptions. Service Agents also receive an annual distribution/service fee of up to 0.25% of the average daily net assets represented by the Class B shares serviced by them.

 

20         Legg Mason Partners Funds


 

Class B conversion

After approximately 8 years, Class B shares automatically convert into Class A shares. This helps you because Class A shares have lower annual expenses. Your Class B shares will convert to Class A shares as follows:

 

Shares issued:

At initial purchase

   Shares issued:
On reinvestment of
dividends and
distributions
   Shares issued:
Upon exchange from
another Legg Mason
Partners Fund
Approximately 8 years after the date of
purchase payment
   In same proportion as the number of Class B shares converting is to total Class B shares you own (excluding shares issued as dividends)    On the date the shares originally acquired would have converted into Class A shares
 

Class C shares

You buy Class C shares at net asset value without paying an initial sales charge. However, if you redeem your Class C shares (other than shares sold to omnibus accounts of retirement plans held on the books of the fund) within one year of purchase, you will pay a contingent deferred sales charge of 1.00%.

Retirement plans with an omnibus account held on the books of the fund are not subject to a contingent deferred sales charge on shares redeemed within one year of purchase.

LMIS will generally pay Service Agents selling Class C shares a commission of up to 1.00% of the purchase price of the Class C shares they sell and LMIS will retain the contingent deferred sales charges and an annual distribution/service fee of up to 1.00% of the average daily net assets represented by the Class C shares serviced by these Service Agents until the thirteenth month after purchase. Starting in the thirteenth month after purchase, these Service Agents will receive an annual distribution/service fee of up to 1.00% of the average daily net assets represented by the Class C shares serviced by them.

Class I shares (formerly Class Y shares)

Class I shares are purchased at net asset value with no initial sales charge and no contingent deferred sales charge when redeemed.

 

Legg Mason Partners Financial Services Fund         21


 

More about contingent deferred sales charges

The contingent deferred sales charge is based on the net asset value at the time of purchase or redemption, whichever is less, and therefore you do not pay a sales charge on amounts representing appreciation or depreciation.

In addition, you do not pay a contingent deferred sales charge:

n  

When you exchange shares for shares of another Legg Mason Partners Fund

n  

On shares representing reinvested distributions and dividends

n  

On shares no longer subject to the contingent deferred sales charge

Each time you place a request to redeem shares, the fund will first redeem any shares in your account that are not subject to a contingent deferred sales charge and then the shares in your account that have been held the longest.

If you redeemed shares of a Legg Mason Partners Fund and paid a contingent deferred sales charge, you may, under certain circumstances, reinvest all or part of the redemption proceeds within 60 days and receive pro rata credit for any contingent deferred sales charge imposed on the prior redemption. Please contact your Service Agent for additional information.

The fund’s distributors receive contingent deferred sales charges as partial compensation for their expenses in selling shares, including the payment of compensation to your Service Agent.

Contingent deferred sales charge waivers

The contingent deferred sales charge for each share class will generally be waived:

n  

On payments made through certain systematic withdrawal plans

n  

On certain distributions from a retirement plan

n  

For retirement plans with omnibus accounts held on the books of the fund

n  

For involuntary redemptions of small account balances

n  

For 12 months following the death or disability of a shareholder

If you want to learn more about additional waivers of contingent deferred sales charges, contact your Service Agent, consult the SAI or look at the Legg Mason Partners Funds’ website, http://www.leggmason.com/InvestorServices, and click on the name of the fund.

 

22         Legg Mason Partners Funds


 

Retirement and institutional investors

Eligible investors

Retirement Plans

Retirement Plans with omnibus accounts held on the books of the fund can generally choose among three classes of shares: Class C, Class A and Class I (formerly Class Y) shares. “Retirement Plans” include 401(k) plans, 457 plans, employer-sponsored 403(b) plans, profit-sharing plans, non-qualified deferred compensation plans and other similar employer-sponsored retirement plans. Retirement Plans do not include individual retirement vehicles, such as traditional and Roth individual retirement accounts, Coverdell education savings accounts, individual 403(b)(7) custodial accounts, Keogh plans, SEPs, SARSEPs, SIMPLE IRAs, or Section 529 savings accounts. Although Retirement Plans with omnibus accounts held on the books of the fund are not subject to minimum initial investment requirements for any of these share classes, certain investment minimums may be imposed by a financial intermediary.

Other Retirement Plan investors (including, for example, employer-sponsored plans investing through brokerage accounts), can generally choose among three classes of shares: Class A, Class B and Class C. Individual retirement vehicles, such as IRAs, may also choose among these share classes. These types of investors are treated like individual investors for purposes of determining sales charges and any applicable sales charge reductions or waivers.

Clients of Eligible Financial Intermediaries

Clients of Eligible Financial Intermediaries may generally choose among two classes of shares: Class A and Class I. “Clients of Eligible Financial Intermediaries” are investors who invest in the fund through financial intermediaries that offer their clients fund shares through investment programs authorized by LMIS. Such investment programs may include fee-based advisory or brokerage account programs, and college savings vehicles such as Section 529 plans. The financial intermediary may impose separate investment minimums.

Institutional Investors

Institutional Investors may invest in Class I shares if they meet the $1,000,000 minimum initial investment requirement. Institutional Investors may also invest in Class A, B and C shares, which have different investment minimums and fees and expenses. “Institutional Investors” generally include corporations, banks, insurance companies, foundations, retirement plans and other similar entities with direct relationships to the fund.

Class C – Retirement Plans

For purchases made on or after November 20, 2006, Retirement Plans with omnibus accounts held on the books of the fund may buy Class C shares without paying a contingent deferred sales charge. As of November 20, 2006, LMIS no longer pays Service Agents selling Class C shares to retirement plans with omnibus accounts held on the books of the fund a commission on the purchase price of Class C shares sold by them. Instead, immediately after purchase, LMIS will pay these Service Agents an annual distribution/

 

Legg Mason Partners Financial Services Fund         23


 

service fee of up to 1.00% of the average daily net assets represented by the Class C shares serviced by them.

Class I shares

As of November 20, 2006, Class Y shares were renamed Class I shares and are offered only to Institutional Investors who meet the $1,000,000 minimum initial investment requirement, Clients of Eligible Financial Intermediaries, and other investors as authorized by LMIS. However, investors that held Class Y shares prior to that date will be permitted to make additional investments in Class I shares.

Class A – Retirement Plans

Retirement Plans with omnibus accounts held on the books of the fund may purchase Class A shares through programs sponsored by financial intermediaries. Under these programs, the initial sales charge and contingent deferred sales charge for Class A shares is waived where:

n  

Such Retirement Plan’s record keeper offers only load-waived shares,

n  

Fund shares are held on the books of the fund through an omnibus account, and

n  

The Retirement Plan has more than 100 participants, or has total assets exceeding $1 million.

As of November 20, 2006, LMIS no longer pays Service Agents selling Class A shares to Retirement Plans with a direct omnibus relationship with the fund a commission on the purchase price of Class A shares sold by them. However, for certain Retirement Plans that are permitted to purchase shares at net asset value on or after this date, LMIS may continue to pay Service Agents commissions of up to 1.00% of the purchase price of the additional Class A shares that are purchased with regular ongoing plan contributions. Please contact your Service Agent for more information.

Other considerations

Plan sponsors, plan fiduciaries and other financial intermediaries may choose to impose qualification requirements for plans that differ from the fund’s share class eligibility standards. In certain cases this could result in the selection of a share class with higher service and distribution-related fees than otherwise would have been charged. The fund is not responsible for, and has no control over, the decision of any plan sponsor, plan fiduciary or financial intermediary to impose such differing requirements. Please consult with your plan sponsor, plan fiduciary or financial intermediary for more information about available share classes.

With respect to Class A and Class C shares, the fund may pay a fee for recordkeeping services performed for the share class.

Not all share classes may be made available by your Service Agent; please contact your Service Agent for additional details.

 

24         Legg Mason Partners Funds


 

Buying shares

 

Generally    You may buy shares at their net asset value next determined after receipt by your Service Agent or the transfer agent of your purchase request in good order, plus any applicable sales charge.
 

Through a

Service Agent

  

You should contact your Service Agent to open a brokerage account and make arrangements to buy shares.

You must provide the following information for your order to be processed:

n Class of shares being bought

n Dollar amount or number of shares being bought

n Account number (if existing account)

Your Service Agent may charge an annual account maintenance fee.

 
Through the funds   

Financial intermediary accounts, retirement plan accounts and certain other investors who are clients of certain Service Agents are eligible to buy shares directly from the funds.

n Clients of a PFS Registered Representative should write to the funds at the following address:

Legg Mason Partners Funds

c/o PFPC Inc.

P.O. Box 9662

Providence, Rhode Island 02940-9662

n All other investors should write to the funds at the following address:

Legg Mason Partners Funds

c/o PFPC Inc.

P.O. Box 9699

Providence, Rhode Island 02940-9699

  

n Enclose a check to pay for the shares. For initial purchases, complete and send an account application available upon request from Legg Mason Partners Shareholder Services at the number below

n Specify the name of the fund, the share class you wish to purchase and your account number (if existing account)

n For more information, please call Legg Mason Partners Shareholder Services at 800-451-2010 (or for clients of a PFS Registered Representative, call Primerica Shareholder Services at 800-544-5445)

 

 

Legg Mason Partners Financial Services Fund         25


 

Through a systematic investment plan   

You may authorize your Service Agent or Legg Mason Partners Shareholder Services to transfer funds automatically from (i) a regular bank account, (ii) cash held in a brokerage account with a Service Agent or (iii) certain money market funds, in order to buy shares on a regular basis.

n Amounts transferred must be at least $25

n Amounts may be transferred monthly, every alternate month, quarterly, semi-annually or annually

n If you do not have sufficient funds in your account on a transfer date, your Service Agent or Legg Mason Partners Shareholder Services may charge you a fee

 

For more information, please contact your Service Agent or Legg Mason Partners Shareholder Services or consult the SAI.

 

26         Legg Mason Partners Funds


 

Exchanging shares

 

Generally    You may exchange shares at their net asset value next determined after receipt by your Service Agent or the transfer agent of your exchange request in good order.
 
Legg Mason Partners offers a distinctive family of funds tailored to help meet the varying needs of both large and small investors   

You should contact your Service Agent to exchange into other Legg Mason Partners Funds. Be sure to read the prospectus of the Legg Mason Partners Fund into which you are exchanging. An exchange is a taxable transaction, unless you are investing through a tax-
qualified savings plan or account.

n If you bought shares through a Service Agent, you may exchange shares only for shares of the same class of certain other Legg Mason Partners Funds made available for exchange by your Service Agent. Not all Legg Mason Partners Funds made available for exchange by your Service Agent may offer all classes. Please contact your Service Agent for more information about the funds and classes that are available for exchange

n If you bought shares directly from the fund, you may exchange shares only for shares of the same class of another Legg Mason Partners Fund other than shares of Legg Mason Partners S&P 500 Index Fund. Not all Legg Mason Partners Funds offer all classes.

n Not all Legg Mason Partners Funds may be offered in your state of residence. Please contact your Service Agent or Legg Mason Partners Shareholder Services for further information

n Exchanges of Class A, B and C shares are subject to minimum investment requirements (except for systematic investment plan exchanges), and all shares are subject to the other requirements of the funds into which exchanges are made

n If you hold share certificates, the transfer agent must receive the certificates endorsed for transfer or with signed stock powers before the exchange is effective

n The fund may suspend or terminate your exchange privilege if you engage in an excessive pattern of exchanges

 
Sales charges   

In most instances, your shares will not be subject to an initial sales charge or a contingent deferred sales charge at the time of the exchange.

Your contingent deferred sales charge (if any) will continue to be measured from the date of your original purchase of shares subject to a contingent deferred sales charge and you will be subject to the contingent deferred sales charge of the fund that you originally purchased.

 
By telephone    If you do not have a brokerage account with a Service Agent, you may be eligible to exchange shares through the fund. You must complete an authorization form to authorize telephone transfers. If eligible, you may make telephone exchanges on any day the New York Stock Exchange Inc. (“NYSE”) is open. For clients of a PFS

 

Legg Mason Partners Financial Services Fund         27


 

  

Registered Representative, call Primerica Shareholder Services at 800-544-5445 between 8:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m. (Eastern time). All other shareholders should call Legg Mason Partners Shareholder Services at 800-451-2010 between 8:30 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. (Eastern time).

You can make telephone exchanges only between accounts that have identical registrations.

 
By mail    If you do not have a brokerage account, contact your Service Agent or write to the fund at the address on the following page.
 

Through a

systematic

exchange plan

  

You may be permitted to schedule exchanges of shares of any class
of the funds for shares of the same class of other Legg Mason
Partners Funds.

n Exchanges may be made monthly, every alternate month, quarterly, semi-annually or annually

n A predetermined dollar amount of at least $25 per exchange
is required

 

For more information, please contact your Service Agent or Legg Mason Partners Shareholder Services.

 

28         Legg Mason Partners Funds


 

Redeeming shares

 

Generally   

You may redeem shares at their net asset value next determined after receipt by your Service Agent or the transfer agent of your redemption request in good order, less any applicable contingent deferred sales charge.

Contact your Service Agent to redeem shares of the fund.

If you hold share certificates, the transfer agent must receive the certificates endorsed for transfer or with signed stock powers with a signature guarantee before you may redeem.

If the shares are held by a fiduciary or corporation, other documents may be required.

Your redemption proceeds will normally be sent within three business days after your request is received in good order, but in any event within 7 days. Your redemption proceeds may be delayed for up to 10 days if your purchase was made by check.

If you have a brokerage account with a Service Agent, your redemption proceeds will be sent to your Service Agent. In other cases, unless you direct otherwise, your redemption proceeds will be paid by check mailed to your address of record.

 
By mail   

For accounts held directly at the fund, send written requests to the fund at the applicable address:

For clients of a PFS Registered Representative, send your
request to:

Primerica Shareholder Services

c/o PFPC Inc.

P.O. Box 9662

Providence, Rhode Island 02940-9662

For all other investors, send your request to:

Legg Mason Partners Funds

c/o PFPC Inc.

P.O. Box 9699

Providence, Rhode Island 02940-9699

  

Your written request must provide the following:

n The fund’s name, the class of shares to be redeemed, and your account number

n The dollar amount or number of shares to be redeemed

n Signatures of each owner exactly as the account is registered

n Signature guarantees, as applicable

 
By telephone    If you do not have a brokerage account with a Service Agent, you may be eligible to redeem shares (except those held in certain retirement plans) in amounts up to $50,000 per day through the fund. You must complete an authorization form to authorize telephone redemptions. If eligible, you may request redemptions by telephone

 

Legg Mason Partners Financial Services Fund         29


 

  

on any day the NYSE is open. For clients of a PFS Registered Representative, call Primerica Shareholder Services at 800-544-5445 between 8:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m. (Eastern time). All other shareholders should call Legg Mason Partners Shareholder Services at 800-451-2010 between 8:30 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. (Eastern time).

Your redemption proceeds can be sent by check to your address of record or by wire or electronic transfer (ACH) to a bank account designated on your authorization form. You must submit a new authorization form to change the bank account designated to receive wire or electronic transfers and you may be asked to provide certain other documents. The transfer agent may charge a fee on a wire or an electronic transfer (ACH).

 
Automatic cash withdrawal plans   

You can arrange for the automatic redemption of a portion of your shares monthly, every alternate month, quarterly, semi-annually or annually. To qualify you must own shares of the fund with a value of at least $10,000 ($5,000 for retirement plan accounts) and each automatic redemption must be at least $50. If your shares are subject to a contingent deferred sales charge, the sales charge will be waived if your automatic redemptions are equal to or less than 2% per month of your account balance on the date the withdrawals commence, up to a maximum of 12% in any one year.

The following conditions apply:

n Your shares must not be represented by certificates

n All dividends and distributions must be reinvested

 

For more information, please contact your Service Agent or consult the SAI.

 

30         Legg Mason Partners Funds


 

Other things to know about transactions

When you buy, exchange or redeem shares, your request must be in good order. This means you have provided the following information, without which your request may not be processed:

n  

Name of the fund

n  

Your account number

n  

Class of shares being bought, and if you own more than one class, the class of shares being exchanged or redeemed

n  

Dollar amount or number of shares being bought, exchanged or redeemed

n  

Signature of each owner exactly as the account is registered (redemptions only)

The fund’s transfer agent or Legg Mason Partners Shareholder Services will employ reasonable procedures to confirm that any telephone exchange or redemption request is genuine, which may include recording calls, asking the caller to provide certain personal identification information, sending you a written confirmation or requiring other confirmation procedures from time to time. If these procedures are followed, neither the fund nor its agent will bear any liability for such transactions.

Signature guarantees

To be in good order, your redemption request must include a signature guarantee if you:

n  

Are redeeming over $50,000

n  

Are sending signed share certificates or stock powers to Legg Mason Partners Shareholder Services

n  

Instruct Legg Mason Partners Shareholder Services to mail the check to an address different from the one on your account registration

n  

Changed your account registration or your address within 30 days

n  

Want the check paid to someone other than the account owner(s)

n  

Are transferring the redemption proceeds to an account with a different registration

You can obtain a signature guarantee from most banks, dealers, brokers, credit unions and federal savings and loan institutions, but not from a notary public.

The fund has the right to:

n  

Suspend the offering of shares

n  

Waive or change minimum and additional investment amounts

n  

Reject any purchase or exchange order

n  

Change, revoke or suspend the exchange privilege

n  

Suspend telephone transactions

n  

Suspend or postpone redemptions of shares on any day when trading on the NYSE is restricted, or as otherwise permitted by the SEC

n  

Pay redemption proceeds by giving you securities. You may pay transaction costs to dispose of the securities

Small account balances/Mandatory redemptions

If at any time the aggregate net asset value of the fund’s shares in your account is less than $500 for any reason (including solely due to declines in net asset value and/or failure to invest at least $500 within a reasonable period), the fund reserves the right to ask you to

 

Legg Mason Partners Financial Services Fund         31


 

bring your account up to the applicable minimum investment amount as determined by your Service Agent. In such case you shall be notified in writing and will have 60 days to make an additional investment to bring your account value up to the required level. If you choose not to do so within this 60-day period, the fund may close your account and send you the redemption proceeds. In the event your account is closed due to a failure to increase your balance to the minimum required amount, you will not be eligible to have your account subsequently reinstated without imposition of any sales charges that may apply to your new purchase. The fund may, with prior notice, change the minimum size of accounts subject to mandatory redemption, which may vary by class, or implement fees for small accounts.

Subject to applicable law, the fund may, with prior notice, adopt other policies from time to time requiring mandatory redemption of shares in certain circumstances.

For more information, please contact your Service Agent or Legg Mason Partners Shareholder Services or consult the SAI.

Frequent purchases and redemptions of fund shares

Frequent purchases and redemptions of fund shares may interfere with the efficient management of the fund’s portfolio by its portfolio managers, increase portfolio transaction costs, and have a negative effect on the fund’s long-term shareholders. For example, in order to handle large flows of cash into and out of the fund, the portfolio managers may need to allocate more assets to cash or other short-term investments or sell securities, rather than maintaining full investment in securities selected to achieve the fund’s investment objective. Frequent trading may cause the fund to sell securities at less favorable prices. Transaction costs, such as brokerage commissions and market spreads, can detract from the fund’s performance. In addition, the return received by long-term shareholders may be reduced when trades by other shareholders are made in an effort to take advantage of certain pricing discrepancies, when, for example, it is believed that the fund’s share price, which is determined at the close of the NYSE on each trading day, does not accurately reflect the value of the fund’s portfolio securities. Funds investing in foreign securities have been particularly susceptible to this form of arbitrage, but other funds could also be affected.

Because of the potential harm to the fund and its long-term shareholders, the Board has approved policies and procedures that are intended to discourage and prevent excessive trading and market timing abuses through the use of various surveillance techniques. Under these policies and procedures, the fund may limit additional exchanges or purchases of fund shares by shareholders who are believed by the manager to be engaged in these abusive trading activities. The intent of the policies and procedures is not to inhibit legitimate strategies, such as asset allocation, dollar cost averaging, or similar activities that may nonetheless result in frequent trading of fund shares. For this reason, the Board has not adopted any specific restrictions on purchases and sales of fund shares, but the fund reserves the right to reject any exchange or purchase of fund shares with or without prior notice to the account holder. In cases where surveillance of a particular account establishes what the manager believes to be obvious market timing, the manager will seek to block future purchases and exchanges of fund shares by that account. Where surveillance of a

 

32         Legg Mason Partners Funds


 

particular account indicates activity that the manager believes could be either abusive or for legitimate purposes, the fund may permit the account holder to justify the activity.

The policies apply to any account, whether an individual account or accounts with financial intermediaries such as investment advisers, broker/dealers or retirement plan administrators, commonly called omnibus accounts, where the intermediary holds fund shares for a number of its customers in one account. The fund’s ability to monitor trading in omnibus accounts may, however, be severely limited due to the lack of access to an individual investor’s trading activity when orders are placed through these types of accounts. There may also be operational and technological limitations on the ability of the fund’s service providers to identify or terminate frequent trading activity within the various types of omnibus accounts.

The fund’s policies also require personnel such as portfolio managers and investment staff to report any abnormal or otherwise suspicious investment activity, and prohibit short-term trades by such personnel for their own account in mutual funds managed by the manager and its affiliates, other than money market funds. Additionally, the fund has adopted policies and procedures to prevent the selective release of information about the fund’s portfolio holdings, as such information may be used for market-timing and similar abusive practices.

The fund’s policies provide for ongoing assessment of the effectiveness of current policies and surveillance tools, and the Board reserves the right to modify these or adopt additional policies and restrictions in the future. Shareholders should be aware, however, that any surveillance techniques currently employed by the fund or other techniques that may be adopted in the future may not be effective, particularly where the trading takes place through certain types of omnibus accounts. As noted above, if the fund is unable to detect and deter trading abuses, the fund’s performance, and its long-term shareholders, may be harmed. In addition, because the fund has not adopted any specific limitations or restrictions on the trading of fund shares, shareholders may be harmed by the extra costs and portfolio management inefficiencies that result from frequent trading of fund shares, even when the trading is not for abusive purposes. Furthermore, the fund may not apply its policies consistently or uniformly, resulting in the risk that some shareholders may be able to engage in frequent trading while others will bear the costs and effects of that trading. The fund will provide advance notice to shareholders and prospective investors of any specific restrictions on the trading of fund shares that the Board may adopt in the future.

Share certificates

Share certificates for the fund will no longer be issued. If you currently hold share certificates of the fund, such certificates will continue to be honored. If you would like to return your share certificates to the fund and hold your shares in uncertificated form, please contact your Service Agent or Legg Mason Partners Shareholder Services.

Record Ownership

If you hold shares through a Service Agent, your Service Agent may establish and maintain your account and be the shareholder of record. In the event that the fund holds a shareholder meeting, your Service Agent, as record holder, will vote your shares in accordance with your instructions. If you do not give your Service Agent voting instructions, your Service Agent may nonetheless, under certain circumstances, be entitled to vote your shares.

 

Legg Mason Partners Financial Services Fund         33


 

Dividends, distributions and taxes

Dividends and Distributions

The fund generally pays dividends and makes capital gain distributions, if any, once a year, typically in December. The fund may pay additional distributions and dividends at other times if necessary for it to avoid a federal tax. The fund expects distributions to be primarily from capital gains. Capital gain distributions and dividends are reinvested in additional fund shares of the same class you hold. You do not pay a sales charge on reinvested distributions or dividends. Alternatively, you can instruct your Service Agent or Legg Mason Partners Shareholder Services to have your distributions and/or dividends paid in cash. You can change your choice at any time to be effective as of the next distribution or dividend, except that any change given to your Service Agent or Legg Mason Partners Shareholder Services less than five days before the payment date will not be effective until the next distribution or dividend is paid.

Taxes

In general, redeeming shares, exchanging shares and receiving dividends and distributions (whether in cash or additional shares) are all taxable events. The following table summarizes the tax status to you of certain transactions related to the fund.

 

Transaction    Federal tax status
Redemption or exchange of shares    Usually capital gain or loss; long-term only if shares owned more than one year
 
Long-term capital gain distributions    Long-term capital gain
 
Dividends    Ordinary income, potentially taxable at long-term capital gain rates
 

Distributions attributable to short-term capital gains are treated as dividends, taxable as ordinary income. Dividends and long-term capital gain distributions are taxable whether received in cash or reinvested in fund shares. Although dividends (including dividends from short-term capital gains) are generally taxable as ordinary income, individual shareholders who satisfy certain holding period and other requirements are taxed on such dividends at long-term capital gain rates to the extent the dividends are attributable to “qualified dividend income” received by the fund. For taxable years beginning before January 1, 2011, “qualified dividend income” generally consists of dividends received from U.S. corporations (other than dividends from tax-exempt organizations and certain dividends from real estate investment trusts and regulated investment companies) and certain foreign corporations.

Long-term capital gain distributions are taxable to you as long-term capital gain regardless of how long you have owned your shares. You may want to avoid buying shares when the fund is about to declare a long-term capital gain distribution or a dividend, because it will be taxable to you even though it may actually be a return of a portion of your investment.

 

34         Legg Mason Partners Funds


 

A dividend declared by the fund in October, November or December and paid during January of the following year may in certain circumstances be treated as paid in December for tax purposes.

After the end of each year, your Service Agent or the fund will provide you with information about the distributions and dividends you received and any redemptions of shares during the previous year. If you do not provide the fund with your correct taxpayer identification number and any required certifications, you may be subject to back-up withholding on your distributions, dividends and redemption proceeds. Because each shareholder’s circumstances are different and special tax rules may apply, you should consult your tax adviser about your investment in the fund.

The above discussion is applicable to shareholders who are U.S. persons. If you are a non-U.S. person, please consult your own tax adviser with respect to the tax consequences to you of an investment in the fund.

 

Legg Mason Partners Financial Services Fund         35


 

Share price

You may buy, exchange or redeem shares at their net asset value, determined after receipt of your request in good order, plus any applicable sales charge. The fund’s net asset value is the value of its assets minus its liabilities divided by the number of shares outstanding. Net asset value is calculated separately for each class of shares. The fund calculates its net asset value every day the NYSE is open. This calculation is done when regular trading closes on the NYSE (normally 4:00 p.m., Eastern time). The NYSE is closed on certain holidays listed in the SAI.

The Board has approved valuation procedures to be followed to ensure that the fund’s securities are valued appropriately. The valuation of the securities of the fund is determined in good faith by or under the direction of the Board. The Board has delegated certain valuation functions for the fund to the manager.

The fund generally values its securities based on market prices determined at the close of regular trading on the NYSE. The fund’s currency valuations, if any, are done as of when the London Stock Exchange closes, which is usually at 12 noon Eastern time, as the manager believes that these valuations typically reflect the largest trading volume in the foreign currency markets. A material change in the value of currency during the period between the close of the London Stock Exchange and the calculation of the fund’s net asset value on the same date is considered a significant event, as described below, in response to which the fund may use fair valuation procedures to value the affected investments. For equity securities that are traded on an exchange, the market price is usually the closing sale or official closing price on that exchange. In the case of securities not traded on an exchange, or if such closing prices are not otherwise available, the market price is typically determined by independent third party pricing vendors approved by the fund’s Board using a variety of pricing techniques and methodologies. The market price for debt obligations is generally the price supplied by an independent third party pricing service approved by the Board, which may use a matrix, formula or other objective method that takes into consideration market indices, yield curves and other specific adjustments. Short-term debt obligations that will mature in 60 days or less are valued at amortized cost, unless it is determined that using this method would not reflect an investment’s fair value. If vendors are unable to supply a price, or if the price supplied is deemed by the manager to be unreliable, the market price may be determined using quotations received from one or more broker/dealers that make a market in the security. When such prices or quotations are not available, or when the manager believes that they are unreliable, the manager may price securities using fair value procedures approved by the Board. Because the fund may invest in securities of small capitalization issuers and issuers located in emerging markets — some of which may be thinly traded, for which market quotations may not be readily available or may be unreliable — the fund may use fair valuation procedures more frequently than funds that invest primarily in securities that are more liquid, such as securities of large capitalization domestic issuers. The fund may also use fair value procedures if the manager determines that a significant event has occurred between the time at which a market price is determined and the time at which the fund’s net asset value is calculated. In particular, the value of foreign securities may be materially affected by events occurring

 

36         Legg Mason Partners Funds


 

after the close of the market on which they are valued, but before the fund prices its shares. The fund uses a fair value model developed by an independent third party pricing service to price foreign equity securities on days when there is a certain percentage change in the value of a domestic equity security index, as such percentage may be determined by the manager from time to time.

Valuing securities at fair value involves greater reliance on judgment than securities that have readily available market quotations. The fund that uses fair value to price securities may value those securities higher or lower than another fund using market quotations or fair value to price the same securities. There can be no assurance that the fund could obtain the fair value assigned to a security if it were to sell the security at approximately the time at which the fund determines its net asset value.

In order to buy, redeem or exchange shares at that day’s price, you must place your order with your Service Agent or the transfer agent before the NYSE closes. If the NYSE closes early, you must place your order prior to the actual closing time.

It is the responsibility of the Service Agents to transmit all orders to buy, exchange or redeem shares to the transfer agent on a timely basis.

 

Legg Mason Partners Financial Services Fund         37


 

Financial Highlights

The financial highlights tables are intended to help you understand the performance of each class of the Predecessor Fund for the past 5 years. As a result of the reorganization, the fund will carry forward the performance and accounting history of the Predecessor Fund, as the Predecessor Fund is the accounting survivor. Financial Intermediary Class and Primary Class shareholders of the Predecessor Fund received Class A and Class C shares of the fund, respectively, in the reorganization. No financial highlights are shown for Class B or Class I because the Predecessor Fund did not have outstanding classes of shares corresponding to Class B and Class I prior to the reorganization. Certain information reflects financial results for a single share. Total return represents the rate that a shareholder would have earned (or lost) on a share of the Predecessor Fund, assuming reinvestment of all dividends and distributions. The information in the following tables has been derived from the Predecessor Fund’s financial statements, which, except for the unaudited financial highlights for the period ended September 30, 2006, have been audited by PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, the Predecessor Fund’s independent registered public accounting firm, whose report, along with the Predecessor Fund’s financial statements, is included in the Predecessor Fund’s annual report (available upon request).

 

 

Class A (Financial Intermediary Class of the Predecessor Fund)  
    Six Months
Ended
September 30,
2006
    Years Ended March 31,  
       2006     2005     2004     2003     2002  
  (Unaudited )          

Net asset value, beginning of period

  $16.39     $15.14     $16.10     $11.58     $12.84     $11.22  
   

Investment operations:

           

Net investment income

  .06     .11     .04     .03     .01     .02  

Net realized and unrealized gain/(loss) on investments

  .47     2.57     1.15     4.75     (1.27 )   1.60  
   

Total from investment operations

  .53     2.68     1.19     4.78     (1.26 )   1.62  
   

Distributions:

           

From net realized gain on investments

  (.73 )   (1.43 )   (2.15 )   (.26 )        
   

Total distributions

  (.73 )   (1.43 )   (2.15 )   (.26 )        
   

Net asset value, end of period

  $16.19     $16.39     $15.14     $16.10     $11.58     $12.84  
   

Total return

  3.52 %A   18.16 %   7.65 %   41.37 %D   (9.81 )%D   14.44 %D
   

Ratios to Average Net Assets:B

           

Total expenses

  1.61 %C   1.58 %   1.59 %   1.55 %   1.65 %   1.64 %

Expenses net of waivers, if any

  1.50 %C   1.50 %   1.50 %   1.50 %   1.50 %   1.50 %

Expenses net of all reductions

  1.50 %C   1.50 %   1.50 %   1.50 %   1.50 %   1.50 %

Net investment income

  .44 %C   .47 %   .24 %   .17 %   .12 %   .07 %
   

Supplemental Data:

           

Portfolio turnover rate

  5.9 %A   24.8 %   28.3 %   29.6 %   38.2 %   28.9 %

Net assets, end of period (in thousands)

  $9,428     $10,203     $11,145     $11,793     $9,154     $9,960  
   

 

A

 

Not annualized.

 

B

 

Total expenses reflects operating expenses prior to any voluntary expense waivers and/or compensating balance credits. Expenses net of waivers reflects total expenses before compensating balance credits but net of any voluntary expense waivers. Expenses net of all reductions reflects expenses less any compensating balance credits and/or voluntary expense waivers.

 

C

 

Annualized.

 

D

 

Excluding sales charge applicable to former Class A shares of the Predecessor Fund. Sales charges for Class A of the Predecessor Fund were eliminated beginning July 31, 2004.

 

38         Legg Mason Partners Funds


 

Class C (Primary Class of the Predecessor Fund)  
    Six Months
Ended
September 30,
2006
    Years Ended March 31,  
       2006     2005     2004     2003     2002  
  (Unaudited )          

Net asset value, beginning of period

  $15.29     $14.32     $15.44     $11.20     $12.51     $11.02  
   

Investment operations:

           

Net investment loss

  (.02 )   (.04 )   (.07 )   (.08 )   (.08 )   (.09 )

Net realized and unrealized gain/ (loss) on investments

  .46     2.44     1.10     4.58     (1.23 )   1.58  
   

Total from investment operations

  .44     2.40     1.03     4.50     (1.31 )   1.49  
   

Distributions :

           

From net realized gain on investments

  (.73 )   (1.43 )   (2.15 )   (.26 )        
   

Total distributions

  (.73 )   (1.43 )   (2.15 )   (.26 )        
   

Net asset value, end of period

  $15.00     $15.29     $14.32     $15.44     $11.20     $12.51  
   

Total return

  3.17 %A   17.22 %   6.89 %   40.27 %   (10.47 )%   13.52 %
   

Ratios to Average Net Assets:B

           

Total expenses

  2.41 %C   2.36 %   2.38 %   2.35 %   2.46 %   2.44 %

Expenses net of waivers, if any

  2.25 %C   2.25 %   2.25 %   2.25 %   2.25 %   2.25 %

Expenses net of all reductions

  2.25 %C   2.25 %   2.25 %   2.25 %   2.25 %   2.25 %

Net investment income

  (.31 )%C   (.27 )%   (.50 )%   (.58 )%   (.64 )%   (.69 )%
   

Supplemental Data:

           

Portfolio turnover rate

  5.9 %A   24.8 %   28.3 %   29.6 %   38.2 %   28.9 %

Net assets, end of period (in thousands)

  $57,755     $58,859     $56,139     $57,398     $40,367     $45,473  
   

 

A

 

Not annualized.

B

 

Total expenses reflects operating expenses prior to any voluntary expense waivers and/or compensating balance credits. Expenses net of waivers reflects total expenses before compensating balance credits but net of any voluntary expense waivers. Expenses net of all reductions reflects expenses less any compensating balance credits and/or voluntary expense waivers.

C

 

Annualized.

 

Legg Mason Partners Financial Services Fund         39


 

 

(Investment Company Act

file no. 811-04757

FD 01756 (03/07)

LOGO

Legg Mason Partners

Financial Services Fund

You may look at the fund’s web site at www.leggmason.com/investorservices for a free copy of a prospectus, statement of additional information (“SAI”) or an Annual or Semi-Annual report.

Shareholder reports Additional information about the fund’s investments is available in the fund’s Annual and Semi-Annual Reports to shareholders. In the fund’s Annual Report, you will find a discussion of the market conditions and investment strategies that significantly affected the fund’s performance.

The fund sends only one report to a household if more than one account has the same last name and same address. Contact your Service Agent or Legg Mason Partners Shareholder Services if you do not want this policy to apply to you.

Statement of Additional Information The SAI provides more detailed information about the fund and is incorporated by reference into (is legally a part of) this prospectus.

You can make inquiries about the fund or obtain shareholder reports (without charge) by contacting your Service Agent, by calling Legg Mason Partners Shareholder Services at 800-451-2010 (or for clients of a PFS Registered Representative, call Primerica Shareholder Services at 800-544-5445), or by writing to the fund at Legg Mason Partners Funds, 125 Broad Street, New York, New York 10004.

Information about the fund (including the SAI) can be reviewed and copied at the Securities and Exchange Commission’s (the “SEC”) Public Reference Room in Washington D.C. Information on the operation of the Public Reference Room may be obtained by calling the SEC at 1-202-551-8090. Reports and other information about the fund are available on the EDGAR Database on the SEC’s Internet site at http://www.sec.gov. Copies of this information may be obtained for a duplicating fee by electronic request at the following E-mail address: publicinfo@sec.gov, or by writing the SEC’s Public Reference Section, Washington, D.C. 20549-0102.

If someone makes a statement about the fund that is not in this prospectus, you should not rely upon that information. Neither the fund nor the distributors are offering to sell shares of the fund to any person to whom the fund may not lawfully sell its shares.


Filed under Rule 497(c)

File Nos.33-43446 and 811-6444

April 16, 2007

STATEMENT OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

LEGG MASON PARTNERS EQUITY TRUST

Legg Mason Partners Financial Services Fund

125 Broad Street

New York, New York 10004

(800) 451-2010

This Statement of Additional Information (“SAI”) is not a prospectus and is meant to be read in conjunction with the combined prospectus of Legg Mason Partners Financial Services Fund (the “Financial Services Fund” or the “fund”) dated April 16, 2007, as amended or supplemented from time to time (the “prospectus”), and is incorporated by reference in its entirety into the prospectus. As part of a number of initiatives launched in 2006 to restructure and streamline the Legg Mason Partners fund complex, the fund assumed the assets and liabilities of a predecessor fund with the same name. The fund is now grouped for organizational and governance purposes with other Legg Mason Partners funds that are predominantly equity-type funds, and is a series of Legg Mason Partners Equity Trust (the “Trust”), a Maryland business trust. Other initiatives, including the election of a new board of trustees (the “Board” or “Trustees”) and the approval of certain revised fundamental investment policies, have also been accomplished, and more information on these matters appears in this SAI. Certain historical information contained in the SAI is that of the fund’s predecessor. Additional information about the fund’s investments is available in its annual and semi-annual report to shareholders. These reports contain financial statements that are incorporated herein by reference. A prospectus and copies of the reports may be obtained free of charge by contacting a distributor’s financial advisor or registered representative, a broker/dealer, financial intermediary or a financial institution that has entered into an agreement with one of the fund’s distributors, (each called a “Service Agent”), or by writing or calling the fund at the address or telephone number set forth above. Legg Mason Investor Services, LLC (“LMIS”), a wholly-owned broker/dealer subsidiary of Legg Mason, Inc. (“Legg Mason”), Citigroup Global Markets Inc. (“CGMI”) and PFS Investments Inc. (“PFS”) serve as the fund’s distributors.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

Investment Objective and Management Policies

   2

Risk Factors

   18

Investment Policies

   24

Management

   27

Investment Management and Other Services

   35

Portfolio Manager Disclosure

   39

Portfolio Transactions

   46

Portfolio Turnover

   48

Purchase of Shares

   49

Redemption of Shares

   55

Valuation of Shares

   57

Exchange Privilege

   58

Dividends and Distributions

   59

Taxes

   59

Additional Information

   66

Financial Statements

   71

Appendix A—Summary of Subadviser’s Proxy Voting Policies and Procedures

   A-1

Appendix B—Ratings of Securities

   B-1

THIS SAI IS NOT A PROSPECTUS AND IS AUTHORIZED FOR DISTRIBUTION TO PROSPECTIVE INVESTORS ONLY IF PRECEDED OR ACCOMPANIED BY AN EFFECTIVE PROSPECTUS.

 

1


INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE AND MANAGEMENT POLICIES

The fund is a non-diversified separate investment series of the Trust, a registered open-end management investment company. The prospectus discusses the fund’s investment objective and policies. This section contains supplemental information concerning the types of securities and other instruments in which the fund may invest, the investment policies and portfolio strategies the fund may utilize and certain risks associated with these investments, policies and strategies. Legg Mason Partners Fund Advisor, LLC (“LMPFA” or the “manager”) serves as investment manager to the fund. Barrett Associates, Inc. (“Barrett” or the “subadviser”) serves as the subadviser for the fund.

Investment objective

The fund seeks long-term capital appreciation by investing primarily in common stocks. The fund’s investment objective is non-fundamental and may be changed without shareholder approval.

Principal investment strategies

Key investments

Under normal circumstances, the fund invests at least 80% of its net assets in equity securities of issuers in the financial services industry. Equity securities include common stocks, preferred stocks, convertible securities, rights and warrants. These companies may include, but are not limited to, regional and money center banks, securities brokerage firms, asset management companies, savings banks and thrift institutions, specialty finance companies (e.g., credit card and mortgage providers), insurance and insurance brokerage firms, government sponsored agencies, such as the Government National Mortgage Association, and financial conglomerates. The fund may invest its assets in securities of foreign financial services companies (limited to 25% of total assets, not including American Depositary Receipts (“ADRs”)).

Investments may also include companies that derive more than 50% of their revenues from providing products and services to the financial services industry, including software, hardware, publishing, news services, credit research and ratings services, Internet services and business services.

Selection process

The fund invests primarily in equity securities of financial services issuers that the subadviser believes are undervalued and thus may offer above-average potential for capital appreciation. In deciding what securities to buy, the subadviser analyzes an issuer’s financial statements to determine earnings per share potential. It also reviews, as appropriate, the economy where the issuer does business, the products offered, its potential to benefit from industry changes and the strength and goals of management. The subadviser typically will sell a security in the fund’s portfolio if that security experiences earnings problems.

The fund may lend its securities to earn income for the fund.

The fund may, but is not required to, use various techniques, such as buying and selling futures and options contracts, to increase or decrease its exposure to changing security prices or other factors that affect security values. The fund may engage in foreign currency transactions solely to manage its exposure to foreign securities. If the fund’s strategies do not work as intended, the fund may not achieve its objective.

Additional Information

The fund’s principal investment strategies are described above. The following provides additional information about these principal strategies and describes other investment strategies that may be used by the fund.

 

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The Fund

The fund’s investment policy (as described above), will not be applicable during periods when the fund pursues a temporary defensive strategy, as discussed in the prospectus. The fund’s investment policies are non-fundamental and may be changed by the Trust’s board of directors (the “Board”) to become effective upon 60 days’ notice to shareholders.

The fund may invest its assets in securities of foreign issuers (limited to 25% of total assets, not including ADRs) in addition to securities of domestic issuers. Because the fund is non-diversified, the fund may invest a significant percentage of its assets in a single issuer.

The subadviser may lend the fund’s securities to broker-dealers or other institutions to earn income for the fund. The subadviser may, but is not required to, use various techniques, such as buying and selling futures and options contracts, to increase or decrease the fund’s exposure to changing security prices or other factors that affect security values. If the subadviser’s strategies do not work as intended, the fund may not achieve its objective.

Under normal market conditions, the majority of the fund’s portfolio will consist of common stock, but it also may contain money market instruments for cash management purposes. The fund reserves the right, as a defensive measure, to hold money market securities, including repurchase agreements or cash, in such proportions as, in the opinion of management, prevailing market or economic conditions warrant. If the fund takes a temporary defensive position, it may be unable to achieve its investment goal.

Equity Securities. Under normal circumstances, the fund invests at least 80% of the value of its net assets, plus any borrowings for investment purposes, in equity securities, including primarily common stocks and, to a lesser extent, securities convertible into common stock and rights to subscribe for common stock. Common stocks represent an equity (ownership) interest in a corporation. Although equity securities have a history of long-term growth in value, their prices fluctuate based on changes in a company’s financial condition and on overall market and economic conditions.

Debt Securities. Corporate debt securities are bonds or notes issued by corporations and other business organizations, including business trusts, in order to finance their credit needs. Corporate debt securities include commercial paper, which consists of short-term (usually from 1 to 270 days) unsecured promissory notes issued by corporations in order to finance their current operations.

Corporate debt securities may pay fixed or variable rates of interest, or interest at a rate contingent upon some other factor, such as the price of some commodity. These securities may be convertible into preferred or common stock, or may be bought as part of a unit containing common stock. In selecting corporate debt securities for the fund, the subadviser reviews and monitors the creditworthiness of each issuer and issue. The subadviser also analyzes interest rate trends and specific developments that it believes may affect individual issuers.

The prices of debt securities fluctuate in response to perceptions of the issuer’s creditworthiness and also tend to vary inversely with market interest rates. The value of such securities is likely to decline in times of rising interest rates. Conversely, when rates fall, the value of these investments is likely to rise. The longer the time to maturity the greater are such variations.

Generally, debt securities rated below BBB by Standard & Poor’s, a division of The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. (“S&P”), or below Baa by Moody’s Investors Service, Inc. (“Moody’s”), and unrated securities of comparable quality, offer a higher current yield than that provided by higher grade issues, but also involve higher risks. Debt securities rated C by Moody’s and S&P are bonds on which no interest is being paid and that can be regarded as having extremely poor prospects of ever attaining any real investment standing. Changes in

 

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economic conditions or developments regarding the individual issuer are more likely to cause price volatility and weaken the capacity of such issuers to make principal and interest payments than is the case for issuers of higher grade debt securities. However, debt securities, regardless of their ratings, generally have a higher priority in the issuer’s capital structure than do equity securities. If an investment grade security purchased by the fund is subsequently given a rating below investment grade, the subadviser will consider that fact in determining whether to retain that security in the fund’s portfolio, but is not required to dispose of it. The ratings of S&P and Moody’s represent the opinions of those agencies. Such ratings are relative and subjective, and are not absolute standards of quality. Unrated debt securities are not necessarily of lower quality than rated securities, but they may not be attractive to as many buyers. A description of the ratings assigned to corporate debt obligations by Moody’s and S&P is included in Appendix B.

Lower-rated debt securities are especially affected by adverse changes in the industries in which the issuers are engaged and by changes in the financial condition of the issuers. Highly leveraged issuers may also experience financial stress during periods of rising interest rates. Lower-rated debt securities are commonly referred to as “junk bonds.”

The market for lower-rated debt securities has expanded rapidly in recent years. This growth paralleled a long economic expansion. In recent times, however, the prices of many lower-rated debt securities has declined and the ratings of many initially higher-rated debt securities have fallen, indicating concerns that issuers of such securities might experience or are experiencing financial difficulties. At such times, the yields on lower-rated debt securities may rise dramatically, reflecting the risk that holders of such securities could lose a substantial portion of their value as a result of the issuer’s financial restructuring or default.

The market for lower-rated debt securities is generally thinner and less active than that for higher quality debt securities, which may limit a fund’s ability to sell such securities at fair value. Judgment plays a greater role in pricing such securities than is the case for securities having more active markets. Adverse publicity and investor perceptions, whether or not based on fundamental analysis, may also decrease the values and liquidity of lower-rated debt securities, especially in a thinly traded market.

In addition to ratings assigned to individual bond issues, the subadviser will analyze interest rate trends and developments that may affect individual issuers, including factors such as liquidity, profitability and asset quality. The yields on bonds and other debt securities in which the fund invests are dependent on a variety of factors, including general money market conditions, general conditions in the bond market, the financial conditions of the issuer, the size of the offering, the maturity of the obligation and its rating. There may be a wide variation in the quality of bonds, both within a particular classification and between classifications. A bond issuer’s obligations are subject to the provisions of bankruptcy, insolvency and other laws affecting the rights and remedies of bond holders or other creditors of an issuer; litigation or other conditions may also adversely affect the power or ability of bond issuers to meet their obligations for the payment of principal and interest. Regardless of rating levels, all debt securities considered for purchase (whether rated or unrated) are analyzed by the subadviser to determine, to the extent possible, that the planned investment is sound.

If an investment grade security purchased by the fund is subsequently given a rating below investment grade, the subadviser will consider that fact in determining whether to retain that security in the fund’s portfolio, but is not required to dispose of it. If one rating agency has rated a security A or better and another agency has rated it below A, the subadviser may rely on the higher rating in determining to purchase or retain the security. Bonds rated A may be given a “+” or “-“ by a rating agency. Bonds denominated A, A+ or A- are considered to be included in the rating A.

The fund may invest in foreign corporate debt securities denominated in U.S. dollars or foreign currencies. Foreign debt securities include Yankee dollar obligations (U.S. dollar denominated securities issued by foreign corporations and traded on U.S. markets) and Eurodollar obligations (U.S. dollar denominated securities issued by foreign corporations and traded on foreign markets).

 

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The fund may invest in the debt securities of governmental or corporate issuers in any rating category of the recognized rating services, including issues that are in default, and may invest in unrated debt obligations. Most foreign debt obligations are not rated. Corporate debt securities may pay fixed or variable rates of interest. These securities may be convertible into preferred or common equity, or may be bought as part of a unit containing common stock. Debt securities and securities convertible into common stock need not necessarily be of a certain grade as determined by rating agencies such as S&P or Moody’s; however, the subadviser does consider such ratings in determining whether the security is an appropriate investment for the fund.

The fund may invest in securities that are in lower rating categories or are unrated if the subadviser determines that the securities provide the opportunity of meeting the fund’s objective without presenting excessive risk. The subadviser will consider all factors it deems appropriate, including ratings, in making investment decisions for the fund and will attempt to minimize investment risks through diversification, investment analysis and monitoring of general economic conditions and trends. While the subadviser may refer to ratings, it does not rely exclusively on ratings, but makes its own independent and ongoing review of credit quality.

Preferred Stock. The fund may purchase preferred stock as a substitute for debt securities of the same issuer when, in the opinion of the subadviser, the preferred stock is more attractively priced in light of the risks involved. Preferred stock pays dividends at a specified rate and generally has preference over common stock in the payment of dividends and the liquidation of the issuer’s assets, but is junior to the debt securities of the issuer in those same respects. Unlike interest payments on debt securities, dividends on preferred stock are generally payable at the discretion of the issuer’s board of directors. Shareholders may suffer a loss of value if dividends are not paid. The market prices of preferred stocks are subject to changes in interest rates and are more sensitive to changes in the issuer’s creditworthiness than are the prices of debt securities. Under normal circumstances, preferred stock does not carry voting rights.

Convertible Securities. A convertible security is a bond, debenture, note, preferred stock or other security that may be converted into or exchanged for a prescribed amount of common stock of the same or a different issuer within a particular period of time at a specified price or formula. A convertible security entitles the holder to receive interest paid or accrued on debt or the dividend paid on preferred stock until the convertible security matures or is redeemed, converted or exchanged. Before conversion or exchange, convertible securities ordinarily provide a stream of income with generally higher yields than those of common stocks of the same or similar issuers, but lower than the yield of nonconvertible debt. Convertible securities are usually subordinated to comparable-tier nonconvertible securities, but rank senior to common stock in a corporation’s capital structure.

The value of a convertible security is a function of (1) its yield in comparison with the yields of other securities of comparable maturity and quality that do not have a conversion privilege and (2) its worth, at market value, if converted or exchanged into the underlying common stock. The price of a convertible security often reflects variations in the price of the underlying common stock in a way that nonconvertible debt does not. A convertible security may be subject to redemption at the option of the issuer at a price established in the convertible security’s governing instrument, which may be less than the ultimate conversion or exchange value.

Many convertible securities are rated below investment grade or, if unrated, are considered of comparable quality. Moody’s describes securities rated Ba as having “speculative elements; their future cannot be considered well-assured. Often the protection of interest and principal payments may be very moderate, and thereby not well safeguarded during both good and bad times over the future. Uncertainty of position characterizes bonds in this class.”

Small and Mid-Sized Company Stocks. The subadviser for the fund believes that the comparative lack of attention by investment analysts and institutional investors to small and mid-sized companies may result in opportunities to purchase the securities of such companies at attractive prices compared to historical or market price-earnings ratios, book value, return on equity or long-term prospects. Investing in the securities of smaller

 

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companies involves special risks. Among other things, the prices of securities of small and mid-sized companies generally are more volatile than those of larger companies; the securities of smaller companies generally are less liquid; and smaller companies generally are more likely to be adversely affected by poor economic or market conditions.

It is anticipated that some of the fund’s portfolio securities may not be widely traded, and that the fund’s position in such securities may be substantial in relation to the market for such securities. Accordingly, it may be difficult for the fund to dispose of such securities at prevailing market prices in order to meet redemptions. However, as a non-fundamental policy, the fund will not invest more than 15% of its net assets in illiquid securities.

Investments in securities of companies with small and mid-sized market capitalizations are generally considered to offer greater opportunity for appreciation but also may involve greater risks than customarily are associated with more established companies. The securities of smaller companies may be subject to more abrupt fluctuations in market price than larger, more established companies. Smaller companies may have limited product lines, markets or financial resources, or they may be dependent upon a limited management group. In addition to exhibiting greater volatility, small and mid-sized company stocks may, to a degree, fluctuate independently of larger company stocks, i.e., small and mid-cap company stocks may decline in price as the prices of large company stocks rise or vice versa.

Mortgage-Related Securities. Mortgage-related securities provide capital for mortgage loans made to residential homeowners, including securities which represent interests in pools of mortgage loans made by lenders such as savings and loan institutions, mortgage bankers, commercial banks and others. Pools of mortgage loans are assembled for sale to investors (such as the fund) by various governmental, government-related and private organizations, such as dealers. The market value of mortgage-related securities will fluctuate as a result of changes in interest rates and mortgage rates.

Interests in pools of mortgage loans generally provide a monthly payment which consists of both interest and principal payments. In effect, these payments are a “pass-through” of the monthly payments made by the individual borrowers on their residential mortgage loans, net of any fees paid to the issuer or guarantor of such securities. Additional payments are caused by repayments of principal resulting from the sale of the underlying residential property, refinancing or foreclosure, net of fees or costs which may be incurred. Some mortgage-related securities, such as securities issued by the Government National Mortgage Association (“GNMA” or “Ginnic Mae”), are described as “modified pass-through” because they entitle the holder to receive all interest and principal payments owed on the mortgage pool, net of certain fees, regardless of whether the mortgagor actually makes the payment.

Commercial banks, savings and loan institutions, private mortgage insurance companies, mortgage bankers and other secondary market issuers, such as dealers, create pass-through pools of conventional residential mortgage loans. Such issuers also may be the originators of the underlying mortgage loans as well as the guarantors of the mortgage-related securities. Pools created by such non-governmental issuers generally offer a higher rate of interest than government and government-related pools because there are no direct or indirect government guarantees of payments with respect to such pools. However, timely payment of interest and principal of these pools is supported by various forms of insurance or guarantees, including individual loan, title, pool and hazard insurance. There can be no assurance that the private insurers can meet their obligations under the policies. The fund may buy mortgage-related securities without insurance or guarantees if, through an examination of the loan experience and practices of the persons creating the pools, the subadviser determines that the securities are an appropriate investment for the fund.

Another type of security representing an interest in a pool of mortgage loans is known as a collateralized mortgage obligation (“CMO”). CMOs represent interests in a short-term, intermediate-term or long-term portion of a mortgage pool. Each portion of the pool receives monthly interest payments, but the principal repayments

 

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pass through to the short-term CMO first and to the long-term CMO last. A CMO permits an investor to more accurately predict the rate of principal repayments. CMOs are issued by private issuers, such as broker-dealers, and by government agencies, such as Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. Investments in CMOs are subject to the same risks as direct investments in the underlying mortgage-backed securities. In addition, in the event of a bankruptcy or other default of a broker who issued the CMO held by the fund, the fund could experience both delays in liquidating its position and losses. The fund may invest in CMOs in any rating category of the recognized rating services and may invest in unrated CMOs. The fund may also invest in “stripped” CMOs, which represent only the income portion or the principal portion of the CMO. The values of stripped CMOs are very sensitive to interest rate changes; accordingly, these instruments present a greater risk of loss than conventional mortgage-backed securities.

The subadviser expects that governmental, government-related or private entities may create mortgage loan pools offering pass-through investments in addition to those described above. The mortgages underlying these securities may be second mortgages or alternative mortgage instruments (for example, mortgage instruments whose principal or interest payments may vary or whose terms to maturity may differ from customary long-term fixed rate mortgages). As new types of mortgage-related securities are developed and offered to investors, the subadviser will, consistent with the fund’s investment objective and policies, consider making investments in such new types of securities. The prospectus will be amended with any necessary additional disclosure prior to the fund’s investing in such securities.

The average life of securities representing interests in pools of mortgage loans is likely to be substantially less than the original maturity of the mortgage pools as a result of prepayments or foreclosures of such mortgages. Prepayments are passed through to the registered holder with the regular monthly payments of principal and interest, and have the effect of reducing future payments. To the extent the mortgages underlying a security representing an interest in a pool of mortgages are prepaid, the fund may experience a loss (if the price at which the respective security was acquired by the fund was at a premium over par, which represents the price at which the security will be redeemed upon prepayment) or a gain (if the price at which the respective security was acquired by the fund was at a discount from par). In addition, prepayments of such securities held by the fund will reduce the share price of the fund to the extent the market value of the securities at the time of prepayment exceeds their par value, and will increase the share price of the fund to the extent the par value of the securities exceeds their market value at the time of prepayment. Prepayments may occur with greater frequency in periods of declining mortgage rates because, among other reasons, it may be possible for mortgagors to refinance their outstanding mortgages at lower interest rates. When market interest rates increase, the market values of mortgage-backed securities decline. At the same time, however, mortgage refinancing slows, which lengthens the effective maturities of these securities. As a result, the negative effect of the rate increase on the market value of mortgage securities is usually more pronounced than it is for other types of fixed-income securities.

Government-related organizations, which issue mortgage-related securities, include GNMA, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. Securities issued by Ginnie Mae and Fannie Mae are fully modified pass-through securities, i.e., the timely payment of principal and interest is guaranteed by the issuer. Freddie Mac securities are modified pass-through securities, i.e., the timely payment of interest is guaranteed by Freddie Mac, principal is passed through as collected but payment thereof is guaranteed not later than one year after it becomes payable.

The fund may invest no more than 5% of its net assets in mortgage-related securities.

U.S. Government Obligations and Related Securities. U.S. Government obligations include a variety of securities that are issued or guaranteed by the U.S. Treasury, by various agencies of the U.S. Government or by various instrumentalities that have been established or sponsored by the U.S. Government. U.S. Treasury securities and securities issued by the GNMA and Small Business Administration are backed by the “full faith and credit” of the U.S. Government. Other U.S. Government obligations may or may not be backed by the “full faith and credit” of the U.S. Government. In the case of securities not backed by the “full faith and credit” of the U.S. Government, the investor must look principally to the agency issuing or guaranteeing the obligation (such as

 

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the Federal Farm Credit System, the Federal Home Loan Banks, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac) for ultimate repayment and may not be able to assert a claim against the U.S. Government itself in the event the agency or instrumentality does not meet its commitments.

Participation interests in U.S. Government obligations are pro rata interests in such obligations which are generally underwritten by government securities dealers. Certificates of safekeeping for U.S. Government obligations are documentary receipts for such obligations. Both participation interests and certificates of safekeeping are traded on exchanges and in the OTC market.

The fund may invest in U.S. Government obligations and related participation interests. In addition, the fund may invest in custodial receipts that evidence ownership of future interest payments, principal payments or both on certain U.S. Government obligations. Such obligations are held in custody by a bank on behalf of the owners. These custodial receipts are known by various names, including Treasury Receipts, Treasury Investors Growth Receipts (“TIGRs”) and Certificates of Accrual on Treasury Securities (“CATS”). Custodial receipts generally are not considered obligations of the U.S. Government for purposes of securities laws.

U.S. Government obligations also include stripped securities, which are created by separating bonds issued or guaranteed by the U.S. Treasury into their principal and interest components and selling each piece separately (commonly referred to as IOs and POs). Stripped securities are more volatile than other fixed income securities in their response to changes in market interest rates. The value of some stripped securities moves in the same direction as interest rates, further increasing their volatility. The fund will consider all interest-only or principal-only fixed income securities as illiquid.

Floating and Variable Rate Obligations. Fixed-income securities may be offered in the form of floating and variable rate obligations. The fund may invest no more than 5% of its net assets in floating and variable rate obligations, respectively. Floating rate obligations have an interest rate which is fixed to a specified interest rate, such as the bank prime rate, and is automatically adjusted when the specified interest rate changes. Variable rate obligations have an interest rate which is adjusted at specified intervals to a specified interest rate. Periodic interest rate adjustments help stabilize the obligations’ market values.

The fund may purchase these obligations from the issuers or may purchase participation interests in pools of these obligations from banks or other financial institutions. Variable and floating rate obligations usually carry demand features that permit the fund to sell the obligations back to the issuers or to financial intermediaries at par value plus accrued interest upon short notice at any time or prior to specific dates. The inability of the issuer or financial intermediary to repurchase an obligation on demand could affect the liquidity of the fund’s portfolio. Frequently, obligations with demand features are secured by letters of credit or comparable guarantees. Floating and variable rate obligations which do not carry unconditional demand features that can be exercised within seven days or less are deemed illiquid unless the Board of Directors determines otherwise. The fund’s investment in illiquid floating and variable rate obligations would be limited to the extent that it is not permitted to invest more than 15% of the value of its net assets in illiquid investments.

When-Issued Securities and Delayed-Delivery Transactions. The fund may purchase securities on a “when-issued” basis, for delayed delivery (i.e., payment or delivery occur beyond the normal settlement date at a stated price and yield) or on a forward commitment basis. The fund does not intend to engage in these transactions for speculative purposes, but only in furtherance of its investment goal. These transactions occur when securities are purchased or sold by the fund with payment and delivery taking place in the future to secure what is considered an advantageous yield and price to the fund at the time of entering into the transaction. The payment obligation and the interest rate that will be received on when-issued securities are fixed at the time the buyer enters into the commitment. Because of fluctuations in the value of securities purchased or sold on a when-issued, delayed-delivery basis or forward commitment basis, the prices obtained on such securities may be higher or lower than the prices available in the market on the dates when the investments are actually delivered to the buyers.

 

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When the fund agrees to purchase when-issued or delayed-delivery securities, the fund will set aside cash or liquid securities equal to the amount of the commitment in a segregated account on the fund’s books. Normally, the fund’s custodian will set aside portfolio securities to satisfy a purchase commitment, and in such a case the fund may be required subsequently to place additional assets in the segregated account in order to ensure that the value of the account remains equal to the amount of the fund’s commitment. The assets contained in the segregated account will be marked-to-market daily. It may be expected that the fund’s net assets will fluctuate to a greater degree when it sets aside portfolio securities to cover such purchase commitments than when it sets aside cash. When the fund engages in when-issued or delayed-delivery transactions, it relies on the other party to consummate the trade. Failure of the seller to do so may result in the fund incurring a loss or missing an opportunity to obtain a price considered to be advantageous.

Foreign Securities. The fund may invest in securities of foreign issuers (limited to 25% of total assets, not including ADRs). Such investments involve certain risks not ordinarily associated with investments in securities of domestic issuers. Such risks include currency exchange control regulations and costs, the possibility of expropriation, seizure, or nationalization of foreign deposits, less liquidity and volume and more volatility in foreign securities markets and the impact of political, social, economic or diplomatic developments or the adoption of other foreign government restrictions that might adversely affect the payment of principal and interest on or market value of securities. If it should become necessary, the fund might encounter greater difficulties in invoking legal processes abroad than would be the case in the United States. In addition, there may be less publicly available information about a non-U.S. company, and non-U.S. companies are not generally subject to uniform accounting and financial reporting standards, practices and requirements compared to those applicable to U.S. companies. Furthermore, some of these securities may be subject to foreign brokerage and withholding taxes.

The fund may also invest in securities of foreign issuers in the form of American Depositary Receipts (“ADRs”), European Depositary Receipts (“EDRs”) or similar securities representing interests in the common stock of foreign issuers. ADRs are receipts, typically issued by a U.S. bank or trust company, which evidence ownership of underlying securities issued by a foreign corporation. EDRs are receipts issued in Europe, which evidence a similar ownership arrangement. Generally, ADRs, in registered form, are designed for use in the U.S. securities markets and EDRs are designed for use in European securities markets. The underlying securities are not always denominated in the same currency as the ADRs or EDRs. Although investment in the form of ADRs or EDRs facilitates trading in foreign securities, it does not mitigate the risks associated with investing in foreign securities. However, by investing in ADRs or EDRs rather than directly in foreign issuers’ stock, the fund can avoid currency risks during the settlement period for either purchases or sales. In general, there is a large, liquid market in the United States for many ADRs and EDRs. The information available for ADRs and EDRs is subject to the accounting, auditing and financial reporting standards of the domestic market or exchange on which they are traded, which standards are more uniform and more exacting than those to which many foreign issuers may be subject.

Investments in foreign securities incur higher costs than investments in U.S. securities, including higher costs in making securities transactions as well as foreign government taxes, which may reduce the investment return of the fund. In addition, foreign investments may include additional risks associated with currency exchange rates, less complete financial information about individual companies, less market liquidity and political instability.

Securities of Developing/Emerging Markets Countries. A developing or emerging markets country generally is considered to be a country that is in the initial stages of its industrialization cycle. Investing in the equity markets of developing countries involves exposure to economic structures that are generally less diverse and mature, and to political systems that can be expected to have less stability, than those of developed countries. Historical experience indicates that the markets of developing countries have been more volatile than the markets of the more mature economies of developed countries; however, such markets often have provided higher rates of return to investors.

 

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One or more of the risks discussed above could affect adversely the economy of a developing market or the fund’s investments in such a market. The claims of many property owners against those of governments may remain unsettled. There can be no assurance that any investments that the fund might make in such emerging markets would not be expropriated, nationalized or otherwise confiscated at some time in the future. In such an event, the fund could lose its entire investment in the market involved. Moreover, changes in the leadership or policies of such markets could halt the expansion or reverse the liberalization of foreign investment policies now occurring in certain of these markets and adversely affect existing investment opportunities.

U.S. and Foreign Taxes. The fund’s investment in foreign securities may be subject to taxes withheld at the source on dividend or interest payments. Foreign taxes paid by the fund may be credited or deducted by U.S. shareholders for U.S. income tax purposes. No assurance can be given that applicable tax laws and interpretations will not change in the future. Moreover, non-U.S. investors may not be able to credit or deduct such foreign taxes.

Money Market Instruments. The fund may invest for temporary defensive purposes in short-term corporate and government bonds and notes and money market instruments. Money market instruments include: obligations issued or guaranteed by the United States government, its agencies or instrumentalities (“U.S. government securities”); certificates of deposit, time deposits and bankers’ acceptances issued by domestic banks (including their branches located outside the United States and subsidiaries located in Canada), domestic branches of foreign banks, savings and loan associations and similar institutions; high grade commercial paper; and repurchase agreements with respect to the foregoing types of instruments. Certificates of deposit (“CDs”) are short-term, negotiable obligations of commercial banks. Time deposits (“TDs”) are non-negotiable deposits maintained in banking institutions for specified periods of time at stated interest rates. Bankers’ acceptances are time drafts drawn on commercial banks by borrowers, usually in connection with international transactions.

Investment in Other Investment Companies. The fund can invest up to 10% of its assets in the securities of other investment companies, which can include open-end funds, closed-end funds and unit investment trusts, subject to the limits set forth in the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”) that apply to those types of investments. For example, the fund can invest in exchange-traded funds (“ETFs”), which are typically open-end funds or unit investment trusts listed on a stock exchange. The fund might do so as a way of gaining exposure to the segments of the equity or fixed income markets represented by ETFs at times when the fund may not be able to buy those portfolio securities directly or when an ETF may be a more efficient way of investing.

Investing in another investment company may involve the payment of substantial premiums above the value of such investment company’s portfolio securities and is subject to limitations under the 1940 Act. The fund does not intend to invest in other investment companies unless the subadviser believes that the potential benefits of the investment justify the payment of any premiums or sales charges. As a shareholder of an investment company, the fund would be subject to its ratable share of that investment company’s expenses, including its advisory and administration expenses.

Short Sales. If the fund anticipates that the price of a company’s stock is overvalued and will decline, it may sell the security short and borrow the same security from a broker or other institution to complete the sale. The fund may realize a profit or loss depending on whether the market price of a security decreases or increases between the date of the short sale and the date on which the fund replaces the borrowed security. Short selling is a technique that may be considered speculative and involves risks beyond the initial capital necessary to secure each transaction. Whenever the fund sells short, it is required to deposit collateral in segregated accounts to cover its obligation, and to maintain the collateral in an amount at least equal to the market value of the short position. As a hedging technique, the fund may purchase call options to buy securities sold short by the fund. Such options would lock in a future price and protect the fund in case of an unanticipated increase in the price of a security sold short by the fund.

 

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To avoid limitations under the 1940 Act on borrowing by investment companies, short sales by the fund will be “against the box,” or the fund’s obligation to deliver the securities sold short will be “covered.” The fund will not make short sales of securities or maintain a short position if doing so could create liabilities or require collateral deposits and segregation of assets aggregating more than 25% of the value of the fund’s total assets. Management currently intends to limit the fund’s short sales to shares issued by ETFs. Utilizing this strategy will allow the subadviser to adjust the fund’s exposure in a particular sector in a cost effective and convenient manner without having to sell the fund’s holdings of individual stocks in that sector.

Repurchase Agreements. The fund may agree to purchase securities from a bank or recognized securities dealer and simultaneously commit to resell the securities to the bank or dealer at an agreed-upon date and price reflecting a market rate of interest unrelated to the coupon rate or maturity of the purchased securities (“repurchase agreements”). The fund would maintain custody of the underlying securities prior to their repurchase; thus, the obligation of the bank or dealer to pay the repurchase price on the date agreed to would be, in effect, secured by such securities. If the value of such securities were less than the repurchase price, plus interest, the other party to the agreement would be required to provide additional collateral so that at all times the collateral is at least 102% of the repurchase price plus accrued interest. Default by or bankruptcy of a seller would expose the fund to possible loss because of adverse market action, expenses and/or delays in connection with the disposition of the underlying obligations. The financial institutions with which the fund may enter into repurchase agreements will be banks and non-bank dealers of U.S. government securities that are on the Federal Reserve Bank of New York’s list of reporting dealers, if such banks and non-bank dealers are deemed creditworthy by the fund’s portfolio manager. The portfolio manager will continue to monitor creditworthiness of the seller under a repurchase agreement, and will require the seller to maintain during the term of the agreement the value of the securities subject to the agreement to equal at least 102% of the repurchase price (including accrued interest). In addition, the portfolio manager will require that the value of this collateral, after transaction costs (including loss of interest) reasonably expected to be incurred on a default, be equal to 102% or greater than the repurchase price (including accrued premium) provided in the repurchase agreement or the daily amortization of the difference between the purchase price and the repurchase price specified in the repurchase agreement. The portfolio manager will mark-to-market daily the value of the securities.

Pursuant to an exemptive order issued by the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”), the fund, along with other affiliated entities managed by the manager, may transfer uninvested cash balances into one or more joint repurchase accounts. These balances are invested in one or more repurchase agreements, secured by U.S. government securities. Each joint repurchase arrangement requires that the market value of the collateral be sufficient to cover payments of interest and principal; however, in the event of default by the other party to the agreement, retention or sale of the collateral may be subject to legal proceedings.

Reverse Repurchase Agreements. The fund may enter into reverse repurchase agreements, which involve the sale of fund securities with an agreement to repurchase the securities at an agreed-upon price, date and interest payment and have the characteristics of borrowings. Since the proceeds of borrowings under reverse repurchase agreements are invested, this would introduce the speculative factor known as “leverage.” The securities purchased with the funds obtained from the agreement and securities collateralizing the agreement will have maturity dates no later than the repayment date. Generally the effect of such a transaction is that the fund can recover all or most of the cash invested in the portfolio securities involved during the term of the reverse repurchase agreement, while in many cases it will be able to keep some of the interest income associated with those securities. Such transactions are only advantageous if the fund has an opportunity to earn a greater rate of interest on the cash derived from the transaction than the interest cost of obtaining that cash. Opportunities to realize earnings from the use of the proceeds equal to or greater than the interest required to be paid may not always be available, and the fund intend to use the reverse repurchase technique only when the subadviser believes it will be advantageous to the fund. The use of reverse repurchase agreements may exaggerate any interim increase or decrease in the value of the fund’s assets. The fund’s custodian bank will maintain a separate account for the fund with securities having a value equal to or greater than such commitment of the fund.

 

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Lending of Portfolio Securities. Consistent with applicable regulatory requirements, the fund may lend portfolio securities to brokers, dealers and other financial organizations that meet capital and other credit requirements or other criteria established by the Board. The fund will not lend portfolio securities to affiliates of the manager unless they have applied for and received specific authority to do so from the SEC. Loans of portfolio securities will be collateralized by cash, letters of credit or U.S. government securities, which are maintained at all times in an amount equal to at least 102% of the current market value of the loaned securities. Any gain or loss in the market price of the securities loaned that might occur during the term of the loan would be for the account of the fund.

By lending its securities, the fund can increase its income by continuing to receive interest and any dividends on the loaned securities as well as by either investing the collateral received for securities loaned in short-term instruments or obtaining yield in the form of interest paid by the borrower when U.S. government securities are used as collateral. Although the generation of income is not the primary investment goal of the fund, income received could be used to pay the fund’s expenses and would increase an investor’s total return. The fund will adhere to the following conditions whenever its portfolio securities are loaned: (i) the fund must receive at least 102% cash collateral or equivalent securities of the type discussed in the preceding paragraph from the borrower; (ii) the borrower must increase such collateral whenever the market value of the securities rises above the level of such collateral; (iii) the fund must be able to terminate the loan at any time; (iv) the fund must receive reasonable interest on the loan, as well as any dividends, interest or other distributions on the loaned securities and any increase in market value; (v) the fund may pay only reasonable custodian fees in connection with the loan; and (vi) voting rights on the loaned securities may pass to the borrower, provided, however, that if a material event adversely affecting the investment occurs, the Board must terminate the loan and regain the right to vote the securities. Payments received by the fund in lieu of any dividends paid on the loaned securities will not be treated as “qualified dividend income” for purposes of determining what portion of its dividends received by individuals may be taxed at the rates generally applicable to long-term capital gains. See “Taxes.” Loan agreements involve certain risks in the event of default or insolvency of the other party including possible delays or restrictions upon the fund’s ability to recover the loaned securities or dispose of the collateral for the loan.

Borrowing. The fund also may borrow for temporary or emergency purposes, but not for leveraging purposes, in an amount up to 33 1/3% of its total assets, and may pledge its assets in connection with such borrowings. If the fund borrows money, its share price may be subject to greater fluctuation until the borrowing is paid off. If the fund makes additional investments while borrowings are outstanding, this may be considered a form of leverage.

Illiquid Securities. The fund may invest up to an aggregate amount of 15% of its net assets in illiquid securities, which term includes securities subject to contractual or other restrictions on resale and other instruments that lack readily available markets.

Options, Futures and Currency Strategies. The fund may, but is not required to, use forward currency contracts and certain options and futures strategies to seek to increase total return or hedge its portfolio, i.e., reduce the overall level of investment risk normally associated with the fund. There can be no assurance that such efforts will succeed.

The fund will not be a commodity pool because the fund is operated by persons who have claimed an exclusion, granted to operators of registered investment companies like the fund, from registration as a “commodity pool operator” with respect to the fund under the Commodity Exchange Act, and therefore, are not subject to registration or regulation with respect to the fund under the Commodity Exchange Act. To attempt to hedge against adverse movements in exchange rates between currencies, the fund may enter into forward currency contracts for the purchase or sale of a specified currency at a specified future date. Such contracts may involve the purchase or sale of a foreign currency against the U.S. dollar or may involve two foreign currencies. The fund may enter into forward currency contracts either with respect to specific transactions or with respect to its portfolio positions. For example, when the portfolio manager anticipates making a purchase or sale of a

 

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security, it may enter into a forward currency contract in order to set the rate (either relative to the U.S. dollar or another currency) at which the currency exchange transaction related to the purchase or sale will be made (“transaction hedging”). Further, when the portfolio manager believes that a particular currency may decline compared to the U.S. dollar or another currency, the fund may enter into a forward contract to sell the currency the portfolio manager expects to decline in an amount approximating the value of some or all of the fund’s securities denominated in that currency, or when the portfolio manager believes that one currency may decline against a currency in which some or all of the portfolio securities held by the fund are denominated, it may enter into a forward contract to buy the currency expected to appreciate for a fixed amount (“position hedging”). In this situation, the fund may, in the alternative, enter into a forward contract to sell a different currency for a fixed amount of the currency expected to decline where the portfolio manager believes that the value of the currency to be sold pursuant to the forward contract will fall whenever there is a decline in the value of the currency in which portfolio securities of the fund are denominated (“cross hedging”). The fund will segregate (i) cash, (ii) U.S. government securities or (iii) equity securities or debt securities (of any grade) in certain currencies provided such assets are liquid, unencumbered and marked to market daily, with a value equal to the aggregate amount of the fund’s commitments under forward contracts entered into with respect to position hedges and cross-hedges. If the value of the segregated securities declines, additional cash or securities are segregated on a daily basis so that the value of the segregated amount will equal the amount of the fund’s commitments with respect to such contracts.

For hedging purposes, the fund may write covered call options and purchase put and call options on currencies to hedge against movements in exchange rates and on debt securities to hedge against the risk of fluctuations in the prices of securities held by the fund or which the subadviser intends to include in the fund’s portfolio. The fund also may use interest rate futures contracts and options thereon to hedge against changes in the general level in interest rates.

The fund may write call options on securities and currencies only if they are covered, and such options must remain covered so long as the fund is obligated as a writer. A call option written by the fund is “covered” if the fund owns the securities or currency underlying the option or has an absolute and immediate right to acquire that security or currency without additional cash consideration (or for additional cash consideration held in a segregated account on the fund’s books) upon conversion or exchange of other securities or currencies held in its portfolio. A call option is also covered if the fund holds on a share-for-share basis a call on the same security or holds a call on the same currency as the call written where the exercise price of the call held is equal to less than the exercise price of the call written or greater than the exercise price of the call written if the difference is maintained by the fund in cash, Treasury bills or other high-grade, short-term obligations in a segregated account on the fund’s books.

The fund may purchase put and call options in anticipation of declines in the value of portfolio securities or increases in the value of securities to be acquired. If the expected changes occur, the fund may be able to offset the resulting adverse effect on its portfolio, in whole or in part, through the options purchased. The risk assumed by the fund in connection with such transactions is limited to the amount of the premium and related transaction costs associated with the options, although the fund may lose such amounts if the prices of securities underlying the options do not move in the direction or to the extent anticipated.

Although the fund may use forward currency contracts, options and futures, the use of any of these strategies would involve certain investment risks and transaction costs. These risks include: dependence on the subadviser’s ability to predict movements in the prices of individual securities, fluctuations in the general fixed-income markets and movements in interest rates and currency markets, imperfect correlation between movements in the price of currency, options, futures contracts or options thereon and movements in the price of the currency or security hedged or used for cover; the fact that skills and techniques needed to trade options, futures contracts and options thereon or to use forward currency contracts are different from those needed to select the securities in which the fund invests; and lack of assurance that a liquid market will exist for any particular option, futures contract or option thereon at any particular time.

 

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Over-the-counter options in which the fund may invest differ from exchange-traded options in that they are two-party contracts, with price and other terms negotiated between buyer and seller, and generally do not have as much market liquidity as exchange-traded options. The fund may be required to treat as illiquid over-the-counter options purchased and securities being used to cover certain written over-the-counter options.

Options on Securities. As discussed more generally above, the fund may engage in writing covered call options. The fund may also purchase put options and enter into closing transactions. The principal reason for writing covered call options on securities is to attempt to realize, through the receipt of premiums, a greater return than would be realized on the securities alone. In return for a premium, the writer of a covered call option forgoes the right to any appreciation in the value of the underlying security above the strike price for the life of the option (or until a closing purchase transaction can be effected). Nevertheless, the call writer retains the risk of a decline in the price of the underlying security. Similarly, the principal reason for writing covered put options is to realize income in the form of premiums. The writer of a covered put option accepts the risk of a decline in the price of the underlying security. The size of the premiums the fund may receive may be adversely affected as new or existing institutions, including other investment companies, engage in or increase their option-writing activities.

Options written by the fund will normally have expiration dates between one and six months from the date written. The exercise price of the options may be below, equal to, or above the current market values of the underlying securities when the options are written. In the case of call options, these exercise prices are referred to as “in-the-money,” “at-the-money” and “out-of-the-money,” respectively.

The fund may write (a) in-the-money call options when the subadviser expects the price of the underlying security to remain flat or decline moderately during the option period, (b) at-the-money call options when the subadviser expects the price of the underlying security to remain flat or advance moderately during the option period and (c) out-of-the-money call options when the subadviser expects that the price of the security may increase but not above a price equal to the sum of the exercise price plus the premiums received from writing the call option. In any of the preceding situations, if the market price of the underlying security declines and the security is sold at this lower price, the amount of any realized loss will be offset wholly or in part by the premium received. Out-of-the-money, at-the-money and in-the-money put options (the reverse of call options as to the relation of exercise price to market price) may be utilized in the same market environments as such call options are used in equivalent transactions.

So long as the obligation of the fund as the writer of an option continues, the fund may be assigned an exercise notice by the broker-dealer through which the option was sold, requiring it to deliver, in the case of a call, or take delivery of, in the case of a put, the underlying security against payment of the exercise price. This obligation terminates when the option expires or the fund effects a closing purchase transaction. The fund can no longer effect a closing purchase transaction with respect to an option once it has been assigned an exercise notice. To secure its obligation to deliver the underlying security when it writes a call option, or to pay for the underlying security when it writes a put option, the fund will be required to deposit in escrow the underlying security or other assets in accordance with the rules of the Options Clearing Corporation (“OCC”) or similar clearing corporation and the securities exchange on which the option is written.

An option position may be closed out only where there exists a secondary market for an option of the same series on a recognized securities exchange or in the over-the-counter market. The fund expects to write options only on national securities exchanges or in the over-the-counter market. The fund may purchase put options issued by the OCC or in the over-the-counter market.

The fund may realize a profit or loss upon entering into a closing transaction. In cases in which the fund has written an option, it will realize a profit if the cost of the closing purchase transaction is less than the premium received upon writing the original option and will incur a loss if the cost of the closing purchase transaction exceeds the premium received upon writing the original option. Similarly, when the fund has purchased an option

 

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and engages in a closing sale transaction, whether it recognizes a profit or loss will depend upon whether the amount received in the closing sale transaction is more or less than the premium the fund initially paid for the original option plus the related transaction costs.

Although the fund generally will purchase or write only those options for which the portfolio manager believes there is an active secondary market so as to facilitate closing transactions, there is no assurance that sufficient trading interest to create a liquid secondary market on a securities exchange will exist for any particular option or at any particular time, and for some options no such secondary market may exist. A liquid secondary market in an option may cease to exist for a variety of reasons. In the past, for example, higher than anticipated trading activity or order flow, or other unforeseen events, have at times rendered certain of the facilities of the OCC and national securities exchanges inadequate and resulted in the institution of special procedures, such as trading rotations, restrictions on certain types of orders or trading halts or suspensions in one or more options. There can be no assurance that similar events, or events that may otherwise interfere with the timely execution of customers’ orders, will not recur. In such event, it might not be possible to effect closing transactions in particular options. If, as a covered call option writer, the fund is unable to effect a closing purchase transaction in a secondary market, it will not be able to sell the underlying security until the option expires or it delivers the underlying security upon exercise.

Securities exchanges generally have established limitations governing the maximum number of calls and puts of each class which may be held or written, or exercised within certain periods, by an investor or group of investors acting in concert (regardless of whether the options are written on the same or different securities exchanges or are held, written or exercised in one or more accounts or through one or more brokers). It is possible that the fund and other clients of the manager and certain of their affiliates may be considered to be such a group. A securities exchange may order the liquidation of positions found to be in violation of these limits, and it may impose certain other sanctions.

In the case of options written by the fund that are deemed covered by virtue of the fund’s holding convertible or exchangeable preferred stock, the time required to convert or exchange and obtain physical delivery of the underlying common stocks with respect to which the fund has written options may exceed the time within which the fund must make delivery in accordance with an exercise notice. In these instances, the fund may purchase or temporarily borrow the underlying securities for purposes of physical delivery. By so doing, the fund will not bear any market risk because the fund will have the absolute right to receive from the issuer of the underlying security an equal number of shares to replace the borrowed stock, but the fund may incur additional transaction costs or interest expenses in connection with any such purchase or borrowing.

Although the portfolio manager will attempt to take appropriate measures to minimize the risks relating to the fund’s writing of call options and purchasing of put and call options, there can be no assurance that the fund will succeed in its option-writing program.

Stock Index Options. As described generally above, the fund may purchase put and call options and write call options on domestic stock indexes listed on domestic exchanges in order to realize its investment objective of long-term capital appreciation or for the purpose of hedging its portfolio. A stock index fluctuates with changes in the market values of the stocks included in the index. Some stock index options are based on a broad market index such as the New York Stock Exchange Composite Index, or a narrower market index such as the Standard & Poor’s 100. Indexes also are based on an industry or market segment such as the Amex Oil Index or the Amex Computer Technology Index.

Options on stock indexes are generally similar to options on stock except that the delivery requirements are different. Instead of giving the right to take or make delivery of stock at a specified price, an option on a stock index gives the holder the right to receive a cash “exercise settlement amount” equal to (a) the amount, if any, by which the fixed exercise price of the option exceeds (in the case of a put) or is less than (in the case of a call) the closing value of the underlying index on the date of exercise, multiplied by (b) a fixed “index multiplier.”

 

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Receipt of this cash amount will depend upon the closing level of the stock index upon which the option is based being greater than, in the case of a call, or less than, in the case of a put, the exercise price of the option. The amount of cash received will be equal to such difference between the closing price of the index and the exercise price of the option expressed in dollars or a foreign currency, as the case may be, times a specified multiple. The writer of the option is obligated, in return for the premium received, to make delivery of this amount. The writer may offset its position in stock index options prior to expiration by entering into a closing transaction on an exchange or it may let the option expire unexercised.

The effectiveness of purchasing or writing stock index options as a hedging technique will depend upon the extent to which price movements in the portion of the securities portfolio of the fund correlate with price movements of the stock index selected. Because the value of an index option depends upon movements in the level of the index rather than the price of a particular stock, whether the fund will realize a gain or loss from the purchase or writing of options on an index depends upon movements in the level of stock prices in the stock market generally or, in the case of certain indexes, in an industry or market segment, rather than movements in the price of a particular stock. Accordingly, successful use by the fund of options on stock indexes will be subject to the manager’s and/or the subadviser’s ability to predict correctly movements in the direction of the stock market generally or of a particular industry. This requires different skills and techniques than predicting changes in the price of individual stocks.

Futures Contracts and Options on Futures Contracts. As described generally above, the fund may invest in stock index futures contracts and options on futures contracts traded on a domestic exchange or board of trade. Futures contracts provide for the future sale by one party and purchase by another party of a specified amount of a specific security at a specified future time and at a specified price. The fund may enter into futures contracts and options on futures to seek higher investment returns when a futures contract is priced more attractively than stocks comprising a benchmark index, to facilitate trading or to reduce transaction costs. The fund will enter into futures contracts and options only on futures contracts that are traded on a domestic exchange or board of trade. Assets committed to futures contracts will be segregated on the fund’s books to the extent required by law.

The primary purpose of entering into a futures contract by the fund is to protect the fund from fluctuations in the value of securities without actually buying or selling the securities. For example, in the case of stock index futures contracts, if the fund anticipates an increase in the price of stocks it intends to purchase at a later time, the fund could enter into contracts to purchase the stock index (known as taking a “long” position) as a temporary substitute for the purchase of stocks. If an increase in the market occurs that influences the stock index as anticipated, the value of the futures contracts increases and thereby serves as a hedge against the fund’s not participating in a market advance. The fund can accomplish similar results by buying securities with long maturities and selling securities with short maturities. But by using futures contracts as an investment tool to reduce risk, given the greater liquidity in the futures market, it may be possible to accomplish the same result more easily and more quickly.

No consideration will be paid or received by the fund upon the purchase or sale of a futures contract. Initially, the fund will be required to deposit with the broker an amount of cash or other securities acceptable to the broker equal to approximately 1% to 10% of the contract amount (this amount is subject to change by the exchange or board of trade on which the contract is traded and brokers or members of such board of trade may charge a higher amount). This amount is known as “initial margin” and is in the nature of a performance bond or good faith deposit on the contract, which is returned to the fund upon termination of the futures contract, assuming all contractual obligations have been satisfied. Subsequent payments, known as “variation margin,” to and from the broker, will be made daily as the price of the index or securities underlying the futures contract fluctuates, making the long and short positions in the futures contract more or less valuable, a process known as “marking-to-market.” In addition, when the fund enters into a long position in a futures contract or an option on a futures contract, it must deposit into a segregated account with its custodian an amount of cash or cash equivalents equal to the total market value of the underlying futures contract, less amounts held in the fund’s commodity brokerage account at its broker. At any time prior to the expiration of a futures contract, the fund may elect to close the position by taking an opposite position, which will operate to terminate its existing position in the contract.

 

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There are several risks in connection with the use of futures contracts as a hedging device. Successful use of futures contracts by the fund is subject to the ability of the subadviser to predict correctly movements in the stock market or in the direction of interest rates. These predictions involve skills and techniques that may be different from those involved in the management of investments in securities. In addition, there can be no assurance that there will be a perfect correlation between movements in the price of the securities underlying the futures contract and movements in the price of the securities that are the subject of the hedge. A decision of whether, when and how to hedge involves the exercise of skill and judgment, and even a well-conceived hedge may be unsuccessful to some degree because of market behavior or unexpected trends in market behavior or interest rates.

Positions in futures contracts may be closed out only on the exchange on which they were entered into (or through a linked exchange) and no secondary market exists for those contracts. In addition, although the fund intends to enter into futures contracts only if there is an active market for the contracts, there is no assurance that an active market will exist for the contracts at any particular time. Most futures exchanges and boards of trade limit the amount of fluctuation permitted in futures contract prices during a single trading day. Once the daily limit has been reached in a particular contract, no trades may be made that day at a price beyond that limit. It is possible that futures contract prices could move to the daily limit for several consecutive trading days with little or no trading, thereby preventing prompt liquidation of futures positions and subjecting some futures traders to substantial losses. In such event, and in the event of adverse price movements, the fund would be required to make daily cash payments of variation margin; in such circumstances, an increase in the value of the portion of the portfolio being hedged, if any, may partially or completely offset losses on the futures contract. As described above, however, no assurance can be given that the price of the securities being hedged will correlate with the price movements in a futures contract and thus provide an offset to losses on the futures contract.

 

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RISK FACTORS

Principal Investment Risks

Market Risk. The fund invests in equity securities and is subject to the risk of stock market declines generally, thereby reducing the value of the fund’s equity portfolio.

Prices of equity securities generally fluctuate more than those of other securities, such as debt securities. Market risk may affect a single issuer, industry or sector of the economy or may affect the market as a whole. The fund may experience a substantial or complete loss on an individual stock.

Non-Diversification Risk. The fund is classified as “non-diversified,” which means it may invest a larger percentage of its assets in one issuer than a diversified fund. To the extent a fund concentrates its assets in fewer issuers, the fund will be more susceptible to negative events affecting those issuers.

Sector Risk. The fund’s investments are spread across the sector on which it focuses. However, because those investments are limited to a comparatively narrow segment of the economy, the fund’s investments are not as diversified as most mutual funds, and far less diversified than the broad securities markets. This means that the fund tends to be more volatile than other mutual funds, and the values of its portfolio investments tend to increase and decrease more rapidly. As a result, the value of your investment in the fund may rise or fall rapidly.

Foreign Investment Risk. The fund is subject to the risks of investing in foreign securities. Foreign markets can be more volatile than the U.S. market because of increased risks of adverse issuer, political, regulatory, market or economic developments and can perform differently than the U.S. market. Currency fluctuations may adversely impact the fund’s investments.

The fund’s investments in securities of foreign issuers involve greater risks than investments in securities of U.S. issuers. Many foreign countries the fund may invest in have markets that are less liquid and more volatile than markets in the United States. In some foreign countries, less information is available about foreign issuers and markets because of less rigorous accounting and regulatory standards than in the United States. Currency fluctuations could erase investment gains or add to investment losses. The risks of investing in foreign securities are greater for securities of emerging market issuers because political or economic instability, lack of market liquidity, and negative government actions like currency controls or seizure of private businesses or property are more likely.

Derivative Risks. The fund may use derivative contracts, such as futures and options on securities, securities indices or currencies; options on these futures; forward currency contracts; and interest rate or currency swaps. Even a small investment in derivative contracts can have a big impact on the fund’s stock market, currency and interest rate exposure. Therefore, using derivatives can disproportionately increase losses and reduce opportunities for gains when stock prices, currency rates or interest rates are changing. The fund may not fully benefit from or may lose money on derivatives if changes in their value do not correspond accurately to changes in the value of the fund’s holdings. The other parties to certain derivative contracts present the same types of credit risk as issuers of fixed income securities. Derivatives can also make the fund less liquid and harder to value, especially in declining markets.

Defensive Investing Risk. The fund may depart from its principal investment strategies in response to adverse market, economic or political conditions by taking temporary defensive positions in any type of money market instruments, short-term debt securities or cash. If the fund takes a temporary defensive position, it may be unable to achieve its investment objective.

Value Style Risk. The fund is subject to value style risk. The value approach to investing involves the risk that value stocks may remain undervalued. Value stocks as a group may be out of favor and underperform the

 

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overall equity market for a long period of time, while the market concentrates on “growth” stocks. Value funds often concentrate much of their investments in certain industries, and thus will be more susceptible to factors adversely affecting issuers within that industry than would a more diversified portfolio of securities.

Small and Mid-Sized Company Securities Risk. The fund is subject to small and mid-sized company securities risk. Investing in the securities of smaller companies involves special risks. Small companies may have limited product lines, operating histories, markets or financial resources, or they may be dependent upon a limited management group. Among other things, the prices of securities of small and mid-sized companies generally are more volatile than those of larger companies; the securities of small companies generally are less liquid; and smaller companies generally are more likely to be adversely affected by poor economic or market conditions. Small-sized companies may also be more difficult to value because few, if any, investment researchers regularly follow them.

It is anticipated that some of the portfolio securities may not be widely traded and that the fund’s position in such securities may be substantial in relation to the market for such securities. Accordingly, it may be difficult for the fund to dispose of such securities quickly at prevailing market prices, and market prices may not always be readily available for use in determining the fund’s net asset value.

Investments in securities of companies with small and mid-sized market capitalizations are generally considered to offer greater opportunity for appreciation but also may involve greater risks than customarily are associated with more established companies. The securities of smaller companies may be subject to more abrupt fluctuations in market price than larger, more established companies. In addition to exhibiting greater volatility, small-cap and mid-cap stocks may, to a degree, fluctuate independently of larger-cap stocks, i.e., small-cap and/or mid-cap stocks may decline in price as the prices of large-cap stocks rise or vice versa. Smaller companies are often involved in actual or anticipated reorganizations or restructurings, which involve risks, including difficulty in obtaining information as to the financial conditions of such companies.

Concentration Risk. The fund is subject to the risk of concentrating investments in financial services companies. A fund concentrating most of its investments in a single industry will be more susceptible to factors adversely affecting issuers within that industry than would a more diversified portfolio of securities. Financial services companies are subject to extensive government regulation, and their prospects may be affected by new regulations or regulatory interpretations that impede particular lines of business. The profitability of financial services companies is dependent on the availability and cost of funds, and can fluctuate significantly when interest rates change. Economic downturns, credit losses and severe price competition can negatively affect this industry. Recent federal legislation permits increased competition among financial services companies. The impact of this change on any individual company or on the industry as a whole cannot be predicted.

Investment Model Risk. The fund is subject to “investment model” risk: the proprietary models used by the subadviser to evaluate securities or securities markets are based on the subadviser’s understanding of the interplay of market factors and do not assure successful investment. The markets or the prices of individual securities may be affected by factors not foreseen in developing the models.

Debt Securities Risk. The fund is subject to the risks of investing in debt securities for the portion of its assets not invested in equity securities in the financial services industry. Debt securities are subject to interest rate risk, which is the possibility that the rates of interest income generated by the fund’s fixed-income investments may decline due to a decrease in market interest rates and the market prices of the fund’s fixed-income investments may decline due to an increase in market interest rates. Generally, the longer the maturity of a fixed-income security, the greater the effect on its value when rates increase.

Debt securities are also subject to credit risk, i.e., the risk that an issuer of securities will be unable to pay principal and interest when due, or that the value of the security will suffer because investors believe the issuer is

 

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less able to pay. This is broadly gauged by the credit ratings of the securities in which the fund invests. However, ratings are only the opinions of the companies issuing them and are not absolute guarantees as to quality.

Debt securities rated BBB/Baa or better by S&P or Moody’s and unrated securities considered by the fund’s subadviser to be of equivalent quality are considered investment grade. Debt securities rated below BBB/Baa, commonly known as “junk bonds,” which the fund may purchase from time to time, are deemed by the ratings companies to be speculative and may involve major risk or exposure to adverse conditions. Those in the lowest rating categories may involve a substantial risk of default or may be in default. Changes in economic conditions or developments regarding the individual issuer are more likely to cause price volatility and weaken the capacity of such securities to make principal and interest payments than is the case for higher grade debt securities. Securities rated below BBB/Baa may be less liquid than higher-rated securities, which means the fund may have difficulty selling them at times, and may have to apply a greater degree of judgment in establishing a price for purposes of valuing shares of the fund. Moody’s considers debt securities rated in the lowest investment grade category (Baa) to have speculative characteristics.

Call Risk. The fund is subject to “call risk.” Many fixed-income securities, especially those issued at high interest rates and with longer maturities, provide that the issuer may repay them early. Issuers often exercise this right when prevailing interest rates are lower than the interest rate of the security. Accordingly, holders of callable securities may not benefit fully from the increase in value that other fixed-income securities experience when rates decline. Furthermore, the fund most likely would have to reinvest the proceeds of the repayment at current yields, which would be lower than those paid by the security that was paid off.

Convertible Securities Risk. The fund is subject to convertible securities risk: the value of a convertible security is usually a function of (1) its yield in comparison with the yields of other securities of comparable maturity and quality that do not have a conversion privilege and (2) its worth, at market value, if converted into or exchanged for the underlying common stock. Convertible securities are typically issued by smaller capitalized companies whose stock prices may be volatile. The price of a convertible security often reflects such variations in the price of the underlying common stock in a way that non- convertible debt does.

Financial Services

Other than the financial services industry, the fund will not invest more than 25% of its total assets in a particular industry. Because of concentration, the fund may be especially subject to risks affecting the financial services sector.

Companies in the financial services industry include regional and money center banks, securities brokerage firms, asset management companies, savings banks and thrift institutions, specialty finance companies (e.g., credit card, mortgage providers), insurance and insurance brokerage firms, government sponsored agencies (e.g., Ginnie Mae), financial conglomerates and foreign banking and financial services companies.

The financial services industry is currently undergoing relatively rapid change as existing distinctions between financial service segments become less clear. For instance, recent business combinations in the U.S. have included insurance, finance, banking and/or securities brokerage under single ownership. Moreover, Congress repealed the federal laws generally separating commercial and investment banking, and the services offered by banks are likely to expand.

While providing diversification, expanded powers could expose banks to well-established competitors, particularly as the historical distinctions between banks and other financial institutions erode. Increased competition may also result from the broadening of regional and national interstate banking powers, which has already reduced the number of publicly traded regional banks. In addition, certain industry members have been subject to regulatory and criminal actions due to undue influence of one part of their business on another, such as claims that investment banking concerns have influenced their securities research and recommendations.

 

20


Banks, savings and loan associations and finance companies are subject to extensive governmental regulation which may limit both the amounts and types of loans and other financial commitments they can make and the interest rates and fees they can charge. The profitability of these groups is largely dependent on the availability and cost of capital funds, and can fluctuate significantly when interest rates change. In addition, general economic conditions are important to the operations of these concerns, with exposure to credit losses resulting from possible financial difficulties of borrowers potentially having an adverse effect.

Finance companies can be highly dependent upon access to capital markets and any impediments to such access, such as adverse overall economic conditions or a negative perception in the capital markets of a finance company’s financial condition or prospects, could adversely affect its business.

Insurance companies are likewise subject to substantial governmental regulation, predominately at the state level, and may be subject to severe price competition. The performance of the fund’s investments in insurance companies will be subject to risk from several additional factors. The earnings of insurance companies will be affected by, in addition to general economic conditions, pricing (including severe pricing competition from time to time), claims activity, and marketing competition. Particular insurance lines will also be influenced by specific matters. Property and casualty insurer profits may be affected by certain weather catastrophes, terrorism and other disasters. Life and health insurer profits may be affected by mortality and morbidity rates. Individual companies may be exposed to material risk, including reserve inadequacy, problems in investment portfolios (due to real estate or “junk” bond holdings, for example), and the inability to collect from reinsurance carriers. Insurance companies are subject to extensive governmental regulation, including the imposition of maximum rate levels, which may not be adequate for some lines of business. Proposed or potential anti-trust or tax law changes also may affect adversely insurance companies’ policy sales, tax obligations and profitability.

Companies engaged in stock brokerage, commodity brokerage, investment banking, investment management, or related investment advisory services are closely tied economically to the securities and commodities markets and can suffer during a decline in either. These companies also are subject to the regulatory environment and changes in regulations such as proposals to screen financial analysts from investment banking within financial conglomerates, pricing pressure, the availability of funds to borrow and interest rates.

Other Information

Master/feeder fund structure. The Trust’s Board has the discretion to retain the current distribution arrangement for the fund while investing its assets in a master fund in a master/feeder fund structure. A master/feeder fund structure is one in which a fund (a “feeder fund”), instead of investing directly in a portfolio of securities, invests most or all of its investment assets in a separate registered investment company (the “master fund”) with substantially the same investment objective and policies as the feeder fund. Such a structure permits the pooling of assets of two or more feeder funds, preserving separate identities or distribution channels at the feeder fund level. Based on the premise that certain of the expenses of operating an investment portfolio are relatively fixed, a larger investment portfolio may eventually achieve a lower ratio of operating expenses to average net assets. An existing investment company is able to convert to a feeder fund by selling all of its investments, which involves brokerage and other transaction costs and realization of a taxable gain or loss, or by contributing its assets to the master fund and avoiding transaction costs and, if proper procedures are followed, the realization of taxable gain or loss.

Disclosure of Portfolio Holdings

The fund has adopted policies and procedures developed by LMPFA, the fund’s investment manager, with respect to the disclosure of the fund’s portfolio securities and any ongoing arrangements to make available information about the fund’s portfolio securities. The policy requires that consideration always be given as to whether disclosure of information about the fund’s portfolio holdings is in the best interests of the fund’s shareholders, and that any conflicts of interest between the interests of the fund’s shareholders and those of

 

21


LMPFA, the fund’s distributors or their affiliates, be addressed in a manner that places the interests of the fund’s shareholders first. The policy provides that information regarding the fund’s portfolio holdings may not be shared with non-Legg Mason employees, with investors or potential investors (whether individual or institutional), or with third parties unless it is done for legitimate fund business purposes and in accordance with the policy.

LMPFA’s policy generally provides for the release of details of securities positions once they are considered “stale.” Data is considered stale 25 calendar days following quarter-end, and 25 calendar days following month-end with respect to money market funds. LMPFA believes that this passage of time prevents a third party from benefiting from an investment decision made by the fund that has not been fully reflected by the market.

Under the policy, the fund’s complete list of holdings (including the size of each position) may be made available to investors, potential investors, third parties and non-Legg Mason employees with simultaneous public disclosure at least 25 days after calendar quarter end, except in the case of a money market fund’s holdings, which may be released with simultaneous public disclosure at least 25 days after month end. Typically, simultaneous public disclosure is achieved by the filing of Form N-Q or Form N-CSR in accordance with SEC rules, provided that such filings may not be made until 25 days following quarter-end, and/or posting the information to a Legg Mason or the fund’s Internet site that is accessible by the public, or through public release by a third party vendor.

The policy permits the release of limited portfolio holdings information that is not yet considered stale in a number of situations, including:

1. The fund’s top ten securities, current as of month-end, and the individual size of each such security position may be released at any time following month-end with simultaneous public disclosure.

2. The fund’s top ten securities positions (including the aggregate but not individual size of such positions) may be released at any time with simultaneous public disclosure.

3. The list of securities (that may include fund holdings together with other securities) followed by a portfolio manager (without position sizes or identification of particular funds) may be disclosed to sell-side brokers at any time for the purpose of obtaining research and/or market information from such brokers.

4. The trade in process may be discussed only with counterparties, potential counterparties and others involved in the transaction (i.e., brokers and custodians).

5. The fund’s sector weightings, yield and duration (for fixed income and money market funds), performance attribution (e.g., analysis of the fund’s outperformance or underperformance of its benchmark based on its portfolio holdings) and other summary and statistical information that does not include identification of specific portfolio holdings may be released, even if non-public, if such release is otherwise in accordance with the policy’s general principles.

6. The fund’s portfolio holdings may be released on an as-needed basis to its legal counsel, counsel to its Independent Directors (as defined below), and its independent public accounting firm, in required regulatory filings or otherwise to governmental agencies and authorities.

Under the policy, if information about the fund’s portfolio holdings is released pursuant to an ongoing arrangement with any party, the fund must have a legitimate business purpose for the release of the information, and either the party receiving the information must be under a duty of confidentiality, or the release of non-public information must be subject to trading restrictions and confidential treatment to prohibit the entity from sharing with an unauthorized source or trading upon any non-public information provided. Neither the fund, nor Legg Mason, nor any other affiliated party may receive compensation or any other consideration in connection with such arrangements. Ongoing arrangements to make available information about the fund’s portfolio securities will be reviewed at least annually by the Trust’s Board.

 

22


The approval of the fund’s Chief Compliance Officer, or designee, must be obtained before entering into any new ongoing arrangement or altering any existing ongoing arrangement to make available portfolio holdings information, or with respect to any exceptions to the policy. Any exceptions to the policy must be consistent with the purposes of the policy. Exceptions are considered on a case-by-case basis and are granted only after a thorough examination and consultation with LMPFA’s legal department, as necessary. Exceptions to the policies are reported to the Trust’s Board at its next regularly scheduled meeting.

Currently, the fund discloses its complete portfolio holdings approximately 25 days after calendar quarter end on its website http://www.leggmason.com/InvestorServices.

Set forth below is a list, as of March 13, 2007, of those parties with whom LMPFA, on behalf of the fund, has authorized ongoing arrangements that include the release of portfolio holdings information in accordance with the policy, as well as the frequency of the release under such arrangements. and the length of the lag, if any, between the date of the information and the date on which the information is disclosed. The parties identified below as recipients are service providers, fund rating agencies, consultants and analysts.

 

Recipient

 

Frequency

 

Delay before dissemination

State Street Bank & Trust Co.
(Fund Custodian and Accounting Agent)

  Daily   None

Institutional Shareholders Services
(Proxy Voting Services)

  As necessary   None
Bloomberg   Quarterly   25 Days after Quarter End
Lipper   Quarterly   25 Days after Quarter End
S&P   Quarterly   25 Days after Quarter End
Morningstar   Quarterly   25 Days after Quarter End
Vestek   Daily   None
Factset   Daily   None
The Bank of New York   Daily   None

Portfolio holdings information for the fund may also be released from time to time pursuant to ongoing arrangements with the following parties:

 

Recipient

 

Frequency

 

Delay before dissemination

Baseline

  Daily   None

Frank Russell

  Monthly   1 Day

Callan

  Quarterly   25 Days after Quarter End

Mercer

  Quarterly   25 Days after Quarter End

eVestment Alliance

  Quarterly   25 Days after Quarter End

CRA RogersCasey

  Quarterly   25 Days after Quarter End

Cambridge Associates

  Quarterly   25 Days after Quarter End

Marco Consulting

  Quarterly   25 Days after Quarter End

Wilshire

  Quarterly   25 Days after Quarter End

Informa Investment Services (Efron)

  Quarterly   25 Days after Quarter End

CheckFree (Mobius)

  Quarterly   25 Days after Quarter End

Nelsons Information

  Quarterly   25 Days after Quarter End

Investor Tools

  Daily   None

Advent

  Daily   None

BARRA

  Daily   None

Plexus

  Quarterly (Calendar)  

Sent 1-3 Business Days following the end of a Quarter

 

23


Recipient

 

Frequency

 

Delay before dissemination

Elkins/McSherry

  Quarterly (Calendar)  

Sent 1-3 Business Days following the end of a Quarter

Quantitative Services Group

  Daily   None

AMBAC

  Daily   None

Deutsche Bank

  Monthly   6-8 Business Days

Fitch

  Monthly   6-8 Business Days

Liberty Hampshire

  Weekly and Month End   None

Sun Trust

  Weekly and Month End   None

New England Pension Consultants

  Quarterly   25 Days after Quarter End

Evaluation Associates

  Quarterly   25 Days after Quarter End

Watson Wyatt

  Quarterly   25 Days after Quarter End

S&P (Rating Agency)

  Weekly Tuesday Night   1 business day

Moody’s (Rating Agency)

  Weekly Tuesday Night   1 business day

Electra Information Systems

  Daily   None

SunGard

  Daily   None

INVESTMENT POLICIES

The fund has adopted the fundamental and non-fundamental investment policies below for the protection of shareholders. Fundamental investment policies may not be changed with respect to the fund without the vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the fund, which is defined in the 1940 Act as the lesser of (a) 67% or more of the voting power present at a shareholder meeting, if the holders of more than 50% of the voting power of the fund is present or represented by proxy, or (b) more than 50% of the voting power of the fund.

If any percentage restriction described above is complied with at the time of an investment, a later increase or decrease in percentage resulting from a change in values or assets will not constitute a violation of such restriction.

Fundamental Investment Policies

The fund’s revised fundamental policies are as follows:

1. The fund may not borrow money except as permitted by (i) the 1940 Act, or interpretations or modifications by the SEC, SEC staff or other authority with appropriate jurisdiction, or (ii) exemptive or other relief or permission from the SEC, SEC staff or other authority.

2. The fund may not engage in the business of underwriting the securities of other issuers except as permitted by (i) the 1940 Act, or interpretations or modifications by the SEC, SEC staff or other authority with appropriate jurisdiction, or (ii) exemptive or other relief or permission from the SEC, SEC staff or other authority.

3. The fund may lend money or other assets to the extent permitted by (i) the 1940 Act, or interpretations or modifications by the SEC, SEC staff or other authority with appropriate jurisdiction, or (ii) exemptive or other relief or permission from the SEC, SEC staff or other authority.

4. The fund may not issue senior securities except as permitted by (i) the 1940 Act, or interpretations or modifications by the SEC, SEC staff or other authority with appropriate jurisdiction, or (ii) exemptive or other relief or permission from the SEC, SEC staff or other authority.

5. The fund may not purchase or sell real estate except as permitted by (i) the 1940 Act, or interpretations or modifications by the SEC, SEC staff or other authority with appropriate jurisdiction, or (ii) exemptive or other relief or permission from the SEC, SEC staff or other authority.

 

24


6. The fund may purchase or sell commodities or contracts related to commodities to the extent permitted by (i) the 1940 Act, or interpretations or modifications by the SEC, SEC staff or other authority with appropriate jurisdiction, or (ii) exemptive or other relief of permission from the SEC, SEC staff or other authority.

7. The fund will not purchase or sell the securities of any issuer, if, as a result of such purchase or sale, less than 25% of the assets of the fund would be invested in the securities of issuers principally engaged in the business activities having the specific characteristics denoted by the fund.

8. Except as permitted by exemptive or other relief or permission from the SEC, SEC staff or other authority with appropriate jurisdiction, the fund may not make any investment if, as a result, the fund’s investments will be concentrated in any one industry, except that the fund may invest without limit in obligations issued by banks.

With respect to the fundamental policy relating to borrowing money set forth in (1) above, the 1940 Act permits the fund to borrow money in amounts of up to one-third of the fund’s total assets from banks for any purpose, and to borrow up to 5% of the fund’s total assets from banks or other lenders for temporary purposes. To limit the risks attendant to borrowing, the 1940 Act requires the fund to maintain at all times an “asset coverage” of at least 300% of the amount of its borrowings. Asset coverage means the ratio that the value of the fund’s total assets, minus liabilities other than borrowings, bears to the aggregate amount of all borrowings. Certain trading practices and investments, such as reverse repurchase agreements may be considered to be borrowings and thus subject to the 1940 Act restrictions. Borrowing money to increase portfolio holdings is known as “leveraging.” Borrowing, especially when used for leverage, may cause the value of the fund’s shares to be more volatile than if the fund did not borrow. This is because borrowing tends to magnify the effect of any increase or decrease in the value of the fund’s portfolio holdings. Borrowed money thus creates an opportunity for greater gains, but also greater losses. To repay borrowings, the fund may have to sell securities at a time and at a price that is unfavorable to the fund. There also are costs associated with borrowing money, and these costs would offset and could eliminate the fund’s net investment income in any given period. Currently the fund does not contemplate borrowing money for leverage, but if the fund does so, it will not likely do so to a substantial degree. The policy in (1) above will be interpreted to permit the fund to engage in trading practices and investments that may be considered to be borrowing to the extent permitted by the 1940 Act. Short-term credits necessary for the settlement of securities transactions and arrangements with respect to securities lending will not be considered to be borrowings under the policy. Practices and investments that may involve leverage but are not considered to be borrowings are not subject to the policy.

With respect to the fundamental policy relating to underwriting set forth in (2) above, the 1940 Act does not prohibit the fund from engaging in the underwriting business or from underwriting the securities of other issuers; in fact, the 1940 Act permits the fund to have underwriting commitments of up to 25% of its assets under certain circumstances. Those circumstances currently are that the amount of the fund’s underwriting commitments, when added to the value of the fund’s investments in issuers where the fund owns more than 10% of the outstanding voting securities of those issuers, cannot exceed the 25% cap. The fund engaging in transactions involving the acquisition or disposition of portfolio securities may be considered to be an underwriter under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “1933 Act”). Under the 1933 Act, an underwriter may be liable for material omissions or misstatements in an issuer’s registration statement or prospectus. Securities purchased from an issuer and not registered for sale under the 1933 Act are considered restricted securities. There may be a limited market for these securities. If these securities are registered under the 1933 Act, they may then be eligible for sale but participating in the sale may subject the seller to underwriter liability. These risks could apply to the fund investing in restricted securities. Although it is not believed that the application of the 1933 Act provisions described above would cause the fund to be engaged in the business of underwriting, the policy in (2) above will be interpreted not to prevent the fund from engaging in transactions involving the acquisition or disposition of portfolio securities, regardless of whether the fund may be considered to be an underwriter under the 1933 Act.

 

25


With respect to the fundamental policy relating to lending set forth in (3) above, the 1940 Act does not prohibit the fund from making loans; however, SEC staff interpretations currently prohibit funds from lending more than one-third of their total assets, except through the purchase of debt obligations or the use of repurchase agreements. (A repurchase agreement is an agreement to purchase a security, coupled with an agreement to sell that security back to the original seller on an agreed-upon date at a price that reflects current interest rates. The SEC frequently treats repurchase agreements as loans). While lending securities may be a source of income to the fund, as with other extensions of credit, there are risks of delay in recovery or even loss of rights in the underlying securities should the borrower fail financially. However, loans would be made only when the fund’s manager or subadviser believes the income justifies the attendant risks. The fund also will be permitted by this policy to make loans of money, including to other funds. The fund would have to obtain exemptive relief from the SEC to make loans to other funds. The policy in (3) above will be interpreted not to prevent the fund from purchasing or investing in debt obligations and loans. In addition, collateral arrangements with respect to options, forward currency and futures transactions and other derivative instruments, as well as delays in the settlement of securities transactions, will not be considered loans.

With respect to the fundamental policy relating to issuing senior securities set forth in (4) above, “senior securities” are defined as fund obligations that have a priority over the fund’s shares with respect to the payment of dividends or the distribution of fund assets. The 1940 Act prohibits the fund from issuing senior securities except that the fund may borrow money in amounts of up to one-third of the fund’s total assets from banks for any purpose. The fund also may borrow up to 5% of the fund’s total assets from banks or other lenders for temporary purposes, and these borrowings are not considered senior securities. The issuance of senior securities by the fund can increase the speculative character of the fund’s outstanding shares through leveraging. Leveraging of the fund’s portfolio through the issuance of senior securities magnifies the potential for gain or loss on monies, because even though the fund’s net assets remain the same, the total risk to investors is increased to the extent of the fund’s gross assets. The policy in (4) above will be interpreted not to prevent collateral arrangements with respect to swaps, options, forward or futures contracts or other derivatives, or the posting of initial or variation margin.

With respect to the fundamental policy relating to real estate set forth in (5) above, the 1940 Act does not prohibit the fund from owning real estate; however, the fund is limited in the amount of illiquid assets it may purchase. Investing in real estate may involve risks, including that real estate is generally considered illiquid and may be difficult to value and sell. Owners of real estate may be subject to various liabilities, including environmental liabilities. To the extent that investments in real estate are considered illiquid, the current SEC staff position generally limits the fund’s purchases of illiquid securities to 15% of net assets. The policy in (5) above will be interpreted not to prevent the fund from investing in real estate-related companies, companies whose businesses consist in whole or in part of investing in real estate, instruments (like mortgages) that are secured by real estate or interest therein, or real estate investment trust securities.

With respect to the fundamental policy relating to commodities set forth in (6) above, the 1940 Act does not prohibit the fund from owning commodities, whether physical commodities and contracts related to physical commodities (such as oil or grains and related futures contracts), or financial commodities and contracts related to financial commodities (such as currencies and, possibly, currency futures). However, the fund is limited in the amount of illiquid assets it may purchase. To the extent that investments in commodities are considered illiquid, the current SEC staff position generally limits the fund’s purchases of illiquid securities to 15% of net assets. If the fund were to invest in a physical commodity or a physical commodity-related instrument, the fund would be subject to the additional risks of the particular physical commodity and its related market. The value of commodities and commodity-related instruments may be extremely volatile and may be affected either directly or indirectly by a variety of factors. There also may be storage charges and risks of loss associated with physical commodities. The policy in (6) above will be interpreted to permit investments in exchange traded funds that invest in physical and/or financial commodities.

 

26


With respect to the fundamental policy relating to concentration set forth in (7) above, the 1940 Act does not define what constitutes “concentration” in an industry. The SEC staff has taken the position that investment of 25% or more of the fund’s total assets in one or more issuers conducting their principal activities in the same industry or group of industries constitutes concentration. It is possible that interpretations of concentration could change in the future. The fund that invests a significant percentage of its total assets in a single industry may be particularly susceptible to adverse events affecting that industry and may be more risky than a fund that does not concentrate in an industry. The policy in (7) above will be interpreted to refer to concentration as that term may be interpreted from time to time. The policy also will be interpreted to permit investment without limit in the following: securities of the U.S. government and its agencies or instrumentalities; securities of state, territory, possession or municipal governments and their authorities, agencies, instrumentalities or political subdivisions; securities of foreign governments; and repurchase agreements collateralized by any such obligations. Accordingly, issuers of the foregoing securities will not be considered to be members of any industry. There also will be no limit on investment in issuers domiciled in a single jurisdiction or country. The policy also will be interpreted to give broad authority to the fund as to how to classify issuers within or among industries.

The fund’s proposed fundamental policies are written and will be interpreted broadly. For example, the policies will be interpreted to refer to the 1940 Act and the related rules as they are in effect from time to time, and to interpretations and modifications of or relating to the 1940 Act by the SEC and others as they are given from time to time. When a policy provides that an investment practice may be conducted as permitted by the 1940 Act, the policy will be interpreted to mean either that the 1940 Act expressly permits the practice or that the 1940 Act does not prohibit the practice.

The fund is currently classified as a non-diversified fund under the 1940 Act. A diversified fund may not purchase securities of an issuer (other than obligations issued or guaranteed by the U.S. government, its agencies or instrumentalities) if, with respect to 75% of the total assets of the fund, (a) more than 5% of the fund’s total assets would be invested in securities of that issuer, or (b) the fund would hold more than 10% of the outstanding voting securities of that issuer. A non-diversified fund is not subject to these limitations. Therefore, a non-diversified fund can invest a greater portion of its assets in a single issuer or a limited number of issuers than may a diversified fund. In this regard, the fund is subject to greater risk than a diversified fund. Under the 1940 Act, the fund may change its classification from non-diversified to diversified without shareholder approval.

MANAGEMENT

The business affairs of the fund are managed by or under the direction of the Board of Trustees (the “Board”). The Board elects officers who are responsible for the day-to-day operations of the fund and who execute policies authorized by the Board.

The current Trustees, including the Trustees of the fund who are not “interested persons” of the fund as defined in the 1940 Act (the “Independent Trustees”) and executive officers of the fund, their birth years, their principal occupations during at least the past five years (their titles may have varied during that period), the number of investment companies and their portfolios associated with Legg Mason the Trustees oversee, and other board memberships they hold are set forth below. The address of each Trustee is c/o R. Jay Gerken, 399 Park Avenue, New York, New York 10022.

 

27


The following information relates to the Trust’s recently elected Board of Trustees.

 

Name and Year of Birth

 

Position(s)
with Fund

 

Term of
Office*
and
Length
of Time
Served**

 

Principal Occupation(s)

During Past 5 Years

 

Number of

Funds
in Fund
Complex to be
Overseen by
Trustee

 

Other Board
Memberships
Held by Trustee During

Past Five Years

INDEPENDENT TRUSTEES:        

Paul R. Ades

Born 1940

  Trustee   Since 1983   Law firm of Paul R. Ades, PLLC (since 2000)   57   None

Andrew L. Breech

Born 1952

  Trustee   Since 1991   President, Dealer Operating Control Service, Inc. (automotive retail management) (since 1985)   57   None

Dwight B. Crane

Born 1937

  Trustee   Since 1981   Professor, Harvard Business School (since 1969); Independent Consultant (since 1969)   60   None

Robert M. Frayn, Jr.

Born 1934

  Trustee   Since 1981   Retired; formerly, President and Director, Book Publishing Co. (1970 to 2002)   57   None

Frank G. Hubbard

Born 1937

  Trustee   Since 1993   President, Avatar International Inc. (business development) (since 1998)   57   None

Howard J. Johnson

Born 1938

  Trustee   From 1981 to 1998 and 2000 to Present   Chief Executive Officer, Genesis Imaging LLC (technology company) (since 2003)   57   None

David E. Maryatt

Born 1936

  Trustee   Since 1983   Private Investor; President and Director, ALS Co. (real estate management and development firm) (since 1993)   57   None

Jerome H. Miller

Born 1938

  Trustee   Since 1995   Retired   57   None

Ken Miller

Born 1942

  Trustee   Since 1983   Chairman, Young Stuff Apparel Group, Inc. (apparel manufacturer) (1963 to 2005)   57   None

 

28


Name and Year of Birth

 

Position(s)
with Fund

 

Term of
Office*
and
Length
of Time
Served**

 

Principal Occupation(s)

During Past 5 Years

 

Number of

Funds
in Fund
Complex to be
Overseen by
Trustee

 

Other Board
Memberships
Held by Trustee During

Past Five Years

John J. Murphy

Born 1944

  Trustee   Since 2002   President, Murphy Capital Management (investment advice) (since 1983)   67   Director, Nicholas Applegate funds; Trustee, Consulting Group Capital Markets Funds; formerly, Director, Atlantic Stewardship Bank (2004 to 2005); Director, Barclays International Funds Group Ltd. and affiliated companies (to 2003)

Thomas F. Schlafly

Born 1948

  Trustee   Since 1983   Of Counsel, Blackwell Sanders Peper Martin LLP (law firm) (since 1984); President, The Saint Louis Brewery, Inc. (brewery) (since 1989)   67   Director, Citizens National Bank, Maplewood (2006)

Jerry A. Viscione

Born 1944

  Trustee   Since 1993   Retired; formerly, Executive Vice President, Marquette University (1997 to 2002)   67   None
INTERESTED TRUSTEE:        

R. Jay Gerken, CFA

Born 1951

 

Trustee,

President, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer

  Since 2002   Managing Director, Legg Mason & Co., LLC (“Legg Mason & Co.”); Chairman of the Board, Trustee, or Director of 149 funds associated with LMPFA and its affiliates; President, LMPFA (since 2006); Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of certain mutual funds associated with Legg Mason & Co. or its affiliates; formerly, Chairman, Smith Barney Fund Management LLC (“SBFM”) and Citi Fund Management, Inc. (“CFM”) (2002 to 2005); formerly, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer, Travelers Investment Advisers Inc. (2002 to 2005)   149  

None

 

29



* Each Trustee serves until his or her respective successor has been duly elected and qualified or until his or her earlier death, resignation, retirement or removal.
** Indicates the earliest year in which the Trustee became a Board member for a fund in the Legg Mason Partners fund complex.

Mr. Gerken is an “interested person,” as defined in the 1940 Act, because of his position with the manager and/or certain of its affiliates.

 

Name, Year of Birth and Address

  

Position(s)
with Fund

   Term of
Office*
and
Length of
Time
Served**
  

Principal Occupation(s)

During Past 5 Years

OFFICERS:         

R. Jay Gerken, CFA

Born 1951

399 Park Avenue

New York, NY 10022

   Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer    Since
2002
   Managing Director, Legg Mason & Co., LLC (“Legg Mason & Co.”); Chairman of the Board, Trustee, or Director of 149 funds associated with LMPFA and its affiliates; President, LMPFA (since 2006); Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of certain mutual funds associated with Legg Mason & Co. or its affiliates; formerly, Chairman, Smith Barney Fund Management LLC (“SBFM”) and Citi Fund Management, Inc. (“CFM”) (2002 to 2005); formerly, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer, Travelers Investment Advisers Inc. (2002 to 2005)

Ted P. Becker

Born 1951

399 Park Avenue

New York, NY 10022

   Chief Compliance Officer    Since
2006
   Director of Global Compliance at Legg Mason, Inc. (2006 to present); Managing Director of Compliance at Legg Mason & Co (2005 to present); Chief Compliance Officer with certain mutual funds associated with Legg Mason & Co. (since 2006); Chief Compliance Officer of LMPFA and certain affiliates; Managing Director of Compliance at Citigroup Asset Management (“CAM,” a group of affiliated investment advisers, which included Smith Barney Fund Management (“SBFM”), Smith Barney Asset Management and Citi Fund Management (“CFM”) and other affiliated investment advisory entities) (2002 to 2005). Prior to 2002, Managing Director-Internal Audit & Risk Review at Citigroup Inc.

John Chiota

Born 1968

300 First Stamford Place,

5th Floor

Stamford, CT 06902

   Chief Anti-Money Laundering Compliance Officer    Since
2006
   Vice President of Legg Mason & Co. (since 2005); Vice President at CAM (since 2004); Chief Anti-Money Laundering Compliance Officer of certain mutual funds associated with Legg Mason & Co. (since 2006). Prior to August 2004, Chief Anti-Money Laundering Compliance Officer of TD Waterhouse

 

30


Name, Year of Birth and Address

  

Position(s)
with Fund

   Term of
Office*
and
Length of
Time
Served**
  

Principal Occupation(s)

During Past 5 Years

Robert I. Frenkel

Born 1954

300 First Stamford Place

Stamford, CT 06902

   Secretary and Chief Legal Officer    Since
2003
   Managing Director and General Counsel of Global Mutual Funds for Legg Mason & Co. (since 2005); Managing Director and General Counsel at Global Mutual Funds for CAM (since 2000); Secretary and Chief Legal Officer of certain mutual funds associated with Legg Mason & Co. (since 2003). Previously, Secretary of CFM (2001 to 2004)

Thomas C. Mandia

Born 1962

300 First Stamford Place

Stamford, CT 06902

   Assistant Secretary    Since
2000
   Managing Director and Deputy General Counsel of Legg Mason & Co. (since 2005); Managing Director and Deputy General Counsel for CAM (since 1992); Assistant Secretary of certain mutual funds associated with Legg Mason & Co.

Kaprel Ozsolak

Born 1965

125 Broad Street

11th Floor

New York, NY 10004

   Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer    Since
2004
   Director of Legg Mason & Co. (since 2005); Vice President at CAM (1996 to 2005); Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer of certain mutual funds associated with Legg Mason & Co. (since 2005); Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer of certain mutual funds associated with CAM (2004 to 2005). Previously, Mr. Ozsolak was Controller of certain mutual funds associated with CAM (2002 to 2004)

* Each officer serves until his or her respective successor has been duly elected and qualified or until his or her earlier death, resignation, retirement or removal.
** Indicates the earliest year in which the officer took office for any funds in the Legg Mason Partners fund complex.

Officers of the fund receive no compensation from the fund, although they may be reimbursed by the fund for reasonable out-of-pocket travel expenses for attending Board meetings.

The Audit Committee and Nominating Committee are composed of all of Independent Trustees. The Pricing Committee is composed of the Chairman of the Board and one Independent Trustee.

The Audit Committee oversees, among other things, the scope of the fund’s audit, the fund’s accounting and financial reporting policies and practices and its internal controls. The primary purposes of the Board’s Audit Committee are to assist the Board in fulfilling its responsibility for oversight of the integrity of the accounting, auditing and financial reporting practices of the fund and the qualifications and independence of the fund’s independent registered public accounting firm. The Audit Committee approves, and recommends to the Independent Trustees for their ratification, the selection, appointment, retention or termination of the fund’s independent registered public accounting firm and approves the compensation of the independent registered public accounting firm. The Audit Committee also approves all audit and permissible non-audit services provided to the fund by the independent registered public accounting firm and all permissible non-audit services provided by the fund’s independent registered public accounting firm to its manager and any affiliated service providers if the engagement relates directly to the fund’s operations and financial reporting. The Audit Committee also assists the Board in fulfilling its responsibility for the review and negotiation of the fund’s investment management and subadvisory amendments.

 

31


The Nominating Committee is responsible for, among other things, recommending candidates to fill vacancies on the Board. The Nominating Committee may consider nominees recommended by a shareholder. Shareholders who wish to recommend a nominee should send recommendations to the Trust’s Secretary that include all information relating to such person that is required to be disclosed in solicitations of proxies for the election of Trustees. A recommendation must be accompanied by a written consent of the individual to stand for election if nominated by the Board and to serve if elected by the shareholders.

The Nominating Committee identifies potential nominees through its network of contacts and may also engage, if it deems appropriate, a professional search firm. The committee meets to discuss and consider such candidates’ qualifications and then chooses a candidate by majority vote. The committee does not have specific, minimum qualifications for nominees, nor has it established specific qualities or skills that it regards as necessary for one or more of the Trustees to possess (other than any qualities or skills that may be required by applicable law, regulation or listing standard). However, in evaluating a person as a potential nominee to serve as a Trustee, the Nominating Committee may consider the following factors, among any others it may deem relevant:

   

whether or not the person is an “interested person,” as defined in the 1940 Act, and whether the person is otherwise qualified under applicable laws and regulations to serve as a Trustee;

 

   

whether or not the person has any relationships that might impair his or her independence, such as any business, financial or family relationships with fund management, the investment adviser, service providers or their affiliates;

 

   

whether or not the person serves on boards of, or is otherwise affiliated with, competing financial service organizations or their related mutual fund complexes;

 

   

whether or not the person is willing to serve, and willing and able to commit the time necessary for the performance of the duties of a Trustee;

 

   

the contribution which the person can make to the Board (or, if the person has previously served as a Trustee, the contribution which the person made to the Board during his or her previous term of service), with consideration being given to the person’s business and professional experience, education and such other factors as the committee may consider relevant;

 

   

the character and integrity of the person; and

 

   

whether or not the selection and nomination of the person would be consistent with the requirements of the retirement policies of the Trust, as applicable.

The Pricing Committee is charged with determining the fair value prices for securities when required.

As indicated above, the Trust’s Board is recently elected and is newly constituted as the Board that oversees all of the equity-type funds in the fund complex. All members of the Board previously have served on Boards of Legg Mason Partners funds. The Audit, Nominating and Pricing Committees are recently established committees of this Board and did not meet during the fund’s last fiscal year.

 

32


The following table shows the amount of equity securities owned by the Trustees in the fund and other investment companies in the fund complex supervised by the Trustees as of December 31, 2006.

 

Name of Trustee

   Dollar Range
of Equity
Securities in
the Fund
   Aggregate Dollar Range
of Equity Securities In
Registered Investment
Companies Overseen
by Trustee

Independent Trustees

     

Paul R. Ades

   A    E

Andrew L. Breech

   A    E

Dwight B. Crane

   A    E

Robert M. Frayn, Jr.

   A    E

Frank G. Hubbard

   A    E

Howard J. Johnson

   A    A

David E. Maryatt

   A    E

Jerome H. Miller

   A    D

Ken Miller

   A    D

John J. Murphy

   A    A

Thomas F. Schlafly

   A    E

Jerry A. Viscione

   A    C

Interested Trustee

     

R. Jay Gerken

   A    E

Dollar Range of Ownership Designations:

 

  A. None
  B. $1-$10,000
  C. $10,001-$50,000
  D. $50,001-$100,000
  E. Over $100,000

As of April 16, 2007, none of the Independent Trustees or their immediate family members owned beneficially or of record any securities of the manager, subadviser or distributors of the fund, or in a person (other than a registered investment company) directly or indirectly controlling, controlled by or under common control with the manager, subadviser or distributors of the fund.

Information regarding compensation paid by the fund to its recently elected Board and to its prior Board is set forth below. The Independent Trustees receive a fee for each meeting of the fund’s Board and committee meetings attended and are reimbursed for all out-of-pocket expenses relating to attendance at such meetings. Mr. Gerken, an “interested person,” as defined in the 1940 Act, does not receive compensation from the fund for his service as Trustee, but may be reimbursed for all out-of-pocket expenses relating to attendance at such meetings.

The fund pays a pro rata share of the Trustee fees based upon asset size. The fund currently pays each of the Trustees who is not a director, officer or employee of the manager or any of its affiliates its pro rata share of an annual fee of $100,000, plus $20,000 for each regularly scheduled Board meeting attended in person, and $1,000 for telephonic Board meetings in which that Trustee participates. The lead Independent Trustee will receive an additional $25,000 per year and the Chairs of the Audit Committee will receive an additional $15,000 per year.

 

33


Recently Elected Board

 

Name of Trustee

  

Aggregate
Compensation
from the

Fund(1)(2)

   Total Pension or
Retirement
Benefits Paid
as Part of Fund
Expenses(1)
    Total
Compensation
from Fund
Complex Paid
to Trustee(1)(2)
    Number of
Portfolios in
Fund
Complex
Overseen by
Trustee(1)

Independent Trustees

         

Paul R. Ades

   $ 0    $ 0     $ 86,200     12

Andrew L. Breech

     0      0       35,750     3

Dwight B. Crane

     517         (3)     266,500     46

Robert M. Frayn, Jr.

     0      0       17,500 (4)   1

Frank G. Hubbard

     0      0       78,700     12

Howard J. Johnson

     0      0       36,000     1

David E. Maryatt

     0      0       17,500 (4)   1

Jerome H. Miller

     0      0       73,500     12

Ken Miller

     0      0       71,500     12

John J. Murphy

     0      0       91,200     23

Thomas F. Schlafly

     0      0       35,250     3

Jerry A. Viscione

     0      0       29,500     1

Interested Trustee

         

R. Jay Gerken

     0      0       0     162

(1) Information is for the calendar year ended December 31, 2006. The disclosure of compensation paid to the Trustees is provided as of the most recent calendar year end, rather than the fund’s most recent fiscal year end, for ease of presentation and comprehension.
(2) Mr. Murphy and Mr. Hubbard also received $2,200 and $5,200, respectively, during 2006 for attending on behalf of their former Boards an additional meeting relating to the selection of service providers for the funds in the Legg Mason Partners fund complex. This amount was paid by the manager or its affiliates, not by the fund.
(3) Pursuant to a prior emeritus retirement plan, Mr. Crane has received or is entitled to receive, in a lump sum (calculated on a net present value basis) or in quarterly installments, an aggregate benefit having a net present value equal to $444,643. Mr. Crane elected to receive the benefit in a lump sum payment. Each fund no longer overseen by Mr. Crane will pay a pro rata share (based upon asset size) of the aggregate benefit to Mr. Crane. Legg Mason or its affiliates have agreed to reimburse these funds an amount equal to 50% of the benefits paid to Mr. Crane. None of these amounts were paid during the period covered by this table.
(4) 100% of this compensation is deferred.

For the fiscal year ended October 31, 2006, the Trustees of the fund were paid the compensation listed below for services as trustee or director of other funds in the Legg Mason Partners fund complex. Information as to the compensation paid to the Trustees of the fund for the calendar year ended December 31, 2006 is also shown below.

Prior Board

 

Name of Independent Director

   Aggregate
Compensation from
Fund for Fiscal Year
Ended 10/31/06
   Total Pension or
Retirement
Benefits Paid as Part
of Fund Expenses(2)
    Total Compensation
from Fund Complex
Paid to Directors in
Fiscal Year Ended
10/31/06
   Number of Funds for
Which Director Served
Within Fund Complex

Dwight B. Crane

   $ 359         (3)   $ 245,300    46

Burt N. Dorsett

     222         (3)     54,100    24

Elliot S. Jaffe

     267         (3)     75,800    24

Stephen E. Kaufman

     383         (3)     156,950    36

Cornelius C. Rose, Jr.

     398         (3)     78,550    24

Interested Director

          

R. Jay Gerken(1)

     0    $ 0       0    162

 

34


Name of Independent Director

   Aggregate
Compensation from
Fund for Year
Ended 12/31/06(4)
   Total Pension or
Retirement
Benefits Paid as Part
of Fund Expenses(2)
    Total Compensation
from Fund Complex
Paid to Directors in
Year Ended
12/31/06(4)
   Number of Funds for
Which Director Served
Within Fund Complex

Dwight B. Crane

   $ 517         (3)   $ 266,500    46

Burt N. Dorsett

     133         (3)     50,100    24

Elliot S. Jaffe

     509         (3)     82,000    24

Stephen E. Kaufman

     443         (3)     166,500    36

Cornelius C. Rose, Jr.

     590         (3)     89,500    24

Interested Director

          

R. Jay Gerken (1)

     0    $ 0       0    162

(1) Mr. Gerken is not compensated for his service as Director because of his affiliation with the manager.
(2) During the fiscal year ended October 31, 2006, the following former Directors received the following payments for their services as emeritus Directors: Mr. Herbert Barg: $45,500; Mr. Martin Brody: $68,500; Mr. Joseph McCann: $39,850. The fund paid its pro rata share (based on asset size) of these aggregate benefits.
(3) Pursuant to prior emeritus retirement plans, the following former Trustees have received or are entitled to receive benefits (calculated on a net present value basis) as follows: Mr. Barg: $208,305; Mr. Brody: $153,564; Mr. Dorsett: $286,616; Mr. Jaffe: $286,616; Mr. Kaufman: $286,616; Mr. McCann: $221,176; Mr. Rose: $286,616. Mr. Crane also is entitled to receive benefits under the emeritus retirement plans; his benefits are described in a table above. Benefits under the emeritus retirement plans are paid in quarterly installments unless the Director elected to receive them in a lump sum at net present value. Each fund no longer overseen by these Directors will pay its pro rata share (based on asset size) of these aggregate benefits. Legg Mason or its affiliates have agreed to reimburse the fund an amount equal to 50% of these benefits. None of these amounts were paid during the period covered by this table.
(4) Mr. Rose received $5,500 during 2006 for attending on behalf of his former Boards an additional meeting relating to the selection of service providers for the funds in the Legg Mason Partners fund complex. This amount was born by the manager and/or its affiliates and not by the fund.

As of March 16, 2007, all Trustees and officers of the fund as a group owned less than 1% of the outstanding shares of the fund.

As of March 16, 2007 to the knowledge of the funds, the following shareholders or “groups” (as the term is used in Section 13(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934) owned beneficially or of record 5% or more of the outstanding shares of the following classes of the fund:

 

Shareholder

     Class      Percent of
Ownership

Citistreet Retirement Trust Account

Citigroup Institutional Trust

400 Atrium Dr

Somerset, NJ 08873-4172

     A      9.3813

INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT AND OTHER SERVICES

Manager

LMPFA serves as investment manager to the fund pursuant to an investment management agreement (the “Management Agreement”) with the fund that was approved by the Board, including a majority of the Independent Directors, on June 29, 2006. LMPFA, with offices at 399 Park Avenue, New York, New York 10022, is a recently-organized investment adviser that has been formed to serve as the investment manager of the fund and other Legg Mason-sponsored funds. LMPFA is wholly-owned subsidiary of Legg Mason. Legg Mason,

 

35


whose principal executive offices are at 100 Light Street, Baltimore, Maryland 21202, is a global asset management company. As of December 31, 2006, Legg Mason’s asset management operation had aggregate assets under management of approximately $945 billion. LMPFA provides administrative and certain oversight services to the fund and manages the cash and short-term investments of the fund.

Under the Management Agreement, subject to the supervision and direction of the Board, the manager is delegated the responsibility of managing the fund’s portfolio in accordance with the fund’s stated investment objective and policies, making investment decisions for the fund and placing orders to purchase and sell securities. The manager also performs administrative and management services necessary for the operation of the fund, such as (i) supervising the overall administration of the fund, including negotiation of contracts and fees with and the monitoring of performance and billings of the fund’s transfer agent, shareholder servicing agents, custodian and other independent contractors or agents; (ii) providing certain compliance, fund accounting, regulatory reporting, and tax reporting services; (iii) preparing or participating in the preparation of Board materials, registration statements, proxy statements and reports and other communications to shareholders; (iv) maintaining the fund’s existence, and (v) maintaining the registration and qualification of the fund’s shares under federal and state laws.

The Management Agreement has an initial term ending November 30, 2007 and will continue in effect from year to year thereafter provided such continuance is specifically approved at least annually (a) by the Board or by a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the fund (as defined in the 1940 Act), and (b) in either event, by a majority of the Independent Directors with such Independent Directors casting votes in person at a meeting called for such purpose.

The Management Agreement provides that the manager may render services to others. The Management Agreement is terminable without penalty on not more than 60 days’ nor less than 30 days’ written notice by the fund when authorized either by a vote of holders of shares representing a majority of the voting power of the outstanding voting securities of the fund (as defined in the 1940 Act) or by a vote of a majority of the fund’s Directors, or by the manager on not less than 90 days’ written notice, and will automatically terminate in the event of its assignment. The Management Agreement provides that neither the manager nor its personnel shall be liable for any error of judgment or mistake of law or for any loss arising out of any investment or for any act or omission in the execution of security transactions for the fund, except for willful misfeasance, bad faith or gross negligence or reckless disregard of its or their obligations and duties.

The manager pays the salaries of all officers and employees who are employed by both it and the Trust, and maintain office facilities for the Trust. In addition to those services, the manager furnishes the Trust with statistical and research data, clerical help and accounting, data processing, bookkeeping, internal auditing and legal services and certain other services required by the Trust, prepares reports to the fund’s shareholders and prepares tax returns, reports to and filings with the SEC and state Blue Sky authorities. The manager bears all expenses in connection with the performance of their services.

The Trust bears expenses incurred in its operations, including: taxes, interest, brokerage fees and commissions, if any; fees of Independent Directors; SEC fees and state Blue Sky qualification fees; charges of custodians; transfer and dividend disbursing agent fees; certain insurance premiums; outside auditing and legal expenses; costs of maintaining corporate existence; costs of investor services (including allocated telephone and personnel expenses); costs of preparing and printing of prospectuses for regulatory purposes and for distribution to existing shareholders; costs of shareholders’ reports and shareholder meetings; and meetings of the officers or the Board.

As compensation for investment management services, the fund pays the manager an annual investment management fee of 0.80% (based on a percentage of the fund’s average daily net assets).

For the fiscal year ended October 31, 2006, the fund paid the manager and SBFM (as applicable) investment advisory fees of $470,513.

 

36


For the fiscal year ended October 31, 2006, the manager and SBFM (as applicable) waived fees of $54,192 and reimbursed for expenses in the amount of $3,023.

For the fiscal year ended October 31, 2005, the fund paid SBFM investment advisory fees of $475,227.

For the fiscal year ended October 31, 2005, SBFM waived fees of $22,036.

For the fiscal year ended October 31, 2004, the fund paid SBFM investment advisory fees of $524,240.

For the fiscal year ended October 31, 2004, SBFM waived fees of $21,745.

The manager has contractually agreed to waive a portion of the fees otherwise payable to it by the fund or to reimburse expenses so that Class A shares’ expenses and Class B shares’ expenses do not exceed 1.50% and 2.25%, respectively, of such class’s average daily net assets. This management fee waiver and/or expense limitation is in effect until March 1, 2009.

Subadviser

Barrett Associates, Inc. (“Barrett” or the “subadviser”) serves as the subadviser to the fund pursuant to a sub-advisory agreement between the manager and Barrett that was approved by the Board, including a majority of the Independent Directors, and by the fund’s shareholders. Barrett is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Legg Mason.

Under the sub-advisory agreement, subject to the supervision and direction of the Board and the manager, the subadviser will, except for the management of cash and short-term investments that is performed by LMPFA, manage the fund’s portfolio in accordance with the fund’s stated investment objective and policies, assist in supervising all aspects of the fund’s operations, make investment decisions for the fund, place orders to purchase and sell securities, and employ professional portfolio managers and securities analysts who provide research services to the fund.

The sub-advisory agreement has an initial term ending March 15, 2009 and will continue in effect from year to year thereafter provided such continuance is specifically approved at least annually (a) by the Board or by a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the fund (as defined in the 1940 Act), and (b) in either event, by a majority of the Independent Directors with such Independent Directors casting votes in person at a meeting called for such purpose. The Board or a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the fund (as defined in the 1940 Act) may terminate the sub-advisory agreement on 60 days’ written notice without penalty. The manager or the subadviser may terminate the sub-advisory agreement on 90 days’ written notice without penalty. The sub-advisory agreement will terminate automatically in the event of assignment (as defined in the 1940 Act).

The manager pays the subadviser for its services a fee equal to 70% of the management fee paid to the manager for the fund, net of expense waivers and reimbursements.

Batterymarch Financial Management, Inc. (“Batterymarch”) served as the fund’s subadviser from February 1, 2006 until March 16, 2007. Batterymarch is also a wholly owned subsidiary of Legg Mason. For the period from August 1, 2006 through October 31, 2006, the manager paid Batterymarch subadvisory fees of $50,659 for the fund.

Legg Mason International Equity Ltd. (“LMIE”) (formerly Citigroup Asset Management Ltd.) served as the fund’s subadviser until February 1, 2006.

Since August 1, 2006, the manager has paid subadvisory fees equal to 70% of the management fee paid to the manager for the fund, net of waivers and reimbursements. Prior to August 1, 2006, the manager and SBFM (as applicable) paid a subadvisory fee of 0.50% (based on a percentage of the fund’s average daily net assets) and

 

37


prior to October 1, 2005, the subadvisory fee was 0.65% (based on a percentage of the fund’s average daily net assets).

For the fiscal year ended October 31, 2006, the manager and SBFM (as applicable) paid investment subadvisory fees of $264,957 to Batterymarch and LMIE (as applicable).

For the fiscal year ended October 31, 2005, SBFM paid investment subadvisory fees of $297,017 to LMIE.

For the fiscal year ended October 31, 2004, SBFM paid investment subadvisory fees of $327,650 to LMIE.

Expenses

In addition to amounts payable under the Management Agreement and the 12b-1 Plan (as discussed below), the fund is responsible for its own expenses, including, among other things, interest; taxes; governmental fees; voluntary assessments and other expenses incurred in connection with membership in investment company organizations; organization costs of the fund; the cost (including brokerage commissions, transaction fees or charges, if any) in connection with the purchase or sale of the fund’s securities and other investments and any losses in connection therewith; fees and expenses of custodians, transfer agents, registrars, independent pricing vendors or other agents; legal expenses; loan commitment fees; expenses relating to share certificates; expenses relating to the issuing and redemption or repurchase of the fund’s shares and servicing shareholder accounts; expenses of registering and qualifying the fund’s shares for sale under applicable federal and state law; expenses of preparing, setting in print, printing and distributing prospectuses and statements of additional information and any supplements thereto, reports, proxy statements, notices and dividends to the fund’s shareholders; costs of stationery; website costs; costs of meetings of the Board or any committee thereof, meetings of shareholders and other meetings of the fund; Board fees; audit fees; travel expenses of officers, members of the Board and employees of the fund, if any; and the fund’s pro rata portion of premiums on any fidelity bond and other insurance covering the fund and its officers, Board members and employees; litigation expenses and any nonrecurring or extraordinary expenses as may arise, including, without limitation, those relating to actions, suits or proceedings to which the fund is a party and the legal obligation which the fund may have to indemnify Board members and officers with respect thereto.

Management may agree to waive fees and/or reimburse operating expenses for one or more classes of shares, either through contractual or voluntary arrangements. Any such waivers and/ or reimbursements are described in the fund’s Prospectus. The contractual and voluntary fee waivers and/ or reimbursements do not cover extraordinary expenses, such as (a) any expenses or charges related to litigation, derivative actions, demand related to litigation, regulatory or other government investigations and proceedings, “for cause” regulatory inspections and indemnification or advancement of related expenses or costs, to the extent any such expenses are considered extraordinary expenses for the purposes of fee disclosure in Form N-1A as the same may be amended from time to time; (b) transaction costs (such as brokerage commissions and dealer and underwriter spreads) and taxes; and (c) other extraordinary expenses as determined for the purposes of fee disclosure in Form N-1A, as the same may be amended from time to time. Without limiting the foregoing, extraordinary expenses are generally those that are unusual or expected to recur only infrequently, and may include such expenses, by way of illustration, as (i) expenses of the reorganization, restructuring, redomiciling or merger of the fund or class or the acquisition of all or substantially all of the assets of another fund or class; (ii) expenses of holding, and soliciting proxies for, a meeting of shareholders of the fund or class (except to the extent relating to routine items such as the election of board members or the approval of the independent registered public accounting firm); and (iii) expenses of converting to a new custodian, transfer agent or other service provider, in each case to the extent any such expenses are considered extraordinary expenses for the purposes of fee disclosure in Form N-1A as the same may be amended from time to time.

 

38


Custodian and Transfer Agent

State Street Bank and Trust Company (“State Street”), One Lincoln Street, Boston, Massachusetts 02111, serves as the custodian of the fund. State Street, among other things, maintains a custody account or accounts in the name of the fund; receives and delivers all assets for the fund upon purchase and upon sale or maturity; collects and receives all income and other payments and distributions on account of the assets of the fund; and makes disbursements on behalf of the fund. State Street neither determines the fund’s investment policies, nor decides which securities the fund will buy or sell. For its services, State Street receives a monthly fee based upon the daily average market value of securities held in custody and also receives securities transaction charges, including out-of-pocket expenses. The fund may also periodically enter into arrangements with other qualified custodians with respect to certain types of securities or other transactions such as repurchase agreements or derivatives transactions. State Street may also act as the fund’s securities lending agent and in that case would receive a share of the income generated by such activities.

PFPC Inc. (“PFPC” or “transfer agent”), located at P.O. Box 9699, Providence, Rhode Island 02940-9699, serves as the fund’s transfer agent. Under the transfer agency agreement, the transfer agent maintains the shareholder account records for the fund, handles certain communications between shareholders and the fund and distributes dividends and distributions payable by the fund. For these services, the transfer agent receives a monthly fee computed on the basis of the number of shareholder accounts it maintains for the fund during the month, and is reimbursed for out-of-pocket expenses. Prior to January 1, 2006, Citicorp Trust Bank, fsb (“CTB”) served as the fund’s transfer agent and PFPC served as the fund’s sub-transfer agent.

Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

KPMG LLP, independent registered public accounting firm, 345 Park Avenue, New York, New York 10154, has been selected to audit and report upon the fund’s financial statements and financial highlights for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2008.

Counsel

Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP, 787 Seventh Avenue, New York, New York 10019, serves as counsel to the Trust and the fund.

PORTFOLIO MANAGER DISCLOSURE

Portfolio Managers

The following tables set forth certain additional information with respect to the portfolio manager for the fund. Unless noted otherwise, all information is provided as of December 31, 2006.

Other Accounts Managed by the Portfolio Manager

The table below identifies, for the portfolio manager of the fund as of March 16, 2007, the number of accounts (other than the fund with respect to which information is provided) for which she has day-to-day management responsibilities and the total assets in such accounts, within each of the following categories: registered investment companies, other pooled investment vehicles, and other accounts, in each case as of December 31, 2006.

 

Portfolio Manager

  

Registered Investment
Companies

  

Other Pooled
Investment Vehicles

  

Other Accounts

Amy LaGuardia

   1 registered investment company with $68 million in total assets under management    None    290 other accounts with $450 million in total assets under management

None of these accounts had fees based on performance.

 

39


Portfolio Manager Compensation

Barrett compensates all portfolio managers with a base salary and a bonus. The bonus is determined at year-end by the compensation committee, which takes into consideration first and foremost the overall performance of the firm and then the individual contribution of each portfolio manager. In determining a portfolio manager’s bonus, the compensation committee considers the following criteria with respect to the portfolio manager: assets under management, growth in assets, investment performance (including mutual fund results), research effort and general contribution to the firm. Barrett uses a team-oriented approach to foster a spirit of cooperation and collegiality throughout the professional ranks of the firm so that overall performance of the firm is a reflection of a combined initiative and enterprise.

Potential Conflicts of Interest

Potential conflicts of interest may arise when the fund’s portfolio manager also has day-to-day management responsibilities with respect to one or more other funds or other accounts, as is the case for the portfolio manager listed in the table above.

The manager, the subadviser, and the fund have adopted compliance polices and procedures that are designed to address various conflicts of interest that may arise for the investment adviser and the individuals that it employs. For example, the manager and subadviser each seek to minimize the effects of competing interests for the time and attention of portfolio managers by assigning portfolio managers to manage funds and accounts that share a similar investment style. The manager and the subadviser have also adopted trade allocation procedures that are designed to facilitate the fair allocation of limited investment opportunities among multiple funds and accounts. There is no guarantee, however, that the policies and procedures adopted by the manager and the subadviser and the fund will be able to detect and/or prevent every situation in which an actual or potential conflict may appear.

These potential conflicts include:

Allocation of Limited Time and Attention. A portfolio manager who is responsible for managing multiple funds and/or accounts may devote unequal time and attention to the management of those funds and/or accounts. As a result, the portfolio manager may not be able to formulate as complete a strategy or identify equally attractive investment opportunities for each of those accounts as might be the case if he or she were to devote substantially more attention to the management of a single fund. The effects of this potential conflict may be more pronounced where funds and/or accounts overseen by a particular portfolio manager have different investment strategies.

Allocation of Limited Investment Opportunities. If a portfolio manager identifies a limited investment opportunity that may be suitable for multiple funds and/or accounts, the opportunity may be allocated among these several funds or accounts, which may limit a fund’s ability to take full advantage of the investment opportunity.

The management of multiple funds and accounts may give rise to potential conflicts of interest if the funds and accounts have different objectives, benchmarks, time horizons, and fees, as a portfolio manager must allocate his or her time and investment ideas across multiple funds and accounts. A portfolio manager may execute transactions for a fund or account that may adversely impact the value of securities held by another fund or account. Securities selected for funds or accounts may outperform the securities selected for other funds or accounts.

When an investment is appropriate or suitable for more than one fund or account, the following considerations apply:

 

   

The investment opportunity is allocated among mutual funds and individual client accounts on a pro rata basis according to their asset size.

 

   

An investment opportunity will generally not be placed in a fund or account if not in round lot shares of at least 100.

 

40


   

The investment opportunity will be spread over Barrett’s accounts and funds base to the fullest extent possible, within standards of appropriateness and suitability.

 

   

Initial public offerings receive the same considerations as any other investment opportunity, subject to certain investment limitations of some funds and client accounts.

 

   

Investment opportunities limited in amount are not allocated to Barrett’s proprietary accounts, employees or affiliated persons’ accounts.

 

   

Barrett may not allocate any initial public offerings to any accounts in which a restricted person has a beneficial interest, subject to certain exemptions.

The portfolio manager’s management of her personal account may give rise to potential conflicts of interest. The fund and Barrett have adopted codes of ethics that they believe contain provisions reasonably necessary to prevent such conflicts.

Pursuit of Differing Strategies. At times, a portfolio manager may determine that an investment opportunity may be appropriate for only some of the funds and/or accounts for which he or she exercises investment responsibility, or may decide that certain of the funds and/or accounts should take differing positions with respect to a particular security. In these cases, the portfolio manager may place separate transactions for one or more funds or accounts which may affect the market price of the security or the execution of the transaction, or both, to the detriment or benefit of one or more other funds and/or accounts.

Selection of Brokers/Dealers. Portfolio managers may be able to select or influence the selection of the brokers and dealers that are used to execute securities transactions for the funds and/or account that they supervise. In addition to executing trades, some brokers and dealers provide portfolio managers with brokerage and research services (as those terms are defined in Section 28(e) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934), which may result in the payment of higher brokerage fees than might have otherwise been available. These services may be more beneficial to certain funds or accounts than to others. Although the payment of brokerage commissions is subject to the requirement that the portfolio manager determine in good faith that the commissions are reasonable in relation to the value of the brokerage and research services provided to the fund, a portfolio manager’s decision as to the selection of brokers and dealers could yield disproportionate costs and benefits among the funds and/or accounts that he or she manages.

Variation in Compensation. A conflict of interest may arise where the financial or other benefits available to the portfolio manager differ among the funds and/or accounts that he or she manages. If the structure of the investment manager’s management fee and/or the portfolio manager’s compensation differs among funds and/or accounts (such as where certain funds or accounts pay higher management fees or performance-based management fees), the portfolio manager might be motivated to help certain funds and/or accounts over others. The portfolio manager might be motivated to favor funds and/or accounts in which he or she has an interest or in which the investment manager and/or its affiliates have interests. Similarly, the desire to maintain or raise assets under management or to enhance the portfolio manager’s performance record or to derive other rewards, financial or otherwise, could influence the portfolio manager in affording preferential treatment to those funds and/or accounts that could most significantly benefit the portfolio manager.

Related Business Opportunities. The investment manager or its affiliates may provide more services (such as distribution or recordkeeping) for some types of funds or accounts than for others. In such cases, a portfolio manager may benefit, either directly or indirectly, by devoting disproportionate attention to the management of funds and/or accounts that provide greater overall returns to the investment manager and its affiliates.

 

41


Portfolio Manager Securities Ownership

The table below identifies ownership of the fund’s securities by the portfolio manager as of March 16, 2007.

 

Portfolio Manager

   Dollar Range of Ownership of
Securities in the Fund

Amy LaGuardia

   $100,000-$500,000

Distributors

LMIS, a wholly-owned broker-dealer subsidiary of Legg Mason, located at 100 Light Street, Baltimore, Maryland 21202; CGMI, an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of Citigroup, located at 388 Greenwich Street, New York, New York 10013; and PFS, located at 3120 Breckinridge Boulevard, Duluth, Georgia 30099-0001 serve as the fund’s distributors pursuant to separate written agreements or amendments to written agreements, in each case dated December 1, 2005 (the “distribution agreements”), which were approved by the Board and by a majority of the Independent Directors, casting votes in person at a meeting called for such purpose, on November 21, 2005. The distribution agreements went into effect on December 1, 2005. Prior to December 1, 2005, CGMI and PFS Distributors, Inc. (“PFS Distributors”), the predecessor in interest to PFS, served as the fund’s distributors.

A distributor’s obligation is an agency or “best efforts” arrangement under which the distributor is required to take and pay only for such shares of each fund as may be sold to the public. A distributor is not obligated to sell any stated number of shares. Each distribution agreement is renewable from year to year if approved (a) by the Directors or by a vote of a majority of the fund’s outstanding voting securities, and (b) by the affirmative vote of a majority of Directors who are not parties to such agreement or interested persons of any party by votes cast in person at a meeting called for such purpose. Each distribution agreement provides that it will terminate if assigned, and that it may be terminated without penalty by either party on 60 days’ written notice provided that each of the CGMI and PFS distribution agreements may be terminated upon 90 days’ written notice by the distributor.

LMIS, CGMI and PFS may be deemed to be underwriters for purposes of the 1933 Act. From time to time, LMIS, CGMI or PFS or their affiliates may also pay for certain non-cash sales incentives provided to PFS Registered Representatives. Such incentives do not have any effect on the net amount invested. In addition to the reallowances from the applicable public offering price described below, PFS may, from time to time, pay or allow additional reallowances or promotional incentives, in the form of cash or other compensation, to PFS Registered Representatives that sell shares of the fund.

Distribution expenses incurred by LMIS, CGMI and/or PFS for advertising, printing and mailing prospectuses, support services and overhead expenses, payments to Service Agents and for accruals for interest on the excess of expenses incurred in the distribution of the fund’s shares are set forth in the following tables:

For the fiscal year ended October 31, 2006, CGMI incurred the following distribution expenses for the fund. Distribution expenses included marketing and advertising materials, printing costs of prospectuses, third party service fees, branch operating expenses and compensation of Service Agents.

 

Share Class

   Marketing &
Advertising
   Printing of
Prospectuses
   Third
Party
   Branch Op
Expenses
   Service
Agents
   Total

Class A

   $ 0    $ 0    $ 2,518    $ 14,076    $ 10,984    $ 27,578

Class B

     5,522      33      4,156      33,395      134,316      177,422

Class C

     2,205      8      6,319      119,518      104,659      232,709

 

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For the period from December 1, 2005 through October 31, 2006, LMIS incurred the following distribution expenses for the fund. Distribution expenses included marketing and advertising materials, printing costs of prospectuses, third party service fees, and compensation of Service Agents.

Share Class

   Marketing &
Advertising
   Printing of
Prospectuses
   Third
Party
   Service
Agents
   Total

Class A

   $ 0    $ 0    $ 7,861    $ 0    $ 7,861

Class B

     8,586      367      6,232      94,451      109,636

Class C

     6,872      87      5,961      6,872      14,660

For the fiscal year ended October 31, 2006, PFS incurred the following distribution expenses for the fund. Distribution expenses included marketing and advertising materials, printing costs of prospectuses, third party service fees, branch operating expenses and compensation of Service Agents.

 

Share Class

   Marketing &
Advertising
   Printing of
Prospectuses
   Third
Party
   Branch Op
Expenses
   Service
Agents
   Total

Class A

   $ 0    $ 0    $ 0    $ 41,464    $ 32,258    $ 73,722

Class B

     6,337      0      0      25,574      73,258      105,169

Class C

     0      0      0      0      0      0

The following shows the total distribution fees paid by each class for the fiscal year ended October 31, 2006:

 

Class A

   $ 49,775

Class B

   $ 257,229

Class C

   $ 131,811
      

Total

   $ 438,815
      

Initial Sales Charges

The aggregate dollar amount of initial sales charges on Class A shares received by the distributors were as follows:

Class A Shares(1)

 

For the fiscal year ended October 31

   CGMI and
LMIS*
   PFS

2006

   $ 3,075    $ 73,776

2005

   $ 5,043    $ 56,338

2004

   $ 13,692    $ 51,274

 

(1)

As of November 20, 2006, the initial sales charge on Class A shares increased.

 

  * All initial sales charges paid during the fiscal years ended October 31, 2004 and 2005 were paid to CGMI.

 

Contingent Deferred Sales Charges

The aggregate dollar amount of contingent deferred sales charges on Class A, Class B and Class C shares received by the distributors were as follows:

Class A Shares

 

For the fiscal year ended October 31

   CGMI and
LMIS
   PFS

2006

   $ 0    $ 6

2005

   $ 0    $ 117

2004

   $ 0    $ 20

 

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Class B Shares

 

For the fiscal year ended October 31

   CGMI and
LMIS*
   PFS

2006

   $ 4,597    $ 15,793

2005

   $ 29,413    $ 20,403

2004

   $ 51,171    $ 20,199

  * All contingent deferred sales charges paid during the fiscal years ended October 31, 2004 and 2005 were paid to CGMI.

Class C Shares

 

For the fiscal year ended October 31

   CGMI and
LMIS*
   PFS

2006

   $ 301    $ 0

2005

   $ 622    $ 0

2004

   $ 513    $ 0

  * All contingent deferred sales charges paid during the fiscal years ended October 31, 2004 and 2005 were paid to CGMI.

Services and Distribution Plan Arrangements

The Trust, on behalf of the fund, has adopted an amended shareholder services and distribution plan (the “12b-1 Plan”) pursuant to Rule 12b-1 under the 1940 Act with respect to Class A, Class B and Class C shares of the fund. Under the 12b-1 Plan, the fund pay service and distribution fees to each of LMIS, CGMI and PFS for the services they provide and expenses they bear with respect to the distribution of Class A, Class B and Class C shares and providing services to Class A, Class B and Class C shareholders. The expenses intended to be covered by the distribution fees include those of each co-distributor. The co-distributors will provide the Board with periodic reports of amounts expended under the 12b-1 Plan and the purposes for which such expenditures were made. The fund pays service fees, accrued daily and payable monthly, calculated at the annual rate of 0.25% of the value of the fund’s average daily net assets attributable to the fund’s Class A, Class B and Class C shares. In addition, the fund pays distribution fees with respect to the Class B and Class C shares at the annual rate of 0.75% of the fund’s average daily net assets.

Fees under the 12b-1 Plan may be used to make payments to the distributors for distribution services, to Service Agents in respect of the sale of shares of the fund, and to other parties in respect of the sale of shares of the fund, and to make payments for advertising, marketing or other promotional activity, and payments for preparation, printing, and distribution of prospectuses, statements of additional information and reports for recipients other than regulators and existing shareholders. The fund also may make payments to the distributors, Service Agents and others for providing personal service or the maintenance of shareholder accounts. The amounts paid to each recipient may vary based upon certain factors, including, among other things, the levels of sales of fund shares and/or shareholder services provided.

The 12b-1 Plan also provides that the distributor and Service Agents may receive all or a portion of the sales charges paid by Class A, Class B and Class C investors.

The 12b-1 Plan permits the fund to pay fees to a distributor, Service Agents and others as compensation for their services, not as reimbursement for specific expenses incurred. Thus, even if their expenses exceed the fees provided for by the 12b-1 Plan, neither fund will be obligated to pay more than those fees and, if their expenses are less than the fees paid to them, they will realize a profit. The fund may pay the fees to a distributor and others until the 12b-1 Plan or Distribution Agreement is terminated or not renewed. In that event, a distributor’s or other recipient’s expenses in excess of fees received or accrued through the termination date will be the distributor’s or other recipient’s sole responsibility and not obligations of the fund. In their annual consideration of the continuation of the 12b-1 Plan for the fund, the Directors will review the 12b-1 Plan and the expenses for each class within the fund separately.

 

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The 12b-1 Plan also recognizes that various service providers to the fund, such as the manager, may make payments for distribution related expenses out of their own resources, including past profits, or payments received from the fund for other purposes, such as management fees, and that the fund’s distributors or Service Agents may from time to time use their own resources for distribution-related services, in addition to the fees paid under the 12b-1 Plan. The 12b-1 Plan specifically provides that, to the extent that such payments might be deemed to be indirect financing of any activity primarily intended to result in the sale of shares of the fund within the context of Rule 12b-1, then the payments are deemed to be authorized by the 12b-1 Plan, if permitted under applicable law.

The 12b-1 Plan continues in effect if such continuance is specifically approved at least annually by a vote of both a majority of the Directors and a majority of the Independent Directors and who have no direct or indirect financial interest in the operation of the 12b-1 Plan or in any agreement related to the 12b-1 Plan (for purposes of this paragraph “Qualified Directors”). The Directors, in the exercise of their business judgment in the best interests of the shareholders of the fund and each class, have approved the continuation of the 12b-1 Plan. The 12b-1 Plan requires that the Trust and the distributors provide to the Board and the Board review, at least quarterly, a written report of the amounts expended (and the purposes therefor) under the 12b-1 Plan. The 12b-1 Plan further provides that the selection and nomination of the Qualified Directors is committed to the discretion of the Qualified Directors then in office who are not interested Directors of the Trust. The 12b-1 Plan may be terminated with respect to any class of the fund at any time by a vote of a majority of the Company’s Qualified Directors or by a vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of that class. The 12b-1 Plan may not be amended to increase materially the amount of permitted expenses of the class thereunder without the approval of a majority of the outstanding securities of that class and may not be materially amended in any case without a vote of a majority of both the Directors and Qualified Directors. The fund will preserve copies of any plan, agreement or report made pursuant to the 12b-1 Plan for a period of not less than six years, and for the first two years the fund will preserve such copies in an easily accessible place.

As contemplated by the 12b-1 Plan, each distributor acts as an agent of the Trust in connection with the offering of shares of the fund pursuant to the respective Distribution Agreements.

Prior to December 1, 2005, the fund paid service and distribution fees directly to CGMI and PFS Distributors under separate 12b-1 Plans with respect to shares sold through CGMI and PFS Distributors.

Service Fees and Distribution Fees

 

Class A Shares

  

For the fiscal year ended October 31, 2006:

   $49,775

For the fiscal year ended October 31, 2005:

   $42,323

For the fiscal year ended October 31, 2004:

   $41,110

Class B Shares

  

For the fiscal year ended October 31, 2006:

   $257,229

For the fiscal year ended October 31, 2005:

   $275,221

For the fiscal year ended October 31, 2004:

   $308,532

Class C Shares

  

For the fiscal year ended October 31, 2006:

   $131,811

For the fiscal year ended October 31, 2005:

   $149,521

For the fiscal year ended October 31, 2004:

   $182,329

Dealer reallowances are described in the fund’s prospectus.

 

45


Code of Ethics

Pursuant to Rule 17j-1 under the 1940 Act, the fund, the manager, the subadviser and distributors have adopted codes of ethics that permit personnel to invest in securities for their own accounts, including securities that may be purchased or held by the fund. All personnel must place the interests of clients first and avoid activities, interests and relationships that might interfere with the duty to make decisions in the best interests of the clients. All personal securities transactions by employees must adhere to the requirements of the code and must be conducted in such a manner as to avoid any actual or potential conflict of interest, the appearance of such a conflict, or the abuse of an employee’s position of trust and responsibility. Copies of the fund’s, the manager’s, the subadviser’s, and the distributors’ Codes of Ethics are on file with the SEC.

Proxy Voting Guidelines and Procedures

Although individual Directors may not agree with particular policies or votes by the manager or subadviser, the Board has delegated proxy voting discretion to the manager and/or the subadviser, believing that the manager and/or the subadviser should be responsible for voting because it is a matter relating to the investment decision making process.

LMPFA delegates the responsibility for voting proxies for the fund, as applicable, to the subadviser through its contracts with the subadviser. The subadviser will use their own proxy voting policies and procedures to vote proxies. Accordingly, LMPFA does not expect to have proxy-voting responsibility for the fund. Should LMPFA become responsible for voting proxies for any reason, such as the inability of the subadviser to provide investment advisory services, LMPFA shall utilize the proxy voting guidelines established by the most recent subadviser to vote proxies until a new subadviser is retained. In the case of a material conflict between the interests of LMPFA (or its affiliates if such conflict is known to persons responsible for voting at LMPFA) and the fund, the board of directors of LMPFA shall consider how to address the conflict and/or how to vote the proxies. LMPFA shall maintain records of all proxy votes in accordance with applicable securities laws and regulations, to the extent that LMPFA votes proxies. LMPFA shall be responsible for gathering relevant documents and records related to proxy voting from the subadviser and providing them to the fund as required for the fund to comply with applicable rules under the 1940 Act.

A summary of the subadviser’s Proxy Voting Policies and Procedures that govern in determining how proxies relating to the fund’s portfolio securities are voted is attached as Appendix A to this SAI. Information regarding how the fund voted proxies (if any) relating to portfolio securities during the most recent 12-month period ended June 30 is available without charge (1) by calling 1-888-425-6432, (2) on the fund’s website at leggmason.com/InvestorServices and (3) on the SEC’s website at http://www.sec.gov.

PORTFOLIO TRANSACTIONS

Subject to policies as may be established by the Board from time to time, the subadviser are primarily responsible for the fund’s portfolio decisions and the placing of the fund’s portfolio transactions, except that the manager manages the cash and short-term investments of the fund. Transactions on stock exchanges involve the payment of negotiated brokerage commissions. There is generally no stated commission in the case of securities traded in the over-the-counter market, but the price of those securities includes an undisclosed commission or mark-up. Over-the-counter purchases and sales are transacted directly with principal market makers except where it is believed that better prices and executions may be obtained elsewhere. The cost of securities purchased from underwriters includes an underwriting commission or concession, and the prices at which securities are purchased from and sold to dealers include a dealer’s mark-up or mark-down. The aggregate brokerage commissions paid by the fund for the three most recent fiscal years is set forth below under “Aggregate Brokerage Commissions Paid.”

 

46


Pursuant to the Management Agreement and Sub-Advisory Agreement, the manager and the subadviser are authorized to place orders pursuant to its investment determinations for the fund either directly with the issuer or with any broker or dealer, foreign currency dealer, futures commission merchant or others selected by it. The general policy of the manager and subadviser in selecting brokers and dealers is to obtain the best results achievable in the context of a number of factors which are considered both in relation to individual trades and broader trading patterns, including the reliability of the broker/dealer, the competitiveness of the price and the commission, the research services received and whether the broker/dealer commits its own capital. In connection with the manager’s or subadviser’s monitoring of its portfolio transactions for compliance with its policies, the manager and subadviser each utilize both an internal committee and a third party service provider.

In connection with the selection of such brokers or dealers and the placing of such orders, subject to applicable law, brokers or dealers may be selected who also provide brokerage and research services (as those terms are defined in Section 28(e) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934) to the fund and/or the other accounts over which the manager, the subadviser or their affiliates exercise investment discretion. The manager and subadviser are authorized to pay a broker or dealer who provides such brokerage and research services a commission for executing a portfolio transaction for the fund which is in excess of the amount of commission another broker or dealer would have charged for effecting that transaction if the manager or subadviser determine in good faith that such amount of commission is reasonable in relation to the value of the brokerage and research services provided by such broker or dealer. This determination may be viewed in terms of either that particular transaction or the overall responsibilities that the manager, the subadviser and their affiliates have with respect to accounts over which they exercise investment discretion. The manager and/or subadviser may also have arrangements with brokers pursuant to which such brokers provide research services to the manager or subadviser, as applicable, in exchange for a certain volume of brokerage transactions to be executed by such brokers. While the payment of higher commissions increases the fund’s costs, neither the manager nor the subadviser believe that the receipt of such brokerage and research services significantly reduces its expenses as manager or subadviser. Arrangements for the receipt of research services from brokers may create conflicts of interest.

Research services furnished to the manager or subadviser by brokers who effect securities transactions for the fund may be used by the manager or subadviser in servicing other investment companies and accounts which it manages. Similarly, research services furnished to the manager or subadviser by brokers who effect securities transactions for other investment companies and accounts which the manager or subadviser manage may be used by the manager or subadviser, as applicable, in servicing the fund. Not all of these research services are used by the manager or subadviser in managing any particular account, including the fund. For the fiscal year ended October 31, 2006, the fund paid commissions to brokers that provided research services as follows:

 

Total Dollar Amount of

Brokerage Transactions

Related to Research Services

  

Total Dollar Amount of

Brokerage Commissions

Paid on Transactions

Related to Research Services

N/A    $10,511

The fund contemplates that, consistent with the policy of obtaining the best net results, brokerage transactions may be conducted through “affiliated broker/dealers”, as defined in the 1940 Act. The Board has adopted procedures in accordance with Rule 17e-1 promulgated under the 1940 Act to ensure that all brokerage commissions paid to such affiliates are reasonable and fair in the context of the market in which such affiliates operate. Effective December 1, 2005 CGMI is no longer an affiliated person of the fund under the 1940 Act. As a result, the fund will be permitted to execute portfolio transactions with CGMI or an affiliate of CGMI as agent (but not as principal) without being subject to the restrictions applicable to transactions with affiliated persons.

Aggregate Brokerage Commissions Paid

For the fiscal years ended October 31, 2004, 2005, and 2006, the fund paid aggregate brokerage commissions to CGMI and its affiliates as set forth in the table below In addition, for the same period, the

 

47


percentage of the fund’s aggregate brokerage commissions paid to CGMI and its affiliates and the percentage of the fund’s aggregate dollar amount of transactions involving the payment of commissions effected through CGMI and its affiliates were as follows.

 

     Aggregate
Brokerage
Commissions
Paid
   Amount of
Brokerage
Commissions
Paid by the
Fund
to CGMI and
Affiliates
   The Percentage of
the Fund’s
Aggregate
Brokerage
Commissions Paid
to CGMI and
Affiliates
    The Percentage of
the Fund’s
Aggregate
Dollar Amount of
Transactions
Involving the
Payment of
Commissions
Effected Through
CGMI and Affiliates
 

For the fiscal year ended October 31, 2006:

  $ 130,098    $ 3,507    2.70 %   1.03 %

For the fiscal year ended October 31, 2005:

  $ 36,246    $ 0    0 %   0 %

For the fiscal year ended October 31, 2004:

  $ 53,939    $ 4,256    7.89 %   9.27 %

As of December 1, 2005, LMIS became an underwriter of the fund under the 1940 Act. For the period December 1, 2005 through October 31, 2006, the fund did not pay any brokerage commissions to LMIS or its affiliates.

During the fiscal year ended October 31, 2006, the fund purchased securities issued by the following regular broker-dealers of the fund, which had the following values as of October 31, 2006:

 

Broker-Dealer

  

Value of Securities as of

October 31, 2006 (000s)

JPMorgan Chase & Co.

   $ 1,726

Goldman Sachs

     1,043

Morgan Stanley

     842

Merrill Lynch & Co.

     516

UBS A.G.

     502

PORTFOLIO TURNOVER

The fund may experience higher than normal portfolio turnover during the period in which the subadviser disposes of securities that do not meet its investment criteria and acquires new securities. Higher portfolio turnover may result in larger distributions of capital gains, some of which may be short-term capital gain and subject to tax at ordinary income tax rates, and will increase the fund’s trading costs. Following that period, the fund’s portfolio turnover rate (the lesser of purchases or sales of portfolio securities during the year, excluding purchases or sales of short-term securities, divided by the monthly average value of portfolio securities) is generally not expected to exceed 100%. The rate of turnover will not be a limiting factor, however, when the fund deems it desirable to sell or purchase securities. The subadviser may cause the fund to sell or purchase securities to ensure compliance with the fund’s investment policies.

In certain instances there may be securities that are suitable as an investment for the fund as well as for one or more of the manager’s or subadviser’s other clients. Investment decisions for the fund and for the manager’s or subadviser’s other clients are made with a view to achieving their respective investment objectives. It may develop that a particular security is bought or sold for only one client even though it might be held by, or bought or sold for, other clients. Likewise, a particular security may be bought for one or more clients when one or more clients are selling the same security. Some simultaneous transactions are inevitable when several clients receive investment advice from the same investment adviser, particularly when the same security is suitable for the investment objectives of more than one client. When two or more clients are simultaneously engaged in the purchase or sale of the same security, the securities are allocated among clients in a manner believed to be

 

48


equitable to each. It is recognized that in some cases this system could adversely affect the price of or the size of the position obtainable in a security for the fund. When purchases or sales of the same security for the fund and for other funds managed by the adviser occur contemporaneously, the purchase or sale orders may be aggregated in order to obtain any price advantages available to large volume purchases or sales.

For reporting purposes, the fund’s portfolio turnover rate is calculated by dividing the lesser of purchases or sales of portfolio securities for the fiscal year by the monthly average of the value of the portfolio securities owned by the fund during the fiscal year. In determining such portfolio turnover, all securities whose maturities at the time of acquisition were one year or less are excluded. A 100% portfolio turnover rate would occur, for example, if all of the securities in the fund’s investment portfolio (other than short- term money market securities) were replaced once during the fiscal year. Portfolio turnover will not be a limiting factor should the manager or subadviser deem it advisable to purchase or sell securities.

 

For the fiscal year ended October 31, 2006:

   181 %

For the fiscal year ended October 31, 2005:

   29 %

In the event that portfolio turnover increases, this increase necessarily results in correspondingly greater transaction costs which must be paid by the fund. To the extent portfolio trading results in realization of net short-term capital gains, shareholders will be taxed on such gains at ordinary tax rates (except shareholders who invest through IRAs and other retirement plans which are not taxed currently on accumulations in their accounts).

PURCHASE OF SHARES

General

Investors may purchase shares from a Service Agent. In addition, certain investors, including retirement plans purchasing through certain Service Agents, may purchase shares directly from the fund. When purchasing shares of the fund, investors must specify whether the purchase is for Class A, B, C or I1 shares. Service Agents may charge their customers an annual account maintenance fee in connection with a brokerage account through which an investor purchases or holds shares. Accounts held directly the transfer agent are not subject to a maintenance fee.

For additional information regarding applicable investment minimums and eligibility requirements, please see the fund’s prospectus.

There are no minimum investment requirements for purchases of Class A shares by: (i) current and retired board members of Legg Mason (ii) current and retired board members of any fund advised by LMPFA (such board members, together with board members of Legg Mason are referred to herein as “Board Members”), (iii) current employees of Legg Mason and its subsidiaries, (iv) the “immediate families” of such persons (“immediate families” are such person’s spouse, including the surviving spouse of a deceased Board Member, and children under the age of 21) and (v) a pension, profit-sharing or other benefit plan for the benefit of such persons. The fund reserves the right to waive or change minimums, to decline any order to purchase its shares and to suspend the offering of shares from time to time.

Purchase orders received by the fund or a Service Agent prior to the close of regular trading on the NYSE on any day the fund calculates its net asset value are priced according to the net asset value determined on that

 


1 As of November 20, 2006, Class Y shares were renamed Class I shares.

 

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day (the “trade date”). Orders received by a Service Agent prior to the close of regular trading on the NYSE on any day the fund calculates its net asset value are priced according to the net asset value determined on that day, provided the order is received by the fund’s agent prior to its close of business. For shares purchased through CGMI or a Service Agent purchasing through CGMI, payment for shares of the fund is normally due on the third business day after the trade date. In all other cases, payment must be made with the purchase order.

Systematic Investment Plan. Shareholders may make additions to their accounts at any time by purchasing shares through a service known as the Systematic Investment Plan. Under the Systematic Investment Plan, a distributor, the transfer agent, or, with respect to a PFS account, Primerica Shareholder Services, is authorized through preauthorized transfers of at least $25 on a monthly, quarterly, every alternate month, semi-annual or annual basis to charge the shareholder’s account held with a bank or other financial institution as indicated by the shareholder, to provide for systematic additions to the shareholder’s fund account. A shareholder who has insufficient funds to complete the transfer will be charged a fee of up to $25 by a distributor, the transfer agent or Primerica Shareholder Services (such fee may be up to $30 for a PFS account). The Systematic Investment Plan also authorizes a distributor to apply cash held in the shareholder’s brokerage account or redeem the shareholder’s shares of certain money market funds managed by the manager or its affiliates to make additions to the account. Additional information is available from the fund or a Service Agent.

Sales Charge Alternatives

The following classes of shares are available for purchase. See the prospectus for a discussion of who is eligible to purchase certain classes and of factors to consider in selecting which class of shares to purchase.

Class A Shares. Class A shares are sold to investors at the public offering price, which is the net asset value plus an initial sales charge, as described in the fund’s prospectus.

Members of the selling group may receive a portion of the sales charge as described in the fund’s prospectus and may be deemed to be underwriters of the fund as defined in the 1933 Act. Sales charges are calculated based on the aggregate of purchases of Class A shares of the fund made at one time by any “person,” which includes an individual and his or her spouse and children under the age of 21, or a trustee or other fiduciary of a single trust estate or single fiduciary account. For additional information regarding sales charge reductions, see “Sales Charge Waivers and Reductions” below.

Purchases of Class A shares of $1,000,000 or more will be made at net asset value without any initial sales charge, but will be subject to a contingent deferred sales charge of 1.00% on redemption made within 12 months of purchase. The contingent deferred sales charge is waived in the same circumstances in which the contingent deferred sales charge applicable to Class B and C shares is waived. See “Contingent Deferred Sales Charge Provisions” and “Waivers of Contingent Deferred Sales Charge” below.

Class B and C Shares. Class B and C shares are sold without an initial sales charge but are subject to a contingent deferred sales charge payable upon certain redemptions. See “Contingent Deferred Sales Charge Provisions.”

Class I Shares. Class I shares are sold at net asset value with no initial sales charge and no contingent deferred sales charge upon redemption.

Sales Charge Waivers and Reductions

Initial Sales Charge Waivers. Purchases of Class A shares may be made at NAV without an initial sales charge in the following circumstances:

(a) sales to (i) current and retired board members of Legg Mason (ii) current and retired Board Members (iii) current employees of Legg Mason and its subsidiaries, as well as (iv) by the “immediate

 

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families” of such persons (“immediate families” are such person’s spouse, including the surviving spouse of a deceased Board Member, and children under the age of 21) and (v) by a pension, profit-sharing or other benefit plan for the benefit of such persons;

(b) sales to any employees of Service Agents having dealer, service or other selling agreements with the fund’s distributors or otherwise having an arrangement with any such Service Agent with respect to sales of shares of the fund, and by the immediate families of such persons or by a pension, profit-sharing or other benefit plan for the benefit of such persons (providing the purchase is made for investment purposes and such securities will not be resold except through redemption or repurchase);

(c) offers of Class A shares to any other investment company to effect the combination of such company with the fund by merger, acquisition of assets or otherwise;

(d) purchases by shareholders who have redeemed Class A shares in a fund (or Class A shares of another Legg Mason Partners fund that is offered with a sales charge) and who wish to reinvest their redemption proceeds in the fund, provided the reinvestment is made within 60 calendar days of the redemption;

(e) purchases by accounts managed by registered investment advisory subsidiaries of Citigroup;

(f) purchases by certain separate accounts used to fund unregistered variable annuity contracts; and

(g) purchases by investors participating in “wrap fee” or asset allocation programs or other fee-based arrangements sponsored by (affiliated and non-affiliated) broker-dealers and other financial institutions that have entered into agreements with CGMI or LMIS.

In order to obtain such discounts, the purchaser must provide sufficient information at the time of purchase to permit verification that the purchase qualifies for the elimination of the sales charge.

Accumulation Privilege— Please see the fund’s prospectus for information regarding accumulation privileges.

Letter of Intent— helps you take advantage of breakpoints in Class A sales charges. You may purchase Class A shares of Legg Mason Partners funds over a 13-month period and pay the same sales charge, if any, as if all shares had been purchased at once. You have a choice of seven Asset Level Goal amounts, as follows:

 

(1) $  25,000    (4) $   250,000
(2) $  50,000    (5) $   500,000
(3) $100,000    (6) $   750,000
   (7) $1,000,000

Each time you make a Class A purchase under a Letter of Intent, you will be entitled to the sales charge that is applicable to the amount of your Asset Level Goal. For example, if your Asset Level Goal is $100,000, any Class A investments you make under a Letter of Intent would be subject to the sales charge of the specific fund you are investing in for purchases of $100,000. Sales charges and breakpoints vary among the Legg Mason Partners Funds.

When you enter into a Letter of Intent, you agree to purchase in Eligible Accounts over a thirteen (13) month period Eligible Fund Purchases in an amount equal to the Asset Level Goal you have selected, less any Eligible Prior Purchases. For this purpose, shares are valued at the public offering price (including any sales charge paid) calculated as of the date of purchase, plus any appreciation in the value of the shares as of the date of calculation, except for Eligible Prior Purchases, which are valued at current value as of the date of calculation. Your commitment will be met if at any time during the 13-month period the value, as so determined, of eligible holdings is at least equal to your Asset Level Goal. All reinvested dividends and distributions on shares acquired under the Letter will be credited towards your Asset Level Goal. You may include any Eligible Fund Purchases

 

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towards the Letter, including shares of classes other than Class A shares. However, a Letter of Intent will not entitle you to a reduction in the sales charge payable on any shares other than Class A shares, and if the shares are subject to a contingent deferred sales charge, you will still be subject to that contingent deferred sales charge with respect to those shares. You must make reference to the Letter of Intent each time you make a purchase under the Letter.

Eligible Fund Purchases. Generally, any shares of a Legg Mason Partners Fund may be credited towards your Asset Level Goal. Shares of certain money market funds advised by the manager or its affiliates (except for money market fund shares acquired by exchange from other Legg Mason Partners Funds offered with a sales charge), Legg Mason Partners S&P 500 Index Fund and Class O shares of Legg Mason Partners Equity Fund, Inc. are not eligible.

This list may change from time to time. Investors should check with their Service Agent to see which funds may be eligible.

Eligible Accounts. Purchases may be made through any account in your name, or in the name of your spouse or your children under the age of 21. You may need to provide certain records, such as account statements, in order to verify your eligibility for reduced sales charges. Contact your Service Agent to see which accounts may be credited toward your Asset Level Goal.

Eligible Prior Purchase. You may also credit towards your Asset Level Goal any Eligible Fund Purchases made in Eligible Accounts at any time prior to entering into the Letter of Intent that have not been sold or redeemed, based on the current price of those shares as of the date of calculation.

Purchases made 90 days prior to the 13-month period are also eligible to be treated as purchases made under the Letter of Intent. Any Eligible Fund Purchases in Eligible Accounts made during that period will count towards your Goal and will also be eligible for the lower sales charge applicable to your Asset Level Goal. You will be credited by way of additional shares at the current offering price for the difference between (a) the aggregate sales charges actually paid for those eligible shares and (b) the aggregate applicable sales charges for your Asset Level Goal.

Increasing the Amount of the Letter. You may at any time increase your Asset Level Goal. You must, however, contact your Service Agent, or if you purchase your shares directly through PFPC, contact PFPC, prior to making any purchases in an amount in excess of your current Asset Level Goal. Upon such an increase, you will be credited by way of additional shares at the then current offering price for the difference between: (a) the aggregate sales charges actually paid for shares already purchased under the Letter and (b) the aggregate applicable sales charges for the increased Asset Level Goal. The 13-month period during which the Asset Level Goal must be achieved will remain unchanged.

Sales and Exchanges. Shares acquired pursuant to a Letter of Intent, other than Escrowed Shares as defined below, may be redeemed or exchanged at any time, although any shares that are redeemed prior to meeting your Asset Level Goal will no longer count towards meeting your Goal. However, complete liquidation of purchases made under a Letter of Intent prior to meeting the Asset Level Goal will result in the cancellation of the Letter. See “Failure to Meet Asset Level Goal” below. Exchanges in accordance with the fund’s prospectus are permitted, and shares so exchanged will continue to count towards your Asset Level Goal, as long as the exchange results in an Eligible Fund Purchase.

Cancellation of Letter. You may cancel a Letter of Intent by notifying your Service Agent in writing, or if you purchase your shares directly through PFPC, by notifying PFPC in writing. The Letter will be automatically cancelled if all shares are sold or redeemed as set forth above. See “Failure to Meet Asset Level Goal” below.

 

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Escrowed Shares. Shares equal in value to five percent (5%) of your Asset Level Goal as of the date your Letter (or the date of any increase in the amount of the Letter) is accepted, will be held in escrow during the term of your Letter. The Escrowed Shares will be included in the total shares owned as reflected in your account statement and any dividends and capital gains distributions applicable to the Escrowed Shares will be credited to your account and counted towards your Asset Level Goal or paid in cash upon request. The Escrowed Shares will be released from escrow if all the terms of your Letter are met.

Failure to Meet Asset Level Goal. If the total assets under your Letter of Intent within its 13-month term are less than your Asset Level Goal or you elect to liquidate all of your holdings or cancel the Letter before reaching your Asset Level Goal, you will be liable for the difference between: (a) the sales charge actually paid and (b) the sales charge that would have applied if you had not entered into the Letter. You may, however, be entitled to any breakpoints that would have been available to you under the accumulation privilege. An appropriate number of shares in your account will be redeemed to realize the amount due. For these purposes, by entering into a Letter of Intent, you irrevocably appoint your Service Agent or if you purchase your shares directly through PFPC, PFPC, as your attorney-in-fact for the purposes of holding the Escrowed Shares and surrendering shares in your account for redemption. If there are insufficient assets in your account, you will be liable for the difference. Any Escrowed Shares remaining after such redemption will be released to your account.

Contingent Deferred Sales Charge Provisions

“Contingent deferred sales charge shares” are: (a) Class B shares; (b) Class C shares; and (c) Class A shares that were purchased without an initial sales charge but are subject to a contingent deferred sales charge. A contingent deferred sales charge may be imposed on certain redemptions of these shares.

Any applicable contingent deferred sales charge will be assessed on the net asset value at the time of purchase or redemption, whichever is less.

Class C shares and Class A shares that are contingent deferred sales charge shares are subject to a 1.00% contingent deferred sales charge if redeemed within 12 months of purchase. In circumstances in which the contingent deferred sales charge is imposed on Class B shares, the amount of the charge will depend on the number of years since the shareholder made the purchase payment from which the amount is being redeemed, as further described in the prospectus. Solely for purposes of determining the number of years since a purchase payment, all purchase payments made during a month will be aggregated and deemed to have been made on the last day of the preceding statement month.

Class B shares will convert automatically to Class A shares approximately eight years after the date on which they were purchased and thereafter will no longer be subject to any distribution fees. There will also be converted at that time such proportion of Class B dividend shares (Class B shares that were acquired through the reinvestment of dividends and distributions) owned by the shareholders as the total number of his or her Class B shares converting at the time bears to the total number of outstanding Class B shares (other than Class B dividend shares) owned by the shareholder.

In determining the applicability of any contingent deferred sales charge, it will be assumed that a redemption is made first of shares representing capital appreciation, next of shares representing the reinvestment of dividends and capital gain distributions, next of shares that are not subject to the contingent deferred sales charge and finally of other shares held by the shareholder for the longest period of time. The length of time that contingent deferred sales charge shares acquired through an exchange have been held will be calculated from the date the shares exchanged were initially acquired in one of the other Legg Mason Partners mutual funds. For federal income tax purposes, the amount of the contingent deferred sales charge will reduce the gain or increase the loss, as the case may be, on the amount realized on redemption. The fund’s distributors receive contingent deferred sales charges in partial consideration for the expenses in selling shares.

 

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Waivers of Contingent Deferred Sales Charge

The contingent deferred sales charge will be waived on: (a) exchanges (see “Exchange Privilege”); (b) automatic cash withdrawals in amounts equal to or less than 2.00% of the shareholder’s account balance at the time the withdrawals commence per month, up to a maximum of 12% in one year (see “Automatic Cash Withdrawal Plan”); (c) redemptions of shares within 12 months following the death or disability (as defined in the Code) of the shareholder; (d) mandatory post-retirement distributions from retirement plans or IRAs commencing on or after attainment of age 70 1/2 (except that shareholders who purchased shares subject to a contingent deferred sales charge prior to May 23, 2005, will be “grandfathered” and will be eligible to obtain the waiver at age 59 1/2 by demonstrating such eligibility at the time of redemption); (e) involuntary redemptions; (f) redemptions of shares to effect a combination of a fund with any investment company by merger, acquisition of assets or otherwise; (g) tax-free returns of an excess contribution to any retirement plan; and (h) certain redemptions of shares of a fund in connection with lump-sum or other distributions made by eligible retirement plans or redemption of shares by participants in certain “wrap fee” or asset allocation programs sponsored by broker-dealers and other financial institutions that have entered into agreements with a distributor or the manager.

As of November 20, 2006, the contingent deferred sales charge will be waived on new Class C shares purchased by retirement plan omnibus accounts held on the books of the fund.

A shareholder who has redeemed shares from other Legg Mason Partners Funds may, under certain circumstances, reinvest all or part of the redemption proceeds within 60 days and receive pro rata credit for any contingent deferred sales charge imposed on the prior redemption.

Contingent deferred sales charge waivers will be granted subject to confirmation by a distributor or the transfer agent of the shareholder’s status or holdings, as the case may be.

PFS Accounts

The fund offers two classes of shares to investors purchasing through PFS: Class A and B shares.

Initial purchases of shares of the fund must be made through a PFS Registered Representative by completing the appropriate application. The completed application should be forwarded to Primerica Shareholder Services c/o PFPC Inc., P.O. Box 9662, Providence, RI 02940-9662. Checks drawn on foreign banks must be payable in U.S. dollars and have the routing number of the U.S. bank encoded on the check. Additional investments may be sent directly to PFPC. In processing applications and investments, PFPC acts as agent for the investor and for the distributor, in accordance with the terms of the prospectus. If the transfer agent ceases to act as such, a successor company named by the fund will act in the same capacity so long as the account remains open. Shares purchased will be held in the shareholder’s account by PFPC.

Purchase orders received by the transfer agent or Primerica Shareholder Services prior to the close of regular trading on the NYSE, on any day the fund calculates its net asset value, are priced according to the net asset value determined on that day.

Initial purchases of fund shares may be made by wire. Before sending the wire, the PFS Registered Representative must contact Primerica Shareholder Services at (800) 665-8677 to obtain proper wire instructions. Once an account is open, a shareholder may make additional investments by wire. The shareholder should contact Primerica Shareholder Services at (800) 544-5445 to obtain proper wire instructions.

Shareholders who establish telephone transaction authority on their account and supply bank account information may make additions to their accounts at any time. Shareholders should contact Primerica Shareholder Services at (800) 544-5445 between 8:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m. Eastern time any day that the New

 

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York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) is open. If a shareholder does not wish to allow subsequent investments by telephone by any person in his or her account, the shareholder should decline the telephone transaction option on the account application. The minimum subsequent investment by telephone is $25 and can be up to a maximum of $50,000. By requesting a subsequent purchase by telephone, you authorize Primerica Shareholder Services to transfer funds from the bank account provided for the amount of the purchase. Subsequent investments by telephone may not be available if the shareholder cannot reach Primerica Shareholder Services whether because all telephone lines are busy or for any other reason; in such case, a shareholder would have to use the regular subsequent investment procedure described above.

An account transcript is available at a shareholder’s request, which identifies every financial transaction in an account since it has opened. Additional copies of tax forms are available at the shareholder’s request.

Additional information regarding Primerica Shareholder Services may be obtained by contacting the Customer Services Department at (800) 544-5445.

Determination of Public Offering Price

The fund offers its shares on a continuous basis. The public offering price for each class of shares of the fund is equal to the net asset value per share at the time of purchase, plus for Class A shares an initial sales charge based on the aggregate amount of the investment. A contingent deferred sales charge, however, is imposed on certain redemptions of Class A, B and C shares.

Set forth below is an example of the method of computing the offering price of the Class A shares of the fund based on the net asset value of a share of the fund as of October 31, 2006.

 

 

Class A (net asset value of

$17.80 based on the

maximum initial sales charge of 5.75% of net asset value per share): $18.89

     

REDEMPTION OF SHARES

The right of redemption may be suspended or the date of payment postponed (a) for any period during which the NYSE is closed (other than for customary weekend and holiday closings), (b) when trading in the markets the fund normally utilizes is restricted, or an emergency exists, as determined by the SEC, so that disposal of the fund’s investments or determination of net asset value is not reasonably practicable or (c) for such other periods as the SEC by order may permit for protection of the fund’s shareholders.

If the shares to be redeemed were issued in certificate form, the certificates must be endorsed for transfer (or be accompanied by an endorsed stock power) and must be submitted to PFPC together with the redemption request. Any signature appearing on a share certificate, stock power or written redemption request in excess of $50,000 must be guaranteed by an eligible guarantor institution such as a domestic bank, savings and loan institution, domestic credit union, member bank of the Federal Reserve System or member firm of a national securities exchange. Written redemption requests of $50,000 or less do not require a signature guarantee unless more than one such redemption request is made in any 10-day period. Redemption proceeds will be mailed to an investor’s address of record. The transfer agent may require additional supporting documents for redemptions made by corporations, executors, administrators, trustees or guardians. A redemption request will not be deemed properly received until the transfer agent receives all required documents in proper form.

If a shareholder holds shares in more than one class, any request for redemption must specify the class being redeemed. In the event of a failure to specify which class, or if the investor owns fewer shares of the class than

 

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specified, the redemption request will be delayed until the transfer agent receives further instructions. The redemption proceeds will be remitted on or before the seventh business day following receipt of proper tender, except on any days on which the NYSE is closed or as permitted under the 1940 Act, in extraordinary circumstances. Redemption proceeds for shares purchased by check, other than a certified or official bank check, will be remitted upon clearance of the check, which may take up to ten days. Each Service Agent is responsible for transmitting promptly orders for its customers.

The Service Agent may charge you a fee for executing your order. The amount and applicability of such a fee is determined and disclosed to its customers by each Service Agent.

The fund no longer issues share certificates. Outstanding share certificates will continue to be honored. If you hold share certificates, it will take longer to exchange or redeem shares.

Additional Information Regarding Telephone Redemption and Exchange Program. Neither the fund nor its agents will be liable for following instructions communicated by telephone that are reasonably believed to be genuine. The fund and its agents will employ procedures designed to verify the identity of the caller and legitimacy of instructions (for example, a shareholder’s name and account number will be required and phone calls may be recorded). The fund reserves the right to suspend, modify or discontinue the telephone redemption and exchange program or to impose a charge for this service at any time following at least seven (7) days’ prior notice to shareholders.

Distributions in Kind

If the Board determines that it would be detrimental to the best interests of the remaining shareholders of the fund to make a redemption payment wholly in cash, the fund may pay, in accordance with SEC rules, any portion of a redemption in excess of the lesser of $250,000 or 1.00% of its net assets by a distribution in kind of portfolio securities in lieu of cash. Securities issued as a distribution in kind may incur brokerage commissions when shareholders subsequently sell those securities.

PFS Accounts

Shareholders may redeem for cash some or all of their shares of the fund at any time by sending a written request in proper form directly to the Primerica Shareholder Services c/o PFPC Inc., P.O. Box 9662, Providence, Rhode Island 02940-9662. If you should have any questions concerning how to redeem your account after reviewing the information below, please contact Primerica Shareholder Services at (800) 544-5445, Spanish speaking representatives (800) 544-7278 or TDD Line for the Hearing Impaired (800) 824-1721.

All persons in whose names the shares are registered must sign the request for redemption. Signatures must conform exactly to the account registration. If the proceeds of the redemption exceed $50,000, if the proceeds are not paid to the record owner(s) at the record address, if the shareholder(s) has had an address change within 30 days or less of the shareholder’s redemption request, or if the shareholder(s) is a corporation, sole proprietor, partnership, trust or fiduciary, signature(s) must be guaranteed by one of the following: a bank or trust company; a broker/dealer; a credit union; a national securities exchange, registered securities association or clearing agency; a savings and loan association; or a federal savings bank.

Generally, a properly completed redemption form with any required signature guarantee is all that is required for a redemption. In some cases, however, other documents may be necessary. For example, in the case of shareholders holding certificates, the certificates for shares being redeemed must accompany the redemption request. Additional documentary evidence of authority is also required by PFPC in the event redemption is requested by a corporation, partnership, trust, fiduciary, executor or administrator. Additionally, if a shareholder requests a redemption from a retirement plan account (IRA or SEP), such request must state whether or not federal income tax is to be withheld from the proceeds of the redemption check. Redemption from a 403(b)(7) account requires completion of a special form. Please call Primerica Shareholder Services at (800) 544-5445 between 8:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m. Eastern time to obtain the proper forms.

 

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Shareholders may utilize Primerica Shareholder Services Telephone Redemption service to redeem shares in their account as long as they have authorized the telephone redemption option. If a shareholder does not wish to allow telephone redemptions by any person in his or her account, he or she should decline the telephone transaction option on the account application. The telephone redemption option can be used only if: (a) the redemption proceeds are to be mailed to the address of record and there has been no change of address of record within the preceding 30 days; (b) the shares to be redeemed are not in certificate form; (c); the person requesting the redemption can provide proper identification information; and (d) the proceeds of the redemption do not exceed $50,000. 403(b)(7) accounts and accounts not registered in the name of an individual(s) are not eligible for the telephone redemption option. Telephone redemption requests can be made by contacting Primerica Shareholder Services at (800) 544-5445 between 8:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m. Eastern time any day that the NYSE is open.

Telephone redemption may not be available if the shareholder cannot reach Primerica Shareholder Services because all telephone lines are busy or for any other reason; in such case, a shareholder should use the regular redemption procedure described above.

Redemption proceeds can be sent by check to the address of record, by wire transfer to a bank account designated on the application or to a bank account designated on the application via the Automated Clearinghouse (ACH). PFPC will process and mail a shareholder’s redemption check usually within two to three business days after receiving the redemption request in good order.

Automatic Cash Withdrawal Plan

An automatic cash withdrawal plan (the “Withdrawal Plan”) is available to shareholders as described in the prospectus. To the extent withdrawals under the Withdrawal Plan exceed dividends, distributions and appreciation of a shareholder’s investment in the fund, there will be a reduction in the value of the shareholder’s investment, and continued withdrawal payments may reduce the shareholder’s investment and ultimately exhaust it. Withdrawal payments should not be considered as income from investment in the fund. Furthermore, as it generally would not be advantageous to a shareholder to make additional investments in the fund at the same time he or she is participating in the Withdrawal Plan, purchases by such shareholder in amounts of less than $5,000 ordinarily will not be permitted. The Withdrawal Plan will be carried over on exchanges between funds or classes of the fund. All dividends and distributions on shares in the Withdrawal Plan are reinvested automatically at net asset value in additional shares of the fund.

Shareholders who wish to participate in the Withdrawal Plan and who hold their shares in certificate form must deposit their share certificates with the transfer agent as agent for Withdrawal Plan members. For additional information shareholders should contact their Service Agent. A shareholder who purchases shares directly through the transfer agent may continue to do so and applications for participation in the Withdrawal Plan must be received by the transfer agent no later than the eighth day of the month to be eligible for participation beginning with that month’s withdrawal.

VALUATION OF SHARES

The net asset value per share of the fund’s classes is calculated on each day, Monday through Friday, except days on which the NYSE is closed. The NYSE currently is scheduled to be closed on New Year’s Day, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Presidents’ Day, Good Friday, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving and Christmas, and on the preceding Friday or subsequent Monday when one of these holidays falls on a Saturday or Sunday, respectively. Because of the differences in distribution fees and class-specific expenses, the per share net asset value of each class will differ. Please see the prospectus for a description of the procedures used by the fund in valuing its assets.

 

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EXCHANGE PRIVILEGE

The exchange privilege enables shareholders to acquire shares of the same class in a fund with different investment objectives when they believe that a shift between funds is an appropriate investment decision. This privilege is available to shareholders residing in any state in which the shares of the fund being acquired may legally be sold. Prior to any exchange, the shareholder should obtain and review a copy of the current prospectus of each fund into which an exchange is being considered. Prospectuses may be obtained from a Service Agent.

Upon receipt of proper instructions and all necessary supporting documents, shares submitted for exchange are redeemed at the then-current net asset value, and the proceeds are immediately invested in shares of the fund being acquired at that fund’s then current net asset value. The distributors reserve the right to reject any exchange request. The exchange privilege may be modified or terminated at any time after written notice to shareholders.

Class A Exchanges. Class A shareholders of the fund who wish to exchange all or a portion of their shares for shares of the respective class in another fund may do so without imposition of any charge.

Class B Exchanges. Class B shares of the fund may be exchanged for other Class B shares without a contingent deferred sales charge. Upon an exchange, the new Class B shares will be deemed to have been purchased on the same date as the Class B shares of the fund that have been exchanged.

Class C Exchanges. Class C shares of the fund may be exchanged for other Class C shares without a contingent deferred sales charge. Upon an exchange, the new Class C shares will be deemed to have been purchased on the same date as the Class C shares of each fund that have been exchanged. Certain retirement plan programs with exchange features in effect prior to November 20, 2006, as approved by LMIS, will remain eligible for exchange from Class C shares to Class A shares in accordance with the program terms. See “Grandfathered Retirement Programs” for additional information.

Additional Information Regarding the Exchange Privilege

The fund is not designed to provide investors with a means of speculation on short-term market movements. A pattern of frequent exchanges by investors can be disruptive to efficient portfolio management and, consequently, can be detrimental to each fund and its shareholders. See “Frequent purchases and redemptions of fund shares” in the prospectus.

During times of drastic economic or market conditions, the fund may suspend the exchange privilege temporarily without notice and treat exchange requests based on their separate components—redemption orders with a simultaneous request to purchase the other fund’s shares. In such a case, the redemption request would be processed at the fund’s next determined net asset value but the purchase order would be effective only at the net asset value next determined after the fund being purchased formally accepts the order, which may result in the purchase being delayed.

Certain shareholders may be able to exchange shares by telephone. See the fund’s prospectus for additional information. Exchanges will be processed at the net asset value next determined. Redemption procedures discussed above are also applicable for exchanging shares, and exchanges will be made upon receipt of all supporting documents in proper form. If the account registration of the shares of the fund being acquired is identical to the registration of the shares of the fund exchanged, no signature guarantee is required.

This exchange privilege may be modified or terminated at any time, and is available only in those jurisdictions where such exchanges legally may be made. Before making any exchange, shareholders should contact the transfer agent or, if they hold fund shares through a Service Agent, their Service Agent to obtain more information and prospectuses of the funds to be acquired through the exchange. An exchange is treated as a sale of the shares exchanged and could result in taxable gain or loss to the shareholder making the exchange.

 

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DIVIDENDS AND DISTRIBUTIONS

The fund’s policy is to distribute its net investment income and net realized capital gains, if any, annually. The fund may also declare additional dividends shortly before December 31 and pay such dividends during the following January from certain amounts of undistributed ordinary income and realized capital gains, in order to avoid a federal excise tax liability.

If a shareholder does not otherwise instruct, dividends and capital gains distributions will be reinvested automatically in additional shares of the same class at net asset value, subject to no sales charge or deferred sales charge. A shareholder may change the option at any time by notifying his Service Agent. Shareholders whose account is held directly the transfer agent should notify the transfer agent in writing, requesting a change to this reinvestment option.

The per share dividends on Class B and Class C shares of the fund will be lower than the per share dividends on Class A and Class I shares principally as a result of the distribution fee applicable with respect to Class B and Class C shares. The per share dividends on Class A shares will be lower than the per share dividends on Class I shares principally as a result of the service fee applicable to Class A shares. Distributions of capital gains, if any, will be in the same amount for Class A, Class B, Class C and Class I shares.

TAXES

The following is a summary of certain material U.S. federal income tax considerations regarding the purchase, ownership and disposition of shares of the fund. This summary does not address all of the potential U.S. federal income tax consequences that may be applicable to the fund or to all categories of investors, some of which may be subject to special tax rules. Current and prospective shareholders are urged to consult their own tax advisers with respect to the specific federal, state, local and foreign tax consequences of investing in the fund. The summary is based on the laws in effect on the date of this SAI and existing judicial and administrative interpretations thereof, all of which are subject to change, possibly with retroactive effect.

The Fund and Its Investments

The fund will be treated as a separate taxpayer for U.S. federal income tax purposes. The fund intends to continue to qualify to be treated as a regulated investment company under the Code each taxable year. To so qualify, the fund must, among other things: (a) derive at least 90% of its gross income in each taxable year from dividends, interest, payments with respect to securities loans and gains from the sale or other disposition of stock or securities, foreign currencies, other income (including, but not limited to, gains from options, futures or forward contracts) derived with respect to its business of investing in such stock, securities or currencies and net income derived from interests in “qualified publicly traded partnerships” (i.e., partnerships that are traded on an established securities market or tradable on a secondary market, other than partnerships that derive 90% of their income from interest, dividends, capital gains, and other traditional permitted mutual fund income); and (b) diversify its holdings so that, at the end of each quarter of the fund’s taxable year, (i) at least 50% of the market value of the fund’s assets is represented by cash, securities of other regulated investment companies, U.S. government securities and other securities, with such other securities limited, in respect of any one issuer, to an amount not greater than 5% of the fund’s assets and not greater than 10% of the outstanding voting securities of such issuer and (ii) not more than 25% of the value of its assets is invested in the securities (other than U.S. government securities or securities of other regulated investment companies) of any one issuer, any two or more issuers of which the fund owns 20% or more of the voting securities and that are determined to be engaged in the same or similar trades or businesses or related trades or businesses or in the securities of one or more qualified publicly traded partnerships.

Fund investments in partnerships, including in qualified publicly traded partnerships, may result in the fund being subject to state, local or foreign income, franchise or withholding tax liabilities.

 

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As a regulated investment company, the fund will not be subject to U.S. federal income tax on the portion of its taxable investment income and capital gains that it distributes to its shareholders, provided that it satisfies a minimum distribution requirement. To satisfy the minimum distribution requirement, the fund must distribute to its shareholders at least the sum of (i) 90% of its “investment company taxable income” (i.e., income other than its net realized long-term capital gain over its net realized short-term capital loss), plus or minus certain adjustments, and (ii) 90% of its net tax-exempt income for the taxable year. The fund will be subject to income tax at regular corporation rates on any taxable income or gains that it does not distribute to its shareholders.

The Code imposes a 4% nondeductible excise tax on the fund to the extent it does not distribute by the end of any calendar year at least the sum of (i) 98% of its ordinary income for that year and (ii) 98% of its capital gain net income (both long-term and short-term) for the one-year period ending, as a general rule, on October 31 of that year. For this purpose, however, any ordinary income or capital gain net income retained by the fund that is subject to corporate income tax will be considered to have been distributed by year-end. In addition, the minimum amounts that must be distributed in any year to avoid the excise tax will be increased or decreased to reflect any underdistribution or overdistribution, as the case may be, from the previous year. The fund anticipates that it will pay such dividends and will make such distributions as are necessary in order to avoid the application of this excise tax.

If, in any taxable year, the fund fails to qualify as a regulated investment company under the Code or fails to meet the distribution requirement, it will be taxed in the same manner as an ordinary corporation and distributions to its shareholders will not be deductible by its fund in computing its taxable income. In addition, in the event of a failure to qualify, the fund’s distributions, to the extent derived from the fund’s current or accumulated earnings and profits will constitute dividends that are taxable to shareholders as dividend income, even though those distributions might otherwise (at least in part) have been treated in the shareholders’ hands as long-term capital gains. However, such dividends will be eligible (i) to be treated as qualified dividend income in the case of shareholders taxed as individuals and (ii) for the dividends received deduction in the case of corporate shareholders. Moreover, if the fund fails to qualify as a regulated investment company in any year, it must pay out its earnings and profits accumulated in that year in order to qualify again as a regulated investment company. In addition, if the fund failed to qualify as a regulated investment company for a period greater than two taxable years, the fund may be required to recognize any net built in gains with respect to certain of its assets (i.e., the excess of the aggregate gains, including items of income, over aggregate losses that would have been realized with respect to such assets if the fund had been liquidated) in order to qualify as a regulated investment company in a subsequent year.

The fund’s transactions in foreign currencies, forward contracts, options and futures contracts (including options and futures contracts on foreign currencies) will be subject to special provisions of the Code (including provisions relating to “hedging transactions” and “straddles”) that, among other things, may affect the character of gains and losses realized by the fund (i.e., may affect whether gains or losses are ordinary or capital), accelerate recognition of income to the fund and defer fund losses. These rules could therefore affect the character, amount and timing of distributions to shareholders. These provisions also (a) will require the fund to mark-to-market certain types of the positions in its portfolio (i.e., treat them as if they were closed out at the end of each year) and (b) may cause the fund to recognize income without receiving cash with which to pay dividends or make distributions in amounts necessary to satisfy the distribution requirements for avoiding income and excise taxes. The fund will monitor its transactions, will make the appropriate tax elections and will make the appropriate entries in its books and records when it acquires any foreign currency, forward contract, option, futures contract or hedged investment in order to mitigate the effect of these rules and prevent disqualification of the fund as a regulated investment company.

A fund’s investment in so-called “section 1256 contracts,” such as regulated futures contracts, most foreign currency forward contracts traded in the interbank market and options on most stock indices, to the extent permitted, are subject to special tax rules. All section 1256 contracts held by the fund at the end of its taxable year are required to be marked to their market value, and any unrealized gain or loss on those positions will be

 

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included in the fund’s income as if each position had been sold for its fair market value at the end of the taxable year. The resulting gain or loss will be combined with any gain or loss realized by the fund from positions in section 1256 contracts closed during the taxable year. Provided such positions were held as capital assets and were not part of a “hedging transaction” nor part of a “straddle,” 60% of the resulting net gain or loss will be treated as long-term capital gain or loss, and 40% of such net gain or loss will be treated as short-term capital gain or loss, regardless of the period of time the positions were actually held by the fund.

As a result of entering into swap contracts, the fund may make or receive periodic net payments. The fund may also make or receive a payment when a swap is terminated prior to maturity through an assignment of the swap or other closing transaction. Periodic net payments will generally constitute ordinary income or deductions, while termination of a swap will generally result in capital gain or loss (which will be a long-term capital gain or loss if the fund has been a party to the swap for more than one year). The tax treatment of many types of credit default swaps is uncertain.

The fund may be required to treat amounts as taxable income or gain, subject to the distribution requirements referred to above, even though no corresponding amounts of cash are received concurrently, as a result of (1) mark-to-market, constructive sale or rules applicable to PFICs (as defined below) or partnerships or trusts in which the fund invests or to certain options, futures or forward contracts, or “appreciated financial positions” or (2) the inability to obtain cash distributions or other amounts due to currency controls or restrictions on repatriation imposed by a foreign country with respect to the fund’s investments (including through depositary receipts) in issuers in such country or (3) tax rules applicable to debt obligations acquired with “original issue discount,” including zero-coupon or deferred payment bonds and pay-in-kind debt obligations, or to market discount if an election is made with respect to such market discount. The fund may therefore be required to obtain cash to be used to satisfy these distribution requirements by selling securities at times that it might not otherwise be desirable to do so or borrowing the necessary cash, thereby incurring interest expenses.

In general, gain or loss on a short sale is recognized when the fund closes the sale by delivering the borrowed property to the lender, not when the borrowed property is sold. Gain or loss from a short sale is generally considered as capital gain or loss to the extent that the property used to close the short sale constitutes a capital asset in the fund’s hands. Except with respect to certain situations where the property used by the fund to close a short sale has a long-term holding period on the date of the short sale, special rules would generally treat the gains on short sales as short-term capital gains. These rules may also terminate the running of the holding period of “substantially identical property” held by the fund. Moreover, a loss on a short sale will be treated as a long-term capital loss if, on the date of the short sale, “substantially identical property” has been held by the fund for more than one year. In general, the fund will not be permitted to deduct payments made to reimburse the lender of securities for dividends paid on borrowed stock if the short sale is closed on or before the 45th day after the short sale is entered into.

Under the “wash sale” rule, losses incurred by the fund on the sale of (or on a contract or option to sell) stock or securities are not deductible if, within a 61-day period beginning 30 days before and ending 30 days after the date of the sale, the fund acquires or has entered into a contract or option to acquire stock or securities that are substantially identical. In such a case, the basis of the stock or securities acquired by the fund will be adjusted to reflect the disallowed loss.

Foreign Investments. Dividends or other income (including, in some cases, capital gains) received by the fund from investments in foreign securities may be subject to withholding and other taxes imposed by foreign countries. Tax conventions between certain countries and the United States may reduce or eliminate such taxes in some cases. The fund may not be eligible to elect to treat any foreign taxes it pays as paid by its shareholders, who therefore may not be entitled to credits or deductions for such taxes on their own tax returns. Foreign taxes paid by the fund will reduce the return from the fund’s investments.

Under Section 988 of the Code, gains or losses attributable to fluctuations in exchange rates between the time the fund accrues income or receivables or expenses or other liabilities denominated in a foreign currency

 

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and the time the fund actually collects such income or pays such liabilities are generally treated as ordinary income or ordinary loss. Similarly, gains or losses on foreign currency, foreign currency forward contracts, certain foreign currency options or futures contracts and the disposition of debt securities denominated in foreign currency, to the extent attributable to fluctuations in exchange rates between the acquisition and disposition dates, are also treated as ordinary income or loss unless, in certain cases, the fund were to elect otherwise.

Passive Foreign Investment Companies. If the fund purchases shares in certain foreign investment entities, called “passive foreign investment companies” (“PFICs”), it may be subject to U.S. federal income tax on a portion of any “excess distribution” or gain from the disposition of such shares even if such income is distributed as a taxable dividend by the fund to its shareholders. Additional charges in the nature of interest may be imposed on the fund in respect of deferred taxes arising from such distributions or gains. If the fund were to invest in a PFIC and elected to treat the PFIC as a “qualified electing fund” under the Code, in lieu of the foregoing requirements, the fund might be required to include in income each year a portion of the ordinary earnings and net capital gains of the qualified electing fund, even if not distributed to the fund, and such amounts would be subject to the 90% and excise tax distribution requirements described above. In order to make this election, the fund would be required to obtain certain annual information from the PFICs in which it invests, which may be difficult or impossible to obtain.

Alternatively, the fund may make a mark-to-market election that will result in the fund being treated as if it had sold and repurchased any PFIC stock for which it made the election at the end of each year. In such case, the fund would report any such gains as ordinary income and would deduct any such losses as ordinary losses to the extent of previously recognized gains. A mark-to-market election is made individually for each PFIC the fund owns and, once made, would be effective for all subsequent taxable years of the fund, unless revoked with the consent of the Internal Revenue Service (the “IRS”). By making the election, the fund could potentially ameliorate the adverse tax consequences with respect to its ownership of shares in a PFIC, but in any particular year may be required to recognize income in excess of the distributions it receives from such PFIC and its proceeds from dispositions of such PFIC stock. The fund may have to distribute this “phantom” income and gain to satisfy the 90% distribution requirement and to avoid imposition of the 4% excise tax.

The fund will make the appropriate tax elections, if possible, and take any additional steps that are necessary to mitigate the effect of these rules.

Taxation of U.S. Shareholders

Dividends and Distributions. Dividends and other distributions by the fund are generally treated under the Code as received by the shareholders at the time the dividend or distributions are made. However, any dividend or distributions declared by the fund in October, November or December of any calendar year and payable to shareholders of record on a specified date in such a month shall be deemed to have been received by each shareholder on December 31 of such calendar year and to have been paid by the fund not later than such December 31, provided such dividend is actually paid by the fund during January of the following calendar year.

The fund intends to distribute annually to its shareholders substantially all of its investment company taxable income, and any net realized long-term capital gains in excess of net realized short-term capital losses (including any capital loss carryovers). However, if the fund retains for investment an amount equal to all or a portion of its net long-term capital gains in excess of its net short-term capital losses (including any capital loss carryovers), it will be subject to a corporate tax (currently at a maximum rate of 35%) on the amount retained. In that event, the fund will designate such retained amounts as undistributed capital gains in a notice to its shareholders who (a) will be required to include in income for U.S. federal income tax purposes, as long-term capital gains, their proportionate shares of the undistributed amount, (b) will be entitled to credit their proportionate shares of the 35% tax paid by the fund on the undistributed amount against their U.S. federal income tax liabilities, if any, and to claim refunds to the extent their credits exceed their liabilities, if any, and (c) will be entitled to increase their tax basis, for U.S. federal income tax purposes, in their shares by an amount

 

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equal to 65% of the amount of undistributed capital gains included in the shareholder’s income. Organizations or persons not subject to U.S. federal income tax on such capital gains will be entitled to a refund of their pro rata share of such taxes paid by the fund upon filing appropriate returns or claims for refund with the IRS.

Distributions of net realized long-term capital gains, if any, that the fund designates as capital gains dividends are taxable as long-term capital gains, whether paid in cash or in shares and regardless of how long a shareholder has held shares of the fund. All other dividends of a fund (including dividends from short-term capital gains) from its current and accumulated earnings and profits (“regular dividends”) are generally subject to tax as ordinary income.

Special rules apply, however, to regular dividends paid to individuals. Such a dividend, with respect to taxable years beginning on or before December 31, 2010, may be subject to tax at the rates generally applicable to long-term capital gains for individuals (currently at a maximum rate of 15%), provided that the individual receiving the dividend satisfies certain holding period and other requirements. Dividends subject to these special rules are not actually treated as capital gains, however, and thus are not included in the computation of an individual’s net capital gain and generally cannot be used to offset capital losses. The long-term capital gains rates will apply to: (i) 100% of the regular dividends paid by the fund to an individual in a particular taxable year if 95% or more of the fund’s gross income (ignoring gains attributable to the sale of stocks and securities except to the extent net short-term capital gain from such sales exceeds net long-term capital loss from such sales) in that taxable year is attributable to qualified dividend income received by the fund; or (ii) the portion of the regular dividends paid by the fund to an individual in a particular taxable year that is attributable to qualified dividend income received by the fund in that taxable year if such qualified dividend income accounts for less than 95% of the fund’s gross income (ignoring gains attributable to the sale of stocks and securities except to the extent net short-term capital gain from such sales exceeds net long-term capital loss from such sales) for that taxable year.

For this purpose, “qualified dividend income” generally means income from dividends received by the fund from U.S. corporations and qualified foreign corporations, provided that the fund satisfies certain holding period requirements in respect of the stock of such corporations and has not hedged its position in the stock in certain ways. However, qualified dividend income does not include any dividends received from tax-exempt corporations. Also, dividends received by the fund from a real estate investment trust or another regulated investment company generally are qualified dividend income only to the extent the dividend distributions are made out of qualified dividend income received by such real estate investment trust or other regulated investment company. In the case of securities lending transactions, payments in lieu of dividends are not qualified dividend income. If a shareholder elects to treat fund dividends as investment income for purposes of the limitation on the deductibility of investment interest, such dividends would not be a qualified dividend income.

We will send you information after the end of each year setting forth the amount of dividends paid by us that are eligible for the reduced rates.

If an individual receives a regular dividend qualifying for the long-term capital gains rates and such dividend constitutes an “extraordinary dividend,” and the individual subsequently recognizes a loss on the sale or exchange of stock in respect of which the extraordinary dividend was paid, then the loss will be long-term capital loss to the extent of such extraordinary dividend. An “extraordinary dividend” on common stock for this purpose is generally a dividend (i) in an amount greater than or equal to 10% of the taxpayer’s tax basis (or trading value) in a share of stock, aggregating dividends with ex-dividend dates within an 85-day period or (ii) in an amount greater than 20% of the taxpayer’s tax basis (or trading value) in a share of stock, aggregating dividends with ex-dividend dates within a 365-day period.

Distributions in excess of the fund’s current and accumulated earnings and profits will, as to each shareholder, be treated as a tax-free return of capital to the extent of a shareholder’s basis in his shares of the fund, and as a capital gain thereafter (if the shareholder holds his shares of the fund as capital assets).

 

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Shareholders receiving dividends or distributions in the form of additional shares should be treated for U.S. federal income tax purposes as receiving a distribution in an amount equal to the amount of money that the shareholders receiving cash dividends or distributions will receive, and should have a cost basis in the shares received equal to such amount. Dividends paid by the fund that are attributable to dividends received by the fund from domestic corporations may qualify for the federal dividends-received deduction for corporations.

Investors considering buying shares just prior to a dividend or capital gain distribution should be aware that, although the price of shares just purchased at that time may reflect the amount of the forthcoming distribution, such dividend or distribution may nevertheless be taxable to them. If the fund is the holder of record of any stock on the record date for any dividends payable with respect to such stock, such dividends will be included in the fund’s gross income not as of the date received but as of the later of (a) the date such stock became ex-dividend with respect to such dividends (i.e., the date on which a buyer of the stock would not be entitled to receive the declared, but unpaid, dividends) or (b) the date the fund acquired such stock. Accordingly, in order to satisfy its income distribution requirements, the fund may be required to pay dividends based on anticipated earnings, and shareholders may receive dividends in an earlier year than would otherwise be the case.

Certain types of income received by the fund from real estate investment trusts (“REITs”), real estate mortgage investment conduits (“REMICs”), taxable mortgage pools or other investments may cause the fund to designate some or all of its distributions as “excess inclusion income.” To fund shareholders such excess inclusion income may (1) constitute taxable income, as “unrelated business taxable income” (“UBTI”) for those shareholders who would otherwise be tax-exempt such as individual retirement accounts, 401(k) accounts, Keogh plans, pension plans and certain charitable entities; (2) not be offset against net operating losses for tax purposes; (3) not be eligible for reduced U.S. withholding for non-U.S. shareholders even from tax treaty countries; and (4) cause the fund to be subject to tax if certain “disqualified organizations” as defined by the Code are fund shareholders. In addition, a tax-exempt shareholder could realize UBTI by virtue of, inter alia, its investment in the fund if shares in the fund constitute debt-financed property in the hands of the tax-exempt shareholder within the meaning of Code Section 514(b).

Sales of Shares. Upon the sale or exchange of his shares, a shareholder will realize a taxable gain or loss equal to the difference between the amount realized and his basis in his shares. A redemption of shares by the fund will be treated as a sale for this purpose. Such gain or loss will be treated as capital gain or loss, if the shares are capital assets in the shareholder’s hands, and will be long-term capital gain or loss if the shares are held for more than one year and short-term capital gain or loss if the shares are held for one year or less. Any loss realized on a sale or exchange will be disallowed to the extent the shares disposed of are replaced, including replacement through the reinvesting of dividends and capital gains distributions in the fund, within a 61-day period beginning 30 days before and ending 30 days after the disposition of the shares. In such a case, the basis of the shares acquired will be increased to reflect the disallowed loss. Any loss realized by a shareholder on the sale of the fund share held by the shareholder for six months or less will be treated for U.S. federal income tax purposes as a long-term capital loss to the extent of any distributions or deemed distributions of long-term capital gains received by the shareholder with respect to such share. If a shareholder incurs a sales charge in acquiring shares of the fund, disposes of those shares within 90 days and then acquires shares in a mutual fund for which the otherwise applicable sales charge is reduced by reason of a reinvestment right (e.g., an exchange privilege), the original sales charge will not be taken into account in computing gain/loss on the original shares to the extent the subsequent sales charge is reduced. Instead, the disregarded portion of the original sales charge will be added to the tax basis of the newly acquired shares. Furthermore, the same rule also applies to a disposition of the newly acquired shares made within 90 days of the second acquisition. This provision prevents a shareholder from immediately deducting the sales charge by shifting his or her investment within a family of mutual funds.

Backup Withholding. The fund may be required to withhold, for U.S. federal income tax purposes, a portion of the dividends, distributions and redemption proceeds payable to shareholders who fail to provide the fund with their correct taxpayer identification number or to make required certifications, or who have been notified by the IRS that they are subject to backup withholding. Certain shareholders are exempt from backup withholding.

 

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Backup withholding is not an additional tax and any amount withheld may be credited against a shareholder’s U.S. federal income tax liability.

Notices; Other Taxes. Shareholders will receive, if appropriate, various written notices after the close of the fund’s taxable year regarding the U.S. federal income tax status of certain dividends, distributions and deemed distributions that were paid (or that are treated as having been paid) by the fund to its shareholders during the preceding taxable year.

Other Taxes. Dividends, distributions and redemption proceeds also may be subject to additional state, local and foreign taxes depending on each shareholder’s particular situation.

If a shareholder recognizes a loss with respect to the fund’s shares of $2 million or more for an individual shareholder or $10 million or more for a corporate shareholder, the shareholder must file with the IRS a disclosure statement on Form 8886. Direct shareholders of portfolio securities are in many cases excepted from this reporting requirement, but under current guidance, shareholders of a regulated investment company are not excepted. The fact that a loss is reportable under these regulations does not affect the legal determination of whether the taxpayer’s treatment of the loss is proper. Shareholders should consult their tax advisors to determine the applicability of these regulations in light of their individual circumstances.

Class I (for tax-exempt employee benefit and retirement plans of CGM or anyone of its affiliates (“Qualified Plans”)

Dividends and distributions received from the fund will not be taxable, provided the Qualified Plan has not borrowed to finance its investment in the fund. Qualified Plan participants should consult their plan document or tax advisors about the tax consequences of participating in a Qualified Plan.

Taxation of Non-U.S. Shareholders. Dividends paid by the fund to non-U.S. shareholders are generally subject to withholding tax at a 30% rate or a reduced rate specified by an applicable income tax treaty to the extent derived from investment income and short-term capital gains. In order to obtain a reduced rate of withholding, a non-U.S. shareholder will be required to provide an IRS Form W-8BEN certifying its entitlement to benefits under a treaty. The withholding tax does not apply to regular dividends paid to a non-U.S. shareholder who provides a Form W-8ECI, certifying that the dividends are effectively connected with the non-U.S. shareholder’s conduct of a trade or business within the United States. Instead, the effectively connected dividends will be subject to regular U.S. income tax as if the non-U.S. shareholder were a U.S. shareholder. A non-U.S. corporation receiving effectively connected dividends may also be subject to additional “branch profits tax” imposed at a rate of 30% (or lower treaty rate). A non-U.S. shareholder who fails to provide an IRS Form W-8BEN or other applicable form may be subject to backup withholding at the appropriate rate.

In general, United States federal withholding tax will not apply to any gain or income realized by a non-U.S. shareholder in respect of any distributions of net long-term capital gains over net short-term capital losses, exempt-interest dividends, or upon the sale or other disposition of shares of the fund.

For taxable years beginning before January 1, 2008, properly-designated dividends are generally exempt from United States federal withholding tax where they (i) are paid in respect of the fund’s “qualified net interest income” (generally, the fund’s U.S. source interest income, other than certain contingent interest and interest from obligations of a corporation or partnership in which the fund is at least a 10% shareholder, reduced by expenses that are allocable to such income) or (ii) are paid in respect of the fund’s “qualified short-term capital gains” (generally, the excess of the fund’s net short-term capital gain over the fund’s long-term capital loss for such taxable year). However, depending on its circumstances, the fund may designate all, some or none of its potentially eligible dividends as such qualified net interest income or as qualified short-term capital gains, and/or treat such dividends, in whole or in part, as ineligible for this exemption from withholding. In order to qualify for this exemption from

 

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withholding, a non-U.S. shareholder will need to comply with applicable certification requirements relating to its non-U.S. status (including, in general, furnishing an IRS Form W-8BEN or substitute Form).

In the case of shares held through an intermediary, the intermediary may withhold even if the fund designates the payment as qualified net interest income or qualified short-term capital gain. Non-U.S. shareholders should contact their intermediaries with respect to the application of these rules to their accounts.

A distribution from the fund to foreign shareholders who have held more than 5% of the fund at any time during the one-year period ending on the date of distribution is treated as real property gain subject to 35% withholding tax and treated as income effectively connected to a U.S. trade or business with certain tax filing requirements applicable, if such distribution is attributable to a distribution received by the fund from a REIT. A distribution paid prior to 2008 attributable to the fund’s sale of a REIT or other U.S. real property holding company will also be treated as real property gain if 50% or more of the value of the fund’s assets are invested in REITs and other U.S. real property holding corporations and if the foreign shareholder has held more than 5% of a class of stock at any time during the one-year period ending on the date of the distribution. Restrictions apply regarding wash sales and substitute payment transactions.

The foregoing is only a summary of certain material U.S. federal income tax consequences affecting the fund and their shareholders. Current and prospective shareholders are advised to consult their own tax advisers with respect to the particular tax consequences to them of an investment in the fund.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

The Trust. The certificate of trust to establish Legg Mason Partners Equity Trust (referred to in this section as the trust) was filed with the State of Maryland on October 4, 2006. On the date of this SAI, the fund was redomiciled as a series of the trust. Prior thereto, the fund was a series of Legg Mason Partners Investment Trust, a Massachusetts business trust. Prior to the reorganization of the fund as a series of Legg Mason Partners Investment Trust, the fund was a series of Legg Mason Partners Sector Series, Inc., a Maryland corporation.

The fund is a series of the trust, a Maryland business trust. A Maryland business trust is an unincorporated business association that is established under, and governed by, Maryland law. Maryland law provides a statutory framework for the powers, duties, rights and obligations of the trustees and shareholders of the trust, while the more specific powers, duties, rights and obligations of the Board (referred to in this section as the trustees) and the shareholders are determined by the trustees as set forth in the trust’s declaration of trust (referred to in this section as the declaration). Some of the more significant provisions of the declaration are described below.

Shareholder Voting.

The declaration provides for shareholder voting as required by the 1940 Act or other applicable laws but otherwise permits, consistent with Maryland law, actions by the trustees without seeking the consent of shareholders. The trustees may, without shareholder approval, amend the declaration or authorize the merger or consolidation of the trust into another trust or entity, reorganize the trust, or any series or class into another trust or entity or a series or class of another entity, sell all or substantially all of the assets of the trust or any series or class to another entity, or a series or class of another entity, or terminate the trust or any series or class.

The fund is not required to hold an annual meeting of shareholders, but the fund will call special meetings of shareholders whenever required by the 1940 Act or by the terms of the declaration. The declaration provides for “dollar-weighted voting” which means that a shareholder’s voting power is determined, not by the number of shares he or she owns, but by the dollar value of those shares determined on the record date. All shareholders of all series and classes of the trust vote together, except where required by the 1940 Act to vote separately by series

 

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or by class, or when the trustees have determined that a matter affects only the interests of one or more series or classes of shares.

Election and Removal of Trustees.

The declaration provides that the trustees may establish the number of trustees and that vacancies on the board may be filled by the remaining trustees, except when election of trustees by the shareholders is required under the 1940 Act. Trustees are then elected by a plurality of votes cast by shareholders at a meeting at which a quorum is present. The declaration also provides that a mandatory retirement age may be set by action of two-thirds of the trustees and that trustees may be removed, with or without cause, by a vote of shareholders holding two-thirds of the voting power of the trust, or by a vote of two-thirds of the remaining trustees. The provisions of the declaration relating to the election and removal of trustees may not be amended without the approval of two-thirds of the trustees.

Amendments to the Declaration.

The trustees are authorized to amend the declaration without the vote of shareholders, but no amendment may be made that impairs the exemption from personal liability granted in the declaration to persons who are or have been shareholders, trustees, officers or, employees of the trust or that limit the rights to indemnification or insurance provided in the declaration with respect to actions or omissions of persons entitled to indemnification under the declaration prior to the amendment.

Issuance and Redemption of Shares.

The fund may issue an unlimited number of shares for such consideration and on such terms as the trustees may determine. Shareholders are not entitled to any appraisal, preemptive, conversion, exchange or similar rights, except as the trustees may determine. The fund may involuntarily redeem a shareholder’s shares upon certain conditions as may be determined by the trustees, including, for example, if the shareholder fails to provide the fund with identification required by law, or if the fund is unable to verify the information received from the shareholder. Additionally, as discussed below, shares may be redeemed in connection with the closing of small accounts.

Disclosure of Shareholder Holdings.

The declaration specifically requires shareholders, upon demand, to disclose to the fund information with respect to the direct and indirect ownership of shares in order to comply with various laws or regulations, and the fund may disclose such ownership if required by law or regulation.

Small Accounts.

The declaration provides that the fund may close out a shareholder’s account by redeeming all of the shares in the account if the account falls below a minimum account size (which may vary by class) that may be set by the trustees from time to time. Alternately, the declaration permits the fund to assess a fee for small accounts (which may vary by class) and redeem shares in the account to cover such fees, or convert the shares into another share class that is geared to smaller accounts.

Series and Classes.

The declaration provides that the trustees may establish series and classes in addition to those currently established and to determine the rights and preferences, limitations and restrictions, including qualifications for ownership, conversion and exchange features, minimum purchase and account size, expenses and charges, and other features of the series and classes. The trustees may change any of those features, terminate any series or

 

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class, combine series with other series in the trust, combine one or more classes of a series with another class in that series or convert the shares of one class into another class.

Each share of a fund, as a series of the trust, represents an interest in that fund only and not in the assets of any other series of the trust.

Shareholder, Trustee and Officer Liability.

The declaration provides that shareholders are not personally liable for the obligations of a fund and requires the fund to indemnify a shareholder against any loss or expense arising from any such liability. In addition, the fund will assume the defense of any claim against a shareholder for personal liability at the request of the shareholder. The declaration further provides that a trustee acting in his or her capacity of trustee is not personally liable to any person other than the trust or its shareholders, for any act, omission, or obligation of the trust. Further, a trustee is held to the same standard of conduct as a director of a Maryland corporation. This requires that a trustee perform his or her duties in good faith and in a manner he or she reasonably believes to be in the best interests of the trust or a series thereof, and with the care that an ordinarily prudent person in a like position would use under similar circumstances. The declaration also permits the limitation of a trustee’s liability to the full extent provided under Maryland law. Under current Maryland law, a trustee is liable to the trust or its shareholders for monetary damages only (a) to the extent that it is proved that he or she actually received an improper benefit or profit in money, property, or services or (b) to the extent that a judgment or other final adjudication adverse to the trustee is entered in a proceeding based on a finding in the proceeding that the trustee’s action, or failure to act, was the result of active and deliberate dishonesty and was material to the cause of action adjudicated in the proceeding. The declaration requires the trust to indemnify any persons who are or who have been trustees, officers or employees of the trust for any liability for actions or failures to act except to the extent prohibited by applicable federal law. In making any determination as to whether any person is entitled to the advancement of expenses in connection with a claim for which indemnification is sought, such person is entitled to a rebuttable presumption that he or she did not engage in conduct for which indemnification is not available.

The declaration provides that any trustee who serves as chair of the board or of a committee of the board, lead independent trustee, or audit committee financial expert, or in any other similar capacity will not be subject to any greater standard of care or liability because of such position.

Derivative Actions.

The declaration provides a detailed process for the bringing of derivative actions by shareholders in order to permit legitimate inquiries and claims while avoiding the time, expense, distraction, and other harm that can be caused to each fund or its shareholders as a result of spurious shareholder demands and derivative actions. Prior to bringing a derivative action, a demand by three unrelated shareholders must first be made on the fund’s Trust. The declaration details various information, certifications, undertakings and acknowledgements that must be included in the demand. Following receipt of the demand, the trustees have a period of 90 days, which may be extended by an additional 60 days, to consider the demand. If a majority of the trustees who are considered independent for the purposes of considering the demand determine that maintaining the suit would not be in the best interests of the fund, the trustees are required to reject the demand and the complaining shareholders may not proceed with the derivative action unless the shareholders are able to sustain the burden of proof to a court that the decision of the trustees not to pursue the requested action was not a good faith exercise of their business judgment on behalf of the fund. The declaration further provides that shareholders owning shares representing at least 5% of the voting power of the affected fund must join in bringing the derivative action. If a demand is rejected, the complaining shareholders will be responsible for the costs and expenses (including attorneys’ fees) incurred by the fund in connection with the consideration of the demand, if in the judgment of the independent trustees, the demand was made without reasonable cause or for an improper purpose. If a derivative action is brought in violation of the declaration, the shareholders bringing the action may be responsible for the fund’s costs, including attorneys’ fees.

 

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The declaration further provides that the fund shall be responsible for payment of attorneys’ fees and legal expenses incurred by a complaining shareholder only if required by law, and any attorneys’ fees that the fund is obligated to pay shall be calculated using reasonable hourly rates. The declaration also requires that actions by shareholders against the fund be brought only in federal court in Baltimore, Maryland, or if not permitted to be brought in federal court, then in state court in Baltimore, Maryland, and that the right to jury trial be waived to the full extent permitted by law.

Annual and Semi-Annual Reports. The fund sends its shareholders a Semi-Annual report and an audited Annual Report, which include listings of investment securities held by the fund at the end of the period covered. In an effort to reduce the fund’s printing and mailing costs, the fund consolidates the mailing of its Semi-Annual and Annual Reports by household. This consolidation means that a household having multiple accounts with the identical address of record will receive a single copy of each report. In addition, The fund also consolidates the mailing of its prospectus so that a shareholder having multiple accounts (that is, individual, IRA and/or Self- Employed Retirement Plan accounts) will receive a single prospectus annually. Shareholders who do not want this consolidation to apply to their accounts should contact their Service Agent.

Legal Matters

Beginning in June 2004, class action lawsuits alleging violations of the federal securities laws were filed against Citigroup Global Markets Inc. (“CGMI”) and a number of its then affiliates, including Smith Barney Fund Management LLC (“SBFM”), which were then investment adviser or manager to certain of the Funds (the “Managers”), substantially all of the mutual funds then managed by the Managers (the “Defendant Funds”), and Board Members of the Defendant Funds (collectively, the “Defendants”). The complaints alleged, among other things, that CGMI created various undisclosed incentives for its brokers to sell Smith Barney and Salomon Brothers funds. In addition, according to the complaints, the Managers caused the Defendant Funds to pay excessive brokerage commissions to CGMI for steering clients towards proprietary funds. The complaints also alleged that the defendants breached their fiduciary duty to the Defendant Funds by improperly charging Rule 12b-1 fees and by drawing on fund assets to make undisclosed payments of soft dollars and excessive brokerage commissions. The complaints also alleged that the Defendant Funds failed to adequately disclose certain of the allegedly wrongful conduct. The complaints sought injunctive relief and compensatory and punitive damages, rescission of the Defendant Funds’ contracts with the Managers, recovery of all fees paid to the Managers pursuant to such contracts and an award of attorneys’ fees and litigation expenses.

On December 15, 2004, a consolidated amended complaint (the “Complaint”) was filed alleging substantially similar causes of action. On May 27, 2005, all of the Defendants filed motions to dismiss the Complaint. On July 26, 2006, the court issued a decision and order (1) finding that plaintiffs lacked standing to sue on behalf of the shareholders of the Defendant Funds in which none of the plaintiffs had invested, including the Financial Services Fund, and dismissing those Defendant Funds from the case (although stating that they could be brought back into the case if standing as to them could be established), and (2) other than one stayed claim, dismissing all of the causes of action against the remaining Defendants, with prejudice, except for the cause of action under Section 36(b) of the 1940 Act, which the court granted plaintiffs leave to replead as a derivative claim.

On October 16, 2006, plaintiffs filed their Second Consolidated Amended Complaint (“Second Amended Complaint”) which alleges derivative claims on behalf of nine funds identified in the Second Amended Complaint under Section 36(b) of the 1940 Act, against Citigroup Asset Management, Salomon Brothers Asset Management Inc, SBFM and CGMI as investment advisers to the identified funds, as well as CGMI as a distributor for the identified funds (collectively, the “Second Amended Complaint Defendants”). The Financial Services Fund was not identified in the Second Amended Complaint. The Second Amended Complaint alleges no claims against any of the Funds or any of their Board Members. Under Section 36(b), the Second Amended Complaint alleges similar facts and seeks similar relief against the Second Amended Complaint Defendants as the Complaint.

 

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Additional lawsuits arising out of these circumstances and presenting similar allegations and requests for relief may be filed in the future.

On May 31, 2005, the SEC issued an order in connection with the settlement of an administrative proceeding against SBFM, the then-investment adviser or manager to certain of the Funds and CGMI, relating to the appointment of an affiliated transfer agent for the Smith Barney family of mutual funds (the “Affected Funds”).

The SEC order finds that SBFM and CGMI willfully violated Section 206(1) of the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as amended, and the rules promulgated thereunder (the “Advisers Act”). Specifically, the order found that SBFM and CGMI knowingly or recklessly failed to disclose to the boards of the Affected Funds in 1999 when proposing a new transfer agent arrangement with an affiliated transfer agent that: First Data Investors Services Group (“First Data”), the Affected Funds’ then-existing transfer agent, had offered to continue as transfer agent and do the same work for substantially less money than before; and that Citigroup Asset Management (“CAM”), the Citigroup business unit that, at the time, included the Affected Funds’ investment manager and other investment advisory companies, had entered into a side letter with First Data under which CAM agreed to recommend the appointment of First Data as sub-transfer agent to the affiliated transfer agent in exchange for, among other things, a guarantee by First Data of specified amounts of asset management and investment banking fees to CAM and CGMI. The order also found that SBFM and CGMI willfully violated Section 206(2) of the Advisers Act by virtue of the omissions discussed above and other misrepresentations and omissions in the materials provided to the Affected Funds’ boards, including the failure to make clear that the affiliated transfer agent would earn a high profit for performing limited functions while First Data continued to perform almost all of the transfer agent functions, and the suggestion that the proposed arrangement was in the Affected Funds’ best interests and that no viable alternatives existed. SBFM and CGMI do not admit or deny any wrongdoing or liability. The settlement does not establish wrongdoing or liability for purposes of any other proceeding.

The SEC censured SBFM and CGMI and ordered them to cease and desist from violations of Sections 206(1) and 206(2) of the Advisers Act. The order required Citigroup to pay $208.1 million, including $109 million in disgorgement of profits, $19.1 million in interest, and a civil money penalty of $80 million. Approximately $24.4 million has already been paid to the Affected Funds, primarily through fee waivers. The remaining $183.7 million, including the penalty, has been paid to the U.S. Treasury and will be distributed pursuant to a plan submitted for the approval of the SEC. At this time, there is no certainty as to how the above-described proceeds of the settlement will be distributed, to whom such distributions will be made, the methodology by which such distributions will be allocated, and when such distributions will be made. The order also required that transfer agency fees received from the Affected Funds since December 1, 2004, less certain expenses, be placed in escrow and provided that a portion of such fees might be subsequently distributed in accordance with the terms of the order. On April 3, 2006, an aggregate amount of approximately $9 million held in escrow was distributed to the Affected Funds.

The order required SBFM to recommend a new transfer agent contract to the Fund boards within 180 days of the entry of the order; if a Citigroup affiliate submitted a proposal to serve as transfer agent or sub-transfer agent, SBFM and CGMI would have been required, at their expense, to engage an independent monitor to oversee a competitive bidding process. On November 21, 2005, and within the specified timeframe, the Affected Funds’ Boards selected a new transfer agent for the Affected Funds. No Citigroup affiliate submitted a proposal to serve as transfer agent. Under the order, SBFM also must comply with an amended version of a vendor policy that Citigroup instituted in August 2004.

Although there can be no assurance, the manager does not believe that this matter will have a material adverse effect on the Affected Funds.

On December 1, 2005, Citigroup completed the sale of substantially all of its global asset management business, including SBFM, to Legg Mason.

 

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Beginning in August 2005, five class action lawsuits alleging violations of federal securities laws and state law were filed against CGMI and SBFM (collectively, the “Defendants”) based on the May 31, 2005 settlement order issued against the Defendants by the SEC as described above. The complaints seek injunctive relief and compensatory and punitive damages, removal of SBFM as the investment manager for the Smith Barney family of funds, rescission of the Funds’ management and other contracts with SBFM, recovery of all fees paid to SBFM pursuant to such contracts, and an award of attorneys’ fees and litigation expenses.

On October 5, 2005, a motion to consolidate the five actions and any subsequently filed, related action was filed. That motion contemplates that a consolidated amended complaint alleging substantially similar causes of action will be filed in the future.

As of the date of this report, the fund’s investment manager believes that resolution of the pending lawsuit will not have a material effect on the financial position or results of operations of the fund or the ability of the fund’s investment manager and its affiliates to continue to render services to the fund under their respective contracts.

On September 16, 2005, the staff of the SEC informed SBFM and ClearBridge Asset Management Inc (formerly Salomon Brothers Asset Management Inc) that the staff is considering recommending that the SEC institute administrative proceedings against SBFM and ClearBridge Asset Management Inc for alleged violations of Section 19(a) and 34(b) of the Investment Company Act (and related Rule 19a-1). The notification is a result of an industry wide inspection by the SEC and is based upon alleged deficiencies in disclosures regarding dividends and distributions paid to shareholders of certain funds. Section 19(a) and related Rule 19a-1 of the Investment Company Act generally require funds that are making dividend and distribution payments to provide shareholders with a written statement disclosing the source of the dividends and distributions, and, in particular, the portion of the payments made from each of net investment income, undistributed net profits and/or paid-in capital. In connection with the contemplated proceedings, the staff may seek a cease and desist order and/or monetary damages from SBFM or ClearBridge Asset Management Inc.

Although there can be no assurance, the fund’s manager believes that this matter is not likely to have a material adverse effect on the fund.

The foregoing speaks only as of the date of this SAI. Additional lawsuits presenting allegations and requests for relief arising out of or in connection with any of the foregoing matters may be filed against these and related parties in the future.

FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

The audited financial statements of the fund (Statement of Assets and Liabilities as of October 31, 2006, Statement of Operations for the year ended October 31, 2006, Statements of Changes in Net Assets for each of the years in the two-year period ended October 31, 2006, Financial Highlights for each of the years in the five-year period ended October 31, 2006, and Notes to Financial Statements along with the Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm, each of which is included in the Annual Report to Shareholders of the fund), are incorporated by reference into this SAI (filed on January 8, 2007; Accession Number 0000950123-07-000177). The Predecessor Fund’s financial statements are not incorporated by reference into this SAI.

 

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APPENDIX A

Summary of Subadviser’s Proxy Voting Policies and Procedures

BARRETT ASSOCIATES, INC.

November 2, 2005

Proxy Voting

Background

As outlined in the Investment Management Agreement, Barrett Associates shall assume no responsibility for, and Barrett shall be expressly precluded from, voting proxies for securities held in client accounts. Barrett will instruct client custodians to mail proxy material directly to clients. Notwithstanding the foregoing, clients may instruct Barrett to vote proxies by executing a Proxy Voting Form, an attachment to the Investment Management Agreement. With respect to the fund, Barrett is responsible for voting proxies for securities held by the fund.

Barrett has adopted and implemented policies and procedures that we believe are reasonably designed to ensure that proxies are voted in the best interest of clients, in accordance with our fiduciary duties and SEC Rule 206(4)-6 under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940 (“Advisers Act”). If authority to vote proxies is established by the client by executing the Proxy Voting Form- Exhibit C of the Investment Management Agreement, our proxy voting guidelines have been tailored to reflect this specific contractual obligation. In addition to SEC requirements governing advisers, our proxy voting policies reflect the long-standing fiduciary standards and responsibilities for ERISA accounts. Unless a manager of ERISA assets has been expressly precluded from voting proxies, the Department of Labor has determined that the responsibility for these votes lies with the Investment Manager.

In exercising its voting authority, Barrett Associates will not consult or enter into agreements with officers, directors or employees of Legg Mason Inc. or any of its affiliates (other than Barrett Associates Inc.) regarding the voting of any securities owned by its clients.

Policy

Barrett Associates’ proxy voting procedures are designed and implemented in a way that is reasonably expected to ensure that proxy matters are handled in the best interest of clients for whom we have voting authority. While the guidelines included in the procedures are intended to provide a benchmark for voting standards, each vote is ultimately cast on a case-by-case basis, taking into consideration Barrett Associates’ contractual obligations to our clients and all other relevant facts and circumstances at the time of the vote (such that these guidelines may be overridden to the extent Barrett Associates deems appropriate).

Procedures

Responsibility and Oversight

The Barrett Associates proxy voting committee (the “Proxy Committee”) is responsible for administering and overseeing the proxy voting process. Barrett’s proxy coordinators (the Proxy Coordinators”) coordinate the gathering of proxies. For their respective accounts, the portfolio managers are responsible for determining appropriate voting positions on each proxy utilizing any applicable guidelines contained in these procedures.

Client Authority

If the client has executed a Proxy Voting Form or if the account represents assets of an ERISA plan and Barrett has not received written instruction from the client that precludes the firm from voting proxies, Barrett will assume responsibility for proxy voting.

 

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Proxy Gathering

Registered owners of record, client custodians, client banks and trustees (“Proxy Recipients”) that receive proxy materials on behalf of clients should forward them to the Proxy Coordinator. Proxy Recipients of existing clients will be reminded of the appropriate routing to the Proxy Coordinator for proxy materials received and reminded of their responsibility to forward all proxy materials on a timely basis. Proxy Recipients for new clients (or, if Barrett Associates becomes aware that the applicable Proxy Recipient for an existing client has changed) are notified at start-up of appropriate routing to a Proxy Coordinator of proxy materials received and also reminded of their responsibility to forward all proxy materials on a timely basis. If Barrett Associates personnel other than a Proxy Coordinator receive proxy materials, they should promptly forward the materials to a Proxy Coordinator.

Proxy Voting

Once proxy materials are received, a Proxy Coordinator will initiate the following actions:

a. Proxies are reviewed to determine accounts impacted.

b. If the proxy coordinator and/or portfolio manager is uncertain about any material conflicts of interest, Chairman of the Proxy Committee and/or Chief Compliance Officer will review the proxy issues and make a final determination. (See conflicts of interest section of these procedures for further information on determining material conflicts of interest.)

c. If a material conflict of interest exists, (i) to the extent reasonably practicable and permitted by applicable law, the client is promptly notified, the conflict is disclosed and Barrett Associates obtains the client’s proxy voting instructions, and (ii) to the extent that it is not reasonably practicable or permitted by applicable law to notify the client and obtain such instructions (e.g., the client is a mutual fund or other commingled vehicle or is an ERISA plan client), Barrett Associates seeks voting instructions from an independent third party.

d. Votes are determined on a case-by-case basis taking into account the voting guidelines contained in these procedures

e. The Proxy Coordinators vote the proxies pursuant to the instructions received from the appropriate manager.

Timing

Barrett Associates personnel act in such a manner to ensure that, absent special circumstances, the proxy gathering and proxy voting steps noted above can be completed before the applicable deadline for returning proxy votes.

Recordkeeping

Barrett Associates maintains records of proxies voted pursuant to Section 204-2 of the Advisers Act and ERISA DOL Bulletin 94-2. These records include:

A copy of Barrett Associates’ policies and procedures.

Copies of proxy statements received regarding client securities.

A copy of any document created by Barrett Associates that was material to making a decision how to vote proxies.

Each written client request for proxy voting records and Barrett Associates’ written response to both verbal and written client requests.

 

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A proxy log including:

1. Issuer name;

2. Exchange ticker symbol of the issuer’s shares to be voted;

3. Council on Uniform Securities Identification Procedures (“CUSIP”) number for the shares to be voted;

4. A brief identification of the matter voted on;

5. Whether the matter was proposed by the issuer or by a shareholder of the issuer;

6. Whether a vote was cast on the matter;

7. A record of how the vote was cast; and

8. Whether the vote was cast for or against the recommendation of the issuer’s management team.

Records are maintained in an easily accessible place for five years, the first two in Barrett Associates’ offices.

Disclosure

Barrett Associates’ proxy policy is outlined in the firm’s Part II of Form ADV. These policies and procedures are designed to ensure that Barrett Associates carries out its obligation to vote proxies in the best interest of clients, consistent with its fiduciary obligation. A copy of our policy is available upon request. New clients who direct Barrett to vote will be provided a copy of these policies and procedures within 10 business days of contract execution. In addition, upon request, clients may receive reports on how their proxies have been voted.

Conflicts of Interest -

Issues to be considered include, but are not limited to:

1. Whether Barrett (or, to the extent required to be considered by applicable law, its affiliates) manages assets for the company or an employee group of the company or otherwise has an interest in the company;

2. Barrett, or an officer or director of Barrett, or a member of the Proxy Committee—those responsible for recommending the proxy vote (together, “Voting Persons”) is a close relative of or has a personal or business relationship with an executive, director or person who is a candidate for director of the company or is a participant in a proxy contest; and

3. Whether there is any other business or personal relationship where a Voting Person has a personal interest in the outcome of the matter before shareholders.

Voting Guidelines

Barrett’s substantive voting decisions turn on the particular facts and circumstances of each proxy vote and are evaluated by the account’s Portfolio Manager. The examples outlined below are meant as guidelines to aid in the decision making process.

Guidelines are grouped according to the types of proposals generally presented to shareholders. Part I deals with proposals which have been approved and are recommended by a company’s board of directors; Part II deals with proposals submitted by shareholders for inclusion in proxy statements; Part III addresses issues relating to voting shares of investment companies; and Part IV addresses unique considerations pertaining to foreign issuers.

 

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I. Board Approved Proposals

The vast majority of matters presented to shareholders for a vote involve proposals made by a company itself that have been approved and recommended by its board of directors. Barrett Associates generally votes in support of decisions reached by independent boards of directors.

Votes are cast on a case-by-case basis in contested elections of directors.

 

  1. Matters relating to Compensation

Barrett Associates generally favors compensation programs that relate executive compensation to a company’s long-term performance.

Barrett Associates generally votes against stock option plans or proposals that permit replacing or re-pricing of underwater options.

Barrett Associates generally votes against stock option plans that permit issuance of options with an exercise price below the stocks’ current market price.

Votes are cast on a case-by-case basis on board-approved proposals relating to compensation.

 

  2. Matters relating to Capitalization

The management of a company’s capital structure involves a number of important issues, including cash flows, financing needs and market conditions that are unique to the circumstances of each company. As a result, Barrett Associates votes on a case-by-case basis on board-approved proposals involving changes to a company’s capitalization.

 

  3. Matters relating to Acquisitions, Mergers, Reorganizations and Other Transactions

Barrett Associates generally votes against highly dilutive acquisitions, although these issues are examined on a case-by-case basis.

 

  4. Matters relating to Anti-Takeover Measures

Barrett Associates votes against board-approved proposals to adopt anti-takeover measures except as follows:

Barrett Associates votes on a case-by-case basis on proposals to ratify or approve shareholder rights plans.

Barrett Associates votes on a case-by-case basis on proposals to adopt fair price provisions.

 

  5. Other Business Matters

Barrett Associates votes for board-approved proposals approving such routine business matters such as changing the company’s name, ratifying the appointment of auditors and procedural matters relating to the shareholder meeting.

Barrett Associates votes on a case-by-case basis on proposals to amend a company’s charter or bylaws.

Barrett Associates generally votes against authorizing management to vote for unidentified substantive business at and against giving management the authority to adjourn meetings without compelling reasons.

 

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II. Shareholder Proposals

SEC regulations permit shareholders to submit proposals for inclusion in a company’s proxy statement. These proposals generally seek to change some aspect of a company’s corporate governance structure or to change some aspect of its business operations. Barrett Associates votes in accordance with the recommendation of the company’s board of directors generally.

 

III. Voting Shares of Investment Companies

Barrett Associates may utilize shares of open or closed-end investment companies to implement its investment strategies. Shareholder votes for investment companies that fall within the categories listed above are voted in accordance with those guidelines.

Barrett Associates votes on a case-by-case basis on proposals relating to changes in the investment objectives of an investment company taking into account the original intent of the fund and the role the fund plays in the clients’ portfolios.

Barrett Associates votes on a case-by-case basis all proposals that would result in increases in expenses (e.g., proposals to adopt 12b-1 plans, alter investment advisory arrangements or approve fund mergers) taking into account comparable expenses for similar funds and the services to be provided.

 

IV. Voting Shares of Foreign Issuers

In the event Barrett Associates is required to vote on securities held in foreign issuers—i.e. issuers that are incorporated under the laws of a foreign jurisdiction and that are not listed on a U.S. securities exchange or the NASDAQ stock market, the following guidelines are used, which are premised on the existence of a sound corporate governance and disclosure framework. These guidelines, however, may not be appropriate under some circumstances for foreign issuers and therefore apply only where applicable.

Barrett Associates votes on a case-by-case basis on proposals relating to (1) the issuance of common stock in excess of 20% of a company’s outstanding common stock where shareholders do not have preemptive rights, or (2) the issuance of common stock in excess of 100% of a company’s outstanding common stock where shareholders have preemptive rights.

Voting Procedures When Barrett Utilizes a Third Party Proxy Service -

If Barrett is utilizing a third party proxy service in connection with certain client accounts, a Proxy Coordinator will ensure that the proxy service receives updated holdings for the affected accounts. A Proxy Coordinator will also ensure that the proxy service delivers its recommendations on a timely basis and that such information is provided to the appropriate manager. A Proxy Coordinator will maintain records of the proxy service recommendations and voting reports.

Corporate Actions

Notice of any corporate actions should be communicated to a Proxy Coordinator who shall coordinate with the portfolio managers to determine the firm’s desired course of action and communicate the firm’s instructions to the custodian. The appropriate Proxy Coordinator will also keep accurate records of each corporate action and the steps that were taken by the firm.

 

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APPENDIX B

RATINGS OF SECURITIES

Description of Moody’s Investors Service, Inc. (“Moody’s”) ratings:

Long-Term Debt Ratings

Aaa—Bonds which are rated Aaa are judged to be of the best quality. They carry the smallest degree of investment risk and are generally referred to as “gilt edge.” Interest payments are protected by a large or by an exceptionally stable margin and principal is secure. While the various protective elements are likely to change, such changes as can be visualized are most unlikely to impair the fundamentally strong position of such issues an obligation rated Aaa is judged to be of the highest quality, with minimal credit risk.

Aa—Bonds which are rated Aa are judged to be of high quality by all standards. Together with the Aaa group they comprise what are generally known as high grade bonds. They are rated lower than the best bonds because margins of protection may not be as large as in Aaa securities or fluctuation of protective elements may be of greater amplitude or there may be other elements present which make the long-term risk appear somewhat larger than in Aaa securities. An obligation rated Aa is judged to be of high quality and are subject to very low credit risk. Obligations rated Aaa and Aa comprise what are generally known as high-grade bonds.

A—Bonds which are rated A possess many favorable investment attributes and are to be considered as upper-medium-grade obligations. Factors giving security to principal and interest are considered adequate but elements may be present which suggest a susceptibility to impairment some time in the future. An obligation rated A is considered upper-medium grade and are subject to low credit risk.

Baa—Bonds which are rated Baa are considered medium-grade obligations, i.e., they are neither highly protected nor poorly secured. Interest payments and principal security appear adequate for the present but certain protective elements may be lacking or may be characteristically unreliable over any great length of time. Such bonds lack outstanding investment characteristics and in fact have speculative characteristics as well. An obligation rated Baa is subject to moderate credit risk. Obligations rated Baa are considered medium grade and as such may possess certain speculative characteristics.

Ba—Bonds which are rated Ba are judged to have speculative elements; their future cannot be considered as well-assured. Often the protection of interest and principal payments may be very moderate and thereby not well safeguarded during both good and bad times over the future. Uncertainty of position characterizes bonds in this class. An obligation rated Ba is judged to have speculative elements and is subject to substantial credit risk.

B—Bonds which are rated B generally lack characteristics of the desirable investment. Assurance of interest and principal payments or of maintenance of other terms of the contract over any long period of time may be small. An obligation rated B is considered speculative and is subject to high credit risk.

Caa—Bonds which are rated Caa are judged to be of poor standing and are subject to very high credit risk. Such issues may be in default or there may be present elements of danger with respect to principal or interest.

Ca—Bonds which are rated Ca represent obligations which are judged to be highly speculative in a high degree and are likely in, or very near, default, with some prospect for recovery of principal and interest. Such issues are often in default or have other marked shortcomings.

C—An obligation rated C is the lowest rated class of bonds and is typically in default, with little prospect for recovery of principal or interest.

 

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Moody’s appends numerical modifiers 1, 2, and 3 to each generic rating classification from Aa through Caa. The modifier 1 indicates that the obligation ranks in the higher end of its generic rating category; the modifier 2 indicates a mid-range ranking; and the modifier 3 indicates a ranking in the lower end of that generic rating category.

Short-Term Debt Ratings

Prime-1—Issuers with a Prime-1 (or supporting institutions) have a superior ability for repayment of short-term debt obligations.

Prime-2—Issuers rated Prime-2 (or supporting institutions) have a strong ability for repayment of short-term debt obligations.

Prime-3—Issuers rated Prime-3 (or supporting institutions) have an acceptable ability for repayment of short-term obligations.

Not Prime—Issuers (or supporting institutions) rated not prime do not fall within any of the Prime rating categories.

Description of Standard & Poor’s (“S&P”) Ratings:

Long-Term Issue Credit Ratings

AAA—An obligation rated AAA has the highest rating assigned by S&P. The obligor’s capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation is extremely strong.

AA—An obligation rated AA differs from the highest rated obligations only in small degree. The obligor’s capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation is very strong.

A—An obligation rated A is somewhat more susceptible to the adverse effects of changes in circumstances and economic conditions than obligations in higher-rated categories. However, the obligor’s capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation is still strong.

BBB—An obligation rated BBB exhibits adequate protection parameters. However, adverse economic conditions or changing circumstances are more likely to lead to a weakened capacity of the obligor to meet its financial commitment on the obligation.

Obligations rated BB, B, CCC, CC, and C are regarded as having significant speculative characteristics. BB indicates the least degree of speculation and C the highest. While such obligations will likely have some quality and protective characteristics, these may be outweighed by large uncertainties or major exposures to adverse conditions.

BB—An obligation rated BB is less vulnerable to nonpayment than other speculative issues. However, it faces major ongoing uncertainties or exposure to adverse business, financial, or economic conditions which could lead to the obligor’s inadequate capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation.

B—An obligation rated B is more vulnerable to nonpayment than obligations rated BB, but the obligor currently has the capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation. Adverse business, financial, or economic conditions will likely impair the obligor’s capacity or willingness to meet its financial commitment on the obligation.

CCC—An obligation rated CCC is currently vulnerable to nonpayment, and is dependent upon favorable business, financial, and economic conditions for the obligor to meet its financial commitment on the obligation.

 

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In the event of adverse business, financial, or economic conditions, the obligor is not likely to have the capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation.

CC—An obligation rated CC is currently highly vulnerable to nonpayment.

R—An obligor rated R is under regulatory supervision owing to its financial condition. During the pendency of the regulatory supervision the regulators may have the power to favor one class of obligations and not to others.

SD and D—An obligor rated SD (Selective Default) or D has failed to pay one or more of its financial obligations (rated or unrated) when it came due. A D rating is assigned when Standard & Poor’s believes that the default will be a general default and that the obligor will fail to pay all or substantially all of its obligations as they come due. An SD rating is assigned when Standard & Poor’s believes that the obligor has selectively defaulted on a specific issue or class of obligations but it will continue to meet its payment obligations on other issues or classes of obligations in a timely manner.

Plus (+) or minus (-)—The ratings from AA to CCC may be modified by the addition of a plus or minus sign to show relative standing within the major rating categories.

c—The ‘c’ subscript is used to provide additional information to investors that the bank may terminate its obligation to purchase tendered bonds if the long-term credit rating of the issuer is below an investment-grade level and/or the issuer’s bonds are deemed taxable.

p—The letter p indicates that the rating is provisional. A provisional rating assumes the successful completion of the project financed by the debt being rated and indicates that payment of debt service requirements is largely or entirely dependent upon the successful timely completion of the project. This rating, however, while addressing credit quality subsequent to completion of the project, makes no comment on the likelihood of or the risk of default upon failure of such completion. The investor should exercise his own judgment with respect to such likelihood and risk.

*—Continuance of ratings is contingent upon S&P’s receipt of an executed copy of the escrow agreement or closing documentation confirming investments and cash flows.

r—The r is attached to highlight derivatives, hybrids and certain other obligations that S&P believes may experience high volatility or high variability in expected returns as a result of noncredit risks. Examples of such obligations are securities whose principal or interest return is indexed to equities, commodities or other instruments. The absence of an ‘r’ symbol should not be taken as an indication that an obligation will exhibit no volatility or variability in total return.

N.R. Not rated.

Commercial Paper

A-1.—A short-term obligation rated ‘A-1’ is rated in the highest category by Standard & Poor’s. The obligor’s capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation is strong. Within this category, certain obligations are designated with a plus sign (+). This indicates that the obligor’s capacity to meet its financial commitment on these obligations is extremely strong.

A-2.—A short-term obligation rated ‘A-2’ is somewhat more susceptible to the adverse effects of changes in circumstances and economic conditions than obligations in higher rating categories. However, the obligor’s capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation is satisfactory.

 

B-3


A-3.—A short-term obligation rated ‘A-3’ exhibits adequate protection parameters. However, adverse economic conditions or changing circumstances are more likely to lead to a weakened capacity of the obligor to meet its financial commitment on the obligation.

 

B-4


LEGG MASON PARTNERS EQUITY TRUST

 

 

Legg Mason Partners Financial Services Fund

 

                                         April 16, 2007

LEGG MASON PARTNERS EQUITY TRUST

125 Broad Street

New York, NY 10004


 

Filed under Rule 497(c)

File Nos. 33-43446 and 811-6444

LEGG MASON PARTNERS FUNDAMENTAL VALUE FUND

Supplement Dated April 16, 2007

to Prospectus Dated January 30, 2007

The attached prospectus is now dated April 16, 2007.

As part of a number of initiatives launched in 2006 to restructure and streamline the Legg Mason Partners fund complex, the fund assumed the assets and liabilities of a predecessor fund, Legg Mason Partners Fundamental Value Fund, Inc. The fund is now grouped for organizational and governance purposes with other Legg Mason Partners funds that are predominantly equity-type funds. The prospectus is supplemented as shown below to reflect this change. Any information in the prospectus relating to the fund prior to the date of this prospectus refers to the fund’s predecessor.

Performance Information

The summary performance information in the prospectus is that of the fund’s predecessor.

Investment Objective

The fund’s investment objective may be changed without shareholder approval.

Management – Other Information

The paragraph beneath the heading “Other Information” in the “Management” section of the prospectus is deleted.

Financial Highlights

The financial information shown in the “Financial Highlights” section of the prospectus is that of the fund’s predecessor.

 

FD 04055


PROSPECTUS

January 30, 2007

The Securities and Exchange Commission has not approved or disapproved these securities or determined whether this prospectus is accurate or complete. Any statement to the contrary is a crime.

LOGO

Legg Mason Partners Fundamental Value Fund, Inc.

Class A, B, C and I Shares

 

 

 

INVESTMENT PRODUCTS: NOT FDIC INSURED Ÿ NO BANK GUARANTEE Ÿ MAY LOSE VALUE

 


Legg Mason Partners Fundamental Value Fund, Inc.

Contents

 

Investments, risks and performance

  2

More on the fund’s investments

  7

Management

  9

Choosing a class of shares to buy

  12

Comparing the fund’s classes

  14

Sales charge

  15

More about contingent deferred sales charges

  19

Retirement and institutional investors

  20

Buying shares

  22

Exchanging shares

  23

Redeeming shares

  25

Other things to know about transactions

  27

Dividends, distributions and taxes

  30

Share price

  32

Financial highlights

  34

 

Prior to April 7, 2006, the fund was known as Smith Barney Fundamental Value Fund Inc.


 

Investments, risks and performance

Investment objective

The fund seeks long-term capital growth. Current income is a secondary consideration.

Principal investment strategies

Key investments

The fund invests primarily in common stocks and common stock equivalents, such as preferred stocks and securities convertible into common stocks, of companies the portfolio managers believe are undervalued in the marketplace. While the portfolio managers select investments primarily for their capital appreciation potential, secondary consideration is given to a company’s dividend record and the potential for an improved dividend return. The fund invests in securities of large, well-known companies but may also invest a significant portion of its assets in securities of small to medium sized companies when the portfolio managers believe smaller companies offer more attractive value opportunities.

Foreign investments

The fund may invest up to 25% of its assets in securities of foreign issuers which may involve greater risk than securities of U.S. issuers. Many foreign countries the fund may invest in have markets that are less liquid and more volatile than markets in the United States. In some foreign countries, less information is available about foreign issuers and markets because of less rigorous accounting and regulatory standards than in the United States. Currency fluctuations could erase investment gains or add to investment losses. The risks of investing in foreign securities are greater for securities of emerging market issuers because political or economic instability, lack of market liquidity, and negative government actions, such as currency controls or seizure of private businesses or property, are more likely.

Selection process

The portfolio managers employ a two-step stock selection process in their search for undervalued stocks of temporarily out of favor companies. First, the portfolio managers use proprietary models and fundamental research to try to identify stocks that are underpriced in the market relative to their fundamental value. Next, the portfolio managers look for a positive catalyst in the company’s near term outlook which the portfolio managers believe will accelerate earnings or improve the value of the company’s assets. The portfolio managers also emphasize companies in those sectors of the economy which the portfolio managers believe are undervalued relative to other sectors.

When evaluating an individual stock, the portfolio managers look for:

n  

Low market valuations measured by the portfolio managers’ valuation models

n  

Positive changes in earnings prospects because of factors such as:

  ¨  

New, improved or unique products and services

  ¨  

New or rapidly expanding markets for the company’s products

  ¨  

New management

  ¨  

Changes in the economic, financial, regulatory or political environment particularly affecting the company

 

2         Legg Mason Partners


 

  ¨  

Effective research, product development and marketing

  ¨  

A business strategy not yet recognized by the marketplace

Principal risks of investing in the fund

Investors could lose money on their investment in the fund, or the fund may not perform as well as other investments, if:

n  

Stock prices decline generally

n  

The portfolio managers’ judgment about the attractiveness, value or potential appreciation of a particular stock proves to be incorrect

n  

An adverse event, such as negative press reports about a company in which the fund invests, depresses the value of the company’s stock

n  

The markets strongly favor growth stocks over stocks with value characteristics

n  

Small or medium capitalization companies fall out of favor with investors

Compared to mutual funds that focus only on large capitalization companies, the fund’s share price may be more volatile because the fund may invest a significant portion of its assets in small and medium capitalization companies.

Compared to large companies, small and medium capitalization companies are more likely to have:

n  

More limited product lines

n  

Fewer capital resources

n  

More limited management depth

Further, securities of small and medium capitalization companies are more likely to:

n  

Experience sharper swings in market values

n  

Be harder to sell at times and at prices the portfolio managers believe appropriate

n  

Offer greater potential for gains and losses

Who may want to invest

The fund may be an appropriate investment if you:

n  

Are seeking to participate in the long-term growth potential of the United States stock market

n  

Are looking for an investment with potentially greater return but higher risk than fixed income investments

n  

Are willing to accept the risks of the stock market

 

Fundamental Value Fund, Inc.         3


 

Performance information

The following shows summary performance information for the fund in a bar chart and an Average Annual Total Returns table. The information provides an indication of the risks of investing in the fund by showing changes in its performance from year to year and by showing how the fund’s average annual total returns compare with the returns of broad-based securities market indices, and an index of similar funds. The bar chart and the information below show performance of the fund’s Class A shares, but do not reflect the impact of sales charges (loads). If they did, the returns would be lower than those shown. Unlike the bar chart, the performance for Class A, B, C and I(1) shares in the Average Annual Total Returns table reflects the impact of the maximum sales charge (load) applicable to the respective classes, and, where indicated, the performance for Class A shares reflects the impact of taxes paid on distributions and the redemption of shares at the end of the period. The fund’s past performance, before and after taxes, is not necessarily an indication of how the fund will perform in the future.

Total Return for Class A Shares

LOGO

Highest and lowest quarter returns (for periods shown in the bar chart)

Highest: 21.97% in 2nd quarter 2003; Lowest: (21.84)% in 3rd quarter 2002.

 

(1)

 

As of November 20, 2006, Class Y shares were renamed Class I shares.

 

4         Legg Mason Partners


 

Average Annual Total Returns (for periods ended December 31, 2006)

 

     1 Year     5 Years     10 Years     Since
Inception
    Inception
Date

Class A

         
 
Return before taxes(1)   10.20 %   4.67 %   9.12 %   12.09 %   11/12/81
 
Return after taxes on distributions(1)(2)   9.04 %   4.22 %   8.25 %   N/A    
 
Return after taxes on distributions and sale of fund shares(1)(2)   7.68 %   3.94 %   7.72 %   N/A    
 
Other Classes (Return before taxes only)          
 

Class B

  10.88 %   4.89 %   8.89 %   11.02 %   11/6/92
 

Class C

  15.22 %   5.14 %   8.93 %   10.23 %   08/10/93
 

Class l(3)

  17.45 %   6.36 %   10.05 %   10.83 %   01/30/96
 
Russell 3000 Index(4)(7)   15.72 %   7.17 %   8.64 %   N/A     N/A
 
S&P 500 Index(5)(7)   15.78 %   6.18 %   8.42 %   N/A     N/A
 
Lipper Multi-Cap Core Fund Avg(6)(7)   13.29 %   6.59 %   8.59 %   N/A     N/A
 

 

(1)

 

On November 20, 2006, the maximum initial sales charge on Class A shares was increased for sales made on and after that date. The average annual returns for Class A shares in the table have been calculated as if the increased maximum initial sales charge had been in effect for the entire period.

 

(2)

 

After-tax returns are calculated using the highest historical individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes. Actual after-tax returns depend on an investor’s tax situation and may differ from those shown, and the after-tax returns shown are not relevant to investors who hold their fund shares through tax-deferred arrangements, such as 401(k) plans or individual retirement accounts. In some cases the return after taxes may exceed the return before taxes due to an assumed tax benefit from any losses on a sale of fund shares at the end of the measurement period. After-tax returns shown above are for Class A shares only. After-tax returns for other share classes will vary.

 

(3)

 

As of November 20, 2006, Class Y shares were renamed Class I shares. Performance begins on January 30, 1996 since all Class Y shares were redeemed during calendar year 1995 and new Class Y shares were not purchased until January 30, 1996.

 

(4)

 

The Russell 3000 Index is an unmanaged index which measures the performance of the 3000 largest U.S. companies based on total market capitalization, which represent approximately 98% of the U.S. equity market.

 

(5)

 

The S&P 500 Index is a market-value weighted index comprised of 500 widely held common stocks.

 

(6)

 

The Lipper Multi-Cap Core Fund Average is a total return performance average of funds, tracked by Lipper, Inc., that, by portfolio practice, invest at least 75% of their equity assets in companies with market capitalizations (on a three-year weighted basis) of less than 300% of the dollar-weighted median market capitalization of the S&P Mid-Cap 400 Index. Returns are based on the 12-month period ended December 31, 2006, calculated among the funds in the Lipper category, including the reinvestment of dividends and capital gains, if any, and excluding sales charges and taxes.

 

(7)

 

An investor cannot invest directly in an index or average. The index performance does not reflect deductions for fees, expenses or taxes. The average performance reflects fees and expenses but no deduction for sales charges.

 

Fundamental Value Fund, Inc.         5


 

Fee table

This table sets forth the fees and expenses you may pay if you invest in fund shares.

 

Shareholder Fees

 

(paid directly from your investment)   Class A     Class B     Class C     Class I(1)
Maximum sales charge (load) imposed on purchases (as a % of offering price)   5.75 %   None     None     None
 
Maximum contingent deferred sales charge (load) (as a % of the lower of net asset value at purchase or redemption)   None (2)   5.00 %   1.00 %(3)   None
 

 

Annual Fund Operating Expenses

 

(paid by the fund as a % of net assets)   Class A     Class B     Class C     Class I(1)  
Management fee(4)   0.65 %   0.65 %   0.65 %   0.65 %
   
Distribution and service (12b-1) fees   0.25 %   1.00 %   1.00 %   None  
   
Other expenses(5)   0.21 %   0.30 %   0.14 %   0.02 %
   
Total annual fund operating expenses   1.11 %   1.95 %   1.79 %   0.67 %
   

 

(1)

 

As of November 20, 2006, Class Y shares were renamed Class I shares.

 

(2)

 

You may buy Class A shares in amounts of $1,000,000 or more at net asset value (without an initial sales charge) but if you redeem those shares within 12 months of their purchase, you will pay a contingent deferred sales charge of 1.00%.

 

(3)

 

As of November 20, 2006, the contingent deferred sales charge is waived for retirement plans with omnibus accounts held on the books of the fund.

 

(4)

 

The fund has a fee schedule payable on assets as follows: 0.75% on assets up to and including $1.5 billion; 0.70% on assets over $1.5 billion and up to and including $2 billion; 0.65% on assets over $2 billion and up to and including $2.5 billion; 0.60% on assets over $2.5 billion and up to and including $3.5 billion; and 0.50% on assets over $3.5 billion. This management fee schedule went into effect on December 1, 2005.

 

(5)

 

The amounts set forth in “Other expenses” for Class A, B, C and I Shares have been restated to reflect the estimated effect of new transfer agency and custody contracts which became effective January 1, 2006.

Example

This example helps you compare the costs of investing in the fund with the costs of investing in other mutual funds. Your actual costs may be higher or lower. The example assumes:

n  

You invest $10,000 in the fund for the period shown

n  

Your investment has a 5% return each year — the assumption of a 5% return is required by the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) for purposes of this example and is not a prediction of the fund’s future performance

n  

You reinvest all distributions and dividends without a sales charge

n  

The fund’s operating expenses remain the same

 

Number of Years You Own Your Shares

 

     1 year   3 years   5 years   10 years  

Class A (with or without redemption)

  $ 682   $ 908   $ 1,152   $ 1,849  
   

Class B (redemption at end of period)

  $ 698   $ 912   $ 1,152   $ 2,057 (1)
   

Class B (no redemption)

  $ 198   $ 612   $ 1,052   $ 2,057 (1)
   

Class C (redemption at end of period)

  $ 282   $ 564   $ 970   $ 2,106  
   

Class C (no redemption)

  $ 182   $ 564   $ 970   $ 2,106  
   

Class I(2) (with or without redemption)

  $ 68   $ 214   $ 373   $ 834  
   

 

(1)

 

Assumes conversion to Class A shares approximately eight years after purchase.

 

(2)

 

As of November 20, 2006, Class Y shares were renamed Class I shares.

 

6         Legg Mason Partners


 

More on the fund’s investments

The fund’s investment objectives and principal investment strategies are described under the section entitled “Investments, risks and performance” above. This section provides further information about the investment strategies that may be used by the fund.

Derivatives and hedging techniques

The fund may, but need not, use derivative contracts, such as futures and options on securities, securities indices or currencies; options on these futures; forward currency contracts; and interest rate or currency swaps for any of the following purposes:

n  

To hedge against the economic impact of adverse changes in the market value of its securities, because of changes in stock market prices, currency exchange rates or interest rates

n  

As a substitute for buying or selling securities

n  

To enhance return

n  

As a cash flow management technique

A derivative contract will obligate or entitle the fund to deliver or receive an asset or cash payment based on the change in value of one or more securities, currencies or indices. Even a small investment in derivative contracts can have a big impact on the fund’s stock market, currency and interest rate exposure. Therefore, using derivatives can disproportionately increase losses and reduce opportunities for gains when stock prices, currency rates or interest rates are changing. The fund may not fully benefit from or may lose money on derivatives if changes in their value do not correspond accurately to changes in the value of the fund’s holdings.

The other parties to certain derivative contracts present the same types of credit risk as issuers of fixed income securities. Derivatives also can make the fund less liquid and harder to value, especially in declining markets.

Securities of other investment companies

The fund may invest up to 10% of its assets in securities of other investment companies, including shares in a portfolio of securities that seeks to track the performance of an underlying equity index or a portion of an equity index.

Defensive investing

The fund may depart from its principal investment strategies in response to adverse market, economic or political conditions by taking temporary defensive positions in any type of money market instruments and short-term debt securities or cash without regard to any percentage limitations. If the fund takes a temporary defensive position, it may be unable to achieve its investment objective.

Other investments

The fund may also use other strategies and invest in other securities that are described, along with their risks, in the Statement of Additional Information (“SAI”). However, the fund might not use all of the strategies and techniques or invest in all of the types of securities described in this prospectus or in the SAI. Also note that there are many other factors, which are not described here, that could adversely affect your investment and that could prevent the fund from achieving its investment objective.

 

Fundamental Value Fund, Inc.         7


 

Portfolio holdings

The fund’s policies and procedures with respect to the disclosure of the fund’s portfolio securities are described in the SAI.

 

8         Legg Mason Partners


 

Management

Manager and subadviser

Legg Mason Partners Fund Advisor, LLC (“LMPFA” or the “manager”) is the fund’s investment manager. LMPFA, with offices at 399 Park Avenue, New York, New York 10022, is a recently organized investment adviser that has been formed to serve as the investment manager of the fund and other Legg Mason-sponsored funds. LMPFA provides administrative and certain oversight services to the fund. As subadvisor, ClearBridge Advisors, LLC (“ClearBridge” or the “subadviser”) provides the day-to-day portfolio management of the fund, except for the management of cash and short-term instruments, which is performed by LMPFA.

ClearBridge has offices at 399 Park Avenue, New York, New York 10022 and is a recently-organized investment adviser that has been formed to succeed to the equity securities portfolio management business of Citigroup Asset Management, which was acquired by Legg Mason, Inc. (“Legg Mason”) in December 2005.

LMPFA and ClearBridge are wholly-owned subsidiaries of Legg Mason. Legg Mason, whose principal executive offices are at 100 Light Street, Baltimore, Maryland 21202, is a global asset management company. As of December 31, 2006, Legg Mason’s asset management operation had aggregate assets under management of approximately $945 billion.

Prior to August 1, 2006, Smith Barney Fund Management LLC (“SBFM”) was the fund’s investment manager. SBFM is also a wholly-owned subsidiary of Legg Mason.

Portfolio managers

John G. Goode and Peter J. Hable serve as co-portfolio managers and are responsible for the day-to-day management of the fund. Mr. Goode is an investment officer of ClearBridge and Chairman and Chief Investment Officer of Davis Skaggs Investment Management (“Davis Skaggs”), a division of ClearBridge. Mr. Goode has been with ClearBridge or its predecessor companies since 1969. Mr. Hable is an investment officer of ClearBridge and President of Davis Skaggs. Mr. Hable has been with ClearBridge or its predecessor companies since 1983. Mr. Goode has over 37 years of investment management experience and Mr. Hable has 23 years of investment management experience. Both Mr. Goode and Mr. Hable have been involved in the day-to-day management of the fund’s portfolio since November 1990.

The SAI provides information about the compensation of the portfolio managers, other accounts they manage, and any fund shares held by the portfolio managers, and has more detailed information about the manager, the subadviser and other fund service providers.

Management fee

For the fiscal year ended September 30, 2006, the fund paid fees of 0.65% of the fund’s average daily net assets for advisory and administrative services. For the period from October 1, 2005 through November 30, 2005, the fund paid SBFM an advisory fee and an administrative fee equal to 0.48% and 0.17% , respectively, of the fund’s average daily net assets. For the period from December 1, 2005 through July 31, 2006, the fund paid SBFM a management fee equal to 0.65% of the fund’s average daily net assets. For the period from August 1, 2006 through September 30, 2006, the fund paid LMPFA a management fee equal to 0.65% of the fund’s average daily net assets.

 

Fundamental Value Fund, Inc.         9


 

A discussion regarding the basis for the Board’s approval of the fund’s management agreement and subadvisory agreement is available in the fund’s Annual Report for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2006.

Other information

The fund’s Board and (where required) shareholders have approved a number of initiatives designed to streamline and restructure the fund complex. These initiatives include the election of a new Board, the grouping of the fund for organizational and governance purposes with other funds in the fund complex that are predominantly equity-type funds, and the adoption of a single form of organization as a Maryland business trust, with all funds operating under uniform charter documents. Fund shareholders have also approved investment matters, including standardized fundamental investment policies and the ability of the fund to change its investment objective without shareholder approval. These matters generally are expected to be effectuated during the first half of 2007.

Distribution plans

Legg Mason Investor Services, LLC (“LMIS”), a wholly-owned broker/dealer subsidiary of Legg Mason, Citigroup Global Markets Inc. (“CGMI”) and PFS Investments Inc. (“PFS”) serve as the fund’s distributors.

The fund has adopted a shareholder services and distribution plan for its Class A, B and C shares. Under the plan, the fund pays distribution and/or service fees. These fees are an ongoing expense and, over time, will increase the cost of your investment and may cost you more than other types of sales charges.

In addition, the distributors may make payments for distribution and/or shareholder servicing activities out of their past profits and other available sources. The distributors may also make payments to dealers for marketing, promotional or related expenses. The amount of these payments is determined by the distributors and may be substantial. The manager or an affiliate may make similar payments under similar arrangements.

The payments described in the paragraph above are often referred to as “revenue sharing payments.” The recipients of such payments may include the fund’s distributors, affiliates of the manager, broker/dealers, financial institutions and other financial intermediaries through which investors may purchase shares of the fund. In some circumstances, such payments may create an incentive for an intermediary or its employees or associated persons to recommend or sell shares of the fund to you. Please contact your financial intermediary for details about revenue sharing payments it may receive.

Recent developments

On May 31, 2005, the SEC issued an order in connection with the settlement of an administrative proceeding against SBFM, the then-investment adviser or manager to the fund, and CGMI, relating to the appointment of an affiliated transfer agent for the Smith Barney family of mutual funds, including the fund (the “Affected Funds”).

The SEC order finds that SBFM and CGMI willfully violated Section 206(1) of the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as amended, and the rules promulgated thereunder (the “Advisers Act”). Specifically, the order finds that SBFM and CGMI knowingly or recklessly failed to disclose to the boards of the Affected Funds in 1999 when proposing a new

 

10         Legg Mason Partners


 

transfer agent arrangement with an affiliated transfer agent that: First Data Investors Services Group (“First Data”), the Affected Funds’ then-existing transfer agent, had offered to continue as transfer agent and do the same work for substantially less money than before; and that Citigroup Asset Management (“CAM”), the Citigroup business unit that, at the time, included the Affected Funds’ investment manager and other investment advisory companies, had entered into a side letter with First Data under which CAM agreed to recommend the appointment of First Data as sub-transfer agent to the affiliated transfer agent in exchange, among other things, for a guarantee by First Data of specified amounts of asset management and investment banking fees to CAM and CGMI. The order also finds that SBFM and CGMI willfully violated Section 206(2) of the Advisers Act by virtue of the omissions discussed above and other misrepresentations and omissions in the materials provided to the Affected Funds’ boards, including the failure to make clear that the affiliated transfer agent would earn a high profit for performing limited functions while First Data continued to perform almost all of the transfer agent functions, and the suggestion that the proposed arrangement was in the Affected Funds’ best interests and that no viable alternatives existed.

SBFM and CGMI do not admit or deny any wrongdoing or liability. The settlement does not establish wrongdoing or liability for purposes of any other proceeding. The SEC censured SBFM and CGMI and ordered them to cease and desist from violations of Sections 206(1) and 206(2) of the Advisers Act. The order required Citigroup to pay $208.1 million, including $109 million in disgorgement of profits, $19.1 million in interest, and a civil money penalty of $80 million. Approximately $24.4 million has already been paid to the Affected Funds, primarily through fee waivers. The remaining $183.7 million, including the penalty, has been paid to the U.S. Treasury and will be distributed pursuant to a plan submitted for the approval of the SEC. At this time, there is no certainty as to how the above-described proceeds of the settlement will be distributed, to whom such distributions will be made, the methodology by which such distributions will be allocated, and when such distributions will be made. The order also required that transfer agency fees received from the Affected Funds since December 1, 2004, less certain expenses, be placed in escrow and provided that a portion of such fees might be subsequently distributed in accordance with the terms of the order. On April 3, 2006, an aggregate amount of approximately $9 million held in escrow was distributed to the Affected Funds.

The order required SBFM to recommend a new transfer agent contract to the Affected Funds’ boards within 180 days of the entry of the order; if a Citigroup affiliate submitted a proposal to serve as transfer agent or sub-transfer agent, SBFM and CGMI would have been required, at their expense, to engage an independent monitor to oversee a competitive bidding process. On November 21, 2005, and within the specified timeframe, the Affected Funds’ Boards selected a new transfer agent for the Affected Funds. No Citigroup affiliate submitted a proposal to serve as transfer agent. Under the order, SBFM also must comply with an amended version of a vendor policy that Citigroup instituted in August 2004.

Although there can be no assurance, the manager does not believe that this matter will have a material adverse effect on the Affected Funds.

On December 1, 2005, Citigroup completed the sale of substantially all of its global asset management business, including SBFM, to Legg Mason.

 

Fundamental Value Fund, Inc.         11


 

Choosing a class of shares to buy

Individual investors can generally choose among three classes of shares: Classes A, B and C shares. Individual investors that held Class I (formerly Class Y) shares prior to November 20, 2006, may continue to invest in Class I shares. Institutional and retirement plan investors and clients of financial intermediaries should refer to “Retirement and institutional investors” below for a description of the classes available to them. Each class has different sales charges and expenses, allowing you to choose the class that best meets your needs.

When choosing which class of shares to buy, you should consider:

n  

How much you plan to invest

n  

How long you expect to own the shares

n  

The expenses paid by each class detailed in the Fee table and Example at the front of this prospectus

n  

Whether you qualify for any reduction or waiver of sales charges

If you are choosing between Class A and Class B shares, it will in almost all cases be the more economical choice for you to purchase Class A shares if you plan to purchase shares in an amount of $100,000 or more (whether in a single purchase or through aggregation of eligible holdings). This is because of the reduced sales charge available on larger investments of Class A shares and the lower ongoing expenses of Class A shares compared to Class B shares.

If you intend to invest for only a few years, the effect of Class B contingent deferred sales charges on redemptions made within five years of purchase, as well as the effect of higher expenses of that class, might make an investment in Class C more appropriate. There is no initial sales charge on Class C shares, and the contingent deferred sales charge does not apply to shares redeemed one year after purchase.

However, if you plan to invest a large amount and your investment horizon is five years or more, Class C shares might not be as advantageous as Class A shares. This is because the annual asset-based sales charge on Class C shares will have a greater impact on your account over the longer term than the reduced front-end sales charge available for larger purchases of Class A shares.

You may buy shares from:

n  

Certain broker/dealers, financial intermediaries, financial institutions, a distributor’s financial advisors or registered representatives (each called a “Service Agent”)

n  

The fund, but only if you are investing through certain qualified plans or Service Agents.

Different types of shareholder services may be available to you under arrangements offered by different Service Agents. In addition, these services may vary depending on the share class in which you choose to invest. In making your decision regarding which share class to buy, please keep in mind that your Service Agent may receive different compensation depending on the share class in which you invest. Investors should consult with their Service Agent about comparative pricing of shareholder services available to them under each available share class, the compensation that will be received by their Service Agent in connection with each available share class, and other factors that may be relevant to the investor’s choice of share class in which to invest.

 

12         Legg Mason Partners


 

Not all classes of shares are available through each Service Agent. You should contact your Service Agent for further information.

Investment minimums

Minimum initial and additional investment amounts vary depending on the class of shares you buy and the nature of your investment.

 

    Investment Minimum
Initial/Additional Investment(1)
     Class A   Class B   Class C   Class I
(formerly Y)

General

  $500/$50   $500/$50   $500/$50   n/a
 

IRAs and Uniform Gifts or Transfers to Minor Accounts

  $250/$50   $250/$50   $250/$50   n/a
 

SIMPLE IRAs

  $1/$1   $1/$1   $1/$1   n/a
 

Systematic Investment Plans

  $25/$25   $25/$25   $25/$25   n/a
 

Clients of Eligible Financial Intermediaries

  $1/$1   n/a   n/a   None/None
 

Retirement Plans with omnibus accounts held on the books of the fund

  None/None   n/a   None/None   None/None
 

Other Retirement Plans

  $50/$50   $50/$50   $50/$50   n/a
 

Institutional Investors

  $500/$50   $500/$50   $500/$50   $1 million/None
 

 

(1)

 

Please refer to the section entitled “Retirement and institutional investors” for additional information regarding the investment minimum and eligibility requirements for Retirement Plans, Institutional Investors and Clients of Eligible Financial Intermediaries.

More information about the fund’s classes of shares is available through the Legg Mason Partners Funds’ website. You’ll find detailed information about sales charges and ways you can qualify for reduced or waived sales charges, including:

n  

The front-end sales charges that apply to the purchase of Class A shares

n  

The contingent deferred sales charges that apply to the redemption of Class B shares, Class C shares and certain Class A shares (redeemed within one year)

n  

Who qualifies for lower sales charges on Class A shares

n  

Who qualifies for a sales load waiver

Go to http://www.leggmason.com/InvestorServices and click on the name of the fund.

 

Fundamental Value Fund, Inc.         13


 

Comparing the fund’s classes

The following table compares key features of the fund’s classes. You should review the Fee table and Example at the front of this prospectus carefully before choosing your share class. Your Service Agent can help you decide which class meets your goals. Your Service Agent may receive different compensation depending upon which class you choose.

 

     Class A   Class B   Class C   Class I
(formerly Y)
Key features  

n  Initial sales charge

n  You may qualify for reduction or waiver of initial sales charge

n  Generally lower annual expenses than Class B and Class C

 

n  No initial sales charge

n  Contingent deferred sales charge declines over time

n  Converts to Class A after approximately 8 years

n  Generally higher annual expenses than Class A

 

n  No initial sales charge

n  Contingent deferred sales charge for only 1 year

n  Does not convert to Class A

n  Generally higher annual expenses than Class A

 

n  No initial or contingent deferred sales charge

n  Only offered to institutional and other eligible investors

n  Generally lower expenses than the other classes

Initial sales charge  

Up to 5.75%; reduced or waived for large purchases and certain investors. No charge for purchases of $1 million or more

 

None

 

None

 

None

Contingent deferred sales charge  

1.00% on purchases of $1 million or more if you redeem within 1 year of purchase; waived for certain investors

 

Up to 5.00% charged when you redeem shares. This charge is reduced over time and there is no contingent deferred sales charge after 5 years; waived for certain investors

 

1.00% if you redeem within 1 year of purchase; waived for certain investors

 

None

Annual distribution and service fees  

0.25% of average daily net assets

 

1.00% of average daily net assets

 

1.00% of average daily net assets

 

None

Exchange Privilege(1)  

Class A shares of most Legg Mason Partners Funds

 

Class B shares of most Legg Mason Partners Funds

 

Class C shares of most Legg Mason Partners Funds

 

Class I shares of most Legg Mason Partners Funds

 

(1)

 

Ask your Service Agent for the Legg Mason Partners Funds available for exchange.

 

14          Legg Mason Partners


 

Sales charge

Class A shares

You buy Class A shares at the offering price, which is the net asset value plus a sales charge. You pay a lower sales charge as the size of your investment increases to certain levels called breakpoints. You do not pay a sales charge on the fund’s distributions or dividends you reinvest in additional Class A shares.

The table below shows the rate of sales charge you pay, depending on the amount you purchase, for purchases made on or after November 20, 2006. The table below also shows the amount of broker/dealer compensation that will be paid out of the sales charge. For Class A shares sold by LMIS, LMIS will receive the sales charge imposed on purchases of Class A shares (or any contingent deferred sales charge paid on redemptions) and will retain the full amount of such sales charge. For Class A shares sold by CGMI, CGMI will receive the sales charge imposed on purchases of Class A shares and will retain an amount equal to the broker/dealer commission paid out of the sales charge. LMIS will receive any portion not retained by CGMI. For Class A shares sold by PFS, PFS will receive the sales charge imposed on purchases of Class A shares (or any contingent deferred sales charge paid on redemptions) and will retain the full amount of such sales charge. Service Agents (including CGMI and PFS) will also receive a distribution/service fee payable on Class A shares at an annual rate of up to 0.25% of the average daily net assets represented by the Class A shares serviced by them.

 

Amount of investment   Sales Charge
as % of
offering price
  Sales Charge as
% of net
amount invested
  Broker/Dealer
Commission
as % of
Offering Price

Less than $25,000

  5.75   6.10   5.00
 

$25,000 but less than $50,000

  5.00   5.26   4.25
 

$50,000 but less than $100,000

  4.50   4.71   3.75
 

$100,000 but less than $250,000

  3.50   3.63   2.75
 

$250,000 but less than $500,000

  2.50   2.56   2.00
 

$500,000 but less than $750,000

  2.00   2.04   1.60
 

$750,000 but less than $1 million

  1.50   1.52   1.20
 

$1 million or more(1)

  -0-   -0-   up to 1.00
 

 

(1)

 

A distributor may pay a commission of up to 1.00% to a Service Agent for purchase amounts of $1 million or more. In such cases, starting in the thirteenth month after purchase, the Service Agent will also receive an annual distribution/service fee of up to 0.25% of the average daily net assets represented by the Class A shares held by its clients. Prior to the thirteenth month, the distributor will retain this fee. Where the Service Agent does not receive the payment of this commission, the Service Agent will instead receive the annual distribution/service fee starting immediately after purchase. Please contact your Service Agent for more information.

Investments of $1,000,000 or more

You do not pay an initial sales charge when you buy $1,000,000 or more of Class A shares. However, if you redeem these Class A shares within one year of purchase, you will pay a contingent deferred sales charge of 1.00%.

 

Fundamental Value Fund, Inc.         15


 

Qualifying for a reduced Class A sales charge

There are several ways you can combine multiple purchases of Class A shares of Legg Mason Partners Funds to take advantage of the breakpoints in the sales charge schedule. In order to take advantage of reductions in sales charges that may be available to you when you purchase fund shares, you must inform your Service Agent or Legg Mason Partners Shareholder Services if you are eligible for a letter of intent or a right of accumulation and if you own shares of other Legg Mason Partners Funds that are eligible to be aggregated with your purchases. Certain records, such as account statements, may be necessary in order to verify your eligibility for reduced sales charges.

n  

Accumulation privilege – allows you to combine the current value of Class A shares of the fund with other shares of Legg Mason Partners Funds that are owned by:

  ¨  

you; or

  ¨  

your spouse and children under the age of 21

with the dollar amount of your next purchase of Class A shares for purposes of calculating the initial sales charge.

Shares of certain money market funds advised by the manager or its affiliates (other than money market fund shares acquired by exchange from other Legg Mason Partners Funds offered with a sales charge), Legg Mason Partners S&P 500 Index Fund and Class O shares of Legg Mason Partners Equity Fund, Inc. may not be combined.

If you hold shares of Legg Mason Partners Funds in accounts at two or more Service Agents, please contact your Service Agents to determine which shares may be combined.

Certain trustees and fiduciaries may be entitled to combine accounts in determining their sales charge.

n  

Letter of intent – allows you to purchase Class A shares of Legg Mason Partners Funds over a 13-month period and pay the same sales charge on Class A shares, if any, as if all shares had been purchased at once. At the time you enter into the letter of intent, you select your asset goal amount. Generally, purchases of Legg Mason Partners Fund shares that are purchased during the 13-month period by:

  ¨  

you; or

  ¨  

your spouse and children under the age of 21

are eligible for inclusion under the letter, based on the public offering price at the time of the purchase, and any capital appreciation on those shares. You may also backdate your letter up to 90 days in which case eligible purchases made during that period will be treated as purchases made under the letter. In addition, you can include towards your asset goal amount the current value of any eligible purchases that were made prior to the date of entering into the letter of intent and are still held.

If you hold shares of Legg Mason Partners Funds in accounts at two or more Service Agents, please contact your Service Agents to determine which shares may be credited towards your letter of intent asset goal.

Shares of certain money market funds advised by the manager or its affiliates (other than money market fund shares acquired by exchange from other Legg Mason Partners Funds offered with a sales charge), Legg Mason Partners S&P 500 Index Fund and Class O shares of Legg Mason Partners Equity Fund, Inc. may not be credited toward your letter of intent asset goal.

If you do not meet your asset goal amount, shares in the amount of any sales charges due, based on the amount of your actual purchases, will be redeemed from your account.

 

16         Legg Mason Partners


 

Waivers for certain Class A investors

Class A initial sales charges are waived for certain types of investors, including:

n  

Employees of Service Agents having dealer, service or other selling agreements with the fund’s distributors

n  

Investors who redeemed Class A shares of a Legg Mason Partners Fund in the past 60 days, if the investor’s Service Agent is notified

n  

Directors and officers of any Legg Mason-sponsored fund

n  

Employees of Legg Mason and its subsidiaries

If you qualify for a waiver of the Class A initial sales charge, you must notify your Service Agent or the transfer agent at the time of purchase and provide sufficient information at the time of purchase to permit verification that the purchase qualifies for the initial sales charge waiver.

If you want to learn about additional waivers of Class A initial sales charges, contact your Service Agent, consult the SAI or look at the Legg Mason Partners Funds’ website, http://www.leggmason.com/InvestorServices, and click on the name of the fund.

Class B shares

You buy Class B shares at net asset value without paying an initial sales charge. However, if you redeem your Class B shares within five years of your purchase payment, you will pay a contingent deferred sales charge. The contingent deferred sales charge decreases as the number of years since your purchase payment increases.

 

Year after purchase   1st     2nd     3rd     4th     5th     6th through 8th  

Contingent deferred sales charge

  5 %   4 %   3 %   2 %   1 %   0 %
   

LMIS will pay Service Agents other than PFS, including CGMI, selling Class B shares a commission of up to 4.00% of the purchase price of the Class B shares they sell, and LMIS will retain the contingent deferred sales charges. For Class B shares sold by PFS, PFS will pay a commission of up to 4.00% of the purchase price of the Class B shares sold by its Service Agents and will retain the contingent deferred sales charges paid upon certain redemptions. Service Agents also receive an annual distribution/service fee of up to 0.25% of the average daily net assets represented by the Class B shares serviced by them.

Class B conversion

After approximately 8 years, Class B shares automatically convert into Class A shares. This helps you because Class A shares have lower annual expenses. Your Class B shares will convert to Class A shares as follows:

 

Shares issued:
At initial purchase
   Shares issued:
On reinvestment of
dividends and
distributions
   Shares issued:
Upon exchange from
another Legg Mason
Partners Fund
Approximately 8 years after the date of purchase payment    In same proportion as the number of Class B shares converting is to total Class B shares you own (excluding shares issued as dividends)    On the date the shares originally acquired would have converted into Class A shares
 

 

Fundamental Value Fund, Inc.         17


 

Class C shares

You buy Class C shares at net asset value without paying an initial sales charge. However, if you redeem your Class C shares within one year of purchase, you will pay a contingent deferred sales charge of 1.00%.

LMIS will generally pay Service Agents selling Class C shares (other than shares sold to omnibus accounts of retirement plans held on the books of the fund) a commission of up to 1.00% of the purchase price of the Class C shares they sell and LMIS will retain the contingent deferred sales charges and an annual distribution/service fee of up to 1.00% of the average daily net assets represented by the Class C shares serviced by these Service Agents until the thirteenth month after purchase. Starting in the thirteenth month after purchase, these Service Agents will receive an annual distribution/service fee of up to 1.00% of the average daily net assets represented by the Class C shares serviced by them.

Class I shares (formerly Class Y shares)

Class I shares are purchased at net asset value with no initial sales charge and no contingent deferred sales charge when redeemed. See “Retirement and institutional investors — Class I” below for additional information regarding investor eligibility and investment minimums.

 

18         Legg Mason Partners


 

More about contingent deferred sales charges

The contingent deferred sales charge is based on the net asset value at the time of purchase or redemption, whichever is less, and therefore you do not pay a sales charge on amounts representing appreciation or depreciation.

In addition, you do not pay a contingent deferred sales charge on:

n  

Shares exchanged for shares of another Legg Mason Partners Fund

n  

Shares representing reinvested distributions and dividends

n  

Shares no longer subject to the contingent deferred sales charge

Each time you place a request to redeem shares, the fund will first redeem any shares in your account that are not subject to a contingent deferred sales charge and then the shares in your account that have been held the longest.

If you redeemed shares of a Legg Mason Partners Fund and paid a contingent deferred sales charge, you may, under certain circumstances, reinvest all or part of the redemption proceeds within 60 days and receive pro rata credit for any contingent deferred sales charge imposed on the prior redemption. Please contact your Service Agent for additional information.

The fund’s distributors receive contingent deferred sales charges as partial compensation for their expenses in selling shares, including the payment of compensation to your Service Agent.

Contingent deferred sales charge waivers

The contingent deferred sales charge for each share class will generally be waived:

n  

On payments made through certain systematic withdrawal plans

n  

On certain distributions from a retirement plan

n  

For involuntary redemptions of small account balances

n  

For 12 months following the death or disability of a shareholder

If you want to learn more about additional waivers of contingent deferred sales charges, contact your Service Agent, consult the SAI or look at the Legg Mason Partners Funds’ website, http://www.leggmason.com/InvestorServices, and click on the name of the fund.

 

Fundamental Value Fund, Inc.         19


 

Retirement and institutional investors

Eligible investors

Retirement plans

Retirement Plans with omnibus accounts held on the books of the fund can generally choose among three classes of shares: Class C, Class A and Class I (formerly Class Y) shares.

“Retirement Plans” include 401(k) plans, 457 plans, employer-sponsored 403(b) plans, profit-sharing plans, non-qualified deferred compensation plans and other similar employer-sponsored retirement plans. Retirement Plans do not include individual retirement vehicles, such as traditional and Roth individual retirement accounts, Coverdell education savings accounts, individual 403(b)(7) custodial accounts, Keogh plans, SEPs, SARSEPs, SIMPLE IRAs, or Section 529 savings accounts. Although Retirement Plans with omnibus accounts held on the books of the fund are not subject to minimum initial investment requirements for any of these share classes, certain investment minimums may be imposed by a financial intermediary.

Other Retirement Plan investors (including, for example, employer-sponsored plans investing through brokerage accounts), can generally choose among three classes of shares: Class A, Class B and Class C. Individual retirement vehicles, such as IRAs, may also choose among these share classes. These types of investors are treated like individual investors for purposes of determining investment minimums, sales charges and any applicable sales charge reductions or waivers.

Clients of eligible financial intermediaries

Clients of Eligible Financial Intermediaries may generally choose between two classes of shares: Class A and Class I. “Clients of Eligible Financial Intermediaries” are investors who invest in the fund through financial intermediaries that offer their clients fund shares through investment programs as authorized by LMIS. Such investment programs may include fee-based advisory or brokerage account programs, and college savings vehicles such as Section 529 plans. The financial intermediary may impose separate investment minimums.

Institutional investors

Institutional Investors may invest in Class I shares if they meet the $1,000,000 minimum initial investment requirement. Institutional Investors may also invest in Class A, B and C shares, which have different investment minimums and fees and expenses. “Institutional Investors” generally include corporations, banks, insurance companies, foundations, retirement plans and other similar entities with direct relationships to the fund.

Class C — Retirement plans

Retirement Plans with omnibus accounts held on the books of the fund may buy Class C shares at net asset value without paying an initial sales charge. As of November 20, 2006, LMIS no longer pays Service Agents selling Class C shares to retirement plans with omnibus accounts held on the books of a fund a commission on the purchase price of Class C shares sold by them. Instead, immediately after purchase, LMIS will pay these Service Agents an annual distribution/service fee of up to 1.00% of the average daily net assets

 

20         Legg Mason Partners


 

represented by the Class C shares serviced by them. For purchases made by Retirement Plans with omnibus accounts held on the books of the fund on or after November 20, 2006, the contingent deferred sales charge on shares redeemed within one year of purchase is waived.

Certain retirement plan programs with exchange features in effect prior to November 20, 2006, as approved by LMIS, will remain eligible for exchange from Class C shares to Class A shares in accordance with the program terms. Please read the SAI for more details.

Class I

As of November 20, 2006, Class Y shares were renamed Class I shares and are offered only to Institutional Investors who meet the $1,000,000 minimum initial investment requirement, Clients of Eligible Financial Intermediaries, and other investors as authorized by LMIS. However, investors that held Class I shares prior to that date will be permitted to make additional investments in Class I shares.

Class A — Retirement plans

Retirement Plans with omnibus accounts held on the books of the fund may purchase Class A shares through programs sponsored by financial intermediaries. Under these programs, the initial sales charge and contingent deferred sales charge for Class A shares is waived where:

n  

Such Retirement Plan’s record keeper offers only load-waived shares,

n  

Fund shares are held on the books of the fund through an omnibus account, and

n  

The Retirement Plan has more than 100 participants, or has total assets exceeding $1 million.

As of November 20, 2006, LMIS no longer pays Service Agents selling Class A shares to Retirement Plans with a direct omnibus relationship with the fund a commission on the purchase price of Class A shares sold by them. However, for certain Retirement Plans that are permitted to purchase shares at net asset value on or after this date, LMIS may continue to pay Service Agents commissions of up to 1.00% of the purchase price of the additional Class A shares that are purchased with regular ongoing plan contributions. Please contact your Service Agent for more information.

Other considerations

Plan sponsors, plan fiduciaries and other financial intermediaries may choose to impose qualification requirements for plans that differ from the fund’s share class eligibility standards. In certain cases this could result in the selection of a share class with higher service and distribution-related fees than otherwise would have been charged. The fund is not responsible for, and has no control over, the decision of any plan sponsor, plan fiduciary or financial intermediary to impose such differing requirements. Please consult with your plan sponsor, plan fiduciary or financial intermediary for more information about available share classes.

With respect to Class A and Class C shares, the fund may pay a fee for recordkeeping services performed for the applicable share class.

Not all share classes may be made available by your Service Agent; please contact your Service Agent for additional details.

 

Fundamental Value Fund, Inc.         21


 

Buying shares

 

Through a Service Agent   

You should contact your Service Agent to open a brokerage account and make arrangements to buy shares. You must provide the following information for your order to be processed:

n Class of shares being bought

n Dollar amount or number of shares being bought

n Account number (if existing account)

Your Service Agent may charge an annual account maintenance fee.

 
Through the fund   

Financial intermediary accounts, retirement plan accounts and certain other investors who are clients of certain Service Agents are eligible to buy shares directly from the fund.

n Clients of a PFS Registered Representative should write to the fund at the following address:

Legg Mason Partners Funds

c/o PFPC Inc.

P.O. Box 9662

Providence, Rhode Island 02940-9662

n All other investors should write to the fund at the following address:

Legg Mason Partners Funds

c/o PFPC Inc.

P.O. Box 9699

Providence, Rhode Island 02940-9699

  

n Enclose a check to pay for the shares. For initial purchases, complete and send an account application available upon request from Legg Mason Partners Shareholder Services at the number below

n Specify the name of the fund, the share class you wish to purchase and your account number (if existing account)

n For more information, please call Legg Mason Partners Shareholder Services at 800-451-2010 or Primerica Shareholder Services at 800-544-5445

 
Through a systematic investment plan   

You may authorize your Service Agent or the transfer agent to transfer funds automatically from (i) a regular bank account, (ii) cash held in a brokerage account with a Service Agent or (iii) certain money market funds, in order to buy shares on a regular basis.

n Amounts transferred must be at least $25

n Amounts may be transferred monthly, every alternate month, quarterly, semi-annually or annually

n If you do not have sufficient funds in your account on a transfer date, your Service Agent or the transfer agent may charge you a fee

 

For more information, contact your Service Agent or Legg Mason Partners Shareholder Services or consult the SAI.

 

22         Legg Mason Partners


 

Exchanging shares

 

Legg Mason Partners offers a distinctive family of funds tailored to help meet the varying needs of both large and small investors   

You should contact your Service Agent to exchange into other Legg Mason Partners Funds. Be sure to read the prospectus of the Legg Mason Partners Fund into which you are exchanging. An exchange is a taxable transaction, unless you are investing through a tax-qualified savings plan or account.

n If you bought shares through a Service Agent, you may exchange shares only for shares of the same class of certain other Legg Mason Partners Funds made available for exchange by your Service Agent. Not all Legg Mason Partners Funds made available for exchange by your Service Agent may offer all classes. Please contact your Service Agent for more information about the funds and classes that are available for exchange

n If you bought shares directly from the fund, you may exchange shares only for shares of the same class of another Legg Mason Partners Fund, other than shares of Legg Mason Partners S&P 500 Index Fund. Not all Legg Mason Partners Funds offer all classes

n Not all Legg Mason Partners Funds may be offered in your state of residence. Contact your Service Agent or the transfer agent for further information

  

n Exchanges of Class A, B and C shares are subject to minimum investment requirements (except for systematic investment plan exchanges), and all shares are subject to the other requirements of the fund into which exchanges are made

n If you hold share certificates, the transfer agent must receive the certificates endorsed for transfer or with signed stock powers before the exchange is effective

n The fund may suspend or terminate your exchange privilege if you engage in an excessive pattern of exchanges

 
Waiver of additional sales charges   

Your shares will not be subject to an initial sales charge at the time of the exchange.

Your contingent deferred sales charge (if any) will continue to be measured from the date of your original purchase of shares subject to a contingent deferred sales charge and you will be subject to the contingent deferred sales charge of the fund that you originally purchased.

 
By telephone    If you do not have a brokerage account with a Service Agent, you may be eligible to exchange shares through the fund. You must complete an authorization form to authorize telephone transfers. If eligible, you may make telephone exchanges on any day the New York Stock Exchange Inc. (“NYSE”) is open. For clients of a PFS Registered Representative, call Primerica Shareholder Services

 

Fundamental Value Fund, Inc.         23


 

   at 800-544-5445 between 8:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m. (Eastern time). All other shareholders should call Legg Mason Partners Shareholder Services at 800-451-2010 between 8:30 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. (Eastern time). Exchanges are priced at the net asset value next determined.
  

You can make telephone exchanges only between accounts that have identical registrations.

 
By mail    If you do not have a brokerage account, contact your Service Agent or write to the fund at the address on the following page.
 
Through a systematic exchange plan   

You may be permitted to schedule exchanges of shares of any class of the fund for shares of the same class of other Legg Mason Partners Funds.

n Exchanges may be made monthly, every alternate month, quarterly, semi-annually or annually

n A predetermined dollar amount of at least $25 per exchange is required

 

For more information, please contact your Service Agent or Legg Mason Partners Shareholder Services.

 

24          Legg Mason Partners


 

Redeeming shares

 

Generally   

Contact your Service Agent to redeem shares of the fund.

If you hold share certificates, the transfer agent must receive the certificates endorsed for transfer or with signed stock powers before you may redeem.

If the shares are held by a fiduciary or corporation, other documents may be required.

Redemptions are priced at net asset value next determined after receipt of your request in good order.

Your redemption proceeds will normally be sent within three business days after your request is received in good order, but in any event within 7 days. Your redemption proceeds may be delayed for up to 10 days if your purchase was made by check.

If you have a brokerage account with a Service Agent, your redemption proceeds will be sent to your Service Agent. In other cases, unless you direct otherwise, your redemption proceeds will be paid by check mailed to your address of record.

 
By mail   

Send written requests to the fund at the following address:

For clients of a PFS Registered Representative, write Primerica Shareholder Services at the following address:

Primerica Shareholder Services

c/o PFPC Inc.

P.O. Box 9662

Providence, Rhode Island 02940-9662

For all other investors, send your request to:

Legg Mason Partners Funds

c/o PFPC Inc.

P.O. Box 9699

Providence, Rhode Island 02940-9699

Your written request must provide the following:

n The fund name, the class of shares to be redeemed, and your account number

n The dollar amount or number of shares to be redeemed

n Signatures of each owner exactly as the account is registered

n Signature guarantees, as applicable

 
By telephone    If you do not have a brokerage account with a Service Agent, you may be eligible to redeem shares (except those held in certain retirement plans) in amounts up to $50,000 per day through the fund. You must complete an authorization form to authorize telephone redemptions. If eligible, you may request redemptions by telephone on any day the NYSE is open. For clients of a PFS Registered Representative, call Primerica Shareholder Services at 800-544-5445 between 8:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m. (Eastern time). All other

 

Fundamental Value Fund, Inc.         25


 

  

shareholders should call Legg Mason Partners Shareholder Services at 800-451-2010 between 8:30 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. (Eastern time).

Your redemption proceeds can be sent by check to your address of record or by wire or electronic transfer (ACH) to a bank account designated on your authorization form. You must submit a new authorization form to change the bank account designated to receive wire or electronic transfers and you may be asked to provide certain other documents. The transfer agent may charge a fee on a wire or an electronic transfer (ACH).

 
Automatic cash withdrawal plans    You can arrange for the automatic redemption of a portion of your shares monthly, every alternate month, quarterly, semi-annually or annually. To qualify you must own shares of the fund with a value of at least $10,000 ($5,000 for retirement plan accounts) and each automatic redemption must be at least $50. If your shares are subject to a contingent deferred sales charge, the sales charge will be waived if your automatic redemptions are equal to or less 2.00% per month of your account balance on the date the withdrawals commence, up to a maximum of 12.00% in one year.
  

The following conditions apply:

n Your shares must not be represented by certificates

n All dividends and distributions must be reinvested

 

For more information, please contact your Service Agent or consult the SAI.

 

26          Legg Mason Partners


 

Other things to know about transactions

When you buy, exchange or redeem shares, your request must be in good order. This means you have provided the following information, without which your request may not be processed:

n  

Name of the fund

n  

Your account number

n  

Class of shares being bought, and if you own more than one class, the class of shares being exchanged or redeemed

n  

Dollar amount or number of shares being bought, exchanged or redeemed

n  

Signature of each owner exactly as the account is registered

The fund’s transfer agent or Legg Mason Partners Shareholder Services will employ reasonable procedures to confirm that any telephone exchange or redemption request is genuine, which may include recording calls, asking the caller to provide certain personal identification information, sending you a written confirmation or requiring other confirmation procedures from time to time. If these procedures are followed, neither the fund nor its agent will bear any liability for such transactions.

Signature guarantees

To be in good order, your redemption request must include a signature guarantee if you:

n  

Are redeeming over $50,000

n  

Are sending signed share certificates or stock powers to the transfer agent

n  

Instruct the transfer agent to mail the check to an address different from the one on your account registration

n  

Changed your account registration or your address within 30 days

n  

Want the check paid to someone other than the account owner(s)

n  

Are transferring the redemption proceeds to an account with a different registration

You can obtain a signature guarantee from most banks, dealers, brokers, credit unions and federal savings and loan institutions, but not from a notary public.

The fund has the right to:

n  

Suspend the offering of shares

n  

Waive or change minimum and additional investment amounts

n  

Reject any purchase or exchange order

n  

Change, revoke or suspend the exchange privilege

n  

Suspend telephone transactions

n  

Suspend or postpone redemptions of shares on any day when trading on the NYSE is restricted, or as otherwise permitted by the SEC

n  

Pay redemption proceeds by giving you securities. You may pay transaction costs to dispose of the securities

Small account balances/Mandatory redemptions

If at any time the aggregate net asset value of the fund shares in your account is less than $500 for any reason (including solely due to declines in net asset value and/or failure to invest at least $500 within a reasonable period), the fund reserves the right to ask you to bring your account up to the applicable minimum investment amount as determined by

 

Fundamental Value Fund, Inc.         27


 

your Service Agent. In such case you shall be notified in writing and will have 60 days to make an additional investment to bring your account value up to the required level. If you choose not to do so within this 60-day period, the fund may close your account and send you the redemption proceeds. In the event your account is closed due to a failure to increase your balance to the minimum required amount, you will not be eligible to have your account subsequently reinstated without imposition of any sales charges that may apply to your new purchase. The fund may, with prior notice, change the minimum size of accounts subject to mandatory redemption, which may vary by class, or implement fees for small accounts.

Subject to applicable law, the fund may, with prior notice, adopt other policies from time to time requiring mandatory redemption of shares in certain circumstances.

For more information, please contact your Service Agent or Legg Mason Partners Shareholder Services or consult the SAI.

Frequent purchases and redemptions of fund shares

Frequent purchases and redemptions of fund shares may interfere with the efficient management of the fund’s portfolio by its portfolio managers, increase portfolio transaction costs, and have a negative effect on the fund’s long-term shareholders. For example, in order to handle large flows of cash into and out of the fund, the portfolio managers may need to allocate more assets to cash or other short-term investments or sell securities, rather than maintaining full investment in securities selected to achieve the fund’s investment objective. Frequent trading may cause the fund to sell securities at less favorable prices. Transaction costs, such as brokerage commissions and market spreads, can detract from the fund’s performance. In addition, the return received by long-term shareholders may be reduced when trades by other shareholders are made in an effort to take advantage of certain pricing discrepancies, when, for example, it is believed that the fund’s share price, which is determined at the close of the NYSE on each trading day, does not accurately reflect the value of the fund’s portfolio securities. Funds investing in foreign securities have been particularly susceptible to this form of arbitrage, but other funds could also be affected.

Because of the potential harm to the fund and its long-term shareholders, the Board of the fund has approved policies and procedures that are intended to discourage and prevent excessive trading and market timing abuses through the use of various surveillance techniques. Under these policies and procedures, the fund may limit additional exchanges or purchases of fund shares by shareholders who are believed by the manager to be engaged in these abusive trading activities. The intent of the policies and procedures is not to inhibit legitimate strategies, such as asset allocation, dollar cost averaging, or similar activities that may nonetheless result in frequent trading of fund shares. For this reason, the Board has not adopted any specific restrictions on purchases and sales of fund shares, but the fund reserves the right to reject any exchange or purchase of fund shares with or without prior notice to the account holder. In cases where surveillance of a particular account establishes what the manager believes to be obvious market timing, the manager will seek to block future purchases and exchanges of fund shares by that account. Where surveillance of a particular account indicates activity that the manager believes could be either abusive or for legitimate purposes, the fund may permit the account holder to justify the activity.

 

28         Legg Mason Partners


 

The policies apply to any account, whether an individual account or accounts with financial intermediaries such as investment advisers, broker/dealers or retirement plan administrators, commonly called omnibus accounts, where the intermediary holds fund shares for a number of its customers in one account. The fund’s ability to monitor trading in omnibus accounts may, however, be severely limited due to the lack of access to an individual investor’s trading activity when orders are placed through these types of accounts. There may also be operational and technological limitations on the ability of the fund’s service providers to identify or terminate frequent trading activity within the various types of omnibus accounts.

The fund’s policies also require personnel such as portfolio managers and investment staff to report any abnormal or otherwise suspicious investment activity, and prohibit short-term trades by such personnel for their own account in mutual funds managed by the manager and its affiliates, other than money market funds. Additionally, the fund has adopted policies and procedures to prevent the selective release of information about the fund’s portfolio holdings, as such information may be used for market-timing and similar abusive practices.

The fund’s policies provide for ongoing assessment of the effectiveness of current policies and surveillance tools, and the Board reserves the right to modify these or adopt additional policies and restrictions in the future. Shareholders should be aware, however, that any surveillance techniques currently employed by the fund or other techniques that may be adopted in the future may not be effective, particularly where the trading takes place through certain types of omnibus accounts. As noted above, if the fund is unable to detect and deter trading abuses, the fund’s performance, and its long-term shareholders, may be harmed. In addition, because the fund has not adopted any specific limitations or restrictions on the trading of fund shares, shareholders may be harmed by the extra costs and portfolio management inefficiencies that result from frequent trading of fund shares, even when the trading is not for abusive purposes. Furthermore, the fund may not apply its policies consistently or uniformly, resulting in the risk that some shareholders may be able to engage in frequent trading while others will bear the costs and effects of that trading. The fund will provide advance notice to shareholders and prospective investors of any specific restrictions on the trading of fund shares that the Board may adopt in the future.

Share certificates

Share certificates for the fund will no longer be issued. If you currently hold share certificates of the fund, such certificates will continue to be honored. If you would like to return your share certificates to the fund and hold your shares in uncertificated form, please contact your Service Agent or Legg Mason Partners Shareholder Services.

Record ownership

If you hold shares through a Service Agent, your Service Agent may establish and maintain your account and be the shareholder of record. In the event that the fund holds a shareholder meeting, your Service Agent, as record holder, will vote your shares in accordance with your instructions. If you do not give your Service Agent voting instructions, your Service Agent may nonetheless, under certain circumstances, be entitled to vote your shares.

 

Fundamental Value Fund, Inc.         29


 

Dividends, distributions and taxes

Dividends and distributions

The fund generally pays dividends and makes capital gain distributions, if any, once a year, typically in December. The fund may pay additional distributions and dividends at other times if necessary for the fund to avoid a federal tax. The fund expects distributions to be primarily from capital gain. Unless otherwise directed, capital gain distributions and dividends are reinvested in additional fund shares of the same class you hold. You do not pay a sales charge on reinvested distributions or dividends. Alternatively, you can instruct your Service Agent or Legg Mason Partners Shareholder Services to have your distributions and/or dividends paid in cash. You can change your choice at any time to be effective as of the next distribution or dividend.

Taxes

In general, redeeming shares, exchanging shares and receiving dividends and distributions (whether in cash or additional shares) are all taxable events.

The following table summarizes the tax status to you of certain transactions related to the funds.

 

Transaction    Federal tax status
Redemption or exchange of shares    Usually capital gain or loss; long-term only if shares owned more than one year
 
Long-term capital gain distributions    Long-term capital gain
 
Dividends    Ordinary income; for individuals potentially taxable at long-term capital gain rates
 

Distributions attributable to short-term capital gains are treated as dividends, taxable as ordinary income. Dividends and long-term capital gain distributions are taxable whether received in cash or reinvested in additional fund shares. Although dividends (including dividends from short-term capital gains) are generally taxable as ordinary income, individual shareholders who satisfy certain holding period and other requirements are taxed on such dividends at long-term capital gain rates to the extent the dividends are attributable to “qualified dividend income” received by the fund. “Qualified dividend income” generally consists of dividends received from U.S. corporations (other than dividends from tax-exempt organizations and certain dividends from real estate investment trusts and regulated investment companies) and certain foreign corporations.

Long-term capital gain distributions are taxable to you as long-term capital gain regardless of how long you have owned your shares. You may want to avoid buying shares when the fund is about to declare a capital gain distribution or a dividend, because it will be taxable to you even though it may actually be a return of a portion of your investment.

After the end of each year, your Service Agent or the fund will provide you with information about the distributions and dividends you received and any redemptions of shares during the previous year. If you do not provide the fund with your correct taxpayer identification number and any required certifications, you may be subject to back-up

 

30         Legg Mason Partners


 

withholding on your distributions, dividends, and redemption proceeds. Because each shareholder’s circumstances are different and special tax rules may apply, you should consult your tax adviser about your investment in the fund.

The above discussion is applicable to shareholders who are U.S. persons. If you are a non-U.S. person, please consult your own tax adviser with respect to the tax consequences to you of an investment in the fund.

 

Fundamental Value Fund, Inc.         31


 

Share price

You may buy, exchange or redeem shares at their net asset value next determined after receipt of your request in good order, plus any applicable sales charge. The fund’s net asset value per share is the value of its assets minus its liabilities divided by the number of shares outstanding. Net asset value is calculated separately for each class of shares. The fund calculates its net asset value every day the NYSE is open. This calculation is done when regular trading closes on the NYSE (normally 4:00 p.m., Eastern time). The NYSE is closed on certain holidays listed in the SAI.

The Board has approved procedures to be used to value the fund’s securities for the purposes of determining the fund’s net asset value. The valuation of the securities of the fund is determined in good faith by or under the direction of the Board. The Board has delegated certain valuation functions for the fund to the manager.

The fund generally values its securities based on market prices determined at the close of regular trading on the NYSE. The fund’s currency valuations, if any, are done as of when the London Stock Exchange closes, which is usually at 12 noon Eastern time, as the manager believes that these valuations typically reflect the largest trading volume in the foreign currency markets. A material change in the value of currency during the period between the close of the London Stock Exchange and the calculation of the fund’s net asset value on the same date is considered a significant event, as described below, in response to which the fund may use fair valuation procedures to value the affected investments. For equity securities that are traded on an exchange, the market price is usually the closing sale or official closing price on that exchange. In the case of securities not traded on an exchange, or if such closing prices are not otherwise available, the market price is typically determined by independent third party pricing vendors approved by the fund’s Board using a variety of pricing techniques and methodologies. The market price for debt obligations is generally the price supplied by an independent third party pricing service approved by the fund’s Board, which may use a matrix, formula or other objective method that takes into consideration market indices, yield curves and other specific adjustments. Short-term debt obligations that will mature in 60 days or less are valued at amortized cost, unless it is determined that using this method would not reflect an investment’s fair value. If vendors are unable to supply a price, or if the price supplied is deemed by the manager to be unreliable, the market price may be determined using quotations received from one or more brokers/dealers that make a market in the security. When such prices or quotations are not available, or when the manager believes that they are unreliable, the manager may price securities using fair value procedures approved by the Board. Because the fund invests in securities of small capitalization companies — some of which may be thinly traded, for which market quotations may not be readily available or may be unreliable — the fund may use fair valuation procedures more frequently than funds that invest primarily in securities that are more liquid, such as securities of large capitalization domestic issuers. The fund may also use fair value procedures if the manager determines that a significant event has occurred between the time at which a market price is determined and the time at which the fund’s net asset value is calculated. In particular, the value of foreign securities may be materially affected by events occurring after the close of the market on which they are valued, but before the fund prices its shares. The fund uses a fair value model

 

32         Legg Mason Partners


 

developed by an independent third party pricing service to price foreign equity securities on days when there is a certain percentage change in the value of a domestic equity security index, as such percentage may be determined by the manager from time to time.

Valuing securities at fair value involves greater reliance on judgment than valuation of securities based on readily available market quotations. A fund that uses fair value to price securities may value those securities higher or lower than another fund using market quotations or its own fair value methodologies to price the same securities. There can be no assurance that the fund could obtain the fair value assigned to a security if it were to sell the security at approximately the time at which the fund determines its net asset value.

International markets may be open on days when U.S. markets are closed and the value of foreign securities owned by the fund could change on days when you cannot buy or redeem shares.

In order to buy, redeem or exchange shares at that day’s price, you must place your order with your Service Agent or the transfer agent before the NYSE closes. If the NYSE closes early, you must place your order prior to the actual closing time.

It is the responsibility of the Service Agents to transmit all orders to buy, exchange or redeem shares to the transfer agent on a timely basis.

 

Fundamental Value Fund, Inc.         33


 

Financial highlights

The financial highlights tables are intended to help you understand the performance of each class for the past 5 years. Certain information reflects financial results for a single share. Total return represents the rate that a shareholder would have earned (or lost) on a fund share assuming reinvestment of all dividends and distributions and does not reflect an initial sales charge or contingent deferred sales charge. The 2006, 2005, 2004 and 2003 information in the following tables has been derived from the fund’s financial statements, which have been audited by KPMG LLP, an independent registered public accounting firm, whose report, along with the fund’s financial statements, is included in the annual report which is available upon request. The 2002 information in the following tables was audited by another independent registered public accounting firm, whose opinion thereon was unqualified. As of November 20, 2006, Class Y shares were renamed Class I shares.

 

For a Class A share of capital stock outstanding throughout each year ended September 30:   
Class A Shares(1)   2006     2005     2004     2003     2002  

Net asset value, beginning of year

  $15.46     $13.91     $12.28     $9.16     $11.99  
   

Income (loss) from operations:

         

Net investment income

  0.15     0.09     0.03     0.03     0.02  

Net realized and unrealized gain (loss)

  1.28     1.46     1.60     3.09     (2.80 )
   

Total income (loss) from operations

  1.43     1.55     1.63     3.12     (2.78 )
   

Less distributions from:

  (0.07 )        

Net realized gains

  (0.97 )               (0.05 )
   

Total distributions

  (1.04 )               (0.05 )
   

Net asset value, end of year

  $15.85     $15.46     $13.91     $12.28     $9.16  
   

Total return(2)

  9.82 %   11.14 %   13.27 %   34.06 %   (23.33 )%
   

Net assets, end of year (millions)

  $2,325     $2,269     $2,147     $1,690     $1,176  
   

Ratios to average net assets:

         

Gross expenses

  1.11 %   1.08 %   1.05 %   1.15 %   1.05 %

Net expenses

  1.11 (3)   1.06 (3)   1.05     1.15     1.05  

Net investment income

  1.00     0.63     0.19     0.28     0.17  
   

Portfolio turnover rate

  19 %   30 %   31 %   34 %   39 %
   

 

(1)

 

Per share amounts have been calculated using the average shares method.

 

(2)

 

Performance figures may reflect voluntary fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements. Past performance is no guarantee of future results. In the absence of voluntary fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements, the total return would be lower. Total returns for periods of less than one year are not annualized.

 

(3)

 

Reflects fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements.

 

34         Legg Mason Partners


 

For a Class B share of capital stock outstanding throughout each year ended September 30:   
Class B Shares(1)   2006     2005     2004     2003     2002  

Net asset value, beginning of year

  $14.52     $13.16     $11.71     $8.81     $11.62  
   

Income (loss) from operations:

         

Net investment loss

  0.02     (0.02 )   (0.08 )   (0.05 )   (0.08 )

Net realized and unrealized gain (loss)

  1.19     1.38     1.53     2.95     (2.68 )
   

Total income (loss) from operations

  1.21     1.36     1.45     2.90     (2.76 )
   

Less distributions from:

         

Net realized gains

  (0.97 )               (0.05 )
   

Total distributions

  (0.97 )               (0.05 )
   

Net asset value, end of year

  $14.76     $14.52     $13.16     $11.71     $8.81  
   

Total return(2)

  8.84 %   10.33 %   12.38 %   32.92 %   (23.90 )%
   

Net assets, end of year (millions)

  $1,148     $1,262     $1,359     $1,308     $1,078  
   

Ratios to average net assets:

         

Gross expenses

  1.95 %   1.88 %   1.84 %   1.94 %   1.84 %

Net expenses

  1.95 (3)   1.85 (3)   1.84     1.94     1.84  

Net investment income

  0.15     (0.16 )   (0.60 )   (0.50 )   (0.62 )
   

Portfolio turnover rate

  19 %   30 %   31 %   34 %   39 %
   

 

(1)

 

Per share amounts have been calculated using the average shares method.

 

(2)

 

Performance figures may reflect voluntary fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements. Past performance is no guarantee of future results. In the absence of voluntary fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements, the total return would be lower. Total returns for periods of less than one year are not annualized.

 

(3)

 

Reflects fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements.

 

Fundamental Value Fund, Inc.         35


 

For a Class C share of capital stock outstanding throughout each year ended September 30:   
Class C Shares(1)   2006     2005     2004     2003     2002  

Net asset value, beginning of year

  $14.52     $13.16     $11.71     $8.81     $11.61  
   

Income (loss) from operations:

         

Net investment loss

  0.05     (0.02 )   (0.08 )   (0.05 )   (0.07 )

Net realized and unrealized gain (loss)

  1.19     1.38     1.53     2.95     (2.68 )
   

Total income (loss) from operations

  1.24     1.36     1.45     2.90     (2.75 )
   

Less distributions from:

         

Net realized gains

  (0.97 )               (0.05 )
   

Total distributions

  (0.97 )               (0.05 )
   

Net asset value, end of year

  $14.79     $14.52     $13.16     $11.71     $8.81  
   

Total return(2)

  9.06 %   10.33 %   12.38 %   32.92 %   (23.83 )%
   

Net assets, end of year (millions)

  $761     $870     $960     $852     $665  
   

Ratios to average net assets:

         

Gross expenses

  1.79 %   1.85 %   1.83 %   1.93 %   1.83 %

Net expenses

  1.75 (3)   1.83 (3)   1.83     1.93     1.83  

Net investment income

  0.34     (0.13 )   (0.59 )   (0.49 )   (0.60 )
   

Portfolio turnover rate

  19 %   30 %   31 %   34 %   39 %
   

 

(1)

 

Per share amounts have been calculated using the average shares method.

 

(2)

 

Performance figures may reflect voluntary fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements. Past performance is no guarantee of future results. In the absence of voluntary fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements, the total return would be lower. Total returns for periods of less than one year are not annualized.

 

(3)

 

Reflects fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements.

 

36         Legg Mason Partners


 

For a Class Y share of capital stock outstanding throughout each year ended September 30:   
Class I Shares(1)(2)   2006     2005     2004     2003     2002  

Net asset value, beginning of year

  $15.87     $14.22     $12.51     $9.29     $12.11  
   

Income (loss) from operations:

         

Net investment income

  0.23     0.16     0.08     0.08     0.07  

Net realized and unrealized gain (loss)

  1.30     1.49     1.63     3.14     (2.84 )
   

Total income (loss) from operations

  1.53     1.65     1.71     3.22     (2.77 )
   

Less distributions from:

  (0.13 )        

Net realized gains

  (0.97 )               (0.05 )
   

Total distributions

  (1.10 )               (0.05 )
   

Net asset value, end of year

  $16.30     $15.87     $14.22     $12.51     $9.29  
   

Total return(3)

  10.27 %   11.60 %   13.67 %   34.66 %   (23.01 )%
   

Net assets, end of year (millions)

  $185     $159     $149     $97     $55  
   

Ratios to average net assets:

         

Gross expenses

  0.67 %   0.66 %   0.66 %   0.72 %   0.70 %

Net expenses

  0.67 (4)   0.64 (4)   0.66     0.72     0.70  

Net investment income

  1.46     1.05     0.58     0.69     0.53  
   

Portfolio turnover rate

  19 %   30 %   31 %   34 %   39 %
   

 

(1)

 

Per share amounts have been calculated using the average shares method.

 

(2)

 

As of November 20, 2006, Class Y shares were renamed Class I shares.

 

(3)

 

Performance figures may reflect voluntary fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements. Past performance is no guarantee of future results. In the absence of voluntary fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements, the total return would be lower. Total returns for periods of less than one year are not annualized.

 

(4)

 

Reflects fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements.

 

Fundamental Value Fund, Inc.         37


 

 

 

(Investment Company Act

file no. 811-03158)

FD0206 1/07

LOGO

Legg Mason Partners

Fundamental Value Fund, Inc.

You may look at the fund’s website at www.leggmason.com/InvestorServices for a free copy of a Prospectus, Statement of Additional Information (“SAI”) or an Annual or Semi-Annual Report, or to request other information.

Shareholder reports Additional information about the fund’s investments is available in the fund’s Annual and Semi-Annual Reports to shareholders. In the fund’s Annual Report, you will find a discussion of the market conditions and investment strategies that significantly affected the fund’s performance.

The fund sends only one report to a household if more than one account has the same last name and same address. Contact your Service Agent or Legg Mason Partners Shareholder Services if you do not want this policy to apply to you.

Statement of additional information The SAI provides more detailed information about the fund and is incorporated by reference into (is legally a part of) this Prospectus.

You can make inquiries about the fund or obtain shareholders reports (without charge) by contacting your Service Agent, by calling Legg Mason Partners Shareholder Services at 800-451-2010, (or for clients of a PFS Registered Representative, call Primerica Shareholder Services at 800-544-5445) or by writing to the fund at Legg Mason Partners Funds, 125 Broad Street, New York, New York 10004.

Information about the fund (including the SAI) can be reviewed and copied at the Securities and Exchange Commission’s (the “SEC”) Public Reference Room in Washington, D.C. Information on the operation of the Public Reference Room may be obtained by calling the SEC at 1-202-551-8090. Reports and other information about the fund are available on the EDGAR Database on the SEC’s Internet site at http://www.sec.gov. Copies of this information may be obtained for a duplicating fee by electronic request at the following E-mail address: publicinfo@sec.gov, or by writing the SEC’s Public Reference Section, Washington, D.C. 20549-0102.

If someone makes a statement about the fund that is not in this Prospectus, you should not rely upon that information. Neither the fund nor the distributors are offering to sell shares of the fund to any person to whom the fund may not lawfully sell its shares.


Filed under Rule 497(c)

File Nos. 33-43446 and 811-6444

April 16, 2007

STATEMENT OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

LEGG MASON PARTNERS FUNDAMENTAL VALUE FUND

125 Broad Street

New York, New York 10004

800-451-2010

This Statement of Additional Information (“SAI”) is not a prospectus and is meant to be read in conjunction with the prospectus of Legg Mason Partners Fundamental Value Fund (the “fund”) dated April 16, 2007, as amended or supplemented from time to time (the “prospectus”), and is incorporated by reference in its entirety into the prospectus.

As part of a number of initiatives launched in 2006 to restructure and streamline the Legg Mason Partners fund complex, the fund assumed the assets and liabilities of a predecessor fund with substantially the same name. The fund is now grouped for organizational and governance purposes with other Legg Mason Partners funds that are predominantly equity-type funds, and is a series of Legg Mason Partners Equity Trust (the “Trust”), a Maryland business trust. Other initiatives, including the election of a new Board of Trustees (the “Board”) and the approval of certain revised fundamental investment policies, have also been accomplished, and more information on these matters appears in this SAI. Certain historical information contained in the SAI is that of the fund’s predecessor.

Additional information about the fund’s investments is available in the fund’s annual and semi-annual reports to shareholders. These reports contain financial statements that are incorporated herein by reference. A prospectus and copies of the reports may be obtained free of charge by contacting a distributor’s financial advisor or registered representative, a broker/dealer, financial intermediary or a financial institution that has entered into an agreement with one of the fund’s distributors, (each called a “Service Agent”), or by writing or calling the fund at the address or telephone number set forth above. Legg Mason Investor Services, LLC (“LMIS”), a wholly-owned broker/dealer subsidiary of Legg Mason, Inc. (“Legg Mason”), Citigroup Global Markets Inc. (“CGMI”) and PFS Investments Inc. (“PFS”) serve as the fund’s distributors.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

Investment Objective and Management Policies

   2

Investment Policies

   14

Management

   19

Portfolio Manager Disclosure

   31

Distribution

   36

Purchase of Shares

   41

Redemption of Shares

   47

Valuation of Shares

   50

Exchange Privilege

   50

Taxes

   51

Additional Information

   58

Financial Statements

   63

Appendix A—Proxy Voting Guidelines and Procedures Summary

   A-1

 

1


INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE AND MANAGEMENT POLICIES

The fund is a diversified open-end management investment company. The prospectus discusses the fund’s investment objective and the policies it employs to achieve its objective. This section contains supplemental information concerning the types of securities and other instruments, in which the fund may invest, the investment policies and portfolio strategies the fund may utilize and certain risks associated with such investments, policies and strategies. Legg Mason Partners Fund Advisor, LLC (“LMPFA” or the “manager”) serves as investment manager to the fund. ClearBridge Advisors, LLC (“ClearBridge” or the “subadviser”) serves as the subadviser to the fund.

Investment Objective

The fund seeks long-term capital growth. Current income is a secondary consideration.

Principal Investment Strategies

The fund invests primarily in common stocks and common stock equivalents, such as preferred stocks and securities convertible into common stocks, of companies the portfolio managers believe are undervalued in the marketplace. While the portfolio managers select investments primarily for their capital appreciation potential, secondary consideration is given to a company’s dividend record and the potential for an improved dividend return. The fund invests in securities of large, well-known companies but may also invest a significant portion of its assets in securities of small to medium sized companies when the portfolio managers believe smaller companies offer more attractive value opportunities.

Foreign Securities and American Depositary Receipts. The fund has the authority to invest up to 25% of its assets in foreign securities (including European Depositary Receipts (“EDRs”), Global Depositary Receipts (“GDRs”) and American Depositary Receipts (“ADRs”) or other securities representing underlying shares of foreign companies). EDRs are receipts issued in Europe which evidence ownership of underlying securities issued by a foreign corporation. ADRs are receipts typically issued by an American bank or trust company which evidence a similar ownership arrangement. Generally, ADRs, which are issued in registered form, are designed for use in the United States securities markets, and EDRs, which are issued in bearer form, are designed for use in European securities markets. GDRs are tradeable both in the U.S. and Europe and are designed for use throughout the world.

Investing in the securities of foreign companies involves special risks and considerations not typically associated with investing in U.S. companies. These include differences in accounting, auditing and financial reporting standards, generally higher commission rates on foreign portfolio transactions, the possibility of expropriation or confiscatory taxation, adverse changes in investment or exchange control regulations, political instability which could affect U.S. investments in foreign countries, and potential restrictions on the flow of international capital. Additionally, foreign securities often trade with less frequency and volume than domestic securities and therefore may exhibit greater price volatility. Many of the foreign securities held by the fund will not be registered with, nor will the issuers thereof be subject to the reporting requirements of, the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”). Accordingly, there may be less publicly available information about the securities and about the foreign company issuing them than is available about a domestic company and its securities. Moreover, individual foreign economies may differ favorably or unfavorably from the U.S. economy in such respects as growth of gross domestic product, rate of inflation, capital reinvestment, resource self-sufficiency and balance of payment positions. The fund may invest in securities of foreign governments (or agencies or subdivisions thereof), and, many, if not all, of the foregoing considerations apply to such investments as well.

Additional Information

The fund’s principal investment strategies are described above. The following provides additional information on these principal strategies and describes other investment strategies that may be used by the fund.

 

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The fund seeks to achieve its investment objective through investment in common stocks and common stock equivalents, including preferred stocks and other securities convertible into common stocks. The fund also invests to a lesser extent in bonds and other debt instruments. There is no guarantee that the fund will achieve its investment objective.

The fund may depart from its principal investment strategies in response to adverse market, economic or political conditions by taking temporary defensive positions in cash or any type of money market or short-term debt instruments, including repurchase agreements with respect to those instruments. If the fund takes a temporary defensive position, it may be unable to achieve its investment goal. The fund is authorized to borrow money in an amount up to 10% of its total assets for temporary or emergency purposes.

Investment Company Securities. Subject to applicable statutory and regulatory limitations, the fund may invest up to 10% of its assets in shares of other investment companies, including shares of other mutual funds, closed-end funds, and unregistered investment companies. Investments in other investment companies are subject to the risk of the securities in which those investment companies invest. In addition, to the extent the fund invests in securities of other investment companies, fund shareholders would indirectly pay a portion of the operating costs of such companies in addition to the expenses of the fund’s own operation. These costs include management, brokerage, shareholder servicing and other operational expenses.

The fund may invest in shares of mutual funds or unit investment trusts that are traded on a stock exchange, called exchange-traded funds or ETFs. Typically an ETF seeks to track the performance of an index, such as the S&P 500, the NASDAQ 100, the Lehman Treasury Bond Index, or more narrow sector or foreign indices, by holding in its portfolio either the same securities that comprise the index, or a representative sample of the index. Investing in an ETF will give the fund exposure to the securities comprising the index on which the ETF is based.

Unlike shares of typical mutual funds or unit investment trusts, shares of ETFs are designed to be traded throughout a trading day, bought and sold based on market values and not at net asset value. For this reason, shares could trade at either a premium or discount to net asset value. However, the portfolios held by index-based ETFs are publicly disclosed on each trading day, and an approximation of actual net asset value is disseminated throughout the trading day. Because of this transparency, the trading prices of index based ETFs tend to closely track the actual net asset value of the underlying portfolios and the fund will generally gain or lose value depending on the performance of the index. However, gains or losses on the fund’s investment in ETFs will ultimately depend on the purchase and sale price of the ETF. In the future, as new products become available, the fund may invest in ETFs that are actively managed. Actively managed ETFs will likely not have the transparency of index-based ETFs, and therefore, may be more likely to trade at a discount or premium to actual net asset values.

The fund may invest in closed-end investment companies which hold securities of U. S. and/or non-U.S. issuers. Because shares of closed-end funds trade on an exchange, investments in closed-end investment funds may entail the additional risk that the market value of such investments may be substantially less than their net asset value.

Short Sales. If the fund anticipates that the price of a company’s stock is overvalued and will decline, it may sell the security short and borrow the same security from a broker or other institution to complete the sale.

The fund may realize a profit or loss depending on whether the market price of a security decreases or increases between the date of the short sale and the date on which the fund replaces the borrowed security. Short selling is a technique that may be considered speculative and involves risks beyond the initial capital necessary to secure each transaction. Whenever the fund sells short, it is required to deposit collateral in segregated accounts to cover its obligation, and to maintain the collateral in an amount at least equal to the market value of the short position. As a hedging technique, the fund may purchase call options to buy securities sold short by the fund. Such options would lock in a future price and protect the fund in case of an unanticipated increase in the price of a security sold short by the fund.

 

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To avoid limitations under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”), on borrowing by investment companies, short sales by the fund will be “against the box,” or the fund’s obligation to deliver the securities sold short will be “covered.” The fund will not make short sales of securities or maintain a short position if doing so could create liabilities or require collateral deposits and segregation of assets aggregating more than 25% of the value of the fund’s total assets. Management currently intends to limit the fund’s short sales to shares issued by ETFs. ETFs hold portfolios of securities that seek to track the performance of a specific index or basket of stocks. Utilizing this strategy will allow the subadviser to adjust the fund’s exposure in a particular sector, in a cost effective and convenient manner, without having to see the fund’s holdings of individual stocks in that sector.

Repurchase Agreements. The fund may agree to purchase securities from a bank or recognized securities dealer and simultaneously commit to resell the securities to the bank or dealer at an agreed-upon date and price reflecting a market rate of interest unrelated to the coupon rate or maturity of the purchased securities (“repurchase agreements”). The fund would maintain custody of the underlying securities prior to their repurchase; thus, the obligation of the bank or dealer to pay the repurchase price on the date agreed to would be, in effect, secured by such securities. If the value of such securities were less than the repurchase price, plus interest, the other party to the agreement would be required to provide additional collateral so that at all times the collateral is at least 102% of the repurchase price plus accrued interest. Default by or bankruptcy of a seller would expose the fund to possible loss because of adverse market action, expenses and/or delays in connection with the disposition of the underlying obligations. The financial institutions with which the fund may enter into repurchase agreements will be banks and non-bank dealers of U.S. government securities that are on the Federal Reserve Bank of New York’s list of reporting dealers, if such banks and non-bank dealers are deemed creditworthy by the fund’s manager. The manager will continue to monitor creditworthiness of the seller under a repurchase agreement, and will require the seller to maintain during the term of the agreement the value of the securities subject to the agreement to equal at least 102% of the repurchase price (including accrued interest). In addition, the manager will require that the value of this collateral, after transaction costs (including loss of interest) reasonably expected to be incurred on a default, be equal to 102% or greater than the repurchase price (including accrued premium) provided in the repurchase agreement or the daily amortization of the difference between the purchase price and the repurchase price specified in the repurchase agreement. The manager will mark-to-market daily the value of the securities.

Pursuant to an exemptive order issued by the SEC, the fund, along with other affiliated entities managed by the manager, may transfer uninvested cash balances into one or more joint repurchase accounts. These balances are invested in one or more repurchase agreements, secured by U.S. government securities. Each joint repurchase arrangement requires that the market value of the collateral be sufficient to cover payments of interest and principal; however, in the event of default by the other party to the agreement, retention or sale of the collateral may be subject to legal proceedings.

Lending of Portfolio Securities. Consistent with applicable regulatory requirements, the fund has the ability to lend securities from its portfolio to brokers, dealers and other financial organizations. Such loans, if and when made, will be consistent with applicable regulatory requirements. Loans of portfolio securities by the fund will be collateralized by cash, letters of credit or securities issued or guaranteed by the U.S. government, its agencies or instrumentalities (“U.S. government securities”), which will be maintained at all times in an amount equal to at least 100% of the current market value of the loaned securities.

In lending its portfolio securities, the fund can increase its income by continuing to receive interest on the loaned securities, as well as by either investing the cash collateral in short-term instruments or obtaining yield in the form of interest paid by the borrower when government securities are used as collateral. Requirements of the SEC, which may be subject to future modifications, currently provide that the following conditions must be met whenever portfolio securities are loaned: (a) the fund must receive at least 100% cash collateral or equivalent securities from the borrower; (b) the borrower must increase such collateral whenever the market value of the securities rises above the level of such collateral; (c) the fund must be able to terminate the loan at any time; (d) the fund must receive reasonable interest on the loan, as well as an amount equal to any dividends, interest or

 

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other distributions on the loaned securities, and any increase in market value; (e) the fund may pay only reasonable custodian fees in connection with the loan; and (f) voting rights on the loaned securities may pass to the borrower; however, if a material event adversely affecting the investment occurs, the fund must terminate the loan and regain the right to vote the securities. Payments received by the fund in lieu of any dividends paid on the loaned securities will not be treated as “qualified dividend income” for purposes of determining what portion of the fund’s dividends received by individuals may be taxed at the rates generally applicable to long-term capital gains. See “Taxes.” The risks in lending portfolio securities, as with other extensions of secured credit, consist of possible delay in receiving additional collateral or in the recovery of the securities or possible loss of rights in the collateral should the borrower fail financially. Loans will be made to firms deemed by the subadviser to be of good standing and will not be made unless, in the judgment of the subadviser, the consideration to be earned from such loans would justify the risk.

From time to time, the fund may return a part of the interest earned from the investment of collateral received for securities loaned to the borrower and/or a third party, which is unaffiliated with the fund, Legg Mason or CGMI, and is acting as a “finder”.

Generally, the borrower will be required to make payments to the fund in lieu of any dividends the fund would have otherwise received had it not loaned the shares to the borrower. Any such payments, however, will not be treated as “qualified dividend income” for purposes of determining what portion of the fund’s regular dividends (as defined below) received by individuals may be taxed at the rates generally applicable to long-term capital gains (see “Taxes” below).

Money Market Instruments. As stated in the prospectus, the fund may invest for temporary defensive purposes or when opportunities for capital growth do not appear attractive, in short-term corporate and government money market instruments. Money market instruments in which the fund may invest include: U.S. government securities; certificates of deposit, time deposits and bankers’ acceptances issued by domestic banks (including their branches located outside the United States and subsidiaries located in Canada), domestic branches of foreign banks, savings and loan associations and similar institutions; high grade commercial paper; and repurchase agreements with respect to the foregoing types of instruments. The following is a more detailed description of such money market instruments.

Certificates of deposit (“CDs”) are short-term negotiable obligations of commercial banks. Time deposits (“TDs”) are non-negotiable deposits maintained in banking institutions for specified periods of time at stated interest rates. Bankers’ acceptances are time drafts drawn on commercial banks by borrowers usually in connection with international transactions.

Domestic commercial banks organized under Federal law are supervised and examined by the Comptroller of the Currency and are required to be members of the Federal Reserve System and to be insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (the “FDIC”). Domestic banks organized under state law are supervised and examined by state banking authorities but are members of the Federal Reserve System only if they elect to join. Most state banks are insured by the FDIC (although such insurance may not be of material benefit to the fund, depending upon the principal amounts of CDs of each bank held by the fund) and are subject to Federal examination and to a substantial body of Federal law and regulation. As a result of governmental regulations, domestic branches of domestic banks are generally required to, among other things, maintain specified levels of reserves, and are subject to other supervision and regulation designed to promote financial soundness.

Obligations of foreign branches of domestic banks, such as CDs and TDs, may be general obligations of the parent bank in addition to the issuing branch, or may be limited by the terms of a specific obligation and government regulation. Such obligations are subject to different risks than are those of domestic banks or domestic branches of foreign banks. These risks include foreign economic and political developments, foreign governmental restrictions that may adversely affect payment of principal and interest on the obligations, foreign exchange controls and foreign withholding and other taxes on interest income. Foreign branches of domestic

 

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banks are not necessarily subject to the same or similar regulatory requirements that apply to domestic banks, such as mandatory reserve requirements, loan limitations, and accounting, auditing and financial recordkeeping requirements. In addition, less information may be publicly available about a foreign branch of a domestic bank than about a domestic bank. CDs issued by wholly owned Canadian subsidiaries of domestic banks are guaranteed as to repayment of principal and interest (but not as to sovereign risk) by the domestic parent bank.

Obligations of domestic branches of foreign banks may be general obligations of the parent bank in addition to the issuing branch, or may be limited by the terms of a specific obligation and by governmental regulation as well as governmental action in the country in which the foreign bank has its head office. A domestic branch of a foreign bank with assets in excess of $1 billion may or may not be subject to reserve requirements imposed by the Federal Reserve System or by the state in which the branch is located if the branch is licensed in that state. In addition, branches licensed by the Comptroller of the Currency and branches licensed by certain states (“State Branches”) may or may not be required to: (a) pledge to the regulator by depositing assets with a designated bank within the state, an amount of its assets equal to 5% of its total liabilities; and (b) maintain assets within the state in an amount equal to a specified percentage of the aggregate amount of liabilities of the foreign bank payable at or through all of its agencies or branches within the state. The deposits of State Branches may not necessarily be insured by the FDIC. In addition, there may be less publicly available information about a domestic branch of a foreign bank than about a domestic bank.

In view of the foregoing factors associated with the purchase of CDs and TDs issued by foreign branches of domestic banks or by domestic branches of foreign banks, LMPFA will carefully evaluate such investments on a case-by-case basis.

Savings and loan associations whose CDs may be purchased by the fund are supervised by the Office of Thrift Supervision and are insured by the Savings Association Insurance Fund, which is administered by the FDIC and is backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. government. As a result, such savings and loan associations are subject to regulation and examination.

Fixed Income Securities. The fund may invest in investment grade bonds, rated at the time of purchase in the four highest ratings categories by a nationally recognized securities rating organization (“NRSRO”), such as those rated Aaa, Aa, A and Baa by Moody’s Investors Service, Inc. (“Moody’s”) or AAA, AA, A and BBB by the Standard & Poor’s Division of The McGraw Hill Companies, Inc. (“S&P”). Obligations rated in the lowest of the top four rating categories (such as Baa by Moody’s or BBB by S&P) may have speculative characteristics and changes in economic conditions or other circumstances are more likely to lead to a weakened capacity to make principal and interest payments, including a greater possibility of default or bankruptcy of the issuer, than is the case with higher grade bonds. Subsequent to its purchase by the fund, an issue of securities may cease to be rated or its rating may be reduced below the minimum required for purchase by the fund. In addition, it is possible that Moody’s, S&P and other NRSROs might not timely change their ratings of a particular issue to reflect subsequent events. None of these events will require the sale of the securities by the fund, although the subadviser will consider these events in determining whether the fund should continue to hold the securities.

Illiquid Securities. Up to 15% of the assets of the fund may be invested in illiquid securities, including (a) repurchase agreements with maturities greater than seven days, (b) futures contracts and options thereon for which a liquid secondary market does not exist, (c) time deposits maturing in more than seven calendar days and (d) securities of new and early stage companies whose securities are not publicly traded.

Options, Futures and Currency Strategies. The fund may use forward currency contracts and certain options and futures strategies to attempt to hedge its portfolio, i.e., reduce the overall level of investment risk normally associated with the fund. There can be no assurance that such efforts will succeed.

The fund will not be a commodity pool. In addition, both of the Manager and subadviser have claimed an exclusion from the definition of commodity pool operator and, therefore, is not subject to registration or

 

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regulation as a pool operator under the rules of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (“CFTC”). To attempt to hedge against adverse movements in exchange rates between currencies, the fund may enter into forward currency contracts for the purchase or sale of a specified currency at a specified future date. Such contracts may involve the purchase or sale of a foreign currency against the U.S. dollar or may involve two foreign currencies. The fund may enter into forward currency contracts either with respect to specific transactions or with respect to its portfolio positions. For example, when the subadviser anticipates making a purchase or sale of a security, it may enter into a forward currency contract in order to set the rate (either relative to the U.S. dollar or another currency) at which the currency exchange transaction related to the purchase or sale will be made (“transaction hedging”). Further, when the subadviser believes that a particular currency may decline compared to the U.S. dollar or another currency, the fund may enter into a forward contract to sell the currency the subadviser expects to decline in an amount approximating the value of some or all of the fund’s securities denominated in that currency, or when the subadviser believes that one currency may decline against a currency in which some or all of the portfolio securities held by the fund are denominated, it may enter into a forward contract to buy the currency expected to appreciate for a fixed amount (“position hedging”). In this situation, the fund may, in the alternative, enter into a forward contract to sell a different currency for a fixed amount of the currency expected to decline where the subadviser believes that the value of the currency to be sold pursuant to the forward contract will fall whenever there is a decline in the value of the currency in which portfolio securities of the fund are denominated (“cross hedging”). The fund will segregate (i) cash, (ii) U.S. government securities or (iii) equity securities or debt securities (of any grade) in certain currencies provided such assets are liquid, unencumbered and marked to market daily, with a value equal to the aggregate amount of the fund’s commitments under forward contracts entered into with respect to position hedges and cross-hedges. If the value of the segregated securities declines, additional cash or securities are segregated on a daily basis so that the value of the amount will equal the amount of the fund’s commitments with respect to such contracts.

For hedging purposes, the fund may write covered call options and purchase put and call options on currencies to hedge against movements in exchange rates and on debt securities to hedge against the risk of fluctuations in the prices of securities held by the fund or which the subadviser intends to include in its portfolio. The fund also may use interest rates futures contracts and options thereon to hedge against changes in the general level in interest rates.

The fund may write call options on securities and currencies only if they are covered, and such options must remain covered so long as the fund is obligated as a writer. A call option written by the fund is “covered” if the fund owns the securities or currency underlying the option or has an absolute and immediate right to acquire that security or currency without additional cash consideration (or for additional cash consideration which has been segregated by the fund) upon conversion or exchange of other securities or currencies held in its portfolio. A call option is also covered if the fund holds on a share-for-share basis a call on the same security or holds a call on the same currency as the call written where the exercise price of the call held is equal to or less than the exercise price of the call written or greater than the exercise price of the call written if the difference is maintained by the fund in cash, Treasury bills or other high-grade, short-term obligations.

Although the fund might not employ the use of forward currency contracts, options and futures, the use of any of these strategies would involve certain investment risks and transaction costs to which it might not otherwise be subject. These risks include: dependence on the subadviser’s ability to predict movements in the prices of individual debt securities, fluctuations in the general fixed-income markets and movements in interest rates and currency markets; imperfect correlation between movements in the price of currency, options, futures contracts or options thereon and movements in the price of the currency or security hedged or used for cover; the fact that skills and techniques needed to trade options, futures contracts and options thereon or to use forward currency contracts are different from those needed to select the securities in which the fund invests; lack of assurance that a liquid market will exist for any particular option, futures contract or options thereon at any particular time and possible need to defer or accelerate closing out certain options, futures contracts and options thereon in order to continue to qualify for the beneficial tax treatment afforded “regulated investment companies” under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”). See “Taxes.”

 

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Options on Securities. As discussed more generally above, the fund may engage in the writing of covered call options. The fund may also purchase put options and enter into closing transactions.

The principal reason for writing covered call options on securities is to attempt to realize, through the receipt of premiums, a greater return than would be realized on the securities alone. In return for a premium, the writer of a covered call option forfeits the right to any appreciation in the value of the underlying security above the strike price for the life of the option (or until a closing purchase transaction can be effected). Nevertheless, the call writer retains the risk of a decline in the price of the underlying security. Similarly, the principal reason for writing covered put options is to realize income in the form of premiums. The writer of a covered put option accepts the risk of a decline in the price of the underlying security. The size of the premiums the fund may receive may be adversely affected as new or existing institutions, including other investment companies, engage in or increase their option-writing activities.

Options written by the fund will normally have expiration dates between one and six months from the date written. The exercise price of the options may be below, equal to, or above the current market values of the underlying securities at the times the options are written. In the case of call options, these exercise prices are referred to as “in-the-money,” “at-the-money” and “out-of-the-money,” respectively.

The fund may write (a) in-the-money call options when the subadviser expects the price of the underlying security to remain flat or decline moderately during the option period, (b) at-the-money call options when the subadviser expects the price of the underlying security to remain flat or advance moderately during the option period and (c) out-of-the-money call options when the subadviser expects that the price of the security may increase but not above a price equal to the sum of the exercise price plus the premiums received from writing the call option. In any of the preceding situations, if the market price of the underlying security declines and the security is sold at this lower price, the amount of any realized loss will be offset wholly or in part by the premium received. Out-of-the-money, at-the-money and in-the-money put options (the reverse of call options as to the relation of exercise price to market price) may be utilized in the same market environments as such call options are used in equivalent transactions.

So long as the obligation of the fund as the writer of an option continues, the fund may be assigned an exercise notice by the broker-dealer through which the option was sold, requiring it to deliver, in the case of a call, or take delivery of, in the case of a put, the underlying security against payment of the exercise price. This obligation terminates when the option expires or the fund effects a closing purchase transaction. The fund can no longer effect a closing purchase transaction with respect to an option once it has been assigned an exercise notice. To secure its obligation to deliver the underlying security when it writes a call option, or to pay for the underlying security when it writes a put option, the fund will be required to deposit in escrow the underlying security or other assets in accordance with the rules of the Options Clearing Corporation (“OCC”) or similar clearing corporation and the securities exchange on which the option is written.

An option position may be closed out only where there exists a secondary market for an option of the same series on a recognized securities exchange or in the over-the-counter market. The fund expects to write options only on national securities exchanges or in the over-the-counter market. The fund may purchase put options issued by the OCC or in the over-the-counter market.

The fund may realize a profit or loss upon entering into a closing transaction. In cases in which the fund has written an option, it will realize a profit if the cost of the closing purchase transaction is less than the premium received upon writing the original option and will incur a loss if the cost of the closing purchase transaction exceeds the premium received upon writing the original option. Similarly, when the fund has purchased an option and engages in a closing sale transaction, whether it recognizes a profit or loss will depend upon whether the amount received in the closing sale transaction is more or less than the premium the fund initially paid for the original option plus the related transaction costs.

 

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Although the fund generally will purchase or write only those options for which the subadviser believes there is an active secondary market so as to facilitate closing transactions, there is no assurance that sufficient trading interest to create a liquid secondary market on a securities exchange will exist for any particular option or at any particular time, and for some options no such secondary market may exist. A liquid secondary market in an option may cease to exist for a variety of reasons. In the past, for example, higher than anticipated trading activity or order flow, or other unforeseen events, have at times rendered certain of the facilities of the OCC and national securities exchanges inadequate and resulted in the institution of special procedures, such as trading rotations, restrictions on certain types of orders or trading halts or suspensions in one or more options. There can be no assurance that similar events, or events that may otherwise interfere with the timely execution of customers’ orders, will not recur. In such event, it might not be possible to effect closing transactions in particular options. If, as a covered call option writer, the fund is unable to effect a closing purchase transaction in a secondary market, it will not be able to sell the underlying security until the option expires or it delivers the underlying security upon exercise.

Securities exchanges generally have established limitations governing the maximum number of calls and puts of each class which may be held or written, or exercised within certain periods, by an investor or group of investors acting in concert (regardless of whether the options are written on the same or different securities exchanges or are held, written or exercised in one or more accounts or through one or more brokers). It is possible that the fund and other clients of LMPFA and certain of their affiliates may be considered to be such a group. A securities exchange may order the liquidation of positions found to be in violation of these limits, and it may impose certain other sanctions.

In the case of options written by the fund that are deemed covered by virtue of the fund’s holding convertible or exchangeable preferred stock or debt securities, the time required to convert or exchange and obtain physical delivery of the underlying common stocks with respect to which the fund has written options may exceed the time within which the fund must make delivery in accordance with an exercise notice. In these instances, the fund may purchase or temporarily borrow the underlying securities for purposes of physical delivery. By so doing, the fund will not bear any market risk because the fund will have the absolute right to receive from the issuer of the underlying security an equal number of shares to replace the borrowed stock, but the fund may incur additional transaction costs or interest expenses in connection with any such purchase or borrowing.

Although the subadviser will attempt to take appropriate measures to minimize the risks relating to the fund’s writing of call options and purchasing of put and call options, there can be no assurance that the fund will succeed in its option-writing program.

Stock Index Options. As described generally above, the fund may purchase put and call options and write call options on domestic stock indices listed on domestic exchanges in order to realize its investment objective of long term growth or for the purpose of hedging its portfolio. A stock index fluctuates with changes in the market values of the stocks included in the index. Some stock index options are based on a broad market index such as the New York Stock Exchange Composite Index or the Canadian Market Portfolio Index, or a narrower market index such as the Standard & Poor’s 100. Indices also are based on an industry or market segment such as the Amex Oil Index or the Amex Computer Technology Index.

Options on stock indices are generally similar to options on stock except that the delivery requirements are different. Instead of giving the right to take or make delivery of stock at a specified price, an option on a stock index gives the holder the right to receive a cash “exercise settlement amount” equal to (a) the amount, if any, by which the fixed exercise price of the option exceeds (in the case of a put) or is less than (in the case of a call) the closing value of the underlying index on the date of exercise, multiplied by (b) a fixed “index multiplier.” Receipt of this cash amount will depend upon the closing level of the stock index upon which the option is based being greater than, in the case of a call, or less than, in the case of a put, the exercise price of the option. The amount of cash received will be equal to such difference between the closing price of the index and the exercise price of the option expressed in dollars or a foreign currency, as the case may be, times a specified multiple. The

 

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writer of the option is obligated, in return for the premium received, to make delivery of this amount. The writer may offset its position in stock index options prior to expiration by entering into a closing transaction on an exchange or it may let the option expire unexercised.

The effectiveness of purchasing or writing stock index options as a hedging technique will depend upon the extent to which price movements in the portion of the securities portfolio of the fund correlate with price movements of the stock index selected. Because the value of an index option depends upon movements in the level of the index rather than the price of a particular stock, whether the fund will realize a gain or loss from the purchase or writing of options on an index depends upon movements in the level of stock prices in the stock market generally or, in the case of certain indices, in an industry or market segment, rather than movements in the price of a particular stock. Accordingly, successful use by the fund of options on stock indices will be subject to the subadviser’s ability to predict correctly movements in the direction of the stock market generally or of a particular industry. This requires different skills and techniques than predicting changes in the price of individual stocks.

Futures Contracts and Options on Futures Contracts. As described generally above, the fund may invest in stock index futures contracts and options on futures contracts that are traded on a domestic exchange or board of trade.

The purpose of entering into a futures contract by the fund is to protect the fund from fluctuations in the value of securities without actually buying or selling the securities. For example, in the case of stock index futures contracts, if the fund anticipates an increase in the price of stocks it intends to purchase at a later time, the fund could enter into contracts to purchase the stock index (known as taking a “long” position) as a temporary substitute for the purchase of stocks. If an increase in the market occurs that influences the stock index as anticipated, the value of the futures contracts increases and thereby serves as a hedge against the fund’s not participating in a market advance. The fund then may close out the futures contracts by entering into offsetting futures contracts to sell the stock index (known as taking a “short” position) as it purchases individual stocks. The fund can accomplish similar results by buying securities with long maturities and selling securities with short maturities. But by using futures contracts as an investment tool to reduce risk, given the greater liquidity in the futures market, it may be possible to accomplish the same result more easily and more quickly.

No consideration will be paid or received by the fund upon the purchase or sale of a futures contract. Initially, the fund will be required to deposit with the broker an amount of cash or cash equivalents equal to approximately 1% to 10% of the contract amount (this amount is subject to change by the exchange or board of trade on which the contract is traded and brokers or members of such board of trade may charge a higher amount). This amount is known as “initial margin” and is in the nature of a performance bond or good faith deposit on the contract which is returned to the fund upon termination of the futures contract, assuming all contractual obligations have been satisfied. Subsequent payments, known as “variation margin,” to and from the broker, will be made daily as the price of the index or securities underlying the futures contract fluctuates, making the long and short positions in the futures contract more or less valuable, a process known as “marking-to-market.” In addition, when the fund enters into a long position in a futures contract or an option on a futures contract, it must maintain an amount of cash or cash equivalents equal to the total market value of the underlying futures contract, less amounts held by counterparties of futures agreements for amounts deposited as initial margin. At any time prior to the expiration of a futures contract, the fund may elect to close the position by taking an opposite position, which will operate to terminate the fund’s existing position in the contract.

There are several risks in connection with the use of futures contracts as a hedging device. Successful use of futures contracts by the fund is subject to the ability of the subadviser to predict correctly movements in the stock market or in the direction of interest rates. These predictions involve skills and techniques that may be different from those involved in the management of investments in securities. In addition, there can be no assurance that there will be a perfect correlation between movements in the price of the securities underlying the futures contract and movements in the price of the securities that are the subject of the hedge. A decision of whether, when and how to hedge involves the exercise of skill and judgment, and even a well-conceived hedge may be unsuccessful to some degree because of market behavior or unexpected trends in market behavior or interest rates.

 

10


Positions in futures contracts may be closed out only on the exchange on which they were entered into (or through a linked exchange) and no secondary market exists for those contracts. In addition, although the fund intends to enter into futures contracts only if there is an active market for the contracts, there is no assurance that an active market will exist for the contracts at any particular time. Most futures exchanges and boards of trade limit the amount of fluctuation permitted in futures contract prices during a single trading day. Once the daily limit has been reached in a particular contract, no trades may be made that day at a price beyond that limit. It is possible that futures contract prices could move to the daily limit for several consecutive trading days with little or no trading, thereby preventing prompt liquidation of futures positions and subjecting some futures traders to substantial losses. In such event, and in the event of adverse price movements, the fund would be required to make daily cash payments of variation margin; in such circumstances, an increase in the value of the portion of the portfolio being hedged, if any, may partially or completely offset losses on the futures contract. As described above, however, no assurance can be given that the price of the securities being hedged will correlate with the price movements in a futures contract and thus provide an offset to losses on the futures contract.

Swaps. As one way of managing its exposure to different types of investments, the fund may enter into interest rate swaps, currency swaps, swaps relating to indices and equity interests of domestic and foreign issuers, and other types of swap agreements such as caps, collars, floors and swaptions. In a typical interest rate swap, one party agrees to make regular payments equal to a floating interest rate times a “notional principal amount,” in return for payments equal to a fixed rate times the same notional amount, for a specified period of time. If a swap agreement provides for payment in different currencies, the parties might agree to exchange the notional principal amount as well. Swaps may also depend on other prices or rates, such as the value of an index or mortgage prepayment rates. Index swaps involve the exchange by the fund with another party of the respective amounts payable with respect to a notional principal amount related to one or more indices. An equity swap is an agreement to exchange streams of payments computed by reference to a notional amount based on the performance of a basket of stocks or a single stock.

Swap agreements will tend to shift the fund’s investment exposure from one type of investment to another. For example, if the fund agreed to exchange payments in dollars for payments in a foreign currency, the swap agreement would tend to decrease the fund’s exposure to U.S. interest rates and increase its exposure to foreign currency and interest rates. Depending on how they are used, swap agreements may increase or decrease the overall volatility of the fund’s investments and its share price and yield.

Swap agreements are sophisticated risk management instruments that typically require a small cash investment relative to the magnitude of risks assumed. As a result, swaps can be highly volatile and may have a considerable impact on the fund’s performance. Swap agreements are subject to credit risks related to the counterparty’s ability to perform, and may decline in value if the counterparty’s creditworthiness deteriorates. The fund may also suffer losses if it is unable to terminate outstanding swap agreements or reduce its exposure through offsetting transactions. The fund will maintain in a segregated account cash or liquid securities equal to the net amount, if any, of the excess of the fund’s obligations over its entitlements with respect to a swap transaction.

Disclosure of Portfolio Holdings

The fund’s Board has adopted policies and procedures developed by LMPFA with respect to the disclosure of the fund’s portfolio securities and any ongoing arrangements to make available information about the fund’s portfolio securities. The policy requires that consideration always be given as to whether disclosure of information about the fund’s portfolio holdings is in the best interests of the fund’s shareholders, and that any conflicts of interest between the interests of the fund’s shareholders and those of LMPFA, the fund’s distributors or their affiliates, be addressed in a manner that places the interests of fund shareholders first. The policy provides that information regarding the fund’s portfolio holdings may not be shared with non-Legg Mason employees, with investors or potential investors (whether individual or institutional), or with third parties unless it is done for legitimate fund business purposes and in accordance with the policy.

 

11


LMPFA’s policy generally provides for the release of details of securities positions once they are considered “stale.” Data is considered stale 25 calendar days following quarter-end for funds other than money market funds, and 25 calendar days following month-end with respect to money market funds. LMPFA believes that this passage of time prevents a third party from benefiting from an investment decision made by a fund that has not been fully reflected by the market.

Under the policy, the fund’s complete list of holdings (including the size of each position) may be made available to investors, potential investors, third parties and non-Legg Mason employees with simultaneous public disclosure at least 25 days after calendar quarter end, except in the case of a money market fund’s holdings, which may be released with simultaneous public disclosure at least 25 days after month end. Typically, simultaneous public disclosure is achieved by the filing of Form N-Q or Form N-CSR in accordance with SEC rules, provided that such filings may not be made until 25 days following quarter-end, and/or posting the information to Legg Mason or the fund’s Internet site that is accessible by the public, or through public release by a third party vendor.

The policy permits the release of limited portfolio holdings information that is not yet considered stale in a number of situations, including:

1. The fund’s top ten securities, current as of month-end, and the individual size of each such security position may be released at any time following month-end with simultaneous public disclosure.

2. The fund’s top ten securities positions (including the aggregate but not individual size of such positions) may be released at any time with simultaneous public disclosure.

3. A list of securities (that may include fund holdings together with other securities) followed by a portfolio manager (without position sizes or identification of particular funds) may be disclosed to sell-side brokers at any time for the purpose of obtaining research and/or market information from such brokers.

4. A trade in process may be discussed only with counterparties, potential counterparties and others involved in the transaction (i.e., brokers and custodians).

5. The fund’s sector weightings, yield and duration (for fixed income and money market funds), performance attribution (e.g., analysis of the fund’s out-performance or underperformance of its benchmark based on its portfolio holdings) and other summary and statistical information that does not include identification of specific portfolio holdings may be released, even if non-public, if such release is otherwise in accordance with the policy’s general principles.

6. The fund’s portfolio holdings may be released on an as-needed basis to its legal counsel, counsel to its Independent Trustees (as defined under “Management” below) and its independent public accounting firm, in required regulatory filings or otherwise to governmental agencies and authorities.

Under the policy, if information about the fund’s portfolio holdings is released pursuant to an ongoing arrangement with any party, the fund must have a legitimate business purpose for the release of the information, and either the party receiving the information must be under a duty of confidentiality, or the release of non-public information must be subject to trading restrictions and confidential treatment to prohibit the entity from sharing with an unauthorized source or trading upon any non-public information provided. Neither the fund, nor Legg Mason, nor any other affiliated party may receive compensation or any other consideration in connection with such arrangements. Ongoing arrangements to make available information about the fund’s portfolio securities will be reviewed at least annually by the fund’s Board.

The approval of the fund’s Chief Compliance Officer, or designee, must be obtained before entering into any new ongoing arrangement or altering any existing ongoing arrangement to make available portfolio holdings information, or with respect to any exceptions to the policy. Any exceptions to the policy must be consistent with the purposes of the policy. Exceptions are considered on a case-by-case basis and are granted only after a thorough examination and consultation with LMPFA’s legal department, as necessary. Exceptions to the policies are reported to the fund’s Board at its next regularly scheduled meeting.

 

12


Currently, the fund discloses its complete portfolio holdings approximately 25 days after calendar quarter—end on the fund’s website http://www.leggmason.com/InvestorServices.

Set forth below is a list, as of March 13, 2007 of those parties with whom LMPFA, on behalf of the fund, has authorized ongoing arrangements that include the release of portfolio holdings information in accordance with the policy, as well as the frequency of the release under such arrangements and the length of the lag, if any, between the date of the information and the date on which the information is disclosed. The parties identified below as recipients are service providers, fund rating agencies, consultants and analysts.

 

Recipient

  

Frequency

  

Delay before dissemination

State Street Bank & Trust Co. (Fund Custodian and Accounting Agent)

  

Daily
   None

Institutional Shareholders Services (Proxy Voting Services)

  

As necessary
   None

Bloomberg

   Quarterly    25 Days after Quarter End

Lipper

   Quarterly    25 Days after Quarter End

S&P

   Quarterly    25 Days after Quarter End

Morningstar

   Quarterly    25 Days after Quarter End

Vestek

   Daily    None

Factset

   Daily    None

The Bank of New York

   Daily    None

Portfolio holdings information for the fund may also be released from time to time pursuant to ongoing arrangements with the following parties:

 

Recipient

  

Frequency

  

Delay before dissemination

Baseline

   Daily    None

Frank Russell

   Monthly    1 Day

Callan

   Quarterly    25 Days after Quarter End

Mercer

   Quarterly    25 Days after Quarter End

eVestment Alliance

   Quarterly    25 Days after Quarter End

CRA RogersCasey

   Quarterly    25 Days after Quarter End

Cambridge Associates

   Quarterly    25 Days after Quarter End

Marco Consulting

   Quarterly    25 Days after Quarter End

Wilshire

   Quarterly    25 Days after Quarter End

Informa Investment Services (Efron)

   Quarterly    25 Days after Quarter End

CheckFree (Mobius)

   Quarterly    25 Days after Quarter End

Nelsons Information

   Quarterly    25 Days after Quarter End

Investor Tools

   Daily    None

Advent

   Daily    None

 

13


Recipient

  

Frequency

  

Delay before dissemination

BARRA

   Daily    None

Plexus

   Quarterly (Calendar)    Sent 1-3 business days following the end of a Quarter

Elkins/McSherry

   Quarterly (Calendar)    Sent 1-3 business days following the end of a Quarter

Quantitative Services Group

   Daily    None

AMBAC

   Daily    None

Deutsche Bank

   Monthly    6-8 Business Days

Fitch

   Monthly    6-8 Business Days

Liberty Hampshire

   Weekly and Month End    None

Sun Trust

   Weekly and Month End    None

New England Pension Consultants

   Quarterly    25 Days after Quarter End

Evaluation Associates

   Quarterly    25 Days after Quarter End

Watson Wyatt

   Quarterly    25 Days after Quarter End

S&P (Rating Agency)

   Weekly Tuesday Night    1 business day

Moody’s (Rating Agency)

   Weekly Tuesday Night    1 business day

Electra Information Systems

   Daily    None

SunGard

   Daily    None

INVESTMENT POLICIES

The fund has adopted the fundamental and non-fundamental investment policies below for the protection of shareholders. Fundamental investment policies cannot be changed without approval by the holders of a majority of the outstanding shares of the fund, defined under the 1940 Act as the lesser of (a) 67% or more of the fund’s voting power present at a meeting, if the holders of more than 50% of the voting power of the fund are present in person or by proxy, or (b) more than 50% of the voting power of the fund. Non-fundamental investment policies may be changed by the Board at any time without shareholder approval.

If any percentage restriction described below is complied with at the time of an investment, a later increase or decrease in percentage resulting from a change in values or assets will not constitute a violation of the restriction.

 

14


Fundamental Investment Policies

The fund’s fundamental investment policies are as follows:

1. The fund may not borrow money except as permitted by (i) the 1940 Act or interpretations or modifications by the SEC, SEC staff or other authority with appropriate jurisdiction, or (ii) exemptive or other relief or permission from the SEC, SEC staff or other authority.

2. The fund may not engage in the business of underwriting the securities of other issuers except as permitted by (i) the 1940 Act or interpretations or modifications by the SEC, SEC staff or other authority with appropriate jurisdiction, or (ii) exemptive or other relief or permission from the SEC, SEC staff or other authority.

3. The fund may lend money or other assets to the extent permitted by (i) the 1940 Act or interpretations or modifications by the SEC, SEC staff or other authority with appropriate jurisdiction, or (ii) exemptive or other relief or permission from the SEC, SEC staff or other authority.

4. The fund may not issue senior securities except as permitted by (i) the 1940 Act or interpretations or modifications by the SEC, SEC staff or other authority with appropriate jurisdiction, or (ii) exemptive or other relief or permission from the SEC, SEC staff or other authority.

5. The fund may not purchase or sell real estate except as permitted by (i) the 1940 Act or interpretations or modifications by the SEC, SEC staff or other authority with appropriate jurisdiction, or (ii) exemptive or other relief or permission from the SEC, SEC staff or other authority.

6. The fund may purchase or sell commodities or contracts related to commodities to the extent permitted by (i) the 1940 Act or interpretations or modifications by the SEC, SEC staff or other authority with appropriate jurisdiction, or (ii) exemptive or other relief or permission from the SEC, SEC staff or other authority.

7. Except as permitted by exemptive or other relief or permission from the SEC, SEC staff or other authority with appropriate jurisdiction, the fund may not make any investment if, as a result, the fund’s investments will be concentrated in any one industry.

With respect to the fundamental policy relating to borrowing money set forth in (1) above, the 1940 Act permits a fund to borrow money in amounts of up to one-third of the fund’s total assets from banks for any purpose, and to borrow up to 5% of the fund’s total assets from banks or other lenders for temporary purposes. To limit the risks attendant to borrowing, the 1940 Act requires the fund to maintain at all times an “asset coverage” of at least 300% of the amount of its borrowings. Asset coverage means the ratio that the value of the fund’s total assets, minus liabilities other than borrowings, bears to the aggregate amount of all borrowings. Certain trading practices and investments, such as reverse repurchase agreements, may be considered to be borrowings and thus subject to the 1940 Act restrictions. Borrowing money to increase portfolio holdings is known as “leveraging.” Borrowing, especially when used for leverage, may cause the value of a fund’s shares to be more volatile than if the fund did not borrow. This is because borrowing tends to magnify the effect of any increase or decrease in the value of the fund’s portfolio holdings. Borrowed money thus creates an opportunity for greater gains, but also greater losses. To repay borrowings, the fund may have to sell securities at a time and at a price that is unfavorable to the fund. There also are costs associated with borrowing money, and these costs would offset and could eliminate a fund’s net investment income in any given period. Currently the fund does not contemplate borrowing money for leverage, but if the fund does so, it will not likely do so to a substantial degree. The policy in (1) above will be interpreted to permit the fund to engage in trading practices and investments that may be considered to be borrowing to the extent permitted by the 1940 Act. Short-term credits necessary for the settlement of securities transactions and arrangements with respect to securities lending will not be considered to be borrowings under the policy. Practices and investments that may involve leverage but are not considered to be borrowings are not subject to the policy.

With respect to the fundamental policy relating to underwriting set forth in (2) above, the 1940 Act does not prohibit a fund from engaging in the underwriting business or from underwriting the securities of other issuers; in

 

15


fact, the 1940 Act permits a fund to have underwriting commitments of up to 25% of its assets under certain circumstances. Those circumstances currently are that the amount of the fund’s underwriting commitments, when added to the value of the fund’s investments in issuers where the fund owns more than 10% of the outstanding voting securities of those issuers, cannot exceed the 25% cap. A fund engaging in transactions involving the acquisition or disposition of portfolio securities may be considered to be an underwriter under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “1933 Act”). Under the 1933 Act, an underwriter may be liable for material omissions or misstatements in an issuer’s registration statement or prospectus. Securities purchased from an issuer and not registered for sale under the 1933 Act are considered restricted securities. There may be a limited market for these securities. If these securities are registered under the 1933 Act, they may then be eligible for sale but participating in the sale may subject the seller to underwriter liability. These risks could apply to a fund investing in restricted securities. Although it is not believed that the application of the 1933 Act provisions described above would cause a fund to be engaged in the business of underwriting, the policy in (2) above will be interpreted not to prevent the fund from engaging in transactions involving the acquisition or disposition of portfolio securities, regardless of whether the fund may be considered to be an underwriter under the 1933 Act.

With respect to the fundamental policy relating to lending set forth in (3) above, the 1940 Act does not prohibit a fund from making loans; however, SEC staff interpretations currently prohibit funds from lending more than one-third of their total assets, except through the purchase of debt obligations or the use of repurchase agreements. (A repurchase agreement is an agreement to purchase a security, coupled with an agreement to sell that security back to the original seller on an agreed-upon date at a price that reflects current interest rates. The SEC frequently treats repurchase agreements as loans.) While lending securities may be a source of income to a fund, as with other extensions of credit, there are risks of delay in recovery or even loss of rights in the underlying securities should the borrower fail financially. However, loans would be made only when the fund’s manager or a sub-adviser believes the income justifies the attendant risks. The fund also will be permitted by this policy to make loans of money, including to other funds. The fund would have to obtain exemptive relief from the SEC to make loans to other funds. The policy in (3) above will be interpreted not to prevent the fund from purchasing or investing in debt obligations and loans. In addition, collateral arrangements with respect to options, forward currency and futures transactions and other derivative instruments, as well as delays in the settlement of securities transactions, will not be considered loans.

With respect to the fundamental policy relating to issuing senior securities set forth in (4) above, “senior securities” are defined as fund obligations that have a priority over the fund’s shares with respect to the payment of dividends or the distribution of fund assets. The 1940 Act prohibits a fund from issuing senior securities except that the fund may borrow money in amounts of up to one-third of the fund’s total assets from banks for any purpose. A fund also may borrow up to 5% of the fund’s total assets from banks or other lenders for temporary purposes, and these borrowings are not considered senior securities. The issuance of senior securities by a fund can increase the speculative character of the fund’s outstanding shares through leveraging. Leveraging of a fund’s portfolio through the issuance of senior securities magnifies the potential for gain or loss on monies, because even though the fund’s net assets remain the same, the total risk to investors is increased to the extent of the fund’s gross assets. The policy in (4) above will be interpreted not to prevent collateral arrangements with respect to swaps, options, forward or futures contracts or other derivatives, or the posting of initial or variation margin.

With respect to the fundamental policy relating to real estate set forth in (5) above, the 1940 Act does not prohibit a fund from owning real estate; however, a fund is limited in the amount of illiquid assets it may purchase. Investing in real estate may involve risks, including that real estate is generally considered illiquid and may be difficult to value and sell. Owners of real estate may be subject to various liabilities, including environmental liabilities. To the extent that investments in real estate are considered illiquid, the current SEC staff position generally limits a fund’s purchases of illiquid securities to 15% of net assets. The policy in (5) above will be interpreted not to prevent the fund from investing in real estate-related companies, companies whose businesses consist in whole or in part of investing in real estate, instruments (like mortgages) that are secured by real estate or interests therein, or real estate investment trust securities.

 

16


With respect to the fundamental policy relating to commodities set forth in (6) above, the 1940 Act does not prohibit a fund from owning commodities, whether physical commodities and contracts related to physical commodities (such as oil or grains and related futures contracts), or financial commodities and contracts related to financial commodities (such as currencies and, possibly, currency futures). However, a fund is limited in the amount of illiquid assets it may purchase. To the extent that investments in commodities are considered illiquid, the current SEC staff position generally limits a fund’s purchases of illiquid securities to 15% of net assets. If the fund were to invest in a physical commodity or a physical commodity-related instrument, the fund would be subject to the additional risks of the particular physical commodity and its related market. The value of commodities and commodity-related instruments may be extremely volatile and may be affected either directly or indirectly by a variety of factors. There also may be storage charges and risks of loss associated with physical commodities. The policy in (6) above will be interpreted to permit investments in exchange traded funds that invest in physical and/or financial commodities.

With respect to the fundamental policy relating to concentration set forth in (7) above, the 1940 Act does not define what constitutes “concentration” in an industry. The SEC staff has taken the position that investment of 25% or more of a fund’s total assets in one or more issuers conducting their principal activities in the same industry or group of industries constitutes concentration. It is possible that interpretations of concentration could change in the future. A fund that invests a significant percentage of its total assets in a single industry may be particularly susceptible to adverse events affecting that industry and may be more risky than a fund that does not concentrate in an industry. The policy in (7) above will be interpreted to refer to concentration as that term may be interpreted from time to time. The policy also will be interpreted to permit investment without limit in the following: securities of the U.S. government and its agencies or instrumentalities; securities of state, territory, possession or municipal governments and their authorities, agencies, instrumentalities or political subdivisions; securities of foreign governments; and repurchase agreements collateralized by any such obligations. Accordingly, issuers of the foregoing securities will not be considered to be members of any industry. There also will be no limit on investment in issuers domiciled in a single jurisdiction or country. The policy also will be interpreted to give broad authority to the fund as to how to classify issuers within or among industries.

The fund’s fundamental policies are written and will be interpreted broadly. For example, the policies will be interpreted to refer to the 1940 Act and the related rules as they are in effect from time to time, and to interpretations and modifications of or relating to the 1940 Act by the SEC and others as they are given from time to time. When a policy provides that an investment practice may be conducted as permitted by the 1940 Act, the policy will be interpreted to mean either that the 1940 Act expressly permits the practice or that the 1940 Act does not prohibit the practice.

Non-Fundamental Investment Policies

Under the non-fundamental investment policies adopted by the fund, the fund may not:

1. Invest more than 5 % of the value of the fund’s total assets in the securities of any issuer which has been in continuous operation for less than three years. This restriction does not apply to U.S. government securities.

2. Invest in securities of other investment companies, except to the extent permitted under the 1940 Act.

3. Invest in interests in oil, gas or other mineral exploration or development programs (except that the fund may invest in the securities of issuers which operate, invest in or sponsor such programs).

4. Purchase or otherwise acquire any security if, as a result, more than 15% of its net assets would be invested in securities that are illiquid.

5. Invest in any company for the purpose of exercising control or management.

6. Purchase or sell real estate limited partnership interests.

 

17


7. Purchase any securities on margin (except for such short-term credits as are necessary for the clearance of purchases and sales of portfolio securities). For purposes of this restriction, the deposit or payment by the fund of underlying securities and other assets in escrow and collateral agreements with respect to initial or maintenance margin in connection with futures contracts and related options and options on securities, indices or similar items is not considered to be the purchase of a security on margin.

8. Write, purchase or sell puts, calls, straddles, spreads or combinations thereof or engage in transactions involving futures contracts and related options, except as permitted under the fund’s investment goals and policies, as set forth in the current prospectus and SAI.

Diversification

The fund is currently classified as a diversified fund under the 1940 Act. This means that the fund may not purchase securities of an issuer (other than obligations issued or guaranteed by the U.S. government, its agencies or instrumentalities) if, with respect to 75% of its total assets, (a) more than 5% of the fund’s total assets would be invested in securities of that issuer, or (b) the fund would hold more than 10% of the outstanding voting securities of that issuer. With respect to the remaining 25% of its total assets, the fund can invest more than 5% of its assets in one issuer. Under the 1940 Act, the fund cannot change its classification from diversified to non-diversified without shareholder approval.

 

18


MANAGEMENT

The business affairs of the fund are managed by or under the direction of the Board. The Board elects officers who are responsible for the day-to-day operations of the fund and who execute policies authorized by the Board.

The current Trustees, including the Trustees of the fund who are not “interested persons” of the fund as defined in the 1940 Act (the “Independent Trustees”) and executive officers of the fund, their birth years, their principal occupations during at least the past five years (their titles may have varied during that period), the number of funds associated with Legg Mason the Trustees oversee, and other board memberships they hold are set forth below. The address of each Trustee is c/o R. Jay Gerken, 399 Park Avenue, New York, New York 10022.

The following information relates to the Trust’s recently elected Board of Trustees.

 

Name and

Year of Birth

   Position(s)
with Fund
   Term of
Office* and
Length of
Time
Served**
  

Principal Occupation(s)

During Past 5 Years

  

Number of

Funds

in Fund
Complex
to be
Overseen
by Trustee

  

Other Board
Memberships

Held by
Trustee
During

Past Five
Years

INDEPENDENT TRUSTEES:         

Paul R. Ades

Born 1940

   Trustee    Since 1983    Law firm of Paul R. Ades, PLLC (since 2000)    57    None

Andrew L. Breech

Born 1952

   Trustee    Since 1991    President, Dealer Operating Control Service, Inc. (automotive retail management) (since 1985)    57    None

Dwight B. Crane

Born 1937

   Trustee    Since 1981    Professor, Harvard Business School (since 1969); Independent Consultant (since 1969)    60    None

Robert M. Frayn, Jr.

Born 1934

   Trustee    Since 1981    Retired; formerly, President and Director, Book Publishing Co. (1970 to 2002)    57    None

Frank G. Hubbard

Born 1937

   Trustee    Since 1993    President, Avatar International Inc. (business development) (since 1998)    57    None

Howard J. Johnson

Born 1938

   Trustee    From 1981
to 1998
and 2000
to Present
   Chief Executive Officer, Genesis Imaging LLC (technology company) (since 2003)    57    None

 

19


Name and

Year of Birth

   Position(s)
with Fund
   Term of
Office* and
Length of
Time
Served**
  

Principal Occupation(s)

During Past 5 Years

  

Number of

Funds

in Fund
Complex
to be
Overseen
by Trustee

  

Other Board
Memberships

Held by Trustee
During

Past Five Years

David E. Maryatt

Born 1936

   Trustee    Since 1983    Private Investor; President and Director, ALS Co. (real estate management and development firm) (since 1993)    57    None

Jerome H. Miller

Born 1938

   Trustee    Since 1995    Retired    57    None

Ken Miller

Born 1942

   Trustee    Since 1983    Chairman, Young Stuff Apparel Group, Inc. (apparel manufacturer) (since 1963)    57    None

John J. Murphy

Born 1944

   Trustee    Since 2002    President, Murphy Capital Management (investment advice) (since 1983)    57    Director, Nicholas Applegate funds; Trustee, Consulting Group Capital Markets Funds; formerly, Director, Atlantic Stewardship Bank (2004 to 2005); Director, Barclays International Funds Group Ltd. and affiliated companies (to 2003)

Thomas F. Schlafly

Born 1948

   Trustee    Since 1983    Of Counsel, Blackwell Sanders Peper Martin LLP (law firm) (since 1984); President, The Saint Louis Brewery, Inc. (brewery) (since 1989)    57    Director, Citizens National Bank, Maplewood (2006)

Jerry A. Viscione

Born 1944

   Trustee    Since 1993    Retired; formerly, Executive Vice President, Marquette University (1997 to 2002)    57    None

 

20


Name and

Year of Birth

   Position(s)
with Fund
   Term of
Office* and
Length of
Time
Served**
  

Principal Occupation(s)

During Past 5 Years

  

Number of

Funds

in Fund
Complex
to be
Overseen
by Trustee

  

Other Board
Memberships

Held by
Trustee
During

Past Five
Years

INTERESTED TRUSTEE:         

R. Jay Gerken , CFA†

Born 1951

   Trustee,
President,
Chairman
and Chief
Executive
Officer
   Since 2002    Managing Director, Legg Mason & Co., LLC (“Legg Mason & Co.”); Chairman of the Board and Trustee/Director of 149 funds associated with LMPFA and its affiliates; President, LMPFA (since 2006); Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of certain mutual funds associated with Legg Mason & Co. or its affiliates; formerly, Chairman, Smith Barney Fund Management LLC (“SBFM”) and Citi Fund Management, Inc. (“CFM”) (2002 to 2005); formerly, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer, Travelers Investment Adviser Inc. (2002 to 2005)    149   

None


* Each Trustee serves until his or her respective successor has been duly elected and qualified or until his or her earlier death, resignation, retirement or removal.
** Indicates the earliest year in which the Trustee became a Board member for a fund in the Legg Mason Partners fund complex.
Mr. Gerken is an “interested person,” as defined in the 1940 Act, because of his position with the manager and/or certain of its affiliates.

 

21


Name, Year of Birth

And Address

  

Position(s) with
Fund

  

Term of Office*
and Length of
Time Served**

  

Principal Occupation(s)

During Past 5 Years

OFFICERS:         

Ted P. Becker

Born 1951

399 Park Avenue

New York, NY 10022

   Chief Compliance Officer    Since 2006    Director of Global Compliance at Legg Mason (2006 - present); Managing Director of Compliance at Legg Mason & Co (2005 to present); Chief Compliance Officer with certain mutual funds associated with Legg Mason & Co. (since 2006); Chief Compliance Officer of LMPFA and certain affiliates; Managing Director of Compliance at Citigroup Asset Management (a group of affiliated investment advisers, which included SBFM, Smith Barney Asset Management and CFM and other affiliated investment advisory entities) (2002 to 2005). Prior to 2002, Managing Director-Internal Audit & Risk Review at Citigroup Inc.

John Chiota

Born 1968

300 First Stamford Place, 5th Floor

Stamford, CT 06902

   Chief Anti-Money Laundering Compliance Officer    Since 2006    Vice President of Legg Mason & Co. (since 2005); Vice President at CAM (since 2004); Chief Anti-Money Laundering Compliance Officer of certain mutual funds associated with Legg Mason & Co. (since 2006). Prior to August 2004, Chief Anti-Money Laundering Compliance Officer of TD Waterhouse.

Robert I. Frenkel

Born 1954

300 First Stamford Place

Stamford, CT 06902

   Secretary and Chief Legal Officer    Since 2003    Managing Director and General Counsel of Global Mutual Funds for Legg Mason & Co. (since 2005); Managing Director and General Counsel of Global Mutual Funds for CAM (since 2000); Secretary and Chief Legal Officer of certain mutual funds associated with Legg Mason & Co. (since 2003). Previously, Secretary of CFM (2001 to 2004).

 

22


Name, Year of Birth

And Address

  

Position(s)
with Fund

  

Term of Office*
and Length of
Time Served**

  

Principal Occupation(s)

During Past 5 Years

Thomas C. Mandia

Born 1962

300 First Stamford Place

Stamford, CT 06902

   Assistant Secretary    Since 2000    Managing Director and Deputy General Counsel of Legg Mason & Co. (since 2005); Managing Director and Deputy General Counsel for CAM (since 1992); Assistant Secretary of certain mutual funds associated with Legg Mason & Co.

Kaprel Ozsolak

Born 1965

125 Broad Street, 11th Floor

New York, NY 10004

   Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer    Since 2004    Director of Legg Mason & Co. (since 2005); Vice President at CAM (1996 to 2005); Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer of certain mutual funds associated with Legg Mason & Co. (since 2005); Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer of certain mutual funds associated with CAM (2004 to 2005). Previously, Mr. Ozsolak was Controller of certain mutual funds associated with CAM (2002 to 2004).

* Each officer serves until his or her respective successor has been duly elected and qualified or until his or her earlier death, resignation, retirement or removal.
** Indicates the earliest year in which the officer took office for any funds in the Legg Mason Partners fund complex.

Officers of the fund receive no compensation from the fund, although they may be reimbursed by the fund for reasonable out-of-pocket travel expenses for attending Board meetings.

The Board has three standing Committees: the Audit Committee, Nominating and Governance Committee (referred to as the Nominating Committee) and Pricing Committee. The Audit Committee and Nominating Committee are composed of all the Independent Trustees. The Pricing Committee is composed of the Chairman of the Board and one Independent Trustee.

The Audit Committee oversees, among other things, the scope of the fund’s audit, the fund’s accounting and financial reporting policies and practices and its internal controls. The primary purposes of the Board’s Audit Committee are to assist the Board in fulfilling its responsibility for oversight of the integrity of the accounting, auditing and financial reporting practices of the fund and the qualifications and independence of the fund’s independent registered public accounting firm. The Audit Committee approves, and recommends to the Independent Trustees for their ratification, the selection, appointment, retention or termination of the fund’s independent registered public accounting firm and approves the compensation of the independent registered public accounting firm. The Audit Committee also approves all audit and permissible non-audit services provided to the fund by the independent registered public accounting firm and all permissible non-audit services provided by the fund’s independent registered public accounting firm to its manager and any affiliated service providers if the engagement relates directly to the fund’s operations and financial reporting. The Audit Committee also assists the Board in fulfilling its responsibility for the review and negotiation of the fund’s investment management and subadvisory arrangements.

The Nominating Committee is responsible for, among other things, recommending candidates to fill vacancies on the Board. The Nominating Committee may consider nominees recommended by a shareholder. Shareholders who wish to recommend a nominee should send recommendations to the Trust’s Secretary that include all information relating to such person that is required to be disclosed in solicitations of proxies for the

 

23


election of Trustees. A recommendation must be accompanied by a written consent of the individual to stand for election if nominated by the Board and to serve if elected by the shareholders.

The Nominating Committee identifies potential nominees through its network of contacts and may also engage, if it deems appropriate, a professional search firm. The committee meets to discuss and consider such candidates’ qualifications and then chooses a candidate by majority vote. The committee does not have specific, minimum qualifications for nominees, nor has it established specific qualities or skills that it regards as necessary for one or more of the Trustees to possess (other than any qualities or skills that may be required by applicable law, regulation or listing standard). However, in evaluating a person as a potential nominee to serve as a Trustee, the Nominating Committee may consider the following factors, among any others it may deem relevant:

 

   

whether or not the person is an “interested person,” as defined in the 1940 Act, and whether the person is otherwise qualified under applicable laws and regulations to serve as a Trustee;

 

   

whether or not the person has any relationships that might impair his or her independence, such as any business, financial or family relationships with fund management, the investment adviser, service providers or their affiliates;

 

   

whether or not the person serves on boards of, or is otherwise affiliated with, competing financial service organizations or their related mutual fund complexes;

 

   

whether or not the person is willing to serve, and willing and able to commit the time necessary for the performance of the duties of a Trustee;

 

   

the contribution which the person can make to the Board (or, if the person has previously served as a Trustee, the contribution which the person made to the Board during his or her previous term of service), with consideration being given to the person’s business and professional experience, education and such other factors as the committee may consider relevant;

 

   

the character and integrity of the person; and

 

   

whether or not the selection and nomination of the person would be consistent with the requirements of the retirement policies of the Trust, as applicable.

The Pricing Committee is charged with determining the fair value prices for securities when required.

As indicated above, the Trust’s Board is recently elected and is newly constituted as the Board that oversees all of the equity-type funds in the fund complex. All members of the Board previously have served on Boards of Legg Mason Partners funds. The Audit, Nominating and Pricing Committees are recently established committees of this Board and did not meet during the fund’s last fiscal year.

 

24


The following table shows the amount of equity securities owned by the Trustees in the fund and other investment companies in the fund complex supervised by the Trustees as of December 31, 2006.

 

Name of Trustee

   Dollar Range of
Equity Securities in
the Fund
  

Aggregate Dollar Range
of Equity Securities In
Registered Investment
Companies Overseen

by Trustee

Independent Trustees

     

Paul R. Ades

   None    Over $100,000

Andrew L. Breech

   None    Over $100,000

Dwight B. Crane

   None    Over $100,000

Robert M. Frayn, Jr.

   Over $100,000    Over $100,000

Frank G. Hubbard

   None    Over $100,000

Howard J. Johnson

   None    None

David E. Maryatt

   Over $100,000    Over $100,000

Jerome H. Miller

   None    $50,001 – $100,000

Ken Miller

   None    $50,001 – $100,000

John J. Murphy

   None    None

Thomas F. Schlafly

   None    Over $100,000

Jerry A. Viscione

   $10,001 – $50,000    $10,001 – $50,000

Interested Trustee

     

R. Jay Gerken

   $10,001 – $50,000    Over $100,000

As of April 16, 2007, none of the Independent Trustees or their immediate family members owned beneficially or of record any securities of the manager, subadviser or distributors of the fund, or in a person (other than a registered investment company) directly or indirectly controlling, controlled by or under common control with the manager, subadviser or distributors of the fund.

Information regarding compensation paid by the fund to its recently elected Board and to its prior Board is set forth below. The Independent Trustees receive a fee for each meeting of the fund’s Board and committee meetings attended and are reimbursed for all out-of-pocket expenses relating to attendance at such meetings. Mr. Gerken, an “interested person,” as defined in the 1940 Act, does not receive compensation from the fund for his service as Trustee, but may be reimbursed for all out-of-pocket expenses relating to attendance at such meetings.

The fund pays a pro rata share of the Trustee fees based upon asset size. The fund currently pays each of the Trustees who is not a director, officer or employee of the manager or any of its affiliates its pro rata share of: an annual fee of $100,000 plus $20,000 for each regularly scheduled Board meeting attended in person, and $1,000 for telephonic Board meetings in which that Trustee participates. The lead Independent Trustee will receive an additional $25,000 per year and the Chair of the Audit Committee will receive an additional $15,000 per year.

 

25


Recently elected Board

 

Name of Trustee

  

Aggregate
Compensation
from the

Fund(1)(2)

  

Total Pension or
Retirement
Benefits Paid

as Part of Fund
Expenses(1)

    Total
Compensation
from Fund
Complex Paid
to Trustee(1)(2)
   Number of
Portfolios in
Fund
Complex
Overseen by
Trustee(1)

Independent Trustees

          

Paul R. Ades

     N/A    $ 0     $ 86,200    57

Andrew L. Breech

     N/A    $ 0     $ 35,750    57

Dwight B. Crane

     N/A      (3 )   $ 266,500    57

Robert M. Frayn, Jr.(4)

   $ 17,500    $ 0     $ 17,500    57

Frank G. Hubbard

     N/A    $ 0     $ 78,700    57

Howard J. Johnson

   $ 36,000    $ 0     $ 36,000    57

David E. Maryatt(4)

   $ 17,500    $ 0     $ 17,500    57

Jerome H. Miller

     N/A    $ 0     $ 73,500    57

Ken Miller

     N/A    $ 0     $ 71,500    57

John J. Murphy

     N/A    $ 0     $ 91,200    57

Thomas F. Schlafly

     N/A    $ 0     $ 35,250    57

Jerry A. Viscione

   $ 29,500    $ 0     $ 29,500    57

Interested Trustee

          

R. Jay Gerken

   $ 0    $ 0     $ 0    139

(1) Information is for the calendar year ended December 31, 2006. The disclosure of compensation paid to the Trustees is provided as of the most recent calendar year end, rather than the fund’s most recent fiscal year end, for ease of presentation and comprehension.
(2) Messrs. Hubbard and Murphy also received $5,200 and $2,200, respectively, during 2006 for attending on behalf of their former Boards an additional meeting relating to the selection of service providers for the funds in the Legg Mason Funds complex. These amounts were paid by the manager or its affiliates, and not by the fund.
(3) Pursuant to a prior emeritus retirement plan, Mr. Crane has received or is entitled to receive, in a lump sum (calculated on a net present value basis) or in quarterly installments, an aggregate benefit having a net present value equal to $444,643. Mr. Crane elected to receive the benefit in a lump sum payment. Each fund no longer overseen by Mr. Crane will pay a pro rata share (based upon asset size) of the aggregate benefit to Mr. Crane. Legg Mason or its affiliates have agreed to reimburse these funds an amount equal to 50% of the benefits paid to Mr. Crane. None of these amounts were paid during the period covered by this period.
(4) Messrs. Frayn and Maryatt have elected to defer receipt of 100% of their compensation for the year ended December 31, 2006.

For the fiscal year ended September 30, 2006, the Directors of the fund were paid compensation listed below for their service as a Director. Information as to the compensation paid to the Directors of the fund for the calendar year ended December 31, 2006 also is shown below.

Prior Board

 

Name of Independent Director

   Aggregate
Compensation
from Fund for
the Fiscal
Year Ended
September 30,
2006
   Total Pension
or Retirement
Benefits Paid
as part of Fund
Expenses(2)(3)
    Total
Compensation
from Fund
Complex for
the Fiscal
Year Ended
September 30,
2006
   Number of
Portfolios for
Which Director
Served Within
Fund Complex

Robert M. Frayn, Jr.

   $ 26,500    $ 0     $ 26,500    1

Leon P. Gardner

   $ 30,500      (3 )   $ 30,500    1

Howard J. Johnson

   $ 45,500    $ 0     $ 45,500    1

David E. Maryatt

   $ 25,500    $ 0     $ 25,500    1

Jerry A. Viscione

   $ 33,500    $ 0     $ 33,500    1

Name of Interested Director

                    

R. Jay Gerken(1)

   $ 0    $ 0     $ 0    162

 

26


Name of Independent Directors

   Aggregate
Compensation
from Fund for
Year Ended
12/31/06
   Total Pension
or Retirement
Benefits Paid
as Part of Fund
Expenses(3)
    Total
Compensation
from Fund
Complex Paid
to Directors in
Year Ended
12/31/06
   Number of
Funds for
Which Director
Served Within
Fund Complex

Robert M. Frayn, Jr.(4)

   $ 17,500    $ 0     $ 17,500    1

Leon P. Gardner

   $ 27,000      (3 )   $ 27,000    1

Howard L. Johnson

   $ 36,000    $ 0     $ 36,000    1

David E. Maryatt(4)

   $ 17,500    $ 0     $ 17,500    1

Jerry A. Viscione

   $ 29,500    $ 0     $ 29,500    1

Interested Director

                    

R. Jay Gerken(1)

   $ 0    $ 0     $ 0    162

(1)

Mr. Gerken was not compensated for his service as a Director because of his affiliation with the manager.

(2) During the fiscal year ended September 30, 2006, the following former Director received the following payments for services as emeritus Director: Mr. Lloyd Andrews: $15,250. The fund paid its pro rata share (based on asset size) of these aggregate benefits.
(3) Pursuant to prior emeritus retirement plans, the following former Directors have received or are entitled to receive benefits (calculated on a net present value basis) as follows: Mr. Andrews: $44,823; Mr. Leon P. Gardner: $103,500. Benefits under the emeritus retirement plans are paid in quarterly installments unless the Director elected to receive them in a lump sum at net present value. Each fund no longer overseen by these Directors will pay its pro rata share (based on asset size) of these aggregate benefits. Legg Mason or its affiliates have agreed to reimburse the funds an amount equal to 50% of these benefits. None of these amounts were paid during the period covered by this table.
(4) Messrs. Frayn and Maryatt have elected to defer receipt of 100% of their compensation for the year ended December 31, 2006.

As of March 16, 2007, the Trustees and Officers of the Trust as a group owned less than 1% of the outstanding common stock of the fund.

As of March 16, 2007, to the knowledge of the fund, the following shareholders or groups (as such term is used in section 13(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934) beneficially owned more than 5% of the outstanding shares of the following classes of the fund:

 

Class

  

Name and Address

   Shares Held    % of
Shares

I

  

STATE STREET BANK & TRUST CUST

FBO CITIGROUP 401K PLAN

105 ROSEMONT AVE.

WESTWOOD, MA 02090-2318

   8,014,820.47    50.8501
  

SMITH BARNEY MUTUAL FUND MANAGEMENT LLC

CONCERT SERIES

SB ALLOCATION GROWTH

225 LIBERTY STREET, 24TH FLOOR

NEW YORK, NY 10281-2606

   3,467,166.47    21.9975
  

SMITH BARNEY MUTUAL FUND MANAGEMENT LLC

CONCERT SERIES

SB ALLOCATION BALANCED

225 LIBERTY STREET, 24TH FLOOR

NEW YORK, NY 10281-2606

   1,467,996.24    9.3137
  

SMITH BARNEY MUTUAL FUND MANAGEMENT LLC

CONCERT SERIES

SELECT BALANCED

225 LIBERTY STREET, 24TH FLOOR

NEW YORK, NY 10281-2606

   933,056.20    5.9197

 

27


Manager

LMPFA serves as investment manager to the fund pursuant to an investment management agreement (the “Management Agreement”) with the with an initial term ending November 30, 2007. LMPFA, with offices at 399 Park Avenue, New York, New York 10022, is a recently-organized investment adviser that has been formed to serve as the investment manager of the fund and certain other Legg Mason-sponsored funds. LMPFA is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Legg Mason. Legg Mason, whose principal executive offices are at 100 Light Street, Baltimore, Maryland 21202, is a global asset management company. As of December 31, 2006, Legg Mason’s asset management operation had aggregate assets under management of approximately $945 billion. LMPFA provides administrative and certain oversight services to the fund and manages the cash and short-term investments of the fund.

Under the Management Agreement, subject to the supervision and direction of the fund’s Board, the manager is delegated the responsibility of managing the fund’s portfolio in accordance with the fund’s stated investment objective and policies, making investment decisions for the fund and placing orders to purchase and sell securities. The manager also performs administrative and management services necessary for the operation of the fund, such as (i) supervising the overall administration of the fund, including negotiation of contracts and fees with and the monitoring of performance and billings of the fund’s transfer agent, shareholder servicing agents, custodian and other independent contractors or agents; (ii) providing certain compliance, fund accounting, regulatory reporting, and tax reporting services; (iii) preparing or participating in the preparation of Board materials, registration statements, proxy statements and reports and other communications to shareholders; (iv) maintaining the fund’s existence, and (v) maintaining the registration and qualification of the fund’s shares under federal and state laws.

The Management Agreement has an initial term ending November 30, 2007 and will continue in effect from year to year thereafter provided such continuance is specifically approved at least annually (a) by the fund’s Board or by a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the fund (as defined in the 1940 Act), and (b) in either event, by a majority of the Independent Trustees with such Independent Trustees casting votes in person at a meeting called for such purpose.

The Management Agreement provides that the manager may render services to others. The Management Agreement is terminable without penalty on not more than 60 days’ nor less than 30 days’ written notice by the fund when authorized either by a vote of holders of shares representing a majority of the voting power of the outstanding voting securities of the fund (as defined in the 1940 Act) or by a vote of a majority of the fund’s Trustees, or by the manager on not less than 90 days’ written notice, and will automatically terminate in the event of its assignment. The Management Agreement provides that neither the manager nor its personnel shall be liable for any error of judgment or mistake of law or for any loss arising out of any investment or for any act or omission in the execution of security transactions for the fund, except for willful misfeasance, bad faith or gross negligence or reckless disregard of its or their obligations and duties.

Effective December 1, 2005, for its services under the Management Agreement, LMPFA receives an investment management fee that is calculated daily and payable monthly according to the following schedule:

 

Average Daily Net Assets

   Investment Management Fee
Rate
 

First $1.5 billion

   0.75 %

Next $0.5 billion

   0.70 %

Next $0.5 billion

   0.65 %

Next $1 billion

   0.60 %

Over $3.5 billion

   0.50 %

Prior to December 1, 2005, SBFM served as investment adviser and administrator to the fund pursuant to separate investment advisory and administration agreements and received separate investment advisory and administrative fees.

 

28


Prior to December 1, 2005, the fund paid SBFM an advisory fee, accrued daily and paid monthly, according to the following schedule:

 

First $1.5 billion of average daily net assets

   0.55 %

Next $0.5 billion of average daily net assets

   0.50 %

Next $0.5 billion of average daily net assets

   0.49 %

Next $1.0 billion of average daily net assets

   0.46 %

Over $3.5 billion of average daily net assets

   0.38 %

For the fiscal years ended September 30, 2006, 2005 and 2004, the fund incurred $27,427,042, $22,213,082 and $21,981,311, respectively, in investment advisory fees. For the fiscal year ended September 30, 2006, the manager waived $352,919 in investment advisory fees.

Prior to December 1, 2005, the fund paid administrative fees to SBFM according to the following schedule:

 

Average Daily Net Assets

   Investment Management Fee
Rate
 

First $2 billion

   0.20 %

Next $0.5 billion

   0.16 %

Next $1.0 billion

   0.14 %

Over $3.5 billion

   0.12 %

For the fiscal years ended September 30, 2006, 2005 and 2004, the fund incurred $1,223,784, $7,593,605 and $7,520,416, respectively, in administration fees.

Expenses

In addition to amounts payable under the Management Agreement and the 12b-1 Plan (as discussed below), the fund is responsible for its own expenses, including, among other things, interest; taxes; governmental fees; voluntary assessments and other expenses incurred in connection with membership in investment company organizations; organization costs of the fund; the cost (including brokerage commissions, transaction fees or charges, if any) in connection with the purchase or sale of the fund’s securities and other investments and any losses in connection therewith; fees and expenses of custodians, transfer agents, registrars, independent pricing vendors or other agents; legal expenses; loan commitment fees; expenses relating to share certificates; expenses relating to the issuing and redemption or repurchase of the fund’s shares and servicing shareholder accounts; expenses of registering and qualifying the fund’s shares for sale under applicable federal and state law; expenses of preparing, setting in print, printing and distributing prospectuses and statements of additional information and any supplements thereto, reports, proxy statements, notices and dividends to the fund’s shareholders; costs of stationery; website costs; costs of meetings of the Board or any committee thereof, meetings of shareholders and other meetings of the fund; Board fees; audit fees; travel expenses of officers, members of the Board and employees of the fund, if any; and the fund’s pro rata portion of premiums on any fidelity bond and other insurance covering the fund and its officers, Board members and employees; litigation expenses and any nonrecurring or extraordinary expenses as may arise, including, without limitation, those relating to actions, suits or proceedings to which the fund is a party and the legal obligation which the fund may have to indemnify the fund’s Board members and officers with respect thereto.

Management may agree to waive fees and or reimburse operating expenses for one or more classes of shares, either through contractual or voluntary arrangements. Any such waivers and/or reimbursements are described in the fund’s prospectus. The contractual and voluntary fee waivers and/or reimbursements do not cover extraordinary expenses, such as (a) any expenses or charges related to litigation, derivative actions, demand related to litigation, regulatory or other government investigations and proceedings, “for cause” regulatory inspections and indemnification or advancement of related expenses or costs, to the extent any such

 

29


expenses are considered extraordinary expenses for the purposes of fee disclosure in Form N-1A as the same may be amended from time to time; (b) transaction costs (such as brokerage commissions and dealer and underwriter spreads) and taxes; and (c) other extraordinary expenses as determined for the purposes of fee disclosure in Form N-1A, as the same may be amended from time to time. Without limiting the foregoing, extraordinary expenses are generally those that are unusual or expected to recur only infrequently, and may include such expenses, by way of illustration, as (i) expenses of the reorganization, restructuring, redomiciling or merger of the fund or class or the acquisition of all or substantially all of the assets of another fund or class; (ii) expenses of holding, and soliciting proxies for, a meeting of shareholders of the fund or class (except to the extent relating to routine items such as the election of Board members or the approval of the independent registered public accounting firm); and (iii) expenses of converting to a new custodian, transfer agent or other service provider, in each case to the extent any such expenses are considered extraordinary expenses for the purposes of fee disclosure in Form N-1A as the same may be amended from time to time.

Subadviser

ClearBridge serves as the subadviser to the fund pursuant to a sub-advisory agreement between the manager and ClearBridge that was approved by the Board, including a majority of Independent Trustees, on June 29, 2006 (the “Sub-Advisory Agreement”).

ClearBridge has offices at 399 Park Avenue, New York, New York 10022 and is a recently-organized investment adviser that has been formed to succeed to the equity securities portfolio management business of CAM, which was acquired by Legg Mason in December 2005.

ClearBridge is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Legg Mason.

Under the Sub-Advisory Agreement, subject to the supervision and direction of the Board and the manager, the subadviser will, except for the management of cash and short-term investments that is performed by LMPFA, manage the fund’s portfolio in accordance with the fund’s stated investment objective and policies, assist in supervising all aspects of the fund’s operations, make investment decisions for the fund, place orders to purchase and sell securities, and employ professional portfolio managers and securities analysts who provide research services to the fund.

The Sub-Advisory Agreement has an initial term ending November 30, 2007, and will continue in effect from year to year thereafter provided such continuance is specifically approved at least annually (a) by the Board or by a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the fund (as defined in the 1940 Act), and (b) in either event, by a majority of the Independent Trustees with such Independent Trustees casting votes in person at a meeting called for such purpose. The Board or a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the fund (as defined in the 1940 Act) may terminate the Sub-Advisory Agreement without penalty, in each case on not more than 60 days’ nor less than 30 days’ written notice to the subadviser. The subadviser may terminate the Sub-Advisory Agreement on 90 days’ written notice to the fund and the manager. The manager and the subadviser may terminate the Sub-Advisory Agreement upon their mutual written consent. The Sub-Advisory Agreement will terminate automatically in the event of assignment by the subadviser and shall not be assignable by the manager without the consent of the subadviser.

As compensation for its sub-advisory services, the manager will pay the subadviser a fee equal to 70% of the management fee paid to LMPFA, net expense waivers and reimbursements. For the period from August 1, 2006 through September 30, 2006, the manager paid the subadviser subadvisory fees of $3,296,179.

Code of Ethics

Pursuant to Rule 17j-1 under the 1940 Act, the fund, its manager, the subadviser and the distributors have adopted codes of ethics that permit personnel to invest in securities for their own accounts, including securities

 

30


that may be purchased or held by the fund. All personnel must place the interests of clients first and avoid activities, interests and relationships that might interfere with the duty to make decisions in the best interests of the clients. All personal securities transactions by employees must adhere to the requirements of the code and must be conducted in such a manner as to avoid any actual or potential conflict of interest, the appearance of such a conflict, or the abuse of an employee’s position of trust and responsibility.

Copies of the codes of ethics of the fund, its manager, the subadviser and distributors are on file with the SEC.

Proxy Voting Guidelines and Procedures

Although individual Trustees may not agree with particular policies or votes by the manager or subadviser, the Board has delegated proxy voting discretion to the manager and/or the subadviser, believing that the manager and/or the subadviser should be responsible for voting because it is a matter relating to the investment decision making process.

LMPFA delegates the responsibility for voting proxies for the fund to the subadviser through its contract with the subadviser. The subadviser will use its own proxy voting policies and procedures to vote proxies. Accordingly, LMPFA does not expect to have proxy-voting responsibility for the fund. Should LMPFA become responsible for voting proxies for any reason, such as the inability of the subadviser to provide investment advisory services, LMPFA shall utilize the proxy voting guidelines established by the most recent subadviser to vote proxies until a new subadviser is retained. In the case of a material conflict between the interests of LMPFA (or its affiliates if such conflict is known to persons responsible for voting at LMPFA) and the fund, the Board of Directors of LMPFA shall consider how to address the conflict and/or how to vote the proxies. LMPFA shall maintain records of all proxy votes in accordance with applicable securities laws and regulations, to the extent that LMPFA votes proxies. LMPFA shall be responsible for gathering relevant documents and records related to proxy voting from the subadviser and providing them to the fund as required for the fund to comply with applicable rules under the 1940 Act.

The subadviser’s Proxy Voting Policies and Procedures govern in determining how proxies relating to the fund’s portfolio securities are voted, a summary of which is Appendix A to this SAI. Information regarding how the fund voted proxies (if any) relating to portfolio securities during the most recent 12-month period ended June 30 is available without charge (1) by calling 1-888-425-6432, (2) on the fund’s website at http://www.leggmason.com/InvestorServices and (3) on the SEC’s website at http://www.sec.gov.

PORTFOLIO MANAGER DISCLOSURE

Portfolio Managers

The following tables set forth certain additional information with respect to the portfolio managers for the fund. Unless noted otherwise, all information is provided as of October 31, 2006.

Other Accounts Managed by Portfolio Managers

The table below identifies the portfolio managers, the number of accounts (other than the fund) for which each portfolio manager has day-to-day management responsibilities and the total assets in such accounts, within each of the following categories: registered investment companies, other pooled investment vehicles, and other accounts.

 

31


Portfolio
Manager(s)
     

Registered Investment Companies, Pooled Investment Vehicles and Other Accounts

John G. Goode  

—  

  19 other registered investment companies with $8.6 billion in total assets under management; 2 other pooled investment vehicles with $400 million in total assets under management and 80,836 other accounts with $12.18 billion in total assets under management; 1 account with fees based on performance with $10 million in total assets under management
Peter J. Hable  

—  

  21 other registered investment companies with $9.99 billion in total assets under management; 2 other pooled investment vehicles with $400 million in total assets under management and 80,836 other accounts with $12.18 billion in total assets under management; 1 account with fees based on performance with $10 million in total assets under management

Portfolio Manager Compensation

ClearBridge investment professionals receive base salary and other employee benefits and are eligible to receive incentive compensation. Base salary is fixed and typically determined based on market factors and the skill and experience of individual investment personnel.

ClearBridge has an incentive and deferred compensation plan (the “Compensation Plan”) for its investment professionals, including the fund’s portfolio manager(s). Each investment professional works as a part of an investment team. The Compensation Plan is designed to align the objectives of ClearBridge investment professionals with those of fund shareholders and other ClearBridge clients. Under the Compensation Plan a “base incentive pool” is established for each team each year as a percentage of ClearBridge’s revenue attributable to the team (largely management and related fees generated by funds and other accounts). A team’s revenues are typically expected to increase or decrease depending on the effect that the team’s investment performance as well as inflows and outflows have on the level of assets in the investment products managed by the team. The “base incentive pool” of a team is reduced by base salaries paid to members of the team and other employee expenses attributable to the team.

The investment team’s incentive pool is then adjusted to reflect its ranking among a “peer group” of non-ClearBridge investment managers and the team’s pre-tax investment performance against the applicable product benchmark (e.g. a securities index and, with respect to a fund, the benchmark set forth in the fund’s prospectus to which the fund’s average annual total returns are compared or, if none, the benchmark set forth in the fund’s annual report). The peer group of non-Clearbridge investment managers is defined by product style/type, vehicle type and geography and selected by independent vendors that track and provide (for a fee paid by Clearbridge) relevant peer group performance and ranking data. Longer-term (5- year) performance is more heavily weighted than shorter-term (1- year) performance in the calculation of the performance adjustment factor. The incentive pool for a team may also be adjusted based on other qualitative factors by the applicable ClearBridge Chief Investment Officer.). The incentive pool will be allocated by the applicable ClearBridge Chief Investment Officer to the team leader and, based on the recommendations of the team leader, to the other members of the team.

Up to 20% of an investment professional’s annual incentive compensation is subject to deferral. For portfolio managers, 25% of this deferral tracks performance of their primary managed product while another 25% tracks performance of an elected fund. Therefore, portfolio managers may potentially have 50% of their deferred award amount tracking the performance of their primary managed product. The remaining 50% of the deferral is received in the form of Legg Mason restricted stock shares.

Potential Conflicts of Interest

Potential conflicts of interest may arise when the fund’s portfolio managers also have day-to-day management responsibilities with respect to one or more other funds or other accounts, as is the case for all the portfolio managers listed in the table above.

 

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The manager, the subadviser and the fund have adopted compliance polices and procedures that are designed to address various conflicts of interest that may arise for the manager and the individuals that it employs. For example, the manager and the subadviser each seek to minimize the effects of competing interests for the time and attention of portfolio managers by assigning portfolio managers to manage funds and accounts that share a similar investment style. The manager and the subadviser have also adopted trade allocation procedures that are designed to facilitate the fair allocation of limited investment opportunities among multiple funds and accounts. There is no guarantee, however, that the policies and procedures adopted by the manager, the subadviser and the fund will be able to detect and/or prevent every situation in which an actual or potential conflict may appear. These potential conflicts include:

Allocation of Limited Time and Attention. A portfolio manager who is responsible for managing multiple funds and/or accounts may devote unequal time and attention to the management of those funds and/or accounts. As a result, the portfolio manager may not be able to formulate as complete a strategy or identify equally attractive investment opportunities for each of those accounts as might be the case if he or she were to devote substantially more attention to the management of a single fund. The effects of this potential conflict may be more pronounced where funds and/or accounts overseen by a particular portfolio manager have different investment strategies.

Allocation of Limited Investment Opportunities. If a portfolio manager identifies a limited investment opportunity that may be suitable for multiple funds and/or accounts, the opportunity may be allocated among these several funds or accounts, which may limit a fund’s ability to take full advantage of the investment opportunity.

Pursuit of Differing Strategies. At times, a portfolio manager may determine that an investment opportunity may be appropriate for only some of the funds and/or accounts for which he or she exercises investment responsibility, or may decide that certain of the funds and/or accounts should take differing positions with respect to a particular security. In these cases, the portfolio manager may place separate transactions for one or more funds or accounts which may affect the market price of the security or the execution of the transaction, or both, to the detriment or benefit of one or more other funds and/or accounts.

Selection of Brokers/Dealers. Portfolio managers may be able to select or influence the selection of the brokers and dealers that are used to execute securities transactions for the funds and/or accounts that they supervise. In addition to executing trades, some brokers and dealers provide brokerage and research services (as those terms are defined in Section 28(e) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934), which may result in the payment of higher brokerage fees than might have otherwise been available. These services may be more beneficial to certain funds or accounts than to others. Although the payment of brokerage commissions is subject to the requirement that the subadviser determine in good faith that the commissions are reasonable in relation to the value of the brokerage and research services provided to the fund, a decision as to the selection of brokers and dealers could yield disproportionate costs and benefits among the funds and/or accounts managed. For this reason, the subadviser has formed a brokerage committee that reviews, among other things, the allocation of brokerage to broker/dealers, best execution and soft dollar usage.

Variation in Compensation. A conflict of interest may arise where the financial or other benefits available to the portfolio manager differ among the funds and/or accounts that he or she manages. If the structure of the investment manager’s management fee and/or the portfolio manager’s compensation differs among funds and/or accounts (such as where certain funds or accounts pay higher management fees or performance-based management fees), the portfolio manager might be motivated to help certain funds and/or accounts over others. The portfolio manager might be motivated to favor funds and/or accounts in which he or she has an interest or in which the manager and/or its affiliates have interests. Similarly, the desire to maintain assets under management or to enhance the portfolio manager’s performance record or to derive other rewards, financial or otherwise, could influence the portfolio manager in affording preferential treatment to those funds and/or accounts that could most significantly benefit the portfolio manager.

 

33


Related Business Opportunities. The manager or its affiliates may provide more services (such as distribution or recordkeeping) for some types of funds or accounts than for others. In such cases, a portfolio manager may benefit, either directly or indirectly, by devoting disproportionate attention to the management of fund and/or accounts that provide greater overall returns to the manager and its affiliates.

Portfolio Manager Securities Ownership

The table below identifies ownership of fund securities by each portfolio manager as of September 30, 2006.

 

Portfolio Manager(s)

   Dollar Range of
Ownership of Securities

John G. Goode

   $ 50,001-$100,000

Peter J. Hable

     $0

Portfolio Transactions

Subject to policies as may be established by the fund’s Board from time to time, the subadviser is primarily responsible for the fund’s portfolio decisions and the placing of the fund’s portfolio transactions, except that the manager manages the cash and short-term investments of the fund. Commissions are negotiated with broker/dealers on all transactions.

The cost of securities purchased from underwriters includes an underwriting commission, concession or a net price. The purchase by the fund of participations or assignments may be pursuant to privately negotiated transactions pursuant to which the fund may be required to pay fees to the seller or forego a portion of payments in respect of the participation agreement. The aggregate brokerage commissions paid by the fund for the three most recent fiscal years is set forth below under “Aggregate Brokerage Commissions Paid.”

Pursuant to the Management Agreement and Sub-Advisory Agreement, each of the manager and the subadviser is authorized to place orders pursuant to its investment determinations for the fund either directly with the issuer or with any broker or dealer, foreign currency dealer, futures commission merchant or others selected by it. The general policy of the manager and subadviser in selecting brokers and dealers is to obtain the best results achievable in the context of a number of factors which are considered both in relation to individual trades and broader trading patterns, including the reliability of the broker/dealer, the competitiveness of the price and the commission, the research services received and whether the broker/dealer commits its own capital.

In connection with the selection of such brokers or dealers and the placing of such orders, subject to applicable law, brokers or dealers may be selected who also provide brokerage and research services (as those terms are defined in Section 28(e) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934) to the fund and/or the other accounts over which the manager, the subadviser or their affiliates exercise investment discretion. The manager and subadviser are authorized to pay a broker or dealer who provides such brokerage and research services a commission for executing a portfolio transaction for the fund which is in excess of the amount of commission another broker or dealer would have charged for effecting that transaction if the manager or subadviser determines in good faith that such amount of commission is reasonable in relation to the value of the brokerage and research services provided by such broker or dealer. This determination may be viewed in terms of either that particular transaction or the overall responsibilities that the manager, the subadviser and their affiliates have with respect to accounts over which they exercise investment discretion. The manager and/or subadviser may also have arrangements with brokers pursuant to which such brokers provide research services to the manager or subadviser, as applicable, in exchange for a certain volume of brokerage transactions to be executed by such brokers. While the payment of higher commissions increases the fund’s costs, neither the manager nor the subadviser believes that the receipt of such brokerage and research services significantly reduces its expenses as manager or subadviser. Arrangements for the receipt of research services from brokers may create conflicts of interest.

 

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Research services furnished to the manager or subadviser by brokers who effect securities transactions for the fund may be used by the manager or subadviser in servicing other investment companies and accounts which it manages. Similarly, research services furnished to the manager or subadviser by brokers who effect securities transactions for other investment companies and accounts which the manager or subadviser manages may be used by the manager or subadviser, as applicable, in servicing the fund. Not all of these research services are used by the manager or subadviser in managing any particular account, including the fund. For the fiscal year ended September 30, 2006, the fund paid commissions to brokers that provided research services as follows:

 

Total Dollar Amount of

Brokerage Transactions

Related to Research Services

 

Total Dollar Amount of

Brokerage Commissions

Paid on Transactions

Related to Research Services

$93,730,996

 

$176,927

The fund contemplates that, consistent with the policy of obtaining the best net results, brokerage transactions may be conducted through “affiliated broker/dealers”, as defined in the 1940 Act. The fund’s Board has adopted procedures in accordance with Rule 17e-1 promulgated under the 1940 Act to ensure that all brokerage commissions paid to such affiliates are reasonable and fair in the context of the market in which such affiliates operate. Effective December 1, 2005 CGMI is no longer an affiliated person of the fund under the 1940 Act. As a result, the fund will be permitted to execute portfolio transactions with CGMI or an affiliate of CGMI as agent (but not as principal) without being subject to the restrictions applicable to transactions with affiliated persons.

Aggregate Brokerage Commissions Paid

For the fiscal years ended September 30, 2004, 2005 and 2006, the fund paid aggregate brokerage commissions and brokerage commissions to CGMI and affiliates as set out below:

 

    

Aggregate Broker

Commissions Paid

  

Amount of Brokerage

Commissions Paid

by the fund to CGMI and its
Affiliates

Year Ended September 30, 2004

   $6,109,436    $104,013

Year Ended September 30, 2005

   $6,153,433    $112,512

Year Ended September 30, 2006

   $3,568,438    $  49,369

For the fiscal year ended September 30, 2006, the percentage of the fund’s aggregate brokerage commissions paid to CGMI and its affiliates and the percentage of the fund’s aggregate dollar amount of transactions involving the payment of commissions effected through CGMI and its affiliates were as follows:

 

The Percentage of the Fund’s

Aggregate Brokerage Commissions

Paid to CGMI and Affiliates

 

The Percentage of the Fund’s

Aggregate Dollar Amount of Transactions

Involving the Payment of Commissions

Effected Through CGMI and Affiliates

1.38%

  0.08%

As of December 1, 2005, LMIS became an underwriter of the fund under the 1940 Act. For the period December 1, 2005 through September 30, 2006, the fund did not pay any brokerage commissions to LMIS or its affiliates.

In certain instances there may be securities that are suitable as an investment for the fund as well as for one or more of the manager’s or subadviser’s other clients. Investment decisions for the fund and for the manager’s or subadviser’s other clients are made with a view to achieving their respective investment objectives. It may develop that a particular security is bought or sold for only one client even though it might be held by, or bought or sold for, other clients. Likewise, a particular security may be bought for one or more clients when one or more

 

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clients are selling the same security. Some simultaneous transactions are inevitable when several clients receive investment advice from the same investment adviser, particularly when the same security is suitable for the investment objectives of more than one client. When two or more clients are simultaneously engaged in the purchase or sale of the same security, the securities are allocated among clients in a manner believed to be equitable to each. It is recognized that in some cases this system could adversely affect the price of or the size of the position obtainable in a security for the fund. When purchases or sales of the same security for the fund and for other funds managed by the adviser occur contemporaneously, the purchase or sale orders may be aggregated in order to obtain any price advantages available to large volume purchases or sales.

For reporting purposes, the fund’s portfolio turnover rate is calculated by dividing the lesser of purchases or sales of portfolio securities for the fiscal year by the monthly average of the value of the portfolio securities owned by the fund during the fiscal year. In determining such portfolio turnover, all securities whose maturities at the time of acquisition were one year or less are excluded. A 100% portfolio turnover rate would occur, for example, if all of the securities in the fund’s investment portfolio (other than short-term money market securities) were replaced once during the fiscal year. Portfolio turnover will not be a limiting factor should the manager or subadviser deem it advisable to purchase or sell securities.

For the fiscal years ended September 30, 2005 and 2006, the portfolio turnover rates were 30% and 19%, respectively.

In the event that portfolio turnover increases, this increase necessarily results in correspondingly greater transaction costs which must be paid by the fund. To the extent portfolio trading results in realization of net short-term capital gains, shareholders will be taxed on such gains at ordinary tax rates (except shareholders who invest through IRAs and other retirement plans which are not taxed currently on accumulations in their accounts).

On September 30, 2006, the fund held the following securities issued by its regular broker-dealers:

 

Issuer

   Number
of
Shares
   Market Value
of
Shares

Merrill Lynch & Co., Inc.

   1,318,600    $ 103,140,892

Bank of America

   1,997,396    $ 107,000,504

DISTRIBUTION

Distributors

LMIS, a wholly-owned broker-dealer subsidiary of Legg Mason, located at 100 Light Street, Baltimore, Maryland 21202; CGMI, an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of Citigroup, located at 388 Greenwich Street, New York, New York 10013; and PFS, located at 3120 Breckinridge Boulevard, Duluth, Georgia 30099-0001, serve as the fund’s distributors pursuant to separate written agreements or amendments to written agreements, in each case dated December 1, 2005 (the “distribution agreements”). Prior to December 1, 2005, CGMI and PFS Distributors, Inc. (“PFS Distributors”), the predecessor in interest to PFS, served as the fund’s distributors.

LMIS, CGMI and PFS may be deemed to be underwriters for purposes of the 1933 Act. A distributor’s obligation is an agency or “best efforts” arrangement under which the distributor is required to take and pay only for such shares of the fund as may be sold to the public. A distributor is not obligated to sell any stated number of shares. From time to time, LMIS, CGMI, PFS or their affiliates may also pay for certain non-cash sales incentives provided to PFS Registered Representatives. Such incentives do not have any effect on the net amount invested. In addition to the reallowances from the applicable public offering price described below, PFS may, from time to time, pay or allow additional reallowances or promotional incentives, in the form of cash or other compensation, to PFS Registered Representatives that sell shares of the fund.

 

36


Each distribution agreement is renewable from year to year if approved (a) by the Trustees or by a vote of a majority of the fund’s outstanding voting securities, and (b) by the affirmative vote of a majority of Trustees who are not parties to such agreement or interested persons of any party by votes case in person at a meeting called for such purpose. Each distribution agreement provides that it will terminate if assigned, and that it may be terminated without penalty by either party on 60 days’ written notice provided that each of the CGMI and PFS distribution agreements may be terminated upon 90 days written notice by the distributor.

Initial Sales Charge

The aggregate dollar amount of initial sales charges on Class A shares received by the distributors were as follows:

Class A Shares(1)

 

For the fiscal year ended September 30

   CGMI and LMIS(2)    PFS

2006

   $ 434,067.93    $ 6,110,783.58

2005

   $ 669,946.53    $ 6,312,353.62

2004

   $ 2,416,572.26    $ 7,063,087.35

(1)

As of November 20, 2006, the initial sales charge on Class A shares increased.

(2)

All initial sales charges paid during the fiscal years ended August 31, 2004 and 2005 were paid to CGMI.

Contingent Deferred Sales Charge

The aggregate dollar amount of contingent deferred sales charges on Class A, Class B and Class C shares received by distributors were as follows:

Class A Shares

 

For the fiscal year ended September 30

   CGMI and LMIS(1)    PFS

2006

   $ 5,296.40    $ 4,030.66

2005

   $ 9,147.78    $ 4,672.60

2004

   $ 15,637.89    $ 2,797.82

(1)

All contingent deferred sales charges paid during the fiscal years ended August 31, 2004 and 2005 were paid to CGMI.

Class B Shares

 

For the fiscal year ended September 30

   CGMI and LMIS(1)    PFS

2006

   $ 915,009.10    $ 1,057,143.96

2005

   $ 1,711,426.28    $ 1,218,429.10

2004

   $ 1,631,007.30    $ 1,025,657.75

(1)

All contingent deferred sales charges paid during the fiscal years ended August 31, 2004 and 2005 were paid to CGMI.

For the fiscal year ended on September 30, 2006, PFS Distributors received $1,218,000 representing contingent deferred sales charges on redemptions of Class B shares.

Class C Shares

 

For the fiscal year ended September 30

   CGMI and LMIS(1)    PFS

2006

   $ 28,555.56    $ 0

2005

   $ 55,817.10    $ 0

2004

   $ 71,099.60    $ 0

(1)

All contingent deferred sales charges paid during the fiscal years ended August 31, 2004 and 2005 were paid to CGMI.

 

37


Services and Distribution Plan

The fund has adopted an amended shareholder services and distribution plan (the “12b-1 Plan”) pursuant to Rule l2b-1 under the 1940 Act with respect to its Class A, Class B and Class C shares. The only Classes of shares offered for sale through PFS are Class A shares and Class B shares. Under the 12b-1 Plan, the fund pays service and distribution fees to each of LMIS, CGMI and PFS, as applicable, for the services they provide and expenses they bear with respect to the distribution of Class A, Class B and Class C shares and providing services to Class A, Class B and Class C shareholders. The distributors will provide the fund’s Board with periodic reports of amounts expended under the 12b-1 Plan and the purposes for which such expenditures were made. The fund pays service fees, accrued daily and payable monthly, calculated at the annual rate of 0.25% of the value of the fund’s average daily net assets attributable to the fund’s Class A, Class B and Class C shares. In addition, the fund pays distribution fees with respect to the Class B and Class C shares at the annual rate of 0.75% of the fund’s average daily net assets.

Fees under the 12b-1 Plan may be used to make payments to the distributors for distribution services, to Service Agents in respect of the sale of shares of the fund, and to other parties in respect of the sale of shares of the fund, and to make payments for advertising, marketing or other promotional activity, and payments for preparation, printing, and distribution of prospectuses, statements of additional information and reports for recipients other than regulators and existing shareholders. The fund also may make payments to the distributors, Service Agents and others for providing personal service or the maintenance of shareholder accounts. The amounts paid to each recipient may vary based upon certain factors, including, among other things, the levels of sales of fund shares and/or shareholder services provided.

The 12b-1 Plan also provides that the distributors and Service Agents may receive all or a portion of the sales charges paid by Class A, Class B and Class C investors.

The 12b-1 Plan permits the fund to pay fees to a distributor, Service Agents and others as compensation for their services, not as reimbursement for specific expenses incurred. Thus, even if their expenses exceed the fees provided for by the 12b-1 Plan, the fund will not be obligated to pay more than those fees and, if their expenses are less than the fees paid to them, they will realize a profit. The fund may pay the fees to a distributor and others until the 12b-1 Plan or distribution agreement is terminated or not renewed. In that event, a distributor’s or other recipient’s expenses in excess of fees received or accrued through the termination date will be the distributor’s or other recipient’s sole responsibility and not obligations of the fund. In their annual consideration of the continuation of the 12b-1 Plan for the fund, the Trustees will review the 12b-1 Plan and the expenses for each class within the fund separately.

The 12b-1 Plan also recognizes that various service providers to the fund, such as the manager, may make payments for distribution related expenses out of their own resources, including past profits, or payments received from the fund for other purposes, such as management fees, and that the fund’s distributors or Service Agents may from time to time use their own resources for distribution-related services, in addition to the fees paid under the 12b-1 Plan. The 12b-1 Plan specifically provides that, to the extent that such payments might be deemed to be indirect financing of any activity primarily intended to result in the sale of shares of the fund within the context of Rule 12b-1, then the payments are deemed to be authorized by the 12b-1 Plan, if permitted under applicable law.

The 12b-1 Plan continues in effect if such continuance is specifically approved at least annually by a vote of both a majority of the Trustees and a majority of the Independent Trustees who are not “interested persons” of the fund and who have no direct or indirect financial interest in the operation of the 12b-1 Plan or in any agreement related to the 12b-1 Plan (for purposes of this paragraph “Qualified Trustees”). The Trustees, including a majority of the Qualified Trustees, in the exercise of their business judgment in the best interests of the shareholders of the fund and each Class, have approved the continuation of the 12b-1 Plan. The 12b-1 Plan requires that the Trust and the distributor provide to the Board and the Board review, at least quarterly, a written

 

38


report of the amounts expended (and the purposes therefor) under the 12b-1 Plan. The 12b-1 Plan further provides that the selection and nomination of the Qualified Trustees is committed to the discretion of the Qualified Trustees then in office who are not interested Trustees of the fund. The 12b-1 Plan may be terminated with respect to any class of the fund at any time by a vote of a majority of the fund’s Qualified Trustees or by a vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of that class. The 12b-1 Plan may not be amended to increase materially the amount of permitted expenses of the class thereunder without the approval of a majority of the outstanding securities of that class and may not be materially amended in any case without a vote of a majority of both the Trustees and Qualified Trustees. The fund will preserve copies of any plan, agreement or report made pursuant to the 12b-1 Plan for a period of not less than six years, and for the first two years the fund will preserve such copies in an easily accessible place.

As contemplated by the 12b-1 Plan, each distributor acts as an agent of the fund in connection with the offering of shares of the fund pursuant to the respective distribution agreements.

Prior to December 1, 2005, the fund paid service and distribution fees directly to CGMI and PFS Distributors under separate 12b-1 Plans with respect to shares sold through CGMI and PFS Distributors.

PFS will pay for the printing of prospectuses and periodic reports after they have been prepared, set in type and mailed to shareholders, and will also pay the cost of distributing such copies used in connection with the offering to prospective investors and will pay for supplementary sales literature and other promotional costs. Such expenses incurred by PFS are distribution expenses within the meaning of the 12b-1 Plan and may be paid from amounts received by PFS from the fund under the 12b-1 Plan.

Distribution expenses incurred by LMIS, CGMI and/or PFS for advertising, printing and mailing prospectuses, support services and overhead expenses, payments to Service Agents and for accruals for interest on the excess of expenses incurred in the distribution of the fund’s shares are set forth in the following tables:

For the fiscal year ended September 30, 2006, CGMI incurred the following distribution expenses for the fund. Distribution expenses included marketing and advertising materials, printing costs of prospectuses, third party service fees, branch operating expenses and compensation of Service Agents.

 

Share Class

   Marketing &
Advertising
   Printing of
Prospectuses
   Third
Party
   Branch Op
Expenses
   Service
Agents
   Total

Class A

   $ N/A    $ N/A    $ 103,253    $ 1,472,023    $ 1,167,944    $ 2,743,220

Class B

     74,015      236      19,846      657,834      1,361,071      2,113,002

Class C

     56,044      177      33,762      3,303,652      2,759,849      6,153,394

For the period from December 1, 2005 through September 30, 2006, LMIS incurred the following distribution expenses for the fund. Distribution expenses included marketing and advertising materials, printing costs of prospectuses, third party service fees, branch operating expenses and compensation of Service Agents.

 

Share Class

   Marketing &
Advertising
   Printing of
Prospectuses
   Third
Party
   Branch Op
Expenses
   Service
Agents
   Total

Class A

   $ N/A    $ N/A    $ 211,534    $ N/A    $ 0    $ 211,534

Class B

     357,576      1,179      57,875      N/A      3,025,837      3,442,467

Class C

     281,747      885      45,083      N/A      532,618      860,334

 

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For the fiscal year ended September 30, 2006, PFS incurred the following distribution expenses for the fund. Distribution expenses included marketing and advertising materials, printing costs of prospectuses, third party service fees, branch operating expenses and compensation of Service Agents.

 

Share Class

   Marketing &
Advertising
   Printing of
Prospectuses
   Third
Party
   Branch Op
Expenses
   Service
Agents
   Total

Class A

   $ N/A    $ N/A    $ N/A    $ 1,730,623    $ 1,213,688    $ 2,944,311

Class B

     141,394      0      0      768,342      2,609,869      3,519,605

Class C

     0      0      0      0      0      0

Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

KPMG LLP, an independent registered public accounting firm, located at 345 Park Avenue, New York, NY 10154 has been selected to audit and report upon the fund’s financial statements and financial highlights for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2007.

Counsel

Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP, 787 Seventh Avenue, New York, New York 10019, serves as counsel to the fund.

Custodian and Transfer Agent

State Street Bank and Trust Company (“State Street”), One Lincoln Street, Boston, Massachusetts 02111, serves as the custodian of the fund. State Street, among other things, maintains a custody account or accounts in the name of the fund; receives and delivers all assets for the fund upon purchase and upon sale or maturity; collects and receives all income and other payments and distributions on account of the assets of the fund; and makes disbursements on behalf of the fund. State Street neither determines the fund’s investment policies, nor decides which securities the fund will buy or sell. For its services, State Street receives a monthly fee based upon the daily average market value of securities held in custody and also receives securities transaction charges, including out-of-pocket expenses. The fund may also periodically enter into arrangements with other qualified custodians with respect to certain types of securities or other transactions such as repurchase agreements or derivatives transactions. State Street may also act as the fund’s securities lending agent and in that case would receive a share of the income generated by such activities.

PFPC Inc. (“PFPC” or “the transfer agent”), located at P.O. Box 9699, Providence, Rhode Island 02940-9699, serves as the fund’s transfer agent. Under the transfer agency agreement, the transfer agent maintains the shareholder account records for the fund, handles certain communications between shareholders and the fund and distributes dividends and distributions payable by the fund. For these services, the transfer agent receives a monthly fee computed on the basis of the number of shareholder accounts it maintains for the fund during the month, and is reimbursed for out-of-pocket expenses. Prior to January 1, 2006, Citicorp Trust Bank, fsb served as the fund’s transfer agent and PFPC served as the fund’s sub-transfer agent.

 

40


PURCHASE OF SHARES

General

Investors may purchase shares from a Service Agent. In addition, certain investors, including retirement plans purchasing through certain Service Agents, may purchase shares directly from the fund. When purchasing shares of the fund, investors must specify whether the purchase is for Class A, B, C or I(1) shares. Service Agents may charge their customers an annual account maintenance fee in connection with a brokerage account through which an investor purchases or holds shares. Accounts held directly at the transfer agent are not subject to a maintenance fee.

For additional information regarding applicable investment minimums and eligibility requirements, please see the fund’s prospectus.

There are no minimum investment requirements for purchases of Class A shares by: (i) current and retired board members of Legg Mason, (ii) current and retired board members of any fund advised by LMPFA (such board members, together with board members of Legg Mason, are referred to herein as “Board Members”), (iii) current employees of Legg Mason and its subsidiaries, (iv) the “immediate families” of such persons (“immediate families” are such person’s spouse, including the surviving spouse of a deceased Board Member, and children under the age of 21) and (v) a pension, profit-sharing or other benefit plan for the benefit of such persons. The fund reserves the right to waive or change minimums, to decline any order to purchase its shares and to suspend the offering of shares from time to time.

Purchase orders received by the fund or a Service Agent prior to the close of regular trading on the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) on any day the fund calculates its net asset value are priced according to the net asset value determined on that day (the “trade date”). Orders received by a Service Agent prior to the close of regular trading on the NYSE on any day the fund calculates its net asset value are priced according to the net asset value determined on that day, provided the order is received by the fund’s agent prior to its close of business. For shares purchased through CGMI or a Service Agent purchasing through CGMI, payment for shares of the fund is normally due on the third business day after the trade date. In all other cases, payment must be made with the purchase order.

Systematic Investment Plan. Shareholders may make additions to their accounts at any time by purchasing shares through a service known as the Systematic Investment Plan. Under the Systematic Investment Plan, a distributor, the transfer agent, or, with respect to a PFS account, Primerica Shareholder Services is authorized through preauthorized transfers of at least $25 on a monthly, quarterly, every alternate month, semi-annual or annual basis to charge the shareholder’s account held with a bank or other financial institution as indicated by the shareholder, to provide for systematic additions to the shareholder’s fund account. A shareholder who has insufficient funds to complete the transfer will be charged a fee of up to $25 by a distributor, the transfer agent or Primerica Shareholder Services (such fee may be up to $30 for a PFS account). The Systematic Investment Plan also authorizes a distributor to apply cash held in the shareholder’s brokerage account or redeem the shareholder’s shares of certain money market funds managed by the manager or its affiliates to make additions to the account. Additional information is available from the fund or a Service Agent.

Sales Charge Alternatives

The following Classes of shares are available for purchase. See the prospectus for a discussion of who is eligible to purchase certain Classes and of factors to consider in selecting which Class of shares to purchase.

Class A Shares. Class A shares are sold to investors at the public offering price, which is the net asset value plus an initial sales charge, as described in the fund’s prospectus.

 

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(1) As of November 20, 2006, Class Y Shares were renamed Class I Shares.


Members of the selling group may receive a portion of the sales charge as described in the fund’s prospectus and may be deemed to be underwriters of the fund as defined in the 1933 Act. Sales charges are calculated based on the aggregate of purchases of Class A shares of the fund made at one time by any “person,” which includes an individual and his or her spouse and children under the age of 21, or a trustee or other fiduciary of a single trust estate or single fiduciary account. For additional information regarding sales charge reductions, see “Sales Charge Waivers and Reductions” below.

Purchases of Class A shares of $1,000,000 or more will be made at net asset value without any initial sales charge, but will be subject to a contingent deferred sales charge of 1.00% on redemptions made within 12 months of purchase. The contingent deferred sales charge is waived in the same circumstances in which the contingent deferred sales charge applicable to Class B and C shares is waived. See “Contingent Deferred Sales Charge Provisions” and “Waivers of Contingent Deferred Sales Charge” below.

Class B and C Shares. Class B and C shares are sold without an initial sales charge but are subject to a contingent deferred sales charge payable upon certain redemptions. See “Contingent Deferred Sales Charge Provisions.”

Class I Shares. Class I shares are sold at net asset value with no initial sales charge and no contingent deferred sales charge upon redemption.

Sales Charge Waivers and Reductions

Initial Sales Charge Waivers. Purchases of Class A shares may be made at net asset value without an initial sales charge in the following circumstances:

 

  (a) sales to (i) current and retired board members of Legg Mason, (ii) current and retired Board Members, (iii) current employees of Legg Mason and its subsidiaries, as well as (iv) by the “immediate families” of such persons (“immediate families” are such person’s spouse, including the surviving spouse of a deceased Board Member, and children under the age of 21) and (v) by a pension, profit-sharing or other benefit plan for the benefit of such persons;

 

  (b) sales to any employees of Service Agents having dealer, service or other selling agreements with the fund’s distributors or otherwise having an arrangement with any such Service Agent with respect to sales of fund shares, and by the immediate families of such persons or by a pension, profit-sharing or other benefit plan for the benefit of such persons (providing the purchase is made for investment purposes and such securities will not be resold except through redemption or repurchase);

 

  (c) offers of Class A shares to any other investment company to effect the combination of such company with the fund by merger, acquisition of assets or otherwise;

 

  (d) purchases by shareholders who have redeemed Class A shares in the fund (or Class A shares of another Legg Mason Partners Fund that is offered with a sales charge) and who wish to reinvest their redemption proceeds in the fund, provided the reinvestment is made within 60 calendar days of the redemption;

 

  (e) purchases by accounts managed by registered investment advisory subsidiaries of Citigroup;

 

  (f) purchases by certain separate accounts used to fund unregistered variable annuity contracts; and

 

  (g) purchases by investors participating in “wrap fee” or asset allocation programs or other fee-based arrangements sponsored by (affiliated and non-affiliated) broker/dealers and other financial institutions that have entered into agreements with CGMI or LMIS.

In order to obtain such discounts, the purchaser must provide sufficient information at the time of purchase to permit verification that the purchase qualifies for the elimination of the sales charge.

 

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All existing retirement plan shareholders who purchased Class A shares at net asset value prior to November 20, 2006, are permitted to purchase additional Class A shares at net asset value. Certain existing programs for current and prospective retirement plan investors sponsored by financial intermediaries approved by LMIS prior to November 20, 2006 will also remain eligible to purchase Class A shares at net asset value.

Accumulation Privilege—Please see the fund’s prospectus for information regarding accumulation privileges.

Letter of Intent—helps you take advantage of breakpoints in Class A sales charges. You may purchase Class A shares of Legg Mason Partners Funds over a 13-month period and pay the same sales charge, if any, as if all shares had been purchased at once. You have a choice of seven Asset Level Goal amounts, as follows:

 

(1) $25,000

   (5) $500,000

(2) $50,000

   (6) $750,000

(3) $100,000

   (7) $1,000,000

(4) $250,000

  

Each time you make a Class A purchase under a Letter of Intent, you will be entitled to the sales charge that is applicable to the amount of your Asset Level Goal. For example, if your Asset Level Goal is $100,000, any Class A investments you make under a Letter of Intent would be subject to the sales charge of the specific fund you are investing in for purchases of $100,000. Sales charges and breakpoints vary among the Legg Mason Partners Funds.

When you enter into a Letter of Intent, you agree to purchase in Eligible Accounts over a thirteen (13) month period Eligible Fund Purchases in an amount equal to the Asset Level Goal you have selected, less any Eligible Prior Purchases. For this purpose, shares are valued at the public offering price (including any sales charge paid) calculated as of the date of purchase, plus any appreciation in the value of the shares as of the date of calculation, except for Eligible Prior Purchases, which are valued at current value as of the date of calculation. Your commitment will be met if at any time during the 13-month period the value, as so determined, of eligible holdings is at least equal to your Asset Level Goal. All reinvested dividends and distributions on shares acquired under the Letter will be credited towards your Asset Level Goal. You may include any Eligible Fund Purchases towards the Letter, including shares of classes other than Class A shares. However, a Letter of Intent will not entitle you to a reduction in the sales charge payable on any shares other than Class A shares, and if the shares are subject to a contingent deferred sales charge, you will still be subject to that contingent deferred sales charge with respect to those shares. You must make reference to the Letter of Intent each time you make a purchase under the Letter.

Eligible Fund Purchases. Generally, any shares of a Legg Mason Partners Fund may be credited towards your Asset Level Goal. Shares of certain money market funds advised by the manager or its affiliates (except for money market fund shares acquired by exchange from other Legg Mason Partners Funds offered with a sales charge), Legg Mason Partners S&P 500 Index Fund and Class O shares of Legg Mason Partners Equity Fund are not eligible.

This list may change from time to time. Investors should check with their Service Agent to see which funds may be eligible.

Eligible Accounts. Purchases may be made through any account in your name, or in the name of your spouse or your children under the age of 21. You may need to provide certain records, such as account statements, in order to verify your eligibility for reduced sales charges. Contact your Service Agent to see which accounts may be credited toward your Asset Level Goal.

Eligible Prior Purchases. You may also credit towards your Asset Level Goal any Eligible Fund Purchases made in Eligible Accounts at any time prior to entering into the Letter of Intent that have not been sold or redeemed, based on the current price of those shares as of the date of calculation.

 

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Purchases made within 90 days prior to the 13-month period are also eligible to be treated as purchases made under the Letter of Intent. Any Eligible Fund Purchases in Eligible Accounts made during that period will count towards your Goal and will also be eligible for the lower sales charge applicable to your Asset Level Goal. You will be credited by way of additional shares at the current offering price for the difference between (a) the aggregate sales charges actually paid for those eligible shares and (b) the aggregate applicable sales charges for your Asset Level Goal.

Increasing the Amount of the Letter. You may at any time increase your Asset Level Goal. You must, however, contact your Service Agent, or if you purchase your shares directly through PFPC, contact PFPC, prior to making any purchases in an amount in excess of your current Asset Level Goal. Upon such an increase, you will be credited by way of additional shares at the then current offering price for the difference between: (a) the aggregate sales charges actually paid for shares already purchased under the Letter and (b) the aggregate applicable sales charges for the increased Asset Level Goal. The 13-month period during which the Asset Level Goal must be achieved will remain unchanged.

Sales and Exchanges. Shares acquired pursuant to a Letter of Intent, other than Escrowed Shares as defined below, may be redeemed or exchanged at any time, although any shares that are redeemed prior to meeting your Asset Level Goal will no longer count towards meeting your Goal. However, complete liquidation of purchases made under a Letter of Intent prior to meeting the Asset Level Goal will result in the cancellation of the Letter. See “Failure to Meet Asset Level Goal” below. Exchanges in accordance with the fund’s prospectus are permitted, and shares so exchanged will continue to count towards your Asset Level Goal, as long as the exchange results in an Eligible Fund Purchase.

Cancellation of Letter. You may cancel a Letter of Intent by notifying your Service Agent in writing, or if you purchase your shares directly through PFPC, by notifying PFPC in writing. The Letter will be automatically cancelled if all shares are sold or redeemed as set forth above. See “Failure to Meet Asset Level Goal” below.

Escrowed Shares. Shares equal in value to five percent (5%) of your Asset Level Goal as of the date your Letter (or the date of any increase in the amount of the Letter) is accepted, will be held in escrow during the term of your Letter. The Escrowed Shares will be included in the total shares owned as reflected in your account statement and any dividends and capital gains distributions applicable to the Escrowed Shares will be credited to your account and counted towards your Asset Level Goal or paid in cash upon request. The Escrowed Shares will be released from escrow if all the terms of your Letter are met.

Failure to Meet Asset Level Goal. If the total assets under your Letter of Intent within its 13-month term are less than your Asset Level Goal or you elect to liquidate all of your holdings or cancel the Letter before reaching your Asset Level Goal, you will be liable for the difference between: (a) the sales charge actually paid and (b) the sales charge that would have applied if you had not entered into the Letter. You may, however, be entitled to any breakpoints that would have been available to you under the accumulation privilege. An appropriate number of shares in your account will be redeemed to realize the amount due. For these purposes, by entering into a Letter of Intent, you irrevocably appoint your Service Agent, or if you purchase your shares directly through PFPC, PFPC, as your attorney-in-fact for the purposes of holding the Escrowed Shares and surrendering shares in your account for redemption. If there are insufficient assets in your account, you will be liable for the difference. Any Escrowed Shares remaining after such redemption will be released to your account.

Contingent Deferred Sales Charge Provisions

“Contingent deferred sales charge shares” are: (a) Class B shares; (b) Class C shares; and (c) Class A shares that were purchased without an initial sales charge but are subject to a contingent deferred sales charge. A contingent deferred sales charge may be imposed on certain redemptions of these shares.

Any applicable contingent deferred sales charge will be assessed on the net asset value at the time of purchase or redemption, whichever is less.

 

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Class C shares and Class A shares that are contingent deferred sales charge shares are subject to a 1% contingent deferred sales charge if redeemed within 12 months of purchase. In circumstances in which the contingent deferred sales charge is imposed on Class B shares, the amount of the charge will depend on the number of years since the shareholder made the purchase payment from which the amount is being redeemed, as further described in the prospectus. Solely for purposes of determining the number of years since a purchase payment, all purchase payments made during a month will be aggregated and deemed to have been made on the last day of the preceding statement month.

Class B shares will convert automatically to Class A shares approximately eight years after the date on which they were purchased and thereafter will no longer be subject to any distribution fees. There will also be converted at that time such proportion of Class B dividend shares (Class B shares that were acquired through the reinvestment of dividends and distributions) owned by the shareholders as the total number of his or her Class B shares converting at the time bears to the total number of outstanding Class B shares (other than Class B dividend shares) owned by the shareholder.

In determining the applicability of any contingent deferred sales charge, it will be assumed that a redemption is made first of shares representing capital appreciation, next of shares representing the reinvestment of dividends and capital gain distributions, next of shares that are not subject to the contingent deferred sales charge and finally of other shares held by the shareholder for the longest period of time. The length of time that contingent deferred sales charge shares acquired through an exchange have been held will be calculated from the date the shares exchanged were initially acquired in one of the other Legg Mason Partners mutual funds. For federal income tax purposes, the amount of the contingent deferred sales charge will reduce the gain or increase the loss, as the case may be, on the amount realized on redemption. The fund’s distributors receive contingent deferred sales charges in partial consideration for the expenses in selling shares.

Waivers of Contingent Deferred Sales Charge

The contingent deferred sales charge will be waived on: (a) exchanges (see “Exchange Privilege”); (b) automatic cash withdrawals in amounts equal to or less than 2% of the shareholder’s account balance at the time the withdrawals commence per month, up to a maximum of 12% in one year (see “Automatic Cash Withdrawal Plan”); (c) redemptions of shares within 12 months following the death or disability (as defined in the Code) of the shareholder; (d) mandatory post-retirement distributions from retirement plans or IRAs commencing on or after attainment of age 70 1/2 (except that shareholders who purchased shares subject to a contingent deferred sales charge prior to May 23, 2005 will be “grandfathered” and will be eligible to obtain the waiver at age 59 1/2 by demonstrating such eligibility at the time of redemption); (e) involuntary redemptions; (f) redemptions of shares to effect a combination of the fund with any investment company by merger, acquisition of assets or otherwise; (g) tax-free returns of an excess contribution to any retirement plan; and (h) certain redemptions of shares of a fund in connection with lump-sum or other distributions made by eligible retirement plans or redemption of shares by participants in certain “wrap fee” or asset allocation programs sponsored by broker/dealers and other financial institutions that have entered into agreements with a distributor or the manager.

As of November 20, 2006, the contingent deferred sales charge will be waived on new Class C shares purchased by retirement plan omnibus accounts held on the books of a fund.

A shareholder who has redeemed shares from other Legg Mason Partners Funds may, under certain circumstances, reinvest all or part of the redemption proceeds within 60 days and receive pro rata credit for any contingent deferred sales charge imposed on the prior redemption.

Contingent deferred sales charge waivers will be granted subject to confirmation by a distributor or the transfer agent of the shareholder’s status or holdings, as the case may be.

 

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Grandfathered Retirement Program with Exchange Features

Retirement plan programs authorized by LMIS prior to November 20, 2006 (collectively, the “Grandfathered Retirement Program”) to offer eligible retirement plan investors the opportunity to exchange all of their Class C shares for Class A shares of the fund are permitted to maintain such share class exchange feature for current and prospective retirement plan investors.

Under the Grandfathered Retirement Program Class C shares may be purchased by plans investing less than $3 million. Class C shares are eligible for exchange into Class A shares not later than eight years after the plan joins the program. They are eligible for exchange in the following circumstances:

If a participating plan’s total Class C holdings in all non-money market Legg Mason Partners Funds equal at least $3,000,000, at the end of the fifth year after the date the participating plan enrolled in the Grandfathered Retirement Program, the participating plan will be offered the opportunity to exchange all of its Class C shares for Class A shares of the fund. Such participating plans will be notified of the pending exchange in writing within 30 days after the fifth anniversary of the enrollment date and, unless the exchange offer has been rejected in writing, the exchange will occur on or about the 90th day after the fifth anniversary date. If the participating plan does not qualify for the five-year exchange to Class A shares, a review of the participating plan’s holdings will be performed each quarter until either the participating plan qualifies or the end of the eighth year.

Any participating plan that has not previously qualified for an exchange into Class A shares will be offered the opportunity to exchange all of its Class C shares for Class A shares of the same fund regardless of asset size at the end of the eighth year after the date the participating plan enrolled in the Grandfathered Retirement Program. Such plans will be notified of the pending exchange in writing approximately 60 days before the eighth anniversary of the enrollment date and, unless the exchange has been rejected in writing, the exchange will occur on or about the eighth anniversary date. Once an exchange has occurred, a participating plan will not be eligible to acquire additional Class C shares, but instead may acquire Class A shares of the same fund. Any Class C shares not converted will continue to be subject to the distribution fee.

For further information regarding this Program, contact your Service Agent or the transfer agent. Participating plans that enrolled in the Grandfathered Retirement Program prior to June 2, 2003 should contact the transfer agent for information regarding Class C exchange privileges applicable to their plan.

PFS Accounts

The fund offers two Classes of shares to investors purchasing through PFS: Class A and B shares.

Initial purchases of shares of the fund must be made through a PFS Registered Representative by completing the appropriate application. The completed application should be forwarded to Primerica Shareholder Services c/o PFPC Inc., P.O. Box 9662, Providence, Rhode Island 02940-9662. Checks drawn on foreign banks must be payable in U.S. dollars and have the routing number of the U.S. bank encoded on the check. Additional investments may be sent directly to PFPC. In processing applications and investments, PFPC acts as agent for the investor and for the distributor, in accordance with the terms of the prospectus. If the transfer agent ceases to act as such, a successor company named by the fund will act in the same capacity so long as the account remains open. Shares purchased will be held in the shareholder’s account by PFPC.

Purchase orders received by the transfer agent or Primerica Shareholder Services prior to the close of regular trading on the NYSE, on any day the fund calculates its net asset value, are priced according to the net asset value determined on that day.

Initial purchases of fund shares may be made by wire. Before sending the wire, the PFS Registered Representative must contact Primerica Shareholder Services at (800) 665-8677 to obtain proper wire instructions.

 

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Once an account is open, a shareholder may make additional investments by wire. The shareholder should contact Primerica Shareholder Services at (800) 544-5445 to obtain proper wire instructions.

Shareholders who establish telephone transaction authority on their accounts and supply bank account information may make additions to their accounts at any time. Shareholders should contact Primerica Shareholder Services at (800) 544-5445 between 8:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m. Eastern time any day that the NYSE is open. If a shareholder does not wish to allow subsequent investments by telephone by any person in his or her account, the shareholder should decline the telephone transaction option on the account application. The minimum subsequent investment by telephone is $25 and can be up to a maximum of $50,000. By requesting a subsequent purchase by telephone, you authorize Primerica Shareholder Services to transfer funds from the bank account provided for the amount of the purchase. Subsequent investments by telephone may not be available if the shareholder cannot reach Primerica Shareholder Services whether because all telephone lines are busy or for any other reason; in such case, a shareholder would have to use the fund’s regular subsequent investment procedure described above.

An account transcript is available at a shareholder’s request, which identifies every financial transaction in an account since it has opened. Additional copies of tax forms are available at the shareholder’s request.

Additional information regarding Primerica Shareholder Services may be obtained by contacting the Customer Services Department at (800) 544-5445.

Determination of Public Offering Price

The fund offers its shares on a continuous basis. The public offering price for each class of shares of the fund is equal to the net asset value per share at the time of purchase, plus for Class A shares an initial sales charge based on the aggregate amount of the investment. A contingent deferred sales charge, however, is imposed on certain redemptions of Class A, B and C shares.

Set forth below is an example of the method of computing the offering price of the Class A shares of the fund based on the net asset value of a share of the fund as of September 30, 2006.

 

Class A (based on a net asset value of $15.85 and
a maximum initial sales charge of 5.75%)

   $ 16.82

REDEMPTION OF SHARES

The right of redemption may be suspended or the date of payment postponed (a) for any period during which the NYSE is closed (other than for customary weekend and holiday closings), (b) when trading in the markets the fund normally utilizes is restricted, or an emergency exists, as determined by the SEC, so that disposal of the fund’s investments or determination of net asset value is not reasonably practicable or (c) for such other periods as the SEC by order may permit for protection of the fund’s shareholders.

If the shares to be redeemed were issued in certificate form, the certificates must be endorsed for transfer (or be accompanied by an endorsed stock power) and must be submitted to PFPC together with the redemption request. Any signature appearing on a share certificate, stock power or written redemption request in excess of $50,000 must be guaranteed by an eligible guarantor institution such as a domestic bank, savings and loan institution, domestic credit union, member bank of the Federal Reserve System or member firm of a national securities exchange.

Written redemption requests of $50,000 or less do not require a signature guarantee unless more than one such redemption request is made in any 10-day period. Redemption proceeds will be mailed to an investor’s

 

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address of record. The transfer agent may require additional supporting documents for redemptions made by corporations, executors, administrators, trustees or guardians. A redemption request will not be deemed properly received until the transfer agent receives all required documents in proper form.

If a shareholder holds shares in more than one Class, any request for redemption must specify the Class being redeemed. In the event of a failure to specify which Class, or if the investor owns fewer shares of the Class than specified, the redemption request will be delayed until the transfer agent receives further instructions. The redemption proceeds will be remitted on or before the seventh business day following receipt of proper tender, except on any days on which the NYSE is closed or as permitted under the 1940 Act, in extraordinary circumstances. Redemption proceeds for shares purchased by check, other than a certified or official bank check, will be remitted upon clearance of the check, which may take up to ten days. Each Service Agent is responsible for transmitting promptly orders for its customers.

The Service Agent may charge you a fee for executing your order. The amount and applicability of such a fee is determined and disclosed to its customers by each Service Agent.

The fund no longer issues share certificates. Outstanding share certificates will continue to be honored. If you hold share certificates, it will take longer to exchange or redeem shares.

Additional Information Regarding Telephone Redemption and Exchange Program. Neither the fund nor its agents will be liable for following instructions communicated by telephone that are reasonably believed to be genuine. The fund and its agents will employ procedures designed to verify the identity of the caller and legitimacy of instructions (for example, a shareholder’s name and account number will be required and phone calls may be recorded). The fund reserves the right to suspend, modify or discontinue the telephone redemption and exchange program or to impose a charge for this service at any time following at least seven (7) days’ prior notice to shareholders.

PFS Accounts

Shareholders may redeem for cash some or all of their shares of the fund at any time by sending a written request in proper form directly to Primerica Shareholder Services c/o PFPC at P.O. Box 9662, Providence, Rhode Island 02940-9662. If you should have any questions concerning how to redeem your account after reviewing the information below, please contact Primerica Shareholder Services at (800) 544-5445, Spanish speaking representatives at (800) 544-7278 or TDD Line for the Hearing Impaired at (800) 824-1721.

All persons in whose names the shares are registered must sign the request for redemption. Signatures must conform exactly to the account registration. If the proceeds of the redemption exceed $50,000, if the proceeds are not paid to the record owner(s) at the record address, if the shareholder(s) has had an address change within 30 days or less of the shareholder’s redemption request, or if the shareholder(s) is a corporation, sole proprietor, partnership, trust or fiduciary, signature(s) must be guaranteed by one of the following: a bank or trust company; a broker/dealer; a credit union; a national securities exchange, registered securities association or clearing agency; a savings and loan association; or a federal savings bank.

Generally, a properly completed redemption form with any required signature guarantee is all that is required for a redemption. In some cases, however, other documents may be necessary. For example, in the case of shareholders holding certificates, the certificates for shares being redeemed must accompany the redemption request. Additional documentary evidence of authority is also required by PFPC in the event redemption is requested by a corporation, partnership, trust, fiduciary, executor or administrator. Additionally, if a shareholder requests a redemption from a retirement plan account (IRA or SEP), such request must state whether or not federal income tax is to be withheld from the proceeds of the redemption check. Redemption from a 403(b)(7) account requires completion of a special form. Please call Primerica Shareholder Services at (800) 544-5445 between 8:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m. Eastern Time to obtain the proper forms.

 

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Shareholders may utilize Primerica Shareholder Services Telephone Redemption service to redeem shares in their account as long as they have authorized the telephone redemption option. If a shareholder does not wish to allow telephone redemptions by any person in his or her account, he or she should decline the telephone transaction option on the account application. The telephone redemption option can be used only if: (a) the redemption proceeds are to be mailed to the address of record and there has been no change of address of record within the preceding 30 days; (b) the shares to be redeemed are not in certificate form; (c); the person requesting the redemption can provide proper identification information; and (d) the proceeds of the redemption do not exceed $50,000. 403(b)(7) accounts and accounts not registered in the name of an individual(s) are not eligible for the telephone redemption option. Telephone redemption requests can be made by contacting Primerica Shareholder Services at (800) 544-5445 between 8:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m. Eastern time any day that the NYSE is open.

Telephone redemption may not be available if the shareholder cannot reach Primerica Shareholder Services because all telephone lines are busy or for any other reason; in such case, a shareholder would have to use the fund’s regular redemption procedure described above.

Redemption proceeds can be sent by check to the address of record, by wire transfer to a bank account designated on the application or to a bank account designated on the application via the Automated Clearinghouse (ACH). PFPC will process and mail a shareholder’s redemption check usually within two to three business days after receiving the redemption request in good order.

Automatic Cash Withdrawal Plan

An automatic cash withdrawal plan (the “Withdrawal Plan”) is available to shareholders as described in the prospectus. To the extent withdrawals under the Withdrawal Plan exceed dividends, distributions and appreciation of a shareholder’s investment in the fund, there will be a reduction in the value of the shareholder’s investment, and continued withdrawal payments may reduce the shareholder’s investment and ultimately exhaust it. Withdrawal payments should not be considered as income from investment in the fund. Furthermore, as it generally would not be advantageous to a shareholder to make additional investments in the fund at the same time he or she is participating in the Withdrawal Plan, purchases by such shareholder in amounts of less than $5,000 ordinarily will not be permitted. The Withdrawal Plan will be carried over on exchanges between funds or classes of the fund. All dividends and distributions on shares in the Withdrawal Plan are reinvested automatically at net asset value in additional shares of the fund.

Shareholders who wish to participate in the Withdrawal Plan and who hold their shares in certificate form must deposit their share certificates with the transfer agent as agent for Withdrawal Plan members. For additional information shareholders should contact their Service Agent. A shareholder who purchases shares directly through the transfer agent may continue to do so and applications for participation in the Withdrawal Plan must be received by the transfer agent no later than the eighth day of the month to be eligible for participation beginning with that month’s withdrawal.

Distributions in Kind

If the Board determines that it would be detrimental to the best interests of the remaining shareholders to make a redemption payment wholly in cash, the fund may pay, in accordance with SEC rules, any portion of a redemption in excess of the lesser of $250,000 or 1.00% of the fund’s net assets by a distribution in kind of fund securities in lieu of cash. If a redemption is paid in portfolio securities, such securities will be valued in accordance with the procedures described under “Share Price” in the fund’s prospectus. Securities issued as a distribution in kind may incur brokerage commissions when shareholders subsequently sell those securities.

 

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VALUATION OF SHARES

The net asset value per share of the fund’s Classes is calculated on each day, Monday through Friday, except days on which the NYSE is closed. The NYSE currently is scheduled to be closed on New Year’s Day, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Presidents’ Day, Good Friday, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving and Christmas, and on the preceding Friday or subsequent Monday when one of these holidays falls on a Saturday or Sunday, respectively. Because of the differences in distribution fees and Class-specific expenses, the per share net asset value of each Class will differ. Please see the prospectus for a description of the procedures used by the fund in valuing its assets.

EXCHANGE PRIVILEGE

The exchange privilege enables shareholders to acquire shares of the same class in a fund with different investment objectives when they believe that a shift between funds is an appropriate investment decision. This privilege is available to shareholders residing in any state in which the fund shares being acquired may legally be sold. Prior to any exchange, the shareholder should obtain and review a copy of the current prospectus of each fund into which an exchange is being considered. Prospectuses may be obtained from a Service Agent.

Upon receipt of proper instructions and all necessary supporting documents, shares submitted for exchange are redeemed at the then-current net asset value, and the proceeds are immediately invested in shares of the fund being acquired at that fund’s then current net asset value. The distributors reserve the right to reject any exchange request. The exchange privilege may be modified or terminated at any time after written notice to shareholders.

Class A and I Exchanges. Class A and I shareholders of the fund who wish to exchange all or a portion of their shares for shares of the respective class in another fund may do so without imposition of any charge.

Class B Exchanges. Class B shares of the fund may be exchanged for other Class B shares without a contingent deferred sales charge. Upon an exchange, the new Class B shares will be deemed to have been purchased on the same date as the Class B shares of the fund that have been exchanged.

Class C Exchanges. Class C shares of the fund may be exchanged for other Class C shares without a contingent deferred sales charge. Upon an exchange, the new Class C shares will be deemed to have been purchased on the same date as the Class C shares of the fund that have been exchanged.

Certain retirement plan programs with exchange features in effect prior to December 1, 2006, as approved by LMIS, will remain eligible for exchange from Class C shares to Class A shares in accordance with the program terms. See “Grandfathered Retirement Programs” for additional information.

Additional Information Regarding the Exchange Privilege

The fund is not designed to provide investors with a means of speculation on short-term market movements. A pattern of frequent exchanges by investors can be disruptive to efficient portfolio management and, consequently, can be detrimental to the fund and its shareholders. See “Frequent Purchases and Redemptions of Fund Shares” in the prospectus.

During times of drastic economic or market conditions, the fund may suspend the exchange privilege temporarily without notice and treat exchange requests based on their separate components—redemption orders with a simultaneous request to purchase the other fund’s shares. In such a case, the redemption request would be processed at the fund’s next determined net asset value but the purchase order would be effective only at the net asset value next determined after the fund being purchased formally accepts the order, which may result in the purchase being delayed.

 

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Certain shareholders may be able to exchange shares by telephone. See the fund’s prospectus for additional information. Exchanges will be processed at the net asset value next determined. Redemption procedures discussed above are also applicable for exchanging shares, and exchanges will be made upon receipt of all supporting documents in proper form. If the account registration of the shares of the fund being acquired is identical to the registration of the shares of the fund exchanged, no signature guarantee is required.

This exchange privilege may be modified or terminated at any time, and is available only in those jurisdictions where such exchanges legally may be made. Before making any exchange, shareholders should contact the transfer agent or, if they hold fund shares through a Service Agent, their Service Agent to obtain more information and prospectuses of the funds to be acquired through the exchange. An exchange is treated as a sale of the shares exchanged and could result in taxable gain or loss to the shareholder making the exchange.

TAXES

The following is a summary of certain material U.S. federal income tax considerations regarding the purchase, ownership and disposition of shares of the fund. This summary does not address all of the potential U.S. federal income tax consequences that may be applicable to the fund or to all categories of investors, some of which may be subject to special tax rules. Each current and prospective shareholder is urged to consult his own tax adviser with respect to the specific federal, state, local and foreign tax consequences of investing in the fund. The summary is based on the laws in effect on the date of this SAI and existing judicial and administrative interpretations thereof, all of which are subject to change, possibly with retroactive effect.

The Fund and Its Investments

The fund intends to continue to qualify to be treated as a regulated investment company under the Code each taxable year. To so qualify, the fund must, among other things: (a) derive at least 90% of its gross income in each taxable year from dividends, interest, payments with respect to securities loans and gains from the sale or other disposition of stock or securities, foreign currencies, or other income (including, but not limited to, gains from options, futures or forward contracts) derived with respect to its business of investing in such stock, securities or currencies and net income derived from interests in “qualified publicly traded partnerships” (i.e., partnerships that are traded on an established securities market or tradable on a secondary market, other than partnerships that derive 90% of their income from interest, dividends, capital gains, and other traditional permitted mutual fund income); and (b) diversify its holdings so that, at the end of each quarter of the fund’s taxable year, (i) at least 50% of the market value of the fund’s assets is represented by cash, securities of other regulated investment companies, U.S. government securities and other securities, with such other securities limited, in respect of any one issuer, to an amount not greater than 5% of the fund’s assets and not greater than 10% of the outstanding voting securities of such issuer and (ii) not more than 25% of the value of its assets is invested in the securities (other than U.S. government securities or securities of other regulated investment companies) of any one issuer, any two or more issuers of which the fund owns 20% or more of the voting securities and that are determined to be engaged in the same or similar trades or businesses or related trades or businesses or in the securities of one or more qualified publicly traded partnerships.

Fund investments in partnerships, including in qualified publicly traded partnerships, may result in the fund’s being subject to state, local or foreign income, franchise or withholding tax liabilities.

As a regulated investment company, the fund will not be subject to U.S. federal income tax on the portion of its taxable investment income and capital gains that it distributes to its shareholders, provided that it satisfies a minimum distribution requirement. To satisfy the minimum distribution requirement, the fund must distribute to its shareholders at least the sum of (i) 90% of its “investment company taxable income” (i.e., income other than its net realized long-term capital gain over its net realized short-term capital loss), plus or minus certain adjustments, and (ii) 90% of its net tax-exempt income for the taxable year. The fund will be subject to income tax at regular corporation rates on any taxable income or gains that it does not distribute to its shareholders.

 

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During the taxable year ended September 30, 2006, the fund utilized $1,825,734 of its capital loss carryover available from prior year. As of September 30, 2006, the fund had the following net capital loss carryforward remaining: $1,866,333. For federal income tax purposes, these amounts are available to be applied against the fund’s future realized capital gains that are realized prior to the expiration of applicable carryforwards, if any. The carryforwards expire as follows:

 

     September 30,
2007
     September 30,
2008

Carryforward Amount

   $ 1,825,735      $ 40,598

The Code imposes a 4% nondeductible excise tax on the fund to the extent it does not distribute by the end of any calendar year at least the sum of (i) 98% of its ordinary income for that year and (ii) 98% of its capital gain net income (both long-term and short-term) for the one-year period ending, as a general rule, on October 31 of that year. For this purpose, however, any ordinary income or capital gain net income retained by the fund that is subject to corporate income tax will be considered to have been distributed by year-end. In addition, the minimum amounts that must be distributed in any year to avoid the excise tax will be increased or decreased to reflect any underdistribution or overdistribution, as the case may be, from the previous year. The fund anticipates that it will pay such dividends and will make such distributions as are necessary in order to avoid the application of this excise tax.

If, in any taxable year, the fund fails to qualify as a regulated investment company under the Code or fails to meet the distribution requirement, it will be taxed in the same manner as an ordinary corporation and distributions to its shareholders will not be deductible by the fund in computing its taxable income. In addition, in the event of a failure to qualify, the fund’s distributions, to the extent derived from the fund’s current or accumulated earnings and profits, including any distributions of net long-term capital gains, will be taxable to shareholders as dividend income. However, such dividends would be eligible (i) to be treated as qualified dividend income in the case of shareholders taxed as individuals and (ii) for the dividends received deduction in case of corporate shareholders. Moreover, if the fund fails to qualify as a regulated investment company in any year, it must pay out its earnings and profits accumulated in that year in order to qualify again as a regulated investment company. If the fund failed to qualify as a regulated investment company for a period greater than two taxable years, the fund may be required to recognize any net built-in gains with respect to certain of its assets (i.e., the excess of the aggregate gains, including items of income, over aggregate losses that would have been realized with respect to such assets if the fund had been liquidated) in order to qualify as a regulated investment company in a subsequent year.

The fund’s transactions in foreign currencies, forward contracts, options and futures contracts (including options and futures contracts on foreign currencies), to the extent permitted, will be subject to special provisions of the Code (including provisions relating to “hedging transactions” and “straddles”) that, among other things, may affect the character of gains and losses realized by the fund (i.e., may affect whether gains or losses are ordinary or capital), accelerate recognition of income to the fund and defer fund losses. These rules could therefore affect the character, amount and timing of distributions to shareholders. These provisions also (a) will require the fund to mark-to-market certain types of the positions in its portfolio (i.e., treat them as if they were closed out at the end of each year) and (b) may cause the fund to recognize income without receiving cash with which to pay dividends or make distributions in amounts necessary to satisfy the distribution requirements for avoiding income and excise taxes. The fund will monitor its transactions, will make the appropriate tax elections and will make the appropriate entries in its books and records when it acquires any foreign currency, forward contract, option, futures contract or hedged investment in order to mitigate the effect of these rules and prevent disqualification of the fund as a regulated investment company.

The fund’s investment in so-called “section 1256 contracts,” such as regulated futures contracts, most foreign currency forward contracts traded in the interbank market and options on most stock indices, are subject to special tax rules. All section 1256 contracts held by the fund at the end of its taxable year are required to be

 

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marked to their market value, and any unrealized gain or loss on those positions will be included in the fund’s income as if each position had been sold for its fair market value at the end of the taxable year. The resulting gain or loss will be combined with any gain or loss realized by the fund from positions in section 1256 contracts closed during the taxable year. Provided such positions were held as capital assets and were not part of a “hedging transaction” nor part of a “straddle,” 60% of the resulting net gain or loss will be treated as long-term capital gain or loss, and 40% of such net gain or loss will be treated as short-term capital gain or loss, regardless of the period of time the positions were actually held by the fund.

As a result of entering into swap contracts, the fund may make or receive periodic net payments. The fund may also make or receive a payment when a swap is terminated prior to maturity through an assignment of the swap or other closing transaction. Periodic net payments will constitute ordinary income or deductions, while termination of a swap will result in capital gain or loss (which will be a long-term capital gain or loss if the fund has been a party to the swap for more than one year). The tax treatment of many types of credit default swaps is uncertain.

The fund may be required to treat amounts as taxable income or gain, subject to the distribution requirements referred to above, even though no corresponding amounts of cash are received concurrently, as a result of (1) mark-to-market, constructive sale or rules applicable to PFICs (as defined below) or partnerships or trusts in which the fund invests or to certain options, futures or forward contracts, or “appreciated financial positions” or (2) the inability to obtain cash distributions or other amounts due to currency controls or restrictions on repatriation imposed by a foreign country with respect to the fund’s investments (including through depositary receipts) in issuers in such country or (3) tax rules applicable to debt obligations acquired with “original issue discount,” including zero-coupon or deferred payment bonds and pay-in-kind debt obligations, or to market discount if an election is made with respect to such market discount. The fund may therefore be required to obtain cash to be used to satisfy these distribution requirements by selling securities at times that it might not otherwise be desirable to do so or borrowing the necessary cash, thereby incurring interest expenses.

In general, gain or loss on a short sale is recognized when the fund closes the sale by delivering the borrowed property to the lender, not when the borrowed property is sold. Gain or loss from a short sale is generally considered as capital gain or loss to the extent that the property used to close the short sale constitutes a capital asset in the fund’s hands. Except with respect to certain situations where the property used by the fund to close a short sale has a long-term holding period on the date of the short sale, special rules would generally treat the gains on short sales as short-term capital gains. These rules may also terminate the running of the holding period of “substantially identical property” held by the fund. Moreover, a loss on a short sale will be treated as a long-term capital loss if, on the date of the short sale, “substantially identical property” has been held by the fund for more than one year. In general, the fund will not be permitted to deduct payments made to reimburse the lender of securities for dividends paid on borrowed stock if the short sale is closed on or before the 45th day after the short sale is entered into.

Foreign Investments. Dividends or other income (including, in some cases, capital gains) received by the fund from investments in foreign securities may be subject to withholding and other taxes imposed by foreign countries. Tax conventions between certain countries and the United States may reduce or eliminate such taxes in some cases. The fund will not be eligible to elect to treat any foreign taxes it pays as paid by its shareholders, who therefore will not be entitled to credits or deductions for such taxes on their own tax returns. Foreign taxes paid by the fund will reduce the return from the fund’s investments.

Under Section 988 of the Code, gains or losses attributable to fluctuations in exchange rates between the time the fund accrues income or receivables or expenses or other liabilities denominated in a foreign currency and the time the fund actually collects such income or pays such liabilities are generally treated as ordinary income or ordinary loss. Similarly, gains or losses on foreign currency, foreign currency forward contracts, certain foreign currency options or futures contracts and the disposition of debt securities denominated in foreign currency, to the extent attributable to fluctuations in exchange rates between the acquisition and disposition dates, are also treated as ordinary income or loss unless the fund were to elect otherwise.

 

53


Passive Foreign Investment Companies. If the fund purchases shares in certain foreign investment entities, called “passive foreign investment companies” (“PFICs”), it may be subject to U.S. federal income tax on a portion of any “excess distribution” or gain from the disposition of such shares even if such income is distributed as a taxable dividend by the fund to its shareholders. Additional charges in the nature of interest may be imposed on the fund in respect of deferred taxes arising from such distributions or gains.

If the fund were to invest in a PFIC and elect to treat the PFIC as a “qualified electing fund” under the Code, in lieu of the foregoing requirements, the fund might be required to include in income each year a portion of the ordinary earnings and net capital gains of the qualified electing fund, even if not distributed to the fund, and such amounts would be subject to the 90% and excise tax distribution requirements described above. In order to make this election, the fund would be required to obtain certain annual information from the PFICs in which it invests, which may be difficult or impossible to obtain.

Alternatively, the fund may make a mark-to-market election that will result in the fund being treated as if it had sold and repurchased its PFIC stock at the end of each year. In such case, the fund would report any such gains as ordinary income and would deduct any such losses as ordinary losses to the extent of previously recognized gains. The election must be made separately for each PFIC owned by the fund and, once made, would be effective for all subsequent taxable years, unless revoked with the consent of the Internal Revenue Service (the “IRS”). By making the election, the fund could potentially ameliorate the adverse tax consequences with respect to its ownership of shares in a PFIC, but in any particular year may be required to recognize income in excess of the distributions it receives from PFICs and its proceeds from dispositions of PFIC stock. The fund may have to distribute this “phantom” income and gain to satisfy the 90% distribution requirement and to avoid imposition of the 4% excise tax.

The fund will make the appropriate tax elections, if possible, and take any additional steps that are necessary to mitigate the effect of these rules.

Taxation of U.S. Shareholders

Dividends and Distributions. Dividends and other distributions by the fund are generally treated under the Code as received by the shareholders at the time the dividend or distribution is made. However, any dividend or distribution declared by the fund in October, November or December of any calendar year and payable to shareholders of record on a specified date in such a month shall be deemed to have been received by each shareholder on December 31 of such calendar year and to have been paid by the fund not later than such December 31, provided such dividend is actually paid by the fund during January of the following calendar year.

The fund intends to distribute annually to its shareholders substantially all of its investment company taxable income, and any net realized long-term capital gains in excess of net realized short-term capital losses (including any capital loss carryovers). However, if the fund retains for investment an amount equal to all or a portion of its net long-term capital gains in excess of its net short-term capital losses (including any capital loss carryovers), it will be subject to a corporate tax (currently at a maximum rate of 35%) on the amount retained. In that event, the fund will designate such retained amounts as undistributed capital gains in a notice to its shareholders who (a) will be required to include in income for U.S. federal income tax purposes, as long-term capital gains, their proportionate shares of the undistributed amount, (b) will be entitled to credit their proportionate shares of the 35% tax paid by the fund on the undistributed amount against their U.S. federal income tax liabilities, if any, and to claim refunds to the extent their credits exceed their liabilities, if any, and (c) will be entitled to increase their tax basis, for U.S. federal income tax purposes, in their shares by an amount equal to 65% of the amount of undistributed capital gains included in the shareholder’s income. Organizations or persons not subject to U.S. federal income tax on such capital gains will be entitled to a refund of their pro rata share of such taxes paid by the fund upon filing appropriate returns or claims for refund with the IRS.

Distributions of net realized long-term capital gains, if any, that the fund designates as capital gains dividends are taxable as long-term capital gains, whether paid in cash or in shares and regardless of how long a

 

54


shareholder has held shares of the fund. All other dividends of the fund (including dividends from short-term capital gains) from its current and accumulated earnings and profits (“regular dividends”) are generally subject to tax as ordinary income.

Special rules apply, however, to regular dividends paid to individuals. Such a dividend, with respect to taxable years beginning on or before December 31, 2010, may be subject to tax at the rates generally applicable to long-term capital gains for individuals (currently at a maximum rate of 15%), provided that the individual receiving the dividend satisfies certain holding period and other requirements. Dividends subject to these special rules are not actually treated as capital gains, however, and thus are not included in the computation of an individual’s net capital gain and generally cannot be used to offset capital losses. The long-term capital gains rates will apply to: (i) 100% of the regular dividends paid by the fund to an individual in a particular taxable year if 95% or more of the fund’s gross income (ignoring gains attributable to the sale of stocks and securities except to the extent net short-term capital gain from such sales exceeds net long-term capital loss from such sales) in that taxable year is attributable to qualified dividend income received by the fund; or (ii) the portion of the regular dividends paid by the fund to an individual in a particular taxable year that is attributable to qualified dividend income received by the fund in that taxable year if such qualified dividend income accounts for less than 95% of the fund’s gross income (ignoring gains attributable to the sale of stocks and securities except to the extent net short-term capital gain from such sales exceeds net long-term capital loss from such sales) for that taxable year. For this purpose, “qualified dividend income” generally means income from dividends received by the fund from U.S. corporations and qualified foreign corporations, provided that the fund satisfies certain holding period requirements in respect of the stock of such corporations and has not hedged its position in the stock in certain ways. However, qualified dividend income does not include any dividends received from tax-exempt corporations. Also, dividends received by the fund from a real estate investment trust or another regulated investment company generally are qualified dividend income only to the extent the dividend distributions are made out of qualified dividend income received by such real estate investment trust or other regulated investment company. In the case of securities lending transactions, payments in lieu of dividends are not qualified dividend income. If a shareholder elects to treat fund dividends as investment income for purposes of the limitation on the deductibility of investment interest, such dividends would not be a qualified dividend income.

We will send you information after the end of each year setting forth the amount of dividends paid by us that are eligible for the reduced rates.

If an individual receives a regular dividend qualifying for the long-term capital gains rates and such dividend constitutes an “extraordinary dividend,” and the individual subsequently recognizes a loss on the sale or exchange of stock in respect of which the extraordinary dividend was paid, then the loss will be long-term capital loss to the extent of such extraordinary dividend. An “extraordinary dividend” on common stock for this purpose is generally a dividend (i) in an amount greater than or equal to 10% of the taxpayer’s tax basis (or trading value) in a share of stock, aggregating dividends with ex-dividend dates within an 85-day period or (ii) in an amount greater than 20% of the taxpayer’s tax basis (or trading value) in a share of stock, aggregating dividends with ex-dividend dates within a 365-day period.

Distributions in excess of the fund’s current and accumulated earnings and profits will, as to each shareholder, be treated as a tax-free return of capital to the extent of a shareholder’s basis in his shares of the fund, and as a capital gain thereafter (if the shareholder holds his shares of the fund as capital assets). Shareholders receiving dividends or distributions in the form of additional shares should be treated for U.S. federal income tax purposes as receiving a distribution in an amount equal to the amount of money that the shareholders receiving cash dividends or distributions will receive, and should have a cost basis in the shares received equal to such amount. Dividends paid by the fund that are attributable to dividends received by the fund from domestic corporations may qualify for the federal dividends-received deduction for corporations.

Investors considering buying shares just prior to a dividend or capital gain distribution should be aware that, although the price of shares just purchased at that time may reflect the amount of the forthcoming distribution,

 

55


such dividend or distribution may nevertheless be taxable to them. If the fund is the holder of record of any stock on the record date for any dividends payable with respect to such stock, such dividends will be included in the fund’s gross income not as of the date received but as of the later of (a) the date such stock became ex-dividend with respect to such dividends (i.e., the date on which a buyer of the stock would not be entitled to receive the declared, but unpaid, dividends) or (b) the date the fund acquired such stock. Accordingly, in order to satisfy its income distribution requirements, the fund may be required to pay dividends based on anticipated earnings, and shareholders may receive dividends in an earlier year than would otherwise be the case.

Certain types of income received by the fund from real estate investment trusts (“REITs”), real estate mortgage investment conduits (“REMICs”), taxable mortgage pools or other investments may cause the fund to designate some or all of its distributions as “excess inclusion income.” To fund shareholders such excess inclusion income may (1) constitute taxable income, as “unrelated business taxable income” (“UBTI”) for those shareholders who would otherwise be tax-exempt such as individual retirement accounts, 401(k) accounts, Keogh plans, pension plans and certain charitable entities; (2) not be offset against net operating losses for tax purposes; (3) not be eligible for reduced U.S. withholding for non-U.S. shareholders even from tax treaty countries; and (4) cause the fund to be subject to tax if certain “disqualified organizations” as defined by the Code are fund shareholders.

Sales of Shares. Upon the sale or exchange of his shares, a shareholder will realize a taxable gain or loss equal to the difference between the amount realized and his basis in his shares. A redemption of shares by the fund will be treated as a sale for this purpose. Such gain or loss will be treated as capital gain or loss if the shares are capital assets in the shareholder’s hands, and will be long-term capital gain or loss if the shares are held for more than one year and short-term capital gain or loss if the shares are held for one year or less. Any loss realized on a sale or exchange will be disallowed to the extent the shares disposed of are replaced, including replacement through the reinvesting of dividends and capital gains distributions in the fund, within a 61-day period beginning 30 days before and ending 30 days after the disposition of the shares. In such a case, the basis of the shares acquired will be increased to reflect the disallowed loss. Any loss realized by a shareholder on the sale of a fund share held by the shareholder for six months or less will be treated for U.S. federal income tax purposes as a long-term capital loss to the extent of any distributions or deemed distributions of long-term capital gains received by the shareholder with respect to such share. If a shareholder incurs a sales charge in acquiring shares of the fund, disposes of those shares within 90 days and then acquires shares in a mutual fund for which the otherwise applicable sales charge is reduced by reason of a reinvestment right (e.g., an exchange privilege), the original sales charge will not be taken into account in computing gain or loss on the original shares to the extent the subsequent sales charge is reduced. Instead, the disregarded portion of the original sales charge will be added to the tax basis in the newly acquired shares. Furthermore, the same rule also applies to a disposition of the newly acquired shares made within 90 days of the second acquisition. This provision prevents a shareholder from immediately deducting the sales charge by shifting his or her investment in a family of mutual funds.

Backup Withholding. The fund may be required to withhold, for U.S. federal income tax purposes, a portion of the dividends, distributions and redemption proceeds payable to shareholders who fail to provide the fund with their correct taxpayer identification number or to make required certifications, or who have been notified by the IRS that they are subject to backup withholding. Certain shareholders are exempt from backup withholding. Backup withholding is not an additional tax and any amount withheld may be credited against a shareholder’s U.S. federal income tax liability.

Other Taxes. Dividends, distributions and redemption proceeds also may be subject to additional state, local and foreign taxes depending on each shareholder’s particular situation.

If a shareholder recognizes a loss with respect to the fund’s shares of $2 million or more for an individual shareholder or $10 million or more for a corporate shareholder, the shareholder must file with the IRS a disclosure statement on Form 8886. Direct shareholders of portfolio securities are in many cases excepted from this reporting requirement, but under current guidance, shareholders of a regulated investment company are not

 

56


excepted. The fact that a loss is reportable under these regulations does not affect the legal determination of whether the taxpayer’s treatment of the loss is proper. Shareholders should consult their tax advisors to determine the applicability of these regulations in light of their individual circumstances.

Notices, Other Taxes

Notices. Shareholders will receive, if appropriate, various written notices after the close of the fund’s taxable year regarding the U.S. federal income tax status of certain dividends, distributions and deemed distributions that were paid (or that are treated as having been paid) by the fund to its shareholders during the preceding taxable year.

Class I —(for tax-exempt employee benefit and retirement plans of CGM or any of its affiliates (“Qualified Plans”))

Dividends and distributions received from the fund will not be taxable, provided the Qualified Plan has not borrowed to finance its investment in the fund. Qualified Plan participants should consult their plan document or tax advisors about the tax consequences of participating in a Qualified Plan.

Taxation of Non-U.S. Shareholders.

Dividends and Distributions. Dividends paid by the fund to non-U.S. shareholders are generally subject to withholding tax at a 30% rate or a reduced rate specified by an applicable income tax treaty to the extent derived from investment income and short-term capital gains. In order to obtain a reduced rate of withholding, a non-U.S. shareholder will be required to provide an IRS Form W-8BEN certifying its entitlement to benefits under a treaty. The withholding tax does not apply to regular dividends paid to a non-U.S. shareholder who provides a Form W-8ECI, certifying that the dividends are effectively connected with the non-U.S. shareholder’s conduct of a trade or business within the United States. Instead, the effectively connected dividends will be subject to regular U.S. income tax as if the non-U.S. shareholder were a U.S. shareholder. A non-U.S. corporation receiving effectively connected dividends may also be subject to additional “branch profits tax” imposed at a rate of 30% (or lower treaty rate). A non-U.S. shareholder who fails to provide an IRS Form W-8BEN or other applicable form may be subject to backup withholding at the appropriate rate.

In general, United States federal withholding tax will not apply to any gain or income realized by a non-U.S. shareholder in respect of any distributions of net long-term capital gains over net short-term capital losses, exempt-interest dividends, or upon the sale or other disposition of shares of the fund.

For taxable years beginning before January 1, 2008, properly-designated dividends are generally exempt from United States federal withholding tax where they (i) are paid in respect of the fund’s “qualified net interest income” (generally, the fund’s U.S. source interest income, other than certain contingent interest and interest from obligations of a corporation or partnership in which the fund is at least a 10% shareholder, reduced by expenses that are allocable to such income) or (ii) are paid in respect of the fund’s “qualified short-term capital gains” (generally, the excess of the fund’s net short-term capital gain over the fund’s long-term capital loss for such taxable year). However, depending on its circumstances, the fund may designate all, some or none of its potentially eligible dividends as such qualified net interest income or as qualified short-term capital gains, and/or treat such dividends, in whole or in part, as ineligible for this exemption from withholding. In order to qualify for this exemption from withholding, a non-U.S. shareholder will need to comply with applicable certification requirements relating to its non-U.S. status (including, in general, furnishing an IRS Form W-8BEN or substitute Form). In the case of shares held through an intermediary, the intermediary may withhold even if a Portfolio designates the payment as qualified net interest income or qualified short-term capital gain. Non-U.S. shareholders should contact their intermediaries with respect to the application of these rules to their accounts.

U.S. Real Property Interests. A distribution from the fund to foreign shareholders who have held more than 5% of the fund at any time during the one-year period ending on the date of distribution is treated as real property

 

57


gain subject to 35% withholding tax and treated as income effectively connected to a U.S. trade or business with certain tax filing requirements applicable, if such distribution is attributable to a distribution received by the fund from a REIT. A distribution paid prior to 2008 attributable to the fund’s sale of a REIT or other U.S. real property holding company will also be treated as real property gain if 50% or more of the value of the fund’s assets are invested in REITs and other U.S. real property holding corporations and if the foreign shareholder has held more than 5% of a class of stock at any time during the one-year period ending on the date of the distribution. Restrictions apply regarding wash sales and substitute payment transactions.

The foregoing is only a summary of certain material U.S. federal income tax consequences affecting the fund and its shareholders. Prospective shareholders are advised to consult their own tax advisers with respect to the particular tax consequences to them of an investment in the fund.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

The Trust. The certificate of trust to establish Legg Mason Partners Equity Trust (referred to in this section as the trust) was filed with the State of Maryland on October 4, 2006. On the date of this SAI, the fund was redomiciled as a series of the trust. Prior thereto, the fund was a series of Legg Mason Partners Investment Trust, a Massachusetts business trust. Prior to reorganization of the fund as a series of Legg Mason Partners Investment Trust, the fund was a Maryland corporation.

The fund is a series of the trust, a Maryland business trust. A Maryland business trust is an unincorporated business association that is established under, and governed by, Maryland law. Maryland law provides a statutory framework for the powers, duties, rights and obligations of the Board (referred to in this section as the “trustees”) and shareholders of the trust, while the more specific powers, duties, rights and obligations of the trustees and the shareholders are determined by the trustees as set forth in the trust’s declaration of trust (referred to in this section as the “declaration”). Some of the more significant provisions of the declaration are described below.

Shareholder Voting.

The declaration provides for shareholder voting as required by the 1940 Act or other applicable laws but otherwise permits, consistent with Maryland law, actions by the trustees without seeking the consent of shareholders. The trustees may, without shareholder approval, amend the declaration or authorize the merger or consolidation of the trust into another trust or entity, reorganize the trust, or any series or class into another trust or entity or a series or class of another entity, sell all or substantially all of the assets of the trust or any series or class to another entity, or a series or class of another entity, or terminate the trust or any series or class.

The fund is not required to hold an annual meeting of shareholders, but the fund will call special meetings of shareholders whenever required by the 1940 Act or by the terms of the declaration. The declaration provides for “dollar-weighted voting” which means that a shareholder’s voting power is determined, not by the number of shares he or she owns, but by the dollar value of those shares determined on the record date. All shareholders of all series and classes of the trust vote together, except where required by the 1940 Act to vote separately by series or by class, or when the trustees have determined that a matter affects only the interests of one or more series or classes of shares.

Election and Removal of Trustees.

The declaration provides that the trustees may establish the number of trustees and that vacancies on the board may be filled by the remaining trustees, except when election of trustees by the shareholders is required under the 1940 Act. Trustees are then elected by a plurality of votes cast by shareholders at a meeting at which a quorum is present. The declaration also provides that a mandatory retirement age may be set by action of

 

58


two-thirds of the trustees and that trustees may be removed, with or without cause, by a vote of shareholders holding two-thirds of the voting power of the trust, or by a vote of two-thirds of the remaining trustees. The provisions of the declaration relating to the election and removal of trustees may not be amended without the approval of two-thirds of the trustees.

Amendments to the Declaration.

The trustees are authorized to amend the declaration without the vote of shareholders, but no amendment may be made that impairs the exemption from personal liability granted in the declaration to persons who are or have been shareholders, trustees, officers or, employees of the trust or that limit the rights to indemnification or insurance provided in the declaration with respect to actions or omissions of persons entitled to indemnification under the declaration prior to the amendment.

Issuance and Redemption of Shares.

The fund may issue an unlimited number of shares for such consideration and on such terms as the trustees may determine. Shareholders are not entitled to any appraisal, preemptive, conversion, exchange or similar rights, except as the trustees may determine. The fund may involuntarily redeem a shareholder’s shares upon certain conditions as may be determined by the trustees, including, for example, if the shareholder fails to provide the fund with identification required by law, or if the fund is unable to verify the information received from the shareholder. Additionally, as discussed below, shares may be redeemed in connection with the closing of small accounts.

Disclosure of Shareholder Holdings.

The declaration specifically requires shareholders, upon demand, to disclose to the fund information with respect to the direct and indirect ownership of shares in order to comply with various laws or regulations, and the fund may disclose such ownership if required by law or regulation.

Small Accounts.

The declaration provides that the fund may close out a shareholder’s account by redeeming all of the shares in the account if the account falls below a minimum account size (which may vary by class) that may be set by the trustees from time to time. Alternately, the declaration permits the fund to assess a fee for small accounts (which may vary by class) and redeem shares in the account to cover such fees, or convert the shares into another share class that is geared to smaller accounts.

Series and Classes.

The declaration provides that the trustees may establish series and classes in addition to those currently established and to determine the rights and preferences, limitations and restrictions, including qualifications for ownership, conversion and exchange features, minimum purchase and account size, expenses and charges, and other features of the series and classes. The trustees may change any of those features, terminate any series or class, combine series with other series in the trust, combine one or more classes of a series with another class in that series or convert the shares of one class into another class.

Each share of the fund, as a series of the trust, represents an interest in the fund only and not in the assets of any other series of the trust.

Shareholder, Trustee and Officer Liability.

The declaration provides that shareholders are not personally liable for the obligations of the fund and requires the fund to indemnify a shareholder against any loss or expense arising from any such liability. In

 

59


addition, the fund will assume the defense of any claim against a shareholder for personal liability at the request of the shareholder. The declaration further provides that a trustee acting in his or her capacity of trustee is not personally liable to any person other than the trust or its shareholders, for any act, omission, or obligation of the trust. Further, a trustee is held to the same standard of conduct as a director of a Maryland corporation. This requires that a trustee perform his or her duties in good faith and in a manner he or she reasonably believes to be in the best interests of the trust or a series thereof, and with the care that an ordinarily prudent person in a like position would use under similar circumstances. The declaration also permits the limitation of a trustee’s liability to the full extent provided under Maryland law. Under current Maryland law, a trustee is liable to the trust or its shareholders for monetary damages only (a) to the extent that it is proved that he or she actually received an improper benefit or profit in money, property, or services or (b) to the extent that a judgment or other final adjudication adverse to the trustee is entered in a proceeding based on a finding in the proceeding that the trustee’s action, or failure to act, was the result of active and deliberate dishonesty and was material to the cause of action adjudicated in the proceeding. The declaration requires the trust to indemnify any persons who are or who have been trustees, officers or employees of the trust for any liability for actions or failure to act except to the extent prohibited by applicable federal law. In making any determination as to whether any person is entitled to the advancement of expenses in connection with a claim for which indemnification is sought, such person is entitled to a rebuttable presumption that he or she did not engage in conduct for which indemnification is not available.

The declaration provides that any trustee who serves as chair of the board or of a committee of the board, lead independent trustee, or audit committee financial expert, or in any other similar capacity will not be subject to any greater standard of care or liability because of such position.

Derivative Actions.

The declaration provides a detailed process for the bringing of derivative actions by shareholders in order to permit legitimate inquiries and claims while avoiding the time, expense, distraction, and other harm that can be caused to the fund or its shareholders as a result of spurious shareholder demands and derivative actions. Prior to bringing a derivative action, a demand by three unrelated shareholders must first be made on the fund’s trustees. The declaration details various information, certifications, undertakings and acknowledgements that must be included in the demand. Following receipt of the demand, the trustees have a period of 90 days, which may be extended by an additional 60 days, to consider the demand. If a majority of the trustees who are considered independent for the purposes of considering the demand determine that maintaining the suit would not be in the best interests of the fund, the trustees are required to reject the demand and the complaining shareholders may not proceed with the derivative action unless the shareholders are able to sustain the burden of proof to a court that the decision of the trustees not to pursue the requested action was not a good faith exercise of their business judgment on behalf of the fund. The declaration further provides that shareholders owning shares representing at least 5% of the voting power of the affected fund must join in bringing the derivative action. If a demand is rejected, the complaining shareholders will be responsible for the costs and expenses (including attorneys’ fees) incurred by the fund in connection with the consideration of the demand, if in the judgment of the independent trustees, the demand was made without reasonable cause or for an improper purpose. If a derivative action is brought in violation of the declaration, the shareholders bringing the action may be responsible for the fund’s costs, including attorneys’ fees.

The declaration further provides that the fund shall be responsible for payment of attorneys’ fees and legal expenses incurred by a complaining shareholder only if required by law, and any attorneys’ fees that the fund is obligated to pay shall be calculated using reasonable hourly rates. The declaration also requires that actions by shareholders against the fund be brought only in federal court in Baltimore, Maryland, or if not permitted to be brought in federal court, then in state court in Baltimore, Maryland, and that the right to jury trial be waived to the full extent permitted by law.

Annual and Semi-Annual Reports. The fund sends its shareholders a semi-annual report and an audited annual report, which include listings of investment securities held by the fund at the end of the period covered. In

 

60


an effort to reduce the fund’s printing and mailing costs, the fund consolidates the mailing of its semi-annual and annual reports by household. This consolidation means that a household having multiple accounts with the identical address of record will receive a single copy of each report. In addition, the fund also consolidates the mailing of its prospectus so that a shareholder having multiple accounts (that is, individual, IRA and/or self-employed retirement plan accounts) will receive a single prospectus annually. Shareholders who do not want this consolidation to apply to their accounts should contact their Service Agent or the transfer agent.

Legal Matters

Beginning in June 2004, class action lawsuits alleging violations of the federal securities laws were filed against Citigroup Global Markets Inc. (“CGMI”) and a number of its then affiliates, including Smith Barney Fund Management LLC (“SBFM”), which were then investment adviser or manager to certain of the Funds (the “Managers”), substantially all of the mutual funds then managed by the Managers (the “Defendant Funds”), and Board Members of the Defendant Funds (collectively, the “Defendants”). The complaints alleged, among other things, that CGMI created various undisclosed incentives for its brokers to sell Smith Barney and Salomon Brothers funds. In addition, according to the complaints, the Managers caused the Defendant Funds to pay excessive brokerage commissions to CGMI for steering clients towards proprietary funds. The complaints also alleged that the defendants breached their fiduciary duty to the Defendant Funds by improperly charging Rule 12b-1 fees and by drawing on fund assets to make undisclosed payments of soft dollars and excessive brokerage commissions. The complaints also alleged that the Defendant Funds failed to adequately disclose certain of the allegedly wrongful conduct. The complaints sought injunctive relief and compensatory and punitive damages, rescission of the Defendant Funds’ contracts with the Managers, recovery of all fees paid to the Managers pursuant to such contracts and an award of attorneys’ fees and litigation expenses.

On December 15, 2004, a consolidated amended complaint (the “Complaint”) was filed alleging substantially similar causes of action. On May 27, 2005, all of the Defendants filed motions to dismiss the Complaint. On July 26, 2006, the court issued a decision and order (1) finding that plaintiffs lacked standing to sue on behalf of the shareholders of the Defendant Funds in which none of the plaintiffs had invested and dismissing those Defendant Funds from the case (although stating that they could be brought back into the case if standing as to them could be established), and (2) other than one stayed claim, dismissing all of the causes of action against the remaining Defendants, with prejudice, except for the cause of action under Section 36(b) of the 1940 Act, which the court granted plaintiffs leave to replead as a derivative claim.

On October 16, 2006, plaintiffs filed their Second Consolidated Amended Complaint (“Second Amended Complaint”) which alleges derivative claims on behalf of nine funds identified in the Second Amended Complaint under Section 36(b) of the 1940 Act, against Citigroup Asset Management, Salomon Brothers Asset Management Inc, SBFM and CGMI as investment advisers to the identified funds, as well as CGMI as a distributor for the identified funds (collectively, the “Second Amended Complaint Defendants”). The Fund was not identified in the Second Amended Complaint. The Second Amended Complaint alleges no claims against any of the Funds or any of their Board Members. Under Section 36(b), the Second Amended Complaint alleges similar facts and seeks similar relief against the Second Amended Complaint Defendants as the Complaint.

Additional lawsuits arising out of these circumstances and presenting similar allegations and requests for relief may be filed in the future.

***

On May 31, 2005, the SEC issued an order in connection with the settlement of an administrative proceeding against SBFM, the then-investment adviser or manager the fund and CGMI, relating to the appointment of an affiliated transfer agent for the Smith Barney family of mutual funds, including the fund (the “Affected Funds”).

 

61


The SEC order found that SBFM and CGMI willfully violated Section 206(1) of the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as amended, and the rules promulgated thereunder (the “Advisers Act”). Specifically, the order found that SBFM and CGMI knowingly or recklessly failed to disclose to the boards of the Affected Funds in 1999 when proposing a new transfer agent arrangement with an affiliated transfer agent that: First Data Investors Services Group (“First Data”), the Affected Funds’ then-existing transfer agent, had offered to continue as transfer agent and do the same work for substantially less money than before; and that CAM, the Citigroup business unit that, at the time, included the Affected Funds’ investment manager and other investment advisory companies, had entered into a side letter with First Data under which CAM agreed to recommend the appointment of First Data as sub-transfer agent to the affiliated transfer agent in exchange for, among other things, a guarantee by First Data of specified amounts of asset management and investment banking fees to CAM and CGMI. The order also found that SBFM and CGMI willfully violated Section 206(2) of the Advisers Act by virtue of the omissions discussed above and other misrepresentations and omissions in the materials provided to the Affected Funds’ boards, including the failure to make clear that the affiliated transfer agent would earn a high profit for performing limited functions while First Data continued to perform almost all of the transfer agent functions, and the suggestion that the proposed arrangement was in the Affected Funds’ best interests and that no viable alternatives existed. SBFM and CGMI do not admit or deny any wrongdoing or liability. The settlement does not establish wrongdoing or liability for purposes of any other proceeding.

The SEC censured SBFM and CGMI and ordered them to cease and desist from violations of Sections 206(1) and 206(2) of the Advisers Act. The order required Citigroup to pay $208.1 million, including $109 million in disgorgement of profits, $19.1 million in interest, and a civil money penalty of $80 million. Approximately $24.4 million has already been paid to the Affected Funds, primarily through fee waivers. The remaining $183.7 million, including the penalty, has been paid to the U.S. Treasury and will be distributed pursuant to a plan submitted for the approval of the SEC. At this time, there is no certainty as to how the above-described proceeds of the settlement will be distributed, to whom such distributions will be made, the methodology by which such distributions will be allocated, and when such distributions will be made. The order also required that transfer agency fees received from the Affected Funds since December 1, 2004, less certain expenses, be placed in escrow and provided that a portion of such fees might be subsequently distributed in accordance with the terms of the order. On April 3, 2006, an aggregate amount of approximately $9 million held in escrow was distributed to the Affected Funds.

The order required SBFM to recommend a new transfer agent contract to the Affected Funds’ boards within 180 days of the entry of the order; if a Citigroup affiliate submitted a proposal to serve as transfer agent or sub-transfer agent, SBFM and CGMI would have been required, at their expense, to engage an independent monitor to oversee a competitive bidding process. On November 21, 2005, and within the specified timeframe, the Affected Funds’ boards selected a new transfer agent for the Affected Fund. No Citigroup affiliate submitted a proposal to serve as transfer agent. Under the order, SBFM also must comply with an amended version of a vendor policy that Citigroup instituted in August 2004.

Although there can be no assurance, the manager does not believe that this matter will have a material adverse effect on the Affected Funds.

On December 1, 2005, Citigroup completed the sale of substantially all of its global asset management business, including SBFM, to Legg Mason.

* * *

Beginning in August 2005, five class action lawsuits alleging violations of federal securities laws and state law were filed against CGMI and SBFM (collectively, the “Defendants”) based on the May 31, 2005 settlement order issued against the Defendants by the SEC as described in above. The complaints seek injunctive relief and compensatory and punitive damages, removal of SBFM as the investment manager for the Smith Barney family of funds, rescission of the Funds’ management and other contracts with SBFM, recovery of all fees paid to SBFM pursuant to such contracts, and an award of attorneys’ fees and litigation expenses.

 

62


On October 5, 2005, a motion to consolidate the five actions and any subsequently filed, related action was filed. That motion contemplates that a consolidated amended complaint alleging substantially similar causes of action will be filed in the future.

As of the date of this report, the Fund’s investment manager believes that resolution of the pending lawsuit will not have a material effect on the financial position or results of operations of the Fund or the ability of the Fund’s investment manager and its affiliates to continue to render services to the Funds under their respective contracts.

* * *

On September 16, 2005, the staff of the SEC informed SBFM and ClearBridge Asset Management Inc (formerly Salomon Brothers Asset Management Inc) that the staff is considering recommending that the SEC institute administrative proceedings against SBFM and ClearBridge Asset Management Inc for alleged violations of Section 19(a) and 34(b) of the Investment Company Act (and related Rule 19a-1). The notification is a result of an industry wide inspection by the SEC and is based upon alleged deficiencies in disclosures regarding dividends and distributions paid to shareholders of certain funds. Section 19(a) and related Rule 19a-1 of the Investment Company Act generally require funds that are making dividend and distribution payments to provide shareholders with a written statement disclosing the source of the dividends and distributions, and, in particular, the portion of the payments made from each of net investment income, undistributed net profits and/or paid-in capital. In connection with the contemplated proceedings, the staff may seek a cease and desist order and/or monetary damages from SBFM or ClearBridge Asset Management Inc.

Although there can be no assurance, the fund’s manager believes that this matter is not likely to have a material adverse effect on the fund.

***

The foregoing speaks only as of the date of this SAI. Additional lawsuits presenting allegations and requests for relief arising out of or in connection with any of the foregoing matters may be filed against these and related parties in the future.

FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

The audited financial statements of the fund’s predecessor (Statement of Assets and Liabilities as of September 30, 2006, Statement of Operations for the year ended September 30, 2006, Statements of Changes in Net Assets for each of the years in the two-year period ended September 30, 2006, Financial Highlights for each of the years in the five-year period ended September 30, 2006, and Notes to Financial Statements along with the Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm, each of which is included in the Annual Report to Shareholders of the Fund), are incorporated by reference into this Statement of Additional Information (Filed on December 8, 2006; Accession Number 0001193125-06-249584).

 

63


APPENDIX A

PROXY VOTING GUIDELINES & PROCEDURES SUMMARY

Concerning ClearBridge Advisors1 (ClearBridge)

Proxy Voting Policies and Procedures

The following is a brief overview of the Proxy Voting Policies and Procedures (the “Policies”) that ClearBridge has adopted to seek to ensure that ClearBridge votes proxies relating to equity securities in the best interest of clients.

ClearBridge votes proxies for each client account with respect to which it has been authorized to vote proxies. In voting proxies, ClearBridge is guided by general fiduciary principles and seeks to act prudently and solely in the best interest of clients. ClearBridge attempts to consider all factors that could affect the value of the investment and will vote proxies in the manner that it believes will be consistent with efforts to maximize shareholder values. ClearBridge may utilize an external service provider to provide it with information and/or a recommendation with regard to proxy votes. However, the ClearBridge adviser (business unit) continues to retain responsibility for the proxy vote.

In the case of a proxy issue for which there is a stated position in the Policies, ClearBridge generally votes in accordance with such stated position. In the case of a proxy issue for which there is a list of factors set forth in the Policies that ClearBridge considers in voting on such issue, ClearBridge votes on a case-by-case basis in accordance with the general principles set forth above and considering such enumerated factors. In the case of a proxy issue for which there is no stated position or list of factors that ClearBridge considers in voting on such issue, ClearBridge votes on a case-by-case basis in accordance with the general principles set forth above. Issues for which there is a stated position set forth in the Policies or for which there is a list of factors set forth in the Policies that ClearBridge considers in voting on such issues fall into a variety of categories, including election of directors, ratification of auditors, proxy and tender offer defenses, capital structure issues, executive and director compensation, mergers and corporate restructurings, and social and environmental issues. The stated position on an issue set forth in the Policies can always be superseded, subject to the duty to act solely in the best interest of the beneficial owners of accounts, by the investment management professionals responsible for the account whose shares are being voted. Issues applicable to a particular industry may cause ClearBridge to abandon a policy that would have otherwise applied to issuers generally. As a result of the independent investment advisory services provided by distinct ClearBridge business units, there may be occasions when different business units or different portfolio managers within the same business unit vote differently on the same issue. A ClearBridge business unit or investment team (e.g. ClearBridge’s Social Awareness Investment team) may adopt proxy voting policies that supplement these policies and procedures. In addition, in the case of Taft-Hartley clients, ClearBridge will comply with a client direction to vote proxies in accordance with Institutional Shareholder Services’ (ISS) PVS Voting Guidelines, which ISS represents to be fully consistent with AFL-CIO guidelines.

In furtherance of ClearBridge’s goal to vote proxies in the best interest of clients, ClearBridge follows procedures designed to identify and address material conflicts that may arise between ClearBridge’s interests and those of its clients before voting proxies on behalf of such clients. To seek to identify conflicts of interest, ClearBridge periodically notifies ClearBridge employees in writing that they are under an obligation (i) to be aware of the potential for conflicts of interest on the part of ClearBridge with respect to voting proxies on behalf of client accounts both as a result of their personal relationships and due to special circumstances that may arise

 


1 ClearBridge Advisors comprises ClearBridge Advisors, LLC, ClearBridge Asset Management, Inc., and other affiliated investment advisory firms.

 

A-1


during the conduct of ClearBridge’s business, and (ii) to bring conflicts of interest of which they become aware to the attention of ClearBridge’s compliance personnel. ClearBridge also maintains and considers a list of significant ClearBridge relationships that could present a conflict of interest for ClearBridge in voting proxies. ClearBridge is also sensitive to the fact that a significant, publicized relationship between an issuer and a non- ClearBridge Legg Mason affiliate might appear to the public to influence the manner in which ClearBridge decides to vote a proxy with respect to such issuer. Absent special circumstances or a significant, publicized non- ClearBridge Legg Mason affiliate relationship that ClearBridge for prudential reasons treats as a potential conflict of interest because such relationship might appear to the public to influence the manner in which ClearBridge decides to vote a proxy, ClearBridge generally takes the position that relationships between a non- ClearBridge Legg Mason affiliate and an issuer (e.g. investment management relationship between an issuer and a non- ClearBridge Legg Mason affiliate) do not present a conflict of interest for ClearBridge in voting proxies with respect to such issuer. Such position is based on the fact that ClearBridge is operated as an independent business unit from other Legg Mason business units as well as on the existence of information barriers between ClearBridge and certain other Legg Mason business units.

ClearBridge maintains a Proxy Voting Committee to review and address conflicts of interest brought to its attention by ClearBridge compliance personnel. A proxy issue that will be voted in accordance with a stated ClearBridge position on such issue or in accordance with the recommendation of an independent third party is not brought to the attention of the Proxy Voting Committee for a conflict of interest review because ClearBridge’s position is that to the extent a conflict of interest issue exists, it is resolved by voting in accordance with a pre-determined policy or in accordance with the recommendation of an independent third party. With respect to a conflict of interest brought to its attention, the Proxy Voting Committee first determines whether such conflict of interest is material. A conflict of interest is considered material to the extent that it is determined that such conflict is likely to influence, or appear to influence, ClearBridge’s decision-making in voting proxies. If it is determined by the Proxy Voting Committee that a conflict of interest is not material, ClearBridge may vote proxies notwithstanding the existence of the conflict.

If it is determined by the Proxy Voting Committee that a conflict of interest is material, the Proxy Voting Committee is responsible for determining an appropriate method to resolve such conflict of interest before the proxy affected by the conflict of interest is voted. Such determination is based on the particular facts and circumstances, including the importance of the proxy issue and the nature of the conflict of interest.

 

A-2


 

Filed under Rule 497(c)

File Nos. 33-43446 and 811-6444

Legg Mason Partners International All Cap Opportunity Fund

Supplement dated April 16, 2007

to Prospectus dated February 28, 2007

The attached prospectus is now dated April 16, 2007.

As part of a number of initiatives launched in 2006 to restructure and streamline the Legg Mason Partners fund complex, the fund assumed the assets and liabilities of a predecessor fund with the same name. The fund is now grouped for organizational and governance purposes with other Legg Mason Partners funds that are predominantly equity-type funds. The prospectus is supplemented as shown below to reflect this change. Any information in the prospectus relating to the fund prior to the date of this prospectus refers to the fund’s predecessor.

Performance Information

The summary performance information in the prospectus is that of the fund’s predecessor.

Investment Objective

The fund’s investment objective may be changed without shareholder approval.

Management—Other Information

The paragraph beneath the heading “Other Information” in the “Management” section of the prospectus is deleted.

Financial Highlights

The financial information shown in the “Financial Highlights” section of the prospectus is that of the fund’s predecessor.

 

FD04057


PROSPECTUS

February 28, 2007

The Securities and Exchange Commission has not approved or disapproved these securities or determined whether this prospectus is accurate or complete. Any statement to the contrary is a crime.

LOGO

Legg Mason Partners

International All Cap

Opportunity Fund

Class A, B, C and I Shares

 

 

 

INVESTMENT PRODUCTS: NOT FDIC INSURED Ÿ NO BANK GUARANTEE Ÿ MAY LOSE VALUE

 


Legg Mason Partners International All Cap Opportunity Fund

Contents

 

Investments, risks and performance

  2

More on the fund’s investments

  7

Management

  8

Choosing a class of shares to buy

  12

Comparing the fund’s classes

  14

Sales charges

  15

More about contingent deferred sales charges

  19

Retirement and institutional investors

  20

Buying shares

  22

Exchanging shares

  23

Redeeming shares

  25

Other things to know about transactions

  27

Dividends, distributions and taxes

  30

Share price

  32

Financial highlights

  34

 

Prior to December 28, 2006, the fund was known as Legg Mason Partners International All Cap Growth Fund. Prior to April 7, 2006, the fund was known as International All Cap Growth Portfolio.


 

Investments, risks and performance

Investment objective

The fund seeks total return on its assets from growth of capital and income.

Principal investment strategies

Key investments

The fund invests primarily in equity securities of foreign companies. Equity securities include exchange traded and over-the-counter common stocks and preferred shares, debt securities convertible into equity securities, and warrants and rights relating to equity securities. Under normal circumstances, the fund invests at least 80% of the value of its net assets in a diversified portfolio of equity securities and may invest up to 20% of the value of its net assets in bonds, notes and debt securities (including up to 10% of the value of its net assets in below investment grade securities (commonly known as “junk bonds”)).

Selection process

The portfolio managers emphasize individual security selection while diversifying the fund’s investments across regions and countries which can help to reduce risk. While the portfolio managers select investments primarily for their capital appreciation potential, some investments have an income component as well. Companies in which the fund invests may have large, mid or small size market capitalizations and may operate in any market sector. Market conditions around the world change constantly as does the location of potential investment opportunities. Depending on the portfolio managers’ assessment of overseas potential for long-term growth, the fund’s emphasis among foreign markets (including emerging markets) and types of issuers may vary.

In selecting individual companies for investment, the portfolio managers look for the following:

n  

Companies focused on long-term shareholder value creation

n  

Companies whose valuation implied earnings growth is significantly less than their expected growth

n  

Experienced and effective management

n  

Effective research, product development and marketing

n  

Companies that are undervalued relative to history, country, sector and intrinsic value

n  

Competitive advantages

n  

Strong financial condition or stable or improving credit quality

By spreading the fund’s investments across many international markets, the portfolio managers seek to reduce volatility compared to an investment in a single region. Unlike global mutual funds which may allocate a substantial portion of assets to the U.S. markets, the fund invests substantially all of its assets in countries outside of the U.S.

In allocating assets among countries and regions, the economic and political factors the portfolio managers evaluate include:

n  

Low or decelerating inflation which creates a favorable environment for securities markets

n  

Stable governments with policies that encourage economic growth, equity investment and development of securities markets

n  

Currency stability

n  

The range of individual investment opportunities

 

2         Legg Mason Partners Funds


 

Principal risks of investing in the fund

Investing in foreign securities can bring benefits, but it may also involve risks. Investors could lose money on their investment in the fund, or the fund may not perform as well as other investments, as a result of the following risks:

n  

Foreign securities prices decline

n  

Adverse governmental action or political, economic or market instability affects a foreign country or region

n  

The currency in which a security is priced declines in value relative to the U.S. dollar

n  

The portfolio managers’ judgment about the attractiveness, value or potential appreciation of a particular security proves to be incorrect

The fund invests in certain foreign countries where the securities markets are less liquid and more volatile than markets in the U.S. In some foreign countries, less information is available about issuers and markets because of less rigorous accounting and regulatory standards than in the U.S. Currency fluctuations could erase investment gains or add to investment losses. The risks of investing in emerging markets are substantially greater than the risks of investing in more developed markets.

The fund may invest up to 20% of its assets in debt securities of foreign corporate and governmental issuers as well as U.S. government securities and money market obligations of U.S. issuers. The fund may invest in all types of debt securities of any maturity or credit quality. These securities may be denominated in U.S. dollars or other currencies and may pay fixed or variable rates of interest. The value of debt securities will go down if interest rates go up, or the credit rating of the security is downgraded or the issuer defaults on its obligation to pay principal or interest. These risks are greater for debt securities rated below investment grade.

The fund may invest up to 10% of its assets in below investment grade securities, commonly known as “junk bonds.” Below investment grade securities are speculative and their issuers may have diminished capacity to pay principal and interest. These securities have a higher risk of default, tend to be less liquid and may be more difficult to value.

Who may want to invest

The fund may be an appropriate investment if you:

n  

Are seeking to participate in the long-term growth potential of international markets

n  

Currently have exposure to U.S. stock markets and wish to diversify your investment portfolio by adding non-U.S. stocks that may not move in tandem with U.S. stocks

n  

Are comfortable with the risks of the stock market and the special risks of investing in foreign securities, including emerging market securities

 

Legg Mason Partners International All Cap Opportunity Fund         3


 

Performance information

The following shows summary performance information for the fund in a bar chart and an Average Annual Total Returns table. The information provides an indication of the risks of investing in the fund by showing changes in its performance from year to year and by showing how the fund’s average annual returns compare with the returns of a broad-based securities market index. The bar chart shows performance of the fund’s Class A shares, but does not reflect the impact of sales charges (loads). If it did, the returns would be lower than those shown. Unlike the bar chart, the performance for Class A, B, C and I(1) shares in the Average Annual Total Returns table reflects the impact of the maximum sales charge (load) applicable to the respective classes and, where indicated, the performance for Class A shares reflects the impact of taxes paid on distributions and the redemption of shares at the end of the period. The fund’s past performance is not necessarily an indication of how the fund will perform in the future.

 

(1)

 

As of November 2, 2006, Class Y shares were renamed Class I shares.

Total Return for Class A Shares

LOGO

Highest and Lowest Quarterly returns:

Highest: 42.91% in 4th quarter 1999; Lowest: (21.01)% in 3rd quarter 2001.

 

4         Legg Mason Partners Funds


 

Average Annual Total Returns (for periods ended December 31, 2006)

 

      1 Year      5 Years        10 Years  

Class A

          
   
Return before taxes(1)    17.62 %    8.88 %      3.00 %
   
Return after taxes on distributions(1)(2)    15.83 %    7.61 %      1.82 %
   
Return after taxes on distributions and sale of fund shares(1)(2)    13.04 %    7.35 %      2.25 %
   
Other Classes (Return before taxes only)           
   

Class B

   18.76 %    9.12 %      2.78 %
   

Class C

   22.71 %    9.15 %      2.73 %
   

Class I(3)

   N/A      N/A        N/A  
   
MSCI EAFE Index(4)    26.34 %    14.98 %      7.71 %
   
MSCI EAFE Growth Index(5)    22.33 %    12.27 %      5.07 %
   

 

(1)

 

On November 20, 2006, the maximum initial sales charge on Class A shares was increased for sales made on or after that date. The average annual returns for Class A shares in the table have been calculated as if the increased maximum initial sales charge had been in effect for the entire period.

 

(2)

 

After-tax returns are calculated using the highest historical individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes. Actual after-tax returns depend on an investor’s tax situation and may differ from those shown, and the after-tax returns shown are not relevant to investors who hold their fund shares through tax-deferred arrangements, such as 401(k) plans or individual retirement accounts. In some cases the return after taxes may exceed the return before taxes due to an assumed tax benefit from any losses on a sale of fund shares at the end of the measurement period. After-tax returns shown above are for Class A shares only. After-tax returns for other share classes will vary.

 

(3)

 

As of November 20, 2006, Class Y shares were renamed Class I shares. No performance is shown for Class I shares because the share class commenced on December 29, 2006.

 

(4)

 

The fund’s benchmark has changed to the Morgan Stanley Capital International (“MSCI”) EAFE (Europe, Australasia and Far East) Index (“MSCI EAFE Index”), effective December 28, 2006. The MSCI EAFE Index is a free float-adjusted market capitalization index designed to measure developed market equity performance, excluding the U.S. and Canada. The MSCI EAFE Index consists of the following 21 developed market country indices: Australia, Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hong Kong, Ireland, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom. The Index approximates the minimum possible dividend reinvestment. Such dividend is reinvested after deduction of withholding tax, applying the rate to non-resident individuals who do not benefit from double taxation treaties. MSCI uses withholding tax rates applicable to Luxembourg holding companies, as Luxembourg applies the highest rates. The benchmark was changed because the portfolio manager believes that the MSCI EAFE Index universe and fundamental characteristics better reflect the composition of the fund’s portfolio and investment strategies.

 

(5)

 

The MSCI EAFE (Europe, Australasia and Far East) Growth Index (“MSCI EAFE Growth Index”), a market capitalization-weighted index that measures the performance of the leading growth stocks in 21 developed countries outside of North America. (The 21 countries include Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, Hong Kong, Japan and Singapore.) The MSCI EAFE Growth Index is unmanaged and is not subject to the same management fees and expenses as a mutual fund. Due to the change in the fund’s benchmark, performance information for the MSCI EAFE Growth Index will not be included in the future.

It is not possible to invest directly in an index. The indices do not reflect deductions for fees, expenses or taxes.

 

Legg Mason Partners International All Cap Opportunity Fund         5


 

Fee table

This table sets forth the fees and expenses you may pay if you invest in fund shares.

 

Shareholder Fees

 

(paid directly from your investment)   Class A     Class B     Class C     Class I(1)
Maximum sales charge (load) imposed on purchases (as a % of offering price)   5.75 %   None     None     None
 
Maximum contingent deferred sales charge (load) (as a % of the lower of net asset value at purchase or redemption)   None (2)   5.00 %   1.00 %   None
 

 

Annual Fund Operating Expenses

 

(paid by the fund as a % of net assets)   Class A     Class B     Class C     Class I(1)  
Management fee(3)   0.85 %   0.85 %   0.85 %   0.85 %
   
Distribution and service (12b-1) fees   0.25 %   1.00 %   1.00 %   None  
   
Other expenses(4)   0.26 %   0.36 %   0.39 %   0.26 %
   
Total annual fund operating expenses   1.36 %   2.21 %   2.24 %   1.11 %
   

 

(1)

 

As of November 20, 2006, Class Y shares were renamed Class I shares.

 

(2)

 

You may buy Class A shares in amounts of $1,000,000 or more at net asset value (without an initial sales charge) but if you redeem those shares within 12 months of their original purchase, you will pay a contingent deferred sales charge of 1.00%.

 

(3)

 

Effective November 1, 2005, the fund has a management fee schedule that reduces the management fee rate as assets increase as follows: 0.85% on assets up to and including $1 billion; 0.825% on assets over $1 billion and up to and including $2 billion; 0.80% on assets over $2 billion and up to and including $5 billion; 0.775% on assets over $5 billion and up to and including $10 billion; and 0.75% on assets over $10 billion.

 

(4)

 

The amounts set forth in “Other expenses” for Class A, B, C and I shares have been revised to reflect the estimated effect of new transfer agency and custody contracts which became effective January 1, 2006. For Class I shares, “Other Expenses” have been estimated based on Class A shares because no Class I shares were outstanding on October 31, 2006.

Example

This example helps you compare the costs of investing in the fund with the costs of investing in other mutual funds. Your actual costs may be higher or lower. The example assumes:

n  

You invest $10,000 in the fund for the period shown

n  

Your investment has a 5% return each year — the assumption of a 5% return is required by the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) for purposes of this example and is not a prediction of the fund’s future performance

n  

You reinvest all distributions and dividends without a sales charge

n  

The fund’s operating expenses (before fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements, if any) remain the same

 

Number of Years You Own Your Shares

 

     1 year   3 years   5 years   10 years  

Class A (with or without redemption)

  $ 706   $ 981   $ 1,277   $ 2,117  
   

Class B (redemption at end of period)

  $ 724   $ 991   $ 1,284   $ 2,329 (1)
   

Class B (no redemption)

  $ 224   $ 691   $ 1,184   $ 2,329 (1)
   

Class C (redemption at end of period)

  $ 327   $ 700   $ 1,199   $ 2,575  
   

Class C (no redemption)

  $ 227   $ 700   $ 1,199   $ 2,575  
   

Class I(2) (with or without redemption at end of period)

  $ 113   $ 353   $ 612   $ 1,353  
   

 

(1)

 

Assumes conversion to Class A shares approximately eight years after purchase.

 

(2)

 

As of November 20, 2006, Class Y shares were renamed Class I shares.

 

6         Legg Mason Partners Funds


 

More on the fund’s investments

The fund’s investment objective and principal investment strategies are described under the section entitled “Investments, risks and performance” above. This section provides further information about the investment strategies that may be used by the fund.

The fund’s investment objective may be changed without shareholder approval.

Currency transactions

The fund may enter into transactions to buy or sell currencies at a future date, which may be a few days or a number of months. The fund may enter into these forward currency contracts to:

n  

Settle transactions in securities quoted in foreign currencies

n  

Attempt to protect against the economic impact of adverse changes in the value of the U.S. dollar

n  

Manage cash flow

n  

“Lock in” the price of securities denominated in a foreign currency that it anticipates purchasing

The fund may not fully benefit from or may lose money on forward currency transactions if changes in currency rates do not occur as anticipated or do not correspond accurately to changes in the value of the fund’s holdings.

Emerging markets

The fund may invest in issuers located or doing business in emerging markets. Emerging market investments offer the potential of significant gains but also involve greater risks than investing in more developed countries. Political or economic stability, lack of market liquidity and government actions such as currency controls or seizure of private businesses or property are more likely in emerging markets.

Defensive investing

The fund may depart from its principal investment strategies in response to adverse market, economic or political conditions by taking temporary defensive positions in any type of money market instruments and short-term debt securities or cash without regard to any percentage limitations. If the fund takes a temporary defensive position, it may be unable to achieve its investment objective.

Portfolio holdings

The fund’s policies and procedures with respect to the disclosure of the fund’s portfolio securities are described in the Statement of Additional Information (“SAI”).

Other investments

The fund also may use other strategies and invest in other securities that are described, along with their risks, in the SAI. However, the fund might not use all of the strategies and techniques or invest in all of the types of securities described in this Prospectus or in the SAI. Also note that there are many other factors, which are not described here, that could adversely affect your investment and that could prevent the fund from achieving its investment goal.

 

Legg Mason Partners International All Cap Opportunity Fund         7


 

Management

Manager and subadviser

Legg Mason Partners Fund Advisor, LLC (“LMPFA” or the “manager”) is the fund’s investment manager. LMPFA, with offices at 399 Park Avenue, New York, New York 10022, is a recently organized investment adviser that has been formed to serve as the investment manager of the fund and other Legg Mason-sponsored funds. LMPFA provides administrative and certain oversight services to the fund. Brandywine Global Investment Management, LLC (“Brandywine” or the “subadviser”) provides the day-to-day portfolio management of the fund, except for the management of cash and short-term instruments, which is performed by LMPFA.

Brandywine is a wholly-owned, independently operated subsidiary of Legg Mason, Inc. (“Legg Mason”) and as of December 31, 2006 manages over $39 billion in assets. Brandywine was incorporated in 1986 and was acquired by Legg Mason in 1998. Brandywine offers an array of equity, fixed income and balanced portfolios that invest in U.S., international and global markets. Brandywine changed its name to its current name in May 2006 to better reflect its growing presence in international markets, primarily in Europe, Asia, the Middle East and South Africa. Brandywine’s offices are located at 2929 Arch Street, 8th Floor, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104.

LMPFA and Brandywine are wholly-owned subsidiaries of Legg Mason. Legg Mason, whose principal executive offices are at 100 Light Street, Baltimore, Maryland 21202, is a global asset management company. As of December 31, 2006, Legg Mason’s asset management operation had aggregate assets under management of approximately $945 billion.

Prior to August 1, 2006, Smith Barney Fund Management LLC (“SBFM”) was the fund’s investment manager. Prior to December 28, 2006, ClearBridge Advisors, LLC (“ClearBridge”) was the fund’s subadviser. SBFM and ClearBridge are also wholly-owned subsidiaries of Legg Mason.

Portfolio managers

Paul D. Ehrlichman, Sean M. Bogda and Safa R. Muhtaseb, CFA, manage the fund’s portfolio.

Mr. Ehrlichman is Managing Director and a member of Brandywine’s Executive Committee. He serves as the Chief Investment Officer and Portfolio Manager for the Global and International Value Equity products and contributes his knowledge and understanding of foreign markets and companies to support the research efforts for International and Global Fixed Income products. Mr. Ehrlichman has over 22 years of investment experience including the last 17 years with Brandywine. Mr. Ehrlichman was previously with Provident Capital Management, Inc. as Assistant Vice President and Portfolio Manager from 1984-1988, and with First Pennsylvania Bank as a Security Analyst from 1983-1984. He earned a B.S. degree in Finance and Quantitative Analysis from LaSalle University.

Mr. Bogda is a portfolio manager and securities analyst on the Global and International Equity team. As a member of this team, he contributes knowledge and experience in research of investments across countries and sectors, while contributing insights and stock recommendations for equity portfolios managed by Brandywine. As a member of the

 

8         Legg Mason Partners Funds


 

team, Mr. Bogda is responsible for covering the Energy, Commercial Services, and Consumer Discretionary Media sectors. He has been a member of Brandywine for 13 years, beginning his career at as a Research Assistant in the summer of 1990. Mr. Bogda earned his B.S. in Finance from the University of Colorado, graduating Cum Laude.

Mr. Muhtaseb is a portfolio manager with the Global and International Value Equity Team. As a member of this team, he contributes knowledge and experience in research of investments across countries and sectors, while contributing insights and stock recommendations for equity portfolios managed by Brandywine. He joined the firm in September 2004 and has 21 years of industry experience. He is a Certified Financial Analyst, earned his M.B.A. in Finance from the University of Tennessee and graduated Cum Laude with his B.S. in Business Administration from Old Dominion University. Prior to joining Brandywine Global, Mr. Muhtaseb was with Goldman Sachs Asset Management as a Senior Portfolio Manager for Global and International products (2001-2004), Virginia Retirement System as Director of International Investments and Portfolio Manager for the U.S. Mid Cap Growth portfolio (1999-2001), CalPERS as an Investment Officer and Portfolio Manager (1997-1999), State of California as an Auditor (1996-1997), Safa R. Muhtaseb Real Estate Investments as the Principal and Broker (1990-1996), and Al-Othman & Al-Muhtaseb Trading Co. W.L.L. as an Investment Officer (1984-1990).

The SAI provides information about the compensation of the portfolio managers, other accounts they manage, and any fund shares held by the portfolio managers.

Management fee

For the fiscal year ended October 31, 2006, the fund paid a management fee of 0.83% of the fund’s average daily net assets. For the period from November 1, 2005 through July 31, 2006, the fund paid SBFM a management fee equal to 0.82% of the fund’s average daily net assets. For the period from August 1, 2006 through October 31, 2006, the fund paid LMPFA a management fee equal to 0.85% of the fund’s average daily net assets.

A discussion regarding the basis for the Board’s approval of the fund’s management agreement and subadvisory agreements is available in the fund’s Annual Report for the fiscal year ended October 31, 2006.

Other information

The fund’s Board and (where required) shareholders have approved a number of initiatives designed to streamline and restructure the fund complex. These initiatives include the election of a new Board, the grouping of the fund for organizational and governance purposes with other funds in the fund complex that are predominantly equity-type funds, and the adoption of a single form of organization as a Maryland business trust, with all funds operating under uniform charter documents. Fund shareholders have also approved investment matters, including standardized fundamental investment policies and the ability of the fund to change its investment objective without shareholder approval. These matters generally are expected to be effectuated during the first half of 2007.

Distribution plan

Legg Mason Investor Services, LLC (“LMIS”), a wholly-owned broker-dealer subsidiary of Legg Mason, PFS Investments Inc. (“PFS”) and Citigroup Global Markets Inc. (“CGMI”) serve as the fund’s distributors.

 

Legg Mason Partners International All Cap Opportunity Fund         9


 

The fund has adopted a shareholder services and distribution plan for its Class A, B and C shares. Under the plan, the fund pays distribution and/or service fees. The plan provides for payments, based on annualized percentages of average daily net assets, of up to 0.25% for Class A shares and up to 1.00% for Class B and Class C shares. These fees are an ongoing expense and, over time, will increase the cost of your investment and may cost you more than other types of sales charges.

In addition, the distributors may make payments for distribution and/or shareholder servicing activities out of their past profits and other available sources. A distributor may also make payments to dealers for marketing, promotional or related expenses. The amount of these payments is determined by the distributor and may be substantial. The manager or an affiliate may make similar payments under similar arrangements.

The payments described in the paragraph above are often referred to as “revenue sharing payments.” The recipients of such payments may include the fund’s distributors, affiliates of the manager, broker/dealers, financial institutions and other financial intermediaries through which investors may purchase shares of the fund. In some circumstances, such payments may create an incentive for an intermediary or its employees or associated persons to recommend or sell shares of the fund to you. Please contact your financial intermediary for details about revenue sharing payments it may receive.

Recent developments

On May 31, 2005, the SEC issued an order in connection with the settlement of an administrative proceeding against SBFM, the then-investment adviser or manager to the fund, and CGMI, relating to the appointment of an affiliated transfer agent for the Smith Barney family of mutual funds, including the fund (the “Affected Funds”). The SEC order found that SBFM and CGMI willfully violated Section 206(1) of the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as amended, and the rules promulgated thereunder (the “Advisers Act”). Specifically, the order found that SBFM and CGMI knowingly or recklessly failed to disclose to the boards of the Affected Funds in 1999 when proposing a new transfer agent arrangement with an affiliated transfer agent that: First Data Investors Services Group (“First Data”), the Affected Funds’ then-existing transfer agent, had offered to continue as transfer agent and do the same work for substantially less money than before; and that Citigroup Asset Management (“CAM”), the Citigroup business unit that, at the time, included the Affected Funds’ investment manager and other investment advisory companies, had entered into a side letter with First Data under which CAM agreed to recommend the appointment of First Data as sub-transfer agent to the affiliated transfer agent in exchange, among other things, for a guarantee by First Data of specified amounts of asset management and investment banking fees to CAM and CGMI. The order also finds that SBFM and CGMI willfully violated Section 206(2) of the Advisers Act by virtue of the omissions discussed above and other misrepresentations and omissions in the materials provided to the Affected Funds’ boards, including the failure to make clear that the affiliated transfer agent would earn a high profit for performing limited functions while First Data continued to perform almost all of the transfer agent functions, and the suggestion that the proposed arrangement was in the Affected Funds’ best interests and that no viable alternatives existed.

 

10         Legg Mason Partners Funds


 

SBFM and CGMI do not admit or deny any wrongdoing or liability. The settlement does not establish wrongdoing or liability for purposes of any other proceeding. The SEC censured SBFM and CGMI and ordered them to cease and desist from violations of Sections 206(1) and 206(2) of the Advisers Act. The order required Citigroup to pay $208.1 million, including $109 million in disgorgement of profits, $19.1 million in interest, and a civil money penalty of $80 million. Approximately $24.4 million has already been paid to the Affected Funds, primarily through fee waivers. The remaining $183.7 million, including the penalty, has been paid to the U.S. Treasury and will be distributed pursuant to a plan submitted for the approval of the SEC. At this time, there is no certainty as to how the above-described proceeds of the settlement will be distributed, to whom such distributions will be made, the methodology by which such distributions will be allocated, and when such distributions will be made. The order also required that transfer agency fees received from the Affected Funds since December 1, 2004, less certain expenses, be placed in escrow and provided that a portion of such fees might be subsequently distributed in accordance with the terms of the order. On April 3, 2006, an aggregate amount of approximately $9 million held in escrow was distributed to the Affected Funds.

The order required SBFM to recommend a new transfer agent contract to the Affected Funds’ boards within 180 days of the entry of the order; if a Citigroup affiliate submitted a proposal to serve as transfer agent or sub-transfer agent, SBFM and CGMI would have been required, at their expense, to engage an independent monitor to oversee a competitive bidding process. On November 21, 2005, and within the specified timeframe, the Affected Funds’ Boards selected a new transfer agent for the Affected Funds. No Citigroup affiliate submitted a proposal to serve as transfer agent. Under the order, SBFM also must comply with an amended version of a vendor policy that Citigroup instituted in August 2004.

Although there can be no assurance, the manager does not believe that this matter will have a material adverse effect on the Affected Funds.

On December 1, 2005, Citigroup completed the sale of substantially all of its global asset management business, including SBFM, to Legg Mason.

 

Legg Mason Partners International All Cap Opportunity Fund         11


 

Choosing a class of shares to buy

Individual investors can generally choose among three classes of shares: Classes A, B and C shares. Individual investors that held Class I (formerly Class Y) shares prior to November 20, 2006, may continue to invest in Class I shares. Institutional and retirement plan investors and clients of financial intermediaries should refer to “Retirement and institutional investors” below for a description of the classes available to them.

Each class has different sales charges and expenses, allowing you to choose the class that best meets your needs. When choosing which class of shares to buy, you should consider:

n  

How much you plan to invest

n  

How long you expect to own the shares

n  

The expenses paid by each class detailed in the Fee table and Example at the front of this Prospectus

n  

Whether you qualify for any reduction or waiver of sales charges

If you are choosing between Class A and Class B shares, it will in almost all cases be the more economical choice for you to purchase Class A shares if you plan to purchase shares in an amount of $100,000 or more (whether in a single purchase or through aggregation of eligible holdings). This is because of the reduced sales charge available on larger investments of Class A shares and the lower ongoing expenses of Class A shares compared to Class B shares.

If you intend to invest for only a few years, the effect of Class B contingent deferred sales charges on redemptions made within five years of purchase, as well as the effect of higher expenses of that class, might make an investment in Class C more appropriate. There is no initial sales charge on Class C shares, and the contingent deferred sales charge does not apply to shares redeemed one year or more after purchase.

However, if you plan to invest a large amount and your investment horizon is five years or more, Class C shares might not be as advantageous as Class A shares. The annual distribution and service fees on Class C shares may cost you more over the longer term than the front-end sales charge you would have paid for larger purchases of Class A shares.

You may buy shares from:

n  

Certain broker/dealers, financial intermediaries, financial institutions or a distributor’s financial advisors or registered representatives that have entered into an agreement to sell fund shares (each called a “Service Agent”)

n  

The fund, but only if you are investing through certain qualified plans or Service Agents

Different types of shareholder services may be available to you under arrangements offered by different Service Agents. In addition, these services may vary depending on the share class in which you choose to invest. In making your decision regarding which share class to buy, please keep in mind that your Service Agent may receive different compensation depending on the share class in which you invest. Investors should consult with their Service Agent about comparative pricing of shareholder services available to them under each available share class, the compensation that will be received by their Service Agent in connection with each available share class, and other factors that may be relevant to the investor’s choice of share class in which to invest.

Not all classes of shares are available through all Service Agents. You should contact your Service Agent for further information.

 

12         Legg Mason Partners Funds


 

Investment minimums

Minimum initial and additional investment amounts vary depending on the class of shares you buy and the nature of your investment account.

 

    Investment Minimum
Initial/Additional Investment(1)
   
     Class A   Class B   Class C   Class I
(formerly Class Y)

General

  $ 500/$50   $ 500/$50   $ 500/$50     N/A
 

IRAs and Uniform Gifts or Transfers to Minor Accounts

  $ 250/$50   $ 250/$50   $ 250/$50     N/A
 

SIMPLE IRAs

  $ 1/$1   $ 1/$1   $ 1/$1     n/a
 

Systematic Investment Plans

  $ 25/$25   $ 25/$25   $ 25/$25     n/a
 

Clients of Eligible Financial Intermediaries

  $ 1/$1     n/a     n/a     None
 

Retirement Plans with omnibus accounts held on the books of the fund

    None     N/A     None     None
 

Other Retirement Plans

  $ 50/$50   $ 50/$50   $ 50/$50     N/A
 

Institutional Investors

  $ 500/$50   $ 500/$50   $ 500/$50   $  1 Million/None
 

 

(1)

 

Please refer to the section entitled “Retirement and institutional investors” for additional information regarding the investment minimum and eligibility requirements for Retirement Plans, Institutional Investors and Clients of Eligible Financial Intermediaries.

More information about the fund’s classes of shares is available through the Legg Mason Partners Funds’ website. You’ll find detailed information about sales charges and ways you can qualify for reduced or waived sales charges, including:

n  

The front-end sales charges that apply to the purchase of Class A shares

n  

The contingent deferred sales charges that apply to the redemption of Class B shares, Class C shares and certain Class A shares (redeemed within one year)

n  

Who qualifies for lower sales charges on Class A shares

n  

Who qualifies for a sales load waiver

To access the website, go to http://www.leggmason.com/InvestorServices and click on the name of the fund.

 

Legg Mason Partners International All Cap Opportunity Fund         13


 

Comparing the fund’s classes

The following table compares key features of the fund’s classes. You should review the Fee table and Example at the front of this prospectus carefully before choosing your share class. Your Service Agent can help you decide which class meets your goals. Your Service Agent may receive different compensation depending upon which class you choose.

 

     Class A   Class B   Class C   Class I (formerly
Class Y)
Key features  

n  Initial sales charge

n  You may qualify for reduction or waiver of initial sales charge

n  Generally lower annual expenses than Class B and Class C

 

n  No initial sales charge

n  Contingent deferred sales charge declines over time

n  Converts to Class A after approximately 8 years

n  Generally higher annual expenses than Class A

 

n  No initial sales charge

n  Contingent deferred sales charge for only 1 year

n  Does not convert to Class A

n  Generally higher annual expenses than Class A

 

n  No initial or contingent deferred sales charge

n  Only offered to institutional and other eligible investors

n  Generally lower expenses than the other classes

Initial sales charge  

Up to 5.75%; reduced or waived for large purchases and certain investors. No charge for purchases of $1 million or more

 

None

 

None

 

None

Contingent deferred sales charge  

1.00% on purchases of $1 million or more if you redeem within 1 year of purchase; waived for certain investors

 

Up to 5.00% charged when you redeem shares. This charge is reduced over time and there is no contingent deferred sales charge after 5 years; waived for certain investors

 

1.00% if you redeem within 1 year of purchase; waived for certain investors

 

None

Annual distribution and/or service fees  

0.25% of average daily net assets

 

1.00% of average daily net assets

 

1.00% of average daily net assets

 

None

Exchange privilege(1)  

Class A shares of most Legg Mason Partners Funds

 

Class B shares of most Legg Mason Partners Funds

 

Class C of most Legg Mason Partners Funds

 

Class I shares of most Legg Mason Partners Funds

 

(1)

 

Ask your Service Agent about the Legg Mason Partners Funds available for exchange.

 

14         Legg Mason Partners Funds


 

Sales charges

Class A shares

You buy Class A shares at the offering price, which is the net asset value plus a sales charge. You pay a lower rate as the size of your investment increases to certain levels called breakpoints. You do not pay a sales charge on the fund’s distributions or dividends you reinvest in additional Class A shares.

The table below shows the rate of sales charge you pay, depending on the amount you purchase, for purchases made on or after November 20, 2006. The table below also shows the amount of broker-dealer compensation that will be paid out of the sales charge. For Class A shares sold by LMIS, LMIS will receive the sales charge imposed on purchases of Class A shares (or any contingent deferred sales charge paid on redemptions) and will retain the full amount of such sales charge. For Class A shares sold by CGMI, CGMI will receive the sales charge imposed on purchases of Class A shares and will retain an amount equal to the broker-dealer commission paid out of the sales charge. LMIS will receive any portion not retained by CGMI. For Class A shares sold by PFS, PFS will receive the sales charge imposed on purchases of Class A shares (or any contingent deferred sales charge paid on redemptions) and will retain the full amount of such sales charge. Service Agents (including CGMI and PFS) will also receive a service fee payable on Class A shares at an annual rate of up to 0.25% of the average daily net assets represented by the Class A shares serviced by them.

 

Amount of investment   Sales Charge
as % of
offering price
  Sales Charge as
% of Net
amount invested
  Broker/Dealer
Commission
as % of
offering price

Less than $25,000

  5.75   6.10   5.00
 

$25,000 but less than $50,000

  5.00   5.26   4.25
 

$50,000 but less than $100,000

  4.50   4.71   3.75
 

$100,000 but less than $250,000

  3.50   3.63   2.75
 

$250,000 but less than $500,000

  2.50   2.56   2.00
 

$500,000 but less than $750,000

  2.00   2.04   1.60
 

$750,000 but less than $1 million

  1.50   1.52   1.20
 

$1 million or more(1)

  -0-   -0-   up to 1.00
 

 

(1)

 

A distributor may pay a commission of up to 1.00% to a Service Agent for investment amounts of $1 million or more. In such cases, starting in the thirteenth month after purchase, the Service Agent will also receive an annual distribution/service fee of up to 0.25% of the average daily net assets represented by the Class A shares held by its clients. Prior to the thirteenth month, the distributor will retain this fee. Where the Service Agent does not receive the payment of this commission, the Service Agent will instead receive the annual distribution/service fee starting immediately after purchase. Please contact your Service Agent for more information.

Investments of $1,000,000 or more

You do not pay an initial sales charge when you buy $1,000,000 or more of Class A shares. However, if you redeem these Class A shares within one year of purchase, you will pay a contingent deferred sales charge of 1.00%.

 

Legg Mason Partners International All Cap Opportunity Fund         15


 

Qualifying for a reduced Class A sales charge

There are several ways you can combine multiple purchases of Class A shares of Legg Mason Partners Funds to take advantage of the breakpoints in the sales charge schedule. In order to take advantage of reductions in sales charges that may be available to you when you purchase fund shares, you must inform your Service Agent or Legg Mason Partners Shareholder Services if you are eligible for a letter of intent or a right of accumulation and if you own shares of other Legg Mason Partners Funds that are eligible to be aggregated with your purchases. Certain records, such as account statements, may be necessary in order to verify your eligibility for reduced sales charges.

n  

Accumulation Privilege – allows you to combine the current value of Class A shares of the fund with other shares of Legg Mason Partners Funds that are owned by:

  ¨  

you; or

  ¨  

your spouse and children under the age of 21

with the dollar amount of your next purchase of Class A shares for purposes of calculating the initial sales charge.

Shares of certain money market funds advised by the manager or its affiliates (other than money market fund shares acquired by exchange from other Legg Mason Partners Funds offered with a sales charge), Legg Mason Partners S&P 500 Index Fund and Class O shares of Legg Mason Partners Equity Fund, Inc. may not be combined.

If you hold shares of Legg Mason Partners Funds in accounts at two or more Service Agents, please contact your Service Agents to determine which shares may be combined.

Certain trustees and fiduciaries may be entitled to combine accounts in determining their sales charge.

n  

Letter of Intent – allows you to purchase Class A shares of Legg Mason Partners Funds over a 13-month period and pay the same sales charge on Class A shares, if any, as if all shares had been purchased at once. At the time you enter into the letter of intent, you select your asset goal amount. Generally, purchases of Legg Mason Partners Fund shares that are purchased during the 13-month period by

  ¨  

you; or

  ¨  

your spouse and children under the age of 21

are eligible for inclusion under the letter, based on the public offering price at the time of the purchase, and any capital appreciation on those shares. Purchases made 90 days prior to the 13-month period are also eligible to be treated as purchases made under the letter. In addition, you can include towards your asset goal amount the current value of any eligible purchases that were made prior to the date of entering into the letter of intent and are still held.

If you hold shares of Legg Mason Partners Funds in accounts at two or more Service Agents, please contact your Service Agents to determine which shares may be credited towards your letter of intent asset goal.

Shares of certain money market funds advised by the manager or its affiliates (other than money market fund shares acquired by exchange from other Legg Mason Partners Funds offered with a sales charge), Legg Mason Partners S&P 500 Index Fund and Class O shares of Legg Mason Partners Equity Fund, Inc. may not be credited toward your letter of intent asset goal.

If you do not meet your asset goal amount, shares in the amount of any sales charges due, based on the amount of your actual purchases, will be redeemed from your account.

 

16         Legg Mason Partners Funds


 

Waivers for certain Class A investors

Class A initial sales charges are waived for certain types of investors, including:

n  

Employees of Service Agents having dealer, service or other selling agreements with the fund’s distributors

n  

Investors who redeemed Class A shares of a Legg Mason Partners Fund in the past 60 days, if the investor’s Service Agent is notified

n  

Directors and officers of any Legg Mason-sponsored fund

n  

Employees of Legg Mason and its subsidiaries

n  

Investors investing through certain retirement plans

If you qualify for a waiver of the Class A initial sales charge, you must notify your Service Agent or the transfer agent at the time of purchase and provide sufficient information at the time of purchase to permit verification that the purchase qualifies for the initial sales charge waiver.

If you want to learn about additional waivers of Class A initial sales charges, contact your Service Agent, consult the SAI or access the Legg Mason Partners Funds’ website, http://www.leggmason.com/InvestorServices, and click on the name of the fund.

Class B shares

You buy Class B shares at net asset value without paying an initial sales charge. However, if you redeem your Class B shares within five years of your purchase payment, you will pay a contingent deferred sales charge. The contingent deferred sales charge decreases as the number of years since your purchase payment increases.

 

Year after purchase   1st     2nd     3rd     4th     5th     6th through 8th  

Contingent deferred sales charge

  5 %   4 %   3 %   2 %   1 %   0 %
   

LMIS will pay Service Agents other than PFS, including CGMI, selling Class B shares a commission of up to 4.00% of the purchase price of the Class B shares they sell, and LMIS will retain the contingent deferred sales charges. For Class B shares sold by PFS, PFS will pay a commission of up to 4.00% of the purchase price of the Class B shares sold by its Service Agents and will retain the contingent deferred sales charges paid upon certain redemptions. Service Agents also receive an annual distribution/service fee of up to 0.25% of the average daily net assets represented by the Class B shares serviced by them.

Class B conversion

After approximately 8 years, Class B shares automatically convert into Class A shares. This helps you because Class A shares have lower annual expenses. Your Class B shares will convert to Class A shares as follows:

 

Shares issued:

At initial purchase

  

Shares issued:

On reinvestment of
dividends and
distributions

   Shares issued:
Upon exchange from
another Legg Mason
Partners Fund
Approximately 8 years after the date of purchase payment    In same proportion as the number of Class B shares converting is to total Class B shares you own (excluding shares issued as dividends)    On the date the shares originally acquired would have converted into Class A shares
 

 

Legg Mason Partners International All Cap Opportunity Fund         17


 

Class C shares

You buy Class C shares at net asset value without paying an initial sales charge. However, if you redeem your Class C shares within one year of purchase, you will pay a contingent deferred sales charge of 1.00%.

LMIS will generally pay Service Agents selling Class C shares a commission of up to 1.00% of the purchase price of the Class C shares they sell and LMIS will retain the contingent deferred sales charges and an annual distribution/service fee of up to 1.00% of the average daily net assets represented by the Class C shares serviced by these Service Agents until the thirteenth month after purchase. Starting in the thirteenth month after purchase, these Service Agents will receive an annual distribution/service fee of up to 1.00% of the average daily net assets represented by the Class C shares serviced by them.

Class I shares (formerly Class Y shares)

Class I shares are purchased at net asset value with no initial sales charge and no contingent deferred sales charge when redeemed.

 

18         Legg Mason Partners Funds


 

More about contingent deferred sales charges

The contingent deferred sales charge is based on the net asset value at the time of purchase or redemption, whichever is less, and therefore you do not pay a sales charge on amounts representing appreciation or depreciation.

In addition, you do not pay a contingent deferred sales charge:

n  

When you exchange shares for shares of another Legg Mason Partners Fund

n  

On shares representing reinvested distributions and dividends

n  

On shares no longer subject to the contingent deferred sales charge

Each time you place a request to redeem shares, the fund will first redeem any shares in your account that are not subject to a contingent deferred sales charge and then the shares in your account that have been held the longest.

If you redeemed shares of a Legg Mason Partners Fund and paid a contingent deferred sales charge, you may, under certain circumstances, reinvest all or part of the redemption proceeds within 60 days and receive pro rata credit for any contingent deferred sales charge imposed on the prior redemption. Please contact your Service Agent for additional information.

The fund’s distributors receive contingent deferred sales charges as partial compensation for their expenses in selling shares, including the payment of compensation to your Service Agent.

Contingent deferred sales charge waivers

The contingent deferred sales charge for each share class will generally be waived:

n  

On payments made through certain systematic withdrawal plans

n  

On certain distributions from a retirement plan

n  

For retirement plans with omnibus accounts held on the books of the fund

n  

For involuntary redemptions of small account balances

n  

For 12 months following the death or disability of a shareholder

If you want to learn more about additional waivers of contingent deferred sales charges, contact your Service Agent, consult the SAI or look at the Legg Mason Partners Funds’ website: http://www.leggmason.com/InvestorServices, and click on the name of the fund.

 

Legg Mason Partners International All Cap Opportunity Fund         19


 

Retirement and institutional investors

Eligible investors

Retirement Plans

Retirement Plans with omnibus accounts held on the books of the fund can generally choose among three classes of shares: Class C, Class A and Class I (formerly Class Y) shares. “Retirement Plans” include 401(k) plans, 457 plans, employer-sponsored 403(b) plans, profit-sharing plans, non-qualified deferred compensation plans and other similar employer-sponsored retirement plans. Retirement Plans do not include individual retirement vehicles, such as traditional and Roth individual retirement accounts, Coverdell education savings accounts, individual 403(b)(7) custodial accounts, Keogh plans, SEPs, SARSEPs, SIMPLE IRAs, or Section 529 savings accounts. Although Retirement Plans with omnibus accounts held on the books of the fund are not subject to minimum initial investment requirements for any of these share classes, certain investment minimums may be imposed by a financial intermediary.

Other Retirement Plan investors (including, for example, employer-sponsored plans investing through brokerage accounts) can generally choose among three classes of shares: Class A, Class B and Class C. Individual retirement vehicles, such as IRAs, may also choose among these share classes. These types of investors are treated like individual investors for purposes of determining sales charges and any applicable sales charge reductions or waivers.

Clients of Eligible Financial Intermediaries

Clients of Eligible Financial Intermediaries may generally choose among two classes of shares: Class A and Class I. “Clients of Eligible Financial Intermediaries” are investors who invest in the fund through financial intermediaries that offer their clients fund shares through investment programs as authorized by LMIS. Such investment programs may include fee-based advisory or brokerage account programs, and college savings vehicles such as Section 529 plans. The financial intermediary may impose separate investment minimums.

Institutional Investors

Institutional Investors may invest in Class I shares if they meet the $1,000,000 minimum initial investment requirement. Institutional Investors may also invest in Class A, B and C shares, which have different investment minimums and fees and expenses. “Institutional Investors” generally include corporations, banks, insurance companies, foundations, retirement plans and other similar entities with direct relationships to the fund.

Class C — Retirement Plans

For purchases made on or after November 20, 2006, retirement plans with omnibus accounts held on the books of the fund may buy Class C shares without paying a contingent deferred sales charge. As of November 20, 2006, LMIS no longer pays Service Agents selling Class C shares to retirement plans with omnibus accounts held on the books of a fund a commission on the purchase price of Class C shares sold by them. Instead, immediately after purchase, LMIS will pay these Service Agents an annual distribution/service fee of up to 1.00% of the average daily net assets represented by the Class C shares serviced by them.

 

20         Legg Mason Partners Funds


 

Class I — Retirement Plans

As of November 20, 2006, Class Y shares were renamed Class I shares and are offered only to Institutional Investors who meet the $1,000,000 minimum initial investment requirement, Clients of Eligible Financial Intermediaries, and other investors as authorized by LMIS.

Class A — Retirement Plans

Retirement Plans with omnibus accounts held on the books of the fund may purchase Class A shares through programs sponsored by financial intermediaries. Under these programs, the initial sales charge and contingent deferred sales charge for Class A shares is waived where:

n  

Such Retirement Plan’s record keeper offers only load-waived shares,

n  

Fund shares are held on the books of the fund through an omnibus account, and

n  

The Retirement Plan has more than 100 participants, or has total assets exceeding $1 million

As of November 20, 2006, LMIS no longer pays Service Agents selling Class A shares to Retirement Plans with a direct omnibus relationship with a fund a commission on the purchase price of Class A shares sold by them. However, for certain Retirement Plans that are permitted to purchase shares at net asset value on or after this date, LMIS may continue to pay Service Agents commissions of up to 1.00% of the purchase price of the additional Class A shares that are purchased with regular ongoing plan contributions. Please contact your Service Agent for more information.

Other considerations

Plan sponsors, plan fiduciaries and other financial intermediaries may choose to impose qualification requirements for plans that differ from the fund’s share class eligibility standards. In certain cases this could result in the selection of a share class with higher service and distribution-related fees than otherwise would have been charged. The fund is not responsible for, and has no control over, the decision of any plan sponsor, plan fiduciary or financial intermediary to impose such differing requirements. Please consult with your plan sponsor, plan fiduciary or financial intermediary for more information about available share classes.

With respect to Class A and Class C shares the fund may pay a fee for recordkeeping services performed for the share class.

Not all share classes may be made available by your Service Agent; please contact your Service Agent for additional details.

 

Legg Mason Partners International All Cap Opportunity Fund         21


 

Buying shares

 

Through a
Service Agent
  

You should contact your Service Agent to open a brokerage account and make arrangements to buy shares. You must provide the following information, for your order to be processed:

n Class of shares being bought

n Dollar amount or number of shares being bought

n Account number (if existing account)

Your Service Agent may charge an annual account maintenance fee.

 
Through the fund   

Financial intermediary accounts, retirement plan accounts and certain other investors who are clients of certain Service Agents are eligible to buy shares directly from the fund.

n Clients of a PFS Registered Representative should write to the fund at the following address:

Primerica Shareholder Services

c/o PFPC Inc.

P.O. Box 9662

Providence, Rhode Island 02940-9662

n All other investors should write to the fund at the following address:

Legg Mason Partners Funds

c/o PFPC Inc.

P.O. Box 9699

Providence, Rhode Island 02940-9699

n Enclose a check to pay for the shares. For initial purchases, complete and send an account application available upon request from Legg Mason Partners Shareholder Services at the number below

n Specify the name of the fund, the share class you wish to purchase and your account number (if existing account)

n For more information, please call Legg Mason Partners Shareholder Services at 800-451-2010 (or for clients of a PFS Registered Representative, call Primerica Shareholder Services at 800-544-5445)

 
Through a systematic investment plan   

You may authorize your Service Agent or the transfer agent to transfer funds automatically from (i) a regular bank account, (ii) cash held in a brokerage account with a Service Agent or (iii) certain money market funds, in order to buy shares on a regular basis.

n Amounts transferred must be at least $25

n Amounts may be transferred monthly, every alternate month, quarterly, semi-annually or annually

n If you do not have sufficient funds in your account on a transfer date, your Service Agent or the transfer agent may charge you a fee

 

For more information, contact your Service Agent or Legg Mason Partners Shareholder Services or consult the SAI.

 

22         Legg Mason Partners Funds


 

Exchanging shares

 

Legg Mason Partners offers a distinctive family of funds tailored to help meet the varying needs of both large and small investors   

You should contact your Service Agent to exchange into other Legg Mason Partners Funds. Be sure to read the prospectus of the Legg Mason Partners Fund into which you are exchanging. An exchange is a taxable transaction, unless you are investing through a tax-qualified savings plan or account.

n If you bought shares through a Service Agent, you may exchange shares only for shares of the same class of certain other Legg Mason Partners Funds made available for exchange by your Service Agent. Not all Legg Mason Partners Funds made available for exchange by your Service Agent may offer all classes. Please contact your Service Agent for more information about the funds and classes that are available for exchange

n If you bought shares directly from the fund, you may exchange shares only for shares of the same class of another Legg Mason Partners Fund other than shares of Legg Mason Partners S&P 500 Index Fund. Not all Legg Mason Partners Funds offer all classes

n Not all Legg Mason Partners Funds may be offered in your state of residence. Contact your Service Agent or the transfer agent for further information

n Exchanges of Class A, B and C shares are subject to minimum investment requirements (except for systematic investment plan exchanges), and all shares are subject to the other requirements of the fund into which exchanges are made

n If you hold share certificates, the transfer agent must receive the certificates endorsed for transfer or with signed stock powers before the exchange is effective

n The fund may suspend or terminate your exchange privilege if you engage in an excessive pattern of exchanges

 
Sales charges   

In most instances, your shares will not be subject to an initial sales charge or a contingent deferred sales charge at the time of the exchange.

Your contingent deferred sales charge (if any) will continue to be measured from the date of your original purchase of shares subject to a contingent deferred sales charge and you will be subject to the contingent deferred sales charge of the fund that you originally purchased.

 
By telephone    If you do not have a brokerage account with a Service Agent, you may be eligible to exchange shares through the fund. You must complete an authorization form to authorize telephone transfers. If eligible, you may make telephone exchanges on any day the New York Stock Exchange Inc. (“NYSE”) is open. For clients of a PFS Registered Representative, call Primerica Shareholder Services at 800-544-5445 between 8:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m. (Eastern time). All other shareholders should call Legg Mason Partners Shareholder

 

Legg Mason Partners International All Cap Opportunity Fund         23


 

  

Services at 800-451-2010 between 8:30 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. (Eastern time). Exchanges are priced at the net asset value next determined.

You can make telephone exchanges only between accounts that have identical registrations.

 
By mail    If you do not have a brokerage account, contact your Service Agent or write to the fund at the address set out below.
 
Through a systematic exchange plan   

You may be permitted to schedule exchanges of shares of any class of the fund for shares of the same class of other Legg Mason Partners Funds.

n Exchanges may be made monthly, every alternate month, quarterly, semi-annually or annually

n A predetermined dollar amount of at least $25 per exchange is required 

 

For more information, please contact your Service Agent or Legg Mason Partners Shareholder Services.

 

24         Legg Mason Partners Funds


 

Redeeming shares

 

Generally   

Contact your Service Agent to redeem shares of the fund.

If you hold share certificates, the transfer agent must receive the certificates endorsed for transfer or with signed stock powers with a signature guarantee before you may redeem.

If the shares are held by a fiduciary or corporation, other documents may be required.

Redemptions are priced at net asset value next determined after receipt of your request in good order.

Your redemption proceeds will normally be sent within three business days after your request is received in good order, but in any event within 7 days. Your redemption proceeds may be delayed for up to 10 days if your purchase was made by check.

If you have a brokerage account with a Service Agent, your redemption proceeds will be sent to your Service Agent. In other cases, unless you direct otherwise, your redemption proceeds will be paid by check mailed to your address of record.

 
By mail   

For accounts held directly at the fund, send written requests to the fund at the applicable address:

For clients of a PFS Registered Representative, send your request to:

Primerica Shareholder Services

c/o PFPC Inc.

P.O. Box 9662

Providence, Rhode Island 02940-9662

For all other investors, send your request to:

Legg Mason Partners Funds

c/o PFPC, Inc.

P.O. Box 9699

Providence, Rhode Island 02940-9699

Your written request must provide the following:

n The fund name, the class of shares to be redeemed, and your account number

n The dollar amount or number of shares to be redeemed

n Signatures of each owner exactly as the account is registered

n Signature guarantees, as applicable

 
By telephone    If you do not have a brokerage account with a Service Agent, you may be eligible to redeem shares (except those held in certain retirement plans) in amounts up to $50,000 per day through the fund. You must complete an authorization form to authorize telephone redemptions. If eligible, you may request redemptions by telephone on any day the NYSE is open. For clients of a PFS Registered Representative, call Primerica Shareholder Services at 800-544-5445 between 8:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m. (Eastern time). All other

 

Legg Mason Partners International All Cap Opportunity Fund         25


 

  

shareholders should call Legg Mason Partners Shareholder Services at 800-451-2010 between 8:30 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. (Eastern time).

Your redemption proceeds can be sent by check to your address of record or by wire or electronic transfer (ACH) to a bank account designated on your authorization form. You must submit a new authorization form to change the bank account designated to receive wire or electronic transfers and you may be asked to provide certain other documents. The transfer agent may charge a fee on a wire or an electronic transfer (ACH).

 
Automatic cash withdrawal plans   

You can arrange for the automatic redemption of a portion of your shares monthly, every alternate month, quarterly, semi-annually or annually. To qualify you must own shares of the fund with a value of at least $10,000 ($5,000 for retirement plan accounts) and each automatic redemption must be at least $50. If your shares are subject to a contingent deferred sales charge, the sales charge will be waived if your automatic redemptions are equal to or less than 2% per month of your account balance on the date the withdrawals commence, up to a maximum of 12% in any one year.

The following conditions apply:

n Your shares must not be represented by certificates

n All dividends and distributions must be reinvested

 

For more information, please contact your Service Agent or consult the SAI.

 

26         Legg Mason Partners Funds


 

Other things to know about transactions

When you buy, exchange or redeem shares, your request must be in good order. This means you have provided the following information, without which your request may not be processed:

n  

Name of the fund

n  

Your account number

n  

Class of shares being bought, and if you own more than one class, the class of shares being exchanged or redeemed

n  

Dollar amount or number of shares being bought, exchanged or redeemed

n  

Signature of each owner exactly as the account is registered

The fund’s transfer agent or Legg Mason Partners Shareholder Services will employ reasonable procedures to confirm that any telephone exchange or redemption request is genuine, which may include recording calls, asking the caller to provide certain personal identification information, sending you a written confirmation or requiring other confirmation procedures from time to time. If these procedures are followed, neither the fund nor its agent will bear any liability for such transactions.

Signature guarantees

To be in good order, your redemption request must include a signature guarantee if you:

n  

Are redeeming over $50,000

n  

Are sending signed share certificates or stock powers to the transfer agent

n  

Instruct the transfer agent to mail the check to an address different from the one on your account registration

n  

Changed your account registration or your address within 30 days

n  

Want the check paid to someone other than the account owner(s)

n  

Are transferring the redemption proceeds to an account with a different registration

You can obtain a signature guarantee from most banks, dealers, brokers, credit unions and federal savings and loan institutions, but not from a notary public.

The fund has the right to:

n  

Suspend the offering of shares

n  

Waive or change minimum and additional investment amounts

n  

Reject any purchase or exchange order

n  

Change, revoke or suspend the exchange privilege

n  

Suspend telephone transactions

n  

Suspend or postpone redemptions of shares on any day when trading on the NYSE is restricted, or as otherwise permitted by the SEC

n  

Pay redemption proceeds by giving you securities. You may pay transaction costs to dispose of the securities

Small account balances/Mandatory redemptions

If at any time the aggregate net asset value of the fund shares in your account is less than $500 for any reason (including solely due to declines in net asset value and/or failure to invest at least $500 within a reasonable period), the fund reserves the right to ask you to bring your account up to the applicable minimum investment amount as determined by

 

Legg Mason Partners International All Cap Opportunity Fund         27


 

your Service Agent. In such case you shall be notified in writing and will have 60 days to make an additional investment to bring your account value up to the required level. If you choose not to do so within this 60-day period, the fund may close your account and send you the redemption proceeds. In the event your account is closed due to a failure to increase your balance to the minimum required amount, you will not be eligible to have your account subsequently reinstated without imposition of any sales charges that may apply to your new purchase. The fund may, with prior notice, change the minimum size of accounts subject to mandatory redemption, which may vary by class, or implement fees for small accounts.

Subject to applicable law, the fund may, with prior notice, adopt other policies from time to time requiring mandatory redemption of shares in certain circumstances.

For more information please contact your Service Agent or Legg Mason Partners Shareholder Services or consult the SAI.

Frequent purchases and redemptions of fund shares

Frequent purchases and redemptions of fund shares may interfere with the efficient management of the fund’s portfolio by its portfolio managers, increase portfolio transaction costs, and have a negative effect on the fund’s long-term shareholders. For example, in order to handle large flows of cash into and out of the fund, the portfolio managers may need to allocate more assets to cash or other short-term investments or sell securities, rather than maintaining full investment in securities selected to achieve the fund’s investment objective. Frequent trading may cause the fund to sell securities at less favorable prices. Transaction costs, such as brokerage commissions and market spreads, can detract from the fund’s performance. In addition, the return received by long-term shareholders may be reduced when trades by other shareholders are made in an effort to take advantage of certain pricing discrepancies, when, for example, it is believed that the fund’s share price, which is determined at the close of the NYSE on each trading day, does not accurately reflect the value of the fund’s portfolio securities. Funds investing in foreign securities have been particularly susceptible to this form of arbitrage, but other funds could also be affected.

Because of the potential harm to the fund and its long-term shareholders, the Board of the fund has approved policies and procedures that are intended to discourage and prevent excessive trading and market timing abuses through the use of various surveillance techniques. Under these policies and procedures, the fund may limit additional exchanges or purchases of fund shares by shareholders who are believed by the manager to be engaged in these abusive trading activities. The intent of the policies and procedures is not to inhibit legitimate strategies, such as asset allocation, dollar cost averaging, or similar activities that may nonetheless result in frequent trading of fund shares. For this reason, the Board has not adopted any specific restrictions on purchases and sales of fund shares, but the fund reserves the right to reject any exchange or purchase of fund shares with or without prior notice to the account holder. In cases where surveillance of a particular account establishes what the manager believes to be obvious market timing, the manager will seek to block future purchases and exchanges of fund shares by that account. Where surveillance of a particular account indicates activity that the manager believes could be either abusive or for legitimate purposes, the fund may permit the account holder to justify the activity.

 

28         Legg Mason Partners Funds


 

The policies apply to any account, whether an individual account or accounts with financial intermediaries such as investment advisers, broker/dealers or retirement plan administrators, commonly called omnibus accounts, where the intermediary holds fund shares for a number of its customers in one account. The fund’s ability to monitor trading in omnibus accounts may, however, be severely limited due to the lack of access to an individual investor’s trading activity when orders are placed through these types of accounts. There may also be operational and technological limitations on the ability of the fund’s service providers to identify or terminate frequent trading activity within the various types of omnibus accounts.

The fund’s policies also require personnel such as portfolio managers and investment staff to report any abnormal or otherwise suspicious investment activity, and prohibit short-term trades by such personnel for their own account in mutual funds managed by the manager and its affiliates, other than money market funds. Additionally, the fund has adopted policies and procedures to prevent the selective release of information about the fund’s portfolio holdings, as such information may be used for market-timing and similar abusive practices.

The fund’s policies provide for ongoing assessment of the effectiveness of current policies and surveillance tools, and the Board reserves the right to modify these or adopt additional policies and restrictions in the future. Shareholders should be aware, however, that any surveillance techniques currently employed by the fund or other techniques that may be adopted in the future may not be effective, particularly where the trading takes place through certain types of omnibus accounts. As noted above, if the fund is unable to detect and deter trading abuses, the fund’s performance, and its long-term shareholders, may be harmed. In addition, because the fund has not adopted any specific limitations or restrictions on the trading of fund shares, shareholders may be harmed by the extra costs and portfolio management inefficiencies that result from frequent trading of fund shares, even when the trading is not for abusive purposes. Furthermore, the fund may not apply its policies consistently or uniformly, resulting in the risk that some shareholders may be able to engage in frequent trading while others will bear the costs and effects of that trading. The fund will provide advance notice to shareholders and prospective investors of any specific restrictions on the trading of fund shares that the Board may adopt in the future.

Share certificates

Share certificates for the fund are no longer issued. If you currently hold share certificates of the fund, such certificates will continue to be honored. If you would like to return your share certificates to the fund and hold your shares in uncertificated form, please contact your Service Agent or Legg Mason Partners Shareholder Services.

Record ownership

If you hold shares through a Service Agent, your Service Agent may establish and maintain your account and be the shareholder of record. In the event that the fund holds a shareholder meeting, your Service Agent, as record holder, will vote your shares in accordance with your instructions. If you do not give your Service Agent voting instructions, your Service Agent may nonetheless, under certain circumstances, be entitled to vote your shares.

 

Legg Mason Partners International All Cap Opportunity Fund         29


 

Dividends, distributions and taxes

Dividends and distributions

The fund generally pays dividends, if any, annually, and makes capital gain distributions, if any, once a year, typically in December. The fund may pay additional distributions and dividends at other times if necessary for the fund to avoid a federal tax. The fund expects distributions to be from both income and gains. Long-term capital gain distributions and dividends are reinvested in additional fund shares of the same class you hold. You do not pay a sales charge on reinvested distributions or dividends. Alternatively, you can instruct your Service Agent or Legg Mason Partners Shareholder Services to have your distributions and/or dividends paid in cash. You can change your choice at any time to be effective as of the next distribution or dividend.

Taxes

In general, redeeming shares, exchanging shares and receiving dividends and distributions (whether in cash or additional shares) are all taxable events. The following table summarizes the tax status to you of certain transactions related to the fund.

 

Transaction    Federal tax status
Redemption or exchange of shares    Usually capital gain or loss; long-term only if shares owned more than one year
 
Long-term capital gain distributions    Long-term capital gain
 
Dividends    Ordinary income, potentially taxable as long-term capital gain rates
 

Distributions attributable to short-term capital gains are treated as dividends, taxable as ordinary income. Dividends and long-term capital gain distributions are taxable whether received in cash or reinvested in fund shares. Although dividends (including dividends from short-term capital gains) are generally taxable as ordinary income, individual shareholders who satisfy certain holding period and other requirements are taxed on such dividends at long-term capital gain rates to the extent the dividends are attributable to “qualified dividend income” received by the fund. For taxable years beginning before January 1, 2001, “qualified dividend income” generally consists of dividends received from U.S. corporations (other than dividends from tax-exempt organizations and certain dividends from real estate investment trusts and regulated investment companies) and certain foreign corporations.

Long-term capital gain distributions are taxable to you as long-term capital gain regardless of how long you have owned your shares. You may want to avoid buying shares when the fund is about to declare a long-term capital gain distribution or a dividend, because it will be taxable to you even though it may actually be a return of a portion of your investment.

If more than 50% of the fund’s total assets at the end of the taxable year are invested in foreign securities, the fund may elect to pass through to you your pro rata share of foreign taxes paid by the fund, which you must then include in your income and with respect to which you may be entitled to claim a credit (or deduction).

 

30         Legg Mason Partners Funds


 

After the end of each year, your Service Agent or the fund will provide you with information about the distributions and dividends you received and any redemptions of shares during the previous year. If you do not provide the fund with your correct taxpayer identification number and any required certifications, you may be subject to back-up withholding on your distributions, dividends and redemption proceeds. Because each shareholder’s circumstances are different and special tax rules may apply, you should consult your tax adviser about your investment in the fund.

The above discussion is applicable to shareholders who are U.S. persons. If you are a non-U.S. person, please consult your own tax adviser with respect to the U.S. tax consequences to you of an investment in the fund.

 

Legg Mason Partners International All Cap Opportunity Fund         31


 

Share price

You may buy, exchange or redeem shares at their net asset value, plus any applicable sales charge, next determined after receipt of your request in good order, plus any applicable sales charge. The fund’s net asset value per share is the value of its assets minus its liabilities divided by the number of shares outstanding. Net asset value is calculated separately for each class of shares. The fund calculates its net asset value every day the NYSE is open. This calculation is done when regular trading closes on the NYSE (normally 4:00 p.m., Eastern time). The NYSE is closed on certain holidays listed in the SAI.

The Board has approved procedures to be used to value the fund’s securities for the purposes of determining the fund’s net asset value. The valuation of the securities of the fund is determined in good faith by or under the direction of the Board. The Board has delegated certain valuation functions for the fund to the manager.

The fund generally values its securities based on market prices determined at the close of regular trading on the NYSE. The fund’s currency valuations, if any, are done as of when the London Stock Exchange closes, which is usually at 12 noon Eastern time, as the manager believes that these valuations typically reflect the largest trading volume in the foreign currency markets. A material change in the value of currency during the period between the close of the London Stock Exchange and the calculation of the fund’s net asset value on the same date is considered a significant event, as described below, in response to which the fund may use fair valuation procedures to value the affected investments. For equity securities that are traded on an exchange, the market price is usually the closing sale or official closing price on that exchange. In the case of securities not traded on an exchange, or if such closing prices are not otherwise available, the market price is typically determined by independent third party pricing vendors approved by the fund’s Board using a variety of pricing techniques and methodologies. The market price for debt obligations is generally the price supplied by an independent third party pricing service approved by the fund’s board, which may use a matrix, formula or other objective method that takes into consideration market indices, yield curves and other specific adjustments. Short-term debt obligations that will mature in 60 days or less are valued at amortized cost, unless it is determined that using this method would not reflect an investment’s fair value. If vendors are unable to supply a price, or if the price supplied is deemed by the manager to be unreliable, the market price may be determined using quotations received from one or more broker/dealers that make a market in the security. When such prices or quotations are not available, or when the manager believes that they are unreliable, the manager may price securities using fair value procedures approved by the Board. Because the fund invests in securities of issuers located in emerging markets — some of which may be thinly traded, for which market quotations may not be readily available or may be unreliable — the fund may use fair valuation procedures more frequently than funds that invest primarily in securities that are more liquid, such as securities of large capitalization domestic issuers. The fund may also use fair value procedures if the manager determines that a significant event has occurred between the time at which a market price is determined and the time at which the fund’s net asset value is calculated. In particular, the value of foreign securities may be materially affected by events occurring after the close of the market on which they are valued, but before the fund prices its shares. The fund uses a fair value model

 

32         Legg Mason Partners Funds


 

developed by an independent third party pricing service to price foreign equity securities on days when there is a certain percentage change in the value of a domestic equity security index, as such percentage may be determined by the manager from time to time.

Valuing securities at fair value involves greater reliance on judgment than valuation of securities based on readily available market quotations. A fund that uses fair value to price securities may value those securities higher or lower than another fund using market quotations or its own fair value methodologies to price the same securities. There can be no assurance that the fund could obtain the fair value assigned to a security if it were to sell the security at approximately the time at which the fund determines its net asset value.

International markets may be open on days when U.S. markets are closed and the value of foreign securities owned by the fund could change on days when you cannot buy or redeem shares.

In order to buy, redeem or exchange shares at that day’s price, you must place your order with your Service Agent or the transfer agent before the NYSE closes. If the NYSE closes early, you must place your order prior to the actual closing time.

It is the responsibility of the Service Agents to transmit all orders to buy, exchange or redeem shares to the transfer agent on a timely basis.

 

Legg Mason Partners International All Cap Opportunity Fund         33


 

Financial highlights

The financial highlights tables are intended to help you understand the performance of each class for the past 5 years. Certain information reflects financial results for a single share. Total return represents the rate that a shareholder would have earned (or lost) on a fund share assuming reinvestment of all dividends and distributions. The information in the following tables has been derived from the fund’s financial statements, which have been audited by KPMG LLP, independent registered public accounting firm, whose report, along with the fund’s financial statements, is included in the annual report (available upon request). As of November 20, 2006, Class Y shares were renamed Class I shares. No information is presented for Class I shares because no Class I shares were outstanding on October 31, 2006.

 

For a Class A share outstanding throughout each year ended October 31:  
Class A Shares(1)   2006     2005     2004     2003     2002  

Net asset value, beginning of year

  $14.31     $13.15     $11.58     $9.79     $11.82  
   

Income (loss) from operations:

         

Net investment income

  0.08     0.07     0.04     0.08     0.01  

Net realized and unrealized gain (loss)

  3.00     2.04     1.62     1.71     (2.04 )
   

Total income (loss) from operations

  3.08     2.11     1.66     1.79     (2.03 )
   

Less distributions from:

         

Net investment income

  (0.18 )   (0.03 )   (0.09 )        

Net realized gains

  (2.37 )   (0.92 )            
   

Total distributions

  (2.55 )   (0.95 )   (0.09 )        
   

Net asset value, end of year

  $14.84     $14.31     $13.15     $11.58     $9.79  
   

Total return(2)

  24.75 %   16.64 %   14.40 %   18.28 %   (17.17 )%
   

Net assets, end of year (000s)

  $133,978     $126,778     $124,740     $124,187     $124,160  
   

Ratios to average net assets:

         

Gross expenses

  1.38 %   1.39 %   1.36 %   1.30 %   1.37 %

Net expenses

  1.36 (3)   1.39     1.31 (3)   1.30     1.37  

Net investment income

  0.55     0.54     0.33     0.81     0.06  
   

Portfolio turnover rate

  8 %   14 %   22 %   47 %   30 %
   

 

(1)

 

Per share amounts have been calculated using the average shares method.

 

(2)

 

Performance figures may reflect fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements. Past performance is no guarantee of future results. In the absence of fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements, the total return would have been lower.

 

(3)

 

Reflects fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements.

 

34         Legg Mason Partners Funds


 

For a Class B share outstanding throughout each year ended October 31:  
Class B Shares(1)   2006     2005     2004     2003     2002  

Net asset value, beginning of year

  $13.39     $12.43     $10.97     $9.35     $11.38  
   

Income (loss) from operations:

         

Net investment income (loss)

  (0.04 )   (0.04 )   (0.06 )   0.00 (2)   (0.08 )

Net realized and unrealized gain (loss)

  2.79     1.92     1.54     1.62     (1.95 )
   

Total income (loss) from operations

  2.75     1.88     1.48     1.62     (2.03 )
   

Less distributions from:

         

Net investment income

  (0.07 )       (0.02 )        

Net realized gains

  (2.37 )   (0.92 )            
   

Total distributions

  (2.44 )   (0.92 )   (0.02 )        
   

Net asset value, end of year

  $13.70     $13.39     $12.43     $10.97     $9.35  
   

Total return(3)

  23.72 %   15.64 %   13.46 %   17.33 %   (17.84 )%
   

Net assets, end of year (000s)

  $21,429     $22,560     $26,168     $36,988     $46,919  
   

Ratios to average net assets:

         

Gross expenses

  2.23 %   2.22 %   2.18 %   2.04 %   2.17 %

Net expenses

  2.22 (4)   2.22     2.14 (4)   2.04     2.17  

Net investment income (loss)

  (0.32 )   (0.28 )   (0.53 )   0.01     (0.75 )
   

Portfolio turnover rate

  8 %   14 %   22 %   47 %   30 %
   

 

(1)

 

Per share amounts have been calculated using the average shares method.

 

(2)

 

Amount represents less than $0.01 per share.

 

(3)

 

Performance figures may reflect fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements. Past performance is no guarantee of future results. In the absence of fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements, the total return would have been lower.

 

(4)

 

Reflects fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements.

 

Legg Mason Partners International All Cap Opportunity Fund         35


 

For a Class C share outstanding throughout each year ended October 31:  
Class C Shares(1)   2006     2005     2004     2003     2002  

Net asset value, beginning of year

  $13.07     $12.17     $10.73     $9.16     $11.16  
   

Income (loss) from operations:

         

Net investment loss

  (0.04 )   (0.05 )   (0.07 )   (0.02 )   (0.09 )

Net realized and unrealized gain (loss)

  2.72     1.87     1.51     1.59     (1.91 )
   

Total income (loss) from operations

  2.68     1.82     1.44     1.57     (2.00 )
   

Less distributions from:

         

Net realized gains

  (0.07 )                

Return of capital

  (2.37 )   (0.92 )            
   

Total distributions

  (2.44 )   (0.92 )            
   

Net asset value, end of year

  $13.31     $13.07     $12.17     $10.73     $9.16  
   

Total return(2)

  23.76 %   15.47 %   13.42 %   17.14 %   (17.92 )%
   

Net assets, end of year (000s)

  $57,596     $53,097     $51,499     $53,177     $53,156  
   

Ratios to average net assets:

         

Gross expenses

  2.26 %   2.33 %   2.31 %   2.24 %   2.22 %

Net expenses

  2.23 (3)   2.33     2.25 (3)   2.24     2.22  

Net investment loss

  (0.32 )   (0.39 )   (0.62 )   (0.17 )   (0.79 )
   

Portfolio turnover rate

  8 %   14 %   22 %   47 %   30 %
   

 

(1)

 

Per share amounts have been calculated using the average shares method.

 

(2)

 

Performance figures may reflect fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements. Past performance is no guarantee of future results. In the absence of fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements, the total return would have been lower.

 

(3)

 

Reflects fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements.

 

36         Legg Mason Partners Funds


 

 

 

(Investment Company Act

file no. 811-06290)

FD02253 2/07

LOGO

 

Legg Mason Partners

International All Cap Opportunity Fund

You may look at the fund’s website at www.leggmason.com/InvestorServices to obtain a free copy of the Prospectus, Statement of Additional Information (“SAI”) or an Annual or Semi-Annual Report, or to request other information.

Shareholder reports Additional information about the fund’s investments is available in the fund’s Annual and Semi-Annual Reports to shareholders. In the fund’s Annual Report, you will find a discussion of the market conditions and investment strategies that significantly affected the fund’s performance.

The fund sends only one report to a household if more than one account has the same last name and address. Contact your Service Agent or Legg Mason Partners Shareholder Services if you do not want this policy to apply to you.

Statement of additional information The SAI provides more detailed information about the fund and is incorporated by reference into (is legally a part of) this Prospectus.

You can make inquiries about the fund or obtain shareholders reports (without charge) by contacting your Service Agent, by calling Legg Mason Partners Shareholder Services at 800-451-2010 (or for clients of a PFS Registered Representative, call Primerica Shareholder Services at 800-544-5445), or by writing to the fund at Legg Mason Partners Funds, 125 Broad Street, New York, New York 10004.

Information about the fund (including the SAI) can be reviewed and copied at the Securities and Exchange Commission’s (the “SEC”) Public Reference Room in Washington, D.C. In addition, information on the operation of the Public Reference Room may be obtained by calling the SEC at 1-202-551-8090. Reports and other information about the fund are available on the EDGAR Database on the SEC’s Internet site at http://www.sec.gov. Copies of this information may be obtained for a duplicating fee by electronic request at the following E-mail address: publicinfo@sec.gov, or by writing the SEC’s Public Reference Section, Washington, D.C. 20549-0102.

If someone makes a statement about the fund that is not in this Prospectus, you should not rely upon that information. Neither the fund nor its distributors are offering to sell shares of the fund to any person to whom the fund may not lawfully sell its shares.


Filed under Rule 497(c)

File Nos. 33-43446 and 811-6444

April 16, 2007

STATEMENT OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

LEGG MASON PARTNERS INTERNATIONAL ALL CAP OPPORTUNITY FUND

125 Broad Street

New York, New York 10004

800-451-2010

This Statement of Additional Information (this “SAI”) is not a prospectus and is meant to be read in conjunction with the current prospectus of Legg Mason Partners International All Cap Opportunity Fund (“International Fund” or the “fund”), dated April 16, 2007, as amended or supplemented from time to time, and is incorporated by reference in its entirety into the fund’s prospectus. As part of a number of initiatives launched in 2006 to restructure and streamline the Legg Mason Partners fund complex, the fund assumed the assets and liabilities of a predecessor fund with the same name. The fund is now grouped for organizational and governance purposes with other Legg Mason Partners funds that are predominantly equity-type funds, and is a series of Legg Mason Partners Equity Trust (the “Trust”), a Maryland business trust. Other initiatives, including the election of a new Board of Trustees (the “Board”) and the approval of certain revised fundamental investment policies, have also been accomplished, and more information on these matters appears in this SAI. Certain historical information contained in the SAI is that of the fund’s predecessor.

The International Fund seeks total return on its assets from growth of capital and income. The fund seeks to achieve this objective by investing primarily in a diversified portfolio of equity securities of established foreign issuers. There can be no assurance that the fund will achieve its investment objective. Prior to April 7, 2006, the fund was named “International All Cap Growth Portfolio.” Prior to December 28, 2006, the fund was named “Legg Mason Partners International All Cap Growth Fund.”

The International Fund offers three classes of shares: Class A, Class B and Class C shares. The shares may be purchased at the next-determined net asset value per share plus a sales charge which may be imposed (i) at the time of purchase (Class A shares) and/or (ii) on a deferred basis (Class B and Class C shares). The fund offers an additional class of shares (Class I shares) without any initial or contingent deferred sales charge to institutional investors investing a minimum of $1,000,000. These alternatives permit an investor to choose the method of purchasing shares that is most beneficial given the amount of the purchase, the length of time the investor expects to hold the shares and other circumstances.

Additional information about the fund’s investments is available in the fund’s annual and semiannual reports to shareholders. These reports contain financial statements that are incorporated herein by reference. Prospectuses and copies of these reports may be obtained free of charge by contacting a distributor’s financial advisor or registered representative, a broker/dealer, financial intermediary or a financial institution that has entered into an agreement with one of the fund’s distributors (each called a “Service Agent”), or by writing or calling the fund at the address or telephone number set forth above. Legg Mason Investor Services, LLC (“LMIS”), a wholly-owned broker/dealer subsidiary of Legg Mason, Inc. (“Legg Mason”), Citigroup Global Markets Inc. (“CGMI”) and PFS Investments Inc. (“PFS”) serve as distributors for the International Fund.

 

1


TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

     Page

Management

   3

Investment Objective and Management Policies

   11

Additional Information

   12

Risk Factors

   29

Investment Policies

   37

Taxes

   40

Determination Of Net Asset Value

   47

Purchase Of Shares

   48

Redemption Of Shares

   54

Exchange Privilege

   56

Dividends And Distributions

   57

Investment Management And Other Services

   58

Portfolio Manager Disclosure

   67

Custodian And Transfer Agent

   69

Legal Counsel

   70

Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

   70

Voting

   70

Other Information About The Trust

   70

Financial Statements

   75

Appendix A—Description of Ratings

   A-1

Appendix B— Summary Of Proxy Voting Policies And Procedures For Brandywine Global Investment Management, LLC

  

B-1

This SAI is NOT a prospectus and is authorized for distribution to prospective investors only if preceded or accompanied by an effective prospectus.

 

2


MANAGEMENT

The business affairs of the fund are managed by or under the direction of the Board. The Board elects officers who are responsible for the day-to-day operations of the fund and who execute policies authorized by the Board.

The current Trustees, including the Trustees of the fund who are not “interested persons” of the fund (the “Independent Trustees”) as defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”), and executive officers of the fund, their birth years, their principal occupations during at least the past five years (their titles may have varied during that period), the number of funds associated with Legg Mason the Trustees oversee, and other board memberships they hold are set forth below. The address of each Trustee is c/o R. Jay Gerken, 399 Park Avenue, New York, New York 10022.

The following information relates to the Trust’s recently elected Board of Trustees.

 

Name and
Year of Birth

   Position(s)
with Fund
   Term of
Office* and
Length of
Time Served**
  

Principal Occupation(s)

During Past 5 Years

  

Number of

Funds
in Fund
Complex
to be
Overseen
by Trustee

  

Other Board
Memberships
Held by Trustee
During

Past Five Years

INDEPENDENT TRUSTEES:

     

Paul R. Ades

Born 1940

   Trustee    Since 1983    Law firm of Paul R. Ades, PLLC (since 2000)    57    None

Andrew L. Breech

Born 1952

   Trustee    Since 1991    President, Dealer Operating Control Service, Inc. (automotive retail management) (since 1985)    57    None

Dwight B. Crane

Born 1937

   Trustee    Since 1981    Professor, Harvard Business School (since 1969); Independent Consultant (since 1969)    60    None

Robert M. Frayn, Jr.

Born 1934

   Trustee    Since 1981    Retired; formerly, President and Director, Book Publishing Co. (1970 to 2002)    57    None

Frank G. Hubbard

Born 1937

   Trustee    Since 1993    President, Avatar International Inc. (business development) (since 1998)    57    None

Howard J. Johnson

Born 1938

   Trustee    From 1981 to
1998 and
2000 to
Present
   Chief Executive Officer, Genesis Imaging LLC (technology company) (since 2003)    57    None

David E. Maryatt

Born 1936

   Trustee    Since 1983    Private Investor; President and Director, ALS Co. (real estate management and development firm) (since 1993)    57    None

 

3


Name and

Year of Birth

   Position(s)
with Fund
   Term of
Office* and
Length of
Time Served**
  

Principal Occupation(s)

During Past 5 Years

  

Number of

Funds
in Fund
Complex
to be
Overseen
by Trustee

  

Other Board
Memberships
Held by Trustee

During

Past Five Years

Jerome H. Miller

Born 1938

   Trustee    Since
1995
   Retired    57    None

Ken Miller

Born 1942

   Trustee    Since
1983
   Chairman, Young Stuff Apparel Group, Inc. (apparel manufacturer) (since 1963)    57    None

John J. Murphy

Born 1944

   Trustee    Since
2002
   President, Murphy Capital Management (investment advice) (since 1983)    57    Director, Nicholas Applegate funds; Trustee, Consulting Group Capital Markets Funds; formerly, Director, Atlantic Stewardship Bank (2004 to 2005); Director, Barclays International Funds Group Ltd. and affiliated companies (to 2003)

Thomas F. Schlafly

Born 1948

   Trustee    Since
1983
   Of Counsel, Blackwell Sanders Peper Martin LLP (law firm) (since 1984); President, The Saint Louis Brewery, Inc. (brewery) (since 1989)    57    Director, Citizens National Bank, Maplewood (2006)

Jerry A. Viscione

Born 1944

   Trustee    Since
1993
   Retired; formerly, Executive Vice President, Marquette University (1997 to 2002)    57    None

 

4


Name and

Year of Birth

   Position(s)
with Fund
   Term of
Office*
and
Length
of Time
Served**
  

Principal Occupation(s)

During Past 5 Years

  

Number of

Funds in Fund
Complex
to be Overseen
by Trustee

  

Other Board
Memberships
Held by Trustee
During

Past Five Years

INTERESTED TRUSTEE:

           

R. Jay Gerken, CFA†

Born 1951

   Trustee,
President,
Chairman
and Chief
Executive
Officer
   Since
2002
   Managing Director, Legg Mason & Co., LLC (“Legg Mason & Co.”); Chairman of the Board and Trustee/Director of 149 funds associated with Legg Mason Partners Fund Advisor, LLC (“LMPFA”) and its affiliates; President, LMPFA (since 2006); Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of certain mutual funds associated with Legg Mason & Co. or its affiliates; formerly, Chairman, Smith Barney Fund Management LLC (“SBFM”) and Citi Fund Management, Inc. (“CFM”) (2002 to 2005); formerly, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer, Travelers Investment Adviser Inc. (2002 to 2005)    149    None

* Each Trustee serves until his or her respective successor has been duly elected and qualified or until his or her earlier death, resignation, retirement or removal.
** Indicates the earliest year in which the Trustee became a Board member for a fund in the Legg Mason Partners fund complex.
Mr. Gerken is an “interested person,” as defined in the 1940 Act, because of his position with the manager and/or certain of its affiliates.

Name, Year of Birth

and Address

  

Position(s)

with Fund

   Term of Office*
and Length of
Time Served**
  

Principal Occupation(s)

During Past 5 Years

OFFICERS:

        

Ted P. Becker

Born 1951

399 Park Avenue New York, NY 10022

   Chief Compliance
Officer
   Since
2006
   Director of Global Compliance at Legg Mason, Inc. (2006 to present); Managing Director of Compliance at Legg Mason & Co (2005 to present); Chief Compliance Officer with certain mutual funds associated with Legg Mason & Co. (since 2006); Chief Compliance Officer of LMPFA and certain affiliates; Managing Director of Compliance at Citigroup Asset Management (“CAM,” a group of affiliated investment advisers, which included SBFM, Smith Barney Asset Management and CFM and other affiliated investment advisory entities) (2002 to 2005). Prior to 2002, Managing Director-Internal Audit & Risk Review at Citigroup Inc.

 

5


Name, Year of Birth

and Address

  

Position(s)

with Fund

   Term of Office*
and Length of
Time Served**
  

Principal Occupation(s)

During Past 5 Years

John Chiota

Born 1968

300 First Stamford Place, 5th Floor Stamford, CT 06902

   Chief Anti-Money
Laundering
Compliance
Officer
   Since 2006    Vice President of Legg Mason & Co. (since 2005); Vice President at CAM (since 2004); Chief Anti-Money Laundering Compliance Officer of certain mutual funds associated with Legg Mason & Co. (since 2006). Prior to August 2004, Chief Anti-Money Laundering Compliance Officer of TD Waterhouse.

Robert I. Frenkel

Born 1954

300 First Stamford Place

Stamford, CT 06902

   Secretary and
Chief Legal
Officer
   Since 2003    Managing Director and General Counsel of Global Mutual Funds for Legg Mason & Co. (since 2005); Managing Director and General Counsel of Global Mutual Funds for CAM (since 2000); Secretary and Chief Legal Officer of certain mutual funds associated with Legg Mason & Co. (since 2003). Previously, Secretary of CFM (2001 to 2004).

R. Jay Gerken,

CFA Born 1951

399 Park Avenue New York, NY 10022

   Chairman,
President and
Chief Executive
Officer
   Since 2002   

Managing Director, Legg Mason & Co.; Chairman of the Board and Trustee/Director of 149 funds associated with LMPFA and its affiliates; President, LMPFA (since 2006); Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of certain mutual funds associated with Legg Mason & Co. or its affiliates; formerly, Chairman, SBFM and CFM (2002 to 2005); formerly, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer, Travelers Investment Adviser Inc. (2002 to 2005).

Thomas C. Mandia

Born 1962

300 First Stamford Place Stamford, CT 06902

   Assistant
Secretary
   Since 2000    Managing Director and Deputy General Counsel of Legg Mason & Co. (since 2005); Managing Director and Deputy General Counsel for CAM (since 1992); Assistant Secretary of certain mutual funds associated with Legg Mason & Co.

Kaprel Ozsolak

Born 1965

125 Broad Street,

11th Floor

New York, NY 10004

   Chief Financial
Officer and
Treasurer
   Since 2004    Director of Legg Mason & Co. (since 2005); Vice President of CAM (1996 to 2005); Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer of certain mutual funds associated with Legg Mason & Co. (since 2005); Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer of certain mutual funds associated with CAM (2004 to 2005). Previously, Mr. Ozsolak was Controller of certain mutual funds associated with CAM (2002 to 2004).

* Each officer serves until his or her respective successor has been duly elected and qualified or until his or her earlier death, resignation, retirement or removal.
** Indicates the earliest year in which the officer took office for any funds in the Legg Mason Partners fund complex.

Officers of the fund receive no compensation from the fund, although they may be reimbursed by the fund for reasonable out-of-pocket travel expenses for attending Board meetings.

 

6


The Board has three standing Committees: the Audit Committee, Nominating and Governance Committee (referred to as the Nominating Committee) and Pricing Committee. The Audit Committee and Nominating Committee are composed of all of the Independent Trustees. The Pricing Committee is composed of the Chairman of the Board and one Independent Trustee.

The Audit Committee oversees, among other things, the scope of the fund’s audit, the fund’s accounting and financial reporting policies and practices and its internal controls. The primary purposes of the Board’s Audit Committee are to assist the Board in fulfilling its responsibility for oversight of the integrity of the accounting, auditing and financial reporting practices of the fund and the qualifications and independence of the fund’s independent registered public accounting firm. The Audit Committee approves, and recommends to the Independent Trustees for their ratification, the selection, appointment, retention or termination of the fund’s independent registered public accounting firm and approves the compensation of the independent registered public accounting firm. The Audit Committee also approves all audit and permissible non-audit services provided to the fund by the independent registered public accounting firm and all permissible non-audit services provided by the fund’s independent registered public accounting firm to its manager and any affiliated service providers if the engagement relates directly to the fund’s operations and financial reporting. The Audit Committee also assists the Board in fulfilling its responsibility for the review and negotiation of the fund’s investment management and subadvisory arrangements.

The Nominating Committee is responsible for, among other things, recommending candidates to fill vacancies on the Board. The Nominating Committee may consider nominees recommended by a shareholder. Shareholders who wish to recommend a nominee should send recommendations to the Trust’s Secretary that include all information relating to such person that is required to be disclosed in solicitations of proxies for the election of Trustees. A recommendation must be accompanied by a written consent of the individual to stand for election if nominated by the Board and to serve if elected by the shareholders.

The Nominating Committee identifies potential nominees through its network of contacts and may also engage, if it deems appropriate, a professional search firm. The committee meets to discuss and consider such candidates’ qualifications and then chooses a candidate by majority vote. The committee does not have specific, minimum qualifications for nominees, nor has it established specific qualities or skills that it regards as necessary for one or more of the Trustees to possess (other than any qualities or skills that may be required by applicable law, regulation or listing standard). However, in evaluating a person as a potential nominee to serve as a Trustee, the Nominating Committee may consider the following factors, among any others it may deem relevant:

 

   

whether or not the person is an “interested person,” as defined in the 1940 Act, and whether the person is otherwise qualified under applicable laws and regulations to serve as a Trustee;

 

   

whether or not the person has any relationships that might impair his or her independence, such as any business, financial or family relationships with fund management, the investment adviser, service providers or their affiliates;

 

   

whether or not the person serves on boards of, or is otherwise affiliated with, competing financial service organizations or their related mutual fund complexes;

 

   

whether or not the person is willing to serve, and willing and able to commit the time necessary for the performance of the duties of a Trustee;

 

   

the contribution which the person can make to the Board (or, if the person has previously served as a Trustee, the contribution which the person made to the Board during his or her previous term of service), with consideration being given to the person’s business and professional experience, education and such other factors as the committee may consider relevant;

 

   

the character and integrity of the person; and

 

   

whether or not the selection and nomination of the person would be consistent with the requirements of the retirement policies of the Trust, as applicable.

 

7


The Pricing Committee is charged with determining the fair value prices for securities when required.

As indicated above, the Trust’s Board is recently elected and is newly constituted as the Board that oversees all of the equity-type funds in the fund complex. All members of the Board previously have served on Boards of Legg Mason Partners funds. The Audit, Nominating and Pricing Committees are recently established committees of this Board and did not meet during the fund’s last fiscal year.

The following table shows the amount of equity securities owned by the Trustees in the fund and other investment companies in the fund complex supervised by the Trustees as of December 31, 2006.

 

Name of Trustee

  

Aggregate Dollar Range
of Ownership in Registered
Investment Companies

Overseen by Trustee

   Aggregate Dollar Range
of Ownership in Registered
Investment Companies
Overseen by Trustee

Independent Trustees

     

Paul R. Ades

   $0    Over $100,000

Andrew L. Breech

   $0    Over $100,000

Dwight B. Crane

   $0    Over $100,000

Robert M. Frayn, Jr.

   $0    Over $100,000

Frank G. Hubbard

   $0    Over $100,000

Howard J. Johnson

   $0    None

David E. Maryatt

   $0    Over $100,000

Jerome H. Miller

   $0    $50,001-$100,000

Ken Miller

   $0    $50,001-$100,000

John J. Murphy

   $0    None

Thomas F. Schlafly

   $0    Over $100,000

Jerry A. Viscione

   $0    $10,001-$50,000

Interested Trustee

     

R. Jay Gerken

   Over $100,000    Over $100,000

As of April 16, 2007, none of the Independent Trustees or their immediate family members owned beneficially or of record any securities of the manager, subadviser or distributors of the fund, or in a person (other than a registered investment company) directly or indirectly controlling, controlled by or under common control with the manager, subadviser or distributors of the fund.

Information regarding compensation paid by the fund to its recently elected Board and its prior Board is set forth below. The Independent Trustees receive a fee for each meeting of the fund’s Board and committee meetings attended and are reimbursed for all out-of-pocket expenses relating to attendance at such meetings. Mr. Gerken, an “interested person,” as defined in the 1940 Act, does not receive compensation from the fund for his service as Trustee, but may be reimbursed for all out-of-pocket expenses relating to attendance at such meetings.

The fund pays a pro rata share of the Trustee fees based upon asset size. The fund currently pays each of the Trustees who is not a director, officer or employee of the manager or any of its affiliates its pro rata share of: an annual fee of $100,000, plus $20,000 for each regularly scheduled Board meeting attended in person, and $1,000 for telephonic Board meetings in which that Trustee participates. The lead Independent Trustee will receive an additional $25,000 per year and the Chair of the Audit Committee will receive an additional $15,000 per year.

 

8


Recently elected Board

 

Name of Trustee

  

Aggregate
Compensation
from the

Fund(1)

   Total Pension or
Retirement
Benefits Paid
as Part of Fund
Expenses(1)
    Total
Compensation
from Fund
Complex Paid
to Trustee(1)
   Number of
Portfolios in
Fund
Complex
Overseen by
Trustee(1)

Independent Trustees

          

Paul R. Ades

   $ 0    $ 0     $ 86,200    12

Andrew L. Breech

   $ 0    $ 0     $ 37,750    3

Dwight B. Crane

   $ 0      (2 )   $ 266,500    46

Robert M. Frayn, Jr.

   $ 0    $ 0     $ 17,500    1

Frank G. Hubbard

   $ 0    $ 0     $ 78,700    12

Howard J. Johnson

   $ 0    $ 0     $ 36,000    1

David E. Maryatt

   $ 0    $ 0     $ 17,500    1

Jerome H. Miller

   $ 0    $ 0     $ 73,500    12

Ken Miller

   $ 0    $ 0     $ 71,500    12

John J. Murphy

   $ 0    $ 0     $ 91,200    23

Thomas F. Schlafly

   $ 0    $ 0     $ 35,250    3

Jerry A. Viscione

   $ 0    $ 0     $ 29,500    1

Interested Trustee

          

R. Jay Gerken

   $ 0    $ 0     $ 0    162

(1) Information is for the calendar year ended December 31, 2006. The disclosure of compensation paid to the Trustees is provided as of the most recent calendar year end, rather than the fund’s most recent fiscal year end, for ease of presentation and comprehension.
(2) Pursuant to a prior emeritus retirement plan, Mr. Crane has received or is entitled to receive, in a lump sum (calculated on a net present value basis) or in quarterly installments, an aggregate benefit having a net present value equal to $444,643. Mr. Crane elected to receive the benefit in a lump sum payment. Each fund no longer overseen by Mr. Crane will pay a pro rata share (based upon asset size) of the aggregate benefit to Mr. Crane. Legg Mason or its affiliates have agreed to reimburse these funds an amount equal to 50% of the benefits paid to Mr. Crane. None of these amounts were paid during the period covered by this table.

For the fiscal year ended October 31, 2006, the Directors of the fund were paid the compensation listed below for service as a Director. Information as to the compensation paid to the Directors of the fund for the calendar year ended December 31, 2006 is also shown.

Prior Board

 

Name of Independent Director

  

Aggregate
Compensation

from Fund for

FYE 10/31/06

   Total Pension
or Retirement
Benefits Paid
as Part of Fund
Expenses(1)(2)
   Compensation from
Company and
Fund Complex
FYE 10/31/06(2)
   Number of
Funds for Which
Director Served
Within Fund
Complex

Robert A. Frankel

   $ 5,242    $ 0    $ 157,600    18

Michael E. Gellert

   $ 5,119    $ 0    $ 66,400    11

Rainer Greeven

   $ 5,624    $ 0    $ 71,600    11

Susan M. Heilbron

   $ 4,924    $ 0    $ 63,900    11

Name of Interested Director

                   

R. Jay Gerken(3)

   $ 0    $ 0    $ 0    162

 

9


Name of Independent Director

   Aggregate
Compensation
from Fund for
Year Ended
12/31/06
   Total Pension
or Retirement
Benefits Paid
as Part of Fund
Expenses(1)(2)
   Total Compensation
from Fund Complex
Paid to Directors
for Year Ended
12/31/06(2)
   Number of
Funds for Which
Director Served
Within Fund
Complex

Robert A. Frankel

   $ 5,401    $ 0    $ 162,850    18

Michael E. Gellert

   $ 4,874    $ 0    $ 63,700    11

Rainer Greeven

   $ 5,833    $ 0    $ 74,000    11

Susan M. Heilbron

   $ 5,133    $ 0    $ 66,200    11

Name of Interested Director

                   

R. Jay Gerken(3)

   $ 0    $ 0    $ 0    162

(1) During the fiscal year ended October 31, 2006, Mr. Atkins received $66,400 as retirement benefits or payments for his service as an emeritus Director. The fund paid its pro rata share (based on asset size) of this aggregate benefit.
(2) Pursuant to prior emeritus retirement plans, the following former Directors have received or are entitled to receive benefits (calculated on a net present value basis) as follows: Mr. Atkins: $127,970; Mr. Frankel: $489,636; and Mr. Gellert: $238,847. Benefits under the emeritus retirement plans are paid in quarterly installments unless the Director elected to receive them in a lump sum at net present value. Each fund no longer overseen by these Directors will pay its pro rata share (based on asset size) of these aggregate benefits. Legg Mason or its affiliates have agreed to reimburse the fund an amount equal to 50% of these of these benefits. None of these benefits were paid during the period covered by this table.
(3) Mr. Gerken was not compensated for his service as Director because of his affiliation with the manager.

As of March 16, 2007, all Trustees and officers as a group owned less than 1% of the outstanding shares of the fund.

As of March 16, 2007, the following persons owned of record the amounts indicated of the shares of the classes of the fund:

Class

  

Name and Address of Shareholder

   Percent of Class  

Class A

   CITISTREET RETIREMENT TRUST ACCOUNT
CITIGROUP INSTITUTIONAL TRUST
400 ATRIUM DRIVE
SOMERSET, NJ 08873-4172
   5.9249 %

Class I

  

SMITH BARNEY MUTUAL FUND MANAGEMENT LLC

CONCERT SERIES

SB ALLOCATION HIGH GROWTH

225 LIBERTY STREET, 24TH FLOOR

NEW YORK, NY 10281-2606

   42.8726 %
   SMITH BARNEY MUTUAL FUND MANAGEMENT LLC
CONCERT SERIES
SB ALLOCATION GROWTH
225 LIBERTY STREET, 24TH FLOOR
NEW YORK, NY 10281-2606
   27.375 %
   SMITH BARNEY MUTUAL FUND MANAGEMENT LLC
CONCERT SERIES
SB ALLOCATION BALANCED
225 LIBERTY STREET, 24TH FLOOR
NEW YORK NY 10281-2606
   11.0545 %

 

10


Class

  

Name and Address of Shareholder

   Percent of Class  
   SMITH BARNEY MUTUAL FUND MANAGEMENT LLC
CONCERT SERIES
SELECT BALANCED
225 LIBERTY STREET, 24TH FLOOR
NEW YORK, NY 10281-2606
   7.1182 %
   SMITH BARNEY MUTUAL FUND MANAGEMENT LLC
CONCERT SERIES
SELECT GROWTH
225 LIBERTY STREET, 24TH FLOOR
NEW YORK, NY 10281-2606
   6.0107 %
   SMITH BARNEY MUTUAL FUND MANAGEMENT LLC
CONCERT SERIES
SELECT HIGH GROWTH
225 LIBERTY STREET, 24TH FLOOR
NEW YORK, NY 10281-2606
   5.1158 %

INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE AND MANAGEMENT POLICIES

The fund’s investment objectives may be changed without shareholder approval. The fund’s investment policies are nonfundamental, and thus may be changed by the Board, provided such change is not prohibited by the fund’s fundamental investment restrictions (described under “Investment Restrictions”) or applicable law, and any such change is first disclosed in the then-current prospectus. Refer to “Investment Practices” and “Risk Factors” for further information on the fund’s investments.

Under unusual economic or market conditions as determined by the fund’s subadviser, for defensive purposes, the fund may depart from its principal investment strategies and temporarily invest all or any portion of its assets in all types of money market and short-term debt securities (including U.S. money market securities) or cash. To the extent the fund’s assets are invested for temporary defensive purposes, they will not be invested in a manner designed to achieve the fund’s investment objective.

Although the following investment policies may be changed without shareholder approval, the fund has adopted a policy to provide its shareholders with at least 60 days’ prior notice of any change in its 80% investment policy.

Principal Investment Strategies

The fund invests primarily in equity securities of foreign companies. Equity securities include exchange traded and over-the-counter common stocks and preferred shares, debt securities convertible into equity securities, and warrants and rights relating to equity securities.

The portfolio managers emphasize individual security selection while diversifying the fund’s investments across regions and countries which can help to reduce risk. While the portfolio managers select investments primarily for their capital appreciation potential, some investments have an income component as well. Companies in which the fund invests may have large, mid or small size market capitalizations and may operate in any market sector. Market conditions around the world change constantly as does the location of potential investment opportunities. Depending on the portfolio managers’ assessment of overseas potential for long-term growth, the fund’s emphasis among foreign markets (including emerging markets) and types of issuers may vary.

 

11


Under normal market conditions, the fund invests at least 80% of its net assets, plus any borrowings for investment purposes, in a diversified portfolio of equity securities consisting of dividend and non-dividend paying common stock, preferred stock, convertible debt and rights and warrants to obtain such securities, and may invest up to 20% of the fund’s assets in bonds, notes and other debt securities (consisting of securities issued in the Eurocurrency markets, obligations of the United States or foreign governments and their political sub-divisions or established non-United States issuers and including up to 10% of the fund’s assets in below investment grade securities (commonly known as “junk bonds”).

In seeking to achieve its objective, the fund presently expects to invest its assets primarily in common stocks of established non-United States companies which in the opinion of the fund’s portfolio managers have potential for growth of capital.

Except as otherwise provided, the fund will invest at least 80% of its assets in companies organized or governments located in any area of the world other than the United States, such as the Far East (e.g., Japan, Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia), Western Europe (e.g., United Kingdom, Germany, the Netherlands, France, Italy, Switzerland), Eastern Europe (e.g., the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, and the countries of the former Soviet Union), Central and South America (e.g., Mexico, Chile, and Venezuela), Australia, Canada and such other areas and countries as the fund’s subadviser may determine from time to time. Allocation of the fund’s investments will depend upon the relative attractiveness of the international markets and particular issuers. Concentration of the fund’s assets in one or a few countries or currencies will subject the fund to greater risks than if the fund’s assets were not geographically concentrated.

It is expected that fund securities will ordinarily be traded on a stock exchange or other market in the country in which the issuer is principally based, but may also be traded on markets in other countries including, in many cases, United States securities exchanges and over-the-counter markets.

To the extent that the fund’s assets are not otherwise invested as described above, the assets may be held in cash, in any currency, or invested in U.S. and foreign high quality money market instruments and equivalents.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

The fund’s principal investment strategies are described above. The following provides additional information about these principal strategies and describes other investment strategies that may be used by the fund, as specified below. Each of the following investment practices is subject to the limitations set forth under “Investment Restrictions.”

EQUITY SECURITIES

Common Stocks. The fund may purchase common stocks. Common stocks are shares of a corporation or other entity that entitle the holder to a pro rata share of the profits of the corporation, if any, without preference over any other shareholder or class of shareholders, including holders of the entity’s preferred stock and other senior equity. Common stock usually carries with it the right to vote and frequently an exclusive right to do so.

Preferred Stocks and Convertible Securities. The fund may invest in convertible debt and preferred stocks. Convertible debt securities and preferred stock entitle the holder to acquire the issuer’s stock by exchange or purchase for a predetermined rate. Convertible securities are subject both to the credit and interest rate risks associated with fixed income securities and to the stock market risk associated with equity securities.

Warrants. The fund may purchase warrants. Warrants acquired by the fund entitle it to buy common stock from the issuer at a specified price and time. Warrants are subject to the same market risks as stocks, but may be more volatile in price. The fund’s investment in warrants will not entitle it to receive dividends or exercise voting rights and will become worthless if the warrants cannot be profitably exercised before the expiration dates.

 

12


REITs. The fund may invest in shares of real estate investment trusts (REITs), which are pooled investment vehicles that invest in real estate or real estate loans or interests. REITs are dependent upon management skills, are not diversified, and are subject to risks of project financing, default by borrowers, self-liquidation, and the possibility of failing to qualify for the exemption from taxation on distributed amounts under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”).

Illiquid and Restricted Securities. The fund may invest up to 15% of its net assets in securities (excluding those subject to Rule 144A under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “1933 Act”)), with contractual or other restrictions on resale and other instruments that are not readily marketable. Some restricted securities can be offered and sold to “qualified institutional buyers” under Rule 144A under the 1933 Act. The Board may determine, based upon a continuing review of the trading markets for a specific restricted security, that such restricted securities are liquid and therefore not subject to the fund’s restriction on illiquid investments. The Board has adopted guidelines and delegated to management the daily function of determining and monitoring liquidity of restricted securities available pursuant to Rule 144A. The Board, however, retains sufficient oversight and is ultimately responsible for the determinations. Since it is not possible to predict with assurance exactly how the market for Rule 144A restricted securities will develop, the Board will carefully monitor the fund’s investments in these securities, focusing on such important factors, among others, as valuation, liquidity and availability of information. Investments in restricted securities could have the effect of increasing the level of illiquidity in the fund to the extent that qualified institutional buyers become for a time uninterested in purchasing these restricted securities.

American Depository Receipts (“ADRs”), European Depository Receipts (“EDRs”) and Global Depository Receipts (“GDRs”). The fund may purchase ADRs, EDRs and GDRs or other securities representing underlying shares of foreign companies. ADRs are publicly traded on exchanges or over-the-counter in the United States and are issued through “sponsored” or “unsponsored” arrangements. In a sponsored ADR arrangement, the foreign issuer assumes the obligation to pay some or all of the depository’s transaction fees, whereas under an unsponsored arrangement, the foreign issuer assumes no obligation and the depository’s transaction fees are paid by the ADR holders. In addition, less information is available in the United States about an unsponsored ADR than about a sponsored ADR, and the financial information about a company may not be as reliable for an unsponsored ADR as it is for a sponsored ADR. The fund may invest in ADRs through both sponsored and unsponsored arrangements. Generally, ADRs, in registered form, are designed for use in U.S. securities markets and EDRs and GDRs, in bearer form, are designed for use in European and global securities markets. ADRs are receipts typically issued by a U.S. bank or trust company evidencing ownership of the underlying securities. EDRs and GDRs are European and global receipts, respectively, evidencing a similar arrangement.

Investment Company Securities. Subject to applicable statutory and regulatory limitations, the fund may invest in shares of other investment companies, including shares of other mutual funds, closed-end funds, and unregistered investment companies. Investments in other investment companies are subject to the risk of the securities in which those investment companies invest. In addition, to the extent the fund invests in securities of other investment companies, fund shareholders would indirectly pay a portion of the operating costs of such companies in addition to the expenses of the fund’s own operation. These costs include management, brokerage, shareholder servicing and other operational expenses.

The fund may invest in shares of mutual funds or unit investment trusts that are traded on a stock exchange, called exchange-traded funds or ETFs. Typically an ETF seeks to track the performance of an index, such as the S&P 500, the NASDAQ 100, the Lehman Treasury Bond Index, or more narrow sector or foreign indices, by holding in its portfolio either the same securities that comprise the index, or a representative sample of the index. Investing in an ETF will give the fund exposure to the securities comprising the index on which the ETF is based.

Unlike shares of typical mutual funds or unit investment trusts, shares of ETFs are designed to be traded throughout a trading day, bought and sold based on market values and not at net asset value. For this reason, shares could trade at either a premium or discount to net asset value. However, the portfolios held by index-based

 

13


ETFs are publicly disclosed on each trading day, and an approximation of actual net asset value is disseminated throughout the trading day. Because of this transparency, the trading prices of index based ETFs tend to closely track the actual net asset value of the underlying portfolios and the fund will generally gain or lose value depending on the performance of the index. However, gains or losses on the fund’s investment in ETFs will ultimately depend on the purchase and sale price of the ETF. In the future, as new products become available, the fund may invest in ETFs that are actively managed. Actively managed ETFs will likely not have the transparency of index-based ETFs, and therefore, may be more likely to trade at a discount or premium to actual net asset values.

The fund may invest in closed-end investment companies which hold securities of U. S. and/or non-U.S. issuers. Because shares of closed-end funds trade on an exchange, investments in closed-end investment funds may entail the additional risk that the market value of such investments may be substantially less than their net asset value.

FIXED INCOME SECURITIES

High Yield Securities. The fund may invest up to 10% of its assets in domestic and foreign “high yield” securities, commonly known as “junk bonds.” Under rating agency guidelines, medium- and lower-rated securities and comparable unrated securities will likely have some quality and protective characteristics that are outweighed by large uncertainties or major risk exposures to adverse conditions. Medium- and lower-rated securities may have poor prospects of ever attaining any real investment standing, may have a current identifiable vulnerability to default or be in default, may be unlikely to have the capacity to pay interest and repay principal when due in the event of adverse business, financial or economic conditions, and/or may be likely to be in default or not current in the payment of interest or principal. Such securities are considered speculative with respect to the issuer’s capacity to pay interest and repay principal in accordance with the terms of the obligations. Accordingly, it is possible that these types of factors could reduce the value of securities held by the fund with a commensurate effect on the value of the fund’s shares.

Changes by recognized rating services in their ratings of any fixed income security and in the ability of an issuer to make payments of interest and principal may also affect the value of these investments. A description of the ratings used by Moody’s and S&P is set forth in Appendix A. The ratings of Moody’s and S&P generally represent the opinions of those organizations as to the quality of the securities that they rate. Such ratings, however, are relative and subjective, are not absolute standards of quality, are subject to change and do not evaluate the market risk or liquidity of the securities. Ratings of a non-U.S. debt instrument, to the extent that those ratings are undertaken, are related to evaluations of the country in which the issuer of the instrument is located. Ratings generally take into account the currency in which a non-U.S. debt instrument is denominated. Instruments issued by a foreign government in other than the local currency, for example, typically have a lower rating than local currency instruments due to the existence of an additional risk that the government will be unable to obtain the required foreign currency to service its foreign currency-denominated debt. In general, the ratings of debt securities or obligations issued by a non-U.S. public or private entity will not be higher than the rating of the currency or the foreign currency debt of the central government of the country in which the issuer is located, regardless of the intrinsic creditworthiness of the issuer.

The secondary markets for high yield securities are not as liquid as the secondary markets for higher rated securities. The secondary markets for high yield securities are concentrated in relatively few market makers and participants in the market are mostly institutional investors, including insurance companies, banks, other financial institutions and mutual funds. In addition, the trading volume for high yield securities is generally lower than that for higher-rated securities and the secondary markets could contract under adverse market or economic conditions independent of any specific adverse changes in the condition of a particular issuer. These factors may have an adverse effect on the ability of a fund holding such securities to dispose of particular portfolio investments, may adversely affect the fund’s net asset value per share and may limit the ability of the fund to obtain accurate market quotations for purposes of valuing securities and calculating net asset value. If the fund is

 

14


not able to obtain precise or accurate market quotations for a particular security, it will become more difficult to value the fund’s portfolio securities, and a greater degree of judgment may be necessary in making such valuations. Less liquid secondary markets may also affect the ability of the fund to sell securities at their fair value. If the secondary markets for high yield securities contract due to adverse economic conditions or for other reasons, certain liquid securities in the fund’s portfolio may become illiquid and the proportion of the fund’s assets invested in illiquid securities may significantly increase.

Prices for high yield securities may be affected by legislative and regulatory developments. These laws could adversely affect the fund’s net asset value and investment practices, the secondary market for high yield securities, the financial condition of issuers of these securities and the value of outstanding high yield securities. For example, federal legislation requiring the divestiture by federally insured savings and loan associations of their investments in high yield bonds and limiting the deductibility of interest by certain corporate issuers of high yield bonds adversely affected the market in recent years.

While the market values of securities rated below investment grade and comparable unrated securities tend to react less to fluctuations in interest rate levels than do those of higher-rated securities, the values of certain of these securities also tend to be more sensitive to individual corporate developments and changes in economic conditions than higher-rated securities. In addition, such securities present a higher degree of credit risk. Issuers of these securities are often highly leveraged and may not have more traditional methods of financing available to them, so that their ability to service their debt obligations during an economic downturn or during sustained periods of rising interest rates may be impaired. The risk of loss due to default by such issuers is significantly greater than with investment grade securities because such securities generally are unsecured and subordinated to the prior payment of senior indebtedness. The fund also may incur additional expenses to the extent that it is required to seek recovery upon a default in the payment of principal or interest on its portfolio holdings.

The development of a market for high yield non-U.S. corporate securities has been a relatively recent phenomenon. On the other hand, the market for high yield U.S. corporate debt securities is more established than that for high yield non-U.S. corporate debt securities, but has undergone significant changes in the past and may undergo significant changes in the future.

High yield non-U.S. and U.S. corporate securities in which the fund may invest include bonds, debentures, notes, commercial paper and preferred stock and will generally be unsecured. Most of the debt securities will bear interest at fixed rates. However, the fund may also invest in corporate debt securities with variable rates of interest or which involve equity features, such as contingent interest or participations based on revenues, sales or profits (i.e., interest or other payments, often in addition to a fixed rate of return, that are based on the borrower’s attainment of specified levels of revenues, sales or profits and thus enable the holder of the security to share in the potential success of the venture).

High Yield Foreign Sovereign Debt Securities. Investing in fixed and floating rate high yield foreign sovereign debt securities, especially in emerging market countries, will expose funds investing in such securities to the direct or indirect consequences of political, social or economic changes in the countries that issue the securities or in which the issuers are located. The ability and willingness of sovereign obligors in developing and emerging market countries or the governmental authorities that control repayment of their external debt to pay principal and interest on such debt when due may depend on general economic and political conditions within the relevant country. Certain countries in which the fund may invest, especially emerging market countries, have historically experienced, and may continue to experience, high rates of inflation, high interest rates, exchange rate trade difficulties and extreme poverty and unemployment. Many of these countries are also characterized by political uncertainty or instability. Additional factors which may influence the ability or willingness to service debt include, but are not limited to, a country’s cash flow situation, the availability of sufficient foreign exchange on the date a payment is due, the relative size of its debt service burden to the economy as a whole, and its government’s policy towards the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank and other international agencies.

 

15


The ability of a foreign sovereign obligor, especially in emerging market countries, to make timely payments on its external debt obligations will also be strongly influenced by the obligor’s balance of payments, including export performance, its access to international credits and investments, fluctuations in interest rates and the extent of its foreign reserves. A country whose exports are concentrated in a few commodities or whose economy depends on certain strategic imports could be vulnerable to fluctuations in international prices of these commodities or imports. To the extent that a country receives payment for its exports in currencies other than U.S. dollars, its ability to make debt payments denominated in U.S. dollars could be adversely affected. If a foreign sovereign obligor cannot generate sufficient earnings from foreign trade to service its external debt, it may need to depend on continuing loans and aid from foreign governments, commercial banks and multilateral organizations, and inflows of foreign investment. The commitment on the part of these foreign governments, multilateral organizations and others to make such disbursements may be conditioned on the government’s implementation of economic reforms and/or economic performance and the timely service of its obligations. Failure to implement such reforms, achieve such levels of economic performance or repay principal or interest when due may result in the cancellation of such third parties’ commitments to lend funds, which may further impair the obligor’s ability or willingness to timely service its debts. The cost of servicing external debt will also generally be adversely affected by rising international interest rates, because many external debt obligations bear interest at rates which are adjusted based upon international interest rates. The ability to service external debt will also depend on the level of the relevant government’s international currency reserves and its access to foreign exchange. Currency devaluation may affect the ability of a sovereign obligor to obtain sufficient foreign exchange to service its external debt. The risks enumerated above are particularly heightened with regard to issuers in emerging market countries.

As a result of the foregoing, a governmental obligor, especially in an emerging market country, may default on its obligations. If such an event occurs, a fund may have limited legal recourse against the issuer and/or guarantor. Remedies must, in some cases, be pursued in the courts of the defaulting party itself, and the ability of the holder of foreign sovereign debt securities to obtain recourse may be subject to the political climate in the relevant country. In addition, no assurance can be given that the holders of commercial bank debt will not contest payments to the holders of other foreign sovereign debt obligations in the event of default under their commercial bank loan agreements.

Sovereign obligors in developing and emerging market countries are among the world’s largest debtors to commercial banks, other governments, international financial organizations and other financial institutions. These obligors have in the past experienced substantial difficulties in servicing their external debt obligations, which led to defaults on certain obligations and the restructuring of certain indebtedness. Restructuring arrangements have included, among other things, reducing and rescheduling interest and principal payments by negotiating new or amended credit agreements or converting outstanding principal and unpaid interest to Brady Bonds, and obtaining new credit to finance interest payments. Holders of certain foreign sovereign debt securities may be requested to participate in the restructuring of such obligations and to extend further loans to their issuers. There can be no assurance that the Brady Bonds and other foreign sovereign debt securities in which the fund may invest will not be subject to similar restructuring arrangements or to requests for new credit which may adversely affect the fund’s holdings. Furthermore, certain participants in the secondary market for such debt may be directly involved in negotiating the terms of these arrangements and may therefore have access to information not available to other market participants.

Corporate Debt Obligations. The fund may invest in corporate debt obligations and zero coupon securities issued by financial institutions and corporations. Corporate debt obligations are subject to the risk of an issuer’s inability to meet principal and interest payments on the obligations and may also be subject to price volatility due to such factors as market interest rates, market perception of the creditworthiness of the issuer and general market liquidity. Zero coupon securities are securities sold at a discount to par value and on which interest payments are not made during the life of the security.

 

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U.S. Government Securities. The U.S. Government securities in which the fund may invest include bills, certificates of indebtedness, and notes and bonds issued by the U.S. Treasury or by agencies or instrumentalities of the U.S. Government. Some U.S. Government securities, such as U.S. Treasury bills and bonds, are supported by the full faith and credit of the U.S. Treasury; others are supported by the right of the issuer to borrow from the U.S. Treasury; others, such as those of the Federal National Mortgage Association, are supported by the discretionary authority of the U.S. Government to purchase the agency’s obligations; still others, such as those of the Student Loan Marketing Association and the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (“FHLMC”), are supported only by the credit of the instrumentality.

Mortgage-Backed and Asset-Backed Securities. The fund may invest in mortgage-backed and asset-backed securities. Mortgage-related securities may be issued by private companies or by agencies of the U.S. Government and represent direct or indirect participations in, or are collateralized by and payable from, mortgage loans secured by real property. Asset-backed securities represent participations in, or are secured by and payable from, assets such as installment sales or loan contracts, leases, credit card receivables and other categories of receivables. Certain debt instruments may only pay principal at maturity or may only represent the right to receive payments of principal or payments of interest on underlying pools of mortgages, assets or government securities, but not both. The value of these types of instruments may change more drastically than debt securities that pay both principal and interest. The fund may obtain a below market yield or incur a loss on such instruments during periods of declining interest rates. Principal only and interest only instruments are subject to extension risk. For mortgage derivatives and structured securities that have imbedded leverage features, small changes in interest or prepayment rates may cause large and sudden price movements. Mortgage derivatives can also become illiquid and hard to value in declining markets.

Sovereign Debt Obligations. The fund may purchase sovereign debt instruments issued or guaranteed by foreign governments or their agencies, including debt of developing countries. Sovereign debt may be in the form of conventional securities or other types of debt instruments such as loans or loan participations. Governmental entities responsible for repayment of the debt may be unable or unwilling to repay principal and interest when due, and may require renegotiation or rescheduling of debt payments. In addition, prospects for repayment of principal and interest may depend on political as well as economic factors. Although some sovereign debt, such as Brady Bonds, is collateralized by U.S. Government securities, repayment of principal and interest is not guaranteed by the U.S. Government.

Loans and Other Direct Debt Instruments. The fund may purchase interests in amounts owed by a corporate, governmental, or other borrower to another party. These interests may represent amounts owed to lenders or lending syndicates (loans and loan participations), to suppliers of goods or services (trade claims or other receivables), or to other parties. Direct debt instruments involve the risk of loss in case of default or insolvency of the borrower and may offer less legal protection to the fund in the event of fraud or misrepresentation. In addition, loan participations involve a risk of insolvency of the lending bank or other financial intermediary. Direct debt instruments may also include standby financing commitments that obligate the fund to supply additional cash to the borrower on demand.

Floating and Variable Rate Income Securities. The fund may invest in floating and variable rate income securities. Income securities may provide for floating or variable rate interest or dividend payments. The floating or variable rate may be determined by reference to a known lending rate, such as a bank’s prime rate, a certificate of deposit rate or the London Inter-Bank Offered Rate (LIBOR). Alternatively, the rate may be determined through an auction or remarketing process. The rate also may be indexed to changes in the values of interest rate or securities indexes, currency exchange rates or other commodities. The amount by which the rate paid on an income security may increase or decrease may be subject to periodic or lifetime caps. Floating and variable rate income securities include securities whose rates vary inversely with changes in market rates of interest. Such securities may also pay a rate of interest determined by applying a multiple to the variable rate. The extent of increases and decreases in the value of securities whose rates vary inversely with changes in market rates of interest generally will be larger than comparable changes in the value of an equal principal amount of a fixed rate

 

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security having similar credit quality, redemption provisions and maturity. Such securities include variable rate master demand notes (see “Commercial Paper” below).

Zero Coupon, Discount and Payment-in-kind Securities. The fund may invest in “zero coupon” and other deep discount securities of governmental or private issuers. Zero coupon securities generally pay no cash interest (or dividends in the case of preferred stock) to their holders prior to maturity. Payment in kind securities allow the lender, at its option, to make current interest payments on such securities either in cash or in additional securities. Accordingly, such securities usually are issued and traded at a deep discount from their face or par value and generally are subject to greater fluctuations of market value in response to changing interest rates than securities of comparable maturities and credit quality that pay cash interest (or dividends in the case of preferred stock) on a current basis.

Premium Securities. The fund may invest in income securities bearing coupon rates higher than prevailing market rates. Such “premium” securities are typically purchased at prices greater than the principal amounts payable on maturity. In such cases the purchase of such securities provides the fund a higher level of investment income distributable to shareholders on a current basis than if the fund purchased securities bearing current market rates of interest. If securities purchased by the fund at a premium are called or sold prior to maturity, the fund will recognize a capital loss to the extent the call or sale price is less than the purchase price. Additionally, the fund will recognize a capital loss if it holds such securities to maturity.

Yankee Bonds. The fund may invest in U.S. dollar denominated bonds sold in the United States by non-U.S. issuers (“Yankee bonds”). As compared with bonds issued in the United States, such bond issues normally carry a higher interest rate but are less actively traded.

Loan Participations and Assignments. The fund may invest in loan participations (“Participations”). By purchasing a Participation, the fund acquires some or all of the interest of a bank or other lending institution in a loan to a corporate or government borrower. The Participations typically will result in the fund’s having a contractual relationship only with the lender and not with the borrower. The fund will have the right to receive payments of principal, interest and any fees to which it is entitled only from the lender selling the Participation and only upon receipt by the lender of the payments from the borrower. In connection with purchasing Participations, the fund generally will have no right to enforce compliance by the borrower with the terms of the loan agreement relating to the loan, nor any rights of set off against the borrower, and the fund may not directly benefit from any collateral supporting the loan in which it has purchased the Participation. As a result, the fund will assume the credit risk of both the borrower and the lender that is selling the Participation. In the event of the insolvency of the lender selling a Participation, the fund may be treated as a general creditor of the lender and may not benefit from any set off between the lender and the borrower. The fund will acquire Participations only if the lender interpositioned between the fund and the borrower is determined by the fund’s subadviser to be creditworthy.

The fund also may invest in assignments of portions of loans from third parties (“Assignments”). When it purchases Assignments from lenders, the fund will acquire direct rights against the borrower on the loan. However, since Assignments are arranged through private negotiations between potential assignees and assignors, the rights and obligations acquired by the fund as the purchaser of an Assignment may differ from, and be more limited than, those held by the assigning lender. The fund may have difficulty disposing of Assignments and Participations. The liquidity of such securities is limited, and the fund anticipates that such securities could be sold only to a limited number of institutional investors. The lack of a liquid secondary market could have an adverse impact on the value of such securities and on the fund’s ability to dispose of particular Assignments or Participations when necessary to meet the fund’s liquidity needs or in response to a specific economic event, such as a deterioration in the creditworthiness of the borrower. The lack of a liquid secondary market for Assignments and Participations also may make it more difficult for the fund to assign a value to those securities for purposes of valuing the fund’s portfolio and calculating its net asset value.

 

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Short-Term Investments. In certain circumstances the fund may invest without limitation in all types of short-term money market instruments, including U.S. Government securities; certificates of deposit, time deposits and bankers’ acceptances issued by domestic banks (including their branches located outside the United States and subsidiaries located in Canada), domestic branches of foreign banks, savings and loan associations and similar institutions; high grade commercial paper; and repurchase agreements. To the extent a fund is investing in short-term investments as a temporary defensive posture, the fund’s investment objective may not be achieved.

Commercial Paper. Commercial paper consists of short-term (usually from 1 to 270 days) unsecured promissory notes issued by corporations in order to finance their current operations. A variable amount master demand note (which is a type of commercial paper) represents a direct borrowing arrangement involving periodically fluctuating rates of interest under a letter agreement between a commercial paper issuer and an institutional lender, such as a fund, pursuant to which the lender may determine to invest varying amounts. Transfer of such notes is usually restricted by the issuer, and there is no secondary trading market for such notes. The fund, therefore, may not invest in a master demand note, if as a result more than 15% of the value of the fund’s net assets would be invested in such notes and other illiquid securities.

Commercial Bank Obligations. For the purposes of the fund’s investment policies with respect to bank obligations, obligations of foreign branches of U.S. banks and of foreign banks may be general obligations of the parent bank in addition to the issuing bank, or may be limited by the terms of a specific obligation and by government regulation. As with investment in foreign securities in general, investments in the obligations of foreign branches of U.S. banks and of foreign banks may subject the fund to investment risks that are different in some respects from those of investments in obligations of domestic issuers. Although the fund will typically acquire obligations issued and supported by the credit of U.S. or foreign banks having total assets at the time of purchase in excess of U.S. $1 billion (or the equivalent thereof), this U.S. $1 billion figure is not a fundamental investment policy or restriction of the fund. For calculation purposes with respect to the U.S. $1 billion figure, the assets of a bank will be deemed to include the assets of its U.S. and foreign branches.

DERIVATIVE CONTRACTS

Options, Futures and Currencies. The fund may use forward currency contracts and certain options and futures strategies to attempt to hedge its portfolio, i.e., reduce the overall level of investment risk normally associated with the fund, and for non-hedging purposes. These techniques are described in detail below.

Writing Covered Call Options. The fund may write (sell) covered call options. Covered call options will generally be written on securities and currencies which, in the opinion of the fund’s subadviser, are not expected to make any major price moves in the near future but which, over the long term, are deemed to be attractive investments for the fund.

A call option gives the holder (buyer) the right to purchase a security or currency at a specified price (the exercise price) at any time until a certain date (the expiration date). So long as the obligation of the writer of a call option continues, he may be assigned an exercise notice by the broker/dealer through whom such option was sold, requiring him to deliver the underlying security or currency against payment of the exercise price. This obligation terminates upon the expiration of the call option, or such earlier time at which the writer effects a closing purchase transaction by purchasing an option identical to that previously sold. The fund’s subadviser believes that writing of covered call options is less risky than writing uncovered or “naked” options, which the fund will not do.

Portfolio securities or currencies on which call options may be written will be purchased solely on the basis of investment considerations consistent with the fund’s investment objective. When writing a covered call option, the fund, in return for the premium, gives up the opportunity for profit from a price increase in the underlying security or currency above the exercise price and retains the risk of loss should the price of the security or currency decline. Unlike one who owns securities or currencies not subject to an option, the fund has no control

 

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over when it may be required to sell the underlying securities or currencies, since the option may be exercised at any time prior to the option’s expiration. If a call option which the fund has written expires, the fund will realize a gain in the amount of the premium; however, such gain may be offset by a decline in the market value of the underlying security or currency during the option period. If the call option is exercised, the fund will realize a gain or loss from the sale of the underlying security or currency. The security or currency covering the call option will be maintained in a segregated account with the fund’s custodian.

The premium the fund receives for writing a call option is deemed to constitute the market value of an option. The premium the fund will receive from writing a call option will reflect, among other things, the current market price of the underlying security or currency, the relationship of the exercise price to such market price, the implied price volatility of the underlying security or currency, and the length of the option period. In determining whether a particular call option should be written on a particular security or currency, the fund’s subadviser will consider the reasonableness of the anticipated premium and the likelihood that a liquid secondary market will exist for those options. The premium received by the fund for writing covered call options will be recorded as a liability in the fund’s statement of assets and liabilities. This liability will be adjusted daily to the option’s current market value, which will be calculated as described in “Determination of Net Asset Value.” The liability will be extinguished upon expiration of the option or delivery of the underlying security or currency upon the exercise of the option. The liability with respect to a listed option will also be extinguished upon the purchase of an identical option in a closing transaction.

Closing transactions will be effected in order to realize a profit or to limit losses on an outstanding call option, to prevent an underlying security or currency from being called, or to permit the sale of the underlying security or currency. Furthermore, effecting a closing transaction will permit the fund to write another call option on the underlying security or currency with either a different exercise price, expiration date or both. If the fund desires to sell a particular security or currency from its portfolio on which it has written a call option or purchases a put option, it will seek to effect a closing transaction prior to, or concurrently with, the sale of the security or currency. There is no assurance that the fund will be able to effect such closing transactions at a favorable price. If the fund cannot enter into such a transaction, it may be required to hold a security or currency that it might otherwise have sold, in which case it would continue to be at market risk with respect to the security or currency.

The fund will pay transaction costs in connection with the writing of options and in entering into closing purchase contracts. Transaction costs relating to options activity are normally higher than those applicable to purchases and sales of portfolio securities.

Call options written by the fund will normally have expiration dates of less than nine months from the date written. The exercise price of the options may be below, equal to or above the current market values of the underlying securities or currencies at the time the options are written. From time to time, the fund may purchase an underlying security or currency for delivery in accordance with the exercise of an option, rather than delivering such security or currency from its portfolio. In such cases, additional costs will be incurred.

The fund will realize a profit or loss from a closing purchase transaction if the cost of the transaction is less or more, respectively, than the premium received from the writing of the option. Because increases in the market price of a call option will generally reflect increases in the market price of the underlying security or currency, any loss resulting from the repurchase of a call option is likely to be offset in whole or in part by appreciation of the underlying security or currency owned by the fund.

Purchasing Put Options. The fund may purchase put options. As the holder of a put option, the fund has the right to sell the underlying security or currency at the exercise price at any time during the option period. The fund may enter into closing sale transactions with respect to such options, exercise them or permit them to expire.

The fund may purchase a put option on an underlying security or currency (a “protective put”) owned by the fund as a hedging technique in order to protect against an anticipated decline in the value of the security or

 

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currency. Such hedge protection is provided only during the life of the put option when the fund, as the holder of the put option, is able to sell the underlying security or currency at the put exercise price regardless of any decline in the underlying security’s market price or currency’s exchange value. For example, a put option may be purchased in order to protect unrealized appreciation of a security or currency when the fund’s subadviser deems it desirable to continue to hold the security or currency because of tax considerations. The premium paid for the put option and any transaction costs may reduce any capital gain or, in the case of currency, ordinary income otherwise available for distribution when the security or currency is eventually sold.

The fund may also purchase put options at a time when the fund does not own the underlying security or currency. By purchasing put options on a security or currency it does not own, the fund seeks to benefit from a decline in the market price of the underlying security or currency. If the put option is not sold when it has remaining value, and if the market price of the underlying security or currency remains equal to or greater than the exercise price during the life of the put option, the fund will lose its entire investment in the put option. In order for the purchase of a put option to be profitable, the market price of the underlying security or currency must decline sufficiently below the exercise price to cover the premium and transaction costs, unless the put option is sold in a closing sale transaction.

The premium paid by the fund when purchasing a put option will be recorded as an asset in the fund’s statement of assets and liabilities. This asset will be adjusted daily to the option’s current market value, as calculated by the fund. The asset will be extinguished upon expiration of the option or the delivery of the underlying security or currency upon the exercise of the option. The asset with respect to a listed option will also be extinguished upon the writing of an identical option in a closing transaction.

Purchasing Call Options. The fund may purchase call options. As the holder of a call option, the fund has the right to purchase the underlying security or currency at the exercise price at any time during the option period. The fund may enter into closing sale transactions with respect to such options, exercise them or permit them to expire. Call options may be purchased by the fund for the purpose of acquiring the underlying security or currency for its portfolio. Utilized in this fashion, the purchase of call options enables the fund to acquire the security or currency at the exercise price of the call option plus the premium paid. At times the net cost of acquiring the security or currency in this manner may be less than the cost of acquiring the security or currency directly. This technique may also be useful to the fund in purchasing a large block of securities that would be more difficult to acquire by direct market purchases. So long as it holds such a call option rather than the underlying security or currency itself, the fund is partially protected from any unexpected decline in the market price of the underlying security or currency and in such event could allow the call option to expire, incurring a loss only to the extent of the premium paid for the option.

The fund may also purchase call options on underlying securities or currencies it owns in order to protect unrealized gains on call options previously written by it. A call option would be purchased for this purpose where tax considerations make it inadvisable to realize such gains through a closing purchase transaction. Call options may also be purchased at times to avoid realizing losses that would result in a reduction of the fund’s current return.

Stock Index Options. The fund may purchase and write put and call options on U.S. stock indexes listed on U.S. exchanges for the purpose of hedging its portfolio holdings. A stock index fluctuates with changes in the market values of the stocks included in the index. Some stock index options are based on a broad market index such as the New York Stock Exchange Composite Index or a narrower market index such as the Standard & Poor’s 100. Indexes may also be based on an industry or market segment such as the Amex Oil Index or the Amex Computer Technology Index.

Options on stock indexes are similar to options on stock except that (a) the expiration cycles of stock index options are monthly, while those of stock options currently are quarterly, and (b) the delivery requirements are different. Instead of giving the right to take or make delivery of stock at a specified price, an option on a stock index gives the holder the right to receive a cash “exercise settlement amount” equal to (a) the amount, if any, by

 

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which the fixed exercise price of the option exceeds (in the case of a put) or is less than (in the case of a call) the closing value of the underlying index on the date of exercise, multiplied by (b) a fixed “index multiplier.” Receipt of this cash amount will depend upon the closing level of the stock index upon which the option is based being greater than, in the case of a call, or less than, in the case of a put, the exercise price of the option. The amount of cash received will be equal to such difference between the closing price of the index and the exercise price of the option expressed in dollars times a specified multiple. The writer of the option is obligated, in return for the premium received, to make delivery of this amount. The writer may offset its position in stock index options prior to expiration by entering into a closing transaction on an exchange or it may let the options expire unexercised.

The effectiveness of purchasing or writing stock index options as a hedging technique will depend upon the extent to which price movements in the portion of a securities portfolio being hedged correlate with price movements of the stock index selected. The value of an index option depends upon movements in the level of the index rather than the price of a particular stock. Whether a fund will realize a gain or loss from the purchase or writing of options on an index depends upon movements in the level of stock prices in the stock market generally or, in the case of certain indexes, in an industry or market segment, rather than movements in the price of a particular stock. Accordingly, successful use by a fund of options on stock indexes will be subject to a fund’s subadviser’s ability to correctly predict movements in the direction of the stock market generally or of a particular industry. This requires different skills and techniques than predicting changes in the prices of individual stocks.

The fund will engage in stock index options transactions only when determined by the fund’s subadviser to be consistent with the fund’s efforts to control risk. There can be no assurance that such judgment will be accurate or that the use of these portfolio strategies will be successful. When the fund writes an option on a stock index, the fund will establish a segregated account with its custodian in an amount equal to the market value of the option and will maintain the account while the option is open.

Interest Rate and Currency Futures Contracts. The fund may enter into interest rate or currency futures contracts as a hedge against changes in prevailing levels of interest rates or currency exchange rates in order to establish more definitely the effective return on securities or currencies held or committed to be acquired by the fund, as a substitute for buying or selling currencies or securities, as a cash flow management technique or for non-hedging purposes. The fund’s hedging may include holding futures as an offset against anticipated changes in interest or currency exchange rates. The fund may also enter into futures contracts based on financial indices including any index of U.S. Government securities, foreign government securities or corporate debt securities.

A futures contract provides for the future sale by one party and purchase by another party of a specified amount of a specific financial instrument or currency for a specified price at a designated date, time and place. The purchaser of a futures contract on an index agrees to take or make delivery of an amount of cash equal to the difference between a specified dollar multiple of the value of the index on the expiration date of the contract (“current contract value”) and the price at which the contract was originally struck. No physical delivery of the debt securities underlying the index is made. Brokerage fees are incurred when a futures contract is bought or sold, and margin deposits must be maintained at all times that the futures contract is outstanding.

Although techniques other than sales and purchases of futures contracts could be used to reduce the fund’s exposure to interest rate and currency exchange rate fluctuations, the fund may be able to hedge its exposure more effectively and at a lower cost through using futures contracts.

Although futures contracts typically require future delivery of and payment for financial instruments or currencies, futures contracts are usually closed out before the delivery date. Closing out an open futures contract

 

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sale or purchase is effected by entering into an offsetting futures contract purchase or sale, respectively, for the same aggregate amount of the identical financial instrument or currency and the same delivery date. If the offsetting purchase price is less than the original sale price, the fund realizes a gain; if it is more, the fund realizes a loss. Conversely, if the offsetting sale price is more than the original purchase price, the fund realizes a gain; if it is less, the fund realizes a loss. The transaction costs must also be included in these calculations. The fund intends to enter into futures transactions only on exchanges or boards of trade where there appears to be a liquid secondary market. There can be no assurance, however, that the fund will be able to enter into an offsetting transaction with respect to a particular futures contract at a particular time. If the fund is not able to enter into an offsetting transaction, the fund will continue to be required to maintain the margin deposits of the underlying financial instrument or currency on the relevant delivery date.

As an example of an offsetting transaction, the contractual obligations arising from the sale of one futures contract of September Treasury Bills on an exchange may be fulfilled at any time before delivery under the futures contract is required (i.e., on a specific date in September, the “delivery month”) by the purchase of another futures contract of September Treasury Bills on the same exchange. In such instance the difference between the price at which the futures contract was sold and the price paid for the offsetting purchase, after allowance for transaction costs, represents the profit or loss to the fund.

Persons who trade in futures contracts may be broadly classified as “hedgers” and “speculators.” Hedgers, whose business activity involves investment or other commitment in securities or other obligations, use the futures markets to offset unfavorable changes in value that may occur because of fluctuations in the value of the securities and obligations held or committed to be acquired by them or fluctuations in the value of the currency in which the securities or obligations are denominated. Debtors and other obligors may also hedge the interest cost of their obligations. The speculator, like the hedger, generally expects neither to deliver nor to receive the financial instrument underlying the futures contract, but, unlike the hedger, hopes to profit from fluctuations in prevailing interest rates or currency exchange rates.

The fund may enter into futures transactions for traditional hedging purposes; that is, futures contracts will be sold to protect against a decline in the price of securities or currencies that the fund owns, or futures contracts will be purchased to protect the fund against an increase in the price of securities or currencies it has committed to purchase or expects to purchase, as a substitute for buying or selling securities or currencies or as a cash flow management technique. The fund may also enter into futures transactions for non-hedging purposes.

“Margin” with respect to futures contracts is the amount of funds that must be deposited by the fund with a broker in order to initiate futures trading and to maintain the fund’s open positions in futures contracts. A margin deposit made when the futures contract is entered into (“initial margin”) is intended to assure the fund’s performance of the futures contract. The margin required for a particular futures contract is set by the exchange on which the futures contract is traded, and may be significantly modified from time to time by the exchange during the term of the futures contract. Futures contracts are customarily purchased and sold on margin, which may be 5% or less of the value of the futures contract being traded.

If the price of an open futures contract changes (by increase in the case of a sale or by decrease in the case of a purchase) so that the loss on the futures contract reaches a point at which the margin on deposit does not satisfy margin requirements, the broker will require an increase in the margin deposit (“variation margin”). If, however, the value of a position increases because of favorable price changes in the futures contract so that the margin deposit exceeds the required margin, it is anticipated that the broker will pay the excess to the fund. In computing daily net asset values, the fund will mark to market the current value of its open futures contracts. The fund expects to earn interest income on its margin deposits.

Options on Futures Contracts. Options on futures contracts are similar to options on securities or currencies except that options on futures contracts give the purchaser the right, in return for the premium paid, to assume a position in a futures contract (a long position if the option is a call and a short position if the option is a put), rather than to purchase or sell the futures contract, at a specified exercise price at any time during the period of

 

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the option. Upon exercise of the option, the delivery of the futures position by the writer of the option to the holder of the option will be accompanied by delivery of the accumulated balance in the writer’s futures margin account which represents the amount by which the market price of the futures contract, at exercise, exceeds (in the case of a call) or is less than (in the case of a put) the exercise price of the option on the futures contract. If an option is exercised on the last trading day prior to the expiration date of the option, the settlement will be made entirely in cash equal to the difference between the exercise price of the option and the closing level of the securities or currencies upon which the futures contracts are based on the expiration date. Purchasers of options who fail to exercise their options prior to the exercise date suffer a loss of the premium paid.

As an alternative to purchasing call and put options on futures, the fund may purchase call and put options on the underlying securities or currencies themselves (see “Purchasing Put Options” and “Purchasing Call Options” above). Such options would be used in a manner identical to the use of options on futures contracts.

To reduce or eliminate the leverage then employed by the fund or to reduce or eliminate the hedge position then currently held by the fund, the fund may seek to close out an option position by selling an option covering the same securities or currency and having the same exercise price and expiration date. The ability to establish and close out positions on options on futures contracts is subject to the existence of a liquid market. It is not certain that this market will exist at any specific time.

The Commodity Futures Trading Commission (“CFTC”) has eliminated limitations on futures transactions and options thereon by registered investment companies, provided that the investment manager to the registered investment company claims an exclusion from regulation as a commodity pool operator. The fund is operated by a person who has claimed an exclusion from the definition of the term “commodity pool operator” under the Commodity Exchange Act and therefore is not subject to registration or regulation as a pool operator under the Commodity Exchange Act. As a result of these CFTC rule changes, the fund is no longer restricted in its ability to enter into futures transactions and options thereon under CFTC regulations. The fund, however, continues to have policies with respect to futures and options thereon as set forth herein. The view of the staff of the SEC is that a fund’s long and short positions in future contracts as well as put and call options on futures written by it must be collateralized with cash or other liquid securities and segregated with the fund’s custodian or a designated sub-custodian or “covered” in a manner similar to that for covered options on securities and designed to eliminate any potential leveraging.

Forward Currency Contracts, Options on Currency and Currency Swaps. A forward currency contract is an obligation to purchase or sell a currency against another currency at a future date and price as agreed upon by the parties. The fund may either accept or make delivery of the currency at the maturity of the forward contract or, prior to maturity, enter into a closing transaction involving the purchase or sale of an offsetting contract. The fund engages in forward currency transactions in anticipation of, or to protect itself against, fluctuations in exchange rates. The fund might sell a particular foreign currency forward, for example, when it holds bonds denominated in that currency but anticipates, and seeks to be protected against, a decline in the currency against the U.S. dollar. Similarly, the fund might sell the U.S. dollar forward when it holds bonds denominated in U.S. dollars but anticipates, and seeks to be protected against, a decline in the U.S. dollar relative to other currencies. Further, the fund might purchase a currency forward to “lock in” the price of securities denominated in that currency which it anticipates purchasing.

The matching of the increase in value of a forward contract and the decline in the U.S. dollar equivalent value of the foreign currency denominated asset that is the subject of the hedge generally will not be precise. In addition, the fund may not always be able to enter into foreign currency forward contracts at attractive prices and this will limit the fund’s ability to use such contract to hedge or cross-hedge its assets. Also, with regard to the fund’s use of cross-hedges, there can be no assurance that historical correlations between the movement of certain foreign currencies relative to the U.S. dollar will continue. Thus, at any time poor correlation may exist between movements in the exchange rates of the foreign currencies underlying the fund’s cross-hedges and the movements in the exchange rates of the foreign currencies in which the fund’s assets that are the subject of such cross-hedges are denominated.

 

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Forward contracts are traded in an interbank market conducted directly between currency traders (usually large commercial banks) and their customers. A forward contract generally has no deposit requirement and is consummated without payment of any commission. The fund, however, may enter into forward contracts with deposit requirements or commissions.

A put option gives the fund, as purchaser, the right (but not the obligation) to sell a specified amount of currency at the exercise price until the expiration of the option. A call option gives the fund, as purchaser, the right (but not the obligation) to purchase a specified amount of currency at the exercise price until its expiration. The fund might purchase a currency put option, for example, to protect itself during the contract period against a decline in the value of a currency in which it holds or anticipates holding securities. If the currency’s value should decline, the loss in currency value should be offset, in whole or in part, by an increase in the value of the put. If the value of the currency instead should rise, any gain to the fund would be reduced by the premium it had paid for the put option. A currency call option might be purchased, for example, in anticipation of, or to protect against, a rise in the value of a currency in which the fund anticipates purchasing securities.

The fund’s ability to establish and close out positions in foreign currency options is subject to the existence of a liquid market. There can be no assurance that a liquid market will exist for a particular option at any specific time. In addition, options on foreign currencies are affected by all of those factors that influence foreign exchange rates and investments generally.

A position in an exchange-listed option may be closed out only on an exchange that provides a secondary market for identical options. Exchange markets for options on foreign currencies exist but are relatively new, and the ability to establish and close out positions on the exchanges is subject to maintenance of a liquid secondary market. Closing transactions may be effected with respect to options traded in the over-the-counter (“OTC”) markets (currently the primary markets for options on foreign currencies) only by negotiating directly with the other party to the option contract or in a secondary market for the option if such market exists. Although the fund intends to purchase only those options for which there appears to be an active secondary market, there is no assurance that a liquid secondary market will exist for any particular option at any specific time. In such event, it may not be possible to effect closing transactions with respect to certain options, with the result that the fund would have to exercise those options which it has purchased in order to realize any profit. The staff of the SEC has taken the position that, in general, purchased OTC options and the underlying securities used to cover written OTC options are illiquid securities. However, the fund may treat as liquid the underlying securities used to cover written OTC options, provided it has arrangements with certain qualified dealers who agree that the fund may repurchase any option it writes for a maximum price to be calculated by a predetermined formula. In these cases, the OTC option itself would only be considered illiquid to the extent that the maximum repurchase price under the formula exceeds the intrinsic value of the option.

The fund may also enter into currency swaps. A currency swap is an arrangement whereby each party exchanges one currency for another on a particular date and agrees to reverse the exchange on a later date at a specific exchange rate. Forward foreign currency contracts and currency swaps are established in the interbank market conducted directly between currency traders (usually large commercial banks or other financial institutions) on behalf of their customers.

Swaps, Caps and Floors. Among the hedging transactions into which the fund may enter are interest rate swaps and the purchase or sale of interest rate caps and floors. The fund expects to enter into these transactions primarily to preserve a return or spread on a particular investment or portion of its portfolio or to protect against any increase in the price of securities the fund anticipates purchasing at a later date. The fund intends to use these transactions as a hedge and not as a speculative investment. The fund will not sell interest rate caps or floors that it does not own. Interest rate swaps involve the exchange by the fund with another party of their respective commitments to pay or receive interest, e.g., an exchange of floating rate payments for fixed rate payments. The purchase of an interest rate cap entitles the purchaser, to the extent that a specified index exceeds a predetermined interest rate, to receive payments of interest on a notional principal amount from the party selling

 

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such interest rate cap. The purchase of an interest rate floor entitles the purchaser, to the extent that a specified index falls below a predetermined interest rate, to receive payments of interest on a notional principal amount from the party selling such interest rate floor.

The fund may enter into interest rate swaps, caps and floors on either an asset-based or liability-based basis, depending on whether it is hedging its assets or its liabilities, and will usually enter into interest rate swaps on a net basis, i.e., the two payment streams are netted, with the fund receiving or paying, as the case may be, only the net amount of the two payments. Inasmuch as these hedging transactions are entered into for good faith hedging purposes, the fund’s subadviser and the fund believe such obligations do not constitute senior securities and, accordingly will not treat them as being subject to their borrowing restrictions. The net amount of the excess, if any, of the fund’s obligations over its entitlements with respect to each interest rate swap will be accrued on a daily basis and an amount of cash or liquid securities having an aggregate net asset value at least equal to the accrued excess will be maintained in a segregated account by a custodian that satisfies the requirements of the 1940 Act. The fund will not enter into any interest rate swap, cap or floor transaction unless the unsecured senior debt or the claims-paying ability of the other party thereto is rated in the highest rating category of at least one nationally recognized statistical rating organization at the time of entering into such transaction. If there is a default by the other party to such a transaction, the fund will have contractual remedies pursuant to the agreements related to the transaction. The swap market has grown substantially in recent years with a large number of banks and investment banking firms acting both as principals and as agents utilizing swap documentation. As a result, the swap market has become relatively liquid. Caps and floors are more recent innovations for which standardized documentation has not yet been developed and, accordingly, they are less liquid than swaps.

Swap agreements are sophisticated hedging instruments that typically involve a small investment of cash relative to the magnitude of risks assumed. As a result, swaps can be highly volatile and may have a considerable impact on the fund’s performance. Swap agreements are subject to risks related to the counterparty’s ability to perform, and may decline in value if the counterparty’s creditworthiness deteriorates. The fund may also suffer losses if it is unable to terminate outstanding swap agreements or reduce its exposure through offsetting transactions. Swap agreements may be individually negotiated and structured to include exposure to a variety of different types of investments or market factors. Depending on their structure, swap agreements may increase or decrease the fund’s exposure to long or short-term interest rates (in the U.S. or abroad), foreign currency values, mortgage securities, corporate borrowing rates, or other factors such as securities prices or inflation rates. Swap agreements can take many different forms and are known by a variety of names. The fund is not limited to any particular form or variety of swap agreement if management determines it is consistent with the fund’s investment objective and policies.

The fund may enter into credit default swap contracts for hedging purposes or to add leverage to the portfolio. When used for hedging purposes, the fund would be the buyer of a credit default swap contract. In that case, the fund would be entitled to receive the par (or other agreed-upon) value of a referenced debt obligation from the counterparty to the contract in the event of a default by a third party, such as a U.S. or foreign issuer, on the debt obligation. In return, the fund would pay to the counterparty a periodic stream of payments over the term of the contract provided that no event of default has occurred. If no default occurs, the fund would have spent the stream of payments and received no benefit from the contract. When the fund is the seller of a credit default swap contract, it receives the stream of payments but is obligated to pay upon default of the referenced debt obligation. As the seller, the fund would effectively add leverage to its portfolio because, in addition to its total assets, the fund would be subject to investment exposure on the notional amount of the swap.

New options and futures contracts and various combinations thereof continue to be developed and the fund may invest in any such options and contracts as may be developed to the extent consistent with their investment objectives and regulatory requirements applicable to investment companies.

 

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OTHER PRACTICES

Repurchase Agreements. The fund may enter into repurchase agreements. International Fund may invest up to 25% of its total assets in repurchase agreements. A repurchase agreement is a contract under which a fund acquires a security for a relatively short period (usually not more than one week) subject to the obligation of the seller to repurchase and the fund to resell such security at a fixed time and price (representing the fund’s cost plus interest). It is the fund’s present intention to enter into repurchase agreements only upon receipt of fully adequate collateral and only with commercial banks (whether U.S. or foreign) and registered broker/dealers. Repurchase agreements may also be viewed as loans made by the fund which are collateralized primarily by the securities subject to repurchase. The fund bears a risk of loss in the event that the other party to a repurchase agreement defaults on its obligations and the fund is delayed in or prevented from exercising its rights to dispose of the collateral securities. Pursuant to policies established by the Board, the fund’s subadviser monitors the creditworthiness of all issuers with which the fund enters into repurchase agreements.

For the purpose of investing in repurchase agreements, the fund’s subadviser may aggregate the cash that certain funds advised or subadvised by them or their affiliates would otherwise invest separately into a joint account. The cash in the joint account is then invested in repurchase agreements and the funds that contributed to the joint account share pro rata in the net revenue generated. The fund’s subadviser believes that the joint account produces efficiencies and economies of scale that may contribute to reduced transaction costs, higher returns, higher quality investments and greater diversity of investments for the fund than would be available to the fund investing separately. The manner in which the joint account is managed is subject to conditions set forth in an SEC exemptive order authorizing this practice, which conditions are designed to ensure the fair administration of the joint account and to protect the amounts in that account.

Reverse Repurchase Agreements. The fund does not currently intend to commit more than 5% of its net assets to reverse repurchase agreements. The fund may enter into reverse repurchase agreements with broker/dealers and other financial institutions. Such agreements involve the sale of fund securities with an agreement to repurchase the securities at an agreed-upon price, date and interest payment, are considered to be borrowings by the fund and are subject to the borrowing limitations set forth under “Investment Restrictions.” Since the proceeds of reverse repurchase agreements are invested, this would introduce the speculative factor known as “leverage.” The securities purchased with amounts obtained from the agreement and securities collateralizing the agreement will have maturity dates no later than the repayment date. Generally the effect of such a transaction is that the fund can recover all or most of the cash invested in the portfolio securities involved during the term of the reverse repurchase agreement, while in many cases it will be able to keep some of the interest income associated with those securities. Such transactions are only advantageous if the fund has an opportunity to earn a greater rate of interest on the cash derived from the transaction than the interest cost of obtaining that cash. Opportunities to realize earnings from the use of the proceeds equal to or greater than the interest required to be paid may not always be available, and the fund intends to use the reverse repurchase technique only when the fund’s subadviser believes it will be advantageous to the fund. The use of reverse repurchase agreements may exaggerate any interim increase or decrease in the value of the fund’s assets. The Trust’s custodian bank will maintain a separate account for the fund with securities having a value equal to or greater than such commitments.

Borrowing. The fund may borrow up to 33% of the value of its total assets from banks for temporary or emergency purposes, such as to meet the redemptions of the fund’s shares.

Leverage. International Fund may borrow from banks, on a secured or unsecured basis, up to 33% of the value of its total assets and use the proceeds to make additional investments. Income and appreciation from such investments will improve the fund’s performance if they exceed the associated borrowing costs, but will impair the fund’s performance if they are less than the borrowing costs. This speculative factor is known as “leverage.”

Leverage creates an opportunity for increased returns to shareholders of the fund but, at the same time, creates special risk considerations. For example, leverage may exaggerate changes in the net asset value of the

 

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fund’s shares and in the fund’s yield. Although the principal or stated value of such borrowings will be fixed, the fund’s assets may change in value during the time the borrowing is outstanding. Leverage will create interest expenses for the fund which can exceed the income from the assets retained. To the extent the income or other gain derived from securities purchased with borrowed funds exceeds the interest the fund will have to pay in respect thereof, the fund’s net income or other gain will be greater than if leverage had not been used. Conversely, if the income or other gain from the incremental assets is not sufficient to cover the cost of leverage, the net income or other gain of the fund will be less than if leverage had not been used. If the amount of income from the incremental securities is insufficient to cover the cost of borrowing, securities might have to be liquidated to obtain required funds. Depending on market or other conditions, such liquidations could be disadvantageous to the fund.

Securities Lending. Consistent with applicable regulatory requirements and for cash management purposes, the fund may lend securities from its portfolio to brokers, dealers and other financial organizations. The fund may not lend portfolio securities to the fund’s subadviser or its affiliates unless they have applied for and received specific authority from the SEC. Loans of portfolio securities by the fund will be collateralized by cash, letters of credit or U.S. government securities that are maintained at all times in an amount equal to at least 100% of the current market value of the loaned securities. From time to time, the fund may return to the borrower and/or a third party, which is unaffiliated with the fund, Legg Mason, and is acting as a “finder,” a part of the interest earned from the investment of collateral received for securities loaned.

In lending its portfolio securities, the fund can increase its income by continuing to receive interest on the loaned securities as well as by either investing the cash collateral in short-term instruments or obtaining yield in the form of interest paid by the borrower when U.S. government securities are used as collateral. Requirements of the SEC, which may be subject to future modifications, currently provide that the following conditions must be met whenever the fund’s portfolio securities are loaned: (a) the fund must receive at least 102% cash collateral or equivalent securities from the borrower; (b) the borrower must increase such collateral whenever the market value of the securities rises above the level of such collateral; (c) the fund must be able to terminate the loan at any time; (d) the fund must receive reasonable interest on the loan, as well as an amount equal to any dividends, interest or other distributions on the loaned securities, and any increase in market value; (e) the fund may pay only reasonable custodian fees in connection with the loan; and (f) voting rights on the loaned securities may pass to the borrower; however, if a material event adversely affecting the investment occurs, the fund must terminate the loan and regain the right to vote the securities. The risks in lending portfolio securities, as with other extensions of secured credit, consist of possible delay in receiving additional collateral or in the recovery of the securities or possible loss of rights in the collateral should the borrower fail financially. Loans will be made to firms deemed by the fund’s subadviser to be of good standing and will not be made unless, in the judgment of the fund’s subadviser, the consideration to be earned from such loans would justify the risk. From time to time, the fund may return to the borrower and/or a third party, which is unaffiliated with the fund or the fund’s subadviser and is acting as a “finder,” a part of the interest earned from the investment of collateral received for securities loaned.

Generally, the borrower will be required to make payments to the fund in lieu of any dividends the fund would have otherwise received had it not loaned the shares to the borrower. Any such payments, however, will not be treated as “qualified dividend income” for purposes of determining what portion of the fund’s regular dividends (as defined below) received by individuals may be taxed at the rates generally applicable to long-term capital gains (see “Taxes” below).

When-Issued and Delayed Delivery Securities. The fund may purchase or sell securities on a when-issued or delayed delivery basis. When-issued or delayed delivery transactions arise when securities are purchased or sold by the fund with payment and delivery taking place in the future in order to secure what is considered to be an advantageous price and yield to the fund at the time of entering into the transaction. State Street Bank and Trust Company, the Trust’s custodian (the “Custodian”), will maintain, in a segregated account of the applicable fund, cash, debt securities of any grade or equity securities, having a value equal to or greater than the fund’s purchase

 

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commitments, provided such securities have been determined by the fund’s subadviser to be liquid and unencumbered, and are marked to market daily, pursuant to guidelines established by the Trustees. The Custodian will likewise segregate securities sold on a delayed basis. The payment obligations and the interest rates that will be received are each fixed at the time the fund enters into the commitment and no interest accrues to the fund until settlement. Thus, it is possible that the market value at the time of settlement could be higher or lower than the purchase price if the general level of interest rates has changed.

Short Sales. The fund may sell securities “short against the box.” While a short sale is the sale of a security the fund does not own, it is “against the box” if at all times when the short position is open, the fund owns an equal amount of the securities or securities convertible into, or exchangeable without further consideration for, securities of the same issue as the securities sold short.

Below Investment Grade Fixed Income Securities. Securities which are rated BBB by S&P or Baa by Moody’s are generally regarded as having adequate capacity to pay interest and repay principal, but may have some speculative characteristics. Securities rated below Baa by Moody’s or BBB by S&P are considered to have speculative characteristics, including the possibility of default or bankruptcy of the issuers of such securities, market price volatility based upon interest rate sensitivity, questionable creditworthiness and relative liquidity of the secondary trading market. Because high yield bonds have been found to be more sensitive to adverse economic changes or individual corporate developments and less sensitive to interest rate changes than higher-rated investments, an economic downturn could disrupt the market for high yield bonds and adversely affect the value of outstanding bonds and the ability of issuers to repay principal and interest. In addition, in a declining interest rate market, issuers of high yield bonds may exercise redemption or call provisions, which may force the fund, to the extent it owns such securities, to replace those securities with lower yielding securities. This could result in a decreased return.

Equity Swaps. International Fund may enter into equity swap agreements. Under a typical equity swap agreement, a counterparty such as a bank or broker/dealer agrees to pay the fund a return equal to the dividend payments and increase in value, if any, of an index or group of stocks, and the fund agrees in return to pay a fixed or floating rate of interest, plus any declines in value of the index. Swap agreements can also have features providing for maximum or minimum exposure to a designated index. In order to track the return of its designated index effectively, the fund would generally have to own other assets returning approximately the same amount as the interest rate payable by the fund under the swap agreement. The gross returns to be exchanged or “swapped” between the parties are calculated with respect to a “notional amount,” i.e., the return on or increase in value of a particular dollar amount invested at a particular interest rate or in a “basket” of securities representing a particular index. The “notional amount” of the swap transaction is only a fictitious basis on which to calculate the obligations that the parties to a swap transaction have agreed to exchange.

The Trust’s Master Trust Agreement permits the Board to establish additional series of the Trust from time to time. The investment objectives, policies and restrictions applicable to additional funds would be established by the Board at the time such funds were established and may differ from those set forth in the prospectus and this SAI.

RISK FACTORS

The following risk factors are intended to supplement the risks described above and in the fund’s prospectus.

General. Investors should realize that risk of loss is inherent in the ownership of any securities and that the fund’s net asset value will fluctuate, reflecting fluctuations in the market value of its portfolio positions.

Geographic Concentration. Concentration of a fund’s assets in one or a few countries or currencies will subject the fund to greater risks than if the fund’s assets were not geographically concentrated.

 

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Fixed Income Securities. Investments in fixed income securities may subject the fund to risks, including the following:

Interest Rate Risk. When interest rates decline, the market value of fixed income securities tends to increase. Conversely, when interest rates increase, the market value of fixed income securities tends to decline. The volatility of a security’s market value will differ depending upon the security’s duration, the issuer and the type of instrument.

Default Risk/Credit Risk. Investments in fixed income securities are subject to the risk that the issuer of the security could default on its obligations, causing the fund to sustain losses on such investments. A default could impact both interest and principal payments.

Call Risk and Extension Risk. Fixed income securities may be subject to both call risk and extension risk. Call risk exists when the issuer may exercise its right to pay principal on an obligation earlier than scheduled, which would cause cash flows to be returned earlier than expected. This typically results when interest rates have declined and the fund will suffer from having to reinvest in lower yielding securities. Extension risk exists when the issuer may exercise its right to pay principal on an obligation later than scheduled, which would cause cash flows to be returned later than expected. This typically results when interest rates have increased, and the fund will suffer from the inability to invest in higher yielding securities.

Inflation-Protected Securities Risks. The value of inflation-protected securities generally fluctuates in response to changes in real interest rates. Real interest rates are tied to the relationship between nominal interest rates and the rate of inflation. If nominal interest rates increase at a faster rate than inflation, real interest rates might rise, leading to a decrease in value of inflation-protected securities. Conversely, if inflation rises at a faster rate than nominal interest rates, real interest rates might decline, leading to an increase in value of inflation-protected securities.

If the fund purchases in the secondary market inflation-protected securities whose principal values have been adjusted upward due to inflation since issuance, the fund may experience a loss if there is a subsequent period of deflation. Additionally, if the fund purchases in the secondary market inflation-protected securities whose price has been adjusted upward due to real interest rates decreasing, the fund may experience a loss if real interest rates subsequently increase. If inflation is lower than expected during the period the fund holds an inflation-protected security, the fund may earn less on the security than on a conventional bond. Other than U.S. TIPS, the principal values of inflation-protected securities are not guaranteed. However, if the fund sells U.S. TIPS in the secondary market prior to maturity, the fund may experience a loss.

In addition, any increase in principal value caused by an increase in the index the inflation-protected securities are tied to is taxable in the year the increase occurs, even though the fund will not receive cash representing the increase at that time. As a result, the fund could be required at times to liquidate other investments, including when it is not advantageous to do so, in order to satisfy its distribution requirements as a regulated investment company under the Code. See “Taxes.”

If real interest rates rise (i.e., if interest rates rise for reasons other than inflation (for example, due to changes in currency exchange rates)), the value of the inflation-protected securities in the fund’s portfolio will decline. Moreover, because the principal amount of inflation-protected securities would be adjusted downward during a period of deflation, the fund will be subject to deflation risk with respect to its investments in these securities. Inflation-protected securities are tied to indices that are calculated based on the rates of inflation for prior periods. There can be no assurance that such indices will accurately measure the real rate of inflation.

The market for inflation-protected securities may be less developed or liquid, and more volatile, than certain other securities markets. Although the U.S. Treasury has announced that it will issue additional inflation-protected securities, there is no guarantee it will do so. There are a limited number of inflation-protected securities that are currently available for the fund to purchase, making the market less liquid and more volatile than the U.S. Treasury and agency markets.

 

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Income distributions of the fund are likely to fluctuate more than a conventional bond fund.

Below Investment Grade Fixed Income Securities. Securities which are rated BBB by S&P or Baa by Moody’s are generally regarded as having adequate capacity to pay interest and repay principal, but may have some speculative characteristics. Securities rated below Baa by Moody’s or BBB by S&P are considered to have speculative characteristics, including the possibility of default or bankruptcy of the issuers of such securities, market price volatility based upon interest rate sensitivity, questionable creditworthiness and relative liquidity of the secondary trading market. Because high yield bonds have been found to be more sensitive to adverse economic changes or individual corporate developments and less sensitive to interest rate changes than higher-rated investments, an economic downturn could disrupt the market for high yield bonds and adversely affect the value of outstanding bonds and the ability of issuers to repay principal and interest. In addition, in a declining interest rate market, issuers of high yield bonds may exercise redemption or call provisions, which may force a fund, to the extent it owns such securities, to replace those securities with lower yielding securities. This could result in a decreased return.

Foreign Securities. Investments in securities of foreign issuers involve certain risks not ordinarily associated with investments in securities of domestic issuers. Such risks include fluctuations in foreign exchange rates, future political and economic developments, and the possible imposition of exchange controls or other foreign governmental laws or restrictions. Since the fund will invest in securities denominated or quoted in currencies other than the U.S. dollar, changes in foreign currency exchange rates will, to the extent the fund does not adequately hedge against such fluctuations, affect the value of securities in its portfolio and the unrealized appreciation or depreciation of investments so far as U.S. investors are concerned. In addition, with respect to certain countries, there is the possibility of expropriation of assets, confiscatory taxation, political or social instability or diplomatic developments which could adversely affect investments in those countries.

There may be less publicly available information about a foreign company than about a U.S. company, and foreign companies may not be subject to accounting, auditing, and financial reporting standards and requirements comparable to or as uniform as those of U.S. companies. Foreign securities markets, while growing in volume, have, for the most part, substantially less volume than U.S. markets, and securities of many foreign companies are less liquid and their prices more volatile than securities of comparable U.S. companies. Transaction costs on foreign securities markets are generally higher than in the U.S. There is generally less government supervision and regulation of exchanges, brokers and issuers than there is in the U.S. A fund might have greater difficulty taking appropriate legal action in foreign courts. Dividend and interest income from foreign securities will generally be subject to withholding taxes by the country in which the issuer is located and may not be recoverable by the fund or the investors. Capital gains are also subject to taxation in some foreign countries.

Currency Risks. The U.S. dollar value of securities denominated in a foreign currency will vary with changes in currency exchange rates, which can be volatile. Accordingly, changes in the value of the currency in which the fund’s investments are denominated relative to the U.S. dollar will affect the fund’s net asset value. Exchange rates are generally affected by the forces of supply and demand in the international currency markets, the relative merits of investing in different countries and the intervention or failure to intervene of U.S. or foreign governments and central banks. However, currency exchange rates may fluctuate based on factors intrinsic to a country’s economy. Some emerging market countries also may have managed currencies, which are not free floating against the U.S. dollar. In addition, emerging markets are subject to the risk of restrictions upon the free conversion of their currencies into other currencies. Any devaluations relative to the U.S. dollar in the currencies in which the fund’s securities are quoted would reduce the fund’s net asset value per share.

Restrictions on Foreign Investment. Some countries prohibit or impose substantial restrictions on investments in their capital markets, particularly their equity markets, by foreign entities such as the fund. As illustrations, certain countries require governmental approval prior to investments by foreign persons, or limit the amount of investment by foreign persons in a particular company, or limit the investment by foreign persons to only a specific class of securities of a company which may have less advantageous terms than securities of the company available for purchase by nationals or limit the repatriation of funds for a period of time.

 

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The fund may invest in closed-end investment companies that concentrate their investments in the securities of a particular country. In accordance with the 1940 Act, the fund may invest up to 10% of its total assets in securities of closed-end investment companies. This restriction on investments in securities of closed-end investment companies may limit opportunities for the fund to invest indirectly in certain smaller capital markets. Shares of certain closed-end investment companies may at times be acquired only at market prices representing premiums to their net asset values. If the fund acquires shares in closed-end investment companies, shareholders would bear both their proportionate share of expenses in the fund (including management and advisory fees) and, indirectly, the expenses of such closed-end investment companies.

In some countries, banks or other financial institutions may constitute a substantial number of the leading companies or the companies with the most actively traded securities. Also, the 1940 Act restricts a fund’s investments in any equity security of an issuer which, in its most recent fiscal year, derived more than 15% of its revenues from “securities related activities,” as defined by the rules thereunder. These provisions may also restrict the fund’s investments in certain foreign banks and other financial institutions.

Smaller capital markets, while often growing in trading volume, have substantially less volume than U.S. markets, and securities in many smaller capital markets are less liquid and their prices may be more volatile than securities of comparable U.S. companies. Brokerage commissions, custodial services, and other costs relating to investment in smaller capital markets are generally more expensive than in the United States. Such markets have different clearance and settlement procedures, and in certain markets there have been times when settlements have been unable to keep pace with the volume of securities transactions, making it difficult to conduct such transactions. Further, satisfactory custodial services for investment securities may not be available in some countries having smaller capital markets, which may result in the fund incurring additional costs and delays in transporting and custodying such securities outside such countries. Delays in settlement could result in temporary periods when assets of the fund are uninvested and no return is earned thereon. The inability of the fund to make intended security purchases due to settlement problems could cause the fund to miss attractive investment opportunities. Inability to dispose of a portfolio security due to settlement problems could result either in losses to the fund due to subsequent declines in value of the portfolio security or, if the fund has entered into a contract to sell the security, could result in possible liability to the purchaser. Generally, there is less government supervision and regulation of exchanges, brokers and issuers in countries having smaller capital markets than there is in the United States.

Derivative Instruments. In accordance with its investment policies, the fund may invest in certain derivative instruments, which are securities or contracts that provide for payments based on or “derived” from the performance of an underlying asset, index or other economic benchmark. Essentially, a derivative instrument is a financial arrangement or a contract between two parties (and not a true security like a stock or a bond). Transactions in derivative instruments can be, but are not necessarily, riskier than investments in conventional stocks, bonds and money market instruments. A derivative instrument is more accurately viewed as a way of reallocating risk among different parties or substituting one type of risk for another. Every investment by the fund, including an investment in conventional securities, reflects an implicit prediction about future changes in the value of that investment. Every fund investment also involves a risk that the subadviser’s expectations will be wrong. Transactions in derivative instruments often enable a fund to take investment positions that more precisely reflect the subadviser’s expectations concerning the future performance of the various investments available to the fund. Derivative instruments can be a legitimate and often cost-effective method of accomplishing the same investment goals as could be achieved through other investment in conventional securities.

Derivative contracts include options, futures contracts, forward contracts, forward commitment and when-issued securities transactions, forward foreign currency exchange contracts and interest rate, mortgage, currency and credit default swaps. The following are the principal risks associated with derivative instruments.

Market risk: The instrument will decline in value or an alternative investment would have appreciated more, but this is no different from the risk of investing in conventional securities.

 

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Leverage and associated price volatility: Leverage causes increased volatility in the price and magnifies the impact of adverse market changes, but this risk may be consistent with the investment objective of even a conservative fund in order to achieve an average portfolio volatility that is within the expected range for that type of fund.

Credit risk: The issuer of the instrument may default on its obligation to pay interest and principal.

Liquidity and valuation risk: Many derivative instruments are traded in institutional markets rather than on an exchange. Nevertheless, many derivative instruments are actively traded and can be priced with as much accuracy as conventional securities. Derivative instruments that are custom designed to meet the specialized investment needs of a relatively narrow group of institutional investors such as the fund are not readily marketable and are subject to the fund’s restrictions on illiquid investments.

Correlation risk: There may be imperfect correlation between the price of the derivative and the underlying asset. For example, there may be price disparities between the trading markets for the derivative contract and the underlying asset.

Each derivative instrument purchased for the fund’s portfolio is reviewed and analyzed by the fund’s portfolio managers to assess the risk and reward of each such instrument in relation to the fund’s investment strategy. The decision to invest in derivative instruments or conventional securities is made by measuring the respective instrument’s ability to provide value to the fund and its shareholders.

Special Risks of Using Futures Contracts. The prices of futures contracts are volatile and are influenced by, among other things, actual and anticipated changes in interest rates, which in turn are affected by fiscal and monetary policies and national and international political and economic events.

At best, the correlation between changes in prices of futures contracts and of the securities or currencies being hedged can be only approximate. The degree of imperfection of correlation depends upon circumstances such as: variations in speculative market demand for futures and for debt securities or currencies, including technical influences in futures trading; and differences between the financial instruments being hedged and the instruments underlying the standard futures contracts available for trading, with respect to interest rate levels, maturities, and creditworthiness of issuers. A decision of whether, when, and how to hedge involves skill and judgment, and even a well-conceived hedge may be unsuccessful to some degree because of unexpected market behavior or interest rate trends.

Because of the low margin deposits required, futures trading involves an extremely high degree of leverage. As a result, a relatively small price movement in a futures contract may result in immediate and substantial loss, as well as gain, to the investor. For example, if, at the time of purchase, 10% of the value of the futures contract is deposited as margin, a subsequent 10% decrease in the value of the futures contract would result in a total loss of the margin deposit, before any deduction for the transaction costs, if the account were then closed out. A 15% decrease would result in a loss equal to 150% of the original margin deposit, if the futures contract were closed out. Thus, a purchase or sale of a futures contract may result in losses in excess of the amount invested in the futures contract. The fund, however, would presumably have sustained comparable losses if, instead of the futures contract, it had invested in the underlying financial instrument and sold it after the decline. Where the fund enters into futures transactions for non-hedging purposes, it will be subject to greater risks and could sustain losses which are not offset by gains on other fund assets.

Furthermore, in the case of a futures contract purchase, in order to be certain that the fund has sufficient assets to satisfy its obligations under a futures contract, the fund segregates and commits to back the Futures Contract with an amount of cash and liquid securities equal in value to the current value of the underlying instrument less the margin deposit.

Most U.S. futures exchanges limit the amount of fluctuation permitted in futures contract prices during a single trading day. The daily limit establishes the maximum amount that the price of a futures contract may vary

 

33


either up or down from the previous day’s settlement price at the end of a trading session. Once the daily limit has been reached in a particular type of futures contract, no trades may be made on that day at a price beyond that limit. The daily limit governs only price movement during a particular trading day and, therefore, does not limit potential losses, because the limit may prevent the liquidation of unfavorable positions. Futures contract prices have occasionally moved to the daily limit for several consecutive trading days with little or no trading, thereby preventing prompt liquidation of futures positions and subjecting some futures traders to substantial losses.

Issuer Risk. The value of fixed income securities issued by corporations may decline for a number of reasons which directly relate to the issuer such as management performance, financial leverage or reduced demand for the issuer’s goods and services.

Asset-Backed, Mortgage-Backed or Mortgage-Related Securities Risk. To the extent the fund invests significantly in asset-backed, mortgage-backed or mortgage-related securities, its exposure to prepayment and extension risks may be greater than other investments in fixed income securities. Mortgage derivatives held by the fund may have especially volatile prices and may have a disproportionate effect on the fund’s share price. Rising interest rates tend to extend the duration of mortgage-related securities, making them more sensitive to changes in interest rates. In addition, mortgage-related securities are subject to prepayment risk—the risk that borrowers may pay off their mortgages sooner than expected, particularly when interest rates decline. This can reduce the fund’s returns because the fund may have to reinvest that money at lower prevailing interest rates. The fund’s investments in other asset-backed securities are subject to risks similar to those associated with mortgage-backed securities.

Inflation Risk. Inflation risk is the risk that the value of certain fixed income assets or income from investments will be worth less in the future as inflation decreases the value of money although this risk is decreased to the extent a substantial portion of the fund is invested in U.S. TIPS or other inflation-protected securities. As inflation increases, the real value of the fund’s shares and distributions can decline.

European Monetary Union (EMU). As part of EMU, on January 1, 1999, 11 European countries adopted a single common currency—the euro. Budgetary decisions remain in the hands of each participating country, but are subject to each country’s commitment to avoid “excessive deficits” and other more specific budgetary criteria. A European Central Bank is responsible for setting the official interest rate within the euro zone. EMU may create new economic opportunities for investors, such as easier cross-border mergers, acquisitions and similar restructurings, more efficient distribution and product packaging and greater competition. However, EMU and the introduction of the euro present unique risks and uncertainties for investors in EMU-participating countries, including: (i) monetary and economic union on this scale has never before been attempted; (ii) there is uncertainty whether participating countries will remain committed to EMU in the face of changing economic conditions; (iii) instability within EMU may increase the volatility of European markets and may adversely affect the prices of securities of European issuers in the fund’s portfolio; (iv) there is uncertainty concerning the fluctuation of the euro relative to non-euro currencies; and (v) there is no assurance that interest rate, tax and labor regimes of EMU-participating countries will converge over time. These and other factors may cause market disruption and could adversely affect European securities and currencies held by the fund.

Disclosure of Portfolio Holdings

The fund’s Board of Trustees has adopted policies and procedures developed by LMPFA with respect to the disclosure of the fund’s portfolio securities and any ongoing arrangements to make available information about the fund’s portfolio securities. The policy requires that consideration always be given as to whether disclosure of information about the fund’s portfolio holdings is in the best interests of the fund’s shareholders, and that any conflicts of interest between the interests of the fund’s shareholders and those of LMPFA, the fund’s distributors, or their affiliates, be addressed in a manner that places the interests of fund shareholders first. The policy provides that information regarding a fund’s portfolio holdings may not be shared with non-Legg Mason employees, with investors or potential investors (whether individual or institutional), or with third parties unless it is done for legitimate fund business purposes and in accordance with the policy.

 

34


LMPFA’s policy generally provides for the release of details of securities positions once they are considered “stale.” Data is considered stale 25 calendar days following quarter-end for funds other than money market funds, and 25 calendar days following month-end with respect to money market funds. LMPFA believes that this passage of time prevents a third party from benefiting from an investment decision made by a fund that has not been fully reflected by the market.

Under the policy, the fund’s complete list of holdings (including the size of each position) may be made available to investors, potential investors, third parties and non-Legg Mason employees with simultaneous public disclosure at least 25 days after calendar quarter end, except in the case of a money market fund’s holdings, which may be released with simultaneous public disclosure at least 25 days after month end. Typically, simultaneous public disclosure is achieved by the filing of Form N-Q or Form N-CSR in accordance with SEC rules, provided that such filings may not be made until 25 days following quarter-end and/or posting the information to a Legg Mason or the fund’s Internet site that is accessible by the public, or through public release by a third party vendor.

The policy permits the release of limited portfolio holdings information that is not yet considered stale in a number of situations, including:

1. The fund’s top ten securities, current as of month-end, and the individual size of each such security position may be released at any time following month-end with simultaneous public disclosure.

2. The fund’s top ten securities positions (including the aggregate but not individual size of such positions) may be released at any time with simultaneous public disclosure.

3. The list of securities (that may include fund holdings together with other securities) followed by a portfolio manager (without position sizes or identification of particular funds) may be disclosed to sell-side brokers at any time for the purpose of obtaining research and/or market information from such brokers.

4. The trade in process may be discussed only with counterparties, potential counterparties and others involved in the transaction (i.e., brokers and custodians).

5. The fund’s sector weightings, yield and duration (for fixed income and money market funds), performance attribution (e.g., analysis of the fund’s out-performance or underperformance of its benchmark based on its portfolio holdings) and other summary and statistical information that does not include identification of specific portfolio holdings may be released, even if non-public, if such release is otherwise in accordance with the policy’s general principles.

6. The fund’s portfolio holdings may be released on an as-needed basis to its legal counsel, counsel to its Independent Trustees and its independent public accounting firm, in required regulatory filings or otherwise to governmental agencies and authorities.

Under the policy, if information about the fund’s portfolio holdings is released pursuant to an ongoing arrangement with any party, the fund must have a legitimate business purpose for the release of the information, and either the party receiving the information must be under a duty of confidentiality, or the release of non-public information must be subject to trading restrictions and confidential treatment to prohibit the entity from sharing with an unauthorized source or trading upon any non-public information provided. Neither the fund, nor Legg Mason, nor any other affiliated party may receive compensation or any other consideration in connection with such arrangements. Ongoing arrangements to make available information about the fund’s portfolio securities will be reviewed at least annually by the fund’s Board.

The approval of the fund’s Chief Compliance Officer, or designee, must be obtained before entering into any new ongoing arrangement or altering any existing ongoing arrangement to make available portfolio holdings information, or with respect to any exceptions to the policy. Any exceptions to the policy must be consistent with

 

35


the purposes of the policy. Exceptions are considered on a case-by-case basis and are granted only after a thorough examination and consultation with LMPFA’s legal department, as necessary. Exceptions to the policies are reported to the fund’s Board at its next regularly scheduled meeting.

Currently, the fund discloses its complete portfolio holdings approximately 25 days after calendar quarter end on its website http://www.leggmason.com/InvestorServices.

Set forth below is a list, as of March 13, 2007, of those parties with whom LMPFA, on behalf of the fund, has authorized ongoing arrangements that include the release of portfolio holdings information, in accordance with the policy, as well as the frequency of the release under such arrangements, and the length of the lag, if any, between the date of the information and the date on which the information is disclosed. The parties identified below as recipients are service providers, fund rating agencies, consultants and analysts.

 

Recipient

  

Frequency

  

Delay before dissemination

State Street Bank and Trust Company
(Fund Custodian and Accounting Agent)
   Daily    None
Institutional Shareholders Services
(Proxy Voting Services)
   As necessary    None
Bloomberg    Quarterly    25 Days after Quarter End
Lipper    Quarterly    25 Days after Quarter End
S&P    Quarterly    25 Days after Quarter End
Morningstar    Quarterly    25 Days after Quarter End
Vestek    Daily    None
Factset    Daily    None
The Bank of New York    Daily    None

Portfolio holdings information for the fund may also be released from time to time pursuant to ongoing arrangements with the following parties:

 

Recipient

  

Frequency

  

Delay before dissemination

Baseline

   Daily    None

Frank Russell

   Monthly    1 Day

Callan

   Quarterly    25 Days after Quarter End

Mercer

   Quarterly    25 Days after Quarter End

eVestment Alliance

   Quarterly    25 Days after Quarter End

CRA RogersCasey

   Quarterly    25 Days after Quarter End

Cambridge Associates

   Quarterly    25 Days after Quarter End

Marco Consulting

   Quarterly    25 Days after Quarter End

Wilshire

   Quarterly    25 Days after Quarter End

Informa Investment Services (Efron)

   Quarterly    25 Days after Quarter End

CheckFree (Mobius)

   Quarterly    25 Days after Quarter End

Nelsons Information

   Quarterly    25 Days after Quarter End

Investor Tools

   Daily    None

Advent

   Daily    None

BARRA

   Daily    None

Plexus

   Quarterly (Calendar)    Sent 1-3 Business Days following the end of a Quarter

 

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Recipient

  

Frequency

  

Delay before dissemination

Elkins/McSherry

   Quarterly (Calendar)    Sent 1-3 Business Days following the end of a Quarter

Quantitative Services Group

   Daily    None

AMBAC

   Daily    None

Deutsche Bank

   Monthly    6-8 Business Days

Fitch

   Monthly    6-8 Business Days

Liberty Hampshire

   Weekly and Month End    None

Sun Trust

   Weekly and Month End    None

New England Pension Consultants

   Quarterly    25 Days after Quarter End

Evaluation Associates

   Quarterly    25 Days after Quarter End

Watson Wyatt

   Quarterly    25 Days after Quarter End

S&P (Rating Agency)

   Weekly Tuesday Night    1 Business Day

Moody’s (Rating Agency)

   Weekly Tuesday Night    1 Business Day

Elektra Information Systems

   Daily    None

SunGard

   Daily    None

INVESTMENT POLICIES

The fund has adopted the following fundamental policies, which cannot be changed without approval by a “vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities” of the fund as defined in the 1940 Act and Rule 18f-2 thereunder (see “Voting”). The fund also has adopted certain non-fundamental policies, which can be changed without shareholder approval. These policies are described in more detail below.

If any percentage restriction described below is complied with at the time of an investment, a later increase or decrease in percentage resulting from a change in values or assets will not constitute a violation of such restriction.

Fundamental Investment Policies

The fund’s fundamental policies are as follows:

1. The fund may not borrow money except as permitted by (i) the 1940 Act, or interpretations or modifications by the SEC, SEC staff or other authority with appropriate jurisdiction, or (ii) exemptive or other relief or permission from the SEC, SEC staff or other authority.

2. The fund may not engage in the business of underwriting the securities of other issuers except as permitted by (i) the 1940 Act, or interpretations or modifications by the SEC, SEC staff or other authority with appropriate jurisdiction, or (ii) exemptive or other relief or permission from the SEC, SEC staff or other authority.

3. The fund may lend money or other assets to the extent permitted by (i) the 1940 Act, or interpretations or modifications by the SEC, SEC staff or other authority with appropriate jurisdiction, or (ii) exemptive or other relief or permission from the SEC, SEC staff or other authority.

4. The fund may not issue senior securities except as permitted by (i) the 1940 Act, or interpretations or modifications by the SEC, SEC staff or other authority with appropriate jurisdiction, or (ii) exemptive or other relief or permission from the SEC, SEC staff or other authority.

5. The fund may not purchase or sell real estate except as permitted by (i) the 1940 Act, or interpretations or modifications by the SEC, SEC staff or other authority with appropriate jurisdiction, or (ii) exemptive or other relief or permission from the SEC, SEC staff or other authority.

 

37


6. The fund may purchase or sell commodities or contracts related to commodities to the extent permitted by (i) the 1940 Act, or interpretations or modifications by the SEC, SEC staff or other authority with appropriate jurisdiction, or (ii) exemptive or other relief or permission from the SEC, SEC staff or other authority.

7. Except as permitted by exemptive or other relief or permission from the SEC, SEC staff or other authority with appropriate jurisdiction, the fund may not make any investment if, as a result, the fund’s investments will be concentrated in any one industry.

With respect to the fundamental policy relating to borrowing money set forth in (1) above, the 1940 Act permits a fund to borrow money in amounts of up to one-third of the fund’s total assets from banks for any purpose, and to borrow up to 5% of the fund’s total assets from banks or other lenders for temporary purposes. To limit the risks attendant to borrowing, the 1940 Act requires the fund to maintain at all times an “asset coverage” of at least 300% of the amount of its borrowings. Asset coverage means the ratio that the value of the fund’s total assets, minus liabilities other than borrowings, bears to the aggregate amount of all borrowings. Certain trading practices and investments, such as reverse repurchase agreements, may be considered to be borrowings and thus subject to the 1940 Act restrictions. Borrowing money to increase portfolio holdings is known as “leveraging.” Borrowing, especially when used for leverage, may cause the value of a fund’s shares to be more volatile than if the fund did not borrow. This is because borrowing tends to magnify the effect of any increase or decrease in the value of the fund’s portfolio holdings. Borrowed money thus creates an opportunity for greater gains, but also greater losses. To repay borrowings, the fund may have to sell securities at a time and at a price that is unfavorable to the fund. There also are costs associated with borrowing money, and these costs would offset and could eliminate a fund’s net investment income in any given period. Currently the fund does not contemplate borrowing money for leverage, but if the fund does so, it will not likely do so to a substantial degree. The policy in (1) above will be interpreted to permit the fund to engage in trading practices and investments that may be considered to be borrowing to the extent permitted by the 1940 Act. Short-term credits necessary for the settlement of securities transactions and arrangements with respect to securities lending will not be considered to be borrowings under the policy. Practices and investments that may involve leverage but are not considered to be borrowings are not subject to the policy.

With respect to the fundamental policy relating to underwriting set forth in (2) above, the 1940 Act does not prohibit a fund from engaging in the underwriting business or from underwriting the securities of other issuers; in fact, the 1940 Act permits a fund to have underwriting commitments of up to 25% of its assets under certain circumstances. Those circumstances currently are that the amount of the fund’s underwriting commitments, when added to the value of the fund’s investments in issuers where the fund owns more than 10% of the outstanding voting securities of those issuers, cannot exceed the 25% cap. A fund engaging in transactions involving the acquisition or disposition of portfolio securities may be considered to be an underwriter under the 1933 Act. Under the 1933 Act, an underwriter may be liable for material omissions or misstatements in an issuer’s registration statement or prospectus. Securities purchased from an issuer and not registered for sale under the 1933 Act are considered restricted securities. There may be a limited market for these securities. If these securities are registered under the 1933 Act, they may then be eligible for sale but participating in the sale may subject the seller to underwriter liability. These risks could apply to a fund investing in restricted securities. Although it is not believed that the application of the 1933 Act provisions described above would cause a fund to be engaged in the business of underwriting, the policy in (2) above will be interpreted not to prevent the fund from engaging in transactions involving the acquisition or disposition of portfolio securities, regardless of whether the fund may be considered to be an underwriter under the 1933 Act.

With respect to the fundamental policy relating to lending set forth in (3) above, the 1940 Act does not prohibit a fund from making loans; however, SEC staff interpretations currently prohibit funds from lending more than one-third of their total assets, except through the purchase of debt obligations or the use of repurchase agreements. (A repurchase agreement is an agreement to purchase a security, coupled with an agreement to sell that security back to the original seller on an agreed-upon date at a price that reflects current interest rates. The

 

38


SEC frequently treats repurchase agreements as loans.) While lending securities may be a source of income to a fund, as with other extensions of credit, there are risks of delay in recovery or even loss of rights in the underlying securities should the borrower fail financially. However, loans would be made only when the fund’s manager or a subadviser believes the income justifies the attendant risks. The fund also will be permitted by this policy to make loans of money, including to other funds. A fund would have to obtain exemptive relief from the SEC to make loans to other funds. The policy in (3) above will be interpreted not to prevent the fund from purchasing or investing in debt obligations and loans. In addition, collateral arrangements with respect to options, forward currency and futures transactions and other derivative instruments, as well as delays in the settlement of securities transactions, will not be considered loans.

With respect to the fundamental policy relating to issuing senior securities set forth in (4) above, “senior securities” are defined as fund obligations that have a priority over the fund’s shares with respect to the payment of dividends or the distribution of fund assets. The 1940 Act prohibits a fund from issuing senior securities except that the fund may borrow money in amounts of up to one-third of the fund’s total assets from banks for any purpose. A fund also may borrow up to 5% of the fund’s total assets from banks or other lenders for temporary purposes, and these borrowings are not considered senior securities. The issuance of senior securities by a fund can increase the speculative character of the fund’s outstanding shares through leveraging. Leveraging of a fund’s portfolio through the issuance of senior securities magnifies the potential for gain or loss on monies, because even though the fund’s net assets remain the same, the total risk to investors is increased to the extent of the fund’s gross assets. The policy in (4) above will be interpreted not to prevent collateral arrangements with respect to swaps, options, forward or futures contracts or other derivatives, or the posting of initial or variation margin.

With respect to the fundamental policy relating to real estate set forth in (5) above, the 1940 Act does not prohibit a fund from owning real estate; however, a fund is limited in the amount of illiquid assets it may purchase. Investing in real estate may involve risks, including that real estate is generally considered illiquid and may be difficult to value and sell. Owners of real estate may be subject to various liabilities, including environmental liabilities. To the extent that investments in real estate are considered illiquid, the current SEC staff position generally limits a fund’s purchases of illiquid securities to 15% of net assets. The policy in (5) above will be interpreted not to prevent a fund from investing in real estate-related companies, companies whose businesses consist in whole or in part of investing in real estate, instruments (like mortgages) that are secured by real estate or interests therein, or real estate investment trust securities.

With respect to the fundamental policy relating to commodities set forth in (6) above, the 1940 Act does not prohibit a fund from owning commodities, whether physical commodities and contracts related to physical commodities (such as oil or grains and related futures contracts), or financial commodities and contracts related to financial commodities (such as currencies and, possibly, currency futures). However, a fund is limited in the amount of illiquid assets it may purchase. To the extent that investments in commodities are considered illiquid, the current SEC staff position generally limits a fund’s purchases of illiquid securities to 15% of net assets. If a fund were to invest in a physical commodity or a physical commodity-related instrument, the fund would be subject to the additional risks of the particular physical commodity and its related market. The value of commodities and commodity-related instruments may be extremely volatile and may be affected either directly or indirectly by a variety of factors. There also may be storage charges and risks of loss associated with physical commodities. The policy in (6) above will be interpreted to permit investments in exchange traded funds that invest in physical and/or financial commodities.

With respect to the fundamental policy relating to concentration set forth in (7) above, the 1940 Act does not define what constitutes “concentration” in an industry. The SEC staff has taken the position that investment of 25% or more of a fund’s total assets in one or more issuers conducting their principal activities in the same industry or group of industries constitutes concentration. It is possible that interpretations of concentration could change in the future. A fund that invests a significant percentage of its total assets in a single industry may be particularly susceptible to adverse events affecting that industry and may be more risky than a fund that does not

 

39


concentrate in an industry. The policy in (7) above will be interpreted to refer to concentration as that term may be interpreted from time to time. The policy also will be interpreted to permit investment without limit in the following: securities of the U.S. government and its agencies or instrumentalities; securities of state, territory, possession or municipal governments and their authorities, agencies, instrumentalities or political subdivisions; securities of foreign governments; and repurchase agreements collateralized by any such obligations. Accordingly, issuers of the foregoing securities will not be considered to be members of any industry. There also will be no limit on investment in issuers domiciled in a single jurisdiction or country. The policy also will be interpreted to give broad authority to a fund as to how to classify issuers within or among industries.

The fund’s fundamental policies are written and will be interpreted broadly. For example, the policies will be interpreted to refer to the 1940 Act and the related rules as they are in effect from time to time, and to interpretations and modifications of or relating to the 1940 Act by the SEC and others as they are given from time to time. When a policy provides that an investment practice may be conducted as permitted by the 1940 Act, the policy will be interpreted to mean either that the 1940 Act expressly permits the practice or that the 1940 Act does not prohibit the practice.

Non-Fundamental Investment Policies

Under the non-fundamental investment policies adopted by the fund, the fund may not:

1. Purchase any securities on margin (except for such short-term credits as are necessary for the clearance of purchases and sales of portfolio securities) or sell any securities short (except “against the box”). For purposes of this restriction, the deposit or payment by the fund of underlying securities and other assets in escrow and collateral agreements with respect to initial or maintenance margin in connection with futures contracts and related options and options on securities, indexes or similar items is not considered to be the purchase of a security on margin.

2. Purchase interests in oil, gas and/or mineral exploration or development programs (including mineral leases), except for purchases of currencies and futures and options and other related contracts as described in the prospectus from time to time and except for the purchase of marketable securities issued by companies that have such interests.

3. Purchase securities of any other registered investment company, except in connection with a merger, consolidation, reorganization or acquisition of assets; provided, however, that the fund may also purchase shares of other investment companies pursuant to Section 12(d)(1)(A) of the 1940 Act.

4. Make investments in securities for the purpose of exercising control or managing the issuer.

5. Purchase securities of any issuer (including any predecessor) which has been in operation for less than three years if immediately after such purchase more than 5% of the value of the total assets of the fund would be invested in such securities.

6. Purchase or otherwise acquire any security if, as a result, more than 15% of its net assets would be invested in securities that are illiquid.

Diversification

The International Fund is currently classified as a diversified fund under the 1940 Act. This means that the fund may not purchase securities of an issuer (other than obligations issued or guaranteed by the U.S. government, its agencies or instrumentalities) if, with respect to 75% of its total assets, (a) more than 5% of the fund’s total assets would be invested in securities of that issuer, or (b) the fund would hold more than 10% of the outstanding voting securities of that issuer. With respect to the remaining 25% of its total assets, the fund can invest more than 5% of its assets in one issuer. Under the 1940 Act, the fund cannot change its classification from diversified to non-diversified without shareholder approval.

TAXES

The following is a summary of certain material U.S. federal income tax considerations regarding the purchase, ownership and disposition of shares of the fund. This summary does not address all of the potential

 

40


U.S. federal income tax consequences that may be applicable to the fund or to all categories of investors, some of which may be subject to special tax rules. Current and prospective shareholders are urged to consult their own tax advisers with respect to the specific federal, state, local and foreign tax consequences of investing in the fund. The summary is based on the laws in effect on the date of this SAI and existing judicial and administrative interpretations thereof, all of which are subject to change, possibly with retroactive effect.

The Fund and Its Investments

The fund intends to continue to qualify to be treated as a separate regulated investment company under the Code each taxable year. To so qualify, the fund must, among other things: (a) derive at least 90% of its gross income in each taxable year from dividends, interest, payments with respect to securities loans and gains from the sale or other disposition of stock or securities or foreign currencies, or other income (including, but not limited to, gains from options, futures or forward contracts) derived with respect to its business of investing in such stock, securities or currencies and net income derived from interests in “qualified publicly traded partnerships” (i.e., partnerships that are traded on an established securities market or tradable on a secondary market, other than partnerships that derive 90% of their income from interest, dividends, capital gains, and other traditional permitted mutual fund income); and (b) diversify its holdings so that, at the end of each quarter of the fund’s taxable year, (i) at least 50% of the market value of the fund’s assets is represented by cash, securities of other regulated investment companies, U.S. government securities and other securities, with such other securities limited, in respect of any one issuer, to an amount not greater than 5% of the fund’s assets and not greater than 10% of the outstanding voting securities of such issuer and (ii) not more than 25% of the value of its assets is invested in the securities (other than U.S. government securities or securities of other regulated investment companies) of any one issuer, any two or more issuers of which the fund holds 20% or more of the outstanding voting securities and that are determined to be engaged in the same or similar trades or businesses or related trades or businesses or in the securities of one or more qualified publicly traded partnerships.

The fund’s investments in partnerships, including in qualified publicly traded partnerships, may result in the fund’s being subject to state, local or foreign income, franchise or withholding tax liabilities.

As a regulated investment company, the fund will not be subject to U.S. federal income tax on the portion of its taxable investment income and capital gains that it distributes to its shareholders, provided that it satisfies a minimum distribution requirement. To satisfy the minimum distribution requirement, the fund must distribute to its shareholders at least the sum of (i) 90% of its “investment company taxable income” (i.e., income other than its net realized long-term capital gain over its net realized short-term capital loss), plus or minus certain adjustments, and (ii) 90% of its net tax-exempt income for the taxable year. The fund will be subject to income tax at regular corporation rates on any taxable income or gains that it does not distribute to its shareholders.

On October 31, 2006, the fund had no unused capital loss carryover.

The Code imposes a 4% nondeductible excise tax on the fund to the extent it does not distribute by the end of any calendar year at least the sum of (i) 98% of its ordinary income for that year and (ii) 98% of its capital gain net income (both long-term and short-term) for the one-year period ending, as a general rule, on October 31 of that year. For this purpose, however, any ordinary income or capital gain net income retained by the fund that is subject to corporate income tax will be considered to have been distributed by year-end. In addition, the minimum amounts that must be distributed in any year to avoid the excise tax will be increased or decreased to reflect any underdistribution or overdistribution, as the case may be, from the previous year. The fund anticipates that it will pay such dividends and will make such distributions as are necessary in order to avoid the application of this excise tax.

If, in any taxable year, the fund fails to qualify as a regulated investment company under the Code or fails to meet the distribution requirement, it will be taxed in the same manner as an ordinary corporation and distributions to its shareholders will not be deductible by the fund in computing its taxable income. In addition, in the event of a failure to qualify, the fund’s distributions, to the extent derived from the fund’s current or accumulated earnings

 

41


and profits, including any distributions of net long-term capital gains, will be taxable to shareholders as dividend income. However, such dividends will be eligible (i) to be treated as qualified dividend income in the case of shareholders taxed as individuals and (ii) for the dividends received deduction in the case of corporate shareholders. Moreover, if the fund fails to qualify as a regulated investment company in any year, it must pay out its earnings and profits accumulated in that year in order to qualify again as a regulated investment company. If the fund failed to qualify as a regulated investment company for a period greater than two taxable years, the fund may be required to recognize any net built-in gains with respect to certain of its assets (i.e., the excess of the aggregate gains, including items of income, over aggregate losses that would have been realized with respect to such assets if the fund had been liquidated) if it qualifies as a regulated investment company in a subsequent year.

The fund’s transactions in zero coupon securities, foreign currencies, forward contracts, options and futures contracts (including options and futures contracts on foreign currencies), to the extent permitted, will be subject to special provisions of the Code (including provisions relating to “hedging transactions” and “straddles”) that, among other things, may affect the character of gains and losses realized by the fund (i.e., may affect whether gains or losses are ordinary or capital), accelerate recognition of income to the fund and defer fund losses. These rules could therefore affect the character, amount and timing of distributions to shareholders. These provisions also (a) will require the fund to mark-to-market certain types of the positions in its portfolio (i.e., treat them as if they were closed out at the end of each year) and (b) may cause the fund to recognize income without receiving cash with which to pay dividends or make distributions in amounts necessary to satisfy the distribution requirements for avoiding income and excise taxes. The fund will monitor its transactions, will make the appropriate tax elections and will make the appropriate entries in its books and records when it acquires any foreign currency, forward contract, option, futures contract or hedged investment in order to mitigate the effect of these rules and prevent disqualification of the fund as a regulated investment company.

The fund’s investment in so-called “section 1256 contracts,” such as regulated futures contracts, most foreign currency forward contracts traded in the interbank market and options on most stock indices, are subject to special tax rules. All section 1256 contracts held by the fund at the end of its taxable year are required to be marked to their market value, and any unrealized gain or loss on those positions will be included in the fund’s income as if each position had been sold for its fair market value at the end of the taxable year. The resulting gain or loss will be combined with any gain or loss realized by the fund from positions in section 1256 contracts closed during the taxable year. Provided such positions were held as capital assets and were not part of a “hedging transaction” nor part of a “straddle,” 60% of the resulting net gain or loss will be treated as long-term capital gain or loss, and 40% of such net gain or loss will be treated as short-term capital gain or loss, regardless of the period of time the positions were actually held by the fund.

The fund may be required to treat amounts as taxable income or gain, subject to the distribution requirements referred to above, even though no corresponding amounts of cash are received concurrently, as a result of (1) mark-to-market, constructive sale or rules applicable to PFICs (as defined below) or partnerships or trusts in which the fund invests or to certain options, futures or forward contracts, or “appreciated financial positions” or (2) the inability to obtain cash distributions or other amounts due to currency controls or restrictions on repatriation imposed by a foreign country with respect to the fund’s investments (including through depositary receipts) in issuers in such country or (3) tax rules applicable to debt obligations acquired with “original issue discount,” including zero-coupon or deferred payment bonds and pay-in-kind debt obligations, or to market discount if an election is made with respect to such market discount. The fund may therefore be required to obtain cash to be used to satisfy these distribution requirements by selling securities at times that it might not otherwise be desirable to do so or borrowing the necessary cash, thereby incurring interest expenses.

In general, gain or loss on a short sale is recognized when the fund closes the sale by delivering the borrowed property to the lender, not when the borrowed property is sold. Gain or loss from a short sale is generally considered as capital gain or loss to the extent that the property used to close the short sale constitutes a capital asset in a fund’s hands. Except with respect to certain situations where the property used by the fund to close a short sale has a long-term holding period on the date of the short sale, special rules would generally treat

 

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the gains on short sales as short-term capital gains. These rules may also terminate the running of the holding period of “substantially identical property” held by the fund. Moreover, a loss on a short sale will be treated as a long-term capital loss if, on the date of the short sale, “substantially identical property” has been held by the fund for more than one year. In general, the fund will not be permitted to deduct payments made to reimburse the lender of securities for dividends paid on borrowed stock if the short sale is closed on or before the 45th day after the short sale is entered into.

A negative inflation adjustment will reduce the amount of interest otherwise includible with respect to in inflation-adjusted debt instrument. Where the negative inflation adjustment exceeds income includible by the fund for the taxable year, it will be treated as an ordinary loss to the extent of the fund’s total interest inclusions in previous years with respect to such debt instrument.

As a result of entering into swap contracts, the fund may make or receive periodic net payments. The fund may also make or receive a payment when a swap is terminated prior to maturity through an assignment of the swap or other closing transaction. Periodic net payments will generally constitute ordinary income or deductions, while termination of a swap will generally result in capital gain or loss (which will be a long-term capital gain or loss if the fund has been a party to the swap for more than one year). The tax treatment of many types of credit default swaps is uncertain.

Foreign Investments. Dividends or other income (including, in some cases, capital gains) received by the fund from investments in foreign securities may be subject to withholding and other taxes imposed by foreign countries. Tax conventions between certain countries and the United States may reduce or eliminate such taxes in some cases. If more than 50% of the fund’s total assets at the close of its taxable year consists of stock or securities of foreign corporations, the fund may elect for U.S. income tax purposes to treat foreign income taxes paid by it as paid by its shareholders. The fund may qualify for and make this election in some, but not necessarily all, of its taxable years. If the fund were to make an election, shareholders of the fund would be required to take into account an amount equal to their pro rata portions of such foreign taxes in computing their taxable income and then treat an amount equal to those foreign taxes as a U.S. federal income tax deduction or as a foreign tax credit against their U.S. federal income taxes. Shortly after any year for which it makes such an election, the fund will report to its shareholders the amount per share of such foreign income tax that must be included in each shareholder’s gross income and the amount which will be available for the deduction or credit. No deduction for foreign taxes may be claimed by a shareholder who does not itemize deductions. Certain limitations will be imposed on the extent to which the credit (but not the deduction) for foreign taxes may be claimed. Foreign taxes paid by the fund will reduce the return from the fund’s investments.

Under Section 988 of the Code, gains or losses attributable to fluctuations in exchange rates between the time the fund accrues income or receivables or expenses or other liabilities denominated in a foreign currency and the time the fund actually collects such income or pays such liabilities are generally treated as ordinary income or ordinary loss. Similarly, gains or losses on foreign currency, foreign currency forward contracts, certain foreign currency options or futures contracts and the disposition of debt securities denominated in foreign currency, to the extent attributable to fluctuations in exchange rates between the acquisition and disposition dates, are also treated as ordinary income or loss unless the fund were to elect otherwise.

Passive Foreign Investment Companies. If the fund purchases shares in certain foreign investment entities, called “passive foreign investment companies” (“PFICs”), it may be subject to U.S. federal income tax on a portion of any “excess distribution” or gain from the disposition of such shares even if such income is distributed as a taxable dividend by the fund to its shareholders. Additional charges in the nature of interest may be imposed on the fund in respect of deferred taxes arising from such distributions or gains.

If the fund were to invest in a PFIC and elect to treat the PFIC as a “qualified electing fund” under the Code, in lieu of the foregoing requirements, the fund might be required to include in income each year a portion of the ordinary earnings and net capital gains of the qualified electing fund, even if not distributed to the fund, and such

 

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amounts would be subject to the 90% and excise tax distribution requirements described above. In order to make this election, the fund would be required to obtain certain annual information from the PFICs in which it invests, which may be difficult or impossible to obtain.

Alternatively, the fund may make a mark-to-market election that will result in the fund being treated as if it had sold and repurchased its PFIC stock at the end of each year. In such case, the fund would report any such gains as ordinary income and would deduct any such losses as ordinary losses to the extent of previously recognized gains. The election must be made separately for each PFIC owned by the fund and, once made, would be effective for all subsequent taxable years, unless revoked with the consent of the Internal Revenue Service (the “IRS”). By making the election, the fund could potentially ameliorate the adverse tax consequences with respect to its ownership of shares in a PFIC, but in any particular year may be required to recognize income in excess of the distributions it receives from PFICs and its proceeds from dispositions of PFIC stock. The fund may have to distribute this “phantom” income and gain to satisfy the 90% distribution requirement and to avoid imposition of the 4% excise tax.

The fund will make the appropriate tax elections, if possible, and take any additional steps that are necessary to mitigate the effect of these rules.

Taxation of U.S. Shareholders

Dividends and Distributions. Dividends and other distributions by the fund are generally treated under the Code as received by the shareholders at the time the dividend or distribution is made. However, any dividend or distribution declared by the fund in October, November or December of any calendar year and payable to shareholders of record on a specified date in such a month shall be deemed to have been received by each shareholder on December 31 of such calendar year and to have been paid by the fund not later than such December 31, provided such dividend is actually paid by the fund during January of the following calendar year.

The fund intends to distribute annually to its shareholders substantially all of its investment company taxable income and any net realized long-term capital gains in excess of net realized short-term capital losses (including any capital loss carryovers). However, if the fund retains for investment an amount equal to all or a portion of its net long-term capital gains in excess of its net short-term capital losses (including any capital loss carryovers), it will be subject to a corporate tax (currently at a maximum federal rate of 35%) on the amount retained. In that event, the fund will designate such retained amounts as undistributed capital gains in a notice to its shareholders who (a) will be required to include in income for U.S. federal income tax purposes, as long-term capital gains, their proportionate shares of the undistributed amount, (b) will be entitled to credit their proportionate shares of the 35% tax paid by the fund on the undistributed amount against their U.S. federal income tax liabilities, if any, and to claim refunds to the extent their credits exceed their liabilities, if any, and (c) will be entitled to increase their tax basis, for U.S. federal income tax purposes, in their shares by an amount equal to 65% of the amount of undistributed capital gains included in the shareholder’s income. Organizations or persons not subject to U.S. federal income tax on such capital gains will be entitled to a refund of their pro rata share of such taxes paid by the fund upon filing appropriate returns or claims for refund with the IRS.

Distributions of net realized long-term capital gains, if any, that the fund designates as capital gains dividends are taxable as long-term capital gains, whether paid in cash or in shares and regardless of how long a shareholder has held shares of the fund. All other dividends of the fund (including dividends from short-term capital gains) from its current and accumulated earnings and profits (“regular dividends”) are generally subject to tax as ordinary income.

Special rules apply, however, to regular dividends paid to individuals. Such a dividend, with respect to taxable years beginning on or before December 31, 2010, may be subject to tax at the rates generally applicable to long-term capital gains for individuals (currently at a maximum rate of 15%), provided that the individual receiving the dividend satisfies certain holding period and other requirements. Dividends subject to these special rules are not actually treated as capital gains, however, and thus are not included in the computation of an

 

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individual’s net capital gain and generally cannot be used to offset capital losses. The long-term capital gains rates will apply to: (i) 100% of the regular dividends paid by the fund to an individual in a particular taxable year if 95% or more of the fund’s gross income (ignoring gains attributable to the sale of stocks and securities except to the extent net short-term capital gain from such sales exceeds net long-term capital loss from such sales) in that taxable year is attributable to qualified dividend income received by the fund; or (ii) the portion of the regular dividends paid by the fund to an individual in a particular taxable year that is attributable to qualified dividend income received by the fund in that taxable year if such qualified dividend income accounts for less than 95% of the fund’s gross income (ignoring gains attributable to the sale of stocks and securities except to the extent net short-term capital gain from such sales exceeds net long-term capital loss from such sales) for that taxable year. For this purpose, “qualified dividend income” generally means income from dividends received by the fund from U.S. corporations and certain foreign corporations, provided that the fund satisfies certain holding period requirements in respect of the stock of such corporations and has not hedged its position in the stock in certain ways. However, qualified dividend income does not include any dividends received from tax-exempt corporations. Also, dividends received by the fund from a real estate investment trust or another regulated investment company generally are qualified dividend income only to the extent the dividend distributions are made out of qualified dividend income received by such real estate investment trust or other regulated investment company. In the case of securities lending transactions, payments in lieu of dividends are not qualified dividend income. If a shareholder elects to treat fund dividends as investment income for purposes of the limitation on the deductibility of investment interest, such dividends would not be qualified dividend income.

We will send you information after the end of each year setting forth the amount of dividends paid by us that are eligible for the reduced rates.

If an individual receives a regular dividend qualifying for the long-term capital gains rates and such dividend constitutes an “extraordinary dividend,” and the individual subsequently recognizes a loss on the sale or exchange of stock in respect of which the extraordinary dividend was paid, then the loss will be long-term capital loss to the extent of such extraordinary dividend. An “extraordinary dividend” on common stock for this purpose is generally a dividend (i) in an amount greater than or equal to 10% of the taxpayer’s tax basis (or trading value) in a share of stock, aggregating dividends with ex-dividend dates within an 85-day period or (ii) in an amount greater than 20% of the taxpayer’s tax basis (or trading value) in a share of stock, aggregating dividends with ex-dividend dates within a 365-day period.

Distributions in excess of the fund’s current and accumulated earnings and profits will, as to each shareholder, be treated as a tax-free return of capital to the extent of a shareholder’s basis in his shares of the fund, and as a capital gain thereafter (if the shareholder holds his shares of the fund as capital assets). Shareholders receiving dividends or distributions in the form of additional shares should be treated for U.S. federal income tax purposes as receiving a distribution in an amount equal to the amount of money that the shareholders receiving cash dividends or distributions will receive, and should have a cost basis in the shares received equal to such amount. Dividends paid by a fund that are attributable to dividends received by the fund from domestic corporations may qualify for the federal dividends-received deduction for corporations.

Investors considering buying shares just prior to a dividend or capital gain distribution should be aware that, although the price of shares just purchased at that time may reflect the amount of the forthcoming distribution, such dividend or distribution may nevertheless be taxable to them. If the fund is the holder of record of any stock on the record date for any dividends payable with respect to such stock, such dividends will be included in the fund’s gross income not as of the date received but as of the later of (a) the date such stock became ex-dividend with respect to such dividends (i.e., the date on which a buyer of the stock would not be entitled to receive the declared, but unpaid, dividends) or (b) the date the fund acquired such stock. Accordingly, in order to satisfy its income distribution requirements, the fund may be required to pay dividends based on anticipated earnings, and shareholders may receive dividends in an earlier year than would otherwise be the case.

Certain types of income received by the fund from real estate investment trusts (“REITs”), real estate mortgage investment conduits (“REMICs”), taxable mortgage pools or other investments may cause the fund to

 

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designate some or all of its distributions as “excess inclusion income.” To fund shareholders such excess inclusion income may (1) constitute taxable income, as “unrelated business taxable income” (“UBTI”) for those shareholders who would otherwise be tax-exempt such as individual retirement accounts, 401(k) accounts, Keogh plans, pension plans and certain charitable entities; (2) not be offset against net operating losses for tax purposes; (3) not be eligible for reduced US withholding for non-US shareholders even from tax treaty countries; and (4) cause the fund to be subject to tax if certain “disqualified organizations” as defined by the Code are fund shareholders.

Sales of Shares. Upon the sale or exchange of his or her shares, a shareholder will realize a taxable gain or loss equal to the difference between the amount realized and his or her basis in the shares. A redemption of shares by the fund will be treated as a sale for this purpose. Such gain or loss will be treated as capital gain or loss if the shares are capital assets in the shareholder’s hands, and will be long-term capital gain or loss if the shares are held for more than one year and short-term capital gain or loss if the shares are held for one year or less. Any loss realized on a sale or exchange will be disallowed to the extent the shares disposed of are replaced, including replacement through the reinvesting of dividends and capital gains distributions in the fund, within a 61-day period beginning 30 days before and ending 30 days after the disposition of the shares. In such a case, the basis of the shares acquired will be increased to reflect the disallowed loss. Any loss realized by a shareholder on the sale of a fund share held by the shareholder for six months or less will be treated for U.S. federal income tax purposes as a long-term capital loss to the extent of any distributions or deemed distributions of long-term capital gains received by the shareholder with respect to such share. If a shareholder incurs a sales charge in acquiring shares of the fund, disposes of those shares within 90 days and then acquires shares in a mutual fund for which the otherwise applicable sales charge is reduced by reason of a reinvestment right (e.g., an exchange privilege), the original sales charge will not be taken into account in computing gain/loss on the original shares to the extent the subsequent sales charge is reduced. Instead, the disregarded portion of the original sales charge will be added to the tax basis of the newly acquired shares. Furthermore, the same rule also applies to a disposition of the newly acquired shares made within 90 days of the second acquisition. This provision prevents a shareholder from immediately deducting the sales charge by shifting his or her investment within a family of mutual funds.

Backup Withholding. The fund may be required to withhold, for U.S. federal income tax purposes, a portion of the dividends, distributions and redemption proceeds payable to shareholders who fail to provide the fund with their correct taxpayer identification number or to make required certifications, or who have been notified by the IRS that they are subject to backup withholding. Certain shareholders are exempt from backup withholding. Backup withholding is not an additional tax and any amount withheld may be credited against a shareholder’s U.S. federal income tax liability.

Notices. Shareholders will receive, if appropriate, various written notices after the close of the fund’s taxable year regarding the U.S. federal income tax status of certain dividends, distributions and deemed distributions that were paid (or that are treated as having been paid) by the fund to its shareholders during the preceding taxable year.

Other Taxes

Dividends, distributions and redemption proceeds may also be subject to additional state, local and foreign taxes depending on each shareholder’s particular situation.

If a shareholder recognizes a loss with respect to the fund’s shares of $2 million or more for an individual shareholder or $10 million or more for a corporate shareholder, the shareholder must file with the IRS a disclosure statement on Form 8886. Direct shareholders of portfolio securities are in many cases excepted from this reporting requirement, but under current guidance, shareholders of a regulated investment company are not excepted. The fact that a loss is reportable under these regulations does not affect the legal determination of whether the taxpayer’s treatment of the loss is proper. Shareholders should consult their tax advisors to determine the applicability of these regulations in light of their individual circumstances.

 

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Taxation of Non-U.S. Shareholders. Dividends paid by the fund to non-U.S. shareholders are generally subject to withholding tax at a 30% rate or a reduced rate specified by an applicable income tax treaty to the extent derived from investment income and short-term capital gains. In order to obtain a reduced rate of withholding, a non-U.S. shareholder will be required to provide an IRS Form W-8BEN certifying its entitlement to benefits under a treaty. The withholding tax does not apply to regular dividends paid to a non-U.S. shareholder who provides a Form W-8ECI, certifying that the dividends are effectively connected with the non-U.S. shareholder’s conduct of a trade or business within the United States. Instead, the effectively connected dividends will be subject to regular U.S. income tax as if the non-U.S. shareholder were a U.S. shareholder. A non-U.S. corporation receiving effectively connected dividends may also be subject to additional “branch profits tax” imposed at a rate of 30% (or lower treaty rate). A non-U.S. shareholder who fails to provide an IRS Form W-8BEN or other applicable form may be subject to backup withholding at the appropriate rate.

In general, United States federal withholding tax will not apply to any gain or income realized by a non-U.S. shareholder in respect of any distributions of net long-term capital gains over net short-term capital losses, exempt-interest dividends, or upon the sale or other disposition of shares of the fund.

For taxable years beginning before January 1, 2008, properly-designated dividends are generally exempt from United States federal withholding tax where they (i) are paid in respect of the fund’s “qualified net interest income” (generally, the fund’s U.S. source interest income, other than certain contingent interest and interest from obligations of a corporation or partnership in which the fund is at least a 10% shareholder, reduced by expenses that are allocable to such income) or (ii) are paid in respect of the fund’s “qualified short-term capital gains” (generally, the excess of the fund’s net short-term capital gain over the fund’s long-term capital loss for such taxable year). However, depending on its circumstances, the fund may designate all, some or none of its potentially eligible dividends as such qualified net interest income or as qualified short-term capital gains, and/or treat such dividends, in whole or in part, as ineligible for this exemption from withholding. In order to qualify for this exemption from withholding, a non-U.S. shareholder will need to comply with applicable certification requirements relating to its non-U.S. status (including, in general, furnishing an IRS Form W-8BEN or substitute Form). In the case of shares held through an intermediary, the intermediary may withhold even if the fund designates the payment as qualified net interest income or qualified short-term capital gain. Non-U.S. shareholders should contact their intermediaries with respect to the application of these rules to their accounts.

A distribution from the fund to foreign shareholders who have held more 5% of the fund at any time during the one-year period ending on the date of distribution is treated as real property gain subject to 35% withholding tax and treated as income effectively connected to a U.S. trade or business with certain tax filing requirements applicable if such distribution is attributable to a distribution received by the fund from a REIT. A distribution paid prior to 2008 attributable to the fund’s sale of a REIT or other U.S. real property holding company will also be treated as real property gain if 50% or more of the value of the fund’s assets are invested in REITs and other U.S. real property holding corporations and if the foreign shareholder has held more than 5% of a class of stock at any time during the one-year period ending on the date of the distribution. Restrictions apply regarding wash sales and substitute payment transactions.

The foregoing is only a summary of certain material U.S. federal income tax consequences affecting the fund and its shareholders. Current and prospective shareholders are advised to consult their own tax advisers with respect to the particular tax consequences to them of an investment in the fund.

DETERMINATION OF NET ASSET VALUE

The net asset value per share of each class of the fund is calculated on each day, Monday through Friday, except days on which the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) is closed. The NYSE currently is scheduled to be closed on New Year’s Day, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Presidents’ Day, Good Friday, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving and Christmas, and on the preceding Friday or subsequent Monday when one of these holidays falls on a Saturday or Sunday, respectively. Because of the differences in distribution

 

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fees and class-specific expenses, the per share net asset value of each class will differ. Please see the prospectus for a description of the procedure used by the fund in valuing its assets.

PURCHASE OF SHARES

General

Investors may purchase shares from a Service Agent. In addition, certain investors, including retirement plans purchasing through certain Service Agents, may purchase shares directly from the fund. When purchasing shares of the fund, investors must specify whether the purchase is for Class A, B, C, or I1 shares. Service Agents may charge their customers an annual account maintenance fee in connection with a brokerage account through which an investor purchases or holds shares. Accounts held directly with the transfer agent are not subject to a maintenance fee.

For additional information regarding applicable investment minimums and eligibility requirements, please see the fund’s prospectus.

There are no minimum investment requirements for purchases of Class A shares by: (i) current and retired board members of Legg Mason, (ii) current and retired board members of any fund advised by LMPFA (such board members, together with board members of Legg Mason, are referred to herein as “Board Members”), (iii) current employees of Legg Mason and its subsidiaries, (iv) the “immediate families” of such persons (“immediate families” are such person’s spouse, including the surviving spouse of a deceased Board Member, and children under the age of 21) and (v) a pension, profit-sharing or other benefit plan for the benefit of such persons. The fund reserves the right to waive or change minimums, to decline any order to purchase its shares and to suspend the offering of shares from time to time.

Purchase orders received by the fund or a Service Agent prior to the close of regular trading on the NYSE on any day the fund calculates its net asset value are priced according to the net asset value determined on that day (the “trade date”). Orders received by a Service Agent prior to the close of regular trading on the NYSE on any day the fund calculates its net asset value are priced according to the net asset value determined on that day, provided the order is received by the fund’s agent prior to its close of business. For shares purchased through CGMI or a Service Agent purchasing through CGMI, payment for shares of the fund is normally due on the third business day after the trade date. In all other cases, payment must be made with the purchase order.

Systematic Investment Plan. Shareholders may make additions to their accounts at any time by purchasing shares through a service known as the Systematic Investment Plan. Under the Systematic Investment Plan, a distributor, the transfer agent, or, with respect to a PFS account, Primerica Shareholder Services is authorized through preauthorized transfers of at least $25 on a monthly, quarterly, every alternate month, semi-annual or annual basis to charge the shareholder’s account held with a bank or other financial institution as indicated by the shareholder, to provide for systematic additions to the shareholder’s fund account. A shareholder who has insufficient funds to complete the transfer will be charged a fee of up to $25 by a distributor, the transfer agent or Primerica Shareholder Services (such fee may be up to $30 for a PFS account). The Systematic Investment Plan also authorizes a distributor to apply cash held in the shareholder’s brokerage account or redeem the shareholder’s shares of certain money market funds managed by the manager or its affiliates to make additions to the account. Additional information is available from the fund or a Service Agent.

Sales Charge Alternatives

The following classes of shares are available for purchase. See the prospectus of the fund for a discussion of who is eligible to purchase certain classes and of factors to consider in selecting which class of shares to purchase.

 


1 As of November 20, 2006, Class Y Shares were renamed Class I Shares.

 

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Class A Shares. Class A shares are sold to investors at the public offering price, which is the net asset value (“NAV”) plus an initial sales charge, as described in the fund’s prospectus.

Members of the selling group may receive a portion of the sales charge as described in the fund’s prospectus and may be deemed to be underwriters of the fund as defined in the 1933 Act. Sales charges are calculated based on the aggregate of purchases of Class A shares of the fund made at one time by any “person,” which includes an individual and his or her spouse and children under the age of 21, or a trustee or other fiduciary of a single trust estate or single fiduciary account. For additional information regarding sales charge reductions, see “Sales Charge Waivers and Reductions” below.

Purchases of Class A shares of $1,000,000 or more will be made at NAV without any initial sales charge, but will be subject to a contingent deferred sales charge of 1.00% on redemptions made within 12 months of purchase. The contingent deferred sales charge is waived in the same circumstances in which the contingent deferred sales charge applicable to Class B and C shares is waived. See “Contingent Deferred Sales Charge Provisions” and “Waivers of Contingent Deferred Sales Charge” below.

Class B Shares. Class B shares are sold without an initial sales charge but are subject to a contingent deferred sales charge payable upon certain redemptions. See “Contingent Deferred Sales Charge Provisions.”

Class C Shares. Class C shares are sold without an initial sales charge but Class C shares of International Fund are subject to a contingent deferred sales charge payable upon certain redemptions. See “Contingent Deferred Sales Charge Provisions.”

Class I Shares. Class I shares are sold at NAV with no initial sales charge and no contingent deferred sales charge upon redemption.

Sales Charge Waivers and Reductions

Initial Sales Charge Waivers. Purchases of Class A shares may be made at NAV without an initial sales charge in the following circumstances:

(a) sales to (i) current and retired board members of Legg Mason, (ii) current and retired Board Members, (iii) current employees of Legg Mason and its subsidiaries, (iv) “immediate families” of such persons (“immediate families” are such person’s spouse, including the surviving spouse of a deceased Board Member, and children under the age of 21) and (v) a pension, profit-sharing or other benefit plan for the benefit of such persons;

(b) sales to any employees of Service Agents having dealer, service or other selling agreements with the fund’s distributors or otherwise having an arrangement with any such Service Agent with respect to sales of fund shares, and by the immediate families of such persons or by a pension, profit-sharing or other benefit plan for the benefit of such persons (providing the purchase is made for investment purposes and such securities will not be resold except through redemption or repurchase);

(c) offers of Class A shares to any other investment company to effect the combination of such company with the fund by merger, acquisition of assets or otherwise;

(d) purchases by shareholders who have redeemed Class A shares in the fund (or Class A shares of another Legg Mason Partners fund that is offered with a sales charge) and who wish to reinvest their redemption proceeds in the fund, provided the reinvestment is made within 60 calendar days of the redemption;

(e) purchases by accounts managed by registered investment advisory subsidiaries of Citigroup;

(f) purchases by certain separate accounts used to fund unregistered variable annuity contracts; and

 

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(g) purchases by investors participating in “wrap fee” or asset allocation programs or other fee-based arrangements sponsored by (affiliated and non-affiliated) broker/dealers and other financial institutions that have entered into agreements with CGMI or LMIS.

In order to obtain such discounts, the purchaser must provide sufficient information at the time of purchase to permit verification that the purchase qualifies for the elimination of the sales charge.

Accumulation Privilege—Please see the fund’s prospectus for information regarding accumulation privileges.

Letter of Intent—helps you take advantage of breakpoints in Class A sales charges. You may purchase Class A shares of Legg Mason Partners funds over a 13-month period and pay the same sales charge, if any, as if all shares had been purchased at once.

You have a choice of seven Asset Level Goal amounts, as follows:

 

(1) $25,000    (5) $500,000
(2) $50,000    (6) $750,000
(3) $100,000    (7) $1,000,000
(4) $250,000   

Each time you make a Class A purchase under a Letter of Intent, you will be entitled to the sales charge that is applicable to the amount of your Asset Level Goal. For example, if your Asset Level Goal is $100,000, any Class A investments you make under a Letter of Intent would be subject to the sales charge of the specific fund you are investing in for purchases of $100,000. Sales charges and breakpoints vary among the Legg Mason Partners funds.

When you enter into a Letter of Intent, you agree to purchase in Eligible Accounts over a thirteen-month (13) period Eligible Fund Purchases in an amount equal to the Asset Level Goal you have selected, less any Eligible Prior Purchases. For this purpose, shares are valued at the public offering price (including any sales charge paid) calculated as of the date of purchase, plus any appreciation in the value of the shares as of the date of calculation, except for Eligible Prior Purchases, which are valued at current value as of the date of calculation. Your commitment will be met if at any time during the 13-month period the value, as so determined, of eligible holdings is at least equal to your Asset Level Goal. All reinvested dividends and distributions on shares acquired under the Letter will be credited towards your Asset Level Goal. You may include any Eligible Fund Purchases towards the Letter, including shares of classes other than Class A shares. However, a Letter of Intent will not entitle you to a reduction in the sales charge payable on any shares other than Class A shares, and if the shares are subject to a contingent deferred sales charge, you will still be subject to that contingent deferred sales charge with respect to those shares. You must make reference to the Letter of Intent each time you make a purchase under the Letter.

Eligible Fund Purchases. Generally, any shares of a Legg Mason Partners fund may be credited towards your Asset Level Goal. Shares of certain money market funds advised by the manager or its affiliates (except for money market fund shares acquired by exchange from other Legg Mason Partners funds offered with a sales charge), Legg Mason Partners S&P 500 Index Fund and Class O shares of Legg Mason Partners Equity Fund are not eligible. The list of eligible shares may change from time to time. Investors should check with their Service Agents to see which funds may be eligible.

Eligible Accounts. Purchases may be made through any account in your name, or in the name of your spouse or your children under the age of 21. You may need to provide certain records, such as account statements, in order to verify your eligibility for reduced sales charges. Contact your Service Agent to see which accounts may be credited toward your Asset Level Goal.

 

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Eligible Prior Purchases. You may also credit towards your Asset Level Goal any Eligible Fund Purchases made in Eligible Accounts at any time prior to entering into the Letter of Intent that have not been sold or redeemed, based on the current price of those shares as of the date of calculation.

Purchases made 90 days prior to the 13 month period are also eligible to be treated as purchases made under the Letter of Intent. Any Eligible Fund Purchases in Eligible Accounts made during that period will count towards your Asset Level Goal and will also be eligible for the lower sales charge applicable to your Asset Level Goal. You will be credited by way of additional shares at the current offering price for the difference between (a) the aggregate sales charges actually paid for those eligible shares and (b) the aggregate applicable sales charges for your Asset Level Goal.

Increasing the Amount of the Letter. You may at any time increase your Asset Level Goal. You must, however, contact your Service Agent prior to making any purchases in an amount in excess of your current Asset Level Goal. Upon such an increase, you will be credited by way of additional shares at the then current offering price for the difference between: (a) the aggregate sales charges actually paid for shares already purchased under the Letter and (b) the aggregate applicable sales charges for the increased Asset Level Goal. The 13-month period during which the Asset Level Goal must be achieved will remain unchanged.

Sales and Exchanges. Shares acquired pursuant to a Letter of Intent, other than Escrowed Shares as defined below, may be redeemed or exchanged at any time, although any shares that are redeemed prior to meeting your Asset Level Goal will no longer count towards meeting your Goal. However, complete liquidation of purchases made under a Letter of Intent prior to meeting the Asset Level Goal will result in the cancellation of the Letter. See “Failure to Meet Asset Level Goal” below. Exchanges in accordance with a fund’s prospectus are permitted, and shares so exchanged will continue to count towards your Asset Level Goal, as long as the exchange results in an Eligible Fund Purchase.

Cancellation of Letter. You may cancel a Letter of Intent by notifying your Service Agent in writing. The Letter will be automatically cancelled if all shares are sold or redeemed as set forth above. See “Failure to Meet Asset Level Goal” below.

Escrowed Shares. Shares equal in value to five percent (5%) of your Asset Level Goal as of the date your Letter (or the date of any increase in the amount of the Letter) is accepted, will be held in escrow during the term of your Letter. The Escrowed Shares will be included in the total shares owned as reflected in your account statement, and any dividends and capital gains distributions applicable to the Escrowed Shares will be credited to your account and counted towards your Asset Level Goal or paid in cash upon request. The Escrowed Shares will be released from escrow if all the terms of your Letter are met.

Failure to Meet Asset Level Goal. If the total assets under your Letter of Intent within its 13-month term are less than your Asset Level Goal or you elect to liquidate all of your holdings or cancel the Letter before reaching your Asset Level Goal, you will be liable for the difference between: (a) the sales charge actually paid and (b) the sales charge that would have applied if you had not entered into the Letter. You may, however, be entitled to any breakpoints that would have been available to you under the accumulation privilege. An appropriate number of shares in your account will be redeemed to realize the amount due. For these purposes, by entering into a Letter of Intent, you irrevocably appoint your financial professional as your attorney-in-fact for the purposes of holding the Escrowed Shares and surrendering shares in your account for redemption. If there are insufficient assets in your account, you will be liable for the difference. Any Escrowed Shares remaining after such redemption will be released to your account.

Contingent Deferred Sales Charge Provisions

“Contingent deferred sales charge shares” are: (a) Class B shares; (b) Class C shares; and (c) Class A shares that were purchased without an initial sales charge but are subject to a contingent deferred sales charge. A contingent deferred sales charge may be imposed on certain redemptions of these shares.

 

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Any applicable contingent deferred sales charge will be assessed on the net asset value at the time of purchase or redemption, whichever is less.

Class C shares and Class A shares that are contingent deferred sales charge shares are subject to a 1.00% contingent deferred sales charge if redeemed within 12 months of purchase. In circumstances in which the contingent deferred sales charge is imposed on Class B shares, the amount of the charge will depend on the number of years since the shareholder made the purchase payment from which the amount is being redeemed, as further described in the prospectus. Solely for purposes of determining the number of years since a purchase payment, all purchase payments made during a month will be aggregated and deemed to have been made on the last day of the preceding statement month.

Class B shares will convert automatically to Class A shares of International Fund approximately eight years after the date on which they were purchased and thereafter will no longer be subject to any distribution fees. There will also be converted at that time such proportion of Class B dividend shares (Class B shares that were acquired through the reinvestment of dividends and distributions) owned by the shareholder as the total number of his or her Class B shares converting at the time bears to the total number of outstanding Class B shares (other than Class B dividend shares) owned by the shareholder.

In determining the applicability of any contingent deferred sales charge, it will be assumed that a redemption is made first of shares representing capital appreciation, next of shares representing the reinvestment of dividends and capital gain distributions, next of shares that are not subject to the contingent deferred sales charge and finally of other shares held by the shareholder for the longest period of time. The length of time that contingent deferred sales charge shares acquired through an exchange have been held will be calculated from the date the shares exchanged were initially acquired in one of the other Legg Mason Partners funds. For federal income tax purposes, the amount of the contingent deferred sales charge will reduce the gain or increase the loss, as the case may be, on the amount realized on redemption. The fund’s distributors receive contingent deferred sales charges in partial consideration for the expenses in selling shares.

Waivers of Contingent Deferred Sales Charge

The contingent deferred sales charge will be waived on: (a) exchanges (see “Exchange Privilege”); (b) automatic cash withdrawals in amounts equal to or less than 2.00% of the shareholder’s account balance at the time the withdrawals commence per month, up to a maximum of 12.00% in one year (see “Automatic Cash Withdrawal Plan”); (c) redemptions of shares within 12 months following the death or disability (as defined in the Code) of the shareholder; (d) mandatory post-retirement distributions from retirement plans or IRAs commencing on or after attainment of age 70 1/2 (except that shareholders who purchased shares subject to a contingent deferred sales charge prior to May 23, 2005, will be “grandfathered” and will be eligible to obtain the waiver at age 59 1/2 by demonstrating such eligibility at the time of redemption); (e) involuntary redemptions; (f) redemptions of shares to effect a combination of a fund with any investment company by merger, acquisition of assets or otherwise; (g) tax-free returns of an excess contribution to any retirement plan; and (h) certain redemptions of shares of a fund in connection with lump-sum or other distributions made by eligible retirement plans or redemption of shares by participants in certain “wrap fee” or asset allocation programs sponsored by broker/dealers and other financial institutions that have entered into agreements with a distributor or the manager.

As of November 20, 2006, the contingent deferred sales charge will be waived on new Class C shares purchased by retirement plan omnibus accounts held on the books of the fund.

A shareholder who has redeemed shares from other Legg Mason Partners funds may, under certain circumstances, reinvest all or part of the redemption proceeds within 60 days and receive pro rata credit for any contingent deferred sales charge imposed on the prior redemption.

Contingent deferred sales charge waivers will be granted subject to confirmation by a distributor or the transfer agent of the shareholder’s status or holdings, as the case may be.

 

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Grandfathered Retirement Program with Exchange Features

Retirement plan programs authorized by LMIS prior to November 20, 2006 (collectively, the “Grandfathered Retirement Program”) to offer eligible retirement plan investors the opportunity to exchange all of their Class C shares of the fund for Class A shares of the fund, are permitted to maintain such share class exchange feature for current and prospective retirement plan investors.

Under the Grandfathered Retirement Program, Class C shares may be purchased by plans investing less than $3 million. Class C shares are eligible for exchange into Class A shares not later than eight years after the plan joins the program. They are eligible for exchange in the following circumstances: If a participating plan’s total Class C holdings in all non-money market Legg Mason Partners funds equal at least $3,000,000 at the end of the fifth year after the date a participating plan enrolled in the Grandfathered Retirement Program, the participating plan will be offered the opportunity to exchange all of its Class C shares for Class A shares of the same fund. Such participating plans will be notified of the pending exchange in writing within 30 days after the fifth anniversary of the enrollment date and, unless the exchange offer has been rejected in writing, the exchange will occur on or about the 90th day after the fifth anniversary date. If the participating plan does not qualify for the five-year exchange to Class A shares, a review of the participating plan’s holdings will be performed each quarter until either the participating plan qualifies or the end of the eighth year.

Any participating plan that has not previously qualified for an exchange into Class A shares will be offered the opportunity to exchange all of its Class C shares for Class A shares of the same fund regardless of asset size at the end of the eighth year after the date the participating plan enrolled in the Grandfathered Retirement Program. Such plans will be notified of the pending exchange in writing approximately 60 days before the eighth anniversary of the enrollment date and, unless the exchange has been rejected in writing, the exchange will occur on or about the eighth anniversary date. Once an exchange has occurred, a participating plan will not be eligible to acquire additional Class C shares, but instead may acquire Class A shares of the same fund. Any Class C shares not converted will continue to be subject to the distribution fee.

For further information regarding this Program, contact your Service Agent or the transfer agent. Participating plans that enrolled in the Grandfathered Retirement Program prior to June 2, 2003 should contact the transfer agent for information regarding Class C exchange privileges applicable to their plans.

PFS Accounts

The International Fund offers two Classes of shares to investors purchasing through PFS: Class A and B shares.

Initial purchases of shares of the International Fund must be made through a PFS Registered Representative by completing the appropriate application. The completed application should be forwarded to Primerica Shareholder Services c/o PFPC, Inc., P.O. Box 9662, Providence, RI 02940-9662. Checks drawn on foreign banks must be payable in U.S. dollars and have the routing number of the U.S. bank encoded on the check. Additional investments may be sent directly to PFPC. In processing applications and investments, PFPC acts as agent for the investor and for the distributor, in accordance with the terms of the prospectus. If the transfer agent ceases to act as such, a successor company named by the International Fund will act in the same capacity so long as the account remains open. Shares purchased will be held in the shareholder’s account by PFPC.

Purchase orders received by the transfer agent or Primerica Shareholder Services prior to the close of regular trading on the NYSE, on any day the International Fund calculates its net asset value, are priced according to the net asset value determined on that day.

Initial purchases of International Fund shares may be made by wire. Before sending the wire, the PFS Registered Representative must contact Primerica Shareholder Services at (800) 665-8677 to obtain proper wire

 

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instructions. Once an account is open, a shareholder may make additional investments by wire. The shareholder should contact Primerica Shareholder Services at (800) 544-5445 to obtain proper wire instructions.

Shareholders who establish telephone transaction authority on their account and supply bank account information may make additions to their accounts at any time. Shareholders should contact Primerica Shareholder Services at (800) 544-5445 between 8:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m. Eastern time any day that the NYSE is open. If a shareholder does not wish to allow subsequent investments by telephone by any person in his or her account, the shareholder should decline the telephone transaction option on the account application. The minimum subsequent investment by telephone is $25 and can be up to a maximum of $50,000. By requesting a subsequent purchase by telephone, you authorize Primerica Shareholder Services to transfer funds from the bank account provided for the amount of the purchase. Subsequent investments by telephone may not be available if the shareholder cannot reach Primerica Shareholder Services whether because all telephone lines are busy or for any other reason; in such case, a shareholder would have to use the International Fund’s regular subsequent investment procedure described above.

An account transcript is available at a shareholder’s request, which identifies every financial transaction in an account since it has opened. Additional copies of tax forms are available at the shareholder’s request.

Additional information regarding Primerica Shareholder Services may be obtained by contacting the Customer Services Department at (800) 544-5445.

Determination of Public Offering Price

The fund offers its shares on a continuous basis. The public offering price for each class of shares of the fund is equal to the net asset value per share of the fund at the time of purchase, plus for Class A shares an initial sales charge based on the aggregate amount of the investment. A contingent deferred sales charge, however, is imposed on certain contingent deferred sales charge shares.

Set forth below is an example of the method of computing the offering price of the Class A shares of the fund based on the net asset value of a share of the fund as of October 31, 2006.

 

Class A (based on a net asset value of $14.84
and a maximum initial sales charge of 5.75%

   $ 15.75

REDEMPTION OF SHARES

The right of redemption may be suspended or the date of payment postponed (a) for any period during which the NYSE is closed (other than for customary weekend and holiday closings), (b) when trading in the markets the fund normally utilizes is restricted, or an emergency exists, as determined by the SEC, so that disposal of the fund’s investments or determination of net asset value is not reasonably practicable or (c) for such other periods as the SEC by order may permit for protection of the fund’s shareholders.

If the shares to be redeemed were issued in certificate form, the certificates must be endorsed for transfer (or be accompanied by an endorsed stock power) and must be submitted to the transfer agent together with the redemption request. Any signature appearing on a share certificate, stock power or written redemption request in excess of $50,000 must be guaranteed by an eligible guarantor institution such as a domestic bank, savings and loan institution, domestic credit union, member bank of the Federal Reserve System or member firm of a national securities exchange. Written redemption requests of $50,000 or less do not require a signature guarantee unless more than one such redemption request is made in any 10-day period. Redemption proceeds will be mailed to an investor’s address of record. The transfer agent may require additional supporting documents for redemptions made by corporations, executors, administrators, trustees or guardians. A redemption request will not be deemed properly received until the transfer agent receives all required documents in proper form.

 

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If a shareholder holds shares in more than one class, any request for redemption must specify the class being redeemed. In the event of a failure to specify which class, or if the investor owns fewer shares of the class than specified, the redemption request will be delayed until the transfer agent receives further instructions. The redemption proceeds will be remitted on or before the seventh business day following receipt of proper tender, except on any days on which the NYSE is closed or as permitted under the 1940 Act, in extraordinary circumstances. Redemption proceeds for shares purchased by check, other than a certified or official bank check, will be remitted upon clearance of the check, which may take up to ten days. Each Service Agent is responsible for transmitting promptly orders for its customers.

The Service Agent may charge you a fee for executing your order. The amount and applicability of such a fee is determined and disclosed to its customers by each Service Agent.

The fund will no longer issue share certificates. Outstanding share certificates will continue to be honored. If you hold share certificates, it will take longer to exchange or redeem shares.

Additional Information Regarding Telephone Redemption and Exchange Program. Neither the fund nor its agents will be liable for following instructions communicated by telephone that are reasonably believed to be genuine. The fund and its agents will employ procedures designed to verify the identity of the caller and legitimacy of instructions (for example, a shareholder’s name and account number will be required and phone calls may be recorded). The fund reserves the right to suspend, modify or discontinue the telephone redemption and exchange program or to impose a charge for this service at any time following at least seven (7) days’ prior notice to shareholders.

PFS Accounts

Shareholders may redeem for cash some or all of their shares of the International Fund at any time by sending a written request in proper form directly to the Primerica Shareholder Services c/o PFPC at P.O. Box 9662, Providence, Rhode Island 02940-9662. If you should have any questions concerning how to redeem your account after reviewing the information below, please contact Primerica Shareholder Services at (800) 544-5445, Spanish speaking representatives at (800) 544-7278 or TDD Line for the Hearing Impaired at (800) 824-1721.

All persons in whose names the shares are registered must sign the request for redemption. Signatures must conform exactly to the account registration. If the proceeds of the redemption exceed $50,000, if the proceeds are not paid to the record owner(s) at the record address, if the shareholder(s) has had an address change within 30 days or less of the shareholder’s redemption request, or if the shareholder(s) is a corporation, sole proprietor, partnership, trust or fiduciary, signature(s) must be guaranteed by one of the following: a bank or trust company; a broker/dealer; a credit union; a national securities exchange, registered securities association or clearing agency; a savings and loan association; or a federal savings bank.

Generally, a properly completed redemption form with any required signature guarantee is all that is required for a redemption. In some cases, however, other documents may be necessary. For example, in the case of shareholders holding certificates, the certificates for shares being redeemed must accompany the redemption request. Additional documentary evidence of authority is also required by PFPC in the event redemption is requested by a corporation, partnership, trust, fiduciary, executor or administrator. Additionally, if a shareholder requests a redemption from a retirement plan account (IRA or SEP), such request must state whether or not federal income tax is to be withheld from the proceeds of the redemption check. Redemption from a 403(b)(7) account requires completion of a special form. Please call Primerica Shareholder Services at (800) 544-5445 between 8:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m. Eastern Time to obtain the proper forms.

Shareholders may utilize Primerica Shareholder Services Telephone Redemption service to redeem shares in their account as long as they have authorized the telephone redemption option. If a shareholder does not wish to

 

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allow telephone redemptions by any person in his or her account, he or she should decline the telephone transaction option on the account application. The telephone redemption option can be used only if: (a) the redemption proceeds are to be mailed to the address of record and there has been no change of address of record within the preceding 30 days; (b) the shares to be redeemed are not in certificate form; (c); the person requesting the redemption can provide proper identification information; and (d) the proceeds of the redemption do not exceed $50,000. 403(b)(7) accounts and accounts not registered in the name of an individual(s) are not eligible for the telephone redemption option. Telephone redemption requests can be made by contacting Primerica Shareholder Services at (800) 544-5445 between 8:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m. Eastern time any day that the NYSE is open.

Telephone redemption may not be available if the shareholder cannot reach Primerica Shareholder Services because all telephone lines are busy or for any other reason; in such case, a shareholder use the International Fund’s regular redemption procedure described above.

Redemption proceeds can be sent by check to the address of record, by wire transfer to a bank account designated on the application or to a bank account designated on the application via the Automated Clearinghouse (ACH). PFPC will process and mail a shareholder’s redemption check usually within two to three business days after receiving the redemption request in good order.

Automatic Cash Withdrawal Plan

An automatic cash withdrawal plan (the “Withdrawal Plan”) is available to shareholders as described in the fund’s prospectus. To the extent withdrawals under the Withdrawal Plan exceed dividends, distributions and appreciation of a shareholder’s investment in the fund, there will be a reduction in the value of the shareholder’s investment, and continued withdrawal payments may reduce the shareholder’s investment and ultimately exhaust it. Withdrawal payments should not be considered as income from investment in the fund. Furthermore, as it generally would not be advantageous to a shareholder to make additional investments in the fund at the same time he or she is participating in the Withdrawal Plan, purchases by such shareholder in amounts of less than $5,000 ordinarily will not be permitted. The Withdrawal Plan will be carried over on exchanges between funds or classes of the fund. All dividends and distributions on shares in the Withdrawal Plan are reinvested automatically at net asset value in additional shares of the fund.

Shareholders who wish to participate in the Withdrawal Plan and who hold their shares in certificate form must deposit their share certificates with the transfer agent as agent for Withdrawal Plan members. For additional information shareholders should contact their Service Agents. A shareholder who purchases shares directly through the transfer agent may continue to do so and applications for participation in the Withdrawal Plan must be received by the transfer agent no later than the eighth day of the month to be eligible for participation beginning with that month’s withdrawal.

Distributions in Kind. If the Board determines that it would be detrimental to the best interests of the remaining shareholders of the fund to make a redemption payment wholly in cash, the fund may pay, in accordance with SEC rules, any portion of a redemption in excess of the lesser of $250,000 or 1.00% of the fund’s net assets by a distribution in kind of fund securities in lieu of cash. If a redemption is paid in portfolio securities, such securities will be valued in accordance with the procedures described under “Share Price” in the fund’s prospectus. Securities issued as a distribution in kind may incur brokerage commissions when shareholders subsequently sell those securities.

EXCHANGE PRIVILEGE

The exchange privilege enables shareholders to acquire shares of the same class in a fund with different investment objectives when they believe that a shift between funds is an appropriate investment decision. This privilege is available to shareholders residing in any state in which fund shares being acquired may legally be

 

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sold. Prior to any exchange, the shareholder should obtain and review a copy of the current prospectus of the fund into which an exchange is being considered. Prospectuses may be obtained from a Service Agent.

Upon receipt of proper instructions and all necessary supporting documents, shares submitted for exchange are redeemed at the then-current net asset value, and the proceeds are immediately invested in shares of the fund being acquired at such fund’s then current net asset value. The distributors reserve the right to reject any exchange request. The exchange privilege may be modified or terminated at any time after written notice to shareholders.

Class A and I Exchanges. Class A and I shareholders of the fund who wish to exchange all or a portion of their shares for shares of the respective class in another fund may do so without imposition of any charge.

Class B Exchanges. Class B shares of International Fund may be exchanged for Class B shares of other funds without a contingent deferred sales charge. Upon an exchange, the new Class B shares will be deemed to have been purchased on the same date as the Class B shares of the funds that have been exchanged.

Class C Exchanges. Class C shares of the fund may be exchanged for Class C shares of other funds without a contingent deferred sales charge. Upon an exchange, the new Class C shares will be deemed to have been purchased on the same date as the Class C shares of the fund that have been exchanged. Certain retirement plan programs with exchange features in effect prior to November 20, 2006, as approved by LMIS, will remain eligible for exchange from Class C shares to Class A shares in accordance with the program terms. See “Grandfathered Retirement Programs” for additional information.

Additional Information Regarding the Exchange Privilege

The fund is not designed to provide investors with a means of speculation on short-term market movements. A pattern of frequent exchanges by investors can be disruptive to efficient portfolio management and, consequently, can be detrimental to the fund and its shareholders. See “Frequent Purchases and Redemptions of Fund Shares” in the prospectus.

During times of drastic economic or market conditions, the fund may suspend the exchange privilege temporarily without notice and treat exchange requests based on their separate components—redemption orders with a simultaneous request to purchase the other fund’s shares. In such a case, the redemption request would be processed at the fund’s next determined net asset value but the purchase order would be effective only at the net asset value next determined after the fund being purchased formally accepts the order, which may result in the purchase being delayed.

Certain shareholders may be able to exchange shares by telephone. See the fund’s prospectus for additional information. Exchanges will be processed at the net asset value next determined. Redemption procedures discussed above are also applicable for exchanging shares, and exchanges will be made upon receipt of all supporting documents in proper form. If the account registration of the shares of a fund being acquired is identical to the registration of the shares of a fund exchanged, no signature guarantee is required.

This exchange privilege may be modified or terminated at any time, and is available only in those jurisdictions where such exchanges legally may be made. Before making any exchange, shareholders should contact the transfer agent or, if they hold fund shares through a Service Agent, their Service Agent to obtain more information and prospectuses of the funds to be acquired through the exchange. An exchange is treated as a sale of the shares exchanged and could result in taxable gain or loss to the shareholder making the exchange.

DIVIDENDS AND DISTRIBUTIONS

International Fund declares and pays income dividends at least annually on its shares. The fund makes annual distributions of capital gains, if any, on its shares.

 

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If a shareholder does not otherwise instruct, dividends and capital gain distributions will be reinvested automatically in additional shares of the same Class at net asset value, subject to no initial or contingent deferred sales charges. A shareholder may change the option at any time by notifying his or her Service Agent. A shareholder whose account is held directly at the transfer agent should notify the transfer agent in writing at least five business days prior to the payment date to permit the change to be entered in the shareholder’s account.

The per share dividends on Class B and Class C shares of the fund may be lower than the per share dividends on Class A and Class I shares principally as a result of the distribution fee applicable with respect to Class B and Class C shares. The per share dividends on Class A shares of the fund may be lower than the per share dividends on Class I shares principally as a result of the service fee applicable to Class A shares. Distributions of capital gains, if any, will be in the same amount for Class A, Class C and Class I shares.

INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT AND OTHER SERVICES

Manager

LMPFA (or the “manager”) serves as investment manager to the fund pursuant to an investment management agreement (the “Management Agreement”) with respect to the fund, with an initial term ending November 30, 2007. LMPFA, with offices at 399 Park Avenue, New York, New York 10022, is a recently-organized investment adviser that has been formed to serve as the investment manager of the fund and certain other Legg Mason-sponsored funds. LMPFA is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Legg Mason. Legg Mason, whose principal executive offices are at 100 Light Street, Baltimore, Maryland 21202, is a global asset management company. As of December 31, 2006, Legg Mason’s asset management operation had aggregate assets under management of approximately $945 billion. LMPFA provides administrative and certain oversight services and manages the cash and short-term investments of the International Fund.

Under the Management Agreement, subject to the supervision and direction of the Board, the manager is delegated the responsibility of managing the fund’s portfolio in accordance with the fund’s stated investment objective and policies, making investment decisions for the fund and placing orders to purchase and sell securities. The manager also performs administrative and management services necessary for the operation of the fund, such as (i) supervising the overall administration of the fund, including negotiation of contracts and fees with and the monitoring of performance and billings of the fund’s transfer agent, shareholder servicing agents, custodian and other independent contractors or agents; (ii) providing certain compliance, fund accounting, regulatory reporting, and tax reporting services; (iii) preparing or participating in the preparation of Board materials, registration statements, proxy statements and reports and other communications to shareholders; (iv) maintaining the fund’s existence, and (v) maintaining the registration and qualification of the fund’s shares under federal and state laws.

The Management Agreement has an initial term ending November 30, 2007 and will continue in effect from year to year thereafter provided such continuance is specifically approved at least annually (a) by the fund’s Board or by a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the fund (as defined in the 1940 Act), and (b) in either event, by a majority of the Independent Trustees with such Independent Trustees casting votes in person at a meeting called for such purpose.

The Management Agreement provides that the manager may render services to others. The Management Agreement is terminable without penalty on not more than 60 days’ nor less than 30 days’ written notice by the fund when authorized either by a vote of holders of shares representing a majority of the voting power of the outstanding voting securities of the fund (as defined in the 1940 Act) or by a vote of a majority of the fund’s Trustees, or by the manager on not less than 90 days’ written notice, and will automatically terminate in the event of its assignment. The Management Agreement provides that neither the manager nor its personnel shall be liable for any error of judgment or mistake of law or for any loss arising out of any investment or for any act or

 

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omission in the execution of security transactions for the fund, except for willful misfeasance, bad faith or gross negligence or reckless disregard of its or their obligations and duties.

For its services under the Management Agreement for International Fund, LMPFA receives an investment management fee as follows:

 

Fee Schedule
Based on Average Daily Net Assets of the Fund

   Management Fee  

Up to and including $1 billion

   0.850 %

Over $1 billion, up to and including $2 billion

   0.825 %

Over $2 billion, up to and including $5 billion

   0.800 %

Over $5 billion, up to and including $10 billion

   0.775 %

Over $10 billion

   0.750 %

For the period from December 1, 2005, through July 31, 2006, SBFM served as the fund’s manager under the same fee schedule as described above.

For the fiscal years ended October 31, 2004, 2005 and 2006 fiscal years the management fees paid by the fund were as follows:

 

2004    2005    2006
$ 3,329,977    $ 2,635,325    $ 1,768,814

Subadviser

Brandywine Global Investment Management, LLC (“Brandywine”) serves as the International Fund’s subadviser pursuant to a sub-advisory agreement (the “Sub-Advisory Agreement”) between LMPFA and Brandywine that was approved by the Board, including a majority of the Independent Trustees, on June 23, 2006 and by the shareholders on December 11, 2006. Brandywine is a wholly-owned, independently operated subsidiary of Legg Mason, Inc. and as of September 30, 2006 manages over $32 billion in assets for approximately 670 institutional clients. Brandywine was incorporated in 1986 and was acquired by Legg Mason in 1998. Brandywine offers an array of equity, fixed income and balanced portfolios that invest in U.S., international and global markets. Brandywine changed its name to its current name in May 2006 to better reflect its growing presence in international markets, primarily in Europe, Asia, the Middle East and South Africa. Brandywine’s offices are located at 2929 Arch Street, 8th Floor, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104.

Under the Sub-Advisory Agreement, Brandywine, subject to the supervision of the fund’s Board and of LMPFA, regularly provides the fund with investment research, advice, management and supervision, furnishes a continuous investment program for the assets consistent with the fund’s investment objectives, policies and restrictions, determines from time to time what securities and other investments will be purchased, retained or sold by the fund, and implements those decisions, all subject to the provisions of the fund’s governing documents, the 1940 Act, the applicable rules and regulations of the SEC, and other applicable federal and state law, as well as any specific policies approved by the fund’s Board and disclosed to Brandywine. The subadviser exercises proxy voting rights, rights to consent to corporate action and any other rights pertaining to the fund’s assets in accordance with its policies and procedures, subject to such direction as the Board may provide and, except for the management of cash and short-term investments that is performed by LMPFA, performs such other functions of investment management and supervision as may be directed by the Board.

The Sub-Advisory Agreement has an initial term ending December 28, 2008 and will continue in effect from year to year thereafter provided such continuance is specifically approved at least annually (a) by the fund’s Board or by a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the fund (as defined in the 1940 Act), and (b) in either event, by a majority of the Independent Trustees with such Independent Trustees casting votes in person at a meeting called for such purpose.

 

59


The Sub-Advisory Agreement provides that the subadviser may render services to others. The Sub-Advisory Agreement is terminable without penalty by the fund on no more than 60 days’ and not less than 30 days’ written notice to the subadviser when authorized either by a vote of holders of shares representing a majority of the voting power of the outstanding voting securities of the fund (as defined in the 1940 Act) or by vote of a majority of the fund’s Trustees, or by the subadviser upon not less than 90 days’ written notice to the fund. The Sub-Advisory Agreement provides that the subadviser shall not be liable for any error of judgment or mistake of law or for any loss arising out of any investment or for any act or omission in the execution of securities transactions for the fund, except for willful misfeasance, bad faith or gross negligence or reckless disregard of its obligations and duties.

As compensation for subadvisory services, the manager (not the fund) will pay the subadviser a fee equal to 70% of the management fee paid to LMPFA for the fund, net of expense waivers and reimbursements.

The Sub-Advisory Agreement went into effect on December 26, 2006 so no fees were paid by the manager to Brandywine during the fund’s past three fiscal years.

Expenses

In addition to amounts payable under the Management Agreement and the Distribution Plans (as discussed below), the fund is responsible for its own expenses, including, among other things, interest; taxes; governmental fees; voluntary assessments and other expenses incurred in connection with membership in investment company organizations; organization costs of the fund; the cost (including brokerage commissions, transaction fees or charges, if any) in connection with the purchase or sale of the fund’s securities and other investments and any losses in connection therewith; fees and expenses of custodians, transfer agents, registrars, independent pricing vendors or other agents; legal expenses; loan commitment fees; expenses relating to share certificates; expenses relating to the issuing and redemption or repurchase of the fund’s shares and servicing shareholder accounts; expenses of registering and qualifying the fund’s shares for sale under applicable federal and state law; expenses of preparing, setting in print, printing and distributing prospectuses and statements of additional information and any supplements thereto, reports, proxy statements, notices and dividends to the fund’s shareholders; costs of stationery; website costs; costs of meetings of the Board or any committee thereof, meetings of shareholders and other meetings of the fund; Board fees; audit fees; travel expenses of officers, members of the Board and employees of the fund, if any; and the fund’s pro rata portion of premiums on any fidelity bond and other insurance covering the fund and its officers, Board members and employees; litigation expenses and any nonrecurring or extraordinary expenses as may arise, including, without limitation, those relating to actions, suits or proceedings to which the fund is a party and the legal obligation which the fund may have to indemnify the fund’s Board members and officers with respect thereto.

Management may agree to waive fees and/or reimburse operating expenses for one or more classes of shares, either through contractual or voluntary arrangements. Any such waivers and/ or reimbursements are described in the fund’s prospectus. The contractual and voluntary fee waivers and/ or reimbursements do not cover extraordinary expenses, such as (a) any expenses or charges related to litigation, derivative actions, demand related to litigation, regulatory or other government investigations and proceedings, “for cause” regulatory inspections and indemnification or advancement of related expenses or costs, to the extent any such expenses are considered extraordinary expenses for the purposes of fee disclosure in Form N-1A as the same may be amended from time to time; (b) transaction costs (such as brokerage commissions and dealer and underwriter spreads) and taxes; and (c) other extraordinary expenses as determined for the purposes of fee disclosure in Form N-1A, as the same may be amended from time to time. Without limiting the foregoing, extraordinary expenses are generally those that are unusual or expected to recur only infrequently, and may include such expenses, by way of illustration, as (i) expenses of the reorganization, restructuring, redomiciling or merger of the fund or class or the acquisition of all or substantially all of the assets of another fund or class; (ii) expenses of holding, and soliciting proxies for, a meeting of shareholders of the fund or class (except to the extent relating to routine items such as the election of board members or the approval of the independent registered public accounting

 

60


firm); and (iii) expenses of converting to a new custodian, transfer agent or other service provider, in each case to the extent any such expenses are considered extraordinary expenses for the purposes of fee disclosure in Form N-1A as the same may be amended from time to time.

Code of Ethics

Pursuant to Rule 17j-1 under the 1940 Act, the fund, the manager, the subadviser and distributors have adopted codes of ethics that permit personnel to invest in securities for their own accounts, including securities that may be purchased or held by the fund. All personnel must place the interests of clients first and avoid activities, interests and relationships that might interfere with the duty to make decisions in the best interests of the clients. All personal securities transactions by employees must adhere to the requirements of the codes and must be conducted in such a manner as to avoid any actual or potential conflict of interest, the appearance of such a conflict, or the abuse of an employee’s position of trust and responsibility.

Proxy Voting Guidelines and Procedures

Although individual Trustees may not agree with particular policies or votes by the manager or the subadviser, the Board has delegated proxy voting discretion to the manager, believing that the manager should be responsible for voting because it is a matter relating to the investment decision making process.

LMPFA delegates the responsibility for voting proxies for the fund to the fund’s subadviser through its contracts with the subadviser. The subadviser will use its own proxy voting policies and procedures to vote proxies. Accordingly, LMPFA does not expect to have proxy-voting responsibility for the fund. Should LMPFA become responsible for voting proxies for any reason, such as the inability of a subadviser to provide investment advisory services, LMPFA shall utilize the proxy voting guidelines established by the most recent subadviser to vote proxies until a new subadviser is retained. In the case of a material conflict between the interests of LMPFA (or its affiliates if such conflict is known to persons responsible for voting at LMPFA) and the fund, the board of directors of LMPFA shall consider how to address the conflict and/or how to vote the proxies. LMPFA shall maintain records of all proxy votes in accordance with applicable securities laws and regulations, to the extent that LMPFA votes proxies. LMPFA shall be responsible for gathering relevant documents and records related to proxy voting from the subadviser and providing them to the fund as required for the fund to comply with applicable rules under the 1940 Act.

The subadviser’s Proxy Voting Policies and Procedures govern in determining how proxies relating to a fund’s portfolio securities are voted and are attached as Appendix B to this SAI. Information regarding how the fund voted proxies (if any) relating to portfolio securities during the most recent 12-month period ended June 30 is available without charge (1) by calling 1-888-425-6432, (2) on the fund’s website at http://www.leggmason.com/InvestorServices and (3) on the SEC’s website at http://www.sec.gov.

Distributors

LMIS, a wholly-owned broker/dealer subsidiary of Legg Mason, located at 100 Light Street, Baltimore, Maryland 21202, CGMI, an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of Citigroup, located at 388 Greenwich Street, New York, New York 10013, and PFS, located at 3120 Breckinridge Boulevard, Duluth, Georgia 30099-0001 serve as the distributors of the fund pursuant written agreements or amendments to written agreements, dated December 1, 2005 (for LMIS and CGMI) and December 4, 2006 (for PFS) (the “distribution agreements”).

LMIS, CGMI and PFS may be deemed to be underwriters for purposes of the 1933 Act. From time to time, LMIS, CGMI or PFS or their affiliates may also pay for certain non-cash sales incentives provided to PFS Registered Representatives. Such incentives do not have any effect on the net amount invested. In addition to the reallowances from the applicable public offering price described below, PFS may, from time to time, pay or allow additional reallowances or promotional incentives, in the form of cash or other compensation, to PFS Registered Representatives that sell shares of the International Fund.

 

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A distributor’s obligation is an agency or “best efforts” arrangement under which the distributor is required to take and pay only for such shares of the fund as may be sold to the public. A distributor is not obligated to sell any stated number of shares. Each distribution agreement is renewable from year to year if approved (a) by the Trustees or by a vote of a majority of the fund’s outstanding voting securities, and (b) by the affirmative vote of a majority of Trustees who are not parties to such agreement or interested persons, as defined in the 1940 Act, of any party by votes cast in person at a meeting called for such purpose. Each distribution agreement provides that it will terminate if assigned, and that it may be terminated without penalty by either party on 60 days’ written notice, provided that each of the CMGI and PFS distribution agreements may be terminated upon 90 days’ written notice by the distributor.

PFS started serving as a distributor effective December 4, 2006 and therefore did not receive any commissions or contingent deferred sales charges for any prior fiscal years. LMIS did not receive any commissions or contingent deferred sales charges for the fiscal years below.

Initial Sales Charges

CGMI Commissions on Class A Shares. For the fiscal years ended October 31, 2004, October 31, 2005 and October 31, 2006, the aggregate dollar amounts of commissions received by CGMI on the sale of Class A shares were as follows:

 

Class A
Fiscal Year
Ended 10/31/04
   Fiscal Year
Ended 10/31/05
   Fiscal Year
Ended 10/31/06
$ 83,000    $ 82,000    $ 0

CGMI Commissions on Class C Shares. For the fiscal years ended October 31, 2004, October 31, 2005 and October 31, 2006, the aggregate dollar amounts of commissions received by CGMI on the sale of Class C shares of International Fund were as follows:

 

Class C*
Fiscal Year
Ended 10/31/04
   Fiscal Year
Ended 10/31/05
   Fiscal Year
Ended 10/31/06
$ 2,000    $ 0    $ 0

* The initial sales charge on Class C shares has been eliminated.

Contingent Deferred Sales Charges

CGMI Contingent Deferred Sales Charges on Class A, Class B and Class C Shares of International Fund. For the 2004, 2005, and 2006 fiscal years, the following contingent deferred sales charges were paid to CGMI on redemptions of the fund’s shares:

 

Class A
Fiscal Year
Ended 10/31/04
   Fiscal Year
Ended 10/31/05
   Fiscal Year
Ended 10/31/06
$ 1,000    $ 1,000    $ 0

 

Class B
Fiscal Year
Ended 10/31/04
   Fiscal Year
Ended 10/31/05
   Fiscal Year
Ended 10/31/06
$ 27,000    $ 26,000    $ 0

 

Class C
Fiscal Year
Ended 10/31/04
   Fiscal Year
Ended 10/31/05
   Fiscal Year
Ended 10/31/06
$ 0    $ 2,000    $ 0

 

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Services and Distribution Plan Arrangements. The Trustees, on behalf of the fund, have adopted an amended shareholder services and distribution plan (the “12b-1 Plan”) pursuant to Rule 12b-1 under the 1940 Act with respect to its Class A, Class B and Class C shares. The only Classes of shares offered for sale through PFS are Class A shares and Class B shares of the International Fund. Under the 12b-1 Plan, the fund pays a service fee, accrued daily and paid monthly, calculated at the annual rate of 0.25% of the value of the fund’s average daily net assets attributable to the Class A, Class B and Class C. The Class B and Class C distribution fee is calculated at the annual rate of 0.75% of the value of the fund’s average net assets attributable to the shares of the respective class. The distributors will provide the Board with periodic reports of amounts expended under the 12b-1 Plan and the purposes for which such expenditures were made.

Fees under a 12b-1 Plan may be used to make payments to the distributors for distribution services, to Service Agents in respect of the sale of shares of the fund, and to other parties in respect of the sale of shares of the fund, and to make payments for advertising, marketing or other promotional activity, and payments for preparation, printing, and distribution of prospectuses, statements of additional information and reports for recipients other than regulators and existing shareholders. The fund also may make payments to distributors, Service Agents and others for providing personal service or the maintenance of shareholder accounts. The amounts paid to each recipient may vary based upon certain factors, including, among other things, the levels of sales of fund shares and/or shareholder services provided.

The 12b-1 Plan also provides that the distributors and Service Agents may receive all or a portion of the sales charges paid by Class A, Class B and Class C investors.

The 12b-1 Plan permits the fund to pay fees to distributors, Service Agents and others as compensation for their services, not as reimbursement for specific expenses incurred. Thus, even if their expenses exceed the fees provided for by the 12b-1 Plan, the fund will not be obligated to pay more than those fees and, if their expenses are less than the fees paid to them, they will realize a profit. The fund may pay the fees to a distributor and others until the 12b-1 Plan or Distribution Agreement is terminated or not renewed. In that event, a distributor’s or other recipient’s expenses in excess of fees received or accrued through the termination date will be the distributor’s or other recipient’s sole responsibility and not obligations of the fund. In their annual consideration of the continuation of the 12b-1 Plan for the fund, the Trustees will review the 12b-1 Plan and the expenses for each class within the fund separately.

The 12b-1 Plan also recognizes that various service providers to the fund, such as the manager, may make payments for distribution related expenses out of their own resources, including past profits, or payments received from the fund for other purposes, such as management fees, and that the fund’s distributors or Service Agents may from time to time use their own resources for distribution-related services, in addition to the fees paid under the 12b-1 Plan. The 12b-1 Plan specifically provides that, to the extent that such payments might be deemed to be indirect financing of any activity primarily intended to result in the sale of shares of the fund within the context of Rule 12b-1, then the payments are deemed to be authorized by the 12b-1 Plan, if permitted under applicable law.

The 12b-1 Plan continues in effect if such continuance is specifically approved at least annually by a vote of both a majority of the Trustees and a majority of the Independent Trustees and who have no direct or indirect financial interest in the operation of the 12b-1 Plan or in any agreement related to the 12b-1 Plan (for purposes of this paragraph “Qualified Trustees”). The Trustees, in the exercise of their business judgment in the best interests of the shareholders of the fund and each class, have approved the continuation of the 12b-1 Plan. The 12b-1 Plan requires that the Trust and the distributors provide to the Board and the Board review, at least quarterly, a written report of the amounts expended (and the purposes therefor) under the 12b-1 Plan. The 12b-1 Plan further provides that the selection and nomination of the Qualified Trustees is committed to the discretion of the Qualified Trustees then in office who are Independent Trustees of the Trust. The 12b-1 Plan may be terminated with respect to any class of the fund at any time by a vote of a majority of the Trust’s Qualified Trustees or by a vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of that class. The 12b-1 Plan may not be amended to

 

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increase materially the amount of permitted expenses of the class thereunder without the approval of a majority of the outstanding securities of that class and may not be materially amended in any case without a vote of a majority of both the Trustees and Qualified Trustees. The fund will preserve copies of any plan, agreement or report made pursuant to the 12b-1 Plan for a period of not less than six years, and for the first two years the fund will preserve such copies in an easily accessible place.

As contemplated by the 12b-1 Plan, each distributor acts as an agent of the Trust in connection with the offering of shares of the fund pursuant to its distribution agreement.

For the 2004, 2005 and 2006 fiscal years, the following distribution and service fees were accrued and/or paid by the fund:

 

Class A
Fiscal Year
Ended 10/31/04
   Fiscal Year
Ended 10/31/05
   Fiscal Year
Ended 10/31/06
$ 322,076    $ 323,948    $ 325,450
Class B
Fiscal Year
Ended 10/31/04
   Fiscal Year
Ended 10/31/05
   Fiscal Year
Ended 10/31/06
$ 309,655    $ 248,444    $ 219,745
Class C
Fiscal Year
Ended 10/31/04
   Fiscal Year
Ended 10/31/05
   Fiscal Year
Ended 10/31/06
$ 536,245    $ 539,103    $ 559,412

For the fiscal year ended October 31, 2006, CGMI incurred the following distribution expenses (including marketing and advertising materials, printing costs of prospectuses, third party service fees, branch operating expenses and compensation of Service Agents) for the fund:

 

    

Financial

Consultant

Compensation

  

Third

Party

Expenses

  

Branch

Expenses

  

Advertising

Expenses

   Printing   

Total

Expenses

Class A

   $ 203,064    $ 20,358    $ 260,561    $ 0    $ 0    $ 483,983

Class B

   $ 170,638    $ 4,662    $ 41,254    $ 4,649    $ 0    $ 221,203

Class C

   $ 372,303    $ 12,790    $ 412,029    $ 44,564    $ 0    $ 841,686

For the fiscal year ended October 31, 2006, LMIS incurred the following distribution expenses (including marketing and advertising materials, printing costs of prospectuses, third party service fees, branch operating expenses and compensation of Service Agents) for the fund:

 

    

Financial

Consultant

Compensation

  

Third

Party

Expenses

  

Advertising

Expenses

   Printing   

Total

Expenses

Class A

   $ 0    $ 34,762    $ 0    $ 0    $ 34,762

Class B

   $ 110,063    $ 3,852    $ 4,331    $ 0    $ 118,246

Class C

   $ 45,518    $ 9,641    $ 75,318    $ 0    $ 130,477

For the fiscal year ended October 31, 2006, PFS incurred no distribution expenses for the fund because PFS did not become a distributor of the fund until December 4, 2006.

Dealer reallowances are described in the fund’s prospectus.

 

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Portfolio Transactions

Subject to policies as may be established by the fund’s Board from time to time, the subadviser is primarily responsible for the fund’s portfolio decisions and the placing of the fund’s portfolio transactions, except that the manager manages the cash and short-term investments of the fund. Transactions on stock exchanges involve the payment of negotiated brokerage commissions. There is generally no stated commission in the case of securities traded in the over-the-counter market, but the price of those securities includes an undisclosed commission or mark-up. Over-the-counter purchases and sales are transacted directly with principal market makers except where it is believed that better prices and executions may be obtained elsewhere. The cost of securities purchased from underwriters includes an underwriting commission or concession, and the prices at which securities are purchased from and sold to dealers include a dealer’s mark-up or mark-down. The aggregate brokerage commissions paid by the fund for the three most recent fiscal years is set forth below under “Aggregate Brokerage Commissions Paid.”

Pursuant to the Management Agreement and Sub-Advisory Agreement, the manager and the subadviser are authorized to place orders pursuant to their investment determinations for the fund either directly with the issuer or with any broker or dealer, foreign currency dealer, futures commission merchant or others selected by it. The general policy of the manager and subadviser in selecting brokers and dealers is to obtain the best results achievable in the context of a number of factors which are considered both in relation to individual trades and broader trading patterns, including the reliability of the broker/dealer, the competitiveness of the price and the commission, the research services received and whether the broker/dealer commits its own capital.

In connection with the selection of such brokers or dealers and the placing of such orders, subject to applicable law, brokers or dealers may be selected who also provide brokerage and research services (as those terms are defined in Section 28(e) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934) to a fund and/or the other accounts over which the manager, the subadviser or their affiliates exercise investment discretion. The manager and subadviser are authorized to pay a broker or dealer who provides such brokerage and research services a commission for executing a portfolio transaction for the fund which is in excess of the amount of commission another broker or dealer would have charged for effecting that transaction if the manager or subadviser determines in good faith that such amount of commission is reasonable in relation to the value of the brokerage and research services provided by such broker or dealer. This determination may be viewed in terms of either that particular transaction or the overall responsibilities that the manager, the subadviser and their affiliates have with respect to accounts over which they exercise investment discretion. The manager and/or subadviser may also have arrangements with brokers pursuant to which such brokers provide research services to the manager or subadviser, as applicable, in exchange for a certain volume of brokerage transactions to be executed by such brokers. While the payment of higher commissions increases the fund’s costs, neither the manager nor any subadviser believes that the receipt of such brokerage and research services significantly reduces its expenses as manager or subadviser. Arrangements for the receipt of research services from brokers may create conflicts of interest.

Research services furnished to the manager or subadviser by brokers who effect securities transactions for the fund may be used by the manager or subadviser in servicing other investment companies and accounts which it manages. Similarly, research services furnished to the manager or a subadviser by brokers who effect securities transactions for other investment companies and accounts which the manager or subadviser manages may be used by the manager or subadviser, as applicable, in servicing the fund. Not all of these research services are used by the manager or a subadviser in managing any particular account, including the fund. For the fiscal year ended October 31, 2006, the fund paid commissions to brokers that provided research services as follows:

 

Total Dollar Amount of

Brokerage Transactions

Related to Research Services

  

Total Dollar Amount of

Brokerage Commissions

Paid on Transactions

Related to Research Services

                $0

   $0

The fund contemplates that, consistent with the policy of obtaining the best net results, brokerage transactions may be conducted through “affiliated broker/dealers,” as defined in the 1940 Act. The fund’s Board

 

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has adopted procedures in accordance with Rule 17e-1 promulgated under the 1940 Act to ensure that all brokerage commissions paid to such affiliates are reasonable and fair in the context of the market in which such affiliates operate. Effective December 1, 2005 CGMI is no longer an affiliated person of the fund under the 1940 Act. As a result, the fund is permitted to execute portfolio transactions with CGMI or an affiliate of CGMI as agent (but not as principal) without being subject to the restrictions applicable to transactions with affiliated persons.

Aggregate Brokerage Commissions Paid

For the fiscal years ended October 31, 2004, 2005 and 2006, International Fund paid aggregate brokerage commissions and brokerage commissions to CGMI and its affiliates as set out below:

 

     Aggregate Broker
Commissions Paid
   Amount of Brokerage
Commissions Paid
by the fund to CGMI and its
affiliates

Year Ended October 31, 2004

   $ 583,794    $ 0

Year Ended October 31, 2005

   $ 316,842    $ 0

Year Ended October 31, 2006

   $ 144,077    $ 0

For the fiscal year ended October 31, 2006, the percentage of International Fund’s aggregate brokerage commissions paid to CGMI and the percentage of International Fund’s aggregate dollar amount of transactions involving the payment of commissions effected through CGMI and its affiliates were as follows:

 

The Percentage of the Fund’s

Aggregate Brokerage Commissions

Paid to CGMI* and Affiliates

  

The Percentage of the Fund’s

Aggregate Dollar Amount of Transactions

Involving the Payment of Commissions

Effected Through CGMI and Affiliates

0%

   0%

* CGMI was not an affiliated person of International Fund under the 1940 Act during the entire period

As of December 1, 2005, LMIS became an underwriter of the fund under the 1940 Act. For the period December 1, 2005 through October 31, 2006, the fund did not pay any brokerage commissions to LMIS or its affiliates.

During the fiscal year ended October 31, 2006, the fund purchased securities issued by UBS AG, which had a value as of October 31, 2006 of $4,161,434.

In certain instances there may be securities that are suitable as an investment for the fund as well as for one or more of the manager’s or a subadviser’s other clients. Investment decisions for the fund and for the manager’s or a subadviser’s other clients are made with a view to achieving their respective investment objectives. It may develop that a particular security is bought or sold for only one client even though it might be held by, or bought or sold for, other clients. Likewise, a particular security may be bought for one or more clients when one or more clients are selling the same security. Some simultaneous transactions are inevitable when several clients receive investment advice from the same investment adviser, particularly when the same security is suitable for the investment objectives of more than one client. When two or more clients are simultaneously engaged in the purchase or sale of the same security, the securities are allocated among clients in a manner believed to be equitable to each. It is recognized that in some cases this system could adversely affect the price of or the size of the position obtainable in a security for the fund. When purchases or sales of the same security for the fund and for other funds managed by the adviser occur contemporaneously, the purchase or sale orders may be aggregated in order to obtain any price advantages available to large volume purchases or sales.

For reporting purposes, the fund’s portfolio turnover rate is calculated by dividing the lesser of purchases or sales of portfolio securities for the fiscal year by the monthly average of the value of the portfolio securities

 

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owned by the fund during the fiscal year. In determining such portfolio turnover, all securities whose maturities at the time of acquisition were one year or less are excluded. A 100% portfolio turnover rate would occur, for example, if all of the securities in the fund’s investment portfolio (other than short- term money market securities) were replaced once during the fiscal year. Portfolio turnover will not be a limiting factor should the manager or a subadviser deem it advisable to purchase or sell securities.

The Trust effects transactions with a view towards attaining the fund’s investment objective, and although it is not limited by a predetermined rate of portfolio turnover, it is expected that the annual turnover rate for International Fund will not exceed 100% under normal circumstances. A high portfolio turnover results in correspondingly greater transaction costs in the form of brokerage commissions or dealer spreads that fund will bear directly, and may result in the realization of net capital gains, distributions of which are taxable to shareholders. For the fiscal years ended October 31, 2005 and 2006, International Fund had portfolio turnover rates of 14% and 8%, respectively.

In the event that portfolio turnover increases, this increase necessarily results in correspondingly greater transaction costs which must be paid by the fund. To the extent portfolio trading results in realization of net short-term capital gains, shareholders will be taxed on such gains at ordinary tax rates (except shareholders who invest through IRAs and other retirement plans which are not taxed currently on accumulations in their accounts).

PORTFOLIO MANAGER DISCLOSURE

Portfolio Manager

The following tables set forth certain additional information with respect to the portfolio managers of the fund. Unless noted otherwise, all information is provided as of October 31, 2006.

Other Accounts Managed by Portfolio Managers

The table below identifies the number of accounts (other than the fund) for which the portfolio managers have day-to-day management responsibilities and the total assets in such accounts, within each of the following categories: registered investment companies, other pooled investment vehicles and other accounts. The table also identifies if any accounts have a fee based on performance.

 

Portfolio Manager

  

Registered Investment Companies

  

Other Pooled Investment Vehicles

  

Other Accounts

Paul D. Ehrlichman*

   1 other registered investment company with $0.45 billion in total assets under management    8 other pooled investment vehicles companies with $0.61 billion in total assets under management    83 other accounts with $5.0 billion in total assets under management

Sean M. Bogda*

   1 other registered investment company with $0.45 billion in total assets under management    8 other pooled investment vehicles companies with $0.61 billion in total assets under management    83 other accounts with $5.0 billion in total assets under management

Safa R. Muhtaseb*

   1 other registered investment company with $0.45 billion in total assets under management    8 other pooled investment vehicles companies with $0.61 billion in total assets under management    83 other accounts with $5.0 billion in total assets under management

* Information with respect to this portfolio manager is provided as of October 31, 2006.

 

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Portfolio Manager Compensation

The subadviser’s portfolio managers, analysts and traders receive a competitive base salary. In addition, from Brandywine’s profits, an initial bonus is paid quarterly and based on the performance of their investment strategies relative to a relevant peer-group universe over one-quarter, one-, three- and five-year time periods. After this performance-based incentive compensation is allocated, profits associated with individual product groups are allocated as follows: a majority is retained within the group and the remainder is allocated to a pool shared by all groups. More subjective measurements of an individual’s contributions to the success of their product group and to the overall success of the subadviser are considered as part of the individual allocation decision. Finally, all investment professionals are eligible for options on Legg Mason stock, awarded annually and vested over a five-year period. The subadviser believes its system achieves the goal of retaining top-quality investment professionals, as it provides extremely competitive compensation with entrepreneurial potential, and of fostering excellent performance, growth, and teamwork.

Potential Conflicts of Interest

Potential conflicts of interest may arise when the fund’s portfolio managers also have day-to-day management responsibilities with respect to one or more other funds of other accounts, as is the case for the portfolio managers of the fund.

The manager, the subadviser and the fund have adopted compliance policies and procedures that are designed to address various conflicts of interest that may arise for the manager, the subadviser and the individuals that they employ. For example, the manager and the subadviser seek to minimize the effects of competing interests for the time and attention of portfolio managers by assigning portfolio managers to manage funds and accounts that share a similar investment style. The manager and the subadviser have also adopted trade allocation procedures that are designed to facilitate the fair allocation of limited investment opportunities among multiple funds and accounts. There is no guarantee, however, that the policies and procedures adopted by the manager, the subadviser and the fund will be able to detect and/or prevent every situation in which an actual or potential conflict may appear.

These potential conflicts include:

Allocation of Limited Time and Attention. A portfolio manager who is responsible for managing multiple funds and/or accounts may devote unequal time and attention to the management of those funds and/or accounts. As a result, the portfolio manager may not be able to formulate as complete a strategy or identify equally attractive investment opportunities for each of those accounts as might be the case if he or she were to devote substantially more attention to the management of a single fund. The effects of this potential conflict may be more pronounced where funds and/or accounts overseen by a particular portfolio manager have different investment strategies.

Allocation of Limited Investment Opportunities. If a portfolio manager identifies a limited investment opportunity that may be suitable for multiple funds and/or accounts, the opportunity may be allocated among these several funds or accounts, which may limit a fund’s ability to take full advantage of the investment opportunity.

Pursuit of Differing Strategies. At times, a portfolio manager may determine that an investment opportunity may be appropriate for only some of the funds and/or accounts for which he or she exercises investment responsibility, or may decide that certain of the funds and/or accounts should take differing positions with respect to a particular security. In these cases, the portfolio manager may place separate transactions for one or more funds or accounts which may affect the market price of the security or the execution of the transaction, or both, to the detriment or benefit of one or more other funds and/or accounts.

Selection of Brokers/Dealers. Portfolio managers may be able to select or influence the selection of the brokers and dealers that are used to execute securities transactions for the funds and/or account that they

 

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supervise. In addition to executing trades, some brokers and dealers provide portfolio managers with brokerage and research services (as those terms are defined in Section 28(e) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “1934 Act”), which may result in the payment of higher brokerage fees than might have otherwise been available. These services may be more beneficial to certain funds or accounts than to others. Although the payment of brokerage commissions is subject to the requirement that the portfolio manager determine in good faith that the commissions are reasonable in relation to the value of the brokerage and research services provided to a fund, a portfolio manager’s decision as to the selection of brokers and dealers could yield disproportionate costs and benefits among the funds and/or accounts that he or she manages.

Variation in Compensation. A conflict of interest may arise where the financial or other benefits available to the portfolio manager differ among the funds and/or accounts that he or she manages. If the structure of the investment manager’s management fee and/or the portfolio manager’s compensation differs among funds and/or accounts (such as where certain funds or accounts pay higher management fees or performance-based management fees), the portfolio manager might be motivated to help certain funds and/or accounts over others. The portfolio manager might be motivated to favor funds and/or accounts in which he or she has an interest or in which the investment manager and/or its affiliates have interests. Similarly, the desire to maintain assets under management or to enhance the portfolio manager’s performance record or to derive other rewards, financial or otherwise, could influence the portfolio manager in affording preferential treatment to those funds and/or accounts that could most significantly benefit the portfolio manager.

Related Business Opportunities. The investment manager or its affiliates may provide more services (such as distribution or recordkeeping) for some types of funds or accounts than for others. In such cases, a portfolio manager may benefit, either directly or indirectly, by devoting disproportionate attention to the management of fund and/or accounts that provide greater overall returns to the investment manager and its affiliates.

Portfolio Manager Securities Ownership

The table below identifies ownership of fund securities by the fund’s portfolio managers.

 

Portfolio Managers

   Dollar Range of
Ownership of Securities

Paul D. Ehrlichman*

   None

Sean M. Bogda*

   None

Safa R. Muhtaseb*

   None

* Information with respect to this portfolio manager is provided as of October 31, 2006.

CUSTODIAN AND TRANSFER AGENT

State Street Bank and Trust Company (“State Street”), One Lincoln Street, Boston, Massachusetts 02111, serves as the custodian of the fund. State Street, among other things, maintains a custody account or accounts in the name of the fund; receives and delivers all assets for the fund upon purchase and upon sale or maturity; collects and receives all income and other payments and distributions on account of the assets of the fund; and makes disbursements on behalf of the fund. State Street neither determines the fund’s investment policies, nor decides which securities the fund will buy or sell. For its services, State Street receives a monthly fee based upon the daily average market value of securities held in custody and also receives securities transaction charges, including out-of-pocket expenses. The fund may also periodically enter into arrangements with other qualified custodians with respect to certain types of securities or other transactions such as repurchase agreements or derivatives transactions. State Street may also act as the fund’s securities lending agent and in that case would receive a share of the income generated by such activities.

 

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PFPC Inc. (“PFPC” or “transfer agent”), located at P.O. Box 9699, Providence, Rhode Island 02940-9699, serves as the fund’s transfer agent. Under the transfer agency agreement, the transfer agent maintains the shareholder account records for the fund, handles certain communications between shareholders and the fund and distributes dividends and distributions payable by the fund. For these services, the transfer agent receives a monthly fee computed on the basis of the number of shareholder accounts it maintains for the fund during the month, and is reimbursed for out-of-pocket expenses. Prior to January 1, 2006, Citicorp Trust Bank, fsb (“CTB”) served as the fund’s transfer agent and PFPC served as the fund’s sub-transfer agent.

LEGAL COUNSEL

Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP, 787 Seventh Avenue, New York, New York 10019-6099, serves as counsel to the fund.

INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM

KPMG LLP, independent registered public accounting firm, 345 Park Avenue, New York, New York 10154, has been selected to audit and report upon the fund’s financial statements and financial highlights for the fiscal year ending October 31, 2007.

VOTING

As permitted by Maryland law, there will normally be no meetings of shareholders for the purpose of electing Trustees unless and until such time as less than a majority of the Trustees holding office have been elected by shareholders. At that time, the Trustees then in office will call a shareholders’ meeting for the election of Trustees. The Trustees must call a meeting of shareholders for the purpose of voting upon the question of removal of any director when requested in writing to do so by the record holders of not less than 10% of the outstanding shares of the Trust. At such a meeting, a director may be removed after the holders of record of at least a majority of the outstanding shares of the Trust have voted that the director be removed by votes cast in person or by proxy. The Trust will assist shareholders in calling such a meeting. Except as set forth above, the Trustees shall continue to hold office and may appoint successor Trustees.

As used in the prospectus and this SAI, a “vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities” means the affirmative vote of the lesser of (a) 67% or more of the voting power present at a fund meeting, if the holders of more than 50% of the voting power of the fund (or the affected class) are represented at the meeting in person or by proxy, or (b) more than 50% of the voting power of the fund (or the affected class).

OTHER INFORMATION ABOUT THE TRUST

The Trust. The certificate of trust to establish Legg Mason Partners Equity Trust (referred to in this section as the “trust”) was filed with the State of Maryland on October 4, 2006. On the date of this SAI, the fund was redomiciled as a series of the trust. Prior thereto, the fund was a series of Legg Mason Partners Investment Trust, a Massachusetts business trust. Prior to reorganization of the fund as a series of Legg Mason Partners Investment Trust, the fund was a series of Legg Mason Partners World Funds, Inc., a Maryland corporation.

The fund is a series of the trust, a Maryland business trust. A Maryland business trust is an unincorporated business association that is established under, and governed by, Maryland law. Maryland law provides a statutory framework for the powers, duties, rights and obligations of the Board (referred to in this section as the “trustees”) and shareholders of the trust, while the more specific powers, duties, rights and obligations of the trustees and the shareholders are determined by the trustees as set forth in the trust’s declaration of trust (referred to in this section as the “declaration”). Some of the more significant provisions of the declaration are described below.

 

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Shareholder Voting. The declaration provides for shareholder voting as required by the 1940 Act or other applicable laws but otherwise permits, consistent with Maryland law, actions by the trustees without seeking the consent of shareholders. The trustees may, without shareholder approval, amend the declaration or authorize the merger or consolidation of the trust into another trust or entity, reorganize the trust, or any series or class into another trust or entity or a series or class of another entity, sell all or substantially all of the assets of the trust or any series or class to another entity, or a series or class of another entity, or terminate the trust or any series or class.

The fund is not required to hold an annual meeting of shareholders, but the fund will call special meetings of shareholders whenever required by the 1940 Act or by the terms of the declaration. The declaration provides for “dollar-weighted voting” which means that a shareholder’s voting power is determined, not by the number of shares he or she owns, but by the dollar value of those shares determined on the record date. All shareholders of all series and classes of the trust vote together, except where required by the 1940 Act to vote separately by series or by class, or when the trustees have determined that a matter affects only the interests of one or more series or classes of shares.

Election and Removal of Trustees. The declaration provides that the trustees may establish the number of trustees and that vacancies on the board may be filled by the remaining trustees, except when election of trustees by the shareholders is required under the 1940 Act. Trustees are then elected by a plurality of votes cast by shareholders at a meeting at which a quorum is present. The declaration also provides that a mandatory retirement age may be set by action of two-thirds of the trustees and that trustees may be removed, with or without cause, by a vote of shareholders holding two-thirds of the voting power of the trust, or by a vote of two-thirds of the remaining trustees. The provisions of the declaration relating to the election and removal of trustees may not be amended without the approval of two-thirds of the trustees.

Amendments to the Declaration. The trustees are authorized to amend the declaration without the vote of shareholders, but no amendment may be made that impairs the exemption from personal liability granted in the declaration to persons who are or have been shareholders, trustees, officers or, employees of the trust or that limit the rights to indemnification or insurance provided in the declaration with respect to actions or omissions of persons entitled to indemnification under the declaration prior to the amendment.

Issuance and Redemption of Shares. The fund may issue an unlimited number of shares for such consideration and on such terms as the trustees may determine. Shareholders are not entitled to any appraisal, preemptive, conversion, exchange or similar rights, except as the trustees may determine. The fund may involuntarily redeem a shareholder’s shares upon certain conditions as may be determined by the trustees, including, for example, if the shareholder fails to provide a fund with identification required by law, or if the fund is unable to verify the information received from the shareholder. Additionally, as discussed below, shares may be redeemed in connection with the closing of small accounts.

Disclosure of Shareholder Holdings. The declaration specifically requires shareholders, upon demand, to disclose to the fund information with respect to the direct and indirect ownership of shares in order to comply with various laws or regulations, and a fund may disclose such ownership if required by law or regulation.

Small Accounts. The declaration provides that a fund may close out a shareholder’s account by redeeming all of the shares in the account if the account falls below a minimum account size (which may vary by class) that may be set by the trustees from time to time. Alternately, the declaration permits a fund to assess a fee for small accounts (which may vary by class) and redeem shares in the account to cover such fees, or convert the shares into another share class that is geared to smaller accounts.

Series and Classes. The declaration provides that the trustees may establish series and classes in addition to those currently established and to determine the rights and preferences, limitations and restrictions, including qualifications for ownership, conversion and exchange features, minimum purchase and account size, expenses and charges, and other features of the series and classes. The trustees may change any of those features, terminate

 

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any series or class, combine series with other series in the trust, combine one or more classes of a series with another class in that series or convert the shares of one class into another class.

Each share of the fund, as a series of the trust, represents an interest in the fund only and not in the assets of any other series of the trust.

Shareholder, Trustee and Officer Liability. The declaration provides that shareholders are not personally liable for the obligations of either fund and requires the fund to indemnify a shareholder against any loss or expense arising from any such liability. In addition, the fund will assume the defense of any claim against a shareholder for personal liability at the request of the shareholder. The declaration further provides that a trustee acting in his or her capacity of trustee is not personally liable to any person other than the trust or its shareholders, for any act, omission, or obligation of the trust. Further, a trustee is held to the same standard of conduct as a director of a Maryland corporation. This requires that a trustee perform his or her duties in good faith and in a manner he or she reasonably believes to be in the best interests of the trust or a series thereof, and with the care that an ordinarily prudent person in a like position would use under similar circumstances. The declaration also permits the limitation of a trustee’s liability to the full extent provided under Maryland law. Under current Maryland law, a trustee is liable to the trust or its shareholders for monetary damages only (a) to the extent that it is proved that he or she actually received an improper benefit or profit in money, property, or services or (b) to the extent that a judgment or other final adjudication adverse to the trustee is entered in a proceeding based on a finding in the proceeding that the trustee’s action, or failure to act, was the result of active and deliberate dishonesty and was material to the cause of action adjudicated in the proceeding. The declaration requires the trust to indemnify any persons who are or who have been trustees, officers or employees of the trust for any liability for actions or failure to act except to the extent prohibited by applicable federal law. In making any determination as to whether any person is entitled to the advancement of expenses in connection with a claim for which indemnification is sought, such person is entitled to a rebuttable presumption that he or she did not engage in conduct for which indemnification is not available.

The declaration provides that any trustee who serves as chair of the board or of a committee of the board, lead independent trustee, or audit committee financial expert, or in any other similar capacity will not be subject to any greater standard of care or liability because of such position.

Derivative Actions. The declaration provides a detailed process for the bringing of derivative actions by shareholders in order to permit legitimate inquiries and claims while avoiding the time, expense, distraction, and other harm that can be caused to the fund or its shareholders as a result of spurious shareholder demands and derivative actions. Prior to bringing a derivative action, a demand by three unrelated shareholders must first be made on the fund’s trustees. The declaration details various information, certifications, undertakings and acknowledgements that must be included in the demand. Following receipt of the demand, the trustees have a period of 90 days, which may be extended by an additional 60 days, to consider the demand. If a majority of the trustees who are considered independent for the purposes of considering the demand determine that maintaining the suit would not be in the best interests of a fund, the trustees are required to reject the demand and the complaining shareholders may not proceed with the derivative action unless the shareholders are able to sustain the burden of proof to a court that the decision of the trustees not to pursue the requested action was not a good faith exercise of their business judgment on behalf of the fund. The declaration further provides that shareholders owning shares representing at least 5% of the voting power of the affected fund must join in bringing the derivative action. If a demand is rejected, the complaining shareholders will be responsible for the costs and expenses (including attorneys’ fees) incurred by a fund in connection with the consideration of the demand, if in the judgment of the independent trustees, the demand was made without reasonable cause or for an improper purpose. If a derivative action is brought in violation of the declaration, the shareholders bringing the action may be responsible for the fund’s costs, including attorneys’ fees.

The declaration further provides that the fund shall be responsible for payment of attorneys’ fees and legal expenses incurred by a complaining shareholder only if required by law, and any attorneys’ fees that a fund is

 

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obligated to pay shall be calculated using reasonable hourly rates. The declaration also requires that actions by shareholders against the fund be brought only in federal court in Baltimore, Maryland, or if not permitted to be brought in federal court, then in state court in Baltimore, Maryland, and that the right to jury trial be waived to the full extent permitted by law.

Annual and Semi-Annual Reports. The fund sends its shareholders a semi-annual report and an audited annual report, which include listings of investment securities held by the fund at the end of the period covered. In an effort to reduce the fund’s printing and mailing costs, the fund consolidates the mailing of its semi-annual and annual reports by household. This consolidation means that a household having multiple accounts with the identical address of record will receive a single copy of each report. In addition, the fund also consolidates the mailing of its prospectus so that a shareholder having multiple accounts (that is, individual, IRA and/or self-employed retirement plan accounts) will receive a single prospectus annually. Shareholders who do not want this consolidation to apply to their accounts should contact their Service Agent or the transfer agent.

Legal Matters

Beginning in June 2004, class action lawsuits alleging violations of the federal securities laws were filed against Citigroup Global Markets Inc. (“CGMI”) and a number of its then affiliates, including Smith Barney Fund Management LLC (“SBFM”), which were then investment adviser or manager to certain of the Funds (the “managers”), substantially all of the mutual funds then managed by the managers (the “Defendant Funds”), and Board Members of the Defendant Funds (collectively, the “Defendants”). The complaints alleged, among other things, that CGMI created various undisclosed incentives for its brokers to sell Smith Barney and Salomon Brothers funds. In addition, according to the complaints, the managers caused the Defendant Funds to pay excessive brokerage commissions to CGMI for steering clients towards proprietary funds. The complaints also alleged that the defendants breached their fiduciary duty to the Defendant Funds by improperly charging Rule 12b-1 fees and by drawing on fund assets to make undisclosed payments of soft dollars and excessive brokerage commissions. The complaints also alleged that the Defendant Funds failed to adequately disclose certain of the allegedly wrongful conduct. The complaints sought injunctive relief and compensatory and punitive damages, rescission of the Defendant Funds’ contracts with the managers, recovery of all fees paid to the managers pursuant to such contracts and an award of attorneys’ fees and litigation expenses.

On December 15, 2004, a consolidated amended complaint (the “Complaint”) was filed alleging substantially similar causes of action. On May 27, 2005, all of the Defendants filed motions to dismiss the Complaint. On July 26, 2006, the court issued a decision and order (1) finding that plaintiffs lacked standing to sue on behalf of the shareholders of the Defendant Funds in which none of the plaintiffs had invested (including International Fund) and dismissing those Defendant Funds from the case (although stating that they could be brought back into the case if standing as to them could be established), and (2) other than one stayed claim, dismissing all of the causes of action against the remaining Defendants, with prejudice, except for the cause of action under Section 36(b) of the 1940 Act, which the court granted plaintiffs leave to replead as a derivative claim.

On October 16, 2006, plaintiffs filed their Second Consolidated Amended Complaint (“Second Amended Complaint”) which alleges derivative claims on behalf of nine funds identified in the Second Amended Complaint, under Section 36(b) of the 1940 Act, against Citigroup Asset Management, Salomon Brothers Asset Management Inc, SBFM and CGMI as investment advisers to the identified funds, as well as CGMI as a distributor for the identified funds (collectively, the “Second Amended Complaint Defendants”). The fund was not identified in the Second Amended Complaint. The Second Amended Complaint alleges no claims against any of the Funds or any of their Board Members. Under Section 36(b), the Second Amended Complaint alleges similar facts and seeks similar relief against the Second Amended Complaint Defendants as the Complaint.

Additional lawsuits arising out of these circumstances and presenting similar allegations and requests for relief may be filed in the future.

* * *

 

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On May 31, 2005, the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) issued an order in connection with the settlement of an administrative proceeding against SBFM, the then-investment adviser or manager to the fund and CGMI, relating to the appointment of an affiliated transfer agent for the Smith Barney family of mutual funds, including the fund (the “Affected Funds”).

The SEC order found that SBFM and CGMI willfully violated Section 206(1) of the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as amended, and the rules promulgated thereunder (the “Advisers Act”). Specifically, the order found that SBFM and CGMI knowingly or recklessly failed to disclose to the boards of the Affected Funds in 1999 when proposing a new transfer agent arrangement with an affiliated transfer agent that: First Data Investors Services Group (“First Data”), the Affected Funds’ then-existing transfer agent, had offered to continue as transfer agent and do the same work for substantially less money than before; and that Citigroup Asset Management (“CAM”), the Citigroup business unit that, at the time, included the Affected Funds’ investment manager and other investment advisory companies, had entered into a side letter with First Data under which CAM agreed to recommend the appointment of First Data as sub-transfer agent to the affiliated transfer agent in exchange for, among other things, a guarantee by First Data of specified amounts of asset management and investment banking fees to CAM and CGMI. The order also found that SBFM and CGMI willfully violated Section 206(2) of the Advisers Act by virtue of the omissions discussed above and other misrepresentations and omissions in the materials provided to the Affected Funds’ boards, including the failure to make clear that the affiliated transfer agent would earn a high profit for performing limited functions while First Data continued to perform almost all of the transfer agent functions, and the suggestion that the proposed arrangement was in the Affected Funds’ best interests and that no viable alternatives existed. SBFM and CGMI do not admit or deny any wrongdoing or liability. The settlement does not establish wrongdoing or liability for purposes of any other proceeding.

The SEC censured SBFM and CGMI and ordered them to cease and desist from violations of Sections 206(1) and 206(2) of the Advisers Act. The order required Citigroup to pay $208.1 million, including $109 million in disgorgement of profits, $19.1 million in interest, and a civil money penalty of $80 million. Approximately $24.4 million has already been paid to the Affected Funds, primarily through fee waivers. The remaining $183.7 million, including the penalty, has been paid to the U.S. Treasury and will be distributed pursuant to a plan submitted for the approval of the SEC. At this time, there is no certainty as to how the above-described proceeds of the settlement will be distributed, to whom such distributions will be made, the methodology by which such distributions will be allocated, and when such distributions will be made. The order also required that transfer agency fees received from the Affected Funds since December 1, 2004, less certain expenses, be placed in escrow and provided that a portion of such fees might be subsequently distributed in accordance with the terms of the order. On April 3, 2006, an aggregate amount of approximately $9 million held in escrow was distributed to the Affected Funds.

The order required SBFM to recommend a new transfer agent contract to the Fund boards within 180 days of the entry of the order; if a Citigroup affiliate submitted a proposal to serve as transfer agent or sub-transfer agent, SBFM and CGMI would have been required, at their expense, to engage an independent monitor to oversee a competitive bidding process. On November 21, 2005, and within the specified timeframe, the Affected Funds’ Boards selected a new transfer agent for the Affected Fund. No Citigroup affiliate submitted a proposal to serve as transfer agent. Under the order, SBFM also must comply with an amended version of a vendor policy that Citigroup instituted in August 2004.

Although there can be no assurance, the manager does not believe that this matter will have a material adverse effect on the Affected Funds.

* * *

Beginning in August 2005, five class action lawsuits alleging violations of federal securities laws and state law were filed against CGMI and SBFM (collectively, the “Defendants”) based on the May 31, 2005 settlement order issued against the Defendants by the SEC as described above. The complaints seek injunctive relief and

 

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compensatory and punitive damages, removal of SBFM as the investment manager for the Smith Barney family of funds, rescission of the Funds’ management and other contracts with SBFM, recovery of all fees paid to SBFM pursuant to such contracts, and an award of attorneys’ fees and litigation expenses.

On October 5, 2005, a motion to consolidate the five actions and any subsequently filed, related action was filed. That motion contemplates that a consolidated amended complaint alleging substantially similar causes of action will be filed in the future.

As of the date of this report, the Fund’s investment manager believes that resolution of the pending lawsuit will not have a material effect on the financial position or results of operations of the Fund or the ability of the Funds’ investment manager and its affiliates to continue to render services to the Funds under their respective contracts.

* * *

On September 16, 2005, the staff of the SEC informed SBFM and ClearBridge Asset Management Inc (formerly Salomon Brothers Asset Management Inc) that the staff is considering recommending that the SEC institute administrative proceedings against SBFM and ClearBridge Asset Management Inc for alleged violations of Section 19(a) and 34(b) of the Investment Company Act (and related Rule 19a-1). The notification is a result of an industry wide inspection by the SEC and is based upon alleged deficiencies in disclosures regarding dividends and distributions paid to shareholders of certain funds. Section 19(a) and related Rule 19a-1 of the Investment Company Act generally require funds that are making dividend and distribution payments to provide shareholders with a written statement disclosing the source of the dividends and distributions, and, in particular, the portion of the payments made from each of net investment income, undistributed net profits and/or paid-in capital. In connection with the contemplated proceedings, the staff may seek a cease and desist order and/or monetary damages from SBFM or ClearBridge Asset Management Inc.

Although there can be no assurance, the fund’s manager believes that this matter is not likely to have a material adverse effect on the fund.

The foregoing speaks only as of the date of this SAI. Additional lawsuits presenting allegations and requests for relief arising out of or in connection with any of the foregoing matters may be filed against these and related parties in the future.

FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

The audited financial statements of the fund’s predecessor (Statement of Assets and Liabilities as of October 31, 2006, Statement of Operations for the year ended October 31, 2006, Statements of Changes in Net Assets for each of the years in the two-year period ended October 31, 2006, Financial Highlights for each of the years in the five-year period ended October 31, 2006, and Notes to Financial Statements along with the Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm, each of which is included in the Annual Report to Shareholders), are incorporated by reference into this Statement of Additional Information (Filed on January 8, 2007; Accession Number 00011 93125 07-002755).

 

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APPENDIX A

DESCRIPTION OF RATINGS

The ratings of Moody’s Investors Service, Inc., Standard & Poor’s Ratings Group and Fitch Ratings represent their opinions as to the quality of various debt obligations. It should be emphasized, however, that ratings are not absolute standards of quality. Consequently, debt obligations with the same maturity, coupon and rating may have different yields while debt obligations of the same maturity and coupon with different ratings may have the same yield. As described by the rating agencies, ratings are generally given to securities at the time of issuances. While the rating agencies may from time to time revise such ratings, they undertake no obligation to do so.

Description of Moody’s Investors Service, Inc.’s Long-Term Obligation Ratings:

Moody’s long-term obligation ratings are opinions of the relative credit risk of fixed-income obligations with an original maturity of one year or more. They address the possibility that a financial obligation will not be honored as promised. Such ratings reflect both the likelihood of default and any financial loss suffered in the event of default.

Aaa—Obligations rated Aaa are judged to be of the highest quality, with minimal credit risk.

Aa—Obligations rated Aa are judged to be of high quality and are subject to very low credit risk.

A—Obligations rated A are considered upper-medium grade and are subject to low credit risk.

Baa—Obligations rated Baa are subject to moderate credit risk. They are considered medium-grade and as such may possess certain speculative characteristics.

Ba—Obligations rated Ba are judged to have speculative elements and are subject to substantial credit risk.

B—Obligations rated B are considered speculative and are subject to high credit risk.

Caa—Obligations rated Caa are judged to be of poor standing and are subject to very high credit risk.

Ca—Obligations rated Ca are highly speculative and are likely in, or very near, default, with some prospect of recovery of principal and interest.

C—Obligations rated C are the lowest rated class of bonds and are typically in default, with little prospect for recovery of principal or interest.

Note: Moody’s appends numerical modifiers “1”, “2” and “3” to each generic rating classification from “Aa” through “Caa.” The modifier “1” indicates that the obligation ranks in the higher end of its generic rating category; the modifier “2” indicates a mid-range ranking; and the modifier “3” indicates a ranking in the lower end of that generic rating category.

Description of Moody’s Investors Service, Inc.’s US Municipal and Tax Exempt Ratings:

Municipal Ratings are opinions of the investment quality of issuers and issues in the US municipal and tax-exempt markets. As such, these ratings incorporate Moody’s assessment of the default probability and loss severity of these issuers and issues. The default and loss content for Moody’s municipal long-term rating scale differs from Moody’s general long-term rating scale. (Please refer to Corporate Equivalent Ratings under Policies and Procedures.)

 

A-1


Municipal Ratings are based upon the analysis of four primary factors relating to municipal finance: economy, debt, finances, and administration/management strategies. Each of the factors is evaluated individually and for its effect on the other factors in the context of the municipality’s ability to repay its debt.

Municipal Long-Term Rating Definitions:

Aaa—Issuers or issues rated Aaa demonstrate the strongest creditworthiness relative to other US municipal or tax-exempt issuers or issues.

Aa—Issuers or issues rated Aa demonstrate very strong creditworthiness relative to other US municipal or tax-exempt issuers or issues.

A—Issuers or issues rated A present above-average creditworthiness relative to other US municipal or tax-exempt issuers or issues.

Baa—Issuers or issues rated Baa represent average creditworthiness relative to other US municipal or tax- exempt issuers or issues.

Ba—Issuers or issues rated Ba demonstrate below-average creditworthiness relative to other US municipal or tax-exempt issuers or issues.

B—Issuers or issues rated B demonstrate weak creditworthiness relative to other US municipal or tax- exempt issuers or issues.

Caa—Issuers or issues rated Caa demonstrate very weak creditworthiness relative to other US municipal or tax-exempt issuers or issues.

Ca—Issuers or issues rated Ca demonstrate extremely weak creditworthiness relative to other US municipal or tax-exempt issuers or issues.

C—Issuers or issues rated C demonstrate the weakest creditworthiness relative to other US municipal or tax-exempt issuers or issues.

Note: Moody’s appends numerical modifiers “1”, “2” and “3” to each generic rating classification from “Aa” through “Caa.” The modifier “1” indicates that the obligation ranks in the higher end of its generic rating category; the modifier “2” indicates a mid-range ranking; and the modifier “3” indicates a ranking in the lower end of that generic rating category.

Description of Moody’s Investors Service, Inc.’s US Municipal Short-Term Debt And Demand Obligation Ratings:

There are three rating categories for short-term municipal obligations that are considered investment grade. These ratings are designated as Municipal Investment Grade (“MIG”) and are divided into three levels—“MIG 1” through “MIG 3.” In addition, those short-term obligations that are of speculative quality are designated “SG,” or speculative grade. MIG ratings expire at the maturity of the obligation.

MIG 1—This designation denotes superior credit quality. Excellent protection is afforded by established cash flows, highly reliable liquidity support, or demonstrated broad-based access to the market for refinancing.

MIG 2—This designation denotes strong credit quality. Margins of protection are ample, although not as large as in the preceding group.

 

A-2


MIG 3—This designation denotes acceptable credit quality. Liquidity and cash-flow protection may be narrow, and market access for refinancing is likely to be less well-established.

SG—This designation denotes speculative-grade credit quality. Debt instruments in this category may lack sufficient margins of protection.

Description of Moody’s Investors Service, Inc.’s Demand Obligation Ratings:

In the case of variable rate demand obligations (“VRDOs”), a two-component rating is assigned; a long or short-term debt rating and a demand obligation rating. The first element represents Moody’s evaluation of the degree of risk associated with scheduled principal and interest payments. The second element represents Moody’s evaluation of the degree of risk associated with the ability to receive purchase price upon demand (“demand feature”), using a variation of the MIG rating scale, the Variable Municipal Investment Grade or VMIG rating. When either the long- or short-term aspect of a VRDO is not rated, that piece is designated NR, e.g., Aaa/NR or NR/VMIG 1. VMIG rating expirations are a function of each issue’s specific structural or credit features.

VMIG 1—This designation denotes superior credit quality. Excellent protection is afforded by the superior short-term credit strength of the liquidity provider and structural and legal protections that ensure the timely payment of purchase price upon demand.

VMIG 2—This designation denotes strong credit quality. Good protection is afforded by the strong short-term credit strength of the liquidity provider and structural and legal protections that ensure the timely payment of purchase price upon demand.

VMIG 3—This designation denotes acceptable credit quality. Adequate protection is afforded by the satisfactory short-term credit strength of the liquidity provider and structural and legal protections that ensure the timely payment of purchase price upon demand.

SG—This designation denotes speculative-grade credit quality. Demand features rated in this category may be supported by a liquidity provider that does not have an investment grade short-term rating or may lack the structural and/or legal protections necessary to ensure the timely payment of purchase price upon demand.

Description of Moody’s Investors Service, Inc.’s Short-Term Prime Ratings:

Moody’s short-term ratings are opinions of the ability of issuers to honor short-term financial obligations. Ratings may be assigned to issuers, short-term programs or to individual short-term debt instruments. Such obligations generally have an original maturity not exceeding thirteen months, unless explicitly noted.

P-1—Issuers (or supporting institutions) rated Prime-1 have a superior ability to repay short-term debt obligations.

P-2—Issuers (or supporting institutions) rated Prime-2 have a strong ability to repay short-term debt obligations.

P-3—Issuers (or supporting institutions) rated Prime-3 have an acceptable ability to repay short-term obligations.

NP—Issuers (or supporting institutions) rated Not Prime do not fall within any of the Prime rating categories.

Note: Canadian issuers rated P-1 or P-2 have their short-term ratings enhanced by the senior-most long-term rating of the issuer, its guarantor or support-provider.

 

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Description of Standard & Poor’s Ratings Group’s Long-Term Issue Credit Ratings:

Issue credit ratings are based, in varying degrees, on the following considerations: (1) likelihood of payment—capacity and willingness of the obligor to meet its financial commitment on an obligation in accordance with the terms of the obligation; (2) nature of and provisions of the obligation; and (3) protection afforded by, and relative position of, the obligation in the event of bankruptcy, reorganization, or other arrangement under the laws of bankruptcy and other laws affecting creditors’ rights.

The issue rating definitions are expressed in terms of default risk. As such, they pertain to senior obligations of an entity. Junior obligations are typically rated lower than senior obligations, to reflect the lower priority in bankruptcy, as noted above. (Such differentiation applies when an entity has both senior and subordinated obligations, secured and unsecured obligations, or operating company and holding company obligations.) Accordingly, in the case of junior debt, the rating may not conform exactly with the category definition.

AAA—An obligation rated ‘AAA’ has the highest rating assigned by Standard & Poor’s. The obligor’s capacity to meet its financial commitments on the obligation is extremely strong.

AA—An obligation rated ‘AA’ differs from the highest-rated obligations only to a small degree. The obligor’s capacity to meet its financial obligations is very strong.

A—An obligation rated ‘A’ is somewhat more susceptible to the adverse effects of changes in circumstances and economic conditions than obligations in higher rated categories. However, the obligor’s capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation is still strong.

BBB—An obligation rated ‘BBB’ exhibits adequate protection parameters. However, adverse economic conditions or changing circumstances are more likely to lead to a weakened capacity of the obligor to meet its financial commitment on the obligation.

BB, B, CCC, CC, and C—Obligations rated ‘BB’, ‘B’, ‘CCC’, ‘CC’, and ‘C’ are regarded as having significant speculative characteristics. ‘BB’ indicates the least degree of speculation and ‘C’ the highest. While such obligations will likely have some quality and protective characteristics, these may be outweighed by large uncertainties or major exposures to adverse conditions.

BB—An obligation rated ‘BB’ is less vulnerable to nonpayment than other speculative issues. However, it faces major ongoing uncertainties or exposure to adverse business, financial, or economic conditions, which could lead to the obligor’s inadequate capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation.

B—An obligation rated ‘B’ is more vulnerable to nonpayment than obligations rated ‘BB’, but the obligor currently has the capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation. Adverse business, financial, or economic conditions will likely impair the obligor’s capacity or willingness to meet its financial commitment on the obligation.

CCC—An obligation rated ‘CCC’ is currently vulnerable to nonpayment and is dependent upon favorable business, financial, and economic conditions for the obligor to meet its financial commitment on the obligation. In the event of adverse business, financial, or economic conditions, the obligor is not likely to have the capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation.

CC—An obligation rated ‘CC’ is currently highly vulnerable to nonpayment.

C—A subordinated debt or preferred stock obligation rated ‘C’ is currently highly vulnerable to nonpayment. The ‘C’ rating may be used to cover a situation where a bankruptcy petition has been filed or similar action taken, but payments on this obligation are being continued. A ‘C’ also will be assigned to a preferred stock issue in arrears on dividends or sinking fund payments, but that is currently paying.

 

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D—An obligation rated ‘D’ is in payment default. The ‘D’ rating category is used when payments on an obligation are not made on the date due even if the applicable grace period has not expired, unless Standard & Poor’s believes that such payments will be made during such grace period. The ‘D’ rating also will be used upon the filing of a bankruptcy petition or the taking of a similar action if payments on an obligation are jeopardized.

Plus (+) or Minus (–): The ratings from ‘AA’ to ‘CCC’ may be modified by the addition of a plus (+) or minus (–) sign to show relative standing within the major rating categories.

N.R.: This indicates that no rating has been requested, that there is insufficient information on which to base a rating, or that Standard & Poor’s does not rate a particular obligation as a matter of policy.

Active Qualifiers (Currently applied and/or outstanding)

i: This subscript is used for issues in which the credit factors, terms, or both, that determine the likelihood of receipt of payment of interest are different from the credit factors, terms or both that determine the likelihood of receipt of principal on the obligation. The ‘i’ subscript indicates that the rating addresses the interest portion of the obligation only. The ‘i’ subscript will always be used in conjunction with the ‘p’ subscript, which addresses likelihood of receipt of principal. For example, a rated obligation could be assigned ratings of “AAAp NRi” indicating that the principal portion is rated “AAA” and the interest portion of the obligation is not rated.

L: Ratings qualified with ‘L’ apply only to amounts invested up to federal deposit insurance limits.

p: This subscript is used for issues in which the credit factors, the terms, or both, that determine the likelihood of receipt of payment of principal are different from the credit factors, terms or both that determine the likelihood of receipt of interest on the obligation. The ‘p’ subscript indicates that the rating addresses the principal portion of the obligation only. The ‘p’ subscript will always be used in conjunction with the ‘i’ subscript, which addresses likelihood of receipt of interest. For example, a rated obligation could be assigned ratings of “AAAp NRi” indicating that the principal portion is rated “AAA” and the interest portion of the obligation is not rated.

pi: Ratings with a ‘pi’ subscript are based on an analysis of an issuer’s published financial information, as well as additional information in the public domain. They do not, however, reflect in-depth meetings with an issuer’s management and are therefore based on less comprehensive information than ratings without a ‘pi’ subscript. Ratings with a ‘pi’ subscript are reviewed annually based on a new year’s financial statements, but may be reviewed on an interim basis if a major event occurs that may affect the issuer’s credit quality.

pr: The letters ‘pr’ indicate that the rating is provisional. A provisional rating assumes the successful completion of the project financed by the debt being rated and indicates that payment of debt service requirements is largely or entirely dependent upon the successful, timely completion of the project. This rating, however, while addressing credit quality subsequent to completion of the project, makes no comment on the likelihood of or the risk of default upon failure of such completion. The investor should exercise his own judgment with respect to such likelihood and risk.

preliminary: Preliminary ratings are assigned to issues, including financial programs, in the following circumstances. Preliminary ratings may be assigned to obligations, most commonly structured and project finance issues, pending receipt of final documentation and legal opinions. Assignment of a final rating is conditional on the receipt and approval by Standard & Poor’s of appropriate documentation. Changes in the information provided to Standard & Poor’s could result in the assignment of a different rating. In addition, Standard & Poor’s reserves the right not to issue a final rating. Preliminary ratings are assigned to Rule 415 Shelf Registrations. As specific issues, with defined terms, are offered from the master registration, a final rating may be assigned to them in accordance with Standard & Poor’s policies. The final rating may differ from the preliminary rating.

 

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t: This symbol indicates termination structures that are designed to honor their contracts to full maturity or, should certain events occur, to terminate and cash settle all their contracts before their final maturity date.

Local Currency and Foreign Currency Risks: Country risk considerations are a standard part of Standard & Poor’s analysis for credit ratings on any issuer or issue. Currency of repayment is a key factor in this analysis. An obligor’s capacity to repay foreign currency obligations may be lower than its capacity to repay obligations in its local currency due to the sovereign government’s own relatively lower capacity to repay external versus domestic debt. These sovereign risk considerations are incorporated in the debt ratings assigned to specific issues. Foreign currency issuer ratings are also distinguished from local currency issuer ratings to identify those instances where sovereign risks make them different for the same issuer.

Description of Standard & Poor’s Ratings Group’s Ratings of Notes:

A Standard & Poor’s U.S. municipal note rating reflects the liquidity factors and market access risks unique to notes. Notes due in three years or less will likely receive a note rating. Notes maturing beyond three years will most likely receive a long-term debt rating. The following criteria will be used in making that assessment:

—Amortization schedule—the larger the final maturity relative to other maturities, the more likely it will be treated as a note; and

—Source of payment—the more dependent the issue is on the market for its refinancing, the more likely it will be treated as a note.

Note rating symbols are as follows:

SP-1—Strong capacity to pay principal and interest. An issue determined to possess a very strong capacity to pay debt service is given a plus (+) designation.

SP-2—Satisfactory capacity to pay principal and interest, with some vulnerability to adverse financial and economic changes over the term of the notes.

SP-3—Speculative capacity to pay principal and interest.

Description of Standard & Poor’s Ratings Group’s Short-Term Issue Credit Ratings:

A-1—Short-term obligation rated “A-1” is rated in the highest category by Standard & Poor’s. The obligor’s capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation is strong. Within this category, certain obligations are designated with a plus sign (+). This indicates that the obligor’s capacity to meet its financial commitments is extremely strong.

A-2—Short-term obligation rated “A-2” is somewhat more susceptible to the adverse effects of changes in circumstances and economic conditions than obligations in higher rating categories. However, the obligor’s capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation is satisfactory.

A-3—Short-term obligation rated “A-3” exhibits adequate protection parameters. However, adverse economic conditions or changing circumstances are more likely to lead to a weakened capacity of the obligor to meet its financial commitment on the obligation.

B—A short-term obligation rated ‘B’ is regarded as having significant speculative characteristics. Ratings of ‘B-1’, ‘B-2’, and ‘B-3’ may be assigned to indicate finer distinctions within the ‘B’ category. The obligor currently has the capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation; however, it faces major ongoing uncertainties which could lead to the obligor’s inadequate capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation.

 

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B-1—A short-term obligation rated ‘B-1’ is regarded as having significant speculative characteristics, but the obligor has a relatively stronger capacity to meet its financial commitments over the short-term compared to other speculative-grade obligors.

B-2—A short-term obligation rated ‘B-2’ is regarded as having significant speculative characteristics, and the obligor has an average speculative-grade capacity to meet its financial commitments over the short-term compared to other speculative-grade obligors.

B-3—A short-term obligation rated ‘B-3’ is regarded as having significant speculative characteristics, and the obligor has a relatively weaker capacity to meet its financial commitments over the short-term compared to other speculative-grade obligors.

C—A short-term obligation rated ‘C’ is currently vulnerable to nonpayment and is dependent upon favorable business, financial, and economic conditions for the obligor to meet its financial commitment on the obligation.

D—A short-term obligation rated ‘D’ is in payment default. The ‘D’ rating category is used when payments on an obligation are not made on the date due even if the applicable grace period has not expired, unless Standard & Poor’s believes that such payments will be made during such grace period. The ‘D’ rating also will be used upon the filing of a bankruptcy petition or the taking of a similar action if payments on an obligation are jeopardized.

Active Qualifiers (Currently applied and/or outstanding)

i: This subscript is used for issues in which the credit factors, terms, or both, that determine the likelihood of receipt of payment of interest are different from the credit factors, terms or both that determine the likelihood of receipt of principal on the obligation. The ‘i’ subscript indicates that the rating addresses the interest portion of the obligation only. The ‘i’ subscript will always be used in conjunction with the ‘p’ subscript, which addresses likelihood of receipt of principal. For example, a rated obligation could be assigned ratings of “AAAp NRi” indicating that the principal portion is rated “AAA” and the interest portion of the obligation is not rated.

L: Ratings qualified with ‘L’ apply only to amounts invested up to federal deposit insurance limits.

p: This subscript is used for issues in which the credit factors, the terms, or both, that determine the likelihood of receipt of payment of principal are different from the credit factors, terms or both that determine the likelihood of receipt of interest on the obligation. The ‘p’ subscript indicates that the rating addresses the principal portion of the obligation only. The ‘p’ subscript will always be used in conjunction with the ‘i’ subscript, which addresses likelihood of receipt of interest. For example, a rated obligation could be assigned ratings of “AAAp NRi” indicating that the principal portion is rated “AAA” and the interest portion of the obligation is not rated.

pi: Ratings with a ‘pi’ subscript are based on an analysis of an issuer’s published financial information, as well as additional information in the public domain. They do not, however, reflect in-depth meetings with an issuer’s management and are therefore based on less comprehensive information than ratings without a ‘pi’ subscript. Ratings with a ‘pi’ subscript are reviewed annually based on a new year’s financial statements, but may be reviewed on an interim basis if a major event occurs that may affect the issuer’s credit quality.

pr: The letters ‘pr’ indicate that the rating is provisional. A provisional rating assumes the successful completion of the project financed by the debt being rated and indicates that payment of debt service requirements is largely or entirely dependent upon the successful, timely completion of the project. This rating, however, while addressing credit quality subsequent to completion of the project, makes no comment on the likelihood of or the risk of default upon failure of such completion. The investor should exercise his own judgment with respect to such likelihood and risk.

 

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preliminary: Preliminary ratings are assigned to issues, including financial programs, in the following circumstances. Preliminary ratings may be assigned to obligations, most commonly structured and project finance issues, pending receipt of final documentation and legal opinions. Assignment of a final rating is conditional on the receipt and approval by Standard & Poor’s of appropriate documentation. Changes in the information provided to Standard & Poor’s could result in the assignment of a different rating. In addition, Standard & Poor’s reserves the right not to issue a final rating. Preliminary ratings are assigned to Rule 415 Shelf Registrations. As specific issues, with defined terms, are offered from the master registration, a final rating may be assigned to them in accordance with Standard & Poor’s policies. The final rating may differ from the preliminary rating.

t: This symbol indicates termination structures that are designed to honor their contracts to full maturity or, should certain events occur, to terminate and cash settle all their contracts before their final maturity date. Local Currency and Foreign Currency Risks: Country risk considerations are a standard part of Standard & Poor’s analysis for credit ratings on any issuer or issue. Currency of repayment is a key factor in this analysis. An obligor’s capacity to repay foreign currency obligations may be lower than its capacity to repay obligations in its local currency due to the sovereign government’s own relatively lower capacity to repay external versus domestic debt. These sovereign risk considerations are incorporated in the debt ratings assigned to specific issues. Foreign currency issuer ratings are also distinguished from local currency issuer ratings to identify those instances where sovereign risks make them different for the same issuer.

Description of Standard & Poor’s Ratings Group’s Ratings of Commercial Paper:

A Standard & Poor’s commercial paper rating is a current assessment of the likelihood of timely payment of debt having an original maturity of no more than 365 days. Ratings are graded into several categories, ranging from “A” for the highest-quality obligations to “D” for the lowest. These categories are as follows:

A-1—This designation indicates that the degree of safety regarding timely payment is strong. Those issues determined to possess extremely strong safety characteristics are denoted with a plus sign (+) designation.

A-2—Capacity for timely payment on issues with this designation is satisfactory. However, the relative degree of safety is not as high as for issues designated ‘A-1’.

A-3—Issues carrying this designation have an adequate capacity for timely payment. They are, however, more vulnerable to the adverse effects of changes in circumstances than obligations carrying the higher designations.

B—Issues rated ‘B’ are regarded as having only speculative capacity for timely payment.

C—This rating is assigned to short-term debt obligations with a doubtful capacity for payment.

D—Debt rated ‘D’ is in payment default. The ‘D’ rating category is used when interest payments of principal payments are not made on the date due, even if the applicable grace period has not expired, unless Standard & Poor’s believes such payments will be made during such grace period.

Description of Standard & Poor’s Ratings Group’s Dual Ratings:

Standard & Poor’s assigns “dual” ratings to all debt issues that have a put option or demand feature as part of their structure.

The first rating addresses the likelihood of repayment of principal and interest as due, and the second rating addresses only the demand feature. The long-term debt rating symbols are used for bonds to denote the long-term maturity and the commercial paper rating symbols for the put option (for example, “AAA/A-1+”). With short-term demand debt, Standard & Poor’s note rating symbols are used with the commercial paper rating symbols (for example, “SP-1+/A-1+”).

 

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Description of Fitch Ratings International Long-Term Credit Ratings:

International Long-Term Credit Ratings (“LTCR”) may also be referred to as “Long-Term Ratings.” When assigned to most issuers, it is used as a benchmark measure of probability of default and is formally described as an Issuer Default Rating (IDR). The major exception is within Public Finance, where IDRs will not be assigned as market convention has always focused on timeliness and does not draw analytical distinctions between issuers and their underlying obligations. When applied to issues or securities, the LTCR may be higher or lower than the issuer rating (IDR) to reflect relative differences in recovery expectations. The following rating scale applies to foreign currency and local currency ratings.

Investment Grade

AAA—Highest credit quality. “AAA” ratings denote the lowest expectation of credit risk. They are assigned only in case of exceptionally strong capacity for payment of financial commitments. This capacity is highly unlikely to be adversely affected by foreseeable events.

AA—Very high credit quality. “AA” ratings denote expectations of very low credit risk. They indicate very strong capacity for payment of financial commitments. This capacity is not significantly vulnerable to foreseeable events.

A—High credit quality. “A” ratings denote expectations of low credit risk. The capacity for payment of financial commitments is considered strong. This capacity may, nevertheless, be more vulnerable to changes in circumstances or in economic conditions than is the case for higher ratings.

BBB—Good credit quality. “BBB” ratings indicate that there is currently expectations of low credit risk. The capacity for payment of financial commitments is considered adequate, but adverse changes in circumstances and economic conditions are more likely to impair this capacity. This is the lowest investment-grade category.

Speculative Grade

BB—Speculative. “BB” ratings indicate that there is a possibility of credit risk developing, particularly as the result of adverse economic change over time; however, business or financial alternatives may be available to allow financial commitments to be met. Securities rated in this category are not investment grade.

B—Highly speculative. For issuers and performing obligations, ‘B’ ratings indicate that significant credit risk is present, but a limited margin of safety remains. Financial commitments are currently being met; however, capacity for continued payment is contingent upon a sustained, favorable business and economic environment. For individual obligations, ‘B’ ratings may indicate distressed or defaulted obligations with potential for extremely high recoveries. Such obligations would possess a Recovery Rating of ‘R1’ (outstanding).

CCC—For issuers and performing obligations, default is a real possibility. Capacity for meeting financial commitments is solely reliant upon sustained, favorable business or economic conditions. For individual obligations, may indicate distressed or defaulted obligations with potential for average to superior levels of recovery. Differences in credit quality may be denoted by plus/minus distinctions. Such obligations typically would possess a Recovery Rating of ‘R2’ (superior), or ‘R3’ (good) or ‘R4’ (average).

CC—For issuers and performing obligations, default of some kind appears probable. For individual obligations, may indicate distressed or defaulted obligations with a Recovery Rating of ‘R4’ (average) or ‘R5’ (below average).

 

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C—For issuers and performing obligations, default is imminent. For individual obligations, may indicate distressed or defaulted obligations with potential for below-average to poor recoveries. Such obligations would possess a Recovery Rating of ‘R6’ (poor).

RD—Indicates an entity that has failed to make due payments (within the applicable grace period) on some but not all material financial obligations, but continues to honor other classes of obligations.

D—Indicates an entity or sovereign that has defaulted on all of its financial obligations. Default generally is defined as one of the following: (i) failure of an obligor to make timely payment of principal and/or interest under the contractual terms of any financial obligation; (ii) the bankruptcy filings, administration, receivership, liquidation or other winding-up or cessation of business of an obligor; or (iii) the distressed or other coercive exchange of an obligation, where creditors were offered securities with diminished structural or economic terms compared with the existing obligation.

Default ratings are not assigned prospectively; within this context, non-payment on an instrument that contains a deferral feature or grace period will not be considered a default until after the expiration of the deferral or grace period.

Issuers will be rated ‘D’ upon a default. Defaulted and distressed obligations typically are rated along the continuum of ‘C’ to ‘B’ ratings categories, depending upon their recovery prospects and other relevant characteristics. Additionally, in structured finance transactions, where analysis indicates that an instrument is irrevocably impaired such that it is not expected to meet pay interest and/or principal in full in accordance with the terms of the obligation’s documentation during the life of the transaction, but where no payment default in accordance with the terms of the documentation is imminent, the obligation may be rated in the ‘B’ or ‘CCC-C’ categories.

Default is determined by reference to the terms of the obligations’ documentation. Fitch will assign default ratings where it has reasonably determined that payment has not been made on a material obligation in accordance with the requirements of the obligation’s documentation, or where it believes that default ratings consistent with Fitch’s published definition of default are the most appropriate ratings to assign.

Description of Fitch Ratings International Short-Term Credit Ratings:

International Short-Term Credit Ratings may also be referred to as “Short-Term Ratings.” The following ratings scale applies to foreign currency and local currency ratings. A short-term rating has a time horizon of less than 13 months for most obligations, or up to three years for U.S. public finance, in line with industry standards, to reflect unique characteristics of bond, tax, and revenue anticipation notes that are commonly issued with terms up to three years. Short-term ratings thus places greater emphasis on the liquidity necessary to meet financial commitments in a timely manner.

F1—Highest credit quality. Indicates the strongest capacity for timely payment of financial commitments; may have an added “+” to denote any exceptionally strong credit feature.

F2—Good credit quality. A satisfactory capacity for timely payment of financial commitments, but the margin of safety is not as great as in the case of the higher ratings.

F3—Fair credit quality. The capacity for timely payment of financial commitments is adequate; however, near-term adverse changes could result in a reduction to non-investment grade.

B—Speculative. Minimal capacity for timely payment of financial commitments, plus vulnerability to near-term adverse changes in financial and economic conditions.

 

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C—High default risk. Default is a real possibility. Capacity for meeting financial commitments is solely reliant upon a sustained, favorable business and economic environment.

D—Default. Indicates an entity or sovereign that has defaulted on all of its financial obligations.

Notes to Fitch Ratings International Long-Term and Short-Term Credit Ratings:

The modifiers “+” or “-” may be appended to a rating to denote relative status within major rating categories. Such suffixes are not added to the ‘AAA’ Long-term rating category, to categories below ‘CCC’, or to Short-term ratings other than ‘F1’. (The +/- modifiers are only used to denote issues within the CCC category, whereas issuers are only rated CCC without the use of modifiers.)

Rating Watch: Ratings are placed on Rating Watch to notify investors that there is a reasonable probability of a rating change and the likely direction of such change. These are designated as “Positive”, indicating a potential upgrade, “Negative”, for a potential downgrade, or “Evolving”, if ratings may be raised, lowered or maintained. Rating Watch is typically resolved over a relatively short period.

Rating Outlook: An Outlook indicates the direction a rating is likely to move over a one to two-year period. Outlooks may be positive, stable or negative. A positive or negative Rating Outlook does not imply a rating change is inevitable. Similarly, ratings for which outlooks are ‘stable’ could be upgraded or downgraded before an outlook moves to positive or negative if circumstances warrant such an action. Occasionally, Fitch Ratings may be unable to identify the fundamental trend. In these cases, the Rating Outlook may be described as evolving.

Program ratings (such as the those assigned to MTN shelf registrations) relate only to standard issues made under the program concerned; it should not be assumed that these ratings apply to every issue made under the program. In particular, in the case of non-standard issues, i.e. those that are linked to the credit of a third party or linked to the performance of an index, ratings of these issues may deviate from the applicable program rating.

Variable rate demand obligations and other securities which contain a short-term ‘put’ or other similar demand feature will have a dual rating, such as AAA/F1+. The first rating reflects the ability to meet long-term principal and interest payments, whereas the second rating reflects the ability to honor the demand feature in full and on time.

Interest Only: Interest Only ratings are assigned to interest strips. These ratings do not address the possibility that a security holder might fail to recover some or all of its initial investment due to voluntary or involuntary principal repayments.

Principal Only: Principal Only ratings address the likelihood that a security holder will receive their initial principal investment either before or by the scheduled maturity date.

Rate of Return: Ratings also may be assigned to gauge the likelihood of an investor receiving a certain predetermined internal rate of return without regard to the precise timing of any cash flows.

‘PIF’: Paid-in -Full; denotes a security that is paid-in-full, matured, called, or refinanced.

‘NR’ indicates that Fitch Ratings does not rate the issuer or issue in question.

‘Withdrawn’: A rating is withdrawn when Fitch Ratings deems the amount of information available to be inadequate for rating purposes, or when an obligation matures, is called, or refinanced, or for any other reason Fitch Ratings deems sufficient.

 

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APPENDIX B

Brandywine Global Investment Management, LLC Proxy Voting Policy

Policy:

Brandywine has a responsibility to its clients for voting proxies for portfolio securities consistent with the best economic interests of its clients. Brandywine maintains written policies and procedures as to the handling, research, voting and reporting of proxy voting and makes appropriate disclosures about our firm’s proxy policies and practices. The policy and practice includes the fact that the firm has a responsibility to monitor corporate actions, receive and vote client proxies and disclose any potential conflicts of interest as well as making information available to clients about the voting of proxies for their portfolio securities and maintaining relevant and required records.

Background:

Proxy voting is an important right of shareholders and reasonable care and diligence must be undertaken to ensure that such rights are properly and timely exercised.

Investment advisers registered with the SEC, and which exercise voting authority with respect to client securities, are required by Rule 206(4)-6 of the Advisers Act to (a) adopt and implement written policies and procedures that are reasonably designed to ensure that client securities are voted in the best interests of clients, which must include how an adviser addresses material conflicts that may arise between an adviser’s interests and those of its clients; (b) to disclose to clients how they may obtain information from the adviser with respect to the voting of proxies for their securities; (c) to describe to clients a summary of its proxy voting policies and procedures and, upon request, furnish a copy to its clients; and (d) maintain certain records relating to the adviser’s proxy voting activities when the adviser does have proxy voting authority.

Responsibility:

Compliance has the responsibility for the implementation and monitoring of the firm’s proxy voting policy, practices, disclosures and record keeping, including outlining voting guidelines in the procedures.

Procedures:

Brandywine has implemented policies and procedures that we believe are reasonably designed to ensure that proxies are voted in the best interest of clients, in accordance with our fiduciary duties and the Investment Advisers Act of 1940 (“Advisers Act”). Our authority to vote the proxies of our clients is established through investment management agreements or comparable documents.

In exercising its voting authority, Brandywine will not consult or enter into agreements with officers, directors or employees of its parent, Legg Mason Inc., or any of its affiliates, regarding the voting of any securities owned by its clients.

While the guidelines included in the procedures are intended to provide a benchmark for voting standards, each vote is ultimately cast on a case-by-case basis, taking into consideration Brandywine’s contractual obligations to our clients and all other relevant facts and circumstances at the time of the vote (such that these guidelines may be overridden to the extent Brandywine believes appropriate).

Voting Authority

 

   

Brandywine shall assume the responsibility and authority with respect to the voting of proxies for all client accounts, unless such responsibility and authority expressly have been delegated to others or

 

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reserved to the trustee or other named fiduciary of a client account. In no event will Brandywine’s authority to vote proxies obligate it to undertake any shareholder activism on behalf of any client.

 

   

Brandywine’s clients shall be responsible for notifying their custodians of the name and address of the person or entity with voting authority.

 

   

Brandywine’s Compliance Department, on a random basis, reviews the proxy voting process. The gathering and voting of proxies is coordinated through the Administrative Department and Brandywine maintains internal procedures to govern the processing of proxies, including handling client requests and monitoring for potential material conflicts. Research analysts, corporate action specialists and portfolio managers, otherwise referred to as voting persons, and are responsible for determining appropriate voting positions on each proxy utilizing any applicable guidelines contained in these procedures.

 

   

Brandywine will not decline to vote proxies except in extraordinary circumstances, nor will Brandywine accept direction from others with regard to the voting of proxies. Brandywine will take the investment guidelines of an account into consideration in deciding how to vote on a particular issue.

 

   

Brandywine may vote proxies related to the same security differently for each client.

 

   

Brandywine seeks to identify any material conflicts that may arise between the interests of Brandywine and its clients in accordance with the following procedures. Except for extraordinary circumstances, in any such instance, the material conflict will be resolved by either excluding any conflicted person from the voting process or by voting in accordance with the recommendation of Institutional Shareholder Services (ISS), an independent third party.

 

   

All relevant proxies are reviewed by the Legal and Compliance Department for potential material conflicts of interest. Issues to be reviewed may include whether Brandywine manages assets for the issuer, a shareholder proponent or an employee group of the issuer or otherwise has a current or potential business relationship with the issuer; whether Brandywine, one of its officers or directors or any voting person is a close relative of or has any personal or business relationship with the issuer (excluding normal commercial transactions and investment relationships where there is no special treatment), with an officer, director or other executive person at the issuer, with a candidate for election to the board of the issuer or with a shareholder proponent; whether there is any other material business or personal relationship which may create an interest in the outcome of the matter on the part of a voting person; or whether an affiliate of Brandywine’s has a conflict as described above which is known to Brandywine’s voting persons. Conflicts of this nature will be considered material. If the conflict pertains to an individual voting person that person will exclude him- or herself from the vote determination process in order to shield the Brandywine and other voting persons from the conflict, provided the compliance department believes that the other voting persons can determine a vote completely separate from the conflicted voting person. If the conflict cannot be contained, the proxy is voted according to the recommendation of ISS. Any time a material conflict is encountered, Brandywine will keep records on the nature of the conflict, the actual vote and the basis for the vote determination.

Voting Guidelines

 

   

Proxies will not be voted without an analysis of the underlying issues involved.

 

   

Brandywine’s proxy voting policy at all times shall be directed toward maximizing the value of the assets of managed accounts, for the benefit of the accounts’ ultimate owners/beneficiaries.

 

   

Any item on a proxy, which would tend to inhibit the realization of maximum value, may receive a negative vote from Brandywine. Examples of such items would be staggered terms for directors, restrictions against cumulative voting, and establishment of different classes of stock, excessive compensation, poor stewardship, or any activity, which could be viewed as a “poison pill” maneuver.

 

B-2


   

On other matters specific to a company, such as the election of directors, the appointment of auditors, granting of options, repricing of options, mergers and other material issues, a decision shall be made in conjunction with the primary analyst responsible for overseeing that company, consistent with the policy of maximizing value.

Voting Records & Client Notification

 

   

A complete record and file of all votes cast shall be maintained by Brandywine for the period prescribed by the Securities Exchange Commission. Brandywine will similarly maintain copies of policies and procedures, proxy booklets, copies of any documents created by Brandywine that were material to making a decision how to vote proxies and a log of proxy requests and responses.

A proxy log shall be maintained by Brandywine that includes the issuer name, exchange ticker symbol, CUSIP number, shareholder meeting date, brief identification of the matter voted on, whether the matter was proposed by the issuer or by a shareholder of the issuer, whether a vote was cast on the matter, record of how the vote was cast, and whether the vote was cast for or against the recommendation of the issuer’s management team.

 

 

 

Clients may obtain information with regard to the manner in which their proxies were voted, as well as detailed policies and procedures by contacting Brandywine, 2929 Arch Street, 8th Floor, Philadelphia, PA 19104, attention: Proxy administrator.

In addition, a description of these Policies shall be provided to new clients prior to the inception of their account, simultaneous with the provision of Brandywine’s Disclosure Brochure whenever possible.

Administration of Proxies

 

   

At the inception of a new account over which Brandywine has domestic proxy voting authority:

 

   

New client information is entered onto the appropriate “Proxy System” (ProxyEdge (ADP) for domestic securities and ISS for global securities).

 

   

Custodians are notified by the Client that proxies should be forwarded to Brandywine.

 

   

Those proxies that arrive in the Mail Room are sorted and forwarded to a Proxy Administrator.

 

   

Proxies are placed in date order into pending vote proxy files by a Proxy Administrator.

 

   

Proxies are cross-referenced against the Alert List (discussed under Identifying Potential Conflicts).

 

   

Proxies are then distributed to either the appropriate investment team or, in those instances where a proxy matches an Alert List entry, to the Legal and Compliance Department.

 

   

In the event that no material conflict exists, the following procedures apply:

 

   

The voting person’s initials are entered onto the Proxy System’s tickler file in the analyst block.

 

   

Ballots are voted by a voting person and are returned to a Proxy Administrator for processing on the Proxy System.

   

If a material conflict exists, a Proxy Administrator will obtain a copy of the Institutional Shareholder Services recommendation, which will be attached to the ballot.

 

   

The voting person will then either (i) complete the Proxy System ballot in accordance with the attached recommendation; or (ii) exclude themselves in writing from voting the proxy.

 

   

A Proxy Administrator will redirect the proxy to another voting person in instances where an exclusion has occurred.

 

B-3


   

Where applicable, a Proxy Administrator will verify that the ballot was in fact voted in accordance with the ISS recommendation before entering it onto the Proxy System.

 

 

 

The proxy booklets and Proxy System ballots are subjected to an approval process by a Proxy Administrator.

 

 

 

During the approval process, ballot shares are matched against holdings shares1.

 

   

Discrepancies are researched through Brandywine’s internal data warehouse and custodian banks are contacted where necessary to reconcile share amounts.

 

   

Brandywine personnel act in such a manner to ensure that, absent special circumstances, the proxy gathering and proxy voting steps noted above could be completed before the applicable deadline for returning proxy votes.

 

   

Any pending unvoted meetings are reviewed and monitored on a daily basis by Proxy Administrators.

 

   

All voting records are maintained within the Proxy Systems.

 

   

Proxy booklets and all additional information (including copies of any documents created by Brandywine that were material to making a decision how to vote proxies) are filed.

Administration of Client Requests

 

   

All client requests for proxy information (both written and oral), including but not limited to voting records and requests for detailed Policies and Procedures, are referred to a Proxy Administrator.

 

   

All requests are entered onto a Proxy Request Log maintained by a Proxy Administrator. Information on the log includes the date of the request, the content of the request and the date of the response by Brandywine.

 

   

The Proxy Administrator works in conjunction with the Client Service Department to respond to all requests in writing.

 

   

Copies of all written requests and responses thereto, including voting record reports, are maintained in a separate Proxy Request file.

Identifying Potential Conflict of interest

Personal Conflicts

 

   

Each voting person must certify in writing at the beginning of each proxy season that he or she will notify the Legal and Compliance Department of:

1. any potential personal conflict with regard to a specific proxy; and

2. any potential conflict of which they become aware relating to another voting person.

 

   

Potential conflicts should be interpreted broadly in order to capture instances where a conflict of interest could be perceived to exist by a third party. An objective ‘reasonableness’ standard should be applied as opposed to a subjective determination that the individual is not in fact conflicted.

 

   

The following are examples of potential personal conflicts which are extracted from the SEC’s Final Rule 4:

 

   

The adviser may also have business or personal relationships with participants in proxy contests, corporate directors or candidates for directorships. For example, an executive of the adviser may have a spouse or other close relative that serves as a director or executive of a company.

 

   

Any Board positions held on a publicly traded company by a voting person (as evidenced by their most recent Code of Ethics Certification) will be examined on a case-by-case basis as proxy votes arise in that security.

 

B-4


   

A list of potentially conflicted securities (“Alert List”) will be provided to the Proxy Administrators, who will cross-reference proxy votes as they arise.

 

   

Any proxies matching securities on the Alert List will be referred to the Legal and Compliance Department for an assessment of the materiality of the conflict.

Professional Conflicts

 

   

In order to identify instances where a professional association could be perceived as a conflict of interest between Brandywine and a client for purposes of proxy voting, the following procedures will be followed:

 

   

The names of all clients who are directly connected to a publicly traded security, through a significant ownership interest, which was held by a Brandywine account during the relevant proxy period, will be added to the Alert List.

 

   

The names of all significant prospects that are directly connected to a publicly traded security, through a significant ownership interest, which was held by a Brandywine account during the relevant proxy period, will be added to the Alert List.

 

   

The Alert List will be cross-referenced by the Proxy Administrators against proxies on a day-to-day basis.

 

B-5


Filed under Rule 497(c)

File Nos. 33-43446 and 811-6444

PROSPECTUS

April 16, 2007

The Securities and Exchange Commission has not approved or disapproved these securities or determined whether this Prospectus is accurate or complete. Any statement to the contrary is a crime.

LOGO

Legg Mason Partners Small Cap Value Fund

Class A, B, C and I Shares

 

 

 

INVESTMENT PRODUCTS: NOT FDIC INSURED Ÿ NO BANK GUARANTEE Ÿ MAY LOSE VALUE

 


Legg Mason Partners

Small Cap Value Fund

Contents

 

Investments, risks and performance

  2

More on the fund’s investments

  7

Management

  9

Choosing a class of shares to buy

  12

Comparing the fund’s classes

  14

Sales charges

  15

More about contingent deferred sales charges

  19

Retirement and institutional investors

  20

Buying shares

  22

Exchanging shares

  23

Redeeming shares

  25

Other things to know about transactions

  27

Dividends, distributions and taxes

  30

Share price

  32

Financial highlights

  34

 

As part of a number of initiatives launched in 2006 to restructure and streamline the Legg Mason Partners fund complex, the fund assumed the assets and liabilities of a predecessor fund with the same name. The fund is now grouped for organizational and governance purposes with other Legg Mason Partners funds that are predominantly equity-type funds. Any information in this prospectus relating to the fund prior to the date of this prospectus refers to the fund’s predecessor.


 

Investments, risks and performance

Investment objective

The fund seeks long-term capital growth.

Principal investment strategies

Key investments

Under normal circumstances, the fund invests at least 80% of the value of its net assets, plus any borrowings for investment purposes, in common stocks and other equity securities of small capitalization U.S. companies or in other investments with similar economic characteristics. Small capitalization companies are those companies whose market capitalizations at the time of investment do not exceed (i) $3 billion or (ii) the highest month-end market capitalization value of any stock in the Russell 2000 Index (the “Index”) for the previous 12 months, whichever is greater. Securities of companies whose market capitalizations no longer meet this definition after purchase by the fund still will be considered to be securities of small capitalization companies for purposes of the fund’s 80% investment policy. The size of companies in the Index changes with market conditions and the composition of the Index. Equity securities include exchange-traded and over-the-counter common stocks and preferred shares, debt securities convertible into equity securities and warrants and rights relating to equity securities. The fund may invest up to 20% of the value of its net assets in shares of companies with larger market capitalizations.

Selection process

The portfolio manager emphasizes individual security selection while spreading the fund’s investments among industries and sectors. The portfolio manager uses both quantitative and fundamental methods to identify stocks of smaller capitalization companies the portfolio manager believes have a high probability of outperforming other stocks in the same industry or sector.

The portfolio manager uses quantitative parameters to select a universe of smaller capitalized companies that fit the fund’s general investment criteria. In selecting individual securities from within this range, the portfolio manager looks for “value” attributes, such as:

n  

Low stock price relative to earnings, book value and cash flow

n  

High return on invested capital

The portfolio manager also uses quantitative methods to identify catalysts and trends that might influence the fund’s industry or sector focus, or the portfolio manager’s individual security selection.

Principal risks of investing in the fund

Investors could lose money on their investment in the fund, or the fund may not perform as well as other investments, if:

n  

Stock prices decline generally

n  

Smaller capitalized companies fall out of favor with investors

n  

The portfolio manager’s judgment about the attractiveness, value or potential appreciation of a particular stock proves to be incorrect

 

2         Legg Mason Partners Funds


 

n  

A particular product or service developed by a company in which the fund invests is unsuccessful, the company does not meet earnings expectations or other events depress the value of the company’s stock

Compared to mutual funds that focus on larger capitalization companies, the fund’s share price may be more volatile because of its focus on smaller capitalization companies. These companies are more likely to have:

n  

More limited product lines

n  

Fewer capital resources

n  

Less depth of management

Further, securities of smaller capitalization companies are more likely to:

n  

Experience sharper swings in market values

n  

Be harder to sell at times and prices the portfolio manager believes appropriate

n  

Offer greater potential for gains and losses

Who may want to invest

The fund may be an appropriate investment if you:

n  

Are seeking to participate in the long-term growth potential of smaller capitalization companies

n  

Currently have exposure to fixed income investments or the stocks commonly held by large capitalization oriented mutual funds and wish to broaden your investment portfolio

n  

Are willing to accept the risks of the stock market and the special risks of investing in smaller companies with limited track records

 

Small Cap Value Fund         3


 

Performance information

The following shows summary performance information for the fund in a bar chart and an Average Annual Total Returns table. The information provides some indication of the risks of investing in the fund by showing changes in its performance from year to year and by showing how the fund’s average annual total returns compare with the returns of a broad-based securities market index. The bar chart and the information below show performance of the fund’s Class A shares, but do not reflect the impact of sales charges (loads). If they did, the returns would be lower than those shown. Unlike the bar chart, performance for Class A, B, C and I(1) shares in the Average Annual Total Returns table reflects the impact of the maximum sales charge (load) applicable to the respective classes, and, where indicated, the performance for Class A shares reflects the impact of taxes paid on distributions and the redemption of shares at the end of the period. The performance information shown below is that of the fund’s predecessor. The fund’s past performance, before and after taxes, is not necessarily an indication of how the fund will perform in the future.

Total Return for Class A Shares

LOGO

Highest and lowest quarter returns (for periods shown in the bar chart)

Highest: 19.39% in 4th quarter 2001; Lowest: (15.79)% in 3rd quarter 2002.

 

(1)

 

As of November 20, 2006, Class Y shares were renamed Class I shares.

 

4         Legg Mason Partners Funds


 

Average Annual Total Returns (for periods ended December 31, 2006)

 

      1 Year        5 Years        Since
Inception
       Inception
Date
Class A Return Before Taxes(1)    4.97 %      11.55 %      14.11 %      02/26/99
 
Class A Return After Taxes on Distributions(1)(2)    3.61 %      10.56 %      12.95 %      02/26/99
 
Class A Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares(1)(2)    4.69 %      9.81 %      12.06 %      02/26/99
 
Class B Return Before Taxes    5.60 %      11.89 %      14.12 %      02/26/99
 
Class C Return Before Taxes    9.43 %      11.96 %      14.08 %      02/26/99
 
Class I Return Before Taxes(3)    11.77 %      N/A        21.58 %      04/14/03
 
Russell 2000 Value Index(4)    23.48 %      15.37 %      15.51 %                (5)
 

 

(1)

 

On November 20, 2006, the maximum initial sales charge on Class A shares was increased for sales made on and after that date. The average annual returns for Class A shares in the table have been calculated as if the increased maximum initial sales charge had been in effect for the entire period.

 

(2)

 

After-tax returns are calculated using the highest historical individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes. Actual after-tax returns depend on an investor’s tax situation and may differ from those shown, and the after-tax returns shown are not relevant to investors who hold their fund shares through tax-deferred arrangements, such as 401(k) plans or individual retirement accounts. In some cases the return after taxes may exceed the return before taxes due to an assumed tax benefit from any losses on a sale of fund shares at the end of the measurement period. After-tax returns shown above are for Class A shares only. After-tax returns for other share classes will vary.

 

(3)

 

As of November 20, 2006, Class Y shares were renamed Class I shares.

 

(4)

 

The Russell 2000 Value Index is an unmanaged index that measures the performance of those Russell 2000 companies with lower price-to-book ratios and lower forecasted growth values. (Price-to-book ratio is the price of a stock divided by its net asset value.) It is not possible to invest directly in the Index. The Index does not reflect deductions for fees, expenses or taxes.

 

(5)

 

Index comparison begins on 02/26/99.

Fee table

This table sets forth the fees and expenses you may pay if you invest in fund shares.

 

Shareholder Fees

 

(paid directly from your investment)   Class A     Class B     Class C     Class I(1)
Maximum sales charge (load) imposed on purchases (as a % of offering price)   5.75 %   None     None     None
 
Maximum contingent deferred sales charge (load) (as a % of the lower of net asset value at purchase or redemption)   None(2)     5.00 %   1.00 %   None
 

 

Annual Fund Operating Expenses

 

(paid by the fund as a % of net assets)   Class A     Class B     Class C     Class I(1)  
Management fee   0.75 %   0.75 %   0.75 %   0.75 %
   
Distribution and service (12b-1) fees   0.25 %   1.00 %   1.00 %   None  
   
Other expenses   0.13 %   0.12 %   0.24 %   0.02 %
   
Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses(3)   0.02 %   0.02 %   0.02 %   0.02 %
   
Total annual fund operating expenses   1.15 %   1.89 %   2.01 %   0.79 %
   

 

(1)

 

As of November 20, 2006, Class Y shares were renamed Class I shares.

 

(2)

 

You may buy Class A shares in amounts of $1,000,000 or more at net asset value (without an initial sales charge) but if you redeem those shares within 12 months of their purchase, you will pay a contingent deferred sales charge of 1.00%.

 

(3)

 

Annual fund operating expenses include fees and expenses of other investment companies in which the fund invested.

 

Small Cap Value Fund         5


 

Example

This example helps you compare the costs of investing in the fund with the costs of investing in other mutual funds. Your actual costs may be higher or lower. The example assumes:

n  

You invest $10,000 in the fund for the period shown

n  

Your investment has a 5% return each year-the assumption of a 5% return is required by the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) for purposes of this example and is not a prediction of the fund’s future performance

n  

You reinvest all distributions and dividends without a sales charge

n  

The fund’s operating expenses (before fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements, if any) remain the same

 

Number of Years You Own Your Shares

 

     1 year   3 years   5 years   10 years  

Class A (with or without redemption)

  $ 685   $ 919   $ 1,171   $ 1,891  
   

Class B (redemption at end of period)

  $ 692   $ 894   $ 1,121   $ 2,020 (1)
   

Class B (no redemption)

  $ 192   $ 594   $ 1,021   $ 2,020 (1)
   

Class C (redemption at end of period)

  $ 304   $ 630   $ 1,083   $ 2,337  
   

Class C (no redemption)

  $ 204   $ 630   $ 1,083   $ 2,337  
   

Class I(2) (with or without redemption)

  $ 81   $ 253   $ 439   $ 978  
   

 

(1)

 

Assumes conversion to Class A shares approximately eight years after purchase.

 

(2)

 

As of November 20, 2006, Class Y shares were renamed Class I shares.

 

6         Legg Mason Partners Funds


 

More on the fund’s investments

The fund’s investment objective and principal investment strategies are described under the section entitled “Investments, risks and performance” above. This section provides further information about the investment strategies that may be used by the fund.

The fund’s investment objective may be changed without shareholder approval.

Derivative contracts

The fund may, but need not, use derivative contracts, such as futures and options on securities, securities indices, interest rates or currencies, or options on these futures, for any of the following purposes:

n  

To hedge against the economic impact of adverse changes in the market value of its securities, because of changes in stock market prices, currency exchange rates or interest rates

n  

As a cash flow management technique

n  

As a substitute for buying or selling securities

n  

To enhance return

A derivative contract will obligate or entitle the fund to deliver or receive an asset or cash payment based on the change in value of one or more securities, currencies or indices. Even a small investment in derivative contracts can have a big impact on the fund’s stock, interest rate or currency exposure. Therefore, using derivatives can disproportionately increase losses and reduce opportunities for gains when interest rates, exchange rates or securities markets are changing. The fund may not fully benefit from or may lose money on derivatives if changes in their value do not correspond as anticipated to changes in the value of the fund’s holdings.

The other parties to certain derivative contracts present the same types of default risk as issuers of fixed income securities. Derivatives also can make the fund less liquid and harder to value, especially in declining markets.

Foreign investments

The fund may invest up to 10% of its assets (at the time of investment) in foreign securities. The fund may invest directly in foreign issuers or invest in depositary receipts. The fund’s investments in securities of foreign issuers involve greater risk than investments in securities of U.S. issuers. Because the value of a depositary receipt is dependent upon the market price of an underlying foreign security, depositary receipts are subject to most of the risks associated with investing in foreign securities directly. Foreign countries generally have markets that are less liquid and more volatile than markets in the United States. In some foreign countries, less information is available about foreign issuers and markets because of less rigorous accounting and regulatory standards than in the United States. Currency fluctuations could erase investment gains or add to investment losses.

Debt securities

The fund’s policy is to be as fully invested in equity securities as practicable at all times. The fund may, however, maintain a portion of its assets (normally not more than 10%) in U.S. government securities, money market obligations and cash to pay expenses and meet redemption requests. Generally, the value of these fixed income obligations will decline if interest rates rise, the credit rating of the security is downgraded or the issuer defaults on its obligation to pay principal and/or interest.

 

Small Cap Value Fund         7


 

Defensive investing

The fund may depart from its principal investment strategies in response to adverse market, economic or political conditions by taking temporary defensive positions in any type of money market instruments and short-term debt securities or cash without regard to any percentage limitations. If the fund takes a temporary defensive position, it may be unable to achieve its investment objective.

Other information

The fund also may use other strategies and invest in other securities that are described, along with their risks, in the fund’s Statement of Additional Information (“SAI”). However, the fund might not use all of the strategies and techniques or invest in all of the types of securities described in this prospectus or in the SAI. Also note that there are many other factors, which are not described here, that could adversely affect your investment and that could prevent the fund from achieving its investment objective.

Portfolio holdings

The fund’s policies and procedures with respect to the disclosure of the fund’s portfolio securities are described in the SAI.

 

8         Legg Mason Partners Funds


 

Management

Manager and subadviser

Legg Mason Partners Fund Advisor, LLC (“LMPFA” or the “manager”) is the fund’s investment manager. LMPFA, with offices at 399 Park Avenue, New York, New York 10022, is a recently organized investment adviser that has been formed to serve as the investment manager of the fund and other Legg Mason-sponsored funds. LMPFA provides administrative and certain oversight services to the fund. ClearBridge Advisors, LLC (“ClearBridge” or the “subadviser”) provides the day-to-day portfolio management of the fund, except for the management of cash and short-term instruments, which is performed by LMPFA.

ClearBridge has offices at 399 Park Avenue, New York, New York 10022 and is a recently-organized investment adviser that has been formed to succeed to the equity securities portfolio management business of Citigroup Asset Management (“CAM”), which was acquired by Legg Mason, Inc. (“Legg Mason”) in December 2005. As of December 31, 2006, ClearBridge’s total assets under management were approximately $116 billion.

LMPFA and ClearBridge are wholly-owned subsidiaries of Legg Mason. Legg Mason, whose principal executive offices are at 100 Light Street, Baltimore, Maryland 21202, is a global asset management company. As of December 31, 2006, Legg Mason’s asset management operation had aggregate assets under management of approximately $945 billion.

Prior to August 1, 2006, Smith Barney Fund Management LLC (“SBFM”) was the fund’s investment manager. SBFM is also a wholly-owned subsidiary of Legg Mason.

Portfolio manager

Peter Hable, investment officer of the subadviser and president of Davis Skaggs Investment Management, a division of ClearBridge, has been responsible for the day-to-day management of the fund’s portfolio since inception. He has been with the subadviser or its predecessor companies since 1983.

The SAI provides information about the compensation of the portfolio manager, other accounts the portfolio manager manages, and any fund shares held by the portfolio manager.

Management fee

For the fiscal year ended September 30, 2006, the fund paid a management fee of 0.75% of the fund’s average daily net assets for management services. For the period from October 1, 2005 through July 31, 2006, the fund paid SBFM a management fee equal to 0.75% of the fund’s average daily net assets. For the period from August 1, 2006 through September 30, 2006, the fund paid LMPFA a management fee equal to 0.75% of the fund’s average daily net assets.

A discussion regarding the basis for the Board’s approval of the fund’s management agreement and subadvisory agreement is available in the fund’s Annual Report for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2006.

 

Small Cap Value Fund         9


 

Distribution plan

Legg Mason Investor Services, LLC (“LMIS”), a wholly-owned broker/dealer subsidiary of Legg Mason, Citigroup Global Markets Inc. (“CGMI”) and PFS Investments Inc. (“PFS”) serve as the fund’s distributors.

The fund has adopted a shareholder services and distribution plan for its Class A, B and C shares. Under the plan, the fund pays distribution and/or service fees. The plan provides for payments, based on annualized percentages of average daily net assets, of up to 0.25% for Class A shares; and up to 1.00% for Class B and Class C shares. These fees are an ongoing expense and, over time, will increase the cost of your investment and may cost you more than other types of sales charges.

In addition, the distributors may make payments for distribution and/or shareholder servicing activities out of their past profits and other available sources. A distributor may also make payments to dealers for marketing, promotional or related expenses. The amount of these payments is determined by the distributor and may be substantial. The manager or an affiliate may make similar payments under similar arrangements.

The payments described in the paragraph above are often referred to as “revenue sharing payments.” The recipients of such payments may include the fund’s distributors, other affiliates of the manager, broker/dealers, financial institutions and other financial intermediaries through which investors may purchase shares of the fund. In some circumstances, such payments may create an incentive for an intermediary or its employees or associated persons to recommend or sell shares of the fund to you. Please contact your financial intermediary for details about revenue sharing payments it may receive.

Recent developments

On May 31, 2005, the SEC issued an order in connection with the settlement of an administrative proceeding against SBFM, the then-investment adviser or manager to the fund, and CGMI, relating to the appointment of an affiliated transfer agent for the Smith Barney family of mutual funds, including the fund (the “Affected Funds”).

The SEC order found that SBFM and CGMI willfully violated Section 206(1) of the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as amended, and the rules promulgated thereunder (the “Advisers Act”). Specifically, the order found that SBFM and CGMI knowingly or recklessly failed to disclose to the boards of the Affected Funds in 1999 when proposing a new transfer agent arrangement with an affiliated transfer agent that: First Data Investors Services Group (“First Data”), the Affected Funds’ then-existing transfer agent, had offered to continue as transfer agent and do the same work for substantially less money than before; and that CAM, the Citigroup business unit that, at the time, included the Affected Funds’ investment manager and other investment advisory companies, had entered into a side letter with First Data under which CAM agreed to recommend the appointment of First Data as sub-transfer agent to the affiliated transfer agent in exchange for, among other things, a guarantee by First Data of specified amounts of asset management and investment banking fees to CAM and CGMI. The order also found that SBFM and CGMI willfully violated Section 206(2) of the Advisers Act by virtue of the omissions discussed above and other misrepresentations and omissions in the materials provided to the Affected Funds’ boards, including the failure to make clear that the affiliated transfer agent would earn a high profit for performing limited functions while First Data continued to perform

 

10         Legg Mason Partners Funds


 

almost all of the transfer agent functions, and the suggestion that the proposed arrangement was in the Affected Funds’ best interests and that no viable alternatives existed.

SBFM and CGMI do not admit or deny any wrongdoing or liability. The settlement does not establish wrongdoing or liability for purposes of any other proceeding. The SEC censured SBFM and CGMI and ordered them to cease and desist from violations of Sections 206(1) and 206(2) of the Advisers Act. The order required Citigroup to pay $208.1 million, including $109 million in disgorgement of profits, $19.1 million in interest, and a civil money penalty of $80 million. Approximately $24.4 million has already been paid to the Affected Funds, primarily through fee waivers. The remaining $183.7 million, including the penalty, has been paid to the U.S. Treasury and will be distributed pursuant to a plan submitted for the approval of the SEC. At this time, there is no certainty as to how the above-described proceeds of the settlement will be distributed, to whom such distributions will be made, the methodology by which such distributions will be allocated, and when such distributions will be made. The order also required that transfer agency fees received from the Affected Funds since December 1, 2004, less certain expenses, be placed in escrow and provided that a portion of such fees might be subsequently distributed in accordance with the terms of the order. On April 3, 2006, an aggregate amount of approximately $9 million held in escrow was distributed to the Affected Funds.

The order required SBFM to recommend a new transfer agent contract to the Affected Funds’ boards within 180 days of the entry of the order; if a Citigroup affiliate submitted a proposal to serve as transfer agent or sub-transfer agent, SBFM and CGMI would have been required, at their expense, to engage an independent monitor to oversee a competitive bidding process. On November 21, 2005, and within the specified timeframe, the Affected Funds’ boards selected a new transfer agent for the Affected Funds. No Citigroup affiliate submitted a proposal to serve as transfer agent. Under the order, SBFM also must comply with an amended version of a vendor policy that Citigroup instituted in August 2004.

Although there can be no assurance, the manager does not believe that this matter will have a material adverse effect on the Affected Funds.

On December 1, 2005, Citigroup completed the sale of substantially all of its global asset management business, including SBFM, to Legg Mason.

 

Small Cap Value Fund         11


 

Choosing a class of shares to buy

Individual investors can generally choose among three classes of shares: Classes A, B and C shares. Individual investors that held Class I (formerly Class Y) shares prior to November 20, 2006, may continue to invest in Class I shares. Institutional and retirement plan investors and clients of financial intermediaries should refer to “Retirement and institutional investors” below for a description of the classes available to them.

Each class has different sales charges and expenses, allowing you to choose the class that best meets your needs. When choosing which class of shares to buy, you should consider:

n  

How much you plan to invest

n  

How long you expect to own the shares

n  

The expenses paid by each class detailed in the Fee table and Example at the front of this prospectus

n  

Whether you qualify for any reduction or waiver of sales charges

If you are choosing between Class A and Class B shares, it will in almost all cases be the more economical choice for you to purchase Class A shares if you plan to purchase shares in an amount of $100,000 or more (whether in a single purchase or through aggregation of eligible holdings). This is because of the reduced sales charge available on larger investments of Class A shares and the lower ongoing expenses of Class A shares compared to Class B shares.

If you intend to invest for only a few years, the effect of Class B contingent deferred sales charges on redemptions made within five years of purchase, as well as the effect of higher expenses of that class, might make an investment in Class C more appropriate. There is no initial sales charge on Class C shares, and the contingent deferred sales charge does not apply to shares redeemed one year or more after purchase.

However, if you plan to invest a large amount and your investment horizon is five years or more, Class C shares might not be as advantageous as Class A shares. The annual distribution and service fees on Class C shares may cost you more over the longer term than the front-end sales charge you would have paid for larger purchases of Class A shares.

You may buy shares from:

n  

Certain broker/dealers, financial intermediaries, financial institutions or a distributor’s financial advisors or registered representatives that have entered into an agreement to sell fund shares (each called a “Service Agent”)

n  

The fund, but only if you are investing through certain qualified plans or Service Agents

Different types of shareholder services may be available to you under arrangements offered by different Service Agents. In addition, these services may vary depending on the share class in which you choose to invest. In making your decision regarding which share class to buy, please keep in mind that your Service Agent may receive different compensation depending on the share class in which you invest. Investors should consult with their Service Agent about comparative pricing of shareholder services available to them under each available share class, the compensation that will be received by their Service Agent in connection with each available share class, and other factors that may be relevant to the investor’s choice of share class in which to invest.

Not all classes of shares are available through each Service Agent. You should contact your Service Agent for further information.

 

12         Legg Mason Partners Funds


 

Investment minimums

Minimum initial and additional investment amounts vary depending on the class of shares you buy and the nature of your investment.

 

   

Investment Minimum

Initial/Additional Investment(1)

     Class A   Class B   Class C  

Class I

(formerly Y)

General

  $ 500/$50   $ 500/$50   $ 500/$50     n/a
 

IRAs and Uniform Gifts or Transfers to Minor Accounts

  $ 250/$50   $ 250/$50   $ 250/$50     n/a
 

SIMPLE IRAs

  $ 1/$1   $ 1/$1   $ 1/$1     n/a
 

Systematic Investment Plans

  $ 25/$25   $ 25/$25   $ 25/$25     n/a
 

Clients of Eligible Financial Intermediaries

  $ 1/$1     n/a     n/a     None/None
 

Retirement Plans with omnibus accounts held on the books of the fund

    None/None     n/a     None/None     None/None
 

Other Retirement Plans

  $ 50/$50   $ 50/$50   $ 50/$50     n/a
 

Institutional Investors

  $ 500/$50   $ 500/$50   $ 500/$50   $ 1 million/None
 

 

(1)

 

Please refer to the section entitled “Retirement and institutional investors” for additional information regarding the investment minimum and eligibility requirements for Retirement Plans, Institutional Investors and Clients of Eligible Financial Intermediaries.

More information about the fund’s classes of shares is available through the Legg Mason Partners Funds’ website. You’ll find detailed information about sales charges and ways you can qualify for reduced or waived sales charges, including:

n  

The front-end sales charges that apply to the purchase of Class A shares

n  

The contingent deferred sales charges that apply to the redemption of Class B shares, Class C shares and certain Class A shares (redeemed within one year)

n  

Who qualifies for lower sales charges on Class A shares

n  

Who qualifies for a sales load waiver

To access the website, go to http://www.leggmason.com/InvestorServices and click on the name of the fund.

 

Small Cap Value Fund         13


 

Comparing the fund’s classes

The following table compares key features of the fund’s classes. You should review the Fee table and Example at the front of this prospectus carefully before choosing your share class. Your Service Agent can help you decide which class meets your goals. Your Service Agent may receive different compensation depending upon which class you choose.

 

     Class A   Class B   Class C   Class I
Key features  

n  Initial sales charge

n  You may qualify for reduction or waiver of initial sales charge

n  Generally lower annual expenses than Class B and Class C

 

n  No initial sales charge

n  Contingent deferred sales charge declines over time

n  Converts to Class A after approximately 8 years

n  Generally higher annual expenses than Class A

 

n  No initial sales charge

n  Contingent deferred sales charge for only 1 year

n  Does not convert to Class A

n  Generally higher annual expenses than Class A

 

n  No initial or contingent deferred sales charge

n  Only offered to institutional and other eligible investors

n  Generally lower expenses than the other classes

Initial sales charge  

Up to 5.75%; reduced or waived for large purchases and certain investors. No charge for purchases of $1 million or more

 

None

 

None

 

None

Contingent deferred sales charge  

1.00% on purchases of $1 million or more if you redeem within 1 year of purchase; waived for certain investors

 

Up to 5.00% charged when you redeem shares. This charge is reduced over time and there is no contingent deferred sales charge after 5 years; waived for certain investors

 

1.00% if you redeem within 1 year of purchase; waived for certain investors

 

None

Annual distribution and/or service fees  

0.25% of average daily net assets

 

1.00% of average daily net assets

 

1.00% of average daily net assets

 

None

Exchange privilege(1)  

Class A shares of most Legg Mason Partners Funds

 

Class B shares of most Legg Mason Partners Funds

 

Class C shares of most Legg Mason Partners Funds

 

Class I shares of most Legg Mason Partners Funds

 

(1)

 

Ask your Service Agent about the Legg Mason Partners Funds available for exchange.

 

14         Legg Mason Partners Funds


 

Sales charges

Class A shares

You buy Class A shares at the offering price, which is the net asset value plus a sales charge. You pay a lower rate as the size of your investment increases to certain levels called breakpoints. You do not pay a sales charge on the fund’s distributions or dividends you reinvest in additional Class A shares.

The table below shows the rate of sales charge you pay, depending on the amount you purchase, for purchases made on or after November 20, 2006. The table below also shows the amount of broker/dealer compensation that will be paid out of the sales charge if you buy shares from a Service Agent (except PFS). For Class A shares directly sold by LMIS, LMIS will receive the sales charge imposed on purchases of Class A shares (or any contingent deferred sales charge paid on redemptions) and will retain the full amount of such sales charge. For Class A shares sold by CGMI, CGMI will receive the sales charge imposed on purchases of Class A shares and will retain an amount equal to the broker/dealer commission paid out of the sales charge. LMIS will receive any portion not retained by CGMI. For Class A shares sold by PFS, PFS will receive the sales charge imposed on purchases of Class A shares (or any contingent deferred sales charge paid on redemptions) and will retain the full amount of such sales charge. Service Agents (including CGMI and PFS) will also receive a service fee payable on Class A shares at an annual rate of up to 0.25% of the average daily net assets represented by the Class A shares serviced by them.

 

Amount of investment  

Sales Charge

as % of

offering price

 

Sales Charge

as % of net
amount invested

 

Broker/Dealer

Commission

as % of

offering price

Less than $25,000

  5.75   6.10   5.00
 

$25,000 but less than $50,000

  5.00   5.26   4.25
 

$50,000 but less than $100,000

  4.50   4.71   3.75
 

$100,000 but less than $250,000

  3.50   3.63   2.75
 

$250,000 but less than $500,000

  2.50   2.56   2.00
 

$500,000 but less than $750,000

  2.00   2.04   1.60
 

$750,000 but less than $1 million

  1.50   1.52   1.20
 

$1 million or more(1)

  -0-   -0-   up to 1.00
 

 

(1)

 

A distributor may pay a commission of up to 1.00% to a Service Agent for purchase amounts of $1 million or more. In such cases, starting in the thirteenth month after purchase, the Service Agent will also receive an annual distribution/service fee of up to 0.25% of the average daily net assets represented by the Class A shares held by its clients. Prior to the thirteenth month, the distributor will retain this fee. Where the Service Agent does not receive the payment of this commission, the Service Agent will instead receive the annual distribution/service fee starting immediately after purchase. Please contact your Service Agent for more information.

Investments of $1,000,000 or more

You do not pay an initial sales charge when you buy $1,000,000 or more of Class A shares. However, if you redeem these Class A shares within one year of purchase, you will pay a contingent deferred sales charge of 1.00%.

 

Small Cap Value Fund         15


 

Qualifying for a reduced Class A sales charge

There are several ways you can combine multiple purchases of Class A shares of Legg Mason Partners Funds to take advantage of the breakpoints in the sales charge schedule. In order to take advantage of reductions in sales charges that may be available to you when you purchase fund shares, you must inform your Service Agent or the transfer agent if you are eligible for a letter of intent or a right of accumulation and if you own shares of other Legg Mason Partners Funds that are eligible to be aggregated with your purchases. Certain records, such as account statements, may be necessary in order to verify your eligibility for reduced sales charges.

n  

Accumulation Privilege – allows you to combine the current value of Class A shares of the fund with other shares of Legg Mason Partners Funds that are owned by:

  ¨  

you; or

  ¨  

your spouse and children under the age of 21

with the dollar amount of your next purchase of Class A shares for purposes of calculating the initial sales charge.

Shares of certain money market funds advised by the manager or its affiliates (other than money market fund shares acquired by exchange from other Legg Mason Partners Funds offered with a sales charge), Legg Mason Partners S&P 500 Index Fund and Class O shares of Legg Mason Partners Equity Fund may not be combined.

If you hold shares of Legg Mason Partners Funds in accounts at two or more Service Agents, please contact your Service Agents to determine which shares may be combined.

Certain trustees and fiduciaries may be entitled to combine accounts in determining their sales charge.

n  

Letter of Intent – allows you to purchase Class A shares of Legg Mason Partners Funds over a 13-month period and pay the same sales charge on Class A shares, if any, as if all shares had been purchased at once. At the time you enter into the letter of intent, you select your asset goal amount. Generally, purchases of Legg Mason Partners Fund shares that are purchased during the 13-month period by

  ¨  

you; or

  ¨  

your spouse and children under the age of 21

are eligible for inclusion under the letter, based on the public offering price at the time of the purchase, and any capital appreciation on those shares. Purchases made 90 days prior to the 13-month period are also eligible to be treated as purchases made under the letter of intent. In addition, you can include towards your asset goal amount the current value of any eligible purchases that were made prior to the date of entering into the letter of intent and are still held.

If you hold shares of Legg Mason Partners Funds in accounts at two or more Service Agents, please contact your Service Agents to determine which shares may be credited toward your letter of intent asset goal.

Shares of certain money market funds advised by the manager or its affiliates (other than money market fund shares acquired by exchange from other Legg Mason Partners Funds offered with a sales charge), Legg Mason Partners S&P 500 Index Fund and Class O shares of Legg Mason Partners Equity Fund may not be credited toward your letter of intent asset goal.

 

16         Legg Mason Partners Funds


 

If you do not meet your asset goal amount, shares in the amount of any sales charges due, based on the amount of your actual purchases, will be redeemed from your account.

Waivers for certain Class A investors

Class A initial sales charges are waived for certain types of investors, including:

n  

Employees of Service Agents having dealer, service or other selling agreements with the fund’s distributors

n  

Investors who redeemed Class A shares of a Legg Mason Partners Fund in the past 60 days, if the investor’s Service Agent is notified

n  

Directors and officers of any Legg Mason-sponsored fund

n  

Employees of Legg Mason and its subsidiaries

n  

Investors investing through certain retirement plans

If you qualify for a waiver of the Class A initial sales charge, you must notify your Service Agent or the transfer agent at the time of purchase and provide sufficient information at the time of purchase to permit verification that the purchase qualifies for the initial sales charge waiver.

If you want to learn about additional waivers of Class A initial sales charges, contact your Service Agent, consult the SAI or access the Legg Mason Partners Funds’ website, http://www.leggmason.com/InvestorServices, and click on the name of the fund.

Class B shares

You buy Class B shares at net asset value without paying an initial sales charge. However, if you redeem your Class B shares within five years of your purchase payment, you will pay a contingent deferred sales charge. The contingent deferred sales charge decreases as the number of years since your purchase payment increases.

 

Year after purchase   1st     2nd     3rd     4th     5th     6th through 8th  

Contingent deferred sales charge

  5 %   4 %   3 %   2 %   1 %   0 %
   

LMIS will pay Service Agents other than PFS, including CGMI, selling Class B shares a commission of up to 4.00% of the purchase price of the Class B shares they sell, and LMIS will retain the contingent deferred sales charges. For Class B shares sold by PFS, PFS will pay a commission of up to 4.00% of the purchase price of the Class B shares sold by its Service Agents and will retain the contingent deferred sales charges paid upon certain redemptions. Service Agents also receive an annual distribution/service fee of up to 0.25% of the average daily net assets represented by the Class B shares serviced by them.

 

Small Cap Value Fund         17


 

Class B conversion

After approximately 8 years, Class B shares automatically convert into Class A shares. This helps you because Class A shares have lower annual expenses. Your Class B shares will convert to Class A shares as follows:

 

Shares issued:

At initial purchase

   Shares issued:
On reinvestment of
dividends and
distributions
   Shares issued:
Upon exchange from
another Legg Mason
Partners Fund
Approximately 8 years after the date of purchase payment    In same proportion as the number of Class B shares converting is to total Class B shares you own (excluding shares issued as dividends)    On the date the shares originally acquired would have converted into Class A shares
 

Class C shares

You buy Class C shares at net asset value without paying an initial sales charge. However, if you redeem your Class C shares within one year of purchase, you will pay a contingent deferred sales charge of 1.00%.

LMIS will generally pay Service Agents selling Class C shares a commission of up to 1.00% of the purchase price of the Class C shares they sell and LMIS will retain the contingent deferred sales charges and an annual distribution/service fee of up to 1.00% of the average daily net assets represented by the Class C shares serviced by these Service Agents until the thirteenth month after purchase. Starting in the thirteenth month after purchase, these Service Agents will receive an annual distribution/service fee of up to 1.00% of the average daily net assets represented by the Class C shares serviced by them.

Class I shares (formerly Class Y shares)

Class I shares are purchased at net asset value with no initial sales charge and no contingent deferred sales charge when redeemed.

 

18         Legg Mason Partners Funds


 

More about contingent deferred sales charges

The contingent deferred sales charge is based on the net asset value at the time of purchase or redemption, whichever is less, and therefore you do not pay a sales charge on amounts representing appreciation or depreciation.

In addition, you do not pay a contingent deferred sales charge:

n  

When you exchange shares for shares of another Legg Mason Partners Fund

n  

On shares representing reinvested distributions and dividends

n  

On shares no longer subject to the contingent deferred sales charge

Each time you place a request to redeem shares, the fund will first redeem any shares in your account that are not subject to a contingent deferred sales charge and then the shares in your account that have been held the longest.

If you redeemed shares of a Legg Mason Partners Fund and paid a contingent deferred sales charge, you may, under certain circumstances, reinvest all or part of the redemption proceeds within 60 days and receive pro rata credit for any contingent deferred sales charge imposed on the prior redemption. Please contact your Service Agent for additional information.

The fund’s distributors receive contingent deferred sales charges as partial compensation for their expenses in selling shares, including the payment of compensation to your Service Agent.

Contingent deferred sales charge waivers

The contingent deferred sales charge for each share class will generally be waived:

n  

On payments made through certain systematic withdrawal plans

n  

On certain distributions from a retirement plan

n  

For retirement plans with omnibus accounts held on the books of the fund

n  

For involuntary redemptions of small account balances

n  

For 12 months following the death or disability of a shareholder

If you want to learn more about additional waivers of contingent deferred sales charges, contact your Service Agent, consult the SAI or look at the Legg Mason Partners Funds’ website, http://www.leggmason.com/InvestorServices, and click on the name of the fund.

 

Small Cap Value Fund         19


 

Retirement and institutional investors

Eligible investors

Retirement Plans

Retirement Plans with omnibus accounts held on the books of the fund can generally choose among three classes of shares: Class C, Class A and Class I (formerly Class Y) shares.

“Retirement Plans” include 401(k) plans, 457 plans, employer-sponsored 403(b) plans, profit sharing plans, non-qualified deferred compensation plans and other similar employer-sponsored retirement plans. Retirement Plans do not include individual retirement vehicles, such as traditional and Roth individual retirement accounts, Coverdell education savings accounts, individual 403(b)(7) custodial accounts, Keogh plans, SEPs, SARSEPs, SIMPLE IRAs, or Section 529 savings accounts. Although Retirement Plans with omnibus accounts held on the books of the fund are not subject to minimum initial investment requirements for any of these share classes, certain investment minimums may be imposed by a financial intermediary.

Other Retirement Plans

Other Retirement Plans can generally choose among three classes of shares: Class A, Class B and Class C. “Other Retirement Plans” include Retirement Plans investing through brokerage accounts, and also include certain Retirement Plans with direct relationships to the fund that are neither Institutional Investors nor investing through omnibus accounts. Individual retirement vehicles, such as IRAs, may also choose among these share classes. Other Retirement Plans and individual retirement vehicles are treated like individual investors for purposes of determining sales charges and any applicable sales charge reductions or waivers.

Clients of Eligible Financial Intermediaries

Clients of Eligible Financial Intermediaries may generally choose between two classes of shares: Class A and Class I. “Clients of Eligible Financial Intermediaries” are investors who invest in the fund through financial intermediaries that offer their clients fund shares through investment programs as authorized by LMIS. Such investment programs may include fee based advisory or brokerage account programs, and college savings vehicles such as Section 529 plans. The financial intermediary may impose separate investment minimums.

Institutional Investors

Institutional Investors may invest in Class I shares if they meet the $1,000,000 minimum initial investment requirement. Institutional Investors may also invest in Class A, B and C shares, which have different investment minimums and fees and expenses. “Institutional Investors” generally include corporations, banks, insurance companies, foundations, retirement plans and other similar entities with direct relationships to the fund.

Class C — Retirement Plans

For purchases made on or after November 20, 2006, Retirement Plans with omnibus accounts held on the books of the fund may buy Class C shares without paying a contingent deferred sales charge. As of November 20, 2006, LMIS no longer pays Service Agents selling Class C shares to retirement plans with omnibus accounts held on the books

 

20         Legg Mason Partners Funds


 

of a fund a commission on the purchase price of Class C shares sold by them. Instead, immediately after purchase, LMIS will pay these Service Agents an annual distribution/service fee of up to 1.00% of the average daily net assets represented by the Class C shares serviced by them.

Certain retirement plan programs with exchange features in effect prior to November 20, 2006, as approved by LMIS, will remain eligible for exchange from Class C shares to Class A shares in accordance with the program terms. Please read the SAI for more details.

Class A — Retirement Plans

Retirement Plans with omnibus accounts held on the books of the fund may purchase Class A shares through programs sponsored by financial intermediaries. Under these programs, the initial sales charge and contingent deferred sales charge for Class A shares is waived where:

n  

Such Retirement Plan’s record keeper offers only load-waived shares,

n  

Fund shares are held on the books of the fund through an omnibus account, and

n  

The Retirement Plan has more than 100 participants, or has total assets exceeding $1 million

As of November 20, 2006, LMIS no longer pays Service Agents selling Class A shares to Retirement Plans with a direct omnibus relationship with a fund a commission on the purchase price of Class A shares sold by them. However, for certain Retirement Plans that are permitted to purchase shares at net asset value on or after this date, LMIS may continue to pay Service Agents commissions of up to 1.00% of the purchase price of the additional Class A shares that are purchased with regular ongoing plan contributions. Please contact your Service Agent for more information.

Class I

As of November 20, 2006, Class Y shares were renamed Class I shares and are offered only to Institutional Investors who meet the $1,000,000 minimum initial investment requirement, Clients of Eligible Financial Intermediaries, and other investors as authorized by LMIS. However, investors that held Class Y shares prior to that date will be permitted to make additional investments in Class I shares.

Other considerations

Plan sponsors, plan fiduciaries and other financial intermediaries may choose to impose qualification requirements for plans that differ from the fund’s share class eligibility standards. In certain cases this could result in the selection of a share class with higher service and distribution-related fees than otherwise would have been charged. The fund is not responsible for, and has no control over, the decision of any plan sponsor, plan fiduciary or financial intermediary to impose such differing requirements. Please consult with your plan sponsor, plan fiduciary or financial intermediary for more information about available share classes.

With respect to Class A and Class C, the fund may pay a fee for recordkeeping services performed for the share class.

Not all share classes may be made available by your Service Agent; please contact your Service Agent for additional details.

 

Small Cap Value Fund         21


 

Buying shares

 

Generally    You may buy shares at their net asset value next determined after receipt by your Service Agent or the transfer agent of your purchase request in good order, plus any applicable sales charge.
 
Through a
Service Agent
  

You should contact your Service Agent to open a brokerage account and make arrangements to buy shares. You must provide the following information for your order to be processed:

n Class of shares being bought

n Dollar amount or number of shares being bought

n Account number (if existing account)

Your Service Agent may charge an annual account maintenance fee.

 
Through the fund   

Financial intermediary accounts, retirement plan accounts and certain other investors who are clients of certain Service Agents are eligible to buy shares directly from the fund.

n Clients of a PFS Registered Representative should write to the fund at the following address:

Legg Mason Partners Funds

c/o PFPC Inc.

P.O. Box 9662

Providence, Rhode Island 02940-9662

n All other investors should write to the fund at the following address:

Legg Mason Partners Funds

c/o PFPC Inc.

P.O. Box 9699

Providence, Rhode Island 02940-9699

n Enclose a check to pay for the shares. For initial purchases, complete and send an account application available upon request from Legg Mason Partners Shareholder Services at the number below

n Specify the name of the fund, the share class you wish to purchase and your account number (if existing account)

n For more information, please call Legg Mason Partners Shareholder Services at 800-451-2010 (or for clients of a PFS Registered Representative, call Primerica Shareholder Services at 800-544-5445)

 
Through a systematic investment plan   

You may authorize your Service Agent or the transfer agent to transfer funds automatically from (i) a regular bank account, (ii) cash held in a brokerage account with a Service Agent or (iii) certain money market funds, in order to buy shares on a regular basis.

n Amounts transferred must be at least $25

n Amounts may be transferred monthly, every alternate month, quarterly, semi-annually or annually

n If you do not have sufficient funds in your account on a transfer date, your Service Agent or the transfer agent may charge you a fee

 

For more information, contact your Service Agent or Legg Mason Partners Shareholder Services or consult the SAI.

 

22         Legg Mason Partners Funds


 

Exchanging shares

 

Generally    You may exchange shares at their net asset value next determined after receipt by your Service Agent or the transfer agent of your exchange request in good order.
 
Legg Mason Partners offers a distinctive family of funds tailored to help meet the varying needs of both large and small investors   

You should contact your Service Agent to exchange into other Legg Mason Partners Funds. Be sure to read the prospectus of the Legg Mason Partners Fund into which you are exchanging. An exchange is a taxable transaction, unless you are investing through a tax-qualified savings plan or account.

n If you bought shares through a Service Agent, you may exchange shares only for shares of the same class of certain other Legg Mason Partners Funds made available for exchange by your Service Agent. Not all Legg Mason Partners Funds made available for exchange by your Service Agent may offer all classes. Please contact your Service Agent for more information about the funds and classes that are available for exchange

n If you bought shares directly from the fund, you may exchange shares only for shares of the same class of another Legg Mason Partners Fund, other than shares of Legg Mason Partners S&P 500 Index Fund. Not all Legg Mason Partners Funds offer all classes

n Not all Legg Mason Partners Funds may be offered in your state of residence. Contact your Service Agent or the transfer agent for further information

n Exchanges of Class A, B and C shares are subject to minimum investment requirements (except for systematic investment plan exchanges), and all shares are subject to the other requirements of the fund into which exchanges are made

n If you hold share certificates, the transfer agent must receive the certificates endorsed for transfer or with signed stock powers before the exchange is effective

n The fund may suspend or terminate your exchange privilege if you engage in an excessive pattern of exchanges

 

Sales charges

  

In most instances, your shares will not be subject to an initial sales charge or a contingent deferred sales charge at the time of the exchange.

Your contingent deferred sales charge (if any) will continue to be measured from the date of your original purchase of shares subject to a contingent deferred sales charge and you will be subject to the contingent deferred sales charge of the fund that you originally purchased.

 
By telephone    If you do not have a brokerage account with a Service Agent, you may be eligible to exchange shares through the fund. You must complete an authorization form to authorize telephone transfers. If eligible, you

 

Small Cap Value Fund         23


 

  

may make telephone exchanges on any day the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) is open. For clients of a PFS Registered Representative, call Primerica Shareholder Services at 800-544-5445 between 8:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m. (Eastern time). All other shareholders should call Legg Mason Partners Shareholder Services at 800-451-2010 between 8:30 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. (Eastern time).

You can make telephone exchanges only between accounts that have identical registrations.

 
By mail    If you do not have a brokerage account, contact your Service Agent or write to the fund at the address on the following page.
 

Through a systematic

exchange plan

  

You may be permitted to schedule exchanges of shares of any class of the fund for shares of the same class of other Legg Mason Partners Funds.

n Exchanges may be made monthly, every alternate month, quarterly, semi-annually or annually

n A predetermined dollar amount of at least $25 per exchange is required

 

For more information, please contact your Service Agent or Legg Mason Partners Shareholder Services.

 

24         Legg Mason Partners Funds


 

Redeeming shares

 

Generally   

You may redeem shares at their net asset value next determined after receipt by your Service Agent or the transfer agent of your redemption request in good order, less any applicable contingent deferred sales charge.

Contact your Service Agent to redeem shares of the fund.

If you hold share certificates, the transfer agent must receive the certificates endorsed for transfer or with signed stock powers with a signature guarantee before you may redeem.

If the shares are held by a fiduciary or corporation, other documents may be required.

Your redemption proceeds will normally be sent within three business days after your request is received in good order, but in any event within 7 days. Your redemption proceeds may be delayed for up to 10 days if your purchase was made by check.

If you have a brokerage account with a Service Agent, your redemption proceeds will be sent to your Service Agent. In other cases, unless you direct otherwise, your redemption proceeds will be paid by check mailed to your address of record.

 
By mail   

For accounts held directly at the fund, send written requests to the fund at the applicable address:

For clients of a PFS Registered Representative, send your request to:

Primerica Shareholder Services

c/o PFPC Inc.

P.O. Box 9662

Providence, Rhode Island 02940-9662

For all other investors, send your request to:

Legg Mason Partners Funds

c/o PFPC Inc.

P.O. Box 9699

Providence, Rhode Island 02940-9699

Your written request must provide the following:

n The fund name, the class of shares to be redeemed, and your account number

n The dollar amount or number of shares to be redeemed

n Signatures of each owner exactly as the account is registered

n Signature guarantees, as applicable

 
By telephone    If you do not have a brokerage account with a Service Agent, you may be eligible to redeem shares (except those held in certain retirement plans) in amounts up to $50,000 per day through the fund. You must complete an authorization form to authorize telephone redemptions. If eligible, you may request redemptions by telephone

 

Small Cap Value Fund         25


 

  

on any day the NYSE is open. For clients of a PFS Registered Representative, call Primerica Shareholder Services at 800-544-5445 between 8:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m. (Eastern time). All other shareholders should call Legg Mason Partners Shareholder Services at 800-451-2010 between 8:30 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. (Eastern time).

Your redemption proceeds can be sent by check to your address of record or by wire or electronic transfer (ACH) to a bank account designated on your authorization form. You must submit a new authorization form to change the bank account designated to receive wire or electronic transfers and you may be asked to provide certain other documents. The transfer agent may charge a fee on a wire or an electronic transfer (ACH).

 
Automatic cash withdrawal plans   

You can arrange for the automatic redemption of a portion of your shares monthly, every alternate month, quarterly, semi-annually or annually. To qualify you must own shares of the fund with a value of at least $10,000 ($5,000 for retirement plan accounts) and each automatic redemption must be at least $50. If your shares are subject to a contingent deferred sales charge, the sales charge will be waived if your automatic redemptions are equal to or less than 2% per month of your account balance on the date the withdrawals commence, up to a maximum of 12% in one year.

The following conditions apply:

n Your shares must not be represented by certificates

n All dividends and distributions must be reinvested

 

For more information, please contact your Service Agent or consult the SAI.

 

26         Legg Mason Partners Funds


 

Other things to know about transactions

When you buy, exchange or redeem shares, your request must be in good order. This means you have provided the following information, without which your request may not be processed:

n  

Name of the fund

n  

Your account number

n  

Class of shares being bought, and if you own more than one class, the class of shares being exchanged or redeemed

n  

Dollar amount or number of shares being bought, exchanged or redeemed

n  

Signature of each owner exactly as the account is registered (redemptions only)

The fund’s transfer agent or Legg Mason Partners Shareholder Services will employ reasonable procedures to confirm that any telephone exchange or redemption request is genuine, which may include recording calls, asking the caller to provide certain personal identification information, sending you a written confirmation or requiring other confirmation procedures from time to time. If these procedures are followed, neither the fund nor its agent will bear any liability for such transactions.

Signature guarantees

To be in good order, your redemption request must include a signature guarantee if you:

n  

Are redeeming over $50,000

n  

Are sending signed share certificates or stock powers to the transfer agent

n  

Instruct the transfer agent to mail the check to an address different from the one on your account registration

n  

Changed your account registration or your address within 30 days

n  

Want the check paid to someone other than the account owner(s)

n  

Are transferring the redemption proceeds to an account with a different registration

You can obtain a signature guarantee from most banks, dealers, brokers, credit unions and federal savings and loan institutions, but not from a notary public.

The fund has the right to:

n  

Suspend the offering of shares

n  

Waive or change minimum and additional investment amounts

n  

Reject any purchase or exchange order

n  

Change, revoke or suspend the exchange privilege

n  

Suspend telephone transactions

n  

Suspend or postpone redemptions of shares on any day when trading on the NYSE is restricted, or as otherwise permitted by the SEC

n  

Pay redemption proceeds by giving you securities. You may pay transaction costs to dispose of the securities

Small account balances/Mandatory redemptions

If at any time the aggregate net asset value of the fund shares in your account is less than $500 for any reason (including solely due to declines in net asset value and/or failure to invest at least $500 within a reasonable period), the fund reserves the right to ask you to bring your account up to the applicable minimum investment amount as determined by

 

Small Cap Value Fund         27


 

your Service Agent. In such case you shall be notified in writing and will have 60 days to make an additional investment to bring your account value up to the required level. If you choose not to do so within this 60-day period, the fund may close your account and send you the redemption proceeds. In the event your account is closed due to a failure to increase your balance to the minimum required amount, you will not be eligible to have your account subsequently reinstated without imposition of any sales charges that may apply to your new purchase. The fund may, with prior notice, change the minimum size of accounts subject to mandatory redemption, which may vary by class, or implement fees for small accounts.

Subject to applicable law, the fund may, with prior notice, adopt other policies from time to time requiring mandatory redemption of shares in certain circumstances.

For more information, please contact your Service Agent or Legg Mason Partners Shareholder Services or consult the SAI.

Frequent purchases and redemptions of fund shares

Frequent purchases and redemptions of fund shares may interfere with the efficient management of the fund’s portfolio by its portfolio manager, increase portfolio transaction costs, and have a negative effect on the fund’s long-term shareholders. For example, in order to handle large flows of cash into and out of the fund, the portfolio manager may need to allocate more assets to cash or other short-term investments or sell securities, rather than maintaining full investment in securities selected to achieve the fund’s investment objective. Frequent trading may cause the fund to sell securities at less favorable prices. Transaction costs, such as brokerage commissions and market spreads, can detract from the fund’s performance. In addition, the return received by long-term shareholders may be reduced when trades by other shareholders are made in an effort to take advantage of certain pricing discrepancies, when, for example, it is believed that the fund’s share price, which is determined at the close of the NYSE on each trading day, does not accurately reflect the value of the fund’s portfolio securities. Funds investing in foreign securities have been particularly susceptible to this form of arbitrage, but other funds could also be affected.

Because of the potential harm to the fund and its long-term shareholders, the Board of the fund has approved policies and procedures that are intended to discourage and prevent excessive trading and market timing abuses through the use of various surveillance techniques. Under these policies and procedures, the fund may limit additional exchanges or purchases of fund shares by shareholders who are believed by the manager to be engaged in these abusive trading activities. The intent of the policies and procedures is not to inhibit legitimate strategies, such as asset allocation, dollar cost averaging, or similar activities that may nonetheless result in frequent trading of fund shares. For this reason, the Board has not adopted any specific restrictions on purchases and sales of fund shares, but the fund reserves the right to reject any exchange or purchase of fund shares with or without prior notice to the account holder. In cases where surveillance of a particular account establishes what the manager believes to be obvious market timing, the manager will seek to block future purchases and exchanges of fund shares by that account. Where surveillance of a particular account indicates activity that the manager believes could be either abusive or for legitimate purposes, the fund may permit the account holder to justify the activity.

 

28         Legg Mason Partners Funds


 

The policies apply to any account, whether an individual account or accounts with financial intermediaries such as investment advisers, broker/dealers or retirement plan administrators, commonly called omnibus accounts, where the intermediary holds fund shares for a number of its customers in one account. The fund’s ability to monitor trading in omnibus accounts may, however, be severely limited due to the lack of access to an individual investor’s trading activity when orders are placed through these types of accounts. There may also be operational and technological limitations on the ability of the fund’s service providers to identify or terminate frequent trading activity within the various types of omnibus accounts.

The fund’s policies also require personnel such as portfolio managers and investment staff to report any abnormal or otherwise suspicious investment activity, and prohibit short-term trades by such personnel for their own account in mutual funds managed by the manager and its affiliates, other than money market funds. Additionally, the fund has adopted policies and procedures to prevent the selective release of information about the fund’s portfolio holdings, as such information may be used for market-timing and similar abusive practices.

The fund’s policies provide for ongoing assessment of the effectiveness of current policies and surveillance tools, and the Board reserves the right to modify these or adopt additional policies and restrictions in the future. Shareholders should be aware, however, that any surveillance techniques currently employed by the fund or other techniques that may be adopted in the future may not be effective, particularly where the trading takes place through certain types of omnibus accounts. As noted above, if the fund is unable to detect and deter trading abuses, the fund’s performance, and its long-term shareholders, may be harmed. In addition, because the fund has not adopted any specific limitations or restrictions on the trading of fund shares, shareholders may be harmed by the extra costs and portfolio management inefficiencies that result from frequent trading of fund shares, even when the trading is not for abusive purposes. Furthermore, the fund may not apply its policies consistently or uniformly, resulting in the risk that some shareholders may be able to engage in frequent trading while others will bear the costs and effects of that trading. The fund will provide advance notice to shareholders and prospective investors of any specific restrictions on the trading of fund shares that the Board may adopt in the future.

Share certificates

Share certificates for the fund will no longer be issued. If you currently hold share certificates of the fund, such certificates will continue to be honored. If you would like to return your share certificates to the fund and hold your shares in uncertificated form, please contact your Service Agent or Legg Mason Partners Shareholder Services.

Record ownership

If you hold shares through a Service Agent, your Service Agent may establish and maintain your account and be the shareholder of record. In the event that the fund holds a shareholder meeting, your Service Agent, as record holder, will vote your shares in accordance with your instructions. If you do not give your Service Agent voting instructions, your Service Agent may nonetheless, under certain circumstances, be entitled to vote your shares.

 

Small Cap Value Fund         29


 

Dividends, distributions and taxes

Dividends and distributions

The fund generally pays dividends and makes capital gain distributions, if any, once a year, typically in December. The fund may pay additional distributions and dividends at other times if necessary for the fund to avoid a federal tax. Long-term capital gain distributions and dividends are reinvested in additional fund shares of the same class you hold. The fund expects distributions to be primarily from capital gains. You do not pay a sales charge on reinvested distributions or dividends. Alternatively, you can instruct your Service Agent or Legg Mason Partners Shareholder Services to have your distributions and/or dividends paid in cash. You can change your choice at any time to be effective as of the next distribution or dividend.

Taxes

In general, redeeming shares, exchanging shares and receiving dividends and distributions (whether in cash or additional shares) are all taxable events. The following table summarizes the tax status to you of certain transactions related to the fund.

 

Transaction    Federal tax status
Redemption or exchange of shares    Usually capital gain or loss; long-term only if shares owned more than one year
 
Long-term capital gain distributions    Long-term capital gain
 
Dividends    Ordinary income, potentially taxable at long-term capital gain rates
 

Distributions attributable to short-term capital gains are treated as dividends, taxable as ordinary income. Dividends and long-term capital gain distributions are taxable whether received in cash or reinvested in additional fund shares. Although dividends are generally taxable as ordinary income, individual shareholders who satisfy certain holding period and other requirements are taxed on such dividends at long-term capital gain rates to the extent the dividends are attributable to “qualified dividend income” received by the fund. “Qualified dividend income” generally consists of dividends received from U.S. corporations (other than dividends from tax-exempt organizations and certain dividends from real estate investment trusts and regulated investment companies) and certain foreign corporations. Long-term capital gain distributions are taxable to you as long-term capital gain regardless of how long you have owned your shares. You may want to avoid buying shares when the fund is about to declare a long-term capital gain distribution or a dividend, because it will be taxable to you even though it may actually be a return of a portion of your investment.

Corporations may be able to take a dividends-received deduction for a portion of income they receive.

After the end of each year, your Service Agent or the fund will provide you with information about the distributions and dividends you received and any redemptions of shares during the previous year. If you do not provide the fund with your correct taxpayer identification number and any required certifications, you may be subject to back-up withholding on your distributions, dividends and redemption proceeds. Because each

 

30         Legg Mason Partners Funds


 

shareholder’s circumstances are different and special tax rules may apply, you should consult your tax adviser about your investment in the fund.

The above discussion is applicable to shareholders who are U.S. persons. If you are a non-U.S. person, please consult your own tax adviser with respect to the U.S. tax consequences to you of an investment in the fund.

 

Small Cap Value Fund         31


 

Share price

You may buy, exchange or redeem shares at their net asset value next determined after receipt of your request in good order, plus any applicable sales charge. The fund’s net asset value per share is the value of its assets minus its liabilities divided by the number of shares outstanding. Net asset value is calculated separately for each class of shares. The fund calculates its net asset value every day the NYSE is open. This calculation is done when regular trading closes on the NYSE (normally 4:00 p.m., Eastern time). The NYSE is closed on certain holidays listed in the SAI.

The Board has approved procedures to be used to value the fund’s securities for the purposes of determining the fund’s net asset value. The valuation of the securities of the fund is determined in good faith by or under the direction of the Board. The Board has delegated certain valuation functions for the fund to the manager.

The fund generally values its securities based on market prices determined at the close of regular trading on the NYSE. The fund’s currency valuations, if any, are done as of when the London Stock Exchange closes, which is usually at 12 noon Eastern time, as the manager believes that these valuations typically reflect the largest trading volume in the foreign currency markets. A material change in the value of currency during the period between the close of the London Stock Exchange and the calculation of the fund’s net asset value on the same date is considered a significant event, as described below, in response to which the fund may use fair valuation procedures to value the affected investments. For equity securities that are traded on an exchange, the market price is usually the closing sale or official closing price on that exchange. In the case of securities not traded on an exchange, or if such closing prices are not otherwise available, the market price is typically determined by independent third party pricing vendors approved by the fund’s Board using a variety of pricing techniques and methodologies. The market price for debt obligations is generally the price supplied by an independent third party pricing service approved by the fund’s Board, which may use a matrix, formula or other objective method that takes into consideration market indices, yield curves and other specific adjustments. Short-term debt obligations that will mature in 60 days or less are valued at amortized cost, unless it is determined that using this method would not reflect an investment’s fair value. If vendors are unable to supply a price, or if the price supplied is deemed by the manager to be unreliable, the market price may be determined using quotations received from one or more broker/dealers that make a market in the security. When such prices or quotations are not available, or when the manager believes that they are unreliable, the manager may price securities using fair value procedures approved by the Board. Because the fund invests in securities of small capitalization companies — some of which may be thinly traded, for which market quotations may not be readily available or may be unreliable — the fund may use fair valuation procedures more frequently than funds that invest primarily in securities that are more liquid, such as securities of large capitalization domestic issuers. The fund may also use fair value procedures if the manager determines that a significant event has occurred between the time at which a market price is determined and the time at which the fund’s net asset value is calculated. In particular, the value of foreign securities may be materially affected by events occurring after the close of the market on which they are valued, but before the fund prices its shares. The fund uses a fair value model

 

32         Legg Mason Partners Funds


 

developed by an independent third party pricing service to price foreign equity securities on days when there is a certain percentage change in the value of a domestic equity security index, as such percentage may be determined by the manager from time to time.

Valuing securities at fair value involves greater reliance on judgment than valuation of securities based on readily available market quotations. A fund that uses fair value to price securities may value those securities higher or lower than another fund using market quotations or its own fair value methodologies to price the same securities. There can be no assurance that the fund could obtain the fair value assigned to a security if it were to sell the security at approximately the time at which the fund determines its net asset value.

International markets may be open on days when U.S. markets are closed and the value of foreign securities owned by the fund could change on days when you cannot buy or redeem shares.

In order to buy, redeem or exchange shares at that day’s price, you must place your order with your Service Agent or the transfer agent before the NYSE closes. If the NYSE closes early, you must place your order prior to the actual closing time.

It is the responsibility of the Service Agent to transmit all orders to buy, exchange or redeem shares to the transfer agent on a timely basis.

 

Small Cap Value Fund         33


 

Financial highlights

The financial highlights tables are intended to help you understand the performance of each class for the past five years or since inception. Certain information reflects financial results for a single share. Total return represents the rate that a shareholder would have earned (or lost) on a fund share assuming reinvestment of all dividends and distributions. The information in the following tables has been derived from the predecessor fund’s financial statements which have been audited by KPMG LLP, independent registered public accounting firm, whose report, along with the fund’s financial statements, is included in the annual report (available upon request). The financial information shown below is that of the fund’s predecessor. As of November 20, 2006, Class Y shares of the fund were renamed Class I shares.

 

For a Class A share outstanding throughout each year ended September 30:  
Class A Shares(1)   2006     2005     2004     2003     2002  

Net asset value, beginning of year

  $24.02     $21.19     $18.24     $14.45     $14.19  
   

Income from operations:

         

Net investment income

  0.07     0.13     0.00 (2)   0.06     0.09  

Net realized and unrealized gain

  1.24     3.50     4.01     3.94     0.64  
   

Total income from operations

  1.31     3.63     4.01     4.00     0.73  
   

Less distributions from:

         

Net investment income

      (0.12 )           (0.14 )

Net realized gains

  (1.56 )   (0.68 )   (1.06 )   (0.21 )   (0.33 )
   

Total distributions

  (1.56 )   (0.80 )   (1.06 )   (0.21 )   (0.47 )
   

Net asset value, end of year

  $23.77     $24.02     $21.19     $18.24     $14.45  
   

Total return(3)

  5.62 %   17.37 %   22.35 %   27.98 %   4.88 %
   

Net assets, end of year (000s)

  $262,334     $291,923     $205,357     $101,798     $72,196  
   

Ratios to average net assets:

         

Gross expenses

  1.13 %   1.18 %   1.16 %   1.19 %   1.18 %

Net expenses

  1.12 (4)   1.18     1.14 (4)   1.19     1.18  

Net investment income

  0.30     0.58     0.02     0.36     0.58  
   

Portfolio turnover rate

  27 %   18 %   31 %   68 %   49 %
   

 

(1)

 

Per share amounts have been calculated using the average shares method.

 

(2)

 

Amount represents less than $0.01 per share.

 

(3)

 

Performance figures may reflect fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements. Past performance is no guarantee of future results. In the absence of fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements, the total return would have been lower.

 

(4)

 

Reflects fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements.

 

34         Legg Mason Partners Funds


 

For a Class B share outstanding throughout each year ended September 30:  
Class B Shares(1)   2006     2005     2004     2003     2002  

Net asset value, beginning of year

  $23.41     $20.71     $17.99     $14.35     $14.10  
   

Income (loss) from operations:

         

Net investment loss

  (0.10 )   (0.03 )   (0.15 )   (0.06 )   (0.03 )

Net realized and unrealized gain

  1.21     3.41     3.93     3.91     0.63  
   

Total income from operations

  1.11     3.38     3.78     3.85     0.60  
   

Less distributions from:

         

Net investment income

                  (0.02 )

Net realized gains

  (1.56 )   (0.68 )   (1.06 )   (0.21 )   (0.33 )
   

Total distributions

  (1.56 )   (0.68 )   (1.06 )   (0.21 )   (0.35 )
   

Net asset value, end of year

  $22.96     $23.41     $20.71     $17.99     $14.35  
   

Total return(2)

  4.88 %   16.49 %   21.35 %   27.12 %   4.03 %
   

Net assets, end of year (000s)

  $126,577     $151,555     $142,896     $131,657     $112,946  
   

Ratios to average net assets:

         

Gross expenses

  1.87 %   1.93 %   1.93 %   1.95 %   1.94 %

Net expenses

  1.85 (3)   1.93     1.91 (3)   1.95     1.94  

Net investment loss

  (0.43 )   (0.13 )   (0.77 )   (0.41 )   (0.19 )
   

Portfolio turnover rate

  27 %   18 %   31 %   68 %   49 %
   

 

(1)

 

Per share amounts have been calculated using the average shares method.

 

(2)

 

Performance figures may reflect fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements. Past performance is no guarantee of future results. In the absence of fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements, the total return would have been lower.

 

(3)

 

Reflects fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements.

 

Small Cap Value Fund         35


 

For a Class C share outstanding throughout each year ended September 30:  
Class C Shares(1)   2006     2005     2004     2003     2002  

Net asset value, beginning of year

  $23.38     $20.70     $17.98     $14.35     $14.10  
   

Income (loss) from operations:

         

Net investment loss

  (0.13 )   (0.05 )   (0.16 )   (0.06 )   (0.03 )

Net realized and unrealized gain

  1.21     3.41     3.94     3.90     0.63  
   

Total income from operations

  1.08     3.36     3.78     3.84     0.60  
   

Less distributions from:

         

Net investment income

                  (0.02 )

Net realized gains

  (1.56 )   (0.68 )   (1.06 )   (0.21 )   (0.33 )
   

Total distributions

  (1.56 )   (0.68 )   (1.06 )   (0.21 )   (0.35 )
   

Net asset value, end of year

  $22.90     $23.38     $20.70     $17.98     $14.35  
   

Total return(2)

  4.75 %   16.40 %   21.36 %   27.05 %   4.04 %
   

Net assets, end of year (000s)

  $176,117     $179,762     $142,272     $111,838     $91,275  
   

Ratios to average net assets:

         

Gross expenses

  1.99 %   2.01 %   1.96 %   1.96 %   1.94 %

Net expenses

  1.97 (3)   2.01     1.94 (3)   1.96     1.94  

Net investment loss

  (0.55 )   (0.23 )   (0.80 )   (0.41 )   (0.19 )
   

Portfolio turnover rate

  27 %   18 %   31 %   68 %   49 %
   

 

(1)

 

Per share amounts have been calculated using the average shares method.

 

(2)

 

Performance figures may reflect fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements. Past performance is no guarantee of future results. In the absence of fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements, the total return would have been lower.

 

(3)

 

Reflects fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements.

 

36         Legg Mason Partners Funds


 

For a Class I share outstanding throughout each year ended September 30
(except where noted):
  
Class I Shares(1)(2)   2006     2005     2004     2003(3)  

Net asset value, beginning of year

  $24.16     $21.29     $18.27     $14.57  
   

Income from operations:

       

Net investment income

  0.16     0.19     0.07     0.06  

Net realized and unrealized gain

  1.25     3.55     4.01     3.64  
   

Total income from operations

  1.41     3.74     4.08     3.70  
   

Less distributions from:

       

Net investment income

      (0.19 )        

Net realized gains

  (1.56 )   (0.68 )   (1.06 )    
   

Total distributions

  (1.56 )   (0.87 )   (1.06 )    
   

Net asset value, end of year

  $24.01     $24.16     $21.29     $18.27  
   

Total return(4)

  6.02 %   17.81 %   22.71 %   25.39 %
   

Net assets, end of year (000s)

  $105,703     $161,667     $60,684     $23,757  
   

Ratios to average net assets:

       

Gross expenses

  0.77 %   0.81 %   0.86 %   0.80 %(5)

Net expenses

  0.77 (6)   0.81     0.84 (6)   0.80 (5)

Net investment income

  0.64     0.84     0.32     0.75 (5)
   

Portfolio turnover rate

  27 %   18 %   31 %   68 %
   

 

(1)

 

As of November 20, 2006, Class Y shares were renamed Class I shares.

 

(2)

 

Per share amounts have been calculated using the average shares method.

 

(3)

 

For the period April 14, 2003 (inception date) to September 30, 2003.

 

(4)

 

Performance figures may reflect fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements. Past performance is no guarantee of future results. In the absence of fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements, the total return would have been lower. Total returns for periods of less than one year are not annualized.

 

(5)

 

Annualized.   

 

(6)

 

Reflects fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements.

 

Small Cap Value Fund         37


 

 

(Investment Company Act

file no. 811-6444)

FD 02461 04/07

LOGO

Legg Mason Partners

Small Cap Value Fund

You may visit the fund’s website at http://www.leggmason/InvestorServices for a free copy of a Prospectus, Statement of Additional Information (“SAI”) or an Annual or Semi-Annual Report, or to request other information.

Shareholder reports Additional information about the fund’s investments is available in the fund’s Annual and Semi-Annual Reports to shareholders. In the fund’s Annual Report, you will find a discussion of the market conditions and investment strategies that significantly affected the fund’s performance.

The fund sends only one report to a household if more than one account has the same last name and same address. Contact your Service Agent or Legg Mason Partners Shareholder Services if you do not want this policy to apply to you.

Statement of additional information The SAI provides more detailed information about the fund and is incorporated by reference into (is legally a part of) this Prospectus.

You can make inquiries about the fund or obtain shareholders reports (without charge) by contacting your Service Agent, by calling Legg Mason Partners Shareholder Services at 800-451-2010, (or for clients of a PFS Registered Representative, call Primerica Shareholder Services at 800-544-5445) or by writing to the fund at Legg Mason Partners Funds, 125 Broad Street, New York, New York 10004.

Information about the fund (including the SAI) can be reviewed and copied at the Securities and Exchange Commission’s (the “SEC”) Public Reference Room in Washington, D.C. Information on the operation of the Public Reference Room may be obtained by calling the SEC at 1-202-551-8090. Reports and other information about the fund are available on the EDGAR Database on the SEC’s Internet site at http://www.sec.gov. Copies of this information may be obtained for a duplicating fee by electronic request at the following E-mail address: publicinfo@sec.gov, or by writing the SEC’s Public Reference Section, Washington, D.C. 20549-0102.

If someone makes a statement about the fund that is not in this Prospectus, you should not rely upon that information. Neither the fund nor the distributors are offering to sell shares of the fund to any person to whom the fund may not lawfully sell its shares.


Filed under Rule 497(c)

File Nos. 33-43446 and 811-6444

April 16, 2007

LEGG MASON PARTNERS SMALL CAP VALUE FUND

125 Broad Street

New York, NY 10004

(800) 451-2010

STATEMENT OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

This Statement of Additional Information (the “SAI”) expands upon and supplements the information contained in the current prospectus of Legg Mason Partners Small Cap Value Fund (the “fund”), dated April 16, 2007, as amended or supplemented from time to time, and should be read in conjunction with the prospectus. As part of a number of initiatives launched in 2006 to restructure and streamline the Legg Mason Partners fund complex, the fund assumed the assets and liabilities of a predecessor fund with the same name. The fund is now grouped for organizational and governance purposes with other Legg Mason Partners funds that are predominantly equity-type funds, and is a series of Legg Mason Partners Equity Trust (the “Trust”), a Maryland business trust. Other initiatives, including the election of a new Board of Trustees (the “Board”) and the approval of certain revised fundamental investment policies, have also been accomplished, and more information on these matters appears in this SAI. Certain historical information contained in the SAI is that of the fund’s predecessor.

Additional information about the fund’s investments is available in the fund’s annual report to shareholders. This report contains financial statements that are incorporated by reference. A prospectus and copies of the reports may be obtained free of charge by contacting a distributor’s financial advisor or registered representative, a broker/dealer, financial intermediary or a financial institution that has entered into an agreement with one of the fund’s distributors, (each called a “Service Agent”), or by writing or calling the fund at the address or telephone number set forth above. Legg Mason Investor Services, LLC (“LMIS”), a wholly-owned broker/dealer subsidiary of Legg Mason, Inc. (“Legg Mason”), Citigroup Global Markets Inc. (“CGMI”) and PFS Investments Inc. (“PFS”) serve as the fund’s distributors. This SAI, although not in itself a prospectus, is incorporated by reference into the prospectus in its entirety.

 

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

Investment Objective and Management Policies

   3

Portfolio Manager Disclosure

   18

Investment Policies

   20

Management

   24

Distributors

   37

Purchase of Shares

   41

Redemption of Shares

   47

Valuation of Shares

   50

Exchange Privilege

   50

Taxes

   51

Additional Information

   58

Financial Statements

   63

Appendix A—Proxy Voting Policies and Procedures Summary

   A-1

 

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INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE AND MANAGEMENT POLICIES

The prospectus discusses the fund’s investment objective and policies. The following discussion supplements the description of the fund’s investment policies in its prospectus. Legg Mason Partners Fund Advisor, LLC (“LMPFA” or the “manager”) serves as investment manager to the fund. ClearBridge Advisors, LLC (“ClearBridge” or the “subadviser”) serves as the subadviser to the fund.

Investment Objective

The fund seeks long-term capital growth.

Principal Investment Strategies

The fund attempts to achieve its investment objective by investing, under normal circumstances, at least 80% of the value of its net assets, plus any borrowings for investment purposes, in equity securities of small capitalization U.S. companies or in other investments with similar economic characteristics. Small capitalization companies are companies with market capitalization values at the time of investment that do not exceed (i) $3 billion or (ii) the highest month-end market capitalization value of any stock in the Russell 2000 Index (the “Index”) for the previous 12 months, whichever is greater. Securities of companies whose market capitalizations no longer meet this definition after purchase by the fund still will be considered to be securities of small capitalization companies for purposes of the fund’s 80% investment policy. The size of the companies in the Index changes with market conditions and the composition of the Index. Investments in smaller capitalized companies may offer greater opportunities for growth of capital than larger, more established companies, but may also involve certain risks because smaller capitalized companies often have limited market or financial resources and may be dependent on one or two people for management. In addition, shares of smaller capitalized companies have limited liquidity and more volatility which could result in significant fluctuations in the price of their shares. The fund’s 80% investment policy is non-fundamental and may be changed by the Board to become effective upon at least 60 days’ notice to shareholders prior to any such change.

The fund will normally invest in all types of equity securities, including common stocks, preferred stocks, securities that are convertible into common or preferred stocks, such as warrants and convertible bonds, and depositary receipts for those securities. It is the policy of the fund to be as fully invested in equity securities as practicable at all times. The fund may invest up to 20% of the value of its net assets in shares of companies with larger market capitalization.

Additional Information

The fund’s principal investment strategies are described above. The following provides additional information on these principal strategies and describes other investment strategies that may be used by the fund.

Under certain circumstances, the fund may maintain a portion of its assets, which will usually not exceed 10%, in U.S. Government securities, money market obligations, and in cash to provide for payment of the fund’s expenses and to meet redemption requests. The fund reserves the right, as a defensive measure, to hold money market securities, including repurchase agreements or cash, in such proportions as, in the opinion of management, prevailing market or economic conditions warrant.

The fund may invest up to 10% of its assets in securities of other investment companies, including shares in a portfolio of securities that seeks to track the performance of an underlying equity index or a portion of an equity index.

The fund may invest up to 10% of its total assets in foreign securities, including both direct investments and investments made through depositary receipts. The fund may also invest in real estate investment trusts; purchase

 

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or sell securities on a when-issued or delayed-delivery basis; enter into forward commitments to purchase securities; lend portfolio securities; purchase and sell put and call options; invest in illiquid securities; and enter into interest rate futures contracts, stock index futures contracts and related options.

The different types of securities and investment techniques used by the fund all involve risks of varying degrees. For example, with respect to common stock, there can be no assurance of capital appreciation, and there is a risk of market decline. With respect to debt securities, including money market instruments, there is the risk that the issuer of a security may not be able to meet its obligation to make scheduled interest and/or principal payments.

Convertible Securities. Convertible securities are generally preferred securities or fixed-income securities that are convertible into common stock at either a stated price or stated rate. The price of the convertible security will normally vary in some proportion to changes in the price of the underlying common stock because of this conversion feature. A convertible security will normally also provide a fixed income stream. For this reason, the convertible security may not decline in price as rapidly as the underlying common stock. Convertible securities rank senior to common stocks in an issuer’s capital structure and consequently entail less risk than the issuer’s common stock. The subadviser will select convertible securities to be purchased by the fund based primarily upon its evaluation of the fundamental investment characteristics and growth prospects of the issuer of the security. As a fixed income security, a convertible security tends to increase in market value when interest rates decline and decrease in value when interest rates rise. While convertible securities generally offer lower interest or dividend yields than non-convertible fixed income securities of similar quality, their value tends to increase as the market value of the underlying stock increases and to decrease when the value of the underlying stock decreases.

Foreign Securities. The fund has the authority to invest up to 10% of its assets in foreign securities. In addition to direct investment in securities of foreign issuers, the fund may also invest in securities of foreign issuers in the form of sponsored and unsponsored American Depositary Receipts (“ADRs”), European Depositary Receipts (“EDRs”), Global Depositary Receipts (“GDRs”) or other similar securities convertible into securities of foreign issuers. These securities may not necessarily be denominated in the same currency as the securities into which they may be converted. The fund also may invest in securities denominated in European Currency Units (“ECUs”). An ECU is a “basket” consisting of a specified amount of currencies of certain of the member states of the European Union. In addition, the fund may invest in securities denominated in other currency baskets.

There are certain risks involved in investing in securities of companies and governments of foreign nations that are in addition to the usual risks inherent in domestic investments. These risks include those resulting from revaluation of currencies, future adverse political and economic developments and the possible imposition of currency exchange blockages or other foreign governmental laws or restrictions, reduced availability of public information concerning issuers and the lack of uniform accounting, auditing and financial reporting standards or of other regulatory practices and requirements comparable to those applicable to domestic companies. The yield of the fund may be adversely affected by fluctuations in value of one or more foreign currencies relative to the U.S. dollar. Moreover, securities of many foreign companies and their markets may be less liquid and their prices more volatile than those of securities of comparable domestic companies. In addition, with respect to certain foreign countries, there is the possibility of expropriation, nationalization, confiscatory taxation and limitations on the use or removal of funds or other assets of the fund, including the withholding of dividends. Foreign securities may be subject to foreign government taxes that could reduce the yield on such securities. Because the fund may invest in securities denominated or quoted in currencies other than the U.S. dollar, changes in foreign currency exchange rates may adversely affect the value of portfolio securities and the appreciation or depreciation of investments. Investment in foreign securities also may result in higher expenses due to the cost of converting foreign currency to U.S. dollars, the payment of fixed brokerage commissions on foreign exchanges, which generally are higher than commissions on domestic exchanges, and the expense of maintaining securities with foreign custodians, and the imposition of transfer taxes or transaction charges associated with foreign exchanges.

 

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Illiquid Securities. Up to 15% of the assets of the fund may be invested in illiquid securities, including (a) repurchase agreements with maturities greater than seven days, (b) futures contracts and options thereon for

which a liquid secondary market does not exist, (c) time deposits maturing in more than seven calendar days and (d) securities subject to contractual or other restrictions on resale and other instruments that lack readily available markets. The fund may not be able to dispose of restricted securities at a time when, or at a price at which, it desires to do so and may have to bear expenses associated with registering the securities.

Real Estate Investment Trusts (“REITs”). The fund may invest in REITs, which are pooled investment vehicles that invest primarily in either real estate or real estate-related loans. The value of a REIT is affected by changes in the value of the properties owned by the REIT or securing mortgage loans held by the REIT. REITs are dependent upon cash flow from their investments to repay financing costs and the management skill of the REIT’s manager. REITs are also subject to risks generally associated with investments in real estate. The fund will indirectly bear its proportionate share of any expenses, including management fees, paid by a REIT in which it invests.

Debt Securities. Debt securities in which the fund may invest include notes, bills, commercial paper, obligations issued or guaranteed by the U.S. government or any of its political subdivisions, agencies or instrumentalities, and certificates of deposit. Debt securities represent money borrowed that obligate the issuer (e.g., a corporation, municipality, government, government agency) to repay the borrowed amount at maturity (when the obligation is due and payable) and usually to pay the holder interest at specific times.

All debt securities are subject to market risk and credit risk. Market risk relates to market-induced changes in a security’s value, usually as a result of changes in interest rates. The value of the fund’s investments in debt securities will change as the general levels of interest rates fluctuate. During periods of falling interest rates, the value of the fund’s debt securities will generally rise. Conversely, during periods of rising interest rates, the value of the fund’s debt securities will generally decline. Credit risk relates to the ability of the issuer to make payments of principal and interest. The fund has no restrictions with respect to the maturities or duration of the debt securities it holds. The fund’s investments in fixed income securities with longer terms to maturity or greater duration are subject to greater volatility than the fund’s shorter-term securities.

Money Market Instruments. As stated in the prospectus, the fund may invest for defensive purposes in corporate and government bonds and notes and money market instruments. Short-term instruments in which the fund may invest include obligations of banks having at least $1 billion in assets (including certificates of deposit, time deposits and bankers’ acceptances of domestic or foreign banks, domestic savings and loan associations and similar institutions); commercial paper rated no lower than A-2 by the Standard & Poor’s Division of The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. or Prime-2 by Moody’s Investors Service, Inc. or the equivalent from another nationally recognized statistical rating organization or, if unrated, of an issuer having an outstanding, unsecured debt issue then rated within the two highest rating categories; and repurchase agreements with respect to any of the foregoing entered into with banks and non-bank dealers approved by the Board.

The following is a more detailed description of such money market instruments.

Bank Obligations. Certificates of deposits (“CDs”) are short-term, negotiable obligations of commercial banks. Time deposits (“TDs”) are non-negotiable deposits maintained in banking institutions for specified periods of time at stated interest rates. Bankers’ acceptances are time drafts drawn on commercial banks by borrowers, usually in connection with international transactions.

Domestic commercial banks organized under federal law are supervised and examined by the Comptroller of the Currency and are required to be members of the Federal Reserve System and to be insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (the “FDIC”). Domestic banks organized under state law are supervised and examined by state banking authorities but are members of the Federal Reserve System only if they elect to join. Most state banks are insured by the FDIC (although such insurance may not be of material benefit to the fund,

 

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depending upon the principal amount of CDs of each bank held by the fund) and are subject to federal examination and to a substantial body of federal law and regulation. As a result of governmental regulations, domestic branches of domestic banks are, among other things, generally required to maintain specified levels of reserves, and are subject to other supervision and regulation designed to promote financial soundness.

Obligations of foreign branches of domestic banks, such as CDs and TDs, may be general obligations of the parent bank in addition to the issuing branch, or may be limited by the terms of a specific obligation and governmental regulation. Such obligations are subject to different risks than are those of domestic banks or domestic branches of foreign banks. These risks include foreign economic and political developments, foreign governmental restrictions that may adversely affect payment of principal and interest on the obligations, foreign exchange controls and foreign withholding and other taxes on interest income. Foreign branches of domestic banks are not necessarily subject to the same or similar regulatory requirements that apply to domestic banks, such as mandatory reserve requirements, loan limitations, and accounting, auditing and financial recordkeeping requirements. In addition, less information may be publicly available about a foreign branch of a domestic bank than about a domestic bank. CDs issued by wholly owned Canadian subsidiaries of domestic banks are guaranteed as to repayment of principal and interest (but not as to sovereign risk) by the domestic parent bank.

Obligations of domestic branches of foreign banks may be general obligations of the parent bank in addition to the issuing branch, or may be limited by the terms of a specific obligation and by governmental regulation as well as governmental action in the country in which the foreign bank has its head office. A domestic branch of a foreign bank with assets in excess of $1 billion may or may not be subject to reserve requirements imposed by the Federal Reserve System or by the state in which the branch is located if the branch is licensed in that state. In addition, branches licensed by the Comptroller of the Currency and branches licensed by certain states (“State Branches”) may or may not be required to: (a) pledge to the regulator by depositing assets with a designated bank within the state, an amount of its assets equal to 5% of its total liabilities; and (b) maintain assets within the state in an amount equal to a specified percentage of the aggregate amount of liabilities of the foreign bank payable at or through all of its agencies or branches within the state. The deposits of State Branches may not necessarily be insured by the FDIC. In addition, there may be less publicly available information about a domestic branch of a foreign bank than about a domestic bank.

In view of the foregoing factors associated with the purchase of CDs and TDs issued by foreign branches of domestic banks or by domestic branches of foreign banks, the manager will carefully evaluate such investments on a case-by-case basis.

Savings and loans associations whose CDs may be purchased by the fund are supervised by the Office of Thrift Supervision and are insured by the Savings Association Insurance Fund which is administered by the FDIC and is backed by the full faith and credit of the United States government. As a result, such savings and loan associations are subject to regulation and examination.

U.S. Government Securities. The fund may invest in U.S. Government securities. Generally, these securities include U.S. Treasury obligations and obligations issued or guaranteed by U.S. Government agencies, instrumentalities or sponsored enterprises. U.S. Government securities also include Treasury receipts and other stripped U.S. Government securities, where the interest and principal components of stripped U.S. Government securities are traded independently. The fund may also invest in zero coupon U.S. Treasury securities and in zero coupon securities issued by financial institutions, which represent a proportionate interest in underlying U.S. Treasury securities. A zero coupon security pays no interest to its holder during its life and its value consists of the difference between its face value at maturity and its cost. The market values of zero coupon securities generally are more volatile than the market prices of securities that pay interest periodically.

Repurchase Agreements. The fund may enter into repurchase agreements in order to earn income on available cash or as a temporary defensive measure. Under a repurchase agreement, the fund acquires securities subject to the seller’s agreement to repurchase at a specified time and price. If the seller becomes subject to a

 

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proceeding under the bankruptcy laws or its assets are otherwise subject to a stay order, the fund’s right to liquidate the securities may be restricted (during which time the value of the securities could decline).

Pursuant to an exemptive order issued by the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”), the fund, along with other affiliated entities managed by the manager and its affiliates, may transfer uninvested cash balances into one or more joint repurchase accounts. These balances are invested in one or more repurchase agreements, secured by U.S. Government securities. Securities that are collateral for repurchase agreements are financial assets subject to the fund’s entitlement orders through its securities account at its custodian bank until the agreements mature. Each joint repurchase agreement requires that the market value of the collateral be sufficient to cover payments of interest and principal; however, in the event of default by the other party to the agreement, retention or sale of the collateral may be subject to legal proceedings.

Lending of Portfolio Securities. Consistent with applicable regulatory requirements and for cash management purposes, the fund has the ability to lend securities from its portfolio to brokers, dealers and other financial organizations. Such loans, if and when made, will be consistent with applicable regulatory requirements. The fund may not lend its portfolio securities to the subadviser or its affiliates unless it has applied for and received specific authority from the SEC. Loans of portfolio securities by the fund will be collateralized by cash, letters of credit or securities issued or guaranteed by the United States government, its agencies or instrumentalities which will be maintained at all times in an amount equal to at least 100% of the current market value of the loaned securities.

In lending its portfolio securities, the fund can increase its income by continuing to receive interest on the loaned securities as well as by either investing the cash collateral in short-term instruments or obtaining yield in the form of interest paid by the borrower when government securities are used as collateral. Requirements of the SEC, which may be subject to future modifications, currently provide that the following conditions must be met whenever portfolio securities are loaned: (a) the fund must receive at least 100% cash collateral or equivalent securities from the borrower; (b) the borrower must increase such collateral whenever the market value of the securities rises above the level of such collateral; (c) the fund must be able to terminate the loan at any time; (d) the fund must receive reasonable interest on the loan, as well as an amount equal to any dividends, interest or other distributions on the loaned securities, and any increase in market value; (e) the fund may pay only reasonable custodian fees in connection with the loan; and (f) voting rights on the loaned securities may pass to the borrower; however, if a material event adversely affecting the investment occurs, the fund may terminate the loan and regain the right to vote the securities. Payments received by the fund in lieu of any dividends paid on the loaned securities will not be treated as “qualified dividend income” for purposes of determining what portion of the fund’s dividends received by individuals may be taxed at the rates generally applicable to long-term capital gains (see “Taxes”). The risks in lending portfolio securities, as with other extensions of secured credit, consist of possible delay in receiving additional collateral or in the recovery of the securities or possible loss of rights in the collateral should the borrower fail financially. Loans will be made to firms deemed by the subadviser to be of good standing and will not be made unless, in the judgment of the subadviser the consideration to be earned from such loans would justify the risk. From time to time, the fund may return to the borrower and/or a third party, which is unaffiliated with the fund, Legg Mason, of which LMPFA is a wholly-owned subsidiary, or CGMI, and which is acting as a “finder,” a part of the interest earned from the investment of collateral received for securities loaned.

Reverse Repurchase Agreements. The fund may enter into reverse repurchase agreements. A reverse repurchase agreement involves the sale of a money market instrument by the fund and its agreement to repurchase the instrument at a specified time and price. The fund will maintain a segregated account consisting of U.S. Government securities or cash or cash equivalents to cover its obligations under reverse repurchase agreements with broker-dealers and other financial institutions. The fund will invest the proceeds in other money market instruments or repurchase agreements maturing not later than the expiration of the reverse repurchase agreement. Under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”), reverse repurchase agreements may be considered borrowings by the seller.

 

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Reverse repurchase agreements create opportunities for increased returns to the shareholders of the fund but, at the same time, create special risk considerations. Although the principal or stated value of such borrowings

will be fixed, the fund’s assets may change in value during the time the borrowing is outstanding. To the extent the income or other gain derived from securities purchased with borrowed funds exceeds the interest or dividends the fund will have to pay in respect thereof, the fund’s net income or other gain will be greater than if this type of investment technique had not been used. Conversely, if the income or other gain from the incremental assets is not sufficient to cover this cost, the net income or other gain of the fund will be less than if the reverse repurchase agreement had not been used.

The fund currently intends to invest not more than 33 1/3% of its total assets in reverse repurchase agreements.

Options, Futures and Currency Strategies. The fund may use forward currency contracts and certain options and futures strategies to attempt to hedge its portfolio, i.e., reduce the overall level of investment risk normally associated with the fund. There can be no assurance that such efforts will succeed.

To attempt to hedge against adverse movements in exchange rates between currencies, the fund may enter into forward currency contracts for the purchase or sale of a specified currency at a specified future date. Such contracts may involve the purchase or sale of a foreign currency against the U.S. dollar or may involve two foreign currencies. The fund may enter into forward currency contracts either with respect to specific transactions or with respect to its portfolio positions. For example, when the subadviser anticipates making a purchase or sale of a security, it may enter into a forward currency contract in order to set the rate (either relative to the U.S. dollar or another currency) at which the currency exchange transaction related to the purchase or sale will be made (“transaction hedging”). Further, when the subadviser believes that a particular currency may decline compared to the U.S. dollar or another currency, the fund may enter into a forward contract to sell the currency the subadviser expects to decline in an amount approximating the value of some or all of the fund’s securities denominated in that currency, or when the subadviser believes that one currency may decline against a currency in which some or all of the portfolio securities held by the fund are denominated, it may enter into a forward contract to buy the currency expected to decline for a fixed amount (“position hedging”). In this situation, the fund may, in the alternative, enter into a forward contract to sell a different currency for a fixed amount of the currency expected to decline where the subadviser believes that the value of the currency to be sold pursuant to the forward contract will fall whenever there is a decline in the value of the currency in which portfolio securities of the fund are denominated (“cross hedging”). The fund’s custodian places (i) cash, (ii) U.S. Government securities or (iii) equity securities or debt securities (of any grade) in certain currencies provided such assets are liquid, unencumbered and marked to market daily, or other high-quality debt securities denominated in certain currencies in a separate account of the fund having a value equal to the aggregate account of the fund’s commitments under forward contracts entered into with respect to position hedges and cross-hedges. If the value of the securities placed in a separate account declines, additional cash or securities are placed in the account on a daily basis so that the value of the amount will equal the amount of the fund’s commitments with respect to such contracts.

For hedging purposes, the fund may write covered call options and purchase put and call options on currencies to hedge against movements in exchange rates and on debt securities to hedge against the risk of fluctuations in the prices of securities held by the fund or which the subadviser intends to include in its portfolio. The fund also may use interest rate futures contracts and options thereon to hedge against changes in the general level in interest rates.

The fund may write call options on securities and currencies only if they are covered, and such options must remain covered so long as the fund is obligated as a writer. A call option written by the fund is “covered” if the fund owns the securities or currency underlying the option or has an absolute and immediate right to acquire that security or currency without additional cash consideration (or for additional cash consideration held in a segregated account by its custodian) upon conversion or exchange of other securities or currencies held in its

 

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portfolio. A call option is also covered if the fund holds on a share-for-share basis a call on the same security or holds a call on the same currency as the call written where the exercise price of the call held is equal to less than the exercise price of the call written or greater than the exercise price of the call written if the difference is maintained by the fund in cash, Treasury bills or other high-grade, short-term obligations in a segregated account with its custodian.

Although the fund might not employ the use of forward currency contracts, options and futures, the use of any of these strategies would involve certain investment risks and transaction costs to which it might not otherwise be subject. These risks include: dependence on the subadviser’s ability to predict movements in the prices of individual debt securities, fluctuations in the general fixed-income markets and movements in interest rates and currency markets, imperfect correlation between movements in the price of currency, options, futures contracts or options thereon and movements in the price of the currency or security hedged or used for cover; the fact that skills and techniques needed to trade options, futures contracts and options thereon or to use forward currency contracts are different from those needed to select the securities in which the fund invests; and lack of assurance that a liquid market will exist for any particular option, futures contract or options thereon at any particular time and possible need to defer or accelerate closing out certain options, futures contracts and options thereon in order to continue to qualify for the beneficial tax treatment afforded regulated investment companies under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”).

Options on Securities. As discussed more generally above, the fund may engage in the writing of covered call options. The fund may also purchase put options and enter into closing transactions.

The principal reason for writing covered call options on securities is to attempt to realize, through the receipt of premiums, a greater return than would be realized on the securities alone. In return for a premium, the writer of a covered call option forfeits the right to any appreciation in the value of the underlying security above the strike price for the life of the option (or until a closing purchase transaction can be effected). Nevertheless, the call writer retains the risk of a decline in the price of the underlying security. Similarly, the principal reason for writing covered put options is to realize income in the form of premiums. The writer of a covered put option accepts the risk of a decline in the price of the underlying security. The size of the premiums the fund may receive may be adversely affected as new or existing institutions, including other investment companies, engage in or increase their option-writing activities.

Options written by the fund will normally have expiration dates between one and six months from the date written. The exercise price of the options may be below, equal to, or above the current market values of the underlying securities at the times the options are written. In the case of call options, these exercise prices are referred to as “in-the-money,” “at-the-money” and “out-of-the-money,” respectively.

The fund may write (a) in-the-money call options when the subadviser expects the price of the underlying security to remain flat or decline moderately during the option period, (b) at-the-money call options when the subadviser expects the price of the underlying security to remain flat or advance moderately during the option period and (c) out-of-the-money call options when the subadviser expects that the price of the security may increase but not above a price equal to the sum of the exercise price plus the premiums received from writing the call option. In any of the preceding situations, if the market price of the underlying security declines and the security is sold at this lower price, the amount of any realized loss will be offset wholly or in part by the premium received. Out-of-the-money, at-the-money and in-the-money put options (the reverse of call options as to the relation of exercise price to market price) may be utilized in the same market environments as such call options are used in equivalent transactions.

So long as the obligation of the fund as the writer of an option continues, the fund may be assigned an exercise notice by the broker-dealer through which the option was sold, requiring it to deliver, in the case of a call, or take delivery of, in the case of a put, the underlying security against payment of the exercise price. This obligation terminates when the option expires or the fund effects a closing purchase transaction. The fund can no

 

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longer effect a closing purchase transaction with respect to an option once it has been assigned an exercise notice. To secure its obligation to deliver the underlying security when it writes a call option, or to pay for the underlying security when it writes a put option, the fund will be required to deposit in escrow the underlying security or other assets in accordance with the rules of the Options Clearing Corporation (“Clearing Corporation”) or similar clearing corporation and the securities exchange on which the option is written.

An option position may be closed out only where there exists a secondary market for an option of the same series on a recognized securities exchange or in the over-the-counter market. The fund expects to write options only on national securities exchanges or in the over-the-counter market. The fund may purchase put options issued by the Clearing Corporation or in the over-the-counter market.

The fund may realize a profit or loss upon entering into a closing transaction. In cases in which the fund has written an option, it will realize a profit if the cost of the closing purchase transaction is less than the premium received upon writing the original option and will incur a loss if the cost of the closing purchase transaction exceeds the premium received upon writing the original option. Similarly, when the fund has purchased an option and engages in a closing sale transaction, whether it recognizes a profit or loss will depend upon whether the amount received in the closing sale transaction is more or less than the premium the fund initially paid for the original option plus the related transaction costs.

Although the fund generally will purchase or write only those options for which the subadviser believes there is an active secondary market so as to facilitate closing transactions, there is no assurance that sufficient trading interest to create a liquid secondary market on a securities exchange will exist for any particular option or at any particular time, and for some options no such secondary market may exist. A liquid secondary market in an option may cease to exist for a variety of reasons. In the past, for example, higher than anticipated trading activity or order flow, or other unforeseen events, have at times rendered certain of the facilities of the Clearing Corporation and national securities exchanges inadequate and resulted in the institution of special procedures, such as trading rotations, restrictions on certain types of orders or trading halts or suspensions in one or more options. There can be no assurance that similar events, or events that may otherwise interfere with the timely execution of customers’ orders, will not recur. In such event, it might not be possible to effect closing transactions in particular options. If, as a covered call option writer, the fund is unable to effect a closing purchase transaction in a secondary market, it will not be able to sell the underlying security until the option expires or it delivers the underlying security upon exercise.

Securities exchanges generally have established limitations governing the maximum number of calls and puts of each class which may be held or written, or exercised within certain periods, by an investor or group of investors acting in concert (regardless of whether the options are written on the same or different securities exchanges or are held, written or exercised in one or more accounts or through one or more brokers). It is possible that the fund and other clients of the subadviser and certain of their affiliates may be considered to be such a group. A securities exchange may order the liquidation of positions found to be in violation of these limits, and it may impose certain other sanctions.

In the case of options written by the fund that are deemed covered by virtue of the fund’s holding convertible or exchangeable preferred stock or debt securities, the time required to convert or exchange and obtain physical delivery of the underlying common stocks with respect to which the fund has written options may exceed the time within which the fund must make delivery in accordance with an exercise notice. In these instances, the fund may purchase or temporarily borrow the underlying securities for purposes of physical delivery. By so doing, the fund will not bear any market risk because the fund will have the absolute right to receive from the issuer of the underlying security an equal number of shares to replace the borrowed stock, but the fund may incur additional transaction costs or interest expenses in connection with any such purchase or borrowing.

 

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Although the subadviser will attempt to take appropriate measures to minimize the risks relating to the fund’s writing of call options and purchasing of put and call options, there can be no assurance that the fund will succeed in its option-writing program.

Stock Index Options. As described generally above, the fund may purchase put and call options and write call options on domestic stock indexes listed on domestic exchanges in order to realize its investment objective of capital appreciation or for the purpose of hedging its portfolio. A stock index fluctuates with changes in the market values of the stocks included in the index. Some stock index options are based on a broad market index such as the New York Stock Exchange Composite Index or the Canadian Market Portfolio Index, or a narrower market index such as the Standard & Poor’s 100 Index. Indexes also are based on an industry or market segment such as the American Stock Exchange Oil and Gas Index or the Computer and Business Equipment Index.

Options on stock indexes are generally similar to options on stock except that the delivery requirements are different. Instead of giving the right to take or make delivery of stock at a specified price, an option on a stock index gives the holder the right to receive a cash “exercise settlement amount” equal to (a) the amount, if any, by which the fixed exercise price of the option exceeds (in the case of a put) or is less than (in the case of a call) the closing value of the underlying index on the date of exercise, multiplied by (b) a fixed “index multiplier.” Receipt of this cash amount will depend upon the closing level of the stock index upon which the option is based being greater than, in the case of a call, or less than, in the case of a put, the exercise price of the option. The amount of cash received will be equal to such difference between the closing price of the index and the exercise price of the option expressed in dollars or a foreign currency, as the case may be, times a specified multiple. The writer of the option is obligated, in return for the premium received, to make delivery of this amount. The writer may offset its position in stock index options prior to expiration by entering into a closing transaction on an exchange or it may let the option expire unexercised.

The effectiveness of purchasing or writing stock index options as a hedging technique will depend upon the extent to which price movements in the portion of the securities portfolio of the fund correlate with price movements of the stock index selected. Because the value of an index option depends upon movements in the level of the index rather than the price of a particular stock, whether the fund will realize a gain or loss from the purchase or writing of options on an index depends upon movements in the level of stock prices in the stock market generally or, in the case of certain indexes, in an industry or market segment, rather than movements in the price of a particular stock. Accordingly, successful use by the fund of options on stock indexes will be subject to the subadviser’s ability to predict correctly movements in the direction of the stock market generally or of a particular industry. This requires different skills and techniques than predicting changes in the price of individual stocks.

Futures Contracts and Options on Futures Contracts. As described generally above, the fund may invest in stock index futures contracts and options on futures contracts that are traded on a domestic exchange or board of trade.

The purpose of entering into a futures contract by the fund is to protect the fund from fluctuations in the value of securities without actually buying or selling the securities. For example, in the case of stock index futures contracts, if the fund anticipates an increase in the price of stocks that it intends to purchase at a later time, the fund could enter into contracts to purchase the stock index (known as taking a “long” position) as a temporary substitute for the purchase of stocks. If an increase in the market occurs that influences the stock index as anticipated, the value of the futures contracts increases and thereby serves as a hedge against the fund’s not participating in a market advance. The fund then may close out the futures contracts by entering into offsetting futures contracts to sell the stock index (known as taking a “short” position) as it purchases individual stocks. The fund can accomplish similar results by buying securities with long maturities and selling securities with short maturities. But by using futures contracts as an investment tool to reduce risk, given the greater liquidity in the futures market, it may be possible to accomplish the same result more easily and more quickly.

 

11


No consideration will be paid or received by the fund upon the purchase or sale of a futures contract. Initially, the fund will be required to deposit with the broker an amount of cash or cash equivalents equal to approximately 1% to 10% of the contract amount (this amount is subject to change by the exchange or board of trade on which the contract is traded and brokers or members of such board of trade may charge a higher amount). This amount is known as “initial margin” and is in the nature of a performance bond or good faith deposit on the contract which is returned to the fund, upon termination of the futures contract, assuming all contractual obligations have been satisfied. Subsequent payments, known as “variation margin,” to and from the broker, will be made daily as the price of the index or securities underlying the futures contract fluctuates, making the long and short positions in the futures contract more or less valuable, a process known as “marking-to-market.” In addition, when the fund enters into a long position in a futures contract or an option on a futures contract, it must deposit into a segregated account with the fund’s custodian an amount of cash or cash equivalents equal to the total market value of the underlying futures contract, less amounts held in the fund’s commodity brokerage account at its broker. At any time prior to the expiration of a futures contract, the fund may elect to close the position by taking an opposite position, which will operate to terminate the fund’s existing position in the contract.

The Commodity Futures Trading Commission (“CFTC”) has eliminated limitations on futures transactions and options thereon by registered investment companies, provided that the manager to the registered investment company claims an exclusion from regulation as a commodity pool operator. The fund is operated by a person who has claimed an exclusion from the definition of the term “commodity pool operator” under the Commodity Exchange Act and therefore is not subject to registration or regulation as a pool operator under the Commodity Exchange Act. As a result of these CFTC rule changes, the fund is no longer restricted in its ability to enter into futures transactions and options thereon under CFTC regulations. The fund, however, continues to have policies with respect to futures and options thereon as set forth herein. The current view of the staff of the SEC is that the fund’s long and short positions in future contracts as well as put and call options on futures written by it must be collateralized with cash or other liquid securities and segregated with the fund’s custodian or a designated sub-custodian or “covered” in a manner similar to that for covered options on securities and designed to eliminate any potential leveraging.

There are several risks in connection with the use of futures contracts as a hedging device. Successful use of futures contracts by the fund is subject to the ability of the subadviser to predict correctly movements in the stock market or in the direction of interest rates. These predictions involve skills and techniques that may be different from those involved in the management of investments in securities. In addition, there can be no assurance that there will be a perfect correlation between movements in the price of the securities underlying the futures contract and movements in the price of the securities that are the subject of the hedge. A decision of whether, when and how to hedge involves the exercise of skill and judgment, and even a well-conceived hedge may be unsuccessful to some degree because of market behavior or unexpected trends in market behavior or interest rates.

Positions in futures contracts may be closed out only on the exchange on which they were entered into (or through a linked exchange) and no secondary market exists for those contracts. In addition, although the fund intends to enter into futures contracts only if there is an active market for the contracts, there is no assurance that an active market will exist for the contracts at any particular time. Most futures exchanges and boards of trade limit the amount of fluctuation permitted in futures contract prices during a single trading day. Once the daily limit has been reached in a particular contract, no trades may be made that day at a price beyond that limit. It is possible that futures contract prices could move to the daily limit for several consecutive trading days with little or no trading, thereby preventing prompt liquidation of futures positions and subjecting some futures traders to substantial losses. In such event, and in the event of adverse price movements, the fund would be required to make daily cash payments of variation margin; in such circumstances, an increase in the value of the portion of the portfolio being hedged, if any, may partially or completely offset losses on the futures contract. As described above, however, no assurance can be given that the price of the securities being hedged will correlate with the price movements in a futures contract and thus provide an offset to losses on the futures contract.

 

12


When-Issued Securities and Delayed Delivery Transactions. In order to secure what the subadviser considers to be an advantageous price or yield, the fund may purchase U.S. Government securities on a when-issued basis or purchase or sell U.S. Government securities for delayed delivery. The fund will enter into such purchase transactions for the purpose of acquiring portfolio securities and not for the purpose of leverage. Delivery of the securities in such cases occurs beyond the normal settlement periods, but no payment or delivery is made by the fund prior to the reciprocal delivery or payment by the other party to the transaction. In entering into a when-issued or delayed-delivery transaction, the fund relies on the other party to consummate the transaction and may be disadvantaged if the other party fails to do so.

U.S. Government securities normally are subject to changes in value based upon changes, real or anticipated, in the level of interest rates and, to a lesser extent, the public’s perception of the creditworthiness of the issuers. In general, U.S. Government securities tend to appreciate when interest rates decline and depreciate when interest rates rise. Purchasing U.S. Government securities on a when-issued or delayed-delivery basis, therefore, can involve the risk that the yields available in the market when the delivery takes place may actually be higher than those obtained in the transaction itself. Similarly, the sale of U.S. Government securities for delayed delivery can involve the risk that the prices available in the market when the delivery is made may actually be higher than those obtained in the transaction itself.

A fund will at times maintain in a segregated account at its custodian cash or liquid securities equal to the amount of the fund’s when-issued or delayed-delivery commitments. For the purpose of determining the adequacy of the securities in the account, the deposited securities will be valued at market or fair value. If the market or fair value of such securities declines, additional cash or securities will be placed in the account on a daily basis so that the value of the account will equal the amount of such commitments by the fund. Placing securities rather than cash in the account may have a leveraging effect on the fund’s assets. That is, to the extent that the fund remains substantially fully invested in securities at the time that it has committed to purchase securities on a when-issued basis, there will be greater fluctuation in its net asset value than if it had set aside cash to satisfy its purchase commitments. On the settlement date, the fund will meet its obligations from then available cash flow, the sale of securities held in the separate account, the sale of other securities or, although it normally would not expect to do so, from the sale of the when-issued or delayed-delivery securities themselves (which may have a greater or lesser value than the fund’s payment obligations).

Portfolio Transactions

Subject to policies as may be established by the Board from time to time, the subadviser is primarily responsible for the fund’s portfolio decisions and the placing of the fund’s portfolio transactions, except that the manager manages the cash and short-term investments of the fund. Commissions are negotiated with broker-dealers on all transactions.

The cost of securities purchased from underwriters includes an underwriting commission, concession or a net price. The aggregate brokerage commissions paid by the fund for the three most recent fiscal years is set forth below under “Aggregate Brokerage Commissions Paid.”

Pursuant to the Management Agreement (as defined under “Management—Manager”) and Sub-Advisory Agreement (as defined under “Management—Subadviser”), each of the manager and the subadviser is authorized to place orders pursuant to their investment determinations for a fund either directly with the issuer or with any broker or dealer, foreign currency dealer, futures commission merchant or others selected by it. The general policy of the manager and subadviser in selecting brokers and dealers is to obtain the best results achievable in the context of a number of factors which are considered both in relation to individual trades and broader trading patterns, including the reliability of the broker/dealer, the competitiveness of the price and the commission, the research services received and whether the broker/dealer commits its own capital.

In connection with the selection of such brokers or dealers and the placing of such orders, subject to applicable law, brokers or dealers may be selected who also provide brokerage and research services (as those

 

13


terms are defined in Section 28(e) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934) to the fund and/or the other accounts over which the manager, the subadviser or their affiliates exercise investment discretion. The manager and subadviser are authorized to pay a broker or dealer who provides such brokerage and research services a commission for executing a portfolio transaction for the fund which is in excess of the amount of commission another broker or dealer would have charged for effecting that transaction if the manager or subadviser determines in good faith that such amount of commission is reasonable in relation to the value of the brokerage and research services provided by such broker or dealer. This determination may be viewed in terms of either that particular transaction or the overall responsibilities that the manager, the subadviser and their affiliates have with respect to accounts over which they exercise investment discretion. The manager and/or subadviser may also have arrangements with brokers pursuant to which such brokers provide research services to the manager or subadviser, as applicable, in exchange for a certain volume of brokerage transactions to be executed by such brokers. While the payment of higher commissions increases the fund’s costs, neither the manager nor the subadviser believes that the receipt of such brokerage and research services significantly reduces its expenses as manager or subadviser. Arrangements for the receipt of research services from brokers may create conflicts of interest.

Research services furnished to the manager or subadviser by brokers who effect securities transactions for the fund may be used by the manager or subadviser in servicing other investment companies and accounts which it manages. Similarly, research services furnished to the manager or subadviser by brokers who effect securities transactions for other investment companies and accounts which the manager or subadviser manages may be used by the manager or subadviser, as applicable, in servicing the fund. Not all of these research services are used by the manager or subadviser in managing any particular account, including the fund. For the fiscal year ended September 30, 2006, the fund paid commissions to brokers that provided research services as follows:

 

Total Dollar Amount of Brokerage Transactions

Related to Research Services

  

Total Dollar Amount of Brokerage Commissions

Paid on Transactions Related to Research Services

$5,749,135

   $12,235

The fund contemplates that, consistent with the policy of obtaining the best net results, brokerage transactions may be conducted through “affiliated broker/dealers”, as defined in the 1940 Act. The fund’s Board has adopted procedures in accordance with Rule 17e-1 under the 1940 Act to ensure that all brokerage commissions paid to such affiliates are reasonable and fair in the context of the market in which such affiliates operate. Effective December 1, 2005, CGMI is no longer an affiliated person of the fund under the 1940 Act. As a result, the fund will be permitted to execute portfolio transactions with CGMI or an affiliate of CGMI as agent (but not as principal) without being subject to the restrictions applicable to transactions with affiliated persons.

Aggregate Brokerage Commissions Paid

For the fiscal years ended September 30, 2004, 2005 and 2006, the fund paid aggregate brokerage commissions and brokerage commissions to CGMI and its affiliates as set out below:

 

Fiscal Year Ending September 30:

   Total
Brokerage
Commissions
   Commissions
Paid to
CGMI and
Affiliates
   % of Total
Brokerage
Commissions
Paid to CGMI
and Affiliates
    % of Total
Dollar Amount
of Transactions
Involving
Commissions
Paid to CGMI
and Affiliates
 

2004

   $ 387,603    $ 0    0 %   0 %

2005

   $ 423,431    $ 9,500    2 %   5 %

2006

   $ 795,461    $ 1,140    0 %   1 %

As of December 1, 2005, LMIS became an underwriter of the fund under the 1940 Act. For the period December 1, 2005 through September 30, 2006, the fund did not pay any brokerage commissions to LMIS or its affiliates.

 

14


During the fiscal year ended September 30, 2006 the fund did not purchase securities issued by the regular broker-dealers of the fund.

In certain instances there may be securities that are suitable as an investment for the fund as well as for one or more of the manager’s or subadviser’s other clients. Investment decisions for the fund and for the manager’s or subadviser’s other clients are made with a view to achieving their respective investment objectives. It may develop that a particular security is bought or sold for only one client even though it might be held by, or bought or sold for, other clients. Likewise, a particular security may be bought for one or more clients when one or more clients are selling the same security. Some simultaneous transactions are inevitable when several clients receive investment advice from the same investment adviser, particularly when the same security is suitable for the investment objectives of more than one client. When two or more clients are simultaneously engaged in the purchase or sale of the same security, the securities are allocated among clients in a manner believed to be equitable to each. It is recognized that in some cases this system could adversely affect the price of or the size of the position obtainable in a security for the fund. When purchases or sales of the same security for the fund and for other funds managed by the manager and/or subadviser occur contemporaneously, the purchase or sale orders may be aggregated in order to obtain any price advantages available to large volume purchases or sales.

For reporting purposes, the fund’s portfolio turnover rate is calculated by dividing the lesser of purchases or sales of portfolio securities for the fiscal year by the monthly average of the value of the portfolio securities owned by the fund during the fiscal year. In determining such portfolio turnover, all securities whose maturities at the time of acquisition were one year or less are excluded. A 100% portfolio turnover rate would occur, for example, if all of the securities in the fund’s investment portfolio (other than short-term money market securities) were replaced once during the fiscal year. Portfolio turnover will not be a limiting factor should the manager or subadviser deem it advisable to purchase or sell securities.

For the fiscal years ended September 30, 2005 and 2006, the fund’s portfolio turnover rates were 18% and 27%, respectively.

In the event that portfolio turnover increases, this increase necessarily results in correspondingly greater transaction costs which must be paid by the fund. To the extent portfolio trading results in realization of net short-term capital gains, shareholders will be taxed on such gains at ordinary tax rates (except shareholders who invest through IRAs and other retirement plans which are not taxed currently on accumulations in their accounts).

Disclosure of Portfolio Holdings

The fund’s Board has adopted policies and procedures developed by LMPFA with respect to the disclosure of the fund’s portfolio securities and any ongoing arrangements to make available information about the fund’s portfolio securities. The policy requires that consideration always be given as to whether disclosure of information about the fund’s portfolio holdings is in the best interests of the fund’s shareholders, and that any conflicts of interest between the interests of the fund’s shareholders and those of LMPFA, the fund’s distributors, or their affiliates, be addressed in a manner that places the interests of fund shareholders first. The policy provides that information regarding the fund’s portfolio holdings may not be shared with non-Legg Mason employees, with investors or potential investors (whether individual or institutional), or with third parties unless it is done for legitimate fund business purposes and in accordance with the policy.

LMPFA’s policy generally provides for the release of details of securities positions once they are considered “stale.” Data is considered stale 25 calendar days following quarter-end for funds other than money market funds, and 25 calendar days following month-end with respect to money market funds. LMPFA believes that this passage of time prevents a third party from benefiting from an investment decision made by a fund that has not been fully reflected by the market.

Under the policy, the fund’s complete list of holdings (including the size of each position) may be made available to investors, potential investors, third parties and non-Legg Mason employees with simultaneous public

 

15


disclosure at least 25 days after calendar quarter end, except in the case of a money market fund’s holdings, which may be released with simultaneous public disclosure at least 25 days after month end. Typically, simultaneous public disclosure is achieved by the filing of Form N-Q or Form N-CSR in accordance with SEC rules, provided that such filings may not be made until 25 days following quarter-end and/or posting the information to a Legg Mason or the fund’s Internet site that is accessible by the public, or through public release by a third party vendor.

The policy permits the release of limited portfolio holdings information that is not yet considered stale in a number of situations, including:

 

  1. The fund’s top ten securities, current as of month-end, and the individual size of each such security position may be released at any time following month-end with simultaneous public disclosure.

 

  2. The fund’s top ten securities positions (including the aggregate but not individual size of such positions) may be released at any time with simultaneous public disclosure.

 

  3. The list of securities (that may include fund holdings together with other securities) followed by a portfolio manager (without position sizes or identification of particular funds) may be disclosed to sell-side brokers at any time for the purpose of obtaining research and/or market information from such brokers.

 

  4. The trade in process may be discussed only with counterparties, potential counterparties and others involved in the transaction (i.e., brokers and custodians).

 

  5. The fund’s sector weightings, yield and duration (for fixed income and money market funds), performance attribution (e.g. analysis of the fund’s out performance or underperformance of its benchmark based on its portfolio holdings) and other summary and statistical information that does not include identification of specific portfolio holdings may be released, even if non-public, if such release is otherwise in accordance with the policy’s general principles.

 

  6. The fund’s portfolio holdings may be released on an as-needed basis to its legal counsel, counsel to its Independent Trustees (as defined below), and its independent public accounting firm, in required regulatory filings or otherwise to governmental agencies and authorities.

Under the policy, if information about the fund’s portfolio holdings is released pursuant to an ongoing arrangement with any party, the fund must have a legitimate business purpose for the release of the information, and either the party receiving the information must be under a duty of confidentiality, or the release of non-public information must be subject to trading restrictions and confidential treatment to prohibit the entity from sharing with an unauthorized source or trading upon any non-public information provided. Neither the fund, nor Legg Mason, nor any other affiliated party may receive compensation or any other consideration in connection with such arrangements. Ongoing arrangements to make available information about the fund’s portfolio securities will be reviewed at least annually by the Board.

The approval of the fund’s Chief Compliance Officer, or designee, must be obtained before entering into any new ongoing arrangement or altering any existing ongoing arrangement to make available portfolio holdings information, or with respect to any exceptions to the policy. Any exceptions to the policy must be consistent with the purposes of the policy. Exceptions are considered on a case-by-case basis and are granted only after a thorough examination and consultation with LMPFA’s legal department, as necessary. Exceptions to the policies are reported to the fund’s Board at its next regularly scheduled meeting.

Currently, the fund discloses its complete portfolio holdings approximately 25 days after calendar quarter end on its website:www.leggmason.com/InvestorServices.

Set forth below is a list, as of March 13, 2007, of those parties with whom LMPFA, on behalf of the fund, has authorized ongoing arrangements that include the release of portfolio holdings information in accordance

 

16


with the policy, as well as the frequency of the release under such arrangements, and the length of the lag, if any, between the date of the information and the date on which the information is disclosed. The parties identified below as recipients are service providers, fund rating agencies, consultants and analysts.

 

Recipient

  

Frequency

  

Delay before dissemination

State Street Bank & Trust Co.

(Fund Custodian and Accounting Agent)

   Daily    None

Institutional Shareholders Services (Proxy Voting Services)

   As necessary    None

Bloomberg

   Quarterly    25 Days after Quarter End

Lipper

   Quarterly    25 Days after Quarter End

S&P

   Quarterly    25 Days after Quarter End

Morningstar

   Quarterly    25 Days after Quarter End

Vestek

   Daily    None

Factset

   Daily    None

The Bank of New York

   Daily    None

Portfolio holdings information for the fund may also be released from time to time pursuant to ongoing arrangements with the following parties:

 

Recipient

  

Frequency

  

Delay before dissemination

Baseline

   Daily    None

Frank Russell

   Monthly    1 Day

Callan

   Quarterly    25 Days after Quarter End

Mercer

   Quarterly    25 Days after Quarter End

eVestment Alliance

   Quarterly    25 Days after Quarter End

CRA RogersCasey

   Quarterly    25 Days after Quarter End

Cambridge Associates

   Quarterly    25 Days after Quarter End

Marco Consulting

   Quarterly    25 Days after Quarter End

Wilshire

   Quarterly    25 Days after Quarter End

Informa Investment Services (Efron)

   Quarterly    25 Days after Quarter End

CheckFree (Mobius)

   Quarterly    25 Days after Quarter End

Nelsons Information

   Quarterly    25 Days after Quarter End

Investor Tools

   Daily    None

Advent

   Daily    None

BARRA

   Daily    None

Plexus

   Quarterly (Calendar)    Sent 1-3 business days following the end of a Quarter

Elkins/McSherry

   Quarterly (Calendar)    Sent 1-3 business days following the end of a Quarter

Quantitative Services Group

   Daily    None

AMBAC

   Daily    None

Deutsche Bank

   Monthly    6-8 Business Days

Fitch

   Monthly    6-8 Business Days

Liberty Hampshire

   Weekly and Month End    None

Sun Trust

   Weekly and Month End    None

New England Pension Consultants

   Quarterly    25 Days after Quarter End

Evaluation Associates

   Quarterly    25 Days after Quarter End

Watson Wyatt

   Quarterly    25 Days after Quarter End

S&P (Rating Agency)

   Weekly Tuesday Night    1 business day

Moody’s (Rating Agency)

   Weekly Tuesday Night    1 business day

Electra Information Systems

   Daily    None

SunGard

   Daily    None

 

17


PORTFOLIO MANAGER DISCLOSURE

Portfolio Manager

The following tables set forth certain additional information with respect to the fund’s portfolio manager. Unless noted otherwise, all information is provided as of September 30, 2006.

Other Accounts Managed by Portfolio Manager

The table below identifies the number of accounts (other than the fund with respect to which information is provided) for which the portfolio manager has day-to-day management responsibilities and the total assets in such accounts within each of the following categories: registered investment companies, other pooled investment vehicles, and other accounts. No accounts had fees based on performance.

 

Portfolio Manager

  

Registered Investment
Companies

  

Other Pooled Investment
Vehicles

  

Other Accounts

Peter Hable

   20 registered investment companies with $9.2 billion in total assets under management    2 other pooled investment vehicles with $0.4 billion in assets under management    80,741 other accounts with $12 billion in total assets under management

Portfolio Manager Compensation

ClearBridge investment professionals receive base salary and other employee benefits and are eligible to receive incentive compensation. Base salary is fixed and typically determined based on market factors and the skill and experience of individual investment personnel.

ClearBridge has an incentive and deferred compensation plan (the “Compensation Plan”) for its investment professionals, including the fund’s portfolio manager. Each investment professional works as a part of an investment team. The Compensation Plan is designed to align the objectives of ClearBridge investment professionals with those of fund shareholders and other ClearBridge clients. Under the Compensation Plan a “base incentive pool” is established for each team each year as a percentage of ClearBridge’s revenue attributable to the team (largely management and related fees generated by funds and other accounts). A team’s revenues are typically expected to increase or decrease depending on the effect that the team’s investment performance as well as inflows and outflows have on the level of assets in the investment products managed by the team. The “base incentive pool” of a team is reduced by base salaries paid to members of the team and other employee expenses attributable to the team.

The investment team’s incentive pool is then adjusted to reflect its ranking among a “peer group” of non-ClearBridge investment managers and the team’s pre-tax investment performance against the applicable product benchmark (e.g. a securities index and, with respect to a fund, the benchmark set forth in the fund’s prospectus to which the fund’s average annual total returns are compared or, if none, the benchmark set forth in the fund’s annual report). The peer group of non-ClearBridge investment managers is defined by product style/type, vehicle type and geography and selected by independent vendors that track and provide (for a fee paid by ClearBridge) relevant peer group performance and ranking data. Longer-term (5- year) performance is more heavily weighted than shorter-term (1- year) performance in the calculation of the performance adjustment factor. The incentive pool for a team may also be adjusted based on other qualitative factors by the applicable ClearBridge Chief Investment Officer. The incentive pool will be allocated by the applicable ClearBridge Chief Investment Officer to the team leader and, based on the recommendations of the team leader, to the other members of the team.

Up to 20% of an investment professional’s annual incentive compensation is subject to deferral. For portfolio managers, 25% of this deferral tracks performance of their primary managed product while another

 

18


25% tracks performance of an elected fund. Therefore, portfolio managers may potentially have 50% of their deferred award amount tracking the performance of their primary managed product. The remaining 50% of the deferral is received in the form of Legg Mason restricted stock shares.

Potential Conflicts of Interest

Potential conflicts of interest may arise when the fund’s portfolio manager also has day-to-day management responsibilities with respect to one or more other funds or other accounts, as is the case for the portfolio manager listed in the table above.

The manager, the subadviser and the fund have adopted compliance polices and procedures that are designed to address various conflicts of interest that may arise for the manager and the individuals that it employs. For example, the manager and the subadviser each seek to minimize the effects of competing interests for the time and attention of portfolio managers by assigning portfolio managers to manage funds and accounts that share a similar investment style. The manager and the subadviser have also adopted trade allocation procedures that are designed to facilitate the fair allocation of limited investment opportunities among multiple funds and accounts. There is no guarantee, however, that the policies and procedures adopted by the manager, the subadviser and the fund will be able to detect and/or prevent every situation in which an actual or potential conflict may appear.

These potential conflicts include:

Allocation of Limited Time and Attention. A portfolio manager who is responsible for managing multiple funds and/or accounts may devote unequal time and attention to the management of those funds and/or accounts. As a result, the portfolio manager may not be able to formulate as complete a strategy or identify equally attractive investment opportunities for each of those accounts as might be the case if he or she were to devote substantially more attention to the management of a single fund. The effects of this potential conflict may be more pronounced where funds and/or accounts overseen by a particular portfolio manager have different investment strategies.

Allocation of Limited Investment Opportunities. If the portfolio manager identifies a limited investment opportunity that may be suitable for multiple funds and/or accounts, the opportunity may be allocated among these several funds or accounts, which may limit the fund’s ability to take full advantage of the investment opportunity.

Pursuit of Differing Strategies. At times, the portfolio manager may determine that an investment opportunity may be appropriate for only some of the funds and/or accounts for which he or she exercises investment responsibility, or may decide that certain of the funds and/or accounts should take differing positions with respect to a particular security. In these cases, the portfolio manager may place separate transactions for one or more funds or accounts which may affect the market price of the security or the execution of the transaction, or both, to the detriment or benefit of one or more other funds and/or accounts.

Selection of Broker/Dealers. Portfolio managers may be able to select or influence the selection of the brokers and dealers that are used to execute securities transactions for the funds and/or accounts that they supervise. In addition to executing trades, some brokers and dealers provide brokerage and research services (as those terms are defined in Section 28(e) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934), which may result in the payment of higher brokerage fees than might have otherwise been available. These services may be more beneficial to certain funds or accounts than to others. Although the payment of brokerage commissions is subject to the requirement that the manager and/or subadviser determine in good faith that the commissions are reasonable in relation to the value of the brokerage and research services provided to the fund, a decision as to the selection of brokers and dealers could yield disproportionate costs and benefits among the funds and/or accounts managed. For this reason, the subadviser has formed a brokerage committee that reviews, among other things, the allocation of brokerage to broker/dealers, best execution and soft dollar usage.

 

19


Variation in Compensation. A conflict of interest may arise where the financial or other benefits available to the portfolio manager differ among the funds and/or accounts that he or she manages. If the structure of the manager’s management fee (and the percentage paid to the subadviser) and/or the portfolio manager’s compensation differs among funds and/or accounts (such as where certain funds or accounts pay higher management fees or performance-based management fees), the portfolio manager might be motivated to help certain funds and/or accounts over others. The portfolio manager might be motivated to favor funds and/or accounts in which he or she has an interest or in which the manager and/or its affiliates have interests. Similarly, the desire to maintain assets under management or to enhance the portfolio manager’s performance record or to derive other rewards, financial or otherwise, could influence the portfolio manager in affording preferential treatment to those funds and/or accounts that could most significantly benefit the portfolio manager.

Related Business Opportunities. The manager or its affiliates may provide more services (such as distribution or recordkeeping) for some types of funds or accounts than for others. In such cases, the portfolio manager may benefit, either directly or indirectly, by devoting disproportionate attention to the management of fund and/or accounts that provide greater overall returns to the manager and its affiliates.

Portfolio Manager Securities Ownership

The table below identifies ownership of fund securities by the portfolio manager.

 

        Portfolio Manager           

Dollar Range of

Ownership of Securities

   
  Peter Hable     $0  

INVESTMENT POLICIES

The fund has adopted the fundamental and non-fundamental policies below for the protection of shareholders. Fundamental investment policies may not be changed without the vote of a majority of the outstanding shares of the fund, defined under the 1940 Act as the lesser of (a) 67% or more of the voting power present at a fund meeting, if the holders of more than 50% of the voting power of the fund are present in person or represented by proxy or (b) more than 50% of the voting power of the fund.

If any percentage restriction described below is complied with at the time of an investment, a later increase or decrease in percentage resulting from a change in values or assets will not constitute a violation of such restriction.

Fundamental Investment Policies

The fund’s fundamental policies are as follows:

 

  1. The fund may not borrow money except as permitted by (i) the 1940 Act or interpretations or modifications by the SEC, SEC staff or other authority with appropriate jurisdiction, or (ii) exemptive or other relief or permission from the SEC, SEC staff or other authority.

 

  2. The fund may not engage in the business of underwriting the securities of other issuers except as permitted by (i) the 1940 Act or interpretations or modifications by the SEC, SEC staff or other authority with appropriate jurisdiction, or (ii) exemptive or other relief or permission from the SEC, SEC staff or other authority.

 

  3. The fund may lend money or other assets to the extent permitted by (i) the 1940 Act or interpretations or modifications by the SEC, SEC staff or other authority with appropriate jurisdiction, or (ii) exemptive or other relief or permission from the SEC, SEC staff or other authority.

 

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  4. The fund may not issue senior securities except as permitted by (i) the 1940 Act or interpretations or modifications by the SEC, SEC staff or other authority with appropriate jurisdiction, or (ii) exemptive or other relief or permission from the SEC, SEC staff or other authority.

 

  5. The fund may not purchase or sell real estate except as permitted by (i) the 1940 Act or interpretations or modifications by the SEC, SEC staff or other authority with appropriate jurisdiction, or (ii) exemptive or other relief or permission from the SEC, SEC staff or other authority.

 

  6. The fund may purchase or sell commodities or contracts related to commodities to the extent permitted by (i) the 1940 Act or interpretations or modifications by the SEC, SEC staff or other authority with appropriate jurisdiction, or (ii) exemptive or other relief or permission from the SEC, SEC staff or other authority.

 

  7. Except as permitted by exemptive or other relief or permission from the SEC, SEC staff or other authority with appropriate jurisdiction, the fund may not make any investment if, as a result, the fund’s investments will be concentrated in any one industry.

With respect to the fundamental policy relating to borrowing money set forth in (1) above, the 1940 Act permits a fund to borrow money in amounts of up to one-third of the fund’s total assets from banks for any purpose, and to borrow up to 5% of the fund’s total assets from banks or other lenders for temporary purposes. To limit the risks attendant to borrowing, the 1940 Act requires the fund to maintain at all times an “asset coverage” of at least 300% of the amount of its borrowings. Asset coverage means the ratio that the value of the fund’s total assets, minus liabilities other than borrowings, bears to the aggregate amount of all borrowings. Certain trading practices and investments, such as reverse repurchase agreements, may be considered to be borrowings and thus subject to the 1940 Act restrictions. Borrowing money to increase portfolio holdings is known as “leveraging.” Borrowing, especially when used for leverage, may cause the value of a fund’s shares to be more volatile than if the fund did not borrow. This is because borrowing tends to magnify the effect of any increase or decrease in the value of the fund’s portfolio holdings. Borrowed money thus creates an opportunity for greater gains, but also greater losses. To repay borrowings, the fund may have to sell securities at a time and at a price that is unfavorable to the fund. There also are costs associated with borrowing money, and these costs would offset and could eliminate a fund’s net investment income in any given period. Currently the fund does not contemplate borrowing money for leverage, but if the fund does so, it will not likely do so to a substantial degree. The policy in (1) above will be interpreted to permit a fund to engage in trading practices and investments that may be considered to be borrowing to the extent permitted by the 1940 Act. Short-term credits necessary for the settlement of securities transactions and arrangements with respect to securities lending will not be considered to be borrowings under the policy. Practices and investments that may involve leverage but are not considered to be borrowings are not subject to the policy.

With respect to the fundamental policy relating to underwriting set forth in (2) above, the 1940 Act does not prohibit a fund from engaging in the underwriting business or from underwriting the securities of other issuers; in fact, the 1940 Act permits a fund to have underwriting commitments of up to 25% of its assets under certain circumstances. Those circumstances currently are that the amount of the fund’s underwriting commitments, when added to the value of the fund’s investments in issuers where the fund owns more than 10% of the outstanding voting securities of those issuers, cannot exceed the 25% cap. A fund engaging in transactions involving the acquisition or disposition of portfolio securities may be considered to be an underwriter under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “1933 Act”). Under the 1933 Act, an underwriter may be liable for material omissions or misstatements in an issuer’s registration statement or prospectus. Securities purchased from an issuer and not registered for sale under the 1933 Act are considered restricted securities. There may be a limited market for these securities. If these securities are registered under the 1933 Act, they may then be eligible for sale but participating in the sale may subject the seller to underwriter liability. These risks could apply to a fund investing in restricted securities. Although it is not believed that the application of the 1933 Act provisions described above would cause a fund to be engaged in the business of underwriting, the policy in (2) above will be interpreted not to prevent the fund from engaging in transactions involving the acquisition or disposition of portfolio securities, regardless of whether the fund may be considered to be an underwriter under the 1933 Act.

 

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With respect to the fundamental policy relating to lending set forth in (3) above, the 1940 Act does not prohibit a fund from making loans; however, SEC staff interpretations currently prohibit funds from lending more than one-third of their total assets, except through the purchase of debt obligations or the use of repurchase agreements. (A repurchase agreement is an agreement to purchase a security, coupled with an agreement to sell that security back to the original seller on an agreed-upon date at a price that reflects current interest rates. The SEC frequently treats repurchase agreements as loans.) While lending securities may be a source of income to a fund, as with other extensions of credit, there are risks of delay in recovery or even loss of rights in the underlying securities should the borrower fail financially. However, loans would be made only when the fund’s manager or subadviser believes the income justifies the attendant risks. The fund also will be permitted by this policy to make loans of money, including to other funds. A fund would have to obtain exemptive relief from the SEC to make loans to other funds. The policy in (3) above will be interpreted not to prevent a fund from purchasing or investing in debt obligations and loans. In addition, collateral arrangements with respect to options, forward currency and futures transactions and other derivative instruments, as well as delays in the settlement of securities transactions, will not be considered loans.

With respect to the fundamental policy relating to issuing senior securities set forth in (4) above, “senior securities” are defined as fund obligations that have a priority over the fund’s shares with respect to the payment of dividends or the distribution of fund assets. The 1940 Act prohibits a fund from issuing senior securities except that the fund may borrow money in amounts of up to one-third of the fund’s total assets from banks for any purpose. A fund also may borrow up to 5% of the fund’s total assets from banks or other lenders for temporary purposes, and these borrowings are not considered senior securities. The issuance of senior securities by a fund can increase the speculative character of the fund’s outstanding shares through leveraging. Leveraging of a fund’s portfolio through the issuance of senior securities magnifies the potential for gain or loss on monies, because even though the fund’s net assets remain the same, the total risk to investors is increased to the extent of the fund’s gross assets. The policy in (4) above will be interpreted not to prevent collateral arrangements with respect to swaps, options, forward or futures contracts or other derivatives, or the posting of initial or variation margin.

With respect to the fundamental policy relating to real estate set forth in (5) above, the 1940 Act does not prohibit a fund from owning real estate; however, a fund is limited in the amount of illiquid assets it may purchase. Investing in real estate may involve risks, including that real estate is generally considered illiquid and may be difficult to value and sell. Owners of real estate may be subject to various liabilities, including environmental liabilities. To the extent that investments in real estate are considered illiquid, the current SEC staff position generally limits a fund’s purchases of illiquid securities to 15% of net assets. The policy in (5) above will be interpreted not to prevent a fund from investing in real estate-related companies, companies whose businesses consist in whole or in part of investing in real estate, instruments (like mortgages) that are secured by real estate or interests therein, or real estate investment trust securities.

With respect to the fundamental policy relating to commodities set forth in (6) above, the 1940 Act does not prohibit a fund from owning commodities, whether physical commodities and contracts related to physical commodities (such as oil or grains and related futures contracts), or financial commodities and contracts related to financial commodities (such as currencies and, possibly, currency futures). However, a fund is limited in the amount of illiquid assets it may purchase. To the extent that investments in commodities are considered illiquid, the current SEC staff position generally limits a fund’s purchases of illiquid securities to 15% of net assets. If a fund were to invest in a physical commodity or a physical commodity-related instrument, the fund would be subject to the additional risks of the particular physical commodity and its related market. The value of commodities and commodity-related instruments may be extremely volatile and may be affected either directly or indirectly by a variety of factors. There also may be storage charges and risks of loss associated with physical commodities. The policy in (6) above will be interpreted to permit investments in exchange traded funds that invest in physical and/or financial commodities.

 

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With respect to the fundamental policy relating to concentration set forth in (7) above, the 1940 Act does not define what constitutes “concentration” in an industry. The SEC staff has taken the position that investment of 25% or more of a fund’s total assets in one or more issuers conducting their principal activities in the same industry or group of industries constitutes concentration. It is possible that interpretations of concentration could change in the future. A fund that invests a significant percentage of its total assets in a single industry may be particularly susceptible to adverse events affecting that industry and may be more risky than a fund that does not concentrate in an industry. The policy in (7) above will be interpreted to refer to concentration as that term may be interpreted from time to time. The policy also will be interpreted to permit investment without limit in the following: securities of the U.S. government and its agencies or instrumentalities; securities of state, territory, possession or municipal governments and their authorities, agencies, instrumentalities or political subdivisions; securities of foreign governments; and repurchase agreements collateralized by any such obligations. Accordingly, issuers of the foregoing securities will not be considered to be members of any industry. There also will be no limit on investment in issuers domiciled in a single jurisdiction or country. The policy also will be interpreted to give broad authority to a fund as to how to classify issuers within or among industries.

The fund’s fundamental policies are written and will be interpreted broadly. For example, the policies will be interpreted to refer to the 1940 Act and the related rules as they are in effect from time to time, and to interpretations and modifications of or relating to the 1940 Act by the SEC and others as they are given from time to time. When a policy provides that an investment practice may be conducted as permitted by the 1940 Act, the policy will be interpreted to mean either that the 1940 Act expressly permits the practice or that the 1940 Act does not prohibit the practice.

Non-Fundamental Investment Policies

Under the non-fundamental investment policies adopted by the fund, the fund may not:

 

  1. Purchase any securities on margin (except for such short-term credits as are necessary for the clearance of purchases and sales of portfolio securities) or sell any securities short (except “against the box”). For purposes of this restriction, the deposit or payment by the fund of underlying securities and other assets in escrow and collateral agreements with respect to initial or maintenance margin in connection with futures contracts and related options and options on securities, indexes or similar items is not considered to be the purchase of a security on margin.

 

  2. Invest in oil, gas or other mineral exploration programs.

 

  3. Purchase or otherwise acquire any security if, as a result, more than 15% of its net assets would be invested in securities that are illiquid.

 

  4. Invest in companies for the purpose of exercising management or control.

 

  5. Invest in securities of an issuer which, together with any predecessor, has been in operation for less than three years if, as a result, more than 5% of the total assets of the fund would then be invested in such securities (for purposes of this restriction, issuers include predecessors, sponsors, controlling persons, general guarantors and originators of underlying assets).

Diversification

The fund is currently classified as a diversified fund under the 1940 Act. This means that the fund may not purchase securities of an issuer (other than obligations issued or guaranteed by the U.S. government, its agencies or instrumentalities) if, with respect to 75% of its total assets, (a) more than 5% of the fund’s total assets would be invested in securities of that issuer, or (b) the fund would hold more than 10% of the outstanding voting securities of that issuer. With respect to the remaining 25% of its total assets, the fund can invest more than 5% of its assets in one issuer. Under the 1940 Act, the fund cannot change its classification from diversified to non-diversified without shareholder approval.

 

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MANAGEMENT

The business affairs of the fund are managed by or under the direction of the Board. The Board elects officers who are responsible for the day-to-day operations of the fund and who execute policies authorized by the Board.

The current Trustees, including the Trustees of the fund who are not “interested persons” of the fund (the “Independent Trustees”) as defined in the 1940 Act, and executive officers of the fund, their birth years, their principal occupations during at least the past five years (their titles may have varied during that period), the number of funds associated with Legg Mason the Trustees oversee, and other board memberships they hold are set forth below. The address of each Trustee is c/o R. Jay Gerken, 399 Park Avenue, New York, New York 10022.

The following information relates to the Trust’s recently elected Board of Trustees.

 

Name and Year of Birth

  

Position(s)
with Fund

  

Term of
Office* and
Length of
Time Served**

  

Principal Occupation(s)

During Past 5 Years

  

Number of

Funds

in Fund
Complex

to be
Overseen
by Trustee

  

Other Board

Memberships
Held by Trustee
During

Past Five Years

INDEPENDENT TRUSTEES:      

Paul R. Ades

Born 1940

   Trustee    Since 1983    Law firm of Paul R. Ades, PLLC (since 2000)    57    None

Andrew L. Breech

Born 1952

   Trustee    Since 1991    President, Dealer Operating Control Service, Inc. (automotive retail management) (since 1985)    57    None

Dwight B. Crane

Born 1937

   Trustee    Since 1981    Professor, Harvard Business School (since 1969); Independent Consultant (since 1969)    60    None

Robert M. Frayn, Jr.

Born 1934

   Trustee    Since 1981    Retired; formerly, President and Director, Book Publishing Co. (1970 to 2002)    57    None

Frank G. Hubbard

Born 1937

   Trustee    Since 1993    President, Avatar International Inc. (business development) (since 1998)    57    None

Howard J. Johnson

Born 1938

   Trustee    From 1981 to 1998 and 2000 to Present    Chief Executive Officer, Genesis Imaging LLC (technology company) (since 2003)    57    None

 

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Name and Year of Birth

  

Position(s)
with Fund

  

Term of
Office* and
Length of
Time Served**

  

Principal Occupation(s)

During Past 5 Years

  

Number of

Funds

in Fund
Complex

to be
Overseen
by Trustee

  

Other Board

Memberships
Held by Trustee
During

Past Five Years

David E. Maryatt

Born 1936

   Trustee    Since 1983    Private Investor; President and Director, ALS Co. (real estate management and development firm) (since 1993)    57    None

Jerome H. Miller

Born 1938

   Trustee    Since 1995    Retired    57    None

Ken Miller

Born 1942

   Trustee    Since 1983    Chairman, Young Stuff Apparel Group, Inc. (apparel manufacturer) (since 1963)    57    None

John J. Murphy

Born 1944

   Trustee    Since 2002    President, Murphy Capital Management (investment advice) (since 1983)    57    Director, Nicholas Applegate funds; Trustee, Consulting Group Capital Markets Funds; formerly, Director, Atlantic Stewardship Bank (2004 to 2005); Director, Barclays International Funds Group Ltd. and affiliated companies (to 2003)

Thomas F. Schlafly

Born 1948

   Trustee    Since 1983    Of Counsel, Blackwell Sanders Peper Martin LLP (law firm) (since 1984); President, The Saint Louis Brewery, Inc. (brewery) (since 1989)    57    Director, Citizens National Bank, Maplewood (2006)

Jerry A. Viscione

Born 1944

   Trustee    Since 1993    Retired; formerly, Executive Vice President, Marquette University (1997 to 2002)    57    None

 

25


Name and Year of Birth

  

Position(s)
with Fund

  

Term of
Office* and
Length of
Time Served**

  

Principal Occupation(s)

During Past 5 Years

  

Number of

Funds

in Fund
Complex

to be
Overseen
by Trustee

  

Other Board

Memberships
Held by Trustee
During

Past Five Years

INTERESTED TRUSTEE:

           

R. Jay Gerken, CFA†

Born 1951

  

Trustee,

President, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer

   Since 2002    Managing Director, Legg Mason & Co., LLC (“Legg Mason & Co.”); Chairman of the Board and Trustee/Director of 149 funds associated with LMPFA and its affiliates; President, LMPFA (since 2006); Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of certain mutual funds associated with Legg Mason & Co. or its affiliates; formerly, Chairman, Smith Barney Fund Management LLC (“SBFM”) and Citi Fund Management, Inc. (“CFM”) (2002 to 2005); formerly, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer, Travelers Investment Adviser Inc. (2002 to 2005)    149    None

* Each Trustee serves until his or her respective successor has been duly elected and qualified or until his or her earlier death, resignation, retirement or removal.
** Indicates the earliest year in which the Trustee became a Board member for a fund in the Legg Mason Partners fund complex.
Mr. Gerken is an “interested person,” as defined in the 1940 Act, because of his position with the manager and/or certain of its affiliates.

 

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Name, Year of Birth and Address

  

Position(s)
with Fund

  

Term of Office* and
Length of

Time Served**

  

Principal Occupation(s)

During Past 5 Years

OFFICERS:         

R. Jay Gerken, CFA

Born 1951

399 Park Avenue

New York, NY 10022

   Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer    Since 2002    Managing Director, Legg Mason & Co.; Chairman of the Board and Trustee/Director of 149 funds associated with LMPFA and its affiliates; President, LMPFA (since 2006); Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of certain mutual funds associated with Legg Mason & Co. or its affiliates; formerly, Chairman, SBFM and CFM (2002 to 2005); formerly, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer, Travelers Investment Adviser Inc. (2002 to 2005).

Ted P. Becker

Born 1951

399 Park Avenue

New York, NY 10022

   Chief Compliance Officer    Since 2006    Director of Global Compliance at Legg Mason (2006 to present); Managing Director of Compliance at Legg Mason & Co (2005 to present); Chief Compliance Officer with certain mutual funds associated with Legg Mason & Co. (since 2006); Chief Compliance Officer of LMPFA and certain affiliates; Managing Director of Compliance at Citigroup Asset Management (“CAM”, a group of affiliated investment advisers, which included SBFM, Smith Barney Asset Management and CFM and other affiliated investment advisory entities) (2002 to 2005). Prior to 2002, Managing Director-Internal Audit & Risk Review at Citigroup Inc.

John Chiota

Born 1968

300 First Stamford Place, 5th Floor Stamford, CT 06902

   Chief Anti-Money Laundering Compliance Officer    Since 2006    Vice President of Legg Mason & Co. (since 2005); Vice President at CAM (since 2004); Chief Anti-Money Laundering Compliance Officer of certain mutual funds associated with Legg Mason & Co. (since 2006). Prior to August 2004, Chief Anti-Money Laundering Compliance Officer of TD Waterhouse.

 

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Name, Year of Birth and Address

  

Position(s)
with Fund

  

Term of Office* and
Length of

Time Served**

  

Principal Occupation(s)

During Past 5 Years

Robert I. Frenkel

Born 1954

300 First Stamford Place

Stamford, CT 06902

   Secretary and Chief Legal Officer    Since 2003    Managing Director and General Counsel of Global Mutual Funds for Legg Mason & Co. (since 2005); Managing Director and General Counsel of Global Mutual Funds for CAM (since 2000); Secretary and Chief Legal Officer of certain mutual funds associated with Legg Mason & Co. (since 2003). Previously, Secretary of CFM (2001 to 2004).

Thomas C. Mandia

Born 1962

300 First Stamford Place

Stamford, CT 06902

   Assistant Secretary    Since 2000    Managing Director and Deputy General Counsel of Legg Mason & Co. (since 2005); Managing Director and Deputy General Counsel for CAM (since 1992); Assistant Secretary of certain mutual funds associated with Legg Mason & Co.

Kaprel Ozsolak

Born 1965

125 Broad Street, 11th Floor

New York, NY 10004

   Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer    Since 2004    Director of Legg Mason & Co. (since 2005); Vice President at CAM (1996 to 2005); Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer of certain mutual funds associated with Legg Mason & Co. (since 2005); Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer of certain funds associated with CAM (2004 to 2005). Previously, Mr. Ozsolak was Controller of certain mutual funds associated with CAM (2002 to 2004).

* Each officer serves until his or her respective successor has been duly elected and qualified or until his or her earlier death, resignation, retirement or removal.
** Indicates the earliest year in which the officer took office for any funds in the Legg Mason Partners fund complex.

Officers of the fund receive no compensation from the fund, although they may be reimbursed by the fund for reasonable out-of-pocket travel expenses for attending Board meetings.

The Board has three standing Committees: the Audit Committee, Nominating and Governance Committee (referred to as the Nominating Committee), and Pricing Committee. The Audit Committee and Nominating Committee are composed of all the Independent Trustees. The Pricing Committee is composed of the Chairman of the Board and one Independent Trustee.

The Audit Committee oversees, among other things, the scope of the fund’s audit, the fund’s accounting and financial reporting policies and practices and its internal controls. The primary purposes of the Board’s Audit Committee are to assist the Board in fulfilling its responsibility for oversight of the integrity of the accounting, auditing and financial reporting practices of the fund and the qualifications and independence of the fund’s independent registered public accounting firm. The Audit Committee approves, and recommends to the Independent Trustees for their ratification, the selection, appointment, retention or termination of the fund’s independent registered public accounting firm and approves the compensation of the independent registered

 

28


public accounting firm. The Audit Committee also approves all audit and permissible non-audit services provided to the fund by the independent registered public accounting firm and all permissible non-audit services provided by the fund’s independent registered public accounting firm to its manager and any affiliated service providers if the engagement relates directly to the fund’s operations and financial reporting. The Audit Committee also assists the Board in fulfilling its responsibility for the review and negotiation of the fund’s investment management and subadvisory arrangements.

The Nominating Committee is responsible for, among other things, recommending candidates to fill vacancies on the Board. The Nominating Committee may consider nominees recommended by a shareholder. Shareholders who wish to recommend a nominee should send recommendations to the Trust’s Secretary that include all information relating to such person that is required to be disclosed in solicitations of proxies for the election of Trustees. A recommendation must be accompanied by a written consent of the individual to stand for election if nominated by the Board and to serve if elected by the shareholders.

The Nominating Committee identifies potential nominees through its network of contacts and may also engage, if it deems appropriate, a professional search firm. The committee meets to discuss and consider such candidates’ qualifications and then chooses a candidate by majority vote. The committee does not have specific, minimum qualifications for nominees, nor has it established specific qualities or skills that it regards as necessary for one or more of the Trustees to possess (other than any qualities or skills that may be required by applicable law, regulation or listing standard). However, in evaluating a person as a potential nominee to serve as a Trustee, the Nominating Committee may consider the following factors, among any others it may deem relevant:

 

   

whether or not the person is an “interested person,” as defined in the 1940 Act, and whether the person is otherwise qualified under applicable laws and regulations to serve as a Trustee;

 

   

whether or not the person has any relationships that might impair his or her independence, such as any business, financial or family relationships with fund management, the investment adviser, service providers or their affiliates;

 

   

whether or not the person serves on boards of, or is otherwise affiliated with, competing financial service organizations or their related mutual fund complexes;

 

   

whether or not the person is willing to serve, and willing and able to commit the time necessary for the performance of the duties of a Trustee;

 

   

the contribution which the person can make to the Board (or, if the person has previously served as a Trustee, the contribution which the person made to the Board during his or her previous term of service), with consideration being given to the person’s business and professional experience, education and such other factors as the committee may consider relevant;

 

   

the character and integrity of the person; and

 

   

whether or not the selection and nomination of the person would be consistent with the requirements of the retirement policies of the Trust, as applicable.

The Pricing Committee is charged with determining the fair value prices for securities when required.

As indicated above, the Trust’s Board is recently elected and is newly constituted as the Board that oversees all of the equity-type funds in the fund complex. All members of the Board previously have served on Boards of Legg Mason Partners funds. The Audit, Nominating and Pricing Committees are recently established committees of this Board and did not meet during the fund’s last fiscal year.

 

29


The following table shows the amount of equity securities owned by the Trustees in the fund and other investment companies in the fund complex supervised by the Trustees as of December 31, 2006.

 

Name of Trustee

    

Dollar Range

of Equity

Securities in

the Fund

    

Aggregate Dollar Range

of Equity Securities In

Registered Investment

Companies Overseen

by Trustee

Independent Trustees          
Paul R. Ades      $10,001-$50,000      Over $100,000
Andrew L. Breech      None      Over $100,000
Dwight B. Crane      $50,001-$100,000      Over $100,000
Robert M. Frayn, Jr.      None      Over $100,000
Frank G. Hubbard      $1-$10,000      Over $100,000
Howard J. Johnson      None      None
David E. Maryatt      None      Over $100,000
Jerome H. Miller      None     

$50,001-$100,000

Ken Miller      None      $50,001-$100,000
John J. Murphy      None      None
Thomas F. Schlafly      None      Over $100,000
Jerry A. Viscione      None      $10,001-$50,000
Interested Trustee          
R. Jay Gerken      $10,001-$50,000      Over $100,000

As of April 16, 2007, none of the Independent Trustees or their immediate family members owned beneficially or of record any securities of the manager, subadviser or distributors of the fund, or in a person (other than a registered investment company) directly or indirectly controlling, controlled by or under common control with the manager, subadviser or distributors of the fund.

Information regarding compensation paid by the fund to its recently elected Board and to its prior Board is set forth below. The Independent Trustees receive a fee for each meeting of the fund’s Board and committee meetings attended and are reimbursed for all out-of-pocket expenses relating to attendance at such meetings. Mr. Gerken, an “interested person,” as defined in the 1940 Act, does not receive compensation from the fund for his service as Trustee, but may be reimbursed for all out-of-pocket expenses relating to attendance at such meetings.

The fund pays a pro rata share of the Trustee fees based upon asset size. The fund currently pays each of the Trustees who is not a director, officer or employee of the manager or any of its affiliates its pro rata share of: an annual fee of $100,000 plus $20,000 for each regularly scheduled Board meeting attended, in person, and $1,000 for telephonic Board meetings in which that Trustee participates. The lead Independent Trustee will receive an additional $25,000 per year and the Chair of the Audit Committee will receive an additional $15,000 per year.

 

30


Recently Elected Board

 

Name of Trustee

  

Aggregate
Compensation
from the

Fund(1)(2)

   Total Pension
or Retirement
Benefits Paid
as Part of Fund
Expenses(1)
    Total
Compensation
from Fund
Complex Paid
to Trustee(1)(2)
    Number of
Portfolios in
Fund Complex
Overseen by
Trustee(1)

Independent Trustees

         

Paul R. Ades

   $ 4,067    $ 0     $ 86,200     57

Andrew L. Breech

   $ 0    $ 0     $ 35,750     57

Dwight B. Crane

   $ 2,609      (3 )   $ 266,500     57

Robert M. Frayn, Jr.

   $ 0    $ 0     $ 17,500 (4)   57

Frank G. Hubbard

   $ 2,817    $ 0     $ 78,700     57

Howard J. Johnson

   $ 0    $ 0     $ 36,000     57

David E. Maryatt

   $ 0    $ 0     $ 17,500 (4)   57

Jerome H. Miller

   $ 2,624    $ 0     $ 73,500     57

Ken Miller

   $ 2,526    $ 0     $ 71,500     57

John J. Murphy

   $ 0    $ 0     $ 91,200     57

Thomas F. Schlafly

   $ 0    $ 0     $ 35,250     57

Jerry A. Viscione

   $ 0    $ 0     $ 29,250     57

Interested Trustee

         

R. Jay Gerken

   $ 0    $ 0     $ 0     139

(1)

Information is for the calendar year ended December 31, 2006. The disclosure of compensation paid to the Trustees is provided as of the most recent calendar year end, rather than the fund’s most recent fiscal year end, for ease of presentation and comprehension.

(2)

Messrs, Hubbard and Murphy also received $5,200 and $2,200, respectively, during 2006 for attending on behalf of their former Boards an additional meeting relating to the selection of service providers for the funds in the Legg Mason Partners fund complex. These amounts were paid by the manager or its affiliates, and not by the fund.

(3)

Pursuant to a prior emeritus retirement plan, Mr. Crane has received or is entitled to receive, in a lump sum (calculated on a net present value basis) or in quarterly installments, an aggregate benefit having a net present value equal to $444,643. Mr. Crane elected to receive the benefit in a lump sum payment. Each fund no longer overseen by Mr. Crane will pay a pro rata share (based upon asset size) of the aggregate benefit to Mr. Crane. Legg Mason or its affiliates have agreed to reimburse these funds an amount equal to 50% of the benefits paid to Mr. Crane. None of these amounts were paid during the period covered by this table.

(4)

Messrs. Frayn and Maryatt elected to defer receipt of 100% of their compensation for the year ended December 31, 2006.

For the fiscal year ended September 30, 2006, the Directors of the fund were paid the compensation listed below for service as a Director. Information as to the compensation paid to the Directors of the fund for the calendar year ended December 31, 2006 also is shown below.

Prior Board

 

Name of Independent Director

   Aggregate
Compensation
from
Fund for
Fiscal Year
Ended
09/30/06
   Total Pension
or Retirement
Benefits
Paid as
Part of Fund
Expenses(2)(3)
    Total Compensation
from Fund Complex
Paid to Directors in
Fiscal Year Ended
9/30/06(4)
   Number of Funds
for Which
Director Served
Within Fund
Complex

Paul R. Ades

   $ 1,647    $ 0     $ 95,950    12

Dwight B. Crane

   $ 1,067      (3 )   $ 288,500    46

Frank G. Hubbard

   $ 1,236    $ 0     $ 93,950    12

Jerome Miller

   $ 1,067    $ 0     $ 82,750    12

Ken Miller

   $ 1,034    $ 0     $ 82,250    12

Interested Director

          

R. Jay Gerken(1)

   $ 0    $ 0     $ 0    162

 

31


Name of Independent Director

   Aggregate
Compensation
from
Fund for
Year Ended
12/31/06
   Total Pension
or Retirement
Benefits
Paid as
Part of Fund
Expenses (2)(3)
    Total Compensation
from Fund Complex
Paid to Directors in
Year Ended
12/31/06
   Number of Funds
for Which
Director Served
Within Fund
Complex

Paul R. Ades

   $ 4,067    $ 0     $ 86,200    12

Dwight B. Crane

   $ 2,609      (3 )   $ 266,500    46

Frank G. Hubbard

   $ 2,817    $ 0     $ 78,700    12

Jerome Miller

   $ 2,624    $ 0     $ 73,500    12

Ken Miller

   $ 2,526    $ 0     $ 71,500    12

Interested Director

          

R. Jay Gerken(1)

   $ 0    $ 0     $ 0    162

(1)

Mr. Gerken was not compensated for his services as Director because of his affiliation with the manager.

(2)

During the fiscal year ended September 30, 2006, the following former Director received the following retirement benefits or payments for his services as emeritus Directors: Mr. Herbert Barg: $87,725. The fund paid its pro rata share (based on asset size) of these aggregate benefits.

(3)

Pursuant to prior emeritus retirement plans, the following former Director has received or is entitled to receive benefits (calculated on a net present value basis) as follows: Mr. Barg: $392,886. Mr. Crane also is entitled to receive benefits under the emeritus retirement plans; his benefits are described in a table above. Benefits under the emeritus retirement plans are paid in quarterly installments unless the Director elected to receive them in a lump sum at net present value. The fund will pay its pro rata share (based on asset size) of these aggregate benefits. Legg Mason or its affiliates have agreed to reimburse the fund an amount equal to 50% of these benefits. None of these amounts were paid during the period covered by this table.

(4)

In addition to the amounts set forth above, Messrs. Ades, Crane, Hubbard, J. Miller, and K. Miller received $22,900, $62,500, $43,200, $21,200, and $21,200, respectively, during the fiscal year ended September 30, 2006, for services as Directors in attending additional meetings relating to certain regulatory issues and the consideration of new custody, transfer agency, and accounting arrangements for the fund. These amounts were borne by the manager and/or its affiliates and not by the fund.

As of March 16, 2007, the Trustees and officers of the Trust, as a group, owned less than 1% of the outstanding common stock of the fund.

As of March 16, 2007, to the knowledge of the fund, the following shareholders or groups (as the term is used in Section 13(d) of the 1934 Act) beneficially owned more than 5% of the outstanding shares of the following classes of the fund:

Name

   Class      Percentage
of Shares
 

RPS SEG. FUNDS & ACCOUNTING ET-T

   Class A      17.43 %

JOHN HANCOCK LIFE INSURANCE CO. (USA)

       

601 CONGRESS ST.

       

BOSTON, MA 02210-2805

       

CITISTREET RETIREMENT TRUST ACCOUNT

   Class A      12.06 %

CITIGROUP INSTITUTIONAL TRUST

       

400 ATRIUM DRIVE

       

SOMERSET, NJ 08873-4172

       

 

32


Name

   Class      Percentage
of Shares
 

STATE STREET BANK & TRUST CUST

   Class I      80.10 %

FBO CITIGROUP 401K PLAN

       

105 ROSEMONT AVE.

       

WESTWOOD, MA 02090-2318

       

STATE STREET BANK AND TRUST

   Class I      16.55 %

NESTLE 401K SAVINGS PLAN

       

U/A DATED 09/01/03

       

CITISTREET LLC - RECORD KEEPER

       

105 ROSEMONT AVE.

       

WESTWOOD, MA 02090-2318

       

Manager

LMPFA serves as investment manager to the fund pursuant to an investment management agreement (the “Management Agreement”) with the fund with an initial term ending November 30, 2007. LMPFA, with offices at 399 Park Avenue, New York, New York 10022, is a recently-organized investment adviser that has been formed to serve as the investment manager of the fund and certain other Legg Mason-sponsored funds. LMPFA is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Legg Mason. Legg Mason, whose principal executive offices are at 100 Light Street, Baltimore, Maryland 21202, is a global asset management company. As of December 31, 2006, Legg Mason’s asset management operation had aggregate assets under management of approximately $945 billion. LMPFA provides administrative and certain oversight services to the fund and manages the cash and short-term investments of the fund.

Under the Management Agreement, subject to the supervision and direction of the Board, the manager is delegated the responsibility of managing the fund’s portfolio in accordance with the fund’s stated investment objective and policies, making investment decisions for the fund and placing orders to purchase and sell securities. The manager also performs administrative and management services necessary for the operation of the fund, such as (i) supervising the overall administration of the fund, including negotiation of contracts and fees with and the monitoring of performance and billings of the fund’s transfer agent, shareholder servicing agents, custodian and other independent contractors or agents; (ii) providing certain compliance, fund accounting, regulatory reporting, and tax reporting services; (iii) preparing or participating in the preparation of Board materials, registration statements, proxy statements and reports and other communications to shareholders; (iv) maintaining the fund’s existence, and (v) maintaining the registration and qualification of the fund’s shares under federal and state laws.

The Management Agreement has an initial term ending November 30, 2007, and will continue in effect from year to year thereafter provided such continuance is specifically approved at least annually (a) by the Board or by a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the fund (as defined in the 1940 Act), and (b) in either event, by a majority of the Independent Trustees with such Independent Trustees casting votes in person at a meeting called for such purpose.

The Management Agreement provides that the manager may render services to others. The Management Agreement is terminable without penalty on not more than 60 days’ nor less than 30 days’ written notice by the fund when authorized either by a vote of holders of shares representing a majority of the voting power of the outstanding voting securities of the fund (as defined in the 1940 Act) or by a vote of a majority of the fund’s Trustees or by the manager on not less than 90 days’ written notice, and will automatically terminate in the event of its assignment. The Management Agreement provides that neither the manager nor its personnel shall be liable for any error of judgment or mistake of law or for any loss arising out of any investment or for any act or omission in the execution of security transactions for the fund, except for willful misfeasance, bad faith or gross negligence or reckless disregard of its or their obligations and duties.

 

33


As compensation for investment advisory services, the fund pays LMPFA a fee computed daily and paid monthly at the annual rate of 0.75% of the fund’s average daily net assets. Prior to August 1, 2006, SBFM served as the fund’s manager under the same fee schedule as described above.

For the fiscal years ended September 30, 2004, 2005 and 2006, the fund incurred the following in investment management fees:

 

      Gross
Management
Fee
   Waiver
Amount
   Expense
Reimbursement
Amount
   Net
Management
Fee

Fiscal Year 2004

   $ 3,498,018    $ 79,674    $ 0    $ 3,418,344

Fiscal Year 2005

   $ 5,351,695    $ 0    $ 0    $ 5,351,695

Fiscal Year 2006:

           

10/1/05-7/31/06 (SBFM)

   $ 4,764,531    $ 16,370    $ 95,620    $ 4,652,541

8/1/06-9/30/06 (LMPFA)

   $ 907,741    $ 0    $ 1,007    $ 906,734

Subadviser

ClearBridge serves as the subadviser to the fund pursuant to a sub-advisory agreement between the manager and ClearBridge that was approved by the Board, including a majority of the Independent Trustees, on June 29, 2006 (the “Sub-Advisory Agreement”). ClearBridge is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Legg Mason.

Under the Sub-Advisory Agreement, subject to the supervision and direction of the Board and the manager, the subadviser will, except for the management of cash and short-term investments that is performed by LMPFA, manage the fund’s portfolio in accordance with the fund’s stated investment objective and policies, assist in supervising all aspects of the fund’s operations, make investment decisions for the fund, place orders to purchase and sell securities, and employ professional portfolio managers and securities analysts who provide research services to the fund.

The Sub-Advisory Agreement has an initial term ending November 30, 2007 and will continue in effect from year to year thereafter provided such continuance is specifically approved at least annually (a) by the Board or by a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the fund (as defined in the 1940 Act), and (b) in either event, by a majority of the Independent Directors with such Independent Directors casting votes in person at a meeting called for such purpose. The Board or a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the fund (as defined in the 1940 Act) may terminate the Sub-Advisory Agreement without penalty, in each case on not more than 60 days’ nor less than 30 days’ written notice to the subadviser. The subadviser may terminate the Sub-Advisory Agreement on 90 days’ written notice to the fund and the manager. The manager and the subadviser may terminate the Sub-Advisory Agreement upon their mutual written consent of. This Sub-Advisory Agreement will terminate automatically in the event of assignment by the subadviser and shall not be assignable by the manager without the consent of the subadviser.

As compensation for its sub-advisory services, the manager will pay the subadviser a fee equal to 70% of the management fee paid to LMPFA, net of expense waivers and reimbursements. For the period from August 1, 2006 through September 30, 2006, the manager paid the subadviser subadvisory fees of $635,419.

Expenses

In addition to amounts payable under the Management Agreement and the 12b-1 Plan (as discussed below), the fund is responsible for its own expenses, including, among other things: interest; taxes; governmental fees; voluntary assessments and other expenses incurred in connection with membership in investment company organizations; organization costs of the fund; the cost (including brokerage commissions, transaction fees or charges, if any) in connection with the purchase or sale of the fund’s securities and other investments and any

 

34


losses in connection therewith; fees and expenses of custodians, transfer agents, registrars, independent pricing vendors or other agents; legal expenses; loan commitment fees; expenses relating to share certificates; expenses relating to the issuing and redemption or repurchase of the fund’s shares and servicing shareholder accounts; expenses of registering and qualifying the fund’s shares for sale under applicable federal and state law; expenses of preparing, setting in print, printing and distributing prospectuses and statements of additional information and any supplements thereto, reports, proxy statements, notices and dividends to the fund’s shareholders; costs of stationery; website costs; costs of meetings of the Board or any committee thereof, meetings of shareholders and other meetings of the fund; Board fees; audit fees; travel expenses of officers, members of the Board and employees of the fund, if any; and the fund’s pro rata portion of premiums on any fidelity bond and other insurance covering the fund and its officers, Board members and employees; litigation expenses and any nonrecurring or extraordinary expenses as may arise, including, without limitation, those relating to actions, suits or proceedings to which the fund is a party and the legal obligation which the fund may have to indemnify the fund’s Board members and officers with respect thereto.

Management may agree to waive fees and or reimburse operating expenses for one or more classes of shares, either through contractual or voluntary arrangements. Any such waivers and/ or reimbursements are described in the fund’s prospectus. The contractual and voluntary fee waivers and/ or reimbursements do not cover extraordinary expenses, such as (a) any expenses or charges related to litigation, derivative actions, demand related to litigation, regulatory or other government investigations and proceedings, “for cause” regulatory inspections and indemnification or advancement of related expenses or costs, to the extent any such expenses are considered extraordinary expenses for the purposes of fee disclosure in Form N-1A as the same may be amended from time to time; (b) transaction costs (such as brokerage commissions and dealer and underwriter spreads) and takes and (c) other extraordinary expenses as determined for the purposes of fee disclosure in Form N-1A, as the same may be amended from time to time. Without limiting the foregoing, extraordinary expenses are generally those that are unusual or expected to recur only infrequently, and may include such expenses, by way of illustration, as (i) expenses of the reorganization, restructuring, redomiciling or merger of the fund or class or the acquisition of all or substantially all of the assets of another fund or class; (ii) expenses of holding, and soliciting proxies for, a meeting of shareholders of the fund or class (except to the extent relating to routine items such as the election of Board members or the approval of the independent registered public accounting firm); and (iii) expenses of converting to a new custodian, transfer agent or other service provider, in each case to the extent any such expenses are considered extraordinary expenses for the purposes of fee disclosure in Form N-1A as the same may be amended from time to time.

Code of Ethics

Pursuant to Rule 17j-1 under the 1940 Act, the fund, the manager, the subadviser, and the distributors have adopted codes of ethics that permit their respective personnel to invest in securities for their own accounts, including securities that may be purchased or held by the fund. All personnel must place the interests of clients first and avoid activities, interests and relationships that might interfere with the duty to make decisions in the best interests of the clients. All personal securities transactions by employees must adhere to the requirements of the codes and must be conducted in such a manner as to avoid any actual or potential conflict of interest, the appearance of such a conflict, or the abuse of an employee’s position of trust and responsibility.

Copies of the codes of ethics of the fund, the manager, the subadviser and the distributors are on file with the SEC.

Proxy Voting Guidelines and Procedures

Although individual Trustees may not agree with particular policies or votes by the manager or subadviser, the Board has delegated proxy voting discretion to the manager and/or the subadviser, believing that the manager and/or the subadviser should be responsible for voting because it is a matter relating to the investment decision making process.

 

35


LMPFA delegates the responsibility for voting proxies for the fund to the subadviser through its contracts with the subadviser. The subadviser will use its own proxy voting policies and procedures to vote proxies. Accordingly, LMPFA does not expect to have proxy-voting responsibility for the fund. Should LMPFA become responsible for voting proxies for any reason, such as the inability of the subadviser to provide investment advisory services, LMPFA shall utilize the proxy voting guidelines established by the most recent subadviser to vote proxies until a new subadviser is retained. In the case of a material conflict between the interests of LMPFA (or its affiliates if such conflict is known to persons responsible for voting at LMPFA) and the fund, the Board of Directors of LMPFA shall consider how to address the conflict and/or how to vote the proxies. LMPFA shall maintain records of all proxy votes in accordance with applicable securities laws and regulations, to the extent that LMPFA votes proxies. LMPFA shall be responsible for gathering relevant documents and records related to proxy voting from the subadviser and providing them to the fund as required for the fund to comply with applicable rules under the 1940 Act.

The subadviser’s Proxy Voting Policies and Procedures govern in determining how proxies relating to the fund’s portfolio securities are voted, a summary of which is attached as Appendix A to this SAI. Information regarding how the fund voted proxies (if any) relating to portfolio securities during the most recent 12-month period ended June 30 is available without charge (1) by calling 1-888-425-6432, (2) on the fund’s website at http://www.leggmason.com/InvestorServices and (3) on the SEC’s website at http://www.sec.gov.

Counsel

Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP, 787 Seventh Avenue, New York, New York 10019-6099, serves as counsel to the fund.

Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

KPMG LLP, independent registered public accounting firm, 345 Park Avenue, New York, New York 10154, has been selected to audit and report upon the fund’s financial statements and financial highlights for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2007.

Custodian and Transfer Agent

State Street Bank and Trust Company (“State Street”), One Lincoln Street, Boston, Massachusetts 02111, serves as the custodian of the fund. State Street, among other things, maintains a custody account or accounts in the name of the fund; receives and delivers all assets for the fund upon purchase and upon sale or maturity; collects and receives all income and other payments and distributions on account of the assets of the fund; and makes disbursements on behalf of the fund. State Street neither determines the fund’s investment policies, nor decides which securities the fund will buy or sell. For its services, State Street receives a monthly fee based upon the daily average market value of securities held in custody and also receives securities transaction charges, including out-of-pocket expenses. The fund may also periodically enter into arrangements with other qualified custodians with respect to certain types of securities or other transactions such as repurchase agreements or derivatives transactions. State Street also may act as the fund’s securities lending agent and in that case would receive a share of the income generated by such activities.

PFPC Inc. (“PFPC” or “transfer agent”), located at P.O. Box 9699, Providence, Rhode Island 02940-9699, serves as the fund’s transfer agent. Under the transfer agency agreement, the transfer agent maintains the shareholder account records for the fund, handles certain communications between shareholders and the fund and distributes dividends and distributions payable by the fund. For these services, the transfer agent receives a monthly fee computed on the basis of the number of shareholder accounts it maintains for the fund during the month, and is reimbursed for out-of-pocket expenses. Prior to January 1, 2006, Citicorp Trust Bank, fsb (“CTB”) served as the fund’s transfer agent and PFPC served as the fund’s sub-transfer agent.

 

36


DISTRIBUTORS

LMIS a wholly-owned broker-dealer subsidiary of Legg Mason, located at 100 Light Street, Baltimore, Maryland 21202, CGMI, an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of Citigroup, located at 388 Greenwich Street, New York, New York 10013, and PFS, located at 120 Breckinridge Boulevard, Duluth, Georgia 30099 serve as the fund’s distributors pursuant to separate written agreements or amendments to written agreements (the “distribution agreements”). Prior to December 1, 2005, CGMI served as the fund’s distributor. The distribution agreement with PFS went into effect on December 1, 2006.

A distributor’s obligation is an agency or “best efforts” arrangement under which the distributor is required to take and pay only for such shares of the fund as may be sold to the public. A distributor is not obligated to sell any stated number of shares. Each distribution agreement is renewable from year to year if approved (a) by the Trustees or by a vote of a majority of the fund’s outstanding voting securities, and (b) by the affirmative vote of a majority of Trustees who are not parties to such agreement or interested persons of any party by votes cast in person at a meeting called for such purpose. Each distribution agreement provides that it will terminate if assigned, and that it may be terminated without penalty by either party on 60 days’ written notice provided that each of the CGMI and PFS distribution agreements may be terminated upon 90 days’ written notice by the distributor.

LMIS, CGMI and PFS may be deemed to be underwriters for purposes of the 1933 Act. From time to time, LMIS, CGMI, PFS or their affiliates may also pay for certain non-cash sales incentives provided to PFS Registered Representatives. Such incentives do not have any effect on the net amount invested. In addition to the reallowances from the applicable public offering price described below, PFS may, from time to time, pay or allow additional reallowances or promotional incentives, in the form of cash or other compensation, to PFS Registered Representatives that sell shares of the fund.

The aggregate dollar amount of commissions and contingent deferred sales charges on Class A, Class B and Class C shares received by CGMI, LMIS and their affiliates were as follows:

 

Initial Sales Charges

  

Class A Shares (paid to CGMI and LMIS)

  

For the fiscal year ended September 30:

  

2006

   $ 21,000

2005*

   $ 336,000

2004*

   $ 326,000

* All initial sales charges paid during the fiscal years ended September 30, 2004 and 2005 were paid to CGMI.

Class C Shares (paid to CGMI)†

  

For the fiscal year ended September 30:

  

2006

   $ 0

2005

   $ 0

2004

   $ 72,000

The initial sales charge on Class C shares has been eliminated.

 

37


Contingent Deferred Sales Charges

  

Class A Shares (paid to CGMI and LMIS)

  

For the fiscal year ended September 30:

  

2006

   $ 0

2005*

   $ 1,000

2004*

   $ 0

* All contingent deferred sales charges paid during the fiscal years ended September 30, 2004 and 2005 were paid to CGMI.

Class B Shares (paid to CGMI and LMIS)

  

For the fiscal year ended September 30:

  

2006

   $ 29,000

2005*

   $ 175,000

2004*

   $ 222,000

* All contingent deferred sales charges paid during the fiscal years ended September 30, 2004 and 2005 were paid to CGMI.

Class C Shares (paid to CGMI and LMIS)

  

For the fiscal year ended September 30:

  

2006

   $ 1,000

2005*

   $ 9,000

2004*

   $ 13,000

* All contingent deferred sales charges paid during the fiscal years ended September 30, 2004 and 2005 were paid to CGMI.

No fees during the fund’s past three fiscal years were paid to PFS, which became a distributor of the fund on December 1, 2006.

When payment is made by the investor before settlement date, unless otherwise directed by the investor, the funds will be held as a free credit balance in the investor’s brokerage account and the distributors may benefit from the temporary use of the funds. The investor may designate another use for the funds prior to settlement date, such as an investment in a money market fund (other than Legg Mason Partners Exchange Reserve Fund) of the Legg Mason Partners Mutual Funds.

Services and Distribution Plan Arrangements

The fund has adopted an amended shareholder services and distribution plan (the “12b-1 Plan”) pursuant to Rule 12b-1 under the 1940 Act with respect to its Class A, Class B and Class C shares. Under the 12b-1 Plan, the fund pays service and distribution fees to each of LMIS, CGMI and PFS, as applicable, for the services they provide and expenses they bear with respect to the distribution of Class A, Class B and Class C shares and providing services to Class A, Class B and Class C shareholders. The distributors will provide the Board with periodic reports of amounts expended under the 12b-1 Plan and the purposes for which such expenditures were made. The fund pays service fees, accrued daily and payable monthly, calculated at the annual rate of 0.25% of the value of the fund’s average daily net assets attributable to the fund’s Class A, Class B and Class C shares. In addition, the fund pays distribution fees with respect to the Class B and Class C shares at the annual rate of 0.75% of the fund’s average daily net assets.

Fees under the 12b-1Plan may be used to make payments to the distributors for distribution services, to Service Agents in respect of the sale of shares of the fund, and to other parties in respect of the sale of shares of

 

38


the fund, and to make payments for advertising, marketing or other promotional activity, and payments for preparation, printing, and distribution of prospectuses, statements of additional information and reports for recipients other than regulators and existing shareholders. The fund also may make payments to the distributor, Service Agents and others for providing personal service or the maintenance of shareholder accounts. The amounts paid to each recipient may vary based upon certain factors, including, among other things, the levels of sales of fund shares and/or shareholder services provided.

The 12b-1 Plan also provides that the distributor and Service Agents may receive all or a portion of the sales charges paid by Class A, Class B and Class C investors.

The 12b-1 Plan permits the fund to pay fees to a distributor, Service Agents and others as compensation for their services, not as reimbursement for specific expenses incurred. Thus, even if their expenses exceed the fees provided for by the 12b-1 Plan, the fund will not be obligated to pay more than those fees and, if their expenses are less than the fees paid to them, they will realize a profit. The fund may pay the fees to a distributor and others until the 12b-1 Plan or distribution agreement is terminated or not renewed. In that event, a distributor’s or other recipient’s expenses in excess of fees received or accrued through the termination date will be the distributor’s or other recipient’s sole responsibility and not obligations of the fund. In their annual consideration of the continuation of the 12b-1 Plan for the fund, the Trustees will review the 12b-1 Plan and the expenses for each class within the fund separately.

The 12b-1 Plan also recognizes that various service providers to the fund, such as the manager, may make payments for distribution related expenses out of their own resources, including past profits, or payments received from the fund for other purposes, such as management fees, and that the fund’s distributors or Service Agents may from time to time use their own resources for distribution-related services, in addition to the fees paid under the 12b-1 Plan. The 12b-1 Plan specifically provides that, to the extent that such payments might be deemed to be indirect financing of any activity primarily intended to result in the sale of shares of the fund within the context of Rule 12b-1, then the payments are deemed to be authorized by the 12b-1 Plan, if permitted under applicable law.

The 12b-1 Plan continues in effect if such continuance is specifically approved at least annually by a vote of both a majority of the Trustees and a majority of the Trustees who are not “interested persons” (as defined under the 1940 Act) and who have no direct or indirect financial interest in the operation of the 12b-1 Plan or in any agreement related to the 12b-1 Plan (for purposes of this paragraph “Qualified Trustees”). The Trustees, in the exercise of their business judgment in the best interests of the shareholders of the fund and each Class, have approved the continuation of the 12b-1 Plan. The 12b-1 Plan requires that the Trust and the distributor provide to the Board of Trustees and the Board of Trustees review, at least quarterly, a written report of the amounts expended (and the purposes therefor) under the 12b-1 Plan. The 12b-1 Plan further provides that the selection and nomination of the Qualified Trustees is committed to the discretion of the Qualified Trustees then in office who are not interested Trustees of the Trust. The 12b-1 Plan may be terminated with respect to any class of the fund at any time by a vote of a majority of the Trust’s Qualified Trustees or by a vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of that class. The 12b-1 Plan may not be amended to increase materially the amount of permitted expenses of the class thereunder without the approval of a majority of the outstanding securities of that class and may not be materially amended in any case without a vote of a majority of both the Trustees and Qualified Trustees. The fund will preserve copies of any plan, agreement or report made pursuant to the 12b-1 Plan for a period of not less than six years, and for the first two years the fund will preserve such copies in an easily accessible place.

As contemplated by the 12b-1 Plan, each distributor acts as an agent of the Trust in connection with the offering of shares of the fund pursuant to the respective distribution agreements.

Prior to December 1, 2005, the fund paid service and distribution fees directly to CGMI under a separate 12b-1 Plan with respect to shares sold through CGMI.

 

39


The following service and distribution fees were incurred by the fund pursuant to a 12b-1 Plan during the periods indicated:

 

     Fiscal Year
Ended
9/30/06
   Fiscal Year
Ended
9/30/05
   Fiscal Year
Ended
9/30/04

Class A

   $ 654,268    $ 641,041    $ 375,055

Class B

   $ 1,421,518    $ 1,519,330    $ 1,437,314

Class C

   $ 1,812,170    $ 1,655,572    $ 1,316,996

Because PFS became a distributor for the fund on December 1, 2006, the fund has not paid any fees under the 12b-1 Plan to PFS during the fund’s last three fiscal years.

During the fiscal year ended September 30, 2006, distribution expenses incurred by LMIS, CGMI and/or PFS for advertising, printing and mailing prospectuses, support services and overhead expenses, payments to their financial advisers or registered representative and for accruals for interest on expenses incurred in the distribution of the fund’s shares are set forth in the following tables:

LMIS

 

     Financial
Advisors
   Third Party
Service Fees
   Marketing and
Advertising
   Printing    Total

Class A

   $ 0    $ 212,313    $ 0    $ 0    $ 212,313

Class B

   $ 593,502    $ 29,491    $ 9,394    $ 236    $ 632,623

Class C

   $ 221,969    $ 14,907    $ 158,522    $ 4,270    $ 399,668

CGMI

 

     Financial
Advisors
   Third Party
Service Fees
   Branch
Expenses
   Marketing and
Advertising
   Printing    Total

Class A

   $ 109,527    $ 28,125    $ 139,499    $ 0    $ 0    $ 277,151

Class B

   $ 263,553    $ 11,755    $ 136,439    $ 4,201    $ 47    $ 415,995

Class C

   $ 552,066    $ 19,525    $ 642,222    $ 26,647    $ 854    $ 1,241,314

Because PFS became a distributor for the fund on December 1, 2006, PFS did not incur any distribution expenses under the 12b-1 Plan for any class of the fund during the fiscal year ended September 30, 2006.

Dealer reallowances are described in the fund’s prospectus.

PURCHASE OF SHARES

General

Investors may purchase shares from a Service Agent. In addition, certain investors, including retirement plans purchasing through certain Service Agents, may purchase shares directly from the fund. When purchasing shares of the fund, investors must specify whether the purchase is for Class A, B, C or I* shares. Service Agents may charge their customers an annual account maintenance fee in connection with a brokerage account through which an investor purchases or holds shares. Accounts held directly at the transfer agent are not subject to a maintenance fee.

 

40

 


* As of November 20, 2006, Class Y shares were renamed Class I shares.


For additional information regarding applicable investment minimums and eligibility requirements, please see the fund’s prospectus.

There are no minimum investment requirements for purchases of Class A shares by: (i) current and retired board members of Legg Mason, (ii) current and retired board members of any fund advised by LMPFA (such board members, together with board members of Legg Mason, are referred to herein as “Board Members”), (iii) current employees of Legg Mason, and its subsidiaries, (iv) the “immediate families” of such persons (“immediate families” are such person’s spouse, including the surviving spouse of a deceased Board Member, and children under the age of 21) and (v) a pension, profit-sharing or other benefit plan for the benefit of such persons. The fund reserves the right to waive or change minimums, to decline any order to purchase its shares and to suspend the offering of shares from time to time.

Purchase orders received by the fund or a Service Agent prior to the close of regular trading on the New York Stock Exchange (the “NYSE”) on any day the fund calculates its net asset value (“NAV”) are priced according to the NAV determined on that day (the “trade date”). Orders received by a Service Agent prior to the close of regular trading on the NYSE on any day the fund calculates its NAV are priced according to the NAV determined on that day, provided the order is received by the fund’s agent prior to its close of business. For shares purchased through CGMI or a Service Agent purchasing through CGMI, payment for shares of the fund is normally due on the third business day after the trade date. In all other cases, payment must be made with the purchase order.

Systematic Investment Plan. Shareholders may make additions to their accounts at any time by purchasing shares through a service known as the Systematic Investment Plan. Under the Systematic Investment Plan, a distributor, the transfer agent, or, with respect to a PFS account, Primerica Shareholder Services is authorized through preauthorized transfers of at least $25 on a monthly, quarterly, every alternate month, semi-annual or annual basis to charge the shareholder’s account held with a bank or other financial institution as indicated by the shareholder, to provide for systematic additions to the shareholder’s fund account. A shareholder who has insufficient funds to complete the transfer will be charged a fee of up to $25 by a distributor, the transfer agent or Primerica Shareholder Services (such fee may be up to $30 for a PFS account). The Systematic Investment Plan also authorizes a distributor to apply cash held in the shareholder’s brokerage account or redeem the shareholder’s shares of certain money market funds managed by the manager or its affiliates to make additions to the account. Additional information is available from the fund or a Service Agent.

Sales Charge Alternatives

The following Classes of shares are available for purchase. See the prospectus for a discussion of who is eligible to purchase certain Classes and of factors to consider in selecting which Class of shares to purchase.

Class A Shares. Class A shares are sold to investors at the public offering price, which is the NAV plus an initial sales charge, as described in the fund’s prospectus.

Members of the selling group may receive a portion of the sales charge as described in the fund’s prospectus and may be deemed to be underwriters of the fund as defined in the 1933 Act. Sales charges are calculated based on the aggregate of purchases of Class A shares of the fund made at one time by any “person,” which includes an individual and his or her spouse and children under the age of 21, or a trustee or other fiduciary of a single trust estate or single fiduciary account. For additional information regarding sales charge reductions, see “Sales Charge Waivers and Reductions” below.

Purchases of Class A shares of $1,000,000 or more will be made at NAV without any initial sales charge, but will be subject to a contingent deferred sales charge of 1.00% on redemptions made within 12 months of purchase. The contingent deferred sales charge is waived in the same circumstances in which the contingent

 

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deferred sales charge applicable to Class B and C shares is waived. See “Contingent Deferred Sales Charge Provisions” and “Waivers of Contingent Deferred Sales Charge” below.

Class B and C Shares. Class B and C shares are sold without an initial sales charge but are subject to a contingent deferred sales charge payable upon certain redemptions. See “Contingent Deferred Sales Charge Provisions.”

Class I Shares. Class I shares are sold at NAV with no initial sales charge and no contingent deferred sales charge upon redemption.

Sales Charge Waivers and Reductions

Initial Sales Charge Waivers. Purchases of Class A shares may be made at NAV without an initial sales charge in the following circumstances:

(a) sales to (i) current and retired board members of Legg Mason, (ii) current and retired Board Members, (iii) current employees of Legg Mason and its subsidiaries, as well as (iv) by the “immediate families” of such persons (“immediate families” are such person’s spouse, including the surviving spouse of a deceased Board Member, and children under the age of 21) and (v) by a pension, profit-sharing or other benefit plan for the benefit of such persons;

(b) sales to any employees of Service Agents having dealer, service or other selling agreements with the funds’ distributors or otherwise having an arrangement with any such Service Agent with respect to sales of fund shares, and by the immediate families of such persons or by a pension, profit-sharing or other benefit plan for the benefit of such persons (providing the purchase is made for investment purposes and such securities will not be resold except through redemption or repurchase);

(c) offers of Class A shares to any other investment company to effect the combination of such company with the fund by merger, acquisition of assets or otherwise;

(d) purchases by shareholders who have redeemed Class A shares in the fund (or Class A shares of another Legg Mason Partners Fund that is offered with a sales charge) and who wish to reinvest their redemption proceeds in the fund, provided the reinvestment is made within 60 calendar days of the redemption;

(e) purchases by accounts managed by registered investment advisory subsidiaries of Citigroup;

(f) purchases by certain separate accounts used to fund unregistered variable annuity contracts; and

(g) purchases by investors participating in “wrap fee” or asset allocation programs or other fee-based arrangements sponsored by (affiliated and non-affiliated) broker/dealers and other financial institutions that have entered into agreements with CGMI or LMIS.

In order to obtain such discounts, the purchaser must provide sufficient information at the time of purchase to permit verification that the purchase qualifies for the elimination of the sales charge.

All existing retirement plan shareholders who purchased Class A shares at NAV prior to November 20, 2006, are permitted to purchase additional Class A shares at NAV. Certain existing programs for current and prospective retirement plan investors sponsored by financial intermediaries approved by LMIS prior to November 20, 2006 will also remain eligible to purchase Class A shares at NAV.

Accumulation Privilege—Please see the fund’s prospectus for information regarding accumulation privileges.

 

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Letter of Intent—helps you take advantage of breakpoints in Class A sales charges. You may purchase Class A shares of Legg Mason Partners Funds over a 13-month period and pay the same sales charge, if any, as if all shares had been purchased at once. You have a choice of seven Asset Level Goal amounts, as follows:

 

(1) $25,000

  (5) $500,000

(2) $50,000

  (6) $750,000

(3) $100,000

  (7) $1,000,000

(4) $250,000

 

Each time you make a Class A purchase under a Letter of Intent, you will be entitled to the sales charge that is applicable to the amount of your Asset Level Goal. For example, if your Asset Level Goal is $100,000, any Class A investments you make under a Letter of Intent would be subject to the sales charge of the specific fund you are investing in for purchases of $100,000. Sales charges and breakpoints vary among the Legg Mason Partners Funds.

When you enter into a Letter of Intent, you agree to purchase in Eligible Accounts over a thirteen (13) month period Eligible Fund Purchases in an amount equal to the Asset Level Goal you have selected, less any Eligible Prior Purchases. For this purpose, shares are valued at the public offering price (including any sales charge paid) calculated as of the date of purchase, plus any appreciation in the value of the shares as of the date of calculation, except for Eligible Prior Purchases, which are valued at current value as of the date of calculation. Your commitment will be met if at any time during the 13-month period the value, as so determined, of eligible holdings is at least equal to your Asset Level Goal. All reinvested dividends and distributions on shares acquired under the Letter will be credited towards your Asset Level Goal. You may include any Eligible Fund Purchases towards the Letter, including shares of classes other than Class A shares. However, a Letter of Intent will not entitle you to a reduction in the sales charge payable on any shares other than Class A shares, and if the shares are subject to a contingent deferred sales charge, you will still be subject to that contingent deferred sales charge with respect to those shares. You must make reference to the Letter of Intent each time you make a purchase under the Letter.

Eligible Fund Purchases. Generally, any shares of a Legg Mason Partners Fund may be credited towards your Asset Level Goal. Shares of certain money market funds advised by the manager or its affiliates (except for money market fund shares acquired by exchange from other Legg Mason Partners Funds offered with a sales charge), Legg Mason Partners S&P 500 Index Fund and Class O shares of Legg Mason Partners Equity Fund are not eligible.

This list may change from time to time. Investors should check with their Service Agent to see which funds may be eligible.

Eligible Accounts. Purchases may be made through any account in your name, or in the name of your spouse or your children under the age of 21. You may need to provide certain records, such as account statements, in order to verify your eligibility for reduced sales charges. Contact your Service Agent to see which accounts may be credited toward you Asset Level Goal.

Eligible Prior Purchases. You may also credit towards your Asset Level Goal any Eligible Fund Purchases made in Eligible Accounts at any time prior to entering into the Letter of Intent that have not been sold or redeemed, based on the current price of those shares as of the date of calculation.

Purchases made 90 days prior to the 13-month period are also eligible to be treated as purchases made under the Letter of Intent. Any Eligible Fund Purchases in Eligible Accounts made during that period will count towards your Asset Level Goal and will also be eligible for the lower sales charge applicable to your Asset Level Goal. You will be credited by way of additional shares at the current offering price for the difference between (a) the aggregate sales charges actually paid for those eligible shares and (b) the aggregate applicable sales charges for your Asset Level Goal.

 

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Increasing the Amount of the Letter. You may at any time increase your Asset Level Goal. You must, however, contact your Service Agent, or if you purchase your shares directly through PFPC, contact PFPC, prior to making any purchases in an amount in excess of your current Asset Level Goal. Upon such an increase, you will be credited by way of additional shares at the then current offering price for the difference between: (a) the aggregate sales charges actually paid for shares already purchased under the Letter and (b) the aggregate applicable sales charges for the increased Asset Level Goal. The 13-month period during which the Asset Level Goal must be achieved will remain unchanged.

Sales and Exchanges. Shares acquired pursuant to a Letter of Intent, other than Escrowed Shares as defined below, may be redeemed or exchanged at any time, although any shares that are redeemed prior to meeting your Asset Level Goal will no longer count towards meeting your Asset Level Goal. However, complete liquidation of purchases made under a Letter of Intent prior to meeting the Asset Level Goal will result in the cancellation of the Letter. See “Failure to Meet Asset Level Goal” below. Exchanges in accordance with the fund’s prospectus are permitted, and shares so exchanged will continue to count towards your Asset Level Goal, as long as the exchange results in an Eligible Fund Purchase.

Cancellation of Letter. You may cancel a Letter of Intent by notifying your Service Agent in writing, or if you purchase your shares directly through PFPC, by notifying PFPC in writing. The Letter will be automatically cancelled if all shares are sold or redeemed as set forth above. See “Failure to Meet Asset Level Goal” below.

Escrowed Shares. Shares equal in value to five percent (5%) of your Asset Level Goal as of the date your Letter (or the date of any increase in the amount of the Letter) is accepted, will be held in escrow during the term of your Letter. The Escrowed Shares will be included in the total shares owned as reflected in your account statement and any dividends and capital gains distributions applicable to the Escrowed Shares will be credited to your account and counted towards your Asset Level Goal or paid in cash upon request. The Escrowed Shares will be released from escrow if all the terms of your Letter are met.

Failure to Meet Asset Level Goal. If the total assets under your Letter of Intent within its 13-month term are less than your Asset Level Goal or you elect to liquidate all of your holdings or cancel the Letter before reaching your Asset Level Goal, you will be liable for the difference between: (a) the sales charge actually paid and (b) the sales charge that would have applied if you had not entered into the Letter. You may, however, be entitled to any breakpoints that would have been available to you under the accumulation privilege. An appropriate number of shares in your account will be redeemed to realize the amount due. For these purposes, by entering into a Letter of Intent, you irrevocably appoint your Service Agent, or if you purchase your shares directly through PFPC, PFPC, as your attorney-in-fact for the purposes of holding the Escrowed Shares and surrendering shares in your account for redemption. If there are insufficient assets in your account, you will be liable for the difference. Any Escrowed Shares remaining after such redemption will be released to your account.

Contingent Deferred Sales Charge Provisions

“Contingent deferred sales charge shares” are: (a) Class B shares; (b) Class C shares; and (c) Class A shares that were purchased without an initial sales charge but are subject to a contingent deferred sales charge. A contingent deferred sales charge may be imposed on certain redemptions of these shares.

Any applicable contingent deferred sales charge will be assessed on the net asset value at the time of purchase or redemption, whichever is less.

Class C shares and Class A shares that are contingent deferred sales charge shares are subject to a 1.00% contingent deferred sales charge if redeemed within 12 months of purchase. In circumstances in which the contingent deferred sales charge is imposed on Class B shares, the amount of the charge will depend on the number of years since the shareholder made the purchase payment from which the amount is being redeemed, as further described in the prospectus. Solely for purposes of determining the number of years since a purchase payment, all purchase payments made during a month will be aggregated and deemed to have been made on the last day of the preceding statement month.

 

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Class B shares will convert automatically to Class A shares approximately eight years after the date on which they were purchased and thereafter will no longer be subject to any distribution fees. There will also be converted at that time such proportion of Class B dividend shares (Class B shares that were acquired through the reinvestment of dividends and distributions) owned by the shareholders as the total number of his or her Class B shares converting at the time bears to the total number of outstanding Class B shares (other than Class B dividend shares) owned by the shareholder.

In determining the applicability of any contingent deferred sales charge, it will be assumed that a redemption is made first of shares representing capital appreciation, next of shares representing the reinvestment of dividends and capital gain distributions, next of shares that are not subject to the contingent deferred sales charge and finally of other shares held by the shareholder for the longest period of time. The length of time that contingent deferred sales charge shares acquired through an exchange have been held will be calculated from the date the shares exchanged were initially acquired in one of the other Legg Mason Partners mutual funds. For federal income tax purposes, the amount of the contingent deferred sales charge will reduce the gain or increase the loss, as the case may be, on the amount realized on redemption. The fund’s distributors receive contingent deferred sales charges in partial consideration for the expenses in selling shares.

Waivers of Contingent Deferred Sales Charge

The contingent deferred sales charge will be waived on: (a) exchanges (see “Exchange Privilege”); (b) automatic cash withdrawals in amounts equal to or less than 2.00% of the shareholder’s account balance at the time the withdrawals commence per month, up to a maximum of 12.00% in one year (see “Automatic Cash Withdrawal Plan”); (c) redemptions of shares within 12 months following the death or disability (as defined in the Code) of the shareholder; (d) mandatory post-retirement distributions from retirement plans or IRAs commencing on or after attainment of age 70 1/2 (except that shareholders who purchased shares subject to a contingent deferred sales charge prior to May 23, 2005 will be “grandfathered” and will be eligible to obtain the waiver at age 59 1/2 by demonstrating such eligibility at the time of redemption); (e) involuntary redemptions; (f) redemptions of shares to effect a combination of the fund with any investment company by merger, acquisition of assets or otherwise; (g) tax-free returns of an excess contribution to any retirement plan; and (h) certain redemptions of shares of a fund in connection with lump-sum or other distributions made by eligible retirement plans or redemption of shares by participants in certain “wrap fee” or asset allocation programs sponsored by broker/dealers and other financial institutions that have entered into agreements with a distributor or the manager.

As of November 20, 2006, the contingent deferred sales charge will be waived on new Class C shares purchased by retirement plan omnibus accounts held on the books of a fund.

A shareholder who has redeemed shares from other Legg Mason Partners Funds may, under certain circumstances, reinvest all or part of the redemption proceeds within 60 days and receive pro rata credit for any contingent deferred sales charge imposed on the prior redemption.

Contingent deferred sales charge waivers will be granted subject to confirmation by a distributor or the transfer agent of the shareholder’s status or holdings, as the case may be.

Grandfathered Retirement Program with Exchange Features

Retirement plan programs authorized by LMIS prior to November 20, 2006 (collectively, the “Grandfathered Retirement Program”), to offer eligible retirement plan investors the opportunity to exchange all of their Class C shares for Class A shares of the fund, are permitted to maintain such share class exchange feature for current and prospective retirement plan investors.

 

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Under the Grandfathered Retirement Program, Class C shares may be purchased by plans investing less than $3 million. Class C shares are eligible for exchange into Class A shares not later than eight years after the plan joins the program. They are eligible for exchange in the following circumstances:

If, a participating plan’s total Class C holdings in all non-money market Legg Mason Partners Funds equal at least $3,000,000 at the end of the fifth year after the date the participating plan enrolled in the Grandfathered Retirement Program, the participating plan will be offered the opportunity to exchange all of its Class C shares for Class A shares of the fund. Such participating plans will be notified of the pending exchange in writing within 30 days after the fifth anniversary of the enrollment date and, unless the exchange offer has been rejected in writing, the exchange will occur on or about the 90th day after the fifth anniversary date. If the participating plan does not qualify for the five-year exchange to Class A shares, a review of the participating plan’s holdings will be performed each quarter until either the participating plan qualifies or the end of the eighth year.

Any participating plan that has not previously qualified for an exchange into Class A shares will be offered the opportunity to exchange all of its Class C shares for Class A shares of the same fund regardless of asset size at the end of the eighth year after the date the participating plan enrolled in the Grandfathered Retirement Program. Such plans will be notified of the pending exchange in writing approximately 60 days before the eighth anniversary of the enrollment date and, unless the exchange has been rejected in writing, the exchange will occur on or about the eighth anniversary date. Once an exchange has occurred, a participating plan will not be eligible to acquire additional Class C shares, but instead may acquire Class A shares of the same fund. Any Class C shares not converted will continue to be subject to the distribution fee.

For further information regarding this Program, contact your Service Agent or the transfer agent. Participating plans that enrolled in the Grandfathered Retirement Program prior to June 2, 2003 should contact the transfer agent for information regarding Class C exchange privileges applicable to their plan.

PFS Accounts

The fund offers two Classes of shares to investors purchasing through PFS: Class A and B shares.

Initial purchases of shares of the fund must be made through a PFS Registered Representative by completing the appropriate application. The completed application should be forwarded to Primerica Shareholder Services c/o PFPC Inc., P.O. Box 9662, Providence, RI 02940-9662. Checks drawn on foreign banks must be payable in U.S. dollars and have the routing number of the U.S. bank encoded on the check. Additional investments may be sent directly to PFPC. In processing applications and investments, PFPC acts as agent for the investor and for the distributor, in accordance with the terms of the prospectus. If the transfer agent ceases to act as such, a successor company named by the fund will act in the same capacity so long as the account remains open. Shares purchased will be held in the shareholder’s account by PFPC.

Purchase orders received by the transfer agent or Primerica Shareholder Services prior to the close of regular trading on the NYSE, on any day the fund calculates its NAV, are priced according to the NAV determined on that day.

Initial purchases of fund shares may be made by wire. Before sending the wire, the PFS Registered Representative must contact Primerica Shareholder Services at (800) 665-8677 to obtain proper wire instructions. Once an account is open, a shareholder may make additional investments by wire. The shareholder should contact Primerica Shareholder Services at (800) 544-5445 to obtain proper wire instructions.

Shareholders who establish telephone transaction authority on their account and supply bank account information may make additions to their accounts at any time. Shareholders should contact Primerica Shareholder Services at (800) 544-5445 between 8:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m. Eastern time any day that the NYSE is open. If a shareholder does not wish to allow subsequent investments by telephone by any person in his or her

 

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account, the shareholder should decline the telephone transaction option on the account application. The minimum subsequent investment by telephone is $25 and can be up to a maximum of $50,000. By requesting a subsequent purchase by telephone, you authorize Primerica Shareholder Services to transfer funds from the bank account provided for the amount of the purchase. Subsequent investments by telephone may not be available if the shareholder cannot reach Primerica Shareholder Services whether because all telephone lines are busy or for any other reason; in such case, a shareholder would have to use the fund’s regular subsequent investment procedure described above.

An account transcript is available at a shareholder’s request, which identifies every financial transaction in an account since it has opened. Additional copies of tax forms are available at the shareholder’s request.

Additional information regarding Primerica Shareholder Services may be obtained by contacting the Customer Services Department at (800) 544-5445.

Determination of Public Offering Price

The fund offers its shares on a continuous basis. The public offering price for each class of shares of the fund is equal to the NAV per share at the time of purchase, plus for Class A shares an initial sales charge based on the aggregate amount of the investment. A contingent deferred sales charge, however, is imposed on certain redemptions of Class A, B and C shares.

Set forth below is an example of the method of computing the offering price of the Class A shares of the fund based on the net asset value of a share of the fund as of September 30, 2006.

Class A (based on a net asset value of $23.77 and a maximum initial sales charge of 5.75%) $25.22.

REDEMPTION OF SHARES

The right of redemption may be suspended or the date of payment postponed (a) for any period during which the NYSE is closed (other than for customary weekend and holiday closings), (b) when trading in the markets the fund normally utilizes is restricted, or an emergency exists, as determined by the SEC, so that disposal of the fund’s investments or determination of net asset value is not reasonably practicable or (c) for such other periods as the SEC by order may permit for protection of the fund’s shareholders.

If the shares to be redeemed were issued in certificate form, the certificates must be endorsed for transfer (or be accompanied by an endorsed stock power) and must be submitted to PFPC together with the redemption request. Any signature appearing on a share certificate, stock power or written redemption request in excess of $50,000 must be guaranteed by an eligible guarantor institution such as a domestic bank, savings and loan institution, domestic credit union, member bank of the Federal Reserve System or member firm of a national securities exchange. Written redemption requests of $50,000 or less do not require a signature guarantee unless more than one such redemption request is made in any 10-day period. Redemption proceeds will be mailed to an investor’s address of record. The transfer agent may require additional supporting documents for redemptions made by corporations, executors, administrators, trustees or guardians. A redemption request will not be deemed properly received until the transfer agent receives all required documents in proper form.

If a shareholder holds shares in more than one Class, any request for redemption must specify the Class being redeemed. In the event of a failure to specify which Class, or if the investor owns fewer shares of the Class than specified, the redemption request will be delayed until the transfer agent receives further instructions. The redemption proceeds will be remitted on or before the seventh business day following receipt of proper tender, except on any days on which the NYSE is closed or as permitted under the 1940 Act, in extraordinary circumstances. Redemption proceeds for shares purchased by check, other than a certified or official bank check,

 

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will be remitted upon clearance of the check, which may take up to ten days. Each Service Agent is responsible for transmitting promptly orders for its customers.

The Service Agent may charge you a fee for executing your order. The amount and applicability of such a fee is determined and disclosed to its customers by each Service Agent.

The fund no longer issues share certificates. Outstanding share certificates will continue to be honored. If you hold share certificates, it will take longer to exchange or redeem shares.

Additional Information Regarding Telephone Redemption and Exchange Program. Neither the fund nor its agents will be liable for following instructions communicated by telephone that are reasonably believed to be genuine. The fund and its agents will employ procedures designed to verify the identity of the caller and legitimacy of instructions (for example, a shareholder’s name and account number will be required and phone calls may be recorded). The fund reserves the right to suspend, modify or discontinue the telephone redemption and exchange program or to impose a charge for this service at any time following at least seven (7) days’ prior notice to shareholders.

PFS Accounts

Shareholders may redeem for cash some or all of their shares of the fund at any time by sending a written request in proper form directly to Primerica Shareholder Services c/o PFPC at P.O. Box 9662, Providence, Rhode Island 02940-9662. If you should have any questions concerning how to redeem your account after reviewing the information below, please contact Primerica Shareholder Services at (800) 544-5445, Spanish speaking representatives at (800) 544-7278 or TDD Line for the Hearing Impaired at (800) 824-1721.

All persons in whose names the shares are registered must sign the request for redemption. Signatures must conform exactly to the account registration. If the proceeds of the redemption exceed $50,000, if the proceeds are not paid to the record owner(s) at the record address, if the shareholder(s) has had an address change within 30 days or less of the shareholder’s redemption request, or if the shareholder(s) is a corporation, sole proprietor, partnership, trust or fiduciary, signature(s) must be guaranteed by one of the following: a bank or trust company; a broker/dealer; a credit union; a national securities exchange, registered securities association or clearing agency; a savings and loan association; or a federal savings bank.

Generally, a properly completed redemption form with any required signature guarantee is all that is required for a redemption. In some cases, however, other documents may be necessary. For example, in the case of shareholders holding certificates, the certificates for shares being redeemed must accompany the redemption request. Additional documentary evidence of authority is also required by PFPC in the event redemption is requested by a corporation, partnership, trust, fiduciary, executor or administrator. Additionally, if a shareholder requests redemption from a retirement plan account (IRA or SEP), such request must state whether or not federal income tax is to be withheld from the proceeds of the redemption check. Redemption from a 403(b)(7) account requires completion of a special form. Please call Primerica Shareholder Services at (800) 544-5445 between 8:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m. Eastern Time to obtain the proper forms.

Shareholders may utilize Primerica Shareholder Services Telephone Redemption service to redeem shares in their account as long as they have authorized the telephone redemption option. If a shareholder does not wish to allow telephone redemptions by any person in his or her account, he or she should decline the telephone transaction option on the account application. The telephone redemption option can be used only if: (a) the redemption proceeds are to be mailed to the address of record and there has been no change of address of record within the preceding 30 days; (b) the shares to be redeemed are not in certificate form; (c); the person requesting the redemption can provide proper identification information; and (d) the proceeds of the redemption do not exceed $50,000. 403(b)(7) accounts and accounts not registered in the name of an individual(s) are not eligible for the telephone redemption option. Telephone redemption requests can be made by contacting Primerica

 

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Shareholder Services at (800) 544-5445 between 8:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m. Eastern time any day that the NYSE is open.

Telephone redemption may not be available if the shareholder cannot reach Primerica Shareholder Services because all telephone lines are busy or for any other reason; in such case, a shareholder would have to use the fund’s regular redemption procedure described above.

Redemption proceeds can be sent by check to the address of record, by wire transfer to a bank account designated on the application or to a bank account designated on the application via the Automated Clearinghouse (ACH). PFPC will process and mail a shareholder’s redemption check usually within two to three business days after receiving the redemption request in good order.

Automatic Cash Withdrawal Plan

An automatic cash withdrawal plan (the “Withdrawal Plan”) is available to shareholders as described in the prospectus. To the extent withdrawals under the Withdrawal Plan exceed dividends, distributions and appreciation of a shareholder’s investment in the fund, there will be a reduction in the value of the shareholder’s investment, and continued withdrawal payments may reduce the shareholder’s investment and ultimately exhaust it. Withdrawal payments should not be considered as income from investment in the fund. Furthermore, as it generally would not be advantageous to a shareholder to make additional investments in the fund at the same time he or she is participating in the Withdrawal Plan, purchases by such shareholder in amounts of less than $5,000 ordinarily will not be permitted. The Withdrawal Plan will be carried over on exchanges between funds or classes of the fund. All dividends and distributions on shares in the Withdrawal Plan are reinvested automatically at net asset value in additional shares of the fund.

Shareholders who wish to participate in the Withdrawal Plan and who hold their shares in certificate form must deposit their share certificates with the transfer agent as agent for Withdrawal Plan members. For additional information shareholders should contact their Service Agent. A shareholder who purchases shares directly through the transfer agent may continue to do so and applications for participation in the Withdrawal Plan must be received by the transfer agent no later than the eighth day of the month to be eligible for participation beginning with that month’s withdrawal.

Distributions in Kind

If the Board determines that it would be detrimental to the best interests of the remaining shareholders to make a redemption payment wholly in cash, the fund may pay, in accordance with SEC rules, any portion of a redemption in excess of the lesser of $250,000 or 1.00% of the fund’s net assets by a distribution in kind of fund securities in lieu of cash. If a redemption is paid in portfolio securities, such securities will be valued in accordance with the procedures described under “Share Price” in the fund’s prospectus. Securities issued as a distribution in kind may incur brokerage commissions when shareholders subsequently sell those securities.

VALUATION OF SHARES

The NAV per share of the fund’s Classes is calculated on each day, Monday through Friday, except days on which the NYSE is closed. The NYSE currently is scheduled to be closed on New Year’s Day, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Presidents’ Day, Good Friday, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving and Christmas, and on the preceding Friday or subsequent Monday when one of these holidays falls on a Saturday or Sunday, respectively. Because of the differences in distribution fees and Class-specific expenses, the per share net asset value of each Class will differ. Please see the prospectus for a description of the procedures used by the fund in valuing its assets.

 

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EXCHANGE PRIVILEGE

The exchange privilege enables shareholders to acquire shares of the same class in a fund with different investment objectives when they believe that a shift between funds is an appropriate investment decision. This privilege is available to shareholders residing in any state in which the fund shares being acquired may legally be sold. Prior to any exchange, the shareholder should obtain and review a copy of the current prospectus of each fund into which an exchange is being considered. Prospectuses may be obtained from a Service Agent.

Upon receipt of proper instructions and all necessary supporting documents, shares submitted for exchange are redeemed at the then-current net asset value, and the proceeds are immediately invested in shares of the fund being acquired at that fund’s then current net asset value. The distributors reserve the right to reject any exchange request. The exchange privilege may be modified or terminated at any time after written notice to shareholders.

Class A and I Exchanges. Class A and I shareholders of the fund who wish to exchange all or a portion of their shares for shares of the respective class in another fund may do so without imposition of any charge.

Class B Exchanges. Class B shares of the fund may be exchanged for other Class B shares without a contingent deferred sales charge. Upon an exchange, the new Class B shares will be deemed to have been purchased on the same date as the Class B shares of the fund that have been exchanged.

Class C Exchanges. Class C shares of the fund may be exchanged for other Class C shares without a contingent deferred sales charge. Upon an exchange, the new Class C shares will be deemed to have been purchased on the same date as the Class C shares of the fund that have been exchanged. Certain retirement plan programs with exchange features in effect prior to November 20, 2006, as approved by LMIS, will remain eligible for exchange from Class C shares to Class A shares in accordance with the program terms. See “Grandfathered Retirement Programs” for additional information.

Certain retirement plan programs with exchange features in effect prior to December 1, 2006, as approved by LMIS, will remain eligible for exchange from Class C shares to Class A shares in accordance with the program terms. See “Grandfathered Retirement Programs” for additional information.

Additional Information Regarding the Exchange Privilege

The fund is not designed to provide investors with a means of speculation on short-term market movements. A pattern of frequent exchanges by investors can be disruptive to efficient portfolio management and, consequently, can be detrimental to the fund and its shareholders. See “Frequent Purchases and Redemptions of Fund Shares” in the prospectus.

During times of drastic economic or market conditions, the fund may suspend the exchange privilege temporarily without notice and treat exchange requests based on their separate components—redemption orders with a simultaneous request to purchase the other fund’s shares. In such a case, the redemption request would be processed at the fund’s next determined NAV but the purchase order would be effective only at the NAV next determined after the fund being purchased formally accepts the order, which may result in the purchase being delayed.

Certain shareholders may be able to exchange shares by telephone. See the fund’s prospectus for additional information. Exchanges will be processed at the NAV next determined. Redemption procedures discussed above are also applicable for exchanging shares, and exchanges will be made upon receipt of all supporting documents in proper form. If the account registration of the shares of the fund being acquired is identical to the registration of the shares of the fund exchanged, no signature guarantee is required.

This exchange privilege may be modified or terminated at any time, and is available only in those jurisdictions where such exchanges legally may be made. Before making any exchange, shareholders should

 

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contact the transfer agent or, if they hold fund shares through a Service Agent, their Service Agent to obtain more information and prospectuses of the funds to be acquired through the exchange. An exchange is treated as a sale of the shares exchanged and could result in taxable gain or loss to the shareholder making the exchange.

TAXES

The following is a summary of certain material U.S. federal income tax considerations regarding the purchase, ownership and disposition of shares of the fund. This summary does not address all of the potential U.S. federal income tax consequences that may be applicable to the fund or to all categories of investors, some of which may be subject to special tax rules. Current and prospective shareholders are urged to consult their own tax advisers with respect to the specific federal, state, local and foreign tax consequences of investing in the fund. The summary is based on the laws in effect on the date of this SAI and existing judicial and administrative interpretations thereof, all of which are subject to change, possibly with retroactive effect.

The Fund and Its Investments

The fund intends to continue to qualify to be treated as a regulated investment company under the Code each taxable year. To so qualify, the fund must, among other things: (a) derive at least 90% of its gross income in each taxable year from dividends, interest, payments with respect to securities loans and gains from the sale or other disposition of stock or securities or foreign currencies, or other income (including, but not limited to, gains from options, futures or forward contracts) derived with respect to its business of investing in such stock, securities or currencies and net income derived from interests in “qualified publicly traded partnerships” (i.e., partnerships that are traded on an established securities market or tradable on a secondary market, other than partnerships that derive 90% of their income from interest, dividends, capital gains, and other traditional permitted mutual fund income) and (b) diversify its holdings so that, at the end of each quarter of the fund’s taxable year, (i) at least 50% of the market value of the fund’s assets is represented by cash, securities of other regulated investment companies, U.S. Government securities and other securities, with such other securities limited, in respect of any one issuer, to an amount not greater than 5% of the fund’s assets and not greater than 10% of the outstanding voting securities of such issuer and (ii) not more than 25% of the value of its assets is invested in the securities (other than U.S. Government securities or securities of other regulated investment companies) of any one issuer, any two or more issuers of which the fund owns 20% or more of the voting securities and that are determined to be engaged in the same or similar trades or businesses or related trades or businesses or in the securities of one or more qualified publicly traded partnerships.

Fund investments in partnerships, including in qualified publicly traded partnerships, may result in the fund’s being subject to state, local or foreign income, franchise or withholding tax liabilities.

As a regulated investment company, the fund will not be subject to U.S. federal income tax on the portion of its taxable investment income and capital gains that it distributes to its shareholders, provided that it satisfies a minimum distribution requirement.

To satisfy the minimum distribution requirement, the fund must distribute to its shareholders at least the sum of (i) 90% of its “investment company taxable income” (i.e., income other than its net realized long-term capital gain over its net realized short-term capital loss), plus or minus certain adjustments, and (ii) 90% of its net tax-exempt income for the taxable year. The fund will be subject to income tax at regular corporation rates on any taxable income or gains that it does not distribute to its shareholders.

The Code imposes a 4% nondeductible excise tax on the fund to the extent it does not distribute by the end of any calendar year at least the sum of (i) 98% of its ordinary income for that year and (ii) 98% of its capital gain net income (both long-term and short-term) for the one-year period ending, as a general rule, on October 31 of that year. For this purpose, however, any ordinary income or capital gain net income retained by the fund that

 

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is subject to corporate income tax will be considered to have been distributed by year-end. In addition, the minimum amounts that must be distributed in any year to avoid the excise tax will be increased or decreased to reflect any underdistribution or overdistribution, as the case may be, from the previous year. The fund anticipates that it will pay such dividends and will make such distributions as are necessary in order to avoid the application of this excise tax.

If, in any taxable year, the fund fails to qualify as a regulated investment company under the Code or fails to meet the distribution requirement, it will be taxed in the same manner as an ordinary corporation and distributions to its shareholders will not be deductible by the fund in computing its taxable income. In addition, in the event of a failure to qualify, the fund’s distributions, to the extent derived from the fund’s current or accumulated earnings and profits, including any distributions of net long-term capital gains, will be taxable to shareholders as dividend income. However, such dividends will be eligible (i) to be treated as qualified dividend income in the case of shareholders taxed as individuals and (ii) for the dividends received deduction in case of corporate shareholders. Moreover, if the fund fails to qualify as a regulated investment company in any year, it must pay out its earnings and profits accumulated in that year in order to qualify again as a regulated investment company. If the fund failed to qualify as a regulated investment company for a period greater than two taxable years, the fund may be required to recognize any net built-in gains with respect to certain of its assets (i.e., the excess of the aggregate gains, including items of income, over aggregate losses that would have been realized with respect to such assets if the fund had been liquidated) in order to qualify as a regulated investment company in a subsequent year.

The fund’s transactions in foreign currencies, forward contracts, options and futures contracts (including options and futures contracts on foreign currencies), to the extent permitted, will be subject to special provisions of the Code (including provisions relating to “hedging transactions” and “straddles”) that, among other things, may affect the character of gains and losses realized by the fund (i.e., may affect whether gains or losses are ordinary or capital), accelerate recognition of income to the fund and defer fund losses. These rules could therefore affect the character, amount and timing of distributions to shareholders. These provisions also (a) will require the fund to mark-to-market certain types of the positions in its portfolio (i.e., treat them as if they were closed out at the end of each year) and (b) may cause the fund to recognize income without receiving cash with which to pay dividends or make distributions in amounts necessary to satisfy the distribution requirements for avoiding income and excise taxes. The fund will monitor its transactions, will make the appropriate tax elections and will make the appropriate entries in its books and records when it acquires any foreign currency, forward contract, option, futures contract or hedged investment in order to mitigate the effect of these rules and prevent disqualification of the fund as a regulated investment company.

The fund may be required to treat amounts as taxable income or gain, subject to the distribution requirements referred to above, even though no corresponding amounts of cash are received concurrently, as a result of (1) mark-to-market, constructive sale or rules applicable to PFICs (as defined below) or partnerships or trusts in which the fund invests or to certain options, futures or forward contracts, or “appreciated financial positions” or (2) the inability to obtain cash distributions or other amounts due to currency controls or restrictions on repatriation imposed by a foreign country with respect to the fund’s investments (including through depositary receipts) in issuers in such country or (3) tax rules applicable to debt obligations acquired with “original issue discount,” including zero-coupon or deferred payment bonds and pay-in-kind debt obligations, or to market discount if an election is made with respect to such market discount. The fund may therefore be required to obtain cash to be used to satisfy these distribution requirements by selling securities at times that it might not otherwise be desirable to do so or borrowing the necessary cash, thereby incurring interest expenses.

The fund’s investment in so-called “section 1256 contracts,” such as regulated futures contracts, most foreign currency forward contracts traded in the interbank market and options on most stock indices, are subject to special tax rules. All section 1256 contracts held by the fund at the end of its taxable year are required to be marked to their market value, and any unrealized gain or loss on those positions will be included in the fund’s income as if each position had been sold for its fair market value at the end of the taxable year. The resulting gain

 

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or loss will be combined with any gain or loss realized by the fund from positions in section 1256 contracts closed during the taxable year. Provided such positions were held as capital assets and were not part of a “hedging transaction” nor part of a “straddle,” 60% of the resulting net gain or loss will be treated as long-term capital gain or loss, and 40% of such net gain or loss will be treated as short-term capital gain or loss, regardless of the period of time the positions were actually held by the fund.

As a result of entering into swap contracts, the fund may make or receive periodic net payments. The fund may also make or receive a payment when a swap is terminated prior to maturity through an assignment of the swap or other closing transaction. Periodic net payments will generally constitute ordinary income or deductions, while termination of a swap will generally result in capital gain or loss (which will be a long-term capital gain or loss if the fund has been a party to the swap for more than one year). The tax treatment of many types of credit default swaps is uncertain.

Foreign Investments. Dividends or other income (including, in some cases, capital gains) received by the fund from investments in foreign securities may be subject to withholding and other taxes imposed by foreign countries. Tax conventions between certain countries and the United States may reduce or eliminate such taxes in some cases. The fund will not be eligible to elect to treat any foreign taxes it pays as paid by its shareholders, who therefore will not be entitled to credits or deductions for such taxes on their own tax returns. Foreign taxes paid by the fund will reduce the return from the fund’s investments.

Under Section 988 of the Code, gains or losses attributable to fluctuations in exchange rates between the time the fund accrues income or receivables or expenses or other liabilities denominated in a foreign currency and the time the fund actually collects such income or pays such liabilities are generally treated as ordinary income or ordinary loss. Similarly, gains or losses on foreign currency, foreign currency forward contracts, certain foreign currency options or futures contracts and the disposition of debt securities denominated in foreign currency, to the extent attributable to fluctuations in exchange rates between the acquisition and disposition dates, are also treated as ordinary income or loss unless the fund were to elect otherwise.

Passive Foreign Investment Companies. If the fund purchases shares in certain foreign investment entities, called “passive foreign investment companies” (“PFICs”), it may be subject to U.S. federal income tax on a portion of any “excess distribution” or gain from the disposition of such shares even if such income is distributed as a taxable dividend by the fund to its shareholders. Additional charges in the nature of interest may be imposed on the fund in respect of deferred taxes arising from such distributions or gains.

If the fund were to invest in a PFIC and elect to treat the PFIC as a “qualified electing fund” under the Code, in lieu of the foregoing requirements, the fund might be required to include in income each year a portion of the ordinary earnings and net capital gains of the qualified electing fund, even if not distributed to the fund, and such amounts would be subject to the 90% and excise tax distribution requirements described above. In order to make this election, the fund would be required to obtain certain annual information from the PFICs in which it invests, which may be difficult or impossible to obtain.

Alternatively, the fund may make a mark-to-market election that will result in the fund being treated as if it had sold and repurchased its PFIC stock at the end of each year. In such case, the fund would report any such gains as ordinary income and would deduct any such losses as ordinary losses to the extent of previously recognized gains. The election must be made separately for each PFIC owned by the fund and, once made, would be effective for all subsequent taxable years, unless revoked with the consent of the Internal Revenue Service (the “IRS”). By making the election, the fund could potentially ameliorate the adverse tax consequences with respect to its ownership of shares in a PFIC, but in any particular year may be required to recognize income in excess of the distributions it receives from PFICs and its proceeds from dispositions of PFIC stock. The fund may have to distribute this “phantom” income and gain to satisfy the 90% distribution requirement and to avoid imposition of the 4% excise tax.

 

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The fund will make the appropriate tax elections, if possible, and take any additional steps that are necessary to mitigate the effect of these rules.

Taxation of U.S. Shareholders

Dividends and Distributions. Dividends and other distributions by the fund are generally treated under the Code as received by the shareholders at the time the dividend or distribution is made. However, any dividend or distribution declared by the fund in October, November or December of any calendar year and payable to shareholders of record on a specified date in such a month shall be deemed to have been received by each shareholder on December 31 of such calendar year and to have been paid by the fund not later than such December 31, provided such dividend is actually paid by the fund during January of the following calendar year.

The fund intends to distribute annually to its shareholders substantially all of its investment company taxable income, and any net realized long-term capital gains in excess of net realized short-term capital losses (including any capital loss carryovers). However, if the fund retains for investment an amount equal to all or a portion of its net long-term capital gains in excess of its net short-term capital losses (including any capital loss carryovers), it will be subject to a corporate tax (currently at a maximum rate of 35%) on the amount retained. In that event, the fund will designate such retained amounts as undistributed capital gains in a notice to its shareholders who (a) will be required to include in income for U.S. federal income tax purposes, as long-term capital gains, their proportionate shares of the undistributed amount, (b) will be entitled to credit their proportionate shares of the 35% tax paid by the fund on the undistributed amount against their U.S. federal income tax liabilities, if any, and to claim refunds to the extent their credits exceed their liabilities, if any, and (c) will be entitled to increase their tax basis, for U.S. federal income tax purposes, in their shares by an amount equal to 65% of the amount of undistributed capital gains included in the shareholder’s income. Organizations or persons not subject to U.S. federal income tax on such capital gains will be entitled to a refund of their pro rata share of such taxes paid by the fund upon filing appropriate returns or claims for refund with the IRS.

Distributions of net realized long-term capital gains, if any, that the fund designates as capital gains dividends are taxable as long-term capital gains, whether paid in cash or in shares and regardless of how long a shareholder has held shares of the fund. All other dividends of the fund (including dividends from short-term capital gains) from its current and accumulated earnings and profits (“regular dividends”) are generally subject to tax as ordinary income.

Special rules apply, however, to regular dividends paid to individuals. Such a dividend, with respect to taxable years beginning on or before December 31, 2010, may be subject to tax at the rates generally applicable to long-term capital gains for individuals (currently at a maximum rate of 15%), provided that the individual receiving the dividend satisfies certain holding period and other requirements. Dividends subject to these special rules are not actually treated as capital gains, however, and thus are not included in the computation of an individual’s net capital gain and generally cannot be used to offset capital losses. The long-term capital gains rates will apply to: (i) 100% of the regular dividends paid by the fund to an individual in a particular taxable year if 95% or more of the fund’s gross income (ignoring gains attributable to the sale of stocks and securities except to the extent net short-term capital gain from such sales exceeds net long-term capital loss from such sales) in that taxable year is attributable to qualified dividend income received by the fund; or (ii) the portion of the regular dividends paid by the fund to an individual in a particular taxable year that is attributable to qualified dividend income received by the fund in that taxable year if such qualified dividend income accounts for less than 95% of the fund’s gross income (ignoring gains attributable to the sale of stocks and securities except to the extent net short-term capital gain from such sales exceeds net long-term capital loss from such sales) for that taxable year. For this purpose, “qualified dividend income” generally means income from dividends received by the fund from U.S. corporations and qualified foreign corporations, provided that the fund satisfies certain holding period requirements in respect of the stock of such corporations and has not hedged its position in the stock in certain ways. However, qualified dividend income does not include any dividends received from tax-exempt corporations. Also, dividends received by the fund from a real estate investment trust or another

 

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regulated investment company generally are qualified dividend income only to the extent the dividend distributions are made out of qualified dividend income received by such real estate investment trust or other regulated investment company. In the case of securities lending transactions, payments in lieu of dividends are not qualified dividend income. If a shareholder elects to treat fund dividends as investment income for purposes of the limitation on the deductibility of investment interest, such dividends would not be a qualified dividend income.

We will send you information after the end of each year setting forth the amount of dividends paid by us that are eligible for the reduced rates.

If an individual receives a regular dividend qualifying for the long-term capital gains rates and such dividend constitutes an “extraordinary dividend,” and the individual subsequently recognizes a loss on the sale or exchange of stock in respect of which the extraordinary dividend was paid, then the loss will be long-term capital loss to the extent of such extraordinary dividend. An “extraordinary dividend” on common stock for this purpose is generally a dividend (i) in an amount greater than or equal to 10% of the taxpayer’s tax basis (or trading value) in a share of stock, aggregating dividends with ex-dividend dates within an 85-day period or (ii) in an amount greater than 20% of the taxpayer’s tax basis (or trading value) in a share of stock, aggregating dividends with ex-dividend dates within a 365-day period.

Distributions in excess of the fund’s current and accumulated earnings and profits will, as to each shareholder, be treated as a tax-free return of capital to the extent of a shareholder’s basis in his shares of the fund, and as a capital gain thereafter (if the shareholder holds his shares of the fund as capital assets). Shareholders receiving dividends or distributions in the form of additional shares should be treated for U.S. federal income tax purposes as receiving a distribution in an amount equal to the amount of money that the shareholders receiving cash dividends or distributions will receive, and should have a cost basis in the shares received equal to such amount. Dividends paid by the fund that are attributable to dividends received by the fund from domestic corporations may qualify for the federal dividends-received deduction for corporations.

Investors considering buying shares just prior to a dividend or capital gain distribution should be aware that, although the price of shares just purchased at that time may reflect the amount of the forthcoming distribution, such dividend or distribution may nevertheless be taxable to them. If the fund is the holder of record of any stock on the record date for any dividends payable with respect to such stock, such dividends will be included in the fund’s gross income not as of the date received but as of the later of (a) the date such stock became ex-dividend with respect to such dividends (i.e., the date on which a buyer of the stock would not be entitled to receive the declared, but unpaid, dividends) or (b) the date the fund acquired such stock. Accordingly, in order to satisfy its income distribution requirements, the fund may be required to pay dividends based on anticipated earnings, and shareholders may receive dividends in an earlier year than would otherwise be the case.

Certain types of income received by the fund from REITs, real estate mortgage investment conduits (“REMICs”), taxable mortgage pools or other investments may cause the fund to designate some or all of its distributions as “excess inclusion income.” To fund shareholders such excess inclusion income may (1) constitute taxable income, as “unrelated business taxable income” (“UBTI”) for those shareholders who would otherwise be tax-exempt such as individual retirement accounts, 401(k) accounts, Keogh plans, pension plans and certain charitable entities; (2) not be offset against net operating losses for tax purposes; (3) not be eligible for reduced U.S. withholding for non-U.S. shareholders even from tax treaty countries; and (4) cause the fund to be subject to tax if certain “disqualified organizations” as defined by the Code are fund shareholders. In addition, a tax-exempt shareholder could realize UBTI by virtue of, inter alia, its investment in the fund if shares in the fund constitute debt-financed property in the hands of the tax-exempt shareholder within the meaning of Code Section 514(b).

Sales of Shares. Upon the sale or exchange of his shares, a shareholder will realize a taxable gain or loss equal to the difference between the amount realized and his basis in his shares. A redemption of shares by the fund will be treated as a sale for this purpose. Such gain or loss will be treated as capital gain or loss if the shares

 

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are capital assets in the shareholder’s hands, and will be long-term capital gain or loss if the shares are held for more than one year and short-term capital gain or loss if the shares are held for one year or less. Any loss realized on a sale or exchange will be disallowed to the extent the shares disposed of are replaced, including replacement through the reinvesting of dividends and capital gains distributions in the fund, within a 61-day period beginning 30 days before and ending 30 days after the disposition of the shares. In such a case, the basis of the shares acquired will be increased to reflect the disallowed loss. Any loss realized by a shareholder on the sale of a fund share held by the shareholder for six months or less will be treated for U.S. federal income tax purposes as a long-term capital loss to the extent of any distributions or deemed distributions of long-term capital gains received by the shareholder with respect to such share. If a shareholder incurs a sales charge in acquiring shares of the fund, disposes of those shares within 90 days and then acquires shares in a mutual fund for which the otherwise applicable sales charge is reduced by reason of a reinvestment right (e.g., an exchange privilege), the original sales charge will not be taken into account in computing gain/loss on the original shares to the extent the subsequent sales charge is reduced. Instead, the disregarded portion of the original sales charge will be added to the tax basis of the newly acquired shares. Furthermore, the same rule also applies to a disposition of the newly acquired shares made within 90 days of the second acquisition. This provision prevents a shareholder from immediately deducting the sales charge by shifting his or her investment within a family of mutual funds.

Backup Withholding. The fund may be required to withhold, for U.S. federal income tax purposes, a portion of the dividends, distributions and redemption proceeds payable to shareholders who fail to provide the fund with their correct taxpayer identification number or to make required certifications, or who have been notified by the IRS that they are subject to backup withholding. Certain shareholders are exempt from backup withholding. Backup withholding is not an additional tax and any amount withheld may be credited against a shareholder’s U.S. federal income tax liability.

Notices; Other Taxes

Notices. Shareholders will receive, if appropriate, various written notices after the close of the fund’s taxable year regarding the U.S. federal income tax status of certain dividends, distributions and deemed distributions that were paid (or that are treated as having been paid) by the fund to its shareholders during the preceding taxable year.

Other Taxes. Dividends, distributions and redemption proceeds may also be subject to additional state, local and foreign taxes depending on each shareholder’s particular situation.

If a shareholder recognizes a loss with respect to the fund’s shares of $2 million or more for an individual shareholder or $10 million or more for a corporate shareholder, the shareholder must file with the IRS a disclosure statement on Form 8886. Direct shareholders of portfolio securities are in many cases excepted from this reporting requirement, but under current guidance, shareholders of a regulated investment company are not excepted. The fact that a loss is reportable under these regulations does not affect the legal determination of whether the taxpayer’s treatment of the loss is proper. Shareholders should consult their tax advisors to determine the applicability of these regulations in light of their individual circumstances.

Taxation of Non-U.S. Shareholders

Dividends paid by the fund to non-U.S. shareholders are generally subject to withholding tax at a 30% rate or a reduced rate specified by an applicable income tax treaty to the extent derived from investment income and short-term capital gains. In order to obtain a reduced rate of withholding, a non-U.S. shareholder will be required to provide an IRS Form W-8BEN certifying its entitlement to benefits under a treaty. The withholding tax does not apply to regular dividends paid to a non-U.S. shareholder who provides a Form W-8ECI, certifying that the dividends are effectively connected with the non-U.S. shareholder’s conduct of a trade or business within the United States. Instead, the effectively connected dividends will be subject to regular U.S. income tax as if the non-U.S. shareholder were a U.S. shareholder. A non-U.S. corporation receiving effectively connected dividends

 

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may also be subject to additional “branch profits tax” imposed at a rate of 30% (or lower treaty rate). A non-U.S. shareholder who fails to provide an IRS Form W-8BEN or other applicable form may be subject to backup withholding at the appropriate rate.

In general, United States federal withholding tax will not apply to any gain or income realized by a non-U.S. shareholder in respect of any distributions of net long-term capital gains over net short-term capital losses, exempt-interest dividends, or upon the sale or other disposition of shares of the fund.

For taxable years beginning before January 1, 2008, properly-designated dividends are generally exempt from United States federal withholding tax where they (i) are paid in respect of the fund’s “qualified net interest income” (generally, the fund’s U.S. source interest income, other than certain contingent interest and interest from obligations of a corporation or partnership in which the fund is at least a 10% shareholder, reduced by expenses that are allocable to such income) or (ii) are paid in respect of the fund’s “qualified short-term capital gains” (generally, the excess of the fund’s net short-term capital gain over the fund’s long-term capital loss for such taxable year). However, depending on its circumstances, the fund may designate all, some or none of its potentially eligible dividends as such qualified net interest income or as qualified short-term capital gains, and/or treat such dividends, in whole or in part, as ineligible for this exemption from withholding. In order to qualify for this exemption from withholding, a non-U.S. shareholder will need to comply with applicable certification requirements relating to its non-U.S. status (including, in general, furnishing an IRS Form W-8BEN or substitute Form). In the case of shares held through an intermediary, the intermediary may withhold even if the fund designates the payment as qualified net interest income or qualified short-term capital gain. Non-U.S. shareholders should contact their intermediaries with respect to the application of these rules to their accounts.

A distribution from the fund to foreign shareholders who have held more than 5% of the fund at any time during the one-year period ending on the date of distribution is treated as real property gain subject to 35% withholding tax and treated as income effectively connected to a U.S. trade or business with certain tax filing requirements applicable, if such distribution is attributable to a distribution received by the fund from a REIT. A distribution paid prior to 2008 attributable to the fund’s sale of a REIT or other U.S. real property holding company will also be treated as real property gain if 50% or more of the value of the fund’s assets are invested in REITs and other U.S. real property holding corporations and if the foreign shareholder has held more than 5% of a class of stock at any time during the one-year period ending on the date of the distribution. Restrictions apply regarding wash sales and substitute payment transactions.

The foregoing is only a summary of certain material U.S. federal income tax consequences affecting the fund and its shareholders. Current and prospective shareholders are advised to consult their own tax advisers with respect to the particular tax consequences to them of an investment in the fund.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

The Trust. The certificate of trust to establish Legg Mason Partners Equity Trust (referred to in this section as the trust) was filed with the State of Maryland on October 4, 2006. On the date of this SAI, the fund was redomiciled as a series of the trust. Prior thereto, the fund was a series of Legg Mason Partners Investment Trust, a Massachusetts business trust. Prior to reorganization of the fund as a series of Legg Mason Partners Investment Trust, the fund was a series of Legg Mason Partners Investment Funds, Inc., a Maryland corporation.

The fund is a series of the trust, a Maryland business trust.

A Maryland business trust is an unincorporated business association that is established under, and governed by, Maryland law. Maryland law provides a statutory framework for the powers, duties, rights and obligations of the Board (referred to in this section as the Trustees) and shareholders of the trust, while the more specific powers, duties, rights and obligations of the trustees and the shareholders are determined by the trustees as set

 

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forth in the trust’s declaration of trust (referred to in this section as the Declaration). Some of the more significant provisions of the declaration are described below.

Shareholder Voting

The Declaration provides for shareholder voting as required by the 1940 Act or other applicable laws but otherwise permits, consistent with Maryland law, actions by the Trustees without seeking the consent of shareholders. The Trustees may, without shareholder approval, amend the Declaration or authorize the merger or consolidation of the Trust into another trust or entity, reorganize the trust, or any series or class into another trust or entity or a series or class of another entity, sell all or substantially all of the assets of the Trust or any series or class to another entity, or a series or class of another entity, or terminate the Trust or any series or class.

The fund is not required to hold an annual meeting of shareholders, but the fund will call special meetings of shareholders whenever required by the 1940 Act or by the terms of the Declaration. The Declaration provides for “dollar-weighted voting” which means that a shareholder’s voting power is determined, not by the number of shares he or she owns, but by the dollar value of those shares determined on the record date. All shareholders of all series and classes of the trust vote together, except where required by the 1940 Act to vote separately by series or by class, or when the Trustees have determined that a matter affects only the interests of one or more series or classes of shares.

Election and Removal of Trustees

The Declaration provides that the Trustees may establish the number of Trustees and that vacancies on the board may be filled by the remaining Trustees, except when election of Trustees by the shareholders is required under the 1940 Act. Trustees are then elected by a plurality of votes cast by shareholders at a meeting at which a quorum is present. The Declaration also provides that a mandatory retirement age may be set by action of two-thirds of the Trustees and that Trustees may be removed, with or without cause, by a vote of shareholders holding two-thirds of the voting power of the Trust, or by a vote of two-thirds of the remaining Trustees. The provisions of the Declaration relating to the election and removal of Trustees may not be amended without the approval of two-thirds of the Trustees.

Amendments to the Declaration

The Trustees are authorized to amend the Declaration without the vote of shareholders, but no amendment may be made that impairs the exemption from personal liability granted in the Declaration to persons who are or have been shareholders, trustees, officers or, employees of the Trust or that limit the rights to indemnification or insurance provided in the Declaration with respect to actions or omissions of persons entitled to indemnification under the Declaration prior to the amendment.

Issuance and Redemption of Shares

The fund may issue an unlimited number of shares for such consideration and on such terms as the Trustees may determine. Shareholders are not entitled to any appraisal, preemptive, conversion, exchange or similar rights, except as the Trustees may determine. The fund may involuntarily redeem a shareholder’s shares upon certain conditions as may be determined by the Trustees, including, for example, if the shareholder fails to provide the fund with identification required by law, or if the fund is unable to verify the information received from the shareholder. Additionally, as discussed below, shares may be redeemed in connection with the closing of small accounts.

Disclosure of Shareholder Holdings

The Declaration specifically requires shareholders, upon demand, to disclose to the fund information with respect to the direct and indirect ownership of shares in order to comply with various laws or regulations, and the fund may disclose such ownership if required by law or regulation.

 

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Small Accounts

The Declaration provides that the fund may close out a shareholder’s account by redeeming all of the shares in the account if the account falls below a minimum account size (which may vary by class) that may be set by the Trustees from time to time. Alternately, the declaration permits the fund to assess a fee for small accounts (which may vary by class) and redeem shares in the account to cover such fees, or convert the shares into another share class that is geared to smaller accounts.

Series and Classes

The Declaration provides that the Trustees may establish series and classes in addition to those currently established and to determine the rights and preferences, limitations and restrictions, including qualifications for ownership, conversion and exchange features, minimum purchase and account size, expenses and charges, and other features of the series and classes. The Trustees may change any of those features, terminate any series or class, combine series with other series in the Trust, combine one or more classes of a series with another class in that series or convert the shares of one class into another class.

Each share of the fund, as a series of the Trust, represents an interest in the fund only and not in the assets of any other series of the Trust.

Shareholder, Trustee and Officer Liability

The Declaration provides that shareholders are not personally liable for the obligations of the fund and requires the fund to indemnify a shareholder against any loss or expense arising from any such liability. In addition, the fund will assume the defense of any claim against a shareholder for personal liability at the request of the shareholder. The Declaration further provides that a Trustee acting in his or her capacity of Trustee is not personally liable to any person other than the Trust or its shareholders, for any act, omission, or obligation of the trust. Further, a Trustee is held to the same standard of conduct as a director of a Maryland corporation. This requires that a Trustee perform his or her duties in good faith and in a manner he or she reasonably believes to be in the best interests of the trust or a series thereof, and with the care that an ordinarily prudent person in a like position would use under similar circumstances. The Declaration also permits the limitation of a trustee’s liability to the full extent provided under Maryland law. Under current Maryland law, a Trustee is liable to the trust or its shareholders for monetary damages only (a) to the extent that it is proved that he or she actually received an improper benefit or profit in money, property, or services or (b) to the extent that a judgment or other final adjudication adverse to the Trustee is entered in a proceeding based on a finding in the proceeding that the Trustee’s action, or failure to act, was the result of active and deliberate dishonesty and was material to the cause of action adjudicated in the proceeding. The Declaration requires the Trust to indemnify any persons who are or who have been Trustees, officers or employees of the Trust for any liability for actions or failure to act except to the extent prohibited by applicable federal law. In making any determination as to whether any person is entitled to the advancement of expenses in connection with a claim for which indemnification is sought, such person is entitled to a rebuttable presumption that he or she did not engage in conduct for which indemnification is not available.

The Declaration provides that any Trustee who serves as chair of the board or of a committee of the board, lead independent Trustee, or audit committee financial expert, or in any other similar capacity will not be subject to any greater standard of care or liability because of such position.

Derivative Actions

The Declaration provides a detailed process for the bringing of derivative actions by shareholders in order to permit legitimate inquiries and claims while avoiding the time, expense, distraction, and other harm that can be caused to the fund or its shareholders as a result of spurious shareholder demands and derivative actions. Prior to bringing a derivative action, a demand by three unrelated shareholders must first be made on the fund’s Trustees.

 

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The Declaration details various information, certifications, undertakings and acknowledgements that must be included in the demand. Following receipt of the demand, the Trustees have a period of 90 days, which may be extended by an additional 60 days, to consider the demand. If a majority of the Trustees who are considered independent for the purposes of considering the demand determine that maintaining the suit would not be in the best interests of the fund, the Trustees are required to reject the demand and the complaining shareholders may not proceed with the derivative action unless the shareholders are able to sustain the burden of proof to a court that the decision of the Trustees not to pursue the requested action was not a good faith exercise of their business judgment on behalf of the fund. The Declaration further provides that shareholders owning shares representing at least 5% of the voting power of the affected fund must join in bringing the derivative action. If a demand is rejected, the complaining shareholders will be responsible for the costs and expenses (including attorneys’ fees) incurred by the fund in connection with the consideration of the demand, if in the judgment of the independent Trustees, the demand was made without reasonable cause or for an improper purpose. If a derivative action is brought in violation of the Declaration, the shareholders bringing the action may be responsible for the fund’s costs, including attorneys’ fees.

The Declaration further provides that the fund shall be responsible for payment of attorneys’ fees and legal expenses incurred by a complaining shareholder only if required by law, and any attorneys’ fees that the fund is obligated to pay shall be calculated using reasonable hourly rates. The Declaration also requires that actions by shareholders against the fund be brought only in federal court in Baltimore, Maryland, or if not permitted to be brought in federal court, then in state court in Baltimore, Maryland, and that the right to jury trial be waived to the full extent permitted by law.

Annual and Semi-Annual Reports. The fund sends its shareholders a semi-annual report and an audited annual report, which include listings of investment securities held by the fund at the end of the period covered. In an effort to reduce the fund’s printing and mailing costs, the fund consolidates the mailing of its semi-annual and annual reports by household. This consolidation means that a household having multiple accounts with the identical address of record will receive a single copy of each report. In addition, the fund also consolidates the mailing of its prospectus so that a shareholder having multiple accounts (that is, individual, IRA and/or Self-Employed Retirement Plan accounts) will receive a single prospectus annually. Shareholders who do not want this consolidation to apply to their accounts should contact their Service Agent or the transfer agent.

Legal Matters

Beginning in June 2004, class action lawsuits alleging violations of the federal securities laws were filed against CGMI and a number of its then affiliates, including SBFM, which were then investment adviser or manager to certain of the Funds (the “Managers”), substantially all of the mutual funds then managed by the Managers (the “Defendant Funds”), and Board Members of the Defendant Funds (collectively, the “Defendants”). The complaints alleged, among other things, that CGMI created various undisclosed incentives for its brokers to sell Smith Barney and Salomon Brothers funds. In addition, according to the complaints, the Managers caused the Defendant Funds to pay excessive brokerage commissions to CGMI for steering clients towards proprietary funds. The complaints also alleged that the defendants breached their fiduciary duty to the Defendant Funds by improperly charging Rule 12b-1 fees and by drawing on fund assets to make undisclosed payments of soft dollars and excessive brokerage commissions. The complaints also alleged that the Defendant Funds failed to adequately disclose certain of the allegedly wrongful conduct. The complaints sought injunctive relief and compensatory and punitive damages, rescission of the Defendant Funds’ contracts with the Managers, recovery of all fees paid to the Managers pursuant to such contracts and an award of attorneys’ fees and litigation expenses.

On December 15, 2004, a consolidated amended complaint (the “Complaint”) was filed alleging substantially similar causes of action. On May 27, 2005, all of the Defendants filed motions to dismiss the Complaint. On July 26, 2006, the court issued a decision and order (1) finding that plaintiffs lacked standing to sue on behalf of the shareholders of the Defendant Funds in which none of the plaintiffs had invested, including Legg Mason Partners Small Cap Value Fund, and dismissing those Defendant Funds from the case (although

 

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stating that they could be brought back into the case if standing as to them could be established), and (2) other than one stayed claim, dismissing all of the causes of action against the remaining Defendants, with prejudice, except for the cause of action under Section 36(b) of the 1940 Act, which the court granted plaintiffs leave to replead as a derivative claim.

On October 16, 2006, plaintiffs filed their Second Consolidated Amended Complaint (“Second Amended Complaint”) which alleges derivative claims on behalf of nine funds identified in the Second Amended Complaint, under Section 36(b) of the 1940 Act, against Citigroup Asset Management, Salomon Brothers Asset Management Inc, SBFM and CGMI as investment advisers to the identified funds, as well as CGMI as a distributor for the identified funds (collectively, the “Second Amended Complaint Defendants”). The Fund was not identified in the Second Amended Complaint. The Second Amended Complaint alleges no claims against any of the Funds or any of their Board Members. Under Section 36(b), the Second Amended Complaint alleges similar facts and seeks similar relief against the Second Amended Complaint Defendants as the Complaint.

Additional lawsuits arising out of these circumstances and presenting similar allegations and requests for relief may be filed in the future.

*    *    *

On May 31, 2005, the SEC issued an order in connection with the settlement of an administrative proceeding against SBFM, the then-investment adviser or manager to the fund and CGMI, relating to the appointment of an affiliated transfer agent for the Smith Barney family of mutual funds, including the fund (the “Affected Funds”).

The SEC order found that SBFM and CGMI willfully violated Section 206(1) of the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as amended, and the rules promulgated thereunder (the “Advisers Act”). Specifically, the order found that SBFM and CGMI knowingly or recklessly failed to disclose to the boards of the Affected Funds in 1999 when proposing a new transfer agent arrangement with an affiliated transfer agent that: First Data Investors Services Group (“First Data”), the Affected Funds’ then-existing transfer agent, had offered to continue as transfer agent and do the same work for substantially less money than before; and that CAM, the Citigroup business unit that, at the time, included the Affected Funds’ investment manager and other investment advisory companies, had entered into a side letter with First Data under which CAM agreed to recommend the appointment of First Data as sub-transfer agent to the affiliated transfer agent in exchange for, among other things, a guarantee by First Data of specified amounts of asset management and investment banking fees to CAM and CGMI. The order also found that SBFM and CGMI willfully violated Section 206(2) of the Advisers Act by virtue of the omissions discussed above and other misrepresentations and omissions in the materials provided to the Affected Funds’ boards, including the failure to make clear that the affiliated transfer agent would earn a high profit for performing limited functions while First Data continued to perform almost all of the transfer agent functions, and the suggestion that the proposed arrangement was in the Affected Funds’ best interests and that no viable alternatives existed. SBFM and CGMI do not admit or deny any wrongdoing or liability. The settlement does not establish wrongdoing or liability for purposes of any other proceeding.

The SEC censured SBFM and CGMI and ordered them to cease and desist from violations of Sections 206(1) and 206(2) of the Advisers Act. The order required Citigroup to pay $208.1 million, including $109 million in disgorgement of profits, $19.1 million in interest, and a civil money penalty of $80 million. Approximately $24.4 million has already been paid to the Affected Funds, primarily through fee waivers. The remaining $183.7 million, including the penalty, has been paid to the U.S. Treasury and will be distributed pursuant to a plan submitted for the approval of the SEC. At this time, there is no certainty as to how the above-described proceeds of the settlement will be distributed, to whom such distributions will be made, the methodology by which such distributions will be allocated, and when such distributions will be made. The order also required that transfer agency fees received from the Affected Funds since December 1, 2004, less certain expenses, be placed in escrow and provided that a portion of such fees might be subsequently distributed in

 

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accordance with the terms of the order. On April 3, 2006, an aggregate amount of approximately $9 million held in escrow was distributed to the Affected Funds.

The order required SBFM to recommend a new transfer agent contract to the Affected Funds’ boards within 180 days of the entry of the order; if a Citigroup affiliate submitted a proposal to serve as transfer agent or sub-transfer agent, SBFM and CGMI would have been required, at their expense, to engage an independent monitor to oversee a competitive bidding process. On November 21, 2005, and within the specified timeframe, the Affected Funds’ boards selected a new transfer agent for the Affected Fund. No Citigroup affiliate submitted a proposal to serve as transfer agent. Under the order, SBFM also must comply with an amended version of a vendor policy that Citigroup instituted in August 2004.

Although there can be no assurance, the manager does not believe that this matter will have a material adverse effect on the Affected Funds.

On December 1, 2005, Citigroup completed the sale of substantially all of its global asset management business, including SBFM, to Legg Mason.

*    *    *

Beginning in August 2005, five class action lawsuits alleging violations of federal securities laws and state law were filed against CGMI and SBFM (collectively, the “Defendants”) based on the May 31, 2005 settlement order issued against the Defendants by the SEC as described in above. The complaints seek injunctive relief and compensatory and punitive damages, removal of SBFM as the investment manager for the Smith Barney family of funds, rescission of the Funds’ management and other contracts with SBFM, recovery of all fees paid to SBFM pursuant to such contracts, and an award of attorneys’ fees and litigation expenses.

On October 5, 2005, a motion to consolidate the five actions and any subsequently filed, related action was filed. That motion contemplates that a consolidated amended complaint alleging substantially similar causes of action will be filed in the future.

As of the date of this report, the Fund’s investment manager believes that resolution of the pending lawsuit will not have a material effect on the financial position or results of operations of the Fund or the ability of the Fund’s investment manager and its affiliates to continue to render services to the Funds under their respective contracts.

*    *    *

On September 16, 2005, the staff of the SEC informed SBFM and ClearBridge Asset Management Inc (formerly Salomon Brothers Asset Management Inc) at the staff is considering recommending that the SEC institute administrative proceedings against SBFM and ClearBridge Asset Management Inc for alleged violations of Section 19(a) and 34(b) of the 1940 Act (and related Rule 19a-1). The notification is a result of an industry wide inspection by the SEC and is based upon alleged deficiencies in disclosures regarding dividends and distributions paid to shareholders of certain funds. Section 19(a) and related Rule 19a-1 of the 1940 Act generally require funds that are making dividend and distribution payments to provide shareholders with a written statement disclosing the source of the dividends and distributions, and, in particular, the portion of the payments made from each of net investment income, undistributed net profits and/or paid-in capital. In connection with the contemplated proceedings, the staff may seek a cease and desist order and/or monetary damages from SBFM or ClearBridge Asset Management Inc.

Although there can be no assurance, the fund’s manager believes that this matter is not likely to have a material adverse effect on the fund.

*    *    *

 

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The foregoing speaks only as of the date of this SAI. Additional lawsuits presenting allegations and requests for relief arising out of or in connection with any of the foregoing matters may be filed against these and related parties in the future.

FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

The audited financial statements of the fund’s predecessor (Statement of Assets and Liabilities as of September 30, 2006, Statement of Operations for the year ended September 30, 2006, Statements of Changes in Net Assets for each of the years in the two-year period ended September 30, 2006, Financial Highlights for each of the years in the five-year period ended September 30, 2006, and Notes to Financial Statements along with the Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm, each of which is included in the Annual Report to Shareholders of the Fund), are incorporated by reference into this Statement of Additional Information (Filed on December 8, 2006; Accession Number 0000950123-06-014979).

 

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APPENDIX A

Concerning ClearBridge Advisors1 (Clearbridge)

Proxy Voting Policies and Procedures

The following is a brief overview of the Proxy Voting Policies and Procedures (the “Policies”) that ClearBridge has adopted to seek to ensure that ClearBridge votes proxies relating to equity securities in the best interest of clients.

ClearBridge votes proxies for each client account with respect to which it has been authorized to vote proxies. In voting proxies, ClearBridge is guided by general fiduciary principles and seeks to act prudently and solely in the best interest of clients. ClearBridge attempts to consider all factors that could affect the value of the investment and will vote proxies in the manner that it believes will be consistent with efforts to maximize shareholder values. ClearBridge may utilize an external service provider to provide it with information and/or a recommendation with regard to proxy votes. However, the ClearBridge adviser (business unit) continues to retain responsibility for the proxy vote.

In the case of a proxy issue for which there is a stated position in the Policies, ClearBridge generally votes in accordance with such stated position. In the case of a proxy issue for which there is a list of factors set forth in the Policies that ClearBridge considers in voting on such issue, ClearBridge votes on a case-by-case basis in accordance with the general principles set forth above and considering such enumerated factors. In the case of a proxy issue for which there is no stated position or list of factors that ClearBridge considers in voting on such issue, ClearBridge votes on a case-by-case basis in accordance with the general principles set forth above. Issues for which there is a stated position set forth in the Policies or for which there is a list of factors set forth in the Policies that ClearBridge considers in voting on such issues fall into a variety of categories, including election of directors, ratification of auditors, proxy and tender offer defenses, capital structure issues, executive and director compensation, mergers and corporate restructurings, and social and environmental issues. The stated position on an issue set forth in the Policies can always be superseded, subject to the duty to act solely in the best interest of the beneficial owners of accounts, by the investment management professionals responsible for the account whose shares are being voted. Issues applicable to a particular industry may cause ClearBridge to abandon a policy that would have otherwise applied to issuers generally. As a result of the independent investment advisory services provided by distinct ClearBridge business units, there may be occasions when different business units or different portfolio managers within the same business unit vote differently on the same issue. A ClearBridge business unit or investment team (e.g. ClearBridge’s Social Awareness Investment team) may adopt proxy voting policies that supplement these policies and procedures. In addition, in the case of Taft-Hartley clients, ClearBridge will comply with a client direction to vote proxies in accordance with Institutional Shareholder Services’ (ISS) PVS Voting Guidelines, which ISS represents to be fully consistent with AFL-CIO guidelines.

 


1 ClearBridge Advisors comprises ClearBridge Advisors, LLC, ClearBridge Asset Management Inc., Smith Barney Fund Management LLC, and other affiliated investment advisory firms. On December 1, 2005, Citigroup Inc. (“Citigroup”) sold substantially all of its worldwide asset management business, Citigroup Asset Management, to Legg Mason. As part of this transaction, ClearBridge Advisors, LLC, ClearBridge Asset Management Inc. and Smith Barney Fund Management LLC became wholly-owned subsidiaries of Legg Mason. Under a licensing agreement between Citigroup and Legg Mason, the names of ClearBridge Advisors, LLC, ClearBridge Asset Management Inc., Smith Barney Fund Management LLC and their affiliated advisory entities, as well as all logos, trademarks, and service marks related to Citigroup or any of its affiliates (“Citi Marks”) are licensed for use by Legg Mason. Citi Marks include, but are not limited to, “Citigroup Asset Management,” “Salomon Brothers Asset Management” and “CAM”. All Citi Marks are owned by Citigroup, and are licensed for use until no later than one year after the date of the licensing agreement. Legg Mason and its subsidiaries, including ClearBridge Advisors, LLC, ClearBridge Asset Management Inc. and Smith Barney Fund Management LLC are not affiliated with Citigroup.

 

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In furtherance of ClearBridge’s goal to vote proxies in the best interest of clients, ClearBridge follows procedures designed to identify and address material conflicts that may arise between ClearBridge’s interests and those of its clients before voting proxies on behalf of such clients. To seek to identify conflicts of interest, ClearBridge periodically notifies ClearBridge employees in writing that they are under an obligation (i) to be aware of the potential for conflicts of interest on the part of ClearBridge with respect to voting proxies on behalf of client accounts both as a result of their personal relationships and due to special circumstances that may arise during the conduct of ClearBridge’s business, and (ii) to bring conflicts of interest of which they become aware to the attention of ClearBridge’s compliance personnel. ClearBridge also maintains and considers a list of significant ClearBridge relationships that could present a conflict of interest for ClearBridge in voting proxies. ClearBridge is also sensitive to the fact that a significant, publicized relationship between an issuer and a non-ClearBridge Legg Mason affiliate might appear to the public to influence the manner in which ClearBridge decides to vote a proxy with respect to such issuer. Absent special circumstances or a significant, publicized non-ClearBridge Legg Mason affiliate relationship that ClearBridge for prudential reasons treats as a potential conflict of interest because such relationship might appear to the public to influence the manner in which ClearBridge decides to vote a proxy, ClearBridge generally takes the position that relationships between a non-ClearBridge Legg Mason affiliate and an issuer (e.g. investment management relationship between an issuer and a non-ClearBridge Legg Mason affiliate) do not present a conflict of interest for ClearBridge in voting proxies with respect to such issuer. Such position is based on the fact that ClearBridge is operated as an independent business unit from other Legg Mason business units as well as on the existence of information barriers between ClearBridge and certain other Legg Mason business units.

ClearBridge maintains a Proxy Voting Committee to review and address conflicts of interest brought to its attention by ClearBridge compliance personnel. A proxy issue that will be voted in accordance with a stated ClearBridge position on such issue or in accordance with the recommendation of an independent third party is not brought to the attention of the Proxy Voting Committee for a conflict of interest review because ClearBridge’s position is that to the extent a conflict of interest issue exists, it is resolved by voting in accordance with a pre-determined policy or in accordance with the recommendation of an independent third party. With respect to a conflict of interest brought to its attention, the Proxy Voting Committee first determines whether such conflict of interest is material. A conflict of interest is considered material to the extent that it is determined that such conflict is likely to influence, or appear to influence, ClearBridge’s decision-making in voting proxies. If it is determined by the Proxy Voting Committee that a conflict of interest is not material, ClearBridge may vote proxies notwithstanding the existence of the conflict.

If it is determined by the Proxy Voting Committee that a conflict of interest is material, the Proxy Voting Committee is responsible for determining an appropriate method to resolve such conflict of interest before the proxy affected by the conflict of interest is voted. Such determination is based on the particular facts and circumstances, including the importance of the proxy issue and the nature of the conflict of interest.

 

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