Citizens Value Fund Claims Top Honors; Ranked No. 1 In Its Category Nationwide.

Business Editors

PORTSMOUTH, N.H.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan. 14, 2002

Citizens Advisers, Inc., the investment adviser to Citizens Funds, a leading provider of socially responsible mutual funds, today announced that its Value fund has been ranked by Morningstar Inc. as 2001's top large cap value fund.

The fund was ranked number one out of 808 funds in its category for the period ended December 31, 2001. According to the ranking service, the Citizens Value Fund(SM), formerly the Meyers Pride Value Fund, gained more than 13% compared with a decline of nearly 12% by the S&P 500 Index for the calendar year.

For the same period, the fund's one-year average annual return was 13.41%; 14.98% for five years; and 15.00% since inception(1).

This marks the first time a socially-directed fund has claimed top honors in nearly 20 years. Additionally, over a three-year period, the Citizens Value Fund (MYPVX), ranked number two out of 646 funds, and for the five-year period ranked number four out of 473 funds in the large cap value category for the period ending December 31, 2001.

Citizens Funds acquired the large cap value fund from Meyers Capital Management LLC (MCM) in September of 2001. Shelly Meyers, MCM Chairwoman and CEO, has managed the fund since its 1996 inception.

"One of the key contributors to the ongoing success of the Value fund is the simplicity and rigorousness of the underlying investment discipline, which revolves around value, fundamentals and positive momentum catalysts. It's a discipline that I adhere to whether I'm buying or selling, regardless of market, economic or political trends," said Shelly Meyers, portfolio manager and team leader of the Citizens Value Fund.

"The Value fund's outstanding performance record over the long and short term is a testament to Shelly's consistent investment approach," said Citizens Funds President John Shields. "From September 30, 2001, through January 9, 2002, assets in the Citizens Value Fund have increased by more than 66%," continued Mr. Shields.

About Citizens Funds

Founded in 1982, and with nearly $1.5 billion under management, Citizens Funds has been a thought leader in its approach to investment management, and socially responsible investing in particular.

With a core focus on strong, long-term performance, Citizens' mission is to help investors participate in the growth and capital appreciation potential of companies that we believe are fundamentally strong and socially responsible.

Citizens' unique investment management approach revolves around its proprietary Fundamental Social Research(SM), a 360-degree approach that takes into account company financials, in combination with all the variables that affect prospects for success and growth over time.

Representing one of the largest families of socially responsible investments, the Citizens' line-up includes six equity funds, as well as fixed income and money market funds.

NOTE: For each fund with at least a three-year history, Morningstar calculates a Morningstar Rating(TM) metric each month by subtracting the return on a 90-day U.S. Treasury Bill from the fund's load-adjusted return for the same period, and then adjusting this excess return for risk. The top 10% of funds in each broad asset class 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(TM) for a fund is derived from a weighted average of the performance figures associated with its three-, five- and ten-year (if applicable) Morningstar Rating(TM) metrics. The Citizens Value Fund was rated against the following numbers of U.S.-domiciled domestic equity funds over the following time periods: 4,823 funds in the last three years and 3,165 funds in the last five years. With respect to these domestic equity funds, the Citizens Value Fund received a Morningstar Rating(TM) of 5 stars for the three- and five-year periods, respectively. Past performance is no guarantee of future results. Morningstar Rating(TM) is for the Standard share class only; other classes may have different performance characteristics.

(C) 2002 Morningstar, Inc. All Rights Reserved. The information contained herein: (1) is proprietary to Morningstar and/or its content providers; (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.

Please visit http://www.citizensfunds.com or call [phone] for a prospectus that contains complete details of fees and expenses and should be read carefully before investing.

Past performance does not guarantee future results. Investment return and principal value of an investment in Citizens Funds mutual funds will fluctuate so that an investor's shares, when redeemed, may be worth more or less than their original costs.

(1): The inception date of the Citizens Value Fund's predecessor, the Meyer's Pride Value Fund, is June 13, 1996. On September 24, 2001, the Meyers Pride Value Fund contributed its portfolio securities in exchange for Standard shares in the Citizens Value Fund.