[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 34 (Friday, February 18, 1994)] [Unknown Section] [Page 0] From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] [FR Doc No: 94-3763] [[Page Unknown]] [Federal Register: February 18, 1994] ----------------------------------------------------------------------- SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION [Release No. IC-20070; 812-8384] IDS Bond Fund, Inc., et al.; Notice of Application February 14, 1994. AGENCY: Securities and Exchange Commission (``SEC'' or ``Commission''). ACTION: Notice of Application for Exemption under the Investment Company Act of 1940 (the ``Act''). ----------------------------------------------------------------------- APPLICANTS: IDS Bond Fund, Inc., IDS California Tax-Exempt Trust, IDS Discovery Fund, Inc., IDS Equity Plus Fund, Inc., IDS Extra Income Fund, Inc., IDS Federal Income Fund, Inc., IDS Global Series, Inc., IDS Growth Fund, Inc., IDS High Yield Tax-Exempt Fund, Inc., IDS International Fund, Inc., IDS Investment Series, Inc., IDS Managed Retirement Fund, Inc., IDS Market Advantage Series, Inc., IDS New Dimensions Fund, Inc., IDS Precious Metals Fund, Inc., IDS Progressive Fund, Inc., IDS Selective Fund, Inc., IDS Special Tax-Exempt Series Trust, IDS Stock Fund, Inc., IDS Tax-Exempt Bond Fund, Inc., IDS Utilities Income Fund, Inc. (each series is referred to as a ``Front- End Load Fund''), IDS Money Market Series, Inc. and IDS Tax-Free Money Fund, Inc. (each series is referred to as a ``Money Market Fund''), IDS Strategy Fund, Inc. (each series is referred to as a ``Back-End Load Fund'') (collectively, the ``Funds''), and IDS Financial Corporation (``IDS'' or the ``Investment Manager'') and IDS Financial Services Inc. (``IDS Financial'' or the ``Distributor''). RELEVANT ACT SECTIONS: Order requested under section 6(c) of the Act for an exemption from sections 2(a)(32), 2(a)(35), 18(f), 18(g), 18(i), 22(c), and 22(d) of the Act and rule 22c-1 thereunder. SUMMARY OF APPLICATION: Applicants request an order that would supersede two prior orders that permit some of the Funds to assess and, under certain circumstances, waive a contingent deferred sales charge (``CDSC'') on certain redemptions of shares. The present order would (1) expand the investment companies eligible to assess a CDSC, and (2) permit the Funds to issue multiple classes of shares representing interests in the same portfolio of securities. FILING DATES: The application was filed on May 6, 1993, and amended on October 1, 1993, and December 15, 1993. Applicants have agreed to file an additional amendment, the substance of which is incorporated herein, during the notice period. HEARING OR NOTIFICATION OF HEARING: An order granting the application will be issued unless the SEC orders a hearing. Interested persons may request a hearing by writing to the SEC's Secretary and serving applicants with a copy of the request, personally or by mail. Hearing requests should be received by the SEC by 5:30 p.m. on March 14, 1994 and should be accompanied by proof of service on applicants, in the form of an affidavit or, for lawyers, a certificate of service. Hearing requests should state the nature of the writer's interest, the reason for the request, and the issues contested. Persons may request notification of a hearing by writing to the SEC's Secretary. ADDRESSES: Secretary, SEC, 450 Fifth Street, N.W., Washington, DC 20549; Applicants, Laura M. Moret, IDS Financial Corporation, IDS Tower 10--Unit 52, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55440. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Deepak T. Pai, Staff Attorney, at (202) 272-3809 or Robert A. Robertson, Branch Chief, at (202) 272-3030 (Division of Investment Management, Office of Investment Company Regulation). SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The following is a summary of the application. The complete application may be obtained for a fee from the SEC's Public Reference Branch. Applicants' Representations 1. Each Fund is an open-end management investment company registered under the Act. The Funds currently have different distribution structures. Shares of the Back-End Load Funds are offered to investors subject to a CDSC and distribution fees adopted pursuant to rule 12b-1 under the Act. Shares of the Front-End Load Funds are offered to investors subject to a front-end sales load and rule 12b-1 fees that are lower than those applicable to the Back-End Load Funds. 2. Each Fund has entered into or will enter into an investment management agreement with IDS pursuant to which IDS provides investment management services. Each Fund also has entered into or will enter into a distribution agreement with IDS Financial pursuant to which IDS Financial Acts as principal underwriter for the Fund. 3. Applicants request an exemption that would permit the Funds (a) to issue multiple classes of shares representing interests in the same portfolio of securities and (b) to assess and, under certain circumstances, waive a CDSC on certain redemptions of shares. The order would supersede two prior orders that permit some of the Funds to assess and, under certain circumstances, waive a CDSC.\1\ Applicants also request that any relief apply to any open-end management investment company or series within those companies that are advised by IDS and in the same ``group of investment companies'' with the Funds, as defined in rule 11a-3, that operate in a manner identical in all material respects to that of the Funds. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- \1\Investors Mutual, Inc. et al. Investment Company Act Releases Nos. 13906 (April 26, 1984) (notice) and 13974 (May 31, 1984) (order), and IDS Financial Corporation, et al. Investment Company Act Releases Nos. 17059 (July 10, 1989) (notice) and 17099 (August 4, 1989) (order). --------------------------------------------------------------------------- A. The Multiple Pricing System 1. Applicants propose to establish multiple distribution arrangements (the ``Multiple Pricing System'') using different classes of shares within the same Fund. Under the Multiple Pricing System, each Fund, except the Money Market Funds, will offer investors the option of purchasing shares with a front-end sales load and a rule 12b-1 service fee of up to .25% of the average daily net asset value (``Class A shares'' or the Front-End Load Option''). Certain large purchasers of Class A shares and participants in qualified plans purchasing Class A shares will not be subject to a front-end sales load but will be subject to a CDSC not to exceed 4%. The CDSC will be eliminated in plans with more than 100 participants or plan assets of more than $1 million. In addition, each Fund will offer investors the option of purchasing shares with a CDSC, an annual distribution charge of up to .75% of average daily net assets and an annual service fee of up to .25% of average daily net assets under a rule 12b-1 plan (``Class B shares'' or the ``Deferred Option''). Some Funds will offer Class C shares that will be offered without imposition of either a sales load, distribution charge, or service fee (``Class C shares''). Class C shares will be offered exclusively to participants and trustees in employee benefits plans which meet minimum requirements, and to certain investors that will be specified in a Fund's prospectus. The Money Market Funds will offer one class of shares, which may have a service fee. 2. Applicants request the authority to create additional classes that may differ from Class A, Class B, and Class C shares only in the following respects: (a) the impact of the disproportionate payments made under the rule 12b-1 distribution plan; (b) the impact of the disproportionate payments made because of a non-rule 12b-1 service fee; (c) any different expenses for each class of shares (``Class Expenses''), which are set forth in condition 1 below; (d) the fact that the classes will vote separately with respect to the Fund's rule 12b-1 distribution plan; (e) the different exchange privileges of the classes; and (f) the designation of each class. 3. Class B shares will have a conversion feature providing for automatic conversion to Class A shares after a certain holding period of up to eight years. Upon the expiration of the holding period, Class B shares (except those purchased through the reinvestment of dividends and other distributions paid in respect of Class B shares of that Fund) will automatically convert to Class A shares of the Fund at the relative net asset values of each of the classes. Shares purchased through the reinvestment of dividends and other distributions paid in respect of Class B shares are also Class B shares. However, for purposes of conversion to Class A, all Class B shares in a shareholder's Fund account that were purchased through the reinvestment of dividends and other distributions paid in respect of Class B shares (and that have not converted to Class A shares as provided in the following sentence) will be considered to be held in a separate sub- account. Each time any Class B shares in the shareholder's Fund account (other than those in the sub-account referred to in the preceding sentence) convert to Class A, a pro-rata portion of Class B shares then in the sub-account will also convert to Class A. The portion will be determined by the ratio that the shareholder's Class B shares converting to Class A bears to the shareholder's total Class B shares not acquired through dividends and distributions. 4. Applicants contemplate that Class A shares of a Fund will be exchangeable only for Class A shares of the other Funds, except for Class A shares of the Money Market Funds which may be exchanged for Class B shares at the request of the shareholder. Class B shares of a Fund will be exchangeable only for Class B shares of the other Funds. Class C shares of a Fund will be exchangeable only for Class C shares of the other Funds. The exchange privileges will comply with rule 11a-3 under the Act. 5. Under the Multiple Pricing System, the net asset value of each class will reflect the expenses allocated to it. All expenses incurred by a Fund will be allocated based on the relative net asset values of each class, except to the extent that each class's net asset value and expenses will reflect the expenses of rule 12b-1 plans and any Class Expenses. B. The CDSC 1. Applicants also request an exemption to permit the Funds to assess a CDSC on certain redemptions of Class B shares, and waive the CDSC with respect to certain types of redemptions. The CDSC will be imposed by each Fund on a redemption of Class B shares during a specified period up to eight years. In determining the applicability and rate of any CDSC, it will be assumed that a redemption is made first of amounts representing capital appreciation, next of shares representing reinvestment of dividends and capital gains distributions, and finally of other shares held for the longest period of time. This will result in the charge, if any, being imposed at the lowest possible rate. 2. The amount of the CDSC charged to a Class B shareholder of a Fund will depend on the number of years that have elapsed since the shareholder made the purchase payment from which an amount is being redeemed. Any changes in CDSC amounts, rates of reduction or the CDSC period will be reflected in the prospectus of the affected Fund, and the change will not adversely affect shares that were issued prior to the date of the change. The sum of any front-end sales charge, asset based sales charge, and CDSC will not exceed the maximum sales charge provided for in Article III, Section 26 of the Rules of Fair Practice of the NASD. 3. The CDSC for Class B will be waived on redemptions of shares: (1) In the event of the shareholder's death; (2) held in IRAs and qualified plans for which IDS Acts as custodian, such as Keogh plans, tax-sheltered custodial accounts or corporate pension plans if the shareholder is at least 59\1/2\ years old, and the redemption is not part of a custodian-to-custodian transfer (unless a taxable retirement distribution), or if the redemption is part of an approved ``substantially equal periodic payment'' arrangement; or (3) held in a trusteed employee benefit plan. 4. Class A shareholders who are participants in qualified plans with the daily transfer recordkeeping service also maybe charged a CDSC on certain redemptions. In no event will the CDSC exceed 4% of the purchase payments made by the shareholder. The CDSC for Class A will be eliminated for plans with more than $1 million in plan assets or more than 100 participants. 5. Class A shareholders who invest or who have aggregate investments in the Funds of $1 million or more may purchase Class A shares without paying a front-end sales load. If that investment is redeemed in the first two years after purchase, a CDSC of 1% may be imposed on the redemption. 6. The CDSC for Class A shares will be waived: (1) In the event of the shareholder's death; (2) in connection with lump-sum or other distributions following retirement or attaining age 59\1/2\, and the redemption is not part of a custodian-to-custodian transfer (unless a taxable retirement distribution), or if the redemption is part of an approved ``substantially equal periodic payment'' agreement; or (3) with respect to loans or hardship withdrawals. 7. The CDSC for the additional classes of shares may be different than the one described for Classes A and B, but will be calculated in the same manner. Applicants' Legal Analysis 1. Applicants request an exemption under section 6(c) of the Act from sections 18(f)(1), 18(g), and 18(i) to the extent the Multiple Pricing System may result in a senior security, as defined by section 18(g), the issuance and sale of which would be prohibited by section 18(f)(1), and to the extent the allocation of voting rights under the Multiple Pricing System may violate the provisions of 18(i). Applicants believe that the Multiple Pricing System does not raise any of the legislative concerns that section 18 was designed to ameliorate. The proposal does not involve borrowings and does not affect the Funds' existing assets or reserves. Applicants believe that the proposed allocation of expenses and voting rights relating to the rule 12b-1 plans in the manner described above is equitable and would not discriminate against any group of shareholders. 2. Applicants also request an exemption under section 6(c) from sections 2(a)(32), 2(a)(35), 22(c), and 22(d) of the Act and rule 22c-1 thereunder to assess and, under certain circumstances, waive a CDSC on redemptions of shares. Applicants believe that the imposition of the CDSC is fair and in the best interests of their shareholders because it applies only to amounts representing purchase payments and does not apply to amounts representing increases in the value of an investor's account through capital appreciation or to amounts representing reinvestment of distributions. Applicant's Conditions Applicants agree that any order granting the requested relief shall be subject to the following conditions. 1. Each class of shares will represent interests in the same portfolio of investments of the Fund, and be identical in all respects, except as set forth below. The only differences among the classes of shares of the Fund will relate solely to: (a) the impact of the disproportionate payments made under the rule 12b-1 distribution plan; (b) the impact of the disproportionate payments made because of a non- rule 12b-1 service fee; (c) any different Class Expenses which are limited to: (i) Any transfer agency fees identified by the transfer agent as being attributable to a specific class; (ii) printing and postage expenses related to preparing and distributing materials such as shareholder reports, prospectuses, and proxies to current shareholders; (iii) Blue Sky registration fees incurred by a class of shares; (iv) Commission registration fees incurred by a class of shares; (v) the expenses of administrative personnel and services as required to support the shareholders of a specific class; (vi) litigation or other legal expenses relating solely to one class of shares; (vii) fees and expenses of members of boards incurred as a result of issues relating to one class of shares; (viii) costs relating to obtaining shareholder approval of a rule 12b-1 plan for a class or an amendment to a rule 12b-1 plan; (ix) and any other incremental expenses subsequently identified that should be properly allocated to one class which shall be approved by the Commission pursuant to an amended order; (d) the fact that the classes will vote separately with respect to the Fund's rule 12b-1 distribution plan, except as provided in condition 15 below; (e) the different exchange privileges of the classes of shares; and (f) the designation of each class of shares of the Fund. 2. The members of the board of each Fund, including a majority of the independent board members, shall have approved the Multiple Pricing System. The minutes of the meetings of the board of the Fund regarding the deliberation of the board with respect to the approvals necessary to implement the Multiple Pricing System will reflect in detail the reasons for determining that the proposed Multiple Pricing System is in the best interests of the Fund and its shareholders. 3. The initial determination of the Class Expenses that will be allocated to a particular class of a Fund and any subsequent changes thereto will be reviewed and approved by a vote of the board of the affected Fund, including a majority of the independent board members. Any person authorized to direct the allocation and disposition of monies paid or payable by a Fund to meet Class Expenses shall provide to the board, and the board shall review, at least quarterly, a written report of the amounts so expended and the purpose for which the expenditures were made. 4. On an ongoing basis, the members of the boards of each of the Funds, pursuant to their fiduciary responsibilities under the Act and otherwise, will monitor each Fund for the existence of any material conflicts among the interests of the various classes of shares. The members of the boards of each Fund, including a majority of the independent board members, shall take such action as is reasonably necessary to eliminate any conflicts that may develop. The Investment Manager and the Distributor will be responsible for reporting any potential or existing conflicts to the members of the boards. If a conflict arises the Investment Manager and the Distributor at their own costs will remedy the conflict up to and including establishing a new registered management investment company. 5. The shareholders services plan will be adopted and operated in accordance with the procedures set forth in rule 12b-1(b) through (f) as if the expenditures made thereunder were subject to rule 12b-1, except that shareholders need not enjoy the voting rights specified in rule 12b-1. 6. The members of the boards of the Funds will receive quarterly and annual Statements concerning distribution expenditures complying with paragraph (b)(3)(ii) of rule 12b-1, as it may be amended from time to time. In the Statements, only expenditures properly attributable to the sale or servicing of a particular class of shares will be used to justify any distribution or servicing fee charged to that class. Expenditures not related to the sale or servicing of a specific class of shares will not be presented to the members of the boards to support rule 12b-1 fees charged to shareholders of that class of shares. The Statements, including the methods of allocations upon which they are based, will be subject to the review and approval of the independent board members in the exercise of their fiduciary duties. 7. Dividends paid by a Fund with respect to each class of shares, to the extent any dividends are paid, will be calculated in the same manner, at the same time and on the same day and will be in the same amount, except for fee payments made under the rule 12b-1 plans and any Class Expenses. 8. The methodology and procedures for calculating the net asset value and dividends/distributions of the various classes and the proper allocation of expenses among the various classes has been reviewed by an independent examiner. The independent examiner has rendered a report to applicants which has been provided to the staff of the Commission, filed as exhibit E to the application stating that the methodology and procedures are adequate to ensure that the calculations and allocations will be made in an appropriate manner. On an ongoing basis, the independent examiner, or an appropriate substitute independent examiner, will monitor the manner in which the calculations and allocations are being made and, based upon this review, will render at least annually a report to the Funds that the calculations and allocations are being made properly. The reports of the independent examiner shall be filed as part of the periodic reports filed with the Commission pursuant to sections 30(a) and 30(b)(1) of the Act. The work papers of the independent examiner with respect to these reports, following a request by the Funds that the Funds agree to make, will be available for inspection by the Commission's staff upon the written request for these work papers by a senior member of the Division of Investment Management, limited to the Director, an Associate Director, the Chief Accountant, the Chief Financial Analyst, an Assistant Director and any Regional Administrators or Associate and Assistant Administrators. The initial report of the independent examiner is a ``report on policies and procedures placed in operation'' and ongoing reports will be ``reports on policies and procedures placed in operation and tests of operating effectiveness'' as defined and described in SAS No. 70 of the AICPA, as it may be amended from time to time, or in similar auditing standards as may be adopted by the AICPA from time to time. 9. The applicants have adequate facilities in place to ensure implementation of the methodology and procedures for calculating the net asset value and dividends/distributions among the several classes of shares and the proper allocation of expenses among the several classes of shares and the independent examiner has concurred with this representation in the initial report referred to in condition (7) above and the Funds will be concurred with by the independent examiner, or an appropriate substitute independent examiner, on an ongoing basis at least annually in the ongoing reports referred to in condition (7) above. Applicants will take immediate corrective measures if this representation is not concurred in by the independent examiner, or appropriate substitute independent examiner. 10. The prospectuses of the Funds will include a statement to the effect that a financial planner and any other person entitled to receive compensation for selling or servicing shares of the Funds may receive a different amount of compensation for selling one particular class of shares of the Fund over another. 11. The Distributor will adopt compliance standards as to when shares of a particular class may be sold to particular investors. The applicants will require all persons selling shares of the Funds to agree to conform to these standards. 12. The conditions pursuant to which the exemptive order is granted and the duties and responsibilities of the members of the Boards of the Funds with respect to the Multiple Pricing System will be furnished to the members of the Boards. 13. Each Fund will disclose in its prospectus the respective expenses, performance data, distribution arrangements, services, fees, sales loads, deferred sales loads, conversion features and exchange privileges applicable to each class of shares in every prospectus, regardless of whether all classes of shares are offered through each prospectus. The Fund will disclose the respective expenses and performance data applicable to all classes of shares in every shareholder report. The shareholder reports will contain, in the statement of assets and liabilities and statement of operations, information related to the Fund as a whole and not on a per class basis. Each Fund's per share data, however, will be prepared on a per class basis with respect to all classes of shares of the Fund. To the extent any advertisement or sales literature describes the expenses or performance data applicable to any class of shares, it will disclose the expenses and/or performance data applicable to all classes of shares. The information provided by applicants for publication in any newspaper or similar listing of the Funds' net asset values and public offering prices will separately present each class of shares. 14. Applicants acknowledge that the grant of the exemptive order requested by this application will not imply Commission approval, authorization or acquiescence in any particular level of payments that the Funds may make pursuant to rule 12b-1 plans in reliance on the exemptive order. 15. Any class of shares with a conversion feature will convert into another class of shares on the basis of the relative net asset values of the two classes, without the imposition of any sales load, fee, or other charge. After conversion, the converted shares will be subject to an asset-based sales charge and/or service fee (as those terms are defined in ART III Sec. 26 of the NASD's Rules of Fair Practice), if any, that in the aggregate are lower than the asset-based sales charge and service fee to which they were subject prior to the conversion. 16. If a Fund implements any amendment to its rule 12b-1 plan or, if presented to shareholders, adopts or implements any amendment of a non-rule 12b-1 shareholder services plan that would increase materially the amount that may be borne by the Target Class (the class into which the shares of another class convert) shares under the plan, existing Purchase Class (the class from which shares convert) will stop converting into Target Class shares unless the Purchase Class shareholders, voting separately as a class, approve the proposal. The members of the board shall take such action as is necessary to ensure that existing Purchase Class shares are exchanged or converted into a new class of shares (``New Target Class''), identical in all material respects to Target Class shares as they existed prior to implementation of the proposal, no later than such shares previously were scheduled to convert into Target Class shares. If deemed advisable by the members of the board to implement the foregoing, such action may include the exchange of all existing Purchase Class shares for a new class (``New Purchase Class''), identical to existing Purchase Class shares in all material respects except that New Purchase Class shares will convert into New Target Class shares. New Target Class or New Purchase Class shares may be formed without further exemptive relief. Exchanges or conversions described in this condition shall be effected in a manner that the members of the board reasonably believe will not be subject to federal taxation. In accordance with Condition 4, any additional cost associated with the creation, exchange, or conversion of New Target Class or New Purchase Class shares shall be borne solely by the Investment Manager and the Distributor. Purchase Class shares sold after the implementation of the proposal may convert into Target Class shares subject to the higher maximum payment provided that the material features of the Target Class plan and the relationship of such plan to the Purchase Class shares are disclosed in an effective registration statement. 17. Applicants will comply with the provisions of proposed rule 6c- 10 under the Act (see Investment Company Release No. 16619) (Nov. 2, 1988), as such rule is currently proposed and as it may be reproposed, adopted or amended. For the Commission, by the Division of Investment Management, under delegated authority. Margaret H. McFarland, Deputy Secretary. [FR Doc. 94-3763 Filed 2-17-94; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 8010-01-M