As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on March 28, 2014

1933 Act Registration No. 33-17619

1940 Act Registration No. 811-05349

 

 

 

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D. C. 20549

 

 

FORM N-1A

REGISTRATION STATEMENT

UNDER

       THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933    þ
   Pre-Effective Amendment No.                 ¨
   Post-Effective Amendment No. 409    þ

and/or

REGISTRATION STATEMENT

UNDER

THE INVESTMENT COMPANY ACT OF 1940    þ
Amendment No. 410    þ

(Check appropriate box or boxes)

 

 

GOLDMAN SACHS TRUST

(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Charter)

 

 

71 South Wacker Drive

Chicago, Illinois 60606

(Address of Principal Executive Offices)

Registrant’s Telephone Number, including Area Code: (312) 655-4400

CAROLINE KRAUS, ESQ.

Goldman, Sachs & Co.

200 West Street

New York, New York 10282

(Name and Address of Agent for Service)

 

 

Copies to:

STEPHEN H. BIER, ESQ.

Dechert LLP

1095 Avenue of the Americas

New York, NY 10036

 

 

Approximate Date of Proposed Public Offering: As soon as practicable after the effective date of the registration statement

It is proposed that this filing will become effective (check appropriate box)

  þ immediately upon filing pursuant to paragraph (b)
  ¨ on (date) pursuant to paragraph (b)
  ¨ 60 days after filing pursuant to paragraph (a)(1)
  ¨ on (date) pursuant to paragraph (a)(1)
  ¨ 75 days after filing pursuant to paragraph (a)(2)
  ¨ on (date) pursuant to paragraph (a)(2) of rule 485.

If appropriate, check the following box:

  þ this post-effective amendment designates a new effective date for a previously filed post-effective amendment.

 

Title of Securities Being Registered:

   Class A Shares, Class C Shares, Institutional Shares, Class IR Shares and Class R Shares of the Goldman Sachs MLP Energy Infrastructure Fund.

 

 

 


Prospectus

 

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March 28, 2014

 

GOLDMAN SACHS MLP ENERGY INFRASTRUCTURE FUND

 

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.

 

AN INVESTMENT IN A FUND IS NOT A BANK DEPOSIT AND IS NOT INSURED BY THE FEDERAL DEPOSIT INSURANCE CORPORATION OR ANY OTHER GOVERNMENT AGENCY. AN INVESTMENT IN A FUND INVOLVES INVESTMENT RISKS, AND YOU MAY LOSE MONEY IN A FUND.

 

¢   Goldman Sachs MLP Energy Infrastructure Fund

 

  n   Class A: GLPAX
  n   Class C: GLPCX
  n   Institutional: GMLPX
  n   Class IR: GLPIX
  n   Class R: GLPRX

 

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Table of Contents

 

  1      Goldman Sachs MLP Energy Infrastructure Fund – Summary
  9      Investment Management Approach
  16      Risks of the Fund
  25      Service Providers
  30      Distributions
  31      Shareholder Guide
 

31   How To Buy Shares

 

45   How To Sell Shares

 
  57      Taxation
  64      Appendix A
Additional Information on Portfolio Risks, Securities and Techniques
  102      Appendix B
Financial Highlights


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Goldman Sachs MLP Energy Infrastructure Fund—Summary

Investment Objective

The Goldman Sachs MLP Energy Infrastructure Fund (the “Fund”) seeks total return through current income and capital appreciation.

Fees and Expenses of the Fund

This table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold shares of the Fund. You may qualify for sales charge discounts on purchases of Class A Shares if you and your family invest, or agree to invest in the future, at least $50,000 in Goldman Sachs Funds. More information about these and other discounts is available from your financial professional and in “Shareholder Guide—Common Questions Applicable to the Purchase of Class A Shares” beginning on page 39 of this Prospectus and “Other Information Regarding Maximum Sales Charge, Purchases, Redemptions, Exchanges and Dividends” beginning on page B-75 of the Fund’s Statement of Additional Information (“SAI”).

 

     Class A     Class C     Institutional     Class IR     Class R  

Shareholder Fees

         
(fees paid directly from your investment)          

Maximum Sales Charge (Load) Imposed on Purchases (as a percentage of offering price)

    5.50%        None        None        None        None   

Maximum Deferred Sales Charge (Load) (as a percentage of the lower of original purchase price or sale proceeds) 1

    None        1.00%        None        None        None   
     Class A     Class C     Institutional     Class IR     Class R  

Annual Fund Operating Expenses

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

Management Fees

    1.00%        1.00%        1.00%        1.00%        1.00%   

Distribution and Service (12b-1) Fees

    0.25%        1.00%        None        None        0.50%   

Other Expenses

    0.68%        0.68%        0.53%        0.68%        0.68%   

Deferred Income Tax Expenses 2

    7.85%        7.85%        7.85%        7.85%        7.85%   

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses

    9.78%        10.53%        9.38%        9.53%        10.03%   

Expense Limitation 3

    (0.43)%        (0.43)%        (0.43)%        (0.43)%        (0.43)%   

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Expense Limitation 4

    9.35%        10.10%        8.95%        9.10%        9.60%   

 

1   A contingent deferred sales charge (“CDSC”) of 1% may be imposed on Class A Shares redeemed within 18 months of purchase if the shares were purchased at net asset value (“NAV”) and a one-time commission was paid by the Distributor to the Authorized Institution. A CDSC of 1% is imposed on Class C Shares redeemed within 12 months of purchase.

 

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2   The Fund accrues deferred tax liability for its future tax liability associated with the capital appreciation of its investments, distributions it receives on interests of master limited partnerships considered to be a return of capital, and for any net operating gains. The Fund’s accrued deferred tax liability, if any, is reflected each day in the Fund’s net asset value per share. The Fund’s deferred tax liability will depend upon income, gains, losses, and deductions the Fund is allocated from its master limited partnership investments and on the Fund’s realized and unrealized gains and losses, and may vary greatly from year to year. Therefore, any estimate of deferred tax liability cannot be reliably predicted from year to year.
3   The Investment Adviser has agreed to reduce or limit “Other Expenses” (excluding acquired fund fees and expenses, transfer agency fees and expenses, service fees, shareholder administration fees, taxes, interest, brokerage fees, shareholder meetings, litigation, indemnification and extraordinary expenses) to 0.064% of the Fund’s average daily net assets through at least March 28, 2015, and prior to such date the Investment Adviser may not terminate the arrangement without the approval of the Board of Trustees. The Fund’s “Other Expenses” may be further reduced by any custody and transfer agency fee credits received by the Fund.
4   The Fund’s “Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Expense Limitation” have been restated to reflect expenses currently in effect.

Expense Example

This Example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds.

This Example assumes that you invest $10,000 in Class A, Class C, Institutional, Class IR and/or Class R Shares of the Fund for the time periods indicated and then redeem all of your Class A, Class C, Institutional, Class IR and/or Class R Shares at the end of those periods. The Example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Fund’s operating expenses remain the same (except that the Example incorporates the expense limitation arrangement for only the first year). Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:

 

       1 Year      3 Years      5 Years      10 Years  

Class A Shares

   $ 1,414       $ 3,099       $ 4,626       $ 7,850   

Class C Shares

           

–  Assuming complete redemption at end of period

   $ 1,084       $ 2,874       $ 4,560       $ 8,025   

–  Assuming no redemption

   $ 984       $ 2,874       $ 4,560       $ 8,025   

Institutional Shares

   $ 877       $ 2,601       $ 4,177       $ 7,552   

Class IR Shares

   $ 891       $ 2,637       $ 4,229       $ 7,618   

Class R Shares

   $ 938       $ 2,757       $ 4,397       $ 7,828   
           

Portfolio Turnover

The Fund pays transaction costs when it buys and sells securities or instruments ( i.e. , “turns over” its portfolio). A high rate of portfolio turnover may result in increased transaction costs, including brokerage commissions, which must be borne by the Fund and its shareholders. High portfolio turnover may result in the Fund’s recognition of

 

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gains (losses) that will increase (decrease) the Fund’s tax liability and thereby impact the amount of the Fund’s after-tax distributions. In addition, high portfolio turnover may increase the Fund’s current and accumulated earnings and profits, resulting in a greater portion of the Fund’s distributions being treated as taxable dividends for federal income tax purposes. These costs are not reflected in the annual fund operating expenses or in the expense example above, but are reflected in the Fund’s performance. The Fund’s portfolio turnover rate for the fiscal year ended November 30, 2013 was 96% of the average value of its portfolio.

Principal Strategy

The Fund invests, under normal circumstances, at least 80% of its net assets plus any borrowings for investment purposes (measured at the time of purchase) (“Net Assets”) in energy infrastructure master limited partnership (“MLP”) investments. The Fund’s MLP investments may include, but are not limited to: MLPs structured as limited partnerships (“LPs”) or limited liability companies (“LLCs”); MLPs that are taxed as “C” corporations; institutional units (“I-Units”) issued by MLP affiliates; “C” corporations that hold significant interests in MLPs; private investments in public equities (“PIPEs”) issued by MLPs; and other U.S. and non-U.S. equity and fixed income securities and derivative instruments, including pooled investment vehicles and exchange-traded notes (“ETNs”), that provide exposure to MLPs. Energy infrastructure MLPs own and operate assets that are used in the energy sector, including assets used in exploring, developing, producing, generating, transporting (including marine), transmitting, terminal operation, storing, gathering, processing, refining, distributing, mining or marketing of natural gas, natural gas liquids, crude oil, refined products, coal or electricity, or that provide energy-related equipment or services. The Fund’s MLP investments may be of any capitalization size.

MLPs formed as LPs or LLCs are generally treated as partnerships for U.S. federal income tax purposes. To be treated as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes, an MLP must derive at least 90% of its gross income for each taxable year from qualifying sources, including activities such as the exploration, development, mining, production, processing, refining, transportation, storage and certain marketing of mineral or natural resources. MLPs are generally publicly traded, are regulated by the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) and must make public filings like any publicly traded corporation.

Many of the MLPs in which the Fund invests operate oil, gas or petroleum facilities, or other facilities within the energy sector. The Fund intends to concentrate its investments in the energy sector, with a focus on “midstream” energy infrastructure MLPs. Midstream MLPs are generally engaged in the treatment, gathering, compression, processing, transportation, transmission, fractionation, storage and terminalling of natural gas, natural gas liquids, crude oil, refined products or coal. Midstream MLPs may also operate ancillary businesses including marketing of energy products and logistical services. The Fund may also invest in “upstream” and “downstream” MLPs. Upstream MLPs are primarily engaged in the exploration, recovery, development and production of crude oil, natural gas and natural gas liquids. Downstream MLPs are primarily engaged in the processing,

 

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treatment, and refining of natural gas liquids and crude oil. The MLPs in which the Fund invests may also engage in owning, managing and transporting alternative energy assets, including alternative fuels such as ethanol, hydrogen and biodiesel.

The Fund may also invest up to 20% of its Net Assets in non-MLP investments, including, without limitation, securities of U.S. and non-U.S. corporations that operate in the energy sector or that hold energy assets.

The Fund is treated as a regular corporation, or “C” corporation, for U.S. federal income tax purposes. Accordingly, unlike traditional open-end mutual funds, the Fund is subject to U.S. federal income tax on its taxable income at the graduated rates applicable to corporations (currently a maximum rate of 35%) as well as state and local income taxes.

THE FUND IS NON-DIVERSIFIED UNDER THE INVESTMENT COMPANY ACT OF 1940, AS AMENDED (“INVESTMENT COMPANY ACT”), AND MAY INVEST A LARGER PERCENTAGE OF ITS ASSETS IN FEWER ISSUERS THAN DIVERSIFIED MUTUAL FUNDS.

The Fund’s benchmark index is the Alerian MLP Total Return Index.

Principal Risks of the Fund

Loss of money is a risk of investing in the Fund. An investment in the Fund is not a bank deposit and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (“FDIC”) or any government agency. The Fund should not be relied upon as a complete investment program. There can be no assurance that the Fund will achieve its investment objective.

Investments in the Fund involve substantial risks which prospective investors should consider carefully before investing.

Energy Sector Risk.   The Fund concentrates its investments in the energy sector, and will therefore be susceptible to adverse economic, environmental, business, regulatory or other occurrences affecting that sector. The energy sector has historically experienced substantial price volatility. MLPs and other companies operating in the energy sector are subject to specific risks, including, among others: fluctuations in commodity prices; reduced consumer demand for commodities such as oil, natural gas or petroleum products; reduced availability of natural gas or other commodities for transporting, processing, storing or delivering; slowdowns in new construction; extreme weather or other natural disasters; and threats of attack by terrorists on energy assets. Additionally, changes in the regulatory environment for energy companies may adversely impact their profitability. Over time, depletion of natural gas reserves and other energy reserves may also affect the profitability of energy companies.

Foreign Risk.   Foreign securities may be subject to risk of loss because of more or less foreign government regulation, less public information and less economic, political and social stability in the countries in which the Fund invests. Loss may also result from, among other things, deteriorating economic and business conditions in other countries,

 

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including the United States, regional and global conflicts, the imposition of exchange controls, confiscations and other government restrictions, or from problems in registration, settlement or custody. Foreign risk also involves the risk of negative foreign currency rate fluctuations, which may cause the value of securities denominated in such foreign currency (or other instruments through which the Fund has exposure to foreign currencies) to decline in value. Currency exchange rates may fluctuate significantly over short periods of time.

Liquidity Risk.   The Fund may make investments that are illiquid or that may become less liquid in response to market developments or adverse investor perceptions. Illiquid investments may be more difficult to value. Liquidity risk may also refer to the risk that the Fund will not be able to pay redemption proceeds within the allowable time period because of unusual market conditions, an unusually high volume of redemption requests, or other reasons. To meet redemption requests, the Fund may be forced to sell securities at an unfavorable time and/or under unfavorable conditions.

Market Risk.   The value of the instruments in which the Fund invests may go up or down in response to the prospects of individual companies, particular sectors or governments and/or general economic conditions throughout the world due to increasingly interconnected global economies and financial markets.

Master Limited Partnership Risk.   Investments in securities of an MLP involve risks that differ from investments in common stock, including risks related to limited control and limited rights to vote on matters affecting the MLP, risks related to potential conflicts of interest between the MLP and the MLP’s general partner, cash flow risks, dilution risks and risks related to the general partner’s right to require unit-holders to sell their common units at an undesirable time or price. Certain MLP securities may trade in lower volumes due to their smaller capitalizations, and may be subject to more abrupt or erratic price movements and lower market liquidity. MLPs are generally considered interest-rate sensitive investments. During periods of interest rate volatility, these investments may not provide attractive returns.

Mid-Cap and Small-Cap Risk.   Investments in mid-capitalization and small-capitalization companies involve greater risks than those associated with larger, more established companies. These securities may be subject to more abrupt or erratic price movements and may lack sufficient market liquidity, and these issuers often face greater business risks.

 

Non-Diversification Risk.   The Fund is non-diversified, meaning that it is permitted to invest a larger percentage of its assets in fewer issuers than diversified mutual funds. Thus, the Fund may be more susceptible to adverse developments affecting any single issuer held in its portfolio, and may be more susceptible to greater losses because of these developments.

Private Investment Risk .   The Fund may make private investments in public equities (“PIPE”). PIPE transactions typically involve the purchase of securities directly from a publicly traded company or its affiliates in a private placement transaction, typically at a discount to the market price of the company’s common stock. In a PIPE transaction, the Fund may bear the price risk from the time of pricing until the time of closing. Equity

 

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issued in this manner is often subject to transfer restrictions and is therefore less liquid than equity issued through a registered public offering. In a PIPE transaction, the Fund may bear the price risk from the time of pricing until the time of closing. The Fund may be subject to lock-up agreements that prohibit transfers for a fixed period of time. In addition, because the sale of the securities in a PIPE transaction is not registered under the Securities Act, the securities are “restricted” and cannot be immediately resold by the investors into the public markets. The Fund may enter into a registration rights agreement with the issuer pursuant to which the issuer commits to file a resale registration statement allowing the Fund to publicly resell its securities. Accordingly, PIPE securities may be deemed illiquid. However, the ability of the Fund to freely transfer the shares is conditioned upon, among other things, the SEC’s preparedness to declare the resale registration statement effective covering the resale, from time to time, of the shares sold in the private financing and the issuer’s right to suspend the Fund’s use of the resale registration statement if the issuer is pursuing a transaction or some other material non-public event is occurring. Accordingly, PIPE securities may be subject to risks associated with illiquid securities.

Stock Risk.   Stock prices have historically risen and fallen in periodic cycles. U.S. and foreign stock markets have experienced periods of substantial price volatility in the past and may do so again in the future.

Strategy Risk.   The Fund’s strategy of investing primarily in MLPs, resulting in its being taxed as a corporation, or a “C” corporation, rather than as a regulated investment company for U.S. federal income tax purposes, is a relatively new investment strategy for funds. This strategy involves complicated accounting, tax and valuation issues. Volatility in the NAV may be experienced because of the use of estimates at various times during a given year that may result in unexpected and potentially significant consequences for the Fund and its shareholders.

Tax Risk. Tax risks associated with investments in the Fund include but are not limited to the following:

MLP Tax Risk.   MLPs are generally treated as partnerships for U.S. federal income tax purposes. Partnerships do not pay U.S. federal income tax at the partnership level. Rather, each partner is allocated a share of the partnership’s income, gains, losses, deductions and expenses. A change in current tax law or a change in the underlying business mix of a given MLP could result in an MLP being treated as a corporation for U.S. federal income tax purposes, which would result in the MLP being required to pay U.S. federal income tax (as well as state and local income taxes) on its taxable income. This would have the effect of reducing the amount of cash available for distribution by the MLP and could result in a reduction in the value of the Fund’s investment in the MLP and lower income to the Fund.

To the extent a distribution received by the Fund from an MLP is treated as a return of capital, the Fund’s adjusted tax basis in the interests of the MLP may be reduced, which will result in an increase in an amount of income or gain (or decrease in the amount of loss) that will be recognized by the Fund for tax purposes upon the sale of any such interests or upon subsequent distributions in respect of such interests. Furthermore, any return of capital distribution received from the MLP may require the Fund to restate the

 

6


character of its distributions and amend any shareholder tax reporting previously issued. Moreover, a change in current tax law, or a change in the underlying business mix of a given MLP, could result in an MLP being treated as a corporation for U.S. federal income tax purposes, which could result in a reduction of the value of the Fund’s investment in the MLP and lower income to the Fund.

Fund Structure Risk.   Unlike traditional mutual funds that are structured as regulated investment companies for U.S. federal income tax purposes, the Fund will be taxable as a regular corporation, or “C” corporation, for U.S. federal income tax purposes. This means the Fund generally will be subject to U.S. federal income tax on its taxable income at the rates applicable to corporations (currently a maximum rate of 35%), and will also be subject to state and local income taxes.

Tax Estimation/NAV Risk.   In calculating the Fund’s daily NAV, the Fund will, among other things, account for its current taxes and deferred tax liability and/or asset balances. The Fund will accrue a deferred income tax liability balance, at the then effective statutory U.S. federal income tax rate (currently 35%) plus an estimated state and local income tax rate, for its future tax liability associated with the capital appreciation of its investments and the distributions received by the Fund on interests of MLPs considered to be return of capital and for any net operating gains. Any deferred tax liability balance will reduce the Fund’s NAV. The Fund may also accrue a deferred tax asset balance, which reflects an estimate of the Fund’s future tax benefit associated with net operating losses and unrealized losses. Any deferred tax asset balance will increase the Fund’s NAV. The Fund will rely to some extent on information provided by MLPs, which may not be provided to the Fund on a timely basis, to estimate current taxes and deferred tax liability and/or asset balances for purposes of financial statement reporting and determining its NAV. The daily estimate of the Fund’s current taxes and deferred tax liability and/or asset balances used to calculate the Fund’s NAV could vary significantly from the Fund’s actual tax liability or benefit, and, as a result, the determination of the Fund’s actual tax liability or benefit may have a material impact on the Fund’s NAV. From time to time, the Fund may modify its estimates or assumptions regarding its current taxes and deferred tax liability and/or asset balances as new information becomes available, which modifications in estimates or assumptions may have a material impact on the Fund’s NAV. Shareholders who redeem their shares at a NAV that is based on estimates of the Fund’s current taxes and deferred tax liability and/or asset balances may benefit at the expense of remaining shareholders (or remaining shareholders may benefit at the expense of redeeming shareholders) if the estimates are later revised or ultimately differ from the Fund’s actual tax liability and/or asset balances.

Performance

As the Fund had not operated for a full calendar year as of the date of this Prospectus, there is no performance information quoted for the Fund.

Portfolio Management

Goldman Sachs Asset Management, L.P. is the investment adviser for the Fund (the “Investment Adviser” or “GSAM”).

 

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Portfolio Managers:   Kyri Loupis, Managing Director, has managed the Fund since 2013; Ganesh V. Jois, CFA, Vice President, has managed the Fund since 2013; and Matthew Cooper, Vice President, has managed the Fund since 2014.

Buying and Selling Fund Shares

The minimum initial investment for Class A and Class C Shares is, generally, $1,000. The minimum initial investment for Institutional Shares is, generally, $1,000,000 for individual or certain institutional investors, alone or in combination with other assets under the management of the Investment Adviser and its affiliates. There is no minimum for initial purchases of Class IR and Class R Shares. Those share classes with a minimum initial investment requirement do not impose it on certain employee benefit plans, and Institutional Shares do not impose it on certain investment advisers investing on behalf of other accounts.

The minimum subsequent investment for Class A and Class C shareholders is $50, except for certain employee benefit plans, for which there is no minimum. There is no minimum subsequent investment for Institutional, Class IR or Class R shareholders.

You may purchase and redeem (sell) shares of the Fund on any business day through certain banks, trust companies, brokers, dealers, investment advisers and other financial institutions (“Authorized Institutions”).

Tax Information

The Fund is treated as a regular corporation, or “C” corporation, for U.S. federal, state and local income tax purposes. The Fund will make distributions that will be treated for U.S. federal income tax purposes as (i) first, taxable dividends to the extent of your allocable share of the Fund’s earnings and profits, (ii) second, non-taxable returns of capital to the extent of your tax basis in your shares of the Fund (for the portion of those distributions that exceed the Fund’s earnings and profits) and (iii) third, taxable gains (for the balance of those distributions). Dividend income will be treated as “qualified dividends” for federal income tax purposes, subject to favorable capital gain tax rates, provided that certain requirements are met. Unlike a regulated investment company, the Fund will not be able to pass-through the character of its recognized net capital gain by paying “capital gain dividends.” Although the Fund expects that a significant portion of its distributions will be treated as nontaxable return of capital and gains, combined, no assurance can be given in this regard. Additionally, a sale of Fund shares is a taxable event for shares held in a taxable account.

Payments to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries

If you purchase the Fund through an Authorized Institution, the Fund and/or its related companies may pay the Authorized Institution for the sale of Fund shares and related services. These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing the Authorized Institution and your salesperson to recommend the Fund over another investment. Ask your salesperson or visit your Authorized Institution’s website for more information.

 

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Investment Management Approach

 

  INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE     

The Goldman Sachs MLP Energy Infrastructure Fund seeks total return through current income and capital appreciation. The Fund’s investment objective may be changed without shareholder approval upon 60 days notice.

 

  PRINCIPAL INVESTMENT STRATEGIES     

The Fund invests, under normal circumstances, at least 80% of its Net Assets in energy infrastructure MLP investments. The Fund’s MLP investments may include, but are not limited to: MLPs structured as LPs or LLCs; MLPs that are taxed as “C” corporations; I-Units issued by MLP affiliates; “C” corporations that hold significant interests in MLPs; PIPEs issued by MLPs; and other U.S. and non-U.S. equity and fixed income securities and derivative instruments, including pooled investment vehicles and ETNs, that provide exposure to MLPs. To the extent required by SEC regulations, shareholders will be provided with sixty days notice in the manner prescribed by the SEC before any change in the Fund’s policy to invest at least 80% of its Net Assets in the particular type of investment suggested by its name. Energy infrastructure MLPs own and operate assets that are used in the energy sector, including assets used in exploring, developing, producing, generating, transporting (including marine), transmitting, terminal operation, storing, gathering, processing, refining, distributing, mining or marketing of natural gas, natural gas liquids, crude oil, refined products, coal or electricity, or that provide energy-related equipment or services. The Fund’s MLP investments may be of any capitalization size.

MLPs formed as LPs or LLCs are generally treated as partnerships for U.S. federal income tax purposes. To be treated as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes, an MLP must derive at least 90% of its gross income for each taxable year from qualifying sources, including activities such as the exploration, development, mining, production, processing, refining, transportation, storage and certain marketing of mineral or natural resources. MLPs are generally publicly traded, are regulated by the SEC and must make public filings like any publicly traded corporation.

Many of the MLPs in which the Fund invests operate oil, gas or petroleum facilities, or other facilities within the energy sector. The Fund intends to concentrate its investments in the energy sector, with a focus on “midstream” energy infrastructure MLPs. Midstream MLPs are generally engaged in the treatment, gathering,

 

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compression, processing, transportation, transmission, fractionation, storage and terminalling of natural gas, natural gas liquids, crude oil, refined products or coal. Midstream MLPs may also operate ancillary businesses including marketing of energy products and logistical services. The Fund may also invest in “upstream” and “downstream” MLPs. Upstream MLPs are primarily engaged in the exploration, recovery, development and production of crude oil, natural gas and natural gas liquids. Downstream MLPs are primarily engaged in the processing, treatment, and refining of natural gas liquids and crude oil. The MLPs in which the Fund invests may also engage in owning, managing and transporting alternative energy assets, including alternative fuels such as ethanol, hydrogen and biodiesel.

The Fund may also invest up to 20% of its Net Assets in non-MLP investments, including, without limitation, securities of U.S. and non-U.S. corporations that operate in the energy sector or that hold energy assets. While the Fund may invest in derivatives for hedging purposes, the Fund generally does not intend to hedge its exposures.

The Fund is treated as a regular corporation, or “C” corporation, for U.S. federal income tax purposes. Accordingly, unlike traditional open-end mutual funds, the Fund is subject to U.S. federal income tax on its taxable income at the graduated rates applicable to corporations (currently a maximum rate of 35%) as well as state and local income taxes.

THE FUND IS NON-DIVERSIFIED UNDER THE INVESTMENT COMPANY ACT AND MAY INVEST A LARGER PERCENTAGE OF ITS ASSETS IN FEWER ISSUERS THAN DIVERSIFIED MUTUAL FUNDS.

The Fund may, from time to time, take temporary defensive positions in attempting to respond to adverse market, political or other conditions. For temporary defensive purposes, the Fund may invest up to 100% of its total assets in securities issued or guaranteed by the U.S. government, its agencies, instrumentalities or sponsored enterprises (“U.S. Government Securities”), commercial paper rated at least A-2 by Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services (“Standard & Poor’s”), P-2 by Moody’s Investors Service, Inc. (“Moody’s”) or having a comparable rating by another nationally recognized statistical rating organization (“NRSRO”) (or if unrated, determined by the Investment Adviser to be of comparable credit quality), certificates of deposit, bankers’ acceptances, repurchase agreements, non-convertible preferred stocks and non-convertible corporate bonds with a remaining maturity of less than one year, ETFs and other investment companies and cash items. When the Fund’s assets are invested in such instruments, the Fund may not be achieving its investment objective.

 

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INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT APPROACH

 

 

MLP Energy Infrastructure Investment Philosophy

Evaluate Overall Energy Trends

The Goldman Sachs Energy & Infrastructure Team examines the capital spending patterns of the upstream oil and gas industry to identify areas with growing oil and gas production and to identify those areas that are out of favor. Through this process, the team aims to understand potential shifts in regional supply and demand balances. In particular, the team monitors supply and demand trends across multiple commodities, including crude oil, refined products, natural gas, natural gas liquids, and coal, identifying short-term and long-term trends and potential impacts across the entire energy value chain. The upstream oil and gas industry encompasses exploration, recovery, development and production of crude oil, natural gas and natural gas liquids. This may include searching for potential underground or underwater oil and gas fields, drilling of exploratory wells, and operation of wells that recover and bring the crude oil and/or raw natural gas to the surface.

Establish Implications for Energy Infrastructure

Having identified supply and demand trends, the team then assesses the implications of these trends across the energy value chain for the purposes of:

  ¢   Product or Commodity Exposure Selection

Depending upon which product or commodity the upstream oil and gas industry is directing the majority of its investment dollars towards, the team determines the sub-sectors in the midstream oil and gas industry.

  ¢   Functional Exposure Selection

Even for a given commodity, different parts of the infrastructure value chain experience varying demand over time. For instance, in the early stages of development of oil and gas fields, “gathering” infrastructure is most in demand. As development accelerates, other parts of the infrastructure value chain such as “long-haul pipelines” and “storage” infrastructure experience greater demand. Understanding the development cycle enables the team to focus on assets with the appropriate functional exposure.

  ¢   Regional Exposure Selection

Identifying areas experiencing production growth and regions that are out of favor helps the team:

  Determine which regions are more likely to demonstrate increased demand for energy infrastructure
  Identify regions with redundant infrastructure that may eventually manifest in lower cash flows due to the shifts in supply and demand balances

 

11


Identify Specific Companies for Investment

Having established an understanding of how supply and demand patterns could shift over time and their implications for energy infrastructure, the team undertakes detailed bottom-up analysis of individual companies with exposure to the trends identified. This process helps identify companies with potential for above-average distribution growth over multiple years and also helps isolate potential trouble spots. Specifically, the team:

  ¢   Creates and maintains proprietary financial models on companies within the investment universe and develops independent income and cash flow estimates which are then used to benchmark companies’ actual results
  ¢   Spends considerable time engaging in dialogue with management teams to gain a better understanding of companies’ strategic direction, attitude towards capital stewardship, and other aspects such as propensity for acquisitions, etc.
  ¢   Employs multiple valuation methodologies including discounted cash flow analysis, yield-based valuation, and other cash flow-based metrics to estimate fair value of target companies
  ¢   Monitors the health of target companies’ balance sheets, availability of liquidity, access to debt and equity markets, and other similar factors

Buy/Sell Discipline

The team believes in balancing growth with other important attributes, including reliability of current distributions, credit ratings and leverage and considers those factors when evaluating potential investments.

Similarly, deterioration in growth prospects, falling distribution coverage, limited liquidity in the face of increasing capital expenditure commitments, and rising leverage are examples of signals that the team relies on in deciding whether or not to sell a position.

 

  OTHER INVESTMENT PRACTICES AND SECURITIES     

The following tables identify some of the investment techniques that may (but are not required to) be used by the Fund in seeking to achieve its investment objective. Numbers in these tables show allowable usage only; for actual usage, consult the Fund’s annual/semi-annual reports. For more information about these and other investment practices and securities, see Appendix A. The Fund publishes on its website (http://www.gsamfunds.com) complete portfolio holdings for the Fund as of the end of each calendar quarter subject to a fifteen calendar-day lag between the date of the information and the date on which the information is disclosed. In addition, the Fund publishes on its website month-end top ten holdings subject to a fifteen

 

12


INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT APPROACH

 

calendar-day lag between the date of the information and the date on which the information is disclosed. This information will be available on the website until the date on which the Fund files its next quarterly portfolio holdings report on Form N-CSR or Form N-Q with the SEC. In addition, a description of the Fund’s policies and procedures with respect to the disclosure of the Fund’s portfolio holdings is available in the Fund’s SAI.

 

13


10   Percent of total assets (italic type)
10   Percent of net assets (excluding borrowings for investment purposes) (roman type)
  No specific percentage limitation on usage;
limited only by the objectives and strategies of the Fund

 

                          
     

MLP

Energy
Infrastructure
Fund

Investment Practices  

Borrowings

  33  1 3

Credit, Equity, Index, Interest Rate and Total Return Swaps and Options on Swaps

 

Custodial Receipts and Trust Certificates

 

Futures Contracts and Options and Swaps on Futures Contracts

 

Illiquid Investments *

  15

Interest Rate Caps, Floors and Collars

 

Investment Company Securities (including ETFs) 1

  10

Mortgage Dollar Rolls

 

Options on Securities and Securities Indices 2

 

Preferred Stock, Warrants and Stock Purchase Rights

 

Repurchase Agreements

 

Short Sales Against the Box

  25

Unseasoned Companies

 

When-Issued Securities and Forward Commitments

 
 

 

* Illiquid investments are any investments which cannot be disposed of in seven days in the ordinary course of business at approximately the price at which the Fund values the instrument.
1   This percentage limitation does not apply to the Fund’s investments in investment companies (including ETFs) where a higher percentage limitation is permitted under the terms of an SEC exemptive order or SEC exemptive rule.
2   The Fund may sell covered call and put options and purchase call and put options on securities and securities indices in which it may invest.

 

14


INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT APPROACH

 

10   Percent of total assets (italic type)
10   Percent of net assets (including borrowings for investment purposes) (roman type)
  No specific percentage limitation on usage;
limited only by the objectives and strategies of the Fund

 

                          
  MLP

Energy
Infrastructure
Fund

Investment Securities    

Bank Obligations 3

 

Convertible Securities

 

Corporate Debt Obligations

 

Depository Receipts

 

Derivatives

 

Equity Investments

 

Emerging Country Securities

 

Fixed Income Securities

 

Foreign Securities

 

Master Limited Partnerships (“MLPs”) Investments 4

  80

Non-Investment Grade Fixed Income Securities

 

Private Investment in Public Equities (“PIPEs”)

 

Real Estate Investment Trusts (“REITs”)

 

Structured Securities (which may include equity linked notes) *

 

Temporary Investments

  100

U.S. Government Securities

 
 

 

* Limited to 15% of net assets (together with other illiquid securities) for investments that are not deemed liquid.
3   The Fund may invest in bank obligations issued by U.S. or foreign banks.
4   The Fund will invest at least 80% of its Net Assets in energy infrastructure MLP investments and other equity and fixed income securities and derivatives that provide exposure to MLPs.

 

15


 

Risks of the Fund

 

Loss of money is a risk of investing in the Fund. An investment in the Fund is not a bank deposit and is not insured or guaranteed by the FDIC or any other governmental agency. The principal risks of the Fund are discussed in the summary section of this Prospectus. The following section provides additional information on the risks that apply to the Fund, which may result in a loss of your investment. The Fund should not be relied upon as a complete investment program. There can be no assurance that the Fund will achieve its investment objective.

 

ü   Principal Risk

 

  Additional Risk

 

                                                   
     

MLP

Energy
Infrastructure
Fund

Credit/Default

 

Derivatives

 

Energy Sector

  ü

Foreign

  ü

Initial Public Offering (“IPO”)

 

Interest Rate

 

Liquidity

  ü

Management

 

Market

  ü

Master Limited Partnership

  ü

Mid-Cap and Small-Cap

  ü

Natural Resources

 

NAV

 

Non-Diversification

  ü

Other Investment Company

 

Private Investment

  ü

Stock

  ü

Strategy

  ü

Tax

  ü

U.S. Government Securities

 
 

 

¢  

Credit/Default Risk —An issuer or guarantor of fixed income securities or instruments held by the Fund (which may have low credit ratings) may default on its obligation to pay interest and repay principal or default on any other obligation. The credit quality of the Fund’s portfolio securities or instruments may meet the Fund’s credit quality

 

16


RISKS OF THE FUND

 

 

requirements at the time of purchase but then deteriorate thereafter, and such a deterioration can occur rapidly. In certain instances, the downgrading or default of a single holding or guarantor of the Fund’s holding may impair the Fund’s liquidity and have the potential to cause significant NAV deterioration.

¢   Derivatives Risk —Loss may result from the Fund’s investments in options, futures, forwards, swaps, options on swaps, structured securities and other derivative instruments. These instruments may be illiquid, difficult to price and leveraged so that small changes in the value of underlying instruments may produce disproportionate losses to the Fund. Derivatives are also subject to counterparty risk, which is the risk that the other party in the transaction will not fulfill its contractual obligations.

 

Losses from investments in derivatives can result from a lack of correlation between the value of those derivatives and the value of the portfolio assets (if any) being hedged. In addition, there is a risk that the performance of the derivatives or other instruments used by the Investment Adviser to replicate the performance of a particular asset class may not accurately track the performance of that asset class. Derivatives are also subject to liquidity risk and risks arising from margin requirements. There is also risk of loss if the Investment Adviser is incorrect in its expectation of the timing or level of fluctuations in securities prices, interest rates, currency prices or other variables.

¢  

Energy Sector Risk —The Fund concentrates its investments in the energy sector, and will therefore be susceptible to adverse economic, environmental, business, regulatory or other occurrences affecting that sector. The energy sector has historically experienced substantial price volatility. At times, the performance of these investments may lag the performance of other sectors or the market as a whole. MLPs and other companies operating in the energy sector are subject to specific risks, including, among others, fluctuations in commodity prices; reduced consumer demand for commodities such as oil, natural gas or petroleum products; reduced availability of natural gas or other commodities for transporting, processing, storing or delivering; slowdowns in new construction; extreme weather or other natural disasters; and threats of attack by terrorists on energy assets. Additionally, energy sector companies are subject to substantial government regulation and changes in the regulatory environment for energy companies may adversely impact their profitability. MLPs may incur environmental costs and liabilities due to the nature of their businesses and the substances they handle. Changes in existing laws, regulations or enforcement policies governing the energy sector could significantly increase the compliance costs of MLPs. Certain MLPs could, from time to time, be held responsible for implementing remediation measures, the cost of which may not be recoverable from insurance. Over time, depletion of natural gas reserves and other energy reserves may also affect the profitability of energy companies. The Fund will select its investments

 

17


 

in MLPs from the current small pool of issuers. Demand for investment opportunities in MLPs that operate energy-related businesses may exceed supply, which could make it difficult to operate the Fund.

¢   Foreign Risk —When the Fund invests in foreign securities, it will be subject to risk of loss not typically associated with domestic issuers. Loss may result because of more or less foreign government regulation, less public information, less liquidity, greater volatility and less economic, political and social stability in the countries in which the Fund invests. Loss may also result from, among other things, deteriorating economic and business conditions in other countries, including the United States, regional and global conflicts, the imposition of exchange controls, foreign taxes, confiscations, expropriation and other government restrictions, higher transaction costs, difficulty enforcing contractual obligations or from problems in registration, settlement or custody. The Fund will also be subject to the risk of negative foreign currency rate fluctuations, which may cause the value of securities denominated in such foreign currency (or other instruments through which the Fund has exposure to foreign currencies) to decline in value. Currency exchange rates may fluctuate significantly over short periods of time. Foreign risks will normally be greatest when the Fund invests in issuers located in emerging countries.
¢   IPO Risk —The market value of IPO shares will fluctuate considerably due to factors such as the absence of a prior public market, unseasoned trading, the small number of shares available for trading and limited information about the issuer. The purchase of IPO shares may involve high transaction costs. IPO shares are subject to market risk and liquidity risk.
¢   Interest Rate Risk —When interest rates increase, fixed income securities or instruments held by the Fund will generally decline in value. Long-term fixed income securities or instruments will normally have more price volatility because of this risk than short-term fixed income securities or instruments.
¢   Liquidity Risk —The Fund may invest to a greater degree in securities or instruments that trade in lower volumes and may make investments that are less liquid than other investments. Also, the Fund may make investments that may become less liquid in response to market developments or adverse investor perceptions. Investments that are illiquid or that trade in lower volumes may be more difficult to value. When there is no willing buyer and investments cannot be readily sold at the desired time or price, the Fund may have to accept a lower price or may not be able to sell the security or instrument at all. An inability to sell one or more portfolio positions can adversely affect the Fund’s value or prevent the Fund from being able to take advantage of other investment opportunities.

During certain periods the liquidity of particular issuers or industries, or all securities within particular investment categories, may shrink or disappear suddenly and without

 

18


RISKS OF THE FUND

 

warning as a result of adverse economic, market or political events, or adverse investor perceptions, whether or not accurate.

Liquidity risk may also refer to the risk that the Fund will not be able to pay redemption proceeds within the allowable time period because of unusual market conditions, an unusually high volume of redemption requests, or other reasons. The Fund reserves the right to meet redemption requests through in-kind distributions. While the Fund may pay redemptions in kind in the future, the Fund may instead choose to raise cash to meet redemption requests through sales of portfolio securities or permissible borrowings. If the Fund is forced to sell securities at an unfavorable time and/or under unfavorable conditions, such sales may adversely affect the Fund’s NAV.

Certain shareholders, including clients or affiliates of the Investment Adviser and/or other funds managed by the Investment Adviser, may from time to time own or control a significant percentage of the Fund’s shares. Redemptions by these shareholders of their shares of the Fund may further increase the Fund’s liquidity risk and may impact the Fund’s NAV. These shareholders may include, for example, institutional investors, funds of funds, discretionary advisory clients and other shareholders whose buy-sell decisions are controlled by a single decision-maker.

¢   Management Risk —A strategy used by the Investment Adviser may fail to produce the intended results. Although the Investment Adviser has experience managing other accounts that invest in MLPs, the Investment Adviser has limited prior experience managing a mutual fund that invests in MLPs.
¢   Market Risk —The value of the instruments in which the Fund invests may go up or down in response to the prospects of individual companies, particular sectors or governments and/or general economic conditions throughout the world. Price changes may be temporary or last for extended periods. The Fund’s investments may be overweighted from time to time in one or more sectors or countries, which will increase the Fund’s exposure to risk of loss from adverse developments affecting those sectors or countries.

Global economies and financial markets are becoming increasingly interconnected, and conditions and events in one country, region or financial market may adversely impact issuers in a different country, region or financial market. In addition, governmental and quasi-governmental organizations have taken a number of unprecedented actions designed to support the markets. Such conditions, events and actions may result in greater market risk.

¢  

Master Limited Partnership Risk —Investments in securities of an MLP involve risks that differ from investments in common stock, including risks related to limited control and limited rights to vote on matters affecting the MLP, risks related to potential conflicts of interest between the MLP and the MLP’s general partner, cash flow

 

19


 

risks, dilution risks and risks related to the general partner’s right to require unit-holders to sell their common units at an undesirable time or price. Certain MLP securities may trade in lower volumes due to their smaller capitalizations. Accordingly, those MLPs may be subject to more abrupt or erratic price movements and may lack sufficient market liquidity to enable the Fund to effect sales at an advantageous time or without a substantial drop in price. Investment in those MLPs may restrict the Fund’s ability to take advantage of other investment opportunities. MLPs are generally considered interest-rate sensitive investments. During periods of interest rate volatility, these investments may not provide attractive returns.

¢   Mid-Cap and Small-Cap Risk —The securities of mid-capitalization and small-capitalization companies involve greater risks than those associated with larger, more established companies and may be subject to more abrupt or erratic price movements. Securities of such issuers may lack sufficient market liquidity to enable the Fund to effect sales at an advantageous time or without a substantial drop in price. Both mid-capitalization and small-capitalization companies often have narrower markets and more limited managerial and financial resources than larger, more established companies. As a result, their performance can be more volatile and they face greater risk of business failure, which could increase the volatility of the Fund’s portfolio. Generally, the smaller the company size, the greater these risks become.
¢   Natural Resources Risk —The Fund may invest in MLPs and companies principally engaged in owning or developing non-energy natural resources (including timber and minerals) and industrial materials, or supplying goods or services to such companies. The Fund’s investments in natural resources issuers (including MLPs) will be subject to the risk that prices of these investments may fluctuate widely in response to the level and volatility of commodity prices; exchange rates; import controls; domestic and global competition; environmental regulation and liability for environmental damage; mandated expenditures for safety or pollution control; the success of exploration projects; depletion of resources; tax policies; and other governmental regulation. Investments in natural resources issuers can be significantly affected by changes in the supply of or demand for natural resources. The value of investments in natural resources issuers may be adversely affected by a change in inflation.
¢   NAV Risk —The net asset value of the Fund and the value of your investment will fluctuate. See also “Tax Risk—Deferred Tax Estimation/NAV Risk.”
¢  

Non-Diversification Risk —The Fund is non-diversified, which means it is permitted to invest a larger percentage of its assets in fewer issuers than diversified mutual funds. As a result of the relatively small number of issuers in which the Fund generally invests, it may be subject to greater risks than a more diversified fund. A change in the value of any single investment held by the Fund may have a greater effect on the overall value of the Fund than it would on a diversified mutual fund that holds more investments. In particular, the Fund may be more susceptible to adverse

 

20


RISKS OF THE FUND

 

 

developments affecting any single issuer held in its portfolio and may be susceptible to greater losses because of these developments.

¢   Other Investment Company Risk —By investing in other investment companies (including exchange-traded funds (“ETFs”)) indirectly through the Fund, investors will incur a proportionate share of the expenses of the other investment companies held by the Fund (including operating costs and investment management fees) in addition to the fees and expenses regularly borne the Fund. In addition, the Fund will be affected by the investment policies, practices and performance of such investment companies in direct proportion to the amount of assets the Fund invests therein.
¢   Private Investment Risk The Fund may make private investments in public equities (“PIPE”). PIPE transactions typically involve the purchase of securities directly from a publicly traded company or its affiliates in a private placement transaction, typically at a discount to the market price of the company’s common stock. In a PIPE transaction, the Fund may bear the price risk from the time of pricing until the time of closing. Equity issued in this manner is often subject to transfer restrictions and is therefore less liquid than equity issued through a registered public offering. In a PIPE transaction, the Fund may bear the price risk from the time of pricing until the time of closing. The Fund may be subject to lock-up agreements that prohibit transfers for a fixed period of time. In addition, because the sale of the securities in a PIPE transaction is not registered under the Securities Act, the securities are “restricted” and cannot be immediately resold by the investors into the public markets. The Fund may enter into a registration rights agreement with the issuer pursuant to which the issuer commits to file a resale registration statement allowing the Fund to publicly resell its securities. Accordingly, PIPE securities may be deemed illiquid. However, the ability of the Fund to freely transfer the shares is conditioned upon, among other things, the SEC’s preparedness to declare the resale registration statement effective covering the resale, from time to time, of the shares sold in the private financing and the issuer’s right to suspend the Fund’s use of the resale registration statement if the issuer is pursuing a transaction or some other material non-public event is occurring. Accordingly, PIPE securities may be subject to risks associated with illiquid securities.
¢   Stock Risk —Stock prices have historically risen and fallen in periodic cycles. U.S. and foreign stock markets have experienced periods of substantial price volatility in the past and may do so again in the future.
¢  

Strategy Risk —The Fund’s strategy of investing primarily in MLPs, resulting in its being taxed as a corporation, or a “C” corporation, rather than as a regulated investment company for U.S. federal income tax purposes, is a relatively new investment strategy for funds. This strategy involves complicated accounting, tax and valuation issues. Volatility in the NAV may be experienced because of the use of estimates at various times during a given year that may result in unexpected and potentially

 

21


 

significant consequences for the Fund and its shareholders. To the extent that accounting, tax or valuation practices change, there could be a material adverse consequence on the Fund and its shareholders.

¢   Tax Risk —Tax risks associated with investments in the Fund include but are not limited to the following:

MLP Tax Risk.   Much of the benefit that the Fund may derive from its investment in equity securities of MLPs is a result of MLPs generally being treated as partnerships for U.S. federal income tax purposes. Partnerships do not pay U.S. federal income tax at the partnership level. Rather, each partner is allocated a share of the partnership’s income, gains, losses, deductions and expenses. A change in current tax law or a change in the underlying business mix of a given MLP could result in an MLP being treated as a corporation for U.S. federal income tax purposes, which would result in the MLP being required to pay U.S. federal income tax (as well as state and local income taxes) on its taxable income. The classification of an MLP as a corporation for U.S. federal income tax purposes would have the effect of reducing the amount of cash available for distribution by the MLP. If any MLP in which the Fund invests were treated as a corporation for U.S. federal income tax purposes, it could result in a reduction of the value of the Fund’s investment in the MLP and lower income to the Fund.

To the extent a distribution received by the Fund from an MLP is treated as a return of capital, the Fund’s adjusted tax basis in the interests of the MLP may be reduced, which will result in an increase in an amount of income or gain (or decrease in the amount of loss) that will be recognized by the Fund for tax purposes upon the sale of any such interests or upon subsequent distributions in respect of such interests. Furthermore, any return of capital distribution received from the MLP may require the Fund to restate the character of its distributions and amend any shareholder tax reporting previously issued. Moreover, a change in current tax law, or a change in the underlying business mix of a given MLP, could result in an MLP being treated as a corporation for U.S. federal income tax purposes, which could result in a reduction of the value of the Fund’s investment in the MLP and lower income to the Fund.

Fund Structure Risk.   Unlike traditional mutual funds that are structured as regulated investment companies for U.S. federal income tax purposes, the Fund will be taxable as a regular corporation, or “C” corporation, for U.S. federal income tax purposes. This means the Fund generally will be subject to U.S. federal income tax on its taxable income at the rates applicable to corporations (currently a maximum rate of 35%), and will also be subject to state and local income taxes.

Tax Estimation/NAV Risk.   In calculating the Fund’s NAV, the Fund will, among other things, account for its current taxes and deferred tax liability and/or asset

 

22


RISKS OF THE FUND

 

balances. The Fund will accrue a deferred income tax liability balance, at the then effective statutory U.S. federal income tax rate (currently 35%) plus an estimated state and local income tax rate, for its future tax liability associated with the capital appreciation of its investments and the distributions received by the Fund on interests of MLPs considered to be return of capital and for any net operating gains. Any deferred tax liability balance will reduce the Fund’s NAV. The Fund may also accrue a deferred tax asset balance, which reflects an estimate of the Fund’s future tax benefit associated with net operating losses and unrealized losses. Any deferred tax asset balance will increase the Fund’s NAV. To the extent the Fund has a deferred tax asset balance, consideration is given as to whether or not a valuation allowance, which would offset the value of some or all of the deferred tax asset balance, is required. The Fund will rely to some extent on information provided by MLPs, which may not be provided to the Fund on a timely basis, to estimate current taxes and deferred tax liability and/or asset balances for purposes of financial statement reporting and determining its NAV. The daily estimate of the Fund’s current taxes and deferred tax liability and/or asset balances used to calculate the Fund’s NAV could vary significantly from the Fund’s actual tax liability or benefit, and, as a result, the determination of the Fund’s actual tax liability or benefit may have a material impact on the Fund’s NAV. From time to time, the Fund may modify its estimates or assumptions regarding its current taxes and deferred tax liability and/or asset balances as new information becomes available, which modifications in estimates or assumptions may have a material impact on the Fund’s NAV. Shareholders who redeem their shares at a NAV that is based on estimates of the Fund’s current taxes and deferred tax liability and/or asset balances may benefit at the expense of remaining shareholders (or remaining shareholders may benefit at the expense of redeeming shareholders) if the estimates are later revised or ultimately differ from the Fund’s actual current taxes and tax liability and/or asset balances.

¢  

U.S. Government Securities Risk —The U.S. government may not provide financial support to U.S. government agencies, instrumentalities or sponsored enterprises if it is not obligated to do so by law. U.S. Government Securities issued by those agencies, instrumentalities and sponsored enterprises, including those issued by the Federal National Mortgage Association (“Fannie Mae”), Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (“Freddie Mac”) and the Federal Home Loan Banks, are neither issued nor guaranteed by the U.S. Treasury and, therefore, are not backed by the full faith and credit of the United States. The maximum potential liability of the issuers of some U.S. Government Securities held by the Fund may greatly exceed their current resources, including any legal right to support from the U.S. Treasury. It is possible that issuers of U.S. Government Securities will not have the funds to meet their payment obligations in the future. Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac have been operating under conservatorship, with the Federal Housing Finance Administration (“FHFA”) acting as their conservator, since September 2008. The entities are dependent upon the

 

23


 

continued support of the U.S. Department of the Treasury and the FHFA in order to continue their business operations. These factors, among others, could affect the future status and role of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac and the value of their securities and the securities which they guarantee. Additionally, the U.S. government and its agencies and instrumentalities do not guarantee the market values of their securities, which may fluctuate.

More information about the Fund’s portfolio securities and investment techniques, and their associated risks, is provided in Appendix A. You should consider the investment risks discussed in this section and in Appendix A. Both are important to your investment choice.

 

24


 

Service Providers

 

  INVESTMENT ADVISER     

 

Investment Adviser   Fund

Goldman Sachs Asset Management, L.P. (“GSAM”)

 

MLP Energy Infrastructure

200 West Street

 

New York, NY 10282

   
 

GSAM has been registered as an investment adviser with the SEC since 1990 and is an affiliate of Goldman, Sachs & Co. (“Goldman Sachs”). As of December 31, 2013, GSAM, including its investment advisory affiliates, had assets under management of approximately $807.6 billion.

The Investment Adviser provides day-to-day advice regarding the Fund’s portfolio transactions. The Investment Adviser makes the investment decisions for the Fund and places purchase and sale orders for the Fund’s portfolio transactions in U.S. and foreign markets. As permitted by applicable law, these orders may be directed to any executing brokers, dealers, futures commission merchants or clearing brokers, including Goldman Sachs and its affiliates. While the Investment Adviser is ultimately responsible for the management of the Fund, it is able to draw upon the research and expertise of its asset management affiliates for portfolio decisions and management with respect to certain portfolio securities. In addition, the Investment Adviser has access to the research and certain proprietary technical models developed by Goldman Sachs (subject to legal, internal, regulatory and Chinese Wall restrictions), and will apply quantitative and qualitative analysis in determining the appropriate allocations among categories of issuers and types of securities.

The Investment Adviser also performs the following additional services for the Fund:

  ¢   Supervises all non-advisory operations of the Fund
  ¢   Provides personnel to perform necessary executive, administrative and clerical services to the Fund
  ¢   Arranges for the preparation of all required tax returns, reports to shareholders, prospectuses and statements of additional information and other reports filed with the SEC and other regulatory authorities
  ¢   Maintains the records of the Fund
  ¢   Provides office space and all necessary office equipment and services

 

25


  MANAGEMENT FEES AND OTHER EXPENSES     

As compensation for its services and its assumption of certain expenses, the Investment Adviser is entitled to the following fees, computed daily and payable monthly, at the annual rates listed below (as a percentage of the Fund’s average daily net assets):

 

                                                                                                                       
Fund  

Contractual

Management Fee

Annual Rate

   

Average Daily

Net Assets

    Actual Rate
For the Fiscal
Period Ended
November 30, 2013
 

MLP Energy Infrastructure Fund

    1.00%        First $1 Billion        1.00%   
    0.90%        Next $1 Billion     
    0.86%        Next $3 Billion     
    0.84%        Next $3 Billion     
      0.82%        Over $8 Billion           
     

The Investment Adviser may waive a portion of its management fees from time to time, and may discontinue or modify any such waivers in the future, consistent with the terms of any fee waiver arrangements in place.

A discussion regarding the basis for the Board of Trustees’ approval of the Management Agreement for the Fund is available in the Fund’s annual report for the period ended November 30, 2013.

The Investment Adviser has agreed to reduce or limit “Other Expenses” (excluding acquired fund fees and expenses, transfer agency fees and expenses, taxes, interest, brokerage fees, shareholder meeting, litigation, indemnification and other extraordinary expenses), to 0.064% of average daily net assets for the Fund through at least March 28, 2015, and prior to such date, the Investment Adviser may not terminate the arrangement without the approval of the Board of Trustees. The expense limitation may be modified or terminated by the Investment Adviser at its discretion and without shareholder approval after such date, although the Investment Adviser does not presently intend to do so. The Fund’s “Other Expenses” may be further reduced by any custody and transfer agency fee credits received by the Fund.

 

26


SERVICE PROVIDERS

 

  FUND MANAGERS     

Energy & Infrastructure Team

 

  ¢   As of December 31, 2013, the team had approximately $8.43 billion in assets under management.

 

Name and Title   Fund Responsibility  

Years

Primarily

Responsible

  Five Year Employment History

Kyri Loupis

Managing Director

 

Portfolio Manager—

MLP Energy Infrastructure

  Since
2013
  Mr. Loupis joined the Investment Adviser in 2009 and is a portfolio manager and head of the Energy & Infrastructure team. Prior to joining the Investment Adviser he spent over eight years at Lehman Brothers covering the energy sector, from 2000-2006 in the Investment Banking Division, and from 2006-2009 in the Private Equity group, where he co-founded an energy investment fund with a focus in MLPs.

Ganesh V. Jois, CFA

Vice President

 

Portfolio Manager—

MLP Energy Infrastructure

  Since
2013
  Mr. Jois joined the Investment Adviser in 2009 and is a research analyst for the Energy & Infrastructure Team. Prior to joining the Investment Adviser, he was an associate at Citigroup Investment Research covering MLPs, where he helped initiate coverage on several MLPs and had coverage responsibility for nearly 20 MLPs.

Matthew Cooper

Vice President

  Portfolio Manager— MLP Energy Infrastructure   Since
2014
  Mr. Cooper joined the Investment Adviser in 2013 and is a research analyst for the Energy & Infrastructure Team. Prior to joining the Investment Adviser, he worked in the Commodities Origination and Structuring group at Merrill Lynch beginning in 2011. Between 2007 and 2009 he worked as a research analyst in the Private Equity Group at Lehman Brothers covering the energy sector. Prior to that he worked as an Investment Banker in the Energy and Power Group at Merrill Lynch & Co.
     

 

The Fund is managed by the Energy & Infrastructure Team. Kyri Loupis, Ganesh V. Jois and Matthew Cooper have day-to-day management responsibility of the Fund.

For information about the portfolio managers’ compensation, other accounts managed by the portfolio managers and portfolio managers’ ownership of securities in the Fund, see the SAI.

 

27


  DISTRIBUTOR AND TRANSFER AGENT     

Goldman Sachs, 200 West Street, New York, NY 10282, serves as the exclusive distributor (the “Distributor”) of the Fund’s shares. Goldman Sachs, 71 S. Wacker Drive, Chicago, IL 60606, also serves as the Fund’s transfer agent (the “Transfer Agent”) and, as such, performs various shareholder servicing functions.

For its transfer agency services, Goldman Sachs is entitled to receive a transfer agency fee equal, on an annualized basis, to 0.04% of average daily net assets with respect to the Institutional Shares and 0.19% of average daily net assets with respect to the Class A, Class C, Class IR and Class R Shares.

From time to time, Goldman Sachs or any of its affiliates may purchase and hold shares of the Fund. Goldman Sachs and its affiliates reserve the right to redeem at any time some or all of the shares acquired for their own accounts.

 

  ACTIVITIES OF GOLDMAN SACHS AND ITS AFFILIATES AND OTHER
ACCOUNTS MANAGED BY GOLDMAN SACHS
    

The involvement of the Investment Adviser, Goldman Sachs and their affiliates in the management of, or their interest in, other accounts and other activities of Goldman Sachs may present conflicts of interest with respect to the Fund or limit the Fund’s investment activities. Goldman Sachs is a worldwide full service investment banking, broker dealer, asset management and financial services organization and a major participant in global financial markets that provides a wide range of financial services to a substantial and diversified client base that includes corporations, financial institutions, governments and high-net-worth individuals. As such, it acts as an investor, investment banker, research provider, investment manager, financier, adviser, market maker, trader, prime broker, lender, agent and principal. In those and other capacities, Goldman Sachs advises clients in all markets and transactions and purchases, sells, holds and recommends a broad array of investments, including securities, derivatives, loans, commodities, currencies, credit default swaps, indices, baskets and other financial instruments and products for its own account or for the accounts of its customers, and has other direct and indirect interests in the global fixed income, currency, commodity, equities, bank loans and other markets and the securities and issuers in which the Fund may directly and indirectly invest. Thus, it is likely that the Fund will have multiple business relationships with and will invest in, engage in transactions with, make voting decisions with respect to, or obtain services from entities for which Goldman Sachs performs or seeks to perform investment banking or other services. The Investment Adviser and/or certain of its affiliates are the managers of the Goldman Sachs Funds. The Investment Adviser and its affiliates earn fees from this and other relationships with the Fund. Although these fees are

 

28


SERVICE PROVIDERS

 

generally based on asset levels, the fees are not directly contingent on Fund performance, and Goldman Sachs would still receive significant compensation from the Fund even if shareholders lose money. Goldman Sachs and its affiliates engage in proprietary trading and advise accounts and funds which have investment objectives similar to those of the Fund and/or which engage in and compete for transactions in the same types of securities, currencies and instruments as the Fund. Goldman Sachs and its affiliates will not have any obligation to make available any information regarding their proprietary activities or strategies, or the activities or strategies used for other accounts managed by them, for the benefit of the management of the Fund. The results of the Fund’s investment activities, therefore, may differ from those of Goldman Sachs, its affiliates, and other accounts managed by Goldman Sachs, and it is possible that the Fund could sustain losses during periods in which Goldman Sachs and its affiliates and other accounts achieve significant profits on their trading for Goldman Sachs or other accounts. In addition, the Fund may enter into transactions in which Goldman Sachs or its other clients have an adverse interest. For example, the Fund may take a long position in a security at the same time that Goldman Sachs or other accounts managed by the Fund’s investment adviser take a short position in the same security (or vice versa). These and other transactions undertaken by Goldman Sachs, its affiliates or Goldman Sachs-advised clients may, individually or in the aggregate, adversely impact the Fund. Transactions by one or more Goldman Sachs-advised clients or the Investment Adviser may have the effect of diluting or otherwise disadvantaging the values, prices or investment strategies of the Fund. The Fund’s activities may be limited because of regulatory restrictions applicable to Goldman Sachs and its affiliates, and/or their internal policies designed to comply with such restrictions. As a global financial services firm, Goldman Sachs also provides a wide range of investment banking and financial services to issuers of securities and investors in securities. Goldman Sachs, its affiliates and others associated with it may create markets or specialize in, have positions in and affect transactions in, securities of issuers held by the Fund, and may also perform or seek to perform investment banking and financial services for those issuers. Goldman Sachs and its affiliates may have business relationships with and purchase or distribute or sell services or products from or to distributors, consultants or others who recommend the Fund or who engage in transactions with or for the Fund. For more information about conflicts of interest, see the SAI.

The Fund may make brokerage and other payments to Goldman Sachs and its affiliates in connection with the Fund’s portfolio investment transactions, in accordance with applicable law.

 

29


 

Distributions

 

The Fund currently anticipates making distributions to its shareholders each fiscal quarter (February, May, August, November) of substantially all of the Fund’s distributable cash flow received as cash distributions from MLPs, interest payments received on debt securities owned by the Fund and other payments on securities owned by the Fund. To permit the Fund to maintain more stable quarterly distributions, the distributions paid by the Fund for any particular quarterly period may be more or less than the amount of investment income actually earned by the Fund during the period, and the Fund may have to sell a portion of its investment portfolio to make a distribution at a time when independent investment judgment might not dictate such action.

The Fund will make distributions that will be treated for U.S. federal income tax purposes as (i) first, taxable dividends to the extent of your allocable share of the Fund’s earnings and profits, (ii) second, non-taxable returns of capital to the extent of your tax basis in your shares of the Fund (for the portion of those distributions that exceed the Fund’s earnings and profits) and (iii) third, taxable gains (for the balance of those distributions). Dividend income will be treated as “qualified dividends” for federal income tax purposes, subject to favorable capital gain tax rates, provided that certain requirements are met. Unlike a regulated investment company, the Fund will not be able to pass-through the character of its recognized net capital gain by paying “capital gain dividends.” Although the Fund expects that a significant portion of its distributions will be treated as nontaxable return of capital, no assurance can be given in this regard. The portion of the distribution received by a U.S. shareholder from the Fund that constitutes a return of capital will decrease the U.S. shareholder’s tax basis in his or her Fund shares (but not below zero), which will result in an increase in the amount of gain (or decrease in the amount of loss) that will be recognized by the U.S. shareholder for tax purposes on the later sale of such Fund shares.

 

30


 

Shareholder Guide

 

The following section will provide you with answers to some of the most frequently asked questions regarding buying and selling the Fund’s shares.

 

  HOW TO BUY SHARES     

Shares Offering

Shares of the Fund are continuously offered through the Distributor. In addition, certain Authorized Institutions designated by the Fund may be authorized to accept, on behalf of the Fund, purchase and exchange orders and redemption requests placed by or on behalf of their customers, and if approved by the Fund, may designate other financial intermediaries to accept such orders.

The Fund and the Distributor will have the sole right to accept orders to purchase shares and reserve the right to reject any order in whole or in part.

How Can I Purchase Shares Of The Fund?

You may purchase shares of the Fund through certain Authorized Institutions. In order to make an initial investment in the Fund you must furnish to your Authorized Institution the information in the account application.

The decision as to which class to purchase depends on the amount you invest, the intended length of the investment and your personal situation. You should contact your Authorized Institution to discuss which share class option is right for you.

Note: Authorized Institutions may receive different compensation for selling different class shares.

To open an account, contact your Authorized Institution. Customers of certain Authorized Institutions will normally give their purchase instructions to the Authorized Institution, and the Authorized Institution will, in turn, place purchase orders with Goldman Sachs. Authorized Institutions will set times by which purchase orders and payments must be received by them from their customers.

For purchases by check, the Fund will not accept checks drawn on foreign banks, third party checks, temporary checks, or cash or cash equivalents; e.g. , cashier’s checks, official bank checks, money orders, travelers cheques or credit card checks. In limited situations involving the transfer of retirement assets, the Fund may accept cashier’s checks or official bank checks.

 

31


Class IR and Class R Shares are not sold directly to the public. Instead, Class IR and Class R Shares generally are available only to Section 401(k), 403(b), 457, profit sharing, money purchase pension, tax-sheltered annuity, defined benefit pension, nonqualified deferred compensation plans and non-qualified pension plans or other employee benefit plans (including health savings accounts) or SIMPLE plans that are sponsored by one or more employers (including governmental or church employers) or employee organizations (“Employee Benefit Plans”). Such an Employee Benefit Plan must purchase Class IR or Class R Shares through a plan level or omnibus account. Class IR Shares may also be sold to accounts established under a fee-based program that is sponsored and maintained by an Authorized Institution and that is approved by Goldman Sachs (“Eligible Fee-Based Program”). Class IR and Class R Shares are not available to traditional and Roth Individual Retirement Accounts (“IRAs”), SEPs and SARSEPs; except that Class IR Shares are available to such accounts or plans to the extent they are purchased through an Eligible Fee-Based Program.

Employee Benefit Plans generally may open an account and purchase Class IR and/or Class R Shares through Authorized Institutions, financial planners, Employee Benefit Plan administrators and other financial intermediaries. Class IR and/or Class R Shares may not be available through certain Authorized Institutions. Additional shares may be purchased through an Employee Benefit Plan’s administrator or record-keeper.

What Is My Minimum Investment In The Fund?

For each of your accounts investing in Class A or Class C Shares, the following investment minimums must be met:

 

                                                                                                                                                           
      Initial   Additional *

Regular Accounts

  $1,000   $50

Employee Benefit Plans

  No Minimum   No Minimum

Uniform Gift/Transfer to Minors Accounts (UGMA/UTMA)

  $250   $50

Individual Retirement Accounts and Coverdell ESAs

  $250   $50

Automatic Investment Plan Accounts

  $250   $50
   

 

* No minimum additional investment requirements are imposed with respect to investors trading through Authorized Institutions who aggregate shares in omnibus or similar accounts (e.g., employee benefit plan accounts, wrap program accounts or traditional brokerage house accounts). A maximum purchase limitation of $1,000,000 in the aggregate normally applies to purchases of Class C Shares across all Goldman Sachs Funds.

For Institutional Shares, the minimum initial investment is $1,000,000 for individual or Institutional Investors, alone or in combination with other assets under the

 

32


SHAREHOLDER GUIDE

 

management of the Investment Adviser and its affiliates, except that no initial minimum will be imposed on (i) Employee Benefit Plans that hold their Institutional Shares through plan-level or omnibus accounts; or (ii) investment advisers investing for accounts for which they receive asset-based fees where the investment adviser or its Authorized Institution purchases Institutional Shares through an omnibus account. For this purpose, “Institutional Investors” shall include “wrap” account sponsors (provided they have an agreement covering the arrangement with the Distributor), corporations, qualified non-profit organizations, charitable trusts, foundations and endowments, state, county, city or any instrumentality, department, authority or agency thereof, and banks, trust companies or other depository institutions investing for their own account or on behalf of their clients.

No minimum amount is required for initial purchases in Class IR and Class R Shares or additional investments in Institutional, Class IR or Class R Shares.

The minimum investment requirement for Class A, Class C and Institutional Shares may be waived for: (i) Goldman Sachs, its affiliates (including Goldman Sachs Trust (the “Trust”)) or their respective Trustees, officers, partners, directors or employees (including retired employees and former partners), as well as certain individuals related to such investors, including spouses or domestic partners, minor children including those of their domestic partners, other family members residing in the same household, and/or financial dependents, provided that all of the above are designated as such with an Authorized Institution or the Funds’ Transfer Agent; (ii) advisory clients of Goldman Sachs Private Wealth Management and accounts for which The Goldman Sachs Trust Company, N.A. acts in a fiduciary capacity ( i.e. , as agent or trustee); (iii) certain mutual fund “wrap” programs at the discretion of the Trust’s officers; and (iv) other investors at the discretion of the Trust’s officers. No minimum amount is required for additional investments in such accounts.

What Should I Know When I Purchase Shares Through An Authorized Institution?

If shares of the Fund are held in an account maintained and serviced by your Authorized Institution, all recordkeeping, transaction processing and payments of distributions relating to your account will be performed by your Authorized Institution, and not by the Fund and its Transfer Agent. Since the Fund will have no record of your transactions, you should contact your Authorized Institution to purchase, redeem or exchange shares, to make changes in or give instructions concerning your account or to obtain information about your account. The transfer of shares from an account with one Authorized Institution to an account with another Authorized Institution involves special procedures and may require you to obtain historical purchase information about the shares in the account from your Authorized

 

33


Institution. If your Authorized Institution’s relationship with Goldman Sachs is terminated, and you do not transfer your account to another Authorized Institution, the Trust reserves the right to redeem your shares. The Trust will not be responsible for any loss in an investor’s account or tax liability resulting from a redemption.

Certain Authorized Institutions may be authorized to accept, on behalf of the Trust, purchase, redemption and exchange orders placed by or on behalf of their customers, and if approved by the Trust, to designate other financial intermediaries to accept such orders. In these cases:

  ¢   The Fund will be deemed to have received an order that is in proper form when the order is accepted by an Authorized Institution on a business day, and the order will be priced at the Fund’s NAV per share (adjusted for any applicable sales charge) next determined after such acceptance.
  ¢   Authorized Institutions are responsible for transmitting accepted orders to the Fund within the time period agreed upon by them.

You should contact your Authorized Institution to learn whether it is authorized to accept orders for the Trust. Authorized Institutions that invest in shares on behalf of their customers may charge fees directly to their customer accounts in connection with their investments. You should contact your Authorized Institution for information regarding such charges, as these fees, if any, may affect the return such customers realize with respect to their investments.

The Investment Adviser, Distributor and/or their affiliates may make payments or provide services to Authorized Institutions to promote the sale, distribution and/or servicing of shares of the Fund and other Goldman Sachs Funds. These payments are made out of the Investment Adviser’s, Distributor’s and/or their affiliates’ own assets, and are not an additional charge to the Fund. The payments are in addition to the distribution and service fees and sales charges described in this Prospectus. Such payments are intended to compensate Authorized Institutions for, among other things: marketing shares of the Fund and other Goldman Sachs Funds, which may consist of payments relating to the Fund’s inclusion on preferred or recommended fund lists or in certain sales programs sponsored by the Authorized Institutions; access to the Authorized Institutions’ registered representatives or salespersons, including at conferences and other meetings; assistance in training and education of personnel; marketing support; and/or other specified services intended to assist in the distribution and marketing of the Fund and other Goldman Sachs Funds. The payments may also, to the extent permitted by applicable regulations, contribute to various non-cash and cash incentive arrangements to promote the sale of shares, as well as sponsor various educational programs, sales contests and/or promotions. The payments by the Investment Adviser, Distributor and/or their affiliates, which are in addition to the fees paid for these services by the Fund, may also compensate Authorized Institutions for

 

34


SHAREHOLDER GUIDE

 

sub-accounting, sub-transfer agency, administrative and/or shareholder processing services. These additional payments may exceed amounts earned on these assets by the Investment Adviser, Distributor and/or their affiliates for the performance of these or similar services. The amount of these additional payments is normally not expected to exceed 0.50% (annualized) of the amount sold or invested through the Authorized Institutions. In addition, certain Authorized Institutions may have access to certain services from the Investment Adviser, Distributor and/or their affiliates, including research reports and economic analysis, and portfolio analysis tools. In certain cases, the Authorized Institution may not pay for these services. Please refer to the “Payments to Intermediaries” section of the SAI for more information about these payments and services.

The payments made by the Investment Adviser, Distributor and/or their affiliates and the services provided by an Authorized Institution may differ for different Authorized Institutions. The presence of these payments, receipt of these services and the basis on which an Authorized Institution compensates its registered representatives or salespersons may create an incentive for a particular Authorized Institution, registered representative or salesperson to highlight, feature or recommend the Fund based, at least in part, on the level of compensation paid. You should contact your Authorized Institution for more information about the payments it receives and any potential conflicts of interest.

What Else Should I Know About Share Purchases?

The Trust reserves the right to:

  ¢   Refuse to open an account or require an Authorized Institution to refuse to open an account if you fail to (i) provide a Social Security Number or other taxpayer identification number; or (ii) certify that such number is correct (if required to do so under applicable law).
  ¢   Reject or restrict any purchase or exchange order by a particular purchaser (or group of related purchasers) for any reason in its discretion. Without limiting the foregoing, the Trust may reject or restrict purchase and exchange orders by a particular purchaser (or group of related purchasers) when a pattern of frequent purchases, sales or exchanges of shares of the Fund is evident, or if purchases, sales or exchanges are, or a subsequent redemption might be, of a size that would disrupt the management of the Fund.
  ¢   Close the Fund to new investors from time to time and reopen the Fund whenever it is deemed appropriate by the Fund’s Investment Adviser.
  ¢   Provide for, modify or waive the minimum investment requirements.
  ¢   Modify the manner in which shares are offered.
  ¢   Modify the sales charge rate applicable to future purchases of shares.

 

35


Shares of the Fund are only registered for sale in the United States and certain of its territories. Generally, shares of the Fund will only be offered or sold to “U.S. persons” and all offerings or other solicitation activities will be conducted within the United States, in accordance with the rules and regulations of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (“Securities Act”).

The Fund may allow you to purchase shares with securities instead of cash if consistent with the Fund’s investment policies and operations and if approved by the Fund’s Investment Adviser.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Trust and Goldman Sachs reserve the right to reject or restrict purchase or exchange requests from any investor. The Trust and Goldman Sachs will not be liable for any loss resulting from rejected purchase or exchange orders.

Please be advised that abandoned or unclaimed property laws for certain states (to which your account may be subject) require financial organizations to transfer (escheat) unclaimed property (including shares of the Fund) to the appropriate state if no activity occurs in an account for a period of time specified by state law.

Customer Identification Program.   Federal law requires the Fund to obtain, verify and record identifying information for certain investors, which will be reviewed solely for customer identification purposes, which may include the name, residential or business street address, date of birth (for an individual), Social Security Number or taxpayer identification number or other information, for each investor who opens an account directly with the Fund. Applications without the required information may not be accepted by the Fund. Throughout the life of your account, the Fund may request updated identifying information in accordance with its Customer Identification Program. After accepting an application, to the extent permitted by applicable law or its Customer Identification Program, the Fund reserves the right to: (i) place limits on transactions in any account until the identity of the investor is verified; (ii) refuse an investment in the Fund; or (iii) involuntarily redeem an investor’s shares and close an account in the event that the Fund is unable to verify an investor’s identity or obtain all required information. The Fund and its agents will not be responsible for any loss or tax liability in an investor’s account resulting from the investor’s delay in providing all required information or from closing an account and redeeming an investor’s shares pursuant to the Customer Identification Program.

How Are Shares Priced?

The price you pay when you buy shares is the Fund’s next determined NAV for a share class (as adjusted for any applicable sales charge) after the Fund receives your order in proper form. The price you receive when you sell shares is the Fund’s next

 

36


SHAREHOLDER GUIDE

 

determined NAV for a share class with the redemption proceeds reduced by any applicable charges ( e.g. , CDSCs) after the Fund receives your order in proper form. Each class calculates its NAV as follows:

 

NAV =  

(Value of Assets of the Class)

– (Liabilities of the Class)

  Number of Outstanding Shares of the Class

The Fund’s investments for which market quotations are readily available are valued at market value on the basis of quotations furnished by a pricing service or provided by securities dealers. If accurate quotations are not readily available, or if the Investment Adviser believes that such quotations do not accurately reflect fair value, the fair value of the Fund’s investments may be determined in good faith under valuation procedures established by the Board of Trustees. Cases where there is no clear indication of the value of the Fund’s investments include, among others, situations where a security or other asset or liability does not have a price source.

To the extent the Fund invests in foreign equity securities, “fair value” prices are provided by an independent fair value service in accordance with the fair value procedures approved by the Board of Trustees. Fair value prices are used because many foreign markets operate at times that do not coincide with those of the major U.S. markets. Events that could affect the values of foreign portfolio holdings may occur between the close of the foreign market and the time of determining the NAV, and would not otherwise be reflected in the NAV. If the independent fair value service does not provide a fair value price for a particular security, or if the price provided does not meet the established criteria for the Fund, the Fund will price that security at the most recent closing price for that security on its principal exchange.

In addition, the Investment Adviser, consistent with its procedures and applicable regulatory guidance, may (but need not) determine to make an adjustment to the previous closing prices of either domestic or foreign securities in light of significant events, to reflect what it believes to be the fair value of the securities at the time of determining the Fund’s NAV. Significant events that could affect a large number of securities in a particular market may include, but are not limited to: situations relating to one or more single issuers in a market sector; significant fluctuations in U.S. or foreign markets; market dislocations; market disruptions or unscheduled market closings; equipment failures; natural or man made disasters or acts of God; armed conflicts; governmental actions or other developments; as well as the same or similar events which may affect specific issuers or the securities markets even though not tied directly to the securities markets. Other significant events that could relate to a single issuer may include, but are not limited to: corporate actions such as reorganizations, mergers and buy-outs; corporate announcements, including those relating to earnings,

 

37


products and regulatory news; significant litigation; ratings downgrades; bankruptcies; and trading suspensions.

One effect of using an independent fair value service and fair valuation may be to reduce stale pricing arbitrage opportunities presented by the pricing of Fund shares. However, it involves the risk that the values used by the Fund to price its investments may be different from those used by other investment companies and investors to price the same investments.

Investments in other open-end registered investment companies (if any), excluding investments in ETFs, are valued based on the NAV of those open-end registered investment companies (which may use fair value pricing as discussed in their prospectuses).

Please note the following with respect to the price at which your transactions are processed:

  ¢   NAV per share of each share class is generally calculated by the accounting agent on each business day as of the close of regular trading on the New York Stock Exchange (normally 4:00 p.m. Eastern time) or such other times as the New York Stock Exchange or NASDAQ market may officially close. Fund shares will generally not be priced on any day the New York Stock Exchange is closed.
  ¢   The Trust reserves the right to reprocess purchase (including dividend reinvestments), redemption and exchange transactions that were processed at a NAV that is subsequently adjusted, and to recover amounts from (or distribute amounts to) shareholders accordingly based on the official closing NAV, as adjusted.
  ¢   The Trust reserves the right to advance the time by which purchase and redemption orders must be received for same business day credit as otherwise permitted by the SEC.

Consistent with industry practice, investment transactions not settling on the same day are recorded and factored into the Fund’s NAV on the business day following trade date (T+1). The use of T+1 accounting generally does not, but may, result in a NAV that differs materially from the NAV that would result if all transactions were reflected on their trade dates.

Note: The time at which transactions and shares are priced and the time by which orders must be received may be changed in case of an emergency or if regular trading on the New York Stock Exchange is stopped at a time other than its

regularly scheduled closing time. In the event the New York Stock Exchange does not open for business, the Trust may, but is not required to, open the Fund for purchase, redemption and exchange transactions if the Federal Reserve wire payment system is open. To learn whether the Fund is open for business during this

 

38


SHAREHOLDER GUIDE

 

situation, please call the appropriate phone number located on the back cover of this Prospectus.

Foreign securities may trade in their local markets on days the Fund is closed. As a result, if the Fund holds foreign securities, its NAV may be impacted on days when investors may not purchase or redeem Fund shares.

 

  COMMON QUESTIONS APPLICABLE TO THE PURCHASE OF CLASS A SHARES     

What Is The Offering Price Of Class A Shares?

The offering price of Class A Shares of the Fund is the next determined NAV per share plus an initial sales charge paid to Goldman Sachs at the time of purchase of shares.   The sales charge varies depending upon the amount you purchase. In some cases, described below, the initial sales charge may be eliminated altogether, and the offering price will be the NAV per share. The current sales charges and commissions paid to Authorized Institutions for Class A Shares of the Fund are as follows:

 

Amount of Purchase

(including sales charge, if any)

  Sales Charge as
Percentage of
Offering Price
    Sales Charge
as Percentage
of Net Amount
Invested
    Maximum Dealer
Allowance as
Percentage of
Offering  Price
*
 

Less than $50,000

    5.50     5.82     5.00

$50,000 up to (but less than) $100,000

    4.75        4.99        4.00   

$100,000 up to (but less than) $250,000

    3.75        3.90        3.00   

$250,000 up to (but less than) $500,000

    2.75        2.83        2.25   

$500,000 up to (but less than) $1 million

    2.00        2.04        1.75   

$1 million or more

    0.00 **       0.00 * *       * * *   
     

 

     * Dealer’s allowance may be changed periodically. During special promotions, the entire sales charge may be reallowed to Authorized Institutions. Authorized Institutions to whom substantially the entire sales charge is reallowed may be deemed to be “underwriters” under the Securities Act.
   * * No sales charge is payable at the time of purchase of Class A Shares of $1 million or more, but a CDSC of 1% may be imposed in the event of certain redemptions within 18 months.
* * * The Distributor may pay a one-time commission to Authorized Institutions who initiate or are responsible for purchases of $1 million or more of shares of the Fund equal to 1.00% of the amount under $3 million, 0.50% of the next $2 million, and 0.25% thereafter. In instances where this one-time commission is not paid to a particular Authorized Institution (including Goldman Sachs’ Private Wealth Management Unit), the CDSC on Class A Shares, generally, will be waived. The Distributor may also pay, with respect to all or a portion of the amount purchased, a commission in accordance with the foregoing schedule to Authorized Institutions who initiate or are responsible for purchases by Employee Benefit Plans investing in the Fund which satisfy the criteria set forth below in “When Are Class A Shares Not Subject To A Sales Load?” or $1 million or more by certain “wrap” accounts. Purchases by such plans will be made at NAV with no initial sales charge, but if shares are redeemed within 18 months, a CDSC of 1% may be imposed upon the plan, the plan sponsor or the third-party administrator. In addition, Authorized Institutions will remit to the Distributor such payments received in connection with “wrap” accounts in the event that shares are redeemed within 18 months.

 

39


You should note that the actual sales charge that appears in your mutual fund transaction confirmation may differ slightly from the rate disclosed above in this Prospectus due to rounding calculations.

As indicated in the preceding chart, and as discussed further below and in the section titled “How Can The Sales Charge On Class A Shares Be Reduced?”, you may, under certain circumstances, be entitled to pay reduced sales charges on your purchases of Class A Shares or have those charges waived entirely. To take advantage of these discounts, your Authorized Institution must notify the Fund’s Transfer Agent at the time of your purchase order that a discount may apply to your current purchases. You may also be required to provide appropriate documentation to receive these discounts, including:

 

  (i) Information or records regarding shares of the Fund or other Goldman Sachs Funds held in all accounts ( e.g. , retirement accounts) of the shareholder at all Authorized Institutions; or

 

  (ii) Information or records regarding shares of the Fund or other Goldman Sachs Funds held at any Authorized Institution by related parties of the shareholder, such as members of the same family or household.

What Else Do I Need To Know About Class A Shares’ CDSC?

Purchases of $1 million or more of Class A Shares will be made at NAV with no initial sales charge. However, if you redeem shares within 18 months after the beginning of the month in which the purchase was made, a CDSC of 1% may be imposed. The CDSC may not be imposed if your Authorized Institution agrees with the Distributor to return all or an applicable prorated portion of its commission to the Distributor. The CDSC is waived on redemptions in certain circumstances. See “In What Situations May The CDSC On Class A Or C Shares Be Waived Or Reduced?” below.

When Are Class A Shares Not Subject To A Sales Load?

Class A Shares of the Fund may be sold at NAV without payment of any sales charge to the following individuals and entities:

  ¢   Goldman Sachs, its affiliates or their respective officers, partners, directors or employees (including retired employees and former partners), any partnership of which Goldman Sachs is a general partner, any Trustee or officer of the Trust and designated family members of any of these individuals;
  ¢   Qualified employee benefit plans of Goldman Sachs;
  ¢   Trustees or directors of investment companies for which Goldman Sachs or an affiliate acts as sponsor;

 

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SHAREHOLDER GUIDE

 

  ¢   Any employee or registered representative of any Authorized Institution or their respective spouses, children and parents;
  ¢   Banks, trust companies or other types of depository institutions;
  ¢   Any state, county or city, or any instrumentality, department, authority or agency thereof, which is prohibited by applicable investment laws from paying a sales charge or commission in connection with the purchase of shares of the Fund;
  ¢   Employee Benefit Plans, where such Plans purchase Class A Shares through a plan level or omnibus account;
  ¢   Investors who purchase Class A Shares through an omnibus account sponsored by an Authorized Institution that has an agreement with the Distributor covering such investors to offer Class A Shares without charging an initial sales charge;
  ¢   Insurance company separate accounts that make the Fund available as an underlying investment in certain group annuity contracts;
  ¢   “Wrap” accounts for the benefit of clients of broker-dealers, financial institutions or financial planners, provided they have entered into an agreement with GSAM specifying aggregate minimums and certain operating policies and standards;
  ¢   Investment advisers investing for accounts for which they receive asset-based fees;
  ¢   Accounts over which GSAM or its advisory affiliates have investment discretion;
  ¢   Shareholders who roll over distributions from any tax-qualified Employee Benefit Plan or tax-sheltered annuity to an IRA which invests in the Goldman Sachs Funds if the tax-qualified Employee Benefit Plan or tax-sheltered annuity receives administrative services provided by certain third party administrators that have entered into a special service arrangement with Goldman Sachs relating to such plan or annuity;
  ¢   State sponsored 529 college savings plans; or
  ¢   Investors who qualify under other exemptions that are stated from time to time in the SAI.

You must certify eligibility for any of the above exemptions on your account application and notify your Authorized Institution and the Fund if you no longer are eligible for the exemption.

The Fund will grant you an exemption subject to confirmation of your eligibility by your Authorized Institution. You may be charged a fee by your Authorized Institution.

How Can The Sales Charge On Class A Shares Be Reduced?

  ¢  

Right of Accumulation:   When buying Class A Shares in Goldman Sachs Funds, your current aggregate investment determines the initial sales load you pay. You may qualify for reduced sales charges when the current market value of holdings across Class A, Class B and/or Class C Shares, plus new purchases, reaches $50,000 or more. Class A, Class B and/or Class C Shares of any of the Goldman

 

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Sachs Funds may be combined under the Right of Accumulation. If the Fund’s Transfer Agent is properly notified, the “Amount of Purchase” in the chart in the section “What Is The Offering Price of Class A Shares?” will be deemed to include all Class A, Class B and/or Class C Shares of the Goldman Sachs Funds that were held at the time of purchase by any of the following persons: (i) you, your spouse, your parents and your children; and (ii) any trustee, guardian or other fiduciary of a single trust estate or a single fiduciary account. This includes, for example, any Class A, Class B and/or Class C Shares held at an Authorized Institution other than the one handling your current purchase. For purposes of applying the Right of Accumulation, shares of the Fund and any other Goldman Sachs Funds purchased by an existing client of Goldman Sachs Private Wealth Management or GS Ayco Holding LLC will be combined with Class A, Class B and/or Class C Shares and other assets held by all other Goldman Sachs Private Wealth Management accounts or accounts of GS Ayco Holding LLC, respectively. In addition, under some circumstances, Class A and/or Class C Shares of the Fund and Class A, Class B and/or Class C Shares of any other Goldman Sachs Fund purchased by partners, directors, officers or employees of certain organizations may be combined for the purpose of determining whether a purchase will qualify for the Right of Accumulation and, if qualifying, the applicable sales charge level. To qualify for a reduced sales load, you or your Authorized Institution must notify the Fund’s Transfer Agent at the time of investment that a quantity discount is applicable. If you do not notify your Authorized Institution at the time of your current purchase or a future purchase that you qualify for a quantity discount, you may not receive the benefit of a reduced sales charge that might otherwise apply. Use of this option is subject to a check of appropriate records.

In some circumstances, other Class A, Class B and/or Class C Shares may be aggregated with your current purchase under the Right of Accumulation as described in the SAI. For purposes of determining the “Amount of Purchase,” all Class A, Class B and/or Class C Shares currently held will be valued at their current market value.

  ¢  

Statement of Intention:   You may obtain a reduced sales charge by means of a written Statement of Intention which expresses your non-binding commitment to invest (not counting reinvestments of distributions) in the aggregate $50,000 or more within a period of 13 months in Class A Shares of one or more of the Goldman Sachs Funds. Any investments you make during the period will receive the discounted sales load based on the full amount of your investment commitment. Purchases made during the previous 90 days may be included; however, capital appreciation does not apply toward these combined purchases. If the investment commitment of the Statement of Intention is not met prior to the

 

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expiration of the 13-month period, the entire amount will be subject to the higher applicable sales charge unless the failure to meet the investment commitment is due to the death of the investor. By selecting the Statement of Intention, you authorize the Transfer Agent to escrow and redeem Class A Shares in your account to pay this additional charge if the Statement of Intention is not met. You must, however, inform the Transfer Agent (either directly or through your Authorized Institution) that the Statement of Intention is in effect each time shares are purchased. Each purchase will be made at the public offering price applicable to a single transaction of the dollar amount specified on the Statement of Intention. The SAI has more information about the Statement of Intention, which you should read carefully.

 

  A COMMON QUESTION APPLICABLE TO THE PURCHASE OF CLASS C SHARES     

What Is The Offering Price Of Class C Shares?

You may purchase Class C Shares of the Fund at the next determined NAV without paying an initial sales charge. However, if you redeem Class C Shares within 12 months of purchase, a CDSC of 1% will normally be deducted from the redemption proceeds. In connection with purchases by Employee Benefit Plans, where Class C Shares are redeemed within 12 months of purchase, a CDSC of 1% may be imposed upon the plan sponsor or third party administrator. No CDSC is imposed in connection with an exchange of Class C Shares at the time of such exchange. When Class C Shares are exchanged for Class C shares of another fund, the period of time that such shares will be subject to a CDSC (if any) will be measured as of the date of the original purchase. With respect to such shares held by Employee Benefit Plans, the CDSC may be imposed on the plan sponsor or third party administrator.

Proceeds from the CDSC are payable to the Distributor and may be used in whole or in part to defray the Distributor’s expenses related to providing distribution-related services to the Fund in connection with the sale of Class C Shares, including the payment of compensation to Authorized Institutions. A commission equal to 1% of the amount invested is normally paid by the Distributor to Authorized Institutions.

 

  COMMON QUESTIONS APPLICABLE TO THE PURCHASE OF CLASS A AND C SHARES     

What Else Do I Need To Know About The CDSC On Class A Or C Shares?

  ¢   The CDSC is based on the lesser of the NAV of the shares at the time of redemption or the original offering price (which is the original NAV).

 

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  ¢   No CDSC is charged on shares acquired from reinvested dividends or capital gains distributions.
  ¢   No CDSC is charged on the per share appreciation of your account over the initial purchase price.
  ¢   When counting the number of months since a purchase of Class A or Class C Shares was made, all purchases made during a month will be combined and considered to have been made on the first day of that month.
  ¢   To keep your CDSC as low as possible, each time you place a request to sell shares, the Fund will first sell any shares in your account that do not carry a CDSC and then the shares in your account that have been held the longest.

In What Situations May The CDSC On Class A Or C Shares Be Waived Or Reduced?

The CDSC on Class A and Class C Shares that are subject to a CDSC may be waived or reduced if the redemption relates to:

  ¢   Mandatory retirement distributions or loans to participants or beneficiaries from Employee Benefit Plans;
  ¢   Hardship withdrawals by a participant or beneficiary in an Employee Benefit Plan;
  ¢   The separation from service by a participant or beneficiary in an Employee Benefit Plan;
  ¢   Excess contributions distributed from an Employee Benefit Plan;
  ¢   Distributions from a qualified Employee Benefit Plan invested in the Goldman Sachs Funds which are being rolled over to an IRA in the same share class of a Goldman Sachs Fund;
  ¢   The death or disability (as defined in Section 72(m)(7) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”)) of a shareholder, participant or beneficiary in an Employee Benefit Plan;
  ¢   Satisfying the minimum distribution requirements of the Code;
  ¢   Establishing “substantially equal periodic payments” as described under Section 72(t)(2) of the Code;
  ¢   Redemption proceeds which are to be reinvested in accounts or non-registered products over which GSAM or its advisory affiliates have investment discretion;
  ¢   A systematic withdrawal plan. The Fund reserves the right to limit such redemptions, on an annual basis, to 12% of the value of your Class C Shares and 10% of the value of your Class A Shares;
  ¢   Redemptions or exchanges of Fund shares held through an Employee Benefit Plan using the Fund as part of a qualified default investment alternative or “QDIA”; or
  ¢   Other redemptions, at the discretion of the Trust’s officers, relating to shares purchased through Employee Benefit Plans.

 

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  HOW TO SELL SHARES     

How Can I Sell Shares Of The Fund?

Generally, Shares may be sold (redeemed) through your Authorized Institution. Customers of an Authorized Institution will normally give their redemption instructions to the Authorized Institution, and the Authorized Institution will, in turn, place redemption orders with the Fund. Redemptions may be requested by electronic trading platform (through your Authorized Institution), in writing or by telephone (unless the Authorized Institution opts out of the telephone redemption privilege on the account application). The Fund will generally redeem its Shares upon request on any business day the Fund is open at the NAV next determined after receipt of such request in proper form, subject to any applicable CDSC. You should contact your Authorized Institution to discuss redemptions and redemption proceeds. Certain Authorized Institutions are authorized to accept redemption requests on behalf of the Fund as described under “How to Buy Shares—Shares Offering.” The Fund may transfer redemption proceeds to an account with your Authorized Institution. In the alternative, your Authorized Institution may request that redemption proceeds be sent to you by check or wire (if the wire instructions are designated in the current records of the Transfer Agent).

Generally, any redemption request that requires money to go to an account or address other than that designated in the current records of the Transfer Agent must be in writing and signed by an authorized person with a Medallion signature guarantee. The written request may be confirmed by telephone with both the requesting party and the designated bank to verify instructions. Other restrictions may apply in these situations.

When Do I Need A Medallion Signature Guarantee To Redeem Shares?

A Medallion signature guarantee may be required if:

  ¢   A request is made in writing to redeem Class A, Class C, Class IR or Class R Shares in an amount over $50,000 via check;
  ¢   You would like the redemption proceeds sent to an address that is not your address of record; or
  ¢   You would like the redemption proceeds sent to a domestic bank account that is not designated in the current records of the Transfer Agent.

A Medallion signature guarantee must be obtained from a bank, brokerage firm or other financial intermediary that is a member of an approved Medallion Guarantee Program or that is otherwise approved by the Trust. A notary public cannot provide a Medallion signature guarantee. Additional documentation may be required.

 

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What Do I Need To Know About Telephone Redemption Requests?

The Trust, the Distributor and the Transfer Agent will not be liable for any loss or tax liability you may incur in the event that the Trust accepts unauthorized telephone redemption requests that the Trust reasonably believes to be genuine. The Trust may accept telephone redemption instructions from any person identifying himself or herself as the owner of an account or the owner’s registered representative where the owner has not declined in writing to use this service. Thus, you risk possible losses if a telephone redemption is not authorized by you.

In an effort to prevent unauthorized or fraudulent redemption and exchange requests by telephone, Goldman Sachs and Boston Financial Data Services, Inc. (“BFDS”) each employ reasonable procedures specified by the Trust to confirm that such instructions are genuine. If reasonable procedures are not employed, the Trust may be liable for any loss due to unauthorized or fraudulent transactions. The following general policies are currently in effect:

  ¢   Telephone requests are recorded.
  ¢   Proceeds of telephone redemption requests will be sent to your address of record or authorized account designated in the current records of the Transfer Agent (unless you provide written instructions and a Medallion signature guarantee, indicating another address or account).
  ¢   For the 30-day period following a change of address, telephone redemptions will only be filled by a wire transfer to the authorized account designated in the current records of the Transfer Agent (see immediately preceding bullet point). In order to receive the redemption by check during this time period, the redemption request must be in the form of a written, Medallion signature guaranteed letter.
  ¢   The telephone redemption option does not apply to Shares held in an account maintained and serviced by your Authorized Institution. If your Shares are held in an account with an Authorized Institution, you should contact your registered representative of record, who may make telephone redemptions on your behalf.
  ¢   The telephone redemption option may be modified or terminated at any time without prior notice.
  ¢   The Fund may redeem via check up to $50,000 in Class A, Class C, Class IR and Class R Shares requested via telephone.

Note: It may be difficult to make telephone redemptions in times of unusual economic or market conditions.

How Are Redemption Proceeds Paid?

By Wire:   You may arrange for your redemption proceeds to be paid as federal funds to an account with your Authorized Institution or to a domestic bank account designated in the current records of the Transfer Agent. In addition, redemption proceeds may be

 

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transmitted through an electronic trading platform to an account with your Authorized Institution. The following general policies govern wiring redemption proceeds:

  ¢   Redemption proceeds will normally be paid on the next business day in federal funds, but may be paid up to three business days following receipt of a properly executed wire transfer redemption request.
  ¢   Although redemption proceeds will normally be paid as described above, under certain circumstances, redemption requests or payments may be postponed or suspended as permitted under Section 22(e) of the Investment Company Act. Generally, under that section, redemption requests or payments may be postponed or suspended if (i) the New York Stock Exchange is closed for trading or trading is restricted; (ii) an emergency exists which makes the disposal of securities owned by the Fund or the fair determination of the value of the Fund’s net assets not reasonably practicable; or (iii) the SEC, by order or regulation, permits the suspension of the right of redemption.
  ¢   If you are selling shares you recently paid for by check or purchased by Automated Clearing House (“ACH”), the Fund will pay you when your check or ACH has cleared, which may take up to 15 days.
  ¢   If the Federal Reserve Bank is closed on the day that the redemption proceeds would ordinarily be wired, wiring the redemption proceeds may be delayed until the Federal Reserve Bank reopens.
  ¢   To change the bank wiring instructions designated in the current records of the Transfer Agent, you must send written instructions signed by an authorized person designated in the current records of the Transfer Agent. A Medallion signature guarantee may be required if you are requesting a redemption in conjunction with the change.
  ¢   None of the Trust, the Investment Adviser or Goldman Sachs assumes any responsibility for the performance of your bank or any other financial intermediary in the transfer process. If a problem with such performance arises, you should deal directly with your bank or such financial intermediary.

By Check:   You may elect to receive redemption proceeds by check. Redemption proceeds paid by check will normally be mailed to the address of record within three business days of receipt of a properly executed redemption request. If you are selling shares you recently paid for by check or ACH, the Fund will pay you when your check or ACH has cleared, which may take up to 15 days.

What Else Do I Need To Know About Redemptions?

The following generally applies to redemption requests:

  ¢   Additional documentation may be required when deemed appropriate by the Transfer Agent. A redemption request will not be in proper form until such additional documentation has been received.

 

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  ¢   Authorized Institutions are responsible for the timely transmittal of redemption requests by their customers to the Transfer Agent. In order to facilitate the timely transmittal of redemption requests, Authorized Institutions may set times by which they must receive redemption requests. Authorized Institutions may also require additional documentation from you.

The Trust reserves the right to:

  ¢   Redeem your shares in the event your Authorized Institution’s relationship with Goldman Sachs is terminated, and you do not transfer your account to another Authorized Institution with a relationship with Goldman Sachs or in the event that the Fund is no longer an option in your Employee Benefit Plan or no longer available through your Eligible Fee-Based Program.
  ¢   Redeem your shares if your account balance is below the required Fund minimum. The Fund will not redeem your shares on this basis if the value of your account falls below the minimum account balance solely as a result of market conditions. The Fund will give you 60 days prior written notice to allow you to purchase sufficient additional shares of the Fund in order to avoid such redemption. Different rules may apply to investors who have established brokerage accounts with Goldman Sachs in accordance with the terms and conditions of their account agreements.
  ¢   Subject to applicable law, redeem your shares in other circumstances determined by the Board of Trustees to be in the best interest of the Trust.
  ¢   Pay redemptions by a distribution in-kind of securities (instead of cash). If you receive redemption proceeds in-kind, you should expect to incur transaction costs upon the disposition of those securities.
  ¢   Reinvest any amounts ( e.g. , dividends, distributions or redemption proceeds) which you have elected to receive by check should your check remain uncashed for more than 180 days. No interest will accrue on amounts represented by uncashed checks. Your check will be reinvested in your account at the NAV on the day of the reinvestment. When reinvested, those amounts are subject to the risk of loss like any Fund investment. If you elect to receive distributions in cash and a check remains uncashed for more than 180 days, your cash election may be changed automatically to reinvest and your future dividend and capital gains distributions will be reinvested in the Fund at the NAV as of the date of payment of the distribution. This provision may not apply to certain retirement or qualified accounts, accounts with a non-U.S. address or closed accounts. Your participation in a systematic withdrawal program may be terminated if a check remains uncashed.
  ¢   Charge an additional fee in the event a redemption is made via wire transfer.

 

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None of the Trust, the Investment Adviser or Goldman Sachs will be responsible for any loss in an investor’s account or tax liability resulting from an involuntary redemption.

Can I Reinvest Redemption Proceeds In The Same Or Another Goldman Sachs Fund?

You may redeem shares of the Fund and reinvest a portion or all of the redemption proceeds in the same or equivalent share class of any Goldman Sachs Fund at NAV. To be eligible for this privilege, you must have held the shares you want to redeem for at least 30 days and you must reinvest the share proceeds within 90 days after you redeem. You should obtain and read the applicable prospectuses before investing in any other Goldman Sachs Funds.

You may reinvest redemption proceeds as follows:

  ¢   If you pay a CDSC upon redemption of Class A or Class C Shares and then reinvest in Class A or Class C Shares of another Goldman Sachs Fund as described above, your account will be credited with the amount of the CDSC you paid. The reinvested shares will, however, continue to be subject to a CDSC. The holding period of the shares acquired through reinvestment will include the holding period of the redeemed shares for purposes of computing the CDSC payable upon a subsequent redemption.
  ¢   The reinvestment privilege may be exercised at any time in connection with transactions in which the proceeds are reinvested at NAV in a tax-sheltered Employee Benefit Plan. In other cases, the reinvestment privilege may be exercised once per year upon receipt of a written request.
  ¢   You may be subject to tax as a result of a redemption. You should consult your tax adviser concerning the tax consequences of a redemption and reinvestment.

Can I Exchange My Investment From One Goldman Sachs Fund To Another Goldman Sachs Fund?

You may exchange shares of a Goldman Sachs Fund at NAV without the imposition of an initial sales charge or CDSC, if applicable, at the time of exchange for certain shares of another Goldman Sachs Fund. Redemption (including by exchange) of certain Goldman Sachs Funds offered in other prospectuses may, however, be subject to a redemption fee for shares that are held for either 30 or 60 days or less, subject to certain exceptions as described in those Goldman Sachs Funds’ prospectuses. The exchange privilege may be materially modified or withdrawn at any time upon 60 days written notice. You should contact your Authorized Institution to arrange for exchanges of shares of the Fund for shares of another Goldman Sachs Fund.

 

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You should keep in mind the following factors when making or considering an exchange:

  ¢   You should obtain and carefully read the prospectus of the Goldman Sachs Fund you are acquiring before making an exchange. You should be aware that not all Goldman Sachs Funds may offer all share classes.
  ¢   Currently, the Fund does not impose any charge for exchanges, although the Fund may impose a charge in the future.
  ¢   The exchanged shares of the new Goldman Sachs Fund may later be exchanged for shares of the same class of the original Fund held at the next determined NAV without the imposition of an initial sales charge or CDSC (but subject to any applicable redemption fee). However, if additional shares of the new Goldman Sachs Fund were purchased after the initial exchange, and that Fund’s shares do not impose a sales charge or CDSC, then the applicable sales charge or CDSC of the original Fund’s shares will be imposed upon the exchange of those shares.
  ¢   When you exchange shares subject to a CDSC, no CDSC will be charged at that time. However, for purposes of determining the amount of the CDSC applicable to those shares acquired in the exchange, the length of time you have owned the shares will be measured from the date you acquired the original shares subject to a CDSC, and the amount and terms of the CDSC will be those applicable to the original shares and will not be affected by a subsequent exchange.
  ¢   Eligible investors may exchange certain classes of shares for another class of shares of the same Fund. For further information, contact your Authorized Institution.
  ¢   All exchanges which represent an initial investment in a Goldman Sachs Fund must satisfy the minimum initial investment requirement of that Fund. This requirement may be waived at the discretion of the Trust. Exchanges into a Fund need not meet the traditional minimum investment requirement for that Fund if the entire balance of the original Fund account is exchanged.
  ¢   Exchanges are available only in states where exchanges may be legally made.
  ¢   It may be difficult to make telephone exchanges in times of unusual economic or market conditions.
  ¢   Goldman Sachs and BFDS may use reasonable procedures described under “What Do I Need To Know About Telephone Redemption Requests?” in an effort to prevent unauthorized or fraudulent telephone exchange requests.
  ¢   Normally, a telephone exchange will be made only to an identically registered account.
  ¢   Exchanges into Goldman Sachs Funds or certain share classes of Goldman Sachs Funds that are closed to new investors may be restricted.
  ¢   Exchanges into the Fund from another Goldman Sachs Fund may be subject to any redemption fee imposed by the other Goldman Sachs Fund.

 

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For federal income tax purposes, an exchange from one Goldman Sachs Fund to another is treated as a redemption of the shares surrendered in the exchange, on which you may be subject to tax, followed by a purchase of shares received in the exchange. Exchanges within Employee Benefit Plan accounts will not result in capital gains or loss for federal or state income tax purposes. You should consult your tax adviser concerning the tax consequences of an exchange.

 

  SHAREHOLDER SERVICES     

Can I Arrange To Have Automatic Investments Made On A Regular Basis?

You may be able to make automatic investments in Class A and Class C Shares through your bank via ACH transfer or via bank draft each month. The minimum dollar amount for this service is $250 for the initial investment and $50 per month for additional investments. Forms for this option are available online at www.gsamfunds.com and from your Authorized Institution, or you may check the appropriate box on the account application.

Can My Distributions From The Fund Be Invested In Other Goldman Sachs Funds?

You may elect to cross-reinvest distributions paid by a Goldman Sachs Fund in shares of the same class of other Goldman Sachs Funds.

  ¢   Shares will be purchased at NAV.
  ¢   You may elect cross-reinvestment into an identically registered account or a similarly registered account provided that at least one name on the account is registered identically.
  ¢   You cannot make cross-reinvestments into a Goldman Sachs Fund unless that Fund’s minimum initial investment requirement is met.
  ¢   You should obtain and read the prospectus of the Goldman Sachs Fund into which distributions are invested.

Can I Arrange To Have Automatic Exchanges Made On A Regular Basis?

You may elect to exchange automatically a specified dollar amount of Class A or Class C Shares of the Fund for shares of the same class of other Goldman Sachs Funds.

  ¢   Shares will be purchased at NAV if a sales charge had been imposed on the initial purchase.
  ¢   You may elect to exchange into an identically registered account or a similarly registered account provided that at least one name on the account is registered identically.

 

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  ¢   Shares subject to a CDSC acquired under this program may be subject to a CDSC at the time of redemption from the Goldman Sachs Fund into which the exchange is made depending upon the date and value of your original purchase.
  ¢   Automatic exchanges are made monthly on the 15th day of each month or the first business day thereafter.
  ¢   Minimum dollar amount: $50 per month.
  ¢   You cannot make automatic exchanges into a Goldman Sachs Fund unless that Fund’s minimum initial investment requirement is met.
  ¢   You should obtain and read the prospectus of the Goldman Sachs Fund into which automatic exchanges are made.
  ¢   An exchange is considered a redemption and a purchase and therefore may be a taxable transaction.

Can I Have Systematic Withdrawals Made On A Regular Basis?

You may redeem from your Class A or Class C Share account systematically via check or ACH transfer in any amount of $50 or more.

  ¢   It is normally undesirable to maintain a systematic withdrawal plan at the same time that you are purchasing additional Class A or Class C Shares because of the sales charges that are imposed on certain purchases of Class A Shares and because of the CDSCs that are imposed on certain redemptions of Class A and Class C Shares.
  ¢   Checks are normally mailed within two business days after your selected systematic withdrawal date of either the 15th or 25th of the month. ACH payments may take up to three business days to post to your account after your selected systematic withdrawal date between, and including, the 3rd and 26th of the month.
  ¢   Each systematic withdrawal is a redemption and therefore may be a taxable transaction.
  ¢   The CDSC applicable to Class A or Class C Shares redeemed under the systematic withdrawal plan may be waived. The Fund reserves the right to limit such redemptions, on an annual basis, to 12% of the value of your Class C Shares and 10% of the value of your Class A Shares.

What Types Of Reports Will I Be Sent Regarding My Investment?

Authorized Institutions are responsible for providing any communication from the Fund to shareholders, including but not limited to, prospectuses, prospectus supplements, proxy materials and notices regarding the source of dividend payments under Section 19 of the Investment Company Act. They may charge additional fees not described in this Prospectus to their customers for such services.

You will be provided with a printed confirmation of each transaction in your account and a quarterly account statement if you invest in Class A, Class C, Class IR or

 

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Class R Shares and a monthly account statement if you invest in Institutional Shares. If your account is held through your Authorized Institution, you will receive this information from your Authorized Institution.

You will also receive an annual shareholder report containing audited financial statements and a semi-annual shareholder report. If you have consented to the delivery of a single copy of shareholder reports, prospectuses and other information to all shareholders who share the same mailing address with your account, you may revoke your consent at any time by contacting your Authorized Institution or Goldman Sachs Funds at the appropriate phone number found on the back cover of this Prospectus. The Fund will begin sending individual copies to you within 30 days after receipt of your revocation. If your account is held through an Authorized Institution, please contact the Authorized Institution to revoke your consent.

 

  DISTRIBUTION AND SERVICE FEES     

What Are The Different Distribution And/or Service Fees Paid By The Fund’s Shares?

The Trust has adopted distribution and service plans (each a “Plan”) under which Class A, Class C and Class R Shares bear distribution and/or service fees paid to Goldman Sachs, some of which Goldman Sachs may pay to Authorized Institutions. Authorized Institutions seek distribution and/or servicing fee revenues to, among other things, offset the cost of servicing small and medium sized plan investors and providing information about the Fund. If the fees received by Goldman Sachs pursuant to the Plans exceed its expenses, Goldman Sachs may realize a profit from these arrangements. Goldman Sachs generally receives and pays the distribution and service fees on a quarterly basis.

Under the Plans, Goldman Sachs is entitled to a monthly fee from the Fund for distribution services equal, on an annual basis, to 0.25%, 0.75% and 0.50% of the Fund’s average daily net assets attributed to Class A, Class C and Class R Shares, respectively. Because these fees are paid out of the Fund’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 such charges.

The distribution fees are subject to the requirements of Rule 12b-1 under the Investment Company Act, and may be used (among other things) for:

  ¢   Compensation paid to and expenses incurred by Authorized Institutions, Goldman Sachs and their respective officers, employees and sales representatives;
  ¢   Commissions paid to Authorized Institutions;
  ¢   Allocable overhead;
  ¢   Telephone and travel expenses;

 

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  ¢   Interest and other costs associated with the financing of such compensation and expenses;
  ¢   Printing of prospectuses for prospective shareholders;
  ¢   Preparation and distribution of sales literature or advertising of any type; and
  ¢   All other expenses incurred in connection with activities primarily intended to result in the sale of Class A, Class C and Class R Shares.

In connection with the sale of Class C Shares, Goldman Sachs normally begins paying the 0.75% distribution fee as an ongoing commission to Authorized Institutions after the shares have been held for one year. Goldman Sachs normally begins accruing the annual 0.25% and 0.50% distribution fees for the Class A and Class R Shares, respectively, as ongoing commissions to Authorized Institutions immediately. Goldman Sachs generally pays the distribution fee on a quarterly basis.

 

  CLASS C PERSONAL AND ACCOUNT MAINTENANCE SERVICES AND FEES     

Under the Class C Plan, Goldman Sachs is also entitled to receive a separate fee equal on an annual basis to 0.25% of the Fund’s average daily net assets attributed to Class C Shares. This fee is for personal and account maintenance services, and may be used to make payments to Goldman Sachs, Authorized Institutions and their officers, sales representatives and employees for responding to inquiries of, and furnishing assistance to, shareholders regarding ownership of their shares or their accounts or similar services not otherwise provided on behalf of the Fund. If the fees received by Goldman Sachs pursuant to the Plan exceed its expenses, Goldman Sachs may realize a profit from this arrangement.

In connection with the sale of Class C Shares, Goldman Sachs normally begins paying the 0.25% ongoing service fee to Authorized Institutions after the shares have been held for one year.

 

  RESTRICTIONS ON EXCESSIVE TRADING PRACTICES     

Policies and Procedures on Excessive Trading Practices.   In accordance with the policy adopted by the Board of Trustees, the Trust discourages frequent purchases and redemptions of Fund shares and does not permit market timing or other excessive trading practices. Purchases and exchanges should be made with a view to longer-term investment purposes only that are consistent with the investment policies and practices of the Fund. Excessive, short-term (market timing) trading practices may disrupt portfolio management strategies, increase brokerage and administrative costs, harm Fund performance and result in dilution in the value of Fund shares held by longer-term shareholders. The Trust and Goldman Sachs reserve the right to reject or

 

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restrict purchase or exchange requests from any investor. The Trust and Goldman Sachs will not be liable for any loss resulting from rejected purchase or exchange orders. To minimize harm to the Trust and its shareholders (or Goldman Sachs), the Trust (or Goldman Sachs) will exercise this right if, in the Trust’s (or Goldman Sachs’) judgment, an investor has a history of excessive trading or if an investor’s trading, in the judgment of the Trust (or Goldman Sachs), has been or may be disruptive to the Fund. In making this judgment, trades executed in multiple accounts under common ownership or control may be considered together to the extent they can be identified. No waivers of the provisions of the policy established to detect and deter market timing and other excessive trading activity are permitted that would harm the Trust or its shareholders or would subordinate the interests of the Trust or its shareholders to those of Goldman Sachs or any affiliated person or associated person of Goldman Sachs.

To deter excessive shareholder trading, certain Goldman Sachs Funds offered in other prospectuses impose a redemption fee on redemptions made within 30 or 60 days of purchase subject to certain exceptions as described in those Goldman Sachs Funds’ prospectuses. As a further deterrent to excessive trading, many foreign equity securities held by the Goldman Sachs Funds are priced by an independent pricing service using fair valuation. For more information on fair valuation, please see “How To Buy Shares—How Are Shares Priced?”

Pursuant to the policy adopted by the Board of Trustees of the Trust, Goldman Sachs has developed criteria that it uses to identify trading activity that may be excessive. Excessive trading activity in the Fund is measured by the number of “round trip” transactions in a shareholder’s account. A “round trip” includes a purchase or exchange into the Fund followed or preceded by a redemption or exchange out of the Fund. If the Fund detects that a shareholder has completed two or more round trip transactions within a rolling 90-day period, the Fund may reject or restrict subsequent purchase or exchange orders by that shareholder permanently.

In addition, the Fund may, in its sole discretion, permanently reject or restrict purchase or exchange orders by a shareholder if the Fund detects other trading activity that is deemed to be disruptive to the management of the Fund or otherwise harmful to the Fund. For purposes of these transaction surveillance procedures, the Fund may consider trading activity in multiple accounts under common ownership, control, or influence. A shareholder that has been restricted from participation in the Fund pursuant to this policy will be allowed to apply for re-entry after one year. A shareholder applying for re-entry must provide assurances acceptable to the Fund that the shareholder will not engage in excessive trading activities in the future.

 

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Goldman Sachs may modify its surveillance procedures and criteria from time to time without prior notice regarding the detection of excessive trading or to address specific circumstances. Goldman Sachs will apply the criteria in a manner that, in Goldman Sachs’ judgment, will be uniform.

Fund shares may be held through omnibus arrangements maintained by Authorized Institutions, such as broker-dealers, investment advisers and insurance companies. In addition, Fund shares may be held in omnibus Employee Benefit Plans, Eligible Fee-Based Programs and other group accounts. Omnibus accounts include multiple investors and such accounts typically provide the Fund with a net purchase or redemption request on any given day where the purchases and redemptions of Fund shares by the investors are netted against one another. The identity of individual investors whose purchase and redemption orders are aggregated are ordinarily not tracked by the Fund on a regular basis. A number of these Authorized Institutions may not have the capability or may not be willing to apply the Fund’s market timing policies or any applicable redemption fee. While Goldman Sachs may monitor share turnover at the omnibus account level, the Fund’s ability to monitor and detect market timing by shareholders or apply any applicable redemption fee in these omnibus accounts may be limited in certain circumstances, and certain of these Authorized Institutions may charge the Fund a fee for providing certain shareholder financial information requested as part of the Fund’s surveillance process. The netting effect makes it more difficult to identify, locate and eliminate market timing activities. In addition, those investors who engage in market timing and other excessive trading activities may employ a variety of techniques to avoid detection. There can be no assurance that the Fund and Goldman Sachs will be able to identify all those who trade excessively or employ a market timing strategy, and curtail their trading in every instance. If necessary, the Trust may prohibit additional purchases of Fund shares by an Authorized Institution or by certain customers of the Authorized Institution. Authorized Institutions may also monitor their customers’ trading activities in the Fund. The criteria used by Authorized Institutions to monitor for excessive trading may differ from the criteria used by the Fund. If an Authorized Institution fails to cooperate in the implementation or enforcement of the Trust’s excessive trading policies, the Trust may take certain actions including terminating the relationship.

 

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Taxation

 

Certain U.S. Federal Income Tax Matters.   The following is a general summary of certain U.S. federal income tax considerations affecting the Fund and investors in the Fund. This discussion does not purport to be complete or to deal with all aspects of federal income taxation that may be relevant to you in light of your particular circumstances or to investors who are subject to special rules, such as banks, thrift institutions and certain other financial institutions, real estate investment trusts, regulated investment companies, insurance companies, brokers and dealers in securities or currencies, certain securities traders, S corporations, individual retirement accounts, certain tax-deferred accounts or foreign investors.

Unless otherwise noted, this discussion assumes that you are a U.S. Shareholder and that you hold Fund shares as capital assets. For purposes of this summary, a “U.S. Shareholder” means a beneficial owner of the Fund’s shares that, for U.S. federal income tax purposes, is (i) an individual who is a citizen or resident of the U.S., (ii) a corporation or other entity taxable as a corporation created in or organized under the laws of the U.S. or any state of the U.S., (iii) an estate the income of which is subject to U.S. federal income tax regardless of its source, or (iv) a trust if (A) a U.S. court is able to exercise primary supervision over the administration of such trust and one or more U.S. persons have the authority to control all substantial decisions of such trust or (B) the trust has a valid election in effect under applicable Treasury regulations to be treated as a U.S. person. If a partnership holds shares, the U.S. federal income tax treatment of a partner in such partnership generally will depend upon the status of the partner and the activities of the partnership. Partners of partnerships that hold shares should consult their tax advisors.

The following discussion is based upon the Internal Revenue Code, Treasury Regulations, judicial authorities, published positions of the IRS and other applicable authorities, all as in effect on the date of this prospectus and all of which are subject to change or differing interpretations (possibly with retroactive effect). No ruling has been or will be sought from the IRS regarding any matter discussed in this prospectus. Counsel to the Fund has not rendered any legal opinion regarding any tax consequences relating to the Fund or your investment in the Fund. No assurance can be given that the IRS would not assert, or that a court would not sustain, a position contrary to any of the tax information set out below.

Tax matters are complicated, and the tax consequences of an investment in and holding of the Fund’s shares will depend on the particular facts of each investor’s situation. You are advised to consult your own tax advisors with respect to the application to your own circumstances of the general federal income tax rules described below and with respect to

 

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other federal, state, local or foreign tax consequences to you before making an investment in the Fund’s shares.

Federal Income Taxation of the Fund .  Although the Internal Revenue Code generally provides that a regulated investment company does not pay an entity-level income tax, provided that it distributes all or substantially all of its income, the Fund does not meet current tests for qualification as a regulated investment company under Subchapter M of the Internal Revenue Code because of the fact that most or substantially all of the Fund’s investments will consist of investments in certain MLPs intended to be treated as partnerships for federal income tax purposes. The regulated investment company tax rules therefore do not apply to the Fund or to its shareholders. As a result, the Fund is treated as a corporation for federal and state income tax purposes, and will pay federal and state income tax on its taxable income.

The Fund invests primarily in MLPs, which generally are intended to be treated as partnerships for federal income tax purposes. As a partner in the MLPs, the Fund must report its allocable share of the MLPs’ taxable income or loss in computing the Fund’s taxable income or loss, regardless of the extent (if any) to which the MLPs make distributions. Based upon a review of the historic results of the type of MLPs in which the Fund intends to invest, the Fund expects that the cash flow received by the Fund with respect to its MLP investments will generally exceed the taxable income allocated to the Fund (and this excess generally will not be currently taxable to the Fund but, rather, will result in a reduction of the Fund’s adjusted tax basis in each MLP as described in the following paragraph). This is the result of a variety of factors, including significant non-cash deductions, such as accelerated depreciation. Past performance is not necessarily an indication of future results and there is no assurance that the Fund’s expectation regarding the tax character of MLP distributions will be realized. If this expectation is not realized and cash distributions are less than the taxable income allocated to the Fund, there may be greater tax expense borne by the Fund and less cash available to distribute to shareholders or to pay to expenses.

The Fund will be subject to U.S. federal income tax at the regular corporate income tax rates on the Fund’s share of any taxable income from the investment in MLPs and on gain recognized by the Fund on any sale of equity securities of an MLP. As explained above, cash distributions from an MLP to the Fund that exceed the Fund’s allocable share of such MLP’s net taxable income will reduce the Fund’s adjusted tax basis in the equity securities of the MLP. These reductions in the Fund’s adjusted tax basis in the MLP equity securities will increase the amount of gain (or decrease the amount of loss) recognized by the Fund on a subsequent sale of the securities of an MLP.

The Fund’s allocable share of certain percentage depletion deductions and intangible drilling costs of the MLPs in which the Fund invests may be treated as items of tax

 

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TAXATION

 

preference for purposes of calculating the Fund’s alternative minimum taxable income. Such items may increase the Fund’s alternative minimum taxable income and increase the likelihood that the Fund may be subject to the alternative minimum tax.

Federal Income Taxation of Holders of the Fund’s Shares—U.S. Shareholders.

Receipt of Distributions . Distributions made to you by the Fund (other than distributions in redemption of shares subject to Section 302(b) of the Internal Revenue Code) will generally constitute taxable dividends to the extent of your allocable share of the Fund’s current or accumulated earnings and profits, as calculated for federal income tax purposes. Generally, a corporation’s earnings and profits are computed based upon taxable income, with certain specified adjustments. As explained above, based upon the historic performance of the types of MLPs in which the Fund intends to invest, the Fund anticipates that the distributed cash from the MLPs generally will exceed the Fund’s share of the MLPs’ taxable income. Consequently, the Fund anticipates that only a portion of the Fund’s distributions will be treated as dividend income to you. To the extent that distributions to you exceed your allocable share of the Fund’s current and accumulated earnings and profits, your basis in the Fund’s shares with respect to which the distribution is made will be reduced, which will increase the amount of gain (or decrease the amount of loss) realized upon a subsequent sale or redemption of such shares. To the extent you hold such shares as a capital asset and have no further basis in the shares to offset the distribution, you will report the excess as capital gain.

Because the Fund will invest a substantial portion of its assets in MLPs, special rules will apply to the calculation of the Fund’s earnings and profits. For example, the Fund’s earnings and profits will be calculated using the straight-line depreciation method rather than the accelerated depreciation method. This difference in treatment may, for example, result in the Fund’s earnings and profits being higher than the Fund’s taxable income in a particular year if the MLPs in which the Fund invests calculate their income using accelerated depreciation. Because of these differences, the Fund may make distributions in a particular year out of earnings and profits (treated as dividends) in excess of the amount of the Fund’s taxable income for such year.

Distributions to you from the Fund treated as dividends under the foregoing rules generally will be taxable as ordinary income to you but are generally expected to be treated as “qualified dividend income” to eligible taxpayers. Qualified dividend income received by individuals and other noncorporate shareholders is taxed at long-term capital gain rates, which currently reach a maximum of 15%, or, for certain high income individuals, 20%. For a dividend to constitute qualified dividend income, the shareholder generally must hold the shares paying the dividend for more than 60 days during the 121-day period beginning 60 days before the ex-dividend date, although a longer period

 

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may apply if the shareholder engages in certain risk reduction transactions with respect to the common stock.

In addition to constituting qualified dividend income to noncorporate investors, such dividends are expected to be eligible for the dividends received deduction available to corporate shareholders of the Fund under Section 243 of the Internal Revenue Code. However, corporate shareholders of the Fund should be aware that certain limitations apply to the availability of the dividends received deduction, including rules which limit the deduction in cases where (i) certain holding period requirements are not met, (ii) a corporate shareholder of the Fund is obligated ( e.g. , pursuant to a short sale) to make related payments with respect to positions in substantially similar or related property, or (iii) the corporate shareholder’s investment in shares of the Fund is financed with indebtedness. Corporate shareholders of the Fund should consult their own tax advisors regarding the application of these limitations to their particular situations.

If you participate in the Fund’s automatic dividend reinvestment plan, upon the Fund’s payment of a dividend to you, you will be treated for federal income tax purposes as receiving a taxable distribution from the Fund in an amount equal to the fair market value of the shares issued to you under the plan. The portion of such a distribution that is treated as dividend income will be determined under the rules described above.

Redemptions and Sales of Shares .  A redemption of common shares will be treated as a sale or exchange of such shares, provided the redemption either: (i) is not essentially equivalent to a dividend; (ii) is a substantially disproportionate redemption; (iii) is a complete redemption of a shareholder’s entire interest in the Fund; or (iv) is in partial liquidation of the Fund. Redemptions that do not qualify for sale or exchange treatment will be treated as described in “Receipt of Distributions” above.

Upon a redemption treated as a sale or exchange under the foregoing rules, or upon a sale of your shares to a third party, you generally will recognize capital gain or loss equal to the difference between the cost of your shares and the amount you receive when you sell them. Any such capital gain or loss will be a long-term capital gain or loss if you held the shares for more than one year at the time of disposition. Long-term capital gains of noncorporate shareholders of the Fund (including individuals) are currently subject to U.S. federal income taxation at a maximum rate of 15%, or, for certain high income individuals, 20%. The deductibility of capital losses for both corporate and non-corporate shareholders of the Fund is subject to limitations under the Internal Revenue Code.

Investment by Tax-Exempt Investors and Regulated Investment Companies .  Employee benefit plans and most other organizations exempt from federal income tax, including individual retirement accounts and other retirement plans, are subject to federal income tax on their unrelated business taxable income, or UBTI. Because the Fund is a

 

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TAXATION

 

corporation for federal income tax purposes, an owner of the Fund’s shares will not report on its federal income tax return any items of income, gain, loss and deduction that are allocated to the Fund from the MLPs in which the Fund invests. Moreover, dividend income from, and gain from the sale of, corporate stock generally does not constitute UBTI unless the corporate stock is debt-financed. Therefore, a tax-exempt investor will not have UBTI attributable to its ownership, sale, or the redemption of the Fund’s shares unless its ownership is debt-financed. In general, shares are considered to be debt-financed if the tax-exempt owner of the shares incurred debt to acquire the shares or otherwise incurred a debt that would not have been incurred if the shares had not been acquired. Similarly, the income and gain realized from an investment in the Fund’s shares by an investor that is a regulated investment company will constitute qualifying income for the regulated investment company.

Foreign, State and Local Taxes .  It is possible that the Fund may be liable for foreign, state and local taxes payable in the country, state or locality in which it is a resident or doing business or in a country, state or locality in which an MLP in which the Fund invests conducts or is deemed to conduct business.

Medicare Tax .  An additional 3.8% Medicare tax will be imposed on certain net investment income (including ordinary dividends received from a Fund and net gains from redemptions or other taxable dispositions of Fund shares) of U.S. individuals, estates and trusts to the extent that such person’s “modified adjusted gross income” (in the case of an individual) or “adjusted gross income” (in the case of an estate or trust) exceed certain threshold amounts.

Cost Basis Reporting .  The Fund is required to report to you and the IRS annually on Form 1099-B not only the gross proceeds of Fund shares you sell or redeem but also their cost basis. Cost basis will generally be calculated using the Fund’s default method of first-in, first-out, unless you instruct the Fund to use a different methodology. If you would like to use the first-in, first-out method of calculation, no action is required. To elect an alternative method, you should contact Goldman Sachs Funds at the address or phone number on the back cover of this Prospectus. If your account is held with an Authorized Institution, contact your representative with respect to reporting of cost basis and available elections for your account.

Because your tax situation is unique, you should consult your tax professional about federal, state and local tax consequences.

Federal Income Taxation of Holders of the Fund’s Shares—Non-U.S. Shareholders.

For purposes of this summary, the term “Non-U.S. Shareholder” means a beneficial owner of the Fund’s shares that is not a U.S. Shareholder.

 

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Distributions to Non-U.S. Shareholders generally will be subject to U.S. federal withholding tax at the rate of 30% on distributions unless the tax is reduced or eliminated pursuant to a tax treaty or the distributions are effectively connected with a U.S. trade or business of the shareholder.

Any capital gain realized by a Non-U.S. Shareholder upon a sale or redemption of shares of the Fund will generally not be subject to U.S. federal income or withholding tax unless (i) the gain is effectively connected with the shareholder’s trade or business in the U.S., or in the case of a shareholder who is a nonresident alien individual, the shareholder is present in the U.S. for 183 days or more during the taxable year and certain other conditions are met or (ii) the Fund is or has been a U.S. real property holding corporation, as defined below, at any time within the five-year period preceding the date of disposition of the Fund’s shares or, if shorter, within the period during which the Non-U.S. Shareholder has held the common shares. Generally, a corporation is a U.S. real property holding corporation if the fair market value of its U.S. real property interests, as defined in the Internal Revenue Code and applicable regulations, equals or exceeds 50% of the aggregate fair market value of its worldwide real property interests and its other assets used or held for use in a trade or business. The Fund may be, or may prior to a Non-U.S. Shareholder’s disposition of shares become, a U.S. real property holding corporation.

Any Non-U.S. Shareholder who is described in one of the foregoing cases is urged to consult his, her or its own tax advisor regarding the U.S. federal income tax consequences of the redemption, sale, exchange or other disposition of shares of the Fund.

Non-U.S. shareholders of a Fund may also be subject to U.S. estate tax with respect to their shares of the Fund.

Effective July 1, 2014, the Fund will be required to withhold U.S. tax (at a 30% rate) on payments of dividends and (effective January 1, 2017) redemption proceeds and certain capital gain dividends made to certain non-U.S. entities that fail to comply (or be deemed compliant) with extensive new reporting and withholding requirements designed to inform the U.S. Department of the Treasury of U.S.-owned foreign investment accounts. Shareholders may be requested to provide additional information to enable the Fund to determine whether withholding is required.

Each Non-U.S. Shareholder should consult his, her or its tax adviser regarding the U.S. and non-U.S. tax consequences of ownership of the Fund’s shares and receipt of distributions from the Fund.

Backup Withholding

Federal regulations generally require the Fund to withhold and remit to the U.S. Treasury a “backup withholding” tax with respect to dividends and the proceeds of any redemption

 

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TAXATION

 

paid to you if you fail to furnish the Fund or the Fund’s paying agent with a properly completed and executed IRS Form W-9, W-8BEN or other applicable form. Furthermore, the Service may notify the Fund to institute backup withholding if the Service determines that your TIN is incorrect or if you have failed to properly report taxable dividends or interest on a federal tax return. A TIN is either the Social Security number or employer identification number of the record owner of the account. Any tax withheld as a result of backup withholding does not constitute an additional tax imposed on the record owner of the account and may be claimed as a credit on the record owner’s federal income tax return. The backup withholding rate is currently 28%.

 

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Appendix A

Additional Information on Portfolio

Risks, Securities and Techniques

 

  A.    General Portfolio Risks     

The Fund will be subject to the risks associated with MLPs and other equity investments, including common stocks, preferred stocks, interests in REITs, convertible debt obligations, convertible preferred stocks, equity interests in trusts, partnerships, joint ventures, limited liability companies and similar enterprises, PIPEs, other investment companies (including ETFs), warrants, stock purchase rights and synthetic and derivative instruments (such as swaps and futures contracts) that have economic characteristics similar to equity securities. In general, the values of equity investments fluctuate in response to the activities of individual companies and in response to general market and economic conditions. Accordingly, the values of the equity investments that the Fund holds may decline over short or extended periods. The stock markets tend to be cyclical, with periods when stock prices generally rise and periods when prices generally decline. This volatility means that the value of your investment in the Fund may increase or decrease. In recent years, certain stock markets have experienced substantial price volatility. To the extent the Fund’s net assets decrease or increase in the future due to price volatility or share redemption or purchase activity, the Fund’s expense ratio may correspondingly increase or decrease from the expense ratio disclosed in this Prospectus.

To the extent a Fund invests in pooled investment vehicles (including investment companies and ETFs), partnerships and REITs, the Fund will be affected by the investment policies, practices and performances of such entities in direct proportion to the amount of assets the Fund invests therein.

To the extent that the Fund invests in fixed income securities, the Fund will also be subject to the risks associated with its fixed income securities. These risks include interest rate risk, credit/default risk and call/extension risk. In general, interest rate risk involves the risk that when interest rates decline, the market value of fixed income securities tends to increase. Conversely, when interest rates increase, the market value of fixed income securities tends to decline. Credit/default risk involves the risk that an issuer or guarantor could default on its obligations, and the Fund will not recover its investment.

Non-investment grade fixed income securities (commonly known as “junk bonds”) are rated below investment grade (or determined to be of comparable credit quality, if not rated) and are therefore considered speculative. Because non-investment grade

 

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APPENDIX A

 

fixed income securities are issued by issuers with low credit ratings, they pose a greater risk of default than investment grade securities.

The Investment Adviser will not consider the portfolio turnover rate a limiting factor in making investment decisions for the Fund. A high rate of portfolio turnover (100% or more) involves correspondingly greater expenses which must be borne by the Fund and its shareholders. High portfolio turnover may result in the Fund’s recognition of gains (losses) that will increase (decrease) the Fund’s tax liability and thereby impact the amount of the Fund’s after-tax distributions. In addition, high portfolio turnover may increase the Fund’s current and accumulated earnings and profits, resulting in a greater portion of the Fund’s distributions being treated as taxable dividends for federal income tax purposes. The portfolio turnover rate is calculated by dividing the lesser of the dollar amount of sales or purchases of portfolio securities by the average monthly value of the Fund’s portfolio securities, excluding securities having a maturity at the date of purchase of one year or less.

The following sections provide further information on certain types of securities and investment techniques that may be used by the Fund, including their associated risks. Additional information is provided in the SAI, which is available upon request. Among other things, the SAI describes certain fundamental investment restrictions that cannot be changed without shareholder approval. You should note, however, that all investment objectives and all investment policies not specifically designated as fundamental are non-fundamental, and may be changed without shareholder approval. If there is a change in the Fund’s investment objective, you should consider whether the Fund remains an appropriate investment in light of your then current financial position and needs.

 

  B.    Other Portfolio Risks     

Risks of Private Investments.   The Fund may make private investments in public equities (“PIPE”). PIPE transactions typically involve the purchase of securities directly from a publicly traded company or its affiliates in a private placement transaction, typically at a discount to the market price of the company’s common stock. In a PIPE transaction, the Fund may bear the price risk from the time of pricing until the time of closing. Equity issued in this manner is often subject to transfer restrictions and is therefore less liquid than equity issued through a registered public offering. In a PIPE transaction, the Fund may bear the price risk from the time of pricing until the time of closing. The Fund may be subject to lock-up agreements that prohibit transfers for a fixed period of time. In addition, because the sale of the securities in a PIPE transaction is not registered under the Securities Act, the securities are “restricted” and cannot be immediately resold by the investors into the public markets. The Fund

 

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may enter into a registration rights agreement with the issuer pursuant to which the issuer commits to file a resale registration statement allowing the Fund to publicly resell its securities. Accordingly, PIPE securities may be deemed illiquid. However, the ability of the Fund to freely transfer the shares is conditioned upon, among other things, the SEC’s preparedness to declare the resale registration statement effective covering the resale, from time to time, of the shares sold in the private financing and the issuer’s right to suspend the Fund’s use of the resale registration statement if the issuer is pursuing a transaction or some other material non-public event is occurring. Accordingly, PIPE securities may be subject to risks associated with illiquid securities.

Risks of Investing in Mid-Capitalization and Small-Capitalization Companies.   The Fund may, to the extent consistent with its investment policies, invest in mid- and small-capitalization companies. Investments in mid- and small-capitalization companies involve greater risk and portfolio price volatility than investments in larger capitalization stocks. Among the reasons for the greater price volatility of these investments are the less certain growth prospects of smaller firms and the lower degree of liquidity in the markets for such securities. Mid- and small-capitalization companies may be thinly traded and may have to be sold at a discount from current market prices or in small lots over an extended period of time. In addition, these securities are subject to the risk that during certain periods the liquidity of particular issuers or industries, or all securities in particular investment categories, will shrink or disappear suddenly and without warning as a result of adverse economic or market conditions, or adverse investor perceptions whether or not accurate. Because of the lack of sufficient market liquidity, the Fund may incur losses because it will be required to effect sales at a disadvantageous time and only then at a substantial drop in price. Mid- and small-capitalization companies include “unseasoned” issuers that do not have an established financial history; often have limited product lines, markets or financial resources; may depend on or use a few key personnel for management; and may be susceptible to losses and risks of bankruptcy. Mid- and small-capitalization companies may be operating at a loss or have significant variations in operating results; may be engaged in a rapidly changing business with products subject to a substantial risk of obsolescence; may require substantial additional capital to support their operations, to finance expansion or to maintain their competitive position; and may have substantial borrowings or may otherwise have a weak financial condition. In addition, these companies may face intense competition, including competition from companies with greater financial resources, more extensive development, manufacturing, marketing, and other capabilities, and a larger number of qualified managerial and technical personnel. Transaction costs for these investments are often higher than those of larger capitalization companies. Investments in mid- and small-capitalization companies may be more difficult to price precisely than other types of securities because of their characteristics and lower trading volumes.

 

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APPENDIX A

 

Risks of Investing in Master Limited Partnerships.   Investments in securities of an MLP involve risks that differ from investments in common stock, including risks related to limited control and limited rights to vote on matters affecting the MLP, risks related to potential conflicts of interest between the MLP and the MLP’s general partner, cash flow risks, dilution risks and risks related to the general partner’s right to require unit-holders to sell their common units at an undesirable time or price. Many of the Fund’s investments in MLPs will be subject to legal and other restrictions on resale or will otherwise be less liquid than publicly traded securities. Certain MLP securities may trade in lower volumes due to their smaller capitalizations. Accordingly, those MLPs may be subject to more abrupt or erratic price movements and may lack sufficient market liquidity to enable the Fund to effect sales at an advantageous time or without a substantial drop in price. Investment in those MLPs may restrict the Fund’s ability to take advantage of other investment opportunities. If the Fund is one of the largest investors in certain MLPs, it may be more difficult for the Fund to buy and sell significant amounts of such investments without an unfavorable impact on prevailing market prices. Larger purchases or sales of MLP investments by the Fund in a short period of time may cause abnormal movements in the market price of these investments. As a result, these investments may be difficult to dispose of at a fair price at the times when the Fund believes it is desirable to do so. MLPs are generally considered interest-rate sensitive investments. During periods of interest rate volatility, these investments may not provide attractive returns. Depending on the state of interest rates in general, the use of MLPs could enhance or harm the overall performance of the Fund.

The Fund’s ability to meet its investment objective will depend largely on the amount of the distributions it receives from the MLPs (in relation to the taxable income, gains, losses, and deductions allocated to it). The amount and tax characterization of cash available for distribution by an MLP depends upon the amount of cash generated by such entity’s operations. Cash available for distribution by MLPs will vary widely from quarter to quarter and is affected by various factors affecting the entity’s operations. In addition to the risks described herein, operating costs, capital expenditures, acquisition costs, construction costs, exploration costs and borrowing costs may reduce the amount of cash that an MLP has available for distribution in a given period. MLPs have the ability to modify their distribution policies from time to time without input from or approval of the Fund.

Conflicts of interest may arise from incentive distribution payments paid to the general partner, or referral of business opportunities by the general partner or one of its affiliates to an entity other than the MLP. Holders of general partner or managing member interests typically receive incentive distribution rights, which provide them with an increasing share of the entity’s aggregate cash distributions upon the payment

 

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of per common unit distributions that exceed specified threshold levels above the minimum quarterly distribution (“MQD”). Due to the incentive distribution rights, general partners of MLPs have higher distribution growth prospects than their underlying MLPs, but quarterly incentive distribution payments would also decline at a greater rate than the decline rate in quarterly distributions to common and subordinated unit holders in the event of a reduction in the MLP’s quarterly distribution. The ability of the limited partners or members to remove the general partner or managing member without cause is typically very limited. In addition, some MLPs permit the holder of incentive distribution rights to reset, under specified circumstances, the incentive distribution levels and receive compensation in exchange for the distribution rights given up in the reset.

 

MLPs are subject to various risks related to the underlying operating companies they control, including dependence upon specialized management skills and the risk that those operating companies may lack or have limited operating histories. The success of the Fund’s investments in an MLP will vary depending on the underlying industry represented by the MLP’s portfolio. Certain MLPs in which the Fund may invest depend upon their parent or sponsor entities for the majority of their revenues. If the parent or sponsor entities fail to make payments or satisfy their obligations to an MLP, the revenues and cash flows of that MLP and ability of that MLP to make distributions to unit holders such as the Fund would be adversely affected.

Certain MLPs in which the Fund may invest depend upon a limited number of customers for substantially all of their revenue. Similarly, certain MLPs in which the Fund may invest depend upon a limited number of suppliers of goods or services to continue their operations. The loss of those customers or suppliers could have a material adverse effect on an MLP’s results of operations and cash flow, and on its ability to make distributions to unit holders such as the Fund.

The Fund is not responsible for operating MLPs and similar entities and cannot control or monitor their compliance with applicable tax, securities and other laws and regulations necessary for the profitability of such investments. Furthermore, the structures and terms of the MLPs and other entities described in this Prospectus may not be indicative of the structure and terms of every entity in which the Fund invests. Although the MLP sector has grown significantly in recent years, such market trends may not continue due to economic conditions, which are not predictable, or other factors.

Market prices generally will be unavailable for some of the Fund’s investments, including MLP subordinated units, direct ownership of general partner or managing member interests and restricted or unregistered securities of certain MLPs and private companies. The value of such securities will be determined by fair valuations

 

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APPENDIX A

 

determined by the Board of Directors or its designee in accordance with procedures governing the valuation of portfolio securities adopted by the Board of Directors. Proper valuation of such securities may require more reliance on the judgment of GSAM than for valuation of securities for which an active trading market exists.

Tax Risks .   Tax risks associated with investments in the Fund include but are not limited to the following:

  ¢   MLP Tax Risk. Much of the benefit that the Fund may derive from its investment in equity securities of MLPs is a result of MLPs generally being treated as partnerships for U.S. federal income tax purposes. Partnerships do not pay U.S. federal income tax at the partnership level. Rather, each partner is allocated a share of the partnership’s income, gains, losses, deductions and expenses. A change in current tax law, or a change in the underlying business mix of a given MLP, could result in an MLP being treated as a corporation for U.S. federal income tax purposes, which would result in the MLP being required to pay U.S. federal income tax (as well as state and local income taxes) on its taxable income. The classification of an MLP as a corporation for U.S. federal income tax purposes would have the effect of reducing the amount of cash available for distribution by the MLP. If any MLP in which the Fund invests were treated as a corporation for U.S. federal income tax purposes, it could result in a reduction of the value of the Fund’s investment in the MLP and lower income to the Fund.

To the extent that the Fund invests in the equity securities of an MLP classified as a partnership, the Fund will be required to include in its taxable income the Fund’s allocable share of the income, gains, losses and deductions recognized by each such MLP and take into account its allocable share of the MLP’s tax credits, regardless of whether the MLP distributes cash to the Fund. Based upon a review of the historic results of the type of MLPs in which the Fund intends to invest, the Fund expects that the cash distributions it will receive with respect its investments in equity securities of MLPs will exceed the taxable income allocated to the Fund from such MLPs. No assurance, however, can be given in this regard. If this expectation is not realized, the Fund will have a larger corporate income tax expense than expected, which will result in less cash available to distribute to shareholders.

The portion of an MLP’s distributions to the Fund which are not derived from the MLP’s taxable income (return of capital distributions) generally will not be taxable to the Fund unless the amount distributed exceeds the Fund’s basis in its interest in the MLP. Distributions received by the Fund from an MLP will reduce the Fund’s adjusted basis in its interest in the MLP, but not below zero. A reduced basis generally will result in an increase in the amount of gain (or decrease in the

 

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amount of loss) that will be recognized by the Fund for tax purposes on the sale of its interest in the MLP. Distributions from an MLP to the Fund in excess of the Fund’s basis in the MLP generally will be taxable to the Fund as capital gain. The Fund will not benefit from current favorable federal income tax rates on long-term capital gains because it will be taxed as a corporation for federal income tax purposes. Furthermore, any return of capital distribution received from the MLP may require the Fund to restate the character of its distributions and amend any shareholder tax reporting previously issued.

Historically, energy and certain other MLPs have been able to offset a significant portion of their taxable income with tax deductions. The Fund will incur a current income tax liability on the portion of its share of the income and gain from each MLP investment that is not offset by its share of the MLP’s tax deductions, by its share of the MLPs’ tax credits or by the Fund’s net operating losses or net operating loss carryforwards, if any. The percentage of an MLP’s income that is offset by the MLP’s tax deductions will fluctuate over time. For example, new acquisitions of depreciable property by MLPs tend to generate accelerated depreciation and other tax deductions, and therefore a decline in acquisition activity by such MLPs owned by the Fund could increase the Fund’s current tax liability. If the percentage of the income allocated to the Fund that is offset by tax deductions declines, or the Fund’s portfolio turnover increases, the Fund could incur increased tax liabilities and the portion of the distributions paid by the Fund that is treated as tax-deferred return of capital would be reduced and the portion treated as taxable dividend income would be increased. This generally would result in lower after-tax distributions to shareholders. If the amount of a Fund distribution to U.S. shareholders exceeds the Fund’s current and accumulated earnings and profits, such excess will be treated first as a tax-free return of capital to the extent of, and in reduction of, U.S. shareholders’ tax basis in the shares, and thereafter as capital gain. Any such capital gain will be long-term capital gain if such U.S. shareholder has held the applicable shares for more than one year. The portion of the distribution received by the U.S. shareholder from the Fund that constitutes a return of capital will decrease the U.S. shareholder’s tax basis in his or her Fund shares (but not below zero), which will result in an increase in the amount of gain (or decrease in the amount of loss) that will be recognized by the U.S. shareholder for tax purposes on the later sale of such Fund shares.

Depreciation or other cost recovery deductions passed through to the Fund from investments in MLPs in a given year generally will reduce the Fund’s taxable income (and earnings and profits), but those deductions may be recaptured in the Fund’s taxable income (and earnings and profits) in subsequent years when the MLPs dispose of their assets or when the Fund disposes of its interests in the

 

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APPENDIX A

 

MLPs. When deductions are recaptured, distributions to the Fund’s shareholders may be taxable, even though the shareholders at the time of the distribution might not have held shares in the Fund at the time the deductions were taken by the Fund, and even though the Fund’s shareholders at the time of the distribution will not have corresponding economic gain on their shares at the time of the distribution.

The portion of the distributions received by the Fund each year that is considered a return of capital from the MLPs will not be known until the Fund receives a schedule K-1 for that year with respect to each of its MLP investments. The Fund’s tax liability will not be known until the Fund completes its annual tax return. The Fund’s tax estimates could vary substantially from the actual liability and therefore the determination of the Fund’s actual tax liability may have a material impact on the Fund’s NAV. The payment of corporate income taxes imposed on the Fund will decrease cash available for distribution to shareholders.

  ¢   Fund Structure Risk. Unlike traditional mutual funds that are structured as regulated investment companies for U.S. federal income tax purposes, the Fund will be taxable as a regular corporation, or “C” corporation, for U.S. federal income tax purposes. This means the Fund generally will be subject to U.S. federal income tax on its taxable income at the rates applicable to corporations (currently a maximum rate of 35%), and will also be subject to state and local income taxes.

While not required to do so, the Fund currently anticipates making distributions to its shareholders each fiscal quarter (February, May, August, November) at a rate that is approximately equal to the distribution rate the Fund receives from the MLPs and other securities in which it invests, including income, if any. Consequently, the Fund may maintain cash reserves, borrow or may be required to sell certain investments at times when it would not otherwise be desirable to do so in order to pay the expenses of the Fund. Such sales could result in the Fund’s recognition of taxable income and gains, could result in the imposition of U.S. federal, state and local corporate income taxes on the Fund, and may increase the Fund’s current and accumulated earnings and profits, which would result in a greater portion of distributions to Fund shareholders being treated as dividends. This practice also could require the Fund to sell an investment at a price lower than the price at which it is valued, or lower than the price the Fund could have obtained if it were able to sell the investment at a more advantageous time.

Unlike the MLP investments in which it invests, the Fund is not a pass-through vehicle. Consequently, the tax characterization of the distributions paid by the Fund, as dividend income or return of capital, may differ greatly from those of the underlying MLPs.

 

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Changes in tax laws or regulations, or future interpretations of such laws or regulations, could adversely affect the Fund or the MLPs in which the Fund invests. Legislation could also negatively impact the amount and tax characterization of dividends received by the Fund’s shareholders. Congress could significantly change the tax regime in the United States and impose a flat tax on gross income or take other actions which would eliminate the tax benefits of depreciation, depletion and amortization deductions realized by MLPs. Alternatively, Congress could impose a tax on pass-through entities such as MLPs or eliminate the use of pass-through taxation entirely. The tax benefits of depreciation, depletion and amortization deductions realized by MLPs effectively defer the income of the MLPs and, in turn, the taxable income of the Fund. Without these benefits the Fund would be subject to current U.S. federal, state and local corporate income taxes on a greater proportion of its allocable share of the income and gains of MLPs in which it invests, and the Fund’s ability to pay distributions treated as return-of-capital distributions or as capital gains would be reduced. Imposing a tax on pass-through entities and/or eliminating the use of pass-through taxation entirely could result in three levels of tax—at the MLP level, the Fund level and the shareholder level.

  ¢   Tax Estimation/NAV Risk. Because the Fund is treated as a regular corporation, or a “C” corporation, for U.S. federal income tax purposes, the Fund will incur tax expenses. In calculating the Fund’s daily NAV, the Fund will account for its current taxes and deferred tax liability and/or asset balances.

The Fund may accrue a deferred income tax liability balance at the rates applicable to corporations, plus an estimated state and local income tax rate, for its future tax liability associated with the capital appreciation of its investments and the distributions received by the Fund on equity securities of MLPs considered to be return of capital and for any net operating gains. Any deferred tax liability balance will reduce the Fund’s NAV. Upon the Fund’s sale of its interest in an MLP, the Fund may be liable for previously deferred taxes. The Fund may also accrue a deferred tax asset balance, which reflects an estimate of the Fund’s future tax benefit associated with net operating losses and unrealized losses. Any deferred tax asset balance will increase the Fund’s NAV. To the extent the Fund has a deferred tax asset balance, the Fund will assess whether a valuation allowance, which would offset the value of some or all of the Fund’s deferred tax asset balance, is required, considering all positive and negative evidence related to the realization of the Fund’s deferred tax asset. To the extent a valuation allowance differs from the estimates of the Fund used in calculating the Fund’s daily NAV, the application of such valuation allowance could have a material impact on the Fund’s NAV.

 

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APPENDIX A

 

An estimate of current taxes and deferred tax liability and/or asset balances is dependent upon the Fund’s net investment income and unrealized gains on investments and such expenses may vary greatly from year to year depending on the nature of the Fund’s investments, the performance of those investments and general market conditions. Therefore, any estimate of current taxes and deferred income tax liability and/or asset balances cannot be reliably predicted from year to year.

The Fund’s deferred tax liability and/or asset balances are estimated using estimates of effective tax rates expected to apply to taxable income in the years such balances are realized. The Fund will rely to some extent on information provided by MLPs regarding the tax characterization of the distributions made by such MLPs, which may not be provided to the Fund on a timely basis, to estimate the Fund’s current taxes and deferred tax liability and/or asset balances for purposes of financial statement reporting and determining its NAV. The Fund’s estimates regarding its current taxes and deferred tax liability and/or asset balances are made in good faith; however, the daily estimate of the Fund’s current taxes and deferred tax liability and/or asset balances used to calculate the Fund’s NAV could vary significantly from the Fund’s actual tax liability or benefit, and, as a result, the determination of the Fund’s actual tax liability or benefit may have a material impact on the Fund’s NAV. From time to time, the Fund may modify its estimates or assumptions regarding its current taxes and deferred tax liability and/or asset balances as new information becomes available. Modifications of the Fund’s estimates or assumptions regarding its current taxes and deferred tax liability and/or asset balances and any applicable valuation allowance, changes in generally accepted accounting principles or related guidance or interpretations thereof, limitations imposed on net operating losses (if any) and changes in applicable tax law could result in increases or decreases in the Fund’s NAV, which could be material. Unexpected significant decreases in cash distributions from the Fund’s MLP investments or significant declines in the fair value of its investments may change the Fund’s assessment regarding the recoverability of its deferred tax assets and may result in a valuation allowance. If a valuation allowance is required to reduce any deferred tax asset in the future, it could have a material impact on the Fund’s NAV and results of operations with respect to the Fund’s shareholders in the period it is recorded, even though the shareholders at such time might not have held shares in the Fund at the time the deferred tax asset had been established.

Risks of Investing in the Energy Sector.   Many MLPs in which the Fund may invest operate oil, gas or petroleum facilities, or other facilities within the energy sector. As a result, the Fund will be concentrated in the energy sector, and will therefore be susceptible to adverse economic, environmental or regulatory occurrences affecting that sector. A downturn in the energy sector could have a larger impact on the Fund

 

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than on funds that are broadly diversified across many sectors and industries. At times, the performance of securities of companies in the energy sector may lag behind the performance of other sectors or industries or the broader market as a whole. MLPs and other companies operating in the energy sector are subject to specific risks, including, but not limited to, the following:

Commodity Pricing Risk.   MLPs and other companies operating in the energy sector may be affected by fluctuations in the prices of energy commodities, including, for example, natural gas, natural gas liquids, crude oil and coal in the short-term and long-term. Fluctuations in energy commodity prices would directly impact companies that own such energy commodities and could indirectly impact companies that engage in transportation, storage, processing, distribution or marketing of such energy commodities. Fluctuations in energy commodity prices can result from changes in general economic conditions or political circumstances (especially of key energy producing and consuming countries); market conditions; weather patterns; domestic production levels; volume of imports; energy conservation; domestic and foreign governmental regulation; international politics; policies of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (“OPEC”); taxation; tariffs; and the availability and costs of local, intrastate and interstate transportation methods. The energy sector as a whole may also be impacted by the perception that the performance of energy sector companies is directly linked to commodity prices. High commodity prices may drive further energy conservation efforts, and a slowing economy may adversely impact energy consumption, which may adversely affect the performance of MLPs and other companies operating in the energy sector.

Supply and Demand Risk.   MLPs and other companies operating in the energy sector may be impacted by the levels of supply and demand for energy commodities. The volume of production of energy commodities and the volume of energy commodities available for transportation, storage, processing or distribution could be affected by a variety of factors, including: depletion of resources; depressed commodity prices; catastrophic events; labor relations; increased environmental or other governmental regulation; equipment malfunctions and maintenance difficulties; import volumes; international politics, policies of OPEC; and increased competition from alternative energy sources. Alternatively, a decline in demand for energy commodities could result from factors such as: adverse economic conditions (especially in key energy-consuming countries); increased taxation; increased environmental or other governmental regulation; increased fuel economy; increased energy conservation or use of alternative energy sources; legislation intended to promote the use of alternative energy sources; or increased commodity prices.

Depletion Risk.   Energy reserves naturally deplete as they are consumed over time. MLPs and other companies operating in the energy sector rely on the expansion of

 

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APPENDIX A

 

reserves through exploration of new sources of supply or the development of existing sources in order to grow or maintain their revenues. The financial performance of MLPs and other companies operating in the energy sector may be adversely affected if they, or the companies to whom they provide services, are unable to cost-effectively acquire additional energy deposits sufficient to replace the natural decline of existing reserves. If an energy company is not able to raise capital on favorable terms, it may not be able to add to or maintain its reserves.

Environmental and Regulatory Risk.   The energy sector is highly regulated. MLPs and other companies operating in the energy sector are subject to significant regulation of nearly every aspect of their operations by federal, state and local governmental agencies. Such regulation can change over time in both scope and intensity. For example, a particular by-product may be declared hazardous by a regulatory agency and unexpectedly increase production costs. Various governmental authorities have the power to enforce compliance with these regulations and the permits issued under them, and violators are subject to administrative, civil and criminal penalties, including civil fines, injunctions or both.

There is an inherent risk that MLPs and other companies operating in the energy sector may incur environmental costs and liabilities due to the nature of their businesses and the substances they handle. For example, an accidental release from wells or energy assets could subject an MLP to substantial liabilities for environmental cleanup and restoration costs, claims made by neighboring landowners and other third parties for personal injury and property damage, and fines or penalties for related violations of environmental laws or regulations.

Specifically, the operations of wells, gathering systems, pipelines, refineries and other facilities are subject to stringent and complex federal, state and local environmental laws and regulations. These include, for example: the Federal Clean Air Act and comparable state laws and regulations that impose obligations related to air emissions; the Federal Clean Water Act and comparable state laws and regulations that impose obligations related to discharges of pollutants into regulated bodies of water; the Federal Resource Conservation and Recovery Act and comparable state laws and regulations that impose requirements for the handling and disposal of waste from facilities; and the Federal Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act of 1980, also known as “Superfund,” and comparable state laws and regulations that regulate the cleanup of hazardous substances that may have been released at properties currently or previously owned or operated by MLPs or at locations to which they have sent waste for disposal.

Pipeline MLPs and other pipeline companies are subject to regulation by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (“FERC”) with respect to tariff rates these companies

 

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may charge for interstate pipeline transportation services. An adverse determination by FERC with respect to the tariff rates of a pipeline MLP could have a material adverse effect on the business, financial condition, results of operations, cash flows and prospects of that pipeline MLP and its ability to make cash distributions to its equity owners. Moreover, the possibility exists that stricter laws, regulations or enforcement policies could be enacted in the future that would significantly increase compliance costs and remediation costs, thus adversely affecting the financial performance of MLPs. MLPs may not be able to recover remediation costs from insurance.

Hydraulic fracturing, or “fracking,” is a relatively new technique for releasing and extracting natural gas trapped in underground shale formations. The fracking sector is facing allegations from environmentalists and some landowners that the technique may cause serious difficulties, which has led to uncertainty about the nature, extent, and cost of the environmental regulation to which it may ultimately be subject.

Voluntary initiatives and mandatory controls have been adopted or are being discussed both in the United States and worldwide to reduce emissions of “greenhouse gases” such as carbon dioxide, a by-product of burning fossil fuels, and methane, the major constituent of natural gas, which many scientists and policymakers believe contribute to global climate change. These measures and future measures could result in increased costs to certain MLPs and other companies in which the Fund may invest to operate and maintain facilities and administer and manage a greenhouse gas emissions program and may reduce demand for fuels that generate green house gases and that are managed or produced by MLPs in which the Fund may invest.

Weather Risk.   Weather plays a role in the seasonality of some MLPs’ cash flows. MLPs and other companies in the propane sector, for example, rely on the winter season to generate almost all of their earnings. In an unusually warm winter season, propane MLPs experience decreased demand for their product. Although most MLPs can reasonably predict seasonal weather demand based on normal weather patterns, extreme weather conditions, such as hurricanes, can adversely affect performance and cash flows of the MLPs.

Catastrophic Event Risk.   MLPs and other companies operating in the energy sector are subject to many dangers inherent in the production, exploration, management, transportation, processing and distribution of natural gas, natural gas liquids, crude oil, refined petroleum and petroleum products and other hydrocarbons. These dangers include leaks, fires, explosions, damage to facilities and equipment resulting from natural disasters, inadvertent damage to facilities and equipment and terrorist acts. Since the September 11 terrorist attacks, the U.S. government has issued warnings that energy assets, specifically U.S. pipeline infrastructure, may be targeted in future

 

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APPENDIX A

 

terrorist attacks. These dangers give rise to risks of substantial losses as a result of loss or destruction of commodity reserves; damage to or destruction of property, facilities and equipment; pollution and environmental damage; and personal injury or loss of life. Any occurrence of such catastrophic events could bring about a limitation, suspension or discontinuation of the operations of MLPs and other companies operating in the energy sector. MLPs and other companies operating in the energy sector may not be fully insured against all risks inherent in their business operations and therefore accidents and catastrophic events could adversely affect such companies’ financial conditions and ability to pay distributions to shareholders.

Acquisition Risk.   MLPs owned by the Fund may depend on their ability to make acquisitions that increase adjusted operating surplus per unit in order to increase distributions to unit holders. The ability of such MLPs to make future acquisitions is dependent on their ability to identify suitable targets, negotiate favorable purchase contracts, obtain acceptable financing and outbid competing potential acquirers. To the extent that MLPs are unable to make future acquisitions, or such future acquisitions fail to increase the adjusted operating surplus per unit, their growth and ability to make distributions will be limited. There are risks inherent in any acquisition, including: erroneous assumptions regarding revenues, acquisition expenses, operating expenses, cost savings and synergies; assumption of unknown liabilities; indemnification; customer losses; key employee defections; distraction from other business operations; and unanticipated difficulties in operating or integrating new product areas and geographic regions. Furthermore, even if an MLP does consummate an acquisition that it believes will be accretive, the acquisition may instead result in a decrease in free cash flow.

Interest Rate Risk.   Rising interest rates could increase the costs of capital thereby increasing operating costs and reducing the ability of MLPs and other companies operating in the energy sector to carry out acquisitions or expansions in a cost-effective manner. As a result, rising interest rates could negatively affect the financial performance of MLPs and other companies operating in the energy sector. Rising interest rates may also impact the price of the securities of MLPs and other companies operating in the energy sector as the yields on alternative investments increase.

Industry Specific Risks.   MLPs and other companies operating in the energy sector are also subject to risks that are specific to the industry in which they operate.

 

  ¢  

Pipeline.   Pipeline companies are subject to many risks, including varying demand for crude oil, natural gas, natural gas liquids or refined products in the markets served by the pipeline; changes in the availability of products for gathering, transportation, processing or sale due to natural declines in reserves and production in the supply areas serviced by the companies’ facilities; sharp decreases in crude

 

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oil or natural gas prices that cause producers to curtail production or reduce capital spending for exploration activities; and environmental regulation. Specifically, demand for gasoline, which accounts for a substantial portion of refined product transportation, depends on price, prevailing economic conditions in the markets served, and demographic and seasonal factors.

 

  ¢   Gathering and processing.   Gathering and processing companies are subject to natural declines in the production of oil and natural gas fields, which utilize their gathering and processing facilities as a way to market their production, prolonged declines in the price of natural gas or crude oil, which curtails drilling activity and therefore production, and declines in the prices of natural gas liquids and refined petroleum products, which cause lower processing margins. In addition, some gathering and processing contracts subject the gathering or processing company to direct commodities price risk.

 

  ¢   Midstream.   Midstream MLPs and other companies that provide crude oil, refined product and natural gas services are subject to supply and demand fluctuations in the markets they serve which may be impacted by a wide range of factors including fluctuating commodity prices, weather, increased conservation or use of alternative fuel sources, increased governmental or environmental regulation, depletion, rising interest rates, declines in domestic or foreign production, accidents or catastrophic events, and economic conditions, among others.

 

  ¢  

Exploration and production.   Exploration, development and production companies are particularly vulnerable to declines in the demand for and prices of crude oil and natural gas. Reductions in prices for crude oil and natural gas can cause a given reservoir to become uneconomic for continued production earlier than it would if prices were higher, resulting in the plugging and abandonment of, and cessation of production from, that reservoir. In addition, lower commodity prices not only reduce revenues but also can result in substantial downward adjustments in reserve estimates. The accuracy of any reserve estimate is a function of the quality of available data, the accuracy of assumptions regarding future commodity prices and future exploration and development costs and engineering and geological interpretations and judgments. Different reserve engineers may make different estimates of reserve quantities and related revenue based on the same data. Actual oil and gas prices, development expenditures and operating expenses will vary from those assumed in reserve estimates, and these variances may be significant. Any significant variance from the assumptions used could result in the actual quantity of reserves and future net cash flow being materially different from those estimated in reserve reports. In addition, results of drilling, testing and production and changes in prices after the date of reserve estimates may result in downward

 

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APPENDIX A

 

 

revisions to such estimates. Substantial downward adjustments in reserve estimates could have a material adverse effect on a given exploration and production company’s financial position and results of operations. In addition, due to natural declines in reserves and production, exploration and production companies must economically find or acquire and develop additional reserves in order to maintain and grow their revenues and distributions.

 

  ¢   Oil.   In addition to the risks applicable to pipeline companies described above, gathering and processing companies and exploration and production companies, (companies involved in the transportation, gathering, processing, exploration, development or production of crude oil or refined petroleum products) may be adversely affected by increased regulations, increased operating costs and reductions in the supply of and/or demand for crude oil and refined petroleum products. Increased regulation may result in a decline in production and/or increased cost associated with offshore oil exploration in the United States and around the world, which may adversely affect certain MLPs and the oil industry in general.

 

  ¢   Propane.   Propane companies are subject to earnings variability based upon weather patterns in the locations where they operate and increases in the wholesale price of propane which reduce profit margins. In addition, propane companies are facing increased competition due to the growing availability of natural gas, fuel oil and alternative energy sources for residential heating.

 

  ¢   Coal.   Coal companies are subject to declines in the demand for and prices of coal. Demand variability can be based on weather conditions, the strength of the domestic economy, the level of coal stockpiles in their customer base, and the prices of competing sources of fuel for electric generation. They are also subject to supply variability based on geological conditions that reduce the productivity of mining operations, the availability of regulatory permits for mining activities and the availability of coal that meets the standards of the Clean Air Act of 1990, as amended.

 

  ¢   Power Infrastructure.   Power infrastructure companies are subject to many risks, including earnings variability based upon weather patterns in the locations where the company operates, the change in the demand for electricity, the cost to produce power, and the regulatory environment. Further, share prices are partly based on the interest rate environment, the sustainability and potential growth of the dividend, and the outcome of various rate cases undertaken by the company or a regulatory body.

 

  ¢  

Marine Transportation.   Marine transportation (or “tanker”) companies are exposed to the highly cyclical nature of the tanker industry and may be subject to volatile changes in charter rates and vessel values, which may adversely affect the

 

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earnings of tanker companies. Fluctuations in charter rates and vessel values result from changes in the supply and demand for tanker capacity and changes in the supply and demand for oil and oil products. Changes in demand for transportation of oil over longer distances and the supply of tankers to carry that oil may materially affect the revenues, profitability and cash flows of tanker companies. The successful operation of vessels in the charter market depends upon, among other things, obtaining profitable spot charters and minimizing time spent waiting for charters and traveling unladen to pick up cargo. The value of tanker vessels may fluctuate and could adversely affect the value of tanker company securities in the Fund’s portfolio. Declining tanker values could affect the ability of tanker companies to raise cash by limiting their ability to refinance their vessels, thereby adversely impacting tanker company liquidity. Tanker company vessels are at risk of damage or loss because of events such as mechanical failure, collision, human error, war, terrorism, piracy, cargo loss and bad weather. In addition, changing economic, regulatory and political conditions in some countries, including political and military conflicts, have from time to time resulted in attacks on vessels, mining of waterways, piracy, terrorism, labor strikes, boycotts and government requisitioning of vessels. These sorts of events could interfere with shipping lanes and result in market disruptions and a significant loss of tanker company earnings.

Risks of Foreign Investments.   The Fund may make foreign investments. Foreign investments involve special risks that are not typically associated with U.S. dollar denominated or quoted securities of U.S. issuers. Foreign investments may be affected by changes in currency rates, changes in foreign or U.S. laws or restrictions applicable to such investments and changes in exchange control regulations ( e.g. , currency blockage). A decline in the exchange rate of the currency ( i.e. , weakening of the currency against the U.S. dollar) in which a portfolio security is quoted or denominated relative to the U.S. dollar would reduce the value of the portfolio security. In addition, if the currency in which the Fund receives dividends, interest or other payments declines in value against the U.S. dollar before such income is distributed as dividends to shareholders or converted to U.S. dollars, the Fund may have to sell portfolio securities to obtain sufficient cash to pay such dividends.

Brokerage commissions, custodial services and other costs relating to investment in international securities markets generally are more expensive than in the United States. In addition, clearance and settlement procedures may be different in foreign countries and, in certain markets, such procedures have been unable to keep pace with the volume of securities transactions, thus making it difficult to conduct such transactions.

Foreign issuers are not generally subject to uniform accounting, auditing and financial reporting standards comparable to those applicable to U.S. issuers. There may be less publicly available information about a foreign issuer than about a U.S. issuer. In

 

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APPENDIX A

 

addition, there is generally less government regulation of foreign markets, companies and securities dealers than in the United States, and the legal remedies for investors may be more limited than the remedies available in the United States. Foreign securities markets may have substantially less volume than U.S. securities markets and securities of many foreign issuers are less liquid and more volatile than securities of comparable domestic issuers. Furthermore, with respect to certain foreign countries, there is a possibility of nationalization, expropriation or confiscatory taxation, imposition of withholding or other taxes on dividend or interest payments (or, in some cases, capital gains distributions), limitations on the removal of funds or other assets from such countries, and risks of political or social instability or diplomatic developments which could adversely affect investments in those countries.

Concentration of the Fund’s assets in one or a few countries and currencies will subject the Fund to greater risks than if the Fund’s assets were not geographically concentrated.

Investments in foreign securities may take the form of sponsored and unsponsored American Depositary Receipts (“ADRs”), Global Depositary Receipts (“GDRs”), European Depositary Receipts (“EDRs”) or other similar instruments representing securities of foreign issuers. ADRs, GDRs and EDRs represent the right to receive securities of foreign issuers deposited in a bank or other depository. ADRs and certain GDRs are traded in the United States. GDRs may be traded in either the United States or in foreign markets. EDRs are traded primarily outside the United States. Prices of ADRs are quoted in U.S. dollars. EDRs and GDRs are not necessarily quoted in the same currency as the underlying security.

Risks of Emerging Countries.   The Fund may invest in securities of issuers located in emerging countries. The risks of foreign investment are heightened when the issuer is located in an emerging country. Emerging countries are generally located in Africa, Asia, the Middle East, Eastern and Central Europe and Central and South America. The Fund’s purchase and sale of portfolio securities in certain emerging countries may be constrained by limitations relating to daily changes in the prices of listed securities, periodic trading or settlement volume and/or limitations on aggregate holdings of foreign investors. Such limitations may be computed based on the aggregate trading volume by or holdings of the Fund, the Investment Adviser, or their affiliates and respective clients and other service providers. The Fund may not be able to sell securities in circumstances where price, trading or settlement volume limitations have been reached.

Foreign investment in the securities markets of certain emerging countries is restricted or controlled to varying degrees which may limit investment in such countries or increase the administrative costs of such investments. For example, certain Asian

 

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countries require governmental approval prior to investments by foreign persons or limit investment by foreign persons to only a specified percentage of an issuer’s outstanding securities or a specific class of securities which may have less advantageous terms (including price) than securities of the issuer available for purchase by nationals. In addition, certain countries may restrict or prohibit investment opportunities in issuers or industries deemed important to national interests. Such restrictions may affect the market price, liquidity and rights of securities that may be purchased by the Fund. The repatriation of both investment income and capital from certain emerging countries is subject to restrictions such as the need for governmental consents. In situations where a country restricts direct investment in securities (which may occur in certain Asian and other countries), the Fund may invest in such countries through other investment funds in such countries.

Many emerging countries have experienced currency devaluations and substantial (and, in some cases, extremely high) rates of inflation. Other emerging countries have experienced economic recessions. These circumstances have had a negative effect on the economies and securities markets of such emerging countries. Economies in emerging countries generally are dependent heavily upon commodity prices and international trade and, accordingly, have been and may continue to be affected adversely by the economies of their trading partners, trade barriers, exchange controls, managed adjustments in relative currency values and other protectionist measures imposed or negotiated by the countries with which they trade.

Many emerging countries are subject to a substantial degree of economic, political and social instability. Governments of some emerging countries are authoritarian in nature or have been installed or removed as a result of military coups, while governments in other emerging countries have periodically used force to suppress civil dissent. Disparities of wealth, the pace and success of democratization, and ethnic, religious and racial disaffection, among other factors, have also led to social unrest, violence and/or labor unrest in some emerging countries. Unanticipated political or social developments may result in sudden and significant investment losses. Investing in emerging countries involves greater risk of loss due to expropriation, nationalization, confiscation of assets and property or the imposition of restrictions on foreign investments and on repatriation of capital invested. As an example, in the past, some Eastern European governments have expropriated substantial amounts of private property, and many claims of the property owners have never been fully settled. There is no assurance that similar expropriations will not occur in other countries.

The Fund’s investment in emerging countries may also be subject to withholding or other taxes, which may be significant and may reduce the return to the Fund from an investment in issuers in such countries.

 

 

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Settlement procedures in emerging countries are frequently less developed and reliable than those in the United States and may involve the Fund’s delivery of securities before receipt of payment for their sale. In addition, significant delays may occur in certain markets in registering the transfer of securities. Settlement or registration problems may make it more difficult for the Fund to value its portfolio securities and could cause the Fund to miss attractive investment opportunities, to have a portion of its assets uninvested or to incur losses due to the failure of a counterparty to pay for securities the Fund has delivered or the Fund’s inability to complete its contractual obligations because of theft or other reasons.

The creditworthiness of the local securities firms used by the Fund in emerging countries may not be as sound as the creditworthiness of firms used in more developed countries. As a result, the Fund may be subject to a greater risk of loss if a securities firm defaults in the performance of its responsibilities.

The small size and inexperience of the securities markets in certain emerging countries and the limited volume of trading in securities in those countries may make the Fund’s investments in such countries less liquid and more volatile than investments in countries with more developed securities markets (such as the United States, Japan and most Western European countries). The Fund’s investments in emerging countries are subject to the risk that the liquidity of a particular investment, or investments generally, in such countries will shrink or disappear suddenly and without warning as a result of adverse economic, market or political conditions or adverse investor perceptions, whether or not accurate. Because of the lack of sufficient market liquidity, the Fund may incur losses because it will be required to effect sales at a disadvantageous time and only then at a substantial drop in price. Investments in emerging countries may be more difficult to value precisely because of the characteristics discussed above and lower trading volumes.

The Fund’s use of foreign currency management techniques in emerging countries may be limited. A significant portion of the Fund’s currency exposure in emerging countries may not be covered by those techniques.

Foreign Custody Risk.   The Fund may hold foreign securities and cash with foreign banks, agents and securities depositories appointed by the Fund’s custodian (each a “Foreign Custodian”). Some Foreign Custodians may be recently organized or new to the foreign custody business. In some countries, Foreign Custodians may be subject to little or no regulatory oversight over or independent evaluation of their operations. Further, the laws of certain countries may place limitations on the Fund’s ability to recover its assets if a Foreign Custodian enters bankruptcy. Investments in emerging markets may be subject to even greater custody risks than investments in more developed markets. Custody services in emerging market countries are very often

 

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undeveloped and may be considerably less well regulated than in more developed countries, and thus may not afford the same level of investor protection as would apply in developed countries.

Risks of Derivative Investments.   The Fund may invest in derivative instruments including without limitation, options, futures, options on futures, forwards, swaps, options on swaps, structured securities and other derivatives. Investments in derivative instruments may be for both hedging and nonhedging purposes (that is, to seek to increase total return), although suitable derivative instruments may not always be available to the Investment Adviser for these purposes. Losses from investments in derivative instruments can result from a lack of correlation between changes in the value of derivative instruments and the portfolio assets (if any) being hedged, the potential illiquidity of the markets for derivative instruments, the failure of the counterparty to perform its contractual obligations, or the risks arising from margin requirements and related leverage factors associated with such transactions. Losses may also arise if the Fund receives cash collateral under the transactions and some or all of that collateral is invested in the market. To the extent that cash collateral is so invested, such collateral will be subject to market depreciation or appreciation, and the Fund may be responsible for any loss that might result from its investment of the counterparty’s cash collateral. The use of these management techniques also involves the risk of loss if the Investment Adviser is incorrect in its expectation of the timing or level of fluctuations in securities prices, interest rates or currency prices. Investments in derivative instruments may be harder to value, subject to greater volatility and more likely subject to changes in tax treatment than other investments. For these reasons, the Investment Adviser’s attempts to hedge portfolio risks through the use of derivative instruments may not be successful, and the Investment Adviser may choose not to hedge certain portfolio risks. Investing for nonhedging purposes presents even greater risk of loss.

Risks of Illiquid Securities.   The Fund may invest up to 15% of its net assets in illiquid securities which cannot be disposed of in seven days in the ordinary course of business at fair value. Illiquid securities include:

  ¢   Both domestic and foreign securities that are not readily marketable
  ¢   Certain stripped Mortgage-Backed Securities
  ¢   Repurchase agreements and time deposits with a notice or demand period of more than seven days
  ¢   Certain over-the-counter options
  ¢   Certain structured securities and swap transactions
  ¢  

Certain restricted securities, unless it is determined, based upon a review of the trading markets for a specific restricted security, that such restricted security is

 

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APPENDIX A

 

 

liquid because it is so-called “4(2) commercial paper” or is otherwise eligible for resale pursuant to Rule 144A under the Securities Act (“144A Securities”).

Investing in 144A Securities may decrease the liquidity of the Fund’s portfolio to the extent that qualified institutional buyers become for a time uninterested in purchasing these restricted securities. The purchase price and subsequent valuation of restricted and illiquid securities normally reflect a discount, which may be significant, from the market price of comparable securities for which a liquid market exists.

Investments purchased by the Fund, particularly debt securities and over-the-counter traded instruments, that are liquid at the time of purchase may subsequently become illiquid due to events relating to the issuer of the securities, markets events, economic conditions or investor perceptions. Domestic and foreign markets are becoming more and more complex and interrelated, so that events in one sector of the market or the economy, or in one geographical region, can reverberate and have negative consequences for other market, economic or regional sectors in a manner that may not be reasonably foreseen. With respect to over-the-counter traded securities, the continued viability of any over-the-counter secondary market depends on the continued willingness of dealers and other participants to purchase the instruments.

If one or more securities in the Fund’s portfolio become illiquid, the Fund may exceed its 15% limitation in illiquid instruments. In the event that changes in the portfolio or other external events cause the investments in illiquid instruments to exceed 15% of the Fund’s Net Assets, the Fund must take steps to bring the aggregate amount of illiquid instruments back within the prescribed limitations as soon as reasonably practicable. This requirement would not force the Fund to liquidate any portfolio instrument where the Fund would suffer a loss on the sale of that instrument.

In cases where no clear indication of the value of the Fund’s portfolio instruments is available, the portfolio instruments will be valued at their fair value according to the valuation procedures approved by the Board of Trustees. These cases include, among others, situations where a security or other asset or liability does not have a price source. For more information on fair valuation, please see “Shareholder Guide—How to Buy Shares—How Are Shares Priced?”

Credit/Default Risks.   Debt securities purchased by the Fund may include U.S. Government Securities (including zero coupon bonds) and securities issued by foreign governments, domestic and foreign corporations, banks and other issuers. Some of these fixed income securities are described in the next section below. Further information is provided in the SAI.

Debt securities rated BBB– or higher by Standard & Poor’s or Baa3 or higher by Moody’s or having a comparable rating by another NRSRO are considered

 

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“investment grade.” Securities rated BBB– or Baa3 are considered medium-grade obligations with speculative characteristics, and adverse economic conditions or changing circumstances may weaken their issuers’ capacity to pay interest and repay principal. A security will be deemed to have met a rating requirement if it receives the minimum required rating from at least one such rating organization even though it has been rated below the minimum rating by one or more other rating organizations, or if unrated by such rating organizations, the security is determined by the Investment Adviser to be of comparable credit quality. A security satisfies the Fund’s minimum rating requirement regardless of its relative ranking (for example, plus or minus) within a designated major rating category (for example, BBB– or Baa3). If a security satisfies the Fund’s minimum rating requirement at the time of purchase and is subsequently downgraded below that rating, the Fund will not be required to dispose of the security. If a downgrade occurs, the Investment Adviser will consider which action, including the sale of the security, is in the best interest of a Fund and its shareholders.

Fixed income securities rated BB+ or Ba1 or below (or comparable unrated securities) are commonly referred to as “junk bonds.” Junk bonds are considered speculative and may be questionable as to principal and interest payments.

In some cases, junk bonds may be highly speculative, have poor prospects for reaching investment grade standing and be in default. As a result, investment in such bonds will present greater speculative risks than those associated with investment in investment grade bonds. Also, to the extent that the rating assigned to a security in the Fund’s portfolio is downgraded by a rating organization, the market price and liquidity of such security may be adversely affected.

Risks of Initial Public Offerings.   The Fund may invest in IPOs. An IPO is a company’s first offering of stock to the public. IPO risk is the risk that the market value of IPO shares will fluctuate considerably due to factors such as the absence of a prior public market, unseasoned trading, the small number of shares available for trading and limited information about the issuer. The purchase of IPO shares may involve high transaction costs. IPO shares are subject to market risk and liquidity risk. When the Fund’s asset base is small, a significant portion of the Fund’s performance could be attributable to investments in IPOs, because such investments would have a magnified impact on the Fund. As the Fund’s assets grow, the effect of the Fund’s investments in IPOs on the Fund’s performance probably will decline, which could reduce the Fund’s performance. Because of the price volatility of IPO shares, the Fund may choose to hold IPO shares for a very short period of time. This may increase the turnover of the Fund’s portfolio and may lead to increased expenses to the Fund, such as commissions and transaction costs. The Fund will generally be

 

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APPENDIX A

 

subject to tax on the sale of IPO shares at a gain. In addition, the market for IPO shares can be speculative and/or inactive for extended periods of time. There is no assurance that the Fund will be able to obtain allocable portions of IPO shares. The limited number of shares available for trading in some IPOs may make it more difficult for the Fund to buy or sell significant amounts of shares without an unfavorable impact on prevailing prices. Investors in IPO shares can be affected by substantial dilution in the value of their shares, by sales of additional shares and by concentration of control in existing management and principal shareholders.

Temporary Investment Risks.   The Fund may, for temporary defensive purposes, invest up to 100% of its total assets in:

  ¢   U.S. Government Securities
  ¢   Commercial paper rated at least A-2 by Standard & Poor’s, P-2 by Moody’s or having a comparable rating by another NRSRO (or, if unrated, determined by the Investment Adviser to be of comparable credit quality)
  ¢   Certificates of deposit
  ¢   Bankers’ acceptances
  ¢   Repurchase agreements
  ¢   Non-convertible preferred stocks and non-convertible corporate bonds with a remaining maturity of less than one year
  ¢   ETFs
  ¢   Other investment companies
  ¢   Cash items

When the Fund’s assets are invested in such instruments, the Fund may not be achieving its investment objective.

Risks of Large Shareholder Redemptions.   Certain funds, accounts, individuals or Goldman Sachs affiliates may from time to time own (beneficially or of record) or control a significant percentage of the Fund’s shares. Redemptions by these funds, accounts or individuals of their holdings in the Fund may impact the Fund’s liquidity and NAV. These redemptions may also force the Fund to sell securities, which may negatively impact the Fund’s brokerage and tax costs.

Risks of Exchange-Traded Notes.   ETNs are senior, unsecured, unsubordinated debt securities issued by a sponsoring financial institution. The returns on an ETN are linked to the performance of particular securities, market indices, or strategies, minus applicable fees. ETNs are traded on an exchange ( e.g. , the New York Stock Exchange) during normal trading hours; however, investors may also hold an ETN until maturity. At maturity, the issuer of an ETN pays to the investor a cash amount equal to the principal amount, subject to application of the relevant securities, index or strategy factor. Similar to other debt securities, ETNs have a maturity date and are

 

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backed only by the credit of the sponsoring institution. ETNs are subject to credit risk. The value of an ETN may be influenced by time to maturity, level of supply and demand for the ETN, volatility and lack of liquidity in underlying assets, changes in the applicable interest rates, changes in the issuer’s credit rating, and economic, legal, political or geographic events that affect the underlying assets. When the Fund invests in ETNs, it will bear its proportionate share of any fees and expenses borne by the ETN. Although an ETN is a debt security, it is unlike a typical bond, in that there are no periodic interest payments and principal is not protected. The timing and character of income and gains from ETNs may be affected by future legislation.

 

  C.    Portfolio Securities and Techniques     

This section provides further information on certain types of securities and investment techniques that may be used by the Fund, including their associated risks.

The Fund may purchase other types of securities or instruments similar to those described in this section if otherwise consistent with the Fund’s investment objective and policies. Further information is provided in the SAI, which is available upon request.

Convertible Securities.   The Fund may invest in convertible securities. Convertible securities are preferred stock or debt obligations that are convertible into common stock. Convertible securities generally offer lower interest or dividend yields than non-convertible securities of similar quality. Convertible securities in which the Fund invests are subject to the same rating criteria as its other investments in fixed income securities. Convertible securities have both equity and fixed income risk characteristics. Like all fixed income securities, the value of convertible securities is susceptible to the risk of market losses attributable to changes in interest rates. Generally, the market value of convertible securities tends to decline as interest rates increase and, conversely, to increase as interest rates decline. However, when the market price of the common stock underlying a convertible security exceeds the conversion price of the convertible security, the convertible security tends to reflect the market price of the underlying common stock. As the market price of the underlying common stock declines, the convertible security, like a fixed income security, tends to trade increasingly on a yield basis, and thus may not decline in price to the same extent as the underlying common stock.

Structured Securities.   The Fund may invest in structured securities. Structured securities are securities whose value is determined by reference to changes in the value of specific currencies, securities, interest rates, commodities, indices or other financial indicators (the “Reference”) or the relative change in two or more References. Investments in structured securities may provide exposure to certain securities

 

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APPENDIX A

 

or markets in situations where regulatory or other restrictions prevent direct investments in such issuers or markets.

The interest rate or the principal amount payable upon maturity or redemption may be increased or decreased depending upon changes in the applicable Reference. Structured securities may be positively or negatively indexed, so that appreciation of the Reference may produce an increase or decrease in the interest rate or value of the security at maturity. In addition, changes in the interest rates or the value of the security at maturity may be a multiple of changes in the value of the Reference, effectively leveraging the Fund’s investment so that small changes in the value of the Reference may result in disproportionate gains or losses to the Fund. Consequently, structured securities may present a greater degree of market risk than many types of securities and may be more volatile, less liquid and more difficult to price accurately than less complex securities. Structured securities are also subject to the risk that the issuer of the structured securities may fail to perform its contractual obligations. Certain issuers of structured products may be deemed to be investment companies as defined in the Investment Company Act. As a result, the Fund’s investments in structured securities may be subject to the limits applicable to investments in other investment companies.

Structured securities include, but are not limited to, equity linked notes. An equity linked note is a note whose performance is tied to a single stock, a stock index or a basket of stocks. Equity linked notes combine the principal protection normally associated with fixed income investments with the potential for capital appreciation normally associated with equity investments. Upon the maturity of the note, the holder generally receives a return of principal based on the capital appreciation of the linked securities. Depending on the terms of the note, equity linked notes may also have a “cap” or “floor” on the maximum principal amount to be repaid to holders, irrespective of the performance of the underlying linked securities. For example, a note may guarantee the repayment of the original principal amount invested (even if the underlying linked securities have negative performance during the note’s term), but may cap the maximum payment at maturity at a certain percentage of the issuance price or the return of the underlying linked securities. Alternatively, the note may not guarantee a full return on the original principal, but may offer a greater participation in any capital appreciation of the underlying linked securities. The terms of an equity linked note may also provide for periodic interest payments to holders at either a fixed or floating rate. The secondary market for equity linked notes may be limited, and the lack of liquidity in the secondary market may make these securities difficult to dispose of and to value. Equity linked notes will be considered equity securities for purposes of the Fund’s investment objective and policies.

 

 

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REITs.   The Fund may invest in REITs. REITs are pooled investment vehicles that invest primarily in either real estate or real estate related loans. The value of a REIT is affected by changes in the value of the properties owned by the REIT or securing mortgage loans held by the REIT. REITs are dependent upon the ability of the REITs’ managers, and are subject to heavy cash flow dependency, default by borrowers and the qualification of the REITs under applicable regulatory requirements for favorable income tax treatment. REITs are also subject to risks generally associated with investments in real estate including possible declines in the value of real estate, general and local economic conditions, environmental problems and changes in interest rates. To the extent that assets underlying a REIT are concentrated geographically, by property type or in certain other respects, these risks may be heightened. The Fund will indirectly bear its proportionate share of any expenses, including management fees, paid by a REIT in which it invests.

Options on Securities and Securities Indices.   A put option gives the purchaser of the option the right to sell, and the writer (seller) of the option the obligation to buy, the underlying instrument during the option period. A call option gives the purchaser of the option the right to buy, and the writer (seller) of the option the obligation to sell, the underlying instrument during the option period. The Fund may write (sell) covered call and put options and purchase put and call options on any securities in which the Fund may invest or on any securities index consisting of securities in which it may invest.

The writing and purchase of options is a highly specialized activity which involves special investment risks. Options may be used for either hedging or cross-hedging purposes, or to seek to increase total return (which presents additional risk). The successful use of options depends in part on the ability of the Investment Adviser to anticipate future price fluctuations and the degree of correlation between the options and securities markets. If the Investment Adviser is incorrect in its expectation of changes in market prices or determination of the correlation between the instruments or indices on which options are written and purchased and the instruments in the Fund’s investment portfolio, the Fund may incur losses that it would not otherwise incur. The use of options can also increase the Fund’s transaction costs. Options written or purchased by the Fund may be traded on U.S. exchanges. Foreign and over-the-counter options will present greater possibility of loss because of their greater illiquidity and credit risks.

In lieu of entering into “protective put” transactions, the Fund may engage in barrier options transactions as an alternative means to offset or hedge against a decline in the market value of the Fund’s securities. Barrier options are similar to standard options except that they become activated or are extinguished when the underlying asset

 

90


APPENDIX A

 

reaches a predetermined level or barrier. “Down and out” barrier options are canceled or “knocked out” if the underlying asset falls to a pre-determined level. “Down and in” barrier options are activated or “knocked in” if the underlying asset falls to a pre-determined level. “Up and out” barrier options are extinguished or “knocked out” if the underlying asset rises to a predetermined level. “Up and in” barrier options are activated or “knocked in” if the underlying asset rises to a predetermined level. If the Investment Adviser sets too high or too low a barrier, and the option is either extinguished or “knocked out” or the options are never activated or “knocked in,” the benefits to the Fund using a barrier option strategy may be limited and the costs associated with a barrier option strategy could be detrimental to the Fund’s performance. When writing an option, the Fund must identify on its books liquid assets, or engage in other appropriate measures to “cover” its obligation under the option contract.

Futures Contracts and Options and Swaps on Futures Contracts.   Futures contracts are standardized, exchange-traded contracts that provide for the sale or purchase of a specified financial instrument or currency at a future time at a specified price. An option on a futures contract gives the purchaser the right (and the writer of the option the obligation) to assume a position in a futures contract at a specified exercise price within a specified period of time. A swap on a futures contract provides an investor with the ability to gain economic exposure to a particular futures market. A futures contract may be based on particular securities, foreign currencies, securities indices and other financial instruments and indices. The Fund may engage in futures transactions on both U.S. and foreign exchanges.

The Fund may purchase and sell futures contracts, purchase and write call and put options on futures contracts, and enter into swaps on futures contracts, in order to seek to increase total return or to hedge against changes in interest rates, securities prices or currency exchange rates, or to otherwise manage its term structure, sector selections and duration in accordance with its investment objective and policies. The Fund may also enter into closing purchase and sale transactions with respect to such contracts and options. The Investment Adviser, with respect to the Fund, has claimed an exclusion from the definition of the term “commodity pool operator” under the Commodity Exchange Act, and therefore is not subject to registration or regulation as a pool operator under that Act with respect to the Fund.

 

Futures contracts and related options and swaps present the following risks:

  ¢   While the Fund may benefit from the use of futures and options and swaps on futures, unanticipated changes in interest rates, securities prices or currency exchange rates may result in poorer overall performance than if the Fund had not entered into any futures contracts, options transactions or swaps.

 

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  ¢   Because perfect correlation between a futures position and a portfolio position that is intended to be protected is impossible to achieve, the desired protection may not be obtained and the Fund may be exposed to additional risk of loss.
  ¢   The loss incurred by the Fund in entering into futures contracts and in writing call options and entering into swaps on futures is potentially unlimited and may exceed the amount of the premium received.
  ¢   Futures markets are highly volatile and the use of futures may increase the volatility of the Fund’s NAV.
  ¢   As a result of the low margin deposits normally required in futures trading, a relatively small price movement in a futures contract may result in substantial losses to the Fund.
  ¢   Futures contracts and options and swaps on futures may be illiquid, and exchanges may limit fluctuations in futures contract prices during a single day.
  ¢   Foreign exchanges may not provide the same protection as U.S. exchanges.

The Fund must identify on its books liquid assets, or engage in other appropriate measures, to “cover” open positions with respect to its transactions in futures contracts and options and swaps on futures contracts. In the case of futures contracts that do not cash settle, for example, the Fund must identify on its books liquid assets equal to the full notional amount of the futures contracts while the positions are open. With respect to futures contracts that are required to cash settle, however, the Fund may identify liquid assets in an amount equal to the Fund’s daily marked-to-market net obligations ( i.e. , the Fund’s daily net liability) under the futures contracts, if any, rather than their full notional amount. The Fund reserves the right to modify its asset segregation policies in the future in its discretion. By identifying assets equal to only its net obligations under cash-settled futures contracts, the Fund will have the ability to employ leverage to a greater extent than if the Fund were required to identify assets equal to the full notional amount of the futures contracts.

Equity Swaps and Index Swaps.   The Fund may invest in equity swaps and index swaps. 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 another payment stream. An equity swap may be used by the Fund to invest in a market without owning or taking physical custody of securities in circumstances in which direct investment may be restricted for legal reasons or is otherwise deemed impractical or disadvantageous. Index swaps allow one party or both parties to a swap agreement to receive one or more payments based off of the return, performance or volatility of an index or of certain securities which comprise the index.

 

 

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APPENDIX A

 

The value of swaps can be very volatile. To the extent that the Investment Adviser does not accurately analyze and predict the potential relative fluctuation of the components swapped with another party, or the creditworthiness of the counterparty with respect to a bilateral swap transaction, the Fund may suffer a loss, which may be substantial. The value of some components of a swap (such as the dividends on a common stock) may also be sensitive to changes in interest rates. Furthermore, swaps may be illiquid, and the Fund may be unable to terminate its obligations when desired.

Currently, certain standardized swap transactions are subject to mandatory central clearing. Although central clearing is expected to decrease counterparty risk and increase liquidity compared to bilaterally negotiated swaps, central clearing does not eliminate counterparty risk or illiquidity risk entirely.

As an investment company registered with the SEC, the Fund must identify on its books liquid assets, or engage in other SEC- or SEC-staff approved measures, to “cover” open positions with respect to certain kinds of derivative instruments. In the case of swaps that do not cash settle, for example, the Fund must identify on its books liquid assets equal to the full notional amount of the swaps while the positions are open. With respect to swaps that are required to cash settle, however, the Fund may identify liquid assets in an amount equal to the Fund’s daily marked-to-market net obligations ( i.e. , the Fund’s daily net liability) under the swaps, if any, rather than their full notional amount. The Fund reserves the right to modify its asset segregation policies in the future in its discretion. By identifying assets equal to only its net obligations under cash settled swaps, the Fund will have the ability to employ leverage to a greater extent than if the Fund were required to identify assets equal to the full notional amount of the swaps.

Interest Rate Swaps, Credit Swaps, Total Return Swaps, Options on Swaps and Interest Rate Caps, Floors and Collars.   The Fund may enter into swap transactions and option agreements, including interest rate caps, floors and collars. Interest rate swaps involve the exchange by the Fund with another party of their respective commitments to pay or receive interest, such as an exchange of fixed-rate payments for floating rate payments. Credit swaps involve the receipt of floating or fixed rate payments in exchange for assuming potential credit losses on an underlying security. Credit swaps give one party to a transaction (the buyer of the credit swap) the right to dispose of or acquire an asset (or group of assets or exposure to the performance of an index), or the right to receive a payment from the other party, upon the occurrence of specified credit events. Total return swaps give the Fund the right to receive the appreciation in the value of a specified security, index or other instrument in return for a fee paid to the counterparty, which will typically be based on an agreed upon

 

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interest rate. If the underlying asset in a total return swap declines in value over the term of the swap, the Fund may also be required to pay the dollar value of that decline to the counterparty. The Fund may also purchase and write (sell) options 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 or modify the terms of an existing 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 or modify an underlying swap on agreed-upon terms which generally entails a greater risk of loss than the Fund incurs in buying a swaption.

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 the 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.

The Fund may enter into the transactions described above for hedging purposes or to seek to increase total return. As an example, when the Fund is the buyer of a credit default swap (commonly known as buying protection), it may make periodic payments to the seller of the credit default swap to obtain protection against a credit default on a specified underlying asset (or group of assets). If a default occurs, the seller of a credit default swap may be required to pay the Fund the notional amount of the credit default swap on a specified security (or group of securities). On the other hand, when the Fund is a seller of a credit default swap (commonly known as selling protection), in addition to the credit exposure the Fund has on the other assets held in its portfolio, the Fund is also subject to the credit exposure on the notional amount of the swap since, in the event of a credit default, the Fund may be required to pay the notional amount of the credit default swap on a specified security (or group of securities) to the buyer of the credit default swap.

The use of interest rate, credit and total return swaps, options on swaps, and interest rate caps, floors and collars is a highly specialized activity which involves investment techniques and risks different from those associated with ordinary portfolio securities transactions. If the Investment Adviser is incorrect in its forecasts of market values and interest rates, or in its evaluation of the creditworthiness of swap counterparties (with respect to bilateral swap transactions) and the issuers of the underlying assets,

 

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APPENDIX A

 

the investment performance of the Fund would be less favorable than it would have been if these investment techniques were not used.

Currently, certain swap transactions are subject to central clearing. Although central clearing is expected to decrease the counterparty risk involved in bi-laterally negotiated contracts because central clearing interposes the central clearinghouse as the counterparty to each participant’s swap, central clearing would not make swap transactions risk-free.

As an investment company registered with the SEC, the Fund must identify on its books (often referred to as “asset segregation”) liquid assets, or engage in other SEC- or SEC-staff approved measures to “cover” open positions with respect to certain kinds of derivative instruments. In the case of swaps that do not cash settle, for example, the Fund must identify on its books liquid assets equal to the full notional amount of the swaps while the positions are open. With respect to swaps that are required to cash settle, however, the Fund may set aside liquid assets in an amount equal to the Fund’s daily marked-to-market net obligations ( i .e. , the Fund’s daily net liability) under the swaps, if any, rather than their full notional amount. The Fund reserves the right to modify its asset segregation policies in the future in its discretion. By identifying assets equal to only its net obligations under cash settled swaps, the Fund will have the ability to employ leverage to a greater extent than if the Fund were required to identify assets equal to the full notional amount of the swaps.

When-Issued Securities and Forward Commitments.   The Fund may purchase when-issued securities and make contracts to purchase or sell securities for a fixed price at a future date beyond customary settlement time. When-issued securities are securities that have been authorized, but not yet issued. When-issued securities are purchased in order to secure what is considered to be an advantageous price and yield to the Fund at the time of entering into the transaction. A forward commitment involves the entering into a contract to purchase or sell securities for a fixed price at a future date beyond the customary settlement period.

 

The purchase of securities on a when-issued or forward commitment basis involves a risk of loss if the value of the security to be purchased declines before the settlement date. Conversely, the sale of securities on a forward commitment basis involves the risk that the value of the securities sold may increase before the settlement date. Although the Fund will generally purchase securities on a when-issued or forward commitment basis with the intention of acquiring the securities for its portfolio, the Fund may dispose of when-issued securities or forward commitments prior to settlement if the Investment Adviser deems it appropriate. When purchasing a security on a when-issued basis or entering into a forward commitment, the Fund must identify on

 

95


its books liquid assets, or engage in other appropriate measures, to “cover” its obligations.

Repurchase Agreements.   Repurchase agreements involve the purchase of securities subject to the seller’s agreement to repurchase them at a mutually agreed upon date and price. The Fund may enter into repurchase agreements with eligible counterparties which furnish collateral at least equal in value or market price to the amount of their repurchase obligation. The collateral may consist of any type of security (government or corporate) of any or no credit rating. Repurchase agreements involving obligations other than U.S. Government Securities (such as foreign securities, commercial paper, corporate bonds, mortgage loans and equities) may be subject to special risks and may not have the benefit of certain protections in the event of the counterparty’s insolvency.

If the other party or “seller” defaults, the Fund might suffer a loss to the extent that the proceeds from the sale of the underlying securities and other collateral held by the Fund are less than the repurchase price and the Fund’s costs associated with delay and enforcement of the repurchase agreement. In addition, in the event of bankruptcy of the seller, the Fund could suffer additional losses if a court determines that the Fund’s interest in the collateral is not enforceable.

The Fund, together with other registered investment companies having advisory agreements with the Investment Adviser or any of its affiliates, may transfer uninvested cash balances into a single joint account, the daily aggregate balance of which will be invested in one or more repurchase agreements.

Short Sales Against-the-Box.   The Fund may make short sales against-the-box. A short sale against-the-box means that at all times when a short position is open the Fund will own an equal amount of securities sold short, or securities convertible into or exchangeable for, without payment of any further consideration, an equal amount of the securities of the same issuer as the securities sold short.

Preferred Stock, Warrants and Stock Purchase Rights.   The Fund may invest in preferred stock, warrants and stock purchase rights (or “rights”). Preferred stocks are securities that represent an ownership interest providing the holder with claims on the issuer’s earnings and assets before common stock owners but after bond owners. Unlike debt securities, the obligations of an issuer of preferred stock, including dividend and other payment obligations, may not typically be accelerated by the holders of such preferred stock on the occurrence of an event of default or other non-compliance by the issuer of the preferred stock.

 

Warrants and other rights are options to buy a stated number of shares of common stock at a specified price at any time during the life of the warrant or right. The

 

96


APPENDIX A

 

holders of warrants and rights have no voting rights, receive no dividends and have no rights with respect to the assets of the issuer.

Other Investment Companies.   The Fund may invest in securities of other investment companies, including ETFs, subject to statutory limitations prescribed by the Investment Company Act. These limitations include in certain circumstances a prohibition on the Fund acquiring more than 3% of the voting shares of any other investment company, and a prohibition on investing more than 5% of the Fund’s total assets in securities of any one investment company or more than 10% of its total assets in securities of all investment companies. Many ETFs, however, have obtained exemptive relief from the SEC to permit unaffiliated funds to invest in the ETFs’ shares beyond these statutory limitations, subject to certain conditions and pursuant to a contractual arrangement between the ETFs and the investing funds. The Fund may rely on these exemptive orders to invest in unaffiliated ETFs.

The use of ETFs is intended to help the Fund match the total return of the particular market segments or indices represented by those ETFs, although that may not be the result. Most ETFs are passively-managed 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 Fund could lose money investing in an ETF. Moreover, ETFs are subject to the following risks that do not apply to conventional funds: (i) the market price of the ETF’s shares may trade at a premium or a discount to their NAV; (ii) an active trading market for an ETF’s shares may not develop or be maintained; and (iii) there is no assurance that the requirements of the exchange necessary to maintain the listing of an ETF will continue to be met or remain unchanged.

Pursuant to an exemptive order obtained from the SEC or under an exemptive rule adopted by the SEC, the Fund may invest in certain other investment companies and money market funds beyond the statutory limits described above. Some of those investment companies and money market funds may be funds for which the Investment Adviser or any of its affiliates serves as investment adviser, administrator or distributor.

 

The Fund will indirectly bear its proportionate share of any management fees and other expenses paid by such other investment companies, in addition to the fees and expenses regularly borne by the Fund. Although the Fund does not expect to do so in the foreseeable future, the Fund is authorized to invest substantially all of its assets in

 

97


a single open-end investment company or series thereof that has substantially the same investment objective, policies and fundamental restrictions as the Fund.

Unseasoned Companies.   The Fund may invest in companies which (together with their predecessors) have operated less than three years. The securities of such companies may have limited liquidity, which can result in their being priced higher or lower than might otherwise be the case. In addition, investments in unseasoned companies are more speculative and entail greater risk than investments in companies with an established operating record.

Corporate Debt Obligations.   Corporate debt obligations include bonds, notes, debentures, commercial paper and other obligations of corporations to pay interest and repay principal. The Fund may invest in corporate debt obligations issued by U.S. and certain non-U.S. issuers which issue securities denominated in the U.S. dollar (including Yankee and Euro obligations as well as other non-U.S. dollar currencies). In addition to obligations of corporations, corporate debt obligations include securities issued by banks and other financial institutions and supranational entities ( i.e. , the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund, etc.).

Bank Obligations.   The Fund may invest in obligations issued or guaranteed by U.S. or foreign banks. Bank obligations, including without limitation, time deposits, bankers’ acceptances and certificates of deposit, may be general obligations of the parent bank or may be limited to the issuing branch by the terms of the specific obligations or by government regulations. Banks are subject to extensive but different governmental regulations which may limit both the amount and types of loans which may be made and interest rates which may be charged. In addition, the profitability of the banking industry is largely dependent upon the availability and cost of funds for the purpose of financing lending operations under prevailing money market conditions. General economic conditions as well as exposure to credit losses arising from possible financial difficulties of borrowers play an important part in the operation of this industry.

U.S. Government Securities.   The Fund may invest in U.S. Government Securities. U.S. Government Securities include U.S. Treasury obligations and obligations issued or guaranteed by U.S. government agencies, instrumentalities or sponsored enterprises. U.S. Government Securities may be supported by (i) the full faith and credit of the U.S. Treasury; (ii) the right of the issuer to borrow from the U.S. Treasury; (iii) the discretionary authority of the U.S. government to purchase certain obligations of the issuer; or (iv) only the credit of the issuer. U.S. Government Securities also include Treasury receipts, zero coupon bonds and other stripped U.S. Government Securities, where the interest and principal components are traded independently. U.S. Government Securities may also include Treasury

 

98


APPENDIX A

 

inflation-protected securities whose principal value is periodically adjusted according to the rate of inflation.

U.S. Government Securities are deemed to include (i) securities for which the payment of principal and interest is backed by an irrevocable letter of credit issued by the U.S. government, its agencies, authorities or instrumentalities; and (ii) participations in loans made to foreign governments or their agencies that are so guaranteed. Certain of these participations may be regarded as illiquid.

U.S. Government Securities have historically involved little risk of loss of principal if held to maturity. However, no assurance can be given that the U.S. government will be able or willing to repay the principal or interest rate when due, or will provide financial support to U.S. government agencies, authorities, instrumentalities or sponsored enterprises if it is not obligated to do so by law.

Custodial Receipts and Trust Certificates.   The Fund may invest in custodial receipts and trust certificates 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 Fund may invest. The custodial receipts or trust certificates 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. If for tax purposes the Fund is not considered to be the owner of the underlying securities held in the custodial or trust account, the Fund may suffer adverse tax consequences. As a holder of custodial receipts and trust certificates, the Fund will bear its proportionate share of the fees and expenses charged to the custodial account or trust. The Fund may also invest in separately issued interests in custodial receipts and trust certificates.

 

Non-Investment Grade Fixed Income Securities.   Non-investment grade fixed-income securities and unrated securities of comparable credit quality (commonly referred to as “junk bonds”) are considered speculative. In some cases, these obligations may be highly speculative and have poor prospects for reaching investment grade standing. Non-investment grade fixed income securities are subject to the increased risk of an issuer’s inability to meet principal and interest obligations. These securities, also referred to as high yield securities, may be subject to greater price volatility due to such factors as specific corporate or municipal developments, interest rate sensitivity, negative perceptions of the junk bond markets generally and less secondary market liquidity.

 

99


Non-investment grade fixed income securities are often issued in connection with a corporate reorganization or restructuring or as part of a merger, acquisition, takeover or similar event. They are also issued by less established companies seeking to expand. Such issuers are often highly leveraged and generally less able than more established or less leveraged entities to make scheduled payments of principal and interest in the event of adverse developments or business conditions. Non-investment grade securities are also issued by governmental bodies that may have difficulty in making all scheduled interest and principal payments.

The market value of non-investment grade fixed income securities tends to reflect individual corporate or municipal developments to a greater extent than that of higher rated securities which react primarily to fluctuations in the general level of interest rates. As a result, the Fund’s ability to achieve its investment objectives may depend to a greater extent on the Investment Adviser’s judgment concerning the creditworthiness of issuers than funds which invest in higher-rated securities. Issuers of non-investment grade fixed income securities may not be able to make use of more traditional methods of financing and their ability to service debt obligations may be affected more adversely than issuers of higher-rated securities by economic downturns, specific corporate or financial developments or the issuer’s inability to meet specific projected business forecasts. Negative publicity about the junk bond market and investor perceptions regarding lower rated securities, whether or not based on fundamental analysis, may depress the prices for such securities.

A holder’s risk of loss from default is significantly greater for non-investment grade fixed income securities than is the case for holders of other debt securities because such non-investment grade securities are generally unsecured and are often subordinated to the rights of other creditors of the issuers of such securities. Investment by the Fund in defaulted securities poses 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 by the Fund of its initial investment and any anticipated income or appreciation is uncertain.

The secondary market for non-investment grade fixed income securities is concentrated in relatively few market makers and is dominated by institutional investors, including mutual funds, insurance companies and other financial institutions. Accordingly, the secondary market for such securities is not as liquid as, and is more volatile than, the secondary market for higher-rated securities. In addition, market trading volume for high yield fixed income securities is generally lower and the secondary market for such securities could shrink or disappear suddenly and without warning as a result of adverse market or economic conditions, independent of any specific adverse changes in the condition of a particular issuer. The lack of sufficient

 

100


APPENDIX A

 

market liquidity may cause the Fund to incur losses because it will be required to effect sales at a disadvantageous time and then only at a substantial drop in price. These factors may have an adverse effect on the market price and the Fund’s ability to dispose of particular portfolio investments. A less liquid secondary market also may make it more difficult for the Fund to obtain precise valuations of the high yield securities in its portfolio.

Credit ratings issued by credit rating agencies are designed to evaluate the safety of principal and interest payments of rated securities. They do not, however, evaluate the market value risk of non-investment grade securities and, therefore, may not fully reflect the true risks of an investment. In addition, credit rating agencies may or may not make timely changes in a rating to reflect changes in the economy or in the conditions of the issuer that affect the market value of the security. Consequently, credit ratings are used only as a preliminary indicator of investment quality.

Borrowings.   The Fund can borrow money from banks and other financial institutions in amounts not exceeding one-third of its total assets (including the amount borrowed), for temporary or emergency purposes. The Fund generally may not make additional investments if borrowings exceed 5% of its net assets.

Mortgage Dollar Rolls.   The Fund may enter into mortgage dollar rolls. A mortgage dollar roll involves the sale by the Fund of securities for delivery in the current month. The Fund simultaneously contracts with the same counterparty to repurchase substantially similar (same type, coupon and maturity) but not identical securities on a specified future date. During the roll period, the Fund loses the right to receive principal and interest paid on the securities sold. However, the Fund benefits to the extent of any difference between (a) the price received for the securities sold and (b) the lower forward price for the future purchase and/or fee income plus the interest earned on the cash proceeds of the securities sold. Unless the benefits of a mortgage dollar roll exceed the income, capital appreciation and gain or loss due to mortgage prepayments that would have been realized on the securities sold as part of the roll, the use of this technique will diminish the Fund’s performance.

Successful use of mortgage dollar rolls depends upon the Investment Adviser’s ability to predict correctly interest rates and mortgage prepayments. If the Investment Adviser is incorrect in its prediction, the Fund may experience a loss. The Fund does not currently intend to enter into mortgage dollar rolls for financing and does not treat them as borrowings.

 

101


 

Appendix B

Financial Highlights

 

The financial highlights tables are intended to help you understand the Fund’s financial performance for the past five years (or less if the Fund has been in operation for less than five years). Certain information reflects financial results for a single Fund share. The total returns in the table represent the rate that an investor would have earned or lost on an investment in the Fund (assuming reinvestment of all dividends and distributions). This information has been audited by PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, whose report, along with the Fund’s financial statements, is included in the Fund’s annual report (available upon request).

MLP ENERGY INFRASTRUCTURE FUND

 

    MLP Energy
Infrastructure Fund—
Class A Shares g
      For the Fiscal
Period Ended
November 30, 2013

Net asset value, beginning of period

    $ 10.00  
   

 

 

 

Income (loss) from investment operations

   

Net investment (loss) a

      (0.07 )

Net realized and unrealized gain

      1.27  
   

 

 

 

Total from investment operations

      1.20  
   

 

 

 

Distributions to shareholders

   

From capital

      (0.39 )
   

 

 

 

Net asset value, end of period

    $ 10.81  
   

 

 

 

Total return b

      12.12 %

Net assets, end of period (in 000s)

    $ 51,363  

Ratio of expenses to average net assets c

   

Operating expenses before expense reimbursements and tax benefit/(expenses)

      1.86 %

Operating expenses net of expense reimbursements and before tax benefit/(expenses)

      1.51 %

After expense reimbursements and tax benefit/(expenses) d

      9.36 %

Ratio of investment loss to average net assets c

   

Before expense reimbursements and tax benefit

      (1.63 )%

Net of expense reimbursements and before tax benefit

      (1.23 )%

After expense reimbursements and tax benefit e

      (1.00 )%

Portfolio turnover rate f

      96 %

See page 107 for footnotes.

 

102


APPENDIX B

 

 

    MLP Energy
Infrastructure Fund—
Class C Shares g
      For the Fiscal
Period Ended
November 30, 2013

Net asset value, beginning of period

    $ 10.00  
   

 

 

 

Income (loss) from investment operations

   

Net investment (loss) a

      (0.06 )

Net realized and unrealized gain

      1.21  
   

 

 

 

Total from investment operations

      1.15  
   

 

 

 

Distributions to shareholders

   

From capital

      (0.39 )
   

 

 

 

Net asset value, end of period

    $ 10.76  
   

 

 

 

Total return b

      11.71 %

Net assets, end of period (in 000s)

    $ 20,112  

Ratio of expenses to average net assets c

   

Operating expenses before expense reimbursements and tax benefit/(expenses)

      2.60 %

Operating expenses net of expense reimbursements and before tax benefit/(expenses)

      2.26 %

After expense reimbursements and tax benefit/(expenses) d

      10.11 %

Ratio of investment loss to average net assets c

   

Before expense reimbursements and tax benefit

      (1.54 )%

Net of expense reimbursements and before tax benefit

      (1.14 )%

After expense reimbursements and tax benefit e

      (0.90 )%

Portfolio turnover rate f

      96 %

See page 107 for footnotes.

 

103


    MLP Energy
Infrastructure Fund—
Institutional Shares g
      For the Fiscal
Period Ended
November 30, 2013

Net asset value, beginning of period

    $ 10.00  
   

 

 

 

Income (loss) from investment operations

   

Net investment (loss) a

      (0.01 )

Net realized and unrealized gain

      1.24  
   

 

 

 

Total from investment operations

      1.23  
   

 

 

 

Distributions to shareholders

   

From capital

      (0.39 )
   

 

 

 

Net asset value, end of period

    $ 10.84  
   

 

 

 

Total return b

      12.53 %

Net assets, end of period (in 000s)

    $ 206,886  

Ratio of expenses to average net assets c

   

Operating expenses before expense reimbursements and tax benefit/(expenses)

      1.66 %

Operating expenses net of expense reimbursements and before tax benefit/(expenses)

      1.11 %

After expense reimbursements and tax benefit/(expenses) d

      8.95 %

Ratio of investment loss to average net assets c

   

Before expense reimbursements and tax benefit

      (1.03 )%

Net of expense reimbursements and before tax benefit

      (0.40 )%

After expense reimbursements and tax benefit e

      (0.17 )%

Portfolio turnover rate f

      96 %

See page 107 for footnotes.

 

104


APPENDIX B

 

 

    MLP Energy
Infrastructure Fund—
Class IR Shares g
      For the Fiscal
Period Ended
November 30, 2013

Net asset value, beginning of period

    $ 10.00  
   

 

 

 

Income (loss) from investment operations

   

Net investment (loss) a

      (0.05 )

Net realized and unrealized gain

      1.27  
   

 

 

 

Total from investment operations

      1.22  
   

 

 

 

Distributions to shareholders

   

From capital

      (0.39 )
   

 

 

 

Net asset value, end of period

    $ 10.83  
   

 

 

 

Total return b

      12.42 %

Net assets, end of period (in 000s)

    $ 12,229  

Ratio of expenses to average net assets c

   

Operating expenses before expense reimbursements and tax benefit/(expenses)

      1.64 %

Operating expenses net of expense reimbursements and before tax benefit/(expenses)

      1.26 %

After expense reimbursements and tax benefit/(expenses) d

      9.11 %

Ratio of investment loss to average net assets c

   

Before expense reimbursements and tax benefit

      (1.39 )%

Net of expense reimbursements and before tax benefit

      (0.96 )%

After expense reimbursements and tax benefit e

      (0.72 )%

Portfolio turnover rate f

      96 %

See page 107 for footnotes.

 

105


    MLP Energy
Infrastructure Fund—
Class R Shares g
      For the Fiscal
Period Ended
November 30, 2013

Net asset value, beginning of period

    $ 10.00  
   

 

 

 

Income (loss) from investment operations

   

Net investment (loss) a

      (0.06 )

Net realized and unrealized gain

      1.24  
   

 

 

 

Total from investment operations

      1.18  
   

 

 

 

Distributions to shareholders

   

From capital

      (0.39 )
   

 

 

 

Net asset value, end of period

    $ 10.79  
   

 

 

 

Total return b

      12.02 %

Net assets, end of period (in 000s)

    $ 32  

Ratio of expenses to average net assets c

   

Operating expenses before expense reimbursements and tax benefit/(expenses)

      2.29 %

Operating expenses net of expense reimbursements and before tax benefit/(expenses)

      1.75 %

After expense reimbursements and tax benefit/(expenses) d

      9.59 %

Ratio of investment loss to average net assets c

   

Before expense reimbursements and tax benefit

      (1.71 )%

Net of expense reimbursements and before tax benefit

      (1.09 )%

After expense reimbursements and tax benefit e

      (0.86 )%

Portfolio turnover rate f

      96 %

See page 107 for footnotes.

 

106


APPENDIX B

 

Footnotes:

a   Calculated based on the average shares outstanding methodology.
b   Assumes investment at the net asset value at the beginning of the period, reinvestment of all dividends and distributions, a complete redemption of the investment at the net asset value at the end of the period and no sales or redemption charges. Total returns would be reduced if a sales or redemption charge was taken into account. Returns do not reflect the deduction of taxes that a shareholder would pay on Fund distributions or the redemption of Fund shares. Total returns for periods less than one full year are not annualized.
c   Annualized.
d   Deferred tax estimate for the ratio calculation is derived from the net investment income (loss), and realized and unrealized gains (losses).
e   Deferred tax estimate for the ratio calculation is derived from net investment income (loss) only.
f   The Fund’s portfolio turnover rate is calculated in accordance with regulatory requirements, without regard to transactions involving short term investments and certain derivatives. If such transactions were included, the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate may be higher.
g   Commenced operations on March 28, 2013.

 

107


 

MLP Energy Infrastructure Fund

Prospectus

 

  FOR MORE INFORMATION     

Annual/Semi-annual Report

Additional information about the Fund’s investments is available in the Fund’s annual and semi-annual reports to shareholders. In the Fund’s annual reports, you will find a discussion of the market conditions and investment strategies that significantly affected the Fund’s performance during the last fiscal year.

Statement of Additional Information

Additional information about the Fund and its policies is also available in the Fund’s SAI. The SAI is incorporated by reference into this Prospectus (is legally considered part of this Prospectus).

The Fund’s annual and semi-annual reports, and the SAI, are available free upon request by calling Goldman Sachs at 1-800-526-7384. You can also access and download the annual and semi-annual reports and the SAI at the Fund’s web site: http://www.gsamfunds.com.

From time to time, certain announcements and other information regarding the Fund may be found at http://www.gs.com/gsam/redirect/announcements/individuals for individual investors, http://www.gs.com/gsam/redirect/announcements/institutions for institutional investors or http://www.gs.com/gsam/redirect/announcements/advisors for advisers.

To obtain other information and for shareholder inquiries:

 

   Institutional    Class A, C, IR & R

¢     By  telephone:

   1-800-621-2550    1-800-526-7384

¢     By mail:

  

Goldman Sachs Funds

P.O. Box 06050

Chicago, IL 60606-6306

  

Goldman Sachs Funds

P.O. Box 219711

Kansas City, MO 64121

¢     On the  Internet:

   SEC EDGAR database – http://www.sec.gov

You may review and obtain copies of Fund documents (including the SAI) by visiting the SEC’s public reference room in Washington, D.C. You may also obtain copies of Fund documents, after paying a duplicating fee, by writing to the SEC’s Public Reference Section, Washington, D.C. 20549-1520 or by electronic request to: publicinfo@sec.gov. Information on the operation of the public reference room may be obtained by calling the SEC at (202) 551-8090.

 

MLPEIPRO14

  

The Fund’s investment company registration number is 811-05349.

GSAM ® is a registered service mark of Goldman, Sachs & Co.

  LOGO


PART B

STATEMENT OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

MARCH 28, 2014

 

FUND

  CLASS A
SHARES
    CLASS C
SHARES
    CLASS R
SHARES
    CLASS IR
SHARES
    INSTITUTIONAL
SHARES
 

GOLDMAN SACHS MLP ENERGY INFRASTRUCTURE FUND

    GLPAX        GLPCX        GLPRX        GLPIX        GMLPX   

(a series of Goldman Sachs Trust)

71 South Wacker Drive

Chicago, Illinois 60606

This Statement of Additional Information (the “SAI”) is not a prospectus. This SAI should be read in conjunction with the prospectus for the Goldman Sachs MLP Energy Infrastructure Fund (the “Fund”), dated March 28, 2014, as it may be further amended and/or supplemented from time to time (the “Prospectus”), which may be obtained without charge from Goldman, Sachs & Co. by calling the telephone numbers or writing to one of the addresses listed below or from institutions (“Authorized Institutions”) acting on behalf of their customers.

The Fund’s Annual Report (when available) may be obtained upon request and without charge by calling Goldman, Sachs & Co. toll free at 1-800-526-7384 (for Class A, Class C, Class R and Class IR Shareholders) or 1-800-621-2550 (for Institutional Shareholders).

GSAM® is a registered service mark of Goldman, Sachs & Co.


TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

INTRODUCTION

     B-2   

INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE AND POLICIES

     B-2   

DESCRIPTION OF INVESTMENT SECURITIES AND PRACTICES

     B-3   

INVESTMENT RESTRICTIONS

     B-25   

TRUSTEES AND OFFICERS

     B-27   

MANAGEMENT SERVICES

     B-41   

POTENTIAL CONFLICTS OF INTEREST

     B-48   

PORTFOLIO TRANSACTIONS AND BROKERAGE

     B-54   

NET ASSET VALUE

     B-56   

SHARES OF THE TRUST

     B-58   

TAXATION

     B-60   

FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

     B-64   

PROXY VOTING

     B-64   

PAYMENTS TO INTERMEDIARIES

     B-65   

OTHER INFORMATION

     B-70   

DISTRIBUTION AND SERVICE PLANS

     B-72   

OTHER INFORMATION REGARDING MAXIMUM SALES CHARGE, PURCHASES, REDEMPTIONS, EXCHANGES AND DIVIDENDS

     B-75   

APPENDIX A DESCRIPTION OF SECURITIES RATINGS

     1-A   

APPENDIX B GSAM PROXY VOTING GUIDELINES

     1-B   

APPENDIX C STATEMENT OF INTENTION

     1-C   

The date of this SAI is March 28, 2014.


GOLDMAN SACHS ASSET MANAGEMENT, L.P.

Investment Adviser

200 West Street

New York, NY 10282

GOLDMAN, SACHS & CO.

Distributor

200 West Street

New York, NY 10282

GOLDMAN, SACHS & CO.

Transfer Agent

71 South Wacker Drive

Chicago,IL 60606

Toll free (in U.S.): 800-621-2550 (for Institutional Shareholders) or 800-526-7384 (for Class A, Class C, Class R and Class IR Shareholders)

 

B-1


INTRODUCTION

Goldman Sachs Trust (the “Trust”) is an open-end management investment company. The Trust is organized as a Delaware statutory trust and was established by a Declaration of Trust dated January 28, 1997. The Trust is a successor to a Massachusetts business trust that was combined with the Trust on April 30, 1997. The following series of the Trust are described in this SAI: Goldman Sachs MLP Energy Infrastructure Fund (the “Fund”).

The Trustees of the Trust have authority under the Declaration of Trust to create and classify shares into separate series and to classify and reclassify any series or portfolio of shares into one or more classes without further action by shareholders. Pursuant thereto, the Trustees have created the Fund and other series. Additional series may be added in the future from time to time. The Fund currently offers five classes of shares: Class A, Class C, Class R, Class IR and Institutional Shares. See “SHARES OF THE TRUST.”

Goldman Sachs Asset Management, L.P. (“GSAM” or the “Investment Adviser”), an affiliate of Goldman, Sachs & Co. (“Goldman Sachs”), serves as the investment adviser to the Fund. In addition, Goldman Sachs serves as the Fund’s distributor and transfer agent. The Fund’s custodian is State Street Bank and Trust Company (“State Street”).

The following information relates to and supplements the description of the Fund’s investment objective and policies contained in the Prospectus. See the Prospectus for a more complete description of the Fund’s investment objectives and policies. Investing in the Fund entails certain risks, and there is no assurance that the Fund will achieve its objective. Capitalized terms used but not defined herein have the same meaning as in the Prospectus.

Effective April 27, 2013, the Fund changed its fiscal year end from October 31 to November 30.

INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE AND POLICIES

The Fund has a distinct investment objective and policies. The Fund is a non-diversified, open-end management company as defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “Act”). The investment objective and policies of the Fund, and the associated risks of the Fund, are discussed in the Fund’s Prospectus, which should be read carefully before an investment is made. All investment objectives and investment policies not specifically designated as fundamental may be changed without shareholder approval. However, to the extent required by U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) regulations, shareholders will be provided with sixty (60) days’ notice in the manner prescribed by the SEC before any change in the Fund’s policy to invest at least 80% of its net assets plus any borrowings for investment purposes (measured at the time of purchase) (“Net Assets”) in the particular type of investment suggested by its name. Additional information about the Fund, its policies, and the investment instruments it may hold is provided below.

The Fund’s share price will fluctuate with market, economic and, to the extent applicable, foreign exchange conditions, so that an investment in the Fund may be worth more or less when redeemed than when purchased. The Fund should not be relied upon as a complete investment program.

The Investment Adviser utilizes first-hand fundamental research, including visiting company facilities to assess operations and to meet decision-makers, in choosing the Fund’s securities. The Investment Adviser may also use macro analysis of numerous economic and valuation variables to anticipate changes in company earnings and the overall investment climate. The Investment Adviser is able to draw on the research and market expertise of the Goldman Sachs Global Investment Research Department and other affiliates of the Investment Adviser, as well as information provided by other securities dealers. Equity investments in the Fund’s portfolio will generally be sold when the Investment Adviser believes that the market price fully reflects or exceeds the investments’ fundamental valuation or when other more attractive investments are identified.

The Trust, on behalf of the Fund, has filed a notice of eligibility claiming an exclusion from the definition of the term “commodity pool operator” (“CPO”) under the Commodity Exchange Act (“CEA”) and therefore is not subject to registration or regulation as a CPO under the CEA.

 

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DESCRIPTION OF INVESTMENT SECURITIES AND PRACTICES

Master Limited Partnerships

A Master Limited Partnership (“MLP”) is an entity receiving partnership taxation treatment under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”), and whose interests or “units” are traded on securities exchanges like shares of corporate stock. A typical MLP consists of a general partner and limited partners; however, some entities receiving partnership taxation treatment under the Code are established as limited liability companies. The general partner manages the partnership; has an ownership stake in the partnership; and is typically eligible to receive an incentive distribution. The limited partners provide capital to the partnership, have a limited (if any) role in the operation and management of the partnership, and receive cash distributions. Due to their partnership structure, MLPs generally do not pay income taxes.

Holders of MLP units could potentially become subject to liability for all of the obligations of an MLP, if a court determines that the rights of the unitholders to take certain action under the limited partnership agreement would constitute “control” of the business of that MLP, or if a court or governmental agency determines that the MLP is conducting business in a state without complying with the limited partnership statute of that state.

To be treated as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes, an MLP must derive at least 90% of its gross income for each taxable year from qualifying sources, including activities such as the exploration, development, mining, production, processing, refining, transportation, storage and certain marketing of mineral or natural resources. Many of the MLPs in which the Fund invests operate oil, gas or petroleum facilities, or other facilities within the energy sector. The Fund intends to concentrate its investments in the energy sector, with a focus on “midstream” energy infrastructure MLPs. The Fund may, however, invest in MLP entities in any sector of the economy.

Midstream MLPs are generally engaged in the treatment, gathering, compression, processing, transportation, transmission, fractionation, storage and terminalling of natural gas, natural gas liquids, crude oil, refined products or coal. Midstream MLPs may also operate ancillary businesses including marketing of energy products and logistical services. The Fund may also invest in “upstream” and “downstream” MLPs. Upstream MLPs are primarily engaged in the exploration, recovery, development and production of crude oil, natural gas and natural gas liquids. Downstream MLPs are primarily engaged in the processing, treatment, and refining of natural gas liquids and crude oil. The MLPs in which the Fund invests may also engage in owning, managing and transporting alternative energy assets, including alternative fuels such as ethanol, hydrogen and biodiesel.

MLP Equity Securities. Equity securities issued by MLPs generally consist of common units, subordinated units and preferred units, as described more fully below.

MLP Common Units. The common units of many MLPs are listed and traded on U.S. securities exchanges, including the New York Stock Exchange, Inc. (“NYSE”) and the National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotations System (“NASDAQ”). The Fund will purchase such common units through open market transactions and underwritten offerings, but may also acquire common units through direct placements and privately negotiated transactions. Holders of MLP common units typically have very limited control and voting rights. Holders of such common units are typically entitled to receive a minimum quarterly distribution (“MQD”) from the issuer, and typically have a right, to the extent that an MLP fails to make a previous MQD, to recover in future distributions the amount by which the MQD was short (“arrearage rights”). Generally, an MLP must pay (or set aside for payment) the MQD to holders of common units before any distributions may be paid to subordinated unit holders. In addition, incentive distributions are typically not paid to the general partner or managing member unless the quarterly distributions on the common units exceed specified threshold levels above the MQD. In the event of a liquidation, common unit holders are intended to have a preference with respect to the remaining assets of the issuer over holders of subordinated units. MLPs issue different classes of common units that may have different voting, trading, and distribution rights. The Fund may invest in different classes of common units.

MLP Subordinated Units. Subordinated units, which, like common units, represent limited partner or member interests, are not typically listed or traded on an exchange. The Fund may purchase outstanding subordinated units through negotiated transactions directly with holders of such units or newly issued subordinated units directly from the issuer. Holders of such subordinated units are generally entitled to receive a distribution only after the MQD and any arrearages from prior quarters have been paid to holders of common units. Holders of subordinated units typically have the right to receive distributions before any incentive distributions are payable to the general partner or managing member. Subordinated units generally do not provide arrearage rights. Most MLP subordinated units are convertible into common units after the passage of a specified period of time or upon the achievement by the issuer of specified financial goals. MLPs issue different classes of subordinated units that may have different voting, trading, and distribution rights. The Fund may invest in different classes of subordinated units.

 

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MLP Convertible Subordinated Units. MLP convertible subordinated units are typically issued by MLPs to founders, corporate general partners of MLPs, entities that sell assets to MLPs, and institutional investors. Convertible subordinated units increase the likelihood that, during the subordination period, there will be available cash to be distributed to common unitholders. MLP convertible subordinated units generally are not entitled to distributions until holders of common units have received their specified MQD, plus any arrearages, and may receive less than common unitholders in distributions upon liquidation. Convertible subordinated unitholders generally are entitled to MQD prior to the payment of incentive distributions to the general partner, but are not entitled to arrearage rights. Therefore, MLP convertible subordinated units generally entail greater risk than MLP common units. Convertible subordinated units are generally convertible automatically into senior common units of the same issuer at a one-to-one ratio upon the passage of time or the satisfaction of certain financial tests. Convertible subordinated units do not trade on a national exchange or over-the-counter (“OTC”), and there is no active market for them. The value of a convertible subordinated unit is a function of its worth if converted into the underlying common units. Convertible subordinated units generally have similar voting rights as do MLP common units. Distributions may be paid in cash or in-kind.

MLP Preferred Units. MLP preferred units are not typically listed or traded on an exchange. The Fund may purchase MLP preferred units through negotiated transactions directly with MLPs, affiliates of MLPs and institutional holders of such units. Holders of MLP preferred units can be entitled to a wide range of voting and other rights, depending on the structure of each separate security.

MLP General Partner or Managing Member Interests. The general partner or managing member interest in an MLP is typically retained by the original sponsors of an MLP, such as its founders, corporate partners and entities that sell assets to the MLP. The holder of the general partner or managing member interest can be liable in certain circumstances for amounts greater than the amount of the holder’s investment in the general partner or managing member. General partner or managing member interests often confer direct board participation rights in, and in many cases control over the operations of, the MLP. General partner or managing member interests can be privately held or owned by publicly traded entities. General partner or managing member interests receive cash distributions, typically in an amount of up to 2% of available cash, which is contractually defined in the partnership or limited liability company agreement. In addition, holders of general partner or managing member interests typically receive incentive distribution rights (“IDRs”), which provide them with an increasing share of the entity’s aggregate cash distributions upon the payment of per common unit distributions that exceed specified threshold levels above the MQD. Incentive distributions to a general partner are designed to encourage the general partner, who controls and operates the partnership, to maximize the partnership’s cash flow and increase distributions to the limited partners. Due to the IDRs, general partners of MLPs have higher distribution growth prospects than their underlying MLPs, but quarterly incentive distribution payments would also decline at a greater rate than the decline rate in quarterly distributions to common and subordinated unit holders in the event of a reduction in the MLP’s quarterly distribution. The ability of the limited partners or members to remove the general partner or managing member without cause is typically very limited. In addition, some MLPs permit the holder of IDRs to reset, under specified circumstances, the incentive distribution levels and receive compensation in exchange for the distribution rights given up in the reset.

MLP Debt Securities. Debt securities issued by MLPs may include those rated below investment grade. The Fund may invest in MLP debt securities without regard to credit quality or maturity. Investments in such securities may not offer the tax characteristics of equity securities of MLPs.

Limited Liability Company Common Units

Some energy companies in which the Fund may invest have been organized as limited liability companies (“MLP LLCs”). Such MLP LLCs are treated in the same manner as MLPs for federal income tax purposes. Consistent with its investment objective and policies, the Fund may invest in common units or other securities of such MLP LLCs. MLP LLC common units represent an equity ownership interest in an MLP LLC, entitling the holders to a share of the MLP LLC’s success through distributions and/or capital appreciation. Similar to MLPs, MLP LLCs typically do not pay federal income tax at the entity level and are required by their operating agreements to distribute a large percentage of their current operating earnings. MLP LLC common unitholders generally have first right to an MQD prior to distributions to subordinated unitholders and typically have arrearage rights if the MQD is not met. In the event of liquidation, MLP LLC common unitholders have first right to the MLP LLC’s remaining assets after bondholders, other debt holders and preferred unitholders, if any, have been paid in full. MLP LLC common units trade on a national securities exchange or OTC. In contrast to MLPs, MLP LLCs have no general partner and there are generally no incentives that entitle management or other unitholders to increased percentages of cash distributions as distributions reach higher target levels. In addition, MLP LLC common unitholders typically have voting rights with respect to the MLP LLC, whereas MLP common units have limited voting rights.

 

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MLP Affiliates and I-Units

Other MLP Equity and Debt Securities. The Fund may invest in equity and debt securities issued by affiliates of MLPs, including the general partners or managing members of MLPs and companies that own MLP general partner interests and are energy companies. Such issuers may be organized and/or taxed as corporations and therefore may not offer the advantageous tax characteristics of MLP units. The Fund may purchase such other MLP equity securities through market transactions, but may also do so through direct placements.

I-Units. I-Units represent an indirect ownership interest in an MLP and are issued by an MLP affiliate. The MLP affiliate uses the proceeds from the sale of I-Units to purchase limited partnership interests in its affiliated MLP. Thus, I-Units represent an indirect interest in an MLP. I-Units have limited voting rights and are similar in that respect to MLP common units. I-Units differ from MLP common units primarily in that instead of receiving cash distributions, holders of I-Units will receive distributions of additional I-Units in an amount equal to the cash distributions received by common unit holders. I-Units are traded on the NYSE. Issuers of MLP I-Units are treated as corporations and not partnerships for tax purposes.

Private Investment in Public Equities (“PIPEs”)

The Investment Adviser may elect to invest in PIPEs and other unregistered or otherwise restricted securities issued by public MLPs and similar entities, including unregistered MLP preferred units. The Investment Adviser expects most such private securities to be liquid within six to nine months of funding, but may also invest in other private securities with significantly longer or shorter restricted periods. PIPEs involve the direct placement of equity securities to a purchaser such as the Fund. Equity issued in this manner is often unregistered and therefore less liquid than equity issued through a public offering. Such private equity offerings provide issuers greater flexibility in structure and timing as compared to public offerings. The following highlights some of the reasons MLPs choose to issue equity through private placements:

Effective Acquisition Funding Vehicle . MLPs typically distribute all of their available cash at the end of each quarter, and therefore generally finance acquisitions through the issuance of additional equity and debt securities. PIPEs allow MLPs to structure the equity funding to close concurrently with an acquisition, thereby eliminating or reducing the equity funding risk. This avoids equity overhang issues (discussed below) and can ease rating agency concerns over interim excessive leverage associated with an acquisition.

Eliminates or Reduces Equity Overhang Issues . Generally an MLP unit price declines when investors know the MLP will be issuing public equity in the near term. An example of this is when an MLP closes a sizeable acquisition funded under its credit facility or with another form of debt financing. In this situation, equity investors will typically wait for the public offering to provide additional liquidity, and therefore the demand for units is reduced, and the unit price falls. Issuing units through a PIPE in conjunction with the acquisition eliminates this equity overhang.

Broadens Investor Base . Public equity offerings for MLPs are typically allocated primarily to retail investors. Private placements allow issuers to access new pools of equity capital. In addition, institutional investors, such as the Fund, that participate in PIPEs are potential investors for future equity financings.

Greater Structural Flexibility . Certain acquisitions and organic development projects require a more structured form of equity. For example, organic projects that require significant capital expenditures that do not generate near-term cash flow may require a class of equity that does not pay a distribution for a certain period. The public equity market is generally not an efficient venue to raise this type of specialized equity. Given the significant number of organic projects that have been announced by MLPs, the private placement of PIPEs are believed by the Investment Adviser to be likely to remain an important funding component in the MLP sector.

Avoided Cost and Uncertainty of Public Equity Issuance . Some issuers prefer the certainty of a private placement at a specified fixed discount, compared to the uncertainty of a public offering. The underwriting costs of a public equity issuance in the MLP space can significantly reduce gross equity proceeds, and the unit price of the issuance can decline during the marketing of a public deal, resulting in increased cost to an issuer. The cost of a PIPE can be competitive with that of a public issuance while providing greater certainty of funding.

 

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More Expedient Process with Limited Marketing Requirements . Unlike public equity offerings, private placements are typically more time efficient for management teams, with negotiations, due diligence and marketing required only for a small targeted group of sophisticated institutional investors.

Monetizations . Financial sponsors, founding partners and/or parent companies typically own significant stakes in MLPs in the form of subordinated units. As these units are not registered, monetization alternatives are limited. PIPEs provide liquidity in these situations.

Many MLPs rely on the private placement market as a source of equity capital. Given the limitations in raising equity from a predominantly retail investor base and the tax and administrative constraints to significant institutional participation, PIPEs have been a popular financing alternative with many MLPs.

Greenfield Projects

Greenfield projects are energy-related projects built by private joint ventures formed by energy companies. Greenfield projects may include the creation of a new pipeline, processing plant or storage facility or other energy infrastructure asset that is integrated with the company’s existing assets. The Fund may invest in the equity of greenfield projects and also may invest in the secured debt of greenfield projects. However, an investment also may be structured as pay-in-kind securities with minimal or no cash interest or dividends until construction is completed, at which time interest payments or dividends would be paid in cash. The Investment Adviser believes that this niche leverages the organizational and operating expertise of large, publicly traded companies and provides the Fund with the opportunity to earn higher returns. Greenfield projects involve less investment risk than typical private equity financing arrangements. The primary risk involved with greenfield projects is execution risk or construction risk. Changing project requirements, elevated costs for labor and materials, and unexpected construction hurdles all can increase construction costs. Financing risk exists should changes in construction costs or financial markets occur. Regulatory risk exists should changes in regulation occur during construction or the necessary permits are not secured prior to beginning construction.

Income Trusts

The Fund may invest in income trusts, including business trusts and oil royalty trusts. Income trusts are operating businesses that have been put into a trust. They pay out the bulk of their free cash flow to unit holders. The businesses that are sold into these trusts are usually mature and stable income-producing companies that lend themselves to fixed (monthly or quarterly) distributions. These trusts are regarded as equity investments with fixed-income attributes or high-yield debt with no fixed maturity date. These trusts typically offer regular income payments and a significant premium yield compared to other types of fixed income investments.

Business Trusts. A business trust is an income trust where the principal business of the underlying corporation or other entity is in the manufacturing, service or general industrial sectors. It is anticipated that the number of businesses constituted or reorganized as income trusts will increase significantly in the future. Conversion to the income trust structure is attractive to many existing mature businesses with relatively high, stable cash flows and low capital expenditure requirements, due to tax efficiency and investor demand for high-yielding equity securities. One of the primary attractions of business trusts, in addition to their relatively high yield, is their ability to enhance diversification in the portfolio as they cover a broad range of industries and geographies, including public refrigerated warehousing, mining, coal distribution, sugar distribution, forest products, retail sales, food sales and processing, chemical recovery and processing, data processing, gas marketing and check printing. Each business represented is typically characterized by long life assets or businesses that have exhibited a high degree of stability. Investments in business trusts are subject to various risks, including risks related to the underlying operating companies controlled by such trusts. These risks may include lack of or limited operating histories and increased susceptibility to interest rate risks.

Oil Royalty Trusts. A royalty trust typically controls an operating company which purchases oil and gas properties using the trust’s capital. The royalty trust then receives royalties and/or interest payments from its operating company, and distributes them as income to its unit holders. Units of the royalty trust represent an economic interest in the underlying assets of the trust.

The Fund may invest in oil royalty trusts that are traded on stock exchanges. Oil royalty trusts are income trusts that own or control oil and gas operating companies. Oil royalty trusts pay out substantially all of the cash flow they receive from the production and sale of underlying crude oil and natural gas reserves to shareholders (unitholders) in the form of monthly dividends (distributions). As a result of distributing the bulk of their cash flow to unitholders, royalty trusts are effectively precluded from internally originating new oil and gas prospects. Therefore, these royalty trusts typically grow through acquisition of producing

 

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companies or those with proven reserves of oil and gas, funded through the issuance of additional equity or, where the trust is able, additional debt. Consequently, oil royalty trusts are considered less exposed to the uncertainties faced by a traditional exploration and production corporation. However, they are still exposed to commodity risk and reserve risk, as well as operating risk.

The operations and financial condition of oil royalty trusts, and the amount of distributions or dividends paid on their securities is dependent on oil prices. Prices for commodities vary and are determined by supply and demand factors, including weather, and general economic and political conditions. A decline in oil prices could have a substantial adverse effect on the operations and financial conditions of the trusts. Such trusts are also subject to the risk of an adverse change in the regulations of the natural resource industry and other operational risks relating to the energy sector. In addition, the underlying operating companies held or controlled by the trusts are usually involved in oil exploration; however, such companies may not be successful in holding, discovering, or exploiting adequate commercial quantities of oil, the failure of which will adversely affect their values. Even if successful, oil and gas prices have fluctuated widely during the most recent years and may continue to do so in the future. The Investment Adviser expects that the combination of global demand growth and depleting reserves, together with current geopolitical instability, will continue to support strong crude oil prices over the long term. However, there is no guarantee that these prices will not decline. Declining crude oil prices may cause the Fund to incur losses on its investments. In addition, the demand in and supply to the developing markets could be affected by other factors such as restrictions on imports, increased taxation, and creation of government monopolies, as well as social, economic and political uncertainty and instability. Furthermore, there is no guarantee that non-conventional sources of natural gas will not be discovered which would adversely affect the oil industry.

Moreover, as the underlying oil and gas reserves are produced the remaining reserves attributable to the royalty trust are depleted. The ability of a royalty trust to replace reserves is therefore fundamental to its ability to maintain distribution levels and unit prices over time. Certain royalty trusts have demonstrated consistent positive reserve growth year-over-year and, as such, certain royalty trusts have been successful to date in this respect and are thus currently trading at unit prices significantly higher than those of five or ten years ago. Oil royalty trusts manage reserve depletion through reserve additions resulting from internal capital development activities and through acquisitions. When the Fund invests in foreign oil royalty trusts, it will also be subject to foreign securities risks, which are described below under “Foreign Securities.”

Corporate Debt Obligations

The Fund may, under normal market conditions, invest in corporate debt obligations, including obligations of industrial, utility and financial issuers. Corporate debt obligations include bonds, notes, debentures and other obligations of corporations to pay interest and repay principal. Corporate debt obligations are subject to the risk of an issuer’s inability to meet principal and interest payments on the obligations and may also be subject to price volatility due to such factors as market interest rates, market perception of the creditworthiness of the issuer and general market liquidity.

Corporate debt obligations rated BBB or Baa are considered medium grade obligations with speculative characteristics, and adverse economic conditions or changing circumstances may weaken their issuers’ capacity to pay interest and repay principal. Medium to lower rated and comparable non-rated securities tend to offer higher yields than higher rated securities with the same maturities because the historical financial condition of the issuers of such securities may not have been as strong as that of other issuers. The price of corporate debt obligations will generally fluctuate in response to fluctuations in supply and demand for similarly rated securities. In addition, the price of corporate debt obligations will generally fluctuate in response to interest rate levels. Fluctuations in the prices of portfolio securities subsequent to their acquisition will not affect cash income from such securities but will be reflected in the Fund’s net asset value (“NAV”).

Because medium to lower rated securities generally involve greater risks of loss of income and principal than higher rated securities, investors should consider carefully the relative risks associated with investment in securities which carry medium to lower ratings and in comparable unrated securities. In addition to the risk of default, there are the related costs of recovery on defaulted issues. The Investment Adviser will attempt to reduce these risks through portfolio diversification and by analysis of each issuer and its ability to make timely payments of income and principal, as well as broad economic trends and corporate developments.

The Investment Adviser employs its own credit research and analysis, which includes a study of an issuer’s existing debt, capital structure, ability to service debt and pay dividends, sensitivity to economic conditions, operating history and current earnings trend. The Investment Adviser continually monitors the investments in the Fund’s portfolio and evaluates whether to dispose of or to retain corporate debt obligations whose credit ratings or credit quality may have changed. If after its purchase, a portfolio security is assigned a lower rating or ceases to be rated, the Fund may continue to hold the security if the Investment Adviser believes it is in the best interest of the Fund and its shareholders.

 

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Commercial Paper and Other Short-Term Corporate Obligations

The Fund may invest in commercial paper and other short-term obligations issued or guaranteed by U.S. corporations, non-U.S. corporations or other entities. Commercial paper represents short-term unsecured promissory notes issued in bearer form by banks or bank holding companies, corporations and finance companies.

U.S. Government Securities

The Fund may invest in U.S. government securities, which are obligations issued or guaranteed by the U.S. government, its agencies, instrumentalities or sponsored enterprises (“U.S. Government Securities”). Some U.S. Government Securities (such as Treasury bills, notes and bonds, which differ only in their interest rates, maturities and times of issuance) are supported by the full faith and credit of the United States. Others, such as obligations issued or guaranteed by U.S. Government agencies, instrumentalities or sponsored enterprises, are supported either by (i) the right of the issuer to borrow from the U.S. Treasury, (ii) the discretionary authority of the U.S. Government to purchase certain obligations of the issuer or (iii) only the credit of the issuer. The U.S. government is under no legal obligation, in general, to purchase the obligations of its agencies, instrumentalities or sponsored enterprises. No assurance can be given that the U.S. government will provide financial support to U.S. Government agencies, instrumentalities or sponsored enterprises in the future, and the U.S. government may be unable to pay debts when due.

U.S. Government Securities include (to the extent consistent with the Act) securities for which the payment of principal and interest is backed by an irrevocable letter of credit issued by the U.S. Government, or its agencies, instrumentalities or sponsored enterprises. U.S. Government Securities may also include (to the extent consistent with the Act) participations in loans made to foreign governments or their agencies that are guaranteed as to principal and interest by the U.S. Government or its agencies, instrumentalities or sponsored enterprises. The secondary market for certain of these participations is extremely limited. In the absence of a suitable secondary market, such participations are regarded as illiquid.

The Fund may also purchase U.S. Government Securities in private placements and may also invest in separately traded principal and interest components of securities guaranteed or issued by the U.S. Treasury that are traded independently under the separate trading of registered interest and principal of securities program (“STRIPS”). The Fund may also invest in zero coupon U.S. Treasury securities and in zero coupon securities issued by financial institutions which represent a proportionate interest in underlying U.S. Treasury securities.

Bank Obligations

The Fund may invest in obligations issued or guaranteed by U.S. or foreign banks. Bank obligations, including without limitation, time deposits, bankers’ acceptances and certificates of deposit, may be general obligations of the parent bank or may be limited to the issuing branch by the terms of the specific obligations or by government regulation. Banks are subject to extensive but different governmental regulations which may limit both the amount and types of loans which may be made and interest rates which may be charged. In addition, the profitability of the banking industry is largely dependent upon the availability and cost of funds for the purpose of financing lending operations under prevailing money market conditions. General economic conditions as well as exposure to credit losses arising from possible financial difficulties of borrowers play an important part in the operation of this industry.

Certificates of deposit are certificates evidencing the obligation of a bank to repay funds deposited with it for a specified period of time at a specified rate. Certificates of deposit are negotiable instruments and are similar to saving deposits but have a definite maturity and are evidenced by a certificate instead of a passbook entry. Banks are required to keep reserves against all certificates of deposit. Fixed time deposits are bank obligations payable at a stated maturity date and bearing interest at a fixed rate. Fixed time deposits may be withdrawn on demand by the investor, but may be subject to early withdrawal penalties which vary depending upon market conditions and the remaining maturity of the obligation. The Fund may invest in deposits in U.S. and European banks satisfying the standards set forth above.

Variable and Floating Rate Securities

The interest rates payable on certain debt securities in which the Fund may invest are not fixed and may fluctuate based upon changes in market rates. Variable and floating rate obligations are debt instruments issued by companies or other entities with interest rates that reset periodically (typically, daily, monthly, quarterly, or semi-annually) in response to changes in the market rate of interest on which the interest rate is based. Moreover, such obligations may fluctuate in value in response to interest rate changes if there is a

 

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delay between changes in market interest rates and the interest reset date for the obligation, or for other reasons. The value of these obligations is generally more stable than that of a fixed rate obligation in response to changes in interest rate levels, but they may decline in value if their interest rates do not rise as much, or as quickly, as interest rates in general. Conversely, floating rate securities will not generally increase in value if interest rates decline.

Custodial Receipts and Trust Certificates

The Fund 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, municipal securities or other types of securities in which the Fund 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 Fund will bear its proportionate share of the fees and expenses charged to the custodial account or trust. The Fund may also invest in separately issued interests in custodial receipts and trust certificates.

Although under the terms of a custodial receipt or trust certificate the Fund would typically be authorized to assert its rights directly against the issuer of the underlying obligation, the Fund could be required to assert through the custodian bank or trustee 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 Fund may be subject to delays, expenses and risks that are greater than those that would have been involved if the Fund 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 established secondary market for some instruments may not exist. In many cases, the Internal Revenue Service (the “IRS”) has not ruled on the tax treatment of the interest or payments received on the derivative instruments and, accordingly, purchases of such instruments are based on the opinion of counsel to the sponsors of the instruments.

High Yield Securities

The Fund may invest in bonds rated BB+ or below by Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services (“Standard & Poor’s”) or Ba1 or below by Moody’s Investors Service, Inc. (“Moody’s”) or comparable rated and unrated securities. These bonds are commonly known as “junk bonds” and are considered speculative. The ability of issuers of high yield securities to make principal and interest payments may be questionable because such issuers are often less creditworthy or are highly leveraged and generally less able than more established or less leveraged entities to make scheduled payments of principal and interest. High yield securities are also issued by governmental issuers that may have difficulty in making all scheduled interest and principal payments. In some cases, high yield securities may be highly speculative, have poor prospects for reaching investment grade standing and be in default. As a result, investment in such bonds will entail greater risks than those associated with investment in investment grade bonds ( i.e. , bonds rated AAA, AA, A or BBB by Standard & Poor’s or Aaa, Aa, A or Baa by Moody’s). Analysis of the creditworthiness of issuers of high yield securities may be more complex than for issuers of higher quality debt securities, and the ability of the Fund to achieve its investment objective may, to the extent of its investments in high yield securities, be more dependent upon such creditworthiness analysis than would be the case if the Fund were investing in higher quality securities. See Appendix A for a description of the corporate bond and preferred stock ratings by Standard & Poor’s, Moody’s, Fitch, Inc. (“Fitch”) and Dominion Bond Rating Service Limited (“DBRS”).

 

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The market values of high yield securities tend to reflect individual corporate or municipal developments to a greater extent than do those of higher rated securities, which react primarily to fluctuations in the general level of interest rates. Issuers of high yield securities that are highly leveraged may not be able to make use of more traditional methods of financing. Their ability to service debt obligations may be more adversely affected by economic downturns or their inability to meet specific projected business forecasts than would be the case for issuers of higher-rated securities. Negative publicity about the junk bond market and investor perceptions regarding lower-rated securities, whether or not based on fundamental analysis, may depress the prices for high yield securities. In the lower quality segments of the fixed income securities market, changes in perceptions of issuers’ creditworthiness tend to occur more frequently and in a more pronounced manner than do changes in higher quality segments of the fixed income securities market, resulting in greater yield and price volatility. Another factor which causes fluctuations in the prices of high yield securities is the supply and demand for similarly rated securities. In addition, the prices of investments fluctuate in response to the general level of interest rates. Fluctuations in the prices of portfolio securities subsequent to their acquisition will not affect cash income from such securities but will be reflected in the Fund’s NAV.

The risk of loss from default for the holders of high yield securities is significantly greater than is the case for holders of other debt securities because high yield securities are generally unsecured and are often subordinated to the rights of other creditors of the issuers of such securities. Investment by the Fund 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 by the Fund of its initial investment and any anticipated income or appreciation is uncertain. In addition, the Fund may incur additional expenses to the extent that it is required to seek recovery relating to the default in the payment of principal or interest on such securities or otherwise protect its interests. The Fund may be required to liquidate other portfolio securities to satisfy annual distribution obligations of the Fund in respect of accrued interest income on securities which are subsequently written off, even though the Fund has not received any cash payments of such interest.

The secondary market for high yield securities is concentrated in relatively few markets and is dominated by institutional investors, including mutual funds, insurance companies and other financial institutions. Accordingly, the secondary market for such securities may not be as liquid as and may be more volatile than the secondary market for higher-rated securities. In addition, the trading volume for high yield securities is generally lower than that of higher rated securities and the secondary market for high yield securities could contract under adverse market or economic conditions independent of any specific adverse changes in the condition of a particular issuer. These factors may have an adverse effect on the ability of the Fund to dispose of particular portfolio investments when needed to meet redemption requests or other liquidity needs. The Investment Adviser could find it difficult to sell these investments or may be able to sell the investments only at prices lower than if such investments were widely traded. Prices realized upon the sale of such lower rated or unrated securities, under these circumstances, may be less than the prices used in calculating the NAV of the Fund. A less liquid secondary market also may make it more difficult for the Fund to obtain precise valuations of the high yield securities in its portfolio.

The adoption of new legislation could adversely affect the secondary market for high yield securities and the financial condition of issuers of these securities. The form of any future legislation, and the probability of such legislation being enacted, is uncertain.

Non-investment grade securities also present risks based on payment expectations. High yield securities frequently contain “call” or buy-back features which permit the issuer to call or repurchase the security from its holder. If an issuer exercises such a “call option” and redeems the security, the Fund may have to replace such security with a lower-yielding security, resulting in a decreased return for investors. In addition, if the Fund experiences net redemptions of its shares, it may be forced to sell its higher-rated securities, resulting in a decline in the overall credit quality of its portfolio and increasing its exposure to the risks of high yield securities.

Credit ratings issued by credit rating agencies are designed to evaluate the safety of principal and interest payments of rated securities. They do not, however, evaluate the market value risk of high yield securities and, therefore, may not fully reflect the true risks of an investment. In addition, credit rating agencies may or may not make timely changes in a rating to reflect changes in the economy or in the conditions of the issuer that affect the market value of the security. Consequently, credit ratings are used only as a preliminary indicator of investment quality. Investments in non-investment grade and comparable unrated obligations will be more dependent on the Investment Adviser’s credit analysis than would be the case with investments in investment-grade debt obligations. The Investment Adviser employs its own credit research and analysis, which includes a study of an issuer’s existing debt, capital structure, ability to service debt and to pay dividends, sensitivity to economic conditions, operating history and current earnings trend. The Investment Adviser continually monitors the investments in the Fund’s portfolio and evaluates whether to dispose of or to retain non-investment grade and comparable unrated securities whose credit ratings or credit quality may have changed. If after its purchase, a portfolio security is assigned a lower rating or ceases to be rated, the Fund may continue to hold the security if the Investment Adviser believes it is in the best interest of the Fund and its shareholders.

 

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An economic downturn could severely affect the ability of highly leveraged issuers of junk bond investments to service their debt obligations or to repay their obligations upon maturity. Factors having an adverse impact on the market value of junk bonds will have an adverse effect on the Fund’s NAV to the extent it invests in such investments. In addition, the Fund may incur additional expenses to the extent it is required to seek recovery upon a default in payment of principal or interest on its portfolio holdings.

Futures Contracts and Options on Futures Contracts

The Fund may purchase and sell futures contracts and may also purchase and write call and put options on futures contracts. The futures contracts may be based on various securities, securities indices, foreign currencies and other financial instruments and indices. The Fund may engage in futures and related options transactions in order to seek to increase total return or to hedge against changes in interest rates or securities prices, or to otherwise manage its term structure, sector selection and duration of its fixed income securities holdings in accordance with its investment objective and policies. The Fund may also enter into closing purchase and sale transactions with respect to such contracts and options.

Futures contracts utilized by mutual funds have historically been traded on U.S. exchanges or boards of trade that are licensed and regulated by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (the “CFTC”) or on foreign exchanges. More recently, certain futures may also be traded either over-the-counter or on trading facilities such as derivatives transaction execution facilities, exempt boards of trade or electronic trading facilities that are licensed and/or regulated to varying degrees by the CFTC. Also, certain single stock futures and narrow based security index futures may be traded either over-the-counter or on trading facilities such as contract markets, derivatives transaction execution facilities and electronic trading facilities that are licensed and/or regulated to varying degrees by both the CFTC and the SEC, or on foreign exchanges.

Neither the CFTC, National Futures Association (“NFA”), SEC nor any domestic exchange regulates activities of any foreign exchange or boards of trade, including the execution, delivery and clearing of transactions, or has the power to compel enforcement of the rules of a foreign exchange or board of trade or any applicable foreign law. This is true even if the exchange is formally linked to a domestic market so that a position taken on the market may be liquidated by a transaction on another market. Moreover, such laws or regulations will vary depending on the foreign country in which the foreign futures or foreign options transaction occurs. For these reasons, the Fund’s investments in foreign futures or foreign options transactions may not be provided the same protections in respect of transactions on United States exchanges. In particular, persons who trade foreign futures or foreign options contracts may not be afforded certain of the protective measures provided by the CEA, the CFTC’s regulations and the rules of the NFA and any domestic exchange, including the right to use reparations proceedings before the CFTC and arbitration proceedings provided by the NFA or any domestic futures exchange. Similarly, those persons may not have the protection of the U.S. securities laws.

Futures Contracts. A futures contract may generally be described as an agreement between two parties to buy and sell particular financial instruments for an agreed price during a designated month (or to deliver the final cash settlement price, in the case of a contract relating to an index or otherwise not calling for physical delivery at the end of trading in the contract).

When interest rates are rising or securities prices are falling, the Fund can seek through the sale of futures contracts to offset a decline in the value of its current portfolio securities. When interest rates are falling or securities prices are rising, the Fund, through the purchase of futures contracts, can attempt to secure better rates or prices than might later be available in the market when it effects anticipated purchases.

Positions taken in the futures market are not normally held to maturity, but are instead liquidated through offsetting transactions which may result in a profit or a loss. While the Fund will usually liquidate futures contracts on securities in this manner, the Fund may instead make or take delivery of the underlying securities whenever it appears economically advantageous for the Fund to do so. A clearing corporation associated with the exchange on which futures are traded guarantees that, if still open, the sale or purchase will be performed on the settlement date.

Hedging Strategies Using Futures Contracts. When the Fund uses futures for hedging purposes, the Fund often seeks to establish with more certainty than would otherwise be possible the effective price or rate of return on portfolio securities (or securities that the Fund proposes to acquire) or the exchange rate of currencies in which portfolio securities are quoted or denominated. The Fund may, for example, take a “short” position in the futures market by selling futures contracts to seek to hedge against an anticipated rise in interest rates or a decline in market prices that would adversely affect the dollar value of the Fund’s portfolio

 

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securities. Such futures contracts may include contracts for the future delivery of securities held by the Fund or securities with characteristics similar to those of the Fund’s portfolio securities. If, in the opinion of the Investment Adviser, there is a sufficient degree of correlation between price trends for the Fund’s portfolio securities and futures contracts based on other financial instruments, securities indices or other indices, the Fund may also enter into such futures contracts as part of a hedging strategy. Although under some circumstances prices of securities in the Fund’s portfolio may be more or less volatile than prices of such futures contracts, the Investment Adviser will attempt to estimate the extent of this volatility difference based on historical patterns and compensate for any such differential by having the Fund enter into a greater or lesser number of futures contracts or by attempting to achieve only a partial hedge against price changes affecting the Fund’s portfolio securities. When hedging of this character is successful, any depreciation in the value of portfolio securities will be substantially offset by appreciation in the value of the futures position. On the other hand, any unanticipated appreciation in the value of the Fund’s portfolio securities would be substantially offset by a decline in the value of the futures position.

On other occasions, the Fund may take a “long” position by purchasing such futures contracts. This may be done, for example, when the Fund anticipates the subsequent purchase of particular securities when it has the necessary cash, but expects the prices then available in the applicable market to be less favorable than prices that are currently available.

Options on Futures Contracts. The acquisition of put and call options on futures contracts will give the Fund the right (but not the obligation), for a specified price, to sell or to purchase, respectively, the underlying futures contract at any time during the option period. As the purchaser of an option on a futures contract, the Fund obtains the benefit of the futures position if prices move in a favorable direction but limits its risk of loss in the event of an unfavorable price movement to the loss of the premium and transaction costs.

The writing of a call option on a futures contract generates a premium which may partially offset a decline in the value of the Fund’s assets. By writing a call option, the Fund becomes obligated, in exchange for the premium, to sell a futures contract if the option is exercised, which may have a value higher than the exercise price. The writing of a put option on a futures contract generates a premium, which may partially offset an increase in the price of securities that the Fund intends to purchase. However, the Fund becomes obligated (upon the exercise of the option) to purchase a futures contract if the option is exercised, which may have a value lower than the exercise price. Thus, the loss incurred by the Fund in writing options on futures is potentially unlimited and may exceed the amount of the premium received. The Fund will incur transaction costs in connection with the writing of options on futures.

The holder or writer of an option on a futures contract may terminate its position by selling or purchasing an offsetting option on the same financial instrument. There is no guarantee that such closing transactions can be effected. The Fund’s ability to establish and close out positions on such options will be subject to the development and maintenance of a liquid market.

Other Considerations. The Fund may engage in transactions in futures contracts and related options transactions. Transactions in futures contracts and options on futures involve brokerage costs, require margin deposits and, in certain cases, require the Fund to identify on its books cash or liquid assets. The Fund may cover its transactions in futures contracts and related options by indentifying on its books cash or liquid assets or by other means, in any manner permitted by applicable law.

While transactions in futures contracts and options on futures may reduce certain risks, such transactions themselves entail certain other risks. Thus, unanticipated changes in interest rates or securities prices may result in a poorer overall performance for the Fund than if it had not entered into any futures contracts or options transactions. When futures contracts and options are used for hedging purposes, perfect correlation between the Fund’s futures positions and portfolio positions may be impossible to achieve, particularly where futures contracts based on individual equity or corporate fixed income securities are currently not available. In the event of an imperfect correlation between a futures position and a portfolio position which is intended to be protected, the desired protection may not be obtained and the Fund may be exposed to risk of loss. The profitability of the Fund’s trading in futures depends upon the ability of the Investment Adviser to analyze correctly the futures markets.

Options on Securities and Securities Indices

Writing Covered Options. The Fund may write (sell) covered call and put options on any securities in which it may invest or any securities index consisting of securities in which it may invest. The Fund may write such options on securities that are listed on national domestic securities exchanges or foreign securities exchanges or traded in the over-the-counter market. A call option written by the Fund obligates that Fund to sell specified securities to the holder of the option at a specified price if the option is exercised on or before the expiration date. Depending upon the type of call option, the purchaser of a call option either (i) has the right to any appreciation in the value of the security over a fixed price (the “exercise price”) on a certain date in the future (the “expiration date”)

 

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or (ii) has the right to any appreciation in the value of the security over the exercise price at any time prior to the expiration of the option. If the purchaser exercises the option, the Fund pays the purchaser the difference between the price of the security and the exercise price of the option. The premium, the exercise price and the market value of the security determine the gain or loss realized by the Fund as the seller of the call option. The Fund can also repurchase the call option prior to the expiration date, ending its obligation. In this case, the cost of entering into closing purchase transactions will determine the gain or loss realized by the Fund. All call options written by the Fund are covered, which means that the Fund will own the securities subject to the option as long as the option is outstanding or the Fund will use the other methods described below. The Fund’s purpose in writing covered call options is to realize greater income than would be realized on portfolio securities transactions alone. However, the Fund may forego the opportunity to profit from an increase in the market price of the underlying security.

A put option written by the Fund would obligate the Fund to purchase specified securities from the option holder at a specified price if, depending upon the type of put option, either (i) the option is exercised at any time on or before the expiration date or (ii) the option is exercised on the expiration date. All put options written by the Fund would be covered, which means that the Fund will identify on its books cash or liquid assets with a value at least equal to the exercise price of the put option (less any margin on deposit) or will use the other methods described below. The purpose of writing such options is to generate additional income for the Fund. However, in return for the option premium, the Fund 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.

In the case of a call option, the option is “covered” if the Fund owns the instrument underlying the call or has an absolute and immediate right to acquire that instrument without additional cash consideration (or, if additional cash consideration is required, liquid assets in such amount are identified on the Fund’s books) upon conversion or exchange of other instruments held by it. A call option is also covered if the Fund holds a call on the same instrument as the option written where the exercise price of the option held is (i) equal to or less than the exercise price of the option written, or (ii) greater than the exercise price of the option written provided the Fund identifies liquid assets in the amount of the difference. A put option is also covered if the Fund holds a put on the same instrument as the option written where the exercise price of the option held is (i) equal to or higher than the exercise price of the option written, or (ii) less than the exercise price of the option written provided the Fund identifies on its books liquid assets in the amount of the difference. The Fund may also cover options on securities by identifying cash or liquid assets, as permitted by applicable law, with a value, when added to any margin on deposit that is equal to the market value of the securities in the case of a call option. Identified cash or liquid assets may be quoted or denominated in any currency.

Options on securities indices are similar to options on securities, except that the exercise of securities index options requires cash payments and does not involve the actual purchase or sale of securities. In addition, securities index options are designed to reflect price fluctuations in a group of securities or segment of the securities market rather than price fluctuations in a single security.

The Fund may cover call options on a securities index by owning securities whose price changes are expected to be similar to those of the underlying index, or by having an absolute and immediate right to acquire such securities without additional cash consideration (or for additional consideration which has been identified by the Fund on its books) upon conversion or exchange of other securities in its portfolio. The Fund may also cover call and put options on a securities index by identifying cash or liquid assets, as permitted by applicable law, with a value, when added to any margin on deposit, that is equal to the market value of the underlying securities in the case of a call option, or the exercise price in the case of a put option, or by owning offsetting options as described above.

The Fund may terminate its obligations under an exchange traded call or put option by purchasing an option identical to the one it has written. Obligations under over-the-counter options may be terminated only by entering into an offsetting transaction with the counterparty to such option. Such purchases are referred to as “closing purchase transactions.”

Purchasing Options. The Fund may purchase put and call options on any securities in which it may invest or any securities index comprised of securities in which it may invest. The Fund may also enter into closing sale transactions in order to realize gains or minimize losses on options it had purchased.

The Fund may purchase call options in anticipation of an increase, or put options in anticipation of a decrease, in the market value of securities or other instruments of the type in which it may invest (“protective puts”). The purchase of a call option would entitle the Fund, in return for the premium paid, to purchase specified securities or other instruments at a specified price during the option period. The Fund would ordinarily realize a gain on the purchase of a call option if, during the option period, the value of such securities exceeded the sum of the exercise price, the premium paid and transaction costs; otherwise the Fund would realize either no gain or a loss on the purchase of the call option.

 

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The purchase of a put option would entitle the Fund, in exchange for the premium paid, to sell specified securities or other instruments at a specified price during the option period. The purchase of protective puts is designed to offset or hedge against a decline in the market value of the Fund’s securities or other instruments. Put options may also be purchased by the Fund for the purpose of affirmatively benefiting from a decline in the price of securities or other instruments which it does not own. The Fund would ordinarily realize a gain if, during the option period, the value of the underlying securities or other instruments decreased below the exercise price sufficiently to cover the premium and transaction costs; otherwise the Fund would realize either no gain or a loss on the purchase of the put option. Gains and losses on the purchase of put options may be offset by countervailing changes in the value of the underlying portfolio securities or other instruments.

The Fund would purchase put and call options on securities indices for the same purposes as it would purchase options on individual securities. For a description of options on securities indices, see “Writing Covered Options” above.

Risks Associated with Options Transactions. There is no assurance that a liquid secondary market on an options exchange will exist for any particular exchange-traded option or at any particular time. If the Fund is unable to effect a closing purchase transaction with respect to covered options it has written, the Fund will not be able to sell the underlying securities or dispose of the assets identified on its books to cover the position until the options expire or are exercised. Similarly, if the Fund is unable to effect a closing sale transaction with respect to options it has purchased, it will have to exercise the options in order to realize any profit and will incur transaction costs upon the purchase or sale of underlying securities.

Reasons for the absence of a liquid secondary market on an exchange include the following: (i) there may be insufficient trading interest in certain options; (ii) restrictions may be imposed by an exchange on opening or closing transactions or both; (iii) trading halts, suspensions or other restrictions may be imposed with respect to particular classes or series of options; (iv) unusual or unforeseen circumstances may interrupt normal operations on an exchange; (v) the facilities of an exchange or the Options Clearing Corporation may not at all times be adequate to handle current trading volume; or (vi) one or more exchanges could, for economic or other reasons, decide or be compelled at some future date to discontinue the trading of options (or a particular class or series of options), in which event the secondary market on that exchange (or in that class or series of options) would cease to exist, although outstanding options on that exchange that had been issued by the Options Clearing Corporation as a result of trades on that exchange would continue to be exercisable in accordance with their terms.

There can be no assurance that higher trading activity, order flow or other unforeseen events will not, at times, render certain of the facilities of the Options Clearing Corporation or various exchanges inadequate. Such events have, in the past, resulted in the institution by an exchange of special procedures, such as trading rotations, restrictions on certain types of order or trading halts or suspensions with respect to one or more options. These special procedures may limit liquidity.

The Fund may purchase and sell both options that are traded on U.S. and foreign exchanges and options traded over-the-counter with broker-dealers who make markets in these options. The ability to terminate over-the-counter options is more limited than with exchange-traded options and may involve the risk that broker-dealers participating in such transactions will not fulfill their obligations.

Transactions by the Fund in options will be subject to limitations established by each of the exchanges, boards of trade or other trading facilities on which such options are traded governing the maximum number of options in each class which may be written or purchased by a single investor or group of investors acting in concert regardless of whether the options are written or purchased on the same or different exchanges, boards of trade or other trading facility or are held in one or more accounts or through one or more brokers. Thus, the number of options which the Fund may write or purchase may be affected by options written or purchased by other investment advisory clients of the Investment Adviser. An exchange, board of trade or other trading facility may order the liquidation of positions found to be in excess of these limits, and it may impose certain other sanctions.

The writing and purchase of options is a highly specialized activity which involves investment techniques and risks different from those associated with ordinary portfolio securities transactions. The use of options to seek to increase total return involves the risk of loss if the Investment Adviser is incorrect in its expectation of fluctuations in securities prices or interest rates. The successful use of options for hedging purposes also depends in part on the ability of the Investment Adviser to manage future price fluctuations and the degree of correlation between the options and securities markets. If the Investment Adviser is incorrect in its expectation of changes in securities prices or determination of the correlation between the securities or securities indices on which options are written and purchased and the securities in the Fund’s investment portfolio, the Fund may incur losses that it would not otherwise incur. The writing of options could increase the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate and, therefore, associated brokerage commissions or spreads.

 

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Real Estate Investment Trusts

The Fund may invest in shares of real estate investment trusts (“REITs”). REITs are pooled investment vehicles which invest primarily in real estate or real estate related loans. REITs are generally classified as equity REITs, mortgage REITs or a combination of equity and mortgage REITs. Equity REITs invest the majority of their assets directly in real property and derive income primarily from the collection of rents. Equity REITs can also realize capital gains by selling properties that have appreciated in value. Mortgage REITs invest the majority of their assets in real estate mortgages and derive income from the collection of interest payments. REITs are not taxed on income distributed to shareholders provided they comply with certain requirements under the Code. The Fund will indirectly bear its proportionate share of any expenses paid by REITs in which it invests in addition to the expenses paid by the Fund.

Investing in REITs involves certain unique risks. Equity REITs may be affected by changes in the value of the underlying property owned by such REITs, while mortgage REITs may be affected by the quality of any credit extended. REITs are dependent upon management skills, are not diversified (except to the extent the Code requires), and are subject to the risks of financing projects. REITs are subject to heavy cash flow dependency, default by borrowers, self-liquidation, and the possibilities of failing to qualify for the exemption from tax for distributed income under the Code and failing to maintain their exemptions from the Act. REITs (especially mortgage REITs) are also subject to interest rate risks.

Preferred Stock, Warrants and Stock Purchase Rights

The Fund may invest in preferred stock, warrants and stock purchase rights (or “rights”). Preferred stocks are securities that represent an ownership interest providing the holder with claims on the issuer’s earnings and assets before common stock owners but after bond owners. Unlike debt securities, the obligations of an issuer of preferred stock, including dividend and other payment obligations, may not typically be accelerated by the holders of such preferred stock on the occurrence of an event of default (such as a covenant default or filing of a bankruptcy petition) or other non-compliance by the issuer with the terms of the preferred stock. Often, however, on the occurrence of any such event of default or non-compliance by the issuer, preferred stockholders will be entitled to gain representation on the issuer’s board of directors or increase their existing board representation. In addition, preferred stockholders may be granted voting rights with respect to certain issues on the occurrence of any event of default.

Warrants and other rights are options that entitle the holder to buy equity securities at a specific price for a specific period of time. The Fund will invest in warrants and rights only if such equity securities are deemed appropriate by the Investment Adviser for investment by the Fund. Warrants and rights have no voting rights, receive no dividends and have no rights with respect to the assets of the issuer.

Foreign Securities

The Fund may invest in securities of foreign issuers, including securities quoted or denominated in a currency other than U.S. dollars. Investments in foreign securities may offer potential benefits not available from investments solely in U.S. dollar-denominated or quoted securities of domestic issuers. Such benefits may include the opportunity to invest in foreign issuers that appear, in the opinion of the Investment Adviser, to offer the potential for better long term growth of capital and income than investments in U.S. securities, the opportunity to invest in foreign countries with economic policies or business cycles different from those of the United States and the opportunity to reduce fluctuations in portfolio value by taking advantage of foreign securities markets that do not necessarily move in a manner parallel to U.S. markets. Investing in the securities of foreign issuers also involves, however, certain special risks, including those discussed in the Fund’s Prospectus and those set forth below, which are not typically associated with investing in U.S. dollar-denominated securities or quoted securities of U.S. issuers. Many of these risks are more pronounced for investments in emerging economies.

With respect to investments in certain foreign countries, there exist certain economic, political and social risks, including the risk of adverse political developments, nationalization, military unrest, social instability, war and terrorism, confiscation without fair compensation, expropriation or confiscatory taxation, limitations on the movement of funds and other assets between different countries, or diplomatic developments, any of which could adversely affect the Fund’s investments in those countries. Governments in certain foreign countries continue to participate to a significant degree, through ownership interest or regulation, in their respective economies. Action by these governments could have a significant effect on market prices of securities and dividend payments.

Many countries throughout the world are dependent on a healthy U.S. economy and are adversely affected when the U.S. economy weakens or its markets decline. Additionally, many foreign country economies are heavily dependent on international trade

 

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and are adversely affected by protective trade barriers and economic conditions of their trading partners. Protectionist trade legislation enacted by those trading partners could have a significant adverse affect on the securities markets of those countries. Individual foreign economies may differ favorably or unfavorably from the U.S. economy in such respects as growth of gross national product, rate of inflation, capital reinvestment, resource self-sufficiency and balance of payments position.

Investments in foreign securities often involve currencies of foreign countries. Accordingly, the Fund 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. The Fund may be subject to currency exposure independent of its securities positions. To the extent that the Fund is fully invested in foreign securities while also maintaining net currency positions, it may be exposed to greater combined risk. 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 (or the failure to intervene) by U.S. or foreign governments or central banks or by currency controls or political developments in the United States or abroad.

Because foreign issuers generally are not subject to uniform accounting, auditing and financial reporting standards, practices and requirements comparable to those applicable to U.S. companies, there may be less publicly available information about a foreign company than about a U.S. company. Volume and liquidity in most foreign securities markets are less than in the United States and securities of many foreign companies are less liquid and more volatile than securities of comparable U.S. companies. The securities of foreign issuers may be listed on foreign securities exchanges or traded in foreign over-the-counter markets. Fixed commissions on foreign securities exchanges are generally higher than negotiated commissions on U.S. exchanges, although the Fund endeavors to achieve the most favorable net results on its portfolio transactions. There is generally less government supervision and regulation of foreign securities exchanges, brokers, dealers and listed and unlisted companies than in the United States, and the legal remedies for investors may be more limited than the remedies available in the United States. For example, there may be no comparable provisions under certain foreign laws to insider trading and similar investor protections that apply with respect to securities transactions consummated in the United States. Mail service between the United States and foreign countries may be slower or less reliable than within the United States, thus increasing the risk of delayed settlement of portfolio transactions or loss of certificates for portfolio securities.

Foreign markets also have different clearance and settlement procedures, and in certain markets there have been times when settlements have been unable to keep pace with the volume of securities transactions, making it difficult to conduct such transactions. Such delays in settlement could result in temporary periods when some of the Fund’s assets are uninvested and no return is earned on such assets. The inability of the Fund to make intended security purchases due to settlement problems could cause the Fund to miss attractive investment opportunities. Inability to dispose of portfolio securities due to settlement problems could result either in losses to the Fund due to subsequent declines in value of the portfolio securities or, if the Fund has entered into a contract to sell the securities, in possible liability to the purchaser.

The Fund may invest in foreign securities which take the form of sponsored and unsponsored American Depositary Receipts (“ADRs”), Global Depositary Receipts (“GDRs”), European Depositary Receipts (“EDRs”) or other similar instruments representing securities of foreign issuers (together, “Depositary Receipts”). ADRs represent the right to receive securities of foreign issuers deposited in a domestic bank or a correspondent bank. ADRs are traded on domestic exchanges or in the U.S. over-the-counter market and, generally, are in registered form. EDRs and GDRs are receipts evidencing an arrangement with a non-U.S. bank similar to that for ADRs and are designed for use in the non-U.S. securities markets. EDRs and GDRs are not necessarily quoted in the same currency as the underlying security. To the extent the Fund acquires Depositary Receipts through banks which do not have a contractual relationship with the foreign issuer of the security underlying the Depositary Receipts to issue and service such unsponsored Depositary Receipts, there is an increased possibility that the Fund will not become aware of and be able to respond to corporate actions such as stock splits or rights offerings involving the foreign issuer in a timely manner. In addition, the lack of information may result in inefficiencies in the valuation of such instruments. Investment in Depositary Receipts does not eliminate all the risks inherent in investing in securities of non-U.S. issuers. The market value of Depositary Receipts is dependent upon the market value of the underlying securities and fluctuations in the relative value of the currencies in which the Depositary Receipts and the underlying securities are quoted. However, by investing in Depositary Receipts, such as ADRs, which are quoted in U.S. dollars, the Fund may avoid currency risks during the settlement period for purchases and sales.

As described more fully below, the Fund may invest in countries with emerging economies or securities markets. Political and economic structures in many of such countries may be undergoing significant evolution and rapid development, and such countries may lack the social, political and economic stability characteristic of more developed countries. Certain of such countries have in the

 

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past failed to recognize private property rights and have at times nationalized or expropriated the assets of private companies. As a result, the risks described above, including the risks of nationalization or expropriation of assets, may be heightened. See “Investing in Emerging Countries,” below.

Investing in Europe. The Fund may operate in euros and/ or may hold euros and/or euro-denominated bonds and other obligations. The euro requires participation of multiple sovereign states forming the Euro zone and is therefore sensitive to the credit, general economic and political position of each such state, including each state’s actual and intended ongoing engagement with and/or support for the other sovereign states then forming the European Union (“EU”), in particular those within the Euro zone. Changes in these factors might materially adversely impact the value of securities that the Fund has invested in.

European countries can be significantly affected by the tight fiscal and monetary controls that the European Economic and Monetary Union (“EMU”) imposes for membership. Europe’s economies are diverse, its governments are decentralized, and its cultures vary widely. Several EU countries, including Greece, Ireland, Italy, Spain and Portugal have faced budget issues, some of which may have negative long-term effects for the economies of those countries and other EU countries. There is continued concern about national-level support for the euro and the accompanying coordination of fiscal and wage policy among EMU member countries. Member countries are required to maintain tight control over inflation, public debt, and budget deficit to qualify for membership in the EMU. These requirements can severely limit the ability of EMU member countries to implement monetary policy to address regional economic conditions.

Investing in Canada. The Fund may invest in issuers located in Canada or that have significant exposure to the Canadian economy. The Canadian market is relatively concentrated in issuers involved in the production and distribution of natural resources, and therefore the Canadian economy is very dependent on the supply and demand for natural resources. There is a risk that any changes in these sectors could have an adverse impact on the Canadian economy. The Canadian economy is dependent on the economy of the United States as the United States is Canada’s largest trading partner and foreign investor. Reduction in spending on Canadian products and services or changes in the U.S. economy may cause an impact in the Canadian economy. Past periodic demands by the Province of Quebec for sovereignty have also significantly affected equity valuations and foreign currency movements in the Canadian market.

Investing in Emerging Countries. The securities markets of emerging countries are less liquid and subject to greater price volatility, and have a smaller market capitalization, than the U.S. securities markets. In certain countries, there may be fewer publicly traded securities and the market may be dominated by a few issues or sectors. Issuers and securities markets in such countries are not subject to as extensive and frequent accounting, financial and other reporting requirements or as comprehensive government regulations as are issuers and securities markets in the U.S. In particular, the assets and profits appearing on the financial statements of emerging country issuers may not reflect their financial position or results of operations in the same manner as financial statements for U.S. issuers. Substantially less information may be publicly available about emerging country issuers than is available about issuers in the United States.

Emerging country securities markets are typically marked by a high concentration of market capitalization and trading volume in a small number of issuers representing a limited number of industries, as well as a high concentration of ownership of such securities by a limited number of investors. The markets for securities in certain emerging countries are in the earliest stages of their development. Even the markets for relatively widely traded securities in emerging countries may not be able to absorb, without price disruptions, a significant increase in trading volume or trades of a size customarily undertaken by institutional investors in the securities markets of developed countries. The limited size of many of these securities markets can cause prices to be erratic for reasons apart from factors that affect the soundness and competitiveness of the securities issuers. For example, prices may be unduly influenced by traders who control large positions in these markets. Additionally, market making and arbitrage activities are generally less extensive in such markets, which may contribute to increased volatility and reduced liquidity of such markets. The limited liquidity of emerging country securities may also affect the Fund’s ability to accurately value its portfolio securities or to acquire or dispose of securities at the price and time it wishes to do so or in order to meet redemption requests.

With respect to investments in certain emerging market countries, antiquated legal systems may have an adverse impact on the Fund. For example, while the potential liability of a shareholder in a U.S. corporation with respect to acts of the corporation is generally limited to the amount of the shareholder’s investment, the notion of limited liability is less clear in certain emerging market countries. Similarly, the rights of investors in emerging market companies may be more limited than those of shareholders of U.S. corporations.

 

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Transaction costs, including brokerage commissions or dealer mark-ups, in emerging countries may be higher than in the United States and other developed securities markets. In addition, existing laws and regulations are often inconsistently applied. As legal systems in emerging countries develop, foreign investors may be adversely affected by new or amended laws and regulations. In circumstances where adequate laws exist, it may not be possible to obtain swift and equitable enforcement of the law.

Custodial and/or settlement systems in emerging markets countries may not be fully developed. To the extent the Fund invests in emerging markets, Fund assets that are traded in such markets and which have been entrusted to such sub-custodians in those markets may be exposed to risks for which the sub-custodian will have no liability.

Foreign investment in the securities markets of certain emerging countries is restricted or controlled to varying degrees. These restrictions may limit the Fund’s investment in certain emerging countries and may increase the expenses of the Fund. Certain emerging countries require governmental approval prior to investments by foreign persons or limit investment by foreign persons to only a specified percentage of an issuer’s outstanding securities or a specific class of securities which may have less advantageous terms (including price) than securities of the company available for purchase by nationals. In addition, the repatriation of both investment income and capital from emerging countries may be subject to restrictions which require governmental consents or prohibit repatriation entirely for a period of time. Even where there is no outright restriction on repatriation of capital, the mechanics of repatriation may affect certain aspects of the operation of the Fund. The Fund may be required to establish special custodial or other arrangements before investing in certain emerging countries.

Emerging countries may be subject to a substantially greater degree of economic, political and social instability and disruption than is the case in the United States, Japan and most Western European countries. This instability may result from, among other things, the following: (i) authoritarian governments or military involvement in political and economic decision making, including changes or attempted changes in governments through extra-constitutional means; (ii) popular unrest associated with demands for improved political, economic or social conditions; (iii) internal insurgencies; (iv) hostile relations with neighboring countries; (v) ethnic, religious and racial disaffection or conflict; and (vi) the absence of developed legal structures governing foreign private investments and private property. Such economic, political and social instability could disrupt the principal financial markets in which the Fund may invest and adversely affect the value of the Fund’s assets. The Fund’s investments can also be adversely affected by any increase in taxes or by political, economic or diplomatic developments.

The Fund may seek investment opportunities within former “Eastern bloc” countries. Most of these countries had a centrally planned, socialist economy for a substantial period of time. The governments of many of these countries have more recently been implementing reforms directed at political and economic liberalization, including efforts to decentralize the economic decision-making process and move towards a market economy. However, business entities in many of these countries do not have an extended history of operating in a market-oriented economy, and the ultimate impact of these countries’ attempts to move toward more market-oriented economies is currently unclear. In addition, any change in the leadership or policies of these countries may halt the expansion of or reverse the liberalization of foreign investment policies now occurring and adversely affect existing investment opportunities.

The economies of emerging countries may differ unfavorably from the U.S. economy in such respects as growth of gross domestic product, rate of inflation, capital reinvestment, resources, self-sufficiency and balance of payments. Many emerging countries have experienced in the past, and continue to experience, high rates of inflation. In certain countries inflation has at times accelerated rapidly to hyperinflationary levels, creating a negative interest rate environment and sharply eroding the value of outstanding financial assets in those countries. Other emerging countries, on the other hand, have recently experienced deflationary pressures and are in economic recessions. The economies of many emerging countries are heavily dependent upon international trade and are accordingly affected by protective trade barriers and the economic conditions of their trading partners. In addition, the economies of some emerging countries are vulnerable to weakness in world prices for their commodity exports.

The Fund’s income and, in some cases, capital gains from foreign stocks and securities will be subject to applicable taxation in certain of the countries in which it invests, and treaties between the U.S. and such countries may not be available in some cases to reduce the otherwise applicable tax rates.

From time to time, certain of the companies in which the Fund may invest may operate in, or have dealings with, countries subject to sanctions or embargos imposed by the U.S. Government and the United Nations and/or countries identified by the U.S. Government as state sponsors of terrorism. A company may suffer damage to its reputation if it is identified as a company which operates in, or has dealings with, countries subject to sanctions or embargoes imposed by the U.S. Government as state sponsors of terrorism. As an investor in such companies, the Fund would be indirectly subject to those risks.

 

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Index Swaps, Interest Rate Swaps, Credit Swaps, Total Return Swaps, Options on Swaps and Interest Rate Caps, Floors and Collars

The Fund may enter into index, interest rate, credit and total return swaps for both hedging purposes and to seek to increase total return. As examples, the Fund may enter into swap transactions for the purpose of attempting to obtain or preserve a particular return or spread at a lower cost than obtaining a return or spread through purchases and/or sales of instruments in other market, as a duration management technique, to protect against any increase in the price of securities the Fund anticipates purchasing at a later date, or to gain exposure to certain markets in an economical way. The Fund may also enter into interest rate caps, floors and collars. The Fund may also purchase and write (sell) options contracts on swaps, commonly referred to as swaptions.

In a standard “swap” transaction, two parties agree to exchange the returns, differentials in rates of return or some other amount earned or realized on particular predetermined investments or instruments, which may be adjusted for an interest factor. The gross returns to be exchanged or “swapped” between the parties are generally calculated with respect to a “notional amount,” i.e. , the return on or increase in value of a particular dollar amount invested at a particular interest rate, in a particular security, or in a “basket” of securities representing a particular index. Bilateral swap agreements are two party contracts entered into primarily by institutional investors. Cleared swaps are transacted through futures commission merchants (“FCMs”) that are members of central clearinghouses with the clearinghouse serving as a central counterparty similar to transactions in futures contracts. Funds post initial and variation margin by making payments to their clearing member FCMs.

Interest rate swaps involve the exchange by the Fund with another party of their respective commitments to pay or receive payments for floating rate payments based on interest rates at specified intervals in the future. Two types of interest rate swaps include “fixed-for-floating rate swaps” and “basis swaps.” Fixed-for-floating rate swaps involve the exchange of payments based on a fixed interest rate for payments based on a floating interest rate index. By contrast, basis swaps involve the exchange of payments based on two different floating interest rate indices. Index swaps involve the exchange by the Fund with another party of payments based on a notional principal amount of a specified index or indices. Credit swaps involve the exchange of a floating or fixed rate payment in return for assuming potential credit losses of an underlying security, or pool of securities. Total return swaps are contracts that obligate a party to pay or receive interest in exchange for the payment by the other party of the total return generated by a security, a basket of securities, an index or an index component.

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 or modify an underlying swap or to modify the terms of an existing 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 or modify an underlying swap on agreed-upon terms, which generally entails a greater risk of loss than incurred in buying a swaption. 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 the 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.

A great deal of flexibility may be possible in the way swap transactions are structured. However, generally the Fund will enter into interest rate, total return, credit and index swaps on a net basis, which means that the two payment streams are netted out, with the Fund receiving or paying, as the case may be, only the net amount of the two payments. Interest rate, total return, credit and index swaps do not normally involve the delivery of securities, other underlying assets or principal. Accordingly, the risk of loss with respect to interest rate, total return, credit and index swaps is normally limited to the net amount of interest payments that the Fund is contractually obligated to make. If the other party to a interest rate, total return, credit, index and mortgage swap defaults, the Fund’s risk of loss consists of the net amount of interest payments that the Fund is contractually entitled to receive, if any. However, certain swap transactions are currently subject to central clearing. Although central clearing is expected to decrease the counterparty risk involved in bi-laterally negotiated contracts because central clearing interposes the central clearinghouse as the counterparty to each participant’s swap, central clearing would not make swap transactions risk-free.

As a result of new rules adopted in 2012, certain standardized swaps are currently subject to mandatory central clearing. Central clearing is expected to decrease counterparty risk and increase liquidity compared to bilateral swaps because central clearing interposes the central clearinghouse as the counterparty to each participant’s swap. However, central clearing does not eliminate counterparty risk or illiquidity risk entirely. In addition, depending on the size of the Fund and other factors, the margin required under the rules of a clearinghouse and by a clearing member may be in excess of the collateral required to be posted by the Fund to support its obligations under a similar bilateral swap. However, regulators are expected to adopt rules imposing certain margin requirements, including minimums, on uncleared swaps in the near future, which could change this comparison.

 

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A credit swap may have as reference obligations one or more securities that may, or may not, be currently held by the Fund. The protection “buyer” in a credit swap is generally obligated to pay the protection “seller” an upfront or a periodic stream of payments over the term of the swap 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. The Fund may be either the protection buyer or seller in the transaction. If the Fund is a buyer and no credit event occurs, the Fund 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, the Fund generally receives an upfront payment or a rate of income throughout the term of the swap provided that there is no credit event. As the seller, the Fund would effectively add leverage to its portfolio because, in addition to its total net assets, the Fund would be subject to investment exposure on the notional amount of the swap. If a credit event occurs, the value of any deliverable obligation received by the Fund as 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 Fund.

To the extent that the Fund’s exposure in a transaction involving a swap, a swaption or an interest rate floor, cap or collar is covered by identifying cash or liquid assets on the Fund’s books or is covered by other means in accordance with SEC guidance, the Fund and the Investment Adviser believe that the transactions do not constitute senior securities under the Act and, accordingly, will not treat them as being subject to the Fund’s borrowing restrictions.

The Fund will not enter into bilateral transactions involving swaps, caps, floors or collars unless the unsecured commercial paper, senior debt or claims paying ability of the other party thereto (with respect to bilateral swap transactions) is considered to be investment grade by the Investment Adviser.

The use of swaps, swaptions and interest rate caps, floors and collars is a highly specialized activity which involves investment techniques and risks different from those associated with ordinary portfolio securities transactions. The use of a swap requires an understanding not only of the referenced asset, reference rate, or index but also of the swap itself, without the benefit of observing the performance of the swap under all possible market conditions. If the Investment Adviser is incorrect in its forecasts of market values, credit quality and interest rates, the investment performance of the Fund would be less favorable than it would have been if this investment technique were not used.

In addition, these transactions can involve greater risks than if the Fund had invested in the reference obligation directly because, in addition to general market risks, swaps may be subject to illiquidity risk, counterparty risk, credit risk and pricing risk. Regulators also may impose limits on an entity’s or group of entities’ positions in certain swaps. However, certain risks are reduced (but not eliminated) if the Fund invests in cleared swaps. Because bilateral swap agreements are two party contracts and because they may have terms of greater than seven days, these swaps may be considered to be illiquid. Moreover, the Fund bears the risk of loss of the amount expected to be received under a swap agreement in the event of the default or bankruptcy of a swap counterparty (with respect to bilateral swap transactions). Many swaps are complex and often valued subjectively. Swaps and other derivatives may also be subject to pricing or “basis” risk, which exists when the price of a particular derivative diverges from the price of corresponding cash market instruments. Under certain market conditions it may not be economically feasible to imitate a transaction or liquidate a position in time to avoid a loss or take advantage of an opportunity. If a swap transaction is particularly large or if the relevant market is illiquid, it may not be possible to initiate a transaction or liquidate a position at an advantageous time or price, which may result in significant losses.

Regulators are in the process of developing rules that would require trading and execution of most liquid swaps on trading facilities. Moving trading to an exchange-type system may increase market transparency and liquidity but may require the Fund to incur increased expenses to access the same types of swaps.

Rules adopted in 2012 also require centralized reporting of detailed information about many types of cleared and uncleared swaps. This information is available to regulators and, to a more limited extent and on an anonymous basis, to the public. Reporting of swap data may result in greater market transparency, which may be beneficial to funds that use swaps to implement trading strategies. However, these rules place potential additional administrative obligations on these funds, and the safeguards established to protect anonymity may not function as expected.

 

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The swap market has grown substantially in recent years with a large number of banks and investment banking firms acting both as principals and as agents utilizing standardized swap documentation. As a result, the swap market has become relatively liquid in comparison with the markets for other similar instruments which are traded in the interbank market. The Investment Adviser, under the supervision of the Board of Trustees, is responsible for determining and monitoring the liquidity of the Fund’s transactions in swaps, swaptions, caps, floors and collars.

Convertible Securities

The Fund may invest in convertible securities. Convertible securities are bonds, debentures, notes, preferred stocks or other securities that may be converted into or exchanged for a specified amount of common stock (or other securities) of the same or different issuer within a particular period of time at a specified price or formula. A convertible security entitles the holder to receive interest that is generally paid or accrued on debt or a dividend that is paid or accrued on preferred stock until the convertible security matures or is redeemed, converted or exchanged. Convertible securities have unique investment characteristics, in that they generally (i) have higher yields than common stocks, but lower yields than comparable non-convertible securities, (ii) are less subject to fluctuation in value than the underlying common stock due to their fixed income characteristics and (iii) provide the potential for capital appreciation if the market price of the underlying common stock increases.

The value of a convertible security is a function of its “investment value” (determined by its yield in comparison with the yields of other securities of comparable maturity and quality that do not have a conversion privilege) and its “conversion value” (the security’s worth, at market value, if converted into the underlying common stock). The investment value of a convertible security is influenced by changes in interest rates, with investment value normally declining as interest rates increase and increasing as interest rates decline. The credit standing of the issuer and other factors may also have an effect on the convertible security’s investment value. The conversion value of a convertible security is determined by the market price of the underlying common stock. If the conversion value is low relative to the investment value, the price of the convertible security is governed principally by its investment value. To the extent the market price of the underlying common stock approaches or exceeds the conversion price, the price of the convertible security will be increasingly influenced by its conversion value. A convertible security generally will sell at a premium over its conversion value by the extent to which investors place value on the right to acquire the underlying common stock while holding a fixed income security.

A convertible security may be subject to redemption at the option of the issuer at a price established in the convertible security’s governing instrument. If a convertible security held by the Fund is called for redemption, the Fund will be required to convert it into the underlying common stock, sell it to a third party or permit the issuer to redeem the security. Any of these actions could have an adverse effect on the Fund’s ability to achieve its investment objective, which, in turn, could result in losses to the Fund.

In evaluating a convertible security, the Investment Adviser will give primary emphasis to the attractiveness of the underlying common stock. Convertible debt securities are equity investments for purposes of the Fund’s investment policies.

Equity Swaps

The Fund may enter into equity swap contracts to invest in a market without owning or taking physical custody of securities in various circumstances, including 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. Equity swap contracts may be structured in different ways. For example, a counterparty may agree to pay the Fund 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 a group of stocks), plus the dividends that would have been received on those stocks. In these cases, the Fund 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 Fund on the equity swap contract should be the gain or loss on the notional amount plus dividends on the stocks less the interest paid by the Fund on the notional amount. In other cases, the counterparty and the Fund may each 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 a group of stocks).

The Fund will generally enter into equity swaps on a net basis, which means that the two payment streams are netted out, with the Fund receiving or paying, as the case may be, only the net amount of the two payments. 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 the

 

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Fund is contractually obligated to make. If the other party to an equity swap defaults, the Fund’s risk of loss consists of the net amount of payments that the Fund is contractually entitled to receive, if any. Inasmuch as these transactions are entered into for hedging purposes or are offset by the cash or liquid assets identified on the Fund’s books to cover the Fund’s exposure, the Fund and the Investment Adviser believe that such transactions do not constitute senior securities under the Act and, accordingly, will not treat them as being subject to the Fund’s borrowing restrictions.

The Fund will not enter into bilateral swap transactions unless the unsecured commercial paper, senior debt or claims paying ability of the other party thereto is considered to be investment grade by the Investment Adviser. The Fund’s ability to enter into certain swap transactions may be limited by tax considerations.

When-Issued Securities and Forward Commitments

The Fund may purchase securities on a when-issued basis or purchase or sell securities on a forward commitment basis beyond the customary settlement time. These transactions involve a commitment by the Fund to purchase or sell securities at a future date. The price of the underlying securities (usually expressed in terms of yield) and the date when the securities will be delivered and paid for (the settlement date) are fixed at the time the transaction is negotiated. When-issued purchases and forward commitment transactions are negotiated directly with the other party, and such commitments are not traded on exchanges. The Fund will generally purchase securities on a when-issued basis or purchase or sell securities on a forward commitment basis only with the intention of completing the transaction and actually purchasing or selling the securities. If deemed advisable as a matter of investment strategy, however, the Fund may dispose of or negotiate a commitment after entering into it. The Fund may also sell securities it has committed to purchase before those securities are delivered to the Fund on the settlement date. The Fund may realize a capital gain or loss in connection with these transactions. For purposes of determining the Fund’s duration, the maturity of when-issued or forward commitment securities will be calculated from the commitment date. The Fund is generally required to identify on its books, until three days prior to the settlement date, cash and liquid assets in an amount sufficient to meet the purchase price unless the Fund’s obligations are otherwise covered. Alternatively, the Fund may enter into offsetting contracts for the forward sale of other securities that it owns. Securities purchased or sold on a when-issued or forward commitment basis involve a risk of loss if the value of the security to be purchased declines prior to the settlement date or if the value of the security to be sold increases prior to the settlement date.

Investment in Unseasoned Companies

The Fund may invest in companies (including predecessors) which have operated less than three years. The securities of such companies may have limited liquidity, which can result in their being priced higher or lower than might otherwise be the case. In addition, investments in unseasoned companies are more speculative and entail greater risk than do investments in companies with an established operating record.

Pooled Investment Vehicles

The Fund may invest in securities of pooled investment vehicles, including other investment companies and exchange traded funds (“ETFs”). The Fund will indirectly bear its proportionate share of any management fees and other expenses paid by pooled investment vehicles in which it invests, in addition to the management fees (and other expenses) paid by the Fund. The Fund’s investments in pooled investment vehicles are subject to statutory limitations prescribed by the Act, including in certain circumstances a prohibition on the Fund acquiring more than 3% of the voting shares of any other investment company, and a prohibition on investing more than 5% of the Fund’s total assets in securities of any one investment company or more than 10% of its total assets in the securities of all investment companies. Many ETFs, however, have obtained exemptive relief from the SEC to permit unaffiliated funds (such as the Fund) to invest in their shares beyond these statutory limits, subject to certain conditions and pursuant to contractual arrangements between the ETFs and the investing funds. The Fund may rely on these exemptive orders in investing in ETFs. Moreover, pursuant to an exemptive order obtained from the SEC or under an exemptive rule adopted by the SEC, the Fund may invest in investment companies and money market funds for which the Investment Adviser, or any of its affiliates, serves as investment adviser, administrator and/or distributor. However, to the extent that the Fund invests in a money market fund for which the Investment Adviser or any of its affiliates acts as investment adviser, the management fees payable by the Fund to the Investment Adviser will, to the extent required by the SEC, be reduced by an amount equal to the Fund’s proportionate share of the management fees paid by such money market fund to its investment adviser. Although the Fund does not expect to do so in the foreseeable future, the Fund is authorized to invest substantially all of its assets in a single open-end investment company or series thereof that has substantially the same investment policies and fundamental restrictions as the Fund. Additionally, to the extent that the Fund serves as an “underlying Fund” to another Goldman Sachs Fund, the Fund may invest a percentage of its assets in other investment companies only if those instruments are consistent with applicable law and/or exemptive relief obtained from the SEC.

 

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The Fund may purchase shares of investment companies investing primarily in foreign securities, including “country funds.” Country funds have portfolios consisting primarily of securities of issuers located in specified foreign countries or regions.

ETFs are pooled investment vehicles issuing shares which are traded like traditional equity securities on a stock exchange. An ETF represents a portfolio of securities or other assets, which is often designed to track a particular market segment or index. An investment in an ETF, like one in any pooled investment vehicle, carries risks of its underlying securities or other assets. An ETF may fail to accurately track the returns of the market segment or index that it is designed to track, and the price of an ETF’s shares may fluctuate or lose money. In addition, because they, unlike other pooled investment vehicles, are traded on an exchange, ETFs are subject to the following risks: (i) the market price of the ETF’s shares may trade at a premium or discount to the ETF’s NAV; (ii) an active trading market for an ETF may not develop or be maintained; and (iii) there is no assurance that the requirements of the exchange necessary to maintain the listing of the ETF will continue to be met or remain unchanged. In the event substantial market or other disruptions affecting ETFs should occur in the future, the liquidity and value of the Fund’s shares could also be substantially and adversely affected.

Repurchase Agreements

The Fund may enter into repurchase agreements with eligible counterparties which furnish collateral at least equal in value or market price to the amount of its repurchase obligations. Repurchase agreements involving obligations other than U.S. Government securities (such as foreign government securities, commercial paper, corporate bonds, mortgage loans and equities) may be subject to special risks and may not have the benefit for certain protections in the event of the counterparty’s insolvency. A repurchase agreement is an arrangement under which the Fund purchases securities and the seller agrees to repurchase the securities within a particular time and at a specified price. Custody of the securities is maintained by the Fund’s custodian (or subcustodian). The repurchase price may be higher than the purchase price, the difference being income to the Fund, or the purchase and repurchase prices may be the same, with interest at a stated rate due to the Fund together with the repurchase price on repurchase. In either case, the income to the Fund is unrelated to the interest rate on the security subject to the repurchase agreement.

For purposes of the Act and generally for tax purposes, a repurchase agreement is deemed to be a loan from the Fund to the seller of the security. For other purposes, it is not always clear whether a court would consider the security purchased by the Fund subject to a repurchase agreement as being owned by the Fund or as being collateral for a loan by the Fund to the seller. In the event of commencement of bankruptcy or insolvency proceedings with respect to the seller of the security before repurchase of the security under a repurchase agreement, the Fund may encounter delay and incur costs before being able to sell the security. Such a delay may involve loss of interest or a decline in value of the security. If the court characterizes the transaction as a loan and the Fund has not perfected a security interest in the security, the Fund may be required to return the security to the seller’s estate and be treated as an unsecured creditor of the seller. As an unsecured creditor, the Fund would be at risk of losing some or all of the principal and interest involved in the transaction.

Apart from the risk of bankruptcy or insolvency proceedings, there is also the risk that the seller may fail to repurchase the security. However, if the market value of the security subject to the repurchase agreement becomes less than the repurchase price (including accrued interest), the Fund will direct the seller of the security to deliver additional securities so that the market value of all securities subject to the repurchase agreement equals or exceeds the repurchase price. Certain repurchase agreements which provide for settlement in more than seven days can be liquidated before the nominal fixed term on seven days or less notice. Such repurchase agreements will be regarded as liquid instruments.

The Fund, together with other registered investment companies having advisory agreements with the Investment Adviser or its affiliates, may transfer uninvested cash balances into a single joint account, the daily aggregate balance of which will be invested in one or more repurchase agreements.

Short Sales Against the Box

The Fund may engage in short sales against the box. In a short sale, the seller sells a borrowed security and has a corresponding obligation to the lender to return the identical security. The seller does not immediately deliver the securities sold and is said to have a short position in those securities until delivery occurs. While a short sale is made by selling a security the seller does not own, a short sale is “against the box” to the extent that the seller contemporaneously owns or has the right to obtain, at no added cost, securities identical to those sold short. It may be entered into by the Fund, for example, to lock in a sales price for a security the Fund does not wish to sell immediately. If the Fund sells securities short against the box, it may protect itself from loss if the price of the securities declines in the future, but will lose the opportunity to profit on such securities if the price rises.

 

B-23


If the Fund effects a short sale of securities at a time when it has an unrealized gain on the securities, it may be required to recognize that gain as if it had actually sold the securities (as a “constructive sale”) on the date it effects the short sale. However, such constructive sale treatment may not apply if the Fund closes out the short sale with securities other than the appreciated securities held at the time of the short sale and if certain other conditions are satisfied. Uncertainty regarding the tax consequences of effecting short sales may limit the extent to which the Fund may effect short sales.

Mortgage Dollar Rolls

The Fund may enter into mortgage dollar rolls, in which the Fund sells securities for delivery in the current month and simultaneously contracts with the same counterparty to repurchase similar, but not identical securities on a specified future date. During the roll period, the Fund loses the right to receive principal and interest paid on the securities sold. However, the Fund would benefit to the extent of any difference between the price received for the securities sold and the lower forward price for the future purchase or fee income plus the interest earned on the cash proceeds of the securities sold until the settlement date of the forward purchase. All cash proceeds will be invested in instruments that are permissible investments for the Fund. The Fund will, until the settlement date, identify cash or liquid assets on its books, as permitted by applicable law, in an amount equal to its forward purchase price.

For financial reporting and tax purposes, the Fund treats mortgage dollar rolls as two separate transactions; one involving the purchase of a security and a separate transaction involving a sale. The Fund does not currently intend to enter into mortgage dollar rolls for financing and does not treat them as borrowings.

Mortgage dollar rolls involve certain risks including the following: if the broker-dealer to whom the Fund sells the security becomes insolvent, the Fund’s right to purchase or repurchase the mortgage-related securities subject to the mortgage dollar roll may be restricted. Also, the instrument which the Fund is required to repurchase may be worth less than an instrument which the Fund originally held. Successful use of mortgage dollar rolls will depend upon the Investment Adviser’s ability to manage the Fund’s interest rate and mortgage prepayments exposure. For these reasons, there is no assurance that mortgage dollar rolls can be successfully employed. The use of this technique may diminish the investment performance of the Fund compared with what such performance would have been without the use of mortgage dollar rolls.

Restricted and Illiquid Securities

The Fund may purchase securities and other financial instruments that are not registered or that are offered in an exempt non-public offering (“Restricted Securities”) under the 1933 Act, including securities eligible for resale to “qualified institutional buyers” pursuant to Rule 144A under the 1933 Act. However, the Fund will not invest more than 15% of its net assets in illiquid investments, which include repurchase agreements with a notice or demand period of more than seven days, certain over-the-counter options, securities and other financial instruments that are not readily marketable, bank obligations, non-investment grade securities and other credit instruments and Restricted Securities unless, based upon a review of the trading markets for specific investments, those investments are determined to be liquid. Those investment practices could have the effect of increasing the level of illiquidity in the Fund to the extent that market demand for securities held by the Fund decreases such that previously liquid securities become illiquid. The Trustees have adopted guidelines and delegated to the Investment Adviser the function of determining and monitoring the liquidity of the Fund’s portfolio securities.

The purchase price and subsequent valuation of Restricted Securities may reflect a discount from the price at which such securities trade when they are not restricted, because the restriction makes them less liquid. The amount of the discount from the prevailing market price is expected to vary depending upon the type of security, the character of the issuer, the party who will bear the expenses of registering the Restricted Securities and prevailing supply and demand conditions.

Non-Diversified Status

The Fund is non-diversified, meaning that it is permitted to invest a larger percentage of its assets in fewer issuers than diversified mutual funds. Thus, the Fund may be more susceptible to adverse developments affecting any single issuer held in its portfolio, and may be more susceptible to greater losses because of these developments. Because the Fund does not intend to be taxed as a regulated investment company under Subchapter M of the Code, the Fund will not be subject to the diversification requirements applicable to regulated investment companies.

 

B-24


Temporary Investments

The Fund may, for temporary defensive purposes, invest up to 100% of its total assets in: U.S. Government Securities; commercial paper rated at least A-2 by Standard & Poor’s, P-2 by Moody’s or having a comparable rating by another nationally recognized statistical rating organization (“NRSRO”) (or, if unrated, determined by the Investment Adviser to be of comparable credit quality); certificates of deposit; bankers’ acceptances; repurchase agreements; non-convertible preferred stocks and non-convertible corporate bonds with a remaining maturity of less than one year; ETFs and other investment companies; and cash items. When the Fund’s assets are invested in such instruments, the Fund may not be achieving its investment objective.

Portfolio Turnover

The Fund may engage in active short-term trading to benefit from price disparities among different issues of securities or among the markets for equity securities, or for other reasons. As a result of active management, it is anticipated that the portfolio turnover rate may vary greatly from year to year as well as within a particular year, and may be affected by changes in the holdings of specific issuers, changes in country and currency weightings and cash requirements for redemption of shares. High portfolio turnover may result in the Fund’s recognition of gains (losses) that will increase (decrease) the Fund’s tax liability and thereby impact the amount of the Fund’s after-tax distributions. In addition, high portfolio turnover may increase the Fund’s current and accumulated earnings and profits, resulting in a greater portion of the Fund’s distributions being treated as taxable dividends for federal income tax purposes. The Fund is not restricted by policy with regard to portfolio turnover and will make changes in its investment portfolio from time to time as business and economic conditions as well as market prices may dictate.

Special Note Regarding Market Events

Events in the financial sector over the past several years have resulted in reduced liquidity in credit and fixed income markets and in an unusually high degree of volatility in the financial markets, both domestically and internationally. While entire markets have been impacted, issuers that have exposure to the real estate, mortgage and credit markets have been particularly affected. These events and the potential for continuing market turbulence may have an adverse effect on the Fund’s investments. It is uncertain how long these conditions will continue.

The instability in the financial markets led the U.S. Government to take a number of unprecedented actions designed to support certain financial institutions and certain segments of the financial markets. Federal, state, and foreign governments, regulatory agencies, and self -regulatory organizations may take actions that affect the regulation of the instruments in which the Fund invests, or the issuers of such instruments, in ways that are unforeseeable. Such legislation or regulation could limit or preclude the Fund’s ability to achieve its investment objective.

Governments or their agencies may also acquire distressed assets from financial institutions and acquire ownership interests in those institutions. The implications of government ownership and disposition of these assets are unclear, and such ownership or disposition may have positive or negative effects on the liquidity, valuation and performance of the Fund’s portfolio holdings.

INVESTMENT RESTRICTIONS

The investment restrictions set forth below have been adopted by the Trust as fundamental policies that cannot be changed with respect to the Fund without the affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of the outstanding voting securities (as defined in the Act) of the Fund. The investment objective of the Fund and all other investment policies or practices of the Fund are considered by the Trust not to be fundamental and accordingly may be changed without shareholder approval. For purposes of the Act, “majority” of the outstanding voting securities means the lesser of the vote of (i) 67% or more of the shares of the Trust or the Fund present at a meeting, if the holders of more than 50% of the outstanding shares of the Trust or the Fund are present or represented by proxy, or (ii) more than 50% of the shares of the Trust or the Fund.

For purposes of the following limitations (except for the asset coverage requirement with respect to borrowings, which is subject to different requirements under the Act), any limitation which involves a maximum percentage shall not be considered violated unless an excess over the percentage occurs immediately after, and is caused by, an acquisition or encumbrance of securities or assets of, or borrowings by, the Fund. In applying fundamental investment restriction number (1) below to derivative transactions or instruments, including, without limitation, futures, swaps, forwards, options and structured notes, the Fund will look to the industry of the reference asset(s) and not to the counterparty or issuer. With respect to the Fund’s fundamental investment restriction number (2) below, asset coverage of at least 300% (as defined in the Act), inclusive of any amounts borrowed, must be maintained at all times.

 

B-25


Fundamental Investment Restrictions

As a matter of fundamental policy, the Fund may not:

 

(1) Invest more than 25% of its total assets in the securities of one or more issuers conducting their principal business activities in the same industry (excluding the U.S. government or any of its agencies or instrumentalities); except that the Fund will invest more than 25% of its total assets in companies conducting their principal business in industries within the energy sector.

 

(2) Borrow money, except (a) the Fund, to the extent permitted by applicable law, may borrow from banks (as defined in the Act), other affiliated investment companies and other persons or through reverse repurchase agreements in amounts up to 33 1/3% of its total assets (including the amount borrowed), (b) the Fund may, to the extent permitted by applicable law, borrow up to an additional 5% of its total assets for temporary purposes, (c) the Fund may obtain such short-term credits as may be necessary for the clearance of purchases and sales of portfolio securities, (d) the Fund may purchase securities on margin to the extent permitted by applicable law and (e) the Fund may engage in transactions in mortgage dollar rolls which are accounted for as financings.

The following interpretation applies to, but is not part of, this fundamental policy: In determining whether a particular investment in portfolio instruments or participation in portfolio transactions is subject to this borrowing policy, the accounting treatment of such instrument or participation shall be considered, but shall not by itself be determinative. Whether a particular instrument or transaction constitutes a borrowing shall be determined by the Board, after consideration of all of the relevant circumstances.

 

(3) Make loans, except through (a) the purchase of debt obligations in accordance with the Fund’s investment objective and policies, (b) repurchase agreements with banks, brokers, dealers and other financial institutions, (c) loans of securities as permitted by applicable law, and (d) loans to affiliates of the Fund to the extent permitted by law.

 

(4) Underwrite securities issued by others, except to the extent that the sale of portfolio securities by the Fund may be deemed to be an underwriting.

 

(5) Purchase, hold or deal in real estate, although the Fund may purchase and sell securities or investments that are secured by real estate or interests therein or that reflect the return of an index of real estate values, securities of real estate investment trusts and mortgage-related securities, and may hold and sell real estate acquired by the Fund as a result of the ownership of securities.

 

(6) Invest in physical commodities, except that the Fund may invest in currency and financial instruments and contracts in accordance with its investment objective and policies, including, without limitation, structured notes, futures contracts, swaps, options on commodities, currencies, swaps and futures, ETFs, investment pools and other instruments, regardless of whether such instrument is considered to be a commodity.

 

(7) Issue senior securities to the extent such issuance would violate applicable law.

The Fund may, notwithstanding any other fundamental investment restriction or policy, invest some or all of its assets in a single open-end investment company or series thereof with substantially the same fundamental investment objective, restrictions and policies as the Fund.

Non-Fundamental Investment Restrictions

In addition to the fundamental policies mentioned above, the Trustees have adopted the following non-fundamental policies which can be changed or amended by action of the Trustees without approval of shareholders. Again, for purposes of the following limitations, any limitation which involves a maximum percentage shall not be considered violated unless an excess over the percentage occurs immediately after, and is caused by, an acquisition of securities by the Fund.

 

B-26


The Fund may not:

 

(a) Invest in companies for the purpose of exercising control or management.

 

(b) Invest more than 15% of the Fund’s net assets in illiquid investments including illiquid repurchase agreements with a notice or demand period of more than seven days, securities which are not readily marketable and restricted securities not eligible for resale pursuant to Rule 144A under the Securities Act of 1933 (the “1933 Act”).

 

(c) Purchase additional securities if the Fund’s borrowings (excluding covered mortgage dollar rolls and such short-term credits as may be necessary for the clearance of purchases and sales of portfolio securities) exceed 5% of its net assets.

 

(d) Make short sales of securities, except that the Fund may make short sales against the box.

TRUSTEES AND OFFICERS

The Trust’s Leadership Structure

The business and affairs of the Fund are managed under the direction of the Board of Trustees (the “Board”), subject to the laws of the State of Delaware and the Trust’s Declaration of Trust. The Trustees are responsible for deciding matters of overall policy and reviewing the actions of the Trust’s service providers. The officers of the Trust conduct and supervise the Fund’s daily business operations. Trustees who are not deemed to be “interested persons” of the Trust as defined in the Act are referred to as “Independent Trustees.” Trustees who are deemed to be “interested persons” of the Trust are referred to as “Interested Trustees.” The Board is currently composed of nine Independent Trustees and two Interested Trustees. The Board has selected an Independent Trustee to act as Chairman, whose duties include presiding at meetings of the Board and acting as a focal point to address significant issues that may arise between regularly scheduled Board and Committee meetings. In the performance of the Chairman’s duties, the Chairman will consult with the other Independent Trustees and the Fund’s officers and legal counsel, as appropriate. The Chairman may perform other functions as requested by the Board from time to time.

The Board meets as often as necessary to discharge its responsibilities. Currently, the Board conducts regular, in-person meetings at least six times a year, and holds special in-person or telephonic meetings as necessary to address specific issues that require attention prior to the next regularly scheduled meeting. In addition, the Independent Trustees meet at least annually to review, among other things, investment management agreements, distribution (Rule 12b-1) and/or service plans and related agreements, transfer agency agreements and certain other agreements providing for the compensation of Goldman Sachs and/or its affiliates by the Fund, and to consider such other matters as they deem appropriate.

The Board has established six standing committees – Audit, Governance and Nominating, Compliance, Valuation, Dividend and Contract Review Committees. The Board may establish other committees, or nominate one or more Trustees to examine particular issues related to the Board’s oversight responsibilities, from time to time. Each Committee meets periodically to perform its delegated oversight functions and reports its findings and recommendations to the Board. For more information on the Committees, see the section “STANDING BOARD COMMITTEES,” below.

The Trustees have determined that the Trust’s leadership structure is appropriate because it allows the Trustees to effectively perform their oversight responsibilities.

Trustees of the Trust

Information pertaining to the Trustees of the Trust as of March 28, 2014 is set forth below.

 

B-27


Independent Trustees

 

Name, Address

and Age 1

 

Position(s)

Held with

the Trust

 

Term of

Office and

Length of

Time

Served 2

  

Principal Occupation(s)
During Past 5 Years

  

Number of

Portfolios in

Fund

Complex

Overseen by

Trustee 3

 

Other

Directorships

Held by Trustee 4

Ashok N. Bakhru Age: 72   Chairman of the Board of Trustees   Since 1996 (Trustee since 1991)   

Mr. Bakhru is retired. He was formerly Director, Apollo Investment Corporation (a business development company) (2008-2013); President, ABN Associates (a management and financial consulting firm) (1994–1996 and 1998–2012); Trustee, Scholarship America (1998–2005); Trustee, Institute for Higher Education Policy (2003–2008); Director, Private Equity Investors–III and IV (1998–2007), and Equity-Linked Investors II (April 2002–2007).

 

Chairman of the Board of Trustees—Goldman Sachs Fund Complex.

   111   None
Donald C. Burke Age: 53   Trustee   Since 2010   

Mr. Burke is retired. He is Director, Avista Corp. (2011–Present); and was formerly a Director, BlackRock Luxembourg and Cayman Funds (2006–2010); President and Chief Executive Officer, BlackRock U.S. Funds (2007–2009); Managing Director, BlackRock, Inc. (2006–2009).

 

Trustee—Goldman Sachs Fund Complex.

   108   Avista Corp. (an energy company)
John P. Coblentz, Jr.
Age: 72
  Trustee   Since 2003   

Mr. Coblentz is retired. Formerly, he was Partner, Deloitte & Touche LLP (1975–2003); Director, Emerging Markets Group, Ltd. (2004–2006); and Director, Elderhostel, Inc. (2006–2012).

 

Trustee—Goldman Sachs Fund Complex.

   111   None

 

B-28


Name, Address

and Age 1

 

Position(s)

Held with

the Trust

 

Term of

Office and

Length of

Time

Served 2

  

Principal Occupation(s)
During Past 5 Years

  

Number of

Portfolios in

Fund

Complex

Overseen by

Trustee 3

 

Other

Directorships

Held by Trustee 4

Diana M. Daniels

Age: 64

  Trustee   Since 2007   

Ms. Daniels is retired. Formerly, she was Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary, The Washington Post Company (1991–2006). Ms. Daniels serves as a Presidential Councillor of Cornell University (2013–Present); Member, Advisory Board, Psychology Without Borders (international humanitarian aid organization) (2007-Present), and former Member of the Legal Advisory Board, New York Stock Exchange (2003–2006) and of the Corporate Advisory Board, Standish Mellon Management Advisors (2006–2007).

 

Trustee—Goldman Sachs Fund Complex.

   108   None

Joseph P. LoRusso

Age: 56

  Trustee   Since 2010   

Mr. LoRusso is retired. Formerly, he was President, Fidelity Investments Institutional Services Co. (“FIIS”) (2002–2008); Director, FIIS (2002–2008); Director, Fidelity Investments Institutional Operations Company (2003–2007); Executive Officer, Fidelity Distributors Corporation (2007–2008).

 

Trustee—Goldman Sachs Fund Complex.

   108   None

Herbert J. Markley

Age: 63

  Trustee   Since 2013   

Mr. Markley is retired. Formerly, he was Executive Vice President, Deere & Company (an agricultural and construction equipment manufacturer) (2007–2009), and President, Agricultural Division, Deere & Company (2001–2007).

 

Trustee—Goldman Sachs Fund Complex.

   108   None

Jessica Palmer

Age: 65

  Trustee   Since 2007   

Ms. Palmer is retired. She is Director, Emerson Center for the Arts and Culture (2011-Present); and was formerly a Consultant, Citigroup Human Resources Department (2007-2008); Managing Director, Citigroup Corporate and Investment Banking (previously, Salomon Smith Barney/Salomon Brothers) (1984–2006). Ms. Palmer was a Member of the Board of Trustees of Indian Mountain School (private elementary and secondary school) (2004–2009).

 

Trustee—Goldman Sachs Fund Complex.

   108   None

 

B-29


Name, Address

and Age 1

 

Position(s)

Held with

the Trust

 

Term of

Office and

Length of

Time

Served 2

  

Principal Occupation(s)
During Past 5 Years

  

Number of

Portfolios in

Fund

Complex

Overseen by

Trustee 3

 

Other

Directorships

Held by Trustee 4

Richard P. Strubel

Age: 74

  Trustee   Since 1987   

Mr. Strubel is retired. Formerly, he was Director, Cardean Learning Group (provider of educational services via the internet) (2003–2008); Trustee Emeritus, The University of Chicago (1987–Present).

 

Trustee—Goldman Sachs Fund Complex.

   111   The Northern Trust Mutual Fund Complex (64 Portfolios) (Chairman of the Board of Trustees); Gildan Activewear Inc. (a clothing marketing and manufacturing company)

Roy W. Templin

Age: 53

  Trustee   Since 2013   

Mr. Templin is retired. He is Director, Con-Way Incorporated (2012– Present); and was formerly Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, Whirlpool Corporation (an appliance manufacturer and marketer) (2004–2012).

 

Trustee—Goldman Sachs Fund Complex.

   108   Con-Way Incorporated (a transportation, supply-chain management and logistics services company)

 

B-30


Interested Trustees

 

Name, Address and
Age 1

 

Position(s)

Held with

the Trust

 

Term of

Office and

Length of

Time

Served 2

  

Principal Occupation(s)
During Past 5 Years

  

Number of
Portfolios in
Fund
Complex
Overseen by
Trustee 3

 

Other
Directorships

Held by Trustee 4

James A. McNamara*

Age: 51

  President and Trustee   Since 2007   

Managing Director, Goldman Sachs (December 1998–Present); Director of Institutional Fund Sales, GSAM (April 1998–December 2000); and Senior Vice President and Manager, Dreyfus Institutional Service Corporation (January 1993–April 1998).

 

President—Goldman Sachs Fund Complex (November 2007–Present); Senior Vice President—Goldman Sachs Fund Complex (May 2007–November 2007); and Vice President—Goldman Sachs Fund Complex (2001–2007).

 

Trustee—Goldman Sachs Fund Complex (since November 2007 and December 2002–May 2004).

   110   None

Alan A. Shuch*

Age: 64

  Trustee   Since 1990   

Advisory Director—GSAM (May 1999–Present); Consultant to GSAM (December 1994–May 1999); and Limited Partner, Goldman Sachs (December 1994–May 1999).

 

Trustee—Goldman Sachs Fund Complex.

   108   None

 

* These persons are considered to be “Interested Trustees” because they hold positions with Goldman Sachs and own securities issued by The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. Each Interested Trustee holds comparable positions with certain other companies of which Goldman Sachs, GSAM or an affiliate thereof is the investment adviser, administrator and/or distributor.

 

1 Each Trustee may be contacted by writing to the Trustee, c/o Goldman Sachs, 200 West Street, New York, New York, 10282, Attn: Caroline Kraus.

 

2 Each Trustee holds office for an indefinite term until the earliest of: (a) the election of his or her successor; (b) the date the Trustee resigns or is removed by the Board of Trustees or shareholders, in accordance with the Trust’s Declaration of Trust; (c) the conclusion of the first Board meeting held subsequent to the day the Trustee attains the age of 74 years, subject to waiver by a majority of the Trustees (in accordance with the current resolutions of the Board of Trustees, which may be changed by the Trustees without shareholder vote); or (d) the termination of the Trust. By resolution of the Board of Trustees determining that an extension of service would be beneficial to the Trust, the retirement age has been extended for one year with respect to Richard P. Strubel.

 

3 The Goldman Sachs Fund Complex includes the Trust, Goldman Sachs Credit Strategies Fund (“GSCSF”) and Goldman Sachs Variable Insurance Trust (“GSVIT”). As of March 28, 2014, the Trust consisted of 93 portfolios (87 of which offered shares to the public), GSVIT consisted of 14 portfolios (12 of which offered shares to the public) and GSCSF consisted of one portfolio. The Goldman Sachs Fund Complex also includes, with respect to Messrs. Bakhru, Coblentz and Strubel, Goldman Sachs Trust II (“GSTII”), Goldman Sachs BDC, Inc. (“GSBDC”) and Goldman Sachs MLP Income Opportunities Fund (“GSMLP”), and with respect to Mr. McNamara, GSTII and GSMLP. GSTII, GSBDC and GSMLP each consisted of one portfolio. GSBDC did not offer shares to the public.

 

4 This column includes only directorships of companies required to report to the SEC under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (i.e., “public companies”) or other investment companies registered under the Act.

The significance or relevance of a Trustee’s particular experience, qualifications, attributes and/or skills is considered by the Board on an individual basis. Experience, qualifications, attributes and/or skills common to all Trustees include the ability to critically review, evaluate and discuss information provided to them and to interact effectively with the other Trustees and with representatives

 

B-31


of the Investment Adviser and its affiliates, other service providers, legal counsel and the Fund’s independent registered public accounting firm, the capacity to address financial and legal issues and exercise reasonable business judgment, and a commitment to the representation of the interests of the Fund and its shareholders. The Governance and Nominating Committee’s charter contains certain other factors that are considered by the Governance and Nominating Committee in identifying and evaluating potential nominees to serve as Independent Trustees. Based on each Trustee’s experience, qualifications, attributes and/or skills, considered individually and with respect to the experience, qualifications, attributes and/or skills of other Trustees, the Board has concluded that each Trustee should serve as a Trustee. Below is a brief discussion of the experience, qualifications, attributes and/or skills of each individual Trustee as of March 28, 2014 that led the Board to conclude that such individual should serve as a Trustee.

Ashok N. Bakhru. Mr. Bakhru has served as a Trustee since 1991 and Chairman of the Board since 1996. Previously, Mr. Bakhru served as Director, Apollo Investment Corporation (a business development company) (2008-2013), and President of ABN Associates, a management and financial consulting firm, and was the Chief Financial Officer, Chief Administrative Officer and Director of Coty Inc., a multinational cosmetics, fragrance and personal care company. In addition, Mr. Bakhru formerly held several senior management positions at Scott Paper Company, a major manufacturer of paper products, including Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer. Mr. Bakhru also serves on the Governing Council of the Independent Directors Council and the Board of Governors of the Investment Company Institute. He also serves on the Advisory Board of BoardIQ, an investment publication. In addition, Mr. Bakhru has served as Director of Equity-Linked Investments II and Private Equity Investors III and IV, which are private equity partnerships based in New York City. Mr. Bakhru was also a Director of Arkwright Mutual Insurance Company. Based on the foregoing, Mr. Bakhru is experienced with financial and investment matters.

Donald C. Burke. Mr. Burke has served as Trustee since 2010. Mr. Burke serves as a Director of Avista Corp., an energy company. Mr. Burke was a Managing Director of BlackRock, Inc., where he was President and Chief Executive Officer of BlackRock’s U.S. funds and a director and chairman of several offshore funds advised by BlackRock. As President and Chief Executive Officer of BlackRock’s U.S. funds, he was responsible for all accounting, tax and regulatory reporting requirements for over 300 open-end and closed-end BlackRock funds. Previously, he was a Managing Director, First Vice President and Vice President of Merrill Lynch Investment Managers, L.P. (“MLIM”), where he worked for 16 years prior to MLIM’s merger with BlackRock, and was instrumental in the integration of BlackRock’s and MLIM’s operating infrastructure following the merger. While at MLIM, he was Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer of MLIM’s U.S. funds and Head of Global Operations and Client Services, where he was responsible for the development and maintenance of MLIM’s operating infrastructure across the Americas, Europe and the Pacific Rim. He also developed controls for the MLIM U.S. funds’ financial statement certification process to comply with the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, worked with fund auditors in connection with the funds’ annual audits and established the department responsible for all tax issues impacting the MLIM U.S. funds. Previously, Mr. Burke was Tax Manager at Deloitte & Touche, where he was designated as one of the firm’s lead specialists in the investment company industry, and advised multinational corporations, partnerships, universities and high net worth individuals in tax matters. Mr. Burke is a certified public accountant. Based on the foregoing, Mr. Burke is experienced with accounting, financial and investment matters.

John P. Coblentz, Jr. Mr. Coblentz has served as Trustee since 2003. Mr. Coblentz has been designated as the Board’s “audit committee financial expert” given his extensive accounting and finance experience. Mr. Coblentz was a partner with Deloitte & Touche LLP for 28 years. While at Deloitte & Touche LLP, Mr. Coblentz was lead partner responsible for all auditing and accounting services to a variety of large, global companies, a significant portion of which operated in the financial services industry. Mr. Coblentz was also the national managing partner for the firm’s risk management function, a member of the firm’s Management Committee and the first managing partner of the firm’s Financial Advisory Services practice, which brought together the firm’s mergers and acquisition services, forensic and dispute services, corporate finance, asset valuation and reorganization businesses under one management structure. He served as a member of the firm’s Board of Directors. Mr. Coblentz is a certified public accountant. Based on the foregoing, Mr. Coblentz is experienced with accounting, financial and investment matters.

Diana M. Daniels. Ms. Daniels has served as Trustee since 2007. Ms. Daniels also serves as a Trustee Emeritus and Presidential Councillor of Cornell University. Ms. Daniels held several senior management positions at The Washington Post Company and its subsidiaries, where she worked for 29 years. While at The Washington Post Company, Ms. Daniels served as Vice President, General Counsel, Secretary to the Board of Directors and Secretary to the Audit Committee. Previously, Ms. Daniels served as Vice President and General Counsel of Newsweek, Inc. Ms. Daniels also serves on the Executive Committee of the Governing Council of the Independent Directors Council of the Investment Company Institute. Ms. Daniels has also served as Vice Chair and Chairman of the Executive Committee of the Board of Trustees of Cornell University and as a member of the Corporate Advisory Board of Standish Mellon Management Advisors and of the Legal Advisory Board of New York Stock Exchange. Ms. Daniels is also a member of the American Law Institute and of the Advisory Council of the Inter-American Press Association. Based on the foregoing, Ms. Daniels is experienced with legal, financial and investment matters.

 

B-32


Joseph P. LoRusso. Mr. LoRusso has served as Trustee since 2010. Mr. LoRusso held a number of senior management positions at Fidelity Investments for over 15 years, where he was most recently President of Fidelity Investments Institutional Services Co. (“FIIS”). As President of FIIS, Mr. LoRusso oversaw the development, distribution and servicing of Fidelity’s investment and retirement products through various financial intermediaries. Previously, he served as President, Executive Vice President and Senior Vice President of Fidelity Institutional Retirement Services Co., where he helped establish Fidelity’s 401(k) business and built it into the largest in the U.S. In these positions, he oversaw sales, marketing, implementation, client services, operations and technology. Mr. LoRusso also served on Fidelity’s Executive Management Committee. Prior to his experience with Fidelity, he was Second Vice President in the Investment and Pension Group of John Hancock Mutual Life Insurance, where he had responsibility for developing and running the company’s 401(k) business. Previously, he worked at The Equitable (now a subsidiary of AXA Financial), where he was Product Manager of the company’s then-nascent 401(k) business, and at Arthur Andersen & Co. (now Accenture), as a Senior Consultant within the firm’s consulting practice. Based on the foregoing, Mr. LoRusso is experienced with financial and investment matters.

Herbert J. (H.J.) Markley. Mr. Markley has served as a Trustee since 2013. Previously, Mr. Markley held several senior management positions at Deere & Company, where he worked for 35 years, including Executive Vice President of Worldwide Parts Service, Global Supply Management and Logistics, Enterprise Information Technology and Corporate Communications. Mr. Markley’s experience at Deere included managing manufacturing and engineering facilities, including the two largest manufacturing facilities and a joint venture with Hitachi. He later served as Senior Vice President of Worldwide Human Resources where he helped to lay the foundation for a new human resources system, and as a President of the Agricultural Division, Deere’s largest business unit. In addition to his work with Deere, Mr. Markley has served on the Boards of Directors of the Dubuque Chamber of Commerce, the First National Bank of Dubuque, the University of Dubuque and the Iowa Public Television Foundation as well as the Board of Overseers of the Amos Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth College. Based on the foregoing, Mr. Markley is experienced with financial and investment matters.

Jessica Palmer. Ms. Palmer has served as Trustee since 2007. Ms. Palmer serves as a Director of Emerson Center for the Arts and Culture, a not-for-profit organization. Ms. Palmer worked at Citigroup Corporate and Investment Banking (previously, Salomon Smith Barney/Salomon Brothers) for over 20 years, where she was a Managing Director. While at Citigroup Corporate and Investment Banking, Ms. Palmer was Head of Global Risk Management, Chair of the Global Commitment Committee, Co-Chair of International Investment Banking (New York) and Head of Fixed Income Capital Markets. Ms. Palmer was also a member of the Management Committee and Risk Management Operating Committee of Citigroup, Inc. Prior to that, Ms. Palmer was a Vice President at Goldman Sachs in its international corporate finance department. Ms. Palmer was also Assistant Vice President of the International Division at Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. Ms. Palmer was also a member of the Board of Trustees of a private elementary and secondary school. Based on the foregoing, Ms. Palmer is experienced with financial and investment matters.

Richard P. Strubel. Mr. Strubel has served as Trustee since 1987. Mr. Strubel also serves as Chairman of the Northern Funds, a family of retail and institutional mutual funds managed by The Northern Trust Company. He also serves on the board of Gildan Activewear Inc., which is listed on the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”). Mr. Strubel was Vice-Chairman of the Board of Cardean Learning Group (formerly known as Unext), and previously served as Unext’s President and Chief Operating Officer. Mr. Strubel was Managing Director of Tandem Partners, Inc., a privately-held management services firm, and served as President and Chief Executive Officer of Microdot, Inc. Previously, Mr. Strubel served as President of Northwest Industries, then a NYSE-listed company, a conglomerate with various operating entities located around the country. Before joining Northwest, Mr. Strubel was an associate and later managing principal of Fry Consultants, a management consulting firm based in Chicago. Mr. Strubel is also a Trustee Emeritus of the University of Chicago and is an adjunct professor at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business. Based on the foregoing, Mr. Strubel is experienced with financial and investment matters.

Roy W. Templin. Mr. Templin has served as a Trustee since 2013. Mr. Templin is a Director of Con-Way Incorporated, a transportation, supply-chain management and logistics services company, and serves on its Finance and Audit Committees (he is the Chair of the Finance Committee). Mr. Templin held a number of senior management positions at Whirlpool Corporation, an appliance manufacturer and marketer, including Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, Vice President and Corporate Controller there. At Whirlpool, Mr. Templin served on the Executive Committee and was responsible for all aspects of finance globally, including treasury, accounting, risk management, investor relations, internal auditing, tax and facilities. Prior to joining Whirlpool, Mr. Templin served in several roles at Kimball International, a furniture and electronic assemblies manufacturer, including Vice President of Finance and Chief Accounting Officer. Mr. Templin was also a Director of Corporate Finance for Cummins, Inc., a diesel engine manufacturer, a Director of Financial Development at NCR Corporation, a computer hardware and electronics company, and a member of the audit staff of Price Waterhouse (now PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP). Mr. Templin is a certified public accountant. Based on the foregoing, Mr. Templin is experienced with accounting, financial and investment matters.

 

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James A. McNamara. Mr. McNamara has served as Trustee and President of the Trust since 2007 and has served as an officer of the Trust since 2001. Mr. McNamara is a Managing Director at Goldman Sachs. Mr. McNamara is currently head of Global Third Party Distribution at GSAM, where he was previously head of U.S. Third Party Distribution. Prior to that role, Mr. McNamara served as Director of Institutional Fund Sales. Prior to joining Goldman Sachs, Mr. McNamara was Vice President and Manager at Dreyfus Institutional Service Corporation. Based on the foregoing, Mr. McNamara is experienced with financial and investment matters.

Alan A. Shuch. Mr. Shuch has served as a Trustee since 1990. Mr. Shuch is an Advisory Director to Goldman Sachs. Mr. Shuch serves on the Board of Trustees of a number of offshore funds managed by GSAM. He serves on GSAM’s Valuation Committee. Prior to retiring as a general partner of Goldman Sachs in 1994, Mr. Shuch was president and chief operating officer of GSAM which he founded in 1988. Mr. Shuch joined the Goldman Sachs Fixed Income Division in 1976. He was instrumental in building Goldman Sachs’ Corporate Bond Department and served as co-head of the Global Fixed Income Sales and the High Yield Bond and Preferred Stock Departments. He headed the Portfolio Restructuring and Fixed Income Quantitative and Credit Research Departments. Mr. Shuch also served on a variety of firm-wide committees including the International Executive, New Product and Strategic Planning Committees and was a member of the Stone Street/Bridge Street Private Equity Board. Mr. Shuch serves on Wharton’s Graduate Executive Board. Based on the foregoing, Mr. Shuch is experienced with financial and investment matters.

 

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Officers of the Trust

Information pertaining to the officers of the Trust as of March 28, 2014 is set forth below.

 

Name, Age and

Address

  

Position(s)
Held

with the Trust

   Term of
Office and
Length of
Time Served 1
  

Principal Occupation(s) During Past 5 Years

James A. McNamara

200 West Street

New York, NY 10282

Age: 51

   Trustee and President    Since 2007   

Managing Director, Goldman Sachs (December 1998 – Present); Director of Institutional Fund Sales, GSAM (April 1998 – December 2000); and Senior Vice President and Manager, Dreyfus Institutional Service Corporation (January 1993 – April 1998).

 

President, Goldman Sachs Fund Complex (November 2007 – Present); Senior Vice President, Goldman Sachs Fund Complex (May 2007 – November 2007); and Vice President, Goldman Sachs Fund Complex (2001 – 2007).

 

Trustee – Goldman Sachs Fund Complex (November 2007 – Present and December 2002 – May 2004).

Scott McHugh

200 West Street

New York, NY 10282

Age: 42

  

Treasurer,

Senior Vice President and Principal Financial Officer

   Since 2009

(Principal
Financial
Officer
since 2013)

  

Vice President, Goldman Sachs (February 2007 – Present); Assistant Treasurer of certain mutual funds administered by DWS Scudder (2005 –2007); and Director (2005 – 2007), Vice President (2000 – 2005), and Assistant Vice President (1998 – 2000), Deutsche Asset Management or its predecessor (1998 – 2007).

 

Principal Financial Officer – Goldman Sachs Fund Complex (November 2013 – Present); Treasurer – Goldman Sachs Fund Complex (October 2009 – Present); Senior Vice President – Goldman Sachs Fund Complex (November 2009 – Present); and Assistant Treasurer – Goldman Sachs Fund Complex (May 2007 – October 2009).

Philip V. Giuca, Jr. 30 Hudson Street

Jersey City, NJ 07302

Age: 52

   Assistant Treasurer    Since 1997   

Vice President, Goldman Sachs (May 1992 – Present).

 

Assistant Treasurer – Goldman Sachs Fund Complex.

Peter Fortner 30 Hudson Street

Jersey City, NJ 07302

Age: 56

   Assistant Treasurer    Since 2000   

Vice President, Goldman Sachs (July 2000 – Present); Principal Financial Officer, Commerce Bank Mutual Fund Complex (2008 – Present); Associate, Prudential Insurance Company of America (November 1985 –June 2000); and Assistant Treasurer, certain closed-end funds administered by Prudential (1999 – 2000).

 

Assistant Treasurer – Goldman Sachs Fund Complex.

Kenneth G. Curran

30 Hudson Street

Jersey City, NJ 07302

Age: 50

   Assistant Treasurer    Since 2001   

Vice President, Goldman Sachs (November 1998 – Present); and Senior Tax Manager, KPMG Peat Marwick (accountants) (August 1995 – October 1998).

 

Assistant Treasurer – Goldman Sachs Fund Complex.

Sarah Walton

30 Hudson Street

Jersey City, NJ 07302

Age: 42

   Assistant Treasurer    Since 2012   

Vice President, Goldman Sachs (December 2002 – Present); and Associate, Goldman Sachs (February 2000 – December 2002).

 

Assistant Treasurer – Goldman Sachs Fund Complex.

 

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Name, Age and

Address

  

Position(s) Held

with the Trust

   Term of
Office and
Length of
Time
Served 1
  

Principal Occupation(s) During Past 5 Years

Jesse Cole

71 South Wacker Drive

Chicago, IL 60606

Age: 50

   Vice President    Since 1998   

Managing Director, Goldman Sachs (December 2006 – Present); Vice President, GSAM (June 1998 – Present); and Vice President, AIM Management Group, Inc. (investment adviser) (April 1996 – June 1998).

 

Vice President – Goldman Sachs Fund Complex.

Kerry K. Daniels

71 South Wacker Drive

Chicago, IL 60606

Age: 51

   Vice President    Since 2000   

Manager, Financial Control – Shareholder Services, Goldman Sachs (1986 – Present).

 

Vice President – Goldman Sachs Fund Complex.

Mark Hancock

71 South Wacker Drive

Chicago, IL 60606

Age: 46

   Vice President    Since 2007   

Managing Director, Goldman Sachs (November 2005 – Present); Vice President, Goldman Sachs (August 2000 – November 2005); Senior Vice President, Dreyfus Service Corp (1999 – 2000); and Vice President, Dreyfus Service Corp (1996 – 1999).

 

Vice President – Goldman Sachs Fund Complex.

Carlos W. Samuels

6011 Connection Drive

Irving, TX 75039

Age: 39

   Vice President    Since 2007   

Vice President, Goldman Sachs (December 2007 – Present); Associate, Goldman Sachs (December 2005 – December 2007); and Analyst, Goldman Sachs (January 2004 – December 2005).

 

Vice President – Goldman Sachs Fund Complex.

Miriam Cytryn

200 West Street

New York, NY 10282

Age: 55

   Vice President    Since 2008   

Vice President, GSAM (2008 – Present); Vice President of Divisional Management, Investment Management Division (2007 – 2008); Vice President and Chief of Staff, GSAM US Distribution (2003 – 2007); and Vice President of Employee Relations, Goldman Sachs (1996 – 2003).

 

Vice President – Goldman Sachs Fund Complex.

Glen Casey

200 West Street

New York, NY 10282

Age: 49

   Vice President    Since 2008   

Managing Director, Goldman Sachs (2007 – Present); and Vice President, Goldman Sachs (1997 – 2007).

 

Vice President – Goldman Sachs Fund Complex.

Mark Heaney

Christchurch Court 10-15 Newgate Street London, EC1A 7HD, UK

Age: 46

   Vice President    Since 2010   

Executive Director, GSAM (May 2005 – Present); Director of Operations (UK and Ireland), Invesco Asset Management (May 2004 – March 2005); Global Head of Investment Administration, Invesco Asset Management (September 2001 – May 2004); Managing Director (Ireland), Invesco Asset Management (March 2000 – September 2001); and Director of Investment Administration, Invesco Asset Management (December 1998 – March 2000).

 

Vice President – Goldman Sachs Fund Complex.

Michael Magee

30 Hudson Street

Jersey City, NJ 07302

Age: 36

   Vice President    Since 2012   

Vice President, Goldman Sachs (December 2007-Present); Associate (December 2004-December 2007); and Analyst (December 2002-December 2004).

 

Vice President – Goldman Sachs Fund Complex.

Robert McCormack

30 Hudson Street

Jersey City, NJ 07302

Age: 40

   Vice President    Since 2012   

Vice President, Goldman Sachs (December 2008 – Present); and Associate, Goldman Sachs (September 2005 – December 2008).

 

Vice President – Goldman Sachs Fund Complex.

 

B-36


Name, Age and

Address

  

Position(s) Held

with the Trust

   Term of
Office and
Length of
Time
Served 1
  

Principal Occupation(s) During Past 5 Years

Kathryn Quirk

200 West Street

New York, NY 10282

Age: 61

   Vice President    Since 2013   

Vice President, Goldman Sachs (September 2013 – Present); Vice President and Corporate Counsel, Prudential Insurance Company of America (September 2004 – December 2012); Deputy Chief Legal Officer, Asset Management, Prudential Insurance Company of America (September 2010 – December 2012); Co-Chief Legal Officer, Prudential Investment Management, Inc. (July 2008 – June 2012); Chief Legal Officer, Prudential Investments LLC (July 2005 – June 2012); Chief Legal Officer, Prudential Mutual Funds (September 2004 – June 2012).

 

Vice President—Goldman Sachs Fund Complex.

Lawrence J. Restieri

200 West Street

New York, NY 10282

Age: 45

   Vice President    Since 2013   

Managing Director, Goldman Sachs (2006 – Present).

 

Vice President—Goldman Sachs Fund Complex.

Rachel Schnoll

200 West Street

New York, NY 10282

Age: 44

   Vice President    Since 2013   

Managing Director, Goldman Sachs (2014 – Present); Vice President, Goldman Sachs (2003 – 2013); Associate, Goldman Sachs (1999 – 2002).

 

Vice President—Goldman Sachs Fund Complex.

Greg R. Wilson

200 West Street

New York, NY 10282

Age: 40

   Vice President    Since 2013   

Managing Director, Goldman Sachs (January 2011 – Present); Head of the North American Sub-Advisory & Platform Distribution Group, GSAM (April 2010 – Present); and Business Development and Relationship Management Sub-Advisory & Platform Distribution Group, GSAM (May 2003 – April 2010).

 

Vice President—Goldman Sachs Fund Complex.

Caroline L. Kraus

200 West Street

New York, NY 10282

Age: 36

   Secretary    Since 2012   

Vice President, Goldman Sachs (August 2006 – Present); Associate General Counsel, Goldman Sachs (2012 – Present); Assistant General Counsel, Goldman Sachs (August 2006 – December 2011); and Associate, Weil, Gotshal & Manges, LLP (2002 – 2006).

 

Secretary – Goldman Sachs Fund Complex (August 2012 – Present); and Assistant Secretary – Goldman Sachs Fund Complex (June 2012 – August 2012).

David Fishman

200 West Street New York, NY 10282

Age: 49

   Assistant Secretary    Since 2001   

Managing Director, Goldman Sachs (December 2001 – Present); and Vice President, Goldman Sachs (1997 – December 2001).

 

Assistant Secretary – Goldman Sachs Fund Complex.

Danny Burke

200 West Street New York, NY 10282

Age: 51

   Assistant Secretary    Since 2001   

Vice President, Goldman Sachs (1987 – Present).

 

Assistant Secretary – Goldman Sachs Fund Complex.

Deborah Farrell

30 Hudson Street Jersey City, NJ 07302

Age: 42

   Assistant Secretary    Since 2007   

Vice President, Goldman Sachs (2005 – Present); Associate, Goldman Sachs (2001 – 2005); and Analyst, Goldman Sachs (1994 – 2005).

 

Assistant Secretary – Goldman Sachs Fund Complex.

 

B-37


Name, Age and

Address

  

Position(s)
Held

with the Trust

   Term of
Office and
Length of
Time
Served 1
  

Principal Occupation(s) During Past 5 Years

Patrick T. O’Callaghan

200 West Street

New York, NY 10282

Age: 42

   Assistant Secretary    Since 2009   

Vice President, Goldman Sachs (2000 – Present); Associate, Goldman Sachs (1998 – 2000); and Analyst, Goldman Sachs (1995 – 1998).

 

Assistant Secretary – Goldman Sachs Fund Complex.

James P. McCarthy

200 West Street New York, NY 10282

Age: 49

   Assistant Secretary    Since 2009   

Managing Director, Goldman Sachs (2003 – Present); Vice President, Goldman Sachs (1996 – 2003); and Portfolio Manager, Goldman Sachs (1995 – 1996).

 

Assistant Secretary – Goldman Sachs Fund Complex.

Andrew Murphy

200 West Street

New York, NY 10282

Age: 41

   Assistant Secretary    Since 2010   

Vice President, Goldman Sachs (April 2009 – Present); Assistant General Counsel, Goldman Sachs (April 2009 – Present); Attorney, Axiom Legal (2007 – 2009); and Vice President and Counsel, AllianceBernstein, L.P. (2001 – 2007).

 

Assistant Secretary – Goldman Sachs Fund Complex.

Robert Griffith

200 West Street

New York, NY 10282

Age: 39

   Assistant Secretary    Since 2011   

Vice President, Goldman Sachs (August 2011 – Present); Assistant General Counsel, Goldman Sachs (August 2011 – Present); Vice President and Counsel, Nomura Holding America, Inc. (2010 – 2011); and Associate, Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP (2005 – 2010).

 

Assistant Secretary – Goldman Sachs Fund Complex.

Matthew Wolfe

200 West Street

New York, NY 10282

Age: 31

   Assistant Secretary    Since 2012   

Vice President, Goldman Sachs (July 2012 – Present); Assistant General Counsel, Goldman Sachs (July 2012 – Present); and Associate, Dechert LLP (2007 – 2012).

 

Assistant Secretary – Goldman Sachs Fund Complex.

 

1  

Officers hold office at the pleasure of the Board of Trustees or until their successors are duly elected and qualified. Each officer holds comparable positions with certain other companies of which Goldman Sachs, GSAM or an affiliate thereof is the investment adviser, administrator and/or distributor.

Standing Board Committees

The Audit Committee oversees the audit process and provides assistance to the Board with respect to fund accounting, tax compliance and financial statement matters. In performing its responsibilities, the Audit Committee selects and recommends annually to the Board an independent registered public accounting firm to audit the books and records of the Trust for the ensuing year, and reviews with the firm the scope and results of each audit. All of the Independent Trustees serve on the Audit Committee. The Audit Committee held five meetings during the fiscal year ended November 30, 2013.

The Governance and Nominating Committee has been established to: (i) assist the Board in matters involving mutual fund governance, which includes making recommendations to the Board with respect to the effectiveness of the Board in carrying out its responsibilities in governing the Fund and overseeing its management; (ii) select and nominate candidates for appointment or election to serve as Independent Trustees; and (iii) advise the Board on ways to improve its effectiveness. All of the Independent Trustees serve on the Governance and Nominating Committee. The Governance and Nominating Committee held two meetings during the fiscal year ended November 30, 2013. As stated above, each Trustee holds office for an indefinite term until the occurrence of certain events. In filling Board vacancies, the Governance and Nominating Committee will consider nominees recommended by shareholders. Nominee recommendations should be submitted to the Trust at its mailing address stated in the Fund’s Prospectus and should be directed to the attention of the Goldman Sachs Trust Governance and Nominating Committee.

The Compliance Committee has been established for the purpose of overseeing the compliance processes: (i) of the Fund; and (ii) insofar as they relate to services provided to the Fund, of the Fund’s investment adviser, distributor, administrator (if any), and transfer

 

B-38


agent, except that compliance processes relating to the accounting and financial reporting processes, and certain related matters, are overseen by the Audit Committee. In addition, the Compliance Committee provides assistance to the full Board with respect to compliance matters. The Compliance Committee met three times during the fiscal year ended November 30, 2013. All of the Independent Trustees serve on the Compliance Committee.

The Valuation Committee is authorized to act for the Board in connection with the valuation of portfolio securities held by the Fund in accordance with the Trust’s Valuation Procedures. Messrs. McNamara and Shuch serve on the Valuation Committee, together with certain employees of GSAM who are not Trustees. The Valuation Committee met twelve times during the fiscal year ended November 30, 2013. The Valuation Committee reports periodically to the Board.

The Dividend Committee is authorized, subject to the ratification of Trustees who are not members of the committee, to declare dividends and capital gain distributions consistent with the Fund’s Prospectus. Messrs. McNamara and McHugh serve on the Dividend Committee. The Dividend Committee met twelve times during the fiscal year ended November 30, 2013.

The Contract Review Committee has been established for the purpose of overseeing the processes of the Board for reviewing and monitoring performance under the Fund’s investment management, distribution, transfer agency and certain other agreements with the Fund’s Investment Adviser and its affiliates. The Contract Review Committee is also responsible for overseeing the Board’s processes for considering and reviewing performance under the operation of the Fund’s distribution, service, shareholder administration and other plans, and any agreements related to the plans, whether or not such plans and agreements are adopted pursuant to Rule 12b-1 under the Act. The Contract Review Committee also provides appropriate assistance to the Board in connection with the Board’s approval, oversight and review of the Fund’s other service providers including, without limitation, the Fund’s custodian/accounting agent, sub-transfer agents, professional (legal and accounting) firms and printing firms. The Contract Review Committee met three times during the fiscal year ended November 30, 2013. All of the Independent Trustees serve on the Contract Review Committee.

Risk Oversight

The Board is responsible for the oversight of the activities of the Fund, including oversight of risk management. Day-to-day risk management with respect to the Fund is the responsibility of GSAM or other service providers (depending on the nature of the risk), subject to supervision by GSAM. The risks of the Fund include, but are not limited to, investment risk, compliance risk, operational risk, reputational risk, credit risk and counterparty risk. Each of GSAM and the other service providers have their own independent interest in risk management and their policies and methods of risk management may differ from the Fund and each other’s in the setting of priorities, the resources available or the effectiveness of relevant controls. As a result, the Board recognizes that it is not possible to identify all of the risks that may affect the Fund or to develop processes and controls to eliminate or mitigate their occurrence or effects, and that some risks are simply beyond the control of the Fund or GSAM, its affiliates or other service providers.

The Board effectuates its oversight role primarily through regular and special meetings of the Board and Board committees. In certain cases, risk management issues are specifically addressed in presentations and discussions. For example, GSAM has an independent dedicated Market Risk Group that assists GSAM in managing investment risk. Representatives from the Market Risk Group regularly meet with the Board to discuss their analysis and methodologies. In addition, investment risk is discussed in the context of regular presentations to the Board on Fund strategy and performance. Other types of risk are addressed as part of presentations on related topics (e.g. compliance policies) or in the context of presentations focused specifically on one or more risks. The Board also receives reports from GSAM management on operational risks, reputational risks and counterparty risks relating to the Fund.

Board oversight of risk management is also performed by various Board committees. For example, the Audit Committee meets with both the Fund’s independent registered public accounting firm and GSAM’s internal audit group to review risk controls in place that support the Fund as well as test results, and the Compliance Committee meets with the CCO and representatives of GSAM’s compliance group to review testing results of the Fund’s compliance policies and procedures and other compliance issues. Board oversight of risk is also performed as needed between meetings through communications between GSAM and the Board. The Board may, at any time and in its discretion, change the manner in which it conducts risk oversight. The Board’s oversight role does not make the Board a guarantor of the Fund’s investments or activities.

 

B-39


Trustee Ownership of Fund Shares

The following table shows the dollar range of shares beneficially owned by each Trustee in the Fund and other portfolios of the Goldman Sachs Fund Complex as of December 31, 2013, unless otherwise noted.

 

Name of Trustee

   Dollar Range of
Equity  Securities in
the Fund 1
   Aggregate Dollar
Range of  Equity
Securities in All
Portfolios in Fund
Complex Overseen By
Trustee
 

Ashok N. Bakhru

   None      Over $100,000   

Donald C. Burke

   $1 - $10,000      Over $100,000   

John P. Coblentz, Jr.

   None      Over $100,000   

Diana M. Daniels

   None      Over $100,000   

Joseph P. LoRusso

   None      Over $100,000   

Herbert J. Markley 2

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

James A. McNamara

   None      Over $100,000   

Jessica Palmer

   None      Over $100,000   

Alan A. Shuch

   None      Over $100,000   

Richard P. Strubel

   None      Over $100,000   

Roy W. Templin 2

   None      Over $100,000   

 

1  

Includes the value of shares beneficially owned by each Trustee in the Fund.

2  

Messrs. Markley and Templin began serving as Trustees effective October 15, 2013.

As of February 28, 2014, the Trustees and Officers of the Trust as a group owned less than 1% of the outstanding shares of beneficial interest of the Fund.

Board Compensation

Each Independent Trustee is compensated with a unitary annual fee for his or her services as a Trustee of the Trust and as a member of the Governance and Nominating Committee, Compliance Committee, Contract Review Committee, and Audit Committee. The Chairman and “audit committee financial expert” receive additional compensation for their services. The Independent Trustees are also reimbursed for reasonable travel expenses incurred in connection with attending meetings. The Trust may also pay the reasonable incidental costs of a Trustee to attend training or other types of conferences relating to the investment company industry.

The following table sets forth certain information with respect to the compensation of each Trustee of the Trust for the fiscal year ended November 30, 2013:

Trustee Compensation

 

Name of Trustee

   Aggregate
Compensation
from the Fund*
     Pension or  Retirement
Benefits Accrued as Part
of the Trust’s Expenses
     Total Compensation From Fund
Complex (including the
Fund)**
 

Ashok N. Bakhru 1

     $1,739         —           $417,500   

Donald C. Burke

     $1,125         —           $270,000   

John P. Coblentz, Jr. 2

     $1,309         —           $313,750   

Diana M. Daniels

     $1,125         —           $270,000   

Joseph P. LoRusso

     $1,125         —           $270,000   

Herbert J. Markley 3

     $750         —           $91,667   

James A. McNamara 4

     —           —           —     

Jessica Palmer

     $1,125         —           $270,000   

Alan A. Shuch 4

     —           —           —     

Richard P. Strubel

     $1,125         —           $270,000   

Roy W. Templin 3

     $750         —           $91,667   

 

* The Fund commenced operations on March 28, 2013.
** Represents fees paid to each Trustee during the fiscal year ended November 30, 2013 from the Goldman Sachs Fund Complex.

 

B-40


1 Includes compensation as Board Chairman.

 

2 Includes compensation as “audit committee financial expert,” as defined in Item 3 of Form N-CSR.

 

3 Includes compensation Messrs. Markley and Templin received as Trustees effective October 15, 2013.

 

4 Messrs. McNamara and Shuch are Interested Trustees, and as such, receive no compensation from the Fund or the Goldman Sachs Fund Complex.

Miscellaneous

Class A Shares of the Fund may be sold at NAV without payment of any sales charge to Goldman Sachs, its affiliates and their respective officers, partners, directors or employees (including retired employees and former partners), any partnership of which Goldman Sachs is a general partner, any Trustee or officer of the Trust and designated family members of any of the above individuals. These and the Fund’s other sales load waivers are due to the nature of the investors and/or the reduced sales effort and expense that are needed to obtain such investments.

The Trust, the Investment Adviser and principal underwriter have adopted codes of ethics under Rule 17j-1 of the Act that permit personnel subject to their particular codes of ethics to invest in securities, including securities that may be purchased or held by the Fund.

MANAGEMENT SERVICES

As stated in the Fund’s Prospectus, GSAM, 200 West Street, New York, New York 10282 serves as Investment Adviser to the Fund. GSAM is a subsidiary of The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. and an affiliate of Goldman Sachs. See “Service Providers” in the Fund’s Prospectus for a description of the Investment Adviser’s duties to the Fund.

Founded in 1869, Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. is a financial holding company and a leading global investment banking, securities and investment management firm. Goldman Sachs is a leader in developing portfolio strategies and in many fields of investing and financing, participating in financial markets worldwide and serving individuals, institutions, corporations and governments. Goldman Sachs is also among the principal market sources for current and thorough information on companies, industrial sectors, markets, economies and currencies, and trades and makes markets in a wide range of equity and debt securities 24 hours a day. The firm is headquartered in New York with offices in countries throughout the world. It has trading professionals throughout the United States, as well as in London, Frankfurt, Tokyo, Seoul, Sao Paulo and other major financial centers around the world. The active participation of Goldman Sachs in the world’s financial markets enhances its ability to identify attractive investments. Goldman Sachs has agreed to permit the Fund to use the name “Goldman Sachs” or a derivative thereof as part of the Fund’s name for as long as the Fund’s Management Agreement (as described below) is in effect.

The Investment Adviser is able to draw on the substantial research and market expertise of Goldman Sachs, whose investment research effort is one of the largest in the industry. The Global Investment Research division provides original fundamental insights and analysis for clients in the equity, fixed income and currency and commodities markets. The group covers areas such as economics, portfolio strategy, derivatives and equity and credit securities in more than 25 stock markets and 50 economies and regions around the world. The in depth information and analyses generated by Goldman Sachs’ research analysts are available to the Investment Adviser subject to Chinese Wall restrictions.

In addition, many of Goldman Sachs’ economists, securities analysts, portfolio strategists and credit analysts have consistently been highly ranked in respected industry surveys conducted in the United States and abroad. Goldman Sachs is also among the leading investment firms using quantitative analytics (now used by a growing number of investors) to structure and evaluate portfolios. For example, Goldman Sachs’ options evaluation model analyzes a security’s term, coupon and call option, providing an overall analysis of the security’s value relative to its interest risk.

In managing the Fund, the Investment Adviser has access to Goldman Sachs’ economics research. The Economics Research Department based in London, conducts economic, financial and currency markets research which analyzes economic trends and interest and exchange rate movements worldwide. The Economics Research Department tracks factors such as inflation and money supply figures, balance of trade figures, economic growth, commodity prices, monetary and fiscal policies, and political events that can influence interest rates and currency trends. The success of Goldman Sachs’ international research team has brought wide recognition to its members. The team has earned top rankings in various external surveys such as Pensions and Investments, Forbes and Dalbar. These rankings acknowledge the achievements of the firm’s economists, strategists and equity analysts.

 

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In allocating the Fund’s assets among foreign countries and currencies, the Investment Adviser will have access to the Global Asset Allocation Model. The model is based on the observation that the prices of all financial assets, including foreign currencies, will adjust until investors globally are comfortable holding the pool of outstanding assets. Using the model, the Investment Adviser will estimate the total returns from each currency sector which are consistent with the average investor holding a portfolio equal to the market capitalization of the financial assets among those currency sectors. These estimated equilibrium returns are then combined with the expectations of Goldman Sachs’ research professionals to produce an optimal currency and asset allocation for the level of risk suitable for the Fund given its investment objectives and criteria.

The fixed income research capabilities of Goldman Sachs available to the Investment Adviser include the Goldman Sachs Fixed Income Research Department and the Credit Department. The Fixed Income Research Department monitors developments in U.S. and foreign fixed income markets, assesses the outlooks for various sectors of the markets and provides relative value comparisons, as well as analyzes trading opportunities within and across market sectors. The Fixed Income Research Department is at the forefront in developing and using computer-based tools for analyzing fixed income securities and markets, developing new fixed income products and structuring portfolio strategies for investment policy and tactical asset allocation decisions. The Credit Department tracks specific governments, regions and industries and from time to time may review the credit quality of the Fund’s investments.

The Fund’s management agreement (the “Management Agreement”) provides that GSAM, in its capacity as Investment Adviser, may render similar services to others so long as the services under the Management Agreement are not impaired thereby. The Fund’s Management Agreement was most recently approved by the Trustees of the Trust, including a majority of the Trustees of the Trust who are not parties to such agreement or “interested persons” (as such term is defined in the Act) of any party thereto (the “non-interested Trustees”), on June 13, 2013. The Management Agreement was approved by the initial sole shareholder of the Fund prior to the Fund’s commencement of operations. A discussion regarding the Trustees’ basis for approving the Management Agreement for the Fund is available in the Fund’s annual report for the period ended November 30, 2013.

The Management Agreement will remain in effect until June 30, 2014 and will continue in effect with respect to the Fund from year to year thereafter provided such continuance is specifically approved at least annually by (i) the vote of a majority of the Fund’s outstanding voting securities or a majority of the Trustees of the Trust, and (ii) the vote of a majority of the non-interested Trustees of the Trust, cast in person at a meeting called for the purpose of voting on such approval.

The Management Agreement will terminate automatically if assigned (as defined in the Act). The Management Agreement is also terminable at any time without penalty by the Trustees of the Trust or by vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Fund on 60 days’ written notice to the Investment Adviser or by the Investment Adviser on 60 days’ written notice to the Trust.

Pursuant to the Management Agreement, the Investment Adviser is entitled to receive the fees set forth below, payable monthly based on the Fund’s average daily net assets for the fiscal year ended November 30, 2013:

 

Fund

  

Contractual Rate

   Actual Rate for the Fiscal Year Ended
November 30, 2013
 

MLP Energy Infrastructure Fund

  

1.00% on the first $1 billion

0.90% over $1 billion up to $2 billion

0.86% over $2 billion up to $5 billion

0.84% over $5 billion up to $8 billion

0.82% over $8 billion

     1.00

For the fiscal year ended November 30, 2013, the amount of the fees incurred by the Fund under the Management Agreement were:

 

Fund

   Fiscal Year ended
November 30, 2013 *
 

MLP Energy Infrastructure Fund

   $ 881,900   

 

* The Fund commenced operations on March 28, 2013.

 

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The Investment Adviser also performs administrative services for the Fund under the Management Agreement. Such administrative services include, subject to the general supervision of the Trustees of the Trust, (i) providing supervision of all aspects of the Fund’s non-investment operations (other than certain operations performed by others pursuant to agreements with the Fund); (ii) providing the Fund, to the extent not provided pursuant to the agreement with the Trust’s custodian, transfer and dividend disbursing agent or agreements with other institutions, with personnel to perform such executive, administrative and clerical services as are reasonably necessary to provide effective administration of the Fund; (iii) arranging, to the extent not provided pursuant to such agreements, for the preparation, at the Fund’s expense, of the Fund’s tax returns, reports to shareholders, periodic updating of the Fund’s prospectus and statement of additional information, and reports filed with the SEC and other regulatory authorities; (iv) providing the Fund, to the extent not provided pursuant to such agreements, with adequate office space and certain related office equipment and services; and (v) maintaining all of the Fund’s records other than those maintained pursuant to such agreements.

Portfolio Managers — Other Accounts Managed by the Portfolio Managers

The following table discloses other accounts within each type of category listed below for which the portfolio managers are jointly and primarily responsible for day to day portfolio management, as of November 30, 2013, unless otherwise noted.

For each portfolio manager listed below, the total number of accounts managed is a reflection of accounts within the strategy they oversee or manage, as well as accounts which participate in the sector in which the manage. There are multiple portfolio managers involved with each account.

 

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      Number of Accounts Managed and Total Assets by Account Type     Number of Accounts and Total Assets for Which Advisory
Fee is Performance Based
 
  Registered
Investment
Companies
    Other Pooled
Investment Vehicles
    Other Accounts     Registered
Investment
Companies
    Other Pooled
Investment Vehicles
    Other Accounts  

Name of

Portfolio
Manager

  Number
of
Accounts
    Assets
Managed
    Number
of
Accounts
    Assets
Managed
    Number
of
Accounts
    Assets
Managed
    Number
of
Accounts
    Assets
Managed
    Number
of
Accounts
    Assets
Managed
    Number
of
Accounts
    Assets
Managed
 

Kyri Loupis

    3      $ 1,082,216,295        1      $ 143,916,667        3242      $ 6,417,560,945        0      $ 0        0      $ 0        0      $ 0   

Ganesh V. Jois

    3      $ 1,082,216,295        1      $ 143,916,667        3242      $ 6,417,560,945        0      $ 0        0      $ 0        0      $ 0   

Matthew Cooper

    3      $ 1,082,216,295        1      $ 143,916,667        3242      $ 6,417,560,945        0      $ 0        0      $ 0        0      $ 0   

Assets are preliminary, in millions of USD, as of November 30, 2013.

 

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Conflicts of Interest. The Investment Adviser’s portfolio managers are often responsible for managing the Fund as well as other accounts, including proprietary accounts, separate accounts and other pooled investment vehicles, such as unregistered hedge funds. A portfolio manager may manage a separate account or other pooled investment vehicle which may have materially higher fee arrangements than the Fund and may also have a performance-based fee. The side-by-side management of these funds may raise potential conflicts of interest relating to cross trading, the allocation of investment opportunities and the aggregation and allocation of trades.

The Investment Adviser has a fiduciary responsibility to manage all client accounts in a fair and equitable manner. The Investment Adviser seeks to provide best execution of all securities transactions and aggregate and then allocate securities to client accounts in a fair and timely manner. To this end, the Investment Adviser has developed policies and procedures designed to mitigate and manage the potential conflicts of interest that may arise from side-by-side management. In addition, the Investment Adviser and the Fund have adopted policies limiting the circumstances under which cross-trades may be effected between the Fund and another client account. The Investment Adviser conducts periodic reviews of trades for consistency with these policies. For more information about conflicts of interests that may arise in connection with the portfolio managers’ management of the Fund’s investments and the investments of other accounts, see “POTENTIAL CONFLICTS OF INTEREST — Potential Conflicts Relating to the Allocation of Investment Opportunities Among the Fund and Other Goldman Sachs Accounts and Potential Conflicts Relating to Goldman Sachs’ and the Investment Adviser’s Proprietary Activities and Activities on Behalf of Other Accounts.”

Portfolio Managers — Compensation

Compensation for portfolio managers of the Investment Adviser is comprised of a base salary and 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 the Investment Adviser 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 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 1-, 3- and 5-year time horizons.

For compensation purposes, the benchmark for the Fund is the Alerian MLP Total Return Index.

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 discretionary variable compensation, the Investment Adviser 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.

Portfolio Managers — Portfolio Managers’ Ownership of Securities in the Fund

The following table shows the portfolio managers’ ownership of securities in the Fund as of November 30, 2013:

 

Name of Portfolio Manager

   Dollar Range of Equity Securities Beneficially Owned by
Portfolio Manager

Kyri Loupis

   $100,001 - $500,000

Ganesh V. Jois*

   $10,001 - $50,000

Matthew Cooper*

   $10,001 - $50,000

 

* Information for this Portfolio Manager is as of March 26, 2014.

 

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Distributor and Transfer Agent

Distributor. Goldman Sachs, 200 West Street, New York, New York 10282, serves as the exclusive distributor of shares of the Fund pursuant to a “best efforts” arrangement as provided by a distribution agreement with the Trust on behalf of the Fund. Shares of the Fund are offered and sold on a continuous basis by Goldman Sachs, acting as agent. Pursuant to the distribution agreement, after the Prospectus and periodic reports have been prepared, set in type and mailed to shareholders, Goldman Sachs will pay for the printing and distribution of copies thereof used in connection with the offering to prospective investors. Goldman Sachs will also pay for other supplementary sales literature and advertising costs. Goldman Sachs may enter into sales agreements with certain Authorized Institutions to solicit subscriptions for Class A, Class C, Class R and Class IR Shares of the Fund. Goldman Sachs receives a portion of the sales charge imposed on the sale, in the case of Class A Shares, or redemption, in the case of Class C Shares (and in certain cases, Class A Shares), of Fund shares.

Goldman Sachs retained approximately the following commissions on sales of Class A or Class C Shares during the following period:

 

Fund

   Fiscal Year  ended
November 30, 2013 *
 

MLP Energy Infrastructure Fund

   $ 54,754   

 

* The Fund commenced operations on March 28, 2013.

Dealer Reallowances. Class A Shares of the Fund are sold subject to a front-end sales charge, as described in the Prospectus and in this SAI in the section “SHARES OF THE TRUST.” Goldman Sachs may pay commissions to Authorized Institutions that sell Class A Shares of the Fund in the form of a “reallowance” of all or a portion of the sales charge paid on the purchase of those shares. Goldman Sachs reallows 4.70% of the Fund’s offering price with respect to purchases under $50,000.

Dealer allowances may be changed periodically. During special promotions, the entire sales charge may be reallowed to Authorized Institutions. Authorized Institutions to whom substantially the entire sales charge is reallowed may be deemed to be “underwriters” under the 1933 Act.

Transfer Agent. Goldman Sachs, 71 South Wacker Drive, Chicago, IL 60606 serves as the Trust’s transfer and dividend disbursing agent. Under its transfer agency agreement with the Trust, Goldman Sachs has undertaken with the Trust with respect to the Fund to: (i) record the issuance, transfer and redemption of shares, (ii) provide purchase and redemption confirmations and quarterly statements, as well as certain other statements, (iii) provide certain information to the Trust’s custodian and the relevant subcustodian in connection with redemptions, (iv) provide dividend crediting and certain disbursing agent services, (v) maintain shareholder accounts, (vi) provide certain state Blue Sky and other information, (vii) provide shareholders and certain regulatory authorities with tax related information, (viii) respond to shareholder inquiries, and (ix) render certain other miscellaneous services. For its transfer agency and dividend disbursing agent services, Goldman Sachs is entitled to receive a fee equal, on an annualized basis, to 0.04% of average daily net assets with respect to the Fund’s Institutional Shares and 0.19% of average daily net assets with respect to the Fund’s Class A, Class C, Class R and Class IR Shares. Goldman Sachs may pay to certain intermediaries who perform transfer agent services to shareholders a networking or sub-transfer agent fee. These payments will be made from the transfer agency fees noted above and in the Fund’s Prospectus.

As compensation for the services rendered to the Fund by Goldman Sachs as transfer and dividend disbursing agent and the assumption by Goldman Sachs of the expenses related thereto, Goldman Sachs received fees for the fiscal year ended November 30, 2013 from the Fund as follows under the fee schedule then in effect:

 

Fund

   Fiscal Year ended
November 30, 2013 *
 

MLP Energy Infrastructure Fund

   $ 57,661   

 

* The Fund commenced operations on March 28, 2013.

 

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The Trust’s distribution and transfer agency agreements each provide that Goldman Sachs may render similar services to others so long as the services Goldman Sachs provides thereunder are not impaired thereby. Such agreements also provide that the Trust will indemnify Goldman Sachs against certain liabilities.

Expenses

The Trust, on behalf of the Fund, is responsible for the payment of the Fund’s expenses. The expenses include, without limitation, the fees payable to the Investment Adviser, the fees and expenses of the Trust’s custodian and subcustodians, transfer agent fees and expenses, pricing service fees and expenses, brokerage fees and commissions, filing fees for the registration or qualification of the Trust’s shares under federal or state securities laws, expenses of the organization of the Trust, fees and expenses incurred by the Trust in connection with membership in investment company organizations including, but not limited to, the Investment Company Institute, taxes, interest, costs of liability insurance, fidelity bonds or indemnification, any costs, expenses or losses arising out of any liability of, or claim for damages or other relief asserted against, the Trust for violation of any law, legal, tax and auditing fees and expenses (including the cost of legal and certain accounting services rendered by employees of Goldman Sachs or its affiliates with respect to the Trust), expenses of preparing and setting in type Prospectuses, SAIs, proxy material, reports and notices and the printing and distributing of the same to the Trust’s shareholders and regulatory authorities, any expenses assumed by the Fund pursuant to its distribution and service plans, compensation and expenses of its Independent Trustees, the fees and expenses of pricing services, and extraordinary expenses, if any, incurred by the Trust. Except for fees and expenses under any distribution and service plan applicable to a particular class and transfer agency fees and expenses, all Fund expenses are borne on a non-class specific basis.

Fees and expenses borne by the Fund relating to legal counsel, registering shares of the Fund, holding meetings and communicating with shareholders may include an allocable portion of the cost of maintaining an internal legal and compliance department. The Fund may also bear an allocable portion of the Investment Adviser’s costs of performing certain accounting services not being provided by the Trust’s custodian.

The imposition of the Investment Adviser’s fees, as well as other operating expenses, will have the effect of reducing the total return to investors. From time to time, the Investment Adviser may waive receipt of fees and/or assume certain expenses of the Fund, which would have the effect of lowering the Fund’s overall expense ratio and increasing total return to investors at the time such amounts are waived or assumed, as the case may be.

As of March 28, 2014, the Investment Adviser has agreed to reduce or limit “Other Expenses” (excluding acquired fund fees and expenses, transfer agency fees and expenses, taxes, interest, brokerage fees, shareholder meeting, litigation, indemnification and other extraordinary expenses) to 0.064% of average daily net assets of the Fund through at least March 28, 2015. Such reductions or limits are calculated monthly on a cumulative basis during the Fund’s fiscal year. The Fund’s “Other Expenses” may be further reduced by any custody and transfer agency fee credits received by the Fund. The Investment Adviser may not terminate the arrangement prior to March 28, 2015 without the approval of the Board of Trustees.

Reimbursements

For the fiscal year ended November 30, 2013, “Other Expenses” of the Fund were reduced by the Investment Adviser in the following amounts under expense limitations that were then in effect:

 

Fund

   Fiscal Year  ended
November 30, 2013 *
 

MLP Energy Infrastructure Fund

   $ 520,174   

 

* The Fund commenced operations on March 28, 2013.

Custodian and Sub-Custodians

State Street, One Lincoln Street, Boston, MA 02111, is the custodian of the Fund’s portfolio securities and cash. State Street also maintains the Fund’s accounting records. State Street may appoint domestic and foreign sub-custodians and use depositories from time to time to hold securities and other instruments purchased by the Trust in foreign countries and to hold cash and currencies for the Trust.

 

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Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, 125 High Street, Boston, Massachusetts 02110, is the Fund’s independent registered public accounting firm. In addition to audit services, PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP prepares the Fund’s federal and state tax returns and provides assistance on certain non-audit matters.

POTENTIAL CONFLICTS OF INTEREST

General Categories of Conflicts Associated with the Funds

Goldman Sachs (which, for purposes of this “ POTENTIAL CONFLICTS OF INTEREST ” section, shall mean, collectively, The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc., the Investment Adviser and their affiliates, directors, partners, trustees, managers, members, officers and employees) is a worldwide, full-service investment banking, broker-dealer, asset management and financial services organization and a major participant in global financial markets. As such, Goldman Sachs provides a wide range of financial services to a substantial and diversified client base. In those and other capacities, Goldman Sachs advises clients in all markets and transactions and purchases, sells, holds and recommends a broad array of investments for its own accounts and for the accounts of clients and of its personnel, through client accounts and the relationships and products it sponsors, manages and advises (such Goldman Sachs or other client accounts (including the Funds), relationships and products collectively, the “Accounts”). Goldman Sachs has direct and indirect interests in the global fixed income, currency, commodity, equities, bank loan and other markets, and the securities and issuers, in which the Funds may directly and indirectly invest. As a result, Goldman Sachs’ activities and dealings may affect the Funds in ways that may disadvantage or restrict the Funds and/or benefit Goldman Sachs or other Accounts. For purposes of this “ POTENTIAL CONFLICTS OF INTEREST ” section, “Funds” shall mean, collectively, the Fund and any of the other Goldman Sachs Funds.

The following are descriptions of certain conflicts of interest and potential conflicts of interest that may be associated with the financial or other interests that the Investment Adviser and Goldman Sachs may have in transactions effected by, with, and on behalf of the Funds. They are not, and are not intended to be, a complete enumeration or explanation of all of the potential conflicts of interest that may arise. Additional information about potential conflicts of interest regarding the Investment Adviser and Goldman Sachs is set forth in the Investment Adviser’s Form ADV, which prospective shareholders should review prior to purchasing Fund shares. A copy of Part 1 and Part 2 of the Investment Adviser’s Form ADV is available on the SEC’s website (www.adviserinfo.sec.gov). A copy of Part 2 of the Investment Adviser’s Form ADV will be provided to shareholders or prospective shareholders upon request.

The Sale of Fund Shares and the Allocation of Investment Opportunities

Sales Incentives and Related Conflicts Arising from Goldman Sachs’ Financial and Other Relationships with Intermediaries

Goldman Sachs and its personnel, including employees of the Investment Adviser, may have relationships (both involving and not involving the Funds, and including without limitation placement, brokerage, advisory and board relationships) with distributors, consultants and others who recommend, or engage in transactions with or for, the Funds. Such distributors, consultants and other parties may receive compensation from Goldman Sachs or the Funds in connection with such relationships. As a result of these relationships, distributors, consultants and other parties may have conflicts that create incentives for them to promote the Funds.

To the extent permitted by applicable law, Goldman Sachs and the Funds may make payments to authorized dealers and other financial intermediaries and to salespersons to promote the Funds. These payments may be made out of Goldman Sachs’ assets or amounts payable to Goldman Sachs. These payments may create an incentive for such persons to highlight, feature or recommend the Funds.

Allocation of Investment Opportunities Among the Funds and Other Accounts

The Investment Adviser may manage or advise multiple Accounts (including Accounts in which Goldman Sachs and its personnel have an interest) that have investment objectives that are similar to the Funds and that may seek to make investments or sell investments in the same securities or other instruments, sectors or strategies as the Funds. This may create potential conflicts, particularly in circumstances where the availability of such investment opportunities is limited (e.g., in local and emerging markets, high yield securities, fixed income securities, regulated industries, small capitalization and initial public offerings/new issues) or where the liquidity of such investment opportunities is limited.

 

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The Investment Adviser does not receive performance-based compensation in respect of its investment management activities on behalf of the Funds, but may simultaneously manage Accounts for which the Investment Adviser receives greater fees or other compensation (including performance-based fees or allocations) than it receives in respect of the Funds. The simultaneous management of Accounts that pay greater fees or other compensation and the Funds may create a conflict of interest as the Investment Adviser may have an incentive to favor Accounts with the potential to receive greater fees. For instance, the Investment Adviser may be faced with a conflict of interest when allocating scarce investment opportunities given the possibly greater fees from Accounts that pay performance-based fees. To address these types of conflicts, the Investment Adviser has adopted policies and procedures under which it will allocate investment opportunities in a manner that it believes is consistent with its obligations as an investment adviser. However, the amount, timing, structuring or terms of an investment by the Funds may differ from, and performance may be lower than, the investments and performance of other Accounts.

To address these potential conflicts, the Investment Adviser has developed allocation policies and procedures that provide that Goldman Sachs personnel making portfolio decisions for Accounts will make purchase and sale decisions for, and allocate investment opportunities among, Accounts consistent with the Investment Adviser’s fiduciary obligations. These policies and procedures may result in the pro rata allocation (on a basis determined by the Investment Adviser) of limited opportunities across eligible Accounts managed by a particular portfolio management team, but in many other cases the allocations reflect numerous other factors as described below. Accounts managed by different portfolio management teams may be viewed separately for allocation purposes. There will be cases where certain Accounts (including Accounts in which Goldman Sachs and Goldman Sachs personnel have an interest) receive an allocation of an investment opportunity when the Funds do not.

Allocation-related decisions for the Funds and other Accounts may be made by reference to one or more factors, including without limitation: the Account’s portfolio and its investment horizons, objectives, guidelines and restrictions (including legal and regulatory restrictions affecting certain Accounts or affecting holdings across Accounts); strategic fit and other portfolio management considerations, including different desired levels of exposure to certain strategies; the expected future capacity of the applicable Accounts; limits on the Investment Adviser’s brokerage discretion; cash and liquidity considerations; and the availability of other appropriate investment opportunities. Suitability considerations, reputational matters and other considerations may also be considered. The application of these considerations may cause differences in the performance of Accounts that have strategies similar to those of the Fund. In addition, in some cases the Investment Adviser may make investment recommendations to Accounts where the Accounts make investments independently of the Investment Adviser. In circumstances in which there is limited availability of an investment opportunity, if such Accounts invest in the investment opportunity prior to a Fund, the availability of the investment opportunity for the Fund will be reduced irrespective of the Investment Adviser’s policies regarding allocation of investments. Additional information about the Investment Adviser’s allocation policies is set forth in Item 6 (“ PERFORMANCE-BASED FEES AND SIDE-BY-SIDE MANAGEMENT—Side-by-Side Management ”) of the Investment Adviser’s Form ADV.

The Investment Adviser may, from time to time, develop and implement new trading strategies or seek to participate in new trading strategies and investment opportunities. These strategies and opportunities may not be employed in all Accounts or employed pro rata among Accounts where they are employed, even if the strategy or opportunity is consistent with the objectives of such Accounts.

During periods of unusual market conditions, the Investment Adviser may deviate from its normal trade allocation practices. For example, this may occur with respect to the management of unlevered and/or long-only Accounts that are typically managed on a side-by-side basis with levered and/or long-short Accounts.

The Investment Adviser and the Funds may receive notice of, or offers to participate in, investment opportunities. The Investment Adviser in its sole discretion will determine whether a Fund will participate in any such investment opportunities and investors should not expect that the Fund will participate in any such investment opportunities. Notwithstanding anything in the foregoing, the Funds may or may not receive, but in any event will have no rights with respect to, opportunities sourced by Goldman Sachs businesses and affiliates other than the Investment Adviser. Opportunities or any portion thereof that the Funds do not participate in may be offered to other Accounts, Goldman Sachs (including the Investment Adviser), all or certain investors in the Funds, or such other persons or entities as determined by Goldman Sachs in its sole discretion, and the Funds will not receive any compensation related to such opportunities.

Goldman Sachs’ Financial and Other Interests May Incentivize Goldman Sachs to Promote the Sale of Fund Shares

Goldman Sachs and its personnel have interests in promoting sales of Fund shares, and the compensation from such sales may be greater than the compensation relating to sales of interests in other Accounts. Therefore, Goldman Sachs and its personnel may have a financial interest in promoting Fund shares over interests in other Accounts.

 

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Management of the Funds by the Investment Adviser

Potential Restrictions and Issues Relating to Information Held by Goldman Sachs

Goldman Sachs has established certain information barriers and other policies to address the sharing of information between different businesses within Goldman Sachs. As a result of information barriers, the Investment Adviser generally will not have access, or will have limited access, to information and personnel in other areas of Goldman Sachs, and generally will not be able to manage the Funds with the benefit of information held by such other areas. Such other areas, including without limitation, Goldman Sachs’ prime brokerage and administration businesses, will have broad access to detailed information that is not available to the Investment Adviser, including information in respect of markets and investments, which, if known to the Investment Adviser, might cause the Investment Adviser to seek to dispose of, retain or increase interests in investments held by the Funds or acquire certain positions on behalf of the Funds, or take other actions. Goldman Sachs will be under no obligation or fiduciary or other duty to make any such information available to the Investment Adviser or personnel of the Investment Adviser involved in decision-making for the Funds. In addition, Goldman Sachs will not have any obligation to make available any information regarding its trading activities, strategies or views, or the activities, strategies or views used for other Accounts, for the benefit of the Funds. Different portfolio management teams within the Investment Adviser may make decisions based on information or take (or refrain from taking) actions with respect to Accounts they advise in a manner that may be adverse to the Funds. Such teams may not share information with the Funds’ portfolio management teams, including as a result of certain information barriers and other policies, and will not have any obligation to do so.

Valuation of the Fund’s Investments

The Investment Adviser, while not the primary valuation agent of the Funds, performs certain valuation services related to securities and assets in the Funds. The Investment Adviser values securities and assets in the Funds according to its valuation policies. The Investment Adviser may value an identical asset differently than another division or unit within Goldman Sachs values the asset, including because such other division or unit has information regarding valuation techniques and models or other information that it does not share with the Investment Adviser. This is particularly the case in respect of difficult-to-value assets. The Investment Adviser may also value an identical asset differently in different Accounts (e.g., because different Accounts are subject to different valuation guidelines pursuant to their respective governing agreements, different third party vendors are hired to perform valuation functions for the Accounts or the Accounts are managed or advised by different portfolio management teams within the Investment Adviser). The Investment Adviser may face a conflict with respect to such valuations as they affect the Investment Adviser’s compensation.

Goldman Sachs’ and the Investment Adviser’s Activities on Behalf of Other Accounts

Goldman Sachs engages in various activities in the global financial markets. Goldman Sachs, acting in various capacities (including investment banker, market maker, investor, broker, advisor and research provider), may take actions or advise on transactions in respect of Accounts (including the Funds) or companies or affiliated or unaffiliated investment funds in which one or more Funds have an interest that may have potential adverse effects on the Funds.

The Investment Adviser provides advisory services to the Funds. The Investment Adviser’s decisions and actions on behalf of the Funds may differ from those on behalf of other Accounts. Advice given to, or investment or voting decisions made for, one or more Accounts may compete with, affect, differ from, conflict with, or involve timing different from, advice given to or investment decisions made for the Funds.

Goldman Sachs (including the Investment Adviser), the clients it advises, and its personnel have interests in and advise Accounts that have investment objectives or portfolios similar to or opposed to those of the Funds, and/or which engage in and compete for transactions in the same types of securities and other instruments as the Funds. Transactions by such Accounts may involve the same or related securities or other instruments as those in which the Funds invest, and may negatively affect the Funds or the prices or terms at which the Funds’ transactions may be effected. For example, Accounts may engage in a strategy while the Funds are undertaking the same or a differing strategy, any of which could directly or indirectly disadvantage the Funds. The Funds on one hand and Goldman Sachs or Accounts on the other hand may also vote differently on or take or refrain from taking different actions with respect to the same security, which may be disadvantageous to the Funds. Goldman Sachs or Accounts, on the one hand, and a Fund, on the other hand, may also invest in or extend credit to different classes of securities or different parts of the capital structure of the same issuer and as a result Goldman Sachs or Accounts may take actions that adversely affect the Fund. In addition, Goldman Sachs (including the Investment Adviser) may advise Accounts with respect to different parts of the capital structure of the same issuer, or classes of securities that are subordinate or senior to securities, in which a Fund invests. As a result, Goldman Sachs may pursue or enforce rights or activities, or refrain from pursuing or enforcing rights or activities, on behalf of Accounts with respect to a particular issuer in which one or more Funds have invested. The Funds could sustain losses during periods in which Goldman Sachs and other Accounts achieve profits. The negative effects described above may be more pronounced in connection with transactions in, or the Funds’ use of, small capitalization, emerging market, distressed or less liquid strategies.

 

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Goldman Sachs (including the Investment Adviser) and its personnel may advise on transactions, make investment decisions or recommendations, provide differing investment views or have views with respect to research or valuations that are inconsistent with, or adverse to, the interests and activities of the Funds. Similarly, the Investment Adviser’s investment teams may have differing investment views in respect of an issuer or a security, and the positions a Fund’s investment team takes in respect of the Fund may be inconsistent with, or adversely affected by, the interests and activities of the Accounts advised by other investment teams of the Investment Adviser. Research, analyses or viewpoints may be available to clients or potential clients at different times. Goldman Sachs will not have any obligation to make available to the Funds any research or analysis prior to its public dissemination. The Investment Adviser is responsible for making investment decisions on behalf of the Funds and such investment decisions can differ from investment decisions or recommendations by Goldman Sachs on behalf of other Accounts. Goldman Sachs, on behalf of one or more Accounts and in accordance with its management of such Accounts, may implement an investment decision or strategy ahead of, or contemporaneously with, or behind similar investment decisions or strategies made for the Funds. The relative timing for the implementation of investment decisions or strategies for Accounts, on the one hand, and the Funds, on the other hand, may disadvantage the Funds. Certain factors, for example, market impact, liquidity constraints, or other circumstances, could result in the Funds receiving less favorable trading results or incurring increased costs associated with implementing such investment decisions or strategies, or being otherwise disadvantaged.

Subject to applicable law, the Investment Adviser may cause the Funds to invest in securities, bank loans or other obligations of companies affiliated with or advised by Goldman Sachs or in which Goldman Sachs or Accounts have an equity, debt or other interest, or to engage in investment transactions that may result in other Accounts being relieved of obligations or otherwise divested of investments, which may enhance the profitability of Goldman Sachs’ or other Accounts’ investment in and activities with respect to such companies.

When the Investment Adviser wishes to place an order for different types of Accounts (including the Funds) for which aggregation is not practicable, the Investment Adviser may use a trade sequencing and rotation policy to determine which type of Account is to be traded first. Under this policy, each portfolio management team may determine the length of its trade rotation period and the sequencing schedule for different categories of clients within this period provided that the trading periods and these sequencing schedules are designed to be fair and equitable over time. The portfolio management teams currently base their trading periods and rotation schedules on the relative amounts of assets managed for different client categories (e.g., unconstrained client accounts, “wrap program” accounts, etc.) and, as a result, the Funds may trade behind other Accounts. Within a given trading period, the sequencing schedule establishes when and how frequently a given client category will trade first in the order of rotation. The Investment Adviser may deviate from the predetermined sequencing schedule under certain circumstances, and the Investment Adviser’s trade sequencing and rotation policy may be amended, modified or supplemented at any time without prior notice to clients.

Investments in Goldman Sachs Funds

To the extent permitted by applicable law, the Funds may invest in money market and other funds sponsored, managed or advised by Goldman Sachs. In connection with any such investments, a Fund, to the extent permitted by the Act, will pay all advisory, administrative or Rule 12b-1 fees applicable to the investment, and fees to the Investment Adviser in its capacity as manager of the Funds will not be reduced thereby (i.e., there could be “double fees” involved in making any such investment because Goldman Sachs could receive fees with respect to both the management of the Funds and such money market fund). In such circumstances, as well as in all other circumstances in which Goldman Sachs receives any fees or other compensation in any form relating to the provision of services, no accounting or repayment to the Funds will be required.

Goldman Sachs May In-Source or Outsource

Subject to applicable law, Goldman Sachs, including the Investment Adviser, may from time to time and without notice to investors in-source or outsource certain processes or functions in connection with a variety of services that it provides to the Funds in its administrative or other capacities. Such in-sourcing or outsourcing may give rise to additional conflicts of interest.

Distributions of Assets Other Than Cash

With respect to redemptions from the Funds, the Funds may, in certain circumstances, have discretion to decide whether to permit or limit redemptions and whether to make distributions in connection with redemptions in the form of securities or other assets, and in such case, the composition of such distributions. In making such decisions, the Investment Adviser may have a potentially conflicting division of loyalties and responsibilities with respect to redeeming investors and remaining investors.

 

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Goldman Sachs May Act in a Capacity Other Than Investment Adviser to the Funds

Principal and Cross Transactions

When permitted by applicable law and the Investment Adviser’s policies, the Investment Adviser, acting on behalf of the Funds, may enter into transactions in securities and other instruments with or through Goldman Sachs or in Accounts managed by the Investment Adviser, and may cause the Funds to engage in transactions in which the Investment Adviser acts as principal on its own behalf (principal transactions), advises both sides of a transaction (cross transactions) and acts as broker for, and receives a commission from, the Funds on one side of a transaction and a brokerage account on the other side of the transaction (agency cross transactions). There may be potential conflicts of interest or regulatory issues relating to these transactions which could limit the Investment Adviser’s decision to engage in these transactions for the Funds. Goldman Sachs may have a potentially conflicting division of loyalties and responsibilities to the parties in such transactions, and has developed policies and procedures in relation to such transactions and conflicts. Any principal, cross or agency cross transactions will be effected in accordance with fiduciary requirements and applicable law.

Goldman Sachs May Act in Multiple Commercial Capacities

To the extent permitted by applicable law, Goldman Sachs may act as broker, dealer, agent, lender or advisor or in other commercial capacities for the Funds or issuers of securities held by the Funds. Goldman Sachs may be entitled to compensation in connection with the provision of such services, and the Funds will not be entitled to any such compensation. Goldman Sachs will have an interest in obtaining fees and other compensation in connection with such services that are favorable to Goldman Sachs, and in connection with providing such services may take commercial steps in its own interests, or may advise the parties to which it is providing services to take actions or engage in transactions, that negatively affect the Funds. For example, Goldman Sachs may advise a company to make changes to its capital structure the result of which would be a reduction in the value or priority of a security held by one or more Funds. Actions taken or advised to be taken by Goldman Sachs in connection with other types of transactions may also result in adverse consequences for the Fund. In addition, due to its access to and knowledge of funds, markets and securities based on its other businesses, Goldman Sachs may make decisions based on information or take (or refrain from taking) actions with respect to interests in investments of the kind held directly or indirectly by the Funds in a manner that may be adverse to the Funds. Goldman Sachs may also provide various services to the Funds or to issuers of securities in which the Funds invest, which may result in fees, compensation and remuneration as well as other benefits to Goldman Sachs, enhance Goldman Sachs’ relationships with various parties, facilitate additional business development and enable Goldman Sachs to obtain additional business and generate additional revenue.

To the extent permitted by applicable law, Goldman Sachs (including the Investment Adviser) may create, write, sell, issue, invest in or act as placement agent or distributor of derivative instruments related to the Funds, or with respect to underlying securities or assets of the Funds, or which may be otherwise based on or seek to replicate or hedge the performance of the Funds. Such derivative transactions, and any associated hedging activity, may differ from and be adverse to the interests of the Funds.

Goldman Sachs may make loans to shareholders or enter into similar transactions that are secured by a pledge of, or mortgage over, a shareholder’s Fund shares, which would provide Goldman Sachs with the right to redeem such Fund shares in the event that such shareholder defaults on its obligations. These transactions and related redemptions may be significant and may be made without notice to the shareholders.

Goldman Sachs may make loans to clients or enter into asset-based or other credit facilities or similar transactions with clients that are secured by a client’s assets or interests other than Fund shares. In connection with its rights as lender, Goldman Sachs may take actions that adversely affect the borrower. The borrower’s actions may in turn adversely affect the Funds ( e.g. , if the borrower rapidly liquidates a large position in a security that is held by one or more Funds, the value of such security may decline and the value of the Funds may in turn decline in value or may be unable to liquidate their positions in such security at an advantageous price).

Code of Ethics and Personal Trading

Each of the Funds and Goldman Sachs, as each Fund’s Investment Adviser and distributor, has adopted a Code of Ethics (the “Code of Ethics”) in compliance with Section 17(j) of the Act designed to provide that personnel of the Investment Adviser, and certain additional Goldman Sachs personnel who support the Investment Adviser, comply with applicable federal securities laws and place the interests of clients first in conducting personal securities transactions. The Code of Ethics imposes certain restrictions on securities transactions in the personal accounts of covered persons to help avoid conflicts of interest. Subject to the limitations of the Code of Ethics, covered persons may buy and sell securities or other investments for their personal accounts, including investments in the Funds, and may also take positions that are the same as, different from, or made at different times than, positions taken by the Funds. The Codes of Ethics can be reviewed and copied at the SEC’s Public Reference Room in Washington, D.C. Information on the operation of the Public Reference Room may be obtained by calling the SEC at 1-202-942-8090. The Codes of Ethics are also available on the EDGAR Database on the SEC’s Internet site at http://www.sec.gov. Copies may also be obtained after paying a duplicating fee by writing the SEC’s Public Reference Section, Washington, DC 20549-0102, or by electronic request to

 

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publicinfo@sec.gov. Additionally, all Goldman Sachs personnel, including personnel of the Investment Adviser, are subject to firm-wide policies and procedures regarding confidential and proprietary information, information barriers, private investments, outside business activities and personal trading.

Proxy Voting by the Investment Adviser

The Investment Adviser has adopted policies and procedures designed to prevent conflicts of interest from influencing proxy voting decisions that it makes on behalf of advisory clients, including the Funds, and to help ensure that such decisions are made in accordance with its fiduciary obligations to its clients. Notwithstanding such proxy voting policies and procedures, proxy voting decisions made by the Investment Adviser in respect of securities held by the Funds may benefit the interests of Goldman Sachs and/or Accounts other than the Funds. For a more detailed discussion of these policies and procedures, see the section of this SAI entitled “ PROXY VOTING .”

Potential Limitations and Restrictions on Investment Opportunities and Activities of Goldman Sachs and the Funds

The Investment Adviser may restrict its investment decisions and activities on behalf of the Funds in various circumstances, including as a result of applicable regulatory requirements, information held by Goldman Sachs, Goldman Sachs’ internal policies and/or potential reputational risk in connection with Accounts (including the Funds). As a result, the Investment Adviser might not engage in transactions for one or more Funds in consideration of Goldman Sachs’ activities outside the Funds (e.g., the Investment Adviser may refrain from making investments for the Funds that would cause Goldman Sachs to exceed position limits or cause Goldman Sachs to have additional disclosure obligations and may limit purchases or sales of securities in respect of which Goldman Sachs is engaged in an underwriting or other distribution). The Investment Adviser may also reduce a Fund’s interest in an investment opportunity that has limited availability so that other Accounts that pursue similar investment strategies may be able to acquire an interest in the investment opportunity. In addition, the Investment Adviser is not permitted to obtain or use material non-public information in effecting purchases and sales in public securities transactions for the Funds. The Investment Adviser may also limit an activity or transaction engaged in by the Funds, and may limit its exercise of rights on behalf of the Funds for reputational or other reasons, including where Goldman Sachs is providing (or may provide) advice or services to an entity involved in such activity or transaction, where Goldman Sachs or an Account is or may be engaged in the same or a related transaction to that being considered on behalf of the Funds, where Goldman Sachs or an Account has an interest in an entity involved in such activity or transaction, or where such activity or transaction or the exercise of such rights on behalf of or in respect of the Funds could affect Goldman Sachs, the Investment Adviser or their activities. The Investment Adviser may restrict its investment decisions and activities on behalf of one or more Funds and not on behalf of other Accounts.

Brokerage Transactions

The Investment Adviser may select broker-dealers (including affiliates of the Investment Adviser) that furnish the Investment Adviser, the Funds, their affiliates and other Goldman Sachs personnel with proprietary or third party brokerage and research services (collectively, “brokerage and research services”) that provide, in the Investment Adviser’s view, appropriate assistance to the Investment Adviser in the investment decision-making process. As a result, the Investment Adviser may pay for such brokerage and research services with “soft” or commission dollars.

Brokerage and research services may be used to service the Funds and any or all other Accounts, including Accounts that do not pay commissions to the broker-dealer relating to the brokerage and research service arrangements. As a result, brokerage and research services (including soft dollar benefits) may disproportionately benefit other Accounts relative to the Funds based on the relative amount of commissions paid by the Funds. The Investment Adviser does not attempt to allocate soft dollar benefits proportionately among clients or to track the benefits of brokerage and research services to the commissions associated with a particular Account or group of Accounts.

Aggregation of Trades by the Investment Adviser

The Investment Adviser follows policies and procedures pursuant to which it may combine or aggregate purchase or sale orders for the same security for multiple Accounts (including Accounts in which Goldman Sachs has an interest) (sometimes called “bunching”), so that the orders can be executed at the same time. The Investment Adviser aggregates orders when the Investment Adviser considers doing so appropriate and in the interests of its clients generally. In addition, under certain circumstances trades for the Funds may be aggregated with Accounts that contain Goldman Sachs assets.

When a bunched order is completely filled, the Investment Adviser generally will allocate the securities purchased or proceeds of sale pro rata among the participating Accounts, based on the purchase or sale order. If an order is filled at several different prices, through multiple trades (whether at a particular broker-dealer or among multiple broker-dealers), generally all participating Accounts will receive the average price and pay the average commission, however, this may not always be the case (due to, e.g., odd lots, rounding, market practice or constraints applicable to particular Accounts).

 

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Although it may do so in certain circumstances, the Investment Adviser generally does not bunch or aggregate orders for different Funds, or net buy and sell orders for the same Fund, if portfolio management decisions relating to the orders are made by separate portfolio management teams, if bunching, aggregating or netting is not appropriate or practicable from the Investment Adviser’s operational or other perspective, or if doing so would not be appropriate in light of applicable regulatory considerations. The Investment Adviser may be able to negotiate a better price and lower commission rate on aggregated trades than on trades for Funds that are not aggregated, and incur lower transaction costs on netted trades than trades that are not netted. Where transactions for a Fund are not aggregated with other orders, or not netted against orders for the Fund, the Fund may not benefit from a better price and lower commission rate or lower transaction cost.

PORTFOLIO TRANSACTIONS AND BROKERAGE

The Investment Adviser is responsible for decisions to buy and sell securities for the Fund, the selection of brokers and dealers to effect the transactions and the negotiation of brokerage commissions, if any. Purchases and sales of securities may be executed internally by a broker-dealer, effected on an agency basis in a block transaction, or routed to competing market centers for execution. The compensation paid to the broker for providing execution services generally is negotiated and reflected in either a commission or a “net” price. Executions provided on a net price basis, with dealers acting as principal for their own accounts without a stated commission, usually include a profit to the dealer. Orders may be directed to any broker including, to the extent and in the manner permitted by applicable law, Goldman Sachs. 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.

In placing orders for portfolio securities or other financial instruments of the Fund, the Investment Adviser is generally required to give primary consideration to obtaining the most favorable execution and net price available. This means that the Investment Adviser will seek to execute each transaction at a price and commission, if any, which provides the most favorable total cost or proceeds reasonably attainable in the circumstances. As permitted by Section 28(e) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (“Section 28(e)”), the Fund may pay a broker which provides brokerage and research services to the Fund an amount of disclosed commission in excess of the commission which another broker would have charged for effecting that transaction. Such practice is subject to a good faith determination that such commission is reasonable in light of the services provided and to such policies as the Trustees may adopt from time to time. While the Investment Adviser generally seeks reasonably competitive spreads or commissions, the Fund will not necessarily be paying the lowest spread or commission available. Within the framework of this policy, the Investment Adviser will consider research and investment services provided by brokers or dealers who effect or are parties to portfolio transactions of the Fund, the Investment Adviser and its affiliates, or their other clients. Such research and investment services are those which brokerage houses customarily provide to institutional investors and include research reports on particular industries and companies; economic surveys and analyses; recommendations as to specific securities; research products including quotation equipment and computer related programs; advice concerning the value of securities, the advisability of investing in, purchasing or selling securities and the availability of securities or the purchasers or sellers of securities; analyses and reports concerning issuers, industries, securities, economic factors and trends, portfolio strategy and performance of accounts; services relating to effecting securities transactions and functions incidental thereto (such as clearance and settlement); and other lawful and appropriate assistance to the Investment Adviser in the performance of its decision-making responsibilities.

Such services are used by the Investment Adviser in connection with all of its investment activities, and some of such services obtained in connection with the execution of transactions for the Fund may be used in managing other investment accounts. Conversely, brokers furnishing such services may be selected for the execution of transactions of such other accounts, whose aggregate assets may be larger than those of the Fund, and the services furnished by such brokers may be used by the Investment Adviser in providing management services for the Trust. The Investment Adviser may also participate in so-called “commission sharing arrangements” and “client commission arrangements” under which the Investment Adviser may execute transactions through a broker-dealer and request that the broker-dealer allocate a portion of the commissions or commission credits to another firm that provides research to the Investment Adviser. The Investment Adviser excludes from use under these arrangements those products and services that are not fully eligible under applicable law and regulatory interpretations—even as to the portion that would be eligible if accounted for separately.

The research services received as part of commission sharing and client commission arrangements will comply with Section 28(e) and may be subject to different legal requirements in the jurisdictions in which the Investment Adviser does business. Participating in commission sharing and client commission arrangements may enable the Investment Adviser to consolidate payments for research through one or more channels using accumulated client commissions or credits from transactions executed through a particular broker-dealer to obtain research provided by other firms. Such arrangements also help to ensure the continued receipt of research services

 

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while facilitating best execution in the trading process. The Investment Adviser believes such research services are useful in its investment decision-making process by, among other things, ensuring access to a variety of high quality research, access to individual analysts and availability of resources that the Investment Adviser might not be provided access to absent such arrangements.

On occasions when the Investment Adviser deems the purchase or sale of a security or other financial instruments to be in the best interest of the Fund as well as its other customers (including any other fund or other investment company or advisory account for which the Investment Adviser acts as investment adviser or sub-investment adviser), the Investment Adviser, to the extent permitted by applicable laws and regulations, may aggregate the securities to be sold or purchased for the Fund with those to be sold or purchased for such other customers in order to obtain the best net price and most favorable execution under the circumstances. In such event, allocation of the securities so purchased or sold, as well as the expenses incurred in the transaction, will be made by the Investment Adviser in the manner it considers to be equitable and consistent with its fiduciary obligations to the Fund and such other customers. In some instances, this procedure may adversely affect the price and size of the position obtainable for the Fund.

The Fund may participate in a commission recapture program. Under the program, participating broker-dealers rebate a percentage of commissions earned on Fund portfolio transactions to the Fund from which the commissions were generated. The rebated commissions are expected to be treated as realized capital gains of the Fund.

Subject to the above considerations, the Investment Adviser may use Goldman Sachs or an affiliate as a broker for the Fund. In order for Goldman Sachs or an affiliate, acting as agent, to effect any portfolio transactions for the Fund, the commissions, fees or other remuneration received by Goldman Sachs or an affiliate must be reasonable and fair compared to the commissions, fees or other remuneration received by other brokers in connection with comparable transactions involving similar securities or futures contracts. Furthermore, the Trustees, including a majority of the Independent Trustees, have adopted procedures which are reasonably designed to provide that any commissions, fees or other remuneration paid to Goldman Sachs are consistent with the foregoing standard. Brokerage transactions with Goldman Sachs are also subject to such fiduciary standards as may be imposed upon Goldman Sachs by applicable law.

Commission rates in the U.S. are established pursuant to negotiations with the broker based on the quality and quantity of execution services provided by the broker in the light of generally prevailing rates. The allocation of orders among brokers and the commission rates paid are reviewed periodically by the Trustees. The amount of brokerage commissions paid by the Fund may vary substantially from year to year because of differences in shareholder purchase and redemption activity, portfolio turnover rates and other factors.

During the fiscal year ended November 30, 2013, the Fund paid brokerage commissions as follows:

 

Total Brokerage

Commissions Paid

   Total Brokerage
Commissions Paid to
Goldman Sachs (1)
    Total Amount  of
Transactions on which
Commissions Paid (2)
    Amount of
Transactions
Effected
through Brokers
Providing
Proprietary
Research(3)
     Total Brokerage
Commissions
Paid
for  Proprietary
Research(3)
 

$243,938

   $ (0%)    $ 278,671,903  (0%)    $ 392,180,487       $ 243,938   

 

1 Percentages refer to percentage of total commissions paid to Goldman Sachs.
2 Percentages refer to percentage of total amount of transactions involving the payment of commissions effected through Goldman Sachs.
3 The information above reflects the full commission amounts paid to brokers that provide research to the Investment Adviser. Only a portion of such commission pays for research and the remainder of such commission is to compensate the broker for execution services, commitment of capital and other services related to the execution of brokerage transactions.

The Fund’s Investments in Regular Broker-Dealers

During the fiscal year ended November 30, 2013, the Fund’s regular “broker-dealers”, as defined in Rule 10b-1 under the Act, were: JPMorgan Chase & Co., Citigroup, Inc., State Street Corp., Morgan Stanley & Co., Inc., Credit Suisse First Boston Corp., Deutsche Bank Securities, Inc., Barclays Capital, Inc., BNP Paribas Securities Corp., Wells Fargo Bank and Toronto Dominion Bank.

 

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As of the same date, the Fund did not acquire or hold any securities of its regular broker-dealers, as defined in Rule 10b-1 under the Act, or their parents.

NET ASSET VALUE

In accordance with procedures adopted by the Trustees, the net asset value per share of each class of the Fund is calculated by determining the value of the net assets attributed to each class of the Fund and dividing by the number of outstanding shares of that class. All securities are valued on each Business Day as of the close of regular trading on the NYSE (normally, but not always, 4:00 p.m. Eastern time) or such other time as the NYSE or NASDAQ market may officially close. The term “Business Day” means any day the NYSE is open for trading, which is Monday through Friday except for holidays. The NYSE is closed on the following holidays: New Year’s Day, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Washington’s Birthday (observed), Good Friday, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day and Christmas.

The time at which transactions and shares are priced and the time by which orders must be received may be changed in case of an emergency or if regular trading on the NYSE is stopped at a time other than 4:00 p.m. Eastern time. The Trust reserves the right to reprocess purchase, redemption and exchange transactions that were initially processed at a net asset value other than the Fund’s official closing net asset value that is subsequently adjusted, and to recover amounts from (or distribute amounts to) shareholders based on the official closing net asset value. The Trust reserves the right to advance the time by which purchase and redemption orders must be received for same business day credit as otherwise permitted by the SEC. In addition, the Fund may compute its net asset value as of any time permitted pursuant to any exemption, order or statement of the SEC or its staff.

The Fund is treated as a regular corporation, or “C” corporation, for U.S. federal income tax purposes. Accordingly, the Fund is subject to U.S. federal income tax on its taxable income at the Corporate Tax Rate as well as state and local income taxes. In calculating the Fund’s daily NAV, the Fund will, among other things, account for its current taxes and deferred tax liability and/or asset balances. The Fund may accrue a deferred income tax liability balance at the Corporate Tax Rate, plus an estimated state and local income tax rate, for its future tax liability associated with the capital appreciation of its investments and the distributions received by the Fund on equity securities of MLPs considered to be return of capital and for any net operating gains. Any deferred tax liability balance will reduce the Fund’s NAV. The Fund may also accrue a deferred tax asset balance, which reflects an estimate of the Fund’s future tax benefit associated with net operating losses and unrealized losses. Any deferred tax asset balance will increase the Fund’s NAV. To the extent the Fund has a deferred tax asset balance, consideration is given as to whether or not a valuation allowance, which would offset the value of some or all of the deferred tax asset balance, is required. The Fund will rely to some extent on information provided by MLPs, which may not be provided to the Fund on a timely basis, to estimate the Fund’s current taxes and deferred tax liability and/or asset balances for purposes of financial statement reporting and determining its NAV. The daily estimate of the Fund’s current taxes and deferred tax liability and/or asset balances used to calculate the Fund’s NAV could vary dramatically from the Fund’s actual tax liability or benefit, and, as a result, the determination of the Fund’s actual tax liability or benefit may have a material impact on the Fund’s NAV. From time to time, the Fund may modify its estimates or assumptions regarding its current taxes and deferred tax liability and/or asset balances as new information becomes available, which modifications in estimates or assumptions may have a material impact on the Fund’s NAV.

Portfolio securities of the Fund for which market quotations are readily available are valued as follows: (i) securities listed on any U.S. or foreign stock exchange or on NASDAQ will be valued at the last sale price, or the official closing price, on the exchange or system in which they are principally traded on the valuation date. If there is no sale on the valuation day, securities traded will be valued at the closing bid price, or if a closing bid price is not available, at either the exchange or system-defined close price on the exchange or system in which such securities are principally traded. If the relevant exchange or system has not closed by the above-mentioned time for determining the Fund’s net asset value, the securities will be valued at the last sale price or official closing price, or if not available at the bid price at the time the net asset value is determined; (ii) over-the-counter securities not quoted on NASDAQ will be valued at the last sale price on the valuation day or, if no sale occurs, at the last bid price at the time net asset value is determined; (iii) equity securities for which no prices are obtained under sections (i) or (ii) including those for which a pricing service supplies no exchange quotation or a quotation that is believed by the portfolio manager/trader to be inaccurate, will be valued at their fair value in accordance with procedures approved by the Board of Trustees; (iv) fixed income securities, with the exception of short term securities with remaining maturities of 60 days or less, will be valued using evaluated prices provided by a recognized pricing service ( e.g. , Interactive Data Corp., Reuters, etc.) or dealer-supplied quotations; (v) fixed income securities for which accurate market quotations are not readily available are valued by the Investment Adviser based on valuation models that take into account various factors such as spread and daily yield changes on government or other securities in the appropriate market ( i.e. matrix pricing); (vi) short-term fixed income securities with a remaining maturity of 60 days or less are valued at amortized cost, which the Trustees have determined to approximate fair value; (vii) investments in open-end registered investment companies (excluding investments in ETFs)

 

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are valued based on the NAV of those registered investment companies (which may use fair value pricing as discussed in their prospectus); and (viii) all other instruments, including those for which a pricing service supplies no exchange quotation or a quotation that is believed by the portfolio manager/trader to be inaccurate, will be valued in accordance with the valuation procedures approved by the Board of Trustees.

The value of all assets and liabilities expressed in foreign currencies will be converted into U.S. dollar values at current exchange rates of such currencies against U.S. dollars as of the close of regular trading on the New York Stock Exchange (normally, but not always, 4:00 p.m. Eastern time). If such quotations are not available, the rate of exchange will be determined in good faith by or under procedures established by the Board of Trustees.

Generally, trading in securities on European, Asian and Far Eastern securities exchanges and on over-the-counter markets in these regions is substantially completed at various times prior to the close of business on each Business Day in New York ( i.e. , a day on which the New York Stock Exchange is open for trading). In addition, European, Asian or Far Eastern securities trading generally or in a particular country or countries may not take place on all Business Days in New York. Furthermore, trading takes place in various foreign markets on days which are not Business Days in New York and days on which the Fund’s net asset values are not calculated. Such calculation does not take place contemporaneously with the determination of the prices of the majority of the portfolio securities used in such calculation. For investments in foreign equity securities, “fair value” prices are provided by an independent fair value service (if available), in accordance with the fair value procedures approved by the Trustees, and are intended to reflect more accurately the value of those securities at the time the Fund’s NAV is calculated. Fair value prices are used because many foreign markets operate at times that do not coincide with those of the major U.S. markets. Events that could affect the values of foreign portfolio holdings may occur between the close of the foreign market and the time of determining the NAV, and would not otherwise be reflected in the NAV. If the independent fair value service does not provide a fair value for a particular security or if the value does not meet the established criteria for the Fund, the most recent closing price for such a security on its principal exchange will generally be its fair value on such date.

The Investment Adviser, consistent with its procedures and applicable regulatory guidance, may (but need not) determine to make an adjustment to the previous closing prices of either domestic or foreign securities in light of significant events, to reflect what it believes to be the fair value of the securities at the time of determining the Fund’s NAV. Significant events that could affect a large number of securities in a particular market may include, but are not limited to: situations relating to one or more single issuers in a market sector; significant fluctuations in U.S. or foreign markets; market dislocations; market disruptions or unscheduled market closings; equipment failures; natural or man-made disasters or acts of God; armed conflicts; governmental actions or other developments; as well as the same or similar events which may affect specific issuers or the securities markets even though not tied directly to the securities markets. Other significant events that could relate to a single issuer may include, but are not limited to: corporate actions such as reorganizations, mergers and buy-outs; corporate announcements, including those relating to earnings, products and regulatory news; significant litigation; ratings downgrades; bankruptcies; and trading suspensions.

In general, fair value represents a good faith approximation of the current value of an asset and may be used when there is no public market or possibly no market at all for an asset. A security that is fair valued may be valued at a price higher or lower than actual market quotations or the value determined by other funds using their own fair valuation procedures. The fair value of an asset may not be the price at which that asset is ultimately sold.

The proceeds received by the Fund and each other series of the Trust from the issue or sale of its shares, and all net investment income, realized and unrealized gain and proceeds thereof, subject only to the rights of creditors, will be specifically allocated to the Fund or particular series and constitute the underlying assets of that Fund or series. The underlying assets of the Fund will be segregated on the books of account, and will be charged with the liabilities in respect of the Fund and with a share of the general liabilities of the Trust. Expenses of the Trust with respect to the Fund and the other series of the Trust are generally allocated in proportion to the net asset values of the respective Fund or series except where allocations of expenses can otherwise be fairly made.

Errors and Corrective Actions

The Investment Adviser will report to the Board of Trustees any material breaches of investment objective, policies or restrictions and any material errors in the calculation of the NAV of the Fund or the processing of purchases and redemptions. Depending on the nature and size of an error, corrective action may or may not be required. Corrective action may involve a prospective correction of the NAV only, correction of any erroneous NAV and compensation to the Fund, or correction of any erroneous NAV, compensation to the Fund and reprocessing of individual shareholder transactions. The Trust’s policies on errors and corrective action limit or restrict when corrective action will be taken or when compensation to the Fund or its shareholders will be paid, and not all mistakes

 

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will result in compensable errors. As a result, neither the Fund nor its shareholders who purchase or redeem shares during periods in which errors accrue or occur may be compensated in connection with the resolution of an error. Shareholders will generally not be notified of the occurrence of a compensable error or the resolution thereof absent unusual circumstances.

As discussed in more detail under “NET ASSET VALUE,” the Fund’s portfolio securities may be priced based on quotations for those securities provided by pricing services. There can be no guarantee that a quotation provided by a pricing service will be accurate.

SHARES OF THE TRUST

The Fund is a series of Goldman Sachs Trust, a Delaware statutory trust established by an Agreement and Declaration of Trust dated January 28, 1997. The Fund’s fiscal year end is November 30.

The Trustees have authority under the Trust’s Declaration of Trust to create and classify shares of beneficial interest in separate series, without further action by shareholders. The Trustees also have authority to classify and reclassify any series of shares into one or more classes of shares. As of March 28, 2014, the Trustees have classified the shares of the Fund into five classes: Class A Shares, Class C Shares, Institutional Shares, Class R Shares and Class IR Shares. Additional series and classes may be added in the future.

Each Class A Share, Class C Share, Institutional Share, Class R Share and Class IR Share of the Fund represents a proportionate interest in the assets belonging to the applicable class of the Fund. All expenses of the Fund are borne at the same rate by each class of shares, except that fees under the Distribution and Service Plan (the “Plan”) are borne exclusively by Class A, Class C or Class R Shares and transfer agency fees and expenses are borne at different rates by different share classes. The Trustees may determine in the future that it is appropriate to allocate other expenses differently among classes of shares and may do so to the extent consistent with the rules of the SEC and positions of the IRS. Each class of shares may have different minimum investment requirements and be entitled to different shareholder services. With limited exceptions, shares of a class may only be exchanged for shares of the same or an equivalent class of another fund. See “Shareholder Guide” in the Prospectus and “OTHER INFORMATION REGARDING MAXIMUM SALES CHARGE, PURCHASES, REDEMPTIONS, EXCHANGES AND DIVIDENDS” below. In addition, the fees and expenses set forth below for each class may be subject to fee waivers or reimbursements, as discussed more fully in the Fund’s Prospectus.

Class A Shares are sold with an initial sales charge of up to 5.5% through brokers and dealers who are members of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (“FINRA”) and certain other financial service firms that have sales agreements with Goldman Sachs. Class A Shares bear the cost of distribution fees at the aggregate rate of up to 0.25% of the average daily net assets of such Class A Shares of the Fund. With respect to Class A Shares, the distributor at its discretion may use compensation for distribution services paid under the Distribution and Service Plan for personal and account maintenance services and expenses so long as such total compensation under the Plan does not exceed the maximum cap on “service fees” imposed by FINRA.

Class C Shares of the Fund are sold subject to a CDSC of up to 1.0% through brokers and dealers who are members of FINRA and certain other financial services firms that have sales arrangements with Goldman Sachs. Class C Shares bear the cost of distribution (Rule 12b-1) fees at the aggregate rate of up to 0.75% of the average daily net assets attributable to Class C Shares. Class C Shares also bear the cost of service fees at an annual rate of up to 0.25% of the average daily net assets attributable to Class C Shares.

Class IR and Class R Shares are sold at net asset value without a sales charge. As noted in the Prospectus, Class IR and Class R Shares are not sold directly to the public. Instead, Class IR and Class R Shares generally are available only to Section 401(k) plans, 403(b), 457, profit sharing, money purchase pension, tax-sheltered annuity, defined benefit pension, non-qualified deferred compensation plans and non-qualified pension plans or other employee benefit plans (including health savings accounts) or SIMPLE plans that are sponsored by one or more employers (including governmental or church employers) or employee organizations (“Employee Benefit Plans”). Such an Employee Benefit Plan must purchase Class IR or Class R Shares through a plan level or omnibus account. Class IR Shares may also be sold to accounts established under a fee-based program that is sponsored and maintained by an Authorized Institution that is approved by Goldman Sachs (“Eligible Fee-Based Program”). Class IR and R Shares are not available to traditional and Roth Individual Retirement Accounts (IRAs), SEPs and SARSEPs; except that Class IR Shares are available to such accounts or plans to the extent they are purchased through an Eligible Fee-Based Program. Participants in an Employee Benefit Plan should contact their Employee Benefit Plan service provider for information regarding purchases, sales and exchanges of Class IR and Class R Shares. Class R Shares bear the cost of distribution (Rule 12b-1) fees at the aggregate rate of up to 0.50% of the average daily net assets attributable to Class R Shares. With respect to Class R Shares the distributor at its discretion may use compensation for distribution services paid under the Distribution and Service Plan for personal and account maintenance services and expenses so long as such total compensation under the Plan does not exceed the maximum cap on “service fees” imposed by FINRA.

 

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Institutional Shares may be purchased at net asset value without a sales charge for accounts in the name of an investor or institution that is not compensated by the Fund under a Plan for services provided to the institution’s customers.

It is possible that an institution or its affiliate may offer different classes of shares ( i.e. , Class A, Class C, Class R, Class IR, or Institutional Shares) to its customers and thus receive different compensation with respect to different classes of shares of the Fund. Dividends paid by the Fund, if any, with respect to each class of shares will be calculated in the same manner, at the same time on the same day and will be the same amount, except for differences caused by the fact that the respective transfer agency and Plan fees relating to a particular class will be borne exclusively by that class. Similarly, the net asset value per share may differ depending upon the class of shares purchased.

Certain aspects of the shares may be altered after advance notice to shareholders if it is deemed necessary in order to satisfy certain tax regulatory requirements.

When issued for the consideration described in the Fund’s Prospectus, shares are fully paid and non-assessable. The Trustees may, however, cause shareholders, or shareholders of a particular series or class, to pay certain custodian, transfer agency, servicing or similar charges by setting off the same against declared but unpaid dividends or by reducing share ownership (or by both means). In the event of liquidation, shareholders are entitled to share pro rata in the net assets of the applicable class of the Fund available for distribution to such shareholders. All shares are freely transferable and have no preemptive, subscription or conversion rights. The Trustees may require shareholders to redeem Shares for any reason under terms set by the Trustees.

The Act requires that where more than one series of shares exists, each series must be preferred over all other series in respect of assets specifically allocated to such series. In addition, Rule 18f-2 under the Act provides that any matter required to be submitted by the provisions of the Act or applicable state law, or otherwise, to the holders of the outstanding voting securities of an investment company such as the Trust shall not be deemed to have been effectively acted upon unless approved by the holders of a majority of the outstanding shares of each series affected by such matter. Rule 18f-2 further provides that a series shall be deemed to be affected by a matter unless the interests of each series in the matter are substantially identical or the matter does not affect any interest of such series. However, Rule 18f-2 exempts the selection of independent public accountants, the approval of principal distribution contracts and the election of trustees from the separate voting requirements of Rule 18f-2.

The Trust is not required to hold annual meetings of shareholders and does not intend to hold such meetings. In the event that a meeting of shareholders is held, each share of the Trust will be entitled, as determined by the Trustees without the vote or consent of the shareholders, either to one vote for each share or to one vote for each dollar of net asset value represented by such share on all matters presented to shareholders including the election of Trustees (this method of voting being referred to as “dollar based voting”). However, to the extent required by the Act or otherwise determined by the Trustees, series and classes of the Trust will vote separately from each other. Shareholders of the Trust do not have cumulative voting rights in the election of Trustees. Meetings of shareholders of the Trust, or any series or class thereof, may be called by the Trustees, certain officers or upon the written request of holders of 10% or more of the shares entitled to vote at such meetings. The Trustees will call a special meeting of shareholders for the purpose of electing Trustees, if, at any time, less than a majority of Trustees holding office at the time were elected by shareholders. The shareholders of the Trust will have voting rights only with respect to the limited number of matters specified in the Declaration of Trust and such other matters as the Trustees may determine or may be required by law.

The Declaration of Trust provides for indemnification of Trustees, officers, employees and agents of the Trust unless the recipient is adjudicated (i) to be liable by reason of willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence or reckless disregard of the duties involved in the conduct of such person’s office or (ii) not to have acted in good faith in the reasonable belief that such person’s actions were in the best interest of the Trust. The Declaration of Trust provides that, if any shareholder or former shareholder of any series is held personally liable solely by reason of being or having been a shareholder and not because of the shareholder’s acts or omissions or for some other reason, the shareholder or former shareholder (or the shareholder’s heirs, executors, administrators, legal representatives or general successors) shall be held harmless from and indemnified against all loss and expense arising from such liability. The Trust, acting on behalf of any affected series, must, upon request by such shareholder, assume the defense of any claim made against such shareholder for any act or obligation of the series and satisfy any judgment thereon from the assets of the series.

The Declaration of Trust permits the termination of the Trust or of any series or class of the Trust (i) by a majority of the affected shareholders at a meeting of shareholders of the Trust, series or class; or (ii) by a majority of the Trustees without shareholder

 

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approval if the Trustees determine, in their sole discretion, that such action is in the best interest of the Trust, such series, such class or their respective shareholders. The Trustees may consider such factors as they, in their sole discretion, deem appropriate in making such determination, including (i) the inability of the Trust or any series or class to maintain its assets at an appropriate size; (ii) changes in laws or regulations governing the Trust, series or class or affecting assets of the type in which it invests; or (iii) economic developments or trends having a significant adverse impact on the business or operations of the Trust or series.

The Declaration of Trust authorizes the Trustees, without shareholder approval, to cause the Trust, or any series thereof, to merge or consolidate with any corporation, association, trust or other organization or sell or exchange all or substantially all of the property belonging to the Trust or any series thereof. In addition, the Trustees, without shareholder approval, may adopt a master-feeder structure by investing all or a portion of the assets of a series of the Trust in the securities of another open-end investment company with substantially the same investment objective, restrictions and policies.

The Declaration of Trust permits the Trustees to amend the Declaration of Trust without a shareholder vote. However, shareholders of the Trust have the right to vote on any amendment (i) that would adversely affect the voting rights of shareholders; (ii) that is required by law to be approved by shareholders; (iii) that would amend the provisions of the Declaration of Trust regarding amendments and supplements thereto; or (iv) that the Trustees determine to submit to shareholders.

The Trustees may appoint separate Trustees with respect to one or more series or classes of the Trust’s shares (the “Series Trustees”). Series Trustees may, but are not required to, serve as Trustees of the Trust or any other series or class of the Trust. To the extent provided by the Trustees in the appointment of Series Trustees, the Series Trustees may have, to the exclusion of any other Trustees of the Trust, all the powers and authorities of Trustees under the Declaration of Trust with respect to such Series or Class, but may have no power or authority with respect to any other series or class.

Shareholder and Trustee Liability

Under Delaware Law, the shareholders of the Fund are not generally subject to liability for the debts or obligations of the Trust. Similarly, Delaware law provides that a series of the Trust will not be liable for the debts or obligations of any other series of the Trust. However, no similar statutory or other authority limiting statutory trust shareholder liability exists in other states. As a result, to the extent that a Delaware statutory trust or a shareholder is subject to the jurisdiction of courts of such other states, the courts may not apply Delaware law and may thereby subject the Delaware statutory trust shareholders to liability. To guard against this risk, the Declaration of Trust contains an express disclaimer of shareholder liability for acts or obligations of a series. Notice of such disclaimer will normally be given in each agreement, obligation or instrument entered into or executed by a series of the Trust. The Declaration of Trust provides for indemnification by the relevant series for all loss suffered by a shareholder as a result of an obligation of the series. The Declaration of Trust also provides that a series shall, upon request, assume the defense of any claim made against any shareholder for any act or obligation of the series and satisfy any judgment thereon. In view of the above, the risk of personal liability of shareholders of a Delaware statutory trust is remote.

In addition to the requirements under Delaware law, the Declaration of Trust provides that shareholders of a series may bring a derivative action on behalf of the series only if the following conditions are met: (a) shareholders eligible to bring such derivative action under Delaware law who hold at least 10% of the outstanding shares of the series, or 10% of the outstanding shares of the class to which such action relates, shall join in the request for the Trustees to commence such action; and (b) the Trustees must be afforded a reasonable amount of time to consider such shareholder request and to investigate the basis of such claim. The Trustees will be entitled to retain counsel or other advisers in considering the merits of the request and may require an undertaking by the shareholders making such request to reimburse the series for the expense of any such advisers in the event that the Trustees determine not to bring such action.

The Declaration of Trust further provides that the Trustees will not be liable for errors of judgment or mistakes of fact or law, but nothing in the Declaration of Trust protects a Trustee against liability to which he or she would otherwise be subject by reason of willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence, or reckless disregard of the duties involved in the conduct of his or her office.

TAXATION

The following is a general summary of certain U.S. federal income tax considerations affecting the Fund and investors in the Fund. This discussion does not purport to be complete or to deal with all aspects of federal income taxation that may be relevant to you in light of your particular circumstances or to investors who are subject to special rules, such as banks, thrift institutions and

 

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certain other financial institutions, REITs, regulated investment companies, insurance companies, brokers and dealers in securities or currencies, certain securities traders, S corporations, individual retirement accounts, certain tax-deferred accounts or foreign investors.

Unless otherwise noted, this discussion assumes that you are a U.S. Shareholder and that you hold Fund shares as capital assets. For purposes of this summary, a “U.S. Shareholder” means a beneficial owner of the Fund’s shares that, for U.S. federal income tax purposes, is (i) an individual who is a citizen or resident of the U.S., (ii) a corporation or other entity taxable as a corporation created in or organized under the laws of the U.S. or any state of the U.S., (iii) an estate the income of which is subject to U.S. federal income tax regardless of its source, or (iv) a trust if (A) a U.S. court is able to exercise primary supervision over the administration of such trust and one or more U.S. persons have the authority to control all substantial decisions of such trust or (B) the trust has a valid election in effect under applicable Treasury regulations to be treated as a U.S. person. If a partnership holds shares, the U.S. federal income tax treatment of a partner in such partnership generally will depend upon the status of the partner and the activities of the partnership. Partners of partnerships that hold shares should consult their tax advisors.

The following discussion is based upon the Code, Treasury Regulations, judicial authorities, published positions of the IRS and other applicable authorities, all as in effect on the date of this Prospectus and all of which are subject to change or differing interpretations (possibly with retroactive effect). No ruling has been or will be sought from the IRS regarding any matter discussed in this prospectus. Counsel to the Fund has not rendered any legal opinion regarding any tax consequences relating to the Fund or your investment in the Fund. No assurance can be given that the IRS would not assert, or that a court would not sustain a position contrary to any of the tax information set out below.

Tax matters are complicated, and the tax consequences of an investment in and holding of the Fund’s shares will depend on the particular facts of each investor’s situation. You are advised to consult your own tax advisors with respect to the application to your own circumstances of the general federal income tax rules described below and with respect to other federal, state, local or foreign tax consequences to you before making an investment in the Fund’s shares.

Federal Income Taxation of the Fund

Although the Code generally provides that a regulated investment company does not pay an entity-level income tax, provided that it distributes all or substantially all of its income, the Fund does not meet current tests for qualification as a regulated investment company under Subchapter M of the Code because of the fact that most or substantially all of the Fund’s investments will consist of investments in certain MLPs intended to be treated as partnerships for federal income tax purposes. The regulated investment company tax rules therefore do not apply to the Fund or to its shareholders. As a result, the Fund is treated as a corporation for federal and state income tax purposes, and will pay federal and state income tax on its taxable income.

The Fund invests primarily in MLPs, which generally are intended to be treated as partnerships for federal income tax purposes. As a partner in the MLPs, the Fund must report its allocable share of the MLPs’ taxable income or loss in computing the Fund’s taxable income or loss, regardless of the extent (if any) to which the MLPs make distributions. Based upon a review of the historic results of the type of MLPs in which the Fund intends to invest, the Fund expects that the cash flow received by the Fund with respect to its MLP investments will generally exceed the taxable income allocated to the Fund (and this excess generally will not be currently taxable to the Fund but, rather, will result in a reduction of the Fund’s adjusted tax basis in each MLP as described in the following paragraph). This is the result of a variety of factors, including significant non-cash deductions, such as accelerated depreciation. Past performance is not necessarily an indication of future results and there is no assurance that the Investment Adviser’s expectation regarding the tax character of MLP distributions will be realized. If this expectation is not realized and cash distributions are less than the taxable income allocated to the Fund, there may be greater tax expense borne by the Fund and less cash available to distribute to shareholders or to pay to expenses.

The Fund will be subject to U.S. federal income tax at the regular corporate income tax rates on the Fund’s share of any taxable income from its investment in MLPs and on gain recognized by the Fund on any sale of equity securities of an MLP. As explained above, cash distributions from an MLP to the Fund that exceed the Fund’s allocable share of such MLP’s net taxable income will reduce the Fund’s adjusted tax basis in the equity securities of the MLP. These reductions in the Fund’s adjusted tax basis in the MLP equity securities will increase the amount of gain (or decrease the amount of loss) recognized by the Fund on a subsequent sale of the securities of an MLP.

The Fund’s allocable share of certain percentage depletion deductions and intangible drilling costs of the MLPs in which the Fund invests may be treated as items of tax preference for purposes of calculating the Fund’s alternative minimum taxable income. Such items may increase the Fund’s alternative minimum taxable income and increase the likelihood that the Fund may be subject to the alternative minimum tax.

 

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Federal Income Taxation of Holders of the Fund’s Shares — U.S. Shareholders

Receipt of Distributions. Distributions made to you by the Fund (other than distributions in redemption of shares subject to Section 302(b) of the Internal Revenue Code) will generally constitute taxable dividends to the extent of your allocable share of the Fund’s current or accumulated earnings and profits, as calculated for federal income tax purposes. Generally, a corporation’s earnings and profits are computed based upon taxable income, with certain specified adjustments. As explained above, based upon the historic performance of the types of MLPs in which the Fund intends to invest, the Fund anticipates that the distributed cash from the MLPs generally will exceed the Fund’s share of the MLPs’ taxable income. Consequently, the Fund anticipates that only a portion of the Fund’s distributions will be treated as dividend income to you. To the extent that distributions to you exceed your allocable share of the Fund’s current and accumulated earnings and profits, your basis in the Fund’s shares with respect to which the distribution is made will be reduced, which will increase the amount of gain (or decrease the amount of loss) realized upon a subsequent sale or redemption of such shares. To the extent you hold such shares as a capital asset and have no further basis in the shares to offset the distribution, you will report the excess as capital gain.

Because the Fund will invest a substantial portion of its assets in MLPs, special rules will apply to the calculation of the Fund’s earnings and profits. For example, the Fund’s earnings and profits will be calculated using the straight-line depreciation method rather than the accelerated depreciation method. This difference in treatment may, for example, result in the Fund’s earnings and profits being higher than the Fund’s taxable income in a particular year if the MLPs in which the Fund invests calculate their income using accelerated depreciation. Because of these differences, the Fund may make distributions in a particular year out of earnings and profits (treated as dividends) in excess of the amount of the Fund’s taxable income for such year.

Distributions to you from the Fund treated as dividends under the foregoing rules generally will be taxable as ordinary income to you but are generally expected to be treated as “qualified dividend income” to eligible taxpayers. Qualified dividend income received by individuals and other noncorporate shareholders is taxed at long-term capital gain rates, which currently reach a maximum of 15%, or, for certain high income individuals, 20%. For a dividend to constitute qualified dividend income, the shareholder generally must hold the shares paying the dividend for more than 60 days during the 121-day period beginning 60 days before the ex-dividend date, although a longer period may apply if the shareholder engages in certain risk reduction transactions with respect to the common stock.

In addition to constituting qualified dividend income to noncorporate investors, such dividends are expected to be eligible for the dividends received deduction available to corporate shareholders of the Fund under Section 243 of the Code. However, corporate shareholders of the Fund should be aware that certain limitations apply to the availability of the dividends received deduction, including rules which limit the deduction in cases where (i) certain holding period requirements are not met, (ii) a corporate shareholder of the Fund is obligated (e.g., pursuant to a short sale) to make related payments with respect to positions in substantially similar or related property, or (iii) the corporate shareholder’s investment in shares of the Fund is financed with indebtedness. Corporate shareholders of the Fund should consult their own tax advisors regarding the application of these limitations to their particular situations.

If you participate in the Fund’s automatic dividend reinvestment plan, upon the Fund’s payment of a dividend to you, you will be treated for federal income tax purposes as receiving a taxable distribution from the Fund in an amount equal to the fair market value of the shares issued to you under the plan. The portion of such a distribution that is treated as dividend income will be determined under the rules described above.

Redemptions and Sales of Shares. A redemption of common shares will be treated as a sale or exchange of such shares, provided the redemption either: (i) is not essentially equivalent to a dividend; (ii) is a substantially disproportionate redemption; (iii) is a complete redemption of a shareholder’s entire interest in the Fund; or (iv) is in partial liquidation of the Fund. Redemptions that do not qualify for sale or exchange treatment will be treated as described in “Receipt of Distributions” above.

Upon a redemption treated as a sale or exchange under the foregoing rules, or upon a sale of your shares to a third party, you generally will recognize capital gain or loss equal to the difference between the cost of your shares and the amount you receive when you sell them. Any such capital gain or loss will be a long-term capital gain or loss if you held the shares for more than one year at the time of disposition. Long-term capital gains of noncorporate shareholders of the Fund (including individuals) are currently subject to U.S. federal income taxation at a maximum rate of 15%, or, for certain high income individuals, 20%. The deductibility of capital losses for both corporate and non-corporate shareholders of the Fund is subject to limitations under the Code.

 

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Investment by Tax-Exempt Investors and Regulated Investment Companies. Employee benefit plans and most other organizations exempt from federal income tax, including individual retirement accounts and other retirement plans, are subject to federal income tax on their unrelated business taxable income, or UBTI. Because the Trust is a corporation for federal income tax purposes, an owner of the Fund’s shares will not report on its federal income tax return any items of income, gain, loss and deduction that are allocated to the Fund from the MLPs in which the Fund invests. Moreover, dividend income from, and gain from the sale of, corporate stock generally does not constitute UBTI unless the corporate stock is debt-financed. Therefore, a tax-exempt investor will not have UBTI attributable to its ownership, sale, or redemption of the Fund’s shares unless its ownership is debt-financed. In general, shares are considered to be debt-financed if the tax-exempt owner of the shares incurred debt to acquire the shares or otherwise incurred a debt that would not have been incurred if the shares had not been acquired. Similarly, the income and gain realized from an investment in the Fund’s shares by an investor that is a regulated investment company will constitute qualifying income for the regulated investment company.

Foreign, State and Local Taxes. It is possible that the Fund may be liable for foreign, state and local taxes payable in the country, state or locality in which it is a resident or doing business or in a country, state or locality in which an MLP in which the Fund invests conducts or is deemed to conduct business.

Medicare Tax. An additional 3.8% Medicare tax will be imposed on certain net investment income (including ordinary dividends received from a Fund and net gains from redemptions or other taxable dispositions of Fund shares) of U.S. individuals, estates and trusts to the extent that such person’s “modified adjusted gross income” (in the case of an individual) or “adjusted gross income” (in the case of an estate or trust) exceed certain threshold amounts.

Cost Basis Reporting. The Fund is required to report to you and the IRS annually on Form 1099-B not only the gross proceeds of Fund shares you sell or redeem but also their cost basis. Cost basis will generally be calculated using the Funds’ default method of first-in, first-out, unless you instruct a Fund to use a different methodology. If you would like to use the first-in, first-out method of calculation, no action is required. To elect an alternative method, you should contact Goldman Sachs Funds at the address or phone number on the back cover of the Fund’s Prospectus. If your account is held with an Authorized Institution, contact your representative with respect to reporting of cost basis and available elections for your account.

Because your tax situation is unique, you should consult your tax professional about federal, state and local tax consequences.

Federal Income Taxation of Holders of the Fund’s Shares — Non-U.S. Shareholders

For purposes of this summary, the term ‘‘Non-U.S. Shareholder’’ means a beneficial owner of the Fund’s shares that is not a U.S. Shareholder.

Distributions to Non-U.S. Shareholders generally will be subject to U.S. federal withholding tax at the rate of 30% on distributions unless the tax is reduced or eliminated pursuant to a tax treaty or the distributions are effectively connected with a U.S. trade or business of the shareholder.

Any capital gain realized by a Non-U.S. Shareholder upon a sale or redemption of shares of the Fund will generally not be subject to U.S. federal income or withholding tax unless (i) the gain is effectively connected with the shareholder’s trade or business in the U.S., or in the case of a shareholder who is a nonresident alien individual, the shareholder is present in the U.S. for 183 days or more during the taxable year and certain other conditions are met or (ii) the Fund is or has been a U.S. real property holding corporation, as defined below, at any time within the five-year period preceding the date of disposition of the Fund’s shares or, if shorter, within the period during which the Non-U.S. Shareholder has held the common shares. Generally, a corporation is a U.S. real property holding corporation if the fair market value of its U.S. real property interests, as defined in the Code and applicable regulations, equals or exceeds 50% of the aggregate fair market value of its worldwide real property interests and its other assets used or held for use in a trade or business. A Fund may be, or may prior to a Non-U.S. Shareholder’s disposition of shares become, a U.S. real property holding corporation.

Any Non-U.S. Shareholder who is described in one of the foregoing cases is urged to consult his, her or its own tax advisor regarding the U.S. federal income tax consequences of the redemption, sale, exchange or other disposition of shares of the Fund.

Non-U.S. Shareholders of a Fund may also be subject to U.S. estate tax with respect to their shares of the Fund.

 

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Effective July 1, 2014, the Fund will be required to withhold U.S. tax (at a 30% rate) on payments of dividends and (effective January 1, 2017) redemption proceeds and certain capital gain dividends made to certain non-U.S. entities that fail to comply (or be deemed compliant) with extensive new reporting and withholding requirements designed to inform the U.S. Department of the Treasury of U.S.-owned foreign investment accounts. Shareholders may be requested to provide additional information to the Fund to enable the Fund to determine whether withholding is required.

Each Non-U.S. Shareholder should consult his, her or its tax adviser regarding the U.S. and non-U.S. tax consequences of ownership of the Fund’s shares and receipt of distributions from the Fund.

Backup Withholding

Federal regulations generally require the Fund to withhold and remit to the U.S. Treasury a “backup withholding” tax with respect to dividends and the proceeds of any redemption paid to you if you fail to furnish the Fund or the Fund’s paying agent with a properly completed and executed IRS Form W-9, W-8BEN or other applicable form. Furthermore, the IRS may notify the Fund to institute backup withholding if the IRS determines that your TIN is incorrect or if you have failed to properly report taxable dividends or interest on a federal tax return. A TIN is either the Social Security number or employer identification number of the record owner of the account. Any tax withheld as a result of backup withholding does not constitute an additional tax imposed on the record owner of the account and may be claimed as a credit on the record owner’s federal income tax return. The backup withholding rate is currently 28%.

FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

The audited financial statements and related report of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, independent registered public accounting firm for the Fund, contained in the Fund’s November 30, 2013 Annual Report are hereby incorporated by reference. The financial statements in the Fund’s Annual Report have been incorporated herein by reference in reliance upon such report given upon the authority of such firm as experts in accounting and auditing. No other parts of any Annual Report are incorporated by reference herein. A copy of the annual report of the Fund may be obtained upon request and without charge by writing Goldman, Sachs & Co., P.O. Box 06050, Chicago, Illinois 60606 or by calling Goldman, Sachs & Co., at the telephone number on the back cover of the Fund’s Prospectus.

PROXY VOTING

The Trust, on behalf of the Fund, has delegated the voting of portfolio securities to the Investment Adviser. For client accounts for which the Investment Adviser has voting discretion, the Investment Adviser has adopted policies and procedures (the “Proxy Voting Policy”) for the voting of proxies. Under the Proxy Voting Policy, the Investment Adviser’s guiding principles in performing proxy voting are to make decisions that favor proposals that in the Investment Adviser’s view tend to maximize a company’s shareholder value and are not influenced by conflicts of interest. To implement these guiding principles for investments in publicly-traded equities, the Investment Adviser has developed customized proxy voting guidelines (the “Guidelines”) that it generally applies when voting on behalf of client accounts. Attached as Appendix B is a summary of the Guidelines. These Guidelines address a wide variety of individual topics, including, among other matters, shareholder voting rights, anti-takeover defenses, board structures, the election of directors, executive and director compensation, reorganizations, mergers, issues of corporate social responsibility and various shareholder proposals. The Guidelines embody the positions and factors the Investment Adviser generally considers important in casting proxy votes.

The Proxy Voting Policy, including the Guidelines, is reviewed periodically to ensure that it continues to be consistent with the Investment Adviser’s guiding principles.

The Investment Adviser has retained a third-party proxy voting service (“Proxy Service”), currently Institutional Shareholder Services, to assist in the implementation and administration of certain proxy voting-related functions including, without limitation, operational, recordkeeping and reporting services. The Proxy Service also prepares a written analysis and recommendation (a “Recommendation”) of each proxy vote that reflects the Proxy Service’s application of the Guidelines to particular proxy issues. While it is the Investment Adviser’s policy generally to follow the Guidelines and Recommendations from the Proxy Service, the Investment Adviser’s portfolio management teams (“Portfolio Management Teams”) may on certain proxy votes seek approval to diverge from the Guidelines or a Recommendation by following an “override” process. Such decisions are subject to a review and approval process, including a determination that the decision is not influenced by any conflict of interest. A Portfolio Management Team that receives approval through the override process to cast a proxy vote that diverges from the Guidelines and/or a

 

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Recommendation may vote differently than other Portfolio Management Teams that did not seek to override that vote. In forming their views on particular matters, the Portfolio Management Teams are also permitted to consider applicable regional rules and practices, including codes of conduct and other guides, regarding proxy voting, in addition to the Guidelines and Recommendations. The Investment Adviser may hire other service providers to replace or supplement the Proxy Service with respect to any of the services the Investment Adviser currently receives from the Proxy Service.

GSAM conducts periodic due diligence meetings with the Proxy Service which include, but are not limited to, a review of the Proxy Service’s general organizational structure, new developments with respect to research and technology, work flow improvements and internal due diligence with respect to conflicts of interest.

From time to time, the Investment Adviser may face regulatory, compliance, legal or logistical limits with respect to voting securities that it may purchase or hold for client accounts, which can affect the Investment Adviser’s ability to vote such proxies, as well as the desirability of voting such proxies. Among other limits, federal, state and foreign regulatory restrictions or company specific ownership limits, as well as legal matters related to consolidated groups, may restrict the total percentage of an issuer’s voting securities that the Investment Adviser can hold for clients and the nature of the Investment Adviser’s voting in such securities. The Investment Adviser’s ability to vote proxies may also be affected by, among other things: (i) late receipt of meeting notices; (ii) requirements to vote proxies in person: (iii) restrictions on a foreigner’s ability to exercise votes; (iv) potential difficulties in translating the proxy; (v) requirements to provide local agents with unrestricted powers of attorney to facilitate voting instructions; and (vi) requirements that investors who exercise their voting rights surrender the right to dispose of their holdings for some specified period in proximity to the shareholder meeting.

The Investment Adviser has adopted policies and procedures designed to prevent conflicts of interest from influencing its proxy voting decisions that the Investment Adviser makes on behalf of a client account. These policies and procedures include the Investment Adviser’s use of the Guidelines and Recommendations from the Proxy Service, the override approval process previously discussed, and the establishment of information barriers between the Investment Adviser and other businesses within The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. Notwithstanding such proxy voting policies and procedures, actual proxy voting decisions of the Investment Adviser may have the effect of benefitting the interests of other clients or businesses of other divisions or units of Goldman Sachs and/or its affiliates.

Voting decisions with respect to fixed income securities and the securities of privately held issuers generally will be made by the Fund’s managers based on their assessment of the particular transactions or other matters at issue.

Information regarding how the Fund voted proxies relating to portfolio securities during the most recent 12-month period ended June 30 will be available on or through the Fund’s website at www.gsamfunds.com and on the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov.

PAYMENTS TO INTERMEDIARIES

The Investment Adviser, Distributor and/or their affiliates may make payments to Intermediaries from time to time to promote the sale, distribution and/or servicing of shares of the Fund. These payments (“Additional Payments”) are made out of the Investment Adviser’s, Distributor’s and/or their affiliates’ own assets (which may come directly or indirectly from fees paid by the Fund), are not an additional charge to the Fund or its shareholders, and do not change the price paid by investors for the purchase of the Fund’s shares or the amount the Fund receives as proceeds from such purchases. Although paid by the Investment Adviser, Distributor, and/or their affiliates, the Additional Payments are in addition to the distribution and service fees paid by the Fund to the Intermediaries as described in the Fund’s Prospectus and this SAI, and are also in addition to the sales commissions payable to Intermediaries as set forth in the Prospectus. For purposes of this “Payments to Intermediaries” section, “Funds” shall mean, collectively, the Fund and any of the other Goldman Sachs Funds.

The Additional Payments are intended to compensate Intermediaries for, among other things: marketing shares of the Funds, which may consist of payments relating to funds included on preferred or recommended fund lists or in certain sales programs from time to time sponsored by the Intermediaries; “due diligence” examination and/or review of the Funds from time to time; access to the Intermediaries’ registered representatives or salespersons, including at conferences and other meetings; assistance in training and education of personnel; “finders” or “referral fees” for directing investors to the Funds; marketing support fees for providing assistance in promoting the sale of Fund shares (which may include promotions in communications with the Intermediaries’ customers, registered representatives and salespersons); and/or other specified services intended to assist in the distribution and marketing of the Funds. In addition, the Investment Adviser, Distributor and/or their affiliates may make Additional Payments (including through sub-transfer agency and networking agreements) for subaccounting, administrative and/or shareholder processing

 

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services that are in addition to the transfer agent, shareholder administration, servicing and processing fees paid by the Funds. These Additional Payments may exceed amounts earned on these assets by the Investment Adviser, Distributor and/or their affiliates for the performance of these or similar services. The Additional Payments may be a fixed dollar amount; may be based on the number of customer accounts maintained by an Intermediary; may be based on a percentage of the value of shares sold to, or held by, customers of the Intermediary involved; or may be calculated on another basis. The Additional Payments are negotiated with each Intermediary based on a range of factors, including but not limited to the Intermediary’s ability to attract and retain assets (including particular classes of Fund shares), target markets, customer relationships, quality of service and industry reputation. Although the individual components may be higher or lower and the total amount of Additional Payments made to any Intermediary in any given year will vary, the amount of these Additional Payments (excluding payments made through sub-transfer agency and networking agreements), on average, is normally not expected to exceed 0.50% (annualized) of the amount sold or invested through an Intermediary.

These Additional Payments may be significant to certain Intermediaries, and may be an important factor in an Intermediary’s willingness to support the sale of the Funds through its distribution system.

The Investment Adviser, Distributor and/or their affiliates may be motivated to make Additional Payments since they promote the sale of Fund shares to clients of Intermediaries and the retention of those investments by those clients. To the extent Intermediaries sell more shares of the Funds or retain shares of the Funds in their clients’ accounts, the Investment Adviser and Distributor benefit from the incremental management and other fees paid by the Funds with respect to those assets.

In addition, certain Intermediaries may have access to certain research and investment services from the Investment Adviser, Distributor and/or their affiliates. Such research and investment services (“Additional Services”) may include research reports, economic analysis, portfolio analysis tools, business planning services, certain marketing and investor education materials and strategic asset allocation modeling. The Intermediary may not pay for these products or services. The cost of the Additional Services and the particular services provided may vary from Intermediary to Intermediary.

The Additional Payments made by the Investment Adviser, Distributor and/or their affiliates or the Additional Services received by an Intermediary may vary with respect to the type of fund (e.g., equity, fund, fixed income fund, specialty fund, asset allocation portfolio or money market fund) sold by the Intermediary. In addition, the Additional Payment arrangements may include breakpoints in compensation which provide that the percentage rate of compensation varies as the dollar value of the amount sold or invested through an Intermediary increases.

The presence of these Additional Payments or Additional Services, the varying fee structure and the basis on which an Intermediary compensates its registered representatives or salespersons may create an incentive for a particular Intermediary, registered representative or salesperson to highlight, feature or recommend funds, including the Funds, or other investments based, at least in part, on the level of compensation paid. Additionally, if one mutual fund sponsor makes greater distribution payments than another, an Intermediary may have an incentive to recommend one fund complex over another. Similarly, if an Intermediary receives more distribution assistance for one share class versus another, that Intermediary may have an incentive to recommend that share class. Because Intermediaries may be paid varying amounts per class for sub-transfer agency and related recordkeeping services, the service requirements of which also may vary by class, this may create an additional incentive for financial firms and their financial advisors to favor one fund complex over another, or one fund class over another. You should consider whether such incentives exist when evaluating any recommendations from an Intermediary to purchase or sell Shares of the Fund and when considering which share class is most appropriate for you.

For the year ended December 31, 2013, the Investment Adviser, Distributor and their affiliates made Additional Payments out of their own assets to approximately 171 Intermediaries, totaling approximately $119.2 million (excluding payments made through sub-transfer agency and networking agreements and certain other types of payments described below), with respect the Fund, Goldman Sachs Trust, all of the funds in an affiliated investment company, Goldman Sachs Variable Insurance Trust, and the Goldman Sachs Credit Strategies Fund, an affiliated closed-end investment company. During the year ended December 31, 2013, the Investment Adviser, Distributor and/or their affiliates had contractual arrangements to make Additional Payments to the Intermediaries listed below (or their affiliates or successors), among others. This list will change over time, and any additions, modifications or deletions thereto that have occurred since December 31, 2013 are not reflected. Additional Intermediaries may receive payments in 2014 and in future years. Certain arrangements are still being negotiated, and there is a possibility that payments will be made retroactively to Intermediaries not listed below.

ADP Broker Dealer, Inc.

ADP, Inc.

 

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American Enterprise Investment Services Inc;

Allstate Life Insurance Company

Allstate Life Insurance Company of New York

Amalga Trust Company

Amalgamated Bank of Chicago

American National Trust and Investment Management Company dba Old National Trust Company (Oltrust & Co.)

American United Life Insurance Company

Ameriprise Financial Services, Inc.

Ascensus, Inc.

Associated Trust Company, N.A.; Associated Investment Services Inc.

AXA Equitable Life Insurance Company

Banc of America Securities, LLC

Bancorp South

Bank Hapoalim B.M.

Bank of New York

Bankers Trust

Barclays Capital Inc.

BB&T Capital Markets

BMO Harris Bank, N.A.

BMO Nesbitt Burns

BOSC, Inc.

Branch Banking & Trust Company

Brown Brothers Harriman & Co

C.M. Life Insurance Company

Charles Schwab & Co., Inc.

Chicago Mercantile Exchange, Inc.; CME Shareholder Servicing, LLC.

CIGNA Financial Services

Citibank N.A.

Citibank N.A. — Agency and Trust Department

Citigroup Private Bank at Citibank N.A.

Citizens Bank Wealth Management N.A.

Comerica Bank

Comerica Securities, Inc.

Commerce Bank

Commerce Bank N.A.

Commerce Trust Co.

Commonwealth Annuity and Life Insurance Company

Companion Life Insurance Company

Compass Bank

Computershare Trust Company, N.A.

Connecticut General Life Insurance Company

Daily Access Corporation

Dain Rauscher Inc.

Deutsche Bank Trust Company Americas

Diversified Investment Advisors

Dubuque Bank & Trust

Edward D. Jones & Co., L.P.

E*Trade Clearing LLC

Farmers New World Life Insurance Co.

Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation

Fidelity Brokerage Services LLC

Fidelity Investments Institutional Operations Company, Inc

Financial Network Investment Corporation

Fifth Third Bank

Fifth Third Securities

First National Bank of Omaha

 

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Fulton Bank N.A. Cash Sweep Affiliates

Fulton Financial Advisors, National Association

Genworth Financial Securities Corporation

Genworth Financial Trust Company

Genworth Life and Annuity Insurance Company; Genworth Life Insurance Company of New York; Genworth Life Insurance Company

GW Capital Management, LLC

GWFS Equities, Inc.

Great-West Life & Annuity Insurance Company

Harris Trust & Savings Bank

Hartford Life Insurance Company

Hartford Retirement Services, LLC

Hartford Securities Distribution Company Inc.

Hewitt Associates LLC

Horace Mann Life Insurance Company

HSBC Bank USA

Hunt Dupree & Rhine

ICMA-RC Services, LLC

ING Financial Advisors, LLC

ING Investment Advisors, LLC

ING Institutional Plan Services, LLC

ING Institutional Plan Services, LLP

ING Life Insurance and Annuity Company

Institutional Cash Distributors (division of Merriman Curhan Ford & Co.)

Invesmart, Inc.

Jefferson Pilot Financial Insurance Company

Jefferson National Life Insurance Company

J.P. Morgan Chase Bank

J.P. Morgan Chase Bank, N.A.

J.P. Morgan Clearing Corp.

J.P. Morgan Retirement Plan Services, LLC

J.P. Morgan Securities, Inc.

Kemper Investors Life Insurance Company

Key Bank Capital Markets

LaSalle Bank N.A.

Law Debenture Trust Company of New York

Lincoln Benefit Life Company

Lincoln Retirement Services Company, LLC

LPL Financial Corporation

LPL Financial LLC

M&T Bank

M&T Securities, Inc.

Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company

McCready and Keen, Inc.

Mellon Bank N.A. (Directed Account Plan Board of Directors)

Mercer HR Services, LLC

Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated

Midland National Life Insurance Company

Minnesota Life Insurance Company

Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC

MSCS Financial Services (Division of Broadridge Business Process Outsourcing, LLC)

Multi Financial Securities Corporation

My Treasury Limited

National Financial Services LLC

National Security Life and Annuity Company

Nationwide Financial Services, Inc.

 

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Nationwide Investment Services Corporation

Newport Retirement Services, Inc

NYLife Distributors, Inc.

Oppenheimer & Co. Inc.

Pershing, LLC

PNC Bank, N.A.

PNC Bank, National Organization

PNC Capital Markets LLC

PrimeVest Financial Services

Principal Life Insurance Company

Protective Life Insurance Company

PruCo Life Insurance Company; PruCo Life Insurance Company of New Jersey

Raymond James & Associates, Inc. and Raymond James Financial Services

Regions Bank

Reliance Trust Company

Riversource Life Insurance Company;

Riversource Life Insurance Company of New York; Riversource Distributors, Inc.

Robert W. Baird & Co., Incorporated

Scott & Stringfellow

Security Benefit Life Insurance Company; Security Distributors, Inc.

Signature Bank

Silicon Valley Bank

State Street Global Markets, LLC and State Street Bank and Trust Company

Sun Life Assurance Company of Canada (US); Sun Life Insurance and Annuity Company of New York

Sungard Institutional Brokerage, Inc

SunTrust Bank

SunTrust Robinson Humphrey, Inc.

SVB Securities

Synovus Securities

TD Ameritrade Clearing, Inc.

Teachers Insurance and Annuity Association of America

T. Rowe Price Retirement Plan Services, Inc

The Guardian Insurance and Annuity Company, Inc

The Lincoln National Life Insurance Company; Lincoln Life & Annuity Company of New York

The Ohio National Life Insurance Company

The Prudential Insurance Company of America

The Prudential Life Insurance Company of America

The Travelers Insurance Company; The Travelers Life and Annuity Company

The Vanguard Group, Inc.

Transamerica Life Insurance Company; Transamerica Financial Life Insurance Company

Treasury Curve, LLC

Trustmark National Bank

UBS Financial Services, Inc.

Union Bank, N.A.

United of Omaha Life Insurance Company

U.S. Bank National Association

U.S. Fiduciary Services, Inc.

Valic Retirement Services Company

Wachovia Capital Markets, LLC.

Wells Fargo Advisors, LLC

Wells Fargo Advisors, LLC; Wells Fargo Investments, LLC

Wells Fargo Bank N.A.

Wells Fargo Bank National Association

Wells Fargo Corporate Trust Services

Wilmington Trust Company

Wilmington Trust Retirement and Institutional Services Company

Xerox HR Solutions, LLC

Zions First National Bank

 

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Your Authorized Dealer or other Intermediary may charge you additional fees or commissions other than those disclosed in the Prospectus. Shareholders should contact their Authorized Dealer or other Intermediary for more information about the Additional Payments or Additional Services they receive and any potential conflicts of interest, as well as for information regarding any fees and/or commissions it charges. For additional questions, please contact Goldman Sachs Funds at 1-800-621-2550.

Not included on the list above are other subsidiaries of Goldman Sachs who may receive revenue from the Investment Adviser, Distributor and/or their affiliates through intra-company compensation arrangements and for financial, distribution, administrative and operational services.

Furthermore, the Investment Adviser, Distributor and/or their affiliates may, to the extent permitted by applicable regulations, contribute to various non-cash and cash incentive arrangements to promote the sale of Fund shares, as well as sponsor various educational programs, sales contests and/or promotions. The Investment Adviser, Distributor and their affiliates may also pay for the travel expenses, meals, lodging and entertainment of Intermediaries and their salespersons and guests in connection with educational, sales and promotional programs subject to applicable FINRA regulations. Other compensation may also be offered from time to time to the extent not prohibited by applicable federal or state laws or FINRA regulations. This compensation is not included in, and is made in addition to, the Additional Payments described above.

OTHER INFORMATION

Selective Disclosure of Portfolio Holdings

The Board of Trustees of the Trust and the Investment Adviser have adopted a policy on selective disclosure of portfolio holdings in accordance with regulations that seek to ensure that disclosure of information about portfolio securities is in the best interest of Fund shareholders and to address the conflicts between the interests of Fund shareholders and its service providers. The policy provides that neither the Fund nor its Investment Adviser, Distributor or any agent, or any employee thereof (“Fund Representative”) will disclose the Fund’s portfolio holdings information to any person other than in accordance with the policy. For purposes of the policy, “portfolio holdings information” means the Fund’s actual portfolio holdings, as well as nonpublic information about its trading strategies or pending transactions. Under the policy, neither the Fund nor any Fund Representative may solicit or accept any compensation or other consideration in connection with the disclosure of portfolio holdings information. A Fund Representative may provide portfolio holdings information to third parties if such information has been included in the Fund’s public filings with the SEC or is disclosed on the Fund’s publicly accessible website. Information posted on the Fund’s website may be separately provided to any person commencing the day after it is first published on the Fund’s website.

Portfolio holdings information that is not filed with the SEC or posted on the publicly available website may be provided to third parties only if the third party recipients are required to keep all portfolio holdings information confidential and are prohibited from trading on the information they receive. Disclosure to such third parties must be approved in advance by the Investment Adviser’s legal or compliance department. Disclosure to providers of auditing, custody, proxy voting and other similar services for the Fund, as well as rating and ranking organizations, will generally be permitted; however, information may be disclosed to other third parties (including, without limitation, individuals, institutional investors, and intermediaries that sell shares of the Fund,) only upon approval by the Fund’s Chief Compliance Officer, who must first determine that the Fund has a legitimate business purpose for doing so. In general, each recipient of non-public portfolio holdings information must sign a confidentiality and non-trading agreement, although this requirement will not apply when the recipient is otherwise subject to a duty of confidentiality. In accordance with the policy, the identity of those recipients who receive non-public portfolio holdings information on an ongoing basis is as follows: the Investment Adviser and its affiliates, the Fund’s independent registered public accounting firm, the Fund’s custodian—State Street, the Fund’s legal counsel—Dechert LLP, the Fund’s financial printer—RR Donnelley, and the Fund’s proxy voting service—ISS. In addition, certain fixed income funds of the Trust provide non-public portfolio holdings information to Standard & Poor’s to allow such funds to be rated by it and certain equity funds provide non-public portfolio holdings information to FactSet, a provider of global financial and economic information. These entities are obligated to keep such information confidential. Third party providers of custodial or accounting services to the Fund may release non-public portfolio holdings information of the Fund only with the permission of Fund Representatives. From time to time portfolio holdings information may be provided to broker-dealers, prime brokers, futures commission merchants or derivatives clearing merchants, in connection with the Fund’s portfolio trading activities. In providing this information reasonable precautions, including limitations on the scope of the portfolio holdings information disclosed, are taken to

 

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avoid any potential misuse of the disclosed information. All marketing materials prepared by the Trust’s principal underwriter are reviewed by Goldman Sachs’ Compliance department for consistency with the Trust’s portfolio holdings disclosure policy.

The Fund currently intends to publish on the Trust’s website (http://www.gsamfunds.com) complete portfolio holdings for the Fund as of the end of each calendar quarter subject to a fifteen calendar day lag between the date of the information and the date on which the information is disclosed. In addition, the Fund intends to publish on the Trust’s website month-end top ten holdings subject to a fifteen calendar day lag between the date of the information and the date on which the information is disclosed. The Fund may publish on the website complete portfolio holdings information more frequently if it has a legitimate business purpose for doing so.

Under the policy, Fund Representatives will initially supply the Board of the Trustees with a list of third parties who receive portfolio holdings information pursuant to any ongoing arrangement. In addition, the Board is to receive information, on a quarterly basis, regarding any other disclosures of non-public portfolio holdings information that were permitted during the preceding quarter. In addition, the Board of Trustees is to approve at its meetings a list of Fund Representatives who are authorized to disclose portfolio holdings information under the policy. As of March 28, 2014, only certain officers of the Trust as well as certain senior members of the compliance and legal groups of the Investment Adviser have been approved by the Board of Trustees to authorize disclosure of portfolio holdings information.

Disclosure of NAV per Share

The Fund’s current NAV per share is available through the Fund’s website at www.gsamfunds.com or by contacting the Fund at 1-800-292-4726.

Miscellaneous

The Fund will redeem shares solely in cash up to the lesser of $250,000 or 1% of the net asset value of the Fund during any 90-day period for any one shareholder. The Fund, however, reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to pay redemptions by a distribution in kind of securities (instead of cash) if (i) the redemption exceeds the lesser of $250,000 or 1% of the net asset value of the Fund at the time of redemption; or (ii) with respect to lesser redemption amounts, the redeeming shareholder requests in writing a distribution in-kind of securities instead of cash. The securities distributed in kind would be readily marketable and would be valued for this purpose using the same method employed in calculating the Fund’s net asset value per share. See “NET ASSET VALUE.” If a shareholder receives redemption proceeds in kind, the shareholder should expect to incur transaction costs upon the disposition of the securities received in the redemption.

The right of a shareholder to redeem shares and the date of payment by the Fund may be suspended for more than seven days for any period during which the New York Stock Exchange is closed, other than the customary weekends or holidays, or when trading on such Exchange is restricted as determined by the SEC; or during any emergency, as determined by the SEC, as a result of which it is not reasonably practicable for the Fund to dispose of securities owned by it or fairly to determine the value of its net assets; or for such other period as the SEC may by order permit for the protection of shareholders of the Fund. (The Trust may also suspend or postpone the recordation of the transfer of shares upon the occurrence of any of the foregoing conditions.)

As stated in the Prospectus, the Trust may authorize Authorized Institutions and other institutions that provide recordkeeping, reporting and processing services to their customers to accept on the Trust’s behalf purchase, redemption and exchange orders placed by or on behalf of their customers and, if approved by the Trust, to designate other intermediaries to accept such orders. These institutions may receive payments from the Trust or Goldman Sachs for their services. Certain Authorized Institutions or other institutions may enter into sub-transfer agency agreements with the Trust or Goldman Sachs with respect to their services.

In the interest of economy and convenience, the Trust does not issue certificates representing the Fund’s shares. Instead, the Transfer Agent maintains a record of each shareholder’s ownership. Each shareholder receives confirmation of purchase and redemption orders from the Transfer Agent. Fund shares and any distributions paid by the Fund are reflected in account statements from the Transfer Agent.

The Prospectus and this SAI do not contain all the information included in the Registration Statement filed with the SEC under the 1933 Act with respect to the securities offered by the Prospectus. Certain portions of the Registration Statement have been omitted from the Prospectus and this SAI pursuant to the rules and regulations of the SEC. The Registration Statement including the exhibits filed therewith may be examined at the office of the SEC in Washington, D.C.

 

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Statements contained in the Prospectus or in this SAI as to the contents of any contract or other document referred to are not necessarily complete, and, in each instance, reference is made to the copy of such contract or other document filed as an exhibit to the Registration Statement of which the Prospectus and this SAI form a part, each such statement being qualified in all respects by such reference.

Line of Credit

The Fund intends to participate in a $630,000,000 committed, unsecured revolving line of credit facility together with other funds of the Trust and registered investment companies having management or investment advisory agreements with GSAM or its affiliates. Pursuant to the terms of this facility, the Fund and other borrowers may increase the credit amount by an additional $340,000,000, for a total of up to $970,000,000. This facility is to be used for temporary emergency purposes or to allow for an orderly liquidation of securities to meet redemption requests. The interest rate on borrowings is based on the federal funds rate. The facility also requires a fee to be paid by the Fund based on the amount of the commitment that has not been utilized.

Large Trade Notifications

The Transfer Agent may from time to time receive notice that an Authorized Institution or other financial intermediary has received an order for a large trade in the Fund’s shares. The Fund may determine to enter into portfolio transactions in anticipation of that order, even though the order will not be processed until the following business day. This practice provides for a closer correlation between the time shareholders place trade orders and the time the Fund enters into portfolio transactions based on those orders, and permits the Fund to be more fully invested in investment securities, in the case of purchase orders, and to more orderly liquidate its investment positions, in the case of redemption orders. On the other hand, the Authorized Institution or other financial intermediary may not ultimately process the order. In this case, the Fund may be required to borrow assets to settle the portfolio transactions entered into in anticipation of that order, and would therefore incur borrowing costs. The Fund may also suffer investment losses on those portfolio transactions. Conversely, the Fund would benefit from any earnings and investment gains resulting from such portfolio transactions.

Corporate Actions

From time to time, the issuer of a security held in the Fund’s portfolio may initiate a corporate action relating to that security. Corporate actions relating to equity securities may include, among others, an offer to purchase new shares, or to tender existing shares, of that security at a certain price. Corporate actions relating to debt securities may include, among others, an offer for early redemption of the debt security, or an offer to convert the debt security into stock. Certain corporate actions are voluntary, meaning that the Fund may only participate in the corporate action if it elects to do so in a timely fashion. Participation in certain corporate actions may enhance the value of the Fund’s investment portfolio. In cases where the Fund or its Investment Adviser receives sufficient advance notice of a voluntary corporate action, the Investment Adviser will exercise its discretion, in good faith, to determine whether the Fund will participate in that corporate action. If the Fund or its Investment Adviser does not receive sufficient advance notice of a voluntary corporate action, the Fund may not be able to timely elect to participate in that corporate action. Participation or lack of participation in a voluntary corporate action may result in a negative impact on the value of the Fund’s investment portfolio.

DISTRIBUTION AND SERVICE PLANS

(Class A Shares, Class C Shares and Class R Shares only)

Distribution and Service Plans. As described in the Prospectus, the Trust has adopted, on behalf of Class A, Class C and Class R Shares of the Fund, Distribution and Service Plans (each a “Plan”). See “Shareholder Guide—Distribution and Service Fees” in the Prospectus. The distribution fees payable under the Plans are subject to Rule 12b-1 under the Act and finance distribution and other services that are provided to investors in the Fund and enable the Fund to offer investors the choice of investing in Class A, Class C or Class R Shares when investing in the Fund. In addition, distribution fees payable under the Plans may be used to assist the Fund in reaching and maintaining asset levels that are efficient for the Fund’s operations and investments.

The Plans for the Fund’s Class A, Class C and Class R Shares were most recently approved on June 13, 2013 by a majority vote of the Trustees of the Trust, including a majority of the non-interested Trustees of the Trust who have no direct or indirect financial interest in the Plans, cast in person at a meeting called for the purpose of approving the Plans.

The compensation for distribution services payable under a Plan to Goldman Sachs may not exceed 0.25%, 0.75% and 0.50% per annum of the Fund’s average daily net assets attributable to Class A, Class C and Class R Shares, respectively, of the Fund.

 

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Under the Plan for Class C Shares, Goldman Sachs is also entitled to receive a separate fee for personal and account maintenance services equal on an annual basis to 0.25% of the Fund’s average daily net assets attributable to Class C Shares. With respect to Class A and Class R Shares, the Distributor at its discretion may use compensation for distribution services paid under the Plan for personal and account maintenance services and expenses so long as such total compensation under the Plan does not exceed the maximum cap on “service fees” imposed by FINRA.

Each Plan is a compensation plan which provides for the payment of a specified fee without regard to the expenses actually incurred by Goldman Sachs. If such fee exceeds Goldman Sachs’ expenses, Goldman Sachs may realize a profit from these arrangements. The distribution fees received by Goldman Sachs under the Plans (and, as applicable, CDSCs) on Class A, Class C and Class R Shares may be sold by Goldman Sachs as distributor to entities which provide financing for payments to Authorized Institutions in respect of sales of Class A, Class C and Class R Shares. To the extent such fees are not paid to such dealers, Goldman Sachs may retain such fees as compensation for its services and expenses of distributing the Fund’s Class A, Class C and Class R Shares.

Under each Plan, Goldman Sachs, as distributor of the Fund’s Class A, Class C and Class R Shares, will provide to the Trustees of the Trust for their review, and the Trustees of the Trust will review at least quarterly a written report of the services provided and amounts expended by Goldman Sachs under the Plans and the purposes for which such services were performed and expenditures were made.

The Plans will remain in effect until June 30, 2014 and from year to year thereafter, provided that such continuance is approved annually by a majority vote of the Trustees of the Trust, including a majority of the non-interested Trustees of the Trust who have no direct or indirect financial interest in the Plans. The Plans may not be amended to increase materially the amount of distribution compensation described therein without approval of a majority of the outstanding Shares of the affected share class but may be amended without shareholder approval to increase materially the amount of non-distribution compensation. All material amendments of a Plan must also be approved by the Trustees of the Trust in the manner described above. A Plan may be terminated at any time as to the Fund without payment of any penalty by a vote of a majority of the non-interested Trustees of the Trust or by vote of a majority of the Class A, Class C or Class R Shares. If a Plan was terminated by the Trustees of the Trust and no successor plan was adopted, the Fund would cease to make payments to Goldman Sachs under the Plan and Goldman Sachs would be unable to recover the amount of any of its unreimbursed expenditures. So long as a Plan is in effect, the selection and nomination of non-interested Trustees of the Trust will be committed to the discretion of the non-interested Trustees of the Trust. The Trustees of the Trust have determined that in their judgment there is a reasonable likelihood that the Plans will benefit the Fund and its Class A, Class C and Class R shareholders.

The following chart shows the distribution and service fees paid to Goldman Sachs for the fiscal year ended November 30, 2013 by the Fund pursuant to the Class A Plan:

 

Fund

   Fiscal Year ended
November 30, 2013 *
 

MLP Energy Infrastructure Fund

   $ 20,460   

 

* The Fund commenced operations on March 28, 2013.

The following chart shows the distribution and service fees paid to Goldman Sachs for the fiscal year ended November 30, 2013 by the Fund pursuant to the Class C Plan:

 

Fund

   Fiscal Year ended
November 30, 2013 *
 

MLP Energy Infrastructure Fund

   $ 38,659   

 

* The Fund commenced operations on March 28, 2013.

 

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The following chart shows the distribution and service fees paid to Goldman Sachs for the fiscal year ended November 30, 2013 by the Fund pursuant to the Class R Plan:

 

Fund

   Fiscal Year ended
November 30, 2013 *
 

MLP Energy Infrastructure Fund

   $ 56   

 

* The Fund commenced operations on March 28, 2013.

For the fiscal year ended November 30, 2013, the following expenses were incurred by Goldman Sachs in connection with distribution under the Class A Plan:

 

Compensation to

Dealers (1)

   Compensation and
Expenses of the
Distributor and Its
Sales Personnel
     Allocable
Overhead,
Telephone and
Travel Expenses
     Printing and
Mailing of
Prospectuses to
Other Than
Current
Shareholders
     Preparation and
Distribution of
Sales Literature
and Advertising
     Totals  

$14,902

   $ 64,305       $ 26,945       $ 1,727       $ 4,272       $ 112,151   

 

1 Advance commissions paid to dealers of 1% on Class A Shares are considered deferred assets which are amortized over a period of 18 months; amounts presented above reflect amortization expense recorded during the period presented.

During the fiscal year ended November 30, 2013, Goldman Sachs incurred the following expenses in connection with distribution under the Fund’s Class C Plan:

 

Compensation to

Dealers (1)

   Compensation and
Expenses of the
Distributor and Its
Sales Personnel
     Allocable
Overhead,
Telephone and
Travel Expenses
     Printing and
Mailing of
Prospectuses to
Other Than
Current
Shareholders
     Preparation and
Distribution of
Sales Literature
and Advertising
     Totals  

$1,146

   $ 27,821       $ 11,880       $ 761       $ 1,883       $ 43,491   

 

1 Advance commissions paid to dealers of 1% on Class C Shares are considered deferred assets which are amortized over a period of 18 months; amounts presented above reflect amortization expense recorded during the period presented.

During the fiscal year ended November 30, 2013, Goldman Sachs incurred the following expenses in connection with distribution under the Fund’s Class R Plan:

 

Compensation to

Dealers

   Compensation and
Expenses of the
Distributor and Its
Sales Personnel
     Allocable
Overhead,
Telephone and
Travel Expenses
     Printing and
Mailing of
Prospectuses to
Other Than
Current
Shareholders
     Preparation and
Distribution of
Sales Literature
and Advertising
     Totals  

$21

   $ 3       $ 2       $ 0       $ 0       $ 26   

 

B-74


OTHER INFORMATION REGARDING MAXIMUM SALES CHARGE, PURCHASES,

REDEMPTIONS, EXCHANGES AND DIVIDENDS

(Class A Shares, Class C Shares and Class R Shares Only)

The following information supplements the information in the Prospectus under the captions “Shareholder Guide” and “Dividends.” Please see the Prospectus for more complete information.

Offering Price of Class A Shares

Class A Shares of the Fund are sold with a maximum sales charge of 5.5%. Using the net asset value as of November 30, 2013, the maximum offering price of the Class A shares of the Fund would be:

 

     Net
Asset
Value
     Maximum
Sales
Charge
    Offering
Price to
Public
 

Class A

   $ 10.81         5.50   $ 11.44   

The actual sales charge that is paid by an investor on the purchase of Class A Shares may differ slightly from the sales charge listed above or in the Fund’s Prospectus due to rounding in the calculations. For example, the sales load disclosed above and in the Fund’s Prospectus is only shown to one decimal place ( i.e. , 5.5%). The actual sales charge that is paid by an investor will be rounded to two decimal places. As a result of such rounding in the calculations, the actual sales load paid by an investor may be somewhat greater ( e.g. , 5.53%) or somewhat lesser ( e.g. , 5.48%) than that listed above or in the Prospectus. Contact your financial advisor for further information.

Other Purchase Information/Sales Charge Waivers

The sales charge waivers on the Fund’s shares are due to the nature of the investors involved and/or the reduced sales effort that is needed to obtain such investments.

At the discretion of the Trust’s officers and in addition to the NAV purchases permitted in the Fund’s Prospectus, Class A Shares of the Fund may also be sold at NAV without payment of any sales charge for shares purchased through certain Employee Benefit Plans investing in the Fund.

Certain Goldman Sachs sponsored or partnered retirement platforms (specifically, GS Retirement Plan Plus and Goldman Sachs 401(k) Program) will be eligible to purchase Class A Shares of the Funds of the Trust without a front-end sales charge.

In addition, certain former shareholders of certain funds (e.g., funds of AXA Enterprise Funds Trust, AXA Enterprise Multimanager Funds Trust, and The Enterprise Group of Funds, Inc., and the Signal Funds of The Coventry Group) (the “Acquired Funds”) who (i) received shares of a Goldman Sachs Fund in connection with a reorganization of an Acquired Fund into a Goldman Sachs Fund, (ii) had previously qualified for purchases of Class A shares of the Acquired Funds without the imposition of a sales load under the guidelines of the applicable Acquired Fund family, and (iii) as of August 24, 2012 held their Goldman Sachs Fund shares directly with the Goldman Sachs Funds’ Transfer Agent, are permitted to purchase Class A Shares of a Goldman Sachs Fund without the imposition of a front-end sales load as long as they continue to hold the shares directly at the Transfer Agent.

If shares of the Fund are held in an account with an Authorized Institution, all recordkeeping, transaction processing and payments of distributions relating to the beneficial owner’s account will be performed by the Authorized Institution, and not by the Fund and its Transfer Agent. Since the Fund will have no record of the beneficial owner’s transactions, a beneficial owner should contact the Authorized Institution to purchase, redeem or exchange shares, to make changes in or give instructions concerning the account or to obtain information about the account. The transfer of shares in an account with one Authorized Institution to an account with another Authorized Institution or to an account directly with the Fund involves special procedures and will require the beneficial owner to obtain historical purchase information about the shares in the account from the Authorized Institution.

 

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Right of Accumulation (Class A)

A Class A shareholder qualifies for cumulative quantity discounts if the current purchase price of the new investment plus the shareholder’s current holdings of existing Class A and/or Class C Shares (acquired by purchase or exchange) of the Fund and Class A, Class B and/or Class C Shares of any other Goldman Sachs Fund total the requisite amount for receiving a discount. For example, for certain Funds, if a shareholder owns shares with a current market value of $65,000 and purchases additional Class A Shares of a Fund with a purchase price of $45,000, the sales charge for the $45,000 purchase would be 3.75% (the rate applicable to purchases of $100,000 or more for certain of the Funds). Class A and/or Class C Shares of the Fund and Class A, Class B and/or Class C Shares of any other Goldman Sachs Fund purchased (i) by an individual, his spouse, his parents and his children, and (ii) by a trustee, guardian or other fiduciary of a single trust estate or a single fiduciary account, will be combined for the purpose of determining whether a purchase will qualify for such right of accumulation and, if qualifying, the applicable sales charge level. For purposes of applying the right of accumulation, shares of the Fund and any other Goldman Sachs Fund purchased by an existing client of Goldman Sachs Wealth Management or GS Ayco Holding LLC will be combined with Class A, Class B and/or Class C Shares and other assets held by all other Goldman Sachs Wealth Management accounts or accounts of GS Ayco Holding LLC, respectively. In addition, Class A and/or Class C Shares of the Fund and Class A, Class B and/or Class C Shares of any other Goldman Sachs Fund purchased by partners, directors, officers or employees of the same business organization, groups of individuals represented by and investing on the recommendation of the same accounting firm, certain affinity groups or other similar organizations (collectively, “eligible persons”) may be combined for the purpose of determining whether a purchase will qualify for the right of accumulation and, if qualifying, the applicable sales charge level. This right of accumulation is subject to the following conditions: (i) the business organization’s, group’s or firm’s agreement to cooperate in the offering of the Fund’s shares to eligible persons; and (ii) notification to the Fund at the time of purchase that the investor is eligible for this right of accumulation. In addition, in connection with SIMPLE IRA accounts, cumulative quantity discounts are available on a per plan basis if (i) your employee has been assigned a cumulative discount number by Goldman Sachs; and (ii) your account, alone or in combination with the accounts of other plan participants also invested in Class A, Class B and/or Class C Shares of the Goldman Sachs Funds, totals the requisite aggregate amount as described in the Prospectus.

Statement of Intention (Class A)

If a shareholder anticipates purchasing at least $50,000, not counting reinvestments of dividends and distributions, of Class A Shares of the Fund alone or in combination with Class A Shares of any other Goldman Sachs Fund within a 13-month period, the shareholder may purchase shares of the Fund at a reduced sales charge by submitting a Statement of Intention (the “Statement”). Shares purchased pursuant to a Statement will be eligible for the same sales charge discount that would have been available if all of the purchases had been made at the same time. The shareholder or his Authorized Institution must inform Goldman Sachs that the Statement is in effect each time shares are purchased. There is no obligation to purchase the full amount of shares indicated in the Statement. A shareholder may include the value of all Class A Shares on which a sales charge has previously been paid as an “accumulation credit” toward the completion of the Statement, but a price readjustment will be made only on Class A Shares purchased within ninety (90) days before submitting the Statement. The Statement authorizes the Transfer Agent to hold in escrow a sufficient number of shares which can be redeemed to make up any difference in the sales charge on the amount actually invested. For purposes of satisfying the amount specified on the Statement, the gross amount of each investment, exclusive of any appreciation on shares previously purchased, will be taken into account.

The provisions applicable to the Statement, and the terms of the related escrow agreement, are set forth in Appendix C to this SAI.

Cross-Reinvestment of Distributions

Shareholders may receive distributions in additional shares of the same class of the Fund or they may elect to receive them in cash or shares of the same class of other Goldman Sachs Funds, or Service Shares of the Goldman Sachs Financial Square Prime Obligations Fund, if they hold Class A Shares of the Fund.

A Fund shareholder should obtain and read the prospectus relating to the other Goldman Sachs Fund and its shares and consider its investment objective, policies and applicable fees before electing cross-reinvestment into that Fund. The election to cross-reinvest distributions will not affect the tax treatment of such distributions, which will be treated as received by the shareholder and then used to purchase shares of the acquired fund. Such reinvestment of distributions in shares of other Goldman Sachs Funds is available only in states where such reinvestment may legally be made.

 

B-76


Automatic Exchange Program

A Fund shareholder may elect to exchange automatically a specified dollar amount of shares of the Fund for shares of the same class or an equivalent class of another Goldman Sachs Fund provided the minimum initial investment requirement has been satisfied. A Fund shareholder should obtain and read the prospectus relating to the other Goldman Sachs Fund and its shares and consider its investment objective, policies and applicable fees and expenses before electing an automatic exchange into that Goldman Sachs Fund.

Class C Exchanges

As stated in the Prospectus, Goldman Sachs normally begins paying the annual 0.75% distribution fee on Class C Shares to Authorized Institutions after the shares have been held for one year. When an Authorized Institution enters into an appropriate agreement with Goldman Sachs and stops receiving this payment on Class C Shares that have been beneficially owned by the Authorized Institution’s customers for at least ten years, those Class C Shares may be exchanged for Class A Shares (which bear a lower distribution fee) of the same Fund at their relative net asset value without a sales charge in recognition of the reduced payment to the Authorized Institution.

Exchanges from Collective Investment Trusts to Goldman Sachs Funds

The Investment Adviser manages a number of collective investment trusts that hold assets of 401(k) plans and other retirement plans (each, a “Collective Investment Trust”). An investor in a Collective Investment Trust (or an Intermediary acting on behalf of the investor) may elect to exchange some or all of the interests it holds in a Collective Investment Trust for shares of one or more of the Goldman Sachs Funds. Generally speaking, Rule 22c-1 under the Act requires a purchase order for shares of a Goldman Sachs Fund to be priced based on the current NAV of the Goldman Sachs Fund that is next calculated after receipt of the purchase order. A Goldman Sachs Fund will treat a purchase order component of an exchange from an investor in a Collective Investment Trust as being received in good order at the time it is communicated to an Intermediary or the Transfer Agent, if the amount of shares to be purchased is expressed as a percentage of the value of the investor’s interest in a designated Collective Investment Trust that it is contemporaneously redeeming (e.g., if the investor communicates a desire to exchange 100% of its interest in a Collective Investment Trust for shares of a Goldman Sachs Fund). The investor’s purchase price and the number of Goldman Sachs Fund shares it will acquire will therefore be calculated as of the pricing of the Collective Investment Trust on the day of the purchase order. Such an order will be deemed to be irrevocable as of the time the Goldman Sachs Fund’s NAV is next calculated after receipt of the purchase order. An investor should obtain and read the prospectus relating to any Goldman Sachs Fund and its shares and consider its investment objective, policies and applicable fees and expenses before electing an exchange into that Goldman Sachs Fund. For federal income tax purposes, an exchange of interests in a Collective Investment Trust for shares of a Goldman Sachs Fund may be subject to tax, and you should consult your tax adviser concerning the tax consequences of an exchange.

Systematic Withdrawal Plan

A systematic withdrawal plan (the “Systematic Withdrawal Plan”) is available to shareholders of the Fund whose shares are worth at least $5,000. The Systematic Withdrawal Plan provides for monthly payments to the participating shareholder of any amount not less than $50.

Distributions on shares held under the Systematic Withdrawal Plan are reinvested in additional full and fractional shares of the Fund at net asset value. The Transfer Agent acts as agent for the shareholder in redeeming sufficient full and fractional shares to provide the amount of the systematic withdrawal payment. The Systematic Withdrawal Plan may be terminated at any time. Goldman Sachs reserves the right to initiate a fee of up to $5 per withdrawal, upon thirty (30) days’ written notice to the shareholder. Withdrawal payments should not be considered to be dividends, yield or income. If periodic withdrawals continuously exceed new purchases and reinvested distributions, the shareholder’s original investment will be correspondingly reduced and ultimately exhausted. The maintenance of a withdrawal plan concurrently with purchases of additional Class A or Class C Shares would be disadvantageous because of the sales charge imposed on purchases of Class A Shares or the imposition of a CDSC on redemptions of Class A and Class C Shares. The CDSC applicable to Class A or Class C Shares redeemed under a Systematic Withdrawal Plan may be waived. See “Shareholder Guide” in the Prospectus. In addition, each withdrawal constitutes a redemption of shares, and any gain or loss realized must be reported for federal and state income tax purposes. A shareholder should consult his or her own tax adviser with regard to the tax consequences of participating in the Systematic Withdrawal Plan. For further information or to request a Systematic Withdrawal Plan, please write or call the Transfer Agent.

 

B-77


CONTROL PERSONS AND PRINCIPAL HOLDERS OF SECURITIES

As of February 28, 2014, The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc., a Delaware corporation whose principal office is located at 200 West Street, New York, NY 10282, owned of record and beneficially 25% or more of the outstanding shares of the Fund, and thus may be deemed to control the Fund.

As of February 28, 2014, the following shareholders were shown in the Trust’s records as owning more than 5% of any class of the Fund’s shares. Except as listed below, the Trust does not know of any persons who own of record or beneficially 5% of more of any class of the Fund’s shares:

 

Class

  

Name/Address

  

Percentage of Class

Class A

   Charles Schwab & Co., Inc., Special Custody Acct. FBO Customers, Attn: Mutual Funds, 211 Main Street, San Francisco, CA 94105-1905.    29.26%

Class A

   UBS Financial Services Inc., Attn: Dept. Manager, 1000 Harbor Blvd, 5 th Floor, Weehawken, NJ 07086-6761.    11.36%

Class A

   National Financial Services LLC, FBO Customers, Attn: Mutual Funds Dept, 4 th Fl, 499 Washington Blvd., Jersey City, NJ 07310-2010.    15.92%

Class A

   LPL Financial Corporation, 9785 Towne Centre Drive, San Diego, CA 92121-1968.    6.58%

Class A

   Morgan Stanley & Co., Harborside Financial Center, Plaza II 3 rd Floor, Jersey City, NJ 07311.    5.33%

Class A

   American Enterprise Investment Services, 707 2 nd Ave South, Minneapolis, MN 55402-2405.    21.15%

Class C

   First Clearing, LLC, Special Custody Account FBO Customer, 2801 Market St., Saint Louis, MO 63103-2523.    12.65%

Class C

   UBS Financial Services Inc., Attn: Dept. Manager, 1000 Harbor Blvd, 5 th Floor, Weehawken, NJ 07086-6761.    7.09%

Class C

   LPL Financial Corporation, 9785 Towne Centre Drive, San Diego, CA 92121-1968.    5.86%

Class C

   Morgan Stanley & Co., Harborside Financial Center, Plaza II 3 rd Floor, Jersey City, NJ 07311.    49.17%

Class C

   Pershing LLC, 1 Pershing Plaza, Jersey City, NJ 07399-0002.    9.06%

Class C

   American Enterprise Investment Services, 707 2 nd Ave South, Minneapolis, MN 55402-2405.    11.03%

Institutional

   First Clearing, LLC, Special Custody Account FBO Customer, 2801 Market St., Saint Louis, MO 63103-2523.    10.58%

Institutional

   Morgan Stanley & Co., Attn: Mutual Fund Operations, 1 New York Plaza, Floor 12, New York, NY 10004-1901.    19.49%

 

B-78


Institutional

   Goldman Sachs & Co., Goldman Sachs Tax-Advantage Global Equity Portfolio, One Beacon Street, 18 th Floor, Boston, MA 02108-3107.    11.91%

Institutional

   National Financial Services LLC, FBO Customers, Attn: Mutual Funds Dept, 4 th Fl, 499 Washington Blvd., Jersey City, NJ 07310-2010.    5.57%

Institutional

   Charles Schwab & Co., Inc., Special Custody Acct. FBO Customers, Attn: Mutual Funds, 101 Montgomery Street, San Francisco, CA 94104-4151.    6.89%

Institutional

   Goldman Sachs & Co., FBO Omnibus, c/o Mutual Fund Ops, 295 Chipeta Way, Salt Lake City, UT 84108-1285.    38.44%

Class IR

   RBC Capital Markets LLC, Attn: Mutual Fund Ops Manager, 60 S. 6 th Street, Suite 700, #P08, Minneapolis, MN 55402-4413.    19.22%

Class IR

   LPL Financial Corporation, 9785 Towne Centre Drive, San Diego, CA 92121-1968.    71.73%

Class IR

   Pershing LLC, 1 Pershing Plaza, Jersey City, NJ 07399-0002.    8.93%

Class R

   Goldman Sachs Group Seed Accounts, Attn: IMD-India-SAOS, Crystal Downs Fl. 3, Embassy Golf Links Business Park Bangalore 560071, India.    34.38%

Class R

   JW Cole Financial, MG Trust Company, FBO Customer, 717 17 th Street, Suite 1300, Denver, CO 80202-3304    65.03%

 

B-79


APPENDIX A

DESCRIPTION OF SECURITIES RATINGS

Short-Term Credit Ratings

A Standard & Poor’s short-term issue credit rating is a current opinion of the creditworthiness of an obligor with respect to a specific financial obligation having an original maturity of no more than 365 days. The following summarizes the rating categories used by Standard & Poor’s for short-term issues:

“A-1” —A short-term obligation rated “A-1” is rated in the highest category by Standard & Poor’s. The obligor’s capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation is strong. Within this category, certain obligations are designated with a plus sign (+). This indicates that the obligor’s capacity to meet its financial commitment on these obligations is extremely strong.

“A-2” — short-term obligation rated “A-2” is somewhat more susceptible to the adverse effects of changes in circumstances and economic conditions than obligations in higher rating categories. However, the obligor’s capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation is satisfactory.

“A-3” — A short-term obligation rated “A-3” exhibits adequate protection parameters. However, adverse economic conditions or changing circumstances are more likely to lead to a weakened capacity of the obligor to meet its financial commitment on the obligation.

“B” — A short-term obligation rated “B” is regarded as having significant speculative characteristics. Ratings of “B-1”, “B-2”, and “B-3” may be assigned to indicate finer distinctions within the “B” category. The obligor currently has the capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation; however, it faces major ongoing uncertainties which could lead to the obligor’s inadequate capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation.

“B-1” — A short-term obligation rated “B-1” is regarded as having significant speculative characteristics, but the obligor has a relatively stronger capacity to meet its financial commitments over the short-term compared to other speculative-grade obligors.

“B-2” — A short-term obligation rated “B-2” is regarded as having significant speculative characteristics, and the obligor has an average speculative-grade capacity to meet its financial commitments over the short-term compared to other speculative-grade obligors.

“B-3” — A short-term obligation rated “B-3” is regarded as having significant speculative characteristics, and the obligor has a relatively weaker capacity to meet its financial commitments over the short-term compared to other speculative-grade obligors.

“C” — A short-term obligation rated “C” is currently vulnerable to nonpayment and is dependent upon favorable business, financial, and economic conditions for the obligor to meet its financial commitment on the obligation.

“D” — A short-term obligation rated “D” is in payment default. The “D” rating category is used when payments on an obligation are not made on the date due even if the applicable grace period has not expired, unless Standard & Poor’s believes that such payments will be made during such grace period. The “D” rating also will be used upon the filing of a bankruptcy petition or the taking of a similar action if payments on an obligation are jeopardized.

Local Currency and Foreign Currency Risks — Country risk considerations are a standard part of Standard & Poor’s analysis for credit ratings on any issuer or issue. Currency of repayment is a key factor in this analysis. An obligor’s capacity to repay foreign currency obligations may be lower than its capacity to repay obligations in its local currency due to the sovereign government’s own relatively lower capacity to repay external versus domestic debt. These sovereign risk considerations are incorporated in the debt ratings assigned to specific issues. Foreign

 

1-A


Currency issuer ratings are also distinguished from local currency issuer ratings to identify those instances where sovereign risks make them different for the same issuer.

Moody’s Investors Service (“Moody’s”) short-term ratings are opinions of the ability of issuers to honor short-term financial obligations. Ratings may be assigned to issuers, short-term programs or to individual short-term debt instruments. Such obligations generally have an original maturity not exceeding thirteen months, unless explicitly noted.

Moody’s employs the following designations to indicate the relative repayment ability of rated issuers:

“P-1” — Issuers (or supporting institutions) rated Prime-1 have a superior ability to repay short-term debt obligations.

“P-2” — Issuers (or supporting institutions) rated Prime-2 have a strong ability to repay short-term debt obligations.

“P-3” — Issuers (or supporting institutions) rated Prime-3 have an acceptable ability to repay short-term obligations.

“NP” — Issuers (or supporting institutions) rated Not Prime do not fall within any of the Prime rating categories.

Fitch, Inc. / Fitch Ratings Ltd. (“Fitch”) short-term ratings scale applies to foreign currency and local currency ratings. A short-term rating has a time horizon of less than 13 months for most obligations, or up to three years for U.S. public finance, in line with industry standards, to reflect unique risk characteristics of bond, tax, and revenue anticipation notes that are commonly issued with terms up to three years. Short-term ratings thus place greater emphasis on the liquidity necessary to meet financial commitments in a timely manner. The following summarizes the rating categories used by Fitch for short-term obligations:

“F1” — Securities possess the highest credit quality. This designation indicates the strongest capacity for timely payment of financial commitments; may have an added “+” to denote any exceptionally strong credit feature.

“F2” — Securities possess good credit quality. This designation indicates a satisfactory capacity for timely payment of financial commitments, but the margin of safety is not as great as in the case of the higher ratings.

“F3” — Securities possess fair credit quality. This designation indicates that the capacity for timely payment of financial commitments is adequate; however, near term adverse changes could result in a reduction to non investment grade.

“B” — Securities possess speculative credit quality. This designation indicates minimal capacity for timely payment of financial commitments, plus vulnerability to near term adverse changes in financial and economic conditions.

“C” — Securities possess high default risk. Default is a real possibility. This designation indicates a capacity for meeting financial commitments which is solely reliant upon a sustained, favorable business and economic environment.

“D” — Indicates an entity or sovereign that has defaulted on all of its financial obligations.

“NR” — This designation indicates that Fitch does not publicly rate the associated issuer or issue.

“WD” — This designation indicates that the rating has been withdrawn and is no longer maintained by Fitch.

 

2-A


The following summarizes the ratings used by Dominion Bond Rating Service Limited (“DBRS”) for commercial paper and short-term debt:

“R-1 (high)” — Short-term debt rated “R-1 (high)” is of the highest credit quality, and indicates an entity possessing unquestioned ability to repay current liabilities as they fall due. Entities rated in this category normally maintain strong liquidity positions, conservative debt levels, and profitability that is both stable and above average. Companies achieving an “R-1 (high)” rating are normally leaders in structurally sound industry segments with proven track records, sustainable positive future results, and no substantial qualifying negative factors. Given the extremely tough definition DBRS has established for an “R-1 (high)”, few entities are strong enough to achieve this rating.

“R-1 (middle)” — Short-term debt rated “R-1 (middle)” is of superior credit quality and, in most cases, ratings in this category differ from “R-1 (high)” credits by only a small degree. Given the extremely tough definition DBRS has established for the “R-1 (high)” category, entities rated “R-1 (middle)” are also considered strong credits, and typically exemplify above average strength in key areas of consideration for the timely repayment of short-term liabilities.

“R-1 (low)” — Short-term debt rated “R-1 (low)” is of satisfactory credit quality. The overall strength and outlook for key liquidity, debt and profitability ratios are not normally as favorable as with higher rating categories, but these considerations are still respectable. Any qualifying negative factors that exist are considered manageable, and the entity is normally of sufficient size to have some influence in its industry.

“R-2 (high)” — Short-term debt rated “R-2 (high)” is considered to be at the upper end of adequate credit quality. The ability to repay obligations as they mature remains acceptable, although the overall strength and outlook for key liquidity, debt, and profitability ratios is not as strong as credits rated in the “R-1 (low)” category. Relative to the latter category, other shortcomings often include areas such as stability, financial flexibility, and the relative size and market position of the entity within its industry.

“R-2 (middle)” — Short-term debt rated “R-2 (middle)” is considered to be of adequate credit quality. Relative to the “R-2 (high)” category, entities rated “R-2 (middle)” typically have some combination of higher volatility, weaker debt or liquidity positions, lower future cash flow capabilities, or are negatively impacted by a weaker industry. Ratings in this category would be more vulnerable to adverse changes in financial and economic conditions.

“R-2 (low)” — Short-term debt rated “R-2 (low)” is considered to be at the lower end of adequate credit quality, typically having some combination of challenges that are not acceptable for an “R-2 (middle)” credit. However, “R-2 (low)” ratings still display a level of credit strength that allows for a higher rating than the “R-3” category, with this distinction often reflecting the issuer’s liquidity profile.

“R-3” — Short-term debt rated “R-3” is considered to be at the lowest end of adequate credit quality, one step up from being speculative. While not yet defined as speculative, the “R-3” category signifies that although repayment is still expected, the certainty of repayment could be impacted by a variety of possible adverse developments, many of which would be outside the issuer’s control. Entities in this area often have limited access to capital markets and may also have limitations in securing alternative sources of liquidity, particularly during periods of weak economic conditions.

“R-4” — Short-term debt rated “R-4” is speculative. “R-4” credits tend to have weak liquidity and debt ratios, and the future trend of these ratios is also unclear. Due to its speculative nature, companies with “R-4” ratings would normally have very limited access to alternative sources of liquidity. Earnings and cash flow would typically be very unstable, and the level of overall profitability of the entity is also likely to be low. The industry environment may be weak, and strong negative qualifying factors are also likely to be present.

“R-5” — Short-term debt rated “R-5” is highly speculative. There is a reasonably high level of uncertainty as to the ability of the entity to repay the obligations on a continuing basis in the future, especially in periods of economic recession or industry adversity. In some cases, short term debt rated “R-5” may have challenges that if not corrected, could lead to default.

“D” — A security rated “D” implies the issuer has either not met a scheduled payment or the issuer has made it clear that it will be missing such a payment in the near future. In some cases, DBRS may not assign a “D” rating

 

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under a bankruptcy announcement scenario, as allowances for grace periods may exist in the underlying legal documentation. Once assigned, the “D” rating will continue as long as the missed payment continues to be in arrears, and until such time as the rating is discontinued or reinstated by DBRS.

Long-Term Credit Ratings

The following summarizes the ratings used by Standard & Poor’s for long-term issues:

“AAA” — An obligation rated “AAA” has the highest rating assigned by Standard & Poor’s. The obligor’s capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation is extremely strong.

“AA” — An obligation rated “AA” differs from the highest-rated obligations only to a small degree. The obligor’s capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation is very strong.

“A” — An obligation rated “A” is somewhat more susceptible to the adverse effects of changes in circumstances and economic conditions than obligations in higher-rated categories. However, the obligor’s capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation is still strong.

“BBB” — An obligation rated “BBB” exhibits adequate protection parameters. However, adverse economic conditions or changing circumstances are more likely to lead to a weakened capacity of the obligor to meet its financial commitment on the obligation.

Obligations rated “BB,” “B,” “CCC,” “CC” and “C” are regarded as having significant speculative characteristics. “BB” indicates the least degree of speculation and “C” the highest. While such obligations will likely have some quality and protective characteristics, these may be outweighed by large uncertainties or major exposures to adverse conditions.

“BB” — An obligation rated “BB” is less vulnerable to nonpayment than other speculative issues. However, it faces major ongoing uncertainties or exposure to adverse business, financial, or economic conditions which could lead to the obligor’s inadequate capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation.

“B” — An obligation rated “B” is more vulnerable to nonpayment than obligations rated “BB,” but the obligor currently has the capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation. Adverse business, financial, or economic conditions will likely impair the obligor’s capacity or willingness to meet its financial commitment on the obligation.

“CCC” — An obligation rated “CCC” is currently vulnerable to nonpayment, and is dependent upon favorable business, financial and economic conditions for the obligor to meet its financial commitment on the obligation. In the event of adverse business, financial, or economic conditions, the obligor is not likely to have the capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation.

“CC” — An obligation rated “CC” is currently highly vulnerable to nonpayment.

“C” — A “C” rating is assigned to obligations that are currently highly vulnerable to nonpayment, obligations that have payment arrearages allowed by the terms of the documents, or obligations of an issuer that is the subject of a bankruptcy petition or similar action which have not experienced a payment default. Among others, the ‘C’ rating may be assigned to subordinated debt, preferred stock or other obligations on which cash payments have been suspended in accordance with the instrument’s terms.

“D” — An obligation rated “D” is in payment default. The “D” rating category is used when payments on an obligation are not made on the date due even if the applicable grace period has not expired, unless Standard & Poor’s believes that such payments will be made during such grace period. The “D” rating also will be used upon the filing of a bankruptcy petition or the taking of a similar action if payments on an obligation are jeopardized.

Plus (+) or minus (-)— The ratings from “AA” to “CCC” may be modified by the addition of a plus (+) or minus (-) sign to show relative standing within the major rating categories.

 

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“NR” — This indicates that no rating has been requested, that there is insufficient information on which to base a rating, or that Standard & Poor’s does not rate a particular obligation as a matter of policy.

Local Currency and Foreign Currency Risks — Country risk considerations are a standard part of Standard & Poor’s analysis for credit ratings on any issuer or issue. Currency of repayment is a key factor in this analysis. An obligor’s capacity to repay foreign currency obligations may be lower than its capacity to repay obligations in its local currency due to the sovereign government’s own relatively lower capacity to repay external versus domestic debt. These sovereign risk considerations are incorporated in the debt ratings assigned to specific issues. Foreign currency issuer ratings are also distinguished from local currency issuer ratings to identify those instances where sovereign risks make them different for the same issuer.

The following summarizes the ratings used by Moody’s for long-term debt:

“Aaa” — Obligations rated “Aaa” are judged to be of the highest quality, with minimal credit risk.

“Aa” — Obligations rated “Aa” are judged to be of high quality and are subject to very low credit risk.

“A” — Obligations rated “A” are considered upper-medium grade and are subject to low credit risk.

“Baa” — Obligations rated “Baa” are subject to moderate credit risk. They are considered medium-grade and as such may possess certain speculative characteristics.

“Ba” — Obligations rated “Ba” are judged to have speculative elements and are subject to substantial credit risk.

“B” — Obligations rated “B” are considered speculative and are subject to high credit risk.

“Caa” — Obligations rated “Caa” are judged to be of poor standing and are subject to very high credit risk.

“Ca” — Obligations rated “Ca” are highly speculative and are likely in, or very near, default, with some prospect of recovery of principal and interest.

“C” — Obligations rated “C” are the lowest rated class of bonds and are typically in default, with little prospect for recovery of principal or interest.

Note: Moody’s appends numerical modifiers 1, 2, and 3 to each generic rating classification from “Aa” through “Caa.” The modifier 1 indicates that the obligation ranks in the higher end of its generic rating category; the modifier 2 indicates a mid-range ranking; and the modifier 3 indicates a ranking in the lower end of that generic rating category.

The following summarizes long-term ratings used by Fitch:

“AAA” — Securities considered to be of the highest credit quality. “AAA” ratings denote the lowest expectation of credit risk. They are assigned only in case of exceptionally strong capacity for payment of financial commitments. This capacity is highly unlikely to be adversely affected by foreseeable events.

“AA” — Securities considered to be of very high credit quality. “AA” ratings denote expectations of very low credit risk. They indicate very strong capacity for payment of financial commitments. This capacity is not significantly vulnerable to foreseeable events.

“A” — Securities considered to be of high credit quality. “A” ratings denote expectations of low credit risk. The capacity for payment of financial commitments is considered strong. This capacity may, nevertheless, be more vulnerable to changes in circumstances or in economic conditions than is the case for higher ratings.

 

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“BBB” — Securities considered to be of good credit quality. “BBB” ratings indicate that there is currently expectations of low credit risk. The capacity for payment of financial commitments is considered adequate but adverse changes in circumstances and economic conditions are more likely to impair this capacity. This is the lowest investment grade category.

“BB” — Securities considered to be speculative. “BB” ratings indicate that there is a possibility of credit risk developing, particularly as the result of adverse economic change over time; however, business or financial alternatives may be available to allow financial commitments to be met. Securities rated in this category are not investment grade.

“B” — Securities considered to be highly speculative. For issuers and performing obligations, “B” ratings indicate that significant credit risk is present, but a limited margin of safety remains. Financial commitments are currently being met; however, capacity for continued payment is contingent upon a sustained, favorable business and economic environment. For individual obligations, may indicate distressed or defaulted obligations with potential for extremely high recoveries. Such obligations would possess a Recovery Rating of “RR1” (outstanding).

“CCC” — For issuers and performing obligations, default is a real possibility. Capacity for meeting financial commitments is solely reliant upon sustained, favorable business or economic conditions. For individual obligations, may indicate distressed or defaulted obligations with potential for average to superior levels of recovery. Differences in credit quality may be denoted by plus/minus distinctions. Such obligations typically would possess a Recovery Rating of “RR2” (superior), or “RR3” (good) or “RR4” (average).

“CC” — For issuers and performing obligations, default of some kind appears probable. For individual obligations, may indicate distressed or defaulted obligations with a Recovery Rating of “RR4” (average) or “RR5” (below average).

“C” — For issuers and performing obligations, default is imminent. For individual obligations, may indicate distressed or defaulted obligations with potential for below-average to poor recoveries. Such obligations would possess a Recovery Rating of “RR6” (poor).

“RD” — Indicates an entity that has failed to make due payments (within the applicable grace period) on some but not all material financial obligations, but continues to honor other classes of obligations.

“D” — Indicates an entity or sovereign that has defaulted on all of its financial obligations.

Plus (+) or minus (-) may be appended to a rating to denote relative status within major rating categories. Such suffixes are not added to the “AAA” category or to categories below “CCC”.

“NR” — Denotes that Fitch does not publicly rate the associated issue or issuer.

“WD” — Indicates that the rating has been withdrawn and is no longer maintained by Fitch.

The following summarizes the ratings used by DBRS for long-term debt:

“AAA” — Long-term debt rated “AAA” is of the highest credit quality, with exceptionally strong protection for the timely repayment of principal and interest. Earnings are considered stable, the structure of the industry in which the entity operates is strong, and the outlook for future profitability is favorable. There are few qualifying factors present that would detract from the performance of the entity. The strength of liquidity and coverage ratios is unquestioned and the entity has established a credible track record of superior performance. Given the extremely high standard that DBRS has set for this category, few entities are able to achieve a “AAA” rating.

“AA” — Long-term debt rated “AA” is of superior credit quality, and protection of interest and principal is considered high. In many cases they differ from long-term debt rated “AAA” only to a small degree. Given the extremely restrictive definition DBRS has for the “AAA” category, entities rated “AA” are also considered to be strong credits, typically exemplifying above-average strength in key areas of consideration and unlikely to be significantly affected by reasonably foreseeable events.

 

6-A


“A” — Long-term debt rated “A” is of satisfactory credit quality. Protection of interest and principal is still substantial, but the degree of strength is less than that of “AA” rated entities. While “A” is a respectable rating, entities in this category are considered to be more susceptible to adverse economic conditions and have greater cyclical tendencies than higher-rated securities.

“BBB” — Long-term debt rated “BBB” is of adequate credit quality . Protection of interest and principal is considered acceptable, but the entity is fairly susceptible to adverse changes in financial and economic conditions, or there may be other adverse conditions present which reduce the strength of the entity and its rated securities.

“BB” — Long-term debt rated “BB” is defined to be speculative and non-investment grade, where the degree of protection afforded interest and principal is uncertain, particularly during periods of economic recession. Entities in the “BB” range typically have limited access to capital markets and additional liquidity support. In many cases, deficiencies in critical mass, diversification, and competitive strength are additional negative considerations.

“B” — Long-term debt rated “B” is considered highly speculative and there is a reasonably high level of uncertainty as to the ability of the entity to pay interest and principal on a continuing basis in the future, especially in periods of economic recession or industry adversity.

“CCC”, CC” and “C” — Long-term debt rated in any of these categories is very highly speculative and is in danger of default of interest and principal. The degree of adverse elements present is more severe than long-term debt rated “B.” Long-term debt rated below “B” often have features which, if not remedied, may lead to default. In practice, there is little difference between these three categories, with “CC” and “C” normally used for lower ranking debt of companies for which the senior debt is rated in the “CCC” to “B” range.

“D” — A security rated “D” implies the issuer has either not met a scheduled payment of interest or principal or that the issuer has made it clear that it will miss such a payment in the near future. In some cases, DBRS may not assign a “D” rating under a bankruptcy announcement scenario, as allowances for grace periods may exist in the underlying legal documentation. Once assigned, the “D” rating will continue as long as the missed payment continues to be in arrears, and until such time as the rating is discontinued or reinstated by DBRS.

(“high”, “low”) — Each rating category is denoted by the subcategories “high” and “low”. The absence of either a “high” or “low” designation indicates the rating is in the “middle” of the category. The “AAA” and “D” categories do not utilize “high”, “middle”, and “low” as differential grades.

Municipal Note Ratings

A Standard & Poor’s U.S. municipal note rating reflects the liquidity factors and market access risks unique to notes. Notes due in three years or less will likely receive a note rating. Notes maturing beyond three years will most likely receive a long-term debt rating. The following criteria will be used in making that assessment:

 

   

Amortization schedule-the larger the final maturity relative to other maturities, the more likely it will be treated as a note; and

 

   

Source of payment-the more dependent the issue is on the market for its refinancing, the more likely it will be treated as a note.

Note rating symbols are as follows:

“SP-1” — The issuers of these municipal notes exhibit a strong capacity to pay principal and interest. Those issues determined to possess a very strong capacity to pay debt service are given a plus (+) designation.

“SP-2” — The issuers of these municipal notes exhibit a satisfactory capacity to pay principal and interest, with some vulnerability to adverse financial and economic changes over the term of the notes.

“SP-3” — The issuers of these municipal notes exhibit speculative capacity to pay principal and interest.

 

7-A


Moody’s uses three rating categories for short-term municipal obligations that are considered investment grade. These ratings are designated as Municipal Investment Grade (“MIG”) and are divided into three levels — “MIG-1” through “MIG-3”. In addition, those short-term obligations that are of speculative quality are designated “SG”, or speculative grade. MIG ratings expire at the maturity of the obligation. The following summarizes the ratings used by Moody’s for these short-term obligations:

“MIG-1” — This designation denotes superior credit quality. Excellent protection is afforded by established cash flows, highly reliable liquidity support, or demonstrated broad-based access to the market for refinancing.

“MIG-2” — This designation denotes strong credit quality. Margins of protection are ample, although not as large as in the preceding group.

“MIG-3” — This designation denotes acceptable credit quality. Liquidity and cash-flow protection may be narrow, and market access for refinancing is likely to be less well-established.

“SG” — This designation denotes speculative-grade credit quality. Debt instruments in this category may lack sufficient margins of protection.

In the case of variable rate demand obligations (“VRDOs”), a two-component rating is assigned; a long- or short-term debt rating and a demand obligation rating. The first element represents Moody’s evaluation of the degree of risk associated with scheduled principal and interest payments. The second element represents Moody’s evaluation of the degree of risk associated with the ability to receive purchase price upon demand (“demand feature”), using a variation of the MIG rating scale, the Variable Municipal Investment Grade or “VMIG” rating.

When either the long- or short-term aspect of a VRDO is not rated, that piece is designated “NR”, e.g. , “Aaa/NR” or “NR/VMIG-1”.

VMIG rating expirations are a function of each issue’s specific structural or credit features.

“VMIG-1” — This designation denotes superior credit quality. Excellent protection is afforded by the superior short-term credit strength of the liquidity provider and structural and legal protections that ensure the timely payment of purchase price upon demand.

“VMIG-2” — This designation denotes strong credit quality. Good protection is afforded by the strong short-term credit strength of the liquidity provider and structural and legal protections that ensure the timely payment of purchase price upon demand.

“VMIG-3” — This designation denotes acceptable credit quality. Adequate protection is afforded by the satisfactory short-term credit strength of the liquidity provider and structural and legal protections that ensure the timely payment of purchase price upon demand.

“SG” — This designation denotes speculative-grade credit quality. Demand features rated in this category may be supported by a liquidity provider that does not have an investment grade short-term rating or may lack the structural and/or legal protections necessary to ensure the timely payment of purchase price upon demand.

Fitch uses the same ratings for municipal securities as described above for other short-term credit ratings.

About Credit Ratings

A Standard & Poor’s issue credit rating is a current opinion of the creditworthiness of an obligor with respect to a specific financial obligation, a specific class of financial obligations, or a specific financial program (including ratings on medium-term note programs and commercial paper programs). It takes into consideration the creditworthiness of guarantors, insurers, or other forms of credit enhancement on the obligation and takes into account the currency in which the obligation is denominated. The issue credit rating is not a recommendation to purchase, sell, or hold a financial obligation, inasmuch as it does not comment as to market price or suitability for a particular investor.

 

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Moody’s credit ratings must be construed solely as statements of opinion and not as statements of fact or recommendations to purchase, sell or hold any securities.

Fitch’s credit ratings provide an opinion on the relative ability of an entity to meet financial commitments, such as interest, preferred dividends, repayment of principal, insurance claims or counterparty obligations. Fitch credit ratings are used by investors as indications of the likelihood of receiving their money back in accordance with the terms on which they invested. Fitch’s credit ratings cover the global spectrum of corporate, sovereign (including supranational and sub-national), financial, bank, insurance, municipal and other public finance entities and the securities or other obligations they issue, as well as structured finance securities backed by receivables or other financial assets.

DBRS credit ratings are not buy, hold or sell recommendations, but rather the result of qualitative and quantitative analysis focusing solely on the credit quality of the issuer and its underlying obligations.

 

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EFFECTIVE: MARCH 2013

APPENDIX B

GSAM Proxy Voting Guidelines Summary

The following is a summary of the material GSAM Proxy Voting Guidelines (the “Guidelines”), which form the substantive basis of GSAM’s Policy on Proxy Voting for Client Accounts (“Policy”). As described in the main body of the Policy, one or more GSAM portfolio management teams may diverge from the Guidelines and a related Recommendation on any particular proxy vote or in connection with any individual investment decision in accordance with the Policy.

 

A.  US proxy items:

     

1.   Operational Items

        page 1-B   

2.   Board of Directors

        page 2-B   

3.   Executive Compensation

        page 4-B   

4.   Proxy Contests and Access

        page 6-B   

5.   Shareholder Rights and Defenses

        page 7-B   

6.   Mergers and Corporate Restructurings

        page 8-B   

7.   State of Incorporation

        page 8-B   

8.   Capital Structure

        page 8-B   

9.   Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)/Environmental, Social, Governance (ESG) Issues

     page 9-B  

 

B.  Non-U.S. proxy items:

     

1.   Operational Items

        page 10-B   

2.   Board of Directors

        page 12-B   

3.   Compensation

        page 14-B   

4.   Board Structure

        page 14-B   

5.   Capital Structure

        page 15-B   

6.   Mergers and Corporate Restructurings & Other

        page 16-B   

7.   Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)/Environmental, Social, Governance (ESG) Issues

     page 17-B   

U.S. Proxy Items

The following section is a summary of the Guidelines, which form the substantive basis of the Policy with respect to U.S. public equity investments.

 

1. Operational Items

Auditor Ratification

Vote FOR proposals to ratify auditors, unless any of the following apply within the last year:

 

   

An auditor has a financial interest in or association with the company, and is therefore not independent;

 

   

There is reason to believe that the independent auditor has rendered an opinion which is neither accurate nor indicative of the company’s financial position;

 

   

Poor accounting practices are identified that rise to a serious level of concern, such as: fraud; misapplication of GAAP; or material weaknesses identified in Section 404 disclosures; or

 

   

Fees for non-audit services are excessive.

 

1-B


Non-audit fees are excessive if:

 

   

Non-audit fees exceed audit fees + audit-related fees + tax compliance/preparation fees.

Vote CASE-BY-CASE on shareholder proposals asking companies to prohibit or limit their auditors from engaging in non-audit services or asking for audit firm rotation.

 

2. Board of Directors

The Board of Directors should promote the interests of shareholders by acting in an oversight and/or advisory role; the board should consist of a majority of independent directors and should be held accountable for actions and results related to their responsibilities. When evaluating board composition, GSAM believes a diversity of ethnicity, gender and experience is an important consideration.

Classification of Directors

Where applicable, the New York Stock Exchange or NASDAQ Listing Standards definition is to be used to classify directors as insiders or affiliated outsiders. General definitions are as follows:

 

   

Inside Director

 

   

Employee of the company or one of its affiliates

 

   

Among the five most highly paid individuals (excluding interim CEO)

 

   

Listed as an officer as defined under Section 16 of the Securities and Exchange Act of 1934

 

   

Current interim CEO

 

   

Beneficial owner of more than 50 percent of the company’s voting power (this may be aggregated if voting power is distributed among more than one member of a defined group)

 

   

Affiliated Outside Director

 

   

Board attestation that an outside director is not independent

 

   

Former CEO or other executive of the company within the last 3 years

 

   

Former CEO or other executive of an acquired company within the past three years

 

   

Independent Outside Director

 

   

No material connection to the company other than a board seat

Additionally, GSAM will consider compensation committee interlocking directors to be affiliated (defined as CEOs who sit on each other’s compensation committees).

Voting on Director Nominees in Uncontested Elections

Vote on director nominees should be determined on a CASE-BY-CASE basis.

Vote AGAINST or WITHHOLD from individual directors who:

 

   

Attend less than 75 percent of the board and committee meetings without a disclosed valid excuse for each of the last two years;

 

   

Sit on more than six public company boards;

 

   

Are CEOs of public companies who sit on the boards of more than two public companies besides their own — withhold only at their outside boards.

Other items considered for an AGAINST vote include specific concerns about the individual or the company, such as criminal wrongdoing or breach of fiduciary responsibilities, sanctions from government or authority, violations of laws and regulations, or other issues related to improper business practice.

Vote AGAINST or WITHHOLD from Inside Directors and Affiliated Outside Directors (per the Classification of Directors above) when:

 

   

The inside or affiliated outside director serves on the audit, compensation, or nominating (vote against affiliated directors only for nominating) committees;

 

2-B


   

The company lacks an audit compensation, or nominating (vote against affiliated directors only for nominating) committee so that the full board functions as that committee and insiders are participating in voting on matters that independent committees should be voting on;

 

   

The full board is less than majority independent (in this case withhold from affiliated outside directors); at controlled companies, GSAM will vote against the election of affiliated outsiders and nominees affiliated with the parent and will not vote against the executives of the issuer.

Vote AGAINST or WITHHOLD from members of the appropriate committee for the following reasons (or independent Chairman or lead director in cases of a classified board and members of appropriate committee are not up for reelection). Extreme cases may warrant a vote against the entire board.

 

   

Material failures of governance, stewardship, or fiduciary responsibilities at the company;

 

   

Egregious actions related to the director(s)’ service on other boards that raise substantial doubt about his or her ability to effectively oversee management and serve the best interests of shareholders at any company;

 

   

At the previous board election, any director received more than 50 percent withhold/against votes of the shares cast and the company has failed to address the underlying issue(s) that caused the high withhold/against vote (members of the Nominating or Governance Committees);

 

   

The board failed to act on a shareholder proposal that received approval of the majority of shares cast for the previous two consecutive years (a management proposal with other than a FOR recommendation by management will not be considered as sufficient action taken); an adopted proposal that is substantially similar to the original shareholder proposal will be deemed sufficient; (vote against members of the committee of the board that is responsible for the issue under consideration). If GSAM did not support the shareholder proposal in both years, GSAM will still vote against the committee member (s).

Vote AGAINST or WITHHOLD from the members of the Audit Committee if:

 

   

The non-audit fees paid to the auditor are excessive;

 

   

The company receives an adverse opinion on the company’s financial statements from its auditor; or

 

   

There is persuasive evidence that the audit committee entered into an inappropriate indemnification agreement with its auditor that limits the ability of the company, or its shareholders, to pursue legitimate legal recourse against the audit firm.

Vote CASE-BY-CASE on members of the Audit Committee and/or the full board if poor accounting practices, which rise to a level of serious concern are identified, such as: fraud; misapplication of GAAP; and material weaknesses identified in Section 404 disclosures.

Examine the severity, breadth, chronological sequence and duration, as well as the company’s efforts at remediation or corrective actions in determining whether negative vote recommendations are warranted against the members of the Audit Committee who are responsible for the poor accounting practices, or the entire board.

See section 3 on executive and director compensation for reasons to withhold from members of the Compensation Committee.

In limited circumstances, GSAM may vote AGAINST or WITHHOLD from all nominees of the board of directors (except from new nominees who should be considered on a CASE-BY-CASE basis and except as discussed below) if:

 

   

The company’s poison pill has a dead-hand or modified dead-hand feature for two or more years. Vote against/withhold every year until this feature is removed; however, vote against the poison pill if there is one on the ballot with this feature rather than the director;

 

   

The board adopts or renews a poison pill without shareholder approval, does not commit to putting it to shareholder vote within 12 months of adoption (or in the case of an newly public company, does not commit to put the pill to a shareholder vote within 12 months following the IPO), or reneges on a commitment to put the pill to a vote, and has not yet received a withhold/against recommendation for this issue;

 

   

The board failed to act on takeover offers where the majority of the shareholders tendered their shares;

 

   

If in an extreme situation the board lacks accountability and oversight, coupled with sustained poor performance relative to peers.

Shareholder proposal regarding Independent Chair (Separate Chair/CEO)

Vote on a CASE-BY-CASE basis.

 

3-B


GSAM will generally recommend a vote AGAINST shareholder proposals requiring that the chairman’s position be filled by an independent director, if the company satisfies 3 of the 4 following criteria:

 

   

Designated lead director, elected by and from the independent board members with clearly delineated and comprehensive duties;

 

   

Two-thirds independent board;

 

   

All independent key committees; or

 

   

Established, disclosed governance guidelines.

Shareholder proposal regarding board declassification

GSAM will generally vote FOR proposals requesting that the board adopt a declassified structure in the case of operating and holding companies.

Majority Vote Shareholder Proposals

GSAM will vote FOR proposals requesting that the board adopt majority voting in the election of directors provided it does not conflict with the state law where the company is incorporated.

GSAM also looks for companies to adopt a post-election policy outlining how the company will address the situation of a holdover director.

Cumulative Vote Shareholder Proposals

GSAM will generally support shareholder proposals to restore or provide cumulative voting unless:

 

   

The company has adopted majority vote standard with a carve-out for plurality voting in situations where there are more nominees than seats, and a director resignation policy to address failed elections.

 

3. Executive Compensation

Pay Practices

Good pay practices should align management’s interests with long-term shareholder value creation. Detailed disclosure of compensation criteria is preferred; proof that companies follow the criteria should be evident and retroactive performance target changes without proper disclosure is not viewed favorably. Compensation practices should allow a company to attract and retain proven talent. Some examples of poor pay practices include: abnormally large bonus payouts without justifiable performance linkage or proper disclosure, egregious employment contracts, excessive severance and/or change in control provisions, repricing or replacing of underwater stock options/stock appreciation rights without prior shareholder approval, and excessive perquisites. A company should also have an appropriate balance of short-term vs. long-term metrics and the metrics should be aligned with business goals and objectives.

If the company maintains problematic or poor pay practices, generally vote first:

 

   

AGAINST Management Say on Pay (MSOP) Proposals or;

 

   

AGAINST an equity-based incentive plan proposal if excessive non-performance-based equity awards are the major contributor to a pay-for-performance misalignment, then;

 

   

If no MSOP or equity-based incentive plan proposal item is on the ballot, AGAINST/WITHHOLD from compensation committee members.

Equity Compensation Plans

Vote CASE-BY-CASE on equity-based compensation plans. Reasons to vote AGAINST the equity plan could include the following factors:

 

   

The plan is a vehicle for poor pay practices; or

 

4-B


   

The plan permits the repricing of stock options/stock appreciation rights (SARs) without prior shareholder approval; or

 

   

The company’s three year burn rate and Shareholder Value Transfer (SVT) calculations both materially exceed industry group metrics.

Advisory Vote on Executive Compensation (Say-on-Pay, MSOP) Management Proposals

Vote FOR annual frequency and AGAINST shareholder or management proposals asking for any frequency less than annual.

Vote CASE-BY-CASE on management proposals for an advisory vote on executive compensation. For U.S. companies, consider the following factors in the context of each company’s specific circumstances and the board’s disclosed rationale for its practices. In general more than one factor will need to be present in order to warrant a vote AGAINST.

Pay-for-Performance Disconnect:

 

   

GSAM will consider there to be a disconnect based on a quantitative assessment of the following: CEO pay vs. TSR and peers, CEO pay as a percentage of the median peer group or CEO pay vs. shareholder return over time.

Additional Factors Considered Include:

 

   

Boards responsiveness if company received 70% or less shareholder support in the previous years MSOP vote;

 

   

Abnormally large bonus payouts without justifiable performance linkage or proper disclosure;

 

   

Egregious employment contracts;

 

   

Excessive perquisites or excessive severance and/or change in control provisions;

 

   

Repricing or replacing of underwater stock options without prior shareholder approval;

 

   

Excessive executive pledging or hedging of stock by executives;

 

   

Egregious pension/SERP (supplemental executive retirement plan) payouts;

 

   

Extraordinary relocation benefits;

 

   

Internal pay disparity;

 

   

Depth of disclosure of compensation philosophy and goals and targets, including details on short-term and long-term performance incentives; and

 

   

Long-term equity based compensation is 100% time-based.

Other Compensation Proposals and Policies

Employee Stock Purchase Plans — Non-Qualified Plans

Vote CASE-BY-CASE on nonqualified employee stock purchase plans taking into account the following factors:

 

   

Broad-based participation;

 

   

Limits on employee contribution;

 

   

Company matching contribution; and

 

   

Presence of a discount on the stock price on the date of purchase.

Option Exchange Programs/Repricing Options

Vote CASE-BY-CASE on management proposals seeking approval to exchange/reprice options, taking into consideration:

 

   

Historic trading patterns—the stock price should not be so volatile that the options are likely to be back “in-the-money” over the near term;

 

   

Rationale for the re-pricing;

 

   

If it is a value-for-value exchange;

 

   

If surrendered stock options are added back to the plan reserve;

 

   

Option vesting;

 

   

Term of the option — the term should remain the same as that of the replaced option;

 

   

Exercise price — should be set at fair market or a premium to market;

 

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Participants — executive officers and directors should be excluded.

Vote FOR shareholder proposals to put option repricings to a shareholder vote.

Other Shareholder Proposals on Compensation

Advisory Vote on Executive Compensation (Frequency on Pay)

Vote FOR annual frequency.

Stock retention holding period

Vote FOR Shareholder proposals asking for a policy requiring that senior executives retain a significant percentage of shares acquired through equity compensation programs if the policy allows retention for two years or less following the termination of their employment (through retirement or otherwise) and a holding threshold percentage of 50% or less.

Also consider:

 

   

Whether the company has any holding period, retention ratio, or officer ownership requirements in place.

Elimination of accelerated vesting in the event of a change in control

Vote AGAINST shareholder proposals seeking a policy eliminating the accelerated vesting of time-based equity awards in the event of a change in control.

Performance-based equity awards and pay-for-superior-performance proposals

Generally support unless there is sufficient evidence that the current compensation structure is already substantially performance-based. GSAM considers performance-based awards to include awards that are tied to shareholder return or other metrics that are relevant to the business.

Say on Supplemental Executive Retirement Plans (SERP)

Generally vote AGAINST proposals asking for shareholder votes on SERP.

 

4. Proxy Contests and Access

Voting for Director Nominees in Contested Elections

Vote CASE-BY-CASE on the election of directors in contested elections, considering the following factors:

 

   

Long-term financial performance of the target company relative to its industry;

 

   

Management’s track record;

 

   

Background to the proxy contest;

 

   

Qualifications of director nominees (both slates);

 

   

Strategic plan of dissident slate and quality of critique against management;

 

   

Likelihood that the proposed goals and objectives can be achieved (both slates);

 

   

Stock ownership positions.

 

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Proxy Access

Vote CASE-BY-CASE on shareholder or management proposals asking for open proxy access.

GSAM may support proxy access as an important right for shareholders and as an alternative to costly proxy contests and as a method for GSAM to vote for directors on an individual basis, as appropriate, rather than voting on one slate or the other. While this could be an important shareholder right, the following will be taken into account when evaluating the shareholder proposals:

 

   

The ownership thresholds, percentage and duration proposed (GSAM will not support if the ownership threshold is less than 3%);

 

   

The maximum proportion of directors that shareholders may nominate each year (GSAM will not support if the proportion of directors is greater than 25%); and

 

   

The method of determining which nominations should appear on the ballot if multiple shareholders submit nominations.

Reimbursing Proxy Solicitation Expenses

Vote CASE-BY-CASE on proposals to reimburse proxy solicitation expenses. When voting in conjunction with support of a dissident slate, vote FOR the reimbursement of all appropriate proxy solicitation expenses associated with the election.

 

5. Shareholders Rights & Defenses

Shareholder Ability to Act by Written Consent

Generally vote FOR shareholder proposals that provide shareholders with the ability to act by written consent, unless:

 

   

The company already gives shareholders the right to call special meetings at a threshold of 25% or lower; and

 

   

The company has a history of strong governance practices.

Shareholder Ability to Call Special Meetings

Generally vote FOR management proposals that provide shareholders with the ability to call special meetings.

Generally vote FOR shareholder proposals that provide shareholders with the ability to call special meetings at a threshold of 25% or lower if the company currently does not give shareholders the right to call special meetings. However, if a company already gives shareholders the right to call special meetings at a threshold of at least 25%, do not support shareholder proposals to further reduce the threshold.

Advance Notice Requirements for Shareholder Proposals/Nominations

Vote CASE-BY-CASE on advance notice proposals, giving support to proposals that allow shareholders to submit proposals/nominations reasonably close to the meeting date and within the broadest window possible, recognizing the need to allow sufficient notice for company, regulatory and shareholder review.

Poison Pills

Vote FOR shareholder proposals requesting that the company submit its poison pill to a shareholder vote or redeem it UNLESS the company has: (1) A shareholder-approved poison pill in place; or (2) the company has adopted a policy concerning the adoption of a pill in the future specifying certain shareholder friendly provisions.

Vote FOR shareholder proposals calling for poison pills to be put to a vote within a time period of less than one year after adoption.

Vote CASE-BY-CASE on management proposals on poison pill ratification, focusing on the features of the shareholder rights plan.

 

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In addition, the rationale for adopting the pill should be thoroughly explained by the company. In examining the request for the pill, take into consideration the company’s existing governance structure, including: board independence, existing takeover defenses, and any problematic governance concerns.

 

6. Mergers and Corporate Restructurings

Vote CASE-BY-CASE on mergers and acquisitions taking into account the following based on publicly available information:

 

   

Valuation;

 

   

Market reaction;

 

   

Strategic rationale;

 

   

Management’s track record of successful integration of historical acquisitions;

 

   

Presence of conflicts of interest; and

 

   

Governance profile of the combined company.

 

7. State of Incorporation

Reincorporation Proposals

GSAM may support management proposals to reincorporate as long as the reincorporation would not substantially diminish shareholder rights. GSAM may not support shareholder proposals for reincorporation unless the current state of incorporation is substantially less shareholder friendly than the proposed reincorporation, there is a strong economic case to reincorporate or the company has a history of making decisions that are not shareholder friendly.

Exclusive venue for shareholder lawsuits

Generally vote FOR on exclusive venue proposals, taking into account:

 

   

Whether the company has been materially harmed by shareholder litigation outside its jurisdiction of incorporation, based on disclosure in the company’s proxy statement;

 

   

Whether the company has the following good governance features:

 

   

An annually elected board;

 

   

A majority vote standard in uncontested director elections; and

 

   

The absence of a poison pill, unless the pill was approved by shareholders.

 

8. Capital Structure

Common Stock Authorization

Votes on proposals to increase the number of shares of common stock authorized for issuance are determined on a CASE-BY-CASE basis. We consider company-specific factors that include, at a minimum, the following:

 

   

Past Board performance;

 

   

The company’s use of authorized shares during the last three years;

 

   

One- and three-year total shareholder return;

 

   

The board’s governance structure and practices;

 

   

The current request;

 

   

Disclosure in the proxy statement of specific reasons for the proposed increase;

 

   

The dilutive impact of the request as determined through an allowable increase, which examines the company’s need for shares and total shareholder returns; and

 

   

Risks to shareholders of not approving the request.

 

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9. Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)/Environmental, Social, Governance (ESG) Issues

Overall Approach

GSAM recognizes that Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) factors can affect investment performance, expose potential investment risks and provide an indication of management excellence and leadership. When evaluating ESG proxy issues GSAM balances the purpose of a proposal with the overall benefit to shareholders.

Shareholder proposals considered under this category could include: Reports asking for details on 1) labor and safety policies, 2) impact on the environment of the company’s oil sands or fracturing operations or 3) water-related risks

When evaluating social and environmental shareholder proposals the following factors should be considered:

 

   

Whether adoption of the proposal is likely to enhance or protect shareholder value;

 

   

Whether the information requested concerns business issues that relate to a meaningful percentage of the company’s business;

 

   

The degree to which the company’s stated position on the issues raised in the proposal could affect its reputation or sales, or leave it vulnerable to a boycott or selective purchasing;

 

   

Whether the company has already responded in some appropriate manner to the request embodied in the proposal;

 

   

What other companies have done in response to the issue addressed in the proposal;

 

   

Whether the proposal itself is well framed and the cost of preparing the report is reasonable;

 

   

Whether the subject of the proposal is best left to the discretion of the board;

 

   

Whether the company has material fines or violations in the area and if so, if appropriate actions have already been taken to remedy going forward;

 

   

Whether the requested information is available to shareholders either from the company or from a publicly available source; and

 

   

Whether providing this information would reveal proprietary or confidential information that would place the company at a competitive disadvantage.

Sustainability, climate change reporting

Generally vote FOR proposals requesting the company to report on its policies, initiatives, and oversight mechanisms related to social, economic, and environmental sustainability, or how the company may be impacted by climate change. The following factors will be considered:

 

   

The company’s current level of publicly-available disclosure including if the company already discloses similar information through existing reports or policies

 

   

If the company has formally committed to the implementation of a reporting program based on Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) guidelines or a similar standard within a specified time frame;

 

   

If the company’s current level of disclosure is comparable to that of its industry peers; and

 

   

If there are significant controversies, fines, penalties, or litigation associated with the company’s environmental performance.

Establishing goals or targets for emissions reduction

Vote CASE-BY-CASE on proposals that call for the adoption of Greenhouse Gas (“GHG”) reduction goals from products and operations, taking into account:

 

   

Overly prescriptive requests for the reduction in GHG emissions by specific amounts or within a specific time frame;

 

   

Whether company disclosure lags behind industry peers;

 

   

Whether the company has been the subject of recent, significant violations, fines, litigation, or controversy related to GHG emissions;

 

   

The feasibility of reduction of GHGs given the company’s product line and current technology and;

 

   

Whether the company already provides meaningful disclosure on GHG emissions from its products and operations.

 

9-B


Political Contributions and Trade Association Spending/Lobbying Expenditures and Initiatives

Generally vote AGAINST proposals asking the company to affirm political nonpartisanship in the workplace so long as:

 

   

There are no recent, significant controversies, fines or litigation regarding the company’s political contributions or trade association spending; and

 

   

The company has procedures in place to ensure that employee contributions to company-sponsored political action committees (PACs) are strictly voluntary and prohibits coercion.

Vote CASE-BY-CASE on proposals to improve the disclosure of a company’s political contributions and trade association spending, considering:

 

   

Recent significant controversy or litigation related to the company’s political contributions or governmental affairs;

 

   

The public availability of a company policy on political contributions and trade association spending including information on the types of organizations supported, the business rationale for supporting these organizations, and the oversight and compliance procedures related to such expenditures of corporate assets.

GSAM will not necessarily vote for the proposal merely to encourage further disclosure of trade association or lobbying spending.

Vote AGAINST proposals barring the company from making political contributions. Businesses are affected by legislation at the federal, state, and local level and barring political contributions can put the company at a competitive disadvantage.

Gender Identity and Sexual Orientation

A company should have a clear, public Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) statement and/or diversity policy. Generally vote FOR proposals seeking to amend a company’s EEO statement or diversity policies to additionally prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation and/or gender identity.

Labor and Human Rights Standards

Generally vote FOR proposals requesting a report or implementation of a policy on company or company supplier labor and/or human rights standards and policies unless such information is already publicly disclosed considering:

 

   

The degree to which existing relevant policies and practices are disclosed;

 

   

Whether or not existing relevant policies are consistent with internationally recognized standards;

 

   

Whether company facilities and those of its suppliers are monitored and how;

 

   

Company participation in fair labor organizations or other internationally recognized human rights initiatives;

 

   

Scope and nature of business conducted in markets known to have higher risk of workplace labor/human rights abuse;

 

   

Recent, significant company controversies, fines, or litigation regarding human rights at the company or its suppliers;

 

   

The scope of the request; and

 

   

Deviation from industry sector peer company standards and practices.

Non-U.S. Proxy Items

The following section is a broad summary of the Guidelines, which form the basis of the Policy with respect to non-U.S. public equity investments. Applying these guidelines is subject to certain regional and country-specific exceptions and modifications and is not inclusive of all considerations in each market.

 

1. Operational Items

Financial Results/Director and Auditor Reports

Vote FOR approval of financial statements and director and auditor reports, unless:

 

   

There are concerns about the accounts presented or audit procedures used; or

 

   

The company is not responsive to shareholder questions about specific items that should be publicly disclosed.

 

10-B


Appointment of Auditors and Auditor Fees

Vote FOR the reelection of auditors and proposals authorizing the board to fix auditor fees, unless:

 

   

There are serious concerns about the accounts presented, audit procedures used or audit opinion rendered;

 

   

There is reason to believe that the auditor has rendered an opinion, which is neither accurate nor indicative of the company’s financial position;

 

   

Name of the proposed auditor has not been published;

 

   

The auditors are being changed without explanation; non-audit-related fees are substantial or are in excess of standard annual audit-related fees; or the appointment of external auditors if they have previously served the company in an executive capacity or can otherwise be considered affiliated with the company.

Appointment of Statutory Auditors

Vote FOR the appointment or reelection of statutory auditors, unless:

 

   

There are serious concerns about the statutory reports presented or the audit procedures used;

 

   

Questions exist concerning any of the statutory auditors being appointed; or

 

   

The auditors have previously served the company in an executive capacity or can otherwise be considered affiliated with the company.

Allocation of Income

Vote FOR approval of the allocation of income, unless:

 

   

The dividend payout ratio has been consistently low without adequate explanation; or

 

   

The payout is excessive given the company’s financial position.

Stock (Scrip) Dividend Alternative

Vote FOR most stock (scrip) dividend proposals.

Vote AGAINST proposals that do not allow for a cash option unless management demonstrates that the cash option is harmful to shareholder value.

Amendments to Articles of Association

Vote amendments to the articles of association on a CASE-BY-CASE basis.

Change in Company Fiscal Term

Vote FOR resolutions to change a company’s fiscal term unless a company’s motivation for the change is to postpone its AGM.

Lower Disclosure Threshold for Stock Ownership

Vote AGAINST resolutions to lower the stock ownership disclosure threshold below 5 percent unless specific reasons exist to implement a lower threshold.

Amend Quorum Requirements

Vote proposals to amend quorum requirements for shareholder meetings on a CASE-BY-CASE basis.

Transact Other Business

Vote AGAINST other business when it appears as a voting item.

 

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2. Board of Directors

Director Elections

Vote FOR management nominees taking into consideration the following:

 

   

Adequate disclosure has not been provided in a timely manner; or

 

   

There are clear concerns over questionable finances or restatements; or

 

   

There have been questionable transactions or conflicts of interest; or

 

   

There are any records of abuses against minority shareholder interests; or

 

   

The board fails to meet minimum corporate governance standards. or

 

   

There are reservations about:

 

   

Director terms

 

   

Bundling of proposals to elect directors

 

   

Board independence

 

   

Disclosure of named nominees

 

   

Combined Chairman/CEO

 

   

Election of former CEO as Chairman of the Board

 

   

Overboarded directors

 

   

Composition of committees

 

   

Director independence

 

   

Specific concerns about the individual or company, such as criminal wrongdoing or breach of fiduciary responsibilities; or

 

   

Repeated absences at board meetings have not been explained (in countries where this information is disclosed); or

 

   

Unless there are other considerations which may include sanctions from government or authority, violations of laws and regulations, or other issues related to improper business practice, failure to replace management, or egregious actions related to service on other boards.

Vote on a CASE-BY-CASE basis in contested elections of directors, e.g., the election of shareholder nominees or the dismissal of incumbent directors, determining which directors are best suited to add value for shareholders.

The analysis will generally be based on, but not limited to, the following major decision factors:

 

   

Company performance relative to its peers;

 

   

Strategy of the incumbents versus the dissidents;

 

   

Independence of board candidates;

 

   

Experience and skills of board candidates;

 

   

Governance profile of the company;

 

   

Evidence of management entrenchment;

 

   

Responsiveness to shareholders;

 

   

Whether a takeover offer has been rebuffed;

 

   

Whether minority or majority representation is being sought.

Vote FOR employee and/or labor representatives if they sit on either the audit or compensation committee and are required by law to be on those committees.

Vote AGAINST employee and/or labor representatives if they sit on either the audit or compensation committee, if they are not required to be on those committees.

Classification of directors

Executive Director

 

   

Employee or executive of the company;

 

   

Any director who is classified as a non-executive, but receives salary, fees, bonus, and/or other benefits that are in line with the highest-paid executives of the company.

Non-Independent Non-Executive Director (NED)

 

   

Any director who is attested by the board to be a non-independent NED;

 

12-B


   

Any director specifically designated as a representative of a significant shareholder of the company;

 

   

Any director who is also an employee or executive of a significant shareholder of the company;

 

   

Beneficial owner (direct or indirect) of at least 10% of the company’s stock, either in economic terms or in voting rights (this may be aggregated if voting power is distributed among more than one member of a defined group, e.g., family members who beneficially own less than 10% individually, but collectively own more than 10%), unless market best practice dictates a lower ownership and/or disclosure threshold (and in other special market-specific circumstances);

 

   

Government representative;

 

   

Currently provides (or a relative provides) professional services to the company, to an affiliate of the company, or to an individual officer of the company or of one of its affiliates in excess of $10,000 per year;

 

   

Represents customer, supplier, creditor, banker, or other entity with which company maintains transactional/commercial relationship (unless company discloses information to apply a materiality test);

 

   

Any director who has conflicting or cross-directorships with executive directors or the chairman of the company;

 

   

Relative of a current employee of the company or its affiliates;

 

   

Relative of a former executive of the company or its affiliates;

 

   

A new appointee elected other than by a formal process through the General Meeting (such as a contractual appointment by a substantial shareholder);

 

   

Founder/co-founder/member of founding family but not currently an employee;

 

   

Former executive (5 year cooling off period);

 

   

Years of service is generally not a determining factor unless it is recommended best practice in a market and/or in extreme circumstances, in which case it may be considered; and

 

   

Any additional relationship or principle considered to compromise independence under local corporate governance best practice guidance.

Independent NED

 

   

No material connection, either directly or indirectly, to the company other than a board seat.

Employee Representative

 

   

Represents employees or employee shareholders of the company (classified as “employee representative” but considered a non-independent NED).

Discharge of Directors

Generally vote FOR the discharge of directors, including members of the management board and/or supervisory board, unless there is reliable information about significant and compelling controversies that the board is not fulfilling its fiduciary duties warranted by:

 

   

A lack of oversight or actions by board members which invoke shareholder distrust related to malfeasance or poor supervision, such as operating in private or company interest rather than in shareholder interest; or

 

   

Any legal issues (e.g., civil/criminal) aiming to hold the board responsible for breach of trust in the past or related to currently alleged actions yet to be confirmed (and not only the fiscal year in question), such as price fixing, insider trading, bribery, fraud, and other illegal actions; or

 

   

Other egregious governance issues where shareholders may bring legal action against the company or its directors; or

 

   

Vote on a CASE-BY-CASE basis where a vote against other agenda items are deemed inappropriate.

 

3. Compensation

Good pay practices should align management’s interests with long-term shareholder value creation. Detailed disclosure of compensation criteria is preferred; proof that companies follow the criteria should be evident and retroactive performance target changes without proper disclosure is not viewed favorably. Compensation practices should allow a company to attract and retain proven talent. Some examples of poor pay practices include: abnormally large bonus payouts without justifiable performance linkage or proper disclosure, egregious employment contracts, excessive severance and/or change in control provisions, repricing or replacing of underwater stock options/stock appreciation rights without prior shareholder approval, and excessive perquisites. A company should also have an appropriate balance of short-term vs. long-term metrics and the metrics should be aligned with business goals and objectives.

 

13-B


Director Compensation

Vote FOR proposals to award cash fees to non-executive directors unless the amounts are excessive relative to other companies in the country or industry.

Vote non-executive director compensation proposals that include both cash and share-based components on a CASE-BY-CASE basis.

Vote proposals that bundle compensation for both non-executive and executive directors into a single resolution on a CASE-BY-CASE basis.

Vote AGAINST proposals to introduce retirement benefits for non-executive directors.

Compensation Plans

Vote compensation plans on a CASE-BY-CASE basis.

Director, Officer, and Auditor Indemnification and Liability Provisions

Vote proposals seeking indemnification and liability protection for directors and officers on a CASE-BY-CASE basis.

Vote AGAINST proposals to indemnify auditors.

 

4. Board Structure

Vote AGAINST the introduction of classified boards and mandatory retirement ages for directors.

Vote AGAINST proposals to alter board structure or size in the context of a fight for control of the company or the board.

Chairman CEO combined role (for applicable markets)

GSAM will generally recommend a vote AGAINST shareholder proposals requiring that the chairman’s position be filled by an independent director, if the company satisfies 3 of the 4 following criteria:

 

   

2/3 independent board, or majority in countries where employee representation is common practice;

 

   

A designated, or a rotating, lead director, elected by and from the independent board members with clearly delineated and comprehensive duties;

 

   

Fully independent key committees; and/or

 

   

Established, publicly disclosed, governance guidelines and director biographies/profiles.

 

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5. Capital Structure

Share Issuance Requests

General Issuances:

Vote FOR issuance requests with preemptive rights to a maximum of 100 percent over currently issued capital.

Vote FOR issuance requests without preemptive rights to a maximum of 20 percent of currently issued capital.

Specific Issuances:

Vote on a CASE-BY-CASE basis on all requests, with or without preemptive rights.

Increases in Authorized Capital

Vote FOR non-specific proposals to increase authorized capital up to 100 percent over the current authorization unless the increase would leave the company with less than 30 percent of its new authorization outstanding.

Vote FOR specific proposals to increase authorized capital to any amount, unless:

 

   

The specific purpose of the increase (such as a share-based acquisition or merger) does not meet guidelines for the purpose being proposed; or

 

   

The increase would leave the company with less than 30 percent of its new authorization outstanding after adjusting for all proposed issuances.

Vote AGAINST proposals to adopt unlimited capital authorizations.

Reduction of Capital

Vote FOR proposals to reduce capital for routine accounting purposes unless the terms are unfavorable to shareholders.

Vote proposals to reduce capital in connection with corporate restructuring on a CASE-BY-CASE basis.

Capital Structures

Vote FOR resolutions that seek to maintain or convert to a one-share, one-vote capital structure.

Vote AGAINST requests for the creation or continuation of dual-class capital structures or the creation of new or additional super voting shares.

Preferred Stock

Vote FOR the creation of a new class of preferred stock or for issuances of preferred stock up to 50 percent of issued capital unless the terms of the preferred stock would adversely affect the rights of existing shareholders.

Vote FOR the creation/issuance of convertible preferred stock as long as the maximum number of common shares that could be issued upon conversion meets guidelines on equity issuance requests.

Vote AGAINST the creation of a new class of preference shares that would carry superior voting rights to the common shares.

Vote AGAINST the creation of blank check preferred stock unless the board clearly states that the authorization will not be used to thwart a takeover bid.

Vote proposals to increase blank check preferred authorizations on a CASE-BY-CASE basis.

 

15-B


Debt Issuance Requests

Vote non-convertible debt issuance requests on a CASE-BY-CASE basis, with or without preemptive rights.

Vote FOR the creation/issuance of convertible debt instruments as long as the maximum number of common shares that could be issued upon conversion meets guidelines on equity issuance requests.

Vote FOR proposals to restructure existing debt arrangements unless the terms of the restructuring would adversely affect the rights of shareholders.

Increase in Borrowing Powers

Vote proposals to approve increases in a company’s borrowing powers on a CASE-BY-CASE basis.

Share Repurchase Plans

GSAM will generally recommend FOR share repurchase programs taking into account whether:

 

   

The share repurchase program can be used as a takeover defense;

 

   

There is clear evidence of historical abuse;

 

   

There is no safeguard in the share repurchase program against selective buybacks;

 

   

Pricing provisions and safeguards in the share repurchase program are deemed to be unreasonable in light of market practice.

Reissuance of Repurchased Shares

Vote FOR requests to reissue any repurchased shares unless there is clear evidence of abuse of this authority in the past.

Capitalization of Reserves for Bonus Issues/Increase in Par Value

Vote FOR requests to capitalize reserves for bonus issues of shares or to increase par value.

 

6. Mergers and Corporate Restructuring & Other

Reorganizations/Restructurings

Vote reorganizations and restructurings on a CASE-BY-CASE basis.

Mergers and Acquisitions

Vote CASE-BY-CASE on mergers and acquisitions taking into account the following based on publicly available information:

 

   

Valuation;

 

   

Market reaction;

 

   

Strategic rationale;

 

   

Management’s track record of successful integration of historical acquisitions;

 

   

Presence of conflicts of interest; and

 

   

Governance profile of the combined company.

Antitakeover Mechanisms

Generally vote AGAINST all antitakeover proposals, unless they are structured in such a way that they give shareholders the ultimate decision on any proposal or offer.

Reincorporation Proposals

Vote reincorporation proposals on a CASE-BY-CASE basis.

 

16-B


Related-Party Transactions

Vote related-party transactions on a CASE-BY-CASE basis, considering factors including, but not limited to, the following:

 

   

The parties on either side of the transaction;

 

   

The nature of the asset to be transferred/service to be provided;

 

   

The pricing of the transaction (and any associated professional valuation);

 

   

The views of independent directors (where provided);

 

   

The views of an independent financial adviser (where appointed);

 

   

Whether any entities party to the transaction (including advisers) is conflicted; and

 

   

The stated rationale for the transaction, including discussions of timing.

Shareholder Proposals

Vote all shareholder proposals on a CASE-BY-CASE basis.

Vote FOR proposals that would improve the company’s corporate governance or business profile at a reasonable cost.

Vote AGAINST proposals that limit the company’s business activities or capabilities or result in significant costs being incurred with little or no benefit.

 

7. Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)/Environmental, Social, Governance (ESG) Issues

Please refer to page 9 for our current approach to these important topics.

 

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APPENDIX C

STATEMENT OF INTENTION

(applicable only to Class A Shares)

If a shareholder anticipates purchasing within a 13-month period Class A Shares of the Fund alone or in combination with Class A Shares of another Goldman Sachs Fund in the amount of $50,000 or more, the shareholder may obtain shares of the Fund at the same reduced sales charge as though the total quantity were invested in one lump sum by checking and filing the Statement of Intention in the Account Application. Distributions taken in additional shares, as well as any appreciation on shares previously purchased, will not apply toward the completion of the Statement of Intention.

To ensure that the reduced price will be received on future purchases, the investor must inform Goldman Sachs that the Statement of Intention is in effect each time shares are purchased. Subject to the conditions mentioned below, each purchase will be made at the public offering price applicable to a single transaction of the dollar amount specified on the Account Application. The investor makes no commitment to purchase additional shares, but if the investor’s purchases within 13 months plus the value of shares credited toward completion do not total the sum specified, the investor will pay the increased amount of the sales charge prescribed in the Escrow Agreement.

Escrow Agreement

Out of the initial purchase (or subsequent purchases if necessary), 5% of the dollar amount specified on the Account Application will be held in escrow by the Transfer Agent in the form of shares registered in the investor’s name. All distributions on escrowed shares will be paid to the investor or to his or her order. When the minimum investment so specified is completed (either prior to or by the end of the 13th month), the investor will be notified and the escrowed shares will be released.

If the intended investment is not completed, the investor will be asked to remit to Goldman Sachs any difference between the sales charge on the amount specified and on the amount actually attained. If the investor does not within 20 days after written request by Goldman Sachs pay such difference in the sales charge, the Transfer Agent will redeem, pursuant to the authority given by the investor in the Account Application, an appropriate number of the escrowed shares in order to realize such difference. Shares remaining after any such redemption will be released by the Transfer Agent.

 

1-C


PART C: OTHER INFORMATION

Item 28. Exhibits

 

(a)

   (1)    Agreement and Declaration of Trust dated January 28, 1997 1 /
   (2)    Amendment No. 1 dated April 24, 1997 to Agreement and Declaration of Trust January 28, 1997 2 /
   (3)    Amendment No. 2 dated July 21, 1997 to Agreement and Declaration of Trust dated January 28, 1997 2 /
   (4)    Amendment No. 3 dated October 21, 1997 to the Agreement and Declaration of Trust dated January 28, 1997 3 /
   (5)    Amendment No. 4 dated January 28, 1998 to the Agreement and Declaration of Trust dated January 28, 1997 3 /
   (6)    Amendment No. 5 dated January 28, 1998 to Agreement and Declaration of Trust dated January 28, 1997 4 /
   (7)    Amendment No. 6 dated July 22, 1998 to Agreement and Declaration of Trust dated January 28, 1997 4 /
   (8)    Amendment No. 7 dated November 3, 1998 to Agreement and Declaration of Trust dated January 28, 1997 5 /
   (9)    Amendment No. 8 dated January 22, 1999 to Agreement and Declaration of Trust dated January 28, 1997 6 /
   (10)    Amendment No. 9 dated April 28, 1999 to Agreement and Declaration of Trust dated January 28, 1997 7 /
   (11)    Amendment No. 10 dated July 27, 1999 to Agreement and Declaration of Trust dated January 28, 1997 8 /
   (12)    Amendment No. 11 dated July 27, 1999 to Agreement and Declaration of Trust dated January 28, 1997 8 /
   (13)    Amendment No. 12 dated October 26, 1999 to Agreement and Declaration of Trust dated January 28, 1997 9 /
   (14)    Amendment No. 13 dated February 3, 2000 to Agreement and Declaration of Trust dated January 28, 1997 10 /
   (15)    Amendment No. 14 dated April 26, 2000 to Agreement and Declaration of Trust dated January 28, 1997 11 /
   (16)    Amendment No. 15 dated August 1, 2000 to Agreement and Declaration of Trust dated January 28, 1997 12 /
   (17)    Amendment No. 16 dated January 30, 2001 to Agreement and Declaration of Trust dated January 28, 1997 13 /
   (18)    Amendment No. 17 dated April 25, 2001 to Agreement and Declaration of Trust dated January 28, 1997 14 /


  

(19)

   Amendment No. 18 dated July 1, 2002 to Agreement and Declaration of Trust dated January 28, 1997 15 /
  

(20)

   Amendment No. 19 dated August 1, 2002 to Agreement and Declaration of Trust dated January 28, 1997 15 /
  

(21)

   Amendment No. 20 dated August 1, 2002 to Agreement and Declaration of Trust dated January 28, 1997 15 /
  

(22)

   Amendment No. 21 dated January 29, 2003 to the Agreement and Declaration of Trust dated January 28, 1997 16 /
  

(23)

   Amendment No. 22 dated July 31, 2003 to the Agreement and Declaration of Trust dated January 28, 1997 17 /
  

(24)

   Amendment No. 23 dated October 30, 2003 to the Agreement and Declaration of Trust dated January 28, 1997 17 /
  

(25)

   Amendment No. 24 dated May 6, 2004 to the Agreement and Declaration of Trust dated January 28, 1997 18 /
  

(26)

   Amendment No. 25 dated April 21, 2004 to the Agreement and Declaration of Trust dated January 28, 1997 19 /
  

(27)

   Amendment No. 26 dated November 4, 2004 to the Agreement and Declaration of Trust dated January 28, 1997 19 /
  

(28)

   Amendment No. 27 dated February 10, 2005 to the Agreement and Declaration of Trust dated January 28, 1997 20 /
  

(29)

   Amendment No. 28 dated May 12, 2005 to the Agreement and Declaration of Trust dated January 28, 1997 21 /
  

(30)

   Amendment No. 29 dated June 16, 2005 to the Agreement and Declaration of Trust dated January 28, 1997 21 /
  

(31)

   Amendment No. 30 dated August 4, 2005 to the Agreement and Declaration of Trust dated January 28, 1977 21 /
  

(32)

   Amendment No. 31 dated November 2, 2005 to the Agreement and Declaration of Trust dated January 28, 1997 22 /
  

(33)

   Amendment No. 32 dated December 31, 2005 to the Agreement and Declaration of Trust dated January 28, 1997 23 /
  

(34)

   Amendment No. 33 dated March 16, 2006 to the Agreement and Declaration of Trust dated January 28, 1997 22 /
  

(35)

   Amendment No. 34 dated March 16, 2006 to the Agreement and Declaration of Trust dated January 28, 1997 22 /
  

(36)

   Amendment No. 35 dated May 11, 2006 to the Agreement and Declaration of Trust dated January 28, 1997 24 /
  

(37)

   Amendment No. 36 dated June 15, 2006 to the Agreement and Declaration of Trust dated January 28, 1997 25 /


  

(38)

   Amendment No. 37 dated August 10, 2006 to the Agreement and Declaration of Trust dated January 28, 1997 26 /
  

(39)

   Amendment No. 38 dated November 9, 2006 to the Agreement and Declaration of Trust dated January 28, 1997 26 /
  

(40)

   Amendment No. 39 dated December 14, 2006 to the Agreement and Declaration of Trust dated January 28, 1997 27 /
  

(41)

   Amendment No. 40 dated December 14, 2006 to the Agreement and Declaration of Trust dated January 28, 1997 27 /
  

(42)

   Amendment No. 41 dated February 8, 2007 to the Agreement and Declaration of Trust dated January 28, 1997 27 /
  

(43)

   Amendment No. 42 dated March 15, 2007 to the Agreement and Declaration of Trust dated January 28, 1997 27 /
  

(44)

   Amendment No. 43 dated May 10, 2007 to the Agreement and Declaration of Trust dated January 28, 1997 27 /
  

(45)

   Amendment No. 44 dated June 13, 2007 to the Agreement and Declaration of Trust dated January 28, 1997 28 /
  

(46)

   Amendment No. 45 dated June 13, 2007 to the Agreement and Declaration of Trust dated January 28, 1997 29 /
  

(47)

   Amendment No. 46 dated November 8, 2007 to the Agreement and Declaration of Trust dated January 28, 1997 29 /
  

(48)

   Amendment No. 47 dated November 8, 2007 to the Agreement and Declaration of Trust dated January 28, 1997 29 /
  

(49)

   Amendment No. 48 dated December 13, 2007 to the Agreement and Declaration of Trust dated January 28, 1997 30 /
  

(50)

   Amendment No. 49 dated June 19, 2008 to the Agreement and Declaration of Trust dated January 28, 1997 31 /
  

(51)

   Amendment No. 50 dated August 14, 2008 to the Agreement and Declaration of Trust dated January 28, 1997 32 /
  

(52)

   Amendment No. 51 dated August 25, 2008 to the Agreement and Declaration of Trust dated January 28, 1997 33 /
  

(53)

   Amendment No. 52 dated November 13, 2008 to the Agreement and Declaration of Trust dated January 28, 1997 33 /
  

(54)

   Amendment No. 53 dated May 21, 2009 to the Agreement and Declaration of Trust dated January 28, 1997 34 /
  

(55)

   Amendment No. 54 dated November 19, 2009 to the Agreement and Declaration of Trust dated January 28, 1997 34 /
  

(56)

   Amendment No. 55 dated February 11, 2010 to the Agreement and Declaration of Trust dated January 28, 1997 35 /


  

(57)

   Amendment No. 56 dated May 20, 2010 to the Agreement and Declaration of Trust dated January 28, 1997 36 /
  

(58)

   Amendment No. 57 dated June 17, 2010 to the Agreement and Declaration of Trust dated January 28, 1997 36 /
  

(59)

   Amendment No. 58 dated November 18, 2010 to the Agreement and Declaration of Trust dated January 28, 1997 37 /
  

(60)

   Amendment No. 59 dated January 5, 2011 to the Agreement and Declaration of Trust dated January 28, 1997 38 /
  

(61)

   Amendment No. 60 dated February 10, 2011 to the Agreement and Declaration of Trust dated January 28, 1997 38 /
  

(62)

   Amendment No. 61 dated February 10, 2011 to the Agreement and Declaration of Trust dated January 28, 1997 38 /
  

(63)

   Amendment No. 62 dated June 16, 2011 to the Agreement and Declaration of Trust dated January 28, 1997 39 /
  

(64)

   Amendment No. 63 dated August 18, 2011 to the Agreement and Declaration of Trust dated January 28, 1997 40 /
  

(65)

   Amendment No. 64 dated September 27, 2011 to the Agreement and Declaration of Trust dated January 28, 1997 41 /
  

(66)

   Amendment No. 65 dated October 20, 2011 to the Agreement and Declaration of Trust dated January 28, 1997 41 /
  

(67)

   Amendment No. 66 dated December 15, 2011 to the Agreement and Declaration of Trust dated January 28, 1997 42 /
  

(68)

   Amendment No. 67 dated April 19, 2012 to the Agreement and Declaration of Trust dated January 28, 1997 43 /
  

(69)

   Amendment No. 68 dated August 16, 2012 to the Agreement and Declaration of Trust dated January 28, 1997 44 /
  

(70)

   Amendment No. 69 dated December 13, 2012 to the Agreement and Declaration of Trust dated January 28, 1997 45 /
  

(71)

   Amendment No. 70 dated February 12, 2013 to the Agreement and Declaration of Trust dated January 28, 1997 46 /
  

(72)

   Amendment No. 71 dated April 18, 2013 to the Agreement and Declaration of Trust dated January 28, 1997 47 /
  

(73)

   Amendment No. 72 dated June 13, 2013 to the Agreement and Declaration of Trust dated January 28, 1997 48 /
  

(74)

   Amendment No. 73 dated August 15, 2013 to the Agreement and Declaration of Trust dated January 28, 1997 49 /
  

(75)

   Amendment No. 74 dated September 19, 2013 to the Agreement and Declaration of Trust dated January 28, 1997 50 /


  

(76)

   Amendment No. 75 dated October 17, 2013 to the Agreement and Declaration of Trust dated January 28, 1997 51 /
  

(77)

   Amendment No. 76 dated November 8, 2013 to the Agreement and Declaration of Trust dated January 28, 1997 52 /
  

(78)

   Amendment No. 77 dated December 19, 2013 to the Agreement and Declaration of Trust dated January 28, 1997 53 /
  

(79)

   Amendment No. 78 dated February 11, 2014 to the Agreement and Declaration of Trust dated January 28, 1997 54 /

(b)

  

Amended and Restated By-laws of Goldman Sachs Trust dated August 15, 2013 55 /

(c)

  

Instruments defining the rights of holders of Registrant’s shares of beneficial interest 56 /

(d)

  

(1)

   Management Agreement dated April 30, 1997 between Registrant, on behalf of Goldman Sachs Short Duration Government Fund, and Goldman Sachs Funds Management, L.P. 3 /
  

(2)

   Management Agreement dated April 30, 1997 between Registrant, on behalf of Goldman Sachs High Quality Floating Rate Fund (formerly, “Goldman Sachs Adjustable Rate Government Fund”), and Goldman Sachs Funds Management, L.P. 3 /
  

(3)

   Management Agreement dated April 30, 1997 between Registrant, on behalf of Goldman Sachs Short Duration Tax-Free Fund, and Goldman Sachs Asset Management 3 /
  

(4)

   Management Agreement dated April 30, 1997 between Registrant, on behalf of Goldman Sachs Core Fixed Income Fund, and Goldman Sachs Asset Management 3 /
  

(5)

   Management Agreement dated April 30, 1997 between the Registrant, on behalf of Goldman Sachs Financial Square Tax-Exempt California and Goldman Sachs Financial Square Tax-Exempt New York Funds (formerly Institutional Liquid Assets Portfolios), and Goldman Sachs Asset Management 3 /
  

(6)

   Management Agreement dated April 30, 1997 between Registrant, Goldman Sachs Asset Management, Goldman Sachs Fund Management L.P. and Goldman Sachs Asset Management International 57 /
  

(7)

   Management Agreement dated January 1, 1998 between Registrant, on behalf of the Goldman Sachs Asset Allocation Portfolios and Goldman Sachs Asset Management 3 /
  

(8)

   Amended Annex A dated September 25, 2007 to the Management Agreement dated January 1, 1998 on behalf of the Goldman Sachs Asset Allocation Portfolios and Goldman Sachs Asset Management 58 /
  

(9)

   Amended Annex A dated December 19, 2013 to the Management Agreement dated April 30, 1997 between Registrant, Goldman Sachs Asset Management, Goldman Sachs Fund Management L.P. and Goldman Sachs Asset Management International 59 /
  

(10)

   Sub-Advisory Agreement dated February 27, 2012 between Goldman Sachs Asset Management, L.P. and Dividend Assets Capital, LLC, on behalf of the Rising Dividend Growth Fund 60 /
  

(11)

   Assumption Agreement dated April 26, 2003 between Goldman, Sachs & Co. and Goldman Sachs Asset Management, L.P. (with respect to the Goldman Sachs Short-Duration Tax-Free Fund) 61 /


  

(12)

   Assumption Agreement dated April 26, 2003 between Goldman, Sachs & Co. and Goldman Sachs Asset Management, L.P. (with respect to the Goldman Sachs Financial Square Tax-Exempt California and Goldman Sachs Financial Square Tax-Exempt New York Funds (formerly Institutional Liquid Assets Portfolios)) 61 /
  

(13)

   Assumption Agreement dated April 26, 2003 between Goldman, Sachs & Co. and Goldman Sachs Asset Management, L.P. (with respect to certain of the Goldman Sachs Fixed Income, Equity, Specialty and Money Market Funds) 61 /
  

(14)

   Assumption Agreement dated April 26, 2003 between Goldman, Sachs & Co. and Goldman Sachs Asset Management, L.P. (with respect to the Goldman Sachs Core Fixed Income Fund) 61 /
  

(15)

   Assumption Agreement dated April 26, 2003 between Goldman, Sachs & Co. and Goldman Sachs Asset Management, L.P. (with respect to the Goldman Sachs Asset Allocation Funds) 61 /
  

(16)

   Fee Reduction Commitment dated April 29, 2005 between Goldman Sachs Asset Management, L.P. and Goldman Sachs Trust relating to the Equity Growth Strategy (formerly Aggressive Growth Strategy), Balanced Strategy, Growth and Income Strategy and Growth Strategy Portfolios 20 /
  

(17)

   Fee Reduction Commitment dated July 1, 2008 between Goldman Sachs Asset Management, L.P. and Goldman Sachs Trust relating to the Short Duration Tax-Free Fund 33 /
  

(18)

   Fee Reduction Commitment dated July 1, 2008 between Goldman Sachs Asset Management, L.P. and Goldman Sachs Trust relating to the Goldman Sachs High Quality Floating Rate Fund (formerly, Goldman Sachs Ultra-Short Duration Government Fund and Goldman Sachs Adjustable Rate Government Fund) 33 /
  

(19)

   Fee Reduction Commitment dated July 1, 2008 between Goldman Sachs Asset Management, L.P. and Goldman Sachs Trust relating to the Short Duration Government Fund 33 /
  

(20)

   Fee Reduction Commitment dated July 1, 2008 between Goldman Sachs Asset Management, L.P. and Goldman Sachs Trust relating to the Core Fixed Income Fund 33 /

(e)

  

(1)

   Distribution Agreement dated April 30, 1997 17 /
  

(2)

   Amended Exhibit A dated December 19, 2013 to the Distribution Agreement dated April 30, 1997 59 /

(f)

   Not applicable

(g)

  

(1)

   Custodian Contract dated July 15, 1991, between Registrant and State Street Bank and Trust Company 62 /
  

(2)

   Fee schedule relating to the Custodian Agreement between Registrant on behalf of the Goldman Sachs Asset Allocation Portfolios and State Street Bank and Trust Company 2 /
  

(3)

   Custodian Contract dated April 6, 1990 between Registrant and State Street Bank and Trust Company on behalf of Goldman Sachs Capital Growth Fund 5 /


  

(4)

   Fee schedule dated April 12, 1999 relating to Custodian Contract dated April 6, 1990 between Registrant and State Street Bank and Trust Company (Strategic Growth and Growth Opportunities Portfolios) 7 /
  

(5)

   Fee schedule dated October 1, 1999 relating to the Custodian Contract dated April 6, 1990 between Registrant and State Street Bank and Trust Company (Large Cap Value Fund) 63 /
  

(6)

   Fee schedule dated January 12, 2000 relating to Custodian Contract dated April 6, 1990 between Registrant and State Street Bank and Trust Company (Structured Tax-Managed Equity Fund (formerly CORE Tax-Managed Equity Fund)) 10 /
  

(7)

   Fee schedule dated January 6, 2000 relating to Custodian Contract dated July 15, 1991 between Registrant and State Street Bank and Trust Company (High Yield Municipal Fund) 10 /
  

(8)

   Fee schedule dated April 14, 2000 relating to Custodian Contract dated July 15, 1991 between Registrant and State Street Bank and Trust Company (Enhanced Income Fund) 11 /
  

(9)

   Additional Portfolio Agreement dated September 27, 1999 between Registrant and State Street Bank and Trust Company 10 /
  

(10)

   Letter Agreement dated September 27, 1999 between Registrant and State Street Bank and Trust Company relating to Custodian Contract dated April 6, 1990 10 /
  

(11)

   Letter Agreement dated September 27, 1999 between Registrant and State Street Bank and Trust Company relating to Custodian Contract dated July 15, 1991 10 /
  

(12)

   Amendment dated July 2, 2001 to the Custodian Contract dated April 6, 1990 between Registrant and State Street Bank and Trust Company 14 /
  

(13)

   Amendment dated July 2, 2001 to the Custodian Contract dated July 15, 1991 between Registrant and State Street Bank and Trust Company 14 /
  

(14)

   Amendment dated August 1, 2001 to the Custodian Contract dated April 6, 1990 between Registrant and State Street Bank and Trust Company 64 /
  

(15)

   Amendment dated August 1, 2001 to the Custodian Contract dated July 15, 1991 between Registrant and State Street Bank and Trust Company 64 /
  

(16)

   Letter Amendment dated May 15, 2002 to the Custodian Contract dated April 6, 1990 between Registrant and State Street Bank and Trust Company 15 /
  

(17)

   Global Custody Agreement dated June 30, 2006 between Registrant and JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. 65 /
  

(18)

   Letter Amendment dated August 26, 2003 to the Custodian Contract dated July 15, 1991 between Registrant and State Street Bank and Trust Company (Goldman Sachs Emerging Markets Debt Fund) 66 /
  

(19)

   Letter Amendment dated October 28, 2003 to the Custodian Contract dated July 15, 1991 between Registrant and State Street Bank and Trust Company (Goldman Sachs U.S. Mortgages Fund) 66 /


  

(20)

   Letter Amendment dated February 8, 2007 to the Global Custody Agreement dated June 30, 2006 between Registrant and JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. (for the fund now known as Goldman Sachs Commodity Strategy Fund) 66 /
  

(21)

   Letter Amendment dated March 14, 2007 to Custodian Contract dated July 15, 1991 between Registrant and State Street Bank and Trust Company (Goldman Sachs Satellite Strategies Portfolio) 66 /
  

(22)

   Letter Amendment dated April 23, 2007 to the Global Custody Agreement dated June 30, 2006 between Registrant and JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. (Goldman Sachs Strategic International Equity Fund) 66 /
  

(23)

   Letter Amendment dated May 2, 2007 to the Custodian Contract dated July 15, 1991 between Registrant and State Street Bank and Trust Company (Goldman Sachs Structured Small Cap Growth Fund and Goldman Sachs Structured Small Cap Value Fund) 66 /
  

(24)

   Letter Amendment dated August 10, 2007 to the Custodian Contract dated July 15, 1991 between Registrant and State Street Bank and Trust Company (Goldman Sachs Inflation Protected Securities Fund) 66 /
  

(25)

   Letter Amendment dated September 12, 2007 to the Global Custody Agreement dated June 30, 2006 between Registrant and JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. (Goldman Sachs Structured International Small Cap Fund) 66 /
  

(26)

   Letter Amendment dated September 12, 2007 to the Global Custody Agreement dated June 30, 2006 between Registrant and JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. (Goldman Sachs Structured Emerging Markets Equity Fund) 66 /
  

(27)

   Letter Amendment dated September 18, 2007 to the Global Custody Agreement dated June 30, 2006 between Registrant and JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. (Goldman Sachs Enhanced Dividend Global Equity Portfolio) 66 /
  

(28)

   Letter Amendment dated September 18, 2007 to the Global Custody Agreement dated June 30, 2006 between Registrant and JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. (Goldman Sachs Tax-Advantaged Global Equity Portfolio) 66 /
  

(29)

   Letter Amendment dated September 18, 2007 to the Global Custody Agreement dated June 30, 2006 between Registrant and JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. (Goldman Sachs Structured International Tax-Managed Equity Fund) 66 /
  

(30)

   Letter Amendment dated September 18, 2007 to the Global Custody Agreement dated June 30, 2006 between Registrant and JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. (Goldman Sachs International Equity Dividend and Premium Fund) 66 /
  

(31)

   Letter Amendment dated October 4, 2007 to the Custodian Contract dated July 15, 1991 between Registrant and State Street Bank and Trust Company (Goldman Sachs Local Emerging Markets Debt Fund) 66 /
  

(32)

   Letter Amendment dated November 28, 2007 to the Global Custody Agreement dated June 30, 2006 between Registrant and JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. (Goldman Sachs Absolute Return Tracker Fund) 66 /
  

(33)

   Letter Amendment dated September 17, 2009 to the Global Custody Agreement dated June 30, 2006 between Registrant and JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. (Goldman Sachs Structured International Equity Fund) 34 /


  

(34)

   Letter Amendment dated November 19, 2009 to the Custodian Contract dated July 15, 1991 between Registrant and State Street Bank and Trust Company (Goldman Sachs U.S. Equity Fund) 34 /
  

(35)

   Letter Amendment dated November 19, 2009 to the Global Custody Agreement dated June 30, 2006 between Registrant and JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. (Goldman Sachs Dynamic Allocation Fund) 67 /
  

(36)

   Letter Amendment dated August 11, 2009 to the Custodian Contract dated July 15, 1991 between Registrant and State Street Bank and Trust Company (Goldman Sachs Technology Tollkeeper Fund (formerly Tollkeeper Fund)) 68 /
  

(37)

   Letter Amendment dated June 30, 2010 to the Custodian Contract dated July 15, 1991 between Registrant and State Street Bank and Trust Company (Goldman Sachs Strategic Income Fund) 36 /
  

(38)

   Letter Amendment dated December 31, 2010 to the Global Custody Agreement dated June 30, 2006 between Registrant and JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A (Goldman Sachs N-11 Equity Fund) 38 /
  

(39)

   Letter Amendment dated February 14, 2011 to the Custodian Contract dated July 15, 1991 between Registrant and State Street Bank and Trust Company (Goldman Sachs High Yield Floating Rate Fund) 69 /
  

(40)

   Letter Amendment dated March 1, 2011 to the Custodian Contract dated July 15, 1991 between Registrant and State Street Bank and Trust Company (Goldman Sachs China Equity Fund) 69 /
  

(41)

   Custody Agreement dated April 5, 2011 between Registrant, Goldman Sachs Variable Insurance Trust and The Bank of New York Mellon on behalf of the Goldman Sachs Money Market Funds 70 /
  

(42)

   Letter Amendment dated January 9, 2012 to the Custodian Contract dated July 15, 1991 between Registrant and State Street Bank and Trust Company (Goldman Sachs Focused Growth Fund) 71 /
  

(43)

   Letter Amendment dated January 30, 2012 to the Custodian Contract dated July 15, 1991 between Registrant and State Street Bank and Trust Company (Goldman Sachs Rising Dividend Growth Fund) 60 /
  

(44)

   Letter Amendment dated December 14, 2011 to the Global Custody Agreement dated June 30, 2006 between Registrant and JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. (Goldman Sachs Managed Futures Strategy Fund) 72 /
  

(45)

   Letter Amendment dated February 2, 2012 to the Custodian Contract dated July 15, 1991 between Registrant and State Street Bank and Trust Company (Goldman Sachs Short Duration Income Fund) 73 /
  

(46)

   Letter Amendment dated March 22, 2012 to the Custodian Contract dated July 15, 1991 between Registrant and State Street Bank and Trust Company (Goldman Sachs Retirement Portfolio Completion Fund) 44 /
  

(47)

   Letter Amendment dated October 25, 2012 to the Custodian Contract dated July 15, 1991 between Registrant and State Street Bank and Trust Company (Goldman Sachs World Bond Fund) 74 /


  

(48)

   Letter Amendment dated March 6, 2013 to the Custodian Contract dated July 15, 1991 between Registrant and State Street Bank and Trust Company (Goldman Sachs MLP Energy Infrastructure Fund) 75 /
  

(49)

   Letter Amendment dated May 6, 2013 to the Custodian Contract dated July 15, 1991 between Registrant and State Street Bank and Trust Company (Goldman Sachs Dynamic Emerging Markets Debt Fund) 76 /
  

(50)

   Letter Amendment dated June 18, 2013 to the Custodian Contract dated July 15, 1991 between Registrant and State Street Bank and Trust Company (Goldman Sachs Multi-Asset Real Return Fund) 55 /
  

(51)

   Letter Amendment dated November 4, 2013 to the Custodian Contract dated July 15, 1991 between Registrant and State Street Bank and Trust Company (Goldman Sachs Fixed Income Macro Strategies Fund) 52 /
  

(52)

   Letter Amendment dated December 11, 2013 to the Custodian Contract dated July 15, 1991 between Registrant and State Street Bank and Trust Company (Goldman Sachs Small/Mid Cap Value Fund) 59 /
  

(53)

   Letter Amendment dated December 5, 2013 to the Custodian Contract dated July 15, 1991 between Registrant and State Street Bank and Trust Company (Goldman Sachs Limited Maturity Obligations Fund) 77 /
  

(54)

   Letter Amendment dated January 8, 2014 to the Custodian Contract dated July 15, 1991 between Registrant and State Street Bank and Trust Company (Goldman Sachs Long Short Credit Strategies Fund) 78 /

(h)

  

(1)

   First Amendment dated July 18, 1994 to Amended and Restated Wiring Agreement dated January 25, 1994 among Goldman, Sachs & Co., State Street Bank and Trust Company and The Northern Trust Company 79 /
  

(2)

   Amended and Restated Wiring Agreement dated January 25, 1994 among Goldman, Sachs & Co., State Street Bank and Trust Company and The Northern Trust Company 79 /
  

(3)

   Letter Agreement dated June 20, 1987 regarding use of checking account between Registrant and The Northern Trust Company 80 /
  

(4)

   Amended and Restated Transfer Agency Agreement dated August 9, 2007 between Registrant and Goldman, Sachs & Co. 81 /
  

(5)

   Amended and Restated Transfer Agency Agreement Fee Schedule dated December 19, 2013, to the Transfer Agency Agreement dated August 9, 2007 between Registrant and Goldman, Sachs & Co. 59 /
  

(6)

   Form of Retail Service Agreement on behalf of Goldman Sachs Trust relating to Class A Shares of Goldman Sachs Asset Allocation Portfolios, Goldman Sachs Fixed Income Funds, Goldman Sachs Domestic Equity Funds and Goldman Sachs International Equity Funds 5 /
  

(7)

   Form of Retail Service Agreement on behalf of Goldman Sachs Trust – TPA Assistance Version relating to the Class A Shares of Goldman Sachs Asset Allocation Portfolios, Goldman Sachs Fixed Income Funds, Goldman Sachs Domestic Equity Funds and Goldman Sachs International Equity Funds 82 /


  

(8)

   Form of Supplemental Service Agreement on behalf of Goldman Sachs Trust relating to the Administrative Class, Service Class and Cash Management Class of Goldman Sachs - Institutional Liquid Assets Portfolios 5 /
  

(9)

   Form of Supplemental Service Agreement on behalf of Goldman Sachs Trust relating to the FST Shares, FST Select Shares, FST Preferred Shares, FST Capital Shares, FST Administration Shares and FST Service Shares of Goldman Sachs Financial Square Funds 5 /
  

(10)

   Form of Supplemental Service Agreement on behalf of Goldman Sachs Trust relating to the Class A Shares and Service Shares of Goldman Sachs Equity and Fixed Income Funds 82 /
  

(11)

   Form of Service Agreement on behalf of Goldman Sachs Trust relating to the Institutional Class, Select Class, Preferred Class, Capital Class, Administration Class, Premier Class, Service Class, Resource Class and Cash Management Class, as applicable, of Goldman Sachs Financial Square Funds, Goldman Sachs Fixed Income Funds, Goldman Sachs Domestic Equity Funds, Goldman Sachs International Equity Funds and Goldman Sachs Fund of Funds Portfolios 83 /
  

(12)

   Goldman Sachs Trust Administration Shares Administration Plan amended and restated as of December 16, 2010 (on behalf of Financial Square Tax-Exempt California and Financial Square Tax-Exempt New York Funds) 84 /
  

(13)

   Goldman Sachs Trust Cash Management Shares Service Plan amended and restated as of December 16, 2010 (on behalf of Financial Square Tax-Exempt California and Financial Square Tax-Exempt New York Funds) 84 /
  

(14)

   Goldman Sachs Trust FST Select Class Select Plan amended and restated as of February 4, 2004 85 /
  

(15)

   Goldman Sachs Trust Administration Shares Administration Plan amended and restated as of December 16, 2010 (on behalf of the remaining Financial Square Funds) 84 /
  

(16)

   Goldman Sachs Trust FST Preferred Class Preferred Administration Plan amended and restated as of February 4, 2004 85 /
  

(17)

   Goldman Sachs Trust Administration Class Administration Plan amended and restated as of February 4, 2004 85 /
  

(18)

   Goldman Sachs Trust Service Shares Service Plan and Shareholder Administration Plan amended and restated as of December 16, 2010 (on behalf of Financial Square Tax-Exempt California and Financial Square Tax-Exempt New York Funds) 84 /
  

(19)

   Goldman Sachs Trust Service Class Service Plan and Shareholder Administration Plan amended and restated as of February 4, 2004 85 /
  

(20)

   Goldman Sachs Trust FST Capital Administration Class Capital Administration Plan amended and restated as of February 4, 2004 85 /
  

(21)

   Goldman Sachs Trust Service Shares Service Plan and Shareholder Administration Plan amended and restated as of December 16, 2010 (on behalf of the remaining Financial Square Funds) 84 /
  

(22)

   Mutual Funds Service Agreement dated June 30, 2006 between Registrant and J.P. Morgan Investor Services Co. 65 /


  

(23)

   Form of Fee Waiver Agreement dated June 17, 2009 between Goldman Sachs Asset Management, L.P. and Goldman Sachs Trust relating to the Commodity Strategy Fund 79 /
  

(24)

   Goldman Sachs Trust Cash Management Shares Service Plan dated February 11, 2010 (on behalf of the remaining Financial Square Funds) 86 /
  

(25)

   Goldman Sachs Trust Premier Shares Service Plan and Administration Plan dated February 11, 2010 86 /
  

(26)

   Goldman Sachs Trust Resource Shares Service Plan dated February 11, 2010 86 /
  

(27)

   Fund Administration and Accounting Agreement dated April 5, 2011 between Registrant, Goldman Sachs Variable Insurance Trust and The Bank of New York Mellon on behalf of the Goldman Sachs Money Market Funds 70 /
  

(28)

   Form of Fee Waiver Agreement between Goldman Sachs Asset Management, L.P. and Goldman Sachs Trust relating to the Fixed Income Macro Strategies Fund 52 /
  

(29)

   Appointment of Agent for Service of Process relating to the Goldman Sachs Cayman Commodity-FIMS Fund Ltd. 52 /

(i)

  

Opinion and Consent of Dechert LLP, 78 /

(j)

  

Consent of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, filed herewith

(k)

  

Not applicable

(l)

  

Not applicable

(m)

  

(1)

   Class A Distribution and Service Plan amended and restated as of May 5, 2004 19 /
  

(2)

   Class B Distribution and Service Plan amended and restated as of February 4, 2004 85 /
  

(3)

   Class C Distribution and Service Plan amended and restated as of February 4, 2004 85 /
  

(4)

   Cash Management Shares Plan of Distribution pursuant to Rule 12b-1 amended and restated as of December 16, 2010 (on behalf of Financial Square Tax-Exempt California and Financial Square Tax-Exempt New York Funds) 84 /
  

(5)

   Class R Distribution and Service Plan dated November 8, 2007 29 /
  

(6)

   Cash Management Shares Plan of Distribution pursuant to Rule 12b-1 dated February 11, 2010 (on behalf of the remaining Financial Square Funds) 86 /
  

(7)

   Resource Shares Plan of Distribution pursuant to Rule 12b-1 dated February 11, 2010 86 /

(n)

  

(1)

   Plan in Accordance with Rule 18f-3, amended and restated as of December 1, 2010 84 /

(p)

  

(1)

   Code of Ethics — Goldman Sachs Trust, Goldman Sachs Variable Insurance Trust and Goldman Sachs Credit Strategies Fund dated April 23, 1997, as amended effective June 1, 2012 48 /
  

(2)

   Code of Ethics — Goldman, Sachs & Co., Goldman Sachs Asset Management, L.P., Goldman Sachs Asset Management International, Goldman Sachs Hedge Fund Strategies LLC and GS Investment Strategies, LLC dated January 23, 1991, effective February 6, 2012 47 /


  

(3)

   Code of Ethics — Dividend Assets Capital, LLC 45 /

(q)

  

(1)

   Powers of Attorney for James A. McNamara, Ashok N. Bakhru, Donald C. Burke, John P. Coblentz, Jr., Diana M. Daniels, Joseph P. LoRusso, Jessica Palmer, Alan A. Shuch and Richard P. Strubel 87 /
  

(2)

   Powers of Attorney for Herbert J. Markley and Roy W. Templin 51 /
  

(3)

   Power of Attorney for Scott M. McHugh 88 /

 

 

1 / Incorporated by reference from Post-Effective Amendment No. 29 to the Registrant’s registration statement, SEC File No. 33-17619, filed February 14, 1997.

 

2 / Incorporated by reference from Post-Effective Amendment No. 40 to the Registrant’s registration statement, SEC File No. 33-17619, filed October 16, 1997.

 

3 / Incorporated by reference from Post-Effective Amendment No. 41 to the Registrant’s registration statement, SEC File No. 33-17619, filed February 13, 1998.

 

4 / Incorporated by reference from Post-Effective Amendment No. 47 to the Registrant’s registration statement, SEC File No. 33-17619, filed October 1, 1998.

 

5 / Incorporated by reference from Post-Effective Amendment No. 50 to the Registrant’s registration statement, SEC File No. 33-17619, filed December 29, 1998.

 

6 / Incorporated by reference from Post-Effective Amendment No. 52 to the Registrant’s registration statement, SEC File No. 33-17619, filed February 12, 1999.

 

7 / Incorporated by reference from Post-Effective Amendment No. 55 to the Registrant’s registration statement, SEC File No. 33-17619, filed July 16, 1999.

 

8 / Incorporated by reference from Post-Effective Amendment No. 56 to the Registrant’s registration statement, SEC File No. 33-17619, filed September 16, 1999.

 

9 / Incorporated by reference from Post-Effective Amendment No. 58 to the Registrant’s registration statement, SEC File No. 33-17619, filed November 22, 1999.

 

10 / Incorporated by reference from Post-Effective Amendment No. 62 to the Registrant’s registration statement, SEC File No. 33-17619, filed February 23, 2000.

 

11 / Incorporated by reference from Post-Effective Amendment No. 65 to the Registrant’s registration statement, SEC File No. 33-17619, filed May 3, 2000.

 

12 / Incorporated by reference from Post-Effective Amendment No. 68 to the Registrant’s registration statement, SEC File No. 33-17619, filed November 22, 2000.

 

13 / Incorporated by reference from Post-Effective Amendment No. 72 to the Registrant’s registration statement, SEC File No. 33-17619, filed April 13, 2001.

 

14 / Incorporated by reference from Post-Effective Amendment No. 73 to the Registrant’s registration statement, SEC File No. 33-17619, filed December 21, 2001.

 

15 / Incorporated by reference from Post-Effective Amendment No. 79 to the Registrant’s registration statement, SEC File No. 33-17619, filed December 11, 2002.


16 / Incorporated by reference from Post-Effective Amendment No. 81 to the Registrant’s registration statement, SEC File No. 33-17619, filed February 19, 2003.

 

17 / Incorporated by reference from Post-Effective Amendment No. 85 to the Registrant’s registration statement, SEC File No. 33-17619, filed December 12, 2003.

 

18 /

Incorporated by reference from the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-14 relating to the Registrant’s acquisition of the Golden Oak ® Family of Funds (“Acquisition”), SEC File No. 333-117561, filed July 22, 2004.

 

19 / Incorporated by reference from Post-Effective Amendment No. 93 to the Registrant’s registration statement, SEC File No. 33-17619, filed December 23, 2004.

 

20 / Incorporated by reference from Post-Effective Amendment No. 103 to the Registrant’s registration statement, SEC File No. 33-17619, filed June 17, 2005.

 

21 / Incorporated by reference from Post-Effective Amendment No. 112 to the Registrant’s registration statement, SEC File No. 33-17619, filed December 7, 2005.

 

22 / Incorporated by reference from Post-Effective Amendment No. 127 to the Registrant’s registration statement, SEC File No. 33-17619, filed May 26, 2006.

 

23 / Incorporated by reference from Post-Effective Amendment No. 114 to the Registrant’s registration statement, SEC File No. 33-17619, filed December 29, 2005.

 

24 / Incorporated by reference from Post-Effective Amendment No. 133 to the Registrant’s registration statement, SEC File No. 33-17619, filed August 18, 2006.

 

25 / Incorporated by reference from Post-Effective Amendment No. 129 to the Registrant’s registration statement, SEC File No. 33-17619, filed June 23, 2006.

 

26 / Incorporated by reference from Post-Effective Amendment No. 143 to the Registrant’s registration statement, SEC File No. 33-17619, filed December 21, 2006.

 

27 / Incorporated by reference from Post-Effective Amendment No. 159 to the Registrant’s registration statement, SEC File No. 33-17619, filed June 12, 2007.

 

28 / Incorporated by reference from Post-Effective Amendment No. 162 to the Registrant’s registration statement, SEC File No. 33-17619, filed August 14, 2007.

 

29 / Incorporated by reference from Post-Effective Amendment No. 173 to the Registrant’s registration statement, SEC File No. 33-17619, filed November 27, 2007.

 

30 / Incorporated by reference from Post-Effective Amendment No. 183 to the Registrant’s registration statement, SEC File No. 33-17619, filed January 18, 2008.

 

31 / Incorporated by reference from Post-Effective Amendment No. 205 to the Registrant’s registration statement, SEC File No. 33-17619, filed July 29, 2008.

 

32 / Incorporated by reference from Post-Effective Amendment No. 206 to the Registrant’s registration statement, SEC File No. 33-17619, filed August 27, 2008.

 

33 / Incorporated by reference from Post-Effective Amendment No. 217 to the Registrant’s registration statement, SEC File No. 33-17619, filed February 27, 2009.


34 / Incorporated by reference from Post-Effective Amendment No. 226 to the Registrant’s registration statement, SEC File No. 33-17619, filed November 24, 2009.

 

35 / Incorporated by reference from Post-Effective Amendment No. 242 to the Registrant’s registration statement, SEC File No. 33-17619, filed April 30, 2010.

 

36 / Incorporated by reference from Post-Effective Amendment No. 249 to the Registrant’s registration statement, SEC File No. 33-17619, filed June 30, 2010.

 

37 / Incorporated by reference from Post-Effective Amendment No. 261 to the Registrant’s registration statement, SEC File No. 33-17619, filed December 3, 2010.

 

38 / Incorporated by reference from Post-Effective Amendment No. 270 to the Registrant’s registration statement, SEC File No. 33-17619, filed February 16, 2011.

 

39 / Incorporated by reference from Post-Effective Amendment No. 285 to the Registrant’s registration statement, SEC File No. 33-17619, filed July 29, 2011.

 

40 / Incorporated by reference from Post-Effective Amendment No. 290 to the Registrant’s registration statement, SEC File No. 33-17619, filed December 12, 2011.

 

41 / Incorporated by reference from Post-Effective Amendment No. 291 to the Registrant’s registration statement, SEC File No. 33-17619, filed December 16, 2011.

 

42 / Incorporated by reference from Post-Effective Amendment No. 292 to the Registrant’s registration statement, SEC File No. 33-17619, filed December 23, 2011.

 

43 / Incorporated by reference from Post-Effective Amendment No. 321 to the Registrant’s registration statement, SEC File No. 33-17619, filed April 27, 2012.

 

44 / Incorporated by reference from Post-Effective Amendment No. 333 to the Registrant’s registration statement, SEC File No. 33-17619, filed September 24, 2012.

 

45 / Incorporated by reference from Post-Effective Amendment No. 346 to the Registrant’s registration statement, SEC File No. 33-17619, filed January 28, 2013.

 

46 / Incorporated by reference from Post-Effective Amendment No. 348 to the Registrant’s registration statement, SEC File No. 33-17619, filed February 28, 2013.

 

47 / Incorporated by reference from Post-Effective Amendment No. 355 to the Registrant’s registration statement, SEC File No. 33-17619, filed April 30, 2013.

 

48 / Incorporated by reference from Post-Effective Amendment No. 363 to the Registrant’s registration statement, SEC File No. 33-17619, filed July 29, 2013.

 

49 / Incorporated by reference from Post-Effective Amendment No. 366 to the Registrant’s registration statement, SEC File No. 33-17619, filed September 12, 2013.

 

50 / Incorporated by reference from Post-Effective Amendment No. 368 to the Registrant’s registration statement, SEC File No. 33-17619, filed September 26, 2013.

 

51 / Incorporated by reference from Post-Effective Amendment No. 369 to the Registrant’s registration statement, SEC File No. 33-17619, filed October 25, 2013.

 

52 / Incorporated by reference from Post-Effective Amendment No. 375 to the Registrant’s registration statement, SEC File No. 33-17619, filed December 13, 2013.


53 / Incorporated by reference from Post-Effective Amendment No. 376 to the Registrant’s registration statement, SEC File no. 33-17619, filed December 26, 2013.

 

54 / Incorporated by reference from Post-Effective Amendment No. 393 to the Registrant’s registration statement, SEC File No. 33-17619, filed February 21, 2014.

 

55 / Incorporated by reference from Post-Effective Amendment No. 364 to the Registrant’s registration statement, SEC File No. 33-17619, filed August 16, 2013.

 

56 / Article II, Section 10, Article IV, Section 3, Article V, Article VI, Article VII, Article IX, Section 8 and Section 9 of the Registrant’s Agreement and Declaration of Trust incorporated herein by reference as Exhibit (a)(1) and Article III of the Registrant’s Amended and Restated By-Laws incorporated by reference as Exhibit (b)(3).

 

57 / Incorporated by reference from Post-Effective Amendment No. 48 to the Registrant’s registration statement, SEC File No. 33-17619, filed November 25, 1998.

 

58 / Incorporated by reference from Post-Effective Amendment No. 195 to the Registrant’s registration statement, SEC File No. 33-17619, filed February 29, 2008.

 

59 / Incorporated by reference from Post-Effective Amendment No. 387 to the Registrant’s registration statement, SEC File No. 33-17619, filed January 30, 2014.

 

60 / Incorporated by reference from Post-Effective Amendment No. 311 to the Registrant’s registration statement, SEC File No. 33-17619, filed February 27, 2012.

 

61 / Incorporated by reference from Post-Effective Amendment No. 83 to the Registrant’s registration statement, SEC File No. 33-17619, filed June 13, 2003.

 

62 / Incorporated by reference from Post-Effective Amendment No. 26 to the Registrant’s registration statement, SEC File No. 33-17619, filed December 29, 1995.

 

63 / Incorporated by reference from Post-Effective Amendment No. 59 to the Registrant’s registration statement, SEC File No. 33-17619, filed December 1, 1999.

 

64 / Incorporated by reference from Post-Effective Amendment No. 75 to the Registrant’s registration statement, SEC File No. 33-17619, filed April 15, 2002.

 

65 / Incorporated by reference from Post-Effective Amendment No. 149 to the Registrant’s registration statement, SEC File No. 33-17619, filed January 19, 2007.

 

66 / Incorporated by reference from Post-Effective Amendment No. 218 to the Registrant’s registration statement, SEC File No. 33-17619, filed April 30, 2009.

 

67 / Incorporated by reference from Post-Effective Amendment No. 233 to the Registrant’s registration statement, SEC File No. 33-17619, filed December 28, 2009.

 

68 / Incorporated by reference from Post-Effective Amendment No. 229 to the Registrant’s registration statement, SEC File No. 33-17619, filed December 24, 2009.

 

69 / Incorporated by reference from Post-Effective Amendment No. 277 to the Registrant’s registration statement, SEC File No. 33-17619, filed April 5, 2011.

 

70 / Incorporated by reference from Post-Effective Amendment No. 279 to the Registrant’s registration statement, SEC File No. 33-17619, filed April 28, 2011.


71 / Incorporated by reference from Post-Effective Amendment No. 304 to the Registrant’s registration statement, SEC File No. 33-17619, filed January 25, 2012.

 

72 / Incorporated by reference from Post-Effective Amendment No. 312 to the Registrant’s registration statement, SEC File No. 33-17619, filed February 27, 2012.

 

73 / Incorporated by reference from Post-Effective Amendment No. 313 to the Registrant’s registration statement, SEC File No. 33-17619, filed February 28, 2012.

 

74 / Incorporated by reference from Post-Effective Amendment No. 338 to the Registrant’s registration statement, SEC File No. 33-17619, filed December 21, 2012.

 

75 / Incorporated by reference from Post-Effective Amendment No. 353 to the Registrant’s registration statement, SEC File No. 33-17618, filed March 25, 2013.

 

76 / Incorporated by reference from Post-Effective Amendment No. 360 to the Registrant’s registration statement. SEC File No. 33-17619, filed May 28, 2013.

 

77 / Incorporated by reference from Post-Effective Amendment No. 395 to the Registrant’s registration statement, SEC File No. 33-17619, filed February 28, 2014.

 

78 / Incorporated by reference from Post-Effective Amendment No. 408 to the Registrant’s registration statement, SEC File No. 33-17619, filed March 21, 2014.

 

79 / Incorporated by reference from Post-Effective Amendment No. 222 to the Registrant’s registration statement, SEC File. No. 33-17619, filed July 28, 2009.

 

80 / Incorporated by reference from Post-Effective Amendment No. 43 to the Registrant’s registration statement, SEC File No. 33-17619, filed March 2, 1998.

 

81 / Incorporated by reference from Post-Effective Amendment No. 175 to the Registrant’s registration statement, SEC File No. 33-17619, filed December 10, 2007.

 

82 / Incorporated by reference from Post-Effective Amendment No. 198 to the Registrant’s registration statement, SEC File No. 33-17619, filed April 28, 2008.

 

83 / Incorporated by reference from Post-Effective Amendment No. 252 to the Registrant’s registration statement, SEC File No. 33-17619, filed July 29, 2010.

 

84 / Incorporated by reference from Post-Effective Amendment No. 263 to the Registrant’s registration statement, SEC File No. 33-17619, filed December 29, 2010.

 

85 / Incorporated by reference from Post-Effective Amendment No. 86 to the Registrant’s registration statement, SEC File No. 33-17619, filed February 24, 2004.

 

86 / Incorporated by reference from Post-Effective Amendment No. 245 to the Registrant’s registration statement, SEC File No. 33-17619, filed May 14, 2010.

 

87 / Incorporated by reference from Post-Effective Amendment No. 331 to the Registrant’s registration statement, SEC File No. 33-17619, filed August 31, 2012.

 

88 / Incorporated by reference from Post-Effective Amendment No. 370 to the Registrant’s registration statement, SEC File No. 33-17619, filed November 15, 2013.


Item 29. Persons Controlled by or Under Common Control with the Fund

Goldman Sachs Absolute Return Tracker Fund, a series of the Registrant, wholly owns and controls Goldman Sachs Cayman Commodity-ART Fund Ltd. (the “Cayman Subsidiary”), a company organized under the laws of the Cayman Islands. The Cayman Subsidiary’s financial statements will be included on a consolidated basis in the Absolute Return Tracker Fund’s annual and semi-annual reports to shareholders.

Goldman Sachs Commodity Strategy Fund, a series of the Registrant, wholly owns and controls Goldman Sachs Cayman Commodity Fund, Ltd. (the “Cayman Subsidiary”), a company organized under the laws of the Cayman Islands. The Cayman Subsidiary’s financial statements will be included on a consolidated basis in the Commodity Strategy Fund’s annual and semi-annual reports to shareholders.

Goldman Sachs Fixed Income Macro Strategies Fund, a series of the Registrant, wholly owns and controls Goldman Sachs Cayman Commodity-FIMS Fund Ltd. (the “Cayman Subsidiary”), a company organized under the laws of the Cayman Islands. The Cayman Subsidiary’s financial statements will be included on a consolidated basis in the Fixed Income Macro Strategies Fund’s annual and semi-annual reports to shareholders.

Item 30. Indemnification

Article IV of the Declaration of Trust of Goldman Sachs Trust, a Delaware statutory trust, provides for indemnification of the Trustees, officers and agents of the Trust, subject to certain limitations. The Declaration of Trust is incorporated by reference to Exhibit (a)(1).

The Management Agreements provide that the applicable Investment Adviser will not be liable for any error of judgment or mistake of law or for any loss suffered by a Fund, except a loss resulting from willful misfeasance, bad faith or gross negligence on the part of the Investment Adviser or from reckless disregard by the Investment Adviser of its obligations or duties under the Management Agreements. Section 7 of the Management Agreements on behalf of the Financial Square Tax-Exempt California, Financial Square Tax-Exempt New York, and Short Duration Government Funds provides that the Financial Square Tax-Exempt California, Financial Square Tax-Exempt New York, and Short Duration Government Funds will indemnify the Adviser against certain liabilities; provided, however, that such indemnification does not apply to any loss by reason of its willful misfeasance, bad faith or gross negligence or the Adviser’s reckless disregard of its obligation under the Management Agreements. The Management Agreements are incorporated by reference as Exhibits (d)(1) through (d)(7).

Section 8 of the Sub-Advisory Agreement between Goldman Sachs Asset Management, L.P. (the “Investment Adviser”) and Dividend Assets Capital, LLC (the “Sub-Adviser”) with respect to Goldman Sachs Rising Dividend Growth Fund (the “Fund”) provides that the Sub-Adviser will not be liable for any losses, claims, damages, liabilities or litigation (including legal and other expenses) suffered by the Investment Adviser or the Trust as a result of any error of judgment by the Sub-Adviser with respect to the Fund, except that the Sub-Adviser will remain liable for, and will indemnify the Trust, the Investment Adviser and their affiliated persons against, any losses suffered (a) as a result of the willful misconduct, bad faith, or negligence by the Sub-Adviser; (b) as a result of any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the registration statement, proxy materials, reports, advertisements, sales literature or other materials pertaining to the Fund, or any material fact omitted therefrom, if such a statement or omission was made in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished by the Sub-Adviser; or (c) as a result of the failure of the Sub-Adviser to execute portfolio transactions according to the requirements of applicable law. The Sub-Advisory Agreement is incorporated by reference as Exhibit (d)(10).

Section 9 of the Distribution Agreement between the Registrant and Goldman Sachs dated April 30, 1997, as amended, and Section 7 of the Transfer Agency Agreement between the Registrant and Goldman, Sachs & Co. dated August 9, 2007 provides that the Registrant will indemnify Goldman, Sachs & Co. against certain liabilities. Copies of the Distribution Agreement and the Transfer Agency Agreement are incorporated by reference as Exhibits (e)(1) and (h)(4) respectively, to the Registrant’s Registration Statement.

Mutual fund and trustees and officers liability policies purchased jointly by the Registrant, Goldman Sachs Variable Insurance Trust, Goldman Sachs Credit Strategies Fund, Goldman Sachs BDC, Inc., Goldman Sachs Trust II and Goldman Sachs MLP Income Opportunities Fund insure such persons and their respective trustees, partners, officers and employees, subject to the policies’ coverage limits and exclusions and varying deductibles, against loss resulting from claims by reason of any act, error, omission, misstatement, misleading statement, neglect or breach of duty.


Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act of 1933 may be permitted to directors, officers or persons controlling the registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, the Registrant has been informed that in the opinion of the Securities and Exchange Commission such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Act and is therefore unenforceable.

Item 31. Business and Other Connections of Investment Advisers

Goldman Sachs Asset Management, L.P. (“GSAM”) and Goldman Sachs Asset Management International (“GSAMI”) are wholly-owned subsidiaries of the Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. and serve as investment advisers to the Registrant. GSAM and GSAMI are engaged in the investment advisory business. GSAM and GSAMI are part of The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc., a public company that is a bank holding company, financial holding company and a world-wide, full-service financial services organization. The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. is the general partner and principal owner of GSAM. Information about the officers and partners of GSAM, and officers and directors of GSAMI, is included in their Forms ADV filed with the Commission (registration numbers 801-37591 and 801-38157, respectively) and is incorporated herein by reference.

Dividend Assets Capital, LLC (“DAC”) serves as sub-adviser to Goldman Sachs Rising Dividend Growth Fund. DAC is primarily engaged in the investment management business. Information about the officers and directors of DAC is included in its Form ADV filed with the Commission (registration number 801-62643) and is incorporated herein by reference.

Item 32. Principal Underwriters

 

  (a) Goldman, Sachs & Co. or an affiliate or a division thereof currently serves as distributor for shares of Goldman Sachs Trust, Goldman Sachs Variable Insurance Trust, Goldman Sachs Credit Strategies Fund and Goldman Sachs Trust II. Goldman, Sachs & Co., or a division thereof currently serves as administrator and distributor of the units or shares of The Commerce Funds.

 

  (b) Set forth below is certain information pertaining to the Managing Directors of Goldman, Sachs & Co., the Registrant’s principal underwriter, who are members of The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc.’s Management Committee. None of the members of the management committee holds a position or office with the Registrant.

GOLDMAN SACHS MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE

 

Name and Principal

Business Address

  

Position with Goldman, Sachs & Co.

Lloyd C. Blankfein (1)    Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
Alan M. Cohen (1)    Global Head of Compliance, Managing Director
Gary D. Cohn (1)    Managing Director
Christopher A. Cole (1)    Managing Director
Edith Cooper (1)    Managing Director
Gordon E. Dyal (1)(2)    Managing Director
Isabelle Ealet (3)    Managing Director
Richard A. Friedman (1)    Managing Director
Richard J. Gnodde (2)    Managing Director
Gwen R. Libstag (1)    Managing Director
Masanori Mochida (5)    Managing Director
Timothy J. O’Neill (1)    Managing Director
Gregory K. Palm (1)    General Counsel and Managing Director
John F.W. Rogers (1)    Managing Director
Pablo J. Salame (1)    Managing Director
Jeffrey W. Schroeder (1)    Managing Director
Harvey M. Schwartz (1)    Managing Director


Michael S. Sherwood (2)    Managing Director
David M. Solomon (1)    Managing Director
Esta Stecher (1)    Managing Director
Steven H. Strongin (1)    Managing Director
John S. Weinberg (1)    Managing Director
Eric S. Lane (1)    Managing Director
Stephen M. Scherr (1)    Managing Director
Ashok Varadhan (1)    Managing Director
Mark Schwartz (7)    Managing Director
Gene Sykes (8)    Managing Director
R. Martin Chavez (1)    Managing Director
Ken W. Hitchner (1)    Managing Director
Craig W. Broderick (1)    Managing Director
Paul M. Russo (1)    Managing Director
Michael D. Daffey (3)    Managing Director
Sarah E. Smith (1)    Managing Director
Justin G. Gmelich (1)    Managing Director

 

(1) 200 West Street, New York, NY 10282

 

(2) Peterborough Court, 133 Fleet Street, London EC4A 2BB, England

 

(3) River Court, 120 Fleet Street, London EC4A 2QQ, England

 

(4)

Cheung Kong Center, 68 th Floor, 2 Queens Road Central, Hong Kong, China

 

(5) 12-32, Akasaka I-chome, Minato-Ku, Tokyo 107-6006, Japan

 

(6) 1 Raffles Link, #07-01 South Lobby, Singapore 039393

 

(7) 7 Finance Street, Xicheng District, Beijing, China 100104

 

(8) Fox Plaza, Suite 2600, 2121 Avenue of the Stars, Los Angeles, CA 90067

 

(c) Not Applicable.

Item 33. Location of Accounts and Records

The Agreement and Declaration of Trust, Amended and Restated By-laws and minute books of the Registrant and certain investment adviser records are in the physical possession of GSAM LP, 200 West Street, New York, New York 10282. All other accounts, books and other documents required to be maintained under Section 31(a) of the Investment Company Act of 1940 and the rules promulgated thereunder are in the physical possession of State Street Bank and Trust Company, State Street Financial Center, One Lincoln Street, Boston, MA 02111, Bank of New York Mellon, One Wall Street, New York, New York 10286 and JP Morgan Chase Bank, N.A., 270 Park Avenue, New York, New York 10017, except for certain transfer agency records which are maintained by Goldman, Sachs & Co., 71 South Wacker Drive, Chicago, Illinois 60606.

Item 34. Management Services

Not applicable

Item 35. Undertakings

Not applicable


SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933 and the Investment Company Act of 1940, the Registrant certifies that it meets all of the requirements for effectiveness of this Post-Effective Amendment No. 409 under Rule 485(b) under the Securities Act of 1933 and has duly caused this Post-Effective Amendment No. 409 to its Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, duly authorized, in the City and State of New York on the 28 th day of March, 2014.

 

GOLDMAN SACHS TRUST
(A Delaware statutory trust)
By:   /s/ Caroline Kraus
 

Caroline Kraus

Secretary

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this Post-Effective Amendment to said Registration Statement has been signed below by the following persons in the capacities and on the date indicated.

 

Name

  

Title

 

Date

1 James A. McNamara                

James A. McNamara

   President (Chief Executive Officer) and Trustee   March 28, 2014

1 Scott M. McHugh                     

Scott M. McHugh

   Treasurer, Senior Vice President and Principal Financial Officer   March 28, 2014

1 Ashok N. Bakhru                      

Ashok N. Bakhru

   Chairman and Trustee   March 28, 2014

1 Donald C. Burke                        

Donald C. Burke

   Trustee   March 28, 2014

1 John P. Coblentz, Jr.                  

John P. Coblentz, Jr.

   Trustee   March 28, 2014

1 Diana M. Daniels                        

Diana M. Daniels

   Trustee   March 28, 2014

1 Joseph P. LoRusso                    

Joseph P. LoRusso

   Trustee   March 28, 2014

1 Herbert J. Markley                    

Herbert J. Markley

   Trustee   March 28, 2014

1 Jessica Palmer                            

Jessica Palmer

   Trustee   March 28, 2014

1 Alan A. Shuch                            

Alan A. Shuch

   Trustee   March 28, 2014

1 Richard P. Strubel                        

Richard P. Strubel

   Trustee   March 28, 2014

1 Roy W. Templin                        

Roy W. Templin

   Trustee   March 28, 2014

 

By:   /s/ Caroline Kraus
 

Caroline Kraus,

Attorney-In-Fact

 

1  

Pursuant to powers of attorney previously filed.


CERTIFICATE

The undersigned Secretary for Goldman Sachs Trust (the “Trust”) hereby certifies that the Board of Trustees of the Trust duly adopted the following resolution at a meeting of the Board held on October 16-17, 2013.

RESOLVED , that the Trustees and Officers of each Trust who may be required to execute any amendments to each Trust’s Registration Statement be, and each hereby is, authorized to execute a power of attorney appointing James A. McNamara, Caroline Kraus, Andrew Murphy, Robert Griffith and Matthew Wolfe, jointly and severally, their attorneys-in-fact, each with power of substitution, for said Trustees and Officers in any and all capacities to sign the Registration Statement under the Securities Act and the 1940 Act of each Trust and any and all amendments to such Registration Statement, and to file the same, with exhibits thereto, and other documents in connection therewith, with the SEC, the Trustees and Officers hereby ratifying and confirming all that each of said attorneys-in-fact, or his or her substitute or substitutes, may do or may have caused to be done by virtue hereof.

Dated: March 28, 2014

/s/ Caroline Kraus

Caroline Kraus,

Secretary


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