497 1 d497.htm LEGG MASON PARTNERS EQUITY TRUST LEGG MASON PARTNERS EQUITY TRUST
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Filed under Rule 497(c)

File No. 33-43446

December 20, 2007, as revised July 9, 2008

STATEMENT OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

LEGG MASON PARTNERS EQUITY TRUST

LEGG MASON PARTNERS AGGRESSIVE GROWTH FUND

55 Water Street

New York, New York 10041

(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 for Class A, B, C, FI, R and I shares dated December 20, 2007 and the current prospectus dated July 9, 2008 for Class IS shares of Legg Mason Partners Aggressive Growth Fund (the “fund”), each as amended or supplemented from time to time (each, a “prospectus” and collectively, the “prospectuses”), and is incorporated by reference in its entirety into the fund’s prospectuses.

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. Certain historical information contained in the SAI for periods prior to April 16, 2007 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 by reference into this SAI. The prospectuses and copies of the annual and semi-annual reports may be obtained free of charge by contacting banks, brokers, dealers, insurance companies, investment advisers, financial consultants or advisors, mutual fund supermarkets and other financial intermediaries that have entered into an agreement with the distributor to sell shares of the fund (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”), serves as the fund’s sole and exclusive distributor.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

Investment Objective and Management Policies

   2

Disclosure of Portfolio Holdings

   12

Investment Policies

   14

Management

   19

Investment Management and Other Services

   30

Portfolio Manager Disclosure

   40

Purchase of Shares

   43

Redemption of Shares

   49

Valuation of Shares

   51

Exchange Privilege

   51

Taxes

   52

Additional Information

   58

Financial Statements

   63

Appendix A-Proxy Voting Policies and Procedures

   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.

 

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INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE AND MANAGEMENT POLICIES

The fund’s investment objective is to seek capital appreciation. The fund’s prospectuses discuss the fund’s investment objective and policies. The following discussion supplements the description of the fund’s investment policies in the prospectuses. 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 manager anticipates 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 manager believes 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

 

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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 (“CEA”), and therefore, are not subject to registration or regulation with respect to the fund under the CEA.

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 with its custodian cash, cash equivalents or liquid securities in an amount of not less than the exercise price of the

 

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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 U.S. 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 S&P 500 Index or the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) Composite Index, or a narrower index such as

 

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the S&P 100. Indices are also based on an industry or market segment such as the American Stock Exchange (“AMEX”) Oil Index or the Computer Technology Index. Options are currently traded on The Chicago Board Options Exchange, the NYSE, the AMEX 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 S&P 500 Index on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange (“CME”), the NYSE 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 Depositary 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%) 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 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 Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (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 Trustees (the “Board”) 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 companies in addition to the expenses of the fund’s own operation. These costs include management, brokerage, shareholder servicing and other operational expenses.

 

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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 a 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 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 regulatory requirements. Loans of portfolio securities by the fund will be collateralized by cash, letters of credit

 

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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.

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 subadviser, 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.

 

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DISCLOSURE OF PORTFOLIO HOLDINGS

For funds in the Legg Mason Partners family of funds, each fund’s board of trustees has adopted policies and procedures developed by LMPFA 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 funds’ distributor 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. 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. 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’s 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, 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.  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 a 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 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

 

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Mason nor any other affiliated person 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 the fund’s Board. The release of portfolio holdings other than in ongoing arrangements is subject to a written agreement which requires the recipient to keep the information confidential and to use the information only for the purpose specified in the agreement. The approval of a fund’s Chief Compliance Officer, or designee, must be obtained prior to release of the information other than in an ongoing arrangement.

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 Legg Mason’s legal department, as necessary. Exceptions to the policies are reported annually to the fund’s Board.

Currently, the funds typically disclose their complete portfolio holdings approximately 25 days after calendar quarter-end on Legg Mason’s website, http://www.leggmason.com/individualinvestors.

Set forth below is a list, as of August 31, 2007, of those parties with whom LMPFA, on behalf of the funds, has authorized ongoing arrangements that include the release of portfolio holdings information, 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 Shareholder 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

Thomson

  Semi-annually   None

Dataware

  Daily   None

ITG

  Daily   None

Portfolio holdings information for a 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

 

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Recipient

 

Frequency

 

Delay Before Dissemination

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 after Quarter End

Elkins/McSherry

  Quarterly (Calendar)   Sent 1-3 business days after Quarter End

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)

  Monthly   6-8 business days

Electra Information Systems

  Daily   None

SunGard

  Daily   None

INVESTMENT POLICIES

The fund has adopted the following fundamental investment policies for the protection of shareholders. Investment policies described in this SAI are fundamental only if they are identified as such. 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.

 

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(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 has no intention of borrowing money for leverage. 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

 

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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 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 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 the 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 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, short sales 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 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

 

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commodities. The policy in (6) above will be interpreted to permit investments in ETFs 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.

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 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.

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 NYSE or the AMEX. The acquisition of warrants attached to other securities is not subject to this restriction.

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

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

6.  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.)

The fund has adopted a non-fundamental investment policy prohibiting it from investing in other registered open-end management investment companies and registered unit investment trusts in reliance upon the

 

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provisions of subparagraphs (G) or (F) of Section 12(d)(1) of the 1940 Act. The foregoing investment policy does not restrict the fund from (i) acquiring securities of other registered investment companies in connection with a merger, consolidation, reorganization, or acquisition of assets, or (ii) purchasing the securities of registered closed-end investment companies, to the extent permissible under Section 12(d)(1)(G) of 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 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 of the Trust. 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, 620 Eighth Avenue, New York, New York 10018.

 

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

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)    48    None

Andrew L. Breech

Born 1952

  Trustee    Since 1991    President, Dealer Operating Control Service, Inc. (automotive retail management) (since 1985)    48    None

Dwight B. Crane

Born 1937

  Trustee    Since 1981    Independent Consultant (since 1969); Professor, Harvard Business School (1969 to 2007)    50    None

Robert M. Frayn, Jr.

Born 1934

  Trustee    Since 1981    Retired; formerly, President and Director, Book Publishing Co. (1970 to 2002)    48    None

Frank G. Hubbard

Born 1937

  Trustee    Since 1993    President, Avatar International Inc. (business development) (since 1998)    48    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)    48    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

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)    48    None

Jerome H. Miller

Born 1938

  Trustee    Since 1995    Retired    48    None

Ken Miller

Born 1942

  Trustee    Since 1983    Chairman, Young Stuff Apparel Group, Inc. (apparel manufacturer) (since 1963)    48    None

John J. Murphy

Born 1944

  Trustee    Since 2002    President, Murphy Capital Management (investment advice) (since 1983)    48    Director, Nicholas Applegate funds (13 funds); Trustee, Consulting Group Capital Markets Funds (11 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, Husch Blackwell Sanders LLP (law firm) (since 1984); President, The Saint Louis Brewery, Inc. (since 1989)    48    Director, Citizens National Bank of Greater St. Louis, MO (since 2006)

Jerry A. Viscione

Born 1944

  Trustee    Since 1993    Retired; formerly, Executive Vice President, Marquette University (1997 to 2002)    48    None

 

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Table of Contents

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

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 153 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)    138    Former Trustee, Consulting Group Capital Markets Funds (11 funds) (2002-2006)

 

* Each Trustee serves until his respective successor has been duly elected and qualified or until his 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


Table of Contents

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

620 Eighth Avenue

New York, NY 10018

   Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer    Since 2002    Managing Director, Legg Mason & Co.; Chairman of the Board and Trustee/Director of 153 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

620 Eighth Avenue

New York, NY 10018

   Chief Compliance Officer    Since 2006    Director of Global Compliance at Legg Mason (since 2006); Managing Director of Compliance at Legg Mason & Co. (since 2005); 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) (“CAM”) (2002 to 2005).

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


Table of Contents

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

55 Water Street

New York, NY 10041

   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, Controller of certain mutual funds associated with CAM (2002 to 2004).

Steven Frank

Born 1967

55 Water Street

New York, NY 10041

   Controller    Since 2005    Vice President of Legg Mason & Co. or its predecessors (since 2002); Controller of certain funds associated with Legg Mason & Co. (since 2005); formerly, Assistant Controller of certain mutual funds associated with Legg Mason & Co. (2001 to 2005).

 

23


Table of Contents

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

Albert Laskaj

Born 1977

55 Water Street

New York, NY 10041

   Controller    Since 2007    Vice President of Legg Mason (since 2008); Controller of certain mutual funds associated with Legg Mason (since 2007); formerly, Assistant Controller of certain mutual funds associated with Legg Mason (2005 to 2007); Accounting Manager of certain mutual funds associated with certain predecessor firms of Legg Mason (2003 to 2005).

Jeanne M. Kelly

Born 1951

620 Eighth Avenue

New York, NY 10018

   Senior Vice President    Since 2005    Managing Director, Legg Mason & Co. (since 2005); Senior Vice President of certain mutual funds associated with Legg Mason & Co. or its affiliates (since 2007); formerly, Director—Global Fund Administration, CAM (from 1996-2005).

 

* 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 Governance Committee and the Pricing Committee. The Audit Committee and the Governance 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 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 Governance Committee is responsible for, among other things, recommending candidates to fill vacancies on the Board. The Governance 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

 

24


Table of Contents

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 Governance Committee also identifies potential nominees through its network of contacts and may also engage, if it deems appropriate, a professional search firm. The Governance Committee meets to discuss and consider such candidates’ qualifications and then chooses a candidate by majority vote. The Governance 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 Governance 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 manager, 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 Governance 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.

The Trust’s Board oversees all of the equity-type funds in the fund complex. All members of the Board previously have served on boards of predecessors to the Legg Mason Partners funds. The Board met three times during the fund’s last fiscal year. The Audit and Governance Committees met twice during the fund’s last fiscal year. The Pricing Committee met four times during the fund’s last fiscal year.

 

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Table of Contents

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, 2007.

 

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

   None    Over $100,000

Howard J. Johnson

   $10,001–$50,000    $50,001–$100,000

David E. Maryatt

   None    Over $100,000

Jerome H. Miller

   $50,001–$100,000    Over $100,000

Ken Miller

   $50,001–$100,000    $50,001–$100,000

John J. Murphy

   $10,001–$50,000    Over $100,000

Thomas F. Schlafly

   None    Over $100,000

Jerry A. Viscione

   $10,001–$50,000    Over $100,000

Interested Trustee

     

R. Jay Gerken

   $10,001–$50,000    Over $100,000

As of June 12, 2008, none of the Independent Trustees or their immediate family members owned beneficially or of record any securities of the manager, subadviser or distributor of the fund, or of a person (other than a registered investment company) directly or indirectly controlling, controlled by or under common control with the manager, subadviser or distributor 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 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 Independent Trustees his 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.

 

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Table of Contents

Current Board

The current Trustees took office in April 2007. Information as to the compensation paid to Trustees by the fund for the fiscal year ended August 31, 2007 and by the fund complex for the calendar year ended December 31, 2007 is shown below.

 

Name of Trustee

  Aggregate
Compensation
from the Fund
for the Fiscal
Year Ended
August 31, 2007
  Total Pension
or Retirement
Benefits Paid
as Part of
Fund
Expenses
    Total
Compensation
from the Fund
Complex
Paid to
Trustee
for the Calendar
Year Ended
December 31, 2007
  Number of
Portfolios in
Fund
Complex
Overseen by
Trustee

Independent Trustees:

       

Paul R. Ades

  $ 39,315   $ 0     $ 183,550   47

Andrew L. Breech

  $ 22,751   $ 0     $ 162,000   47

Dwight B. Crane

  $ 41,506     (1 )   $ 746,293   49

Robert M. Frayn, Jr.

  $ 22,751   $ 0     $ 162,500   47

Frank G. Hubbard

  $ 39,315   $ 0     $ 193,950   47

Howard J. Johnson

  $ 24,270   $ 0     $ 196,250   47

David E. Maryatt

  $ 22,751   $ 0     $ 163,500   47

Jerome H. Miller

  $ 38,983   $ 0     $ 171,950   47

Ken Miller

  $ 36,618   $ 0     $ 173,450   47

John J. Murphy

  $ 22,751   $ 0     $ 158,800   47

Thomas F. Schlafly

  $ 22,751   $ 0     $ 183,000   47

Jerry A. Viscione

  $ 22,751   $ 0     $ 137,000   47

Interested Trustee:

       

R. Jay Gerken(2)

  $ 0   $ 0     $ 0   137

 

(1) Pursuant to a prior retirement plan, Mr. Crane has received (calculated on a net present value basis) an aggregate benefit from the fund complex having a net present value equal to $444,643. A portion of this aggregate benefit is included, on a pro rata basis, in the aggregate compensation paid by the fund shown above. In addition, each fund formerly overseen by Mr. Crane has paid 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.
(2) Mr. Gerken was not compensated for his services as Trustee because of his affiliation with the manager.

Prior Board

Prior to April 2007, the Directors listed below served as the Board of Directors of the fund. Information as to the compensation paid to the former Directors of the fund for the fiscal year ended August 31, 2007 is shown below.

 

Independent Directors:

   Aggregate
Compensation
from Fund
for the Fiscal
Year Ended
August 31, 2007

Paul R. Ades

   $ 20,606

Herbert Barg(1)

   $ 16,702

Dwight B. Crane

   $ 74,152

Frank G. Hubbard

   $ 20,606

Jerome Miller

   $ 20,606

Ken Miller

   $ 19,909

Interested Director:

    

R. Jay Gerken(2)

  

 

(1)

Pursuant to prior retirement plans, Mr. Barg is entitled to receive a total retirement benefit (calculated on a

 

27


Table of Contents
 

net present value basis) of $458,325. A portion of this aggregate benefit is included, on a pro rata basis, in the aggregate compensation paid by the fund shown above. In addition, each fund no longer overseen by Mr. Barg 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.

(2) Mr. Gerken was not compensated for his service as a Director because of his affiliation with the manager.

As of June 12, 2008, the Trustees and officers of the Trust, as a group, owned less than 1% of the outstanding shares of the fund.

As of June 12, 2008, 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 5% or more of the outstanding shares of the following classes of the fund:

 

Class

  

Name and Address

   Percent of
Shares
 

A

  

PFPC BROKERAGE SERVICES

MAIN OFFICE

FBO PRIMERICA FINANCIAL SERVICES

760 MOORE ROAD

KING OF PRUSSIA PA 19406

   31.47 %

A

  

CITISTREET RETIREMENT TRUST ACCOUNT

CITIGROUP INSTITUTIONAL TRUST

400 ATRIUM DR

SOMERSET NJ 08873-4172

   6.00 %

B

  

PFPC BROKERAGE SERVICES

MAIN OFFICE

FBO PRIMERICA FINANCIAL SERVICES

760 MOORE ROAD

KING OF PRUSSIA PA 19406

   46.14 %

I

  

RPS SEG FUNDS & ACCOUNTING ET-7

JOHN HANCOCK LIFE INS CO (USA)

601 CONGRESS ST

BOSTON MA 02210-2805

   15.35 %

I

  

PRUDENTIAL INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT SERVICES

FBO MUTUAL FUND CLIENTS

100 MULBERRY STREET

3 GATEWAY CENTER FL 11

MAIL STOP NJ 05-11-20

NEWARK NJ 07102

   13.13 %

I

  

LEGG MASON PARTNERS LIFESTYLE SERIES INC ALLOCATION 85%

55 WATER ST

NEW YORK NY 10041

   6.89 %

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

   6.84 %

 

28


Table of Contents

Class

  

Name and Address

   Percent of
Shares
 

I

  

STATE OF COLORADO

COLLEGE INVEST EQUITY PORTFOLIO

SCHOLARS CHOICE COLLEGE SAVING PRG

55 WATER STREET

NEW YORK NY 10041

   6.64 %

I

  

FIDELITY INVESTMENTS INSTITUTIONAL OPERATIONS CO INC

FIIOC AS AGENT FOR CERTAIN EMPLOYEE BENEFIT PLANS

100 MAGELLAN WAY (KW1C)

COVINGTON, KY 41015

   5.66 %

I

  

JP MORGAN CHASE AS TRUSTEE

FBO AURORA HEALTH CARE INCENTIVES SAVINGS PLAN

9300 WARD PKWY FLOOR 1N

KANSAS CITY MO 64114-3317

   5.52 %

I

  

CHARLES SCHWAB & CO INC

101 MONTGOMERY ST

SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94104-4122

   5.02 %

R

  

CITISTREET RETIREMENT SERVICES

CITIGROUP INSTITUTIONAL TRUST

400 ATRIUM DRIVE

SOMERSET NJ 08873

   58.92 %

R

  

AMSURG 401K PLAN AND TRUST

C/O FASCORE LLC

8515 E ORCHARD RD

GREENWOOD VILLAGE CO 80111-5002

   16.17 %

R

  

HARTFORD LIFE SEPARATE ACCOUNT

DAVID TEN BROECK TTEE

PO BOX 2999

HARTFORD, CT 06104-2999

   12.64 %

R

  

TRUSTLYNX & CO

TRUSTLYNX

PO BOX 173736

DENVER CO 80217-3736

   5.24 %

FI

  

AMERICAN EXPRESS IN SERV

FBO JPMORGAN CHASE TRUSTEE

U/A 7/1/1998

9300 WARD PKWY

KANSAS CITY MO 64114-3317

   46.37 %

FI

  

HARTFORD LIFE SEPARATE ACCOUNT

DAVID TEN BROECK TTEE

PO BOX 2999

HARTFORD, CT 06104-2999

   40.78 %

FI

  

HARTFORD SECURITIES DISTRIBUTION

PO BOX 2999

HARTFORD CT 06104

   12.85 %

 

29


Table of Contents

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 620 Eighth Avenue, New York, New York 10018, also serves as the investment manager of 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 March 31, 2008, Legg Mason’s asset management operation had aggregate assets under management of approximately $950 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 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.

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.

 

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Table of Contents

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.

For the 2005 fiscal year, the fund incurred $50,251,368 in investment advisory fees. During the 2005 fiscal year, SBFM did not waive any advisory fees. For the 2005 fiscal year, the fund paid SBFM $14,613,261 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. 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. 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 August 1, 2006 to August 31, 2006, the fund was reimbursed for the expenses in the amount of $3,809. For the fiscal year ended August 31, 2007, the fund paid LMPFA $73,835,364, net of expense waivers and/or reimbursements. For the fiscal year ended August 31, 2007, LMPFA voluntarily waived a portion of its management fees in the amount of $71,494.

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, with offices at 620 Eighth Avenue, New York, New York 10018, was 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 and as of March 31, 2008 managed approximately $86 billion.

Under the Sub-Advisory Agreement, subject to the supervision and direction of the Board and the manager, the subadviser, except for the management of cash and short-term investments that is performed by LMPFA, manages the fund’s portfolio in accordance with the fund’s stated investment objective and policies, assists in

 

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supervising all aspects of the fund’s operations, makes investment decisions for the fund, places orders to purchase and sell securities, and employs professional portfolio managers and securities analysts who provide research services to the fund.

The Sub-Advisory Agreement will continue in effect from year to year 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 pays 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 (the date the Sub-Advisory Agreement went into effect) through August 31, 2006, and for the fiscal year ended August 31, 2007, the manager paid subadvisory fees of $4,158,300 and $51,736,985, respectively, to ClearBridge.

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 issuance 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 prospectuses. 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

 

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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.

Effective January 1, 2008, the manager is permitted to recapture amounts previously voluntarily forgone or reimbursed by the manager to the fund during the same fiscal year if the fund’s total annual operating expenses have fallen to a level below the voluntary fee waiver/reimbursement (“expense cap”) shown in the fee table of the fund’s prospectus. In no case will the manager recapture any amount that would result, on any particular fund business day, in the fund’s total annual operating expenses exceeding the expense cap. The Board has been apprised of the expense cap and recapture arrangement.

Code of Ethics

Pursuant to Rule 17j-1 under the 1940 Act, the fund, the manager, the subadviser, and the distributor 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 the manager, subadviser and distributor 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.

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. If LMPFA becomes responsible for voting proxies for any reason, such as the inability of the subadviser to provide investment advisory services, LMPFA will 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 will 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 will provide 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/individualinvestors and (3) on the SEC’s website at http://www.sec.gov.

 

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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 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.

Counsel

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

Stroock & Stroock & Lavan LLP, 180 Maiden Lane, New York, New York 10038-4982, serves as counsel to the Independent Trustees.

Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

KPMG LLP, an independent registered public accounting firm, located at 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, 2008.

Distributor

LMIS, a wholly-owned broker/dealer subsidiary of Legg Mason, located at 100 Light Street, Baltimore, Maryland 21202, serves as the fund’s sole and exclusive distributor pursuant to a written agreement dated December 1, 2005 (the “distribution agreement”). For the fiscal year ended August 31, 2007 and for the period from December 1, 2005 to August 31, 2006, LMIS, Citigroup Global Markets Inc. (“CGMI”) and PFS Investments Inc. (“PFS”) served as the fund’s distributors. Prior to December 1, 2005, CGMI and PFS Distributors, Inc. (“PFS Distributors”), the predecessor in interest to PFS, served as the fund’s distributors.

The 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. The 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 or interested persons of any such party by votes cast in person at a meeting called for such purpose. The 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 by the distributor.

 

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LMIS may be deemed to be an underwriter for purposes of the 1933 Act.

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, 2005, 2006 and 2007 were as follows:

Class A Shares†

For the fiscal year ended August 31:

 

     CGMI and LMIS*    PFS

2007

   $ 2,074,985    $ 9,529,205

2006

   $ 899,295    $ 2,341,745

2005

   $ 3,091,520    $ 9,357,382
 
  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.

Contingent Deferred Sales Charges

Class A Shares

For the fiscal year ended August 31:

 

     LMIS    CGMI and LMIS    PFS

2007

   $ 13,076    $ 0    $ 2,600

2006

        $ 4,888     

2005*

        $ 17,335     
 
  * All contingent deferred sales charges paid during the 2005 fiscal year were paid to CGMI.

Class B Shares

For the fiscal year ended August 31:

 

     LMIS    CGMI and LMIS*    PFS

2007

   $ 1,339,324    $ 0    $ 1,596,708

2006

        $ 479,308    $ 373,133

2005

        $ 2,898,000    $ 1,702,000
 
  * Contingent deferred sales charges paid during the 2005 fiscal year were paid to CGMI.

Class C Shares

For the fiscal year ended August 31:

 

     LMIS    CGMI and LMIS

2007

   $ 165,338    $ 0

2006

        $ 18,582

2005*

        $ 130,000
 
  * All contingent deferred sales charges paid during the 2005 fiscal year were paid to CGMI.

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 l2b-1 under the 1940 Act with respect to its Class A, B, C, FI and R shares.

 

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Under the 12b-1 Plan, the fund pays service and distribution fees to LMIS for the services it provides and expenses it bears 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 distributor 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 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 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, B and C investors.

The 12b-1 Plan permits the fund to pay fees to the 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 distributor and others until the 12b-1 Plan or distribution agreement is terminated or not renewed. In that event, the 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 distributor 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 distributor 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. 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

 

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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, the distributor acts as an agent of the fund in connection with the offering of shares of the fund pursuant to the distribution agreement.

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.

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 8/31/07
   Fiscal Year
Ended 8/31/06
   Fiscal Year
Ended 8/31/05

Class A

   $ 11,407,805    $ 10,215,012    $ 8,269,335

Class B

   $ 22,014,490    $ 23,452,076    $ 22,245,651

Class C

   $ 19,483,294    $ 18,864,248    $ 16,933,237

Class FI

   $ 1,416      N/A      N/A

Class R

   $ 2,862      N/A      N/A

The offering of Class FI and R shares commenced on April 30, 2007 and December 28, 2006, respectively.

Distribution expenses for the fiscal year ended August 31, 2007 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

 

     Marketing
Distribution
   Printing and
Mailing
   Financial
Consultant
Expense
   Branch
Expense
   Third
Party

Service
Fees

Class A

   $ 0    $ 0    $ 0    N/A    $ 3,915,751

Class B

   $ 581,252    $ 10,468    $ 5,642,241    N/A    $ 870,059

Class C

   $ 885,912    $ 17,178    $ 2,214,932    N/A    $ 2,536,848

Class FI

   $ 0    $ 0    $ 0    N/A    $ 1,409

Class R

   $ 16,325    $ 1    $ 0    N/A    $ 3,056

CGMI

 

     Marketing
Distribution
   Printing and
Mailing
   Financial
Consultant
Expense
   Branch
Expense
   Third
Party

Service
Fees

Class A

   $ 0    $ 0    $ 1,673,170    $ 2,404,919    $ 0

Class B

   $ 0    $ 0    $ 927,664    $ 1,379,325    $ 0

Class C

   $ 0    $ 0    $ 5,303,541    $ 7,524,815    $ 0

Class FI

   $ 0    $ 0    $ 0    $ 0    $ 0

Class R

   $ 0    $ 0    $ 0    $ 0    $ 0

 

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PFS

 

     Marketing
Distribution
   Printing and
Mailing
   Financial
Consultant
Expense
   Branch
Expense
   Third
Party

Service
Fees

Class A

   $ 0    $ 0    $ 2,101,876    $ 2,196,944    $ 0

Class B

   $ 68,124    $ 0    $ 4,116,036    $ 1,061,186    $ 0

Class C

   $ 0    $ 0    $ 0    $ 0    $ 0

Class FI

   $ 0    $ 0    $ 0    $ 0    $ 0

Class R

   $ 0    $ 0    $ 0    $ 0    $ 0

Class FI and R share classes commenced on April 30, 2007 and December 28, 2006, respectively. The expenses incurred under the 12b-1 Plan for those classes during the fund’s most fiscal recent year are shown above.

Dealer reallowances are described in the prospectus for the fund’s Class A, B, C, FI, R and I shares.

Prior to December 1, 2005, the fund paid service and distribution fees directly to CGMI and PFS under separate 126-1 Plans with respect to shares sold through CGMI and PFS.

Class IS shares are not subject to any distribution and/or service fee.

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 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

 

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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, 2007, the fund paid $207,609 in commissions on brokerage transactions totaling $626,327,308 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.

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

 2005   $   487,591   $  5,000   1.03%   0.31%
 2006   $1,381,757   $  9,000   0.65%   3.06%
 2007   $   951,179   N/A   N/A   N/A

CGMI was an affiliated person of the fund through November 30, 2005, so commissions paid to CGMI are shown for those periods. 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, and for the fiscal year ended August 31, 2007, 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

 

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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 fiscal years ended August 31, 2006 and 2007 were 5% and 0%, respectively.

At August 31, 2007, the fund held the following securities issued by its regular broker/dealers:

 

Issuer

   Shares    Market Value

Goldman Sachs Group Inc.

   27,800    $ 4,893,078

Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc.

   2,174,308    $ 667,516,869

Merrill Lynch & Co., Inc.

   3,990,400    $ 294,092,480

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, 2007.

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

   5 registered investment companies with $13.69 billion in total assets under management    3 other pooled investment vehicles with $0.42 billion in assets under management    54,393 other accounts with $14.68 billion in total assets under management

Portfolio Manager Compensation

Effective April 1, 2007, ClearBridge investment professionals receive base salary, 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.

 

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ClearBridge has incentive and deferred compensation plans (the “Plans”) for its investment professionals, including the fund’s portfolio manager and research analysts. The Plans are designed to align the objectives of ClearBridge investment professionals with those of fund shareholders and other ClearBridge clients. Additionally, the deferred Plans are designed to retain its investment professionals and reward long-term performance.

Incentive Compensation.    Investment performance is the key component in determining the final incentive award for all of ClearBridge’s investment professionals. A portfolio manager’s initial incentive award is based on the investment professional’s ongoing contribution to ClearBridge’s investment and business results and externally measured competitive pay practices for the portfolio manager’s position/experience within the firm. This award is then adjusted upward or downward (up to +/-50%) based on investment performance during the most recent year over a rolling 1-, 3-, and 5-year time period. Product performance is ranked among a “peer group” of non-ClearBridge investment managers and the product’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 prospectuses to which the fund’s average annual total returns are compared).

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 (e.g. primarily Lipper or Callan).

The 1-, 3-, and 5-year performance versus benchmark and peer group approximate effective weightings are 35% for trailing 1-year performance, 50% for trailing 3-year performance, and 15% for trailing 5-year performance.

Lastly, the incentive award for an investment professional may also be adjusted by the ClearBridge Chief Investment Officer(s) based on other qualitative factors such as contribution to the firm and the development of investment staff.

For ClearBridge’s centralized research professionals, there is an incentive compensation plan based on annual performance on a combined scorecard containing a portfolio manager questionnaire survey and stock picking performance. The analyst’s stock picks are tracked on a formal basis through Factset and make up a portion of the analysts overall scorecard performance. These stock picks are measured versus their respective sector indices.

Deferred Award.    Up to 20% of an investment professional’s annual incentive compensation is subject to deferral. For portfolio managers, 25% of this deferral is invested in their primary managed product while another 25% is invested in an elected proprietary ClearBridge sub-advised fund. Therefore, portfolio managers may potentially have 50% of their deferred award amount tracking the performance of their primary managed product. The portfolio manager selects his primary product for the elective component. Legg Mason then makes a company investment in the Legg Mason Partners funds equal to the deferral amounts by fund. This investment is a company asset held on the Legg Mason balance sheet and paid out to the employees upon vesting over a four year deferral period. The remaining 50% of the deferral is received in the form of Legg Mason restricted stock shares.

For centralized research analysts, 50% of this deferral tracks the performance of up to two elected proprietary funds. Legg Mason then makes an investment at the company level into each of the funds in the deferral program based on the aggregate dollars deferred by each individual in that plan year (similar to the above description). 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 fund’s portfolio manager.

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 each 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 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 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

 

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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 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 as of August 31, 2007.

 

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, I or IS 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 prospectuses.

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) 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.

The fund no longer issues share certificates. If you currently hold share certificates of the fund, the certificates will continue to be honored.

Purchase orders received by the fund 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. Payment must be made with the purchase order.

 

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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, the distributor or the transfer agent is authorized through preauthorized transfers of at least $50 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 the distributor or the transfer agent. 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 (“NAV”) plus an initial sales charge, as described in the prospectus for Class A, B, C, FI, R and I shares.

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, I and IS Shares.    Class FI, R, I and IS 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) 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 distributor 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);

 

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(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”);

(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 broker/dealers and other financial institutions that have entered into agreements with 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 prospectus for Class A, B, C, FI, R and I shares for information regarding accumulation privileges.

Letter of Intent—The 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

 

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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 the transfer agent, contact the transfer 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 the fund’s prospectus for Class A, B, C, FI, R and I shares 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 the transfer agent, by notifying the transfer 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 of your Letter (or the date of any increase in the amount of the Letter) is accepted, will be held in escrow during the

 

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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 the transfer agent, the transfer agent, 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

The “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

 

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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 distributor receives contingent deferred sales charges in partial consideration for its 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 the 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 the distributor or the manager.

The contingent deferred sales charge is waived on 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 the distributor or the transfer agent of the shareholder’s status or holdings, as the case may be.

Grandfathered Retirement Program with Exchange Features

Certain retirement plan programs authorized 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 an applicable Legg Mason Partners 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

 

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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.

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, Class I and Class IS share 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, 2007.

 

Class A (based on a net asset value of $115.36 and a maximum initial sales charge of 5.75%)

     $ 122.40

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.

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 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.

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 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 prospectuses. 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 Day 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 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 prospectuses 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 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, FI, R, I and IS Exchanges.    Class A, FI, R, I and IS 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 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.

 

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Certain shareholders may be able to exchange shares by telephone. See the prospectuses 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 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.

 

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On August 31, 2007, the unused capital loss carryforward of the fund was approximately $(5,451,889). For federal income tax purposes, this amount is 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 fund had the following net capital loss carryforward remaining:

 

Year of Expiration

   Amount  

8/31/2009

   $ (2,098,915 )

8/31/2011

     (1,117,565 )

8/31/2014

     (84,758 )

8/31/2015

     (2,150,651 )
        
   $ (5,451,889 )
        

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 (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

 

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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 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.    If the fund is held through a qualified retirement plan entitled to tax exempt treatment for federal income tax purposes, distributions will generally not be taxable currently. Special tax rules apply to such retirement plans. You should consult your tax advisor regarding the tax treatment of distributions (which may include amounts attributable to fund distributions) which may be taxable when distributed from the retirement plan.

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

 

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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 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

 

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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). Certain types of income received by the fund from REITs, real estate mortgage investment conduits, 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 by otherwise allowable deductions 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. If a charitable remainder annuity trust or charitable remainder unitrust (each as defined in Code Section 664) has UBTI for a tax year, a 100% excise tax on the UBTI is imposed on the trust.

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 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.

 

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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, U.S. 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.

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 of real property gain received by the fund from a real estate investment trust (“REIT”) and if 50% or more of the value of the fund’s assets are invested in REITs and other U.S. real property holding corporations. Restrictions apply regarding wash sales and substitute payment transactions.

Shares of the fund held by a non-U.S. shareholder at death will be considered situated in the United States and subject to the U.S. estate tax.

 

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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 April 16, 2007, 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 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

 

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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 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

 

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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 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, a former distributor of the fund and other affiliated funds (collectively, the “Funds”), SBFM and Salomon Brothers Asset Management Inc (“SBAM”), 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, a former distributor of the fund, 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 CAM, SBAM and SBFM 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.

On December 3, 2007, the court granted the Defendants’ motion to dismiss, with prejudice. On January 2, 2008, the plaintiffs filed a notice of appeal to the Second Circuit Court of Appeals.

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, a former distributor of the fund, 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

 

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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.

The five actions were subsequently consolidated, and a consolidated complaint was filed.

 

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On September 26, 2007, the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York issued an order dismissing the consolidated complaint and judgment was later entered. An appeal has been filed and is pending before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit.

***

On September 16, 2005 the staff of the SEC informed SBFM and SBAM that the staff was considering recommending administrative proceedings against SBFM and SBAM for alleged violations of Section 19(a) and 34(b) of the 1940 Act (and related Rule 19a-1). On September 27, 2007, SBFM and SBAM, without admitting or denying any findings therein, consented to the entry of an order by the SEC relating to the disclosure by certain closed-end funds previously managed by SBFM or SBAM of the sources of distributions paid by the funds between 2001 and 2004. Each of SBFM and SBAM agreed to pay a fine of $450,000, for which it was indemnified by Citigroup, its former parent. It is not expected that this matter will adversely impact the fund or the manager.

***

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 and the fund’s predecessor (Statement of Assets and Liabilities as of August 31, 2007, Schedule of Investments as of August 31, 2007, Statement of Operations for the year ended August 31, 2007, Statements of Changes in Net Assets for each of the years in the two-year period ended August 31, 2007, Financial Highlights for each of the years in the five-year period ended August 31, 2007, 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 November 7, 2007; Accession Number 0001193125-07-238627).

The unaudited financial statements of the fund and the fund’s predecessor (Statement of Assets and Liabilities as of February 29, 2008, Schedule of Investments as of February 29, 2008, Statement of Operations for the six months ended February 29, 2008, Statements of Changes in Net Assets for the six months ended February 29, 2008 and the year ended August 31, 2007, Financial Highlights for the six months ended February 29, 2008 and for each of the years in the five-year period ended August 31, 2007, and Notes to Financial Statements, each of which is included in the Semi-Annual Report to Shareholders of the fund), are incorporated by reference into this Statement of Additional Information (filed on May 1, 2008; Accession Number 0001193125-08-099050).

 

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APPENDIX A

ClearBridge Proxy Voting Policies and Procedures Summary as of April 14, 2008.

ClearBridge is subject to the Proxy Voting Policies and Procedures that it has adopted to seek to ensure that it votes proxies relating to equity securities in the best interest of client accounts. The following is a brief overview of the policies.

ClearBridge votes proxies for each client account with respect to which it has been authorized or is required by law 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 the beneficial owners of the accounts it manages. 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, such recommendations do not relieve ClearBridge of its 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 considers those factors and votes on a case-by-case basis in accordance with the general principles set forth above. 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 restructuring, 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. There may be occasions when different investment teams vote differently on the same issue. An investment team (e.g., ClearBridge SAI investment team) may adopt proxy voting policies that supplement ClearBridge’s Proxy Voting 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 non-ClearBridge relationships between a Legg Mason affiliate and an issuer do not present a conflict of interest for ClearBridge in voting proxies with respect to such issuer. Such position is based on the

 

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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 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 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 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 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 Committee that a conflict of interest is material, the Proxy 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.

You may request:

 

  (i) a copy of ClearBridge’s Proxy Voting Policies and Procedures; and/or

 

  (ii) information concerning how ClearBridge voted proxies with respect to the securities held in your account.

Such request may be made by sending a written request to:

ClearBridge Advisors, LLC

620 8th Avenue

New York, NY 10018

Attention: Client Services

 

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January 28, 2008, as revised July 9, 2008

STATEMENT OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

LEGG MASON PARTNERS EQUITY TRUST

LEGG MASON PARTNERS FUNDAMENTAL VALUE FUND

55 Water Street

New York, New York 10041

800-451-2010

This Statement of Additional Information (“SAI”) is not a prospectus and is meant to be read in conjunction with the prospectus for Class A, B, C, FI, R and I shares dated January 28, 2008 and the prospectus for Class IS shares dated July 9, 2008 of Legg Mason Partners Fundamental Value Fund (the “fund”), each as amended or supplemented from time to time (each, a “prospectus” and collectively, the “prospectuses”), and is incorporated by reference in its entirety into the prospectuses.

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, and is a series of Legg Mason Partners Equity Trust (the “Trust”), a Maryland business trust. Certain historical information contained in this SAI for periods prior to April 16, 2007 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 by reference into this SAI. The prospectuses and copies of the annual and semi-annual reports may be obtained free of charge by contacting banks, brokers, dealers, insurance companies, investment advisers, financial consultants or advisors, mutual fund supermarkets and other financial intermediaries that have entered into an agreement with the fund’s distributor (each 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”), serves as the fund’s sole and exclusive distributor.

 

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

Investment Objective and Management Policies

   3

Investment Policies

   16

Management

   20

Portfolio Manager Disclosure

   33

Distribution

   38

Purchase of Shares

   42

Redemption of Shares

   48

Valuation of Shares

   49

Exchange Privilege

   49

Taxes

   50

Additional Information

   57

Financial Statements

   62

Appendix A—Proxy Voting Guidelines and Procedures

   A-1

 

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INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE AND MANAGEMENT POLICIES

The prospectuses discuss 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.

 

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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.

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 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 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

 

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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 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.

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 prospectuses, 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

 

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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, 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 or liquid assets.

The use of forward currency contracts, options and futures involves 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; the lack of assurance that a liquid market will exist for any particular option, futures contract or options thereon at any particular time; and the 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 the manager or 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 stock 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.

 

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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

For funds in the Legg Mason Partners family of funds, each fund’s Board of Trustees (the “Board”) has adopted policies and procedures developed by LMPFA 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, LMIS or its 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.

 

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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. 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. 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’s 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, 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 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 person 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 release of portfolio holdings other than in ongoing arrangements is subject to a written agreement which requires the recipient to keep the information confidential and to use the information only for the purpose specified in the agreement. The approval of the fund’s Chief Compliance Officer, or designee, must be obtained prior to the release of the information other than in an ongoing arrangement.

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 annually to the fund’s Board.

 

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Currently, the fund typically discloses its complete portfolio holdings approximately 25 days after calendar quarter-end on Legg Mason’s website, http://www.leggmason.com/individualinvestors.

Set forth below is a list, as of August 31, 2007, of those parties with whom LMPFA, on behalf of the fund, has authorized ongoing arrangements that include the release of portfolio holdings information, 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 Shareholder 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

Thomson

   Semi-annually    None

Dataware

   Daily    None

ITG

   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

 

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Table of Contents

Recipient

  

Frequency

  

Delay before dissemination

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)

   Monthly    6-8 business days

Electra Information Systems

   Daily    None

SunGard

   Daily    None

 

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Table of Contents

INVESTMENT POLICIES

The fund has adopted the following fundamental investment policies 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.

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

 

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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 has no intention of borrowing money for leverage. 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 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

 

17


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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 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.

 

18


Table of Contents

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.

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 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 prospectuses and SAI.

The fund has adopted a non-fundamental investment policy prohibiting it from investing in other registered open-end management investment companies and registered unit investment trusts in reliance upon the provisions of subparagraphs (G) or (F) of Section 12(d)(1) of the 1940 Act. The foregoing investment policy does not restrict the fund from (i) acquiring securities of other registered investment companies in connection with a merger, consolidation, reorganization, or acquisition of assets, or (ii) purchasing the securities of registered closed-end investment companies, to the extent permissible under Section 12(d)(1)(G) of 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 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.

 

19


Table of Contents

MANAGEMENT

The business affairs of the fund are managed by or under the direction of the Board of the Trust. 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 who are not “interested persons” of the Trust 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, 620 Eighth Avenue, New York, New York 10018.

 

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
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)    48    None

Andrew L. Breech

Born 1952

   Trustee    Since 1991    President, Dealer Operating Control Service, Inc. (automotive retail management) (since 1985)    48    None

Dwight B. Crane

Born 1937

   Trustee    Since 1981    Independent Consultant (since 1969); formerly, Professor, Harvard Business School (1969 to 2007)    50    None

Robert M. Frayn, Jr.

Born 1934

   Trustee    Since 1981    Retired; formerly, President and Director, Book Publishing Co. (1970 to 2002)    48    None

Frank G. Hubbard

Born 1937

   Trustee    Since 1993    President, Avatar International Inc. (business development) (since 1998)    48    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)    48    None

 

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Table of Contents

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
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)    48    None

Jerome H. Miller

Born 1938

   Trustee    Since 1995    Retired    48    None

Ken Miller

Born 1942

   Trustee    Since 1983    Chairman, Young Stuff Apparel Group, Inc. (apparel manufacturer) (since 1963)    48    None

John J. Murphy

Born 1944

   Trustee    Since 2002    President, Murphy Capital Management (investment advice) (since 1983)    48    Director, Nicholas Applegate funds (13 funds); Trustee, Consulting Group Capital Markets Funds (11 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, Husch Blackwell Sanders LLP (law firm) (since 1984); President, The Saint Louis Brewery, Inc. (since 1989)    48    Director, Citizens National Bank of Greater St. Louis Maplewood, MO (since 2006)

Jerry A. Viscione

Born 1944

   Trustee    Since 1993    Retired; formerly, Executive Vice President, Marquette University (1997 to 2002)    48    None

 

21


Table of Contents

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
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 153 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)    138    Former Trustee, Consulting Group Capital Markets Funds (11 funds) (2002-2006)

 

* Each Trustee serves until his respective successor has been duly elected and qualified or until his 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.

 

22


Table of Contents

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

620 Eighth Avenue

New York, NY 10018

   Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer    Since 2002    Managing Director of Legg Mason & Co.; Chairman of the Board and Trustee/Director of 153 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 of SBFM and CFM (2002 to 2005); formerly, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of Travelers Investment Adviser Inc. (2002 to 2005)

Ted P. Becker

Born 1951

620 Eighth Avenue

New York, NY 10018

   Chief Compliance Officer    Since 2006    Director of Global Compliance at Legg Mason (since 2006); Managing Director of Compliance at Legg Mason & Co (since 2005); 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).

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); Chief Anti-Money Laundering Compliance Officer of TD Waterhouse (prior to 2004).

 

23


Table of Contents

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); formerly, 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

55 Water Street

New York, NY 10041

   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); formerly, Controller of certain mutual funds associated with CAM (2002 to 2004).

Steven Frank

Born 1967

55 Water Street

New York, NY 10041

   Controller    Since 2005    Vice President of Legg Mason & Co. or its predecessors (since 2002); Controller of certain funds associated with Legg Mason & Co. (since 2005); formerly, Assistant Controller of certain mutual funds associated with Legg Mason & Co. (2001 to 2005)

Albert Laskaj

Born 1977

55 Water Street

New York, NY 10041

   Controller    Since 2007    Vice President of Legg Mason (since 2008); Controller of certain funds associated with Legg Mason & Co. (since 2007); formerly, Assistant Controller of certain mutual funds associated with Legg Mason & Co. (2005 to 2007); formerly, accounting manager of certain mutual funds associated with certain predecessor firms of Legg Mason & Co. (2003 to 2005).

 

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Table of Contents

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

Jeanne M. Kelly

620 Eighth Avenue

New York, NY 10018

Born 1951

   Senior Vice President    Since 2005    Managing Director, Legg Mason & Co. (since 2005); Senior Vice President of certain mutual funds associated with Legg Mason & Co. or its affiliates (since 2007); formerly, Director—Global Fund Administration, CAM (from 1996 - 2005).

 

* 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 Governance Committee and the Pricing Committee. The Audit Committee and the Governance 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 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 Governance Committee is responsible for, among other things, recommending candidates to fill vacancies on the Board. The Governance 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 Governance Committee also identifies potential nominees through its network of contacts and may also engage, if it deems appropriate, a professional search firm. The Governance Committee meets to discuss and consider such candidates’ qualifications and then chooses a candidate by majority vote. The Governance 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 Governance 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;

 

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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 manager, 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 Governance 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.

The Trust’s Board oversees all of the equity-type funds in the fund complex. All members of the Board previously have served on Boards of predecessors to the Legg Mason Partners funds. The Board met three times during the fund’s last fiscal year. The Audit, Governance and Pricing Committees met twice, twice, and five times, respectively, 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, 2007.

 

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

   $1 - $10,000    Over $100,000

Howard J. Johnson

   None    $50,001 - $100,000

David E. Maryatt

   Over $100,000    Over $100,000

Jerome H. Miller

   None    Over $100,000

Ken Miller

   None    $50,001 - $100,000

John J. Murphy

   None    Over $100,000

Thomas F. Schlafly

   None    Over $100,000

Jerry A. Viscione

   $10,001 - $50,000    Over $100,000

Interested Trustee

     

R. Jay Gerken

   None    Over $100,000

As of June 12, 2008, none of the Independent Trustees or their immediate family members owned beneficially or of record any securities of the manager, subadviser or distributor of the fund, or of a person (other than a registered investment company) directly or indirectly controlling, controlled by or under common control with the manager, subadviser or distributor of the fund.

Information regarding compensation paid by the fund to its 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.

 

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The fund pays a pro rata share of the Trustee fees based upon asset size. The fund currently pays each of the Independent Trustees his 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.

Current Board

The current Trustees took office in April 2007. Information as to the compensation paid to the Trustees by the fund complex for the calendar year ended December 31, 2007 and by the fund for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2007 is shown below.

 

Name of Trustee

   Aggregate
Compensation
from the Fund
for the Fiscal
Year Ended
September 30,
2007
   Total Pension or
Retirement
Benefits Paid
as Part of Fund
Expenses
    Total
Compensation
from Fund
Complex Paid
to Trustee for
the Calendar
Year Ended
December 31,
2007
   Number of
Portfolios in
Fund
Complex
Overseen by
Trustee

Independent Trustees

          

Paul R. Ades

   $ 12,775    $ 0       $183,550    47

Andrew L. Breech

   $ 12,237    $ 0       $162,000    47

Dwight B. Crane

   $ 14,006      (2 )     $746,293    49

Robert M. Frayn, Jr.

   $ 12,864    $ 0       $162,500    47

Frank G. Hubbard

   $ 12,237    $ 0       $193,950    47

Howard J. Johnson

   $ 25,833    $ 0       $196,250    47

David E. Maryatt

   $ 18,737    $ 0       $163,500    47

Jerome H. Miller

   $ 12,090    $ 0       $171,950    47

Ken Miller

   $ 12,237    $ 0       $173,450    47

John J. Murphy

   $ 12,237    $ 0       $185,800    47

Thomas F. Schlafly

   $ 12,237    $ 0       $183,000    47

Jerry A. Viscione

   $ 24,237    $ 0       $165,500    47

Interested Trustee

          

R. Jay Gerken(1)

   $ 0    $ 0     $ 0    137

 

(1) Mr. Gerken was not compensated for his services as a Trustee because of his affiliation with the manager.
(2) Pursuant to a prior retirement plan, Mr. Crane has received in a lump sum (calculated on a net present value basis) an aggregate benefit from the fund complex having a net present value equal to $444,643. A portion of this benefit payment is included, on a pro rata basis, in the aggregate compensation paid by the fund shown above. In addition, each fund formerly overseen by Mr. Crane paid a pro rata share (based on net 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.

Prior Board

Prior to April 2007, the Directors listed below served as the Board of Directors of the fund. For the fiscal year ended September 30, 2007, the former Directors of the fund were paid by the fund compensation listed below for their service as a Director.

 

Name of Independent Director

   Aggregate
Compensation from
Fund for the Fiscal
Year Ended
September 30,

2007
 

Lloyd J. Andrews

   $ 49,989 (2)

Robert M. Frayn, Jr.

   $ 12,864  

Leon P. Gardner

   $ 116,834 (3)

Howard J. Johnson

   $ 25,833  

 

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Name of Independent Director

   Aggregate
Compensation
from Fund for
the Fiscal
Year Ended
September 30,
2007

David E. Maryatt

   $ 18,737

Jerry A. Viscione

   $ 24,237

Name of Interested Director

    

R. Jay Gerken(1)

   $ 0

 

(1)

Mr. Gerken was not compensated for his service as a Director because of his affiliation with the manager.

(2) Pursuant to a prior retirement plan, Mr. Andrews has received a total retirement benefit having a net present value equal to $44,823. A portion of this benefit that has been paid is included, on a pro rata basis, in the aggregate compensation paid by the fund shown above. In addition, each fund formerly overseen by Mr. Andrews paid a pro rata share (based on net asset size) of the aggregate benefit to Mr. Andrews. Legg Mason or its affiliates have agreed to reimburse these funds an amount equal to 50% of the benefits paid to Mr. Andrews.
(3) Pursuant to a prior retirement plan, Mr. Gardner has received a total retirement benefit having a net present value equal to $103,500. A portion of this benefit that has been paid is included, on a pro rata basis, in the aggregate compensation paid by the fund shown above. In addition, each fund formerly overseen by Mr. Gardner paid a pro rata share (based on net asset size) of the aggregate benefit to Mr. Gardner. Legg Mason or its affiliates have agreed to reimburse these funds an amount equal to 50% of the benefits paid to Mr. Gardner.

As of June 12, 2008, the Trustees and Officers of the Trust as a group owned less than 1% of the outstanding common stock of the fund.

As of June 12, 2008, 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 5% or more of the outstanding shares of the following classes of the fund:

 

Name

   Class    Percentage of Shares

PFPC BROKERAGE SERVICES

MAIN OFFICE

FBO PRIMERICA FINANCIAL SERVICES

760 MOORE ROAD

KING OF PRUSSIA PA 19406

   A    42.21%

PFPC BROKERAGE SERVICES

MAIN OFFICE

FBO PRIMERICA FINANCIAL SERVICES

760 MOORE ROAD

KING OF PRUSSIA PA 19406

   B    55.84%

LEGG MASON PARTNERS LIFESTYLE

SERIES INC ALLOCATION 70%

55 WATER ST

NEW YORK NY 10041

   I    43.82%

LEGG MASON PARTNERS LIFESTYLE

SERIES INC ALLOCATION 50%

55 WATER ST

NEW YORK NY 10041

   I    18.45%

 

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Name

   Class    Percentage of Shares

LEGG MASON PARTNERS VARIABLE

LIFESTYLE ALLOCATION 50%

55 WATER STREET

NEW YORK NY 10041

   I    10.50%

LEGG MASON PARTNERS VARIABLE

LIFESTYLE ALLOCATION 70%

55 WATER STREET

NEW YORK NY 1041

   I    8.19%

CITI GLOBAL IMPACT

FUNDING TRUST, INC.

BALANCED POOL

ATTN: GLENN KURLANDER

787 SEVENTH AVENUE, 13TH FL

NEW YORK NY 10019-6018

   I    5.91%

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 620 Eighth Avenue, New York, New York 10018, also serves as the investment manager of 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 March 31, 2008, Legg Mason’s asset management operation had aggregate assets under management of approximately $950 billion. LMPFA provides administrative and certain oversight services to the fund and manages the cash and short-term instruments 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 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.

 

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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, Smith Barney Fund Management (“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.

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, 2007, 2006 and 2005, the fund incurred $29,702,848, $27,427,042 and $22,213,082, respectively, in investment management fees. For the fiscal years ended September 30, 2007, 2006 and 2005, the manager waived $52,603, $352,919 and $1,136,925, respectively, in investment management 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 and 2005, the fund incurred $1,223,784 and $7,593,605, 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 issuance 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

 

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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, 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 prospectuses. 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.

Effective January 1, 2008, the manager is permitted to recapture amounts previously voluntarily forgone or reimbursed by the manager to the fund during the same fiscal year if the fund’s total annual operating expenses have fallen to a level below the voluntary fee waiver/reimbursement (“expense cap”) shown in the fee table of the fund’s prospectus. In no case will the manager recapture any amount that would result, on any particular fund business day, in the fund’s total annual operating expenses exceeding the expense cap. The Board has been apprised of the expense cap and recapture arrangement.

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 has offices at 620 Eighth Avenue, New York, New York 10018. 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 instruments 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 will continue in effect from year to year 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

 

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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 pays the subadviser a fee equal to 70% of the management fee paid to LMPFA, net of expense waivers and reimbursements. For the fiscal year ended September 30, 2007 and the period from August 1, 2006 through September 30, 2006, the manager paid the subadviser subadvisory fees of $20,791,993 and $3,296,179, respectively.

Code of Ethics

Pursuant to Rule 17j-1 under the 1940 Act, the fund, the manager, the subadviser and the distributor 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. Copies of the codes of ethics of the fund, the manager, the subadviser and the distributor 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.

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/individualinvestors and (3) on the SEC’s website at http://www.sec.gov.

Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

KPMG LLP, an independent registered public accounting firm, located at 345 Park Avenue, New York, New York 10145, has been selected to audit and report upon the fund’s financial statements and financial highlights for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2008.

 

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Counsel

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

Stroock & Stroock & Lavan LLP, 180 Maiden Lane, New York, New York 10038, serves as counsel to the Independent Trustees.

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 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.

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 September 30, 2007.

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.

 

Portfolio
Manager(s)

 

Registered Investment
Companies

 

Other Pooled Investment
Vehicles

 

Other Accounts

John G. Goode   9 other registered investment companies with approximately $6.79 billion in total assets under management   4 other pooled investment vehicles with approximately $0.42 billion in total assets under management   46,694 other accounts with approximately $12.31 billion in total assets under management

 

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Portfolio
Manager(s)

 

Registered Investment
Companies

 

Other Pooled Investment
Vehicles

 

Other Accounts

Peter J. Hable   11 other registered investment companies with approximately $8.76 billion in total assets under management   4 other pooled investment vehicles with approximately $0.42 billion in total assets under management. 1 pooled investment vehicle with assets of approximately $0.01 billion has an advisory fee based on performance   46,694 other accounts with approximately $12.31 billion in total assets under management

Investment Professional Compensation

Effective April 1, 2007, ClearBridge investment professionals receive base salary, 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 incentive and deferred compensation plans (the “Plans”) for its investment professionals, including the fund’s portfolio manager(s) and research analysts. The Plans are designed to align the objectives of ClearBridge investment professionals with those of fund shareholders and other ClearBridge clients. Additionally, the deferred plans are designed to retain its investment professionals and reward long-term performance.

Incentive Compensation. Investment performance is the key component in determining the final incentive award for all of ClearBridge’s investment professionals. The portfolio manager’s initial incentive award is based on the investment professional’s ongoing contribution to ClearBridge’s investment and business results and externally measured competitive pay practices for the portfolio manager’s position/experience within the firm. This award is then adjusted upward or downward (up to +/-50%) based on investment performance during the most recent year over a rolling 1, 3, and 5 year time period. Product performance is ranked among a “peer group” of non-ClearBridge investment managers and the product’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 prospectuses to which the fund’s average annual total returns are compared).

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 (e.g. primarily Lipper or Callan).

The 1, 3, and 5 year performance versus benchmark and peer group approximate effective weightings are 35% for trailing 1 year performance, 50% for trailing 3 year performance, and 15% for trailing 5 year performance.

Lastly, the incentive award for an investment professional may also be adjusted by the ClearBridge Chief Investment Officer(s) based on other qualitative factors such as contribution to the firm and the development of investment staff.

For ClearBridge’s centralized research professionals, there is an incentive compensation plan based on annual performance on a combined scorecard containing a portfolio manager questionnaire survey and stock picking performance. The analyst’s stock picks are tracked on a formal basis through Factset and make up a portion of the analysts overall scorecard performance. These stock picks are measured versus their respective sector indices.

 

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Deferred Award. Up to 20% of an investment professional’s annual incentive compensation is subject to deferral. For the portfolio manager, 25% of this deferral is invested in his primary managed product while another 25% is invested in an elected proprietary ClearBridge sub-advised fund. Therefore, the portfolio manager may potentially have 50% of their deferred award amount tracking the performance of their primary managed product. The portfolio manager selects his primary product for the elective component. Legg Mason then makes a company investment in the Legg Mason Partners funds equal to the deferral amounts by fund. This investment is a company asset held on the Legg Mason balance sheet and paid out to the employees upon vesting over a four year deferral period. The remaining 50% of the deferral is received in the form of Legg Mason restricted stock shares.

For centralized research analysts, 50% of this deferral tracks the performance of up to two elected proprietary funds. Legg Mason then makes an investment at the company level into each of the funds in the deferral program based on the aggregate dollars deferred by each individual in that plan year (similar to the above description). 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 the fund’s portfolio managers.

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 each 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

 

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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 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 account 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 managers as of September 30, 2007.

 

Portfolio Manager(s)

   Dollar Range of
Ownership of Securities

John G. Goode

   $ 50,001-$100,000

Peter J. Hable

     None

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

 

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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 September 30, 2007, 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

$1,527,308,084   $203,757

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.

Aggregate Brokerage Commissions Paid

For the fiscal years ended September 30, 2005, 2006 and 2007, the fund paid aggregate brokerage commissions as set out below. This table also shows aggregate brokerage commissions paid to Citigroup Global Markets Inc. (“CGMI”), a former distributor and an affiliated person of the fund prior to December 1, 2005.

 

     Aggregate Broker
Commissions Paid
   Amount of Brokerage
Commissions Paid
by the fund to CGMI and its
Affiliates

Year Ended September 30, 2005

   $6,153,433    $112,512

Year Ended September 30, 2006

   $3,568,438    $  49,369

Year Ended September 30, 2007

   $1,868,772    N/A

 

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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 and for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2007, 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 the 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 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, 2006 and 2007, the portfolio turnover rates were 19% and 17%, 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, 2007, the fund held the following securities issued by its regular broker-dealers:

 

Issuer

   Market Value
of
Shares

JPMorgan Chase & Co.

   $ 114,907,396

Bank of America Corp.

   $ 114,414,319

Merrill Lynch & Co. Inc.

   $ 88,144,848

DISTRIBUTION

Distributor

LMIS, a wholly-owned broker-dealer subsidiary of Legg Mason, located at 100 Light Street, Baltimore, Maryland 21202 serves as the fund’s sole and exclusive distributor pursuant to a written agreement dated December 1, 2005 (the “distribution agreement”). For the fiscal year ended September 30, 2007 and for the period from December 1, 2005 to September 30, 2006, LMIS, CGMI and PFS Investments Inc. (“PFS”) served as

 

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the fund’s distributors. 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 may be deemed to be an underwriter for purposes of the 1933 Act. The 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.

The 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 or interested persons of any such party by votes case in person at a meeting called for such purpose. The 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.

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     PFS

2007

   $ 369,675     $ 6,546,228

2006

   $ 434,068     $ 6,110,784

2005

   $ 669,947 (2)   $ 6,312,354

 

(1)

As of November 20, 2006, the initial sales charge on Class A shares increased.

(2)

All initial sales charges paid during the fiscal year ended 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     PFS

2007

   $ 1,927     $ 2,497

2006

   $ 5,296     $ 4,031

2005

   $ 9,148 (1)   $ 4,673

 

(1)

All contingent deferred sales charges paid during the fiscal year ended 2005 were paid to CGMI.

Class B Shares

 

For the fiscal year ended September 30

   CGMI and LMIS     PFS

2007

   $ 419,411     $ 941,997

2006

   $ 915,009     $ 1,057,144

2005

   $ 1,711,426 (1)   $ 1,218,429

 

(1)

All contingent deferred sales charges paid during the fiscal year ended 2005 were paid to CGMI.

 

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Class C Shares

 

For the fiscal year ended September 30

   CGMI and LMIS     PFS

2007

   $ 20,429     $ 0

2006

   $ 28,556     $ 0

2005

   $ 55,817 (1)   $ 0

 

(1)

All contingent deferred sales charges paid during the fiscal year ended 2005 were paid to CGMI.

Shareholder 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, Class C, Class FI and Class R shares. Under the 12b-1 Plan, the fund pays service and distribution fees to LMIS for the services it provides and expenses it bears with respect to the distribution of Class A, Class B, Class C, Class FI and Class R shares and providing services to Class A, Class B, Class C, Class FI and Class R shareholders. The distributor 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, Class C, Class FI and Class R shares. The fund pays distribution fees with respect to Class R shares at the annual rate of 0.25% of the fund’s average daily net assets. 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 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 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, Class C, Class FI and Class R investors.

The 12b-1 Plan permits the fund to pay fees to the 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 distributor and others until the 12b-1 Plan or distribution agreement is terminated or not renewed. In that event, the 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 distributor 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.

 

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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 Qualified 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 fund and the distributor 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. 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, the distributor acts as an agent of the fund in connection with the offering of shares of the fund pursuant to the distribution agreement.

Prior to December 1, 2007, 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.

No service or distribution fee information is presented for Class FI or Class R shares because no Class FI or Class R shares were outstanding during the 2007 fiscal year. Class IS shares are not subject to any distribution and/or service fees.

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, 2007, 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    $ 0    $ 1,604,496    $ 1,119,885    $ 2,724,381

Class B

   $ 0    $ 0    $ 0    $ 619,880    $ 415,717    $ 1,035,597

Class C

   $ 0    $ 0    $ 0    $ 3,229,072    $ 2,265,880    $ 5,494,952

For the fiscal year ended September 30, 2007, 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

   $ 0    $ 0    $ 947,916    $ 0    $ 0    $ 947,916

Class B

   $ 275,649    $ 6,986    $ 346,607    $ 0    $ 2,323,073    $ 2,952,315

Class C

   $ 235,604    $ 5,975    $ 921,973    $ 0    $ 663,735    $ 1,827,287

 

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For the fiscal year ended September 30, 2007, 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    $ 6    $ 1,658,835    $ 1,598,475    $ 3,257,310

Class B

   $ 79,463    $ 0    $ 0    $ 668,432    $ 2,783,742    $ 3,531,637

Class C

   $ 0    $ 0    $ 6    $ 0    $ 0    $ 0

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, I or IS 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 prospectuses.

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. 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, the distributor or the transfer agent is authorized through preauthorized transfers of at least $50 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 the distributor or the transfer agent. The Systematic Investment Plan also authorizes the distributor to apply cash held in the shareholder’s brokerage account to make additions to the account. Additional information is available from the fund or a Service Agent.

 

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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 prospectus for Class A, B, C, FI, R and I shares.

Members of the selling group may receive a portion of the sales charge as described in the prospectus for Class A, B, C, FI, R and I shares 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” below.

Class FI, R, I and IS Shares. Class FI, R, I and IS 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 distributor 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”);

 

  (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 broker/dealers and other financial institutions that have entered into agreements with 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 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 prospectus for Class A, B, C, FI, R and I shares 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

 

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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 the transfer agent, contact the transfer 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 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 prospectus for Class A, B, C, FI, R and I shares 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 the transfer agent, by notifying the transfer 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 Service Agent, or if you purchase your shares directly through the transfer agent, the transfer agent, 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.

 

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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 for Class A, B, C, FI, R and I shares. 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 distributor receives contingent deferred sales charges in partial consideration for its 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% per month of the shareholder’s account balance at the time the withdrawals commence, 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 the 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 the distributor or the manager.

The contingent deferred sales charge is waived on Class C shares purchased by retirement plan omnibus accounts held on the books of the fund.

 

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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 the distributor or the transfer agent of the shareholder’s status or holdings, as the case may be.

Grandfathered Retirement Program with Exchange Features

Certain retirement plan programs authorized 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 an applicable Legg Mason Partners 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.

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, 2007.

 

Class A (based on a net asset value of $16.86 and
a maximum initial sales charge of 5.75%)

   $ 17.89

 

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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 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.

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 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

 

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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 prospectuses. 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 Day 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 a description of the procedures used by the fund in valuing its assets.

EXCHANGE PRIVILEGE

The exchange privilege enables shareholders in any Legg Mason Partners fund 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 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 prospectuses 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 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, FI, R, I and IS Exchanges. Class A, FI, R, I and IS 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.

 

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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 with Exchange Features” 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 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 prospectuses 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,

 

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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 traditionally 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.

Although in general the passive loss rules of the Code do not apply to regulated investment companies, such rules do apply to a regulated investment company with respect to items attributable to an interest in a qualified publicly traded partnership. 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.

During the taxable year ended September 30, 2007, the fund utilized $1,825,734 of its capital loss carryover available from prior years. As of September 30, 2007, the fund had the following net capital loss carryforward remaining: $40,599. 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,
2008

Carryforward Amount

     $ 40,599

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

 

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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 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.

 

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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. In general, gains (and losses) realized on debt instruments will be treated as Section 988 gain (or loss) to the extent attributable to changes in exchange rates between the U.S. dollar and the currencies in which the instruments are denominated. 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. If the fund is held through a qualified retirement plan entitled to tax exempt treatment for federal income tax purposes, distributions will generally not be taxable currently. Special tax rules apply to such retirement plans. You should consult your tax advisor regarding the tax treatment of distributions (which may include amounts attributable to fund distributions) which may be taxable when distributed from the retirement plan.

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

 

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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, 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.

 

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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 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.

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

 

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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.

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 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.

Shares of the fund held by a non-U.S. shareholder at death will be considered situated in the United States and subject to the U.S. estate tax.

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 April 16, 2007, 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 its organization as a series of a Massachusetts business trust, the fund was organized as 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, a former distributor of the fund and other affiliated funds (collectively, the “funds”), SBFM and Salomon Brothers Asset Management Inc (“SBAM”), 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, SBAM and SBFM 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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On December 3, 2007, the court granted the Defendants’ motion to dismiss, with prejudice. On January 2, 2008, the plaintiffs filed a notice of appeal to the Second Circuit Court of Appeals.

***

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, a former distributor of the fund, 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 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.

 

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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 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.

The five actions were subsequently consolidated, and a consolidated complaint was filed.

On September 26, 2007, the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York issued an order dismissing the consolidated complaint and judgment was later entered. An appeal has been filed and is pending before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit.

***

On September 16, 2005, the staff of the SEC informed SBFM and SBAM that the staff was considering recommending administrative proceedings against SBFM and SBAM for alleged violations of Section 19(a) and 34(b) of the 1940 Act (and related Rule 19a-1). On September 27, 2007, SBFM and SBAM, without admitting or denying any findings therein, consented to the entry of an order by the SEC relating to the disclosure by certain closed-end funds previously managed by SBFM or SBAM of the sources of distributions paid by the funds between 2001 and 2004. Each of SBFM and SBAM agreed to pay a fine of $450,000, for which it was indemnified by Citigroup Inc., its former parent. It is not expected that this matter will adversely impact the fund or its current manager.

***

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 and the fund’s predecessor (Statement of Assets and Liabilities as of September 30, 2007, Schedule of Investments as of September 30, 2007, Statement of Operations for the year ended September 30, 2007, Statements of Changes in Net Assets for each of the years in the two-year period ended September 30, 2007, Financial Highlights for each of the years in the five-year period ended September 30, 2007, 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 6, 2007; Accession Number 0001193125-07-260193).

The unaudited financial statements of the fund and the fund’s predecessor (Statement of Assets and Liabilities as of March 31, 2008, Schedule of Investments as of March 31, 2008, Statement of Operations for the six months ended March 31, 2008, Statements of Changes in Net Assets for the six months ended March 31, 2008 and the year ended September 30, 2007, Financial Highlights for the six months ended March 31, 2008 and for each of the years in the five-year period ended September 30, 2007, and Notes to Financial Statements, each of which is included in the Semi-Annual Report to Shareholders of the fund), are incorporated by reference into this Statement of Additional Information (filed on June 2, 2008; Accession Number 0001193125-08-126366).

 

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APPENDIX A

PROXY VOTING POLICIES AND PROCEDURES AS OF

APRIL 14, 2008

ClearBridge is subject to the Proxy Voting Policies and Procedures that it has adopted to seek to ensure that it votes proxies relating to equity securities in the best interest of client accounts. The following is a brief overview of the policies.

ClearBridge votes proxies for each client account with respect to which it has been authorized or is required by law 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 the beneficial owners of the accounts it manages. 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, such recommendations do not relieve ClearBridge of its 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 considers those factors and votes on a case-by-case basis in accordance with the general principles set forth above. 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 restructuring, 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. There may be occasions when different investment teams vote differently on the same issue. An investment team (e.g., ClearBridge SAI investment team) may adopt proxy voting policies that supplement ClearBridge’s Proxy Voting 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 non-ClearBridge relationships between a Legg Mason affiliate and an issuer do not present

 

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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 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 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 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 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 Committee that a conflict of interest is material, the Proxy 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.

You may request:

(i) a copy of ClearBridge’s Proxy Voting Policies and Procedures; and/or

(ii) information concerning how ClearBridge voted proxies with respect to the securities held in your account.

Such request may be made by sending a written request to:

ClearBridge Advisors, LLC

620 8th Avenue

New York, NY 10018

Attention: Client Services

 

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February 28, 2008, as revised July 9, 2008

STATEMENT OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

LEGG MASON PARTNERS EQUITY TRUST

LEGG MASON PARTNERS INTERNATIONAL ALL CAP OPPORTUNITY FUND

55 Water Street

New York, NY 10041

800-451-2010

This Statement of Additional Information (the “SAI”) is not a prospectus and is meant to be read in conjunction with the prospectus for Class A, B, C, FI, R and I shares dated February 28, 2008 and the prospectus for Class IS shares dated July 9, 2008 (each, a “prospectus” and collectively, the “prospectuses”) of Legg Mason Partners International All Cap Opportunity Fund (the “fund”), each as amended or supplemented from time to time, and is incorporated by reference in its entirety into the fund’s prospectuses. 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. Certain historical information contained in the SAI for periods prior to April 16, 2007 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 prospectuses and copies of the annual and semi-annual reports may be obtained free of charge by contacting banks, brokers, dealers, insurance companies, investment advisers, financial consultants or advisors, mutual fund supermarkets and other financial intermediaries that have entered into an agreement with the distributor to sell shares of the fund (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”), serves as the fund’s sole and exclusive distributor.

 

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

     Page

Management

   3

Investment Objective and Management Policies

   11

Additional Information

   12

Risk Factors

   29

Disclosure of Portfolio Holdings

   34

Investment Policies

   36

Taxes

   40

Determination Of Net Asset Value

   47

Purchase Of Shares

   47

Redemption Of Shares

   53

Exchange Privilege

   55

Dividends And Distributions

   56

Investment Management And Other Services

   56

Portfolio Manager Disclosure

   66

Custodian And Transfer Agent

   68

Legal Counsel

   68

Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

   69

Other Information About The Trust

   69

Financial Statements

   74

Appendix A—Description of Ratings

   A-1

Appendix B—Proxy Voting Policies for Global Currents 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


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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 (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, 620 Eighth Avenue, New York, New York 10018.

 

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
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)    48    None

Andrew L. Breech

Born 1952

   Trustee    Since 1991    President, Dealer Operating Control Service, Inc. (automotive retail management) (since 1985)    48    None

Dwight B. Crane

Born 1937

   Trustee    Since 1981    Independent Consultant (since 1969); formerly, Professor, Harvard Business School
(1969 to 2007)
   50    None

Robert M. Frayn, Jr.

Born 1934

   Trustee    Since 1981    Retired; formerly, President and Director, Book Publishing Co. (1970 to 2002)    48    None

Frank G. Hubbard

Born 1937

   Trustee    Since 1993    President, Avatar International Inc. (business development) (since 1998)    48    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)    48    None

David E. Maryatt

Born 1936

   Trustee    Since 1983    Private Investor; President and Director, ALS Co. (real estate management and development firm) (since 1993)    48    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
Overseen
by Trustee
  

Other Board
Memberships
Held by Trustee

During

Past Five Years

Jerome H. Miller

Born 1938

   Trustee    Since 1995    Retired    48    None

Ken Miller

Born 1942

   Trustee    Since 1983    Chairman, Young Stuff Apparel Group, Inc. (apparel manufacturer) (since 1963)    48    None

John J. Murphy

Born 1944

   Trustee    Since 2002    President, Murphy Capital Management (investment advice) (since 1983)    48    Director, Nicholas Applegate funds (13 funds); Trustee, Consulting Group Capital Markets Funds (11 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, Husch Blackwell Sanders LLP (law firm) (since 1984); President, The Saint Louis Brewery, Inc. (since 1989)    48    Director, Citizens National Bank of Greater St. Louis Maplewood, MO (since 2006)

Jerry A. Viscione

Born 1944

   Trustee    Since 1993    Retired; formerly, Executive Vice President, Marquette University (1997 to 2002)    48    None

 

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Table of Contents

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
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 153 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)

   138
   Former Trustee,
Consulting
Group Capital
Markets Funds
(11 funds)
(2002-2006)

 

* Each Trustee serves until his respective successor has been duly elected and qualified or until his 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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Table of Contents

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

620 Eighth Avenue New York, NY 10018

   Chief Compliance
Officer
   Since 2006    Director of Global Compliance at Legg Mason (since 2006); Managing Director of Compliance at Legg Mason & Co (since 2005); 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).

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).

R. Jay Gerken, CFA

Born 1951

620 Eighth Avenue New York, NY 10018

   Chairman,
President and
Chief Executive
Officer
   Since 2002    Managing Director, Legg Mason & Co.; Chairman of the Board and Trustee/Director of 153 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.

 

6


Table of Contents

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

Kaprel Ozsolak

Born 1965

55 Water Street

New York, NY 10041

   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, Controller of certain mutual funds associated with CAM (2002 to 2004).

Steven Frank

Born 1967

55 Water Street

New York, NY 10041

   Controller    Since 2005    Vice President of Legg Mason & Co. or its predecessors (since 2002); Controller of certain funds associated with Legg Mason & Co. (since 2005); formerly, Assistant Controller of certain mutual funds associated with Legg Mason & Co. (2001 to 2005).

Albert Laskaj

Born 1977

55 Water Street

New York, NY 10041

   Controller    Since 2007    Vice President of Legg Mason (since 2008); Controller of certain funds associated with Legg Mason & Co.; formerly, Assistant Controller of certain mutual funds associated with Legg Mason & Co. (2005 to 2007); accounting manager of certain mutual funds associated with certain predecessor firms of Legg Mason & Co. (2003 to 2005).

Jeanne M. Kelly

Born 1951

620 Eighth Avenue

New York, NY 10018

   Senior Vice
President
   Since 2005    Managing Director, Legg Mason & Co. (since 2005); Senior Vice President of certain mutual funds associated with Legg Mason & Co. or its affiliates (since 2007); formerly, Director—Global Fund Administration, CAM (from 1996–2005).

 

* 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 Governance Committee and the Pricing Committee. The Audit Committee and the Governance 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 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

 

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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 Governance Committee is responsible for, among other things, recommending candidates to fill vacancies on the Board. The Governance 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 Governance Committee also identifies potential nominees through its network of contacts and may also engage, if it deems appropriate, a professional search firm. The Governance Committee meets to discuss and consider such candidates’ qualifications and then chooses a candidate by majority vote. The Governance 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 Governance 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 manager, 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 Governance 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.

The Trust’s Board oversees all of the equity-type funds in the fund complex. All members of the Board previously have served on Boards of predecessors to Legg Mason Partners funds. The Board met five times during the fund’s last fiscal year. The Audit, Governance and Pricing Committees met twice, once and six times, respectively, during the fund’s last fiscal year.

 

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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, 2007.

 

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

   $1-$10,000    Over $100,000

Howard J. Johnson

   $10,001-$50,000    $50,001-$100,000

David E. Maryatt

   None    Over $100,000

Jerome H. Miller

   None    Over $100,000

Ken Miller

   None    $50,001-$100,000

John J. Murphy

   None    Over $100,000

Thomas F. Schlafly

   None    Over $100,000

Jerry A. Viscione

   None    Over $100,000

Interested Trustee

     

R. Jay Gerken

   Over $100,000    Over $100,000

As of June 12, 2008, none of the Independent Trustees or their immediate family members owned beneficially or of record any securities of the manager, subadviser or distributor of the fund, or of a person (other than a registered investment company) directly or indirectly controlling, controlled by or under common control with the manager, subadviser or distributor of the fund.

Information regarding compensation paid by the fund to its 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 Independent Trustees his 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.

 

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Current Board

The current Trustees took office in April 2007. Information as to the compensation paid to the current Trustees by the fund complex for the calendar year ended December 31, 2007 and by the fund for the fiscal year ended October 31, 2007 is shown below.

 

Name of Trustee

   Aggregate
Compensation
from the
Fund for the
Fiscal Year
Ended
October 31,
2007
   Total Pension or
Retirement
Benefits Paid
as Part of Fund
Expenses
    Total
Compensation
from Fund
Complex Paid

to Trustee for
the Calendar
Year Ended
December 31,
2007
   Number of
Portfolios in

Fund
Complex
Overseen by
Trustee

Independent Trustees

          

Paul R. Ades

   $ 1,046    $ 0     $ 183,550    47

Andrew L. Breech

   $ 995    $ 0     $ 162,000    47

Dwight B. Crane

   $ 1,149      (2 )   $ 746,500    49

Robert M. Frayn, Jr.

   $ 995    $ 0     $ 162,500    47

Frank G. Hubbard

   $ 1,003    $ 0     $ 193,950    47

Howard J. Johnson

   $ 1,086    $ 0     $ 196,250    47

David E. Maryatt

   $ 1,003    $ 0     $ 163,500    47

Jerome H. Miller

   $ 995    $ 0     $ 171,950    47

Ken Miller

   $ 1,003    $ 0     $ 173,450    47

John J. Murphy

   $ 1,003    $ 0     $ 185,800    47

Thomas F. Schlafly

   $ 1,003    $ 0     $ 183,000    47

Jerry A. Viscione

   $ 1,003    $ 0     $ 137,000    47

Interested Trustee

          

R. Jay Gerken(1)

   $ 0    $ 0     $ 0    137

 

(1) Mr. Gerken was not compensated for his services as Trustee because of his affiliation with the manager.
(2) Pursuant to a prior retirement plan, Mr. Crane has received in a lump sum (calculated on a net present value basis) an aggregate benefit from the fund complex having a net present value equal to $444,643. A portion of this benefit payout is included, on a pro rata basis, in the aggregate compensation paid by the fund shown above. In addition, each fund formerly overseen by Mr. Crane paid 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.

Prior Board

Prior to April 2007 the Directors listed below served as the Board of Directors of the fund. Information as to the compensation paid to the former Directors by the fund for the fiscal year ended October 31, 2007 is shown below.

 

Name of Director

   Aggregate
Compensation
from Fund for
Fiscal Year Ended
October 31, 2007

Independent Directors

    

Robert A. Frankel(1)

   $ 2,003

Michael E. Gellert(1)

   $ 1,498

Rainer Greeven

   $ 1,577

Susan M. Heilbron

   $ 1,577

Interested Director

    

R. Jay Gerken(2)

   $ 0

 

(1)

Pursuant to prior retirement plans, certain Directors have received a total retirement benefit from the fund complex as follows: Mr. Frankel: $489,636; and Mr. Gellert: $238,847. A portion of these benefits that has been paid is included, on a pro rata basis, in the aggregate compensation paid by the fund shown above. In

 

10


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addition, each fund no longer overseen by these Directors has paid its pro rata share (based on asset size) of these benefits. Legg Mason or its affiliates have agreed to reimburse these funds an amount equal to 50% of these benefits.

(2) Mr. Gerken was not compensated for his service as Director because of his affiliation with the manager.

As of June 12, 2008, all Trustees and officers as a group owned less than 1% of the outstanding shares of the fund.

As of June 12, 2008, the following shareholders or groups beneficially owned 5% or more of the outstanding shares of the following classes of the fund:

 

Class

  

Name and Address of Shareholder

  

Percent of Class

 

A

  

CitiStreet Retirement Trust Account

Citigroup Institutional Trust

400 Atrium Dr

Somerset NJ 08873-4172

   5.51 %

B

  

PFPC Brokerage Services

Main Office

FBO Primerica Financial Services

760 Moore Road

King of Prussia PA 19406

   11.85 %

I

  

Legg Mason Partners Lifestyle

Series Inc Allocation 85%

55 Water St

New York NY 10041

   41.95 %

I

  

Legg Mason Partners Lifestyle

Series Inc Allocation 70%

55 Water St

New York NY 10041

   26.37 %

I

  

Legg Mason Partners Lifestyle

Series Inc Allocation 50%

55 Water St

New York NY 10041

   10.53 %

I

  

Legg Mason Partners Variable

Lifestyle Allocation 50%

55 Water Street

New York NY 10041

   5.91 %

I

  

Legg Mason Partners Variable

Lifestyle Allocation 85%

55 Water Street

New York NY 10041

   5.73 %

INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE AND MANAGEMENT POLICIES

The prospectuses discuss the fund’s investment objective and policies. The following discussion supplements the description of the fund’s investment policies in its prospectuses. Legg Mason Partners Fund Advisor, LLC (“LMPFA” or the “manager”) serves as investment manager to the fund. Global Currents Investment Management, LLC (“GCIM” or the “subadviser”) serves as the subadviser to the fund.

 

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The fund’s investment objective and the following investment policies may be changed by the Board 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.

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 equity securities of established foreign issuers 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, U.S. 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.

 

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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.

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 Depositary Receipts (“ADRs”), European Depositary Receipts (“EDRs”) and Global Depositary 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 depositary’s transaction fees, whereas under an unsponsored arrangement, the foreign issuer assumes no obligation and the depositary’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.

 

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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.

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 Investors Service, Inc. (“Moody’s”) and the Standard & Poor’s Division of The McGraw–Hill Companies, Inc. (“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

 

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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 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 the past.

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

 

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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.

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, the 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.

 

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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.

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

 

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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 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

 

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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.

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 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. 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

 

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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 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. 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

 

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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. 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.

 

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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 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 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 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.

 

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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 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

 

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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.

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 Securities and Exchange Commission (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

 

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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.

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.

 

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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 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.

 

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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.

Other Practices

Repurchase Agreements. The 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 manager 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 manager may aggregate the cash that certain funds managed by it 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 fund’s 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 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

 

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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 fund’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 one third 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. The fund may borrow from banks, on a secured or unsecured basis, up to one third 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 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 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 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 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.

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

 

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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 fund’s custodian will maintain, in a segregated account, cash or liquid securities having a value equal to or greater than the fund’s purchase commitments, and marked to market daily, pursuant to guidelines established by the Trustees. The fund’s 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. The 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.

RISK FACTORS

The following risk factors are intended to supplement the risks described above and in the fund’s prospectuses.

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.

 

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Geographic Concentration. 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.

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.

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 United States. There is generally less government supervision and regulation of exchanges, brokers and issuers than there is in the United States. The fund might

 

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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.

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 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.

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

 

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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 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, 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.

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

 

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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 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 equity 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.

European Union (EU). An increasing number of European countries have 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. EU 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, EU and the introduction of the euro present unique risks and uncertainties for investors in EU 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 EU in the face of changing economic conditions; (iii) instability within EU 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 EU-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.

 

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DISCLOSURE OF PORTFOLIO HOLDINGS

For funds in the Legg Mason Partners family of funds, each fund’s Board of Trustees has adopted policies and procedures developed by LMPFA 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 funds’ distributor or its 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. 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. 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’s 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, 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 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, and either 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

 

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Mason nor any other affiliated person 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 release of portfolio holdings other than in ongoing arrangements is subject to a written agreement which requires the recipient to keep the information confidential and to use the information only for the purpose specified in the agreement. The approval of a fund’s Chief Compliance Officer, or designee, must be obtained prior to release of the information other than in an ongoing arrangement.

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 annually to the fund’s Board.

Currently, the funds typically disclose their complete portfolio holdings approximately 25 days after calendar quarter-end on Legg Mason’s website, http://www.leggmason.com/individualinvestors.

Set forth below is a list, as of August 31, 2007, of those parties with whom LMPFA, on behalf of the funds, has authorized ongoing arrangements that include the release of portfolio holdings information, 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 Shareholder 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

Thomson

   Semi-annually    None

Dataware

   Daily    None

ITG

   Daily    None

Portfolio holdings information for a 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

 

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Recipient

  

Frequency

  

Delay Before Dissemination

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)

   Monthly    6-8 business days

Electra Information Systems

   Daily    None

SunGard

   Daily    None

INVESTMENT POLICIES

The fund has adopted the following fundamental investment policies for the protection of shareholders. Investment policies described in this SAI are fundamental only if they are identified as such. Fundamental investment policies may not be changed without approval by the holders of a majority of the outstanding voting securities 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 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.

 

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(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 has no intention of borrowing money for leverage. 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

 

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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 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 a 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

 

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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.

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 prospectuses 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.

 

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The fund has adopted a non-fundamental investment policy prohibiting it from investing in other registered open-end management investment companies and registered unit investment trusts in reliance upon the provisions of subparagraphs (G) or (F) of Section 12(d)(1) of the 1940 Act. The foregoing investment policy does not restrict the fund from (i) acquiring securities of other registered investment companies in connection with a merger, consolidation, reorganization, or acquisition of assets, or (ii) purchasing the securities of registered closed-end investment companies, to the extent permissible under Section 12(d)(1)(G) of 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 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 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, 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 traditionally 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 stock 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.

 

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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.

On October 31, 2007, 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 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 zero coupon security, 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

 

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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 or constructive sale rules 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 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.

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). With respect to certain types of swaps, the fund may be required to currently recognize income or loss with respect to future payments on such swaps or may elect under certain circumstances to mark such swaps to market annually for tax purposes as ordinary income or loss. 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

 

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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 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. If the fund is held through a qualified retirement plan entitled to tax exempt treatment for federal income tax purposes, distributions will generally not be taxable currently. Special tax rules apply to such retirement plans. You should consult your tax advisor regarding the tax treatment of distributions (which may include amounts attributable to fund distributions) which may be taxable when distributed from the retirement plan.

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

 

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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 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 (e.g., foreign corporations incorporated in a possession of the United States or in certain countries with a comprehensive tax treaty with the United States or the stock of which is readily tradable on an established securities market in the United States) which are not PFICs. The United States currently has a comprehensive income tax treaty with the following countries: Australia, Austria, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belgium, Canada, China, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Egypt, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Kazakhstan, Korea, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Mexico, Morocco, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Pakistan, the Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russian Federation, Slovak Republic, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Ukraine, the United Kingdom, and Venezuela. Dividend income will not be treated as qualified dividend income unless 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. 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

 

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(“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 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.

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.

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). Certain types of income received by the fund from REITs, real estate mortgage investment conduits, 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 by otherwise allowable deductions 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. If a charitable remainder annuity trust or charitable remainder unitrust (each as defined in Code Section 664) has UBTI for a tax year, a 100% excise tax on the UBTI is imposed on the trust.

 

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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.

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

 

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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, U.S. 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.

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 and if 50% or more of the value of the Fund’s assets are invested in REITs and other U.S. real property holding corporations. Restrictions apply regarding wash sales and substitute payment transactions.

Shares of the fund held by a non-U.S. shareholder at death will be considered situated in the United States and subject to the U.S. estate tax.

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 Day 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 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, FI, R, I or IS 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 prospectuses.

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

 

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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) 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.

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 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. 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, the 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 $50 by the distributor or transfer agent. 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 (“NAV”) plus an initial sales charge, as described in the prospectus for Class A, B, C, FI, R and 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 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” below.

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

 

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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 distributor 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”);

(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 broker/dealers and other financial institutions that have entered into agreements with 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 prospectus for Class A, B, C, FI, R and I shares 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   

 

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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.

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 the transfer agent, the transfer 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.

 

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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 for Class A, B, C, FI, R and I shares 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 the transfer agent, by notifying the transfer 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 Service Agent, or if you purchase your shares directly through the transfer agent, the transfer agent, 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 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 described in the prospectus for Class A, B, C, FI, R and I shares. 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  

 

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Year Since Purchase Payment Was Made

   Contingent Deferred Sales Charge  

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 distributor receives contingent deferred sales charges in partial consideration for its 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 the 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 the distributor or the manager.

The contingent deferred sales charge is waived on 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 the 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

Certain retirement plan programs authorized 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 an applicable Legg Mason Partners 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.

Determination of Public Offering Price

The fund offers its shares on a continuous basis. The public offering price for Class A, Class B, Class C, Class FI, Class R, Class I and Class IS shares of the fund is equal to the NAV 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 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 NAV of a share of the fund as of October 31, 2007.

 

Class A (based on a NAV of $16.12
and a maximum initial sales charge of 5.75%)

   $ 17.10

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 NAV is not reasonably practicable or (c) for such other periods as the SEC by order may permit for protection of the fund’s shareholders.

 

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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.

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.

Automatic Cash Withdrawal Plan

An automatic cash withdrawal plan (the “Withdrawal Plan”) is available to shareholders as described in the fund’s 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 NAV 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.

 

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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 prospectuses. 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 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 NAV, and the proceeds are immediately invested in shares of the fund being acquired at such fund’s then current NAV. The 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, FI, R, I and IS Exchanges. Class A, FI, R, I and IS 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 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 with Exchange Features” 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 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 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.

 

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Certain shareholders may be able to exchange shares by telephone. See the fund’s prospectuses 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 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

The fund declares and pays income dividends, if any, at least annually on its shares. The fund makes distributions of capital gains, if any, on its shares twice a year, including one typically in December.

If a shareholder does not otherwise instruct, dividends and capital gain distributions will be reinvested automatically in additional shares of the same class at NAV, 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, Class C and Class R shares of the fund may be lower than the per share dividends on Class A, Class FI, Class I and Class IS shares principally as a result of the distribution fee applicable with respect to Class B, Class C and Class R shares. The per share dividends on Class A and Class FI shares of the fund may be lower than the per share dividends on Class I and Class IS shares principally as a result of the service fee applicable to Class A and Class FI shares. Distributions of capital gains, if any, will be in the same amount for each class of shares.

INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT AND OTHER SERVICES

Manager

LMPFA serves as investment manager to the fund pursuant to an investment management agreement (the “Management Agreement”) with respect to the fund. LMPFA, with offices at 620 Eighth Avenue, New York, New York 10018, also serves as the investment manager of 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 March 31, 2008, Legg Mason’s asset management operation had aggregate assets under management of approximately $950 billion. LMPFA provides administrative and certain oversight services 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

 

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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.

For its services under the Management Agreement for the 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 fiscal years ended October 31, 2005, 2006 and 2007, the management fees paid by the fund were as follows:

 

2005    2006    2007  
$ 2,635,325    $ 1,768,814    $ 2,940,479 *

 

* Of which $6,947 was reimbursed.

Subadviser

Global Currents Investment Management, LLC (“GCIM” or the “subadviser”) provides day-to-day portfolio management services to the fund. GCIM, with offices at Delaware Corporate Center 11, Suite 100, 2 Righter Parkway, Wilmington, Delaware 19803, is a newly organized subsidiary of Legg Mason. GCIM was created as part of an internal reorganization of Legg Mason’s international investment resources that resulted in the investment team that manages the fund being transferred from Brandywine Global Investment Management, LLC (“Brandywine”) to GCIM. The reorganization did not result in any changes to the investment team that manages the fund. GCIM replaced Brandywine as the fund’s subadviser on July 1, 2008. As of June 1, 2008, GCIM’s total assets under management were approximately $168 billion.

Under the Sub-Advisory Agreement, GCIM, 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 objective, policies and restrictions, determines from time to time what securities and other investments will be purchased, retained or

 

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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 GCIM. 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 instruments 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 will remain in effect until November 30, 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.

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) pays the subadviser a fee equal to 70% of the management fee paid to LMPFA for the fund, net of expense waivers and reimbursements.

For the period from August 1, 2006 through October 31, 2006, and for the fiscal year ended October 31, 2007, the manager paid Brandywine subadvisory fees of $311,192 and $2,058,356, respectively.

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 issuance 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.

 

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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 prospectuses. 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.

Effective January 1, 2008, the manager is permitted to recapture amounts previously voluntarily forgone or reimbursed by the manager to the fund during the same fiscal year if the fund’s total annual operating expenses have fallen to a level below the voluntary fee waiver/reimbursement (“expense cap”) shown in the fee table of the fund’s prospectus. In no case will the manager recapture any amount that would result, on any particular fund business day, in the fund’s total annual operating expenses exceeding the expense cap. The Board has been apprised of the expense cap and recapture arrangement.

Code of Ethics

Pursuant to Rule 17j-1 under the 1940 Act, the fund, the manager, the subadviser and the distributor 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.

Copies of the codes of ethics of the fund, its manager, its subadviser and its distributor 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.

LMPFA delegates the responsibility for voting proxies for the fund to the fund’s 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

 

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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/individualinvestors and (3) on the SEC’s website at http://www.sec.gov.

Distributor

LMIS, a wholly-owned broker/dealer subsidiary of Legg Mason, located at 100 Light Street, Baltimore, Maryland 21202, serves as the fund’s sole and exclusive distributor pursuant to a written agreement dated December 1, 2005 (the “distribution agreement”). Prior to December 1, 2007, Citigroup Global Markets Inc. (“CGMI”) and PFS Investments Inc. (“PFS”) served as co-distributors along with LMIS. PFS started serving as a distributor effective December 4, 2006.

LMIS may be deemed to be an underwriter for purposes of the 1933 Act.

The 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. The 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 or interested persons, as defined in the 1940 Act, of any such party by votes cast in person at a meeting called for such purpose. The 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.

LMIS did not receive any initial sales charges or contingent deferred sales charges with respect to the fund for the period from December 1, 2005 through October 31, 2006 or for the fiscal year ended October 31, 2007.

Initial Sales Charges

CGMI Commissions on Class A Shares. For the fiscal years ended October 31, 2005, October 31, 2006 and October 31, 2007, the aggregate dollar amounts of commissions received by CGMI on the sale of Class A shares were as follows:

 

Class A
Fiscal Year
Ended 10/31/05
   Fiscal Year
Ended 10/31/06
   Fiscal Year
Ended 10/31/07
$ 82,000    $ 0    $ 45,360

PFS Commissions on Class A Shares. For the fiscal year ended October 31, 2007, the aggregate dollar amounts of commissions received by PFS on the sale of Class A shares were as follows:

 

Class A
Fiscal Year
Ended 10/31/05
   Fiscal Year
Ended 10/31/06
   Fiscal Year
Ended 10/31/07
N/A    N/A    $ 38,271

 

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Contingent Deferred Sales Charges

CGMI Contingent Deferred Sales Charges on Class A, Class B and Class C Share. For the fiscal years ended October 31, 2005, October 31, 2006 and October 31, 2007, the following contingent deferred sales charges were paid to CGMI on redemptions of the fund’s shares:

 

Class A
Fiscal Year
Ended 10/31/05
   Fiscal Year
Ended 10/31/06
   Fiscal Year
Ended 10/31/07
$ 1,000    $ 0    $ 0

 

Class B
Fiscal Year
Ended 10/31/05
   Fiscal Year
Ended 10/31/06
   Fiscal Year
Ended 10/31/07
$ 26,000    $ 0    $ 0

 

Class C
Fiscal Year
Ended 10/31/05
   Fiscal Year
Ended 10/31/06
   Fiscal Year
Ended 10/31/07
$ 2,000    $ 0    $ 0

PFS Contingent Deferred Sales Charges on Class A, Class B and Class C Shares. For the fiscal years ended October 31, 2005, October 31, 2006 and October 31, 2007, the following contingent deferred sales charges were paid to PFS on redemptions of the fund’s shares:

 

Class A
Fiscal Year
Ended 10/31/05
   Fiscal Year
Ended 10/31/06
   Fiscal Year
Ended 10/31/07
$ 0    $ 0    $ 0

 

Class B
Fiscal Year
Ended 10/31/05
   Fiscal Year
Ended 10/31/06
   Fiscal Year
Ended 10/31/07
$ 0    $ 0    $ 832

 

Class C
Fiscal Year
Ended 10/31/05
   Fiscal Year
Ended 10/31/06
   Fiscal Year
Ended 10/31/07
$ 0    $ 0    $ 0

LMIS Contingent Deferred Sales Charges on Class A, Class B and Class C Shares. For the fiscal years ended October 31, 2005, October 31, 2006 and October 31, 2007, the following contingent deferred sales charges were paid to LMIS on redemptions of the fund’s shares:

 

Class A
Fiscal Year
Ended 10/31/05
   Fiscal Year
Ended 10/31/06
   Fiscal Year
Ended 10/31/07
$ 0    $ 0    $ 427

 

Class B
Fiscal Year
Ended 10/31/05
   Fiscal Year
Ended 10/31/06
   Fiscal Year
Ended 10/31/07
$ 0    $ 15,000    $ 20,606

 

Class C
Fiscal Year
Ended 10/31/05
   Fiscal Year
Ended 10/31/06
   Fiscal Year
Ended 10/31/07
$ 0    $ 1,000    $ 2,364

 

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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, B, C, FI and R shares. Under the 12b-1 Plan, the fund pays service and distribution fees to LMIS for the services it provides and expenses it bears with respect to the distribution of Class A, Class B, Class C, Class FI and Class R shares and providing services to Class A, Class B, Class C, Class FI and Class R shareholders. The distributor 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, Class C, Class FI and Class R 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 attributable to such class and with respect to the Class R shares at the annual rate of 0.25% of the fund’s average daily net assets attributable to such class.

Fees under the 12b-1 Plan may be used to make payments to the 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 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 the distributor, Service Agents and others as compensation for their services, not as reimbursement for specific expenses incurred. Thus, even if its 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 its expenses are less than the fees paid to them, they will realize a profit. The fund may pay the fees to the distributor and others until the 12b-1 Plan or Distribution Agreement is terminated or not renewed. In that event, the 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 distributor 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 distributor 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

 

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the Qualified Trustees then in office. 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, the distributor acts as an agent of the fund in connection with the offering of shares of the fund pursuant to its distribution agreement.

For the fiscal year ended October 31, 2007, the following distribution and service fees were accrued and/or paid by the fund:

 

Class A
$ 352,560
Class B
$ 204,723
Class C
$ 600,117

For the fiscal year ended October 31, 2007, 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

   $ 100,048    $ 0    $ 146,932    $ 0    $ 0    $ 246,980

Class B

   $ 13,097    $ 0    $ 19,502    $ 0    $ 0    $ 32,599

Class C

   $ 159,094    $ 0    $ 229,568    $ 0    $ 0    $ 388,662

For the fiscal year ended October 31, 2007, 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    $ 86,873    $ 0    $ 0    $ 86,873

Class B

   $ 72,108    $ 13,977    $ 8,051    $ 44    $ 94,180

Class C

   $ 74,165    $ 87,913    $ 90,873    $ 688    $ 253,639

For the fiscal year ended October 31, 2007, PFS 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

   $ 1,142    $ 0    $ 24,985    $ 0    $ 0    $ 26,127

Class B

   $ 826    $ 0    $ 11,308    $ 639    $ 0    $ 12,773

Class C

   $ 0    $ 0    $ 0    $ 0    $ 0    $ 0

 

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Dealer reallowances are described in the prospectus for Class A, B, C, FI, R and I shares.

No information is presented for Class FI or R shares because no shares of those classes were outstanding as of the fiscal year ended October 31, 2007. Class IS shares are not subject to any distribution and/or service fees.

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

 

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used by the manager or a subadviser in managing any particular account, including the fund. For the fiscal year ended October 31, 2007, 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

        $645,865,773

   $785,245

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.

Aggregate Brokerage Commissions Paid

For the fiscal years ended October 31, 2005, 2006 and 2007, the fund paid aggregate brokerage commissions to CGMI, a former distributor of the fund, 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, 2005

   $ 316,842    $0

Year Ended October 31, 2006*

   $ 144,077    $0

Year Ended October 31, 2007*

   $ 983,319    N/A

 

* CGMI was not an affiliated person of the 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 November 1, 2006 through October 31, 2007, the fund did not pay any brokerage commissions to LMIS or its affiliates.

During the fiscal year ended October 31, 2007, the fund did not purchase securities issued by its regular broker-dealers.

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 the subadviser’s other clients. Investment decisions for the fund and for the manager’s or the 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 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

 

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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 fund effects transactions with a view towards attaining its investment objective, and although it is not limited by a predetermined rate of portfolio turnover, it is expected that the fund’s annual turnover rate 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, 2006 and 2007, the fund had portfolio turnover rates of 8% and 103%, respectively. The increase in turnover was a result of the subadviser’s repositioning of the portfolio following its appointment in December 2006.

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, 2007.

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, other accounts and accounts with fees based on performance.

 

Portfolio Manager

 

Registered Investment Companies

 

Other Pooled Investment Vehicles

 

Other Accounts

Paul D. Ehrlichman

  1 other registered investment company with approximately $0.53 billion in total assets under management   19 other pooled investment vehicles companies with approximately $2.7 billion in total assets under management  

53 other accounts with approximately $3.08 billion in total assets under management

 

2 other accounts that charge performance fees with $0.60 billion in total assets under management

Sean M. Bogda

  1 other registered investment company with approximately $0.53 billion in total assets under management   19 other pooled investment vehicles companies with approximately $2.7 billion in total assets under management  

53 other accounts with approximately $3.08 billion in total assets under management

 

2 other accounts that charge performance fees with $0.60 billion in total assets under management

Safa R. Muhtaseb

  1 other registered investment company with approximately $0.53 billion in total assets under management   19 other pooled investment vehicles companies with approximately $2.7 billion in total assets under management  

53 other accounts with approximately $3.08 billion in total assets under management

 

2 other accounts that charge performance fees with $0.60 billion in total assets under management

 

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Portfolio Manager Compensation

Effective July 1, 2008, all GCIM investment professionals receive a competitive fixed base salary based on market factors and the skill and experience of the individual investment personnel. In addition to this base salary, all investment professionals receive a quarterly bonus from GCIM’s profits which is based largely on the performance of their investment strategies relative to a relevant peer-group universe over one-quarter, one-year, three-year, and five-year time periods. More subjective measurements of an individual’s contributions to the overall success of GCIM 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.

GCIM’s compensation system is designed to support the retention and acquisition of exceptional investment professionals. This system also is designed to be competitive with the market while enhancing a culture focused on performance, collaboration, collegiality and teamwork.

Potential conflicts of interest may arise when the fund’s portfolio managers have management responsibilities with respect to separate funds involving numerous accounts, as is the case for the fund’s portfolio managers.

The manager, the subadviser and the fund have adopted compliance policies and procedures which govern these potential conflicts. These policies and procedures are designed to reduce the potential for a particular fund to draw uneven resources from one or more of the portfolio managers. 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 occur.

Some of the potential conflicts of interest that could arise follow:

A portfolio manager may not be able to formulate as complete a strategy or identify equally attractive investment opportunities for all accounts.

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.

A portfolio manager may determine that an investment opportunity may be appropriate for only some of the funds or accounts for which he or she exercises investment responsibility, or may decide that certain of the funds 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 or accounts.

Portfolio managers may be able to select or influence the selection of the brokers and dealers that are used to execute securities transactions 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 (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 or accounts that he or she manages.

 

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The portfolio manager might be motivated to favor funds or accounts in which he or she has an interest or in which the manager and 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 or accounts that could most significantly benefit the portfolio manager.

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 the fund 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 managers as of October 31, 2007.

 

Portfolio Managers

   Dollar Range of
Ownership of Securities

Paul D. Ehrlichman

   none

Sean M. Bogda

   none

Safa R. Muhtaseb

   none

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 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.

LEGAL COUNSEL

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

Stroock & Stroock & Lavan LLP, 180 Maiden Lane, New York, New York 10038-4982, serves as counsel to the Independent Trustees.

 

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INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM

KPMG LLP, an independent registered public accounting firm, located at 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, 2008.

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 April 16, 2007, 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.

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,

 

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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 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.

 

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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 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, a former distributor of the fund and other affiliated funds (collectively, the “Funds”), SBFM and Salomon Brothers Asset Management Inc (“SBAM”), 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.

 

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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 CAM, SBAM and SBFM 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.

On December 3, 2007, the court granted the Defendants’ motion to dismiss, with prejudice. On January 2, 2008, the plaintiffs filed a notice of appeal to the Second Circuit Court of Appeals.

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, a former distributor of the fund, 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 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

 

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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.

***

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.

The five actions were subsequently consolidated, and a consolidated complaint was filed.

On September 26, 2007, the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York issued an order dismissing the consolidated complaint and judgment was later entered. An appeal has been filed and is pending before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit.

***

On September 16, 2005, the staff of the SEC informed SBFM and SBAM that the staff was considering recommending administrative proceedings against SBFM and SBAM for alleged violations of Section 19(a) and 34(b) of the 1940 Act (and related Rule 19a-1). On September 27, 2007, SBFM and SBAM, without admitting or denying any findings therein, consented to the entry of an order by the SEC relating to the disclosure by certain closed-end funds previously managed by SBFM or SBAM of the sources of distributions paid by the funds between 2001 and 2004. Each of SBFM and SBAM agreed to pay a fine of $450,000, for which it was indemnified by Citigroup, its former parent. It is not expected that this matter will adversely impact the funds or their current manager.

***

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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FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

The audited financial statements of the fund and the fund’s predecessor (Statement of Assets and Liabilities as of October 31, 2007, Schedule of Investments as of October 31, 2007, Statement of Operations for the year ended October 31, 2007, Statements of Changes in Net Assets for each of the years in the two-year period ended October 31, 2007, Financial Highlights for each of the years in the five-year period ended October 31, 2007, 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 4, 2008; Accession Number 0001193125-08-001396).

The unaudited financial statements of the fund and the fund’s predecessor (Statement of Assets and Liabilities as of April 30, 2008, Schedule of Investments as of April 30, 2008, Statement of Operations for the six months ended April 30, 2008, Statements of Changes in Net Assets for the six months ended April 30, 2008 and the year ended October 31, 2007, Financial Highlights for the six months ended April 30, 2008 and for each of the years in the five-year period ended October 31, 2007, and Notes to Financial Statements, each of which is included in the Semi-Annual Report to Shareholders of the fund), are incorporated by reference into this Statement of Additional Information (filed on June 19, 2008; Accession Number 0001193125-08-136588).

 

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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.)

 

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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.

 

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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

Global Currents Investment Management, LLC

Proxy Voting Policies

April 1, 2008

Policy:

Global Currents Investment Management, LLC (“GCIM”) has a responsibility to its clients for voting proxies for portfolio securities consistent with the best interests of its clients. GCIM 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 policies and procedures address GCIM’s responsibility to receive and vote client proxies, disclose any potential conflicts of interest, make information available to clients about the voting of proxies for their portfolio securities and maintain 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 under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940 (“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 and that describe how an adviser addresses material conflicts that may arise between an adviser’s interests and those of its clients; (b) disclose to clients how they may obtain information from the adviser with respect to the voting of proxies for their securities; (c) provide clients with 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.

Procedures:

GCIM has implemented policies and procedures that it believes are reasonably designed to ensure that proxies are voted in the best interests of clients and in accordance with GCIM’s fiduciary duties and the Advisers Act. GCIM’s authority to vote the proxies of its clients is established through investment management agreements or comparable documents.

In exercising its voting authority, GCIM will not consult or enter into agreements with officers, directors or employees of its parent, Legg Mason Inc., or any of its affiliates, with regard to substantive voting decisions with respect to 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 GCIM’s contractual obligations to its clients and all other relevant facts and circumstances at the time of the vote (such that these guidelines may be overridden to the extent GCIM believes appropriate).

Voting Authority

 

   

GCIM 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 reserved to the trustee or other named fiduciary of a client account. In no event will GCIM’s authority to vote proxies obligate it to undertake any shareholder activism on behalf of any client.

 

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GCIM’s clients shall be responsible for notifying their custodians of the name and address of the person or entity with voting authority.

 

   

GCIM’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 GCIM maintains internal procedures to govern the processing of proxies, including handling client requests and monitoring for potential material conflicts. Research analysts and portfolio managers, otherwise referred to as voting persons, are responsible for determining appropriate voting positions on each proxy utilizing any applicable guidelines contained in these procedures.

 

   

GCIM will not decline to vote proxies except in extraordinary circumstances, nor will GCIM accept direction from others with regard to the voting of proxies.

 

   

GCIM may vote proxies related to the same security differently for each client.

 

   

GCIM seeks to identify any material conflicts that may arise between the interests of GCIM 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 an independent third party.

 

   

All relevant proxies are reviewed by the Compliance Department for potential material conflicts of interest. Issues to be reviewed may include whether GCIM 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 GCIM, 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 GCIM has a conflict as described above which is known to GCIM’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 GCIM 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, GCIM 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.

 

   

GCIM’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 that would tend to inhibit the realization of maximum value in the context of client guidelines may receive a negative vote from GCIM. 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.

 

   

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 GCIM’s investment in that company, consistent with the policy of maximizing value.

 

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Voting Records & Client Notification

 

   

A complete record and file of all votes cast shall be maintained by GCIM for the period prescribed by the Securities Exchange Commission. GCIM will similarly maintain copies of policies and procedures, proxy booklets, copies of any documents created by GCIM 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 GCIM that includes the issuer name, exchange ticker symbol, security identifier, 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 a copy of these policies and procedures, by contacting GCIM.

In addition, a description of these policies and procedures shall be provided to new clients prior to the inception of their account, simultaneous with the provision of GCIM’s Disclosure Brochure whenever possible.

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 Rule1:

 

   

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.

 

   

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.

 

 

1

17 CFR Part 275 [Release No. IA-2106; File No. S7-38-02], RIN 3235-AI65

 

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Professional Conflicts

 

   

In order to identify instances where a professional association could be perceived as a conflict of interest between GCIM 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 GCIM 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 GCIM 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.

Other Considerations

In certain situations, GCIM may determine not to vote proxies on behalf of a client because GCIM believes that the expected benefit to the client of voting shares is outweighed by countervailing considerations. Examples of situations in which GCIM may determine not to vote proxies on behalf of a client include:

Share Blocking

Proxy voting in certain countries requires “share blocking.” This means that shareholders wishing to vote their proxies must deposit their shares shortly before the date of the meeting (e.g. one week) with a designated depositary. During the blocking period, shares that will be voted at the meeting cannot be sold until the meeting has taken place and the shares have been returned to client accounts by the designated depositary. In deciding whether to vote shares subject to share blocking, GCIM will consider and weigh, based on the particular facts and circumstances, the expected benefit to clients of voting in relation to the detriment to clients of not being able to sell such shares during the applicable period.

Securities on Loan

Certain clients of GCIM, such as an institutional client or a mutual fund for which GCIM acts as a sub-adviser, may engage in securities lending with respect to the securities in their accounts. GCIM typically does not direct or oversee such securities lending activities. To the extent feasible and practical under the circumstances, GCIM will request that the client recall shares that are on loan so that such shares can be voted if GCIM believes that the expected benefit to the client of voting such shares outweighs the detriment to the client of recalling such shares (e.g., foregone income). The ability to timely recall shares for proxy voting purposes typically is not entirely within the control of GCIM and requires the cooperation of the client and its other service providers. Under certain circumstances, the recall of shares in time for such shares to be voted may not be possible due to applicable proxy voting record dates and administrative considerations.

 

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Filed under Rule 497(c)

File Nos. 33-43446 and 811-6444

March 20, 2008, as revised July 9, 2008

STATEMENT OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

LEGG MASON PARTNERS EQUITY TRUST

Legg Mason Partners Mid Cap Core Fund

55 Water Street

New York, New York 10041

(800) 451-2010

This Statement of Additional Information (“SAI”) is not a prospectus and is meant to be read in conjunction with the prospectus for Class A, B, C, FI, R, I and 1 shares dated March 20, 2008 and the prospectus for Class IS shares dated July 9, 2008 (each, a “prospectus” and collectively, the “prospectuses”) of Legg Mason Partners Mid Cap Core Fund (the “fund”) dated March 20, 2008, each as amended or supplemented from time to time, and is incorporated by reference in its entirety into the prospectuses.

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. Certain historical information contained in the SAI for periods prior to April 16, 2007 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. The annual report contains financial statements that are incorporated herein by reference. The prospectuses and copies of the annual and semi-annual reports may be obtained free of charge by contacting banks, brokers, dealers, insurance companies, investment advisers, financial consultants or advisors, mutual fund supermarkets and other financial intermediaries that have entered into an agreement with the fund’s distributor to sell shares of the fund (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”), serves as the fund’s sole and exclusive distributor.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

Investment Objective and Management Policies

  2

Disclosure of Portfolio Holdings

  13

Investment Policies

  16

Management

  20

Investment Management and Other Services

  28

Portfolio Manager Disclosure

  37

Portfolio Transactions

  40

Portfolio Turnover

  42

Purchase of Shares

  43

Redemption of Shares

  49

Exchange Privilege

  51

Valuation of Shares

  53

Dividends, Distributions and Taxes

  54

Additional Information

  62

Financial Statements

  67

Appendix A—Summary of Proxy Voting Policies and Procedures for ClearBridge Advisors, LLC

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INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE AND MANAGEMENT POLICIES

The fund’s prospectuses discuss 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. ClearBridge Advisors, LLC (“ClearBridge” or the “subadviser”) serves as the subadviser to the fund.

Investment Objective

The fund is an open-end, diversified, management investment company whose investment objective is to seek long-term growth of capital. The fund’s investment objective is non-fundamental and may be changed by the Board without shareholder approval.

Principal Investment Strategies

Under normal circumstances the fund invests at least 80% of the value of its net assets, plus any borrowings for investment purposes in equities, or other investments with similar economic characteristics, of medium sized companies. Medium-sized companies are defined as those companies whose market capitalization values are in the range of the market capitalization values of the constituents of the S&P MidCap 400 Index or the Russell Midcap Index, as defined from time to time. Securities of companies whose market capitalizations no longer meet this definition after purchase by the fund still will be considered to be securities of mid capitalization companies for purposes of the fund’s 80% investment policy. As of March 31, 2008, the market capitalization range of the S&P Mid-Cap 400 Index was from $260 million to $12.5 billion and the market capitalization range of the Russell Midcap Index was from $155 million to $45.7 billion. The fund will not automatically sell or cease to purchase stock of a company it already owns just because the company’s market capitalization falls outside this range. Investing in medium-capitalization companies may involve greater risk than investing in large capitalization companies since they can be subject to more abrupt or erratic movements. However, they tend to involve less risk than stocks of small capitalization companies.

The fund normally invests 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 depository receipts for those securities. 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. It is the policy of the fund to be as fully invested in equity securities as practicable at all times. 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 the subadviser, prevailing market or economic conditions warrant.

With respect to the 80% investment policy (as described above), this percentage requirement will not be applicable during periods when the fund pursues a temporary defensive strategy, as discussed in the prospectuses. The fund’s 80% investment policy is non-fundamental and may be changed by the Board of Trustees of the Trust (the “Board”) upon at least 60 days’ notice to shareholders.

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.

Equity Securities. The fund will normally invest at least 80% of its assets in equity securities, including primarily common stocks and, to a lesser extent, securities convertible into common stock and rights to subscribe

 

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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.

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 ability 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.

Convertible Securities. Convertible securities in which the fund may invest, including both convertible debt and convertible preferred stock, may be converted at either a stated price or stated rate into underlying shares of common stock. Because of this feature, 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.

When-Issued, Delayed-Delivery and Forward Commitment 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 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.

When the fund agrees to purchase when-issued or delayed-delivery securities, its 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 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 has the authority to invest its assets in foreign securities (including European Depository Receipts (“EDRs”), Global Depository Receipts (“GDRs”) and American Depository 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 U.S. securities markets and EDRs, which are issued in bearer form, are designed for use in European securities markets. GDRs are tradable both in the United States and Europe and are designed for use throughout the world.

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

 

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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 return 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, the expense of maintaining securities with foreign custodians, and the imposition of transfer taxes or transaction charges associated with foreign exchanges. 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 therefore many, if not all, of the foregoing considerations apply to such investments as well. These securities may not necessarily be denominated in the same currency as the securities into which they may be converted. In addition, the fund may invest in securities denominated in currency “baskets.”

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 creditable or deductible 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.

Short-Term 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 or 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 interest rates fluctuate. During periods of falling interest rates, the value of the fund’s debt securities generally will rise. Conversely, during periods of rising interest rates, the value of the fund’s debt securities generally will decline. The fund has no restrictions with respect to the maturities or duration of the debt securities it holds. The fund’s investment 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. The fund may invest for temporary defensive purposes in short-term instruments including 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. (“S&P”) or Prime-2 by Moody’s Investors Service, Inc. (“Moody’s”) 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

 

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non-bank dealers approved by the Board. 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.

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 government-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 a repurchase agreement, the fund buys, and the seller agrees to repurchase, a security at a mutually agreed upon time and price (usually within seven days). The repurchase agreement thereby determines the yield during the purchaser’s holding period, while the seller’s obligation to repurchase is secured by the value of the underlying security. The fund’s custodian will have custody of, and will hold in a segregated account, securities acquired by the fund under a repurchase agreement. Repurchase agreements are considered by the staff of the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) to be loans by the fund. Repurchase agreements could involve risks in the event of a default or insolvency of the other party to the agreement, including possible delays or restrictions upon the fund’s ability to dispose of the underlying securities. In an attempt to reduce the risk of incurring a loss on a repurchase agreement, the fund will enter into repurchase agreements only with domestic banks with total assets in excess of $1 billion, or primary government securities dealers reporting to the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, with respect to securities of the type in which the fund may invest, and will require that additional securities be deposited with it if the value of the securities purchased should decrease below resale price.

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.

Reverse Repurchase Agreements. The fund may enter into reverse repurchase agreements with the same parties with which it may enter into repurchase agreements. Reverse repurchase agreements involve the sale of securities held by the fund pursuant to its agreement to repurchase them at a mutually agreed upon date, price and rate of interest. At the time the fund enters into a reverse repurchase agreement, it will establish and maintain a segregated account with an approved custodian containing cash or liquid securities having a value not less than the repurchase price (including accrued interest). The assets contained in the segregated account will be marked-to-market daily and additional assets will be placed in such account on any day in which the assets fall below the repurchase price (plus accrued interest). The fund’s liquidity and ability to manage its assets might be affected when it sets aside cash or portfolio securities to cover such commitments. Reverse repurchase agreements involve the risk that the market value of the securities retained in lieu of sale may decline below the price of the securities the fund has sold but is obligated to repurchase. If the buyer of securities under a reverse repurchase agreement files for bankruptcy or becomes insolvent, such buyer or its trustee or receiver may receive an extension of time to determine whether to enforce the fund’s obligation to repurchase the securities, and the fund’s use of the proceeds of the reverse repurchase agreement may effectively be restricted pending such decision. The fund currently intends to invest not more than 33 1/3% of its net assets in reverse repurchase agreements.

 

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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. 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. Loan agreements involve certain risks in the event of default or insolvency of the other party including possible delays or restrictions upon a fund’s ability to recover the loaned securities or dispose of the collateral for the loan.

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).

Illiquid Securities. The fund may invest up to an aggregate amount equal 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.

Financial Futures and Options Transactions. The Commodity Futures Trading Commission (“CFTC”) 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 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. 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 below.

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

 

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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 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 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 or liquid securities 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. In the event that 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 option, although the fund may be required to forfeit such amounts in the event that the prices of securities underlying the options do not move in the direction or to the extent anticipated.

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

 

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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”).

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 used to cover certain written over-the-counter options.

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 (“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.

 

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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.

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. Indexes also are based on an industry or market segment such as the Amex Oil Index or the Amex Computer Technology Index.

 

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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 stock index futures contracts that are 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 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. The fund may enter into futures contracts and options on futures to hedge against the economic impact of adverse changes in the market value of its securities, because of changes in the stock market prices, currency exchange rates or interest rates, as a substitute for buying or selling securities or as a cash flow management technique. The fund will only enter into futures contracts and options on futures contracts that are traded on a domestic exchange and board of trade. Assets committed to futures contracts will be segregated on the fund’s books to the extent required by law.

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.

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

 

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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 on the fund’s books an amount of cash or liquid assets 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.

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.

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,

 

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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. A short sale is a transaction in which the fund sells a security it does not own in anticipation of a decline in the market price of that security. To effect a short sale, the fund arranges through a broker to borrow the security it does not own to be delivered to a buyer of such security. In borrowing the security to be delivered to the buyer, the fund will become obligated to replace the security borrowed at its market price at the time of replacement, whatever that price may be. A short sale results in a gain when the price of the securities sold short declines between the date of the short sale and the date on which a security is purchased to replace the borrowed security. Conversely, a short sale will result in a loss if the price of the security sold short increases. Short selling is a technique that may be considered speculative and involves risk beyond the amount of money used to secure each transaction.

When the fund makes a short sale, the broker effecting the short sale typically holds the proceeds as part of the collateral securing the fund’s obligation to cover the short position. The fund may use securities it owns to meet such collateral obligations. Generally, the fund may not keep, and must return to the lender, any dividends or interest that accrue on the borrowed security during the period of the loan. Depending on the arrangements with a broker or the custodian, the fund may or may not receive any payments (including interest) on collateral it designates as security for the broker.

In addition, until the fund closes its short position or replaces the borrowed security, the fund, pursuant to the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”), will designate liquid assets it owns (other than short sale proceeds) as segregated assets in an amount equal to its obligation to purchase the securities sold short. The amount segregated in this manner will be increased or decreased each business day (called marked-to-the-market) in an amount equal to the changes in the market value of the fund’s obligation to purchase the security sold short. This may limit the fund’s investment flexibility as well as its ability to meet redemption requests or other current obligations.

The fund will realize a gain if the price of a security declines between the date of the short sale and the date on which the fund purchases a security to replace the borrowed security. On the other hand, the fund will incur a loss if the price of the security increases between those dates. The amount of any gain will be decreased and the amount of any loss increased by any premium or interest that the fund may be required to pay in connection with a short sale. It should be noted that possible losses from short sales differ from those that could arise from a cash investment in a security in that losses from a short sale may be limitless, while the losses from a cash investment in a security cannot exceed the total amount of the investment in the security.

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 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. This kind of short sale, which is described as “against the box,” will be entered into by the fund for the

 

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purpose of receiving a portion of the interest earned by the executing broker from the proceeds of the sale. The proceeds of the sale will be held by the broker until the settlement date when the fund delivers the convertible securities to close out its short position. Although prior to delivery the fund will have to pay an amount equal to any dividends paid on the common stock sold short, the fund 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 its custodian, convertible preferred stock or convertible debt securities in connection with short sales against the box.

DISCLOSURE OF PORTFOLIO HOLDINGS

For funds in the Legg Mason Partners family of funds, each fund’s board of trustees has adopted policies and procedures developed by LMPFA 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, LMIS 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. 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. 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 LMPFA’s 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, 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.

 

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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 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, and either 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 person 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 of trustees. The release of portfolio holdings other than in ongoing arrangements is subject to a written agreement which requires the recipient to keep the information confidential and to use the information only for the purpose specified in the agreement. The approval of a fund’s Chief Compliance Officer, or designee, must be obtained prior to release of the information other than in an ongoing arrangement.

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 annually to the fund’s Board.

Currently, the funds typically disclose their complete portfolio holdings approximately 25 days after calendar quarter-end on Legg Mason’s website, http://www.leggmason.com/individualinvestors.

Set forth below is a list, as of August 31, 2007, of those parties with whom LMPFA, on behalf of the funds, has authorized ongoing arrangements that include the release of portfolio holdings information, 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 Shareholder 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

Thomson

   Semi-annually    None

Dataware

   Daily    None

ITG

   Daily    None

 

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Portfolio holdings information for a 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)

   Monthly    6-8 business days

Electra Information Systems

   Daily    None

SunGard

   Daily    None

 

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INVESTMENT POLICIES

The fund has adopted the following fundamental and non-fundamental investment policies for the protection of shareholders. Investment policies described in this SAI are fundamental only if they are identified as such. Fundamental investment policies may not be changed 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 fund 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 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.

(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

 

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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 has no intention of borrowing money for leverage. 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. 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 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,

 

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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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Table of Contents

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 and except that the fund may engage in short sales). For purposes of this restriction, the deposit or payment by the fund of 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.

2. Invest in oil, gas or other mineral exploration or development 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 for the purpose of exercising control of management.

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.

The fund has adopted a non-fundamental investment policy prohibiting it from investing in other registered open-end management investment companies and registered unit investment trusts in reliance upon the provisions of subparagraphs (G) or (F) of Section 12(d)(1) of the 1940 Act. The foregoing investment policy does not restrict the fund from (i) acquiring securities of other registered investment companies in connection with a merger, consolidation, reorganization, or acquisition of assets, or (ii) purchasing the securities of registered closed-end investment companies, to the extent permissible under Section 12(d)(1)(G) of the 1940 Act.

 

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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 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, 620 Eighth Avenue, New York, New York 10018.

 

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

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)   48   None

Andrew L. Breech

Born 1952

   Trustee    Since
1991
  President, Dealer Operating Control Service, Inc. (automotive retail management) (since 1985)   48   None

Dwight B. Crane

Born 1937

   Trustee    Since
1981
  Independent Consultant (since 1969); formerly, Professor, Harvard Business School (1969 to 2007)   50   None

Robert M. Frayn, Jr.

Born 1934

   Trustee    Since
1981
  Retired; formerly, President and Director, Book Publishing Co. (1970 to 2002)   48   None

Frank G. Hubbard

Born 1937

   Trustee    Since
1993
  President, Avatar International Inc. (business development) (since 1998)   48   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)   48   None

David E. Maryatt

Born 1936

   Trustee    Since
1983
  Private Investor; President and Director, ALS Co. (real estate management and development firm) (since 1993)   48   None

Jerome H. Miller

Born 1938

   Trustee    Since
1995
  Retired   48   None

Ken Miller

Born 1942

   Trustee    Since
1983
  Chairman, Young Stuff Apparel Group, Inc. (apparel manufacturer) (since 1963)   48   None

 

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Table of Contents

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

Overseen
by Trustee
 

Other
Board Memberships
Held by Trustee During

Past Five Years

INDEPENDENT TRUSTEES:

           

John J. Murphy

Born 1944

   Trustee    Since
2002
  President, Murphy Capital Management (investment advice) (since 1983)   48   Director, Nicholas Applegate funds (13 funds); Trustee, Consulting Group Capital Markets Funds (11 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, Husch Blackwell Sanders LLP (law firm) (since 1984); President, The Saint Louis Brewery, Inc. (since 1989)   48   Director, Citizens National Bank of Greater St. Louis, MO (since 2006)

Jerry A. Viscione

Born 1944

   Trustee    Since
1993
  Retired; formerly, Executive Vice President, Marquette University (1997 to 2002)   48   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 153 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)   138   Former Trustee, Consulting Group Capital Markets Funds (11 funds) (2002 -2006)

 

* Each Trustee serves until his respective successor has been duly elected and qualified or until his 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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Table of Contents

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

620 Eighth Avenue

New York, NY 10018

Born 1951

   Chairman, President
and Chief Executive
Officer
   Since
2002
   Managing Director, Legg Mason & Co., Chairman of the Board, Trustee, or Director of 153 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 Advisers Inc. (2002 to 2005)

Ted P. Becker

620 Eighth Avenue

New York, NY 10018

Born 1951

   Chief Compliance
Officer
   Since
2006
   Director of Global Compliance at Legg Mason, Inc. (since 2006); Managing Director of Compliance at Legg Mason & Co. (since 2005); Chief Compliance Officer of 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).

John Chiota

300 First Stamford Place

Stamford, CT 06902

Born 1968

   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

300 First Stamford Place

Stamford, CT 06902

Born 1954

   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

300 First Stamford Place

Stamford, CT 06902

Born 1962

   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

55 Water Street

New York, NY 10041

Born 1965

   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, Controller of certain mutual funds associated with CAM (2002 to 2004).

Steven Frank

55 Water Street

New York, NY 10041

Born 1967

   Controller    Since
2005
   Vice President of Legg Mason or its predecessors (since 2002); Controller of certain funds associated with Legg Mason (since 2005); formerly, Assistant Controller of certain mutual funds associated with Legg Mason (2001 to 2005).

 

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Table of Contents

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

Albert Laskaj

55 Water Street

New York, NY 10041

Born 1977

   Controller    Since
2007
   Vice President of Legg Mason (since 2008); Controller of certain funds associated with Legg Mason; formerly, Assistant Controller of certain mutual funds associated with Legg Mason (2005 to 2007); accounting manager of certain mutual funds associated with certain predecessor firms of Legg Mason (2003 to 2005); prior to 2003, senior analyst of certain mutual funds associated with certain predecessor firms of Legg Mason.

Jeanne M. Kelly
620 Eighth Avenue
New York, NY 10018

Born 1951

   Senior
Vice President
   Since
2005
   Managing Director, Legg Mason & Co. (since 2005); Senior Vice President of certain mutual funds associated with Legg Mason & Co. or its affiliates (since 2007); formerly, Director—Global Fund Administration, CAM (from 1996-2005).

 

* 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 Governance Committee and the Pricing Committee. The Audit Committee and the Governance 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 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 Governance Committee is responsible for, among other things, recommending candidates to fill vacancies on the Board. The Governance 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 Governance Committee also identifies potential nominees through its network of contacts and may also engage, if it deems appropriate, a professional search firm. The Governance Committee meets to discuss and consider such candidates’ qualifications and then chooses a candidate by majority vote. The Governance 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

 

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potential nominee to serve as a Trustee, the Governance 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 manager, 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 Governance 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.

The Trust’s Board oversees all of the equity-type funds in the fund complex. All members of the Board previously have served on Boards of predecessors to the Legg Mason Partners funds. The Board met six times during the fund’s last fiscal year. The Audit, Governance and Pricing Committees met three, two and seven times, respectively, 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, 2007.

 

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

   $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    $50,001-$100,000

David E. Maryatt

   $0    Over $100,000

Jerome H. Miller

   $0    Over $100,000

Ken Miller

   $0    $50,001-$100,000

John J. Murphy

   $0    Over $100,000

Thomas F. Schlafly

   $0    Over $100,000

Jerry A. Viscione

   $0    Over $100,000

Interested Trustee

     

R. Jay Gerken

   $0    Over $100,000

 

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As of June 12, 2008, none of the Independent Trustees or their immediate family members owned beneficially or of record any securities of the manager, subadviser or distributor 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 distributor of the fund.

Information regarding compensation paid by the fund to its 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 Independent Trustees his 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 Chairs of the Audit Committee and Nominating Committee will each receive an additional $15,000 per year.

Current Board

The current Trustees took office in April 2007. Information as to the compensation paid to the Trustees for the calendar year ended December 31, 2007 and the fiscal year ended November 30, 2007 is shown below.

 

Name of Trustee

   Aggregate
Compensation
from the Fund for
the Fiscal Year

Ended
November 30, 2007
   Total Pension
or Retirement

Benefits Paid
As Part of
Fund Expenses
    Total Compensation
from Fund
Complex Paid
to Trustee for
the Calendar Year

Ended
December 31, 2007
   Number of
Portfolios in
Fund
Complex
Overseen by
Trustee

Independent Trustees

          

Paul R. Ades

   $ 3,158    $ 0     $ 183,550    47

Andrew L. Breech

   $ 3,137    $ 0     $ 162,000    47

Dwight B. Crane

   $ 5,050      (2 )   $ 746,293    49

Robert M. Frayn, Jr.

   $ 3,137    $ 0     $ 162,500    47

Frank G. Hubbard

   $ 3,158    $ 0     $ 193,950    47

Howard J. Johnson

   $ 3,388    $ 0     $ 196,250    47

David E. Maryatt

   $ 3,158    $ 0     $ 163,500    47

Jerome H. Miller

   $ 3,137    $ 0     $ 171,950    47

Ken Miller

   $ 3,158    $ 0     $ 173,450    47

John J. Murphy

   $ 3,158    $ 0     $ 185,800    47

Thomas F. Schlafly

   $ 3,158    $ 0     $ 183,000    47

Jerry A. Viscione

   $ 3,185    $ 0     $ 137,000    47

Interested Trustee

          

R. Jay Gerken(1)

   $ 0    $ 0     $ 0    137

 

(1) Mr. Gerken was not compensated for his services as a Trustee because of his affiliation with the manager.
(2) Pursuant to a prior retirement plan, Mr. Crane has received in a lump sum (calculated on a net present value basis) an aggregate benefit from the fund complex having a net present value equal to $444,643. A portion of this benefit payout is included, on a pro rata basis, in the aggregate compensation paid by the fund shown above. In addition, each fund formerly overseen by Mr. Crane has paid a pro rata share (based on 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.

 

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Prior Board

Prior to April 2007, the Trustees listed below served as the Board of Trustees of the fund. For the fiscal year ended November 30, 2007, the prior Trustees of the fund were paid the compensation listed below.

 

Name of Independent Trustee

   Aggregate
Compensation

from Fund for

Fiscal Year Ended
November 30, 2007

Dwight B. Crane(2)

   $ 5,050

Burt N. Dorsett(2)

   $ 1,237

Elliot S. Jaffe(2)

   $ 775

Stephen E. Kaufman(2)

   $ 1,522

Cornelius C. Rose, Jr.(2)

   $ 1,263

Interested Trustee

  

R. Jay Gerken(1)

   $ 0

 

(1) Mr. Gerken was not compensated for his service as Trustee because of his affiliation with the manager.
(2) Pursuant to prior retirement plans, certain Trustees have received or are entitled to receive a total retirement benefit (calculated on a net present value basis) as follows: Mr. Herbert Barg: $458,325; Mr. Martin Brody: $291,047; Mr. Dorsett: $360,000; Mr. Jaffe: $286,616; Mr. Kaufman: $424,476; Mr. Joseph McCann: $261,000; and Mr. Rose: $286,616. A portion of these benefits that has been paid is included, on a pro rata basis, in the aggregate compensation paid by the fund shown above. In addition, each fund no longer overseen by these Trustees paid its pro rata share (based on asset size) of these aggregate benefits. Legg Mason or its affiliates have agreed to reimburse these funds an amount equal to 50% of these benefits.

As of June 12, 2008, all Trustees and officers as a group owned less than 1% of the outstanding shares of the fund.

The following table contains a list of shareholders of record who beneficially owned at least 5% of the outstanding shares of a particular class of shares of the fund as of June 12, 2008.

 

Class

  

Shareholder

    

Percent of Ownership

A

   PFPC Brokerage Services
Main Office
FBO Primerica Financial Services
760 Moore Road
King of Prussia PA 19406
     36.66%

A

   CitiStreet Retirement Trust Account
Citigroup Institutional Trust
400 Atrium Dr
Somerset NJ 08873-4172
       7.15%

B

   PFPC Brokerage Services
Main Office
FBO Primerica Financial Services
760 Moore Road
King of Prussia PA 19406
     53.52%

I

   Legg Mason Partners Lifestyle
Series Inc Allocation 85%
55 Water St
New York NY 10041
     30.10%

 

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Table of Contents

Class

  

Shareholder

    

Percent of Ownership

I

   Legg Mason Partners Lifestyle
Series Inc Allocation 70%
55 Water St
New York NY 10041
       25.39%

I

   Legg Mason Partners Lifestyle
Series Inc Allocation 50%
55 Water St
New York NY 10041
       15.46%

I

   Legg Mason Partners Variable
Lifestyle Allocation 50%
55 Water Street
New York NY 10041
         8.75%

I

   Legg Mason Partners Lifestyle
Series Inc 100% Allocation
55 Water Street
New York NY 10041
         6.23%

1

   PFPC Brokerage Services
Main Office
FBO Primerica Financial Services
760 Moore Road
King of Prussia PA 19406
     100.00%

 

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Table of Contents

INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT AND OTHER SERVICES

Manager

LMPFA serves as investment manager to the fund pursuant to an investment management agreement (the “Management Agreement”) with respect to the fund. LMPFA, with offices at 620 Eighth Avenue, New York, New York 10018, also serves as the investment manager of 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 March 31, 2008, Legg Mason’s asset management operation had aggregate assets under management of approximately $950 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 will continue in effect from year to year 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 provided under the fund’s Management Agreement the manager is entitled to receive fees, which are computed daily and paid monthly at an annual rate of 0.75% of the fund’s average daily net assets.

For the period 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 November 30, the fund paid the manager or SBFM (as applicable) the following management fees:

 

2007

   $ 7,804,129

2006

   $ 7,744,720

2005

   $ 8,278,018

 

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For the fiscal years ended November 30, the manager or SBFM (as applicable) waived the following management fees:

 

2007

   $ 1,824  

2006

   $ 83,247 (1)

2005

   $ 0  

 

(1) The manager waived $60,014 and the fund was reimbursed in the amount of $23,233.

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 and as of March 31, 2008 manages approximately $86 billion. ClearBridge has offices at 620 Eighth Avenue, New York, New York 10018.

Under the Sub-Advisory Agreement, subject to the supervision and direction of the Board and the manager, the subadviser manages the fund’s portfolio in accordance with the fund’s stated investment objective and policies, assists in supervising all aspects of the fund’s operations, makes investment decisions for the fund, places orders to purchase and sell securities, and employs professional portfolio managers and securities analysts who provide research services to the fund.

The Sub-Advisory Agreement will continue in effect from year to year 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 pays 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 November 30, 2006, the manager paid the subadviser subadvisory fees of $1,748,580. For the fiscal year ended November 30, 2007, the manager paid the subadviser subadvisory fees of $5,461,614. Prior to August 1, 2006, the fund did not have a subadviser.

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 issuance 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

 

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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, Trustees 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 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 prospectuses. 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 Trustees 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.

Effective January 1, 2008, the manager is permitted to recapture amounts previously voluntarily forgone or reimbursed by the manager to the fund during the same fiscal year if the fund’s total annual operating expenses have fallen to a level below the voluntary fee waiver/reimbursement (“expense cap”) shown in the fee table of the fund’s prospectus. In no case will the manager recapture any amount that would result, on any particular fund business day, in the fund’s total annual operating expenses exceeding the expense cap. The Board has been apprised of the expense cap and recapture arrangement.

Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

KPMG LLP, an independent registered public accounting firm, located at 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 November 30, 2008.

Counsel

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

Stroock & Stroock & Lavan LLP, 180 Maiden Lane, New York, New York 10038-4982, serves as counsel to the Independent Trustees.

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;

 

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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 acts as the fund’s securities lending agent and receives 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.

Code of Ethics

Pursuant to Rule 17j-1 under the 1940 Act, the fund, the manager, the subadviser and the distributor 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 code of ethics of the fund, the manager, the subadviser and the distributor 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.

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 1-888-425-6432, (2) on the fund’s website at http://www.leggmason.com/individualinvestors and (3) on the SEC’s website at http://www.sec.gov.

 

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Distributor

LMIS, a wholly-owned broker-dealer subsidiary of Legg Mason, located at 100 Light Street, Baltimore, Maryland 21202, serves as the fund’s sole and exclusive distributor pursuant to a written agreement dated December 1, 2005 (the “distribution agreement”).

Prior to December 1, 2007, Citigroup Global Markets Inc. (“CGMI”) and PFS Investments Inc. (“PFS”), served as the fund’s distributors along with LMIS. Prior to December 1, 2005, CGMI and PFS Distributors, Inc. (“PFS Distributors”), the predecessor in interest to PFS, served as the fund’s distributors.

The 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. The 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 or interested persons of any party by votes cast in person at a meeting called for such purpose. The 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.

LMIS may be deemed to be an underwriter for purposes of the 1933 Act.

Initial Sales Charges

The aggregate dollar amount of commissions on Class A, Class 1 and Class C shares received by LMIS, CGMI and PFS were as follows:

Class A Shares (paid to CGMI and LMIS)

For the fiscal years ended November 30:

 

2007

   $ 70,868

2006

   $ 108,096

2005*

   $ 146,714

 

* All initial sales charges paid during the fiscal year ended November 30, 2005 were paid to CGMI.

Class A Shares (paid to PFS)

For the fiscal years ended November 30:

 

2007

   $ 631,244

2006

   $ 628,516

2005

   $ 645,085

Class 1 Shares (paid to CGMI and LMIS)

For the fiscal years ended November 30:

 

2007

   $ 0

2006

   $            0

2005

   $ 0

Class 1 Shares (paid to PFS)

For the fiscal years ended November 30:

 

2007

   $ 0

2006

   $     6,810

2005

   $ 5,799

 

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Class C Shares (paid to CGMI and LMIS)†

For the fiscal years ended November 30:

 

2007

   $ 0

2006

   $ 0

2005*

   $ 356

 

The initial sales charge on Class C shares has been eliminated.
* All initial sales charges paid during the fiscal year ended November 30, 2005 were paid to CGMI.

Contingent Deferred Sales Charge

Class A Shares (paid to CGMI and LMIS)

For the fiscal years ended November 30:

 

2007

   $ 501

2006

   $ 1,449

2005*

   $ 1,614

 

* All contingent deferred sales charges paid during the fiscal year ended November 30, 2005 were paid to CGMI.

Class A Shares (paid to PFS)

For the fiscal years ended November 30:

 

2007

   $ 414

2006

   $        9,072

2005

   $ 5,077

Class B Shares (paid to CGMI and LMIS)

For the fiscal years ended November 30:

 

2007

   $ 87,543

2006

   $ 148,374

2005*

   $ 367,468

 

* All contingent deferred sales charges paid during the fiscal year ended November 30, 2005 were paid to CGMI.

Class B Shares (paid to PFS)

For the fiscal years ended November 30:

 

2007

   $ 146,910

2006

   $ 373,717

2005

   $ 393,435

 

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Class C Shares (paid to CGMI and LMIS)

For the fiscal years ended November 30:

 

2007

   $ 26,897

2006

   $ 5,945

2005*

   $   10,831

 

* All contingent deferred sales charges paid during the fiscal year ended November 30, 2005 were paid to CGMI.

For the fiscal year ended November 30, 2007, LMIS incurred the following distribution expenses for the fund. Distribution expenses include marketing and advertising materials, printing costs of prospectuses, third party service fees and compensation of Service Agents.

 

      Financial
Consultant
Compensation
   Third
Party
Services
Fees
   Marketing &
Advertising
Expenses
   Printing
Expenses
   Total
Expenses

Class A

   $ 0    $ 227,980    $ 0    $ 0    $ 227,980

Class B

     545,679      81,846      35,785      2,798      666,108

Class C

     419,316      334,409      125,968      9,063      888,756
                                  
     964,995      644,235      161,753      11,861      1,782,844
                                  

For the fiscal year ended November 30, 2007, CGMI incurred the following distribution expenses for the fund. Distribution expenses include marketing and advertising materials, printing costs of prospectuses, third party service fees, branch operating expenses and compensation of Service Agents.

 

      Financial
Consultant
Compensation
   Third
Party
Services
Fees
   Branch
Expenses
   Marketing &
Advertising
Expenses
   Printing
Expenses
   Total
Expenses

Class A

   $ 214,561    $            0    $ 323,094    $            0    $            0    $ 537,655

Class B

     109,032      0      169,291      0      0      278,323

Class C

     762,322      0      1,145,050      0      0      1,907,372
                                         
     1,085,915      0      1,637,435      0      0      2,723,350
                                         

For the fiscal year ended November 30, 2007, PFS incurred the following distribution expenses for the fund. Distribution expenses include marketing and advertising materials, printing costs of prospectuses, third party service fees, branch operating expenses and compensation of Service Agents.

 

      Financial
Consultant
Compensation
   Third
Party
Services
Fees
   Branch
Expenses
   Marketing &
Advertising
Expenses
   Printing
Expenses
   Total
Expenses

Class A

   $ 273,641    $ 0    $ 200,086    $ 0    $ 0    $ 473,727

Class B

     534,671      0      87,219      10,273      0      632,163

Class C

     0      0      0      0      0      0
                                         
     808,312      0      287,305      10,273      0      1,105,890
                                         

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, B, C, FI and R shares. Under the 12b-1 Plan, the fund pays service and

 

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distribution fees to LMIS for the services it provides and expenses it bears with respect to the distribution of Class A, Class B, Class C, Class FI and Class R shares and providing services to Class A, Class B, Class C, Class FI and Class R shareholders. The distributor 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, Class C, Class FI and Class R 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 attributable to such class and with respect to the Class R shares at the annual rate of 0.25% of the fund’s average daily net assets attributable to such class.

Fees under the 12b-1 Plan may be used to make payments to the 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 the distributor, Service Agents and others for providing personal service or the maintenance of shareholder accounts. The amounts paid by the distributor 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, Class C and Class 1 investors.

The 12b-1 Plan permits the fund to pay fees to the 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 distributor and others until the 12b-1 Plan or distribution agreement is terminated or not renewed. In that event, the 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 distributor 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 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 distributor provide to the Board and that 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 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

 

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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, the distributor acts as an agent of the Trust in connection with the offering of shares of the fund pursuant to the distribution agreement.

Dealer reallowances are described in the prospectus for Class A, B, C, FI, R, I and 1 shares.

Class IS shares are not subject to any distribution and/or service fees.

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

Service Fees and Distribution Fees

The following service and distribution fees were incurred pursuant to the 12b-1 Plan during the fiscal years indicated:

Class A Shares

For the fiscal years ended November 30:

 

2007

   $ 1,195,512

2006

   $ 1,005,184

2005

   $ 952,549

Class B Shares

For the fiscal years ended November 30:

 

2007

   $ 2,651,003

2006

   $ 3,309,350

2005

   $ 3,795,964

Class C Shares

For the fiscal years ended November 30:

 

2007

   $ 2,879,494

2006

   $ 2,912,845

2005

   $ 3,182,880

No information is provided for Class FI or R shares because no Class FI or R shares were outstanding for the fiscal year ended November 30, 2007.

 

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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 in this section with respect to the fund is provided as of November 30, 2007.

Other Accounts Managed by Portfolio Managers

The table below identifies, for the portfolio managers, 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 account had fees based on performance.

 

Portfolio Manager(s)

  

Registered Investment

Companies

  

Other Pooled

Investment Vehicles

  

Other Accounts

Brian M. Angerame

   3 registered investment companies with $130 billion in total assets under management    0 other pooled investment vehicles    840 other accounts with $0.24 billion in total assets under management

Derek J. Deutsch

   1 registered investment company with $0.11 billion in total assets under management    0 other pooled investment vehicles    358 other accounts with $0.13 billion in total assets under management

Portfolio Manager Compensation

ClearBridge investment professionals receive base salary, 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 incentive and deferred compensation plans (the “Plans”) for its investment professionals, including the fund’s portfolio managers and research analysts. The Plans are designed to align the objectives of ClearBridge investment professionals with those of fund shareholders and other ClearBridge clients. Additionally, the Plans are designed to retain its investment professionals and reward long-term performance.

Incentive Compensation

Investment performance is the key component in determining the final incentive award for all of ClearBridge’s investment professionals. A portfolio manager’s initial incentive award is based on the investment professional’s ongoing contribution to ClearBridge’s investment and business results and externally measured competitive pay practices for the portfolio manager’s position/experience within the firm. This award is then adjusted upward or downward (up to +/-50%) based on investment performance during the most recent year over a rolling 1, 3, and 5 year time period. Product performance is ranked among a “peer group” of non-ClearBridge investment managers and the product’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 prospectuses to which the fund’s average annual total returns are compared).

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 (e.g. primarily Lipper or Callan).

The 1, 3, and 5 year performance versus benchmark and peer group approximate effective weightings are 35% for trailing 1 year performance, 50% for trailing 3 year performance, and 15% for trailing 5 year performance.

 

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Lastly, the incentive award for an investment professional may also be adjusted by the ClearBridge Chief Investment Officer(s) based on other qualitative factors such as contribution to the firm and the development of investment staff.

For ClearBridge’s centralized research professionals, there is an incentive compensation plan based on annual performance on a combined scorecard containing a portfolio manager questionnaire survey and stock picking performance. The analyst’s stock picks are tracked on a formal basis through Factset and make up a portion of the analysts overall scorecard performance. These stock picks are measured versus their respective sector indices.

Deferred Award

Up to 20% of an investment professional’s annual incentive compensation is subject to deferral. For portfolio managers, 25% of this deferral is invested in their primary managed product while another 25% is invested in an elected proprietary ClearBridge sub-advised fund. Therefore, portfolio managers may potentially have 50% of their deferred award amount tracking the performance of their primary managed product. Every portfolio manager selects their primary product for the elective component. Legg Mason then makes a company investment in the Legg Mason Partners funds equal to the deferral amounts by fund. This investment is a company asset held on the Legg Mason balance sheet and paid out to the employees upon vesting over a four year deferral period. The remaining 50% of the deferral is received in the form of Legg Mason restricted stock shares.

For centralized research analysts, 50% of this deferral tracks the performance of up to two elected proprietary funds. Legg Mason then makes an investment at the company level into each of the funds in the deferral program based on the aggregate dollars deferred by each individual in that plan year (similar to the above description). 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.

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.

 

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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 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.

Portfolio Manager Securities Ownership

The table below identifies ownership of fund securities by the portfolio managers.

 

Portfolio Managers

   Dollar Range of
Ownership of Securities

Brian M. Angerame

   $ 100,001-$500,000

Derek J. Deutsch

   $ 10,001-$50,000

 

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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. 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, 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 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 its 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 November 30, 2007, 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

$1,321,009,714

   $335,692

 

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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.

Aggregate Brokerage Commissions Paid

For the fiscal years ended November 30, 2005, 2006 and 2007, the fund paid aggregate brokerage commissions and brokerage commissions to CGMI, a former distributor of the fund, as set out below:

 

Fiscal Year Ending November 30,

   Total
Brokerage
Commissions
   Commissions
Paid to CGMI
and Affiliates

2007

   $ 1,446,367      N/A

2006

   $ 2,320,120    $ 60,802

2005

   $ 2,940,799    $ 281,108

As of December 1, 2005, LMIS became an affiliated person of the fund under the 1940 Act. For the fiscal years ended November 30, 2006 and 2007, the fund did not pay any brokerage commissions to LMIS or its affiliates. CGMI was an affiliate of the fund prior to December 1, 2005.

During the fiscal year ended November 30, 2007, the fund purchased securities issued by its regular broker/dealers, which had the following values as of November 30, 2007:

 

Broker-Dealer

  

Value of Securities

Bear Stearns Co. Inc.

   $11,677,363

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 the subadviser’s other clients. Investment decisions for the fund and for the manager’s or the 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 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.

 

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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 lime 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 November 30, the portfolio turnover rates were as follows:

 

2007

   62 %

2006

   69 %

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).

 

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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, I or IS 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. Effective July 27, 2007, the fund’s Class 1 shares were closed to all purchases and incoming exchanges.

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

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.

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 (“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 net asset value determined on that day, provided the order is received by the fund’s agent prior to its close of business. 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, the distributor or the transfer agent is authorized through preauthorized transfers of at least $50 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 the distributor or the transfer agent. 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 NAV plus an initial sales charge, as described in the prospectus for Class A, B, C, FI, R, I and 1 shares.

 

 

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Members of the selling group may receive a portion of the sales charge as described in the prospectus for Class A, B, C, FI, R, I and 1 shares 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” below.

Class FI, R, I and IS Shares. Class FI, R, I and IS 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) 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 distributor 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”);

(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 broker/dealers and other financial institutions that have entered into agreements with 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 NAV prior to December 1, 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 December 1, 2006 will also remain eligible to purchase Class A shares at NAV.

Accumulation Privilege—Please see the prospectus for Class A, B, C, FI, R, I and 1 shares 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.

 

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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.

Backdating Letter. You may establish a date for a Letter of Intent that is up to ninety (90) 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 the transfer agent, contact the transfer 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 the prospectus for Class A, B, C, FI, R, I and 1 shares 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 the transfer agent, by notifying the transfer 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 Service Agent, or if you purchase your shares directly through the transfer agent, the transfer agent, 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.

 

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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 for Class A, B, C, FI, R, I and 1 shares. 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 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. LMIS receives contingent deferred sales charges in partial consideration for its 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

 

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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 the distributor or the manager.

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 the distributor or the transfer agent of the shareholder’s status or holdings, as the case may be.

Grandfathered Retirement Program with Exchange Features

Certain retirement plan programs authorized 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 an applicable Legg Mason Partners 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.

 

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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 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 NAV 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.

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.

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 prospectuses. Securities issued as a distribution in kind may incur brokerage commissions when shareholders subsequently sell those securities.

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

 

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$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.

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.

 

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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 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 prospectuses 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 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, FI, R, I and IS Exchanges. Class A, Class FI, Class R, Class I and Class IS 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.

Class 1 Exchanges. Class 1 shareholders of the fund who wish to exchange all or a portion of their shares 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. Shareholders may make these exchanges without imposition of any charge.

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 with Exchange Feature” 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 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 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 prospectuses 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

 

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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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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 Day 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 NAV value of each class will differ. Please see the prospectuses for a description of the procedures used by the fund in valuing its assets.

Determination of Public Offering Price

The fund offers its shares on a continuous basis. The public offering price for Class A, Class B, Class C, Class FI, Class R, Class 1, Class I and Class IS 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, 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 NAV of a share of the fund as of November 30, 2007.

 

Class A (NAV of $22.59 based on the maximum initial sales charge of 5.75% of NAV per share)

   $ 23.97

Effective July 27, 2007, Class 1 shares were closed to new purchases.

 

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DIVIDENDS, DISTRIBUTIONS AND TAXES

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 pay additional dividends shortly before December 31 each year from certain amounts of undistributed ordinary and capital gains realized, 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, with no additional sales charge or contingent deferred sales charge. A shareholder may change the option at any time by notifying his Service Agent. Shareholders whose accounts are held directly at the transfer agent should notify the transfer agent in writing, requesting a change to this reinvest option.

The per share dividends on Class B, Class C and Class R shares of the fund may be lower than the per share dividends on Class A, Class FI, Class I and Class IS shares principally as a result of the distribution fee applicable with respect to Class B, Class C and Class R shares. The per share dividends on Class A and Class FI shares of the fund will be lower than the per share dividends on Class I and Class IS shares principally as a result of the service fee applicable to Class A and Class FI shares. Distributions of capital gains, if any, will be in the same amount for each class of shares.

Taxes

The following is a summary of certain material United States 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 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, 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 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 traditionally 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, United States 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 United States 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 are held by the fund and which 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.

 

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Although in general the passive loss rules of the Code do not apply to regulated investment companies, such rules do apply to a regulated investment company with respect to items attributable to an interest in a qualified publicly traded partnership. 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 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 that are taxable to shareholders as ordinary 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. If the fund fails to qualify as a regulated investment company for a period greater than two taxable years, in addition, 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) and (b) may cause the fund to recognize income without receiving cash with which to pay dividends at the end of each year 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.

 

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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). With respect to certain types of swaps, the fund may be required to currently recognize income or loss with respect to future payments on such swaps or may elect under certain circumstances to mark such swaps to market annually for tax purposes as ordinary income or loss. 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 certain situations, the fund may, for a taxable year, defer all or a portion of its capital losses and currency losses realized after October, until the next taxable year in computing its investment company taxable income and net capital gain, which will defer the recognition of such realized losses. Such deferrals and other rules regarding gains and losses realized after October may affect the tax character of shareholder distributions.

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 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.

 

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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. In general, gains (and losses) realized on debt instruments will be treated as Section 988 gain (or loss) to the extent attributable to changes in exchange rates between the U.S. dollar and the currencies in which the instruments are denominated. 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 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 must be made separately for each PFIC owned by the fund 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 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. If the fund is held through a qualified retirement plan entitled to tax exempt treatment for federal income tax purposes, distributions will generally not be taxable currently. Special tax rules apply to such retirement plans. You should consult your tax advisor regarding the tax treatment of distributions (which may include amounts attributable to fund distributions) which may be taxable when distributed from the retirement plan.

Any dividend 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

 

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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 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 United States 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 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 (e.g., foreign corporations incorporated in certain countries with a comprehensive tax treaty with the United States or whose stock is traded on an established securities market in the United States) which are not PFICs. Dividend income will not be treated as qualified dividend income unless 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

 

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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.

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 United States 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 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). 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 by otherwise allowable deductions 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. If a charitable remainder annuity trust or charitable remainder unitrust (each as defined in Code Section 664) has UBTI for a tax year, a 100% excise tax on the UBTI is imposed on the trust.

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. 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 United States 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 during such six-month period. 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

 

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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 in a family of mutual funds.

Backup Withholding. The fund may be required to withhold, for United States 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 United States federal income tax liabilities.

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

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 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 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, U.S. 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.

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%

 

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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 of real property gain received by the fund from a REIT and if 50% or more of the value of the fund’s assets are invested in REITs and other U.S. real property holding corporations. Restrictions apply regarding wash sales and substitute payment transactions.

The tax consequences to a foreign shareholder entitled to claim the benefits of an applicable tax treaty may be different from those described herein. Foreign shareholders should consult their own tax advisers with respect to the particular tax consequences to them of an investment in the fund, including the applicability of foreign taxes.

Shares of the fund held by a non-U.S. shareholder at death will be considered situated in the United States and subject to the U.S. estate tax.

The foregoing is only a summary of certain material U.S. federal income tax consequences affecting the fund and its shareholders. 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. On April 16, 2007, 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.

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 business 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. Some of the more significant provisions of the declaration are described below (referred to in this section as the declaration).

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.

 

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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.

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

 

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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, a former distributor of the fund and other affiliated funds (collectively, the “Funds”), SBFM and Salomon Brothers Asset Management Inc (“SBAM”), 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, a former distributor of the fund, 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

 

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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 CAM, SBAM and SBFM 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.

On December 3, 2007, the court granted the Defendants’ motion to dismiss, with prejudice. On January 2, 2008 the plaintiffs filed a notice of appeal to the Second Circuit Court of Appeals.

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, a former distributor of the fund, 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 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 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.

The five actions were subsequently consolidated, and a consolidated complaint was filed.

On September 26, 2007, the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York issued an order dismissing the consolidated complaint and judgment was later entered. An appeal has been filed and is pending before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit.

***

On September 16, 2005, the staff of the SEC informed SBFM and SBAM that the staff was considering recommending administrative proceedings against SBFM and SBAM for alleged violations of Section 19(a) and 34(b) of the 1940 Act (and related Rule 19a-1). On September 27, 2007, SBFM and SBAM, without admitting or denying any findings therein, consented to the entry of an order by the SEC relating to the disclosure by certain closed-end funds previously managed by SBFM or SBAM of the sources of distributions paid by the funds between 2001 and 2004. Each of SBFM and SBAM agreed to pay a fine of $450,000, for which it was indemnified by Citigroup Inc., its former parent. It is not expected that this matter will adversely impact the funds or their current manager.

***

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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FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

The audited financial statements of the fund and the fund’s predecessor (Statement of Assets and Liabilities as of November 30, 2007, Schedule of Investments as of November 30, 2007, Statement of Operations for the year ended November 30, 2007, Statements of Changes in Net Assets for each of the years in the two-year period ended November 30, 2007, Financial Highlights for each of the years in the five-year period ended November 30, 2007, 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 February 4, 2008; Accession Number 0001193125-08-019121).

 

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APPENDIX A

Proxy Voting Policies and Procedures as of

April 14, 2008

ClearBridge is subject to the Proxy Voting Policies and Procedures that it has adopted to seek to ensure that it votes proxies relating to equity securities in the best interest of client accounts. The following is a brief overview of the policies.

ClearBridge votes proxies for each client account with respect to which it has been authorized or is required by law 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 the beneficial owners of the accounts it manages. 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, such recommendations do not relieve ClearBridge of its 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 considers those factors and votes on a case-by-case basis in accordance with the general principles set forth above. 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 restructuring, 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. There may be occasions when different investment teams vote differently on the same issue. An investment team (e.g., ClearBridge SAI investment team) may adopt proxy voting policies that supplement ClearBridge’s Proxy Voting 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 non-ClearBridge relationships between a Legg Mason affiliate and an issuer do not present

 

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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 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 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 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 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 Committee that a conflict of interest is material, the Proxy 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.

You may request:

(i) a copy of ClearBridge’s Proxy Voting Policies and Procedures; and/or

(ii) information concerning how ClearBridge voted proxies with respect to the securities held in your account.

Such request may be made by sending a written request to:

ClearBridge Advisors, LLC

620 8th Avenue

New York, NY 10018

Attention: Client Services

 

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Filed under Rule 497(c)

File Nos. 33-43446 and 811-6444

April 1, 2008, as revised July 9, 2008

STATEMENT OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

LEGG MASON PARTNERS EQUITY TRUST

Legg Mason Partners Large Cap Growth Fund

55 Water Street

New York, New York 10041

(800) 451-2010

This Statement of Additional Information (“SAI”) is not a prospectus and is meant to be read in conjunction with the prospectus for Class A, B, C, FI, R and I shares dated April 1, 2008 and the prospectus for Class IS shares dated July 9, 2008 (each, a “prospectus” and collectively, the “prospectuses”) of Legg Mason Partners Large Cap Growth Fund (the “fund”), each as amended or supplemented from time to time, and is incorporated by reference in its entirety into the prospectuses. 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. Certain historical information contained in the SAI for periods prior to April 16, 2007 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. The annual report contains financial statements that are incorporated herein by reference. The prospectuses and copies of the annual and semi-annual reports may be obtained free of charge by contacting banks, brokers, dealers, insurance companies, investment advisers, financial consultants or advisors, mutual fund supermarkets and other financial intermediaries that have entered into an agreement with the fund’s distributor to sell shares of the fund (each called a “Service Agent”), or by writing or calling the fund at the address or telephone number above. Legg Mason Investor Services, LLC (“LMIS”), a wholly-owned broker/dealer subsidiary of Legg Mason, Inc. (“Legg Mason”), serves as the fund’s sole and exclusive distributor.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

Investment Objective and Management Policies

   2

Disclosure of Portfolio Holdings

   10

Investment Policies

   13

Management

   16

Investment Management and Other Services

   26

Portfolio Manager Disclosure

   34

Portfolio Transactions

   36

Purchase of Shares

   39

Redemption of Shares

   44

Valuation of Shares

   46

Exchange Privilege

   46

Dividends, Distributions and Taxes

   47

Additional Information

   54

Financial Statements

   59

Appendix A—Summary of Proxy Voting Policies and Procedures for ClearBridge Advisors, LLC

   A-1

THIS SAI IS NOT A PROSPECTUS AND IS AUTHORIZED FOR DISTRIBUTION TO PROSPECTIVE INVESTORS ONLY IF PRECEDED OR ACCOMPANIED BY AN EFFECTIVE PROSPECTUS.

 

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INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE AND MANAGEMENT POLICIES

The fund’s investment objective is to seek long-term growth of capital. The fund’s investment objective may be changed by the Board without shareholder approval. The fund is an open-end, diversified, management investment company. Legg Mason Partners 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

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, or other investments with similar economic characteristics, of companies with large market capitalizations. Large capitalization companies are those companies with market capitalizations similar to companies in the Russell 1000 Index (the “Index”). The size of the companies in the Index changes with market conditions and the composition of the Index. As of March 31, 2008, the largest market capitalization of a company was approximately $476.5 billion and the smallest market capitalization was approximately $155 million. Securities of companies whose market capitalizations no longer meet this definition after purchase by the fund still will be considered securities of large capitalization companies for purposes of the fund’s 80% investment policy.

Equity securities include U.S. exchange traded and over-the-counter common stocks, debt securities convertible into equity securities, and warrants and rights relating to equity securities.

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.

With respect to the 80% investment policy (as described above), this percentage requirement will not be applicable during periods when the fund pursues a temporary defensive strategy, as discussed in the prospectuses. The fund’s 80% investment policy is non-fundamental and may be changed by the Board upon at least 60 days’ notice to shareholders.

Additional Information

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

Equity Securities. The fund will normally invest at least 80% of its assets 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.

When-Issued Securities, Delayed-Delivery and Forward Commitment 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

 

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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 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.

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 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’s 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 directly or in the form of American Depositary Receipts (“ADRs”), European Depositary Receipts (“EDRs”) or similar securities representing interests in the common stock of foreign issuers. The fund’s investment in these types of securities is limited to 10% of the fund’s net assets. 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.

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.

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 creditable or deductible 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 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.

Repurchase Agreements. The fund may enter into repurchase agreements. In a repurchase agreement, the fund buys, and the seller agrees to repurchase, a security at a mutually agreed upon time and price (usually within

 

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seven days). The repurchase agreement thereby determines the yield during the purchaser’s holding period, while the seller’s obligation to repurchase is secured by the value of the underlying security. The fund’s custodian will have custody of, and will hold in a segregated account, securities acquired by the fund under a repurchase agreement. Repurchase agreements are considered by the staff of the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) to be loans by the fund. Repurchase agreements could involve risks in the event of a default or insolvency of the other party to the agreement, including possible delays or restrictions upon the fund’s ability to dispose of the underlying securities. In an attempt to reduce the risk of incurring a loss on a repurchase agreement, the fund will enter into repurchase agreements only with domestic banks with total assets in excess of $1 billion, or primary government securities dealers reporting to the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, with respect to securities of the type in which the fund may invest, and will require that additional securities be deposited with it if the value of the securities purchased should decrease below resale price.

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 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. 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 fund must terminate the loan and regain the right to vote the securities. 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.

Illiquid Securities. The fund may invest up to an aggregate amount of 10% of its net assets in illiquid securities, which include 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 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 Commodity Futures Trading Commission (“CFTC”) eliminated limitations on futures transactions and options thereon by registered investment companies, provided that the investment manager to the registered

 

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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 below.

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 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 option, 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.

 

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The use of forward currency contracts, options and futures, involves certain investment risks and transaction costs. 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 the lack of assurance that a liquid market will exist for any particular option, futures contract or option thereon at any particular time.

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 (“Clearing Corporation”) or similar clearing corporation and the securities exchange on which the option is written.

 

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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 manager and 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 stock 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 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

 

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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. 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.” 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 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 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. 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 and board of trade. Assets committed to futures contracts will be segregated on the fund’s books to the extent required by law.

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.

 

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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.

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.

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

 

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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.

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 portfolio manager 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.

DISCLOSURE OF PORTFOLIO HOLDINGS

For funds in the Legg Mason Partners family of funds, each fund’s board of trustees has adopted policies and procedures developed by LMPFA 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, LMIS 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.

 

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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. 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. 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 LMPFA 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, 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 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, and either 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 person 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 release of portfolio holdings other than in ongoing arrangements is subject to a written agreement which requires the recipient to keep the information confidential and to use the information only for the purpose specified in the agreement. The approval of a fund’s Chief Compliance Officer, or designee, must be obtained prior to the release of the information other than in an ongoing arrangement.

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 annually to the fund’s Board.

 

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Currently, the funds typically disclose their complete portfolio holdings approximately 25 days after calendar quarter-end on Legg Mason’s website, http://www.leggmason.com/individualinvestors.

Set forth below is a list, as of August 31, 2007, of those parties with whom LMPFA, on behalf of the funds, has authorized ongoing arrangements that include the release of portfolio holdings information, 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 Shareholder 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

Thomson

   Semi-annually    None

Dataware

   Daily    None

ITG

   Daily    None

Portfolio holdings information for a 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

 

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Recipient

  

Frequency        

  

Delay Before Dissemination    

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)

   Monthly    6-8 business days

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 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 or represented by proxy, or (b) more than 50% of the voting power of the fund. The remaining restrictions may be changed by a vote of a majority of the Board at any time.

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 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.

(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

 

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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 has no intention of borrowing money for leverage. 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

 

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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 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,

 

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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). 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 leases or exploration or development programs.

(3) Write or sell puts, calls, straddles, spreads or combinations of those transactions, except as permitted under the fund’s investment objective and policies.

(4) Purchase a security if, as a result, the fund would then have more than 5% of its total assets invested in securities of issuers (including predecessors) that have been in continuous operation for fewer than three years.

(5) Make investments for the purpose of exercising control of management.

The fund has adopted a non-fundamental investment policy prohibiting it from investing in other registered open-end management investment companies and registered unit investment trusts in reliance upon the provisions of subparagraphs (G) or (F) of Section 12(d)(1) of the 1940 Act. The foregoing investment policy does not restrict the fund from (i) acquiring securities of other registered investment companies in connection with a merger, consolidation, reorganization, or acquisition of assets, or (ii) purchasing the securities of registered closed-end investment companies, to the extent permissible under Section 12(d)(1)(G) of 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 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.

MANAGEMENT

The business and 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.

 

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The current trustees, including the trustees who are not “interested persons” of the Trust 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, 620 Eighth Avenue, New York, New York 10018.

 

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
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)    48    None

Andrew L. Breech

Born 1952

   Trustee    Since 1991    President, Dealer Operating Control Service, Inc. (automotive retail management) (since 1985)    48    None

Dwight B. Crane

Born 1937

   Trustee    Since 1981    Independent Consultant (since 1969); formerly, Professor, Harvard Business School (1969 to 2007)    50    None

Robert M. Frayn, Jr.

Born 1934

   Trustee    Since 1981    Retired; formerly, President and Director, Book Publishing Co. (1970 to 2002)    48    None

Frank G. Hubbard

Born 1937

   Trustee    Since 1993    President, Avatar International Inc. (business development) (since 1998)    48    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)    48    None

David E. Maryatt

Born 1936

   Trustee    Since 1983    Private Investor; President and Director, ALS Co. (real estate management and development firm) (since 1993)    48    None

Jerome H. Miller

Born 1938

   Trustee    Since 1995    Retired    48    None

Ken Miller

Born 1942

   Trustee    Since 1983    Chairman, Young Stuff Apparel Group, Inc. (apparel manufacturer) (since 1963)    48    None

 

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Table of Contents

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
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)    48    Director, Nicholas Applegate funds (13 funds); Trustee, Consulting Group Capital Markets Funds (11 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, Husch Blackwell Sanders LLP (law firm) (since 1984); President, The Saint Louis Brewery, Inc. (since 1989)    48    Director, Citizens National Bank of Greater St. Louis, MO (since 2006)

Jerry A. Viscione

Born 1944

   Trustee    Since 1993    Retired; formerly, Executive Vice President, Marquette University (1997 to 2002)    48    None

 

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Table of Contents

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
Overseen
by Trustee
  

Other Board
Memberships
Held by Trustee
During

Past Five Years

INTERESTED TRUSTEE AND OFFICER:               

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 153 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)    138    Former Trustee, Consulting Group Capital Markets Funds (11 funds) (2002-2006)

 

* Each Trustee serves until his respective successor has been duly elected and qualified or until his 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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Table of Contents

Name, Address,

and Birth Year

   Position(s)
Held with
Fund
   Term of
Office* and
Length
of Time
Served**
  

Principal Occupation(s) During Past 5 Years

OTHER OFFICERS*         

Ted P. Becker

620 Eighth Avenue

New York, NY 10018

   Chief
Compliance
Officer
   Since 2006    Director of Global Compliance at Legg Mason, Inc. (since 2006); Managing Director of Compliance at Legg Mason & Co., (since 2005); 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, Salomon Brothers Asset Management Inc., CFM and other affiliated investment advisory entities) (2002 to 2005).

Kaprel Ozsolak

55 Water Street

New York, NY 10041

Born 1965

   Treasurer
and Chief
Financial
Officer
   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, Controller of certain mutual funds associated with CAM (2002 to 2004).

Steven Frank

55 Water Street

New York, NY 10041

Born 1967

   Controller    Since 2005    Vice President of Legg Mason & Co. or its predecessors (since 2002); Controller of certain funds associated with Legg Mason & Co. (since 2005); formerly, Assistant Controller of certain mutual funds associated with Legg Mason & Co. (2001 to 2005).

Albert Laskaj

55 Water Street

New York, NY 10041

Born 1977

   Controller    Since 2007    Vice President of Legg Mason (since 2008); Controller of certain funds associated with Legg Mason & Co.; formerly, Assistant Controller of certain mutual funds associated with Legg Mason & Co. (2005 to 2007); Accounting Manager of certain mutual funds associated with certain predecessor firms of Legg Mason & Co. (2003 to 2005).

 

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Table of Contents

Name, Address,

and Birth Year

   Position(s)
Held with
Fund
   Term of
Office* and
Length
of Time
Served**
  

Principal Occupation(s) During Past 5 Years

John Chiota

300 First Stamford Place

Stamford, CT 06902

Born 1968

   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

300 First Stamford Place

Stamford, CT 06902

Born 1954

   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

300 First Stamford Place

Stamford, CT 06902

Born 1962

   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.

Jeanne M. Kelly

620 Eighth Avenue

New York, NY 10018

Born 1951

   Senior Vice
President
   Since 2005    Managing Director, Legg Mason & Co. (since 2005); Senior Vice President of certain mutual funds associated with Legg Mason & Co. or its affiliates (since 2007); formerly, Director—Global Fund Administration, CAM (from 1996–2005).

 

* 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 Governance Committee and the Pricing Committee. The Audit Committee and the Governance Committee are composed of all of the Independent Trustees. The Pricing Committee is composed of the Chairman of the Board and one Independent Trustee.

 

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Table of Contents

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 and the qualifications, 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 Governance Committee is responsible for, among other things, recommending candidates to fill vacancies on the Board. The Governance 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 Governance Committee also identifies potential nominees through its network of contacts and may also engage, if it deems appropriate, a professional search firm. The Governance Committee meets to discuss and consider such candidates’ qualifications and then chooses a candidate by majority vote. The Governance 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 Governance 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.

The Trust’s Board oversees all of the equity-type funds in the fund complex. All members of the Board previously have served on Boards of predecessors to the Legg Mason Partners funds. The Board met six times

 

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Table of Contents

during the fund’s last fiscal year. The Audit, Governance and Pricing Committees are recently established committees of this Board and met three, two and seven times, respectively, 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, 2007.

 

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

   $1-$10,000    Over $100,000

Howard J. Johnson

   None    $50,001-$100,000

David E. Maryatt

   None    Over $100,000

Jerome H. Miller

   None    Over $100,000

Ken Miller

   None    $50,001-$100,000

John J. Murphy

   None    Over $100,000

Thomas F. Schlafly

   None    Over $100,000

Jerry A. Viscione

   $10,001-$50,000    Over $100,000

Interested Trustee

     

R. Jay Gerken

   None    Over $100,000

As of June 12, 2008, none of the Independent Trustees or their immediate family members owned beneficially or of record any securities of the manager, subadviser or distributor 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 distributor 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 Independent Trustees his 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.

 

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Table of Contents

Current Board

The current Trustees took office in April 2007. Information as to the compensation paid to the Trustees for the calendar year ended December 31, 2007 and the fiscal year ended November 30, 2007 is shown below.

 

Name of Trustee

   Aggregate
Compensation
from the Fund for
the Fiscal Year
Ended
November 30, 2007
   Total Pension
or Retirement
Benefits Paid
As Part of
Fund Expenses
    Total Compensation
from Fund
Complex Paid
to Trustee for
the Calendar Year
Ended
December 31, 2007
   Number of
Portfolios in
Fund
Complex
Overseen by

Trustee

Independent Trustees

          

Paul R. Ades

   $ 15,419    $ 0     $ 183,550    47

Andrew L. Breech

   $ 15,332    $ 0     $ 162,000    47

Dwight B. Crane

   $ 25,751      (2 )   $ 746,293    49

Robert M. Frayn, Jr.

   $ 15,332    $ 0     $ 162,500    47

Frank G. Hubbard

   $ 15,419    $ 0     $ 193,950    47

Howard J. Johnson

   $ 16,526    $ 0     $ 196,250    47

David E. Maryatt

   $ 15,419    $ 0     $ 163,500    47

Jerome H. Miller

   $ 15,161    $ 0     $ 171,950    47

Ken Miller

   $ 15,419    $ 0     $ 173,450    47

John J. Murphy

   $ 15,419    $ 0     $ 185,800    47

Thomas F. Schlafly

   $ 15,419    $ 0     $ 183,000    47

Jerry A. Viscione

   $ 15,419    $ 0     $ 137,000    47

Interested Trustee

          

R. Jay Gerken(1)

   $ 0    $ 0     $ 0    137

 

(1)

Mr. Gerken was not compensated for his services as a Trustee because of his affiliation with the manager.

(2)

Pursuant to a prior retirement plan, Mr. Crane has received (calculated on a net present value basis) an aggregate benefit from the fund complex having a net present value equal to $444,643. A portion of this benefit payment is included, on a pro rata basis, in the aggregate compensation paid by the fund shown above. In addition, each fund formerly overseen by Mr. Crane paid a pro rata share (based upon asset size) of the aggregate benefit to Mr. Crane. Legg Mason or its affiliates have agreed to reimbursed these funds an amount equal to 50% of the benefits paid to Mr. Crane.

Prior Board

Prior to April 2007, the Trustees listed below served as the Board of Trustees of the fund. For the fiscal year ended November 30, 2007, the prior Trustees of the fund were paid the compensation listed below.

 

Name of Independent Trustee

   Aggregate
Compensation

from Fund for

Fiscal Year Ended
November 30, 2007

Dwight B. Crane(2)

   $ 25,751

Burt N. Dorsett(2)

   $ 6,803

Elliot S. Jaffe(2)

   $ 4,304

Stephen E. Kaufman(2)

   $ 8,382

Cornelius C. Rose, Jr.(2)

   $ 7,022

Interested Trustee

  

R. Jay Gerken(1)

   $ 0

 

(1)

Mr. Gerken is not compensated for his service as Trustee because of his affiliation with the manager.

 

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(2)

Pursuant to prior retirement plans, certain Trustees are entitled to receive or have received a total retirement benefit from the fund complex as follows: Mr. Herbert Barg: $458,325; Mr. Brody: $291,047; Mr. Dorsett: $360,000; Mr. Jaffe: $286,616; Mr. Kaufman: $424,476; Mr. Joseph McCann: $261,000; Mr. Rose: $286,616. A portion of these benefits that has been paid is included, on a pro rata basis, in the aggregate compensation paid by the fund shown above. In addition, each fund no longer overseen by these Trustees paid its pro rata share (based on asset size) of these aggregate benefits. Legg Mason or its affiliates have agreed to reimbursed these funds an amount equal to 50% of these benefits.

As of June 12, 2008, all Trustees and officers as a group owned less than 1% of the outstanding shares of the fund.

The following table contains a list of shareholders of record who beneficially owned at least 5% of the outstanding shares of a particular class of shares of the fund as of June 12, 2008.

 

Class

 

Name and Address

     Percentage of Shares  

B

 

PFPC Brokerage Services

Main Office

FBO Primerica Financial Services

760 Moore Road

King of Prussia PA 19406

     15.37 %

I

 

State St Bank & Trust Co TTEE

State of Michigan 401(k) Plan

105 Rosemont Rd

Westwood MA 02090-2318

     33.13 %

I

 

State St Bank & Trust Co Cust

FBO Sodexho

401(k) Employees Retirement

Savings & Trust

105 Rosemont Ave

Westwood MA 02169

     17.29 %

I

 

State St Bank & Trust Co TTEE

State of Michigan 457 Plan

105 Rosemont Rd

Westwood MA 02090-2318

     15.42 %

I

 

State Street Bank Ttee

FBO Reed Elsevier US

Salary Investment Plan

Dtd 3/31/05

105 Rosemont Ave

Westwood MA 02090-2318

     14.59 %

I

 

Charles Schwab & Co Inc

101 Montgomery St

San Francisco, CA 94104-4122

     14.27 %

 

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Table of Contents

INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT AND OTHER SERVICES

Manager

LMPFA serves as investment manager to the fund pursuant to an investment management agreement (the “Management Agreement”) with respect to the fund. LMPFA, with offices at 620 Eighth Avenue, New York, New York 10018, also serves as the investment manager of 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 March 31, 2008, Legg Mason’s asset management operation had aggregate assets under management of approximately $998 billion. LMPFA provides administrative and certain oversight services to the fund and manages the cash and short-term instruments 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 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.

For its services provided under the 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:

 

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 %

Prior to October 1, 2005 the fees payable from the fund to the prior manager as compensation for investment management services were computed daily and paid monthly at the following annual rates of the fund’s average

 

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daily net assets: 0.750% on assets up to $5 billion; 0.725% on assets over $5 billion and up to and including $7.5 billion; 0.700% on assets over $7.5 billion and up to and including $10 billion; and 0.650% on assets in excess of $10 billion.

During the fiscal year ended November 30, 2007, the fund accrued aggregate management fees of $36,968,416 (of which $551,432 was waived). During the fiscal year ended November 30, 2006, the fund accrued aggregate management fees of $41,388,131 (of which $40,703,529 was paid to the fund’s manager and prior manager and $684,602 was waived and/or reimbursed). The fund accrued fees of $13,480,226 with respect to management services provided by LMPFA for the period from August 1, 2006 through November 30, 2006, and the fund accrued fees of $27,907,905 with respect to the management services provided by the prior manager for the period from December 1, 2005 through July 31, 2006.

For the fiscal year ended November 30, 2005, the fund paid the prior manager investment advisory fees of $39,664,281.

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, with offices at 620 Eighth Avenue, New York, New York 10018, was formed to succeed to the equity securities portfolio management business of Citigroup Asset Management (“CAM”), which was acquired by Legg Mason in December 2005. ClearBridge is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Legg Mason. As of March 31, 2008, ClearBridge’s total assets under management were approximately $86 billion.

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

The Sub-Advisory Agreement will continue in effect from year to year 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 SubAdvisory Agreement upon their mutual written consent. 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 sub-advisory services, the manager pays 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 November 30, 2006, the manager paid the subadviser $9,436,158 under the Sub-Advisory Agreement. For the fiscal year ended November 30, 2007, the manager paid the subadviser $25,466,294.

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

 

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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 issuance 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, 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 prospectuses. 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.

Effective January 1, 2008, the manager is permitted to recapture amounts previously voluntarily forgone or reimbursed by the manager to the fund during the same fiscal year if the fund’s total annual operating expenses have fallen to a level below the voluntary fee waiver/reimbursement (“expense cap”) shown in the fee table of the fund’s prospectus. In no case will the manager recapture any amount that would result, on any particular fund business day, in the fund’s total annual operating expenses exceeding the expense cap. The Board has been apprised of the expense cap and recapture arrangement.

Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

KPMG LLP, an independent registered public accounting firm, located at 345 Park Avenue, New York, New York 10154, has been selected to audit the fund’s financial statements and financial highlights for the fiscal year ending November 30, 2008.

Counsel

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

 

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Stroock & Stroock & Lavan LLP, 180 Maiden Lane, New York, New York 10038-4982, serves as counsel to the Independent Trustees.

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 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.

Code of Ethics

Pursuant to Rule 17j-1 under the 1940 Act, the fund, the manager, the subadviser, and the distributor 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. Copies of the codes of ethics of the fund, the manager, the subadviser and the distributor 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.

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.

 

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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/individualinvestors and (3) on the SEC’s website at http://www.sec.gov.

Distributor

LMIS, a wholly-owned broker/dealer subsidiary of Legg Mason, located at 100 Light Street, Baltimore, Maryland 21202, serves as the fund’s sole and exclusive distributor pursuant to a written agreement dated December 1, 2005 (the “distribution agreement”). Prior to December 1, 2007, Citigroup Global Markets Inc. (“CGMI”) and PFS Investments Inc. (“PFS”) served as the fund’s distributors along with LMIS. Prior to December 1, 2005, CGMI and PFS Distributors, Inc. (“PFS Distributors”), the predecessor in interest to PFS, served as the fund’s distributors.

The 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. The 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 or interested persons of any party by votes cast in person at a meeting called for such purpose. The 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.

The distributor may be deemed to be an underwriter for purposes of the 1933 Act.

Initial Sales Charges

The aggregate dollar amount of commissions on Class A shares were as follows:

Class A Shares

For the fiscal years ended November 30:

 

     CGMI and
LMIS*
   PFS

2007

   $ 228,426    $ 220,268

2006

   $ 439,130    $ 308,778

2005

   $ 711,237    $ 329,473

 

As of November 20, 2006, the maximum initial sales charge on Class A shares increased.

 

* Initial sales charges paid during the fiscal year ended November 30, 2005 were paid to CGMI.

Contingent Deferred Sales Charge

Class A Shares

For the fiscal years ended November 30:

 

     CGMI and
LMIS*
   PFS

2007

   $ 3,572    $ 28

2006

   $ 2,704    $ 2,026

2005

   $ 3,942    $ 1,868

 

* Contingent deferred sales charges paid during the fiscal years ended November 30, 2005 were paid to CGMI.

 

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Class B Shares

For the fiscal years ended November 30:

 

     CGMI and
LMIS*
   PFS

2007

   $ 406,620    $ 70,812

2006

   $ 614,811    $ 148,091

2005

   $ 905,267    $ 164,970

 

* Contingent deferred sales charges paid during the fiscal year ended November 30, 2005 were paid to CGMI.

Class C Shares

For the fiscal years ended November 30:

 

     CGMI and
LMIS*

2007

   $ 26,039

2006

   $ 45,105

2005

   $ 66,871

 

* Contingent deferred sales charges paid during the fiscal year ended November 30, 2005 were paid to CGMI.

Distribution 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, B, C, FI and R shares. Under the 12b-1 Plan, the fund pays service and distribution fees to LMIS for the services it provides and expenses it bears 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 distributor 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, C, FI and R 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% 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 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 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, B C, FI and R investors.

The 12b-1 Plan permits the fund to pay fees to the 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 distributor and others until the 12b-1 Plan or distribution agreement is terminated or not renewed. In that event, the 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

 

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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 distributor 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 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 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. 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 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, the distributor acts as an agent of the Trust in connection with the offering of shares of the fund pursuant to the distribution agreement.

Dealer reallowances are described in the prospectus for Class A, B, C, FI, R and I shares.

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.

Class IS shares are not subject to any distribution and/or service fees.

Service Fees and Distribution Fees

The following service and distribution fees were incurred pursuant to the 12b-1 Plan during the fiscal years indicated:

Class A Shares

For the fiscal years ended November 30:

 

2007

   $ 6,317,310

2006

   $ 5,289,822

2005

   $ 3,775,192

 

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Class B Shares

For the fiscal years ended November 30:

 

2007

   $ 3,605,944

2006

   $ 5,745,112

2005

   $ 8,559,839

Class C Shares

For the fiscal years ended November 30:

 

2007

   $ 6,485,980

2006

   $ 7,708,394

2005

   $ 8,963,017

Class R Shares

For the fiscal years ended November 30:

 

2007

   $ 271

2006

     n/a

2005

     n/a

No fees were paid under the 12b-1 Plan with respect to Class FI shares for the periods shown above.

LMIS, CGMI and/or PFS incurred distribution expenses 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 table for the fiscal year ended November 30, 2007:

 

CGMI

   Financial
Consultant
Compensation
   Third Party
Service Fees
   Branch
Operating
Expenses
   Marketing
Distribution
   Printing    Total Current
Expenses

Class A

   $ 604,049    $ 0    $ 901,018      n/a    $ 0    $ 1,505,067

Class B

   $ 255,274    $ 0    $ 384,195    $ 0    $ 0    $ 639,469

Class C

   $ 1,957,707    $ 0    $ 2,884,385    $ 0    $ 0    $ 4,842,092

 

LMIS

     Financial
Consultant
Compensation
     Third Party
Service Fees
     Marketing
Distribution
     Printing      Total Current
Expenses

Class A

     $ 0      $ 4,571,561        n/a      $ 0      $ 4,571,561

Class B

     $ 1,177,118      $ 148,092      $ 25,256      $ 910      $ 1,351,376

Class C

     $ 558,646      $ 718,482      $ 186,694      $ 6,290      $ 1,470,112

Class R

     $ 0      $ 261      $ 511      $ 1      $ 773

 

PFS

   Financial
Consultant
Compensation
   Third Party
Service Fees
   Branch
Operating
Expenses
   Marketing
Distribution
   Printing    Total Current
Expenses

Class A

   $ 158,590    $ 0    $ 32,036      n/a    $ 0    $ 190,626

Class B

   $ 284,103    $ 0    $ 13,415    $ 1,514    $ 0    $ 299,032

 

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PORTFOLIO MANAGER DISCLOSURE

The following tables set forth certain additional information with respect to the fund’s portfolio manager. Unless noted otherwise, all information in this section with respect to the fund is provided as of November 30, 2007.

Other Accounts Managed by Portfolio Manager

The table below identifies the portfolio manager, the number of accounts (other than the fund with respect to which information is provided) for which the fund’s 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 account had fees based on performance.

 

Portfolio
Manager(s)

   Registered Investment Companies    Other Pooled Investment Vehicles    Other Accounts

Alan Blake

   3 registered investment
companies with $0.62 billion in
total assets under management
   6 other pooled investment
vehicles with $0.31 billion in
assets under management
   58,044 other accounts with
$14.73 billion in total assets
under management

Portfolio Manager Compensation

ClearBridge investment professionals receive base salary, 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 incentive and deferred compensation plans (the “Plans”) for its investment professionals, including the fund’s portfolio manager and research analysts. The Plans are designed to align the objectives of ClearBridge investment professionals with those of fund shareholders and other ClearBridge clients. Additionally, the Plans are designed to retain its investment professionals and reward long-term performance.

Incentive Compensation

Investment performance is the key component in determining the final incentive award for all of ClearBridge’s investment professionals. A portfolio manager’s initial incentive award is based on the investment professional’s ongoing contribution to ClearBridge’s investment and business results and externally measured competitive pay practices for the portfolio manager’s position/experience within the firm. This award is then adjusted upward or downward (up to +/-50%) based on investment performance during the most recent year over a rolling 1, 3, and 5 year time period. Product performance is ranked among a “peer group” of non-ClearBridge investment managers and the product’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 prospectuses to which the fund’s average annual total returns are compared).

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 (e.g. primarily Lipper or Callan).

The 1, 3, and 5 year performance versus benchmark and peer group approximate effective weightings are 35% for trailing 1 year performance, 50% for trailing 3 year performance, and 15% for trailing 5 year performance.

 

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Lastly, the incentive award for an investment professional may also be adjusted by the ClearBridge Chief Investment Officer(s) based on other qualitative factors such as contribution to the firm and the development of investment staff.

For ClearBridge’s centralized research professionals, there is an incentive compensation plan based on annual performance on a combined scorecard containing a portfolio manager questionnaire survey and stock picking performance. The analyst’s stock picks are tracked on a formal basis through Factset and make up a portion of the analysts overall scorecard performance. These stock picks are measured versus their respective sector indices.

Deferred Award

Up to 20% of an investment professional’s annual incentive compensation is subject to deferral. For portfolio managers, 25% of this deferral is invested in their primary managed product while another 25% is invested in an elected proprietary ClearBridge sub-advised fund. Therefore, portfolio managers may potentially have 50% of their deferred award amount tracking the performance of their primary managed product. Every portfolio manager selects their primary product for the elective component. Legg Mason then makes a company investment in the Legg Mason Partners funds equal to the deferral amounts by fund. This investment is a company asset held on the Legg Mason balance sheet and paid out to the employees upon vesting over a four year deferral period. The remaining 50% of the deferral is received in the form of Legg Mason restricted stock shares.

For centralized research analysts, 50% of this deferral tracks the performance of up to two elected proprietary funds. Legg Mason then makes an investment at the company level into each of the funds in the deferral program based on the aggregate dollars deferred by each individual in that plan year (similar to the above description). 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.

 

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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 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.

Portfolio Manager Securities Ownership

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

 

Portfolio Manager

   Dollar Range of
Ownership of Securities

Alan Blake

   $ 500,001-$1,000,000

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

 

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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 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, 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 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 November 30, 2007, 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

$2,294,612,368

   $560,098

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

 

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commissions paid to such affiliates are reasonable and fair in the context of the market in which such affiliates operate.

Aggregate Brokerage Commissions Paid

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

 

Fiscal Year Ending November 30

   Total Brokerage
Commissions
   Commissions Paid
to CGMI and
Affiliates

2005

   $ 2,986,654    $ 40,000

2006

   $ 2,868,512    $ 117,258

2007

   $ 1,755,028      n/a

As of December 1, 2005, LMIS became an underwriter of the fund under the 1940 Act. For the fiscal years ended November 30, 2006 and 2007, 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 November 30, 2006 and 2007 were 13% and 9%, respectively.

As of November 30, 2007, the fund held the following securities issued by its regular broker-dealers.

 

Name of Regular Broker or Dealer or Parent (Issuer)

   Type of
Security Owned

D=debt
E=equity
   Value of
any Securities

Owned at end
of current period

Merrill Lynch & Co., Inc.

   E    $ 113,286,600

Morgan Stanley

   E    $ 73,280,800

Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc.

   E    $ 68,893,000

 

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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, I or IS 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 prospectuses.

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 (“NAV”), 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 or the fund’s agent prior to its close of business. 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, the 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 $50 by the distributor or the transfer agent. The Systematic Investment Plan also authorizes the distributor to apply cash held in the shareholder’s brokerage account 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 (“NAV”) plus an initial sales charge, as described in the prospectus for Class A, B, C, FI, R and I shares.

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

 

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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, I and IS Shares. Class FI, R, I and IS shares are sold at net asset value 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 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’ distributor 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”);

(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 broker-dealers and other financial institutions that have entered into agreements with 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.

 

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Accumulation Privilege—Please see the prospectus for Class A, B, C, FI, R and I shares 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, 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.

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

 

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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 the transfer agent, contact the transfer 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 the prospectus for Class A, B, C, FI, R and I shares 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 the transfer agent, by notifying the transfer 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 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 financial professional, or if you purchase your shares directly through the transfer agent, the transfer agent, 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 1.00% 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 for Class A, B, C, FI, R and I shares. 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 or 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 that 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 distributor receives contingent deferred sales charges in partial consideration for its 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% per month of the shareholder’s account balance at the time the withdrawals commence 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 by the Code) of the shareholder; (d) mandatory post-retirement distributions from retirement plans or IRAs commencing on or after attainment of age 701/2 (except that shareholders who purchase 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 591/2 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 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 the distributor or the manager.

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.

 

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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 the 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 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.

REDEMPTION OF SHARES

The right of redemption of shares of the fund may be suspended or the date of payment postponed (a) for any periods 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 its net asset value is not reasonably practicable or (c) for any other periods as the SEC by order may permit for the 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

 

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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.

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 portfolio 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 prospectuses. Securities issued as a distribution in kind may incur brokerage commissions when shareholders subsequently sell those securities.

Automatic Cash Withdrawal Plan

An automatic cash withdrawal plan (the “Withdrawal Plan”) is available to shareholders as described in the prospectuses. To the extent that withdrawals under the Withdrawal Plan exceed dividends, distributions and appreciation of a shareholder’s investment in the fund, continued withdrawal payments will reduce the shareholder’s investment, and may 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.

Shareholders of a fund who wish to participate in the Withdrawal Plan and who hold their shares of the fund in certificate form must deposit their share certificates with the transfer agent as agent for Withdrawal Plan members. All dividends and distributions on shares in the Withdrawal Plan are reinvested automatically at net asset value in additional shares of the fund. 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. For additional information, shareholders should contact their Service Agent.

 

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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) day’s prior notice to shareholders.

VALUATION OF SHARES

The NAV per share of the fund’s Classes is calculated on each day, Monday through Friday, except days on which 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 NAV of each class may differ. Please see the prospectuses for a description of the procedures used by the fund in valuing its assets.

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 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.

 

Class A (based on a net asset value of $25.74 and a maximum initial sales charge
of 5.75%)

   $ 27.31

EXCHANGE PRIVILEGE

The exchange privilege enables shareholders in any Legg Mason Partners fund to acquire shares of the same class in another Legg Mason Partners fund with different investment objectives when they believe 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 prospectuses 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 NAV and the proceeds are immediately invested in shares of the fund being acquired of that fund’s then current NAV. The 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, FI, R, I and IS Exchanges. Class A, FI, R, I and IS 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.

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 Program with Exchange Features” 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 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 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 prospectuses 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 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, DISTRIBUTIONS AND TAXES

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 pay additional dividends from certain amounts of undistributed ordinary and capital gains realized, 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, with no additional sales charge or contingent deferred sales charge. A shareholder may change the option at any time by notifying his or her Service Agent. Shareholders whose accounts are held directly at the transfer agent should notify the transfer agent in writing, requesting a change to this reinvest option.

 

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Dividends on a class of shares of a fund may be lower than another class of shares as a result of different expenses with respect to the classes. Distributions of capital gains, if any, will be in the same amount for each class of the 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. Each 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 effects.

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, 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 traditionally 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, United States 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 United States 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 stock is held by the fund and which 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.

Although in general the passive loss rules of the Code do not apply to regulated investment companies, such rules do apply to a regulated investment company with respect to items attributable to an interest in a qualified publicly traded partnership. 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.

As a regulated investment company, the fund will not be subject to United States federal income tax on its net investment income (i.e., income other than its net realized long-term and short-term capital gains) and its net realized long-term and short-term capital gains, if any, that it distributes to its shareholders, provided an amount equal to at least (i) 90% of the sum of its investment company taxable income (i.e., its taxable income minus the excess, if any, of its net realized long-term capital gains over its net realized short-term capital losses (including any capital loss carryovers), plus or minus certain other adjustments as specified in the Code) and (ii) 90% of its net tax-exempt income for the taxable year is distributed to its shareholders in compliance with the Code’s timing and other requirements. However, any taxable income or gain the fund does not distribute will be subject to tax at regular corporate rates.

At November 30, 2007, the fund had, for federal income tax purposes, approximately $327,375,972 of unused capital loss carryforwards available to offset future capital gains through November 30, 2014.

 

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The amount and expiration of the carryforward amounts are indicated below. Expiration occurs on November 30 of the year indicated:

 

Year

  2008   2009   2010   2011   2012   2013   2014

Amount of Capital Loss Carryforward that Expires

  $ 2,204,357   $ 23,039,843   $ 2,204,357   $ 66,135,786   $ 44,748,963   $ 107,613,669   $ 81,428,997

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 98% of its ordinary income for that year and at least 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 that are taxable to shareholders as ordinary 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. If the fund fails 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.

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.

In certain situations, the fund may, for a taxable year, defer all or a portion of its capital losses and currency losses realized after October until the next taxable year in computing its investment company taxable income and net capital gain, which will defer the recognition of such realized losses. Such deferrals and other rules regarding gains and losses realized after October may affect the tax character of shareholder distributions.

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 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. In general, gains (and losses) realized on debt instruments will be treated as Section 988 gain (or loss) to the extent attributable to changes in exchange rates between the U.S. dollar and the currencies in which the instruments are denominated. Similarly, gains or losses on foreign currency, foreign currency forward contracts and certain foreign currency options or futures contracts, 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

 

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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. If the fund is held through a qualified retirement plan entitled to tax exempt treatment for federal income tax purposes, distributions will generally not be taxable currently. Special tax rules apply to such retirement plans. You should consult your tax advisor regarding the tax treatment of distributions (which may include amounts attributable to fund distributions) which may be taxable when distributed from the retirement plan.

Any dividend 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 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 United States 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 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.

Dividends of net investment income and distributions of net realized short-term capital gains are taxable to a United States shareholder as ordinary income, whether paid in cash or in shares. 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. Dividends and distributions paid by the fund attributable to dividends on stock of U.S. corporations received by the fund, with respect to which the fund meets certain holding period requirements, will be eligible for the deduction for dividends received by corporations. 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

 

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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 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 exdividend 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 United States 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 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 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.

 

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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). Certain types of income received by the fund from REITs, real estate mortgage investment conduits, 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 by otherwise allowable deductions 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 or her basis in the shares. 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 during such six month period. 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 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 United States federal income tax liabilities.

Notices. Shareholders will be notified annually by the fund as to the U.S. federal income tax status of the dividends, distributions and deemed distributions attributable to undistributed capital gains (discussed above in “Taxes-Taxation of U.S. Shareholders-Dividends and Distributions”) made by the fund to its shareholders. Furthermore, shareholders will also 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 Taxation

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

 

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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 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 Sates 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 a fund.

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 of real property gain received by the fund from a REIT and if 50% or more of the value of the fund’s assets are invested in REITs and other U.S. real property holding corporations. Restrictions apply regarding wash sales and substitute payment transactions.

The tax consequences to a foreign shareholder entitled to claim the benefits of an applicable tax treaty may be different from those described herein. Foreign shareholders should consult their own tax advisers with respect to the particular tax consequences to them of an investment in a fund, including the applicability of foreign taxes.

Shares of the fund held by a non-U.S. shareholder at death will be considered situated in the United States and subject to the U.S. estate tax.

The foregoing is only a summary of certain material United States federal income tax consequences affecting the fund and its shareholders. 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 April 16, 2007, 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.

 

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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 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 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.

 

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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 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 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.

 

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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 or the transfer agent.

Legal Matters

Beginning in June 2004, class action lawsuits alleging violations of the federal securities laws were filed against CGMI, a former distributor of the fund, and a number of its then affiliates, including SBFM and Salomon Brothers Asset Management Inc (“SBAM”), 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 CAM, ClearBridge Asset Management Inc, SBFM and CGMI as investment advisers to the identified fund, as well as CGMI as a distributor for the identified funds, including the fund (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.

On December 3, 2007, the court granted the Defendants’ motion to dismiss, with prejudice. On January 2, 2008, the plaintiffs filed a notice of appeal to the Second Circuit Court of Appeals.

 

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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 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 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.

 

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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.

On September 26, 2007, the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York issued an order dismissing the consolidated complaint. The plaintiffs have the right to appeal the order.

The five actions were subsequently consolidated, and a consolidated complaint was filed.

On September 26, 2007, the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York issued an order dismissing the consolidated complaint and judgment was later entered. An appeal has been filed and is pending before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit.

*    *    *

On September 16, 2005, the staff of the SEC informed SBFM and that the staff was considering recommending administrative proceedings against SBFM and SBAM for alleged violations of Section 19(a) and 34(b) of the 1940 Act (and related Rule 19a-1). On September 27, 2007, SBFM and SBAM, without admitting or denying any findings therein, consented to the entry of an order by the SEC relating to the disclosure by certain closed-end funds previously managed by SBFM or SBAM of the sources of distributions paid by the funds between 2001 and 2004. Each of SBFM and SBAM agreed to pay a fine of $450,000, for which it was indemnified by Citigroup, its former parent. It is not expected that this matter will adversely impact the fund or the manager.

*    *    *

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 and the fund’s predecessor (Statement of Assets and Liabilities as of November 30, 2007, Schedule of Investments as of November 30, 2007, Statement of Operations for the year ended November 30, 2007, Statements of Changes in Net Assets for each of the years in the two-year period ended November 30, 2007, Financial Highlights for each of the years in the five-year period ended November 30, 2007, 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 February 4, 2008; Accession Number 0001193125-08-019092).

 

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APPENDIX A

Summary of Proxy Voting Policies and Procedures for ClearBridge Advisors, LLC

ClearBridge is subject to the Proxy Voting Policies and Procedures that it has adopted to seek to ensure that it votes proxies relating to equity securities in the best interest of client accounts. The following is a brief overview of the policies.

ClearBridge votes proxies for each client account with respect to which it has been authorized or is required by law 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 the beneficial owners of the accounts it manages. 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, such recommendations do not relieve ClearBridge of its 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 considers those factors and votes on a case-by-case basis in accordance with the general principles set forth above. 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 restructuring, 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. There may be occasions when different investment teams vote differently on the same issue. An investment team (e.g., ClearBridge SAI investment team) may adopt proxy voting policies that supplement ClearBridge’s Proxy Voting 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 non-ClearBridge relationships between a Legg Mason affiliate and an issuer do not present a conflict of interest for ClearBridge in voting proxies with respect to such issuer. Such position is based on the

 

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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 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 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 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 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 Committee that a conflict of interest is material, the Proxy 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.

You may request:

(i) a copy of ClearBridge’s Proxy Voting Policies and Procedures; and/or

(ii) information concerning how ClearBridge voted proxies with respect to the securities held in your account.

Such request may be made by sending a written request to:

ClearBridge Advisors, LLC

620 8th Avenue

New York, NY 10018

Attention: Client Services

 

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