`Fund Advisor' Offers Impartial Mutual Fund Recommendations; American Century Launches Online Investment Advice Service.

Business Editors

KANSAS CITY, Mo.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 27, 2000

American Century Investments today announced the initial release of Fund Advisor(a) -- an online mutual fund advice engine now available at www.americancentury.com. The online service was created by Acumation, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of American Century Companies, Inc. that specializes in portfolio optimization systems. The new online system not only allows personalized investment goal-setting, but also recommends mutual funds available through a user's current fund family or financial services provider.

"With Fund Advisor, we set out to create a high-quality online advice engine that combines American Century's 40-plus years of investment expertise, the latest quantitative methodologies and live customer support," said Randall Merk, Acumation board member and senior executive at American Century. "In addition, this truly impartial advice engine recommends the most appropriate mutual funds for the investor's goals from a universe of 4,500 funds -- whether or not they are American Century funds."

Fund Advisor has several features that distinguish it from most other online advice engines. For example:

-- Fund Advisor enables the investor to create multiple,

personalized investment goals rather than a retirement-only

goal.

-- The product offers specific no-load mutual fund 

recommendations from a variety of fund firms for each

goal-specific portfolio.

-- Fund Advisor allows investors to designate mutual fund

assets to more than one goal.

-- Fund Advisor offers recommendations on mutual fund holdings

regardless of where they are held--so it's unnecessary to

move money to American Century in order to use Fund Advisor.

-- Fund Advisor provides free, live customer support-- an

e-mail link to American Century through which trained

representatives provide real-time assistance.

In a subsequent version of the product, Fund Advisor will feature a "Do It!" function that can execute mutual fund buy/sell recommendations at the push of a button for users who are on the American Century Brokerage or mutual fund platforms. Or, if non-American Century investors decide to act on the product's buy/sell recommendations, Fund Advisor will provide information, such as 800-numbers, on how to execute the transactions on other fund complex or brokerage platforms.

"`What mutual fund should I buy?' is the most frequently asked question by investors today," said Mark Killen, senior vice president of American Century. "There's clearly a growing segment of investors who want some guidance to help them navigate through the sheer number of mutual fund offerings in the market. Fund Advisor provides mutual fund selection advice to all types of investors -- from those who prefer a totally online experience, to those who may want to access online advice in order to prepare for a discussion with a Financial Advisor. Even more, Fund Advisor is designed to offer recommendations for every investing style -- from the most conservative to the most aggressive."

In order to maintain privacy and security, Fund Advisor requires the establishment of a OnePIN -- an identification code unique to the American Century Web site. Once a OnePIN is created -- a service that is available to shareholders and non-shareholders alike -- the user is ready to access Fund Advisor. Initially, the user is queried on personal financial information, investment experience, risk tolerance, and goal-by-goal investment timelines. A risk profile is then created for each goal that helps to determine the optimal mutual fund selections for that goal.

"Fund Advisor employs a goals-based investment philosophy," said American Century's Merk. "The sophisticated system repeatedly simulates potential returns over specified time horizons in order to determine if the financial goal is achievable. Fund Advisor then proposes mutual funds with the maximum return potential and the minimum risk reflecting the risk/reward parameters established by the user."

American Century is a mutual fund, brokerage and investment services company serving nearly two million individual and institutional investors. It was recently selected as one of FORTUNE Magazine's 100 Best Companies to Work for in America. Through its broad selection of more than 70 mutual funds, the Kansas City, Missouri-based company manages more than $115 billion in assets. James E. Stowers Jr. founded the company in 1958 and serves as chairman. His son, James E. Stowers III, is chief executive officer and William M. Lyons is president and chief operating officer. For more information on company products and services, visit its Web site at www.americancentury.com.

Acumation, Inc., a Registered Investment Advisor and a wholly-owned subsidiary of American Century Companies, Inc., offers specific and impartial investment advice and mutual fund recommendations to individual investors via the Web. Acumation's portfolio optimization system merges human expertise with innovative technology in order to create online, advice-based investment tools. The firm is staffed with professionals in finance, mathematics, technology, systems programming and mutual fund management and has offices in Kansas City, Missouri and Mountain View, California. For more information on the company, visit its Web site at www.acumation.com. American Century may receive management, service or other fees from funds recommended through Fund Advisor. These arrangements are described in Acumation's Form ADV Part II.

(a) Patent Pending

For more information on any of our funds, please call 1-800-345-2021 for a prospectus. The prospectus contains important information, including charges and expenses, and should be read carefully before investing or sending money.