Short Duration Government Fund


    Month Ending 2/28/2010 (%) Quarter Ending 12/31/2009 (%)
Fund/Class 1
Year
3
Year
5
Year
10
Year
Life
of Fund
Expense Ratio 1
Year
3
Year
5
Year
10
Year
Life
of Fund
Gross Net
Short Duration Government Fund
5.02 3.17 3.44 3.87 4.45 0.86 0.86 6.54 3.39 3.50 3.85 4.48
Merrill Lynch 6 Month U.S. Treasury Bill Index
0.63 2.98 3.47 3.30 —   0.58 3.24 3.52 3.39 —  

Fund Inception Date: 3/31/1992

Calendar Year
Returns
Short Duration Government Fund Merrill Lynch 6 Month U.S. Treasury Bill Index
2009 6.54% 0.58%
2008 -1.19% 3.58%
2007 4.98% 5.64%
2006 4.51% 4.80%
2005 2.84% 3.09%
2004 2.04% 1.22%
2003 2.47% 1.29%
2002 4.14% 2.21%
2001 7.55% 5.21%
2000 4.95% 6.51%
1999 4.10% 4.64%
1998 4.77% 5.58%
1997 6.32% 5.57%
1996 6.28% 5.31%
1995 6.13% 6.54%


Disclosure

Investors should carefully consider the Fund's investment objectives, risks, charges, and expenses before investing. For this and other information, please call 800.835.3879 or download a free prospectus. Read it carefully before investing or sending money.

The performance shown represents past performance and is not a guarantee of future results. Current performance may be lower or higher than quoted. The investment return and the principal value of an investment will fluctuate so that an investor’s shares, when redeemed, may be worth more or less than their original cost. From time to time the advisor has waived fees or reimbursed expenses, which may have resulted in higher returns. The listed returns and yields on the Fund are net of expenses. Unlike the Fund, the index listed is unmanaged, is not available for investment, and does not incur expenses.

Performance for periods longer than one year are annualized.

Annual net expense ratio as of 05/01/2009.

Risks

The Fund is subject to the risks associated with investments in debt securities, such as default risk and fluctuations in the perception of the debtor's ability to pay its creditors. The Fund may use derivative instruments for hedging purposes or as part of its investment strategy. There is a risk that a derivative intended as a hedge may not perform as expected. The main risk with derivatives is that some types can amplify a gain or loss, potentially earning or losing substantially more money than the actual cost of the derivative or that the counterparty may fail to honor its contract terms, causing a loss for the Fund. Use of these instruments may also involve certain costs and risks such as liquidity risk, interest rate risk, market risk, credit risk, management risk and the risk that a fund could not close out a position when it would be most advantageous to do so.

Changing interest rates may adversely affect the value of an investment. An increase in interest rates typically causes the value of bonds and other fixed income securities to fall. Many bonds have call provisions which allow the debtors to pay them back before maturity. This is especially true with mortgage securities, which can be paid back anytime. Typically debtors prepay their debt when it is to their advantage (when interest rates drop making a new loan at current rates more attractive), and thus likely to the disadvantage of bondholders, who may have to reinvest prepayment proceeds in securities with lower yields. Prepayment risk will vary depending on the provisions of the security and current interest rates relative to the interest rate of the debt.

Downloadable Documents
Fund Pricing 03/19/10
NAV: $9.57
NAV $ Change: -$0
NAV % Change: 0.00%
YTD Return (as of 02/28/10)
- at NAV 0.24%
- with Load
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