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Table of Contents

PROSPECTUS

July 16, 2012

SUNAMERICA SERIES TRUST

SunAmerica Dynamic Strategy Portfolio

(Class 3 Shares)

This Prospectus contains information you should know before investing, including information about risks. Please read it before you invest and keep it for future reference.

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


Table of Contents

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

Portfolio Summary

     1   

Investment Goals

     1   

Fees and Expenses of the Portfolio

     1   

Principal Investment Strategies of the Portfolio

     1   

Principal Risks of Investing in the Portfolio

     3   

Performance Information

     6   

Investment Adviser

     6   

Important Additional Information

     7   

Additional Information About The Portfolio’s Investment Strategies and Investment Risks

     8   

Glossary

     12   

Investment Terminology

     12   

Risk Terminology

     15   

About the Indices

     18   

Management

     19   

Account Information

     21   

Appendix A – Underlying Portfolios

     24   

For More Information

     33   

 

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Investment Goals

 

The Portfolio’s investment goals are capital appreciation and current income while managing net equity exposure.

Fees and Expenses of the Portfolio

 

This table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold shares of the Portfolio. The Portfolio’s annual operating expenses do not reflect the separate account fees charged in the variable annuity contract or variable life insurance policy (“Variable Contracts”), as defined herein, in which the Portfolio is offered. Please see your Variable Contract prospectus for more details on the separate account fees. As an investor in the Portfolio, you pay the expenses of the Portfolio and indirectly pay a proportionate share of the expenses of the investment companies in which the Portfolio invests (the “Underlying Portfolios”).

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

 

     Class 3  

Management Fees

     0.25

Service (12b-1) Fees

     0.25

Other Expenses1

     0.08

Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses2

     0.64
  

 

 

 

Total Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses

     1.22

Fee Waiver and Expense Reimbursement (Recoupment)

     (0.03 %) 

Total Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement (Recoupment)3

     1.19

 

1 Other Expenses are based on estimated amounts for a full fiscal year.

 

2 Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses are based on estimated amounts for a full fiscal year.

 

3 Pursuant to an Expense Limitation Agreement, SunAmerica Asset Management Corp. (“SAAMCo” or the “Adviser”) has contractually agreed, for the period from the Portfolio’s inception through January 31, 2014, to waive its fees and/or reimburse expenses to the extent that the Total Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses exceed 0.55%. For purposes of the Expense Limitation Agreement, “Total Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses” shall not include extraordinary expenses, as determined under generally accepted accounting principles, or acquired fund fees and expenses. Any waivers or reimbursements made by SAAMCo with respect to the Portfolio are subject to recoupment from the Portfolio within the following two years, provided that the Portfolio is able to effect such payment to SAAMCo and remain in compliance with the applicable expense limitations. This agreement may be modified or discontinued prior to January 31, 2014, only with the approval of the Board of Trustees of the Portfolio, including a majority of the Independent Trustees.

Expense Example

This Example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Portfolio with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. The Example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Portfolio for the time periods indicated and then redeem all of your shares at the end of those periods. The Example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Portfolio’s operating expenses remain the same and that all contractual expense limitations and fee waiver for the Portfolio remain in effect only for the period ending January 31, 2014. The Example does not reflect charges imposed by the Variable Contract. See the Variable Contract prospectus for information on such charges. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions and the net expenses shown in the fee table, your costs would be:

 

     1 Year      3 Years  

Class 3 Shares

   $ 121       $ 381   

Portfolio Turnover

The portion of the Portfolio that operates as a fund-of-funds does not pay transaction costs when it buys and sells shares of Underlying Portfolios (or “turns over” its portfolio). An Underlying Portfolio pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it turns over its portfolio, and a higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs. These costs, which are not reflected in annual portfolio operating expenses or in the Example, affect the performance of both the Underlying Portfolios and the Portfolio. The Portfolio does, however, pay transaction costs when it buys and sells the financial instruments held in the Overlay Component of the Portfolio (defined below). The Portfolio has not commenced operations as of the date of this Prospectus.

Principal Investment Strategies of the Portfolio

The Portfolio seeks to achieve its goals by investing under normal conditions approximately 70% to 90% of its assets in Class 1 shares of the Underlying Portfolios, which are portfolios of SunAmerica Series Trust (the “Trust”), Anchor Series Trust, and Seasons Series Trust (collectively, the “Underlying Trusts”) (the “Fund-of-Funds Component”) and 10% to 30% of its assets in a portfolio of derivative instruments, exchange traded funds (“ETFs”), fixed income securities and short-term investments (the “Overlay Component”). The Fund-of-Funds Component will allocate approximately 50% to 80% of its assets to Underlying Portfolios investing primarily in equity securities and 20% to 50% of its assets to Underlying Portfolios investing primarily in fixed income securities and short-term investments, which may include mortgage- and asset-backed securities, to seek capital appreciation and generate income. The Overlay Component will primarily invest in derivative instruments to

 

 

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manage the Portfolio’s net equity exposure but may also invest in ETFs. The derivative instruments used by the Overlay Component will primarily consist of stock index futures, but may also include stock index options, options on stock index futures, and stock index swaps. (As used throughout this prospectus, “net equity exposure” means the Portfolio’s level of exposure to the equity market through Underlying Portfolios investing primarily in equities, plus or minus the notional amount of a long or short position in equities obtained through the use of derivatives or other instruments in the Overlay Component.) Through the use of derivative instruments and ETFs, the Portfolio’s net equity exposure may be adjusted down to a minimum of 25% or up to a maximum of 100%, although average net equity exposure over long term periods is expected to be approximately 60%-65%. When the Portfolio purchases a derivative to increase the Portfolio’s net equity exposure, it is using derivatives for speculative purposes. When the Portfolio sells derivatives instruments short to reduce the Portfolio’s net equity exposure, it is using derivatives for hedging purposes. The Overlay Component will also invest in fixed income securities and short-term investments, to generate income, to manage cash flows and liquidity needs of the overall Portfolio, and to serve as collateral for the derivative instruments used to manage the overall Portfolio’s net equity exposure.

SAAMCo is the Adviser to the Portfolio and will determine the allocation between the Fund-of-Funds Component and the Overlay Component. SAAMCo is also responsible for managing the Fund-of-Funds Component’s investment in Underlying Portfolios, so it will determine the target allocation between Underlying Portfolios that invest primarily in equity securities and Underlying Portfolios that invest primarily in fixed income securities. SAAMCo performs an investment analysis of possible investments for the Portfolio and selects the universe of permitted Underlying Portfolios as well as the allocation to each Underlying Portfolio. SAAMCo utilizes many factors, including research provided by an independent consultant. The consultant, Ibbotson Associates, Inc. (“Ibbotson”), provides statistical analysis and portfolio modeling to the Adviser with respect to the Portfolio’s investment allocation among the Underlying Portfolios, but does not have any advisory or portfolio transaction authority with regard to the Portfolio. SAAMCo, not the Portfolio, pays Ibbotson. SAAMCo reserves the right to change the Portfolio’s asset allocation between the Fund-of-Funds Component and the Overlay Component and the Fund-of-Funds Component’s allocation among the Underlying Portfolios, and to invest in other funds not currently among the Underlying Portfolios, from time to time without notice to investors.

The Fund-of-Funds Component seeks to achieve capital appreciation primarily through its investments in Underlying Portfolios that invest in equity securities of both U.S. and non-U.S. companies of all market capitalizations, but expects to invest to a lesser extent in Underlying Portfolios that invest primarily in small- and mid-cap U.S. companies and foreign

companies. The Fund-of-Funds Component is expected to have a greater allocation to value equity Underlying Portfolios than to growth equity Underlying Portfolios. The Portfolio normally does not expect to have more than 25% of its total assets allocated to Underlying Portfolios investing primarily in foreign securities, and no more than 5% of its total assets to Underlying Portfolios investing primarily in emerging markets. The Fund-of-Funds Component seeks to achieve current income through its investments in Underlying Portfolios that primarily invest in fixed income securities, including both U.S. and foreign investment grade securities, but the Portfolio normally does not expect to have more than 5% of total assets allocated to Underlying Portfolios investing primarily in high-yield, high-risk bonds (commonly known as “junk bonds”). Portfolio cash flows are expected to be the primary tool used to maintain or move Underlying Portfolio exposures close to target allocations, but sales and purchases of Underlying Portfolios may also be used to change or remain near target allocations.

The Overlay Component comprises the remaining 10% - 30% of the Portfolio’s total assets. AllianceBernstein L.P. (the “Subadviser” or “AllianceBernstein”) is responsible for managing the Overlay Component, which includes management of the derivative instruments, ETFs, fixed income securities and short-term investments.

The Subadviser may invest the Overlay Component in derivative instruments to increase or decrease the Portfolio’s overall net equity exposure and, therefore, its volatility and return potential. Volatility is a statistical measurement of the magnitude of up and down fluctuations in the value of a financial instrument or index over time. High levels of volatility may result from rapid and dramatic price swings. Through its use of derivative instruments, the Subadviser may adjust the Portfolio’s net equity exposure down to a minimum of 25% or up to a maximum of 100%, although the operation of the formula (as described below) is expected to result in an average net equity exposure over long term periods of approximately 60%-65%. The Portfolio’s net equity exposure is primarily adjusted through the use of derivative instruments, such as stock index futures, or ETFs, as the allocation among Underlying Portfolios in the Fund-of-Funds Component is expected to remain fairly stable. For example, when the market is in a state of higher volatility, the Subadviser may decrease the Portfolio’s net equity exposure by taking a short position in derivative instruments. A short sale involves the sale by the Portfolio of a security or instrument it does not own with the expectation of purchasing the same security or instrument at a later date at a lower price. The operation of the Overlay Component may therefore expose the Portfolio to leverage. Because derivative instruments may be purchased with a fraction of the assets that would be needed to purchase the equity securities directly, the remainder of the assets in the Overlay Component will be invested in a variety of fixed income securities.

 

 

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The Subadviser will manage the Portfolio’s net equity exposure pursuant to a formula provided by the Adviser and developed by affiliated insurance companies of the Adviser. The formula is based on historic equity market volatility, as measured through price movements in the S&P 500® Index, and is intended to provide guidance to the Subadviser with respect to the allocation of the Overlay Component’s assets among general categories. The Subadviser is responsible for determining in which securities or derivative instruments to invest and for making the Overlay Component investments for the Portfolio. As estimated equity market volatility decreases or increases, the Subadviser will adjust the Portfolio’s net equity exposure up or down in an effort to maintain a relatively stable exposure to equity market volatility over time, subject to the minimum and maximum net equity exposure ranges listed above. No assurance can be made that such adjustment will have the intended effect. The formula used by the Subadviser may change over time based on proposals by the affiliated insurance companies. Any changes to the formula proposed by the affiliated insurance companies will be implemented only if they are approved by the Adviser and the Portfolio’s Board of Trustees, including a majority of the Independent Trustees.

The Portfolio’s performance may be lower than similar portfolios that do not seek to manage their equity exposure. If the Subadviser increases the Portfolio’s net equity exposure and equity markets decline, the Portfolio may underperform traditional or static allocation funds. Likewise, if the Subadviser reduces the Portfolio’s net equity exposure and equity markets rise, the Portfolio may also underperform traditional or static allocation funds.

In addition to managing the Portfolio’s overall net equity exposure as described above, the Subadviser will, within established guidelines, manage the Overlay Component in an attempt to generate income, manage Portfolio cash flows and liquidity needs, and manage collateral for the derivative instruments. The Subadviser will manage the fixed income investments of the Overlay Component by investing in securities rated investment grade or higher by a nationally recognized statistical ratings organization, or, if unrated, determined by the Subadviser to be of comparable quality. At least 50% of the Overlay Component’s fixed income investments will be invested in U.S. Government securities, cash, repurchase agreements, and money market securities. A portion of the Overlay Component may be held in short-term investments as needed, in order to manage daily cash flows to or from the Portfolio or to serve as collateral. The Subadviser may also invest the Overlay Component in derivative instruments to generate income and manage Portfolio cash flows and liquidity needs.

The following chart sets forth the initial target allocations of the Portfolio set by SAAMCo on or about July 16, 2012, to equity and fixed income Underlying Portfolios and securities. These target allocations represent how the Portfolio’s assets will initially be allocated, and do not take into account any

change in net equity exposure from use of derivatives in the Overlay Component. The Portfolio’s subsequent actual allocations could vary substantially from the target allocations due to both market valuation changes and the Subadviser’s management of the Overlay Component in response to volatility changes.

 

Asset Class

   % of Total
Portfolio
 

Equity

     56
  

 

 

 

U.S. Large Cap

U.S. Small and Mid Cap

Foreign Equity

    

 

 

35.6

9.6

10.8


Fixed Income

     44
  

 

 

 

U.S. Investment Grade

U.S. High Yield

Foreign Fixed Income

    

 

 

42.0

0.8

1.2


Principal Risks of Investing in the Portfolio

 

There can be no assurance that the Portfolio’s investment goals will be met or that the net return on an investment in the Portfolio will exceed what could have been obtained through other investment or savings vehicles. Shares of the Portfolio are not bank deposits and are not guaranteed or insured by any bank, government entity or the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation. As with any mutual fund, there is no guarantee that the Portfolio will be able to achieve its investment goals. If the value of the assets of the Portfolio goes down, you could lose money.

There are direct and indirect risks of investing in the Portfolio. The value of your investment in the Portfolio may be affected by one or more of the following risks, which are described in more detail in the sections “Additional Information About the Portfolio’s Investment Strategies and Investment Risks” and the Glossary in the Prospectus, any of which could cause the Portfolio’s return, the price of the Portfolio’s shares or the Portfolio’s yield to fluctuate. Please note that there are many other circumstances that could adversely affect your investment and prevent the Portfolio from reaching its investment goals, which are not described here.

Market Risk. Market risk is both a direct and indirect risk of investing in the Portfolio. The Portfolio’s or an Underlying Portfolio’s share price can fall because of weakness in the broad market, a particular industry, or specific holdings. The market as a whole can decline for many reasons, including adverse political or economic developments here or abroad, changes in investor psychology, or heavy institutional selling. The prospects for an industry or company may deteriorate because of a variety of factors, including disappointing earnings or changes in the competitive environment. In addition, the investment adviser’s assessment of companies

 

 

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held in an Underlying Portfolio may prove incorrect, resulting in losses or poor performance even in a rising market. Finally, the Portfolio’s or an Underlying Portfolio’s investment approach could fall out of favor with the investing public, resulting in lagging performance versus other comparable portfolios.

Derivatives Risk. Derivatives risk is both a direct and indirect risk of investing in the Portfolio. A derivative is any financial instrument whose value is based on, and determined by, another security, index or benchmark (i.e., stock options, futures, caps, floors, etc.). To the extent a derivative contract is used to hedge another position in the Portfolio or an Underlying Portfolio, the Portfolio or Underlying Portfolio will be exposed to the risks associated with hedging described below. To the extent an option, futures contract, swap, or other derivative is used to enhance return, rather than as a hedge, the Portfolio or Underlying Portfolio will be directly exposed to the risks of the contract. Gains or losses from non-hedging positions may be substantially greater than the cost of the position. By purchasing over-the-counter derivatives, the Portfolio or Underlying Portfolio is exposed to credit quality risk of the counterparty.

Counterparty Risk. Counterparty risk is both a direct and indirect risk of investing in the Portfolio. Counterparty risk is the risk that a counterparty to a security, loan or derivative held by the Portfolio or an Underlying Portfolio becomes bankrupt or otherwise fails to perform its obligations due to financial difficulties. The Portfolio or an Underlying Portfolio may experience significant delays in obtaining any recovery in a bankruptcy or other reorganization proceeding, and there may be no recovery or limited recovery in such circumstances.

Risks of Leverage. Leverage risk is a direct risk of investing in the Portfolio. Certain ETFs, managed futures instruments, and some other derivatives the Portfolio buys involve a degree of leverage. Leverage occurs when an investor has the right to a return on an investment that exceeds the return that the investor would be expected to receive based on the amount contributed to the investment. The Portfolio’s use of certain economically leveraged futures and other derivatives can result in a loss substantially greater than the amount invested in the futures or other derivative itself. Certain futures and other derivatives have the potential for unlimited loss, regardless of the size of the initial investment. When the Portfolio uses futures and other derivatives for leverage, a shareholder’s investment in the Portfolio will tend to be more volatile, resulting in larger gains or losses in response to the fluctuating prices of the Portfolio’s investments.

Risk of Investing in Bonds. This is both a direct and indirect risk of investing in the Portfolio. As with any fund that invests significantly in bonds, the value of an investment in the Portfolio or an Underlying Portfolio may go up or down in response to changes in interest rates or defaults (or even the potential for future defaults) by bond issuers. The market value

of bonds and other fixed income securities usually tends to vary inversely with the level of interest rates; as interest rates rise the value of such securities typically falls, and as interest rates fall, the value of such securities typically rises. Longer-term and lower coupon bonds tend to be more sensitive to changes in interest rates.

Interest Rate Fluctuations Risk. Interest rate risk is both a direct and indirect risk of investing in the Portfolio. Fixed income securities may be subject to volatility due to changes in interest rates. The market value of bonds and other fixed income securities usually tends to vary inversely with the level of interest rates; as interest rates rise the value of such securities typically falls, and as interest rates fall, the value of such securities typically rises. Longer-term and lower coupon bonds tend to be more sensitive to changes in interest rates. In periods of very low short-term interest rates, the Portfolio’s or an Underlying Portfolio’s yield may become negative, which may result in a decline in the value of your investment.

Credit Risk. Credit risk is both a direct and indirect risk of investing in the Portfolio. Credit risk applies to most debt securities, but is generally not a factor for obligations backed by the “full faith and credit” of the U.S. Government. The Portfolio or an Underlying Portfolio could lose money if the issuer of a debt security is unable or perceived to be unable to pay interest or repay principal when it becomes due. Various factors could affect the issuer’s actual or perceived willingness or ability to make timely interest or principal payments, including changes in the issuer’s financial condition or in general economic conditions.

Hedging Risk. A hedge is an investment made in order to reduce the risk of adverse price movements in a security, by taking an offsetting position in a related security (often a derivative, such as an option or a short sale). While hedging strategies can be very useful and inexpensive ways of reducing risk, they are sometimes ineffective due to unexpected changes in the market. Hedging also involves the risk that changes in the value of the related security will not match those of the instruments being hedged as expected, in which case any losses on the instruments being hedged may not be reduced. For gross currency hedges by Underlying Portfolios, there is an additional risk, to the extent that these transactions create exposure to currencies in which an Underlying Portfolio’s securities are not denominated.

Short Sales Risk. Short sale risk is both a direct and indirect risk of investing in the Portfolio. Short sales by the Portfolio or an Underlying Portfolio involve certain risks and special considerations. Possible losses from short sales differ from losses that could be incurred from a purchase of a security, because losses from short sales are potentially unlimited, whereas losses from purchases can be no greater than the total amount invested.

 

 

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U.S. Government Obligations Risk. This is both a direct and indirect risk of investing in the Portfolio. U.S. Treasury obligations are backed by the “full faith and credit” of the U.S. Government and are generally considered to have minimal credit risk. Securities issued or guaranteed by federal agencies or authorities and U.S. Government-sponsored instrumentalities or enterprises may or may not be backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. Government. For example, securities issued by the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation, the Federal National Mortgage Association and the Federal Home Loan Banks are neither insured nor guaranteed by the U.S. Government; the securities may be supported only by the ability to borrow from the U.S. Treasury or by the credit of the issuing agency, authority, instrumentality or enterprise and, as a result, are subject to greater credit risk than securities issued or guaranteed by the U.S. Treasury.

Risk of Investing in Money Market Securities. This is both a direct and indirect risk of investing in the Portfolio. An investment in the Portfolio is subject to the risk that the value of its investments in high-quality short-term obligations (“money market securities”) may be subject to changes in interest rates, changes in the rating of any money market security and in the ability of an issuer to make payments of interest and principal.

Active Trading Risk. The Portfolio and Underlying Portfolios may engage in frequent trading of portfolio securities to achieve their investment goals. Active trading may result in high portfolio turnover and correspondingly greater brokerage commissions and other transaction costs for the Portfolio and Underlying Portfolios.

Other principal direct risks of investing in the Portfolio also include:

Dynamic Allocation Risk. The Portfolio’s risks will directly correspond to the risks of the Underlying Portfolios and other direct investments in which it invests. The Portfolio is subject to the risk that the investment process that will determine the selection of the Underlying Portfolios and the volatility formula that will be used to determine the allocation and reallocation of the Portfolio’s assets among the various asset classes and instruments may not produce the desired result. The Portfolio is also subject to the risk that the Subadviser may be prevented from trading certain derivatives effectively or in a timely manner.

Risk of Conflict with Insurance Company Interests. Managing the Portfolio’s net equity exposure may serve to reduce the risk from equity market volatility to the affiliated insurance companies and facilitate their ability to provide guaranteed benefits associated with certain Variable Contracts. While the interests of Portfolio shareholders and the affiliated insurance companies providing guaranteed benefits associated with the Variable Contracts are generally aligned, the affiliated insurance companies (and the Adviser by virtue of its

affiliation with the insurance companies) may face potential conflicts of interest. In particular, certain aspects of the Portfolio’s management have the effect of mitigating the financial risks to which the affiliated insurance companies are subjected by providing those guaranteed benefits. In addition, the Portfolio’s performance may be lower than similar portfolios that do not seek to manage their equity exposure.

Investment Company Risk. The risks of the Portfolio owning the Underlying Portfolios, including ETFs, generally reflect the risks of owning the underlying securities they are designed to track, although lack of liquidity in these investments could result in it being more volatile than the underlying portfolio of securities. Disruptions in the markets for the securities held by the Underlying Portfolios and ETFs purchased or sold by the Portfolio could result in losses on the Portfolio’s investment in such securities. The Underlying Portfolios and ETFs also have fees that increase their costs versus owning the underlying securities directly.

Risks of Exchange Traded Funds. Most ETFs are investment companies whose shares are purchased and sold on a securities exchange. An ETF represents a portfolio of securities designed to track a particular market segment or index. An investment in an ETF generally presents the same primary risks as an investment in a conventional fund (i.e., one that is not exchange-traded) that has the same investment objectives, strategies and policies. In addition, an ETF may fail to accurately track the market segment or index that underlies its investment objective. The price of an ETF can fluctuate, and the Portfolio could lose money investing in an ETF.

Affiliated Portfolio Risk. In managing the Portfolio that invests in Underlying Portfolios, the Adviser will have the authority to select and substitute the Underlying Portfolios. The Adviser may be subject to potential conflicts of interest in allocating the Portfolio’s assets among the various Underlying Portfolios because the fees payable to it by some of the Underlying Portfolios are higher than the fees payable by other Underlying Portfolios and because the Adviser also is responsible for managing and administering the Underlying Portfolios.

Regulatory Risk. In February 2012, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (“CFTC”) adopted certain regulatory changes that, when effective, could subject the Portfolio’s investment adviser to CFTC regulation as a commodity pool operator. Compliance with these additional registration and regulatory requirements would increase Portfolio expenses. The impact of the rule changes on the operations of the Portfolio and SAAMCo is not fully known at this time. The Portfolio and SAAMCo are continuing to analyze the effect of these rules changes on the Portfolio.

Indirect principal risks of investing in the Portfolio (direct risks of investing in the Underlying Portfolios) include:

 

 

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Large-Cap Companies Risk. Large-cap companies tend to be less volatile than companies with smaller market capitalizations. In exchange for this potentially lower risk, an Underlying Portfolio’s value may not rise as much as the value of portfolios that emphasize smaller companies.

“Passively Managed” Strategy Risk. An Underlying Portfolio following a passively managed strategy will not deviate from its investment strategy. In most cases, it will involve a passively managed strategy utilized to achieve investment results that correspond to a particular market index. Such a Portfolio will not sell securities in its portfolio and buy different securities for other reasons, even if there are adverse developments concerning a particular security, company or industry. There can be no assurance that the strategy will be successful.

Small and Medium Sized Companies Risk. Securities of small and medium sized companies are usually more volatile and entail greater risks than securities of large companies.

Growth Stock Risk. Growth stocks are historically volatile, which will affect certain Underlying Portfolios.

Value Investing Risk. The investment adviser’s judgments that a particular security is undervalued in relation to the company’s fundamental economic value may prove incorrect, which will affect certain Underlying Portfolios.

Foreign Investment Risk. The value of an investment in foreign securities may be affected by fluctuating currency values, changing local and regional economic, political and social conditions, and greater market volatility. In addition, foreign securities may not be as liquid as domestic securities.

Credit Quality Risk. The creditworthiness of an issuer is always a factor in analyzing fixed income securities. An issuer with a lower credit rating will be more likely than a higher rated issuer to default or otherwise become unable to honor its financial obligations. Issuers with low credit rating typically issue junk bonds. In addition to the risk of default, junk bonds may be more volatile, less liquid, more difficult to value and more susceptible to adverse economic conditions or investor perceptions than investment grade bonds.

Mortgage- and Asset-Backed Securities Risk. Mortgage- and asset-backed securities represent interests in “pools” of mortgages or other assets, including consumer loans or receivables held in trust. The characteristics of these mortgage-backed and asset-backed securities differ from traditional fixed income securities. Mortgage-backed securities are subject to “prepayment risk” and “extension risk.” Prepayment risk is the risk that, when interest rates fall, certain types of obligations will be paid off by the obligor more quickly than originally anticipated and an Underlying Portfolio may have to invest the proceeds in securities with lower yields. Extension risk is the risk that, when interest rates rise, certain obligations will be paid off by the obligor more slowly than anticipated causing

the value of these securities to fall. Small movements in interest rates (both increases and decreases) may quickly and significantly reduce the value of certain mortgage-backed securities. These securities also are subject to risk of default on the underlying mortgage, particularly during periods of economic downturn.

Performance Information

 

As of the date of this Prospectus, the Portfolio had not commenced operations. No performance information is currently available.

Investment Adviser

 

The Portfolio’s investment adviser is SAAMCo. SAAMCo also manages the Fund-of-Funds Component of the Portfolio. The Overlay Component of the Portfolio is subadvised by AllianceBernstein.

Portfolio Managers

 

Name

   Portfolio
Manager of the
Fund-of-Funds
Component of
the Portfolio
Since
  

Title

Timothy Pettee

   2012    Senior Vice President and Chief Investment Officer

 


Name

   Portfolio
Managers of
the Overlay
Component of
the Portfolio
Since
  

Title

Judith A. DeVivo

   2012    Senior Vice President and Senior Portfolio Manager - Index Strategies

Joshua Lisser

   2012    Chief Investment Officer- Index Strategies

Michael L. Mon

   2012    Vice President and Portfolio Manager

Ben Sklar

   2012    Portfolio Manager - Index Strategies

Karen Watkin

   2012    Vice President and Portfolio Manager- Index Strategies
 

 

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IMPORTANT ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

 

Purchases and Sales of Portfolio Shares

Shares of the Portfolio may only be purchased or redeemed through Variable Contracts offered by the separate accounts of participating life insurance companies. Shares of the Portfolio may be purchased and redeemed each day the New York Stock Exchange is open, at the Portfolio’s net asset value determined after receipt of a request in good order.

The Portfolio does not have any initial or subsequent investment minimums. However, your insurance company may impose investment or account value minimums.

Tax Information

 

The Portfolio will not be subject to U.S. federal income tax on the net investment company taxable income or net capital gains distributed to shareholders as ordinary income dividends or capital gain dividends; however, you may be subject to federal income tax upon withdrawal from such tax deferred

arrangements. Contractholders should consult the prospectus (or other offering document) for the Variable Contract for additional information regarding taxation.

Payments to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries

 

The Portfolio is not sold directly to the general public but instead is offered as an underlying investment option for Variable Contracts. The Portfolio and its related companies may make payments to the sponsoring insurance company (or its affiliates) for distribution and/or other services. These payments may create a conflict of interest as they may be a factor that the insurance company considers in including the Portfolio as an underlying investment option in the Variable Contract. The prospectus (or other offering document) for your Variable Contract may contain additional information about these payments.

 

 

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ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE PORTFOLIOS

INVESTMENT STRATEGIES AND INVESTMENT RISKS

 

In addition to the Portfolio’s principal investments discussed in the Portfolio Summary, the Portfolio may from time-to-time purchase Underlying Portfolios that invest in additional securities and utilize various investment techniques. Descriptions of these investments and risks are included in the “Glossary” section under “Investment Terminology” and “Risk Terminology.” In addition to the securities and techniques described herein, there are other securities and investment techniques in which the Portfolio may invest in limited instances, which are not described in this Prospectus. These securities and investment practices are listed in the Trust’s Statement of Additional Information, which you may obtain free of charge (see back cover).

From time to time, the Portfolio may take temporary defensive positions that are inconsistent with its principal investment strategies, in attempting to respond to adverse market, economic, political, or other conditions. There is no limit on the Portfolio’s investments in money market securities for temporary defensive purposes. If the Portfolio takes such a temporary defensive position, it may not achieve its investment goals.

The principal investment goals and strategies for the Portfolio are non-fundamental and may be changed by the Board without shareholder approval. Shareholders will be given at least 60 days’ written notice in advance of any change to the Portfolio’s investment goals.

 

 

Understanding the Portfolio

The Portfolio’s design is based on well-established principles of asset allocation and diversification, combined with an overlay strategy designed to adjust the Portfolio’s net equity exposure to maintain a relatively constant exposure to equity market volatility over time. The Portfolio has two separate components: the Fund-of-Funds Component and the Overlay Component.

The Fund-of-Funds Component (70%-90%)

The Portfolio’s Fund-of-Funds Component will invest substantially all of its assets in Underlying Portfolios that are portfolios of the Underlying Trusts.

SAAMCo establishes a target allocation between the two broad asset classes (equity and fixed income) within a range of 50% to 80% of the Fund-of-Funds Component’s assets allocated to Underlying Portfolios that invest primarily in equities and 20% to 50% of its assets to fixed income securities or instruments through Underlying Portfolios and direct investments. SAAMCo has hired Ibbotson, a consultant, to provide statistical analysis and portfolio modeling to the Adviser with respect to the Portfolio’s asset allocations and weightings to the Underlying Portfolios. Ibbotson does not have any advisory authority with regard to the Portfolio and does not effect portfolio transactions. SAAMCo, not the Portfolio, pays Ibbotson.

SAAMCo considers a variety of factors, including the relationships between the various asset classes and their long-term outlook for risk and return characteristics, to determine the target allocations between the following asset classes: large cap, mid cap, small cap, foreign equity, and fixed income securities. In selecting the Underlying Portfolios through which to achieve the asset allocation targets, SAAMCo considers, among other factors, the Underlying Portfolios’ investment objectives, policies, investment processes, growth or value investment process, historic performance, expenses, investment teams, reputation of the subadvisers, and any diversification benefit to the overall Portfolio’s holdings. The Fund-of-Funds Component is designed to include allocations to Underlying Portfolios that vary with respect to subadvisers, investment process, and investment style (such as deep value versus relative value), and in some cases may include passively-managed components. While the Fund-of-Funds Component will normally be invested in both growth and value-oriented equity Underlying Portfolios, it is expected to have a greater allocation to value equity Underlying Portfolios.

SAAMCo may add new Underlying Portfolios, replace existing Underlying Portfolios or change the Portfolio’s asset allocation among the Underlying Portfolios, without notice to investors, depending upon, among other factors, changing market environment, changes to target asset allocations, changes to the investment personnel, investment process, performance or criteria for holdings of the Underlying Portfolios, or the availability of other Underlying Portfolios that may provide a better diversification benefit to the Portfolio. If a new Underlying Portfolio is selected or the allocation to an existing Underlying Portfolio is adjusted by SAAMCo, a corresponding shift of allocations among the remaining Underlying Portfolios generally will result. While the Portfolio retains the ability to invest in an Underlying Portfolio that holds only money market securities, it does not anticipate doing so due to the amount of cash and other liquidity available within the Underlying Portfolios. The Portfolio’s daily cash flows will be the primary method of maintaining Underlying Portfolios’ weights near target and in changing target allocations, whenever possible. In some cases, sales and purchases of Underlying Portfolios may be used to move Underlying Portfolio weights towards the target more quickly. Sales and purchases of Underlying Portfolios by the Portfolio may lead to increased portfolio turnover within the Underlying Portfolios.

 

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ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE PORTFOLIOS

INVESTMENT STRATEGIES AND INVESTMENT RISKS

 

The chart on page 11 of this Prospectus lists the Underlying Portfolios in which the Portfolio intends to invest as of the date of this Prospectus, along with the initial target allocations to those Underlying Portfolios. SAAMCo may add new Underlying Portfolio investments or replace existing Underlying Portfolio investments for the Portfolio at any time without prior notice to shareholders. Information regarding the Underlying Portfolios is included in the summary prospectuses and statutory prospectuses, dated April 30, 2012 for those portfolios of the Trust and Anchor Series Trust, and dated July 28, 2011 for those portfolios of the Seasons Series Trust. Copies of the summary prospectuses and statutory prospectuses may be obtained free of charge by calling or writing the Underlying Trusts at the telephone number or address on the back cover page of this Prospectus.

The table in Appendix A to this prospectus lists the Underlying Portfolios in which the Portfolio may invest as of the date of this Prospectus. The Portfolio may invest in any or all of the Underlying Portfolios, but will not normally invest in every Underlying Portfolio at any particular time. There may be limits on the amount of cash inflows some Underlying Portfolios may accept from investors, including the Portfolio. SAAMCo may take into account these capacity considerations when allocating investments among the Underlying Portfolios. In some instances, SAAMCo may allocate capacity in certain Underlying Portfolios to other investors, which may have the effect of limiting the Portfolio’s opportunity to invest in the Underlying Portfolio.

Although the Fund-of-Funds Component’s investments in the Underlying Portfolios attempt to achieve the target allocation to equity and fixed income Underlying Portfolios, as set forth in the Portfolio Summary, the actual allocations may be different from the target. Actual allocations may differ from target allocations due to, among other things, changes to the Underlying Portfolios’ asset values due to market movements or because of a recent change in the target allocation. Portfolio cash flows are expected to be the primary tool for maintaining or moving Underlying Portfolios towards the target allocation, although SAAMCo may, from time to time, rebalance allocations to correspond to the target allocations through purchases and sales of Underlying Portfolios.

The Fund-of-Funds Component seeks capital appreciation primarily through its investments in Underlying Portfolios that invest in equity securities. These investments may include Underlying Portfolios that invest in equity securities of both U.S. and non-U.S. companies of all market capitalizations with above average growth potential, but are expected to include to a lesser extent Underlying Portfolios that invest primarily in small- and mid-cap U.S. companies and foreign companies. The Portfolio normally does not expect to have more than 25% of its total assets allocated to Underlying Portfolios investing primarily in foreign securities, and no more than 5% of its total assets to Underlying Portfolios investing primarily in emerging markets. The Fund-of-Funds Component seeks to achieve current income through its investments in Underlying Portfolios that primarily invest in fixed income securities, including both U.S. and foreign investment grade securities, but no more than 5% of the Portfolio’s total assets are expected to be invested in Underlying Portfolios investing primarily in high-yield, high-risk bonds (commonly known as “junk bonds”). Please note that the Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses of the Underlying Portfolios, as set forth in the Portfolio Summary, could change as the Underlying Portfolios’ asset values change or through the addition or deletion of Underlying Portfolios. Because of the costs incurred by the Portfolio in connection with its investment in the Underlying Portfolios, the costs of investing in the Underlying Portfolios through the Portfolio will generally be higher than the cost of investing in an Underlying Portfolio directly. The Portfolio, as a shareholder, will pay its share of the Underlying Portfolios’ expenses as well as the Portfolio’s own expenses. Therefore, an investment in the Portfolio may result in the duplication of certain expenses. Investors may be able to realize lower aggregate expenses by investing directly in the Underlying Portfolios instead of the Portfolio. An investor who chooses to invest directly in the Underlying Portfolios would not, however, receive the asset allocation services provided by SAAMCo or the services of the Subadviser in connection with the Overlay Component. In addition, not all of the Underlying Portfolios are offered in insurance products that are currently available to new contract owners.

The Overlay Component (10%-30%)

The Overlay Component comprises the remaining 10% to 30% of the Portfolio’s total assets. The Overlay Component will invest in fixed income securities to generate current income and to serve as collateral for derivatives transactions. The Overlay Component will also invest in short-term investments to manage the overall Portfolio’s daily cash flows and liquidity needs and to serve as collateral for derivative transactions. The Overlay Component may also increase or reduce the Portfolio’s net equity exposure through stock index futures, stock index options, options on stock index futures, and stock index swaps (“Stock Index Instruments”), as well as ETFs. If the Subadviser determines that the Stock Index Instruments are not being accurately priced by the market in relation to the price of the actual stocks in the S&P 500 Index, the Subadviser may invest in stock positions directly to emulate the index until such time as the Stock Index Instruments’ valuations return to fair value.

 

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ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE PORTFOLIOS

INVESTMENT STRATEGIES AND INVESTMENT RISKS

 

The Portfolio’s investment in derivative instruments will be used to increase or decrease the Portfolio’s overall net equity exposure, and therefore, its volatility and return potential. High levels of volatility may result from rapid and dramatic price swings. Through the use of derivative instruments, the Subadviser may adjust the Portfolio’s net equity exposure down to a minimum of 25% or up to a maximum of 100%, although the operation of the formula is expected to result in an average net equity exposure over long term periods of approximately 60%-65%. For example, when the market is in a state of higher volatility, the Subadviser may decrease the Portfolio’s net equity exposure by taking a short position in derivative instruments. The use of derivatives in this manner may expose the Portfolio to leverage when the Portfolio’s index futures position is larger then the collateral backing it. Trading in the Overlay Component will be managed in accordance with established guidelines in an attempt to maintain a relatively stable exposure to equity market volatility over time, subject to minimum and maximum net equity exposure ranges.

The Subadviser will manage the Portfolio’s net equity exposure using a formula provided by the Adviser and developed by affiliated insurance companies of the Adviser. The formula is based on historic equity market volatility, as measured through price movements in the S&P 500 Index, and is intended to provide guidance to the Subadviser with respect to the allocation of the Overlay Component’s assets among general categories. The Subadviser is responsible for determining in which securities or derivative instruments to invest and for making the Overlay Component investments for the Portfolio. Adjusting the Portfolio’s equity exposure when equity market volatility increases or decreases is intended to stabilize the Portfolio’s volatility related to equity markets, although no assurance can be made that such adjustment will have the intended effect. The formula used by the Subadviser may change over time based on proposals by the affiliated insurance companies. Any changes to the formula proposed by the affiliated insurance companies will be implemented only if they are approved by the Adviser and the Portfolio’s Board of Trustees, including a majority of the Independent Trustees.

The Portfolio’s performance may be lower than similar portfolios that do not seek to manage their equity exposure. If the Subadviser increases the Portfolio’s net equity exposure and equity markets decline, the Portfolio may underperform traditional or static allocation funds. Likewise, if the Subadviser reduces the Portfolio’s net equity exposure and equity markets rise, the Portfolio may also underperform traditional or static allocation funds.

In addition to managing the Portfolio’s net equity exposure as described above, the Subadviser will, within established guidelines, manage the Overlay Component in an attempt to generate income, manage Portfolio cash flows and liquidity needs, and manage collateral for the derivative instruments. The Subadviser will manage the fixed income investments of the Overlay Component by investing only in securities rated investment grade or higher by a nationally recognized statistical rating organization, or, if unrated, determined by the Subadviser to be of comparable quality. A portion of the Overlay Component may be held in short-term investments as needed, in order to manage daily cash flows to or from the Portfolio or to serve as collateral.

 

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ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE PORTFOLIOS

INVESTMENT STRATEGIES AND INVESTMENT RISKS

 

The following chart represents the initial target allocations to the Underlying Portfolios in the Fund-of-Funds Component:

 

Underlying Portfolio

   Asset
Class
   Investment
Style
     Initial
Allocation
 

(The SunAmerica Dynamic Strategy Portfolio

invests in Class 1 shares)

          
 
 
(pct. of
Overall
Portfolio
  
  

Seasons Series Trust Focus Value Portfolio

   Equity      Value         1.6

Seasons Series Trust International Equity Portfolio

   Equity      Growth         3.2

Seasons Series Trust Large Cap Growth Portfolio

   Equity      Growth         2.4

Seasons Series Trust Large Cap Value Portfolio

   Equity      Value         4.0

Seasons Series Trust Mid Cap Growth Portfolio

   Equity      Growth         0.8

Seasons Series Trust Mid Cap Value Portfolio

   Equity      Value         1.6

Seasons Series Trust Small Cap Portfolio

   Equity      Core         0.8
        

SunAmerica Series Trust Alliance Growth Portfolio

   Equity      Growth         1.6

SunAmerica Series Trust Davis Venture Value Portfolio

   Equity      Value         3.2

SunAmerica Series Trust “Dogs” of Wall Street Portfolio

   Equity      Value         2.4

SunAmerica Series Trust Equity Index Portfolio

   Equity      Core         8.0

SunAmerica Series Trust Equity Opportunities Portfolio

   Equity      Core         1.6

SunAmerica Series Trust Foreign Value Portfolio

   Equity      Value         4.0

SunAmerica Series Trust Global Equities Portfolio

   Equity      Core         2.4

SunAmerica Series Trust Growth-Income Portfolio

   Equity      Value         2.4

SunAmerica Series Trust Growth Opportunities Portfolio

   Equity      Growth         0.8
        

SunAmerica Series Trust International Growth & Income Portfolio

   Equity      Value         2.4

SunAmerica Series Trust Marsico Focused Growth Portfolio

   Equity      Growth         3.2

SunAmerica Series Trust MFS® Massachusetts Investors. Trust Portfolio

   Equity      Core         4.0

SunAmerica Series Trust Mid-Cap Growth Portfolio

   Equity      Growth         0.8

SunAmerica Series Trust Real Estate Portfolio

   Equity      Value         1.6

SunAmerica Series Trust Small & Mid Cap Value Portfolio

   Equity      Value         0.8

SunAmerica Series Trust Small Company Value

   Equity      Value         2.4
        

 

 

 

sub-total: Equity Underlying Portfolios:

           56.0
        

Anchor Series Trust Government and Quality Bond Portfolio

   Fixed Income      N/A         4.0

Seasons Series Trust Diversified Fixed Income Portfolio

   Fixed Income      N/A         3.2

Seasons Series Trust Real Return Portfolio

   Fixed Income      N/A         2.4

SunAmerica Series Trust Corporate Bond Portfolio

   Fixed Income      N/A         4.8

SunAmerica Series Trust Global Bond Portfolio

   Fixed Income      N/A         2.4

SunAmerica Series Trust High-Yield Bond Portfolio

   Fixed Income      N/A         0.8

SunAmerica Series Trust Total Return Bond Portfolio

   Fixed Income      N/A         6.4
        

 

 

 

sub-total: Fixed Underlying Portfolios:

           24.0

Sub-total: Fund-of-Funds Component:

           80.0

 

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GLOSSARY

 

Investment Terminology

 

Capital appreciation/growth is an increase in the market value of securities held.

Defensive investments include high quality fixed income securities, repurchase agreements and other money market instruments. The Portfolio may make temporary defensive investments in response to adverse market, economic, political or other conditions. When the Portfolio takes a defensive position, it may miss out on investment opportunities that could have resulted from investing in accordance with its principal investment strategy. As a result, the Portfolio may not achieve its investment goals.

A derivative is a financial instrument, such as an option or futures contract, whose value is based on the performance of an underlying asset or an external benchmark, such as the price of a specified securities are an index.

An “emerging market” country is generally a country with a low or middle income economy or that is in the early stages of its industrial cycle. See definition of “Foreign securities” for additional information.

Equity securities, such as common stocks, represent shares of equity ownership in a corporation. Common stocks may or may not receive dividend payments. Certain securities have common stock characteristics, including certain convertible securities such as convertible bonds, convertible preferred stock, rights and warrants, and may be classified as equity securities. Investments in equity securities and securities with equity characteristics include:

 

   

Convertible securities are securities (such as bonds or preferred stocks) that may be converted into common stock of the same or a different company.

 

   

Market capitalization represents the total market value of the outstanding securities of a corporation. See separate definition for “Market Capitalization Ranges.”

 

   

Rights represent a preemptive right of stockholders to purchase additional shares of a stock at the time of a new issuance before the stock is offered to the general public.

 

   

Warrants are rights to buy common stock of a company at a specified price during the life of the warrant.

Equity swaps allow the parties to a swap agreement to exchange the dividend income or other components of return on an equity investment (for example, a group of equity securities

or an index) for a component of return on another non-equity or equity investment.

Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs) are a type of investment company bought and sold on a securities exchange. An ETF trades like common stock and represents a portfolio of securities designed to track a particular market index. The Portfolio could purchase an ETF to gain exposure to a portion of the U.S. or a foreign market while awaiting purchase of underlying securities. The risks of owning an ETF generally reflect the risk of owning the underlying securities they are designed to track. However, lack of liquidity in an ETF results in its being more volatile and ETFs have management fees which increase their cost.

Fixed income securities are broadly classified as securities that provide for periodic payment, typically interest or dividend payments, to the holder of the security at a stated rate. Most fixed income securities, such as bonds, represent indebtedness of the issuer and provide for repayment of principal at a stated time in the future. Others do not provide for repayment of a principal amount. The issuer of a senior fixed income security is obligated to make payments on this security ahead of other payments to security holders. Investments in fixed income securities include:

 

   

Agency discount notes are high credit quality, short-term debt instruments issued by federal agencies and government sponsored enterprises. These securities are issued at a discount to their par value.

 

   

Corporate debt instruments (bonds, notes and debentures) are securities representing a debt of a corporation. The issuer is obligated to repay a principal amount of indebtedness at a stated time in the future and in most cases to make periodic payments of interest at a stated rate.

 

   

An investment grade fixed income security is rated in one of the top four rating categories by a debt rating agency (or is considered of comparable quality by the Adviser or Subadviser). The two best-known debt rating agencies are S&P and Moody’s. Investment grade refers to any security rated “BBB-” or above by S&P or Fitch Ratings (“Fitch”), or “Baa3” or above by Moody’s, or if unrated, determined to be of comparable quality by the subadviser.

 

   

A junk bond is a high yield, high risk bond that does not meet the credit quality standards of an investment grade security.

 

   

Mortgage-related and other asset-backed securities include mortgage pass-through securities, collateralized mortgage obligations (“CMOs”), commercial mortgage-

 

 

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GLOSSARY

 

backed securities, mortgage dollar rolls, CMO residuals, stripped mortgage-backed securities and other securities that directly or indirectly represent a participation in, or are secured by and payable from, mortgage loans or real property.

 

   

Municipal securities are debt obligations issued by or on behalf of states, territories and possessions of the U.S. and District of Columbia and their political subdivisions, agencies and instrumentalities. Municipal securities may be affected by uncertainties regarding their tax status, legislative changes or rights of municipal-securities holders.

 

   

Preferred stocks receive dividends at a specified rate and have preference over common stock in the payment of dividends and the liquidation of assets.

 

   

U.S. Government securities are issued or guaranteed by the U.S. Government, its agencies and instrumentalities. Some U.S. Government securities are issued or unconditionally guaranteed by the U.S. Treasury. They are generally considered to be of high credit quality. While these securities are subject to variations in market value due to fluctuations in interest rates, they will be paid in full if held to maturity. Other U.S. Government securities are neither direct obligations of, nor guaranteed by, the U.S. Treasury. However, they involve federal sponsorship in one way or another. For example, some are backed by specific types of collateral; some are supported by the issuer’s right to borrow from the Treasury; some are supported by the discretionary authority of the Treasury to purchase certain obligations of the issuer; and others are supported only by the credit of the issuing government agency or instrumentality. The Portfolio’s investment in U.S. Government securities may include investments in debt securities that are guaranteed under the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation’s (“FDIC”) Temporary Liquidity Guarantee Program (“TLGP”). Under the TLGP, the FDIC guarantees, with the full faith and credit of the U.S. Government, the payment of principal and interest on senior unsecured debt issued by entities eligible to participate in the TLGP, which generally include FDIC-insured depository institutions, U.S. bank holding companies or financial holding companies and certain U.S. savings and loan holding companies. This guarantee presently extends through the earlier of the maturity date of the debt or June 30, 2012. This guarantee does not extend to shares of the Portfolio itself. FDIC-guaranteed debt is still subject to interest rate and securities selection risk.

 

   

Zero-Coupon Bonds, Deferred Interest Bonds and PIK Bonds. Zero coupon and deferred interest bonds are debt obligations issued or purchased at a significant discount from face value. A step-coupon bond is one in which a

   

change in interest rate is fixed contractually in advance. Payable-in-kind (“PIK”) bonds are debt obligations that provide that the issuer thereof may, at its option, pay interest on such bonds in cash or in the form of additional debt obligations.

Foreign securities are issued by companies located outside of the United States, including emerging markets. Foreign securities may include foreign corporate and government bonds, foreign equity securities, foreign investment companies, passive foreign investment companies (“PFICs”), American Depositary Receipts (“ADRs”) or other similar securities that represent interests in foreign equity securities, such as European Depositary Receipts (“EDRs”) and Global Depositary Receipts (“GDRs”). An emerging market country is generally one with a low or middle income economy that is in the early stages of its industrialization cycle. For fixed income investments, an emerging market includes those where the sovereign credit rating is below investment grade. Emerging market countries may change over time depending on market and economic conditions and the list of emerging market countries may vary by adviser or subadviser. Foreign securities includes those securities issued by companies whose principal securities trading markets are outside the U.S., that derive a significant share of their total revenue from either goods or services produced or sales made in markets outside the U.S., that have a significant portion of their assets outside the U.S., that are linked to non-U.S. dollar currencies or that are organized under the laws of, or with principal offices in, another country.

A “Growth” philosophy is a strategy of investing in securities believed to offer the potential for capital appreciation. It focuses on securities of companies that are considered to have a historical record of above-average growth rate, significant growth potential, above-average earnings growth or value, the ability to sustain earnings growth, or that offer proven or unusual products or services, or operate in industries experiencing increasing demand.

“High quality” instruments have a very strong capacity to pay interest and repay principal; they reflect the issuers’ high creditworthiness and low risk of default.

Income is interest payments from bonds or dividends from stocks.

Market capitalization ranges. Companies are determined to be large-cap companies, mid-cap companies, or small-cap companies based upon the total market value of the outstanding common stock (or similar securities) of the company at the time of purchase. The market capitalization of the companies in the Underlying Portfolios and the indices described below change over time. An Underlying Portfolio will not automatically sell or cease to purchase stock of a company that it already owns just because the company’s market capitalization grows or falls outside this range. With respect to all Underlying Portfolios, except as noted on an Underlying Portfolio’s prospectus:

 

 

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GLOSSARY

 

   

Large-Cap companies will generally include companies whose market capitalizations are equal to or greater than the market capitalization of the smallest company in the Russell 1000® Index during the most recent 12-month period. As of the most recent annual reconstitution of the Russell 1000® Index on June 22, 2012, the market capitalization range of the companies in the Index was $1.4 billion to $540 billion.

 

   

Mid-Cap companies will generally include companies whose market capitalizations range from the market capitalization of the smallest company included in the Russell Midcap® Index to the market capitalization of the largest company in the Russell Midcap® Index during the most recent 12-month period. As of the most recent annual reconstitution of the Russell Midcap® Index on June 22, 2012, the market capitalization range of the companies in the Index was $1.4 billion to $17.4 billion.

 

   

Small-Cap companies will generally include companies whose market capitalizations are equal to or less than the market capitalization of the largest company in the Russell 2000® Index during the most recent 12-month period. As of the most recent annual reconstitution of the Russell 2000® Index on June 22, 2012, the market capitalization range of the companies in the Index was $101 million to $2.6 billion.

“Net assets” when referred to under “Investment Goals and Principal Strategies” for the Portfolio takes into account borrowings for investment purposes.

Options and futures are contracts involving the right to receive or the obligation to deliver assets or money depending on the performance of one or more underlying assets, instruments or a market or economic index. An option gives its owner the right, but not the obligation, to buy (“call”) or sell (“put”) a specified amount of a security at a specified price within a specified time period. The Portfolio may purchase listed options on various indices in which it may invest. A futures contract is an exchange-traded legal contract to buy or sell a standard quantity and quality of a commodity, financial instrument, index, etc. at a specified future date and price. The Portfolio may also purchase and write (sell) option contracts on swaps, commonly referred to

as swaptions. A swaption is an option to enter into a swap agreement. Like other types of options, the buyer of a swaption pays a non-refundable premium for the option and obtains the right, but not the obligation, to enter into an underlying swap on agreed-upon terms. The seller of a swaption, in exchange for the premium, becomes obligated (if the option is exercised) to enter into an underlying swap on agreed-upon terms. When the Portfolio purchases an over-the-counter swaption, it increases its credit risk exposure to the counterparty.

Registered investment companies are investments by the Portfolio in other investment companies which are registered in accordance with the federal securities laws.

Short sales involve the selling of a security which the Portfolio does not own in anticipation of a decline in the market value of the security. In such transactions, the Portfolio borrows the security for delivery to the buyer and must eventually replace the borrowed security for return to the lender. The Portfolio bears the risk that price at the time of replacement may be greater than the price at which the security was sold. A short sale is “against the box” to the extent that the Portfolio contemporaneously owns, or has the right to obtain without payment, securities identical to those sold short.

Short-term investments include money market securities such as short-term U.S. Government obligations, repurchase agreements, commercial paper, bankers’ acceptances and certificates of deposit. These securities provide the Portfolio with sufficient liquidity to meet redemptions and cover expenses.

A “Value” philosophy is a strategy of investing in securities that are believed to be undervalued in the market. It often reflects a contrarian approach in that the potential for superior relative performance is believed to be highest when fundamentally solid companies are out of favor. The selection criteria is generally calculated to identify stocks of companies with solid financial strength that have low price-earnings ratios and have generally been overlooked by the market, or companies undervalued within an industry or market capitalization category.

Yield is the annual dollar income received on an investment expressed as a percentage of the current or average price.

 

 

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GLOSSARY

 

Risk Terminology

 

Active Trading Risk – A strategy used whereby the Portfolio may engage in frequent trading of portfolio securities to achieve its investment goals. Active trading may result in high portfolio turnover and correspondingly greater brokerage commissions and other transaction costs for the Portfolio, which could affect your performance. During periods of increased market volatility, active trading may be more pronounced.

Affiliated Portfolio Risk – In managing the Portfolio that invests in Underlying Portfolios, the Adviser will have the authority to select and substitute the Underlying Portfolios. The Adviser may be subject to potential conflicts of interest in allocating the Portfolio’s assets among the various Underlying Portfolios because the fees payable to it by some of the Underlying Portfolios are higher than the fees payable by other Underlying Portfolios and because the Adviser also is responsible for managing and administering the Underlying Portfolios.

Counterparty Risk – Counterparty risk is the risk that a counterparty to a security, loan or derivative held by the Portfolio becomes bankrupt or otherwise fails to perform its obligations due to financial difficulties. The Portfolio may experience significant delays in obtaining any recovery in a bankruptcy or other reorganization proceeding, and there may be no recovery or limited recovery in such circumstances.

Credit Risk – Credit risk applies to most debt securities, but is generally not a factor for obligations backed by the “full faith and credit” of the U.S. Government. The Portfolio could lose money if the issuer of a debt security is unable or perceived to be unable to pay interest or repay principal when it becomes due. Various factors could affect the issuer’s actual or perceived willingness or ability to make timely interest or principal payments, including changes in the issuer’s financial condition or in general economic conditions.

Credit Quality Risk – The creditworthiness of an issuer is always a factor in analyzing fixed income securities. An issuer with a lower credit rating will be more likely than a higher rated issuer to default or otherwise become unable to honor its financial obligations. Issuers with low credit ratings typically issue Junk Bonds. In addition to the risk of default, junk bonds may be more volatile, less liquid, more difficult to value and more susceptible to adverse economic conditions or investor perceptions than other bonds.

Derivatives Risk – A derivative is any financial instrument whose value is based on, and determined by, another security, index or benchmark (i.e., stock options, futures, caps, floors, etc.). In recent years, derivative securities have become increasingly important in the field of finance. Futures and options are now actively traded on many different exchanges. Forward contracts, swaps, and many different types of options

are regularly traded outside of exchanges by financial institutions in what are termed “over the counter” markets. Other more specialized derivative securities often form part of a bond or stock issue. To the extent a contract is used to hedge another position in the Portfolio, the Portfolio will be exposed to the risks associated with hedging described below. To the extent an option or futures contract is used to enhance return, rather than as a hedge, the Portfolio will be directly exposed to the risks of the contract. Gains or losses from non-hedging positions may be substantially greater than the cost of the position.

Dynamic Allocation Risk – The Portfolio’s risks will directly correspond to the risks of the Underlying Portfolios in which it invests. The Portfolio is subject to the risk that the investment process that will determine the selection of the Underlying Portfolios and the volatility formula that the Subadviser will use to determine the allocation and reallocation of the Portfolio’s assets among the various asset classes and instruments may not produce the desired result. The Portfolio is also subject to the risk that the Subadviser may be prevented from trading certain derivatives effectively or in a timely manner.

Foreign Investment Risk – Investments in foreign countries are subject to a number of risks. A principal risk is that fluctuations in the exchange rates between the U.S. dollar and foreign currencies may negatively affect the value of an investment. In addition, there may be less publicly available information about a foreign company and it may not be subject to the same uniform accounting, auditing and financial reporting standards as U.S. companies. Foreign governments may not regulate securities markets and companies to the same degree as in the U.S. Foreign investments will also be affected by local political or economical developments and governmental actions. Consequently, foreign securities may be less liquid, more volatile and more difficult to price than U.S. securities. These risks are heightened when an issuer is in an emerging market. Historically, the markets of emerging market countries have been more volatile than more developed markets; however, such markets can provide higher rates of return to investors.

Growth Stock Risk – Growth stocks can be volatile for several reasons. Since the issuers usually reinvest a high portion of earnings in their own business, growth stocks may lack the dividend yield associated with value stocks that can cushion total return in a bear market. Also, growth stocks normally carry a higher price/earnings ratio than many other stocks. Consequently, if earnings expectations are not met, the market price of growth stocks will often go down more than other stocks. However, the market frequently rewards growth stocks with price increases when expectations are met or exceeded.

Hedging Risk – A hedge is an investment made in order to reduce the risk of adverse price movements in a security, by

 

 

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GLOSSARY

 

taking an offsetting position in a related security (often a derivative, such as an option or a short sale). While hedging strategies can be very useful and inexpensive ways of reducing risk, they are sometimes ineffective due to unexpected changes in the market or exchange rates. Hedging also involves the risk that changes in the value of the related security will not match those of the instruments being hedged as expected, in which case any losses on the instruments being hedged may not be reduced. For gross currency hedges, there is an additional risk, to the extent that these transactions create exposure to currencies in which the Portfolio’s securities are not denominated. Moreover, while hedging can reduce or eliminate losses, it can also reduce or eliminate gains.

Interest Rate Fluctuations Risk – Fixed income securities may be subject to volatility due to changes in interest rates. The market value of bonds and other fixed income securities usually tends to vary inversely with the level of interest rates; as interest rates rise the value of such securities typically falls, and as interest rates fall, the value of such securities typically rises. Longer-term and lower coupon bonds tend to be more sensitive to changes in interest rates.

Investment Company Risk – The risks of the Portfolio owning other investment companies, including ETFs, generally reflect the risks of owning the underlying securities they are designed to track, although lack of liquidity in these investments could result in it being more volatile than the underlying portfolio of securities. Disruptions in the markets for the securities held by the other investment companies purchased or sold by the Portfolio could result in losses on the Portfolio’s investment in such securities. Other investment companies also have fees that increase their costs versus owning the underlying securities directly.

Large-Cap Companies Risk – Large-cap companies tend to go in and out of favor based on market and economic conditions. Large-cap companies tend to be less volatile than companies with smaller market capitalizations. In exchange for this potentially lower risk, the Portfolio’s value may not rise as much as the value of portfolios that emphasize smaller companies.

Market Risk – The Portfolio’s share price can fall because of weakness in the broad market, a particular industry, or specific holdings. The market as a whole can decline for many reasons, including adverse political or economic developments here or abroad, changes in investor psychology, or heavy institutional selling. The prospects for an industry or company may deteriorate because of a variety of factors, including disappointing earnings or changes in the competitive environment. In addition, the Adviser’s or Subadviser’s assessment of investments held in the Portfolio may prove incorrect, resulting in losses or poor performance even in a rising market. Finally, the Portfolio’s investment approach could fall out of favor with the investing public, resulting in lagging performance versus other comparable portfolios.

Mortgage- and Asset-Backed Securities Risk – Mortgage- and asset-backed securities represent interests in “pools” of mortgages or other assets, including consumer loans or receivables held in trust. The characteristics of these mortgage-backed and asset-backed securities differ from traditional fixed income securities. Mortgage-backed securities are subject to “prepayment risk” and “extension risk.” Prepayment risk is the risk that, when interest rates fall, certain types of obligations will be paid off by the obligor more quickly than originally anticipated and the Portfolio may have to invest the proceeds in securities with lower yields. Extension risk is the risk that, when interest rates rise, certain obligations will be paid off by the obligor more slowly than anticipated causing the value of these securities to fall. Small movements in interest rates (both increases and decreases) may quickly and significantly reduce the value of certain mortgage-backed securities. These securities also are subject to risk of default on the underlying mortgage, particularly during periods of economic downturn.

“Passively Managed” Strategy Risk – An Underlying Portfolio following a passively managed strategy will not deviate from its investment strategy. In most cases, it will involve a passively managed strategy utilized to achieve investment results that correspond to a particular market index. Such a Portfolio will not sell securities in its portfolio and buy different securities for other reasons, even if there are adverse developments concerning a particular security, company or industry. There can be no assurance that the strategy will be successful.

Regulatory Risk – In February 2012, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (“CFTC”) adopted certain regulatory changes that, when effective, could subject SAAMCo to CFTC regulation as a commodity pool operator, if the Portfolio or Underlying Portfolios engage in trading futures and swaps beyond certain limits. Compliance with these additional registration and regulatory requirements would increase Portfolio expenses. The impact of the rule changes on the operations of the Portfolio and SAAMCo is not fully known at this time. The Portfolio and SAAMCo are continuing to analyze the effect of these rules changes on the Portfolio.

Risk of Conflict with Insurance Company Interests – Managing the Portfolio’s net equity exposure may serve to reduce the risk from equity market volatility to the affiliated insurance companies and facilitate their ability to provide guaranteed benefits associated with certain Variable Contracts. While the interests of Portfolio shareholders and the affiliated insurance companies providing guaranteed benefits associated with the Variable Contracts are generally aligned, the affiliated insurance companies (and the Adviser by virtue of its affiliation with the insurance companies) may face potential conflicts of interest. In particular, certain aspects of the Portfolio’s management have the effect of mitigating the financial risks to which the affiliated insurance companies are subjected by providing those guaranteed benefits. In addition, the Portfolio’s performance may be lower than similar portfolios that do not seek to manage their equity exposure.

 

 

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Risks of Exchange Traded Funds – Most ETFs are investment companies whose shares are purchased and sold on a securities exchange. An ETF represents a portfolio of securities designed to track a particular market segment or index. An investment in an ETF generally presents the same primary risks as an investment in a conventional fund (i.e., one that is not exchange-traded) that has the same investment objectives, strategies and policies. In addition, an ETF may fail to accurately track the market segment or index that underlies its investment objective. The price of an ETF can fluctuate, and the Portfolio could lose money investing in an ETF.

Risks of Investing in Bonds – As with any fund that invests significantly in bonds, the value of your investment in the Portfolio may go up or down in response to changes in interest rates or defaults (or even the potential for future defaults) by bond issuers. The market value of bonds and other fixed income securities usually tends to vary inversely with the level of interest rates; as interest rates rise the value of such securities typically falls, and as interest rates fall, the value of such securities typically rises. Longer-term and lower coupon bonds tend to be more sensitive to changes in interest rates.

Risk of Investing in Money Market Securities – Because the Portfolio invests in high-quality short-term obligations (“money market securities”), it may be subject to changes in interest rates, changes in the rating of any money market security and in the ability of an issuer to make payments of interest and principal.

Risks of Leverage – Certain ETFs, managed futures instruments, and some other derivatives the Portfolio buys involve a degree of leverage. Leverage occurs when an investor has the right to a return on an investment that exceeds the return that the investor would be expected to receive based on the amount contributed to the investment. The Portfolio’s use of certain economically leveraged futures and other derivatives can result in a loss substantially greater than the amount invested in the futures or other derivative itself. Certain futures and other derivatives have the potential for unlimited loss, regardless of the size of the initial investment. When the Portfolio uses futures and other derivatives for leverage, a shareholder’s investment in the Portfolio will tend to be more volatile, resulting in larger gains or losses in response to the fluctuating prices of the Portfolio’s investments.

Short Sales Risk – Short sales by the Portfolio involve certain risks and special considerations. Possible losses from short sales differ from losses that could be incurred from a purchase of a security, because losses from short sales are potentially unlimited, whereas losses from purchases can be no greater than the total amount invested.

Small and Medium Sized Companies Risk – Companies with smaller market capitalization (particularly under $1 billion depending on the market) tend to be at early stages of development with limited product lines, market access for products, financial resources, access to new capital, or depth in management. It may be difficult to obtain reliable information and financial data about these companies. Consequently, the securities of smaller companies may not be as readily marketable and may be subject to more abrupt or erratic market movements. Securities of medium sized companies are usually more volatile and entail greater risks than securities of large companies. In addition, small and medium sized companies may be traded in over-the-counter (OTC) markets as opposed to being traded on an exchange. OTC securities may trade less frequently and in smaller volume than exchange-listed stocks, which may cause these securities to be more volatile than exchange-listed stocks and may make it more difficult to buy and sell these securities at prevailing market prices. The Portfolio determines relative market capitalizations using U.S. standards. Accordingly, the Portfolio’s non-U.S. investments may have large capitalizations relative to market capitalizations of companies based outside the United States.

U.S. Government Obligations Risk – U.S. Treasury obligations are backed by the “full faith and credit” of the U.S. Government and generally considered to have minimal credit risk. Securities issued or guaranteed by federal agencies or authorities and U.S. Government-sponsored instrumentalities or enterprises may or may not be backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. Government. For example, securities issued by the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (“FHLMC”), the Federal National Mortgage Association (“FNMA”) and the Federal Home Loan Banks are neither insured nor guaranteed by the U.S. Government; the securities may be supported only by the ability to borrow from the U.S. Treasury or by the credit of the issuing agency, authority, instrumentality or enterprise and, as a result, are subject to greater credit risk than securities issued or guaranteed by the U.S. Treasury.

In addition, the value of FNMA’s and FHLMC’s securities fell sharply in 2008 due to concerns that the firms did not have sufficient capital to offset losses resulting from the mortgage crisis. In September 2008, the U.S. Treasury Department and the Federal Housing Finance Administration (“FHFA”) placed FNMA and FHLMC into a conservatorship under FHFA. The effect that this conservatorship will have on the companies’ debt and equities remains unclear, as both companies have continued to incur significant losses since that time.

Value Investing Risk – The investment adviser’s judgments that a particular security is undervalued in relation to the company’s fundamental economic value may prove incorrect.

 

 

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About the Indices

 

 

The Barclays U.S. Aggregate Bond Index combines several fixed-income indices to give a broad view of the U.S. investment grade fixed rate bond market, with index components for government and corporate securities, mortgage pass-through securities, and asset-backed securities.

The S&P 500® Index tracks the performance of 500 stocks representing a sampling of the largest domestic stocks traded publicly in the United States. Because it is market-weighted, the index will reflect changes in larger companies more heavily than those in smaller companies.

 

 

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Information about the

Investment Adviser and Manager

SAAMCo serves as investment adviser for the Portfolio. SAAMCo manages the day-to-day investments for the Fund-of-Funds Component, oversees the Subadviser’s management of the Overlay Component, provides various administrative services and supervises the daily business affairs of the Portfolio. SAAMCo was organized in 1982 under the laws of Delaware, and managed, advised or administered assets in excess of $44.0 billion as of May 31, 2012. SAAMCo is a wholly-owned subsidiary of SunAmerica Annuity and Life Assurance Company, and is located at Harborside Financial Center, 3200 Plaza 5, Jersey City, NJ 07311-4992.

SAAMCo has received an exemptive order from the Securities and Exchange Commission that permits SAAMCo, subject to certain conditions, to enter into agreements relating to the Trust with unaffiliated subadvisers approved by the Board of Trustees (the “Board”) without obtaining shareholder approval. The exemptive order also permits SAAMCo, subject to the approval of the Board but without shareholder approval, to employ new unaffiliated subadvisers for new or existing portfolios, change the terms of particular agreements with subadvisers or continue the employment of existing subadvisers after events that would otherwise cause an automatic termination of a subadvisory agreement. Shareholders will be notified of any subadviser changes. Affiliated subadvisers selected and approved by the Board are subject to shareholder approval.

Shareholders have the right to terminate an agreement with a subadviser for the Portfolio at any time by a vote of the majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Portfolio.

A discussion regarding the basis for the Board’s approval of the investment advisory and subadvisory agreements for the Portfolio will be available in the Trust’s Semi-Annual Report to shareholders for the period ended July 31, 2012.

In addition to serving as investment adviser and manager of the Trust, SAAMCo serves as adviser, manager and/or administrator for Anchor Series Trust, Seasons Series Trust, SunAmerica Series, Inc., SunAmerica Equity Funds, SunAmerica Income Funds, SunAmerica Money Market Funds, Inc., SunAmerica Senior Floating Rate Fund, Inc., SunAmerica Specialty Series, VALIC Company I and VALIC Company II.

Management Fee. As compensation for its services in managing the Portfolio, SAAMCo receives a monthly fee, before any advisory fee waivers, at an annual rate equal to the following percentage of average daily net assets:

First $1.5 billion in assets: 0.25%

Next $1.5 billion in assets: 0.22%

Over $3 billion in assets: 0.20%

Waivers and Reimbursements. Pursuant to an Expense Limitation Agreement, SAAMCo has contractually agreed, for the period from the Portfolio’s inception through January 31, 2014, to waive its fees and/or reimburse expenses to the extent that the Total Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses exceed 0.55%. For purposes of the Expense Limitation Agreement, “Total Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses” shall not include extraordinary expenses, as determined under generally accepted accounting principles, or acquired fund fees and expenses. Any waivers or reimbursements made by SAAMCo with respect to the Portfolio are subject to recoupment from the Portfolio within the following two years, provided that the Portfolio is able to effect such payment to SAAMCo and remain in compliance with the applicable expense limitations. This agreement may be modified or discontinued prior to January 31, 2014, only with the approval of the Board of Trustees of the Portfolio, including a majority of the Independent Trustees.

Acquired Fund Fees And Expenses. Acquired fund fees and expenses include fees and expenses incurred indirectly by the Portfolio as a result of its investment in shares of the Underlying Portfolios. The fees and expenses will vary based on the Portfolio’s allocation of assets to, and any changes in the new annualized expenses of, the particular Underlying Portfolios.

Information about the Investment Adviser’s Management of the Fund-of-Funds Component of the Portfolio

SAAMCo is responsible for making the day-to-day investment decisions for the Fund-of-Funds Component of the Portfolio.

The Statement of Additional Information provides information regarding the portfolio manager listed below, including other accounts he manages, his ownership interest in the Portfolio, and the structure and method used by the Adviser to determine his compensation.

The Fund-of-Funds Component of the Portfolio is managed by Timothy Pettee. Mr. Pettee joined SAAMCo in 2003 and is currently Senior Vice President and Chief Investment Officer.

Information about the Subadviser

The Subadviser is responsible for managing the Overlay Component of the Portfolio. The investment managers who have primary responsibility for the day-to-day management of the Overlay Component of the Portfolio are set forth herein. The management team’s members share responsibility in making investment decisions on behalf of the Portfolio and no team member is limited in his/her role with respect to the management team.

 

 

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SAAMCo compensates the Subadviser out of the advisory fees that it receives from the Portfolio. SAAMCo may terminate the agreement with the Subadviser without shareholder approval.

The Statement of Additional Information provides information regarding the portfolio managers listed below, including other accounts they manage, their ownership interest in the Portfolio(s) that they serve as portfolio manager, and the structure and method used by the Subadviser to determine their compensation.

AllianceBernstein L.P. (AllianceBernstein) is a Delaware limited partnership with principal offices at 1345 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10105. AllianceBernstein is a leading global investment management firm. AllianceBernstein provides management services for many of the largest U.S. public and private employee benefit plans, endowments, foundations, public employee retirement funds, banks, insurance companies and high net worth individuals worldwide. AllianceBernstein is also one of the largest mutual fund sponsors, with a diverse family of globally distributed mutual fund portfolios. AllianceBernstein does business in certain circumstances, including its role as subadviser to the Small & Mid Cap Value Portfolio of the Trust, using the name Bernstein Value Equities, a unit of AllianceBernstein. As of May 31, 2012, AllianceBernstein had approximately $400 billion in assets under management.

The Portfolio is managed by Judith A. DeVivo, Joshua Lisser, Michael L. Mon, Ben Sklar and Karen Watkin. Ms. DeVivo joined AllianceBernstein in 1971 and is currently Senior Vice President and Senior Portfolio Manager of Index Strategies. Mr. Lisser joined AllianceBernstein in 1992 and is currently Chief Investment Officer of Index Strategies and a member of the Core/Blend Services investment team. Mr. Mon joined AllianceBernstein in 1999 and is currently Vice President and Portfolio Manager. He is a member of the Global Fixed Income and Emerging-Market Debt portfolio management teams. Mr. Sklar joined AllianceBernstein in 2006 and is currently a Portfolio Manager of Index Strategies. Ms. Watkin joined AllianceBernstein in 2003 and is currently Vice President and Portfolio Manager for the Blend Strategies Group.

Information about the Distributor

 

SunAmerica Capital Services, Inc. (the “Distributor”) distributes the Portfolio’s shares and incurs the expenses of distributing the Portfolio’s shares under a Distribution Agreement with respect to the Portfolio, none of which are reimbursed by or paid for by the Portfolio. The Distributor is located at Harborside Financial Center, 3200 Plaza 5, Jersey City, NJ 07311-4992.

Custodian, Transfer and

Dividend Paying Agent

 

State Street Bank and Trust Company, Boston, MA, acts as Custodian of the Trust’s assets as well as Transfer and Dividend Paying Agent and in so doing performs certain bookkeeping, data processing and administrative services.

 

 

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ACCOUNT INFORMATION

 

Shares of the Portfolio are not offered directly to the public. Instead, shares are currently issued and redeemed only in connection with investments in and payments under Variable Contracts offered by life insurance companies affiliated with SAAMCo, the Trust’s investment adviser and manager. The term “Manager” as used in this Prospectus means either SAAMCo or other registered investment advisers that serve as subadvisers to the Trust, as the case may be. All shares of the Trust are owned by “Separate Accounts” of the life insurance companies. If you would like to invest in the Portfolio, you must purchase a Variable Contract from one of the life insurance companies. The Trust offers three classes of shares: Class 1, Class 2 and Class 3 shares. This Portfolio offers only Class 3 shares. Certain classes of shares are offered only to existing contract owners and are not available to new investors. In addition, not all portfolios are available to all contract owners.

You should be aware that the Variable Contracts involve fees and expenses that are not described in this Prospectus, and that the contracts also may involve certain restrictions and limitations. You will find information about purchasing a Variable Contract and the portfolios available to you in the prospectus that offers the contracts, which accompanies this Prospectus.

The Trust does not foresee a disadvantage to contract owners arising out of the fact that the Trust offers its shares for Variable Contracts through the various life insurance companies. Nevertheless, the Board intends to monitor events in order to identify any material irreconcilable conflicts that may possibly arise and to determine what action, if any, should be taken in response. If such a conflict were to occur, one or more insurance company separate accounts might withdraw their investments in the Trust. This might force the Trust to sell portfolio securities at disadvantageous prices.

Service (12b-1) Plan

 

Class 3 shares of the Portfolio are subject to a Rule 12b-1 plan that provides for service fees payable at the annual rate of up to 0.25% of the average daily net assets. The service fees will be used to compensate the life insurance companies for costs associated with the servicing of the shares, including the cost of reimbursing the life insurance companies for expenditures made to financial intermediaries for providing service to contract holders who are the indirect beneficial owners of the Portfolio’s shares. Because these fees are paid out of the Portfolio’s assets on an ongoing basis, over time these fees will increase the cost of your investment and may cost you more than paying other types of sales charges.

Transaction Policies

 

Valuation of shares. The net asset value per share (“NAV”) for the Portfolio is determined each business day at the close of regular trading on the New York Stock Exchange (generally 4:00 p.m., Eastern Time) by dividing the net assets of the Portfolio by the number of the Portfolio’s outstanding shares. The NAV for the Portfolio also may be calculated on any other day in which there is sufficient liquidity in the securities held by the Portfolio. As a result, the value of the Portfolio’s shares may change on days when you will not be able to purchase or redeem your shares.

Securities for which market quotations are readily available are valued at their market price as of the close of regular trading on the New York Stock Exchange for the day, unless, in accordance with pricing procedures approved by the Trust’s Board, the market quotations are determined to be unreliable.

Securities and other assets for which market quotations are unavailable or unreliable are valued at fair value in accordance with pricing procedures approved and periodically revised by the Board. There is no single standard for making fair value determinations, which may result in the use of prices that vary from those used by other funds.

As of the close of regular trading on the New York Stock Exchange, securities traded primarily on security exchanges outside the United States are valued at the market price at the close of such exchanges on the day of valuation. If a security’s price is available from more than one exchange, the Portfolio will use the exchange that is the primary market for the security. However, depending on the foreign market, closing prices may be up to 15 hours old when they are used to price the Portfolio’s shares, and the Portfolio may determine that certain closing prices do not reflect the fair value of the securities. This determination will be based on a review of a number of factors, including developments in foreign markets, the performance of U.S. securities markets, and the performance of instruments trading in U.S. markets that represent foreign securities and baskets of foreign securities. If the Portfolio determines that closing prices do not reflect the fair value of the securities, the Portfolio will adjust the previous closing prices in accordance with pricing procedures approved by the Board to reflect what it believes to be the fair value of the securities as of the close of regular trading on the New York Stock Exchange. The Portfolio may also fair value securities in other situations, for example, when a particular foreign market is closed but the Portfolio is open. For foreign equity securities and foreign equity index futures, the Trust uses an outside pricing service to provide it with closing market prices and information used for adjusting those prices.

The Portfolio may invest in securities that are primarily listed on foreign exchanges that trade on weekends or other days when the Trust does not price its shares. As a result, the value of the Portfolio’s shares may change on days when the Trust is not open for purchases or redemptions.

 

 

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Buy and sell prices. The Separate Accounts buy and sell shares of the Portfolio at NAV, without any sales or other charges. However, as discussed above, Class 3 shares are subject to service fees pursuant to a Rule 12b-1 plan.

Execution of requests. The Trust is open on those days when the New York Stock Exchange is open for regular trading. Buy and sell requests are executed at the next NAV to be calculated after the request is accepted by the Trust. If the order is received by the Trust, or the insurance company as its authorized agent, before the Trust’s close of business (generally 4:00 p.m., Eastern Time), the order will receive that day’s closing price. If the order is received after that time, it will receive the next business day’s closing price.

During periods of extreme volatility or market crisis, the Portfolio may temporarily suspend the processing of sell requests, or may postpone payment of proceeds for up to seven business days or longer, as allowed by federal securities laws.

Frequent Purchases and

Redemptions of Shares

 

The Portfolio of the Trust, which is offered only through Variable Contracts, are intended for long-term investment and not as frequent short-term trading (“market timing”) vehicles. Accordingly, organizations or individuals that use market timing investment strategies and make frequent transfers or redemptions should not acquire Variable Contracts that relate to shares of the Portfolios.

The Board has adopted policies and procedures with respect to market timing activity as discussed below.

The Trust believes that market timing activity is not in the best interest of the Portfolio’s performance or its participants. Market timing can disrupt the ability of a Manager to invest assets in an orderly, long-term manner, which may have an adverse impact on the performance of the Portfolio. In addition, market timing may increase the Portfolio’s expenses through: increased brokerage, transaction and administrative costs; forced and unplanned portfolio turnover; and large asset swings that decrease the Portfolio’s ability to provide maximum investment return to all participants. This in turn can have an adverse effect on Portfolio performance.

Since the Portfolio invests in Underlying Portfolios that may invest significantly in foreign securities and/or high yield fixed income securities (“junk bonds”), it may be particularly vulnerable to market timing.

Market timing in the Portfolio which invests in Underlying Portfolios that may invest significantly in foreign securities may occur because of time zone differences between the foreign markets on which the Underlying Portfolios’ international portfolio securities trade and the time as of which the Portfolio’s net asset value is calculated. Market timing in an Underlying Portfolio investing significantly in junk bonds may occur if market prices are not readily available for an Underlying Portfolio’s junk bond holdings. Market timers may purchase shares of an Underlying Portfolio based on events occurring after foreign market closing prices are established but before calculation of the Portfolio’s net asset value, or if they believe market prices for junk bonds are not accurately reflected by an Underlying Portfolio. One of the objectives of the Trust’s fair value pricing procedures is to minimize the possibilities of this type of market timing (see “Transaction Policies – Valuation of Shares”).

Shares of the Portfolio are generally held through Separate Accounts. The ability of the Trust to monitor transfers made by the participants in separate accounts maintained by financial intermediaries is limited by the institutional nature of these omnibus accounts. The Board’s policy is that the Portfolio and Underlying Portfolios must rely on the Separate Accounts to both monitor market timing within the Portfolio and Underlying Portfolios and attempt to prevent it through their own policies and procedures. The Trust has entered into agreements with the Separate Accounts that require the Separate Accounts to provide certain information to help identify frequent trading activity and to prohibit further purchases or exchanges by a shareholder identified as having engaged in frequent trades. In situations in which the Trust becomes aware of possible market timing activity, it will notify the Separate Account in order to help facilitate the enforcement of such entity’s market timing policies and procedures. There is no guarantee that the Trust will be able to detect market timing activity or the participants engaged in such activity, or, if it is detected, to prevent its recurrence. Whether or not the Trust detects it, if market timing activity occurs, then you should anticipate that you will be subject to the disruptions and increased expenses discussed above.

The Trust reserves the right, in its sole discretion and without prior notice, to reject or refuse purchase orders received from insurance company separate accounts, whether directly or by transfer, including orders that have been accepted by a financial intermediary, that the Trust determines not to be in the best interest of the Portfolios. Such rejections or refusals will be applied uniformly without exception.

Any restrictions or limitations imposed by the Separate Account may differ from those imposed by the Trust. Please review your Variable Contract prospectus for more information regarding the insurance company’s market timing policies and procedures, including any restrictions or limitations that the insurance company separate account may impose with respect to trades made through a Variable Contract. Please refer to the

 

 

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documents pertaining to your Variable Contract prospectus on how to direct investments in or redemptions from (including making transfers into or out of) the Portfolio and any fees that may apply.

Portfolio Holdings

 

The Trust’s policies and procedures with respect to the disclosure of the Portfolio’s securities are described in the Statement of Additional Information.

Dividend Policies and Taxes

 

Distributions. The Portfolio annually declares and distributes substantially all of its net investment income in the form of dividends. Distributions from net realized gains, if any, are paid annually for all Portfolios. The Portfolio reserves the right to declare and pay dividends less frequently than as disclosed above, provided that the net realized capital gains and net investment income, if any, are paid at least annually.

Distribution Reinvestments. The dividends and distributions will be reinvested automatically in additional shares of the Portfolio.

Taxability of the Portfolio. The Portfolio intends to continue to qualify as a regulated investment company

under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended. As long as the Portfolio is qualified as a regulated investment company, it will not be subject to U.S. federal income tax on the earnings that it distributes to its shareholders.

The Portfolio receives dividend income from U.S. sources and will annually report certain amounts of its dividends paid as eligible for the dividends received deduction. If the Portfolio incurs foreign taxes, it will elect to pass-through allowable foreign tax credits. These reports and elections will benefit the life insurance companies, in potentially material amounts, and will not beneficially or adversely affect you or the Portfolio. The benefits to the life insurance companies will not be passed to you or the Portfolio.

The Portfolio further intends to meet certain additional diversification and investor control requirements that apply to regulated investment companies that underlie Variable Contracts. If the Portfolio were to fail to qualify as a regulated investment company or were to fail to comply with the additional diversification or investor control requirements, Variable Contracts invested in the Portfolio may not be treated as annuity, endowment, or life insurance contracts for U.S. federal income tax purposes, and income and gains earned inside the Variable Contracts would be taxed currently to policyholders and would remain taxable in future years, even if the Portfolio were to become adequately diversified in the future.

 

 

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APPENDIX A

ANCHOR SERIES TRUST

 

Portfolio

  

Investment Goal

  

Principal Investment
Strategy

  

Principal Risk Factors

  

Principal Investment
Techniques

Government and Quality Bond Portfolio    Relatively high current income, liquidity and security of principal    U.S. government obligations; Fixed income   

•  U.S. government securities risk

•  Mortgage- and asset-backed securities risk

•  Prepayment risk

•  Fixed income securities risk

•  Credit risk

•  Securities selection risk

   Invests, under normal circumstances, at least 80% of net assets in obligations issued, guaranteed or insured by the U.S. government, its agencies or instrumentalities and in high quality corporate fixed income securities.
Growth Portfolio    Capital appreciation    Growth   

•  Equity securities risk

•  Market risk

•  Small and medium sized companies risk

•  Securities selection risk

•  Foreign investment risk

•  Depositary receipts risk

   Invests principally in equity securities of companies of any market capitalization. The Portfolio may also invest in foreign equity securities, including depositary receipts (up to 25% of total assets).

 

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SEASONS SERIES TRUST

 

Portfolio

  

Investment Goal

  

Principal Investment
Strategy

  

Principal Risk Factors

  

Principal Investment
Techniques

Diversified Fixed Income Portfolio    Relatively high current income and secondarily capital appreciation    Fixed income   

•  Risk of investing in bonds

•  Interest rate fluctuations risk

•  Risk of investing in junk bonds

•  Credit risk

•  Foreign investment risk

•  U.S. government obligations risk

•  Mortgage- and asset-backed securities risk

•  Securities selection risk

•  Active trading risk

•  Indexing risk

   Invests, under normal circumstances, at least 80% of net assets in fixed income securities, including U.S. and foreign government securities, asset- and mortgage-backed securities, investment-grade debt securities, and lower-rated fixed income securities (junk bonds) (up to 20% of net assets).
Focus Value Portfolio    Long-term growth of capital    Value   

•  Securities selection risk

•  Equity securities risk

•  Non-diversification risk

•  Value investing risk

   The Portfolio holds up to a total of 30 equity securities, selected on the basis of value criteria, without regard to market capitalization.

International Equity

Portfolio

   Long-term growth of capital    International   

•  Foreign investment risk

•  Emerging markets risk

•  Equity securities risk

•  Country, sector or industry focus risk

•  Currency volatility risk

•  Large-capitalization companies risk

•  Securities selection risk

•  Depositary receipts risk

•  Risk of investing in junk bonds

•  Hedging risk

•  Indexing risk

   Invests, under normal circumstances, at least 80% of net assets in equity securities of issuers in at least three countries other than the United States. The Portfolio invests primarily in issuers located in developed countries, and invests primarily in large-capitalization companies.
Large Cap Growth Portfolio    Long-term growth of capital    Growth   

•  Equity securities risk

•  Large-capitalization companies risk

•  Growth stock risk

•  Securities selection risk

•  Foreign investment risk

•  Emerging markets risk

•  Indexing risk

•  Medium-capitalization companies risk

   Invests, under normal circumstances, at least 80% of net assets in equity securities of large companies selected through a growth strategy.

 

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Portfolio

  

Investment Goal

  

Principal Investment
Strategy

  

Principal Risk Factors

  

Principal Investment
Techniques

Large Cap Value Portfolio    Long-term growth of capital    Value   

•  Equity securities risk

•  Large-capitalization companies risk

•  Value investing risk

•  Securities selection risk

•  Foreign investment risk

•  Indexing risk

•  Medium-capitalization companies risk

   Invests, under normal circumstances, at least 80% of net assets in equity securities of large companies selected through a value strategy.
Mid Cap Growth Portfolio    Long-term growth of capital    Growth   

•  Equity securities risk

•  Medium-capitalization companies risk

•  Securities selection risk

•  Growth stock risk

•  Foreign investment risk

•  Indexing risk

•  Large-capitalization companies risk

•  Small-capitalization companies risk

   Invests, under normal circumstances, at least 80% of net assets in equity securities of medium-capitalization companies selected through a growth strategy.
Mid Cap Value Portfolio    Long-term growth of capital    Value   

•  Equity securities risk

•  Medium-capitalization companies risk

•  Securities selection risk

•  Value investing risk

•  Foreign investment risk

•  Indexing risk

•  Large-capitalization companies risk

•  Small-capitalization companies risk

•  Active trading risk

   Invests, under normal circumstances, at least 80% of net assets in equity securities of medium-capitalization companies selected through a value strategy.
Real Return Portfolio    Total return that equals or exceeds the rate of inflation over the long term, consistent with prudent investment management    Inflation-adjusted debt securities (including inflation-indexed bonds) and inflation-indexed securities issued by other entities such as U.S. and foreign corporations and foreign governments; fixed income securities   

•  Risks of investing in bonds

•  Risks of investing in inflation-indexed securities

•  Interest rate fluctuations risk

•  U.S. government obligations risk

•  Securities selection risk

•  Foreign investment risk

•  Foreign sovereign debt risk

•  Derivatives risk

•  Hedging risk

•  Regulatory risk

•  Active trading risk

   Invests, under normal circumstances, primarily in inflation-adjusted debt securities, including inflation-indexed bonds issued by the U.S. Treasury and inflation-indexed securities issued by other entities such as U.S. and foreign corporations and foreign governments.

 

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Portfolio

  

Investment Goal

  

Principal Investment
Strategy

  

Principal Risk Factors

  

Principal Investment
Techniques

Small Cap Portfolio    Long-term growth of capital    Equity securities of small-cap companies   

•  Equity securities risk

•  Small-capitalization companies risk

•  Securities selection risk

•  Foreign investment risk

•  Active trading risk

•  Indexing risk

   Invests, under normal circumstances, at least 80% of net assets in equity securities of small-cap companies.

 

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SUNAMERICA SERIES TRUST

 

Portfolio

  

Investment Goal

  

Principal Investment
Strategy

  

Principal Risk Factors

  

Principal Investment
Techniques

Alliance Growth Portfolio    Long-term growth of capital    Growth   

•  Equity securities risk

•  Large-cap companies risk

•  Growth stock risk

•  Foreign investment risk

•  Emerging markets risk

   Invests primarily in equity securities of a limited number of large, carefully selected, high quality U.S. companies that are judged likely to achieve superior earnings.
Capital Growth Portfolio    Capital appreciation    Growth   

•  Equity securities risk

•  Growth stock risk

•  Technology company risk

•  Securities selection risk

•  Small and medium sized companies risk

•  Large-cap companies risk

•  Emerging markets risk

•  Foreign investment risk

•  Currency volatility risk

   Invests in equity investments of any capitalization selected for their potential to achieve capital appreciation over the long term. The Portfolio invests primarily in publicly traded U.S. securities, and invests mainly in common stocks of “growth companies,” that are believed to potentially appreciate in value over the long term.
Cash Management Portfolio    Current income consistent with liquidity and preservation of capital    Money market securities   

•  Risk of investing in money market securities

•  Interest rate fluctuations risk

•  U.S. government obligations risk

•  Repurchase agreements risk

•  Mortgage- and asset-backed securities risk

•  Concentration risk

•  Illiquidity risk

•  Securities selection risk

•  Credit risk

•  Call risk

•  Issuer risk

   Invests in a diversified selection of money market instruments. The Portfolio may invest in fixed income securities (consisting of U.S. treasury bills, agency discount notes, corporate debt instruments and asset-backed securities) and short-term investments (consisting of commercial paper, repurchase agreements and bank obligations), with fixed, floating or variable rates of interest.

 

Corporate Bond Portfolio    High total return with only moderate price risk    Fixed income   

•  Risk of investing in bonds

•  Risk of investing in junk bonds

•  Foreign investment risk

•  Illiquidity risk

•  Derivatives risk

•  Leverage risk

•  Hedging risk

•  Counterparty risk

•  U.S. government obligations risk

•  Call risk

   Invests, under normal market conditions, at least 80% of net assets in corporate bonds. The Portfolio invests primarily in investment grade fixed income securities, but may invest up to 35% of its assets in securities rated below investment grade, or “junk bonds.”
Davis Venture Value Portfolio    Growth of capital    Value   

•  Equity securities risk

•  Value investing risk

•  Large-cap companies risk

•  Small and medium sized companies risk

•  Financial institutions sector risk

•  Foreign investment risk

•  Emerging markets risk

   Invests principally in common stocks of companies with market capitalizations of at least $10 billion, but may also invest in stocks with smaller capitalizations. The Portfolio may invest in foreign securities, including emerging market securities (up to 20% of net assets).

 

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Portfolio

  

Investment Goal

  

Principal Investment
Strategy

  

Principal Risk Factors

  

Principal Investment
Techniques

“Dogs” of Wall Street Portfolio    Total return (including capital appreciation and current income)    Passively managed “buy and hold” strategy, according to which the Portfolio invests in high- dividend- yielding common stocks selected quarterly from the Dow Jones Industrial Average and the broader market   

•  Equity securities risk

•  “Passively managed” strategy risk

•  Sector risk

   Employs a passively managed “buy and hold” strategy that quarterly selects the following 30 stocks: 1) the 10 highest yielding common stocks in the Dow Jones Industrial Average, and 2) the 20 other highest yielding stocks of the 400 largest industrial companies in the U.S. markets with capitalizations of at least $1 billion, and which have received one of the two highest rankings from an independently published common stock ranking service on the basis of growth and stability of earnings and dividends.
Equity Index Portfolio   

Results that

correspond with the performance of the stocks included in the

Standard & Poor’s

500® Composite Stock Price Index

  

Common stocks included in the Standard & Poor’s

500® Composite Stock Price Index

  

•  Equity securities risk

•  Failure to match index performance

•  “Passively managed” strategy risk

•  Derivatives risk

   Invests, under normal circumstances, at least 90% of net assets in common stocks included in the Standard & Poor’s 500® Composite Stock Price Index.
Equity Opportunities Portfolio   

Long term capital

appreciation

   Growth; Value   

•  Equity securities risk

•  Large-cap companies risk

•  Small and medium sized companies risk

•  Foreign investment risk

•  Emerging markets risk

•  Growth stock risk

•  Value investing risk

   Invests, under normal circumstances, at least 80% of net assets in equity investments selected for their potential to achieve capital appreciation over the long-term. The Portfolio focuses generally on large capitalization companies.
Foreign Value Portfolio    Long-term growth of capital    Value; International   

•  Foreign investment risk

•  Emerging markets risk

•  Equity securities risk

•  Value investing risk

•  Country, sector or industry focus risk

•  Large-cap companies risk

•  Small and medium sized companies risk

•  Currency volatility risk

•  Foreign sovereign debt risk

•  Depositary receipts risk

   Invests, under normal circumstances, at least 80% of net assets in equity and debt securities of companies and governments outside the U.S., including emerging markets. The Portfolio invests in companies across all market capitalization ranges, including mid- and small-cap companies.

 

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Portfolio

  

Investment Goal

  

Principal Investment
Strategy

  

Principal Risk Factors

  

Principal Investment
Techniques

Global Bond Portfolio   

High total return,

emphasizing current income and, to a lesser extent, capital

appreciation

   Fixed income   

•  Risk of investing in bonds

•  Interest rate fluctuations risk

•  Foreign investment risk

•  Emerging markets risk

•  Currency volatility risk

•  Credit quality risk

•  Credit risk

•  Non-diversification risk

•  U.S. government obligations risk

•  Call risk

•  Securities selection risk

•  Market risk

•  Foreign sovereign debt risk

•  Mortgage- and asset-backed securities risk

•  Non-hedging foreign currency trading risk

•  Inverse floaters

•  Country focus risk

•  Illiquidity risk

•  Sector risk

   Invests, under normal circumstances, at least 80% of net assets in high quality fixed income securities of U.S. and foreign issuers. Fixed income securities in which the Portfolio may invest include U.S. and non-U.S. government securities, investment grade corporate bonds and mortgage- and asset-backed securities.
Global Equities Portfolio    Long-term growth of capital    Growth; Value   

•  Equity securities risk

•  Large-cap companies risk

•  Small and medium size companies risk

•  Foreign investment risk

•  Emerging markets risk

•  Growth stock risk

•  Value investing risk

•  Active trading risk

   Invests primarily in common stocks, or securities with common stock characteristics of U.S. and foreign issuers that demonstrate the potential for appreciation and engaging in transactions in foreign currencies. Under normal circumstances, at least 80% of the Portfolio’s assets will be invested in equity securities of any market capitalization range.
Growth-Income Portfolio   

Growth of capital and

income

   Value   

•  Equity securities risk

•  Large-cap companies risk

•  Medium sized companies risk

•  Securities selection risk

•  Value investing risk

   Invests primarily in common stocks of corporations (principally large-cap and mid-cap) that demonstrate the potential for appreciation and/or dividends, as well as stocks with favorable long-term fundamental characteristics.
Growth Opportunities Portfolio    Capital appreciation    Growth   

•  Equity securities risk

•  Convertible securities risk

•  Small companies risk

•  Growth stock risk

•  Foreign investment risk

•  Emerging markets risk

•  Securities selection risk

•  Active trading risk

•  Real estate industry risk

•  Derivatives risk

•  Forward currency contracts risk

•  Counterparty risk

   Invests in equity securities that demonstrate the potential for capital appreciation, issued generally by small-cap companies.
High-Yield Bond Portfolio    High current income and, secondarily, capital appreciation    Fixed income   

•  Risk of investing in bonds

•  Risk of investing in junk bonds

•  Credit quality risk

•  Foreign investment risk

•  U.S. government obligations risk

•  Call risk

•  Active trading risk

   Invests, under normal circumstances, at least 80% of its net assets in intermediate and long-term corporate obligations, emphasizing high-yield, high-risk fixed income securities (junk bonds) with a primary focus on “B” rated high-yield securities.

 

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Portfolio

  

Investment Goal

  

Principal Investment
Strategy

  

Principal Risk Factors

  

Principal Investment
Techniques

International Growth & Income Portfolio   

Growth of capital and,

secondarily, current income

   Value; International   

•  Equity securities risk

•  Value investing risk

•  Foreign investment risk

•  Emerging markets risk

•  Large-cap companies risk

•  Medium sized companies risk

•  Risk of investing in bonds

•  Risk of investing in junk bonds

•  Active trading risk

   Invests primarily in common stocks of companies outside the U.S. that are considered undervalued by the market and that are believed to offer a potential for income. The Portfolio primarily invests in large cap foreign stocks, and invests mainly in value stocks.
Marsico Focused Growth Portfolio    Long-term growth of capital    Growth   

•  Equity securities risk

•  Issuer risk

•  Market risk

•  Growth stock risk

•  Large-cap companies risk

•  Securities selection risk

•  Foreign investment risk

•  Emerging markets risk

•  Non-diversification risk

   Invests, under normal market conditions, at least 65% of assets in equity securities of companies selected for their long-term growth potential. The Portfolio generally holds a core position of 20 to 30 common stocks, and invests primarily in common stocks of large-cap companies.
MFS® Massachusetts Investors Trust Portfolio   

Reasonable growth of

income and long term growth and appreciation

   Growth; Value   

•  Equity securities risk

•  Convertible securities risk

•  Depositary receipts risk

•  Large-cap companies risk

•  Growth stock risk

•  Value investing risk

•  Issuer risk

•  Market risk

•  Securities selection risk

•  Foreign investment risk

•  Emerging markets risk

   Invests, under normal market conditions, at least 65% of its assets in equity securities. The Portfolio’s assets may be invested in the stocks of growth companies, value companies, or a combination of growth and value companies. The Portfolio generally focuses on companies with large capitalizations.

 

Mid-Cap Growth Portfolio    Long-term growth of capital    Growth   

•  Equity securities risk

•  Convertible securities risk

•  Medium sized companies risk

•  Securities selection risk

•  Growth stock risk

•  Foreign investment risk

•  Emerging markets risk

•  Risks of investing in bonds

•  Interest rate fluctuations risk

•  Credit quality risk

•  Credit risk

   Invests, under normal circumstances, at least 80% of net assets in equity securities of medium-sized companies that are believed to have above-average growth potential.
Real Estate Portfolio   

Total return through a

combination of growth and income

   Real estate-related securities   

•  Equity securities risk

•  Real estate industry risk

•  Sector or industry focus risk

•  Small and medium sized companies risk

   Invests, under normal circumstances, at least 80% of net assets in securities of companies principally engaged in or related to the real estate industry or that own significant real estate assets or that primarily invest in real estate financial instruments. The Portfolio invests primarily in mid-cap and small-cap stocks, preferred stocks and real estate investment trusts (REITs).
Small & Mid Cap Value Portfolio    Long-term growth of capital    Value   

•  Equity securities risk

•  Value investing risk

•  Small and medium sized companies risk

•  Convertible securities risk

•  Foreign investment risk

   Invests, under normal circumstances, at least 80% of net assets in equity securities of companies with small and medium market capitalizations that are believed to be undervalued.

 

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Portfolio

  

Investment Goal

  

Principal Investment
Strategy

  

Principal Risk Factors

  

Principal Investment
Techniques

Small Company Value Portfolio    Long-term growth of capital    Value   

•  Equity securities risk

•  Value investing risk

•  Small sized companies risk

•  Convertible securities risk

   Invests, under normal circumstances, at least 80% of net assets in a diversified portfolio of equity securities of small companies that are believed to be undervalued and have the potential for capital appreciation.
Telecom Utility Portfolio    Total return    Securities of utility companies   

•  Utility and telecommunications industry risk

•  Equity securities risk

•  Foreign investment risk

•  Emerging markets risk

•  Currency volatility risk

•  Convertible securities risk

•  Depositary receipts risk

•  Risk of investing in bonds

•  Risk of investing in junk bonds

•  Counterparty risk

•  Credit risk

•  Credit quality risk

•  Derivatives risk

•  Issuer risk

•  Hedging risk

•  Market risk

•  Securities selection risk

•  Small and medium sized companies risk

   Invests, under normal circumstances, at least 80% of net assets in securities of telecommunications companies and other utility companies. The Portfolio primarily invests in equity securities but may also invest in debt instruments. The Portfolio may invest in companies of any size, and may also invest in foreign securities.
Total Return Bond Portfolio   

Maximum total return,

consistent with preservation of capital and prudent investment management

   Fixed income   

•  Risk of investing in bonds

•  Foreign investment risk

•  Emerging markets risk

•  Interest rate fluctuations risk

•  Risk of investing in junk bonds

•  Equity securities risk

•  Convertible securities risk

•  Credit quality risk

•  Derivatives risk

•  Counterparty risk

•  Hedging risk

•  Currency volatility risk

•  Issuer risk

•  Leverage risk

•  Market risk

•  Mortgage- and asset-backed securities risk

•  Loan participation and assignment risk

•  Prepayment risk

•  Extension risk

•  Short sales risk

•  U.S. government obligations risk

•  Risk of investing in municipal securities

•  Active trading risk

   Invests, under normal circumstances, at least 80% of net assets in a diversified portfolio of bonds, including U.S. and foreign fixed-income investments with varying maturities. The Portfolio invests primarily in investment grade debt securities, but may invest up to 10% of its total assets in high yield securities (“junk bonds”) rated B or higher.

 

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For More Information

Once available, the following documents will contain more information about the Portfolio and will be available free of charge upon request:

Annual/Semi-Annual Reports for the Portfolio. Will contain financial statements, performance data and information on portfolio holdings. The annual report will also contain a written analysis of market conditions and investment strategies that significantly affected the Portfolio’s performance for the most recently completed fiscal year.

Statement of Additional Information (SAI) for the Portfolio. Contains additional information about the Portfolio’s policies, investment restrictions and business structure. This Prospectus incorporates the SAI by reference, which means it is legally part of this Prospectus.

The Trust’s prospectuses, SAI and semi-annual and annual reports are available at https://www.sunamerica.com/prospectuses or online through the internet websites of the life insurance companies offering the Portfolio as an investment option. You may obtain copies of these documents or ask questions about the Portfolio at no charge by calling (800) 445-7862 or by writing the Trust at P.O. Box 54299, Los Angeles, California 90054-0299.

Information about the Portfolio (including the SAI) can be reviewed and copied at the Public Reference Room of the Securities and Exchange Commission, Washington, D.C. Call 1-202-551-8090 for information on the operation of the Public Reference Room. Reports and other information about the Portfolio are also available on the EDGAR Database on the Securities and Exchange Commission’s web-site at http:// www.sec.gov and copies of this information may be obtained upon payment of a duplicating fee by electronic request at the following e-mail address: publicinfo@sec.gov, or by writing the Public Reference Section of the Securities and Exchange Commission, Washington, D.C. 20549-0102.

You should rely only on the information contained in this Prospectus. No one is authorized to provide you with any different information.

The Trust’s Investment Company Act File No: 811-7238

 

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STATEMENT OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

SUNAMERICA SERIES TRUST

July 16, 2012

SunAmerica Series Trust (the “Trust”), a Massachusetts business trust, is a registered open-end, management investment company currently consisting of 37 portfolios. This Statement of Additional Information (“SAI”) relates to the following 33 portfolios:

Aggressive Growth Portfolio

Alliance Growth Portfolio

Balanced Portfolio

Blue Chip Growth Portfolio

Capital Growth Portfolio

Cash Management Portfolio

Corporate Bond Portfolio

Davis Venture Value Portfolio

“Dogs” of Wall Street Portfolio

Emerging Markets Portfolio

Equity Index Portfolio

Equity Opportunities Portfolio

Foreign Value Portfolio

Fundamental Growth Portfolio

Global Bond Portfolio

Global Equities Portfolio

Growth-Income Portfolio

Growth Opportunities Portfolio

High-Yield Bond Portfolio

International Diversified Equities Portfolio

International Growth and Income Portfolio

Marsico Focused Growth Portfolio

MFS® Massachusetts Investors Trust Portfolio

MFS® Total Return Portfolio

Mid-Cap Growth Portfolio

Real Estate Portfolio

Small & Mid Cap Value Portfolio

Small Company Value Portfolio

SunAmerica Dynamic Allocation Portfolio

SunAmerica Dynamic Strategy Portfolio

Technology Portfolio

Telecom Utility Portfolio

Total Return Bond Portfolio

This SAI is not a prospectus, but should be read in conjunction with the current Prospectuses (Class 1, Class 2 and/or Class 3) of the Trust, dated April 30, 2012 and the current Prospectus of SunAmerica Dynamic Allocation Portfolio dated July 16, 2012 (relating only to Class 3 shares of the SunAmerica Dynamic Strategy Portfolio). This SAI expands upon and supplements the information contained in the current Prospectuses of the Trust. The SAI incorporates each Prospectus by reference. Each Portfolio’s (other than the SunAmerica Dynamic Strategy Portfolio) audited financial statements for the fiscal year ended January 31, 2012 are incorporated into this SAI by reference to its 2012 annual report to shareholders, You may request a copy of a Prospectus and/or annual report at no charge by calling (800) 445-7862 or writing the Trust at the address below. Capitalized terms used herein but not defined have the meanings assigned to them in the applicable Prospectus(es).

P.O. BOX 54299

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA 90054-0299

(800) 445-7862


Table of Contents

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

     Page  

THE TRUST

     1   

INVESTMENT OBJECTIVES AND POLICIES

     2   

SUPPLEMENTAL INVESTMENT/RISK CHARTS

     3   

Fixed Income Portfolios

     3   

Balanced or Asset Allocation Portfolios

     4   

Equity Portfolios

     4   

International Equity Portfolios

     6   

SUPPLEMENTAL GLOSSARY

     7   

ADRs, GDRs and EDRs

     7   

Asset-Backed Securities

     7   

Bank Capital Securities

     8   

Borrowing

     8   

Brady Bonds

     8   

Collateralized Debt Obligations

     8   

Counterparty and Third Party Risk

     9   

Currency Basket

     9   

Currency Volatility

     9   

Custodial Receipts and Trust Certificates

     9   

Derivatives

     10   

Emerging Markets

     10   

Exchange Traded Funds

     10   

Fixed Income Securities

     10   

Lower Rated Fixed Income Securities

     11   

Floating Rate Obligations

     12   

Foreign Securities

     12   

Forward Foreign Currency Exchange Contracts

     12   

Hybrid Instruments

     14   

Illiquid and Restricted Securities

     16   

Income Trust

     17   

Interfund Borrowing and Lending Program

     17   

Inverse Floaters

     17   

IPO Investing

     18   

Loan Participations and Assignments

     18   

Master Limited Partnerships

     18   

Mortgage-Backed Securities

     19   

GNMA Certificates

     19   

FHLMC Certificates

     20   

FNMA Certificates

     20   

Conventional Mortgage Pass-Through Securities

     20   

Collateralized Mortgage Obligations

     20   

Stripped Mortgage-Backed Securities

     21   

Municipal Bonds

     21   

Newly Developed Securities

     22   

Non-Diversified Status

     22   

Options and Futures

     22   

Options on Securities

     22   

Options on Foreign Currencies

     24   

Options on Securities Indices

     24   

Yield Curve Options

     25   

Reset Options

     25   

Futures

     25   

 

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Limitations on entering into Futures Contracts

     27   

Other Investment Companies

     28   

REITs

     28   

Reverse Repurchase Agreements

     28   

Roll Transactions

     29   

Sector Risk

     29   

Securities Lending

     29   

Short Sales

     29   

Short-Term Investments

     30   

Limitations applicable to the Cash Management Portfolio

     30   

Money Market Securities

     30   

Commercial Bank Obligations

     30   

Savings Association Obligations

     31   

Commercial Paper

     31   

Extendable Commercial Notes

     31   

Variable Amount Master Demand Notes

     31   

Corporate Bonds and Notes

     32   

U.S. Government Securities

     32   

Repurchase Agreements

     32   

Money Market Funds

     32   

Special Situations

     32   

Standby Commitments

     32   

Swaps

     33   

Interest-Rate Swaps, Currency Swaps, Options on Swaps and Interest-Rate Caps, Floors and Collars

     33   

Credit Default Swaps

     33   

Currency Swaps

     34   

Equity Swaps

     34   

Inflation Swaps

     35   

Mortgage Swaps

     35   

Total Return Swaps

     35   

U.S. Government Securities

     35   

U.S. Treasury Inflation Protection Securities

     35   

Value Investing

     36   

Warrants

     36   

When-Issued and Delayed-Delivery Securities

     37   

Zero Coupon Bonds, Step Coupon Bonds, Deferred Interest Bonds and PIK Bonds

     37   

SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION ABOUT DERIVATIVES AND THEIR USE

     38   

SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION CONCERNING HIGH-YIELD, HIGH-RISK BONDS AND SECURITIES RATINGS

     39   

SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION CONCERNING UTILITY COMPANIES

     41   

SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION ABOUT INDEX AND PASSIVELY-MANAGED FUNDS

     43   

INVESTMENT RESTRICTIONS

     43   

Investment Restrictions of the Cash Management Portfolio

     43   

TRUST OFFICERS AND TRUSTEES

     46   

TRUSTEE OWNERSHIP OF PORTFOLIO SHARES

     52   

Compensation Table

     53   

INVESTMENT ADVISORY AND MANAGEMENT AGREEMENT

     53   

Terms of the Advisory Agreement

     53   

Advisory Fees

     54   

SUBADVISORY AGREEMENTS

     59   

Subadvisory Fees

     60   

PORTFOLIO MANAGERS

     63   

Other Accounts

     63   

 

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Potential Conflicts of Interest

     65   

Compensation

     66   

Ownership of Portfolio Shares

     77   

PERSONAL SECURITIES TRADING

     77   

DISTRIBUTION AGREEMENT

     77   

RULE 12B-1 PLANS

     77   

DIVIDENDS, DISTRIBUTIONS AND FEDERAL TAXES

     79   

PORTFOLIO TURNOVER

     84   

SHARES OF THE TRUST

     85   

PRICE OF SHARES

     88   

EXECUTION OF PORTFOLIO TRANSACTIONS

     89   

Commission Recapture Program

     90   

Brokerage Commissions

     91   

FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

     97   

GENERAL INFORMATION

     97   

Custodian

     97   

Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm and Legal Counsel

     98   

Reports to Shareholders

     98   

Disclosure of Portfolio Holdings Policies and Procedures

     98   

Proxy Voting Policies & Procedures

     100   

Shareholder and Trustee Responsibility

     102   

Registration Statement

     102   

APPENDIX

     103   

 

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THE TRUST

The Trust, organized as a Massachusetts business trust on September 11, 1992, is an open-end management investment company. The Trust is composed of 36 separate portfolios (each, a “Portfolio”), thirty-two of which are described herein. The four Master-Feeder Portfolios (American Funds Asset Allocation SAST, American Funds Global Growth SAST, American Funds Growth SAST and American Funds Growth-Income SAST Portfolios) are discussed in a separate SAI. Shares of the Trust are issued and redeemed only in connection with investments in and payments under variable annuity contracts and variable life insurance policies (“Variable Contracts”).

Shares of the Trust are held by separate accounts of SunAmerica Annuity and Life Assurance Company (formerly Anchor National Life Insurance Company), an Arizona corporation (“SAAL”), American General Life Insurance Company of Delaware (formerly, AIG Life Insurance Company), a Delaware corporation (“AGD”), American General Life Insurance Company, a Texas corporation (“AGLIC”), and The United States Life Insurance Company in the City of New York, a New York corporation (“USLIC”) (the “Separate Accounts”). SAAL is a wholly-owned subsidiary of SunAmerica Life Insurance Company, an Arizona corporation, which is an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of American International Group, Inc. (“AIG”), a Delaware corporation. AGD, AGLIC and USLIC are indirect wholly-owned subsidiaries of AIG (see “Account Information” in the Prospectuses). The life insurance companies listed above are collectively referred to as the “Life Companies.”

The Trust commenced operations on February 9, 1993 with the Cash Management, High-Yield Bond, Growth-Income, Alliance Growth, Growth/Phoenix Investment Counsel, Provident Growth and the Global Equities Portfolios. The Fixed Income, Global Bond and Asset Allocation Portfolios commenced operations on July 1, 1993. The Board of Trustees (the “Trustees”) subsequently approved the addition of the following Portfolios: (a) Balanced/Phoenix Investment Counsel, International Diversified Equities, Worldwide High Income, and Venture Value Portfolios, which commenced operations on October 21, 1994; (b) Balanced Portfolio, Aggressive Growth, Federated Value, and Federated Utility Portfolios, which commenced operations on June 1, 1996; (c) Emerging Markets, International Growth and Income, and Real Estate Portfolios, which commenced operations on April 7, 1997; (d) “Dogs” of Wall Street Portfolio, which commenced operations on February 1, 1998; (e) Equity Income, Equity Index, and Small Company Value Portfolios, which commenced operations on September 1, 1998; (f) the MFS Mid-Cap Growth Portfolio, which commenced operations on April 1, 1999; (g) Goldman Sachs Research, Blue Chip Growth, Growth Opportunities and Technology Portfolios, which commenced operations on July 5, 2000; (h) the Marsico Focused Growth Portfolio, which commenced operations on December 29, 2000; (i) Foreign Value and Small & Mid Cap Value Portfolios, which commenced operations on August 1, 2002; (j) the American Funds Asset Allocation SAST, American Funds Global Growth SAST, American Funds Growth SAST and American Funds Growth-Income SAST Portfolios, which commenced operations on September 1, 2006; (k) the SunAmerica Dynamic Allocation Portfolio, which commenced operations on January 23, 2012; and (l) the SunAmerica Dynamic Strategy Portfolio, which is expected to commence operations on July 16, 2012.

The Asset Allocation Portfolio was reorganized and the assets were moved into a newly formed portfolio in Anchor Series Trust on November 24, 2003. Subsequently, the SunAmerica Series Trust Asset Allocation Portfolio was terminated.

Shares of the Equity Income Portfolio were substituted for shares of the Davis Venture Value Portfolio on November 17, 2006.

Portfolio Name Changes. The Trustees approved the renaming of the following Portfolios: (a) Fixed Income Portfolio to Corporate Bond Portfolio effective June 1, 1996; (b) Federated Utility Portfolio to Utility Portfolio effective June 3, 1996; (c) Provident Growth Portfolio to Putnam Growth Portfolio effective April 7, 1997; (d) the Growth/Phoenix Investment Counsel Portfolio and Balanced/Phoenix Investment Counsel Portfolio to MFS Growth and Income Portfolio and MFS Total Return Portfolio, respectively, effective January 1, 1999; (e) Venture Value Portfolio to Davis Venture Value Portfolio, effective April 10, 2000; (f) Utility Portfolio to Telecom Utility Portfolio, effective July 5, 2000; (g) Federated Value Portfolio to Federated American Leaders Portfolio, effective May 1, 2003; (h) MFS Growth and Income Portfolio to MFS Massachusetts Investors Trust Portfolio, effective May 1, 2003; (i) Putnam Growth Portfolio to Putnam Growth: Voyager Portfolio, effective May 1, 2003; (j) Federated American Leaders Portfolio to Equity Opportunities Portfolio, effective May 1, 2007;

 

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(k) MFS Mid-Cap Growth Portfolio to Mid-Cap Growth Portfolio effective May 1, 2007; (l) Goldman Sachs Research Portfolio to Capital Growth Portfolio effective May 1, 2007; (m) Marsico Growth Portfolio to Marsico Focused Growth Portfolio effective May 1, 2007, (n) Putnam Growth: Voyager Portfolio to Fundamental Growth Portfolio, effective May 1, 2007 (o) SunAmerica Balanced Portfolio to Balanced Portfolio, effective May 1, 2007 and (p) Worldwide High Income Portfolio to Total Return Bond Portfolio, effective May 1, 2008.

SunAmerica Asset Management Corp. (“SAAMCo” or the “Adviser”) serves as investment adviser and manager for the Trust. As described in the applicable Prospectus(es), SAAMCo retains AllianceBernstein L.P. (“AllianceBernstein”), formerly Alliance Capital Management L.P., BofA Advisors, LLC (formerly, Columbia Management Advisors, LLC) (“BofA Advisors”), Columbia Management Investment Advisers, LLC (formerly, RiverSource Investments, LLC) (“CMIA”), Davis Selected Advisers L.P. d/b/a Davis Advisors (“Davis”), Federated Investment Management Company (“Federated”), Franklin Advisory Services, LLC (“Franklin”), Goldman Sachs Asset Management International (“GSAM-International”), Invesco Advisers, Inc. (“Invesco”), J.P. Morgan Investment Management Inc. (“JP Morgan”), Marsico Capital Management, LLC (“Marsico”), Massachusetts Financial Services Company (“MFS”), Morgan Stanley Investment Management Inc. (“MSIM”), OppenheimerFunds, Inc. (“Oppenheimer”), Pacific Investment Management Company LLC (“PIMCO”), PineBridge Investments LLC (“PineBridge”), Putnam Investment Management LLC. (“Putnam”), Templeton Investment Counsel, LLC (“Templeton”) and Wells Capital Management Incorporated (“WellsCap”) (each a “Subadviser,” and collectively, the “Subadvisers”) to act as Subadvisers to certain of the Trust’s Portfolios pursuant to various Subadvisory Agreements with SAAMCo.

On May 22, 2001, the Board of Trustees, including a majority of independent Trustees as defined by the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”), of the Trust (the “Independent Trustees”), approved the creation of Class B shares and the renaming of all issued and outstanding shares as Class A shares. On July 31, 2002 the Board of Trustees, including a majority of the Independent Trustees, approved the creation of Class 3 shares and the renaming of Classes A and B shares to Classes 1 and 2, respectively. Each class of shares of each Portfolio is offered only in connection with certain Variable Contracts. Class 2 and 3 shares of a given Portfolio are identical in all respects to Class 1 shares of the same Portfolio, except that (i) each class may bear differing amounts of certain class-specific expenses; (ii) Class 2 and 3 shares are subject to service and distribution fees, while Class 1 shares are subject only to distribution fees; (iii) Class 2 and 3 shares have voting rights on matters that pertain to the Rule 12b-1 plan adopted with respect to Class 2 and 3 shares; and (iv) Class 1 shares have voting rights on matters that pertain to the Rule 12b-1 plan adopted with respect to Class 1 shares. The Board of Trustees may establish additional portfolios or classes in the future.

INVESTMENT OBJECTIVES AND POLICIES

The investment goal and principal investment strategy for each of the Portfolios, along with certain types of investments the Portfolios make under normal market conditions and for efficient portfolio management, are described under “Portfolio Summaries” and “Additional Information About the Portfolios” in the applicable Prospectus(es). The following charts and information supplement the information contained in the applicable Prospectus(es) and also provide information concerning investments the Portfolios make on a periodic basis which includes infrequent investments or investments in which the Portfolios reserve the right to invest. We have also included a supplemental glossary to define investment and risk terminology used in the charts below that does not otherwise appear in the applicable Prospectus(es) under the section entitled “Glossary.” In addition, the supplemental glossary also provides additional and/or more detailed information about certain investment and risk terminology that appears in the applicable Prospectus(es) under the section entitled “Glossary.” Unless otherwise indicated, investment restrictions, including percentage limitations, are based on the net assets of each Portfolio and apply at the time of purchase. We will notify shareholders at least 60 days prior to any change to a Portfolio’s investment goal or 80% investment policy, if applicable. “Net assets” will take into account borrowing for investment purposes.

 

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Table of Contents

SUPPLEMENTAL INVESTMENT/RISK CHARTS

The following charts and information supplements the information contained in the applicable Prospectus(es) and also provides information concerning investments the Portfolios make on a periodic basis which includes infrequent investments or investments in which the Portfolios reserve the right to invest. We have also included a supplemental glossary to detail additional investments the Portfolios reserve the right to make as well as to define investment and risk terminology used in the charts below that does not otherwise appear in the applicable Prospectus(es) under the section entitled “Glossary.” In addition, the supplemental glossary also provides additional and/or more detailed information about certain investment and risk terminology that appears in the applicable Prospectus(es) under the section entitled “Glossary.” Unless otherwise indicated, investment restrictions, including percentage limitations, apply at the time of purchase.

Fixed Income Portfolios

 

   

CASH
MANAGEMENT

 

CORPORATE

BOND

 

GLOBAL

BOND

 

HIGH-YIELD

BOND

 

TOTAL RETURN

BOND

In what other types of investments may the Portfolio periodically invest?  

•      Borrowing (up to 5%)

•      Floating rate obligations

•      Illiquid securities (up to 5% of net assets)

•      Registered investment companies

•      Reverse repurchase agreements

•      Standby commitments

•      Variable amount master demand notes

•      Variable rate demand notes

•      When issued and delayed-delivery securities

 

•      Equity securities:

•      common stocks (up to 5%)

•      warrants and rights (up to 10%)

•      Dollar rolls

•      Firm commitments

•      Registered investment companies

•      Reverse repurchase agreements

•      REITS

•      Foreign securities:

•      emerging markets

•      Loan participations and assignments

•      Mortgage- and asset-backed securities

•      Borrowing for temporary or emergency purposes (up to 33 1/3%)

 

•      Options on swaps

•      Defensive instruments

•      Illiquid securities (up to 15%)

•      Repurchase agreements

•      Roll transactions

•      Variable and floating rate obligations

•      Junk bonds

•      Borrowing for temporary or emergency purposes (up to 33 1/3%)

 

•      Options and futures

•      Hybrid instruments

•      ETFs (up to 5%)

•      Collateralized bond obligations (“CBOs”)

•      Reverse repurchase agreements

•      Foreign securities:

•      emerging markets

•      Equity securities:

•       warrants and rights (up to 10%)

•      convertible securities

•      Borrowing for temporary or emergency purposes (up to 33 1/3%)

 

•      Fixed income securities:

•      Municipal bonds

•      Convertible securities

•      Brady bonds

•      Repurchase agreements

•      Short term investments

•      Registered investment companies

•      Borrowing for temporary or emergency purposes (up to 33 1/3%)

•      Preferred securities

•      Pass-through securities

•      Bank capital securities

What other types of risks may potentially or periodically affect the Portfolio?  

•      Credit quality

 

•      Active trading

•      Mortgage- and asset-backed securities

•      Emerging markets

•      Equity risk

•      Prepayment

•      Real estate industry

 

•      Risk of investing in junk bonds

•      Roll transactions

 

•      Convertible securities

•      Currency volatility

•      Derivatives

•      Emerging markets

•      Equity

•      Investment companies

•      Foreign investment

 

•      Investment companies

•      Convertible securities

•      Credit Foreign

 

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Balanced or Asset Allocation Portfolios

 

   

BALANCED

 

MFS TOTAL

RETURN

 

SUNAMERICA DYNAMIC
ALLOCATION

 

SUNAMERICA DYNAMIC
STRATEGY

In what other types of investments may the Portfolio periodically invest?  

•      Reverse repurchase agreements

•      Foreign securities:

•      emerging markets

•      Borrowing for temporary or emergency purposes (up to 33 1/3%)

•      IPOs

 

•      Borrowing for temporary or emergency purposes (up to 33 1/3%)

•      Illiquid securities (up to 15%)

•      IPOs

•      Junk bonds (up to 10%)

•      Foreign securities:

•      emerging markets

 

•      Underlying Portfolios investing significantly in emerging markets

•      Underlying Portfolios investing primarily in junk bonds

•      Borrowing for temporary or emergency purposes (up to 33 1/3%)

 

•      Underlying Portfolios investing significantly in emerging markets

•      Underlying Portfolios investing primarily in junk bonds

•      Borrowing for temporary or emergency purposes (up to 33 1/3%)

What other types of risks may potentially or periodically affect the Portfolio?  

•      Emerging markets

•      Foreign investments

•      IPO investing

 

•      Counterparty and Third-Party

•      Emerging markets

•      Illiquidity

•      IPO investing

•      Risk of investing in junk bonds

•      Foreign investments

 

•      Emerging markets

•      Risk of investing in junk bonds

 

•      Emerging markets

•      Risk of investing in junk bonds

Equity Portfolios

 

   

AGGRESSIVE
GROWTH

 

ALLIANCE

GROWTH

 

BLUE CHIP

GROWTH

 

CAPITAL GROWTH

 

DAVIS VENTURE

VALUE

In what other types of investments may the Portfolio periodically invest?  

•      Fixed income securities:

•      corporate bonds

•      investment grade securities

•      preferred stocks

•      Rights

•      Reverse repurchase agreements

•      Currency transactions

•      Forward commitments

•      REITs

•      Registered investment companies

•      Short term investments

•      Firm commitment agreements

•      When issued and delayed delivery transactions

•      Illiquid securities (up to 15%)

•      Borrowing for temporary or emergency purposes (up to 33 1/3%)

 

•      Short sales

•      Convertible securities (up to 10%)

•      Illiquid securities (up to 15%)

•      Forward commitments

•      Currency transactions

•      Junk bonds (up to 10%)

•      IPOs

•      Equity securities:

•      small- and mid-cap stocks

•      Borrowing for temporary or emergency purposes (up to 33 1/3%)

 

•      Illiquid securities (up to 15%)

•      Fixed income securities

•      Borrowing for temporary or emergency purposes (up to 33 1/3%)

 

•      Defensive instruments

•      Illiquid securities (up to 15%)

•      Options on foreign currencies

•      IPOs

•      Fixed income securities:

•      U.S. Government securities

•      corporate bonds

•      investment grade securities

•      preferred stocks

•       zero coupon and deferred interest bonds

•       junk bonds (up to 10%)

•      Repurchase agreements

•      Short term investments

•      REITs

•      Registered investment companies

•      Borrowing for temporary or emergency purposes (up to 33 1/3%)

 

•      Fixed income securities:

•      corporate bonds

•      investment grade securities

•      Options

•      Illiquid securities (up to 15%)

•      Registered investment companies (up to 10%)

•      Currency transactions

•      Borrowing for temporary or emergency purposes (up to 33 1/3%)

•      IPOs

What other types of risks may potentially or periodically affect the Portfolio?  

•      Currency volatility

•      Interest rate fluctuations

•      Real estate industry

 

•      Credit quality

•      Currency volatility

•      IPO investing

•      Risk of investing in junk bonds

•      Short sales risk

•      Small and medium companies

•      Illiquidity

 

•      Currency volatility

•      Illiquidity

•      Interest rate fluctuations

 

•      Illiquidity

•      IPO investing

•      Real estate industry

•      Risk of investing in junk bonds

•      Unseasoned companies

•      Investment company

•      U.S. Government obligations

 

•      Currency volatility

•      Derivatives

•      Hedging

•      Illiquidity

•      Interest rate fluctuations

•      IPO investing

•     Small companies

 

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Table of Contents
   

“DOGS” OF WALL
STREET

 

EQUITY INDEX

 

EQUITY

OPPORTUNITIES

 

FUNDAMENTAL
GROWTH

 

GROWTH-INCOME

In what other types of investments may the Portfolio periodically invest?  

•      Illiquid securities (up to 15%)

•      Borrowing for temporary or emergency purposes (up to 33 1/3%)

 

•      IPOs

•      Foreign securities:

•      emerging markets

•      Illiquid securities (up to 15%)

•      Small cap stocks

•      Borrowing for temporary or emergency purposes (up to 33 1/3%)

•      Hybrid instruments

 

•      Fixed income securities:

•      U.S. Government securities

•      corporate bonds

•      investment grade securities

•      zero coupon and deferred interest bonds

•      IPOs

•      Illiquid securities (up to 15%)

•      Reverse repurchase agreements

•      Firm commitment agreements

•      REITs

•      When issued and delayed delivery transactions

•      Borrowing for temporary or emergency purposes (up to 33 1/3%)

 

•      Borrowing for temporary or emergency purposes (up to 33 1/3%)

•      Junk bonds

 

•      Equity securities:

•      convertible securities

•       warrants

•      Fixed income securities:

•      preferred stocks

•      Illiquid securities (up to 15%)

•      IPOs

•      Borrowing for temporary or emergency purposes (up to 33 1/3%)

What other types of risks may potentially or periodically affect the Portfolio?  

•      Illiquidity

 

•      Currency volatility

•      Emerging markets

•      Foreign investment

•      Illiquidity

•      IPO investing

•      Small sized companies

 

•      Credit quality

•      Currency volatility

•      IPO investing

•      Real estate industry

•      Utility industry

•      Illiquidity

•      U.S. Government obligations

 

•      Risk of investing in junk bonds

 

•      Illiquidity

•      IPO investing

 

   

GROWTH
OPPORTUNITIES

 

MARSICO FOCUSED

GROWTH

 

MFS
MASSACHUSETTS
INVESTORS TRUST

 

MID-CAP GROWTH

 

REAL

ESTATE

In what other types of investments may the Portfolio periodically invest?  

•      Borrowing for temporary or emergency purposes (up to 33 1/3%)

•      Foreign securities:

•      depositary receipts

•      Eurodollar and yankee obligations

•      IPOs

•      Repurchase and reverse repurchase agreements

•      Short sales

•      Short term investments

•      When-issued and delayed-delivery securities

 

•      REITS

•      Registered investment companies

•      Defensive instruments

•      Hybrid instruments

•      Illiquid securities (up to 15%)

•      Options and futures

•      Borrowing for temporary or emergency purposes (up to 33 1/3%)

 

•      Illiquid securities (up to 15%)

•      Borrowing for temporary or emergency purposes (up to 33 1/3%)

•      Short sales

•      IPOs

 

•      Illiquid securities (up to 15%)

•      Defensive investments

•      Borrowing for temporary or emergency purposes (up to 33 1/3%)

•      Currency transactions

•      IPOs

•      Master limited partnerships (“MLPs”)

 

•      Fixed income securities:

•      investment grade securities

•      junk bonds (up to 5%)

•      Options

•      Illiquid securities (up to 15%)

•      IPOs

•      Registered investment companies

•      Foreign securities:

•     emerging markets

•      Currency transactions

•      Borrowing for temporary or emergency purposes (up to 33 1/3%)

What other types of risks may potentially or periodically affect the Portfolio?  

•      IPO investing

•      Short sales risk

•      Foreign investment

 

•      Derivatives

•      Hedging

•      Illiquidity

•      Investment company

 

•      Credit quality

•      Counterparty and third party

•      Illiquidity

•      IPO investing

•      Short sales

 

•      Currency volatility

•      Illiquidity

•      IPO investing

 

•      Currency volatility

•      Credit quality

•      Derivatives

•      Emerging markets

•      Hedging

•      Illiquidity

•      IPO investing

•      Risk of investing in junk bonds

•      Utility industry

•      Investment company

•      Foreign investment

 

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SMALL & MID CAP
VALUE

 

SMALL COMPANY

VALUE

 

TECHNOLOGY

 

TELECOM UTILITY

In what other types of investments may the Portfolio periodically invest?  

•      Equity securities:

•      growth stocks

•      Fixed income securities:

•       investment grade securities

•       junk bonds (up to 5%)

•      Hybrid instruments

•      Defensive investments

•      ETFs

•      Foreign securities:

•      emerging markets

•      IPOs

•      Income trusts

•      REITs

•      Borrowing for temporary or emergency purposes (up to 33 1/3%)

 

•      Junk bonds (up to 5%)

•      IPOs

•      Foreign securities:

•       emerging markets

•      Borrowing for temporary or emergency purposes (up to 33 1/3%)

 

•      Fixed income securities:

•      corporate bonds

•      U.S. Government securities

•      zero-coupon, deferred interest and PIK bonds

•      ETFs

•      REITs

•      Registered investment companies

•      Short term investments

•      Defensive investments

•      Borrowing for temporary or emergency purposes (up to 33 1/3%)

 

•      Fixed income securities:

•      U.S. government securities

•      zero coupon, deferred interest and PIK bonds

•      Equity securities:

•      warrants and rights

•      IPOs

•      Firm commitment agreements

•      When issued and delayed delivery transactions

•      Illiquid securities (up to 15%)

•      Registered investment companies

•      Borrowing for temporary or emergency purposes (up to 33 1/3%)

What other types of risks may potentially or periodically affect the Portfolio?  

•      Credit quality

•      Emerging markets

•      Growth stocks

•      Interest rate fluctuations

•      IPO investing

•      Real estate investment

•      Risk of investing in junk bonds

•      Investment company

 

•      Credit quality

•      Currency volatility

•      Emerging markets

•      IPO investing

•      Risk of investing in junk bonds

•      Foreign investment

 

•      Interest rate fluctuations

•      U.S. Government obligations

•      Investment company

 

•      Hedging

•      Illiquidity

•      IPO investing

•      Value investing

•      U.S. Government obligations

•      Investment company

International Equity Portfolios

 

   

EMERGING
MARKETS

 

FOREIGN

VALUE

 

GLOBAL EQUITIES

 

INTERNATIONAL
DIVERSIFIED
EQUITIES

 

INTERNATIONAL
GROWTH

AND INCOME

In what other types of investments may the Portfolio periodically invest?  

•      Equity securities:

•      warrants

•      Structured notes

•      Forward commitments

•      Junk bonds (up to 5%)

•      Defensive investments

•      Borrowing for temporary or emergency purposes (up to 33 1/3%)

 

•      Equity securities:

•      convertible securities

•      growth stocks

•      Currency transactions

•      Junk bonds (up to 5%)

•      Unseasoned companies (up to 5%)

•      Warrants (up to 5%)

•      Equity swaps (up to 5%)

•      Borrowing for temporary or emergency purposes (up to 33 1/3%)

 

•      Short sales

•      Equity securities:

•      convertible securities

•      Illiquid securities (up to 15%)

•      IPOs

•      Options

•      Borrowing for temporary or emergency purposes (up to 33 1/3%)

•      REITs

•      Fixed income securities

•      Preferred stocks

 

•      Borrowing for temporary or emergency purposes (up to 33 1/3%)

•      Depositary receipts

•      IPOs

•      Fixed income securities

 

•      Equity securities:

•      convertible securities

•      warrants

•      Illiquid securities (up to 15%)

•      Defensive investments

•      Forward commitments

•      Borrowing for temporary or emergency purposes (up to 33 1/3%)

What other types of risks may potentially or periodically affect the Portfolio?  

•      Credit quality

•      Risk of investing in junk bonds

 

•      Growth stocks

•      Risk of investing in junk bonds

•      Unseasoned companies

•      Convertible securities

 

•      Illiquidity

•      IPO investing

•      Short sales risk

•      Convertible securities

•      Real estate industry

 

•      Counterparty

•      Credit quality

•      Depository receipts

•      IPO investing

•      Risk of investing in bonds

 

•      Illiquidity

•      Convertible securities

 

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SUPPLEMENTAL GLOSSARY

ADRS, GDRS, AND EDRS. Foreign securities include, among other things, American Depositary Receipts (“ADRs”) and other depositary receipts, including Global Depositary Receipts (“GDRs”), European Depositary Receipts (“EDRs”) and others (which, together with ADRs, GDRs and EDRs, are hereinafter collectively referred to as “Depositary Receipts”), to the extent that such Depositary Receipts become available. ADRs are securities, typically issued by a U.S. financial institution (a “depositary”), that evidence ownership interests in a security or a pool of securities issued by a foreign issuer (the “underlying issuer”) and deposited with the depositary. ADRs include American Depositary Shares and New York Shares and may be “sponsored” or “unsponsored”. Sponsored ADRs are established jointly by a depositary and the underlying issuer, whereas unsponsored ADRs may be established by a depositary without participation by the underlying issuer. GDRs, EDRs and other types of Depositary Receipts are typically issued by foreign depositaries, although they may also be issued by U.S. depositaries, and evidence ownership interests in a security or pool of securities issued by either a foreign or a U.S. corporation. Holders of unsponsored Depositary Receipts generally bear all the costs associated with establishing the unsponsored Depositary Receipt. The depositary of unsponsored Depositary Receipts is under no obligation to distribute shareholder communications received from the underlying issuer or to pass through to the holders of the unsponsored Depositary Receipt voting rights with respect to the deposited securities or pool of securities. Depositary Receipts are not necessarily denominated in the same currency as the underlying securities to which they may be connected. Generally, Depositary Receipts in registered form are designed for use in the U.S. securities market and Depositary Receipts in bearer form are designed for use in securities markets outside the United States. A Portfolio may invest in sponsored and unsponsored Depositary Receipts. For purposes of a Portfolio’s investment policies, the Portfolio’s investments in Depositary Receipts will be deemed to be investments in the underlying securities.

ASSET-BACKED SECURITIES, issued by trusts and special purpose corporations, are backed by a pool of assets, such as credit card and automobile loan receivables, representing the obligations of a number of different parties. Asset-backed securities present certain risks. For instance, in the case of credit card receivables, these securities may not have the benefit of any security interest in the related collateral. Credit card receivables are generally unsecured and the debtors are entitled to the protection of a number of state and federal consumer credit laws, many of which give such debtors the right to set off certain amounts owed on the credit cards, thereby reducing the balance due. Most issuers of automobile receivables permit the servicer to retain possession of the underlying obligations. If the servicer were to sell these obligations to another party, there is a risk that the purchaser would acquire an interest superior to that of the holders of the related automobile receivables. In addition, because of the large number of vehicles involved in a typical issuance and technical requirements under state laws, the trustee for the holders of the automobile receivables may not have a proper security interest in all of the obligations backing such receivables. Therefore, there is the possibility that recoveries on repossessed collateral may not, in some cases, be available to support payments on these securities.

Asset-backed securities typically are created by an originator of loans or owner of accounts receivable that sells such underlying assets to a special purpose entity in a process called a securitization. The special purpose entity issues securities that are backed by the payments on the underlying assets, and have a minimum denomination and specific term. These securities, in turn, are either privately placed or publicly offered. One example of an asset-backed security is a structured investment vehicle (“SIV”). A SIV is an investment vehicle which buys high rated, long-dated assets using funding from a combination of commercial paper, medium-term notes and capital notes.

Asset-backed securities are often backed by a pool of assets representing the obligations of a number of different parties. To lessen the effect of failures by obligors to make payments on underlying assets, the securities may contain elements of credit support that fall into two categories: (i) liquidity protection and (ii) protection against losses resulting from ultimate default by an obligor on the underlying assets. Liquidity protection refers to the provision of advances, generally by the entity administering the pool of assets, to ensure that the receipt of payments on the underlying pool occurs in a timely fashion. Protection against losses resulting from ultimate default ensures payment through insurance policies or letters of credit obtained by the issuer or sponsor from third parties. A Portfolio will not pay any additional or separate fees for credit support. The degree of credit support provided for each issue is generally based on historical information respecting the level of credit risk associated with the underlying assets. Delinquency or loss in excess of that anticipated or failure of the credit support could adversely affect the return on an investment in such a security.

Instruments backed by pools of receivables may be subject to unscheduled prepayments of principal prior to maturity. When the obligations are prepaid, a Portfolio must reinvest the prepaid amounts in securities the yields of which reflect interest rates prevailing at the time. Therefore, a Portfolio’s ability to maintain a portfolio which includes high-yielding asset-backed securities will be adversely affected to the extent that prepayments of principal must be reinvested in securities which have lower yields than the prepaid obligations. Moreover, prepayments of securities purchased at a premium could result in a realized loss.

 

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BANK CAPITAL SECURITIES. The Portfolios may invest in bank capital securities. Bank capital securities are issued by banks to help fulfill their regulatory capital requirements. There are two common types of bank capital: Tier I and Tier II. Bank capital is generally, but not always, of investment grade quality. Tier I securities often take the form of trust preferred securities. Tier II securities are commonly thought of as hybrids of debt and preferred stock, are often perpetual (with no maturity date), callable and, under certain conditions, allow for the issuer bank to withhold payment of interest until a later date.

BORROWING. All of the Portfolios (except the Cash Management Portfolio) are authorized to borrow money to the extent permitted by applicable law. The 1940 Act permits each Portfolio to borrow up to 33 1/3% of its total assets from banks for temporary or emergency purposes. In seeking to enhance performance, a Portfolio may borrow for investment purposes and may pledge assets to secure such borrowings. The Cash Management Portfolio may not borrow money except for temporary emergency purposes, and then in an amount not in excess of 5% of the value of the Portfolio’s total assets. In the event that asset coverage for a Portfolio’s borrowings falls below 300%, the Portfolio will reduce within three days the amount of its borrowings in order to provide for 300% asset coverage.

To the extent a Portfolio borrows for investment purposes, borrowing creates leverage which is a speculative characteristic. Although a Portfolio is authorized to borrow, it will do so only when the Adviser/Subadviser believes that borrowing will benefit the Portfolio after taking into account considerations such as the costs of borrowing and the likely investment returns on securities purchased with borrowed monies. Borrowing by a Portfolio will create the opportunity for increased net income but, at the same time, will involve special risk considerations. Leveraging results from borrowing and will magnify declines as well as increases in a Portfolio’s net asset value per share and net yield. The Portfolios expect that all of their borrowing will be made on a secured basis. The Portfolios will segregate cash or other liquid assets securing the borrowing for the benefit of the lenders. If assets used to secure a borrowing decrease in value, a Portfolio may be required to pledge additional collateral to the lender in the form of cash or securities to avoid liquidation of those assets.

BRADY BONDS. Foreign securities include, among other things, Brady Bonds which are securities created through the exchange of existing commercial bank loans to public and private entities in certain emerging markets for new bonds in connection with debt restructurings under a debt restructuring plan introduced by former U.S. Secretary of the Treasury, Nicholas F. Brady (the “Brady Plan”). Brady Plan debt restructurings have been implemented to date in Argentina, Brazil, Bulgaria, Costa Rica, Croatia, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Jordan, Mexico, Morocco, Nigeria, Panama, Peru, the Philippines, Poland, Slovenia, Uruguay and Venezuela. Brady Bonds have been issued only recently, and for that reason do not have a long payment history. Brady Bonds may be collateralized or uncollateralized, are issued in various currencies (but primarily the U.S. dollar) and are actively traded in over-the-counter secondary markets. U.S. dollar-denominated, collateralized Brady Bonds, which may be fixed rate bonds or floating-rate bonds, are generally collateralized in full as to principal by U.S. Treasury zero coupon bonds having the same maturity as the bonds. Brady Bonds are often viewed as having three or four valuation components: the collateralized repayment of principal at final maturity; the collateralized interest payments; the uncollateralized interest payments; and any uncollateralized repayment of principal at maturity (these uncollateralized amounts constituting the “residual risk”). In light of the residual risk of Brady Bonds and the history of defaults of countries issuing Brady Bonds with respect to commercial bank loans by public and private entities, investments in Brady Bonds may be viewed as speculative.

COLLATERALIZED BOND OBLIGATIONS, COLLATERALIZED LOAN OBLIGATIONS AND OTHER COLLATERALIZED DEBT OBLIGATIONS. The Portfolios may invest in collateralized bond obligations (“CBOs”), collateralized loan obligations (“CLOs”), other collateralized debt obligations (“CDOs”) and other similarly structured securities. CBOs, CLOs and other CDOs are types of asset-backed securities. A CBO is a trust which is often backed by a diversified pool of high risk, below investment grade fixed income securities. The collateral can be from many different types of fixed income securities such as high yield debt, residential privately issued mortgage-related securities, commercial privately issued mortgage-related securities, trust preferred securities and emerging market debt. A CLO is a trust typically collateralized by a pool of loans, which may include, among others, domestic and foreign senior secured loans, senior unsecured loans, and subordinate corporate loans, including loans that may be rated below investment grade or equivalent unrated loans. Other CDOs are trusts backed by other types of assets representing obligations of various parties. CBOs, CLOs and other CDOs may charge management fees and administrative expenses.

For CBOs, CLOs and other CDOs, the cash flows from the trust are split into two or more portions, called tranches, varying in risk and yield. The riskiest portion is the “equity” tranche which bears the bulk of defaults from the bonds or loans in the trust and serves to protect the other, more senior tranches from default in all but the most severe circumstances. Since they

 

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are partially protected from defaults, senior tranches from a CBO trust, CLO trust or trust of another CDO typically have higher ratings and lower yields than their underlying securities, and can be rated investment grade. Despite the protection from the equity tranche, CBO, CLO or other CDO tranches can experience substantial losses due to actual defaults, increased sensitivity to defaults due to collateral default and disappearance of protecting tranches, and market anticipation of defaults, as well as aversion to CBO, CLO or other CDO securities as a class.

The risks of an investment in a CBO, CLO or other CDO depend largely on the type of the collateral securities and the class of the instrument in which a Portfolio invests. Normally, CBOs, CLOs and other CDOs are privately offered and sold, and thus, are not registered under the securities laws. As a result, investments in CBOs, CLOs and other CDOs may be characterized by the Portfolios as illiquid securities. However an active dealer market may exist for CBOs, CLOs and other CDOs, allowing them to qualify for Rule 144A transactions. In addition to the normal risks associated with fixed income securities discussed elsewhere in this SAI and the Portfolios’ Prospectuses (e.g., interest rate risk and default risk), CBOs, CLOs and other CDOs carry additional risks including, but not limited to: (i) the possibility that distributions from collateral securities will not be adequate to make interest or other payments; (ii) the quality of the collateral may decline in value or default; (iii) the risk that Portfolios may invest in CBOs, CLOs or other CDOs that are subordinate to other classes; and (iv) the complex structure of the security may not be fully understood at the time of investment and may produce disputes with the issuer or unexpected investment results.

COUNTERPARTY AND THIRD PARTY RISK. Transactions involving a counterparty other than the issuer of the instrument, or a third party responsible for servicing the instrument, are subject to the credit risk of the counterparty or third party, and to the counterparty’s or third party’s ability to perform in accordance with the terms of the transaction.

A CURRENCY BASKET consists of specified amounts of currencies of certain foreign countries.

CURRENCY VOLATILITY. The value of a Portfolio’s foreign investments may fluctuate due to changes in currency rates. A decline in the value of foreign currencies relative to the U.S. dollar generally can be expected to depress the value of the Portfolio’s non-U.S. dollar denominated securities.

CUSTODIAL RECEIPTS AND TRUST CERTIFICATES. The Capital Growth Portfolio may invest in custodial receipts and trust certificates, which may be underwritten by securities dealers or banks, representing interests in securities held by a custodian or trustee. The securities so held may include U.S. government securities or other types of securities in which the Portfolio may invest. The custodial receipts or trust certificates are underwritten by securities dealers or banks and may evidence ownership of future interest payments, principal payments or both on the underlying securities, or, in some cases, the payment obligation of a third party that has entered into an interest rate swap or other arrangement with the custodian or trustee. For certain securities laws purposes, custodial receipts and trust certificates may not be considered obligations of the U.S. government or other issuer of the securities held by the custodian or trustee. As a holder of custodial receipts and trust certificates, the Portfolio will bear its proportionate share of the fees and expenses charged to the custodial account or trust. The Portfolio may also invest in separately issued interests in custodial receipts and trust certificates.

Although under the terms of a custodial receipt the Portfolio would be typically authorized to assert its rights directly against the issuer of the underlying obligation, the Portfolio could be required to assert through the custodian bank those rights as may exist against the underlying issuers. Thus, in the event an underlying issuer fails to pay principal and/or interest when due, the Portfolio may be subject to delays, expenses and risks that are greater than those that would have been involved if the Portfolio had purchased a direct obligation of the issuer. In addition, in the event that the trust or custodial account in which the underlying securities have been deposited is determined to be an association taxable as a corporation, instead of a non-taxable entity, the yield on the underlying securities would be reduced in recognition of any taxes paid.

Certain custodial receipts and trust certificates may be synthetic or derivative instruments that have interest rates that reset inversely to changing short-term rates and/or have embedded interest rate floors and caps that require the issuer to pay an adjusted interest rate if market rates fall below or rise above a specified rate. Because some of these instruments represent relatively recent innovations, and the trading market for these instruments is less developed than the markets for traditional types of instruments, it is uncertain how these instruments will perform under different economic and interest-rate scenarios. Also because these instruments may be leveraged, their market values may be more volatile than other types of fixed income instruments and may present greater potential for capital gain or loss. The possibility of default by an issuer or the issuer’s credit provider may be greater for these derivative instruments than for other types of instruments. In some cases, it may be difficult to determine the fair value of a derivative instrument because of a lack of reliable objective information and an

 

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established secondary market for some instruments may not exist. In many cases, the Internal Revenue Service has not ruled on the tax treatment of the interest received on the derivative instruments and, accordingly, purchases of such instruments are based on the opinion of counsel to the sponsors of the instruments.

DERIVATIVES. A derivative is any financial instrument whose value is based on, and determined by, another security, index or benchmark (i.e., stock options, futures, caps, floors, etc.). In recent years, derivative securities have become increasingly important in the field of finance. Futures and options are now actively traded on many different exchanges. Forward contracts, swaps, and many different types of options are regularly traded outside of exchanges by financial institutions in what are termed “over-the-counter” markets. Other more specialized derivative securities often form part of a bond or stock issue. To the extent a contract is used to hedge another position in a Portfolio, the Portfolio will be exposed to the risks associated with hedging as described in this glossary. To the extent an option or futures contract is used to enhance return, rather than as a hedge, a Portfolio will be directly exposed to the risks of the contract. Gains or losses from non-hedging positions may be substantially greater than the cost of the position.

EMERGING MARKETS. Investments in companies domiciled in emerging market countries may be subject to additional risks. Specifically, volatile social, political and economic conditions may expose investments in emerging or developing markets to economic structures that are generally less diverse and mature. Emerging market countries may have less stable political systems than those of more developed countries. As a result, it is possible that recent favorable economic developments in certain emerging market countries may be suddenly slowed or reversed by unanticipated political or social events in such countries. Moreover, the economies of individual emerging market countries may differ favorably or unfavorably from the U.S. economy in such respects as the rate of growth in gross domestic product, the rate of inflation, capital reinvestment, resource self-sufficiency and balance of payments position.

Another risk is that the small current size of the markets for such securities and the currently low or nonexistent volume of trading can result in a lack of liquidity and in greater price volatility. Until recently, there has been an absence of a capital market structure or market-oriented economy in certain emerging market countries. If a Portfolio’s securities will generally be denominated in foreign currencies, the value of such securities to the Portfolio will be affected by changes in currency exchange rates and in exchange control regulations. A change in the value of a foreign currency against the U.S. dollar will result in a corresponding change in the U.S. dollar value of a Portfolio’s securities. In addition, some emerging market countries may have fixed or managed currencies which are not free-floating against the U.S. dollar. Further, certain emerging market currencies may not be internationally traded. Certain of these currencies have experienced a steady devaluation relative to the U.S. dollar. Many emerging market countries have experienced substantial, and in some periods extremely high, rates of inflation for many years. Inflation and rapid fluctuations in inflation rates have had, and may continue to have, negative effects on the economies and securities markets of certain emerging market countries.

A further risk is that the existence of national policies may restrict a Portfolio’s investment opportunities and may include restrictions on investment in issuers or industries deemed sensitive to national interests. Also, some emerging market countries may not have developed structures governing private or foreign investment and may not allow for judicial redress for injury to private property.

EXCHANGE TRADED FUNDS (“ETFs”) are types of investment companies that may be bought and sold on a securities exchange. An ETF trades like common stock and represents a portfolio of securities designed to track a particular market index. Most ETFs are investment companies and therefore, a Portfolio’s purchase of ETF shares generally is subject to the limitations on, and the risks of, the Portfolio’s investments in other investment companies. See “Other Investment Companies.” The Portfolio could purchase an ETF to temporarily gain exposure to a portion of the U.S. or a foreign market while awaiting purchase of underlying securities. The risks of owning an ETF generally reflect the risk of owning the underlying securities it is designed to track. Lack of liquidity in an ETF results in its being more volatile and ETFs have management fees which increase their cost.

FIXED INCOME SECURITIES. Certain Portfolios may invest in fixed income securities. Debt securities are considered high-quality if they are rated at least Aa by Moody’s Investor Service (“Moody’s”) or its equivalent by any other nationally rated statistical rating organization (“NRSRO”) or, if unrated, are determined to be of equivalent investment quality. High-quality debt securities are considered to have a very strong capacity to pay principal and interest. Debt securities are considered investment grade if they are rated, for example, at least Baa3 by Moody’s or BBB- by Standard & Poor’s (“S&P”) or their equivalent by any other NRSRO or, if not rated, are determined to be of equivalent investment quality. Investment grade debt securities are regarded as having an adequate capacity to pay principal and interest. Lower-medium and lower-

 

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quality securities rated, for example, Ba and B by Moody’s or its equivalent by any other NRSRO are regarded on balance as high risk and predominantly speculative with respect to the issuer’s continuing ability to meet principal and interest payments. The Subadvisers will not necessarily dispose of an investment grade security that has been downgraded to below investment grade. See the section in the Appendix regarding “Description of Corporate Bond and Commercial Paper Ratings” for a description of each rating category and a more complete description of lower-medium and lower-quality debt securities and their risks.

The maturity of debt securities may be considered long- (ten plus years), intermediate- (one to ten years), or short-term (thirteen months or less). In general, the principal values of longer-term securities fluctuate more widely in response to changes in interest rates than those of shorter-term securities, providing greater opportunity for capital gain or risk of capital loss. A decline in interest rates usually produces an increase in the value of debt securities, while an increase in interest rates generally reduces their value.

Lower Rated Fixed Income Securities

Certain Portfolios may invest in below investment grade debt securities. Issuers of lower rated or non-rated securities (“high yield” securities, commonly known as “junk bonds”) may be highly leveraged and may not have available to them more traditional methods of financing. Therefore, the risks associated with acquiring the securities of such issuers generally are greater than is the case with higher rated securities. For example, during an economic downturn or a sustained period of rising interest rates, issuers of high yield securities may be more likely to experience financial stress, especially if such issuers are highly leveraged. During such periods, such issuers may not have sufficient revenues to meet their interest payment obligations. The issuer’s ability to service its debt obligations also may be adversely affected by specific issuer developments, or the issuer’s inability to meet specific projected business forecasts, or the unavailability of additional financing. The risk of loss due to default by the issuer is significantly greater for the holders of lower rated securities because such securities may be unsecured and may be subordinated to other creditors of the issuer.

Lower rated securities frequently have call or redemption features which would permit an issuer to repurchase the security from a Portfolio. If a call were exercised by the issuer during a period of declining interest rates, a Portfolio likely would have to replace such called security with a lower yielding security, thus decreasing the net investment income to a Portfolio and dividends to shareholders.

A Portfolio may have difficulty disposing of certain lower rated securities because there may be a thin trading market for such securities. The secondary trading market for high yield securities is generally not as liquid as the secondary market for higher rated securities. Reduced secondary market liquidity may have an adverse impact on market price and a Portfolio’s ability to dispose of particular issues when necessary to meet a Portfolio’s liquidity needs or in response to a specific economic event such as deterioration in the creditworthiness of the issuer.

Adverse publicity and investor perceptions, which may not be based on fundamental analysis, also may decrease the value and liquidity of lower rated securities, particularly in a thinly traded market. Factors adversely affecting the market value of lower rated securities are likely to adversely affect a Portfolio’s net asset value. In addition, a Portfolio may incur additional expenses to the extent it is required to seek recovery upon a default on a portfolio holding or to participate in the restructuring of the obligation.

Finally, there are risks involved in applying credit ratings as a method for evaluating lower rated fixed income securities. For example, credit ratings evaluate the safety of principal and interest payments, not the market risks involved in lower rated fixed income securities. Since credit rating agencies may fail to change the credit ratings in a timely manner to reflect subsequent events, the Adviser or a Subadviser will monitor the issuers of lower rated fixed income securities in a Portfolio to determine if the issuers will have sufficient cash flow and profits to meet required principal and interest payments, and to assure the debt securities’ liquidity within the parameters of the Portfolio’s investment policies. A Subadviser will not necessarily dispose of a portfolio security when its ratings have been changed.

Investments in already defaulted securities poses an additional risk of loss should nonpayment of principal and interest continue in respect of such securities. Even if such securities are held to maturity, recovery of a Portfolio’s initial investment and any anticipated income or appreciation is uncertain. In addition, a Portfolio may incur additional expenses to the extent

 

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that they are required to seek recovery relating to the default in the payment of principal or interest on such securities or otherwise protect their interests. A Portfolio may be required to liquidate other portfolio securities to satisfy annual distribution obligations of a Portfolio in respect of accrued interest income on securities which are subsequently written off, even though such Portfolio has not received any cash payments of such interest.

FLOATING RATE OBLIGATIONS. These securities have a coupon rate that changes at least annually and generally more frequently. The coupon rate is set in relation to money market rates. The obligations, issued primarily by banks, other corporations, governments and semi-governmental bodies, may have a maturity in excess of one year. In some cases, the coupon rate may vary with changes in the yield on Treasury bills or notes or with changes in LIBOR (London Interbank Offering Rate). The Adviser considers floating rate obligations to be liquid investments because a number of U.S. and foreign securities dealers make active markets in these securities.

FOREIGN SECURITIES. A foreign security is a security issued by an entity domiciled or incorporated outside of the United States. A foreign security includes corporate debt securities of foreign issuers (including preferred or preference stock), certain foreign bank obligations and U.S. dollar or foreign currency-denominated obligations of foreign governments or their subdivisions, agencies and instrumentalities, international agencies and supranational entities.

A Portfolio may invest in non-U.S. dollar-denominated foreign securities, in accordance with its specific investment objective(s), investment programs, policies, and restrictions. Investing in foreign securities may involve advantages and disadvantages not present in domestic investments. There may be less publicly available information about securities not registered domestically, or their issuers, than is available about domestic issuers or their domestically registered securities. Stock markets outside the U.S. may not be as developed as domestic markets, and there may also be less government supervision of foreign exchanges and brokers. Foreign securities may be less liquid or more volatile than U.S. securities. Trade settlements may be slower and could possibly be subject to failure. In addition, brokerage commissions and custodial costs with respect to foreign securities may be higher than those for domestic investments. Accounting, auditing, financial reporting and disclosure standards for foreign issuers may be different than those applicable to domestic issuers. Non-U.S. dollar-denominated foreign securities may be affected favorably or unfavorably by changes in currency exchange rates and exchange control regulations (including currency blockage) and a Portfolio may incur costs in connection with conversions between various currencies. Foreign securities may also involve risks due to changes in the political or economic conditions of such foreign countries, the possibility of expropriation of assets or nationalization, and possible difficulty in obtaining and enforcing judgments against foreign entities.

Investments in the securities of foreign issuers often involve currencies of foreign countries and may be affected favorably or unfavorably by changes in currency rates and in exchange control regulations and may incur costs in connection with conversions between various currencies. To the extent that a Portfolio is fully invested in foreign securities while also maintaining currency positions, it may be exposed to greater combined risk. A Portfolio also may be subject to currency exposure independent of its securities positions.

Currency exchange rates may fluctuate significantly over short periods of time. They generally are determined by the forces of supply and demand in the foreign exchange markets and the relative merits of investments in different countries, actual or anticipated changes in interest rates and other complex factors, as seen from an international perspective. Currency exchange rates also can be affected unpredictably by intervention by U.S. or foreign governments or central banks or the failure to intervene or by currency controls or political developments in the United States or abroad. To the extent that a substantial portion of a Portfolio’s total assets, adjusted to reflect the Portfolio’s net position after giving effect to currency transactions, is denominated or quoted in the currencies of foreign countries, the Portfolio will be more susceptible to the risk of adverse economic and political developments within those countries. A Portfolio’s net currency positions may expose it to risks independent of its securities positions. In addition, if the payment declines in value against the U.S. dollar before such income is distributed as dividends to shareholders or converted to U.S. dollars, the Portfolio may have to sell portfolio securities to obtain sufficient cash to pay such dividends.

FORWARD FOREIGN CURRENCY EXCHANGE CONTRACTS (“Forward Contracts”) involve bilateral obligations of one party to purchase, and another party to sell, a specific currency at a future date (which may be any fixed number of days from the date of the contract agreed upon by the parties), at a price set at the time the contract is entered into. Portfolios may enter into Forward Contracts for various purposes, including, but not limited to, facilitating settlement of foreign currency denominated portfolio transactions, attempting to protect securities and related receivables and payables against changes in future foreign exchange rates, hedging portfolio exposure to benchmark currency allocation, managing exposure to certain

 

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foreign currencies or enhancing return. Without limiting the forgoing, a Portfolio may also enter into Forward Contracts for hedging purposes, to seek to increase total return, to increase exposure to a foreign currency or to shift exposure to foreign currency fluctuations from one country to another.

Forward Contracts are traded in the interbank market conducted directly between currency traders (usually large commercial banks) and their customers. Institutions that deal in forward currency contracts, however, are not required to continue to make markets in the currencies they trade and these markets can experience periods of illiquidity. Although foreign exchange dealers generally do not charge a fee for such transactions, they do realize a profit based on the difference between the price at which they are buying and selling various currencies.

Each of the Portfolios except the Cash Management Portfolio may invest in Forward Contracts consistent with their respective investment goals and investment strategies. To the extent that a substantial portion of a Portfolio’s total assets, adjusted to reflect the Portfolio’s net position after giving effect to currency transactions, is denominated or quoted in the currencies of foreign countries, the Portfolio will be more susceptible to the risk of adverse economic and political developments within those countries.

Forward Contracts are generally used to protect against uncertainty in the level of future exchange rates. The use of Forward Contracts does not eliminate fluctuations in the prices of the underlying securities a Portfolio owns or intends to acquire, but it does fix a rate of exchange in advance. In addition, although Forward Contracts limit the risk of loss due to a decline in the value of the hedged currencies, at the same time they limit any potential gain that might result should the value of the currencies increase.

Forward Contracts may also be entered into with respect to specific transactions. For example, when a Portfolio enters into a contract for the purchase or sale of a security denominated in (or affected by fluctuations in, in the case of ADRs) a foreign currency, or when a Portfolio anticipates receipt of dividend payments in a foreign currency, the Portfolio may desire to “lock-in” the U.S. dollar price of the security or the U.S. dollar equivalent of such payment by entering into a Forward Contract, for a fixed amount of U.S. dollars per unit of foreign currency, for the purchase or sale of the amount of foreign currency involved in the underlying transaction. A Portfolio will thereby be able to protect itself against a possible loss resulting from an adverse change in the relationship between the currency exchange rates during the period between the date on which the security is purchased or sold, or on which the payment is declared, and the date on which such payments are made or received.

Forward Contracts are also used to lock in the U.S. dollar value of portfolio positions (“position hedge”). In a position hedge, for example, when a Portfolio believes that foreign currency may suffer a substantial decline against the U.S. dollar, it may enter into a Forward Contract to sell an amount of that foreign currency approximating the value of some or all of the portfolio securities denominated in (or affected by fluctuations in, in the case of ADRs) such foreign currency, or when a Portfolio believes that the U.S. dollar may suffer a substantial decline against a foreign currency, it may enter into a Forward Contract to buy that foreign currency for a fixed dollar amount. In this situation a Portfolio may, in the alternative, enter into a Forward Contract to sell a different foreign currency for a fixed U.S. dollar amount where the Portfolio believes that the U.S. dollar value of the currency to be sold pursuant to the Forward Contract will fall whenever there is a decline in the U.S. dollar value of the currency in which portfolio securities of the Portfolio are denominated (“cross-hedged”). A Portfolio may also hedge investments denominated in a foreign currency by entering into forward currency contracts with respect to a foreign currency that is expected to correlate to the currency in which the investments are denominated (“proxy hedging”). In addition, the Global Bond Portfolio may enter into foreign currency transactions to seek a closer correlation between its overall currency exposures and the currency exposures of its performance benchmark.

The Portfolios will cover outstanding Forward Contracts by maintaining either liquid portfolio securities denominated in the currency underlying the Forward Contract or the currency being hedged, or by owning a corresponding opposite forward position (long or short position, as the case may be) in the same underlying currency with the same maturity date (“Covering/Closing Forwards”). To the extent that a Portfolio is not able to cover its forward currency positions with either underlying portfolio securities or with Covering/Closing Forwards, or to the extent to any portion of a position is either not covered by a corresponding opposite position or is “out of the money” in the case where settlement prices are different on the short and long positions, the Portfolio will segregate cash or other liquid securities having a value equal to the aggregate amount of the Portfolio’s commitments under Forward Contracts entered into with respect to position hedges and cross-hedges. If the value of the segregated securities declines, additional cash or securities will be segregated on a daily basis so that the value of the account will equal the amount of the Portfolio’s commitments with respect to such contracts. As an

 

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alternative to segregating assets, a Portfolio may purchase a call option permitting the Portfolio to purchase the amount of foreign currency being hedged by a forward sale contract at a price no higher than the Forward Contract price or the Portfolio may purchase a put option permitting the Portfolio to sell the amount of foreign currency subject to a forward purchase contract at a price as high or higher than the Forward Contract price. Unanticipated changes in currency prices may result in poorer overall performance for a Portfolio than if it had not entered into such contracts.

The precise matching of the Forward Contract amounts and the value of the securities involved will not generally be possible because the future value of such securities in foreign currencies will change as a consequence of market movements in the value of these securities between the date the Forward Contract is entered into and the date it is sold. Accordingly, it may be necessary for a Portfolio to purchase additional foreign currency on the spot (i.e., cash) market (and bear the expense of such purchase), if the market value of the security is less than the amount of foreign currency a Portfolio is obligated to deliver and if a decision is made to sell the security and make delivery of the foreign currency. Conversely, it may be necessary to sell on the spot market some of the foreign currency received upon the sale of the portfolio security if its market value exceeds the amount of foreign currency a Portfolio is obligated to deliver. The projection of short- term currency market movements is extremely difficult, and the successful execution of a short term hedging strategy is highly uncertain. Forward Contracts involve the risk that anticipated currency movements will not be accurately predicted, causing a Portfolio to sustain losses on these contracts and transactions costs.

At or before the maturity of a Forward Contract requiring a Portfolio to sell a currency, the Portfolio may either sell a portfolio security and use the sale proceeds to make delivery of the currency or retain the security and offset its contractual obligation to deliver the currency by purchasing a second contract pursuant to which the Portfolio will obtain, on the same maturity date, the same amount of the currency that it is obligated to deliver. Similarly, a Portfolio may close out a Forward Contract requiring it to purchase a specified currency by entering into a second contract entitling it to sell the same amount of the same currency on the maturity date of the first contract. A Portfolio would realize a gain or loss as a result of entering into such an offsetting Forward Contract under either circumstance to the extent the exchange rate or rates between the currencies involved moved between the execution dates of the first contract and offsetting contract.

The cost to a Portfolio of engaging in Forward Contracts varies with factors such as the currencies involved, the length of the contract period and the market conditions then prevailing. Because Forward Contracts are usually entered into on a principal basis, no fees or commissions are involved. Because such contracts are not traded on an exchange, a Portfolio must evaluate the credit and performance risk of each particular counterparty under a Forward Contract.

Although a Portfolio values its assets daily in terms of U.S. dollars, it does not intend to convert its holdings of foreign currencies into U.S. dollars on a daily basis. A Portfolio may convert foreign currency from time to time, and investors should be aware of the costs of currency conversion. Foreign exchange dealers do not charge a fee for conversion, but they do seek to realize a profit based on the difference between the prices at which they buy and sell various currencies. Thus, a dealer may offer to sell a foreign currency to a Portfolio at one rate, while offering a lesser rate of exchange should the Portfolio desire to resell that currency to the dealer.

The portfolio management team for the Global Bond Portfolio may manage the foreign exchange risk embedded in foreign securities by means of a currency overlay program. The program may be utilized to protect the value of foreign investments in sustained periods of dollar appreciation and to increase returns by seeking to take advantage of foreign exchange fluctuations.

HYBRID INSTRUMENTS, including indexed and structured securities, combine the elements of derivatives, including futures contracts or options with those of debt, preferred equity or a depository instrument. Generally, a Hybrid Instrument will be a debt security, preferred stock, depository share, trust certificate, certificate of deposit or other evidence of indebtedness on which a portion of or all interest payments, and/or the principal or stated amount payable at maturity, redemption or retirement, is determined by reference to prices, changes in prices, or differences between prices of securities, currencies, intangibles, goods, articles or commodities (collectively “Underlying Assets”) or by another objective index, economic factor or other measure, such as interest rates, currency exchange rates, commodity indices, and securities indices (collectively “Benchmarks”). Thus, Hybrid Instruments may take a variety of forms, including, but not limited to, debt instruments with interest or principal payments or redemption terms determined by reference to the value of a currency or commodity or securities index at a future point in time, preferred stock with dividend rates determined by reference to the value of a currency, or convertible securities with the conversion terms related to a particular commodity.

 

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Hybrid Instruments can be an efficient means of creating exposure to a particular market, or segment of a market, with the objective of enhancing total return. For example, a Portfolio may wish to take advantage of expected declines in interest rates in several European countries, but avoid the transactions costs associated with buying and currency-hedging the foreign bond positions. One solution would be to purchase a U.S. dollar-denominated Hybrid Instrument whose redemption price is linked to the average three year interest rate in a designated group of countries. The redemption price formula would provide for payoffs of greater than par if the average interest rate was lower than a specified level, and payoffs of less than par if rates were above the specified level. Furthermore, the Portfolio could limit the downside risk of the security by establishing a minimum redemption price so that the principal paid at maturity could not be below a predetermined minimum level if interest rates were to rise significantly. The purpose of this arrangement, known as a structured security with an embedded put option, would be to give the Portfolio the desired European bond exposure while avoiding currency risk, limiting downside market risk, and lowering transactions costs. Of course, there is no guarantee that the strategy will be successful and the Portfolio could lose money if, for example, interest rates do not move as anticipated or credit problems develop with the issuer of the Hybrid.

The risks of investing in Hybrid Instruments reflect a combination of the risks of investing in securities, options, futures and currencies. Thus, an investment in a Hybrid Instrument may entail significant risks that are not associated with a similar investment in a traditional debt instrument that has a fixed principal amount, is denominated in U.S. dollars or bears interest either at a fixed rate or a floating rate determined by reference to a common, nationally published Benchmark. The risks of a particular Hybrid Instrument will, of course, depend upon the terms of the instrument, but may include, without limitation, the possibility of significant changes in the Benchmarks or the prices of Underlying Assets to which the instrument is linked. Such risks generally depend upon factors unrelated to the operations or credit quality of the issuer of the Hybrid Instrument, which may not be readily foreseen by the purchaser, such as economic and political events, the supply and demand for the Underlying Assets and interest rate movements. In recent years, various Benchmarks and prices for Underlying Assets have been highly volatile, and such volatility may be expected in the future. Reference is also made to the discussion of futures, options, and forward contracts herein for a discussion of the risks associated with such investments.

Hybrid Instruments are potentially more volatile and carry greater market risks than traditional debt instruments. Depending on the structure of the particular Hybrid Instrument, changes in a Benchmark may be magnified by the terms of the Hybrid Instrument and have an even more dramatic and substantial effect upon the value of the Hybrid Instrument. Also, the prices of the Hybrid Instrument and the Benchmark or Underlying Asset may not move in the same direction or at the same time.

Hybrid Instruments may bear interest or pay preferred dividends at below market (or even relatively nominal) rates. Alternatively, Hybrid Instruments may bear interest at above market rates but bear an increased risk of principal loss (or gain). The latter scenario may result if “leverage” is used to structure the Hybrid Instrument. Leverage risk occurs when the Hybrid Instrument is structured so that a given change in a Benchmark or Underlying Asset is multiplied to produce a greater value change in the Hybrid Instrument, thereby magnifying the risk of loss as well as the potential for gain.

Hybrid Instruments may also carry liquidity risk since the instruments are often “customized” to meet the portfolio needs of a particular investor, and therefore, the number of investors that are willing and able to buy such instruments in the secondary market may be smaller than that for more traditional debt securities. Under certain conditions, the redemption (or sale) value of such an investment could be zero. In addition, because the purchase and sale of Hybrid Instruments could take place in an over-the-counter market without the guarantee of a central clearing organization or in a transaction between the Portfolio and the issuer of the Hybrid Instrument, the creditworthiness of the counterparty or issuer of the Hybrid Instrument would be an additional risk factor the Portfolio would have to consider and monitor. Hybrid Instruments also may not be subject to regulation of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (the “CFTC”), which generally regulates the trading of commodity futures by U.S. persons, the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”), which regulates the offer and sale of securities by and to U.S. persons, or any other governmental regulatory authority.

The various risks discussed above, particularly the market risk of such instruments, may in turn cause significant fluctuations in the net asset value of the Portfolio. Accordingly, a Portfolio that so invests will limit its investments in Hybrid Instruments to 10% of its total assets.

Hybrid Instruments include structured investments which are securities having a return tied to an underlying index or other security or asset class. Structured investments are organized and operated to restructure the investment characteristics of the underlying security. This type of restructuring involves the deposit with or purchase by an entity, such as a corporation or trust, of specified instruments (such as commercial bank loans) and the issuance by that entity of one or more classes of

 

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securities (“Structured Securities”) backed by, or representing interests in, the underlying instruments. The cash flow on the underlying instruments may be apportioned among the newly issued Structured Securities to create securities with different investment characteristics, such as varying maturities, payment priorities and interest rate provisions, and the extent of the payments made with respect to Structured Securities is dependent on the extent of the cash flow on the underlying instruments. Because Structured Securities of the type typically involve no credit enhancement, their credit risk generally will be equivalent to that of the underlying instruments. Investments in Structured Securities are generally of a class of Structured Securities that is either subordinated or unsubordinated to the right of payment of another class. Subordinated Structured Securities typically have higher yields and present greater risks than unsubordinated Structured Securities. Structured Securities are typically sold in private placement transactions, and there currently is no active trading market for Structured Securities. Investments in government and government-related and restructured debt instruments are subject to special risks, including the inability or unwillingness to repay principal and interest, requests to reschedule or restructure outstanding debt and requests to extend additional loan amounts. Certain issuers of structured securities may be deemed to be investment companies as defined in the 1940 Act. As a result, the Portfolios' investments in these structured securities may be subject to limits applicable to investments in investment companies and may be subject to restrictions contained in the 1940 Act.

A credit linked note (“CLN”) is a type of hybrid instrument in which a special purpose entity issues a structured note (the “Note Issuer”) that is intended to replicate a corporate bond or a portfolio of corporate bonds. The purchaser of the CLN (the “Note Purchaser”) invests a par amount and receives a payment during the term of the CLN that equals a fixed or floating rate of interest equivalent to a high rated funded asset (such as a bank certificate of deposit) plus an additional premium that relates to taking on the credit risk of an identified bond (the “Reference Bond”). Upon maturity of the CLN, the Note Purchaser will receive a payment equal to (i) the original par amount paid to the Note Issuer, if there is neither a designated event of default (an “Event of Default”) with respect to the Reference Bond nor a restructuring of the issuer of the Reference Bond (a “Restructuring Event”) or (ii) the value of the Reference Bond, if an Event of Default or a Restructuring Event has occurred. Depending upon the terms of the CLN, it is also possible that the Note Purchaser may be required to take physical deliver of the Reference Bond in the event of an Event of Default or a Restructuring Event.

ILLIQUID AND RESTRICTED SECURITIES. Each of the Portfolios may invest no more than 15% (5% in the case of the Cash Management Portfolio) of its net assets, determined as of the date of purchase, in illiquid securities including repurchase agreements that have a maturity of longer than seven days, certain interest rate swaps, currency swaps, floors and collars, or in other securities that are illiquid by virtue of the absence of a readily available market or legal or contractual restrictions on resale. Historically, illiquid securities have included securities subject to contractual or legal restrictions on resale because they have not been registered under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), securities that are otherwise not readily marketable and repurchase agreements having a maturity of longer than seven days. Repurchase agreements subject to demand are deemed to have a maturity equal to the notice period. Securities that have not been registered under the Securities Act are referred to as “private placements” or “restricted securities” and are purchased directly from the issuer or in the secondary market. Mutual funds do not typically hold a significant amount of these restricted or other illiquid securities because of the potential for delays on resale and uncertainty in valuation. Limitations on resale may have an adverse effect on the marketability of portfolio securities and a mutual fund might be unable to dispose of restricted or other illiquid securities promptly or at reasonable prices and might thereby experience difficulty satisfying redemptions within seven days. A mutual fund might also have to register such restricted securities in order to dispose of them, resulting in additional expense and delay. There will generally be a lapse of time between a mutual fund’s decision to sell an unregistered security and the registration of such security promoting sale. Adverse market conditions could impede a public offering of such securities. When purchasing unregistered securities, the Portfolios will seek to obtain the right of registration at the expense of the issuer (except in the case of “Rule 144A securities,” as described below).

A large institutional market has developed for certain securities that are not registered under the Securities Act, including repurchase agreements, commercial paper, foreign securities, municipal securities and corporate bonds and notes. Institutional investors depend on an efficient institutional market in which the unregistered security can be readily resold or on an issuer’s ability to honor a demand for repayment. The fact that there are contractual or legal restrictions on resale to the general public or to certain institutions may not be indicative of the liquidity of such investments.

For example, restricted securities that the Board of Trustees or Adviser, pursuant to guidelines established by the Board of Trustees, has determined to be marketable, such as securities eligible for resale pursuant to Rule 144A under the Securities Act, or certain private placements of commercial paper issued in reliance on an exemption from the Securities Act pursuant

 

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to Section 4(2) thereof, may be deemed to be liquid for purposes of this restriction. This investment practice could have the effect of increasing the level of illiquidity in a Portfolio to the extent that qualified institutional buyers (as defined in Rule 144A) become uninterested in purchasing these restricted securities. In addition, a repurchase agreement that by its terms can be liquidated before its nominal fixed-term on seven days or less notice is regarded as a liquid instrument. The Adviser or Subadviser, as the case may be, will monitor the liquidity of such restricted securities subject to the supervision of the Board of Trustees of the Trust. In reaching liquidity decisions, the Adviser, or Subadviser, as the case may be, will consider, inter alia, pursuant to guidelines and procedures established by the Trustees, the following factors: (1) the frequency of trades and quotes for the security; (2) the number of dealers wishing to purchase or sell the security and the number of other potential purchasers; (3) dealer undertakings to make a market in the security; and (4) the nature of the security and the nature of the marketplace trades (e.g., the time needed to dispose of the security, the method of soliciting offers and the mechanics of the transfer).

Commercial paper issues in which a Portfolio may be invested include securities issue by major corporations without registration under the Securities Act in reliance on the exemption from such registration afforded by Section 3(a)(3) thereof, and commercial paper issued in reliance on the so-called private placement exemption from registration afforded by Section 4(2) of the Securities Act (“Section 4(2) paper”). Section 4(2) paper is restricted as to disposition under the federal securities laws in that any resale must similarly be made in an exempt transaction. Section 4(2) paper is normally resold to other institutional investors through or with the assistance of investment dealers who make a market in Section 4(2) paper, thus providing liquidity. Section 4(2) paper that is issued by a company that files reports under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 is generally eligible to be sold in reliance on the safe harbor of Rule 144A described above. The Cash Management Portfolio’s 5% limitation on investments in illiquid securities includes Section 4(2) paper that its Subadviser has not determined to be liquid pursuant to guidelines established by the Trustees. The Board of Trustees delegated to the Adviser (and the Adviser, in turn, delegated to its Subadviser) the function of making day-to-day determinations of liquidity with respect to Section 4(2) paper, pursuant to guidelines approved by the Trustees that require the Adviser to take into account the same factors described above for other restricted securities and require the Adviser to perform the same monitoring and reporting functions.

The staff of the SEC has taken the position that purchased over-the-counter (“OTC”) options and the assets used as “cover” for written OTC options are illiquid. The assets used as cover for OTC options written by a Portfolio will be considered illiquid unless the OTC options are sold to qualified dealers who agree that the Portfolio may repurchase any OTC option it writes at a maximum price to be calculated by a formula set forth in the option agreement. The cover for an OTC option written subject to this procedure will be considered illiquid only to the extent that the maximum repurchase price under the option formula exceeds the intrinsic value of the option.

INCOME TRUST. An income trust is an investment trust that holds income-producing assets and that has issued units that trade like a stock on an exchange. Income trusts attempt to hold assets which will generate a steady flow of income, such as lease payments from an office building. The income is passed on to the unit holders.

INTERFUND BORROWING AND LENDING PROGRAM. The Trust has received exemptive relief from the SEC which permits a Portfolio to participate in an interfund lending program among investment companies advised by SAAMCo or an affiliate. The interfund lending program allows the participating Portfolios to borrow money from and loan money to each other for temporary or emergency purposes. The program is subject to a number of conditions designed to ensure fair and equitable treatment of participating Portfolios, including the requirement that no Portfolio may borrow from the program unless it receives a more favorable interest rate than would be available to any of the participating Portfolios from a typical bank for comparable transaction. In addition, a Portfolio may participate in the program only if and to the extent that such participation is consistent with the Portfolio’s investment objectives and policies (for instance, money market funds would normally participate only as lenders). Interfund loans and borrowings may extend overnight but could have a maximum duration of seven days. Loans may be called on one business day’s notice. A Portfolio may have to borrow from a bank at a higher interest rate if an interfund loan is called or not renewed. Any delay in repayment to a lending Portfolio could result in a lost investment opportunity or additional costs. The program is subject to the oversight and periodic review of the Board of Trustees of the participating Portfolios. To the extent a Portfolio is actually engaged in borrowing through the interfund lending program, the Portfolio will comply with its investment policy on borrowing.

INVERSE FLOATERS are leveraged inverse floating rate debt instruments. The interest rate on an inverse floater resets in the opposite direction from the market rate of interest to which the inverse floater is indexed. An inverse floater may be considered to be leveraged to the extent that its interest rate varies by a magnitude that exceeds the magnitude of the change

 

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in the index rate of interest. The higher degree of leverage inherent in inverse floaters is associated with greater volatility in their market values. Accordingly, the duration of an inverse floater may exceed its stated final maturity. Certain inverse floaters may be deemed to be illiquid securities for purposes of a Portfolio’s 15% limitation on investments in such securities.

IPO INVESTING. A Portfolio’s purchase of shares issued as part of, or a short period after, a company’s initial public offerings (“IPOs”), exposes it to the risks associated with companies that have little operating history as public companies, as well as to the risks inherent in those sectors of the market where these new issuers operate. The market for IPO issuers may be volatile, and share prices of newly-public companies have fluctuated in significant amounts over short periods of time. The effect of IPOs on a Portfolio’s performance depends on a variety of factors, including the number of IPOs the Portfolio invests in relative to the size of the Portfolio and whether and to what extent a security purchased in an IPO appreciates or depreciates in value. As a Portfolio’s asset base increases, IPOs often have a diminished effect on the Portfolio’s performance. Companies offering stock in IPOs generally have limited operating histories and purchase of their securities may involve greater investment risk.

LOAN PARTICIPATIONS AND ASSIGNMENTS include investments in fixed and floating rate loans (“Loans”) arranged through private negotiations between an issuer of sovereign or corporate debt obligations and one or more financial institutions (“Lenders”). Investments in Loans are expected in most instances to be in the form of participations in Loans (“Participations”) and assignments of all or a portion of Loans (“Assignments”) from third parties. In the case of Participations, the Portfolios 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 the event of the insolvency of the Lender selling a Participation, the Portfolios 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 Portfolios will acquire Participations only if the Lender interpositioned between the Portfolios and the borrower are determined by the Adviser/Subadviser to be creditworthy. When the Portfolios purchase Assignments from Lenders they will acquire direct rights against the borrower on the Loan. Because Assignments are arranged through private negotiations between potential assignees and potential assignors, however, the rights and obligations acquired by the Portfolios as the purchaser of an Assignment may differ from, and be more limited than, those held by the assigning Lender. Because there is no liquid market for such securities, the Portfolios anticipate that such securities could be sold only to a limited number of institutional investors. The lack of a liquid secondary market may have an adverse impact on the value of such securities and the Portfolio’s ability to dispose of particular Assignments or Participations when necessary to meet the Portfolios’ 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 Portfolios to assign a value to these securities for purposes of valuing the Portfolios and calculating its net asset value.

The MFS Total Return Portfolio may also purchase or trade other claims against companies, which generally represent money owed by the company to a supplier of goods or services. These claims may also be purchased at a time when the company is in default. Certain of the loan participations acquired by the Portfolio may involve revolving credit facilities or other standby financing commitments that obligate the Portfolio to pay additional cash on a certain date or on demand.

The highly leveraged nature of many such loans may make such loans especially vulnerable to adverse changes in economic or market conditions. Loan participations and other direct investments may not be in the form of securities or may be subject to restrictions on transfer, and there may be no liquid market for such securities, as described above.

MASTER LIMITED PARTNERSHIPS (“MLPs”). Certain companies are organized as master limited partnerships in which ownership interests are publicly traded. MLPs often own several properties or businesses (or directly own interests) that are related to real estate development and oil and gas industries, but they also may finance motion pictures, research and development and other projects. Generally, a MLP is operated under the supervision of one or more managing general partners. Limited partners (including a Portfolio if it invests in a MLP) are not involved in the day-to-day management of the partnership. They are allocated income and capital gains associated with the partnership project in accordance with the terms established in the partnership agreement.

The risks of investing in a MLP are generally those inherent in investing in a partnership as opposed to a corporation. For example, state law governing partnerships is often less restrictive than state law governing corporations. Accordingly, there may be less protections afforded investors in a MLP than investors in a corporation. Additional risks involved with investing in a MLP are risks associated with the specific industry or industries in which the partnership invests, such as the risks of investing in real estate, or oil and gas industries.

 

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MORTGAGE-BACKED SECURITIES include investments in mortgage-related securities, including certain U.S. government securities such as Government National Mortgage Association (“GNMA”), Federal National Mortgage Association (“FNMA”) or Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (“FHLMC”) certificates (as defined below), and private mortgage-related securities, which represent an undivided ownership interest in a pool of mortgages. The mortgages backing these securities include conventional thirty-year fixed-rate mortgages, fifteen-year fixed-rate mortgages, graduated payment mortgages and adjustable rate mortgages. The U.S. government or the issuing agency guarantees the payment of interest and principal of these securities. However, the guarantees do not extend to the securities’ yield or value, which are likely to vary inversely with fluctuations in interest rates. These certificates are in most cases pass-through instruments, through which the holder receives a share of all interest and principal payments, including prepayments, on the mortgages underlying the certificate, net of certain fees.

The yield on mortgage-backed securities is based on the average expected life of the underlying pool of mortgage loans. Because the prepayment characteristics of the underlying mortgages vary, it is not possible to predict accurately the average life of a particular issue of pass-through certificates. Mortgage-backed securities are often subject to more rapid repayment than their stated maturity date would indicate as a result of the pass-through of prepayments of principal on the underlying mortgage obligations. Thus, the actual life of any particular pool will be shortened by any unscheduled or early payments of principal and interest. Principal prepayments generally result from the sale of the underlying property or the refinancing or foreclosure of underlying mortgages. The occurrence of prepayments is affected by a wide range of economic, demographic and social factors and, accordingly, it is not possible to predict accurately the average life of a particular pool. Yield on such pools is usually computed by using the historical record of prepayments for that pool, or, in the case of newly-issued mortgages, the prepayment history of similar pools. The actual prepayment experience of a pool of mortgage loans may cause the yield realized by the Portfolio to differ from the yield calculated on the basis of the expected average life of the pool.

Prepayments tend to increase during periods of falling interest rates, while during periods of rising interest rates prepayments will most likely decline. When prevailing interest rates rise, the value of a pass-through security may decrease as does the value of other debt securities, but, when prevailing interest rates decline, the value of a pass-through security is not likely to rise on a comparable basis with other debt securities because of the prepayment feature of pass-through securities. The reinvestment of scheduled principal payments and unscheduled prepayments that the Portfolio receives may occur at higher or lower rates than the original investment, thus affecting the yield of the Portfolio. Monthly interest payments received by the Portfolio have a compounding effect, which may increase the yield to shareholders more than debt obligations that pay interest semi-annually. Because of those factors, mortgage-backed securities may be less effective than U.S. Treasury bonds of similar maturity at maintaining yields during periods of declining interest rates. Accelerated prepayments adversely affect yields for pass-through securities purchased at a premium (i.e., at a price in excess of principal amount) and may involve additional risk of loss of principal because the premium may not have been fully amortized at the time the obligation is repaid. The opposite is true for pass-through securities purchased at a discount. A Portfolio may purchase mortgage-backed securities at a premium or at a discount.

The following is a description of GNMA, FNMA and FHLMC certificates, the most widely available mortgage-backed securities:

GNMA Certificates are mortgage-backed securities that evidence an undivided interest in a pool or pools of mortgages. GNMA Certificates that a Portfolio may purchase are the modified pass-through type, which entitle the holder to receive timely payment of all interest and principal payments due on the mortgage pool, net of fees paid to the issuer and GNMA, regardless of whether or not the mortgagor actually makes the payment.

GNMA guarantees the timely payment of principal and interest on securities backed by a pool of mortgages insured by the Federal Housing Administration (“FHA”) or the Farmer’s Home Association (“FMHA”), or guaranteed by the Veterans Administration. The GNMA guarantee is authorized by the National Housing Act and is backed by the full faith and credit of the United States. The GNMA is also empowered to borrow without limitation from the U.S. Treasury if necessary to make any payments required under its guarantee.

The average life of a GNMA Certificate is likely to be substantially shorter than the original maturity of the mortgages underlying the securities. Prepayments of principal by mortgagors and mortgage foreclosure will usually result in the return of the greater part of principal investment long before the maturity of the mortgages in the pool. Foreclosures impose no risk to principal investment because of the GNMA guarantee, except to the extent that a Portfolio has purchased the certificates at a premium in the secondary market. As prepayment rates of the individual mortgage pools vary widely, it is not possible to predict accurately the average life of a particular issue of GNMA Certificates.

 

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FHLMC Certificates. The FHLMC issues two types of mortgage pass-through securities: mortgage participation certificates (“PCs”) and guaranteed mortgage certificates (“GMCs”) (collectively, “FHLMC Certificates”). PCs resemble GNMA Certificates in that each PC represents a pro rata share of all interest and principal payments made and owed on the underlying pool. The FHLMC guarantees timely monthly payment of interest (and, under certain circumstances, principal) of PCs and the ultimate payment of principal. GMCs also represent a pro rata interest in a pool of mortgages. However, these instruments pay interest semi-annually and return principal once a year in guaranteed minimum payments. The expected average life of these securities is approximately ten years. The FHLMC guarantee is not backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. government.

FNMA Certificates. The FNMA issues guaranteed mortgage pass-through certificates (“FNMA Certificates”). FNMA Certificates represent a pro rata share of all interest and principal payments made and owed on the underlying pool. FNMA guarantees timely payment of interest and principal on FNMA Certificates. The FNMA guarantee is not backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. government.

In September 2008, FHLMC and FNMA were placed into conservatorship by their regulator, the Federal Housing Finance Agency. It is unclear what effect this conservatorship will have on the securities issued or guaranteed by FHLMC or FNMA. Although the U.S. Government has provided financial support to FHLMC and FNMA, there can be no assurance that it will support these or other government-sponsored enterprises in the future.

Other types of mortgage-backed securities include:

Conventional Mortgage Pass-Through Securities represent participation interests in pools of mortgage loans that are issued by trusts formed by originators of the institutional investors in mortgage loans (or represent custodial arrangements administered by such institutions). These originators and institutions include commercial banks, savings and loans associations, credit unions, savings banks, insurance companies, investment banks or special purpose subsidiaries of the foregoing. For federal income tax purposes, such trusts are generally treated as grantor trusts or Real Estate Mortgage Investment Conduits (“REMICs”) and, in either case, are generally not subject to any significant amount of federal income tax at the entity level.

The mortgage pools underlying Conventional Mortgage Pass-Through Securities consist of conventional mortgage loans evidenced by promissory notes secured by first mortgages or first deeds of trust or other similar security instruments creating a first lien on residential or mixed residential and commercial properties. Conventional Mortgage Pass-Through Securities (whether fixed or adjustable rate) provide for monthly payments that are a “pass-through” of the monthly interest and principal payments (including any prepayments) made by the individual borrowers on the pooled mortgage loans, net of any fees or other amount paid to any guarantor, administrator and/or servicer of the underlying mortgage loans. A trust fund with respect to which a REMIC election has been made may include regular interests in other REMICs, which in turn will ultimately evidence interests in mortgage loans.

Conventional mortgage pools generally offer a higher rate of interest than government and government-related pools because of the absence of any direct or indirect government or agency payment guarantees. However, timely payment of interest and principal of mortgage loans in these pools may be supported by various forms of insurance or guarantees, including individual loans, title, pool and hazard insurance and letters of credit. The insurance and guarantees may be issued by private insurers and mortgage poolers. Although the market for such securities is becoming increasingly liquid, mortgage-related securities issued by private organizations may not be readily marketable.

Collateralized Mortgage Obligations (“CMOs”) are fully collateralized bonds that are the general obligations of the issuer thereof (e.g., the U.S. government, a U.S. government instrumentality, or a private issuer). Such bonds generally are secured by an assignment to a trustee (under the indenture pursuant to which the bonds are issued) of collateral consisting of a pool of mortgages. Payments with respect to the underlying mortgages generally are made to the trustee under the indenture. Payments of principal and interest on the underlying mortgages are not passed through to the holders of the CMOs as such (i.e., the character of payments of principal and interest is not passed through, and therefore payments to holders of CMOs attributable to interest paid and principal repaid on the underlying mortgages do not necessarily constitute income and return of capital, respectively, to such holders), but such payments are dedicated to payment of interest on and repayment of principal of the CMOs.

 

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Principal and interest on the underlying mortgage assets may be allocated among the several classes of CMOs in various ways. In certain structures (known as “sequential pay” CMOs), payments of principal, including any principal prepayments, on the mortgage assets generally are applied to the classes of CMOs in the order of their respective final distribution dates. Thus, no payment of principal will be made on any class of sequential pay CMOs until all other classes having an earlier final distribution date have been paid in full.

Additional structures of CMOs include, among others, “parallel pay” CMOs. Parallel pay CMOs are those that are structured to apply principal payments and prepayments of the mortgage assets to two or more classes concurrently on a proportionate or disproportionate basis. These simultaneous payments are taken into account in calculating the final distribution date of each class.

A wide variety of CMOs may be issued in the parallel pay or sequential pay structures. These securities include accrual certificates (also known as “Z-Bonds”), which accrue interest at a specified rate only until all other certificates having an earlier final distribution date have been retired and are converted thereafter to an interest-paying security, and planned amortization class (“PAC”) certificates, which are parallel pay CMOs which generally require that specified amounts of principal be applied on each payment date to one or more classes of CMOs (the “PAC Certificates”), even though all other principal payments and prepayments of the mortgage assets are then required to be applied to one or more other classes of the certificates. The scheduled principal payments for the PAC Certificates generally have the highest priority on each payment date after interest due has been paid to all classes entitled to receive interest currently. Shortfalls, if any, are added to the amount payable on the next payment date. The PAC Certificate payment schedule is taken into account in calculating the final distribution date of each class of PAC. In order to create PAC tranches, one or more tranches generally must be created to absorb most of the volatility in the underlying mortgage assets. These tranches tend to have market prices and yields that are much more volatile than the PAC classes.

Stripped Mortgage-Backed Securities (“SMBS”) are often structured with two classes that receive different proportions of the interest and principal distributions on a pool of mortgage assets. SMBS have greater market volatility than other types of U.S. government securities in which a Portfolio invests. A common type of SMBS has one class receiving some of the interest and all or most of the principal (the “principal only” class) from the mortgage pool, while the other class will receive all or most of the interest (the “interest only” class). The yield to maturity on an interest only class is extremely sensitive not only to changes in prevailing interest rates, but also to the rate of principal payments, including principal prepayments, on the underlying pool of mortgage assets, and a rapid rate of principal payment may have a material adverse effect on a Portfolio’s yield. While interest-only and principal-only securities are generally regarded as being illiquid, such securities may be deemed to be liquid if they can be disposed of promptly in the ordinary course of business at a value reasonably close to that used in the calculation of a Portfolio’s net asset value per share. Only government interest-only and principal-only securities backed by fixed-rate mortgages and determined to be liquid under guidelines and standards established by the Trustees may be considered liquid securities not subject to a Portfolio’s limitation on investments in illiquid securities.

MUNICIPAL BONDS. Fixed income securities include, among other things, municipal bonds which are issued by or on behalf of states, territories and possessions of the United States and the District of Columbia and their political subdivisions, agencies or instrumentalities, the interest on which is exempt from federal income tax (“Municipal Bonds”). Municipal Bonds include debt securities which pay interest income that is subject to the alternative minimum tax. A Portfolio may invest in Municipal Bonds whose issuers pay interest on the Bonds from revenues from projects such as multifamily housing, nursing homes, electric utility systems, hospitals or life care facilities. Municipal bonds include residual interest bonds, which are bonds created by dividing the income stream of an underlying municipal bond in two parts, a variable rate security and a residual interest bond. The interest rate for the variable rate security is determined by an index or an auction process held approximately every 7 to 35 days, while the residual interest bond holder receives the balance of the income from the underlying municipal bond less an auction fee. The market prices of residual interest bonds may be highly sensitive to changes in market rates and may decrease significantly when market rates increase.

 

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NEWLY DEVELOPED SECURITIES. Each Portfolio may invest in securities and other instruments that do not presently exist but may be developed in the future, provided that each such investment is consistent with the Portfolio’s investment objectives, policies and restrictions and is otherwise legally permissible under federal and state laws. The Prospectuses and SAI, as appropriate, will be amended or supplemented as appropriate to discuss any such new investments.

NON-DIVERSIFIED STATUS. The Global Bond and Marsico Focused Growth Portfolios are considered “non-diversified” investment companies. As a result, under the 1940 Act, the Portfolios are limited only by their own investment restrictions as to the percentage of their assets that may be invested in the securities of any one issuer. However, in spite of the flexibility under the 1940 Act, the Portfolios still have to meet quarterly diversification requirements under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”) in order to qualify as regulated investment companies. As a result of the Code’s diversification requirements, the Portfolios may not have the latitude to take full advantage of the relative absence of 1940 Act diversification requirements.

OPTIONS AND FUTURES are contracts involving the right to receive or the obligation to deliver assets or money depending on the performance of one or more underlying assets or a market or economic index. An option gives its owner the right, but not the obligation, to buy (“call”) or sell (“put”) a specified amount of a security at a specified price within in a specified time period. A futures contract is an exchange-traded legal contract to buy or sell a standard quantity and quality of a commodity, financial instrument, indices, foreign currencies, etc. at a specified future date and price. Options and Futures (defined below) are generally used for either hedging or income enhancement purposes. Portfolios may also use Options and Futures for other purposes, including, without limitation, to facilitate trading, increase or decrease a market exposure, to seek higher investment returns, to seek protection against a decline in the value of a Portfolio’s securities or an increase in prices of securities that may be purchased, or to generate income.

Options may be traded on a national securities exchange or in the over-the-counter (OTC) market. Risks to the Portfolios of entering into option contracts include counterparty risk, market risk and, with respect to OTC options, illiquidity risk. Counterparty risk arises from the potential inability of counterparties to meet the terms of their contracts. If the counterparty defaults, the Portfolio’s loss will consist of the net amount of contractual payments that the Portfolio has not yet received. Market risk is the risk that there will be an unfavorable change in the value of the underlying securities. There is also the risk the Portfolio may not be able to enter into a closing transaction because of an illiquid market. In addition, unlisted options are not traded on an exchange and may not be as actively traded as listed options, making the valuation of such securities more difficult. An unlisted option also entails a greater risk that the party on the other side of the option transaction may default, which would make it impossible to close out an unlisted option position in some cases, and profits related to the transaction lost thereby.

Options can be either purchased or written (i.e., sold). A call option written by a Portfolio obligates a Portfolio to sell specified securities to the holder of the option at a specified price if the option is exercised at any time before the expiration date. All call options written by a Portfolio must be “covered,” which means that the Portfolio will segregate cash, liquid assets or other suitable cover as permitted by the SEC with a value at least equal to the exercise price of call option. The purpose of writing covered call options is to realize greater income than would be realized on portfolio securities transactions alone. However, in writing covered call options for additional income, a Portfolio may forego the opportunity to profit from an increase in the market price of the underlying security. A Portfolio may only write call options up to 25% of its total assets, except for the Total Return Bond Portfolio which has no limitation.

A put option written by a Portfolio obligates a Portfolio to purchase specified securities from the option holder at a specified price if the option is exercised at any time before the expiration date. All put options written by a Portfolio must be “covered,” which means that the Portfolio will segregate cash, liquid assets or other suitable cover as permitted by the SEC with a value at least equal to the exercise price of the put option. The purpose of writing such options is to generate additional income for a Portfolio. However, in return for the option premium, a Portfolio accepts the risk that it may be required to purchase the underlying securities at a price in excess of the securities’ market value at the time of purchase.

The following is more detailed information concerning Options, Futures and Options on Futures:

Options on Securities. When a Portfolio writes (i.e., sells) a call option (“call”) on a security it receives a premium and agrees to sell the underlying security to a purchaser of a corresponding call on the same security during the call period (usually not more than 9 months) at a fixed price (which may differ from the market price of the underlying security), regardless of market price changes during the call period. A Portfolio has retained the risk of loss should the price of the underlying security decline during the call period, which may be offset to some extent by the premium.

 

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To terminate its obligation on a call it has written, a Portfolio may purchase a corresponding call in a “closing purchase transaction.” A profit or loss will be realized, depending upon whether the net of the amount of the option transaction costs and the premium received on the call written was more or less than the price of the call subsequently purchased. A profit may also be realized if the call expires unexercised, because a Portfolio retains the underlying security and the premium received. If a Portfolio could not effect a closing purchase transaction due to lack of a market, it would hold the callable securities until the call expired or was exercised.

When a Portfolio purchases a call (other than in a closing purchase transaction), it pays a premium and has the right to buy the underlying investment from a seller of a corresponding call on the same investment during the call period at a fixed exercise price. A Portfolio benefits only if the call is sold at a profit or if, during the call period, the market price of the underlying investment is above the sum of the call price plus the transaction costs and the premium paid and the call is exercised. If the call is not exercised or sold (whether or not at a profit), it will become worthless at its expiration date and a Portfolio will lose its premium payment and the right to purchase the underlying investment.

A put option on securities gives the purchaser the right to sell, and the writer the obligation to buy, the underlying investment at the exercise price during the option period. Writing a put covered by segregated liquid assets equal to the exercise price of the put has the same economic effect to a Portfolio as writing a covered call. The premium a Portfolio receives from writing a put option represents a profit as long as the price of the underlying investment remains above the exercise price. However, a Portfolio has also assumed the obligation during the option period to buy the underlying investment from the buyer of the put at the exercise price, even though the value of the investment may fall below the exercise price. If the put expires unexercised, a Portfolio (as the writer of the put) realizes a gain in the amount of the premium. If the put is exercised, a Portfolio must fulfill its obligation to purchase the underlying investment at the exercise price, which will usually exceed the market value of the investment at that time. In that case, a Portfolio may incur a loss equal to the sum of the sale price of the underlying investment and the premium received minus the sum of the exercise price and any transaction costs incurred.

A Portfolio may effect a closing purchase transaction to realize a profit on an outstanding put option it has written or to prevent an underlying security from being put. Furthermore, effecting such a closing purchase transaction will permit a Portfolio to write another put option to the extent that the exercise price thereof is secured by the deposited assets, or to utilize the proceeds from the sale of such assets for other investments by the Portfolio. A Portfolio will realize a profit or loss from a closing purchase transaction if the cost of the transaction is less or more than the premium received from writing the option.

When a Portfolio purchases a put, it pays a premium and has the right to sell the underlying investment to a seller of a corresponding put on the same investment during the put period at a fixed exercise price. Buying a put on an investment a Portfolio owns enables the Portfolio to protect itself during the put period against a decline in the value of the underlying investment below the exercise price by selling such underlying investment at the exercise price to a seller of a corresponding put. If the market price of the underlying investment is equal to or above the exercise price and as a result the put is not exercised or resold, the put will become worthless at its expiration date, and the Portfolio will lose its premium payment and the right to sell the underlying investment pursuant to the put. The put may, however, be sold prior to expiration (whether or not at a profit).

Buying a put on an investment a Portfolio does not own permits the Portfolio either to resell the put or buy the underlying investment and sell it at the exercise price. The resale price of the put will vary inversely with the price of the underlying investment. If the market price of the underlying investment is above the exercise price and as a result the put is not exercised, the put will become worthless on its expiration date. In the event of a decline in the stock market, a Portfolio could exercise or sell the put at a profit to attempt to offset some or all of its loss on its portfolio securities.

When writing put options on securities, to secure its obligation to pay for the underlying security, a Portfolio will deposit in escrow liquid assets with a value equal to or greater than the exercise price of the underlying securities. A Portfolio therefore forgoes the opportunity of investing the segregated assets or writing calls against those assets. As long as the obligation of a Portfolio as the put writer continues, it may be assigned an exercise notice by the broker-

 

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dealer through whom such option was sold, requiring a Portfolio to take delivery of the underlying security against payment of the exercise price. A Portfolio has no control over when it may be required to purchase the underlying security, since it may be assigned an exercise notice at any time prior to the termination of its obligation as the writer of the put. This obligation terminates upon expiration of the put, or such earlier time at which a Portfolio effects a closing purchase transaction by purchasing a put of the same series as that previously sold. Once a Portfolio has been assigned an exercise notice, it is thereafter not allowed to effect a closing purchase transaction.

The purchase of a spread option gives a Portfolio the right to put, or sell, a security that it owns at a fixed dollar spread or fixed yield spread in relationship to another security that the Portfolio does not own, but which is used as a benchmark. The risk to a Portfolio in purchasing covered spread options is the cost of the premium paid for the spread option and any transaction costs. In addition, there is no assurance that closing transactions will be available. The purchase of spread options will be used to protect a Portfolio against adverse changes in prevailing credit quality spreads, i.e., the yield spread between high quality and lower quality securities. Such protection is provided only during the life of the spread option.

Options on Foreign Currencies. Puts and calls are also written and purchased on foreign currencies in an attempt to protect against declines in the U.S. dollar value of foreign portfolio securities and against increases in the U.S. dollar cost of foreign securities to be acquired. A call written on a foreign currency by a Portfolio is “covered” if the Portfolio owns the underlying foreign currency covered by the call or has an absolute and immediate right to acquire that foreign currency without additional cash consideration (or for additional cash consideration held in a segregated account) upon conversion or exchange of other foreign currency held in its portfolio. A put option is “covered” if the Portfolio segregates cash or other liquid securities with a value at least equal to the exercise price of the put option. A call written by a Portfolio on a foreign currency is for cross-hedging purposes if it is not covered, but is designed to provide a hedge against a decline in the U.S. dollar value of a security the Portfolio owns or has the right to acquire and which is denominated in the currency underlying the option due to an adverse change in the exchange rate. In such circumstances, a Portfolio collateralizes the option by segregating cash or other liquid securities in an amount not less than the value of the underlying foreign currency in U.S. dollars marked to market daily.

As with other kinds of option transactions, the writing of an option on currency will constitute only a partial hedge, up to the amount of the premium received. A Portfolio could be required to purchase or sell currencies at disadvantageous exchange rates, thereby incurring losses. The purchase of an option on currency may constitute an effective hedge against exchange rate fluctuations; however, in the event of exchange rate movements adverse to a Portfolio’s position, the Portfolio may forfeit the entire amount of the premium plus related transaction costs.

In addition to using options for the hedging purposes described above, a Portfolio may use options on currency to seek to increase total return. A Portfolio may write (sell) covered put and call options on any currency in an attempt to realize greater income than would be realized on portfolio securities transactions alone. However, in writing covered call options for additional income, a Portfolio may forgo the opportunity to profit from an increase in the market value of the underlying currency. Also, when writing put options, a Portfolio accepts, in return for the option premium, the risk that it may be required to purchase the underlying currency at a price in excess of the currency’s market value at the time of purchase. A Portfolio may also use options on foreign currencies for various purposes, including, without limitation, to increase exposure to a foreign currency or to shift exposure to foreign currency fluctuations from one country to another.

A Portfolio may purchase call options to seek to increase total return in anticipation of an increase in the market value of a currency. A Portfolio would ordinarily realize a gain if, during the option period, the value of such currency exceeded the sum of the exercise price, the premium paid and transaction costs. Otherwise a Portfolio would realize either no gain or a loss on the purchase of the call option. Put options may be purchased by the Portfolio for the purpose of benefiting from a decline in the value of currencies which it does not own. A Portfolio would ordinarily realize a gain if, during the option period, the value of the underlying currency decreased below the exercise price sufficiently to more than cover the premium and transaction costs. Otherwise, a Portfolio would realize either no gain or a loss on the purchase of the put option.

Options on Securities Indices. Puts and calls on broadly based securities indices are similar to puts and calls on securities except that all settlements are in cash and gain or loss depends on changes in the index in question (and thus on price movements in the securities market generally) rather than on price movements in individual securities

 

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or Futures. When a Portfolio buys a call on a securities index, it pays a premium. During the call period, upon exercise of a call by a Portfolio, a seller of a corresponding call on the same investment will pay Portfolio an amount of cash to settle the call if the closing level of the securities index upon which the call is based is greater than the exercise price of the call. That cash payment is equal to the difference between the closing price of the index and the exercise price of the call times a specified multiple (the “multiplier”) which determines the total dollar value for each point of difference. When a Portfolio buys a put on a securities index, it pays a premium and has the right during the put period to require a seller of a corresponding put, upon the Portfolio’s exercise of its put, to deliver to the Portfolio an amount of cash to settle the put if the closing level of the securities index upon which the put is based is less than the exercise price of the put. That cash payment is determined by the multiplier, in the same manner as described above as to calls.

The use of options would subject the Portfolio to certain risks. The subadviser’s predictions of movements in the direction of the securities markets may be inaccurate, and the adverse consequences to the Portfolio (e.g., a reduction in the Portfolio’s net asset value or a reduction in the amount of income available for distribution may leave the Portfolio in a worse position than if the option had not been used. Other risks inherent in the use of options include contracts and movements in the prices of the securities included in the indices underlying the options.

Yield Curve Options. The trading of yield curve options is subject to all of the risks associated with the trading of other types of options. In addition, however, such options present risk of loss even if the yield of one of the underlying securities remains constant, if the spread moves in a direction or to an extent not anticipated. Yield curve options are traded over-the-counter and because they have been only recently introduced, established trading markets for these securities have not yet developed. Because these securities are traded over-the-counter, the SEC has taken the position that yield curve options are illiquid and, therefore, cannot exceed the SEC illiquidity ceiling. A Portfolio that may enter into yield curve options transactions will cover such transactions as described above.

Reset Options are options on U.S. Treasury securities which provide for periodic adjustment of the strike price and may also provide for the periodic adjustment of the premium during the term of each such option. Like other types of options, these transactions, which may be referred to as “reset” options or “adjustable strike” options grant the purchaser the right to purchase (in the case of a call) or sell (in the case of a put), a specified type of U.S. Treasury security at any time up to a stated expiration date for, in certain instances, on such date). In contrast to other types of options, however, the price at which the underlying security may be purchased or sold under a “reset” option is determined at various intervals during the term of the option, and such price fluctuates from interval to interval based on changes in the market value of the underlying security. As a result, the strike price of a “reset” option, at the time of exercise, may be less advantageous than if the strike price had been fixed at the initiation of the option. In addition, the premium paid for the purchase of the option may be determined at the termination, rather than the initiation, of the option. If the premium for a reset option written by the Series is pad at termination, the Series assumes the risk that (i) the premium may be less than the premium which would otherwise have been received at the initiation of the option because of such factors as the volatility in yield of the underlying Treasury security over the term of the option and adjustments made to the strike price of the option, and (ii) the option purchaser may default on its obligation to pay the premium at the termination of the option. Conversely, where the Series purchases a reset option, it could be required to pay a higher premium than would have been the case at the initiation of the option.

Futures. Interest rate futures contracts, foreign currency futures contracts and stock and bond index futures contracts, including futures on U.S. Government securities (together, “Futures”) are used for various purposes, including, without limitation, for hedging against changes in interest rates, stock prices, bonds or other instruments or currency rates and from time to time for income enhancement. Without limiting the foregoing, Futures may also be used to increase or decrease exposure to equity or bond markets, to manage duration and yield curve positioning and to enhance total return. Upon entering into a Futures transaction, a Portfolio will be required to segregate an initial margin payment of cash or other liquid securities with the futures commission merchant (the “futures broker”). Futures are also often used to adjust exposure to various equity or fixed income markets or as a substitute for investments in underlying cash markets. As the Future is marked to market to reflect changes in its market value, subsequent margin payments, known as variation margin, are made or received by the Portfolio as a result of changes in the value of the contract and/or changes in the value of the initial margin requirement. Prior to expiration of the Future, if a Portfolio elects to close out its position by taking an opposite position, a final determination of

 

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variation margin is made, additional cash is required to be paid by or released to the Portfolio, and any loss or gain is realized for tax purposes. All Futures transactions are effected through a clearinghouse associated with the exchange on which the Futures are traded.

The primary risk to the Portfolios of entering into Futures is market risk. Market risk is the risk that there will be an unfavorable change in the interest rate, value or currency rate of the underlying securities. Futures involve, to varying degrees, risk of loss in excess of the variation margin disclosed on the Statement of Assets and Liabilities. There may also be trading restrictions or limitations imposed by an exchange, and government regulations may restrict trading in futures contracts. There may not always be a liquid secondary market for a Futures and, as a result, a Portfolio may be unable to close out its contracts at a time which is advantageous. In addition, if a Portfolio has insufficient cash to meet margin requirements, the Portfolio may need to sell other investments, including at disadvantageous times.

Interest rate futures contracts are purchased or sold generally to manage duration and yield curve positioning and for hedging purposes to attempt to protect against the effects of interest rate changes on a Portfolio’s current or intended investments in fixed-income securities as well as for other purposes. For example, if a Portfolio owned long-term bonds and interest rates were expected to increase, that Portfolio might sell interest rate futures contracts. Such a sale would have much the same effect as selling some of the long-term bonds in that Portfolio’s portfolio. However, since the Futures market is more liquid than the cash market, the use of interest rate futures contracts as a hedging technique allows a Portfolio to hedge its interest rate risk without having to sell its portfolio securities. If interest rates did increase, the value of the debt securities in the portfolio would decline, but the value of that Portfolio’s interest rate futures contracts would be expected to increase at approximately the same rate, thereby keeping the net asset value of that Portfolio from declining as much as it otherwise would have. On the other hand, if interest rates were expected to decline, interest rate futures contracts may be purchased to hedge in anticipation of subsequent purchases of long-term bonds at higher prices. Since the fluctuations in the value of the interest rate futures contracts should be similar to that of long-term bonds, a Portfolio could protect itself against the effects of the anticipated rise in the value of long-term bonds without actually buying them until the necessary cash became available or the market had stabilized. At that time, the interest rate futures contracts could be liquidated and that Portfolio’s cash reserves could then be used to buy long-term bonds on the cash market.

Purchases or sales of stock or bond index futures contracts are used for hedging purposes to attempt to protect a Portfolio’s current or intended investments from broad fluctuations in stock or bond prices. For example, a Portfolio may sell stock or bond index futures contracts in anticipation of or during a market decline to attempt to offset the decrease in market value of the Portfolio’s securities portfolio that might otherwise result. If such decline occurs, the loss in value of portfolio securities may be offset, in whole or part, by gains on the Futures position. When a Portfolio is not fully invested in the securities market and anticipates a significant market advance, it may purchase stock or bond index futures contracts in order to gain rapid market exposure that may, in part or entirely, offset increases in the cost of securities that the Portfolio intends to purchase. As such purchases are made, the corresponding positions in stock or bond index futures contracts will be closed out.

The SunAmerica Dynamic Allocation Portfolio and the SunAmerica Dynamic Strategy Portfolio may also invest the Overlay Component in stock index futures, among other equity derivative instruments, to manage the Portfolio’s volatility from its equity exposure. Through the use of index futures, the Subadviser may adjust the Portfolio’s net equity exposure down to a minimum of 25% or up to a maximum of 100% of the Portfolio’s assets.

Foreign currency futures contracts are generally entered into for hedging or income enhancement purposes to attempt to protect a Portfolio’s current or intended investments from fluctuations in currency exchange rates. Such fluctuations could reduce the dollar value of portfolio securities denominated in foreign currencies, or increase the cost of foreign-denominated securities to be acquired, even if the value of such securities in the currencies in which they are denominated remains constant. For example, a Portfolio may sell futures contracts on a foreign currency when it holds securities denominated in such currency and it anticipates a decline in the value of such currency relative to the dollar. In the event such decline occurs, the resulting adverse effect on the value of foreign-denominated securities may be offset, in whole or in part, by gains on the Futures contracts. However, if the value of the foreign currency increases relative to the dollar, the Portfolio’s loss on the foreign currency futures contract may or may not be offset by an increase in the value of the securities since a decline in the price of the security stated in terms of the foreign currency may be greater than the increase in value as a result of the change in exchange rates.

 

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As another example, the Global Bond Portfolio may enter into futures transactions to seek a closer correlation between its overall currency exposures and its performance benchmark.

Conversely, a Portfolio could protect against a rise in the dollar cost of foreign-denominated securities to be acquired by purchasing Futures contracts on the relevant currency, which could offset, in whole or in part, the increased cost of such securities resulting from a rise in the dollar value of the underlying currencies. When a Portfolio purchases futures contracts under such circumstances, however, and the price of securities to be acquired instead declines as a result of appreciation of the dollar, the Portfolio will sustain losses on its futures position, which could reduce or eliminate the benefits of the reduced cost of portfolio securities to be acquired.

Options on Futures include options on interest rate futures contracts, stock and bond index futures contracts and foreign currency futures contracts.

The writing of a call option on a Futures contract constitutes a partial hedge against declining prices of the securities in the portfolio. If the Futures price at expiration of the option is below the exercise price, the Portfolio will retain the full amount of the option premium, which provides a partial hedge against any decline that may have occurred in the portfolio holdings. The writing of a put option on a Futures contract constitutes a partial hedge against increasing prices of the securities or other instruments required to be delivered under the terms of the Futures contract. If the Futures price at expiration of the put option is higher than the exercise price, a Portfolio will retain the full amount of the option premium that provides a partial hedge against any increase in the price of securities the Portfolio intends to purchase. If a put or call option a Portfolio has written is exercised, the Portfolio will incur a loss, which will be reduced by the amount of the premium it receives. Depending on the degree of correlation between changes in the value of its portfolio securities and changes in the value of its options on Futures positions, a Portfolio’s losses from exercised options on Futures may to some extent be reduced or increased by changes in the value of portfolio securities.

A Portfolio may purchase options on Futures for hedging purposes, instead of purchasing or selling the underlying Futures contract. For example, where a decrease in the value of portfolio securities is anticipated as a result of a projected market-wide decline or changes in interest or exchange rates, a Portfolio could, in lieu of selling a Futures contract, purchase put options thereon. In the event that such decrease occurs, it may be offset, in whole or part, by a profit on the option. If the market decline does not occur, the Portfolio will suffer a loss equal to the price of the put. Where it is projected that the value of securities to be acquired by a Portfolio will increase prior to acquisition, due to a market advance or changes in interest or exchange rates, a Portfolio could purchase call Options on Futures, rather than purchasing the underlying Futures contract. If the market advances, the increased cost of securities to be purchased may be offset by a profit on the call. However, if the market declines, the Portfolio will suffer a loss equal to the price of the call but the securities the Portfolio intends to purchase may be less expensive.

Limitations on entering into Futures Contracts Pursuant to a claim for exemption filed with the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (“CFTC”) on behalf of the Portfolios, neither the Portfolios nor the Trust are deemed to be a “commodity pool” or “commodity pool operator” (“CPO”), respectively, under the Commodity Exchange Act (“CEA”), and they are not subject to registration or regulation as such under the CEA. The Portfolios’ investment adviser, SAAMCo, is not deemed to be a “commodity trading advisor” with respect to its services as an investment adviser to the Portfolios, as applicable. Transactions in options by a Portfolio are subject to limitations established by the CFTC and each of the exchanges governing the maximum number of options that may be written or held by a single investor or group of investors acting in concert, regardless of whether the options were written or purchased on the same or different exchanges or are held in one or more accounts or through one or more exchanges or brokers. Thus, the number of options a Portfolio may write or hold may be affected by options written or held by other entities, including other investment companies having the same or an affiliated investment adviser. Position limits also apply to futures and economically equivalent derivatives contracts. An exchange may order the liquidation of positions found to be in violation of those limits and may impose certain other sanctions. Due to requirements under the 1940 Act, when a Portfolio purchases a Future, the Portfolio will segregate cash or liquid securities in an amount equal to the market value of the securities underlying such Future, less margin deposit applicable to it.

In February 2012, the CFTC adopted certain regulatory changes that will subject the adviser of a registered investment company to registration with the CFTC as a CPO if the company is unable to comply with certain trading and marketing limitations. With respect to investments in commodity futures, commodity options or certain other derivatives used for purposes other than bona fide hedging purposes, a registered investment company must meet one of the following tests: (1)

 

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the aggregate initial margin and premiums required to establish the company’s positions in such investments may not exceed five percent (5%) of the liquidation value of the company’s portfolio (after accounting for unrealized profits and unrealized losses on any such investments); or (2) the aggregate net notional value of such instruments, determined at the time the most recent position was established, may not exceed one hundred percent (100%) of the liquidation value of the company’s portfolio (after accounting for unrealized profits and unrealized losses on any such positions). In addition to meeting one of the foregoing trading limitations, the company many not market itself as a commodity pool or otherwise as a vehicle for trading in the commodity futures, commodity options or derivatives markets. These rules go into effect on the later of December 31, 2012 or sixty (60) days following the CFTC’s and SEC’s joint promulgation of final rules defining the term “swap.” In the event that SAAMCo is required to register as a CPO, the disclosure and operations of each Portfolio would need to comply with all applicable CFTC regulations. Compliance with these additional registration and regulatory requirements would increase Trust expenses. Other potentially adverse regulatory initiatives could also develop. A related CFTC proposal to harmonize applicable CFTC and SEC regulations could, if adopted, mitigate certain disclosure and operational burdens if CPO registration is required.

OTHER INVESTMENT COMPANIES. The Portfolios may invest in securities of other investment companies (including ETFs) subject to statutory limitations prescribed by the 1940 Act. These limitations include a prohibition on a Portfolio acquiring more than 3% of the voting shares of any other investment company, and a prohibition on investing more than 5% of the Portfolio’s total assets in securities of any one investment company or more than 10% of its total assets in securities of all investment companies. Each Portfolio is subject to the above investment restrictions unless the Portfolio has received an order for exemptive relief from the SEC that is applicable to the Portfolio, and the Portfolio takes appropriate steps to comply with any conditions in such order. The SEC has issued an exemptive order to the Trust, which permits certain Portfolios to invest in ETFs and other investment companies beyond the limitations in the 1940 Act, subject to certain terms and conditions. In addition, certain ETFs also have similar exemptive orders. A Portfolio will indirectly bear its proportionate share of any management fees and other expenses paid by such other investment companies. See also “Exchange Traded Funds.”

Under normal conditions, the SunAmerica Dynamic Allocation Portfolio invests approximately 70% to 90% of its assets in the securities of other investment companies.

REAL ESTATE INVESTMENT TRUSTS (“REITs”) pool investors’ funds for investment primarily in income producing real estate or real estate related loans or interests. A REIT is not taxed on income distributed to shareholders if it complies with various requirements relating to its organization, ownership, assets and income and with the requirement that it distribute to its shareholders at least 95% of its taxable income (other than net capital gains) for each taxable year. REITs can generally be classified as Equity REITs, Mortgage REITs and Hybrid REITs. Equity REITs invest the majority of their assets directly in real property and derive their income primarily from rents. Equity REITs can also realize capital gains by selling property that has appreciated in value. Mortgage REITs invest the majority of their assets in real estate mortgages and derive their income primarily from interest payments. Hybrid REITs combine the characteristics of both Equity REITs and Mortgage REITs. Equity REITs may be affected by changes in the value of the underlying property owned by the trusts, while Mortgage REITs may be affected by the quality of credit extended. Equity and Mortgage REITs are dependent upon management skill, may not be diversified and are subject to project financing risks. Such trusts are also subject to heavy cash flow dependency, defaults by borrowers, self-liquidation and the possibility of failing to qualify for tax-free pass-through of income under the Code and to maintain exemption from registration under the 1940 Act. Changes in interest rates may also affect the value of the debt securities in the Portfolio’s portfolio. By investing in REITs indirectly through the Portfolio, a shareholder will bear not only his proportionate share of the expense of the Portfolio, but also, indirectly, similar expenses of the REITs, including compensation of management.

REVERSE REPURCHASE AGREEMENTS. Reverse repurchase agreements may be entered into with brokers, dealers, domestic and foreign banks or other financial institutions that have been determined by the Adviser/Subadviser to be creditworthy. In a reverse repurchase agreement, the Portfolio sells a security and agrees to repurchase it at a mutually agreed upon date and price, reflecting the interest rate effective for the term of the agreement. It may also be viewed as the borrowing of money by the Portfolio. The Portfolio’s investment of the proceeds of a reverse repurchase agreement is the speculative factor known as leverage. A Portfolio will enter into a reverse repurchase agreement only if the interest income from investment of the proceeds is expected to be greater than the interest expense of the transaction and the proceeds are invested for a period no longer than the term of the agreement. In order to minimize any risk involved, the Portfolio will segregate cash or other liquid securities in an amount at least equal to its purchase obligations under these agreements (including accrued interest). In the event that the buyer of securities under a reverse repurchase agreement files for

 

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bankruptcy or becomes insolvent, the buyer or its trustee or receiver may receive an extension of time to determine whether to enforce the Portfolio’s repurchase obligation, and the Portfolio’s use of proceeds of the agreement may effectively be restricted pending such decision. Reverse repurchase agreements are considered to be borrowings and are subject to the percentage limitations on borrowings. See “Investment Restrictions.”

ROLL TRANSACTIONS involve the sale of mortgage or other asset-backed securities (“roll securities”) with the commitment to purchase substantially similar (same type, coupon and maturity) securities on a specified future date. During the roll period, the Portfolio forgoes principal and interest paid on the roll securities. The Portfolio is compensated by the difference between the current sales price and the lower forward price for the future purchase (often referred to as the “drop”) as well as by the interest earned on the cash proceeds of the initial sale. The Portfolio also could be compensated through the receipt of fee income equivalent to a lower forward price. A “covered roll” is a specific type of dollar roll for which there is an offsetting cash position or a cash equivalent security position that matures on or before the forward settlement date of the dollar roll transaction. A Portfolio will enter only into covered rolls. Because roll transactions involve both the sale and purchase of a security, they may cause the reported portfolio turnover rate to be higher than that reflecting typical portfolio management activities.

Roll transactions involve certain risks, including the following: if the broker-dealer to whom the Portfolio sells the security becomes insolvent, the Portfolio’s right to purchase or repurchase the security subject to the dollar roll may be restricted and the instrument that the Portfolio is required to repurchase may be worth less than an instrument that the Portfolio originally held. Successful use of roll transactions will depend upon the Adviser/Subadviser’s ability to predict correctly interest rates and in the case of mortgage dollar rolls, mortgage prepayments. For these reasons, there is no assurance that dollar rolls can be successfully employed.

SECTOR RISK. Companies with similar characteristics may be grouped together in broad categories called sectors. Sector risk is the possibility that a certain sector may underperform other sectors or the market as a whole. As a Portfolio allocates more of its portfolio holdings to a particular sector, the Portfolio’s performance will be more susceptible to any economic, business or other developments which generally affect that sector.

SECURITIES LENDING. Consistent with applicable regulatory requirements, each Portfolio except the Cash Management Portfolio may lend portfolio securities in amounts up to 33 1/3% of total assets to brokers, dealers and other financial institutions, provided that such loans are callable at any time by a Portfolio and are at all times secured by cash or equivalent collateral. In lending its portfolio securities, a Portfolio receives income while retaining the securities’ potential for capital appreciation. The advantage of such loans is that a Portfolio continues to receive the interest and dividends on the loaned securities while at the same time earning interest on the collateral, which will be invested in short-term debt securities, including repurchase agreements. A loan may be terminated by the borrower on one business day’s notice or by a Portfolio at any time. If the borrower fails to maintain the requisite amount of collateral, the loan automatically terminates, and the Portfolio could use the collateral to replace the securities while holding the borrower liable for any excess of replacement cost over collateral. As with any extensions of credit, there are risks of delay in recovery and in some cases even loss of rights in the collateral should the borrower of the securities fail financially. However, these loans of portfolio securities will be made only to firms deemed by the Adviser to be creditworthy. On termination of the loan, the borrower is required to return the securities to a Portfolio; and any gain or loss in the market price of the loaned security during the loan would inure to the Portfolio. A Portfolio may also suffer losses if the value of the securities in which cash collateral is invested declines. Each such Portfolio will pay reasonable finders’, administrative and custodial fees in connection with a loan of its securities or may share the interest earned on collateral with the borrower.

Since voting or consent rights accompanying loaned securities pass to the borrower, each such Portfolio will follow the policy of calling the loan, in whole or in part as may be appropriate, to permit the exercise of such rights if the Adviser determines that the matters involved would have a material effect on the Portfolio’s investment in the securities that are the subject of the loan and that it is feasible to recall the loan on a timely basis.

Each Portfolio except the Cash Management Portfolio may lend securities; however, at the present time no Portfolio engages in securities lending.

SHORT SALES are effected by selling a security that a Portfolio does not own. Certain Portfolios may engage in short sales “against the box.” A short sale is “against the box” to the extent that a Portfolio contemporaneously owns, or has the right to obtain without payment, securities identical to those sold short. A short sale against the box of an “appreciated financial

 

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position” (e.g., appreciated stock) generally is treated as a sale by the Portfolio for federal income tax purposes. A Portfolio generally will recognize any gain (but not loss) for federal income tax purposes at the time that it makes a short sale against the box. A Portfolio may not enter into a short sale against the box, if, as a result, more than 25% of its total assets would be subject to such short sales, except for the SunAmerica Dynamic Allocation Portfolio and Total Return Bond Portfolio which have no limitation. The High-Yield Bond Portfolio, SunAmerica Dynamic Allocation Portfolio and Total Return Bond Portfolio may also engage in short sales that are not “against the box.” In such a short transaction, a Portfolio sells a security it does not own to a purchaser at a specified price. To complete the short sale, a Portfolio must: (1) borrow the security to deliver it to the purchaser and (2) buy that same security in the market to return it to the lender. When a Portfolio makes a short sale, the proceeds it receives from the sale will be held on behalf of a broker until the Portfolio replaces the borrowed securities. To deliver the securities to the buyer, a Portfolio will need to arrange through a broker to borrow the securities and, in so doing, a Portfolio will become obligated to replace the securities borrowed at their market price at the time of replacement, whatever that price may be. A Portfolio may have to pay a premium to borrow the securities and must pay any dividends or interest payable on the securities until they are replaced. Until a Portfolio replaces a borrowed security, the Portfolio will segregate and maintain daily, cash or other liquid securities, at such a level that the amount segregated plus the amount deposited as collateral will equal the current value of the security sold short. Short sales by the Portfolio involve certain risks and special considerations. Possible losses from short sales differ from losses that could be incurred from a purchase of a security, because losses from short sales may be unlimited, whereas losses from purchases can equal only the total amount invested.

SHORT-TERM INVESTMENTS, including both U.S. and non-U.S. dollar denominated money market instruments, are invested in for reasons that may include (a) for liquidity purposes (to meet redemptions and expenses); (b) to generate a return on idle cash held by a Portfolio during periods when an Adviser/Subadviser is unable to locate favorable investment opportunities; or (c) for temporary defensive purposes. Although each Portfolio may invest in short-term investments, the Cash Management Portfolio invests principally in short-term investments. Common short-term investments include, but are not limited to:

Limitations applicable to the Cash Management Portfolio. The policies of the Cash Management Portfolio, as discussed in the following paragraphs, are amended to reflect the following:

 

  (1) The Cash Management Portfolio may not purchase any “second-tier security” with a remaining maturity greater than 45 days. A second tier security is a security eligible for purchase by the Portfolio that has been rated by NRSROs in the in the second highest short-term rating category or determined by the investment adviser, pursuant to guidelines established by the Board of Trustees, to be of comparable quality.

 

  (2) No more than 3% of the Cash Management Portfolio’s assets may be invested in second-tier securities, including commercial securities and extendible commercial notes (“ECNs”) (change from the previous limit of 5%).

 

  (3) No more than 1/2 of 1% of the Cash Management Portfolio’s assets may be invested in second-tier securities issued by a single issuer (change from the previous limit of the greater of 1% or $1 million).

Money Market Securities. Money market securities may include securities issued or guaranteed by the U.S. government, its agencies or instrumentalities, repurchase agreements, commercial paper, bankers’ acceptances, time deposits and certificates of deposit.

Commercial Bank Obligations are certificates of deposit (“CDs”) (interest-bearing time deposits), bankers’ acceptances (time drafts drawn on a commercial bank where the bank accepts an irrevocable obligation to pay at maturity) and documented discount notes (corporate promissory discount notes accompanied by a commercial bank guarantee to pay at maturity) representing direct or contingent obligations of commercial banks. CDs are securities that represent deposits in a depository institution for a specified rate of interest and normally are negotiable. CDs issued by a foreign branch (usually London) of a U.S. domestic bank are known as Eurodollar CDs. Although certain risks may be associated with Eurodollar CDs that are not associated with CDs issued in the U.S. by domestic banks, the credit risks of these obligations are similar because U.S. banks generally are liable for the obligations of their branches. CDs issued through U.S. branches of foreign banks are known as Yankee CDs. These branches are

 

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subject to federal or state banking regulations. The secondary markets for Eurodollar and Yankee CDs may be less liquid than the market for CDs issued by domestic branches of U.S. banks. The Cash Management Portfolio may also invest in obligations issued by commercial banks with total assets of less than $1 billion if the principal amount of these obligations owned by the Cash Management Portfolio is fully insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (“FDIC”).

Savings Association Obligations are CDs issued by mutual savings banks or savings and loan associations for a definite period of time and earning a specified return. The Cash Management Portfolio may also invest in obligations issued by mutual savings banks or savings and loan associations with total assets of less than $1 billion if the principal amount of these obligations owned by the Cash Management Portfolio is fully insured by the FDIC.

Commercial Paper are short-term notes (up to 12 months) issued by domestic and foreign corporations or governmental bodies, including variable amount master demand notes and floating rate or variable rate notes. The Cash Management Portfolio may purchase commercial paper only if judged by the Adviser to be of suitable investment quality. This includes commercial paper that is (a) rated in one of the two highest categories by any two or more nationally recognized statistical rating organizations (“NRSRO”) or one NRSRO if only one NRSRO has rated the security, or (b) other commercial paper deemed on the basis of the issuer’s creditworthiness to be of a quality appropriate for the Cash Management Portfolio. (No more than 3% of the Cash Management Portfolio’s assets may be invested in commercial paper in the second highest rating category; no more than 1/2 of 1% of the Cash Management Portfolio’s assets may be invested in such securities of any one issuer.) See “Appendix - Corporate Bond and Commercial Paper Ratings” for a description of the ratings. The Cash Management Portfolio will not purchase commercial paper described in (b) above if such paper would in the aggregate exceed 15% of its total assets after such purchase.

Extendable Commercial Notes are very similar to commercial paper except that with ECNs the issuer has the option to extend maturity to 390 days. ECNs are issued at a discount rate with an initial redemption of not more than 90 days from the date of issue. The issuer of an ECN has the option to extend maturity to 390 days. If ECNs are not redeemed by the issuer on the initial redemption date the issuer will pay a premium (step-up) rate based on the ECNs’ credit rating at the time. The Cash Management Portfolio may purchase ECNs only if judged by its Subadviser to be of suitable investment quality. This includes ECNs that are (a) rated in the two highest categories by S&P Rating Service, a division of the McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. by Moody’s Investor Service, Inc. (“Moody’s”), Fitch Research (“Fitch”), or if unrated, determined by the Adviser/Subadviser to be of comparable quality, or (b) other ECNs deemed on the basis of the issuer’s creditworthiness to be of a quality appropriate for the Cash Management Portfolio. (No more than 3% of the Cash Management Portfolio’s assets may be invested in ECNs in the second highest rating category; no more than 1/2 of 1% of the Cash Management Portfolio’s assets may be invested in such securities of any one issuer). See “Appendix - Corporate Bond and Commercial Paper Ratings” for a description of the ratings. The Cash Management Portfolio will not purchase ECNs described in (b) above if such paper would in the aggregate exceed 15% of its total assets after such purchase.

Variable Amount Master Demand Notes permit a Portfolio to invest varying amounts at fluctuating rates of interest pursuant to the agreement in the master note. These are direct lending obligations between the lender and borrower, they are generally not traded, and there is no secondary market. Such instruments are payable with accrued interest in whole or in part on demand. The amounts of the instruments are subject to daily fluctuations as the participants increase or decrease the extent of their participation. The Cash Management Portfolio’s investments in these instruments are limited to those that have a demand feature enabling the Cash Management Portfolio unconditionally to receive the amount invested from the issuer upon seven or fewer days’ notice. Generally, the Cash Management Portfolio attempts to invest in instruments having a one-day notice provision. In connection with master demand note arrangements, the Adviser/Subadviser, subject to the direction of the Trustees, monitors on an ongoing basis the earning power, cash flow and other liquidity ratios of the borrower, and its ability to pay principal and interest on demand. The Adviser/Subadviser also considers the extent to which the variable amount master demand notes are backed by bank letters of credit. These notes generally are not rated by Moody’s or S& P and a Portfolio may invest in them only if it is determined that at the time of investment the notes are of comparable quality to the other commercial paper in which a Portfolio may invest. Master demand notes are considered to have a maturity equal to the repayment notice period unless the Adviser/Subadviser has reason to believe that the borrower could not make timely repayment upon demand.

 

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Corporate Bonds and Notes. A Portfolio may purchase corporate obligations that mature or that may be redeemed in 397 days or less. These obligations originally may have been issued with maturities in excess of such period. The Cash Management Portfolio may invest only in corporate bonds or notes of issuers having outstanding short-term securities rated in the top two rating categories by S&P, Moody’s, Fitch, or if unrated, determined to be of comparable quality by the Adviser/Subadviser. See “Appendix - Corporate Bond and Commercial Paper Ratings” for description of investment-grade ratings by S&P and Moody’s.

U.S. Government Securities are debt securities maturing within one year of the date of purchase include adjustable-rate mortgage securities backed by GNMA, FNMA, FHLMC, and other non-agency issuers. Although certain floating or variable rate obligations (securities whose coupon rate changes at least annually and generally more frequently) have maturities in excess of one year, they are also considered short-term debt securities.

Repurchase Agreements. A Portfolio will enter into repurchase agreements involving only securities in which it could otherwise invest and with selected banks and securities dealers whose financial condition is monitored by the Adviser/Subadviser, subject to the guidance of the Board of Trustees. In such agreements, the seller agrees to repurchase the security at a mutually agreed-upon time and price. The period of maturity is usually quite short, either overnight or a few days, although it may extend over a number of months. The repurchase price is in excess of the purchase price by an amount that reflects an agreed-upon rate of return effective for the period of time a Portfolio’s money is invested in the security. Whenever a Portfolio enters into a repurchase agreement, it obtains appropriate collateral. The instruments held as collateral are valued daily and if the value of the instruments declines, the Portfolio will require additional collateral. If the seller under the repurchase agreement defaults, the Portfolio may incur a loss if the value of the collateral securing the repurchase agreement has declined, and may incur disposition costs in connection with liquidating the collateral. In addition, if bankruptcy proceedings are commenced with respect to the seller of the security, realization of the collateral by the Portfolio may be delayed or limited. The Trustees have established guidelines to be used by the Adviser/Subadviser in connection with transactions in repurchase agreements and will regularly monitor each Portfolio’s use of repurchase agreements. A Portfolio will not invest in repurchase agreements maturing in more than seven days if the aggregate of such investments along with other illiquid securities exceeds 15% (5% with respect to the Cash Management Portfolio) of the value of its total assets. However, repurchase agreements having a maturity of seven days or less for temporary defensive purposes are not subject to the limits on illiquid securities.

Money Market Funds. The Cash Management Portfolio is permitted to invest in other registered money market funds for temporary purposes and to the extent permitted under the 1940 Act, provided that the yield on such investment, net of fund fees and expenses, is greater than the yield available on other overnight investments.

SPECIAL SITUATIONS. As described in the applicable Prospectus(es), certain Portfolios may invest in “special situations.” A special situation arises when, in the opinion of a Subadviser, the securities of a particular issuer will be recognized and appreciated in value due to a specific development with respect to that issuer. Developments creating a special situation might include, among others, a new product or process, a technological breakthrough, a management change or other extraordinary corporate event, or differences in market supply of and in demand for the security. Investments in special situations may carry an additional risk of loss in the event that the anticipated development does not occur or does not attract the expected attention.

In addition, each Portfolio may invest in securities and other instruments that do not presently exist but may be developed in the future, provided that each such investment is consistent with the Portfolio’s investment goals and strategies and is otherwise legally permissible under federal and state laws. The Prospectuses and SAI, as appropriate, will be amended or supplemented as appropriate to discuss any such new investments.

STANDBY COMMITMENTS. Standby commitments are put options that entitle holders to same day settlement at an exercise price equal to the amortized cost of the underlying security plus accrued interest, if any, at the time of exercise. A Portfolio may acquire standby commitments to enhance the liquidity of portfolio securities, but only when the issuers of the commitments present minimal risk of default. Ordinarily, the Portfolio may not transfer a standby commitment to a third party, although it could sell the underlying municipal security to a third party at any time. A Portfolio may purchase standby commitments separate from or in conjunction with the purchase of securities subject to such commitments. In the latter case, the Portfolio would pay a higher price for the securities acquired, thus reducing their yield to maturity. Standby commitments will not affect the dollar-weighted average maturity of the Portfolio, or the valuation of the securities underlying the

 

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commitments. Issuers or financial intermediaries may obtain letters of credit or other guarantees to support their ability to buy securities on demand. The Adviser/Subadviser may rely upon its evaluation of a bank’s credit in determining whether to support an instrument supported by a letter of credit. Standby commitments are subject to certain risks, including: the ability of issuers of standby commitments to pay for securities at the time the commitments are exercised; the fact that standby commitments are not marketable by the Portfolios; and the possibility that the maturities of the underlying securities may be different from those of the commitments.

SWAPS. Interest-Rate Swaps, Currency Swaps, Options on Swaps and Interest-Rate Caps, Floors and Collars. Entering into interest-rate swaps or mortgage swaps or purchasing interest-rate caps, floors or collars is often done to protect against interest rate fluctuations and hedge against fluctuations in the fixed income market. A Portfolio will generally enter into these hedging transactions primarily to preserve a return or spread on a particular investment or portion of the portfolio and to protect against any increase in the price of securities the Portfolio anticipates purchasing at a later date. Interest-rate swaps involve the exchange by the Portfolio with another party of their respective commitments to pay or receive interest, e.g., an exchange of floating-rate payments for fixed-rate payments. Since interest-rate swaps are individually negotiated, the Portfolios expect to achieve an acceptable degree of correlation between their respective portfolio investments and their interest-rate positions. Portfolios will enter into interest-rate swaps only on a net basis, which means that the two payment streams are netted out, with the Portfolios receiving or paying, as the case may be, only the net amount of the two payments. Interest-rate swaps do not involve the delivery of securities, other underlying assets or principal. Accordingly, the risk of loss with respect to interest-rate swaps is limited to the net amount of interest payments that the Portfolio is contractually obligated to make. If the other party to an interest-rate swap defaults, the Portfolio’s risk of loss consists of the net amount of interest payments that the Portfolio is contractually entitled to receive, if any. The use of interest-rate swaps is a highly specialized activity which involves investment techniques and risks different from those associated with ordinary portfolio securities transactions.

The purchase of an interest-rate cap entitles the purchaser, to the extent that a specified index exceeds a predetermined interest rate, to receive payment 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. An interest-rate collar is the combination of a cap and a floor that preserves a certain return within a predetermined range of interest rates. Since interest rate, mortgage, credit and currency swaps and interest rate caps, floors and collars are individually negotiated, each Portfolio expects to achieve an acceptable degree of correlation between its portfolio investments and its swap, cap, floor and collar positions.

The Portfolios, other than the Total Return Bond Portfolio, will not enter into any mortgage swap, interest-rate swap, cap or floor transaction unless the unsecured commercial paper, senior debt, or the claims paying ability of the other party thereto is rated either AA or A-1 or better by S&P and Fitch or Aa or P-1 or better by Moody’s, or is determined to be of equivalent quality by the applicable Subadviser. The Total Return Bond Portfolio has the ability to enter into swaps and swap related transaction (such as caps and floors) if the unsecured commercial paper, senior debt, or the claims paying ability of the other party thereto is rated A or better by S&P, Fitch or Moody’s.

Currently, the Global Bond Portfolio may invest up to 5% of its net assets in credit default swaps, currency swaps and option on swaps. The Corporate Bond Portfolio may invest up to 5% in credit default swaps and up to 10% of net assets for all other derivatives, including currency swaps, total return swaps, interest rate swaps, caps, floors and collars.

Credit default swaps. The credit default swap agreement may have as reference obligations one or more securities that are not currently held by the Portfolio. The protection “buyer” in a credit default contract is generally obligated to pay the protection “seller” an upfront or a periodic stream of payments over the term of the contract provided that no credit event, such as a default, on a reference obligation has occurred. If a credit event occurs, the seller generally must pay the buyer the “par value” (full notional value) of the swap in exchange for an equal face amount of deliverable obligations of the reference entity described in the swap, or the seller may be required to deliver the related net cash amount, if the swap is cash settled. A Portfolio may be either the buyer or seller in the transaction. If the Portfolio is a buyer and no credit event occurs, the Portfolio may recover nothing if the swap is held through its termination date. However, if a credit event occurs, the buyer generally may elect to receive the full notional value of the swap in exchange for an equal face amount of deliverable obligations of the reference entity whose value may have significantly decreased. As a seller, a Portfolio generally receives an upfront payment or a fixed rate of income throughout the term of the swap provided that there is no credit event. As the seller, a Portfolio would effectively add leverage to its portfolio because, in addition to its total net assets, a Portfolio would be subject to investment exposure on the notional amount of the swap.

 

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Credit default swap agreements involve greater risks than if a Portfolio had invested in the reference obligation directly since, in addition to general market risks, credit default swaps are subject to illiquidity risk, counterparty risk and credit risk. A Portfolio will enter into credit default swap agreements only with counterparties that meet certain standards of creditworthiness. A buyer generally also will lose its investment and recover nothing should no credit event occur and the swap is held to its termination date. If a credit event were to occur, the value of any deliverable obligation received by the seller, coupled with the upfront or periodic payments previously received, may be less than the full notional value it pays to the buyer, resulting in a loss of value to the seller. The Portfolio’s obligations under a credit default swap agreement will be accrued daily (offset against any amounts owing to the Portfolio). In connection with credit default swaps in which a Portfolio is the buyer, the Portfolio will segregate or “earmark” cash or assets determined to be liquid by the adviser/subadviser, or enter into certain offsetting positions, with a value at least equal to the Portfolio’s exposure (any accrued but unpaid net amounts owed by the Portfolio to any counterparty), on a marked-to-market basis. In connection with credit default swaps in which a Portfolio is the seller, the Portfolio will segregate or “earmark” cash or assets determined to be liquid by the adviser/subadviser, or enter into offsetting positions, with a value at least equal to the full notional amount of the swap (minus any amounts owed to the Portfolio). Such segregation or “earmarking” will ensure that the Portfolio has assets available to satisfy its obligations with respect to the transaction and will limit any potential leveraging of the Portfolio’s portfolio. Such segregation or “earmarking” will not limit the Portfolio’s exposure to loss.

For purposes of applying the Portfolios’ investment policies and restrictions (as stated in the Prospectuses and this SAI) swap agreements are generally valued by the Portfolios at market value. In the case of a credit default swap sold by a Portfolio (i.e., where the Portfolio is selling credit default protection), however, in applying certain of the Portfolios’ investment policies and restrictions the Portfolio will value the credit default swap at its notional amount but may value the credit default swap at market value for purposes of applying certain of the Portfolios’ other investment policies and restrictions. The manner in which certain securities or other instruments are valued by the Portfolios for purposes of applying investment policies and restrictions may differ from the manner in which those investments are valued by other types of investors.

CDXs are indices of credit default swaps designed to track segments of the credit default swap market and provide investors with exposure to specific reference baskets of issuers of bonds or loans. The CDX reference baskets are priced daily and rebalanced every six months in conjunction with leading market makers in the credit industry. While investing in CDXs will increase the universe of bonds and loans to which a Portfolio is exposed, such investments entail risks that are not typically associated with investments in other debt instruments. The liquidity of the market for CDXs will be subject to liquidity in the secured loan and credit derivatives markets. Investment in CDXs involves many of the risks associated with investments in other derivative instruments.

Currency Swaps. Currency swaps involve the exchange of the parties’ respective rights to make or receive payments in specified currencies. A swaption is an option to enter into a swap agreement. Like other types of options, the buyer of a swaption pays a non-refundable premium for the option and obtains the right, but not the obligation, to enter into an underlying swap on agreed upon terms. The seller of a swaption, in exchange for the premium, becomes obligated (if the option is exercised) to enter into an underlying swap on agreed-upon terms.

Equity Swaps. Equity swaps, a type of total return swap, are typically entered into for the purpose of investing in a market without owning or taking physical custody of securities in various circumstances where direct investment in the securities is restricted for legal reasons or is otherwise impracticable. Equity swaps may also be used for hedging purposes or to seek to increase total return. The counterparty to an equity swap contract will typically be a bank, investment banking firm or broker/dealer. Equity swap contracts may be structured in different ways. The counterparty will generally agree to pay the Portfolio the amount, if any, by which the notional amount of the equity swap contract would have increased in value had it been invested in particular stocks (or an index of stocks), plus the dividends that would have been received on those stocks. In these cases, the Portfolio may agree to pay to the counterparty a floating rate of interest on the notional amount of the equity swap contract plus the amount, if any, by which that notional amount would have decreased in value had it been invested in such stocks. Therefore, the return to the Portfolio on any equity swap contract should be the gain or loss on the notional amount plus dividends on the stocks less the interest paid by the Portfolio on the notional amount. In other cases, the counterparty and the Portfolio may agree to pay the other the difference between the relative investment performances that would have been achieved if the notional amount of the equity swap contract had been invested in different stocks (or indices of stocks).

 

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A Portfolio will generally enter into equity swaps only on a net basis, which means that the two payment streams are netted out, with the Portfolio receiving or paying, as the case may be, only the net amount of the two payments. Payments may be made at the conclusion of an equity swap contract or periodically during its term. Equity swaps normally do not involve the delivery of securities or other underlying assets. Accordingly, the risk of loss with respect to equity swaps is normally limited to the net amount of payments that a Portfolio is contractually obligated to make. If the other party to an equity swap defaults, the Portfolio’s risk of loss consists of the net amount of payment that the Portfolio is contractually entitled to receive, if any. The Portfolio will segregate cash or other liquid securities in an amount having an aggregate net asset value at least equal to the accrued excess of the Portfolio’s obligations over its entitlements with respect to each equity swap. Inasmuch as these transactions are entered into for hedging purposes or are offset by segregated cash or liquid assets to cover the Portfolio’s potential exposure, as permitted by applicable law, the Portfolio believes that transactions do not constitute senior securities under the 1940 Act and, accordingly, will not treat them as being subject to the Portfolio’s borrowing restrictions.

Inflation Swaps. Inflation swap agreements are contracts in which one party agrees to pay the cumulative percentage increase in a price index, such as the Consumer Price Index, over the term of the swap (with some lag on the referenced inflation index), and the other pays a compounded fixed rate. A Portfolio intends to utilize inflation swap agreements where there is no exchange of cash payments until the maturity of the swap. These are sometimes called zero coupon inflation swaps. Inflation swap agreements may be used to protect the net asset value of the Portfolio against an unexpected change in the rate of inflation measured by an inflation index.

Inflation swap agreements entail the risk that a party will default on its payment obligations to the Portfolio thereunder. Swap agreements also bear the risk that the Portfolio will not be able to meet its obligation to the counterparty. The Portfolio will enter into inflation swaps on a net basis (i.e., the two payment streams are netted out at maturity with the Portfolio receiving or paying, as the case may be, only the net amount of the two payments). The net amount of the excess, if any, of the Portfolio’s obligations over its entitlements with respect to each inflation swap will be accrued on a daily basis, and an amount of cash or liquid instruments having an aggregate net asset value at least equal to the accrued excess will be segregated by the Portfolio. The value of inflation swap agreements are expected to change in response to changes in real interest rates. Real interest rates are tied to the relationship between nominal interest rates and the rate of inflation. If nominal interest rates increase at a faster rate than inflation, real interest rates may rise, leading to a decrease in value of an inflation swap agreement. Additionally, payments received by the Portfolio from swap transactions, such as inflation swap agreements and other types of swap discussed below, will result in taxable income, either as ordinary income or capital gains, rather than tax-exempt income, which will increase the amount of taxable distributions received by shareholders.

The Capital Growth Portfolio may invest up to 15% of its net assets (together with other illiquid securities) in all structured securities not deemed to be liquid and swap transactions.

Mortgage Swaps. Mortgage swaps are similar to interest-rate swaps in that they represent commitments to pay and receive interest. The notional principal amount, upon which the value of the interest payments is based, is tied to a reference pool or pools of mortgages.

Total Return Swaps. Total return swaps are contracts under which one party agrees to make payments of the total return from the underlying asset during the specified period, in return for payments equal to a fixed or floating rate of interest or the total return from another underlying asset.

U.S. GOVERNMENT SECURITIES are issued or guaranteed by the U.S. Government, its agencies and instrumentalities. Some U.S. Government securities are issued or unconditionally guaranteed by the U.S. Treasury. They are of high credit quality. While these securities are subject to variations in market value due to fluctuations in interest rates, they will be paid in full if held to maturity. Other U.S. Government securities are neither direct obligations of nor guaranteed by the U.S. Treasury. However, they involve federal sponsorship in one way or another. For example, some are backed by specific types of collateral; some are supported by the issuer’s right to borrow from the Treasury; some are supported by the discretionary authority of the Treasury to purchase certain obligations of the issuer; and others are supported only by the credit of the issuing government agency or instrumentality.

U.S. TREASURY INFLATION PROTECTION SECURITIES are issued by the United States Department of the Treasury (“Treasury”) with a nominal return linked to the inflation rate in prices. The index used to measure inflation is the non-seasonally adjusted U.S. City Average All Items Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (“CPI-U”). The value of

 

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the principal is adjusted for inflation, and pays interest every six months. The interest payment is equal to a fixed percentage of the inflation-adjusted value of the principal. The final payment of principal of the security will not be less than the original par amount of the security at issuance. The principal of the inflation-protection security is indexed to the non-seasonally adjusted CPI-U. To calculate the inflation-adjusted principal value for a particular valuation date, the value of the principal at issuance is multiplied by the index ratio applicable to that valuation date. The index ratio for any date is the ratio of the reference CPI applicable to such date to the reference CPI applicable to the original issue date. Semiannual coupon interest is determined by multiplying the inflation-adjusted principal amount by one-half of the stated rate of interest on each interest payment date. Inflation-adjusted principal or the original par amount, whichever is larger, is paid on the maturity date as specified in the applicable offering announcement. If at maturity the inflation-adjusted principal is less than the original principal value of the security, an additional amount is paid at maturity so that the additional amount plus the inflation-adjusted principal equals the original principal amount. Some inflation-protection securities may be stripped into principal and interest components. In the case of a stripped security, the holder of the stripped principal component would receive this additional amount. The final interest payment, however, will be based on the final inflation-adjusted principal value, not the original par amount.

The reference CPI for the first day of any calendar month is the CPI-U for the third preceding calendar month. (For example, the reference CPI for December 1 is the CPI-U reported for September of the same year, which is released in October.) The reference CPI for any other day of the month is calculated by a linear interpolation between the reference CPI applicable to the first day of the month and the reference CPI applicable to the first day of the following month. Any revisions the Bureau of Labor Statistics (or successor agency) makes to any CPI-U number that has been previously released will not be used in calculations of the value of outstanding inflation-protection securities. In the case that the CPI-U for a particular month is not reported by the last day of the following month, the Treasury will announce an index number based on the last year-over-year CPI-U inflation rate available. Any calculations of the Treasury’s payment obligations on the inflation-protection security that need that month’s CPI-U number will be based on the index number that the Treasury has announced. If the CPI-U is rebased to a different year, the Treasury will continue to use the CPI-U series based on the base reference period in effect when the security was first issued as long as that series continues to be published. If the CPI-U is discontinued during the period the inflation-protection security is outstanding, the Treasury will, in consultation with the Bureau of Labor Statistics (or successor agency), determine an appropriate substitute index and methodology for linking the discontinued series with the new price index series. Determinations of the Secretary of the Treasury in this regard are final.

Inflation-protection securities will be held and transferred in either of two book-entry systems: the commercial book-entry system (TRADES) and TREASURY DIRECT. The securities will be maintained and transferred at their original par amount, i.e., not at their inflation-adjusted value. STRIPS components will be maintained and transferred in TRADES at their value based on the original par amount of the fully constituted security.

VALUE INVESTING. A Portfolio’s emphasis on securities believed to be under-valued by the market uses a technique followed by certain very wealthy investors highlighted by the media and a number of private partnerships with very high minimum investments. It requires not only the resources to undertake exhaustive research of little followed, out-of-favor securities, but also the patience and discipline to hold these investments until their intrinsic values are ultimately recognized by others in the marketplace. There can be no assurance that this technique will be successful for the Portfolio or that the Portfolio will achieve its investment goal.

When a Portfolio buys securities of companies emerging from bankruptcy, it may encounter risks that do not exist with other investments. Companies emerging from bankruptcy may have some difficulty retaining customers and suppliers who prefer transacting with solvent organizations. If new management is installed in a company emerging from bankruptcy, the management may be considered untested; if the existing management is retained, the management may be considered incompetent. Further, even when a company has emerged from bankruptcy with a lower level of debt, it may still retain a relatively weak balance sheet. During economic downturns these companies may not have sufficient cash flow to pay their debt obligations and may also have difficulty finding additional financing. In addition, reduced liquidity in the secondary market may make it difficult for a Portfolio to sell the securities or to value them based on actual trades.

WARRANTS give the holder of the warrant a right to purchase a given number of shares of a particular issue at a specified price until expiration. Such investments can generally provide a greater potential for profit or loss than investments of equivalent amounts in the underlying common stock. The prices of warrants do not necessarily move with the prices of the underlying securities. If the holder does not sell the warrant, it risks the loss of its entire investment if the market price of the underlying stock does not, before the expiration date, exceed the exercise price of the warrant plus the cost thereof. Investment in warrants is a speculative activity. Warrants pay no dividends and confer no rights (other than the right to purchase the underlying stock) with respect to the assets of the issuer.

 

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WHEN-ISSUED AND DELAYED-DELIVERY SECURITIES. When-issued or delayed-delivery transactions call for the purchase or sale of securities at an agreed-upon price on a specified future date. Although a Portfolio will enter into such transactions for the purpose of acquiring securities for its portfolio or for delivery pursuant to options contracts it has entered into, the Portfolio may dispose of a commitment prior to settlement. When such transactions are negotiated, the price (which is generally expressed in yield terms) is fixed at the time the commitment is made, but delivery and payment for the securities take place at a later date. During the period between commitment by a Portfolio and settlement, no payment is made for the securities purchased by the purchaser, and no interest accrues to the purchaser from the transaction. Such securities are subject to market fluctuation, and the value at delivery may be less than the purchase price. A Portfolio will segregate cash or other liquid securities at least equal to the value of purchase commitments until payment is made. A Portfolio will likewise segregate liquid assets in respect of securities sold on a delayed-delivery basis.

A Portfolio will engage in when-issued transactions in order to secure what is considered to be an advantageous price and yield at the time of entering into the obligation. When a Portfolio engages in when-issued or delayed-delivery transactions, it relies on the buyer or seller, as the case may be, to consummate the transaction. Failure to do so may result in a Portfolio losing the opportunity to obtain a price and yield considered to be advantageous. If a Portfolio chooses to (i) dispose of the right to acquire a when-issued security prior to its acquisition or (ii) dispose of its right to deliver or receive against a firm commitment, it may incur a gain or loss. (At the time a Portfolio makes a commitment to purchase or sell a security on a when-issued or firm commitment basis, it records the transaction and reflects the value of the security purchased, or if a sale, the proceeds to be received in determining its net asset value.)

To the extent a Portfolio engages in when-issued and delayed-delivery transactions, it will do so for the purpose of acquiring or selling securities consistent with its investment objectives and policies and not for the purposes of investment leverage. A Portfolio enters into such transactions only with the intention of actually receiving or delivering the securities, although (as noted above) when-issued securities and firm commitments may be sold prior to the settlement date. In addition, changes in interest rates in a direction other than that expected by the Adviser/Subadviser before settlement of a purchase will affect the value of such securities and may cause a loss to a Portfolio.

When-issued transactions and firm commitments may be used to offset anticipated changes in interest rates and prices. For instance, in periods of rising interest rates and falling prices, a Portfolio might sell securities in its portfolio on a forward commitment basis to attempt to limit its exposure to anticipated falling prices. In periods of falling interest rates and rising prices, a Portfolio might sell portfolio securities and purchase the same or similar securities on a when-issued or forward commitment basis, thereby obtaining the benefit of currently higher cash yields. An example of a when-issued or delayed-delivery security is a “to be announced” or “TBA” mortgage-backed security. A TBA mortgage-backed security transaction arises when a mortgage-backed security is purchased or sold with the specific pools to be announced on a future settlement date, with no definitive maturity date. The actual principal amount and maturity date will be determined upon settlement date.

ZERO COUPON BONDS, STEP-COUPON BONDS, DEFERRED INTEREST BONDS AND PIK BONDS. Fixed income securities in which a Portfolio may invest also include zero coupon bonds, step-coupon bonds, deferred interest bonds and bonds on which the interest is payable-in-kind (“PIK bonds”). Zero coupon and deferred interest bonds are debt obligations issued or purchased at a significant discount from face value. A step-coupon bond is one in which a change in interest rate is fixed contractually in advance. PIK bonds are debt obligations that provide that the issuer thereof may, at its option, pay interest on such bonds in cash or in the form of additional debt obligations. Such investments may experience greater volatility in market value due to changes in interest rates and other factors than debt obligations that make regular payments of interest. A Portfolio will accrue income on such investments for tax and accounting purposes, as required, that is distributable to shareholders and which, because no cash is received at the time of accrual, may require the liquidation of other portfolio securities under disadvantageous circumstances to satisfy the Portfolio’s distribution obligations.

 

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SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION ABOUT DERIVATIVES AND THEIR USE

The Trust’s custodian, or a securities depository acting for the custodian, will act as the Portfolio’s escrow agent, through the facilities of the Options Clearing Corporation (“OCC”), as to the securities on which the Portfolio has written options or as to other acceptable escrow securities, so that no margin will be required for such transaction. OCC will release the securities on the expiration of the option or upon a Portfolio’s entering into a closing transaction.

An option position may be closed out only on a market that provides secondary trading for options of the same series and there is no assurance that a liquid secondary market will exist for any particular option. A Portfolio’s option activities may affect its turnover rate and brokerage commissions. The exercise by a Portfolio of puts on securities will result in the sale of related investments, increasing portfolio turnover. Although such exercise is within a Portfolio’s control, holding a put might cause the Portfolio to sell the related investments for reasons that would not exist in the absence of the put. A Portfolio will pay a brokerage commission each time it buys a put or call, sells a call, or buys or sells an underlying investment in connection with the exercise of a put or call. Such commissions may be higher than those that would apply to direct purchases or sales of such underlying investments. Premiums paid for options are small in relation to the market value of the related investments and, consequently, put and call options offer large amounts of leverage. The leverage offered by trading in options could result in a Portfolio’s net asset value being more sensitive to changes in the value of the underlying investments.

In the future, each Portfolio may employ derivatives and strategies that are not presently contemplated but which may be developed, to the extent such investment methods are consistent with a Portfolio’s investment objectives, legally permissible and adequately disclosed.

Regulatory Aspects of Derivatives. Each Portfolio that utilizes such instruments must operate within certain restrictions as to its long and short positions in Futures and options thereon under a rule (the “CFTC Rule”) adopted by the CFTC under the CEA, which excludes the Portfolio from registration with the CFTC as a CPO (as defined in the CEA) if it complies with the CFTC Rule. In particular, the Portfolio may (i) purchase and sell Futures and options thereon for bona fide hedging purposes, as defined under CFTC regulations, without regard to the percentage of the Portfolio’s assets committed to margin and option premiums, and (ii) enter into non-hedging transactions, provided that the Portfolio may not enter into such non-hedging transactions if, immediately thereafter, the sum of the amount of initial margin deposits on the Portfolio’s existing Futures positions and option premiums would exceed 5% of the fair value of its portfolio, after taking into account unrealized profits and unrealized losses on any such transactions. Margin deposits may consist of cash or securities acceptable to the broker and the relevant contract market.

In February 2012, the CFTC adopted changes to the CFTC Rule that will subject SAAMCo to registration with the CFTC as a CPO if the Portfolios that utilize derivative instruments are unable to comply with certain trading and marketing limitations. With respect to investments in commodity futures, commodity options or certain other derivatives used for purposes other than bona fide hedging purposes, such a Portfolio must meet one of the following tests: (1) the aggregate initial margin and premiums required to establish the Portfolio’s positions in such investments may not exceed 5% of the liquidation value of its portfolio (after accounting for unrealized profits and unrealized losses on any such investments); or (2) the aggregate net notional value of such instruments, determined at the time the most recent position was established, may not exceed 100% of the liquidation value of the portfolio (after accounting for unrealized profits and unrealized losses on any such positions). In addition to meeting one of the foregoing trading limitations, such a Portfolio may not market itself as a commodity pool or otherwise as a vehicle for trading in the commodity futures, commodity options or derivatives markets. The amendments to the CFTC Rule go into effect on the later of December 31, 2012 or 60 days following the CFTC’s and SEC’s joint promulgation of final rules defining the term “swap.” In the event that SAAMCo is required to register as a CPO, the disclosure and operations of each Portfolio that utilizes derivatives would need to comply with all applicable CFTC regulations.

Transactions in options by a Portfolio are subject to limitations established by each of the exchanges governing the maximum number of options that may be written or held by a single investor or group of investors acting in concert, regardless of whether the options were written or purchased on the same or different exchanges or are held in one or more accounts or through one or more exchanges or brokers. Thus, the number of options a Portfolio may write or hold may be affected by options written or held by other entities, including other investment companies having the same or an affiliated investment adviser. Position limits also apply to Futures. An exchange may order the liquidation of positions found to be in violation of those limits and may impose certain other sanctions. Due to requirements under the 1940 Act, a Portfolio is required to segregate an amount of assets equal to its obligations relative to the position involved, adjusted daily on a mark-to-market basis.

 

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Possible Risk Factors in Derivatives. Participation in the options or Futures markets and in currency exchange transactions involves investment risks and transaction costs to which a Portfolio would not be subject absent the use of these strategies. If the Adviser/Subadviser’s predictions of movements in the direction of the securities, foreign currency and interest rate markets are inaccurate, the adverse consequences to a Portfolio may leave the Portfolio in a worse position than if such strategies were not used. There is also a risk in using short hedging by selling Futures to attempt to protect against decline in value of the portfolio securities (due to an increase in interest rates) that the prices of such Futures will correlate imperfectly with the behavior of the cash (i.e., market value) prices of the Portfolio’s securities. The ordinary spreads between prices in the cash and Futures markets are subject to distortions due to differences in the natures of those markets. First, all participants in the Futures markets are subject to margin deposit and maintenance requirements. Rather than meeting additional margin deposit requirements, investors may close Futures contracts through offsetting transactions, which could distort the normal relationship between the cash and Futures markets. Second, the liquidity of the Futures markets depends on participants entering into offsetting transactions rather than making or taking delivery. To the extent participants decide to make or take delivery, liquidity in the Futures markets could be reduced, thus producing distortion. Third, from the point-of-view of speculators, the deposit requirements in the Futures markets are less onerous than margin requirements in the securities markets. Therefore, increased participation by speculators in the Futures markets may cause temporary price distortions.

If a Portfolio establishes a position in the debt securities markets as a temporary substitute for the purchase of individual debt securities (long hedging) by buying Futures and/or calls on such Futures or on debt securities, it is possible that the market may decline; if the Adviser/Subadviser then determines not to invest in such securities at that time because of concerns as to possible further market decline or for other reasons, the Portfolio will realize a loss that is not offset by a reduction in the price of the debt securities purchased.

SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION CONCERNING HIGH-YIELD, HIGH-RISK

BONDS AND SECURITIES RATINGS

HIGH-YIELD, HIGH-RISK BONDS may present certain risks, which are discussed below:

Sensitivity to Interest Rate and Economic Changes - High-yield bonds are very sensitive to adverse economic changes and corporate developments. During an economic downturn or substantial period of rising interest rates, highly leveraged issuers may experience financial stress that would adversely affect their ability to service their principal and interest payment obligations, to meet projected business goals, and to obtain additional financing. If the issuer of a bond defaults on its obligations to pay interest or principal or enters into bankruptcy proceedings, a Portfolio may incur losses or expenses in seeking recovery of amounts owed to it. In addition, periods of economic uncertainty and changes can be expected to result in increased volatility of market prices of high-yield bonds and the Portfolio’s net asset value.

Payment Expectations - High-yield bonds may contain redemption or call provisions. If an issuer exercised these provisions in a declining interest rate market, a Portfolio would have to replace the security with a lower yielding security, resulting in a decreased return for investors. Conversely, a high-yield bond’s value will decrease in a rising interest rate market, as will the value of the Portfolio’s assets. If the Portfolio experiences unexpected net redemptions, this may force it to sell high-yield bonds without regard to their investment merits, thereby decreasing the asset base upon which expenses can be spread and possibly reducing the Portfolio’s rate of return.

Liquidity and Valuation - There may be little trading in the secondary market for particular bonds, which may affect adversely a Portfolio’s ability to value accurately or dispose of such bonds. Adverse publicity and investor perceptions, whether or not based on fundamental analysis, may decrease the values and liquidity of high-yield bonds, especially in a thin market. If the Portfolio experiences unexpected net redemptions, this may force it to sell high-yield bonds without regard to their investments, thereby decreasing the asset base upon which expenses can be spread and possibly reducing the Portfolio’s rate of return.

The Adviser or Subadviser attempts to reduce these risks through diversification of the applicable Portfolio and by credit analysis of each issuer, as well as by monitoring broad economic trends and corporate and legislative developments. If a high-yield bond previously acquired by a Portfolio is downgraded, the Adviser or Subadviser, as appropriate, will evaluate the security and determine whether to retain or dispose of it.

 

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The following points contain additional information regarding restrictions and/or requirements or restates previous information disclosed elsewhere in the applicable Prospectus(es) and/or SAI concerning the Portfolios’ investments in high-yield, high-risk bonds:

 

   

The Cash Management Portfolio invests only in securities determined, in accordance with procedures established by the Trust’s Board of Trustees, to present minimal credit risks. It is the current policy to invest only in instruments rated in the highest rating category by Moody’s and S&P (for example, commercial paper rated P-1 and A-1 by Moody’s and S&P, respectively) or in instruments that are issued, guaranteed or insured by the U.S. government, its agencies or instrumentalities, as to the payment of principal and interest, or in other instruments rated in the highest two categories by either Moody’s or S&P, provided the issuer has commercial paper rated in the highest rating category by Moody’s and S&P.

 

   

The Corporate Bond Portfolio will generally invest in debt securities and preferred stocks rated below investment grade only to the extent that the Subadviser believes that lower credit quality of such securities is offset by more attractive yields, and only up to 35% of net assets. There is no limit with respect to the rating categories for securities in which the Portfolio may invest.

 

   

All securities purchased by the Global Bond Portfolio will be rated, at the time of purchase, at least BBB- by a nationally recognized statistical rating organization (“NRSRO”) or, if unrated, will be determined by the Adviser or Subadviser to be of comparable quality. However, at least 25% of the Portfolio’s total assets will be invested in securities having a rating from a NRSRO of AAA or Aaa at the time of purchase (as long as the overall credit quality of the Portfolio does not fall below a rating of A). Unrated securities will be determined by the Adviser or Subadviser to be of comparable quality. The debt securities in which the Portfolio will invest may have fixed, variable or floating interest rates. If a security satisfies the Portfolio’s minimum rating requirement at the time of purchase and is subsequently downgraded below such rating, the Portfolio will not be required to dispose of such security. This is so even if the downgrade causes the average credit quality of the Portfolio to be lower than that stated in the applicable Prospectus(es). Furthermore, during this period, the Subadviser will only buy securities at or above the Portfolio’s average rating requirement.

 

   

The High-Yield Bond Portfolio may invest without limitation in bonds rated as low as Ca by Moody’s or C by S&P (or unrated but considered by its Subadviser of equivalent quality). In addition, the Portfolio may invest up to 10% of its total assets in bonds rated C by Moody’s or D by S&P.

 

   

The Balanced Portfolio may invest up to 15% of its total assets (measured at the time of investment) in securities rated below BBB by S&P or Baa3 by Moody’s.

 

   

The MFS Total Return Portfolio may invest in fixed income securities rated Baa by Moody’s or BBB by S&P or Fitch and comparable unrated securities. The Portfolio may also invest up to 10% in securities rated lower than Baa by Moody’s or lower than BBB by S&P or Fitch and comparable unrated securities (“junk bonds”).

 

   

The SunAmerica Dynamic Allocation Portfolio normally does not expect to have more than 5% of total assets allocated to Underlying Portfolios investing primarily in high-yield, high-risk bonds.

 

   

The Equity Opportunities Portfolio may invest in convertible securities without regard to their rating. The non-convertible fixed income securities in which the Equity Opportunities Portfolio may invest must be rated, at the time of purchase, BBB or better by S&P, Baa by Moody’s or BBB by Fitch. If a security loses its rating or has its rating reduced after the Portfolio has purchased it, the Portfolio is not required to sell the security, but will consider doing so.

 

   

The Alliance Growth and Fundamental Growth Portfolios may invest up to 10% in convertible securities rated below BBB by S&P or Baa by Moody’s or be determined by the Subadviser to be of comparable quality (i.e., junk bonds).

 

   

The Real Estate Portfolio may not invest more than 5% of its total assets in junk bonds.

 

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The Small Company Value Portfolio and Small & Mid Cap Value Portfolio may invest up to 5% of its net assets in less than investment grade debt obligations.

 

   

The Telecom Utility Portfolio may invest up to 20% of its net assets in less than investment grade debt obligations.

 

   

The Foreign Value Portfolio may invest up to 5% of its net assets in less than investment grade debt obligations.

 

   

The Mid-Cap Growth Portfolio may invest up to 10% of its net assets in non-convertible fixed income securities rated Baa or lower by Moody’s or BBB or lower by S&P or Fitch and comparable unrated securities.

 

   

The International Growth and Income Portfolio may invest up to 20% of its total assets in bonds rated as low as C by Moody’s or S&P, or unrated bonds that the Subadviser determines to be of comparable quality.

 

   

The Emerging Markets Portfolio may invest in both higher-rated and lower-rated fixed income securities and is not subject to any restrictions based on credit rating.

 

   

The Aggressive Growth, Davis Venture Value, “Dogs” of Wall Street, Equity Index, Global Equities, Growth-Income, International Diversified Equities, MFS Massachusetts Investors Trust and Technology Portfolios may not invest in junk bonds.

Ratings may include additional modifiers, such as plus (+) or minus (-), or numeric modifiers, as applicable, to the nationally recognized rating organization.

U.S. CORPORATE HIGH-YIELD FIXED INCOME SECURITIES offer a yield above that generally available on U.S. corporate debt securities in the four highest rating categories of the recognized rating services, including debt obligations (e.g., bonds, debentures, notes, equipment lease certificates, equipment trust certificates, conditional sales contracts, commercial paper and obligations issued or guaranteed by the U.S. government or any of its political subdivisions, agencies or instrumentalities) and preferred stock. These fixed income securities may have equity features, such as conversion rights or warrants, and Portfolios may invest up to 10% of their total assets in equity features, such as conversion rights or warrants, subject to the following:

 

   

The High-Yield Bond and Total Return Bond Portfolios may invest up to 10% of their total assets in equity securities other than preferred stock (e.g., common stock, warrants and rights and limited partnership interests).

 

   

The Corporate Bond Portfolio may hold up to 5% of its total assets in equity securities received in connection with fixed income securities owned by the Portfolio.

 

   

The Cash Management, Global Bond, Equity Index, Davis Venture Value, “Dogs” of Wall Street and Global Equities Portfolios may not invest in warrants.

 

   

The Cash Management, Global Bond, Equity Index, Growth-Income, Davis Venture Value, “Dogs” of Wall Street and Alliance Growth Portfolios may not invest in rights.

The Portfolios may not invest more than 5% of their total assets at the time of acquisition in either of (1) equipment lease certificates, equipment trust certificates, equipment trust certificates and conditional sales contracts or (2) limited partnership interests.

SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION CONCERNING UTILITY COMPANIES

CERTAIN RISK FACTORS AFFECTING UTILITY COMPANIES. The Telecom Utility and Real Estate Portfolios may invest in equity and debt securities of utility companies. There are certain risks and considerations affecting utility companies, and the holders of utility company securities, that an investor should take into account when investing in those securities. Factors that may adversely affect utility companies include: difficulty in financing large construction programs

 

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during inflationary periods; technological innovations that may cause existing plants, equipment, or products to become less competitive or obsolete; the impact of natural or man-made disaster (especially on regional utilities); increased costs or reductions in production due to the unavailability of appropriate types of fuels; seasonally or occasionally reduced availability or higher cost of natural gas; and reduced demand due to energy conservation among consumers. These revenues of domestic and foreign utility companies generally reflect the economic growth and developments in the geographic areas in which they do business. Furthermore, utility securities tend to be interest rate sensitive.

In addition, most utility companies in the United States and in foreign countries are subject to government regulation. Generally, the purpose of such regulation is to ensure desirable levels of service and adequate capacity to meet public demand. To this end, prices are often regulated to enable consumers to obtain service at what is perceived to be a fair price, while attempting to provide utility companies with a rate of return sufficient to attract capital investment necessary for continued operation and necessary growth. Utility regulators permit utilities to diversify outside of their original geographic regions and their traditional lines of business. While the Subadviser of the relevant Portfolio believes that these opportunities will permit certain utility companies to earn more than their traditional regulated rates of return, other companies may be forced to defend their core business and may be less profitable. Of course, there can be no assurance that the regulatory policies described in this paragraph will continue in the future.

In addition to the effects of regulation described in the previous paragraph, utility companies may also be adversely affected by the following regulatory considerations: (i) the development and implementation of a national energy policy; (ii) the differences between regulatory policies of different jurisdictions (or different regulators that have concurrent jurisdiction); (iii) shifts in regulatory policies; (iv) adequacy of rate increases; (v) future regulatory legislation; and (vi) the potential effects of a deregulated environment.

Foreign utility companies may encounter different risks and opportunities than those located in the United States. Foreign utility companies may be more heavily regulated than their United States counterparts. Many foreign utility companies currently use fuels that cause more pollution than fuels used by United States utilities. In the future, it may be necessary for such foreign utility companies to invest heavily in pollution control equipment or otherwise meet pollution restrictions. Rapid growth in certain foreign economies may encourage the growth of utility industries in those countries.

In addition to the foregoing considerations, which affect most utility companies, there are specific considerations that affect specific utility industries:

Electric. The electric utility industry is composed of companies engaged in the generation, transmission, and sale of electric energy. Electric utility companies may be affected either favorably or unfavorably, depending upon the circumstances, by the following: fuel costs; financing costs; size of the region in which sales are made; operating costs; environmental and safety regulations; changes in the regulatory environment; and the length of time needed to complete major construction projects.

In the United States, the construction and operation of nuclear power facilities is subject to a high degree of regulatory oversight by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission and state agencies with concurrent jurisdiction. In addition, the design, construction, licensing, and operation of nuclear power facilities are often subject to lengthy delays and unanticipated costs due to changes in regulatory policy, regional political actions, and lawsuits. Furthermore, during rate authorizations, utility regulators may disallow the inclusion in electric rates of the higher operating costs and expenditures resulting from these delays and unanticipated costs, including the costs of a nuclear facility that a utility company may never be able to use.

Telecommunications. The telephone industry is large and highly concentrated. The greatest portion of this segment is comprised of companies that distribute telephone services and provide access to the telephone networks. While many telephone companies have diversified into other businesses in recent years, the profitability of telephone utility companies could be adversely affected by increasing competition, technological innovations, and other structural changes in the industry.

Cable television companies are typically local monopolies, subject to scrutiny by both utility regulators and municipal governments. Emerging technologies and legislation encouraging local competition are combining to threaten these monopolies and may slow future growth rates of these companies. The radio telecommunications segment of this industry, including cellular telephone, is in its early developmental phase and is characterized by emerging, rapidly growing companies.

 

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Gas. Gas transmission and distribution companies are undergoing significant changes. In the United States, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission is reducing its regulation of interstate transmission of gas. While gas utility companies have in the recent past been adversely affected by disruptions in the oil industry, increased concentration, and increased competition, the Subadviser believes that environmental considerations should benefit the gas industry in the future.

Water. Water utility companies purify, distribute, and sell water. This industry is highly fragmented because most of the water supplies are owned by local authorities. Water utility companies are generally mature and are experiencing little or no per capita volume growth. The Subadviser believes that favorable investment opportunities may result if anticipated consolidation and foreign participation in this industry occurs.

SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION ABOUT INDEX AND PASSIVELY-MANAGED FUNDS

The investment goal of the Equity Index Portfolio is investment results that correspond with the performance of the stocks included in the Standard & Poor’s 500 Composite Stock Price Index (the “S&P 500 Index”). The S&P 500 Index is an unmanaged market-value weighted index consisting of 500 stocks chosen for market size, liquidity, sector performance and other factors. The Equity Index Portfolio may trade in AIG stock if such stock is represented in the S&P 500 Index.

The “Dogs” of Wall Street Portfolio, which employs a passively managed strategy based on the selection criteria described in the applicable Prospectus, will not purchase AIG stock even though such stock may from time to time be eligible for selection as one of the Portfolio’s 30 stocks.

INVESTMENT RESTRICTIONS

The Trust has adopted the following investment restrictions for each Portfolio that cannot be changed without approval by a majority of its outstanding voting securities. Such majority is defined as the vote of the lesser of (i) 67% or more of the outstanding shares of the Portfolio present at a meeting, if the holders of more than 50% of the outstanding shares are present in person or by proxy or (ii) more than 50% of the outstanding shares of the Portfolio. A change in policy affecting only one Portfolio may be effected with approval of a majority of the outstanding shares of such Portfolio. All percentage limitations expressed in the following investment restrictions are measured immediately after the relevant transaction is made.

Investment Restrictions of the Cash Management Portfolio

The Cash Management Portfolio has adopted the following restrictions that are fundamental policies. These fundamental policies cannot be changed without approval by a majority of its outstanding voting securities. All percentage limitations expressed in the following investment restrictions are measured immediately after the relevant transaction is made. The Cash Management Portfolio may not:

1. Invest more than 5% of the value of its total assets in the securities of any one issuer, provided that this limitation shall apply only to 75% of the value of the Portfolio’s total assets, and, provided further, that the limitation shall not apply to obligations of the government of the U.S. or of any corporation organized as an instrumentality of the U.S. under a general act of Congress.

2. As to 75% of its total assets, purchase more than 10% of the outstanding voting class of securities of an issuer.

3. Invest more than 25% of the Portfolio’s total assets in the securities of issuers in the same industry. Obligations of the U.S. government, its agencies and instrumentalities, are not subject to this 25% limitation on industry concentration. In addition, the Portfolio may, if deemed advisable, invest more than 25% of its assets in the obligations of domestic commercial banks.

4. Make loans to others except: (a) for the purchase of the debt securities listed above under its Investment Policies; or (b) as otherwise permitted by exemptive order of the SEC.

5. Borrow money, except for temporary purposes, and then in an amount not in excess of 5% of the value of the Portfolio’s total assets. Moreover, in the event that the asset coverage for such borrowings falls below 300%, the Portfolio will reduce within three days the amount of its borrowings in order to provide for 300% asset coverage.

 

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6. Sell securities short except to the extent that the Portfolio contemporaneously owns or has the right to acquire at no additional cost securities identical to those sold short.

7. Act as underwriter of securities issued by others, engage in distribution of securities for others, or make investments in other companies for the purpose of exercising control or management.

In addition to the foregoing, the Cash Management Portfolio has adopted the following non-fundamental policies (which may be changed by the Trustees without shareholder approval). Under these restrictions, the Cash Management Portfolio may not:

a. Enter into any repurchase agreement maturing in more than seven days or invest in any other illiquid security if, as a result, more than 10% of the Portfolio’s total assets would be so invested.

b. Pledge or hypothecate its assets.

c. Invest in puts, calls, straddles, spreads or any combination thereof, except as permitted by the Prospectus and SAI, as amended from time to time.

d. Invest in securities of other investment companies except to the extent permitted by applicable law and the Prospectus and SAI, as amended from time to time.

e. Invest more than 5% of its assets (measured at the time of purchase) in the securities of any one issuer (other than the U.S. government); provided however, that the Cash Management Portfolio may invest, as to 25% of its assets, more than 5% of its assets in certain high quality securities (in accordance with Rule 2a-7 under the 1940 Act) of a single issuer for a period of up to three business days. Notwithstanding fundamental investment restriction Number 1 above, in order to comply with Rule 2a-7 under the 1940 Act, the Cash Management Portfolio has adopted this more restrictive policy. The purchase by the Cash Management Portfolio of securities that have “put” or “stand-by” commitment features are not considered “puts” for purposes of non-fundamental investment restriction c above.

It is the investment management policy of the Cash Management Portfolio not to issue senior securities and not to invest in real estate, commodities or commodities contracts.

Investment Restrictions of the Aggressive Growth, Alliance Growth, Balanced, Blue Chip Growth, Corporate Bond, Davis Venture Value, “Dogs” Of Wall Street, Emerging Markets, Equity Index, Equity Opportunities, Foreign Value, Global Bond, Global Equities, Growth-Income, Growth Opportunities, High-Yield Bond, International Diversified Equities, International Growth and Income, Marsico Focused Growth, MFS Massachusetts Investors Trust, Mid-Cap Growth, MFS Total Return, Fundamental Growth, Real Estate, Small & Mid Cap Value, Small Company Value, Capital Growth, SunAmerica Dynamic Allocation, SunAmerica Dynamic Strategy, Technology, Telecom Utility, and Total Return Bond Portfolios.

The Aggressive Growth, Alliance Growth, Balanced, Blue Chip Growth, Capital Growth, Corporate Bond, Davis Venture Value, “Dogs” of Wall Street, Emerging Markets, Equity Index, Equity Opportunities, Foreign Value, Fundamental Growth, Global Bond, Global Equities, Growth-Income, Growth Opportunities, High Yield Bond, International Diversified Equities, International Growth and Income, Marsico Focused Growth, MFS Massachusetts Investors Trust, MFS Total Return, Mid-Cap Growth, Real Estate, Small & Mid Cap Value, Small Company Value, SunAmerica Dynamic Allocation, SunAmerica Dynamic Strategy, Technology, Telecom Utility and Total Return Bond Portfolios have each adopted the following investment restrictions that are fundamental policies. These fundamental policies cannot be changed without the approval of the holders of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the respective Portfolio. A change in policy affecting only one Portfolio may be effected with the approval of a majority of the outstanding shares of such Portfolio. All percentage limitations expressed in the following investment restrictions are measured immediately after the relevant transaction is made. These Portfolios may not:

1. Other than the Global Bond, Total Return Bond, “Dogs” of Wall Street, Mid-Cap Growth, and Marsico Focused Growth Portfolios, invest more than 5% of the value of the total assets of a Portfolio in the securities of any one issuer, provided that this Limitation shall apply only to 75% of the value of the Portfolio’s total assets and, provided further, that the limitation shall not apply to obligations issued or guaranteed by the government of the United States or of any of its agencies or instrumentalities.

 

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2. As to 75% of its total assets, purchase more than 10% of any class of the outstanding voting securities of an issuer. This restriction does not apply to the Global Bond, Total Return Bond, “Dogs” of Wall Street Growth, Mid-Cap Growth and Marsico Focused Growth Portfolios.

3. Invest more than 25% of the Portfolio’s total assets in the securities of issuers in the same industry, except that the Telecom Utility Portfolio will invest at least 25% of its total assets in the securities of utility companies, the Real Estate Portfolio will invest at least 25% of its total assets in the securities of real estate companies, the Technology Portfolio will invest at least 25% of its assets in the securities of issuers in the technology industry and the “Dogs” of Wall Street Portfolio may invest more than 25% of its assets in the securities of issuers in the same industry to the extent such investments would be selected according to stock selection criteria. Obligations of the U.S. government, its agencies and instrumentalities are not subject to this 25% limitation on industry concentration. The Portfolio may, if deemed advisable, invest more than 25% of its assets in the obligations of domestic commercial banks. With respect to all Portfolios other than the Telecom Utility Portfolio, as to utility companies, the gas, electric, water and telephone businesses will be considered separate industries.

4. Invest in real estate (including in the case of all Portfolios except the Equity Index, Real Estate and Small Company Value Portfolios limited partnership interests, but excluding in the case of all Portfolios securities of companies, such as real estate investment trusts, which deal in real estate or interests therein); provided that a Portfolio may hold or sell real estate acquired as a result of the ownership of securities. This limitation shall not prevent a Portfolio from investing in securities secured by real estate or interests therein.

5. Purchase commodities or commodity contracts; except that any Portfolio may engage in transactions in put and call options on securities, indices and currencies, forward and futures contracts on securities, indices and currencies, put and call options on such futures contracts, forward commitment transactions, forward foreign currency exchange contracts, interest-rate, mortgage and currency swaps and interest-rate floors and caps.

6. Borrow money, except to the extent permitted by applicable law or regulatory approval.

7. Purchase securities or evidences of interest therein on margin, except that the Portfolios may obtain such short-term credit as may be necessary for the clearance of any transaction.

8. Make loans to others except for (a) the purchase of debt securities; (b) entering into repurchase agreements; (c) the lending of its portfolio securities; and (d) as otherwise permitted by exemptive order of the SEC.

For purposes of Investment Restriction No. 3 above, the SunAmerica Dynamic Allocation Portfolio and the SunAmerica Dynamic Strategy Portfolio do not consider investment companies to be an industry and the investment by a Portfolio in an Underlying Portfolio that concentrates its investments in a particular industry or group of industries will not be considered an investment by the Portfolio in that particular industry or group of industries.

In addition to the foregoing, the Corporate Bond, Global Bond, High-Yield Bond, Total Return Bond, Balanced, MFS Total Return, Telecom Utility, Equity Index, Growth-Income, Equity Opportunities, Davis Venture Value, “Dogs” of Wall Street, Alliance Growth, Capital Growth, MFS Massachusetts Investors Trust, Fundamental Growth, Blue Chip Growth, Real Estate, Small Company Value, Mid-Cap Growth, Aggressive Growth, Growth Opportunities, Marsico Focused Growth, Small & Mid Cap Value, Foreign Value, International Growth and Income, Global Equities, International Diversified Equities, Emerging Markets and Technology Portfolios have each adopted the following non-fundamental policies (which may be changed by the Trustees without shareholder approval). Under these restrictions, such Portfolios may not:

a. Enter into any repurchase agreement maturing in more than seven days or investing in any other illiquid security if, as a result, more than 15% of a Portfolio’s total assets would be so invested.

b. Invest in securities of other investment companies, except to the extent permitted by applicable law and the Prospectus and SAI, as amended from time to time.

 

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c. Other than the Emerging Markets Portfolio, pledge, mortgage or hypothecate its assets, except to the extent necessary to secure permitted borrowings and, to the extent related to the segregation of assets in connection with the writing of covered put and call options and the purchase of securities or currencies on a forward commitment or delayed-delivery basis and collateral and initial or variation margin arrangements with respect to forward contracts, options, futures contracts and options on futures contracts. In addition, the Corporate Bond, High-Yield Bond, Total Return Bond, Balanced, Telecom Utility, Equity Opportunities and Aggressive Growth Portfolios may pledge assets in reverse repurchase agreements.

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

e. Engage in underwriting of securities issued by others, except to the extent it may be deemed to be acting as an underwriter in the purchase and resale of portfolio securities.

f. Sell securities short except to the extent permitted by applicable law.

g. Invest in puts, calls, straddles, spreads or any combination thereof, except as permitted by the Prospectus and SAI, as amended from time to time.

h. Issue any senior securities except as permitted by the 1940 Act, other than, with respect to Equity Index and Small Company Value Portfolios, as set forth in investment restriction number 6 above and except to the extent that issuing options or purchasing securities on a when-issued basis may be deemed to constitute issuing a senior security.

Notwithstanding the above restrictions, the “Dogs” of Wall Street, the Mid-Cap Growth and Total Return Bond Portfolio are each operating as a diversified investment company, and may not revert to a non-diversified investment company unless shareholders of each Portfolio approve such action.

TRUST OFFICERS AND TRUSTEES

The following table lists the Trustees and officers of the Trust, their dates of birth, current position(s) held with the Trust, length of time served, principal occupations during the past five years, number of funds overseen within the fund complex and other directorships/trusteeships held outside of the fund complex. Unless otherwise noted, the address of each executive officer and Trustee is 1 SunAmerica Center, Century City, Los Angeles, California 90067-6022. Trustees who are not deemed to be “interested persons” of the Trust as defined in the 1940 Act are referred to as “Disinterested Trustees.” Trustees who are deemed to be “interested persons” of the Trust are referred to as “Interested Trustees.” Trustees and officers of the Trust are also directors or trustees and officers of some or all of the other investment companies managed, administered or advised by SunAmerica and distributed by SACS and other affiliates of SunAmerica.

Disinterested Trustees

 

Name and Age

 

Position(s)

Held with

Trust

 

Term of Office

and Length of

Time Served1

 

Principal Occupation(s)

During Past 5 Years

 

Number of

Portfolios in

Fund Complex

Overseen by

Trustee2,3

 

Other Directorships Held

by Trustee4

Garrett F. Bouton

Age: 67

  Trustee   March 2007-Present   Retired (2003-Present); Managing Director and CEO, Barclays Global Investors (1996-2003).   57   Chairman/Director, The LECG Company (consulting services) (2006-2010).

Carl D. Covitz

Age: 73

  Trustee   February 2001-Present   Owner and President, Landmark Capital, Inc. 1973-Present).   57   Director, Arden Realty Inc. (real estate) (1995-2006).

 

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Disinterested Trustees

 

Name and Age

 

Position(s)

Held with

Trust

 

Term of Office

and Length of

Time Served1

 

Principal Occupation(s)

During Past 5 Years

 

Number of

Portfolios in

Fund Complex

Overseen by

Trustee2,3

 

Other Directorships Held

by Trustee4

Jane Jelenko

Age: 63

  Trustee   September 2006-Present   Retired Partner of KPMG, LLP and Managing Director of Bearingpoint, Inc. (formerly KPMG Consulting).   57   Director, Countrywide Bank (banking) (2003-2008); and Director, Cathay General Bancorp and Cathay Bank (banking) (since 2012).

Gilbert T. Ray

Age: 67

  Trustee   February 2001-Present   Retired Partner, O’Melveny & Myers LLP (law firm) (since 2000); and Attorney (1972-2000) thereof.   57   Director, Advance Auto Parts, Inc. (retail-auto & home supply stores) (since 2002); Director, Watson, Wyatt Worldwide (services – management consulting services) (2000-2009); Director, DineEquity (services – restaurant) (since 2004); Director, Diamond Rock Hospitality (financial – real estate) (since 2005); Director, Towers Watson & Co. (services- management consulting services) (since 2010).

Allan L. Sher

Age: 80

  Trustee   January 1997-Present   Retired, Brokerage Executive (1992-Present).   57   Director, Bowl America Incorporated (1997-Present).

Bruce G. Willison

Age: 63

  Trustee and Chairman   February 2001-Present   Chairman and CEO, Grandpoint Capital Advisors (since 2009) (investment banking); Professor of Management, Anderson School at UCLA (2006-Present); Dean, Anderson School at UCLA (1999-2005).   57   Director, GrandPoint Capital Inc (banking). (since 2011); Director, Indy Mac Bancorp (banking) (2003-2008); Director, Move, Inc. (real estate agents & managers) (since 2003); Director, Healthnet International, Inc. (business services) (since 2000).

 

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Interested Trustee

 

Name and Age

 

Position(s)

Held with

Trust

 

Length of Time

Served1

 

Principal Occupation(s)

During Past 5 Years

 

Number of

Portfolios in

Fund

Complex

Overseen by

Trustee2, 3

 

Other Directorship(s)

Held by Trustee4

Jana W. Greer5

Age: 60

  Trustee   February 2001-Present   President (since 1996) and Chief Executive Officer (since 2008), SunAmerica Retirement Markets, Inc.; Executive Vice President (since 2001) and Director (since 1999), SAFG Retirement Services, Inc.; President (since 2002), Chief Executive Officer (since 2011) and Director (since 1992), SAAL; President (2006-2011) and Director (since 1988), SunAmerica Life Insurance Company; Executive Vice President (since 2011), SunAmerica Financial Group, Inc.; Divisional President (since 2012), The United States Life Insurance Company in the City of New York.   57   None.

 

1 

Trustees serve until their successors are duly elected and qualified.

2 

The term “Fund Complex” means two or more registered investment companies that hold themselves out to investors as related companies for purposes of investment services or have a common investment adviser or an investment adviser that is an affiliated person of SunAmerica. The “Fund Complex” includes the SunAmerica Series Trust (36 portfolios); SunAmerica Specialty Series (6 funds); SunAmerica Money Market Fund, Inc. (1 fund); SunAmerica Income Funds (4 funds); SunAmerica Series, Inc. (11 portfolios); SunAmerica Equity Funds (3 funds); Anchor Series Trust (8 portfolios); SunAmerica Senior Floating Rate Fund, Inc. (1 fund); VALIC Company I (33 funds); VALIC Company II (15 funds); and Seasons Series Trust (21 portfolios).

3 

Number includes the Trust (36 portfolios) and Seasons Series Trust (21 portfolios).

4 

Directorships of Companies required for reporting to the SEC under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (i.e., “public companies”) or other investment companies regulated under the 1940 Act other than those listed under the preceding column.

5 

Ms. Greer is considered to be an Interested Trustee because she serves as President and Chief Executive Officer of SunAmerica Retirement Markets, Inc., Executive Vice President and Director of SAFG Retirement Services, Inc., President, Chief Executive Officer and Director of SAAL, President and Director SunAmerica Life Insurance Company, Executive Vice President of SunAmerica Financial Group, Inc., and Divisional President of The United States Life Insurance Company in the City of New York, affiliates of the Adviser.

 

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Officers

 

Name and Age

  

Position(s)

Held with

Trust

  

Length of

Time Served

  

Principal Occupation(s)

During Past 5 Years

  

Number of
Portfolios in

Fund

Complex

Overseen by

Officer

  

Other Directorship(s)

Held by Officer

John T. Genoy

Age: 43

   President    2007 to Present    Chief Financial Officer, SunAmerica (2002 to Present); Senior Vice President, SunAmerica (2003 to Present); Chief Operating Officer, SunAmerica (2006 to Present).    N/A    N/A

Donna M. Handel

Age: 45

   Treasurer    2002 to Present    Senior Vice President, SunAmerica (2004 to Present).    N/A    N/A

Gregory N. Bressler

Age: 45

   Vice President and Assistant Secretary    2005 to Present    Senior Vice President and General Counsel, SunAmerica (2005 to Present).    N/A    N/A

Katherine Stoner

Age: 55

   Vice President and Chief Compliance Officer    May 2011 to Present    Vice President, SAAMCo (May 2011 to Present); Vice President, The Variable Annuity Life Insurance Company (“VALIC”) and Western National Life Insurance Company (“WNL”) (2006 to Present); Deputy General Counsel and Secretary, VALIC and WNL (2007 to Present); Vice President, VALIC Financial Advisors, Inc. and VALIC Retirement Services Company (2010 to Present).    N/A    Director, American General Distributors, Inc. (2006 to 2011).

Gregory R. Kingston

Age: 46

   Vice President and Assistant Treasurer    2001 to Present    Vice President, SunAmerica (2001 to Present).    N/A    N/A

Nori L. Gabert

Age: 58

   Vice President and Secretary    2005 to Present    Vice President and Deputy General Counsel, SunAmerica (2005 to Present).    N/A    N/A

 

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Name and Age

  

Position(s)

Held with

Trust

  

Length of

Time Served

  

Principal Occupation(s)

During Past 5 Years

  

Number of

Portfolios in

Fund Complex

Overseen by

Officer

  

Other Directorship(s)

Held by Officer

Matthew J. Hackethal

Age: 40

   Anti-Money Laundering Compliance Officer    2006 to Present    Chief Compliance Officer, SunAmerica (2007 to Present); Vice President, Credit Suisse Asset Management (2001 to 2006).    N/A    N/A

Leadership Structure of the Board of Trustees

Overall responsibility for oversight of the Trust and its Portfolios rests with the Board of Trustees (the “Board”). The Trust, on behalf of the Portfolios, has engaged SunAmerica and for certain Portfolios, has engaged a Subadviser, to manage the Portfolios on a day-to day basis. The Board is responsible for overseeing SunAmerica and the Subadvisers and any other service providers in the operations of the Portfolios in accordance with the provisions of the 1940 Act, applicable provisions of state and other laws, the Trust’s Declaration of Trust and By-laws, and each Portfolio’s investment objectives and strategies. The Board is presently composed of seven members, six of whom are Disinterested Trustees. The Board currently conducts regular in-person meetings at least quarterly and holds special in-person or telephonic meetings, or informal conference calls, to discuss specific matters that may arise or require action between regular Board meetings. The Disinterested Trustees also meet at least quarterly in executive sessions, at which no trustee who is an interested person of SunAmerica is present. The Disinterested Trustees have engaged independent legal counsel to assist them in performing their oversight responsibilities.

The Board has appointed Mr. Willison, a Disinterested Trustee, to serve as Chairman of the Board. The Chairman’s role is to preside at all meetings of the Board and to act as a liaison with service providers, including SunAmerica, officers, attorneys, and other Trustees generally, between meetings. The Chairman may also perform such other functions as may be delegated by the Board from time to time. The Board has established three committees, i.e., Audit Committee, Nomination and Governance Committee and Ethics Committee (each, a “Committee”) to assist the Board in the oversight and direction of the business and affairs of the Portfolios, and from to time may establish informal working groups to review and address the policies and practices of the Portfolios with respect to certain specified matters. The Committee system facilitates the timely and efficient consideration of matters by the Trustees, and facilitates effective oversight of compliance with legal and regulatory requirements and of the Portfolios’ activities and associated risks. The standing Committees currently conduct an annual review of their charters, which includes a review of their responsibilities and operations. The Nomination and Governance Committee and the Board as a whole also conduct an annual evaluation of the performance of the Board, including consideration of the effectiveness of the Board’s committee structure. The Board has determined that the Board’s leadership structure is appropriate because it allows the Board to exercise informed and independent judgment over the matters under its purview and it allocates areas of responsibility among the Committees and the full Board in a manner that enhances efficient and effective oversight.

The Portfolios are subject to a number of risks, including, among others, investment, compliance, operational and valuation risks. Risk oversight forms part of the Board’s general oversight of the Portfolios and is addressed as part of various Board and Committee activities. Day-to-day risk management functions are subsumed within the responsibilities of SunAmerica, who carries out the Portfolios’ investment management and business affairs, and also by the Portfolios’ Subadvisers and other service providers in connection with the services they provide to the Portfolios. Each of SunAmerica, the Subadvisers and other service providers have their own, independent interest in risk management, and their policies and methods of risk management will depend on their functions and business models. As part of its regular oversight of the Portfolios, the Board, directly and/or through a Committee, interacts with and reviews reports from, among others, SunAmerica, the Subadvisers and the Portfolios’ other service providers (including the Trust’s distributor and transfer agent), the Portfolios’ Chief Compliance Officer, the independent registered public accounting firm for the Portfolios, legal counsel to the

 

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Portfolios, and internal auditors for SunAmerica or its affiliates, as appropriate, relating to the operations of the Portfolios. The Board recognizes that it may not be possible to identify all of the risks that may affect the Portfolios or to develop processes and controls to eliminate or mitigate their occurrence or effects. The Board may, at any time and in its discretion, change the manner in which it conducts risk oversight.

Board of Trustees and Committees

Among the attributes common to all Trustees are their ability to review critically, evaluate, question and discuss information provided to them, to interact effectively with the other Trustees, SunAmerica, the Subadvisers, other service providers, legal counsel and the independent registered public accounting firm, and to exercise effective business judgment in the performance of their duties as Trustees. A Trustee’s ability to perform his or her duties effectively may have been attained, as set forth below, through the Trustee’s executive, business, consulting, public service and/or academic positions; experience from service as a Trustee of the Trust and the other funds in the Fund Complex (and/or in other capacities), other investment funds, public companies, or non-profit entities or other organizations; educational background or professional training; and/or other life experiences.

Bruce G. Willison. Mr. Willison has served as a Trustee since 2001, and Chairman of the Board since January 1, 2006. He has more than 20 years of experience in the banking industry. He is currently a Professor of Management at the UCLA Anderson School of Management. Mr. Willison also has broad experience serving as a director of other entities. Mr. Willison’s years of experience as a bank executive, which included management responsibility for investment management, and his experiences serving on many public company boards gives him an inside perspective on the management of complex organizations, especially regulated ones.

Garrett F. Bouton. Mr. Bouton has served as a Trustee since 2007. He is a retired senior executive with over 25 years experience in the investment services industry. Mr. Bouton also serves as a board member on non-profit organizations.

Carl D. Covitz. Mr. Covitz has served as a Trustee since 2001. He has more than 25 years of executive and business experience in the real estate and investment industries. Mr. Covitz also has broad corporate governance experience from serving on boards of directors for more than 15 years.

Jane Jelenko. Ms. Jelenko has served as a Trustee since 2006. Ms. Jelenko was previously a partner in the consulting arm of KPMG, the international professional services firm, where she served for twenty-five years. She was the national industry director for the banking and finance group and served on the firm’s board of directors. During her term on the board, she served on the Pension Committee, Strategic Planning Committee and the Political Action Committee. She is a director of the Music Center-Los Angeles Performing Arts Center, the Gabriella Axelrad Education Foundation, and the Constitutional Rights Foundation (emeritus). She is the President and Director of the Center Dance Arts. She has served on various corporate and community boards, including the L.A. Area Chamber of Commerce, and the Organization of Women Executives.

Gilbert T. Ray. Mr. Ray has served as a Trustee since 2001. He is a retired partner of O’Melveny & Meyers LLP, with more than 25 years of business experience as an attorney. Mr. Ray has extensive experience with conventional corporate and tax exempt transactions, as well as international finance. His experience as an attorney allows Mr. Ray to provide guidance on legal and fiduciary matters. Mr. Ray has broad experience serving as a director on several other boards. Mr. Ray’s service as a director and committee chair on several public companies provides the Trusts with valuable insights into compensation, audit and governance issues.

Allan L. Sher. Mr. Sher has served as a Trustee since 1997. He is a retired senior executive of a securities brokerage firm. Mr. Sher has over 10 years experience serving as a director on other boards. Mr. Sher has 50 years of experience in the securities industry, including serving as a broker, manager and Chief Executive Officer (“CEO”) of a securities firm. Mr. Sher has also served as a CEO of a money management firm. Mr. Sher is a former board member of the American Stock Exchange.

Jana W. Greer. Ms. Greer has served as a Trustee of the portfolios in the Fund complex since 2001. As President and CEO of SunAmerica Retirement Markets, she heads the variable annuity business through which contracts offering portfolios in the Fund complex are marketed and sold. A veteran of the insurance and financial services industry, she has more than 35 years of experience with the SunAmerica companies and the annuity industry, including past service as a director of one of the largest retirement savings industry associations. Ms. Greer is president and a director of two affiliated life insurance companies, as well as serving on the boards of several educational institutions and other non-profit organizations.

 

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The Trust pays no salaries or compensation to any of its officers, all of whom are officers or employees of SAAMCo or its affiliates. For the Trust and Seasons Series Trust (the “Annuity Funds”), an annual fee of $145,000, plus $2,500 for each regularly scheduled meeting attended and expenses, is paid to each Trustee who is not an officer or employee of SAAL or its affiliates for attendance at meetings of the Board of Trustees. Trustees will be compensated $2,500 for participation telephonically (one time per calendar year) for the regularly scheduled Board Meetings. The Independent Chairman receives an additional retainer fee of $67,500. These expenses are allocated on the basis of the relative net assets of each Portfolio of the Annuity Funds. All other Trustees receive no remuneration from the Trust.

Each Disinterested Trustee serves on each Committee of the Board of Trustees and Ms. Greer serves on the Ethics Committee. Members of each Committee serve without compensation. Mr. Sher, as Audit Committee Chair, receives an additional retainer fee of $12,500. The Audit Committee is charged with selecting, overseeing and setting the compensation of the Trust’s independent registered public accounting firm. The Audit Committee is responsible for pre-approving all audit and non-audit services performed by the independent public accounting firm for the Trust and, should it be necessary, for pre-approving certain non-audit services performed by the independent registered public accounting firm for SunAmerica and certain control persons of SunAmerica. The Audit Committee is also responsible for reviewing with the independent registered public accounting firm the audit plan and results of the audit along with other matters. The Audit Committee met three times during the fiscal year ending January 31, 2012.

The Nomination and Governance Committee (the “Nomination Committee”) recommends to the Trustees those persons to be nominated as candidates to serve as Trustees by Trustees and voted upon by shareholders and selects and proposes nominees for election by Trustees to the Board between shareholders’ meetings. Mr. Ray, as Nomination Committee Chair, receives an additional retainer fee of $7,500. The Nomination Committee will consider candidates proposed by shareholders for election as Trustees. The Nomination Committee reviews at least annually the independence of the independent trustees and independence of legal counsel. The Nomination Committee also reviews and makes recommendations with respect to the size and composition of the Board and its committees and monitors and evaluates the functioning of the committees of the Board. The Nomination Committee met two times during the fiscal year ended January 31, 2012.

The Ethics Committee is responsible for applying the Code of Ethics applicable to the Trust’s Principal Executive Officer and Principal Accounting Officer to specific situations in which questions are presented to it and has the authority to interpret the Code of Ethics in any particular situation. The Ethics Committee will inform the Board of Trustees of violations or waivers to the Trust’s Code of Ethics, as appropriate. Mr. Willison serves as the Chair of the Ethics Committee. The Ethics Committee met once during the fiscal year ended January 31, 2012.

As of January 31, 2012, the Trustees and officers of the Trust owned in the aggregate less than 1% of the total outstanding shares of each Portfolio of the Trust.

TRUSTEE OWNERSHIP OF PORTFOLIO SHARES

The following table shows the dollar range of shares beneficially owned by each Trustee.

        Independent Trustees

 

NAME OF TRUSTEE

   DOLLAR RANGE OF  EQUITY
SECURITIES IN THE TRUST 1
     AGGREGATE DOLLAR RANGE OF  EQUITY
SECURITIES IN ALL REGISTERED
INVESTMENT COMPANIES OVERSEEN BY
TRUSTEE IN FAMILY OF INVESTMENT
COMPANIES2
 

Garrett F. Bouton

     0         0   

Carl D. Covitz

     0         0   

Jane Jelenko

     0         0   

Gilbert T. Ray

     0         0   

Allan L. Sher

     0         0   

Bruce G. Willison

     0         0   

 

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        Interested Trustee

 

NAME OF TRUSTEE

   DOLLAR RANGE OF EQUITY
SECURITIES IN THE TRUST
     AGGREGATE DOLLAR RANGE OF  EQUITY
SECURITIES IN ALL REGISTERED
INVESTMENT COMPANIES OVERSEEN BY
TRUSTEE IN FAMILY OF INVESTMENT COMPANIES2
 

Jana W. Greer

     0         0   

 

1 Includes the value of shares beneficially owned by each Trustee in each Portfolio of each Trust as of December 31, 2011. Where a Trust is not listed with respect to a Trustee, the Trustee held no shares of the Trust.
2 Includes the Trust (36 portfolios) and Seasons Series Trust (21 portfolios).

As of January 31, 2012, no Independent Trustees nor any of their immediate family members owned beneficially or of record any securities in the Adviser or SunAmerica Capital Services, Inc. (the “Distributor”) or any person other than a registered investment company, directly or indirectly, controlling, controlled by or under common control with such entities.

Compensation Table

The following table sets forth information summarizing the compensation of each Trustee, who is not an officer or employee of SAAL or its affiliates, for his/her services as Trustee for the fiscal year ended January 31, 2012.

 

TRUSTEE

  AGGREGATE
COMPENSATION
FROM TRUST
    PENSION OR RETIREMENT
BENEFITS ACCRUED AS
PART OF
TRUST EXPENSES
    TOTAL COMPENSATION FROM
TRUST AND FUND COMPLEX
PAID TO TRUSTEES *
 

Garrett Bouton

  $ 91,100        —        $ 142,500   

Carl D. Covitz

    92,701        —          145,000   

Jane Jelenko

    91,108        —          142,500   

Gilbert T. Ray

    92,701        —          145,000   

Allan L. Sher

    97,511        —          152,500   

Bruce G. Willison

    135,863        —          212,500   

 

* As of January 31, 2012, the Fund Complex included the Trust (36 portfolios), SunAmerica Specialty Series (6 funds), SunAmerica Money Market Fund, Inc. (1 fund), SunAmerica Equity Funds (3 funds), SunAmerica Income Funds (5 funds), SunAmerica Series, Inc. (11 portfolios), Anchor Series Trust (8 portfolios), SunAmerica Senior Floating Rate Fund, Inc. (1 fund), VALIC Company I (33 funds), VALIC Company II (15 funds), and Seasons Series Trust (21 portfolios).

INVESTMENT ADVISORY AND MANAGEMENT AGREEMENT

The Trust, on behalf of each Portfolio, entered into an Investment Advisory and Management Agreement (the “Advisory Agreement”) with SAAMCo to handle the management of the Trust and its day-to-day affairs. The Adviser is a wholly-owned subsidiary of SAAL, which in turn is an indirect wholly owned subsidiary of American International Group, Inc. (“AIG”), a U.S.-based international insurance organization.

AIG, a Delaware corporation, is a holding company which through its subsidiaries is engaged in a broad range of insurance and insurance-related activities in the United States and abroad. AIG’s primary activities include both general and life insurance operations. Other significant activities include financial services, retirement savings and asset management.

As of the date of this SAI, the United States Department of the Treasury (“Department of the Treasury”) owned a majority of outstanding shares of common stock of AIG, the ultimate parent of SAAMCo. AIG has stated that it understands that, subject to market conditions, the Department of the Treasury intends to dispose of its ownership interest in AIG over time, and that AIG has granted certain registration rights to the Department of the Treasury to facilitate such sales.

Terms of the Advisory Agreement

The Advisory Agreement provides that the Adviser shall act as investment adviser to each Portfolio, manage each Portfolio’s investments, administer its business affairs, furnish offices, necessary facilities and equipment, provide clerical, bookkeeping and administrative services, and permit any of the Adviser’s officers or employees to serve without compensation as Trustees

 

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or officers of the Trust if duly elected to such positions. Under the Agreement, the Trust agrees to assume and pay certain charges and expenses of its operations, including: direct charges relating to the purchase and sale of portfolio securities, interest charges, fees and expenses of independent legal counsel and independent accountants, cost of stock certificates and any other expenses (including clerical expenses) of issue, sale, repurchase or redemption of shares, expenses of registering and qualifying shares for sale, expenses of printing and distributing reports, notices and proxy materials to shareholders, expenses of data processing and related services, shareholder recordkeeping and shareholder account service, expenses of printing and distributing prospectuses and statements of additional information, expenses of annual and special shareholders’ meetings, fees and disbursements of transfer agents and custodians, expenses of disbursing dividends and distributions, fees and expenses of Trustees who are not employees of the Adviser or its affiliates, membership dues in the Investment Company Institute or any similar organization, all taxes and fees to federal, state or other governmental agencies, insurance premiums and extraordinary expenses such as litigation expenses.

The Advisory Agreement, after initial approval with respect to each Portfolio, continues in effect for a period of two years, in accordance with its terms, unless terminated, and thereafter may be renewed from year to year as to each Portfolio for so long as such renewal is specifically approved at least annually by (i) the Board of Trustees, or by the vote of a majority (as defined in the 1940 Act) of the outstanding voting securities of each relevant Portfolio, and (ii) the vote of a majority of Trustees who are not parties to the Agreement or interested persons (as defined in the 1940 Act) of any such party, cast in person, at a meeting called for the purpose of voting on such approval. The Agreement provides that it may be terminated by either party without penalty upon the specified written notice contained in the Agreement. The Agreement also provides for automatic termination upon assignment.

Under the terms of the Advisory Agreement, the Adviser is not liable to the Trust or any Portfolio, or to any other person, for any act or omission by it or for any losses sustained by a Portfolio or its shareholders, except in the case of willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence or reckless disregard of duty.

Advisory Fees

As compensation for its services, the Adviser receives from the Trust a fee, accrued daily and payable monthly, based on the net assets of each Portfolio at the following annual rates:

 

PORTFOLIO

  

FEE RATE

(as a % of average daily

net asset value)

Aggressive Growth Portfolio

  

.75% to $100 million

.675% next $150 million

.625% next $250 million

.60% over $500 million

Alliance Growth Portfolio

  

.70% to $50 million

.65% next $100 million

.60% over $150 million

Balanced Portfolio

  

.70% to $50 million

.65% next $100 million

.60% next $150 million

.55% next $200 million

.50% over $500 million

Blue Chip Growth Portfolio

  

.70% to $250 million

.65% next $250 million

.60% over $500 million

Capital Growth Portfolio2

  

.90% to $50 million

.85% next $150 million

.80% over $200 million

Cash Management Portfolio1

  

.475% to $100 million

.45% next $400 million

.425% over $500 million

.40% over $1 billion

 

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PORTFOLIO

  

FEE RATE

(as a % of average daily

net asset value)

Corporate Bond Portfolio

  

.70% to $50 million

.60% next $100 million

.55% next $100 million

.50% over $250 million

Davis Venture Value Portfolio

  

.80% to $100 million

.75% next $400 million

.70% over $500 million

“Dogs” of Wall Street Portfolio

   .60%

Emerging Markets Portfolio

  

1.15% to $100 million

1.10% next $100 million

1.05% over $200 million

Equity Index Portfolio2

   .40%

Equity Opportunities Portfolio

  

.80% to $50 million

.75% next $200 million

.70% over $250 million

Foreign Value Portfolio

  

1.025% to $50 million

.865% next $150 million

.775% next $300 million

.75% over $500 million

Fundamental Growth Portfolio

  

.85% to $150 million

.80% next $150 million

.70% over $300 million

Global Bond Portfolio

  

.75% to $50 million

.65% next $100 million

.60% next $100 million

.55% over $250 million

Global Equities Portfolio

  

.90% to $50 million

.80% next $100 million

.70% next $150 million

.65% over $300 million

Growth-Income Portfolio

  

.70% to $50 million

.65% next $100 million

.60% next $150 million

.55% next $200 million

.50% over $500 million

Growth Opportunities Portfolio

  

.75% to $250 million

.70% next $250 million

.65% over $500 million

High-Yield Bond Portfolio

  

.70% to $50 million

.65% next $100 million

.60% next $100 million

.55% over $250 million

International Diversified Equities Portfolio

  

.85% to $250 million

.80% next $250 million

.75% over $500 million

International Growth and Income Portfolio2

  

1.00% to $150 million

.90% next $150 million

.80% over $300 million

Marsico Focused Growth Portfolio

   .85%

 

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PORTFOLIO

  

FEE RATE

(as a % of average daily

net asset value)

MFS Massachusetts Investors Trust Portfolio

  

.70% to $600 million

.65% next $900 million

.60% over $1.5 billion

MFS Total Return Portfolio

  

.70% to $50 million

.65% next $450 million

.625% next $250 million

.595% next $250 million

.575% over $1 billion

Mid-Cap Growth Portfolio

  

.80% to $100 million

.75% over $100 million

Real Estate Portfolio

  

.80% to $100 million

.75% next $400 million

.70% over $500 million

Small & Mid Cap Value Portfolio

  

.95% to $250 million

.90% over $250 million

Small Company Value Portfolio

  

1.00% to $200 million

.92% next $300 million

.90% over $500 million

SunAmerica Dynamic Allocation Portfolio

  

.25% to $1.5 billion

.22% next $1.5 billion

.20% over $3 billion

SunAmerica Dynamic Strategy Portfolio

  

.25% to $1.5 billion

.22% next $1.5 billion

.20% over $3 billion

Technology Portfolio3

  

1.00% to $250 million

.95% next $250 million

.90% over $500 million

Telecom Utility Portfolio

  

.75% to $150 million

.60% next $350 million

.50% over $500 million

Total Return Bond Portfolio

   .60%

 

1 

The Adviser shall be paid a composite fee based on the aggregate assets it manages for both SunAmerica Series Trust and Seasons Series Trust Cash Management Portfolios.

2 

The Adviser voluntarily agreed, until further notice to waive 0.05% of the investment advisory fees for the Capital Growth, Equity Index, and International Growth and Income Portfolios.

3 

The Adviser voluntarily agreed, until further notice to waive 0.10% of the investment advisory fees for the Technology Portfolio.

The following table sets forth the total advisory fees received by the Adviser from each Portfolio pursuant to the Advisory Agreement for the last three fiscal years ended January 31. No information is provided for the SunAmerica Dynamic Strategy Portfolio, which is expected to commence operations on July 16, 2012.

 

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Portfolio

   2012      2011      2010  

Aggressive Growth

   $ 527,332       $ 507,234       $ 442,230   

Alliance Growth

     2,493,821         2,681,006         2,715,504   

Balanced

     900,488         874,586         800,342   

Blue Chip Growth

     528,469         339,933         213,570   

Capital Growth**

     573,127         593,638         561,562   

Cash Management

     1,649,660         1,875,907         2,770,371   

Corporate Bond

     5,400,702         5,264,522         4,698,161   

Davis Venture Value

     9,342,133         9,781,062         9,270,495   

“Dogs” of Wall Street

     398,498         303,831         258,581   

Emerging Markets

     2,995,205         3,080,587         2,607,905   

Equity Index***

     68,532         70,240         67,885   

Equity Opportunities

     694,317         763,369         748,888   

Foreign Value

     4,618,865         3,831,591         3,276,156   

Fundamental Growth****

     1,259,442         1,290,226         1,207,264   

Global Bond

     1,937,991         1,746,840         1,624,462   

Global Equities

     924,468         927,864         881,068   

Growth-Income

     1,489,124         1,440,826         1,473,201   

Growth Opportunities

     1,385,615         940,082         629,268   

High-Yield Bond

     1,768,430         1,778,840         1,617,663   

International Diversified Equities

     2,483,915         2,693,040         2,662,989   

International Growth and Income*****

     3,169,372         3,372,344         3,257,797   

Marsico Focused Growth

     936,591         764,009         630,430   

MFS Massachusetts Investors Trust

     2,131,375         1,634,760         1,262,019   

MFS Total Return

     4,486,115         4,860,565         4,817,410   

Mid-Cap Growth

     1,395,014         1,219,354         1,043,428   

Real Estate

     2,287,286         1,917,132         1,456,081   

Small & Mid Cap Value

     4,902,644         4,234,119         3,285,074   

Small Company Value

     2,038,714         1,532,566         1,090,498   

SunAmerica Dynamic Allocation*

     882         N/A         N/A   

Technology******

     401,145         404,202         332,338   

Telecom Utility

     314,054         271,316         265,351   

Total Return Bond

     4,577,125         3,210,699         1,971,983   

 

* Commenced operations on January 23, 2012.
** The Adviser voluntarily agreed to, until further notice, waive 0.05% of investment advisory fees for the Capital Growth Portfolio. For the fiscal years ended January 31, 2012, 2011 and 2010, the amounts of advisory fees waived were $32,243, $33,449 and $31,565, respectively.
*** The Adviser voluntarily agreed to, until further notice, waive 0.05% of investment advisory fees for the Equity Index Portfolio. For the fiscal years ended January 31, 2012, 2011 and 2010, the amounts of advisory fees waived were $8,566, $8,780 and $8,484, respectively.
**** The Adviser voluntarily agreed to, until further notice, waive 0.05% of investment advisory fees for the Fundamental Growth Portfolio. The fee concession for the Fundamental Growth Portfolio was only valid through September 2011. For the fiscal years ended January 31, 2012, 2011 and 2010, the amounts of advisory fees waived were $51,154, $76,037 and $26,307, respectively.
***** The Adviser voluntarily agreed to, until further notice, waive 0.05% of investment advisory fees for the International Growth & Income Portfolio. For the fiscal years ended January 31, 2012, 2011 and 2010, the amounts of advisory fees waived were $170,094, $182,646 and $175,775, respectively.
****** The Adviser voluntarily agreed to, until further notice, waive 0.10% of investment advisory fees for the Technology Portfolio. For the fiscal years ended January 31, 2012, 2011 and 2010, the amounts of advisory fees waived were $40,115, $40,420 and $33,234, respectively.

For certain Portfolios, the Adviser has voluntarily agreed to reimburse expenses, if necessary, to keep annual operating expense at or below the following percentage of each Portfolio’s average net assets: Equity Index Portfolio 0.55% for Class 1 shares; Blue Chip Growth Portfolio 0.85%, 1.00% and 1.10% for Class 1 shares, Class 2 shares and Class 3 shares, respectively. The Adviser is contractually waiving fees and/or reimbursing expenses from inception through April 30, 2013 so that the total net expense ratio for the SunAmerica Dynamic Allocation Portfolio’s Class 3 shares does not exceed 0.55%. The Adviser may voluntarily reimburse additional amounts to increase returns to a Portfolio’s investors. Any such waivers or reimbursements will continue indefinitely, but may be terminated at any time. These voluntary waivers and/or reimbursements, with the exception of advisory fee waivers, are subject to recoupment by the Adviser from the Portfolio within the following two years, provided that the Portfolio is able to effect such payment to the Adviser and maintain the expense limitations described above.

For the last three fiscal years ended January 31, SunAmerica voluntarily or contractually waived fees or reimbursed expenses as applicable, for all classes of shares, which are not included as part of the advisory fee table as follows:

 

Portfolio

   2012      2011      2010  

Blue Chip Growth

   $ 34,429       $ 41,292       $ 37,772   

Equity Index

     79,372         49,344         45,161   

SunAmerica Dynamic Allocation

     33,953         N/A         N/A   

 

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Certain Portfolios had recoupments for the fiscal years ended January 31, 2012, 2011, and 2010 for all classes of shares, which are not included as part of the advisory fee table as follows:

 

Portfolio

   2012      2011      2010  

Blue Chip Growth

   $ 6,664       $ —         $ —     

 

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The remaining balances subject to recoupment are as follows:

 

Portfolio

   2012      2011      2010  

Blue Chip Growth

   $ 72,079       $ 79,014       $ 81,531   

Equity Index

     128,716         94,505       $ 97,497   

SunAmerica Dynamic Allocation

     33,953         N/A         N/A   

SUBADVISORY AGREEMENTS

AllianceBernstein, BofA Advisors, CMIA, Davis, Federated, Franklin, GSAM-International, Invesco, JP Morgan, Marsico, MFS, MSIM, Oppenheimer, PIMCO, PineBridge, Putnam, Templeton and WellsCap act as Subadvisers to certain of the Trust’s Portfolios pursuant to various Subadvisory Agreements with SAAMCo. Under the Subadvisory Agreements, the Subadvisers manage the investment and reinvestment of the assets of the respective Portfolios for which they are responsible. Each of the Subadvisers is independent of SAAMCo and discharges its responsibilities subject to the policies of the Trustees and the oversight and supervision of SAAMCo, which pays the Subadvisers’ fees.

AllianceBernstein is an indirect majority-owned subsidiary of AXA Financial, Inc. AllianceBerstein does business in certain circumstances, including its role as Subadviser to the Small & Mid Cap Value Portfolio of the Trust, using the name Bernstein Value Equities, a unit of AllianceBernstein. BofA Advisors is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Bank of America NA, which in turn is a wholly owned banking subsidiary of Bank of America Corporation. CMIA is a wholly owned subsidiary of Ameriprise Financial Inc. Davis is a Colorado limited partnership. Federated is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Federated Investors, Inc. Federated Advisory Services Company, an affiliate of Federated, provides certain support services to Federated. The fee for these services is paid by Federated and not the Corporate Bond Portfolio. Franklin is a wholly owned subsidiary of Franklin Resources, Inc. (referred to as Franklin Templeton Investments), a publicly owned company engaged in the financial services industry through its subsidiaries. Charles B. Johnson and Rupert H. Johnson, Jr. are the principal shareholders of Franklin Resources Inc. GSAM-International is a unit of the Investment Management Division (“IMD”), a subsidiary of Goldman Sachs Company, Inc. Invesco is an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of Invesco Ltd., a publicly traded company. JP Morgan is an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of JPMorgan Chase & Co. Marsico is an indirect subsidiary of Marsico Group, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company. MFS is a subsidiary of Sun Life of Canada (U.S.) Financial Services Holdings, Inc., which in turn is an indirect majority-owned subsidiary of Sun Life Financial Inc. (a diversified financial services company). MSIM is a subsidiary of Morgan Stanley. OppenheimerFunds, Inc. is a wholly owned subsidiary of Oppenheimer Acquisition Corp., which is in turn majority owned by the Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company. PIMCO is a majority owned subsidiary of Allianz Asset Management of America L.P. (“Allianz Asset Management”) with minority interests held by PIMCO Partners, LLC, a California limited liability company, and certain officers of PIMCO. Prior to December 31, 2011, Allianz Asset Management was named Allianz Global Investors of America L.P. PIMCO Partners, LLC is owned by current and former officers of PIMCO. Through various holding company structures, Allianz Asset Management is wholly owned by Allianz SE. PineBridge is a Delaware limited liability company and is a wholly owned subsidiary of PineBridge Global Investment LLC, which is a wholly owned subsidiary of Bridge Partners, L.P., a company owned by Pacific Century Group, an Asian-based private investment group. Pacific Century Group is majority owned by Mr. Li Tzar Kai, Richard. Putnam is a Delaware limited liability company and is a subsidiary of Power Corporation of Canada. Templeton is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Franklin Templeton Investments. WellsCap is a wholly owned subsidiary of Wells Fargo Bank, N.A., which is owned by Wells Fargo & Company, a publicly traded corporation.

The Subadvisory Agreements, after initial approval with respect to a Portfolio, continue in effect for a period of two years, in accordance with their terms, unless terminated, and may thereafter be renewed from year to year as to a Portfolio for so long as such continuance is specifically approved at least annually in accordance with the requirements of the 1940 Act. Each Subadvisory Agreement may be terminated at any time, without penalty, by the Trustees, by the holders of a majority of the respective Portfolio’s outstanding voting securities, by SAAMCo on not less than 30 nor more than 60 days, written notice to the Subadviser, or by the Subadviser on 90 days, written notice to SAAMCo and the Trust. Under the terms of the Subadvisory Agreements, the Subadviser is not liable to the Portfolios, or their shareholders, for any act or omission by it or for any losses sustained by the Portfolios or their shareholders, except in the case of willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence or reckless disregard of obligations or duties.

 

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Subadvisory Fees

The Adviser pays each Subadviser a monthly fee with respect to each Portfolio for which the Subadviser performs services, computed on average daily net assets, at the following annual rates:

 

SUBADVISER

  

PORTFOLIO

  

ANNUAL FEE

(as a % of the average daily net assets

the Subadviser Manages in the

Portfolio)

AllianceBernstein    Alliance Growth Portfolio    .35% on the first $50 million
      .30% on the next $100 million
      .25% thereafter
   Small & Mid Cap Value Portfolio    .50% on the first $250 million
      .45% thereafter
   SunAmerica Dynamic Allocation Portfolio1    .18% on the first $500 million
      .15% on the next $1.0 billion
      .13% thereafter
   SunAmerica Dynamic Strategy Portfolio1    .18% on the first $500 million
      .15% on the next $1.0 billion
      .13% thereafter
BofA Advisers    Cash Management Portfolio2    .125% on the first $100 million
      .100% on the next $400 million
      .075% on the next $500 million
      .05% thereafter
CMIA    Technology Portfolio    .50% on the first $150 million
      .45% on the next $100 million
      .425% thereafter
Davis    Davis Venture Value Portfolio    .45% on the first $100 million
   Real Estate Portfolio    .40% on the next $400 million
      .35% thereafter
Federated    Corporate Bond Portfolio    .30% on the first $25 million
      .25% on the next $25 million
      .20% on the next $100 million
      .15% thereafter
Franklin    Small Company Value Portfolio    .60% on the first $200 million
      .52% on the next $300 million
      .50% thereafter
GSAM International    Global Bond Portfolio    .40% on the first $50 million
      .30% on the next $100 million
      .25% on the next $100 million
      .20% thereafter
Invesco    Growth Opportunities Portfolio    .50%
JP Morgan    Balanced Portfolio    .40% on the first $50 million
      .30% on the next $100 million
      .25% thereafter
   Global Equities Portfolio    .45% on the first $50 million
      .40% on the next $100 million
      .35% on the next $350 million
      .30% thereafter

 

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SUBADVISER

  

PORTFOLIO

  

ANNUAL FEE

(as a % of the average daily net assets

the Subadviser Manages in the

Portfolio)

   Growth-Income Portfolio    0.35% on the first $50 million
      0.30% on the next $100 million
      0.25% on the next $150 million
      0.20% on the next $200 million
      0.15% thereafter
   Mid-Cap Growth Portfolio    .42% on the first $100 million
      .40% thereafter
Marsico    Marsico Focused Growth Portfolio    .45%
MFS    MFS Massachusetts Investors Trust    .40% on the first $300 million
   Portfolio    .375% on the next $300 million
      .35% on the next $300 million
      .325% on the next $600 million
      .25% thereafter
   MFS Total Return Portfolio    .375% on the first $500 million
      .350% on the next $250 million
      .320% on the next $250 million
      .300% thereafter
   Telecom Utility Portfolio    .375% on the first $250 million
      .325% on the next $500 million
      .30% on the next $750 million
      .25% thereafter
MSIM    International Diversified Equities    .45% on the first $250 million
   Portfolio    .40% on the next $250 million
      .35% thereafter
Oppenheimer    Capital Growth Portfolio    .45% on the first $50 million
      .40% on the next $200 million
      .375% on the next $250 million
      .35% thereafter
   Equity Opportunities Portfolio    .40% on the first $50 million
      .35% on the next $200 million
      .30% thereafter
PIMCO    Total Return Bond Portfolio    0.25%
PineBridge    High-Yield Bond Portfolio3    .40% on the first $50 million
      .30% on the next $200 million
      .25% thereafter
Putnam    Emerging Markets Portfolio    .85% on the first $100 million
      .80% on the next $100 million
      .75% thereafter
   International Growth and Income    .65% on the first $150 million
   Portfolio    .55% on the next $150 million
      .45% thereafter
Templeton    Foreign Value Portfolio    .625% on the first $50 million
      .465% on the next $150 million
      .375% on the next $300 million
      .35% thereafter

 

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SUBADVISER

  

PORTFOLIO

  

ANNUAL FEE

(as a % of the average daily net assets

the Subadviser Manages in the

Portfolio)

WellsCap    Aggressive Growth Portfolio4    .45% on the first $100 million
      .40% on the next $100 million
      .35% thereafter
   Fundamental Growth Portfolio    .45% on the first $150 million
      .425% on the next $150 million
      .35% thereafter

 

1 The subadvisory fee applies only to the assets in the Overlay Component of the Portfolios. For the purposes of determining whether the Portfolios’ assets meet the breakpoints set forth herein, the assets managed by the Subadviser for the SunAmerica Dynamic Allocation Portfolio and the SunAmerica Dynamic Strategy Portfolio shall be aggregated.
2 For purposes of determining whether the Portfolio’s assets meet the breakpoints set forth herein, the assets managed by the Subadviser for this Portfolio and the assets of any other Portfolio managed by the Subadviser on behalf of the Seasons Series Trust and SunAmerica Series Trust shall be aggregated.
3 Prior to March 29, 2010, the High-Yield Bond Portfolio was managed by SAAMCo.
4 WellsCap voluntarily waived 0.15% of subadvisory fees for the Aggressive Growth Portfolio for the period May 1, 2011 through July 31, 2011.

The following table sets forth the fees paid to the Subadvisers, for the last three fiscal years ended January 31. No information is provided for the SunAmerica Dynamic Strategy Portfolio, which is expected to commence operations on July 16, 2012.

 

SUBADVISER

  

PORTFOLIO

  

2012

    

2011

    

2010

 
AllianceBernstein    Alliance Growth    $ 1,097,426       $ 1,175,419       $ 1,189,793   
   Growth-Income (through 11/14/10)      —           516,549         672,167   
   Small & Mid Cap Value      2,513,822         2,179,560         1,704,790   
   SunAmerica Dynamic Allocation*      127         
BofA Advisors    Cash Management      382,602         429,692         587,358   
   Technology (through 04/30/10)      —           68,766         166,169   
CMIA    Technology (since 05/01/2010)      200,573         133,335         —     
Davis    Davis Venture Value      4,821,066         5,040,531         4,785,247   
   Real Estate      1,243,219         1,045,804         799,910   
FAF Advisors    Equity Index (through 10/03/10)      —           14,499         21,212   
Federated    Corporate Bond      1,657,710         1,616,857         1,446,948   
Franklin    Small Company Value      1,220,487         919,540         654,299   
GSAM-International    Global Bond      863,815         794,306         747,694   
Invesco    Growth Opportunities (since 06/01/10)      923,743         442,331         —     
JP Morgan    Balanced      454,071         442,117         407,850   
   Global Equities      462,234         463,932         440,534   
   Growth-Income (since 11/15/10)      678,802         142,128         —     
   Mid-Cap Growth      737,341         643,655         549,833   
Marsico    Marsico Focused Growth      495,842         404,476         333,757   
MFS    MFS Massachusetts Investors Trust      1,215,648         934,149         721,154   
   MFS Total Return      2,553,108         2,761,413         2,736,324   
   Telecom Utility      157,027         135,658         132,676   
MSIM    Growth Opportunities (through 05/31/10)      —           184,390         419,512   
   International Diversified Equities      1,304,316         1,409,020         1,393,806   
Oppenheimer    Capital Growth      282,942         292,594         362,814   

 

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SUBADVISER

  

PORTFOLIO

   2012      2011      2010  
   Equity Opportunities      337,348         369,572         277,476   

PIMCO

   Total Return Bond      1,907,135         1,337,791         821,660   

PineBridge

   High-Yield Bond (since 3/29/10)      876,526         739,687         —     

Putnam

   Emerging Markets      2,182,289         2,243,119         1,851,593   
   International Growth and Income      1,808,620         1,911,172         1,904,556   

Templeton

   Foreign Value      2,360,704         1,987,659         1,719,430   

Wells Cap

   Aggressive Growth Portfolio (since 07/20/09)      231,369         304,340         154,301   
   Fundamental Growth      615,690         607,094         606,650   

 

* Commenced operations January 23, 2012.

PORTFOLIO MANAGERS

Other Accounts

The portfolio managers primarily responsible for the day-to-day management of the Portfolios, all of whom are listed in the applicable Prospectus(es) (“Portfolio Managers”), are often engaged in the management of various other accounts. The total number of other accounts managed by each Portfolio Manager (whether managed as part of a team or individually) and the total assets in those accounts, as of January 31, 2012, is provided in the table below. If applicable, the total number of accounts and total assets in accounts that have an advisory fee which is all or partly based on the account’s performance are provided in parentheses.

 

          Other Accounts
(As of January 31, 2012)
 
           Registered Investment
Companies
    Pooled Investment
Vehicles
    Other Accounts  

Advisers/

Subadviser

  

Portfolio Managers

   No. of
Accounts
    Assets
(in millions)
    No. of
Accounts
    Total Assets
(in millions)
    No. of
Accounts
    Total Assets
(in millions)
 
SAAMCo    Campion, Timothy*      10      $ 8,100.3        —          —          —          —     
   Pettee, Timothy      2      $ 666/3        —          —          —          —     
   Voege, Brendan      3      $ 1,671.8        —          —          —          —     
   Walsh, Janet      3      $ 516.6        —          —          —          —     
AllianceBernstein    DeVivo, Judith A      19      $ 16, 933        117      $ 5,647        78      $ 24,288   
   Caruso, Frank V.      61      $ 6,291        48      $ 504        29,368 (1)    $

($

10,622

21

  

   DuPont, Vincent C.      59      $ 5,611        46      $ 474        29,365 (1)    $

($

10,622

21

  

   Fogarty, John H.      62      $ 6,314        47      $ 476        29,368 (1)    $

($

10,622

21

  

   Lisser, Joshua      19      $ 16, 933        117      $ 5,647        78      $ 24,288   
   MacGregor, James      218 (2)    $

($

16,498

4,968

  

    283 (6)    $

($

5,250

306

  

    30,070 (10)    $

($

29,316

1,075

  

   Mon, Midhael L.      75      $ 23,235        154      $ 15,035        136      $ 52,107   
   Paul, Joseph Gerard      268 (2)    $

($

20,457

4,968

  

    249 (6)    $

($

5,485

306

  

    30,082 (10)    $

($

30,449

1,075

  

   Sklar, Ben      18      $ 16,905        116      $ 5,641        68      $ 23,841   
   Watkin, Karen      19      $ 16, 933        117      $ 5,647        78      $ 24,288   
   Weiner, Andrew      67 (1)    $

($

7,807

3,412

  

    63      $ 633        29,935 (2)    $

($

12,863

51

  

BofA Advisors    Albright, Dale R.      4      $ 471,012        —          —          —          —     
   Corridan, Karyn      2      $ 130,000        —          —          —          —     
   Moller, Michelle M.      2      $ 170,000        —          —          —          —     

 

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Table of Contents
          Other Accounts
(As of January 31, 2012)
 
           Registered Investment
Companies
     Pooled Investment
Vehicles
    Other Accounts  

Advisers/

Subadviser

  

Portfolio Managers

   No. of
Accounts
     Assets
(in millions)
     No. of
Accounts
    Total Assets
(in millions)
    No. of
Accounts
    Total Assets
(in millions)
 
CMIA    Diwan, Ajay      3       $ 865         0        0        5      $ 0.83   
   Lu, Benjamin      2       $ 581         0        0        2      $ 0.94   
   Parower, Richard M.      4       $ 4,458         0        0        6      $ 51   
   Wick, Paul H.      4       $ 4,718         0        0        8      $ 632   
Davis    Davis, Andrew A.      3       $ 663         1      $ 958        6      $ 25   
   Davis, Christopher C.      24       $ 43,851         13      $ 1,248        85      $ 6,707   
   Feinberg, Kenneth C.      22       $ 43,738         9      $ 1,048        75      $ 6,288   
   Spears, Chandler      2       $ 269         1      $ 958        5      $ 12   
Federated    Balestrino, Joseph M.      11       $ 12,715         —          —          2      $ 50   
   Durbiano, Mark E.      18       $ 5,342         2      $ 7        1      $ 57   
   Ruffner, Brian S.      —           —           —          —          —          —     
Franklin    Baughman, Bruce      14         14,681.8         1      $ 522.8        —          —     
   Lippman, William J.      14       $ 15,443.4         1      $ 522.8        —          —     
   McGee, Margaret      14       $ 14,681.8         —          —          —          —     
   Sahin, Y. Dogan      2       $ 3099.2         —          —          —          —     
   Taylor, Don      14       $ 14,681.8         1      $ 522.8        —          —     
GSAM-Int’l    Lindsay, Iain      46       $ 26,358         202 (11)    $

($

60,391

1,759

  

    2,613 (78)    $

($

22,583

25,514

  

   Wilson, Andrew F      46       $ 26,358         202 (11)    $

($

60,391

1,759

  

   

 

2,613

(78

  

  $

($

22,583

25,514

  

Invesco    Hart, Matthew      1       $ 1,119.8         —          —          —          —     
   Speer, Justin      1       $ 1,119.8         —          —          —          —     
JP Morgan    Bhargava, Sandeep      2       $ 252         12      $ 5,799        5      $ 1,205.8   
   Dessner, Maddie      1       $ 27.8         0 (1)    $ 0 ($830.3)      40 (2)    $

($

941.6

463.8

  

   Hart, Clare      3       $ 1,841.7         2      $ 816.4        9      $ 669.4   
   Jakobson, Patrik      13       $ 11,559.9         2      $ 970.1        9 (3)    $

($

3,499.7

2,013.9

  

   Jones, Christopher      13       $ 10,803.8         1 (1)    $

($

124.4

97.9

  

    1      $ 25.6   
   Parton, Timothy      8       $ 3,719         1      $ 665.4        1      $ 25.6   
   Simon, Jonathon K. L.      13       $ 11,515.7         6      $ 2,868.3        33      $ 2,488   
Marsico    Marsico, Thomas F.      28       $ 16,126         16      $ 2,294        100 **    $ 9,390   
   Rao, A. Douglas      25       $ 16,443         10      $ 1,632        84 **    $ 8,484   
   Witter, Coralie      22       $ 15,809         10      $ 1,632        84 **    $ 8,484   
MFS    Beatty, T. Kevin      4       $ 4,334.0         —          —          12      $ 2,596.7   
   Chitkara, Nevin P.      18       $ 38,834.1         4      $ 2,583.4        35      $ 10,059.2   
   Douglas, William P.      5       $ 11,640.9         —          —          —          —     
   Gorham, Steven R.      17       $ 38,787.3         4      $ 2,583.4        35      $ 10,059.2   
   Hawkins, Richard O.      11       $ 16,807.1         1      $ 1,036.4        5      $ 624.9   
   Maloney, Ted M.***      —           —           —          —          1      $ 7.1   
   Marston, Joshua P.      7       $ 15,463.8         12      $ 3,447.0        4      $ 639.2   
   Persons, Robert D.      12       $ 13,661.3         1      $ 422.4        3      $ 661.3   
   Shaughnessy, Maura A.      5       $ 7,232.4         —          —          —          —     
   Taylor, Brooks A.      6       $ 12,541.3         —          —          —          —     
MSIM    Thivierge, Ann      4       $ 837.08         2      $ 153.18        10 (1)    $

($

4990.77

125.34

  

Oppenheimer    Govil, Manind      9       $ 10.15         1      $ 527.31 ****      1      $ 227   
   Gennaro, Anthony W.      1       $ 1.44         0      $ 0        1      $ 227   
   Van Cleave, Julie      6       $ 8.38         1      $ 150        —          —     

 

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          Other Accounts
(As of January 31, 2012)
 
           Registered Investment
Companies
    Pooled Investment
Vehicles
     Other Accounts  

Advisers/

Subadviser

  

Portfolio Managers

   No. of
Accounts
    Assets
(in millions)
    No. of
Accounts
     Total Assets
(in millions)
     No. of
Accounts
    Total Assets
(in millions)
 
PIMCO    Dialynas, Chris P.      17      $ 22,489        17       $ 13,962         97 (9)    $

($

40,511

5,293

  

PineBridge    Lindvall, Tim      8      $ 465        1       $ 308         4      $ 581   
Yovanovic, John         8      $ 465        1       $ 308         4      $ 581   
Putnam    Graña, Daniel      7 (2)    $

($

118.9

44.1

  

    6       $ 123.3         1      $ 808.3   
   Jaroch, Darren.      6      $ 384.2        1       $ 64.5         —          —     
Templeton    Docal, Antonio      6      $ 7,016.9        4       $ 1,508.6         47      $ 5,828.6   
   Motyl, Gary P.      10      $ 11,405.3        5       $ 1,923.1         48      $ 7,874.3   
   Waddell, Heather      1      $ 275.1        —           —           11      $ 603.1   
WellsCap    Pence, Thomas J.      16      $ 7,152        3       $ 34         151 (1)    $

($

5,626

51

  

   Smith, Michael      16      $ 7,152        3       $ 34         151 (1)    $

($

5,626

51

  

   Warner, Chris      5      $ 2,315        1       $ 6         58      $ 1,321   

 

* Information provided with respect to Mr. Campion is as of February 29, 2012.
** 1 of the “other accounts” is a wrap fee platform which includes approximately 3,658 underlying clients for total assets (in millions) of approximately $1,033 and 3 of the “other accounts” represent model portfolios for total assets (in millions) of approximately $2,161.
*** Mr. Maloney became a Portfolio Manager of the MFS Massachusetts Investors Trust Portfolio effective April 1, 2012. Information for Mr. Maloney is as of February 29, 2012.
**** The actual dollar amount is $527.31.

Potential Conflicts of Interest

As shown in the tables above, the Portfolio Managers are responsible for managing other accounts for multiple clients, including affiliated clients (“Other Client Accounts”), in addition to the Portfolios. In certain instances, conflicts may arise in their management of a Portfolio and such Other Client Accounts. The Portfolio Managers aim to conduct their activities in such a manner that permits them to deal fairly with each of their clients on an overall basis in accordance with applicable securities laws and fiduciary obligations. Notwithstanding, transactions, holdings and performance, among others, may vary among a Portfolio and such Other Client Accounts.

 

   

Trade Allocations. Conflicts may arise between the Portfolio and Other Client Accounts in the allocation of trades among the Portfolio and the Other Client Accounts. For example, an Adviser (solely for the purposes of this section “Potential Conflicts of Interest,” the term “Adviser” is defined to include SAAMCo or a Subadviser, as applicable) may determine that there is a security that is suitable for a Portfolio, as well as, for Other Client Accounts that have a similar investment objective. Likewise, a particular security may be bought for one or more clients when one or more other clients are selling that same security, or the Subadviser and/or Portfolio Manager may take “short” positions in Other Client Accounts with respect to securities held “long” within a Portfolio, or vice-versa, which may adversely affect the value of securities held by the Portfolio. In certain instances, the Adviser and/or Portfolio Manager may have ownership or different interests in Other Client Accounts, including different compensation with respect to Other Client Accounts, such as incentive fees. Such ownership or different interests may cause a conflict of interest. The Trust and Advisers generally have adopted policies, procedures and/or practices regarding the allocation of trades and brokerage, which the Trust and Advisers believe address the conflicts associated with managing multiple accounts for multiple clients (including affiliated clients). Subject to cash and security availability and lot size, among other factors, the policies, procedures and/or practices generally require that securities be allocated among the Portfolios and Other Client Accounts with a similar investment objective in a manner that is fair, equitable and consistent with their fiduciary obligations to each.

 

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Allocation of Portfolio Managers’ Time. The Portfolio Managers’ management of the Portfolios and Other Client Accounts may result in the portfolio manager devoting a disproportionate amount of time and attention to the management of a Portfolio and Other Client Accounts if the Portfolios and Other Client Accounts have different objectives, benchmarks, time horizons, and fees. Generally, the Advisers seek to manage such competing interests for the time and attention of the Portfolio Managers. Although the Advisers do not track the time a portfolio manager spends on the Portfolio or a single Other Client Account, certain Advisers periodically assess whether a portfolio manager has adequate time and resources to effectively manage all of such Portfolio Manager’s accounts. In certain instances, Portfolio Managers may be employed by two or more employers. Where the Portfolio Manager receives greater compensation, benefits or incentives from one employer over another, the Portfolio Manager may favor one employer over the other (or Other Client Accounts) causing a conflict of interest.

 

   

Personal Trading by Portfolio Managers. The management of personal accounts by a Portfolio Manager may give rise to potential conflicts of interest. While generally, the SAAMCo Code and Subadvisers’ Codes of Ethics will impose limits on the ability of a Portfolio Manager to trade for his or her personal account, especially where such trading might give rise to a potential conflict of interest, there is no assurance that the SAAMCo Code and Subadviser’s Codes of Ethics will eliminate such conflicts.

Other than the conflicts described above, the Trust is not aware of any material conflicts that may arise in the connection with each Subadviser’s management of the Portfolios, investments and such Other Accounts.

Compensation

Pursuant to the Subadvisory Agreements, each Subadviser is responsible for paying its own expenses in connection with the management of the Portfolios, including the compensation of its Portfolio Managers. The structure and method of compensation of the Portfolio Managers, organized by Subadviser, is described below.

SAAMCo. SunAmerica portfolio managers’ compensation has both a salary and short term incentive (STI) bonus component. The salary is a fixed annual salary, and is generally based on the portfolio managers’ responsibilities and leadership role within the organization. The STI is discretionary and based on both a Portfolio’s individual performance and the organizational performance of SunAmerica and the investment department.

The most significant component of the portfolio managers’ STI is determined by fund performance. It is determined by the fund’s total return, net of fees, relative to the one-year and three-year Lipper, Inc. rankings. In addition, the STI takes into account other factors, including the overall profitability of SunAmerica, the portfolio manager’s overall engagement in the investment process, the construction of the portfolio manager’s portfolio and management of risk, and the portfolio manager’s participation in other activities on behalf of SunAmerica. In addition, SunAmerica may award long-term incentive (LTI) compensation to a portfolio manager who consistently meets or exceeds relative performance criteria.

SunAmerica believes its compensation program is adequate to incentivize portfolio managers and analysts to seek maximum performance within risk parameters described in the Portfolios’ prospectuses.

AllianceBernstein. AllianceBernstein’s compensation program for investment professionals is designed to be competitive and effective in order to attract and retain the highest caliber employees. The compensation program for investment professionals is designed to reflect their ability to generate long-term investment success for our clients. Investment professionals do not receive any direct compensation based upon the investment returns of any individual client account, nor is compensation tied directly to the level or change in the level of assets under management. Investment professionals’ annual compensation is comprised of the following:

 

  (i) Fixed base salary: This is generally the smallest portion of compensation. The base salary is a relatively low, fixed salary within a similar range for all investment professionals. The base salary does not change significantly from year-to-year, and hence, is not particularly sensitive to performance.

 

  (ii)

Discretionary incentive compensation in the form of an annual cash bonus: AllianceBernstein’s overall profitability determines the total amount of incentive compensation available to investment professionals. This portion of compensation is determined subjectively based on qualitative and quantitative factors. In evaluating this component

 

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of an investment professional’s compensation, AllianceBernstein considers the contribution to his/her team or discipline as it relates to that team’s overall contribution to the long-term investment success, business results and strategy of AllianceBernstein. Quantitative factors considered include, among other things, relative investment performance (e.g., by comparison to competitor or peer group funds or similar styles of investments, and appropriate, broad-based or specific market indices), and consistency of performance. There are no specific formulas used to determine this part of an investment professional’s compensation and the compensation is not tied to any pre-determined or specified level of performance. AllianceBernstein also considers qualitative factors such as the complexity and risk of investment strategies involved in the style or type of assets managed by the investment professional; success of marketing/business development efforts and client servicing; seniority/length of service with the firm; management and supervisory responsibilities; and fulfillment of AllianceBernstein’s leadership criteria.

 

  (iii) Discretionary incentive compensation in the form of awards under the AllianceBernstein Incentive Compensation Awards Plan (“deferred awards”): AllianceBernstein’s overall profitability determines the total amount of deferred awards available to investment professionals. The deferred awards are allocated among investment professionals based on criteria similar to those used to determine the annual cash bonus. There is no fixed formula for determining these amounts. In prior years, deferred awards had various investment options, vested over a four-year period and were generally forfeited if the employee resigned or was terminated. Due to plan amendments in 2009 and 2011, deferred awards are in the form of restricted grants of AllianceBernstein’s master limited partnership units (although employees have the ability to invest a portion of the awards in deferred cash), and the awards are not forfeited if the employee is terminated without cause or departs under other defined circumstances.

 

  (iv) Contributions under AllianceBernstein’s Profit Sharing/401(k) Plan: The contributions are based on AllianceBernstein’s overall profitability. The amount and allocation of the contributions are determined at the sole discretion of AllianceBernstein.

BofA Advisors. BofA Advisors. BofA Advisors’ portfolio managers received all of their compensation from BofA Advisors and its parent company, BofA Global Capital Management Group, LLC, in the form of base salary and an annual award which is 100% at management judgment. The annual management judgement award is based on individual performance against established enterprise, business and individual results/behavioral metrics.

Funding for the management judgment component pool is based upon Corporate (BAC/GWIM) and LOB (BACM) performance and will be adjusted to align to profitability. The award may be delivered in a combination of cash, a long term cash award, restricted stock shares / units or other forms of compensation at management’s discretion, and is valued according to BofA’s method of valuing all forms of compensation.

A portfolio manager’s individual management judgment award is generally based on (1) an evaluation of the manager’s investment performance and (2) the results of a peer and/or management review of such individual, which takes into account skills and attributes such as team participation, investment process, communication and professionalism. In evaluating investment performance, BofA Advisors generally considers the one-, three- and five-year performance of mutual funds and other accounts under the portfolio manager’s oversight relative to selected benchmarks and peer groups noted below, emphasizing the manager’s three- and five-year performance. BofA Advisors may also consider a portfolio manager’s performance in managing client assets in sectors and industries assigned to the manager as part of his or her investment team responsibilities, where applicable. For portfolio managers who also have group management responsibilities, another factor in their evaluation is an assessment of the group’s overall investment performance. Compliance with all applicable laws and regulations, as well as company policies, practices and procedures, is an ongoing obligation of every associate. Consequently, compliance may be a modifier of awards based on management judgment and, subject to applicable law, compensation may be reduced or participants may lose eligibility for any award if management determines a participant has not fulfilled all performance or compliance obligations.

 

Portfolio Manager

  

Primary Benchmark(s)

  

Peer Group

Dale Albright    30-day Treasury Bills    Lipper Money Market Variable Annuity Classification
Michelle Moller    30-day Treasury Bills    Lipper Money Market Variable Annuity Classification
Karyn Corridan    30-day Treasury Bills    Lipper Money Market Variable Annuity Classification

 

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CMIA. Portfolio manager compensation is typically comprised of (i) a base salary, (ii) an annual cash bonus, and may include (iii) an equity incentive award in the form of stock options and/or restricted stock. The annual cash bonus, and in some instances the base salary, are paid from a team bonus pool that is based on the performance of the accounts managed by the portfolio management team, which might include mutual funds, wrap accounts, institutional portfolios and hedge funds. The bonus pool is determined by a percentage of the management fees on the accounts managed by the portfolio managers, including the fund. The percentage of management fees that fund the bonus pool is based on the short term (typically one-year) and long-term (typically three-year and five-year) performance of those accounts in relation to the relevant peer group universe. Funding for the bonus pool may also include a percentage of any performance fees earned on long/short mutual funds managed by the Team. With respect to hedge funds and separately managed accounts that follow a hedge fund mandate, funding for the bonus pool is a percentage of performance fees earned on the hedge funds or accounts managed by the portfolio managers. Columbia Management portfolio managers are provided with a benefits package, including life insurance, health insurance, and participation in a company 401(k) plan, comparable to that received by other Columbia Management employees. Depending upon their job level, Columbia Management portfolio managers may also be eligible for other benefits or perquisites that are available to all Columbia Management employees at the same job level.

Davis. Davis’ portfolio managers’ compensation may consist of (i) base salary, (ii) an annual bonus equal to a percentage of growth in Davis’ profits, (iii) awards of equity (“Units”) in Davis, including Units, options on Units, and/or phantom Units, and (iv) an incentive plan whereby Davis purchase shares in selected funds managed by Davis. At the end of specified periods, generally five-years following the date of purchase, some, all, or none of the Davis fund shares will be registered in the employee’s name based on fund performance, after expenses on a pre-tax basis, versus the S&P 500 Index, and versus peer groups as defined by Morningstar or Lipper. Davis’ portfolio managers are provided benefits packages including life insurance, health insurance and participation in company 401(k) plan comparable to that received by other company employees.

Mr. Feinberg’s and Mr. Spears’ compensation consists of all four compensation components. Christopher Davis’ and Andrew Davis’ compensation consists of a base salary.

Federated. Portfolio Managers are paid a fixed base salary and a variable annual incentive. Base salary is determined within a market competitive position-specific salary range, based on the portfolio manager’s experience and performance. The annual incentive amount is determined based primarily on Investment Product Performance (IPP) and, to a lesser extent, Financial Success, and may be paid entirely in cash, or in a combination of cash and restricted stock of Federated. The total combined annual incentive opportunity is intended to be competitive in the market for this portfolio manager role.

IPP is measured on a rolling 1, 3, and 5 calendar year pre-tax gross total return basis vs. the Fund’s benchmark (i.e., 75% Barclays U.S. Credit Bond Index / 25% Barclays U.S. High Yield 2% Issuer Cap Index) and vs. a designated peer group of comparable accounts. Performance periods are adjusted if a portfolio manager has been managing an account for less than five years; accounts with less than one year of performance history under a portfolio manager may be excluded. Portfolio Managers may also serve as a portfolio manager for other accounts in addition to the Fund. Such other accounts may have different benchmarks. The performance of certain of these accounts may be excluded when calculating IPP; IPP is calculated with an equal weighting of each included account managed by a Portfolio Manager. In his/her role at Federated, a Portfolio Manager may also have oversight responsibility for other portfolios that he/she does not personally manage, or for which a Portfolio Manager provides fundamental credit research. A portion of the IPP score may be determined by the investment performance of these other portfolios vs. product specific benchmarks and peer groups. In addition, a Portfolio Manager may serve on one or more Investment Teams that establish guidelines on various performance drivers (e.g., currency, duration, sector, volatility, and/or yield curve) for taxable fixed income products. A portion of the IPP score is based on Federated senior management’s assessment of team contributions. Portfolio Managers may also be awarded a grant of restricted Federated stock. Awards of restricted stock are discretionary and are made in variable amounts based on the subjective judgment of Federated’s senior management.

The Financial Success category is designed to tie the portfolio manager’s bonus, in part, to Federated’s overall financial results. Funding for the Financial Success category may be determined on a product or asset class basis, as well as on corporate financial results. Senior Management determines individual Financial Success bonuses on a discretionary basis, considering overall contributions and any other factors deemed relevant.

 

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As a general matter, certain conflicts of interest may arise in connection with a portfolio manager’s management of a fund’s investments, on the one hand, and the investments of other accounts for which the portfolio manager is responsible, on the other. For example, it is possible that the various accounts managed could have different investment strategies that, at times, might conflict with one another to the possible detriment of the Fund. Alternatively, to the extent that the same investment opportunities might be desirable for more than one account, possible conflicts could arise in determining how to allocate them. Other potential conflicts might include conflicts created by specific portfolio manager compensation arrangements, and conflicts relating to selection of brokers or dealers to execute fund portfolio trades and/or specific uses of commissions from Fund portfolio trades (for example, research, or “soft dollars”). Federated has adopted policies and procedures and has structured the portfolio managers’ compensation in a manner reasonably designed to safeguard the Fund from being negatively affected as a result of any such potential conflicts.

Franklin. The manager seeks to maintain a compensation program that is competitively positioned to attract, retain and motivate top-quality investment professionals. Portfolio managers receive a base salary, a cash incentive bonus opportunity, an equity compensation opportunity, and a benefits package. Portfolio manager compensation is reviewed annually and the level of compensation is based on individual performance, the salary range for a portfolio manager’s level of responsibility and Franklin Templeton guidelines. Portfolio managers are provided no financial incentive to favor one fund or account over another. Each portfolio manager’s compensation consists of the following three elements:

Base salary. Each portfolio manager is paid a base salary.

Annual bonus. Annual bonuses are structured to align the interests of the portfolio manager with those of the Fund’s shareholders. Each portfolio manager is eligible to receive an annual bonus. Bonuses generally are split between cash (50% to 65%) and restricted shares of Franklin Resources stock (17.5% to 25%) and mutual fund shares (17.5% to 25%). The deferred equity-based compensation is intended to build a vested interest of the portfolio manager in the financial performance of both Franklin Resources and mutual funds advised by the manager. The bonus plan is intended to provide a competitive level of annual bonus compensation that is tied to the portfolio manager achieving consistently strong investment performance, which aligns the financial incentives of the portfolio manager and Fund shareholders. The Chief Investment Officer of the manager and/or other officers of the manager, with responsibility for the Fund, have discretion in the granting of annual bonuses to portfolio managers in accordance with Franklin Templeton guidelines. The following factors are generally used in determining bonuses under the plan:

 

   

Investment performance. Primary consideration is given to the historic investment performance over the 1, 3 and 5 preceding years of all accounts managed by the portfolio manager. The pre-tax performance of each fund managed is measured relative to a relevant peer group and/or applicable benchmark as appropriate.

 

   

Non-investment performance. The more qualitative contributions of a portfolio manager to the manager’s business and the investment management team, including professional knowledge, productivity, responsiveness to client needs and communication, are evaluated in determining the amount of any bonus award.

 

   

Responsibilities. The characteristics and complexity of funds managed by the portfolio manager are factored in the manager’s appraisal.

Additional long-term equity-based compensation. Portfolio managers may also be awarded restricted shares or units of Franklin Resources stock or restricted shares or units of one or more mutual funds, and options to purchase common shares of Franklin Resources stock. Awards of such deferred equity-based compensation typically vest over time, so as to create incentives to retain key talent.

Portfolio managers also participate in benefit plans and programs available generally to all employees of Franklin.

GSAM-International. Compensation for GSAM International portfolio managers is comprised of a base salary and year-end discretionary variable compensation. The base salary is fixed from year to year. Year-end discretionary variable compensation is primarily a function of each portfolio manager’s individual performance and his or her contribution to overall team performance; the performance of GSAM and Goldman Sachs; the team’s net revenues for the past year which in part is derived from advisory fees, and for certain accounts, performance-based fees; and anticipated compensation levels

 

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among competitor firms. Portfolio managers are rewarded, in part, for their delivery of investment performance, measured on a pre-tax basis, which is reasonably expected to meet or exceed the expectations of clients and fund shareholders in terms of: excess return over an applicable benchmark, peer group ranking, risk management and factors specific to certain funds such as yield or regional focus. Performance is judged over the one-, three- and five-year time horizons.

The benchmark for the Global Bond Portfolio is the J.P. Morgan Global Government Bond Index (unhedged). The discretionary variable compensation for portfolio managers is also significantly influenced by: (1) effective participation in team research discussions and process; and (2) management of risk in alignment with the targeted risk parameter and investment objective of the fund. Other factors may also be considered including: (1) general client/shareholder orientation and (2) teamwork and leadership. Portfolio managers may receive equity-based awards as part of their discretionary variable compensation.

Other Compensation—In addition to base salary and year-end discretionary variable compensation, the firm has a number of additional benefits in place including (1) a 401k program that enables employees to direct a percentage of their pretax salary and bonus income into a tax-qualified retirement plan; and (2) investment opportunity programs in which certain professionals may participate subject to certain eligibility requirements.

Invesco. Invesco seeks to maintain a compensation program that is competitively positioned to attract and retain high-caliber investment professionals. Portfolio managers receive a base salary, an incentive bonus opportunity and an equity compensation opportunity. Portfolio manager compensation is reviewed and may be modified each year as appropriate to reflect changes in the market, as well as to adjust the factors used to determine bonuses to promote competitive fund performance. Invesco evaluates competitive market compensation by reviewing compensation survey results conducted by an independent third party of investment industry compensation. Each portfolio manager’s compensation consists of the following three elements:

Base Salary. Each portfolio manager is paid a base salary. In setting the base salary, Invesco’s intention is to be competitive in light of the particular portfolio manager’s experience and responsibilities.

Annual Bonus. The portfolio managers are eligible, along with other employees Invesco, to participate in a discretionary year-end bonus pool. The Compensation Committee of Invesco reviews and approves the amount of the bonus pool available Invesco investment centers. The Compensation Committee considers investment performance and financial results in its review. In addition, while having no direct impact on individual bonuses, assets under management are considered when determining the starting bonus funding levels. Each portfolio manager is eligible to receive an annual cash bonus which is based on quantitative (i.e. investment performance) and non-quantitative factors (which may include, but are not limited to, individual performance, risk management and teamwork).

Each portfolio manager’s compensation is linked to the pre-tax investment performance of the funds/accounts managed by the portfolio manager as described in Table 1 below.

Table 1

 

Subadviser1

  

Performance time period2

Invesco    One-, Three- and Five-year performance against Portfolio peer group.

High investment performance (against applicable peer group and/or benchmarks) would deliver compensation generally associated with top pay in the industry (determined by reference to the third-party provided compensation survey information) and poor investment performance (versus applicable peer group) would result in low bonus compared to the applicable peer group or no bonus at all. These decisions are reviewed and approved collectively by senior leadership which has responsibility for executing the compensation approach across the organization.

Equity-Based Compensation. Portfolio managers may be granted an award that allows them to select receipt of shares of certain Invesco Funds with a vesting period as well as common shares and/or restricted shares of Invesco stock from pools determined from time to time by the Compensation Committee of Invesco Board of Directors. Awards of equity-based compensation typically vest over time, so as to create incentives to retain key talent.

 

1 

Rolling time periods based on calendar year-end.

2 

Portfolio Managers may be granted a short-term award that vests on a pro-rata basis over a four year period and final payments are based on the performance of eligible Funds selected by the portfolio manager at the time the award is granted.

 

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Portfolio managers also participate in benefit plans and programs available generally to all employees.

JP Morgan JPMorgan’s portfolio managers participate in a competitive compensation program that is designed to attract and retain outstanding people and closely link the performance of investment professionals to client investment objectives. The total compensation program includes a base salary fixed from year to year and a variable performance bonus consisting of cash incentives and restricted stock and may include mandatory notional investments (as described below) in selected mutual funds advised by JP Morgan or its affiliates. These elements reflect individual performance and the performance of JP Morgan’s business as a whole.

Each portfolio manager’s performance is formally evaluated annually based on a variety of factors including the aggregate size and blended performance of the portfolios such portfolio manager manages. Individual contribution relative to client goals carries the highest impact. Portfolio manager compensation is primarily driven by meeting or exceeding clients’ risk and return objectives, relative performance to competitors or competitive indices and compliance with firm policies and regulatory requirements. In evaluating each portfolio manager’s performance with respect to the mutual funds he or she manages, the funds’ pre-tax performance is compared to the appropriate market peer group and to each fund’s benchmark index listed in the fund’s prospectuses over one, three and five year periods (or such shorter time as the portfolio manager has managed the fund). Investment performance is generally more heavily weighted to the long-term.

Awards of restricted stock are granted as part of an employee’s annual performance bonus and comprise from 0% to 40% of a portfolio manager’s total bonus. As the level of incentive compensation increases, the percentage of compensation awarded in restricted stock also increases. Up to 50% of the restricted stock portion of a portfolio manager's bonus may instead be subject to mandatory notional investment in selected mutual funds advised by JP Morgan or its affiliates. When these awards vest over time, the portfolio manager receives cash equal to the market value of the notional investment in the selected mutual funds.

Marsico. The compensation package for portfolio managers of Marsico is structured as a combination of base salary (reevaluated at least annually), and periodic cash bonuses. Base salaries may be adjusted upward or downward depending on Marsico’s profitability. Bonuses are typically based on two other primary factors: (1) Marsico’s overall profitability for the period, and (2) individual achievement and contribution. Exceptional individual efforts are typically rewarded through salary readjustments and through larger bonuses. No other special employee incentive arrangements are currently in place or being planned.

Portfolio manager compensation takes into account, among other factors, the overall performance of all accounts for which the portfolio manager provides investment advisory services. In receiving compensation such as bonuses, portfolio managers do not receive special consideration based on the performance of particular accounts, and do not receive compensation from accounts charging performance-based fees. In addition to salary and bonus, Marsico’s portfolio managers may participate in other benefits such as health insurance and retirement plans on the same basis as other Marsico employees. Marsico’s portfolio managers also may be offered the opportunity to acquire equity interests in the firm’s indirect parent company. Equity interests are subject to the financial risks of Marsico’s business generally.

As a general matter, Marsico does not tie portfolio manager compensation to specific levels of performance relative to fixed benchmarks (e.g., S&P 500 Index). Although performance is a relevant consideration, comparisons with fixed benchmarks may not always be useful. Relevant benchmarks vary depending on specific investment styles and client guidelines or restrictions, and comparisons to benchmark performance may at times reveal more about market sentiment than about a portfolio manager’s performance or abilities. To encourage a long-term horizon for managing client assets and concurrently minimizing potential conflicts of interest and portfolios risks, Marsico evaluates a portfolio manager’s performance over periods longer than the immediate compensation period, and may consider a variety of measures in determining compensation, such as the performance of unaffiliated mutual funds or other portfolios having similar strategies as well as other measurements. Other factors that may be significant in determining portfolio manager compensation include, without limitation, the effectiveness of the manager’s leadership within Marsico’s investment management team, contributions to Marsico’s overall performance, discrete securities analysis, idea generation, the ability and willingness to support and train other analysts, and other considerations.

 

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MFS. MFS’s portfolio manager compensation is reviewed annually. As of December 31, 2011, portfolio manager total cash compensation is a combination of base salary and performance bonus. Base salary represents a smaller percentage of portfolio manager total cash compensation than performance bonus. Generally, the performance bonus represents more than a majority of portfolio manager total cash compensation.

The performance bonus is based on a combination of quantitative and qualitative factors, generally with more weight given to the former and less weight given to the latter.

The quantitative portion is based on the pre-tax performance of assets managed by the portfolio manager over one-, three-, and five-year periods relative to peer group universes and/or indices (“benchmarks”). As of December 31, 2011*, the following benchmarks were used to measure performance for the Portfolios:

 

Portfolio Manager

  

Benchmark(s)

T. Kevin Beatty    Standard & Poor’s 500 Stock Index
Nevin P. Chitkara    Standard & Poor’s 500 Stock Index
Steven R. Gorham    Standard & Poor’s 500 Stock Index
Richard O. Hawkins    Barclays Capital Aggregate Index
Joshua P. Marston    Barclays Capital Aggregate Index
Maura A. Shaughnessy    Standard & Poor’s Utilities Index
Brooks A. Taylor    Standard & Poor’s 500 Stock Index

 

* For any portfolio managers not listed in the table above, as of December 31, 2011, such portfolio manager’s performance bouus was not based on the pre-tax performance of any Portfolio relative to a benchmark.

Additional or different benchmarks, including versions of indices and custom indices may also be used. Primary weight is given to portfolio performance over a three-year time period with lesser consideration given to portfolio performance over one-year and five-year periods (adjusted as appropriate if the portfolio manager has served for less than five years).

The qualitative portion is based on the results of an annual internal peer review process (conducted by other portfolio managers, analysts, and traders) and management’s assessment of overall portfolio manager contributions to investor relations and the investment process (distinct from portfolio and other account performance).

Portfolio managers also typically benefit from the opportunity to participate in the MFS Equity Plan. Equity interests and/or options to acquire equity interests in MFS or its parent company are awarded by management, on a discretionary basis, taking into account tenure at MFS, contribution to the investment process and other factors.

Finally, portfolio managers also participate in benefit plans (including a defined contribution plan and health and other insurance plans) and programs available generally to other employees of MFS. The percentage such benefits represent of any portfolio manager’s compensation depends upon the length of the individual’s tenure at MFS and salary level, as well as other factors.

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

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

 

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

 

   

Cash Bonus.

 

   

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

 

   

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

 

   

Voluntary Deferred Compensation Plans—voluntary programs that permit certain employees to elect to defer a portion of their discretionary year-end compensation and notionally invest the deferred amount across a range of designated investment funds, which may include funds advised by the Adviser or its affiliates.

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

 

   

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

 

   

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

 

   

Contribution to the business objectives of the Adviser.

 

   

The dollar amount of assets managed by the portfolio manager.

 

   

Market compensation survey research by independent third parties.

 

   

Other qualitative factors, such as contributions to client objectives.

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

Oppenheimer. Oppenheimer’s portfolio managers are employed and compensated by Oppenheimer, not the Portfolio. Under Oppenheimer’s compensation program for its portfolio managers and portfolio analysts, Portfolio performance is the most important element of compensation with at least half of annual cash compensation based on relative investment performance results of the funds or accounts they manage, rather than on the financial success of Oppenheimer. This is intended to align the portfolio managers and analysts’ interests with the success of the funds and accounts and their shareholders. Oppenheimer’s compensation structure is designed to attract and retain highly qualified investment management professionals and to reward individual and team contributions toward creating shareholder value. As of the Portfolios’ most recently completed year-end, the portfolio managers’ compensation consisted of three elements: a base salary, an annual discretionary bonus and eligibility to participate in long-term awards of options and stock appreciation rights in regard to the common stock of Oppenheimer’s holding company parent, as well as restricted shares of such common stock. Senior portfolio managers may be eligible to participate in Oppenheimer’s deffered compensation plan.

The base pay component of each portfolio manager is reviewed regularly to ensure that it reflects the performance of the individual, is commensurate with the requirements of the particular portfolio, reflects any specific competence or specialty of the individual manager, and is competitive with other comparable positions. The annual discretionary bonus is determined by senior management of Oppenheimer and is based on a number of factors, including a Portfolio’s pre-tax performance for periods of up to five years, measured against an appropriate Lipper benchmark selected by management. The majority is based on one, three and five year data, with longer periods weighted more heavily. Below median performance in all three

 

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periods results in an extremely low, and in come cases no, performance based bonus. Other factors considered include management quality (such as style consistency, risk management, sector coverage, team leadership and coaching) and organizational development. The portfolio managers’ compensation is not based on the total value of the Portfolios’ assets, although the Portfolios’ investment performance may increase those assets. The compensation structure is also intended to be internally equitable and serve to reduce potential conflicts of interest between the Portfolios and other funds and accounts managed by the portfolio managers.

PIMCO. PIMCO has adopted a “Total Compensation Plan” for its professional level employees, including its portfolio managers, that is designed to pay competitive compensation and reward performance, integrity and teamwork consistent with the firm’s mission statement. The Total Compensation Plan includes an incentive component that rewards high performance standards, work ethic and consistent individual and team contributions to the firm. The compensation of portfolio managers consists of a base salary, discretionary performance bonus, and may include an equity or long term incentive component.

Certain employees of PIMCO, including portfolio managers, may elect to defer compensation through PIMCO’s deferred compensation plan. PIMCO also offers its employees a non-contributory defined contribution plan through which PIMCO makes a contribution based on the employee’s compensation. PIMCO’s contribution rate increases at a specified compensation level, which is a level that would include portfolio managers.

The Total Compensation Plan consists of three components:

 

   

Base Salary - Base salary is determined based on core job responsibilities, market factors and internal equity. Base salary levels are reviewed annually, when there is a significant change in job responsibilities or a significant change in the market. Base salary is paid in regular installments throughout the year and payment dates are in line with local practice.

 

   

Performance Bonus - Performance bonuses are designed to reward individual performance. Each professional and his or her supervisor will agree upon performance objectives to serve as a basis for performance evaluation during the year. The objectives will outline individual goals according to pre-established measures of the group or department success. Achievement against these goals as measured by the employee and supervisor will be an important, but not exclusive, element of the Compensation Committee’s bonus decision process. Final award amounts are determined at the discretion of the Compensation Committee and will also consider firm performance.

 

   

Equity or Long Term Incentive Compensation – Equity allows certain professionals to participate in the long-term growth of the firm. The M unit program provides for annual option grants which vest over a number of years and may convert into PIMCO equity that shares in the profit distributions of the firm. M Units are non-voting common equity of PIMCO and provide a mechanism for individuals to build a significant equity stake in PIMCO over time. Option awards may represent a significant portion of an individual’s total compensation.

In certain countries with significant tax implications for employees to participate in the M Unit Option Plan, PIMCO continues to use the Long Term Incentive Plan (“LTIP”) in place of the M Unit Option Plan. The LTIP provides cash awards that appreciate or depreciate based upon the performance of PIMCO’s parent company, Allianz Asset Management, and PIMCO over a three-year period. The aggregate amount available for distribution to participants is based upon Allianz Asset Management’s profit growth and PIMCO’s profit growth.

Participation in the M Unit Option Plan and LTIP is contingent upon continued employment at PIMCO.

In addition, the following non-exclusive list of qualitative criteria may be considered when specifically determining the total compensation for portfolio managers:

 

   

3-year, 2-year and 1-year dollar-weighted and account-weighted, pre-tax investment performance as judged against the applicable benchmarks for each account managed by a portfolio manager (including the Portfolios) and relative to applicable industry peer groups;

 

   

Appropriate risk positioning that is consistent with PIMCO’s investment philosophy and the Investment Committee/CIO approach to the generation of alpha;

 

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Amount and nature of assets managed by the portfolio manager;

 

   

Consistency of investment performance across portfolios of similar mandate and guidelines (reward low dispersion);

 

   

Generation and contribution of investment ideas in the context of PIMCO’s secular and cyclical forums, portfolio strategy meetings, Investment Committee meetings, and on a day-to-day basis;

 

   

Absence of defaults and price defaults for issues in the portfolios managed by the portfolio manager;

 

   

Contributions to asset retention, gathering and client satisfaction;

 

   

Contributions to mentoring, coaching and/or supervising; and

 

   

Personal growth and skills added.

A portfolio manager’s compensation is not based directly on the performance of any Portfolio or any other account managed by that portfolio manager.

Profit Sharing Plan. Instead of a bonus, portfolio managers who are Managing Directors of PIMCO receive compensation from a non-qualified profit sharing plan consisting of a portion of PIMCO’s net profits. Portfolio managers who are Managing Directors receive an amount determined by the Partner Compensation Committee, based upon an individual’s overall contribution to the firm.

PineBridge Investments. Compensation for all PineBridge Investments portfolio managers consists of both a salary and a bonus component. The salary component is a fixed base salary, and does not vary based on a portfolio manager’s performance. Generally, salary is based upon several factors, including experience and market levels of salary for such position. The bonus component is generally discretionarily determined based both on a portfolio manager’s individual performance and the overall performance of PineBridge Investments. In assessing individual performance of portfolio managers, both qualitative performance measures and also quantitative performance measures assessing the management of a portfolio manager’s funds are considered. A portfolio manager may also receive a long-term compensation component, either in the form of a partnership interest in the firm or as a cash-based award the ultimate value of which would depend upon financial performance of the firm.

Putnam. In order to attract and retain top talent, Putnam offers competitive compensation packages. Our total compensation program, which includes base salary, incentive pay, and other retirement and benefit perquisites, compares favorably with other firms in the industry. Putnam’s Human Resources Department periodically conducts reviews to ensure that our compensation packages remain competitive.

While there is no guarantee that investment objectives will be met, our investment compensation program aligns manager goals with the firm’s chief objective — providing our clients with superior, repeatable investment results over the long term. It emphasizes long-term performance goals and does not offer any extra incentives for outperforming by a wide margin over short-term periods. Incentive targets are set on an individual basis for investment staff. These targets are designed to reward performance with the primary bonus driver being fund performance against the market and/or benchmark as appropriate over three years.

Incentive compensation includes a cash bonus and may also include grants of deferred cash, stock or options. In addition to incentive compensation, investment team members receive annual salaries that are typically based on seniority and experience.

In addition to direct compensation, Putnam also provides a carefully designed package of employee benefits, which includes comprehensive medical insurance, dental assistance programs, life insurance, and a variety of other benefits standard for our industry.

 

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Templeton. The manager seeks to maintain a compensation program that is competitively positioned to attract, retain and motivate top-quality investment professionals. Portfolio managers receive a base salary, a cash incentive bonus opportunity, an equity compensation opportunity, and a benefits package. Portfolio manager compensation is reviewed annually and the level of compensation is based on individual performance, the salary range for a portfolio manager’s level of responsibility and Franklin Templeton guidelines. Portfolio managers are provided no financial incentive to favor one fund or account over another. Each portfolio manager’s compensation consists of the following three elements:

Base salary. Each portfolio manager is paid a base salary.

Annual bonus. Annual bonuses are structured to align the interests of the portfolio manager with those of the Fund’s shareholders. Each portfolio manager is eligible to receive an annual bonus. Bonuses generally are split between cash (50% to 65%) and restricted shares of Franklin Resources stock (17.5% to 25%) and mutual fund shares (17.5% to 25%). The deferred equity-based compensation is intended to build a vested interest of the portfolio manager in the financial performance of both Franklin Resources and mutual funds advised by the manager. The bonus plan is intended to provide a competitive level of annual bonus compensation that is tied to the portfolio manager achieving consistently strong investment performance, which aligns the financial incentives of the portfolio manager and Fund shareholders. The Chief Investment Officer of the manager and/or other officers of the manager, with responsibility for the Fund, have discretion in the granting of annual bonuses to portfolio managers in accordance with Franklin Templeton guidelines. The following factors are generally used in determining bonuses under the plan:

 

   

Investment performance. Primary consideration is given to the historic investment performance over the 1, 3 and 5 preceding years of all accounts managed by the portfolio manager. The pre-tax performance of each fund managed is measured relative to a relevant peer group and/or applicable benchmark as appropriate.

 

   

Research. Where the portfolio management team also has research responsibilities, each portfolio manager is evaluated on the number and performance of recommendations over time, productivity and quality of recommendations, and peer evaluation.

 

   

Non-investment performance. For senior portfolio managers, there is a qualitative evaluation based on leadership and the mentoring of staff.

 

   

Responsibilities. The characteristics and complexity of funds managed by the portfolio manager are factored in the manager’s appraisal.

Additional long-term equity-based compensation. Portfolio managers may also be awarded restricted shares or units of Franklin Resources stock or restricted shares or units of one or more mutual funds, and options to purchase common shares of Franklin Resources stock. Awards of such deferred equity-based compensation typically vest over time, so as to create incentives to retain key talent.

Portfolio managers also participate in benefit plans and programs available generally to all employees of Templeton.

WellsCap. The compensation structure for WellsCap’s Portfolio Managers includes a competitive fixed base salary plus variable incentives (WellsCap utilizes investment management compensation surveys as confirmation). Incentive bonuses are typically tied to relative investment performance of all accounts under his or her management within acceptable risk parameters. Relative investment performance is generally evaluated for 1-, 3-, and 5-year performance results, with a predominant weighting on the 3- and 5- year time periods, versus the relevant benchmarks and/or peer groups consistent with the investment style. This evaluation takes into account relative performance of the accounts to each account’s individual benchmark and/or the relative composite performance of all accounts to one or more relevant benchmarks consistent with the overall investment style. In the case of each Fund, the benchmark(s) against which the performance of the Fund’s portfolio may be compared for these purposes generally are indicated in the “Performance” sections of the applicable Prospectus(es).

 

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Ownership of Portfolio Shares

As of January 31, 2012, none of the Portfolio Managers who are primarily responsible for the day-to-day management of the Portfolios had any ownership interest in a Portfolio that they managed.

PERSONAL SECURITIES TRADING

The Trust, the Adviser and the Distributor have adopted a written Code of Ethics (the “SAAMCo Code”) pursuant to Rule 17j-1 of the 1940 Act, which governs, among other things, the personal trading activities of certain access persons of the Portfolios. The SAAMCo Code is designed to detect and prevent conflicts of interests between the Portfolios and the personal trading activities of certain access persons. The SAAMCo Code is filed as an exhibit to the Trust’s registration statement. SAAMCo reports violations of the SAAMCo Code to the Board of Trustees.

Each of the Subadvisers has adopted a code of ethics (a “Code of Ethics”). Such provisions may be more restrictive than the provisions set forth in the SAAMCo Code. Material violations of a Subadviser’s Code of Ethics by employees that provide direct services to a Portfolio or those that involve the subadvised Portfolio are reported to the Board of Trustees.

DISTRIBUTION AGREEMENT

The Trust, on behalf of each Portfolio, has entered into a distribution agreement (the “Distribution Agreement”) with the Distributor, a registered broker-dealer and an indirect wholly owned subsidiary of AIG, to act as the principal underwriter in connection with the continuous offering of each class of shares of each Portfolio to the Separate Accounts of the Life Companies. The address of the Distributor is Harborside Financial Center, 3200 Plaza Five, Jersey City, New Jersey 07311-4992. The Distribution Agreement provides that the Distributor may also distribute shares of the Portfolios. The Distribution Agreement also provides that the Distributor will pay the promotional expenses, including the cost of printing and distributing prospectuses, annual reports and other periodic reports with respect to each Portfolio, for distribution to persons who are not shareholders of such Portfolio and the costs of preparing, printing and distributing any other supplemental advertising and sales literature. However, certain promotional expenses may be borne by the Portfolios, including printing and distributing prospectuses, proxy statements, notices, annual reports and other periodic reports to existing shareholders.

After its initial approval, the Distribution Agreement will continue in effect for an initial two year term and thereafter from year to year, with respect to each Portfolio, if such continuance is approved at least annually by vote of a majority of the Trustees, including a majority of the disinterested Trustees. The Trust or the Distributor each has the right to terminate the Distribution Agreement with respect to a Portfolio on 60 days’ written notice, without penalty. The Distribution Agreement automatically terminates with respect to each Portfolio in the event of its assignment (as defined in the 1940 Act and the rules thereunder).

RULE 12b-1 PLANS

The Board of Trustees has adopted a Rule 12b-1 Plan for Class 1 shares (the “Class 1 Plan”), Class 2 shares (the “Class 2 Plan”) and Class 3 shares (the “Class 3 Plan” and, together with the Class 1 Plan and Class 2 Plan, the “12b-1 Plans”) pursuant to Rule 12b-1 under the 1940 Act. Reference is made to “Account Information” in the applicable Prospectus(es) for certain information with respect to the Class 1, Class 2 and Class 3 Plans. The Class 1 Plan does not provide for a service fee. The Class 2 Plan provides for service fees payable at the annual rate of 0.15% of the average daily net assets of such Class 2 shares. The Class 3 Plan provides for service fees payable at the annual rate of 0.25% of the average daily net assets of such Class 3 shares. The service fees will be used to compensate the life insurance companies for costs associated with the servicing of Class 2 and 3 shares, including the cost of reimbursing the life insurance companies for expenditures made to financial intermediaries for providing services to contract holders who are the indirect beneficial owners of the Portfolios’ Class 2 and 3 shares. It is possible that, in any given year, the amount paid to certain financial intermediaries for such services could exceed the financial intermediaries’ costs as described above.

 

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Account Maintenance and Service Fees

The following table sets forth the account maintenance and service fees paid by each of the Portfolios in Class 1, Class 2 and Class 3 shares for the fiscal year ended January 31, 2012. No information is provided for the SunAmerica Dynamic Strategy Portfolio, which is expected to commence operations on July 16, 2012.

 

PORTFOLIO

     2012  
     Class 1      Class 2      Class3  

Aggressive Growth

     N/A       $ 5,861       $ 47,420   

Alliance Growth

     N/A         41,549         343,427   

Balanced

     N/A         14,839         89,945   

Blue Chip Growth

     N/A         6,388         151,451   

Capital Growth

     N/A         3,688         133,052   

Cash Management

     N/A         38,913         514,609   

Corporate Bond

     N/A         62,261         1,912,623   

Davis Venture Value

     N/A         123,404         1,514,195   

“Dogs” of Wall Street

     N/A         11,075         78,383   

Emerging Markets

     N/A         15,248         433,518   

Equity Index **

     N/A         N/A         N/A   

Equity Opportunities

     N/A         11,029         76,866   

Foreign Value

     N/A         45,433         1,335,604   

Fundamental Growth

     N/A         4,717         211,352   

Global Bond

     N/A         23,729         529,303   

Global Equities

     N/A         11,301         77,689   

Growth Opportunities

     N/A         7,707         410,511   

Growth-Income

     N/A         16,910         86,299   

High-Yield Bond

     N/A         30,680         387,075   

International Diversified Equities

     N/A         37,744         506,190   

International Growth and Income

     N/A         17,336         608,117   

Marsico Focused Growth

     N/A         24,628         187,411   

MFS Massachusetts Investors Trust

     N/A         19,794         566,602   

MFS Total Return

     N/A         78,617         851,944   

Mid-Cap Growth

     N/A         30,320         268,174   

Real Estate

     N/A         15,760         609,249   

Small & Mid Cap Value

     N/A         35,250         1,268,361   

Small Company Value*

     N/A         N/A         501,047   

SunAmerica Dynamic Allocation***

     N/A         N/A         882   

Technology

     N/A         5,733         60,327   

Telecom Utility

     N/A         4,848         38,124   

Total Return Bond

     N/A         35,269         1,536,068   

 

* There were no Class 2 shares of the Portfolio outstanding as of January 31, 2012
** There were no Class 2 or Class 3 shares of the Portfolio outstanding as of January 31, 2012.
*** There were no Class 1 or Class 2 shares of the Portfolio outstanding as of January 31, 2012.

Continuance of the 12b-1 Plans with respect to each Portfolio is subject to annual approval by vote of the Trustees, including a majority of the Independent Trustees. Each 12b-1 Plan may not be amended to increase materially the amount authorized to be spent thereunder with respect to Class 1, Class 2 and Class 3 shares of a Portfolio, without approval of the shareholders of the Class 1, Class 2 and Class 3 shares of the Portfolio, respectively. In addition, all material amendments to each 12b-1 Plan must be approved by the Trustees in the manner described above. The 12b-1 Plans may be terminated at any time with respect to a Portfolio without payment of any penalty by vote of a majority of the Independent Trustees or by vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities (as defined in the 1940 Act) of Class 1, Class 2 and Class 3 shares of the Portfolio, respectively. So long as each 12b-1 Plan is in effect, the election and nomination of the Independent Trustees of the Trust shall be committed to the discretion of the Independent Trustees. In the Trustees’ quarterly review of the 12b-1 Plans, they will consider the continued appropriateness of, and the level of, compensation provided in the 12b-1 Plans. In their consideration of the 12b-1 Plans with respect to each Portfolio, the Trustees must consider all factors they deem relevant, including information as to the benefits for the Portfolio for the shareholders of Class 1, Class 2 and Class 3 shares of the Portfolio.

 

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DIVIDENDS, DISTRIBUTIONS AND FEDERAL TAXES

Under the Code, each Portfolio is treated as a separate regulated investment company provided that certain qualification requirements are met. To qualify as a regulated investment company, a Portfolio 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 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 a Portfolio’s taxable year, (i) at least 50% of the market value of the Portfolio’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 Portfolio’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 stock is held by the Portfolio 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.

Certain of the Portfolio’s investments in MLPs may be considered qualified publicly traded partnerships and, therefore, the extent to which a Portfolio may invest in MLPs is limited by the Portfolio’s intention to qualify as a regulated investment company. In addition, 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. Portfolio investments in partnerships, including in qualified publicly traded partnerships, may result in the Portfolio's being subject to state, local or foreign income, franchise or withholding tax liabilities.

So long as a Portfolio qualifies as a regulated investment company, such Portfolio will not be subject to U.S. federal income tax on the net investment company taxable income or net capital gains distributed to shareholders as ordinary income dividends or capital gain dividends, provided that the Portfolio satisfies a minimum distribution requirement as described below. Dividends from net investment income and capital gain distributions, if any, are paid annually. All distributions are reinvested in shares (of the same class) of the Portfolio at net asset value unless the transfer agent is instructed otherwise.

A Portfolio may be able to cure a failure to derive 90% of its income from the sources specified above or a failure to diversify its holdings in the manner described above by paying a tax, by disposing of certain assets, or by paying a tax and disposing of assets. If, in any taxable year, a Portfolio fails one of these tests and does not timely cure the failure, that Portfolio will be taxed in the same manner as an ordinary corporation and distributions to its shareholders will not be deductible by such Portfolio in computing its taxable income.

If, in any taxable year, a Portfolio 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 Portfolio in computing its taxable income. In addition, in the event of a failure to qualify, a Portfolio’s distributions, to the extent derived from the Portfolio’s current or accumulated earnings and profits, including any distributions of net long-term capital gains, will be taxable to shareholders as dividend income. Moreover, if a Portfolio 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 a Portfolio fails to qualify as a regulated investment company for a period greater than two taxable years, the Portfolio 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 Portfolio had been liquidated) if it qualifies as a regulated investment company in a subsequent year. Further, if a Portfolio should fail to qualify as a regulated investment company, such Portfolio would be considered as a single investment, which may result in Variable Contracts invested in that Portfolio not being treated as annuity, endowment or life insurance contracts under the Code. All income and gain inside the Variable Contracts would be taxed currently to the holders, and the contracts would remain subject to taxation as ordinary income thereafter, even if the Portfolio became adequately diversified.

Generally, a regulated investment company must timely distribute substantially all of its ordinary income and capital gains in accordance with a calendar year distribution requirement in order to avoid imposition of a non-deductible 4% excise tax.

 

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However, the excise tax generally does not apply to a regulated investment company whose only shareholders are certain tax-exempt trust or segregated asset accounts of life insurance companies held in connection with variable contracts. In order to avoid imposition of the excise tax, each Portfolio intends to qualify for this exemption or to comply with the calendar year distribution requirement.

Distributions received by the SunAmerica Dynamic Allocation Portfolio or the SunAmerica Dynamic Strategy Portfolio from an Underlying Portfolio within the Fund-of-Funds Component attributable to the Underlying Portfolio’s investment company taxable income including short-term capital gains are taxable as dividend income to that Portfolio. Distributions received by a Portfolio from an Underlying Portfolio attributable to the excess of the an Underlying Portfolio’s net long-term capital gain over its net short-term capital loss and that are properly reported as “capital gain dividends” are taxable as long-term capital gain to a Portfolio, regardless of how long that Portfolio has held the Underlying Portfolio’s shares. Upon the sale or other disposition by a Portfolio of shares of any Underlying Portfolio, the Portfolio will realize a capital gain or loss which will be long-term or short-term, generally depending upon the Portfolio’s holding period for the shares.

Losses realized upon such redemptions may result in a substantial number of “wash sales” and deferral, perhaps indefinitely, of realized losses to the Portfolio.

In addition, each Portfolio intends to comply with the diversification requirements of Section 817(h) of the Code, which relate to the tax-deferred status of the Separate Accounts. To comply with Treasury Department regulations promulgated under Section 817(h) of the Code, each Portfolio will be required to diversify its investments so that on the last day of each calendar quarter or within 30 days thereafter no more than 55% of the value of its assets is represented by any one investment, no more than 70% is represented by any two investments, no more than 80% is represented by any three investments and no more than 90% is represented by any four investments. Generally, all securities of the same issuer are treated as a single investment. For the purposes of Section 817(h), obligations of the U.S. Treasury and of each U.S. government agency or instrumentality are treated as securities of separate issuers. In certain circumstances, each Separate Account will “look-through” its investment in qualifying regulated investment companies, partnerships or trusts and include its pro rata share of the investment companies’ investments in determining if it satisfies the diversification rule of Section 817(h). An alternative asset diversification test may be satisfied under certain circumstances.

With respect to the SunAmerica Dynamic Allocation Portfolio and the SunAmerica Dynamic Strategy Portfolio, each Underlying Portfolio of the Fund-Of-Funds Component intends to continue to qualify annually to be treated as a regulated investment company under Subchapter M of the Code. In any year in which an Underlying Portfolio qualifies as a regulated investment company and timely distributes all of its taxable income, the Underlying Portfolio generally will not pay any U.S. federal income or excise tax. The Underlying Portfolios are subject to the same asset diversification and income distribution requirements applicable to the Portfolios. The tax treatment of the transactions outlined with respect to the Underlying Portfolios also applies to the Portfolios.

A Portfolio may sell its shares directly to separate accounts established and maintained by insurance companies for the purpose of funding variable annuity and variable life insurance contracts and to certain qualified pension and retirement plans. If a Portfolio were to sell its shares to other categories of shareholders, the Portfolio may fail to comply with applicable Treasury Department requirements regarding investor control. If a Portfolio should fail to comply with the investor control requirements, the contract owner would be treated as the owner of the shares and the contracts invested in the Portfolio would not be treated as annuity, endowment or life insurance contracts under the Code. All income and gain earned in past years and currently inside the contracts would be taxed currently to the holders, and income and gain would remain subject to taxation as ordinary income thereafter, even if the contracts became adequately diversified.

Since the shares of the Portfolios are offered only in connection with the Variable Contracts, no discussion is set forth herein as to the U.S. federal income tax consequences at the shareholder level. For information concerning the U.S. federal income tax consequences to purchasers of the Variable Contracts, see the Prospectus for such contracts. Purchasers of the Variable Contracts should consult their tax advisors regarding specific questions as to federal, state and local taxes.

A Portfolio may invest in debt securities issued at a discount or providing for deferred interest, which may result in income to the Portfolio equal, generally, to a portion of the excess of the face value of the securities over the issue price thereof (“original issue discount”) each year that the securities are held, even though the Portfolio receives no actual interest payments thereon. Original issue discount is treated as income earned by a Portfolio and, therefore, is subject to distribution requirements of the Code applicable to regulated investment companies. Since the original issue discount income earned by a

 

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Portfolio in a taxable year may not be represented by cash income, the Portfolio may have to dispose of securities, which it might otherwise have continued to hold, or borrow to generate cash in order to satisfy its distribution requirements. In addition, a Portfolio’s investment in foreign currencies or foreign currency denominated or referenced debt securities and contingent payment or inflation-indexed debt instruments also may accelerate the Portfolio’s recognition of taxable income in excess of cash generated by such investments.

Options, forward contracts, futures contracts and foreign currency transactions entered into by a Portfolio will be subject to special tax rules. These rules may accelerate income to a Portfolio, defer Portfolio losses, cause adjustments in the holding periods of Portfolio securities, convert capital gain into ordinary income, and/or convert short-term capital losses into long-term capital losses. As a result, these rules could affect the amount, timing and character of distributions by a Portfolio.

In certain situations, a Portfolio may, for a taxable year, defer all or a portion of its net capital loss realized after October and its late-year ordinary loss (defined as the excess of post-October foreign currency and PFIC losses and other post-December ordinary losses over post-October foreign currency and PFIC gains and other post-December ordinary income) 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 (or December) may affect the tax character of shareholder distributions.

Under the Code, gains or losses attributable to fluctuations in exchange rates which occur between the time a Portfolio accrues interest or other receivables or accrues expenses or other liabilities denominated in a foreign currency and the time such Portfolio actually collects such receivables or pays such liabilities are treated as ordinary income or ordinary loss. Similarly, gains or losses from sales of currencies or dispositions of debt securities or certain forward contracts, futures contracts, options or similar financial instruments denominated in a foreign currency or determined by reference to the value of one or several foreign currencies also are treated as ordinary income or loss to the extent attributable to fluctuations in exchange rates.

The Real Estate Portfolio, and possibly other Portfolios, may invest in REITs that hold residual interests in REMICs. Certain types of income received by these Portfolios from REITs, REMICs, taxable mortgage pools or other investments may cause these Portfolios to designate some or all of its distributions as “excess inclusion income.” To shareholders of these Portfolios, such excess inclusion income may (1) constitute taxable income, as unrelated business taxable income; (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 these Portfolios to be subject to tax if certain “disqualified organizations” as defined by the Code are shareholders of the Portfolio.

The Code includes special rules applicable to the listed non-equity options, regulated futures contracts, and options on futures contracts that a Portfolio may write, purchase or sell. Such options and contracts are classified as “Section 1256 contracts” under the Code. The character of gain or loss resulting from the sale, disposition, closing out, expiration or other termination of Section 1256 contracts, except forward foreign currency exchange contracts, is generally treated as long-term capital gain or loss to the extent of 60% of the net gain or loss and short-term capital gain or loss to the extent of 40% thereof (“60/40 gain or loss”). Such contracts, when held by a Portfolio at the end of a fiscal year, generally are required to be treated as sold at market value on the last day of such fiscal year for federal income tax purposes (“marked-to-market”). Over-the-counter options are not classified as Section 1256 contracts and are not subject to the marked-to-market rule or to 60/40 gain or loss treatment. Any gain or loss recognized by a Portfolio from transactions in over-the-counter options written by a Portfolio generally constitute short-term capital gain or loss. Any gain or loss recognized by a Portfolio from transactions in over-the-counter options purchased by such Portfolio generally has the same character as the property to which the option relates as in the hands of such Portfolio (or would have if acquired by the Portfolio). When call options written, or put options purchased, by a Portfolio are exercised, the gain or loss realized on the sale of the underlying securities may be either short-term or long-

 

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term, depending on the holding period of the securities. In determining the amount of such gain or loss, the sales proceeds are reduced by the premium paid for the over-the-counter puts or increased by the premium received for over-the-counter calls.

A substantial portion of each Portfolio’s transactions in options, futures contracts and options on futures contracts, particularly its hedging transactions, may constitute “straddles” which are defined in the Code as offsetting positions with respect to personal property. A straddle in which at least one (but not all) of the positions is a Section 1256 contract would constitute a “mixed straddle” under the Code. The Code generally provides with respect to straddles (i) “loss deferral” rules which may postpone recognition for tax purposes of losses from certain closing purchase transactions or other dispositions of a position in the straddle to the extent of unrealized gains in the offsetting position, (ii) “wash sale” rules which may postpone recognition for tax purposes of losses where a position is sold and a new offsetting position is acquired within a prescribed period, (iii) “short sale” rules which may suspend the holding period of securities owned by a Portfolio when offsetting positions are established and which may convert certain losses from short-term to long-term, and (iv) “conversion transaction” rules which may treat all or a portion of the gain on a transaction as ordinary income rather than as capital gains. The Code provides that certain elections may be made for mixed straddles that can alter the character of the capital gain or loss recognized upon disposition of positions which form part of a straddle. Certain other elections also are provided in the Code; no determination has been reached to make any of these elections.

As a result of entering into swap contracts, a Portfolio may make or receive periodic net payments. A Portfolio 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 a Portfolio has been a party to the swap for more than one year). With respect to certain types of swaps, a Portfolio 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.

In general, gain or loss on a short sale, to the extent permitted, is recognized when a Portfolio 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 Portfolio’s hands. Except with respect to certain situations where the property used by a Portfolio 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 a Portfolio. 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 a Portfolio for more than one year. In general, a Portfolio will not be permitted to deduct payments made to reimburse the lender of securities for dividends paid on borrowed stock if the short sale is closed on or before the 45th day after the short sale is entered into.

A “passive foreign investment company” (“PFIC”) is a foreign corporation that, in general, meets either of the following tests: (a) at least 75% of its gross income is passive or (b) an average of at least 50% of its assets produce, or are held for the production of, passive income. If a Portfolio acquires and holds stock in a PFIC beyond the end of the year of its acquisition, the Portfolio will be subject to federal income tax on a portion of any “excess distribution” received on the stock or on any gain from disposition of the stock (collectively, the “PFIC income”), plus certain interest charges, even if the Portfolio distributes the PFIC income as a taxable dividend to its shareholders. The balance of the PFIC income will be included in the Portfolio’s investment company taxable income and, accordingly, will not be taxable to it to the extent that income is distributed to its shareholders. A Portfolio may make a mark-to-market election with respect to any stock it holds of a PFIC, if such stock is marketable (as defined by the Code for purposes of such election). For these purposes, all stock in a PFIC that is owned directly or indirectly by a regulated investment company is treated as marketable stock. If the election is in effect, at the end of the Portfolio’s taxable year, the Portfolio will recognize annually the amount of mark-to-market gains, if any, with respect to PFIC stock as ordinary income. No ordinary loss will be recognized on the marking to market of PFIC stock, except to the extent of gains recognized in prior years. Alternatively, a Portfolio may elect to treat any PFIC in which it invests as a “qualified electing fund,” in which case, in lieu of the foregoing tax and interest obligation, the Portfolio will be required to include in its income each year its pro rata share of the qualified electing fund’s annual ordinary earnings and net capital gain, even if they are not distributed to the Portfolio; those amounts would be subject to the distribution requirements applicable to the Portfolio described above. In order to make this election, a Portfolio would be required to obtain certain information from the PFIC, which, in many cases, may be difficult to do.

 

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Income received by a Portfolio from sources within foreign countries may be subject to withholding and other taxes imposed by such countries. Income tax treaties between certain countries and the United States may reduce or eliminate such taxes. It is impossible to determine in advance the effective rate of foreign tax to which a Portfolio will be subject, since the amount of the Portfolio assets to be invested in various countries is not known. Shareholders are urged to consult their tax advisors regarding specific questions as to Federal, state and local taxes.

The Portfolios which receive dividend income from U.S. sources will annually report certain amounts of their dividends paid as eligible for the dividends received deduction, and the Portfolios incurring foreign taxes will elect to pass-through allowable foreign tax credits. These reports and elections will benefit the Life Companies, in potentially material amounts, and will not beneficially or adversely affect you or the Portfolios. The benefits to the Life Companies will not be passed to you or the Portfolios.

For the fiscal year ended January 31, 2012, the Portfolios had the following capital loss carry-forwards. No information is provided for the SunAmerica Dynamic Strategy Portfolio, which is expected to commence operations on July 16, 2012.

 

     Loss Carry-Forwards      Unlimited*  

Aggressive Growth

   $ 76,100,300         —     

Alliance Growth

     103,246,772         —     

Balanced

     26,408,008         —     

Blue Chip Growth

     2,985,306         —     

Capital Growth

     19,766,244         —     

Cash Management

     5,697,056       $ 3,873,579   

Corporate Bond

     —           —     

Davis Venture Value

     —           —     

Dogs” of Wall Street

     14,035,488         —     

Emerging Markets

     18,761,959         —     

Equity Index

     3,511,413         —     

Equity Opportunities

     41,455,090         —     

Foreign Value

     26,664,358         —     

Fundamental Growth

     56,697,671         —     

Global Bond

     —           —     

Global Equities

     47,544,808         —     

Growth Opportunities

     —           —     

Growth-Income

     —           —     

High-Yield Bond

     40,468,594         —     

International Diversified Equities

     34,756,062         —     

International Growth and Income

     167,080,799         —     

Marsico Focused Growth

     —           —     

MFS Massachusetts Investors Trust

     11,560,321         —     

MFS Total Return

     136,808,562         —     

Mid-Cap Growth

     29,143,188         —     

Real Estate

     30,553,274         —     

Small & Mid Cap Value

     —           —     

Small Company Value

     1,669,604         —     

SunAmerica Dynamic Allocation

     —           —     

Technology

     17,288,732         —     

Telecom Utility

     15,431,389         —     

Total Return Bond

     —           —     

 

* Capital loss carry-forwards generated in taxable years beginning after 2010 will not be subject to expiration.

To the extent not yet utilized, such losses will be available to each of the Portfolios to offset future capital gains from 2013 through 2019. Capital loss carry-forwards generated in taxable years beginning after 2010 will not be subject to expiration. The utilization of such losses may be subject to annual limitations under the Code. On December 22, 2010, the Regulated Investment Company Modernization Act of 2010 (the “Act”) was enacted which changed various technical rules governing the tax treatment of regulated investment companies. The changes are generally effective for taxable years beginning after the date of enactment. Under the Act, the fund will be permitted to carry forward capital losses incurred in taxable years beginning after the date of enactment for an unlimited period. However, any losses incurred during those future taxable years will be required to be utilized prior to the losses incurred in pre-enactment taxable years, which carry an expiration date. As a result of this ordering rule, pre-enactment capital loss carry forwards may be more likely to expire unused. Additionally, post-enactment capital losses that are carried forward will retain their character as either short-term or long-term losses rather than being considered all short-term as under previous law.

 

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PORTFOLIO TURNOVER

A Portfolio may purchase and sell securities whenever necessary to seek to accomplish its investment objectives. Portfolio turnover generally involves some expense to a Portfolio and its shareholders, including brokerage commissions and other transaction costs on the purchase and sale of securities and reinvestment in other securities. The SunAmerica Dynamic Allocation Portfolio, which operates as a fund-of-funds, does not pay transaction costs when it buys and sells shares of Underlying Portfolios, but the Portfolio does pay transaction costs when it buys and sells the financial instruments held in the Overlay Component of the Portfolio. A Portfolio’s turnover rate would equal 100% if each security in the Portfolio was replaced once per year.

The Small & Mid Cap Value Portfolio had a significant increase in annual portfolio turnover for the fiscal year ended January 31, 2012. Portfolio turnover was higher due to the increase in market volatility. Periods of greater market turmoil often coincide with elevated turnover as the Portfolio repositions to take maximum advantage of newly created, compelling investment opportunities. In addition to market volatility, the Portfolio had a greater number of large cash flows during the period as compared to the previous period.

For the fiscal year ended January 31, 2012, the Real Estate Portfolio had a significant increase in annual portfolio turnover. Although the Portfolio uses a long-term buy-and-hold strategy, when market volatility reduces the value of an asset to an attractive price range or prices assets above the subadviser’s estimate of intrinsic value, the Portfolio is adjusted.

The Growth Opportunities Portfolio experienced a significant decrease in annual portfolio turnover for the fiscal year ended January 31, 2012. Turnover was lower than expected for a full market cycle but there were no specific drivers of consequence other than market conditions and changes in the subadviser’s investment outlook.

The Balanced Portfolio experienced an increase in annual portfolio turnover for the fiscal year ended January 31, 2012. Disbursements from the Portfolio for the 2012 fiscal year increased relative to the prior fiscal year, which could increase turnover as a result of securities sold to raise cash. More volatile market conditions could have also contributed to higher turnover in the Portfolio.

The Growth-Income Portfolio experienced a significant increase in annual portfolio turnover for the 2012 fiscal year primarily as a result of a portfolio manager change.

The increase in annual portfolio turnover for the Global Equities Portfolio for the period ended January 31, 2012 was primarily the result of heightened volatility. Heading into this period the Portfolio maintained a pro-cyclical bias and was titled on the margin toward growth and momentum. Political and macro events, such as the inadequate policy response to the European sovereign debt crisis, the contentious environment surrounding the U.S. debt ceiling and concerns over the pace of Chinese economic growth, resulted in a sharp deterioration in investor sentiment and rotation from risk assets. In effect, market leadership began to shift and the shape of the Portfolio evolved in response to the output of disciplined stock screening process. Against this backdrop, the Portfolio’s pro-cyclical tilt moderated and the higher turnover was a residual of the market environment.

The MFS Total Return Portfolio had a significant decease in annual portfolio turnover for fiscal year ended January 31, 2012 compared to fiscal year ended January 31, 2011. Although turnover did decrease for the trailing 12 months, the numbers are relatively low and reflect the Portfolio’s long term investment focus. Given that the markets were relatively flat over the time frame, the Portfolio maintained its position did not transact as much as it has in the past.

Compared to the fiscal year ended January 31, 2011, the International Diversified Equities Portfolio experienced a significant increase in annual portfolio turnover for the fiscal year ended January 31, 2012. As a result of changing macro dynamics in the market, the International Diversified Equities Portfolio moved to a more defensive stance. The additional turnover was a result of increased market volatility.

The annual portfolio turnover for the Equity Opportunities Portfolio decreased for the fiscal year ended January 31, 2012 compared to the previous fiscal year because the Portfolio did not find more attractive investment opportunities relative to current holdings. Holdings are bought and sold based on expected return, fundamentals and conviction. Turnover tends to be a function of an investment’s attractiveness based on this criteria. There is no particular target range.

 

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The annual portfolio turnover rate for the fiscal year ended January 31, 2012 was higher compared to the prior fiscal year for the Capital Growth Portfolio due to a portfolio manager transition.

The Total Return Bond Portfolio experienced a significant decrease in annual portfolio turnover for the fiscal year ended January 31, 2012. For the prior period, the primary drivers of higher turnover were fluctuations in mortgage exposure, government exposures and non-U.S. developed exposure. Mortgage exposure fluctuated in 2010 ranging from 10% at the beginning of the year, bottoming at 7% and then rising to a higher of 52% at the end of the year. Government exposure also fluctuated during the year, ranging from 22% in the beginning of the year, peaking at 43% mid-year, and falling to 6% by year end. The Portfolio also increased and decreased its non-U.S. developed exposure multiple times over the year, reaching highs of 15% and lows of 3%. These sector changes led to increased turnover for the period.

The High-Yield Bond Portfolio had a significant decrease in annual portfolio turnover for the fiscal year ended January 31, 2012. During the fiscal year ending January 31, 2011, there was a marked increase in primary issuance in the asset class, leading to more securities available for purchase, and subsequently, more relative value opportunities. The following fiscal year ending January 31, 2012 did not offer as high a level of these relative value opportunities, contributing to the decrease in the Portfolio’s turnover rate in the prior fiscal year.

The increase in turnover with respect to the Aggressive Growth Portfolio for the fiscal year ended January 31, 2012 was due mainly to a change in portfolio management.

With respect to the Emerging Markets Portfolio, turnover for the 2012 fiscal year is more consistent with expected levels. In 2011 the market returned to more normalized levels while in 2010 many holdings reached valuation limits more quickly as the markets rallied sharply.

The Global Bond Portfolio had a significant increase in annual portfolio turnover for the fiscal year ended January 31, 2012. The increase in turnover was driven by increases in the volume of both buys and sells over the period. TBA and Treasury trading were the main drivers.

For the twelve-month period ended January 31, 2012, the annual turnover rate for the Blue Chip Growth Portfolio increased significantly. The increase was primarily due to a portfolio manager change.

The turnover rate for the Equity Index Portfolio increased during the fiscal year ended January 31, 2012 primarily due to an increase in corporate actions by S&P 500 companies.

Although the annual turnover rate of the “Dogs” of Wall Street Portfolio increased significantly during the twelve-month period ended January 31, 2012, turnover remained within the historic range. The Portfolio is subject to mandatory quarterly rebalance based on several quantitative factors including dividend yield.

The Technology Portfolio experienced a significant decrease in annual portfolio turnover for the fiscal year ended January 31, 2012. Stocks performed well in 2010. In an environment where investments start to achieve price targets, the Portfolio takes gains when positions are fully valued. In 2011, the markets were rockier. The subadviser takes a longer-term view and did not abandon the positions in which it had a high conviction when the market declined.

SHARES OF THE TRUST

The Trust consists of thirty-six separate Portfolios. Each of the Portfolios offers Class 1, Class 2 and/or Class 3 shares. All shares of the Trust have equal voting rights and may be voted in the election of Trustees and on other matters submitted to the vote of the shareholders. Shareholders’ meetings ordinarily will not be held unless required by the 1940 Act. As permitted by Massachusetts law, there normally will be no shareholders’ meetings for the purpose of electing Trustees unless and until such time as fewer than a majority of the Trustees holding office have been elected by shareholders. At that time, the Trustees then in office will call a shareholders’ meeting for the election of Trustees. The Trustees must call a meeting of shareholders for the purpose of voting upon the removal of any Trustee when requested to do so by the record holders of 10% of the outstanding shares of the Trust. A Trustee may be removed after the holders of record of not less than two-thirds of the outstanding shares have declared that the Trustee be removed either by declaration in writing or by votes cast in person or by proxy. Except as set forth above, the Trustees shall continue to hold office and may appoint successor Trustees, provided that

 

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immediately after the appointment of any successor Trustee, at least two-thirds of the Trustees have been elected by the shareholders. Shares do not have cumulative voting rights. Thus, holders of a majority of the shares voting for the election of Trustees can elect all the Trustees. No amendment may be made to the Declaration of Trust without the affirmative vote of a majority of the outstanding shares of the Trust, except that amendments to conform the Declaration of Trust to the requirements of applicable federal laws or regulations or the regulated investment company provisions of the Code may be made by the Trustees without the vote or consent of shareholders. If not terminated by the vote or written consent of a majority of its outstanding shares, the Trust will continue indefinitely.

In matters affecting only a particular Portfolio, the matter shall have been effectively acted upon by a majority vote of that Portfolio even though: (1) the matter has not been approved by a majority vote of any other Portfolio; or (2) the matter has not been approved by a majority vote of the Trust.

The classes of shares of a given Portfolio are identical in all respects, except that (i) each class may bear differing amounts of certain class-specific expenses; (ii) Class 2 and 3 shares are subject to service and distribution fees while Class 1 shares are subject to distribution fees; (iii) Class 2 and 3 shares have voting rights on matters that pertain to the Rule 12b-1 Plan adopted with respect to Class 2 and 3 shares and (iv) Class 1 shares have voting rights on matters that pertain to the Rule 12b-1 plan adopted with respect to Class 1 shares.

As of March 31, 2012, SAAL, AGD, AGLIC and USLIC, owned, directly or indirectly, 100% of the outstanding shares of all Portfolios. AGD, AGLIC and USLIC are collectively referred to as the “Other Affiliated Life Insurance Companies” in the table below. Shares of the Trust are owned through the life companies’ separate accounts. Other than the SunAmerica Dynamic Strategy Portfolio, which is expected to commence operations on July 16, 2012, the ownership of the Trust’s shares is as follows:

 

     SAAL     Other Affiliated
Life Insurance
Companies
 

Aggressive Growth Portfolio (Class 1)

     90.31     9.69

Aggressive Growth Portfolio (Class 2)

     100.00     0.00

Aggressive Growth Portfolio (Class 3)

     91.30     8.70

Alliance Growth Portfolio (Class 1)

     94.65     5.35

Alliance Growth Portfolio (Class 2)

     100.00     0.00

Alliance Growth Portfolio (Class 3)

     94.61     5.39

Balanced Portfolio (Class 1)

     93.44     6.56

Balanced Portfolio (Class 2)

     100.00     0.00

Balanced Portfolio (Class 3)

     93.76     6.24

Blue Chip Growth Portfolio (Class 1)

     94.64     5.36

Blue Chip Growth Portfolio (Class 2)

     100.00     0.00

Blue Chip Growth Portfolio (Class 3)

     94.89     5.11

Capital Growth Portfolio (Class 1)

     95.13     4.87

Capital Growth Portfolio (Class 2)

     100.00     0.00

Capital Growth Portfolio (Class 3)

     95.14     4.86

Cash Management Portfolio (Class 1)

     95.41     4.59

Cash Management Portfolio (Class 2)

     100.00     0.00

Cash Management Portfolio (Class 3)

     95.98     4.12

Corporate Bond Portfolio (Class 1)

     97.87     2.13

Corporate Bond Portfolio (Class 2)

     100.00     0.00

Corporate Bond Portfolio (Class 3)

     96.37     3.63

Davis Venture Value Portfolio (Class 1)

     96.66     3.34

Davis Venture Value Portfolio (Class 2)

     100.00     0.00

Davis Venture Value Portfolio (Class 3)

     96.03     3.97

 

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     SAAL     Other Affiliated
Life Insurance
Companies
 

“Dogs” of Wall Street Portfolio (Class 1)

     95.35     4.65

“Dogs” of Wall Street Portfolio (Class 2)

     100.00     0.00

“Dogs” of Wall Street Portfolio (Class 3)

     95.52     4.48

Emerging Markets Portfolio (Class 1)

     95.35     4.65

Emerging Markets Portfolio (Class 2)

     100.00     0.00

Emerging Markets Portfolio (Class 3)

     95.15     4.85

Equity Index Portfolio (Class 1)

     100.00     0.00

Equity Opportunities Portfolio (Class 1)

     94.76     5.24

Equity Opportunities Portfolio (Class 2)

     100.00     0.00

Equity Opportunities Portfolio (Class 3)

     96.03     3.97

Foreign Value Portfolio (Class 1)*

     100.00     0.00

Foreign Value Portfolio (Class 2)

     100.00     0.00

Foreign Value Portfolio (Class 3)

     95.73     4.27

Fundamental Growth Portfolio (Class 1)

     94.52     5.48

Fundamental Growth Portfolio (Class 2)

     100.00     0.00

Fundamental Growth Portfolio (Class 3)

     94.97     5.03

Global Bond Portfolio (Class 1)

     96.70     3.30

Global Bond Portfolio (Class 2)

     100.00     0.00

Global Bond Portfolio (Class 3)

     96.27     3.73

Global Equities Portfolio (Class 1)

     96.54     3.46

Global Equities Portfolio (Class 2)

     100.00     0.00

Global Equities Portfolio (Class 3)

     94.52     5.48

Growth-Income Portfolio (Class 1)

     95.14     4.86

Growth-Income Portfolio (Class 2)

     100.00     0.00

Growth-Income Portfolio (Class 3)

     95.91     4.09

Growth Opportunities Portfolio (Class 1)

     96.49     3.51

Growth Opportunities Portfolio (Class 2)

     100.00     0.00

Growth Opportunities Portfolio (Class 3)

     95.67     4.33

High-Yield Bond Portfolio (Class 1)

     95.36     4.64

High-Yield Bond Portfolio (Class 2)

     100.00     0.00

High-Yield Bond Portfolio (Class 3)

     97.42     2.58

International Diversified Equities Portfolio (Class 1)

     94.92     5.08

International Diversified Equities Portfolio (Class 2)

     100.00     0.00

International Diversified Equities Portfolio (Class 3)

     95.79     5.21

International Growth and Income Portfolio (Class 1)

     95.68     4.32

International Growth and Income Portfolio (Class 2)

     100.00     0.00

International Growth and Income Portfolio (Class 3)

     95.15     4.85

Marsico Focused Growth Portfolio (Class 1)

     91.93     8.07

Marsico Focused Growth Portfolio (Class 2)

     100.00     0.00

Marsico Focused Growth Portfolio (Class 3)

     95.30     4.70

MFS Massachusetts Investors Trust Portfolio (Class 1)

     94.61     5.39

MFS Massachusetts Investors Trust Portfolio (Class 2)

     100.00     0.00

MFS Massachusetts Investors Trust Portfolio (Class 3)

     95.65     4.35

MFS Total Return Portfolio (Class 1)

     97.52     2.48

 

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     SAAL     Other Affiliated
Life Insurance
Companies
 

MFS Total Return Portfolio (Class 2)

     100.00     0.00

MFS Total Return Portfolio (Class 3)

     96.99     3.01

Mid-Cap Growth Portfolio (Class 1)

     91.03     8.97

Mid-Cap Growth Portfolio (Class 2)

     100.00     0.00

Mid-Cap Growth Portfolio (Class 3)

     94.95     5.05

Real Estate Portfolio (Class 1)

     94.77     5.23

Real Estate Portfolio (Class 2)

     100.00     0.00

Real Estate Portfolio (Class 3)

     95.18     4.82

Small & Mid Cap Value Portfolio (Class 1)**

     100.00     0.00

Small & Mid Cap Value Portfolio (Class 2)

     100.00     0.00

Small & Mid Cap Value Portfolio (Class 3)

     95.66     4.34

Small Company Value Portfolio (Class 1)

     100.00     0.00

Small Company Value Portfolio (Class 3)

     95.77     4.23

SunAmerica Dynamic Allocation Portfolio (Class 3)**

     95.75     4.25

Technology Portfolio (Class 1)

     97.00     3.00

Technology Portfolio (Class 2)

     100.00     0.00

Technology Portfolio (Class 3)

     94.53     5.47

Telecom Utility Portfolio (Class 1)

     94.02     5.98

Telecom Utility Portfolio (Class 2)

     100.00     0.00

Telecom Utility Portfolio (Class 3)

     96.68     3.32

Total Return Bond Portfolio (Class 1)

     98.00     2.00

Total Return Bond Portfolio (Class 2)

     100.00     0.00

Total Return Bond Portfolio (Class 3)

     95.79     4.21

 

* SunAmerica Annuity and Life Assurance Company owns 100.00% shares of the Portfolio directly
** There were no Class 1 shares and/or Class 2 shares of the Portfolio outstanding as of March 31, 2012.

PRICE OF SHARES

Shares of the Trust are currently offered only to the Separate Accounts of the Life Companies. The Trust is open for business on any day the NYSE is open for business. Shares are valued each day as of the close of regular trading on the NYSE (generally, 4:00 p.m., Eastern Time). Each Portfolio calculates the net asset value of each class of its shares separately by dividing the total value of its net assets of each class by the number of such class shares outstanding. The net asset value of each class of a Portfolio’s shares will also be computed on each other day in which there is a sufficient degree of trading in such portfolio’s securities that the net asset value of its shares might be materially affected by changes in the values of the portfolio securities; provided, however, that on such day the Trust receives a request to purchase or redeem such Portfolio’s shares. The days and times of such computation may, in the future, be changed by the Trustees in the event that the portfolio securities are traded in significant amounts in markets other than the NYSE, or on days or at times other than those during which the NYSE is open for trading.

Stocks are generally valued based upon closing sales prices reported on recognized securities exchanges. Stocks listed on the NASDAQ are valued using the NASDAQ Official Closing Price (“NOCP”). Generally, the NOCP will be the last sale price unless the reported trade for the stock is outside the range of the bid/ask price. In such cases, the NOCP will be normalized to the nearer of the bid or ask price. For listed securities having no sales reported and for unlisted securities, such securities will be valued based upon the last reported bid price.

As of the close of regular trading on the NYSE, securities traded primarily on security exchanges outside the United States are valued at the last sale price on such exchanges on the day of valuation, or if there is no sale on the day of valuation, at the

 

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last-reported bid price. If a security’s price is available from more than one exchange, a portfolio uses the exchange that is the primary market for the security. However, depending on the foreign market, closing prices may be up to 15 hours old when they are used to price the Portfolio’s shares, and the Portfolio may determine that certain closing prices do not reflect the fair value of the security. This determination will be based on review of a number of factors, including developments in foreign markets, the performance of U.S. securities markets, and the performance of instruments trading in U. S. markets that represent foreign securities and baskets of foreign securities. If the Portfolio determines that closing prices do not reflect the fair value of the securities, the Portfolio will adjust the previous closing prices in accordance with pricing procedures approved by the Board of Trustees to reflect what it believes to be the fair value of the securities as of the close of regular trading on the NYSE. A Portfolio may also fair value securities in other situations, for example, when a particular foreign market is closed but the Portfolio is open. For foreign equity securities and foreign equity futures contracts, the Portfolio uses an outside pricing service to provide it with closing market prices and information used for adjusting those prices.

Future contracts traded on national securities exchanges are valued at the quoted daily settlement prices established by the exchange on which they trade. Options traded on national securities exchanges are valued as of the close of the exchange upon which they trade. Forward contracts are valued at the 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time forward rate. Other securities are valued on the basis of last sale or bid price (if a last sale price is not available) in what is, in the opinion of the Adviser, the broadest and most representative market, that may be either a securities exchange or over-the-counter market. Swap contracts are marked to market daily based upon quotations from an approved outside pricing service or market makers. Investments in open-ended and closed-ended registered investment companies that do not trade on an exchange are valued at the end of day net asset value per share. Investments in open-ended and closed-ended registered investment companies that trade on an exchange are valued at the last sales price or official closing price as of the close of the customary trading session on the exchange where the security is principally traded.

Bonds and debentures, other long-term debt securities, and short term debt securities with maturities in excess of 60 days, are valued at bid prices obtained for the day of valuation from a bond pricing service, when such prices are available. The pricing services may use valuation models or matrix pricing which considers information with respect to comparable bond and not transactions, quotations from bond dealers, or by reference to other securities that are considered comparable in such characteristics as rating, interest rate, and maturity date, option adjusted spreads models, prepayments projections, interest rate spreads, and yield curves to determine current value. If a vendor quote is unavailable the securities may be priced at the mean of two independent quotes obtained from brokers.

Senior Secured Floating Rate Loans (“Loans”) for which an active secondary market exists to a reliable degree, will be valued at the mean of the last available bid and ask prices in the market for such Loans, as provided by a third party pricing service.

Short-term securities with 60 days or less to maturity are amortized to maturity based on their cost to the Portfolio if acquired within 60 days of maturity or, if already held by the Portfolio on the 60th day, are amortized to maturity based on the value determined on the 61st day.

Securities for which market quotations are not readily available or if a development/event occurs that may significantly impact the value of the security, then these securities are valued, as determined pursuant to procedures adopted in good faith by the Board of Trustees. The fair value of all other assets is added to the value of securities to arrive at the respective Portfolio's total assets. There is no single standard for making fair value determinations, which may result in prices that vary from those of other funds.

EXECUTION OF PORTFOLIO TRANSACTIONS

It is the policy of the Trust, in effecting transactions in portfolio securities, to seek the best execution at the most favorable prices. The determination of what may constitute best execution involves a number of considerations, including the economic result to the Trust (involving both price paid or received and any commissions and other costs), the efficiency with which the transaction is effected where a large block is involved, the availability of the broker to stand ready to execute potentially difficult transactions and the financial strength and stability of the broker. Such considerations are judgmental and are considered in determining the overall reasonableness of brokerage commissions paid. Sales of Portfolio shares is not considered a factor in the selection of a broker to effect transactions in Portfolio securities.

 

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A factor in the selection of brokers is the receipt of research services — analyses and reports concerning issuers, industries, securities, economic factors and trends — and other statistical and factual information. Research and other statistical and factual information provided by brokers is considered to be in addition to and not in lieu of services required to be performed by the Adviser or Subadviser.

The Adviser or Subadviser may cause a Portfolio to pay broker-dealers commissions that exceed what other broker-dealers may have charged, if in its view the commissions are reasonable in relation to the value of the brokerage and/or research services provided by the broker-dealer. The extent to which commissions may reflect the value of research services cannot be presently determined. To the extent that research services of value are provided by broker-dealers with or through whom the Adviser or Subadviser places the Trust’s portfolio transactions, the Adviser or Subadviser may be relieved of expenses it might otherwise bear. Research services furnished by broker-dealers may be used by the Adviser or Subadviser in connection with the Trust and could be useful and of value to the Adviser or Subadviser in serving other clients as well as the Trust. Research services obtained by the Adviser or Subadviser as a result of the placement of portfolio brokerage of other clients could also be useful and of value in serving the Trust.

In the over-the-counter market, securities are generally traded on a “net” basis with dealers acting as principal for their own accounts without a stated commission, although the price of a security usually includes a profit to the dealer. In underwritten offerings, securities are purchased at a fixed price, which includes an amount of compensation to the underwriter, generally referred to as the underwriter’s concession or discount. On occasion, certain money market instruments may be purchased directly from an issuer, in which case no commissions or discounts are paid.

Subject to the above considerations, the Adviser or a Subadviser may use broker-dealer affiliates of the Adviser or a Subadviser, as a broker for any Portfolio. In order for such broker-dealer to effect any portfolio transactions for a Portfolio, the commissions, fees or other remuneration received by the broker-dealer must be reasonable and fair compared to the commissions, fees or other remuneration paid to other brokers in connection with comparable transactions involving similar securities being purchased or sold on a securities exchange during a comparable period of time. This standard would allow such broker-dealer to receive no more than the remuneration that would be expected to be received by an unaffiliated broker in a commensurate arm’s-length transaction. Furthermore, the Trustees of the Trust, including a majority of the non-interested Trustees, have adopted procedures which are reasonably designed to provide that any commissions, fees or other remuneration paid to such broker-dealers are consistent with the foregoing standard. These types of brokerage transactions are also subject to such fiduciary standards as may be imposed upon the broker-dealers by applicable law.

Commission Recapture Program

Effective December 1, 2004, the Trust implemented a commission recapture program. The Board of Trustees determined that a commission recapture program is in the best interest of each Portfolio and its shareholders and therefore has conveyed that information to the Subadvisers. A commission recapture program includes those arrangements under which products or services (other than execution of securities transactions) or commissions are recaptured for a client from or through a broker-dealer, in exchange for directing the client’s brokerage transactions to that broker-dealer who commits to returning a portion of their commission to the respective underlying Portfolio. A Portfolio may participate in a commission recapture program, provided the portfolio manager can obtain the best price and execution for trades. Thus a Portfolio may benefit from the products or services or recaptured commissions obtained through the commission recapture program, although there may be other transaction costs, greater spreads, or less favorable net prices on transactions. As long as the trader executing the transaction for a Portfolio indicates that this is a commission recapture transaction, the Portfolio will get a percentage of commissions paid on either domestic trades or international trades credited back to the Portfolio. The brokerage of one Portfolio will not be used to help pay the expenses, or otherwise recaptured for the benefit, of any other Portfolio. SAAMCo will continue to waive its fees or reimburse expenses for any Portfolio for which it has agreed to do so. All expenses paid through the commission recapture program will be over and above such waivers and/or reimbursements, so that SAAMCo will not receive any direct or indirect economic benefit from the commission recapture program.

 

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The following table reflects the commission recapture activity for the fiscal year ended January 31, 2012. No information is provided for the SunAmerica Dynamic Strategy Portfolio, which is expected to commence operations on July 16, 2012.

 

Portfolio

   2012  
     Amount
($)
     % of Net
Assets
 

Aggressive Growth

   $ 5,607         0.01

Alliance Growth

     11,427         0.00

Balanced

     5,232         0.00

Blue Chip Growth

     4,929         0.01

Capital Growth

     —        

Cash Management

     —        

Corporate Bond

     —        

Davis Venture Value

     11,240         0.00

“Dogs” of Wall Street

     —        

Emerging Markets

     73,924         0.03

Equity Index

     —        

Equity Opportunities

     —        

Foreign Value

     3,786         0.00

Fundamental Growth

     33,234         0.02

Global Bond

     —        

Global Equities

     2,818         0.00

Growth-Income

     6,988         0.00

Growth Opportunities

     44,948         0.03

High-Yield Bond

     —        

International Diversified Equities

     —        

International Growth and Income

     14,793         0.00

Marsico Focused Growth

     249         0.00

MFS Massachusetts Investors Trust

     12,313         0.00

MFS Total Return

     9,073         0.00

Mid-Cap Growth

     12,005         0.01

Real Estate

     —        

Small & Mid Cap Value

     161,413         0.03

Small Company Value

     —        

SunAmerica Dynamic Allocation

     —        

Technology

     11,870         0.03

Telecom Utility

     1,839         0.00

Total Return Bond

     —        

Brokerage Commissions

The following tables set forth the brokerage commissions paid by the Portfolios and the amounts of the brokerage commissions paid to affiliated broker-dealers of such Portfolios for the last three fiscal years ended January 31.

 

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2012 BROKERAGE COMMISSIONS

 

PORTFOLIO

   AGGREGATE
BROKERAGE
COMMISSIONS
     AMOUNT PAID
TO
AFFILIATED
BROKER-
DEALERS
     PERCENTAGE OF
COMMISSIONS
PAID TO
AFFILIATED
BROKER-
DEALERS
    PERCENTAGE OF
AMOUNT OF
TRANSACTIONS
INVOLVING
PAYMENT OF
COMMISSIONS
THROUGH
AFFILIATED
BROKER-
DEALERS
    GROSS
DOLLAR
VALUE OF
PURCHASE/
SALES
DIRECTED TO
RESEARCH
PROVIDERS
     DOLLAR
AMOUNT OF
COMMISSIONS
DIRECTED TO
RESEARCH
PROVIDERS
 

Aggressive Growth

   $ 130,785         —           —          —        $ 232,231,413       $ 221,172   

Alliance Growth

   $ 502,527         —           —          —        $ 558,773,592       $ 267,561   

Balanced

   $ 96,464         —           —          —        $ 199,895,679       $ 37,806   

Blue Chip Growth

   $ 260,313         —           —          —          —           —     

Capital Growth

   $ 26,841       $ 246         0.92     0.03     —           —     

Cash Management

     —           —           —          —          —           —     

Corporate Bond

     —           —           —          —          —           —     

Davis Venture Value

   $ 339,912         —           —          —          —           —     

“Dogs” of Wall Street

   $ 49,393         —           —          —          —           —     

Emerging Markets

   $ 1,145,598         —           —          —        $ 342,797,611       $ 800.040   

Equity Index

   $ 1,595         —           —          —          —           —     

Equity Opportunities

   $ 59,242         —           —          —          —           —     

Foreign Value

   $ 405,845         —           —          —        $ 184,241       $ 213,763,420   

Fundamental Growth

   $ 234,849         —           —          —        $ 350,040,884       $ 273,512   

Global Bond

     —           —           —          —          —           —     

Global Equities

   $ 224,413       $ 2,790         1.24     0.60   $ 7,172,331,929       $ 97,613   

Growth-Income

   $ 141,070         —           —          —        $ 136,565,518       $ 52,407   

Growth Opportunities

   $ 450,617         —           —          —        $ 157,654,934       $ 343,275   

High-Yield Bond

   $ 2,465         —           —          —          —           —     

International Diversified Equities

   $ 123,533         —           —          —          —           —     

International Growth and Income

   $ 554,507         —           —          —        $ 314,509,914       $ 376,218   

Marsico Focused Growth

   $ 100,125         —           —          —        $ 26,343,802       $ 23,492   

MFS Massachusetts Investors Trust

   $ 134,903         —           —          —          —           —     

MFS Total Return

   $ 132,099         —           —          —          —           —     

Mid-Cap Growth

   $ 182,917         —           —          —        $ 156,159,213       $ 67,098   

Real Estate

   $ 379,932         —           —          —          —           —     

Small & Mid Cap Value

   $ 1,464,572         —           —          —        $ 577,603,750       $ 667,578   

Small Company Value

   $ 63,197         —           —          —        $ 27,091       $ 89,052,569   

SunAmerica Dynamic Allocation

     —           —           —          —          —           —     

Technology

   $ 87,282         —           —          —        $ 11,729,194       $ 14,101   

Telecom Utility

   $ 64,129         —           —          —          —           —     

Total Return Bond

     —           —           —          —          —           —     

2011 BROKERAGE COMMISSIONS

 

PORTFOLIO

   AGGREGATE
BROKERAGE
COMMISSIONS
     AMOUNT PAID
TO
AFFILIATED
BROKER-
DEALERS
     PERCENTAGE OF
COMMISSIONS
PAID
TOAFFILIATED
BROKER-
DEALERS
    PERCENTAGE OF
AMOUNT OF
TRANSACTIONS
INVOLVING
PAYMENT OF
COMMISSIONS
THROUGH
AFFILIATED
BROKER-
DEALERS
 

Aggressive Growth

   $ 101,816         —           —          —     

Alliance Growth

   $ 492,083         —           —          —     

Balanced

   $ 123,084         —           —          —     

Blue Chip Growth

   $ 107,818         —           —          —     

Capital Growth

   $ 50,684       $ 585         1.15     0.03

Cash Management

     —           —           —          —     

Corporate Bond

   $ 4,216         —           —          —     

Davis Venture Value

   $ 323,756         —           —          —     

“Dogs” of Wall Street

   $ 31,215         —           —          —     

Emerging Markets

   $ 2,101,588         —           —          —     

Equity Index

   $ 2,239         —           —          —     

Equity Opportunities

   $ 69,930       $ 544         0.78     0.02

Foreign Value

   $ 230,478         —           —          —     

Fundamental Growth

   $ 312,122         —           —          —     

Global Bond

     —           —           —          —     

Global Equities

   $ 213,745       $ 2,490         1.16     0.06

Growth-Income

   $ 233,321       $ 5,392         2.31     0.03

Growth Opportunities

   $ 447,085         —           —          —     

High-Yield Bond

   $ 2,209         —           —          —     

International Diversified Equities

   $ 90,908         —           —          —     

International Growth and Income

   $ 639,631         —           —          —     

Marsico Focused Growth

   $ 82,622         —           —          —     

MFS Massachusetts Investors Trust

   $ 97,192         —           —          —     

MFS Total Return

   $ 235,068         —           —          —     

Mid-Cap Growth

   $ 187,153         —           —          —     

Real Estate

   $ 190,753         —           —          —     

Small & Mid Cap Value

   $ 705,575       $ 724         0.10     0.02

Small Company Value

   $ 45,640         —           —          —     

Technology

   $ 161,099         —           —          —     

Telecom Utility

   $ 56,248         —           —          —     

Total Return Bond

   $ 14         —           —          —     

 

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2010 BROKERAGE COMMISSIONS

 

PORTFOLIO

   AGGREGATE
BROKERAGE
COMMISSIONS
     AMOUNT PAID
TO
AFFILIATED
BROKER-
DEALERS
     PERCENTAGE OF
COMMISSIONS
PAID
TOAFFILIATED
BROKER-
DEALERS
    PERCENTAGE OF
AMOUNT OF
TRANSACTIONS
INVOLVING
PAYMENT OF
COMMISSIONS
THROUGH
AFFILIATED
BROKER-
DEALERS
 

Aggressive Growth

   $ 386,379       $ 7,664         1.98     0.48

Alliance Growth

   $ 547,282         —           —          —     

Balanced

   $ 157,100         —           —          —     

Blue Chip Growth

   $ 37,854         —           —          —     

Capital Growth

   $ 60,266       $ 632         10.05     0.17

Cash Management

     —           —           —          —     

Corporate Bond

   $ 170         —           —          —     

Davis Venture Value

   $ 481,463         —           —          —     

“Dogs” of Wall Street

   $ 85,453         —           —          —     

Emerging Markets

   $ 2,298,527         —           —          —     

Equity Index

   $ 2,763         —           —          —     

Equity Opportunities

   $ 185,368       $ 2,639         1.42     0.66

Foreign Value

   $ 255,122         —           —          —     

Fundamental Growth

   $ 426,268         —           —          —     

Global Bond

     —           —           —          —     

Global Equities

   $ 312,522       $ 5,194         1.66     1.89

Growth-Income

     123,692         —           —          —     

Growth Opportunities

   $ 726,117       $ 64,822         8.93     2.04

High-Yield Bond

   $ 4,305         —           —          —     

International Diversified Equities

   $ 158,173         —           —          —     

International Growth and Income

   $ 1,342,085         —           —          —     

Marsico Focused Growth

   $ 90,992         —           —          —     

MFS Massachusetts Investors Trust

   $ 126,518         —           —          —     

MFS Total Return

   $ 307,034         —           —          —     

Mid-Cap Growth

   $ 231,671         —           —          —     

Real Estate

   $ 297,711         —           —          —     

Small & Mid Cap Value

   $ 581,854         —           —          —     

Small Company Value

   $ 25,009         —           —          —     

Technology

   $ 211,873       $ 346         0.16     0.08

Telecom Utility

   $ 75,687         —           —          —     

Total Return Bond

   $ 1,935         —           —          —     

 

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The policy of the Trust with respect to brokerage is reviewed by the Board of Trustees from time to time. Because of the possibility of further regulatory developments affecting the securities exchanges and brokerage practices generally, the foregoing practices may be modified.

The following table sets forth the Portfolio’s holdings of securities of the Trust’s regular brokers and dealers (as defined under Rule 10b-1 of the 1940 Act) and their parents as of January 31, 2012. No information is provided for the SunAmerica Dynamic Strategy Portfolio, which is expected to commence operations on July 16, 2012.

 

Portfolio    Broker Dealer    Debt/Equity   

(Amount

($) 000’s)

 

Aggressive Growth Portfolio

   State Street Bank & Trust Co.    Debt    $ 1,368   

Alliance Growth Portfolio

   J P Morgan Securities, Inc.    Equity    $ 9,498   
   State Street Bank & Trust Co.    Debt    $ 13,090   
   Goldman Sachs & Co.    Equity    $ 6,033   

Balanced Portfolio

   UBS AG    Debt    $ 609   
   Citigroup Global Markets, Inc.    Equity    $ 1,293   
   Goldman Sachs & Co.    Equity    $ 667   
   Bank of America Corporation    Debt    $ 930   
   State Street Bank & Trust Co.    Equity    $ 104   
   Credit Suisse Securities AG    Debt    $ 86   
   Morgan Stanley    Debt    $ 500   
   Citigroup Global Markets, Inc.    Debt    $ 862   
   Bank of America Corporation    Equity    $ 731   
   Goldman Sachs & Co.    Debt    $ 1,504   
   State Street Bank & Trust Co.    Debt    $ 10,804   
   HSBC Securities, Inc.    Debt    $ 544   
   Morgan Stanley    Equity    $ 335   
   BNP Paribas    Debt    $ 35   

Blue Chip Growth Portfolio

   JP Morgan Securities, Inc.    Equity    $ 1,124   
   Goldman Sachs Group, Inc.    Equity    $ 750   
   State Street Bank & Trust Co.    Debt    $ 3,489   

Capital Growth Portfolio

   State Street Bank & Trust Co.    Debt    $ 1,054   

 

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Portfolio    Broker Dealer    Debt/Equity   

(Amount

($) 000’s)

 

Cash Management Portfolio

   Barclay’s Capital, Inc.    Debt    $ 10,001   

Corporate Bond Portfolio

   Goldman Sachs & Co.    Debt    $ 13,288   
   Morgan Stanley    Debt    $ 23,577   
   State Street Bank & Trust Co.    Debt    $ 8,931   
   Citigroup Global Markets, Inc.    Debt    $ 17,015   
   J. P. Morgan Chase & Co.    Debt    $ 11,177   
   Bank of America Corporation    Debt    $ 11,241   
   Barclay’s Capital, Inc.    Debt    $ 2,437   
   Jefferies Group, Inc.    Debt    $ 4,770   

Davis Venture Value Portfolio

   Bank of New York Mellon Corp.    Equity    $ 49,827   
   J.P. Morgan Securities, Inc.    Equity    $ 2,901   
   Bank of America Corporation    Equity    $ 797   
   Goldman Sachs & Co.    Equity    $ 5,094   
   Barclay’s Capital, Inc.    Debt    $ 48,274   

“Dogs” of Wall Street Portfolio

   State Street Bank & Trust Co.    Debt    $ 3,455   

Emerging Markets Portfolio

   Deutsche Bank Securities LLC    Debt    $ 3,116   

Equity Index Portfolio

   Bank of New York Mellon Corp.    Equity    $ 35   
   Citigroup Global Markets, Inc.    Equity    $ 129   
   Morgan Stanley & Co., Inc.    Equity    $ 40   
   State Street Bank & Trust Co.    Debt    $ 1,202   
   Goldman Sachs & Co.    Equity    $ 79   
   State Street Bank & Trust Co.    Equity    $ 28   

Equity Opportunities Portfolio

   State Street Bank & Trust Co.    Debt    $ 902   
   JP Morgan Securities, Inc.    Equity    $ 2,381   

Foreign Value Portfolio

   State Street Bank & Trust Co.    Debt    $ 20,401   
   UBS AG    Equity    $ 5,840   
   Credit Suisse Group AG    Equity    $ 7,289   

Fundamental Growth Portfolio

   State Street Bank & Trust Co.    Debt    $ 926   

Global Bond Portfolio

   State Street Bank & Trust Co.    Debt    $ 28,018   
   Citigroup Global Markets, Inc.    Debt    $ 786   
   JP Morgan Securities, Inc.    Debt    $ 773   
   UBS AG    Debt    $ 676   
   Morgan Stanley & Co., Inc.    Debt    $ 630   
   Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC    Debt    $ 808   
   Royal Bank of Scotland    Debt    $ 757   

Global Equities Portfolio

   State Street Bank & Trust Co.    Debt    $ 1,472   

Growth-Income Portfolio

   State Street Bank & Trust Co.    Debt    $ 4,294   

 

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Portfolio    Broker Dealer    Debt/Equity   

(Amount

($) 000’s)

 

Growth Opportunities Portfolio

   State Street Bank & Trust Co.    Debt    $ 13,493   

High-Yield Bond

   Bank of America Corporation    Debt    $ 1,716   
   State Street Bank & Trust Co.    Debt    $ 14,574   

International Diversified Equities Portfolio

   State Street Bank & Trust Co.    Debt    $ 29,868   
   Deutsche Bank Securities, LLC    Equity    $ 726   
   Barclays Capital Inc.    Equity    $ 344   
   Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC    Equity    $ 362   
   HSBC Securities, Inc.    Equity    $ 3,013   
   UBS AG    Equity    $ 654   
   Nomura International PLC    Equity    $ 281   

International Growth and Income Portfolio

   Barclay’s Bank PLC    Equity    $ 4,934   
   Deutsche Bank Securities, Inc.    Equity    $ 2,902   
   Macquarie Securities, Ltd.    Equity    $ 1,600   
   Deutsche Bank Securities, Inc.    Debt    $ 5,717   

Marsico Focused Growth Portfolio

   State Street Bank & Trust Co.    Debt    $ 5,679   

MFS Massachusetts Investors Trust Portfolio

   J.P. Morgan Chase & Co.    Equity    $ 7,284   
   Goldman Sachs & Co.    Equity    $ 4,536   
   Bank of America Corporation    Equity    $ 2,772   

MFS Total Return Portfolio

   Bank of America Corporation    Equity    $ 2,976   
   J.P. Morgan Chase & Co.    Equity    $ 13,391   
   Bank of America Corporation    Debt    $ 871   
   Wells Fargo & Co.    Equity    $ 7,084   
   J.P. Morgan Chase & Co.    Debt    $ 4,029   
   Morgan Stanley & Co., Inc.    Debt    $ 808   
   Citigroup Global Markets, Inc.    Debt    $ 1,959   
   Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith, Inc.    Debt    $ 2,165   
   UBS AG    Debt    $ 1,098   
   Wells Fargo & Co.    Debt    $ 607   
   Credit Suisse (USA) LLC    Debt    $ 2,208   
   Goldman Sachs Group, Inc.    Equity    $ 7,777   
   Goldman Sachs Group, Inc.    Debt    $ 799   
   Bank of New York Mellon Corp.    Equity    $ 5,902   
   BNP Paribas    Debt    $ 316   

Mid-Cap Growth Portfolio

   None      

Real Estate Portfolio

   Barclay’s Capital, Inc.    Debt    $ 6,290   

Small & Mid Cap Value Portfolio

   State Street Bank & Trust Co.    Debt    $ 13,744   

Small Company Value Portfolio

   State Street Bank & Trust Co.    Debt    $ 1,778   

 

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Portfolio    Broker Dealer    Debt/Equity   

(Amount

($) 000’s)

 

SunAmerica Dynamic Allocation Portfolio

   State Street Bank & Trust Co.    Debt    $ 1,723   

Technology Portfolio

   State Street Bank & Trust Co.    Debt    $ 3,300   

Telecom Utility Portfolio

   None      

Total Return Bond Portfolio

   Citigroup Global Markets, Inc.    Debt    $ 11,010   
   Barclay’s Capital, Inc.    Debt    $ 23,189   
   Goldman Sachs & Co.    Debt    $ 7,006   
   Bank of America Corporation    Debt    $ 33,666   
   HSBC Finance Corp.    Debt    $ 1,122   
   Deutsche Bank Securities LLC    Debt    $ 1,346   
   Morgan Stanley & Co., Inc.    Debt    $ 12,583   
   J.P. Morgan Securities, Inc.    Debt    $ 15,263   
   UBS AG    Debt    $ 3,582   

The Adviser and the Subadvisers and their respective affiliates may manage, or have proprietary interests in, accounts with similar or dissimilar or the same investment objectives as one or more Portfolios of the Trust. Such account may or may not be in competition with a Portfolio for investments. Investment decisions for such accounts are based on criteria relevant to such accounts; Portfolio decisions and results of the Portfolio’s investments may differ from those of such other accounts. There is no obligation to make available for use in managing the Portfolio any information or strategies used or developed in managing such accounts. In addition, when two or more accounts seek to purchase or sell the same assets, the assets actually purchased or sold may be allocated among accounts on a good faith equitable basis at the discretion of the account’s adviser. In some cases, this system may adversely affect the price or size of the position obtainable for a Portfolio.

If determined by the Adviser or Subadviser to be beneficial to the interests of the Trust, partners and/or employees of the Adviser or Subadvisers may serve on investment advisory committees, which will consult with the Adviser regarding investment objectives and strategies for the Trust. In connection with serving on such a committee, such persons may receive information regarding a Portfolio’s proposed investment activities which is not generally available to unaffiliated market participants, and there will be no obligation on the part of such persons to make available for use in managing the Portfolio any information or strategies known to them or developed in connection with their other activities.

It is possible that a Portfolio’s holdings may include securities of entities for which a Subadviser or its affiliate performs investment banking services as well as securities of entities in which a Subadviser or its affiliate makes a market. From time to time, such activities may limit a Portfolio’s flexibility in purchases and sales of securities. When a Subadviser or its affiliate is engaged in an underwriting or other distribution of securities of an entity, the Subadviser may be prohibited from purchasing or recommending the purchase of certain securities of that entity for the Portfolio.

FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

The Trust’s audited financial statements with respect to the fiscal year ended January 31, 2012 are incorporated into this SAI by reference to its 2012 annual report to shareholders. You may request a copy of the annual report at no charge by calling (800) 445-7862 or writing the Trust at P.O. Box 54299, Los Angeles, California 90054-0299.

GENERAL INFORMATION

Custodian

State Street Bank and Trust Company (“State Street”), 225 Franklin Street, Boston, Massachusetts 02110, serves as the

 

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Trust’s custodian. In this capacity, State Street maintains the portfolio securities held by the Trust, administers the purchase and sale of portfolio securities and performs certain other duties. State Street also serves as transfer agent and dividend paying agent for the Trust.

Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm and Legal Counsel

PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, 1201 Louisiana Street, Suite 2900, Houston, Texas 77002-5678            , is the Trust’s independent registered public accounting firm. PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP performs an annual audit of the Trust’s financial statements and provides tax advisory services, tax return preparation and accounting services relating to filings with the SEC. The firm of Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP, 787 Seventh Avenue, New York, New York 10019-6099 has been selected as legal counsel to the Trust.

Reports to Shareholders

Persons having a beneficial interest in the Trust are provided at least semi-annually with reports showing the investments of the Portfolios, financial statements and other information.

Disclosure of Portfolio Holdings Policies and Procedures

The Board of Trustees has adopted policies and procedures relating to disclosure of the Portfolios’ securities. These policies and procedures prohibit the release of information concerning portfolio holdings which have not previously been made public to individual investors, institutional investors, intermediaries that distribute the Portfolios’ shares and other parties which are not employed by the Adviser or its affiliates. Except when there are legitimate business purposes for selective disclosure and other conditions (designed to protect the Portfolios and their participants) are met, the Trust does not provide or permit others to provide information about the Portfolios’ holdings on a selective basis.

The Trust makes the Portfolios’ portfolio holdings available semi-annually in shareholder reports filed on Form N-CSR and after the first and third fiscal quarters in regulatory filings on Form N-Q. These shareholder reports and regulatory filings are filed with the SEC, as required by federal securities laws, and are generally available within sixty (60) days of the end of the Trust’s fiscal quarter.

In addition, the Trust generally makes publicly available, on a periodic basis, information regarding a Portfolio’s holdings (including name and percentage of a Portfolio’s assets invested in each holding) and the percentage breakdown of a Portfolio’s investments by country, sector and industry, as applicable. This information, marketing communications (including printed advertising and sales literature) is generally made available at www.sunamerica.com or online through the internet websites of the life insurance companies offering the Portfolios as investment options, and/or the Trust’s telephone customer service centers. This information is generally not released until the information is at least 15 days old, unless otherwise approved by the Trust’s legal department. The Trust and its affiliates are not authorized to receive compensation or other consideration for the non-public disclosure of portfolio holdings information.

Before any non-public disclosure of information about a Portfolio’s holdings is permitted, any employee seeking to disclose such information must submit a written form to his or her department head requesting the release of non-public portfolio holdings information. The request must then be submitted to the legal and compliance departments of that Adviser and the Trust. The Trust’s Chief Compliance Officer and/or the Adviser’s legal counsel are responsible for authorizing the selective release of portfolio holding information. If the request is approved, the Trust and the third party must execute a confidentiality agreement governing the third party’s duties with respect to the portfolio holdings information, which includes the duty to keep such information confidential.

The Trust’s executive officers and the Adviser’s legal counsel are responsible for determining whether there is a legitimate business purpose for the disclosure of such information and whether there are conflicts between the Portfolios’ participants and the Portfolios’ affiliates. To find that there is a legitimate business purpose, it must be determined that the selective disclosure of portfolio holdings information is necessary for the Portfolios’ operation or useful to the Portfolios’ participants without compromising the integrity or performance of the Portfolios.

At each quarterly meeting of the Board of Trustees, the Trustees review a report disclosing the third parties to whom the Portfolios’ holdings information has been disclosed and the purpose for such disclosure, and consider whether or not the

 

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release of information to such third parties is in the best interest of the Portfolios and its participants.

 

   

Subadvisers. Each subadviser is continuously provided with the entire portfolio holdings for each Portfolio that it subadvises on a daily basis. In the case of a multi-managed Portfolio, the subadviser has access only to that portion of the Portfolio’s holdings that it subadvises. In the event a sub-adviser is engaged to assume sub-advisory duties of a Portfolio, the Trust routinely discloses portfolio holdings information to such sub-adviser prior to its assumption of duties.

 

   

            PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP (PwC).             PwC is provided with entire portfolio holdings information during periods in which it performs its audits or reviews of the Portfolios’ financial statements.             PwC does not disclose to third parties information regarding the Portfolios’ holdings.

 

   

Ernst & Young LLP (“E&Y”)            . E&Y            is provided with entire portfolio holdings information during the period in which the annual audits are performed on the Portfolios’ financial statements. E&Y            does not disclose to third parties information regarding the Portfolios’ holdings.

 

   

State Street Bank & Trust Company (“SSB&T”). SSB&T, as custodian to the Portfolios, has daily access to the entire holdings of each Portfolio. SSB&T does not disclose or release information regarding the Portfolios’ holdings except as instructed by the Portfolio.

 

   

Lipper. The Performance Measurement Group discloses the entire portfolio holdings information for each Portfolio on a monthly basis, this information is disclosed approximately fifteen (15) days after the month end. Lipper analyzes the information to produce various statistical measures and general portfolio information (including equity investment style, asset category percentages, credit analysis, top 10 and top 25 holdings, sector weighting, etc.) and uses the information to determine each Portfolio’s asset class and category in order to place each Portfolio in the appropriate peer group. Lipper does not disclose the entire portfolio holdings of each Portfolio, but does disclose the information listed above. This information is made available to Lipper subscribers approximately sixty (60) days after the receipt of information from the Portfolio.

 

   

Morningstar. Morningstar is a subscription-based service, though certain information regarding stocks and retail mutual Portfolios may be accessed through its web site at no charge. Information regarding the Portfolios are available only with a subscription. SSB&T forwards entire portfolio holdings information to Morningstar on a monthly basis, approximately thirty (30) days after each month end. Morningstar analyzes the information to produce various reports that contain statistical measures and other portfolio information (including equity style, asset category percentages, credit analysis, top 10 and top 25 holdings, sector weighting, etc.). Through Morningstar’s DataLab product, entire portfolio holdings information is available to subscribers approximately one week of Morningstar’s receipt of the information. Other Morningstar subscription-based products provide statistical measures and portfolio information generally between fifteen (15) to thirty (30) days after its receipt of such information.

 

   

Standard & Poors (“S&P”). The Performance Measurement Group discloses the entire portfolio holdings information for each Portfolio on a quarterly basis, approximately thirty (30) days after the month end. S&P analyzes the information to produce various statistical measures and general portfolio information (including equity investment style, asset category percentages, credit analysis, top 10 and top 25 holdings, sector weighting, etc.) and uses the information to determine each Portfolio’s asset class and category in order to place each Portfolio in the appropriate peer group. S&P does not disclose the entire portfolio holdings of each Portfolio, but does disclose the information listed above. This information is made available to S&P subscribers approximately sixty (60) days after the receipt of information from the Portfolio.

 

   

Bloomberg. The Performance Measurement Group discloses the entire portfolio holdings information for each Portfolio on a quarterly basis, approximately thirty (30) days after the month end. This information is made available to subscribers of Bloomberg’s various databases within one (1) to fourteen (14) days of its receipt.

 

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Thomson Financial. The Performance Measurement Group discloses the entire portfolio holdings information for each Portfolio on a monthly basis, approximately thirty (30) days after the month end. This information is made available to subscribers of Thompson Financial’s various databases within a few days of its receipt.

 

   

Financial Printers. Portfolio Accounting provides various financial printers with portfolio holdings information between thirty (30) and sixty (60) days after each portfolio’s fiscal quarter. Financial printers assist the Portfolios with the filing of their annual and semi-annual shareholder reports and quarterly regulatory filings with the SEC and the printing of shareholder reports for distribution to participants. Financial printers do not disclose the information publicly other than to file the document on the SEC’s EDGAR database.

 

   

Investment Company Institute (“ICI”). Portfolio Accounting provides the ICI with certain holdings information (top 10 holdings, sector weighting and asset categories) regarding the Portfolios on a quarterly basis, approximately fifteen (15) days after the quarter end. The ICI uses this information for survey purposes and does not disclose a particular Portfolio’s holding information publicly.

 

   

Diligent Board Member Services, Inc. (“Diligent”). Diligent hosts online board meeting materials for the Board of Trustees.

 

   

Plexus Group. SSB&T provides purchase and sale information with respect to the Portfolios’ equity holdings on a quarterly basis approximately fifteen (15) days after the quarter end. Plexus analyze the information to produce reports containing brokerage execution statistics and comparisons. These reports are provided to the Portfolios and Plexus does not disclose publicly the information they receive or the reports they prepare. SAAMCo’s contract with Plexus includes a confidentiality clause.

 

   

RiskMetrics Group (“RiskMetrics”). RiskMetrics, formerly Institutional Shareholders Services downloads both daily and weekly portfolio information (i.e. custodian identification number, security identification number, share position and description of the security) through SSB&T Insight System. This information is used for the purposes of voting proxies on behalf of a Portfolio, evaluating the Portfolio’s eligibility for participating in, and filing proofs of claim on behalf of, the Portfolio in securities class action lawsuits. RiskMetrics does not publicly disclose the information except as may be required when filing a proof of claim in connection with a Portfolio’s participation in a securities class action lawsuit. SAAMCo’s contract with RiskMetrics includes confidentiality disclosure.

 

   

SunAmerica Retirement Markets, Inc. (“SARM”). SARM, as the primary marketer of variable annuities or variable life insurance products (the “Variable Products”) that offer the Trust, requires access to the non-public portfolio holdings information of the Portfolios in order to facilitate its management and marketing of the Variable Products as well as to facilitate the monitoring, review and analysis of the Trust and the subadvisers of the Portfolios by certain SARM employees who are supervised by SAAMCo. SARM is continuously provided with the entire portfolio holdings for each Portfolio on a daily basis.

Proxy Voting Policies and Procedures

Proxy Voting Responsibility. The Trust has adopted policies and procedures for the voting of proxies relating to portfolio securities. The policies and procedures were drafted according to recommendations by a proxy voting committee composed of senior management of the Trust and the Trust’s investment adviser, SAAMCo (i.e., representatives from the investment legal and compliance departments). The policies and procedures enable the Trust to vote proxies in a manner consistent with the best interests of the Trust’s shareholders. Except as otherwise described below regarding case-by-case voting matters, neither SAAMCo nor any Manager has discretion concerning proxy voting decisions.

The Trust has retained a proxy voting service, RiskMetrics, to effect votes on behalf of the Trust according to the Trust’s policies and procedures, and to assist the Trust with certain responsibilities including recordkeeping of proxy votes.

Company Management Recommendations. When determining whether to invest in the securities of a particular company, one of the key factors a portfolio manager may consider is the quality and depth of the company’s management. In holding portfolio securities, the Trust is seeking to maximize the investment value for shareholders, but not necessarily exercise control over the issuers of portfolio securities or otherwise advance a particular social agenda. The Trust’s policies and

 

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procedures therefore provide that the Trust will generally vote in support of management recommendations on most corporate matters. When a Trust’s portfolio manager is dissatisfied with a company’s management, the Trust typically will sell the holding.

Case-By-Case Voting Matters. The policies and procedures identify certain voting matters that will be decided on a case-by-case basis. The Proxy Voting Committee has established proxy voting guidelines. In these circumstances, the Trust may request guidance or a recommendation from the proxy voting committee, the independent proxy voting agent, the portfolio manager or other appropriate personnel of SAAMCo and/or the subadviser of a Portfolio. In these instances, such person(s) will recommend the vote that will maximize value for and is in the best interests of the Trust’s shareholders.

Examples of the Trust’s positions on voting matters. Consistent with the approaches described above, the following are examples of the Trust’s voting positions on specific matters:

 

   

Vote with management recommendations on most corporate matters;

 

   

Vote on a case-by-case basis on proposals to increase or decrease authorized common stock or preferred stocks;

 

   

Vote for a management proposal to decrease authorized preferred stock or cancel a class or series of preferred stock;

 

   

Vote on a case-by-case basis regarding finance, merger and acquisition matters;

 

   

Abstain from voting on social responsibility or environmental matters, unless the portfolio’s objective is directly related to the social or environmental matter in question;1

 

   

Not vote proxies for index funds/portfolios and passively managed portfolios;2 and

 

   

Vote on a case-by-case basis on equity compensation plans.

Conflicts of Interest. Members of the proxy voting committee will resolve conflicts of interest presented by a proxy vote. In practice, application of the Trust’s proxy voting guidelines will in most instances adequately address any possible conflicts of interest, as votes generally are effected according to the guidelines or recommendations of the independent proxy voting agent.

However, if a situation arises where a vote presents a conflict between the interests of a Trust’s shareholders and the interests of SAAMCo, the Trust’s, or one of SAAMCo’s affiliates, and the conflict is known to the Trust, senior management of the Trust and SAAMCo, including the proxy voting committee, will consult with the Independent Chairman of the Board of Trustees or, if not available, an Independent Trustee. Any individual with a known conflict may be required by the proxy voting committee to recuse himself or herself from being involved in the proxy voting decision. Senior management, including the proxy voting committee, will evaluate the situation and determine the vote to ensure that the Trust selects the vote that is in the best interests of the Trust’s shareholders.

Proxy Voting Records. The independent proxy voting agent will be responsible for documenting its basis for any determination to vote in a non-uniform or contrary manner, as well as, for ensuring the maintenance of records for each proxy vote cast on behalf of the Trust. The proxy voting agent will maintain records of voting decisions for each vote cast on behalf of the Portfolios for each one-year period ending on June 30th. The proxy voting record will also be available on the SEC’s website at http://www.sec.gov.

 

1 

In these circumstances, the Portfolio will consider the effect that the vote’s outcome may have on the issuing company and the value of its securities as part of the Portfolio’s overall investment evaluation of whether to retain or sell the company’s securities. The Portfolio will either retain or sell the securities according to the best interests of the Portfolio’s shareholders.

 

2 

The Board of Trustees has determined that the costs of voting proxies for passively managed Portfolios will generally outweigh any benefits that may be achieved by voting such proxies because the outcome will not directly affect whether the Portfolio retains a particular security. That is, the Portfolio will retain or sell a particular security based on objective, rather than subjective, criteria.

 

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Shareholder and Trustee Responsibility

Shareholders of a Massachusetts business trust may, under certain circumstances, be held personally liable as partners for the obligations of the Trust. The risk of a shareholder incurring any financial loss on account of shareholder liability is limited to circumstances in which the Trust itself would be unable to meet its obligations. The Declaration of Trust contains an express disclaimer of shareholder liability for acts or obligations of the Trust and provides that notice of the disclaimer must be given in each agreement, obligation or instrument entered into or executed by the Trust or Trustees. The Declaration of Trust provides for indemnification of any shareholder held personally liable for the obligations of the Trust and also provides for the Trust to reimburse the shareholder for all legal and other expenses reasonably incurred in connection with any such claim or liability.

Under the Declaration of Trust, the Trustees or officers are not liable for actions or failure to act; however, they are not protected from liability by reason of their willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence or reckless disregard of the duties involved in the conduct of their office. The Trust provides indemnification to its trustees and officers as authorized by its By-Laws and by the 1940 Act and the rules and regulations thereunder.

Registration Statement

A registration statement has been filed with the SEC under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the 1940 Act. The Prospectuses and this Statement of Additional Information do not contain all information set forth in the registration statement, its amendments and exhibits thereto, that the Trust has filed with the SEC, Washington, D.C., to all of which reference is hereby made.

 

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APPENDIX

CORPORATE BOND AND COMMERCIAL PAPER RATINGS

DESCRIPTION OF MOODY’S CORPORATE RATINGS

 

  Aaa Bonds rated Aaa are judged to be of the best quality. They carry the smallest degree of investment risk and are generally referred to as “gilt edge.” Interest payments are protected by a large or by an exceptionally stable margin and principal is secure. While the various protective elements are likely to change, such changes as can be visualized are most unlikely to impair the fundamentally strong position of such issues.

 

  Aa Bonds rated Aa are judged to be of high quality by all standards. Together with the Aaa group they comprise what are generally known as high grade bonds. They are rated lower than the best bonds because margins of protection may not be as large as in Aaa securities or fluctuation of protective elements may be of greater amplitude or there may be other elements present that make the long-term risks appear somewhat larger than in Aaa securities. A Bonds rated A possess many favorable investment attributes and are considered as upper medium grade obligations. Factors giving security to principal and interest are considered adequate, but elements may be present that suggest a susceptibility to impairment sometime in the future.

 

  A Bonds rated A possess many favorable investment attributes and are considered as upper medium grade obligations. Factors giving security to principal and interest are considered adequate, but elements may be present that suggest a susceptibility to impairment sometime in the future.

 

  Baa Bonds rated Baa are considered as medium grade obligations; i.e., they are neither highly protected nor poorly secured. Interest payments and principal security appear adequate for the present but certain protective elements may be lacking or may be characteristically unreliable over any great length of time. Such bonds lack outstanding investment characteristics and in fact have speculative characteristics as well.

 

  Ba Bonds rated Ba are judged to have speculative elements; their future cannot be considered as well assured. Often the protection of interest and principal payments may be very moderate, and therefore not well safeguarded during both good and bad times over the future. Uncertainty of position characterizes bonds in this class.

 

  B Bonds rated B generally lack characteristics of desirable investments. Assurance of interest and principal payments or of maintenance of other terms of the contract over any long period of time may be small.

 

  Caa Bonds rated Caa are of poor standing. Such issues may be in default or there may be present elements of danger with respect to principal or interest.

 

  Ca Bonds rated Ca represent obligations that are speculative in a high degree. Such issues are often in default or have other marked shortcomings.

 

  C Bonds rated C are the lowest rated class of bonds, and issues so rated can be regarded as having extremely poor prospects of ever attaining any real investment standing.

Note: Moody’s may apply numerical modifiers 1, 2 and 3 in each generic rating classification from Aa through B in its corporate bond rating system. The modifier 1 indicates that the security ranks in the higher end of its generic rating category; the modifier 2 indicates a mid-range ranking; and the modifier 3 indicates that the issue ranks in the lower end of the generic rating category.

DESCRIPTION OF MOODY’S COMMERCIAL PAPER RATINGS

The term “commercial paper” as used by Moody’s means promissory obligations not having an original maturity in excess of nine months. Moody’s makes no representations as to whether such commercial paper is by any other definition “commercial paper” or is exempt from registration under the Securities Act.

 

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Moody’s commercial paper ratings are opinions of the ability of issuers to repay punctually promissory obligations not having an original maturity in excess of nine months. Moody’s makes no representation that such obligations are exempt from registration under the Securities Act, nor does it represent that any specific note is a valid obligation of a rated issuer or issued in conformity with any applicable law. Moody’s employs the following three designations, all judged to be investment grade, to indicate the relative repayment capacity of rated issuers:

Issuers rated PRIME-1 (or related supporting institutions) have a superior capacity for repayment of short-term promissory obligations. PRIME-1 repayment capacity will normally be evidenced by the following characteristics:

 

  - Leading market positions in well established industries;

 

  - High rates of return on funds employed;

 

  - Conservative capitalization structures with moderate reliance on debt and ample asset protection;

 

  - Broad margins in earnings coverage of fixed financial charges and high internal cash generation; and

 

  - Well established access to a range of financial markets and assured sources of alternate liquidity.

Issuers rated PRIME-2 (or related supporting institutions) have a strong capacity for repayment of short-term promissory obligations. This will normally be evidenced by many of the characteristics cited above but to a lesser degree. Earnings trends and coverage ratios, while sound, will be more subject to variation. Capitalization characteristics, while still appropriate, may be more affected by external conditions. Ample alternate liquidity is maintained.

Issuers rated PRIME-3 (or related supporting institutions) have an acceptable capacity for repayment of short-term promissory obligations. The effect of industry characteristics and market composition may be more pronounced. Variability in earnings and profitability may result in changes in level of debt protection measurements and the requirement for relatively high financial leverage. Adequate alternate liquidity is maintained.

Issuers rated NOT PRIME do not fall within any of the Prime rating categories.

If an issuer represents to Moody’s that its commercial paper obligations are supported by the credit of another entity or entities, then the name or names of such supporting entity or entities are listed within parentheses beneath the name of the issuer, or there is a footnote referring the reader to another page for the name or names of the supporting entity or entities. In assigning ratings to such issuers, Moody’s evaluates the financial strength of the indicated affiliated corporations, commercial banks, insurance companies, foreign governments or other entities, but only as one factor in the total rating assessment. Moody’s makes no representation and gives no opinion on the legal validity or enforceability of any support arrangement. You are cautioned to review with your counsel any questions regarding particular support arrangements.

Among the factors considered by Moody’s in assigning ratings are the following: (1) evaluation of the management of the issuer; (2) economic evaluation of the issuer’s industry or industries and an appraisal of speculative type risks that may be inherent in certain areas; (3) evaluation of the issuer’s products in relation to competition and customer acceptance; (4) liquidity; (5) amount and quality of long-term debt; (6) trend of earnings over a period of ten years; (7) financial strength of a parent company and the relationships that exist with the issuer; and (8) recognition by management of obligations that may be present or may arise as a result of public interest questions and preparations to meet such obligations.

DESCRIPTION OF STANDARD & POOR’S CORPORATE DEBT RATINGS

A Standard & Poor’s corporate or municipal rating is a current assessment of the creditworthiness of an obligor with respect to a specific obligation. This assessment may take into consideration obligors such as guarantors, insurers, or lessees.

The debt rating is not a recommendation to purchase, sell or hold a security, inasmuch as it does not comment as to market price or suitability for a particular investor.

The ratings are based on current information furnished by the issuer or obtained by Standard & Poor’s from other sources it considers reliable. Standard & Poor’s does not perform an audit in connection with any rating and may, on occasion, rely on unaudited financial information. The ratings may be changed, suspended or withdrawn as a result of changes in, or unavailability of, such information, or for other reasons.

 

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The ratings are based, in varying degrees, on the following considerations: (1) likelihood of default capacity and willingness of the obligor as to the timely payment of interest and repayment of principal 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.

 

  AAA Debt rated AAA has the highest rating assigned by Standard & Poor’s. Capacity to pay interest and repay principal is extremely strong.

 

  AA Debt rated AA has a very strong capacity to pay interest and repay principal and differs from the highest-rated issues only in small degree.

 

  A Debt rated A has a strong capacity to pay interest and repay principal although it is somewhat more susceptible to the adverse effects of changes in circumstances and economic conditions than debt in higher-rated categories.

 

  BBB Debt rated BBB is regarded as having an adequate capacity to pay interest and repay principal. Whereas it normally exhibits adequate protection parameters, adverse economic conditions or changing circumstances are more likely to lead to a weakened capacity to pay interest and repay principal for debt in this category than for debt in higher-rated categories.

 

  Debt rated BB, B, CCC, CC and C are regarded as having predominantly speculative characteristics with respect to capacity to pay interest and repay principal. BB indicates the least degree of speculation and C the highest degree of speculation. While such debt will likely have some quality and protective characteristics, these are outweighed by large uncertainties or major risk exposure to adverse conditions.

 

  BB Debt rated BB has less near-term vulnerability to default than other speculative grade debt. However, it faces major ongoing uncertainties or exposure to adverse business, financial or economic conditions that could lead to inadequate capacity to meet timely interest and principal payment. The BB rating category is also used for debt subordinated to senior debt that is assigned an actual or implied BBB- rating.

 

  B Debt rated B has a greater vulnerability to default but presently has the capacity to meet interest payments and principal repayments. Adverse business, financial or economic conditions would likely impair capacity or willingness to pay interest and repay principal. The B rating category is also used for debt subordinated to senior debt that is assigned an actual or implied BB or BB- rating.

 

  CCC Debt rated CCC has a current identifiable vulnerability to default, and is dependent upon favorable business, financial and economic conditions to meet timely payments of interest and repayments of principal. In the event of adverse business, financial or economic conditions, it is not likely to have the capacity to pay interest and repay principal. The CCC rating category is also used for debt subordinated to senior debt that is assigned an actual or implied B or B- rating. CC The rating CC is typically applied to debt subordinated to senior debt that is assigned an actual or implied CCC rating.

 

  C The rating C is typically applied to debt subordinated to senior debt that is assigned an actual or implied CCC debt rating. The C rating may be used to cover a situation where a bankruptcy petition has been filed but debt service payments are continued.

 

  CI The rating CI is reserved for income bonds on which no interest is being paid.

 

  D Debt rated D is in default. The D rating is assigned on the day an interest or principal payment is missed. The D rating also will be used upon the filing of a bankruptcy petition if debt service payments are jeopardized.

Plus (+) or minus (-): The ratings of AA to CCC may be modified by the addition of a plus or minus sign to show relative standing within these ratings categories.

Provisional ratings: The letter “p” indicates that the rating is provisional. A provisional rating assumes the successful completion of the project being financed by the debt being rated and indicates that payment of debt service requirements is

 

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largely or entirely dependent upon the successful and timely completion of the project. This rating, however, while addressing credit quality subsequent to completion of the project, makes no comment on the likelihood or risk of default upon failure of such completion. The investor should exercise judgment with respect to such likelihood and risk.

 

  L The letter “L” indicates that the rating pertains to the principal amount of those bonds to the extent that the underlying deposit collateral is insured by the Federal Savings & Loan Insurance Corp. or the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. and interest is adequately collateralized.

 

  * Continuance of the rating is contingent upon Standard & Poor’s receipt of an executed copy of the escrow agreement or closing documentation confirming investments and cash flows.

 

  NR 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 type of obligation as a matter of policy.

Debt Obligations of Issuers outside the United States and its territories are rated on the same basis as domestic corporate and municipal issues. The ratings measure the credit-worthiness of the obligor but do not take into account currency exchange and related uncertainties.

BOND INVESTMENT QUALITY STANDARDS: Under present commercial bank regulations issued by the Comptroller of the Currency, bonds rated in the top four categories (“AAA,” “AA,” “A,” “BBB,” commonly known as “investment grade” ratings) are generally regarded as eligible for bank investment. In addition, the laws of various states governing legal investments impose certain rating or other standards for obligations eligible for investment by savings banks, trust companies, insurance companies and fiduciaries generally.

DESCRIPTION OF STANDARD & POOR’S COMMERCIAL PAPER RATINGS.

A Standard & Poor’s commercial paper rating is a current assessment of the likelihood of timely payment of debt having an original maturity of not more than 365 days. Ratings are graded into four categories, ranging from “A” for the highest quality obligations to “D” for the lowest.

 

  A Issues assigned this highest rating are regarded as having the greatest capacity for timely payment. Issues in this category are delineated with the numbers 1, 2 and 3 to indicate the relative degree of safety.

 

  A-1 This designation indicates that the degree of safety regarding timely payment is either overwhelming or very strong. Those issues designated “A-1” that are determined to possess overwhelming safety characteristics are denoted with a plus (+) sign designation.

 

  A-2 Capacity for timely payment on issues with this designation is strong. However, the relative degree of safety is not as high as for issues designated “A-1.”

 

  A-3 Issues carrying this designation have a satisfactory capacity for timely payment. They are, however, somewhat more vulnerable to the adverse effect of changes in circumstances than obligations carrying the higher designations.

 

  B Issues rated “B” are regarded as having only adequate capacity for timely payment. However, such capacity may be damaged by changing conditions or short-term adversities.

 

  C This rating is assigned to short-term debt obligations with a doubtful capacity for payment.

 

  D This rating indicates that the issue is either in default or is expected to be in default upon maturity.

The commercial paper rating is not a recommendation to purchase or sell a security. The ratings are based on current information furnished to Standard & Poor’s by the issuer or obtained from other sources it considers reliable. The ratings may be changed, suspended, or withdrawn as a result of changes in or unavailability of such information.

 

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DESCRIPTION OF DUFF & PHELPS’ CORPORATE DEBT RATINGS

Duff & Phelps rates long-term debt specifically to credit quality, i.e., the likelihood of timely payment for principal and interest. AAA is considered the highest quality. AA is considered high quality. A is regarded as good quality. BBB is considered to be investment grade and of satisfactory credit quality. BB and B are considered to be non-investment grade and CCC is regarded as speculative. Ratings in the long-term debt categories may include a plus (+) or minus (-) designation, which indicates where within the respective category the issue is placed.

DESCRIPTION OF DUFF & PHELPS RATING CO.’S COMMERCIAL PAPER RATINGS

Duff & Phelps Rating Co. (“Duff & Phelps”) commercial paper ratings are consistent with the short-term rating criteria utilized by money market participants. Duff & Phelps commercial paper ratings refine the traditional 1 category. The majority of commercial issuers carry the higher short-term rating yet significant quality differences within that tier do exist. As a consequence, Duff & Phelps has incorporated gradations of 1+ and 1- to assist investors in recognizing those differences.

 

  Duff 1+ Highest certainty of time repayment. Short-term liquidity, including internal operating factors and/or access to alternative sources of funds, is outstanding, and safety is just below risk-free U.S. Treasury short-term obligations.

 

  Duff 1 Very high certainty of timely payment. Liquidity factors are excellent and supported by good fundamental protection factors. Risk factors are minor.

 

  Duff 1- High certainty of timely payment. Liquidity factors are strong and supported by good fundamental protection factors. Risk factors are very small.

 

  Duff 2 Good certainty of timely payment. Liquidity factors and company fundamentals are sound. Although ongoing funding needs may enlarge total financing requirements, access to capital markets is good. Risk factors are small.

 

  Duff 3 Satisfactory liquidity and other protection factors, qualify issue as investment grade. Risk factors are larger and subject to more variation. Nevertheless, timely payment is expected.

 

  Duff 4 Speculative investment characteristics. Liquidity is not sufficient to insure against disruption in debt service. Operating factors and market access may be subject to a high degree of variation.

 

  Duff 5 Default.

DESCRIPTION OF THOMSON BANKWATCH, INC.’S CORPORATE DEBT RATINGS

BankWatch rates the long-term debt securities issued by various entities either AAA or AA. AAA is the highest category, which indicates the ability to repay principal and interest on a timely basis is very high. AA is the second highest category, which indicates a superior ability to repay principal and interest on a timely basis with limited incremental risk versus issues rated in the highest category. Ratings in the long-term debt categories may include a plus (+) or minus (-) designation, which indicates where within the respective category the issue is placed.

DESCRIPTION OF THOMSON BANKWATCH, INC.’S COMMERCIAL PAPER RATINGS

Thomson BankWatch, Inc. (“BankWatch”) short-term ratings apply only to unsecured instruments that have a maturity of one year or less. These short-term ratings specifically assess the likelihood of an untimely payment of principal and interest. TBW-1 is the highest category, which indicates a very high degree of likelihood that principal and interest will be paid on a timely basis. TBW-2 is the second highest category and, while the degree of safety regarding timely repayment of principal and interest is strong, the relative degree of safety is not as high as for issues rated TBW-1.

 

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DESCRIPTION OF FITCH RESEARCH’S (“FITCH”) INVESTMENT GRADE BOND RATINGS

Fitch investment grade bond ratings provide a guide to investors in determining the credit risk associated with a particular security. The ratings represent Fitch’s assessment of the issuer’s ability to meet the obligations of a specific debt issue or class of debt in a timely manner.

The rating takes into consideration special features of the issue, its relationship to other obligations of the issuer, the current and prospective financial condition and operating performance of the issuer and of any guarantor, as well as the economic and political environment that might affect the issuer’s future financial strength and credit quality.

Fitch ratings do not reflect any credit enhancement that may be provided by insurance policies or financial guaranties unless otherwise indicated.

Bonds carrying the same rating are of similar but not necessarily identical credit quality since the rating categories do not fully reflect small differences in the degrees of credit risk.

Fitch ratings are not recommendations to buy, sell, or hold any security. Ratings do not comment on the adequacy of market price, the suitability of any security for a particular investor, or the tax-exempt nature or taxability of payments made in respect of any security.

Fitch ratings are based on information obtained from issuers, other obligors, underwriters, their experts, and other sources Fitch believes to be reliable. Fitch does not audit or verify the truth or accuracy of such information. Ratings may be changed, suspended, or withdrawn as a result of changes in, or the unavailability of, information or for other reasons.

 

  AAA Bonds considered to be investment grade and of the highest credit quality. The obligor has an exceptionally strong ability to pay interest and repay principal, which is unlikely to be affected by reasonably foreseeable events.

 

  AA Bonds considered to be investment grade and of very high credit quality. The obligor’s ability to pay interest and repay principal is very strong, although not quite as strong as bonds rated “AAA.” Because bonds rated in the “AAA” and “AA.” categories are not significantly vulnerable to foreseeable future developments, short-term debt of these issuers is generally rated “F-L.”

 

  A Bonds considered to be investment grade and of satisfactory credit quality. The obligor’s ability to pay interest and repay principal is considered to be strong, but may be more vulnerable to adverse changes in economic conditions and circumstances than bonds with higher ratings.

 

  BBB Bonds considered to be investment grade and of satisfactory credit quality. The obligor’s ability to pay interest and repay principal is considered to be adequate. Adverse changes in economic conditions and circumstances, however, are more likely to have adverse impact on these bonds, and therefore, impair timely payment. The likelihood that the ratings of these bonds will fall below investment grade is higher than for bonds with higher ratings.

 

  PLUS (+) OR MINUS (-): Plus and minus signs are used with a rating symbol to indicate the relative position of a credit within the rating category. Plus and minus signs, however, are not used in the “AAA” category.

 

  NR Indicates that Fitch does not rate the specific issue.

CONDITIONAL. A conditional rating is premised on the successful completion of a project or the occurrence of a specific event.

SUSPENDED. A rating is suspended when Fitch deems the amount of information available from the issuer to be inadequate for rating purposes.

WITHDRAWN. A rating will be withdrawn when an issue matures or is called or refinanced and, at Fitch’s discretion, WHEN AN ISSUER FAILS TO FURNISH PROPER AND TIMELY INFORMATION.

 

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FITCHALERT. Ratings are placed on FitchAlert to notify investors of an occurrence that is likely to result in a rating change and the likely direction of such change. These are designated as “Positive” indicating a potential upgrade, “Negative,” for potential downgrade, or “Evolving,” where ratings may be raised or lowered. FitchAlert is relatively short-term, and should be resolved within 12 months.

Ratings Outlook: An outlook is used to describe the most likely direction of any rating change over the intermediate term. It is described as “Positive” or “Negative.” The absence of a designation indicates a stable outlook.

DESCRIPTION OF FITCH SPECULATIVE GRADE BOND RATINGS

Fitch speculative grade bond ratings provide a guide to investors in determining the credit risk associated with a particular security. The ratings (“BB” to “C”) represent Fitch’s assessment of the likelihood of timely payment of principal and interest in accordance with the terms of obligation for bond issues not in default. For defaulted bonds, the rating (“DDD” to “D”) is an assessment of the ultimate recovery value through reorganization or liquidation.

The rating takes into consideration special features of the issue, its relationship to other obligations of the issuer, the current and prospective financial condition and operating performance of the issuer and any guarantor, as well as the economic and political environment that might affect the issuer’s future financial strength.

Bonds that have the same rating are of similar but not necessarily identical credit quality since rating categories cannot fully reflect the differences in degrees of credit risk.

 

  BB Bonds are considered speculative. The obligor’s ability to pay interest and repay principal may be affected over time by adverse economic changes. However, business and financial alternatives can be identified which could assist the obligor in satisfying its debt service requirements.

 

  B Bonds are considered highly speculative. While bonds in this class are currently meeting debt service requirements, the probability of continued timely payment of principal and interest reflects the obligor’s limited margin of safety and the need for reasonable business and economic activity throughout the life of the issue.

 

  CCC Bonds have certain identifiable characteristics which, if not remedied, may lead to default. The ability to meet obligations requires an advantageous business and economic environment.

 

  CC Bonds are minimally protected. Default in payment of interest and/or principal seems probable over time.

 

  C Bonds are in imminent default in payment of interest or principal.

 

  DDD Bonds are in default on interest and/or principal payments. Such bonds are extremely

 

  DD speculative and should be valued on the basis of their ultimate recovery value in liquidation

 

  D or reorganization of the obligor. “DDD” represents the highest potential for recovery on these bonds, and “D” represents the lowest potential for recovery.

PLUS (+) OR MINUS (-): Plus and minus signs are used with a rating symbol to indicate the relative position of a credit within the rating category. Plus and minus signs, however, are not used in the “DDD,” “DD,” or “D” categories.

DESCRIPTION OF FITCH INVESTMENT GRADE SHORT-TERM RATINGS

Fitch’s short-term ratings apply to debt obligations that are payable on demand or have original maturities of generally up to three years, including commercial paper, certificates of deposit, medium-term notes, and municipal and investment notes.

The short-term rating places greater emphasis than a long-term rating on the existence of liquidity necessary to meet the issuer’s obligations in a timely manner.

 

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FITCH SHORT-TERM RATINGS ARE AS FOLLOWS:

 

  F-1+ Exceptionally Strong Credit Quality. Issues assigned this rating are regarded as having the strongest degree of assurance for timely payment.

 

  F-1 Very Strong Credit Quality. Issues assigned this rating reflect an assurance of timely payment only slightly less in degree than issues rated “F-I+.”

 

  F-2 Good Credit Quality. Issues assigned this rating have a satisfactory degree of assurance for timely payment, but the margin of safety is not as great as for issues assigned “F-I +” and “F-I” ratings.

 

  F-3 Fair Credit Quality. Issues assigned this rating have characteristics suggesting that the degree of assurance for timely payment is adequate, however, near-term adverse changes could cause these securities to be rated below investment grade.

 

  F-S Weak Credit Quality. Issues assigned this rating have characteristics suggesting a minimal degree of assurance for timely payment and are vulnerable to near-term adverse changes in financial and economic conditions.

 

  D Default. Issues assigned this rating are in actual or imminent payment default.

 

  LOC The symbol “LOC” indicates that the rating is based on a letter of credit issued by a commercial bank.

 

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