N-CSR 1 arexp.htm T. ROWE PRICE EQUITY INDEX 500 PORTFOLIO T. Rowe Price Equity Index 500 Portfolio - December 31, 2010


UNITED STATES 
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION 
Washington, D.C. 20549 
 
FORM N-CSR 
 
CERTIFIED SHAREHOLDER REPORT OF REGISTERED 
MANAGEMENT INVESTMENT COMPANIES 
 
 
 
Investment Company Act File Number: 811-07143 
 
T. Rowe Price Equity Series, Inc.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in charter) 
 
100 East Pratt Street, Baltimore, MD 21202 

(Address of principal executive offices) 
 
David Oestreicher 
 100 East Pratt Street, Baltimore, MD 21202 

 (Name and address of agent for service) 
 
 
Registrant’s telephone number, including area code: (410) 345-2000 
 
 
Date of fiscal year end: December 31 
 
 
Date of reporting period: December 31, 2010 




Item 1: Report to Shareholders

T. Rowe Price Annual Report
 Equity Index 500 Portfolio December 31, 2010 

Highlights 

• U.S. equities surged late in 2010 as economic conditions brightened, capping a second consecutive year of strong gains.

• Results for the Equity Index 500 Portfolio generally tracked the unmanaged S&P 500 Index and posted double-digit gains for the 6- and 12-month periods ended December 31, 2010.

• Our replication and sampling strategies are designed to keep the composition of the portfolio similar to that of its benchmarks.

• Pressures on U.S. economic growth have begun to recede, but stock market gains may become more muted as the residual effects of the financial crisis play out.

The views and opinions in this report were current as of December 31, 2010. They are not guarantees of performance or investment results and should not be taken as investment advice. Investment decisions reflect a variety of factors, and the managers reserve the right to change their views about individual stocks, sectors, and the markets at any time. As a result, the views expressed should not be relied upon as a forecast of the fund’s future investment intent. The report is certified under the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, which requires mutual funds and other public companies to affirm that, to the best of their knowledge, the information in their financial reports is fairly and accurately stated in all material respects.

Manager’s Letter
T. Rowe Price Equity Index 500 Portfolio

Dear Investor

The global economy recovered in fits and starts in 2010, buffeted by disappointing job gains in the U.S. and the sovereign debt crisis in Europe. Unemployment remained stubbornly high, and the housing market appeared to be tottering following earlier signs of stabilization. The lackluster recovery prompted the Federal Reserve to engineer a second round of quantitative easing and paved the way for an extension of federal tax cuts. Those measures and improvements in corporate earnings gave stocks a big lift. The Equity Index 500 Portfolio returned 22.95% in the six-month period ended December 31, 2010, versus 23.27% for the S&P 500 Index. For the 12-month period, the portfolio returned 14.59% and the index returned 15.06%. Portfolio performance tends to lag that of the benchmark due to operating and management expenses.

Market Environment

Economic conditions seesawed between encouraging and unsettling throughout most of the year, showcasing the frailty of the post-recession climate following the worst financial crisis since World War II. There were clear improvements throughout the year in manufacturing, private sector hiring, and even consumer spending. But the positive news was not overwhelming, which made financial markets vulnerable to the fallout of negative developments, including the European debt crisis, the Macondo oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico last spring, and industry concerns about health care and financial regulatory reform.

By late summer, with renewed fears that the economy may be slipping into another recession, and that falling prices could result, the Federal Reserve introduced a second round of Treasury purchases, which was intended to increase borrowing and spending by lowering longer-term interest rates. The move was followed by the government’s extension of federal tax cuts, a one-year reduction in the payroll tax, and extended unemployment compensation. At the same time, newly released economic data suggested that the economy was on the right footing, if not moving at an adequate pace.

Manufacturing gained traction while capacity utilization—an indicator of market demand—grew steadily. Wage growth, a lagging indicator in an economic recovery, began to increase in 2010 following two years of steady declines. Consumer spending also rebounded, increasing at a 2.6% annual rate in the third quarter—its fastest pace since the fourth quarter of 2006.

The broad stock indexes finished the year with gains, with smaller companies turning in better performances than larger stocks. The large-cap S&P 500 Index returned 15.06%, while the S&P Completion Index, a broad measure of small- and mid-cap stock performance, returned 27.46%. As measured by various Russell indexes, growth stocks outperformed value stocks across all market capitalizations. All sectors in the S&P 500 Index gained in the period. Consumer discretionary and industrials and business services shares performed best, followed by materials, energy, and telecommunication services. Consumer staples, financials, and information technology shares produced moderate gains but lagged the broad market. Health care and utilities—two sectors that tend to have lower sensitivity to the strength of the economy—produced modest results, as equity investors favored riskier investments.

Strategy Review

The T. Rowe Price Equity Index 500 Portfolio is designed for investors who want to harness the potential for long-term capital appreciation from broad exposure to large-cap stocks. The portfolio could serve as a core holding in an investor’s portfolio, as it offers attributes that many investors will find appealing.

• By investing in all 500 stocks of the benchmark S&P 500 Index, the Equity Index 500 Portfolio is well diversified, which can potentially reduce the impact of negative performance from a given stock or sector on the entire portfolio.

• The Equity Index 500 Portfolio tends to track its benchmark closely, using a full replication strategy so that the weightings of our holdings match those of the S&P 500 Index. We occasionally invest in securities such as futures and exchange-traded funds (ETFs) so that the portfolio can accommodate cash flows and remain fully invested.

• The Equity Index 500 Portfolio offers instant, broad exposure to different sectors of the stock market, and the portfolio’s sector allocations are consistent with its benchmark’s sector breakdown. As such, changes in the sector diversification and other overall characteristics will reflect changes in the composition of the portfolio rather than strategic shifts that are typical of an actively managed portfolio.

Portfolio and Performance Review

Consumer discretionary, which composes 10.5% of the portfolio, was the strongest performer due to a more favorable economic climate. Among major positions were Internet retail giant Amazon.com, Starbucks, Marriott, and specialty retailer O’Reilly Automotive, all of which delivered substantial double-digit annual returns. Amazon continued to benefit from sales of its popular Kindle reader, while Marriott, the largest U.S. hotel chain, benefited from a rebound in travel after occupancies reached a 30-year low in 2009. As travel demand increased, Marriott was able to raise room rates and turn a profit in the third quarter of 2010. Recently, the company announced plans to increase its number of rooms over the next couple of years, including a significant presence in Brazil, Latin America’s largest economy. Continuing improvements in consumer confidence also contributed to increased advertising expenditures, which boosted media companies, including Comcast, Walt Disney, and Time Warner Cable. (Please refer to the portfolio of investments for a complete list of holdings and the amount each represents in the portfolio.)

Industrials and business services, which compose 10.8% of the portfolio’s assets, gained on the continuing economic tailwinds. Industrial giant GE rebounded due to improvements in manufacturing and trade. Danaher generated very strong results and relative stock performance through the recession and in 2010. Emerson Electric, a high-quality manufacturer with over 50 consecutive years of dividend increases, is well represented in foreign markets and should continue to show solid growth. Railroad leader Union Pacific also generated solid gains. The company should continue to enjoy strong repricing of contracts and profit growth. Rockwell Automation is showing very strong earnings growth and stock performance as its well-respected solutions in the factory automation area receive global acceptance. Like industrials, the materials sector, which represents a modest 3.7% of the portfolio, enjoyed gains due to a brighter business climate. This was particularly true among the chemicals and metals and mining industries. Freeport-McMoRan Copper & Gold performed well due to constrained supply and improving demand.


The energy sector grew to 11.9% of the portfolio from 10.4% in just six months, as its allocation increased due to a return of more than 37% in that period. The sector suffered a blow in the spring with the Gulf of Mexico oil spill and concerns that lawsuits and new regulations following the disaster would adversely affect industry profits for some time to come. But the economic recovery came at an auspicious time for the sector. The oil, gas, and consumable fuels industry, led by ExxonMobil, the portfolio’s top holding, rebounded sharply. It was followed by Chevron, ConocoPhillips, and Occidental Petroleum. The energy equipment and services industry also received a boost, and Schlumberger and Halliburton, two top holdings, gained ground.

Information technology (IT), the largest sector, composes 18.3% of the portfolio. The sector gained ground in the last year as IT spending led the cyclical rebound. Apple was the portfolio’s largest contributor. The company’s iPhone and iMac personal computers continued to sell quite well, and its new iPad is selling at a rate well above initial projections. Among communications equipment companies, Juniper Networks continues to benefit from the growth in mobile and cloud computing and the related efforts to make communication networks more flexible and responsive. Qualcomm also benefits from the related sharp growth in the adoption of smartphones and tablets that use its intellectual property and chipsets. Internet giant Google faltered in the first half of the year due to a slowdown in advertising sales but perked up in the second half and should continue benefiting from display advertising and video-related revenues.

Financials turned in a good performance but lagged the broader market due to continuing pressures from low interest rates, the European debt crisis, questions about the handling of residential foreclosures, and the opaque nature in which many institutions operate. Investors also appeared to fret about the impact of new federal regulations, but those concerns seemed to abate in the second half of the year. The one exception appeared to be Bank of America, which declined sharply due to risks surrounding the company’s large mortgage exposure. Other stalwarts in the diversified financial services industry turned in decent performances, though Citigroup was up sharply, given its attractive valuation and the view among many that its globally diversified business platform would continue to recover over time.

Consumer staples is considered a noncyclical sector that is somewhat impervious to the business cycle. But as the economy began to pick up, a number of bellwether companies, such as Coca-Cola, Philip Morris International, and Procter & Gamble, gained ground.

Outlook

The global economy is recovering, but the residual effects of the financial crisis are likely to be with us for some time. We remain positive about the market’s direction over the medium term, as equities are attractively valued compared with bonds and corporate fundamentals appear to be strong. However, global economic conditions continue to be challenging, with the recovery muted by highly indebted governments and elevated unemployment. Further uncertainty comes from regulatory reform measures that cloud the outlook in health care and financials. Though improving, the economic environment is likely to remain difficult for many companies, which could provide opportunities for firms that exited the global recession as even more dominant industry leaders. Many stocks are trading at attractive levels, even when conservative growth and profitability levels are assumed.

We will continue to focus on our role of replicating the structure and performance of the S&P 500 Index to provide you with broad exposure to large-cap stocks.

Respectfully submitted,


E. Frederick Bair
Cochairman of the Investment Advisory Committee


Ken D. Uematsu
Cochairman of the Investment Advisory Committee

January 19, 2011

The committee chairmen have day-to-day responsibility for managing the portfolio and work with committee members in developing and executing the portfolio’s investment program.


Risks of Investing 

As with all stock mutual funds, the portfolio’s share price can fall because of weakness in the stock market, a particular industry, or specific holdings. Stock markets can decline for many reasons, including adverse political or economic developments, 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.

Glossary 

Price/earnings (P/E) ratio: A valuation measure calculated by dividing the price of a stock by its current or projected (forward) earnings per share. This ratio gives investors an idea of how much they are paying for current or future earnings power.

S&P 500 Index: Tracks the stocks of 500 mostly large U.S. companies.


Portfolio Highlights









Performance and Expenses
T. Rowe Price Equity Index 500 Portfolio

Growth of $10,000 

This chart shows the value of a hypothetical $10,000 investment in the portfolio over the past 10 fiscal year periods or since inception (for portfolios lacking 10-year records). The result is compared with benchmarks, which may include a broad-based market index and a peer group average or index. Market indexes do not include expenses, which are deducted from portfolio returns as well as mutual fund averages and indexes.








Fund Expense Example

As a mutual fund shareholder, you may incur two types of costs: (1) transaction costs, such as redemption fees or sales loads, and (2) ongoing costs, including management fees, distribution and service (12b-1) fees, and other fund expenses. The following example is intended to help you understand your ongoing costs (in dollars) of investing in the fund and to compare these costs with the ongoing costs of investing in other mutual funds. The example is based on an investment of $1,000 invested at the beginning of the most recent six-month period and held for the entire period.

Actual Expenses
The first line of the following table (“Actual”) provides information about actual account values and actual expenses. You may use the information in this line, together with your account balance, to estimate the expenses that you paid over the period. Simply divide your account value by $1,000 (for example, an $8,600 account value divided by $1,000 = 8.6), then multiply the result by the number in the first line under the heading “Expenses Paid During Period” to estimate the expenses you paid on your account during this period.

Hypothetical Example for Comparison Purposes
The information on the second line of the table (“Hypothetical”) is based on hypothetical account values and expenses derived from the fund’s actual expense ratio and an assumed 5% per year rate of return before expenses (not the fund’s actual return). You may compare the ongoing costs of investing in the fund with other funds by contrasting this 5% hypothetical example and the 5% hypothetical examples that appear in the shareholder reports of the other funds. The hypothetical account values and expenses may not be used to estimate the actual ending account balance or expenses you paid for the period.

You should also be aware that the expenses shown in the table highlight only your ongoing costs and do not reflect any transaction costs, such as redemption fees or sales loads. Therefore, the second line of the table is useful in comparing ongoing costs only and will not help you determine the relative total costs of owning different funds. To the extent a fund charges transaction costs, however, the total cost of owning that fund is higher.





Financial Highlights
T. Rowe Price Equity Index 500 Portfolio


The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements.


Portfolio of Investments
T. Rowe Price Equity Index 500 Portfolio
December 31, 2010





























The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements.


Statement of Assets and Liabilities
T. Rowe Price Equity Index 500 Portfolio
December 31, 2010

($000s, except shares and per share amounts)



The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements.


Statement of Operations
T. Rowe Price Equity Index 500 Portfolio
($000s)


The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements.


Statement of Changes in Net Assets
T. Rowe Price Equity Index 500 Portfolio
($000s)


The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements.


Notes to Financial Statements
T. Rowe Price Equity Index 500 Portfolio
December 31, 2010

T. Rowe Price Equity Series, Inc. (the corporation), is registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940 (the 1940 Act). The Equity Index 500 Portfolio (the fund), a diversified, open-end management investment company, is one portfolio established by the corporation. The fund commenced operations on December 29, 2000. The fund seeks to match the performance of the Standard & Poor’s 500 Stock Index®. Shares of the fund are currently offered only through certain insurance companies as an investment medium for both variable annuity contracts and variable life insurance policies.

NOTE 1 - SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES

Basis of Preparation The accompanying financial statements were prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (GAAP), which require the use of estimates made by fund management. Fund management believes that estimates and valuations are appropriate; however, actual results may differ from those estimates, and the valuations reflected in the accompanying financial statements may differ from the value ultimately realized upon sale or maturity.

Investment Transactions, Investment Income, and Distributions Income and expenses are recorded on the accrual basis. Premiums and discounts on debt securities are amortized for financial reporting purposes. Dividends received from mutual fund investments are reflected as dividend income; capital gain distributions are reflected as realized gain/loss. Dividend income and capital gain distributions are recorded on the ex-dividend date. Income tax-related interest and penalties, if incurred, would be recorded as income tax expense. Investment transactions are accounted for on the trade date. Realized gains and losses are reported on the identified cost basis. Distributions to shareholders are recorded on the ex-dividend date. Income distributions are declared and paid quarterly. Capital gain distributions, if any, are generally declared and paid by the fund annually.

New Accounting Pronouncement On January 1, 2010, the fund adopted new accounting guidance that requires enhanced disclosures about fair value measurements in the financial statements. Adoption of this guidance had no impact on the fund’s net assets or results of operations.

NOTE 2 - VALUATION

The fund’s financial instruments are reported at fair value as defined by GAAP. The fund determines the values of its assets and liabilities and computes its net asset value per share at the close of the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE), normally 4 p.m. ET, each day that the NYSE is open for business.

Valuation Methods Equity securities listed or regularly traded on a securities exchange or in the over-the-counter (OTC) market are valued at the last quoted sale price at the time the valuations are made, except for OTC Bulletin Board securities, which are valued at the mean of the latest bid and asked prices. A security that is listed or traded on more than one exchange is valued at the quotation on the exchange determined to be the primary market for such security. Listed securities not traded on a particular day are valued at the mean of the latest bid and asked prices. Debt securities with remaining maturities of less than one year at the time of acquisition generally use amortized cost in local currency to approximate fair value. However, if amortized cost is deemed not to reflect fair value or the fund holds a significant amount of such securities with remaining maturities of more than 60 days, the securities are valued at prices furnished by dealers who make markets in such securities or by an independent pricing service.

Investments in mutual funds are valued at the mutual fund’s closing net asset value per share on the day of valuation. Financial futures contracts are valued at closing settlement prices.

Other investments, including restricted securities, and those financial instruments for which the above valuation procedures are inappropriate or are deemed not to reflect fair value are stated at fair value as determined in good faith by the T. Rowe Price Valuation Committee, established by the fund’s Board of Directors.

Valuation Inputs Various inputs are used to determine the value of the fund’s financial instruments. These inputs are summarized in the three broad levels listed below:

Level 1 – quoted prices in active markets for identical financial instruments

Level 2 – observable inputs other than Level 1 quoted prices (including, but not limited to, quoted prices for similar financial instruments, interest rates, prepayment speeds, and credit risk)

Level 3 – unobservable inputs

Observable inputs are those based on market data obtained from sources independent of the fund, and unobservable inputs reflect the fund’s own assumptions based on the best information available. The input levels are not necessarily an indication of the risk or liquidity associated with financial instruments at that level. The following table summarizes the fund’s financial instruments, based on the inputs used to determine their values on December 31, 2010:

NOTE 3 - DERIVATIVE INSTRUMENTS

During the year ended December 31, 2010, the fund invested in derivative instruments. As defined by GAAP, a derivative is a financial instrument whose value is derived from an underlying security price, foreign exchange rate, interest rate, index of prices or rates, or other variable; it requires little or no initial investment and permits or requires net settlement. The fund invests in derivatives only if the expected risks and rewards are consistent with its investment objectives, policies, and overall risk profile, as described in its prospectus and Statement of Additional Information. The fund may use derivatives for a variety of purposes, such as seeking to hedge against declines in principal value, increase yield, invest in an asset with greater efficiency and at a lower cost than is possible through direct investment, or to adjust credit exposure. The risks associated with the use of derivatives are different from, and potentially much greater than, the risks associated with investing directly in the instruments on which the derivatives are based. Investments in derivatives can magnify returns positively or negatively; however, the fund at all times maintains sufficient cash reserves, liquid assets, or other SEC-permitted asset types to cover the settlement obligations under its open derivative contracts.

The fund values its derivatives at fair value, as described below and in Note 2, and recognizes changes in fair value currently in its results of operations. Accordingly, the fund does not follow hedge accounting, even for derivatives employed as economic hedges. The fund does not offset the fair value of derivative instruments against the right to reclaim or obligation to return collateral. As of December 31, 2010, the fund held equity futures with cumulative unrealized gain of $1,000; the value reflected on the accompanying Statement of Assets and Liabilities is the related unsettled variation margin.

Additionally, during the year ended December 31, 2010, the fund recognized $9,000 of gain on equity derivatives, included in realized gain (loss) on Futures on the accompanying Statement of Operations.

Counterparty risk related to exchange-traded derivatives, including futures and options contracts, is minimal because the exchange’s clearinghouse provides protection against defaults. Additionally, for exchange-traded derivatives, each broker, in its sole discretion, may change margin requirements applicable to the fund.

Futures Contracts The fund is subject to equity price risk in the normal course of pursuing its investment objectives and uses futures contracts to help manage such risk. The fund may enter into futures contracts as an efficient means of maintaining liquidity while being invested in the market, to facilitate trading, and/or to reduce transaction costs. A futures contract provides for the future sale by one party and purchase by another of a specified amount of a particular underlying financial instrument at an agreed-upon price, date, time, and place. The fund currently invests only in exchange-traded futures, which generally are standardized as to maturity date, underlying financial instrument, and other contract terms. Upon entering into a futures contract, the fund is required to deposit with the broker cash or securities in an amount equal to a certain percentage of the contract value (initial margin deposit); the margin deposit must then be maintained at the established level over the life of the contract. Subsequent payments are made or received by the fund each day to settle daily fluctuations in the value of the contract (variation margin), which reflect changes in the value of the underlying financial instrument. Variation margin is recorded as unrealized gain or loss until the contract is closed. The value of a futures contract included in net assets is the amount of unsettled variation margin; net variation margin receivable is reflected as an asset, and net variation margin payable is reflected as a liability on the accompanying Statement of Assets and Liabilities. Risks related to the use of futures contracts include possible illiquidity of the futures markets, contract prices that can be highly volatile and imperfectly correlated to movements in hedged security values, and potential losses in excess of the fund’s initial investment. During the year ended December 31, 2010, the fund’s exposure to futures, based on underlying notional amounts, was generally less than 1% of net assets.

NOTE 4 - OTHER INVESTMENT TRANSACTIONS

Consistent with its investment objective, the fund engages in the following practices to manage exposure to certain risks and/or to enhance performance. The investment objective, policies, program, and risk factors of the fund are described more fully in the fund’s prospectus and Statement of Additional Information.

Securities Lending The fund lends its securities to approved brokers to earn additional income. It receives as collateral cash and U.S. government securities valued at 102% to 105% of the value of the securities on loan. Cash collateral is invested by the fund’s lending agent(s) in accordance with investment guidelines approved by fund management. Although risk is mitigated by the collateral, the fund could experience a delay in recovering its securities and a possible loss of income or value if the borrower fails to return the securities or if collateral investments decline in value. Securities lending revenue recognized by the fund consists of earnings on invested collateral and borrowing fees, net of any rebates to the borrower and compensation to the lending agent. In accordance with GAAP, investments made with cash collateral are reflected in the accompanying financial statements, but collateral received in the form of securities are not. On December 31, 2010, the value of loaned securities was $1,323,000 and cash collateral investments totaled $1,356,000.

Other Purchases and sales of portfolio securities other than short-term securities aggregated $869,000 and $1,336,000, respectively, for the year ended December 31, 2010.

NOTE 5 - FEDERAL INCOME TAXES

No provision for federal income taxes is required since the fund intends to continue to qualify as a regulated investment company under Subchapter M of the Internal Revenue Code and distribute to shareholders all of its taxable income and gains. Distributions determined in accordance with federal income tax regulations may differ in amount or character from net investment income and realized gains for financial reporting purposes. Financial reporting records are adjusted for permanent book/tax differences to reflect tax character but are not adjusted for temporary differences.

The fund files U.S. federal, state, and local tax returns as required. The fund’s tax returns are subject to examination by the relevant tax authorities until expiration of the applicable statute of limitations, which is generally three years after the filing of the tax return but which can be extended to six years in certain circumstances. Tax returns for open years have incorporated no uncertain tax positions that require a provision for income taxes.

Reclassifications to paid-in capital relate primarily to expiring capital loss carryforwards. For the year ended December 31, 2010, the following reclassifications were recorded to reflect tax character; there was no impact on results of operations or net assets:

Distributions during the years ended December 31, 2010 and December 31, 2009, totaled $134,000 and $128,000, respectively, and were characterized as ordinary income for tax purposes. At December 31, 2010, the tax-basis cost of investments and components of net assets were as follows:

The difference between book-basis and tax-basis net unrealized appreciation (depreciation) is attributable to the deferral of losses from wash sales for tax purposes. The fund intends to retain realized gains to the extent of available capital loss carryforwards. During the year ended December 31, 2010, the fund utilized $15,000 of capital loss carryforwards. The fund’s unused capital loss carryforwards as of December 31, 2010, expire: $819,000 in fiscal 2011, $111,000 in fiscal 2014, $598,000 in fiscal 2016 and $179,000 in fiscal 2017. In accordance with federal income tax regulations applicable to investment companies, recognition of capital and/or currency losses on certain transactions realized between November 1 and the fund’s fiscal year-end is deferred for tax purposes until the subsequent year (post-October loss deferrals); however, such losses are recognized for financial reporting purposes in the year realized.

NOTE 6 - RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS

The fund is managed by T. Rowe Price Associates, Inc. (the manager or Price Associates), a wholly owned subsidiary of T. Rowe Price Group, Inc. The investment management and administrative agreement between the fund and the manager provides for an all-inclusive annual fee equal to 0.40% of the fund’s average daily net assets. The fee is computed daily and paid monthly. The all-inclusive fee covers investment management, shareholder servicing, transfer agency, accounting, and custody services provided to the fund, as well as fund directors’ fees and expenses; interest, taxes, brokerage commissions, and extraordinary expenses are paid directly by the fund.

The fund may invest in the T. Rowe Price Reserve Investment Fund and the T. Rowe Price Government Reserve Investment Fund (collectively, the T. Rowe Price Reserve Investment Funds), open-end management investment companies managed by Price Associates and considered affiliates of the fund. The T. Rowe Price Reserve Investment Funds are offered as cash management options to mutual funds, trusts, and other accounts managed by Price Associates and/or its affiliates and are not available for direct purchase by members of the public. The T. Rowe Price Reserve Investment Funds pay no investment management fees.


Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

To the Board of Directors of T. Rowe Price Equity Series, Inc. and
Shareholders of T. Rowe Price Equity Index 500 Portfolio

In our opinion, the accompanying statement of assets and liabilities, including the portfolio of investments, and the related statements of operations and of changes in net assets and the financial highlights present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of T. Rowe Price Equity Index 500 Portfolio (one of the portfolios comprising T. Rowe Price Equity Series, Inc., hereafter referred to as the “Fund”) at December 31, 2010, the results of its operations for the year then ended, the changes in its net assets for each of the two years in the period then ended and the financial highlights for each of the five years in the period then ended, in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America. These financial statements and financial highlights (hereafter referred to as “financial statements”) are the responsibility of the Fund’s management; our responsibility is to express an opinion on these financial statements based on our audits. We conducted our audits of these financial statements in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States). Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are free of material misstatement. An audit includes examining, on a test basis, evidence supporting the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements, assessing the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, and evaluating the overall financial statement presentation. We believe that our audits, which included confirmation of securities at December 31, 2010 by correspondence with the custodian and confirmation of the underlying funds by correspondence with the transfer agent, provide a reasonable basis for our opinion.

PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP
Baltimore, Maryland
February 11, 2011



Tax Information (Unaudited) for the Tax Year Ended 12/31/10 

We are providing this information as required by the Internal Revenue Code. The amounts shown may differ from those elsewhere in this report because of differences between tax and financial reporting requirements.

For taxable non-corporate shareholders, $122,000 of the fund’s income represents qualified dividend income subject to the 15% rate category.

For corporate shareholders, $122,000 of the fund’s income qualifies for the dividends-received deduction.

Information on Proxy Voting Policies, Procedures, and Records 

A description of the policies and procedures used by T. Rowe Price funds and portfolios to determine how to vote proxies relating to portfolio securities is available in each fund’s Statement of Additional Information, which you may request by calling 1-800-225-5132 or by accessing the SEC’s website, sec.gov. The description of our proxy voting policies and procedures is also available on our website, troweprice.com. To access it, click on the words “Our Company” at the top of our corporate homepage. Then, when the next page appears, click on the words “Proxy Voting Policies” on the left side of the page.

Each fund’s most recent annual proxy voting record is available on our website and through the SEC’s website. To access it through our website, follow the directions above, then click on the words “Proxy Voting Records” on the right side of the Proxy Voting Policies page.

How to Obtain Quarterly Portfolio Holdings 

The fund files a complete schedule of portfolio holdings with the Securities and Exchange Commission for the first and third quarters of each fiscal year on Form N-Q. The fund’s Form N-Q is available electronically on the SEC’s website (sec.gov); hard copies may be reviewed and copied at the SEC’s Public Reference Room, 450 Fifth St. N.W., Washington, DC 20549. For more information on the Public Reference Room, call 1-800-SEC-0330.

About the Portfolio’s Directors and Officers 

Your portfolio is overseen by a Board of Directors (Board) that meets regularly to review a wide variety of matters affecting the portfolio, including performance, investment programs, compliance matters, advisory fees and expenses, service providers, and other business affairs. The Board elects the portfolio’s officers, who are listed in the final table. At least 75% of the Board’s members are independent of T. Rowe Price Associates, Inc. (T. Rowe Price), and T. Rowe Price International Ltd (T. Rowe Price International); “inside” or “interested” directors are employees or officers of T. Rowe Price. The business address of each director and officer is 100 East Pratt Street, Baltimore, Maryland 21202. The Statement of Additional Information includes additional information about the portfolio directors and is available without charge by calling a T. Rowe Price representative at 1-800-225-5132.

Independent Directors   
 
Name (Year of Birth)  Principal Occupation(s) and Directorships of Public Companies and Other Investment Companies 
Year Elected*  During the Past Five Years 
   
William R. Brody, M.D., Ph.D. (1944)  President and Trustee, Salk Institute for Biological Studies (2009 to present); Director, Novartis, Inc. (2009 
2009  to present); Director, IBM (2007 to present); President and Trustee, Johns Hopkins University (1996 to 2009); 
  Chairman of Executive Committee and Trustee, Johns Hopkins Health System (1996 to 2009); Director, Medtronic, 
  Inc. (1998 to 2007); Director, Mercantile Bankshares (1997 to 2007) 
   
Jeremiah E. Casey (1940)  Director, National Life Insurance (2001 to 2005); Director, NLV Financial Corporation (2004 to 2005) 
2005   
   
Anthony W. Deering (1945)  Chairman, Exeter Capital, LLC, a private investment firm (2004 to present); Director, Under Armour (2008 to 
2001  present); Director, Vornado Real Estate Investment Trust (2004 to present); Director, Mercantile Bankshares 
  (2002 to 2007); Member, Advisory Board, Deutsche Bank North America (2004 to present) 
   
Donald W. Dick, Jr. (1943)  Principal, EuroCapital Partners, LLC, an acquisition and management advisory firm (1995 to present) 
1994   
   
Karen N. Horn (1943)  Senior Managing Director, Brock Capital Group, an advisory and investment banking firm (2004 to present); 
2003  Director, Eli Lilly and Company (1987 to present); Director, Simon Property Group (2004 to present); Director, 
  Norfolk Southern (2008 to present); Director, Fannie Mae (2006 to 2008); Director, Georgia Pacific (2004 to 2005) 
   
Theo C. Rodgers (1941)  President, A&R Development Corporation (1977 to present) 
2005   
   
John G. Schreiber (1946)  Owner/President, Centaur Capital Partners, Inc., a real estate investment company (1991 to present); Cofounder 
2001  and Partner, Blackstone Real Estate Advisors, L.P. (1992 to present) 
   
Mark R. Tercek (1957)  President and Chief Executive Officer, The Nature Conservancy (2008 to present); Managing Director, The Goldman 
2009  Sachs Group, Inc. (1984 to 2008) 
 
*Each independent director oversees 128 T. Rowe Price portfolios and serves until retirement, resignation, or election of a successor. 
   
Inside Directors   
 
Name (Year of Birth)   
Year Elected* [Number of T. Rowe  Principal Occupation(s) and Directorships of Public Companies and Other Investment Companies 
Price Portfolios Overseen]  During the Past Five Years 
   
Edward C. Bernard (1956)  Director and Vice President, T. Rowe Price; Vice Chairman of the Board, Director, and Vice President, T. Rowe Price 
2006 [128]  Group, Inc.; Chairman of the Board, Director, and President, T. Rowe Price Investment Services, Inc.; Chairman 
  of the Board and Director, T. Rowe Price Retirement Plan Services, Inc., T. Rowe Price Savings Bank, and T. Rowe 
  Price Services, Inc.; Director and Chief Executive Officer, T. Rowe Price International; Chief Executive Officer, 
  Chairman of the Board, Director, and President, T. Rowe Price Trust Company; Chairman of the Board, all funds 
   
John H. Laporte, CFA (1945)  Vice President, T. Rowe Price, T. Rowe Price Group, Inc., and T. Rowe Price Trust Company 
1994 [16]   
 
*Each inside director serves until retirement, resignation, or election of a successor. 

Officers   
 
Name (Year of Birth)   
Position Held With Equity Series  Principal Occupation(s) 
   
E. Frederick Bair, CFA, CPA (1969)  Vice President, T. Rowe Price, T. Rowe Price Group, Inc., and T. Rowe Price 
Executive Vice President  Trust Company 
   
P. Robert Bartolo, CFA, CPA (1972)  Vice President, T. Rowe Price, T. Rowe Price Group, Inc., and T. Rowe Price 
Vice President  Trust Company 
   
Brian W.H. Berghuis, CFA (1958)  Vice President, T. Rowe Price, T. Rowe Price Group, Inc., and T. Rowe Price 
Executive Vice President  Trust Company 
   
Anna M. Dopkin, CFA (1967)  Vice President, T. Rowe Price, T. Rowe Price Group, Inc., and T. Rowe Price 
Vice President  Trust Company 
   
Roger L. Fiery III, CPA (1959)  Vice President, Price Hong Kong, Price Singapore, T. Rowe Price, T. Rowe 
Vice President  Price Group, Inc., T. Rowe Price International, and T. Rowe Price Trust 
  Company 
   
John R. Gilner (1961)  Chief Compliance Officer and Vice President, T. Rowe Price; Vice President, 
Chief Compliance Officer  T. Rowe Price Group, Inc., and T. Rowe Price Investment Services, Inc. 
   
Gregory S. Golczewski (1966)  Vice President, T. Rowe Price and T. Rowe Price Trust Company 
Vice President   
   
Gregory K. Hinkle, CPA (1958)  Vice President, T. Rowe Price, T. Rowe Price Group, Inc., and T. Rowe Price 
Treasurer  Trust Company; formerly Partner, PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP (to 2007) 
   
Kris H. Jenner, M.D., D.Phil. (1962)  Vice President, T. Rowe Price and T. Rowe Price Group, Inc. 
Executive Vice President   
   
Ian D. Kelson (1956)  President-International Fixed Income, T. Rowe Price International; Vice 
Vice President  President, T. Rowe Price and T. Rowe Price Group, Inc. 
   
John D. Linehan, CFA (1965)  Vice President, T. Rowe Price, T. Rowe Price Group, Inc., and T. Rowe Price 
Vice President  Trust Company 
   
Patricia B. Lippert (1953)  Assistant Vice President, T. Rowe Price and T. Rowe Price Investment 
Secretary  Services, Inc. 
   
Joseph M. Milano, CFA (1972)  Vice President, T. Rowe Price and T. Rowe Price Group, Inc. 
Executive Vice President   
   
Edmund M. Notzon III, Ph.D., CFA (1945)  Vice President, T. Rowe Price, T. Rowe Price Group, Inc., T. Rowe Price 
Executive Vice President  Investment Services, Inc., and T. Rowe Price Trust Company 
   
David Oestreicher (1967)  Director and Vice President, T. Rowe Price Investment Services, Inc., 
Vice President  T. Rowe Price Trust Company, and T. Rowe Price Services, Inc.; Vice 
  President, Price Hong Kong, Price Singapore, T. Rowe Price, T. Rowe Price 
  Group, Inc., T. Rowe Price International, and T. Rowe Price Retirement Plan 
  Services, Inc. 
   
Larry J. Puglia, CFA, CPA (1960)  Vice President, T. Rowe Price, T. Rowe Price Group, Inc., and T. Rowe Price 
Executive Vice President  Trust Company 
   
Brian C. Rogers, CFA, CIC (1955)  Chief Investment Officer, Director, and Vice President, T. Rowe Price; 
President  Chairman of the Board, Chief Investment Officer, Director, and Vice 
  President, T. Rowe Price Group, Inc.; Vice President, T. Rowe Price 
  Trust Company 
   
Deborah D. Seidel (1962)  Vice President, T. Rowe Price, T. Rowe Price Group, Inc., and T. Rowe Price 
Vice President  Investment Services, Inc.; Vice President and Assistant Treasurer, T. Rowe 
  Price Services, Inc. 
   
Ken D. Uematsu, CFA (1969)  Vice President, T. Rowe Price and T. Rowe Price Trust Company 
Executive Vice President   
   
John F. Wakeman (1962)  Vice President, T. Rowe Price and T. Rowe Price Group, Inc. 
Vice President   
   
Julie L. Waples (1970)  Vice President, T. Rowe Price 
Vice President   
 
Unless otherwise noted, officers have been employees of T. Rowe Price or T. Rowe Price International for at least 5 years. 

Item 2. Code of Ethics.

The registrant has adopted a code of ethics, as defined in Item 2 of Form N-CSR, applicable to its principal executive officer, principal financial officer, principal accounting officer or controller, or persons performing similar functions. A copy of this code of ethics is filed as an exhibit to this Form N-CSR. No substantive amendments were approved or waivers were granted to this code of ethics during the period covered by this report.

Item 3. Audit Committee Financial Expert.

The registrant’s Board of Directors/Trustees has determined that Mr. Anthony W. Deering qualifies as an audit committee financial expert, as defined in Item 3 of Form N-CSR. Mr. Deering is considered independent for purposes of Item 3 of Form N-CSR.

Item 4. Principal Accountant Fees and Services.

(a) – (d) Aggregate fees billed to the registrant for the last two fiscal years for professional services rendered by the registrant’s principal accountant were as follows:


Audit fees include amounts related to the audit of the registrant’s annual financial statements and services normally provided by the accountant in connection with statutory and regulatory filings. Audit-related fees include amounts reasonably related to the performance of the audit of the registrant’s financial statements and specifically include the issuance of a report on internal controls and, if applicable, agreed-upon procedures related to fund acquisitions. Tax fees include amounts related to services for tax compliance, tax planning, and tax advice. The nature of these services specifically includes the review of distribution calculations and the preparation of Federal, state, and excise tax returns. All other fees include the registrant’s pro-rata share of amounts for agreed-upon procedures in conjunction with service contract approvals by the registrant’s Board of Directors/Trustees.

(e)(1) The registrant’s audit committee has adopted a policy whereby audit and non-audit services performed by the registrant’s principal accountant for the registrant, its investment adviser, and any entity controlling, controlled by, or under common control with the investment adviser that provides ongoing services to the registrant require pre-approval in advance at regularly scheduled audit committee meetings. If such a service is required between regularly scheduled audit committee meetings, pre-approval may be authorized by one audit committee member with ratification at the next scheduled audit committee meeting. Waiver of pre-approval for audit or non-audit services requiring fees of a de minimis amount is not permitted.

    (2) No services included in (b) – (d) above were approved pursuant to paragraph (c)(7)(i)(C) of Rule 2-01 of Regulation S-X.

(f) Less than 50 percent of the hours expended on the principal accountant’s engagement to audit the registrant’s financial statements for the most recent fiscal year were attributed to work performed by persons other than the principal accountant’s full-time, permanent employees.

(g) The aggregate fees billed for the most recent fiscal year and the preceding fiscal year by the registrant’s principal accountant for non-audit services rendered to the registrant, its investment adviser, and any entity controlling, controlled by, or under common control with the investment adviser that provides ongoing services to the registrant were $1,417,000 and $1,879,000, respectively.

(h) All non-audit services rendered in (g) above were pre-approved by the registrant’s audit committee. Accordingly, these services were considered by the registrant’s audit committee in maintaining the principal accountant’s independence.

Item 5. Audit Committee of Listed Registrants.

Not applicable.

Item 6. Investments.

(a) Not applicable. The complete schedule of investments is included in Item 1 of this Form N-CSR.

(b) Not applicable.

Item 7. Disclosure of Proxy Voting Policies and Procedures for Closed-End Management Investment Companies.

Not applicable.

Item 8. Portfolio Managers of Closed-End Management Investment Companies.

Not applicable.

Item 9. Purchases of Equity Securities by Closed-End Management Investment Company and Affiliated Purchasers.

Not applicable.

Item 10. Submission of Matters to a Vote of Security Holders.

Not applicable.

Item 11. Controls and Procedures.

(a) The registrant’s principal executive officer and principal financial officer have evaluated the registrant’s disclosure controls and procedures within 90 days of this filing and have concluded that the registrant’s disclosure controls and procedures were effective, as of that date, in ensuring that information required to be disclosed by the registrant in this Form N-CSR was recorded, processed, summarized, and reported timely.

(b) The registrant’s principal executive officer and principal financial officer are aware of no change in the registrant’s internal control over financial reporting that occurred during the registrant’s second fiscal quarter covered by this report that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, the registrant’s internal control over financial reporting.

Item 12. Exhibits.

(a)(1) The registrant’s code of ethics pursuant to Item 2 of Form N-CSR is attached.

    (2) Separate certifications by the registrant's principal executive officer and principal financial officer, pursuant to Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 and required by Rule 30a-2(a) under the Investment Company Act of 1940, are attached.

    (3) Written solicitation to repurchase securities issued by closed-end companies: not applicable.

(b) A certification by the registrant's principal executive officer and principal financial officer, pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 and required by Rule 30a-2(b) under the Investment Company Act of 1940, is attached.

                                                                              
SIGNATURES
 
  Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and the Investment 
Company Act of 1940, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the 
undersigned, thereunto duly authorized. 
 
T. Rowe Price Equity Series, Inc. 
 
 
 
By  /s/ Edward C. Bernard 
  Edward C. Bernard 
  Principal Executive Officer 
 
Date  February 11, 2011 
 
 
 
  Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and the Investment 
Company Act of 1940, this report has been signed below by the following persons on behalf of 
the registrant and in the capacities and on the dates indicated. 
 
 
By  /s/ Edward C. Bernard 
  Edward C. Bernard 
  Principal Executive Officer 
 
Date  February 11, 2011 
 
 
 
By  /s/ Gregory K. Hinkle 
  Gregory K. Hinkle 
  Principal Financial Officer 
 
Date  February 11, 2011