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Westcore Colorado Tax-Exempt Fund

Overview

Inception
Date
Ticker
Symbol
WSJ
Abbreviation
CUSIP Investment
Style
6/1/1991 WTCOX ColoTE 957904782 High Quality-
Intermediate Muni


Investment Strategy

The Fund seeks to provide income exempt from both federal and Colorado state personal income taxes by emphasizing insured Colorado municipal bonds with intermediate maturities.


An income fund designed to give Colorado investors a tax break, Westcore Colorado Tax-Exempt Fund invests in high-quality, intermediate-term Colorado municipal bonds. The Fund owns bonds issued by a wide range of Colorado cities, counties, school districts, and special projects. The income earned on this investment is predominently double tax-exempt: exempt from both federal and Colorado state income taxes, but may be subject to federal alternative minimum taxation.


Downloadable Fact Sheet

Download and view the most recent Westcore Colorado Tax-Exempt Fund Quarterly Fact Sheet as a PDF file. This Fact Sheet contains complete information, including:
  • Fund Strategy
  • Portfolio Review and Outlook
  • Investment Performance versus Benchmark
  • Portfolio Characteristics
  • Top Ten Holdings
  • Sector Diversification
  • Morningstar Ratings
  • Fees and Expenses

If you do not currently have Adobe Acrobat ReaderTM on your computer, you can download it for free now.  


Portfolio Characteristics


Portfolio Characteristics
as of 9/30/2008

 

Westcore Colorado Tax-Exempt Fund

Lehman Brothers 10-Year Municipal Bond Index
Index

Net Assets $60.2 mil. N/A
30-Day SEC Yield1 3.94% N/A
Number of Holdings 133 N/A
Effective Maturity 5.75 years 9.91 years
Modified Duration 4.37 years 7.31 years
Average Credit Quality AA3/AA- AA2/AA3
Colorado Double Tax-Exempt Percentage 100.00% N/A
Percentage of Holdings Subject to AMT 0.00% N/A
Annual Turnover Ratio for period ended 9/30/2008 11.5% N/A

1Without fee waiver and/or expense reimbursement for the Westcore Colorado Tax-Exempt Fund the yield figure would have been 3.67%. Total return and yield figures represent past performance.

See our online glossary for definitions to the terms above.


Expense Information

Shareholder Fees (fees paid directly from your investment):
Redemption Fee
(as a percentage of amount redeemed or exchanged within 90 calendar days
from their date of purchase)
2.00%
Annual Account Maintenance Fee
(for accounts under $750 as further described in prospectus)
$12.00
Annual Fund Operating Expenses (expenses that are deducted from Fund assets):
Management Fees(1) 0.50%
Distribtion (12b-1) Fees NONE
Other Expenses 0.45%
Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses (2) 0.00%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses 0.95%
Fee Waiver and Expense Reimbursement(1) (0.30)%
Net Annual Fund Operating Expenses(1) 0.65%

(1)The Fund's Adviser and Administrators have contractually agreed to waive a portion of the investment advisory and/or administration fees and/or to reimburse other expenses for the Westcore Colorado Tax-Exempt Fund from April 29, 2008 until at least April 29, 2009, so that Net Annual Fund Operating Expenses will be no more than 0.65% for the current fiscal year. You will be notified if these waivers and/or reimbursements are discontinued after that date resulting in a material change in expense ratio.

(2)Each Fund's shareholders indirectly bear the expenses of the other funds in which the Fund invests (Acquired Funds). The operating expenses in this fee table may not correlate to the expense ratios in the Fund's financial statements (or the financial highlights in the prospectus) because the financial statements include only the direct operating expenses incurred by the Fund, not the indirect costs of investing in the Acquired Funds.


Investment Minimums

Westcore Funds requires a low minimum amount to open an account, relative to many other fund companies. We also offer flexibility with the Westcore Automatic Investment Plan.
To open a new account $2,500
To open a new Retirement Account, Education Savings Account or UGMA/UTMA Account $1,000
To open a new account with the
Westcore Automatic Investment Plan
$1,000
Automatic Investments Equivalent to $100 per month
To add to any type of account $100


Account Services

  • Automated Phone Access
  • Online Account Access
  • Wire and ACH Transmissions
  • Individual, Joint, Traditional/Roth IRA, Education Savings, UGMA/UTMA, Corporate Accounts Available
  • Automatic Exchanges


  • How to Start Investing with Westcore

    Everything you need to start investing with Westcore is right here:
    Get the facts about Westcore with a Westcore Funds Prospectus.
    Open a new account with a Westcore Account Application.
    Learn more about Westcore IRAs with a Westcore IRA Brochure.
    Open an IRA account with a Westcore IRA Application and Transfer Form.
    Learn more about Westcore Education Savings with Coverdell Education Savings Account Information
    Open an Education Savings Account with a Coverdell Education Savings Account Application.

    Performance

    Average Annual Total Returns
    for the periods ended
    9/30/2008

    Fund Name

    Quarter

    YTD

    1-Year

    3-Year

    5-Year

    10-Year

    Since
    Inception
    (6/1/1991)

    30-Day
    SEC Yield*

    Fund
    Expense1
    Gross/Net

    Westcore Colorado Tax-Exempt Fund (2.28)% (1.83)% (0.69)% 1.82% 1.92% 3.26% 4.76% 3.94% 0.99% /
    0.66%
    Lehman Brothers 10-Year Municipal Bond Index (1.53)% (1.18)% 0.55% 2.84% 3.20% 4.47% 6.02%    

    *Without fee waiver and/or expense reimbursements, yield would have been 3.67%



    Annual Total Returns
    from 6/1/1991
    Year
    Westcore Colorado
    Tax- Exempt Fund
    Lehman Brothers
    10-Year Municipal Bond Index
    2007
    2.84%
    4.29%
    2006
    4.02%
    4.71%
    2005
    1.53%
    2.75%
    2004
    2.54%
    4.15%
    2003
    4.49%
    5.70%
    2002
    7.95%
    10.17%
    2001
    4.37%
    4.62%
    2000
    9.02%
    10.76%
    1999
    (2.22)%
    (1.25)%
    1998
    5.59%
    6.76%
    1997
    7.35%
    9.26%
    1996
    4.29%
    4.54%
    1995
    13.03%
    17.17%
    1994
    (3.24)%
    (4.77)%
    1993
    9.89%
    12.77%
    1992
    8.08%
    8.92%
    1991
    6.31%
    6.92%


    Daily NAV
      Fund Name NAV
    as of N/A
    $ Change
    in NAV
    % Change
    in NAV
      Westcore Colorado Tax-Exempt Fund$N/AN/AN/A


    Morningstar Rating TM as of 9/30/2008

    Overall

    3-Year

    5-Year

    10-Year


    (of 282 funds)


    (of 282 funds)


    (of 272 funds)


    (of 216 funds)



    2007 Morningstar, Inc. All Rights Reserved. The information contained herein: (1) is proprietary to Morningstar; (2) may not be copied or distributed; and (3) is not warranted to be accurate, complete or timely. Neither Morningstar nor its content providers are responsible for any damages or losses arising from any use of this information. Past performance is no guarantee of future results.

    Morningstar proprietary ratings reflect historical risk-adjusted performance as of 9/30/08. For each fund with at least a three-year history, Morningstar calculates a Morningstar Rating based on a Morningstar Risk-Adjusted Return measure that accounts for variation in a fund's monthly performance (including the effects of sales charges, loads, and redemption fees), placing more emphasis on downward variations and rewarding consistent performance. The top 10% of funds in each category receive 5 stars, the next 22.5% receive 4 stars, the next 35% receive 3 stars, the next 22.5% receive 2 stars and the bottom 10% receive 1 star. The Overall Morningstar Rating for a fund is derived from a weighted average of the performance figures associated with its three-, five-, ten-year (if applicable) Morningstar Rating metrics. During periods on which ratings are based, service providers of the Fund waived fees. This waiver had a material impact on the funds' average annual returns. In the absence of fee waivers, performance would have been reduced.

    Westcore Colorado Tax-Exempt Fund was rated against the following numbers of U.S.-domiciled Muni Single State Interm funds over the following time periods: 282 funds in the last three years, 272 funds in the last five years, and 216 funds in the last ten years. With respect to these Muni Single State Interm funds, Westcore Colorado Tax-Exempt Fund received a Morningstar Rating of 4 stars, 3 stars and 2 stars for the three-, five- and ten-year periods, respectively. Past performance is no guarantee of future results.

    Click here for the most recent month-end Morningstar Ratings information.


    $10,000 Hypothetical Investment Graph

    The performance data quoted represents past performance. Past performance does not guarantee future results and current performance may be lower or higher than the performance quoted. To obtain current performance as of the most recent month-end, please call 1-800-392-CORE (2673) or visit us online at www.westcore.com. Average annual total returns and yield figures reflect the reinvestment of dividends, capital gains distributions, all fee waivers and expense reimbursements. Without the fee waivers and expense reimbursements, total return and yield figures would have been lower. The performance data quoted does not reflect the deduction of the 2% redemption fee imposed if shares are redeemed or exchanged within three months of purchase. If imposed, the fee would reduce the performance quoted. Total return and yield figures represent past performance. Investment return and principal value will vary, and shares, when redeemed, may be worth more or less than their original cost. Westcore fund shares are not insured by the FDIC, the Federal Reserve Board or any other agency and are subject to investment risk.

    1The Funds' Adviser and Administrators have contractually agreed to waive a portion of the investment advisory and/or administration fees and/or to reimburse other expenses from April 29, 2008 until at least April 29, 2009, so that Net Annual Fund Operating Expenses will be no more than quoted for the current fiscal year. You will be notified if these waivers and/or reimbursements are discontinued after that date resulting in a material change in expense ratio. The waivers are described in more detail in the prospectus.

    Holdings

    Top Ten Holdings as of 9/30/2008 (updated quarterly upon availability)

    Company Name

    % of Portfolio

    Larimer County, Poudre School District R-1, 6.000%, 12/15/2017 Optional 12/15/2010 @ 100.00, FGIC 1.83%
    Douglas & Elbert Counties School District Re-1, 5.250%, 12/15/2017 Optional 12/15/2011 @ 100.00. MBIA 1.83%
    El Paso County School District 12, 5.00%, 09/15/2013 Optional 09/15/2012 @ 100.00 1.81%
    Fort Collins CO Lease 1.72%
    University of Colorado Hospital Authority, 5.25%, 11/15/2022 1.72%
    Jefferson County School District R-1, 5.00%, 12/15/2024 Optional 12/15/2014 @ 100.00, FSA 1.69%
    Denver City & County, 5.00%, 11/15/2018 1.68%
    Aurora County Hospital, 5.00%, 12/01/2022 1.66%
    Regional Transportation District CO CTFS Partnership, 5.000%, 12/01/2022 1.64%
    Arkansas River Power Authority, 5.875%, 10/01/2026 1.59%

    Top ten holdings are subject to change, and there are no guarantees that the Fund will continue to remain invested in any particular company or holding.

    Download and view the most recent Westcore Colorado Tax-Exempt Fund Composition Sheet as a PDF file. This Composition Sheet contains complete holdings for the Fund. Updated monthly upon availability.

    If you do not currently have Adobe Acrobat ReaderTM on your computer, you can download it for free now.  


    S & P Bond Quality Ratings
    as of 10/31/2008
    AAA 19.44% BBB 12.44%
    AA 51.38% Non-Rated 2.45%
    A 11.61% Cash 2.68%



    Management/Commentary

    Thomas B. Stevens, CFA
    Westcore Colorado Tax-Exempt Fund


    Thomas B. Stevens, CFA, a Vice President of Denver Investment Advisors, has been primarily responsible for managing portfolios of institutional fixed income clients since 1986 and the day-to-day management of Westcore Colorado Tax-Exempt Fund since June 1999. Tom spent two years at Fidelity Bank where he served as Vice President of Fixed Income. Prior to his experience at Fidelity, Tom was employed at National Investment Services of America where he left as Vice President and Portfolio Manager of Fixed Income. Tom received his B.A. degree in Economics from the University of Virginia and his M.B.A. in International Business from Columbia University. He is a current member of the CFA Society of Colorado and a Chartered Financial Analyst.

    * Lead Portfolio Manager since May 28, 1999


    Kenneth A. Harris, CFA
    Westcore Colorado Tax-Exempt Fund


    Effective June 1, 2005, Kenneth A. Harris is Co-Portfolio Manager of Westcore Colorado Tax-Exempt Fund. Ken is a Vice President of Denver Investment Advisors and has been a portfolio manager at the firm since 2000. Prior to joining Denver Investment Advisors, he was with Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Colorado from 1985 to 2000, where he was Treasurer from 1995 to 2000. Ken earned a B.B.A. from the University of Arizona and an M.B.A. from the University of Colorado at Denver. He holds the Chartered Financial Analyst designation and is a current member of the CFA Society of Colorado.



    "The ability to recognize value is the key to better portfolio management - bond quality is never sacrificed for short-term yield."

    Those individuals listed as CFAs have earned the right to use the Chartered Financial Analyst designation.


    Manager Commentary/Current Issues

    As of 9/30/08

  • The Colorado Tax-Exempt Fund returned -2.28% for the third quarter and -0.69% for the last twelve months. The Lehman Brothers 10-Year Municipal Bond Index returned -1.53% and +0.55% for the same period. The Lehman Brothers Colorado-only Municipal Bond Index returned -3.07% for the quarter and -2.60% for the last twelve months.

  • The municipal market continues to be plagued by the freeze-up in credit markets and capital insufficiencies at the major market makers. The bankruptcies at Bear Stearns and Lehman and the acquisition of Merrill Lynch and potentially Morgan Stanley do not bode well for liquidity.

  • Authorities at the U.S. Treasury and Federal Reserve appear to be doing everything in their power to thaw the credit crunch and stabilize financial markets, but insurance companies and hedge funds have been forced sellers of municipal securities to raise cash. This has placed additional strain on an already fragile market.

  • We advocate high-quality, intermediate-term securities not subject to the alternative minimum tax. With interest rates rising for municipal debt, our focus will be on general obligation bonds, rather than revenue bonds.
  • Distributions

    Recent Distributions

    The amounts shown below are paid per share. View our fund prospectus online for more information on distributions.


    Type Amount Record Date Ex-Date Pay Date
    Income $0.0355 10/28/2008 10/29/2008 10/31/2008
    Income $0.0349 9/25/2008 9/26/2008 9/30/2008
    Income $0.0342 8/26/2008 8/27/2008 8/29/2008
    Income $0.0346 7/28/2008 7/29/2008 7/31/2008
    Income $0.0347 6/25/2008 6/26/2008 6/30/2008
    Income $0.0350 5/27/2008 5/28/2008 5/30/2008
    Income $0.0360 4/25/2008 4/28/2008 4/30/2008
    Income $0.0364 3/26/2008 3/27/2008 3/31/2008
    Income $0.0357 2/26/2008 2/27/2008 2/29/2008
    Income $0.0327 1/28/2008 1/29/2008 1/31/2008
    Income $0.0372 12/26/2007 12/27/2007 12/31/2007
    Income $0.0351 11/27/2007 11/28/2007 11/30/2007

    A fund's income from dividends and interest and any net realized short-term capital gains are paid to shareholders as income dividends. A fund realizes capital gains whenever it sells securities for a higher price than it paid for them. Net realized long-term gains are paid to shareholders as capital gain dividends. A dividend will reduce the net asset value of a fund share by the amount of the dividend on the ex-dividend date.

    An investor should consider investment objectives, risks, charges and expenses of the Fund(s) carefully before investing. Click here for a prospectus, which contains this and other important information. Please read the prospectus carefully before investing.

    Westcore Funds are distributed by ALPS Distributors, Inc.

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