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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds, et al. – ‘485BPOS’ on 2/28/20

On:  Friday, 2/28/20, at 5:25pm ET   ·   Effective:  2/28/20   ·   Accession #:  1133228-20-817   ·   File #s:  811-21339, 333-104972

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  As Of               Filer                 Filing    For·On·As Docs:Size             Issuer                      Filing Agent

 2/28/20  Morgan Stanley Inst’l Liquid… Fds 485BPOS     2/28/20    5:12M                                    Appatura/FAGovernment Portfolio 8 Classes/ContractsGovernment Securities Portfolio 7 Classes/ContractsMoney Market Portfolio 7 Classes/ContractsPrime Portfolio 7 Classes/ContractsTax Exempt Portfolio 7 Classes/ContractsTreasury Portfolio 8 Classes/ContractsTreasury Securities Portfolio 8 Classes/Contracts

Post-Effective Amendment of a Form N-1 or N-1A Registration   —   Rule 485(b)
Filing Table of Contents

Document/Exhibit                   Description                      Pages   Size 

 1: 485BPOS     Ms Institutional Liquidity Funds-485Bpos            HTML   5.64M 
 2: EX-99.(A)(6)  Amendment, Dated September 30th, 2019, to the     HTML     15K 
                Declaration of Trust of the Registrant (Renaming                 
                the Money Market Portfolio as the Esg Money Market               
                Portfolio).                                                      
 3: EX-99.(I)(4)  Consent of Dechert LLP.                           HTML      6K 
 4: EX-99.(J)   Consent of Independent Registered Public            HTML      6K 
                Accounting Firm.                                                 
 5: EX-99.(P)(2)  Code of Ethics of the Morgan Stanley Funds.       HTML     21K 


‘485BPOS’   —   Ms Institutional Liquidity Funds-485Bpos
Document Table of Contents

Page (sequential)   (alphabetic) Top
 
11st Page  –  Filing Submission
"Back To Table of Contents
"Fund Summary
"Prime Portfolio
"ESG Money Market Portfolio
"Government Portfolio
"Government Securities Portfolio
"Treasury Portfolio
"Treasury Securities Portfolio
"Tax-Exempt Portfolio
"Details of the Funds
"Additional Information About the Funds' Investment Strategies and Related Risks
"Shareholder Information
"Fund Management
"Financial Highlights
"Investments and Investment Strategies
"Investment Objectives and Limitations
"Disclosure of Portfolio Holdings
"Purchase and Redemption of Shares
"Account Policies and Features
"Management of the Trust
"Compensation
"Adviser
"Principal Underwriter
"Service and Distribution of Shares
"Fund Administration
"Other Service Providers
"Brokerage Transactions
"General Information
"Taxes
"Control Persons and Principal Holders of Securities
"Performance Information
"Potential Conflicts of Interest
"Financial Statements
"Appendix A -- Morgan Stanley Investment Management Proxy Voting Policy and Procedures
"A-1
"Appendix B -- Description of Ratings
"B-1

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As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on February 28, 2020

 

Registration Nos.: 333-104972

811-21339

 

 

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

 

FORM N-1A

 

  REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933
  Pre-Effective Amendment No.
  Post-Effective Amendment No. 34
     
  and/or  
     
  REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE INVESTMENT COMPANY ACT OF 1940
  Amendment No. 35

 

Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds

(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Charter)

 

522 Fifth Avenue

New York, New York 10036

(Address of Principal Executive Office)

 

Registrant’s Telephone Number, Including Area Code: (800) 548-7786

 

Mary E. Mullin, Esq.

522 Fifth Avenue

New York, New York 10036

(Name and Address of Agent for Service)

 

Copy to:

 

Carl Frischling, Esq. Stuart M. Strauss, Esq.
Perkins Coie LLP Dechert LLP
1155 Avenue of the Americas 1095 Avenue of the Americas
22nd Floor New York, New York 10036
New York, New York 10036  

 

Approximate Date of Proposed Public Offering: As soon as practicable after this Post-Effective Amendment becomes effective.

 

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

 

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.

 

Amending the Prospectus and Updating Financial Statements If appropriate, check the following box:

 

This post-effective amendment designates a new effective date for a previously filed post-effective amendment.
 
 C: 
 

 

 

Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds

Institutional Class Portfolios

Prime Portfolio
ESG Money Market Portfolio
Government Portfolio
Government Securities Portfolio
Treasury Portfolio
Treasury Securities Portfolio
Tax-Exempt Portfolio


 

Prospectus   |   February 28, 2020

Fund

Ticker Symbol

Prime Portfolio

MPFXX

ESG Money Market Portfolio

MPUXX

Government Portfolio

MVRXX

Government Securities Portfolio

MUIXX

Treasury Portfolio

MISXX

Treasury Securities Portfolio

MSUXX

Tax-Exempt Portfolio

MTXXX

Beginning on January 1, 2021, as permitted by regulations adopted by the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”), paper copies of the Funds’ Annual and Semi-Annual Reports to Shareholders (“Shareholder Reports”) will no longer be sent by mail, unless you specifically request paper copies of the Shareholder Reports from the Fund or from your financial intermediary, such as a broker-dealer or a bank. Instead, the Shareholder Reports will be made available on the Funds’ website, https://www.morganstanley.com/im/liquidityshareholderreports and you will be notified by mail each time a Shareholder Report is posted and provided with a website link to access the Shareholder Report. If you already elected to receive Shareholder Reports electronically, you will not be affected by this change and you need not take any action. You may elect to receive Shareholder Reports and other communications from a Fund electronically anytime by contacting your financial intermediary or, if you are a direct investor, please follow the instructions on the envelope. 

Beginning on January 1, 2019, you may elect to receive all future Shareholder Reports in paper free of charge. If you invest through a financial intermediary, you can contact your financial intermediary to request that you continue to receive paper copies of your Shareholder Reports. If you invest directly with a Fund, please follow the instructions on the envelope to let the Fund know you wish to continue receiving paper copies of your Shareholder Reports. Your election to receive Shareholder Reports in paper will apply to all funds held in your account if you invest through your financial intermediary or all funds held with the fund complex if you invest directly with a Fund.

The SEC has not approved or disapproved these securities or passed upon the adequacy of this Prospectus. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.

LFICPRO 2/20


 

Table of Contents

 

Page

Fund Summary

1

Prime Portfolio

1

ESG Money Market Portfolio

4

Government Portfolio

8

Government Securities Portfolio

11

Treasury Portfolio

14

Treasury Securities Portfolio

17

Tax-Exempt Portfolio

20

Details of the Funds

23

Prime Portfolio

23

ESG Money Market Portfolio

25

Government Portfolio

28

Government Securities Portfolio

30

Treasury Portfolio

31

Treasury Securities Portfolio

32

Tax-Exempt Portfolio

33

Additional Information About the Funds’ Investment Strategies and Related Risks

35

Shareholder Information

39

Fund Management

48

Financial Highlights

49


 

Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Prospectus  |  Fund Summary

Prime Portfolio

Investment Objective

The Prime Portfolio (the “Fund”) seeks preservation of capital, daily liquidity and maximum current income.

Fees and Expenses

The table below describes the expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold Institutional Class shares of the Fund. The Fund does not charge any sales loads or other fees when you purchase or redeem shares.

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

 

Institutional Class

Advisory Fee

0.15%

Distribution and/or Shareholder Service (12b-1) Fee

None

Other Expenses

0.06%

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses1

0.21%

Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement1

0.01%

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement1

0.20%

Example

The example below is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund’s Institutional Class with the cost of investing in other mutual funds.

The example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund’s Institutional Class, your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Fund’s operating expenses remain the same (except that the example incorporates the fee waiver and/or expense reimbursement 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

 

Institutional Class

$ 20

$ 67

$ 117

$ 267

 

1 The Fund’s “Adviser” and “Administrator,” Morgan Stanley Investment Management Inc., has agreed to reduce its advisory fee, its administration fee and/or reimburse the Fund’s Institutional Class so that Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses, excluding certain investment related expenses, taxes, interest and other extraordinary expenses (including litigation), will not exceed 0.20%. The fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements will continue for at least one year or until such time as the Board of Trustees of Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds (the “Trust”) acts to discontinue all or a portion of such waivers and/or reimbursements when it deems such action is appropriate.

Principal Investment Strategies

The Fund invests in liquid, high quality U.S. dollar-denominated money market instruments of U.S. and foreign financial corporations and U.S. non-financial corporations. The Fund also invests in obligations issued or guaranteed by the U.S. Government and its agencies and instrumentalities. The Fund’s money market investments may include commercial paper, corporate debt obligations, debt obligations (including certificates of deposit and promissory notes) of U.S. banks or foreign banks, or of U.S. branches or subsidiaries of foreign banks, or foreign branches of U.S. banks (such as Yankee obligations), certificates of deposit of savings banks and savings and loan organizations, asset-backed securities, repurchase agreements and municipal obligations.

The Fund may also invest in U.S. dollar-denominated foreign securities and money market instruments.

The Fund operates as an “institutional money market fund,” which is neither a “government money market fund” nor “retail money market fund” as such terms are defined or interpreted under Rule 2a-7 under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (“Rule 2a-7” under the “1940 Act”). As such, the Fund is required to price and transact in its shares at a net asset value per share (“NAV”) reflecting market-based values of its portfolio holdings (i.e., at a “floating” NAV), rounded to a minimum of the fourth decimal place. Like other money market funds of its type, the Fund is subject to the possible imposition of liquidity fees and/or redemption gates.

Principal Risks

There is no assurance that the Fund will achieve its investment objective.

You could lose money by investing in the Fund. Because the share price of the Fund will fluctuate, when you sell your shares they may be worth more or less than what you originally paid for them. The Fund may impose a fee upon the sale of your shares or may temporarily suspend your ability to sell shares if the Fund’s liquidity falls below required minimums because of market conditions or other factors. An investment in the Fund is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (“FDIC”) or

1


 

Back To Table of Contents

Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Prospectus | Fund Summary

Prime Portfolio (Cont’d)

any other government agency. The Fund’s sponsor has no legal obligation to provide financial support to the Fund, and you should not expect that the sponsor will provide financial support to the Fund at any time.

The principal risks of investing in the Fund include:

 

Credit and Interest Rate Risk. Credit risk refers to the possibility that the issuer or guarantor of a security will be unable to make interest payments and/or repay the principal on its debt. Interest rate risk refers to fluctuations in the value of a fixed-income security resulting from changes in the general level of interest rates. When the general level of interest rates goes up, the prices of most fixed-income securities go down. When the general level of interest rates goes down, the prices of most fixed-income securities go up. The Fund may face a heightened level of interest rate risk in times of monetary policy change and uncertainty, such as when the Federal Reserve Board ends a quantitative easing program and/or raises rates. A rising interest rate environment increases certain risks, including the potential for periods of volatility, increased redemptions and extended durations (i.e., extension risk).

 

Bank Obligations. The activities of U.S. and most foreign banks are subject to comprehensive regulations. The enactment of new legislation or regulations, as well as changes in interpretation and enforcement of current laws, may affect the manner of operations and profitability of domestic and foreign banks. In addition, banks may be particularly susceptible to certain economic factors.

 

Fixed-Income Securities. Fixed-income securities are subject to the risk of the issuer’s inability to meet principal and interest payments on its obligations (i.e., credit risk) and are subject to price volatility resulting from, among other things, interest rate sensitivity (i.e., interest rate risk), market perception of the creditworthiness of the issuer and general market liquidity (i.e., market risk). The Fund may face a heightened level of interest rate risk in times of monetary policy change and uncertainty, such as when the Federal Reserve Board ends a quantitative easing program and/or raises rates.

 

U.S. Government Securities. The U.S. government securities in which the Fund invests can be subject to two types of risk: credit risk and interest rate risk. When the general level of interest rates goes up, the prices of most fixed-income securities go down. When the general level of interest rates goes down, the prices of most fixed-income securities go up. While the credit risk associated with U.S. government securities generally is considered to be minimal, the interest rate risk can be substantial. With respect to U.S. government securities that are not backed by the full faith and credit of the United States, there is the risk that the U.S. Government will not provide financial support to such U.S. government agencies, instrumentalities or sponsored enterprises if it is not obligated to do so by law.

 

Asset-Backed Securities. Asset-backed securities involve the risk that various federal and state consumer laws and other legal and economic factors may result in the collateral backing the securities being insufficient to support payment on the securities. Some asset-backed securities also entail prepayment risk and extension risk, which may vary depending on the type of asset.

 

Repurchase Agreements. Repurchase agreements are subject to risks associated with the possibility of default by the seller at a time when the collateral has declined in value, or insolvency of the seller, which may affect the Fund’s right to control the collateral and result in certain costs and delays. Repurchase agreements may involve a greater degree of credit risk than investments in U.S. government securities.

 

Foreign Money Market Securities. Investing in money market securities of foreign issuers involves some additional risks, including the possibility of adverse political, economic or other developments affecting the issuers of these securities.

 

Municipal Obligations. To the extent the Fund invests in municipal obligations issued by state and local governments and their agencies, the Fund may be susceptible to political, economic, regulatory or other factors affecting issuers of these municipal obligations. To the extent that the Fund invests in municipal obligations of issuers in the same economic sector, it could be more sensitive to economic, business or political developments that affect such sector.
 

Performance Information

The bar chart and table below provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by showing changes in the performance of the Fund’s Institutional Class shares from year-to-year and by showing the average annual returns of the Fund’s Institutional Class shares for the one, five and 10 year periods. The Fund’s past performance is not necessarily an indication of how the Fund will perform in the future. Updated performance information is available online at www.morganstanley.com/liquidity.

2


 

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Prospectus  |  Fund Summary

Prime Portfolio (Cont’d)

Annual Total Returns—Calendar Years

High Quarter

03/31/19

0.67%

Low Quarter

09/30/14

0.01%

Average Annual Total Returns

(for the Periods Ended December 31, 2019)

 

Past
One Year

Past
Five Years

Past
Ten Years

Prime Portfolio

2.35%

1.21%

0.66%

You may obtain the Fund’s 7-day current yield by calling 1-888-378-1630.

Fund Management

Adviser. Morgan Stanley Investment Management Inc.

Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares

Institutional Class shares of the Fund are available to investors who at the time of initial purchase make a minimum investment of $10 million. You may not be subject to the minimum investment requirement under certain circumstances. For more information, please refer to the section of this Prospectus entitled “Shareholder Information—Minimum Investment Amount.”

Shares of the Fund may be purchased or sold on any day the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) is open for business (except when the following federal holidays are observed: Columbus Day and Veterans Day) directly from the Fund by mail (c/o DST Asset Manager Solutions, Inc., P.O. Box 219804, Kansas City, MO 64121-9804), by telephone (1-888-378-1630) or by contacting an authorized third-party, such as a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary that has entered into a selling agreement with the Fund’s “Distributor,” Morgan Stanley Distribution, Inc. (each, a “Financial Intermediary”). You may purchase and redeem shares online through Morgan Stanley’s Treasury Investment Portal service at www.morganstanley.com/liquidity, provided you have a pre-established Internet trading account. For more information, please refer to the sections of this Prospectus entitled “Shareholder Information—How To Purchase Shares” and “Shareholder Information—How To Redeem Shares.”

Selected accounts that utilize the Fund as their sweep vehicle will be reviewed on each business day and shares will automatically be purchased or sold to cover any credits or debits incurred that day.

Tax Information

The Fund intends to make distributions that may be taxed as ordinary income or capital gains.

Payments to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries

If you purchase shares of the Fund through a Financial Intermediary (such as a bank), the Adviser and/or the Distributor may pay the Financial Intermediary for the sale of Fund shares and related services. These payments, which may be significant in amount, may create a conflict of interest by influencing the Financial Intermediary and your salesperson to recommend the Fund over another investment. Ask your salesperson or visit your Financial Intermediary’s web site for more information.

3


 

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Prospectus  |  Fund Summary

ESG Money Market Portfolio

Investment Objective

The ESG Money Market Portfolio (the “Fund”) seeks preservation of capital, daily liquidity and maximum current income.

Fees and Expenses

The table below describes the expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold Institutional Class shares of the Fund. The Fund does not charge any sales loads or other fees when you purchase or redeem shares.

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

 

Institutional Class

Advisory Fee

0.15%

Distribution and/or Shareholder Service (12b-1) Fee

None

Other Expenses

0.07%

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses1

0.22%

Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement1

0.02%

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement1

0.20%

Example

The example below is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund’s Institutional Class with the cost of investing in other mutual funds.

The example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund’s Institutional Class, your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Fund’s operating expenses remain the same (except that the example incorporates the fee waiver and/or expense reimbursement 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

 

Institutional Class

$ 20

$ 69

$ 122

$ 278

 

1 The Fund’s “Adviser” and “Administrator,” Morgan Stanley Investment Management Inc., has agreed to reduce its advisory fee, its administration fee and/or reimburse the Fund’s Institutional Class so that Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses, excluding certain investment related expenses, taxes, interest and other extraordinary expenses (including litigation), will not exceed 0.20%. The fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements will continue for at least one year or until such time as the Board of Trustees of Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds (the “Trust”) acts to discontinue all or a portion of such waivers and/or reimbursements when it deems such action is appropriate.

Principal Investment Strategies

The Fund invests in liquid, high quality U.S. dollar-denominated money market instruments of U.S. and foreign financial and non-financial corporations. The Fund also invests in obligations of foreign governments and in obligations issued or guaranteed by the U.S. Government and its agencies and instrumentalities. The Fund’s money market investments may include commercial paper, corporate debt obligations, debt obligations (including certificates of deposit and promissory notes) of U.S. banks or foreign banks, or of U.S. branches or subsidiaries of foreign banks, or foreign branches of U.S. banks (such as Yankee obligations), certificates of deposit of savings banks and savings and loan organizations, asset-backed securities, repurchase agreements and municipal obligations.

The Fund may also invest in U.S. dollar-denominated foreign securities and money market instruments.

The Adviser believes that environmental, social and governance (“ESG”) factors have the ability to impact the fundamental credit risk of an entity. The Fund’s investment process incorporates information about ESG issues via an integrated approach within the Adviser’s fundamental investment analysis framework. The Adviser may engage with management of certain issuers regarding corporate governance practices as well as what the Adviser deems to be materially important environmental and/or social issues facing a company.

The Adviser has proprietary ESG-scoring methodologies that explicitly consider the risks and opportunities ESG factors pose to money market instruments. By combining third-party ESG data with proprietary views, the Adviser creates unique scoring methodologies that it applies to issuers.

During the security selection process, the Adviser employs a rules-based process to construct the portfolio. Initially, the Adviser determines from the universe of money market fund-eligible issuers those which, in its opinion, have the lowest credit risk and/or best credit profile, excluding the following:

 

Corporations that generate revenue from the manufacturing or production of tobacco;
 

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Prospectus  |  Fund Summary

ESG Money Market Portfolio (Cont’d)

 

Corporations that generate revenue from the manufacturing or production of landmines and cluster munitions (i.e., an explosive weapon that randomly scatters submunitions);

 

Corporations that generate revenue from the manufacturing or production of firearms;

 

Corporations that generate revenue from the mining of thermal coal or coal fired power generation; and

 

Corporations that primarily generate revenue from the fossil fuel industries, which the Adviser has determined produce a certain level of carbon emissions.
 

The Fund may invest in green commercial paper (a security that is typically issued to raise capital specifically to support climate-related or environmental projects) issued by companies that would otherwise be subject to fossil fuel exclusions so long as the Adviser has determined that the proceeds will not be used to finance fossil fuel generation capabilities.

In analyzing whether an issuer meets any of the criteria described above, the Adviser may rely upon, among other things, information provided by an independent third party.

After applying the above exclusion screens, the Adviser calculates proprietary ESG scores for the remaining issuers based on a number of variables, such as environmental, social, governance, controversy and ESG momentum factors. The Adviser then sets minimum ESG score thresholds. Only issuers with an ESG score above a minimum threshold will be considered for investment by the Fund, thus eliminating those issuers with the lowest ESG performance. The Adviser’s minimum ESG score thresholds may be adjusted from time to time, provided that a subset of issuers are always excluded by ESG factors.

From the final list of ESG-approved issuers, the Adviser determines the securities and issuers in which the Fund will invest, taking into account a variety of relevant considerations (including, without limitation, yield, interest rate changes, credit quality and duration).

Under normal circumstances, the Fund will invest 100% of its net assets (excluding cash) in securities whose issuer or guarantor, in the Adviser’s opinion at the time of purchase, meets the Fund’s ESG criteria.

The Fund operates as an “institutional money market fund,” which is neither a “government money market fund” nor “retail money market fund” as such terms are defined or interpreted under Rule 2a-7 under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (“Rule 2a-7” under the “1940 Act”). As such, the Fund is required to price and transact in its shares at a net asset value per share (“NAV”) reflecting market-based values of its portfolio holdings (i.e., at a “floating” NAV), rounded to a minimum of the fourth decimal place. Like other money market funds of its type, the Fund is subject to the possible imposition of liquidity fees and/or redemption gates.

Principal Risks

There is no assurance that the Fund will achieve its investment objective.

You could lose money by investing in the Fund. Because the share price of the Fund will fluctuate, when you sell your shares they may be worth more or less than what you originally paid for them. The Fund may impose a fee upon the sale of your shares or may temporarily suspend your ability to sell shares if the Fund’s liquidity falls below required minimums because of market conditions or other factors. An investment in the Fund is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (“FDIC”) or any other government agency. The Fund’s sponsor has no legal obligation to provide financial support to the Fund, and you should not expect that the sponsor will provide financial support to the Fund at any time.

The principal risks of investing in the Fund include:

 

Credit and Interest Rate Risk. Credit risk refers to the possibility that the issuer or guarantor of a security will be unable to make interest payments and/or repay the principal on its debt. Interest rate risk refers to fluctuations in the value of a fixed-income security resulting from changes in the general level of interest rates. When the general level of interest rates goes up, the prices of most fixed-income securities go down. When the general level of interest rates goes down, the prices of most fixed-income securities go up. The Fund may face a heightened level of interest rate risk in times of monetary policy change and uncertainty, such as when the Federal Reserve Board ends a quantitative easing program and/or raises rates. A rising interest rate environment increases certain risks, including the potential for periods of volatility, increased redemptions and extended durations (i.e., extension risk).

 

Bank Obligations. The activities of U.S. and most foreign banks are subject to comprehensive regulations. The enactment of new legislation or regulations, as well as changes in interpretation and enforcement of current laws, may affect the manner of operations and profitability of domestic and foreign banks. In addition, banks may be particularly susceptible to certain economic factors.
 

5


 

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Prospectus | Fund Summary

ESG Money Market Portfolio (Cont’d)

 

Fixed-Income Securities. Fixed-income securities are subject to the risk of the issuer’s inability to meet principal and interest payments on its obligations (i.e., credit risk) and are subject to price volatility resulting from, among other things, interest rate sensitivity (i.e., interest rate risk), market perception of the creditworthiness of the issuer and general market liquidity (i.e., market risk). The Fund may face a heightened level of interest rate risk in times of monetary policy change and uncertainty, such as when the Federal Reserve Board ends a quantitative easing program and/or raises rates.

 

U.S. Government Securities. The U.S. government securities in which the Fund invests can be subject to two types of risk: credit risk and interest rate risk. When the general level of interest rates goes up, the prices of most fixed-income securities go down. When the general level of interest rates goes down, the prices of most fixed-income securities go up. While the credit risk associated with U.S. government securities generally is considered to be minimal, the interest rate risk can be substantial. With respect to U.S. government securities that are not backed by the full faith and credit of the United States, there is the risk that the U.S. Government will not provide financial support to such U.S. government agencies, instrumentalities or sponsored enterprises if it is not obligated to do so by law.

 

Asset-Backed Securities. Asset-backed securities involve the risk that various federal and state consumer laws and other legal and economic factors may result in the collateral backing the securities being insufficient to support payment on the securities. Some asset-backed securities also entail prepayment risk and extension risk, which may vary depending on the type of asset.

 

Repurchase Agreements. Repurchase agreements are subject to risks associated with the possibility of default by the seller at a time when the collateral has declined in value, or insolvency of the seller, which may affect the Fund’s right to control the collateral and result in certain costs and delays. Repurchase agreements may involve a greater degree of credit risk than investments in U.S. government securities.

 

Foreign Money Market Securities. Investing in money market securities of foreign issuers involves some additional risks, including the possibility of adverse political, economic or other developments affecting the issuers of these securities.

 

Municipal Obligations. To the extent the Fund invests in municipal obligations issued by state and local governments and their agencies, the Fund may be susceptible to political, economic, regulatory or other factors affecting issuers of these municipal obligations. To the extent that the Fund invests in municipal obligations of issuers in the same economic sector, it could be more sensitive to economic, business or political developments that affect such sector.

 

ESG Investment Risk. The Fund’s adherence to its ESG criteria and application of related analyses when selecting investments may affect the Fund’s performance depending on whether such investments are in or out of favor and relative to similar funds that do not adhere to such criteria or apply such analyses. Socially responsible norms differ by country and region, and a company’s ESG practices or the Adviser’s assessment of such may change over time. The Fund may invest in companies that do not reflect the beliefs and values of any particular investor. Additionally, the Fund’s adherence to its ESG criteria and application of related analyses in connection with identifying and selecting investments in non-U.S. issuers often require subjective analysis and may be relatively more difficult than applying the ESG criteria or related analyses to investments of U.S. issuers because data availability may be more limited with respect to non-U.S. issuers. The exclusionary criteria related to the Fund’s ESG criteria may result in the Fund forgoing opportunities to buy certain securities when it might otherwise be advantageous to do so, or selling securities for ESG reasons when it might be otherwise disadvantageous for it to do so. The Fund’s investments in certain companies may be susceptible to various factors that may impact their businesses or operations, including costs associated with government budgetary constraints that impact publicly funded projects and clean energy initiatives, the effects of general economic conditions throughout the world, increased competition from other providers of services, unfavorable tax laws or accounting policies and high leverage.
 

Performance Information

The bar chart and table below provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by showing changes in the performance of the Fund’s Institutional Class shares from year-to-year and by showing the average annual returns of the Fund’s Institutional Class shares for the one, five and 10 year periods. The Fund’s past performance is not necessarily an indication of how the Fund will perform in the future. Updated performance information is available online at www.morganstanley.com/liquidity.

Annual Total Returns—Calendar Years

6


 

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Prospectus  |  Fund Summary

ESG Money Market Portfolio (Cont’d)

High Quarter

03/31/19

0.66%

Low Quarter

03/31/14

0.01%

Average Annual Total Returns

(for the Periods Ended December 31, 2019)

 

Past
One Year

Past
Five Years

Past
Ten Years

ESG Money Market Portfolio

2.34%

1.24%

0.68%

You may obtain the Fund’s 7-day current yield by calling 1-888-378-1630.

Fund Management

Adviser. Morgan Stanley Investment Management Inc.

Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares

Institutional Class shares of the Fund are available to investors who at the time of initial purchase make a minimum purchase of $10 million. You may not be subject to these minimum investment requirement under certain circumstances. For more information, please refer to the section of this Prospectus entitled “Shareholder Information—Minimum Investment Amount.”

Shares of the Fund may be purchased or sold on any day the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) is open for business (except when the following federal holidays are observed: Columbus Day and Veterans Day) directly from the Fund by mail (c/o DST Asset Manager Solutions, Inc., P.O. Box 219804, Kansas City, MO 64121-9804), by telephone (1-888-378-1630) or by contacting an authorized third-party, such as a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary that has entered into a selling agreement with the Fund’s “Distributor,” Morgan Stanley Distribution, Inc. (each, a “Financial Intermediary”). You may purchase and redeem shares online through Morgan Stanley’s Treasury Investment Portal service at www.morganstanley.com/liquidity, provided you have a pre-established Internet trading account. For more information, please refer to the sections of this Prospectus entitled “Shareholder Information—How To Purchase Shares” and “Shareholder Information—How To Redeem Shares.”

Selected accounts that utilize the Fund as their sweep vehicle will be reviewed on each business day and shares will automatically be purchased or sold to cover any credits or debits incurred that day.

Tax Information

The Fund intends to make distributions that may be taxed as ordinary income or capital gains.

Payments to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries

If you purchase shares of the Fund through a Financial Intermediary (such as a bank), the Adviser and/or the Distributor may pay the Financial Intermediary for the sale of Fund shares and related services. These payments, which may be significant in amount, may create a conflict of interest by influencing the Financial Intermediary and your salesperson to recommend the Fund over another investment. Ask your salesperson or visit your Financial Intermediary’s web site for more information.

7


 

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Prospectus  |  Fund Summary

Government Portfolio

Investment Objective

The Government Portfolio (the “Fund”) seeks preservation of capital, daily liquidity and maximum current income.

Fees and Expenses

The table below describes the expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold Institutional Class shares of the Fund. The Fund does not charge any sales loads or other fees when you purchase or redeem shares.

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

 

Institutional Class

Advisory Fee

0.15%

Distribution and/or Shareholder Service (12b-1) Fee

None

Other Expenses

0.06%

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses1

0.21%

Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement1

0.01%

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement1

0.20%

Example

The example below is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund’s Institutional Class with the cost of investing in other mutual funds.

The example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund’s Institutional Class, your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Fund’s operating expenses remain the same (except that the example incorporates the fee waiver and/or expense reimbursement 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

 

Institutional Class

$ 20

$ 67

$ 117

$ 267

 

1 The Fund’s “Adviser” and “Administrator,” Morgan Stanley Investment Management Inc., has agreed to reduce its advisory fee, its administration fee and/or reimburse the Fund’s Institutional Class so that Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses, excluding certain investment related expenses, taxes, interest and other extraordinary expenses (including litigation), will not exceed 0.20%. The fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements will continue for at least one year or until such time as the Board of Trustees of Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds (the “Trust”) acts to discontinue all or a portion of such waivers and/or reimbursements when it deems such action is appropriate.

Principal Investment Strategies

The Fund has adopted a policy to invest exclusively in obligations issued or guaranteed by the U.S. Government and its agencies and instrumentalities and in repurchase agreements collateralized by such securities in order to qualify as a “government money market fund” under federal regulations. The Fund may also hold cash from time to time. A “government money market fund” is a money market fund that invests at least 99.5% of its total assets in cash, securities issued or guaranteed by the United States or certain U.S. government agencies or instrumentalities and/or repurchase agreements that are collateralized fully by the foregoing. A “government money market fund” is exempt from requirements that permit money market funds to impose a “liquidity fee” and/or a “redemption gate” that temporarily restricts redemptions. In selecting investments, the Adviser seeks to maintain the Fund’s share price at $1.00. The share price remaining stable at $1.00 means that the Fund would preserve the principal value of your investment.

Principal Risks

There is no assurance that the Fund will achieve its investment objective.

You could lose money by investing in the Fund. Although the Fund seeks to preserve the value of your investment at $1.00 per share, it cannot guarantee it will do so. An investment in the Fund is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (“FDIC”) or any other government agency. The Fund’s sponsor has no legal obligation to provide financial support to the Fund, and you should not expect that the sponsor will provide financial support to the Fund at any time.

The principal risks of investing in the Fund include:

 

Credit and Interest Rate Risk. Credit risk refers to the possibility that the issuer or guarantor of a security will be unable to make interest payments and/or repay the principal on its debt. Interest rate risk refers to fluctuations in the value of a fixed-income security resulting from changes in the general level of interest rates. When the general level of interest rates goes up, the prices of most fixed-income securities go down. When the general level of interest rates goes down, the prices of most fixed-income securities go up. The Fund may face a heightened level of interest rate risk in times of monetary policy change and uncertainty, such as when the Federal Reserve Board ends a quantitative easing program and/or raises rates. A rising interest rate environment
 

8


 

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Prospectus  |  Fund Summary

Government Portfolio (Cont’d)

 

increases certain risks, including the potential for periods of volatility, increased redemptions and extended durations (i.e., extension risk).

 

Fixed-Income Securities. Fixed-income securities are subject to the risk of the issuer’s inability to meet principal and interest payments on its obligations (i.e., credit risk) and are subject to price volatility resulting from, among other things, interest rate sensitivity (i.e., interest rate risk), market perception of the creditworthiness of the issuer and general market liquidity (i.e., market risk). The Fund may face a heightened level of interest rate risk in times of monetary policy change and uncertainty, such as when the Federal Reserve Board ends a quantitative easing program and/or raises rates.

 

U.S. Government Securities. The U.S. government securities in which the Fund invests can be subject to two types of risk: credit risk and interest rate risk. When the general level of interest rates goes up, the prices of most fixed-income securities go down. When the general level of interest rates goes down, the prices of most fixed-income securities go up. While the credit risk associated with U.S. government securities generally is considered to be minimal, the interest rate risk can be substantial. With respect to U.S. government securities that are not backed by the full faith and credit of the United States, there is the risk that the U.S. Government will not provide financial support to such U.S. government agencies, instrumentalities or sponsored enterprises if it is not obligated to do so by law.

 

Repurchase Agreements. Repurchase agreements are subject to risks associated with the possibility of default by the seller at a time when the collateral has declined in value, or insolvency of the seller, which may affect the Fund’s right to control the collateral and result in certain costs and delays. Repurchase agreements may involve a greater degree of credit risk than investments in U.S. government securities.
 

Performance Information

The bar chart and table below provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by showing changes in the performance of the Fund’s Institutional Class shares from year-to-year and by showing the average annual returns of the Fund’s Institutional Class shares for the one, five and 10 year periods. The Fund’s past performance is not necessarily an indication of how the Fund will perform in the future. Updated performance information is available online at www.morganstanley.com/liquidity.

Annual Total Returns—Calendar Years

High Quarter

06/30/19

0.57%

Low Quarter

09/30/11

0.00%

Average Annual Total Returns

(for the Periods Ended December 31, 2019)

 

Past
One Year

Past
Five Years

Past
Ten Years

Government Portfolio

2.10%

0.98%

0.51%

You may obtain the Fund’s 7-day current yield by calling 1-888-378-1630.

Fund Management

Adviser. Morgan Stanley Investment Management Inc.

Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares

Institutional Class shares of the Fund are available to investors who at the time of initial purchase make a minimum investment of $10 million. You may not be subject to the minimum investment requirement under certain circumstances. For more information, please refer to the section of this Prospectus entitled “Shareholder Information—Minimum Investment Amount.”

9


 

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Prospectus | Fund Summary

Government Portfolio (Cont’d)

Shares of the Fund may be purchased or sold on any day the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) is open for business (except when the following federal holidays are observed: Columbus Day and Veterans Day) directly from the Fund by mail (c/o DST Asset Manager Solutions, Inc., P.O. Box 219804, Kansas City, MO 64121-9804), by telephone (1-888-378-1630) or by contacting an authorized third-party, such as a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary that has entered into a selling agreement with the Fund’s “Distributor,” Morgan Stanley Distribution, Inc. (each, a “Financial Intermediary”). You may purchase and redeem shares online through Morgan Stanley’s Treasury Investment Portal service at www.morganstanley.com/liquidity, provided you have a pre-established Internet trading account. For more information, please refer to the sections of this Prospectus entitled “Shareholder Information—How To Purchase Shares” and “Shareholder Information—How To Redeem Shares.”

Selected accounts that utilize the Fund as their sweep vehicle will be reviewed on each business day and shares will automatically be purchased or sold to cover any credits or debits incurred that day.

Tax Information

The Fund intends to make distributions that may be taxed as ordinary income or capital gains.

Payments to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries

If you purchase shares of the Fund through a Financial Intermediary (such as a bank), the Adviser and/or the Distributor may pay the Financial Intermediary for the sale of Fund shares and related services. These payments, which may be significant in amount, may create a conflict of interest by influencing the Financial Intermediary and your salesperson to recommend the Fund over another investment. Ask your salesperson or visit your Financial Intermediary’s web site for more information.

10


 

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Prospectus  |  Fund Summary

Government Securities Portfolio

Investment Objective

The Government Securities Portfolio (the “Fund”) seeks preservation of capital, daily liquidity and maximum current income.

Fees and Expenses

The table below describes the expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold Institutional Class shares of the Fund. The Fund does not charge any sales loads or other fees when you purchase or redeem shares.

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

 

Institutional Class

Advisory Fee

0.15%

Distribution and/or Shareholder Service (12b-1) Fee

None

Other Expenses

0.08%

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses1

0.23%

Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement1

0.03%

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement1

0.20%

Example

The example below is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund’s Institutional Class with the cost of investing in other mutual funds.

The example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund’s Institutional Class, your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Fund’s operating expenses remain the same (except that the example incorporates the fee waiver and/or expense reimbursement 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

 

Institutional Class

$ 20

$ 71

$ 126

$ 290

 

1 The Fund’s “Adviser” and “Administrator,” Morgan Stanley Investment Management Inc., has agreed to reduce its advisory fee, its administration fee and/or reimburse the Fund’s Institutional Class so that Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses, excluding certain investment related expenses, taxes, interest and other extraordinary expenses (including litigation), will not exceed 0.20%. The fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements will continue for at least one year or until such time as the Board of Trustees of Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds (the “Trust”) acts to discontinue all or a portion of such waivers and/or reimbursements when it deems such action is appropriate.

Principal Investment Strategies

The Fund has adopted a policy to invest substantially all of its assets in U.S. Treasury obligations and certain U.S. government securities, the interest from which is generally exempt from state income taxation, in order to qualify as a “government money market fund” under federal regulations. The Fund may also hold cash from time to time. A “government money market fund” is a money market fund that invests at least 99.5% of its total assets in cash, securities issued or guaranteed by the United States or certain U.S. government agencies or instrumentalities and/or repurchase agreements that are collateralized fully by the foregoing. A “government money market fund” is exempt from requirements that permit money market funds to impose a “liquidity fee” and/or a “redemption gate” that temporarily restricts redemptions. In selecting investments, the Adviser seeks to maintain the Fund’s share price at $1.00. The share price remaining stable at $1.00 means that the Fund would preserve the principal value of your investment. The U.S. government securities that the Fund may purchase include those issued or guaranteed either by the U.S. Treasury or certain agencies, authorities or instrumentalities of the U.S. Government. The Fund may also invest in repurchase agreements with the Federal Reserve Bank of New York.

Principal Risks

There is no assurance that the Fund will achieve its investment objective.

You could lose money by investing in the Fund. Although the Fund seeks to preserve the value of your investment at $1.00 per share, it cannot guarantee it will do so. An investment in the Fund is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (“FDIC”) or any other government agency. The Fund’s sponsor has no legal obligation to provide financial support to the Fund, and you should not expect that the sponsor will provide financial support to the Fund at any time.

The principal risks of investing in the Fund include:

 

Credit and Interest Rate Risk. Credit risk refers to the possibility that the issuer or guarantor of a security will be unable to make interest payments and/or repay the principal on its debt. Interest rate risk refers to fluctuations in the value of a fixed-income security resulting from changes in the general level of interest rates. When the general level of interest rates goes up, the prices of
 

11


 

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Prospectus | Fund Summary

Government Securities Portfolio (Cont’d)

 

most fixed-income securities go down. When the general level of interest rates goes down, the prices of most fixed-income securities go up. The Fund may face a heightened level of interest rate risk in times of monetary policy change and uncertainty, such as when the Federal Reserve Board ends a quantitative easing program and/or raises rates. A rising interest rate environment increases certain risks, including the potential for periods of volatility, increased redemptions and extended durations (i.e., extension risk).

 

Fixed-Income Securities. Fixed-income securities are subject to the risk of the issuer’s inability to meet principal and interest payments on its obligations (i.e., credit risk) and are subject to price volatility resulting from, among other things, interest rate sensitivity (i.e., interest rate risk), market perception of the creditworthiness of the issuer and general market liquidity (i.e., market risk). The Fund may face a heightened level of interest rate risk in times of monetary policy change and uncertainty, such as when the Federal Reserve Board ends a quantitative easing program and/or raises rates.

 

U.S. Government Securities. The U.S. government securities in which the Fund invests can be subject to two types of risk: credit risk and interest rate risk. When the general level of interest rates goes up, the prices of most fixed-income securities go down. When the general level of interest rates goes down, the prices of most fixed-income securities go up. While the credit risk associated with U.S. government securities generally is considered to be minimal, the interest rate risk can be substantial. With respect to U.S. government securities that are not backed by the full faith and credit of the United States, there is the risk that the U.S. Government will not provide financial support to such U.S. government agencies, instrumentalities or sponsored enterprises if it is not obligated to do so by law.
 

Performance Information

The bar chart and table below provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by showing changes in the performance of the Fund’s Institutional Class shares from year-to-year and by showing the average annual returns of the Fund’s Institutional Class shares for the one, five and 10 year periods. The Fund’s past performance is not necessarily an indication of how the Fund will perform in the future. Updated performance information is available online at www.morganstanley.com/liquidity.

Annual Total Returns—Calendar Years

High Quarter

06/30/19

0.56%

Low Quarter

03/31/15

0.00%

Average Annual Total Returns

(for the Periods Ended December 31, 2019)

 

Past
One Year

Past Five
Years

Past
Ten Years

Government Securities Portfolio

2.04%

0.92%

0.47%

You may obtain the Fund’s 7-day current yield by calling 1-888-378-1630.

Fund Management

Adviser. Morgan Stanley Investment Management Inc.

Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares

Institutional Class shares of the Fund are available to investors who at the time of initial purchase make a minimum investment of $10 million. You may not be subject to the minimum investment requirement under certain circumstances. For more information, please refer to the section of this Prospectus entitled “Shareholder Information—Minimum Investment Amount.”

Shares of the Fund may be purchased or sold on any day the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) is open for business (except when the following federal holidays are observed: Columbus Day and Veterans Day) directly from the Fund by mail (c/o DST Asset

12


 

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Prospectus  |  Fund Summary

Government Securities Portfolio (Cont’d)

Manager Solutions, Inc., P.O. Box 219804, Kansas City, MO 64121-9804), by telephone (1-888-378-1630) or by contacting an authorized third-party, such as a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary that has entered into a selling agreement with the Fund’s “Distributor,” Morgan Stanley Distribution, Inc. (each, a “Financial Intermediary”). You may purchase and redeem shares online through Morgan Stanley’s Treasury Investment Portal service at www.morganstanley.com/liquidity, provided you have a pre-established Internet trading account. For more information, please refer to the sections of this Prospectus entitled “Shareholder Information—How To Purchase Shares” and “Shareholder Information—How To Redeem Shares.”

Selected accounts that utilize the Fund as their sweep vehicle will be reviewed on each business day and shares will automatically be purchased or sold to cover any credits or debits incurred that day.

Tax Information

The Fund intends to make distributions that may be taxed as ordinary income or capital gains.

Payments to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries

If you purchase shares of the Fund through a Financial Intermediary (such as a bank), the Adviser and/or the Distributor may pay the Financial Intermediary for the sale of Fund shares and related services. These payments, which may be significant in amount, may create a conflict of interest by influencing the Financial Intermediary and your salesperson to recommend the Fund over another investment. Ask your salesperson or visit your Financial Intermediary’s web site for more information.

13


 

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Prospectus  |  Fund Summary

Treasury Portfolio

Investment Objective

The Treasury Portfolio (the “Fund”) seeks preservation of capital, daily liquidity and maximum current income.

Fees and Expenses

The table below describes the expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold Institutional Class shares of the Fund. The Fund does not charge any sales loads or other fees when you purchase or redeem shares.

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

 

Institutional Class

Advisory Fee

0.15%

Distribution and/or Shareholder Service (12b-1) Fee

None

Other Expenses

0.06%

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses1

0.21%

Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement1

0.01%

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement1

0.20%

Example

The example below is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund’s Institutional Class with the cost of investing in other mutual funds.

The example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund’s Institutional Class, your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Fund’s operating expenses remain the same (except that the example incorporates the fee waiver and/or expense reimbursement 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

 

Institutional Class

$ 20

$ 67

$ 117

$ 267

 

1 The Fund’s “Adviser” and “Administrator,” Morgan Stanley Investment Management Inc., has agreed to reduce its advisory fee, its administration fee and/or reimburse the Fund’s Institutional Class so that Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses, excluding certain investment related expenses, taxes, interest and other extraordinary expenses (including litigation), will not exceed 0.20%. The fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements will continue for at least one year or until such time as the Board of Trustees of Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds (the “Trust”) acts to discontinue all or a portion of such waivers and/or reimbursements when it deems such action is appropriate.

Principal Investment Strategies

The Fund has adopted a policy to invest exclusively in U.S. Treasury obligations, which are backed by the full faith and credit of the United States, and repurchase agreements collateralized by such securities in order to qualify as a “government money market fund” under federal regulations. The Fund may also hold cash from time to time. A “government money market fund” is a money market fund that invests at least 99.5% of its total assets in cash, securities issued or guaranteed by the United States or certain U.S. government agencies or instrumentalities and/or repurchase agreements that are collateralized fully by the foregoing. A “government money market fund” is exempt from requirements that permit money market funds to impose a “liquidity fee” and/or a “redemption gate” that temporarily restricts redemptions. In selecting investments, the Adviser seeks to maintain the Fund’s share price at $1.00. The share price remaining stable at $1.00 means that the Fund would preserve the principal value of your investment.

Principal Risks

There is no assurance that the Fund will achieve its investment objective.

You could lose money by investing in the Fund. Although the Fund seeks to preserve the value of your investment at $1.00 per share, it cannot guarantee it will do so. An investment in the Fund is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (“FDIC”) or any other government agency. The Fund’s sponsor has no legal obligation to provide financial support to the Fund, and you should not expect that the sponsor will provide financial support to the Fund at any time.

The principal risks of investing in the Fund include:

 

Credit and Interest Rate Risk. Credit risk refers to the possibility that the issuer or guarantor of a security will be unable to make interest payments and/or repay the principal on its debt. Interest rate risk refers to fluctuations in the value of a fixed-income security resulting from changes in the general level of interest rates. When the general level of interest rates goes up, the prices of most fixed-income securities go down. When the general level of interest rates goes down, the prices of most fixed-income securities go up. The Fund may face a heightened level of interest rate risk in times of monetary policy change and uncertainty, such as when the Federal Reserve Board ends a quantitative easing program and/or raises rates. A rising interest rate environment
 

14


 

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Prospectus  |  Fund Summary

Treasury Portfolio (Cont’d)

 

increases certain risks, including the potential for periods of volatility, increased redemptions and extended durations (i.e., extension risk).

 

Fixed-Income Securities. Fixed-income securities are subject to the risk of the issuer’s inability to meet principal and interest payments on its obligations (i.e., credit risk) and are subject to price volatility resulting from, among other things, interest rate sensitivity (i.e., interest rate risk), market perception of the creditworthiness of the issuer and general market liquidity (i.e., market risk). The Fund may face a heightened level of interest rate risk in times of monetary policy change and uncertainty, such as when the Federal Reserve Board ends a quantitative easing program and/or raises rates.

 

U.S. Government Securities. The U.S. government securities in which the Fund invests can be subject to two types of risk: credit risk and interest rate risk. When the general level of interest rates goes up, the prices of most fixed-income securities go down. When the general level of interest rates goes down, the prices of most fixed-income securities go up. While the credit risk associated with U.S. government securities generally is considered to be minimal, the interest rate risk can be substantial.

 

Repurchase Agreements. Repurchase agreements are subject to risks associated with the possibility of default by the seller at a time when the collateral has declined in value, or insolvency of the seller, which may affect the Fund’s right to control the collateral and result in certain costs and delays. Repurchase agreements may involve a greater degree of credit risk than investments in U.S. government securities.
 

Performance Information

The bar chart and table below provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by showing changes in the performance of the Fund’s Institutional Class shares from year-to-year and by showing the average annual returns of the Fund’s Institutional Class shares for the one, five and 10 year periods. The Fund’s past performance is not necessarily an indication of how the Fund will perform in the future. Updated performance information is available online at www.morganstanley.com/liquidity.

Annual Total Returns—Calendar Years

High Quarter

06/30/19

0.57%

Low Quarter

12/31/11

0.00%

Average Annual Total Returns

(for the Periods Ended December 31, 2019)

 

Past
One Year

Past Five
Years

Past
Ten Years

Treasury Portfolio

2.07%

0.96%

0.49%

You may obtain the Fund’s 7-day current yield by calling 1-888-378-1630.

Fund Management

Adviser. Morgan Stanley Investment Management Inc.

Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares

Institutional Class shares of the Fund are available to investors who at the time of initial purchase make a minimum investment of $10 million. You may not be subject to the minimum investment requirement under certain circumstances. For more information, please refer to the section of this Prospectus entitled “Shareholder Information—Minimum Investment Amount.”

Shares of the Fund may be purchased or sold on any day the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) is open for business (except when the following federal holidays are observed: Columbus Day and Veterans Day) directly from the Fund by mail (c/o DST Asset Manager Solutions, Inc., P.O. Box 219804, Kansas City, MO 64121-9804), by telephone (1-888-378-1630) or by contacting an

15


 

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Prospectus | Fund Summary

Treasury Portfolio (Cont’d)

authorized third-party, such as a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary that has entered into a selling agreement with the Fund’s “Distributor,” Morgan Stanley Distribution, Inc. (each, a “Financial Intermediary”). You may purchase and redeem shares online through Morgan Stanley’s Treasury Investment Portal service at www.morganstanley.com/liquidity, provided you have a pre-established Internet trading account. For more information, please refer to the sections of this Prospectus entitled “Shareholder Information—How To Purchase Shares” and “Shareholder Information—How To Redeem Shares.”

Selected accounts that utilize the Fund as their sweep vehicle will be reviewed on each business day and shares will automatically be purchased or sold to cover any credits or debits incurred that day.

Tax Information

The Fund intends to make distributions that may be taxed as ordinary income or capital gains.

Payments to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries

If you purchase shares of the Fund through a Financial Intermediary (such as a bank), the Adviser and/or the Distributor may pay the Financial Intermediary for the sale of Fund shares and related services. These payments, which may be significant in amount, may create a conflict of interest by influencing the Financial Intermediary and your salesperson to recommend the Fund over another investment. Ask your salesperson or visit your Financial Intermediary’s web site for more information.

16


 

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Prospectus  |  Fund Summary

Treasury Securities Portfolio

Investment Objective

The Treasury Securities Portfolio (the “Fund”) seeks preservation of capital, daily liquidity and maximum current income.

Fees and Expenses

The table below describes the expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold Institutional Class shares of the Fund. The Fund does not charge any sales loads or other fees when you purchase or redeem shares.

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

 

Institutional Class

Advisory Fee

0.15%

Distribution and/or Shareholder Service (12b-1) Fee

None

Other Expenses

0.06%

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses1

0.21%

Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement1

0.01%

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement1

0.20%

Example

The example below is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund’s Institutional Class with the cost of investing in other mutual funds.

The example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund’s Institutional Class, your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Fund’s operating expenses remain the same (except that the example incorporates the fee waiver and/or expense reimbursement 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

 

Institutional Class

$ 20

$ 67

$ 117

$ 267

 

1 The Fund’s “Adviser” and “Administrator,” Morgan Stanley Investment Management Inc., has agreed to reduce its advisory fee, its administration fee and/or reimburse the Fund’s Institutional Class so that Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses, excluding certain investment related expenses, taxes, interest and other extraordinary expenses (including litigation), will not exceed 0.20%. The fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements will continue for at least one year or until such time as the Board of Trustees of Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds (the “Trust”) acts to discontinue all or a portion of such waivers and/or reimbursements when it deems such action is appropriate.

Principal Investment Strategies

The Fund has adopted a policy to invest exclusively in U.S. Treasury obligations, which are backed by the full faith and credit of the United States, in order to qualify as a “government money market fund” under federal regulations. The Fund may also hold cash from time to time. A “government money market fund” is a money market fund that invests at least 99.5% of its total assets in cash, securities issued or guaranteed by the United States or certain U.S. government agencies or instrumentalities and/or repurchase agreements that are collateralized fully by the foregoing. A “government money market fund” is exempt from requirements that permit money market funds to impose a “liquidity fee” and/or a “redemption gate” that temporarily restricts redemptions. In selecting investments, the Adviser seeks to maintain the Fund’s share price at $1.00. The share price remaining stable at $1.00 means that the Fund would preserve the principal value of your investment.

Principal Risks

There is no assurance that the Fund will achieve its investment objective.

You could lose money by investing in the Fund. Although the Fund seeks to preserve the value of your investment at $1.00 per share, it cannot guarantee it will do so. An investment in the Fund is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (“FDIC”) or any other government agency. The Fund’s sponsor has no legal obligation to provide financial support to the Fund, and you should not expect that the sponsor will provide financial support to the Fund at any time.

The principal risks of investing in the Fund include:

 

Credit and Interest Rate Risk. Credit risk refers to the possibility that the issuer or guarantor of a security will be unable to make interest payments and/or repay the principal on its debt. Interest rate risk refers to fluctuations in the value of a fixed-income security resulting from changes in the general level of interest rates. When the general level of interest rates goes up, the prices of most fixed-income securities go down. When the general level of interest rates goes down, the prices of most fixed-income securities go up. The Fund may face a heightened level of interest rate risk in times of monetary policy change and uncertainty, such as when the Federal Reserve Board ends a quantitative easing program and/or raises rates. A rising interest rate environment
 

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Prospectus | Fund Summary

Treasury Securities Portfolio (Cont’d)

 

increases certain risks, including the potential for periods of volatility, increased redemptions and extended durations (i.e., extension risk).

 

Fixed-Income Securities. Fixed-income securities are subject to the risk of the issuer’s inability to meet principal and interest payments on its obligations (i.e., credit risk) and are subject to price volatility resulting from, among other things, interest rate sensitivity (i.e., interest rate risk), market perception of the creditworthiness of the issuer and general market liquidity (i.e., market risk). The Fund may face a heightened level of interest rate risk in times of monetary policy change and uncertainty, such as when the Federal Reserve Board ends a quantitative easing program and/or raises rates.

 

U.S. Government Securities. The U.S. government securities in which the Fund invests can be subject to two types of risk: credit risk and interest rate risk. When the general level of interest rates goes up, the prices of most fixed-income securities go down. When the general level of interest rates goes down, the prices of most fixed-income securities go up. While the credit risk associated with U.S. government securities generally is considered to be minimal, the interest rate risk can be substantial.
 

Performance Information

The bar chart and table below provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by showing changes in the performance of the Fund’s Institutional Class shares from year-to-year and by showing the average annual returns of the Fund’s Institutional Class shares for the one, five and 10 year periods. The Fund’s past performance is not necessarily an indication of how the Fund will perform in the future. Updated performance information is available online at www.morganstanley.com/liquidity.

Annual Total Returns—Calendar Years

High Quarter

06/30/19

0.56%

Low Quarter

06/30/10

0.00%

Average Annual Total Returns

(for the Periods Ended December 31, 2019)

 

Past
One Year

Past Five
Years

Past
Ten Years

Treasury Securities Portfolio

2.02%

0.92%

0.47%

You may obtain the Fund’s 7-day current yield by calling 1-888-378-1630.

Fund Management

Adviser. Morgan Stanley Investment Management Inc.

Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares

Institutional Class shares of the Fund are available to investors who at the time of initial purchase make a minimum investment of $10 million. You may not be subject to the minimum investment requirement under certain circumstances. For more information, please refer to the section of this Prospectus entitled “Shareholder Information—Minimum Investment Amount.”

Shares of the Fund may be purchased or sold on any day the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) is open for business (except when the following federal holidays are observed: Columbus Day and Veterans Day) directly from the Fund by mail (c/o DST Asset Manager Solutions, Inc., P.O. Box 219804, Kansas City, MO 64121-9804), by telephone (1-888-378-1630) or by contacting an authorized third-party, such as a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary that has entered into a selling agreement with the Fund’s “Distributor,” Morgan Stanley Distribution, Inc. (each, a “Financial Intermediary”). You may purchase and redeem shares online through Morgan Stanley’s Treasury Investment Portal service at www.morganstanley.com/liquidity, provided you have a pre-established Internet trading account. For more information, please refer to the sections of this Prospectus entitled “Shareholder Information—How To Purchase Shares” and “Shareholder Information—How To Redeem Shares.”

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Prospectus  |  Fund Summary

Treasury Securities Portfolio (Cont’d)

Selected accounts that utilize the Fund as their sweep vehicle will be reviewed on each business day and shares will automatically be purchased or sold to cover any credits or debits incurred that day.

Tax Information

The Fund intends to make distributions that may be taxed as ordinary income or capital gains.

Payments to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries

If you purchase shares of the Fund through a Financial Intermediary (such as a bank), the Adviser and/or the Distributor may pay the Financial Intermediary for the sale of Fund shares and related services. These payments, which may be significant in amount, may create a conflict of interest by influencing the Financial Intermediary and your salesperson to recommend the Fund over another investment. Ask your salesperson or visit your Financial Intermediary’s web site for more information.

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Prospectus  |  Fund Summary

Tax-Exempt Portfolio

Investment Objective

The Tax-Exempt Portfolio (the “Fund”) seeks to maximize current income exempt from federal income tax to the extent consistent with preservation of capital and maintenance of liquidity.

Fees and Expenses

The table below describes the expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold Institutional Class shares of the Fund. The Fund does not charge any sales loads or other fees when you purchase or redeem shares.

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

 

Institutional Class

Advisory Fee

0.15%

Distribution and/or Shareholder Service (12b-1) Fee

None

Other Expenses

0.12%

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses1

0.27%

Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement1

0.07%

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement1

0.20%

Example

The example below is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund’s Institutional Class with the cost of investing in other mutual funds.

The example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund’s Institutional Class, your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Fund’s operating expenses remain the same (except that the example incorporates the fee waiver and/or expense reimbursement 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

 

Institutional Class

$ 20

$ 80

$ 145

$ 336

 

1 The Fund’s “Adviser” and “Administrator,” Morgan Stanley Investment Management Inc., has agreed to reduce its advisory fee, its administration fee and/or reimburse the Fund’s Institutional Class so that Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses, excluding certain investment related expenses, taxes, interest and other extraordinary expenses (including litigation), will not exceed 0.20%. The fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements will continue for at least one year or until such time as the Board of Trustees of Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds (the “Trust”) acts to discontinue all or a portion of such waivers and/or reimbursements when it deems such action is appropriate.

Principal Investment Strategies

The Fund invests at least 80% of its assets in high quality short-term municipal obligations, the interest of which is exempt from federal income taxes and is not subject to the federal alternative minimum tax. This policy is fundamental and may not be changed without shareholder approval. The Fund may also invest in variable and floating rate demand instruments, tender option bonds, custodial receipts and investments in other investment companies, including money market funds.

The Fund may invest up to 20% of its assets in taxable money market securities or in municipal obligations that pay interest income that may be subject to the alternative minimum tax; however, it is currently intended that the Fund will be managed so that income generated by the Fund will not be subject to the alternative minimum tax. In addition, the Fund may temporarily invest more than 20% of its assets in taxable money market securities for defensive purposes in attempting to respond to adverse market conditions.

The Fund operates as an “institutional money market fund,” which is neither a “government money market fund” nor “retail money market fund” as such terms are defined or interpreted under Rule 2a-7 under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (“Rule 2a-7” under the “1940 Act”). As such, the Fund is required to price and transact in its shares at a net asset value per share (“NAV”) reflecting market-based values of its portfolio holdings (i.e., at a “floating” NAV), rounded to a minimum of the fourth decimal place. Like other money market funds of its type, the Fund is subject to the possible imposition of liquidity fees and/or redemption gates.

Principal Risks

There is no assurance that the Fund will achieve its investment objective.

You could lose money by investing in the Fund. Because the share price of the Fund will fluctuate, when you sell your shares they may be worth more or less than what you originally paid for them. The Fund may impose a fee upon the sale of your shares or may temporarily suspend your ability to sell shares if the Fund’s liquidity falls below required minimums because of market conditions or other factors. An investment in the Fund is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (“FDIC”) or

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Prospectus  |  Fund Summary

Tax-Exempt Portfolio (Cont’d)

any other government agency. The Fund’s sponsor has no legal obligation to provide financial support to the Fund, and you should not expect that the sponsor will provide financial support to the Fund at any time.

The principal risks of investing in the Fund include:

 

Credit and Interest Rate Risk. Credit risk refers to the possibility that the issuer or guarantor of a security will be unable to make interest payments and/or repay the principal on its debt. Interest rate risk refers to fluctuations in the value of a fixed-income security resulting from changes in the general level of interest rates. When the general level of interest rates goes up, the prices of most fixed-income securities go down. When the general level of interest rates goes down, the prices of most fixed-income securities go up. The Fund may face a heightened level of interest rate risk in times of monetary policy change and uncertainty, such as when the Federal Reserve Board ends a quantitative easing program and/or raises rates. A rising interest rate environment increases certain risks, including the potential for periods of volatility, increased redemptions and extended durations (i.e., extension risk).

 

Fixed-Income Securities. Fixed-income securities are subject to the risk of the issuer’s inability to meet principal and interest payments on its obligations (i.e., credit risk) and are subject to price volatility resulting from, among other things, interest rate sensitivity (i.e., interest rate risk), market perception of the creditworthiness of the issuer and general market liquidity (i.e., market risk). The Fund may face a heightened level of interest rate risk in times of monetary policy change and uncertainty, such as when the Federal Reserve Board ends a quantitative easing program and/or raises rates.

 

Municipal Obligations. To the extent the Fund invests in municipal obligations issued by state and local governments and their agencies, the Fund may be susceptible to political, economic, regulatory or other factors affecting issuers of these municipal obligations. To the extent that the Fund invests in municipal obligations of issuers in the same economic sector, it could be more sensitive to economic, business or political developments that affect such sector.
 

Performance Information

The bar chart and table below provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by showing changes in the performance of the Fund’s Institutional Class shares from year-to-year and by showing the average annual returns of the Fund’s Institutional Class shares for the one, five and 10 year periods and since inception. The Fund’s past performance is not necessarily an indication of how the Fund will perform in the future. Updated performance information is available online at www.morganstanley.com/liquidity.

Annual Total Returns—Calendar Years

High Quarter

06/30/19

0.39%

Low Quarter

03/31/15

0.00%

Average Annual Total Returns

(for the Periods Ended December 31, 2019)

 

Past
One Year

Past
Five Years

Past
Ten Years

Tax-Exempt Portfolio

1.35%

0.75%

0.39%

You may obtain the Fund’s 7-day current yield by calling 1-888-378-1630.

Fund Management

Adviser. Morgan Stanley Investment Management Inc.

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Prospectus | Fund Summary

Tax-Exempt Portfolio (Cont’d)

Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares

Institutional Class shares of the Fund are available to investors who at the time of initial purchase make a minimum investment of $10,000,000. You may not be subject to the minimum investment requirement under certain circumstances. For more information, please refer to the section of this Prospectus entitled “Shareholder Information—Minimum Investment Amount.”

Shares of the Fund may be purchased or sold on any day the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) is open for business (except when the following federal holidays are observed: Columbus Day and Veterans Day) directly from the Fund by mail (c/o DST Asset Manager Solutions, Inc., P.O. Box 219804, Kansas City, MO 64121-9804), by telephone (1-888-378-1630) or by contacting an authorized third-party, such as a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary that has entered into a selling agreement with the Fund’s “Distributor,” Morgan Stanley Distribution, Inc. (each, a “Financial Intermediary”). You may purchase and redeem shares online through Morgan Stanley’s Treasury Investment Portal service at www.morganstanley.com/liquidity, provided you have a pre-established Internet trading account. For more information, please refer to the sections of this Prospectus entitled “Shareholder Information—How To Purchase Shares” and “Shareholder Information—How To Redeem Shares.”

Selected accounts that utilize the Fund as their sweep vehicle will be reviewed on each business day and shares will automatically be purchased or sold to cover any credits or debits incurred that day.

Tax Information

The Fund intends to make distributions that are generally not subject to federal income tax; however the Fund may distribute taxable dividends, including distributions of short-term capital gains, and long-term capital gains. In addition, interest on certain bonds may be subject to the federal alternative minimum tax. To the extent that the Fund’s distributions are derived from interest on bonds that are not exempt from applicable state and local taxes, such distributions will be subject to such state and local taxes.

Payments to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries

If you purchase shares of the Fund through a Financial Intermediary (such as a bank), the Adviser and/or the Distributor may pay the Financial Intermediary for the sale of Fund shares and related services. These payments, which may be significant in amount, may create a conflict of interest by influencing the Financial Intermediary and your salesperson to recommend the Fund over another investment. Ask your salesperson or visit your Financial Intermediary’s web site for more information.

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds  |  Details of the Funds

Prime Portfolio

Investment Objective

The Prime Portfolio seeks preservation of capital, daily liquidity and maximum current income.

Approach

The Fund invests in liquid, high quality U.S. dollar-denominated money market instruments of U.S. and foreign financial corporations and U.S. non-financial corporations. The Fund also invests in obligations issued or guaranteed by the U.S. Government and its agencies and instrumentalities. The Fund’s money market investments may include commercial paper, corporate debt obligations, debt obligations (including certificates of deposit and promissory notes) of U.S. banks or foreign banks, or of U.S. branches or subsidiaries of foreign banks, or foreign branches of U.S. banks (such as Yankee obligations), certificates of deposit of savings banks and savings and loan organizations, asset-backed securities, repurchase agreements and municipal obligations.

The Fund operates as an “institutional money market fund” which is neither a “government money market fund” nor “retail money market fund” as such terms are defined or interpreted under Rule 2a-7. As such, the Fund is required to price and transact in its shares at a NAV reflecting market-based values of its portfolio holdings (i.e., at a “floating” NAV), rounded to a minimum of the fourth decimal place. Like other money market funds of its type, the Fund is subject to the possible imposition of liquidity fees and/or redemption gates.

Process

The Adviser follows a multi-pronged investment process with respect to credit risk, interest rate risk and liquidity. Securities are reviewed on an ongoing basis to maintain or improve creditworthiness taking into consideration factors such as cash flow, asset quality, debt service coverage ratios and economic developments. Additionally, exposure to guarantors and liquidity providers is monitored separately as are the various diversification requirements.

The Adviser actively manages the Fund’s assets in an attempt to reduce the risk of losing any principal investment as a result of credit or interest rate risks. In addition, federal regulations require money market funds to invest only in debt obligations of high quality and short-term maturities.

Principal Risks

The Fund’s principal investment strategies are subject to the following principal risks:

There is no assurance that the Fund will achieve its investment objective. You could lose money by investing in the Fund. Because the share price of the Fund will fluctuate, when you sell your shares they may be worth more or less than what you originally paid for them. The Fund may impose a fee upon the sale of your shares or may temporarily suspend your ability to sell shares if the Fund’s liquidity falls below required minimums because of market conditions or other factors. An investment in the Fund is not insured or guaranteed by the FDIC or any other government agency.

A principal risk of investing in the Fund is associated with its debt obligation investments. All debt obligations, such as bonds, are subject to two types of risk: credit risk and interest rate risk. Credit risk refers to the possibility that the issuer or guarantor of a security will be unable to make interest payments and/or repay the principal on its debt. Interest rate risk refers to fluctuations in the value of a fixed-income security resulting from changes in the general level of interest rates. When the general level of interest rates goes up, the prices of most fixed-income securities go down. When the general level of interest rates goes down, the prices of most fixed-income securities go up. A low interest rate environment may prevent the Fund from providing a positive yield or paying Fund expenses out of Fund assets. The Fund may face a heightened level of interest rate risk in times of monetary policy change and uncertainty, such as when the Federal Reserve Board ends a quantitative easing program and/or raises rates. A rising interest rate environment increases certain risks, including the potential for periods of volatility, increased redemptions and extended durations (i.e., extension risk).

The Fund may purchase bank obligations. The activities of U.S. and most foreign banks are subject to comprehensive regulations. The enactment of new legislation or regulations, as well as changes in interpretation and enforcement of current laws, may affect the manner of operations and profitability of domestic and foreign banks. In addition, banks may be particularly susceptible to certain economic factors.

The Fund may purchase U.S. government securities that are not backed by the full faith and credit of the United States. With respect to these U.S. government securities, there is the risk that the U.S. Government will not provide financial support to such U.S. government agencies, instrumentalities or sponsored enterprises if it is not obligated to do so by law. The maximum potential liability of the issuers of some U.S. government securities held by the Fund may greatly exceed their current resources, including their legal right to support from the U.S. Treasury. It is possible that these issuers will not have the funds to meet their payment obligations in the future.

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds | Details of the Funds

Prime Portfolio (Cont’d)

Repurchase agreements are subject to additional risks associated with the possibility of default by the seller at a time when the collateral has declined in value, or insolvency of the seller, which may affect the Fund’s right to control the collateral and result in certain costs and delays.

Asset-backed securities raise certain risk considerations, including prepayment risk, extension risk and the risk of inadequate recovery on repossessed collateral. Because the Fund may concentrate its investments in bank securities, an adverse development in the banking industry may affect the value of the Fund’s investments more than if the Fund’s investments were not so concentrated.

The Fund may invest in U.S. dollar-denominated foreign securities and money market instruments. Although the Fund will invest in these securities only if the Adviser determines they are of comparable quality to the Fund’s U.S. investments, investing in securities of foreign issuers involves some additional risks. These risks may include the possibility of adverse political, economic or other developments affecting the issuers of these securities.

To the extent the Fund invests in municipal obligations issued by state and local governments and their agencies, the Fund may be susceptible to political, economic, regulatory or other factors affecting issuers of these municipal obligations.

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds  |  Details of the Funds

ESG Money Market Portfolio

Investment Objective

The ESG Money Market Portfolio seeks preservation of capital, daily liquidity and maximum current income.

Approach

The Fund invests in liquid, high quality U.S. dollar-denominated money market instruments of U.S. and foreign financial and non-financial corporations. The Fund also invests in obligations of foreign governments and in obligations issued or guaranteed by the U.S. Government and its agencies and instrumentalities. The Fund’s money market investments may include commercial paper, corporate debt obligations, debt obligations (including certificates of deposit and promissory notes) of U.S. banks or foreign banks, or of U.S. branches or subsidiaries of foreign banks, or foreign branches of U.S. banks (such as Yankee obligations), certificates of deposit of savings banks and savings and loan organizations, asset-backed securities, repurchase agreements and municipal obligations.

The Fund operates as an “institutional money market fund” which is neither a “government money market fund” nor “retail money market fund” as such terms are defined or interpreted under Rule 2a-7. As such, the Fund is required to price and transact in its shares at a NAV reflecting market-based values of its portfolio holdings (i.e., at a “floating” NAV), rounded to a minimum of the fourth decimal place. Like other money market funds of its type, the Fund is subject to the possible imposition of liquidity fees and/or redemption gates.

Process

The Adviser follows a multi-pronged investment process with respect to credit risk, interest rate risk and liquidity. Securities are reviewed on an ongoing basis to maintain or improve creditworthiness taking into consideration factors such as cash flow, asset quality, debt service coverage ratios and economic developments. Additionally, exposure to guarantors and liquidity providers is monitored separately as are the various diversification requirements.

The Adviser believes that ESG factors have the ability to impact the fundamental credit risk of an entity. The Fund’s investment process incorporates information about ESG issues via an integrated approach within the Adviser’s fundamental investment analysis framework. The Adviser may engage with management of certain issuers regarding corporate governance practices as well as what the Adviser deems to be materially important environmental and/or social issues facing a company.

The Adviser has proprietary ESG-scoring methodologies that explicitly consider the risks and opportunities ESG factors pose to money market instruments. By combining third-party ESG data with proprietary views, the Adviser creates unique scoring methodologies that it applies to issuers.

During the security selection process, the Adviser employs a rules-based process to construct the portfolio. Initially, the Adviser determines from the universe of money market fund-eligible issuers those which, in its opinion, have the lowest credit risk and/or best credit profile, excluding the following:

 

Corporations that generate revenue from the manufacturing or production of tobacco;

 

Corporations that generate revenue from the manufacturing or production of landmines and cluster munitions (i.e., an explosive weapon that randomly scatters submunitions);

 

Corporations that generate revenue from the manufacturing or production of firearms;

 

Corporations that generate revenue from the mining of thermal coal or coal fired power generation; and

 

Corporations that primarily generate revenue from the fossil fuel industries, which the Adviser has determined produce a certain level of carbon emissions.
 

The Fund may invest in green commercial paper (a security that is typically issued to raise capital specifically to support climate-related or environmental projects) issued by companies that would otherwise be subject to fossil fuel exclusions so long as the Adviser has determined that the proceeds will not be used to finance fossil fuel generation capabilities.

In analyzing whether an issuer meets any of the criteria described above, the Adviser may rely upon, among other things, information provided by an independent third party.

After applying the above exclusion screens, the Adviser calculates proprietary ESG scores for the remaining issuers based on a number of variables, such as environmental, social, governance, controversy and ESG momentum factors. The Adviser then sets minimum ESG score thresholds. Only issuers with an ESG score above a minimum threshold will be considered for investment by the Fund, thus eliminating those issuers with the lowest ESG performance. The Adviser’s minimum ESG score thresholds may be adjusted from time to time, provided that a subset of issuers are always excluded by ESG factors.

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds | Details of the Funds

ESG Money Market Portfolio (Cont’d)

From the final list of ESG-approved issuers, the Adviser determines the securities and issuers in which the Fund will invest, taking into account a variety of relevant considerations (including, without limitation, yield, interest rate changes, credit quality and duration).

Under normal circumstances, the Fund will invest 100% of its net assets (excluding cash) in securities whose issuer or guarantor, in the Adviser’s opinion at the time of purchase, meets the Fund’s ESG criteria.

The Adviser actively manages the Fund’s assets in an attempt to reduce the risk of losing any principal investment as a result of credit or interest rate risks. In addition, federal regulations require money market funds to invest only in debt obligations of high quality and short-term maturities.

Principal Risks

The Fund’s principal investment strategies are subject to the following principal risks:

There is no assurance that the Fund will achieve its investment objective. You could lose money by investing in the Fund. Because the share price of the Fund will fluctuate, when you sell your shares they may be worth more or less than what you originally paid for them. The Fund may impose a fee upon the sale of your shares or may temporarily suspend your ability to sell shares if the Fund’s liquidity falls below required minimums because of market conditions or other factors. An investment in the Fund is not insured or guaranteed by the FDIC or any other government agency.

A principal risk of investing in the Fund is associated with its debt obligation investments. All debt obligations, such as bonds, are subject to two types of risk: credit risk and interest rate risk. Credit risk refers to the possibility that the issuer or guarantor of a security will be unable to make interest payments and/or repay the principal on its debt. Interest rate risk refers to fluctuations in the value of a fixed-income security resulting from changes in the general level of interest rates. When the general level of interest rates goes up, the prices of most fixed-income securities go down. When the general level of interest rates goes down, the prices of most fixed-income securities go up. A low interest rate environment may prevent the Fund from providing a positive yield or paying Fund expenses out of Fund assets. The Fund may face a heightened level of interest rate risk in times of monetary policy change and uncertainty, such as when the Federal Reserve Board ends a quantitative easing program and/or raises rates. A rising interest rate environment increases certain risks, including the potential for periods of volatility, increased redemptions and extended durations (i.e., extension risk).

The Fund may purchase bank obligations. The activities of U.S. and most foreign banks are subject to comprehensive regulations. The enactment of new legislation or regulations, as well as changes in interpretation and enforcement of current laws, may affect the manner of operations and profitability of domestic and foreign banks. In addition, banks may be particularly susceptible to certain economic factors.

The Fund may purchase U.S. government securities that are not backed by the full faith and credit of the United States. With respect to these U.S. government securities, there is the risk that the U.S. Government will not provide financial support to such U.S. government agencies, instrumentalities or sponsored enterprises if it is not obligated to do so by law. The maximum potential liability of the issuers of some U.S. government securities held by the Fund may greatly exceed their current resources, including their legal right to support from the U.S. Treasury. It is possible that these issuers will not have the funds to meet their payment obligations in the future.

Asset-backed securities raise certain risk considerations including prepayment risk, extension risk and the risk of inadequate recovery on repossessed collateral. Because the Fund may concentrate its investments in bank securities, an adverse development in the banking industry may affect the value of the Fund’s investments more than if the Fund were not so concentrated.

Repurchase agreements are subject to additional risks associated with the possibility of default by the seller at a time when the collateral has declined in value, or insolvency of the seller, which may affect the Fund’s right to control the collateral and result in certain costs and delays.

The Fund may invest in U.S. dollar-denominated foreign securities and money market instruments. Although the Fund will invest in these securities only if the Adviser determines they are of comparable quality to the Fund’s U.S. investments, investing in securities of foreign issuers involves some additional risks. These risks may include the possibility of adverse political, economic or other developments affecting the issuers of these securities.

To the extent the Fund invests in municipal obligations issued by state and local governments and their agencies, the Fund may be susceptible to political, economic, regulatory or other factors affecting issuers of these municipal obligations.

The Fund’s adherence to its ESG criteria and application of related analyses when selecting investments may affect the Fund’s performance depending on whether such investments are in or out of favor and relative to similar funds that do not adhere to such criteria or apply such analyses. Socially responsible norms differ by country and region, and a company’s ESG practices or the

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds  |  Details of the Funds

ESG Money Market Portfolio (Con’t)

Adviser’s assessment of such may change over time. The Fund may invest in companies that do not reflect the beliefs and values of any particular investor. Additionally, the Fund’s adherence to its ESG criteria and application of related analyses in connection with identifying and selecting investments in non-U.S. issuers often require subjective analysis and may be relatively more difficult than applying the ESG criteria or related analyses to investments of U.S. issuers because data availability may be more limited with respect to non-U.S. issuers. The exclusionary criteria related to the Fund’s ESG criteria may result in the Fund forgoing opportunities to buy certain securities when it might otherwise be advantageous to do so, or selling securities for ESG reasons when it might be otherwise disadvantageous for it to do so. The Fund’s investments in certain companies may be susceptible to various factors that may impact their businesses or operations, including costs associated with government budgetary constraints that impact publicly funded projects and clean energy initiatives, the effects of general economic conditions throughout the world, increased competition from other providers of services, unfavorable tax laws or accounting policies and high leverage.

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds  |  Details of the Funds

Government Portfolio

Investment Objective

The Government Portfolio seeks preservation of capital, daily liquidity and maximum current income.

Approach

The Fund has adopted a policy to invest exclusively in obligations issued or guaranteed by the U.S. Government and its agencies and instrumentalities and in repurchase agreements collateralized by such securities in order to qualify as a “government money market fund” under federal regulations. The Fund may also hold cash from time to time. A “government money market fund” is a money market fund that invests at least 99.5% of its total assets in cash, securities issued or guaranteed by the United States or certain U.S. government agencies or instrumentalities and/or repurchase agreements that are collateralized fully by the foregoing. In selecting investments, the Adviser seeks to maintain the Fund’s share price at $1.00. The share price remaining stable at $1.00 means that the Fund would preserve the principal value of your investment. The Fund may change its principal investment strategies; however you would be notified of any changes.

The U.S. government securities that the Fund may purchase include:

 

U.S. treasury bills, notes and bonds, all of which are direct obligations of the U.S. Government.

 

Securities issued by agencies and instrumentalities of the U.S. Government which are backed by the full faith and credit of the United States. Among the agencies and instrumentalities issuing these obligations are the Government National Mortgage Association (“Ginnie Mae”) and the Federal Housing Administration.

 

Securities issued by agencies and instrumentalities which are not backed by the full faith and credit of the United States, but whose issuing agency or instrumentality has the right to borrow, to meet its obligations, from the U.S. Treasury. Among these agencies and instrumentalities are the Federal National Mortgage Association (“Fannie Mae”), the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (“Freddie Mac”) and the Federal Home Loan Banks.

 

Securities issued by agencies and instrumentalities which are backed solely by the credit of the issuing agency or instrumentality. Among these agencies and instrumentalities is the Federal Farm Credit System.
 

Process

The Adviser follows an investment process that seeks to select maturities based on the shape of the money market yield curve and based on the expectations as to future shifts in the level and shape of the curve, taking into consideration such factors as current short-term interest rates, Federal Reserve policy regarding interest rates and U.S. economic activity.

The Adviser actively manages the Fund’s assets in an attempt to reduce the risk of losing any principal investment as a result of credit or interest rate risks. The Fund’s assets are reviewed to maintain or improve creditworthiness. In addition, federal regulations require money market funds to invest only in debt obligations of high quality and short-term maturities.

Principal Risks

The Fund’s principal investment strategies are subject to the following principal risks:

There is no assurance that the Fund will achieve its investment objective. You could lose money by investing in the Fund. Although the Fund seeks to preserve the value of your investment at $1.00 per share, it cannot guarantee it will do so. An investment in the Fund is not insured or guaranteed by the FDIC or any other government agency.

A principal risk of investing in the Fund is associated with its debt obligation investments. All debt obligations, such as bonds, are subject to two types of risk: credit risk and interest rate risk. Credit risk refers to the possibility that the issuer or guarantor of a security will be unable to make interest payments and/or repay the principal on its debt. Interest rate risk refers to fluctuations in the value of a fixed-income security resulting from changes in the general level of interest rates. When the general level of interest rates goes up, the prices of most fixed-income securities go down. When the general level of interest rates goes down, the prices of most fixed-income securities go up. A low interest rate environment may prevent the Fund from providing a positive yield or paying Fund expenses out of Fund assets and could impair the Fund’s ability to maintain a stable NAV. The Fund may face a heightened level of interest rate risk in times of monetary policy change and uncertainty, such as when the Federal Reserve Board ends a quantitative easing program and/or raises rates. A rising interest rate environment increases certain risks, including the potential for periods of volatility, increased redemptions and extended durations (i.e., extension risk).

The Fund may purchase U.S. government securities that are not backed by the full faith and credit of the United States. With respect to these U.S. government securities, there is the risk that the U.S. Government will not provide financial support to such U.S. government agencies, instrumentalities or sponsored enterprises if it is not obligated to do so by law. The maximum potential liability of the issuers of some U.S. government securities held by the Fund may greatly exceed their current resources, including their legal right to support from the U.S. Treasury. It is possible that these issuers will not have the funds to meet their payment obligations in the future.

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds  |  Details of the Funds

Government Portfolio (Con’t)

Repurchase agreements are subject to additional risks associated with the possibility of default by the seller at a time when the collateral has declined in value, or insolvency of the seller, which may affect the Fund’s right to control the collateral and result in certain costs and delays.

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds  |  Details of the Funds

Government Securities Portfolio

Investment Objective

The Government Securities Portfolio seeks preservation of capital, daily liquidity and maximum current income.

Approach

The Fund has adopted a policy to invest substantially all of its assets in U.S. Treasury obligations and certain U.S. government securities, the interest from which is generally exempt from state income taxation, in order to qualify as a “government money market fund” under federal regulations. The Fund may also hold cash from time to time. A “government money market fund” is a money market fund that invests at least 99.5% of its total assets in cash, securities issued or guaranteed by the United States or certain U.S. government agencies or instrumentalities and/or repurchase agreements that are collateralized fully by the foregoing. In selecting investments, the Adviser seeks to maintain the Fund’s share price at $1.00. The share price remaining stable at $1.00 means that the Fund would preserve the principal value of your investment. The U.S. government securities that the Fund may purchase include those issued or guaranteed either by the U.S. Treasury or certain agencies, authorities or instrumentalities of the U.S. Government. The Fund may also invest in repurchase agreements with the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. The Fund may change its principal investment strategies; however you would be notified of any changes.

Shareholders should consult their individual tax adviser to determine whether the Fund’s distributions derived from interest on the Treasury obligations and U.S. government securities referred to above are exempt from state taxation in their own state.

Process

The Adviser follows an investment process that seeks to select maturities based on the shape of the money market yield curve and based on the expectations as to future shifts in the level and shape of the curve, taking into consideration such factors as current short-term interest rates, Federal Reserve policy regarding interest rates and U.S. economic activity.

The Adviser actively manages the Fund’s assets in an attempt to reduce the risk of losing any principal investment as a result of credit or interest rate risks. The Fund’s assets are reviewed to maintain or improve creditworthiness. In addition, federal regulations require money market funds to invest only in debt obligations of high quality and short-term maturities.

Principal Risks

The Fund’s principal investment strategies are subject to the following principal risks:

There is no assurance that the Fund will achieve its investment objective. You could lose money by investing in the Fund. Although the Fund seeks to preserve the value of your investment at $1.00 per share, it cannot guarantee it will do so. An investment in the Fund is not insured or guaranteed by the FDIC or any other government agency.

A principal risk of investing in the Fund is associated with its debt obligation investments. All debt obligations, such as bonds, are subject to two types of risk: credit risk and interest rate risk. Credit risk refers to the possibility that the issuer or guarantor of a security will be unable to make interest payments and/or repay the principal on its debt. Interest rate risk refers to fluctuations in the value of a fixed-income security resulting from changes in the general level of interest rates. When the general level of interest rates goes up, the prices of most fixed-income securities go down. When the general level of interest rates goes down, the prices of most fixed-income securities go up. A low interest rate environment may prevent the Fund from providing a positive yield or paying Fund expenses out of Fund assets and could impair the Fund’s ability to maintain a stable NAV. The Fund may face a heightened level of interest rate risk in times of monetary policy change and uncertainty, such as when the Federal Reserve Board ends a quantitative easing program and/or raises rates. A rising interest rate environment increases certain risks, including the potential for periods of volatility, increased redemptions and extended durations (i.e., extension risk).

The Fund may purchase U.S. government securities that are not backed by the full faith and credit of the United States. With respect to these U.S. government securities, there is the risk that the U.S. Government will not provide financial support to such U.S. government agencies, instrumentalities or sponsored enterprises if it is not obligated to do so by law. The maximum potential liability of the issuers of some U.S. government securities held by the Fund may greatly exceed their current resources, including their legal right to support from the U.S. Treasury. It is possible that these issuers will not have the funds to meet their payment obligations in the future.

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds  |  Details of the Funds

Treasury Portfolio

Investment Objective

The Treasury Portfolio seeks preservation of capital, daily liquidity and maximum current income.

Approach

The Fund has adopted a policy to invest exclusively in U.S. Treasury obligations, which are backed by the full faith and credit of the United States, and repurchase agreements collateralized by such securities in order to qualify as a “government money market fund” under federal regulations. The Fund may also hold cash from time to time. A “government money market fund” is a money market fund that invests at least 99.5% of its total assets in cash, securities issued or guaranteed by the United States or certain U.S. government agencies or instrumentalities and/or repurchase agreements that are collateralized fully by the foregoing. In selecting investments, the Adviser seeks to maintain the Fund’s share price at $1.00. The share price remaining stable at $1.00 means that the Fund would preserve the principal value of your investment. The Fund may change its principal investment strategies; however you would be notified of any changes.

Process

The Adviser follows an investment process that seeks to select maturities based on the shape of the money market yield curve and based on the expectations as to future shifts in the level and shape of the curve, taking into consideration such factors as current short-term interest rates, Federal Reserve policy regarding interest rates and U.S. economic activity.

The Adviser actively manages the Fund’s assets in an attempt to reduce the risk of losing any principal investment as a result of credit or interest rate risks. The Fund’s assets are reviewed to maintain or improve creditworthiness. In addition, federal regulations require money market funds to invest only in debt obligations of high quality and short-term maturities.

Principal Risks

The Fund’s principal investment strategies are subject to the following principal risks:

There is no assurance that the Fund will achieve its investment objective. You could lose money by investing in the Fund. Although the Fund seeks to preserve the value of your investment at $1.00 per share, it cannot guarantee it will do so. An investment in the Fund is not insured or guaranteed by the FDIC or any other government agency.

A principal risk of investing in the Fund is associated with its debt obligation investments. All debt obligations, such as bonds, are subject to two types of risk: credit risk and interest rate risk. Credit risk refers to the possibility that the issuer or guarantor of a security will be unable to make interest payments and/or repay the principal on its debt. Interest rate risk refers to fluctuations in the value of a fixed-income security resulting from changes in the general level of interest rates. When the general level of interest rates goes up, the prices of most fixed-income securities go down. When the general level of interest rates goes down, the prices of most fixed-income securities go up. A low interest rate environment may prevent the Fund from providing a positive yield or paying Fund expenses out of Fund assets and could impair the Fund’s ability to maintain a stable NAV. The Fund may face a heightened level of interest rate risk in times of monetary policy change and uncertainty, such as when the Federal Reserve Board ends a quantitative easing program and/or raises rates. A rising interest rate environment increases certain risks, including the potential for periods of volatility, increased redemptions and extended durations (i.e., extension risk).

The U.S. government securities in which the Fund invests can be subject to two types of risk: credit risk and interest rate risk. When the general level of interest rates goes up, the prices of most fixed-income securities go down. When the general level of interest rates goes down, the prices of most fixed-income securities go up. While the credit risk associated with U.S. government securities generally is considered to be minimal, the interest rate risk can be substantial.

Repurchase agreements are subject to additional risks associated with the possibility of default by the seller at a time when the collateral has declined in value, or insolvency of the seller, which may affect the Fund’s right to control the collateral and result in certain costs and delays.

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds  |  Details of the Funds

Treasury Securities Portfolio

Investment Objective

The Treasury Securities Portfolio seeks preservation of capital, daily liquidity and maximum current income.

Approach

The Fund has adopted a policy to invest exclusively in U.S. Treasury obligations, which are backed by the full faith and credit of the United States, in order to qualify as a “government money market fund” under federal regulations. The Fund may also hold cash from time to time. A “government money market fund” is a money market fund that invests at least 99.5% of its total assets in cash, securities issued or guaranteed by the United States or certain U.S. government agencies or instrumentalities and/or repurchase agreements that are collateralized fully by the foregoing. In selecting investments, the Adviser seeks to maintain the Fund’s share price at $1.00. The share price remaining stable at $1.00 means that the Fund would preserve the principal value of your investment. The Fund may change its principal investment strategies; however you would be notified of any changes.

Process

The Adviser follows an investment process that seeks to select maturities based on the shape of the money market yield curve and based on the expectations as to future shifts in the level and shape of the curve, taking into consideration such factors as current short-term interest rates, Federal Reserve policy regarding interest rates and U.S. economic activity.

The Adviser actively manages the Fund’s assets in an attempt to reduce the risk of losing any principal investment as a result of credit or interest rate risks. The Fund’s assets are reviewed to maintain or improve creditworthiness. In addition, federal regulations require money market funds to invest only in debt obligations of high quality and short-term maturities.

Principal Risks

The Fund’s principal investment strategies are subject to the following principal risks:

There is no assurance that the Fund will achieve its investment objective. You could lose money by investing in the Fund. Although the Fund seeks to preserve the value of your investment at $1.00 per share, it cannot guarantee it will do so. An investment in the Fund is not insured or guaranteed by the FDIC or any other government agency.

A principal risk of investing in the Fund is associated with its debt obligation investments. All debt obligations, such as bonds, are subject to two types of risk: credit risk and interest rate risk. Credit risk refers to the possibility that the issuer or guarantor of a security will be unable to make interest payments and/or repay the principal on its debt. Interest rate risk refers to fluctuations in the value of a fixed-income security resulting from changes in the general level of interest rates. When the general level of interest rates goes up, the prices of most fixed-income securities go down. When the general level of interest rates goes down, the prices of most fixed-income securities go up. A low interest rate environment may prevent the Fund from providing a positive yield or paying Fund expenses out of Fund assets and could impair the Fund’s ability to maintain a stable NAV. The Fund may face a heightened level of interest rate risk in times of monetary policy change and uncertainty, such as when the Federal Reserve Board ends a quantitative easing program and/or raises rates. A rising interest rate environment increases certain risks, including the potential for periods of volatility, increased redemptions and extended durations (i.e., extension risk).

The U.S. government securities in which the Fund invests can be subject to two types of risk: credit risk and interest rate risk. When the general level of interest rates goes up, the prices of most fixed-income securities go down. When the general level of interest rates goes down, the prices of most fixed-income securities go up. While the credit risk associated with U.S. government securities generally is considered to be minimal, the interest rate risk can be substantial.

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds  |  Details of the Funds

Tax-Exempt Portfolio

Investment Objective

The Tax-Exempt Portfolio seeks to maximize current income exempt from federal income tax to the extent consistent with preservation of capital and maintenance of liquidity.

Approach

The Fund invests at least 80% of its assets in high quality short-term municipal obligations, the interest of which is exempt from federal income taxes and is not subject to the federal alternative minimum tax. This policy is fundamental and may not be changed without shareholder approval. Municipal obligations are securities issued by state and local governments and their agencies and typically are either general obligation or revenue bonds, notes or commercial paper. General obligation securities are secured by the issuer’s full faith and credit including its taxing power for payment of principal and interest. Revenue bonds, however, are generally payable from a specific revenue source. They are issued for a wide variety of projects such as financing public utilities, hospitals, housing, airports, highways and educational facilities. Included within the revenue bonds category are participations in lease obligations and installment purchase contracts of municipalities. Additionally, the Fund’s investments may include variable and floating rate demand instruments, tender option bonds, custodial receipts and investments in other investment companies, including money market funds.

The Fund may invest up to 20% of its assets in taxable money market securities or in municipal obligations that pay interest income that may be subject to the alternative minimum tax. However, it is currently intended that the Fund will be managed so that income generated by the Fund will not be subject to the alternative minimum tax.

While at least 80% of the Fund’s assets typically will be invested in municipal obligations, the interest of which is exempt from federal income taxes and is not subject to the federal alternative minimum tax, the Fund may temporarily invest more than 20% of its assets in taxable money market securities for defensive purposes in attempting to respond to adverse market conditions.

The Fund operates as an “institutional money market fund” which is neither a “government money market fund” nor “retail money market fund” as such terms are defined or interpreted under Rule 2a-7. As such, the Fund is required to price and transact in its shares at a NAV reflecting market-based values of its portfolio holdings (i.e., at a “floating” NAV), rounded to a minimum of the fourth decimal place. Like other money market funds of its type, the Fund is subject to the possible imposition of liquidity fees and/or redemption gates.

Process

The Adviser follows a multi-pronged investment process with respect to credit risk, interest rate risk and liquidity. Securities are reviewed on an ongoing basis, taking into consideration factors such as economic developments, budgetary trends, cash flow, debt service coverage ratios and tax-law changes. Exposure to guarantors and liquidity providers is monitored separately. Weighted average maturity is shifted in response to expectations as to the future course of money market interest rates, the shape of the money market yield curve and the Fund’s recent cash flow experience.

The Adviser actively manages the Fund’s assets in an attempt to reduce the risk of losing any principal investment as a result of credit or interest rate risks. The Fund’s assets are reviewed to maintain or improve creditworthiness. In addition, federal regulations require money market funds to invest only in debt obligations of high quality and short-term maturities.

Principal Risks

The Fund’s principal investment strategies are subject to the following principal risks:

There is no assurance that the Fund will achieve its investment objective. You could lose money by investing in the Fund. Because the share price of the Fund will fluctuate, when you sell your shares they may be worth more or less than what you originally paid for them. The Fund may impose a fee upon the sale of your shares or may temporarily suspend your ability to sell shares if the Fund’s liquidity falls below required minimums because of market conditions or other factors. An investment in the Fund is not insured or guaranteed by the FDIC or any other government agency.

A principal risk of investing in the Fund is associated with its debt obligation investments. All debt obligations, such as bonds, are subject to two types of risk: credit risk and interest rate risk. Credit risk refers to the possibility that the issuer or guarantor of a security will be unable to make interest payments and/or repay the principal on its debt. Interest rate risk refers to fluctuations in the value of a fixed-income security resulting from changes in the general level of interest rates. When the general level of interest rates goes up, the prices of most fixed-income securities go down. When the general level of interest rates goes down, the prices of most fixed-income securities go up. A low interest rate environment may prevent the Fund from providing a positive yield or paying Fund expenses out of Fund assets. The Fund may face a heightened level of interest rate risk in times of monetary policy change and uncertainty, such as when the Federal Reserve Board ends a quantitative easing program and/or raises rates. A rising interest rate environment increases certain risks, including the potential for periods of volatility, increased redemptions and extended durations (i.e., extension risk).

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds | Details of the Funds

Tax-Exempt Portfolio (Cont’d)

To the extent the Fund invests in municipal obligations issued by state and local governments and their agencies, the Fund may be susceptible to political, economic, regulatory or other factors affecting issuers of these municipal obligations. Municipal obligations are also subject to credit risk and interest risk. In the case of revenue bonds, for example, credit risk is the possibility that the user fees from a project or other specified revenue sources are insufficient to meet interest and/or principal payment obligations. The Fund is subject to added credit risk if it concentrates its investments in a single economic sector, which could be effected by economic, business or political developments which might affect all municipal obligations in that particular economic sector.

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Prospectus  |  Additional Information About the Funds’ Investment Strategies and Related Risks

Additional Information About the Funds’ Investment Strategies and Related Risks

This section discusses additional information relating to the Funds’ investment strategies, other types of investments that the Funds may make and related risk factors. The Funds’ investment practices and limitations are also described in more detail in the Statement of Additional Information (“SAI”), which is incorporated by reference and legally is a part of this Prospectus. For details on how to obtain a copy of the SAI and other reports and information, see the back cover of this Prospectus.

Bank Obligations

Bank obligations include certificates of deposit, commercial paper, unsecured bank promissory notes, bankers’ acceptances, time deposits and other debt obligations. Certain Funds may invest in obligations issued or backed by U.S. banks when a bank has more than $1 billion in total assets at the time of purchase or is a branch or subsidiary of such a bank. In addition, certain Funds may invest in U.S. dollar-denominated obligations issued or guaranteed by foreign banks that have more than $1 billion in total assets at the time of purchase, U.S. branches or subsidiaries of such foreign banks (Yankee obligations), foreign branches of such foreign banks and foreign branches of U.S. banks having more than $1 billion in total assets at the time of purchase. Bank obligations may be general obligations of the parent bank or may be limited to the issuing branch by the terms of the specific obligation or by U.S. government regulation.

If a Fund invests more than 25% of its total assets in bank obligations (whether foreign or domestic), it may be especially affected by favorable and adverse developments in or related to the banking industry. The activities of U.S. and most foreign banks are subject to comprehensive regulations, which, in the case of U.S. regulations, have undergone substantial changes in the past decade. The enactment of new legislation or regulations, as well as changes in interpretation and enforcement of current laws, may affect the manner of operations and profitability of domestic and foreign banks. Significant developments in the U.S. banking industry have included increased competition from other types of financial institutions, increased acquisition activity and geographic expansion. Banks may be particularly susceptible to certain economic factors, such as interest rate changes and adverse developments in the real estate markets. Fiscal and monetary policy and general economic cycles can affect the availability and cost of funds, loan demand and asset quality and thereby impact the earnings and financial conditions of banks. Obligations of foreign banks, including Yankee obligations, are subject to the same risks that pertain to domestic issuers, notably credit risk and market risk, but are also subject to certain additional risks such as adverse foreign political and economic developments, the extent and quality of foreign government regulation of the financial markets and institutions, foreign withholding taxes and other sovereign action such as nationalization or expropriation.

Credit and Interest Rate Risk

All debt obligations, such as bonds, are subject to two types of risk: credit risk and interest rate risk. Interest rate risk refers to fluctuations in the value of a fixed-income security resulting from changes in the general level of interest rates. When the general level of interest rates goes up, the prices of most fixed-income securities go down. When the general level of interest rates goes down, the prices of most fixed-income securities go up. A low interest rate environment may prevent a Fund from providing a positive yield or paying Fund expenses out of Fund assets. The Funds may face a heightened level of interest rate risk in times of monetary policy change and uncertainty, such as when the Federal Reserve Board ends a quantitative easing program and/or raises rates. A rising interest rate environment increases certain risks, including the potential for periods of volatility, increased redemptions and extended durations (i.e., extension risk).

U.S. Government Securities

The U.S. government securities that certain Funds may purchase include U.S. Treasury bills, notes and bonds, all of which are direct obligations of the U.S. Government. In addition, certain Funds may purchase securities issued or guaranteed by agencies and instrumentalities of the U.S. Government which are backed by the full faith and credit of the United States. Among the agencies and instrumentalities issuing these obligations are Ginnie Mae and the Federal Housing Administration. Also, certain Funds may purchase securities issued by agencies and instrumentalities which are not backed by the full faith and credit of the United States, but whose issuing agency or instrumentality has the right to borrow, to meet its obligations, from the U.S. Treasury. Among these agencies and instrumentalities are Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac and the Federal Home Loan Banks. In September 2008, the U.S. Treasury Department announced that the U.S. Government would be taking over Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac and placing the companies into a conservatorship. In addition, the U.S. Treasury announced additional steps that it intended to take with respect to the debt and mortgage-backed securities issued by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac in order to support the conservatorship. Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac are continuing to operate as going concerns while in conservatorship and each remains liable for all of its respective obligations, including its guaranty obligations, associated with its mortgage-backed securities. No assurance can be given that these initiatives will be successful. Further, certain Funds may purchase securities issued by agencies and instrumentalities which are backed solely by the credit of the issuing agency or instrumentality. Among these agencies and instrumentalities is the Federal Farm Credit System. Because these securities are not backed by the full faith and credit of the United States, there is a risk that the U.S. Government will not provide financial support to these agencies if it is not obligated to do so by law. The maximum potential liability of the issuers of some U.S. government securities held by a Fund may greatly exceed their current resources, including their

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Prospectus  |  Additional Information About the Funds’ Investment Strategies and Related Risks

Additional Information About the Funds’ Investment Strategies and Related Risks (Con’t)

legal right to support from the U.S. Treasury. It is possible that these issuers will not have the funds to meet their payment obligations in the future. The interest from U.S. government securities generally is not subject to state and local taxation.

Foreign Securities

Certain Funds may invest in U.S. dollar-denominated securities issued by foreign governmental or corporate issuers, including Eurodollar and Yankee obligations. While these securities are subject to the same type of risks that pertain to domestic issuers, namely credit risk and interest rate risk, they are also subject to other additional risks. Foreign issuers generally are subject to different accounting, auditing and financial reporting standards than U.S. issuers. There may be less information available to the public about foreign issuers. Securities of foreign issuers can be less liquid and experience greater price movements. In some foreign countries, there is also the risk of government expropriation, excessive taxation, political or social instability, the imposition of currency controls or diplomatic developments that could affect an investment. There also can be difficulty obtaining and enforcing judgments against issuers in foreign countries. Foreign stock exchanges, broker-dealers and listed issuers may be subject to less government regulation and oversight.

Foreign Money Market Securities

Certain Funds may invest in foreign money market securities. As described elsewhere herein, foreign investing may involve risks relating to political, social and economic developments abroad to a greater extent than investing in the securities of U.S. issuers. In addition, there are differences between U.S. and foreign regulatory requirements and market practices that may result in additional risk. Foreign money market securities also present credit and interest rate risks similar to those attendant to an investment in domestic money market securities.

Custodial Receipts

Certain Funds may invest in custodial receipts representing interests in U.S. government securities, municipal obligations or other debt instruments held by a custodian or trustee. Custodial receipts evidence ownership of future interest payments, principal payments or both on notes or bonds issued or guaranteed as to principal or interest by the U.S. Government, its agencies, instrumentalities, political subdivisions or authorities, by a state or local governmental body or authority, or by other types of issuers. For certain securities law purposes, custodial receipts are not considered obligations of the underlying issuers. In addition, if for tax purposes a Fund is not considered to be the owner of the underlying securities held in the custodial account, the Fund may suffer adverse tax consequences. As a holder of custodial receipts, a Fund will bear its proportionate share of the fees and expenses charged to the custodial account.

Tender Option Bonds

A tender option bond is a municipal obligation (generally held pursuant to a custodial arrangement) having a relatively long maturity and bearing interest at a fixed rate substantially higher than prevailing short-term, tax-exempt rates. The bond is typically issued in conjunction with the agreement of a third-party, such as a bank, broker-dealer or other financial institution, pursuant to which the institution grants the security holder the option, at periodic intervals, to tender its securities to the institution. As consideration for providing the option, the financial institution receives periodic fees equal to the difference between the bond’s fixed coupon rate and the rate, as determined by a remarketing or similar agent, that would cause the securities, coupled with the tender option, to trade at par on the date of such determination. Thus, after payment of this fee, the security holder effectively holds a demand obligation that bears interest at the prevailing short-term, tax-exempt rate. An institution will normally not be obligated to accept tendered bonds in the event of certain defaults or significant downgrading in the credit rating assigned to the issuer of the bond. The tender option will be taken into account in determining the maturity of the tender option bonds and average portfolio maturity. There is a risk that the investing Fund will not be considered the owner of a tender option bond for federal income tax purposes, and thus will not be entitled to treat such interest as exempt from federal income tax. Certain tender option bonds may be illiquid or may become illiquid as a result of a credit rating downgrade, a payment default or a disqualification from tax-exempt status. Additionally, the Dodd–Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (the “Dodd-Frank Act”), including the Volcker Rule, among other regulatory changes, may affect the ability of bank-sponsored tender option bonds to continue to operate or remain cost-effective investments.

Corporate Debt Obligations

Corporate debt obligations are fixed-income securities issued by private corporations. The investment return of corporate debt obligations reflects interest earnings and changes in the market value of the security. The market value of a corporate debt obligation may be expected to rise and fall inversely with interest rates generally. There also exists the risk that the issuers of the securities may not be able to meet their obligations on interest or principal payments at the time called for by an instrument. Debtholders, as creditors, have a prior legal claim over common and preferred stockholders of the corporation as to both income and assets for the principal and interest due to the bondholder. Certain Funds will buy corporate debt obligations subject to any quality constraints set forth under Rule 2a-7.

Revenue Bonds

Revenue bonds are municipal obligations that are secured by the revenue from a specific project. To the extent that a Fund invests in revenue bonds, and which are municipal obligations of issuers in the same economic sector, there could be economic, business or

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Prospectus  |  Additional Information About the Funds’ Investment Strategies and Related Risks

Additional Information About the Funds’ Investment Strategies and Related Risks (Con’t)

political developments which might affect such municipal obligations. For example, investments in revenue bonds backed by receipts from hospitals are sensitive to hospital bond ratings, which are often based on feasibility studies which contain projections of expenses, revenues and occupancy levels. Additional factors which could affect a hospital’s gross receipts and net income available to service its debt are demand for hospital services, the ability of the hospital to provide the services required, management capabilities, economic developments in the service area, efforts by insurers and government agencies to limit rates and expenses, reputational issues, competition, availability and expenses of malpractice insurance, Medicaid and Medicare funding and possible federal legislation regulating hospital charges.

Asset-Backed Securities

Asset-backed securities represent an interest in a pool of assets such as automobile loans, credit card receivables or mortgage or home equity loans, or certificates of participation or lease obligations or other municipal debt obligations, that have been securitized in pass-through structures. These types of pass-through securities provide for monthly payments that are a “pass-through” of the monthly interest and principal payments made by the individual borrowers on the pooled receivables. Such securities also may be debt instruments, which are also known as collateralized obligations and are generally issued as the debt of a special purpose entity, such as a trust, organized solely for the purpose of owning such assets and issuing such debt. Credit support for asset-backed securities may be based on the underlying assets and/or provided by a third-party through credit enhancements. Credit enhancement techniques include letters of credit, insurance bonds, limited guarantees (which are generally provided by the issuer), senior-subordinated structures and over-collateralization.

Asset-backed securities are not issued or guaranteed by the U.S. Government or its agencies or instrumentalities; however, the payment of principal and interest on such obligations may be guaranteed up to certain amounts for a certain period by a letter of credit issued by a financial institution (such as a bank or insurance company) unaffiliated with the issuers of such securities. The purchase of asset-backed securities raises risk considerations specific to the financing of the instruments underlying such securities. For example, there is a risk that another party could acquire an interest in the obligations superior to that of the holders of the asset-backed securities. Asset-backed securities entail prepayment risk and extension risk, which may vary depending on the type of asset. Securities subject to prepayment risk generally offer less potential for gains when interest rates decline, and may offer a greater potential for loss when interest rates rise. In addition, rising interest rates may cause prepayments to occur at a slower than expected rate, thereby effectively lengthening the maturity of the security and making the security more sensitive to interest rate changes. Other factors, such as changes in credit card use and payment patterns, may also influence prepayment rates. Asset-backed securities also involve the risk that various federal and state consumer laws and other legal and economic factors such as defaults on the underlying loans may result in the collateral backing the securities being insufficient to support payment on the securities. The risk of such defaults is generally higher in the case of mortgage pools that include sub-prime mortgages. There is also the possibility that recoveries on repossessed collateral may not, in some cases, be available to support payments on those securities.

Repurchase Agreements

Repurchase agreements are fixed-income securities in the form of agreements backed by collateral. These agreements typically involve the acquisition by the Funds of securities from the selling institution (such as a bank or a broker-dealer), coupled with the agreement that the selling institution will repurchase the underlying securities at a specified price and at a fixed time in the future (or on demand, if applicable). The underlying securities which serve as collateral for the repurchase agreements entered into by certain Funds may include U.S. government securities, municipal securities, corporate debt obligations, convertible securities and common and preferred stock and may be of below investment grade quality. These securities are marked-to-market daily in order to maintain full collateralization (typically purchase price plus accrued interest). The use of repurchase agreements involves certain risks. For example, if the selling institution defaults on its obligation to repurchase the underlying securities at a time when the value of the securities has declined, the Funds may incur a loss upon disposition of them. The risk of such loss may be greater when utilizing collateral other than U.S. government securities. In the event of an insolvency or bankruptcy by the selling institution, the Funds’ right to control the collateral could be affected and result in certain costs and delays. Additionally, if the proceeds from the liquidation of such collateral after an insolvency were less than the repurchase price, the Funds could suffer a loss. Fund procedures are followed that are designed to minimize such risks.

The Government Securities Portfolio may enter into repurchase agreements with the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. Reduced participation in the repurchase agreement market by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York may affect the Fund’s investment strategies, operations and/or return potential.

Municipal Obligations

Certain Funds may purchase municipal obligations subject to any restraints set forth under Rule 2a-7. Municipal obligations are securities issued by state and local governments and their agencies. These securities typically are “general obligation” or “revenue” bonds, notes or commercial paper, including participations in lease obligations and installment purchase contracts of municipalities. These obligations may have fixed, variable or floating rates.

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Prospectus  |  Additional Information About the Funds’ Investment Strategies and Related Risks

Additional Information About the Funds’ Investment Strategies and Related Risks (Con’t)

Additional Risks and Investment Strategies of the Funds

Investment Companies

The Funds may invest in investment companies, including money market funds, and may invest all or some of their short-term cash investments in any money market fund advised or managed by the Adviser or its affiliates (an “affiliated money market fund”). An investment in an investment company is subject to the underlying risks of that investment company’s portfolio securities. In addition to a Fund’s fees and expenses, the Fund generally would bear its share of the investment company’s fees and expenses other than advisory and administrative fees of affiliated money market funds.

Promissory Notes

Promissory notes are generally debt obligations of the issuing entity and are subject to the risks of investing in the banking industry. Certain Funds may invest up to 5% of their net assets in illiquid securities, including unsecured bank promissory notes.

Tax-Exempt Variable Rate Demand Notes

Tax-exempt variable rate demand notes are variable rate tax-exempt debt obligations that give investors the right to demand principal repayment. Due to cyclical supply and demand considerations, at times the yields on these obligations can exceed the yield on taxable money market obligations.

Large Shareholder Transactions Risk

A Fund may experience adverse effects when certain large shareholders purchase or redeem large amounts of shares of the Fund. Such large shareholder redemptions may cause a Fund to sell portfolio securities at times when it would not otherwise do so, which may negatively impact the Fund’s NAV and liquidity. Similarly, large Fund share purchases may adversely affect a Fund’s performance to the extent that the Fund is delayed in investing new cash and is required to maintain a larger cash position than it ordinarily would. These transactions may also accelerate the realization of taxable income to shareholders if such sales of investments resulted in gains, and may also increase transaction costs. In addition, a large redemption could result in a Fund’s current expenses being allocated over a smaller asset base, leading to an increase in the Fund’s expense ratio. Although large shareholder transactions may be more frequent under certain circumstances, a Fund is generally subject to the risk that a large shareholder can purchase or redeem a significant percentage of Fund shares at any time.

Investment Discretion

In pursuing a Fund’s investment objective, the Adviser has considerable leeway in deciding which investments it buys, holds or sells on a day-to-day basis, and which trading strategies it uses. For example, the Adviser, in its discretion, may determine to use some permitted trading strategies while not using others. The success or failure of such decisions will affect a Fund’s performance.

Temporary Defensive Investments

When the Adviser believes that changes in market, economic, political or other conditions warrant, each Fund may invest without limit in cash or cash equivalents and the Tax-Exempt Portfolio may invest without limit in taxable money market securities for temporary defensive purposes that may be inconsistent with a Fund’s principal investment strategies. If the Adviser incorrectly predicts the effects of these changes, such defensive investments may adversely affect a Fund’s performance and the Fund may not achieve its investment objective.

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Prospectus  |  Shareholder Information

Shareholder Information

The Trust is designed for institutional investors seeking maximum current income and convenient liquidation privileges. The Funds are particularly suitable for corporations, banks and other financial institutions that seek investment of short-term funds for their own accounts or for the accounts of their customers. Shares of the Government Portfolio and Government Securities Portfolio are intended to qualify as eligible investments for federally chartered credit unions pursuant to the applicable provisions of the Federal Credit Union Act and the National Credit Union Administration. Shares of the Government Portfolio and Government Securities Portfolio, however, may not qualify as eligible investments for particular state-chartered credit unions. A state-chartered credit union should consult qualified legal counsel to determine whether these Funds are permissible investments under the law applicable to it.

Share Class Arrangements

This Prospectus offers Institutional Class shares of each Fund. The Trust also offers other classes of shares through separate prospectuses. Certain of these classes may be subject to different fees and expenses. For information regarding other share classes, contact the Trust or your financial intermediary.

Minimum Investment Amount

Institutional Class shares are available to investors who at the time of initial purchase make a minimum investment of $10 million, or to clients of Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC and its broker-dealer affiliates. The Adviser, in its sole discretion, may waive the minimum initial investment amount in certain cases including, but not limited to, shares of the Fund purchased through a financial intermediary or when the Adviser anticipates the combined value of a client’s investments will meet or exceed the minimum.

Distributor

Shares of the Funds are distributed exclusively through Morgan Stanley Distribution, Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Morgan Stanley. The Distributor has entered into arrangements with certain financial intermediaries (also referred to as service organizations) who may accept purchase and redemption orders for shares of each Fund on its behalf.

The Adviser and/or the Distributor may pay additional compensation (out of their own funds and not as an expense of a Fund) to selected affiliated or unaffiliated brokers or other service providers in connection with the sale, distribution, retention and/or servicing of Fund shares. Such compensation may be significant in amount and the prospect of receiving any such additional compensation may provide affiliated or unaffiliated entities with an incentive to favor sales of shares of the Fund over other investment options. Any such payments will not change the NAV or the price of Fund shares. For more information, please see the Funds’ SAI.

Valuation of Shares

Each of the Prime Portfolio’s, ESG Money Market Portfolio’s and Tax-Exempt Portfolio’s investments will be valued using market-based prices provided by an approved pricing service/vendor and the share price of each rounded to a minimum of the fourth decimal place. The price of each of Government Portfolio’s, Government Securities Portfolio’s, Treasury Portfolio’s and Treasury Securities Portfolio’s shares is based on the amortized cost of the Fund’s securities. The amortized cost valuation method involves valuing a debt obligation in reference to its cost rather than market forces. If the Adviser determines that a valuation is not reflective of the security’s market value, such security is valued at its fair value as determined in good faith under procedures established by and under the general supervision of the Board.

The NAV of each Fund is determined once daily (except that the NAV of Prime Portfolio is determined three times daily), normally at the times set forth below, on each day that the NYSE is open (the “Pricing Time”), except when the following federal holidays are observed: Columbus Day and Veterans Day.

Shares will generally not be priced on days that the NYSE is closed, although Fund shares may be priced on such days if the Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association (“SIFMA”) recommends that the bond markets remain open for all or part of the day. On any business day when SIFMA recommends that the bond markets close early, a Fund reserves the right to close at or prior to the SIFMA recommended closing time. If a Fund does so, it will cease granting same day credit for purchase and redemption orders received after the Fund’s closing time and credit will be given on the next business day. The Fund may, however, elect to remain open and price shares of each Fund on days where the NYSE is closed but the primary securities markets on which the Funds’ securities trade remain open.

Government Portfolio
Treasury Portfolio

As of 5:00 p.m. Eastern time

ESG Money Market Portfolio
Government Securities Portfolio
Treasury Securities Portfolio

As of 3:00 p.m. Eastern time

Tax-Exempt Portfolio

As of 1:00 p.m. Eastern time

Prime Portfolio

As of 8:00 a.m., 12:00 p.m. and 3:00 p.m. Eastern time

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Prospectus  |  Shareholder Information

Shareholder Information (Con’t)

Pricing of Fund Shares

Institutional Class shares of the Funds may be purchased or sold (redeemed) at the NAV next determined after the Fund receives your order in good order and State Street Bank and Trust Company (the “Custodian”) receives monies credited by a Federal Reserve Bank (“Federal Funds”) prior to the close of the Federal Reserve Wire Network (“Fedwire”). You begin earning dividends the same day your Institutional Class shares are purchased provided the Fund receives your purchase amount in Federal Funds that day as set forth above. Orders to purchase shares of a Fund must be received by the Fund prior to the following times to receive the NAV next determined: for the Government Portfolio and Treasury Portfolio—5:00 p.m. Eastern time; for the ESG Money Market Portfolio, Government Securities Portfolio and Treasury Securities Portfolio—3:00 p.m. Eastern time; for the Tax-Exempt Portfolio—1:00 p.m. Eastern time; and for the Prime Portfolio—8:00 a.m., 12:00 p.m. or 3:00 p.m. Eastern time. On any business day that the NYSE closes early, or when SIFMA recommends that the securities markets close early, a Fund may close early and purchase orders received after such earlier closing times will be processed the following business day. If the NYSE is closed due to inclement weather, technology problems or any other reason on a day it would normally be open for business, or the NYSE has an unscheduled early closing on a day it has opened for business, a Fund reserves the right to treat such day as a business day and accept purchase and redemption orders until, and calculate its NAV as of, the normally scheduled close of regular trading on the NYSE for that day, or such time noted above, so long as the Adviser believes there generally remains an adequate market to obtain reliable and accurate market quotations. A Fund may elect to remain open on days when the NYSE is closed or closes early but on which SIFMA recommends that the bond markets remain open for all or part of the day. Purchase orders received by a Fund and not funded by 6:00 p.m. Eastern time on the trade date may be subject to an overdraft charge.

Portfolio Holdings

A description of the Trust’s policies and procedures with respect to the disclosure of each Fund’s portfolio securities is available in the Trust’s SAI.

How To Purchase Shares

Institutional Class shares of the Funds may be purchased directly from the Fund or through a financial intermediary.

Purchasing Shares Through a Financial Intermediary
You may open a new account and purchase Fund shares through certain authorized third-parties, such as brokers, dealers or other financial intermediaries that have entered into a selling agreement with the Distributor (each, a “Financial Intermediary”). Your Financial Intermediary will assist you with the procedures to invest in shares of the Fund. The Financial Intermediary will establish times by which such purchase orders and payments from customers must be received by the Financial Intermediary. Financial Intermediaries are responsible for transmitting purchase orders and payments to the Trust and the Trust’s Custodian in a timely fashion. Purchase orders placed with a Financial Intermediary and transmitted through a trading platform utilized by the Financial Intermediary may be transmitted by the trading platform after the deadlines established by the Trust for receipt of purchase orders, as set forth below; in such case, the purchase orders will receive a trade date of the next business day.

Investors purchasing Institutional Class shares through a Financial Intermediary may be charged a transaction-based or other fees by the Financial Intermediary for its services. If you are purchasing Institutional Class shares through a Financial Intermediary, please consult your intermediary for more information regarding any such fees and for purchase instructions.

With respect to sales through Financial Intermediaries, no offers or sales of Fund shares may be made in any foreign jurisdiction, except with the consent of the Distributor.

Purchasing Shares Directly From the Funds

Initial Purchase by Mail
You may open an account, subject to acceptance by the Fund, and purchase Institutional Class shares of a Fund by completing and signing a New Account Application which you can obtain by calling Morgan Stanley Services Company Inc. or the Fund at (888) 378-1630 (which is generally accessible weekdays 7:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m. Eastern time) and mailing it to Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds, c/o DST Asset Manager Solutions, Inc., P.O. Box 219804, Kansas City, MO 64121-9804 together with a check payable to Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds. Orders to purchase shares of a Fund must be received by the Fund prior to the applicable Fund’s final Pricing Time of that day. Orders received after such Pricing Time will be processed the following business day.

Please note that payments to investors who redeem shares of a Fund purchased by check will not be made until payment of the purchase has been collected, which may take up to 15 calendar days after purchase. You can avoid this delay by purchasing shares of a Fund by wire.

Initial Purchase by Wire
You may purchase Institutional Class shares of each Fund by wiring Federal Funds (monies credited by a Federal Reserve Bank) to the Custodian. You must forward a completed New Account Application to the Transfer Agent in advance of the wire by following

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Prospectus  |  Shareholder Information

Shareholder Information (Con’t)

the instructions under “Initial Purchase by Mail.” You should instruct your bank to send a Federal Funds wire in a specified amount to the Custodian using the following wire instructions:

State Street Bank and Trust Company
One Lincoln Street
Boston, MA 02111-2101
ABA #011000028
DDA #00575399
Attn: Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Subscription Account
Ref: (Fund Name, Account Number, Account Name)
* For international investments into the US funds, BIC Code: SBOSUS33XXX must be referenced, as well as the information listed above.

If notification of your order is received prior to the time required by each respective Fund, as set forth above, and the Custodian receives the funds the same day prior to the close of the Fedwire, then your purchase will become effective and begin to earn income on that day. Otherwise, your purchase will be effective on the next business day.

Purchase by Internet
If you have properly authorized the Internet Trading Option on your New Account Application and completed, signed and returned to the Fund an Electronic Transactions Agreement, you may place a purchase order for additional shares online through Morgan Stanley’s Treasury Investment Portal service at www.morganstanley.com/liquidity. For more information, call Morgan Stanley Services Company Inc. at 1-888-378-1630.

You are responsible for transmitting payments for shares purchased via the Internet in a timely fashion, as set forth above.

Automatic Purchases
Selected accounts that utilize the Funds as their sweep vehicle will be reviewed on each business day to determine whether the account has a positive balance as a result of credits incurred that day. If an account has a positive (credit) balance, shares of the respective Fund will automatically be purchased. Any positive (credit) balance will be reduced by any debits to the account on that day and shares of the Fund will automatically be sold.

Additional Investments
You may make additional investments of Institutional Class shares at the NAV next determined after the request is received in good order or by wiring Federal Funds to the Custodian as outlined above. State Street Bank and Trust Company must receive notification of receipt of your Federal Funds wire by the time required by each respective Fund, as set forth above under “How To Purchase Shares.”

General

To help the U.S. Government fight the funding of terrorism and money laundering activities, federal law requires all financial institutions to obtain, verify and record information that identifies each person who opens an account. What this means to you is that when you open an account, we will ask your name, address, date of birth and other information that will allow us to identify you. If we are unable to verify your identity, we reserve the right to restrict additional transactions and/or liquidate your account at the next calculated NAV after your account is closed (less any applicable sales/account charges and/or tax penalties) or take any other action required by law. In accordance with federal law requirements, the Trust has implemented an anti-money laundering compliance program, which includes the designation of an anti-money laundering compliance officer.

How To Redeem Shares

You may process a redemption request by contacting your Financial Intermediary. Otherwise, you may redeem shares of a Fund by mail or, if authorized, by telephone, at no charge other than as described below. The value of shares redeemed may be more or less than the purchase price, depending on the NAV at the time of redemption. Shares of a Fund will be redeemed at the NAV next determined after we receive your redemption request in good order.

Redemptions by Letter
Requests should be addressed to Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds, c/o DST Asset Manager Solutions, Inc., P.O. Box 219804, Kansas City, MO 64121-9804.

To be in good order, redemption requests must include the following documentation:

(a) A letter of instruction, if required, or a stock assignment specifying the account name, the account number, the name of the Fund and the number of shares or dollar amount to be redeemed, signed by all registered owners of the shares in the exact names in which the shares are registered, and whether you wish to receive the redemption proceeds by wire to the bank account we have on file for you;

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Prospectus  |  Shareholder Information

Shareholder Information (Con’t)

(b) Any required signature guarantees if you are requesting payment to anyone other than the registered owner(s) or that payment be sent to any address other than the address of the registered owner(s) or pre-designated bank account; and

(c) Other supporting legal documents, if required, in the case of estates, trusts, guardianships, custodianship, corporations, pension and profit sharing plans and other organizations.

Redemptions by Telephone
You automatically have telephone redemption and exchange privileges unless you indicate otherwise by checking the applicable box on the New Account Application or calling the Fund to opt out of such privileges. You may request a redemption of shares of a Fund by calling the Fund at 1-888-378-1630 and requesting that the redemption proceeds be mailed or wired to you. Telephone redemptions and exchanges may not be available if you cannot reach the Fund by telephone, whether because all telephone lines are busy or for any other reason; in such case, a shareholder would have to use the Fund’s other redemption and exchange procedures described in this section. Telephone instructions will be accepted if received by the Fund between 7:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. Eastern time on any day the NYSE is open for business, except when the following federal holidays are observed: Columbus Day and Veterans Day. Orders to redeem or exchange shares of a Fund must be received by the Fund prior to the applicable Fund’s final Pricing Time of that day. Orders received after such Pricing Time will be processed the following business day. To opt out of telephone privileges, please contact the Fund at 1-888-378-1630.

Redemptions by Internet
You may redeem shares online through Morgan Stanley’s Treasury Investment Portal service at www.morganstanley.com/liquidity, provided you have a pre-established Internet trading account, as set forth above under “How To Purchase Shares.” For more information, call the Fund at 1-888-378-1630.

Automatic Redemptions
Selected accounts that utilize the Funds as their sweep vehicle will be reviewed on each business day to determine whether the account has any debits that were incurred that day and shares of the Funds will automatically be redeemed to cover the debits if such debits have not been reduced by any credits which may have accrued to the account on the same day.

Redemption Proceeds
You will not earn a dividend on the day your shares are sold. Orders to sell shares (redemption requests) will be processed on the day on which they are received, provided they are received prior to the following times to receive the NAV next determined: for the Government Portfolio and Treasury Portfolio—5:00 p.m. Eastern time; for the Prime Portfolio, ESG Money Market Portfolio, Government Securities Portfolio and Treasury Securities Portfolio—3:00 p.m. Eastern time; and for the Tax-Exempt Portfolio— 1:00 p.m. Eastern time. On any business day that the NYSE closes early, the Fund may close early and redemption requests received after such earlier closing times will be processed the following business day. The Fund may elect to remain open on days when the NYSE is closed or closes early but on which SIFMA recommends that the bond markets remain open for all or part of the day. Generally, payment for Fund shares sold will be made on the day on which the order is processed, but under certain circumstances may not be made until the next business day. The Fund may postpone and/or suspend redemption and payment beyond one business day only as follows: (a) for any period during which there is a non-routine closure of the Fedwire or applicable Federal Reserve Banks; (b) for any period (i) during which the NYSE is closed other than customary weekend and holiday closings or (ii) during which trading on the NYSE is restricted; (c) for any period during which an emergency exists as a result of which (i) disposal of securities owned by the Fund is not reasonably practicable or (ii) it is not reasonably practicable for the Fund to fairly determine the NAV of shares of the Fund; (d) for any period during which the SEC has, by rule or regulation, deemed that (i) trading shall be restricted or (ii) an emergency exists; (e) for any period that the SEC may by order permit; or (f) for any period during which the Fund as part of a necessary liquidation of a Fund, has properly postponed and/or suspended redemption of shares and payment in accordance with federal securities laws. In addition, when SIFMA recommends that the securities markets close early, payments with respect to redemption requests received subsequent to the recommended close will be made the next business day (assuming that the Fund in fact closes).

Each Fund typically expects to meet redemption requests by using a combination of sales of securities held by a Fund and/or holdings of cash and cash equivalents. On a less regular basis, each Fund also reserves the right to use borrowings to meet redemption requests, and each Fund may use these methods during both normal and stressed market conditions.

If we determine that it is in the best interest of other shareholders not to pay redemption proceeds in cash, we may pay you in part by distributing to you readily marketable securities held by the Fund from which you are redeeming. Such in-kind securities may be illiquid and difficult or impossible for a shareholder to sell at a time and at a price that a shareholder would like. Redemptions paid in such securities generally will give rise to income, gain or loss for income tax purposes in the same manner as redemptions paid in cash. In addition, you may incur brokerage costs and a further gain or loss for income tax purposes when you ultimately sell the securities.

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Prospectus  |  Shareholder Information

Shareholder Information (Con’t)

Exchange Privilege

You may exchange a Fund’s Institutional Class shares for Institutional Class shares of other available Funds of the Trust based on their respective NAVs, except that you may not exchange Institutional Class shares from or into the Prime Portfolio, ESG Money Market Portfolio or Tax-Exempt Portfolio. We charge no fee for exchanges. If you purchased Fund shares through a Financial Intermediary, certain other Funds of the Trust may be unavailable for exchange. Contact your Financial Intermediary to determine which Funds are available for exchange.

You can process your exchange by contacting your Financial Intermediary or online through Morgan Stanley’s Treasury Investment Portal service at www.morganstanley.com/liquidity provided you have a pre-established Internet trading account, as set forth above under “How To Purchase Shares.” You may also send exchange requests to the Fund’s transfer agent, DST Asset Manager Solutions, Inc. (“DST”), by mail to Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds, c/o DST Asset Manager Solutions, Inc., P.O. Box 219804, Kansas City, MO 64121-9804 or by calling the Fund at 1-888-378-1630.

You will be subject to the same minimum initial investment and account size as an initial purchase. The Fund, in its sole discretion, may waive the minimum initial investment amounts in certain cases including, but not limited to, exchanges involving Fund shares purchased through a Financial Intermediary or when the Adviser anticipates the combined value of a client’s investments will meet or exceed the minimum. The Fund may terminate or revise the exchange privilege upon required notice or in certain cases without notice. The Fund reserves the right to reject an exchange order for any reason.

Telephone/Internet Transactions

For your protection, we will employ reasonable procedures to confirm that instructions communicated over the telephone/Internet are genuine. These procedures may include requiring various forms of personal identification (such as name, mailing address, social security number or other tax identification number and password/authorization codes, including PIN (Personal Identification Number)), tape-recording telephone communications and providing written confirmation of instructions communicated by telephone/Internet. If reasonable procedures are employed, none of Morgan Stanley, DST or the Fund will be liable for following telephone/Internet instructions which it reasonably believes to be genuine. During periods of drastic economic or market changes, it is possible that the telephone/Internet privileges may be difficult to implement, although this has not been the case with the Funds in the past.

Frequent Purchases and Redemptions of Fund Shares

We expect the Funds to be used by shareholders for short-term investing and by certain selected accounts utilizing the Funds as a sweep vehicle. Therefore, reasonably frequent purchases and redemptions of Fund shares by Fund shareholders do not present risks for other shareholders of a Fund, and the policies and procedures adopted by the Board of Trustees/Directors as applicable to other funds in the Morgan Stanley family of funds are generally not applicable with respect to frequent purchases and redemptions of Fund shares. However, frequent trading by shareholders can disrupt management of the Funds and raise their respective expenses. Therefore, we may not accept any request for a purchase or exchange when we think it is being used as a tool for market-timing, and we may bar a shareholder who trades excessively from making further purchases for an indefinite period.

Distributions

The Funds pass substantially all of their earnings along to their investors as “distributions.” The Funds earn interest from fixed-income investments. These amounts are passed along to Fund shareholders as “income dividend distributions.” Each Fund realizes capital gains whenever it sells securities for a higher price than it paid for them. These amounts may be passed along as “capital gain distributions.” The Adviser does not anticipate that there will be significant capital gain distributions.

The Funds declare income dividends daily on each business day and pay them monthly to shareholders. Dividends are based on estimates of income, expenses and shareholder activity for the Funds. Actual income, expenses and shareholder activity may differ from estimates and differences, if any, will be included in the calculation of subsequent dividends. Short-term capital gains, if any, are distributed periodically. Long-term capital gains, if any, are distributed at least annually. The Funds automatically reinvest all dividends and distributions in additional shares. However, you may elect to receive distributions in cash by giving written notice to your Financial Intermediary or by checking the appropriate box in the Distribution Option section on the Account Registration Form.

Liquidity Fees and Redemption Gates—Prime Portfolio, ESG Money Market Portfolio and Tax-Exempt Portfolio
Under Rule 2a-7, the Prime Portfolio, ESG Money Market Portfolio and Tax-Exempt Portfolio will be permitted (or in some cases, may be required) to impose a liquidity fee on redemptions (up to 2%) or temporarily restrict redemptions from the Fund for up to 10 business days during a 90 calendar day period (a “redemption gate”), in the event that the Fund’s weekly liquid assets fall below the following thresholds:

 

30% weekly liquid assets—If the weekly liquid assets of a Fund fall below 30% of the Fund’s total assets, and the Board of Trustees determines it is in the best interests of the Fund, the Board of Trustees may impose a liquidity fee of no more than 2% of the amount redeemed and/or a redemption gate that temporarily suspends the right of redemption. The liquidity fee or
 

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Shareholder Information (Con’t)

 

redemption gate may be imposed at any point during the applicable business day, generally at the subsequent NAV calculation time of the applicable Fund following the determination of the Board of Trustees.

 

10% weekly liquid assets—If the weekly liquid assets of a Fund fall below 10% of the Fund’s total assets as of the end of a business day, the Fund must impose, at the beginning of the next business day, a liquidity fee of 1% of the amount redeemed, unless the Board of Trustees determines that imposing such a fee would not be in the best interests of the Fund or determines that a lower or higher fee (not to exceed 2%) would be in the best interests of the Fund.
 

Liquidity fees and redemptions gates may be terminated at any time in the discretion of the Board of Trustees. Liquidity fees and redemptions gates will also terminate at the beginning of the next business day once the applicable Fund has invested 30% or more of its total assets in weekly liquid assets as of the end of a business day. A Fund may only suspend redemptions for up to 10 business days in any 90 calendar day period.

Weekly liquid assets generally include: (a) cash; (b) direct obligations of the U.S. Government; (c) certain U.S. government agency discount notes with remaining maturities of 60 days or less; (d) securities that will mature or are subject to a demand feature that is exercisable and payable within five business days; or (e) amounts receivable and due unconditionally within five business days on pending sales of portfolio securities.

If a Fund imposes a redemption gate, the Fund and your Financial Intermediary will not accept redemption or exchange orders out of the Fund until the Fund has notified shareholders that the redemption gate has been lifted. Any redemption or exchange orders out of a Fund submitted while a redemption gate is in effect will be cancelled without further notice. If you still wish to redeem or exchange shares out of a Fund once the redemption gate has been lifted, you will need to submit a new redemption or exchange request to the Fund or your Financial Intermediary. Unprocessed purchase orders that a Fund received prior to notification of the imposition of a liquidity fee or redemption gate will be cancelled unless re-confirmed. Under certain circumstances, a Fund may honor redemption or exchange orders out of the Fund (or pay redemptions without adding a liquidity fee to the redemption amount) if the Fund can verify that the redemption or exchange order out of the Fund was submitted to the Fund’s agent before the Fund imposed liquidity fees or suspended redemptions. Once a liquidity fee or a redemption gate is in place, shareholders will not be permitted to exchange into or out of the applicable Fund until the fee or gate is terminated.

The Board of Trustees generally expects that a liquidity fee or redemption gate would be imposed, if at all, during periods of extraordinary market stress. The Board of Trustees generally expects that a redemption gate would be imposed prior to notification to shareholders and Financial Intermediaries that a gate would be imposed. While the Board of Trustees may, in its discretion, impose a liquidity fee at any time after the weekly liquid assets of the Fund fall below 30% of the Fund’s total assets, the Board of Trustees generally expects that a liquidity fee would be imposed only after the Fund has notified Financial Intermediaries and shareholders that a liquidity fee will be imposed. The Fund retains the liquidity fees for the benefit of remaining shareholders.

The Board of Trustees may, in its discretion, permanently suspend redemptions and liquidate the Fund if, among other things, the Fund, at the end of a business day, has less than 10% of its total assets invested in weekly liquid assets. In the event of liquidation, shareholders are entitled to share pro rata in the net assets of the Fund available for distribution to such shareholders.

Announcements regarding the imposition of liquidity fees or redemption gates, or the termination of liquidity fees or redemption gates, will be filed with the SEC on Form N-CR and will be available on the website of the Fund (http://www.morganstanley.com/im). In addition, the Fund will make such announcements through a supplement to its Prospectus and may make such announcements through a press release or by other means.

Dividend payments will not be subject to liquidity fees or redemption gates; however, in the event that a liquidity fee or redemption gate is in place at the time that dividends are distributed, all distributions will be made in the form of cash.

Trade corrections requested after a liquidity fee or redemption gate is imposed will be honored so long as the “as of” date of the transaction to be processed is prior to the effective time of the liquidity fee or redemption gate and a valid reason for the trade error is provided.

Financial Intermediaries will be required to promptly take such actions reasonably requested by the Fund, the Transfer Agent or the Adviser to implement, modify or remove, or to assist the Fund in implementing, modifying or removing, a liquidity fee or redemption gate established by the Fund.

The Government Portfolio, the Government Securities Portfolio, the Treasury Portfolio and the Treasury Securities Portfolio are exempt from requirements that permit money market funds to impose a “liquidity fee” and/or a “redemption gate” that temporarily restricts redemptions. The Board of Trustees has opted not to subject the Government Portfolio, the Government Securities Portfolio, the Treasury Portfolio and the Treasury Securities Portfolio to a “liquidity fee” and/or a “redemption gate” but has reserved its right to change this determination in the future after providing appropriate notice to shareholders.

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Prospectus  |  Shareholder Information

Shareholder Information (Con’t)

Taxes

The tax information provided in this Prospectus is provided as general information. You should consult your own tax professional about the tax consequences of an investment in a particular Fund.

It is each Fund’s intention to qualify as a regulated investment company and distribute all or substantially all of its taxable and tax-exempt income.

Except as noted below, dividends you receive will generally be taxable, whether you receive them in cash or in additional shares. Income dividend distributions and any short-term capital gain distributions are generally taxable to you as ordinary income. Any long-term capital gain distributions are taxable as long-term capital gains, no matter how long you have owned shares in a Fund. Distributions paid by the Funds are not expected to be eligible for lower tax rates applicable to qualified dividends.

With respect to the Government Securities Portfolio, while the Fund intends to limit its investments to certain U.S. Treasury obligations and U.S. government securities, the interest of which is generally exempt from state income taxation, you should consult your own tax adviser to determine whether distributions from the Government Securities Portfolio are exempt from state taxation in your own state.

With respect to the Tax-Exempt Portfolio, your income dividend distributions are normally exempt from federal income tax to the extent they are derived from municipal obligations. Income derived from other portfolio securities may be subject to federal, state and/or local income taxes. The income derived from some municipal securities is subject to the federal “alternative minimum tax.”

An additional 3.8% Medicare tax is imposed on certain net investment income (including ordinary dividends and capital gain distributions 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) exceeds certain threshold amounts.

Shareholders who are not citizens or residents of the United States and certain foreign entities may be subject to withholding of U.S. tax on distributions made by a Fund of investment income and short-term capital gains at a rate of 30% (or a lower tax treaty rate, if applicable). Such shareholders may also be subject to United States estate tax with respect to their shares.

Dividends paid by a Fund to shareholders who are nonresident aliens or foreign entities that are derived from short-term capital gains and qualifying U.S. source net interest income (including income from original issue discount and market discount), and that are designated by the Fund as “interest-related dividends” or “short-term capital gain dividends,” will generally not be subject to U.S. withholding tax, provided that the income would not be subject to U.S. federal income tax if earned directly by the foreign shareholder. However, depending on the circumstances, a Fund may designate all, some or none of the Fund’s potentially eligible dividends as exempt.

A Fund is required to withhold U.S. tax (at a 30% rate) on payments of taxable 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 a Fund to enable the Fund to determine whether withholding is required.

U.S. investors will be sent a statement (Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”) Form 1099-DIV) by February of each year showing the taxable distributions paid to you in the previous year. The statement provides information on your dividends and any capital gains for tax purposes.

Sales, exchanges and redemptions of shares in a Fund are generally taxable events and may result in taxable gain or loss to you. Because each of Government Portfolio, Government Securities Portfolio, Treasury Portfolio and Treasury Securities Portfolio intends to maintain a stable $1.00 NAV, shareholders will typically not recognize gain or loss when they sell or exchange their shares in these Funds because the amount realized will be the same as their tax basis in the shares. Because each of Prime Portfolio, ESG Money Market Portfolio and Tax-Exempt Portfolio does not maintain a stable share price, a sale of these Funds’ shares may result in capital gain or loss to you.

With respect to any gain or loss recognized on the sale or exchange of shares of a Fund, unless you choose to adopt a simplified “NAV method” of accounting (described below), the amount of any gain or loss and the rate of tax will depend mainly upon how much you paid for the shares, how much you sell them for, and how long you held them. In this case, any gain or loss generally will be treated as short-term capital gain or loss if you held your shares as capital assets for one year or less, and long-term capital gain or loss if you held your shares as capital assets for more than one year. The maximum individual tax rate applicable to long-term capital gains is generally 15% or 20%, depending on whether the individual’s income exceeds certain threshold amounts. Any loss realized upon a taxable disposition of Fund shares held for six months or less will be treated as a long-term capital loss, rather than a short-term capital loss, to the extent of any long-term capital gain distributions received (or deemed received) by you with respect to the Fund shares.

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Prospectus  |  Shareholder Information

Shareholder Information (Con’t)

If you elect to adopt the simplified “NAV method” of accounting, rather than compute gain or loss on every taxable sale or other disposition of shares of a Fund as described above, you would determine your gain or loss based on the change in the aggregate value of your Fund shares during a computation period (such as your taxable year), reduced by your net investment (i.e., purchases minus sales) in those Fund shares during the computation period. Under the simplified “NAV method,” any resulting capital gain or loss would be reportable on a net basis and would generally be treated as a short-term capital gain or loss.

A liquidity fee imposed by a Fund will reduce the amount you will receive upon the redemption of your shares, and will generally decrease the amount of any capital gain or increase the amount of any capital loss you will recognize with respect to such redemption. There is some degree of uncertainty with respect to the tax treatment of liquidity fees received by money market funds, and such tax treatment may be the subject of future guidance issued by the IRS. If a Fund receives liquidity fees, it will consider the appropriate tax treatment of such fees to the Fund at such time.

When you open your account, you should provide appropriate tax documentation including your social security or tax identification number on your investment application. By providing this information, you generally will avoid being subject to federal backup withholding on taxable distributions and redemption proceeds at the applicable rate. Any withheld amount would be sent to the IRS as an advance payment of taxes due on your income for such year.

Potential Conflicts of Interest

As a diversified global financial services firm, Morgan Stanley, the parent company of the Adviser, engages in a broad spectrum of activities, including financial advisory services, investment management activities, lending, commercial banking, sponsoring and managing private investment funds, engaging in broker-dealer transactions and principal securities, commodities and foreign exchange transactions, research publication and other activities. In the ordinary course of its business, Morgan Stanley is a full-service investment banking and financial services firm and therefore engages in activities where Morgan Stanley’s interests or the interests of its clients may conflict with the interests of a Fund. Morgan Stanley has advised clients and has sponsored, managed or advised other investment funds and investment programs, accounts and businesses (collectively, together with any new or successor funds, programs, accounts or businesses, the ‘‘Affiliated Investment Accounts’’) with a wide variety of investment objectives that in some instances may overlap or conflict with a Fund’s investment objectives and present conflicts of interest. In addition, Morgan Stanley may also from time to time create new or successor Affiliated Investment Accounts that may compete with a Fund and present similar conflicts of interest. The discussion below enumerates certain actual, apparent and potential conflicts of interest. There is no assurance that conflicts of interest will be resolved in favor of Fund shareholders and, in fact, they may not be. Conflicts of interest not described below may also exist.

For more information about conflicts of interest, see the section entitled “Potential Conflicts of Interest” in the SAI.

Material Nonpublic Information. It is expected that confidential or material nonpublic information regarding an investment or potential investment opportunity may become available to the Adviser. If such information becomes available, the Adviser may be precluded (including by applicable law or internal policies or procedures) from pursuing an investment or disposition opportunity with respect to such investment or investment opportunity.

Investments by Morgan Stanley and its Affiliated Investment Accounts. In serving in multiple capacities to Affiliated Investment Accounts, Morgan Stanley, including the Adviser and the Investment team, may have obligations to other clients or investors in Affiliated Investment Accounts, the fulfillment of which may not be in the best interests of a Fund or its shareholders. A Fund’s investment objectives may overlap with the investment objectives of certain Affiliated Investment Accounts. As a result, the members of an Investment team may face conflicts in the allocation of investment opportunities among a Fund and other investment funds, programs, accounts and businesses advised by or affiliated with the Adviser. Certain Affiliated Investment Accounts may provide for higher management or incentive fees or greater expense reimbursements or overhead allocations, all of which may contribute to this conflict of interest and create an incentive for the Adviser to favor such other accounts.

Payments to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries. The Adviser and/or the Distributor may pay compensation, out of their own funds and not as an expense of a Fund, to certain Financial Intermediaries (which may include affiliates of the Adviser and Distributor), including recordkeepers and administrators of various deferred compensation plans, in connection with the sale, distribution, marketing and retention of shares of the Fund and/or shareholder servicing. The prospect of receiving, or the receipt of, additional compensation, as described above, by Financial Intermediaries may provide such Financial Intermediaries and their financial advisors and other salespersons with an incentive to favor sales of shares of a Fund over other investment options with respect to which these Financial Intermediaries do not receive additional compensation (or receives lower levels of additional compensation). These payment arrangements, however, will not change the price that an investor pays for shares of a Fund or the amount that the Fund receives to invest on behalf of an investor. Investors may wish to take such payment arrangements into account when considering and evaluating any recommendations relating to Fund shares and should review carefully any disclosures provided by Financial Intermediaries as to their compensation.

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Prospectus  |  Shareholder Information

Shareholder Information (Con’t)

Morgan Stanley Trading and Principal Investing Activities. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, Morgan Stanley will generally conduct its sales and trading businesses, publish research and analysis, and render investment advice without regard for a Fund’s holdings, although these activities could have an adverse impact on the value of one or more of the Fund’s investments, or could cause Morgan Stanley to have an interest in one or more portfolio investments that is different from, and potentially adverse to, that of a Fund.

Morgan Stanley’s Investment Banking Activities. Morgan Stanley advises clients on a variety of mergers, acquisitions and financing transactions. Morgan Stanley may act as an advisor to clients, including other investment funds that may compete with a Fund and with respect to investments that a Fund may hold. Morgan Stanley may give advice and take action with respect to any of its clients or proprietary accounts that may differ from the advice given, or may involve an action of a different timing or nature than the action taken, by a Fund. Morgan Stanley may give advice and provide recommendations to persons competing with a Fund and/or any of a Fund’s investments that are contrary to the Fund’s best interests and/or the best interests of any of its investments.

General Process for Potential Conflicts. All of the transactions described above involve the potential for conflicts of interest between the Adviser, related persons of the Adviser and/or their clients. The Investment Advisers Act of 1940, the 1940 Act and ERISA impose certain requirements designed to decrease the possibility of conflicts of interest between an investment adviser and its clients. In some cases, transactions may be permitted subject to fulfillment of certain conditions. Certain other transactions may be prohibited. In addition, the Adviser has instituted policies and procedures designed to prevent conflicts of interest from arising and, when they do arise, to ensure that it effects transactions for clients in a manner that is consistent with its fiduciary duty to its clients and in accordance with applicable law. The Adviser seeks to ensure that potential or actual conflicts of interest are appropriately resolved taking into consideration the overriding best interests of the client.

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Prospectus  |  Fund Management

Fund Management

Adviser

Morgan Stanley Investment Management Inc. with principal offices at 522 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10036, conducts a worldwide portfolio management business and provides a broad range of portfolio management services to customers in the United States and abroad. Morgan Stanley (NYSE: “MS”) is the parent of the Adviser, who is the parent of the Distributor. Morgan Stanley is a preeminent global financial services firm engaged in securities trading and brokerage activities, as well as providing investment banking, research and analysis, financing and financial advisory services. As of December 31, 2019, the Adviser, together with its affiliated asset management companies, had approximately $552 billion in assets under management or supervision.

A discussion regarding the basis for the Board of Trustees approving the Trust’s Investment Advisory Agreement is available in the Funds’ Annual Report to shareholders for the fiscal year ended October 31, 2019.

Advisory Fees

The Adviser makes investment decisions for the Funds. Each Fund, in turn, pays the Adviser a monthly advisory fee calculated daily by applying an annual rate to each Fund’s daily net assets.

For the fiscal year ended October 31, 2019, the Adviser received from each Fund the advisory fee (net of fee waivers, if applicable) set forth in the table below.

Fund (as a percentage of average daily net assets)

Prime Portfolio

0.10%

ESG Money Market Portfolio

0.09%

Government Portfolio

0.11%

Government Securities Portfolio

0.12%

Treasury Portfolio

0.13%

Treasury Securities Portfolio

0.14%

Tax-Exempt Portfolio

0.03%

Morgan Stanley Investment Management Inc., as the Adviser and the Administrator, has agreed to reduce its advisory fee, its administration fee and/or reimburse the Fund’s Institutional Class, if necessary, if such fees would cause the total annual operating expenses of such Fund’s Institutional Class to exceed the percentage of daily net assets set forth in the table below. In determining the actual amount of fee waiver and/or expense reimbursement for each Fund, if any, the Adviser and Administrator exclude from total annual operating expenses certain investment related expenses, taxes, interest and other extraordinary expenses (including litigation). The fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements will continue for at least one year or until such time as the Trust’s Board of Trustees acts to discontinue all or a portion of such waivers and/or reimbursements when it seems such action is appropriate.

A Fund’s annual operating expenses may vary throughout the period and from year to year. A Fund’s actual expenses for the most recent fiscal year may be different than the expenses listed in the Fund’s fee and expense table based upon the extent and amount of a fee waiver and/or expense reimbursement.

 

Expense Cap
Institutional Class

Prime Portfolio

0.20%

ESG Money Market Portfolio

0.20%

Government Portfolio

0.20%

Government Securities Portfolio

0.20%

Treasury Portfolio

0.20%

Treasury Securities Portfolio

0.20%

Tax-Exempt Portfolio

0.20%

The Adviser and Administrator may also waive advisory fees, administration fees and/or reimburse expenses to enable a Fund to maintain a minimum level of daily net investment income. The Adviser and Administrator may make additional voluntary fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements. The Adviser and Administrator may discontinue these voluntary fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements at any time in the future.

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Prospectus | Financial Highlights

Financial Highlights

The following financial highlights tables are intended to help you understand the financial performance of the Institutional Class shares of each Fund for the periods indicated. Certain information reflects financial results for a single Fund share. The total returns in the tables represent the rate that an investor would have earned (or lost) on an investment in each Fund (assuming reinvestment of all dividends and distributions).

The ratios of expenses to average net assets listed in the tables below for each Fund are based on the average net assets of the Fund for each of the periods listed in the tables. To the extent that a Fund’s average net assets decrease over the Fund’s next fiscal year, such expense ratios can be expected to increase, potentially significantly, because certain fixed costs will be spread over a smaller amount of assets.

Year Ended October 31,

 

Net Asset
Value,
Beginning
of Period

 

Net
Investment
Income

 

Net Realized
and Unrealized
Gain (Loss)
on Investments

 

Distributions
From Net
Investment
Income

 

Net Asset Value,
End of Period

Prime Portfolio:

2019

$

1.0005

$

0.0240
(2)

$

0.0002
(3)

$

(0.0239
)

$

1.0008

2018

 

1.0005

 

0.0186
(2)

 

(0.0004
)
(3)

 

(0.0182
)

 

1.0005

2017

 

1.0002

 

0.0109
(2)

 

(0.0005
)

 

(0.0101
)

 

1.0005

2016(1)

 

1.0000

 

0.0036
(2)

 

0.0002
(3)

 

(0.0036
)

 

1.0002

2015

 

1.000

 

0.001
(2)

 

0.000
(3)

 

(0.001
)

 

1.000

ESG Money Market Portfolio:

2019

$

1.0004

$

0.0239
(2)

$

0.0005

$

(0.0240
)

$

1.0008

2018

 

1.0004

 

0.0190
(2)

 

(0.0007
)

 

(0.0183
)

 

1.0004

2017

 

1.0002

 

0.0105
(2)

 

(0.0001
)
(3)

 

(0.0102
)

 

1.0004

2016(1)

 

1.0000

 

0.0041
(2)

 

0.0002
(3)

 

(0.0041
)

 

1.0002

2015

 

1.000

 

0.001
(2)

 

0.000
(3)

 

(0.001
)

 

1.000

Government Portfolio:

2019

$

1.000

$

0.022
(2)

$

0.000
(3)

$

(0.022
)

$

1.000

2018

 

1.000

 

0.016
(2)

 

(0.001
)

 

(0.015
)

 

1.000

2017

 

1.000

 

0.006
(2)

 

0.001

 

(0.007
)

 

1.000

2016(1)

 

1.000

 

0.002
(2)

 

(0.000
)
(3)

 

(0.002
)

 

1.000

2015

 

1.000

 

0.000
(2)(3)

 

(0.000
)
(3)

 

(0.000
)
(3)

 

1.000

Government Securities Portfolio:

2019

$

1.000

$

0.021
(2)

$

0.000
(3)

$

(0.021
)

$

1.000

2018

 

1.000

 

0.013
(2)

 

0.002

 

(0.015
)

 

1.000

2017

 

1.000

 

0.006
(2)

 

0.000
(3)

 

(0.006
)

 

1.000

2016(1)

 

1.000

 

0.002
(2)

 

(0.001
)

 

(0.001
)

 

1.000

2015

 

1.000

 

0.000
(2)(3)

 

0.000
(3)

 

(0.000
)
(3)

 

1.000

Treasury Portfolio:

2019

$

1.000

$

0.021
(2)

$

0.000
(3)

$

(0.021
)

$

1.000

2018

 

1.000

 

0.015
(2)

 

0.000
(3)

 

(0.015
)

 

1.000

2017

 

1.000

 

0.006
(2)

 

0.000
(3)

 

(0.006
)

 

1.000

2016(1)

 

1.000

 

0.002
(2)

 

(0.000
)
(3)

 

(0.002
)

 

1.000

2015

 

1.000

 

0.000
(2)(3)

 

(0.000
)
(3)

 

(0.000
)
(3)

 

1.000

Treasury Securities Portfolio:

2019

$

1.000

$

0.021
(2)

$

0.000
(3)

$

(0.021
)

$

1.000

2018

 

1.000

 

0.015
(2)

 

(0.000
)
(3)

 

(0.015
)

 

1.000

2017

 

1.000

 

0.006
(2)

 

0.000
(3)

 

(0.006
)

 

1.000

2016(1)

 

1.000

 

0.001
(2)

 

(0.000
)
(3)

 

(0.001
)

 

1.000

2015

 

1.000

 

0.000
(2)(3)

 

(0.000
)
(3)

 

(0.000
)
(3)

 

1.000

Tax-Exempt Portfolio:

2019

$

1.0000

$

0.0141
(2)

$

0.0001
(3)

$

(0.0141
)

$

1.0001

2018

 

1.0000

 

0.0118
(2)

 

(0.0003
)
(3)

 

(0.0115
)

 

1.0000

2017

 

1.0000

 

0.0059
(2)

 

(0.0002
)
(3)

 

(0.0057
)

 

1.0000

2016(1)

 

1.0000

 

0.0014
(2)

 

0.0026

 

(0.0040
)
(5)

 

1.0000

2015

 

1.000

 

0.000
(2)(3)

 

(0.000
)
(3)

 

(0.000
)
(3)

 

1.000

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Prospectus | Financial Highlights

The information below has been derived from the financial statements audited by Ernst & Young LLP, the Funds’ independent registered public accounting firm. Ernst & Young LLP’s report, along with each Fund’s financial statements, are incorporated by reference into the Funds’ SAI. The Annual Report to Shareholders (which includes each Fund’s financial statements) and SAI are available at no cost from the Trust at the toll free number noted on the back cover to this Prospectus.

Total
Return

 

Net Assets,
End of Period
(000)

 

Ratio of
Expenses
to Average Net
Assets

 

Ratio of Expenses
to Average
Net Assets Excluding
Non-Operating Expenses

 

Ratio of Expenses
to Average
Net Assets
(Before Waivers/
Reimbursement)

 

Ratio of
Net Investment
Income to Average
Net Assets

 

Ratio of
Net Investment
Income (Loss)
to Average
Net Assets
(Before Waivers/
Reimbursement)

 

Ratio of Rebate
from Morgan
Stanley Affiliates
to Average Net
Assets

2.45
%

$

12,521,950

 

0.16
%

 

N/A

 

0.21
%

 

2.38
%

 

2.33
%

 

N/A
1.84
%

 

7,679,347

 

0.15
%

 

N/A

 

0.21
%

 

1.87
%

 

1.81
%

 

N/A
1.05
%

 

4,605,363

 

0.12
%

 

N/A

 

0.23
%

 

1.09
%

 

0.98
%

 

N/A
0.38
%

 

1,872,676

 

0.18
%

 

N/A

 

0.21
%

 

0.34
%

 

0.31
%

 

N/A
0.07
%

 

18,646,743

 

0.18
%

 

N/A

 

0.21
%

 

0.07
%

 

0.04
%

 

N/A
2.46
%

$

3,345,665

 

0.16
%

 

0.16
%

 

0.22
%

 

2.38
%

 

2.32
%

 

N/A
1.84
%

 

1,709,776

 

0.15
%

 

N/A

 

0.25
%

 

1.91
%

 

1.81
%

 

N/A
1.05
%

 

621,369

 

0.10
%

 

N/A

 

0.32
%

 

1.06
%

 

0.84
%

 

N/A
0.43
%

 

450,127

 

0.12
%

 

N/A

 

0.22
%

 

0.41
%

 

0.31
%

 

N/A
0.14
%

 

3,383,757

 

0.13
%

 

N/A

 

0.22
%

 

0.14
%

 

0.05
%

 

N/A
2.20
%

$

57,870,416

 

0.17
%

 

0.17
%

 

0.21
%

 

2.17
%

 

2.13
%

 

N/A
1.55
%

 

42,900,056

 

0.17
%

 

N/A

 

0.21
%

 

1.55
%

 

1.51
%

 

N/A
0.65
%

 

40,080,925

 

0.18
%

 

N/A

 

0.21
%

 

0.63
%

 

0.60
%

 

N/A
0.23
%

 

49,883,028

 

0.17
%

 

N/A

 

0.21
%

 

0.22
%

 

0.18
%

 

N/A
0.04
%

 

38,645,857

 

0.08
%

 

N/A

 

0.21
%

 

0.04
%

 

(0.09
)%

 

N/A
2.14
%

$

157,694

 

0.20
%

 

N/A

 

0.23
%

 

2.12
%

 

2.09
%

 

N/A
1.47
%

 

33,852

 

0.20
%

 

N/A

 

0.21
%

 

1.30
%

 

1.29
%

 

N/A
0.60
%

 

52,889

 

0.20
%

 

N/A

 

0.22
%

 

0.57
%

 

0.55
%

 

N/A
0.14
%

 

65,792

 

0.18
%

 

N/A

 

0.21
%

 

0.17
%

 

0.14
%

 

N/A
0.01
%

 

21,314

 

0.05
%

 

N/A

 

0.86
%

 

0.01
%

 

(0.80
)%

 

N/A
2.17
%

$

14,630,148

 

0.19
%

 

N/A

 

0.21
%

 

2.15
%

 

2.13
%

 

N/A
1.55
%

 

13,792,827

 

0.19
%

 

N/A

 

0.21
%

 

1.53
%

 

1.51
%

 

N/A
0.63
%

 

12,423,969

 

0.18
%

 

N/A

 

0.21
%

 

0.61
%

 

0.58
%

 

N/A
0.19
%

 

18,311,699

 

0.17
%

 

N/A

 

0.21
%

 

0.19
%

 

0.15
%

 

N/A
0.03
%

 

16,333,431

 

0.05
%

 

N/A

 

0.21
%

 

0.03
%

 

(0.13
)%

 

N/A
2.12
%

$

23,790,835

 

0.20
%

 

N/A

 

0.21
%

 

2.09
%

 

2.08
%

 

N/A
1.51
%

 

19,642,850

 

0.20
%

 

N/A

 

0.21
%

 

1.51
%

 

1.50
%

 

N/A
0.60
%

 

18,160,353

 

0.19
%

 

N/A

 

0.21
%

 

0.59
%

 

0.57
%

 

N/A
0.14
%

 

19,382,045

 

0.17
%

 

N/A

 

0.21
%

 

0.15
%

 

0.11
%

 

N/A
0.01
%

 

14,113,772

 

0.02
%

 

N/A

 

0.21
%

 

0.01
%

 

(0.18
)%

 

N/A
1.43
%

$

612,147

 

0.15
%

 

N/A

 

0.27
%

 

1.40
%

 

1.28
%

 

1.16
%

 

491,714

 

0.18
%

 

N/A

 

0.33
%

 

1.18
%

 

1.03
%

 

0.57
%

 

144,208

 

0.18
%

 

N/A

 

0.51
%

 

0.59
%

 

0.26
%

 

0.40
%

 

59,273

 

0.11
%
(6)

 

N/A

 

0.48
%

 

0.18
%
(6)

 

(0.19
)%

 

0.00
%
(4)
0.01
%

 

97,678

 

0.04
%
(6)

 

N/A

 

0.38
%

 

0.01
%
(6)

 

(0.33
)%

 

0.00
%
(4)

50


 

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Prospectus  |  Financial Highlights

Notes to Financial Highlights

(1)

Reflects prior period custodian out-of-pocket expenses that were reimbursed in September 2016. The amount of the reimbursement was immaterial on a per share basis and did not impact the total return of the Fund. The Ratio of Expenses to Average Net Assets and the Ratio of Net Investment Income to Average Net Assets would be unchanged as the reimbursement of custodian fees was offset against expense waivers/reimbursements with no impact to net expenses or net investment income.

(2)

Per share amount is based on average shares outstanding.

(3)

Amount is less than $0.0005 per share.

(4)

Amount is less than 0.005%.

(5)

Includes paid-in-capital distribution of $0.0022.

(6)

The Ratio of Expenses and Ratio of Net Investment Income reflect the rebate of certain Fund expenses in connection with the investments in Morgan Stanley affiliates during the period. The effect of the rebate on the ratios is disclosed in the above table as “Ratio of Rebate from Morgan Stanley Affiliates to Average Net Assets.”

51


 

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Where to Find Additional Information

In addition to this Prospectus, the Funds have an SAI, dated February 28, 2020 (as may be supplemented from time to time), which contains additional, more detailed information about the Trust and the Funds. The SAI is incorporated by reference into this Prospectus and, therefore, legally forms a part of this Prospectus.

The Trust publishes Shareholder Reports that contain additional information about the respective Fund’s investments. In each Fund’s Annual Report to Shareholders, you will find a discussion of the market conditions and the investment strategies that significantly affected such Fund’s performance during the last fiscal year. For additional Trust information, including information regarding the investments comprising each of the Funds, please call the toll-free number below.

You may obtain the SAI and Shareholder Reports without charge by contacting the Trust at the toll-free number below or on our Internet site at: www.morganstanley.com/liquidity. If you purchased shares through a Financial Intermediary, you may also obtain these documents, without charge, by contacting your Financial Intermediary.

Shareholder Reports and other information about the Funds are available on the EDGAR Database on the SEC’s Internet site at http://www.sec.gov, and copies of this information may be obtained, after paying a duplicating fee, by electronic request at the following e-mail address: publicinfo@sec.gov.

Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds
c/o DST Asset Manager Solutions, Inc.
P.O. Box 219804
Kansas City, MO 64121-9804

For Shareholder Inquiries,
call the Trust toll-free at 1-888-378-1630.

Prices and Investment Results are available at www.morganstanley.com/liquidity.

The Trust’s 1940 Act registration number is 811-21339.

© 2020 Morgan Stanley.

LFICPRO 2/20

 C: 

 

Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds

Institutional Select Class Portfolios

Prime Portfolio
ESG Money Market Portfolio
Government Portfolio
Government Securities Portfolio
Treasury Portfolio
Treasury Securities Portfolio
Tax-Exempt Portfolio


 

Prospectus   |   February 28, 2020

Fund

Ticker Symbol

Prime Portfolio

MPEXX

ESG Money Market Portfolio

MMRXX

Government Portfolio

MGSXX

Government Securities Portfolio

MSVXX

Treasury Portfolio

MTSXX

Treasury Securities Portfolio

MSSXX

Tax-Exempt Portfolio

MXSXX

Beginning on January 1, 2021, as permitted by regulations adopted by the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”), paper copies of the Funds’ Annual and Semi-Annual Reports to Shareholders (“Shareholder Reports”) will no longer be sent by mail, unless you specifically request paper copies of the Shareholder Reports from the Fund or from your financial intermediary, such as a broker-dealer or a bank. Instead, the Shareholder Reports will be made available on the Funds’ website, https://www.morganstanley.com/im/liquidityshareholderreports and you will be notified by mail each time a Shareholder Report is posted and provided with a website link to access the Shareholder Report. If you already elected to receive Shareholder Reports electronically, you will not be affected by this change and you need not take any action. You may elect to receive Shareholder Reports and other communications from a Fund electronically anytime by contacting your financial intermediary or, if you are a direct investor, please follow the instructions on the envelope. 

Beginning on January 1, 2019, you may elect to receive all future Shareholder Reports in paper free of charge. If you invest through a financial intermediary, you can contact your financial intermediary to request that you continue to receive paper copies of your Shareholder Reports. If you invest directly with a Fund, please follow the instructions on the envelope to let the Fund know you wish to continue receiving paper copies of your Shareholder Reports. Your election to receive Shareholder Reports in paper will apply to all funds held in your account if you invest through your financial intermediary or all funds held with the fund complex if you invest directly with a Fund.

The SEC has not approved or disapproved these securities or passed upon the adequacy of this Prospectus. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.

LFISCPRO 2/20


 

Table of Contents

 

Page

Fund Summary

1

Prime Portfolio

1

ESG Money Market Portfolio

4

Government Portfolio

8

Government Securities Portfolio

11

Treasury Portfolio

14

Treasury Securities Portfolio

17

Tax-Exempt Portfolio

20

Details of the Funds

23

Prime Portfolio

23

ESG Money Market Portfolio

25

Government Portfolio

28

Government Securities Portfolio

30

Treasury Portfolio

31

Treasury Securities Portfolio

32

Tax-Exempt Portfolio

33

Additional Information About the Funds' Investment Strategies and Related Risks

35

Shareholder Information

39

Fund Management

48

Financial Highlights

49


 

Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Prospectus  |  Fund Summary

Prime Portfolio

Investment Objective

The Prime Portfolio (the “Fund”) seeks preservation of capital, daily liquidity and maximum current income.

Fees and Expenses

The table below describes the expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold Institutional Select Class shares of the Fund. The Fund does not charge any sales loads or other fees when you purchase or redeem shares.

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

 

Institutional
Select Class

Advisory Fee

0.15%

Distribution and/or Shareholder Service (12b-1) Fee

None

Other Expenses

0.06%

Shareholder Administration Fee1

0.05%

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses2

0.26%

Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement2

0.01%

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement2

0.25%

Example

The example below is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund’s Institutional Select Class with the cost of investing in other mutual funds.

The example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund’s Institutional Select Class, your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Fund’s operating expenses remain the same (except that the example incorporates the fee waiver and/or expense reimbursement 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

 

Institutional Select Class

$ 26

$ 83

$ 145

$ 330

 

1 Institutions or financial intermediaries may charge other fees directly to their customers who are beneficial owners of Institutional Select Class shares in connection with their customers’ accounts.
2 The Fund’s “Adviser” and “Administrator,” Morgan Stanley Investment Management Inc., has agreed to reduce its advisory fee, its administration fee and/or reimburse the Fund’s Institutional Select Class so that Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses, excluding certain investment related expenses, taxes, interest and other extraordinary expenses (including litigation), will not exceed 0.25%. The fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements will continue for at least one year or until such time as the Board of Trustees of Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds (the “Trust”) acts to discontinue all or a portion of such waivers and/or reimbursements when it deems such action is appropriate.

Principal Investment Strategies

The Fund invests in liquid, high quality U.S. dollar-denominated money market instruments of U.S. and foreign financial corporations and U.S. non-financial corporations. The Fund also invests in obligations issued or guaranteed by the U.S. Government and its agencies and instrumentalities. The Fund’s money market investments may include commercial paper, corporate debt obligations, debt obligations (including certificates of deposit and promissory notes) of U.S. banks or foreign banks, or of U.S. branches or subsidiaries of foreign banks, or foreign branches of U.S. banks (such as Yankee obligations), certificates of deposit of savings banks and savings and loan organizations, asset-backed securities, repurchase agreements and municipal obligations.

The Fund may also invest in U.S. dollar-denominated foreign securities and money market instruments.

The Fund operates as an “institutional money market fund,” which is neither a “government money market fund” nor “retail money market fund” as such terms are defined or interpreted under Rule 2a-7 under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (“Rule 2a-7” under the “1940 Act”). As such, the Fund is required to price and transact in its shares at a net asset value per share (“NAV”) reflecting market-based values of its portfolio holdings (i.e., at a “floating” NAV), rounded to a minimum of the fourth decimal place. Like other money market funds of its type, the Fund is subject to the possible imposition of liquidity fees and/or redemption gates.

Principal Risks

There is no assurance that the Fund will achieve its investment objective.

You could lose money by investing in the Fund. Because the share price of the Fund will fluctuate, when you sell your shares they may be worth more or less than what you originally paid for them. The Fund may impose a fee upon the sale of your shares or may

1


 

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Prospectus | Fund Summary

Prime Portfolio (Cont’d)

temporarily suspend your ability to sell shares if the Fund’s liquidity falls below required minimums because of market conditions or other factors. An investment in the Fund is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (“FDIC”) or any other government agency. The Fund’s sponsor has no legal obligation to provide financial support to the Fund, and you should not expect that the sponsor will provide financial support to the Fund at any time.

The principal risks of investing in the Fund include:

 

Credit and Interest Rate Risk. Credit risk refers to the possibility that the issuer or guarantor of a security will be unable to make interest payments and/or repay the principal on its debt. Interest rate risk refers to fluctuations in the value of a fixed-income security resulting from changes in the general level of interest rates. When the general level of interest rates goes up, the prices of most fixed-income securities go down. When the general level of interest rates goes down, the prices of most fixed-income securities go up. The Fund may face a heightened level of interest rate risk in times of monetary policy change and uncertainty, such as when the Federal Reserve Board ends a quantitative easing program and/or raises rates. A rising interest rate environment increases certain risks, including the potential for periods of volatility, increased redemptions and extended durations (i.e., extension risk).

 

Bank Obligations. The activities of U.S. and most foreign banks are subject to comprehensive regulations. The enactment of new legislation or regulations, as well as changes in interpretation and enforcement of current laws, may affect the manner of operations and profitability of domestic and foreign banks. In addition, banks may be particularly susceptible to certain economic factors.

 

Fixed-Income Securities. Fixed-income securities are subject to the risk of the issuer’s inability to meet principal and interest payments on its obligations (i.e., credit risk) and are subject to price volatility resulting from, among other things, interest rate sensitivity (i.e., interest rate risk), market perception of the creditworthiness of the issuer and general market liquidity (i.e., market risk). The Fund may face a heightened level of interest rate risk in times of monetary policy change and uncertainty, such as when the Federal Reserve Board ends a quantitative easing program and/or raises rates.

 

U.S. Government Securities. The U.S. government securities in which the Fund invests can be subject to two types of risk: credit risk and interest rate risk. When the general level of interest rates goes up, the prices of most fixed-income securities go down. When the general level of interest rates goes down, the prices of most fixed-income securities go up. While the credit risk associated with U.S. government securities generally is considered to be minimal, the interest rate risk can be substantial. With respect to U.S. government securities that are not backed by the full faith and credit of the United States, there is the risk that the U.S. Government will not provide financial support to such U.S. government agencies, instrumentalities or sponsored enterprises if it is not obligated to do so by law.

 

Asset-Backed Securities. Asset-backed securities involve the risk that various federal and state consumer laws and other legal and economic factors may result in the collateral backing the securities being insufficient to support payment on the securities. Some asset-backed securities also entail prepayment risk and extension risk, which may vary depending on the type of asset.

 

Repurchase Agreements. Repurchase agreements are subject to risks associated with the possibility of default by the seller at a time when the collateral has declined in value, or insolvency of the seller, which may affect the Fund’s right to control the collateral and result in certain costs and delays. Repurchase agreements may involve a greater degree of credit risk than investments in U.S. government securities.

 

Foreign Money Market Securities. Investing in money market securities of foreign issuers involves some additional risks, including the possibility of adverse political, economic or other developments affecting the issuers of these securities.

 

Municipal Obligations. To the extent the Fund invests in municipal obligations issued by state and local governments and their agencies, the Fund may be susceptible to political, economic, regulatory or other factors affecting issuers of these municipal obligations. To the extent that the Fund invests in municipal obligations of issuers in the same economic sector, it could be more sensitive to economic, business or political developments that affect such sector.
 

Performance Information

The bar chart and table below provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by showing changes in the performance of the Fund’s Institutional Select Class shares from year-to-year and by showing the average annual returns of the Fund’s Institutional Select Class shares for the one, five and 10 year periods. The Fund’s past performance is not necessarily an indication of how the Fund will perform in the future. Updated performance information is available online at www.morganstanley.com/liquidity.

2


 

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Prospectus  |  Fund Summary

Prime Portfolio (Cont’d)

Annual Total Returns—Calendar Years

High Quarter

03/31/19

0.65%

Low Quarter

03/31/14

0.00%

Average Annual Total Returns

(for the Periods Ended December 31, 2019)

 

Past
One Year

Past
Five Years

Past
Ten Years

Prime Portfolio

2.29%

1.12%

0.59%

You may obtain the Fund’s 7-day current yield by calling 1-888-378-1630.

Fund Management

Adviser. Morgan Stanley Investment Management Inc.

Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares

Institutional Select Class shares of the Fund are available to investors who at the time of initial purchase make a minimum investment of $10 million. You may not be subject to the minimum investment requirement under certain circumstances. For more information, please refer to the section of this Prospectus entitled “Shareholder Information—Minimum Investment Amount.”

Shares of the Fund may be purchased or sold on any day the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) is open for business (except when the following federal holidays are observed: Columbus Day and Veterans Day) directly from the Fund by mail (c/o DST Asset Manager Solutions, Inc., P.O. Box 219804, Kansas City, MO 64121-9804), by telephone (1-888-378-1630) or by contacting an authorized third-party, such as a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary that has entered into a selling agreement with the Fund’s “Distributor,” Morgan Stanley Distribution, Inc. (each, a “Financial Intermediary”). You may purchase and redeem shares online through Morgan Stanley’s Treasury Investment Portal service at www.morganstanley.com/liquidity, provided you have a pre-established Internet trading account. For more information, please refer to the sections of this Prospectus entitled “Shareholder Information—How To Purchase Shares” and “Shareholder Information—How To Redeem Shares.”

Selected accounts that utilize the Fund as their sweep vehicle will be reviewed on each business day and shares will automatically be purchased or sold to cover any credits or debits incurred that day.

Tax Information

The Fund intends to make distributions that may be taxed as ordinary income or capital gains.

Payments to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries

If you purchase shares of the Fund through a Financial Intermediary (such as a bank), the Adviser and/or the Distributor may pay the Financial Intermediary for the sale of Fund shares and related services. These payments, which may be significant in amount, may create a conflict of interest by influencing the Financial Intermediary and your salesperson to recommend the Fund over another investment. Ask your salesperson or visit your Financial Intermediary’s web site for more information.

3


 

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Prospectus  |  Fund Summary

ESG Money Market Portfolio

Investment Objective

The ESG Money Market Portfolio (the “Fund”) seeks preservation of capital, daily liquidity and maximum current income.

Fees and Expenses

The table below describes the expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold Institutional Select Class shares of the Fund. The Fund does not charge any sales loads or other fees when you purchase or redeem shares.

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

 

Institutional
Select Class

Advisory Fee

0.15%

Distribution and/or Shareholder Service (12b-1) Fee

None

Other Expenses

0.07%

Shareholder Administration Fee1

0.05%

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses2

0.27%

Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement2

0.02%

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement2

0.25%

Example

The example below is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund’s Institutional Select Class with the cost of investing in other mutual funds.

The example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund’s Institutional Select Class, your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Fund’s operating expenses remain the same (except that the example incorporates the fee waiver and/or expense reimbursement 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

 

Institutional Select Class

$ 26

$ 85

$ 150

$ 341

 

1 Institutions or financial intermediaries may charge other fees directly to their customers who are beneficial owners of Institutional Select Class shares in connection with their customers’ accounts.
2 The Fund’s “Adviser” and “Administrator,” Morgan Stanley Investment Management Inc., has agreed to reduce its advisory fee, its administration fee and/or reimburse the Fund’s Institutional Select Class so that Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses, excluding certain investment related expenses, taxes, interest and other extraordinary expenses (including litigation), will not exceed 0.25%. The fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements will continue for at least one year or until such time as the Board of Trustees of Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds (the “Trust”) acts to discontinue all or a portion of such waivers and/or reimbursements when it deems such action is appropriate.

Principal Investment Strategies

The Fund invests in liquid, high quality U.S. dollar-denominated money market instruments of U.S. and foreign financial and non-financial corporations. The Fund also invests in obligations of foreign governments and in obligations issued or guaranteed by the U.S. Government and its agencies and instrumentalities. The Fund’s money market investments may include commercial paper, corporate debt obligations, debt obligations (including certificates of deposit and promissory notes) of U.S. banks or foreign banks, or of U.S. branches or subsidiaries of foreign banks, or foreign branches of U.S. banks (such as Yankee obligations), certificates of deposit of savings banks and savings and loan organizations, asset-backed securities, repurchase agreements and municipal obligations.

The Fund may also invest in U.S. dollar-denominated foreign securities and money market instruments.

The Adviser believes that environmental, social and governance (“ESG”) factors have the ability to impact the fundamental credit risk of an entity. The Fund’s investment process incorporates information about ESG issues via an integrated approach within the Adviser’s fundamental investment analysis framework. The Adviser may engage with management of certain issuers regarding corporate governance practices as well as what the Adviser deems to be materially important environmental and/or social issues facing a company.

The Adviser has proprietary ESG-scoring methodologies that explicitly consider the risks and opportunities ESG factors pose to money market instruments. By combining third-party ESG data with proprietary views, the Adviser creates unique scoring methodologies that it applies to issuers.

4


 

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Prospectus  |  Fund Summary

ESG Money Market Portfolio (Cont’d)

During the security selection process, the Adviser employs a rules-based process to construct the portfolio. Initially, the Adviser determines from the universe of money market fund-eligible issuers those which, in its opinion, have the lowest credit risk and/or best credit profile, excluding the following:

 

Corporations that generate revenue from the manufacturing or production of tobacco;

 

Corporations that generate revenue from the manufacturing or production of landmines and cluster munitions (i.e., an explosive weapon that randomly scatters submunitions);

 

Corporations that generate revenue from the manufacturing or production of firearms;

 

Corporations that generate revenue from the mining of thermal coal or coal fired power generation; and

 

Corporations that primarily generate revenue from the fossil fuel industries, which the Adviser has determined produce a certain level of carbon emissions.
 

The Fund may invest in green commercial paper (a security that is typically issued to raise capital specifically to support climate-related or environmental projects) issued by companies that would otherwise be subject to fossil fuel exclusions so long as the Adviser has determined that the proceeds will not be used to finance fossil fuel generation capabilities.

In analyzing whether an issuer meets any of the criteria described above, the Adviser may rely upon, among other things, information provided by an independent third party.

After applying the above exclusion screens, the Adviser calculates proprietary ESG scores for the remaining issuers based on a number of variables, such as environmental, social, governance, controversy and ESG momentum factors. The Adviser then sets minimum ESG score thresholds. Only issuers with an ESG score above a minimum threshold will be considered for investment by the Fund, thus eliminating those issuers with the lowest ESG performance. The Adviser’s minimum ESG score thresholds may be adjusted from time to time, provided that a subset of issuers are always excluded by ESG factors.

From the final list of ESG-approved issuers, the Adviser determines the securities and issuers in which the Fund will invest, taking into account a variety of relevant considerations (including, without limitation, yield, interest rate changes, credit quality and duration).

Under normal circumstances, the Fund will invest 100% of its net assets (excluding cash) in securities whose issuer or guarantor, in the Adviser’s opinion at the time of purchase, meets the Fund’s ESG criteria.

The Fund operates as an “institutional money market fund,” which is neither a “government money market fund” nor “retail money market fund” as such terms are defined or interpreted under Rule 2a-7 under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (“Rule 2a-7” under the “1940 Act”). As such, the Fund is required to price and transact in its shares at a net asset value per share (“NAV”) reflecting market-based values of its portfolio holdings (i.e., at a “floating” NAV), rounded to a minimum of the fourth decimal place. Like other money market funds of its type, the Fund is subject to the possible imposition of liquidity fees and/or redemption gates.

Principal Risks

There is no assurance that the Fund will achieve its investment objective.

You could lose money by investing in the Fund. Because the share price of the Fund will fluctuate, when you sell your shares they may be worth more or less than what you originally paid for them. The Fund may impose a fee upon the sale of your shares or may temporarily suspend your ability to sell shares if the Fund’s liquidity falls below required minimums because of market conditions or other factors. An investment in the Fund is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (“FDIC”) or any other government agency. The Fund’s sponsor has no legal obligation to provide financial support to the Fund, and you should not expect that the sponsor will provide financial support to the Fund at any time.

The principal risks of investing in the Fund include:

 

Credit and Interest Rate Risk. Credit risk refers to the possibility that the issuer or guarantor of a security will be unable to make interest payments and/or repay the principal on its debt. Interest rate risk refers to fluctuations in the value of a fixed-income security resulting from changes in the general level of interest rates. When the general level of interest rates goes up, the prices of most fixed-income securities go down. When the general level of interest rates goes down, the prices of most fixed-income securities go up. The Fund may face a heightened level of interest rate risk in times of monetary policy change and uncertainty, such as when the Federal Reserve Board ends a quantitative easing program and/or raises rates. A rising interest rate environment increases certain risks, including the potential for periods of volatility, increased redemptions and extended durations (i.e., extension risk).
 

5


 

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Prospectus | Fund Summary

ESG Money Market Portfolio (Cont’d)

 

Bank Obligations. The activities of U.S. and most foreign banks are subject to comprehensive regulations. The enactment of new legislation or regulations, as well as changes in interpretation and enforcement of current laws, may affect the manner of operations and profitability of domestic and foreign banks. In addition, banks may be particularly susceptible to certain economic factors.

 

Fixed-Income Securities. Fixed-income securities are subject to the risk of the issuer’s inability to meet principal and interest payments on its obligations (i.e., credit risk) and are subject to price volatility resulting from, among other things, interest rate sensitivity (i.e., interest rate risk), market perception of the creditworthiness of the issuer and general market liquidity (i.e., market risk). The Fund may face a heightened level of interest rate risk in times of monetary policy change and uncertainty, such as when the Federal Reserve Board ends a quantitative easing program and/or raises rates.

 

U.S. Government Securities. The U.S. government securities in which the Fund invests can be subject to two types of risk: credit risk and interest rate risk. When the general level of interest rates goes up, the prices of most fixed-income securities go down. When the general level of interest rates goes down, the prices of most fixed-income securities go up. While the credit risk associated with U.S. government securities generally is considered to be minimal, the interest rate risk can be substantial. With respect to U.S. government securities that are not backed by the full faith and credit of the United States, there is the risk that the U.S. Government will not provide financial support to such U.S. government agencies, instrumentalities or sponsored enterprises if it is not obligated to do so by law.

 

Asset-Backed Securities. Asset-backed securities involve the risk that various federal and state consumer laws and other legal and economic factors may result in the collateral backing the securities being insufficient to support payment on the securities. Some asset-backed securities also entail prepayment risk and extension risk, which may vary depending on the type of asset.

 

Repurchase Agreements. Repurchase agreements are subject to risks associated with the possibility of default by the seller at a time when the collateral has declined in value, or insolvency of the seller, which may affect the Fund’s right to control the collateral and result in certain costs and delays. Repurchase agreements may involve a greater degree of credit risk than investments in U.S. government securities.

 

Foreign Money Market Securities. Investing in money market securities of foreign issuers involves some additional risks, including the possibility of adverse political, economic or other developments affecting the issuers of these securities.

 

Municipal Obligations. To the extent the Fund invests in municipal obligations issued by state and local governments and their agencies, the Fund may be susceptible to political, economic, regulatory or other factors affecting issuers of these municipal obligations. To the extent that the Fund invests in municipal obligations of issuers in the same economic sector, it could be more sensitive to economic, business or political developments that affect such sector.

 

ESG Investment Risk. The Fund’s adherence to its ESG criteria and application of related analyses when selecting investments may affect the Fund’s performance depending on whether such investments are in or out of favor and relative to similar funds that do not adhere to such criteria or apply such analyses. Socially responsible norms differ by country and region, and a company’s ESG practices or the Adviser’s assessment of such may change over time. The Fund may invest in companies that do not reflect the beliefs and values of any particular investor. Additionally, the Fund’s adherence to its ESG criteria and application of related analyses in connection with identifying and selecting investments in non-U.S. issuers often require subjective analysis and may be relatively more difficult than applying the ESG criteria or related analyses to investments of U.S. issuers because data availability may be more limited with respect to non-U.S. issuers. The exclusionary criteria related to the Fund’s ESG criteria may result in the Fund forgoing opportunities to buy certain securities when it might otherwise be advantageous to do so, or selling securities for ESG reasons when it might be otherwise disadvantageous for it to do so. The Fund’s investments in certain companies may be susceptible to various factors that may impact their businesses or operations, including costs associated with government budgetary constraints that impact publicly funded projects and clean energy initiatives, the effects of general economic conditions throughout the world, increased competition from other providers of services, unfavorable tax laws or accounting policies and high leverage.
 

Performance Information

The bar chart and table below provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by showing changes in the performance of the Fund’s Institutional Select Class shares from year-to-year and by showing the average annual returns of the Fund’s Institutional Select Class shares for the one, five and 10 year periods. The Fund’s past performance is not necessarily an indication of how the Fund will perform in the future. Updated performance information is available online at www.morganstanley.com/liquidity.

6


 

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Prospectus  |  Fund Summary

ESG Money Market Portfolio (Cont’d)

Annual Total Returns—Calendar Years

High Quarter

03/31/19

0.64%

Low Quarter

03/31/14

0.00%

Average Annual Total Returns

(for the Periods Ended December 31, 2019)

 

Past
One Year

Past
Five Years

Past
Ten Years

ESG Money Market Portfolio

2.30%

1.18%

0.63%

You may obtain the Fund’s 7-day current yield by calling 1-888-378-1630.

Fund Management

Adviser. Morgan Stanley Investment Management Inc.

Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares

Institutional Select Class shares of the Fund are available to investors who at the time of initial purchase make a minimum purchase of $10 million. You may not be subject to these minimum investment requirement under certain circumstances. For more information, please refer to the section of this Prospectus entitled “Shareholder Information—Minimum Investment Amount.”

Shares of the Fund may be purchased or sold on any day the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) is open for business (except when the following federal holidays are observed: Columbus Day and Veterans Day) directly from the Fund by mail (c/o DST Asset Manager Solutions, Inc., P.O. Box 219804, Kansas City, MO 64121-9804), by telephone (1-888-378-1630) or by contacting an authorized third-party, such as a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary that has entered into a selling agreement with the Fund’s “Distributor,” Morgan Stanley Distribution, Inc. (each, a “Financial Intermediary”). You may purchase and redeem shares online through Morgan Stanley’s Treasury Investment Portal service at www.morganstanley.com/liquidity, provided you have a pre-established Internet trading account. For more information, please refer to the sections of this Prospectus entitled “Shareholder Information—How To Purchase Shares” and “Shareholder Information—How To Redeem Shares.”

Selected accounts that utilize the Fund as their sweep vehicle will be reviewed on each business day and shares will automatically be purchased or sold to cover any credits or debits incurred that day.

Tax Information

The Fund intends to make distributions that may be taxed as ordinary income or capital gains.

Payments to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries

If you purchase shares of the Fund through a Financial Intermediary (such as a bank), the Adviser and/or the Distributor may pay the Financial Intermediary for the sale of Fund shares and related services. These payments, which may be significant in amount, may create a conflict of interest by influencing the Financial Intermediary and your salesperson to recommend the Fund over another investment. Ask your salesperson or visit your Financial Intermediary’s web site for more information.

7


 

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Prospectus  |  Fund Summary

Government Portfolio

Investment Objective

The Government Portfolio (the “Fund”) seeks preservation of capital, daily liquidity and maximum current income.

Fees and Expenses

The table below describes the expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold Institutional Select Class shares of the Fund. The Fund does not charge any sales loads or other fees when you purchase or redeem shares.

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

 

Institutional
Select Class

Advisory Fee

0.15%

Distribution and/or Shareholder Service (12b-1) Fee

None

Other Expenses

0.06%

Shareholder Administration Fee1

0.05%

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses2

0.26%

Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement2

0.01%

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement2

0.25%

Example

The example below is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund’s Institutional Select Class with the cost of investing in other mutual funds.

The example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund’s Institutional Select Class, your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Fund’s operating expenses remain the same (except that the example incorporates the fee waiver and/or expense reimbursement 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

 

Institutional Select Class

$ 26

$ 83

$ 145

$ 330

 

1 Institutions or financial intermediaries may charge other fees directly to their customers who are beneficial owners of Institutional Select Class shares in connection with their customers’ accounts.
2 The Fund’s “Adviser” and “Administrator,” Morgan Stanley Investment Management Inc., has agreed to reduce its advisory fee, its administration fee and/or reimburse the Fund’s Institutional Select Class so that Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses, excluding certain investment related expenses, taxes, interest and other extraordinary expenses (including litigation), will not exceed 0.25%. The fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements will continue for at least one year or until such time as the Board of Trustees of Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds (the “Trust”) acts to discontinue all or a portion of such waivers and/or reimbursements when it deems such action is appropriate.

Principal Investment Strategies

The Fund has adopted a policy to invest exclusively in obligations issued or guaranteed by the U.S. Government and its agencies and instrumentalities and in repurchase agreements collateralized by such securities in order to qualify as a “government money market fund” under federal regulations. The Fund may also hold cash from time to time. A “government money market fund” is a money market fund that invests at least 99.5% of its total assets in cash, securities issued or guaranteed by the United States or certain U.S. government agencies or instrumentalities and/or repurchase agreements that are collateralized fully by the foregoing. A “government money market fund” is exempt from requirements that permit money market funds to impose a “liquidity fee” and/or a “redemption gate” that temporarily restricts redemptions. In selecting investments, the Adviser seeks to maintain the Fund’s share price at $1.00. The share price remaining stable at $1.00 means that the Fund would preserve the principal value of your investment.

Principal Risks

There is no assurance that the Fund will achieve its investment objective.

You could lose money by investing in the Fund. Although the Fund seeks to preserve the value of your investment at $1.00 per share, it cannot guarantee it will do so. An investment in the Fund is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (“FDIC”) or any other government agency. The Fund’s sponsor has no legal obligation to provide financial support to the Fund, and you should not expect that the sponsor will provide financial support to the Fund at any time.

The principal risks of investing in the Fund include:

 

Credit and Interest Rate Risk. Credit risk refers to the possibility that the issuer or guarantor of a security will be unable to make interest payments and/or repay the principal on its debt. Interest rate risk refers to fluctuations in the value of a fixed-income
 

8


 

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Prospectus  |  Fund Summary

Government Portfolio (Cont’d)

 

security resulting from changes in the general level of interest rates. When the general level of interest rates goes up, the prices of most fixed-income securities go down. When the general level of interest rates goes down, the prices of most fixed-income securities go up. The Fund may face a heightened level of interest rate risk in times of monetary policy change and uncertainty, such as when the Federal Reserve Board ends a quantitative easing program and/or raises rates. A rising interest rate environment increases certain risks, including the potential for periods of volatility, increased redemptions and extended durations (i.e., extension risk).

 

Fixed-Income Securities. Fixed-income securities are subject to the risk of the issuer’s inability to meet principal and interest payments on its obligations (i.e., credit risk) and are subject to price volatility resulting from, among other things, interest rate sensitivity (i.e., interest rate risk), market perception of the creditworthiness of the issuer and general market liquidity (i.e., market risk). The Fund may face a heightened level of interest rate risk in times of monetary policy change and uncertainty, such as when the Federal Reserve Board ends a quantitative easing program and/or raises rates.

 

U.S. Government Securities. The U.S. government securities in which the Fund invests can be subject to two types of risk: credit risk and interest rate risk. When the general level of interest rates goes up, the prices of most fixed-income securities go down. When the general level of interest rates goes down, the prices of most fixed-income securities go up. While the credit risk associated with U.S. government securities generally is considered to be minimal, the interest rate risk can be substantial. With respect to U.S. government securities that are not backed by the full faith and credit of the United States, there is the risk that the U.S. Government will not provide financial support to such U.S. government agencies, instrumentalities or sponsored enterprises if it is not obligated to do so by law.

 

Repurchase Agreements. Repurchase agreements are subject to risks associated with the possibility of default by the seller at a time when the collateral has declined in value, or insolvency of the seller, which may affect the Fund’s right to control the collateral and result in certain costs and delays. Repurchase agreements may involve a greater degree of credit risk than investments in U.S. government securities.
 

Performance Information

The bar chart and table below provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by showing changes in the performance of the Fund’s Institutional Select Class shares from year-to-year and by showing the average annual returns of the Fund’s Institutional Select Class shares for the one, five and 10 year periods. The Fund’s past performance is not necessarily an indication of how the Fund will perform in the future. Updated performance information is available online at www.morganstanley.com/liquidity.

Annual Total Returns—Calendar Years

High Quarter

06/30/19

0.56%

Low Quarter

06/30/11

0.00%

Average Annual Total Returns

(for the Periods Ended December 31, 2019)

 

Past
One Year

Past
Five Years

Past
Ten Years

Government Portfolio

2.05%

0.94%

0.49%

You may obtain the Fund’s 7-day current yield by calling 1-888-378-1630.

Fund Management

Adviser. Morgan Stanley Investment Management Inc.

9


 

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Prospectus | Fund Summary

Government Portfolio (Cont’d)

Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares

Institutional Select Class shares of the Fund are available to investors who at the time of initial purchase make a minimum investment of $10 million. You may not be subject to the minimum investment requirement under certain circumstances. For more information, please refer to the section of this Prospectus entitled “Shareholder Information—Minimum Investment Amount.”

Shares of the Fund may be purchased or sold on any day the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) is open for business (except when the following federal holidays are observed: Columbus Day and Veterans Day) directly from the Fund by mail (c/o DST Asset Manager Solutions, Inc., P.O. Box 219804, Kansas City, MO 64121-9804), by telephone (1-888-378-1630) or by contacting an authorized third-party, such as a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary that has entered into a selling agreement with the Fund’s “Distributor,” Morgan Stanley Distribution, Inc. (each, a “Financial Intermediary”). You may purchase and redeem shares online through Morgan Stanley’s Treasury Investment Portal service at www.morganstanley.com/liquidity, provided you have a pre-established Internet trading account. For more information, please refer to the sections of this Prospectus entitled “Shareholder Information—How To Purchase Shares” and “Shareholder Information—How To Redeem Shares.”

Selected accounts that utilize the Fund as their sweep vehicle will be reviewed on each business day and shares will automatically be purchased or sold to cover any credits or debits incurred that day.

Tax Information

The Fund intends to make distributions that may be taxed as ordinary income or capital gains.

Payments to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries

If you purchase shares of the Fund through a Financial Intermediary (such as a bank), the Adviser and/or the Distributor may pay the Financial Intermediary for the sale of Fund shares and related services. These payments, which may be significant in amount, may create a conflict of interest by influencing the Financial Intermediary and your salesperson to recommend the Fund over another investment. Ask your salesperson or visit your Financial Intermediary’s web site for more information.

10


 

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Prospectus  |  Fund Summary

Government Securities Portfolio

Investment Objective

The Government Securities Portfolio (the “Fund”) seeks preservation of capital, daily liquidity and maximum current income.

Fees and Expenses

The table below describes the expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold Institutional Select Class shares of the Fund. The Fund does not charge any sales loads or other fees when you purchase or redeem shares.

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

 

Institutional
Select Class

Advisory Fee

0.15%

Distribution and/or Shareholder Service (12b-1) Fee

None

Other Expenses

0.08%

Shareholder Administration Fee1

0.05%

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses2

0.28%

Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement2

0.03%

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement2

0.25%

Example

The example below is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund’s Institutional Select Class with the cost of investing in other mutual funds.

The example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund’s Institutional Select Class, your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Fund’s operating expenses remain the same (except that the example incorporates the fee waiver and/or expense reimbursement 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

 

Institutional Select Class

$ 26

$ 87

$ 154

$ 353

 

1 Institutions or financial intermediaries may charge other fees directly to their customers who are beneficial owners of Institutional Select Class shares in connection with their customers’ accounts.
2 The Fund’s “Adviser” and “Administrator,” Morgan Stanley Investment Management Inc., has agreed to reduce its advisory fee, its administration fee and/or reimburse the Fund’s Institutional Select Class so that Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses, excluding certain investment related expenses, taxes, interest and other extraordinary expenses (including litigation), will not exceed 0.25%. The fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements will continue for at least one year or until such time as the Board of Trustees of Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds (the “Trust”) acts to discontinue all or a portion of such waivers and/or reimbursements when it deems such action is appropriate.

Principal Investment Strategies

The Fund has adopted a policy to invest substantially all of its assets in U.S. Treasury obligations and certain U.S. government securities, the interest from which is generally exempt from state income taxation, in order to qualify as a “government money market fund” under federal regulations. The Fund may also hold cash from time to time. A “government money market fund” is a money market fund that invests at least 99.5% of its total assets in cash, securities issued or guaranteed by the United States or certain U.S. government agencies or instrumentalities and/or repurchase agreements that are collateralized fully by the foregoing. A “government money market fund” is exempt from requirements that permit money market funds to impose a “liquidity fee” and/or a “redemption gate” that temporarily restricts redemptions. In selecting investments, the Adviser seeks to maintain the Fund’s share price at $1.00. The share price remaining stable at $1.00 means that the Fund would preserve the principal value of your investment. The U.S. government securities that the Fund may purchase include those issued or guaranteed either by the U.S. Treasury or certain agencies, authorities or instrumentalities of the U.S. Government. The Fund may also invest in repurchase agreements with the Federal Reserve Bank of New York.

Principal Risks

There is no assurance that the Fund will achieve its investment objective.

You could lose money by investing in the Fund. Although the Fund seeks to preserve the value of your investment at $1.00 per share, it cannot guarantee it will do so. An investment in the Fund is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (“FDIC”) or any other government agency. The Fund’s sponsor has no legal obligation to provide financial support to the Fund, and you should not expect that the sponsor will provide financial support to the Fund at any time.

The principal risks of investing in the Fund include:

11


 

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Prospectus | Fund Summary

Government Securities Portfolio (Cont’d)

 

Credit and Interest Rate Risk. Credit risk refers to the possibility that the issuer or guarantor of a security will be unable to make interest payments and/or repay the principal on its debt. Interest rate risk refers to fluctuations in the value of a fixed-income security resulting from changes in the general level of interest rates. When the general level of interest rates goes up, the prices of most fixed-income securities go down. When the general level of interest rates goes down, the prices of most fixed-income securities go up. The Fund may face a heightened level of interest rate risk in times of monetary policy change and uncertainty, such as when the Federal Reserve Board ends a quantitative easing program and/or raises rates. A rising interest rate environment increases certain risks, including the potential for periods of volatility, increased redemptions and extended durations (i.e., extension risk).

 

Fixed-Income Securities. Fixed-income securities are subject to the risk of the issuer’s inability to meet principal and interest payments on its obligations (i.e., credit risk) and are subject to price volatility resulting from, among other things, interest rate sensitivity (i.e., interest rate risk), market perception of the creditworthiness of the issuer and general market liquidity (i.e., market risk). The Fund may face a heightened level of interest rate risk in times of monetary policy change and uncertainty, such as when the Federal Reserve Board ends a quantitative easing program and/or raises rates.

 

U.S. Government Securities. The U.S. government securities in which the Fund invests can be subject to two types of risk: credit risk and interest rate risk. When the general level of interest rates goes up, the prices of most fixed-income securities go down. When the general level of interest rates goes down, the prices of most fixed-income securities go up. While the credit risk associated with U.S. government securities generally is considered to be minimal, the interest rate risk can be substantial. With respect to U.S. government securities that are not backed by the full faith and credit of the United States, there is the risk that the U.S. Government will not provide financial support to such U.S. government agencies, instrumentalities or sponsored enterprises if it is not obligated to do so by law.
 

Performance Information

The bar chart and table below provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by showing changes in the performance of the Fund’s Institutional Select Class shares from year-to-year and by showing the average annual returns of the Fund’s Institutional Select Class shares for the one, five and 10 year periods. The Fund’s past performance is not necessarily an indication of how the Fund will perform in the future. Updated performance information is available online at www.morganstanley.com/liquidity.

Annual Total Returns—Calendar Years

High Quarter

06/30/19

0.55%

Low Quarter

03/31/15

0.00%

Average Annual Total Returns

(for the Periods Ended December 31, 2019)

 

Past
One Year

Past Five
Years

Past
Ten Years

Government Securities Portfolio

1.99%

0.88%

0.44%

You may obtain the Fund’s 7-day current yield by calling 1-888-378-1630.

Fund Management

Adviser. Morgan Stanley Investment Management Inc.

12


 

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Prospectus  |  Fund Summary

Government Securities Portfolio (Cont’d)

Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares

Institutional Select Class shares of the Fund are available to investors who at the time of initial purchase make a minimum investment of $10 million. You may not be subject to the minimum investment requirement under certain circumstances. For more information, please refer to the section of this Prospectus entitled “Shareholder Information—Minimum Investment Amount.”

Shares of the Fund may be purchased or sold on any day the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) is open for business (except when the following federal holidays are observed: Columbus Day and Veterans Day) directly from the Fund by mail (c/o DST Asset Manager Solutions, Inc., P.O. Box 219804, Kansas City, MO 64121-9804), by telephone (1-888-378-1630) or by contacting an authorized third-party, such as a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary that has entered into a selling agreement with the Fund’s “Distributor,” Morgan Stanley Distribution, Inc. (each, a “Financial Intermediary”). You may purchase and redeem shares online through Morgan Stanley’s Treasury Investment Portal service at www.morganstanley.com/liquidity, provided you have a pre-established Internet trading account. For more information, please refer to the sections of this Prospectus entitled “Shareholder Information—How To Purchase Shares” and “Shareholder Information—How To Redeem Shares.”

Selected accounts that utilize the Fund as their sweep vehicle will be reviewed on each business day and shares will automatically be purchased or sold to cover any credits or debits incurred that day.

Tax Information

The Fund intends to make distributions that may be taxed as ordinary income or capital gains.

Payments to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries

If you purchase shares of the Fund through a Financial Intermediary (such as a bank), the Adviser and/or the Distributor may pay the Financial Intermediary for the sale of Fund shares and related services. These payments, which may be significant in amount, may create a conflict of interest by influencing the Financial Intermediary and your salesperson to recommend the Fund over another investment. Ask your salesperson or visit your Financial Intermediary’s web site for more information.

13


 

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Prospectus  |  Fund Summary

Treasury Portfolio

Investment Objective

The Treasury Portfolio (the “Fund”) seeks preservation of capital, daily liquidity and maximum current income.

Fees and Expenses

The table below describes the expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold Institutional Select Class shares of the Fund. The Fund does not charge any sales loads or other fees when you purchase or redeem shares.

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

 

Institutional
Select Class

Advisory Fee

0.15%

Distribution and/or Shareholder Service (12b-1) Fee

None

Other Expenses

0.06%

Shareholder Administration Fee1

0.05%

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses2

0.26%

Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement2

0.01%

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement2

0.25%

Example

The example below is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund’s Institutional Select Class with the cost of investing in other mutual funds.

The example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund’s Institutional Select Class, your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Fund’s operating expenses remain the same (except that the example incorporates the fee waiver and/or expense reimbursement 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

 

Institutional Select Class

$ 26

$ 83

$ 145

$ 330

 

1 Institutions or financial intermediaries may charge other fees directly to their customers who are beneficial owners of Institutional Select Class shares in connection with their customers’ accounts.
2 The Fund’s “Adviser” and “Administrator,” Morgan Stanley Investment Management Inc., has agreed to reduce its advisory fee, its administration fee and/or reimburse the Fund’s Institutional Select Class so that Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses, excluding certain investment related expenses, taxes, interest and other extraordinary expenses (including litigation), will not exceed 0.25%. The fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements will continue for at least one year or until such time as the Board of Trustees of Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds (the “Trust”) acts to discontinue all or a portion of such waivers and/or reimbursements when it deems such action is appropriate.

Principal Investment Strategies

The Fund has adopted a policy to invest exclusively in U.S. Treasury obligations, which are backed by the full faith and credit of the United States, and repurchase agreements collateralized by such securities in order to qualify as a “government money market fund” under federal regulations. The Fund may also hold cash from time to time. A “government money market fund” is a money market fund that invests at least 99.5% of its total assets in cash, securities issued or guaranteed by the United States or certain U.S. government agencies or instrumentalities and/or repurchase agreements that are collateralized fully by the foregoing. A “government money market fund” is exempt from requirements that permit money market funds to impose a “liquidity fee” and/or a “redemption gate” that temporarily restricts redemptions. In selecting investments, the Adviser seeks to maintain the Fund’s share price at $1.00. The share price remaining stable at $1.00 means that the Fund would preserve the principal value of your investment.

Principal Risks

There is no assurance that the Fund will achieve its investment objective.

You could lose money by investing in the Fund. Although the Fund seeks to preserve the value of your investment at $1.00 per share, it cannot guarantee it will do so. An investment in the Fund is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (“FDIC”) or any other government agency. The Fund’s sponsor has no legal obligation to provide financial support to the Fund, and you should not expect that the sponsor will provide financial support to the Fund at any time.

The principal risks of investing in the Fund include:

 

Credit and Interest Rate Risk. Credit risk refers to the possibility that the issuer or guarantor of a security will be unable to make interest payments and/or repay the principal on its debt. Interest rate risk refers to fluctuations in the value of a fixed-income
 

14


 

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Prospectus  |  Fund Summary

Treasury Portfolio (Cont’d)

 

security resulting from changes in the general level of interest rates. When the general level of interest rates goes up, the prices of most fixed-income securities go down. When the general level of interest rates goes down, the prices of most fixed-income securities go up. The Fund may face a heightened level of interest rate risk in times of monetary policy change and uncertainty, such as when the Federal Reserve Board ends a quantitative easing program and/or raises rates. A rising interest rate environment increases certain risks, including the potential for periods of volatility, increased redemptions and extended durations (i.e., extension risk).

 

Fixed-Income Securities. Fixed-income securities are subject to the risk of the issuer’s inability to meet principal and interest payments on its obligations (i.e., credit risk) and are subject to price volatility resulting from, among other things, interest rate sensitivity (i.e., interest rate risk), market perception of the creditworthiness of the issuer and general market liquidity (i.e., market risk). The Fund may face a heightened level of interest rate risk in times of monetary policy change and uncertainty, such as when the Federal Reserve Board ends a quantitative easing program and/or raises rates.

 

U.S. Government Securities. The U.S. government securities in which the Fund invests can be subject to two types of risk: credit risk and interest rate risk. When the general level of interest rates goes up, the prices of most fixed-income securities go down. When the general level of interest rates goes down, the prices of most fixed-income securities go up. While the credit risk associated with U.S. government securities generally is considered to be minimal, the interest rate risk can be substantial.

 

Repurchase Agreements. Repurchase agreements are subject to risks associated with the possibility of default by the seller at a time when the collateral has declined in value, or insolvency of the seller, which may affect the Fund’s right to control the collateral and result in certain costs and delays. Repurchase agreements may involve a greater degree of credit risk than investments in U.S. government securities.
 

Performance Information

The bar chart and table below provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by showing changes in the performance of the Fund’s Institutional Select Class shares from year-to-year and by showing the average annual returns of the Fund’s Institutional Select Class shares for the one, five and 10 year periods. The Fund’s past performance is not necessarily an indication of how the Fund will perform in the future. Updated performance information is available online at www.morganstanley.com/liquidity.

Annual Total Returns—Calendar Years

High Quarter

03/31/19

0.55%

Low Quarter

12/31/11

0.00%

Average Annual Total Returns

(for the Periods Ended December 31, 2019)

 

Past
One Year

Past Five
Years

Past
Ten Years

Treasury Portfolio

2.01%

0.92%

0.47%

You may obtain the Fund’s 7-day current yield by calling 1-888-378-1630.

Fund Management

Adviser. Morgan Stanley Investment Management Inc.

Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares

Institutional Select Class shares of the Fund are available to investors who at the time of initial purchase make a minimum investment of $10 million. You may not be subject to the minimum investment requirement under certain circumstances. For more information, please refer to the section of this Prospectus entitled “Shareholder Information—Minimum Investment Amount.”

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Prospectus | Fund Summary

Treasury Portfolio (Cont’d)

Shares of the Fund may be purchased or sold on any day the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) is open for business (except when the following federal holidays are observed: Columbus Day and Veterans Day) directly from the Fund by mail (c/o DST Asset Manager Solutions, Inc., P.O. Box 219804, Kansas City, MO 64121-9804), by telephone (1-888-378-1630) or by contacting an authorized third-party, such as a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary that has entered into a selling agreement with the Fund’s “Distributor,” Morgan Stanley Distribution, Inc. (each, a “Financial Intermediary”). You may purchase and redeem shares online through Morgan Stanley’s Treasury Investment Portal service at www.morganstanley.com/liquidity, provided you have a pre-established Internet trading account. For more information, please refer to the sections of this Prospectus entitled “Shareholder Information—How To Purchase Shares” and “Shareholder Information—How To Redeem Shares.”

Selected accounts that utilize the Fund as their sweep vehicle will be reviewed on each business day and shares will automatically be purchased or sold to cover any credits or debits incurred that day.

Tax Information

The Fund intends to make distributions that may be taxed as ordinary income or capital gains.

Payments to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries

If you purchase shares of the Fund through a Financial Intermediary (such as a bank), the Adviser and/or the Distributor may pay the Financial Intermediary for the sale of Fund shares and related services. These payments, which may be significant in amount, may create a conflict of interest by influencing the Financial Intermediary and your salesperson to recommend the Fund over another investment. Ask your salesperson or visit your Financial Intermediary’s web site for more information.

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Prospectus  |  Fund Summary

Treasury Securities Portfolio

Investment Objective

The Treasury Securities Portfolio (the “Fund”) seeks preservation of capital, daily liquidity and maximum current income.

Fees and Expenses

The table below describes the expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold Institutional Select Class shares of the Fund. The Fund does not charge any sales loads or other fees when you purchase or redeem shares.

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

 

Institutional
Select Class

Advisory Fee

0.15%

Distribution and/or Shareholder Service (12b-1) Fee

None

Other Expenses

0.06%

Shareholder Administration Fee1

0.05%

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses2

0.26%

Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement2

0.01%

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement2

0.25%

Example

The example below is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund’s Institutional Select Class with the cost of investing in other mutual funds.

The example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund’s Institutional Select Class, your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Fund’s operating expenses remain the same (except that the example incorporates the fee waiver and/or expense reimbursement 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

 

Institutional Select Class

$ 26

$ 83

$ 145

$ 330

 

1 Institutions or financial intermediaries may charge other fees directly to their customers who are beneficial owners of Institutional Select Class shares in connection with their customers’ accounts.
2 The Fund’s “Adviser” and “Administrator,” Morgan Stanley Investment Management Inc., has agreed to reduce its advisory fee, its administration fee and/or reimburse the Fund’s Institutional Select Class so that Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses, excluding certain investment related expenses, taxes, interest and other extraordinary expenses (including litigation), will not exceed 0.25%. The fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements will continue for at least one year or until such time as the Board of Trustees of Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds (the “Trust”) acts to discontinue all or a portion of such waivers and/or reimbursements when it deems such action is appropriate.

Principal Investment Strategies

The Fund has adopted a policy to invest exclusively in U.S. Treasury obligations, which are backed by the full faith and credit of the United States, in order to qualify as a “government money market fund” under federal regulations. The Fund may also hold cash from time to time. A “government money market fund” is a money market fund that invests at least 99.5% of its total assets in cash, securities issued or guaranteed by the United States or certain U.S. government agencies or instrumentalities and/or repurchase agreements that are collateralized fully by the foregoing. A “government money market fund” is exempt from requirements that permit money market funds to impose a “liquidity fee” and/or a “redemption gate” that temporarily restricts redemptions. In selecting investments, the Adviser seeks to maintain the Fund’s share price at $1.00. The share price remaining stable at $1.00 means that the Fund would preserve its principal value of your investment.

Principal Risks

There is no assurance that the Fund will achieve its investment objective.

You could lose money by investing in the Fund. Although the Fund seeks to preserve the value of your investment at $1.00 per share, it cannot guarantee it will do so. An investment in the Fund is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (“FDIC”) or any other government agency. The Fund’s sponsor has no legal obligation to provide financial support to the Fund, and you should not expect that the sponsor will provide financial support to the Fund at any time.

The principal risks of investing in the Fund include:

 

Credit and Interest Rate Risk. Credit risk refers to the possibility that the issuer or guarantor of a security will be unable to make interest payments and/or repay the principal on its debt. Interest rate risk refers to fluctuations in the value of a fixed-income
 

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Prospectus | Fund Summary

Treasury Securities Portfolio (Cont’d)

 

security resulting from changes in the general level of interest rates. When the general level of interest rates goes up, the prices of most fixed-income securities go down. When the general level of interest rates goes down, the prices of most fixed-income securities go up. The Fund may face a heightened level of interest rate risk in times of monetary policy change and uncertainty, such as when the Federal Reserve Board ends a quantitative easing program and/or raises rates. A rising interest rate environment increases certain risks, including the potential for periods of volatility, increased redemptions and extended durations (i.e., extension risk).

 

Fixed-Income Securities. Fixed-income securities are subject to the risk of the issuer’s inability to meet principal and interest payments on its obligations (i.e., credit risk) and are subject to price volatility resulting from, among other things, interest rate sensitivity (i.e., interest rate risk), market perception of the creditworthiness of the issuer and general market liquidity (i.e., market risk). The Fund may face a heightened level of interest rate risk in times of monetary policy change and uncertainty, such as when the Federal Reserve Board ends a quantitative easing program and/or raises rates.

 

U.S. Government Securities. The U.S. government securities in which the Fund invests can be subject to two types of risk: credit risk and interest rate risk. When the general level of interest rates goes up, the prices of most fixed-income securities go down. When the general level of interest rates goes down, the prices of most fixed-income securities go up. While the credit risk associated with U.S. government securities generally is considered to be minimal, the interest rate risk can be substantial.
 

Performance Information

The bar chart and table below provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by showing changes in the performance of the Fund’s Institutional Select Class shares from year-to-year and by showing the average annual returns of the Fund’s Institutional Select Class shares for the one, five and 10 year periods. The Fund’s past performance is not necessarily an indication of how the Fund will perform in the future. Updated performance information is available online at www.morganstanley.com/liquidity.

Annual Total Returns—Calendar Years

High Quarter

06/30/19

0.54%

Low Quarter

03/31/15

0.00%

Average Annual Total Returns

(for the Periods Ended December 31, 2019)

 

Past
One Year

Past Five
Years

Past
Ten Years

Treasury Securities Portfolio

1.97%

0.88%

0.45%

You may obtain the Fund’s 7-day current yield by calling 1-888-378-1630.

Fund Management

Adviser. Morgan Stanley Investment Management Inc.

Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares

Institutional Select Class shares of the Fund are available to investors who at the time of initial purchase make a minimum investment of $10 million. You may not be subject to the minimum investment requirement under certain circumstances. For more information, please refer to the section of this Prospectus entitled “Shareholder Information—Minimum Investment Amount.”

Shares of the Fund may be purchased or sold on any day the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) is open for business (except when the following federal holidays are observed: Columbus Day and Veterans Day) directly from the Fund by mail (c/o DST Asset Manager Solutions, Inc., P.O. Box 219804, Kansas City, MO 64121-9804), by telephone (1-888-378-1630) or by contacting an

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Prospectus  |  Fund Summary

Treasury Securities Portfolio (Cont’d)

authorized third-party, such as a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary that has entered into a selling agreement with the Fund’s “Distributor,” Morgan Stanley Distribution, Inc. (each, a “Financial Intermediary”). You may purchase and redeem shares online through Morgan Stanley’s Treasury Investment Portal service at www.morganstanley.com/liquidity, provided you have a pre-established Internet trading account. For more information, please refer to the sections of this Prospectus entitled “Shareholder Information—How To Purchase Shares” and “Shareholder Information—How To Redeem Shares.”

Selected accounts that utilize the Fund as their sweep vehicle will be reviewed on each business day and shares will automatically be purchased or sold to cover any credits or debits incurred that day.

Tax Information

The Fund intends to make distributions that may be taxed as ordinary income or capital gains.

Payments to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries

If you purchase shares of the Fund through a Financial Intermediary (such as a bank), the Adviser and/or the Distributor may pay the Financial Intermediary for the sale of Fund shares and related services. These payments, which may be significant in amount, may create a conflict of interest by influencing the Financial Intermediary and your salesperson to recommend the Fund over another investment. Ask your salesperson or visit your Financial Intermediary’s web site for more information.

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Prospectus  |  Fund Summary

Tax-Exempt Portfolio

Investment Objective

The Tax-Exempt Portfolio (the “Fund”) seeks to maximize current income exempt from federal income tax to the extent consistent with preservation of capital and maintenance of liquidity.

Fees and Expenses

The table below describes the expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold Institutional Select Class shares of the Fund. The Fund does not charge any sales loads or other fees when you purchase or redeem shares.

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

 

Institutional
Select Class

Advisory Fee

0.15%

Distribution and/or Shareholder Service (12b-1) Fee

None

Other Expenses

0.12%

Shareholder Administration Fee1

0.05%

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses2

0.32%

Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement2

0.07%

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement2

0.25%

Example

The example below is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund’s Institutional Select Class with the cost of investing in other mutual funds.

The example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund’s Institutional Select Class, your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Fund’s operating expenses remain the same (except that the example incorporates the fee waiver and/or expense reimbursement 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

 

Institutional Select Class

$ 26

$ 96

$ 173

$ 399

 

1 Institutions or financial intermediaries may charge other fees directly to their customers who are beneficial owners of Institutional Select Class shares in connection with their customers’ accounts.
2 The Fund’s “Adviser” and “Administrator,” Morgan Stanley Investment Management Inc., has agreed to reduce its advisory fee, its administration fee and/or reimburse the Fund’s Institutional Select Class so that Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses, excluding certain investment related expenses, taxes, interest and other extraordinary expenses (including litigation), will not exceed 0.25%. The fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements will continue for at least one year or until such time as the Board of Trustees of Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds (the “Trust”) acts to discontinue all or a portion of such waivers and/or reimbursements when it deems such action is appropriate.

Principal Investment Strategies

The Fund invests at least 80% of its assets in high quality short-term municipal obligations, the interest of which is exempt from federal income taxes and is not subject to the federal alternative minimum tax. This policy is fundamental and may not be changed without shareholder approval. The Fund may also invest in variable and floating rate demand instruments, tender option bonds, custodial receipts and investments in other investment companies, including money market funds.

The Fund may invest up to 20% of its assets in taxable money market securities or in municipal obligations that pay interest income that may be subject to the alternative minimum tax; however, it is currently intended that the Fund will be managed so that income generated by the Fund will not be subject to the alternative minimum tax. In addition, the Fund may temporarily invest more than 20% of its assets in taxable money market securities for defensive purposes in attempting to respond to adverse market conditions.

The Fund operates as an “institutional money market fund,” which is neither a “government money market fund” nor “retail money market fund” as such terms are defined or interpreted under Rule 2a-7 under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (“Rule 2a-7” under the “1940 Act”). As such, the Fund is required to price and transact in its shares at a net asset value per share (“NAV”) reflecting market-based values of its portfolio holdings (i.e., at a “floating” NAV), rounded to a minimum of the fourth decimal place. Like other money market funds of its type, the Fund is subject to the possible imposition of liquidity fees and/or redemption gates.

Principal Risks

There is no assurance that the Fund will achieve its investment objective.

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Prospectus  |  Fund Summary

Tax-Exempt Portfolio (Cont’d)

You could lose money by investing in the Fund. Because the share price of the Fund will fluctuate, when you sell your shares they may be worth more or less than what you originally paid for them. The Fund may impose a fee upon the sale of your shares or may temporarily suspend your ability to sell shares if the Fund’s liquidity falls below required minimums because of market conditions or other factors. An investment in the Fund is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (“FDIC”) or any other government agency. The Fund’s sponsor has no legal obligation to provide financial support to the Fund, and you should not expect that the sponsor will provide financial support to the Fund at any time.

The principal risks of investing in the Fund include:

 

Credit and Interest Rate Risk. Credit risk refers to the possibility that the issuer or guarantor of a security will be unable to make interest payments and/or repay the principal on its debt. Interest rate risk refers to fluctuations in the value of a fixed-income security resulting from changes in the general level of interest rates. When the general level of interest rates goes up, the prices of most fixed-income securities go down. When the general level of interest rates goes down, the prices of most fixed-income securities go up. The Fund may face a heightened level of interest rate risk in times of monetary policy change and uncertainty, such as when the Federal Reserve Board ends a quantitative easing program and/or raises rates. A rising interest rate environment increases certain risks, including the potential for periods of volatility, increased redemptions and extended durations (i.e., extension risk).

 

Fixed-Income Securities. Fixed-income securities are subject to the risk of the issuer’s inability to meet principal and interest payments on its obligations (i.e., credit risk) and are subject to price volatility resulting from, among other things, interest rate sensitivity (i.e., interest rate risk), market perception of the creditworthiness of the issuer and general market liquidity (i.e., market risk). The Fund may face a heightened level of interest rate risk in times of monetary policy change and uncertainty, such as when the Federal Reserve Board ends a quantitative easing program and/or raises rates.

 

Municipal Obligations. To the extent the Fund invests in municipal obligations issued by state and local governments and their agencies, the Fund may be susceptible to political, economic, regulatory or other factors affecting issuers of these municipal obligations. To the extent that the Fund invests in municipal obligations of issuers in the same economic sector, it could be more sensitive to economic, business or political developments that affect such sector.
 

Performance Information

The bar chart and table below provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by showing changes in the performance of the Fund’s Institutional Select Class shares from year-to-year and by showing the average annual returns of the Fund’s Institutional Select Class shares for the one, five and 10 year periods. The Fund’s past performance is not necessarily an indication of how the Fund will perform in the future. Updated performance information is available online at www.morganstanley.com/liquidity.

Annual Total Returns—Calendar Years

High Quarter

06/30/19

0.38%

Low Quarter

03/31/15

0.00%

Average Annual Total Returns

(for the Periods Ended December 31, 2019)

 

Past
One Year

Past
Five Years

Past
Ten Years

Tax-Exempt Portfolio

1.30%

0.71%

0.37%

You may obtain the Fund’s 7-day current yield by calling 1-888-378-1630.

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Prospectus | Fund Summary

Tax-Exempt Portfolio (Cont’d)

Fund Management

Adviser. Morgan Stanley Investment Management Inc.

Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares

Institutional Select Class shares of the Fund are available to investors who at the time of initial purchase make a minimum investment of $10 million. You may not be subject to the minimum investment requirement under certain circumstances. For more information, please refer to the section of this Prospectus entitled “Shareholder Information—Minimum Investment Amount.”

Shares of the Fund may be purchased or sold on any day the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) is open for business (except when the following federal holidays are observed: Columbus Day and Veterans Day) directly from the Fund by mail (c/o DST Asset Manager Solutions, Inc., P.O. Box 219804, Kansas City, MO 64121-9804), by telephone (1-888-378-1630) or by contacting an authorized third-party, such as a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary that has entered into a selling agreement with the Fund’s “Distributor,” Morgan Stanley Distribution, Inc. (each, a “Financial Intermediary”). You may purchase and redeem shares online through Morgan Stanley’s Treasury Investment Portal service at www.morganstanley.com/liquidity, provided you have a pre-established Internet trading account. For more information, please refer to the sections of this Prospectus entitled “Shareholder Information—How To Purchase Shares” and “Shareholder Information—How To Redeem Shares.”

Selected accounts that utilize the Fund as their sweep vehicle will be reviewed on each business day and shares will automatically be purchased or sold to cover any credits or debits incurred that day.

Tax Information

The Fund intends to make distributions that are generally not subject to federal income tax; however the Fund may distribute taxable dividends, including distributions of short-term capital gains, and long-term capital gains. In addition, interest on certain bonds may be subject to the federal alternative minimum tax. To the extent that the Fund’s distributions are derived from interest on bonds that are not exempt from applicable state and local taxes, such distributions will be subject to such state and local taxes.

Payments to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries

If you purchase shares of the Fund through a Financial Intermediary (such as a bank), the Adviser and/or the Distributor may pay the Financial Intermediary for the sale of Fund shares and related services. These payments, which may be significant in amount, may create a conflict of interest by influencing the Financial Intermediary and your salesperson to recommend the Fund over another investment. Ask your salesperson or visit your Financial Intermediary’s web site for more information.

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds  |  Details of the Funds

Prime Portfolio

Investment Objective

The Prime Portfolio seeks preservation of capital, daily liquidity and maximum current income.

Approach

The Fund invests in liquid, high quality U.S. dollar-denominated money market instruments of U.S. and foreign financial corporations and U.S. non-financial corporations. The Fund also invests in obligations issued or guaranteed by the U.S. Government and its agencies and instrumentalities. The Fund’s money market investments may include commercial paper, corporate debt obligations, debt obligations (including certificates of deposit and promissory notes) of U.S. banks or foreign banks, or of U.S. branches or subsidiaries of foreign banks, or foreign branches of U.S. banks (such as Yankee obligations), certificates of deposit of savings banks and savings and loan organizations, asset-backed securities, repurchase agreements and municipal obligations.

The Fund operates as an “institutional money market fund” which is neither a “government money market fund” nor “retail money market fund” as such terms are defined or interpreted under Rule 2a-7. As such, the Fund is required to price and transact in its shares at a NAV reflecting market-based values of its portfolio holdings (i.e., at a “floating” NAV), rounded to a minimum of the fourth decimal place. Like other money market funds of its type, the Fund is subject to the possible imposition of liquidity fees and/or redemption gates.

Process

The Adviser follows a multi-pronged investment process with respect to credit risk, interest rate risk and liquidity. Securities are reviewed on an ongoing basis to maintain or improve creditworthiness taking into consideration factors such as cash flow, asset quality, debt service coverage ratios and economic developments. Additionally, exposure to guarantors and liquidity providers is monitored separately as are the various diversification requirements.

The Adviser actively manages the Fund’s assets in an attempt to reduce the risk of losing any principal investment as a result of credit or interest rate risks. In addition, federal regulations require money market funds to invest only in debt obligations of high quality and short-term maturities.

Principal Risks

The Fund’s principal investment strategies are subject to the following principal risks:

There is no assurance that the Fund will achieve its investment objective. You could lose money by investing in the Fund. Because the share price of the Fund will fluctuate, when you sell your shares they may be worth more or less than what you originally paid for them. The Fund may impose a fee upon the sale of your shares or may temporarily suspend your ability to sell shares if the Fund’s liquidity falls below required minimums because of market conditions or other factors. An investment in the Fund is not insured or guaranteed by the FDIC or any other government agency.

A principal risk of investing in the Fund is associated with its debt obligation investments. All debt obligations, such as bonds, are subject to two types of risk: credit risk and interest rate risk. Credit risk refers to the possibility that the issuer or guarantor of a security will be unable to make interest payments and/or repay the principal on its debt. Interest rate risk refers to fluctuations in the value of a fixed-income security resulting from changes in the general level of interest rates. When the general level of interest rates goes up, the prices of most fixed-income securities go down. When the general level of interest rates goes down, the prices of most fixed-income securities go up. A low interest rate environment may prevent the Fund from providing a positive yield or paying Fund expenses out of Fund assets. The Fund may face a heightened level of interest rate risk in times of monetary policy change and uncertainty, such as when the Federal Reserve Board ends a quantitative easing program and/or raises rates. A rising interest rate environment increases certain risks, including the potential for periods of volatility, increased redemptions and extended durations (i.e., extension risk).

The Fund may purchase bank obligations. The activities of U.S. and most foreign banks are subject to comprehensive regulations. The enactment of new legislation or regulations, as well as changes in interpretation and enforcement of current laws, may affect the manner of operations and profitability of domestic and foreign banks. In addition, banks may be particularly susceptible to certain economic factors.

The Fund may purchase U.S. government securities that are not backed by the full faith and credit of the United States. With respect to these U.S. government securities, there is the risk that the U.S. Government will not provide financial support to such U.S. government agencies, instrumentalities or sponsored enterprises if it is not obligated to do so by law. The maximum potential liability of the issuers of some U.S. government securities held by the Fund may greatly exceed their current resources, including their legal right to support from the U.S. Treasury. It is possible that these issuers will not have the funds to meet their payment obligations in the future.

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds | Details of the Funds

Prime Portfolio (Cont’d)

Repurchase agreements are subject to additional risks associated with the possibility of default by the seller at a time when the collateral has declined in value, or insolvency of the seller, which may affect the Fund’s right to control the collateral and result in certain costs and delays.

Asset-backed securities raise certain risk considerations, including prepayment risk, extension risk and the risk of inadequate recovery on repossessed collateral. Because the Fund may concentrate its investments in bank securities, an adverse development in the banking industry may affect the value of the Fund’s investments more than if the Fund’s investments were not so concentrated.

The Fund may invest in U.S. dollar-denominated foreign securities and money market instruments. Although the Fund will invest in these securities only if the Adviser determines they are of comparable quality to the Fund’s U.S. investments, investing in securities of foreign issuers involves some additional risks. These risks may include the possibility of adverse political, economic or other developments affecting the issuers of these securities.

To the extent the Fund invests in municipal obligations issued by state and local governments and their agencies, the Fund may be susceptible to political, economic, regulatory or other factors affecting issuers of these municipal obligations.

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds  |  Details of the Funds

ESG Money Market Portfolio

Investment Objective

The ESG Money Market Portfolio seeks preservation of capital, daily liquidity and maximum current income.

Approach

The Fund invests in liquid, high quality U.S. dollar-denominated money market instruments of U.S. and foreign financial and non-financial corporations. The Fund also invests in obligations of foreign governments and in obligations issued or guaranteed by the U.S. Government and its agencies and instrumentalities. The Fund’s money market investments may include commercial paper, corporate debt obligations, debt obligations (including certificates of deposit and promissory notes) of U.S. banks or foreign banks, or of U.S. branches or subsidiaries of foreign banks, or foreign branches of U.S. banks (such as Yankee obligations), certificates of deposit of savings banks and savings and loan organizations, asset-backed securities, repurchase agreements and municipal obligations.

The Fund operates as an “institutional money market fund” which is neither a “government money market fund” nor “retail money market fund” as such terms are defined or interpreted under Rule 2a-7. As such, the Fund is required to price and transact in its shares at a NAV reflecting market-based values of its portfolio holdings (i.e., at a “floating” NAV), rounded to a minimum of the fourth decimal place. Like other money market funds of its type, the Fund is subject to the possible imposition of liquidity fees and/or redemption gates.

Process

The Adviser follows a multi-pronged investment process with respect to credit risk, interest rate risk and liquidity. Securities are reviewed on an ongoing basis to maintain or improve creditworthiness taking into consideration factors such as cash flow, asset quality, debt service coverage ratios and economic developments. Additionally, exposure to guarantors and liquidity providers is monitored separately as are the various diversification requirements.

The Adviser believes that ESG factors have the ability to impact the fundamental credit risk of an entity. The Fund’s investment process incorporates information about ESG issues via an integrated approach within the Adviser’s fundamental investment analysis framework. The Adviser may engage with management of certain issuers regarding corporate governance practices as well as what the Adviser deems to be materially important environmental and/or social issues facing a company.

The Adviser has proprietary ESG-scoring methodologies that explicitly consider the risks and opportunities ESG factors pose to money market instruments. By combining third-party ESG data with proprietary views, the Adviser creates unique scoring methodologies that it applies to issuers.

During the security selection process, the Adviser employs a rules-based process to construct the portfolio. Initially, the Adviser determines from the universe of money market fund-eligible issuers those which, in its opinion, have the lowest credit risk and/or best credit profile, excluding the following:

 

Corporations that generate revenue from the manufacturing or production of tobacco;

 

Corporations that generate revenue from the manufacturing or production of landmines and cluster munitions (i.e., an explosive weapon that randomly scatters submunitions);

 

Corporations that generate revenue from the manufacturing or production of firearms;

 

Corporations that generate revenue from the mining of thermal coal or coal fired power generation; and

 

Corporations that primarily generate revenue from the fossil fuel industries, which the Adviser has determined produce a certain level of carbon emissions.
 

The Fund may invest in green commercial paper (a security that is typically issued to raise capital specifically to support climate-related or environmental projects) issued by companies that would otherwise be subject to fossil fuel exclusions so long as the Adviser has determined that the proceeds will not be used to finance fossil fuel generation capabilities.

In analyzing whether an issuer meets any of the criteria described above, the Adviser may rely upon, among other things, information provided by an independent third party.

After applying the above exclusion screens, the Adviser calculates proprietary ESG scores for the remaining issuers based on a number of variables, such as environmental, social, governance, controversy and ESG momentum factors. The Adviser then sets minimum ESG score thresholds. Only issuers with an ESG score above a minimum threshold will be considered for investment by the Fund, thus eliminating those issuers with the lowest ESG performance. The Adviser’s minimum ESG score thresholds may be adjusted from time to time, provided that a subset of issuers are always excluded by ESG factors.

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds | Details of the Funds

ESG Money Market Portfolio (Cont’d)

From the final list of ESG-approved issuers, the Adviser determines the securities and issuers in which the Fund will invest, taking into account a variety of relevant considerations (including, without limitation, yield, interest rate changes, credit quality and duration).

Under normal circumstances, the Fund will invest 100% of its net assets (excluding cash) in securities whose issuer or guarantor, in the Adviser’s opinion at the time of purchase, meets the Fund’s ESG criteria.

The Adviser actively manages the Fund’s assets in an attempt to reduce the risk of losing any principal investment as a result of credit or interest rate risks. In addition, federal regulations require money market funds to invest only in debt obligations of high quality and short-term maturities.

Principal Risks

The Fund’s principal investment strategies are subject to the following principal risks:

There is no assurance that the Fund will achieve its investment objective. You could lose money by investing in the Fund. Because the share price of the Fund will fluctuate, when you sell your shares they may be worth more or less than what you originally paid for them. The Fund may impose a fee upon the sale of your shares or may temporarily suspend your ability to sell shares if the Fund’s liquidity falls below required minimums because of market conditions or other factors. An investment in the Fund is not insured or guaranteed by the FDIC or any other government agency.

A principal risk of investing in the Fund is associated with its debt obligation investments. All debt obligations, such as bonds, are subject to two types of risk: credit risk and interest rate risk. Credit risk refers to the possibility that the issuer or guarantor of a security will be unable to make interest payments and/or repay the principal on its debt. Interest rate risk refers to fluctuations in the value of a fixed-income security resulting from changes in the general level of interest rates. When the general level of interest rates goes up, the prices of most fixed-income securities go down. When the general level of interest rates goes down, the prices of most fixed-income securities go up. A low interest rate environment may prevent the Fund from providing a positive yield or paying Fund expenses out of Fund assets. The Fund may face a heightened level of interest rate risk in times of monetary policy change and uncertainty, such as when the Federal Reserve Board ends a quantitative easing program and/or raises rates. A rising interest rate environment increases certain risks, including the potential for periods of volatility, increased redemptions and extended durations (i.e., extension risk).

The Fund may purchase bank obligations. The activities of U.S. and most foreign banks are subject to comprehensive regulations. The enactment of new legislation or regulations, as well as changes in interpretation and enforcement of current laws, may affect the manner of operations and profitability of domestic and foreign banks. In addition, banks may be particularly susceptible to certain economic factors.

The Fund may purchase U.S. government securities that are not backed by the full faith and credit of the United States. With respect to these U.S. government securities, there is the risk that the U.S. Government will not provide financial support to such U.S. government agencies, instrumentalities or sponsored enterprises if it is not obligated to do so by law. The maximum potential liability of the issuers of some U.S. government securities held by the Fund may greatly exceed their current resources, including their legal right to support from the U.S. Treasury. It is possible that these issuers will not have the funds to meet their payment obligations in the future.

Asset-backed securities raise certain risk considerations including prepayment risk, extension risk and the risk of inadequate recovery on repossessed collateral. Because the Fund may concentrate its investments in bank securities, an adverse development in the banking industry may affect the value of the Fund’s investments more than if the Fund were not so concentrated.

Repurchase agreements are subject to additional risks associated with the possibility of default by the seller at a time when the collateral has declined in value, or insolvency of the seller, which may affect the Fund’s right to control the collateral and result in certain costs and delays.

The Fund may invest in U.S. dollar-denominated foreign securities and money market instruments. Although the Fund will invest in these securities only if the Adviser determines they are of comparable quality to the Fund’s U.S. investments, investing in securities of foreign issuers involves some additional risks. These risks may include the possibility of adverse political, economic or other developments affecting the issuers of these securities.

To the extent the Fund invests in municipal obligations issued by state and local governments and their agencies, the Fund may be susceptible to political, economic, regulatory or other factors affecting issuers of these municipal obligations.

The Fund’s adherence to its ESG criteria and application of related analyses when selecting investments may affect the Fund’s performance depending on whether such investments are in or out of favor and relative to similar funds that do not adhere to such criteria or apply such analyses. Socially responsible norms differ by country and region, and a company’s ESG practices or the

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds  |  Details of the Funds

ESG Money Market Portfolio (Con’t)

Adviser’s assessment of such may change over time. The Fund may invest in companies that do not reflect the beliefs and values of any particular investor. Additionally, the Fund’s adherence to its ESG criteria and application of related analyses in connection with identifying and selecting investments in non-U.S. issuers often require subjective analysis and may be relatively more difficult than applying the ESG criteria or related analyses to investments of U.S. issuers because data availability may be more limited with respect to non-U.S. issuers. The exclusionary criteria related to the Fund’s ESG criteria may result in the Fund forgoing opportunities to buy certain securities when it might otherwise be advantageous to do so, or selling securities for ESG reasons when it might be otherwise disadvantageous for it to do so. The Fund’s investments in certain companies may be susceptible to various factors that may impact their businesses or operations, including costs associated with government budgetary constraints that impact publicly funded projects and clean energy initiatives, the effects of general economic conditions throughout the world, increased competition from other providers of services, unfavorable tax laws or accounting policies and high leverage.

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds  |  Details of the Funds

Government Portfolio

Investment Objective

The Government Portfolio seeks preservation of capital, daily liquidity and maximum current income.

Approach

The Fund has adopted a policy to invest exclusively in obligations issued or guaranteed by the U.S. Government and its agencies and instrumentalities and in repurchase agreements collateralized by such securities in order to qualify as a “government money market fund” under federal regulations. The Fund may also hold cash from time to time. A “government money market fund” is a money market fund that invests at least 99.5% of its total assets in cash, securities issued or guaranteed by the United States or certain U.S. government agencies or instrumentalities and/or repurchase agreements that are collateralized fully by the foregoing. In selecting investments, the Adviser seeks to maintain the Fund’s share price at $1.00. The share price remaining stable at $1.00 means that the Fund would preserve the principal value of your investment. The Fund may change its principal investment strategies; however you would be notified of any changes.

The U.S. government securities that the Fund may purchase include:

 

U.S. treasury bills, notes and bonds, all of which are direct obligations of the U.S. Government.

 

Securities issued by agencies and instrumentalities of the U.S. Government which are backed by the full faith and credit of the United States. Among the agencies and instrumentalities issuing these obligations are the Government National Mortgage Association (“Ginnie Mae”) and the Federal Housing Administration.

 

Securities issued by agencies and instrumentalities which are not backed by the full faith and credit of the United States, but whose issuing agency or instrumentality has the right to borrow, to meet its obligations, from the U.S. Treasury. Among these agencies and instrumentalities are the Federal National Mortgage Association (“Fannie Mae”), the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (“Freddie Mac”) and the Federal Home Loan Banks.

 

Securities issued by agencies and instrumentalities which are backed solely by the credit of the issuing agency or instrumentality. Among these agencies and instrumentalities is the Federal Farm Credit System.
 

Process

The Adviser follows an investment process that seeks to select maturities based on the shape of the money market yield curve and based on the expectations as to future shifts in the level and shape of the curve, taking into consideration such factors as current short-term interest rates, Federal Reserve policy regarding interest rates and U.S. economic activity.

The Adviser actively manages the Fund’s assets in an attempt to reduce the risk of losing any principal investment as a result of credit or interest rate risks. The Fund’s assets are reviewed to maintain or improve creditworthiness. In addition, federal regulations require money market funds to invest only in debt obligations of high quality and short-term maturities.

Principal Risks

The Fund’s principal investment strategies are subject to the following principal risks:

There is no assurance that the Fund will achieve its investment objective. You could lose money by investing in the Fund. Although the Fund seeks to preserve the value of your investment at $1.00 per share, it cannot guarantee it will do so. An investment in the Fund is not insured or guaranteed by the FDIC or any other government agency.

A principal risk of investing in the Fund is associated with its debt obligation investments. All debt obligations, such as bonds, are subject to two types of risk: credit risk and interest rate risk. Credit risk refers to the possibility that the issuer or guarantor of a security will be unable to make interest payments and/or repay the principal on its debt. Interest rate risk refers to fluctuations in the value of a fixed-income security resulting from changes in the general level of interest rates. When the general level of interest rates goes up, the prices of most fixed-income securities go down. When the general level of interest rates goes down, the prices of most fixed-income securities go up. A low interest rate environment may prevent the Fund from providing a positive yield or paying Fund expenses out of Fund assets and could impair the Fund’s ability to maintain a stable NAV. The Fund may face a heightened level of interest rate risk in times of monetary policy change and uncertainty, such as when the Federal Reserve Board ends a quantitative easing program and/or raises rates. A rising interest rate environment increases certain risks, including the potential for periods of volatility, increased redemptions and extended durations (i.e., extension risk).

The Fund may purchase U.S. government securities that are not backed by the full faith and credit of the United States. With respect to these U.S. government securities, there is the risk that the U.S. Government will not provide financial support to such U.S. government agencies, instrumentalities or sponsored enterprises if it is not obligated to do so by law. The maximum potential liability of the issuers of some U.S. government securities held by the Fund may greatly exceed their current resources, including their legal right to support from the U.S. Treasury. It is possible that these issuers will not have the funds to meet their payment obligations in the future.

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds  |  Details of the Funds

Government Portfolio (Con’t)

Repurchase agreements are subject to additional risks associated with the possibility of default by the seller at a time when the collateral has declined in value, or insolvency of the seller, which may affect the Fund’s right to control the collateral and result in certain costs and delays.

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds  |  Details of the Funds

Government Securities Portfolio

Investment Objective

The Government Securities Portfolio seeks preservation of capital, daily liquidity and maximum current income.

Approach

The Fund has adopted a policy to invest substantially all of its assets in U.S. Treasury obligations and certain U.S. government securities, the interest from which is generally exempt from state income taxation, in order to qualify as a “government money market fund” under federal regulations. The Fund may also hold cash from time to time. A “government money market fund” is a money market fund that invests at least 99.5% of its total assets in cash, securities issued or guaranteed by the United States or certain U.S. government agencies or instrumentalities and/or repurchase agreements that are collateralized fully by the foregoing. In selecting investments, the Adviser seeks to maintain the Fund’s share price at $1.00. The share price remaining stable at $1.00 means that the Fund would preserve the principal value of your investment. The U.S. government securities that the Fund may purchase include those issued or guaranteed either by the U.S. Treasury or certain agencies, authorities or instrumentalities of the U.S. Government. The Fund may also invest in repurchase agreements with the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. The Fund may change its principal investment strategies; however you would be notified of any changes.

Shareholders should consult their individual tax adviser to determine whether the Fund’s distributions derived from interest on the Treasury obligations and U.S. government securities referred to above are exempt from state taxation in their own state.

Process

The Adviser follows an investment process that seeks to select maturities based on the shape of the money market yield curve and based on the expectations as to future shifts in the level and shape of the curve, taking into consideration such factors as current short-term interest rates, Federal Reserve policy regarding interest rates and U.S. economic activity.

The Adviser actively manages the Fund’s assets in an attempt to reduce the risk of losing any principal investment as a result of credit or interest rate risks. The Fund’s assets are reviewed to maintain or improve creditworthiness. In addition, federal regulations require money market funds to invest only in debt obligations of high quality and short-term maturities.

Principal Risks

The Fund’s principal investment strategies are subject to the following principal risks:

There is no assurance that the Fund will achieve its investment objective. You could lose money by investing in the Fund. Although the Fund seeks to preserve the value of your investment at $1.00 per share, it cannot guarantee it will do so. An investment in the Fund is not insured or guaranteed by the FDIC or any other government agency.

A principal risk of investing in the Fund is associated with its debt obligation investments. All debt obligations, such as bonds, are subject to two types of risk: credit risk and interest rate risk. Credit risk refers to the possibility that the issuer or guarantor of a security will be unable to make interest payments and/or repay the principal on its debt. Interest rate risk refers to fluctuations in the value of a fixed-income security resulting from changes in the general level of interest rates. When the general level of interest rates goes up, the prices of most fixed-income securities go down. When the general level of interest rates goes down, the prices of most fixed-income securities go up. A low interest rate environment may prevent the Fund from providing a positive yield or paying Fund expenses out of Fund assets and could impair the Fund’s ability to maintain a stable NAV. The Fund may face a heightened level of interest rate risk in times of monetary policy change and uncertainty, such as when the Federal Reserve Board ends a quantitative easing program and/or raises rates. A rising interest rate environment increases certain risks, including the potential for periods of volatility, increased redemptions and extended durations (i.e., extension risk).

The Fund may purchase U.S. government securities that are not backed by the full faith and credit of the United States. With respect to these U.S. government securities, there is the risk that the U.S. Government will not provide financial support to such U.S. government agencies, instrumentalities or sponsored enterprises if it is not obligated to do so by law. The maximum potential liability of the issuers of some U.S. government securities held by the Fund may greatly exceed their current resources, including their legal right to support from the U.S. Treasury. It is possible that these issuers will not have the funds to meet their payment obligations in the future.

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds  |  Details of the Funds

Treasury Portfolio

Investment Objective

The Treasury Portfolio seeks preservation of capital, daily liquidity and maximum current income.

Approach

The Fund has adopted a policy to invest exclusively in U.S. Treasury obligations, which are backed by the full faith and credit of the United States, and repurchase agreements collateralized by such securities in order to qualify as a “government money market fund” under federal regulations. The Fund may also hold cash from time to time. A “government money market fund” is a money market fund that invests at least 99.5% of its total assets in cash, securities issued or guaranteed by the United States or certain U.S. government agencies or instrumentalities and/or repurchase agreements that are collateralized fully by the foregoing. In selecting investments, the Adviser seeks to maintain the Fund’s share price at $1.00. The share price remaining stable at $1.00 means that the Fund would preserve the principal value of your investment. The Fund may change its principal investment strategies; however you would be notified of any changes.

Process

The Adviser follows an investment process that seeks to select maturities based on the shape of the money market yield curve and based on the expectations as to future shifts in the level and shape of the curve, taking into consideration such factors as current short-term interest rates, Federal Reserve policy regarding interest rates and U.S. economic activity.

The Adviser actively manages the Fund’s assets in an attempt to reduce the risk of losing any principal investment as a result of credit or interest rate risks. The Fund’s assets are reviewed to maintain or improve creditworthiness. In addition, federal regulations require money market funds to invest only in debt obligations of high quality and short-term maturities.

Principal Risks

The Fund’s principal investment strategies are subject to the following principal risks:

There is no assurance that the Fund will achieve its investment objective. You could lose money by investing in the Fund. Although the Fund seeks to preserve the value of your investment at $1.00 per share, it cannot guarantee it will do so. An investment in the Fund is not insured or guaranteed by the FDIC or any other government agency.

A principal risk of investing in the Fund is associated with its debt obligation investments. All debt obligations, such as bonds, are subject to two types of risk: credit risk and interest rate risk. Credit risk refers to the possibility that the issuer or guarantor of a security will be unable to make interest payments and/or repay the principal on its debt. Interest rate risk refers to fluctuations in the value of a fixed-income security resulting from changes in the general level of interest rates. When the general level of interest rates goes up, the prices of most fixed-income securities go down. When the general level of interest rates goes down, the prices of most fixed-income securities go up. A low interest rate environment may prevent the Fund from providing a positive yield or paying Fund expenses out of Fund assets and could impair the Fund’s ability to maintain a stable NAV. The Fund may face a heightened level of interest rate risk in times of monetary policy change and uncertainty, such as when the Federal Reserve Board ends a quantitative easing program and/or raises rates. A rising interest rate environment increases certain risks, including the potential for periods of volatility, increased redemptions and extended durations (i.e., extension risk).

The U.S. government securities in which the Fund invests can be subject to two types of risk: credit risk and interest rate risk. When the general level of interest rates goes up, the prices of most fixed-income securities go down. When the general level of interest rates goes down, the prices of most fixed-income securities go up. While the credit risk associated with U.S. government securities generally is considered to be minimal, the interest rate risk can be substantial.

Repurchase agreements are subject to additional risks associated with the possibility of default by the seller at a time when the collateral has declined in value, or insolvency of the seller, which may affect the Fund’s right to control the collateral and result in certain costs and delays.

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds  |  Details of the Funds

Treasury Securities Portfolio

Investment Objective

The Treasury Securities Portfolio seeks preservation of capital, daily liquidity and maximum current income.

Approach

The Fund has adopted a policy to invest exclusively in U.S. Treasury obligations, which are backed by the full faith and credit of the United States, in order to qualify as a “government money market fund” under federal regulations. The Fund may also hold cash from time to time. A “government money market fund” is a money market fund that invests at least 99.5% of its total assets in cash, securities issued or guaranteed by the United States or certain U.S. government agencies or instrumentalities and/or repurchase agreements that are collateralized fully by the foregoing. In selecting investments, the Adviser seeks to maintain the Fund’s share price at $1.00. The share price remaining stable at $1.00 means that the Fund would preserve the principal value of your investment. The Fund may change its principal investment strategies; however you would be notified of any changes.

Process

The Adviser follows an investment process that seeks to select maturities based on the shape of the money market yield curve and based on the expectations as to future shifts in the level and shape of the curve, taking into consideration such factors as current short-term interest rates, Federal Reserve policy regarding interest rates and U.S. economic activity.

The Adviser actively manages the Fund’s assets in an attempt to reduce the risk of losing any principal investment as a result of credit or interest rate risks. The Fund’s assets are reviewed to maintain or improve creditworthiness. In addition, federal regulations require money market funds to invest only in debt obligations of high quality and short-term maturities.

Principal Risks

The Fund’s principal investment strategies are subject to the following principal risks:

There is no assurance that the Fund will achieve its investment objective. You could lose money by investing in the Fund. Although the Fund seeks to preserve the value of your investment at $1.00 per share, it cannot guarantee it will do so. An investment in the Fund is not insured or guaranteed by the FDIC or any other government agency.

A principal risk of investing in the Fund is associated with its debt obligation investments. All debt obligations, such as bonds, are subject to two types of risk: credit risk and interest rate risk. Credit risk refers to the possibility that the issuer or guarantor of a security will be unable to make interest payments and/or repay the principal on its debt. Interest rate risk refers to fluctuations in the value of a fixed-income security resulting from changes in the general level of interest rates. When the general level of interest rates goes up, the prices of most fixed-income securities go down. When the general level of interest rates goes down, the prices of most fixed-income securities go up. A low interest rate environment may prevent the Fund from providing a positive yield or paying Fund expenses out of Fund assets and could impair the Fund’s ability to maintain a stable NAV. The Fund may face a heightened level of interest rate risk in times of monetary policy change and uncertainty, such as when the Federal Reserve Board ends a quantitative easing program and/or raises rates. A rising interest rate environment increases certain risks, including the potential for periods of volatility, increased redemptions and extended durations (i.e., extension risk).

The U.S. government securities in which the Fund invests can be subject to two types of risk: credit risk and interest rate risk. When the general level of interest rates goes up, the prices of most fixed-income securities go down. When the general level of interest rates goes down, the prices of most fixed-income securities go up. While the credit risk associated with U.S. government securities generally is considered to be minimal, the interest rate risk can be substantial.

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds  |  Details of the Funds

Tax-Exempt Portfolio

Investment Objective

The Tax-Exempt Portfolio seeks to maximize current income exempt from federal income tax to the extent consistent with preservation of capital and maintenance of liquidity.

Approach

The Fund invests at least 80% of its assets in high quality short-term municipal obligations, the interest of which is exempt from federal income taxes and is not subject to the federal alternative minimum tax. This policy is fundamental and may not be changed without shareholder approval. Municipal obligations are securities issued by state and local governments and their agencies and typically are either general obligation or revenue bonds, notes or commercial paper. General obligation securities are secured by the issuer’s full faith and credit including its taxing power for payment of principal and interest. Revenue bonds, however, are generally payable from a specific revenue source. They are issued for a wide variety of projects such as financing public utilities, hospitals, housing, airports, highways and educational facilities. Included within the revenue bonds category are participations in lease obligations and installment purchase contracts of municipalities. Additionally, the Fund’s investments may include variable and floating rate demand instruments, tender option bonds, custodial receipts and investments in other investment companies, including money market funds.

The Fund may invest up to 20% of its assets in taxable money market securities or in municipal obligations that pay interest income that may be subject to the alternative minimum tax. However, it is currently intended that the Fund will be managed so that income generated by the Fund will not be subject to the alternative minimum tax.

While at least 80% of the Fund’s assets typically will be invested in municipal obligations, the interest of which is exempt from federal income taxes and is not subject to the federal alternative minimum tax, the Fund may temporarily invest more than 20% of its assets in taxable money market securities for defensive purposes in attempting to respond to adverse market conditions.

The Fund operates as an “institutional money market fund” which is neither a “government money market fund” nor “retail money market fund” as such terms are defined or interpreted under Rule 2a-7. As such, the Fund is required to price and transact in its shares at a NAV reflecting market-based values of its portfolio holdings (i.e., at a “floating” NAV), rounded to a minimum of the fourth decimal place. Like other money market funds of its type, the Fund is subject to the possible imposition of liquidity fees and/or redemption gates.

Process

The Adviser follows a multi-pronged investment process with respect to credit risk, interest rate risk and liquidity. Securities are reviewed on an ongoing basis, taking into consideration factors such as economic developments, budgetary trends, cash flow, debt service coverage ratios and tax-law changes. Exposure to guarantors and liquidity providers is monitored separately. Weighted average maturity is shifted in response to expectations as to the future course of money market interest rates, the shape of the money market yield curve and the Fund’s recent cash flow experience.

The Adviser actively manages the Fund’s assets in an attempt to reduce the risk of losing any principal investment as a result of credit or interest rate risks. The Fund’s assets are reviewed to maintain or improve creditworthiness. In addition, federal regulations require money market funds to invest only in debt obligations of high quality and short-term maturities.

Principal Risks

The Fund’s principal investment strategies are subject to the following principal risks:

There is no assurance that the Fund will achieve its investment objective. You could lose money by investing in the Fund. Because the share price of the Fund will fluctuate, when you sell your shares they may be worth more or less than what you originally paid for them. The Fund may impose a fee upon the sale of your shares or may temporarily suspend your ability to sell shares if the Fund’s liquidity falls below required minimums because of market conditions or other factors. An investment in the Fund is not insured or guaranteed by the FDIC or any other government agency.

A principal risk of investing in the Fund is associated with its debt obligation investments. All debt obligations, such as bonds, are subject to two types of risk: credit risk and interest rate risk. Credit risk refers to the possibility that the issuer or guarantor of a security will be unable to make interest payments and/or repay the principal on its debt. Interest rate risk refers to fluctuations in the value of a fixed-income security resulting from changes in the general level of interest rates. When the general level of interest rates goes up, the prices of most fixed-income securities go down. When the general level of interest rates goes down, the prices of most fixed-income securities go up. A low interest rate environment may prevent the Fund from providing a positive yield or paying Fund expenses out of Fund assets. The Fund may face a heightened level of interest rate risk in times of monetary policy change and uncertainty, such as when the Federal Reserve Board ends a quantitative easing program and/or raises rates. A rising interest rate environment increases certain risks, including the potential for periods of volatility, increased redemptions and extended durations (i.e., extension risk).

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds | Details of the Funds

Tax-Exempt Portfolio (Cont’d)

To the extent the Fund invests in municipal obligations issued by state and local governments and their agencies, the Fund may be susceptible to political, economic, regulatory or other factors affecting issuers of these municipal obligations. Municipal obligations are also subject to credit risk and interest risk. In the case of revenue bonds, for example, credit risk is the possibility that the user fees from a project or other specified revenue sources are insufficient to meet interest and/or principal payment obligations. The Fund is subject to added credit risk if it concentrates its investments in a single economic sector, which could be effected by economic, business or political developments which might affect all municipal obligations in that particular economic sector.

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Prospectus  |  Additional Information About the Funds’ Investment Strategies and Related Risks

Additional Information About the Funds’ Investment Strategies and Related Risks

This section discusses additional information relating to the Funds’ investment strategies, other types of investments that the Funds may make and related risk factors. The Funds’ investment practices and limitations are also described in more detail in the Statement of Additional Information (“SAI”), which is incorporated by reference and legally is a part of this Prospectus. For details on how to obtain a copy of the SAI and other reports and information, see the back cover of this Prospectus.

Bank Obligations

Bank obligations include certificates of deposit, commercial paper, unsecured bank promissory notes, bankers’ acceptances, time deposits and other debt obligations. Certain Funds may invest in obligations issued or backed by U.S. banks when a bank has more than $1 billion in total assets at the time of purchase or is a branch or subsidiary of such a bank. In addition, certain Funds may invest in U.S. dollar-denominated obligations issued or guaranteed by foreign banks that have more than $1 billion in total assets at the time of purchase, U.S. branches or subsidiaries of such foreign banks (Yankee obligations), foreign branches of such foreign banks and foreign branches of U.S. banks having more than $1 billion in total assets at the time of purchase. Bank obligations may be general obligations of the parent bank or may be limited to the issuing branch by the terms of the specific obligation or by U.S. government regulation.

If a Fund invests more than 25% of its total assets in bank obligations (whether foreign or domestic), it may be especially affected by favorable and adverse developments in or related to the banking industry. The activities of U.S. and most foreign banks are subject to comprehensive regulations, which, in the case of U.S. regulations, have undergone substantial changes in the past decade. The enactment of new legislation or regulations, as well as changes in interpretation and enforcement of current laws, may affect the manner of operations and profitability of domestic and foreign banks. Significant developments in the U.S. banking industry have included increased competition from other types of financial institutions, increased acquisition activity and geographic expansion. Banks may be particularly susceptible to certain economic factors, such as interest rate changes and adverse developments in the real estate markets. Fiscal and monetary policy and general economic cycles can affect the availability and cost of funds, loan demand and asset quality and thereby impact the earnings and financial conditions of banks. Obligations of foreign banks, including Yankee obligations, are subject to the same risks that pertain to domestic issuers, notably credit risk and market risk, but are also subject to certain additional risks such as adverse foreign political and economic developments, the extent and quality of foreign government regulation of the financial markets and institutions, foreign withholding taxes and other sovereign action such as nationalization or expropriation.

Credit and Interest Rate Risk

All debt obligations, such as bonds, are subject to two types of risk: credit risk and interest rate risk. Interest rate risk refers to fluctuations in the value of a fixed-income security resulting from changes in the general level of interest rates. When the general level of interest rates goes up, the prices of most fixed-income securities go down. When the general level of interest rates goes down, the prices of most fixed-income securities go up. A low interest rate environment may prevent a Fund from providing a positive yield or paying Fund expenses out of Fund assets. The Funds may face a heightened level of interest rate risk in times of monetary policy change and uncertainty, such as when the Federal Reserve Board ends a quantitative easing program and/or raises rates. A rising interest rate environment increases certain risks, including the potential for periods of volatility, increased redemptions and extended durations (i.e., extension risk).

U.S. Government Securities

The U.S. government securities that certain Funds may purchase include U.S. Treasury bills, notes and bonds, all of which are direct obligations of the U.S. Government. In addition, certain Funds may purchase securities issued or guaranteed by agencies and instrumentalities of the U.S. Government which are backed by the full faith and credit of the United States. Among the agencies and instrumentalities issuing these obligations are Ginnie Mae and the Federal Housing Administration. Also, certain Funds may purchase securities issued by agencies and instrumentalities which are not backed by the full faith and credit of the United States, but whose issuing agency or instrumentality has the right to borrow, to meet its obligations, from the U.S. Treasury. Among these agencies and instrumentalities are Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac and the Federal Home Loan Banks. In September 2008, the U.S. Treasury Department announced that the U.S. Government would be taking over Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac and placing the companies into a conservatorship. In addition, the U.S. Treasury announced additional steps that it intended to take with respect to the debt and mortgage-backed securities issued by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac in order to support the conservatorship. Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac are continuing to operate as going concerns while in conservatorship and each remains liable for all of its respective obligations, including its guaranty obligations, associated with its mortgage-backed securities. No assurance can be given that these initiatives will be successful. Further, certain Funds may purchase securities issued by agencies and instrumentalities which are backed solely by the credit of the issuing agency or instrumentality. Among these agencies and instrumentalities is the Federal Farm Credit System. Because these securities are not backed by the full faith and credit of the United States, there is a risk that the U.S. Government will not provide financial support to these agencies if it is not obligated to do so by law. The maximum potential liability of the issuers of some U.S. government securities held by a Fund may greatly exceed their current resources, including their

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Prospectus  |  Additional Information About the Funds’ Investment Strategies and Related Risks

Additional Information About the Funds’ Investment Strategies and Related Risks (Con’t)

legal right to support from the U.S. Treasury. It is possible that these issuers will not have the funds to meet their payment obligations in the future. The interest from U.S. government securities generally is not subject to state and local taxation.

Foreign Securities

Certain Funds may invest in U.S. dollar-denominated securities issued by foreign governmental or corporate issuers, including Eurodollar and Yankee obligations. While these securities are subject to the same type of risks that pertain to domestic issuers, namely credit risk and interest rate risk, they are also subject to other additional risks. Foreign issuers generally are subject to different accounting, auditing and financial reporting standards than U.S. issuers. There may be less information available to the public about foreign issuers. Securities of foreign issuers can be less liquid and experience greater price movements. In some foreign countries, there is also the risk of government expropriation, excessive taxation, political or social instability, the imposition of currency controls or diplomatic developments that could affect an investment. There also can be difficulty obtaining and enforcing judgments against issuers in foreign countries. Foreign stock exchanges, broker-dealers and listed issuers may be subject to less government regulation and oversight.

Foreign Money Market Securities

Certain Funds may invest in foreign money market securities. As described elsewhere herein, foreign investing may involve risks relating to political, social and economic developments abroad to a greater extent than investing in the securities of U.S. issuers. In addition, there are differences between U.S. and foreign regulatory requirements and market practices that may result in additional risk. Foreign money market securities also present credit and interest rate risks similar to those attendant to an investment in domestic money market securities.

Custodial Receipts

Certain Funds may invest in custodial receipts representing interests in U.S. government securities, municipal obligations or other debt instruments held by a custodian or trustee. Custodial receipts evidence ownership of future interest payments, principal payments or both on notes or bonds issued or guaranteed as to principal or interest by the U.S. Government, its agencies, instrumentalities, political subdivisions or authorities, by a state or local governmental body or authority, or by other types of issuers. For certain securities law purposes, custodial receipts are not considered obligations of the underlying issuers. In addition, if for tax purposes a Fund is not considered to be the owner of the underlying securities held in the custodial account, the Fund may suffer adverse tax consequences. As a holder of custodial receipts, a Fund will bear its proportionate share of the fees and expenses charged to the custodial account.

Tender Option Bonds

A tender option bond is a municipal obligation (generally held pursuant to a custodial arrangement) having a relatively long maturity and bearing interest at a fixed rate substantially higher than prevailing short-term, tax-exempt rates. The bond is typically issued in conjunction with the agreement of a third-party, such as a bank, broker-dealer or other financial institution, pursuant to which the institution grants the security holder the option, at periodic intervals, to tender its securities to the institution. As consideration for providing the option, the financial institution receives periodic fees equal to the difference between the bond’s fixed coupon rate and the rate, as determined by a remarketing or similar agent, that would cause the securities, coupled with the tender option, to trade at par on the date of such determination. Thus, after payment of this fee, the security holder effectively holds a demand obligation that bears interest at the prevailing short-term, tax-exempt rate. An institution will normally not be obligated to accept tendered bonds in the event of certain defaults or significant downgrading in the credit rating assigned to the issuer of the bond. The tender option will be taken into account in determining the maturity of the tender option bonds and average portfolio maturity. There is a risk that the investing Fund will not be considered the owner of a tender option bond for federal income tax purposes, and thus will not be entitled to treat such interest as exempt from federal income tax. Certain tender option bonds may be illiquid or may become illiquid as a result of a credit rating downgrade, a payment default or a disqualification from tax-exempt status. Additionally, the Dodd–Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (the “Dodd-Frank Act”), including the Volcker Rule, among other regulatory changes, may affect the ability of bank-sponsored tender option bonds to continue to operate or remain cost-effective investments.

Corporate Debt Obligations

Corporate debt obligations are fixed-income securities issued by private corporations. The investment return of corporate debt obligations reflects interest earnings and changes in the market value of the security. The market value of a corporate debt obligation may be expected to rise and fall inversely with interest rates generally. There also exists the risk that the issuers of the securities may not be able to meet their obligations on interest or principal payments at the time called for by an instrument. Debtholders, as creditors, have a prior legal claim over common and preferred stockholders of the corporation as to both income and assets for the principal and interest due to the bondholder. Certain Funds will buy corporate debt obligations subject to any quality constraints set forth under Rule 2a-7.

Revenue Bonds

Revenue bonds are municipal obligations that are secured by the revenue from a specific project. To the extent that a Fund invests in revenue bonds, and which are municipal obligations of issuers in the same economic sector, there could be economic, business or

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Prospectus  |  Additional Information About the Funds’ Investment Strategies and Related Risks

Additional Information About the Funds’ Investment Strategies and Related Risks (Con’t)

political developments which might affect such municipal obligations. For example, investments in revenue bonds backed by receipts from hospitals are sensitive to hospital bond ratings, which are often based on feasibility studies which contain projections of expenses, revenues and occupancy levels. Additional factors which could affect a hospital’s gross receipts and net income available to service its debt are demand for hospital services, the ability of the hospital to provide the services required, management capabilities, economic developments in the service area, efforts by insurers and government agencies to limit rates and expenses, reputational issues, competition, availability and expenses of malpractice insurance, Medicaid and Medicare funding and possible federal legislation regulating hospital charges.

Asset-Backed Securities

Asset-backed securities represent an interest in a pool of assets such as automobile loans, credit card receivables or mortgage or home equity loans, or certificates of participation or lease obligations or other municipal debt obligations, that have been securitized in pass-through structures. These types of pass-through securities provide for monthly payments that are a “pass-through” of the monthly interest and principal payments made by the individual borrowers on the pooled receivables. Such securities also may be debt instruments, which are also known as collateralized obligations and are generally issued as the debt of a special purpose entity, such as a trust, organized solely for the purpose of owning such assets and issuing such debt. Credit support for asset-backed securities may be based on the underlying assets and/or provided by a third-party through credit enhancements. Credit enhancement techniques include letters of credit, insurance bonds, limited guarantees (which are generally provided by the issuer), senior-subordinated structures and over-collateralization.

Asset-backed securities are not issued or guaranteed by the U.S. Government or its agencies or instrumentalities; however, the payment of principal and interest on such obligations may be guaranteed up to certain amounts for a certain period by a letter of credit issued by a financial institution (such as a bank or insurance company) unaffiliated with the issuers of such securities. The purchase of asset-backed securities raises risk considerations specific to the financing of the instruments underlying such securities. For example, there is a risk that another party could acquire an interest in the obligations superior to that of the holders of the asset-backed securities. Asset-backed securities entail prepayment risk and extension risk, which may vary depending on the type of asset. Securities subject to prepayment risk generally offer less potential for gains when interest rates decline, and may offer a greater potential for loss when interest rates rise. In addition, rising interest rates may cause prepayments to occur at a slower than expected rate, thereby effectively lengthening the maturity of the security and making the security more sensitive to interest rate changes. Other factors, such as changes in credit card use and payment patterns, may also influence prepayment rates. Asset-backed securities also involve the risk that various federal and state consumer laws and other legal and economic factors such as defaults on the underlying loans may result in the collateral backing the securities being insufficient to support payment on the securities. The risk of such defaults is generally higher in the case of mortgage pools that include sub-prime mortgages. There is also the possibility that recoveries on repossessed collateral may not, in some cases, be available to support payments on those securities.

Repurchase Agreements

Repurchase agreements are fixed-income securities in the form of agreements backed by collateral. These agreements typically involve the acquisition by the Funds of securities from the selling institution (such as a bank or a broker-dealer), coupled with the agreement that the selling institution will repurchase the underlying securities at a specified price and at a fixed time in the future (or on demand, if applicable). The underlying securities which serve as collateral for the repurchase agreements entered into by certain Funds may include U.S. government securities, municipal securities, corporate debt obligations, convertible securities and common and preferred stock and may be of below investment grade quality. These securities are marked-to-market daily in order to maintain full collateralization (typically purchase price plus accrued interest). The use of repurchase agreements involves certain risks. For example, if the selling institution defaults on its obligation to repurchase the underlying securities at a time when the value of the securities has declined, the Funds may incur a loss upon disposition of them. The risk of such loss may be greater when utilizing collateral other than U.S. government securities. In the event of an insolvency or bankruptcy by the selling institution, the Funds’ right to control the collateral could be affected and result in certain costs and delays. Additionally, if the proceeds from the liquidation of such collateral after an insolvency were less than the repurchase price, the Funds could suffer a loss. Fund procedures are followed that are designed to minimize such risks.

The Government Securities Portfolio may enter into repurchase agreements with the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. Reduced participation in the repurchase agreement market by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York may affect the Fund’s investment strategies, operations and/or return potential.

Municipal Obligations

Certain Funds may purchase municipal obligations subject to any restraints set forth under Rule 2a-7. Municipal obligations are securities issued by state and local governments and their agencies. These securities typically are “general obligation” or “revenue” bonds, notes or commercial paper, including participations in lease obligations and installment purchase contracts of municipalities. These obligations may have fixed, variable or floating rates.

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Prospectus  |  Additional Information About the Funds’ Investment Strategies and Related Risks

Additional Information About the Funds’ Investment Strategies and Related Risks (Con’t)

Additional Risks and Investment Strategies of the Funds

Investment Companies

The Funds may invest in investment companies, including money market funds, and may invest all or some of their short-term cash investments in any money market fund advised or managed by the Adviser or its affiliates (an “affiliated money market fund”). An investment in an investment company is subject to the underlying risks of that investment company’s portfolio securities. In addition to a Fund’s fees and expenses, the Fund generally would bear its share of the investment company’s fees and expenses other than advisory and administrative fees of affiliated money market funds.

Promissory Notes

Promissory notes are generally debt obligations of the issuing entity and are subject to the risks of investing in the banking industry. Certain Funds may invest up to 5% of their net assets in illiquid securities, including unsecured bank promissory notes.

Tax-Exempt Variable Rate Demand Notes

Tax-exempt variable rate demand notes are variable rate tax-exempt debt obligations that give investors the right to demand principal repayment. Due to cyclical supply and demand considerations, at times the yields on these obligations can exceed the yield on taxable money market obligations.

Large Shareholder Transactions Risk

A Fund may experience adverse effects when certain large shareholders purchase or redeem large amounts of shares of the Fund. Such large shareholder redemptions may cause a Fund to sell portfolio securities at times when it would not otherwise do so, which may negatively impact the Fund’s NAV and liquidity. Similarly, large Fund share purchases may adversely affect a Fund’s performance to the extent that the Fund is delayed in investing new cash and is required to maintain a larger cash position than it ordinarily would. These transactions may also accelerate the realization of taxable income to shareholders if such sales of investments resulted in gains, and may also increase transaction costs. In addition, a large redemption could result in a Fund’s current expenses being allocated over a smaller asset base, leading to an increase in the Fund’s expense ratio. Although large shareholder transactions may be more frequent under certain circumstances, a Fund is generally subject to the risk that a large shareholder can purchase or redeem a significant percentage of Fund shares at any time.

Investment Discretion

In pursuing a Fund’s investment objective, the Adviser has considerable leeway in deciding which investments it buys, holds or sells on a day-to-day basis, and which trading strategies it uses. For example, the Adviser, in its discretion, may determine to use some permitted trading strategies while not using others. The success or failure of such decisions will affect a Fund’s performance.

Temporary Defensive Investments

When the Adviser believes that changes in market, economic, political or other conditions warrant, each Fund may invest without limit in cash or cash equivalents and the Tax-Exempt Portfolio may invest without limit in taxable money market securities for temporary defensive purposes that may be inconsistent with a Fund’s principal investment strategies. If the Adviser incorrectly predicts the effects of these changes, such defensive investments may adversely affect a Fund’s performance and the Fund may not achieve its investment objective.

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Prospectus  |  Shareholder Information

Shareholder Information

The Trust is designed for institutional investors seeking maximum current income and convenient liquidation privileges. The Funds are particularly suitable for corporations, banks and other financial institutions that seek investment of short-term funds for their own accounts or for the accounts of their customers. Shares of the Government Portfolio and Government Securities Portfolio are intended to qualify as eligible investments for federally chartered credit unions pursuant to the applicable provisions of the Federal Credit Union Act and the National Credit Union Administration. Shares of the Government Portfolio and Government Securities Portfolio, however, may not qualify as eligible investments for particular state-chartered credit unions. A state-chartered credit union should consult qualified legal counsel to determine whether these Funds are permissible investments under the law applicable to it.

Share Class Arrangements

This Prospectus offers Institutional Select Class shares of each Fund. The Trust also offers other classes of shares through separate prospectuses. Certain of these classes may be subject to different fees and expenses. For information regarding other share classes, contact the Trust or your financial intermediary.

Minimum Investment Amount

Institutional Select Class shares are available to clients of the Adviser with investments at the time of initial purchase of at least $10 million. The Adviser, in its sole discretion, may waive the minimum initial investment amount in certain cases including, but not limited to, shares of the Fund purchased through a financial intermediary or when the Adviser anticipates the combined value of a client’s investments will meet or exceed the minimum.

Distributor

Shares of the Funds are distributed exclusively through Morgan Stanley Distribution, Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Morgan Stanley. The Distributor has entered into arrangements with certain financial intermediaries (also referred to as service organizations) who may accept purchase and redemption orders for shares of each Fund on its behalf.

The Adviser and/or the Distributor may pay additional compensation (out of their own funds and not as an expense of a Fund) to selected affiliated or unaffiliated brokers or other service providers in connection with the sale, distribution, retention and/or servicing of Fund shares. Such compensation may be significant in amount and the prospect of receiving any such additional compensation may provide affiliated or unaffiliated entities with an incentive to favor sales of shares of the Fund over other investment options. Any such payments will not change the NAV or the price of Fund shares. For more information, please see the Funds’ SAI.

The Trust has adopted an Administration Plan for each Fund’s Institutional Select Class shares (the “Plan”) to pay the Distributor to compensate certain financial intermediaries (also referred to as service organizations) who provide administrative services to shareholders. Under the Plan, each Fund pays the Distributor a monthly administration fee at an annual rate of 0.05% of each Fund’s average daily net assets of Institutional Select Class shares owned beneficially by the customers of such service organization during such period. The Distributor may waive distribution fees to enable a Fund to maintain a minimum level of daily net investment income. The Distributor may discontinue these voluntary fee waivers at any time in the future.

Because the fees are paid out of a 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 sales charges.

Valuation of Shares

Each of the Prime Portfolio’s, ESG Money Market Portfolio’s and Tax-Exempt Portfolio’s investments will be valued using market-based prices provided by an approved pricing service/vendor and the share price of each rounded to a minimum of the fourth decimal place. The price of each of Government Portfolio’s, Government Securities Portfolio’s, Treasury Portfolio’s and Treasury Securities Portfolio’s shares is based on the amortized cost of the Fund’s securities. The amortized cost valuation method involves valuing a debt obligation in reference to its cost rather than market forces. If the Adviser determines that a valuation is not reflective of the security’s market value, such security is valued at its fair value as determined in good faith under procedures established by and under the general supervision of the Board.

The NAV of each Fund is determined once daily (except that the NAV of Prime Portfolio is determined three times daily), normally at the times set forth below, on each day that the NYSE is open (the “Pricing Time”), except when the following federal holidays are observed: Columbus Day and Veterans Day.

Shares will generally not be priced on days that the NYSE is closed, although Fund shares may be priced on such days if the Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association (“SIFMA”) recommends that the bond markets remain open for all or part of the day. On any business day when SIFMA recommends that the bond markets close early, a Fund reserves the right to close at or prior to the SIFMA recommended closing time. If a Fund does so, it will cease granting same day credit for purchase and redemption orders received after the Fund’s closing time and credit will be given on the next business day. The Fund may, however, elect to remain open and price shares of each Fund on days where the NYSE is closed but the primary securities markets on which the Funds’ securities trade remain open.

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Prospectus  |  Shareholder Information

Shareholder Information (Con’t)

Government Portfolio
Treasury Portfolio

As of 5:00 p.m. Eastern time

ESG Money Market Portfolio
Government Securities Portfolio
Treasury Securities Portfolio

As of 3:00 p.m. Eastern time

Tax-Exempt Portfolio

As of 1:00 p.m. Eastern time

Prime Portfolio

As of 8:00 a.m., 12:00 p.m. and 3:00 p.m. Eastern time

Pricing of Fund Shares

Institutional Select Class shares of the Funds may be purchased or sold (redeemed) at the NAV next determined after the Fund receives your order in good order and State Street Bank and Trust Company (the “Custodian”) receives monies credited by a Federal Reserve Bank (“Federal Funds”) prior to the close of the Federal Reserve Wire Network (“Fedwire”). You begin earning dividends the same day your Institutional Select Class shares are purchased provided the Fund receives your purchase amount in Federal Funds that day as set forth above. Orders to purchase shares of a Fund must be received by the Fund prior to the following times to receive the NAV next determined: for the Government Portfolio and Treasury Portfolio—5:00 p.m. Eastern time; for the ESG Money Market Portfolio, Government Securities Portfolio and Treasury Securities Portfolio—3:00 p.m. Eastern time; for the Tax-Exempt Portfolio—1:00 p.m. Eastern time; and for the Prime Portfolio—8:00 a.m., 12:00 p.m. or 3:00 p.m. Eastern time. On any business day that the NYSE closes early, or when SIFMA recommends that the securities markets close early, a Fund may close early and purchase orders received after such earlier closing times will be processed the following business day. If the NYSE is closed due to inclement weather, technology problems or any other reason on a day it would normally be open for business, or the NYSE has an unscheduled early closing on a day it has opened for business, a Fund reserves the right to treat such day as a business day and accept purchase and redemption orders until, and calculate its NAV as of, the normally scheduled close of regular trading on the NYSE for that day, or such time noted above, so long as the Adviser believes there generally remains an adequate market to obtain reliable and accurate market quotations. A Fund may elect to remain open on days when the NYSE is closed or closes early but on which SIFMA recommends that the bond markets remain open for all or part of the day. Purchase orders received by a Fund and not funded by 6:00 p.m. Eastern time on the trade date may be subject to an overdraft charge.

Portfolio Holdings

A description of the Trust’s policies and procedures with respect to the disclosure of each Fund’s portfolio securities is available in the Trust’s SAI.

How To Purchase Shares

Institutional Select Class shares of the Funds may be purchased directly from the Fund or through a financial intermediary.

Purchasing Shares Through a Financial Intermediary
You may open a new account and purchase Fund shares through certain authorized third-parties, such as brokers, dealers or other financial intermediaries that have entered into a selling agreement with the Distributor (each, a “Financial Intermediary”). Your Financial Intermediary will assist you with the procedures to invest in shares of the Fund. The Financial Intermediary will establish times by which such purchase orders and payments from customers must be received by the Financial Intermediary. Financial Intermediaries are responsible for transmitting purchase orders and payments to the Trust and the Trust’s Custodian in a timely fashion. Purchase orders placed with a Financial Intermediary and transmitted through a trading platform utilized by the Financial Intermediary may be transmitted by the trading platform after the deadlines established by the Trust for receipt of purchase orders, as set forth below; in such case, the purchase orders will receive a trade date of the next business day.

Investors purchasing Institutional Select Class shares through a Financial Intermediary may be charged a transaction-based or other fees by the Financial Intermediary for its services. If you are purchasing Institutional Select Class shares through a Financial Intermediary, please consult your intermediary for more information regarding any such fees and for purchase instructions.

With respect to sales through Financial Intermediaries, no offers or sales of Fund shares may be made in any foreign jurisdiction, except with the consent of the Distributor.

Purchasing Shares Directly From the Funds

Initial Purchase by Mail
You may open an account, subject to acceptance by the Fund, and purchase Institutional Select Class shares of a Fund by completing and signing a New Account Application which you can obtain by calling Morgan Stanley Services Company Inc. or the Fund at (888) 378-1630 (which is generally accessible weekdays 7:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m. Eastern time) and mailing it to Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds, c/o DST Asset Manager Solutions, Inc., P.O. Box 219804, Kansas City, MO 64121-9804 together with a check payable to Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds. Orders to purchase shares of a Fund must be received by the Fund prior to the applicable Fund’s final Pricing Time of that day. Orders received after such Pricing Time will be processed the

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Prospectus  |  Shareholder Information

Shareholder Information (Con’t)

following business day.

Please note that payments to investors who redeem shares of a Fund purchased by check will not be made until payment of the purchase has been collected, which may take up to 15 calendar days after purchase. You can avoid this delay by purchasing shares of a Fund by wire.

Initial Purchase by Wire
You may purchase Institutional Select Class shares of each Fund by wiring Federal Funds (monies credited by a Federal Reserve Bank) to the Custodian. You must forward a completed New Account Application to the Transfer Agent in advance of the wire by following the instructions under “Initial Purchase by Mail.” You should instruct your bank to send a Federal Funds wire in a specified amount to the Custodian using the following wire instructions:

State Street Bank and Trust Company
One Lincoln Street
Boston, MA 02111-2101
ABA #011000028
DDA #00575399
Attn: Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Subscription Account
Ref: (Fund Name, Account Number, Account Name)
* For international investments into the US funds, BIC Code: SBOSUS33XXX must be referenced, as well as the information listed above.

If notification of your order is received prior to the time required by each respective Fund, as set forth above, and the Custodian receives the funds the same day prior to the close of the Fedwire, then your purchase will become effective and begin to earn income on that day. Otherwise, your purchase will be effective on the next business day.

Purchase by Internet
If you have properly authorized the Internet Trading Option on your New Account Application and completed, signed and returned to the Fund an Electronic Transactions Agreement, you may place a purchase order for additional shares online through Morgan Stanley’s Treasury Investment Portal service at www.morganstanley.com/liquidity. For more information, call Morgan Stanley Services Company Inc. at 1-888-378-1630.

You are responsible for transmitting payments for shares purchased via the Internet in a timely fashion, as set forth above.

Automatic Purchases
Selected accounts that utilize the Funds as their sweep vehicle will be reviewed on each business day to determine whether the account has a positive balance as a result of credits incurred that day. If an account has a positive (credit) balance, shares of the respective Fund will automatically be purchased. Any positive (credit) balance will be reduced by any debits to the account on that day and shares of the Fund will automatically be sold.

Additional Investments
You may make additional investments of Institutional Select Class shares at the NAV next determined after the request is received in good order or by wiring Federal Funds to the Custodian as outlined above. State Street Bank and Trust Company must receive notification of receipt of your Federal Funds wire by the time required by each respective Fund, as set forth above under “How To Purchase Shares.”

General

To help the U.S. Government fight the funding of terrorism and money laundering activities, federal law requires all financial institutions to obtain, verify and record information that identifies each person who opens an account. What this means to you is that when you open an account, we will ask your name, address, date of birth and other information that will allow us to identify you. If we are unable to verify your identity, we reserve the right to restrict additional transactions and/or liquidate your account at the next calculated NAV after your account is closed (less any applicable sales/account charges and/or tax penalties) or take any other action required by law. In accordance with federal law requirements, the Trust has implemented an anti-money laundering compliance program, which includes the designation of an anti-money laundering compliance officer.

How To Redeem Shares

You may process a redemption request by contacting your Financial Intermediary. Otherwise, you may redeem shares of a Fund by mail or, if authorized, by telephone, at no charge other than as described below. The value of shares redeemed may be more or less than the purchase price, depending on the NAV at the time of redemption. Shares of a Fund will be redeemed at the NAV next determined after we receive your redemption request in good order.

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Prospectus  |  Shareholder Information

Shareholder Information (Con’t)

Redemptions by Letter
Requests should be addressed to Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds, c/o DST Asset Manager Solutions, Inc., P.O. Box 219804, Kansas City, MO 64121-9804.

To be in good order, redemption requests must include the following documentation:

(a) A letter of instruction, if required, or a stock assignment specifying the account name, the account number, the name of the Fund and the number of shares or dollar amount to be redeemed, signed by all registered owners of the shares in the exact names in which the shares are registered, and whether you wish to receive the redemption proceeds by wire to the bank account we have on file for you;

(b) Any required signature guarantees if you are requesting payment to anyone other than the registered owner(s) or that payment be sent to any address other than the address of the registered owner(s) or pre-designated bank account; and

(c) Other supporting legal documents, if required, in the case of estates, trusts, guardianships, custodianship, corporations, pension and profit sharing plans and other organizations.

Redemptions by Telephone
You automatically have telephone redemption and exchange privileges unless you indicate otherwise by checking the applicable box on the New Account Application or calling the Fund to opt out of such privileges. You may request a redemption of shares of a Fund by calling the Fund at 1-888-378-1630 and requesting that the redemption proceeds be mailed or wired to you. Telephone redemptions and exchanges may not be available if you cannot reach the Fund by telephone, whether because all telephone lines are busy or for any other reason; in such case, a shareholder would have to use the Fund’s other redemption and exchange procedures described in this section. Telephone instructions will be accepted if received by the Fund between 7:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. Eastern time on any day the NYSE is open for business, except when the following federal holidays are observed: Columbus Day and Veterans Day. Orders to redeem or exchange shares of a Fund must be received by the Fund prior to the applicable Fund’s final Pricing Time of that day. Orders received after such Pricing Time will be processed the following business day. To opt out of telephone privileges, please contact the Fund at 1-888-378-1630.

Redemptions by Internet
You may redeem shares online through Morgan Stanley’s Treasury Investment Portal service at www.morganstanley.com/liquidity, provided you have a pre-established Internet trading account, as set forth above under “How To Purchase Shares.” For more information, call the Fund at 1-888-378-1630.

Automatic Redemptions
Selected accounts that utilize the Funds as their sweep vehicle will be reviewed on each business day to determine whether the account has any debits that were incurred that day and shares of the Funds will automatically be redeemed to cover the debits if such debits have not been reduced by any credits which may have accrued to the account on the same day.

Redemption Proceeds
You will not earn a dividend on the day your shares are sold. Orders to sell shares (redemption requests) will be processed on the day on which they are received, provided they are received prior to the following times to receive the NAV next determined: for the Government Portfolio and Treasury Portfolio—5:00 p.m. Eastern time; for the Prime Portfolio, ESG Money Market Portfolio, Government Securities Portfolio and Treasury Securities Portfolio—3:00 p.m. Eastern time; and for the Tax-Exempt Portfolio— 1:00 p.m. Eastern time. On any business day that the NYSE closes early, the Fund may close early and redemption requests received after such earlier closing times will be processed the following business day. The Fund may elect to remain open on days when the NYSE is closed or closes early but on which SIFMA recommends that the bond markets remain open for all or part of the day. Generally, payment for Fund shares sold will be made on the day on which the order is processed, but under certain circumstances may not be made until the next business day. The Fund may postpone and/or suspend redemption and payment beyond one business day only as follows: (a) for any period during which there is a non-routine closure of the Fedwire or applicable Federal Reserve Banks; (b) for any period (i) during which the NYSE is closed other than customary weekend and holiday closings or (ii) during which trading on the NYSE is restricted; (c) for any period during which an emergency exists as a result of which (i) disposal of securities owned by the Fund is not reasonably practicable or (ii) it is not reasonably practicable for the Fund to fairly determine the NAV of shares of the Fund; (d) for any period during which the SEC has, by rule or regulation, deemed that (i) trading shall be restricted or (ii) an emergency exists; (e) for any period that the SEC may by order permit; or (f) for any period during which the Fund as part of a necessary liquidation of a Fund, has properly postponed and/or suspended redemption of shares and payment in accordance with federal securities laws. In addition, when SIFMA recommends that the securities markets close early, payments with respect to redemption requests received subsequent to the recommended close will be made the next business day (assuming that the Fund in fact closes).

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Prospectus  |  Shareholder Information

Shareholder Information (Con’t)

Each Fund typically expects to meet redemption requests by using a combination of sales of securities held by a Fund and/or holdings of cash and cash equivalents. On a less regular basis, each Fund also reserves the right to use borrowings to meet redemption requests, and each Fund may use these methods during both normal and stressed market conditions.

If we determine that it is in the best interest of other shareholders not to pay redemption proceeds in cash, we may pay you in part by distributing to you readily marketable securities held by the Fund from which you are redeeming. Such in-kind securities may be illiquid and difficult or impossible for a shareholder to sell at a time and at a price that a shareholder would like. Redemptions paid in such securities generally will give rise to income, gain or loss for income tax purposes in the same manner as redemptions paid in cash. In addition, you may incur brokerage costs and a further gain or loss for income tax purposes when you ultimately sell the securities.

Exchange Privilege

You may exchange a Fund’s Institutional Select Class shares for Institutional Select Class shares of other available Funds of the Trust based on their respective NAVs, except that you may not exchange Institutional Select Class shares from or into the Prime Portfolio, ESG Money Market Portfolio or Tax-Exempt Portfolio. We charge no fee for exchanges. If you purchased Fund shares through a Financial Intermediary, certain other Funds of the Trust may be unavailable for exchange. Contact your Financial Intermediary to determine which Funds are available for exchange.

You can process your exchange by contacting your Financial Intermediary or online through Morgan Stanley’s Treasury Investment Portal service at www.morganstanley.com/liquidity provided you have a pre-established Internet trading account, as set forth above under “How To Purchase Shares.” You may also send exchange requests to the Fund’s transfer agent, DST Asset Manager Solutions, Inc. (“DST”), by mail to Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds, c/o DST Asset Manager Solutions, Inc., P.O. Box 219804, Kansas City, MO 64121-9804 or by calling the Fund at 1-888-378-1630.

When you exchange your shares for shares of another Fund, your transaction will be treated the same as an initial purchase. You will be subject to the same minimum initial investment and account size as an initial purchase. The Fund, in its sole discretion, may waive the minimum initial investment amounts in certain cases including, but not limited to, exchanges involving Fund shares purchased through a Financial Intermediary or when the Adviser anticipates the combined value of a client’s investments will meet or exceed the minimum. The Fund may terminate or revise the exchange privilege upon required notice or in certain cases without notice. The Fund reserves the right to reject an exchange order for any reason.

Telephone/Internet Transactions

For your protection, we will employ reasonable procedures to confirm that instructions communicated over the telephone/Internet are genuine. These procedures may include requiring various forms of personal identification (such as name, mailing address, social security number or other tax identification number and password/authorization codes, including PIN (Personal Identification Number)), tape-recording telephone communications and providing written confirmation of instructions communicated by telephone/Internet. If reasonable procedures are employed, none of Morgan Stanley, DST or the Fund will be liable for following telephone/Internet instructions which it reasonably believes to be genuine. During periods of drastic economic or market changes, it is possible that the telephone/Internet privileges may be difficult to implement, although this has not been the case with the Funds in the past.

Frequent Purchases and Redemptions of Fund Shares

We expect the Funds to be used by shareholders for short-term investing and by certain selected accounts utilizing the Funds as a sweep vehicle. Therefore, reasonably frequent purchases and redemptions of Fund shares by Fund shareholders do not present risks for other shareholders of a Fund, and the policies and procedures adopted by the Board of Trustees/Directors as applicable to other funds in the Morgan Stanley family of funds are generally not applicable with respect to frequent purchases and redemptions of Fund shares. However, frequent trading by shareholders can disrupt management of the Funds and raise their respective expenses. Therefore, we may not accept any request for a purchase or exchange when we think it is being used as a tool for market-timing, and we may bar a shareholder who trades excessively from making further purchases for an indefinite period.

Distributions

The Funds pass substantially all of their earnings along to their investors as “distributions.” The Funds earn interest from fixed-income investments. These amounts are passed along to Fund shareholders as “income dividend distributions.” Each Fund realizes capital gains whenever it sells securities for a higher price than it paid for them. These amounts may be passed along as “capital gain distributions.” The Adviser does not anticipate that there will be significant capital gain distributions.

The Funds declare income dividends daily on each business day and pay them monthly to shareholders. Dividends are based on estimates of income, expenses and shareholder activity for the Funds. Actual income, expenses and shareholder activity may differ from estimates and differences, if any, will be included in the calculation of subsequent dividends. Short-term capital gains, if any, are distributed periodically. Long-term capital gains, if any, are distributed at least annually. The Funds automatically reinvest all dividends and distributions in additional shares. However, you may elect to receive distributions in cash by giving written notice to

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Prospectus  |  Shareholder Information

Shareholder Information (Con’t)

your Financial Intermediary or by checking the appropriate box in the Distribution Option section on the Account Registration Form.

Liquidity Fees and Redemption Gates—Prime Portfolio, ESG Money Market Portfolio and Tax-Exempt Portfolio
Under Rule 2a-7, the Prime Portfolio, ESG Money Market Portfolio and Tax-Exempt Portfolio will be permitted (or in some cases, may be required) to impose a liquidity fee on redemptions (up to 2%) or temporarily restrict redemptions from the Fund for up to 10 business days during a 90 calendar day period (a “redemption gate”), in the event that the Fund’s weekly liquid assets fall below the following thresholds:

 

30% weekly liquid assets—If the weekly liquid assets of a Fund fall below 30% of the Fund’s total assets, and the Board of Trustees determines it is in the best interests of the Fund, the Board of Trustees may impose a liquidity fee of no more than 2% of the amount redeemed and/or a redemption gate that temporarily suspends the right of redemption. The liquidity fee or redemption gate may be imposed at any point during the applicable business day, generally at the subsequent NAV calculation time of the applicable Fund following the determination of the Board of Trustees.

 

10% weekly liquid assets—If the weekly liquid assets of a Fund fall below 10% of the Fund’s total assets as of the end of a business day, the Fund must impose, at the beginning of the next business day, a liquidity fee of 1% of the amount redeemed, unless the Board of Trustees determines that imposing such a fee would not be in the best interests of the Fund or determines that a lower or higher fee (not to exceed 2%) would be in the best interests of the Fund.
 

Liquidity fees and redemptions gates may be terminated at any time in the discretion of the Board of Trustees. Liquidity fees and redemptions gates will also terminate at the beginning of the next business day once the applicable Fund has invested 30% or more of its total assets in weekly liquid assets as of the end of a business day. A Fund may only suspend redemptions for up to 10 business days in any 90 calendar day period.

Weekly liquid assets generally include: (a) cash; (b) direct obligations of the U.S. Government; (c) certain U.S. government agency discount notes with remaining maturities of 60 days or less; (d) securities that will mature or are subject to a demand feature that is exercisable and payable within five business days; or (e) amounts receivable and due unconditionally within five business days on pending sales of portfolio securities.

If a Fund imposes a redemption gate, the Fund and your Financial Intermediary will not accept redemption or exchange orders out of the Fund until the Fund has notified shareholders that the redemption gate has been lifted. Any redemption or exchange orders out of a Fund submitted while a redemption gate is in effect will be cancelled without further notice. If you still wish to redeem or exchange shares out of a Fund once the redemption gate has been lifted, you will need to submit a new redemption or exchange request to the Fund or your Financial Intermediary. Unprocessed purchase orders that a Fund received prior to notification of the imposition of a liquidity fee or redemption gate will be cancelled unless re-confirmed. Under certain circumstances, a Fund may honor redemption or exchange orders out of the Fund (or pay redemptions without adding a liquidity fee to the redemption amount) if the Fund can verify that the redemption or exchange order out of the Fund was submitted to the Fund’s agent before the Fund imposed liquidity fees or suspended redemptions. Once a liquidity fee or a redemption gate is in place, shareholders will not be permitted to exchange into or out of the applicable Fund until the fee or gate is terminated.

The Board of Trustees generally expects that a liquidity fee or redemption gate would be imposed, if at all, during periods of extraordinary market stress. The Board of Trustees generally expects that a redemption gate would be imposed prior to notification to shareholders and Financial Intermediaries that a gate would be imposed. While the Board of Trustees may, in its discretion, impose a liquidity fee at any time after the weekly liquid assets of the Fund fall below 30% of the Fund’s total assets, the Board of Trustees generally expects that a liquidity fee would be imposed only after the Fund has notified Financial Intermediaries and shareholders that a liquidity fee will be imposed. The Fund retains the liquidity fees for the benefit of remaining shareholders.

The Board of Trustees may, in its discretion, permanently suspend redemptions and liquidate the Fund if, among other things, the Fund, at the end of a business day, has less than 10% of its total assets invested in weekly liquid assets. In the event of liquidation, shareholders are entitled to share pro rata in the net assets of the Fund available for distribution to such shareholders.

Announcements regarding the imposition of liquidity fees or redemption gates, or the termination of liquidity fees or redemption gates, will be filed with the SEC on Form N-CR and will be available on the website of the Fund (http://www.morganstanley.com/im). In addition, the Fund will make such announcements through a supplement to its Prospectus and may make such announcements through a press release or by other means.

Dividend payments will not be subject to liquidity fees or redemption gates; however, in the event that a liquidity fee or redemption gate is in place at the time that dividends are distributed, all distributions will be made in the form of cash.

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Prospectus  |  Shareholder Information

Shareholder Information (Con’t)

Trade corrections requested after a liquidity fee or redemption gate is imposed will be honored so long as the “as of” date of the transaction to be processed is prior to the effective time of the liquidity fee or redemption gate and a valid reason for the trade error is provided.

Financial Intermediaries will be required to promptly take such actions reasonably requested by the Fund, the Transfer Agent or the Adviser to implement, modify or remove, or to assist the Fund in implementing, modifying or removing, a liquidity fee or redemption gate established by the Fund.

The Government Portfolio, the Government Securities Portfolio, the Treasury Portfolio and the Treasury Securities Portfolio are exempt from requirements that permit money market funds to impose a “liquidity fee” and/or a “redemption gate” that temporarily restricts redemptions. The Board of Trustees has opted not to subject the Government Portfolio, the Government Securities Portfolio, the Treasury Portfolio and the Treasury Securities Portfolio to a “liquidity fee” and/or a “redemption gate” but has reserved its right to change this determination in the future after providing appropriate notice to shareholders.

Taxes

The tax information provided in this Prospectus is provided as general information. You should consult your own tax professional about the tax consequences of an investment in a particular Fund.

It is each Fund’s intention to qualify as a regulated investment company and distribute all or substantially all of its taxable and tax-exempt income.

Except as noted below, dividends you receive will generally be taxable, whether you receive them in cash or in additional shares. Income dividend distributions and any short-term capital gain distributions are generally taxable to you as ordinary income. Any long-term capital gain distributions are taxable as long-term capital gains, no matter how long you have owned shares in a Fund. Distributions paid by the Funds are not expected to be eligible for lower tax rates applicable to qualified dividends.

With respect to the Government Securities Portfolio, while the Fund intends to limit its investments to certain U.S. Treasury obligations and U.S. government securities, the interest of which is generally exempt from state income taxation, you should consult your own tax adviser to determine whether distributions from the Government Securities Portfolio are exempt from state taxation in your own state.

With respect to the Tax-Exempt Portfolio, your income dividend distributions are normally exempt from federal income tax to the extent they are derived from municipal obligations. Income derived from other portfolio securities may be subject to federal, state and/or local income taxes. The income derived from some municipal securities is subject to the federal “alternative minimum tax.”

An additional 3.8% Medicare tax is imposed on certain net investment income (including ordinary dividends and capital gain distributions 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) exceeds certain threshold amounts.

Shareholders who are not citizens or residents of the United States and certain foreign entities may be subject to withholding of U.S. tax on distributions made by a Fund of investment income and short-term capital gains at a rate of 30% (or a lower tax treaty rate, if applicable). Such shareholders may also be subject to United States estate tax with respect to their shares.

Dividends paid by a Fund to shareholders who are nonresident aliens or foreign entities that are derived from short-term capital gains and qualifying U.S. source net interest income (including income from original issue discount and market discount), and that are designated by the Fund as “interest-related dividends” or “short-term capital gain dividends,” will generally not be subject to U.S. withholding tax, provided that the income would not be subject to U.S. federal income tax if earned directly by the foreign shareholder. However, depending on the circumstances, a Fund may designate all, some or none of the Fund’s potentially eligible dividends as exempt.

A Fund is required to withhold U.S. tax (at a 30% rate) on payments of taxable 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 a Fund to enable the Fund to determine whether withholding is required.

U.S. investors will be sent a statement (Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”) Form 1099-DIV) by February of each year showing the taxable distributions paid to you in the previous year. The statement provides information on your dividends and any capital gains for tax purposes.

Sales, exchanges and redemptions of shares in a Fund are generally taxable events and may result in taxable gain or loss to you. Because each of Government Portfolio, Government Securities Portfolio, Treasury Portfolio and Treasury Securities Portfolio intends

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Prospectus  |  Shareholder Information

Shareholder Information (Con’t)

to maintain a stable $1.00 NAV, shareholders will typically not recognize gain or loss when they sell or exchange their shares in these Funds because the amount realized will be the same as their tax basis in the shares. Because each of Prime Portfolio, ESG Money Market Portfolio and Tax-Exempt Portfolio does not maintain a stable share price, a sale of these Funds’ shares may result in capital gain or loss to you.

With respect to any gain or loss recognized on the sale or exchange of shares of a Fund, unless you choose to adopt a simplified “NAV method” of accounting (described below), the amount of any gain or loss and the rate of tax will depend mainly upon how much you paid for the shares, how much you sell them for, and how long you held them. In this case, any gain or loss generally will be treated as short-term capital gain or loss if you held your shares as capital assets for one year or less, and long-term capital gain or loss if you held your shares as capital assets for more than one year. The maximum individual tax rate applicable to long-term capital gains is generally 15% or 20%, depending on whether the individual’s income exceeds certain threshold amounts. Any loss realized upon a taxable disposition of Fund shares held for six months or less will be treated as a long-term capital loss, rather than a short-term capital loss, to the extent of any long-term capital gain distributions received (or deemed received) by you with respect to the Fund shares.

If you elect to adopt the simplified “NAV method” of accounting, rather than compute gain or loss on every taxable sale or other disposition of shares of a Fund as described above, you would determine your gain or loss based on the change in the aggregate value of your Fund shares during a computation period (such as your taxable year), reduced by your net investment (i.e., purchases minus sales) in those Fund shares during the computation period. Under the simplified “NAV method,” any resulting capital gain or loss would be reportable on a net basis and would generally be treated as a short-term capital gain or loss.

A liquidity fee imposed by a Fund will reduce the amount you will receive upon the redemption of your shares, and will generally decrease the amount of any capital gain or increase the amount of any capital loss you will recognize with respect to such redemption. There is some degree of uncertainty with respect to the tax treatment of liquidity fees received by money market funds, and such tax treatment may be the subject of future guidance issued by the IRS. If a Fund receives liquidity fees, it will consider the appropriate tax treatment of such fees to the Fund at such time.

When you open your account, you should provide appropriate tax documentation including your social security or tax identification number on your investment application. By providing this information, you generally will avoid being subject to federal backup withholding on taxable distributions and redemption proceeds at the applicable rate. Any withheld amount would be sent to the IRS as an advance payment of taxes due on your income for such year.

Potential Conflicts of Interest

As a diversified global financial services firm, Morgan Stanley, the parent company of the Adviser, engages in a broad spectrum of activities, including financial advisory services, investment management activities, lending, commercial banking, sponsoring and managing private investment funds, engaging in broker-dealer transactions and principal securities, commodities and foreign exchange transactions, research publication and other activities. In the ordinary course of its business, Morgan Stanley is a full-service investment banking and financial services firm and therefore engages in activities where Morgan Stanley’s interests or the interests of its clients may conflict with the interests of a Fund. Morgan Stanley has advised clients and has sponsored, managed or advised other investment funds and investment programs, accounts and businesses (collectively, together with any new or successor funds, programs, accounts or businesses, the ‘‘Affiliated Investment Accounts’’) with a wide variety of investment objectives that in some instances may overlap or conflict with a Fund’s investment objectives and present conflicts of interest. In addition, Morgan Stanley may also from time to time create new or successor Affiliated Investment Accounts that may compete with a Fund and present similar conflicts of interest. The discussion below enumerates certain actual, apparent and potential conflicts of interest. There is no assurance that conflicts of interest will be resolved in favor of Fund shareholders and, in fact, they may not be. Conflicts of interest not described below may also exist.

For more information about conflicts of interest, see the section entitled “Potential Conflicts of Interest” in the SAI.

Material Nonpublic Information. It is expected that confidential or material nonpublic information regarding an investment or potential investment opportunity may become available to the Adviser. If such information becomes available, the Adviser may be precluded (including by applicable law or internal policies or procedures) from pursuing an investment or disposition opportunity with respect to such investment or investment opportunity.

Investments by Morgan Stanley and its Affiliated Investment Accounts. In serving in multiple capacities to Affiliated Investment Accounts, Morgan Stanley, including the Adviser and the Investment team, may have obligations to other clients or investors in Affiliated Investment Accounts, the fulfillment of which may not be in the best interests of a Fund or its shareholders. A Fund’s investment objectives may overlap with the investment objectives of certain Affiliated Investment Accounts. As a result, the members of an Investment team may face conflicts in the allocation of investment opportunities among a Fund and other investment funds, programs, accounts and businesses advised by or affiliated with the Adviser. Certain Affiliated Investment Accounts may provide for

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Prospectus  |  Shareholder Information

Shareholder Information (Con’t)

higher management or incentive fees or greater expense reimbursements or overhead allocations, all of which may contribute to this conflict of interest and create an incentive for the Adviser to favor such other accounts.

Payments to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries. The Adviser and/or the Distributor may pay compensation, out of their own funds and not as an expense of a Fund, to certain Financial Intermediaries (which may include affiliates of the Adviser and Distributor), including recordkeepers and administrators of various deferred compensation plans, in connection with the sale, distribution, marketing and retention of shares of the Fund and/or shareholder servicing. The prospect of receiving, or the receipt of, additional compensation, as described above, by Financial Intermediaries may provide such Financial Intermediaries and their financial advisors and other salespersons with an incentive to favor sales of shares of a Fund over other investment options with respect to which these Financial Intermediaries do not receive additional compensation (or receives lower levels of additional compensation). These payment arrangements, however, will not change the price that an investor pays for shares of a Fund or the amount that the Fund receives to invest on behalf of an investor. Investors may wish to take such payment arrangements into account when considering and evaluating any recommendations relating to Fund shares and should review carefully any disclosures provided by Financial Intermediaries as to their compensation.

Morgan Stanley Trading and Principal Investing Activities. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, Morgan Stanley will generally conduct its sales and trading businesses, publish research and analysis, and render investment advice without regard for a Fund’s holdings, although these activities could have an adverse impact on the value of one or more of the Fund’s investments, or could cause Morgan Stanley to have an interest in one or more portfolio investments that is different from, and potentially adverse to, that of a Fund.

Morgan Stanley’s Investment Banking Activities. Morgan Stanley advises clients on a variety of mergers, acquisitions and financing transactions. Morgan Stanley may act as an advisor to clients, including other investment funds that may compete with a Fund and with respect to investments that a Fund may hold. Morgan Stanley may give advice and take action with respect to any of its clients or proprietary accounts that may differ from the advice given, or may involve an action of a different timing or nature than the action taken, by a Fund. Morgan Stanley may give advice and provide recommendations to persons competing with a Fund and/or any of a Fund’s investments that are contrary to the Fund’s best interests and/or the best interests of any of its investments.

General Process for Potential Conflicts. All of the transactions described above involve the potential for conflicts of interest between the Adviser, related persons of the Adviser and/or their clients. The Investment Advisers Act of 1940, the 1940 Act and ERISA impose certain requirements designed to decrease the possibility of conflicts of interest between an investment adviser and its clients. In some cases, transactions may be permitted subject to fulfillment of certain conditions. Certain other transactions may be prohibited. In addition, the Adviser has instituted policies and procedures designed to prevent conflicts of interest from arising and, when they do arise, to ensure that it effects transactions for clients in a manner that is consistent with its fiduciary duty to its clients and in accordance with applicable law. The Adviser seeks to ensure that potential or actual conflicts of interest are appropriately resolved taking into consideration the overriding best interests of the client.

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Prospectus  |  Fund Management

Fund Management

Adviser

Morgan Stanley Investment Management Inc. with principal offices at 522 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10036, conducts a worldwide portfolio management business and provides a broad range of portfolio management services to customers in the United States and abroad. Morgan Stanley (NYSE: “MS”) is the parent of the Adviser, who is the parent of the Distributor. Morgan Stanley is a preeminent global financial services firm engaged in securities trading and brokerage activities, as well as providing investment banking, research and analysis, financing and financial advisory services. As of December 31, 2019, the Adviser, together with its affiliated asset management companies, had approximately $552 billion in assets under management or supervision.

A discussion regarding the basis for the Board of Trustees approving the Trust’s Investment Advisory Agreement is available in the Funds’ Annual Report to shareholders for the fiscal year ended October 31, 2019.

Advisory Fees

The Adviser makes investment decisions for the Funds. Each Fund, in turn, pays the Adviser a monthly advisory fee calculated daily by applying an annual rate to each Fund’s daily net assets.

For the fiscal year ended October 31, 2019, the Adviser received from each Fund the advisory fee (net of fee waivers, if applicable) set forth in the table below.

Fund (as a percentage of average daily net assets)

Prime Portfolio

0.10%

ESG Money Market Portfolio

0.09%

Government Portfolio

0.11%

Government Securities Portfolio

0.12%

Treasury Portfolio

0.13%

Treasury Securities Portfolio

0.14%

Tax-Exempt Portfolio

0.03%

Morgan Stanley Investment Management Inc., as the Adviser and the Administrator, has agreed to reduce its advisory fee, its administration fee and/or reimburse the Fund’s Institutional Select Class, if necessary, if such fees would cause the total annual operating expenses of such Fund’s Institutional Select Class to exceed the percentage of daily net assets set forth in the table below. In determining the actual amount of fee waiver and/or expense reimbursement for each Fund, if any, the Adviser and Administrator exclude from total annual operating expenses certain investment related expenses, taxes, interest and other extraordinary expenses (including litigation). The fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements will continue for at least one year or until such time as the Trust’s Board of Trustees acts to discontinue all or a portion of such waivers and/or reimbursements when it seems such action is appropriate.

A Fund’s annual operating expenses may vary throughout the period and from year to year. A Fund’s actual expenses for the most recent fiscal year may be different than the expenses listed in the Fund’s fee and expense table based upon the extent and amount of a fee waiver and/or expense reimbursement.

 

Expense Cap
Institutional Select Class

Prime Portfolio

0.25%

ESG Money Market Portfolio

0.25%

Government Portfolio

0.25%

Government Securities Portfolio

0.25%

Treasury Portfolio

0.25%

Treasury Securities Portfolio

0.25%

Tax-Exempt Portfolio

0.25%

The Distributor, Adviser and Administrator may also waive distribution fees, advisory fees, administration fees and/or reimburse expenses to enable a Fund to maintain a minimum level of daily net investment income. The Adviser and Administrator may make additional voluntary fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements. The Distributor, Adviser and Administrator may discontinue these voluntary fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements at any time in the future.

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Prospectus | Financial Highlights

Financial Highlights

The following financial highlights tables are intended to help you understand the financial performance of the Institutional Select Class shares of each Fund for the periods indicated. Certain information reflects financial results for a single Fund share. The total returns in the tables represent the rate that an investor would have earned (or lost) on an investment in each Fund (assuming reinvestment of all dividends and distributions).

The ratios of expenses to average net assets listed in the tables below for each Fund are based on the average net assets of the Fund for each of the periods listed in the tables. To the extent that a Fund’s average net assets decrease over the Fund’s next fiscal year, such expense ratios can be expected to increase, potentially significantly, because certain fixed costs will be spread over a smaller amount of assets.

Year Ended October 31,

 

Net Asset
Value,
Beginning
of Period

 

Net
Investment
Income

 

Net Realized
and Unrealized
Gain (Loss)
on Investments

 

Distributions
From Net
Investment
Income

 

Net Asset Value,
End of Period

Prime Portfolio:

2019

$

1.0003

$

0.0233
(2)

$

0.0004
(3)

$

(0.0234
)

$

1.0006

2018

 

1.0000

 

0.0181
(2)

 

(0.0001
)
(3)

 

(0.0177
)

 

1.0003

2017

 

1.0005

 

0.0104
(2)

 

(0.0033
)

 

(0.0076
)

 

1.0000

2016(1)

 

1.0000

 

0.0031
(2)

 

0.0005

 

(0.0031
)

 

1.0005

2015

 

1.000

 

0.000
(2)(3)

 

(0.000
)
(3)

 

(0.000
)
(3)

 

1.000

ESG Money Market Portfolio:

2019

$

1.0002

$

0.0233
(2)

$

0.0006

$

(0.0235
)

$

1.0006

2018

 

1.0002

 

0.0185
(2)

 

(0.0007
)

 

(0.0178
)

 

1.0002

2017

 

1.0000

 

0.0100
(2)

 

(0.0001
)
(3)

 

(0.0097
)

 

1.0002

2016(1)

 

1.0000

 

0.0036
(2)

 

0.0000
(3)

 

(0.0036
)

 

1.0000

2015

 

1.000

 

0.001
(2)

 

0.000
(3)

 

(0.001
)

 

1.000

Government Portfolio:

2019

$

1.000

$

0.021
(2)

$

0.000
(3)

$

(0.021
)

$

1.000

2018

 

1.000

 

0.015
(2)

 

0.000
(3)

 

(0.015
)

 

1.000

2017

 

1.000

 

0.006
(2)

 

0.000
(3)

 

(0.006
)

 

1.000

2016(1)

 

1.000

 

0.002
(2)

 

(0.000
)
(3)

 

(0.002
)

 

1.000

2015

 

1.000

 

0.000
(2)(3)

 

0.000
(3)

 

(0.000
)
(3)

 

1.000

Government Securities Portfolio:

2019

$

1.000

$

0.021
(2)

$

0.000
(3)

$

(0.021
)

$

1.000

2018

 

1.000

 

0.012
(2)

 

0.002

 

(0.014
)

 

1.000

2017

 

1.000

 

0.006
(2)

 

0.000
(3)

 

(0.006
)

 

1.000

2016(1)

 

1.000

 

0.001
(2)

 

(0.000
)
(3)

 

(0.001
)

 

1.000

2015

 

1.000

 

0.000
(2)(3)

 

(0.000
)
(3)

 

(0.000
)
(3)

 

1.000

Treasury Portfolio:

2019

$

1.000

$

0.021
(2)

$

0.000
(3)

$

(0.021
)

$

1.000

2018

 

1.000

 

0.015
(2)

 

0.000
(3)

 

(0.015
)

 

1.000

2017

 

1.000

 

0.006
(2)

 

0.000
(3)

 

(0.006
)

 

1.000

2016(1)

 

1.000

 

0.002
(2)

 

(0.000
)
(3)

 

(0.002
)

 

1.000

2015

 

1.000

 

0.000
(2)(3)

 

(0.000
)
(3)

 

(0.000
)
(3)

 

1.000

Treasury Securities Portfolio:

2019

$

1.000

$

0.020
(2)

$

0.000
(3)

$

(0.020
)

$

1.000

2018

 

1.000

 

0.015
(2)

 

(0.000
)
(3)

 

(0.015
)

 

1.000

2017

 

1.000

 

0.005
(2)

 

0.000
(3)

 

(0.005
)

 

1.000

2016(1)

 

1.000

 

0.001
(2)

 

(0.000
)
(3)

 

(0.001
)

 

1.000

2015

 

1.000

 

0.000
(2)(3)

 

(0.000
)
(3)

 

(0.000
)
(3)

 

1.000

Tax-Exempt Portfolio:

2019

$

1.0000

$

0.0136
(2)

$

0.0001
(3)

$

(0.0136
)

$

1.0001

2018

 

1.0000

 

0.0113
(2)

 

(0.0003
)
(3)

 

(0.0110
)

 

1.0000

2017

 

1.0000

 

0.0054
(2)

 

(0.0002
)
(3)

 

(0.0052
)

 

1.0000

2016(1)

 

1.0000

 

0.0011
(2)

 

0.0027

 

(0.0038
)
(6)

 

1.0000

2015

 

1.000

 

0.000
(2)(3)

 

(0.000
)
(3)

 

(0.000
)
(3)

 

1.000

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Prospectus | Financial Highlights

The information below has been derived from the financial statements audited by Ernst & Young LLP, the Funds’ independent registered public accounting firm. Ernst & Young LLP’s report, along with each Fund’s financial statements, are incorporated by reference into the Funds’ SAI. The Annual Report to Shareholders (which includes each Fund’s financial statements) and SAI are available at no cost from the Trust at the toll free number noted on the back cover to this Prospectus.

Total
Return

 

Net Assets,
End of Period
(000)

 

Ratio of
Expenses
to Average Net
Assets

 

Ratio of Expenses
to Average
Net Assets Excluding
Non-Operating
Expenses

 

Ratio of Expenses
to Average
Net Assets
(Before Waivers/
Reimbursement)

 

Ratio of
Net Investment
Income to Average
Net Assets

 

Ratio of
Net Investment
Income (Loss)
to Average
Net Assets
(Before Waivers/
Reimbursement)

 

Ratio of Rebate
from Morgan
Stanley Affiliates
to Average Net
Assets

2.40
%

$

12,203

 

0.21
%
(4)

 

N/A

 

0.26
%

 

2.33%

 

2.28
%

 

N/A
1.82
%

 

20,410

 

0.20
%
(4)

 

N/A

 

0.26
%

 

1.82%

 

1.76
%

 

N/A
0.71
%

 

50

 

0.17
%
(4)

 

N/A

 

0.28
%

 

1.04%

 

0.93
%

 

N/A
0.36
%

 

10,036

 

0.23
%
(4)

 

N/A

 

0.26
%

 

0.29%

 

0.26
%

 

N/A
0.04
%

 

237,736

 

0.20
%
(4)

 

N/A

 

0.26
%

 

0.05%

 

(0.01
)%

 

N/A
2.41
%

$

51

 

0.21
%
(4)

 

0.21
%
(4)

 

0.27
%

 

2.33%

 

2.27
%

 

N/A
1.79
%

 

50

 

0.20
%
(4)

 

N/A

 

0.30
%

 

1.86%

 

1.76
%

 

N/A
1.00
%

 

50

 

0.15
%
(4)

 

N/A

 

0.37
%

 

1.01%

 

0.79
%

 

N/A
0.36
%

 

50

 

0.17
%
(4)

 

N/A

 

0.27
%

 

0.36%

 

0.26
%

 

N/A
0.09
%

 

50

 

0.18
%
(4)

 

N/A

 

0.27
%

 

0.09%

 

0.00
%
(5)

 

N/A
2.15
%

$

350,876

 

0.22
%
(4)

 

0.22
%
(4)

 

0.26
%

 

2.12%

 

2.08
%

 

N/A
1.50
%

 

750,517

 

0.22
%
(4)

 

N/A

 

0.26
%

 

1.50%

 

1.46
%

 

N/A
0.60
%

 

1,990,491

 

0.23
%
(4)

 

N/A

 

0.26
%

 

0.58%

 

0.55
%

 

N/A
0.18
%

 

1,620,891

 

0.22
%
(4)

 

N/A

 

0.26
%

 

0.17%

 

0.13
%

 

N/A
0.04
%

 

556,034

 

0.08
%
(4)

 

N/A

 

0.26
%

 

0.04%

 

(0.14
)%

 

N/A
2.08
%

$

51

 

0.25
%
(4)

 

N/A

 

0.28
%

 

2.07%

 

2.04
%

 

N/A
1.43
%

 

50

 

0.25
%
(4)

 

N/A

 

0.26
%

 

1.25%

 

1.24
%

 

N/A
0.55
%

 

50

 

0.25
%
(4)

 

N/A

 

0.27
%

 

0.52%

 

0.50
%

 

N/A
0.10
%

 

50

 

0.23
%
(4)

 

N/A

 

0.26
%

 

0.12%

 

0.09
%

 

N/A
0.01
%

 

50

 

0.05
%
(4)

 

N/A

 

0.91
%

 

0.01%

 

(0.85
)%

 

N/A
2.12
%

$

239,361

 

0.24
%
(4)

 

N/A

 

0.26
%

 

2.10%

 

2.08
%

 

N/A
1.50
%

 

331,029

 

0.24
%
(4)

 

N/A

 

0.26
%

 

1.48%

 

1.46
%

 

N/A
0.58
%

 

316,164

 

0.23
%
(4)

 

N/A

 

0.26
%

 

0.56%

 

0.53
%

 

N/A
0.15
%

 

269,931

 

0.21
%
(4)

 

N/A

 

0.26
%

 

0.15%

 

0.10
%

 

N/A
0.03
%

 

439,605

 

0.05
%
(4)

 

N/A

 

0.26
%

 

0.03%

 

(0.18
)%

 

N/A
2.07
%

$

398,934

 

0.25
%
(4)

 

N/A

 

0.26
%

 

2.04%

 

2.03
%

 

N/A
1.46
%

 

189,558

 

0.25
%
(4)

 

N/A

 

0.26
%

 

1.46%

 

1.45
%

 

N/A
0.55
%

 

239,841

 

0.24
%
(4)

 

N/A

 

0.26
%

 

0.54%

 

0.52
%

 

N/A
0.10
%

 

277,773

 

0.21
%
(4)

 

N/A

 

0.26
%

 

0.11%

 

0.06
%

 

N/A
0.01
%

 

1,989,121

 

0.02
%
(4)

 

N/A

 

0.26
%

 

0.01%

 

(0.23
)%

 

N/A
1.38
%

$

50

 

0.20
%
(4)

 

N/A

 

0.32
%

 

1.35%

 

1.23
%

 

1.10
%

 

50

 

0.23
%
(4)

 

N/A

 

0.38
%

 

1.13%

 

0.98
%

 

0.52
%

 

50

 

0.23
%
(4)

 

N/A

 

0.56
%

 

0.54%

 

0.21
%

 

0.37
%

 

50

 

0.14
%
(4)(7)

 

N/A

 

0.53
%

 

0.15%(7)

 

(0.24
)%

 

0.00
%
(5)
0.01
%

 

50

 

0.04
%
(4)(7)

 

N/A

 

0.43
%

 

0.01%(7)

 

(0.38
)%

 

0.00
%
(5)

50


 

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Prospectus  |  Financial Highlights

Notes to Financial Highlights

(1)

Reflects prior period custodian out-of-pocket expenses that were reimbursed in September 2016. The amount of the reimbursement was immaterial on a per share basis and did not impact the total return of the Fund. The Ratio of Expenses to Average Net Assets and the Ratio of Net Investment Income to Average Net Assets would be unchanged as the reimbursement of custodian fees was offset against expense waivers/reimbursements with no impact to net expenses or net investment income.

(2)

Per share amount is based on average shares outstanding.

(3)

Amount is less than $0.0005 per share.

(4)

Ratios of Expenses to Average Net Assets before and after Maximum Expense Ratios may vary among share classes by more or less than the administration plan, service and shareholder administration plan, distribution plan and/or shareholder services plan (the “plans”) fees due to either (1) fluctuations in daily net asset amounts, (2) changes in the plans’ fees during the period for each share class, (3) changes in the Funds’ expense cap during the year, (4) waivers to the plans’ fees for each share class, or (5) a combination of the previous points.

(5)

Amount is less than 0.005%.

(6)

Includes paid-in-capital distribution of $0.0022.

(7)

The Ratio of Expenses and Ratio of Net Investment Income reflect the rebate of certain Fund expenses in connection with the investments in Morgan Stanley affiliates during the period. The effect of the rebate on the ratios is disclosed in the above table as “Ratio of Rebate from Morgan Stanley Affiliates to Average Net Assets.”

51


 

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Where to Find Additional Information

In addition to this Prospectus, the Funds have an SAI, dated February 28, 2020 (as may be supplemented from time to time), which contains additional, more detailed information about the Trust and the Funds. The SAI is incorporated by reference into this Prospectus and, therefore, legally forms a part of this Prospectus.

The Trust publishes Shareholder Reports that contain additional information about the respective Fund’s investments. In each Fund’s Annual Report to Shareholders, you will find a discussion of the market conditions and the investment strategies that significantly affected such Fund’s performance during the last fiscal year. For additional Trust information, including information regarding the investments comprising each of the Funds, please call the toll-free number below.

You may obtain the SAI and Shareholder Reports without charge by contacting the Trust at the toll-free number below or on our Internet site at: www.morganstanley.com/liquidity. If you purchased shares through a Financial Intermediary, you may also obtain these documents, without charge, by contacting your Financial Intermediary.

Shareholder Reports and other information about the Funds are available on the EDGAR Database on the SEC’s Internet site at http://www.sec.gov, and copies of this information may be obtained, after paying a duplicating fee, by electronic request at the following e-mail address: publicinfo@sec.gov.

Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds
c/o DST Asset Manager Solutions, Inc.
P.O. Box 219804
Kansas City, MO 64121-9804

For Shareholder Inquiries,
call the Trust toll-free at 1-888-378-1630.

Prices and Investment Results are available at www.morganstanley.com/liquidity.

The Trust’s 1940 Act registration number is 811-21339.

© 2020 Morgan Stanley.

LFISCPRO 2/20

 C: 

 

Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds

Investor Class Portfolios

Prime Portfolio
ESG Money Market Portfolio
Government Portfolio
Government Securities Portfolio
Treasury Portfolio
Treasury Securities Portfolio
Tax-Exempt Portfolio


 

Prospectus   |   February 28, 2020

Fund

Ticker Symbol

Prime Portfolio

MPVXX

ESG Money Market Portfolio

MIOXX

Government Portfolio

MVVXX

Government Securities Portfolio

MVIXX

Treasury Portfolio

MTNXX

Treasury Securities Portfolio

MNVXX

Tax-Exempt Portfolio

MXIXX

Beginning on January 1, 2021, as permitted by regulations adopted by the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”), paper copies of the Funds’ Annual and Semi-Annual Reports to Shareholders (“Shareholder Reports”) will no longer be sent by mail, unless you specifically request paper copies of the Shareholder Reports from the Fund or from your financial intermediary, such as a broker-dealer or a bank. Instead, the Shareholder Reports will be made available on the Funds’ website, https://www.morganstanley.com/im/liquidityshareholderreports and you will be notified by mail each time a Shareholder Report is posted and provided with a website link to access the Shareholder Report. If you already elected to receive Shareholder Reports electronically, you will not be affected by this change and you need not take any action. You may elect to receive Shareholder Reports and other communications from a Fund electronically anytime by contacting your financial intermediary or, if you are a direct investor, please follow the instructions on the envelope. 

Beginning on January 1, 2019, you may elect to receive all future Shareholder Reports in paper free of charge. If you invest through a financial intermediary, you can contact your financial intermediary to request that you continue to receive paper copies of your Shareholder Reports. If you invest directly with a Fund, please follow the instructions on the envelope to let the Fund know you wish to continue receiving paper copies of your Shareholder Reports. Your election to receive Shareholder Reports in paper will apply to all funds held in your account if you invest through your financial intermediary or all funds held with the fund complex if you invest directly with a Fund.

The SEC has not approved or disapproved these securities or passed upon the adequacy of this Prospectus. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.

LFINVPRO 2/20


 

Table of Contents

 

Page

Fund Summary

1

Prime Portfolio

1

ESG Money Market Portfolio

4

Government Portfolio

8

Government Securities Portfolio

11

Treasury Portfolio

14

Treasury Securities Portfolio

17

Tax-Exempt Portfolio

20

Details of the Funds

23

Prime Portfolio

23

ESG Money Market Portfolio

25

Government Portfolio

28

Government Securities Portfolio

30

Treasury Portfolio

31

Treasury Securities Portfolio

32

Tax-Exempt Portfolio

33

Additional Information About the Funds' Investment Strategies and Related Risks

35

Shareholder Information

39

Fund Management

48

Financial Highlights

49


 

Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Prospectus  |  Fund Summary

Prime Portfolio

Investment Objective

The Prime Portfolio (the “Fund”) seeks preservation of capital, daily liquidity and maximum current income.

Fees and Expenses

The table below describes the expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold Investor Class shares of the Fund. The Fund does not charge any sales loads or other fees when you purchase or redeem shares.

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

 

Investor Class

Advisory Fee

0.15%

Distribution and/or Shareholder Service (12b-1) Fee

None

Other Expenses

0.06%

Shareholder Administration Fee1

0.10%

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses2

0.31%

Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement2

0.01%

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement2

0.30%

Example

The example below is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund’s Investor Class with the cost of investing in other mutual funds.

The example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund’s Investor Class, your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Fund’s operating expenses remain the same (except that the example incorporates the fee waiver and/or expense reimbursement 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

 

Investor Class

$ 31

$ 99

$ 173

$ 392

 

1 Institutions or financial intermediaries may charge other fees directly to their customers who are beneficial owners of Investor Class shares in connection with their customers’ accounts.
2 The Fund’s “Adviser” and “Administrator,” Morgan Stanley Investment Management Inc., has agreed to reduce its advisory fee, its administration fee and/or reimburse the Fund’s Investor Class so that Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses, excluding certain investment related expenses, taxes, interest and other extraordinary expenses (including litigation), will not exceed 0.30%. The fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements will continue for at least one year or until such time as the Board of Trustees of Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds (the “Trust”) acts to discontinue all or a portion of such waivers and/or reimbursements when it deems such action is appropriate.

Principal Investment Strategies

The Fund invests in liquid, high quality U.S. dollar-denominated money market instruments of U.S. and foreign financial corporations and U.S. non-financial corporations. The Fund also invests in obligations issued or guaranteed by the U.S. Government and its agencies and instrumentalities. The Fund’s money market investments may include commercial paper, corporate debt obligations, debt obligations (including certificates of deposit and promissory notes) of U.S. banks or foreign banks, or of U.S. branches or subsidiaries of foreign banks, or foreign branches of U.S. banks (such as Yankee obligations), certificates of deposit of savings banks and savings and loan organizations, asset-backed securities, repurchase agreements and municipal obligations.

The Fund may also invest in U.S. dollar-denominated foreign securities and money market instruments.

The Fund operates as an “institutional money market fund,” which is neither a “government money market fund” nor “retail money market fund” as such terms are defined or interpreted under Rule 2a-7 under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (“Rule 2a-7” under the “1940 Act”). As such, the Fund is required to price and transact in its shares at a net asset value per share (“NAV”) reflecting market-based values of its portfolio holdings (i.e., at a “floating” NAV), rounded to a minimum of the fourth decimal place. Like other money market funds of its type, the Fund is subject to the possible imposition of liquidity fees and/or redemption gates.

Principal Risks

There is no assurance that the Fund will achieve its investment objective.

You could lose money by investing in the Fund. Because the share price of the Fund will fluctuate, when you sell your shares they may be worth more or less than what you originally paid for them. The Fund may impose a fee upon the sale of your shares or may temporarily suspend your ability to sell shares if the Fund’s liquidity falls below required minimums because of market conditions or

1


 

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Prospectus | Fund Summary

Prime Portfolio (Cont’d)

other factors. An investment in the Fund is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (“FDIC”) or any other government agency. The Fund’s sponsor has no legal obligation to provide financial support to the Fund, and you should not expect that the sponsor will provide financial support to the Fund at any time.

The principal risks of investing in the Fund include:

 

Credit and Interest Rate Risk. Credit risk refers to the possibility that the issuer or guarantor of a security will be unable to make interest payments and/or repay the principal on its debt. Interest rate risk refers to fluctuations in the value of a fixed-income security resulting from changes in the general level of interest rates. When the general level of interest rates goes up, the prices of most fixed-income securities go down. When the general level of interest rates goes down, the prices of most fixed-income securities go up. The Fund may face a heightened level of interest rate risk in times of monetary policy change and uncertainty, such as when the Federal Reserve Board ends a quantitative easing program and/or raises rates. A rising interest rate environment increases certain risks, including the potential for periods of volatility, increased redemptions and extended durations (i.e., extension risk).

 

Bank Obligations. The activities of U.S. and most foreign banks are subject to comprehensive regulations. The enactment of new legislation or regulations, as well as changes in interpretation and enforcement of current laws, may affect the manner of operations and profitability of domestic and foreign banks. In addition, banks may be particularly susceptible to certain economic factors.

 

Fixed-Income Securities. Fixed-income securities are subject to the risk of the issuer’s inability to meet principal and interest payments on its obligations (i.e., credit risk) and are subject to price volatility resulting from, among other things, interest rate sensitivity (i.e., interest rate risk), market perception of the creditworthiness of the issuer and general market liquidity (i.e., market risk). The Fund may face a heightened level of interest rate risk in times of monetary policy change and uncertainty, such as when the Federal Reserve Board ends a quantitative easing program and/or raises rates.

 

U.S. Government Securities. The U.S. government securities in which the Fund invests can be subject to two types of risk: credit risk and interest rate risk. When the general level of interest rates goes up, the prices of most fixed-income securities go down. When the general level of interest rates goes down, the prices of most fixed-income securities go up. While the credit risk associated with U.S. government securities generally is considered to be minimal, the interest rate risk can be substantial. With respect to U.S. government securities that are not backed by the full faith and credit of the United States, there is the risk that the U.S. Government will not provide financial support to such U.S. government agencies, instrumentalities or sponsored enterprises if it is not obligated to do so by law.

 

Asset-Backed Securities. Asset-backed securities involve the risk that various federal and state consumer laws and other legal and economic factors may result in the collateral backing the securities being insufficient to support payment on the securities. Some asset-backed securities also entail prepayment risk and extension risk, which may vary depending on the type of asset.

 

Repurchase Agreements. Repurchase agreements are subject to risks associated with the possibility of default by the seller at a time when the collateral has declined in value, or insolvency of the seller, which may affect the Fund’s right to control the collateral and result in certain costs and delays. Repurchase agreements may involve a greater degree of credit risk than investments in U.S. government securities.

 

Foreign Money Market Securities. Investing in money market securities of foreign issuers involves some additional risks, including the possibility of adverse political, economic or other developments affecting the issuers of these securities.

 

Municipal Obligations. To the extent the Fund invests in municipal obligations issued by state and local governments and their agencies, the Fund may be susceptible to political, economic, regulatory or other factors affecting issuers of these municipal obligations. To the extent that the Fund invests in municipal obligations of issuers in the same economic sector, it could be more sensitive to economic, business or political developments that affect such sector.
 

Performance Information

The bar chart and table below provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by showing changes in the performance of the Fund’s Investor Class shares from year-to-year and by showing the average annual returns of the Fund’s Investor Class shares for the one, five and 10 year periods. The Fund’s past performance is not necessarily an indication of how the Fund will perform in the future. Updated performance information is available online at www.morganstanley.com/liquidity.

2


 

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Prospectus  |  Fund Summary

Prime Portfolio (Cont’d)

Annual Total Returns—Calendar Years*

High Quarter

09/30/16

0.07%

Low Quarter

12/31/16

0.00%

Average Annual Total Returns*

(for the Periods Ended December 31, 2019)

 

Past
One Year

Past
Five Years

Past
Ten Years

Prime Portfolio*

0.00%

0.05%

0.05%

* The Investor Class was fully redeemed during the month of October 2016 and did not have investors for subsequent periods. Accordingly, the returns listed for each period in the bar chart and table are calculated using returns of 0.00% for periods after October 2016. The average annual returns of the Fund’s Institutional Class shares for the one, five and 10 year periods as of December 31, 2019 were 2.35%, 1.21% and 0.66%, respectively. The Investor Class shares would have similar returns because the shares are invested in the same portfolio and would differ only to the extent that the Classes do not have the same expenses.

You may obtain the Fund’s 7-day current yield by calling 1-888-378-1630.

Fund Management

Adviser. Morgan Stanley Investment Management Inc.

Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares

Investor Class shares of the Fund are available to investors who at the time of initial purchase make a minimum investment of $10 million. You may not be subject to the minimum investment requirement under certain circumstances. For more information, please refer to the section of this Prospectus entitled “Shareholder Information—Minimum Investment Amount.”

Shares of the Fund may be purchased or sold on any day the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) is open for business (except when the following federal holidays are observed: Columbus Day and Veterans Day) directly from the Fund by mail (c/o DST Asset Manager Solutions, Inc., P.O. Box 219804, Kansas City, MO 64121-9804), by telephone (1-888-378-1630) or by contacting an authorized third-party, such as a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary that has entered into a selling agreement with the Fund’s “Distributor,” Morgan Stanley Distribution, Inc. (each, a “Financial Intermediary”). You may purchase and redeem shares online through Morgan Stanley’s Treasury Investment Portal service at www.morganstanley.com/liquidity, provided you have a pre-established Internet trading account. For more information, please refer to the sections of this Prospectus entitled “Shareholder Information—How To Purchase Shares” and “Shareholder Information—How To Redeem Shares.”

Selected accounts that utilize the Fund as their sweep vehicle will be reviewed on each business day and shares will automatically be purchased or sold to cover any credits or debits incurred that day.

Tax Information

The Fund intends to make distributions that may be taxed as ordinary income or capital gains.

Payments to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries

If you purchase shares of the Fund through a Financial Intermediary (such as a bank), the Adviser and/or the Distributor may pay the Financial Intermediary for the sale of Fund shares and related services. These payments, which may be significant in amount, may create a conflict of interest by influencing the Financial Intermediary and your salesperson to recommend the Fund over another investment. Ask your salesperson or visit your Financial Intermediary’s web site for more information.

3


 

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Prospectus  |  Fund Summary

ESG Money Market Portfolio

Investment Objective

The ESG Money Market Portfolio (the “Fund”) seeks preservation of capital, daily liquidity and maximum current income.

Fees and Expenses

The table below describes the expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold Investor Class shares of the Fund. The Fund does not charge any sales loads or other fees when you purchase or redeem shares.

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

 

Investor Class

Advisory Fee

0.15%

Distribution and/or Shareholder Service (12b-1) Fee

None

Other Expenses

0.07%

Shareholder Administration Fee1

0.10%

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses2

0.32%

Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement2

0.02%

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement2

0.30%

Example

The example below is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund’s Investor Class with the cost of investing in other mutual funds.

The example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund’s Investor Class, your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Fund’s operating expenses remain the same (except that the example incorporates the fee waiver and/or expense reimbursement 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

 

Investor Class

$ 31

$ 101

$ 178

$ 404

 

1 Institutions or financial intermediaries may charge other fees directly to their customers who are beneficial owners of Investor Class shares in connection with their customers’ accounts.
2 The Fund’s “Adviser” and “Administrator,” Morgan Stanley Investment Management Inc., has agreed to reduce its advisory fee, its administration fee and/or reimburse the Fund’s Investor Class so that Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses, excluding certain investment related expenses, taxes, interest and other extraordinary expenses (including litigation), will not exceed 0.30%. The fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements will continue for at least one year or until such time as the Board of Trustees of Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds (the “Trust”) acts to discontinue all or a portion of such waivers and/or reimbursements when it deems such action is appropriate.

Principal Investment Strategies

The Fund invests in liquid, high quality U.S. dollar-denominated money market instruments of U.S. and foreign financial and non-financial corporations. The Fund also invests in obligations of foreign governments and in obligations issued or guaranteed by the U.S. Government and its agencies and instrumentalities. The Fund’s money market investments may include commercial paper, corporate debt obligations, debt obligations (including certificates of deposit and promissory notes) of U.S. banks or foreign banks, or of U.S. branches or subsidiaries of foreign banks, or foreign branches of U.S. banks (such as Yankee obligations), certificates of deposit of savings banks and savings and loan organizations, asset-backed securities, repurchase agreements and municipal obligations.

The Fund may also invest in U.S. dollar-denominated foreign securities and money market instruments.

The Adviser believes that environmental, social and governance (“ESG”) factors have the ability to impact the fundamental credit risk of an entity. The Fund’s investment process incorporates information about ESG issues via an integrated approach within the Adviser’s fundamental investment analysis framework. The Adviser may engage with management of certain issuers regarding corporate governance practices as well as what the Adviser deems to be materially important environmental and/or social issues facing a company.

The Adviser has proprietary ESG-scoring methodologies that explicitly consider the risks and opportunities ESG factors pose to money market instruments. By combining third-party ESG data with proprietary views, the Adviser creates unique scoring methodologies that it applies to issuers.

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Prospectus  |  Fund Summary

ESG Money Market Portfolio (Cont’d)

During the security selection process, the Adviser employs a rules-based process to construct the portfolio. Initially, the Adviser determines from the universe of money market fund-eligible issuers those which, in its opinion, have the lowest credit risk and/or best credit profile, excluding the following:

 

Corporations that generate revenue from the manufacturing or production of tobacco;

 

Corporations that generate revenue from the manufacturing or production of landmines and cluster munitions (i.e., an explosive weapon that randomly scatters submunitions);

 

Corporations that generate revenue from the manufacturing or production of firearms;

 

Corporations that generate revenue from the mining of thermal coal or coal fired power generation; and

 

Corporations that primarily generate revenue from the fossil fuel industries, which the Adviser has determined produce a certain level of carbon emissions.
 

The Fund may invest in green commercial paper (a security that is typically issued to raise capital specifically to support climate-related or environmental projects) issued by companies that would otherwise be subject to fossil fuel exclusions so long as the Adviser has determined that the proceeds will not be used to finance fossil fuel generation capabilities.

In analyzing whether an issuer meets any of the criteria described above, the Adviser may rely upon, among other things, information provided by an independent third party.

After applying the above exclusion screens, the Adviser calculates proprietary ESG scores for the remaining issuers based on a number of variables, such as environmental, social, governance, controversy and ESG momentum factors. The Adviser then sets minimum ESG score thresholds. Only issuers with an ESG score above a minimum threshold will be considered for investment by the Fund, thus eliminating those issuers with the lowest ESG performance. The Adviser’s minimum ESG score thresholds may be adjusted from time to time, provided that a subset of issuers are always excluded by ESG factors.

From the final list of ESG-approved issuers, the Adviser determines the securities and issuers in which the Fund will invest, taking into account a variety of relevant considerations (including, without limitation, yield, interest rate changes, credit quality and duration).

Under normal circumstances, the Fund will invest 100% of its net assets (excluding cash) in securities whose issuer or guarantor, in the Adviser’s opinion at the time of purchase, meets the Fund’s ESG criteria.

The Fund operates as an “institutional money market fund,” which is neither a “government money market fund” nor “retail money market fund” as such terms are defined or interpreted under Rule 2a-7 under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (“Rule 2a-7” under the “1940 Act”). As such, the Fund is required to price and transact in its shares at a net asset value per share (“NAV”) reflecting market-based values of its portfolio holdings (i.e., at a “floating” NAV), rounded to a minimum of the fourth decimal place. Like other money market funds of its type, the Fund is subject to the possible imposition of liquidity fees and/or redemption gates.

Principal Risks

There is no assurance that the Fund will achieve its investment objective.

You could lose money by investing in the Fund. Because the share price of the Fund will fluctuate, when you sell your shares they may be worth more or less than what you originally paid for them. The Fund may impose a fee upon the sale of your shares or may temporarily suspend your ability to sell shares if the Fund’s liquidity falls below required minimums because of market conditions or other factors. An investment in the Fund is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (“FDIC”) or any other government agency. The Fund’s sponsor has no legal obligation to provide financial support to the Fund, and you should not expect that the sponsor will provide financial support to the Fund at any time.

The principal risks of investing in the Fund include:

 

Credit and Interest Rate Risk. Credit risk refers to the possibility that the issuer or guarantor of a security will be unable to make interest payments and/or repay the principal on its debt. Interest rate risk refers to fluctuations in the value of a fixed-income security resulting from changes in the general level of interest rates. When the general level of interest rates goes up, the prices of most fixed-income securities go down. When the general level of interest rates goes down, the prices of most fixed-income securities go up. The Fund may face a heightened level of interest rate risk in times of monetary policy change and uncertainty, such as when the Federal Reserve Board ends a quantitative easing program and/or raises rates. A rising interest rate environment increases certain risks, including the potential for periods of volatility, increased redemptions and extended durations (i.e., extension risk).
 

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Prospectus | Fund Summary

ESG Money Market Portfolio (Cont’d)

 

Bank Obligations. The activities of U.S. and most foreign banks are subject to comprehensive regulations. The enactment of new legislation or regulations, as well as changes in interpretation and enforcement of current laws, may affect the manner of operations and profitability of domestic and foreign banks. In addition, banks may be particularly susceptible to certain economic factors.

 

Fixed-Income Securities. Fixed-income securities are subject to the risk of the issuer’s inability to meet principal and interest payments on its obligations (i.e., credit risk) and are subject to price volatility resulting from, among other things, interest rate sensitivity (i.e., interest rate risk), market perception of the creditworthiness of the issuer and general market liquidity (i.e., market risk). The Fund may face a heightened level of interest rate risk in times of monetary policy change and uncertainty, such as when the Federal Reserve Board ends a quantitative easing program and/or raises rates.

 

U.S. Government Securities. The U.S. government securities in which the Fund invests can be subject to two types of risk: credit risk and interest rate risk. When the general level of interest rates goes up, the prices of most fixed-income securities go down. When the general level of interest rates goes down, the prices of most fixed-income securities go up. While the credit risk associated with U.S. government securities generally is considered to be minimal, the interest rate risk can be substantial. With respect to U.S. government securities that are not backed by the full faith and credit of the United States, there is the risk that the U.S. Government will not provide financial support to such U.S. government agencies, instrumentalities or sponsored enterprises if it is not obligated to do so by law.

 

Asset-Backed Securities. Asset-backed securities involve the risk that various federal and state consumer laws and other legal and economic factors may result in the collateral backing the securities being insufficient to support payment on the securities. Some asset-backed securities also entail prepayment risk and extension risk, which may vary depending on the type of asset.

 

Repurchase Agreements. Repurchase agreements are subject to risks associated with the possibility of default by the seller at a time when the collateral has declined in value, or insolvency of the seller, which may affect the Fund’s right to control the collateral and result in certain costs and delays. Repurchase agreements may involve a greater degree of credit risk than investments in U.S. government securities.

 

Foreign Money Market Securities. Investing in money market securities of foreign issuers involves some additional risks, including the possibility of adverse political, economic or other developments affecting the issuers of these securities.

 

Municipal Obligations. To the extent the Fund invests in municipal obligations issued by state and local governments and their agencies, the Fund may be susceptible to political, economic, regulatory or other factors affecting issuers of these municipal obligations. To the extent that the Fund invests in municipal obligations of issuers in the same economic sector, it could be more sensitive to economic, business or political developments that affect such sector.

 

ESG Investment Risk. The Fund’s adherence to its ESG criteria and application of related analyses when selecting investments may affect the Fund’s performance depending on whether such investments are in or out of favor and relative to similar funds that do not adhere to such criteria or apply such analyses. Socially responsible norms differ by country and region, and a company’s ESG practices or the Adviser’s assessment of such may change over time. The Fund may invest in companies that do not reflect the beliefs and values of any particular investor. Additionally, the Fund’s adherence to its ESG criteria and application of related analyses in connection with identifying and selecting investments in non-U.S. issuers often require subjective analysis and may be relatively more difficult than applying the ESG criteria or related analyses to investments of U.S. issuers because data availability may be more limited with respect to non-U.S. issuers. The exclusionary criteria related to the Fund’s ESG criteria may result in the Fund forgoing opportunities to buy certain securities when it might otherwise be advantageous to do so, or selling securities for ESG reasons when it might be otherwise disadvantageous for it to do so. The Fund’s investments in certain companies may be susceptible to various factors that may impact their businesses or operations, including costs associated with government budgetary constraints that impact publicly funded projects and clean energy initiatives, the effects of general economic conditions throughout the world, increased competition from other providers of services, unfavorable tax laws or accounting policies and high leverage.
 

Performance Information

The bar chart and table below provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by showing changes in the performance of the Fund’s Investor Class shares from year-to-year and by showing the average annual returns of the Fund’s Investor Class shares for the one, five and 10 year periods. The Fund’s past performance is not necessarily an indication of how the Fund will perform in the future. Updated performance information is available online at www.morganstanley.com/liquidity.

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Prospectus  |  Fund Summary

ESG Money Market Portfolio (Cont’d)

Annual Total Returns—Calendar Years*

High Quarter

06/30/16

0.09%

Low Quarter

09/30/14

0.00%

Average Annual Total Returns*

(for the Periods Ended December 31, 2019)

 

Past
One Year

Past
Five Years

Past
Ten Years

ESG Money Market Portfolio*

0.00%

0.07%

0.06%

* The Investor Class was fully redeemed during the month of October 2016 and did not have investors for subsequent periods. Accordingly, the returns listed for each period in the bar chart and table are calculated using returns of 0.00% for periods after October 2016. The average annual returns of the Fund’s Institutional Class shares for the one, five and 10 year periods as of December 31, 2019 were 2.34%, 1.24% and 0.68%, respectively. The Investor Class shares would have similar returns because the shares are invested in the same portfolio and would differ only to the extent that the classes do not have the same expenses.

You may obtain the Fund’s 7-day current yield by calling 1-888-378-1630.

Fund Management

Adviser. Morgan Stanley Investment Management Inc.

Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares

Investor Class shares of the Fund are available to investors who at the time of initial purchase make a minimum purchase of $10 million. You may not be subject to these minimum investment requirement under certain circumstances. For more information, please refer to the section of this Prospectus entitled “Shareholder Information—Minimum Investment Amount.”

Shares of the Fund may be purchased or sold on any day the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) is open for business (except when the following federal holidays are observed: Columbus Day and Veterans Day) directly from the Fund by mail (c/o DST Asset Manager Solutions, Inc., P.O. Box 219804, Kansas City, MO 64121-9804), by telephone (1-888-378-1630) or by contacting an authorized third-party, such as a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary that has entered into a selling agreement with the Fund’s “Distributor,” Morgan Stanley Distribution, Inc. (each, a “Financial Intermediary”). You may purchase and redeem shares online through Morgan Stanley’s Treasury Investment Portal service at www.morganstanley.com/liquidity, provided you have a pre-established Internet trading account. For more information, please refer to the sections of this Prospectus entitled “Shareholder Information—How To Purchase Shares” and “Shareholder Information—How To Redeem Shares.”

Selected accounts that utilize the Fund as their sweep vehicle will be reviewed on each business day and shares will automatically be purchased or sold to cover any credits or debits incurred that day.

Tax Information

The Fund intends to make distributions that may be taxed as ordinary income or capital gains.

Payments to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries

If you purchase shares of the Fund through a Financial Intermediary (such as a bank), the Adviser and/or the Distributor may pay the Financial Intermediary for the sale of Fund shares and related services. These payments, which may be significant in amount, may create a conflict of interest by influencing the Financial Intermediary and your salesperson to recommend the Fund over another investment. Ask your salesperson or visit your Financial Intermediary’s web site for more information.

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Prospectus  |  Fund Summary

Government Portfolio

Investment Objective

The Government Portfolio (the “Fund”) seeks preservation of capital, daily liquidity and maximum current income.

Fees and Expenses

The table below describes the expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold Investor Class shares of the Fund. The Fund does not charge any sales loads or other fees when you purchase or redeem shares.

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

 

Investor Class

Advisory Fee

0.15%

Distribution and/or Shareholder Service (12b-1) Fee

None

Other Expenses

0.06%

Shareholder Administration Fee1

0.10%

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses2

0.31%

Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement2

0.01%

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement2

0.30%

Example

The example below is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund’s Investor Class with the cost of investing in other mutual funds.

The example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund’s Investor Class, your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Fund’s operating expenses remain the same (except that the example incorporates the fee waiver and/or expense reimbursement 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

 

Investor Class

$ 31

$ 99

$ 173

$ 392

 

1 Institutions or financial intermediaries may charge other fees directly to their customers who are beneficial owners of Investor Class shares in connection with their customers’ accounts.
2 The Fund’s “Adviser” and “Administrator,” Morgan Stanley Investment Management Inc., has agreed to reduce its advisory fee, its administration fee and/or reimburse the Fund’s Investor Class so that Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses, excluding certain investment related expenses, taxes, interest and other extraordinary expenses (including litigation), will not exceed 0.30%. The fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements will continue for at least one year or until such time as the Board of Trustees of Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds (the “Trust”) acts to discontinue all or a portion of such waivers and/or reimbursements when it deems such action is appropriate.

Principal Investment Strategies

The Fund has adopted a policy to invest exclusively in obligations issued or guaranteed by the U.S. Government and its agencies and instrumentalities and in repurchase agreements collateralized by such securities in order to qualify as a “government money market fund” under federal regulations. The Fund may also hold cash from time to time. A “government money market fund” is a money market fund that invests at least 99.5% of its total assets in cash, securities issued or guaranteed by the United States or certain U.S. government agencies or instrumentalities and/or repurchase agreements that are collateralized fully by the foregoing. A “government money market fund” is exempt from requirements that permit money market funds to impose a “liquidity fee” and/or a “redemption gate” that temporarily restricts redemptions. In selecting investments, the Adviser seeks to maintain the Fund’s share price at $1.00. The share price remaining stable at $1.00 means that the Fund would preserve the principal value of your investment.

Principal Risks

There is no assurance that the Fund will achieve its investment objective.

You could lose money by investing in the Fund. Although the Fund seeks to preserve the value of your investment at $1.00 per share, it cannot guarantee it will do so. An investment in the Fund is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (“FDIC”) or any other government agency. The Fund’s sponsor has no legal obligation to provide financial support to the Fund, and you should not expect that the sponsor will provide financial support to the Fund at any time.

The principal risks of investing in the Fund include:

 

Credit and Interest Rate Risk. Credit risk refers to the possibility that the issuer or guarantor of a security will be unable to make interest payments and/or repay the principal on its debt. Interest rate risk refers to fluctuations in the value of a fixed-income security resulting from changes in the general level of interest rates. When the general level of interest rates goes up, the prices of
 

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Prospectus  |  Fund Summary

Government Portfolio (Cont’d)

 

most fixed-income securities go down. When the general level of interest rates goes down, the prices of most fixed-income securities go up. The Fund may face a heightened level of interest rate risk in times of monetary policy change and uncertainty, such as when the Federal Reserve Board ends a quantitative easing program and/or raises rates. A rising interest rate environment increases certain risks, including the potential for periods of volatility, increased redemptions and extended durations (i.e., extension risk).

 

Fixed-Income Securities. Fixed-income securities are subject to the risk of the issuer’s inability to meet principal and interest payments on its obligations (i.e., credit risk) and are subject to price volatility resulting from, among other things, interest rate sensitivity (i.e., interest rate risk), market perception of the creditworthiness of the issuer and general market liquidity (i.e., market risk). The Fund may face a heightened level of interest rate risk in times of monetary policy change and uncertainty, such as when the Federal Reserve Board ends a quantitative easing program and/or raises rates.

 

U.S. Government Securities. The U.S. government securities in which the Fund invests can be subject to two types of risk: credit risk and interest rate risk. When the general level of interest rates goes up, the prices of most fixed-income securities go down. When the general level of interest rates goes down, the prices of most fixed-income securities go up. While the credit risk associated with U.S. government securities generally is considered to be minimal, the interest rate risk can be substantial. With respect to U.S. government securities that are not backed by the full faith and credit of the United States, there is the risk that the U.S. Government will not provide financial support to such U.S. government agencies, instrumentalities or sponsored enterprises if it is not obligated to do so by law.

 

Repurchase Agreements. Repurchase agreements are subject to risks associated with the possibility of default by the seller at a time when the collateral has declined in value, or insolvency of the seller, which may affect the Fund’s right to control the collateral and result in certain costs and delays. Repurchase agreements may involve a greater degree of credit risk than investments in U.S. government securities.
 

Performance Information

The bar chart and table below provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by showing changes in the performance of the Fund’s Investor Class shares from year-to-year and by showing the average annual returns of the Fund’s Investor Class shares for the one, five and 10 year periods. The Fund’s past performance is not necessarily an indication of how the Fund will perform in the future. Updated performance information is available online at www.morganstanley.com/liquidity.

Annual Total Returns—Calendar Years

High Quarter

06/30/19

0.55%

Low Quarter

03/31/11

0.00%

Average Annual Total Returns

(for the Periods Ended December 31, 2019)

 

Past
One Year

Past
Five Years

Past
Ten Years

Government Portfolio

2.00%

0.90%

0.46%

You may obtain the Fund’s 7-day current yield by calling 1-888-378-1630.

Fund Management

Adviser. Morgan Stanley Investment Management Inc.

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Prospectus | Fund Summary

Government Portfolio (Cont’d)

Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares

Investor Class shares of the Fund are available to investors who at the time of initial purchase make a minimum investment of $10 million. You may not be subject to the minimum investment requirement under certain circumstances. For more information, please refer to the section of this Prospectus entitled “Shareholder Information—Minimum Investment Amount.”

Shares of the Fund may be purchased or sold on any day the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) is open for business (except when the following federal holidays are observed: Columbus Day and Veterans Day) directly from the Fund by mail (c/o DST Asset Manager Solutions, Inc., P.O. Box 219804, Kansas City, MO 64121-9804), by telephone (1-888-378-1630) or by contacting an authorized third-party, such as a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary that has entered into a selling agreement with the Fund’s “Distributor,” Morgan Stanley Distribution, Inc. (each, a “Financial Intermediary”). You may purchase and redeem shares online through Morgan Stanley’s Treasury Investment Portal service at www.morganstanley.com/liquidity, provided you have a pre-established Internet trading account. For more information, please refer to the sections of this Prospectus entitled “Shareholder Information—How To Purchase Shares” and “Shareholder Information—How To Redeem Shares.”

Selected accounts that utilize the Fund as their sweep vehicle will be reviewed on each business day and shares will automatically be purchased or sold to cover any credits or debits incurred that day.

Tax Information

The Fund intends to make distributions that may be taxed as ordinary income or capital gains.

Payments to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries

If you purchase shares of the Fund through a Financial Intermediary (such as a bank), the Adviser and/or the Distributor may pay the Financial Intermediary for the sale of Fund shares and related services. These payments, which may be significant in amount, may create a conflict of interest by influencing the Financial Intermediary and your salesperson to recommend the Fund over another investment. Ask your salesperson or visit your Financial Intermediary’s web site for more information.

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Prospectus  |  Fund Summary

Government Securities Portfolio

Investment Objective

The Government Securities Portfolio (the “Fund”) seeks preservation of capital, daily liquidity and maximum current income.

Fees and Expenses

The table below describes the expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold Investor Class shares of the Fund. The Fund does not charge any sales loads or other fees when you purchase or redeem shares.

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

 

Investor Class

Advisory Fee

0.15%

Distribution and/or Shareholder Service (12b-1) Fee

None

Other Expenses

0.08%

Shareholder Administration Fee1

0.10%

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses2

0.33%

Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement2

0.03%

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement2

0.30%

Example

The example below is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund’s Investor Class with the cost of investing in other mutual funds.

The example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund’s Investor Class, your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Fund’s operating expenses remain the same (except that the example incorporates the fee waiver and/or expense reimbursement 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

 

Investor Class

$ 31

$ 103

$ 182

$ 415

 

1 Institutions or financial intermediaries may charge other fees directly to their customers who are beneficial owners of Investor Class shares in connection with their customers’ accounts.
2 The Fund’s “Adviser” and “Administrator,” Morgan Stanley Investment Management Inc., has agreed to reduce its advisory fee, its administration fee and/or reimburse the Fund’s Investor Class so that Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses, excluding certain investment related expenses, taxes, interest and other extraordinary expenses (including litigation), will not exceed 0.30%. The fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements will continue for at least one year or until such time as the Board of Trustees of Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds (the “Trust”) acts to discontinue all or a portion of such waivers and/or reimbursements when it deems such action is appropriate.

Principal Investment Strategies

The Fund has adopted a policy to invest substantially all of its assets in U.S. Treasury obligations and certain U.S. government securities, the interest from which is generally exempt from state income taxation, in order to qualify as a “government money market fund” under federal regulations. The Fund may also hold cash from time to time. A “government money market fund” is a money market fund that invests at least 99.5% of its total assets in cash, securities issued or guaranteed by the United States or certain U.S. government agencies or instrumentalities and/or repurchase agreements that are collateralized fully by the foregoing. A “government money market fund” is exempt from requirements that permit money market funds to impose a “liquidity fee” and/or a “redemption gate” that temporarily restricts redemptions. In selecting investments, the Adviser seeks to maintain the Fund’s share price at $1.00. The share price remaining stable at $1.00 means that the Fund would preserve the principal value of your investment. The U.S. government securities that the Fund may purchase include those issued or guaranteed either by the U.S. Treasury or certain agencies, authorities or instrumentalities of the U.S. Government. The Fund may also invest in repurchase agreements with the Federal Reserve Bank of New York.

Principal Risks

There is no assurance that the Fund will achieve its investment objective.

You could lose money by investing in the Fund. Although the Fund seeks to preserve the value of your investment at $1.00 per share, it cannot guarantee it will do so. An investment in the Fund is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (“FDIC”) or any other government agency. The Fund’s sponsor has no legal obligation to provide financial support to the Fund, and you should not expect that the sponsor will provide financial support to the Fund at any time.

The principal risks of investing in the Fund include:

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Prospectus | Fund Summary

Government Securities Portfolio (Cont’d)

 

Credit and Interest Rate Risk. Credit risk refers to the possibility that the issuer or guarantor of a security will be unable to make interest payments and/or repay the principal on its debt. Interest rate risk refers to fluctuations in the value of a fixed-income security resulting from changes in the general level of interest rates. When the general level of interest rates goes up, the prices of most fixed-income securities go down. When the general level of interest rates goes down, the prices of most fixed-income securities go up. The Fund may face a heightened level of interest rate risk in times of monetary policy change and uncertainty, such as when the Federal Reserve Board ends a quantitative easing program and/or raises rates. A rising interest rate environment increases certain risks, including the potential for periods of volatility, increased redemptions and extended durations (i.e., extension risk).

 

Fixed-Income Securities. Fixed-income securities are subject to the risk of the issuer’s inability to meet principal and interest payments on its obligations (i.e., credit risk) and are subject to price volatility resulting from, among other things, interest rate sensitivity (i.e., interest rate risk), market perception of the creditworthiness of the issuer and general market liquidity (i.e., market risk). The Fund may face a heightened level of interest rate risk in times of monetary policy change and uncertainty, such as when the Federal Reserve Board ends a quantitative easing program and/or raises rates.

 

U.S. Government Securities. The U.S. government securities in which the Fund invests can be subject to two types of risk: credit risk and interest rate risk. When the general level of interest rates goes up, the prices of most fixed-income securities go down. When the general level of interest rates goes down, the prices of most fixed-income securities go up. While the credit risk associated with U.S. government securities generally is considered to be minimal, the interest rate risk can be substantial. With respect to U.S. government securities that are not backed by the full faith and credit of the United States, there is the risk that the U.S. Government will not provide financial support to such U.S. government agencies, instrumentalities or sponsored enterprises if it is not obligated to do so by law.
 

Performance Information

The bar chart and table below provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by showing changes in the performance of the Fund’s Investor Class shares from year-to-year and by showing the average annual returns of the Fund’s Investor Class shares for the one, five and 10 year periods. The Fund’s past performance is not necessarily an indication of how the Fund will perform in the future. Updated performance information is available online at www.morganstanley.com/liquidity.

Annual Total Returns—Calendar Years

High Quarter

06/30/19

0.54%

Low Quarter

03/31/15

0.00%

Average Annual Total Returns

(for the Periods Ended December 31, 2019)

 

Past
One Year

Past Five
Years

Past
Ten Years

Government Securities Portfolio

1.94%

0.84%

0.42%

You may obtain the Fund’s 7-day current yield by calling 1-888-378-1630.

Fund Management

Adviser. Morgan Stanley Investment Management Inc.

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Prospectus  |  Fund Summary

Government Securities Portfolio (Cont’d)

Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares

Investor Class shares of the Fund are available to investors who at the time of initial purchase make a minimum investment of $10 million. You may not be subject to the minimum investment requirement under certain circumstances. For more information, please refer to the section of this Prospectus entitled “Shareholder Information—Minimum Investment Amount.”

Shares of the Fund may be purchased or sold on any day the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) is open for business (except when the following federal holidays are observed: Columbus Day and Veterans Day) directly from the Fund by mail (c/o DST Asset Manager Solutions, Inc., P.O. Box 219804, Kansas City, MO 64121-9804), by telephone (1-888-378-1630) or by contacting an authorized third-party, such as a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary that has entered into a selling agreement with the Fund’s “Distributor,” Morgan Stanley Distribution, Inc. (each, a “Financial Intermediary”). You may purchase and redeem shares online through Morgan Stanley’s Treasury Investment Portal service at www.morganstanley.com/liquidity, provided you have a pre-established Internet trading account. For more information, please refer to the sections of this Prospectus entitled “Shareholder Information—How To Purchase Shares” and “Shareholder Information—How To Redeem Shares.”

Selected accounts that utilize the Fund as their sweep vehicle will be reviewed on each business day and shares will automatically be purchased or sold to cover any credits or debits incurred that day.

Tax Information

The Fund intends to make distributions that may be taxed as ordinary income or capital gains.

Payments to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries

If you purchase shares of the Fund through a Financial Intermediary (such as a bank), the Adviser and/or the Distributor may pay the Financial Intermediary for the sale of Fund shares and related services. These payments, which may be significant in amount, may create a conflict of interest by influencing the Financial Intermediary and your salesperson to recommend the Fund over another investment. Ask your salesperson or visit your Financial Intermediary’s web site for more information.

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Prospectus  |  Fund Summary

Treasury Portfolio

Investment Objective

The Treasury Portfolio (the “Fund”) seeks preservation of capital, daily liquidity and maximum current income.

Fees and Expenses

The table below describes the expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold Investor Class shares of the Fund. The Fund does not charge any sales loads or other fees when you purchase or redeem shares.

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

 

Investor Class

Advisory Fee

0.15%

Distribution and/or Shareholder Service (12b-1) Fee

None

Other Expenses

0.06%

Shareholder Administration Fee1

0.10%

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses2

0.31%

Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement2

0.01%

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement2

0.30%

Example

The example below is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund’s Investor Class with the cost of investing in other mutual funds.

The example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund’s Investor Class, your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Fund’s operating expenses remain the same (except that the example incorporates the fee waiver and/or expense reimbursement 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

 

Investor Class

$ 31

$ 99

$ 173

$ 392

 

1 Institutions or financial intermediaries may charge other fees directly to their customers who are beneficial owners of Investor Class shares in connection with their customers’ accounts.
2 The Fund’s “Adviser” and “Administrator,” Morgan Stanley Investment Management Inc., has agreed to reduce its advisory fee, its administration fee and/or reimburse the Fund’s Investor Class so that Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses, excluding certain investment related expenses, taxes, interest and other extraordinary expenses (including litigation), will not exceed 0.30%. The fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements will continue for at least one year or until such time as the Board of Trustees of Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds (the “Trust”) acts to discontinue all or a portion of such waivers and/or reimbursements when it deems such action is appropriate.

Principal Investment Strategies

The Fund has adopted a policy to invest exclusively in U.S. Treasury obligations, which are backed by the full faith and credit of the United States, and repurchase agreements collateralized by such securities in order to qualify as a “government money market fund” under federal regulations. The Fund may also hold cash from time to time. A “government money market fund” is a money market fund that invests at least 99.5% of its total assets in cash, securities issued or guaranteed by the United States or certain U.S. government agencies or instrumentalities and/or repurchase agreements that are collateralized fully by the foregoing. A “government money market fund” is exempt from requirements that permit money market funds to impose a “liquidity fee” and/or a “redemption gate” that temporarily restricts redemptions. In selecting investments, the Adviser seeks to maintain the Fund’s share price at $1.00. The share price remaining stable at $1.00 means that the Fund would preserve the principal value of your investment.

Principal Risks

There is no assurance that the Fund will achieve its investment objective.

You could lose money by investing in the Fund. Although the Fund seeks to preserve the value of your investment at $1.00 per share, it cannot guarantee it will do so. An investment in the Fund is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (“FDIC”) or any other government agency. The Fund’s sponsor has no legal obligation to provide financial support to the Fund, and you should not expect that the sponsor will provide financial support to the Fund at any time.

The principal risks of investing in the Fund include:

 

Credit and Interest Rate Risk. Credit risk refers to the possibility that the issuer or guarantor of a security will be unable to make interest payments and/or repay the principal on its debt. Interest rate risk refers to fluctuations in the value of a fixed-income security resulting from changes in the general level of interest rates. When the general level of interest rates goes up, the prices of
 

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Prospectus  |  Fund Summary

Treasury Portfolio (Cont’d)

 

most fixed-income securities go down. When the general level of interest rates goes down, the prices of most fixed-income securities go up. The Fund may face a heightened level of interest rate risk in times of monetary policy change and uncertainty, such as when the Federal Reserve Board ends a quantitative easing program and/or raises rates. A rising interest rate environment increases certain risks, including the potential for periods of volatility, increased redemptions and extended durations (i.e., extension risk).

 

Fixed-Income Securities. Fixed-income securities are subject to the risk of the issuer’s inability to meet principal and interest payments on its obligations (i.e., credit risk) and are subject to price volatility resulting from, among other things, interest rate sensitivity (i.e., interest rate risk), market perception of the creditworthiness of the issuer and general market liquidity (i.e., market risk). The Fund may face a heightened level of interest rate risk in times of monetary policy change and uncertainty, such as when the Federal Reserve Board ends a quantitative easing program and/or raises rates.

 

U.S. Government Securities. The U.S. government securities in which the Fund invests can be subject to two types of risk: credit risk and interest rate risk. When the general level of interest rates goes up, the prices of most fixed-income securities go down. When the general level of interest rates goes down, the prices of most fixed-income securities go up. While the credit risk associated with U.S. government securities generally is considered to be minimal, the interest rate risk can be substantial.

 

Repurchase Agreements. Repurchase agreements are subject to risks associated with the possibility of default by the seller at a time when the collateral has declined in value, or insolvency of the seller, which may affect the Fund’s right to control the collateral and result in certain costs and delays. Repurchase agreements may involve a greater degree of credit risk than investments in U.S. government securities.
 

Performance Information

The bar chart and table below provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by showing changes in the performance of the Fund’s Investor Class shares from year-to-year and by showing the average annual returns of the Fund’s Investor Class shares for the one, five and 10 year periods. The Fund’s past performance is not necessarily an indication of how the Fund will perform in the future. Updated performance information is available online at www.morganstanley.com/liquidity.

Annual Total Returns—Calendar Years

High Quarter

03/31/19

0.54%

Low Quarter

12/31/11

0.00%

Average Annual Total Returns

(for the Periods Ended December 31, 2019)

 

Past
One Year

Past Five
Years

Past
Ten Years

Treasury Portfolio

1.96%

0.88%

0.45%

You may obtain the Fund’s 7-day current yield by calling 1-888-378-1630.

Fund Management

Adviser. Morgan Stanley Investment Management Inc.

Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares

Investor Class shares of the Fund are available to investors who at the time of initial purchase make a minimum investment of $10 million. You may not be subject to the minimum investment requirement under certain circumstances. For more information, please refer to the section of this Prospectus entitled “Shareholder Information—Minimum Investment Amount.”

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Prospectus | Fund Summary

Treasury Portfolio (Cont’d)

Shares of the Fund may be purchased or sold on any day the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) is open for business (except when the following federal holidays are observed: Columbus Day and Veterans Day) directly from the Fund by mail (c/o DST Asset Manager Solutions, Inc., P.O. Box 219804, Kansas City, MO 64121-9804), by telephone (1-888-378-1630) or by contacting an authorized third-party, such as a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary that has entered into a selling agreement with the Fund’s “Distributor,” Morgan Stanley Distribution, Inc. (each, a “Financial Intermediary”). You may purchase and redeem shares online through Morgan Stanley’s Treasury Investment Portal service at www.morganstanley.com/liquidity, provided you have a pre-established Internet trading account. For more information, please refer to the sections of this Prospectus entitled “Shareholder Information—How To Purchase Shares” and “Shareholder Information—How To Redeem Shares.”

Selected accounts that utilize the Fund as their sweep vehicle will be reviewed on each business day and shares will automatically be purchased or sold to cover any credits or debits incurred that day.

Tax Information

The Fund intends to make distributions that may be taxed as ordinary income or capital gains.

Payments to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries

If you purchase shares of the Fund through a Financial Intermediary (such as a bank), the Adviser and/or the Distributor may pay the Financial Intermediary for the sale of Fund shares and related services. These payments, which may be significant in amount, may create a conflict of interest by influencing the Financial Intermediary and your salesperson to recommend the Fund over another investment. Ask your salesperson or visit your Financial Intermediary’s web site for more information.

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Prospectus  |  Fund Summary

Treasury Securities Portfolio

Investment Objective

The Treasury Securities Portfolio (the “Fund”) seeks preservation of capital, daily liquidity and maximum current income.

Fees and Expenses

The table below describes the expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold Investor Class shares of the Fund. The Fund does not charge any sales loads or other fees when you purchase or redeem shares.

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

 

Investor Class

Advisory Fee

0.15%

Distribution and/or Shareholder Service (12b-1) Fee

None

Other Expenses

0.06%

Shareholder Administration Fee1

0.10%

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses2

0.31%

Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement2

0.01%

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement2

0.30%

Example

The example below is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund’s Investor Class with the cost of investing in other mutual funds.

The example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund’s Investor Class, your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Fund’s operating expenses remain the same (except that the example incorporates the fee waiver and/or expense reimbursement 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

 

Investor Class

$ 31

$ 99

$ 173

$ 392

 

1 Institutions or financial intermediaries may charge other fees directly to their customers who are beneficial owners of Investor Class shares in connection with their customers’ accounts.
2 The Fund’s “Adviser” and “Administrator,” Morgan Stanley Investment Management Inc., has agreed to reduce its advisory fee, its administration fee and/or reimburse the Fund’s Investor Class so that Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses, excluding certain investment related expenses, taxes, interest and other extraordinary expenses (including litigation), will not exceed 0.30%. The fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements will continue for at least one year or until such time as the Board of Trustees of Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds (the “Trust”) acts to discontinue all or a portion of such waivers and/or reimbursements when it deems such action is appropriate.

Principal Investment Strategies

The Fund has adopted a policy to invest exclusively in U.S. Treasury obligations, which are backed by the full faith and credit of the United States, in order to qualify as a “government money market fund” under federal regulations. The Fund may also hold cash from time to time. A “government money market fund” is a money market fund that invests at least 99.5% of its total assets in cash, securities issued or guaranteed by the United States or certain U.S. government agencies or instrumentalities and/or repurchase agreements that are collateralized fully by the foregoing. A “government money market fund” is exempt from requirements that permit money market funds to impose a “liquidity fee” and/or a “redemption gate” that temporarily restricts redemptions. In selecting investments, the Adviser seeks to maintain the Fund’s share price at $1.00. The share price remaining stable at $1.00 means that the Fund would preserve its principal value of your investment.

Principal Risks

There is no assurance that the Fund will achieve its investment objective.

You could lose money by investing in the Fund. Although the Fund seeks to preserve the value of your investment at $1.00 per share, it cannot guarantee it will do so. An investment in the Fund is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (“FDIC”) or any other government agency. The Fund’s sponsor has no legal obligation to provide financial support to the Fund, and you should not expect that the sponsor will provide financial support to the Fund at any time.

The principal risks of investing in the Fund include:

 

Credit and Interest Rate Risk. Credit risk refers to the possibility that the issuer or guarantor of a security will be unable to make interest payments and/or repay the principal on its debt. Interest rate risk refers to fluctuations in the value of a fixed-income security resulting from changes in the general level of interest rates. When the general level of interest rates goes up, the prices of
 

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Prospectus | Fund Summary

Treasury Securities Portfolio (Cont’d)

 

most fixed-income securities go down. When the general level of interest rates goes down, the prices of most fixed-income securities go up. The Fund may face a heightened level of interest rate risk in times of monetary policy change and uncertainty, such as when the Federal Reserve Board ends a quantitative easing program and/or raises rates. A rising interest rate environment increases certain risks, including the potential for periods of volatility, increased redemptions and extended durations (i.e., extension risk).

 

Fixed-Income Securities. Fixed-income securities are subject to the risk of the issuer’s inability to meet principal and interest payments on its obligations (i.e., credit risk) and are subject to price volatility resulting from, among other things, interest rate sensitivity (i.e., interest rate risk), market perception of the creditworthiness of the issuer and general market liquidity (i.e., market risk). The Fund may face a heightened level of interest rate risk in times of monetary policy change and uncertainty, such as when the Federal Reserve Board ends a quantitative easing program and/or raises rates.

 

U.S. Government Securities. The U.S. government securities in which the Fund invests can be subject to two types of risk: credit risk and interest rate risk. When the general level of interest rates goes up, the prices of most fixed-income securities go down. When the general level of interest rates goes down, the prices of most fixed-income securities go up. While the credit risk associated with U.S. government securities generally is considered to be minimal, the interest rate risk can be substantial.
 

Performance Information

The bar chart and table below provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by showing changes in the performance of the Fund’s Investor Class shares from year-to-year and by showing the average annual returns of the Fund’s Investor Class shares for the one, five and 10 year periods. The Fund’s past performance is not necessarily an indication of how the Fund will perform in the future. Updated performance information is available online at www.morganstanley.com/liquidity.

Annual Total Returns—Calendar Years

High Quarter

06/30/19

0.53%

Low Quarter

03/31/15

0.00%

Average Annual Total Returns

(for the Periods Ended December 31, 2019)

 

Past
One Year

Past Five
Years

Past
Ten Years

Treasury Securities Portfolio

1.92%

0.84%

0.43%

You may obtain the Fund’s 7-day current yield by calling 1-888-378-1630.

Fund Management

Adviser. Morgan Stanley Investment Management Inc.

Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares

Investor Class shares of the Fund are available to investors who at the time of initial purchase make a minimum investment of $10 million. You may not be subject to the minimum investment requirement under certain circumstances. For more information, please refer to the section of this Prospectus entitled “Shareholder Information—Minimum Investment Amount.”

Shares of the Fund may be purchased or sold on any day the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) is open for business (except when the following federal holidays are observed: Columbus Day and Veterans Day) directly from the Fund by mail (c/o DST Asset Manager Solutions, Inc., P.O. Box 219804, Kansas City, MO 64121-9804), by telephone (1-888-378-1630) or by contacting an authorized third-party, such as a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary that has entered into a selling agreement with the Fund’s “Distributor,” Morgan Stanley Distribution, Inc. (each, a “Financial Intermediary”). You may purchase and redeem shares

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Prospectus  |  Fund Summary

Treasury Securities Portfolio (Cont’d)

online through Morgan Stanley’s Treasury Investment Portal service at www.morganstanley.com/liquidity, provided you have a pre-established Internet trading account. For more information, please refer to the sections of this Prospectus entitled “Shareholder Information—How To Purchase Shares” and “Shareholder Information—How To Redeem Shares.”

Selected accounts that utilize the Fund as their sweep vehicle will be reviewed on each business day and shares will automatically be purchased or sold to cover any credits or debits incurred that day.

Tax Information

The Fund intends to make distributions that may be taxed as ordinary income or capital gains.

Payments to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries

If you purchase shares of the Fund through a Financial Intermediary (such as a bank), the Adviser and/or the Distributor may pay the Financial Intermediary for the sale of Fund shares and related services. These payments, which may be significant in amount, may create a conflict of interest by influencing the Financial Intermediary and your salesperson to recommend the Fund over another investment. Ask your salesperson or visit your Financial Intermediary’s web site for more information.

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Prospectus  |  Fund Summary

Tax-Exempt Portfolio

Investment Objective

The Tax-Exempt Portfolio (the “Fund”) seeks to maximize current income exempt from federal income tax to the extent consistent with preservation of capital and maintenance of liquidity.

Fees and Expenses

The table below describes the expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold Investor Class shares of the Fund. The Fund does not charge any sales loads or other fees when you purchase or redeem shares.

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

 

Investor Class

Advisory Fee

0.15%

Distribution and/or Shareholder Service (12b-1) Fee

None

Other Expenses

0.12%

Shareholder Administration Fee1

0.10%

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses2

0.37%

Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement2

0.07%

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement2

0.30%

Example

The example below is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund’s Investor Class with the cost of investing in other mutual funds.

The example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund’s Investor Class, your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Fund’s operating expenses remain the same (except that the example incorporates the fee waiver and/or expense reimbursement 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

 

Investor Class

$ 31

$ 112

$ 201

$ 461

 

1 Institutions or financial intermediaries may charge other fees directly to their customers who are beneficial owners of Investor Class shares in connection with their customers’ accounts.
2 The Fund’s “Adviser” and “Administrator,” Morgan Stanley Investment Management Inc., has agreed to reduce its advisory fee, its administration fee and/or reimburse the Fund’s Investor Class so that Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses, excluding certain investment related expenses, taxes, interest and other extraordinary expenses (including litigation), will not exceed 0.30%. The fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements will continue for at least one year or until such time as the Board of Trustees of Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds (the “Trust”) acts to discontinue all or a portion of such waivers and/or reimbursements when it deems such action is appropriate.

Principal Investment Strategies

The Fund invests at least 80% of its assets in high quality short-term municipal obligations, the interest of which is exempt from federal income taxes and is not subject to the federal alternative minimum tax. This policy is fundamental and may not be changed without shareholder approval. The Fund may also invest in variable and floating rate demand instruments, tender option bonds, custodial receipts and investments in other investment companies, including money market funds.

The Fund may invest up to 20% of its assets in taxable money market securities or in municipal obligations that pay interest income that may be subject to the alternative minimum tax; however, it is currently intended that the Fund will be managed so that income generated by the Fund will not be subject to the alternative minimum tax. In addition, the Fund may temporarily invest more than 20% of its assets in taxable money market securities for defensive purposes in attempting to respond to adverse market conditions.

The Fund operates as an “institutional money market fund,” which is neither a “government money market fund” nor “retail money market fund” as such terms are defined or interpreted under Rule 2a-7 under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (“Rule 2a-7” under the “1940 Act”). As such, the Fund is required to price and transact in its shares at a net asset value per share (“NAV”) reflecting market-based values of its portfolio holdings (i.e., at a “floating” NAV), rounded to a minimum of the fourth decimal place. Like other money market funds of its type, the Fund is subject to the possible imposition of liquidity fees and/or redemption gates.

Principal Risks

There is no assurance that the Fund will achieve its investment objective.

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Prospectus  |  Fund Summary

Tax-Exempt Portfolio (Cont’d)

You could lose money by investing in the Fund. Because the share price of the Fund will fluctuate, when you sell your shares they may be worth more or less than what you originally paid for them. The Fund may impose a fee upon the sale of your shares or may temporarily suspend your ability to sell shares if the Fund’s liquidity falls below required minimums because of market conditions or other factors. An investment in the Fund is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (“FDIC”) or any other government agency. The Fund’s sponsor has no legal obligation to provide financial support to the Fund, and you should not expect that the sponsor will provide financial support to the Fund at any time.

The principal risks of investing in the Fund include:

 

Credit and Interest Rate Risk. Credit risk refers to the possibility that the issuer or guarantor of a security will be unable to make interest payments and/or repay the principal on its debt. Interest rate risk refers to fluctuations in the value of a fixed-income security resulting from changes in the general level of interest rates. When the general level of interest rates goes up, the prices of most fixed-income securities go down. When the general level of interest rates goes down, the prices of most fixed-income securities go up. The Fund may face a heightened level of interest rate risk in times of monetary policy change and uncertainty, such as when the Federal Reserve Board ends a quantitative easing program and/or raises rates. A rising interest rate environment increases certain risks, including the potential for periods of volatility, increased redemptions and extended durations (i.e., extension risk).

 

Fixed-Income Securities. Fixed-income securities are subject to the risk of the issuer’s inability to meet principal and interest payments on its obligations (i.e., credit risk) and are subject to price volatility resulting from, among other things, interest rate sensitivity (i.e., interest rate risk), market perception of the creditworthiness of the issuer and general market liquidity (i.e., market risk). The Fund may face a heightened level of interest rate risk in times of monetary policy change and uncertainty, such as when the Federal Reserve Board ends a quantitative easing program and/or raises rates.

 

Municipal Obligations. To the extent the Fund invests in municipal obligations issued by state and local governments and their agencies, the Fund may be susceptible to political, economic, regulatory or other factors affecting issuers of these municipal obligations. To the extent that the Fund invests in municipal obligations of issuers in the same economic sector, it could be more sensitive to economic, business or political developments that affect such sector.
 

Performance Information

The bar chart and table below provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by showing changes in the performance of the Fund’s Investor Class shares from year-to-year and by showing the average annual returns of the Fund’s Investor Class shares for the one, five and 10 year periods. The Fund’s past performance is not necessarily an indication of how the Fund will perform in the future. Updated performance information is available online at www.morganstanley.com/liquidity.

Annual Total Returns—Calendar Years*

High Quarter

06/30/16

0.24%

Low Quarter

03/31/15

0.00%

Average Annual Total Returns*

(for the Periods Ended December 31, 2019)

 

Past
One Year

Past
Five Years

Past
Ten Years

Tax-Exempt Portfolio*

0.00%

0.07%

0.04%

* The Investor Class was fully redeemed during the month of October 2016 and did not have investors for subsequent periods. Accordingly, the returns listed for each period in the bar chart and table are calculated using returns of 0.00% for periods after October 2016. The average annual returns of the Fund’s Institutional Class shares for the one, five and 10 year periods as of December 31, 2019 were 1.35%, 0.75% and 0.39%, respectively. The Investor Class shares would have similar returns because the shares are invested in the same portfolio and would differ only to the extent that the classes do not have the same expenses.

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Prospectus | Fund Summary

Tax-Exempt Portfolio (Cont’d)

You may obtain the Fund’s 7-day current yield by calling 1-888-378-1630.

Fund Management

Adviser. Morgan Stanley Investment Management Inc.

Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares

Investor Class shares of the Fund are available to investors who at the time of initial purchase make a minimum investment of $10 million. You may not be subject to the minimum investment requirement under certain circumstances. For more information, please refer to the section of this Prospectus entitled “Shareholder Information—Minimum Investment Amount.”

Shares of the Fund may be purchased or sold on any day the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) is open for business (except when the following federal holidays are observed: Columbus Day and Veterans Day) directly from the Fund by mail (c/o DST Asset Manager Solutions, Inc., P.O. Box 219804, Kansas City, MO 64121-9804), by telephone (1-888-378-1630) or by contacting an authorized third-party, such as a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary that has entered into a selling agreement with the Fund’s “Distributor,” Morgan Stanley Distribution, Inc. (each, a “Financial Intermediary”). You may purchase and redeem shares online through Morgan Stanley’s Treasury Investment Portal service at www.morganstanley.com/liquidity, provided you have a pre-established Internet trading account. For more information, please refer to the sections of this Prospectus entitled “Shareholder Information—How To Purchase Shares” and “Shareholder Information—How To Redeem Shares.”

Selected accounts that utilize the Fund as their sweep vehicle will be reviewed on each business day and shares will automatically be purchased or sold to cover any credits or debits incurred that day.

Tax Information

The Fund intends to make distributions that are generally not subject to federal income tax; however the Fund may distribute taxable dividends, including distributions of short-term capital gains, and long-term capital gains. In addition, interest on certain bonds may be subject to the federal alternative minimum tax. To the extent that the Fund’s distributions are derived from interest on bonds that are not exempt from applicable state and local taxes, such distributions will be subject to such state and local taxes.

Payments to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries

If you purchase shares of the Fund through a Financial Intermediary (such as a bank), the Adviser and/or the Distributor may pay the Financial Intermediary for the sale of Fund shares and related services. These payments, which may be significant in amount, may create a conflict of interest by influencing the Financial Intermediary and your salesperson to recommend the Fund over another investment. Ask your salesperson or visit your Financial Intermediary’s web site for more information.

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds  |  Details of the Funds

Prime Portfolio

Investment Objective

The Prime Portfolio seeks preservation of capital, daily liquidity and maximum current income.

Approach

The Fund invests in liquid, high quality U.S. dollar-denominated money market instruments of U.S. and foreign financial corporations and U.S. non-financial corporations. The Fund also invests in obligations issued or guaranteed by the U.S. Government and its agencies and instrumentalities. The Fund’s money market investments may include commercial paper, corporate debt obligations, debt obligations (including certificates of deposit and promissory notes) of U.S. banks or foreign banks, or of U.S. branches or subsidiaries of foreign banks, or foreign branches of U.S. banks (such as Yankee obligations), certificates of deposit of savings banks and savings and loan organizations, asset-backed securities, repurchase agreements and municipal obligations.

The Fund operates as an “institutional money market fund” which is neither a “government money market fund” nor “retail money market fund” as such terms are defined or interpreted under Rule 2a-7. As such, the Fund is required to price and transact in its shares at a NAV reflecting market-based values of its portfolio holdings (i.e., at a “floating” NAV), rounded to a minimum of the fourth decimal place. Like other money market funds of its type, the Fund is subject to the possible imposition of liquidity fees and/or redemption gates.

Process

The Adviser follows a multi-pronged investment process with respect to credit risk, interest rate risk and liquidity. Securities are reviewed on an ongoing basis to maintain or improve creditworthiness taking into consideration factors such as cash flow, asset quality, debt service coverage ratios and economic developments. Additionally, exposure to guarantors and liquidity providers is monitored separately as are the various diversification requirements.

The Adviser actively manages the Fund’s assets in an attempt to reduce the risk of losing any principal investment as a result of credit or interest rate risks. In addition, federal regulations require money market funds to invest only in debt obligations of high quality and short-term maturities.

Principal Risks

The Fund’s principal investment strategies are subject to the following principal risks:

There is no assurance that the Fund will achieve its investment objective. You could lose money by investing in the Fund. Because the share price of the Fund will fluctuate, when you sell your shares they may be worth more or less than what you originally paid for them. The Fund may impose a fee upon the sale of your shares or may temporarily suspend your ability to sell shares if the Fund’s liquidity falls below required minimums because of market conditions or other factors. An investment in the Fund is not insured or guaranteed by the FDIC or any other government agency.

A principal risk of investing in the Fund is associated with its debt obligation investments. All debt obligations, such as bonds, are subject to two types of risk: credit risk and interest rate risk. Credit risk refers to the possibility that the issuer or guarantor of a security will be unable to make interest payments and/or repay the principal on its debt. Interest rate risk refers to fluctuations in the value of a fixed-income security resulting from changes in the general level of interest rates. When the general level of interest rates goes up, the prices of most fixed-income securities go down. When the general level of interest rates goes down, the prices of most fixed-income securities go up. A low interest rate environment may prevent the Fund from providing a positive yield or paying Fund expenses out of Fund assets. The Fund may face a heightened level of interest rate risk in times of monetary policy change and uncertainty, such as when the Federal Reserve Board ends a quantitative easing program and/or raises rates. A rising interest rate environment increases certain risks, including the potential for periods of volatility, increased redemptions and extended durations (i.e., extension risk).

The Fund may purchase bank obligations. The activities of U.S. and most foreign banks are subject to comprehensive regulations. The enactment of new legislation or regulations, as well as changes in interpretation and enforcement of current laws, may affect the manner of operations and profitability of domestic and foreign banks. In addition, banks may be particularly susceptible to certain economic factors.

The Fund may purchase U.S. government securities that are not backed by the full faith and credit of the United States. With respect to these U.S. government securities, there is the risk that the U.S. Government will not provide financial support to such U.S. government agencies, instrumentalities or sponsored enterprises if it is not obligated to do so by law. The maximum potential liability of the issuers of some U.S. government securities held by the Fund may greatly exceed their current resources, including their legal right to support from the U.S. Treasury. It is possible that these issuers will not have the funds to meet their payment obligations in the future.

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds | Details of the Funds

Prime Portfolio (Cont’d)

Repurchase agreements are subject to additional risks associated with the possibility of default by the seller at a time when the collateral has declined in value, or insolvency of the seller, which may affect the Fund’s right to control the collateral and result in certain costs and delays.

Asset-backed securities raise certain risk considerations, including prepayment risk, extension risk and the risk of inadequate recovery on repossessed collateral. Because the Fund may concentrate its investments in bank securities, an adverse development in the banking industry may affect the value of the Fund’s investments more than if the Fund’s investments were not so concentrated.

The Fund may invest in U.S. dollar-denominated foreign securities and money market instruments. Although the Fund will invest in these securities only if the Adviser determines they are of comparable quality to the Fund’s U.S. investments, investing in securities of foreign issuers involves some additional risks. These risks may include the possibility of adverse political, economic or other developments affecting the issuers of these securities.

To the extent the Fund invests in municipal obligations issued by state and local governments and their agencies, the Fund may be susceptible to political, economic, regulatory or other factors affecting issuers of these municipal obligations.

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds  |  Details of the Funds

ESG Money Market Portfolio

Investment Objective

The ESG Money Market Portfolio seeks preservation of capital, daily liquidity and maximum current income.

Approach

The Fund invests in liquid, high quality U.S. dollar-denominated money market instruments of U.S. and foreign financial and non-financial corporations. The Fund also invests in obligations of foreign governments and in obligations issued or guaranteed by the U.S. Government and its agencies and instrumentalities. The Fund’s money market investments may include commercial paper, corporate debt obligations, debt obligations (including certificates of deposit and promissory notes) of U.S. banks or foreign banks, or of U.S. branches or subsidiaries of foreign banks, or foreign branches of U.S. banks (such as Yankee obligations), certificates of deposit of savings banks and savings and loan organizations, asset-backed securities, repurchase agreements and municipal obligations.

The Fund operates as an “institutional money market fund” which is neither a “government money market fund” nor “retail money market fund” as such terms are defined or interpreted under Rule 2a-7. As such, the Fund is required to price and transact in its shares at a NAV reflecting market-based values of its portfolio holdings (i.e., at a “floating” NAV), rounded to a minimum of the fourth decimal place. Like other money market funds of its type, the Fund is subject to the possible imposition of liquidity fees and/or redemption gates.

Process

The Adviser follows a multi-pronged investment process with respect to credit risk, interest rate risk and liquidity. Securities are reviewed on an ongoing basis to maintain or improve creditworthiness taking into consideration factors such as cash flow, asset quality, debt service coverage ratios and economic developments. Additionally, exposure to guarantors and liquidity providers is monitored separately as are the various diversification requirements.

The Adviser believes that ESG factors have the ability to impact the fundamental credit risk of an entity. The Fund’s investment process incorporates information about ESG issues via an integrated approach within the Adviser’s fundamental investment analysis framework. The Adviser may engage with management of certain issuers regarding corporate governance practices as well as what the Adviser deems to be materially important environmental and/or social issues facing a company.

The Adviser has proprietary ESG-scoring methodologies that explicitly consider the risks and opportunities ESG factors pose to money market instruments. By combining third-party ESG data with proprietary views, the Adviser creates unique scoring methodologies that it applies to issuers.

During the security selection process, the Adviser employs a rules-based process to construct the portfolio. Initially, the Adviser determines from the universe of money market fund-eligible issuers those which, in its opinion, have the lowest credit risk and/or best credit profile, excluding the following:

 

Corporations that generate revenue from the manufacturing or production of tobacco;

 

Corporations that generate revenue from the manufacturing or production of landmines and cluster munitions (i.e., an explosive weapon that randomly scatters submunitions);

 

Corporations that generate revenue from the manufacturing or production of firearms;

 

Corporations that generate revenue from the mining of thermal coal or coal fired power generation; and

 

Corporations that primarily generate revenue from the fossil fuel industries, which the Adviser has determined produce a certain level of carbon emissions.
 

The Fund may invest in green commercial paper (a security that is typically issued to raise capital specifically to support climate-related or environmental projects) issued by companies that would otherwise be subject to fossil fuel exclusions so long as the Adviser has determined that the proceeds will not be used to finance fossil fuel generation capabilities.

In analyzing whether an issuer meets any of the criteria described above, the Adviser may rely upon, among other things, information provided by an independent third party.

After applying the above exclusion screens, the Adviser calculates proprietary ESG scores for the remaining issuers based on a number of variables, such as environmental, social, governance, controversy and ESG momentum factors. The Adviser then sets minimum ESG score thresholds. Only issuers with an ESG score above a minimum threshold will be considered for investment by the Fund, thus eliminating those issuers with the lowest ESG performance. The Adviser’s minimum ESG score thresholds may be adjusted from time to time, provided that a subset of issuers are always excluded by ESG factors.

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds | Details of the Funds

ESG Money Market Portfolio (Cont’d)

From the final list of ESG-approved issuers, the Adviser determines the securities and issuers in which the Fund will invest, taking into account a variety of relevant considerations (including, without limitation, yield, interest rate changes, credit quality and duration).

Under normal circumstances, the Fund will invest 100% of its net assets (excluding cash) in securities whose issuer or guarantor, in the Adviser’s opinion at the time of purchase, meets the Fund’s ESG criteria.

The Adviser actively manages the Fund’s assets in an attempt to reduce the risk of losing any principal investment as a result of credit or interest rate risks. In addition, federal regulations require money market funds to invest only in debt obligations of high quality and short-term maturities.

Principal Risks

The Fund’s principal investment strategies are subject to the following principal risks:

There is no assurance that the Fund will achieve its investment objective. You could lose money by investing in the Fund. Because the share price of the Fund will fluctuate, when you sell your shares they may be worth more or less than what you originally paid for them. The Fund may impose a fee upon the sale of your shares or may temporarily suspend your ability to sell shares if the Fund’s liquidity falls below required minimums because of market conditions or other factors. An investment in the Fund is not insured or guaranteed by the FDIC or any other government agency.

A principal risk of investing in the Fund is associated with its debt obligation investments. All debt obligations, such as bonds, are subject to two types of risk: credit risk and interest rate risk. Credit risk refers to the possibility that the issuer or guarantor of a security will be unable to make interest payments and/or repay the principal on its debt. Interest rate risk refers to fluctuations in the value of a fixed-income security resulting from changes in the general level of interest rates. When the general level of interest rates goes up, the prices of most fixed-income securities go down. When the general level of interest rates goes down, the prices of most fixed-income securities go up. A low interest rate environment may prevent the Fund from providing a positive yield or paying Fund expenses out of Fund assets. The Fund may face a heightened level of interest rate risk in times of monetary policy change and uncertainty, such as when the Federal Reserve Board ends a quantitative easing program and/or raises rates. A rising interest rate environment increases certain risks, including the potential for periods of volatility, increased redemptions and extended durations (i.e., extension risk).

The Fund may purchase bank obligations. The activities of U.S. and most foreign banks are subject to comprehensive regulations. The enactment of new legislation or regulations, as well as changes in interpretation and enforcement of current laws, may affect the manner of operations and profitability of domestic and foreign banks. In addition, banks may be particularly susceptible to certain economic factors.

The Fund may purchase U.S. government securities that are not backed by the full faith and credit of the United States. With respect to these U.S. government securities, there is the risk that the U.S. Government will not provide financial support to such U.S. government agencies, instrumentalities or sponsored enterprises if it is not obligated to do so by law. The maximum potential liability of the issuers of some U.S. government securities held by the Fund may greatly exceed their current resources, including their legal right to support from the U.S. Treasury. It is possible that these issuers will not have the funds to meet their payment obligations in the future.

Asset-backed securities raise certain risk considerations including prepayment risk, extension risk and the risk of inadequate recovery on repossessed collateral. Because the Fund may concentrate its investments in bank securities, an adverse development in the banking industry may affect the value of the Fund’s investments more than if the Fund were not so concentrated.

Repurchase agreements are subject to additional risks associated with the possibility of default by the seller at a time when the collateral has declined in value, or insolvency of the seller, which may affect the Fund’s right to control the collateral and result in certain costs and delays.

The Fund may invest in U.S. dollar-denominated foreign securities and money market instruments. Although the Fund will invest in these securities only if the Adviser determines they are of comparable quality to the Fund’s U.S. investments, investing in securities of foreign issuers involves some additional risks. These risks may include the possibility of adverse political, economic or other developments affecting the issuers of these securities.

To the extent the Fund invests in municipal obligations issued by state and local governments and their agencies, the Fund may be susceptible to political, economic, regulatory or other factors affecting issuers of these municipal obligations.

The Fund’s adherence to its ESG criteria and application of related analyses when selecting investments may affect the Fund’s performance depending on whether such investments are in or out of favor and relative to similar funds that do not adhere to such criteria or apply such analyses. Socially responsible norms differ by country and region, and a company’s ESG practices or the

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds  |  Details of the Funds

ESG Money Market Portfolio (Con’t)

Adviser’s assessment of such may change over time. The Fund may invest in companies that do not reflect the beliefs and values of any particular investor. Additionally, the Fund’s adherence to its ESG criteria and application of related analyses in connection with identifying and selecting investments in non-U.S. issuers often require subjective analysis and may be relatively more difficult than applying the ESG criteria or related analyses to investments of U.S. issuers because data availability may be more limited with respect to non-U.S. issuers. The exclusionary criteria related to the Fund’s ESG criteria may result in the Fund forgoing opportunities to buy certain securities when it might otherwise be advantageous to do so, or selling securities for ESG reasons when it might be otherwise disadvantageous for it to do so. The Fund’s investments in certain companies may be susceptible to various factors that may impact their businesses or operations, including costs associated with government budgetary constraints that impact publicly funded projects and clean energy initiatives, the effects of general economic conditions throughout the world, increased competition from other providers of services, unfavorable tax laws or accounting policies and high leverage.

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds  |  Details of the Funds

Government Portfolio

Investment Objective

The Government Portfolio seeks preservation of capital, daily liquidity and maximum current income.

Approach

The Fund has adopted a policy to invest exclusively in obligations issued or guaranteed by the U.S. Government and its agencies and instrumentalities and in repurchase agreements collateralized by such securities in order to qualify as a “government money market fund” under federal regulations. The Fund may also hold cash from time to time. A “government money market fund” is a money market fund that invests at least 99.5% of its total assets in cash, securities issued or guaranteed by the United States or certain U.S. government agencies or instrumentalities and/or repurchase agreements that are collateralized fully by the foregoing. In selecting investments, the Adviser seeks to maintain the Fund’s share price at $1.00. The share price remaining stable at $1.00 means that the Fund would preserve the principal value of your investment. The Fund may change its principal investment strategies; however you would be notified of any changes.

The U.S. government securities that the Fund may purchase include:

 

U.S. treasury bills, notes and bonds, all of which are direct obligations of the U.S. Government.

 

Securities issued by agencies and instrumentalities of the U.S. Government which are backed by the full faith and credit of the United States. Among the agencies and instrumentalities issuing these obligations are the Government National Mortgage Association (“Ginnie Mae”) and the Federal Housing Administration.

 

Securities issued by agencies and instrumentalities which are not backed by the full faith and credit of the United States, but whose issuing agency or instrumentality has the right to borrow, to meet its obligations, from the U.S. Treasury. Among these agencies and instrumentalities are the Federal National Mortgage Association (“Fannie Mae”), the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (“Freddie Mac”) and the Federal Home Loan Banks.

 

Securities issued by agencies and instrumentalities which are backed solely by the credit of the issuing agency or instrumentality. Among these agencies and instrumentalities is the Federal Farm Credit System.
 

Process

The Adviser follows an investment process that seeks to select maturities based on the shape of the money market yield curve and based on the expectations as to future shifts in the level and shape of the curve, taking into consideration such factors as current short-term interest rates, Federal Reserve policy regarding interest rates and U.S. economic activity.

The Adviser actively manages the Fund’s assets in an attempt to reduce the risk of losing any principal investment as a result of credit or interest rate risks. The Fund’s assets are reviewed to maintain or improve creditworthiness. In addition, federal regulations require money market funds to invest only in debt obligations of high quality and short-term maturities.

Principal Risks

The Fund’s principal investment strategies are subject to the following principal risks:

There is no assurance that the Fund will achieve its investment objective. You could lose money by investing in the Fund. Although the Fund seeks to preserve the value of your investment at $1.00 per share, it cannot guarantee it will do so. An investment in the Fund is not insured or guaranteed by the FDIC or any other government agency.

A principal risk of investing in the Fund is associated with its debt obligation investments. All debt obligations, such as bonds, are subject to two types of risk: credit risk and interest rate risk. Credit risk refers to the possibility that the issuer or guarantor of a security will be unable to make interest payments and/or repay the principal on its debt. Interest rate risk refers to fluctuations in the value of a fixed-income security resulting from changes in the general level of interest rates. When the general level of interest rates goes up, the prices of most fixed-income securities go down. When the general level of interest rates goes down, the prices of most fixed-income securities go up. A low interest rate environment may prevent the Fund from providing a positive yield or paying Fund expenses out of Fund assets and could impair the Fund’s ability to maintain a stable NAV. The Fund may face a heightened level of interest rate risk in times of monetary policy change and uncertainty, such as when the Federal Reserve Board ends a quantitative easing program and/or raises rates. A rising interest rate environment increases certain risks, including the potential for periods of volatility, increased redemptions and extended durations (i.e., extension risk).

The Fund may purchase U.S. government securities that are not backed by the full faith and credit of the United States. With respect to these U.S. government securities, there is the risk that the U.S. Government will not provide financial support to such U.S. government agencies, instrumentalities or sponsored enterprises if it is not obligated to do so by law. The maximum potential liability of the issuers of some U.S. government securities held by the Fund may greatly exceed their current resources, including their legal right to support from the U.S. Treasury. It is possible that these issuers will not have the funds to meet their payment obligations in the future.

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds  |  Details of the Funds

Government Portfolio (Con’t)

Repurchase agreements are subject to additional risks associated with the possibility of default by the seller at a time when the collateral has declined in value, or insolvency of the seller, which may affect the Fund’s right to control the collateral and result in certain costs and delays.

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds  |  Details of the Funds

Government Securities Portfolio

Investment Objective

The Government Securities Portfolio seeks preservation of capital, daily liquidity and maximum current income.

Approach

The Fund has adopted a policy to invest substantially all of its assets in U.S. Treasury obligations and certain U.S. government securities, the interest from which is generally exempt from state income taxation, in order to qualify as a “government money market fund” under federal regulations. The Fund may also hold cash from time to time. A “government money market fund” is a money market fund that invests at least 99.5% of its total assets in cash, securities issued or guaranteed by the United States or certain U.S. government agencies or instrumentalities and/or repurchase agreements that are collateralized fully by the foregoing. In selecting investments, the Adviser seeks to maintain the Fund’s share price at $1.00. The share price remaining stable at $1.00 means that the Fund would preserve the principal value of your investment. The U.S. government securities that the Fund may purchase include those issued or guaranteed either by the U.S. Treasury or certain agencies, authorities or instrumentalities of the U.S. Government. The Fund may also invest in repurchase agreements with the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. The Fund may change its principal investment strategies; however you would be notified of any changes.

Shareholders should consult their individual tax adviser to determine whether the Fund’s distributions derived from interest on the Treasury obligations and U.S. government securities referred to above are exempt from state taxation in their own state.

Process

The Adviser follows an investment process that seeks to select maturities based on the shape of the money market yield curve and based on the expectations as to future shifts in the level and shape of the curve, taking into consideration such factors as current short-term interest rates, Federal Reserve policy regarding interest rates and U.S. economic activity.

The Adviser actively manages the Fund’s assets in an attempt to reduce the risk of losing any principal investment as a result of credit or interest rate risks. The Fund’s assets are reviewed to maintain or improve creditworthiness. In addition, federal regulations require money market funds to invest only in debt obligations of high quality and short-term maturities.

Principal Risks

The Fund’s principal investment strategies are subject to the following principal risks:

There is no assurance that the Fund will achieve its investment objective. You could lose money by investing in the Fund. Although the Fund seeks to preserve the value of your investment at $1.00 per share, it cannot guarantee it will do so. An investment in the Fund is not insured or guaranteed by the FDIC or any other government agency.

A principal risk of investing in the Fund is associated with its debt obligation investments. All debt obligations, such as bonds, are subject to two types of risk: credit risk and interest rate risk. Credit risk refers to the possibility that the issuer or guarantor of a security will be unable to make interest payments and/or repay the principal on its debt. Interest rate risk refers to fluctuations in the value of a fixed-income security resulting from changes in the general level of interest rates. When the general level of interest rates goes up, the prices of most fixed-income securities go down. When the general level of interest rates goes down, the prices of most fixed-income securities go up. A low interest rate environment may prevent the Fund from providing a positive yield or paying Fund expenses out of Fund assets and could impair the Fund’s ability to maintain a stable NAV. The Fund may face a heightened level of interest rate risk in times of monetary policy change and uncertainty, such as when the Federal Reserve Board ends a quantitative easing program and/or raises rates. A rising interest rate environment increases certain risks, including the potential for periods of volatility, increased redemptions and extended durations (i.e., extension risk).

The Fund may purchase U.S. government securities that are not backed by the full faith and credit of the United States. With respect to these U.S. government securities, there is the risk that the U.S. Government will not provide financial support to such U.S. government agencies, instrumentalities or sponsored enterprises if it is not obligated to do so by law. The maximum potential liability of the issuers of some U.S. government securities held by the Fund may greatly exceed their current resources, including their legal right to support from the U.S. Treasury. It is possible that these issuers will not have the funds to meet their payment obligations in the future.

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds  |  Details of the Funds

Treasury Portfolio

Investment Objective

The Treasury Portfolio seeks preservation of capital, daily liquidity and maximum current income.

Approach

The Fund has adopted a policy to invest exclusively in U.S. Treasury obligations, which are backed by the full faith and credit of the United States, and repurchase agreements collateralized by such securities in order to qualify as a “government money market fund” under federal regulations. The Fund may also hold cash from time to time. A “government money market fund” is a money market fund that invests at least 99.5% of its total assets in cash, securities issued or guaranteed by the United States or certain U.S. government agencies or instrumentalities and/or repurchase agreements that are collateralized fully by the foregoing. In selecting investments, the Adviser seeks to maintain the Fund’s share price at $1.00. The share price remaining stable at $1.00 means that the Fund would preserve the principal value of your investment. The Fund may change its principal investment strategies; however you would be notified of any changes.

Process

The Adviser follows an investment process that seeks to select maturities based on the shape of the money market yield curve and based on the expectations as to future shifts in the level and shape of the curve, taking into consideration such factors as current short-term interest rates, Federal Reserve policy regarding interest rates and U.S. economic activity.

The Adviser actively manages the Fund’s assets in an attempt to reduce the risk of losing any principal investment as a result of credit or interest rate risks. The Fund’s assets are reviewed to maintain or improve creditworthiness. In addition, federal regulations require money market funds to invest only in debt obligations of high quality and short-term maturities.

Principal Risks

The Fund’s principal investment strategies are subject to the following principal risks:

There is no assurance that the Fund will achieve its investment objective. You could lose money by investing in the Fund. Although the Fund seeks to preserve the value of your investment at $1.00 per share, it cannot guarantee it will do so. An investment in the Fund is not insured or guaranteed by the FDIC or any other government agency.

A principal risk of investing in the Fund is associated with its debt obligation investments. All debt obligations, such as bonds, are subject to two types of risk: credit risk and interest rate risk. Credit risk refers to the possibility that the issuer or guarantor of a security will be unable to make interest payments and/or repay the principal on its debt. Interest rate risk refers to fluctuations in the value of a fixed-income security resulting from changes in the general level of interest rates. When the general level of interest rates goes up, the prices of most fixed-income securities go down. When the general level of interest rates goes down, the prices of most fixed-income securities go up. A low interest rate environment may prevent the Fund from providing a positive yield or paying Fund expenses out of Fund assets and could impair the Fund’s ability to maintain a stable NAV. The Fund may face a heightened level of interest rate risk in times of monetary policy change and uncertainty, such as when the Federal Reserve Board ends a quantitative easing program and/or raises rates. A rising interest rate environment increases certain risks, including the potential for periods of volatility, increased redemptions and extended durations (i.e., extension risk).

The U.S. government securities in which the Fund invests can be subject to two types of risk: credit risk and interest rate risk. When the general level of interest rates goes up, the prices of most fixed-income securities go down. When the general level of interest rates goes down, the prices of most fixed-income securities go up. While the credit risk associated with U.S. government securities generally is considered to be minimal, the interest rate risk can be substantial.

Repurchase agreements are subject to additional risks associated with the possibility of default by the seller at a time when the collateral has declined in value, or insolvency of the seller, which may affect the Fund’s right to control the collateral and result in certain costs and delays.

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds  |  Details of the Funds

Treasury Securities Portfolio

Investment Objective

The Treasury Securities Portfolio seeks preservation of capital, daily liquidity and maximum current income.

Approach

The Fund has adopted a policy to invest exclusively in U.S. Treasury obligations, which are backed by the full faith and credit of the United States, in order to qualify as a “government money market fund” under federal regulations. The Fund may also hold cash from time to time. A “government money market fund” is a money market fund that invests at least 99.5% of its total assets in cash, securities issued or guaranteed by the United States or certain U.S. government agencies or instrumentalities and/or repurchase agreements that are collateralized fully by the foregoing. In selecting investments, the Adviser seeks to maintain the Fund’s share price at $1.00. The share price remaining stable at $1.00 means that the Fund would preserve the principal value of your investment. The Fund may change its principal investment strategies; however you would be notified of any changes.

Process

The Adviser follows an investment process that seeks to select maturities based on the shape of the money market yield curve and based on the expectations as to future shifts in the level and shape of the curve, taking into consideration such factors as current short-term interest rates, Federal Reserve policy regarding interest rates and U.S. economic activity.

The Adviser actively manages the Fund’s assets in an attempt to reduce the risk of losing any principal investment as a result of credit or interest rate risks. The Fund’s assets are reviewed to maintain or improve creditworthiness. In addition, federal regulations require money market funds to invest only in debt obligations of high quality and short-term maturities.

Principal Risks

The Fund’s principal investment strategies are subject to the following principal risks:

There is no assurance that the Fund will achieve its investment objective. You could lose money by investing in the Fund. Although the Fund seeks to preserve the value of your investment at $1.00 per share, it cannot guarantee it will do so. An investment in the Fund is not insured or guaranteed by the FDIC or any other government agency.

A principal risk of investing in the Fund is associated with its debt obligation investments. All debt obligations, such as bonds, are subject to two types of risk: credit risk and interest rate risk. Credit risk refers to the possibility that the issuer or guarantor of a security will be unable to make interest payments and/or repay the principal on its debt. Interest rate risk refers to fluctuations in the value of a fixed-income security resulting from changes in the general level of interest rates. When the general level of interest rates goes up, the prices of most fixed-income securities go down. When the general level of interest rates goes down, the prices of most fixed-income securities go up. A low interest rate environment may prevent the Fund from providing a positive yield or paying Fund expenses out of Fund assets and could impair the Fund’s ability to maintain a stable NAV. The Fund may face a heightened level of interest rate risk in times of monetary policy change and uncertainty, such as when the Federal Reserve Board ends a quantitative easing program and/or raises rates. A rising interest rate environment increases certain risks, including the potential for periods of volatility, increased redemptions and extended durations (i.e., extension risk).

The U.S. government securities in which the Fund invests can be subject to two types of risk: credit risk and interest rate risk. When the general level of interest rates goes up, the prices of most fixed-income securities go down. When the general level of interest rates goes down, the prices of most fixed-income securities go up. While the credit risk associated with U.S. government securities generally is considered to be minimal, the interest rate risk can be substantial.

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds  |  Details of the Funds

Tax-Exempt Portfolio

Investment Objective

The Tax-Exempt Portfolio seeks to maximize current income exempt from federal income tax to the extent consistent with preservation of capital and maintenance of liquidity.

Approach

The Fund invests at least 80% of its assets in high quality short-term municipal obligations, the interest of which is exempt from federal income taxes and is not subject to the federal alternative minimum tax. This policy is fundamental and may not be changed without shareholder approval. Municipal obligations are securities issued by state and local governments and their agencies and typically are either general obligation or revenue bonds, notes or commercial paper. General obligation securities are secured by the issuer’s full faith and credit including its taxing power for payment of principal and interest. Revenue bonds, however, are generally payable from a specific revenue source. They are issued for a wide variety of projects such as financing public utilities, hospitals, housing, airports, highways and educational facilities. Included within the revenue bonds category are participations in lease obligations and installment purchase contracts of municipalities. Additionally, the Fund’s investments may include variable and floating rate demand instruments, tender option bonds, custodial receipts and investments in other investment companies, including money market funds.

The Fund may invest up to 20% of its assets in taxable money market securities or in municipal obligations that pay interest income that may be subject to the alternative minimum tax. However, it is currently intended that the Fund will be managed so that income generated by the Fund will not be subject to the alternative minimum tax.

While at least 80% of the Fund’s assets typically will be invested in municipal obligations, the interest of which is exempt from federal income taxes and is not subject to the federal alternative minimum tax, the Fund may temporarily invest more than 20% of its assets in taxable money market securities for defensive purposes in attempting to respond to adverse market conditions.

The Fund operates as an “institutional money market fund” which is neither a “government money market fund” nor “retail money market fund” as such terms are defined or interpreted under Rule 2a-7. As such, the Fund is required to price and transact in its shares at a NAV reflecting market-based values of its portfolio holdings (i.e., at a “floating” NAV), rounded to a minimum of the fourth decimal place. Like other money market funds of its type, the Fund is subject to the possible imposition of liquidity fees and/or redemption gates.

Process

The Adviser follows a multi-pronged investment process with respect to credit risk, interest rate risk and liquidity. Securities are reviewed on an ongoing basis, taking into consideration factors such as economic developments, budgetary trends, cash flow, debt service coverage ratios and tax-law changes. Exposure to guarantors and liquidity providers is monitored separately. Weighted average maturity is shifted in response to expectations as to the future course of money market interest rates, the shape of the money market yield curve and the Fund’s recent cash flow experience.

The Adviser actively manages the Fund’s assets in an attempt to reduce the risk of losing any principal investment as a result of credit or interest rate risks. The Fund’s assets are reviewed to maintain or improve creditworthiness. In addition, federal regulations require money market funds to invest only in debt obligations of high quality and short-term maturities.

Principal Risks

The Fund’s principal investment strategies are subject to the following principal risks:

There is no assurance that the Fund will achieve its investment objective. You could lose money by investing in the Fund. Because the share price of the Fund will fluctuate, when you sell your shares they may be worth more or less than what you originally paid for them. The Fund may impose a fee upon the sale of your shares or may temporarily suspend your ability to sell shares if the Fund’s liquidity falls below required minimums because of market conditions or other factors. An investment in the Fund is not insured or guaranteed by the FDIC or any other government agency.

A principal risk of investing in the Fund is associated with its debt obligation investments. All debt obligations, such as bonds, are subject to two types of risk: credit risk and interest rate risk. Credit risk refers to the possibility that the issuer or guarantor of a security will be unable to make interest payments and/or repay the principal on its debt. Interest rate risk refers to fluctuations in the value of a fixed-income security resulting from changes in the general level of interest rates. When the general level of interest rates goes up, the prices of most fixed-income securities go down. When the general level of interest rates goes down, the prices of most fixed-income securities go up. A low interest rate environment may prevent the Fund from providing a positive yield or paying Fund expenses out of Fund assets. The Fund may face a heightened level of interest rate risk in times of monetary policy change and uncertainty, such as when the Federal Reserve Board ends a quantitative easing program and/or raises rates. A rising interest rate environment increases certain risks, including the potential for periods of volatility, increased redemptions and extended durations (i.e., extension risk).

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds | Details of the Funds

Tax-Exempt Portfolio (Cont’d)

To the extent the Fund invests in municipal obligations issued by state and local governments and their agencies, the Fund may be susceptible to political, economic, regulatory or other factors affecting issuers of these municipal obligations. Municipal obligations are also subject to credit risk and interest risk. In the case of revenue bonds, for example, credit risk is the possibility that the user fees from a project or other specified revenue sources are insufficient to meet interest and/or principal payment obligations. The Fund is subject to added credit risk if it concentrates its investments in a single economic sector, which could be effected by economic, business or political developments which might affect all municipal obligations in that particular economic sector.

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Prospectus  |  Additional Information About the Funds’ Investment Strategies and Related Risks

Additional Information About the Funds’ Investment Strategies and Related Risks

This section discusses additional information relating to the Funds’ investment strategies, other types of investments that the Funds may make and related risk factors. The Funds’ investment practices and limitations are also described in more detail in the Statement of Additional Information (“SAI”), which is incorporated by reference and legally is a part of this Prospectus. For details on how to obtain a copy of the SAI and other reports and information, see the back cover of this Prospectus.

Bank Obligations

Bank obligations include certificates of deposit, commercial paper, unsecured bank promissory notes, bankers’ acceptances, time deposits and other debt obligations. Certain Funds may invest in obligations issued or backed by U.S. banks when a bank has more than $1 billion in total assets at the time of purchase or is a branch or subsidiary of such a bank. In addition, certain Funds may invest in U.S. dollar-denominated obligations issued or guaranteed by foreign banks that have more than $1 billion in total assets at the time of purchase, U.S. branches or subsidiaries of such foreign banks (Yankee obligations), foreign branches of such foreign banks and foreign branches of U.S. banks having more than $1 billion in total assets at the time of purchase. Bank obligations may be general obligations of the parent bank or may be limited to the issuing branch by the terms of the specific obligation or by U.S. government regulation.

If a Fund invests more than 25% of its total assets in bank obligations (whether foreign or domestic), it may be especially affected by favorable and adverse developments in or related to the banking industry. The activities of U.S. and most foreign banks are subject to comprehensive regulations, which, in the case of U.S. regulations, have undergone substantial changes in the past decade. The enactment of new legislation or regulations, as well as changes in interpretation and enforcement of current laws, may affect the manner of operations and profitability of domestic and foreign banks. Significant developments in the U.S. banking industry have included increased competition from other types of financial institutions, increased acquisition activity and geographic expansion. Banks may be particularly susceptible to certain economic factors, such as interest rate changes and adverse developments in the real estate markets. Fiscal and monetary policy and general economic cycles can affect the availability and cost of funds, loan demand and asset quality and thereby impact the earnings and financial conditions of banks. Obligations of foreign banks, including Yankee obligations, are subject to the same risks that pertain to domestic issuers, notably credit risk and market risk, but are also subject to certain additional risks such as adverse foreign political and economic developments, the extent and quality of foreign government regulation of the financial markets and institutions, foreign withholding taxes and other sovereign action such as nationalization or expropriation.

Credit and Interest Rate Risk

All debt obligations, such as bonds, are subject to two types of risk: credit risk and interest rate risk. Interest rate risk refers to fluctuations in the value of a fixed-income security resulting from changes in the general level of interest rates. When the general level of interest rates goes up, the prices of most fixed-income securities go down. When the general level of interest rates goes down, the prices of most fixed-income securities go up. A low interest rate environment may prevent a Fund from providing a positive yield or paying Fund expenses out of Fund assets. The Funds may face a heightened level of interest rate risk in times of monetary policy change and uncertainty, such as when the Federal Reserve Board ends a quantitative easing program and/or raises rates. A rising interest rate environment increases certain risks, including the potential for periods of volatility, increased redemptions and extended durations (i.e., extension risk).

U.S. Government Securities

The U.S. government securities that certain Funds may purchase include U.S. Treasury bills, notes and bonds, all of which are direct obligations of the U.S. Government. In addition, certain Funds may purchase securities issued or guaranteed by agencies and instrumentalities of the U.S. Government which are backed by the full faith and credit of the United States. Among the agencies and instrumentalities issuing these obligations are Ginnie Mae and the Federal Housing Administration. Also, certain Funds may purchase securities issued by agencies and instrumentalities which are not backed by the full faith and credit of the United States, but whose issuing agency or instrumentality has the right to borrow, to meet its obligations, from the U.S. Treasury. Among these agencies and instrumentalities are Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac and the Federal Home Loan Banks. In September 2008, the U.S. Treasury Department announced that the U.S. Government would be taking over Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac and placing the companies into a conservatorship. In addition, the U.S. Treasury announced additional steps that it intended to take with respect to the debt and mortgage-backed securities issued by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac in order to support the conservatorship. Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac are continuing to operate as going concerns while in conservatorship and each remains liable for all of its respective obligations, including its guaranty obligations, associated with its mortgage-backed securities. No assurance can be given that these initiatives will be successful. Further, certain Funds may purchase securities issued by agencies and instrumentalities which are backed solely by the credit of the issuing agency or instrumentality. Among these agencies and instrumentalities is the Federal Farm Credit System. Because these securities are not backed by the full faith and credit of the United States, there is a risk that the U.S. Government will not provide financial support to these agencies if it is not obligated to do so by law. The maximum potential liability of the issuers of some U.S. government securities held by a Fund may greatly exceed their current resources, including their

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Additional Information About the Funds’ Investment Strategies and Related Risks (Con’t)

legal right to support from the U.S. Treasury. It is possible that these issuers will not have the funds to meet their payment obligations in the future. The interest from U.S. government securities generally is not subject to state and local taxation.

Foreign Securities

Certain Funds may invest in U.S. dollar-denominated securities issued by foreign governmental or corporate issuers, including Eurodollar and Yankee obligations. While these securities are subject to the same type of risks that pertain to domestic issuers, namely credit risk and interest rate risk, they are also subject to other additional risks. Foreign issuers generally are subject to different accounting, auditing and financial reporting standards than U.S. issuers. There may be less information available to the public about foreign issuers. Securities of foreign issuers can be less liquid and experience greater price movements. In some foreign countries, there is also the risk of government expropriation, excessive taxation, political or social instability, the imposition of currency controls or diplomatic developments that could affect an investment. There also can be difficulty obtaining and enforcing judgments against issuers in foreign countries. Foreign stock exchanges, broker-dealers and listed issuers may be subject to less government regulation and oversight.

Foreign Money Market Securities

Certain Funds may invest in foreign money market securities. As described elsewhere herein, foreign investing may involve risks relating to political, social and economic developments abroad to a greater extent than investing in the securities of U.S. issuers. In addition, there are differences between U.S. and foreign regulatory requirements and market practices that may result in additional risk. Foreign money market securities also present credit and interest rate risks similar to those attendant to an investment in domestic money market securities.

Custodial Receipts

Certain Funds may invest in custodial receipts representing interests in U.S. government securities, municipal obligations or other debt instruments held by a custodian or trustee. Custodial receipts evidence ownership of future interest payments, principal payments or both on notes or bonds issued or guaranteed as to principal or interest by the U.S. Government, its agencies, instrumentalities, political subdivisions or authorities, by a state or local governmental body or authority, or by other types of issuers. For certain securities law purposes, custodial receipts are not considered obligations of the underlying issuers. In addition, if for tax purposes a Fund is not considered to be the owner of the underlying securities held in the custodial account, the Fund may suffer adverse tax consequences. As a holder of custodial receipts, a Fund will bear its proportionate share of the fees and expenses charged to the custodial account.

Tender Option Bonds

A tender option bond is a municipal obligation (generally held pursuant to a custodial arrangement) having a relatively long maturity and bearing interest at a fixed rate substantially higher than prevailing short-term, tax-exempt rates. The bond is typically issued in conjunction with the agreement of a third-party, such as a bank, broker-dealer or other financial institution, pursuant to which the institution grants the security holder the option, at periodic intervals, to tender its securities to the institution. As consideration for providing the option, the financial institution receives periodic fees equal to the difference between the bond’s fixed coupon rate and the rate, as determined by a remarketing or similar agent, that would cause the securities, coupled with the tender option, to trade at par on the date of such determination. Thus, after payment of this fee, the security holder effectively holds a demand obligation that bears interest at the prevailing short-term, tax-exempt rate. An institution will normally not be obligated to accept tendered bonds in the event of certain defaults or significant downgrading in the credit rating assigned to the issuer of the bond. The tender option will be taken into account in determining the maturity of the tender option bonds and average portfolio maturity. There is a risk that the investing Fund will not be considered the owner of a tender option bond for federal income tax purposes, and thus will not be entitled to treat such interest as exempt from federal income tax. Certain tender option bonds may be illiquid or may become illiquid as a result of a credit rating downgrade, a payment default or a disqualification from tax-exempt status. Additionally, the Dodd–Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (the “Dodd-Frank Act”), including the Volcker Rule, among other regulatory changes, may affect the ability of bank-sponsored tender option bonds to continue to operate or remain cost-effective investments.

Corporate Debt Obligations

Corporate debt obligations are fixed-income securities issued by private corporations. The investment return of corporate debt obligations reflects interest earnings and changes in the market value of the security. The market value of a corporate debt obligation may be expected to rise and fall inversely with interest rates generally. There also exists the risk that the issuers of the securities may not be able to meet their obligations on interest or principal payments at the time called for by an instrument. Debtholders, as creditors, have a prior legal claim over common and preferred stockholders of the corporation as to both income and assets for the principal and interest due to the bondholder. Certain Funds will buy corporate debt obligations subject to any quality constraints set forth under Rule 2a-7.

Revenue Bonds

Revenue bonds are municipal obligations that are secured by the revenue from a specific project. To the extent that a Fund invests in revenue bonds, and which are municipal obligations of issuers in the same economic sector, there could be economic, business or

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Additional Information About the Funds’ Investment Strategies and Related Risks (Con’t)

political developments which might affect such municipal obligations. For example, investments in revenue bonds backed by receipts from hospitals are sensitive to hospital bond ratings, which are often based on feasibility studies which contain projections of expenses, revenues and occupancy levels. Additional factors which could affect a hospital’s gross receipts and net income available to service its debt are demand for hospital services, the ability of the hospital to provide the services required, management capabilities, economic developments in the service area, efforts by insurers and government agencies to limit rates and expenses, reputational issues, competition, availability and expenses of malpractice insurance, Medicaid and Medicare funding and possible federal legislation regulating hospital charges.

Asset-Backed Securities

Asset-backed securities represent an interest in a pool of assets such as automobile loans, credit card receivables or mortgage or home equity loans, or certificates of participation or lease obligations or other municipal debt obligations, that have been securitized in pass-through structures. These types of pass-through securities provide for monthly payments that are a “pass-through” of the monthly interest and principal payments made by the individual borrowers on the pooled receivables. Such securities also may be debt instruments, which are also known as collateralized obligations and are generally issued as the debt of a special purpose entity, such as a trust, organized solely for the purpose of owning such assets and issuing such debt. Credit support for asset-backed securities may be based on the underlying assets and/or provided by a third-party through credit enhancements. Credit enhancement techniques include letters of credit, insurance bonds, limited guarantees (which are generally provided by the issuer), senior-subordinated structures and over-collateralization.

Asset-backed securities are not issued or guaranteed by the U.S. Government or its agencies or instrumentalities; however, the payment of principal and interest on such obligations may be guaranteed up to certain amounts for a certain period by a letter of credit issued by a financial institution (such as a bank or insurance company) unaffiliated with the issuers of such securities. The purchase of asset-backed securities raises risk considerations specific to the financing of the instruments underlying such securities. For example, there is a risk that another party could acquire an interest in the obligations superior to that of the holders of the asset-backed securities. Asset-backed securities entail prepayment risk and extension risk, which may vary depending on the type of asset. Securities subject to prepayment risk generally offer less potential for gains when interest rates decline, and may offer a greater potential for loss when interest rates rise. In addition, rising interest rates may cause prepayments to occur at a slower than expected rate, thereby effectively lengthening the maturity of the security and making the security more sensitive to interest rate changes. Other factors, such as changes in credit card use and payment patterns, may also influence prepayment rates. Asset-backed securities also involve the risk that various federal and state consumer laws and other legal and economic factors such as defaults on the underlying loans may result in the collateral backing the securities being insufficient to support payment on the securities. The risk of such defaults is generally higher in the case of mortgage pools that include sub-prime mortgages. There is also the possibility that recoveries on repossessed collateral may not, in some cases, be available to support payments on those securities.

Repurchase Agreements

Repurchase agreements are fixed-income securities in the form of agreements backed by collateral. These agreements typically involve the acquisition by the Funds of securities from the selling institution (such as a bank or a broker-dealer), coupled with the agreement that the selling institution will repurchase the underlying securities at a specified price and at a fixed time in the future (or on demand, if applicable). The underlying securities which serve as collateral for the repurchase agreements entered into by certain Funds may include U.S. government securities, municipal securities, corporate debt obligations, convertible securities and common and preferred stock and may be of below investment grade quality. These securities are marked-to-market daily in order to maintain full collateralization (typically purchase price plus accrued interest). The use of repurchase agreements involves certain risks. For example, if the selling institution defaults on its obligation to repurchase the underlying securities at a time when the value of the securities has declined, the Funds may incur a loss upon disposition of them. The risk of such loss may be greater when utilizing collateral other than U.S. government securities. In the event of an insolvency or bankruptcy by the selling institution, the Funds’ right to control the collateral could be affected and result in certain costs and delays. Additionally, if the proceeds from the liquidation of such collateral after an insolvency were less than the repurchase price, the Funds could suffer a loss. Fund procedures are followed that are designed to minimize such risks.

The Government Securities Portfolio may enter into repurchase agreements with the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. Reduced participation in the repurchase agreement market by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York may affect the Fund’s investment strategies, operations and/or return potential.

Municipal Obligations

Certain Funds may purchase municipal obligations subject to any restraints set forth under Rule 2a-7. Municipal obligations are securities issued by state and local governments and their agencies. These securities typically are “general obligation” or “revenue” bonds, notes or commercial paper, including participations in lease obligations and installment purchase contracts of municipalities. These obligations may have fixed, variable or floating rates.

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Prospectus  |  Additional Information About the Funds’ Investment Strategies and Related Risks

Additional Information About the Funds’ Investment Strategies and Related Risks (Con’t)

Additional Risks and Investment Strategies of the Funds

Investment Companies

The Funds may invest in investment companies, including money market funds, and may invest all or some of their short-term cash investments in any money market fund advised or managed by the Adviser or its affiliates (an “affiliated money market fund”). An investment in an investment company is subject to the underlying risks of that investment company’s portfolio securities. In addition to a Fund’s fees and expenses, the Fund generally would bear its share of the investment company’s fees and expenses other than advisory and administrative fees of affiliated money market funds.

Promissory Notes

Promissory notes are generally debt obligations of the issuing entity and are subject to the risks of investing in the banking industry. Certain Funds may invest up to 5% of their net assets in illiquid securities, including unsecured bank promissory notes.

Tax-Exempt Variable Rate Demand Notes

Tax-exempt variable rate demand notes are variable rate tax-exempt debt obligations that give investors the right to demand principal repayment. Due to cyclical supply and demand considerations, at times the yields on these obligations can exceed the yield on taxable money market obligations.

Large Shareholder Transactions Risk

A Fund may experience adverse effects when certain large shareholders purchase or redeem large amounts of shares of the Fund. Such large shareholder redemptions may cause a Fund to sell portfolio securities at times when it would not otherwise do so, which may negatively impact the Fund’s NAV and liquidity. Similarly, large Fund share purchases may adversely affect a Fund’s performance to the extent that the Fund is delayed in investing new cash and is required to maintain a larger cash position than it ordinarily would. These transactions may also accelerate the realization of taxable income to shareholders if such sales of investments resulted in gains, and may also increase transaction costs. In addition, a large redemption could result in a Fund’s current expenses being allocated over a smaller asset base, leading to an increase in the Fund’s expense ratio. Although large shareholder transactions may be more frequent under certain circumstances, a Fund is generally subject to the risk that a large shareholder can purchase or redeem a significant percentage of Fund shares at any time.

Investment Discretion

In pursuing a Fund’s investment objective, the Adviser has considerable leeway in deciding which investments it buys, holds or sells on a day-to-day basis, and which trading strategies it uses. For example, the Adviser, in its discretion, may determine to use some permitted trading strategies while not using others. The success or failure of such decisions will affect a Fund’s performance.

Temporary Defensive Investments

When the Adviser believes that changes in market, economic, political or other conditions warrant, each Fund may invest without limit in cash or cash equivalents and the Tax-Exempt Portfolio may invest without limit in taxable money market securities for temporary defensive purposes that may be inconsistent with a Fund’s principal investment strategies. If the Adviser incorrectly predicts the effects of these changes, such defensive investments may adversely affect a Fund’s performance and the Fund may not achieve its investment objective.

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Prospectus  |  Shareholder Information

Shareholder Information

The Trust is designed for institutional investors seeking maximum current income and convenient liquidation privileges. The Funds are particularly suitable for corporations, banks and other financial institutions that seek investment of short-term funds for their own accounts or for the accounts of their customers. Shares of the Government Portfolio and Government Securities Portfolio are intended to qualify as eligible investments for federally chartered credit unions pursuant to the applicable provisions of the Federal Credit Union Act and the National Credit Union Administration. Shares of the Government Portfolio and Government Securities Portfolio, however, may not qualify as eligible investments for particular state-chartered credit unions. A state-chartered credit union should consult qualified legal counsel to determine whether these Funds are permissible investments under the law applicable to it.

Share Class Arrangements

This Prospectus offers Investor Class shares of each Fund. The Trust also offers other classes of shares through separate prospectuses. Certain of these classes may be subject to different fees and expenses. For information regarding other share classes, contact the Trust or your financial intermediary.

Minimum Investment Amount

Investor Class shares are available to clients of the Adviser with investments at the time of initial purchase of at least $10 million. The Adviser, in its sole discretion, may waive the minimum initial investment amount in certain cases including, but not limited to, shares of the Fund purchased through a financial intermediary or when the Adviser anticipates the combined value of a client’s investments will meet or exceed the minimum.

Distributor

Shares of the Fund are distributed exclusively through Morgan Stanley Distribution, Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Morgan Stanley. The Distributor has entered into arrangements with certain financial intermediaries (also referred to as service organizations) who may accept purchase and redemption orders for shares of each Fund on its behalf.

The Adviser and/or the Distributor may pay additional compensation (out of their own funds and not as an expense of a Fund) to selected affiliated or unaffiliated brokers or other service providers in connection with the sale, distribution, retention and/or servicing of Fund shares. Such compensation may be significant in amount and the prospect of receiving any such additional compensation may provide affiliated or unaffiliated entities with an incentive to favor sales of shares of the Fund over other investment options. Any such payments will not change the NAV or the price of Fund shares. For more information, please see the Funds’ SAI.

The Trust has adopted an Administration Plan for each Fund’s Investor Class shares (the “Plan”) to pay the Distributor to compensate certain financial intermediaries (also referred to as service organizations) who provide administrative services to shareholders. Under the Plan, each Fund pays the Distributor a monthly administration fee at an annual rate of 0.10% of each Fund’s average daily net assets of Investor Class shares which are owned beneficially by the customers of such service organization during such period. The Distributor may waive distribution fees to enable a Fund to maintain a minimum level of daily net investment income. The Distributor may discontinue these voluntary fee waivers at any time in the future.

Because the fees are paid out of a 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 sales charges.

Valuation of Shares

Each of the Prime Portfolio’s, ESG Money Market Portfolio’s and Tax-Exempt Portfolio’s investments will be valued using market-based prices provided by an approved pricing service/vendor and the share price of each rounded to a minimum of the fourth decimal place. The price of each of Government Portfolio’s, Government Securities Portfolio’s, Treasury Portfolio’s and Treasury Securities Portfolio’s shares is based on the amortized cost of the Fund’s securities. The amortized cost valuation method involves valuing a debt obligation in reference to its cost rather than market forces. If the Adviser determines that a valuation is not reflective of the security’s market value, such security is valued at its fair value as determined in good faith under procedures established by and under the general supervision of the Board.

The NAV of each Fund is determined once daily (except that the NAV of Prime Portfolio is determined three times daily), normally at the times set forth below, on each day that the NYSE is open (the “Pricing Time”), except when the following federal holidays are observed: Columbus Day and Veterans Day.

Shares will generally not be priced on days that the NYSE is closed, although Fund shares may be priced on such days if the Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association (“SIFMA”) recommends that the bond markets remain open for all or part of the day. On any business day when SIFMA recommends that the bond markets close early, a Fund reserves the right to close at or prior to the SIFMA recommended closing time. If a Fund does so, it will cease granting same day credit for purchase and redemption orders received after the Fund’s closing time and credit will be given on the next business day. The Fund may, however, elect to remain open and price shares of each Fund on days where the NYSE is closed but the primary securities markets on which the Funds’ securities trade remain open.

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Prospectus  |  Shareholder Information

Shareholder Information (Con’t)

Government Portfolio
Treasury Portfolio

As of 5:00 p.m. Eastern time

ESG Money Market Portfolio
Government Securities Portfolio
Treasury Securities Portfolio

As of 3:00 p.m. Eastern time

Tax-Exempt Portfolio

As of 1:00 p.m. Eastern time

Prime Portfolio

As of 8:00 a.m., 12:00 p.m. and 3:00 p.m. Eastern time

Pricing of Fund Shares

Investor Class shares of the Funds may be purchased or sold (redeemed) at the NAV next determined after the Fund receives your order in good order and State Street Bank and Trust Company (the “Custodian”) receives monies credited by a Federal Reserve Bank (“Federal Funds”) prior to the close of the Federal Reserve Wire Network (“Fedwire”). You begin earning dividends the same day your Investor Class shares are purchased provided the Fund receives your purchase amount in Federal Funds that day as set forth above. Orders to purchase shares of a Fund must be received by the Fund prior to the following times to receive the NAV next determined: for the Government Portfolio and Treasury Portfolio—5:00 p.m. Eastern time; for the ESG Money Market Portfolio, Government Securities Portfolio and Treasury Securities Portfolio—3:00 p.m. Eastern time; for the Tax-Exempt Portfolio—1:00 p.m. Eastern time; and for the Prime Portfolio—8:00 a.m., 12:00 p.m. or 3:00 p.m. Eastern time. On any business day that the NYSE closes early, or when SIFMA recommends that the securities markets close early, a Fund may close early and purchase orders received after such earlier closing times will be processed the following business day. If the NYSE is closed due to inclement weather, technology problems or any other reason on a day it would normally be open for business, or the NYSE has an unscheduled early closing on a day it has opened for business, a Fund reserves the right to treat such day as a business day and accept purchase and redemption orders until, and calculate its NAV as of, the normally scheduled close of regular trading on the NYSE for that day, or such time noted above, so long as the Adviser believes there generally remains an adequate market to obtain reliable and accurate market quotations. A Fund may elect to remain open on days when the NYSE is closed or closes early but on which SIFMA recommends that the bond markets remain open for all or part of the day. Purchase orders received by a Fund and not funded by 6:00 p.m. Eastern time on the trade date may be subject to an overdraft charge.

Portfolio Holdings

A description of the Trust’s policies and procedures with respect to the disclosure of each Fund’s portfolio securities is available in the Trust’s SAI.

How To Purchase Shares

Investor Class shares of the Funds may be purchased directly from the Fund or through a financial intermediary.

Purchasing Shares Through a Financial Intermediary
You may open a new account and purchase Fund shares through certain authorized third-parties, such as brokers, dealers or other financial intermediaries that have entered into a selling agreement with the Distributor (each, a “Financial Intermediary”). Your Financial Intermediary will assist you with the procedures to invest in shares of the Fund. The Financial Intermediary will establish times by which such purchase orders and payments from customers must be received by the Financial Intermediary. Financial Intermediaries are responsible for transmitting purchase orders and payments to the Trust and the Trust’s Custodian in a timely fashion. Purchase orders placed with a Financial Intermediary and transmitted through a trading platform utilized by the Financial Intermediary may be transmitted by the trading platform after the deadlines established by the Trust for receipt of purchase orders, as set forth below; in such case, the purchase orders will receive a trade date of the next business day.

Investors purchasing Investor Class shares through a Financial Intermediary may be charged a transaction-based or other fees by the Financial Intermediary for its services. If you are purchasing Investor Class shares through a Financial Intermediary, please consult your intermediary for more information regarding any such fees and for purchase instructions.

With respect to sales through Financial Intermediaries, no offers or sales of Fund shares may be made in any foreign jurisdiction, except with the consent of the Distributor.

Purchasing Shares Directly From the Funds

Initial Purchase by Mail
You may open an account, subject to acceptance by the Fund, and purchase Investor Class shares of a Fund by completing and signing a New Account Application which you can obtain by calling Morgan Stanley Services Company Inc. or the Fund at (888) 378-1630 (which is generally accessible weekdays 7:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m. Eastern time) and mailing it to Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds, c/o DST Asset Manager Solutions, Inc., P.O. Box 219804, Kansas City, MO 64121-9804 together with a check payable to Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds. Orders to purchase shares of a Fund must be received by the Fund prior to the applicable Fund’s final Pricing Time of that day. Orders received after such Pricing Time will be processed the following business

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Prospectus  |  Shareholder Information

Shareholder Information (Con’t)

day.

Please note that payments to investors who redeem shares of a Fund purchased by check will not be made until payment of the purchase has been collected, which may take up to 15 calendar days after purchase. You can avoid this delay by purchasing shares of a Fund by wire.

Initial Purchase by Wire
You may purchase Investor Class shares of each Fund by wiring Federal Funds (monies credited by a Federal Reserve Bank) to the Custodian. You must forward a completed New Account Application to the Transfer Agent in advance of the wire by following the instructions under “Initial Purchase by Mail.” You should instruct your bank to send a Federal Funds wire in a specified amount to the Custodian using the following wire instructions:

State Street Bank and Trust Company
One Lincoln Street
Boston, MA 02111-2101
ABA #011000028
DDA #00575399
Attn: Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Subscription Account
Ref: (Fund Name, Account Number, Account Name)
* For international investments into the US funds, BIC Code: SBOSUS33XXX must be referenced, as well as the information listed above.

If notification of your order is received prior to the time required by each respective Fund, as set forth above, and the Custodian receives the funds the same day prior to the close of the Fedwire, then your purchase will become effective and begin to earn income on that day. Otherwise, your purchase will be effective on the next business day.

Purchase by Internet
If you have properly authorized the Internet Trading Option on your New Account Application and completed, signed and returned to the Fund an Electronic Transactions Agreement, you may place a purchase order for additional shares online through Morgan Stanley’s Treasury Investment Portal service at www.morganstanley.com/liquidity. For more information, call Morgan Stanley Services Company Inc. at 1-888-378-1630.

You are responsible for transmitting payments for shares purchased via the Internet in a timely fashion, as set forth above.

Automatic Purchases
Selected accounts that utilize the Funds as their sweep vehicle will be reviewed on each business day to determine whether the account has a positive balance as a result of credits incurred that day. If an account has a positive (credit) balance, shares of the respective Fund will automatically be purchased. Any positive (credit) balance will be reduced by any debits to the account on that day and shares of the Fund will automatically be sold.

Additional Investments
You may make additional investments of Investor Class shares at the NAV next determined after the request is received in good order or by wiring Federal Funds to the Custodian as outlined above. State Street Bank and Trust Company must receive notification of receipt of your Federal Funds wire by the time required by each respective Fund, as set forth above under “How To Purchase Shares.”

General

To help the U.S. Government fight the funding of terrorism and money laundering activities, federal law requires all financial institutions to obtain, verify and record information that identifies each person who opens an account. What this means to you is that when you open an account, we will ask your name, address, date of birth and other information that will allow us to identify you. If we are unable to verify your identity, we reserve the right to restrict additional transactions and/or liquidate your account at the next calculated NAV after your account is closed (less any applicable sales/account charges and/or tax penalties) or take any other action required by law. In accordance with federal law requirements, the Trust has implemented an anti-money laundering compliance program, which includes the designation of an anti-money laundering compliance officer.

How To Redeem Shares

You may process a redemption request by contacting your Financial Intermediary. Otherwise, you may redeem shares of a Fund by mail or, if authorized, by telephone, at no charge other than as described below. The value of shares redeemed may be more or less than the purchase price, depending on the NAV at the time of redemption. Shares of a Fund will be redeemed at the NAV next determined after we receive your redemption request in good order.

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Prospectus  |  Shareholder Information

Shareholder Information (Con’t)

Redemptions by Letter
Requests should be addressed to Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds, c/o DST Asset Manager Solutions, Inc., P.O. Box 219804, Kansas City, MO 64121-9804.

To be in good order, redemption requests must include the following documentation:

(a) A letter of instruction, if required, or a stock assignment specifying the account name, the account number, the name of the Fund and the number of shares or dollar amount to be redeemed, signed by all registered owners of the shares in the exact names in which the shares are registered, and whether you wish to receive the redemption proceeds by wire to the bank account we have on file for you;

(b) Any required signature guarantees if you are requesting payment to anyone other than the registered owner(s) or that payment be sent to any address other than the address of the registered owner(s) or pre-designated bank account; and

(c) Other supporting legal documents, if required, in the case of estates, trusts, guardianships, custodianship, corporations, pension and profit sharing plans and other organizations.

Redemptions by Telephone
You automatically have telephone redemption and exchange privileges unless you indicate otherwise by checking the applicable box on the New Account Application or calling the Fund to opt out of such privileges. You may request a redemption of shares of a Fund by calling the Fund at 1-888-378-1630 and requesting that the redemption proceeds be mailed or wired to you. Telephone redemptions and exchanges may not be available if you cannot reach the Fund by telephone, whether because all telephone lines are busy or for any other reason; in such case, a shareholder would have to use the Fund’s other redemption and exchange procedures described in this section. Telephone instructions will be accepted if received by the Fund between 7:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. Eastern time on any day the NYSE is open for business, except when the following federal holidays are observed: Columbus Day and Veterans Day. Orders to redeem or exchange shares of a Fund must be received by the Fund prior to the applicable Fund’s final Pricing Time of that day. Orders received after such Pricing Time will be processed the following business day. To opt out of telephone privileges, please contact the Fund at 1-888-378-1630.

Redemptions by Internet
You may redeem shares online through Morgan Stanley’s Treasury Investment Portal service at www.morganstanley.com/liquidity, provided you have a pre-established Internet trading account, as set forth above under “How To Purchase Shares.” For more information, call the Fund at 1-888-378-1630.

Automatic Redemptions
Selected accounts that utilize the Funds as their sweep vehicle will be reviewed on each business day to determine whether the account has any debits that were incurred that day and shares of the Funds will automatically be redeemed to cover the debits if such debits have not been reduced by any credits which may have accrued to the account on the same day.

Redemption Proceeds
You will not earn a dividend on the day your shares are sold. Orders to sell shares (redemption requests) will be processed on the day on which they are received, provided they are received prior to the following times to receive the NAV next determined: for the Government Portfolio and Treasury Portfolio—5:00 p.m. Eastern time; for the Prime Portfolio, ESG Money Market Portfolio, Government Securities Portfolio and Treasury Securities Portfolio—3:00 p.m. Eastern time; and for the Tax-Exempt Portfolio— 1:00 p.m. Eastern time. On any business day that the NYSE closes early, the Fund may close early and redemption requests received after such earlier closing times will be processed the following business day. The Fund may elect to remain open on days when the NYSE is closed or closes early but on which SIFMA recommends that the bond markets remain open for all or part of the day. Generally, payment for Fund shares sold will be made on the day on which the order is processed, but under certain circumstances may not be made until the next business day. The Fund may postpone and/or suspend redemption and payment beyond one business day only as follows: (a) for any period during which there is a non-routine closure of the Fedwire or applicable Federal Reserve Banks; (b) for any period (i) during which the NYSE is closed other than customary weekend and holiday closings or (ii) during which trading on the NYSE is restricted; (c) for any period during which an emergency exists as a result of which (i) disposal of securities owned by the Fund is not reasonably practicable or (ii) it is not reasonably practicable for the Fund to fairly determine the NAV of shares of the Fund; (d) for any period during which the SEC has, by rule or regulation, deemed that (i) trading shall be restricted or (ii) an emergency exists; (e) for any period that the SEC may by order permit; or (f) for any period during which the Fund as part of a necessary liquidation of a Fund, has properly postponed and/or suspended redemption of shares and payment in accordance with federal securities laws. In addition, when SIFMA recommends that the securities markets close early, payments with respect to redemption requests received subsequent to the recommended close will be made the next business day (assuming that the Fund in fact closes).

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Prospectus  |  Shareholder Information

Shareholder Information (Con’t)

Each Fund typically expects to meet redemption requests by using a combination of sales of securities held by a Fund and/or holdings of cash and cash equivalents. On a less regular basis, each Fund also reserves the right to use borrowings to meet redemption requests, and each Fund may use these methods during both normal and stressed market conditions.

If we determine that it is in the best interest of other shareholders not to pay redemption proceeds in cash, we may pay you in part by distributing to you readily marketable securities held by the Fund from which you are redeeming. Such in-kind securities may be illiquid and difficult or impossible for a shareholder to sell at a time and at a price that a shareholder would like. Redemptions paid in such securities generally will give rise to income, gain or loss for income tax purposes in the same manner as redemptions paid in cash. In addition, you may incur brokerage costs and a further gain or loss for income tax purposes when you ultimately sell the securities.

Exchange Privilege

You may exchange a Fund’s Investor Class shares for Investor Class shares of other available Funds of the Trust based on their respective NAVs, except that you may not exchange Investor Class shares from or into the Prime Portfolio, ESG Money Market Portfolio or Tax-Exempt Portfolio. We charge no fee for exchanges. If you purchased Fund shares through a Financial Intermediary, certain other Funds of the Trust may be unavailable for exchange. Contact your Financial Intermediary to determine which Funds are available for exchange.

You can process your exchange by contacting your Financial Intermediary or online through Morgan Stanley’s Treasury Investment Portal service at www.morganstanley.com/liquidity provided you have a pre-established Internet trading account, as set forth above under “How To Purchase Shares.” You may also send exchange requests to the Fund’s transfer agent, DST Asset Manager Solutions, Inc. (“DST”), by mail to Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds, c/o DST Asset Manager Solutions, Inc., P.O. Box 219804, Kansas City, MO 64121-9804 or by calling the Fund at 1-888-378-1630.

You will be subject to the same minimum initial investment and account size as an initial purchase. The Fund, in its sole discretion, may waive the minimum initial investment amounts in certain cases including, but not limited to, exchanges involving Fund shares purchased through a Financial Intermediary or when the Adviser anticipates the combined value of a client’s investments will meet or exceed the minimum. The Fund may terminate or revise the exchange privilege upon required notice or in certain cases without notice. The Fund reserves the right to reject an exchange order for any reason.

Telephone/Internet Transactions

For your protection, we will employ reasonable procedures to confirm that instructions communicated over the telephone/Internet are genuine. These procedures may include requiring various forms of personal identification (such as name, mailing address, social security number or other tax identification number and password/authorization codes, including PIN (Personal Identification Number)), tape-recording telephone communications and providing written confirmation of instructions communicated by telephone/Internet. If reasonable procedures are employed, none of Morgan Stanley, DST or the Fund will be liable for following telephone/Internet instructions which it reasonably believes to be genuine. During periods of drastic economic or market changes, it is possible that the telephone/Internet privileges may be difficult to implement, although this has not been the case with the Funds in the past.

Frequent Purchases and Redemptions of Fund Shares

We expect the Funds to be used by shareholders for short-term investing and by certain selected accounts utilizing the Funds as a sweep vehicle. Therefore, reasonably frequent purchases and redemptions of Fund shares by Fund shareholders do not present risks for other shareholders of a Fund, and the policies and procedures adopted by the Board of Trustees/Directors as applicable to other funds in the Morgan Stanley family of funds are generally not applicable with respect to frequent purchases and redemptions of Fund shares. However, frequent trading by shareholders can disrupt management of the Funds and raise their respective expenses. Therefore, we may not accept any request for a purchase or exchange when we think it is being used as a tool for market-timing, and we may bar a shareholder who trades excessively from making further purchases for an indefinite period.

Distributions

The Funds pass substantially all of their earnings along to their investors as “distributions.” The Funds earn interest from fixed-income investments. These amounts are passed along to Fund shareholders as “income dividend distributions.” Each Fund realizes capital gains whenever it sells securities for a higher price than it paid for them. These amounts may be passed along as “capital gain distributions.” The Adviser does not anticipate that there will be significant capital gain distributions.

The Funds declare income dividends daily on each business day and pay them monthly to shareholders. Dividends are based on estimates of income, expenses and shareholder activity for the Funds. Actual income, expenses and shareholder activity may differ from estimates and differences, if any, will be included in the calculation of subsequent dividends. Short-term capital gains, if any, are distributed periodically. Long-term capital gains, if any, are distributed at least annually. The Funds automatically reinvest all dividends and distributions in additional shares. However, you may elect to receive distributions in cash by giving written notice to

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Prospectus  |  Shareholder Information

Shareholder Information (Con’t)

your Financial Intermediary or by checking the appropriate box in the Distribution Option section on the Account Registration Form.

Liquidity Fees and Redemption Gates—Prime Portfolio, ESG Money Market Portfolio and Tax-Exempt Portfolio
Under Rule 2a-7, the Prime Portfolio, ESG Money Market Portfolio and Tax-Exempt Portfolio will be permitted (or in some cases, may be required) to impose a liquidity fee on redemptions (up to 2%) or temporarily restrict redemptions from the Fund for up to 10 business days during a 90 calendar day period (a “redemption gate”), in the event that the Fund’s weekly liquid assets fall below the following thresholds:

 

30% weekly liquid assets—If the weekly liquid assets of a Fund fall below 30% of the Fund’s total assets, and the Board of Trustees determines it is in the best interests of the Fund, the Board of Trustees may impose a liquidity fee of no more than 2% of the amount redeemed and/or a redemption gate that temporarily suspends the right of redemption. The liquidity fee or redemption gate may be imposed at any point during the applicable business day, generally at the subsequent NAV calculation time of the applicable Fund following the determination of the Board of Trustees.

 

10% weekly liquid assets—If the weekly liquid assets of a Fund fall below 10% of the Fund’s total assets as of the end of a business day, the Fund must impose, at the beginning of the next business day, a liquidity fee of 1% of the amount redeemed, unless the Board of Trustees determines that imposing such a fee would not be in the best interests of the Fund or determines that a lower or higher fee (not to exceed 2%) would be in the best interests of the Fund.
 

Liquidity fees and redemptions gates may be terminated at any time in the discretion of the Board of Trustees. Liquidity fees and redemptions gates will also terminate at the beginning of the next business day once the applicable Fund has invested 30% or more of its total assets in weekly liquid assets as of the end of a business day. A Fund may only suspend redemptions for up to 10 business days in any 90 calendar day period.

Weekly liquid assets generally include: (a) cash; (b) direct obligations of the U.S. Government; (c) certain U.S. government agency discount notes with remaining maturities of 60 days or less; (d) securities that will mature or are subject to a demand feature that is exercisable and payable within five business days; or (e) amounts receivable and due unconditionally within five business days on pending sales of portfolio securities.

If a Fund imposes a redemption gate, the Fund and your Financial Intermediary will not accept redemption or exchange orders out of the Fund until the Fund has notified shareholders that the redemption gate has been lifted. Any redemption or exchange orders out of a Fund submitted while a redemption gate is in effect will be cancelled without further notice. If you still wish to redeem or exchange shares out of a Fund once the redemption gate has been lifted, you will need to submit a new redemption or exchange request to the Fund or your Financial Intermediary. Unprocessed purchase orders that a Fund received prior to notification of the imposition of a liquidity fee or redemption gate will be cancelled unless re-confirmed. Under certain circumstances, a Fund may honor redemption or exchange orders out of the Fund (or pay redemptions without adding a liquidity fee to the redemption amount) if the Fund can verify that the redemption or exchange order out of the Fund was submitted to the Fund’s agent before the Fund imposed liquidity fees or suspended redemptions. Once a liquidity fee or a redemption gate is in place, shareholders will not be permitted to exchange into or out of the applicable Fund until the fee or gate is terminated.

The Board of Trustees generally expects that a liquidity fee or redemption gate would be imposed, if at all, during periods of extraordinary market stress. The Board of Trustees generally expects that a redemption gate would be imposed prior to notification to shareholders and Financial Intermediaries that a gate would be imposed. While the Board of Trustees may, in its discretion, impose a liquidity fee at any time after the weekly liquid assets of the Fund fall below 30% of the Fund’s total assets, the Board of Trustees generally expects that a liquidity fee would be imposed only after the Fund has notified Financial Intermediaries and shareholders that a liquidity fee will be imposed. The Fund retains the liquidity fees for the benefit of remaining shareholders.

The Board of Trustees may, in its discretion, permanently suspend redemptions and liquidate the Fund if, among other things, the Fund, at the end of a business day, has less than 10% of its total assets invested in weekly liquid assets. In the event of liquidation, shareholders are entitled to share pro rata in the net assets of the Fund available for distribution to such shareholders.

Announcements regarding the imposition of liquidity fees or redemption gates, or the termination of liquidity fees or redemption gates, will be filed with the SEC on Form N-CR and will be available on the website of the Fund (http://www.morganstanley.com/im). In addition, the Fund will make such announcements through a supplement to its Prospectus and may make such announcements through a press release or by other means.

Dividend payments will not be subject to liquidity fees or redemption gates; however, in the event that a liquidity fee or redemption gate is in place at the time that dividends are distributed, all distributions will be made in the form of cash.

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Prospectus  |  Shareholder Information

Shareholder Information (Con’t)

Trade corrections requested after a liquidity fee or redemption gate is imposed will be honored so long as the “as of” date of the transaction to be processed is prior to the effective time of the liquidity fee or redemption gate and a valid reason for the trade error is provided.

Financial Intermediaries will be required to promptly take such actions reasonably requested by the Fund, the Transfer Agent or the Adviser to implement, modify or remove, or to assist the Fund in implementing, modifying or removing, a liquidity fee or redemption gate established by the Fund.

The Government Portfolio, the Government Securities Portfolio, the Treasury Portfolio and the Treasury Securities Portfolio are exempt from requirements that permit money market funds to impose a “liquidity fee” and/or a “redemption gate” that temporarily restricts redemptions. The Board of Trustees has opted not to subject the Government Portfolio, the Government Securities Portfolio, the Treasury Portfolio and the Treasury Securities Portfolio to a “liquidity fee” and/or a “redemption gate” but has reserved its right to change this determination in the future after providing appropriate notice to shareholders.

Taxes

The tax information provided in this Prospectus is provided as general information. You should consult your own tax professional about the tax consequences of an investment in a particular Fund.

It is each Fund’s intention to qualify as a regulated investment company and distribute all or substantially all of its taxable and tax-exempt income.

Except as noted below, dividends you receive will generally be taxable, whether you receive them in cash or in additional shares. Income dividend distributions and any short-term capital gain distributions are generally taxable to you as ordinary income. Any long-term capital gain distributions are taxable as long-term capital gains, no matter how long you have owned shares in a Fund. Distributions paid by the Funds are not expected to be eligible for lower tax rates applicable to qualified dividends.

With respect to the Government Securities Portfolio, while the Fund intends to limit its investments to certain U.S. Treasury obligations and U.S. government securities, the interest of which is generally exempt from state income taxation, you should consult your own tax adviser to determine whether distributions from the Government Securities Portfolio are exempt from state taxation in your own state.

With respect to the Tax-Exempt Portfolio, your income dividend distributions are normally exempt from federal income tax to the extent they are derived from municipal obligations. Income derived from other portfolio securities may be subject to federal, state and/or local income taxes. The income derived from some municipal securities is subject to the federal “alternative minimum tax.”

An additional 3.8% Medicare tax is imposed on certain net investment income (including ordinary dividends and capital gain distributions 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) exceeds certain threshold amounts.

Shareholders who are not citizens or residents of the United States and certain foreign entities may be subject to withholding of U.S. tax on distributions made by a Fund of investment income and short-term capital gains at a rate of 30% (or a lower tax treaty rate, if applicable). Such shareholders may also be subject to United States estate tax with respect to their shares.

Dividends paid by a Fund to shareholders who are nonresident aliens or foreign entities that are derived from short-term capital gains and qualifying U.S. source net interest income (including income from original issue discount and market discount), and that are designated by the Fund as “interest-related dividends” or “short-term capital gain dividends,” will generally not be subject to U.S. withholding tax, provided that the income would not be subject to U.S. federal income tax if earned directly by the foreign shareholder. However, depending on the circumstances, a Fund may designate all, some or none of the Fund’s potentially eligible dividends as exempt.

A Fund is required to withhold U.S. tax (at a 30% rate) on payments of taxable 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 a Fund to enable the Fund to determine whether withholding is required.

U.S. investors will be sent a statement (Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”) Form 1099-DIV) by February of each year showing the taxable distributions paid to you in the previous year. The statement provides information on your dividends and any capital gains for tax purposes.

Sales, exchanges and redemptions of shares in a Fund are generally taxable events and may result in taxable gain or loss to you. Because each of Government Portfolio, Government Securities Portfolio, Treasury Portfolio and Treasury Securities Portfolio intends

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Prospectus  |  Shareholder Information

Shareholder Information (Con’t)

to maintain a stable $1.00 NAV, shareholders will typically not recognize gain or loss when they sell or exchange their shares in these Funds because the amount realized will be the same as their tax basis in the shares. Because each of Prime Portfolio, ESG Money Market Portfolio and Tax-Exempt Portfolio does not maintain a stable share price, a sale of these Funds’ shares may result in capital gain or loss to you.

With respect to any gain or loss recognized on the sale or exchange of shares of a Fund, unless you choose to adopt a simplified “NAV method” of accounting (described below), the amount of any gain or loss and the rate of tax will depend mainly upon how much you paid for the shares, how much you sell them for, and how long you held them. In this case, any gain or loss generally will be treated as short-term capital gain or loss if you held your shares as capital assets for one year or less, and long-term capital gain or loss if you held your shares as capital assets for more than one year. The maximum individual tax rate applicable to long-term capital gains is generally 15% or 20%, depending on whether the individual’s income exceeds certain threshold amounts. Any loss realized upon a taxable disposition of Fund shares held for six months or less will be treated as a long-term capital loss, rather than a short-term capital loss, to the extent of any long-term capital gain distributions received (or deemed received) by you with respect to the Fund shares.

If you elect to adopt the simplified “NAV method” of accounting, rather than compute gain or loss on every taxable sale or other disposition of shares of a Fund as described above, you would determine your gain or loss based on the change in the aggregate value of your Fund shares during a computation period (such as your taxable year), reduced by your net investment (i.e., purchases minus sales) in those Fund shares during the computation period. Under the simplified “NAV method,” any resulting capital gain or loss would be reportable on a net basis and would generally be treated as a short-term capital gain or loss.

A liquidity fee imposed by a Fund will reduce the amount you will receive upon the redemption of your shares, and will generally decrease the amount of any capital gain or increase the amount of any capital loss you will recognize with respect to such redemption. There is some degree of uncertainty with respect to the tax treatment of liquidity fees received by money market funds, and such tax treatment may be the subject of future guidance issued by the IRS. If a Fund receives liquidity fees, it will consider the appropriate tax treatment of such fees to the Fund at such time.

When you open your account, you should provide appropriate tax documentation including your social security or tax identification number on your investment application. By providing this information, you generally will avoid being subject to federal backup withholding on taxable distributions and redemption proceeds at the applicable rate. Any withheld amount would be sent to the IRS as an advance payment of taxes due on your income for such year.

Potential Conflicts of Interest

As a diversified global financial services firm, Morgan Stanley, the parent company of the Adviser, engages in a broad spectrum of activities, including financial advisory services, investment management activities, lending, commercial banking, sponsoring and managing private investment funds, engaging in broker-dealer transactions and principal securities, commodities and foreign exchange transactions, research publication and other activities. In the ordinary course of its business, Morgan Stanley is a full-service investment banking and financial services firm and therefore engages in activities where Morgan Stanley’s interests or the interests of its clients may conflict with the interests of a Fund. Morgan Stanley has advised clients and has sponsored, managed or advised other investment funds and investment programs, accounts and businesses (collectively, together with any new or successor funds, programs, accounts or businesses, the ‘‘Affiliated Investment Accounts’’) with a wide variety of investment objectives that in some instances may overlap or conflict with a Fund’s investment objectives and present conflicts of interest. In addition, Morgan Stanley may also from time to time create new or successor Affiliated Investment Accounts that may compete with a Fund and present similar conflicts of interest. The discussion below enumerates certain actual, apparent and potential conflicts of interest. There is no assurance that conflicts of interest will be resolved in favor of Fund shareholders and, in fact, they may not be. Conflicts of interest not described below may also exist.

For more information about conflicts of interest, see the section entitled “Potential Conflicts of Interest” in the SAI.

Material Nonpublic Information. It is expected that confidential or material nonpublic information regarding an investment or potential investment opportunity may become available to the Adviser. If such information becomes available, the Adviser may be precluded (including by applicable law or internal policies or procedures) from pursuing an investment or disposition opportunity with respect to such investment or investment opportunity.

Investments by Morgan Stanley and its Affiliated Investment Accounts. In serving in multiple capacities to Affiliated Investment Accounts, Morgan Stanley, including the Adviser and the Investment team, may have obligations to other clients or investors in Affiliated Investment Accounts, the fulfillment of which may not be in the best interests of a Fund or its shareholders. A Fund’s investment objectives may overlap with the investment objectives of certain Affiliated Investment Accounts. As a result, the members of an Investment team may face conflicts in the allocation of investment opportunities among a Fund and other investment funds, programs, accounts and businesses advised by or affiliated with the Adviser. Certain Affiliated Investment Accounts may provide for

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Prospectus  |  Shareholder Information

Shareholder Information (Con’t)

higher management or incentive fees or greater expense reimbursements or overhead allocations, all of which may contribute to this conflict of interest and create an incentive for the Adviser to favor such other accounts.

Payments to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries. The Adviser and/or the Distributor may pay compensation, out of their own funds and not as an expense of a Fund, to certain Financial Intermediaries (which may include affiliates of the Adviser and Distributor), including recordkeepers and administrators of various deferred compensation plans, in connection with the sale, distribution, marketing and retention of shares of the Fund and/or shareholder servicing. The prospect of receiving, or the receipt of, additional compensation, as described above, by Financial Intermediaries may provide such Financial Intermediaries and their financial advisors and other salespersons with an incentive to favor sales of shares of a Fund over other investment options with respect to which these Financial Intermediaries do not receive additional compensation (or receives lower levels of additional compensation). These payment arrangements, however, will not change the price that an investor pays for shares of a Fund or the amount that the Fund receives to invest on behalf of an investor. Investors may wish to take such payment arrangements into account when considering and evaluating any recommendations relating to Fund shares and should review carefully any disclosures provided by Financial Intermediaries as to their compensation.

Morgan Stanley Trading and Principal Investing Activities. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, Morgan Stanley will generally conduct its sales and trading businesses, publish research and analysis, and render investment advice without regard for a Fund’s holdings, although these activities could have an adverse impact on the value of one or more of the Fund’s investments, or could cause Morgan Stanley to have an interest in one or more portfolio investments that is different from, and potentially adverse to, that of a Fund.

Morgan Stanley’s Investment Banking Activities. Morgan Stanley advises clients on a variety of mergers, acquisitions and financing transactions. Morgan Stanley may act as an advisor to clients, including other investment funds that may compete with a Fund and with respect to investments that a Fund may hold. Morgan Stanley may give advice and take action with respect to any of its clients or proprietary accounts that may differ from the advice given, or may involve an action of a different timing or nature than the action taken, by a Fund. Morgan Stanley may give advice and provide recommendations to persons competing with a Fund and/or any of a Fund’s investments that are contrary to the Fund’s best interests and/or the best interests of any of its investments.

General Process for Potential Conflicts. All of the transactions described above involve the potential for conflicts of interest between the Adviser, related persons of the Adviser and/or their clients. The Investment Advisers Act of 1940, the 1940 Act and ERISA impose certain requirements designed to decrease the possibility of conflicts of interest between an investment adviser and its clients. In some cases, transactions may be permitted subject to fulfillment of certain conditions. Certain other transactions may be prohibited. In addition, the Adviser has instituted policies and procedures designed to prevent conflicts of interest from arising and, when they do arise, to ensure that it effects transactions for clients in a manner that is consistent with its fiduciary duty to its clients and in accordance with applicable law. The Adviser seeks to ensure that potential or actual conflicts of interest are appropriately resolved taking into consideration the overriding best interests of the client.

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Prospectus  |  Fund Management

Fund Management

Adviser

Morgan Stanley Investment Management Inc. with principal offices at 522 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10036, conducts a worldwide portfolio management business and provides a broad range of portfolio management services to customers in the United States and abroad. Morgan Stanley (NYSE: “MS”) is the parent of the Adviser, who is the parent of the Distributor. Morgan Stanley is a preeminent global financial services firm engaged in securities trading and brokerage activities, as well as providing investment banking, research and analysis, financing and financial advisory services. As of December 31, 2019, the Adviser, together with its affiliated asset management companies, had approximately $552 billion in assets under management or supervision.

A discussion regarding the basis for the Board of Trustees approving the Trust’s Investment Advisory Agreement is available in the Funds’ Annual Report to shareholders for the fiscal year ended October 31, 2019.

Advisory Fees

The Adviser makes investment decisions for the Funds. Each Fund, in turn, pays the Adviser a monthly advisory fee calculated daily by applying an annual rate to each Fund’s daily net assets.

For the fiscal year ended October 31, 2019, the Adviser received from each Fund the advisory fee (net of fee waivers, if applicable) set forth in the table below.

Fund (as a percentage of average daily net assets)

Prime Portfolio

0.10%

ESG Money Market Portfolio

0.09%

Government Portfolio

0.11%

Government Securities Portfolio

0.12%

Treasury Portfolio

0.13%

Treasury Securities Portfolio

0.14%

Tax-Exempt Portfolio

0.03%

Morgan Stanley Investment Management Inc., as the Adviser and the Administrator, has agreed to reduce its advisory fee, its administration fee and/or reimburse the Fund’s Investor Class, if necessary, if such fees would cause the total annual operating expenses of such Fund’s Investor Class to exceed the percentage of daily net assets set forth in the table below. In determining the actual amount of fee waiver and/or expense reimbursement for each Fund, if any, the Adviser and Administrator exclude from total annual operating expenses certain investment related expenses, taxes, interest and other extraordinary expenses (including litigation). The fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements will continue for at least one year or until such time as the Trust’s Board of Trustees acts to discontinue all or a portion of such waivers and/or reimbursements when it seems such action is appropriate.

A Fund’s annual operating expenses may vary throughout the period and from year to year. A Fund’s actual expenses for the most recent fiscal year may be different than the expenses listed in the Fund’s fee and expense table based upon the extent and amount of a fee waiver and/or expense reimbursement.

 

Expense Cap
Investor Class

Prime Portfolio

0.30%

ESG Money Market Portfolio

0.30%

Government Portfolio

0.30%

Government Securities Portfolio

0.30%

Treasury Portfolio

0.30%

Treasury Securities Portfolio

0.30%

Tax-Exempt Portfolio

0.30%

The Distributor, Adviser and Administrator may also waive distribution fees, advisory fees, administration fees and/or reimburse expenses to enable a Fund to maintain a minimum level of daily net investment income. The Adviser and Administrator may make additional voluntary fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements. The Distributor, Adviser and Administrator may discontinue these voluntary fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements at any time in the future.

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Prospectus | Financial Highlights

Financial Highlights

The following financial highlights tables are intended to help you understand the financial performance of the Investor Class shares of each Fund for the periods indicated. The Investor Class was fully redeemed during the month of October 2016 from the Prime Portfolio, ESG Money Market Portfolio and Tax-Exempt Portfolio and there were no shares outstanding as of October 31, 2019. Accordingly, no financial highlights have been presented in the applicable Fund’s Annual Report. Certain information reflects financial results for a single Fund share. The total returns in the tables represent the rate that an investor would have earned (or lost) on an investment in each Fund (assuming reinvestment of all dividends and distributions).

The ratios of expenses to average net assets listed in the tables below for each Fund are based on the average net assets of the Fund for each of the periods listed in the tables. To the extent that a Fund’s average net assets decrease over the Fund’s next fiscal year, such expense ratios can be expected to increase, potentially significantly, because certain fixed costs will be spread over a smaller amount of assets.

Year Ended October 31,

 

Net Asset Value,
Beginning of Period

 

Net
Investment
Income

 

Net Realized and
Unrealized Gain
(Loss) on
Investments

 

Distributions From
Net Investment
Income

Government Portfolio:

2019

$

1.000

$

0.021
(2)

$

0.000
(3)

$

(0.021
)

2018

 

1.000

 

0.015
(2)

 

(0.001
)

 

(0.014
)

2017

 

1.000

 

0.005
(2)

 

0.001

 

(0.006
)

2016(1)

 

1.000

 

0.001
(2)

 

0.000
(3)

 

(0.001
)

2015

 

1.000

 

0.000
(2)(3)

 

(0.000
)
(3)

 

(0.000
)
(3)

Government Securities Portfolio:

2019

$

1.000

$

0.020
(2)

$

0.000
(3)

$

(0.020
)

2018

 

1.000

 

0.012
(2)

 

0.002

 

(0.014
)

2017

 

1.000

 

0.005
(2)

 

0.000
(3)

 

(0.005
)

2016(1)

 

1.000

 

0.001
(2)

 

0.000
(3)

 

(0.001
)

2015

 

1.000

 

0.000
(2)(3)

 

(0.000
)
(3)

 

(0.000
)
(3)

Treasury Portfolio:

2019

$

1.000

$

0.020
(2)

$

0.000
(3)

$

(0.020
)

2018

 

1.000

 

0.014
(2)

 

0.000
(3)

 

(0.014
)

2017

 

1.000

 

0.005
(2)

 

0.000
(3)

 

(0.005
)

2016(1)

 

1.000

 

0.001
(2)

 

(0.000
)
(3)

 

(0.001
)

2015

 

1.000

 

0.000
(2)(3)

 

(0.000
)
(3)

 

(0.000
)
(3)

Treasury Securities Portfolio:

2019

$

1.000

$

0.020
(2)

$

0.000
(3)

$

(0.020
)

2018

 

1.000

 

0.014
(2)

 

(0.000
)
(3)

 

(0.014
)

2017

 

1.000

 

0.005
(2)

 

0.000
(3)

 

(0.005
)

2016(1)

 

1.000

 

0.000
(2)(3)

 

0.001

 

(0.001
)

2015

 

1.000

 

0.000
(2)(3)

 

(0.000
)
(3)

 

(0.000
)
(3)

49


 

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Prospectus | Financial Highlights

The information below has been derived from the financial statements audited by Ernst & Young LLP, the Funds’ independent registered public accounting firm. Ernst & Young LLP’s report, along with each Fund’s financial statements, are incorporated by reference into the Funds’ SAI. The Annual Report to Shareholders (which includes each Fund’s financial statements) and SAI are available at no cost from the Trust at the toll free number noted on the back cover to this Prospectus.

Net Asset Value,
End of Period

 

Total
Return

 

Net Assets,
End of Period
(000)

 

Ratio of
Expenses
to Average Net
Assets

 

Ratio of
Expenses to Average
Net Assets
Excluding
Non-Operating
Expenses

 

Ratio of
Expenses
to Average
Net Assets
(Before
Waivers/
Reimbursement)

 

Ratio of
Net Investment
Income to
Average
Net Assets

 

Ratio of
Net Investment
Income (Loss)
to Average
Net Assets
(Before
Waivers/
Reimbursement)

$   1.000

 

2.10
%

$

3,447,615

 

0.27
%
(4)

 

0.27
%
(4)

 

0.31
%

 

2.07
%

 

2.03
%
1.000

 

1.45
%

 

2,426,700

 

0.27
%
(4)

 

N/A

 

0.31
%

 

1.45
%

 

1.41
%
1.000

 

0.55
%

 

79,317

 

0.28
%
(4)

 

N/A

 

0.31
%

 

0.53
%

 

0.50
%
1.000

 

0.14
%

 

39,589

 

0.26
%
(4)

 

N/A

 

0.31
%

 

0.13
%

 

0.08
%
1.000

 

0.04
%

 

42,230

 

0.08
%
(4)

 

N/A

 

0.31
%

 

0.04
%

 

(0.19
)%
$   1.000

 

2.03
%

$

1,006

 

0.30
%
(4)

 

N/A

 

0.33
%

 

2.02
%

 

1.99
%
1.000

 

1.37
%

 

460

 

0.30
%
(4)

 

N/A

 

0.31
%

 

1.20
%

 

1.19
%
1.000

 

0.50
%

 

50

 

0.30
%
(4)

 

N/A

 

0.32
%

 

0.47
%

 

0.45
%
1.000

 

0.06
%

 

50

 

0.27
%
(4)

 

N/A

 

0.31
%

 

0.08
%

 

0.04
%
1.000

 

0.01
%

 

50

 

0.05
%
(4)

 

N/A

 

0.96
%

 

0.01
%

 

(0.90
)%
$   1.000

 

2.07
%

$

14,834

 

0.29
%
(4)

 

N/A

 

0.31
%

 

2.05
%

 

2.03
%
1.000

 

1.45
%

 

9,446

 

0.29
%
(4)

 

N/A

 

0.31
%

 

1.43
%

 

1.41
%
1.000

 

0.53
%

 

26,243

 

0.28
%
(4)

 

N/A

 

0.31
%

 

0.51
%

 

0.48
%
1.000

 

0.10
%

 

21,719

 

0.26
%
(4)

 

N/A

 

0.31
%

 

0.10
%

 

0.05
%
1.000

 

0.03
%

 

29,347

 

0.05
%
(4)

 

N/A

 

0.31
%

 

0.03
%

 

(0.23
)%
$   1.000

 

2.01
%

$

51

 

0.30
%
(4)

 

N/A

 

0.31
%

 

1.99
%

 

1.98
%
1.000

 

1.41
%

 

39,323

 

0.30
%
(4)

 

N/A

 

0.31
%

 

1.41
%

 

1.40
%
1.000

 

0.50
%

 

63,180

 

0.29
%
(4)

 

N/A

 

0.31
%

 

0.49
%

 

0.47
%
1.000

 

0.06
%

 

67,007

 

0.27
%
(4)

 

N/A

 

0.31
%

 

0.05
%

 

0.01
%
1.000

 

0.01
%

 

50

 

0.02
%
(4)

 

N/A

 

0.31
%

 

0.01
%

 

(0.28
)%

50


 

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Prospectus  |  Financial Highlights

Notes to Financial Highlights

(1)

Reflects prior period custodian out-of-pocket expenses that were reimbursed in September 2016. The amount of the reimbursement was immaterial on a per share basis and did not impact the total return of the Fund. The Ratio of Expenses to Average Net Assets and the Ratio of Net Investment Income to Average Net Assets would be unchanged as the reimbursement of custodian fees was offset against expense waivers/reimbursements with no impact to net expenses or net investment income.

(2)

Per share amount is based on average shares outstanding.

(3)

Amount is less than $0.0005 per share.

(4)

Ratios of Expenses to Average Net Assets before and after Maximum Expense Ratios may vary among share classes by more or less than the administration plan, service and shareholder administration plan, distribution plan and/or shareholder services plan (the “plans”) fees due to either (1) fluctuations in daily net asset amounts, (2) changes in the plans’ fees during the period for each share class, (3) changes in the Funds’ expense cap during the year, (4) waivers to the plans’ fees for each share class, or (5) a combination of the previous points.

51


 

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Where to Find Additional Information

In addition to this Prospectus, the Funds have an SAI, dated February 28, 2020 (as may be supplemented from time to time), which contains additional, more detailed information about the Trust and the Funds. The SAI is incorporated by reference into this Prospectus and, therefore, legally forms a part of this Prospectus.

The Trust publishes Shareholder Reports that contain additional information about the respective Fund’s investments. In each Fund’s Annual Report to Shareholders, you will find a discussion of the market conditions and the investment strategies that significantly affected such Fund’s performance during the last fiscal year. For additional Trust information, including information regarding the investments comprising each of the Funds, please call the toll-free number below.

You may obtain the SAI and Shareholder Reports without charge by contacting the Trust at the toll-free number below or on our Internet site at: www.morganstanley.com/liquidity. If you purchased shares through a Financial Intermediary, you may also obtain these documents, without charge, by contacting your Financial Intermediary.

Shareholder Reports and other information about the Funds are available on the EDGAR Database on the SEC’s Internet site at http://www.sec.gov, and copies of this information may be obtained, after paying a duplicating fee, by electronic request at the following e-mail address: publicinfo@sec.gov.

Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds
c/o DST Asset Manager Solutions, Inc.
P.O. Box 219804
Kansas City, MO 64121-9804

For Shareholder Inquiries,
call the Trust toll-free at 1-888-378-1630.

Prices and Investment Results are available at www.morganstanley.com/liquidity.

The Trust’s 1940 Act registration number is 811-21339.

© 2020 Morgan Stanley.

LFINVPRO 2/20

 C: 

 

Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds

Administrative Class Portfolios

Prime Portfolio
ESG Money Market Portfolio
Government Portfolio
Government Securities Portfolio
Treasury Portfolio
Treasury Securities Portfolio
Tax-Exempt Portfolio


 

Prospectus   |   February 28, 2020

Fund

Ticker Symbol

Prime Portfolio

MPMXX

ESG Money Market Portfolio

MANXX

Government Portfolio

MGOXX

Government Securities Portfolio

MGAXX

Treasury Portfolio

MTTXX

Treasury Securities Portfolio

MAMXX

Tax-Exempt Portfolio

MXAXX

Beginning on January 1, 2021, as permitted by regulations adopted by the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”), paper copies of the Funds’ Annual and Semi-Annual Reports to Shareholders (“Shareholder Reports”) will no longer be sent by mail, unless you specifically request paper copies of the Shareholder Reports from the Fund or from your financial intermediary, such as a broker-dealer or a bank. Instead, the Shareholder Reports will be made available on the Funds’ website, https://www.morganstanley.com/im/liquidityshareholderreports and you will be notified by mail each time a Shareholder Report is posted and provided with a website link to access the Shareholder Report. If you already elected to receive Shareholder Reports electronically, you will not be affected by this change and you need not take any action. You may elect to receive Shareholder Reports and other communications from a Fund electronically anytime by contacting your financial intermediary or, if you are a direct investor, please follow the instructions on the envelope. 

Beginning on January 1, 2019, you may elect to receive all future Shareholder Reports in paper free of charge. If you invest through a financial intermediary, you can contact your financial intermediary to request that you continue to receive paper copies of your Shareholder Reports. If you invest directly with a Fund, please follow the instructions on the envelope to let the Fund know you wish to continue receiving paper copies of your Shareholder Reports. Your election to receive Shareholder Reports in paper will apply to all funds held in your account if you invest through your financial intermediary or all funds held with the fund complex if you invest directly with a Fund.

The SEC has not approved or disapproved these securities or passed upon the adequacy of this Prospectus. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.

LFADMPRO 2/20


 

Table of Contents

 

Page

Fund Summary

1

Prime Portfolio

1

ESG Money Market Portfolio

4

Government Portfolio

8

Government Securities Portfolio

11

Treasury Portfolio

14

Treasury Securities Portfolio

17

Tax-Exempt Portfolio

20

Details of the Funds

23

Prime Portfolio

23

ESG Money Market Portfolio

25

Government Portfolio

28

Government Securities Portfolio

30

Treasury Portfolio

31

Treasury Securities Portfolio

32

Tax-Exempt Portfolio

33

Additional Information About the Funds' Investment Strategies and Related Risks

35

Shareholder Information

39

Fund Management

48

Financial Highlights

49


 

Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Prospectus  |  Fund Summary

Prime Portfolio

Investment Objective

The Prime Portfolio (the “Fund”) seeks preservation of capital, daily liquidity and maximum current income.

Fees and Expenses

The table below describes the expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold Administrative Class shares of the Fund. The Fund does not charge any sales loads or other fees when you purchase or redeem shares.

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

 

Administrative Class

Advisory Fee

0.15%

Distribution and/or Shareholder Service (12b-1) Fee

None

Other Expenses

0.06%

Shareholder Administration Fee1

0.15%

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses2

0.36%

Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement2

0.01%

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement2

0.35%

Example

The example below is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund’s Administrative Class with the cost of investing in other mutual funds.

The example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund’s Administrative Class, your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Fund’s operating expenses remain the same (except that the example incorporates the fee waiver and/or expense reimbursement 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

 

Administrative Class

$ 36

$ 115

$ 201

$ 455

 

1 Institutions or financial intermediaries may charge other fees directly to their customers who are beneficial owners of Administrative Class shares in connection with their customers’ accounts.
2 The Fund’s “Adviser” and “Administrator,” Morgan Stanley Investment Management Inc., has agreed to reduce its advisory fee, its administration fee and/or reimburse the Fund’s Administrative Class so that Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses, excluding certain investment related expenses, taxes, interest and other extraordinary expenses (including litigation), will not exceed 0.35%. The fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements will continue for at least one year or until such time as the Board of Trustees of Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds (the “Trust”) acts to discontinue all or a portion of such waivers and/or reimbursements when it deems such action is appropriate.

Principal Investment Strategies

The Fund invests in liquid, high quality U.S. dollar-denominated money market instruments of U.S. and foreign financial corporations and U.S. non-financial corporations. The Fund also invests in obligations issued or guaranteed by the U.S. Government and its agencies and instrumentalities. The Fund’s money market investments may include commercial paper, corporate debt obligations, debt obligations (including certificates of deposit and promissory notes) of U.S. banks or foreign banks, or of U.S. branches or subsidiaries of foreign banks, or foreign branches of U.S. banks (such as Yankee obligations), certificates of deposit of savings banks and savings and loan organizations, asset-backed securities, repurchase agreements and municipal obligations.

The Fund may also invest in U.S. dollar-denominated foreign securities and money market instruments.

The Fund operates as an “institutional money market fund,” which is neither a “government money market fund” nor “retail money market fund” as such terms are defined or interpreted under Rule 2a-7 under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (“Rule 2a-7” under the “1940 Act”). As such, the Fund is required to price and transact in its shares at a net asset value per share (“NAV”) reflecting market-based values of its portfolio holdings (i.e., at a “floating” NAV), rounded to a minimum of the fourth decimal place. Like other money market funds of its type, the Fund is subject to the possible imposition of liquidity fees and/or redemption gates.

Principal Risks

There is no assurance that the Fund will achieve its investment objective.

You could lose money by investing in the Fund. Because the share price of the Fund will fluctuate, when you sell your shares they may be worth more or less than what you originally paid for them. The Fund may impose a fee upon the sale of your shares or may temporarily suspend your ability to sell shares if the Fund’s liquidity falls below required minimums because of market conditions or

1


 

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Prospectus | Fund Summary

Prime Portfolio (Cont’d)

other factors. An investment in the Fund is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (“FDIC”) or any other government agency. The Fund’s sponsor has no legal obligation to provide financial support to the Fund, and you should not expect that the sponsor will provide financial support to the Fund at any time.

The principal risks of investing in the Fund include:

 

Credit and Interest Rate Risk. Credit risk refers to the possibility that the issuer or guarantor of a security will be unable to make interest payments and/or repay the principal on its debt. Interest rate risk refers to fluctuations in the value of a fixed-income security resulting from changes in the general level of interest rates. When the general level of interest rates goes up, the prices of most fixed-income securities go down. When the general level of interest rates goes down, the prices of most fixed-income securities go up. The Fund may face a heightened level of interest rate risk in times of monetary policy change and uncertainty, such as when the Federal Reserve Board ends a quantitative easing program and/or raises rates. A rising interest rate environment increases certain risks, including the potential for periods of volatility, increased redemptions and extended durations (i.e., extension risk).

 

Bank Obligations. The activities of U.S. and most foreign banks are subject to comprehensive regulations. The enactment of new legislation or regulations, as well as changes in interpretation and enforcement of current laws, may affect the manner of operations and profitability of domestic and foreign banks. In addition, banks may be particularly susceptible to certain economic factors.

 

Fixed-Income Securities. Fixed-income securities are subject to the risk of the issuer’s inability to meet principal and interest payments on its obligations (i.e., credit risk) and are subject to price volatility resulting from, among other things, interest rate sensitivity (i.e., interest rate risk), market perception of the creditworthiness of the issuer and general market liquidity (i.e., market risk). The Fund may face a heightened level of interest rate risk in times of monetary policy change and uncertainty, such as when the Federal Reserve Board ends a quantitative easing program and/or raises rates.

 

U.S. Government Securities. The U.S. government securities in which the Fund invests can be subject to two types of risk: credit risk and interest rate risk. When the general level of interest rates goes up, the prices of most fixed-income securities go down. When the general level of interest rates goes down, the prices of most fixed-income securities go up. While the credit risk associated with U.S. government securities generally is considered to be minimal, the interest rate risk can be substantial. With respect to U.S. government securities that are not backed by the full faith and credit of the United States, there is the risk that the U.S. Government will not provide financial support to such U.S. government agencies, instrumentalities or sponsored enterprises if it is not obligated to do so by law.

 

Asset-Backed Securities. Asset-backed securities involve the risk that various federal and state consumer laws and other legal and economic factors may result in the collateral backing the securities being insufficient to support payment on the securities. Some asset-backed securities also entail prepayment risk and extension risk, which may vary depending on the type of asset.

 

Repurchase Agreements. Repurchase agreements are subject to risks associated with the possibility of default by the seller at a time when the collateral has declined in value, or insolvency of the seller, which may affect the Fund’s right to control the collateral and result in certain costs and delays. Repurchase agreements may involve a greater degree of credit risk than investments in U.S. government securities.

 

Foreign Money Market Securities. Investing in money market securities of foreign issuers involves some additional risks, including the possibility of adverse political, economic or other developments affecting the issuers of these securities.

 

Municipal Obligations. To the extent the Fund invests in municipal obligations issued by state and local governments and their agencies, the Fund may be susceptible to political, economic, regulatory or other factors affecting issuers of these municipal obligations. To the extent that the Fund invests in municipal obligations of issuers in the same economic sector, it could be more sensitive to economic, business or political developments that affect such sector.
 

Performance Information

The bar chart and table below provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by showing changes in the performance of the Fund’s Administrative Class shares from year-to-year and by showing the average annual returns of the Fund’s Administrative Class shares for the one, five and 10 year periods. The Fund’s past performance is not necessarily an indication of how the Fund will perform in the future. Updated performance information is available online at www.morganstanley.com/liquidity.

2


 

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Prospectus  |  Fund Summary

Prime Portfolio (Cont’d)

Annual Total Returns—Calendar Years*

High Quarter

09/30/16

0.06%

Low Quarter

03/31/14

0.00%

Average Annual Total Returns*

(for the Periods Ended December 31, 2019)

 

Past
One Year

Past
Five Years

Past
Ten Years

Prime Portfolio*

0.00%

0.05%

0.03%

* The Administrative Class was fully redeemed during the month of October 2016 and did not have investors for subsequent periods. Accordingly, the returns listed for each period in the bar chart and table are calculated using returns of 0.00% for periods after October 2016. The average annual returns of the Fund’s Institutional Class shares for the one, five and 10 year periods as of December 31, 2019 were 2.35%, 1.21% and 0.66%, respectively. The Administrative Class shares would have similar returns because the shares are invested in the same portfolio and would differ only to the extent that the classes do not have the same expenses.

You may obtain the Fund’s 7-day current yield by calling 1-888-378-1630.

Fund Management

Adviser. Morgan Stanley Investment Management Inc.

Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares

Administrative Class shares of the Fund are available to investors who at the time of initial purchase make a minimum investment of $10 million. You may not be subject to the minimum investment requirement under certain circumstances. For more information, please refer to the section of this Prospectus entitled “Shareholder Information—Minimum Investment Amount.”

Shares of the Fund may be purchased or sold on any day the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) is open for business (except when the following federal holidays are observed: Columbus Day and Veterans Day) directly from the Fund by mail (c/o DST Asset Manager Solutions, Inc., P.O. Box 219804, Kansas City, MO 64121-9804), by telephone (1-888-378-1630) or by contacting an authorized third-party, such as a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary that has entered into a selling agreement with the Fund’s “Distributor,” Morgan Stanley Distribution, Inc. (each, a “Financial Intermediary”). You may purchase and redeem shares online through Morgan Stanley’s Treasury Investment Portal service at www.morganstanley.com/liquidity, provided you have a pre-established Internet trading account. For more information, please refer to the sections of this Prospectus entitled “Shareholder Information—How To Purchase Shares” and “Shareholder Information—How To Redeem Shares.”

Selected accounts that utilize the Fund as their sweep vehicle will be reviewed on each business day and shares will automatically be purchased or sold to cover any credits or debits incurred that day.

Tax Information

The Fund intends to make distributions that may be taxed as ordinary income or capital gains.

Payments to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries

If you purchase shares of the Fund through a Financial Intermediary (such as a bank), the Adviser and/or the Distributor may pay the Financial Intermediary for the sale of Fund shares and related services. These payments, which may be significant in amount, may create a conflict of interest by influencing the Financial Intermediary and your salesperson to recommend the Fund over another investment. Ask your salesperson or visit your Financial Intermediary’s web site for more information.

3


 

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Prospectus  |  Fund Summary

ESG Money Market Portfolio

Investment Objective

The ESG Money Market Portfolio (the “Fund”) seeks preservation of capital, daily liquidity and maximum current income.

Fees and Expenses

The table below describes the expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold Administrative Class shares of the Fund. The Fund does not charge any sales loads or other fees when you purchase or redeem shares.

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

 

Administrative Class

Advisory Fee

0.15%

Distribution and/or Shareholder Service (12b-1) Fee

None

Other Expenses

0.07%

Shareholder Administration Fee1

0.15%

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses2

0.37%

Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement2

0.02%

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement2

0.35%

Example

The example below is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund’s Administrative Class with the cost of investing in other mutual funds.

The example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund’s Administrative Class, your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Fund’s operating expenses remain the same (except that the example incorporates the fee waiver and/or expense reimbursement 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

 

Administrative Class

$ 36

$ 117

$ 206

$ 466

 

1 Institutions or financial intermediaries may charge other fees directly to their customers who are beneficial owners of Administrative Class shares in connection with their customers’ accounts.
2 The Fund’s “Adviser” and “Administrator,” Morgan Stanley Investment Management Inc., has agreed to reduce its advisory fee, its administration fee and/or reimburse the Fund’s Administrative Class so that Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses, excluding certain investment related expenses, taxes, interest and other extraordinary expenses (including litigation), will not exceed 0.35%. The fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements will continue for at least one year or until such time as the Board of Trustees of Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds (the “Trust”) acts to discontinue all or a portion of such waivers and/or reimbursements when it deems such action is appropriate.

Principal Investment Strategies

The Fund invests in liquid, high quality U.S. dollar-denominated money market instruments of U.S. and foreign financial and non-financial corporations. The Fund also invests in obligations of foreign governments and in obligations issued or guaranteed by the U.S. Government and its agencies and instrumentalities. The Fund’s money market investments may include commercial paper, corporate debt obligations, debt obligations (including certificates of deposit and promissory notes) of U.S. banks or foreign banks, or of U.S. branches or subsidiaries of foreign banks, or foreign branches of U.S. banks (such as Yankee obligations), certificates of deposit of savings banks and savings and loan organizations, asset-backed securities, repurchase agreements and municipal obligations.

The Fund may also invest in U.S. dollar-denominated foreign securities and money market instruments.

The Adviser believes that environmental, social and governance (“ESG”) factors have the ability to impact the fundamental credit risk of an entity. The Fund’s investment process incorporates information about ESG issues via an integrated approach within the Adviser’s fundamental investment analysis framework. The Adviser may engage with management of certain issuers regarding corporate governance practices as well as what the Adviser deems to be materially important environmental and/or social issues facing a company.

The Adviser has proprietary ESG-scoring methodologies that explicitly consider the risks and opportunities ESG factors pose to money market instruments. By combining third-party ESG data with proprietary views, the Adviser creates unique scoring methodologies that it applies to issuers.

4


 

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Prospectus  |  Fund Summary

ESG Money Market Portfolio (Cont’d)

During the security selection process, the Adviser employs a rules-based process to construct the portfolio. Initially, the Adviser determines from the universe of money market fund-eligible issuers those which, in its opinion, have the lowest credit risk and/or best credit profile, excluding the following:

 

Corporations that generate revenue from the manufacturing or production of tobacco;

 

Corporations that generate revenue from the manufacturing or production of landmines and cluster munitions (i.e., an explosive weapon that randomly scatters submunitions);

 

Corporations that generate revenue from the manufacturing or production of firearms;

 

Corporations that generate revenue from the mining of thermal coal or coal fired power generation; and

 

Corporations that primarily generate revenue from the fossil fuel industries, which the Adviser has determined produce a certain level of carbon emissions.
 

The Fund may invest in green commercial paper (a security that is typically issued to raise capital specifically to support climate-related or environmental projects) issued by companies that would otherwise be subject to fossil fuel exclusions so long as the Adviser has determined that the proceeds will not be used to finance fossil fuel generation capabilities.

In analyzing whether an issuer meets any of the criteria described above, the Adviser may rely upon, among other things, information provided by an independent third party.

After applying the above exclusion screens, the Adviser calculates proprietary ESG scores for the remaining issuers based on a number of variables, such as environmental, social, governance, controversy and ESG momentum factors. The Adviser then sets minimum ESG score thresholds. Only issuers with an ESG score above a minimum threshold will be considered for investment by the Fund, thus eliminating those issuers with the lowest ESG performance. The Adviser’s minimum ESG score thresholds may be adjusted from time to time, provided that a subset of issuers are always excluded by ESG factors.

From the final list of ESG-approved issuers, the Adviser determines the securities and issuers in which the Fund will invest, taking into account a variety of relevant considerations (including, without limitation, yield, interest rate changes, credit quality and duration).

Under normal circumstances, the Fund will invest 100% of its net assets (excluding cash) in securities whose issuer or guarantor, in the Adviser’s opinion at the time of purchase, meets the Fund’s ESG criteria.

The Fund operates as an “institutional money market fund,” which is neither a “government money market fund” nor “retail money market fund” as such terms are defined or interpreted under Rule 2a-7 under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (“Rule 2a-7” under the “1940 Act”). As such, the Fund is required to price and transact in its shares at a net asset value per share (“NAV”) reflecting market-based values of its portfolio holdings (i.e., at a “floating” NAV), rounded to a minimum of the fourth decimal place. Like other money market funds of its type, the Fund is subject to the possible imposition of liquidity fees and/or redemption gates.

Principal Risks

There is no assurance that the Fund will achieve its investment objective.

You could lose money by investing in the Fund. Because the share price of the Fund will fluctuate, when you sell your shares they may be worth more or less than what you originally paid for them. The Fund may impose a fee upon the sale of your shares or may temporarily suspend your ability to sell shares if the Fund’s liquidity falls below required minimums because of market conditions or other factors. An investment in the Fund is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (“FDIC”) or any other government agency. The Fund’s sponsor has no legal obligation to provide financial support to the Fund, and you should not expect that the sponsor will provide financial support to the Fund at any time.

The principal risks of investing in the Fund include:

 

Credit and Interest Rate Risk. Credit risk refers to the possibility that the issuer or guarantor of a security will be unable to make interest payments and/or repay the principal on its debt. Interest rate risk refers to fluctuations in the value of a fixed-income security resulting from changes in the general level of interest rates. When the general level of interest rates goes up, the prices of most fixed-income securities go down. When the general level of interest rates goes down, the prices of most fixed-income securities go up. The Fund may face a heightened level of interest rate risk in times of monetary policy change and uncertainty, such as when the Federal Reserve Board ends a quantitative easing program and/or raises rates. A rising interest rate environment increases certain risks, including the potential for periods of volatility, increased redemptions and extended durations (i.e., extension risk).
 

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Prospectus | Fund Summary

ESG Money Market Portfolio (Cont’d)

 

Bank Obligations. The activities of U.S. and most foreign banks are subject to comprehensive regulations. The enactment of new legislation or regulations, as well as changes in interpretation and enforcement of current laws, may affect the manner of operations and profitability of domestic and foreign banks. In addition, banks may be particularly susceptible to certain economic factors.

 

Fixed-Income Securities. Fixed-income securities are subject to the risk of the issuer’s inability to meet principal and interest payments on its obligations (i.e., credit risk) and are subject to price volatility resulting from, among other things, interest rate sensitivity (i.e., interest rate risk), market perception of the creditworthiness of the issuer and general market liquidity (i.e., market risk). The Fund may face a heightened level of interest rate risk in times of monetary policy change and uncertainty, such as when the Federal Reserve Board ends a quantitative easing program and/or raises rates.

 

U.S. Government Securities. The U.S. government securities in which the Fund invests can be subject to two types of risk: credit risk and interest rate risk. When the general level of interest rates goes up, the prices of most fixed-income securities go down. When the general level of interest rates goes down, the prices of most fixed-income securities go up. While the credit risk associated with U.S. government securities generally is considered to be minimal, the interest rate risk can be substantial. With respect to U.S. government securities that are not backed by the full faith and credit of the United States, there is the risk that the U.S. Government will not provide financial support to such U.S. government agencies, instrumentalities or sponsored enterprises if it is not obligated to do so by law.

 

Asset-Backed Securities. Asset-backed securities involve the risk that various federal and state consumer laws and other legal and economic factors may result in the collateral backing the securities being insufficient to support payment on the securities. Some asset-backed securities also entail prepayment risk and extension risk, which may vary depending on the type of asset.

 

Repurchase Agreements. Repurchase agreements are subject to risks associated with the possibility of default by the seller at a time when the collateral has declined in value, or insolvency of the seller, which may affect the Fund’s right to control the collateral and result in certain costs and delays. Repurchase agreements may involve a greater degree of credit risk than investments in U.S. government securities.

 

Foreign Money Market Securities. Investing in money market securities of foreign issuers involves some additional risks, including the possibility of adverse political, economic or other developments affecting the issuers of these securities.

 

Municipal Obligations. To the extent the Fund invests in municipal obligations issued by state and local governments and their agencies, the Fund may be susceptible to political, economic, regulatory or other factors affecting issuers of these municipal obligations. To the extent that the Fund invests in municipal obligations of issuers in the same economic sector, it could be more sensitive to economic, business or political developments that affect such sector.

 

ESG Investment Risk. The Fund’s adherence to its ESG criteria and application of related analyses when selecting investments may affect the Fund’s performance depending on whether such investments are in or out of favor and relative to similar funds that do not adhere to such criteria or apply such analyses. Socially responsible norms differ by country and region, and a company’s ESG practices or the Adviser’s assessment of such may change over time. The Fund may invest in companies that do not reflect the beliefs and values of any particular investor. Additionally, the Fund’s adherence to its ESG criteria and application of related analyses in connection with identifying and selecting investments in non-U.S. issuers often require subjective analysis and may be relatively more difficult than applying the ESG criteria or related analyses to investments of U.S. issuers because data availability may be more limited with respect to non-U.S. issuers. The exclusionary criteria related to the Fund’s ESG criteria may result in the Fund forgoing opportunities to buy certain securities when it might otherwise be advantageous to do so, or selling securities for ESG reasons when it might be otherwise disadvantageous for it to do so. The Fund’s investments in certain companies may be susceptible to various factors that may impact their businesses or operations, including costs associated with government budgetary constraints that impact publicly funded projects and clean energy initiatives, the effects of general economic conditions throughout the world, increased competition from other providers of services, unfavorable tax laws or accounting policies and high leverage.
 

Performance Information

The bar chart and table below provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by showing changes in the performance of the Fund’s Administrative Class shares from year-to-year and by showing the average annual returns of the Fund’s Administrative Class shares for the one, five and 10 year periods. The Fund’s past performance is not necessarily an indication of how the Fund will perform in the future. Updated performance information is available online at www.morganstanley.com/liquidity.

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Prospectus  |  Fund Summary

ESG Money Market Portfolio (Cont’d)

Annual Total Returns—Calendar Years*

High Quarter

06/30/16

0.08%

Low Quarter

03/31/14

0.00%

Average Annual Total Returns*

(for the Periods Ended December 31, 2019)

 

Past
One Year

Past
Five Years

Past
Ten Years

ESG Money Market Portfolio*

0.00%

0.05%

0.04%

* The Administrative Class was fully redeemed during the month of October 2016 and did not have investors for subsequent periods. Accordingly, the returns listed for each period in the bar chart and table are calculated using returns of 0.00% for periods after October 2016. The average annual returns of the Fund’s Institutional Class shares for the one, five and 10 year periods as of December 31, 2019 were 2.34%, 1.24% and 0.68%, respectively. The Administrative Class shares would have similar returns because the shares are invested in the same portfolio and would differ only to the extent that the classes do not have the same expenses.

You may obtain the Fund’s 7-day current yield by calling 1-888-378-1630.

Fund Management

Adviser. Morgan Stanley Investment Management Inc.

Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares

Administrative Class shares of the Fund are available to investors who at the time of initial purchase make a minimum purchase of $10 million. You may not be subject to these minimum investment requirement under certain circumstances. For more information, please refer to the section of this Prospectus entitled “Shareholder Information—Minimum Investment Amount.”

Shares of the Fund may be purchased or sold on any day the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) is open for business (except when the following federal holidays are observed: Columbus Day and Veterans Day) directly from the Fund by mail (c/o DST Asset Manager Solutions, Inc., P.O. Box 219804, Kansas City, MO 64121-9804), by telephone (1-888-378-1630) or by contacting an authorized third-party, such as a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary that has entered into a selling agreement with the Fund’s “Distributor,” Morgan Stanley Distribution, Inc. (each, a “Financial Intermediary”). You may purchase and redeem shares online through Morgan Stanley’s Treasury Investment Portal service at www.morganstanley.com/liquidity, provided you have a pre-established Internet trading account. For more information, please refer to the sections of this Prospectus entitled “Shareholder Information—How To Purchase Shares” and “Shareholder Information—How To Redeem Shares.”

Selected accounts that utilize the Fund as their sweep vehicle will be reviewed on each business day and shares will automatically be purchased or sold to cover any credits or debits incurred that day.

Tax Information

The Fund intends to make distributions that may be taxed as ordinary income or capital gains.

Payments to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries

If you purchase shares of the Fund through a Financial Intermediary (such as a bank), the Adviser and/or the Distributor may pay the Financial Intermediary for the sale of Fund shares and related services. These payments, which may be significant in amount, may create a conflict of interest by influencing the Financial Intermediary and your salesperson to recommend the Fund over another investment. Ask your salesperson or visit your Financial Intermediary’s web site for more information.

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Prospectus  |  Fund Summary

Government Portfolio

Investment Objective

The Government Portfolio (the “Fund”) seeks preservation of capital, daily liquidity and maximum current income.

Fees and Expenses

The table below describes the expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold Administrative Class shares of the Fund. The Fund does not charge any sales loads or other fees when you purchase or redeem shares.

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

 

Administrative Class

Advisory Fee

0.15%

Distribution and/or Shareholder Service (12b-1) Fee

None

Other Expenses

0.06%

Shareholder Administration Fee1

0.15%

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses2

0.36%

Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement2

0.01%

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement2

0.35%

Example

The example below is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund’s Administrative Class with the cost of investing in other mutual funds.

The example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund’s Administrative Class, your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Fund’s operating expenses remain the same (except that the example incorporates the fee waiver and/or expense reimbursement 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

 

Administrative Class

$ 36

$ 115

$ 201

$ 455

 

1 Institutions or financial intermediaries may charge other fees directly to their customers who are beneficial owners of Administrative Class shares in connection with their customers’ accounts.
2 The Fund’s “Adviser” and “Administrator,” Morgan Stanley Investment Management Inc., has agreed to reduce its advisory fee, its administration fee and/or reimburse the Fund’s Administrative Class so that Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses, excluding certain investment related expenses, taxes, interest and other extraordinary expenses (including litigation), will not exceed 0.35%. The fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements will continue for at least one year or until such time as the Board of Trustees of Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds (the “Trust”) acts to discontinue all or a portion of such waivers and/or reimbursements when it deems such action is appropriate.

Principal Investment Strategies

The Fund has adopted a policy to invest exclusively in obligations issued or guaranteed by the U.S. Government and its agencies and instrumentalities and in repurchase agreements collateralized by such securities in order to qualify as a “government money market fund” under federal regulations. The Fund may also hold cash from time to time. A “government money market fund” is a money market fund that invests at least 99.5% of its total assets in cash, securities issued or guaranteed by the United States or certain U.S. government agencies or instrumentalities and/or repurchase agreements that are collateralized fully by the foregoing. A “government money market fund” is exempt from requirements that permit money market funds to impose a “liquidity fee” and/or a “redemption gate” that temporarily restricts redemptions. In selecting investments, the Adviser seeks to maintain the Fund’s share price at $1.00. The share price remaining stable at $1.00 means that the Fund would preserve the principal value of your investment.

Principal Risks

There is no assurance that the Fund will achieve its investment objective.

You could lose money by investing in the Fund. Although the Fund seeks to preserve the value of your investment at $1.00 per share, it cannot guarantee it will do so. An investment in the Fund is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (“FDIC”) or any other government agency. The Fund’s sponsor has no legal obligation to provide financial support to the Fund, and you should not expect that the sponsor will provide financial support to the Fund at any time.

The principal risks of investing in the Fund include:

 

Credit and Interest Rate Risk. Credit risk refers to the possibility that the issuer or guarantor of a security will be unable to make interest payments and/or repay the principal on its debt. Interest rate risk refers to fluctuations in the value of a fixed-income security resulting from changes in the general level of interest rates. When the general level of interest rates goes up, the prices of
 

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Prospectus  |  Fund Summary

Government Portfolio (Cont’d)

 

most fixed-income securities go down. When the general level of interest rates goes down, the prices of most fixed-income securities go up. The Fund may face a heightened level of interest rate risk in times of monetary policy change and uncertainty, such as when the Federal Reserve Board ends a quantitative easing program and/or raises rates. A rising interest rate environment increases certain risks, including the potential for periods of volatility, increased redemptions and extended durations (i.e., extension risk).

 

Fixed-Income Securities. Fixed-income securities are subject to the risk of the issuer’s inability to meet principal and interest payments on its obligations (i.e., credit risk) and are subject to price volatility resulting from, among other things, interest rate sensitivity (i.e., interest rate risk), market perception of the creditworthiness of the issuer and general market liquidity (i.e., market risk). The Fund may face a heightened level of interest rate risk in times of monetary policy change and uncertainty, such as when the Federal Reserve Board ends a quantitative easing program and/or raises rates.

 

U.S. Government Securities. The U.S. government securities in which the Fund invests can be subject to two types of risk: credit risk and interest rate risk. When the general level of interest rates goes up, the prices of most fixed-income securities go down. When the general level of interest rates goes down, the prices of most fixed-income securities go up. While the credit risk associated with U.S. government securities generally is considered to be minimal, the interest rate risk can be substantial. With respect to U.S. government securities that are not backed by the full faith and credit of the United States, there is the risk that the U.S. Government will not provide financial support to such U.S. government agencies, instrumentalities or sponsored enterprises if it is not obligated to do so by law.

 

Repurchase Agreements. Repurchase agreements are subject to risks associated with the possibility of default by the seller at a time when the collateral has declined in value, or insolvency of the seller, which may affect the Fund’s right to control the collateral and result in certain costs and delays. Repurchase agreements may involve a greater degree of credit risk than investments in U.S. government securities.
 

Performance Information

The bar chart and table below provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by showing changes in the performance of the Fund’s Administrative Class shares from year-to-year and by showing the average annual returns of the Fund’s Administrative Class shares for the one, five and 10 year periods. The Fund’s past performance is not necessarily an indication of how the Fund will perform in the future. Updated performance information is available online at www.morganstanley.com/liquidity.

Annual Total Returns—Calendar Years

High Quarter

06/30/19

0.54%

Low Quarter

03/31/11

0.00%

Average Annual Total Returns

(for the Periods Ended December 31, 2019)

 

Past
One Year

Past
Five Years

Past
Ten Years

Government Portfolio

1.95%

0.86%

0.44%

You may obtain the Fund’s 7-day current yield by calling 1-888-378-1630.

Fund Management

Adviser. Morgan Stanley Investment Management Inc.

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Prospectus | Fund Summary

Government Portfolio (Cont’d)

Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares

Administrative Class shares of the Fund are available to investors who at the time of initial purchase make a minimum investment of $10 million. You may not be subject to the minimum investment requirement under certain circumstances. For more information, please refer to the section of this Prospectus entitled “Shareholder Information—Minimum Investment Amount.”

Shares of the Fund may be purchased or sold on any day the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) is open for business (except when the following federal holidays are observed: Columbus Day and Veterans Day) directly from the Fund by mail (c/o DST Asset Manager Solutions, Inc., P.O. Box 219804, Kansas City, MO 64121-9804), by telephone (1-888-378-1630) or by contacting an authorized third-party, such as a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary that has entered into a selling agreement with the Fund’s “Distributor,” Morgan Stanley Distribution, Inc. (each, a “Financial Intermediary”). You may purchase and redeem shares online through Morgan Stanley’s Treasury Investment Portal service at www.morganstanley.com/liquidity, provided you have a pre-established Internet trading account. For more information, please refer to the sections of this Prospectus entitled “Shareholder Information—How To Purchase Shares” and “Shareholder Information—How To Redeem Shares.”

Selected accounts that utilize the Fund as their sweep vehicle will be reviewed on each business day and shares will automatically be purchased or sold to cover any credits or debits incurred that day.

Tax Information

The Fund intends to make distributions that may be taxed as ordinary income or capital gains.

Payments to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries

If you purchase shares of the Fund through a Financial Intermediary (such as a bank), the Adviser and/or the Distributor may pay the Financial Intermediary for the sale of Fund shares and related services. These payments, which may be significant in amount, may create a conflict of interest by influencing the Financial Intermediary and your salesperson to recommend the Fund over another investment. Ask your salesperson or visit your Financial Intermediary’s web site for more information.

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Prospectus  |  Fund Summary

Government Securities Portfolio

Investment Objective

The Government Securities Portfolio (the “Fund”) seeks preservation of capital, daily liquidity and maximum current income.

Fees and Expenses

The table below describes the expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold Administrative Class shares of the Fund. The Fund does not charge any sales loads or other fees when you purchase or redeem shares.

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

 

Administrative Class

 

Advisory Fee

0.15%

 

Distribution and/or Shareholder Service (12b-1) Fee

None

 

Other Expenses

0.08%

 

Shareholder Administration Fee1

0.15%

 

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses2

0.38%

 

Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement2

0.03%

 

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement2

0.35%

 

Example

The example below is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund’s Administrative Class with the cost of investing in other mutual funds.

The example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund’s Administrative Class, your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Fund’s operating expenses remain the same (except that the example incorporates the fee waiver and/or expense reimbursement 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

 

Administrative Class

$ 36

$ 119

$ 210

$ 477

 

1 Institutions or financial intermediaries may charge other fees directly to their customers who are beneficial owners of Administrative Class shares in connection with their customers’ accounts.
2 The Fund’s “Adviser” and “Administrator,” Morgan Stanley Investment Management Inc., has agreed to reduce its advisory fee, its administration fee and/or reimburse the Fund’s Administrative Class so that Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses, excluding certain investment related expenses, taxes, interest and other extraordinary expenses (including litigation), will not exceed 0.35%. The fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements will continue for at least one year or until such time as the Board of Trustees of Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds (the “Trust”) acts to discontinue all or a portion of such waivers and/or reimbursements when it deems such action is appropriate.

Principal Investment Strategies

The Fund has adopted a policy to invest substantially all of its assets in U.S. Treasury obligations and certain U.S. government securities, the interest from which is generally exempt from state income taxation, in order to qualify as a “government money market fund” under federal regulations. The Fund may also hold cash from time to time. A “government money market fund” is a money market fund that invests at least 99.5% of its total assets in cash, securities issued or guaranteed by the United States or certain U.S. government agencies or instrumentalities and/or repurchase agreements that are collateralized fully by the foregoing. A “government money market fund” is exempt from requirements that permit money market funds to impose a “liquidity fee” and/or a “redemption gate” that temporarily restricts redemptions. In selecting investments, the Adviser seeks to maintain the Fund’s share price at $1.00. The share price remaining stable at $1.00 means that the Fund would preserve the principal value of your investment. The U.S. government securities that the Fund may purchase include those issued or guaranteed either by the U.S. Treasury or certain agencies, authorities or instrumentalities of the U.S. Government. The Fund may also invest in repurchase agreements with the Federal Reserve Bank of New York.

Principal Risks

There is no assurance that the Fund will achieve its investment objective.

You could lose money by investing in the Fund. Although the Fund seeks to preserve the value of your investment at $1.00 per share, it cannot guarantee it will do so. An investment in the Fund is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (“FDIC”) or any other government agency. The Fund’s sponsor has no legal obligation to provide financial support to the Fund, and you should not expect that the sponsor will provide financial support to the Fund at any time.

The principal risks of investing in the Fund include:

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Prospectus | Fund Summary

Government Securities Portfolio (Cont’d)

 

Credit and Interest Rate Risk. Credit risk refers to the possibility that the issuer or guarantor of a security will be unable to make interest payments and/or repay the principal on its debt. Interest rate risk refers to fluctuations in the value of a fixed-income security resulting from changes in the general level of interest rates. When the general level of interest rates goes up, the prices of most fixed-income securities go down. When the general level of interest rates goes down, the prices of most fixed-income securities go up. The Fund may face a heightened level of interest rate risk in times of monetary policy change and uncertainty, such as when the Federal Reserve Board ends a quantitative easing program and/or raises rates. A rising interest rate environment increases certain risks, including the potential for periods of volatility, increased redemptions and extended durations (i.e., extension risk).

 

Fixed-Income Securities. Fixed-income securities are subject to the risk of the issuer’s inability to meet principal and interest payments on its obligations (i.e., credit risk) and are subject to price volatility resulting from, among other things, interest rate sensitivity (i.e., interest rate risk), market perception of the creditworthiness of the issuer and general market liquidity (i.e., market risk). The Fund may face a heightened level of interest rate risk in times of monetary policy change and uncertainty, such as when the Federal Reserve Board ends a quantitative easing program and/or raises rates.

 

U.S. Government Securities. The U.S. government securities in which the Fund invests can be subject to two types of risk: credit risk and interest rate risk. When the general level of interest rates goes up, the prices of most fixed-income securities go down. When the general level of interest rates goes down, the prices of most fixed-income securities go up. While the credit risk associated with U.S. government securities generally is considered to be minimal, the interest rate risk can be substantial. With respect to U.S. government securities that are not backed by the full faith and credit of the United States, there is the risk that the U.S. Government will not provide financial support to such U.S. government agencies, instrumentalities or sponsored enterprises if it is not obligated to do so by law.
 

Performance Information

The bar chart and table below provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by showing changes in the performance of the Fund’s Administrative Class shares from year-to-year and by showing the average annual returns of the Fund’s Administrative Class shares for the one, five and 10 year periods. The Fund’s past performance is not necessarily an indication of how the Fund will perform in the future. Updated performance information is available online at www.morganstanley.com/liquidity.

Annual Total Returns—Calendar Years

High Quarter

06/30/19

0.52%

Low Quarter

03/31/15

0.00%

Average Annual Total Returns

(for the Periods Ended December 31, 2019)

 

Past
One Year

Past Five
Years

Past
Ten Years

Government Securities Portfolio

1.89%

0.80%

0.40%

You may obtain the Fund’s 7-day current yield by calling 1-888-378-1630.

Fund Management

Adviser. Morgan Stanley Investment Management Inc.

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Prospectus  |  Fund Summary

Government Securities Portfolio (Cont’d)

Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares

Administrative Class shares of the Fund are available to investors who at the time of initial purchase make a minimum investment of $10 million. You may not be subject to the minimum investment requirement under certain circumstances. For more information, please refer to the section of this Prospectus entitled “Shareholder Information—Minimum Investment Amount.”

Shares of the Fund may be purchased or sold on any day the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) is open for business (except when the following federal holidays are observed: Columbus Day and Veterans Day) directly from the Fund by mail (c/o DST Asset Manager Solutions, Inc., P.O. Box 219804, Kansas City, MO 64121-9804), by telephone (1-888-378-1630) or by contacting an authorized third-party, such as a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary that has entered into a selling agreement with the Fund’s “Distributor,” Morgan Stanley Distribution, Inc. (each, a “Financial Intermediary”). You may purchase and redeem shares online through Morgan Stanley’s Treasury Investment Portal service at www.morganstanley.com/liquidity, provided you have a pre-established Internet trading account. For more information, please refer to the sections of this Prospectus entitled “Shareholder Information—How To Purchase Shares” and “Shareholder Information—How To Redeem Shares.”

Selected accounts that utilize the Fund as their sweep vehicle will be reviewed on each business day and shares will automatically be purchased or sold to cover any credits or debits incurred that day.

Tax Information

The Fund intends to make distributions that may be taxed as ordinary income or capital gains.

Payments to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries

If you purchase shares of the Fund through a Financial Intermediary (such as a bank), the Adviser and/or the Distributor may pay the Financial Intermediary for the sale of Fund shares and related services. These payments, which may be significant in amount, may create a conflict of interest by influencing the Financial Intermediary and your salesperson to recommend the Fund over another investment. Ask your salesperson or visit your Financial Intermediary’s web site for more information.

13


 

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Prospectus  |  Fund Summary

Treasury Portfolio

Investment Objective

The Treasury Portfolio (the “Fund”) seeks preservation of capital, daily liquidity and maximum current income.

Fees and Expenses

The table below describes the expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold Administrative Class shares of the Fund. The Fund does not charge any sales loads or other fees when you purchase or redeem shares.

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

 

Administrative Class

Advisory Fee

0.15%

Distribution and/or Shareholder Service (12b-1) Fee

None

Other Expenses

0.06%

Shareholder Administration Fee1

0.15%

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses2

0.36%

Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement2

0.01%

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement2

0.35%

Example

The example below is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund’s Administrative Class with the cost of investing in other mutual funds.

The example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund’s Administrative Class, your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Fund’s operating expenses remain the same (except that the example incorporates the fee waiver and/or expense reimbursement 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

 

Administrative Class

$ 36

$ 115

$ 201

$ 455

 

1 Institutions or financial intermediaries may charge other fees directly to their customers who are beneficial owners of Administrative Class shares in connection with their customers’ accounts.
2 The Fund’s “Adviser” and “Administrator,” Morgan Stanley Investment Management Inc., has agreed to reduce its advisory fee, its administration fee and/or reimburse the Fund’s Administrative Class so that Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses, excluding certain investment related expenses, taxes, interest and other extraordinary expenses (including litigation), will not exceed 0.35%. The fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements will continue for at least one year or until such time as the Board of Trustees of Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds (the “Trust”) acts to discontinue all or a portion of such waivers and/or reimbursements when it deems such action is appropriate.

Principal Investment Strategies

The Fund has adopted a policy to invest exclusively in U.S. Treasury obligations, which are backed by the full faith and credit of the United States, and repurchase agreements collateralized by such securities in order to qualify as a “government money market fund” under federal regulations. The Fund may also hold cash from time to time. A “government money market fund” is a money market fund that invests at least 99.5% of its total assets in cash, securities issued or guaranteed by the United States or certain U.S. government agencies or instrumentalities and/or repurchase agreements that are collateralized fully by the foregoing. A “government money market fund” is exempt from requirements that permit money market funds to impose a “liquidity fee” and/or a “redemption gate” that temporarily restricts redemptions. In selecting investments, the Adviser seeks to maintain the Fund’s share price at $1.00. The share price remaining stable at $1.00 means that the Fund would preserve the principal value of your investment.

Principal Risks

There is no assurance that the Fund will achieve its investment objective.

You could lose money by investing in the Fund. Although the Fund seeks to preserve the value of your investment at $1.00 per share, it cannot guarantee it will do so. An investment in the Fund is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (“FDIC”) or any other government agency. The Fund’s sponsor has no legal obligation to provide financial support to the Fund, and you should not expect that the sponsor will provide financial support to the Fund at any time.

The principal risks of investing in the Fund include:

 

Credit and Interest Rate Risk. Credit risk refers to the possibility that the issuer or guarantor of a security will be unable to make interest payments and/or repay the principal on its debt. Interest rate risk refers to fluctuations in the value of a fixed-income security resulting from changes in the general level of interest rates. When the general level of interest rates goes up, the prices of
 

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Prospectus  |  Fund Summary

Treasury Portfolio (Cont’d)

 

most fixed-income securities go down. When the general level of interest rates goes down, the prices of most fixed-income securities go up. The Fund may face a heightened level of interest rate risk in times of monetary policy change and uncertainty, such as when the Federal Reserve Board ends a quantitative easing program and/or raises rates. A rising interest rate environment increases certain risks, including the potential for periods of volatility, increased redemptions and extended durations (i.e., extension risk).

 

Fixed-Income Securities. Fixed-income securities are subject to the risk of the issuer’s inability to meet principal and interest payments on its obligations (i.e., credit risk) and are subject to price volatility resulting from, among other things, interest rate sensitivity (i.e., interest rate risk), market perception of the creditworthiness of the issuer and general market liquidity (i.e., market risk). The Fund may face a heightened level of interest rate risk in times of monetary policy change and uncertainty, such as when the Federal Reserve Board ends a quantitative easing program and/or raises rates.

 

U.S. Government Securities. The U.S. government securities in which the Fund invests can be subject to two types of risk: credit risk and interest rate risk. When the general level of interest rates goes up, the prices of most fixed-income securities go down. When the general level of interest rates goes down, the prices of most fixed-income securities go up. While the credit risk associated with U.S. government securities generally is considered to be minimal, the interest rate risk can be substantial.

 

Repurchase Agreements. Repurchase agreements are subject to risks associated with the possibility of default by the seller at a time when the collateral has declined in value, or insolvency of the seller, which may affect the Fund’s right to control the collateral and result in certain costs and delays. Repurchase agreements may involve a greater degree of credit risk than investments in U.S. government securities.
 

Performance Information

The bar chart and table below provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by showing changes in the performance of the Fund’s Administrative Class shares from year-to-year and by showing the average annual returns of the Fund’s Administrative Class shares for the one, five and 10 year periods. The Fund’s past performance is not necessarily an indication of how the Fund will perform in the future. Updated performance information is available online at www.morganstanley.com/liquidity.

Annual Total Returns—Calendar Years

High Quarter

03/31/19

0.53%

Low Quarter

12/31/11

0.00%

Average Annual Total Returns

(for the Periods Ended December 31, 2019)

 

Past
One Year

Past Five
Years

Past
Ten Years

Treasury Portfolio

1.91%

0.84%

0.43%

You may obtain the Fund’s 7-day current yield by calling 1-888-378-1630.

Fund Management

Adviser. Morgan Stanley Investment Management Inc.

Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares

Administrative Class shares of the Fund are available to investors who at the time of initial purchase make a minimum investment of $10 million. You may not be subject to the minimum investment requirement under certain circumstances. For more information, please refer to the section of this Prospectus entitled “Shareholder Information—Minimum Investment Amount.”

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Prospectus | Fund Summary

Treasury Portfolio (Cont’d)

Shares of the Fund may be purchased or sold on any day the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) is open for business (except when the following federal holidays are observed: Columbus Day and Veterans Day) directly from the Fund by mail (c/o DST Asset Manager Solutions, Inc., P.O. Box 219804, Kansas City, MO 64121-9804), by telephone (1-888-378-1630) or by contacting an authorized third-party, such as a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary that has entered into a selling agreement with the Fund’s “Distributor,” Morgan Stanley Distribution, Inc. (each, a “Financial Intermediary”). You may purchase and redeem shares online through Morgan Stanley’s Treasury Investment Portal service at www.morganstanley.com/liquidity, provided you have a pre-established Internet trading account. For more information, please refer to the sections of this Prospectus entitled “Shareholder Information—How To Purchase Shares” and “Shareholder Information—How To Redeem Shares.”

Selected accounts that utilize the Fund as their sweep vehicle will be reviewed on each business day and shares will automatically be purchased or sold to cover any credits or debits incurred that day.

Tax Information

The Fund intends to make distributions that may be taxed as ordinary income or capital gains.

Payments to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries

If you purchase shares of the Fund through a Financial Intermediary (such as a bank), the Adviser and/or the Distributor may pay the Financial Intermediary for the sale of Fund shares and related services. These payments, which may be significant in amount, may create a conflict of interest by influencing the Financial Intermediary and your salesperson to recommend the Fund over another investment. Ask your salesperson or visit your Financial Intermediary’s web site for more information.

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Prospectus  |  Fund Summary

Treasury Securities Portfolio

Investment Objective

The Treasury Securities Portfolio (the “Fund”) seeks preservation of capital, daily liquidity and maximum current income.

Fees and Expenses

The table below describes the expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold Administrative Class shares of the Fund. The Fund does not charge any sales loads or other fees when you purchase or redeem shares.

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

 

Administrative Class

Advisory Fee

0.15%

Distribution and/or Shareholder Service (12b-1) Fee

None

Other Expenses

0.06%

Shareholder Administration Fee1

0.15%

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses2

0.36%

Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement2

0.01%

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement2

0.35%

Example

The example below is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund’s Administrative Class with the cost of investing in other mutual funds.

The example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund’s Administrative Class, your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Fund’s operating expenses remain the same (except that the example incorporates the fee waiver and/or expense reimbursement 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

 

Administrative Class

$ 36

$ 115

$ 201

$ 455

 

1 Institutions or financial intermediaries may charge other fees directly to their customers who are beneficial owners of Administrative Class shares in connection with their customers’ accounts.
2 The Fund’s “Adviser” and “Administrator,” Morgan Stanley Investment Management Inc., has agreed to reduce its advisory fee, its administration fee and/or reimburse the Fund’s Administrative Class so that Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses, excluding certain investment related expenses, taxes, interest and other extraordinary expenses (including litigation), will not exceed 0.35%. The fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements will continue for at least one year or until such time as the Board of Trustees of Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds (the “Trust”) acts to discontinue all or a portion of such waivers and/or reimbursements when it deems such action is appropriate.

Principal Investment Strategies

The Fund has adopted a policy to invest exclusively in U.S. Treasury obligations, which are backed by the full faith and credit of the United States, in order to qualify as a “government money market fund” under federal regulations. The Fund may also hold cash from time to time. A “government money market fund” is a money market fund that invests at least 99.5% of its total assets in cash, securities issued or guaranteed by the United States or certain U.S. government agencies or instrumentalities and/or repurchase agreements that are collateralized fully by the foregoing. A “government money market fund” is exempt from requirements that permit money market funds to impose a “liquidity fee” and/or a “redemption gate” that temporarily restricts redemptions. In selecting investments, the Adviser seeks to maintain the Fund’s share price at $1.00. The share price remaining stable at $1.00 means that the Fund would preserve its principal value of your investment.

Principal Risks

There is no assurance that the Fund will achieve its investment objective.

You could lose money by investing in the Fund. Although the Fund seeks to preserve the value of your investment at $1.00 per share, it cannot guarantee it will do so. An investment in the Fund is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (“FDIC”) or any other government agency. The Fund’s sponsor has no legal obligation to provide financial support to the Fund, and you should not expect that the sponsor will provide financial support to the Fund at any time.

The principal risks of investing in the Fund include:

 

Credit and Interest Rate Risk. Credit risk refers to the possibility that the issuer or guarantor of a security will be unable to make interest payments and/or repay the principal on its debt. Interest rate risk refers to fluctuations in the value of a fixed-income security resulting from changes in the general level of interest rates. When the general level of interest rates goes up, the prices of
 

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Prospectus | Fund Summary

Treasury Securities Portfolio (Cont’d)

 

most fixed-income securities go down. When the general level of interest rates goes down, the prices of most fixed-income securities go up. The Fund may face a heightened level of interest rate risk in times of monetary policy change and uncertainty, such as when the Federal Reserve Board ends a quantitative easing program and/or raises rates. A rising interest rate environment increases certain risks, including the potential for periods of volatility, increased redemptions and extended durations (i.e., extension risk).

 

Fixed-Income Securities. Fixed-income securities are subject to the risk of the issuer’s inability to meet principal and interest payments on its obligations (i.e., credit risk) and are subject to price volatility resulting from, among other things, interest rate sensitivity (i.e., interest rate risk), market perception of the creditworthiness of the issuer and general market liquidity (i.e., market risk). The Fund may face a heightened level of interest rate risk in times of monetary policy change and uncertainty, such as when the Federal Reserve Board ends a quantitative easing program and/or raises rates.

 

U.S. Government Securities. The U.S. government securities in which the Fund invests can be subject to two types of risk: credit risk and interest rate risk. When the general level of interest rates goes up, the prices of most fixed-income securities go down. When the general level of interest rates goes down, the prices of most fixed-income securities go up. While the credit risk associated with U.S. government securities generally is considered to be minimal, the interest rate risk can be substantial.
 

Performance Information

The bar chart and table below provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by showing changes in the performance of the Fund’s Administrative Class shares from year-to-year and by showing the average annual returns of the Fund’s Administrative Class shares for the one, five and 10 year periods. The Fund’s past performance is not necessarily an indication of how the Fund will perform in the future. Updated performance information is available online at www.morganstanley.com/liquidity.

Annual Total Returns—Calendar Years

High Quarter

06/30/19

0.52%

Low Quarter

03/31/15

0.00%

Average Annual Total Returns

(for the Periods Ended December 31, 2019)

 

Past
One Year

Past Five
Years

Past
Ten Years

Treasury Securities Portfolio

1.87%

0.80%

0.41%

You may obtain the Fund’s 7-day current yield by calling 1-888-378-1630.

Fund Management

Adviser. Morgan Stanley Investment Management Inc.

Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares

Administrative Class shares of the Fund are available to investors who at the time of initial purchase make a minimum investment of $10 million. You may not be subject to the minimum investment requirement under certain circumstances. For more information, please refer to the section of this Prospectus entitled “Shareholder Information—Minimum Investment Amount.”

Shares of the Fund may be purchased or sold on any day the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) is open for business (except when the following federal holidays are observed: Columbus Day and Veterans Day) directly from the Fund by mail (c/o DST Asset Manager Solutions, Inc., P.O. Box 219804, Kansas City, MO 64121-9804), by telephone (1-888-378-1630) or by contacting an authorized third-party, such as a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary that has entered into a selling agreement with the

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Prospectus  |  Fund Summary

Treasury Securities Portfolio (Cont’d)

Fund’s “Distributor,” Morgan Stanley Distribution, Inc. (each, a “Financial Intermediary”). You may purchase and redeem shares online through Morgan Stanley’s Treasury Investment Portal service at www.morganstanley.com/liquidity, provided you have a pre-established Internet trading account. For more information, please refer to the sections of this Prospectus entitled “Shareholder Information—How To Purchase Shares” and “Shareholder Information—How To Redeem Shares.”

Selected accounts that utilize the Fund as their sweep vehicle will be reviewed on each business day and shares will automatically be purchased or sold to cover any credits or debits incurred that day.

Tax Information

The Fund intends to make distributions that may be taxed as ordinary income or capital gains.

Payments to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries

If you purchase shares of the Fund through a Financial Intermediary (such as a bank), the Adviser and/or the Distributor may pay the Financial Intermediary for the sale of Fund shares and related services. These payments, which may be significant in amount, may create a conflict of interest by influencing the Financial Intermediary and your salesperson to recommend the Fund over another investment. Ask your salesperson or visit your Financial Intermediary’s web site for more information.

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Prospectus  |  Fund Summary

Tax-Exempt Portfolio

Investment Objective

The Tax-Exempt Portfolio (the “Fund”) seeks to maximize current income exempt from federal income tax to the extent consistent with preservation of capital and maintenance of liquidity.

Fees and Expenses

The table below describes the expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold Administrative Class shares of the Fund. The Fund does not charge any sales loads or other fees when you purchase or redeem shares.

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

 

Administrative Class

Advisory Fee

0.15%

Distribution and/or Shareholder Service (12b-1) Fee

None

Other Expenses

0.12%

Shareholder Administration Fee1

0.15%

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses2

0.42%

Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement2

0.07%

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement2

0.35%

Example

The example below is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund’s Administrative Class with the cost of investing in other mutual funds.

The example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund’s Administrative Class, your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Fund’s operating expenses remain the same (except that the example incorporates the fee waiver and/or expense reimbursement 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

 

Administrative Class

$ 36

$ 128

$ 228

$ 523

 

1 Institutions or financial intermediaries may charge other fees directly to their customers who are beneficial owners of Administrative Class shares in connection with their customers’ accounts.
2 The Fund’s “Adviser” and “Administrator,” Morgan Stanley Investment Management Inc., has agreed to reduce its advisory fee, its administration fee and/or reimburse the Fund’s Administrative Class so that Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses, excluding certain investment related expenses, taxes, interest and other extraordinary expenses (including litigation), will not exceed 0.35%. The fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements will continue for at least one year or until such time as the Board of Trustees of Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds (the “Trust”) acts to discontinue all or a portion of such waivers and/or reimbursements when it deems such action is appropriate.

Principal Investment Strategies

The Fund invests at least 80% of its assets in high quality short-term municipal obligations, the interest of which is exempt from federal income taxes and is not subject to the federal alternative minimum tax. This policy is fundamental and may not be changed without shareholder approval. The Fund may also invest in variable and floating rate demand instruments, tender option bonds, custodial receipts and investments in other investment companies, including money market funds.

The Fund may invest up to 20% of its assets in taxable money market securities or in municipal obligations that pay interest income that may be subject to the alternative minimum tax; however, it is currently intended that the Fund will be managed so that income generated by the Fund will not be subject to the alternative minimum tax. In addition, the Fund may temporarily invest more than 20% of its assets in taxable money market securities for defensive purposes in attempting to respond to adverse market conditions.

The Fund operates as an “institutional money market fund,” which is neither a “government money market fund” nor “retail money market fund” as such terms are defined or interpreted under Rule 2a-7 under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (“Rule 2a-7” under the “1940 Act”). As such, the Fund is required to price and transact in its shares at a net asset value per share (“NAV”) reflecting market-based values of its portfolio holdings (i.e., at a “floating” NAV), rounded to a minimum of the fourth decimal place. Like other money market funds of its type, the Fund is subject to the possible imposition of liquidity fees and/or redemption gates.

Principal Risks

There is no assurance that the Fund will achieve its investment objective.

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Prospectus  |  Fund Summary

Tax-Exempt Portfolio (Cont’d)

You could lose money by investing in the Fund. Because the share price of the Fund will fluctuate, when you sell your shares they may be worth more or less than what you originally paid for them. The Fund may impose a fee upon the sale of your shares or may temporarily suspend your ability to sell shares if the Fund’s liquidity falls below required minimums because of market conditions or other factors. An investment in the Fund is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (“FDIC”) or any other government agency. The Fund’s sponsor has no legal obligation to provide financial support to the Fund, and you should not expect that the sponsor will provide financial support to the Fund at any time.

The principal risks of investing in the Fund include:

 

Credit and Interest Rate Risk. Credit risk refers to the possibility that the issuer or guarantor of a security will be unable to make interest payments and/or repay the principal on its debt. Interest rate risk refers to fluctuations in the value of a fixed-income security resulting from changes in the general level of interest rates. When the general level of interest rates goes up, the prices of most fixed-income securities go down. When the general level of interest rates goes down, the prices of most fixed-income securities go up. The Fund may face a heightened level of interest rate risk in times of monetary policy change and uncertainty, such as when the Federal Reserve Board ends a quantitative easing program and/or raises rates. A rising interest rate environment increases certain risks, including the potential for periods of volatility, increased redemptions and extended durations (i.e., extension risk).

 

Fixed-Income Securities. Fixed-income securities are subject to the risk of the issuer’s inability to meet principal and interest payments on its obligations (i.e., credit risk) and are subject to price volatility resulting from, among other things, interest rate sensitivity (i.e., interest rate risk), market perception of the creditworthiness of the issuer and general market liquidity (i.e., market risk). The Fund may face a heightened level of interest rate risk in times of monetary policy change and uncertainty, such as when the Federal Reserve Board ends a quantitative easing program and/or raises rates.

 

Municipal Obligations. To the extent the Fund invests in municipal obligations issued by state and local governments and their agencies, the Fund may be susceptible to political, economic, regulatory or other factors affecting issuers of these municipal obligations. To the extent that the Fund invests in municipal obligations of issuers in the same economic sector, it could be more sensitive to economic, business or political developments that affect such sector.
 

Performance Information

The bar chart and table below provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by showing changes in the performance of the Fund’s Administrative Class shares from year-to-year and by showing the average annual returns of the Fund’s Administrative Class shares for the one, five and 10 year periods. The Fund’s past performance is not necessarily an indication of how the Fund will perform in the future. Updated performance information is available online at www.morganstanley.com/liquidity.

Annual Total Returns—Calendar Years*

High Quarter

06/30/16

0.23%

Low Quarter

03/31/15

0.00%

Average Annual Total Returns*

(for the Periods Ended December 31, 2019)

 

Past
One Year

Past
Five Years

Past
Ten Years

Tax-Exempt Portfolio*

0.00%

0.06%

0.04%

* The Administrative Class was fully redeemed during the month of October 2016 and did not have investors for subsequent periods. Accordingly, the returns listed for each period in the bar chart and table are calculated using returns of 0.00% for periods after October 2016. The average annual returns of the Fund’s Institutional Class shares for the one, five and 10 year periods as of December 31, 2019 were 1.35%, 0.75% and 0.39%, respectively. The Administrative Class shares would have similar returns because the shares are invested in the same portfolio and would differ only to the extent that the classes do not have the same expenses.

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Prospectus | Fund Summary

Tax-Exempt Portfolio (Cont’d)

You may obtain the Fund’s 7-day current yield by calling 1-888-378-1630.

Fund Management

Adviser. Morgan Stanley Investment Management Inc.

Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares

Administrative Class shares of the Fund are available to investors who at the time of initial purchase make a minimum investment of $10 million. You may not be subject to the minimum investment requirement under certain circumstances. For more information, please refer to the section of this Prospectus entitled “Shareholder Information—Minimum Investment Amount.”

Shares of the Fund may be purchased or sold on any day the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) is open for business (except when the following federal holidays are observed: Columbus Day and Veterans Day) directly from the Fund by mail (c/o DST Asset Manager Solutions, Inc., P.O. Box 219804, Kansas City, MO 64121-9804), by telephone (1-888-378-1630) or by contacting an authorized third-party, such as a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary that has entered into a selling agreement with the Fund’s “Distributor,” Morgan Stanley Distribution, Inc. (each, a “Financial Intermediary”). You may purchase and redeem shares online through Morgan Stanley’s Treasury Investment Portal service at www.morganstanley.com/liquidity, provided you have a pre-established Internet trading account. For more information, please refer to the sections of this Prospectus entitled “Shareholder Information—How To Purchase Shares” and “Shareholder Information—How To Redeem Shares.”

Selected accounts that utilize the Fund as their sweep vehicle will be reviewed on each business day and shares will automatically be purchased or sold to cover any credits or debits incurred that day.

Tax Information

The Fund intends to make distributions that are generally not subject to federal income tax; however the Fund may distribute taxable dividends, including distributions of short-term capital gains, and long-term capital gains. In addition, interest on certain bonds may be subject to the federal alternative minimum tax. To the extent that the Fund’s distributions are derived from interest on bonds that are not exempt from applicable state and local taxes, such distributions will be subject to such state and local taxes.

Payments to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries

If you purchase shares of the Fund through a Financial Intermediary (such as a bank), the Adviser and/or the Distributor may pay the Financial Intermediary for the sale of Fund shares and related services. These payments, which may be significant in amount, may create a conflict of interest by influencing the Financial Intermediary and your salesperson to recommend the Fund over another investment. Ask your salesperson or visit your Financial Intermediary’s web site for more information.

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds  |  Details of the Funds

Prime Portfolio

Investment Objective

The Prime Portfolio seeks preservation of capital, daily liquidity and maximum current income.

Approach

The Fund invests in liquid, high quality U.S. dollar-denominated money market instruments of U.S. and foreign financial corporations and U.S. non-financial corporations. The Fund also invests in obligations issued or guaranteed by the U.S. Government and its agencies and instrumentalities. The Fund’s money market investments may include commercial paper, corporate debt obligations, debt obligations (including certificates of deposit and promissory notes) of U.S. banks or foreign banks, or of U.S. branches or subsidiaries of foreign banks, or foreign branches of U.S. banks (such as Yankee obligations), certificates of deposit of savings banks and savings and loan organizations, asset-backed securities, repurchase agreements and municipal obligations.

The Fund operates as an “institutional money market fund” which is neither a “government money market fund” nor “retail money market fund” as such terms are defined or interpreted under Rule 2a-7. As such, the Fund is required to price and transact in its shares at a NAV reflecting market-based values of its portfolio holdings (i.e., at a “floating” NAV), rounded to a minimum of the fourth decimal place. Like other money market funds of its type, the Fund is subject to the possible imposition of liquidity fees and/or redemption gates.

Process

The Adviser follows a multi-pronged investment process with respect to credit risk, interest rate risk and liquidity. Securities are reviewed on an ongoing basis to maintain or improve creditworthiness taking into consideration factors such as cash flow, asset quality, debt service coverage ratios and economic developments. Additionally, exposure to guarantors and liquidity providers is monitored separately as are the various diversification requirements.

The Adviser actively manages the Fund’s assets in an attempt to reduce the risk of losing any principal investment as a result of credit or interest rate risks. In addition, federal regulations require money market funds to invest only in debt obligations of high quality and short-term maturities.

Principal Risks

The Fund’s principal investment strategies are subject to the following principal risks:

There is no assurance that the Fund will achieve its investment objective. You could lose money by investing in the Fund. Because the share price of the Fund will fluctuate, when you sell your shares they may be worth more or less than what you originally paid for them. The Fund may impose a fee upon the sale of your shares or may temporarily suspend your ability to sell shares if the Fund’s liquidity falls below required minimums because of market conditions or other factors. An investment in the Fund is not insured or guaranteed by the FDIC or any other government agency.

A principal risk of investing in the Fund is associated with its debt obligation investments. All debt obligations, such as bonds, are subject to two types of risk: credit risk and interest rate risk. Credit risk refers to the possibility that the issuer or guarantor of a security will be unable to make interest payments and/or repay the principal on its debt. Interest rate risk refers to fluctuations in the value of a fixed-income security resulting from changes in the general level of interest rates. When the general level of interest rates goes up, the prices of most fixed-income securities go down. When the general level of interest rates goes down, the prices of most fixed-income securities go up. A low interest rate environment may prevent the Fund from providing a positive yield or paying Fund expenses out of Fund assets. The Fund may face a heightened level of interest rate risk in times of monetary policy change and uncertainty, such as when the Federal Reserve Board ends a quantitative easing program and/or raises rates. A rising interest rate environment increases certain risks, including the potential for periods of volatility, increased redemptions and extended durations (i.e., extension risk).

The Fund may purchase bank obligations. The activities of U.S. and most foreign banks are subject to comprehensive regulations. The enactment of new legislation or regulations, as well as changes in interpretation and enforcement of current laws, may affect the manner of operations and profitability of domestic and foreign banks. In addition, banks may be particularly susceptible to certain economic factors.

The Fund may purchase U.S. government securities that are not backed by the full faith and credit of the United States. With respect to these U.S. government securities, there is the risk that the U.S. Government will not provide financial support to such U.S. government agencies, instrumentalities or sponsored enterprises if it is not obligated to do so by law. The maximum potential liability of the issuers of some U.S. government securities held by the Fund may greatly exceed their current resources, including their legal right to support from the U.S. Treasury. It is possible that these issuers will not have the funds to meet their payment obligations in the future.

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds | Details of the Funds

Prime Portfolio (Cont’d)

Repurchase agreements are subject to additional risks associated with the possibility of default by the seller at a time when the collateral has declined in value, or insolvency of the seller, which may affect the Fund’s right to control the collateral and result in certain costs and delays.

Asset-backed securities raise certain risk considerations, including prepayment risk, extension risk and the risk of inadequate recovery on repossessed collateral. Because the Fund may concentrate its investments in bank securities, an adverse development in the banking industry may affect the value of the Fund’s investments more than if the Fund’s investments were not so concentrated.

The Fund may invest in U.S. dollar-denominated foreign securities and money market instruments. Although the Fund will invest in these securities only if the Adviser determines they are of comparable quality to the Fund’s U.S. investments, investing in securities of foreign issuers involves some additional risks. These risks may include the possibility of adverse political, economic or other developments affecting the issuers of these securities.

To the extent the Fund invests in municipal obligations issued by state and local governments and their agencies, the Fund may be susceptible to political, economic, regulatory or other factors affecting issuers of these municipal obligations.

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds  |  Details of the Funds

ESG Money Market Portfolio

Investment Objective

The ESG Money Market Portfolio seeks preservation of capital, daily liquidity and maximum current income.

Approach

The Fund invests in liquid, high quality U.S. dollar-denominated money market instruments of U.S. and foreign financial and non-financial corporations. The Fund also invests in obligations of foreign governments and in obligations issued or guaranteed by the U.S. Government and its agencies and instrumentalities. The Fund’s money market investments may include commercial paper, corporate debt obligations, debt obligations (including certificates of deposit and promissory notes) of U.S. banks or foreign banks, or of U.S. branches or subsidiaries of foreign banks, or foreign branches of U.S. banks (such as Yankee obligations), certificates of deposit of savings banks and savings and loan organizations, asset-backed securities, repurchase agreements and municipal obligations.

The Fund operates as an “institutional money market fund” which is neither a “government money market fund” nor “retail money market fund” as such terms are defined or interpreted under Rule 2a-7. As such, the Fund is required to price and transact in its shares at a NAV reflecting market-based values of its portfolio holdings (i.e., at a “floating” NAV), rounded to a minimum of the fourth decimal place. Like other money market funds of its type, the Fund is subject to the possible imposition of liquidity fees and/or redemption gates.

Process

The Adviser follows a multi-pronged investment process with respect to credit risk, interest rate risk and liquidity. Securities are reviewed on an ongoing basis to maintain or improve creditworthiness taking into consideration factors such as cash flow, asset quality, debt service coverage ratios and economic developments. Additionally, exposure to guarantors and liquidity providers is monitored separately as are the various diversification requirements.

The Adviser believes that ESG factors have the ability to impact the fundamental credit risk of an entity. The Fund’s investment process incorporates information about ESG issues via an integrated approach within the Adviser’s fundamental investment analysis framework. The Adviser may engage with management of certain issuers regarding corporate governance practices as well as what the Adviser deems to be materially important environmental and/or social issues facing a company.

The Adviser has proprietary ESG-scoring methodologies that explicitly consider the risks and opportunities ESG factors pose to money market instruments. By combining third-party ESG data with proprietary views, the Adviser creates unique scoring methodologies that it applies to issuers.

During the security selection process, the Adviser employs a rules-based process to construct the portfolio. Initially, the Adviser determines from the universe of money market fund-eligible issuers those which, in its opinion, have the lowest credit risk and/or best credit profile, excluding the following:

 

Corporations that generate revenue from the manufacturing or production of tobacco;

 

Corporations that generate revenue from the manufacturing or production of landmines and cluster munitions (i.e., an explosive weapon that randomly scatters submunitions);

 

Corporations that generate revenue from the manufacturing or production of firearms;

 

Corporations that generate revenue from the mining of thermal coal or coal fired power generation; and

 

Corporations that primarily generate revenue from the fossil fuel industries, which the Adviser has determined produce a certain level of carbon emissions.
 

The Fund may invest in green commercial paper (a security that is typically issued to raise capital specifically to support climate-related or environmental projects) issued by companies that would otherwise be subject to fossil fuel exclusions so long as the Adviser has determined that the proceeds will not be used to finance fossil fuel generation capabilities.

In analyzing whether an issuer meets any of the criteria described above, the Adviser may rely upon, among other things, information provided by an independent third party.

After applying the above exclusion screens, the Adviser calculates proprietary ESG scores for the remaining issuers based on a number of variables, such as environmental, social, governance, controversy and ESG momentum factors. The Adviser then sets minimum ESG score thresholds. Only issuers with an ESG score above a minimum threshold will be considered for investment by the Fund, thus eliminating those issuers with the lowest ESG performance. The Adviser’s minimum ESG score thresholds may be adjusted from time to time, provided that a subset of issuers are always excluded by ESG factors.

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ESG Money Market Portfolio (Cont’d)

From the final list of ESG-approved issuers, the Adviser determines the securities and issuers in which the Fund will invest, taking into account a variety of relevant considerations (including, without limitation, yield, interest rate changes, credit quality and duration).

Under normal circumstances, the Fund will invest 100% of its net assets (excluding cash) in securities whose issuer or guarantor, in the Adviser’s opinion at the time of purchase, meets the Fund’s ESG criteria.

The Adviser actively manages the Fund’s assets in an attempt to reduce the risk of losing any principal investment as a result of credit or interest rate risks. In addition, federal regulations require money market funds to invest only in debt obligations of high quality and short-term maturities.

Principal Risks

The Fund’s principal investment strategies are subject to the following principal risks:

There is no assurance that the Fund will achieve its investment objective. You could lose money by investing in the Fund. Because the share price of the Fund will fluctuate, when you sell your shares they may be worth more or less than what you originally paid for them. The Fund may impose a fee upon the sale of your shares or may temporarily suspend your ability to sell shares if the Fund’s liquidity falls below required minimums because of market conditions or other factors. An investment in the Fund is not insured or guaranteed by the FDIC or any other government agency.

A principal risk of investing in the Fund is associated with its debt obligation investments. All debt obligations, such as bonds, are subject to two types of risk: credit risk and interest rate risk. Credit risk refers to the possibility that the issuer or guarantor of a security will be unable to make interest payments and/or repay the principal on its debt. Interest rate risk refers to fluctuations in the value of a fixed-income security resulting from changes in the general level of interest rates. When the general level of interest rates goes up, the prices of most fixed-income securities go down. When the general level of interest rates goes down, the prices of most fixed-income securities go up. A low interest rate environment may prevent the Fund from providing a positive yield or paying Fund expenses out of Fund assets. The Fund may face a heightened level of interest rate risk in times of monetary policy change and uncertainty, such as when the Federal Reserve Board ends a quantitative easing program and/or raises rates. A rising interest rate environment increases certain risks, including the potential for periods of volatility, increased redemptions and extended durations (i.e., extension risk).

The Fund may purchase bank obligations. The activities of U.S. and most foreign banks are subject to comprehensive regulations. The enactment of new legislation or regulations, as well as changes in interpretation and enforcement of current laws, may affect the manner of operations and profitability of domestic and foreign banks. In addition, banks may be particularly susceptible to certain economic factors.

The Fund may purchase U.S. government securities that are not backed by the full faith and credit of the United States. With respect to these U.S. government securities, there is the risk that the U.S. Government will not provide financial support to such U.S. government agencies, instrumentalities or sponsored enterprises if it is not obligated to do so by law. The maximum potential liability of the issuers of some U.S. government securities held by the Fund may greatly exceed their current resources, including their legal right to support from the U.S. Treasury. It is possible that these issuers will not have the funds to meet their payment obligations in the future.

Asset-backed securities raise certain risk considerations including prepayment risk, extension risk and the risk of inadequate recovery on repossessed collateral. Because the Fund may concentrate its investments in bank securities, an adverse development in the banking industry may affect the value of the Fund’s investments more than if the Fund were not so concentrated.

Repurchase agreements are subject to additional risks associated with the possibility of default by the seller at a time when the collateral has declined in value, or insolvency of the seller, which may affect the Fund’s right to control the collateral and result in certain costs and delays.

The Fund may invest in U.S. dollar-denominated foreign securities and money market instruments. Although the Fund will invest in these securities only if the Adviser determines they are of comparable quality to the Fund’s U.S. investments, investing in securities of foreign issuers involves some additional risks. These risks may include the possibility of adverse political, economic or other developments affecting the issuers of these securities.

To the extent the Fund invests in municipal obligations issued by state and local governments and their agencies, the Fund may be susceptible to political, economic, regulatory or other factors affecting issuers of these municipal obligations.

The Fund’s adherence to its ESG criteria and application of related analyses when selecting investments may affect the Fund’s performance depending on whether such investments are in or out of favor and relative to similar funds that do not adhere to such criteria or apply such analyses. Socially responsible norms differ by country and region, and a company’s ESG practices or the

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds  |  Details of the Funds

ESG Money Market Portfolio (Con’t)

Adviser’s assessment of such may change over time. The Fund may invest in companies that do not reflect the beliefs and values of any particular investor. Additionally, the Fund’s adherence to its ESG criteria and application of related analyses in connection with identifying and selecting investments in non-U.S. issuers often require subjective analysis and may be relatively more difficult than applying the ESG criteria or related analyses to investments of U.S. issuers because data availability may be more limited with respect to non-U.S. issuers. The exclusionary criteria related to the Fund’s ESG criteria may result in the Fund forgoing opportunities to buy certain securities when it might otherwise be advantageous to do so, or selling securities for ESG reasons when it might be otherwise disadvantageous for it to do so. The Fund’s investments in certain companies may be susceptible to various factors that may impact their businesses or operations, including costs associated with government budgetary constraints that impact publicly funded projects and clean energy initiatives, the effects of general economic conditions throughout the world, increased competition from other providers of services, unfavorable tax laws or accounting policies and high leverage.

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds  |  Details of the Funds

Government Portfolio

Investment Objective

The Government Portfolio seeks preservation of capital, daily liquidity and maximum current income.

Approach

The Fund has adopted a policy to invest exclusively in obligations issued or guaranteed by the U.S. Government and its agencies and instrumentalities and in repurchase agreements collateralized by such securities in order to qualify as a “government money market fund” under federal regulations. The Fund may also hold cash from time to time. A “government money market fund” is a money market fund that invests at least 99.5% of its total assets in cash, securities issued or guaranteed by the United States or certain U.S. government agencies or instrumentalities and/or repurchase agreements that are collateralized fully by the foregoing. In selecting investments, the Adviser seeks to maintain the Fund’s share price at $1.00. The share price remaining stable at $1.00 means that the Fund would preserve the principal value of your investment. The Fund may change its principal investment strategies; however you would be notified of any changes.

The U.S. government securities that the Fund may purchase include:

 

U.S. treasury bills, notes and bonds, all of which are direct obligations of the U.S. Government.

 

Securities issued by agencies and instrumentalities of the U.S. Government which are backed by the full faith and credit of the United States. Among the agencies and instrumentalities issuing these obligations are the Government National Mortgage Association (“Ginnie Mae”) and the Federal Housing Administration.

 

Securities issued by agencies and instrumentalities which are not backed by the full faith and credit of the United States, but whose issuing agency or instrumentality has the right to borrow, to meet its obligations, from the U.S. Treasury. Among these agencies and instrumentalities are the Federal National Mortgage Association (“Fannie Mae”), the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (“Freddie Mac”) and the Federal Home Loan Banks.

 

Securities issued by agencies and instrumentalities which are backed solely by the credit of the issuing agency or instrumentality. Among these agencies and instrumentalities is the Federal Farm Credit System.
 

Process

The Adviser follows an investment process that seeks to select maturities based on the shape of the money market yield curve and based on the expectations as to future shifts in the level and shape of the curve, taking into consideration such factors as current short-term interest rates, Federal Reserve policy regarding interest rates and U.S. economic activity.

The Adviser actively manages the Fund’s assets in an attempt to reduce the risk of losing any principal investment as a result of credit or interest rate risks. The Fund’s assets are reviewed to maintain or improve creditworthiness. In addition, federal regulations require money market funds to invest only in debt obligations of high quality and short-term maturities.

Principal Risks

The Fund’s principal investment strategies are subject to the following principal risks:

There is no assurance that the Fund will achieve its investment objective. You could lose money by investing in the Fund. Although the Fund seeks to preserve the value of your investment at $1.00 per share, it cannot guarantee it will do so. An investment in the Fund is not insured or guaranteed by the FDIC or any other government agency.

A principal risk of investing in the Fund is associated with its debt obligation investments. All debt obligations, such as bonds, are subject to two types of risk: credit risk and interest rate risk. Credit risk refers to the possibility that the issuer or guarantor of a security will be unable to make interest payments and/or repay the principal on its debt. Interest rate risk refers to fluctuations in the value of a fixed-income security resulting from changes in the general level of interest rates. When the general level of interest rates goes up, the prices of most fixed-income securities go down. When the general level of interest rates goes down, the prices of most fixed-income securities go up. A low interest rate environment may prevent the Fund from providing a positive yield or paying Fund expenses out of Fund assets and could impair the Fund’s ability to maintain a stable NAV. The Fund may face a heightened level of interest rate risk in times of monetary policy change and uncertainty, such as when the Federal Reserve Board ends a quantitative easing program and/or raises rates. A rising interest rate environment increases certain risks, including the potential for periods of volatility, increased redemptions and extended durations (i.e., extension risk).

The Fund may purchase U.S. government securities that are not backed by the full faith and credit of the United States. With respect to these U.S. government securities, there is the risk that the U.S. Government will not provide financial support to such U.S. government agencies, instrumentalities or sponsored enterprises if it is not obligated to do so by law. The maximum potential liability of the issuers of some U.S. government securities held by the Fund may greatly exceed their current resources, including their legal right to support from the U.S. Treasury. It is possible that these issuers will not have the funds to meet their payment obligations in the future.

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds  |  Details of the Funds

Government Portfolio (Con’t)

Repurchase agreements are subject to additional risks associated with the possibility of default by the seller at a time when the collateral has declined in value, or insolvency of the seller, which may affect the Fund’s right to control the collateral and result in certain costs and delays.

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds  |  Details of the Funds

Government Securities Portfolio

Investment Objective

The Government Securities Portfolio seeks preservation of capital, daily liquidity and maximum current income.

Approach

The Fund has adopted a policy to invest substantially all of its assets in U.S. Treasury obligations and certain U.S. government securities, the interest from which is generally exempt from state income taxation, in order to qualify as a “government money market fund” under federal regulations. The Fund may also hold cash from time to time. A “government money market fund” is a money market fund that invests at least 99.5% of its total assets in cash, securities issued or guaranteed by the United States or certain U.S. government agencies or instrumentalities and/or repurchase agreements that are collateralized fully by the foregoing. In selecting investments, the Adviser seeks to maintain the Fund’s share price at $1.00. The share price remaining stable at $1.00 means that the Fund would preserve the principal value of your investment. The U.S. government securities that the Fund may purchase include those issued or guaranteed either by the U.S. Treasury or certain agencies, authorities or instrumentalities of the U.S. Government. The Fund may also invest in repurchase agreements with the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. The Fund may change its principal investment strategies; however you would be notified of any changes.

Shareholders should consult their individual tax adviser to determine whether the Fund’s distributions derived from interest on the Treasury obligations and U.S. government securities referred to above are exempt from state taxation in their own state.

Process

The Adviser follows an investment process that seeks to select maturities based on the shape of the money market yield curve and based on the expectations as to future shifts in the level and shape of the curve, taking into consideration such factors as current short-term interest rates, Federal Reserve policy regarding interest rates and U.S. economic activity.

The Adviser actively manages the Fund’s assets in an attempt to reduce the risk of losing any principal investment as a result of credit or interest rate risks. The Fund’s assets are reviewed to maintain or improve creditworthiness. In addition, federal regulations require money market funds to invest only in debt obligations of high quality and short-term maturities.

Principal Risks

The Fund’s principal investment strategies are subject to the following principal risks:

There is no assurance that the Fund will achieve its investment objective. You could lose money by investing in the Fund. Although the Fund seeks to preserve the value of your investment at $1.00 per share, it cannot guarantee it will do so. An investment in the Fund is not insured or guaranteed by the FDIC or any other government agency.

A principal risk of investing in the Fund is associated with its debt obligation investments. All debt obligations, such as bonds, are subject to two types of risk: credit risk and interest rate risk. Credit risk refers to the possibility that the issuer or guarantor of a security will be unable to make interest payments and/or repay the principal on its debt. Interest rate risk refers to fluctuations in the value of a fixed-income security resulting from changes in the general level of interest rates. When the general level of interest rates goes up, the prices of most fixed-income securities go down. When the general level of interest rates goes down, the prices of most fixed-income securities go up. A low interest rate environment may prevent the Fund from providing a positive yield or paying Fund expenses out of Fund assets and could impair the Fund’s ability to maintain a stable NAV. The Fund may face a heightened level of interest rate risk in times of monetary policy change and uncertainty, such as when the Federal Reserve Board ends a quantitative easing program and/or raises rates. A rising interest rate environment increases certain risks, including the potential for periods of volatility, increased redemptions and extended durations (i.e., extension risk).

The Fund may purchase U.S. government securities that are not backed by the full faith and credit of the United States. With respect to these U.S. government securities, there is the risk that the U.S. Government will not provide financial support to such U.S. government agencies, instrumentalities or sponsored enterprises if it is not obligated to do so by law. The maximum potential liability of the issuers of some U.S. government securities held by the Fund may greatly exceed their current resources, including their legal right to support from the U.S. Treasury. It is possible that these issuers will not have the funds to meet their payment obligations in the future.

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds  |  Details of the Funds

Treasury Portfolio

Investment Objective

The Treasury Portfolio seeks preservation of capital, daily liquidity and maximum current income.

Approach

The Fund has adopted a policy to invest exclusively in U.S. Treasury obligations, which are backed by the full faith and credit of the United States, and repurchase agreements collateralized by such securities in order to qualify as a “government money market fund” under federal regulations. The Fund may also hold cash from time to time. A “government money market fund” is a money market fund that invests at least 99.5% of its total assets in cash, securities issued or guaranteed by the United States or certain U.S. government agencies or instrumentalities and/or repurchase agreements that are collateralized fully by the foregoing. In selecting investments, the Adviser seeks to maintain the Fund’s share price at $1.00. The share price remaining stable at $1.00 means that the Fund would preserve the principal value of your investment. The Fund may change its principal investment strategies; however you would be notified of any changes.

Process

The Adviser follows an investment process that seeks to select maturities based on the shape of the money market yield curve and based on the expectations as to future shifts in the level and shape of the curve, taking into consideration such factors as current short-term interest rates, Federal Reserve policy regarding interest rates and U.S. economic activity.

The Adviser actively manages the Fund’s assets in an attempt to reduce the risk of losing any principal investment as a result of credit or interest rate risks. The Fund’s assets are reviewed to maintain or improve creditworthiness. In addition, federal regulations require money market funds to invest only in debt obligations of high quality and short-term maturities.

Principal Risks

The Fund’s principal investment strategies are subject to the following principal risks:

There is no assurance that the Fund will achieve its investment objective. You could lose money by investing in the Fund. Although the Fund seeks to preserve the value of your investment at $1.00 per share, it cannot guarantee it will do so. An investment in the Fund is not insured or guaranteed by the FDIC or any other government agency.

A principal risk of investing in the Fund is associated with its debt obligation investments. All debt obligations, such as bonds, are subject to two types of risk: credit risk and interest rate risk. Credit risk refers to the possibility that the issuer or guarantor of a security will be unable to make interest payments and/or repay the principal on its debt. Interest rate risk refers to fluctuations in the value of a fixed-income security resulting from changes in the general level of interest rates. When the general level of interest rates goes up, the prices of most fixed-income securities go down. When the general level of interest rates goes down, the prices of most fixed-income securities go up. A low interest rate environment may prevent the Fund from providing a positive yield or paying Fund expenses out of Fund assets and could impair the Fund’s ability to maintain a stable NAV. The Fund may face a heightened level of interest rate risk in times of monetary policy change and uncertainty, such as when the Federal Reserve Board ends a quantitative easing program and/or raises rates. A rising interest rate environment increases certain risks, including the potential for periods of volatility, increased redemptions and extended durations (i.e., extension risk).

The U.S. government securities in which the Fund invests can be subject to two types of risk: credit risk and interest rate risk. When the general level of interest rates goes up, the prices of most fixed-income securities go down. When the general level of interest rates goes down, the prices of most fixed-income securities go up. While the credit risk associated with U.S. government securities generally is considered to be minimal, the interest rate risk can be substantial.

Repurchase agreements are subject to additional risks associated with the possibility of default by the seller at a time when the collateral has declined in value, or insolvency of the seller, which may affect the Fund’s right to control the collateral and result in certain costs and delays.

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds  |  Details of the Funds

Treasury Securities Portfolio

Investment Objective

The Treasury Securities Portfolio seeks preservation of capital, daily liquidity and maximum current income.

Approach

The Fund has adopted a policy to invest exclusively in U.S. Treasury obligations, which are backed by the full faith and credit of the United States, in order to qualify as a “government money market fund” under federal regulations. The Fund may also hold cash from time to time. A “government money market fund” is a money market fund that invests at least 99.5% of its total assets in cash, securities issued or guaranteed by the United States or certain U.S. government agencies or instrumentalities and/or repurchase agreements that are collateralized fully by the foregoing. In selecting investments, the Adviser seeks to maintain the Fund’s share price at $1.00. The share price remaining stable at $1.00 means that the Fund would preserve the principal value of your investment. The Fund may change its principal investment strategies; however you would be notified of any changes.

Process

The Adviser follows an investment process that seeks to select maturities based on the shape of the money market yield curve and based on the expectations as to future shifts in the level and shape of the curve, taking into consideration such factors as current short-term interest rates, Federal Reserve policy regarding interest rates and U.S. economic activity.

The Adviser actively manages the Fund’s assets in an attempt to reduce the risk of losing any principal investment as a result of credit or interest rate risks. The Fund’s assets are reviewed to maintain or improve creditworthiness. In addition, federal regulations require money market funds to invest only in debt obligations of high quality and short-term maturities.

Principal Risks

The Fund’s principal investment strategies are subject to the following principal risks:

There is no assurance that the Fund will achieve its investment objective. You could lose money by investing in the Fund. Although the Fund seeks to preserve the value of your investment at $1.00 per share, it cannot guarantee it will do so. An investment in the Fund is not insured or guaranteed by the FDIC or any other government agency.

A principal risk of investing in the Fund is associated with its debt obligation investments. All debt obligations, such as bonds, are subject to two types of risk: credit risk and interest rate risk. Credit risk refers to the possibility that the issuer or guarantor of a security will be unable to make interest payments and/or repay the principal on its debt. Interest rate risk refers to fluctuations in the value of a fixed-income security resulting from changes in the general level of interest rates. When the general level of interest rates goes up, the prices of most fixed-income securities go down. When the general level of interest rates goes down, the prices of most fixed-income securities go up. A low interest rate environment may prevent the Fund from providing a positive yield or paying Fund expenses out of Fund assets and could impair the Fund’s ability to maintain a stable NAV. The Fund may face a heightened level of interest rate risk in times of monetary policy change and uncertainty, such as when the Federal Reserve Board ends a quantitative easing program and/or raises rates. A rising interest rate environment increases certain risks, including the potential for periods of volatility, increased redemptions and extended durations (i.e., extension risk).

The U.S. government securities in which the Fund invests can be subject to two types of risk: credit risk and interest rate risk. When the general level of interest rates goes up, the prices of most fixed-income securities go down. When the general level of interest rates goes down, the prices of most fixed-income securities go up. While the credit risk associated with U.S. government securities generally is considered to be minimal, the interest rate risk can be substantial.

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds  |  Details of the Funds

Tax-Exempt Portfolio

Investment Objective

The Tax-Exempt Portfolio seeks to maximize current income exempt from federal income tax to the extent consistent with preservation of capital and maintenance of liquidity.

Approach

The Fund invests at least 80% of its assets in high quality short-term municipal obligations, the interest of which is exempt from federal income taxes and is not subject to the federal alternative minimum tax. This policy is fundamental and may not be changed without shareholder approval. Municipal obligations are securities issued by state and local governments and their agencies and typically are either general obligation or revenue bonds, notes or commercial paper. General obligation securities are secured by the issuer’s full faith and credit including its taxing power for payment of principal and interest. Revenue bonds, however, are generally payable from a specific revenue source. They are issued for a wide variety of projects such as financing public utilities, hospitals, housing, airports, highways and educational facilities. Included within the revenue bonds category are participations in lease obligations and installment purchase contracts of municipalities. Additionally, the Fund’s investments may include variable and floating rate demand instruments, tender option bonds, custodial receipts and investments in other investment companies, including money market funds.

The Fund may invest up to 20% of its assets in taxable money market securities or in municipal obligations that pay interest income that may be subject to the alternative minimum tax. However, it is currently intended that the Fund will be managed so that income generated by the Fund will not be subject to the alternative minimum tax.

While at least 80% of the Fund’s assets typically will be invested in municipal obligations, the interest of which is exempt from federal income taxes and is not subject to the federal alternative minimum tax, the Fund may temporarily invest more than 20% of its assets in taxable money market securities for defensive purposes in attempting to respond to adverse market conditions.

The Fund operates as an “institutional money market fund” which is neither a “government money market fund” nor “retail money market fund” as such terms are defined or interpreted under Rule 2a-7. As such, the Fund is required to price and transact in its shares at a NAV reflecting market-based values of its portfolio holdings (i.e., at a “floating” NAV), rounded to a minimum of the fourth decimal place. Like other money market funds of its type, the Fund is subject to the possible imposition of liquidity fees and/or redemption gates.

Process

The Adviser follows a multi-pronged investment process with respect to credit risk, interest rate risk and liquidity. Securities are reviewed on an ongoing basis, taking into consideration factors such as economic developments, budgetary trends, cash flow, debt service coverage ratios and tax-law changes. Exposure to guarantors and liquidity providers is monitored separately. Weighted average maturity is shifted in response to expectations as to the future course of money market interest rates, the shape of the money market yield curve and the Fund’s recent cash flow experience.

The Adviser actively manages the Fund’s assets in an attempt to reduce the risk of losing any principal investment as a result of credit or interest rate risks. The Fund’s assets are reviewed to maintain or improve creditworthiness. In addition, federal regulations require money market funds to invest only in debt obligations of high quality and short-term maturities.

Principal Risks

The Fund’s principal investment strategies are subject to the following principal risks:

There is no assurance that the Fund will achieve its investment objective. You could lose money by investing in the Fund. Because the share price of the Fund will fluctuate, when you sell your shares they may be worth more or less than what you originally paid for them. The Fund may impose a fee upon the sale of your shares or may temporarily suspend your ability to sell shares if the Fund’s liquidity falls below required minimums because of market conditions or other factors. An investment in the Fund is not insured or guaranteed by the FDIC or any other government agency.

A principal risk of investing in the Fund is associated with its debt obligation investments. All debt obligations, such as bonds, are subject to two types of risk: credit risk and interest rate risk. Credit risk refers to the possibility that the issuer or guarantor of a security will be unable to make interest payments and/or repay the principal on its debt. Interest rate risk refers to fluctuations in the value of a fixed-income security resulting from changes in the general level of interest rates. When the general level of interest rates goes up, the prices of most fixed-income securities go down. When the general level of interest rates goes down, the prices of most fixed-income securities go up. A low interest rate environment may prevent the Fund from providing a positive yield or paying Fund expenses out of Fund assets. The Fund may face a heightened level of interest rate risk in times of monetary policy change and uncertainty, such as when the Federal Reserve Board ends a quantitative easing program and/or raises rates. A rising interest rate environment increases certain risks, including the potential for periods of volatility, increased redemptions and extended durations (i.e., extension risk).

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds | Details of the Funds

Tax-Exempt Portfolio (Cont’d)

To the extent the Fund invests in municipal obligations issued by state and local governments and their agencies, the Fund may be susceptible to political, economic, regulatory or other factors affecting issuers of these municipal obligations. Municipal obligations are also subject to credit risk and interest risk. In the case of revenue bonds, for example, credit risk is the possibility that the user fees from a project or other specified revenue sources are insufficient to meet interest and/or principal payment obligations. The Fund is subject to added credit risk if it concentrates its investments in a single economic sector, which could be effected by economic, business or political developments which might affect all municipal obligations in that particular economic sector.

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Prospectus  |  Additional Information About the Funds’ Investment Strategies and Related Risks

Additional Information About the Funds’ Investment Strategies and Related Risks

This section discusses additional information relating to the Funds’ investment strategies, other types of investments that the Funds may make and related risk factors. The Funds’ investment practices and limitations are also described in more detail in the Statement of Additional Information (“SAI”), which is incorporated by reference and legally is a part of this Prospectus. For details on how to obtain a copy of the SAI and other reports and information, see the back cover of this Prospectus.

Bank Obligations

Bank obligations include certificates of deposit, commercial paper, unsecured bank promissory notes, bankers’ acceptances, time deposits and other debt obligations. Certain Funds may invest in obligations issued or backed by U.S. banks when a bank has more than $1 billion in total assets at the time of purchase or is a branch or subsidiary of such a bank. In addition, certain Funds may invest in U.S. dollar-denominated obligations issued or guaranteed by foreign banks that have more than $1 billion in total assets at the time of purchase, U.S. branches or subsidiaries of such foreign banks (Yankee obligations), foreign branches of such foreign banks and foreign branches of U.S. banks having more than $1 billion in total assets at the time of purchase. Bank obligations may be general obligations of the parent bank or may be limited to the issuing branch by the terms of the specific obligation or by U.S. government regulation.

If a Fund invests more than 25% of its total assets in bank obligations (whether foreign or domestic), it may be especially affected by favorable and adverse developments in or related to the banking industry. The activities of U.S. and most foreign banks are subject to comprehensive regulations, which, in the case of U.S. regulations, have undergone substantial changes in the past decade. The enactment of new legislation or regulations, as well as changes in interpretation and enforcement of current laws, may affect the manner of operations and profitability of domestic and foreign banks. Significant developments in the U.S. banking industry have included increased competition from other types of financial institutions, increased acquisition activity and geographic expansion. Banks may be particularly susceptible to certain economic factors, such as interest rate changes and adverse developments in the real estate markets. Fiscal and monetary policy and general economic cycles can affect the availability and cost of funds, loan demand and asset quality and thereby impact the earnings and financial conditions of banks. Obligations of foreign banks, including Yankee obligations, are subject to the same risks that pertain to domestic issuers, notably credit risk and market risk, but are also subject to certain additional risks such as adverse foreign political and economic developments, the extent and quality of foreign government regulation of the financial markets and institutions, foreign withholding taxes and other sovereign action such as nationalization or expropriation.

Credit and Interest Rate Risk

All debt obligations, such as bonds, are subject to two types of risk: credit risk and interest rate risk. Interest rate risk refers to fluctuations in the value of a fixed-income security resulting from changes in the general level of interest rates. When the general level of interest rates goes up, the prices of most fixed-income securities go down. When the general level of interest rates goes down, the prices of most fixed-income securities go up. A low interest rate environment may prevent a Fund from providing a positive yield or paying Fund expenses out of Fund assets. The Funds may face a heightened level of interest rate risk in times of monetary policy change and uncertainty, such as when the Federal Reserve Board ends a quantitative easing program and/or raises rates. A rising interest rate environment increases certain risks, including the potential for periods of volatility, increased redemptions and extended durations (i.e., extension risk).

U.S. Government Securities

The U.S. government securities that certain Funds may purchase include U.S. Treasury bills, notes and bonds, all of which are direct obligations of the U.S. Government. In addition, certain Funds may purchase securities issued or guaranteed by agencies and instrumentalities of the U.S. Government which are backed by the full faith and credit of the United States. Among the agencies and instrumentalities issuing these obligations are Ginnie Mae and the Federal Housing Administration. Also, certain Funds may purchase securities issued by agencies and instrumentalities which are not backed by the full faith and credit of the United States, but whose issuing agency or instrumentality has the right to borrow, to meet its obligations, from the U.S. Treasury. Among these agencies and instrumentalities are Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac and the Federal Home Loan Banks. In September 2008, the U.S. Treasury Department announced that the U.S. Government would be taking over Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac and placing the companies into a conservatorship. In addition, the U.S. Treasury announced additional steps that it intended to take with respect to the debt and mortgage-backed securities issued by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac in order to support the conservatorship. Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac are continuing to operate as going concerns while in conservatorship and each remains liable for all of its respective obligations, including its guaranty obligations, associated with its mortgage-backed securities. No assurance can be given that these initiatives will be successful. Further, certain Funds may purchase securities issued by agencies and instrumentalities which are backed solely by the credit of the issuing agency or instrumentality. Among these agencies and instrumentalities is the Federal Farm Credit System. Because these securities are not backed by the full faith and credit of the United States, there is a risk that the U.S. Government will not provide financial support to these agencies if it is not obligated to do so by law. The maximum potential liability of the issuers of some U.S. government securities held by a Fund may greatly exceed their current resources, including their

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Additional Information About the Funds’ Investment Strategies and Related Risks (Con’t)

legal right to support from the U.S. Treasury. It is possible that these issuers will not have the funds to meet their payment obligations in the future. The interest from U.S. government securities generally is not subject to state and local taxation.

Foreign Securities

Certain Funds may invest in U.S. dollar-denominated securities issued by foreign governmental or corporate issuers, including Eurodollar and Yankee obligations. While these securities are subject to the same type of risks that pertain to domestic issuers, namely credit risk and interest rate risk, they are also subject to other additional risks. Foreign issuers generally are subject to different accounting, auditing and financial reporting standards than U.S. issuers. There may be less information available to the public about foreign issuers. Securities of foreign issuers can be less liquid and experience greater price movements. In some foreign countries, there is also the risk of government expropriation, excessive taxation, political or social instability, the imposition of currency controls or diplomatic developments that could affect an investment. There also can be difficulty obtaining and enforcing judgments against issuers in foreign countries. Foreign stock exchanges, broker-dealers and listed issuers may be subject to less government regulation and oversight.

Foreign Money Market Securities

Certain Funds may invest in foreign money market securities. As described elsewhere herein, foreign investing may involve risks relating to political, social and economic developments abroad to a greater extent than investing in the securities of U.S. issuers. In addition, there are differences between U.S. and foreign regulatory requirements and market practices that may result in additional risk. Foreign money market securities also present credit and interest rate risks similar to those attendant to an investment in domestic money market securities.

Custodial Receipts

Certain Funds may invest in custodial receipts representing interests in U.S. government securities, municipal obligations or other debt instruments held by a custodian or trustee. Custodial receipts evidence ownership of future interest payments, principal payments or both on notes or bonds issued or guaranteed as to principal or interest by the U.S. Government, its agencies, instrumentalities, political subdivisions or authorities, by a state or local governmental body or authority, or by other types of issuers. For certain securities law purposes, custodial receipts are not considered obligations of the underlying issuers. In addition, if for tax purposes a Fund is not considered to be the owner of the underlying securities held in the custodial account, the Fund may suffer adverse tax consequences. As a holder of custodial receipts, a Fund will bear its proportionate share of the fees and expenses charged to the custodial account.

Tender Option Bonds

A tender option bond is a municipal obligation (generally held pursuant to a custodial arrangement) having a relatively long maturity and bearing interest at a fixed rate substantially higher than prevailing short-term, tax-exempt rates. The bond is typically issued in conjunction with the agreement of a third-party, such as a bank, broker-dealer or other financial institution, pursuant to which the institution grants the security holder the option, at periodic intervals, to tender its securities to the institution. As consideration for providing the option, the financial institution receives periodic fees equal to the difference between the bond’s fixed coupon rate and the rate, as determined by a remarketing or similar agent, that would cause the securities, coupled with the tender option, to trade at par on the date of such determination. Thus, after payment of this fee, the security holder effectively holds a demand obligation that bears interest at the prevailing short-term, tax-exempt rate. An institution will normally not be obligated to accept tendered bonds in the event of certain defaults or significant downgrading in the credit rating assigned to the issuer of the bond. The tender option will be taken into account in determining the maturity of the tender option bonds and average portfolio maturity. There is a risk that the investing Fund will not be considered the owner of a tender option bond for federal income tax purposes, and thus will not be entitled to treat such interest as exempt from federal income tax. Certain tender option bonds may be illiquid or may become illiquid as a result of a credit rating downgrade, a payment default or a disqualification from tax-exempt status. Additionally, the Dodd–Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (the “Dodd-Frank Act”), including the Volcker Rule, among other regulatory changes, may affect the ability of bank-sponsored tender option bonds to continue to operate or remain cost-effective investments.

Corporate Debt Obligations

Corporate debt obligations are fixed-income securities issued by private corporations. The investment return of corporate debt obligations reflects interest earnings and changes in the market value of the security. The market value of a corporate debt obligation may be expected to rise and fall inversely with interest rates generally. There also exists the risk that the issuers of the securities may not be able to meet their obligations on interest or principal payments at the time called for by an instrument. Debtholders, as creditors, have a prior legal claim over common and preferred stockholders of the corporation as to both income and assets for the principal and interest due to the bondholder. Certain Funds will buy corporate debt obligations subject to any quality constraints set forth under Rule 2a-7.

Revenue Bonds

Revenue bonds are municipal obligations that are secured by the revenue from a specific project. To the extent that a Fund invests in revenue bonds, and which are municipal obligations of issuers in the same economic sector, there could be economic, business or

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Additional Information About the Funds’ Investment Strategies and Related Risks (Con’t)

political developments which might affect such municipal obligations. For example, investments in revenue bonds backed by receipts from hospitals are sensitive to hospital bond ratings, which are often based on feasibility studies which contain projections of expenses, revenues and occupancy levels. Additional factors which could affect a hospital’s gross receipts and net income available to service its debt are demand for hospital services, the ability of the hospital to provide the services required, management capabilities, economic developments in the service area, efforts by insurers and government agencies to limit rates and expenses, reputational issues, competition, availability and expenses of malpractice insurance, Medicaid and Medicare funding and possible federal legislation regulating hospital charges.

Asset-Backed Securities

Asset-backed securities represent an interest in a pool of assets such as automobile loans, credit card receivables or mortgage or home equity loans, or certificates of participation or lease obligations or other municipal debt obligations, that have been securitized in pass-through structures. These types of pass-through securities provide for monthly payments that are a “pass-through” of the monthly interest and principal payments made by the individual borrowers on the pooled receivables. Such securities also may be debt instruments, which are also known as collateralized obligations and are generally issued as the debt of a special purpose entity, such as a trust, organized solely for the purpose of owning such assets and issuing such debt. Credit support for asset-backed securities may be based on the underlying assets and/or provided by a third-party through credit enhancements. Credit enhancement techniques include letters of credit, insurance bonds, limited guarantees (which are generally provided by the issuer), senior-subordinated structures and over-collateralization.

Asset-backed securities are not issued or guaranteed by the U.S. Government or its agencies or instrumentalities; however, the payment of principal and interest on such obligations may be guaranteed up to certain amounts for a certain period by a letter of credit issued by a financial institution (such as a bank or insurance company) unaffiliated with the issuers of such securities. The purchase of asset-backed securities raises risk considerations specific to the financing of the instruments underlying such securities. For example, there is a risk that another party could acquire an interest in the obligations superior to that of the holders of the asset-backed securities. Asset-backed securities entail prepayment risk and extension risk, which may vary depending on the type of asset. Securities subject to prepayment risk generally offer less potential for gains when interest rates decline, and may offer a greater potential for loss when interest rates rise. In addition, rising interest rates may cause prepayments to occur at a slower than expected rate, thereby effectively lengthening the maturity of the security and making the security more sensitive to interest rate changes. Other factors, such as changes in credit card use and payment patterns, may also influence prepayment rates. Asset-backed securities also involve the risk that various federal and state consumer laws and other legal and economic factors such as defaults on the underlying loans may result in the collateral backing the securities being insufficient to support payment on the securities. The risk of such defaults is generally higher in the case of mortgage pools that include sub-prime mortgages. There is also the possibility that recoveries on repossessed collateral may not, in some cases, be available to support payments on those securities.

Repurchase Agreements

Repurchase agreements are fixed-income securities in the form of agreements backed by collateral. These agreements typically involve the acquisition by the Funds of securities from the selling institution (such as a bank or a broker-dealer), coupled with the agreement that the selling institution will repurchase the underlying securities at a specified price and at a fixed time in the future (or on demand, if applicable). The underlying securities which serve as collateral for the repurchase agreements entered into by certain Funds may include U.S. government securities, municipal securities, corporate debt obligations, convertible securities and common and preferred stock and may be of below investment grade quality. These securities are marked-to-market daily in order to maintain full collateralization (typically purchase price plus accrued interest). The use of repurchase agreements involves certain risks. For example, if the selling institution defaults on its obligation to repurchase the underlying securities at a time when the value of the securities has declined, the Funds may incur a loss upon disposition of them. The risk of such loss may be greater when utilizing collateral other than U.S. government securities. In the event of an insolvency or bankruptcy by the selling institution, the Funds’ right to control the collateral could be affected and result in certain costs and delays. Additionally, if the proceeds from the liquidation of such collateral after an insolvency were less than the repurchase price, the Funds could suffer a loss. Fund procedures are followed that are designed to minimize such risks.

The Government Securities Portfolio may enter into repurchase agreements with the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. Reduced participation in the repurchase agreement market by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York may affect the Fund’s investment strategies, operations and/or return potential.

Municipal Obligations

Certain Funds may purchase municipal obligations subject to any restraints set forth under Rule 2a-7. Municipal obligations are securities issued by state and local governments and their agencies. These securities typically are “general obligation” or “revenue” bonds, notes or commercial paper, including participations in lease obligations and installment purchase contracts of municipalities. These obligations may have fixed, variable or floating rates.

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Prospectus  |  Additional Information About the Funds’ Investment Strategies and Related Risks

Additional Information About the Funds’ Investment Strategies and Related Risks (Con’t)

Additional Risks and Investment Strategies of the Funds

Investment Companies

The Funds may invest in investment companies, including money market funds, and may invest all or some of their short-term cash investments in any money market fund advised or managed by the Adviser or its affiliates (an “affiliated money market fund”). An investment in an investment company is subject to the underlying risks of that investment company’s portfolio securities. In addition to a Fund’s fees and expenses, the Fund generally would bear its share of the investment company’s fees and expenses other than advisory and administrative fees of affiliated money market funds.

Promissory Notes

Promissory notes are generally debt obligations of the issuing entity and are subject to the risks of investing in the banking industry. Certain Funds may invest up to 5% of their net assets in illiquid securities, including unsecured bank promissory notes.

Tax-Exempt Variable Rate Demand Notes

Tax-exempt variable rate demand notes are variable rate tax-exempt debt obligations that give investors the right to demand principal repayment. Due to cyclical supply and demand considerations, at times the yields on these obligations can exceed the yield on taxable money market obligations.

Large Shareholder Transactions Risk

A Fund may experience adverse effects when certain large shareholders purchase or redeem large amounts of shares of the Fund. Such large shareholder redemptions may cause a Fund to sell portfolio securities at times when it would not otherwise do so, which may negatively impact the Fund’s NAV and liquidity. Similarly, large Fund share purchases may adversely affect a Fund’s performance to the extent that the Fund is delayed in investing new cash and is required to maintain a larger cash position than it ordinarily would. These transactions may also accelerate the realization of taxable income to shareholders if such sales of investments resulted in gains, and may also increase transaction costs. In addition, a large redemption could result in a Fund’s current expenses being allocated over a smaller asset base, leading to an increase in the Fund’s expense ratio. Although large shareholder transactions may be more frequent under certain circumstances, a Fund is generally subject to the risk that a large shareholder can purchase or redeem a significant percentage of Fund shares at any time.

Investment Discretion

In pursuing a Fund’s investment objective, the Adviser has considerable leeway in deciding which investments it buys, holds or sells on a day-to-day basis, and which trading strategies it uses. For example, the Adviser, in its discretion, may determine to use some permitted trading strategies while not using others. The success or failure of such decisions will affect a Fund’s performance.

Temporary Defensive Investments

When the Adviser believes that changes in market, economic, political or other conditions warrant, each Fund may invest without limit in cash or cash equivalents and the Tax-Exempt Portfolio may invest without limit in taxable money market securities for temporary defensive purposes that may be inconsistent with a Fund’s principal investment strategies. If the Adviser incorrectly predicts the effects of these changes, such defensive investments may adversely affect a Fund’s performance and the Fund may not achieve its investment objective.

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Prospectus  |  Shareholder Information

Shareholder Information

The Trust is designed for institutional investors seeking maximum current income and convenient liquidation privileges. The Funds are particularly suitable for corporations, banks and other financial institutions that seek investment of short-term funds for their own accounts or for the accounts of their customers. Shares of the Government Portfolio and Government Securities Portfolio are intended to qualify as eligible investments for federally chartered credit unions pursuant to the applicable provisions of the Federal Credit Union Act and the National Credit Union Administration. Shares of the Government Portfolio and Government Securities Portfolio, however, may not qualify as eligible investments for particular state-chartered credit unions. A state-chartered credit union should consult qualified legal counsel to determine whether these Funds are permissible investments under the law applicable to it.

Share Class Arrangements

This Prospectus offers Administrative Class shares of each Fund. The Trust also offers other classes of shares through separate prospectuses. Certain of these classes may be subject to different fees and expenses. For information regarding other share classes, contact the Trust or your financial intermediary.

Minimum Investment Amount

Administrative Class shares are available to clients of the Adviser with investments at the time of initial purchase of at least $10 million. The Adviser, in its sole discretion, may waive the minimum initial investment amount in certain cases including, but not limited to, shares of the Fund purchased through a financial intermediary or when the Adviser anticipates the combined value of a client’s investments will meet or exceed the minimum.

Distributor

Shares of the Funds are distributed exclusively through Morgan Stanley Distribution, Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Morgan Stanley. The Distributor has entered into arrangements with certain financial intermediaries (also referred to as service organizations) who may accept purchase and redemption orders for shares of each Fund on its behalf.

The Adviser and/or the Distributor may pay additional compensation (out of their own funds and not as an expense of a Fund) to selected affiliated or unaffiliated brokers or other service providers in connection with the sale, distribution, retention and/or servicing of Fund shares. Such compensation may be significant in amount and the prospect of receiving any such additional compensation may provide affiliated or unaffiliated entities with an incentive to favor sales of shares of the Fund over other investment options. Any such payments will not change the NAV or the price of Fund shares. For more information, please see the Funds’ SAI.

The Trust has adopted an Administration Plan for each Fund’s Administrative Class shares (the “Plan”) to pay the Distributor to compensate certain financial intermediaries (also referred to as service organizations) who provide administrative services to shareholders. Under the Plan, each Fund pays the Distributor a monthly administration fee which shall not exceed during any one year 0.15% of each Fund’s average daily net assets of Administrative Class shares which are owned beneficially by the customers of such service organization during such period. The Distributor may waive distribution fees to enable a Fund to maintain a minimum level of daily net investment income. The Distributor may discontinue these voluntary fee waivers at any time in the future.

Because the fees are paid out of a 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 sales charges.

Valuation of Shares

Each of the Prime Portfolio’s, ESG Money Market Portfolio’s and Tax-Exempt Portfolio’s investments will be valued using market-based prices provided by an approved pricing service/vendor and the share price of each rounded to a minimum of the fourth decimal place. The price of each of Government Portfolio’s, Government Securities Portfolio’s, Treasury Portfolio’s and Treasury Securities Portfolio’s shares is based on the amortized cost of the Fund’s securities. The amortized cost valuation method involves valuing a debt obligation in reference to its cost rather than market forces. If the Adviser determines that a valuation is not reflective of the security’s market value, such security is valued at its fair value as determined in good faith under procedures established by and under the general supervision of the Board.

The NAV of each Fund is determined once daily (except that the NAV of Prime Portfolio is determined three times daily), normally at the times set forth below, on each day that the NYSE is open (the “Pricing Time”), except when the following federal holidays are observed: Columbus Day and Veterans Day.

Shares will generally not be priced on days that the NYSE is closed, although Fund shares may be priced on such days if the Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association (“SIFMA”) recommends that the bond markets remain open for all or part of the day. On any business day when SIFMA recommends that the bond markets close early, a Fund reserves the right to close at or prior to the SIFMA recommended closing time. If a Fund does so, it will cease granting same day credit for purchase and redemption orders received after the Fund’s closing time and credit will be given on the next business day. The Fund may, however, elect to remain open and price shares of each Fund on days where the NYSE is closed but the primary securities markets on which the Funds’ securities trade remain open.

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Prospectus  |  Shareholder Information

Shareholder Information (Con’t)

Government Portfolio
Treasury Portfolio

As of 5:00 p.m. Eastern time

ESG Money Market Portfolio
Government Securities Portfolio
Treasury Securities Portfolio

As of 3:00 p.m. Eastern time

Tax-Exempt Portfolio

As of 1:00 p.m. Eastern time

Prime Portfolio

As of 8:00 a.m., 12:00 p.m. and 3:00 p.m. Eastern time

Pricing of Fund Shares

Administrative Class shares of the Funds may be purchased or sold (redeemed) at the NAV next determined after the Fund receives your order in good order and State Street Bank and Trust Company (the “Custodian”) receives monies credited by a Federal Reserve Bank (“Federal Funds”) prior to the close of the Federal Reserve Wire Network (“Fedwire”). You begin earning dividends the same day your Administrative Class shares are purchased provided the Fund receives your purchase amount in Federal Funds that day as set forth above. Orders to purchase shares of a Fund must be received by the Fund prior to the following times to receive the NAV next determined: for the Government Portfolio and Treasury Portfolio—5:00 p.m. Eastern time; for the ESG Money Market Portfolio, Government Securities Portfolio and Treasury Securities Portfolio—3:00 p.m. Eastern time; for the Tax-Exempt Portfolio—1:00 p.m. Eastern time; and for the Prime Portfolio—8:00 a.m., 12:00 p.m. or 3:00 p.m. Eastern time. On any business day that the NYSE closes early, or when SIFMA recommends that the securities markets close early, a Fund may close early and purchase orders received after such earlier closing times will be processed the following business day. If the NYSE is closed due to inclement weather, technology problems or any other reason on a day it would normally be open for business, or the NYSE has an unscheduled early closing on a day it has opened for business, a Fund reserves the right to treat such day as a business day and accept purchase and redemption orders until, and calculate its NAV as of, the normally scheduled close of regular trading on the NYSE for that day, or such time noted above, so long as the Adviser believes there generally remains an adequate market to obtain reliable and accurate market quotations. A Fund may elect to remain open on days when the NYSE is closed or closes early but on which SIFMA recommends that the bond markets remain open for all or part of the day. Purchase orders received by a Fund and not funded by 6:00 p.m. Eastern time on the trade date may be subject to an overdraft charge.

Portfolio Holdings

A description of the Trust’s policies and procedures with respect to the disclosure of each Fund’s portfolio securities is available in the Trust’s SAI.

How To Purchase Shares

Administrative Class shares of the Funds may be purchased directly from the Fund or through a financial intermediary.

Purchasing Shares Through a Financial Intermediary
You may open a new account and purchase Fund shares through certain authorized third-parties, such as brokers, dealers or other financial intermediaries that have entered into a selling agreement with the Distributor (each, a “Financial Intermediary”). Your Financial Intermediary will assist you with the procedures to invest in shares of the Fund. The Financial Intermediary will establish times by which such purchase orders and payments from customers must be received by the Financial Intermediary. Financial Intermediaries are responsible for transmitting purchase orders and payments to the Trust and the Trust’s Custodian in a timely fashion. Purchase orders placed with a Financial Intermediary and transmitted through a trading platform utilized by the Financial Intermediary may be transmitted by the trading platform after the deadlines established by the Trust for receipt of purchase orders, as set forth below; in such case, the purchase orders will receive a trade date of the next business day.

Investors purchasing Administrative Class shares through a Financial Intermediary may be charged a transaction-based or other fees by the Financial Intermediary for its services. If you are purchasing Administrative Class shares through a Financial Intermediary, please consult your intermediary for more information regarding any such fees and for purchase instructions.

With respect to sales through Financial Intermediaries, no offers or sales of Fund shares may be made in any foreign jurisdiction, except with the consent of the Distributor.

Purchasing Shares Directly From the Funds

Initial Purchase by Mail
You may open an account, subject to acceptance by the Fund, and purchase Administrative Class shares of a Fund by completing and signing a New Account Application which you can obtain by calling Morgan Stanley Services Company Inc. or the Fund at (888) 378-1630 (which is generally accessible weekdays 7:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m. Eastern time) and mailing it to Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds, c/o DST Asset Manager Solutions, Inc., P.O. Box 219804, Kansas City, MO 64121-9804 together with a check payable to Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds. Orders to purchase shares of a Fund must be received by the Fund prior to the applicable Fund’s final Pricing Time of that day. Orders received after such Pricing Time will be processed the following business

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Prospectus  |  Shareholder Information

Shareholder Information (Con’t)

day.

Please note that payments to investors who redeem shares of a Fund purchased by check will not be made until payment of the purchase has been collected, which may take up to 15 calendar days after purchase. You can avoid this delay by purchasing shares of a Fund by wire.

Initial Purchase by Wire
You may purchase Administrative Class shares of each Fund by wiring Federal Funds (monies credited by a Federal Reserve Bank) to the Custodian. You must forward a completed New Account Application to the Transfer Agent in advance of the wire by following the instructions under “Initial Purchase by Mail.” You should instruct your bank to send a Federal Funds wire in a specified amount to the Custodian using the following wire instructions:

State Street Bank and Trust Company
One Lincoln Street
Boston, MA 02111-2101
ABA #011000028
DDA #00575399
Attn: Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Subscription Account
Ref: (Fund Name, Account Number, Account Name)
* For international investments into the US funds, BIC Code: SBOSUS33XXX must be referenced, as well as the information listed above.

If notification of your order is received prior to the time required by each respective Fund, as set forth above, and the Custodian receives the funds the same day prior to the close of the Fedwire, then your purchase will become effective and begin to earn income on that day. Otherwise, your purchase will be effective on the next business day.

Purchase by Internet
If you have properly authorized the Internet Trading Option on your New Account Application and completed, signed and returned to the Fund an Electronic Transactions Agreement, you may place a purchase order for additional shares online through Morgan Stanley’s Treasury Investment Portal service at www.morganstanley.com/liquidity. For more information, call Morgan Stanley Services Company Inc. at 1-888-378-1630.

You are responsible for transmitting payments for shares purchased via the Internet in a timely fashion, as set forth above.

Automatic Purchases
Selected accounts that utilize the Funds as their sweep vehicle will be reviewed on each business day to determine whether the account has a positive balance as a result of credits incurred that day. If an account has a positive (credit) balance, shares of the respective Fund will automatically be purchased. Any positive (credit) balance will be reduced by any debits to the account on that day and shares of the Fund will automatically be sold.

Additional Investments
You may make additional investments of Administrative Class shares at the NAV next determined after the request is received in good order or by wiring Federal Funds to the Custodian as outlined above. State Street Bank and Trust Company must receive notification of receipt of your Federal Funds wire by the time required by each respective Fund, as set forth above under “How To Purchase Shares.”

General

To help the U.S. Government fight the funding of terrorism and money laundering activities, federal law requires all financial institutions to obtain, verify and record information that identifies each person who opens an account. What this means to you is that when you open an account, we will ask your name, address, date of birth and other information that will allow us to identify you. If we are unable to verify your identity, we reserve the right to restrict additional transactions and/or liquidate your account at the next calculated NAV after your account is closed (less any applicable sales/account charges and/or tax penalties) or take any other action required by law. In accordance with federal law requirements, the Trust has implemented an anti-money laundering compliance program, which includes the designation of an anti-money laundering compliance officer.

How To Redeem Shares

You may process a redemption request by contacting your Financial Intermediary. Otherwise, you may redeem shares of a Fund by mail or, if authorized, by telephone, at no charge other than as described below. The value of shares redeemed may be more or less than the purchase price, depending on the NAV at the time of redemption. Shares of a Fund will be redeemed at the NAV next determined after we receive your redemption request in good order.

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Prospectus  |  Shareholder Information

Shareholder Information (Con’t)

Redemptions by Letter
Requests should be addressed to Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds, c/o DST Asset Manager Solutions, Inc., P.O. Box 219804, Kansas City, MO 64121-9804.

To be in good order, redemption requests must include the following documentation:

(a) A letter of instruction, if required, or a stock assignment specifying the account name, the account number, the name of the Fund and the number of shares or dollar amount to be redeemed, signed by all registered owners of the shares in the exact names in which the shares are registered, and whether you wish to receive the redemption proceeds by wire to the bank account we have on file for you;

(b) Any required signature guarantees if you are requesting payment to anyone other than the registered owner(s) or that payment be sent to any address other than the address of the registered owner(s) or pre-designated bank account; and

(c) Other supporting legal documents, if required, in the case of estates, trusts, guardianships, custodianship, corporations, pension and profit sharing plans and other organizations.

Redemptions by Telephone
You automatically have telephone redemption and exchange privileges unless you indicate otherwise by checking the applicable box on the New Account Application or calling the Fund to opt out of such privileges. You may request a redemption of shares of a Fund by calling the Fund at 1-888-378-1630 and requesting that the redemption proceeds be mailed or wired to you. Telephone redemptions and exchanges may not be available if you cannot reach the Fund by telephone, whether because all telephone lines are busy or for any other reason; in such case, a shareholder would have to use the Fund’s other redemption and exchange procedures described in this section. Telephone instructions will be accepted if received by the Fund between 7:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. Eastern time on any day the NYSE is open for business, except when the following federal holidays are observed: Columbus Day and Veterans Day. Orders to redeem or exchange shares of a Fund must be received by the Fund prior to the applicable Fund’s final Pricing Time of that day. Orders received after such Pricing Time will be processed the following business day. To opt out of telephone privileges, please contact the Fund at 1-888-378-1630.

Redemptions by Internet
You may redeem shares online through Morgan Stanley’s Treasury Investment Portal service at www.morganstanley.com/liquidity, provided you have a pre-established Internet trading account, as set forth above under “How To Purchase Shares.” For more information, call the Fund at 1-888-378-1630.

Automatic Redemptions
Selected accounts that utilize the Funds as their sweep vehicle will be reviewed on each business day to determine whether the account has any debits that were incurred that day and shares of the Funds will automatically be redeemed to cover the debits if such debits have not been reduced by any credits which may have accrued to the account on the same day.

Redemption Proceeds
You will not earn a dividend on the day your shares are sold. Orders to sell shares (redemption requests) will be processed on the day on which they are received, provided they are received prior to the following times to receive the NAV next determined: for the Government Portfolio and Treasury Portfolio—5:00 p.m. Eastern time; for the Prime Portfolio, ESG Money Market Portfolio, Government Securities Portfolio and Treasury Securities Portfolio—3:00 p.m. Eastern time; and for the Tax-Exempt Portfolio— 1:00 p.m. Eastern time. On any business day that the NYSE closes early, the Fund may close early and redemption requests received after such earlier closing times will be processed the following business day. The Fund may elect to remain open on days when the NYSE is closed or closes early but on which SIFMA recommends that the bond markets remain open for all or part of the day. Generally, payment for Fund shares sold will be made on the day on which the order is processed, but under certain circumstances may not be made until the next business day. The Fund may postpone and/or suspend redemption and payment beyond one business day only as follows: (a) for any period during which there is a non-routine closure of the Fedwire or applicable Federal Reserve Banks; (b) for any period (i) during which the NYSE is closed other than customary weekend and holiday closings or (ii) during which trading on the NYSE is restricted; (c) for any period during which an emergency exists as a result of which (i) disposal of securities owned by the Fund is not reasonably practicable or (ii) it is not reasonably practicable for the Fund to fairly determine the NAV of shares of the Fund; (d) for any period during which the SEC has, by rule or regulation, deemed that (i) trading shall be restricted or (ii) an emergency exists; (e) for any period that the SEC may by order permit; or (f) for any period during which the Fund as part of a necessary liquidation of a Fund, has properly postponed and/or suspended redemption of shares and payment in accordance with federal securities laws. In addition, when SIFMA recommends that the securities markets close early, payments with respect to redemption requests received subsequent to the recommended close will be made the next business day (assuming that the Fund in fact closes).

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Prospectus  |  Shareholder Information

Shareholder Information (Con’t)

Each Fund typically expects to meet redemption requests by using a combination of sales of securities held by a Fund and/or holdings of cash and cash equivalents. On a less regular basis, each Fund also reserves the right to use borrowings to meet redemption requests, and each Fund may use these methods during both normal and stressed market conditions.

If we determine that it is in the best interest of other shareholders not to pay redemption proceeds in cash, we may pay you in part by distributing to you readily marketable securities held by the Fund from which you are redeeming. Such in-kind securities may be illiquid and difficult or impossible for a shareholder to sell at a time and at a price that a shareholder would like. Redemptions paid in such securities generally will give rise to income, gain or loss for income tax purposes in the same manner as redemptions paid in cash. In addition, you may incur brokerage costs and a further gain or loss for income tax purposes when you ultimately sell the securities.

Exchange Privilege

You may exchange a Fund’s Administrative Class shares for Administrative Class shares of other available Funds of the Trust based on their respective NAVs, except that you may not exchange Administrative Class shares from or into the Prime Portfolio, ESG Money Market Portfolio or Tax-Exempt Portfolio. We charge no fee for exchanges. If you purchased Fund shares through a Financial Intermediary, certain other Funds of the Trust may be unavailable for exchange. Contact your Financial Intermediary to determine which Funds are available for exchange.

You can process your exchange by contacting your Financial Intermediary or online through Morgan Stanley’s Treasury Investment Portal service at www.morganstanley.com/liquidity provided you have a pre-established Internet trading account, as set forth above under “How To Purchase Shares.” You may also send exchange requests to the Fund’s transfer agent, DST Asset Manager Solutions, Inc. (“DST”), by mail to Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds, c/o DST Asset Manager Solutions, Inc., P.O. Box 219804, Kansas City, MO 64121-9804 or by calling the Fund at 1-888-378-1630.

You will be subject to the same minimum initial investment and account size as an initial purchase. The Fund, in its sole discretion, may waive the minimum initial investment amounts in certain cases including, but not limited to, exchanges involving Fund shares purchased through a Financial Intermediary or when the Adviser anticipates the combined value of a client’s investments will meet or exceed the minimum. The Fund may terminate or revise the exchange privilege upon required notice or in certain cases without notice. The Fund reserves the right to reject an exchange order for any reason.

Telephone/Internet Transactions

For your protection, we will employ reasonable procedures to confirm that instructions communicated over the telephone/Internet are genuine. These procedures may include requiring various forms of personal identification (such as name, mailing address, social security number or other tax identification number and password/authorization codes, including PIN (Personal Identification Number)), tape-recording telephone communications and providing written confirmation of instructions communicated by telephone/Internet. If reasonable procedures are employed, none of Morgan Stanley, DST or the Fund will be liable for following telephone/Internet instructions which it reasonably believes to be genuine. During periods of drastic economic or market changes, it is possible that the telephone/Internet privileges may be difficult to implement, although this has not been the case with the Funds in the past.

Frequent Purchases and Redemptions of Fund Shares

We expect the Funds to be used by shareholders for short-term investing and by certain selected accounts utilizing the Funds as a sweep vehicle. Therefore, reasonably frequent purchases and redemptions of Fund shares by Fund shareholders do not present risks for other shareholders of a Fund, and the policies and procedures adopted by the Board of Trustees/Directors as applicable to other funds in the Morgan Stanley family of funds are generally not applicable with respect to frequent purchases and redemptions of Fund shares. However, frequent trading by shareholders can disrupt management of the Funds and raise their respective expenses. Therefore, we may not accept any request for a purchase or exchange when we think it is being used as a tool for market-timing, and we may bar a shareholder who trades excessively from making further purchases for an indefinite period.

Distributions

The Funds pass substantially all of their earnings along to their investors as “distributions.” The Funds earn interest from fixed-income investments. These amounts are passed along to Fund shareholders as “income dividend distributions.” Each Fund realizes capital gains whenever it sells securities for a higher price than it paid for them. These amounts may be passed along as “capital gain distributions.” The Adviser does not anticipate that there will be significant capital gain distributions.

The Funds declare income dividends daily on each business day and pay them monthly to shareholders. Dividends are based on estimates of income, expenses and shareholder activity for the Funds. Actual income, expenses and shareholder activity may differ from estimates and differences, if any, will be included in the calculation of subsequent dividends. Short-term capital gains, if any, are distributed periodically. Long-term capital gains, if any, are distributed at least annually. The Funds automatically reinvest all dividends and distributions in additional shares. However, you may elect to receive distributions in cash by giving written notice to

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Prospectus  |  Shareholder Information

Shareholder Information (Con’t)

your Financial Intermediary or by checking the appropriate box in the Distribution Option section on the Account Registration Form.

Liquidity Fees and Redemption Gates—Prime Portfolio, ESG Money Market Portfolio and Tax-Exempt Portfolio
Under Rule 2a-7, the Prime Portfolio, ESG Money Market Portfolio and Tax-Exempt Portfolio will be permitted (or in some cases, may be required) to impose a liquidity fee on redemptions (up to 2%) or temporarily restrict redemptions from the Fund for up to 10 business days during a 90 calendar day period (a “redemption gate”), in the event that the Fund’s weekly liquid assets fall below the following thresholds:

 

30% weekly liquid assets—If the weekly liquid assets of a Fund fall below 30% of the Fund’s total assets, and the Board of Trustees determines it is in the best interests of the Fund, the Board of Trustees may impose a liquidity fee of no more than 2% of the amount redeemed and/or a redemption gate that temporarily suspends the right of redemption. The liquidity fee or redemption gate may be imposed at any point during the applicable business day, generally at the subsequent NAV calculation time of the applicable Fund following the determination of the Board of Trustees.

 

10% weekly liquid assets—If the weekly liquid assets of a Fund fall below 10% of the Fund’s total assets as of the end of a business day, the Fund must impose, at the beginning of the next business day, a liquidity fee of 1% of the amount redeemed, unless the Board of Trustees determines that imposing such a fee would not be in the best interests of the Fund or determines that a lower or higher fee (not to exceed 2%) would be in the best interests of the Fund.
 

Liquidity fees and redemptions gates may be terminated at any time in the discretion of the Board of Trustees. Liquidity fees and redemptions gates will also terminate at the beginning of the next business day once the applicable Fund has invested 30% or more of its total assets in weekly liquid assets as of the end of a business day. A Fund may only suspend redemptions for up to 10 business days in any 90 calendar day period.

Weekly liquid assets generally include: (a) cash; (b) direct obligations of the U.S. Government; (c) certain U.S. government agency discount notes with remaining maturities of 60 days or less; (d) securities that will mature or are subject to a demand feature that is exercisable and payable within five business days; or (e) amounts receivable and due unconditionally within five business days on pending sales of portfolio securities.

If a Fund imposes a redemption gate, the Fund and your Financial Intermediary will not accept redemption or exchange orders out of the Fund until the Fund has notified shareholders that the redemption gate has been lifted. Any redemption or exchange orders out of a Fund submitted while a redemption gate is in effect will be cancelled without further notice. If you still wish to redeem or exchange shares out of a Fund once the redemption gate has been lifted, you will need to submit a new redemption or exchange request to the Fund or your Financial Intermediary. Unprocessed purchase orders that a Fund received prior to notification of the imposition of a liquidity fee or redemption gate will be cancelled unless re-confirmed. Under certain circumstances, a Fund may honor redemption or exchange orders out of the Fund (or pay redemptions without adding a liquidity fee to the redemption amount) if the Fund can verify that the redemption or exchange order out of the Fund was submitted to the Fund’s agent before the Fund imposed liquidity fees or suspended redemptions. Once a liquidity fee or a redemption gate is in place, shareholders will not be permitted to exchange into or out of the applicable Fund until the fee or gate is terminated.

The Board of Trustees generally expects that a liquidity fee or redemption gate would be imposed, if at all, during periods of extraordinary market stress. The Board of Trustees generally expects that a redemption gate would be imposed prior to notification to shareholders and Financial Intermediaries that a gate would be imposed. While the Board of Trustees may, in its discretion, impose a liquidity fee at any time after the weekly liquid assets of the Fund fall below 30% of the Fund’s total assets, the Board of Trustees generally expects that a liquidity fee would be imposed only after the Fund has notified Financial Intermediaries and shareholders that a liquidity fee will be imposed. The Fund retains the liquidity fees for the benefit of remaining shareholders.

The Board of Trustees may, in its discretion, permanently suspend redemptions and liquidate the Fund if, among other things, the Fund, at the end of a business day, has less than 10% of its total assets invested in weekly liquid assets. In the event of liquidation, shareholders are entitled to share pro rata in the net assets of the Fund available for distribution to such shareholders.

Announcements regarding the imposition of liquidity fees or redemption gates, or the termination of liquidity fees or redemption gates, will be filed with the SEC on Form N-CR and will be available on the website of the Fund (http://www.morganstanley.com/im). In addition, the Fund will make such announcements through a supplement to its Prospectus and may make such announcements through a press release or by other means.

Dividend payments will not be subject to liquidity fees or redemption gates; however, in the event that a liquidity fee or redemption gate is in place at the time that dividends are distributed, all distributions will be made in the form of cash.

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Prospectus  |  Shareholder Information

Shareholder Information (Con’t)

Trade corrections requested after a liquidity fee or redemption gate is imposed will be honored so long as the “as of” date of the transaction to be processed is prior to the effective time of the liquidity fee or redemption gate and a valid reason for the trade error is provided.

Financial Intermediaries will be required to promptly take such actions reasonably requested by the Fund, the Transfer Agent or the Adviser to implement, modify or remove, or to assist the Fund in implementing, modifying or removing, a liquidity fee or redemption gate established by the Fund.

The Government Portfolio, the Government Securities Portfolio, the Treasury Portfolio and the Treasury Securities Portfolio are exempt from requirements that permit money market funds to impose a “liquidity fee” and/or a “redemption gate” that temporarily restricts redemptions. The Board of Trustees has opted not to subject the Government Portfolio, the Government Securities Portfolio, the Treasury Portfolio and the Treasury Securities Portfolio to a “liquidity fee” and/or a “redemption gate” but has reserved its right to change this determination in the future after providing appropriate notice to shareholders.

Taxes

The tax information provided in this Prospectus is provided as general information. You should consult your own tax professional about the tax consequences of an investment in a particular Fund.

It is each Fund’s intention to qualify as a regulated investment company and distribute all or substantially all of its taxable and tax-exempt income.

Except as noted below, dividends you receive will generally be taxable, whether you receive them in cash or in additional shares. Income dividend distributions and any short-term capital gain distributions are generally taxable to you as ordinary income. Any long-term capital gain distributions are taxable as long-term capital gains, no matter how long you have owned shares in a Fund. Distributions paid by the Funds are not expected to be eligible for lower tax rates applicable to qualified dividends.

With respect to the Government Securities Portfolio, while the Fund intends to limit its investments to certain U.S. Treasury obligations and U.S. government securities, the interest of which is generally exempt from state income taxation, you should consult your own tax adviser to determine whether distributions from the Government Securities Portfolio are exempt from state taxation in your own state.

With respect to the Tax-Exempt Portfolio, your income dividend distributions are normally exempt from federal income tax to the extent they are derived from municipal obligations. Income derived from other portfolio securities may be subject to federal, state and/or local income taxes. The income derived from some municipal securities is subject to the federal “alternative minimum tax.”

An additional 3.8% Medicare tax is imposed on certain net investment income (including ordinary dividends and capital gain distributions 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) exceeds certain threshold amounts.

Shareholders who are not citizens or residents of the United States and certain foreign entities may be subject to withholding of U.S. tax on distributions made by a Fund of investment income and short-term capital gains at a rate of 30% (or a lower tax treaty rate, if applicable). Such shareholders may also be subject to United States estate tax with respect to their shares.

Dividends paid by a Fund to shareholders who are nonresident aliens or foreign entities that are derived from short-term capital gains and qualifying U.S. source net interest income (including income from original issue discount and market discount), and that are designated by the Fund as “interest-related dividends” or “short-term capital gain dividends,” will generally not be subject to U.S. withholding tax, provided that the income would not be subject to U.S. federal income tax if earned directly by the foreign shareholder. However, depending on the circumstances, a Fund may designate all, some or none of the Fund’s potentially eligible dividends as exempt.

A Fund is required to withhold U.S. tax (at a 30% rate) on payments of taxable 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 a Fund to enable the Fund to determine whether withholding is required.

U.S. investors will be sent a statement (Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”) Form 1099-DIV) by February of each year showing the taxable distributions paid to you in the previous year. The statement provides information on your dividends and any capital gains for tax purposes.

Sales, exchanges and redemptions of shares in a Fund are generally taxable events and may result in taxable gain or loss to you. Because each of Government Portfolio, Government Securities Portfolio, Treasury Portfolio and Treasury Securities Portfolio intends

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Prospectus  |  Shareholder Information

Shareholder Information (Con’t)

to maintain a stable $1.00 NAV, shareholders will typically not recognize gain or loss when they sell or exchange their shares in these Funds because the amount realized will be the same as their tax basis in the shares. Because each of Prime Portfolio, ESG Money Market Portfolio and Tax-Exempt Portfolio does not maintain a stable share price, a sale of these Funds’ shares may result in capital gain or loss to you.

With respect to any gain or loss recognized on the sale or exchange of shares of a Fund, unless you choose to adopt a simplified “NAV method” of accounting (described below), the amount of any gain or loss and the rate of tax will depend mainly upon how much you paid for the shares, how much you sell them for, and how long you held them. In this case, any gain or loss generally will be treated as short-term capital gain or loss if you held your shares as capital assets for one year or less, and long-term capital gain or loss if you held your shares as capital assets for more than one year. The maximum individual tax rate applicable to long-term capital gains is generally 15% or 20%, depending on whether the individual’s income exceeds certain threshold amounts. Any loss realized upon a taxable disposition of Fund shares held for six months or less will be treated as a long-term capital loss, rather than a short-term capital loss, to the extent of any long-term capital gain distributions received (or deemed received) by you with respect to the Fund shares.

If you elect to adopt the simplified “NAV method” of accounting, rather than compute gain or loss on every taxable sale or other disposition of shares of a Fund as described above, you would determine your gain or loss based on the change in the aggregate value of your Fund shares during a computation period (such as your taxable year), reduced by your net investment (i.e., purchases minus sales) in those Fund shares during the computation period. Under the simplified “NAV method,” any resulting capital gain or loss would be reportable on a net basis and would generally be treated as a short-term capital gain or loss.

A liquidity fee imposed by a Fund will reduce the amount you will receive upon the redemption of your shares, and will generally decrease the amount of any capital gain or increase the amount of any capital loss you will recognize with respect to such redemption. There is some degree of uncertainty with respect to the tax treatment of liquidity fees received by money market funds, and such tax treatment may be the subject of future guidance issued by the IRS. If a Fund receives liquidity fees, it will consider the appropriate tax treatment of such fees to the Fund at such time.

When you open your account, you should provide appropriate tax documentation including your social security or tax identification number on your investment application. By providing this information, you generally will avoid being subject to federal backup withholding on taxable distributions and redemption proceeds at the applicable rate. Any withheld amount would be sent to the IRS as an advance payment of taxes due on your income for such year.

Potential Conflicts of Interest

As a diversified global financial services firm, Morgan Stanley, the parent company of the Adviser, engages in a broad spectrum of activities, including financial advisory services, investment management activities, lending, commercial banking, sponsoring and managing private investment funds, engaging in broker-dealer transactions and principal securities, commodities and foreign exchange transactions, research publication and other activities. In the ordinary course of its business, Morgan Stanley is a full-service investment banking and financial services firm and therefore engages in activities where Morgan Stanley’s interests or the interests of its clients may conflict with the interests of a Fund. Morgan Stanley has advised clients and has sponsored, managed or advised other investment funds and investment programs, accounts and businesses (collectively, together with any new or successor funds, programs, accounts or businesses, the ‘‘Affiliated Investment Accounts’’) with a wide variety of investment objectives that in some instances may overlap or conflict with a Fund’s investment objectives and present conflicts of interest. In addition, Morgan Stanley may also from time to time create new or successor Affiliated Investment Accounts that may compete with a Fund and present similar conflicts of interest. The discussion below enumerates certain actual, apparent and potential conflicts of interest. There is no assurance that conflicts of interest will be resolved in favor of Fund shareholders and, in fact, they may not be. Conflicts of interest not described below may also exist.

For more information about conflicts of interest, see the section entitled “Potential Conflicts of Interest” in the SAI.

Material Nonpublic Information. It is expected that confidential or material nonpublic information regarding an investment or potential investment opportunity may become available to the Adviser. If such information becomes available, the Adviser may be precluded (including by applicable law or internal policies or procedures) from pursuing an investment or disposition opportunity with respect to such investment or investment opportunity.

Investments by Morgan Stanley and its Affiliated Investment Accounts. In serving in multiple capacities to Affiliated Investment Accounts, Morgan Stanley, including the Adviser and the Investment team, may have obligations to other clients or investors in Affiliated Investment Accounts, the fulfillment of which may not be in the best interests of a Fund or its shareholders. A Fund’s investment objectives may overlap with the investment objectives of certain Affiliated Investment Accounts. As a result, the members of an Investment team may face conflicts in the allocation of investment opportunities among a Fund and other investment funds, programs, accounts and businesses advised by or affiliated with the Adviser. Certain Affiliated Investment Accounts may provide for

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Prospectus  |  Shareholder Information

Shareholder Information (Con’t)

higher management or incentive fees or greater expense reimbursements or overhead allocations, all of which may contribute to this conflict of interest and create an incentive for the Adviser to favor such other accounts.

Payments to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries. The Adviser and/or the Distributor may pay compensation, out of their own funds and not as an expense of a Fund, to certain Financial Intermediaries (which may include affiliates of the Adviser and Distributor), including recordkeepers and administrators of various deferred compensation plans, in connection with the sale, distribution, marketing and retention of shares of the Fund and/or shareholder servicing. The prospect of receiving, or the receipt of, additional compensation, as described above, by Financial Intermediaries may provide such Financial Intermediaries and their financial advisors and other salespersons with an incentive to favor sales of shares of a Fund over other investment options with respect to which these Financial Intermediaries do not receive additional compensation (or receives lower levels of additional compensation). These payment arrangements, however, will not change the price that an investor pays for shares of a Fund or the amount that the Fund receives to invest on behalf of an investor. Investors may wish to take such payment arrangements into account when considering and evaluating any recommendations relating to Fund shares and should review carefully any disclosures provided by Financial Intermediaries as to their compensation.

Morgan Stanley Trading and Principal Investing Activities. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, Morgan Stanley will generally conduct its sales and trading businesses, publish research and analysis, and render investment advice without regard for a Fund’s holdings, although these activities could have an adverse impact on the value of one or more of the Fund’s investments, or could cause Morgan Stanley to have an interest in one or more portfolio investments that is different from, and potentially adverse to, that of a Fund.

Morgan Stanley’s Investment Banking Activities. Morgan Stanley advises clients on a variety of mergers, acquisitions and financing transactions. Morgan Stanley may act as an advisor to clients, including other investment funds that may compete with a Fund and with respect to investments that a Fund may hold. Morgan Stanley may give advice and take action with respect to any of its clients or proprietary accounts that may differ from the advice given, or may involve an action of a different timing or nature than the action taken, by a Fund. Morgan Stanley may give advice and provide recommendations to persons competing with a Fund and/or any of a Fund’s investments that are contrary to the Fund’s best interests and/or the best interests of any of its investments.

General Process for Potential Conflicts. All of the transactions described above involve the potential for conflicts of interest between the Adviser, related persons of the Adviser and/or their clients. The Investment Advisers Act of 1940, the 1940 Act and ERISA impose certain requirements designed to decrease the possibility of conflicts of interest between an investment adviser and its clients. In some cases, transactions may be permitted subject to fulfillment of certain conditions. Certain other transactions may be prohibited. In addition, the Adviser has instituted policies and procedures designed to prevent conflicts of interest from arising and, when they do arise, to ensure that it effects transactions for clients in a manner that is consistent with its fiduciary duty to its clients and in accordance with applicable law. The Adviser seeks to ensure that potential or actual conflicts of interest are appropriately resolved taking into consideration the overriding best interests of the client.

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Prospectus  |  Fund Management

Fund Management

Adviser

Morgan Stanley Investment Management Inc. with principal offices at 522 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10036, conducts a worldwide portfolio management business and provides a broad range of portfolio management services to customers in the United States and abroad. Morgan Stanley (NYSE: “MS”) is the parent of the Adviser, who is the parent of the Distributor. Morgan Stanley is a preeminent global financial services firm engaged in securities trading and brokerage activities, as well as providing investment banking, research and analysis, financing and financial advisory services. As of December 31, 2019, the Adviser, together with its affiliated asset management companies, had approximately $552 billion in assets under management or supervision.

A discussion regarding the basis for the Board of Trustees approving the Trust’s Investment Advisory Agreement is available in the Funds’ Annual Report to shareholders for the fiscal year ended October 31, 2019.

Advisory Fees

The Adviser makes investment decisions for the Funds. Each Fund, in turn, pays the Adviser a monthly advisory fee calculated daily by applying an annual rate to each Fund’s daily net assets.

For the fiscal year ended October 31, 2019, the Adviser received from each Fund the advisory fee (net of fee waivers, if applicable) set forth in the table below.

Fund (as a percentage of average daily net assets)

Prime Portfolio

0.10%

ESG Money Market Portfolio

0.09%

Government Portfolio

0.11%

Government Securities Portfolio

0.12%

Treasury Portfolio

0.13%

Treasury Securities Portfolio

0.14%

Tax-Exempt Portfolio

0.03%

Morgan Stanley Investment Management Inc., as the Adviser and the Administrator, has agreed to reduce its advisory fee, its administration fee and/or reimburse the Fund’s Administrative Class, if necessary, if such fees would cause the total annual operating expenses of such Fund’s Administrative Class to exceed the percentage of daily net assets set forth in the table below. In determining the actual amount of fee waiver and/or expense reimbursement for each Fund, if any, the Adviser and Administrator exclude from total annual operating expenses certain investment related expenses, taxes, interest and other extraordinary expenses (including litigation). The fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements will continue for at least one year or until such time as the Trust’s Board of Trustees acts to discontinue all or a portion of such waivers and/or reimbursements when it seems such action is appropriate.

A Fund’s annual operating expenses may vary throughout the period and from year to year. A Fund’s actual expenses for the most recent fiscal year may be different than the expenses listed in the Fund’s fee and expense table based upon the extent and amount of a fee waiver and/or expense reimbursement.

 

Expense Cap
Administrative Class

Prime Portfolio

0.35%

ESG Money Market Portfolio

0.35%

Government Portfolio

0.35%

Government Securities Portfolio

0.35%

Treasury Portfolio

0.35%

Treasury Securities Portfolio

0.35%

Tax-Exempt Portfolio

0.35%

The Distributor, Adviser and Administrator may also waive distribution fees, advisory fees, administration fees and/or reimburse expenses to enable a Fund to maintain a minimum level of daily net investment income. The Adviser and Administrator may make additional voluntary fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements. The Distributor, Adviser and Administrator may discontinue these voluntary fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements at any time in the future.

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Prospectus | Financial Highlights

Financial Highlights

The following financial highlights tables are intended to help you understand the financial performance of the Administrative Class shares of each Fund for the periods indicated. The Administrative Class was fully redeemed during the month of October 2016 from the Prime Portfolio, ESG Money Market Portfolio and Tax-Exempt Portfolio and there were no shares outstanding as of October 31, 2019. Accordingly, no financial highlights have been presented in the applicable Fund’s Annual Report. Certain information reflects financial results for a single Fund share. The total returns in the tables represent the rate that an investor would have earned (or lost) on an investment in each Fund (assuming reinvestment of all dividends and distributions).

The ratios of expenses to average net assets listed in the tables below for each Fund are based on the average net assets of the Fund for each of the periods listed in the tables. To the extent that a Fund’s average net assets decrease over the Fund’s next fiscal year, such expense ratios can be expected to increase, potentially significantly, because certain fixed costs will be spread over a smaller amount of assets.

Year Ended October 31,

 

Net Asset
Value,
Beginning
of Period

 

Net
Investment
Income

 

Net Realized and
Unrealized Gain
(Loss) on
Investments

 

Distributions
From Net
Investment Income

Government Portfolio:

2019

$

1.000

$

0.020
(2)

$

0.000
(3)

$

(0.020
)

2018

 

1.000

 

0.014
(2)

 

0.000
(3)

 

(0.014
)

2017

 

1.000

 

0.005
(2)

 

0.000
(3)

 

(0.005
)

2016(1)

 

1.000

 

0.001
(2)

 

(0.000
)
(3)

 

(0.001
)

2015

 

1.000

 

0.000
(2)(3)

 

(0.000
)
(3)

 

(0.000
)
(3)

Government Securities Portfolio:

2019

$

1.000

$

0.020
(2)

$

0.000
(3)

$

(0.020
)

2018

 

1.000

 

0.011
(2)

 

0.002

 

(0.013
)

2017

 

1.000

 

0.005
(2)

 

0.000
(3)

 

(0.005
)

2016(1)

 

1.000

 

0.000
(2)(3)

 

0.000
(3)

 

(0.000
)
(3)

2015

 

1.000

 

0.000
(2)(3)

 

(0.000
)
(3)

 

(0.000
)
(3)

Treasury Portfolio:

2019

$

1.000

$

0.020
(2)

$

0.000
(3)

$

(0.020
)

2018

 

1.000

 

0.014
(2)

 

0.000
(3)

 

(0.014
)

2017

 

1.000

 

0.005
(2)

 

0.000
(3)

 

(0.005
)

2016(1)

 

1.000

 

0.001
(2)

 

0.000
(3)

 

(0.001
)

2015

 

1.000

 

0.000
(2)(3)

 

(0.000
)
(3)

 

(0.000
)
(3)

Treasury Securities Portfolio:

2019

$

1.000

$

0.019
(2)

$

0.000
(3)

$

(0.019
)

2018

 

1.000

 

0.014
(2)

 

(0.000
)
(3)

 

(0.014
)

2017

 

1.000

 

0.004
(2)

 

0.000
(3)

 

(0.004
)

2016(1)

 

1.000

 

0.000
(2)(3)

 

(0.000
)
(3)

 

(0.000
)
(3)

2015

 

1.000

 

0.000
(2)(3)

 

(0.000
)
(3)

 

(0.000
)
(3)

49


 

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Prospectus | Financial Highlights

The information below has been derived from the financial statements audited by Ernst & Young LLP, the Funds’ independent registered public accounting firm. Ernst & Young LLP’s report, along with each Fund’s financial statements, are incorporated by reference into the Funds’ SAI. The Annual Report to Shareholders (which includes each Fund’s financial statements) and SAI are available at no cost from the Trust at the toll free number noted on the back cover to this Prospectus.

Net Asset Value,
End of Period

 

Total
Return

 

Net Assets,
End of Period
(000)

 

Ratio of
Expenses
to Average Net
Assets

 

Ratio of
Expenses to
Average Net
Assets Excluding
Non-Operating
Expenses

 

Ratio of
Expenses
to Average
Net Assets
(Before
Waivers/
Reimbursement)

 

Ratio of
Net Investment
Income
to Average
Net Assets

 

Ratio of
Net Investment
Income (Loss)
to Average
Net Assets
(Before
Waivers/
Reimbursement)

$    1.000

 

2.05
%

$

186,966

 

0.32
%
(4)

 

0.32
%
(4)

 

0.36
%

 

2.02
%

 

1.98
%
1.000

 

1.40
%

 

181,397

 

0.32
%
(4)

 

N/A

 

0.36
%

 

1.40
%

 

1.36
%
1.000

 

0.50
%

 

169,710

 

0.33
%
(4)

 

N/A

 

0.36
%

 

0.48
%

 

0.45
%
1.000

 

0.10
%

 

23,887

 

0.32
%
(4)

 

N/A

 

0.36
%

 

0.07
%

 

0.03
%
1.000

 

0.04
%

 

497

 

0.08
%
(4)

 

N/A

 

0.36
%

 

0.04
%

 

(0.24
)%
$    1.000

 

1.98
%

$

51

 

0.35
%
(4)

 

N/A

 

0.38
%

 

1.97
%

 

1.94
%
1.000

 

1.32
%

 

50

 

0.35
%
(4)

 

N/A

 

0.36
%

 

1.15
%

 

1.14
%
1.000

 

0.45
%

 

50

 

0.35
%
(4)

 

N/A

 

0.37
%

 

0.42
%

 

0.40
%
1.000

 

0.02
%

 

50

 

0.30
%
(4)

 

N/A

 

0.35
%

 

0.05
%

 

0.00
%
(5)
1.000

 

0.01
%

 

50

 

0.05
%
(4)

 

N/A

 

1.01
%

 

0.01
%

 

(0.95
)%
$    1.000

 

2.02
%

$

3,534

 

0.34
%
(4)

 

N/A

 

0.36
%

 

2.00
%

 

1.98
%
1.000

 

1.39
%

 

2,500

 

0.34
%
(4)

 

N/A

 

0.36
%

 

1.38
%

 

1.36
%
1.000

 

0.48
%

 

4,340

 

0.33
%
(4)

 

N/A

 

0.36
%

 

0.46
%

 

0.43
%
1.000

 

0.06
%

 

1,842

 

0.32
%
(4)

 

N/A

 

0.36
%

 

0.04
%

 

0.00
%
(5)
1.000

 

0.03
%

 

50

 

0.05
%
(4)

 

N/A

 

0.36
%

 

0.03
%

 

(0.28
)%
$    1.000

 

1.96
%

$

2,015

 

0.35
%
(4)

 

N/A

 

0.36
%

 

1.94
%

 

1.93
%
1.000

 

1.36
%

 

2,378

 

0.35
%
(4)

 

N/A

 

0.36
%

 

1.36
%

 

1.35
%
1.000

 

0.45
%

 

127

 

0.34
%
(4)

 

N/A

 

0.36
%

 

0.44
%

 

0.42
%
1.000

 

0.03
%

 

50

 

0.29
%
(4)

 

N/A

 

0.36
%

 

0.03
%

 

(0.04
)%
1.000

 

0.01
%

 

50

 

0.02
%
(4)

 

N/A

 

0.36
%

 

0.01
%

 

(0.33
)%

Notes to Financial Highlights

(1)

Reflects prior period custodian out-of-pocket expenses that were reimbursed in September 2016. The amount of the reimbursement was immaterial on a per share basis and did not impact the total return of the Fund. The Ratio of Expenses to Average Net Assets and the Ratio of Net Investment Income to Average Net Assets would be unchanged as the reimbursement of custodian fees was offset against expense waivers/reimbursements with no impact to net expenses or net investment income.

(2)

Per share amount is based on average shares outstanding.

(3)

Amount is less than $0.0005 per share.

(4)

Ratios of Expenses to Average Net Assets before and after Maximum Expense Ratios may vary among share classes by more or less than the administration plan, service and shareholder administration plan, distribution plan and/or shareholder services plan (the “plans”) fees due to either (1) fluctuations in daily net asset amounts, (2) changes in the plans’ fees during the period for each share class, (3) changes in the Funds’ expense cap during the year, (4) waivers to the plans’ fees for each share class, or (5) a combination of the previous points.

(5)

Amount is less than 0.005%.

50


 

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Where to Find Additional Information

In addition to this Prospectus, the Funds have an SAI, dated February 28, 2020 (as may be supplemented from time to time), which contains additional, more detailed information about the Trust and the Funds. The SAI is incorporated by reference into this Prospectus and, therefore, legally forms a part of this Prospectus.

The Trust publishes Shareholder Reports that contain additional information about the respective Fund’s investments. In each Fund’s Annual Report to Shareholders, you will find a discussion of the market conditions and the investment strategies that significantly affected such Fund’s performance during the last fiscal year. For additional Trust information, including information regarding the investments comprising each of the Funds, please call the toll-free number below.

You may obtain the SAI and Shareholder Reports without charge by contacting the Trust at the toll-free number below or on our Internet site at: www.morganstanley.com/liquidity. If you purchased shares through a Financial Intermediary, you may also obtain these documents, without charge, by contacting your Financial Intermediary.

Shareholder Reports and other information about the Funds are available on the EDGAR Database on the SEC’s Internet site at http://www.sec.gov, and copies of this information may be obtained, after paying a duplicating fee, by electronic request at the following e-mail address: publicinfo@sec.gov.

Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds
c/o DST Asset Manager Solutions, Inc.
P.O. Box 219804
Kansas City, MO 64121-9804

For Shareholder Inquiries,
call the Trust toll-free at 1-888-378-1630.

Prices and Investment Results are available at www.morganstanley.com/liquidity.

The Trust’s 1940 Act registration number is 811-21339.

© 2020 Morgan Stanley.

LFADMPRO 2/20

 C: 

 

Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds

Advisory Class Portfolios

Prime Portfolio
ESG Money Market Portfolio
Government Portfolio
Government Securities Portfolio
Treasury Portfolio
Treasury Securities Portfolio
Tax-Exempt Portfolio


 

Prospectus   |   February 28, 2020

Fund

Ticker Symbol

Prime Portfolio

MAVXX

ESG Money Market Portfolio

MVSXX

Government Portfolio

MAYXX

Government Securities Portfolio

MVAXX

Treasury Portfolio

MAOXX

Treasury Securities Portfolio

MVYXX

Tax-Exempt Portfolio

MADXX

Beginning on January 1, 2021, as permitted by regulations adopted by the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”), paper copies of the Funds’ Annual and Semi-Annual Reports to Shareholders (“Shareholder Reports”) will no longer be sent by mail, unless you specifically request paper copies of the Shareholder Reports from the Fund or from your financial intermediary, such as a broker-dealer or a bank. Instead, the Shareholder Reports will be made available on the Funds’ website, https://www.morganstanley.com/im/liquidityshareholderreports and you will be notified by mail each time a Shareholder Report is posted and provided with a website link to access the Shareholder Report. If you already elected to receive Shareholder Reports electronically, you will not be affected by this change and you need not take any action. You may elect to receive Shareholder Reports and other communications from a Fund electronically anytime by contacting your financial intermediary or, if you are a direct investor, please follow the instructions on the envelope. 

Beginning on January 1, 2019, you may elect to receive all future Shareholder Reports in paper free of charge. If you invest through a financial intermediary, you can contact your financial intermediary to request that you continue to receive paper copies of your Shareholder Reports. If you invest directly with a Fund, please follow the instructions on the envelope to let the Fund know you wish to continue receiving paper copies of your Shareholder Reports. Your election to receive Shareholder Reports in paper will apply to all funds held in your account if you invest through your financial intermediary or all funds held with the fund complex if you invest directly with a Fund.

The SEC has not approved or disapproved these securities or passed upon the adequacy of this Prospectus. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.

LFADVPRO 2/20


 

Table of Contents

 

Page

Fund Summary

1

Prime Portfolio

1

ESG Money Market Portfolio

4

Government Portfolio

8

Government Securities Portfolio

11

Treasury Portfolio

14

Treasury Securities Portfolio

17

Tax-Exempt Portfolio

20

Details of the Funds

23

Prime Portfolio

23

ESG Money Market Portfolio

25

Government Portfolio

28

Government Securities Portfolio

30

Treasury Portfolio

31

Treasury Securities Portfolio

32

Tax-Exempt Portfolio

33

Additional Information About the Funds' Investment Strategies and Related Risks

35

Shareholder Information

39

Fund Management

48

Financial Highlights

49


 

Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Prospectus  |  Fund Summary

Prime Portfolio

Investment Objective

The Prime Portfolio (the “Fund”) seeks preservation of capital, daily liquidity and maximum current income.

Fees and Expenses

The table below describes the expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold Advisory Class shares of the Fund. The Fund does not charge any sales loads or other fees when you purchase or redeem shares.

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

 

Advisory Class

Advisory Fee

0.15%

Distribution and/or Shareholder Service (12b-1) Fee

None

Other Expenses

0.06%

Service and Shareholder Administration Fee1

0.25%

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses2

0.46%

Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement2

0.01%

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement2

0.45%

Example

The example below is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund’s Advisory Class with the cost of investing in other mutual funds.

The example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund’s Advisory Class, your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Fund’s operating expenses remain the same (except that the example incorporates the fee waiver and/or expense reimbursement 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

 

Advisory Class

$ 46

$ 147

$ 257

$ 578

 

1 Institutions or financial intermediaries may charge other fees directly to their customers who are beneficial owners of Advisory Class shares in connection with their customers’ accounts.
2 The Fund’s “Adviser” and “Administrator,” Morgan Stanley Investment Management Inc., has agreed to reduce its advisory fee, its administration fee and/or reimburse the Fund’s Advisory Class so that Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses, excluding certain investment related expenses, taxes, interest and other extraordinary expenses (including litigation), will not exceed 0.45%. The fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements will continue for at least one year or until such time as the Board of Trustees of Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds (the “Trust”) acts to discontinue all or a portion of such waivers and/or reimbursements when it deems such action is appropriate.

Principal Investment Strategies

The Fund invests in liquid, high quality U.S. dollar-denominated money market instruments of U.S. and foreign financial corporations and U.S. non-financial corporations. The Fund also invests in obligations issued or guaranteed by the U.S. Government and its agencies and instrumentalities. The Fund’s money market investments may include commercial paper, corporate debt obligations, debt obligations (including certificates of deposit and promissory notes) of U.S. banks or foreign banks, or of U.S. branches or subsidiaries of foreign banks, or foreign branches of U.S. banks (such as Yankee obligations), certificates of deposit of savings banks and savings and loan organizations, asset-backed securities, repurchase agreements and municipal obligations.

The Fund may also invest in U.S. dollar-denominated foreign securities and money market instruments.

The Fund operates as an “institutional money market fund,” which is neither a “government money market fund” nor “retail money market fund” as such terms are defined or interpreted under Rule 2a-7 under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (“Rule 2a-7” under the “1940 Act”). As such, the Fund is required to price and transact in its shares at a net asset value per share (“NAV”) reflecting market-based values of its portfolio holdings (i.e., at a “floating” NAV), rounded to a minimum of the fourth decimal place. Like other money market funds of its type, the Fund is subject to the possible imposition of liquidity fees and/or redemption gates.

Principal Risks

There is no assurance that the Fund will achieve its investment objective.

You could lose money by investing in the Fund. Because the share price of the Fund will fluctuate, when you sell your shares they may be worth more or less than what you originally paid for them. The Fund may impose a fee upon the sale of your shares or may temporarily suspend your ability to sell shares if the Fund’s liquidity falls below required minimums because of market conditions or

1


 

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Prospectus | Fund Summary

Prime Portfolio (Cont’d)

other factors. An investment in the Fund is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (“FDIC”) or any other government agency. The Fund’s sponsor has no legal obligation to provide financial support to the Fund, and you should not expect that the sponsor will provide financial support to the Fund at any time.

The principal risks of investing in the Fund include:

 

Credit and Interest Rate Risk. Credit risk refers to the possibility that the issuer or guarantor of a security will be unable to make interest payments and/or repay the principal on its debt. Interest rate risk refers to fluctuations in the value of a fixed-income security resulting from changes in the general level of interest rates. When the general level of interest rates goes up, the prices of most fixed-income securities go down. When the general level of interest rates goes down, the prices of most fixed-income securities go up. The Fund may face a heightened level of interest rate risk in times of monetary policy change and uncertainty, such as when the Federal Reserve Board ends a quantitative easing program and/or raises rates. A rising interest rate environment increases certain risks, including the potential for periods of volatility, increased redemptions and extended durations (i.e., extension risk).

 

Bank Obligations. The activities of U.S. and most foreign banks are subject to comprehensive regulations. The enactment of new legislation or regulations, as well as changes in interpretation and enforcement of current laws, may affect the manner of operations and profitability of domestic and foreign banks. In addition, banks may be particularly susceptible to certain economic factors.

 

Fixed-Income Securities. Fixed-income securities are subject to the risk of the issuer’s inability to meet principal and interest payments on its obligations (i.e., credit risk) and are subject to price volatility resulting from, among other things, interest rate sensitivity (i.e., interest rate risk), market perception of the creditworthiness of the issuer and general market liquidity (i.e., market risk). The Fund may face a heightened level of interest rate risk in times of monetary policy change and uncertainty, such as when the Federal Reserve Board ends a quantitative easing program and/or raises rates.

 

U.S. Government Securities. The U.S. government securities in which the Fund invests can be subject to two types of risk: credit risk and interest rate risk. When the general level of interest rates goes up, the prices of most fixed-income securities go down. When the general level of interest rates goes down, the prices of most fixed-income securities go up. While the credit risk associated with U.S. government securities generally is considered to be minimal, the interest rate risk can be substantial. With respect to U.S. government securities that are not backed by the full faith and credit of the United States, there is the risk that the U.S. Government will not provide financial support to such U.S. government agencies, instrumentalities or sponsored enterprises if it is not obligated to do so by law.

 

Asset-Backed Securities. Asset-backed securities involve the risk that various federal and state consumer laws and other legal and economic factors may result in the collateral backing the securities being insufficient to support payment on the securities. Some asset-backed securities also entail prepayment risk and extension risk, which may vary depending on the type of asset.

 

Repurchase Agreements. Repurchase agreements are subject to risks associated with the possibility of default by the seller at a time when the collateral has declined in value, or insolvency of the seller, which may affect the Fund’s right to control the collateral and result in certain costs and delays. Repurchase agreements may involve a greater degree of credit risk than investments in U.S. government securities.

 

Foreign Money Market Securities. Investing in money market securities of foreign issuers involves some additional risks, including the possibility of adverse political, economic or other developments affecting the issuers of these securities.

 

Municipal Obligations. To the extent the Fund invests in municipal obligations issued by state and local governments and their agencies, the Fund may be susceptible to political, economic, regulatory or other factors affecting issuers of these municipal obligations. To the extent that the Fund invests in municipal obligations of issuers in the same economic sector, it could be more sensitive to economic, business or political developments that affect such sector.
 

Performance Information

The bar chart and table below provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by showing changes in the performance of the Fund’s Advisory Class shares from year-to-year and by showing the average annual returns of the Fund’s Advisory Class shares for the one, five and 10 year periods. The Fund’s past performance is not necessarily an indication of how the Fund will perform in the future. Updated performance information is available online at www.morganstanley.com/liquidity.

2


 

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Prospectus  |  Fund Summary

Prime Portfolio (Cont’d)

Annual Total Returns—Calendar Years

High Quarter

03/31/19

0.60%

Low Quarter

03/31/13

0.00%

Average Annual Total Returns

(for the Periods Ended December 31, 2019)

 

Past
One Year

Past
Five Years

Past
Ten Years

Prime Portfolio

2.08%

0.93%

0.47%

You may obtain the Fund’s 7-day current yield by calling 1-888-378-1630.

Fund Management

Adviser. Morgan Stanley Investment Management Inc.

Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares

Advisory Class shares of the Fund are available to investors who at the time of initial purchase make a minimum investment of $10 million. You may not be subject to the minimum investment requirement under certain circumstances. For more information, please refer to the section of this Prospectus entitled “Shareholder Information—Minimum Investment Amount.”

Shares of the Fund may be purchased or sold on any day the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) is open for business (except when the following federal holidays are observed: Columbus Day and Veterans Day) directly from the Fund by mail (c/o DST Asset Manager Solutions, Inc., P.O. Box 219804, Kansas City, MO 64121-9804), by telephone (1-888-378-1630) or by contacting an authorized third-party, such as a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary that has entered into a selling agreement with the Fund’s “Distributor,” Morgan Stanley Distribution, Inc. (each, a “Financial Intermediary”). You may purchase and redeem shares online through Morgan Stanley’s Treasury Investment Portal service at www.morganstanley.com/liquidity, provided you have a pre-established Internet trading account. For more information, please refer to the sections of this Prospectus entitled “Shareholder Information—How To Purchase Shares” and “Shareholder Information—How To Redeem Shares.”

Selected accounts that utilize the Fund as their sweep vehicle will be reviewed on each business day and shares will automatically be purchased or sold to cover any credits or debits incurred that day.

Tax Information

The Fund intends to make distributions that may be taxed as ordinary income or capital gains.

Payments to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries

If you purchase shares of the Fund through a Financial Intermediary (such as a bank), the Adviser and/or the Distributor may pay the Financial Intermediary for the sale of Fund shares and related services. These payments, which may be significant in amount, may create a conflict of interest by influencing the Financial Intermediary and your salesperson to recommend the Fund over another investment. Ask your salesperson or visit your Financial Intermediary’s web site for more information.

3


 

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Prospectus  |  Fund Summary

ESG Money Market Portfolio

Investment Objective

The ESG Money Market Portfolio (the “Fund”) seeks preservation of capital, daily liquidity and maximum current income.

Fees and Expenses

The table below describes the expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold Advisory Class shares of the Fund. The Fund does not charge any sales loads or other fees when you purchase or redeem shares.

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

 

Advisory Class

Advisory Fee

0.15%

Distribution and/or Shareholder Service (12b-1) Fee

None

Other Expenses

0.07%

Service and Shareholder Administration Fee1

0.25%

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses2

0.47%

Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement2

0.02%

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement2

0.45%

Example

The example below is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund’s Advisory Class with the cost of investing in other mutual funds.

The example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund’s Advisory Class, your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Fund’s operating expenses remain the same (except that the example incorporates the fee waiver and/or expense reimbursement 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

 

Advisory Class

$ 46

$ 149

$ 261

$ 590

 

1 Institutions or financial intermediaries may charge other fees directly to their customers who are beneficial owners of Advisory Class shares in connection with their customers’ accounts.
2 The Fund’s “Adviser” and “Administrator,” Morgan Stanley Investment Management Inc., has agreed to reduce its advisory fee, its administration fee and/or reimburse the Fund’s Advisory Class so that Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses, excluding certain investment related expenses, taxes, interest and other extraordinary expenses (including litigation), will not exceed 0.45%. The fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements will continue for at least one year or until such time as the Board of Trustees of Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds (the “Trust”) acts to discontinue all or a portion of such waivers and/or reimbursements when it deems such action is appropriate.

Principal Investment Strategies

The Fund invests in liquid, high quality U.S. dollar-denominated money market instruments of U.S. and foreign financial and non-financial corporations. The Fund also invests in obligations of foreign governments and in obligations issued or guaranteed by the U.S. Government and its agencies and instrumentalities. The Fund’s money market investments may include commercial paper, corporate debt obligations, debt obligations (including certificates of deposit and promissory notes) of U.S. banks or foreign banks, or of U.S. branches or subsidiaries of foreign banks, or foreign branches of U.S. banks (such as Yankee obligations), certificates of deposit of savings banks and savings and loan organizations, asset-backed securities, repurchase agreements and municipal obligations.

The Fund may also invest in U.S. dollar-denominated foreign securities and money market instruments.

The Adviser believes that environmental, social and governance (“ESG”) factors have the ability to impact the fundamental credit risk of an entity. The Fund’s investment process incorporates information about ESG issues via an integrated approach within the Adviser’s fundamental investment analysis framework. The Adviser may engage with management of certain issuers regarding corporate governance practices as well as what the Adviser deems to be materially important environmental and/or social issues facing a company.

The Adviser has proprietary ESG-scoring methodologies that explicitly consider the risks and opportunities ESG factors pose to money market instruments. By combining third-party ESG data with proprietary views, the Adviser creates unique scoring methodologies that it applies to issuers.

4


 

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Prospectus  |  Fund Summary

ESG Money Market Portfolio (Cont’d)

During the security selection process, the Adviser employs a rules-based process to construct the portfolio. Initially, the Adviser determines from the universe of money market fund-eligible issuers those which, in its opinion, have the lowest credit risk and/or best credit profile, excluding the following:

 

Corporations that generate revenue from the manufacturing or production of tobacco;

 

Corporations that generate revenue from the manufacturing or production of landmines and cluster munitions (i.e., an explosive weapon that randomly scatters submunitions);

 

Corporations that generate revenue from the manufacturing or production of firearms;

 

Corporations that generate revenue from the mining of thermal coal or coal fired power generation; and

 

Corporations that primarily generate revenue from the fossil fuel industries, which the Adviser has determined produce a certain level of carbon emissions.
 

The Fund may invest in green commercial paper (a security that is typically issued to raise capital specifically to support climate-related or environmental projects) issued by companies that would otherwise be subject to fossil fuel exclusions so long as the Adviser has determined that the proceeds will not be used to finance fossil fuel generation capabilities.

In analyzing whether an issuer meets any of the criteria described above, the Adviser may rely upon, among other things, information provided by an independent third party.

After applying the above exclusion screens, the Adviser calculates proprietary ESG scores for the remaining issuers based on a number of variables, such as environmental, social, governance, controversy and ESG momentum factors. The Adviser then sets minimum ESG score thresholds. Only issuers with an ESG score above a minimum threshold will be considered for investment by the Fund, thus eliminating those issuers with the lowest ESG performance. The Adviser’s minimum ESG score thresholds may be adjusted from time to time, provided that a subset of issuers are always excluded by ESG factors.

From the final list of ESG-approved issuers, the Adviser determines the securities and issuers in which the Fund will invest, taking into account a variety of relevant considerations (including, without limitation, yield, interest rate changes, credit quality and duration).

Under normal circumstances, the Fund will invest 100% of its net assets (excluding cash) in securities whose issuer or guarantor, in the Adviser’s opinion at the time of purchase, meets the Fund’s ESG criteria.

The Fund operates as an “institutional money market fund,” which is neither a “government money market fund” nor “retail money market fund” as such terms are defined or interpreted under Rule 2a-7 under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (“Rule 2a-7” under the “1940 Act”). As such, the Fund is required to price and transact in its shares at a net asset value per share (“NAV”) reflecting market-based values of its portfolio holdings (i.e., at a “floating” NAV), rounded to a minimum of the fourth decimal place. Like other money market funds of its type, the Fund is subject to the possible imposition of liquidity fees and/or redemption gates.

Principal Risks

There is no assurance that the Fund will achieve its investment objective.

You could lose money by investing in the Fund. Because the share price of the Fund will fluctuate, when you sell your shares they may be worth more or less than what you originally paid for them. The Fund may impose a fee upon the sale of your shares or may temporarily suspend your ability to sell shares if the Fund’s liquidity falls below required minimums because of market conditions or other factors. An investment in the Fund is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (“FDIC”) or any other government agency. The Fund’s sponsor has no legal obligation to provide financial support to the Fund, and you should not expect that the sponsor will provide financial support to the Fund at any time.

The principal risks of investing in the Fund include:

 

Credit and Interest Rate Risk. Credit risk refers to the possibility that the issuer or guarantor of a security will be unable to make interest payments and/or repay the principal on its debt. Interest rate risk refers to fluctuations in the value of a fixed-income security resulting from changes in the general level of interest rates. When the general level of interest rates goes up, the prices of most fixed-income securities go down. When the general level of interest rates goes down, the prices of most fixed-income securities go up. The Fund may face a heightened level of interest rate risk in times of monetary policy change and uncertainty, such as when the Federal Reserve Board ends a quantitative easing program and/or raises rates. A rising interest rate environment increases certain risks, including the potential for periods of volatility, increased redemptions and extended durations (i.e., extension risk).
 

5


 

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Prospectus | Fund Summary

ESG Money Market Portfolio (Cont’d)

 

Bank Obligations. The activities of U.S. and most foreign banks are subject to comprehensive regulations. The enactment of new legislation or regulations, as well as changes in interpretation and enforcement of current laws, may affect the manner of operations and profitability of domestic and foreign banks. In addition, banks may be particularly susceptible to certain economic factors.

 

Fixed-Income Securities. Fixed-income securities are subject to the risk of the issuer’s inability to meet principal and interest payments on its obligations (i.e., credit risk) and are subject to price volatility resulting from, among other things, interest rate sensitivity (i.e., interest rate risk), market perception of the creditworthiness of the issuer and general market liquidity (i.e., market risk). The Fund may face a heightened level of interest rate risk in times of monetary policy change and uncertainty, such as when the Federal Reserve Board ends a quantitative easing program and/or raises rates.

 

U.S. Government Securities. The U.S. government securities in which the Fund invests can be subject to two types of risk: credit risk and interest rate risk. When the general level of interest rates goes up, the prices of most fixed-income securities go down. When the general level of interest rates goes down, the prices of most fixed-income securities go up. While the credit risk associated with U.S. government securities generally is considered to be minimal, the interest rate risk can be substantial. With respect to U.S. government securities that are not backed by the full faith and credit of the United States, there is the risk that the U.S. Government will not provide financial support to such U.S. government agencies, instrumentalities or sponsored enterprises if it is not obligated to do so by law.

 

Asset-Backed Securities. Asset-backed securities involve the risk that various federal and state consumer laws and other legal and economic factors may result in the collateral backing the securities being insufficient to support payment on the securities. Some asset-backed securities also entail prepayment risk and extension risk, which may vary depending on the type of asset.

 

Repurchase Agreements. Repurchase agreements are subject to risks associated with the possibility of default by the seller at a time when the collateral has declined in value, or insolvency of the seller, which may affect the Fund’s right to control the collateral and result in certain costs and delays. Repurchase agreements may involve a greater degree of credit risk than investments in U.S. government securities.

 

Foreign Money Market Securities. Investing in money market securities of foreign issuers involves some additional risks, including the possibility of adverse political, economic or other developments affecting the issuers of these securities.

 

Municipal Obligations. To the extent the Fund invests in municipal obligations issued by state and local governments and their agencies, the Fund may be susceptible to political, economic, regulatory or other factors affecting issuers of these municipal obligations. To the extent that the Fund invests in municipal obligations of issuers in the same economic sector, it could be more sensitive to economic, business or political developments that affect such sector.

 

ESG Investment Risk. The Fund’s adherence to its ESG criteria and application of related analyses when selecting investments may affect the Fund’s performance depending on whether such investments are in or out of favor and relative to similar funds that do not adhere to such criteria or apply such analyses. Socially responsible norms differ by country and region, and a company’s ESG practices or the Adviser’s assessment of such may change over time. The Fund may invest in companies that do not reflect the beliefs and values of any particular investor. Additionally, the Fund’s adherence to its ESG criteria and application of related analyses in connection with identifying and selecting investments in non-U.S. issuers often require subjective analysis and may be relatively more difficult than applying the ESG criteria or related analyses to investments of U.S. issuers because data availability may be more limited with respect to non-U.S. issuers. The exclusionary criteria related to the Fund’s ESG criteria may result in the Fund forgoing opportunities to buy certain securities when it might otherwise be advantageous to do so, or selling securities for ESG reasons when it might be otherwise disadvantageous for it to do so. The Fund’s investments in certain companies may be susceptible to various factors that may impact their businesses or operations, including costs associated with government budgetary constraints that impact publicly funded projects and clean energy initiatives, the effects of general economic conditions throughout the world, increased competition from other providers of services, unfavorable tax laws or accounting policies and high leverage.
 

Performance Information

The bar chart and table below provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by showing changes in the performance of the Fund’s Advisory Class shares from year-to-year and by showing the average annual returns of the Fund’s Advisory Class shares for the one, five and 10 year periods. The Fund’s past performance is not necessarily an indication of how the Fund will perform in the future. Updated performance information is available online at www.morganstanley.com/liquidity.

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Prospectus  |  Fund Summary

ESG Money Market Portfolio (Cont’d)

Annual Total Returns—Calendar Years

High Quarter

03/31/19

0.60%

Low Quarter

06/30/12

0.00%

Average Annual Total Returns

(for the Periods Ended December 31, 2019)

 

Past
One Year

Past
Five Years

Past
Ten Years

ESG Money Market Portfolio

2.10%

1.01%

0.51%

You may obtain the Fund’s 7-day current yield by calling 1-888-378-1630.

Fund Management

Adviser. Morgan Stanley Investment Management Inc.

Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares

Advisory Class shares of the Fund are available to investors who at the time of initial purchase make a minimum purchase of $10 million. You may not be subject to these minimum investment requirement under certain circumstances. For more information, please refer to the section of this Prospectus entitled “Shareholder Information—Minimum Investment Amount.”

Shares of the Fund may be purchased or sold on any day the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) is open for business (except when the following federal holidays are observed: Columbus Day and Veterans Day) directly from the Fund by mail (c/o DST Asset Manager Solutions, Inc., P.O. Box 219804, Kansas City, MO 64121-9804), by telephone (1-888-378-1630) or by contacting an authorized third-party, such as a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary that has entered into a selling agreement with the Fund’s “Distributor,” Morgan Stanley Distribution, Inc. (each, a “Financial Intermediary”). You may purchase and redeem shares online through Morgan Stanley’s Treasury Investment Portal service at www.morganstanley.com/liquidity, provided you have a pre-established Internet trading account. For more information, please refer to the sections of this Prospectus entitled “Shareholder Information—How To Purchase Shares” and “Shareholder Information—How To Redeem Shares.”

Selected accounts that utilize the Fund as their sweep vehicle will be reviewed on each business day and shares will automatically be purchased or sold to cover any credits or debits incurred that day.

Tax Information

The Fund intends to make distributions that may be taxed as ordinary income or capital gains.

Payments to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries

If you purchase shares of the Fund through a Financial Intermediary (such as a bank), the Adviser and/or the Distributor may pay the Financial Intermediary for the sale of Fund shares and related services. These payments, which may be significant in amount, may create a conflict of interest by influencing the Financial Intermediary and your salesperson to recommend the Fund over another investment. Ask your salesperson or visit your Financial Intermediary’s web site for more information.

7


 

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Prospectus  |  Fund Summary

Government Portfolio

Investment Objective

The Government Portfolio (the “Fund”) seeks preservation of capital, daily liquidity and maximum current income.

Fees and Expenses

The table below describes the expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold Advisory Class shares of the Fund. The Fund does not charge any sales loads or other fees when you purchase or redeem shares.

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

 

Advisory Class

Advisory Fee

0.15%

Distribution and/or Shareholder Service (12b-1) Fee

None

Other Expenses

0.06%

Service and Shareholder Administration Fee1

0.25%

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses2

0.46%

Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement2

0.01%

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement2

0.45%

Example

The example below is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund’s Advisory Class with the cost of investing in other mutual funds.

The example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund’s Advisory Class, your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Fund’s operating expenses remain the same (except that the example incorporates the fee waiver and/or expense reimbursement 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

 

Advisory Class

$ 46

$ 147

$ 257

$ 578

 

1 Institutions or financial intermediaries may charge other fees directly to their customers who are beneficial owners of Advisory Class shares in connection with their customers’ accounts.
2 The Fund’s “Adviser” and “Administrator,” Morgan Stanley Investment Management Inc., has agreed to reduce its advisory fee, its administration fee and/or reimburse the Fund’s Advisory Class so that Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses, excluding certain investment related expenses, taxes, interest and other extraordinary expenses (including litigation), will not exceed 0.45%. The fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements will continue for at least one year or until such time as the Board of Trustees of Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds (the “Trust”) acts to discontinue all or a portion of such waivers and/or reimbursements when it deems such action is appropriate.

Principal Investment Strategies

The Fund has adopted a policy to invest exclusively in obligations issued or guaranteed by the U.S. Government and its agencies and instrumentalities and in repurchase agreements collateralized by such securities in order to qualify as a “government money market fund” under federal regulations. The Fund may also hold cash from time to time. A “government money market fund” is a money market fund that invests at least 99.5% of its total assets in cash, securities issued or guaranteed by the United States or certain U.S. government agencies or instrumentalities and/or repurchase agreements that are collateralized fully by the foregoing. A “government money market fund” is exempt from requirements that permit money market funds to impose a “liquidity fee” and/or a “redemption gate” that temporarily restricts redemptions. In selecting investments, the Adviser seeks to maintain the Fund’s share price at $1.00. The share price remaining stable at $1.00 means that the Fund would preserve the principal value of your investment.

Principal Risks

There is no assurance that the Fund will achieve its investment objective.

You could lose money by investing in the Fund. Although the Fund seeks to preserve the value of your investment at $1.00 per share, it cannot guarantee it will do so. An investment in the Fund is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (“FDIC”) or any other government agency. The Fund’s sponsor has no legal obligation to provide financial support to the Fund, and you should not expect that the sponsor will provide financial support to the Fund at any time.

The principal risks of investing in the Fund include:

 

Credit and Interest Rate Risk. Credit risk refers to the possibility that the issuer or guarantor of a security will be unable to make interest payments and/or repay the principal on its debt. Interest rate risk refers to fluctuations in the value of a fixed-income security resulting from changes in the general level of interest rates. When the general level of interest rates goes up, the prices of
 

8


 

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Prospectus  |  Fund Summary

Government Portfolio (Cont’d)

 

most fixed-income securities go down. When the general level of interest rates goes down, the prices of most fixed-income securities go up. The Fund may face a heightened level of interest rate risk in times of monetary policy change and uncertainty, such as when the Federal Reserve Board ends a quantitative easing program and/or raises rates. A rising interest rate environment increases certain risks, including the potential for periods of volatility, increased redemptions and extended durations (i.e., extension risk).

 

Fixed-Income Securities. Fixed-income securities are subject to the risk of the issuer’s inability to meet principal and interest payments on its obligations (i.e., credit risk) and are subject to price volatility resulting from, among other things, interest rate sensitivity (i.e., interest rate risk), market perception of the creditworthiness of the issuer and general market liquidity (i.e., market risk). The Fund may face a heightened level of interest rate risk in times of monetary policy change and uncertainty, such as when the Federal Reserve Board ends a quantitative easing program and/or raises rates.

 

U.S. Government Securities. The U.S. government securities in which the Fund invests can be subject to two types of risk: credit risk and interest rate risk. When the general level of interest rates goes up, the prices of most fixed-income securities go down. When the general level of interest rates goes down, the prices of most fixed-income securities go up. While the credit risk associated with U.S. government securities generally is considered to be minimal, the interest rate risk can be substantial. With respect to U.S. government securities that are not backed by the full faith and credit of the United States, there is the risk that the U.S. Government will not provide financial support to such U.S. government agencies, instrumentalities or sponsored enterprises if it is not obligated to do so by law.

 

Repurchase Agreements. Repurchase agreements are subject to risks associated with the possibility of default by the seller at a time when the collateral has declined in value, or insolvency of the seller, which may affect the Fund’s right to control the collateral and result in certain costs and delays. Repurchase agreements may involve a greater degree of credit risk than investments in U.S. government securities.
 

Performance Information

The bar chart and table below provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by showing changes in the performance of the Fund’s Advisory Class shares from year-to-year and by showing the average annual returns of the Fund’s Advisory Class shares for the one, five and 10 year periods. The Fund’s past performance is not necessarily an indication of how the Fund will perform in the future. Updated performance information is available online at www.morganstanley.com/liquidity.

Annual Total Returns—Calendar Years

High Quarter

06/30/19

0.51%

Low Quarter

06/30/10

0.00%

Average Annual Total Returns

(for the Periods Ended December 31, 2019)

 

Past
One Year

Past
Five Years

Past
Ten Years

Government Portfolio

1.85%

0.78%

0.41%

You may obtain the Fund’s 7-day current yield by calling 1-888-378-1630.

Fund Management

Adviser. Morgan Stanley Investment Management Inc.

9


 

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Prospectus | Fund Summary

Government Portfolio (Cont’d)

Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares

Advisory Class shares of the Fund are available to investors who at the time of initial purchase make a minimum investment of $10 million. You may not be subject to the minimum investment requirement under certain circumstances. For more information, please refer to the section of this Prospectus entitled “Shareholder Information—Minimum Investment Amount.”

Shares of the Fund may be purchased or sold on any day the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) is open for business (except when the following federal holidays are observed: Columbus Day and Veterans Day) directly from the Fund by mail (c/o DST Asset Manager Solutions, Inc., P.O. Box 219804, Kansas City, MO 64121-9804), by telephone (1-888-378-1630) or by contacting an authorized third-party, such as a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary that has entered into a selling agreement with the Fund’s “Distributor,” Morgan Stanley Distribution, Inc. (each, a “Financial Intermediary”). You may purchase and redeem shares online through Morgan Stanley’s Treasury Investment Portal service at www.morganstanley.com/liquidity, provided you have a pre-established Internet trading account. For more information, please refer to the sections of this Prospectus entitled “Shareholder Information—How To Purchase Shares” and “Shareholder Information—How To Redeem Shares.”

Selected accounts that utilize the Fund as their sweep vehicle will be reviewed on each business day and shares will automatically be purchased or sold to cover any credits or debits incurred that day.

Tax Information

The Fund intends to make distributions that may be taxed as ordinary income or capital gains.

Payments to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries

If you purchase shares of the Fund through a Financial Intermediary (such as a bank), the Adviser and/or the Distributor may pay the Financial Intermediary for the sale of Fund shares and related services. These payments, which may be significant in amount, may create a conflict of interest by influencing the Financial Intermediary and your salesperson to recommend the Fund over another investment. Ask your salesperson or visit your Financial Intermediary’s web site for more information.

10


 

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Prospectus  |  Fund Summary

Government Securities Portfolio

Investment Objective

The Government Securities Portfolio (the “Fund”) seeks preservation of capital, daily liquidity and maximum current income.

Fees and Expenses

The table below describes the expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold Advisory Class shares of the Fund. The Fund does not charge any sales loads or other fees when you purchase or redeem shares.

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

 

Advisory Class

Advisory Fee

0.15%

Distribution and/or Shareholder Service (12b-1) Fee

None

Other Expenses

0.08%

Service and Shareholder Administration Fee1

0.25%

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses2

0.48%

Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement2

0.03%

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement2

0.45%

Example

The example below is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund’s Advisory Class with the cost of investing in other mutual funds.

The example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund’s Advisory Class, your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Fund’s operating expenses remain the same (except that the example incorporates the fee waiver and/or expense reimbursement 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

 

Advisory Class

$ 46

$ 151

$ 266

$ 601

 

1 Institutions or financial intermediaries may charge other fees directly to their customers who are beneficial owners of Advisory Class shares in connection with their customers’ accounts.
2 The Fund’s “Adviser” and “Administrator,” Morgan Stanley Investment Management Inc., has agreed to reduce its advisory fee, its administration fee and/or reimburse the Fund’s Advisory Class so that Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses, excluding certain investment related expenses, taxes, interest and other extraordinary expenses (including litigation), will not exceed 0.45%. The fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements will continue for at least one year or until such time as the Board of Trustees of Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds (the “Trust”) acts to discontinue all or a portion of such waivers and/or reimbursements when it deems such action is appropriate.

Principal Investment Strategies

The Fund has adopted a policy to invest substantially all of its assets in U.S. Treasury obligations and certain U.S. government securities, the interest from which is generally exempt from state income taxation, in order to qualify as a “government money market fund” under federal regulations. The Fund may also hold cash from time to time. A “government money market fund” is a money market fund that invests at least 99.5% of its total assets in cash, securities issued or guaranteed by the United States or certain U.S. government agencies or instrumentalities and/or repurchase agreements that are collateralized fully by the foregoing. A “government money market fund” is exempt from requirements that permit money market funds to impose a “liquidity fee” and/or a “redemption gate” that temporarily restricts redemptions. In selecting investments, the Adviser seeks to maintain the Fund’s share price at $1.00. The share price remaining stable at $1.00 means that the Fund would preserve the principal value of your investment. The U.S. government securities that the Fund may purchase include those issued or guaranteed either by the U.S. Treasury or certain agencies, authorities or instrumentalities of the U.S. Government. The Fund may also invest in repurchase agreements with the Federal Reserve Bank of New York.

Principal Risks

There is no assurance that the Fund will achieve its investment objective.

You could lose money by investing in the Fund. Although the Fund seeks to preserve the value of your investment at $1.00 per share, it cannot guarantee it will do so. An investment in the Fund is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (“FDIC”) or any other government agency. The Fund’s sponsor has no legal obligation to provide financial support to the Fund, and you should not expect that the sponsor will provide financial support to the Fund at any time.

The principal risks of investing in the Fund include:

11


 

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Prospectus | Fund Summary

Government Securities Portfolio (Cont’d)

 

Credit and Interest Rate Risk. Credit risk refers to the possibility that the issuer or guarantor of a security will be unable to make interest payments and/or repay the principal on its debt. Interest rate risk refers to fluctuations in the value of a fixed-income security resulting from changes in the general level of interest rates. When the general level of interest rates goes up, the prices of most fixed-income securities go down. When the general level of interest rates goes down, the prices of most fixed-income securities go up. The Fund may face a heightened level of interest rate risk in times of monetary policy change and uncertainty, such as when the Federal Reserve Board ends a quantitative easing program and/or raises rates. A rising interest rate environment increases certain risks, including the potential for periods of volatility, increased redemptions and extended durations (i.e., extension risk).

 

Fixed-Income Securities. Fixed-income securities are subject to the risk of the issuer’s inability to meet principal and interest payments on its obligations (i.e., credit risk) and are subject to price volatility resulting from, among other things, interest rate sensitivity (i.e., interest rate risk), market perception of the creditworthiness of the issuer and general market liquidity (i.e., market risk). The Fund may face a heightened level of interest rate risk in times of monetary policy change and uncertainty, such as when the Federal Reserve Board ends a quantitative easing program and/or raises rates.

 

U.S. Government Securities. The U.S. government securities in which the Fund invests can be subject to two types of risk: credit risk and interest rate risk. When the general level of interest rates goes up, the prices of most fixed-income securities go down. When the general level of interest rates goes down, the prices of most fixed-income securities go up. While the credit risk associated with U.S. government securities generally is considered to be minimal, the interest rate risk can be substantial. With respect to U.S. government securities that are not backed by the full faith and credit of the United States, there is the risk that the U.S. Government will not provide financial support to such U.S. government agencies, instrumentalities or sponsored enterprises if it is not obligated to do so by law.
 

Performance Information

The bar chart and table below provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by showing changes in the performance of the Fund’s Advisory Class shares from year-to-year and by showing the average annual returns of the Fund’s Advisory Class shares for the one, five and 10 year periods. The Fund’s past performance is not necessarily an indication of how the Fund will perform in the future. Updated performance information is available online at www.morganstanley.com/liquidity.

Annual Total Returns—Calendar Years

High Quarter

06/30/19

0.50%

Low Quarter

03/31/16

0.00%

Average Annual Total Returns

(for the Periods Ended December 31, 2019)

 

Past
One Year

Past Five
Years

Past
Ten Years

Government Securities Portfolio

1.79%

0.73%

0.37%

You may obtain the Fund’s 7-day current yield by calling 1-888-378-1630.

Fund Management

Adviser. Morgan Stanley Investment Management Inc.

12


 

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Prospectus  |  Fund Summary

Government Securities Portfolio (Cont’d)

Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares

Advisory Class shares of the Fund are available to investors who at the time of initial purchase make a minimum investment of $10 million. You may not be subject to the minimum investment requirement under certain circumstances. For more information, please refer to the section of this Prospectus entitled “Shareholder Information—Minimum Investment Amount.”

Shares of the Fund may be purchased or sold on any day the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) is open for business (except when the following federal holidays are observed: Columbus Day and Veterans Day) directly from the Fund by mail (c/o DST Asset Manager Solutions, Inc., P.O. Box 219804, Kansas City, MO 64121-9804), by telephone (1-888-378-1630) or by contacting an authorized third-party, such as a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary that has entered into a selling agreement with the Fund’s “Distributor,” Morgan Stanley Distribution, Inc. (each, a “Financial Intermediary”). You may purchase and redeem shares online through Morgan Stanley’s Treasury Investment Portal service at www.morganstanley.com/liquidity, provided you have a pre-established Internet trading account. For more information, please refer to the sections of this Prospectus entitled “Shareholder Information—How To Purchase Shares” and “Shareholder Information—How To Redeem Shares.”

Selected accounts that utilize the Fund as their sweep vehicle will be reviewed on each business day and shares will automatically be purchased or sold to cover any credits or debits incurred that day.

Tax Information

The Fund intends to make distributions that may be taxed as ordinary income or capital gains.

Payments to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries

If you purchase shares of the Fund through a Financial Intermediary (such as a bank), the Adviser and/or the Distributor may pay the Financial Intermediary for the sale of Fund shares and related services. These payments, which may be significant in amount, may create a conflict of interest by influencing the Financial Intermediary and your salesperson to recommend the Fund over another investment. Ask your salesperson or visit your Financial Intermediary’s web site for more information.

13


 

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Prospectus  |  Fund Summary

Treasury Portfolio

Investment Objective

The Treasury Portfolio (the “Fund”) seeks preservation of capital, daily liquidity and maximum current income.

Fees and Expenses

The table below describes the expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold Advisory Class shares of the Fund. The Fund does not charge any sales loads or other fees when you purchase or redeem shares.

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

 

Advisory Class

Advisory Fee

0.15%

Distribution and/or Shareholder Service (12b-1) Fee

None

Other Expenses

0.06%

Service and Shareholder Administration Fee1

0.25%

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses2

0.46%

Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement2

0.01%

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement2

0.45%

Example

The example below is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund’s Advisory Class with the cost of investing in other mutual funds.

The example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund’s Advisory Class, your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Fund’s operating expenses remain the same (except that the example incorporates the fee waiver and/or expense reimbursement 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

 

Advisory Class

$ 46

$ 147

$ 257

$ 578

 

1 Institutions or financial intermediaries may charge other fees directly to their customers who are beneficial owners of Advisory Class shares in connection with their customers’ accounts.
2 The Fund’s “Adviser” and “Administrator,” Morgan Stanley Investment Management Inc., has agreed to reduce its advisory fee, its administration fee and/or reimburse the Fund’s Advisory Class so that Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses, excluding certain investment related expenses, taxes, interest and other extraordinary expenses (including litigation), will not exceed 0.45%. The fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements will continue for at least one year or until such time as the Board of Trustees of Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds (the “Trust”) acts to discontinue all or a portion of such waivers and/or reimbursements when it deems such action is appropriate.

Principal Investment Strategies

The Fund has adopted a policy to invest exclusively in U.S. Treasury obligations, which are backed by the full faith and credit of the United States, and repurchase agreements collateralized by such securities in order to qualify as a “government money market fund” under federal regulations. The Fund may also hold cash from time to time. A “government money market fund” is a money market fund that invests at least 99.5% of its total assets in cash, securities issued or guaranteed by the United States or certain U.S. government agencies or instrumentalities and/or repurchase agreements that are collateralized fully by the foregoing. A “government money market fund” is exempt from requirements that permit money market funds to impose a “liquidity fee” and/or a “redemption gate” that temporarily restricts redemptions. In selecting investments, the Adviser seeks to maintain the Fund’s share price at $1.00. The share price remaining stable at $1.00 means that the Fund would preserve the principal value of your investment.

Principal Risks

There is no assurance that the Fund will achieve its investment objective.

You could lose money by investing in the Fund. Although the Fund seeks to preserve the value of your investment at $1.00 per share, it cannot guarantee it will do so. An investment in the Fund is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (“FDIC”) or any other government agency. The Fund’s sponsor has no legal obligation to provide financial support to the Fund, and you should not expect that the sponsor will provide financial support to the Fund at any time.

The principal risks of investing in the Fund include:

 

Credit and Interest Rate Risk. Credit risk refers to the possibility that the issuer or guarantor of a security will be unable to make interest payments and/or repay the principal on its debt. Interest rate risk refers to fluctuations in the value of a fixed-income security resulting from changes in the general level of interest rates. When the general level of interest rates goes up, the prices of
 

14


 

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Prospectus  |  Fund Summary

Treasury Portfolio (Cont’d)

 

most fixed-income securities go down. When the general level of interest rates goes down, the prices of most fixed-income securities go up. The Fund may face a heightened level of interest rate risk in times of monetary policy change and uncertainty, such as when the Federal Reserve Board ends a quantitative easing program and/or raises rates. A rising interest rate environment increases certain risks, including the potential for periods of volatility, increased redemptions and extended durations (i.e., extension risk).

 

Fixed-Income Securities. Fixed-income securities are subject to the risk of the issuer’s inability to meet principal and interest payments on its obligations (i.e., credit risk) and are subject to price volatility resulting from, among other things, interest rate sensitivity (i.e., interest rate risk), market perception of the creditworthiness of the issuer and general market liquidity (i.e., market risk). The Fund may face a heightened level of interest rate risk in times of monetary policy change and uncertainty, such as when the Federal Reserve Board ends a quantitative easing program and/or raises rates.

 

U.S. Government Securities. The U.S. government securities in which the Fund invests can be subject to two types of risk: credit risk and interest rate risk. When the general level of interest rates goes up, the prices of most fixed-income securities go down. When the general level of interest rates goes down, the prices of most fixed-income securities go up. While the credit risk associated with U.S. government securities generally is considered to be minimal, the interest rate risk can be substantial.

 

Repurchase Agreements. Repurchase agreements are subject to risks associated with the possibility of default by the seller at a time when the collateral has declined in value, or insolvency of the seller, which may affect the Fund’s right to control the collateral and result in certain costs and delays. Repurchase agreements may involve a greater degree of credit risk than investments in U.S. government securities.
 

Performance Information

The bar chart and table below provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by showing changes in the performance of the Fund’s Advisory Class shares from year-to-year and by showing the average annual returns of the Fund’s Advisory Class shares for the one, five and 10 year periods. The Fund’s past performance is not necessarily an indication of how the Fund will perform in the future. Updated performance information is available online at www.morganstanley.com/liquidity.

Annual Total Returns—Calendar Years

High Quarter

03/31/19

0.50%

Low Quarter

03/31/16

0.00%

Average Annual Total Returns

(for the Periods Ended December 31, 2019)

 

Past
One Year

Past Five
Years

Past
Ten Years

Treasury Portfolio

1.81%

0.77%

0.39%

You may obtain the Fund’s 7-day current yield by calling 1-888-378-1630.

Fund Management

Adviser. Morgan Stanley Investment Management Inc.

Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares

Advisory Class shares of the Fund are available to investors who at the time of initial purchase make a minimum investment of $10 million. You may not be subject to the minimum investment requirement under certain circumstances. For more information, please refer to the section of this Prospectus entitled “Shareholder Information—Minimum Investment Amount.”

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Prospectus | Fund Summary

Treasury Portfolio (Cont’d)

Shares of the Fund may be purchased or sold on any day the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) is open for business (except when the following federal holidays are observed: Columbus Day and Veterans Day) directly from the Fund by mail (c/o DST Asset Manager Solutions, Inc., P.O. Box 219804, Kansas City, MO 64121-9804), by telephone (1-888-378-1630) or by contacting an authorized third-party, such as a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary that has entered into a selling agreement with the Fund’s “Distributor,” Morgan Stanley Distribution, Inc. (each, a “Financial Intermediary”). You may purchase and redeem shares online through Morgan Stanley’s Treasury Investment Portal service at www.morganstanley.com/liquidity, provided you have a pre-established Internet trading account. For more information, please refer to the sections of this Prospectus entitled “Shareholder Information—How To Purchase Shares” and “Shareholder Information—How To Redeem Shares.”

Selected accounts that utilize the Fund as their sweep vehicle will be reviewed on each business day and shares will automatically be purchased or sold to cover any credits or debits incurred that day.

Tax Information

The Fund intends to make distributions that may be taxed as ordinary income or capital gains.

Payments to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries

If you purchase shares of the Fund through a Financial Intermediary (such as a bank), the Adviser and/or the Distributor may pay the Financial Intermediary for the sale of Fund shares and related services. These payments, which may be significant in amount, may create a conflict of interest by influencing the Financial Intermediary and your salesperson to recommend the Fund over another investment. Ask your salesperson or visit your Financial Intermediary’s web site for more information.

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Prospectus  |  Fund Summary

Treasury Securities Portfolio

Investment Objective

The Treasury Securities Portfolio (the “Fund”) seeks preservation of capital, daily liquidity and maximum current income.

Fees and Expenses

The table below describes the expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold Advisory Class shares of the Fund. The Fund does not charge any sales loads or other fees when you purchase or redeem shares.

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

 

Advisory Class

Advisory Fee

0.15%

Distribution and/or Shareholder Service (12b-1) Fee

None

Other Expenses

0.06%

Service and Shareholder Administration Fee1

0.25%

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses2

0.46%

Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement2

0.01%

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement2

0.45%

Example

The example below is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund’s Advisory Class with the cost of investing in other mutual funds.

The example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund’s Advisory Class, your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Fund’s operating expenses remain the same (except that the example incorporates the fee waiver and/or expense reimbursement 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

 

Advisory Class

$ 46

$ 147

$ 257

$ 578

 

1 Institutions or financial intermediaries may charge other fees directly to their customers who are beneficial owners of Advisory Class shares in connection with their customers’ accounts.
2 The Fund’s “Adviser” and “Administrator,” Morgan Stanley Investment Management Inc., has agreed to reduce its advisory fee, its administration fee and/or reimburse the Fund’s Advisory Class so that Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses, excluding certain investment related expenses, taxes, interest and other extraordinary expenses (including litigation), will not exceed 0.45%. The fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements will continue for at least one year or until such time as the Board of Trustees of Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds (the “Trust”) acts to discontinue all or a portion of such waivers and/or reimbursements when it deems such action is appropriate.

Principal Investment Strategies

The Fund has adopted a policy to invest exclusively in U.S. Treasury obligations, which are backed by the full faith and credit of the United States, in order to qualify as a “government money market fund” under federal regulations. The Fund may also hold cash from time to time. A “government money market fund” is a money market fund that invests at least 99.5% of its total assets in cash, securities issued or guaranteed by the United States or certain U.S. government agencies or instrumentalities and/or repurchase agreements that are collateralized fully by the foregoing. A “government money market fund” is exempt from requirements that permit money market funds to impose a “liquidity fee” and/or a “redemption gate” that temporarily restricts redemptions. In selecting investments, the Adviser seeks to maintain the Fund’s share price at $1.00. The share price remaining stable at $1.00 means that the Fund would preserve its principal value of your investment.

Principal Risks

There is no assurance that the Fund will achieve its investment objective.

You could lose money by investing in the Fund. Although the Fund seeks to preserve the value of your investment at $1.00 per share, it cannot guarantee it will do so. An investment in the Fund is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (“FDIC”) or any other government agency. The Fund’s sponsor has no legal obligation to provide financial support to the Fund, and you should not expect that the sponsor will provide financial support to the Fund at any time.

The principal risks of investing in the Fund include:

 

Credit and Interest Rate Risk. Credit risk refers to the possibility that the issuer or guarantor of a security will be unable to make interest payments and/or repay the principal on its debt. Interest rate risk refers to fluctuations in the value of a fixed-income security resulting from changes in the general level of interest rates. When the general level of interest rates goes up, the prices of
 

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Prospectus | Fund Summary

Treasury Securities Portfolio (Cont’d)

 

most fixed-income securities go down. When the general level of interest rates goes down, the prices of most fixed-income securities go up. The Fund may face a heightened level of interest rate risk in times of monetary policy change and uncertainty, such as when the Federal Reserve Board ends a quantitative easing program and/or raises rates. A rising interest rate environment increases certain risks, including the potential for periods of volatility, increased redemptions and extended durations (i.e., extension risk).

 

Fixed-Income Securities. Fixed-income securities are subject to the risk of the issuer’s inability to meet principal and interest payments on its obligations (i.e., credit risk) and are subject to price volatility resulting from, among other things, interest rate sensitivity (i.e., interest rate risk), market perception of the creditworthiness of the issuer and general market liquidity (i.e., market risk). The Fund may face a heightened level of interest rate risk in times of monetary policy change and uncertainty, such as when the Federal Reserve Board ends a quantitative easing program and/or raises rates.

 

U.S. Government Securities. The U.S. government securities in which the Fund invests can be subject to two types of risk: credit risk and interest rate risk. When the general level of interest rates goes up, the prices of most fixed-income securities go down. When the general level of interest rates goes down, the prices of most fixed-income securities go up. While the credit risk associated with U.S. government securities generally is considered to be minimal, the interest rate risk can be substantial.
 

Performance Information

The bar chart and table below provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by showing changes in the performance of the Fund’s Advisory Class shares from year-to-year and by showing the average annual returns of the Fund’s Advisory Class shares for the one, five and 10 year periods. The Fund’s past performance is not necessarily an indication of how the Fund will perform in the future. Updated performance information is available online at www.morganstanley.com/liquidity.

Annual Total Returns—Calendar Years

High Quarter

06/30/19

0.49%

Low Quarter

03/31/14

0.00%

Average Annual Total Returns

(for the Periods Ended December 31, 2019)

 

Past
One Year

Past Five
Years

Past
Ten Years

Treasury Securities Portfolio

1.77%

0.74%

0.37%

You may obtain the Fund’s 7-day current yield by calling 1-888-378-1630.

Fund Management

Adviser. Morgan Stanley Investment Management Inc.

Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares

Advisory Class shares of the Fund are available to investors who at the time of initial purchase make a minimum investment of $10 million. You may not be subject to the minimum investment requirement under certain circumstances. For more information, please refer to the section of this Prospectus entitled “Shareholder Information—Minimum Investment Amount.”

Shares of the Fund may be purchased or sold on any day the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) is open for business (except when the following federal holidays are observed: Columbus Day and Veterans Day) directly from the Fund by mail (c/o DST Asset Manager Solutions, Inc., P.O. Box 219804, Kansas City, MO 64121-9804), by telephone (1-888-378-1630) or by contacting an authorized third-party, such as a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary that has entered into a selling agreement with the Fund’s “Distributor,” Morgan Stanley Distribution, Inc. (each, a “Financial Intermediary”). You may purchase and redeem shares

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Prospectus  |  Fund Summary

Treasury Securities Portfolio (Cont’d)

online through Morgan Stanley’s Treasury Investment Portal service at www.morganstanley.com/liquidity, provided you have a pre-established Internet trading account. For more information, please refer to the sections of this Prospectus entitled “Shareholder Information—How To Purchase Shares” and “Shareholder Information—How To Redeem Shares.”

Selected accounts that utilize the Fund as their sweep vehicle will be reviewed on each business day and shares will automatically be purchased or sold to cover any credits or debits incurred that day.

Tax Information

The Fund intends to make distributions that may be taxed as ordinary income or capital gains.

Payments to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries

If you purchase shares of the Fund through a Financial Intermediary (such as a bank), the Adviser and/or the Distributor may pay the Financial Intermediary for the sale of Fund shares and related services. These payments, which may be significant in amount, may create a conflict of interest by influencing the Financial Intermediary and your salesperson to recommend the Fund over another investment. Ask your salesperson or visit your Financial Intermediary’s web site for more information.

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Prospectus  |  Fund Summary

Tax-Exempt Portfolio

Investment Objective

The Tax-Exempt Portfolio (the “Fund”) seeks to maximize current income exempt from federal income tax to the extent consistent with preservation of capital and maintenance of liquidity.

Fees and Expenses

The table below describes the expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold Advisory Class shares of the Fund. The Fund does not charge any sales loads or other fees when you purchase or redeem shares.

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

 

Advisory Class

Advisory Fee

0.15%

Distribution and/or Shareholder Service (12b-1) Fee

None

Other Expenses

0.12%

Service and Shareholder Administration Fee1

0.25%

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses2

0.52%

Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement2

0.07%

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement2

0.45%

Example

The example below is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund’s Advisory Class with the cost of investing in other mutual funds.

The example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund’s Advisory Class, your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Fund’s operating expenses remain the same (except that the example incorporates the fee waiver and/or expense reimbursement 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

 

Advisory Class

$ 46

$ 160

$ 284

$ 646

 

1 Institutions or financial intermediaries may charge other fees directly to their customers who are beneficial owners of Advisory Class shares in connection with their customers’ accounts.
2 The Fund’s “Adviser” and “Administrator,” Morgan Stanley Investment Management Inc., has agreed to reduce its advisory fee, its administration fee and/or reimburse the Fund’s Advisory Class so that Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses, excluding certain investment related expenses, taxes, interest and other extraordinary expenses (including litigation), will not exceed 0.45%. The fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements will continue for at least one year or until such time as the Board of Trustees of Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds (the “Trust”) acts to discontinue all or a portion of such waivers and/or reimbursements when it deems such action is appropriate.

Principal Investment Strategies

The Fund invests at least 80% of its assets in high quality short-term municipal obligations, the interest of which is exempt from federal income taxes and is not subject to the federal alternative minimum tax. This policy is fundamental and may not be changed without shareholder approval. The Fund may also invest in variable and floating rate demand instruments, tender option bonds, custodial receipts and investments in other investment companies, including money market funds.

The Fund may invest up to 20% of its assets in taxable money market securities or in municipal obligations that pay interest income that may be subject to the alternative minimum tax; however, it is currently intended that the Fund will be managed so that income generated by the Fund will not be subject to the alternative minimum tax. In addition, the Fund may temporarily invest more than 20% of its assets in taxable money market securities for defensive purposes in attempting to respond to adverse market conditions.

The Fund operates as an “institutional money market fund,” which is neither a “government money market fund” nor “retail money market fund” as such terms are defined or interpreted under Rule 2a-7 under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (“Rule 2a-7” under the “1940 Act”). As such, the Fund is required to price and transact in its shares at a net asset value per share (“NAV”) reflecting market-based values of its portfolio holdings (i.e., at a “floating” NAV), rounded to a minimum of the fourth decimal place. Like other money market funds of its type, the Fund is subject to the possible imposition of liquidity fees and/or redemption gates.

Principal Risks

There is no assurance that the Fund will achieve its investment objective.

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Prospectus  |  Fund Summary

Tax-Exempt Portfolio (Cont’d)

You could lose money by investing in the Fund. Because the share price of the Fund will fluctuate, when you sell your shares they may be worth more or less than what you originally paid for them. The Fund may impose a fee upon the sale of your shares or may temporarily suspend your ability to sell shares if the Fund’s liquidity falls below required minimums because of market conditions or other factors. An investment in the Fund is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (“FDIC”) or any other government agency. The Fund’s sponsor has no legal obligation to provide financial support to the Fund, and you should not expect that the sponsor will provide financial support to the Fund at any time.

The principal risks of investing in the Fund include:

 

Credit and Interest Rate Risk. Credit risk refers to the possibility that the issuer or guarantor of a security will be unable to make interest payments and/or repay the principal on its debt. Interest rate risk refers to fluctuations in the value of a fixed-income security resulting from changes in the general level of interest rates. When the general level of interest rates goes up, the prices of most fixed-income securities go down. When the general level of interest rates goes down, the prices of most fixed-income securities go up. The Fund may face a heightened level of interest rate risk in times of monetary policy change and uncertainty, such as when the Federal Reserve Board ends a quantitative easing program and/or raises rates. A rising interest rate environment increases certain risks, including the potential for periods of volatility, increased redemptions and extended durations (i.e., extension risk).

 

Fixed-Income Securities. Fixed-income securities are subject to the risk of the issuer’s inability to meet principal and interest payments on its obligations (i.e., credit risk) and are subject to price volatility resulting from, among other things, interest rate sensitivity (i.e., interest rate risk), market perception of the creditworthiness of the issuer and general market liquidity (i.e., market risk). The Fund may face a heightened level of interest rate risk in times of monetary policy change and uncertainty, such as when the Federal Reserve Board ends a quantitative easing program and/or raises rates.

 

Municipal Obligations. To the extent the Fund invests in municipal obligations issued by state and local governments and their agencies, the Fund may be susceptible to political, economic, regulatory or other factors affecting issuers of these municipal obligations. To the extent that the Fund invests in municipal obligations of issuers in the same economic sector, it could be more sensitive to economic, business or political developments that affect such sector.
 

Performance Information

The bar chart and table below provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by showing changes in the performance of the Fund’s Advisory Class shares from year-to-year and by showing the average annual returns of the Fund’s Advisory Class shares for the one, five and 10 year periods. The Fund’s past performance is not necessarily an indication of how the Fund will perform in the future. Updated performance information is available online at www.morganstanley.com/liquidity.

Annual Total Returns—Calendar Years*

High Quarter

06/30/16

0.22%

Low Quarter

03/31/16

0.00%

Average Annual Total Returns*

(for the Periods Ended December 31, 2019)

 

Past
One Year

Past
Five Years

Past
Ten Years

Tax-Exempt Portfolio*

0.00%

0.06%

0.04%

* The Advisory Class was fully redeemed during the month of November 2016 and did not have investors for subsequent periods. Accordingly, the returns listed for each period in the bar chart and table are calculated using returns of 0.00% for periods after November 2016. The average annual returns of the Fund’s Institutional Class shares for the one, five and 10 year periods as of December 31, 2019 were 1.35%, 0.75% and 0.39%, respectively. The Advisory Class shares would have similar returns because the shares are invested in the same portfolio and would differ only to the extent that the classes do not have the same expenses.

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Prospectus | Fund Summary

Tax-Exempt Portfolio (Cont’d)

You may obtain the Fund’s 7-day current yield by calling 1-888-378-1630.

Fund Management

Adviser. Morgan Stanley Investment Management Inc.

Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares

Advisory Class shares of the Fund are available to investors who at the time of initial purchase make a minimum investment of $10 million. You may not be subject to the minimum investment requirement under certain circumstances. For more information, please refer to the section of this Prospectus entitled “Shareholder Information—Minimum Investment Amount.”

Shares of the Fund may be purchased or sold on any day the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) is open for business (except when the following federal holidays are observed: Columbus Day and Veterans Day) directly from the Fund by mail (c/o DST Asset Manager Solutions, Inc., P.O. Box 219804, Kansas City, MO 64121-9804), by telephone (1-888-378-1630) or by contacting an authorized third-party, such as a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary that has entered into a selling agreement with the Fund’s “Distributor,” Morgan Stanley Distribution, Inc. (each, a “Financial Intermediary”). You may purchase and redeem shares online through Morgan Stanley’s Treasury Investment Portal service at www.morganstanley.com/liquidity, provided you have a pre-established Internet trading account. For more information, please refer to the sections of this Prospectus entitled “Shareholder Information—How To Purchase Shares” and “Shareholder Information—How To Redeem Shares.”

Selected accounts that utilize the Fund as their sweep vehicle will be reviewed on each business day and shares will automatically be purchased or sold to cover any credits or debits incurred that day.

Tax Information

The Fund intends to make distributions that are generally not subject to federal income tax; however the Fund may distribute taxable dividends, including distributions of short-term capital gains, and long-term capital gains. In addition, interest on certain bonds may be subject to the federal alternative minimum tax. To the extent that the Fund’s distributions are derived from interest on bonds that are not exempt from applicable state and local taxes, such distributions will be subject to such state and local taxes.

Payments to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries

If you purchase shares of the Fund through a Financial Intermediary (such as a bank), the Adviser and/or the Distributor may pay the Financial Intermediary for the sale of Fund shares and related services. These payments, which may be significant in amount, may create a conflict of interest by influencing the Financial Intermediary and your salesperson to recommend the Fund over another investment. Ask your salesperson or visit your Financial Intermediary’s web site for more information.

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds  |  Details of the Funds

Prime Portfolio

Investment Objective

The Prime Portfolio seeks preservation of capital, daily liquidity and maximum current income.

Approach

The Fund invests in liquid, high quality U.S. dollar-denominated money market instruments of U.S. and foreign financial corporations and U.S. non-financial corporations. The Fund also invests in obligations issued or guaranteed by the U.S. Government and its agencies and instrumentalities. The Fund’s money market investments may include commercial paper, corporate debt obligations, debt obligations (including certificates of deposit and promissory notes) of U.S. banks or foreign banks, or of U.S. branches or subsidiaries of foreign banks, or foreign branches of U.S. banks (such as Yankee obligations), certificates of deposit of savings banks and savings and loan organizations, asset-backed securities, repurchase agreements and municipal obligations.

The Fund operates as an “institutional money market fund” which is neither a “government money market fund” nor “retail money market fund” as such terms are defined or interpreted under Rule 2a-7. As such, the Fund is required to price and transact in its shares at a NAV reflecting market-based values of its portfolio holdings (i.e., at a “floating” NAV), rounded to a minimum of the fourth decimal place. Like other money market funds of its type, the Fund is subject to the possible imposition of liquidity fees and/or redemption gates.

Process

The Adviser follows a multi-pronged investment process with respect to credit risk, interest rate risk and liquidity. Securities are reviewed on an ongoing basis to maintain or improve creditworthiness taking into consideration factors such as cash flow, asset quality, debt service coverage ratios and economic developments. Additionally, exposure to guarantors and liquidity providers is monitored separately as are the various diversification requirements.

The Adviser actively manages the Fund’s assets in an attempt to reduce the risk of losing any principal investment as a result of credit or interest rate risks. In addition, federal regulations require money market funds to invest only in debt obligations of high quality and short-term maturities.

Principal Risks

The Fund’s principal investment strategies are subject to the following principal risks:

There is no assurance that the Fund will achieve its investment objective. You could lose money by investing in the Fund. Because the share price of the Fund will fluctuate, when you sell your shares they may be worth more or less than what you originally paid for them. The Fund may impose a fee upon the sale of your shares or may temporarily suspend your ability to sell shares if the Fund’s liquidity falls below required minimums because of market conditions or other factors. An investment in the Fund is not insured or guaranteed by the FDIC or any other government agency.

A principal risk of investing in the Fund is associated with its debt obligation investments. All debt obligations, such as bonds, are subject to two types of risk: credit risk and interest rate risk. Credit risk refers to the possibility that the issuer or guarantor of a security will be unable to make interest payments and/or repay the principal on its debt. Interest rate risk refers to fluctuations in the value of a fixed-income security resulting from changes in the general level of interest rates. When the general level of interest rates goes up, the prices of most fixed-income securities go down. When the general level of interest rates goes down, the prices of most fixed-income securities go up. A low interest rate environment may prevent the Fund from providing a positive yield or paying Fund expenses out of Fund assets. The Fund may face a heightened level of interest rate risk in times of monetary policy change and uncertainty, such as when the Federal Reserve Board ends a quantitative easing program and/or raises rates. A rising interest rate environment increases certain risks, including the potential for periods of volatility, increased redemptions and extended durations (i.e., extension risk).

The Fund may purchase bank obligations. The activities of U.S. and most foreign banks are subject to comprehensive regulations. The enactment of new legislation or regulations, as well as changes in interpretation and enforcement of current laws, may affect the manner of operations and profitability of domestic and foreign banks. In addition, banks may be particularly susceptible to certain economic factors.

The Fund may purchase U.S. government securities that are not backed by the full faith and credit of the United States. With respect to these U.S. government securities, there is the risk that the U.S. Government will not provide financial support to such U.S. government agencies, instrumentalities or sponsored enterprises if it is not obligated to do so by law. The maximum potential liability of the issuers of some U.S. government securities held by the Fund may greatly exceed their current resources, including their legal right to support from the U.S. Treasury. It is possible that these issuers will not have the funds to meet their payment obligations in the future.

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds | Details of the Funds

Prime Portfolio (Cont’d)

Repurchase agreements are subject to additional risks associated with the possibility of default by the seller at a time when the collateral has declined in value, or insolvency of the seller, which may affect the Fund’s right to control the collateral and result in certain costs and delays.

Asset-backed securities raise certain risk considerations, including prepayment risk, extension risk and the risk of inadequate recovery on repossessed collateral. Because the Fund may concentrate its investments in bank securities, an adverse development in the banking industry may affect the value of the Fund’s investments more than if the Fund’s investments were not so concentrated.

The Fund may invest in U.S. dollar-denominated foreign securities and money market instruments. Although the Fund will invest in these securities only if the Adviser determines they are of comparable quality to the Fund’s U.S. investments, investing in securities of foreign issuers involves some additional risks. These risks may include the possibility of adverse political, economic or other developments affecting the issuers of these securities.

To the extent the Fund invests in municipal obligations issued by state and local governments and their agencies, the Fund may be susceptible to political, economic, regulatory or other factors affecting issuers of these municipal obligations.

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds  |  Details of the Funds

ESG Money Market Portfolio

Investment Objective

The ESG Money Market Portfolio seeks preservation of capital, daily liquidity and maximum current income.

Approach

The Fund invests in liquid, high quality U.S. dollar-denominated money market instruments of U.S. and foreign financial and non-financial corporations. The Fund also invests in obligations of foreign governments and in obligations issued or guaranteed by the U.S. Government and its agencies and instrumentalities. The Fund’s money market investments may include commercial paper, corporate debt obligations, debt obligations (including certificates of deposit and promissory notes) of U.S. banks or foreign banks, or of U.S. branches or subsidiaries of foreign banks, or foreign branches of U.S. banks (such as Yankee obligations), certificates of deposit of savings banks and savings and loan organizations, asset-backed securities, repurchase agreements and municipal obligations.

The Fund operates as an “institutional money market fund” which is neither a “government money market fund” nor “retail money market fund” as such terms are defined or interpreted under Rule 2a-7. As such, the Fund is required to price and transact in its shares at a NAV reflecting market-based values of its portfolio holdings (i.e., at a “floating” NAV), rounded to a minimum of the fourth decimal place. Like other money market funds of its type, the Fund is subject to the possible imposition of liquidity fees and/or redemption gates.

Process

The Adviser follows a multi-pronged investment process with respect to credit risk, interest rate risk and liquidity. Securities are reviewed on an ongoing basis to maintain or improve creditworthiness taking into consideration factors such as cash flow, asset quality, debt service coverage ratios and economic developments. Additionally, exposure to guarantors and liquidity providers is monitored separately as are the various diversification requirements.

The Adviser believes that ESG factors have the ability to impact the fundamental credit risk of an entity. The Fund’s investment process incorporates information about ESG issues via an integrated approach within the Adviser’s fundamental investment analysis framework. The Adviser may engage with management of certain issuers regarding corporate governance practices as well as what the Adviser deems to be materially important environmental and/or social issues facing a company.

The Adviser has proprietary ESG-scoring methodologies that explicitly consider the risks and opportunities ESG factors pose to money market instruments. By combining third-party ESG data with proprietary views, the Adviser creates unique scoring methodologies that it applies to issuers.

During the security selection process, the Adviser employs a rules-based process to construct the portfolio. Initially, the Adviser determines from the universe of money market fund-eligible issuers those which, in its opinion, have the lowest credit risk and/or best credit profile, excluding the following:

 

Corporations that generate revenue from the manufacturing or production of tobacco;

 

Corporations that generate revenue from the manufacturing or production of landmines and cluster munitions (i.e., an explosive weapon that randomly scatters submunitions);

 

Corporations that generate revenue from the manufacturing or production of firearms;

 

Corporations that generate revenue from the mining of thermal coal or coal fired power generation; and

 

Corporations that primarily generate revenue from the fossil fuel industries, which the Adviser has determined produce a certain level of carbon emissions.
 

The Fund may invest in green commercial paper (a security that is typically issued to raise capital specifically to support climate-related or environmental projects) issued by companies that would otherwise be subject to fossil fuel exclusions so long as the Adviser has determined that the proceeds will not be used to finance fossil fuel generation capabilities.

In analyzing whether an issuer meets any of the criteria described above, the Adviser may rely upon, among other things, information provided by an independent third party.

After applying the above exclusion screens, the Adviser calculates proprietary ESG scores for the remaining issuers based on a number of variables, such as environmental, social, governance, controversy and ESG momentum factors. The Adviser then sets minimum ESG score thresholds. Only issuers with an ESG score above a minimum threshold will be considered for investment by the Fund, thus eliminating those issuers with the lowest ESG performance. The Adviser’s minimum ESG score thresholds may be adjusted from time to time, provided that a subset of issuers are always excluded by ESG factors.

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds | Details of the Funds

ESG Money Market Portfolio (Cont’d)

From the final list of ESG-approved issuers, the Adviser determines the securities and issuers in which the Fund will invest, taking into account a variety of relevant considerations (including, without limitation, yield, interest rate changes, credit quality and duration).

Under normal circumstances, the Fund will invest 100% of its net assets (excluding cash) in securities whose issuer or guarantor, in the Adviser’s opinion at the time of purchase, meets the Fund’s ESG criteria.

The Adviser actively manages the Fund’s assets in an attempt to reduce the risk of losing any principal investment as a result of credit or interest rate risks. In addition, federal regulations require money market funds to invest only in debt obligations of high quality and short-term maturities.

Principal Risks

The Fund’s principal investment strategies are subject to the following principal risks:

There is no assurance that the Fund will achieve its investment objective. You could lose money by investing in the Fund. Because the share price of the Fund will fluctuate, when you sell your shares they may be worth more or less than what you originally paid for them. The Fund may impose a fee upon the sale of your shares or may temporarily suspend your ability to sell shares if the Fund’s liquidity falls below required minimums because of market conditions or other factors. An investment in the Fund is not insured or guaranteed by the FDIC or any other government agency.

A principal risk of investing in the Fund is associated with its debt obligation investments. All debt obligations, such as bonds, are subject to two types of risk: credit risk and interest rate risk. Credit risk refers to the possibility that the issuer or guarantor of a security will be unable to make interest payments and/or repay the principal on its debt. Interest rate risk refers to fluctuations in the value of a fixed-income security resulting from changes in the general level of interest rates. When the general level of interest rates goes up, the prices of most fixed-income securities go down. When the general level of interest rates goes down, the prices of most fixed-income securities go up. A low interest rate environment may prevent the Fund from providing a positive yield or paying Fund expenses out of Fund assets. The Fund may face a heightened level of interest rate risk in times of monetary policy change and uncertainty, such as when the Federal Reserve Board ends a quantitative easing program and/or raises rates. A rising interest rate environment increases certain risks, including the potential for periods of volatility, increased redemptions and extended durations (i.e., extension risk).

The Fund may purchase bank obligations. The activities of U.S. and most foreign banks are subject to comprehensive regulations. The enactment of new legislation or regulations, as well as changes in interpretation and enforcement of current laws, may affect the manner of operations and profitability of domestic and foreign banks. In addition, banks may be particularly susceptible to certain economic factors.

The Fund may purchase U.S. government securities that are not backed by the full faith and credit of the United States. With respect to these U.S. government securities, there is the risk that the U.S. Government will not provide financial support to such U.S. government agencies, instrumentalities or sponsored enterprises if it is not obligated to do so by law. The maximum potential liability of the issuers of some U.S. government securities held by the Fund may greatly exceed their current resources, including their legal right to support from the U.S. Treasury. It is possible that these issuers will not have the funds to meet their payment obligations in the future.

Asset-backed securities raise certain risk considerations including prepayment risk, extension risk and the risk of inadequate recovery on repossessed collateral. Because the Fund may concentrate its investments in bank securities, an adverse development in the banking industry may affect the value of the Fund’s investments more than if the Fund were not so concentrated.

Repurchase agreements are subject to additional risks associated with the possibility of default by the seller at a time when the collateral has declined in value, or insolvency of the seller, which may affect the Fund’s right to control the collateral and result in certain costs and delays.

The Fund may invest in U.S. dollar-denominated foreign securities and money market instruments. Although the Fund will invest in these securities only if the Adviser determines they are of comparable quality to the Fund’s U.S. investments, investing in securities of foreign issuers involves some additional risks. These risks may include the possibility of adverse political, economic or other developments affecting the issuers of these securities.

To the extent the Fund invests in municipal obligations issued by state and local governments and their agencies, the Fund may be susceptible to political, economic, regulatory or other factors affecting issuers of these municipal obligations.

The Fund’s adherence to its ESG criteria and application of related analyses when selecting investments may affect the Fund’s performance depending on whether such investments are in or out of favor and relative to similar funds that do not adhere to such criteria or apply such analyses. Socially responsible norms differ by country and region, and a company’s ESG practices or the

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds  |  Details of the Funds

ESG Money Market Portfolio (Con’t)

Adviser’s assessment of such may change over time. The Fund may invest in companies that do not reflect the beliefs and values of any particular investor. Additionally, the Fund’s adherence to its ESG criteria and application of related analyses in connection with identifying and selecting investments in non-U.S. issuers often require subjective analysis and may be relatively more difficult than applying the ESG criteria or related analyses to investments of U.S. issuers because data availability may be more limited with respect to non-U.S. issuers. The exclusionary criteria related to the Fund’s ESG criteria may result in the Fund forgoing opportunities to buy certain securities when it might otherwise be advantageous to do so, or selling securities for ESG reasons when it might be otherwise disadvantageous for it to do so. The Fund’s investments in certain companies may be susceptible to various factors that may impact their businesses or operations, including costs associated with government budgetary constraints that impact publicly funded projects and clean energy initiatives, the effects of general economic conditions throughout the world, increased competition from other providers of services, unfavorable tax laws or accounting policies and high leverage.

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds  |  Details of the Funds

Government Portfolio

Investment Objective

The Government Portfolio seeks preservation of capital, daily liquidity and maximum current income.

Approach

The Fund has adopted a policy to invest exclusively in obligations issued or guaranteed by the U.S. Government and its agencies and instrumentalities and in repurchase agreements collateralized by such securities in order to qualify as a “government money market fund” under federal regulations. The Fund may also hold cash from time to time. A “government money market fund” is a money market fund that invests at least 99.5% of its total assets in cash, securities issued or guaranteed by the United States or certain U.S. government agencies or instrumentalities and/or repurchase agreements that are collateralized fully by the foregoing. In selecting investments, the Adviser seeks to maintain the Fund’s share price at $1.00. The share price remaining stable at $1.00 means that the Fund would preserve the principal value of your investment. The Fund may change its principal investment strategies; however you would be notified of any changes.

The U.S. government securities that the Fund may purchase include:

 

U.S. treasury bills, notes and bonds, all of which are direct obligations of the U.S. Government.

 

Securities issued by agencies and instrumentalities of the U.S. Government which are backed by the full faith and credit of the United States. Among the agencies and instrumentalities issuing these obligations are the Government National Mortgage Association (“Ginnie Mae”) and the Federal Housing Administration.

 

Securities issued by agencies and instrumentalities which are not backed by the full faith and credit of the United States, but whose issuing agency or instrumentality has the right to borrow, to meet its obligations, from the U.S. Treasury. Among these agencies and instrumentalities are the Federal National Mortgage Association (“Fannie Mae”), the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (“Freddie Mac”) and the Federal Home Loan Banks.

 

Securities issued by agencies and instrumentalities which are backed solely by the credit of the issuing agency or instrumentality. Among these agencies and instrumentalities is the Federal Farm Credit System.
 

Process

The Adviser follows an investment process that seeks to select maturities based on the shape of the money market yield curve and based on the expectations as to future shifts in the level and shape of the curve, taking into consideration such factors as current short-term interest rates, Federal Reserve policy regarding interest rates and U.S. economic activity.

The Adviser actively manages the Fund’s assets in an attempt to reduce the risk of losing any principal investment as a result of credit or interest rate risks. The Fund’s assets are reviewed to maintain or improve creditworthiness. In addition, federal regulations require money market funds to invest only in debt obligations of high quality and short-term maturities.

Principal Risks

The Fund’s principal investment strategies are subject to the following principal risks:

There is no assurance that the Fund will achieve its investment objective. You could lose money by investing in the Fund. Although the Fund seeks to preserve the value of your investment at $1.00 per share, it cannot guarantee it will do so. An investment in the Fund is not insured or guaranteed by the FDIC or any other government agency.

A principal risk of investing in the Fund is associated with its debt obligation investments. All debt obligations, such as bonds, are subject to two types of risk: credit risk and interest rate risk. Credit risk refers to the possibility that the issuer or guarantor of a security will be unable to make interest payments and/or repay the principal on its debt. Interest rate risk refers to fluctuations in the value of a fixed-income security resulting from changes in the general level of interest rates. When the general level of interest rates goes up, the prices of most fixed-income securities go down. When the general level of interest rates goes down, the prices of most fixed-income securities go up. A low interest rate environment may prevent the Fund from providing a positive yield or paying Fund expenses out of Fund assets and could impair the Fund’s ability to maintain a stable NAV. The Fund may face a heightened level of interest rate risk in times of monetary policy change and uncertainty, such as when the Federal Reserve Board ends a quantitative easing program and/or raises rates. A rising interest rate environment increases certain risks, including the potential for periods of volatility, increased redemptions and extended durations (i.e., extension risk).

The Fund may purchase U.S. government securities that are not backed by the full faith and credit of the United States. With respect to these U.S. government securities, there is the risk that the U.S. Government will not provide financial support to such U.S. government agencies, instrumentalities or sponsored enterprises if it is not obligated to do so by law. The maximum potential liability of the issuers of some U.S. government securities held by the Fund may greatly exceed their current resources, including their legal right to support from the U.S. Treasury. It is possible that these issuers will not have the funds to meet their payment obligations in the future.

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds  |  Details of the Funds

Government Portfolio (Con’t)

Repurchase agreements are subject to additional risks associated with the possibility of default by the seller at a time when the collateral has declined in value, or insolvency of the seller, which may affect the Fund’s right to control the collateral and result in certain costs and delays.

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds  |  Details of the Funds

Government Securities Portfolio

Investment Objective

The Government Securities Portfolio seeks preservation of capital, daily liquidity and maximum current income.

Approach

The Fund has adopted a policy to invest substantially all of its assets in U.S. Treasury obligations and certain U.S. government securities, the interest from which is generally exempt from state income taxation, in order to qualify as a “government money market fund” under federal regulations. The Fund may also hold cash from time to time. A “government money market fund” is a money market fund that invests at least 99.5% of its total assets in cash, securities issued or guaranteed by the United States or certain U.S. government agencies or instrumentalities and/or repurchase agreements that are collateralized fully by the foregoing. In selecting investments, the Adviser seeks to maintain the Fund’s share price at $1.00. The share price remaining stable at $1.00 means that the Fund would preserve the principal value of your investment. The U.S. government securities that the Fund may purchase include those issued or guaranteed either by the U.S. Treasury or certain agencies, authorities or instrumentalities of the U.S. Government. The Fund may also invest in repurchase agreements with the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. The Fund may change its principal investment strategies; however you would be notified of any changes.

Shareholders should consult their individual tax adviser to determine whether the Fund’s distributions derived from interest on the Treasury obligations and U.S. government securities referred to above are exempt from state taxation in their own state.

Process

The Adviser follows an investment process that seeks to select maturities based on the shape of the money market yield curve and based on the expectations as to future shifts in the level and shape of the curve, taking into consideration such factors as current short-term interest rates, Federal Reserve policy regarding interest rates and U.S. economic activity.

The Adviser actively manages the Fund’s assets in an attempt to reduce the risk of losing any principal investment as a result of credit or interest rate risks. The Fund’s assets are reviewed to maintain or improve creditworthiness. In addition, federal regulations require money market funds to invest only in debt obligations of high quality and short-term maturities.

Principal Risks

The Fund’s principal investment strategies are subject to the following principal risks:

There is no assurance that the Fund will achieve its investment objective. You could lose money by investing in the Fund. Although the Fund seeks to preserve the value of your investment at $1.00 per share, it cannot guarantee it will do so. An investment in the Fund is not insured or guaranteed by the FDIC or any other government agency.

A principal risk of investing in the Fund is associated with its debt obligation investments. All debt obligations, such as bonds, are subject to two types of risk: credit risk and interest rate risk. Credit risk refers to the possibility that the issuer or guarantor of a security will be unable to make interest payments and/or repay the principal on its debt. Interest rate risk refers to fluctuations in the value of a fixed-income security resulting from changes in the general level of interest rates. When the general level of interest rates goes up, the prices of most fixed-income securities go down. When the general level of interest rates goes down, the prices of most fixed-income securities go up. A low interest rate environment may prevent the Fund from providing a positive yield or paying Fund expenses out of Fund assets and could impair the Fund’s ability to maintain a stable NAV. The Fund may face a heightened level of interest rate risk in times of monetary policy change and uncertainty, such as when the Federal Reserve Board ends a quantitative easing program and/or raises rates. A rising interest rate environment increases certain risks, including the potential for periods of volatility, increased redemptions and extended durations (i.e., extension risk).

The Fund may purchase U.S. government securities that are not backed by the full faith and credit of the United States. With respect to these U.S. government securities, there is the risk that the U.S. Government will not provide financial support to such U.S. government agencies, instrumentalities or sponsored enterprises if it is not obligated to do so by law. The maximum potential liability of the issuers of some U.S. government securities held by the Fund may greatly exceed their current resources, including their legal right to support from the U.S. Treasury. It is possible that these issuers will not have the funds to meet their payment obligations in the future.

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds  |  Details of the Funds

Treasury Portfolio

Investment Objective

The Treasury Portfolio seeks preservation of capital, daily liquidity and maximum current income.

Approach

The Fund has adopted a policy to invest exclusively in U.S. Treasury obligations, which are backed by the full faith and credit of the United States, and repurchase agreements collateralized by such securities in order to qualify as a “government money market fund” under federal regulations. The Fund may also hold cash from time to time. A “government money market fund” is a money market fund that invests at least 99.5% of its total assets in cash, securities issued or guaranteed by the United States or certain U.S. government agencies or instrumentalities and/or repurchase agreements that are collateralized fully by the foregoing. In selecting investments, the Adviser seeks to maintain the Fund’s share price at $1.00. The share price remaining stable at $1.00 means that the Fund would preserve the principal value of your investment. The Fund may change its principal investment strategies; however you would be notified of any changes.

Process

The Adviser follows an investment process that seeks to select maturities based on the shape of the money market yield curve and based on the expectations as to future shifts in the level and shape of the curve, taking into consideration such factors as current short-term interest rates, Federal Reserve policy regarding interest rates and U.S. economic activity.

The Adviser actively manages the Fund’s assets in an attempt to reduce the risk of losing any principal investment as a result of credit or interest rate risks. The Fund’s assets are reviewed to maintain or improve creditworthiness. In addition, federal regulations require money market funds to invest only in debt obligations of high quality and short-term maturities.

Principal Risks

The Fund’s principal investment strategies are subject to the following principal risks:

There is no assurance that the Fund will achieve its investment objective. You could lose money by investing in the Fund. Although the Fund seeks to preserve the value of your investment at $1.00 per share, it cannot guarantee it will do so. An investment in the Fund is not insured or guaranteed by the FDIC or any other government agency.

A principal risk of investing in the Fund is associated with its debt obligation investments. All debt obligations, such as bonds, are subject to two types of risk: credit risk and interest rate risk. Credit risk refers to the possibility that the issuer or guarantor of a security will be unable to make interest payments and/or repay the principal on its debt. Interest rate risk refers to fluctuations in the value of a fixed-income security resulting from changes in the general level of interest rates. When the general level of interest rates goes up, the prices of most fixed-income securities go down. When the general level of interest rates goes down, the prices of most fixed-income securities go up. A low interest rate environment may prevent the Fund from providing a positive yield or paying Fund expenses out of Fund assets and could impair the Fund’s ability to maintain a stable NAV. The Fund may face a heightened level of interest rate risk in times of monetary policy change and uncertainty, such as when the Federal Reserve Board ends a quantitative easing program and/or raises rates. A rising interest rate environment increases certain risks, including the potential for periods of volatility, increased redemptions and extended durations (i.e., extension risk).

The U.S. government securities in which the Fund invests can be subject to two types of risk: credit risk and interest rate risk. When the general level of interest rates goes up, the prices of most fixed-income securities go down. When the general level of interest rates goes down, the prices of most fixed-income securities go up. While the credit risk associated with U.S. government securities generally is considered to be minimal, the interest rate risk can be substantial.

Repurchase agreements are subject to additional risks associated with the possibility of default by the seller at a time when the collateral has declined in value, or insolvency of the seller, which may affect the Fund’s right to control the collateral and result in certain costs and delays.

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds  |  Details of the Funds

Treasury Securities Portfolio

Investment Objective

The Treasury Securities Portfolio seeks preservation of capital, daily liquidity and maximum current income.

Approach

The Fund has adopted a policy to invest exclusively in U.S. Treasury obligations, which are backed by the full faith and credit of the United States, in order to qualify as a “government money market fund” under federal regulations. The Fund may also hold cash from time to time. A “government money market fund” is a money market fund that invests at least 99.5% of its total assets in cash, securities issued or guaranteed by the United States or certain U.S. government agencies or instrumentalities and/or repurchase agreements that are collateralized fully by the foregoing. In selecting investments, the Adviser seeks to maintain the Fund’s share price at $1.00. The share price remaining stable at $1.00 means that the Fund would preserve the principal value of your investment. The Fund may change its principal investment strategies; however you would be notified of any changes.

Process

The Adviser follows an investment process that seeks to select maturities based on the shape of the money market yield curve and based on the expectations as to future shifts in the level and shape of the curve, taking into consideration such factors as current short-term interest rates, Federal Reserve policy regarding interest rates and U.S. economic activity.

The Adviser actively manages the Fund’s assets in an attempt to reduce the risk of losing any principal investment as a result of credit or interest rate risks. The Fund’s assets are reviewed to maintain or improve creditworthiness. In addition, federal regulations require money market funds to invest only in debt obligations of high quality and short-term maturities.

Principal Risks

The Fund’s principal investment strategies are subject to the following principal risks:

There is no assurance that the Fund will achieve its investment objective. You could lose money by investing in the Fund. Although the Fund seeks to preserve the value of your investment at $1.00 per share, it cannot guarantee it will do so. An investment in the Fund is not insured or guaranteed by the FDIC or any other government agency.

A principal risk of investing in the Fund is associated with its debt obligation investments. All debt obligations, such as bonds, are subject to two types of risk: credit risk and interest rate risk. Credit risk refers to the possibility that the issuer or guarantor of a security will be unable to make interest payments and/or repay the principal on its debt. Interest rate risk refers to fluctuations in the value of a fixed-income security resulting from changes in the general level of interest rates. When the general level of interest rates goes up, the prices of most fixed-income securities go down. When the general level of interest rates goes down, the prices of most fixed-income securities go up. A low interest rate environment may prevent the Fund from providing a positive yield or paying Fund expenses out of Fund assets and could impair the Fund’s ability to maintain a stable NAV. The Fund may face a heightened level of interest rate risk in times of monetary policy change and uncertainty, such as when the Federal Reserve Board ends a quantitative easing program and/or raises rates. A rising interest rate environment increases certain risks, including the potential for periods of volatility, increased redemptions and extended durations (i.e., extension risk).

The U.S. government securities in which the Fund invests can be subject to two types of risk: credit risk and interest rate risk. When the general level of interest rates goes up, the prices of most fixed-income securities go down. When the general level of interest rates goes down, the prices of most fixed-income securities go up. While the credit risk associated with U.S. government securities generally is considered to be minimal, the interest rate risk can be substantial.

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds  |  Details of the Funds

Tax-Exempt Portfolio

Investment Objective

The Tax-Exempt Portfolio seeks to maximize current income exempt from federal income tax to the extent consistent with preservation of capital and maintenance of liquidity.

Approach

The Fund invests at least 80% of its assets in high quality short-term municipal obligations, the interest of which is exempt from federal income taxes and is not subject to the federal alternative minimum tax. This policy is fundamental and may not be changed without shareholder approval. Municipal obligations are securities issued by state and local governments and their agencies and typically are either general obligation or revenue bonds, notes or commercial paper. General obligation securities are secured by the issuer’s full faith and credit including its taxing power for payment of principal and interest. Revenue bonds, however, are generally payable from a specific revenue source. They are issued for a wide variety of projects such as financing public utilities, hospitals, housing, airports, highways and educational facilities. Included within the revenue bonds category are participations in lease obligations and installment purchase contracts of municipalities. Additionally, the Fund’s investments may include variable and floating rate demand instruments, tender option bonds, custodial receipts and investments in other investment companies, including money market funds.

The Fund may invest up to 20% of its assets in taxable money market securities or in municipal obligations that pay interest income that may be subject to the alternative minimum tax. However, it is currently intended that the Fund will be managed so that income generated by the Fund will not be subject to the alternative minimum tax.

While at least 80% of the Fund’s assets typically will be invested in municipal obligations, the interest of which is exempt from federal income taxes and is not subject to the federal alternative minimum tax, the Fund may temporarily invest more than 20% of its assets in taxable money market securities for defensive purposes in attempting to respond to adverse market conditions.

The Fund operates as an “institutional money market fund” which is neither a “government money market fund” nor “retail money market fund” as such terms are defined or interpreted under Rule 2a-7. As such, the Fund is required to price and transact in its shares at a NAV reflecting market-based values of its portfolio holdings (i.e., at a “floating” NAV), rounded to a minimum of the fourth decimal place. Like other money market funds of its type, the Fund is subject to the possible imposition of liquidity fees and/or redemption gates.

Process

The Adviser follows a multi-pronged investment process with respect to credit risk, interest rate risk and liquidity. Securities are reviewed on an ongoing basis, taking into consideration factors such as economic developments, budgetary trends, cash flow, debt service coverage ratios and tax-law changes. Exposure to guarantors and liquidity providers is monitored separately. Weighted average maturity is shifted in response to expectations as to the future course of money market interest rates, the shape of the money market yield curve and the Fund’s recent cash flow experience.

The Adviser actively manages the Fund’s assets in an attempt to reduce the risk of losing any principal investment as a result of credit or interest rate risks. The Fund’s assets are reviewed to maintain or improve creditworthiness. In addition, federal regulations require money market funds to invest only in debt obligations of high quality and short-term maturities.

Principal Risks

The Fund’s principal investment strategies are subject to the following principal risks:

There is no assurance that the Fund will achieve its investment objective. You could lose money by investing in the Fund. Because the share price of the Fund will fluctuate, when you sell your shares they may be worth more or less than what you originally paid for them. The Fund may impose a fee upon the sale of your shares or may temporarily suspend your ability to sell shares if the Fund’s liquidity falls below required minimums because of market conditions or other factors. An investment in the Fund is not insured or guaranteed by the FDIC or any other government agency.

A principal risk of investing in the Fund is associated with its debt obligation investments. All debt obligations, such as bonds, are subject to two types of risk: credit risk and interest rate risk. Credit risk refers to the possibility that the issuer or guarantor of a security will be unable to make interest payments and/or repay the principal on its debt. Interest rate risk refers to fluctuations in the value of a fixed-income security resulting from changes in the general level of interest rates. When the general level of interest rates goes up, the prices of most fixed-income securities go down. When the general level of interest rates goes down, the prices of most fixed-income securities go up. A low interest rate environment may prevent the Fund from providing a positive yield or paying Fund expenses out of Fund assets. The Fund may face a heightened level of interest rate risk in times of monetary policy change and uncertainty, such as when the Federal Reserve Board ends a quantitative easing program and/or raises rates. A rising interest rate environment increases certain risks, including the potential for periods of volatility, increased redemptions and extended durations (i.e., extension risk).

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds | Details of the Funds

Tax-Exempt Portfolio (Cont’d)

To the extent the Fund invests in municipal obligations issued by state and local governments and their agencies, the Fund may be susceptible to political, economic, regulatory or other factors affecting issuers of these municipal obligations. Municipal obligations are also subject to credit risk and interest risk. In the case of revenue bonds, for example, credit risk is the possibility that the user fees from a project or other specified revenue sources are insufficient to meet interest and/or principal payment obligations. The Fund is subject to added credit risk if it concentrates its investments in a single economic sector, which could be effected by economic, business or political developments which might affect all municipal obligations in that particular economic sector.

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Prospectus  |  Additional Information About the Funds’ Investment Strategies and Related Risks

Additional Information About the Funds’ Investment Strategies and Related Risks

This section discusses additional information relating to the Funds’ investment strategies, other types of investments that the Funds may make and related risk factors. The Funds’ investment practices and limitations are also described in more detail in the Statement of Additional Information (“SAI”), which is incorporated by reference and legally is a part of this Prospectus. For details on how to obtain a copy of the SAI and other reports and information, see the back cover of this Prospectus.

Bank Obligations

Bank obligations include certificates of deposit, commercial paper, unsecured bank promissory notes, bankers’ acceptances, time deposits and other debt obligations. Certain Funds may invest in obligations issued or backed by U.S. banks when a bank has more than $1 billion in total assets at the time of purchase or is a branch or subsidiary of such a bank. In addition, certain Funds may invest in U.S. dollar-denominated obligations issued or guaranteed by foreign banks that have more than $1 billion in total assets at the time of purchase, U.S. branches or subsidiaries of such foreign banks (Yankee obligations), foreign branches of such foreign banks and foreign branches of U.S. banks having more than $1 billion in total assets at the time of purchase. Bank obligations may be general obligations of the parent bank or may be limited to the issuing branch by the terms of the specific obligation or by U.S. government regulation.

If a Fund invests more than 25% of its total assets in bank obligations (whether foreign or domestic), it may be especially affected by favorable and adverse developments in or related to the banking industry. The activities of U.S. and most foreign banks are subject to comprehensive regulations, which, in the case of U.S. regulations, have undergone substantial changes in the past decade. The enactment of new legislation or regulations, as well as changes in interpretation and enforcement of current laws, may affect the manner of operations and profitability of domestic and foreign banks. Significant developments in the U.S. banking industry have included increased competition from other types of financial institutions, increased acquisition activity and geographic expansion. Banks may be particularly susceptible to certain economic factors, such as interest rate changes and adverse developments in the real estate markets. Fiscal and monetary policy and general economic cycles can affect the availability and cost of funds, loan demand and asset quality and thereby impact the earnings and financial conditions of banks. Obligations of foreign banks, including Yankee obligations, are subject to the same risks that pertain to domestic issuers, notably credit risk and market risk, but are also subject to certain additional risks such as adverse foreign political and economic developments, the extent and quality of foreign government regulation of the financial markets and institutions, foreign withholding taxes and other sovereign action such as nationalization or expropriation.

Credit and Interest Rate Risk

All debt obligations, such as bonds, are subject to two types of risk: credit risk and interest rate risk. Interest rate risk refers to fluctuations in the value of a fixed-income security resulting from changes in the general level of interest rates. When the general level of interest rates goes up, the prices of most fixed-income securities go down. When the general level of interest rates goes down, the prices of most fixed-income securities go up. A low interest rate environment may prevent a Fund from providing a positive yield or paying Fund expenses out of Fund assets. The Funds may face a heightened level of interest rate risk in times of monetary policy change and uncertainty, such as when the Federal Reserve Board ends a quantitative easing program and/or raises rates. A rising interest rate environment increases certain risks, including the potential for periods of volatility, increased redemptions and extended durations (i.e., extension risk).

U.S. Government Securities

The U.S. government securities that certain Funds may purchase include U.S. Treasury bills, notes and bonds, all of which are direct obligations of the U.S. Government. In addition, certain Funds may purchase securities issued or guaranteed by agencies and instrumentalities of the U.S. Government which are backed by the full faith and credit of the United States. Among the agencies and instrumentalities issuing these obligations are Ginnie Mae and the Federal Housing Administration. Also, certain Funds may purchase securities issued by agencies and instrumentalities which are not backed by the full faith and credit of the United States, but whose issuing agency or instrumentality has the right to borrow, to meet its obligations, from the U.S. Treasury. Among these agencies and instrumentalities are Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac and the Federal Home Loan Banks. In September 2008, the U.S. Treasury Department announced that the U.S. Government would be taking over Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac and placing the companies into a conservatorship. In addition, the U.S. Treasury announced additional steps that it intended to take with respect to the debt and mortgage-backed securities issued by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac in order to support the conservatorship. Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac are continuing to operate as going concerns while in conservatorship and each remains liable for all of its respective obligations, including its guaranty obligations, associated with its mortgage-backed securities. No assurance can be given that these initiatives will be successful. Further, certain Funds may purchase securities issued by agencies and instrumentalities which are backed solely by the credit of the issuing agency or instrumentality. Among these agencies and instrumentalities is the Federal Farm Credit System. Because these securities are not backed by the full faith and credit of the United States, there is a risk that the U.S. Government will not provide financial support to these agencies if it is not obligated to do so by law. The maximum potential liability of the issuers of some U.S. government securities held by a Fund may greatly exceed their current resources, including their

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Additional Information About the Funds’ Investment Strategies and Related Risks (Con’t)

legal right to support from the U.S. Treasury. It is possible that these issuers will not have the funds to meet their payment obligations in the future. The interest from U.S. government securities generally is not subject to state and local taxation.

Foreign Securities

Certain Funds may invest in U.S. dollar-denominated securities issued by foreign governmental or corporate issuers, including Eurodollar and Yankee obligations. While these securities are subject to the same type of risks that pertain to domestic issuers, namely credit risk and interest rate risk, they are also subject to other additional risks. Foreign issuers generally are subject to different accounting, auditing and financial reporting standards than U.S. issuers. There may be less information available to the public about foreign issuers. Securities of foreign issuers can be less liquid and experience greater price movements. In some foreign countries, there is also the risk of government expropriation, excessive taxation, political or social instability, the imposition of currency controls or diplomatic developments that could affect an investment. There also can be difficulty obtaining and enforcing judgments against issuers in foreign countries. Foreign stock exchanges, broker-dealers and listed issuers may be subject to less government regulation and oversight.

Foreign Money Market Securities

Certain Funds may invest in foreign money market securities. As described elsewhere herein, foreign investing may involve risks relating to political, social and economic developments abroad to a greater extent than investing in the securities of U.S. issuers. In addition, there are differences between U.S. and foreign regulatory requirements and market practices that may result in additional risk. Foreign money market securities also present credit and interest rate risks similar to those attendant to an investment in domestic money market securities.

Custodial Receipts

Certain Funds may invest in custodial receipts representing interests in U.S. government securities, municipal obligations or other debt instruments held by a custodian or trustee. Custodial receipts evidence ownership of future interest payments, principal payments or both on notes or bonds issued or guaranteed as to principal or interest by the U.S. Government, its agencies, instrumentalities, political subdivisions or authorities, by a state or local governmental body or authority, or by other types of issuers. For certain securities law purposes, custodial receipts are not considered obligations of the underlying issuers. In addition, if for tax purposes a Fund is not considered to be the owner of the underlying securities held in the custodial account, the Fund may suffer adverse tax consequences. As a holder of custodial receipts, a Fund will bear its proportionate share of the fees and expenses charged to the custodial account.

Tender Option Bonds

A tender option bond is a municipal obligation (generally held pursuant to a custodial arrangement) having a relatively long maturity and bearing interest at a fixed rate substantially higher than prevailing short-term, tax-exempt rates. The bond is typically issued in conjunction with the agreement of a third-party, such as a bank, broker-dealer or other financial institution, pursuant to which the institution grants the security holder the option, at periodic intervals, to tender its securities to the institution. As consideration for providing the option, the financial institution receives periodic fees equal to the difference between the bond’s fixed coupon rate and the rate, as determined by a remarketing or similar agent, that would cause the securities, coupled with the tender option, to trade at par on the date of such determination. Thus, after payment of this fee, the security holder effectively holds a demand obligation that bears interest at the prevailing short-term, tax-exempt rate. An institution will normally not be obligated to accept tendered bonds in the event of certain defaults or significant downgrading in the credit rating assigned to the issuer of the bond. The tender option will be taken into account in determining the maturity of the tender option bonds and average portfolio maturity. There is a risk that the investing Fund will not be considered the owner of a tender option bond for federal income tax purposes, and thus will not be entitled to treat such interest as exempt from federal income tax. Certain tender option bonds may be illiquid or may become illiquid as a result of a credit rating downgrade, a payment default or a disqualification from tax-exempt status. Additionally, the Dodd–Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (the “Dodd-Frank Act”), including the Volcker Rule, among other regulatory changes, may affect the ability of bank-sponsored tender option bonds to continue to operate or remain cost-effective investments.

Corporate Debt Obligations

Corporate debt obligations are fixed-income securities issued by private corporations. The investment return of corporate debt obligations reflects interest earnings and changes in the market value of the security. The market value of a corporate debt obligation may be expected to rise and fall inversely with interest rates generally. There also exists the risk that the issuers of the securities may not be able to meet their obligations on interest or principal payments at the time called for by an instrument. Debtholders, as creditors, have a prior legal claim over common and preferred stockholders of the corporation as to both income and assets for the principal and interest due to the bondholder. Certain Funds will buy corporate debt obligations subject to any quality constraints set forth under Rule 2a-7.

Revenue Bonds

Revenue bonds are municipal obligations that are secured by the revenue from a specific project. To the extent that a Fund invests in revenue bonds, and which are municipal obligations of issuers in the same economic sector, there could be economic, business or

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Additional Information About the Funds’ Investment Strategies and Related Risks (Con’t)

political developments which might affect such municipal obligations. For example, investments in revenue bonds backed by receipts from hospitals are sensitive to hospital bond ratings, which are often based on feasibility studies which contain projections of expenses, revenues and occupancy levels. Additional factors which could affect a hospital’s gross receipts and net income available to service its debt are demand for hospital services, the ability of the hospital to provide the services required, management capabilities, economic developments in the service area, efforts by insurers and government agencies to limit rates and expenses, reputational issues, competition, availability and expenses of malpractice insurance, Medicaid and Medicare funding and possible federal legislation regulating hospital charges.

Asset-Backed Securities

Asset-backed securities represent an interest in a pool of assets such as automobile loans, credit card receivables or mortgage or home equity loans, or certificates of participation or lease obligations or other municipal debt obligations, that have been securitized in pass-through structures. These types of pass-through securities provide for monthly payments that are a “pass-through” of the monthly interest and principal payments made by the individual borrowers on the pooled receivables. Such securities also may be debt instruments, which are also known as collateralized obligations and are generally issued as the debt of a special purpose entity, such as a trust, organized solely for the purpose of owning such assets and issuing such debt. Credit support for asset-backed securities may be based on the underlying assets and/or provided by a third-party through credit enhancements. Credit enhancement techniques include letters of credit, insurance bonds, limited guarantees (which are generally provided by the issuer), senior-subordinated structures and over-collateralization.

Asset-backed securities are not issued or guaranteed by the U.S. Government or its agencies or instrumentalities; however, the payment of principal and interest on such obligations may be guaranteed up to certain amounts for a certain period by a letter of credit issued by a financial institution (such as a bank or insurance company) unaffiliated with the issuers of such securities. The purchase of asset-backed securities raises risk considerations specific to the financing of the instruments underlying such securities. For example, there is a risk that another party could acquire an interest in the obligations superior to that of the holders of the asset-backed securities. Asset-backed securities entail prepayment risk and extension risk, which may vary depending on the type of asset. Securities subject to prepayment risk generally offer less potential for gains when interest rates decline, and may offer a greater potential for loss when interest rates rise. In addition, rising interest rates may cause prepayments to occur at a slower than expected rate, thereby effectively lengthening the maturity of the security and making the security more sensitive to interest rate changes. Other factors, such as changes in credit card use and payment patterns, may also influence prepayment rates. Asset-backed securities also involve the risk that various federal and state consumer laws and other legal and economic factors such as defaults on the underlying loans may result in the collateral backing the securities being insufficient to support payment on the securities. The risk of such defaults is generally higher in the case of mortgage pools that include sub-prime mortgages. There is also the possibility that recoveries on repossessed collateral may not, in some cases, be available to support payments on those securities.

Repurchase Agreements

Repurchase agreements are fixed-income securities in the form of agreements backed by collateral. These agreements typically involve the acquisition by the Funds of securities from the selling institution (such as a bank or a broker-dealer), coupled with the agreement that the selling institution will repurchase the underlying securities at a specified price and at a fixed time in the future (or on demand, if applicable). The underlying securities which serve as collateral for the repurchase agreements entered into by certain Funds may include U.S. government securities, municipal securities, corporate debt obligations, convertible securities and common and preferred stock and may be of below investment grade quality. These securities are marked-to-market daily in order to maintain full collateralization (typically purchase price plus accrued interest). The use of repurchase agreements involves certain risks. For example, if the selling institution defaults on its obligation to repurchase the underlying securities at a time when the value of the securities has declined, the Funds may incur a loss upon disposition of them. The risk of such loss may be greater when utilizing collateral other than U.S. government securities. In the event of an insolvency or bankruptcy by the selling institution, the Funds’ right to control the collateral could be affected and result in certain costs and delays. Additionally, if the proceeds from the liquidation of such collateral after an insolvency were less than the repurchase price, the Funds could suffer a loss. Fund procedures are followed that are designed to minimize such risks.

The Government Securities Portfolio may enter into repurchase agreements with the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. Reduced participation in the repurchase agreement market by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York may affect the Fund’s investment strategies, operations and/or return potential.

Municipal Obligations

Certain Funds may purchase municipal obligations subject to any restraints set forth under Rule 2a-7. Municipal obligations are securities issued by state and local governments and their agencies. These securities typically are “general obligation” or “revenue” bonds, notes or commercial paper, including participations in lease obligations and installment purchase contracts of municipalities. These obligations may have fixed, variable or floating rates.

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Prospectus  |  Additional Information About the Funds’ Investment Strategies and Related Risks

Additional Information About the Funds’ Investment Strategies and Related Risks (Con’t)

Additional Risks and Investment Strategies of the Funds

Investment Companies

The Funds may invest in investment companies, including money market funds, and may invest all or some of their short-term cash investments in any money market fund advised or managed by the Adviser or its affiliates (an “affiliated money market fund”). An investment in an investment company is subject to the underlying risks of that investment company’s portfolio securities. In addition to a Fund’s fees and expenses, the Fund generally would bear its share of the investment company’s fees and expenses other than advisory and administrative fees of affiliated money market funds.

Promissory Notes

Promissory notes are generally debt obligations of the issuing entity and are subject to the risks of investing in the banking industry. Certain Funds may invest up to 5% of their net assets in illiquid securities, including unsecured bank promissory notes.

Tax-Exempt Variable Rate Demand Notes

Tax-exempt variable rate demand notes are variable rate tax-exempt debt obligations that give investors the right to demand principal repayment. Due to cyclical supply and demand considerations, at times the yields on these obligations can exceed the yield on taxable money market obligations.

Large Shareholder Transactions Risk

A Fund may experience adverse effects when certain large shareholders purchase or redeem large amounts of shares of the Fund. Such large shareholder redemptions may cause a Fund to sell portfolio securities at times when it would not otherwise do so, which may negatively impact the Fund’s NAV and liquidity. Similarly, large Fund share purchases may adversely affect a Fund’s performance to the extent that the Fund is delayed in investing new cash and is required to maintain a larger cash position than it ordinarily would. These transactions may also accelerate the realization of taxable income to shareholders if such sales of investments resulted in gains, and may also increase transaction costs. In addition, a large redemption could result in a Fund’s current expenses being allocated over a smaller asset base, leading to an increase in the Fund’s expense ratio. Although large shareholder transactions may be more frequent under certain circumstances, a Fund is generally subject to the risk that a large shareholder can purchase or redeem a significant percentage of Fund shares at any time.

Investment Discretion

In pursuing a Fund’s investment objective, the Adviser has considerable leeway in deciding which investments it buys, holds or sells on a day-to-day basis, and which trading strategies it uses. For example, the Adviser, in its discretion, may determine to use some permitted trading strategies while not using others. The success or failure of such decisions will affect a Fund’s performance.

Temporary Defensive Investments

When the Adviser believes that changes in market, economic, political or other conditions warrant, each Fund may invest without limit in cash or cash equivalents and the Tax-Exempt Portfolio may invest without limit in taxable money market securities for temporary defensive purposes that may be inconsistent with a Fund’s principal investment strategies. If the Adviser incorrectly predicts the effects of these changes, such defensive investments may adversely affect a Fund’s performance and the Fund may not achieve its investment objective.

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Prospectus  |  Shareholder Information

Shareholder Information

The Trust is designed for institutional investors seeking maximum current income and convenient liquidation privileges. The Funds are particularly suitable for corporations, banks and other financial institutions that seek investment of short-term funds for their own accounts or for the accounts of their customers. Shares of the Government Portfolio and Government Securities Portfolio are intended to qualify as eligible investments for federally chartered credit unions pursuant to the applicable provisions of the Federal Credit Union Act and the National Credit Union Administration. Shares of the Government Portfolio and Government Securities Portfolio, however, may not qualify as eligible investments for particular state-chartered credit unions. A state-chartered credit union should consult qualified legal counsel to determine whether these Funds are permissible investments under the law applicable to it.

Share Class Arrangements

This Prospectus offers Advisory Class shares of each Fund. The Trust also offers other classes of shares through separate prospectuses. Certain of these classes may be subject to different fees and expenses. For information regarding other share classes, contact the Trust or your financial intermediary.

Minimum Investment Amount

Advisory Class shares are available to clients of the Adviser with investments at the time of initial purchase of at least $10 million. The Adviser, in its sole discretion, may waive the minimum initial investment amount in certain cases including, but not limited to, shares of the Fund purchased through a financial intermediary or when the Adviser anticipates the combined value of a client’s investments will meet or exceed the minimum.

Distributor

Shares of the Funds are distributed exclusively through Morgan Stanley Distribution, Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Morgan Stanley. The Distributor has entered into arrangements with certain financial intermediaries (also referred to as service organizations) who may accept purchase and redemption orders for shares of each Fund on its behalf.

The Adviser and/or the Distributor may pay additional compensation (out of their own funds and not as an expense of a Fund) to selected affiliated or unaffiliated brokers or other service providers in connection with the sale, distribution, retention and/or servicing of Fund shares. Such compensation may be significant in amount and the prospect of receiving any such additional compensation may provide affiliated or unaffiliated entities with an incentive to favor sales of shares of the Fund over other investment options. Any such payments will not change the NAV or the price of Fund shares. For more information, please see the Funds’ SAI.

The Trust has adopted a Service and Shareholder Administration Plan for each Fund’s Advisory Class shares (the “Plan”) to pay the Distributor to compensate certain financial intermediaries (also referred to as service organizations) who provide administrative services to shareholders. Under the Plan, each Fund pays the Distributor a monthly service fee which shall not exceed during any one year 0.25% of each Fund’s average daily net assets of Advisory Class shares which are owned beneficially by the customers of such service organization during such period. The Distributor may waive distribution fees to enable a Fund to maintain a minimum level of daily net investment income. The Distributor may discontinue these voluntary fee waivers at any time in the future.

Because the fees are paid out of a 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 sales charges.

Valuation of Shares

Each of the Prime Portfolio’s, ESG Money Market Portfolio’s and Tax-Exempt Portfolio’s investments will be valued using market-based prices provided by an approved pricing service/vendor and the share price of each rounded to a minimum of the fourth decimal place. The price of each of Government Portfolio’s, Government Securities Portfolio’s, Treasury Portfolio’s and Treasury Securities Portfolio’s shares is based on the amortized cost of the Fund’s securities. The amortized cost valuation method involves valuing a debt obligation in reference to its cost rather than market forces. If the Adviser determines that a valuation is not reflective of the security’s market value, such security is valued at its fair value as determined in good faith under procedures established by and under the general supervision of the Board.

The NAV of each Fund is determined once daily (except that the NAV of Prime Portfolio is determined three times daily), normally at the times set forth below, on each day that the NYSE is open (the “Pricing Time”), except when the following federal holidays are observed: Columbus Day and Veterans Day.

Shares will generally not be priced on days that the NYSE is closed, although Fund shares may be priced on such days if the Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association (“SIFMA”) recommends that the bond markets remain open for all or part of the day. On any business day when SIFMA recommends that the bond markets close early, a Fund reserves the right to close at or prior to the SIFMA recommended closing time. If a Fund does so, it will cease granting same day credit for purchase and redemption orders received after the Fund’s closing time and credit will be given on the next business day. The Fund may, however, elect to remain open and price shares of each Fund on days where the NYSE is closed but the primary securities markets on which the Funds’ securities trade remain open.

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Prospectus  |  Shareholder Information

Shareholder Information (Con’t)

Government Portfolio
Treasury Portfolio

As of 5:00 p.m. Eastern time

ESG Money Market Portfolio
Government Securities Portfolio
Treasury Securities Portfolio

As of 3:00 p.m. Eastern time

Tax-Exempt Portfolio

As of 1:00 p.m. Eastern time

Prime Portfolio

As of 8:00 a.m., 12:00 p.m. and 3:00 p.m. Eastern time

Pricing of Fund Shares

Advisory Class shares of the Funds may be purchased or sold (redeemed) at the NAV next determined after the Fund receives your order in good order and State Street Bank and Trust Company (the “Custodian”) receives monies credited by a Federal Reserve Bank (“Federal Funds”) prior to the close of the Federal Reserve Wire Network (“Fedwire”). You begin earning dividends the same day your Advisory Class shares are purchased provided the Fund receives your purchase amount in Federal Funds that day as set forth above. Orders to purchase shares of a Fund must be received by the Fund prior to the following times to receive the NAV next determined: for the Government Portfolio and Treasury Portfolio—5:00 p.m. Eastern time; for the ESG Money Market Portfolio, Government Securities Portfolio and Treasury Securities Portfolio—3:00 p.m. Eastern time; for the Tax-Exempt Portfolio—1:00 p.m. Eastern time; and for the Prime Portfolio—8:00 a.m., 12:00 p.m. or 3:00 p.m. Eastern time. On any business day that the NYSE closes early, or when SIFMA recommends that the securities markets close early, a Fund may close early and purchase orders received after such earlier closing times will be processed the following business day. If the NYSE is closed due to inclement weather, technology problems or any other reason on a day it would normally be open for business, or the NYSE has an unscheduled early closing on a day it has opened for business, a Fund reserves the right to treat such day as a business day and accept purchase and redemption orders until, and calculate its NAV as of, the normally scheduled close of regular trading on the NYSE for that day, or such time noted above, so long as the Adviser believes there generally remains an adequate market to obtain reliable and accurate market quotations. A Fund may elect to remain open on days when the NYSE is closed or closes early but on which SIFMA recommends that the bond markets remain open for all or part of the day. Purchase orders received by a Fund and not funded by 6:00 p.m. Eastern time on the trade date may be subject to an overdraft charge.

Portfolio Holdings

A description of the Trust’s policies and procedures with respect to the disclosure of each Fund’s portfolio securities is available in the Trust’s SAI.

How To Purchase Shares

Advisory Class shares of the Funds may be purchased directly from the Fund or through a financial intermediary.

Purchasing Shares Through a Financial Intermediary
You may open a new account and purchase Fund shares through certain authorized third-parties, such as brokers, dealers or other financial intermediaries that have entered into a selling agreement with the Distributor (each, a “Financial Intermediary”). Your Financial Intermediary will assist you with the procedures to invest in shares of the Fund. The Financial Intermediary will establish times by which such purchase orders and payments from customers must be received by the Financial Intermediary. Financial Intermediaries are responsible for transmitting purchase orders and payments to the Trust and the Trust’s Custodian in a timely fashion. Purchase orders placed with a Financial Intermediary and transmitted through a trading platform utilized by the Financial Intermediary may be transmitted by the trading platform after the deadlines established by the Trust for receipt of purchase orders, as set forth below; in such case, the purchase orders will receive a trade date of the next business day.

Investors purchasing Advisory Class shares through a Financial Intermediary may be charged a transaction-based or other fees by the Financial Intermediary for its services. If you are purchasing Advisory Class shares through a Financial Intermediary, please consult your intermediary for more information regarding any such fees and for purchase instructions.

With respect to sales through Financial Intermediaries, no offers or sales of Fund shares may be made in any foreign jurisdiction, except with the consent of the Distributor.

Purchasing Shares Directly From the Funds

Initial Purchase by Mail
You may open an account, subject to acceptance by the Fund, and purchase Advisory Class shares of a Fund by completing and signing a New Account Application which you can obtain by calling Morgan Stanley Services Company Inc. or the Fund at (888) 378-1630 (which is generally accessible weekdays 7:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m. Eastern time) and mailing it to Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds, c/o DST Asset Manager Solutions, Inc., P.O. Box 219804, Kansas City, MO 64121-9804 together with a check payable to Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds. Orders to purchase shares of a Fund must be received by the Fund prior to the applicable Fund’s final Pricing Time of that day. Orders received after such Pricing Time will be processed the following business

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Prospectus  |  Shareholder Information

Shareholder Information (Con’t)

day.

Please note that payments to investors who redeem shares of a Fund purchased by check will not be made until payment of the purchase has been collected, which may take up to 15 calendar days after purchase. You can avoid this delay by purchasing shares of a Fund by wire.

Initial Purchase by Wire
You may purchase Advisory Class shares of each Fund by wiring Federal Funds (monies credited by a Federal Reserve Bank) to the Custodian. You must forward a completed New Account Application to the Transfer Agent in advance of the wire by following the instructions under “Initial Purchase by Mail.” You should instruct your bank to send a Federal Funds wire in a specified amount to the Custodian using the following wire instructions:

State Street Bank and Trust Company
One Lincoln Street
Boston, MA 02111-2101
ABA #011000028
DDA #00575399
Attn: Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Subscription Account
Ref: (Fund Name, Account Number, Account Name)
* For international investments into the US funds, BIC Code: SBOSUS33XXX must be referenced, as well as the information listed above.

If notification of your order is received prior to the time required by each respective Fund, as set forth above, and the Custodian receives the funds the same day prior to the close of the Fedwire, then your purchase will become effective and begin to earn income on that day. Otherwise, your purchase will be effective on the next business day.

Purchase by Internet
If you have properly authorized the Internet Trading Option on your New Account Application and completed, signed and returned to the Fund an Electronic Transactions Agreement, you may place a purchase order for additional shares online through Morgan Stanley’s Treasury Investment Portal service at www.morganstanley.com/liquidity. For more information, call Morgan Stanley Services Company Inc. at 1-888-378-1630.

You are responsible for transmitting payments for shares purchased via the Internet in a timely fashion, as set forth above.

Automatic Purchases
Selected accounts that utilize the Funds as their sweep vehicle will be reviewed on each business day to determine whether the account has a positive balance as a result of credits incurred that day. If an account has a positive (credit) balance, shares of the respective Fund will automatically be purchased. Any positive (credit) balance will be reduced by any debits to the account on that day and shares of the Fund will automatically be sold.

Additional Investments
You may make additional investments of Advisory Class shares at the NAV next determined after the request is received in good order or by wiring Federal Funds to the Custodian as outlined above. State Street Bank and Trust Company must receive notification of receipt of your Federal Funds wire by the time required by each respective Fund, as set forth above under “How To Purchase Shares.”

General

To help the U.S. Government fight the funding of terrorism and money laundering activities, federal law requires all financial institutions to obtain, verify and record information that identifies each person who opens an account. What this means to you is that when you open an account, we will ask your name, address, date of birth and other information that will allow us to identify you. If we are unable to verify your identity, we reserve the right to restrict additional transactions and/or liquidate your account at the next calculated NAV after your account is closed (less any applicable sales/account charges and/or tax penalties) or take any other action required by law. In accordance with federal law requirements, the Trust has implemented an anti-money laundering compliance program, which includes the designation of an anti-money laundering compliance officer.

How To Redeem Shares

You may process a redemption request by contacting your Financial Intermediary. Otherwise, you may redeem shares of a Fund by mail or, if authorized, by telephone, at no charge other than as described below. The value of shares redeemed may be more or less than the purchase price, depending on the NAV at the time of redemption. Shares of a Fund will be redeemed at the NAV next determined after we receive your redemption request in good order.

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Prospectus  |  Shareholder Information

Shareholder Information (Con’t)

Redemptions by Letter
Requests should be addressed to Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds, c/o DST Asset Manager Solutions, Inc., P.O. Box 219804, Kansas City, MO 64121-9804.

To be in good order, redemption requests must include the following documentation:

(a) A letter of instruction, if required, or a stock assignment specifying the account name, the account number, the name of the Fund and the number of shares or dollar amount to be redeemed, signed by all registered owners of the shares in the exact names in which the shares are registered, and whether you wish to receive the redemption proceeds by wire to the bank account we have on file for you;

(b) Any required signature guarantees if you are requesting payment to anyone other than the registered owner(s) or that payment be sent to any address other than the address of the registered owner(s) or pre-designated bank account; and

(c) Other supporting legal documents, if required, in the case of estates, trusts, guardianships, custodianship, corporations, pension and profit sharing plans and other organizations.

Redemptions by Telephone
You automatically have telephone redemption and exchange privileges unless you indicate otherwise by checking the applicable box on the New Account Application or calling the Fund to opt out of such privileges. You may request a redemption of shares of a Fund by calling the Fund at 1-888-378-1630 and requesting that the redemption proceeds be mailed or wired to you. Telephone redemptions and exchanges may not be available if you cannot reach the Fund by telephone, whether because all telephone lines are busy or for any other reason; in such case, a shareholder would have to use the Fund’s other redemption and exchange procedures described in this section. Telephone instructions will be accepted if received by the Fund between 7:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. Eastern time on any day the NYSE is open for business, except when the following federal holidays are observed: Columbus Day and Veterans Day. Orders to redeem or exchange shares of a Fund must be received by the Fund prior to the applicable Fund’s final Pricing Time of that day. Orders received after such Pricing Time will be processed the following business day. To opt out of telephone privileges, please contact the Fund at 1-888-378-1630.

Redemptions by Internet
You may redeem shares online through Morgan Stanley’s Treasury Investment Portal service at www.morganstanley.com/liquidity, provided you have a pre-established Internet trading account, as set forth above under “How To Purchase Shares.” For more information, call the Fund at 1-888-378-1630.

Automatic Redemptions
Selected accounts that utilize the Funds as their sweep vehicle will be reviewed on each business day to determine whether the account has any debits that were incurred that day and shares of the Funds will automatically be redeemed to cover the debits if such debits have not been reduced by any credits which may have accrued to the account on the same day.

Redemption Proceeds
You will not earn a dividend on the day your shares are sold. Orders to sell shares (redemption requests) will be processed on the day on which they are received, provided they are received prior to the following times to receive the NAV next determined: for the Government Portfolio and Treasury Portfolio—5:00 p.m. Eastern time; for the Prime Portfolio, ESG Money Market Portfolio, Government Securities Portfolio and Treasury Securities Portfolio—3:00 p.m. Eastern time; and for the Tax-Exempt Portfolio— 1:00 p.m. Eastern time. On any business day that the NYSE closes early, the Fund may close early and redemption requests received after such earlier closing times will be processed the following business day. The Fund may elect to remain open on days when the NYSE is closed or closes early but on which SIFMA recommends that the bond markets remain open for all or part of the day. Generally, payment for Fund shares sold will be made on the day on which the order is processed, but under certain circumstances may not be made until the next business day. The Fund may postpone and/or suspend redemption and payment beyond one business day only as follows: (a) for any period during which there is a non-routine closure of the Fedwire or applicable Federal Reserve Banks; (b) for any period (i) during which the NYSE is closed other than customary weekend and holiday closings or (ii) during which trading on the NYSE is restricted; (c) for any period during which an emergency exists as a result of which (i) disposal of securities owned by the Fund is not reasonably practicable or (ii) it is not reasonably practicable for the Fund to fairly determine the NAV of shares of the Fund; (d) for any period during which the SEC has, by rule or regulation, deemed that (i) trading shall be restricted or (ii) an emergency exists; (e) for any period that the SEC may by order permit; or (f) for any period during which the Fund as part of a necessary liquidation of a Fund, has properly postponed and/or suspended redemption of shares and payment in accordance with federal securities laws. In addition, when SIFMA recommends that the securities markets close early, payments with respect to redemption requests received subsequent to the recommended close will be made the next business day (assuming that the Fund in fact closes).

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Prospectus  |  Shareholder Information

Shareholder Information (Con’t)

Each Fund typically expects to meet redemption requests by using a combination of sales of securities held by a Fund and/or holdings of cash and cash equivalents. On a less regular basis, each Fund also reserves the right to use borrowings to meet redemption requests, and each Fund may use these methods during both normal and stressed market conditions.

If we determine that it is in the best interest of other shareholders not to pay redemption proceeds in cash, we may pay you in part by distributing to you readily marketable securities held by the Fund from which you are redeeming. Such in-kind securities may be illiquid and difficult or impossible for a shareholder to sell at a time and at a price that a shareholder would like. Redemptions paid in such securities generally will give rise to income, gain or loss for income tax purposes in the same manner as redemptions paid in cash. In addition, you may incur brokerage costs and a further gain or loss for income tax purposes when you ultimately sell the securities.

Exchange Privilege

You may exchange a Fund’s Advisory Class shares for Advisory Class shares of other available Funds of the Trust based on their respective NAVs, except that you may not exchange Advisory Class shares from or into the Prime Portfolio, ESG Money Market Portfolio or Tax-Exempt Portfolio. We charge no fee for exchanges. If you purchased Fund shares through a Financial Intermediary, certain other Funds of the Trust may be unavailable for exchange. Contact your Financial Intermediary to determine which Funds are available for exchange.

You can process your exchange by contacting your Financial Intermediary or online through Morgan Stanley’s Treasury Investment Portal service at www.morganstanley.com/liquidity provided you have a pre-established Internet trading account, as set forth above under “How To Purchase Shares.” You may also send exchange requests to the Fund’s transfer agent, DST Asset Manager Solutions, Inc. (“DST”), by mail to Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds, c/o DST Asset Manager Solutions, Inc., P.O. Box 219804, Kansas City, MO 64121-9804 or by calling the Fund at 1-888-378-1630.

You will be subject to the same minimum initial investment and account size as an initial purchase. The Fund, in its sole discretion, may waive the minimum initial investment amounts in certain cases including, but not limited to, exchanges involving Fund shares purchased through a Financial Intermediary or when the Adviser anticipates the combined value of a client’s investments will meet or exceed the minimum. The Fund may terminate or revise the exchange privilege upon required notice or in certain cases without notice. The Fund reserves the right to reject an exchange order for any reason.

Telephone/Internet Transactions

For your protection, we will employ reasonable procedures to confirm that instructions communicated over the telephone/Internet are genuine. These procedures may include requiring various forms of personal identification (such as name, mailing address, social security number or other tax identification number and password/authorization codes, including PIN (Personal Identification Number)), tape-recording telephone communications and providing written confirmation of instructions communicated by telephone/Internet. If reasonable procedures are employed, none of Morgan Stanley, DST or the Fund will be liable for following telephone/Internet instructions which it reasonably believes to be genuine. During periods of drastic economic or market changes, it is possible that the telephone/Internet privileges may be difficult to implement, although this has not been the case with the Funds in the past.

Frequent Purchases and Redemptions of Fund Shares

We expect the Funds to be used by shareholders for short-term investing and by certain selected accounts utilizing the Funds as a sweep vehicle. Therefore, reasonably frequent purchases and redemptions of Fund shares by Fund shareholders do not present risks for other shareholders of a Fund, and the policies and procedures adopted by the Board of Trustees/Directors as applicable to other funds in the Morgan Stanley family of funds are generally not applicable with respect to frequent purchases and redemptions of Fund shares. However, frequent trading by shareholders can disrupt management of the Funds and raise their respective expenses. Therefore, we may not accept any request for a purchase or exchange when we think it is being used as a tool for market-timing, and we may bar a shareholder who trades excessively from making further purchases for an indefinite period.

Distributions

The Funds pass substantially all of their earnings along to their investors as “distributions.” The Funds earn interest from fixed-income investments. These amounts are passed along to Fund shareholders as “income dividend distributions.” Each Fund realizes capital gains whenever it sells securities for a higher price than it paid for them. These amounts may be passed along as “capital gain distributions.” The Adviser does not anticipate that there will be significant capital gain distributions.

The Funds declare income dividends daily on each business day and pay them monthly to shareholders. Dividends are based on estimates of income, expenses and shareholder activity for the Funds. Actual income, expenses and shareholder activity may differ from estimates and differences, if any, will be included in the calculation of subsequent dividends. Short-term capital gains, if any, are distributed periodically. Long-term capital gains, if any, are distributed at least annually. The Funds automatically reinvest all dividends and distributions in additional shares. However, you may elect to receive distributions in cash by giving written notice to

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Prospectus  |  Shareholder Information

Shareholder Information (Con’t)

your Financial Intermediary or by checking the appropriate box in the Distribution Option section on the Account Registration Form.

Liquidity Fees and Redemption Gates—Prime Portfolio, ESG Money Market Portfolio and Tax-Exempt Portfolio
Under Rule 2a-7, the Prime Portfolio, ESG Money Market Portfolio and Tax-Exempt Portfolio will be permitted (or in some cases, may be required) to impose a liquidity fee on redemptions (up to 2%) or temporarily restrict redemptions from the Fund for up to 10 business days during a 90 calendar day period (a “redemption gate”), in the event that the Fund’s weekly liquid assets fall below the following thresholds:

 

30% weekly liquid assets—If the weekly liquid assets of a Fund fall below 30% of the Fund’s total assets, and the Board of Trustees determines it is in the best interests of the Fund, the Board of Trustees may impose a liquidity fee of no more than 2% of the amount redeemed and/or a redemption gate that temporarily suspends the right of redemption. The liquidity fee or redemption gate may be imposed at any point during the applicable business day, generally at the subsequent NAV calculation time of the applicable Fund following the determination of the Board of Trustees.

 

10% weekly liquid assets—If the weekly liquid assets of a Fund fall below 10% of the Fund’s total assets as of the end of a business day, the Fund must impose, at the beginning of the next business day, a liquidity fee of 1% of the amount redeemed, unless the Board of Trustees determines that imposing such a fee would not be in the best interests of the Fund or determines that a lower or higher fee (not to exceed 2%) would be in the best interests of the Fund.
 

Liquidity fees and redemptions gates may be terminated at any time in the discretion of the Board of Trustees. Liquidity fees and redemptions gates will also terminate at the beginning of the next business day once the applicable Fund has invested 30% or more of its total assets in weekly liquid assets as of the end of a business day. A Fund may only suspend redemptions for up to 10 business days in any 90 calendar day period.

Weekly liquid assets generally include: (a) cash; (b) direct obligations of the U.S. Government; (c) certain U.S. government agency discount notes with remaining maturities of 60 days or less; (d) securities that will mature or are subject to a demand feature that is exercisable and payable within five business days; or (e) amounts receivable and due unconditionally within five business days on pending sales of portfolio securities.

If a Fund imposes a redemption gate, the Fund and your Financial Intermediary will not accept redemption or exchange orders out of the Fund until the Fund has notified shareholders that the redemption gate has been lifted. Any redemption or exchange orders out of a Fund submitted while a redemption gate is in effect will be cancelled without further notice. If you still wish to redeem or exchange shares out of a Fund once the redemption gate has been lifted, you will need to submit a new redemption or exchange request to the Fund or your Financial Intermediary. Unprocessed purchase orders that a Fund received prior to notification of the imposition of a liquidity fee or redemption gate will be cancelled unless re-confirmed. Under certain circumstances, a Fund may honor redemption or exchange orders out of the Fund (or pay redemptions without adding a liquidity fee to the redemption amount) if the Fund can verify that the redemption or exchange order out of the Fund was submitted to the Fund’s agent before the Fund imposed liquidity fees or suspended redemptions. Once a liquidity fee or a redemption gate is in place, shareholders will not be permitted to exchange into or out of the applicable Fund until the fee or gate is terminated.

The Board of Trustees generally expects that a liquidity fee or redemption gate would be imposed, if at all, during periods of extraordinary market stress. The Board of Trustees generally expects that a redemption gate would be imposed prior to notification to shareholders and Financial Intermediaries that a gate would be imposed. While the Board of Trustees may, in its discretion, impose a liquidity fee at any time after the weekly liquid assets of the Fund fall below 30% of the Fund’s total assets, the Board of Trustees generally expects that a liquidity fee would be imposed only after the Fund has notified Financial Intermediaries and shareholders that a liquidity fee will be imposed. The Fund retains the liquidity fees for the benefit of remaining shareholders.

The Board of Trustees may, in its discretion, permanently suspend redemptions and liquidate the Fund if, among other things, the Fund, at the end of a business day, has less than 10% of its total assets invested in weekly liquid assets. In the event of liquidation, shareholders are entitled to share pro rata in the net assets of the Fund available for distribution to such shareholders.

Announcements regarding the imposition of liquidity fees or redemption gates, or the termination of liquidity fees or redemption gates, will be filed with the SEC on Form N-CR and will be available on the website of the Fund (http://www.morganstanley.com/im). In addition, the Fund will make such announcements through a supplement to its Prospectus and may make such announcements through a press release or by other means.

Dividend payments will not be subject to liquidity fees or redemption gates; however, in the event that a liquidity fee or redemption gate is in place at the time that dividends are distributed, all distributions will be made in the form of cash.

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Prospectus  |  Shareholder Information

Shareholder Information (Con’t)

Trade corrections requested after a liquidity fee or redemption gate is imposed will be honored so long as the “as of” date of the transaction to be processed is prior to the effective time of the liquidity fee or redemption gate and a valid reason for the trade error is provided.

Financial Intermediaries will be required to promptly take such actions reasonably requested by the Fund, the Transfer Agent or the Adviser to implement, modify or remove, or to assist the Fund in implementing, modifying or removing, a liquidity fee or redemption gate established by the Fund.

The Government Portfolio, the Government Securities Portfolio, the Treasury Portfolio and the Treasury Securities Portfolio are exempt from requirements that permit money market funds to impose a “liquidity fee” and/or a “redemption gate” that temporarily restricts redemptions. The Board of Trustees has opted not to subject the Government Portfolio, the Government Securities Portfolio, the Treasury Portfolio and the Treasury Securities Portfolio to a “liquidity fee” and/or a “redemption gate” but has reserved its right to change this determination in the future after providing appropriate notice to shareholders.

Taxes

The tax information provided in this Prospectus is provided as general information. You should consult your own tax professional about the tax consequences of an investment in a particular Fund.

It is each Fund’s intention to qualify as a regulated investment company and distribute all or substantially all of its taxable and tax-exempt income.

Except as noted below, dividends you receive will generally be taxable, whether you receive them in cash or in additional shares. Income dividend distributions and any short-term capital gain distributions are generally taxable to you as ordinary income. Any long-term capital gain distributions are taxable as long-term capital gains, no matter how long you have owned shares in a Fund. Distributions paid by the Funds are not expected to be eligible for lower tax rates applicable to qualified dividends.

With respect to the Government Securities Portfolio, while the Fund intends to limit its investments to certain U.S. Treasury obligations and U.S. government securities, the interest of which is generally exempt from state income taxation, you should consult your own tax adviser to determine whether distributions from the Government Securities Portfolio are exempt from state taxation in your own state.

With respect to the Tax-Exempt Portfolio, your income dividend distributions are normally exempt from federal income tax to the extent they are derived from municipal obligations. Income derived from other portfolio securities may be subject to federal, state and/or local income taxes. The income derived from some municipal securities is subject to the federal “alternative minimum tax.”

An additional 3.8% Medicare tax is imposed on certain net investment income (including ordinary dividends and capital gain distributions 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) exceeds certain threshold amounts.

Shareholders who are not citizens or residents of the United States and certain foreign entities may be subject to withholding of U.S. tax on distributions made by a Fund of investment income and short-term capital gains at a rate of 30% (or a lower tax treaty rate, if applicable). Such shareholders may also be subject to United States estate tax with respect to their shares.

Dividends paid by a Fund to shareholders who are nonresident aliens or foreign entities that are derived from short-term capital gains and qualifying U.S. source net interest income (including income from original issue discount and market discount), and that are designated by the Fund as “interest-related dividends” or “short-term capital gain dividends,” will generally not be subject to U.S. withholding tax, provided that the income would not be subject to U.S. federal income tax if earned directly by the foreign shareholder. However, depending on the circumstances, a Fund may designate all, some or none of the Fund’s potentially eligible dividends as exempt.

A Fund is required to withhold U.S. tax (at a 30% rate) on payments of taxable 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 a Fund to enable the Fund to determine whether withholding is required.

U.S. investors will be sent a statement (Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”) Form 1099-DIV) by February of each year showing the taxable distributions paid to you in the previous year. The statement provides information on your dividends and any capital gains for tax purposes.

Sales, exchanges and redemptions of shares in a Fund are generally taxable events and may result in taxable gain or loss to you. Because each of Government Portfolio, Government Securities Portfolio, Treasury Portfolio and Treasury Securities Portfolio intends

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Prospectus  |  Shareholder Information

Shareholder Information (Con’t)

to maintain a stable $1.00 NAV, shareholders will typically not recognize gain or loss when they sell or exchange their shares in these Funds because the amount realized will be the same as their tax basis in the shares. Because each of Prime Portfolio, ESG Money Market Portfolio and Tax-Exempt Portfolio does not maintain a stable share price, a sale of these Funds’ shares may result in capital gain or loss to you.

With respect to any gain or loss recognized on the sale or exchange of shares of a Fund, unless you choose to adopt a simplified “NAV method” of accounting (described below), the amount of any gain or loss and the rate of tax will depend mainly upon how much you paid for the shares, how much you sell them for, and how long you held them. In this case, any gain or loss generally will be treated as short-term capital gain or loss if you held your shares as capital assets for one year or less, and long-term capital gain or loss if you held your shares as capital assets for more than one year. The maximum individual tax rate applicable to long-term capital gains is generally 15% or 20%, depending on whether the individual’s income exceeds certain threshold amounts. Any loss realized upon a taxable disposition of Fund shares held for six months or less will be treated as a long-term capital loss, rather than a short-term capital loss, to the extent of any long-term capital gain distributions received (or deemed received) by you with respect to the Fund shares.

If you elect to adopt the simplified “NAV method” of accounting, rather than compute gain or loss on every taxable sale or other disposition of shares of a Fund as described above, you would determine your gain or loss based on the change in the aggregate value of your Fund shares during a computation period (such as your taxable year), reduced by your net investment (i.e., purchases minus sales) in those Fund shares during the computation period. Under the simplified “NAV method,” any resulting capital gain or loss would be reportable on a net basis and would generally be treated as a short-term capital gain or loss.

A liquidity fee imposed by a Fund will reduce the amount you will receive upon the redemption of your shares, and will generally decrease the amount of any capital gain or increase the amount of any capital loss you will recognize with respect to such redemption. There is some degree of uncertainty with respect to the tax treatment of liquidity fees received by money market funds, and such tax treatment may be the subject of future guidance issued by the IRS. If a Fund receives liquidity fees, it will consider the appropriate tax treatment of such fees to the Fund at such time.

When you open your account, you should provide appropriate tax documentation including your social security or tax identification number on your investment application. By providing this information, you generally will avoid being subject to federal backup withholding on taxable distributions and redemption proceeds at the applicable rate. Any withheld amount would be sent to the IRS as an advance payment of taxes due on your income for such year.

Potential Conflicts of Interest

As a diversified global financial services firm, Morgan Stanley, the parent company of the Adviser, engages in a broad spectrum of activities, including financial advisory services, investment management activities, lending, commercial banking, sponsoring and managing private investment funds, engaging in broker-dealer transactions and principal securities, commodities and foreign exchange transactions, research publication and other activities. In the ordinary course of its business, Morgan Stanley is a full-service investment banking and financial services firm and therefore engages in activities where Morgan Stanley’s interests or the interests of its clients may conflict with the interests of a Fund. Morgan Stanley has advised clients and has sponsored, managed or advised other investment funds and investment programs, accounts and businesses (collectively, together with any new or successor funds, programs, accounts or businesses, the ‘‘Affiliated Investment Accounts’’) with a wide variety of investment objectives that in some instances may overlap or conflict with a Fund’s investment objectives and present conflicts of interest. In addition, Morgan Stanley may also from time to time create new or successor Affiliated Investment Accounts that may compete with a Fund and present similar conflicts of interest. The discussion below enumerates certain actual, apparent and potential conflicts of interest. There is no assurance that conflicts of interest will be resolved in favor of Fund shareholders and, in fact, they may not be. Conflicts of interest not described below may also exist.

For more information about conflicts of interest, see the section entitled “Potential Conflicts of Interest” in the SAI.

Material Nonpublic Information. It is expected that confidential or material nonpublic information regarding an investment or potential investment opportunity may become available to the Adviser. If such information becomes available, the Adviser may be precluded (including by applicable law or internal policies or procedures) from pursuing an investment or disposition opportunity with respect to such investment or investment opportunity.

Investments by Morgan Stanley and its Affiliated Investment Accounts. In serving in multiple capacities to Affiliated Investment Accounts, Morgan Stanley, including the Adviser and the Investment team, may have obligations to other clients or investors in Affiliated Investment Accounts, the fulfillment of which may not be in the best interests of a Fund or its shareholders. A Fund’s investment objectives may overlap with the investment objectives of certain Affiliated Investment Accounts. As a result, the members of an Investment team may face conflicts in the allocation of investment opportunities among a Fund and other investment funds, programs, accounts and businesses advised by or affiliated with the Adviser. Certain Affiliated Investment Accounts may provide for

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Prospectus  |  Shareholder Information

Shareholder Information (Con’t)

higher management or incentive fees or greater expense reimbursements or overhead allocations, all of which may contribute to this conflict of interest and create an incentive for the Adviser to favor such other accounts.

Payments to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries. The Adviser and/or the Distributor may pay compensation, out of their own funds and not as an expense of a Fund, to certain Financial Intermediaries (which may include affiliates of the Adviser and Distributor), including recordkeepers and administrators of various deferred compensation plans, in connection with the sale, distribution, marketing and retention of shares of the Fund and/or shareholder servicing. The prospect of receiving, or the receipt of, additional compensation, as described above, by Financial Intermediaries may provide such Financial Intermediaries and their financial advisors and other salespersons with an incentive to favor sales of shares of a Fund over other investment options with respect to which these Financial Intermediaries do not receive additional compensation (or receives lower levels of additional compensation). These payment arrangements, however, will not change the price that an investor pays for shares of a Fund or the amount that the Fund receives to invest on behalf of an investor. Investors may wish to take such payment arrangements into account when considering and evaluating any recommendations relating to Fund shares and should review carefully any disclosures provided by Financial Intermediaries as to their compensation.

Morgan Stanley Trading and Principal Investing Activities. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, Morgan Stanley will generally conduct its sales and trading businesses, publish research and analysis, and render investment advice without regard for a Fund’s holdings, although these activities could have an adverse impact on the value of one or more of the Fund’s investments, or could cause Morgan Stanley to have an interest in one or more portfolio investments that is different from, and potentially adverse to, that of a Fund.

Morgan Stanley’s Investment Banking Activities. Morgan Stanley advises clients on a variety of mergers, acquisitions and financing transactions. Morgan Stanley may act as an advisor to clients, including other investment funds that may compete with a Fund and with respect to investments that a Fund may hold. Morgan Stanley may give advice and take action with respect to any of its clients or proprietary accounts that may differ from the advice given, or may involve an action of a different timing or nature than the action taken, by a Fund. Morgan Stanley may give advice and provide recommendations to persons competing with a Fund and/or any of a Fund’s investments that are contrary to the Fund’s best interests and/or the best interests of any of its investments.

General Process for Potential Conflicts. All of the transactions described above involve the potential for conflicts of interest between the Adviser, related persons of the Adviser and/or their clients. The Investment Advisers Act of 1940, the 1940 Act and ERISA impose certain requirements designed to decrease the possibility of conflicts of interest between an investment adviser and its clients. In some cases, transactions may be permitted subject to fulfillment of certain conditions. Certain other transactions may be prohibited. In addition, the Adviser has instituted policies and procedures designed to prevent conflicts of interest from arising and, when they do arise, to ensure that it effects transactions for clients in a manner that is consistent with its fiduciary duty to its clients and in accordance with applicable law. The Adviser seeks to ensure that potential or actual conflicts of interest are appropriately resolved taking into consideration the overriding best interests of the client.

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Prospectus  |  Fund Management

Fund Management

Adviser

Morgan Stanley Investment Management Inc. with principal offices at 522 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10036, conducts a worldwide portfolio management business and provides a broad range of portfolio management services to customers in the United States and abroad. Morgan Stanley (NYSE: “MS”) is the parent of the Adviser, who is the parent of the Distributor. Morgan Stanley is a preeminent global financial services firm engaged in securities trading and brokerage activities, as well as providing investment banking, research and analysis, financing and financial advisory services. As of December 31, 2019, the Adviser, together with its affiliated asset management companies, had approximately $552 billion in assets under management or supervision.

A discussion regarding the basis for the Board of Trustees approving the Trust’s Investment Advisory Agreement is available in the Funds’ Annual Report to shareholders for the fiscal year ended October 31, 2019.

Advisory Fees

The Adviser makes investment decisions for the Funds. Each Fund, in turn, pays the Adviser a monthly advisory fee calculated daily by applying an annual rate to each Fund’s daily net assets.

For the fiscal year ended October 31, 2019, the Adviser received from each Fund the advisory fee (net of fee waivers, if applicable) set forth in the table below.

Fund (as a percentage of average daily net assets)

Prime Portfolio

0.10%

ESG Money Market Portfolio

0.09%

Government Portfolio

0.11%

Government Securities Portfolio

0.12%

Treasury Portfolio

0.13%

Treasury Securities Portfolio

0.14%

Tax-Exempt Portfolio

0.03%

Morgan Stanley Investment Management Inc., as the Adviser and the Administrator, has agreed to reduce its advisory fee, its administration fee and/or reimburse the Fund’s Advisory Class, if necessary, if such fees would cause the total annual operating expenses of such Fund’s Advisory Class to exceed the percentage of daily net assets set forth in the table below. In determining the actual amount of fee waiver and/or expense reimbursement for each Fund, if any, the Adviser and Administrator exclude from total annual operating expenses certain investment related expenses, taxes, interest and other extraordinary expenses (including litigation). The fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements will continue for at least one year or until such time as the Trust’s Board of Trustees acts to discontinue all or a portion of such waivers and/or reimbursements when it seems such action is appropriate.

A Fund’s annual operating expenses may vary throughout the period and from year to year. A Fund’s actual expenses for the most recent fiscal year may be different than the expenses listed in the Fund’s fee and expense table based upon the extent and amount of a fee waiver and/or expense reimbursement.

 

Expense Cap
Advisory Class

Prime Portfolio

0.45%

ESG Money Market Portfolio

0.45%

Government Portfolio

0.45%

Government Securities Portfolio

0.45%

Treasury Portfolio

0.45%

Treasury Securities Portfolio

0.45%

Tax-Exempt Portfolio

0.45%

The Distributor, Adviser and Administrator may also waive distribution fees, advisory fees, administration fees and/or reimburse expenses to enable a Fund to maintain a minimum level of daily net investment income. The Adviser and Administrator may make additional voluntary fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements. The Distributor, Adviser and Administrator may discontinue these voluntary fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements at any time in the future.

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Prospectus | Financial Highlights

Financial Highlights

The following financial highlights tables are intended to help you understand the financial performance of the Advisory Class shares of each Fund for the periods indicated. The Advisory Class was fully redeemed during the month of November 2016 from the Tax-Exempt Portfolio and there were no shares outstanding as of October 31, 2019. Accordingly, no financial highlights have been presented in the applicable Fund’s Annual Report. Certain information reflects financial results for a single Fund share. The total returns in the tables represent the rate that an investor would have earned (or lost) on an investment in each Fund (assuming reinvestment of all dividends and distributions).

The ratios of expenses to average net assets listed in the tables below for each Fund are based on the average net assets of the Fund for each of the periods listed in the tables. To the extent that a Fund’s average net assets decrease over the Fund’s next fiscal year, such expense ratios can be expected to increase, potentially significantly, because certain fixed costs will be spread over a smaller amount of assets.

Year Ended October 31,

 

Net Asset
Value,
Beginning
of Period

 

Net
Investment
Income

 

Net Realized
and Unrealized
Gain (Loss)
on Investments

 

Distributions
From Net
Investment
Income

Prime Portfolio:

2019

$

1.0000

$

0.0213
(2)

$

0.0004
(3)

$

(0.0214
)

2018

 

1.0000

 

0.0161
(2)

 

(0.0004
)
(3)

 

(0.0157
)

2017

 

1.0000

 

0.0086
(2)

 

(0.0038
)

 

(0.0048
)

2016(1)

 

1.0000

 

0.0013
(2)

 

0.0000
(3)

 

(0.0013
)

2015

 

1.000

 

0.000
(2)(3)

 

(0.000
)
(3)

 

(0.000
)
(3)

ESG Money Market Portfolio:

2019

$

1.0007

$

0.0213
(2)

$

0.0005

$

(0.0215
)

2018

 

1.0006

 

0.0165
(2)

 

(0.0006
)

 

(0.0158
)

2017

 

1.0004

 

0.0080
(2)

 

0.0001
(3)

 

(0.0079
)

2016(1)

 

1.0000

 

0.0017
(2)

 

0.0004
(3)

 

(0.0017
)

2015

 

1.000

 

0.000
(2)(3)

 

(0.000
)
(3)

 

(0.000
)
(3)

Government Portfolio:

2019

$

1.000

$

0.019
(2)

$

0.000
(3)

$

(0.019
)

2018

 

1.000

 

0.013
(2)

 

0.000
(3)

 

(0.013
)

2017

 

1.000

 

0.004
(2)

 

0.000
(3)

 

(0.004
)

2016(1)

 

1.000

 

0.000
(2)(3)

 

0.000
(3)

 

(0.000
)
(3)

2015

 

1.000

 

0.000
(2)(3)

 

0.000
(3)

 

(0.000
)
(3)

Government Securities Portfolio:

2019

$

1.000

$

0.019
(2)

$

0.000
(3)

$

(0.019
)

2018

 

1.000

 

0.010
(2)

 

0.002

 

(0.012
)

2017

 

1.000

 

0.004
(2)

 

0.000
(3)

 

(0.004
)

2016(1)

 

1.000

 

0.000
(2)(3)

 

0.000
(3)

 

(0.000
)
(3)

2015

 

1.000

 

0.000
(2)(3)

 

(0.000
)
(3)

 

(0.000
)
(3)

Treasury Portfolio:

2019

$

1.000

$

0.019
(2)

$

0.000
(3)

$

(0.019
)

2018

 

1.000

 

0.013
(2)

 

0.000
(3)

 

(0.013
)

2017

 

1.000

 

0.004
(2)

 

0.000
(3)

 

(0.004
)

2016(1)

 

1.000

 

0.000
(2)(3)

 

(0.000
)
(3)

 

(0.000
)
(3)

2015

 

1.000

 

0.000
(2)(3)

 

(0.000
)
(3)

 

(0.000
)
(3)

Treasury Securities Portfolio:

2019

$

1.000

$

0.018
(2)

$

0.000
(3)

$

(0.018
)

2018

 

1.000

 

0.013
(2)

 

(0.000
)
(3)

 

(0.013
)

2017

 

1.000

 

0.004
(2)

 

(0.000
)
(3)

 

(0.004
)

2016(1)

 

1.000

 

0.000
(2)(3)

 

0.000
(3)

 

(0.000
)
(3)

2015

 

1.000

 

0.000
(2)(3)

 

(0.000
)
(3)

 

(0.000
)
(3)

49


 

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Prospectus | Financial Highlights

The information below has been derived from the financial statements audited by Ernst & Young LLP, the Funds’ independent registered public accounting firm. Ernst & Young LLP’s report, along with each Fund’s financial statements, are incorporated by reference into the Funds’ SAI. The Annual Report to Shareholders (which includes each Fund’s financial statements) and SAI are available at no cost from the Trust at the toll free number noted on the back cover to this Prospectus.26442

Net Asset Value,
End of Period

 

Total
Return

 

Net Assets,
End of Period
(000)

 

Ratio of
Expenses
to Average Net
Assets

 

Ratio of Expenses
to Average
Net Assets Excluding
Non-Operating Expenses

 

Ratio of Expenses
to Average
Net Assets
(Before Waivers/
Reimbursement)

 

Ratio of
Net Investment
Income to Average
Net Assets

 

Ratio of
Net Investment
Income (Loss)
to Average
Net Assets
(Before Waivers/
Reimbursement)

$  1.0003

 

2.19
%

$

51

 

0.41
%
(4)

 

N/A

 

0.46
%

 

2.13
%

 

2.08
%
1.0000

 

1.58
%

 

50

 

0.40
%
(4)

 

N/A

 

0.46
%

 

1.62
%

 

1.56
%
1.0000

 

0.49
%

 

50

 

0.37
%
(4)

 

N/A

 

0.48
%

 

0.84
%

 

0.73
%
1.0000

 

0.13
%

 

4,471

 

0.41
%
(4)

 

N/A

 

0.46
%

 

0.11
%

 

0.06
%
1.000

 

0.04
%

 

229,592

 

0.22
%
(4)

 

N/A

 

0.46
%

 

0.03
%

 

(0.21
)%
$  1.0010

 

2.20
%

$

51

 

0.41
%
(4)

 

0.41
%
(4)

 

0.47
%

 

2.13
%

 

2.07
%
1.0007

 

1.60
%

 

50

 

0.40
%
(4)

 

N/A

 

0.50
%

 

1.66
%

 

1.56
%
1.0006

 

0.81
%

 

52

 

0.35
%
(4)

 

N/A

 

0.57
%

 

0.81
%

 

0.59
%
1.0004

 

0.22
%

 

2

 

0.37
%
(4)

 

N/A

 

0.47
%

 

0.16
%

 

0.06
%
1.000

 

0.01
%

 

493

 

0.26
%
(4)

 

N/A

 

0.47
%

 

0.01
%

 

(0.20
)%
$  1.000

 

1.95
%

$

962,234

 

0.42
%
(4)

 

0.42
%
(4)

 

0.46
%

 

1.92
%

 

1.88
%
1.000

 

1.30
%

 

1,082,958

 

0.42
%
(4)

 

N/A

 

0.46
%

 

1.30
%

 

1.26
%
1.000

 

0.40
%

 

1,195,962

 

0.43
%
(4)

 

N/A

 

0.46
%

 

0.38
%

 

0.35
%
1.000

 

0.02
%

 

1,152,411

 

0.35
%
(4)

 

N/A

 

0.46
%

 

0.04
%

 

(0.07
)%
1.000

 

0.04
%

 

2,172,211

 

0.08
%
(4)

 

N/A

 

0.46
%

 

0.04
%

 

(0.34
)%
$  1.000

 

1.88
%

$

38,039

 

0.45
%
(4)

 

N/A

 

0.48
%

 

1.87
%

 

1.84
%
1.000

 

1.22
%

 

35,943

 

0.45
%
(4)

 

N/A

 

0.46
%

 

1.05
%

 

1.04
%
1.000

 

0.35
%

 

39,676

 

0.45
%
(4)

 

N/A

 

0.47
%

 

0.32
%

 

0.30
%
1.000

 

0.01
%

 

50

 

0.31
%
(4)

 

N/A

 

0.46
%

 

0.04
%

 

(0.11
)%
1.000

 

0.01
%

 

50

 

0.05
%
(4)

 

N/A

 

1.11
%

 

0.01
%

 

(1.05
)%
$  1.000

 

1.92
%

$

545,826

 

0.44
%
(4)

 

N/A

 

0.46
%

 

1.90
%

 

1.88
%
1.000

 

1.29
%

 

467,066

 

0.44
%
(4)

 

N/A

 

0.46
%

 

1.28
%

 

1.26
%
1.000

 

0.38
%

 

578,488

 

0.43
%
(4)

 

N/A

 

0.46
%

 

0.36
%

 

0.33
%
1.000

 

0.01
%

 

543,850

 

0.35
%
(4)

 

N/A

 

0.46
%

 

0.01
%

 

(0.10
)%
1.000

 

0.03
%

 

996,049

 

0.05
%
(4)

 

N/A

 

0.46
%

 

0.03
%

 

(0.38
)%
$  1.000

 

1.86
%

$

42,143

 

0.45
%
(4)

 

N/A

 

0.46
%

 

1.84
%

 

1.83
%
1.000

 

1.26
%

 

12,489

 

0.45
%
(4)

 

N/A

 

0.46
%

 

1.26
%

 

1.25
%
1.000

 

0.35
%

 

1,806

 

0.42
%
(4)

 

N/A

 

0.46
%

 

0.36
%

 

0.32
%
1.000

 

0.01
%

 

53,009

 

0.31
%
(4)

 

N/A

 

0.46
%

 

0.01
%

 

(0.14
)%
1.000

 

0.01
%

 

11,150

 

0.02
%
(4)

 

N/A

 

0.46
%

 

0.01
%

 

(0.43
)%

50


 

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Prospectus  |  Financial Highlights

Notes to Financial Highlights

(1)

Reflects prior period custodian out-of-pocket expenses that were reimbursed in September 2016. The amount of the reimbursement was immaterial on a per share basis and did not impact the total return of the Fund. The Ratio of Expenses to Average Net Assets and the Ratio of Net Investment Income to Average Net Assets would be unchanged as the reimbursement of custodian fees was offset against expense waivers/reimbursements with no impact to net expenses or net investment income.

(2)

Per share amount is based on average shares outstanding.

(3)

Amount is less than $0.0005 per share.

(4)

Ratios of Expenses to Average Net Assets before and after Maximum Expense Ratios may vary among share classes by more or less than the administration plan, service and shareholder administration plan, distribution plan and/or shareholder services plan (the “plans”) fees due to either (1) fluctuations in daily net asset amounts, (2) changes in the plans’ fees during the period for each share class, (3) changes in the Funds’ expense cap during the year, (4) waivers to the plans’ fees for each share class, or (5) a combination of the previous points.

51


 

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Where to Find Additional Information

In addition to this Prospectus, the Funds have an SAI, dated February 28, 2020 (as may be supplemented from time to time), which contains additional, more detailed information about the Trust and the Funds. The SAI is incorporated by reference into this Prospectus and, therefore, legally forms a part of this Prospectus.

The Trust publishes Shareholder Reports that contain additional information about the respective Fund’s investments. In each Fund’s Annual Report to Shareholders, you will find a discussion of the market conditions and the investment strategies that significantly affected such Fund’s performance during the last fiscal year. For additional Trust information, including information regarding the investments comprising each of the Funds, please call the toll-free number below.

You may obtain the SAI and Shareholder Reports without charge by contacting the Trust at the toll-free number below or on our Internet site at: www.morganstanley.com/liquidity. If you purchased shares through a Financial Intermediary, you may also obtain these documents, without charge, by contacting your Financial Intermediary.

Shareholder Reports and other information about the Funds are available on the EDGAR Database on the SEC’s Internet site at http://www.sec.gov, and copies of this information may be obtained, after paying a duplicating fee, by electronic request at the following e-mail address: publicinfo@sec.gov.

Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds
c/o DST Asset Manager Solutions, Inc.
P.O. Box 219804
Kansas City, MO 64121-9804

For Shareholder Inquiries,
call the Trust toll-free at 1-888-378-1630.

Prices and Investment Results are available at www.morganstanley.com/liquidity.

The Trust’s 1940 Act registration number is 811-21339.

© 2020 Morgan Stanley.

LFADVPRO 2/20

 C: 

 

Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds

Participant Class Portfolios

Prime Portfolio
ESG Money Market Portfolio
Government Portfolio
Government Securities Portfolio
Treasury Portfolio
Treasury Securities Portfolio
Tax-Exempt Portfolio


 

Prospectus   |   February 28, 2020

Fund

Ticker Symbol

Prime Portfolio

MPNXX

ESG Money Market Portfolio

MMNXX

Government Portfolio

MPCXX

Government Securities Portfolio

MGPXX

Treasury Portfolio

MTCXX

Treasury Securities Portfolio

MPRXX

Tax-Exempt Portfolio

MXPXX

Beginning on January 1, 2021, as permitted by regulations adopted by the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”), paper copies of the Funds’ Annual and Semi-Annual Reports to Shareholders (“Shareholder Reports”) will no longer be sent by mail, unless you specifically request paper copies of the Shareholder Reports from the Fund or from your financial intermediary, such as a broker-dealer or a bank. Instead, the Shareholder Reports will be made available on the Funds’ website, https://www.morganstanley.com/im/liquidityshareholderreports and you will be notified by mail each time a Shareholder Report is posted and provided with a website link to access the Shareholder Report. If you already elected to receive Shareholder Reports electronically, you will not be affected by this change and you need not take any action. You may elect to receive Shareholder Reports and other communications from a Fund electronically anytime by contacting your financial intermediary or, if you are a direct investor, please follow the instructions on the envelope. 

Beginning on January 1, 2019, you may elect to receive all future Shareholder Reports in paper free of charge. If you invest through a financial intermediary, you can contact your financial intermediary to request that you continue to receive paper copies of your Shareholder Reports. If you invest directly with a Fund, please follow the instructions on the envelope to let the Fund know you wish to continue receiving paper copies of your Shareholder Reports. Your election to receive Shareholder Reports in paper will apply to all funds held in your account if you invest through your financial intermediary or all funds held with the fund complex if you invest directly with a Fund.

The SEC has not approved or disapproved these securities or passed upon the adequacy of this Prospectus. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.

LFPCPRO 2/20


 

Table of Contents

 

Page

Fund Summary

1

Prime Portfolio

1

ESG Money Market Portfolio

4

Government Portfolio

8

Government Securities Portfolio

11

Treasury Portfolio

14

Treasury Securities Portfolio

17

Tax-Exempt Portfolio

20

Details of the Funds

23

Prime Portfolio

23

ESG Money Market Portfolio

25

Government Portfolio

28

Government Securities Portfolio

30

Treasury Portfolio

31

Treasury Securities Portfolio

32

Tax-Exempt Portfolio

33

Additional Information About the Funds' Investment Strategies and Related Risks

35

Shareholder Information

39

Fund Management

48

Financial Highlights

49


 

Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Prospectus  |  Fund Summary

Prime Portfolio

Investment Objective

The Prime Portfolio (the “Fund”) seeks preservation of capital, daily liquidity and maximum current income.

Fees and Expenses

The table below describes the expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold Participant Class shares of the Fund. The Fund does not charge any sales loads or other fees when you purchase or redeem shares.

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

 

Participant Class

Advisory Fee

0.15%

Distribution and/or Shareholder Service (12b-1) Fee

0.25%

Other Expenses

0.06%

Shareholder Service Fee

0.25%

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses1

0.71%

Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement1

0.01%

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement1

0.70%

Example

The example below is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund’s Participant Class with the cost of investing in other mutual funds.

The example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund’s Participant Class, your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Fund’s operating expenses remain the same (except that the example incorporates the fee waiver and/or expense reimbursement 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

 

Participant Class

$ 72

$ 226

$ 394

$ 882

 

1 The Fund’s “Adviser” and “Administrator,” Morgan Stanley Investment Management Inc., has agreed to reduce its advisory fee, its administration fee and/or reimburse the Fund’s Participant Class so that Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses, excluding certain investment related expenses, taxes, interest and other extraordinary expenses (including litigation), will not exceed 0.70%. The fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements will continue for at least one year or until such time as the Board of Trustees of Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds (the “Trust”) acts to discontinue all or a portion of such waivers and/or reimbursements when it deems such action is appropriate.

Principal Investment Strategies

The Fund invests in liquid, high quality U.S. dollar-denominated money market instruments of U.S. and foreign financial corporations and U.S. non-financial corporations. The Fund also invests in obligations issued or guaranteed by the U.S. Government and its agencies and instrumentalities. The Fund’s money market investments may include commercial paper, corporate debt obligations, debt obligations (including certificates of deposit and promissory notes) of U.S. banks or foreign banks, or of U.S. branches or subsidiaries of foreign banks, or foreign branches of U.S. banks (such as Yankee obligations), certificates of deposit of savings banks and savings and loan organizations, asset-backed securities, repurchase agreements and municipal obligations.

The Fund may also invest in U.S. dollar-denominated foreign securities and money market instruments.

The Fund operates as an “institutional money market fund,” which is neither a “government money market fund” nor “retail money market fund” as such terms are defined or interpreted under Rule 2a-7 under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (“Rule 2a-7” under the “1940 Act”). As such, the Fund is required to price and transact in its shares at a net asset value per share (“NAV”) reflecting market-based values of its portfolio holdings (i.e., at a “floating” NAV), rounded to a minimum of the fourth decimal place. Like other money market funds of its type, the Fund is subject to the possible imposition of liquidity fees and/or redemption gates.

Principal Risks

There is no assurance that the Fund will achieve its investment objective.

You could lose money by investing in the Fund. Because the share price of the Fund will fluctuate, when you sell your shares they may be worth more or less than what you originally paid for them. The Fund may impose a fee upon the sale of your shares or may temporarily suspend your ability to sell shares if the Fund’s liquidity falls below required minimums because of market conditions or other factors. An investment in the Fund is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (“FDIC”) or

1


 

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Prospectus | Fund Summary

Prime Portfolio (Cont’d)

any other government agency. The Fund’s sponsor has no legal obligation to provide financial support to the Fund, and you should not expect that the sponsor will provide financial support to the Fund at any time.

The principal risks of investing in the Fund include:

 

Credit and Interest Rate Risk. Credit risk refers to the possibility that the issuer or guarantor of a security will be unable to make interest payments and/or repay the principal on its debt. Interest rate risk refers to fluctuations in the value of a fixed-income security resulting from changes in the general level of interest rates. When the general level of interest rates goes up, the prices of most fixed-income securities go down. When the general level of interest rates goes down, the prices of most fixed-income securities go up. The Fund may face a heightened level of interest rate risk in times of monetary policy change and uncertainty, such as when the Federal Reserve Board ends a quantitative easing program and/or raises rates. A rising interest rate environment increases certain risks, including the potential for periods of volatility, increased redemptions and extended durations (i.e., extension risk).

 

Bank Obligations. The activities of U.S. and most foreign banks are subject to comprehensive regulations. The enactment of new legislation or regulations, as well as changes in interpretation and enforcement of current laws, may affect the manner of operations and profitability of domestic and foreign banks. In addition, banks may be particularly susceptible to certain economic factors.

 

Fixed-Income Securities. Fixed-income securities are subject to the risk of the issuer’s inability to meet principal and interest payments on its obligations (i.e., credit risk) and are subject to price volatility resulting from, among other things, interest rate sensitivity (i.e., interest rate risk), market perception of the creditworthiness of the issuer and general market liquidity (i.e., market risk). The Fund may face a heightened level of interest rate risk in times of monetary policy change and uncertainty, such as when the Federal Reserve Board ends a quantitative easing program and/or raises rates.

 

U.S. Government Securities. The U.S. government securities in which the Fund invests can be subject to two types of risk: credit risk and interest rate risk. When the general level of interest rates goes up, the prices of most fixed-income securities go down. When the general level of interest rates goes down, the prices of most fixed-income securities go up. While the credit risk associated with U.S. government securities generally is considered to be minimal, the interest rate risk can be substantial. With respect to U.S. government securities that are not backed by the full faith and credit of the United States, there is the risk that the U.S. Government will not provide financial support to such U.S. government agencies, instrumentalities or sponsored enterprises if it is not obligated to do so by law.

 

Asset-Backed Securities. Asset-backed securities involve the risk that various federal and state consumer laws and other legal and economic factors may result in the collateral backing the securities being insufficient to support payment on the securities. Some asset-backed securities also entail prepayment risk and extension risk, which may vary depending on the type of asset.

 

Repurchase Agreements. Repurchase agreements are subject to risks associated with the possibility of default by the seller at a time when the collateral has declined in value, or insolvency of the seller, which may affect the Fund’s right to control the collateral and result in certain costs and delays. Repurchase agreements may involve a greater degree of credit risk than investments in U.S. government securities.

 

Foreign Money Market Securities. Investing in money market securities of foreign issuers involves some additional risks, including the possibility of adverse political, economic or other developments affecting the issuers of these securities.

 

Municipal Obligations. To the extent the Fund invests in municipal obligations issued by state and local governments and their agencies, the Fund may be susceptible to political, economic, regulatory or other factors affecting issuers of these municipal obligations. To the extent that the Fund invests in municipal obligations of issuers in the same economic sector, it could be more sensitive to economic, business or political developments that affect such sector.
 

Performance Information

The bar chart and table below provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by showing changes in the performance of the Fund’s Participant Class shares from year-to-year and by showing the average annual returns of the Fund’s Participant Class shares for the one, five and 10 year periods. The Fund’s past performance is not necessarily an indication of how the Fund will perform in the future. Updated performance information is available online at www.morganstanley.com/liquidity.

2


 

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Prospectus  |  Fund Summary

Prime Portfolio (Cont’d)

Annual Total Returns—Calendar Years*

High Quarter

09/30/16

0.01%

Low Quarter

03/31/16

0.00%

Average Annual Total Returns*

(for the Periods Ended December 31, 2019)

 

Past
One Year

Past
Five Years

Past
Ten Years

Prime Portfolio*

0.00%

0.01%

0.01%

* The Participant Class was fully redeemed during the month of October 2016 and did not have investors for subsequent periods. Accordingly, the returns listed for each period in the bar chart and table are calculated using returns of 0.00% for periods after October 2016. The average annual returns of the Fund’s Institutional Class shares for the one, five and 10 year periods as of December 31, 2019 were 2.35%, 1.21% and 0.66%, respectively. The Participant Class shares would have similar returns because the shares are invested in the same portfolio and would differ only to the extent that the classes do not have the same expenses.

You may obtain the Fund’s 7-day current yield by calling 1-888-378-1630.

Fund Management

Adviser. Morgan Stanley Investment Management Inc.

Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares

Participant Class shares of the Fund are available to investors who at the time of initial purchase make a minimum investment of $10 million. You may not be subject to the minimum investment requirement under certain circumstances. For more information, please refer to the section of this Prospectus entitled “Shareholder Information—Minimum Investment Amount.”

Shares of the Fund may be purchased or sold on any day the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) is open for business (except when the following federal holidays are observed: Columbus Day and Veterans Day) directly from the Fund by mail (c/o DST Asset Manager Solutions, Inc., P.O. Box 219804, Kansas City, MO 64121-9804), by telephone (1-888-378-1630) or by contacting an authorized third-party, such as a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary that has entered into a selling agreement with the Fund’s “Distributor,” Morgan Stanley Distribution, Inc. (each, a “Financial Intermediary”). You may purchase and redeem shares online through Morgan Stanley’s Treasury Investment Portal service at www.morganstanley.com/liquidity, provided you have a pre-established Internet trading account. For more information, please refer to the sections of this Prospectus entitled “Shareholder Information—How To Purchase Shares” and “Shareholder Information—How To Redeem Shares.”

Selected accounts that utilize the Fund as their sweep vehicle will be reviewed on each business day and shares will automatically be purchased or sold to cover any credits or debits incurred that day.

Tax Information

The Fund intends to make distributions that may be taxed as ordinary income or capital gains.

Payments to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries

If you purchase shares of the Fund through a Financial Intermediary (such as a bank), the Adviser and/or the Distributor may pay the Financial Intermediary for the sale of Fund shares and related services. These payments, which may be significant in amount, may create a conflict of interest by influencing the Financial Intermediary and your salesperson to recommend the Fund over another investment. Ask your salesperson or visit your Financial Intermediary’s web site for more information.

3


 

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Prospectus  |  Fund Summary

ESG Money Market Portfolio

Investment Objective

The ESG Money Market Portfolio (the “Fund”) seeks preservation of capital, daily liquidity and maximum current income.

Fees and Expenses

The table below describes the expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold Participant Class shares of the Fund. The Fund does not charge any sales loads or other fees when you purchase or redeem shares.

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

 

Participant Class

Advisory Fee

0.15%

Distribution and/or Shareholder Service (12b-1) Fee

0.25%

Other Expenses

0.07%

Shareholder Service Fee

0.25%

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses1

0.72%

Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement1

0.02%

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement1

0.70%

Example

The example below is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund’s Participant Class with the cost of investing in other mutual funds.

The example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund’s Participant Class, your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Fund’s operating expenses remain the same (except that the example incorporates the fee waiver and/or expense reimbursement 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

 

Participant Class

$ 72

$ 228

$ 399

$ 893

 

1 The Fund’s “Adviser” and “Administrator,” Morgan Stanley Investment Management Inc., has agreed to reduce its advisory fee, its administration fee and/or reimburse the Fund’s Participant Class so that Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses, excluding certain investment related expenses, taxes, interest and other extraordinary expenses (including litigation), will not exceed 0.70%. The fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements will continue for at least one year or until such time as the Board of Trustees of Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds (the “Trust”) acts to discontinue all or a portion of such waivers and/or reimbursements when it deems such action is appropriate.

Principal Investment Strategies

The Fund invests in liquid, high quality U.S. dollar-denominated money market instruments of U.S. and foreign financial and non-financial corporations. The Fund also invests in obligations of foreign governments and in obligations issued or guaranteed by the U.S. Government and its agencies and instrumentalities. The Fund’s money market investments may include commercial paper, corporate debt obligations, debt obligations (including certificates of deposit and promissory notes) of U.S. banks or foreign banks, or of U.S. branches or subsidiaries of foreign banks, or foreign branches of U.S. banks (such as Yankee obligations), certificates of deposit of savings banks and savings and loan organizations, asset-backed securities, repurchase agreements and municipal obligations.

The Fund may also invest in U.S. dollar-denominated foreign securities and money market instruments.

The Adviser believes that environmental, social and governance (“ESG”) factors have the ability to impact the fundamental credit risk of an entity. The Fund’s investment process incorporates information about ESG issues via an integrated approach within the Adviser’s fundamental investment analysis framework. The Adviser may engage with management of certain issuers regarding corporate governance practices as well as what the Adviser deems to be materially important environmental and/or social issues facing a company.

The Adviser has proprietary ESG-scoring methodologies that explicitly consider the risks and opportunities ESG factors pose to money market instruments. By combining third-party ESG data with proprietary views, the Adviser creates unique scoring methodologies that it applies to issuers.

During the security selection process, the Adviser employs a rules-based process to construct the portfolio. Initially, the Adviser determines from the universe of money market fund-eligible issuers those which, in its opinion, have the lowest credit risk and/or best credit profile, excluding the following:

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Prospectus  |  Fund Summary

ESG Money Market Portfolio (Cont’d)

 

Corporations that generate revenue from the manufacturing or production of tobacco;

 

Corporations that generate revenue from the manufacturing or production of landmines and cluster munitions (i.e., an explosive weapon that randomly scatters submunitions);

 

Corporations that generate revenue from the manufacturing or production of firearms;

 

Corporations that generate revenue from the mining of thermal coal or coal fired power generation; and

 

Corporations that primarily generate revenue from the fossil fuel industries, which the Adviser has determined produce a certain level of carbon emissions.
 

The Fund may invest in green commercial paper (a security that is typically issued to raise capital specifically to support climate-related or environmental projects) issued by companies that would otherwise be subject to fossil fuel exclusions so long as the Adviser has determined that the proceeds will not be used to finance fossil fuel generation capabilities.

In analyzing whether an issuer meets any of the criteria described above, the Adviser may rely upon, among other things, information provided by an independent third party.

After applying the above exclusion screens, the Adviser calculates proprietary ESG scores for the remaining issuers based on a number of variables, such as environmental, social, governance, controversy and ESG momentum factors. The Adviser then sets minimum ESG score thresholds. Only issuers with an ESG score above a minimum threshold will be considered for investment by the Fund, thus eliminating those issuers with the lowest ESG performance. The Adviser’s minimum ESG score thresholds may be adjusted from time to time, provided that a subset of issuers are always excluded by ESG factors.

From the final list of ESG-approved issuers, the Adviser determines the securities and issuers in which the Fund will invest, taking into account a variety of relevant considerations (including, without limitation, yield, interest rate changes, credit quality and duration).

Under normal circumstances, the Fund will invest 100% of its net assets (excluding cash) in securities whose issuer or guarantor, in the Adviser’s opinion at the time of purchase, meets the Fund’s ESG criteria.

The Fund operates as an “institutional money market fund,” which is neither a “government money market fund” nor “retail money market fund” as such terms are defined or interpreted under Rule 2a-7 under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (“Rule 2a-7” under the “1940 Act”). As such, the Fund is required to price and transact in its shares at a net asset value per share (“NAV”) reflecting market-based values of its portfolio holdings (i.e., at a “floating” NAV), rounded to a minimum of the fourth decimal place. Like other money market funds of its type, the Fund is subject to the possible imposition of liquidity fees and/or redemption gates.

Principal Risks

There is no assurance that the Fund will achieve its investment objective.

You could lose money by investing in the Fund. Because the share price of the Fund will fluctuate, when you sell your shares they may be worth more or less than what you originally paid for them. The Fund may impose a fee upon the sale of your shares or may temporarily suspend your ability to sell shares if the Fund’s liquidity falls below required minimums because of market conditions or other factors. An investment in the Fund is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (“FDIC”) or any other government agency. The Fund’s sponsor has no legal obligation to provide financial support to the Fund, and you should not expect that the sponsor will provide financial support to the Fund at any time.

The principal risks of investing in the Fund include:

 

Credit and Interest Rate Risk. Credit risk refers to the possibility that the issuer or guarantor of a security will be unable to make interest payments and/or repay the principal on its debt. Interest rate risk refers to fluctuations in the value of a fixed-income security resulting from changes in the general level of interest rates. When the general level of interest rates goes up, the prices of most fixed-income securities go down. When the general level of interest rates goes down, the prices of most fixed-income securities go up. The Fund may face a heightened level of interest rate risk in times of monetary policy change and uncertainty, such as when the Federal Reserve Board ends a quantitative easing program and/or raises rates. A rising interest rate environment increases certain risks, including the potential for periods of volatility, increased redemptions and extended durations (i.e., extension risk).

 

Bank Obligations. The activities of U.S. and most foreign banks are subject to comprehensive regulations. The enactment of new legislation or regulations, as well as changes in interpretation and enforcement of current laws, may affect the manner of operations and profitability of domestic and foreign banks. In addition, banks may be particularly susceptible to certain economic factors.
 

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Prospectus | Fund Summary

ESG Money Market Portfolio (Cont’d)

 

Fixed-Income Securities. Fixed-income securities are subject to the risk of the issuer’s inability to meet principal and interest payments on its obligations (i.e., credit risk) and are subject to price volatility resulting from, among other things, interest rate sensitivity (i.e., interest rate risk), market perception of the creditworthiness of the issuer and general market liquidity (i.e., market risk). The Fund may face a heightened level of interest rate risk in times of monetary policy change and uncertainty, such as when the Federal Reserve Board ends a quantitative easing program and/or raises rates.

 

U.S. Government Securities. The U.S. government securities in which the Fund invests can be subject to two types of risk: credit risk and interest rate risk. When the general level of interest rates goes up, the prices of most fixed-income securities go down. When the general level of interest rates goes down, the prices of most fixed-income securities go up. While the credit risk associated with U.S. government securities generally is considered to be minimal, the interest rate risk can be substantial. With respect to U.S. government securities that are not backed by the full faith and credit of the United States, there is the risk that the U.S. Government will not provide financial support to such U.S. government agencies, instrumentalities or sponsored enterprises if it is not obligated to do so by law.

 

Asset-Backed Securities. Asset-backed securities involve the risk that various federal and state consumer laws and other legal and economic factors may result in the collateral backing the securities being insufficient to support payment on the securities. Some asset-backed securities also entail prepayment risk and extension risk, which may vary depending on the type of asset.

 

Repurchase Agreements. Repurchase agreements are subject to risks associated with the possibility of default by the seller at a time when the collateral has declined in value, or insolvency of the seller, which may affect the Fund’s right to control the collateral and result in certain costs and delays. Repurchase agreements may involve a greater degree of credit risk than investments in U.S. government securities.

 

Foreign Money Market Securities. Investing in money market securities of foreign issuers involves some additional risks, including the possibility of adverse political, economic or other developments affecting the issuers of these securities.

 

Municipal Obligations. To the extent the Fund invests in municipal obligations issued by state and local governments and their agencies, the Fund may be susceptible to political, economic, regulatory or other factors affecting issuers of these municipal obligations. To the extent that the Fund invests in municipal obligations of issuers in the same economic sector, it could be more sensitive to economic, business or political developments that affect such sector.

 

ESG Investment Risk. The Fund’s adherence to its ESG criteria and application of related analyses when selecting investments may affect the Fund’s performance depending on whether such investments are in or out of favor and relative to similar funds that do not adhere to such criteria or apply such analyses. Socially responsible norms differ by country and region, and a company’s ESG practices or the Adviser’s assessment of such may change over time. The Fund may invest in companies that do not reflect the beliefs and values of any particular investor. Additionally, the Fund’s adherence to its ESG criteria and application of related analyses in connection with identifying and selecting investments in non-U.S. issuers often require subjective analysis and may be relatively more difficult than applying the ESG criteria or related analyses to investments of U.S. issuers because data availability may be more limited with respect to non-U.S. issuers. The exclusionary criteria related to the Fund’s ESG criteria may result in the Fund forgoing opportunities to buy certain securities when it might otherwise be advantageous to do so, or selling securities for ESG reasons when it might be otherwise disadvantageous for it to do so. The Fund’s investments in certain companies may be susceptible to various factors that may impact their businesses or operations, including costs associated with government budgetary constraints that impact publicly funded projects and clean energy initiatives, the effects of general economic conditions throughout the world, increased competition from other providers of services, unfavorable tax laws or accounting policies and high leverage.
 

Performance Information

The bar chart and table below provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by showing changes in the performance of the Fund’s Participant Class shares from year-to-year and by showing the average annual returns of the Fund’s Participant Class shares for the one, five and 10 year periods. The Fund’s past performance is not necessarily an indication of how the Fund will perform in the future. Updated performance information is available online at www.morganstanley.com/liquidity.

Annual Total Returns—Calendar Years

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Prospectus  |  Fund Summary

ESG Money Market Portfolio (Cont’d)

High Quarter

03/31/19

0.53%

Low Quarter

03/31/16

0.00%

Average Annual Total Returns

(for the Periods Ended December 31, 2019)

 

Past
One Year

Past
Five Years

Past
Ten Years

ESG Money Market Portfolio

1.84%

0.81%

0.41%

You may obtain the Fund’s 7-day current yield by calling 1-888-378-1630.

Fund Management

Adviser. Morgan Stanley Investment Management Inc.

Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares

Participant Class shares of the Fund are available to investors who at the time of initial purchase make a minimum purchase of $10 million. You may not be subject to these minimum investment requirement under certain circumstances. For more information, please refer to the section of this Prospectus entitled “Shareholder Information—Minimum Investment Amount.”

Shares of the Fund may be purchased or sold on any day the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) is open for business (except when the following federal holidays are observed: Columbus Day and Veterans Day) directly from the Fund by mail (c/o DST Asset Manager Solutions, Inc., P.O. Box 219804, Kansas City, MO 64121-9804), by telephone (1-888-378-1630) or by contacting an authorized third-party, such as a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary that has entered into a selling agreement with the Fund’s “Distributor,” Morgan Stanley Distribution, Inc. (each, a “Financial Intermediary”). You may purchase and redeem shares online through Morgan Stanley’s Treasury Investment Portal service at www.morganstanley.com/liquidity, provided you have a pre-established Internet trading account. For more information, please refer to the sections of this Prospectus entitled “Shareholder Information—How To Purchase Shares” and “Shareholder Information—How To Redeem Shares.”

Selected accounts that utilize the Fund as their sweep vehicle will be reviewed on each business day and shares will automatically be purchased or sold to cover any credits or debits incurred that day.

Tax Information

The Fund intends to make distributions that may be taxed as ordinary income or capital gains.

Payments to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries

If you purchase shares of the Fund through a Financial Intermediary (such as a bank), the Adviser and/or the Distributor may pay the Financial Intermediary for the sale of Fund shares and related services. These payments, which may be significant in amount, may create a conflict of interest by influencing the Financial Intermediary and your salesperson to recommend the Fund over another investment. Ask your salesperson or visit your Financial Intermediary’s web site for more information.

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Prospectus  |  Fund Summary

Government Portfolio

Investment Objective

The Government Portfolio (the “Fund”) seeks preservation of capital, daily liquidity and maximum current income.

Fees and Expenses

The table below describes the expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold Participant Class shares of the Fund. The Fund does not charge any sales loads or other fees when you purchase or redeem shares.

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

 

Participant Class

Advisory Fee

0.15%

Distribution and/or Shareholder Service (12b-1) Fee

0.25%

Other Expenses

0.06%

Shareholder Service Fee

0.25%

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses1

0.71%

Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement1

0.01%

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement1

0.70%

Example

The example below is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund’s Participant Class with the cost of investing in other mutual funds.

The example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund’s Participant Class, your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Fund’s operating expenses remain the same (except that the example incorporates the fee waiver and/or expense reimbursement 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

 

Participant Class

$ 72

$ 226

$ 394

$ 882

 

1 The Fund’s “Adviser” and “Administrator,” Morgan Stanley Investment Management Inc., has agreed to reduce its advisory fee, its administration fee and/or reimburse the Fund’s Participant Class so that Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses, excluding certain investment related expenses, taxes, interest and other extraordinary expenses (including litigation), will not exceed 0.70%. The fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements will continue for at least one year or until such time as the Board of Trustees of Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds (the “Trust”) acts to discontinue all or a portion of such waivers and/or reimbursements when it deems such action is appropriate.

Principal Investment Strategies

The Fund has adopted a policy to invest exclusively in obligations issued or guaranteed by the U.S. Government and its agencies and instrumentalities and in repurchase agreements collateralized by such securities in order to qualify as a “government money market fund” under federal regulations. The Fund may also hold cash from time to time. A “government money market fund” is a money market fund that invests at least 99.5% of its total assets in cash, securities issued or guaranteed by the United States or certain U.S. government agencies or instrumentalities and/or repurchase agreements that are collateralized fully by the foregoing. A “government money market fund” is exempt from requirements that permit money market funds to impose a “liquidity fee” and/or a “redemption gate” that temporarily restricts redemptions. In selecting investments, the Adviser seeks to maintain the Fund’s share price at $1.00. The share price remaining stable at $1.00 means that the Fund would preserve the principal value of your investment.

Principal Risks

There is no assurance that the Fund will achieve its investment objective.

You could lose money by investing in the Fund. Although the Fund seeks to preserve the value of your investment at $1.00 per share, it cannot guarantee it will do so. An investment in the Fund is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (“FDIC”) or any other government agency. The Fund’s sponsor has no legal obligation to provide financial support to the Fund, and you should not expect that the sponsor will provide financial support to the Fund at any time.

The principal risks of investing in the Fund include:

 

Credit and Interest Rate Risk. Credit risk refers to the possibility that the issuer or guarantor of a security will be unable to make interest payments and/or repay the principal on its debt. Interest rate risk refers to fluctuations in the value of a fixed-income security resulting from changes in the general level of interest rates. When the general level of interest rates goes up, the prices of most fixed-income securities go down. When the general level of interest rates goes down, the prices of most fixed-income securities go up. The Fund may face a heightened level of interest rate risk in times of monetary policy change and uncertainty,
 

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Prospectus  |  Fund Summary

Government Portfolio (Cont’d)

 

such as when the Federal Reserve Board ends a quantitative easing program and/or raises rates. A rising interest rate environment increases certain risks, including the potential for periods of volatility, increased redemptions and extended durations (i.e., extension risk).

 

Fixed-Income Securities. Fixed-income securities are subject to the risk of the issuer’s inability to meet principal and interest payments on its obligations (i.e., credit risk) and are subject to price volatility resulting from, among other things, interest rate sensitivity (i.e., interest rate risk), market perception of the creditworthiness of the issuer and general market liquidity (i.e., market risk). The Fund may face a heightened level of interest rate risk in times of monetary policy change and uncertainty, such as when the Federal Reserve Board ends a quantitative easing program and/or raises rates.

 

U.S. Government Securities. The U.S. government securities in which the Fund invests can be subject to two types of risk: credit risk and interest rate risk. When the general level of interest rates goes up, the prices of most fixed-income securities go down. When the general level of interest rates goes down, the prices of most fixed-income securities go up. While the credit risk associated with U.S. government securities generally is considered to be minimal, the interest rate risk can be substantial. With respect to U.S. government securities that are not backed by the full faith and credit of the United States, there is the risk that the U.S. Government will not provide financial support to such U.S. government agencies, instrumentalities or sponsored enterprises if it is not obligated to do so by law.

 

Repurchase Agreements. Repurchase agreements are subject to risks associated with the possibility of default by the seller at a time when the collateral has declined in value, or insolvency of the seller, which may affect the Fund’s right to control the collateral and result in certain costs and delays. Repurchase agreements may involve a greater degree of credit risk than investments in U.S. government securities.
 

Performance Information

The bar chart and table below provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by showing changes in the performance of the Fund’s Participant Class shares from year-to-year and by showing the average annual returns of the Fund’s Participant Class shares for the one, five and 10 year periods. The Fund’s past performance is not necessarily an indication of how the Fund will perform in the future. Updated performance information is available online at www.morganstanley.com/liquidity.

Annual Total Returns—Calendar Years

High Quarter

06/30/19

0.45%

Low Quarter

03/31/16

0.00%

Average Annual Total Returns

(for the Periods Ended December 31, 2019)

 

Past
One Year

Past
Five Years

Past
Ten Years

Government Portfolio

1.59%

0.63%

0.33%

You may obtain the Fund’s 7-day current yield by calling 1-888-378-1630.

Fund Management

Adviser. Morgan Stanley Investment Management Inc.

Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares

Participant Class shares of the Fund are available to investors who at the time of initial purchase make a minimum investment of $10 million. You may not be subject to the minimum investment requirement under certain circumstances. For more information, please refer to the section of this Prospectus entitled “Shareholder Information—Minimum Investment Amount.”

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Prospectus | Fund Summary

Government Portfolio (Cont’d)

Shares of the Fund may be purchased or sold on any day the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) is open for business (except when the following federal holidays are observed: Columbus Day and Veterans Day) directly from the Fund by mail (c/o DST Asset Manager Solutions, Inc., P.O. Box 219804, Kansas City, MO 64121-9804), by telephone (1-888-378-1630) or by contacting an authorized third-party, such as a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary that has entered into a selling agreement with the Fund’s “Distributor,” Morgan Stanley Distribution, Inc. (each, a “Financial Intermediary”). You may purchase and redeem shares online through Morgan Stanley’s Treasury Investment Portal service at www.morganstanley.com/liquidity, provided you have a pre-established Internet trading account. For more information, please refer to the sections of this Prospectus entitled “Shareholder Information—How To Purchase Shares” and “Shareholder Information—How To Redeem Shares.”

Selected accounts that utilize the Fund as their sweep vehicle will be reviewed on each business day and shares will automatically be purchased or sold to cover any credits or debits incurred that day.

Tax Information

The Fund intends to make distributions that may be taxed as ordinary income or capital gains.

Payments to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries

If you purchase shares of the Fund through a Financial Intermediary (such as a bank), the Adviser and/or the Distributor may pay the Financial Intermediary for the sale of Fund shares and related services. These payments, which may be significant in amount, may create a conflict of interest by influencing the Financial Intermediary and your salesperson to recommend the Fund over another investment. Ask your salesperson or visit your Financial Intermediary’s web site for more information.

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Prospectus  |  Fund Summary

Government Securities Portfolio

Investment Objective

The Government Securities Portfolio (the “Fund”) seeks preservation of capital, daily liquidity and maximum current income.

Fees and Expenses

The table below describes the expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold Participant Class shares of the Fund. The Fund does not charge any sales loads or other fees when you purchase or redeem shares.

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

 

Participant Class

Advisory Fee

0.15%

Distribution and/or Shareholder Service (12b-1) Fee

0.25%

Other Expenses

0.08%

Shareholder Service Fee

0.25%

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses1

0.73%

Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement1

0.28%

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement1

0.45%

Example

The example below is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund’s Participant Class with the cost of investing in other mutual funds.

The example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund’s Participant Class, your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Fund’s operating expenses remain the same (except that the example incorporates the fee waiver and/or expense reimbursement 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

 

Participant Class

$ 46

$ 205

$ 378

$ 880

 

1 The Fund’s “Adviser” and “Administrator,” Morgan Stanley Investment Management Inc., has agreed to reduce its advisory fee, its administration fee and/or reimburse the Fund’s Participant Class so that Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses, excluding certain investment related expenses, taxes, interest and other extraordinary expenses (including litigation), will not exceed 0.45%, which includes a waiver in which the Fund’s “Distributor,” Morgan Stanley Distribution, Inc., has agreed to waive 0.15% of the 0.25% 12b-1 fee and 0.10% of the 0.25% Shareholder Service Fee that it may receive. These fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements will continue for at least one year or until such time as the Board of Trustees of Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds (the “Trust”) acts to discontinue all or a portion of such waivers and/or reimbursements when it deems such action is appropriate.

Principal Investment Strategies

The Fund has adopted a policy to invest substantially all of its assets in U.S. Treasury obligations and certain U.S. government securities, the interest from which is generally exempt from state income taxation, in order to qualify as a “government money market fund” under federal regulations. The Fund may also hold cash from time to time. A “government money market fund” is a money market fund that invests at least 99.5% of its total assets in cash, securities issued or guaranteed by the United States or certain U.S. government agencies or instrumentalities and/or repurchase agreements that are collateralized fully by the foregoing. A “government money market fund” is exempt from requirements that permit money market funds to impose a “liquidity fee” and/or a “redemption gate” that temporarily restricts redemptions. In selecting investments, the Adviser seeks to maintain the Fund’s share price at $1.00. The share price remaining stable at $1.00 means that the Fund would preserve the principal value of your investment. The U.S. government securities that the Fund may purchase include those issued or guaranteed either by the U.S. Treasury or certain agencies, authorities or instrumentalities of the U.S. Government. The Fund may also invest in repurchase agreements with the Federal Reserve Bank of New York.

Principal Risks

There is no assurance that the Fund will achieve its investment objective.

You could lose money by investing in the Fund. Although the Fund seeks to preserve the value of your investment at $1.00 per share, it cannot guarantee it will do so. An investment in the Fund is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (“FDIC”) or any other government agency. The Fund’s sponsor has no legal obligation to provide financial support to the Fund, and you should not expect that the sponsor will provide financial support to the Fund at any time.

The principal risks of investing in the Fund include:

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Prospectus | Fund Summary

Government Securities Portfolio (Cont’d)

 

Credit and Interest Rate Risk. Credit risk refers to the possibility that the issuer or guarantor of a security will be unable to make interest payments and/or repay the principal on its debt. Interest rate risk refers to fluctuations in the value of a fixed-income security resulting from changes in the general level of interest rates. When the general level of interest rates goes up, the prices of most fixed-income securities go down. When the general level of interest rates goes down, the prices of most fixed-income securities go up. The Fund may face a heightened level of interest rate risk in times of monetary policy change and uncertainty, such as when the Federal Reserve Board ends a quantitative easing program and/or raises rates. A rising interest rate environment increases certain risks, including the potential for periods of volatility, increased redemptions and extended durations (i.e., extension risk).

 

Fixed-Income Securities. Fixed-income securities are subject to the risk of the issuer’s inability to meet principal and interest payments on its obligations (i.e., credit risk) and are subject to price volatility resulting from, among other things, interest rate sensitivity (i.e., interest rate risk), market perception of the creditworthiness of the issuer and general market liquidity (i.e., market risk). The Fund may face a heightened level of interest rate risk in times of monetary policy change and uncertainty, such as when the Federal Reserve Board ends a quantitative easing program and/or raises rates.

 

U.S. Government Securities. The U.S. government securities in which the Fund invests can be subject to two types of risk: credit risk and interest rate risk. When the general level of interest rates goes up, the prices of most fixed-income securities go down. When the general level of interest rates goes down, the prices of most fixed-income securities go up. While the credit risk associated with U.S. government securities generally is considered to be minimal, the interest rate risk can be substantial. With respect to U.S. government securities that are not backed by the full faith and credit of the United States, there is the risk that the U.S. Government will not provide financial support to such U.S. government agencies, instrumentalities or sponsored enterprises if it is not obligated to do so by law.
 

Performance Information

The bar chart and table below provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by showing changes in the performance of the Fund’s Participant Class shares from year-to-year and by showing the average annual returns of the Fund’s Participant Class shares for the one, five and 10 year periods. The Fund’s past performance is not necessarily an indication of how the Fund will perform in the future. Updated performance information is available online at www.morganstanley.com/liquidity.

Annual Total Returns—Calendar Years

High Quarter

06/30/19

0.50%

Low Quarter

03/31/16

0.00%

Average Annual Total Returns

(for the Periods Ended December 31, 2019)

 

Past
One Year

Past Five
Years

Past
Ten Years

Government Securities Portfolio

1.79%

0.74%

0.37%

You may obtain the Fund’s 7-day current yield by calling 1-888-378-1630.

Fund Management

Adviser. Morgan Stanley Investment Management Inc.

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Prospectus  |  Fund Summary

Government Securities Portfolio (Cont’d)

Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares

Participant Class shares of the Fund are available to investors who at the time of initial purchase make a minimum investment of $10 million. You may not be subject to the minimum investment requirement under certain circumstances. For more information, please refer to the section of this Prospectus entitled “Shareholder Information—Minimum Investment Amount.”

Shares of the Fund may be purchased or sold on any day the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) is open for business (except when the following federal holidays are observed: Columbus Day and Veterans Day) directly from the Fund by mail (c/o DST Asset Manager Solutions, Inc., P.O. Box 219804, Kansas City, MO 64121-9804), by telephone (1-888-378-1630) or by contacting an authorized third-party, such as a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary that has entered into a selling agreement with the Fund’s Distributor (each, a “Financial Intermediary”). You may purchase and redeem shares online through Morgan Stanley’s Treasury Investment Portal service at www.morganstanley.com/liquidity, provided you have a pre-established Internet trading account. For more information, please refer to the sections of this Prospectus entitled “Shareholder Information—How To Purchase Shares” and “Shareholder Information—How To Redeem Shares.”

Selected accounts that utilize the Fund as their sweep vehicle will be reviewed on each business day and shares will automatically be purchased or sold to cover any credits or debits incurred that day.

Tax Information

The Fund intends to make distributions that may be taxed as ordinary income or capital gains.

Payments to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries

If you purchase shares of the Fund through a Financial Intermediary (such as a bank), the Adviser and/or the Distributor may pay the Financial Intermediary for the sale of Fund shares and related services. These payments, which may be significant in amount, may create a conflict of interest by influencing the Financial Intermediary and your salesperson to recommend the Fund over another investment. Ask your salesperson or visit your Financial Intermediary’s web site for more information.

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Prospectus  |  Fund Summary

Treasury Portfolio

Investment Objective

The Treasury Portfolio (the “Fund”) seeks preservation of capital, daily liquidity and maximum current income.

Fees and Expenses

The table below describes the expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold Participant Class shares of the Fund. The Fund does not charge any sales loads or other fees when you purchase or redeem shares.

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

 

Participant Class

Advisory Fee

0.15%

Distribution and/or Shareholder Service (12b-1) Fee

0.25%

Other Expenses

0.06%

Shareholder Service Fee

0.25%

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses1

0.71%

Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement1

0.01%

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement1

0.70%

Example

The example below is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund’s Participant Class with the cost of investing in other mutual funds.

The example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund’s Participant Class, your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Fund’s operating expenses remain the same (except that the example incorporates the fee waiver and/or expense reimbursement 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

 

Participant Class

$ 72

$ 226

$ 394

$ 882

 

1 The Fund’s “Adviser” and “Administrator,” Morgan Stanley Investment Management Inc., has agreed to reduce its advisory fee, its administration fee and/or reimburse the Fund’s Participant Class so that Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses, excluding certain investment related expenses, taxes, interest and other extraordinary expenses (including litigation), will not exceed 0.70%. The fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements will continue for at least one year or until such time as the Board of Trustees of Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds (the “Trust”) acts to discontinue all or a portion of such waivers and/or reimbursements when it deems such action is appropriate.

Principal Investment Strategies

The Fund has adopted a policy to invest exclusively in U.S. Treasury obligations, which are backed by the full faith and credit of the United States, and repurchase agreements collateralized by such securities in order to qualify as a “government money market fund” under federal regulations. The Fund may also hold cash from time to time. A “government money market fund” is a money market fund that invests at least 99.5% of its total assets in cash, securities issued or guaranteed by the United States or certain U.S. government agencies or instrumentalities and/or repurchase agreements that are collateralized fully by the foregoing. A “government money market fund” is exempt from requirements that permit money market funds to impose a “liquidity fee” and/or a “redemption gate” that temporarily restricts redemptions. In selecting investments, the Adviser seeks to maintain the Fund’s share price at $1.00. The share price remaining stable at $1.00 means that the Fund would preserve the principal value of your investment.

Principal Risks

There is no assurance that the Fund will achieve its investment objective.

You could lose money by investing in the Fund. Although the Fund seeks to preserve the value of your investment at $1.00 per share, it cannot guarantee it will do so. An investment in the Fund is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (“FDIC”) or any other government agency. The Fund’s sponsor has no legal obligation to provide financial support to the Fund, and you should not expect that the sponsor will provide financial support to the Fund at any time.

The principal risks of investing in the Fund include:

 

Credit and Interest Rate Risk. Credit risk refers to the possibility that the issuer or guarantor of a security will be unable to make interest payments and/or repay the principal on its debt. Interest rate risk refers to fluctuations in the value of a fixed-income security resulting from changes in the general level of interest rates. When the general level of interest rates goes up, the prices of most fixed-income securities go down. When the general level of interest rates goes down, the prices of most fixed-income securities go up. The Fund may face a heightened level of interest rate risk in times of monetary policy change and uncertainty,
 

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Prospectus  |  Fund Summary

Treasury Portfolio (Cont’d)

 

such as when the Federal Reserve Board ends a quantitative easing program and/or raises rates. A rising interest rate environment increases certain risks, including the potential for periods of volatility, increased redemptions and extended durations (i.e., extension risk).

 

Fixed-Income Securities. Fixed-income securities are subject to the risk of the issuer’s inability to meet principal and interest payments on its obligations (i.e., credit risk) and are subject to price volatility resulting from, among other things, interest rate sensitivity (i.e., interest rate risk), market perception of the creditworthiness of the issuer and general market liquidity (i.e., market risk). The Fund may face a heightened level of interest rate risk in times of monetary policy change and uncertainty, such as when the Federal Reserve Board ends a quantitative easing program and/or raises rates.

 

U.S. Government Securities. The U.S. government securities in which the Fund invests can be subject to two types of risk: credit risk and interest rate risk. When the general level of interest rates goes up, the prices of most fixed-income securities go down. When the general level of interest rates goes down, the prices of most fixed-income securities go up. While the credit risk associated with U.S. government securities generally is considered to be minimal, the interest rate risk can be substantial.

 

Repurchase Agreements. Repurchase agreements are subject to risks associated with the possibility of default by the seller at a time when the collateral has declined in value, or insolvency of the seller, which may affect the Fund’s right to control the collateral and result in certain costs and delays. Repurchase agreements may involve a greater degree of credit risk than investments in U.S. government securities.
 

Performance Information

The bar chart and table below provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by showing changes in the performance of the Fund’s Participant Class shares from year-to-year and by showing the average annual returns of the Fund’s Participant Class shares for the one, five and 10 year periods. The Fund’s past performance is not necessarily an indication of how the Fund will perform in the future. Updated performance information is available online at www.morganstanley.com/liquidity.

Annual Total Returns—Calendar Years

High Quarter

03/31/19

0.44%

Low Quarter

06/30/16

0.00%

Average Annual Total Returns

(for the Periods Ended December 31, 2019)

 

Past
One Year

Past Five
Years

Past
Ten Years

Treasury Portfolio

1.56%

0.62%

0.32%

You may obtain the Fund’s 7-day current yield by calling 1-888-378-1630.

Fund Management

Adviser. Morgan Stanley Investment Management Inc.

Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares

Participant Class shares of the Fund are available to investors who at the time of initial purchase make a minimum investment of $10 million. You may not be subject to the minimum investment requirement under certain circumstances. For more information, please refer to the section of this Prospectus entitled “Shareholder Information—Minimum Investment Amount.”

Shares of the Fund may be purchased or sold on any day the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) is open for business (except when the following federal holidays are observed: Columbus Day and Veterans Day) directly from the Fund by mail (c/o DST Asset

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Prospectus | Fund Summary

Treasury Portfolio (Cont’d)

Manager Solutions, Inc., P.O. Box 219804, Kansas City, MO 64121-9804), by telephone (1-888-378-1630) or by contacting an authorized third-party, such as a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary that has entered into a selling agreement with the Fund’s “Distributor,” Morgan Stanley Distribution, Inc. (each, a “Financial Intermediary”). You may purchase and redeem shares online through Morgan Stanley’s Treasury Investment Portal service at www.morganstanley.com/liquidity, provided you have a pre-established Internet trading account. For more information, please refer to the sections of this Prospectus entitled “Shareholder Information—How To Purchase Shares” and “Shareholder Information—How To Redeem Shares.”

Selected accounts that utilize the Fund as their sweep vehicle will be reviewed on each business day and shares will automatically be purchased or sold to cover any credits or debits incurred that day.

Tax Information

The Fund intends to make distributions that may be taxed as ordinary income or capital gains.

Payments to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries

If you purchase shares of the Fund through a Financial Intermediary (such as a bank), the Adviser and/or the Distributor may pay the Financial Intermediary for the sale of Fund shares and related services. These payments, which may be significant in amount, may create a conflict of interest by influencing the Financial Intermediary and your salesperson to recommend the Fund over another investment. Ask your salesperson or visit your Financial Intermediary’s web site for more information.

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Prospectus  |  Fund Summary

Treasury Securities Portfolio

Investment Objective

The Treasury Securities Portfolio (the “Fund”) seeks preservation of capital, daily liquidity and maximum current income.

Fees and Expenses

The table below describes the expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold Participant Class shares of the Fund. The Fund does not charge any sales loads or other fees when you purchase or redeem shares.

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

 

Participant Class

Advisory Fee

0.15%

Distribution and/or Shareholder Service (12b-1) Fee

0.25%

Other Expenses

0.06%

Shareholder Service Fee

0.25%

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses1

0.71%

Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement1

0.01%

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement1

0.70%

Example

The example below is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund’s Participant Class with the cost of investing in other mutual funds.

The example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund’s Participant Class, your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Fund’s operating expenses remain the same (except that the example incorporates the fee waiver and/or expense reimbursement 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

 

Participant Class

$ 72

$ 226

$ 394

$ 882

 

1 The Fund’s “Adviser” and “Administrator,” Morgan Stanley Investment Management Inc., has agreed to reduce its advisory fee, its administration fee and/or reimburse the Fund’s Participant Class so that Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses, excluding certain investment related expenses, taxes, interest and other extraordinary expenses (including litigation), will not exceed 0.70%. The fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements will continue for at least one year or until such time as the Board of Trustees of Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds (the “Trust”) acts to discontinue all or a portion of such waivers and/or reimbursements when it deems such action is appropriate.

Principal Investment Strategies

The Fund has adopted a policy to invest exclusively in U.S. Treasury obligations, which are backed by the full faith and credit of the United States, in order to qualify as a “government money market fund” under federal regulations. The Fund may also hold cash from time to time. A “government money market fund” is a money market fund that invests at least 99.5% of its total assets in cash, securities issued or guaranteed by the United States or certain U.S. government agencies or instrumentalities and/or repurchase agreements that are collateralized fully by the foregoing. A “government money market fund” is exempt from requirements that permit money market funds to impose a “liquidity fee” and/or a “redemption gate” that temporarily restricts redemptions. In selecting investments, the Adviser seeks to maintain the Fund’s share price at $1.00. The share price remaining stable at $1.00 means that the Fund would preserve its principal value of your investment.

Principal Risks

There is no assurance that the Fund will achieve its investment objective.

You could lose money by investing in the Fund. Although the Fund seeks to preserve the value of your investment at $1.00 per share, it cannot guarantee it will do so. An investment in the Fund is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (“FDIC”) or any other government agency. The Fund’s sponsor has no legal obligation to provide financial support to the Fund, and you should not expect that the sponsor will provide financial support to the Fund at any time.

The principal risks of investing in the Fund include:

 

Credit and Interest Rate Risk. Credit risk refers to the possibility that the issuer or guarantor of a security will be unable to make interest payments and/or repay the principal on its debt. Interest rate risk refers to fluctuations in the value of a fixed-income security resulting from changes in the general level of interest rates. When the general level of interest rates goes up, the prices of most fixed-income securities go down. When the general level of interest rates goes down, the prices of most fixed-income securities go up. The Fund may face a heightened level of interest rate risk in times of monetary policy change and uncertainty,
 

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Prospectus | Fund Summary

Treasury Securities Portfolio (Cont’d)

 

such as when the Federal Reserve Board ends a quantitative easing program and/or raises rates. A rising interest rate environment increases certain risks, including the potential for periods of volatility, increased redemptions and extended durations (i.e., extension risk).

 

Fixed-Income Securities. Fixed-income securities are subject to the risk of the issuer’s inability to meet principal and interest payments on its obligations (i.e., credit risk) and are subject to price volatility resulting from, among other things, interest rate sensitivity (i.e., interest rate risk), market perception of the creditworthiness of the issuer and general market liquidity (i.e., market risk). The Fund may face a heightened level of interest rate risk in times of monetary policy change and uncertainty, such as when the Federal Reserve Board ends a quantitative easing program and/or raises rates.

 

U.S. Government Securities. The U.S. government securities in which the Fund invests can be subject to two types of risk: credit risk and interest rate risk. When the general level of interest rates goes up, the prices of most fixed-income securities go down. When the general level of interest rates goes down, the prices of most fixed-income securities go up. While the credit risk associated with U.S. government securities generally is considered to be minimal, the interest rate risk can be substantial.
 

Performance Information

The bar chart and table below provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by showing changes in the performance of the Fund’s Participant Class shares from year-to-year and by showing the average annual returns of the Fund’s Participant Class shares for the one, five and 10 year periods. The Fund’s past performance is not necessarily an indication of how the Fund will perform in the future. Updated performance information is available online at www.morganstanley.com/liquidity.

Annual Total Returns—Calendar Years

High Quarter

06/30/19

0.43%

Low Quarter

03/31/16

0.00%

Average Annual Total Returns

(for the Periods Ended December 31, 2019)

 

Past
One Year

Past Five
Years

Past
Ten Years

Treasury Securities Portfolio

1.52%

0.59%

0.30%

You may obtain the Fund’s 7-day current yield by calling 1-888-378-1630.

Fund Management

Adviser. Morgan Stanley Investment Management Inc.

Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares

Participant Class shares of the Fund are available to investors who at the time of initial purchase make a minimum investment of $10 million. You may not be subject to the minimum investment requirement under certain circumstances. For more information, please refer to the section of this Prospectus entitled “Shareholder Information—Minimum Investment Amount.”

Shares of the Fund may be purchased or sold on any day the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) is open for business (except when the following federal holidays are observed: Columbus Day and Veterans Day) directly from the Fund by mail (c/o DST Asset Manager Solutions, Inc., P.O. Box 219804, Kansas City, MO 64121-9804), by telephone (1-888-378-1630) or by contacting an authorized third-party, such as a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary that has entered into a selling agreement with the Fund’s “Distributor,” Morgan Stanley Distribution, Inc. (each, a “Financial Intermediary”). You may purchase and redeem shares online through Morgan Stanley’s Treasury Investment Portal service at www.morganstanley.com/liquidity, provided you have a pre-

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Prospectus  |  Fund Summary

Treasury Securities Portfolio (Cont’d)

established Internet trading account. For more information, please refer to the sections of this Prospectus entitled “Shareholder Information—How To Purchase Shares” and “Shareholder Information—How To Redeem Shares.”

Selected accounts that utilize the Fund as their sweep vehicle will be reviewed on each business day and shares will automatically be purchased or sold to cover any credits or debits incurred that day.

Tax Information

The Fund intends to make distributions that may be taxed as ordinary income or capital gains.

Payments to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries

If you purchase shares of the Fund through a Financial Intermediary (such as a bank), the Adviser and/or the Distributor may pay the Financial Intermediary for the sale of Fund shares and related services. These payments, which may be significant in amount, may create a conflict of interest by influencing the Financial Intermediary and your salesperson to recommend the Fund over another investment. Ask your salesperson or visit your Financial Intermediary’s web site for more information.

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Prospectus  |  Fund Summary

Tax-Exempt Portfolio

Investment Objective

The Tax-Exempt Portfolio (the “Fund”) seeks to maximize current income exempt from federal income tax to the extent consistent with preservation of capital and maintenance of liquidity.

Fees and Expenses

The table below describes the expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold Participant Class shares of the Fund. The Fund does not charge any sales loads or other fees when you purchase or redeem shares.

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

 

Participant Class

Advisory Fee

0.15%

Distribution and/or Shareholder Service (12b-1) Fee

0.25%

Other Expenses

0.12%

Shareholder Service Fee

0.25%

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses1

0.77%

Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement1

0.07%

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement1

0.70%

Example

The example below is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund’s Participant Class with the cost of investing in other mutual funds.

The example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund’s Participant Class, your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Fund’s operating expenses remain the same (except that the example incorporates the fee waiver and/or expense reimbursement 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

 

Participant Class

$ 72

$ 239

$ 421

$ 948

 

1 The Fund’s “Adviser” and “Administrator,” Morgan Stanley Investment Management Inc., has agreed to reduce its advisory fee, its administration fee and/or reimburse the Fund’s Participant Class so that Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses, excluding certain investment related expenses, taxes, interest and other extraordinary expenses (including litigation), will not exceed 0.70%. The fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements will continue for at least one year or until such time as the Board of Trustees of Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds (the “Trust”) acts to discontinue all or a portion of such waivers and/or reimbursements when it deems such action is appropriate.

Principal Investment Strategies

The Fund invests at least 80% of its assets in high quality short-term municipal obligations, the interest of which is exempt from federal income taxes and is not subject to the federal alternative minimum tax. This policy is fundamental and may not be changed without shareholder approval. The Fund may also invest in variable and floating rate demand instruments, tender option bonds, custodial receipts and investments in other investment companies, including money market funds.

The Fund may invest up to 20% of its assets in taxable money market securities or in municipal obligations that pay interest income that may be subject to the alternative minimum tax; however, it is currently intended that the Fund will be managed so that income generated by the Fund will not be subject to the alternative minimum tax. In addition, the Fund may temporarily invest more than 20% of its assets in taxable money market securities for defensive purposes in attempting to respond to adverse market conditions.

The Fund operates as an “institutional money market fund,” which is neither a “government money market fund” nor “retail money market fund” as such terms are defined or interpreted under Rule 2a-7 under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (“Rule 2a-7” under the “1940 Act”). As such, the Fund is required to price and transact in its shares at a net asset value per share (“NAV”) reflecting market-based values of its portfolio holdings (i.e., at a “floating” NAV), rounded to a minimum of the fourth decimal place. Like other money market funds of its type, the Fund is subject to the possible imposition of liquidity fees and/or redemption gates.

Principal Risks

There is no assurance that the Fund will achieve its investment objective.

You could lose money by investing in the Fund. Because the share price of the Fund will fluctuate, when you sell your shares they may be worth more or less than what you originally paid for them. The Fund may impose a fee upon the sale of your shares or may temporarily suspend your ability to sell shares if the Fund’s liquidity falls below required minimums because of market conditions or

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Prospectus  |  Fund Summary

Tax-Exempt Portfolio (Cont’d)

other factors. An investment in the Fund is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (“FDIC”) or any other government agency. The Fund’s sponsor has no legal obligation to provide financial support to the Fund, and you should not expect that the sponsor will provide financial support to the Fund at any time.

The principal risks of investing in the Fund include:

 

Credit and Interest Rate Risk. Credit risk refers to the possibility that the issuer or guarantor of a security will be unable to make interest payments and/or repay the principal on its debt. Interest rate risk refers to fluctuations in the value of a fixed-income security resulting from changes in the general level of interest rates. When the general level of interest rates goes up, the prices of most fixed-income securities go down. When the general level of interest rates goes down, the prices of most fixed-income securities go up. The Fund may face a heightened level of interest rate risk in times of monetary policy change and uncertainty, such as when the Federal Reserve Board ends a quantitative easing program and/or raises rates. A rising interest rate environment increases certain risks, including the potential for periods of volatility, increased redemptions and extended durations (i.e., extension risk).

 

Fixed-Income Securities. Fixed-income securities are subject to the risk of the issuer’s inability to meet principal and interest payments on its obligations (i.e., credit risk) and are subject to price volatility resulting from, among other things, interest rate sensitivity (i.e., interest rate risk), market perception of the creditworthiness of the issuer and general market liquidity (i.e., market risk). The Fund may face a heightened level of interest rate risk in times of monetary policy change and uncertainty, such as when the Federal Reserve Board ends a quantitative easing program and/or raises rates.

 

Municipal Obligations. To the extent the Fund invests in municipal obligations issued by state and local governments and their agencies, the Fund may be susceptible to political, economic, regulatory or other factors affecting issuers of these municipal obligations. To the extent that the Fund invests in municipal obligations of issuers in the same economic sector, it could be more sensitive to economic, business or political developments that affect such sector.
 

Performance Information

The bar chart and table below provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by showing changes in the performance of the Fund’s Participant Class shares from year-to-year and by showing the average annual returns of the Fund’s Participant Class shares for the one, five and 10 year periods. The Fund’s past performance is not necessarily an indication of how the Fund will perform in the future. Updated performance information is available online at www.morganstanley.com/liquidity.

Annual Total Returns—Calendar Years*

High Quarter

06/30/16

0.22%

Low Quarter

03/31/16

0.00%

Average Annual Total Returns*

(for the Periods Ended December 31, 2019)

 

Past
One Year

Past
Five Years

Past
Ten Years

Tax-Exempt Portfolio*

0.00%

0.05%

0.03%

* The Participant Class was fully redeemed during the month of October 2016 and did not have investors for subsequent periods. Accordingly, the returns listed for each period in the bar chart and table are calculated using returns of 0.00% for periods after October 2016. The average annual returns of the Fund’s Institutional Class shares for the one, five and 10 year periods as of December 31, 2019 were 1.35%, 0.75% and 0.39%, respectively. The Participant Class shares would have similar returns because the shares are invested in the same portfolio and would differ only to the extent that the classes do not have the same expenses.

You may obtain the Fund’s 7-day current yield by calling 1-888-378-1630.

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Prospectus | Fund Summary

Tax-Exempt Portfolio (Cont’d)

Fund Management

Adviser. Morgan Stanley Investment Management Inc.

Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares

Participant Class shares of the Fund are available to investors who at the time of initial purchase make a minimum investment of $10 million. You may not be subject to the minimum investment requirement under certain circumstances. For more information, please refer to the section of this Prospectus entitled “Shareholder Information—Minimum Investment Amount.”

Shares of the Fund may be purchased or sold on any day the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) is open for business (except when the following federal holidays are observed: Columbus Day and Veterans Day) directly from the Fund by mail (c/o DST Asset Manager Solutions, Inc., P.O. Box 219804, Kansas City, MO 64121-9804), by telephone (1-888-378-1630) or by contacting an authorized third-party, such as a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary that has entered into a selling agreement with the Fund’s “Distributor,” Morgan Stanley Distribution, Inc. (each, a “Financial Intermediary”). You may purchase and redeem shares online through Morgan Stanley’s Treasury Investment Portal service at www.morganstanley.com/liquidity, provided you have a pre-established Internet trading account. For more information, please refer to the sections of this Prospectus entitled “Shareholder Information—How To Purchase Shares” and “Shareholder Information—How To Redeem Shares.”

Selected accounts that utilize the Fund as their sweep vehicle will be reviewed on each business day and shares will automatically be purchased or sold to cover any credits or debits incurred that day.

Tax Information

The Fund intends to make distributions that are generally not subject to federal income tax; however the Fund may distribute taxable dividends, including distributions of short-term capital gains, and long-term capital gains. In addition, interest on certain bonds may be subject to the federal alternative minimum tax. To the extent that the Fund’s distributions are derived from interest on bonds that are not exempt from applicable state and local taxes, such distributions will be subject to such state and local taxes.

Payments to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries

If you purchase shares of the Fund through a Financial Intermediary (such as a bank), the Adviser and/or the Distributor may pay the Financial Intermediary for the sale of Fund shares and related services. These payments, which may be significant in amount, may create a conflict of interest by influencing the Financial Intermediary and your salesperson to recommend the Fund over another investment. Ask your salesperson or visit your Financial Intermediary’s web site for more information.

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds  |  Details of the Funds

Prime Portfolio

Investment Objective

The Prime Portfolio seeks preservation of capital, daily liquidity and maximum current income.

Approach

The Fund invests in liquid, high quality U.S. dollar-denominated money market instruments of U.S. and foreign financial corporations and U.S. non-financial corporations. The Fund also invests in obligations issued or guaranteed by the U.S. Government and its agencies and instrumentalities. The Fund’s money market investments may include commercial paper, corporate debt obligations, debt obligations (including certificates of deposit and promissory notes) of U.S. banks or foreign banks, or of U.S. branches or subsidiaries of foreign banks, or foreign branches of U.S. banks (such as Yankee obligations), certificates of deposit of savings banks and savings and loan organizations, asset-backed securities, repurchase agreements and municipal obligations.

The Fund operates as an “institutional money market fund” which is neither a “government money market fund” nor “retail money market fund” as such terms are defined or interpreted under Rule 2a-7. As such, the Fund is required to price and transact in its shares at a NAV reflecting market-based values of its portfolio holdings (i.e., at a “floating” NAV), rounded to a minimum of the fourth decimal place. Like other money market funds of its type, the Fund is subject to the possible imposition of liquidity fees and/or redemption gates.

Process

The Adviser follows a multi-pronged investment process with respect to credit risk, interest rate risk and liquidity. Securities are reviewed on an ongoing basis to maintain or improve creditworthiness taking into consideration factors such as cash flow, asset quality, debt service coverage ratios and economic developments. Additionally, exposure to guarantors and liquidity providers is monitored separately as are the various diversification requirements.

The Adviser actively manages the Fund’s assets in an attempt to reduce the risk of losing any principal investment as a result of credit or interest rate risks. In addition, federal regulations require money market funds to invest only in debt obligations of high quality and short-term maturities.

Principal Risks

The Fund’s principal investment strategies are subject to the following principal risks:

There is no assurance that the Fund will achieve its investment objective. You could lose money by investing in the Fund. Because the share price of the Fund will fluctuate, when you sell your shares they may be worth more or less than what you originally paid for them. The Fund may impose a fee upon the sale of your shares or may temporarily suspend your ability to sell shares if the Fund’s liquidity falls below required minimums because of market conditions or other factors. An investment in the Fund is not insured or guaranteed by the FDIC or any other government agency.

A principal risk of investing in the Fund is associated with its debt obligation investments. All debt obligations, such as bonds, are subject to two types of risk: credit risk and interest rate risk. Credit risk refers to the possibility that the issuer or guarantor of a security will be unable to make interest payments and/or repay the principal on its debt. Interest rate risk refers to fluctuations in the value of a fixed-income security resulting from changes in the general level of interest rates. When the general level of interest rates goes up, the prices of most fixed-income securities go down. When the general level of interest rates goes down, the prices of most fixed-income securities go up. A low interest rate environment may prevent the Fund from providing a positive yield or paying Fund expenses out of Fund assets. The Fund may face a heightened level of interest rate risk in times of monetary policy change and uncertainty, such as when the Federal Reserve Board ends a quantitative easing program and/or raises rates. A rising interest rate environment increases certain risks, including the potential for periods of volatility, increased redemptions and extended durations (i.e., extension risk).

The Fund may purchase bank obligations. The activities of U.S. and most foreign banks are subject to comprehensive regulations. The enactment of new legislation or regulations, as well as changes in interpretation and enforcement of current laws, may affect the manner of operations and profitability of domestic and foreign banks. In addition, banks may be particularly susceptible to certain economic factors.

The Fund may purchase U.S. government securities that are not backed by the full faith and credit of the United States. With respect to these U.S. government securities, there is the risk that the U.S. Government will not provide financial support to such U.S. government agencies, instrumentalities or sponsored enterprises if it is not obligated to do so by law. The maximum potential liability of the issuers of some U.S. government securities held by the Fund may greatly exceed their current resources, including their legal right to support from the U.S. Treasury. It is possible that these issuers will not have the funds to meet their payment obligations in the future.

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds | Details of the Funds

Prime Portfolio (Cont’d)

Repurchase agreements are subject to additional risks associated with the possibility of default by the seller at a time when the collateral has declined in value, or insolvency of the seller, which may affect the Fund’s right to control the collateral and result in certain costs and delays.

Asset-backed securities raise certain risk considerations, including prepayment risk, extension risk and the risk of inadequate recovery on repossessed collateral. Because the Fund may concentrate its investments in bank securities, an adverse development in the banking industry may affect the value of the Fund’s investments more than if the Fund’s investments were not so concentrated.

The Fund may invest in U.S. dollar-denominated foreign securities and money market instruments. Although the Fund will invest in these securities only if the Adviser determines they are of comparable quality to the Fund’s U.S. investments, investing in securities of foreign issuers involves some additional risks. These risks may include the possibility of adverse political, economic or other developments affecting the issuers of these securities.

To the extent the Fund invests in municipal obligations issued by state and local governments and their agencies, the Fund may be susceptible to political, economic, regulatory or other factors affecting issuers of these municipal obligations.

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds  |  Details of the Funds

ESG Money Market Portfolio

Investment Objective

The ESG Money Market Portfolio seeks preservation of capital, daily liquidity and maximum current income.

Approach

The Fund invests in liquid, high quality U.S. dollar-denominated money market instruments of U.S. and foreign financial and non-financial corporations. The Fund also invests in obligations of foreign governments and in obligations issued or guaranteed by the U.S. Government and its agencies and instrumentalities. The Fund’s money market investments may include commercial paper, corporate debt obligations, debt obligations (including certificates of deposit and promissory notes) of U.S. banks or foreign banks, or of U.S. branches or subsidiaries of foreign banks, or foreign branches of U.S. banks (such as Yankee obligations), certificates of deposit of savings banks and savings and loan organizations, asset-backed securities, repurchase agreements and municipal obligations.

The Fund operates as an “institutional money market fund” which is neither a “government money market fund” nor “retail money market fund” as such terms are defined or interpreted under Rule 2a-7. As such, the Fund is required to price and transact in its shares at a NAV reflecting market-based values of its portfolio holdings (i.e., at a “floating” NAV), rounded to a minimum of the fourth decimal place. Like other money market funds of its type, the Fund is subject to the possible imposition of liquidity fees and/or redemption gates.

Process

The Adviser follows a multi-pronged investment process with respect to credit risk, interest rate risk and liquidity. Securities are reviewed on an ongoing basis to maintain or improve creditworthiness taking into consideration factors such as cash flow, asset quality, debt service coverage ratios and economic developments. Additionally, exposure to guarantors and liquidity providers is monitored separately as are the various diversification requirements.

The Adviser believes that ESG factors have the ability to impact the fundamental credit risk of an entity. The Fund’s investment process incorporates information about ESG issues via an integrated approach within the Adviser’s fundamental investment analysis framework. The Adviser may engage with management of certain issuers regarding corporate governance practices as well as what the Adviser deems to be materially important environmental and/or social issues facing a company.

The Adviser has proprietary ESG-scoring methodologies that explicitly consider the risks and opportunities ESG factors pose to money market instruments. By combining third-party ESG data with proprietary views, the Adviser creates unique scoring methodologies that it applies to issuers.

During the security selection process, the Adviser employs a rules-based process to construct the portfolio. Initially, the Adviser determines from the universe of money market fund-eligible issuers those which, in its opinion, have the lowest credit risk and/or best credit profile, excluding the following:

 

Corporations that generate revenue from the manufacturing or production of tobacco;

 

Corporations that generate revenue from the manufacturing or production of landmines and cluster munitions (i.e., an explosive weapon that randomly scatters submunitions);

 

Corporations that generate revenue from the manufacturing or production of firearms;

 

Corporations that generate revenue from the mining of thermal coal or coal fired power generation; and

 

Corporations that primarily generate revenue from the fossil fuel industries, which the Adviser has determined produce a certain level of carbon emissions.
 

The Fund may invest in green commercial paper (a security that is typically issued to raise capital specifically to support climate-related or environmental projects) issued by companies that would otherwise be subject to fossil fuel exclusions so long as the Adviser has determined that the proceeds will not be used to finance fossil fuel generation capabilities.

In analyzing whether an issuer meets any of the criteria described above, the Adviser may rely upon, among other things, information provided by an independent third party.

After applying the above exclusion screens, the Adviser calculates proprietary ESG scores for the remaining issuers based on a number of variables, such as environmental, social, governance, controversy and ESG momentum factors. The Adviser then sets minimum ESG score thresholds. Only issuers with an ESG score above a minimum threshold will be considered for investment by the Fund, thus eliminating those issuers with the lowest ESG performance. The Adviser’s minimum ESG score thresholds may be adjusted from time to time, provided that a subset of issuers are always excluded by ESG factors.

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ESG Money Market Portfolio (Cont’d)

From the final list of ESG-approved issuers, the Adviser determines the securities and issuers in which the Fund will invest, taking into account a variety of relevant considerations (including, without limitation, yield, interest rate changes, credit quality and duration).

Under normal circumstances, the Fund will invest 100% of its net assets (excluding cash) in securities whose issuer or guarantor, in the Adviser’s opinion at the time of purchase, meets the Fund’s ESG criteria.

The Adviser actively manages the Fund’s assets in an attempt to reduce the risk of losing any principal investment as a result of credit or interest rate risks. In addition, federal regulations require money market funds to invest only in debt obligations of high quality and short-term maturities.

Principal Risks

The Fund’s principal investment strategies are subject to the following principal risks:

There is no assurance that the Fund will achieve its investment objective. You could lose money by investing in the Fund. Because the share price of the Fund will fluctuate, when you sell your shares they may be worth more or less than what you originally paid for them. The Fund may impose a fee upon the sale of your shares or may temporarily suspend your ability to sell shares if the Fund’s liquidity falls below required minimums because of market conditions or other factors. An investment in the Fund is not insured or guaranteed by the FDIC or any other government agency.

A principal risk of investing in the Fund is associated with its debt obligation investments. All debt obligations, such as bonds, are subject to two types of risk: credit risk and interest rate risk. Credit risk refers to the possibility that the issuer or guarantor of a security will be unable to make interest payments and/or repay the principal on its debt. Interest rate risk refers to fluctuations in the value of a fixed-income security resulting from changes in the general level of interest rates. When the general level of interest rates goes up, the prices of most fixed-income securities go down. When the general level of interest rates goes down, the prices of most fixed-income securities go up. A low interest rate environment may prevent the Fund from providing a positive yield or paying Fund expenses out of Fund assets. The Fund may face a heightened level of interest rate risk in times of monetary policy change and uncertainty, such as when the Federal Reserve Board ends a quantitative easing program and/or raises rates. A rising interest rate environment increases certain risks, including the potential for periods of volatility, increased redemptions and extended durations (i.e., extension risk).

The Fund may purchase bank obligations. The activities of U.S. and most foreign banks are subject to comprehensive regulations. The enactment of new legislation or regulations, as well as changes in interpretation and enforcement of current laws, may affect the manner of operations and profitability of domestic and foreign banks. In addition, banks may be particularly susceptible to certain economic factors.

The Fund may purchase U.S. government securities that are not backed by the full faith and credit of the United States. With respect to these U.S. government securities, there is the risk that the U.S. Government will not provide financial support to such U.S. government agencies, instrumentalities or sponsored enterprises if it is not obligated to do so by law. The maximum potential liability of the issuers of some U.S. government securities held by the Fund may greatly exceed their current resources, including their legal right to support from the U.S. Treasury. It is possible that these issuers will not have the funds to meet their payment obligations in the future.

Asset-backed securities raise certain risk considerations including prepayment risk, extension risk and the risk of inadequate recovery on repossessed collateral. Because the Fund may concentrate its investments in bank securities, an adverse development in the banking industry may affect the value of the Fund’s investments more than if the Fund were not so concentrated.

Repurchase agreements are subject to additional risks associated with the possibility of default by the seller at a time when the collateral has declined in value, or insolvency of the seller, which may affect the Fund’s right to control the collateral and result in certain costs and delays.

The Fund may invest in U.S. dollar-denominated foreign securities and money market instruments. Although the Fund will invest in these securities only if the Adviser determines they are of comparable quality to the Fund’s U.S. investments, investing in securities of foreign issuers involves some additional risks. These risks may include the possibility of adverse political, economic or other developments affecting the issuers of these securities.

To the extent the Fund invests in municipal obligations issued by state and local governments and their agencies, the Fund may be susceptible to political, economic, regulatory or other factors affecting issuers of these municipal obligations.

The Fund’s adherence to its ESG criteria and application of related analyses when selecting investments may affect the Fund’s performance depending on whether such investments are in or out of favor and relative to similar funds that do not adhere to such criteria or apply such analyses. Socially responsible norms differ by country and region, and a company’s ESG practices or the

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds  |  Details of the Funds

ESG Money Market Portfolio (Con’t)

Adviser’s assessment of such may change over time. The Fund may invest in companies that do not reflect the beliefs and values of any particular investor. Additionally, the Fund’s adherence to its ESG criteria and application of related analyses in connection with identifying and selecting investments in non-U.S. issuers often require subjective analysis and may be relatively more difficult than applying the ESG criteria or related analyses to investments of U.S. issuers because data availability may be more limited with respect to non-U.S. issuers. The exclusionary criteria related to the Fund’s ESG criteria may result in the Fund forgoing opportunities to buy certain securities when it might otherwise be advantageous to do so, or selling securities for ESG reasons when it might be otherwise disadvantageous for it to do so. The Fund’s investments in certain companies may be susceptible to various factors that may impact their businesses or operations, including costs associated with government budgetary constraints that impact publicly funded projects and clean energy initiatives, the effects of general economic conditions throughout the world, increased competition from other providers of services, unfavorable tax laws or accounting policies and high leverage.

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds  |  Details of the Funds

Government Portfolio

Investment Objective

The Government Portfolio seeks preservation of capital, daily liquidity and maximum current income.

Approach

The Fund has adopted a policy to invest exclusively in obligations issued or guaranteed by the U.S. Government and its agencies and instrumentalities and in repurchase agreements collateralized by such securities in order to qualify as a “government money market fund” under federal regulations. The Fund may also hold cash from time to time. A “government money market fund” is a money market fund that invests at least 99.5% of its total assets in cash, securities issued or guaranteed by the United States or certain U.S. government agencies or instrumentalities and/or repurchase agreements that are collateralized fully by the foregoing. In selecting investments, the Adviser seeks to maintain the Fund’s share price at $1.00. The share price remaining stable at $1.00 means that the Fund would preserve the principal value of your investment. The Fund may change its principal investment strategies; however you would be notified of any changes.

The U.S. government securities that the Fund may purchase include:

 

U.S. treasury bills, notes and bonds, all of which are direct obligations of the U.S. Government.

 

Securities issued by agencies and instrumentalities of the U.S. Government which are backed by the full faith and credit of the United States. Among the agencies and instrumentalities issuing these obligations are the Government National Mortgage Association (“Ginnie Mae”) and the Federal Housing Administration.

 

Securities issued by agencies and instrumentalities which are not backed by the full faith and credit of the United States, but whose issuing agency or instrumentality has the right to borrow, to meet its obligations, from the U.S. Treasury. Among these agencies and instrumentalities are the Federal National Mortgage Association (“Fannie Mae”), the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (“Freddie Mac”) and the Federal Home Loan Banks.

 

Securities issued by agencies and instrumentalities which are backed solely by the credit of the issuing agency or instrumentality. Among these agencies and instrumentalities is the Federal Farm Credit System.
 

Process

The Adviser follows an investment process that seeks to select maturities based on the shape of the money market yield curve and based on the expectations as to future shifts in the level and shape of the curve, taking into consideration such factors as current short-term interest rates, Federal Reserve policy regarding interest rates and U.S. economic activity.

The Adviser actively manages the Fund’s assets in an attempt to reduce the risk of losing any principal investment as a result of credit or interest rate risks. The Fund’s assets are reviewed to maintain or improve creditworthiness. In addition, federal regulations require money market funds to invest only in debt obligations of high quality and short-term maturities.

Principal Risks

The Fund’s principal investment strategies are subject to the following principal risks:

There is no assurance that the Fund will achieve its investment objective. You could lose money by investing in the Fund. Although the Fund seeks to preserve the value of your investment at $1.00 per share, it cannot guarantee it will do so. An investment in the Fund is not insured or guaranteed by the FDIC or any other government agency.

A principal risk of investing in the Fund is associated with its debt obligation investments. All debt obligations, such as bonds, are subject to two types of risk: credit risk and interest rate risk. Credit risk refers to the possibility that the issuer or guarantor of a security will be unable to make interest payments and/or repay the principal on its debt. Interest rate risk refers to fluctuations in the value of a fixed-income security resulting from changes in the general level of interest rates. When the general level of interest rates goes up, the prices of most fixed-income securities go down. When the general level of interest rates goes down, the prices of most fixed-income securities go up. A low interest rate environment may prevent the Fund from providing a positive yield or paying Fund expenses out of Fund assets and could impair the Fund’s ability to maintain a stable NAV. The Fund may face a heightened level of interest rate risk in times of monetary policy change and uncertainty, such as when the Federal Reserve Board ends a quantitative easing program and/or raises rates. A rising interest rate environment increases certain risks, including the potential for periods of volatility, increased redemptions and extended durations (i.e., extension risk).

The Fund may purchase U.S. government securities that are not backed by the full faith and credit of the United States. With respect to these U.S. government securities, there is the risk that the U.S. Government will not provide financial support to such U.S. government agencies, instrumentalities or sponsored enterprises if it is not obligated to do so by law. The maximum potential liability of the issuers of some U.S. government securities held by the Fund may greatly exceed their current resources, including their legal right to support from the U.S. Treasury. It is possible that these issuers will not have the funds to meet their payment obligations in the future.

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds  |  Details of the Funds

Government Portfolio (Con’t)

Repurchase agreements are subject to additional risks associated with the possibility of default by the seller at a time when the collateral has declined in value, or insolvency of the seller, which may affect the Fund’s right to control the collateral and result in certain costs and delays.

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds  |  Details of the Funds

Government Securities Portfolio

Investment Objective

The Government Securities Portfolio seeks preservation of capital, daily liquidity and maximum current income.

Approach

The Fund has adopted a policy to invest substantially all of its assets in U.S. Treasury obligations and certain U.S. government securities, the interest from which is generally exempt from state income taxation, in order to qualify as a “government money market fund” under federal regulations. The Fund may also hold cash from time to time. A “government money market fund” is a money market fund that invests at least 99.5% of its total assets in cash, securities issued or guaranteed by the United States or certain U.S. government agencies or instrumentalities and/or repurchase agreements that are collateralized fully by the foregoing. In selecting investments, the Adviser seeks to maintain the Fund’s share price at $1.00. The share price remaining stable at $1.00 means that the Fund would preserve the principal value of your investment. The U.S. government securities that the Fund may purchase include those issued or guaranteed either by the U.S. Treasury or certain agencies, authorities or instrumentalities of the U.S. Government. The Fund may also invest in repurchase agreements with the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. The Fund may change its principal investment strategies; however you would be notified of any changes.

Shareholders should consult their individual tax adviser to determine whether the Fund’s distributions derived from interest on the Treasury obligations and U.S. government securities referred to above are exempt from state taxation in their own state.

Process

The Adviser follows an investment process that seeks to select maturities based on the shape of the money market yield curve and based on the expectations as to future shifts in the level and shape of the curve, taking into consideration such factors as current short-term interest rates, Federal Reserve policy regarding interest rates and U.S. economic activity.

The Adviser actively manages the Fund’s assets in an attempt to reduce the risk of losing any principal investment as a result of credit or interest rate risks. The Fund’s assets are reviewed to maintain or improve creditworthiness. In addition, federal regulations require money market funds to invest only in debt obligations of high quality and short-term maturities.

Principal Risks

The Fund’s principal investment strategies are subject to the following principal risks:

There is no assurance that the Fund will achieve its investment objective. You could lose money by investing in the Fund. Although the Fund seeks to preserve the value of your investment at $1.00 per share, it cannot guarantee it will do so. An investment in the Fund is not insured or guaranteed by the FDIC or any other government agency.

A principal risk of investing in the Fund is associated with its debt obligation investments. All debt obligations, such as bonds, are subject to two types of risk: credit risk and interest rate risk. Credit risk refers to the possibility that the issuer or guarantor of a security will be unable to make interest payments and/or repay the principal on its debt. Interest rate risk refers to fluctuations in the value of a fixed-income security resulting from changes in the general level of interest rates. When the general level of interest rates goes up, the prices of most fixed-income securities go down. When the general level of interest rates goes down, the prices of most fixed-income securities go up. A low interest rate environment may prevent the Fund from providing a positive yield or paying Fund expenses out of Fund assets and could impair the Fund’s ability to maintain a stable NAV. The Fund may face a heightened level of interest rate risk in times of monetary policy change and uncertainty, such as when the Federal Reserve Board ends a quantitative easing program and/or raises rates. A rising interest rate environment increases certain risks, including the potential for periods of volatility, increased redemptions and extended durations (i.e., extension risk).

The Fund may purchase U.S. government securities that are not backed by the full faith and credit of the United States. With respect to these U.S. government securities, there is the risk that the U.S. Government will not provide financial support to such U.S. government agencies, instrumentalities or sponsored enterprises if it is not obligated to do so by law. The maximum potential liability of the issuers of some U.S. government securities held by the Fund may greatly exceed their current resources, including their legal right to support from the U.S. Treasury. It is possible that these issuers will not have the funds to meet their payment obligations in the future.

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds  |  Details of the Funds

Treasury Portfolio

Investment Objective

The Treasury Portfolio seeks preservation of capital, daily liquidity and maximum current income.

Approach

The Fund has adopted a policy to invest exclusively in U.S. Treasury obligations, which are backed by the full faith and credit of the United States, and repurchase agreements collateralized by such securities in order to qualify as a “government money market fund” under federal regulations. The Fund may also hold cash from time to time. A “government money market fund” is a money market fund that invests at least 99.5% of its total assets in cash, securities issued or guaranteed by the United States or certain U.S. government agencies or instrumentalities and/or repurchase agreements that are collateralized fully by the foregoing. In selecting investments, the Adviser seeks to maintain the Fund’s share price at $1.00. The share price remaining stable at $1.00 means that the Fund would preserve the principal value of your investment. The Fund may change its principal investment strategies; however you would be notified of any changes.

Process

The Adviser follows an investment process that seeks to select maturities based on the shape of the money market yield curve and based on the expectations as to future shifts in the level and shape of the curve, taking into consideration such factors as current short-term interest rates, Federal Reserve policy regarding interest rates and U.S. economic activity.

The Adviser actively manages the Fund’s assets in an attempt to reduce the risk of losing any principal investment as a result of credit or interest rate risks. The Fund’s assets are reviewed to maintain or improve creditworthiness. In addition, federal regulations require money market funds to invest only in debt obligations of high quality and short-term maturities.

Principal Risks

The Fund’s principal investment strategies are subject to the following principal risks:

There is no assurance that the Fund will achieve its investment objective. You could lose money by investing in the Fund. Although the Fund seeks to preserve the value of your investment at $1.00 per share, it cannot guarantee it will do so. An investment in the Fund is not insured or guaranteed by the FDIC or any other government agency.

A principal risk of investing in the Fund is associated with its debt obligation investments. All debt obligations, such as bonds, are subject to two types of risk: credit risk and interest rate risk. Credit risk refers to the possibility that the issuer or guarantor of a security will be unable to make interest payments and/or repay the principal on its debt. Interest rate risk refers to fluctuations in the value of a fixed-income security resulting from changes in the general level of interest rates. When the general level of interest rates goes up, the prices of most fixed-income securities go down. When the general level of interest rates goes down, the prices of most fixed-income securities go up. A low interest rate environment may prevent the Fund from providing a positive yield or paying Fund expenses out of Fund assets and could impair the Fund’s ability to maintain a stable NAV. The Fund may face a heightened level of interest rate risk in times of monetary policy change and uncertainty, such as when the Federal Reserve Board ends a quantitative easing program and/or raises rates. A rising interest rate environment increases certain risks, including the potential for periods of volatility, increased redemptions and extended durations (i.e., extension risk).

The U.S. government securities in which the Fund invests can be subject to two types of risk: credit risk and interest rate risk. When the general level of interest rates goes up, the prices of most fixed-income securities go down. When the general level of interest rates goes down, the prices of most fixed-income securities go up. While the credit risk associated with U.S. government securities generally is considered to be minimal, the interest rate risk can be substantial.

Repurchase agreements are subject to additional risks associated with the possibility of default by the seller at a time when the collateral has declined in value, or insolvency of the seller, which may affect the Fund’s right to control the collateral and result in certain costs and delays.

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds  |  Details of the Funds

Treasury Securities Portfolio

Investment Objective

The Treasury Securities Portfolio seeks preservation of capital, daily liquidity and maximum current income.

Approach

The Fund has adopted a policy to invest exclusively in U.S. Treasury obligations, which are backed by the full faith and credit of the United States, in order to qualify as a “government money market fund” under federal regulations. The Fund may also hold cash from time to time. A “government money market fund” is a money market fund that invests at least 99.5% of its total assets in cash, securities issued or guaranteed by the United States or certain U.S. government agencies or instrumentalities and/or repurchase agreements that are collateralized fully by the foregoing. In selecting investments, the Adviser seeks to maintain the Fund’s share price at $1.00. The share price remaining stable at $1.00 means that the Fund would preserve the principal value of your investment. The Fund may change its principal investment strategies; however you would be notified of any changes.

Process

The Adviser follows an investment process that seeks to select maturities based on the shape of the money market yield curve and based on the expectations as to future shifts in the level and shape of the curve, taking into consideration such factors as current short-term interest rates, Federal Reserve policy regarding interest rates and U.S. economic activity.

The Adviser actively manages the Fund’s assets in an attempt to reduce the risk of losing any principal investment as a result of credit or interest rate risks. The Fund’s assets are reviewed to maintain or improve creditworthiness. In addition, federal regulations require money market funds to invest only in debt obligations of high quality and short-term maturities.

Principal Risks

The Fund’s principal investment strategies are subject to the following principal risks:

There is no assurance that the Fund will achieve its investment objective. You could lose money by investing in the Fund. Although the Fund seeks to preserve the value of your investment at $1.00 per share, it cannot guarantee it will do so. An investment in the Fund is not insured or guaranteed by the FDIC or any other government agency.

A principal risk of investing in the Fund is associated with its debt obligation investments. All debt obligations, such as bonds, are subject to two types of risk: credit risk and interest rate risk. Credit risk refers to the possibility that the issuer or guarantor of a security will be unable to make interest payments and/or repay the principal on its debt. Interest rate risk refers to fluctuations in the value of a fixed-income security resulting from changes in the general level of interest rates. When the general level of interest rates goes up, the prices of most fixed-income securities go down. When the general level of interest rates goes down, the prices of most fixed-income securities go up. A low interest rate environment may prevent the Fund from providing a positive yield or paying Fund expenses out of Fund assets and could impair the Fund’s ability to maintain a stable NAV. The Fund may face a heightened level of interest rate risk in times of monetary policy change and uncertainty, such as when the Federal Reserve Board ends a quantitative easing program and/or raises rates. A rising interest rate environment increases certain risks, including the potential for periods of volatility, increased redemptions and extended durations (i.e., extension risk).

The U.S. government securities in which the Fund invests can be subject to two types of risk: credit risk and interest rate risk. When the general level of interest rates goes up, the prices of most fixed-income securities go down. When the general level of interest rates goes down, the prices of most fixed-income securities go up. While the credit risk associated with U.S. government securities generally is considered to be minimal, the interest rate risk can be substantial.

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds  |  Details of the Funds

Tax-Exempt Portfolio

Investment Objective

The Tax-Exempt Portfolio seeks to maximize current income exempt from federal income tax to the extent consistent with preservation of capital and maintenance of liquidity.

Approach

The Fund invests at least 80% of its assets in high quality short-term municipal obligations, the interest of which is exempt from federal income taxes and is not subject to the federal alternative minimum tax. This policy is fundamental and may not be changed without shareholder approval. Municipal obligations are securities issued by state and local governments and their agencies and typically are either general obligation or revenue bonds, notes or commercial paper. General obligation securities are secured by the issuer’s full faith and credit including its taxing power for payment of principal and interest. Revenue bonds, however, are generally payable from a specific revenue source. They are issued for a wide variety of projects such as financing public utilities, hospitals, housing, airports, highways and educational facilities. Included within the revenue bonds category are participations in lease obligations and installment purchase contracts of municipalities. Additionally, the Fund’s investments may include variable and floating rate demand instruments, tender option bonds, custodial receipts and investments in other investment companies, including money market funds.

The Fund may invest up to 20% of its assets in taxable money market securities or in municipal obligations that pay interest income that may be subject to the alternative minimum tax. However, it is currently intended that the Fund will be managed so that income generated by the Fund will not be subject to the alternative minimum tax.

While at least 80% of the Fund’s assets typically will be invested in municipal obligations, the interest of which is exempt from federal income taxes and is not subject to the federal alternative minimum tax, the Fund may temporarily invest more than 20% of its assets in taxable money market securities for defensive purposes in attempting to respond to adverse market conditions.

The Fund operates as an “institutional money market fund” which is neither a “government money market fund” nor “retail money market fund” as such terms are defined or interpreted under Rule 2a-7. As such, the Fund is required to price and transact in its shares at a NAV reflecting market-based values of its portfolio holdings (i.e., at a “floating” NAV), rounded to a minimum of the fourth decimal place. Like other money market funds of its type, the Fund is subject to the possible imposition of liquidity fees and/or redemption gates.

Process

The Adviser follows a multi-pronged investment process with respect to credit risk, interest rate risk and liquidity. Securities are reviewed on an ongoing basis, taking into consideration factors such as economic developments, budgetary trends, cash flow, debt service coverage ratios and tax-law changes. Exposure to guarantors and liquidity providers is monitored separately. Weighted average maturity is shifted in response to expectations as to the future course of money market interest rates, the shape of the money market yield curve and the Fund’s recent cash flow experience.

The Adviser actively manages the Fund’s assets in an attempt to reduce the risk of losing any principal investment as a result of credit or interest rate risks. The Fund’s assets are reviewed to maintain or improve creditworthiness. In addition, federal regulations require money market funds to invest only in debt obligations of high quality and short-term maturities.

Principal Risks

The Fund’s principal investment strategies are subject to the following principal risks:

There is no assurance that the Fund will achieve its investment objective. You could lose money by investing in the Fund. Because the share price of the Fund will fluctuate, when you sell your shares they may be worth more or less than what you originally paid for them. The Fund may impose a fee upon the sale of your shares or may temporarily suspend your ability to sell shares if the Fund’s liquidity falls below required minimums because of market conditions or other factors. An investment in the Fund is not insured or guaranteed by the FDIC or any other government agency.

A principal risk of investing in the Fund is associated with its debt obligation investments. All debt obligations, such as bonds, are subject to two types of risk: credit risk and interest rate risk. Credit risk refers to the possibility that the issuer or guarantor of a security will be unable to make interest payments and/or repay the principal on its debt. Interest rate risk refers to fluctuations in the value of a fixed-income security resulting from changes in the general level of interest rates. When the general level of interest rates goes up, the prices of most fixed-income securities go down. When the general level of interest rates goes down, the prices of most fixed-income securities go up. A low interest rate environment may prevent the Fund from providing a positive yield or paying Fund expenses out of Fund assets. The Fund may face a heightened level of interest rate risk in times of monetary policy change and uncertainty, such as when the Federal Reserve Board ends a quantitative easing program and/or raises rates. A rising interest rate environment increases certain risks, including the potential for periods of volatility, increased redemptions and extended durations (i.e., extension risk).

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds | Details of the Funds

Tax-Exempt Portfolio (Cont’d)

To the extent the Fund invests in municipal obligations issued by state and local governments and their agencies, the Fund may be susceptible to political, economic, regulatory or other factors affecting issuers of these municipal obligations. Municipal obligations are also subject to credit risk and interest risk. In the case of revenue bonds, for example, credit risk is the possibility that the user fees from a project or other specified revenue sources are insufficient to meet interest and/or principal payment obligations. The Fund is subject to added credit risk if it concentrates its investments in a single economic sector, which could be effected by economic, business or political developments which might affect all municipal obligations in that particular economic sector.

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Prospectus  |  Additional Information About the Funds’ Investment Strategies and Related Risks

Additional Information About the Funds’ Investment Strategies and Related Risks

This section discusses additional information relating to the Funds’ investment strategies, other types of investments that the Funds may make and related risk factors. The Funds’ investment practices and limitations are also described in more detail in the Statement of Additional Information (“SAI”), which is incorporated by reference and legally is a part of this Prospectus. For details on how to obtain a copy of the SAI and other reports and information, see the back cover of this Prospectus.

Bank Obligations

Bank obligations include certificates of deposit, commercial paper, unsecured bank promissory notes, bankers’ acceptances, time deposits and other debt obligations. Certain Funds may invest in obligations issued or backed by U.S. banks when a bank has more than $1 billion in total assets at the time of purchase or is a branch or subsidiary of such a bank. In addition, certain Funds may invest in U.S. dollar-denominated obligations issued or guaranteed by foreign banks that have more than $1 billion in total assets at the time of purchase, U.S. branches or subsidiaries of such foreign banks (Yankee obligations), foreign branches of such foreign banks and foreign branches of U.S. banks having more than $1 billion in total assets at the time of purchase. Bank obligations may be general obligations of the parent bank or may be limited to the issuing branch by the terms of the specific obligation or by U.S. government regulation.

If a Fund invests more than 25% of its total assets in bank obligations (whether foreign or domestic), it may be especially affected by favorable and adverse developments in or related to the banking industry. The activities of U.S. and most foreign banks are subject to comprehensive regulations, which, in the case of U.S. regulations, have undergone substantial changes in the past decade. The enactment of new legislation or regulations, as well as changes in interpretation and enforcement of current laws, may affect the manner of operations and profitability of domestic and foreign banks. Significant developments in the U.S. banking industry have included increased competition from other types of financial institutions, increased acquisition activity and geographic expansion. Banks may be particularly susceptible to certain economic factors, such as interest rate changes and adverse developments in the real estate markets. Fiscal and monetary policy and general economic cycles can affect the availability and cost of funds, loan demand and asset quality and thereby impact the earnings and financial conditions of banks. Obligations of foreign banks, including Yankee obligations, are subject to the same risks that pertain to domestic issuers, notably credit risk and market risk, but are also subject to certain additional risks such as adverse foreign political and economic developments, the extent and quality of foreign government regulation of the financial markets and institutions, foreign withholding taxes and other sovereign action such as nationalization or expropriation.

Credit and Interest Rate Risk

All debt obligations, such as bonds, are subject to two types of risk: credit risk and interest rate risk. Interest rate risk refers to fluctuations in the value of a fixed-income security resulting from changes in the general level of interest rates. When the general level of interest rates goes up, the prices of most fixed-income securities go down. When the general level of interest rates goes down, the prices of most fixed-income securities go up. A low interest rate environment may prevent a Fund from providing a positive yield or paying Fund expenses out of Fund assets. The Funds may face a heightened level of interest rate risk in times of monetary policy change and uncertainty, such as when the Federal Reserve Board ends a quantitative easing program and/or raises rates. A rising interest rate environment increases certain risks, including the potential for periods of volatility, increased redemptions and extended durations (i.e., extension risk).

U.S. Government Securities

The U.S. government securities that certain Funds may purchase include U.S. Treasury bills, notes and bonds, all of which are direct obligations of the U.S. Government. In addition, certain Funds may purchase securities issued or guaranteed by agencies and instrumentalities of the U.S. Government which are backed by the full faith and credit of the United States. Among the agencies and instrumentalities issuing these obligations are Ginnie Mae and the Federal Housing Administration. Also, certain Funds may purchase securities issued by agencies and instrumentalities which are not backed by the full faith and credit of the United States, but whose issuing agency or instrumentality has the right to borrow, to meet its obligations, from the U.S. Treasury. Among these agencies and instrumentalities are Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac and the Federal Home Loan Banks. In September 2008, the U.S. Treasury Department announced that the U.S. Government would be taking over Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac and placing the companies into a conservatorship. In addition, the U.S. Treasury announced additional steps that it intended to take with respect to the debt and mortgage-backed securities issued by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac in order to support the conservatorship. Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac are continuing to operate as going concerns while in conservatorship and each remains liable for all of its respective obligations, including its guaranty obligations, associated with its mortgage-backed securities. No assurance can be given that these initiatives will be successful. Further, certain Funds may purchase securities issued by agencies and instrumentalities which are backed solely by the credit of the issuing agency or instrumentality. Among these agencies and instrumentalities is the Federal Farm Credit System. Because these securities are not backed by the full faith and credit of the United States, there is a risk that the U.S. Government will not provide financial support to these agencies if it is not obligated to do so by law. The maximum potential liability of the issuers of some U.S. government securities held by a Fund may greatly exceed their current resources, including their

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Additional Information About the Funds’ Investment Strategies and Related Risks (Con’t)

legal right to support from the U.S. Treasury. It is possible that these issuers will not have the funds to meet their payment obligations in the future. The interest from U.S. government securities generally is not subject to state and local taxation.

Foreign Securities

Certain Funds may invest in U.S. dollar-denominated securities issued by foreign governmental or corporate issuers, including Eurodollar and Yankee obligations. While these securities are subject to the same type of risks that pertain to domestic issuers, namely credit risk and interest rate risk, they are also subject to other additional risks. Foreign issuers generally are subject to different accounting, auditing and financial reporting standards than U.S. issuers. There may be less information available to the public about foreign issuers. Securities of foreign issuers can be less liquid and experience greater price movements. In some foreign countries, there is also the risk of government expropriation, excessive taxation, political or social instability, the imposition of currency controls or diplomatic developments that could affect an investment. There also can be difficulty obtaining and enforcing judgments against issuers in foreign countries. Foreign stock exchanges, broker-dealers and listed issuers may be subject to less government regulation and oversight.

Foreign Money Market Securities

Certain Funds may invest in foreign money market securities. As described elsewhere herein, foreign investing may involve risks relating to political, social and economic developments abroad to a greater extent than investing in the securities of U.S. issuers. In addition, there are differences between U.S. and foreign regulatory requirements and market practices that may result in additional risk. Foreign money market securities also present credit and interest rate risks similar to those attendant to an investment in domestic money market securities.

Custodial Receipts

Certain Funds may invest in custodial receipts representing interests in U.S. government securities, municipal obligations or other debt instruments held by a custodian or trustee. Custodial receipts evidence ownership of future interest payments, principal payments or both on notes or bonds issued or guaranteed as to principal or interest by the U.S. Government, its agencies, instrumentalities, political subdivisions or authorities, by a state or local governmental body or authority, or by other types of issuers. For certain securities law purposes, custodial receipts are not considered obligations of the underlying issuers. In addition, if for tax purposes a Fund is not considered to be the owner of the underlying securities held in the custodial account, the Fund may suffer adverse tax consequences. As a holder of custodial receipts, a Fund will bear its proportionate share of the fees and expenses charged to the custodial account.

Tender Option Bonds

A tender option bond is a municipal obligation (generally held pursuant to a custodial arrangement) having a relatively long maturity and bearing interest at a fixed rate substantially higher than prevailing short-term, tax-exempt rates. The bond is typically issued in conjunction with the agreement of a third-party, such as a bank, broker-dealer or other financial institution, pursuant to which the institution grants the security holder the option, at periodic intervals, to tender its securities to the institution. As consideration for providing the option, the financial institution receives periodic fees equal to the difference between the bond’s fixed coupon rate and the rate, as determined by a remarketing or similar agent, that would cause the securities, coupled with the tender option, to trade at par on the date of such determination. Thus, after payment of this fee, the security holder effectively holds a demand obligation that bears interest at the prevailing short-term, tax-exempt rate. An institution will normally not be obligated to accept tendered bonds in the event of certain defaults or significant downgrading in the credit rating assigned to the issuer of the bond. The tender option will be taken into account in determining the maturity of the tender option bonds and average portfolio maturity. There is a risk that the investing Fund will not be considered the owner of a tender option bond for federal income tax purposes, and thus will not be entitled to treat such interest as exempt from federal income tax. Certain tender option bonds may be illiquid or may become illiquid as a result of a credit rating downgrade, a payment default or a disqualification from tax-exempt status. Additionally, the Dodd–Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (the “Dodd-Frank Act”), including the Volcker Rule, among other regulatory changes, may affect the ability of bank-sponsored tender option bonds to continue to operate or remain cost-effective investments.

Corporate Debt Obligations

Corporate debt obligations are fixed-income securities issued by private corporations. The investment return of corporate debt obligations reflects interest earnings and changes in the market value of the security. The market value of a corporate debt obligation may be expected to rise and fall inversely with interest rates generally. There also exists the risk that the issuers of the securities may not be able to meet their obligations on interest or principal payments at the time called for by an instrument. Debtholders, as creditors, have a prior legal claim over common and preferred stockholders of the corporation as to both income and assets for the principal and interest due to the bondholder. Certain Funds will buy corporate debt obligations subject to any quality constraints set forth under Rule 2a-7.

Revenue Bonds

Revenue bonds are municipal obligations that are secured by the revenue from a specific project. To the extent that a Fund invests in revenue bonds, and which are municipal obligations of issuers in the same economic sector, there could be economic, business or

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Prospectus  |  Additional Information About the Funds’ Investment Strategies and Related Risks

Additional Information About the Funds’ Investment Strategies and Related Risks (Con’t)

political developments which might affect such municipal obligations. For example, investments in revenue bonds backed by receipts from hospitals are sensitive to hospital bond ratings, which are often based on feasibility studies which contain projections of expenses, revenues and occupancy levels. Additional factors which could affect a hospital’s gross receipts and net income available to service its debt are demand for hospital services, the ability of the hospital to provide the services required, management capabilities, economic developments in the service area, efforts by insurers and government agencies to limit rates and expenses, reputational issues, competition, availability and expenses of malpractice insurance, Medicaid and Medicare funding and possible federal legislation regulating hospital charges.

Asset-Backed Securities

Asset-backed securities represent an interest in a pool of assets such as automobile loans, credit card receivables or mortgage or home equity loans, or certificates of participation or lease obligations or other municipal debt obligations, that have been securitized in pass-through structures. These types of pass-through securities provide for monthly payments that are a “pass-through” of the monthly interest and principal payments made by the individual borrowers on the pooled receivables. Such securities also may be debt instruments, which are also known as collateralized obligations and are generally issued as the debt of a special purpose entity, such as a trust, organized solely for the purpose of owning such assets and issuing such debt. Credit support for asset-backed securities may be based on the underlying assets and/or provided by a third-party through credit enhancements. Credit enhancement techniques include letters of credit, insurance bonds, limited guarantees (which are generally provided by the issuer), senior-subordinated structures and over-collateralization.

Asset-backed securities are not issued or guaranteed by the U.S. Government or its agencies or instrumentalities; however, the payment of principal and interest on such obligations may be guaranteed up to certain amounts for a certain period by a letter of credit issued by a financial institution (such as a bank or insurance company) unaffiliated with the issuers of such securities. The purchase of asset-backed securities raises risk considerations specific to the financing of the instruments underlying such securities. For example, there is a risk that another party could acquire an interest in the obligations superior to that of the holders of the asset-backed securities. Asset-backed securities entail prepayment risk and extension risk, which may vary depending on the type of asset. Securities subject to prepayment risk generally offer less potential for gains when interest rates decline, and may offer a greater potential for loss when interest rates rise. In addition, rising interest rates may cause prepayments to occur at a slower than expected rate, thereby effectively lengthening the maturity of the security and making the security more sensitive to interest rate changes. Other factors, such as changes in credit card use and payment patterns, may also influence prepayment rates. Asset-backed securities also involve the risk that various federal and state consumer laws and other legal and economic factors such as defaults on the underlying loans may result in the collateral backing the securities being insufficient to support payment on the securities. The risk of such defaults is generally higher in the case of mortgage pools that include sub-prime mortgages. There is also the possibility that recoveries on repossessed collateral may not, in some cases, be available to support payments on those securities.

Repurchase Agreements

Repurchase agreements are fixed-income securities in the form of agreements backed by collateral. These agreements typically involve the acquisition by the Funds of securities from the selling institution (such as a bank or a broker-dealer), coupled with the agreement that the selling institution will repurchase the underlying securities at a specified price and at a fixed time in the future (or on demand, if applicable). The underlying securities which serve as collateral for the repurchase agreements entered into by certain Funds may include U.S. government securities, municipal securities, corporate debt obligations, convertible securities and common and preferred stock and may be of below investment grade quality. These securities are marked-to-market daily in order to maintain full collateralization (typically purchase price plus accrued interest). The use of repurchase agreements involves certain risks. For example, if the selling institution defaults on its obligation to repurchase the underlying securities at a time when the value of the securities has declined, the Funds may incur a loss upon disposition of them. The risk of such loss may be greater when utilizing collateral other than U.S. government securities. In the event of an insolvency or bankruptcy by the selling institution, the Funds’ right to control the collateral could be affected and result in certain costs and delays. Additionally, if the proceeds from the liquidation of such collateral after an insolvency were less than the repurchase price, the Funds could suffer a loss. Fund procedures are followed that are designed to minimize such risks.

The Government Securities Portfolio may enter into repurchase agreements with the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. Reduced participation in the repurchase agreement market by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York may affect the Fund’s investment strategies, operations and/or return potential.

Municipal Obligations

Certain Funds may purchase municipal obligations subject to any restraints set forth under Rule 2a-7. Municipal obligations are securities issued by state and local governments and their agencies. These securities typically are “general obligation” or “revenue” bonds, notes or commercial paper, including participations in lease obligations and installment purchase contracts of municipalities. These obligations may have fixed, variable or floating rates.

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Prospectus  |  Additional Information About the Funds’ Investment Strategies and Related Risks

Additional Information About the Funds’ Investment Strategies and Related Risks (Con’t)

Additional Risks and Investment Strategies of the Funds

Investment Companies

The Funds may invest in investment companies, including money market funds, and may invest all or some of their short-term cash investments in any money market fund advised or managed by the Adviser or its affiliates (an “affiliated money market fund”). An investment in an investment company is subject to the underlying risks of that investment company’s portfolio securities. In addition to a Fund’s fees and expenses, the Fund generally would bear its share of the investment company’s fees and expenses other than advisory and administrative fees of affiliated money market funds.

Promissory Notes

Promissory notes are generally debt obligations of the issuing entity and are subject to the risks of investing in the banking industry. Certain Funds may invest up to 5% of their net assets in illiquid securities, including unsecured bank promissory notes.

Tax-Exempt Variable Rate Demand Notes

Tax-exempt variable rate demand notes are variable rate tax-exempt debt obligations that give investors the right to demand principal repayment. Due to cyclical supply and demand considerations, at times the yields on these obligations can exceed the yield on taxable money market obligations.

Large Shareholder Transactions Risk

A Fund may experience adverse effects when certain large shareholders purchase or redeem large amounts of shares of the Fund. Such large shareholder redemptions may cause a Fund to sell portfolio securities at times when it would not otherwise do so, which may negatively impact the Fund’s NAV and liquidity. Similarly, large Fund share purchases may adversely affect a Fund’s performance to the extent that the Fund is delayed in investing new cash and is required to maintain a larger cash position than it ordinarily would. These transactions may also accelerate the realization of taxable income to shareholders if such sales of investments resulted in gains, and may also increase transaction costs. In addition, a large redemption could result in a Fund’s current expenses being allocated over a smaller asset base, leading to an increase in the Fund’s expense ratio. Although large shareholder transactions may be more frequent under certain circumstances, a Fund is generally subject to the risk that a large shareholder can purchase or redeem a significant percentage of Fund shares at any time.

Investment Discretion

In pursuing a Fund’s investment objective, the Adviser has considerable leeway in deciding which investments it buys, holds or sells on a day-to-day basis, and which trading strategies it uses. For example, the Adviser, in its discretion, may determine to use some permitted trading strategies while not using others. The success or failure of such decisions will affect a Fund’s performance.

Temporary Defensive Investments

When the Adviser believes that changes in market, economic, political or other conditions warrant, each Fund may invest without limit in cash or cash equivalents and the Tax-Exempt Portfolio may invest without limit in taxable money market securities for temporary defensive purposes that may be inconsistent with a Fund’s principal investment strategies. If the Adviser incorrectly predicts the effects of these changes, such defensive investments may adversely affect a Fund’s performance and the Fund may not achieve its investment objective.

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Prospectus  |  Shareholder Information

Shareholder Information

The Trust is designed for institutional investors seeking maximum current income and convenient liquidation privileges. The Funds are particularly suitable for corporations, banks and other financial institutions that seek investment of short-term funds for their own accounts or for the accounts of their customers. Shares of the Government Portfolio and Government Securities Portfolio are intended to qualify as eligible investments for federally chartered credit unions pursuant to the applicable provisions of the Federal Credit Union Act and the National Credit Union Administration. Shares of the Government Portfolio and Government Securities Portfolio, however, may not qualify as eligible investments for particular state-chartered credit unions. A state-chartered credit union should consult qualified legal counsel to determine whether these Funds are permissible investments under the law applicable to it.

Share Class Arrangements

This Prospectus offers Participant Class shares of each Fund. The Trust also offers other classes of shares through separate prospectuses. Certain of these classes may be subject to different fees and expenses. For information regarding other share classes, contact the Trust or your financial intermediary.

Minimum Investment Amount

Participant Class shares are available to clients of the Adviser with investments at the time of initial purchase of at least $10 million. The Adviser, in its sole discretion, may waive the minimum initial investment amount in certain cases including, but not limited to, shares of the Fund purchased through a financial intermediary or when the Adviser anticipates the combined value of a client’s investments will meet or exceed the minimum.

Distributor

Shares of the Funds are distributed exclusively through Morgan Stanley Distribution, Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Morgan Stanley. The Distributor has entered into arrangements with certain financial intermediaries (also referred to as service organizations) who may accept purchase and redemption orders for shares of each Fund on its behalf.

The Adviser and/or the Distributor may pay additional compensation (out of their own funds and not as an expense of a Fund) to selected affiliated or unaffiliated brokers or other service providers in connection with the sale, distribution, retention and/or servicing of Fund shares. Such compensation may be significant in amount and the prospect of receiving any such additional compensation may provide affiliated or unaffiliated entities with an incentive to favor sales of shares of the Fund over other investment options. Any such payments will not change the NAV or the price of Fund shares. For more information, please see the Funds’ SAI.

The Trust has adopted a Distribution Plan for each Fund’s Participant Class shares pursuant to Rule 12b-1 under the 1940 Act (the “Plan”) to pay the Distributor to provide for, or to compensate certain financial intermediaries (also referred to as service organizations) for, providing distribution related services to the Fund. Under the Plan, each Fund pays the Distributor a monthly distribution fee which shall not exceed during any one year 0.25% of each Fund’s average daily net assets of Participant Class shares which are owned beneficially by the customers of such service organization during such period. The Distributor may waive distribution fees to enable a Fund to maintain a minimum level of daily net investment income. The Distributor may discontinue these voluntary fee waivers at any time in the future.

The Trust has also adopted a Shareholder Service Plan for each Fund’s Participant Class shares to pay the Distributor to provide for, or to compensate service organizations for providing personal and account maintenance services and administrative services to shareholders. Under this Plan, each Fund pays the Distributor a monthly service fee which shall not exceed during any one year 0.25% of each Fund’s average daily net assets of Participant Class Shares which are owned beneficially by the customers of such service organization during such period. The Distributor may waive distribution fees to enable a Fund to maintain a minimum level of daily net investment income. The Distributor may discontinue these voluntary fee waivers at any time in the future.

With respect to the Government Securities Portfolio, the Fund’s Distributor has agreed to waive 0.15% of the 0.25% 12b-1 fee and 0.10% of the 0.25% Shareholder Service Fee that it may receive. These fee waivers will continue for at least one year or until such time as the Board of Trustees of the Trust acts to discontinue all or a portion of such waivers when it deems such action is appropriate.

Because the fees are paid out of a 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 sales charges.

Valuation of Shares

Each of the Prime Portfolio’s, ESG Money Market Portfolio’s and Tax-Exempt Portfolio’s investments will be valued using market-based prices provided by an approved pricing service/vendor and the share price of each rounded to a minimum of the fourth decimal place. The price of each of Government Portfolio’s, Government Securities Portfolio’s, Treasury Portfolio’s and Treasury Securities Portfolio’s shares is based on the amortized cost of the Fund’s securities. The amortized cost valuation method involves valuing a debt obligation in reference to its cost rather than market forces. If the Adviser determines that a valuation is not reflective of the security’s

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Prospectus  |  Shareholder Information

Shareholder Information (Con’t)

market value, such security is valued at its fair value as determined in good faith under procedures established by and under the general supervision of the Board.

The NAV of each Fund is determined once daily (except that the NAV of Prime Portfolio is determined three times daily), normally at the times set forth below, on each day that the NYSE is open (the “Pricing Time”), except when the following federal holidays are observed: Columbus Day and Veterans Day.

Shares will generally not be priced on days that the NYSE is closed, although Fund shares may be priced on such days if the Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association (“SIFMA”) recommends that the bond markets remain open for all or part of the day. On any business day when SIFMA recommends that the bond markets close early, a Fund reserves the right to close at or prior to the SIFMA recommended closing time. If a Fund does so, it will cease granting same day credit for purchase and redemption orders received after the Fund’s closing time and credit will be given on the next business day. The Fund may, however, elect to remain open and price shares of each Fund on days where the NYSE is closed but the primary securities markets on which the Funds’ securities trade remain open.

Government Portfolio
Treasury Portfolio

As of 5:00 p.m. Eastern time

ESG Money Market Portfolio
Government Securities Portfolio
Treasury Securities Portfolio

As of 3:00 p.m. Eastern time

Tax-Exempt Portfolio

As of 1:00 p.m. Eastern time

Prime Portfolio

As of 8:00 a.m., 12:00 p.m. and 3:00 p.m. Eastern time

Pricing of Fund Shares

Participant Class shares of the Funds may be purchased or sold (redeemed) at the NAV next determined after the Fund receives your order in good order and State Street Bank and Trust Company (the “Custodian”) receives monies credited by a Federal Reserve Bank (“Federal Funds”) prior to the close of the Federal Reserve Wire Network (“Fedwire”). You begin earning dividends the same day your Participant Class shares are purchased provided the Fund receives your purchase amount in Federal Funds that day as set forth above. Orders to purchase shares of a Fund must be received by the Fund prior to the following times to receive the NAV next determined: for the Government Portfolio and Treasury Portfolio—5:00 p.m. Eastern time; for the ESG Money Market Portfolio, Government Securities Portfolio and Treasury Securities Portfolio—3:00 p.m. Eastern time; for the Tax-Exempt Portfolio—1:00 p.m Eastern time; and for the Prime Portfolio—8:00 a.m., 12:00 p.m. or 3:00 p.m. Eastern time. On any business day that the NYSE closes early, or when SIFMA recommends that the securities markets close early, a Fund may close early and purchase orders received after such earlier closing times will be processed the following business day. If the NYSE is closed due to inclement weather, technology problems or any other reason on a day it would normally be open for business, or the NYSE has an unscheduled early closing on a day it has opened for business, a Fund reserves the right to treat such day as a business day and accept purchase and redemption orders until, and calculate its NAV as of, the normally scheduled close of regular trading on the NYSE for that day, or such time noted above, so long as the Adviser believes there generally remains an adequate market to obtain reliable and accurate market quotations. A Fund may elect to remain open on days when the NYSE is closed or closes early but on which SIFMA recommends that the bond markets remain open for all or part of the day. Purchase orders received by a Fund and not funded by 6:00 p.m. Eastern time on the trade date may be subject to an overdraft charge.

Portfolio Holdings

A description of the Trust’s policies and procedures with respect to the disclosure of each Fund’s portfolio securities is available in the Trust’s SAI.

How To Purchase Shares

Participant Class shares of the Funds may be purchased directly from the Fund or through a financial intermediary.

Purchasing Shares Through a Financial Intermediary
You may open a new account and purchase Fund shares through certain authorized third-parties, such as brokers, dealers or other financial intermediaries that have entered into a selling agreement with the Distributor (each, a “Financial Intermediary”). Your Financial Intermediary will assist you with the procedures to invest in shares of the Fund. The Financial Intermediary will establish times by which such purchase orders and payments from customers must be received by the Financial Intermediary. Financial Intermediaries are responsible for transmitting purchase orders and payments to the Trust and the Trust’s Custodian in a timely fashion. Purchase orders placed with a Financial Intermediary and transmitted through a trading platform utilized by the Financial Intermediary may be transmitted by the trading platform after the deadlines established by the Trust for receipt of purchase orders, as set forth below; in such case, the purchase orders will receive a trade date of the next business day.

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Prospectus  |  Shareholder Information

Shareholder Information (Con’t)

Investors purchasing Participant Class shares through a Financial Intermediary may be charged a transaction-based or other fees by the Financial Intermediary for its services. If you are purchasing Participant Class shares through a Financial Intermediary, please consult your intermediary for more information regarding any such fees and for purchase instructions.

With respect to sales through Financial Intermediaries, no offers or sales of Fund shares may be made in any foreign jurisdiction, except with the consent of the Distributor.

Purchasing Shares Directly From the Funds

Initial Purchase by Mail
You may open an account, subject to acceptance by the Fund, and purchase Participant Class shares of a Fund by completing and signing a New Account Application which you can obtain by calling Morgan Stanley Services Company Inc. or the Fund at (888) 378-1630 (which is generally accessible weekdays 7:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m. Eastern time) and mailing it to Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds, c/o DST Asset Manager Solutions, Inc., P.O. Box 219804, Kansas City, MO 64121-9804 together with a check payable to Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds. Orders to purchase shares of a Fund must be received by the Fund prior to the applicable Fund’s final Pricing Time of that day. Orders received after such Pricing Time will be processed the following business day.

Please note that payments to investors who redeem shares of a Fund purchased by check will not be made until payment of the purchase has been collected, which may take up to 15 calendar days after purchase. You can avoid this delay by purchasing shares of a Fund by wire.

Initial Purchase by Wire
You may purchase Participant Class shares of each Fund by wiring Federal Funds (monies credited by a Federal Reserve Bank) to the Custodian. You must forward a completed New Account Application to the Transfer Agent in advance of the wire by following the instructions under “Initial Purchase by Mail.” You should instruct your bank to send a Federal Funds wire in a specified amount to the Custodian using the following wire instructions:

State Street Bank and Trust Company
One Lincoln Street
Boston, MA 02111-2101
ABA #011000028
DDA #00575399
Attn: Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Subscription Account
Ref: (Fund Name, Account Number, Account Name)
* For international investments into the US funds, BIC Code: SBOSUS33XXX must be referenced, as well as the information listed above.

If notification of your order is received prior to the time required by each respective Fund, as set forth above, and the Custodian receives the funds the same day prior to the close of the Fedwire, then your purchase will become effective and begin to earn income on that day. Otherwise, your purchase will be effective on the next business day.

Purchase by Internet
If you have properly authorized the Internet Trading Option on your New Account Application and completed, signed and returned to the Fund an Electronic Transactions Agreement, you may place a purchase order for additional shares online through Morgan Stanley’s Treasury Investment Portal service at www.morganstanley.com/liquidity. For more information, call Morgan Stanley Services Company Inc. at 1-888-378-1630.

You are responsible for transmitting payments for shares purchased via the Internet in a timely fashion, as set forth above.

Automatic Purchases
Selected accounts that utilize the Funds as their sweep vehicle will be reviewed on each business day to determine whether the account has a positive balance as a result of credits incurred that day. If an account has a positive (credit) balance, shares of the respective Fund will automatically be purchased. Any positive (credit) balance will be reduced by any debits to the account on that day and shares of the Fund will automatically be sold.

Additional Investments
You may make additional investments of Participant Class shares at the NAV next determined after the request is received in good order or by wiring Federal Funds to the Custodian as outlined above. State Street Bank and Trust Company must receive notification of receipt of your Federal Funds wire by the time required by each respective Fund, as set forth above under “How To Purchase Shares.”

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Prospectus  |  Shareholder Information

Shareholder Information (Con’t)

General

To help the U.S. Government fight the funding of terrorism and money laundering activities, federal law requires all financial institutions to obtain, verify and record information that identifies each person who opens an account. What this means to you is that when you open an account, we will ask your name, address, date of birth and other information that will allow us to identify you. If we are unable to verify your identity, we reserve the right to restrict additional transactions and/or liquidate your account at the next calculated NAV after your account is closed (less any applicable sales/account charges and/or tax penalties) or take any other action required by law. In accordance with federal law requirements, the Trust has implemented an anti-money laundering compliance program, which includes the designation of an anti-money laundering compliance officer.

How To Redeem Shares

You may process a redemption request by contacting your Financial Intermediary. Otherwise, you may redeem shares of a Fund by mail or, if authorized, by telephone, at no charge other than as described below. The value of shares redeemed may be more or less than the purchase price, depending on the NAV at the time of redemption. Shares of a Fund will be redeemed at the NAV next determined after we receive your redemption request in good order.

Redemptions by Letter
Requests should be addressed to Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds, c/o DST Asset Manager Solutions, Inc., P.O. Box 219804, Kansas City, MO 64121-9804.

To be in good order, redemption requests must include the following documentation:

(a) A letter of instruction, if required, or a stock assignment specifying the account name, the account number, the name of the Fund and the number of shares or dollar amount to be redeemed, signed by all registered owners of the shares in the exact names in which the shares are registered, and whether you wish to receive the redemption proceeds by wire to the bank account we have on file for you;

(b) Any required signature guarantees if you are requesting payment to anyone other than the registered owner(s) or that payment be sent to any address other than the address of the registered owner(s) or pre-designated bank account; and

(c) Other supporting legal documents, if required, in the case of estates, trusts, guardianships, custodianship, corporations, pension and profit sharing plans and other organizations.

Redemptions by Telephone
You automatically have telephone redemption and exchange privileges unless you indicate otherwise by checking the applicable box on the New Account Application or calling the Fund to opt out of such privileges. You may request a redemption of shares of a Fund by calling the Fund at 1-888-378-1630 and requesting that the redemption proceeds be mailed or wired to you. Telephone redemptions and exchanges may not be available if you cannot reach the Fund by telephone, whether because all telephone lines are busy or for any other reason; in such case, a shareholder would have to use the Fund’s other redemption and exchange procedures described in this section. Telephone instructions will be accepted if received by the Fund between 7:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. Eastern time on any day the NYSE is open for business, except when the following federal holidays are observed: Columbus Day and Veterans Day. Orders to redeem or exchange shares of a Fund must be received by the Fund prior to the applicable Fund’s final Pricing Time of that day. Orders received after such Pricing Time will be processed the following business day. To opt out of telephone privileges, please contact the Fund at 1-888-378-1630.

Redemptions by Internet
You may redeem shares online through Morgan Stanley’s Treasury Investment Portal service at www.morganstanley.com/liquidity, provided you have a pre-established Internet trading account, as set forth above under “How To Purchase Shares.” For more information, call the Fund at 1-888-378-1630.

Automatic Redemptions
Selected accounts that utilize the Funds as their sweep vehicle will be reviewed on each business day to determine whether the account has any debits that were incurred that day and shares of the Funds will automatically be redeemed to cover the debits if such debits have not been reduced by any credits which may have accrued to the account on the same day.

Redemption Proceeds
You will not earn a dividend on the day your shares are sold. Orders to sell shares (redemption requests) will be processed on the day on which they are received, provided they are received prior to the following times to receive the NAV next determined: for the Government Portfolio and Treasury Portfolio—5:00 p.m. Eastern time; for the Prime Portfolio, ESG Money Market Portfolio, Government Securities Portfolio and Treasury Securities Portfolio—3:00 p.m. Eastern time; and for the Tax-Exempt Portfolio— 1:00 p.m. Eastern time. On any business day that the NYSE closes early, the Fund may close early and redemption requests received after such earlier closing times will be processed the following business day. The Fund may elect to remain open on days when the

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Prospectus  |  Shareholder Information

Shareholder Information (Con’t)

NYSE is closed or closes early but on which SIFMA recommends that the bond markets remain open for all or part of the day. Generally, payment for Fund shares sold will be made on the day on which the order is processed, but under certain circumstances may not be made until the next business day. The Fund may postpone and/or suspend redemption and payment beyond one business day only as follows: (a) for any period during which there is a non-routine closure of the Fedwire or applicable Federal Reserve Banks; (b) for any period (i) during which the NYSE is closed other than customary weekend and holiday closings or (ii) during which trading on the NYSE is restricted; (c) for any period during which an emergency exists as a result of which (i) disposal of securities owned by the Fund is not reasonably practicable or (ii) it is not reasonably practicable for the Fund to fairly determine the NAV of shares of the Fund; (d) for any period during which the SEC has, by rule or regulation, deemed that (i) trading shall be restricted or (ii) an emergency exists; (e) for any period that the SEC may by order permit; or (f) for any period during which the Fund as part of a necessary liquidation of a Fund, has properly postponed and/or suspended redemption of shares and payment in accordance with federal securities laws. In addition, when SIFMA recommends that the securities markets close early, payments with respect to redemption requests received subsequent to the recommended close will be made the next business day (assuming that the Fund in fact closes).

Each Fund typically expects to meet redemption requests by using a combination of sales of securities held by a Fund and/or holdings of cash and cash equivalents. On a less regular basis, each Fund also reserves the right to use borrowings to meet redemption requests, and each Fund may use these methods during both normal and stressed market conditions.

If we determine that it is in the best interest of other shareholders not to pay redemption proceeds in cash, we may pay you in part by distributing to you readily marketable securities held by the Fund from which you are redeeming. Such in-kind securities may be illiquid and difficult or impossible for a shareholder to sell at a time and at a price that a shareholder would like. Redemptions paid in such securities generally will give rise to income, gain or loss for income tax purposes in the same manner as redemptions paid in cash. In addition, you may incur brokerage costs and a further gain or loss for income tax purposes when you ultimately sell the securities.

Exchange Privilege

You may exchange a Fund’s Participant Class shares for Participant Class shares of other available Funds of the Trust based on their respective NAVs, except that you may not exchange Participant Class shares from or into the Prime Portfolio, ESG Money Market Portfolio or Tax-Exempt Portfolio. We charge no fee for exchanges. If you purchased Fund shares through a Financial Intermediary, certain other Funds of the Trust may be unavailable for exchange. Contact your Financial Intermediary to determine which Funds are available for exchange.

You can process your exchange by contacting your Financial Intermediary or online through Morgan Stanley’s Treasury Investment Portal service at www.morganstanley.com/liquidity provided you have a pre-established Internet trading account, as set forth above under “How To Purchase Shares.” You may also send exchange requests to the Fund’s transfer agent, DST Asset Manager Solutions, Inc. (“DST”), by mail to Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds, c/o DST Asset Manager Solutions, Inc., P.O. Box 219804, Kansas City, MO 64121-9804 or by calling the Fund at 1-888-378-1630.

You will be subject to the same minimum initial investment and account size as an initial purchase. The Fund, in its sole discretion, may waive the minimum initial investment amounts in certain cases including, but not limited to, exchanges involving Fund shares purchased through a Financial Intermediary or when the Adviser anticipates the combined value of a client’s investments will meet or exceed the minimum. The Fund may terminate or revise the exchange privilege upon required notice or in certain cases without notice. The Fund reserves the right to reject an exchange order for any reason.

Telephone/Internet Transactions

For your protection, we will employ reasonable procedures to confirm that instructions communicated over the telephone/Internet are genuine. These procedures may include requiring various forms of personal identification (such as name, mailing address, social security number or other tax identification number and password/authorization codes, including PIN (Personal Identification Number)), tape-recording telephone communications and providing written confirmation of instructions communicated by telephone/Internet. If reasonable procedures are employed, none of Morgan Stanley, DST or the Fund will be liable for following telephone/Internet instructions which it reasonably believes to be genuine. During periods of drastic economic or market changes, it is possible that the telephone/Internet privileges may be difficult to implement, although this has not been the case with the Funds in the past.

Frequent Purchases and Redemptions of Fund Shares

We expect the Funds to be used by shareholders for short-term investing and by certain selected accounts utilizing the Funds as a sweep vehicle. Therefore, reasonably frequent purchases and redemptions of Fund shares by Fund shareholders do not present risks for other shareholders of a Fund, and the policies and procedures adopted by the Board of Trustees/Directors as applicable to other funds in the Morgan Stanley family of funds are generally not applicable with respect to frequent purchases and redemptions of Fund shares. However, frequent trading by shareholders can disrupt management of the Funds and raise their respective expenses.

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Prospectus  |  Shareholder Information

Shareholder Information (Con’t)

Therefore, we may not accept any request for a purchase or exchange when we think it is being used as a tool for market-timing, and we may bar a shareholder who trades excessively from making further purchases for an indefinite period.

Distributions

The Funds pass substantially all of their earnings along to their investors as “distributions.” The Funds earn interest from fixed-income investments. These amounts are passed along to Fund shareholders as “income dividend distributions.” Each Fund realizes capital gains whenever it sells securities for a higher price than it paid for them. These amounts may be passed along as “capital gain distributions.” The Adviser does not anticipate that there will be significant capital gain distributions.

The Funds declare income dividends daily on each business day and pay them monthly to shareholders. Dividends are based on estimates of income, expenses and shareholder activity for the Funds. Actual income, expenses and shareholder activity may differ from estimates and differences, if any, will be included in the calculation of subsequent dividends. Short-term capital gains, if any, are distributed periodically. Long-term capital gains, if any, are distributed at least annually. The Funds automatically reinvest all dividends and distributions in additional shares. However, you may elect to receive distributions in cash by giving written notice to your Financial Intermediary or by checking the appropriate box in the Distribution Option section on the Account Registration Form.

Liquidity Fees and Redemption Gates—Prime Portfolio, ESG Money Market Portfolio and Tax-Exempt Portfolio
Under Rule 2a-7, the Prime Portfolio, ESG Money Market Portfolio and Tax-Exempt Portfolio will be permitted (or in some cases, may be required) to impose a liquidity fee on redemptions (up to 2%) or temporarily restrict redemptions from the Fund for up to 10 business days during a 90 calendar day period (a “redemption gate”), in the event that the Fund’s weekly liquid assets fall below the following thresholds:

 

30% weekly liquid assets—If the weekly liquid assets of a Fund fall below 30% of the Fund’s total assets, and the Board of Trustees determines it is in the best interests of the Fund, the Board of Trustees may impose a liquidity fee of no more than 2% of the amount redeemed and/or a redemption gate that temporarily suspends the right of redemption. The liquidity fee or redemption gate may be imposed at any point during the applicable business day, generally at the subsequent NAV calculation time of the applicable Fund following the determination of the Board of Trustees.

 

10% weekly liquid assets—If the weekly liquid assets of a Fund fall below 10% of the Fund’s total assets as of the end of a business day, the Fund must impose, at the beginning of the next business day, a liquidity fee of 1% of the amount redeemed, unless the Board of Trustees determines that imposing such a fee would not be in the best interests of the Fund or determines that a lower or higher fee (not to exceed 2%) would be in the best interests of the Fund.
 

Liquidity fees and redemptions gates may be terminated at any time in the discretion of the Board of Trustees. Liquidity fees and redemptions gates will also terminate at the beginning of the next business day once the applicable Fund has invested 30% or more of its total assets in weekly liquid assets as of the end of a business day. A Fund may only suspend redemptions for up to 10 business days in any 90 calendar day period.

Weekly liquid assets generally include: (a) cash; (b) direct obligations of the U.S. Government; (c) certain U.S. government agency discount notes with remaining maturities of 60 days or less; (d) securities that will mature or are subject to a demand feature that is exercisable and payable within five business days; or (e) amounts receivable and due unconditionally within five business days on pending sales of portfolio securities.

If a Fund imposes a redemption gate, the Fund and your Financial Intermediary will not accept redemption or exchange orders out of the Fund until the Fund has notified shareholders that the redemption gate has been lifted. Any redemption or exchange orders out of a Fund submitted while a redemption gate is in effect will be cancelled without further notice. If you still wish to redeem or exchange shares out of a Fund once the redemption gate has been lifted, you will need to submit a new redemption or exchange request to the Fund or your Financial Intermediary. Unprocessed purchase orders that a Fund received prior to notification of the imposition of a liquidity fee or redemption gate will be cancelled unless re-confirmed. Under certain circumstances, a Fund may honor redemption or exchange orders out of the Fund (or pay redemptions without adding a liquidity fee to the redemption amount) if the Fund can verify that the redemption or exchange order out of the Fund was submitted to the Fund’s agent before the Fund imposed liquidity fees or suspended redemptions. Once a liquidity fee or a redemption gate is in place, shareholders will not be permitted to exchange into or out of the applicable Fund until the fee or gate is terminated.

The Board of Trustees generally expects that a liquidity fee or redemption gate would be imposed, if at all, during periods of extraordinary market stress. The Board of Trustees generally expects that a redemption gate would be imposed prior to notification to shareholders and Financial Intermediaries that a gate would be imposed. While the Board of Trustees may, in its discretion, impose a liquidity fee at any time after the weekly liquid assets of the Fund fall below 30% of the Fund’s total assets, the Board of Trustees generally expects that a liquidity fee would be imposed only after the Fund has notified Financial Intermediaries and shareholders that a liquidity fee will be imposed. The Fund retains the liquidity fees for the benefit of remaining shareholders.

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Prospectus  |  Shareholder Information

Shareholder Information (Con’t)

The Board of Trustees may, in its discretion, permanently suspend redemptions and liquidate the Fund if, among other things, the Fund, at the end of a business day, has less than 10% of its total assets invested in weekly liquid assets. In the event of liquidation, shareholders are entitled to share pro rata in the net assets of the Fund available for distribution to such shareholders.

Announcements regarding the imposition of liquidity fees or redemption gates, or the termination of liquidity fees or redemption gates, will be filed with the SEC on Form N-CR and will be available on the website of the Fund (http://www.morganstanley.com/im). In addition, the Fund will make such announcements through a supplement to its Prospectus and may make such announcements through a press release or by other means.

Dividend payments will not be subject to liquidity fees or redemption gates; however, in the event that a liquidity fee or redemption gate is in place at the time that dividends are distributed, all distributions will be made in the form of cash.

Trade corrections requested after a liquidity fee or redemption gate is imposed will be honored so long as the “as of” date of the transaction to be processed is prior to the effective time of the liquidity fee or redemption gate and a valid reason for the trade error is provided.

Financial Intermediaries will be required to promptly take such actions reasonably requested by the Fund, the Transfer Agent or the Adviser to implement, modify or remove, or to assist the Fund in implementing, modifying or removing, a liquidity fee or redemption gate established by the Fund.

The Government Portfolio, the Government Securities Portfolio, the Treasury Portfolio and the Treasury Securities Portfolio are exempt from requirements that permit money market funds to impose a “liquidity fee” and/or a “redemption gate” that temporarily restricts redemptions. The Board of Trustees has opted not to subject the Government Portfolio, the Government Securities Portfolio, the Treasury Portfolio and the Treasury Securities Portfolio to a “liquidity fee” and/or a “redemption gate” but has reserved its right to change this determination in the future after providing appropriate notice to shareholders.

Taxes

The tax information provided in this Prospectus is provided as general information. You should consult your own tax professional about the tax consequences of an investment in a particular Fund.

It is each Fund’s intention to qualify as a regulated investment company and distribute all or substantially all of its taxable and tax-exempt income.

Except as noted below, dividends you receive will generally be taxable, whether you receive them in cash or in additional shares. Income dividend distributions and any short-term capital gain distributions are generally taxable to you as ordinary income. Any long-term capital gain distributions are taxable as long-term capital gains, no matter how long you have owned shares in a Fund. Distributions paid by the Funds are not expected to be eligible for lower tax rates applicable to qualified dividends.

With respect to the Government Securities Portfolio, while the Fund intends to limit its investments to certain U.S. Treasury obligations and U.S. government securities, the interest of which is generally exempt from state income taxation, you should consult your own tax adviser to determine whether distributions from the Government Securities Portfolio are exempt from state taxation in your own state.

With respect to the Tax-Exempt Portfolio, your income dividend distributions are normally exempt from federal income tax to the extent they are derived from municipal obligations. Income derived from other portfolio securities may be subject to federal, state and/or local income taxes. The income derived from some municipal securities is subject to the federal “alternative minimum tax.”

An additional 3.8% Medicare tax is imposed on certain net investment income (including ordinary dividends and capital gain distributions 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) exceeds certain threshold amounts.

Shareholders who are not citizens or residents of the United States and certain foreign entities may be subject to withholding of U.S. tax on distributions made by a Fund of investment income and short-term capital gains at a rate of 30% (or a lower tax treaty rate, if applicable). Such shareholders may also be subject to United States estate tax with respect to their shares.

Dividends paid by a Fund to shareholders who are nonresident aliens or foreign entities that are derived from short-term capital gains and qualifying U.S. source net interest income (including income from original issue discount and market discount), and that are designated by the Fund as “interest-related dividends” or “short-term capital gain dividends,” will generally not be subject to U.S. withholding tax, provided that the income would not be subject to U.S. federal income tax if earned directly by the foreign shareholder. However, depending on the circumstances, a Fund may designate all, some or none of the Fund’s potentially eligible dividends as exempt.

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Prospectus  |  Shareholder Information

Shareholder Information (Con’t)

A Fund is required to withhold U.S. tax (at a 30% rate) on payments of taxable 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 a Fund to enable the Fund to determine whether withholding is required.

U.S. investors will be sent a statement (Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”) Form 1099-DIV) by February of each year showing the taxable distributions paid to you in the previous year. The statement provides information on your dividends and any capital gains for tax purposes.

Sales, exchanges and redemptions of shares in a Fund are generally taxable events and may result in taxable gain or loss to you. Because each of Government Portfolio, Government Securities Portfolio, Treasury Portfolio and Treasury Securities Portfolio intends to maintain a stable $1.00 NAV, shareholders will typically not recognize gain or loss when they sell or exchange their shares in these Funds because the amount realized will be the same as their tax basis in the shares. Because each of Prime Portfolio, ESG Money Market Portfolio and Tax-Exempt Portfolio does not maintain a stable share price, a sale of these Funds’ shares may result in capital gain or loss to you.

With respect to any gain or loss recognized on the sale or exchange of shares of a Fund, unless you choose to adopt a simplified “NAV method” of accounting (described below), the amount of any gain or loss and the rate of tax will depend mainly upon how much you paid for the shares, how much you sell them for, and how long you held them. In this case, any gain or loss generally will be treated as short-term capital gain or loss if you held your shares as capital assets for one year or less, and long-term capital gain or loss if you held your shares as capital assets for more than one year. The maximum individual tax rate applicable to long-term capital gains is generally 15% or 20%, depending on whether the individual’s income exceeds certain threshold amounts. Any loss realized upon a taxable disposition of Fund shares held for six months or less will be treated as a long-term capital loss, rather than a short-term capital loss, to the extent of any long-term capital gain distributions received (or deemed received) by you with respect to the Fund shares.

If you elect to adopt the simplified “NAV method” of accounting, rather than compute gain or loss on every taxable sale or other disposition of shares of a Fund as described above, you would determine your gain or loss based on the change in the aggregate value of your Fund shares during a computation period (such as your taxable year), reduced by your net investment (i.e., purchases minus sales) in those Fund shares during the computation period. Under the simplified “NAV method,” any resulting capital gain or loss would be reportable on a net basis and would generally be treated as a short-term capital gain or loss.

A liquidity fee imposed by a Fund will reduce the amount you will receive upon the redemption of your shares, and will generally decrease the amount of any capital gain or increase the amount of any capital loss you will recognize with respect to such redemption. There is some degree of uncertainty with respect to the tax treatment of liquidity fees received by money market funds, and such tax treatment may be the subject of future guidance issued by the IRS. If a Fund receives liquidity fees, it will consider the appropriate tax treatment of such fees to the Fund at such time.

When you open your account, you should provide appropriate tax documentation including your social security or tax identification number on your investment application. By providing this information, you generally will avoid being subject to federal backup withholding on taxable distributions and redemption proceeds at the applicable rate. Any withheld amount would be sent to the IRS as an advance payment of taxes due on your income for such year.

Potential Conflicts of Interest

As a diversified global financial services firm, Morgan Stanley, the parent company of the Adviser, engages in a broad spectrum of activities, including financial advisory services, investment management activities, lending, commercial banking, sponsoring and managing private investment funds, engaging in broker-dealer transactions and principal securities, commodities and foreign exchange transactions, research publication and other activities. In the ordinary course of its business, Morgan Stanley is a full-service investment banking and financial services firm and therefore engages in activities where Morgan Stanley’s interests or the interests of its clients may conflict with the interests of a Fund. Morgan Stanley has advised clients and has sponsored, managed or advised other investment funds and investment programs, accounts and businesses (collectively, together with any new or successor funds, programs, accounts or businesses, the ‘‘Affiliated Investment Accounts’’) with a wide variety of investment objectives that in some instances may overlap or conflict with a Fund’s investment objectives and present conflicts of interest. In addition, Morgan Stanley may also from time to time create new or successor Affiliated Investment Accounts that may compete with a Fund and present similar conflicts of interest. The discussion below enumerates certain actual, apparent and potential conflicts of interest. There is no assurance that conflicts of interest will be resolved in favor of Fund shareholders and, in fact, they may not be. Conflicts of interest not described below may also exist.

For more information about conflicts of interest, see the section entitled “Potential Conflicts of Interest” in the SAI.

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Prospectus  |  Shareholder Information

Shareholder Information (Con’t)

Material Nonpublic Information. It is expected that confidential or material nonpublic information regarding an investment or potential investment opportunity may become available to the Adviser. If such information becomes available, the Adviser may be precluded (including by applicable law or internal policies or procedures) from pursuing an investment or disposition opportunity with respect to such investment or investment opportunity.

Investments by Morgan Stanley and its Affiliated Investment Accounts. In serving in multiple capacities to Affiliated Investment Accounts, Morgan Stanley, including the Adviser and the Investment team, may have obligations to other clients or investors in Affiliated Investment Accounts, the fulfillment of which may not be in the best interests of a Fund or its shareholders. A Fund’s investment objectives may overlap with the investment objectives of certain Affiliated Investment Accounts. As a result, the members of an Investment team may face conflicts in the allocation of investment opportunities among a Fund and other investment funds, programs, accounts and businesses advised by or affiliated with the Adviser. Certain Affiliated Investment Accounts may provide for higher management or incentive fees or greater expense reimbursements or overhead allocations, all of which may contribute to this conflict of interest and create an incentive for the Adviser to favor such other accounts.

Payments to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries. The Adviser and/or the Distributor may pay compensation, out of their own funds and not as an expense of a Fund, to certain Financial Intermediaries (which may include affiliates of the Adviser and Distributor), including recordkeepers and administrators of various deferred compensation plans, in connection with the sale, distribution, marketing and retention of shares of the Fund and/or shareholder servicing. The prospect of receiving, or the receipt of, additional compensation, as described above, by Financial Intermediaries may provide such Financial Intermediaries and their financial advisors and other salespersons with an incentive to favor sales of shares of a Fund over other investment options with respect to which these Financial Intermediaries do not receive additional compensation (or receives lower levels of additional compensation). These payment arrangements, however, will not change the price that an investor pays for shares of a Fund or the amount that the Fund receives to invest on behalf of an investor. Investors may wish to take such payment arrangements into account when considering and evaluating any recommendations relating to Fund shares and should review carefully any disclosures provided by Financial Intermediaries as to their compensation.

Morgan Stanley Trading and Principal Investing Activities. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, Morgan Stanley will generally conduct its sales and trading businesses, publish research and analysis, and render investment advice without regard for a Fund’s holdings, although these activities could have an adverse impact on the value of one or more of the Fund’s investments, or could cause Morgan Stanley to have an interest in one or more portfolio investments that is different from, and potentially adverse to, that of a Fund.

Morgan Stanley’s Investment Banking Activities. Morgan Stanley advises clients on a variety of mergers, acquisitions and financing transactions. Morgan Stanley may act as an advisor to clients, including other investment funds that may compete with a Fund and with respect to investments that a Fund may hold. Morgan Stanley may give advice and take action with respect to any of its clients or proprietary accounts that may differ from the advice given, or may involve an action of a different timing or nature than the action taken, by a Fund. Morgan Stanley may give advice and provide recommendations to persons competing with a Fund and/or any of a Fund’s investments that are contrary to the Fund’s best interests and/or the best interests of any of its investments.

General Process for Potential Conflicts. All of the transactions described above involve the potential for conflicts of interest between the Adviser, related persons of the Adviser and/or their clients. The Investment Advisers Act of 1940, the 1940 Act and ERISA impose certain requirements designed to decrease the possibility of conflicts of interest between an investment adviser and its clients. In some cases, transactions may be permitted subject to fulfillment of certain conditions. Certain other transactions may be prohibited. In addition, the Adviser has instituted policies and procedures designed to prevent conflicts of interest from arising and, when they do arise, to ensure that it effects transactions for clients in a manner that is consistent with its fiduciary duty to its clients and in accordance with applicable law. The Adviser seeks to ensure that potential or actual conflicts of interest are appropriately resolved taking into consideration the overriding best interests of the client.

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Prospectus  |  Fund Management

Fund Management

Adviser

Morgan Stanley Investment Management Inc. with principal offices at 522 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10036, conducts a worldwide portfolio management business and provides a broad range of portfolio management services to customers in the United States and abroad. Morgan Stanley (NYSE: “MS”) is the parent of the Adviser, who is the parent of the Distributor. Morgan Stanley is a preeminent global financial services firm engaged in securities trading and brokerage activities, as well as providing investment banking, research and analysis, financing and financial advisory services. As of December 31, 2019, the Adviser, together with its affiliated asset management companies, had approximately $552 billion in assets under management or supervision.

A discussion regarding the basis for the Board of Trustees approving the Trust’s Investment Advisory Agreement is available in the Funds’ Annual Report to shareholders for the fiscal year ended October 31, 2019.

Advisory Fees

The Adviser makes investment decisions for the Funds. Each Fund, in turn, pays the Adviser a monthly advisory fee calculated daily by applying an annual rate to each Fund’s daily net assets.

For the fiscal year ended October 31, 2019, the Adviser received from each Fund the advisory fee (net of fee waivers, if applicable) set forth in the table below.

Fund (as a percentage of average daily net assets)

Prime Portfolio

0.10%

ESG Money Market Portfolio

0.09%

Government Portfolio

0.11%

Government Securities Portfolio

0.12%

Treasury Portfolio

0.13%

Treasury Securities Portfolio

0.14%

Tax-Exempt Portfolio

0.03%

Morgan Stanley Investment Management Inc., as the Adviser and the Administrator, has agreed to reduce its advisory fee, its administration fee and/or reimburse the Fund’s Participant Class, if necessary, if such fees would cause the total annual operating expenses of such Fund’s Participant Class to exceed the percentage of daily net assets set forth in the table below. In determining the actual amount of fee waiver and/or expense reimbursement for each Fund, if any, the Adviser and Administrator exclude from total annual operating expenses certain investment related expenses, taxes, interest and other extraordinary expenses (including litigation). The fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements will continue for at least one year or until such time as the Trust’s Board of Trustees acts to discontinue all or a portion of such waivers and/or reimbursements when it seems such action is appropriate.

A Fund’s annual operating expenses may vary throughout the period and from year to year. A Fund’s actual expenses for the most recent fiscal year may be different than the expenses listed in the Fund’s fee and expense table based upon the extent and amount of a fee waiver and/or expense reimbursement.

 

Expense Cap
Participant Class

Prime Portfolio

0.70%

ESG Money Market Portfolio

0.70%

Government Portfolio

0.70%

Government Securities Portfolio

0.45%

Treasury Portfolio

0.70%

Treasury Securities Portfolio

0.70%

Tax-Exempt Portfolio

0.70%

The Distributor, Adviser and Administrator may also waive distribution fees, advisory fees, administration fees and/or reimburse expenses to enable a Fund to maintain a minimum level of daily net investment income. The Adviser and Administrator may make additional voluntary fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements. The Distributor, Adviser and Administrator may discontinue these voluntary fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements at any time in the future.

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Prospectus | Financial Highlights

Financial Highlights

The following financial highlights tables are intended to help you understand the financial performance of the Participant Class shares of each Fund for the periods indicated. The Participant Class was fully redeemed during the month of October 2016 from the Prime Portfolio and Tax-Exempt Portfolio and there were no shares outstanding as of October 31, 2019. Accordingly, no financial highlights have been presented in the applicable Fund’s Annual Report. Certain information reflects financial results for a single Fund share. The total returns in the tables represent the rate that an investor would have earned (or lost) on an investment in each Fund (assuming reinvestment of all dividends and distributions).

The ratios of expenses to average net assets listed in the tables below for each Fund are based on the average net assets of the Fund for each of the periods listed in the tables. To the extent that a Fund’s average net assets decrease over the ’s next fiscal year, such expense ratios can be expected to increase, potentially significantly, because certain fixed costs will be spread over a smaller amount of assets.

Year Ended October 31,

 

Net Asset
Value,
Beginning
of Period

 

Net
Investment
Income (Loss)

 

Net Realized
and Unrealized
Gain (Loss)
on Investments

 

Distributions
From Net
Investment
Income

ESG Money Market Portfolio:

2019

$

1.0003

$

0.0188
(2)

$

0.0005

$

(0.0190
)

2018

 

1.0002

 

0.0140
(2)

 

(0.0006
)

 

(0.0133
)

2017

 

1.0000

 

0.0055
(2)

 

(0.0001
)
(3)

 

(0.0052
)

2016(1)

 

1.0000

 

0.0002
(2)(3)

 

0.0000
(3)

 

(0.0002
)
(3)

2015

 

1.000

 

0.000
(2)(3)

 

(0.000
)
(3)

 

(0.000
)
(3)

Government Portfolio:

2019

$

1.000

$

0.017
(2)

$

0.000
(3)

$

(0.017
)

2018

 

1.000

 

0.011
(2)

 

(0.001
)

 

(0.010
)

2017

 

1.000

 

0.001
(2)

 

0.001

 

(0.002
)

2016(1)

 

1.000

 

(0.000
)
(2)(3)

 

0.000
(3)

 

(0.000
)
(3)

2015

 

1.000

 

0.000
(2)(3)

 

(0.000
)
(3)

 

(0.000
)
(3)

Government Securities Portfolio:

2019

$

1.000

$

0.019
(2)

$

0.000
(3)

$

(0.019
)

2018

 

1.000

 

0.011
(2)

 

0.001

 

(0.012
)

2017

 

1.000

 

0.004
(2)

 

0.000
(3)

 

(0.004
)

2016(1)

 

1.000

 

0.000
(2)(3)

 

(0.000
)
(3)

 

(0.000
)
(3)

2015

 

1.000

 

0.000
(2)(3)

$

(0.000
)
(3)

 

(0.000
)
(3)

Treasury Portfolio:

2019

$

1.000

$

0.016
(2)

 

0.000
(3)

$

(0.016
)

2018

 

1.000

 

0.010
(2)

 

0.000
(3)

 

(0.010
)

2017

 

1.000

 

0.001
(2)

 

0.001

 

(0.002
)

2016(1)

 

1.000

 

0.000
(2)(3)

 

0.000
(3)

 

(0.000
)
(3)

2015

 

1.000

 

0.000
(2)(3)

 

(0.000
)
(3)

 

(0.000
)
(3)

Treasury Securities Portfolio:

2019

$

1.000

$

0.016
(2)

$

0.000
(3)

$

(0.016
)

2018

 

1.000

 

0.010
(2)

 

(0.000
)
(3)

 

(0.010
)

2017

 

1.000

 

0.002
(2)

 

0.000
(3)

 

(0.002
)

2016(1)

 

1.000

 

(0.000
)
(2)(3)

 

0.000
(3)

 

(0.000
)
(3)

2015

 

1.000

 

0.000
(2)(3)

 

(0.000
)
(3)

 

(0.000
)
(3)

49


 

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Prospectus | Financial Highlights

The information below has been derived from the financial statements audited by Ernst & Young LLP, the Funds’ independent registered public accounting firm. Ernst & Young LLP’s report, along with each Fund’s financial statements, are incorporated by reference into the Funds’ SAI. The Annual Report to Shareholders (which includes each Fund’s financial statements) and SAI are available at no cost from the Trust at the toll free number noted on the back cover to this Prospectus.22563

Net Asset Value,
End of Period

 

Total
Return

 

Net Assets,
End of Period
(000)

 

Ratio of
Expenses
to Average Net
Assets

 

Ratio of Expenses to Average
Net Assets Excluding Non-Operating Expenses

 

Ratio of Expenses
to Average
Net Assets
(Before Waivers/
Reimbursement)

 

Ratio of
Net Investment
Income (Loss)
to Average
Net Assets

 

Ratio of
Net Investment
Income (Loss)
to Average
Net Assets
(Before
Waivers/
Reimbursement)

$ 1.0006

 

1.94
%

$

51

 

0.66
%
(4)

 

0.66
%
(4)

 

0.72
%

 

1.88
%

 

1.82
%
1.0003

 

1.34
%

 

50

 

0.65
%
(4)

 

N/A

 

0.75
%

 

1.41
%

 

1.31
%
1.0002

 

0.55
%

 

50

 

0.60
%
(4)

 

N/A

 

0.82
%

 

0.56
%

 

0.34
%
1.0000

 

0.02
%

 

53

 

0.53
%
(4)

 

N/A

 

0.72
%

 

0.00
%
(5)

 

(0.19
)%
1.000

 

0.01
%

 

620

 

0.26
%
(4)

 

N/A

 

0.72
%

 

0.01
%

 

(0.45
)%
$ 1.000

 

1.69
%

$

942,575

 

0.67
%
(4)

 

0.67
%
(4)

 

0.71
%

 

1.67
%

 

1.63
%
1.000

 

1.04
%

 

770,987

 

0.67
%
(4)

 

N/A

 

0.71
%

 

1.05
%

 

1.01
%
1.000

 

0.19
%

 

919,665

 

0.68
%
(4)

 

N/A

 

0.71
%

 

0.13
%

 

0.10
%
1.000

 

0.01
%

 

1,733

 

0.43
%
(4)

 

N/A

 

0.71
%

 

(0.04
)%

 

(0.32
)%
1.000

 

0.04
%

 

50

 

0.08
%
(4)

 

N/A

 

0.71
%

 

0.04
%

 

(0.59
)%
$ 1.000

 

1.88
%

$

2,724,346

 

0.45
%
(4)

 

N/A

 

0.73
%

 

1.87
%

 

1.59
%
1.000

 

1.22
%

 

2,780,482

 

0.45
%
(4)

 

N/A

 

0.71
%

 

1.05
%

 

0.79
%
1.000

 

0.36
%

 

17,766,128

 

0.44
%
(4)

 

N/A

 

0.72
%

 

0.33
%

 

0.05
%
1.000

 

0.01
%

 

23,770,200

 

0.34
%
(4)

 

N/A

 

0.71
%

 

0.01
%

 

(0.36
)%
1.000

 

0.01
%

 

50

 

0.05
%
(4)

 

N/A

 

1.36
%

 

0.01
%

 

(1.30
)%
$ 1.000

 

1.66
%

$

1,430,849

 

0.69
%
(4)

 

N/A

 

0.71
%

 

1.65
%

 

1.63
%
1.000

 

1.04
%

 

789,069

 

0.69
%
(4)

 

N/A

 

0.71
%

 

1.03
%

 

1.01
%
1.000

 

0.19
%

 

484,458

 

0.68
%
(4)

 

N/A

 

0.71
%

 

0.11
%

 

0.08
%
1.000

 

0.01
%

 

2,881

 

0.36
%
(4)

 

N/A

 

0.71
%

 

0.00
%
(5)

 

(0.35
)%
1.000

 

0.03
%

 

180

 

0.05
%
(4)

 

N/A

 

0.71
%

 

0.03
%

 

(0.63
)%
$ 1.000

 

1.61
%

$

629

 

0.70
%
(4)

 

N/A

 

0.71
%

 

1.59
%

 

1.58
%
1.000

 

1.00
%

 

234

 

0.70
%
(4)

 

N/A

 

0.71
%

 

1.01
%

 

1.00
%
1.000

 

0.16
%

 

307

 

0.62
%
(4)

 

N/A

 

0.71
%

 

0.16
%

 

0.07
%
1.000

 

0.01
%

 

689

 

0.33
%
(4)

 

N/A

 

0.71
%

 

(0.01
)%

 

(0.39
)%
1.000

 

0.01
%

 

50

 

0.02
%
(4)

 

N/A

 

0.71
%

 

0.01
%

 

(0.68
)%

50


 

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Prospectus  |  Financial Highlights

Notes to Financial Highlights

(1)

Reflects prior period custodian out-of-pocket expenses that were reimbursed in September 2016. The amount of the reimbursement was immaterial on a per share basis and did not impact the total return of the Fund. The Ratio of Expenses to Average Net Assets and the Ratio of Net Investment Income (Loss) to Average Net Assets would be unchanged as the reimbursement of custodian fees was offset against expense waivers/reimbursements with no impact to net expenses or net investment income (loss).

(2)

Per share amount is based on average shares outstanding.

(3)

Amount is less than $0.0005 per share.

(4)

Ratios of Expenses to Average Net Assets before and after Maximum Expense Ratios may vary among share classes by more or less than the administration plan, service and shareholder administration plan, distribution plan and/or shareholder services plan (the “plans”) fees due to either (1) fluctuations in daily net asset amounts, (2) changes in the plans’ fees during the period for each share class, (3) changes in the Funds’ expense cap during the year, (4) waivers to the plans’ fees for each share class, or (5) a combination of the previous points.

(5)

Amount is less than 0.005%.

51


 

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Where to Find Additional Information

In addition to this Prospectus, the Funds have an SAI, dated February 28, 2020 (as may be supplemented from time to time), which contains additional, more detailed information about the Trust and the Funds. The SAI is incorporated by reference into this Prospectus and, therefore, legally forms a part of this Prospectus.

The Trust publishes Shareholder Reports that contain additional information about the respective Fund’s investments. In each Fund’s Annual Report to Shareholders, you will find a discussion of the market conditions and the investment strategies that significantly affected such Fund’s performance during the last fiscal year. For additional Trust information, including information regarding the investments comprising each of the Funds, please call the toll-free number below.

You may obtain the SAI and Shareholder Reports without charge by contacting the Trust at the toll-free number below or on our Internet site at: www.morganstanley.com/liquidity. If you purchased shares through a Financial Intermediary, you may also obtain these documents, without charge, by contacting your Financial Intermediary.

Shareholder Reports and other information about the Funds are available on the EDGAR Database on the SEC’s Internet site at http://www.sec.gov, and copies of this information may be obtained, after paying a duplicating fee, by electronic request at the following e-mail address: publicinfo@sec.gov.

Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds
c/o DST Asset Manager Solutions, Inc.
P.O. Box 219804
Kansas City, MO 64121-9804

For Shareholder Inquiries,
call the Trust toll-free at 1-888-378-1630.

Prices and Investment Results are available at www.morganstanley.com/liquidity.

The Trust’s 1940 Act registration number is 811-21339.

© 2020 Morgan Stanley.

LFPCPRO 2/20

 C: 

 

Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds

Cash Management Class Portfolios

Prime Portfolio
ESG Money Market Portfolio
Government Portfolio
Government Securities Portfolio
Treasury Portfolio
Treasury Securities Portfolio
Tax-Exempt Portfolio


 

Prospectus   |   February 28, 2020

Fund

Ticker Symbol

Prime Portfolio

MSPXX

ESG Money Market Portfolio

MSHXX

Government Portfolio

MSGXX

Government Securities Portfolio

MCHXX

Treasury Portfolio

MREXX

Treasury Securities Portfolio

MHSXX

Tax-Exempt Portfolio

MTMXX

Beginning on January 1, 2021, as permitted by regulations adopted by the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”), paper copies of the Funds’ Annual and Semi-Annual Reports to Shareholders (“Shareholder Reports”) will no longer be sent by mail, unless you specifically request paper copies of the Shareholder Reports from the Fund or from your financial intermediary, such as a broker-dealer or a bank. Instead, the Shareholder Reports will be made available on the Funds’ website, https://www.morganstanley.com/im/liquidityshareholderreports and you will be notified by mail each time a Shareholder Report is posted and provided with a website link to access the Shareholder Report. If you already elected to receive Shareholder Reports electronically, you will not be affected by this change and you need not take any action. You may elect to receive Shareholder Reports and other communications from a Fund electronically anytime by contacting your financial intermediary or, if you are a direct investor, please follow the instructions on the envelope. 

Beginning on January 1, 2019, you may elect to receive all future Shareholder Reports in paper free of charge. If you invest through a financial intermediary, you can contact your financial intermediary to request that you continue to receive paper copies of your Shareholder Reports. If you invest directly with a Fund, please follow the instructions on the envelope to let the Fund know you wish to continue receiving paper copies of your Shareholder Reports. Your election to receive Shareholder Reports in paper will apply to all funds held in your account if you invest through your financial intermediary or all funds held with the fund complex if you invest directly with a Fund.

The SEC has not approved or disapproved these securities or passed upon the adequacy of this Prospectus. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.

LFCMCPRO 2/20


 

Table of Contents

 

Page

Fund Summary

1

Prime Portfolio

1

ESG Money Market Portfolio

4

Government Portfolio

8

Government Securities Portfolio

11

Treasury Portfolio

14

Treasury Securities Portfolio

17

Tax-Exempt Portfolio

20

Details of the Funds

23

Prime Portfolio

23

ESG Money Market Portfolio

25

Government Portfolio

28

Government Securities Portfolio

30

Treasury Portfolio

31

Treasury Securities Portfolio

32

Tax-Exempt Portfolio

33

Additional Information About the Funds' Investment Strategies and Related Risks

35

Shareholder Information

39

Fund Management

48

Financial Highlights

49


 

Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Prospectus  |  Fund Summary

Prime Portfolio

Investment Objective

The Prime Portfolio (the “Fund”) seeks preservation of capital, daily liquidity and maximum current income.

Fees and Expenses

The table below describes the expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold Cash Management Class shares of the Fund. The Fund does not charge any sales loads or other fees when you purchase or redeem shares.

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

 

Cash Management Class

Advisory Fee

0.15%

Distribution and/or Shareholder Service (12b-1) Fee

0.10%

Other Expenses

0.06%

Shareholder Service Fee

0.05%

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses1

0.36%

Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement1

0.01%

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement1

0.35%

Example

The example below is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund’s Cash Management Class with the cost of investing in other mutual funds.

The example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund’s Cash Management Class, your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Fund’s operating expenses remain the same (except that the example incorporates the fee waiver and/or expense reimbursement 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

 

Cash Management Class

$ 36

$ 115

$ 201

$ 455

 

1 The Fund’s “Adviser” and “Administrator,” Morgan Stanley Investment Management Inc., has agreed to reduce its advisory fee, its administration fee and/or reimburse the Fund’s Cash Management Class so that Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses, excluding certain investment related expenses, taxes, interest and other extraordinary expenses (including litigation), will not exceed 0.35%. The fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements will continue for at least one year or until such time as the Board of Trustees of Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds (the “Trust”) acts to discontinue all or a portion of such waivers and/or reimbursements when it deems such action is appropriate.

Principal Investment Strategies

The Fund invests in liquid, high quality U.S. dollar-denominated money market instruments of U.S. and foreign financial corporations and U.S. non-financial corporations. The Fund also invests in obligations issued or guaranteed by the U.S. Government and its agencies and instrumentalities. The Fund’s money market investments may include commercial paper, corporate debt obligations, debt obligations (including certificates of deposit and promissory notes) of U.S. banks or foreign banks, or of U.S. branches or subsidiaries of foreign banks, or foreign branches of U.S. banks (such as Yankee obligations), certificates of deposit of savings banks and savings and loan organizations, asset-backed securities, repurchase agreements and municipal obligations.

The Fund may also invest in U.S. dollar-denominated foreign securities and money market instruments.

The Fund operates as an “institutional money market fund,” which is neither a “government money market fund” nor “retail money market fund” as such terms are defined or interpreted under Rule 2a-7 under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (“Rule 2a-7” under the “1940 Act”). As such, the Fund is required to price and transact in its shares at a net asset value per share (“NAV”) reflecting market-based values of its portfolio holdings (i.e., at a “floating” NAV), rounded to a minimum of the fourth decimal place. Like other money market funds of its type, the Fund is subject to the possible imposition of liquidity fees and/or redemption gates.

Principal Risks

There is no assurance that the Fund will achieve its investment objective.

You could lose money by investing in the Fund. Because the share price of the Fund will fluctuate, when you sell your shares they may be worth more or less than what you originally paid for them. The Fund may impose a fee upon the sale of your shares or may temporarily suspend your ability to sell shares if the Fund’s liquidity falls below required minimums because of market conditions or other factors. An investment in the Fund is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (“FDIC”) or

1


 

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Prospectus | Fund Summary

Prime Portfolio (Cont’d)

any other government agency. The Fund’s sponsor has no legal obligation to provide financial support to the Fund, and you should not expect that the sponsor will provide financial support to the Fund at any time.

The principal risks of investing in the Fund include:

 

Credit and Interest Rate Risk. Credit risk refers to the possibility that the issuer or guarantor of a security will be unable to make interest payments and/or repay the principal on its debt. Interest rate risk refers to fluctuations in the value of a fixed-income security resulting from changes in the general level of interest rates. When the general level of interest rates goes up, the prices of most fixed-income securities go down. When the general level of interest rates goes down, the prices of most fixed-income securities go up. The Fund may face a heightened level of interest rate risk in times of monetary policy change and uncertainty, such as when the Federal Reserve Board ends a quantitative easing program and/or raises rates. A rising interest rate environment increases certain risks, including the potential for periods of volatility, increased redemptions and extended durations (i.e., extension risk).

 

Bank Obligations. The activities of U.S. and most foreign banks are subject to comprehensive regulations. The enactment of new legislation or regulations, as well as changes in interpretation and enforcement of current laws, may affect the manner of operations and profitability of domestic and foreign banks. In addition, banks may be particularly susceptible to certain economic factors.

 

Fixed-Income Securities. Fixed-income securities are subject to the risk of the issuer’s inability to meet principal and interest payments on its obligations (i.e., credit risk) and are subject to price volatility resulting from, among other things, interest rate sensitivity (i.e., interest rate risk), market perception of the creditworthiness of the issuer and general market liquidity (i.e., market risk). The Fund may face a heightened level of interest rate risk in times of monetary policy change and uncertainty, such as when the Federal Reserve Board ends a quantitative easing program and/or raises rates.

 

U.S. Government Securities. The U.S. government securities in which the Fund invests can be subject to two types of risk: credit risk and interest rate risk. When the general level of interest rates goes up, the prices of most fixed-income securities go down. When the general level of interest rates goes down, the prices of most fixed-income securities go up. While the credit risk associated with U.S. government securities generally is considered to be minimal, the interest rate risk can be substantial. With respect to U.S. government securities that are not backed by the full faith and credit of the United States, there is the risk that the U.S. Government will not provide financial support to such U.S. government agencies, instrumentalities or sponsored enterprises if it is not obligated to do so by law.

 

Asset-Backed Securities. Asset-backed securities involve the risk that various federal and state consumer laws and other legal and economic factors may result in the collateral backing the securities being insufficient to support payment on the securities. Some asset-backed securities also entail prepayment risk and extension risk, which may vary depending on the type of asset.

 

Repurchase Agreements. Repurchase agreements are subject to risks associated with the possibility of default by the seller at a time when the collateral has declined in value, or insolvency of the seller, which may affect the Fund’s right to control the collateral and result in certain costs and delays. Repurchase agreements may involve a greater degree of credit risk than investments in U.S. government securities.

 

Foreign Money Market Securities. Investing in money market securities of foreign issuers involves some additional risks, including the possibility of adverse political, economic or other developments affecting the issuers of these securities.

 

Municipal Obligations. To the extent the Fund invests in municipal obligations issued by state and local governments and their agencies, the Fund may be susceptible to political, economic, regulatory or other factors affecting issuers of these municipal obligations. To the extent that the Fund invests in municipal obligations of issuers in the same economic sector, it could be more sensitive to economic, business or political developments that affect such sector.
 

Performance Information

The bar chart and table below provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by showing changes in the performance of the Fund’s Cash Management Class shares from year-to-year and by showing the average annual returns of the Fund’s Cash Management Class shares for the one, five and 10 year periods. The Fund’s past performance is not necessarily an indication of how the Fund will perform in the future. Updated performance information is available online at www.morganstanley.com/liquidity.

2


 

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Prospectus  |  Fund Summary

Prime Portfolio (Cont’d)

Annual Total Returns—Calendar Years

High Quarter

03/31/19

0.63%

Low Quarter

03/31/13

0.00%

Average Annual Total Returns

(for the Periods Ended December 31, 2019)

 

Past One
Year

Past Five
Years

Past
Ten Years

Prime Portfolio

2.19%

1.07%

0.55%

You may obtain the Fund’s 7-day current yield by calling 1-888-378-1630.

Fund Management

Adviser. Morgan Stanley Investment Management Inc.

Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares

Cash Management Class shares of the Fund are available to investors who at the time of initial purchase make a minimum investment of $1 million. You may not be subject to the minimum investment requirement under certain circumstances. For more information, please refer to the section of this Prospectus entitled “Shareholder Information—Minimum Investment Amount.”

Shares of the Fund may be purchased or sold on any day the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) is open for business (except when the following federal holidays are observed: Columbus Day and Veterans Day) directly from the Fund by mail (c/o DST Asset Manager Solutions, Inc., P.O. Box 219804, Kansas City, MO 64121-9804), by telephone (1-888-378-1630) or by contacting an authorized third-party, such as a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary that has entered into a selling agreement with the Fund’s “Distributor,” Morgan Stanley Distribution, Inc. (each, a “Financial Intermediary”). You may purchase and redeem shares online through Morgan Stanley’s Treasury Investment Portal service at www.morganstanley.com/liquidity, provided you have a pre-established Internet trading account. For more information, please refer to the sections of this Prospectus entitled “Shareholder Information—How To Purchase Shares” and “Shareholder Information—How To Redeem Shares.”

Selected accounts that utilize the Fund as their sweep vehicle will be reviewed on each business day and shares will automatically be purchased or sold to cover any credits or debits incurred that day.

Tax Information

The Fund intends to make distributions that may be taxed as ordinary income or capital gains.

Payments to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries

If you purchase shares of the Fund through a Financial Intermediary (such as a bank), the Adviser and/or the Distributor may pay the Financial Intermediary for the sale of Fund shares and related services. These payments, which may be significant in amount, may create a conflict of interest by influencing the Financial Intermediary and your salesperson to recommend the Fund over another investment. Ask your salesperson or visit your Financial Intermediary’s web site for more information.

3


 

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Prospectus  |  Fund Summary

ESG Money Market Portfolio

Investment Objective

The ESG Money Market Portfolio (the “Fund”) seeks preservation of capital, daily liquidity and maximum current income.

Fees and Expenses

The table below describes the expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold Cash Management Class shares of the Fund. The Fund does not charge any sales loads or other fees when you purchase or redeem shares.

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

 

Cash Management Class

Advisory Fee

0.15%

Distribution and/or Shareholder Service (12b-1) Fee

0.10%

Other Expenses

0.07%

Shareholder Service Fee

0.05%

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses1

0.37%

Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement1

0.02%

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement1

0.35%

Example

The example below is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund’s Cash Management Class with the cost of investing in other mutual funds.

The example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund’s Cash Management Class, your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Fund’s operating expenses remain the same (except that the example incorporates the fee waiver and/or expense reimbursement 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

 

Cash Management Class

$ 36

$ 117

$ 206

$ 466

 

1 The Fund’s “Adviser” and “Administrator,” Morgan Stanley Investment Management Inc., has agreed to reduce its advisory fee, its administration fee and/or reimburse the Fund’s Cash Management Class so that Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses, excluding certain investment related expenses, taxes, interest and other extraordinary expenses (including litigation), will not exceed 0.35%. The fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements will continue for at least one year or until such time as the Board of Trustees of Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds (the “Trust”) acts to discontinue all or a portion of such waivers and/or reimbursements when it deems such action is appropriate.

Principal Investment Strategies

The Fund invests in liquid, high quality U.S. dollar-denominated money market instruments of U.S. and foreign financial and non-financial corporations. The Fund also invests in obligations of foreign governments and in obligations issued or guaranteed by the U.S. Government and its agencies and instrumentalities. The Fund’s money market investments may include commercial paper, corporate debt obligations, debt obligations (including certificates of deposit and promissory notes) of U.S. banks or foreign banks, or of U.S. branches or subsidiaries of foreign banks, or foreign branches of U.S. banks (such as Yankee obligations), certificates of deposit of savings banks and savings and loan organizations, asset-backed securities, repurchase agreements and municipal obligations.

The Fund may also invest in U.S. dollar-denominated foreign securities and money market instruments.

The Adviser believes that environmental, social and governance (“ESG”) factors have the ability to impact the fundamental credit risk of an entity. The Fund’s investment process incorporates information about ESG issues via an integrated approach within the Adviser’s fundamental investment analysis framework. The Adviser may engage with management of certain issuers regarding corporate governance practices as well as what the Adviser deems to be materially important environmental and/or social issues facing a company.

The Adviser has proprietary ESG-scoring methodologies that explicitly consider the risks and opportunities ESG factors pose to money market instruments. By combining third-party ESG data with proprietary views, the Adviser creates unique scoring methodologies that it applies to issuers.

During the security selection process, the Adviser employs a rules-based process to construct the portfolio. Initially, the Adviser determines from the universe of money market fund-eligible issuers those which, in its opinion, have the lowest credit risk and/or best credit profile, excluding the following:

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Prospectus  |  Fund Summary

ESG Money Market Portfolio (Cont’d)

 

Corporations that generate revenue from the manufacturing or production of tobacco;

 

Corporations that generate revenue from the manufacturing or production of landmines and cluster munitions (i.e., an explosive weapon that randomly scatters submunitions);

 

Corporations that generate revenue from the manufacturing or production of firearms;

 

Corporations that generate revenue from the mining of thermal coal or coal fired power generation; and

 

Corporations that primarily generate revenue from the fossil fuel industries, which the Adviser has determined produce a certain level of carbon emissions.
 

The Fund may invest in green commercial paper (a security that is typically issued to raise capital specifically to support climate-related or environmental projects) issued by companies that would otherwise be subject to fossil fuel exclusions so long as the Adviser has determined that the proceeds will not be used to finance fossil fuel generation capabilities.

In analyzing whether an issuer meets any of the criteria described above, the Adviser may rely upon, among other things, information provided by an independent third party.

After applying the above exclusion screens, the Adviser calculates proprietary ESG scores for the remaining issuers based on a number of variables, such as environmental, social, governance, controversy and ESG momentum factors. The Adviser then sets minimum ESG score thresholds. Only issuers with an ESG score above a minimum threshold will be considered for investment by the Fund, thus eliminating those issuers with the lowest ESG performance. The Adviser’s minimum ESG score thresholds may be adjusted from time to time, provided that a subset of issuers are always excluded by ESG factors.

From the final list of ESG-approved issuers, the Adviser determines the securities and issuers in which the Fund will invest, taking into account a variety of relevant considerations (including, without limitation, yield, interest rate changes, credit quality and duration).

Under normal circumstances, the Fund will invest 100% of its net assets (excluding cash) in securities whose issuer or guarantor, in the Adviser’s opinion at the time of purchase, meets the Fund’s ESG criteria.

The Fund operates as an “institutional money market fund,” which is neither a “government money market fund” nor “retail money market fund” as such terms are defined or interpreted under Rule 2a-7 under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (“Rule 2a-7” under the “1940 Act”). As such, the Fund is required to price and transact in its shares at a net asset value per share (“NAV”) reflecting market-based values of its portfolio holdings (i.e., at a “floating” NAV), rounded to a minimum of the fourth decimal place. Like other money market funds of its type, the Fund is subject to the possible imposition of liquidity fees and/or redemption gates.

Principal Risks

There is no assurance that the Fund will achieve its investment objective.

You could lose money by investing in the Fund. Because the share price of the Fund will fluctuate, when you sell your shares they may be worth more or less than what you originally paid for them. The Fund may impose a fee upon the sale of your shares or may temporarily suspend your ability to sell shares if the Fund’s liquidity falls below required minimums because of market conditions or other factors. An investment in the Fund is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (“FDIC”) or any other government agency. The Fund’s sponsor has no legal obligation to provide financial support to the Fund, and you should not expect that the sponsor will provide financial support to the Fund at any time.

The principal risks of investing in the Fund include:

 

Credit and Interest Rate Risk. Credit risk refers to the possibility that the issuer or guarantor of a security will be unable to make interest payments and/or repay the principal on its debt. Interest rate risk refers to fluctuations in the value of a fixed-income security resulting from changes in the general level of interest rates. When the general level of interest rates goes up, the prices of most fixed-income securities go down. When the general level of interest rates goes down, the prices of most fixed-income securities go up. The Fund may face a heightened level of interest rate risk in times of monetary policy change and uncertainty, such as when the Federal Reserve Board ends a quantitative easing program and/or raises rates. A rising interest rate environment increases certain risks, including the potential for periods of volatility, increased redemptions and extended durations (i.e., extension risk).

 

Bank Obligations. The activities of U.S. and most foreign banks are subject to comprehensive regulations. The enactment of new legislation or regulations, as well as changes in interpretation and enforcement of current laws, may affect the manner of operations and profitability of domestic and foreign banks. In addition, banks may be particularly susceptible to certain economic factors.
 

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Prospectus | Fund Summary

ESG Money Market Portfolio (Cont’d)

 

Fixed-Income Securities. Fixed-income securities are subject to the risk of the issuer’s inability to meet principal and interest payments on its obligations (i.e., credit risk) and are subject to price volatility resulting from, among other things, interest rate sensitivity (i.e., interest rate risk), market perception of the creditworthiness of the issuer and general market liquidity (i.e., market risk). The Fund may face a heightened level of interest rate risk in times of monetary policy change and uncertainty, such as when the Federal Reserve Board ends a quantitative easing program and/or raises rates.

 

U.S. Government Securities. The U.S. government securities in which the Fund invests can be subject to two types of risk: credit risk and interest rate risk. When the general level of interest rates goes up, the prices of most fixed-income securities go down. When the general level of interest rates goes down, the prices of most fixed-income securities go up. While the credit risk associated with U.S. government securities generally is considered to be minimal, the interest rate risk can be substantial. With respect to U.S. government securities that are not backed by the full faith and credit of the United States, there is the risk that the U.S. Government will not provide financial support to such U.S. government agencies, instrumentalities or sponsored enterprises if it is not obligated to do so by law.

 

Asset-Backed Securities. Asset-backed securities involve the risk that various federal and state consumer laws and other legal and economic factors may result in the collateral backing the securities being insufficient to support payment on the securities. Some asset-backed securities also entail prepayment risk and extension risk, which may vary depending on the type of asset.

 

Repurchase Agreements. Repurchase agreements are subject to risks associated with the possibility of default by the seller at a time when the collateral has declined in value, or insolvency of the seller, which may affect the Fund’s right to control the collateral and result in certain costs and delays. Repurchase agreements may involve a greater degree of credit risk than investments in U.S. government securities.

 

Foreign Money Market Securities. Investing in money market securities of foreign issuers involves some additional risks, including the possibility of adverse political, economic or other developments affecting the issuers of these securities.

 

Municipal Obligations. To the extent the Fund invests in municipal obligations issued by state and local governments and their agencies, the Fund may be susceptible to political, economic, regulatory or other factors affecting issuers of these municipal obligations. To the extent that the Fund invests in municipal obligations of issuers in the same economic sector, it could be more sensitive to economic, business or political developments that affect such sector.

 

ESG Investment Risk. The Fund’s adherence to its ESG criteria and application of related analyses when selecting investments may affect the Fund’s performance depending on whether such investments are in or out of favor and relative to similar funds that do not adhere to such criteria or apply such analyses. Socially responsible norms differ by country and region, and a company’s ESG practices or the Adviser’s assessment of such may change over time. The Fund may invest in companies that do not reflect the beliefs and values of any particular investor. Additionally, the Fund’s adherence to its ESG criteria and application of related analyses in connection with identifying and selecting investments in non-U.S. issuers often require subjective analysis and may be relatively more difficult than applying the ESG criteria or related analyses to investments of U.S. issuers because data availability may be more limited with respect to non-U.S. issuers. The exclusionary criteria related to the Fund’s ESG criteria may result in the Fund forgoing opportunities to buy certain securities when it might otherwise be advantageous to do so, or selling securities for ESG reasons when it might be otherwise disadvantageous for it to do so. The Fund’s investments in certain companies may be susceptible to various factors that may impact their businesses or operations, including costs associated with government budgetary constraints that impact publicly funded projects and clean energy initiatives, the effects of general economic conditions throughout the world, increased competition from other providers of services, unfavorable tax laws or accounting policies and high leverage.
 

Performance Information

The bar chart and table below provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by showing changes in the performance of the Fund’s Cash Management Class shares from year-to-year and by showing the average annual returns of the Fund’s Cash Management Class for the one, five and 10 year periods. The Fund’s past performance is not necessarily an indication of how the Fund will perform in the future. Updated performance information is available online at www.morganstanley.com/liquidity.

Annual Total Returns—Calendar Years

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Prospectus  |  Fund Summary

ESG Money Market Portfolio (Cont’d)

High Quarter

03/31/19

0.63%

Low Quarter

03/31/14

0.00%

Average Annual Total Returns

(for the Periods Ended December 31, 2019)

 

Past
One Year

Past
Five Years

Past
Ten Years

ESG Money Market Portfolio

2.20%

1.08%

0.55%

You may obtain the Fund’s 7-day current yield by calling 1-888-378-1630.

Fund Management

Adviser. Morgan Stanley Investment Management Inc.

Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares

Cash Management Class shares of the Fund are available to investors who at the time of initial purchase make a minimum purchase of $1 million. You may not be subject to these minimum investment requirement under certain circumstances. For more information, please refer to the section of this Prospectus entitled “Shareholder Information—Minimum Investment Amount.”

Shares of the Fund may be purchased or sold on any day the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) is open for business (except when the following federal holidays are observed: Columbus Day and Veterans Day) directly from the Fund by mail (c/o DST Asset Manager Solutions, Inc., P.O. Box 219804, Kansas City, MO 64121-9804), by telephone (1-888-378-1630) or by contacting an authorized third-party, such as a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary that has entered into a selling agreement with the Fund’s “Distributor,” Morgan Stanley Distribution, Inc. (each, a “Financial Intermediary”). You may purchase and redeem shares online through Morgan Stanley’s Treasury Investment Portal service at www.morganstanley.com/liquidity, provided you have a pre-established Internet trading account. For more information, please refer to the sections of this Prospectus entitled “Shareholder Information—How To Purchase Shares” and “Shareholder Information—How To Redeem Shares.”

Selected accounts that utilize the Fund as their sweep vehicle will be reviewed on each business day and shares will automatically be purchased or sold to cover any credits or debits incurred that day.

Tax Information

The Fund intends to make distributions that may be taxed as ordinary income or capital gains.

Payments to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries

If you purchase shares of the Fund through a Financial Intermediary (such as a bank), the Adviser and/or the Distributor may pay the Financial Intermediary for the sale of Fund shares and related services. These payments, which may be significant in amount, may create a conflict of interest by influencing the Financial Intermediary and your salesperson to recommend the Fund over another investment. Ask your salesperson or visit your Financial Intermediary’s web site for more information.

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Prospectus  |  Fund Summary

Government Portfolio

Investment Objective

The Government Portfolio (the “Fund”) seeks preservation of capital, daily liquidity and maximum current income.

Fees and Expenses

The table below describes the expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold Cash Management Class shares of the Fund. The Fund does not charge any sales loads or other fees when you purchase or redeem shares.

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

 

Cash Management Class

Advisory Fee

0.15%

Distribution and/or Shareholder Service (12b-1) Fee

0.10%

Other Expenses

0.06%

Shareholder Service Fee

0.05%

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses1

0.36%

Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement1

0.01%

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement1

0.35%

Example

The example below is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund’s Cash Management Class with the cost of investing in other mutual funds.

The example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund’s Cash Management Class, your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Fund’s operating expenses remain the same (except that the example incorporates the fee waiver and/or expense reimbursement 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

 

Cash Management Class

$ 36

$ 115

$ 201

$ 455

 

1 The Fund’s “Adviser” and “Administrator,” Morgan Stanley Investment Management Inc., has agreed to reduce its advisory fee, its administration fee and/or reimburse the Fund’s Cash Management Class so that Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses, excluding certain investment related expenses, taxes, interest and other extraordinary expenses (including litigation), will not exceed 0.35%. The fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements will continue for at least one year or until such time as the Board of Trustees of Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds (the “Trust”) acts to discontinue all or a portion of such waivers and/or reimbursements when it deems such action is appropriate.

Principal Investment Strategies

The Fund has adopted a policy to invest exclusively in obligations issued or guaranteed by the U.S. Government and its agencies and instrumentalities and in repurchase agreements collateralized by such securities in order to qualify as a “government money market fund” under federal regulations. The Fund may also hold cash from time to time. A “government money market fund” is a money market fund that invests at least 99.5% of its total assets in cash, securities issued or guaranteed by the United States or certain U.S. government agencies or instrumentalities and/or repurchase agreements that are collateralized fully by the foregoing. A “government money market fund” is exempt from requirements that permit money market funds to impose a “liquidity fee” and/or a “redemption gate” that temporarily restricts redemptions. In selecting investments, the Adviser seeks to maintain the Fund’s share price at $1.00. The share price remaining stable at $1.00 means that the Fund would preserve the principal value of your investment.

Principal Risks

There is no assurance that the Fund will achieve its investment objective.

You could lose money by investing in the Fund. Although the Fund seeks to preserve the value of your investment at $1.00 per share, it cannot guarantee it will do so. An investment in the Fund is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (“FDIC”) or any other government agency. The Fund’s sponsor has no legal obligation to provide financial support to the Fund, and you should not expect that the sponsor will provide financial support to the Fund at any time.

The principal risks of investing in the Fund include:

 

Credit and Interest Rate Risk. Credit risk refers to the possibility that the issuer or guarantor of a security will be unable to make interest payments and/or repay the principal on its debt. Interest rate risk refers to fluctuations in the value of a fixed-income security resulting from changes in the general level of interest rates. When the general level of interest rates goes up, the prices of most fixed-income securities go down. When the general level of interest rates goes down, the prices of most fixed-income securities go up. The Fund may face a heightened level of interest rate risk in times of monetary policy change and uncertainty,
 

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Prospectus  |  Fund Summary

Government Portfolio (Cont’d)

 

such as when the Federal Reserve Board ends a quantitative easing program and/or raises rates. A rising interest rate environment increases certain risks, including the potential for periods of volatility, increased redemptions and extended durations (i.e., extension risk).

 

Fixed-Income Securities. Fixed-income securities are subject to the risk of the issuer’s inability to meet principal and interest payments on its obligations (i.e., credit risk) and are subject to price volatility resulting from, among other things, interest rate sensitivity (i.e., interest rate risk), market perception of the creditworthiness of the issuer and general market liquidity (i.e., market risk). The Fund may face a heightened level of interest rate risk in times of monetary policy change and uncertainty, such as when the Federal Reserve Board ends a quantitative easing program and/or raises rates.

 

U.S. Government Securities. The U.S. government securities in which the Fund invests can be subject to two types of risk: credit risk and interest rate risk. When the general level of interest rates goes up, the prices of most fixed-income securities go down. When the general level of interest rates goes down, the prices of most fixed-income securities go up. While the credit risk associated with U.S. government securities generally is considered to be minimal, the interest rate risk can be substantial. With respect to U.S. government securities that are not backed by the full faith and credit of the United States, there is the risk that the U.S. Government will not provide financial support to such U.S. government agencies, instrumentalities or sponsored enterprises if it is not obligated to do so by law.

 

Repurchase Agreements. Repurchase agreements are subject to risks associated with the possibility of default by the seller at a time when the collateral has declined in value, or insolvency of the seller, which may affect the Fund’s right to control the collateral and result in certain costs and delays. Repurchase agreements may involve a greater degree of credit risk than investments in U.S. government securities.
 

Performance Information

The bar chart and table below provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by showing changes in the performance of the Fund’s Cash Management Class shares from year-to-year and by showing the average annual returns of the Fund’s Cash Management Class shares for the one, five and 10 year periods. The Fund’s past performance is not necessarily an indication of how the Fund will perform in the future. Updated performance information is available online at www.morganstanley.com/liquidity.

Annual Total Returns—Calendar Years

High Quarter

06/30/19

0.54%

Low Quarter

03/31/11

0.00%

Average Annual Total Returns

(for the Periods Ended December 31, 2019)

 

Past
One Year

Past Five
Years

Past
Ten Years

Government Portfolio

1.95%

0.86%

0.44%

You may obtain the Fund’s 7-day current yield by calling 1-888-378-1630.

Fund Management

Adviser. Morgan Stanley Investment Management Inc.

Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares

Cash Management Class shares of the Fund are available to investors who at the time of initial purchase make a minimum investment of $1 million. You may not be subject to the minimum investment requirement under certain circumstances. For more information, please refer to the section of this Prospectus entitled “Shareholder Information—Minimum Investment Amount.”

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Prospectus | Fund Summary

Government Portfolio (Cont’d)

Shares of the Fund may be purchased or sold on any day the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) is open for business (except when the following federal holidays are observed: Columbus Day and Veterans Day) directly from the Fund by mail (c/o DST Asset Manager Solutions, Inc., P.O. Box 219804, Kansas City, MO 64121-9804), by telephone (1-888-378-1630) or by contacting an authorized third-party, such as a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary that has entered into a selling agreement with the Fund’s “Distributor,” Morgan Stanley Distribution, Inc. (each, a “Financial Intermediary”). You may purchase and redeem shares online through Morgan Stanley’s Treasury Investment Portal service at www.morganstanley.com/liquidity, provided you have a pre-established Internet trading account. For more information, please refer to the sections of this Prospectus entitled “Shareholder Information—How To Purchase Shares” and “Shareholder Information—How To Redeem Shares.”

Selected accounts that utilize the Fund as their sweep vehicle will be reviewed on each business day and shares will automatically be purchased or sold to cover any credits or debits incurred that day.

Tax Information

The Fund intends to make distributions that may be taxed as ordinary income or capital gains.

Payments to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries

If you purchase shares of the Fund through a Financial Intermediary (such as a bank), the Adviser and/or the Distributor may pay the Financial Intermediary for the sale of Fund shares and related services. These payments, which may be significant in amount, may create a conflict of interest by influencing the Financial Intermediary and your salesperson to recommend the Fund over another investment. Ask your salesperson or visit your Financial Intermediary’s web site for more information.

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Prospectus  |  Fund Summary

Government Securities Portfolio

Investment Objective

The Government Securities Portfolio (the “Fund”) seeks preservation of capital, daily liquidity and maximum current income.

Fees and Expenses

The table below describes the expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold Cash Management Class shares of the Fund. The Fund does not charge any sales loads or other fees when you purchase or redeem shares.

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

 

Cash Management Class

Advisory Fee

0.15%

Distribution and/or Shareholder Service (12b-1) Fee

0.10%

Other Expenses

0.08%

Shareholder Service Fee

0.05%

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses1

0.38%

Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement1

0.03%

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement1

0.35%

Example

The example below is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund’s Cash Management Class with the cost of investing in other mutual funds.

The example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund’s Cash Management Class, your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Fund’s operating expenses remain the same (except that the example incorporates the fee waiver and/or expense reimbursement 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

 

Cash Management Class

$ 36

$ 119

$ 210

$ 477

 

1 The Fund’s “Adviser” and “Administrator,” Morgan Stanley Investment Management Inc., has agreed to reduce its advisory fee, its administration fee and/or reimburse the Fund’s Cash Management Class so that Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses, excluding certain investment related expenses, taxes, interest and other extraordinary expenses (including litigation), will not exceed 0.35%. The fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements will continue for at least one year or until such time as the Board of Trustees of Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds (the “Trust”) acts to discontinue all or a portion of such waivers and/or reimbursements when it deems such action is appropriate.

Principal Investment Strategies

The Fund has adopted a policy to invest substantially all of its assets in U.S. Treasury obligations and certain U.S. government securities, the interest from which is generally exempt from state income taxation, in order to qualify as a “government money market fund” under federal regulations. The Fund may also hold cash from time to time. A “government money market fund” is a money market fund that invests at least 99.5% of its total assets in cash, securities issued or guaranteed by the United States or certain U.S. government agencies or instrumentalities and/or repurchase agreements that are collateralized fully by the foregoing. A “government money market fund” is exempt from requirements that permit money market funds to impose a “liquidity fee” and/or a “redemption gate” that temporarily restricts redemptions. In selecting investments, the Adviser seeks to maintain the Fund’s share price at $1.00. The share price remaining stable at $1.00 means that the Fund would preserve the principal value of your investment. The U.S. government securities that the Fund may purchase include those issued or guaranteed either by the U.S. Treasury or certain agencies, authorities or instrumentalities of the U.S. Government. The Fund may also invest in repurchase agreements with the Federal Reserve Bank of New York.

Principal Risks

There is no assurance that the Fund will achieve its investment objective.

You could lose money by investing in the Fund. Although the Fund seeks to preserve the value of your investment at $1.00 per share, it cannot guarantee it will do so. An investment in the Fund is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (“FDIC”) or any other government agency. The Fund’s sponsor has no legal obligation to provide financial support to the Fund, and you should not expect that the sponsor will provide financial support to the Fund at any time.

The principal risks of investing in the Fund include:

 

Credit and Interest Rate Risk. Credit risk refers to the possibility that the issuer or guarantor of a security will be unable to make interest payments and/or repay the principal on its debt. Interest rate risk refers to fluctuations in the value of a fixed-income
 

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Prospectus | Fund Summary

Government Securities Portfolio (Cont’d)

 

security resulting from changes in the general level of interest rates. When the general level of interest rates goes up, the prices of most fixed-income securities go down. When the general level of interest rates goes down, the prices of most fixed-income securities go up. The Fund may face a heightened level of interest rate risk in times of monetary policy change and uncertainty, such as when the Federal Reserve Board ends a quantitative easing program and/or raises rates. A rising interest rate environment increases certain risks, including the potential for periods of volatility, increased redemptions and extended durations (i.e., extension risk).

 

Fixed-Income Securities. Fixed-income securities are subject to the risk of the issuer’s inability to meet principal and interest payments on its obligations (i.e., credit risk) and are subject to price volatility resulting from, among other things, interest rate sensitivity (i.e., interest rate risk), market perception of the creditworthiness of the issuer and general market liquidity (i.e., market risk). The Fund may face a heightened level of interest rate risk in times of monetary policy change and uncertainty, such as when the Federal Reserve Board ends a quantitative easing program and/or raises rates.

 

U.S. Government Securities. The U.S. government securities in which the Fund invests can be subject to two types of risk: credit risk and interest rate risk. When the general level of interest rates goes up, the prices of most fixed-income securities go down. When the general level of interest rates goes down, the prices of most fixed-income securities go up. While the credit risk associated with U.S. government securities generally is considered to be minimal, the interest rate risk can be substantial. With respect to U.S. government securities that are not backed by the full faith and credit of the United States, there is the risk that the U.S. Government will not provide financial support to such U.S. government agencies, instrumentalities or sponsored enterprises if it is not obligated to do so by law.
 

Performance Information

The bar chart and table below provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by showing changes in the performance of the Fund’s Cash Management Class shares from year-to-year and by showing the average annual returns of the Fund’s Cash Management Class shares for the one, five and 10 year periods. The Fund’s past performance is not necessarily an indication of how the Fund will perform in the future. Updated performance information is available online at www.morganstanley.com/liquidity.

Annual Total Returns—Calendar Years

High Quarter

06/30/19

0.52%

Low Quarter

03/31/15

0.00%

Average Annual Total Returns

(for the Periods Ended December 31, 2019)

 

Past
One Year

Past Five
Years

Past
Ten Years

Government Securities Portfolio

1.89%

0.80%

0.40%

You may obtain the Fund’s 7-day current yield by calling 1-888-378-1630.

Fund Management

Adviser. Morgan Stanley Investment Management Inc.

Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares

Cash Management Class shares of the Fund are available to investors who at the time of initial purchase make a minimum investment of $1 million. You may not be subject to the minimum investment requirement under certain circumstances. For more information, please refer to the section of this Prospectus entitled “Shareholder Information—Minimum Investment Amount.”

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Prospectus  |  Fund Summary

Government Securities Portfolio (Cont’d)

Shares of the Fund may be purchased or sold on any day the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) is open for business (except when the following federal holidays are observed: Columbus Day and Veterans Day) directly from the Fund by mail (c/o DST Asset Manager Solutions, Inc., P.O. Box 219804, Kansas City, MO 64121-9804), by telephone (1-888-378-1630) or by contacting an authorized third-party, such as a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary that has entered into a selling agreement with the Fund’s “Distributor,” Morgan Stanley Distribution, Inc. (each, a “Financial Intermediary”). You may purchase and redeem shares online through Morgan Stanley’s Treasury Investment Portal service at www.morganstanley.com/liquidity, provided you have a pre-established Internet trading account. For more information, please refer to the sections of this Prospectus entitled “Shareholder Information—How To Purchase Shares” and “Shareholder Information—How To Redeem Shares.”

Selected accounts that utilize the Fund as their sweep vehicle will be reviewed on each business day and shares will automatically be purchased or sold to cover any credits or debits incurred that day.

Tax Information

The Fund intends to make distributions that may be taxed as ordinary income or capital gains.

Payments to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries

If you purchase shares of the Fund through a Financial Intermediary (such as a bank), the Adviser and/or the Distributor may pay the Financial Intermediary for the sale of Fund shares and related services. These payments, which may be significant in amount, may create a conflict of interest by influencing the Financial Intermediary and your salesperson to recommend the Fund over another investment. Ask your salesperson or visit your Financial Intermediary’s web site for more information.

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Prospectus  |  Fund Summary

Treasury Portfolio

Investment Objective

The Treasury Portfolio (the “Fund”) seeks preservation of capital, daily liquidity and maximum current income.

Fees and Expenses

The table below describes the expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold Cash Management Class shares of the Fund. The Fund does not charge any sales loads or other fees when you purchase or redeem shares.

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

 

Cash Management Class

Advisory Fee

0.15%

Distribution and/or Shareholder Service (12b-1) Fee

0.10%

Other Expenses

0.06%

Shareholder Service Fee

0.05%

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses1

0.36%

Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement1

0.01%

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement1

0.35%

Example

The example below is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund’s Cash Management Class with the cost of investing in other mutual funds.

The example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund’s Cash Management Class, your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Fund’s operating expenses remain the same (except that the example incorporates the fee waiver and/or expense reimbursement 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

 

Cash Management Class

$ 36

$ 115

$ 201

$ 455

 

1 The Fund’s “Adviser” and “Administrator,” Morgan Stanley Investment Management Inc., has agreed to reduce its advisory fee, its administration fee and/or reimburse the Fund’s Cash Management Class so that Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses, excluding certain investment related expenses, taxes, interest and other extraordinary expenses (including litigation), will not exceed 0.35%. The fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements will continue for at least one year or until such time as the Board of Trustees of Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds (the “Trust”) acts to discontinue all or a portion of such waivers and/or reimbursements when it deems such action is appropriate.

Principal Investment Strategies

The Fund has adopted a policy to invest exclusively in U.S. Treasury obligations, which are backed by the full faith and credit of the United States, and repurchase agreements collateralized by such securities in order to qualify as a “government money market fund” under federal regulations. The Fund may also hold cash from time to time. A “government money market fund” is a money market fund that invests at least 99.5% of its total assets in cash, securities issued or guaranteed by the United States or certain U.S. government agencies or instrumentalities and/or repurchase agreements that are collateralized fully by the foregoing. A “government money market fund” is exempt from requirements that permit money market funds to impose a “liquidity fee” and/or a “redemption gate” that temporarily restricts redemptions. In selecting investments, the Adviser seeks to maintain the Fund’s share price at $1.00. The share price remaining stable at $1.00 means that the Fund would preserve the principal value of your investment.

Principal Risks

There is no assurance that the Fund will achieve its investment objective.

You could lose money by investing in the Fund. Although the Fund seeks to preserve the value of your investment at $1.00 per share, it cannot guarantee it will do so. An investment in the Fund is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (“FDIC”) or any other government agency. The Fund’s sponsor has no legal obligation to provide financial support to the Fund, and you should not expect that the sponsor will provide financial support to the Fund at any time.

The principal risks of investing in the Fund include:

 

Credit and Interest Rate Risk. Credit risk refers to the possibility that the issuer or guarantor of a security will be unable to make interest payments and/or repay the principal on its debt. Interest rate risk refers to fluctuations in the value of a fixed-income security resulting from changes in the general level of interest rates. When the general level of interest rates goes up, the prices of most fixed-income securities go down. When the general level of interest rates goes down, the prices of most fixed-income securities go up. The Fund may face a heightened level of interest rate risk in times of monetary policy change and uncertainty,
 

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Prospectus  |  Fund Summary

Treasury Portfolio (Cont’d)

 

such as when the Federal Reserve Board ends a quantitative easing program and/or raises rates. A rising interest rate environment increases certain risks, including the potential for periods of volatility, increased redemptions and extended durations (i.e., extension risk).

 

Fixed-Income Securities. Fixed-income securities are subject to the risk of the issuer’s inability to meet principal and interest payments on its obligations (i.e., credit risk) and are subject to price volatility resulting from, among other things, interest rate sensitivity (i.e., interest rate risk), market perception of the creditworthiness of the issuer and general market liquidity (i.e., market risk). The Fund may face a heightened level of interest rate risk in times of monetary policy change and uncertainty, such as when the Federal Reserve Board ends a quantitative easing program and/or raises rates.

 

U.S. Government Securities. The U.S. government securities in which the Fund invests can be subject to two types of risk: credit risk and interest rate risk. When the general level of interest rates goes up, the prices of most fixed-income securities go down. When the general level of interest rates goes down, the prices of most fixed-income securities go up. While the credit risk associated with U.S. government securities generally is considered to be minimal, the interest rate risk can be substantial.

 

Repurchase Agreements. Repurchase agreements are subject to risks associated with the possibility of default by the seller at a time when the collateral has declined in value, or insolvency of the seller, which may affect the Fund’s right to control the collateral and result in certain costs and delays. Repurchase agreements may involve a greater degree of credit risk than investments in U.S. government securities.
 

Performance Information

The bar chart and table below provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by showing changes in the performance of the Fund’s Cash Management Class shares from year-to-year and by showing the average annual returns of the Fund’s Cash Management Class shares for the one, five and 10 year periods. The Fund’s past performance is not necessarily an indication of how the Fund will perform in the future. Updated performance information is available online at www.morganstanley.com/liquidity.

Annual Total Returns—Calendar Years

High Quarter

03/31/19

0.53%

Low Quarter

12/31/11

0.00%

Average Annual Total Returns

(for the Periods Ended December 31, 2019)

 

Past
One Year

Past Five
Years

Past
Ten Years

Treasury Portfolio

1.91%

0.84%

0.43%

You may obtain the Fund’s 7-day current yield by calling 1-888-378-1630.

Fund Management

Adviser. Morgan Stanley Investment Management Inc.

Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares

Cash Management Class shares of the Fund are available to investors who at the time of initial purchase make a minimum investment of $1 million. You may not be subject to the minimum investment requirement under certain circumstances. For more information, please refer to the section of this Prospectus entitled “Shareholder Information—Minimum Investment Amount.”

Shares of the Fund may be purchased or sold on any day the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) is open for business (except when the following federal holidays are observed: Columbus Day and Veterans Day) directly from the Fund by mail (c/o DST Asset

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Prospectus | Fund Summary

Treasury Portfolio (Cont’d)

Manager Solutions, Inc., P.O. Box 219804, Kansas City, MO 64121-9804), by telephone (1-888-378-1630) or by contacting an authorized third-party, such as a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary that has entered into a selling agreement with the Fund’s “Distributor,” Morgan Stanley Distribution, Inc. (each, a “Financial Intermediary”). You may purchase and redeem shares online through Morgan Stanley’s Treasury Investment Portal service at www.morganstanley.com/liquidity, provided you have a pre-established Internet trading account. For more information, please refer to the sections of this Prospectus entitled “Shareholder Information—How To Purchase Shares” and “Shareholder Information—How To Redeem Shares.”

Selected accounts that utilize the Fund as their sweep vehicle will be reviewed on each business day and shares will automatically be purchased or sold to cover any credits or debits incurred that day.

Tax Information

The Fund intends to make distributions that may be taxed as ordinary income or capital gains.

Payments to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries

If you purchase shares of the Fund through a Financial Intermediary (such as a bank), the Adviser and/or the Distributor may pay the Financial Intermediary for the sale of Fund shares and related services. These payments, which may be significant in amount, may create a conflict of interest by influencing the Financial Intermediary and your salesperson to recommend the Fund over another investment. Ask your salesperson or visit your Financial Intermediary’s web site for more information.

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Prospectus  |  Fund Summary

Treasury Securities Portfolio

Investment Objective

The Treasury Securities Portfolio (the “Fund”) seeks preservation of capital, daily liquidity and maximum current income.

Fees and Expenses

The table below describes the expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold Cash Management Class shares of the Fund. The Fund does not charge any sales loads or other fees when you purchase or redeem shares.

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

 

Cash Management Class

Advisory Fee

0.15%

Distribution and/or Shareholder Service (12b-1) Fee

0.10%

Other Expenses

0.06%

Shareholder Service Fee

0.05%

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses1

0.36%

Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement1

0.01%

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement1

0.35%

Example

The example below is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund’s Cash Management Class with the cost of investing in other mutual funds.

The example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund’s Cash Management Class, your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Fund’s operating expenses remain the same (except that the example incorporates the fee waiver and/or expense reimbursement 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

 

Cash Management Class

$ 36

$ 115

$ 201

$ 455

 

1 The Fund’s “Adviser” and “Administrator,” Morgan Stanley Investment Management Inc., has agreed to reduce its advisory fee, its administration fee and/or reimburse the Fund’s Cash Management Class so that Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses, excluding certain investment related expenses, taxes, interest and other extraordinary expenses (including litigation), will not exceed 0.35%. The fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements will continue for at least one year or until such time as the Board of Trustees of Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds (the “Trust”) acts to discontinue all or a portion of such waivers and/or reimbursements when it deems such action is appropriate.

Principal Investment Strategies

The Fund has adopted a policy to invest exclusively in U.S. Treasury obligations, which are backed by the full faith and credit of the United States, in order to qualify as a “government money market fund” under federal regulations. The Fund may also hold cash from time to time. A “government money market fund” is a money market fund that invests at least 99.5% of its total assets in cash, securities issued or guaranteed by the United States or certain U.S. government agencies or instrumentalities and/or repurchase agreements that are collateralized fully by the foregoing. A “government money market fund” is exempt from requirements that permit money market funds to impose a “liquidity fee” and/or a “redemption gate” that temporarily restricts redemptions. In selecting investments, the Adviser seeks to maintain the Fund’s share price at $1.00. The share price remaining stable at $1.00 means that the Fund would preserve its principal value of your investment.

Principal Risks

There is no assurance that the Fund will achieve its investment objective.

You could lose money by investing in the Fund. Although the Fund seeks to preserve the value of your investment at $1.00 per share, it cannot guarantee it will do so. An investment in the Fund is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (“FDIC”) or any other government agency. The Fund’s sponsor has no legal obligation to provide financial support to the Fund, and you should not expect that the sponsor will provide financial support to the Fund at any time.

The principal risks of investing in the Fund include:

 

Credit and Interest Rate Risk. Credit risk refers to the possibility that the issuer or guarantor of a security will be unable to make interest payments and/or repay the principal on its debt. Interest rate risk refers to fluctuations in the value of a fixed-income security resulting from changes in the general level of interest rates. When the general level of interest rates goes up, the prices of most fixed-income securities go down. When the general level of interest rates goes down, the prices of most fixed-income securities go up. The Fund may face a heightened level of interest rate risk in times of monetary policy change and uncertainty,
 

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Prospectus | Fund Summary

Treasury Securities Portfolio (Cont’d)

 

such as when the Federal Reserve Board ends a quantitative easing program and/or raises rates. A rising interest rate environment increases certain risks, including the potential for periods of volatility, increased redemptions and extended durations (i.e., extension risk).

 

Fixed-Income Securities. Fixed-income securities are subject to the risk of the issuer’s inability to meet principal and interest payments on its obligations (i.e., credit risk) and are subject to price volatility resulting from, among other things, interest rate sensitivity (i.e., interest rate risk), market perception of the creditworthiness of the issuer and general market liquidity (i.e., market risk). The Fund may face a heightened level of interest rate risk in times of monetary policy change and uncertainty, such as when the Federal Reserve Board ends a quantitative easing program and/or raises rates.

 

U.S. Government Securities. The U.S. government securities in which the Fund invests can be subject to two types of risk: credit risk and interest rate risk. When the general level of interest rates goes up, the prices of most fixed-income securities go down. When the general level of interest rates goes down, the prices of most fixed-income securities go up. While the credit risk associated with U.S. government securities generally is considered to be minimal, the interest rate risk can be substantial.
 

Performance Information

The bar chart and table below provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by showing changes in the performance of the Fund’s Cash Management Class shares from year-to-year and by showing the average annual returns of the Fund’s Cash Management Class shares for the one, five and 10 year periods. The Fund’s past performance is not necessarily an indication of how the Fund will perform in the future. Updated performance information is available online at www.morganstanley.com/liquidity.

Annual Total Returns—Calendar Years

High Quarter

06/30/19

0.52%

Low Quarter

03/31/15

0.00%

Average Annual Total Returns

(for the Periods Ended December 31, 2019)

 

Past
One Year

Past Five
Years

Past
Ten Years

Treasury Securities Portfolio

1.87%

0.80%

0.41%

You may obtain the Fund’s 7-day current yield by calling 1-888-378-1630.

Fund Management

Adviser. Morgan Stanley Investment Management Inc.

Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares

Cash Management Class shares of the Fund are available to investors who at the time of initial purchase make a minimum investment of $1 million. You may not be subject to the minimum investment requirement under certain circumstances. For more information, please refer to the section of this Prospectus entitled “Shareholder Information—Minimum Investment Amount.”

Shares of the Fund may be purchased or sold on any day the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) is open for business (except when the following federal holidays are observed: Columbus Day and Veterans Day) directly from the Fund by mail (c/o DST Asset Manager Solutions, Inc., P.O. Box 219804, Kansas City, MO 64121-9804), by telephone (1-888-378-1630) or by contacting an authorized third-party, such as a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary that has entered into a selling agreement with the Fund’s “Distributor,” Morgan Stanley Distribution, Inc. (each, a “Financial Intermediary”). You may purchase and redeem shares online through Morgan Stanley’s Treasury Investment Portal service at www.morganstanley.com/liquidity, provided you have a pre-

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Prospectus  |  Fund Summary

Treasury Securities Portfolio (Cont’d)

established Internet trading account. For more information, please refer to the sections of this Prospectus entitled “Shareholder Information—How To Purchase Shares” and “Shareholder Information—How To Redeem Shares.”

Selected accounts that utilize the Fund as their sweep vehicle will be reviewed on each business day and shares will automatically be purchased or sold to cover any credits or debits incurred that day.

Tax Information

The Fund intends to make distributions that may be taxed as ordinary income or capital gains.

Payments to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries

If you purchase shares of the Fund through a Financial Intermediary (such as a bank), the Adviser and/or the Distributor may pay the Financial Intermediary for the sale of Fund shares and related services. These payments, which may be significant in amount, may create a conflict of interest by influencing the Financial Intermediary and your salesperson to recommend the Fund over another investment. Ask your salesperson or visit your Financial Intermediary’s web site for more information.

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Prospectus  |  Fund Summary

Tax-Exempt Portfolio

Investment Objective

The Tax-Exempt Portfolio (the “Fund”) seeks to maximize current income exempt from federal income tax to the extent consistent with preservation of capital and maintenance of liquidity.

Fees and Expenses

The table below describes the expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold Cash Management Class shares of the Fund. The Fund does not charge any sales loads or other fees when you purchase or redeem shares.

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

 

Cash Management Class

Advisory Fee

0.15%

Distribution and/or Shareholder Service (12b-1) Fee

0.10%

Other Expenses

0.12%

Shareholder Service Fee

0.05%

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses1

0.42%

Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement1

0.07%

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement1

0.35%

Example

The example below is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund’s Cash Management Class with the cost of investing in other mutual funds.

The example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund’s Cash Management Class, your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Fund’s operating expenses remain the same (except that the example incorporates the fee waiver and/or expense reimbursement 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

 

Cash Management Class

$ 36

$ 128

$ 228

$ 523

 

1 The Fund’s “Adviser” and “Administrator,” Morgan Stanley Investment Management Inc., has agreed to reduce its advisory fee, its administration fee and/or reimburse the Fund’s Cash Management Class so that Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses, excluding certain investment related expenses, taxes, interest and other extraordinary expenses (including litigation), will not exceed 0.35%. The fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements will continue for at least one year or until such time as the Board of Trustees of Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds (the “Trust”) acts to discontinue all or a portion of such waivers and/or reimbursements when it deems such action is appropriate.

Principal Investment Strategies

The Fund invests at least 80% of its assets in high quality short-term municipal obligations, the interest of which is exempt from federal income taxes and is not subject to the federal alternative minimum tax. This policy is fundamental and may not be changed without shareholder approval. The Fund may also invest in variable and floating rate demand instruments, tender option bonds, custodial receipts and investments in other investment companies, including money market funds.

The Fund may invest up to 20% of its assets in taxable money market securities or in municipal obligations that pay interest income that may be subject to the alternative minimum tax; however, it is currently intended that the Fund will be managed so that income generated by the Fund will not be subject to the alternative minimum tax. In addition, the Fund may temporarily invest more than 20% of its assets in taxable money market securities for defensive purposes in attempting to respond to adverse market conditions.

The Fund operates as an “institutional money market fund,” which is neither a “government money market fund” nor “retail money market fund” as such terms are defined or interpreted under Rule 2a-7 under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (“Rule 2a-7” under the “1940 Act”). As such, the Fund is required to price and transact in its shares at a net asset value per share (“NAV”) reflecting market-based values of its portfolio holdings (i.e., at a “floating” NAV), rounded to a minimum of the fourth decimal place. Like other money market funds of its type, the Fund is subject to the possible imposition of liquidity fees and/or redemption gates.

Principal Risks

There is no assurance that the Fund will achieve its investment objective.

You could lose money by investing in the Fund. Because the share price of the Fund will fluctuate, when you sell your shares they may be worth more or less than what you originally paid for them. The Fund may impose a fee upon the sale of your shares or may temporarily suspend your ability to sell shares if the Fund’s liquidity falls below required minimums because of market conditions or

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Prospectus  |  Fund Summary

Tax-Exempt Portfolio (Cont’d)

other factors. An investment in the Fund is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (“FDIC”) or any other government agency. The Fund’s sponsor has no legal obligation to provide financial support to the Fund, and you should not expect that the sponsor will provide financial support to the Fund at any time.

The principal risks of investing in the Fund include:

 

Credit and Interest Rate Risk. Credit risk refers to the possibility that the issuer or guarantor of a security will be unable to make interest payments and/or repay the principal on its debt. Interest rate risk refers to fluctuations in the value of a fixed-income security resulting from changes in the general level of interest rates. When the general level of interest rates goes up, the prices of most fixed-income securities go down. When the general level of interest rates goes down, the prices of most fixed-income securities go up. The Fund may face a heightened level of interest rate risk in times of monetary policy change and uncertainty, such as when the Federal Reserve Board ends a quantitative easing program and/or raises rates. A rising interest rate environment increases certain risks, including the potential for periods of volatility, increased redemptions and extended durations (i.e., extension risk).

 

Fixed-Income Securities. Fixed-income securities are subject to the risk of the issuer’s inability to meet principal and interest payments on its obligations (i.e., credit risk) and are subject to price volatility resulting from, among other things, interest rate sensitivity (i.e., interest rate risk), market perception of the creditworthiness of the issuer and general market liquidity (i.e., market risk). The Fund may face a heightened level of interest rate risk in times of monetary policy change and uncertainty, such as when the Federal Reserve Board ends a quantitative easing program and/or raises rates.

 

Municipal Obligations. To the extent the Fund invests in municipal obligations issued by state and local governments and their agencies, the Fund may be susceptible to political, economic, regulatory or other factors affecting issuers of these municipal obligations. To the extent that the Fund invests in municipal obligations of issuers in the same economic sector, it could be more sensitive to economic, business or political developments that affect such sector.
 

Performance Information

The bar chart and table below provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by showing changes in the performance of the Fund’s Cash Management Class shares from year-to-year and by showing the average annual returns of the Fund’s Cash Management Class shares for the one, five and 10 year periods. The Fund’s past performance is not necessarily an indication of how the Fund will perform in the future. Updated performance information is available online at www.morganstanley.com/liquidity.

Annual Total Returns—Calendar Years

High Quarter

06/30/19

0.35%

Low Quarter

03/31/15

0.00%

Average Annual Total Returns

(for the Periods Ended December 31, 2019)

 

Past
One Year

Past
Five Years

Past
Ten Years

Tax-Exempt Portfolio

1.19%

0.63%

0.32%

You may obtain the Fund’s 7-day current yield by calling 1-888-378-1630.

Fund Management

Adviser. Morgan Stanley Investment Management Inc.

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Prospectus | Fund Summary

Tax-Exempt Portfolio (Cont’d)

Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares

Cash Management Class shares of the Fund are available to investors who at the time of initial purchase make a minimum investment of $1 million. You may not be subject to the minimum investment requirement under certain circumstances. For more information, please refer to the section of this Prospectus entitled “Shareholder Information—Minimum Investment Amount.”

Shares of the Fund may be purchased or sold on any day the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) is open for business (except when the following federal holidays are observed: Columbus Day and Veterans Day) directly from the Fund by mail (c/o DST Asset Manager Solutions, Inc., P.O. Box 219804, Kansas City, MO 64121-9804), by telephone (1-888-378-1630) or by contacting an authorized third-party, such as a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary that has entered into a selling agreement with the Fund’s “Distributor,” Morgan Stanley Distribution, Inc. (each, a “Financial Intermediary”). You may purchase and redeem shares online through Morgan Stanley’s Treasury Investment Portal service at www.morganstanley.com/liquidity, provided you have a pre-established Internet trading account. For more information, please refer to the sections of this Prospectus entitled “Shareholder Information—How To Purchase Shares” and “Shareholder Information—How To Redeem Shares.”

Selected accounts that utilize the Fund as their sweep vehicle will be reviewed on each business day and shares will automatically be purchased or sold to cover any credits or debits incurred that day.

Tax Information

The Fund intends to make distributions that are generally not subject to federal income tax; however the Fund may distribute taxable dividends, including distributions of short-term capital gains, and long-term capital gains. In addition, interest on certain bonds may be subject to the federal alternative minimum tax. To the extent that the Fund’s distributions are derived from interest on bonds that are not exempt from applicable state and local taxes, such distributions will be subject to such state and local taxes.

Payments to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries

If you purchase shares of the Fund through a Financial Intermediary (such as a bank), the Adviser and/or the Distributor may pay the Financial Intermediary for the sale of Fund shares and related services. These payments, which may be significant in amount, may create a conflict of interest by influencing the Financial Intermediary and your salesperson to recommend the Fund over another investment. Ask your salesperson or visit your Financial Intermediary’s web site for more information.

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds  |  Details of the Funds

Prime Portfolio

Investment Objective

The Prime Portfolio seeks preservation of capital, daily liquidity and maximum current income.

Approach

The Fund invests in liquid, high quality U.S. dollar-denominated money market instruments of U.S. and foreign financial corporations and U.S. non-financial corporations. The Fund also invests in obligations issued or guaranteed by the U.S. Government and its agencies and instrumentalities. The Fund’s money market investments may include commercial paper, corporate debt obligations, debt obligations (including certificates of deposit and promissory notes) of U.S. banks or foreign banks, or of U.S. branches or subsidiaries of foreign banks, or foreign branches of U.S. banks (such as Yankee obligations), certificates of deposit of savings banks and savings and loan organizations, asset-backed securities, repurchase agreements and municipal obligations.

The Fund operates as an “institutional money market fund” which is neither a “government money market fund” nor “retail money market fund” as such terms are defined or interpreted under Rule 2a-7. As such, the Fund is required to price and transact in its shares at a NAV reflecting market-based values of its portfolio holdings (i.e., at a “floating” NAV), rounded to a minimum of the fourth decimal place. Like other money market funds of its type, the Fund is subject to the possible imposition of liquidity fees and/or redemption gates.

Process

The Adviser follows a multi-pronged investment process with respect to credit risk, interest rate risk and liquidity. Securities are reviewed on an ongoing basis to maintain or improve creditworthiness taking into consideration factors such as cash flow, asset quality, debt service coverage ratios and economic developments. Additionally, exposure to guarantors and liquidity providers is monitored separately as are the various diversification requirements.

The Adviser actively manages the Fund’s assets in an attempt to reduce the risk of losing any principal investment as a result of credit or interest rate risks. In addition, federal regulations require money market funds to invest only in debt obligations of high quality and short-term maturities.

Principal Risks

The Fund’s principal investment strategies are subject to the following principal risks:

There is no assurance that the Fund will achieve its investment objective. You could lose money by investing in the Fund. Because the share price of the Fund will fluctuate, when you sell your shares they may be worth more or less than what you originally paid for them. The Fund may impose a fee upon the sale of your shares or may temporarily suspend your ability to sell shares if the Fund’s liquidity falls below required minimums because of market conditions or other factors. An investment in the Fund is not insured or guaranteed by the FDIC or any other government agency.

A principal risk of investing in the Fund is associated with its debt obligation investments. All debt obligations, such as bonds, are subject to two types of risk: credit risk and interest rate risk. Credit risk refers to the possibility that the issuer or guarantor of a security will be unable to make interest payments and/or repay the principal on its debt. Interest rate risk refers to fluctuations in the value of a fixed-income security resulting from changes in the general level of interest rates. When the general level of interest rates goes up, the prices of most fixed-income securities go down. When the general level of interest rates goes down, the prices of most fixed-income securities go up. A low interest rate environment may prevent the Fund from providing a positive yield or paying Fund expenses out of Fund assets. The Fund may face a heightened level of interest rate risk in times of monetary policy change and uncertainty, such as when the Federal Reserve Board ends a quantitative easing program and/or raises rates. A rising interest rate environment increases certain risks, including the potential for periods of volatility, increased redemptions and extended durations (i.e., extension risk).

The Fund may purchase bank obligations. The activities of U.S. and most foreign banks are subject to comprehensive regulations. The enactment of new legislation or regulations, as well as changes in interpretation and enforcement of current laws, may affect the manner of operations and profitability of domestic and foreign banks. In addition, banks may be particularly susceptible to certain economic factors.

The Fund may purchase U.S. government securities that are not backed by the full faith and credit of the United States. With respect to these U.S. government securities, there is the risk that the U.S. Government will not provide financial support to such U.S. government agencies, instrumentalities or sponsored enterprises if it is not obligated to do so by law. The maximum potential liability of the issuers of some U.S. government securities held by the Fund may greatly exceed their current resources, including their legal right to support from the U.S. Treasury. It is possible that these issuers will not have the funds to meet their payment obligations in the future.

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds | Details of the Funds

Prime Portfolio (Cont’d)

Repurchase agreements are subject to additional risks associated with the possibility of default by the seller at a time when the collateral has declined in value, or insolvency of the seller, which may affect the Fund’s right to control the collateral and result in certain costs and delays.

Asset-backed securities raise certain risk considerations, including prepayment risk, extension risk and the risk of inadequate recovery on repossessed collateral. Because the Fund may concentrate its investments in bank securities, an adverse development in the banking industry may affect the value of the Fund’s investments more than if the Fund’s investments were not so concentrated.

The Fund may invest in U.S. dollar-denominated foreign securities and money market instruments. Although the Fund will invest in these securities only if the Adviser determines they are of comparable quality to the Fund’s U.S. investments, investing in securities of foreign issuers involves some additional risks. These risks may include the possibility of adverse political, economic or other developments affecting the issuers of these securities.

To the extent the Fund invests in municipal obligations issued by state and local governments and their agencies, the Fund may be susceptible to political, economic, regulatory or other factors affecting issuers of these municipal obligations.

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds  |  Details of the Funds

ESG Money Market Portfolio

Investment Objective

The ESG Money Market Portfolio seeks preservation of capital, daily liquidity and maximum current income.

Approach

The Fund invests in liquid, high quality U.S. dollar-denominated money market instruments of U.S. and foreign financial and non-financial corporations. The Fund also invests in obligations of foreign governments and in obligations issued or guaranteed by the U.S. Government and its agencies and instrumentalities. The Fund’s money market investments may include commercial paper, corporate debt obligations, debt obligations (including certificates of deposit and promissory notes) of U.S. banks or foreign banks, or of U.S. branches or subsidiaries of foreign banks, or foreign branches of U.S. banks (such as Yankee obligations), certificates of deposit of savings banks and savings and loan organizations, asset-backed securities, repurchase agreements and municipal obligations.

The Fund operates as an “institutional money market fund” which is neither a “government money market fund” nor “retail money market fund” as such terms are defined or interpreted under Rule 2a-7. As such, the Fund is required to price and transact in its shares at a NAV reflecting market-based values of its portfolio holdings (i.e., at a “floating” NAV), rounded to a minimum of the fourth decimal place. Like other money market funds of its type, the Fund is subject to the possible imposition of liquidity fees and/or redemption gates.

Process

The Adviser follows a multi-pronged investment process with respect to credit risk, interest rate risk and liquidity. Securities are reviewed on an ongoing basis to maintain or improve creditworthiness taking into consideration factors such as cash flow, asset quality, debt service coverage ratios and economic developments. Additionally, exposure to guarantors and liquidity providers is monitored separately as are the various diversification requirements.

The Adviser believes that ESG factors have the ability to impact the fundamental credit risk of an entity. The Fund’s investment process incorporates information about ESG issues via an integrated approach within the Adviser’s fundamental investment analysis framework. The Adviser may engage with management of certain issuers regarding corporate governance practices as well as what the Adviser deems to be materially important environmental and/or social issues facing a company.

The Adviser has proprietary ESG-scoring methodologies that explicitly consider the risks and opportunities ESG factors pose to money market instruments. By combining third-party ESG data with proprietary views, the Adviser creates unique scoring methodologies that it applies to issuers.

During the security selection process, the Adviser employs a rules-based process to construct the portfolio. Initially, the Adviser determines from the universe of money market fund-eligible issuers those which, in its opinion, have the lowest credit risk and/or best credit profile, excluding the following:

 

Corporations that generate revenue from the manufacturing or production of tobacco;

 

Corporations that generate revenue from the manufacturing or production of landmines and cluster munitions (i.e., an explosive weapon that randomly scatters submunitions);

 

Corporations that generate revenue from the manufacturing or production of firearms;

 

Corporations that generate revenue from the mining of thermal coal or coal fired power generation; and

 

Corporations that primarily generate revenue from the fossil fuel industries, which the Adviser has determined produce a certain level of carbon emissions.
 

The Fund may invest in green commercial paper (a security that is typically issued to raise capital specifically to support climate-related or environmental projects) issued by companies that would otherwise be subject to fossil fuel exclusions so long as the Adviser has determined that the proceeds will not be used to finance fossil fuel generation capabilities.

In analyzing whether an issuer meets any of the criteria described above, the Adviser may rely upon, among other things, information provided by an independent third party.

After applying the above exclusion screens, the Adviser calculates proprietary ESG scores for the remaining issuers based on a number of variables, such as environmental, social, governance, controversy and ESG momentum factors. The Adviser then sets minimum ESG score thresholds. Only issuers with an ESG score above a minimum threshold will be considered for investment by the Fund, thus eliminating those issuers with the lowest ESG performance. The Adviser’s minimum ESG score thresholds may be adjusted from time to time, provided that a subset of issuers are always excluded by ESG factors.

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ESG Money Market Portfolio (Cont’d)

From the final list of ESG-approved issuers, the Adviser determines the securities and issuers in which the Fund will invest, taking into account a variety of relevant considerations (including, without limitation, yield, interest rate changes, credit quality and duration).

Under normal circumstances, the Fund will invest 100% of its net assets (excluding cash) in securities whose issuer or guarantor, in the Adviser’s opinion at the time of purchase, meets the Fund’s ESG criteria.

The Adviser actively manages the Fund’s assets in an attempt to reduce the risk of losing any principal investment as a result of credit or interest rate risks. In addition, federal regulations require money market funds to invest only in debt obligations of high quality and short-term maturities.

Principal Risks

The Fund’s principal investment strategies are subject to the following principal risks:

There is no assurance that the Fund will achieve its investment objective. You could lose money by investing in the Fund. Because the share price of the Fund will fluctuate, when you sell your shares they may be worth more or less than what you originally paid for them. The Fund may impose a fee upon the sale of your shares or may temporarily suspend your ability to sell shares if the Fund’s liquidity falls below required minimums because of market conditions or other factors. An investment in the Fund is not insured or guaranteed by the FDIC or any other government agency.

A principal risk of investing in the Fund is associated with its debt obligation investments. All debt obligations, such as bonds, are subject to two types of risk: credit risk and interest rate risk. Credit risk refers to the possibility that the issuer or guarantor of a security will be unable to make interest payments and/or repay the principal on its debt. Interest rate risk refers to fluctuations in the value of a fixed-income security resulting from changes in the general level of interest rates. When the general level of interest rates goes up, the prices of most fixed-income securities go down. When the general level of interest rates goes down, the prices of most fixed-income securities go up. A low interest rate environment may prevent the Fund from providing a positive yield or paying Fund expenses out of Fund assets. The Fund may face a heightened level of interest rate risk in times of monetary policy change and uncertainty, such as when the Federal Reserve Board ends a quantitative easing program and/or raises rates. A rising interest rate environment increases certain risks, including the potential for periods of volatility, increased redemptions and extended durations (i.e., extension risk).

The Fund may purchase bank obligations. The activities of U.S. and most foreign banks are subject to comprehensive regulations. The enactment of new legislation or regulations, as well as changes in interpretation and enforcement of current laws, may affect the manner of operations and profitability of domestic and foreign banks. In addition, banks may be particularly susceptible to certain economic factors.

The Fund may purchase U.S. government securities that are not backed by the full faith and credit of the United States. With respect to these U.S. government securities, there is the risk that the U.S. Government will not provide financial support to such U.S. government agencies, instrumentalities or sponsored enterprises if it is not obligated to do so by law. The maximum potential liability of the issuers of some U.S. government securities held by the Fund may greatly exceed their current resources, including their legal right to support from the U.S. Treasury. It is possible that these issuers will not have the funds to meet their payment obligations in the future.

Asset-backed securities raise certain risk considerations including prepayment risk, extension risk and the risk of inadequate recovery on repossessed collateral. Because the Fund may concentrate its investments in bank securities, an adverse development in the banking industry may affect the value of the Fund’s investments more than if the Fund were not so concentrated.

Repurchase agreements are subject to additional risks associated with the possibility of default by the seller at a time when the collateral has declined in value, or insolvency of the seller, which may affect the Fund’s right to control the collateral and result in certain costs and delays.

The Fund may invest in U.S. dollar-denominated foreign securities and money market instruments. Although the Fund will invest in these securities only if the Adviser determines they are of comparable quality to the Fund’s U.S. investments, investing in securities of foreign issuers involves some additional risks. These risks may include the possibility of adverse political, economic or other developments affecting the issuers of these securities.

To the extent the Fund invests in municipal obligations issued by state and local governments and their agencies, the Fund may be susceptible to political, economic, regulatory or other factors affecting issuers of these municipal obligations.

The Fund’s adherence to its ESG criteria and application of related analyses when selecting investments may affect the Fund’s performance depending on whether such investments are in or out of favor and relative to similar funds that do not adhere to such criteria or apply such analyses. Socially responsible norms differ by country and region, and a company’s ESG practices or the

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds  |  Details of the Funds

ESG Money Market Portfolio (Con’t)

Adviser’s assessment of such may change over time. The Fund may invest in companies that do not reflect the beliefs and values of any particular investor. Additionally, the Fund’s adherence to its ESG criteria and application of related analyses in connection with identifying and selecting investments in non-U.S. issuers often require subjective analysis and may be relatively more difficult than applying the ESG criteria or related analyses to investments of U.S. issuers because data availability may be more limited with respect to non-U.S. issuers. The exclusionary criteria related to the Fund’s ESG criteria may result in the Fund forgoing opportunities to buy certain securities when it might otherwise be advantageous to do so, or selling securities for ESG reasons when it might be otherwise disadvantageous for it to do so. The Fund’s investments in certain companies may be susceptible to various factors that may impact their businesses or operations, including costs associated with government budgetary constraints that impact publicly funded projects and clean energy initiatives, the effects of general economic conditions throughout the world, increased competition from other providers of services, unfavorable tax laws or accounting policies and high leverage.

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds  |  Details of the Funds

Government Portfolio

Investment Objective

The Government Portfolio seeks preservation of capital, daily liquidity and maximum current income.

Approach

The Fund has adopted a policy to invest exclusively in obligations issued or guaranteed by the U.S. Government and its agencies and instrumentalities and in repurchase agreements collateralized by such securities in order to qualify as a “government money market fund” under federal regulations. The Fund may also hold cash from time to time. A “government money market fund” is a money market fund that invests at least 99.5% of its total assets in cash, securities issued or guaranteed by the United States or certain U.S. government agencies or instrumentalities and/or repurchase agreements that are collateralized fully by the foregoing. In selecting investments, the Adviser seeks to maintain the Fund’s share price at $1.00. The share price remaining stable at $1.00 means that the Fund would preserve the principal value of your investment. The Fund may change its principal investment strategies; however you would be notified of any changes.

The U.S. government securities that the Fund may purchase include:

 

U.S. treasury bills, notes and bonds, all of which are direct obligations of the U.S. Government.

 

Securities issued by agencies and instrumentalities of the U.S. Government which are backed by the full faith and credit of the United States. Among the agencies and instrumentalities issuing these obligations are the Government National Mortgage Association (“Ginnie Mae”) and the Federal Housing Administration.

 

Securities issued by agencies and instrumentalities which are not backed by the full faith and credit of the United States, but whose issuing agency or instrumentality has the right to borrow, to meet its obligations, from the U.S. Treasury. Among these agencies and instrumentalities are the Federal National Mortgage Association (“Fannie Mae”), the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (“Freddie Mac”) and the Federal Home Loan Banks.

 

Securities issued by agencies and instrumentalities which are backed solely by the credit of the issuing agency or instrumentality. Among these agencies and instrumentalities is the Federal Farm Credit System.
 

Process

The Adviser follows an investment process that seeks to select maturities based on the shape of the money market yield curve and based on the expectations as to future shifts in the level and shape of the curve, taking into consideration such factors as current short-term interest rates, Federal Reserve policy regarding interest rates and U.S. economic activity.

The Adviser actively manages the Fund’s assets in an attempt to reduce the risk of losing any principal investment as a result of credit or interest rate risks. The Fund’s assets are reviewed to maintain or improve creditworthiness. In addition, federal regulations require money market funds to invest only in debt obligations of high quality and short-term maturities.

Principal Risks

The Fund’s principal investment strategies are subject to the following principal risks:

There is no assurance that the Fund will achieve its investment objective. You could lose money by investing in the Fund. Although the Fund seeks to preserve the value of your investment at $1.00 per share, it cannot guarantee it will do so. An investment in the Fund is not insured or guaranteed by the FDIC or any other government agency.

A principal risk of investing in the Fund is associated with its debt obligation investments. All debt obligations, such as bonds, are subject to two types of risk: credit risk and interest rate risk. Credit risk refers to the possibility that the issuer or guarantor of a security will be unable to make interest payments and/or repay the principal on its debt. Interest rate risk refers to fluctuations in the value of a fixed-income security resulting from changes in the general level of interest rates. When the general level of interest rates goes up, the prices of most fixed-income securities go down. When the general level of interest rates goes down, the prices of most fixed-income securities go up. A low interest rate environment may prevent the Fund from providing a positive yield or paying Fund expenses out of Fund assets and could impair the Fund’s ability to maintain a stable NAV. The Fund may face a heightened level of interest rate risk in times of monetary policy change and uncertainty, such as when the Federal Reserve Board ends a quantitative easing program and/or raises rates. A rising interest rate environment increases certain risks, including the potential for periods of volatility, increased redemptions and extended durations (i.e., extension risk).

The Fund may purchase U.S. government securities that are not backed by the full faith and credit of the United States. With respect to these U.S. government securities, there is the risk that the U.S. Government will not provide financial support to such U.S. government agencies, instrumentalities or sponsored enterprises if it is not obligated to do so by law. The maximum potential liability of the issuers of some U.S. government securities held by the Fund may greatly exceed their current resources, including their legal right to support from the U.S. Treasury. It is possible that these issuers will not have the funds to meet their payment obligations in the future.

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds  |  Details of the Funds

Government Portfolio (Con’t)

Repurchase agreements are subject to additional risks associated with the possibility of default by the seller at a time when the collateral has declined in value, or insolvency of the seller, which may affect the Fund’s right to control the collateral and result in certain costs and delays.

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds  |  Details of the Funds

Government Securities Portfolio

Investment Objective

The Government Securities Portfolio seeks preservation of capital, daily liquidity and maximum current income.

Approach

The Fund has adopted a policy to invest substantially all of its assets in U.S. Treasury obligations and certain U.S. government securities, the interest from which is generally exempt from state income taxation, in order to qualify as a “government money market fund” under federal regulations. The Fund may also hold cash from time to time. A “government money market fund” is a money market fund that invests at least 99.5% of its total assets in cash, securities issued or guaranteed by the United States or certain U.S. government agencies or instrumentalities and/or repurchase agreements that are collateralized fully by the foregoing. In selecting investments, the Adviser seeks to maintain the Fund’s share price at $1.00. The share price remaining stable at $1.00 means that the Fund would preserve the principal value of your investment. The U.S. government securities that the Fund may purchase include those issued or guaranteed either by the U.S. Treasury or certain agencies, authorities or instrumentalities of the U.S. Government. The Fund may also invest in repurchase agreements with the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. The Fund may change its principal investment strategies; however you would be notified of any changes.

Shareholders should consult their individual tax adviser to determine whether the Fund’s distributions derived from interest on the Treasury obligations and U.S. government securities referred to above are exempt from state taxation in their own state.

Process

The Adviser follows an investment process that seeks to select maturities based on the shape of the money market yield curve and based on the expectations as to future shifts in the level and shape of the curve, taking into consideration such factors as current short-term interest rates, Federal Reserve policy regarding interest rates and U.S. economic activity.

The Adviser actively manages the Fund’s assets in an attempt to reduce the risk of losing any principal investment as a result of credit or interest rate risks. The Fund’s assets are reviewed to maintain or improve creditworthiness. In addition, federal regulations require money market funds to invest only in debt obligations of high quality and short-term maturities.

Principal Risks

The Fund’s principal investment strategies are subject to the following principal risks:

There is no assurance that the Fund will achieve its investment objective. You could lose money by investing in the Fund. Although the Fund seeks to preserve the value of your investment at $1.00 per share, it cannot guarantee it will do so. An investment in the Fund is not insured or guaranteed by the FDIC or any other government agency.

A principal risk of investing in the Fund is associated with its debt obligation investments. All debt obligations, such as bonds, are subject to two types of risk: credit risk and interest rate risk. Credit risk refers to the possibility that the issuer or guarantor of a security will be unable to make interest payments and/or repay the principal on its debt. Interest rate risk refers to fluctuations in the value of a fixed-income security resulting from changes in the general level of interest rates. When the general level of interest rates goes up, the prices of most fixed-income securities go down. When the general level of interest rates goes down, the prices of most fixed-income securities go up. A low interest rate environment may prevent the Fund from providing a positive yield or paying Fund expenses out of Fund assets and could impair the Fund’s ability to maintain a stable NAV. The Fund may face a heightened level of interest rate risk in times of monetary policy change and uncertainty, such as when the Federal Reserve Board ends a quantitative easing program and/or raises rates. A rising interest rate environment increases certain risks, including the potential for periods of volatility, increased redemptions and extended durations (i.e., extension risk).

The Fund may purchase U.S. government securities that are not backed by the full faith and credit of the United States. With respect to these U.S. government securities, there is the risk that the U.S. Government will not provide financial support to such U.S. government agencies, instrumentalities or sponsored enterprises if it is not obligated to do so by law. The maximum potential liability of the issuers of some U.S. government securities held by the Fund may greatly exceed their current resources, including their legal right to support from the U.S. Treasury. It is possible that these issuers will not have the funds to meet their payment obligations in the future.

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds  |  Details of the Funds

Treasury Portfolio

Investment Objective

The Treasury Portfolio seeks preservation of capital, daily liquidity and maximum current income.

Approach

The Fund has adopted a policy to invest exclusively in U.S. Treasury obligations, which are backed by the full faith and credit of the United States, and repurchase agreements collateralized by such securities in order to qualify as a “government money market fund” under federal regulations. The Fund may also hold cash from time to time. A “government money market fund” is a money market fund that invests at least 99.5% of its total assets in cash, securities issued or guaranteed by the United States or certain U.S. government agencies or instrumentalities and/or repurchase agreements that are collateralized fully by the foregoing. In selecting investments, the Adviser seeks to maintain the Fund’s share price at $1.00. The share price remaining stable at $1.00 means that the Fund would preserve the principal value of your investment. The Fund may change its principal investment strategies; however you would be notified of any changes.

Process

The Adviser follows an investment process that seeks to select maturities based on the shape of the money market yield curve and based on the expectations as to future shifts in the level and shape of the curve, taking into consideration such factors as current short-term interest rates, Federal Reserve policy regarding interest rates and U.S. economic activity.

The Adviser actively manages the Fund’s assets in an attempt to reduce the risk of losing any principal investment as a result of credit or interest rate risks. The Fund’s assets are reviewed to maintain or improve creditworthiness. In addition, federal regulations require money market funds to invest only in debt obligations of high quality and short-term maturities.

Principal Risks

The Fund’s principal investment strategies are subject to the following principal risks:

There is no assurance that the Fund will achieve its investment objective. You could lose money by investing in the Fund. Although the Fund seeks to preserve the value of your investment at $1.00 per share, it cannot guarantee it will do so. An investment in the Fund is not insured or guaranteed by the FDIC or any other government agency.

A principal risk of investing in the Fund is associated with its debt obligation investments. All debt obligations, such as bonds, are subject to two types of risk: credit risk and interest rate risk. Credit risk refers to the possibility that the issuer or guarantor of a security will be unable to make interest payments and/or repay the principal on its debt. Interest rate risk refers to fluctuations in the value of a fixed-income security resulting from changes in the general level of interest rates. When the general level of interest rates goes up, the prices of most fixed-income securities go down. When the general level of interest rates goes down, the prices of most fixed-income securities go up. A low interest rate environment may prevent the Fund from providing a positive yield or paying Fund expenses out of Fund assets and could impair the Fund’s ability to maintain a stable NAV. The Fund may face a heightened level of interest rate risk in times of monetary policy change and uncertainty, such as when the Federal Reserve Board ends a quantitative easing program and/or raises rates. A rising interest rate environment increases certain risks, including the potential for periods of volatility, increased redemptions and extended durations (i.e., extension risk).

The U.S. government securities in which the Fund invests can be subject to two types of risk: credit risk and interest rate risk. When the general level of interest rates goes up, the prices of most fixed-income securities go down. When the general level of interest rates goes down, the prices of most fixed-income securities go up. While the credit risk associated with U.S. government securities generally is considered to be minimal, the interest rate risk can be substantial.

Repurchase agreements are subject to additional risks associated with the possibility of default by the seller at a time when the collateral has declined in value, or insolvency of the seller, which may affect the Fund’s right to control the collateral and result in certain costs and delays.

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds  |  Details of the Funds

Treasury Securities Portfolio

Investment Objective

The Treasury Securities Portfolio seeks preservation of capital, daily liquidity and maximum current income.

Approach

The Fund has adopted a policy to invest exclusively in U.S. Treasury obligations, which are backed by the full faith and credit of the United States, in order to qualify as a “government money market fund” under federal regulations. The Fund may also hold cash from time to time. A “government money market fund” is a money market fund that invests at least 99.5% of its total assets in cash, securities issued or guaranteed by the United States or certain U.S. government agencies or instrumentalities and/or repurchase agreements that are collateralized fully by the foregoing. In selecting investments, the Adviser seeks to maintain the Fund’s share price at $1.00. The share price remaining stable at $1.00 means that the Fund would preserve the principal value of your investment. The Fund may change its principal investment strategies; however you would be notified of any changes.

Process

The Adviser follows an investment process that seeks to select maturities based on the shape of the money market yield curve and based on the expectations as to future shifts in the level and shape of the curve, taking into consideration such factors as current short-term interest rates, Federal Reserve policy regarding interest rates and U.S. economic activity.

The Adviser actively manages the Fund’s assets in an attempt to reduce the risk of losing any principal investment as a result of credit or interest rate risks. The Fund’s assets are reviewed to maintain or improve creditworthiness. In addition, federal regulations require money market funds to invest only in debt obligations of high quality and short-term maturities.

Principal Risks

The Fund’s principal investment strategies are subject to the following principal risks:

There is no assurance that the Fund will achieve its investment objective. You could lose money by investing in the Fund. Although the Fund seeks to preserve the value of your investment at $1.00 per share, it cannot guarantee it will do so. An investment in the Fund is not insured or guaranteed by the FDIC or any other government agency.

A principal risk of investing in the Fund is associated with its debt obligation investments. All debt obligations, such as bonds, are subject to two types of risk: credit risk and interest rate risk. Credit risk refers to the possibility that the issuer or guarantor of a security will be unable to make interest payments and/or repay the principal on its debt. Interest rate risk refers to fluctuations in the value of a fixed-income security resulting from changes in the general level of interest rates. When the general level of interest rates goes up, the prices of most fixed-income securities go down. When the general level of interest rates goes down, the prices of most fixed-income securities go up. A low interest rate environment may prevent the Fund from providing a positive yield or paying Fund expenses out of Fund assets and could impair the Fund’s ability to maintain a stable NAV. The Fund may face a heightened level of interest rate risk in times of monetary policy change and uncertainty, such as when the Federal Reserve Board ends a quantitative easing program and/or raises rates. A rising interest rate environment increases certain risks, including the potential for periods of volatility, increased redemptions and extended durations (i.e., extension risk).

The U.S. government securities in which the Fund invests can be subject to two types of risk: credit risk and interest rate risk. When the general level of interest rates goes up, the prices of most fixed-income securities go down. When the general level of interest rates goes down, the prices of most fixed-income securities go up. While the credit risk associated with U.S. government securities generally is considered to be minimal, the interest rate risk can be substantial.

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds  |  Details of the Funds

Tax-Exempt Portfolio

Investment Objective

The Tax-Exempt Portfolio seeks to maximize current income exempt from federal income tax to the extent consistent with preservation of capital and maintenance of liquidity.

Approach

The Fund invests at least 80% of its assets in high quality short-term municipal obligations, the interest of which is exempt from federal income taxes and is not subject to the federal alternative minimum tax. This policy is fundamental and may not be changed without shareholder approval. Municipal obligations are securities issued by state and local governments and their agencies and typically are either general obligation or revenue bonds, notes or commercial paper. General obligation securities are secured by the issuer’s full faith and credit including its taxing power for payment of principal and interest. Revenue bonds, however, are generally payable from a specific revenue source. They are issued for a wide variety of projects such as financing public utilities, hospitals, housing, airports, highways and educational facilities. Included within the revenue bonds category are participations in lease obligations and installment purchase contracts of municipalities. Additionally, the Fund’s investments may include variable and floating rate demand instruments, tender option bonds, custodial receipts and investments in other investment companies, including money market funds.

The Fund may invest up to 20% of its assets in taxable money market securities or in municipal obligations that pay interest income that may be subject to the alternative minimum tax. However, it is currently intended that the Fund will be managed so that income generated by the Fund will not be subject to the alternative minimum tax.

While at least 80% of the Fund’s assets typically will be invested in municipal obligations, the interest of which is exempt from federal income taxes and is not subject to the federal alternative minimum tax, the Fund may temporarily invest more than 20% of its assets in taxable money market securities for defensive purposes in attempting to respond to adverse market conditions.

The Fund operates as an “institutional money market fund” which is neither a “government money market fund” nor “retail money market fund” as such terms are defined or interpreted under Rule 2a-7. As such, the Fund is required to price and transact in its shares at a NAV reflecting market-based values of its portfolio holdings (i.e., at a “floating” NAV), rounded to a minimum of the fourth decimal place. Like other money market funds of its type, the Fund is subject to the possible imposition of liquidity fees and/or redemption gates.

Process

The Adviser follows a multi-pronged investment process with respect to credit risk, interest rate risk and liquidity. Securities are reviewed on an ongoing basis, taking into consideration factors such as economic developments, budgetary trends, cash flow, debt service coverage ratios and tax-law changes. Exposure to guarantors and liquidity providers is monitored separately. Weighted average maturity is shifted in response to expectations as to the future course of money market interest rates, the shape of the money market yield curve and the Fund’s recent cash flow experience.

The Adviser actively manages the Fund’s assets in an attempt to reduce the risk of losing any principal investment as a result of credit or interest rate risks. The Fund’s assets are reviewed to maintain or improve creditworthiness. In addition, federal regulations require money market funds to invest only in debt obligations of high quality and short-term maturities.

Principal Risks

The Fund’s principal investment strategies are subject to the following principal risks:

There is no assurance that the Fund will achieve its investment objective. You could lose money by investing in the Fund. Because the share price of the Fund will fluctuate, when you sell your shares they may be worth more or less than what you originally paid for them. The Fund may impose a fee upon the sale of your shares or may temporarily suspend your ability to sell shares if the Fund’s liquidity falls below required minimums because of market conditions or other factors. An investment in the Fund is not insured or guaranteed by the FDIC or any other government agency.

A principal risk of investing in the Fund is associated with its debt obligation investments. All debt obligations, such as bonds, are subject to two types of risk: credit risk and interest rate risk. Credit risk refers to the possibility that the issuer or guarantor of a security will be unable to make interest payments and/or repay the principal on its debt. Interest rate risk refers to fluctuations in the value of a fixed-income security resulting from changes in the general level of interest rates. When the general level of interest rates goes up, the prices of most fixed-income securities go down. When the general level of interest rates goes down, the prices of most fixed-income securities go up. A low interest rate environment may prevent the Fund from providing a positive yield or paying Fund expenses out of Fund assets. The Fund may face a heightened level of interest rate risk in times of monetary policy change and uncertainty, such as when the Federal Reserve Board ends a quantitative easing program and/or raises rates. A rising interest rate environment increases certain risks, including the potential for periods of volatility, increased redemptions and extended durations (i.e., extension risk).

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds | Details of the Funds

Tax-Exempt Portfolio (Cont’d)

To the extent the Fund invests in municipal obligations issued by state and local governments and their agencies, the Fund may be susceptible to political, economic, regulatory or other factors affecting issuers of these municipal obligations. Municipal obligations are also subject to credit risk and interest risk. In the case of revenue bonds, for example, credit risk is the possibility that the user fees from a project or other specified revenue sources are insufficient to meet interest and/or principal payment obligations. The Fund is subject to added credit risk if it concentrates its investments in a single economic sector, which could be effected by economic, business or political developments which might affect all municipal obligations in that particular economic sector.

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Prospectus  |  Additional Information About the Funds’ Investment Strategies and Related Risks

Additional Information About the Funds’ Investment Strategies and Related Risks

This section discusses additional information relating to the Funds’ investment strategies, other types of investments that the Funds may make and related risk factors. The Funds’ investment practices and limitations are also described in more detail in the Statement of Additional Information (“SAI”), which is incorporated by reference and legally is a part of this Prospectus. For details on how to obtain a copy of the SAI and other reports and information, see the back cover of this Prospectus.

Bank Obligations

Bank obligations include certificates of deposit, commercial paper, unsecured bank promissory notes, bankers’ acceptances, time deposits and other debt obligations. Certain Funds may invest in obligations issued or backed by U.S. banks when a bank has more than $1 billion in total assets at the time of purchase or is a branch or subsidiary of such a bank. In addition, certain Funds may invest in U.S. dollar-denominated obligations issued or guaranteed by foreign banks that have more than $1 billion in total assets at the time of purchase, U.S. branches or subsidiaries of such foreign banks (Yankee obligations), foreign branches of such foreign banks and foreign branches of U.S. banks having more than $1 billion in total assets at the time of purchase. Bank obligations may be general obligations of the parent bank or may be limited to the issuing branch by the terms of the specific obligation or by U.S. government regulation.

If a Fund invests more than 25% of its total assets in bank obligations (whether foreign or domestic), it may be especially affected by favorable and adverse developments in or related to the banking industry. The activities of U.S. and most foreign banks are subject to comprehensive regulations, which, in the case of U.S. regulations, have undergone substantial changes in the past decade. The enactment of new legislation or regulations, as well as changes in interpretation and enforcement of current laws, may affect the manner of operations and profitability of domestic and foreign banks. Significant developments in the U.S. banking industry have included increased competition from other types of financial institutions, increased acquisition activity and geographic expansion. Banks may be particularly susceptible to certain economic factors, such as interest rate changes and adverse developments in the real estate markets. Fiscal and monetary policy and general economic cycles can affect the availability and cost of funds, loan demand and asset quality and thereby impact the earnings and financial conditions of banks. Obligations of foreign banks, including Yankee obligations, are subject to the same risks that pertain to domestic issuers, notably credit risk and market risk, but are also subject to certain additional risks such as adverse foreign political and economic developments, the extent and quality of foreign government regulation of the financial markets and institutions, foreign withholding taxes and other sovereign action such as nationalization or expropriation.

Credit and Interest Rate Risk

All debt obligations, such as bonds, are subject to two types of risk: credit risk and interest rate risk. Interest rate risk refers to fluctuations in the value of a fixed-income security resulting from changes in the general level of interest rates. When the general level of interest rates goes up, the prices of most fixed-income securities go down. When the general level of interest rates goes down, the prices of most fixed-income securities go up. A low interest rate environment may prevent a Fund from providing a positive yield or paying Fund expenses out of Fund assets. The Funds may face a heightened level of interest rate risk in times of monetary policy change and uncertainty, such as when the Federal Reserve Board ends a quantitative easing program and/or raises rates. A rising interest rate environment increases certain risks, including the potential for periods of volatility, increased redemptions and extended durations (i.e., extension risk).

U.S. Government Securities

The U.S. government securities that certain Funds may purchase include U.S. Treasury bills, notes and bonds, all of which are direct obligations of the U.S. Government. In addition, certain Funds may purchase securities issued or guaranteed by agencies and instrumentalities of the U.S. Government which are backed by the full faith and credit of the United States. Among the agencies and instrumentalities issuing these obligations are Ginnie Mae and the Federal Housing Administration. Also, certain Funds may purchase securities issued by agencies and instrumentalities which are not backed by the full faith and credit of the United States, but whose issuing agency or instrumentality has the right to borrow, to meet its obligations, from the U.S. Treasury. Among these agencies and instrumentalities are Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac and the Federal Home Loan Banks. In September 2008, the U.S. Treasury Department announced that the U.S. Government would be taking over Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac and placing the companies into a conservatorship. In addition, the U.S. Treasury announced additional steps that it intended to take with respect to the debt and mortgage-backed securities issued by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac in order to support the conservatorship. Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac are continuing to operate as going concerns while in conservatorship and each remains liable for all of its respective obligations, including its guaranty obligations, associated with its mortgage-backed securities. No assurance can be given that these initiatives will be successful. Further, certain Funds may purchase securities issued by agencies and instrumentalities which are backed solely by the credit of the issuing agency or instrumentality. Among these agencies and instrumentalities is the Federal Farm Credit System. Because these securities are not backed by the full faith and credit of the United States, there is a risk that the U.S. Government will not provide financial support to these agencies if it is not obligated to do so by law. The maximum potential liability of the issuers of some U.S. government securities held by a Fund may greatly exceed their current resources, including their

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Prospectus  |  Additional Information About the Funds’ Investment Strategies and Related Risks

Additional Information About the Funds’ Investment Strategies and Related Risks (Con’t)

legal right to support from the U.S. Treasury. It is possible that these issuers will not have the funds to meet their payment obligations in the future. The interest from U.S. government securities generally is not subject to state and local taxation.

Foreign Securities

Certain Funds may invest in U.S. dollar-denominated securities issued by foreign governmental or corporate issuers, including Eurodollar and Yankee obligations. While these securities are subject to the same type of risks that pertain to domestic issuers, namely credit risk and interest rate risk, they are also subject to other additional risks. Foreign issuers generally are subject to different accounting, auditing and financial reporting standards than U.S. issuers. There may be less information available to the public about foreign issuers. Securities of foreign issuers can be less liquid and experience greater price movements. In some foreign countries, there is also the risk of government expropriation, excessive taxation, political or social instability, the imposition of currency controls or diplomatic developments that could affect an investment. There also can be difficulty obtaining and enforcing judgments against issuers in foreign countries. Foreign stock exchanges, broker-dealers and listed issuers may be subject to less government regulation and oversight.

Foreign Money Market Securities

Certain Funds may invest in foreign money market securities. As described elsewhere herein, foreign investing may involve risks relating to political, social and economic developments abroad to a greater extent than investing in the securities of U.S. issuers. In addition, there are differences between U.S. and foreign regulatory requirements and market practices that may result in additional risk. Foreign money market securities also present credit and interest rate risks similar to those attendant to an investment in domestic money market securities.

Custodial Receipts

Certain Funds may invest in custodial receipts representing interests in U.S. government securities, municipal obligations or other debt instruments held by a custodian or trustee. Custodial receipts evidence ownership of future interest payments, principal payments or both on notes or bonds issued or guaranteed as to principal or interest by the U.S. Government, its agencies, instrumentalities, political subdivisions or authorities, by a state or local governmental body or authority, or by other types of issuers. For certain securities law purposes, custodial receipts are not considered obligations of the underlying issuers. In addition, if for tax purposes a Fund is not considered to be the owner of the underlying securities held in the custodial account, the Fund may suffer adverse tax consequences. As a holder of custodial receipts, a Fund will bear its proportionate share of the fees and expenses charged to the custodial account.

Tender Option Bonds

A tender option bond is a municipal obligation (generally held pursuant to a custodial arrangement) having a relatively long maturity and bearing interest at a fixed rate substantially higher than prevailing short-term, tax-exempt rates. The bond is typically issued in conjunction with the agreement of a third-party, such as a bank, broker-dealer or other financial institution, pursuant to which the institution grants the security holder the option, at periodic intervals, to tender its securities to the institution. As consideration for providing the option, the financial institution receives periodic fees equal to the difference between the bond’s fixed coupon rate and the rate, as determined by a remarketing or similar agent, that would cause the securities, coupled with the tender option, to trade at par on the date of such determination. Thus, after payment of this fee, the security holder effectively holds a demand obligation that bears interest at the prevailing short-term, tax-exempt rate. An institution will normally not be obligated to accept tendered bonds in the event of certain defaults or significant downgrading in the credit rating assigned to the issuer of the bond. The tender option will be taken into account in determining the maturity of the tender option bonds and average portfolio maturity. There is a risk that the investing Fund will not be considered the owner of a tender option bond for federal income tax purposes, and thus will not be entitled to treat such interest as exempt from federal income tax. Certain tender option bonds may be illiquid or may become illiquid as a result of a credit rating downgrade, a payment default or a disqualification from tax-exempt status. Additionally, the Dodd–Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (the “Dodd-Frank Act”), including the Volcker Rule, among other regulatory changes, may affect the ability of bank-sponsored tender option bonds to continue to operate or remain cost-effective investments.

Corporate Debt Obligations

Corporate debt obligations are fixed-income securities issued by private corporations. The investment return of corporate debt obligations reflects interest earnings and changes in the market value of the security. The market value of a corporate debt obligation may be expected to rise and fall inversely with interest rates generally. There also exists the risk that the issuers of the securities may not be able to meet their obligations on interest or principal payments at the time called for by an instrument. Debtholders, as creditors, have a prior legal claim over common and preferred stockholders of the corporation as to both income and assets for the principal and interest due to the bondholder. Certain Funds will buy corporate debt obligations subject to any quality constraints set forth under Rule 2a-7.

Revenue Bonds

Revenue bonds are municipal obligations that are secured by the revenue from a specific project. To the extent that a Fund invests in revenue bonds, and which are municipal obligations of issuers in the same economic sector, there could be economic, business or

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Prospectus  |  Additional Information About the Funds’ Investment Strategies and Related Risks

Additional Information About the Funds’ Investment Strategies and Related Risks (Con’t)

political developments which might affect such municipal obligations. For example, investments in revenue bonds backed by receipts from hospitals are sensitive to hospital bond ratings, which are often based on feasibility studies which contain projections of expenses, revenues and occupancy levels. Additional factors which could affect a hospital’s gross receipts and net income available to service its debt are demand for hospital services, the ability of the hospital to provide the services required, management capabilities, economic developments in the service area, efforts by insurers and government agencies to limit rates and expenses, reputational issues, competition, availability and expenses of malpractice insurance, Medicaid and Medicare funding and possible federal legislation regulating hospital charges.

Asset-Backed Securities

Asset-backed securities represent an interest in a pool of assets such as automobile loans, credit card receivables or mortgage or home equity loans, or certificates of participation or lease obligations or other municipal debt obligations, that have been securitized in pass-through structures. These types of pass-through securities provide for monthly payments that are a “pass-through” of the monthly interest and principal payments made by the individual borrowers on the pooled receivables. Such securities also may be debt instruments, which are also known as collateralized obligations and are generally issued as the debt of a special purpose entity, such as a trust, organized solely for the purpose of owning such assets and issuing such debt. Credit support for asset-backed securities may be based on the underlying assets and/or provided by a third-party through credit enhancements. Credit enhancement techniques include letters of credit, insurance bonds, limited guarantees (which are generally provided by the issuer), senior-subordinated structures and over-collateralization.

Asset-backed securities are not issued or guaranteed by the U.S. Government or its agencies or instrumentalities; however, the payment of principal and interest on such obligations may be guaranteed up to certain amounts for a certain period by a letter of credit issued by a financial institution (such as a bank or insurance company) unaffiliated with the issuers of such securities. The purchase of asset-backed securities raises risk considerations specific to the financing of the instruments underlying such securities. For example, there is a risk that another party could acquire an interest in the obligations superior to that of the holders of the asset-backed securities. Asset-backed securities entail prepayment risk and extension risk, which may vary depending on the type of asset. Securities subject to prepayment risk generally offer less potential for gains when interest rates decline, and may offer a greater potential for loss when interest rates rise. In addition, rising interest rates may cause prepayments to occur at a slower than expected rate, thereby effectively lengthening the maturity of the security and making the security more sensitive to interest rate changes. Other factors, such as changes in credit card use and payment patterns, may also influence prepayment rates. Asset-backed securities also involve the risk that various federal and state consumer laws and other legal and economic factors such as defaults on the underlying loans may result in the collateral backing the securities being insufficient to support payment on the securities. The risk of such defaults is generally higher in the case of mortgage pools that include sub-prime mortgages. There is also the possibility that recoveries on repossessed collateral may not, in some cases, be available to support payments on those securities.

Repurchase Agreements

Repurchase agreements are fixed-income securities in the form of agreements backed by collateral. These agreements typically involve the acquisition by the Funds of securities from the selling institution (such as a bank or a broker-dealer), coupled with the agreement that the selling institution will repurchase the underlying securities at a specified price and at a fixed time in the future (or on demand, if applicable). The underlying securities which serve as collateral for the repurchase agreements entered into by certain Funds may include U.S. government securities, municipal securities, corporate debt obligations, convertible securities and common and preferred stock and may be of below investment grade quality. These securities are marked-to-market daily in order to maintain full collateralization (typically purchase price plus accrued interest). The use of repurchase agreements involves certain risks. For example, if the selling institution defaults on its obligation to repurchase the underlying securities at a time when the value of the securities has declined, the Funds may incur a loss upon disposition of them. The risk of such loss may be greater when utilizing collateral other than U.S. government securities. In the event of an insolvency or bankruptcy by the selling institution, the Funds’ right to control the collateral could be affected and result in certain costs and delays. Additionally, if the proceeds from the liquidation of such collateral after an insolvency were less than the repurchase price, the Funds could suffer a loss. Fund procedures are followed that are designed to minimize such risks.

The Government Securities Portfolio may enter into repurchase agreements with the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. Reduced participation in the repurchase agreement market by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York may affect the Fund’s investment strategies, operations and/or return potential.

Municipal Obligations

Certain Funds may purchase municipal obligations subject to any restraints set forth under Rule 2a-7. Municipal obligations are securities issued by state and local governments and their agencies. These securities typically are “general obligation” or “revenue” bonds, notes or commercial paper, including participations in lease obligations and installment purchase contracts of municipalities. These obligations may have fixed, variable or floating rates.

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Prospectus  |  Additional Information About the Funds’ Investment Strategies and Related Risks

Additional Information About the Funds’ Investment Strategies and Related Risks (Con’t)

Additional Risks and Investment Strategies of the Funds

Investment Companies

The Funds may invest in investment companies, including money market funds, and may invest all or some of their short-term cash investments in any money market fund advised or managed by the Adviser or its affiliates (an “affiliated money market fund”). An investment in an investment company is subject to the underlying risks of that investment company’s portfolio securities. In addition to a Fund’s fees and expenses, the Fund generally would bear its share of the investment company’s fees and expenses other than advisory and administrative fees of affiliated money market funds.

Promissory Notes

Promissory notes are generally debt obligations of the issuing entity and are subject to the risks of investing in the banking industry. Certain Funds may invest up to 5% of their net assets in illiquid securities, including unsecured bank promissory notes.

Tax-Exempt Variable Rate Demand Notes

Tax-exempt variable rate demand notes are variable rate tax-exempt debt obligations that give investors the right to demand principal repayment. Due to cyclical supply and demand considerations, at times the yields on these obligations can exceed the yield on taxable money market obligations.

Large Shareholder Transactions Risk

A Fund may experience adverse effects when certain large shareholders purchase or redeem large amounts of shares of the Fund. Such large shareholder redemptions may cause a Fund to sell portfolio securities at times when it would not otherwise do so, which may negatively impact the Fund’s NAV and liquidity. Similarly, large Fund share purchases may adversely affect a Fund’s performance to the extent that the Fund is delayed in investing new cash and is required to maintain a larger cash position than it ordinarily would. These transactions may also accelerate the realization of taxable income to shareholders if such sales of investments resulted in gains, and may also increase transaction costs. In addition, a large redemption could result in a Fund’s current expenses being allocated over a smaller asset base, leading to an increase in the Fund’s expense ratio. Although large shareholder transactions may be more frequent under certain circumstances, a Fund is generally subject to the risk that a large shareholder can purchase or redeem a significant percentage of Fund shares at any time.

Investment Discretion

In pursuing a Fund’s investment objective, the Adviser has considerable leeway in deciding which investments it buys, holds or sells on a day-to-day basis, and which trading strategies it uses. For example, the Adviser, in its discretion, may determine to use some permitted trading strategies while not using others. The success or failure of such decisions will affect a Fund’s performance.

Temporary Defensive Investments

When the Adviser believes that changes in market, economic, political or other conditions warrant, each Fund may invest without limit in cash or cash equivalents and the Tax-Exempt Portfolio may invest without limit in taxable money market securities for temporary defensive purposes that may be inconsistent with a Fund’s principal investment strategies. If the Adviser incorrectly predicts the effects of these changes, such defensive investments may adversely affect a Fund’s performance and the Fund may not achieve its investment objective.

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Prospectus  |  Shareholder Information

Shareholder Information

The Trust is designed for institutional investors seeking maximum current income and convenient liquidation privileges. The Funds are particularly suitable for corporations, banks and other financial institutions that seek investment of short-term funds for their own accounts or for the accounts of their customers. Shares of the Government Portfolio and Government Securities Portfolio are intended to qualify as eligible investments for federally chartered credit unions pursuant to the applicable provisions of the Federal Credit Union Act and the National Credit Union Administration. Shares of the Government Portfolio and Government Securities Portfolio, however, may not qualify as eligible investments for particular state-chartered credit unions. A state-chartered credit union should consult qualified legal counsel to determine whether these Funds are permissible investments under the law applicable to it.

Share Class Arrangements

This Prospectus offers Cash Management Class shares of each Fund. The Trust also offers other classes of shares through separate prospectuses. Certain of these classes may be subject to different fees and expenses. For information regarding other share classes, contact the Trust or your financial intermediary.

Minimum Investment Amount

Cash Management Class shares are available to clients of the Adviser with investments at the time of initial purchase of at least $1 million or to clients of Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC and its broker-dealer affiliates. The Adviser, in its sole discretion, may waive the minimum initial investment amount in certain cases including, but not limited to, shares of the Fund purchased through a financial intermediary or when the Adviser anticipates the combined value of a client’s investments will meet or exceed the minimum.

Distributor

Shares of the Funds are distributed exclusively through Morgan Stanley Distribution, Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Morgan Stanley. The Distributor has entered into arrangements with certain financial intermediaries (also referred to as service organizations) who may accept purchase and redemption orders for shares of each Fund on its behalf.

The Adviser and/or the Distributor may pay additional compensation (out of their own funds and not as an expense of a Fund) to selected affiliated or unaffiliated brokers or other service providers in connection with the sale, distribution, retention and/or servicing of Fund shares. Such compensation may be significant in amount and the prospect of receiving any such additional compensation may provide affiliated or unaffiliated entities with an incentive to favor sales of shares of the Fund over other investment options. Any such payments will not change the NAV or the price of Fund shares. For more information, please see the Funds’ SAI.

The Trust has adopted a Distribution Plan for each Fund’s Cash Management Class shares pursuant to Rule 12b-1 under the 1940 Act (the “Plan”) to pay the Distributor to provide for, or to compensate certain financial intermediaries (also referred to as service organizations) for, providing distribution related services to the Fund. Under the Plan, each Fund pays the Distributor a monthly distribution fee which shall not exceed during any one year 0.10% of each Fund’s average daily net assets of Cash Management Class shares which are beneficially owned by the customers of such service organization during such period. The Distributor may waive distribution fees to enable a Fund to maintain a minimum level of daily net investment income. The Distributor may discontinue these voluntary fee waivers at any time in the future.

The Trust has also adopted a Shareholder Service Plan for each Fund’s Cash Management Class shares to pay the Distributor to provide for, or to compensate service organizations for providing administrative services to shareholders. Under this Plan, each Fund pays the Distributor a monthly service fee which shall be assessed at an annual rate of 0.05% of each Fund’s average daily net assets of Cash Management Class Shares which are owned beneficially by the customers of such service organization during such period. The Distributor may waive distribution fees to enable a Fund to maintain a minimum level of daily net investment income. The Distributor may discontinue these voluntary fee waivers at any time in the future.

Because the fees are paid out of a 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 sales charges.

Valuation of Shares

Each of the Prime Portfolio’s, ESG Money Market Portfolio’s and Tax-Exempt Portfolio’s investments will be valued using market-based prices provided by an approved pricing service/vendor and the share price of each rounded to a minimum of the fourth decimal place. The price of each of Government Portfolio’s, Government Securities Portfolio’s, Treasury Portfolio’s and Treasury Securities Portfolio’s shares is based on the amortized cost of the Fund’s securities. The amortized cost valuation method involves valuing a debt obligation in reference to its cost rather than market forces. If the Adviser determines that a valuation is not reflective of the security’s market value, such security is valued at its fair value as determined in good faith under procedures established by and under the general supervision of the Board.

The NAV of each Fund is determined once daily (except that the NAV of Prime Portfolio is determined three times daily), normally at the times set forth below, on each day that the NYSE is open (the “Pricing Time”), except when the following federal holidays are observed: Columbus Day and Veterans Day.

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Prospectus  |  Shareholder Information

Shareholder Information (Con’t)

Shares will generally not be priced on days that the NYSE is closed, although Fund shares may be priced on such days if the Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association (“SIFMA”) recommends that the bond markets remain open for all or part of the day. On any business day when SIFMA recommends that the bond markets close early, a Fund reserves the right to close at or prior to the SIFMA recommended closing time. If a Fund does so, it will cease granting same day credit for purchase and redemption orders received after the Fund’s closing time and credit will be given on the next business day. The Fund may, however, elect to remain open and price shares of each Fund on days where the NYSE is closed but the primary securities markets on which the Funds’ securities trade remain open.

Government Portfolio
Treasury Portfolio

As of 5:00 p.m. Eastern time

ESG Money Market Portfolio
Government Securities Portfolio
Treasury Securities Portfolio

As of 3:00 p.m. Eastern time

Tax-Exempt Portfolio

As of 1:00 p.m. Eastern time

Prime Portfolio

As of 8:00 a.m., 12:00 p.m. and 3:00 p.m. Eastern time

Pricing of Fund Shares

Cash Management Class shares of the Funds may be purchased or sold (redeemed) at the NAV next determined after the Fund receives your order in good order and State Street Bank and Trust Company (the “Custodian”) receives monies credited by a Federal Reserve Bank (“Federal Funds”) prior to the close of the Federal Reserve Wire Network (“Fedwire”). You begin earning dividends the same day your Cash Management Class shares are purchased provided the Fund receives your purchase amount in Federal Funds that day as set forth above. Orders to purchase shares of a Fund must be received by the Fund prior to the following times to receive the NAV next determined: for the Government Portfolio and Treasury Portfolio—5:00 p.m. Eastern time; for the ESG Money Market Portfolio, Government Securities Portfolio and Treasury Securities Portfolio—3:00 p.m. Eastern time; for the Tax-Exempt Portfolio—1:00 p.m. Eastern time; and for the Prime Portfolio—8:00 a.m., 12:00 p.m. or 3:00 p.m. Eastern time. On any business day that the NYSE closes early, or when SIFMA recommends that the securities markets close early, a Fund may close early and purchase orders received after such earlier closing times will be processed the following business day. If the NYSE is closed due to inclement weather, technology problems or any other reason on a day it would normally be open for business, or the NYSE has an unscheduled early closing on a day it has opened for business, a Fund reserves the right to treat such day as a business day and accept purchase and redemption orders until, and calculate its NAV as of, the normally scheduled close of regular trading on the NYSE for that day, or such time noted above, so long as the Adviser believes there generally remains an adequate market to obtain reliable and accurate market quotations. A Fund may elect to remain open on days when the NYSE is closed or closes early but on which SIFMA recommends that the bond markets remain open for all or part of the day. Purchase orders received by a Fund and not funded by 6:00 p.m. Eastern time on the trade date may be subject to an overdraft charge.

Portfolio Holdings

A description of the Trust’s policies and procedures with respect to the disclosure of each Fund’s portfolio securities is available in the Trust’s SAI.

How To Purchase Shares

Cash Management Class shares of the Funds may be purchased directly from the Fund or through a financial intermediary.

Purchasing Shares Through a Financial Intermediary
You may open a new account and purchase Fund shares through certain authorized third-parties, such as brokers, dealers or other financial intermediaries that have entered into a selling agreement with the Distributor (each, a “Financial Intermediary”). Your Financial Intermediary will assist you with the procedures to invest in shares of the Fund. The Financial Intermediary will establish times by which such purchase orders and payments from customers must be received by the Financial Intermediary. Financial Intermediaries are responsible for transmitting purchase orders and payments to the Trust and the Trust’s Custodian in a timely fashion. Purchase orders placed with a Financial Intermediary and transmitted through a trading platform utilized by the Financial Intermediary may be transmitted by the trading platform after the deadlines established by the Trust for receipt of purchase orders, as set forth below; in such case, the purchase orders will receive a trade date of the next business day.

Investors purchasing Cash Management Class shares through a Financial Intermediary may be charged a transaction-based or other fees by the Financial Intermediary for its services. If you are purchasing Cash Management Class shares through a Financial Intermediary, please consult your intermediary for more information regarding any such fees and for purchase instructions.

With respect to sales through Financial Intermediaries, no offers or sales of Fund shares may be made in any foreign jurisdiction, except with the consent of the Distributor.

Purchasing Shares Directly From the Funds

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Prospectus  |  Shareholder Information

Shareholder Information (Con’t)

Initial Purchase by Mail
You may open an account, subject to acceptance by the Fund, and purchase Cash Management Class shares of a Fund by completing and signing a New Account Application which you can obtain by calling Morgan Stanley Services Company Inc. or the Fund at (888) 378-1630 (which is generally accessible weekdays 7:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m. Eastern time) and mailing it to Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds, c/o DST Asset Manager Solutions, Inc., P.O. Box 219804, Kansas City, MO 64121-9804 together with a check payable to Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds. Orders to purchase shares of a Fund must be received by the Fund prior to the applicable Fund’s final Pricing Time of that day. Orders received after such Pricing Time will be processed the following business day.

Please note that payments to investors who redeem shares of a Fund purchased by check will not be made until payment of the purchase has been collected, which may take up to 15 calendar days after purchase. You can avoid this delay by purchasing shares of a Fund by wire.

Initial Purchase by Wire
You may purchase Cash Management Class shares of each Fund by wiring Federal Funds (monies credited by a Federal Reserve Bank) to the Custodian. You must forward a completed New Account Application to the Transfer Agent in advance of the wire by following the instructions under “Initial Purchase by Mail.” You should instruct your bank to send a Federal Funds wire in a specified amount to the Custodian using the following wire instructions:

State Street Bank and Trust Company
One Lincoln Street
Boston, MA 02111-2101
ABA #011000028
DDA #00575399
Attn: Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Subscription Account
Ref: (Fund Name, Account Number, Account Name)
* For international investments into the US funds, BIC Code: SBOSUS33XXX must be referenced, as well as the information listed above.

If notification of your order is received prior to the time required by each respective Fund, as set forth above, and the Custodian receives the funds the same day prior to the close of the Fedwire, then your purchase will become effective and begin to earn income on that day. Otherwise, your purchase will be effective on the next business day.

Purchase by Internet
If you have properly authorized the Internet Trading Option on your New Account Application and completed, signed and returned to the Fund an Electronic Transactions Agreement, you may place a purchase order for additional shares online through Morgan Stanley’s Treasury Investment Portal service at www.morganstanley.com/liquidity. For more information, call Morgan Stanley Services Company Inc. at 1-888-378-1630.

You are responsible for transmitting payments for shares purchased via the Internet in a timely fashion, as set forth above.

Automatic Purchases
Selected accounts that utilize the Funds as their sweep vehicle will be reviewed on each business day to determine whether the account has a positive balance as a result of credits incurred that day. If an account has a positive (credit) balance, shares of the respective Fund will automatically be purchased. Any positive (credit) balance will be reduced by any debits to the account on that day and shares of the Fund will automatically be sold.

Additional Investments
You may make additional investments of Cash Management Class shares at the NAV next determined after the request is received in good order or by wiring Federal Funds to the Custodian as outlined above. State Street Bank and Trust Company must receive notification of receipt of your Federal Funds wire by the time required by each respective Fund, as set forth above under “How To Purchase Shares.”

General

To help the U.S. Government fight the funding of terrorism and money laundering activities, federal law requires all financial institutions to obtain, verify and record information that identifies each person who opens an account. What this means to you is that when you open an account, we will ask your name, address, date of birth and other information that will allow us to identify you. If we are unable to verify your identity, we reserve the right to restrict additional transactions and/or liquidate your account at the next calculated NAV after your account is closed (less any applicable sales/account charges and/or tax penalties) or take any other action required by law. In accordance with federal law requirements, the Trust has implemented an anti-money laundering compliance program, which includes the designation of an anti-money laundering compliance officer.

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Prospectus  |  Shareholder Information

Shareholder Information (Con’t)

How To Redeem Shares

You may process a redemption request by contacting your Financial Intermediary. Otherwise, you may redeem shares of a Fund by mail or, if authorized, by telephone, at no charge other than as described below. The value of shares redeemed may be more or less than the purchase price, depending on the NAV at the time of redemption. Shares of a Fund will be redeemed at the NAV next determined after we receive your redemption request in good order.

Redemptions by Letter
Requests should be addressed to Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds, c/o DST Asset Manager Solutions, Inc., P.O. Box 219804, Kansas City, MO 64121-9804.

To be in good order, redemption requests must include the following documentation:

(a) A letter of instruction, if required, or a stock assignment specifying the account name, the account number, the name of the Fund and the number of shares or dollar amount to be redeemed, signed by all registered owners of the shares in the exact names in which the shares are registered, and whether you wish to receive the redemption proceeds by wire to the bank account we have on file for you;

(b) Any required signature guarantees if you are requesting payment to anyone other than the registered owner(s) or that payment be sent to any address other than the address of the registered owner(s) or pre-designated bank account; and

(c) Other supporting legal documents, if required, in the case of estates, trusts, guardianships, custodianship, corporations, pension and profit sharing plans and other organizations.

Redemptions by Telephone
You automatically have telephone redemption and exchange privileges unless you indicate otherwise by checking the applicable box on the New Account Application or calling the Fund to opt out of such privileges. You may request a redemption of shares of a Fund by calling the Fund at 1-888-378-1630 and requesting that the redemption proceeds be mailed or wired to you. Telephone redemptions and exchanges may not be available if you cannot reach the Fund by telephone, whether because all telephone lines are busy or for any other reason; in such case, a shareholder would have to use the Fund’s other redemption and exchange procedures described in this section. Telephone instructions will be accepted if received by the Fund between 7:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. Eastern time on any day the NYSE is open for business, except when the following federal holidays are observed: Columbus Day and Veterans Day. Orders to redeem or exchange shares of a Fund must be received by the Fund prior to the applicable Fund’s final Pricing Time of that day. Orders received after such Pricing Time will be processed the following business day. To opt out of telephone privileges, please contact the Fund at 1-888-378-1630.

Redemptions by Internet
You may redeem shares online through Morgan Stanley’s Treasury Investment Portal service at www.morganstanley.com/liquidity, provided you have a pre-established Internet trading account, as set forth above under “How To Purchase Shares.” For more information, call the Fund at 1-888-378-1630.

Automatic Redemptions
Selected accounts that utilize the Funds as their sweep vehicle will be reviewed on each business day to determine whether the account has any debits that were incurred that day and shares of the Funds will automatically be redeemed to cover the debits if such debits have not been reduced by any credits which may have accrued to the account on the same day.

Redemption Proceeds
You will not earn a dividend on the day your shares are sold. Orders to sell shares (redemption requests) will be processed on the day on which they are received, provided they are received prior to the following times to receive the NAV next determined: for the Government Portfolio and Treasury Portfolio—5:00 p.m. Eastern time; for the Prime Portfolio, ESG Money Market Portfolio, Government Securities Portfolio and Treasury Securities Portfolio—3:00 p.m. Eastern time; and for the Tax-Exempt Portfolio— 1:00 p.m. Eastern time. On any business day that the NYSE closes early, the Fund may close early and redemption requests received after such earlier closing times will be processed the following business day. The Fund may elect to remain open on days when the NYSE is closed or closes early but on which SIFMA recommends that the bond markets remain open for all or part of the day. Generally, payment for Fund shares sold will be made on the day on which the order is processed, but under certain circumstances may not be made until the next business day. The Fund may postpone and/or suspend redemption and payment beyond one business day only as follows: (a) for any period during which there is a non-routine closure of the Fedwire or applicable Federal Reserve Banks; (b) for any period (i) during which the NYSE is closed other than customary weekend and holiday closings or (ii) during which trading on the NYSE is restricted; (c) for any period during which an emergency exists as a result of which (i) disposal of securities owned by the Fund is not reasonably practicable or (ii) it is not reasonably practicable for the Fund to fairly determine the NAV of shares of the Fund; (d) for any period during which the SEC has, by rule or regulation, deemed that (i) trading shall be restricted or (ii) an emergency exists; (e) for any period that the SEC may by order permit; or (f) for any period during which the

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Prospectus  |  Shareholder Information

Shareholder Information (Con’t)

Fund as part of a necessary liquidation of a Fund, has properly postponed and/or suspended redemption of shares and payment in accordance with federal securities laws. In addition, when SIFMA recommends that the securities markets close early, payments with respect to redemption requests received subsequent to the recommended close will be made the next business day (assuming that the Fund in fact closes).

Each Fund typically expects to meet redemption requests by using a combination of sales of securities held by a Fund and/or holdings of cash and cash equivalents. On a less regular basis, each Fund also reserves the right to use borrowings to meet redemption requests, and each Fund may use these methods during both normal and stressed market conditions.

If we determine that it is in the best interest of other shareholders not to pay redemption proceeds in cash, we may pay you in part by distributing to you readily marketable securities held by the Fund from which you are redeeming. Such in-kind securities may be illiquid and difficult or impossible for a shareholder to sell at a time and at a price that a shareholder would like. Redemptions paid in such securities generally will give rise to income, gain or loss for income tax purposes in the same manner as redemptions paid in cash. In addition, you may incur brokerage costs and a further gain or loss for income tax purposes when you ultimately sell the securities.

Exchange Privilege

You may exchange a Fund’s Cash Management Class shares for Cash Management Class shares of other available Funds of the Trust based on their respective NAVs, except that you may not exchange Cash Management Class shares from or into the Prime Portfolio, ESG Money Market Portfolio or Tax-Exempt Portfolio. We charge no fee for exchanges. If you purchased Fund shares through a Financial Intermediary, certain other Funds of the Trust may be unavailable for exchange. Contact your Financial Intermediary to determine which Funds are available for exchange.

You can process your exchange by contacting your Financial Intermediary or online through Morgan Stanley’s Treasury Investment Portal service at www.morganstanley.com/liquidity provided you have a pre-established Internet trading account, as set forth above under “How To Purchase Shares.” You may also send exchange requests to the Fund’s transfer agent, DST Asset Manager Solutions, Inc. (“DST”), by mail to Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds, c/o DST Asset Manager Solutions, Inc., P.O. Box 219804, Kansas City, MO 64121-9804 or by calling the Fund at 1-888-378-1630.

You will be subject to the same minimum initial investment and account size as an initial purchase. The Fund, in its sole discretion, may waive the minimum initial investment amounts in certain cases including, but not limited to, exchanges involving Fund shares purchased through a Financial Intermediary or when the Adviser anticipates the combined value of a client’s investments will meet or exceed the minimum. The Fund may terminate or revise the exchange privilege upon required notice or in certain cases without notice. The Fund reserves the right to reject an exchange order for any reason.

Telephone/Internet Transactions

For your protection, we will employ reasonable procedures to confirm that instructions communicated over the telephone/Internet are genuine. These procedures may include requiring various forms of personal identification (such as name, mailing address, social security number or other tax identification number and password/authorization codes, including PIN (Personal Identification Number)), tape-recording telephone communications and providing written confirmation of instructions communicated by telephone/Internet. If reasonable procedures are employed, none of Morgan Stanley, DST or the Fund will be liable for following telephone/Internet instructions which it reasonably believes to be genuine. During periods of drastic economic or market changes, it is possible that the telephone/Internet privileges may be difficult to implement, although this has not been the case with the Funds in the past.

Frequent Purchases and Redemptions of Fund Shares

We expect the Funds to be used by shareholders for short-term investing and by certain selected accounts utilizing the Funds as a sweep vehicle. Therefore, reasonably frequent purchases and redemptions of Fund shares by Fund shareholders do not present risks for other shareholders of a Fund, and the policies and procedures adopted by the Board of Trustees/Directors as applicable to other funds in the Morgan Stanley family of funds are generally not applicable with respect to frequent purchases and redemptions of Fund shares. However, frequent trading by shareholders can disrupt management of the Funds and raise their respective expenses. Therefore, we may not accept any request for a purchase or exchange when we think it is being used as a tool for market-timing, and we may bar a shareholder who trades excessively from making further purchases for an indefinite period.

Distributions

The Funds pass substantially all of their earnings along to their investors as “distributions.” The Funds earn interest from fixed-income investments. These amounts are passed along to Fund shareholders as “income dividend distributions.” Each Fund realizes capital gains whenever it sells securities for a higher price than it paid for them. These amounts may be passed along as “capital gain distributions.” The Adviser does not anticipate that there will be significant capital gain distributions.

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Prospectus  |  Shareholder Information

Shareholder Information (Con’t)

The Funds declare income dividends daily on each business day and pay them monthly to shareholders. Dividends are based on estimates of income, expenses and shareholder activity for the Funds. Actual income, expenses and shareholder activity may differ from estimates and differences, if any, will be included in the calculation of subsequent dividends. Short-term capital gains, if any, are distributed periodically. Long-term capital gains, if any, are distributed at least annually. The Funds automatically reinvest all dividends and distributions in additional shares. However, you may elect to receive distributions in cash by giving written notice to your Financial Intermediary or by checking the appropriate box in the Distribution Option section on the Account Registration Form.

Liquidity Fees and Redemption Gates—Prime Portfolio, ESG Money Market Portfolio and Tax-Exempt Portfolio
Under Rule 2a-7, the Prime Portfolio, ESG Money Market Portfolio and Tax-Exempt Portfolio will be permitted (or in some cases, may be required) to impose a liquidity fee on redemptions (up to 2%) or temporarily restrict redemptions from the Fund for up to 10 business days during a 90 calendar day period (a “redemption gate”), in the event that the Fund’s weekly liquid assets fall below the following thresholds:

 

30% weekly liquid assets—If the weekly liquid assets of a Fund fall below 30% of the Fund’s total assets, and the Board of Trustees determines it is in the best interests of the Fund, the Board of Trustees may impose a liquidity fee of no more than 2% of the amount redeemed and/or a redemption gate that temporarily suspends the right of redemption. The liquidity fee or redemption gate may be imposed at any point during the applicable business day, generally at the subsequent NAV calculation time of the applicable Fund following the determination of the Board of Trustees.

 

10% weekly liquid assets—If the weekly liquid assets of a Fund fall below 10% of the Fund’s total assets as of the end of a business day, the Fund must impose, at the beginning of the next business day, a liquidity fee of 1% of the amount redeemed, unless the Board of Trustees determines that imposing such a fee would not be in the best interests of the Fund or determines that a lower or higher fee (not to exceed 2%) would be in the best interests of the Fund.
 

Liquidity fees and redemptions gates may be terminated at any time in the discretion of the Board of Trustees. Liquidity fees and redemptions gates will also terminate at the beginning of the next business day once the applicable Fund has invested 30% or more of its total assets in weekly liquid assets as of the end of a business day. A Fund may only suspend redemptions for up to 10 business days in any 90 calendar day period.

Weekly liquid assets generally include: (a) cash; (b) direct obligations of the U.S. Government; (c) certain U.S. government agency discount notes with remaining maturities of 60 days or less; (d) securities that will mature or are subject to a demand feature that is exercisable and payable within five business days; or (e) amounts receivable and due unconditionally within five business days on pending sales of portfolio securities.

If a Fund imposes a redemption gate, the Fund and your Financial Intermediary will not accept redemption or exchange orders out of the Fund until the Fund has notified shareholders that the redemption gate has been lifted. Any redemption or exchange orders out of a Fund submitted while a redemption gate is in effect will be cancelled without further notice. If you still wish to redeem or exchange shares out of a Fund once the redemption gate has been lifted, you will need to submit a new redemption or exchange request to the Fund or your Financial Intermediary. Unprocessed purchase orders that a Fund received prior to notification of the imposition of a liquidity fee or redemption gate will be cancelled unless re-confirmed. Under certain circumstances, a Fund may honor redemption or exchange orders out of the Fund (or pay redemptions without adding a liquidity fee to the redemption amount) if the Fund can verify that the redemption or exchange order out of the Fund was submitted to the Fund’s agent before the Fund imposed liquidity fees or suspended redemptions. Once a liquidity fee or a redemption gate is in place, shareholders will not be permitted to exchange into or out of the applicable Fund until the fee or gate is terminated.

The Board of Trustees generally expects that a liquidity fee or redemption gate would be imposed, if at all, during periods of extraordinary market stress. The Board of Trustees generally expects that a redemption gate would be imposed prior to notification to shareholders and Financial Intermediaries that a gate would be imposed. While the Board of Trustees may, in its discretion, impose a liquidity fee at any time after the weekly liquid assets of the Fund fall below 30% of the Fund’s total assets, the Board of Trustees generally expects that a liquidity fee would be imposed only after the Fund has notified Financial Intermediaries and shareholders that a liquidity fee will be imposed. The Fund retains the liquidity fees for the benefit of remaining shareholders.

The Board of Trustees may, in its discretion, permanently suspend redemptions and liquidate the Fund if, among other things, the Fund, at the end of a business day, has less than 10% of its total assets invested in weekly liquid assets. In the event of liquidation, shareholders are entitled to share pro rata in the net assets of the Fund available for distribution to such shareholders.

Announcements regarding the imposition of liquidity fees or redemption gates, or the termination of liquidity fees or redemption gates, will be filed with the SEC on Form N-CR and will be available on the website of the Fund (http://www.morganstanley.com/im). In addition, the Fund will make such announcements through a supplement to its Prospectus and may make such announcements through a press release or by other means.

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Prospectus  |  Shareholder Information

Shareholder Information (Con’t)

Dividend payments will not be subject to liquidity fees or redemption gates; however, in the event that a liquidity fee or redemption gate is in place at the time that dividends are distributed, all distributions will be made in the form of cash.

Trade corrections requested after a liquidity fee or redemption gate is imposed will be honored so long as the “as of” date of the transaction to be processed is prior to the effective time of the liquidity fee or redemption gate and a valid reason for the trade error is provided.

Financial Intermediaries will be required to promptly take such actions reasonably requested by the Fund, the Transfer Agent or the Adviser to implement, modify or remove, or to assist the Fund in implementing, modifying or removing, a liquidity fee or redemption gate established by the Fund.

The Government Portfolio, the Government Securities Portfolio, the Treasury Portfolio and the Treasury Securities Portfolio are exempt from requirements that permit money market funds to impose a “liquidity fee” and/or a “redemption gate” that temporarily restricts redemptions. The Board of Trustees has opted not to subject the Government Portfolio, the Government Securities Portfolio, the Treasury Portfolio and the Treasury Securities Portfolio to a “liquidity fee” and/or a “redemption gate” but has reserved its right to change this determination in the future after providing appropriate notice to shareholders.

Taxes

The tax information provided in this Prospectus is provided as general information. You should consult your own tax professional about the tax consequences of an investment in a particular Fund.

It is each Fund’s intention to qualify as a regulated investment company and distribute all or substantially all of its taxable and tax-exempt income.

Except as noted below, dividends you receive will generally be taxable, whether you receive them in cash or in additional shares. Income dividend distributions and any short-term capital gain distributions are generally taxable to you as ordinary income. Any long-term capital gain distributions are taxable as long-term capital gains, no matter how long you have owned shares in a Fund. Distributions paid by the Funds are not expected to be eligible for lower tax rates applicable to qualified dividends.

With respect to the Government Securities Portfolio, while the Fund intends to limit its investments to certain U.S. Treasury obligations and U.S. government securities, the interest of which is generally exempt from state income taxation, you should consult your own tax adviser to determine whether distributions from the Government Securities Portfolio are exempt from state taxation in your own state.

With respect to the Tax-Exempt Portfolio, your income dividend distributions are normally exempt from federal income tax to the extent they are derived from municipal obligations. Income derived from other portfolio securities may be subject to federal, state and/or local income taxes. The income derived from some municipal securities is subject to the federal “alternative minimum tax.”

An additional 3.8% Medicare tax is imposed on certain net investment income (including ordinary dividends and capital gain distributions 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) exceeds certain threshold amounts.

Shareholders who are not citizens or residents of the United States and certain foreign entities may be subject to withholding of U.S. tax on distributions made by a Fund of investment income and short-term capital gains at a rate of 30% (or a lower tax treaty rate, if applicable). Such shareholders may also be subject to United States estate tax with respect to their shares.

Dividends paid by a Fund to shareholders who are nonresident aliens or foreign entities that are derived from short-term capital gains and qualifying U.S. source net interest income (including income from original issue discount and market discount), and that are designated by the Fund as “interest-related dividends” or “short-term capital gain dividends,” will generally not be subject to U.S. withholding tax, provided that the income would not be subject to U.S. federal income tax if earned directly by the foreign shareholder. However, depending on the circumstances, a Fund may designate all, some or none of the Fund’s potentially eligible dividends as exempt.

A Fund is required to withhold U.S. tax (at a 30% rate) on payments of taxable 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 a Fund to enable the Fund to determine whether withholding is required.

U.S. investors will be sent a statement (Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”) Form 1099-DIV) by February of each year showing the taxable distributions paid to you in the previous year. The statement provides information on your dividends and any capital gains for tax purposes.

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Prospectus  |  Shareholder Information

Shareholder Information (Con’t)

Sales, exchanges and redemptions of shares in a Fund are generally taxable events and may result in taxable gain or loss to you. Because each of Government Portfolio, Government Securities Portfolio, Treasury Portfolio and Treasury Securities Portfolio intends to maintain a stable $1.00 NAV, shareholders will typically not recognize gain or loss when they sell or exchange their shares in these Funds because the amount realized will be the same as their tax basis in the shares. Because each of Prime Portfolio, ESG Money Market Portfolio and Tax-Exempt Portfolio does not maintain a stable share price, a sale of these Funds’ shares may result in capital gain or loss to you.

With respect to any gain or loss recognized on the sale or exchange of shares of a Fund, unless you choose to adopt a simplified “NAV method” of accounting (described below), the amount of any gain or loss and the rate of tax will depend mainly upon how much you paid for the shares, how much you sell them for, and how long you held them. In this case, any gain or loss generally will be treated as short-term capital gain or loss if you held your shares as capital assets for one year or less, and long-term capital gain or loss if you held your shares as capital assets for more than one year. The maximum individual tax rate applicable to long-term capital gains is generally 15% or 20%, depending on whether the individual’s income exceeds certain threshold amounts. Any loss realized upon a taxable disposition of Fund shares held for six months or less will be treated as a long-term capital loss, rather than a short-term capital loss, to the extent of any long-term capital gain distributions received (or deemed received) by you with respect to the Fund shares.

If you elect to adopt the simplified “NAV method” of accounting, rather than compute gain or loss on every taxable sale or other disposition of shares of a Fund as described above, you would determine your gain or loss based on the change in the aggregate value of your Fund shares during a computation period (such as your taxable year), reduced by your net investment (i.e., purchases minus sales) in those Fund shares during the computation period. Under the simplified “NAV method,” any resulting capital gain or loss would be reportable on a net basis and would generally be treated as a short-term capital gain or loss.

A liquidity fee imposed by a Fund will reduce the amount you will receive upon the redemption of your shares, and will generally decrease the amount of any capital gain or increase the amount of any capital loss you will recognize with respect to such redemption. There is some degree of uncertainty with respect to the tax treatment of liquidity fees received by money market funds, and such tax treatment may be the subject of future guidance issued by the IRS. If a Fund receives liquidity fees, it will consider the appropriate tax treatment of such fees to the Fund at such time.

When you open your account, you should provide appropriate tax documentation including your social security or tax identification number on your investment application. By providing this information, you generally will avoid being subject to federal backup withholding on taxable distributions and redemption proceeds at the applicable rate. Any withheld amount would be sent to the IRS as an advance payment of taxes due on your income for such year.

Potential Conflicts of Interest

As a diversified global financial services firm, Morgan Stanley, the parent company of the Adviser, engages in a broad spectrum of activities, including financial advisory services, investment management activities, lending, commercial banking, sponsoring and managing private investment funds, engaging in broker-dealer transactions and principal securities, commodities and foreign exchange transactions, research publication and other activities. In the ordinary course of its business, Morgan Stanley is a full-service investment banking and financial services firm and therefore engages in activities where Morgan Stanley’s interests or the interests of its clients may conflict with the interests of a Fund. Morgan Stanley has advised clients and has sponsored, managed or advised other investment funds and investment programs, accounts and businesses (collectively, together with any new or successor funds, programs, accounts or businesses, the ‘‘Affiliated Investment Accounts’’) with a wide variety of investment objectives that in some instances may overlap or conflict with a Fund’s investment objectives and present conflicts of interest. In addition, Morgan Stanley may also from time to time create new or successor Affiliated Investment Accounts that may compete with a Fund and present similar conflicts of interest. The discussion below enumerates certain actual, apparent and potential conflicts of interest. There is no assurance that conflicts of interest will be resolved in favor of Fund shareholders and, in fact, they may not be. Conflicts of interest not described below may also exist.

For more information about conflicts of interest, see the section entitled “Potential Conflicts of Interest” in the SAI.

Material Nonpublic Information. It is expected that confidential or material nonpublic information regarding an investment or potential investment opportunity may become available to the Adviser. If such information becomes available, the Adviser may be precluded (including by applicable law or internal policies or procedures) from pursuing an investment or disposition opportunity with respect to such investment or investment opportunity.

Investments by Morgan Stanley and its Affiliated Investment Accounts. In serving in multiple capacities to Affiliated Investment Accounts, Morgan Stanley, including the Adviser and the Investment team, may have obligations to other clients or investors in Affiliated Investment Accounts, the fulfillment of which may not be in the best interests of a Fund or its shareholders. A Fund’s investment objectives may overlap with the investment objectives of certain Affiliated Investment Accounts. As a result, the members of an Investment team may face conflicts in the allocation of investment opportunities among a Fund and other investment funds,

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Prospectus  |  Shareholder Information

Shareholder Information (Con’t)

programs, accounts and businesses advised by or affiliated with the Adviser. Certain Affiliated Investment Accounts may provide for higher management or incentive fees or greater expense reimbursements or overhead allocations, all of which may contribute to this conflict of interest and create an incentive for the Adviser to favor such other accounts.

Payments to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries. The Adviser and/or the Distributor may pay compensation, out of their own funds and not as an expense of a Fund, to certain Financial Intermediaries (which may include affiliates of the Adviser and Distributor), including recordkeepers and administrators of various deferred compensation plans, in connection with the sale, distribution, marketing and retention of shares of the Fund and/or shareholder servicing. The prospect of receiving, or the receipt of, additional compensation, as described above, by Financial Intermediaries may provide such Financial Intermediaries and their financial advisors and other salespersons with an incentive to favor sales of shares of a Fund over other investment options with respect to which these Financial Intermediaries do not receive additional compensation (or receives lower levels of additional compensation). These payment arrangements, however, will not change the price that an investor pays for shares of a Fund or the amount that the Fund receives to invest on behalf of an investor. Investors may wish to take such payment arrangements into account when considering and evaluating any recommendations relating to Fund shares and should review carefully any disclosures provided by Financial Intermediaries as to their compensation.

Morgan Stanley Trading and Principal Investing Activities. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, Morgan Stanley will generally conduct its sales and trading businesses, publish research and analysis, and render investment advice without regard for a Fund’s holdings, although these activities could have an adverse impact on the value of one or more of the Fund’s investments, or could cause Morgan Stanley to have an interest in one or more portfolio investments that is different from, and potentially adverse to, that of a Fund.

Morgan Stanley’s Investment Banking Activities. Morgan Stanley advises clients on a variety of mergers, acquisitions and financing transactions. Morgan Stanley may act as an advisor to clients, including other investment funds that may compete with a Fund and with respect to investments that a Fund may hold. Morgan Stanley may give advice and take action with respect to any of its clients or proprietary accounts that may differ from the advice given, or may involve an action of a different timing or nature than the action taken, by a Fund. Morgan Stanley may give advice and provide recommendations to persons competing with a Fund and/or any of a Fund’s investments that are contrary to the Fund’s best interests and/or the best interests of any of its investments.

General Process for Potential Conflicts. All of the transactions described above involve the potential for conflicts of interest between the Adviser, related persons of the Adviser and/or their clients. The Investment Advisers Act of 1940, the 1940 Act and ERISA impose certain requirements designed to decrease the possibility of conflicts of interest between an investment adviser and its clients. In some cases, transactions may be permitted subject to fulfillment of certain conditions. Certain other transactions may be prohibited. In addition, the Adviser has instituted policies and procedures designed to prevent conflicts of interest from arising and, when they do arise, to ensure that it effects transactions for clients in a manner that is consistent with its fiduciary duty to its clients and in accordance with applicable law. The Adviser seeks to ensure that potential or actual conflicts of interest are appropriately resolved taking into consideration the overriding best interests of the client.

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Prospectus  |  Fund Management

Fund Management

Adviser

Morgan Stanley Investment Management Inc. with principal offices at 522 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10036, conducts a worldwide portfolio management business and provides a broad range of portfolio management services to customers in the United States and abroad. Morgan Stanley (NYSE: “MS”) is the parent of the Adviser, who is the parent of the Distributor. Morgan Stanley is a preeminent global financial services firm engaged in securities trading and brokerage activities, as well as providing investment banking, research and analysis, financing and financial advisory services. As of December 31, 2019, the Adviser, together with its affiliated asset management companies, had approximately $552 billion in assets under management or supervision.

A discussion regarding the basis for the Board of Trustees approving the Trust’s Investment Advisory Agreement is available in the Funds’ Annual Report to shareholders for the fiscal year ended October 31, 2019.

Advisory Fees

The Adviser makes investment decisions for the Funds. Each Fund, in turn, pays the Adviser a monthly advisory fee calculated daily by applying an annual rate to each Fund’s daily net assets.

For the fiscal year ended October 31, 2019, the Adviser received from each Fund the advisory fee (net of fee waivers, if applicable) set forth in the table below.

Fund (as a percentage of average daily net assets)

Prime Portfolio

0.10%

ESG Money Market Portfolio

0.09%

Government Portfolio

0.11%

Government Securities Portfolio

0.12%

Treasury Portfolio

0.13%

Treasury Securities Portfolio

0.14%

Tax-Exempt Portfolio

0.03%

Morgan Stanley Investment Management Inc., as the Adviser and the Administrator, has agreed to reduce its advisory fee, its administration fee and/or reimburse the Fund’s Cash Management Class, if necessary, if such fees would cause the total annual operating expenses of such Fund’s Cash Management Class to exceed the percentage of daily net assets set forth in the table below. In determining the actual amount of fee waiver and/or expense reimbursement for each Fund, if any, the Adviser and Administrator exclude from total annual operating expenses certain investment related expenses, taxes, interest and other extraordinary expenses (including litigation). The fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements will continue for at least one year or until such time as the Trust’s Board of Trustees acts to discontinue all or a portion of such waivers and/or reimbursements when it seems such action is appropriate.

A Fund’s annual operating expenses may vary throughout the period and from year to year. A Fund’s actual expenses for the most recent fiscal year may be different than the expenses listed in the Fund’s fee and expense table based upon the extent and amount of a fee waiver and/or expense reimbursement.

 

Expense Cap
Cash Management Class

Prime Portfolio

0.35%

ESG Money Market Portfolio

0.35%

Government Portfolio

0.35%

Government Securities Portfolio

0.35%

Treasury Portfolio

0.35%

Treasury Securities Portfolio

0.35%

Tax-Exempt Portfolio

0.35%

The Distributor, Adviser and Administrator may also waive distribution fees, advisory fees, administration fees and/or reimburse expenses to enable a Fund to maintain a minimum level of daily net investment income. The Adviser and Administrator may make additional voluntary fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements. The Distributor, Adviser and Administrator may discontinue these voluntary fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements at any time in the future.

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Prospectus | Financial Highlights

Financial Highlights

The following financial highlights tables are intended to help you understand the financial performance of the Cash Management Class shares of each Fund for the periods indicated. Certain information reflects financial results for a single Fund share. The total returns in the tables represent the rate that an investor would have earned (or lost) on an investment in each Fund (assuming reinvestment of all dividends and distributions).

The ratios of expenses to average net assets listed in the tables below for each Fund are based on the average net assets of the Fund for each of the periods listed in the tables. To the extent that a Fund’s average net assets decrease over the Fund’s next fiscal year, such expense ratios can be expected to increase, potentially significantly, because certain fixed costs will be spread over a smaller amount of assets.

Year Ended October 31,

 

Net Asset
Value,
Beginning
of Period

 

Net
Investment
Income

 

Net Realized
and Unrealized
Gain (Loss)
on Investments

 

Distributions
From Net
Investment
Income

 

Net Asset Value,
End of Period

Prime Portfolio:

2019

$

1.0003

$

0.0223
(2)

$

0.0003
(3)

$

(0.0224
)

$

1.0005

2018

 

1.0003

 

0.0171
(2)

 

(0.0004
)
(3)

 

(0.0167
)

 

1.0003

2017

 

1.0000

 

0.0094
(2)

 

(0.0005
)

 

(0.0086
)

 

1.0003

2016(1)

 

1.0000

 

0.0022
(2)

 

0.000
(3)

 

(0.0022
)

 

1.0000

2015

 

1.000

 

0.000
(2)(3)

 

0.000
(3)

 

(0.000
)
(3)

 

1.000

ESG Money Market Portfolio:

2019

$

1.0002

$

0.0223
(2)

$

0.0005

$

(0.0225
)

$

1.0005

2018

 

1.0001

 

0.0175
(2)

 

(0.0006
)

 

(0.0168
)

 

1.0002

2017

 

1.0000

 

0.0090
(2)

 

(0.0002
)
(3)

 

(0.0087
)

 

1.0001

2016(1)

 

1.0000

 

0.0026
(2)

 

0.0000
(3)

 

(0.0026
)

 

1.0000

2015

 

1.000

 

0.000
(2)(3)

 

(0.000
)
(3)

 

(0.000
)
(3)

 

1.000

Government Portfolio:

2019

$

1.000

$

0.020
(2)

$

0.000
(3)

$

(0.020
)

$

1.000

2018

 

1.000

 

0.014
(2)

 

0.000
(3)

 

(0.014
)

 

1.000

2017

 

1.000

 

0.005
(2)

 

0.000
(3)

 

(0.005
)

 

1.000

2016(1)

 

1.000

 

0.001
(2)

 

0.000
(3)

 

(0.001
)

 

1.000

2015

 

1.000

 

0.000
(2)(3)

 

(0.000
)
(3)

 

(0.000
)
(3)

 

1.000

Government Securities Portfolio:

2019

$

1.000

$

0.020
(2)

$

0.000
(3)

$

(0.020
)

$

1.000

2018

 

1.000

 

0.011
(2)

 

0.002

 

(0.013
)

 

1.000

2017

 

1.000

 

0.005
(2)

 

0.000
(3)

 

(0.005
)

 

1.000

2016(1)

 

1.000

 

0.000
(2)(3)

 

(0.000
)
(3)

 

(0.000
)
(3)

 

1.000

2015

 

1.000

 

0.000
(2)(3)

 

0.000
(3)

 

(0.000
)
(3)

 

1.000

Treasury Portfolio:

2019

$

1.000

$

0.020
(2)

$

0.000
(3)

$

(0.020
)

$

1.000

2018

 

1.000

 

0.014
(2)

 

0.000
(3)

 

(0.014
)

 

1.000

2017

 

1.000

 

0.005
(2)

 

0.000
(3)

 

(0.005
)

 

1.000

2016(1)

 

1.000

 

0.001
(2)

 

(0.000
)
(3)

 

(0.001
)

 

1.000

2015

 

1.000

 

0.000
(2)(3)

 

(0.000
)
(3)

 

(0.000
)
(3)

 

1.000

Treasury Securities Portfolio:

2019

$

1.000

$

0.019
(2)

$

0.000
(3)

$

(0.019
)

$

1.000

2018

 

1.000

 

0.014
(2)

 

(0.000
)
(3)

 

(0.014
)

 

1.000

2017

 

1.000

 

0.004
(2)

 

0.000
(3)

 

(0.004
)

 

1.000

2016(1)

 

1.000

 

0.000
(2)(3)

 

(0.000
)
(3)

 

(0.000
)
(3)

 

1.000

2015

 

1.000

 

0.000
(2)(3)

 

(0.000
)
(3)

 

(0.000
)
(3)

 

1.000

Tax-Exempt Portfolio:

2019

$

1.0000

$

0.0126
(2)

$

0.0001
(3)

$

(0.0126
)

$

1.0001

2018

 

1.0000

 

0.0103
(2)

 

(0.0003
)
(3)

 

(0.0100
)

 

1.0000

2017

 

1.0000

 

0.0044
(2)

 

(0.0002
)
(3)

 

(0.0042
)

 

1.0000

2016(1)

 

1.0000

 

0.0009
(2)

 

0.0022

 

(0.0031
)
(6)

 

1.0000

2015

 

1.000

 

0.000
(2)(3)

 

(0.000
)
(3)

 

(0.000
)
(3)

 

1.000

49


 

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Prospectus | Financial Highlights

The information below has been derived from the financial statements audited by Ernst & Young LLP, the Funds’ independent registered public accounting firm. Ernst & Young LLP’s report, along with each Fund’s financial statements, are incorporated by reference into the Funds’ SAI. The Annual Report to Shareholders (which includes each Fund’s financial statements) and SAI are available at no cost from the Trust at the toll free number noted on the back cover to this Prospectus.

Total
Return

 

Net Assets,
End of Period
(000)

 

Ratio of
Expenses
to Average Net
Assets

 

Ratio of
Expenses to Average
Net Assets
Excluding
Non-Operating
Expenses

 

Ratio of
Expenses
to Average
Net Assets
(Before
Waivers/
Reimbursement)

 

Ratio of
Net Investment
Income
to
Average
Net Assets

 

Ratio of
Net Investment
Income (Loss)
to Average
Net Assets
(Before
Waivers/
Reimbursement)

 

Ratio of Rebate
from Morgan
Stanley Affiliates
to Average Net
Assets

2.29
%

$

13,537

 

0.31
%
(4)

 

N/A

 

0.36
%

 

2.23
%

 

2.18
%

 

N/A
1.69
%

 

21,596

 

0.30
%
(4)

 

N/A

 

0.36
%

 

1.72
%

 

1.66
%

 

N/A
0.90
%

 

14,809

 

0.27
%
(4)

 

N/A

 

0.38
%

 

0.94
%

 

0.83
%

 

N/A
0.22
%

 

19,163

 

0.32
%
(4)

 

N/A

 

0.36
%

 

0.20
%

 

0.16
%

 

N/A
0.04
%

 

23,375

 

0.22
%
(4)

 

N/A

 

0.36
%

 

0.03
%

 

(0.11
)%

 

N/A
2.30
%

$

11,789

 

0.31
%
(4)

 

0.31
%
(4)

 

0.37
%

 

2.23
%

 

2.17
%

 

N/A
1.70
%

 

13,998

 

0.30
%
(4)

 

N/A

 

0.40
%

 

1.76
%

 

1.66
%

 

N/A
0.89
%

 

17,980

 

0.25
%
(4)

 

N/A

 

0.47
%

 

0.91
%

 

0.69
%

 

N/A
0.26
%

 

29,654

 

0.27
%
(4)

 

N/A

 

0.37
%

 

0.26
%

 

0.16
%

 

N/A
0.01
%

 

23,473

 

0.26
%
(4)

 

N/A

 

0.37
%

 

0.01
%

 

(0.10
)%

 

N/A
2.05
%

$

4,914

 

0.32
%
(4)

 

0.32
%
(4)

 

0.36
%

 

2.02
%

 

1.98
%

 

N/A
1.40
%

 

16,226

 

0.32
%
(4)

 

N/A

 

0.36
%

 

1.40
%

 

1.36
%

 

N/A
0.50
%

 

28,533

 

0.33
%
(4)

 

N/A

 

0.36
%

 

0.48
%

 

0.45
%

 

N/A
0.10
%

 

131,640

 

0.30
%
(4)

 

N/A

 

0.36
%

 

0.09
%

 

0.03
%

 

N/A
0.04
%

 

143,092

 

0.08
%
(4)

 

N/A

 

0.36
%

 

0.04
%

 

(0.24
)%

 

N/A
1.99
%

$

355

 

0.35
%
(4)

 

N/A

 

0.38
%

 

1.97
%

 

1.94
%

 

N/A
1.32
%

 

1,384

 

0.35
%
(4)

 

N/A

 

0.36
%

 

1.15
%

 

1.14
%

 

N/A
0.45
%

 

2,097

 

0.35
%
(4)

 

N/A

 

0.37
%

 

0.42
%

 

0.40
%

 

N/A
0.02
%

 

5,315

 

0.31
%
(4)

 

N/A

 

0.36
%

 

0.04
%

 

(0.01
)%

 

N/A
0.01
%

 

1,426

 

0.05
%
(4)

 

N/A

 

1.01
%

 

0.01
%

 

(0.95
)%

 

N/A
2.02
%

$

17,886

 

0.34
%
(4)

 

N/A

 

0.36
%

 

2.00
%

 

1.98
%

 

N/A
1.39
%

 

22,288

 

0.34
%
(4)

 

N/A

 

0.36
%

 

1.38
%

 

1.36
%

 

N/A
0.48
%

 

46,862

 

0.33
%
(4)

 

N/A

 

0.36
%

 

0.46
%

 

0.43
%

 

N/A
0.06
%

 

62,228

 

0.30
%
(4)

 

N/A

 

0.36
%

 

0.06
%

 

0.00
%
(5)

 

N/A
0.03
%

 

55,377

 

0.05
%
(4)

 

N/A

 

0.36
%

 

0.03
%

 

(0.28
)%

 

N/A
1.96
%

$

18,758

 

0.35
%
(4)

 

N/A

 

0.36
%

 

1.94
%

 

1.93
%

 

N/A
1.36
%

 

51,187

 

0.35
%
(4)

 

N/A

 

0.36
%

 

1.36
%

 

1.35
%

 

N/A
0.45
%

 

80,852

 

0.34
%
(4)

 

N/A

 

0.36
%

 

0.44
%

 

0.42
%

 

N/A
0.02
%

 

99,031

 

0.29
%
(4)

 

N/A

 

0.36
%

 

0.03
%

 

(0.04
)%

 

N/A
0.01
%

 

78,516

 

0.02
%
(4)

 

N/A

 

0.36
%

 

0.01
%

 

(0.33
)%

 

N/A
1.27
%

$

7,435

 

0.30
%
(4)

 

N/A

 

0.42
%

 

1.25
%

 

1.13
%

 

1.02
%

 

11,805

 

0.33
%
(4)

 

N/A

 

0.48
%

 

1.03
%

 

0.88
%

 

0.42
%

 

20,776

 

0.33
%
(4)

 

N/A

 

0.66
%

 

0.44
%

 

0.11
%

 

0.31
%

 

30,694

 

0.20
%
(4)(7)

 

N/A

 

0.63
%

 

0.09
%
(7)

 

(0.34
)%

 

0.00
%
(5)
0.01
%

 

25,927

 

0.04
%
(4)(7)

 

N/A

 

0.53
%

 

0.01
%
(7)

 

(0.48
)%

 

0.00
%
(5)

50


 

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Prospectus  |  Financial Highlights

Notes to Financial Highlights

(1)

Reflects prior period custodian out-of-pocket expenses that were reimbursed in September 2016. The amount of the reimbursement was immaterial on a per share basis and did not impact the total return of the Fund. The Ratio of Expenses to Average Net Assets and the Ratio of Net Investment Income to Average Net Assets would be unchanged as the reimbursement of custodian fees was offset against expense waivers/reimbursements with no impact to net expenses or net investment income.

(2)

Per share amount is based on average shares outstanding.

(3)

Amount is less than $0.0005 per share.

(4)

Ratios of Expenses to Average Net Assets before and after Maximum Expense Ratios may vary among share classes by more or less than the administration plan, service and shareholder administration plan, distribution plan and/or shareholder services plan (the “plans”) fees due to either (1) fluctuations in daily net asset amounts, (2) changes in the plans’ fees during the period for each share class, (3) changes in the Funds’ expense cap during the year, (4) waivers to the plans’ fees for each share class, or (5) a combination of the previous points.

(5)

Amount is less than 0.005%.

(6)

Includes paid-in-capital distribution of $0.0022.

(7)

The Ratio of Expenses and Ratio of Net Investment Income reflect the rebate of certain Fund expenses in connection with the investments in Morgan Stanley affiliates during the period. The effect of the rebate on the ratios is disclosed in the above table as “Ratio of Rebate from Morgan Stanley Affiliates to Average Net Assets.”

51


 

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Where to Find Additional Information

In addition to this Prospectus, the Funds have an SAI, dated February 28, 2020 (as may be supplemented from time to time), which contains additional, more detailed information about the Trust and the Funds. The SAI is incorporated by reference into this Prospectus and, therefore, legally forms a part of this Prospectus.

The Trust publishes Shareholder Reports that contain additional information about the respective Fund’s investments. In each Fund’s Annual Report to Shareholders, you will find a discussion of the market conditions and the investment strategies that significantly affected such Fund’s performance during the last fiscal year. For additional Trust information, including information regarding the investments comprising each of the Funds, please call the toll-free number below.

You may obtain the SAI and Shareholder Reports without charge by contacting the Trust at the toll-free number below or on our Internet site at: www.morganstanley.com/liquidity. If you purchased shares through a Financial Intermediary, you may also obtain these documents, without charge, by contacting your Financial Intermediary.

Shareholder Reports and other information about the Funds are available on the EDGAR Database on the SEC’s Internet site at http://www.sec.gov, and copies of this information may be obtained, after paying a duplicating fee, by electronic request at the following e-mail address: publicinfo@sec.gov.

Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds
c/o DST Asset Manager Solutions, Inc.
P.O. Box 219804
Kansas City, MO 64121-9804

For Shareholder Inquiries,
call the Trust toll-free at 1-888-378-1630.

Prices and Investment Results are available at www.morganstanley.com/liquidity.

The Trust’s 1940 Act registration number is 811-21339.

© 2020 Morgan Stanley.

LFCMCPRO 2/20

 C: 

 

Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds

Select Class Portfolios

Government Portfolio

Treasury Portfolio

Treasury Securities Portfolio


 

Prospectus   |   February 28, 2020

Fund 

Ticker Symbol

Government Portfolio 

MSDXX 

Treasury Portfolio 

MSTXX 

Treasury Securities Portfolio 

MSEXX 

Beginning on January 1, 2021, as permitted by regulations adopted by the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”), paper copies of the Funds’ Annual and Semi-Annual Reports to Shareholders (“Shareholder Reports”) will no longer be sent by mail, unless you specifically request paper copies of the Shareholder Reports from the Fund or from your financial intermediary, such as a broker-dealer or a bank. Instead, the Shareholder Reports will be made available on the Funds’ website, https://www.morganstanley.com/im/liquidityshareholderreports and you will be notified by mail each time a Shareholder Report is posted and provided with a website link to access the Shareholder Report. If you already elected to receive Shareholder Reports electronically, you will not be affected by this change and you need not take any action. You may elect to receive Shareholder Reports and other communications from a Fund electronically anytime by contacting your financial intermediary or, if you are a direct investor, please follow the instructions on the envelope. 

Beginning on January 1, 2019, you may elect to receive all future Shareholder Reports in paper free of charge. If you invest through a financial intermediary, you can contact your financial intermediary to request that you continue to receive paper copies of your Shareholder Reports. If you invest directly with a Fund, please follow the instructions on the envelope to let the Fund know you wish to continue receiving paper copies of your Shareholder Reports. Your election to receive Shareholder Reports in paper will apply to all funds held in your account if you invest through your financial intermediary or all funds held with the fund complex if you invest directly with a Fund.

The SEC has not approved or disapproved these securities or passed upon the adequacy of this Prospectus. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.

LFSCPPRO 2/20


 

Table of Contents

 

Page

Fund Summary

1

Government Portfolio

1

Treasury Portfolio

4

Treasury Securities Portfolio

7

Details of the Funds

10

Government Portfolio

10

Treasury Portfolio

12

Treasury Securities Portfolio

13

Additional Information About the Funds' Investment Strategies and Related Risks

14

Shareholder Information

16

Fund Management

23

Financial Highlights

24


 

Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Prospectus  |  Fund Summary

Government Portfolio

Investment Objective

The Government Portfolio (the “Fund”) seeks preservation of capital, daily liquidity and maximum current income.

Fees and Expenses

The table below describes the expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold Select Class shares of the Fund. The Fund does not charge any sales loads or other fees when you purchase or redeem shares.

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

 

Select Class

Advisory Fee

0.15%

Distribution and/or Shareholder Service (12b-1) Fee

0.55%

Other Expenses

0.06%

Shareholder Service Fee

0.25%

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses1

1.01%

Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement1

0.01%

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement1

1.00%

Example

The example below is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund’s Select Class with the cost of investing in other mutual funds.

The example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund’s Select Class, your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Fund’s operating expenses remain the same (except that the example incorporates the fee waiver and/or expense reimbursement 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

 

Select Class

$ 102

$ 321

$ 557

$ 1,235

 

1 The Fund’s “Adviser” and “Administrator,” Morgan Stanley Investment Management Inc., has agreed to reduce its advisory fee, its administration fee and/or reimburse the Fund’s Select Class so that Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses, excluding certain investment related expenses, taxes, interest and other extraordinary expenses (including litigation), will not exceed 1.00%. The fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements will continue for at least one year or until such time as the Board of Trustees of Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds (the “Trust”) acts to discontinue all or a portion of such waivers and/or reimbursements when it deems such action is appropriate.

Principal Investment Strategies

The Fund has adopted a policy to invest exclusively in obligations issued or guaranteed by the U.S. Government and its agencies and instrumentalities and in repurchase agreements collateralized by such securities in order to qualify as a “government money market fund” under federal regulations. The Fund may also hold cash from time to time. A “government money market fund” is a money market fund that invests at least 99.5% of its total assets in cash, securities issued or guaranteed by the United States or certain U.S. government agencies or instrumentalities and/or repurchase agreements that are collateralized fully by the foregoing. A “government money market fund” is exempt from requirements that permit money market funds to impose a “liquidity fee” and/or a “redemption gate” that temporarily restricts redemptions. In selecting investments, the Adviser seeks to maintain the Fund’s share price at $1.00. The share price remaining stable at $1.00 means that the Fund would preserve the principal value of your investment.

Principal Risks

There is no assurance that the Fund will achieve its investment objective.

You could lose money by investing in the Fund. Although the Fund seeks to preserve the value of your investment at $1.00 per share, it cannot guarantee it will do so. An investment in the Fund is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (“FDIC”) or any other government agency. The Fund’s sponsor has no legal obligation to provide financial support to the Fund, and you should not expect that the sponsor will provide financial support to the Fund at any time.

The principal risks of investing in the Fund include:

 

Credit and Interest Rate Risk. Credit risk refers to the possibility that the issuer or guarantor of a security will be unable to make interest payments and/or repay the principal on its debt. Interest rate risk refers to fluctuations in the value of a fixed-income security resulting from changes in the general level of interest rates. When the general level of interest rates goes up, the prices of most fixed-income securities go down. When the general level of interest rates goes down, the prices of most fixed-income securities go up. The Fund may face a heightened level of interest rate risk in times of monetary policy change and uncertainty,
 

1


 

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Prospectus | Fund Summary

Government Portfolio (Cont’d)

 

such as when the Federal Reserve Board ends a quantitative easing program and/or raises rates. A rising interest rate environment increases certain risks, including the potential for periods of volatility, increased redemptions and extended durations (i.e., extension risk).

 

Fixed-Income Securities. Fixed-income securities are subject to the risk of the issuer’s inability to meet principal and interest payments on its obligations (i.e., credit risk) and are subject to price volatility resulting from, among other things, interest rate sensitivity (i.e., interest rate risk), market perception of the creditworthiness of the issuer and general market liquidity (i.e., market risk). The Fund may face a heightened level of interest rate risk in times of monetary policy change and uncertainty, such as when the Federal Reserve Board ends a quantitative easing program and/or raises rates.

 

U.S. Government Securities. The U.S. government securities in which the Fund invests can be subject to two types of risk: credit risk and interest rate risk. When the general level of interest rates goes up, the prices of most fixed-income securities go down. When the general level of interest rates goes down, the prices of most fixed-income securities go up. While the credit risk associated with U.S. government securities generally is considered to be minimal, the interest rate risk can be substantial. With respect to U.S. government securities that are not backed by the full faith and credit of the United States, there is the risk that the U.S. Government will not provide financial support to such U.S. government agencies, instrumentalities or sponsored enterprises if it is not obligated to do so by law.

 

Repurchase Agreements. Repurchase agreements are subject to risks associated with the possibility of default by the seller at a time when the collateral has declined in value, or insolvency of the seller, which may affect the Fund’s right to control the collateral and result in certain costs and delays. Repurchase agreements may involve a greater degree of credit risk than investments in U.S. government securities.
 

Performance Information

The bar chart and table below provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by showing changes in the performance of the Fund’s Select Class shares from year-to-year and by showing the average annual returns of the Fund’s Select Class shares for the one year and since inception periods. The Fund’s past performance is not necessarily an indication of how the Fund will perform in the future. Updated performance information is available online at www.morganstanley.com/liquidity.

Annual Total Returns—Calendar Years

High Quarter 

06/30/19

0.37%

Low Quarter 

03/31/17

0.00%

Average Annual Total Returns

(for the Periods Ended December 31, 2019)

 

Past
One Year

Since
Inception
03/31/16

Government Portfolio

1.29%

0.61%

You may obtain the Fund’s 7-day current yield by calling 1-888-378-1630.

Fund Management

Adviser. Morgan Stanley Investment Management Inc.

Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares

There is no minimum initial investment amount for Select Class shares of the Fund.

2


 

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Prospectus  |  Fund Summary

Government Portfolio (Cont’d)

Shares of the Fund may be purchased or sold on any day the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) is open for business (except when the following federal holidays are observed: Columbus Day and Veterans Day) directly from the Fund by mail (c/o DST Asset Manager Solutions, Inc., P.O. Box 219804, Kansas City, MO 64121-9804), by telephone (1-888-378-1630) or by contacting an authorized third-party, such as a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary that has entered into a selling agreement with the Fund’s “Distributor,” Morgan Stanley Distribution, Inc. (each, a “Financial Intermediary”). You may purchase and redeem shares online through Morgan Stanley’s Treasury Investment Portal service at www.morganstanley.com/liquidity, provided you have a pre-established Internet trading account. For more information, please refer to the sections of this Prospectus entitled “Shareholder Information—How To Purchase Shares” and “Shareholder Information—How To Redeem Shares.”

Selected accounts that utilize the Fund as their sweep vehicle will be reviewed on each business day and shares will automatically be purchased or sold to cover any credits or debits incurred that day.

Tax Information

The Fund intends to make distributions that may be taxed as ordinary income or capital gains.

Payments to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries

If you purchase shares of the Fund through a Financial Intermediary (such as a bank), the Adviser and/or the Distributor may pay the Financial Intermediary for the sale of Fund shares and related services. These payments, which may be significant in amount, may create a conflict of interest by influencing the Financial Intermediary and your salesperson to recommend the Fund over another investment. Ask your salesperson or visit your Financial Intermediary’s web site for more information.

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Prospectus  |  Fund Summary

Treasury Portfolio

Investment Objective

The Treasury Portfolio (the “Fund”) seeks preservation of capital, daily liquidity and maximum current income.

Fees and Expenses

The table below describes the expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold Select Class shares of the Fund. The Fund does not charge any sales loads or other fees when you purchase or redeem shares.

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

 

Select Class

Advisory Fee

0.15%

Distribution and/or Shareholder Service (12b-1) Fee

0.55%

Other Expenses

0.06%

Shareholder Service Fee

0.25%

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses1

1.01%

Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement1

0.01%

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement1

1.00%

Example

The example below is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund’s Select Class with the cost of investing in other mutual funds.

The example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund’s Select Class, your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Fund’s operating expenses remain the same (except that the example incorporates the fee waiver and/or expense reimbursement 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

 

Select Class

$ 102

$ 321

$ 557

$ 1,235

 

1 The Fund’s “Adviser” and “Administrator,” Morgan Stanley Investment Management Inc., has agreed to reduce its advisory fee, its administration fee and/or reimburse the Fund’s Select Class so that Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses, excluding certain investment related expenses, taxes, interest and other extraordinary expenses (including litigation), will not exceed 1.00%. The fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements will continue for at least one year or until such time as the Board of Trustees of Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds (the “Trust”) acts to discontinue all or a portion of such waivers and/or reimbursements when it deems such action is appropriate.

Principal Investment Strategies

The Fund has adopted a policy to invest exclusively in U.S. Treasury obligations, which are backed by the full faith and credit of the United States, and repurchase agreements collateralized by such securities in order to qualify as a “government money market fund” under federal regulations. The Fund may also hold cash from time to time. A “government money market fund” is a money market fund that invests at least 99.5% of its total assets in cash, securities issued or guaranteed by the United States or certain U.S. government agencies or instrumentalities and/or repurchase agreements that are collateralized fully by the foregoing. A “government money market fund” is exempt from requirements that permit money market funds to impose a “liquidity fee” and/or a “redemption gate” that temporarily restricts redemptions. In selecting investments, the Adviser seeks to maintain the Fund’s share price at $1.00. The share price remaining stable at $1.00 means that the Fund would preserve the principal value of your investment.

Principal Risks

There is no assurance that the Fund will achieve its investment objective.

You could lose money by investing in the Fund. Although the Fund seeks to preserve the value of your investment at $1.00 per share, it cannot guarantee it will do so. An investment in the Fund is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (“FDIC”) or any other government agency. The Fund’s sponsor has no legal obligation to provide financial support to the Fund, and you should not expect that the sponsor will provide financial support to the Fund at any time.

The principal risks of investing in the Fund include:

 

Credit and Interest Rate Risk. Credit risk refers to the possibility that the issuer or guarantor of a security will be unable to make interest payments and/or repay the principal on its debt. Interest rate risk refers to fluctuations in the value of a fixed-income security resulting from changes in the general level of interest rates. When the general level of interest rates goes up, the prices of most fixed-income securities go down. When the general level of interest rates goes down, the prices of most fixed-income securities go up. The Fund may face a heightened level of interest rate risk in times of monetary policy change and uncertainty,
 

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Prospectus  |  Fund Summary

Treasury Portfolio (Cont’d)

 

such as when the Federal Reserve Board ends a quantitative easing program and/or raises rates. A rising interest rate environment increases certain risks, including the potential for periods of volatility, increased redemptions and extended durations (i.e., extension risk).

 

Fixed-Income Securities. Fixed-income securities are subject to the risk of the issuer’s inability to meet principal and interest payments on its obligations (i.e., credit risk) and are subject to price volatility resulting from, among other things, interest rate sensitivity (i.e., interest rate risk), market perception of the creditworthiness of the issuer and general market liquidity (i.e., market risk). The Fund may face a heightened level of interest rate risk in times of monetary policy change and uncertainty, such as when the Federal Reserve Board ends a quantitative easing program and/or raises rates.

 

U.S. Government Securities. The U.S. government securities in which the Fund invests can be subject to two types of risk: credit risk and interest rate risk. When the general level of interest rates goes up, the prices of most fixed-income securities go down. When the general level of interest rates goes down, the prices of most fixed-income securities go up. While the credit risk associated with U.S. government securities generally is considered to be minimal, the interest rate risk can be substantial.

 

Repurchase Agreements. Repurchase agreements are subject to risks associated with the possibility of default by the seller at a time when the collateral has declined in value, or insolvency of the seller, which may affect the Fund’s right to control the collateral and result in certain costs and delays. Repurchase agreements may involve a greater degree of credit risk than investments in U.S. government securities.
 

Performance Information

The bar chart and table below provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by showing changes in the performance of the Fund’s Select Class shares from year-to-year and by showing the average annual returns of the Fund’s Select Class shares for the one year and since inception periods. The Fund’s past performance is not necessarily an indication of how the Fund will perform in the future. Updated performance information is available online at www.morganstanley.com/liquidity.

Annual Total Returns—Calendar Years

High Quarter 

03/31/19

0.37%

Low Quarter 

03/31/17

0.00%

Average Annual Total Returns

(for the Periods Ended December 31, 2019)

 

Past
One Year

Since
Inception
03/31/16

Treasury Portfolio

1.25%

0.60%

You may obtain the Fund’s 7-day current yield by calling 1-888-378-1630.

Fund Management

Adviser. Morgan Stanley Investment Management Inc.

Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares

There is no minimum initial investment amount for Select Class shares of the Fund.

Shares of the Fund may be purchased or sold on any day the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) is open for business (except when the following federal holidays are observed: Columbus Day and Veterans Day) directly from the Fund by mail (c/o DST Asset Manager Solutions, Inc., P.O. Box 219804, Kansas City, MO 64121-9804), by telephone (1-888-378-1630) or by contacting an

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Prospectus | Fund Summary

Treasury Portfolio (Cont’d)

authorized third-party, such as a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary that has entered into a selling agreement with the Fund’s “Distributor,” Morgan Stanley Distribution, Inc. (each, a “Financial Intermediary”). You may purchase and redeem shares online through Morgan Stanley’s Treasury Investment Portal service at www.morganstanley.com/liquidity, provided you have a pre-established Internet trading account. For more information, please refer to the sections of this Prospectus entitled “Shareholder Information—How To Purchase Shares” and “Shareholder Information—How To Redeem Shares.”

Selected accounts that utilize the Fund as their sweep vehicle will be reviewed on each business day and shares will automatically be purchased or sold to cover any credits or debits incurred that day.

Tax Information

The Fund intends to make distributions that may be taxed as ordinary income or capital gains.

Payments to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries

If you purchase shares of the Fund through a Financial Intermediary (such as a bank), the Adviser and/or the Distributor may pay the Financial Intermediary for the sale of Fund shares and related services. These payments, which may be significant in amount, may create a conflict of interest by influencing the Financial Intermediary and your salesperson to recommend the Fund over another investment. Ask your salesperson or visit your Financial Intermediary’s web site for more information.

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Prospectus  |  Fund Summary

Treasury Securities Portfolio

Investment Objective

The Treasury Securities Portfolio (the “Fund”) seeks preservation of capital, daily liquidity and maximum current income.

Fees and Expenses

The table below describes the expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold Select Class shares of the Fund. The Fund does not charge any sales loads or other fees when you purchase or redeem shares.

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

 

Select Class

Advisory Fee

0.15%

Distribution and/or Shareholder Service (12b-1) Fee

0.55%

Other Expenses

0.06%

Shareholder Service Fee

0.25%

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses1

1.01%

Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement1

0.01%

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement1

1.00%

Example

The example below is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund’s Select Class with the cost of investing in other mutual funds.

The example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund’s Select Class, your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Fund’s operating expenses remain the same (except that the example incorporates the fee waiver and/or expense reimbursement 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

 

Select Class

$ 102

$ 321

$ 557

$ 1,235

 

1 The Fund’s “Adviser” and “Administrator,” Morgan Stanley Investment Management Inc., has agreed to reduce its advisory fee, its administration fee and/or reimburse the Fund’s Select Class so that Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses, excluding certain investment related expenses, taxes, interest and other extraordinary expenses (including litigation), will not exceed 1.00%. The fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements will continue for at least one year or until such time as the Board of Trustees of Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds (the “Trust”) acts to discontinue all or a portion of such waivers and/or reimbursements when it deems such action is appropriate.

Principal Investment Strategies

The Fund has adopted a policy to invest exclusively in U.S. Treasury obligations, which are backed by the full faith and credit of the United States, in order to qualify as a “government money market fund” under federal regulations. The Fund may also hold cash from time to time. A “government money market fund” is a money market fund that invests at least 99.5% of its total assets in cash, securities issued or guaranteed by the United States or certain U.S. government agencies or instrumentalities and/or repurchase agreements that are collateralized fully by the foregoing. A “government money market fund” is exempt from requirements that permit money market funds to impose a “liquidity fee” and/or a “redemption gate” that temporarily restricts redemptions. In selecting investments, the Adviser seeks to maintain the Fund’s share price at $1.00. The share price remaining stable at $1.00 means that the Fund would preserve its principal value of your investment.

Principal Risks

There is no assurance that the Fund will achieve its investment objective.

You could lose money by investing in the Fund. Although the Fund seeks to preserve the value of your investment at $1.00 per share, it cannot guarantee it will do so. An investment in the Fund is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (“FDIC”) or any other government agency. The Fund’s sponsor has no legal obligation to provide financial support to the Fund, and you should not expect that the sponsor will provide financial support to the Fund at any time.

The principal risks of investing in the Fund include:

 

Credit and Interest Rate Risk. Credit risk refers to the possibility that the issuer or guarantor of a security will be unable to make interest payments and/or repay the principal on its debt. Interest rate risk refers to fluctuations in the value of a fixed-income security resulting from changes in the general level of interest rates. When the general level of interest rates goes up, the prices of most fixed-income securities go down. When the general level of interest rates goes down, the prices of most fixed-income securities go up. The Fund may face a heightened level of interest rate risk in times of monetary policy change and uncertainty,
 

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Prospectus | Fund Summary

Treasury Securities Portfolio (Cont’d)

 

such as when the Federal Reserve Board ends a quantitative easing program and/or raises rates. A rising interest rate environment increases certain risks, including the potential for periods of volatility, increased redemptions and extended durations (i.e., extension risk).

 

Fixed-Income Securities. Fixed-income securities are subject to the risk of the issuer’s inability to meet principal and interest payments on its obligations (i.e., credit risk) and are subject to price volatility resulting from, among other things, interest rate sensitivity (i.e., interest rate risk), market perception of the creditworthiness of the issuer and general market liquidity (i.e., market risk). The Fund may face a heightened level of interest rate risk in times of monetary policy change and uncertainty, such as when the Federal Reserve Board ends a quantitative easing program and/or raises rates.

 

U.S. Government Securities. The U.S. government securities in which the Fund invests can be subject to two types of risk: credit risk and interest rate risk. When the general level of interest rates goes up, the prices of most fixed-income securities go down. When the general level of interest rates goes down, the prices of most fixed-income securities go up. While the credit risk associated with U.S. government securities generally is considered to be minimal, the interest rate risk can be substantial.
 

Performance Information

The bar chart and table below provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by showing changes in the performance of the Fund’s Select Class shares from year-to-year and by showing the average annual returns of the Fund’s Select Class shares for the one year and since inception periods. The Fund’s past performance is not necessarily an indication of how the Fund will perform in the future. Updated performance information is available online at www.morganstanley.com/liquidity.

Annual Total Returns—Calendar Years

High Quarter 

06/30/19

0.36%

Low Quarter 

03/31/17

0.00%

Average Annual Total Returns

(for the Periods Ended December 31, 2019)

 

Past
One Year

Since
Inception
03/31/16

Treasury Securities Portfolio

1.21%

0.57%

You may obtain the Fund’s 7-day current yield by calling 1-888-378-1630.

Fund Management

Adviser. Morgan Stanley Investment Management Inc.

Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares

There is no minimum initial investment amount for Select Class shares of the Fund.

Shares of the Fund may be purchased or sold on any day the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) is open for business (except when the following federal holidays are observed: Columbus Day and Veterans Day) directly from the Fund by mail (c/o DST Asset Manager Solutions, Inc., P.O. Box 219804, Kansas City, MO 64121-9804), by telephone (1-888-378-1630) or by contacting an authorized third-party, such as a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary that has entered into a selling agreement with the Fund’s “Distributor,” Morgan Stanley Distribution, Inc. (each, a “Financial Intermediary”). You may purchase and redeem shares online through Morgan Stanley’s Treasury Investment Portal service at www.morganstanley.com/liquidity, provided you have a pre-established Internet trading account. For more information, please refer to the sections of this Prospectus entitled “Shareholder Information—How To Purchase Shares” and “Shareholder Information—How To Redeem Shares.”

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Prospectus  |  Fund Summary

Treasury Securities Portfolio (Cont’d)

Selected accounts that utilize the Fund as their sweep vehicle will be reviewed on each business day and shares will automatically be purchased or sold to cover any credits or debits incurred that day.

Tax Information

The Fund intends to make distributions that may be taxed as ordinary income or capital gains.

Payments to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries

If you purchase shares of the Fund through a Financial Intermediary (such as a bank), the Adviser and/or the Distributor may pay the Financial Intermediary for the sale of Fund shares and related services. These payments, which may be significant in amount, may create a conflict of interest by influencing the Financial Intermediary and your salesperson to recommend the Fund over another investment. Ask your salesperson or visit your Financial Intermediary’s web site for more information.

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds  |  Details of the Funds

Government Portfolio

Investment Objective

The Government Portfolio seeks preservation of capital, daily liquidity and maximum current income.

Approach

The Fund has adopted a policy to invest exclusively in obligations issued or guaranteed by the U.S. Government and its agencies and instrumentalities and in repurchase agreements collateralized by such securities in order to qualify as a “government money market fund” under federal regulations. The Fund may also hold cash from time to time. A “government money market fund” is a money market fund that invests at least 99.5% of its total assets in cash, securities issued or guaranteed by the United States or certain U.S. government agencies or instrumentalities and/or repurchase agreements that are collateralized fully by the foregoing. In selecting investments, the Adviser seeks to maintain the Fund’s share price at $1.00. The share price remaining stable at $1.00 means that the Fund would preserve the principal value of your investment. The Fund may change its principal investment strategies; however you would be notified of any changes.

The U.S. government securities that the Fund may purchase include:

 

U.S. treasury bills, notes and bonds, all of which are direct obligations of the U.S. Government.

 

Securities issued by agencies and instrumentalities of the U.S. Government which are backed by the full faith and credit of the United States. Among the agencies and instrumentalities issuing these obligations are the Government National Mortgage Association (“Ginnie Mae”) and the Federal Housing Administration.

 

Securities issued by agencies and instrumentalities which are not backed by the full faith and credit of the United States, but whose issuing agency or instrumentality has the right to borrow, to meet its obligations, from the U.S. Treasury. Among these agencies and instrumentalities are the Federal National Mortgage Association (“Fannie Mae”), the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (“Freddie Mac”) and the Federal Home Loan Banks.

 

Securities issued by agencies and instrumentalities which are backed solely by the credit of the issuing agency or instrumentality. Among these agencies and instrumentalities is the Federal Farm Credit System.
 

Process

The Adviser follows an investment process that seeks to select maturities based on the shape of the money market yield curve and based on the expectations as to future shifts in the level and shape of the curve, taking into consideration such factors as current short-term interest rates, Federal Reserve policy regarding interest rates and U.S. economic activity.

The Adviser actively manages the Fund’s assets in an attempt to reduce the risk of losing any principal investment as a result of credit or interest rate risks. The Fund’s assets are reviewed to maintain or improve creditworthiness. In addition, federal regulations require money market funds to invest only in debt obligations of high quality and short-term maturities.

Principal Risks

The Fund’s principal investment strategies are subject to the following principal risks:

There is no assurance that the Fund will achieve its investment objective. You could lose money by investing in the Fund. Although the Fund seeks to preserve the value of your investment at $1.00 per share, it cannot guarantee it will do so. An investment in the Fund is not insured or guaranteed by the FDIC or any other government agency.

A principal risk of investing in the Fund is associated with its debt obligation investments. All debt obligations, such as bonds, are subject to two types of risk: credit risk and interest rate risk. Credit risk refers to the possibility that the issuer or guarantor of a security will be unable to make interest payments and/or repay the principal on its debt. Interest rate risk refers to fluctuations in the value of a fixed-income security resulting from changes in the general level of interest rates. When the general level of interest rates goes up, the prices of most fixed-income securities go down. When the general level of interest rates goes down, the prices of most fixed-income securities go up. A low interest rate environment may prevent the Fund from providing a positive yield or paying Fund expenses out of Fund assets and could impair the Fund’s ability to maintain a stable net asset value per share (“NAV”). The Fund may face a heightened level of interest rate risk in times of monetary policy change and uncertainty, such as when the Federal Reserve Board ends a quantitative easing program and/or raises rates. A rising interest rate environment increases certain risks, including the potential for periods of volatility, increased redemptions and extended durations (i.e., extension risk).

The Fund may purchase U.S. government securities that are not backed by the full faith and credit of the United States. With respect to these U.S. government securities, there is the risk that the U.S. Government will not provide financial support to such U.S. government agencies, instrumentalities or sponsored enterprises if it is not obligated to do so by law. The maximum potential liability of the issuers of some U.S. government securities held by the Fund may greatly exceed their current resources, including their legal right to support from the U.S. Treasury. It is possible that these issuers will not have the funds to meet their payment obligations in the future.

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds  |  Details of the Funds

Government Portfolio (Con’t)

Repurchase agreements are subject to additional risks associated with the possibility of default by the seller at a time when the collateral has declined in value, or insolvency of the seller, which may affect the Fund’s right to control the collateral and result in certain costs and delays.

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds  |  Details of the Funds

Treasury Portfolio

Investment Objective

The Treasury Portfolio seeks preservation of capital, daily liquidity and maximum current income.

Approach

The Fund has adopted a policy to invest exclusively in U.S. Treasury obligations, which are backed by the full faith and credit of the United States, and repurchase agreements collateralized by such securities in order to qualify as a “government money market fund” under federal regulations. The Fund may also hold cash from time to time. A “government money market fund” is a money market fund that invests at least 99.5% of its total assets in cash, securities issued or guaranteed by the United States or certain U.S. government agencies or instrumentalities and/or repurchase agreements that are collateralized fully by the foregoing. In selecting investments, the Adviser seeks to maintain the Fund’s share price at $1.00. The share price remaining stable at $1.00 means that the Fund would preserve the principal value of your investment. The Fund may change its principal investment strategies; however you would be notified of any changes.

Process

The Adviser follows an investment process that seeks to select maturities based on the shape of the money market yield curve and based on the expectations as to future shifts in the level and shape of the curve, taking into consideration such factors as current short-term interest rates, Federal Reserve policy regarding interest rates and U.S. economic activity.

The Adviser actively manages the Fund’s assets in an attempt to reduce the risk of losing any principal investment as a result of credit or interest rate risks. The Fund’s assets are reviewed to maintain or improve creditworthiness. In addition, federal regulations require money market funds to invest only in debt obligations of high quality and short-term maturities.

Principal Risks

The Fund’s principal investment strategies are subject to the following principal risks:

There is no assurance that the Fund will achieve its investment objective. You could lose money by investing in the Fund. Although the Fund seeks to preserve the value of your investment at $1.00 per share, it cannot guarantee it will do so. An investment in the Fund is not insured or guaranteed by the FDIC or any other government agency.

A principal risk of investing in the Fund is associated with its debt obligation investments. All debt obligations, such as bonds, are subject to two types of risk: credit risk and interest rate risk. Credit risk refers to the possibility that the issuer or guarantor of a security will be unable to make interest payments and/or repay the principal on its debt. Interest rate risk refers to fluctuations in the value of a fixed-income security resulting from changes in the general level of interest rates. When the general level of interest rates goes up, the prices of most fixed-income securities go down. When the general level of interest rates goes down, the prices of most fixed-income securities go up. A low interest rate environment may prevent the Fund from providing a positive yield or paying Fund expenses out of Fund assets and could impair the Fund’s ability to maintain a stable NAV. The Fund may face a heightened level of interest rate risk in times of monetary policy change and uncertainty, such as when the Federal Reserve Board ends a quantitative easing program and/or raises rates. A rising interest rate environment increases certain risks, including the potential for periods of volatility, increased redemptions and extended durations (i.e., extension risk).

The U.S. government securities in which the Fund invests can be subject to two types of risk: credit risk and interest rate risk. When the general level of interest rates goes up, the prices of most fixed-income securities go down. When the general level of interest rates goes down, the prices of most fixed-income securities go up. While the credit risk associated with U.S. government securities generally is considered to be minimal, the interest rate risk can be substantial.

Repurchase agreements are subject to additional risks associated with the possibility of default by the seller at a time when the collateral has declined in value, or insolvency of the seller, which may affect the Fund’s right to control the collateral and result in certain costs and delays.

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds  |  Details of the Funds

Treasury Securities Portfolio

Investment Objective

The Treasury Securities Portfolio seeks preservation of capital, daily liquidity and maximum current income.

Approach

The Fund has adopted a policy to invest exclusively in U.S. Treasury obligations, which are backed by the full faith and credit of the United States, in order to qualify as a “government money market fund” under federal regulations. The Fund may also hold cash from time to time. A “government money market fund” is a money market fund that invests at least 99.5% of its total assets in cash, securities issued or guaranteed by the United States or certain U.S. government agencies or instrumentalities and/or repurchase agreements that are collateralized fully by the foregoing. In selecting investments, the Adviser seeks to maintain the Fund’s share price at $1.00. The share price remaining stable at $1.00 means that the Fund would preserve the principal value of your investment. The Fund may change its principal investment strategies; however you would be notified of any changes.

Process

The Adviser follows an investment process that seeks to select maturities based on the shape of the money market yield curve and based on the expectations as to future shifts in the level and shape of the curve, taking into consideration such factors as current short-term interest rates, Federal Reserve policy regarding interest rates and U.S. economic activity.

The Adviser actively manages the Fund’s assets in an attempt to reduce the risk of losing any principal investment as a result of credit or interest rate risks. The Fund’s assets are reviewed to maintain or improve creditworthiness. In addition, federal regulations require money market funds to invest only in debt obligations of high quality and short-term maturities.

Principal Risks

The Fund’s principal investment strategies are subject to the following principal risks:

There is no assurance that the Fund will achieve its investment objective. You could lose money by investing in the Fund. Although the Fund seeks to preserve the value of your investment at $1.00 per share, it cannot guarantee it will do so. An investment in the Fund is not insured or guaranteed by the FDIC or any other government agency.

A principal risk of investing in the Fund is associated with its debt obligation investments. All debt obligations, such as bonds, are subject to two types of risk: credit risk and interest rate risk. Credit risk refers to the possibility that the issuer or guarantor of a security will be unable to make interest payments and/or repay the principal on its debt. Interest rate risk refers to fluctuations in the value of a fixed-income security resulting from changes in the general level of interest rates. When the general level of interest rates goes up, the prices of most fixed-income securities go down. When the general level of interest rates goes down, the prices of most fixed-income securities go up. A low interest rate environment may prevent the Fund from providing a positive yield or paying Fund expenses out of Fund assets and could impair the Fund’s ability to maintain a stable NAV. The Fund may face a heightened level of interest rate risk in times of monetary policy change and uncertainty, such as when the Federal Reserve Board ends a quantitative easing program and/or raises rates. A rising interest rate environment increases certain risks, including the potential for periods of volatility, increased redemptions and extended durations (i.e., extension risk).

The U.S. government securities in which the Fund invests can be subject to two types of risk: credit risk and interest rate risk. When the general level of interest rates goes up, the prices of most fixed-income securities go down. When the general level of interest rates goes down, the prices of most fixed-income securities go up. While the credit risk associated with U.S. government securities generally is considered to be minimal, the interest rate risk can be substantial.

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Prospectus  |  Additional Information About the Funds’ Investment Strategies and Related Risks

Additional Information About the Funds’ Investment Strategies and Related Risks

This section discusses additional information relating to the Funds’ investment strategies, other types of investments that the Funds may make and related risk factors. The Funds’ investment practices and limitations are also described in more detail in the Statement of Additional Information (“SAI”), which is incorporated by reference and legally is a part of this Prospectus. For details on how to obtain a copy of the SAI and other reports and information, see the back cover of this Prospectus.

Credit and Interest Rate Risk

All debt obligations, such as bonds, are subject to two types of risk: credit risk and interest rate risk. Interest rate risk refers to fluctuations in the value of a fixed-income security resulting from changes in the general level of interest rates. When the general level of interest rates goes up, the prices of most fixed-income securities go down. When the general level of interest rates goes down, the prices of most fixed-income securities go up. A low interest rate environment may prevent a Fund from providing a positive yield or paying Fund expenses out of Fund assets. The Funds may face a heightened level of interest rate risk in times of monetary policy change and uncertainty, such as when the Federal Reserve Board ends a quantitative easing program and/or raises rates. A rising interest rate environment increases certain risks, including the potential for periods of volatility, increased redemptions and extended durations (i.e., extension risk).

U.S. Government Securities

The U.S. government securities that certain Funds may purchase include U.S. Treasury bills, notes and bonds, all of which are direct obligations of the U.S. Government. In addition, certain Funds may purchase securities issued or guaranteed by agencies and instrumentalities of the U.S. Government which are backed by the full faith and credit of the United States. Among the agencies and instrumentalities issuing these obligations are Ginnie Mae and the Federal Housing Administration. Also, certain Funds may purchase securities issued by agencies and instrumentalities which are not backed by the full faith and credit of the United States, but whose issuing agency or instrumentality has the right to borrow, to meet its obligations, from the U.S. Treasury. Among these agencies and instrumentalities are Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac and the Federal Home Loan Banks. In September 2008, the U.S. Treasury Department announced that the U.S. Government would be taking over Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac and placing the companies into a conservatorship. In addition, the U.S. Treasury announced additional steps that it intended to take with respect to the debt and mortgage-backed securities issued by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac in order to support the conservatorship. Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac are continuing to operate as going concerns while in conservatorship and each remains liable for all of its respective obligations, including its guaranty obligations, associated with its mortgage-backed securities. No assurance can be given that these initiatives will be successful. Further, certain Funds may purchase securities issued by agencies and instrumentalities which are backed solely by the credit of the issuing agency or instrumentality. Among these agencies and instrumentalities is the Federal Farm Credit System. Because these securities are not backed by the full faith and credit of the United States, there is a risk that the U.S. Government will not provide financial support to these agencies if it is not obligated to do so by law. The maximum potential liability of the issuers of some U.S. government securities held by a Fund may greatly exceed their current resources, including their legal right to support from the U.S. Treasury. It is possible that these issuers will not have the funds to meet their payment obligations in the future. The interest from U.S. government securities generally is not subject to state and local taxation.

Custodial Receipts

Certain Funds may invest in custodial receipts representing interests in U.S. government securities held by a custodian or trustee. Custodial receipts evidence ownership of future interest payments, principal payments or both on notes or bonds issued or guaranteed as to principal or interest by the U.S. Government, its agencies, instrumentalities, political subdivisions or authorities. For certain securities law purposes, custodial receipts are not considered obligations of the underlying issuers. In addition, if for tax purposes a Fund is not considered to be the owner of the underlying securities held in the custodial account, the Fund may suffer adverse tax consequences. As a holder of custodial receipts, a Fund will bear its proportionate share of the fees and expenses charged to the custodial account.

Asset-Backed Securities

Asset-backed securities represent an interest in a pool of assets such as automobile loans, credit card receivables or mortgage or home equity loans, or certificates of participation or lease obligations or other municipal debt obligations, that have been securitized in pass-through structures. These types of pass-through securities provide for monthly payments that are a “pass-through” of the monthly interest and principal payments made by the individual borrowers on the pooled receivables. Such securities also may be debt instruments, which are also known as collateralized obligations and are generally issued as the debt of a special purpose entity, such as a trust, organized solely for the purpose of owning such assets and issuing such debt. Credit support for asset-backed securities may be based on the underlying assets and/or provided by a third-party through credit enhancements. Credit enhancement techniques include letters of credit, insurance bonds, limited guarantees (which are generally provided by the issuer), senior-subordinated structures and over-collateralization.

Asset-backed securities are not issued or guaranteed by the U.S. Government or its agencies or instrumentalities; however, the payment of principal and interest on such obligations may be guaranteed up to certain amounts for a certain period by a letter of

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Prospectus  |  Additional Information About the Funds’ Investment Strategies and Related Risks

Additional Information About the Funds’ Investment Strategies and Related Risks (Con’t)

credit issued by a financial institution (such as a bank or insurance company) unaffiliated with the issuers of such securities. The purchase of asset-backed securities raises risk considerations specific to the financing of the instruments underlying such securities. For example, there is a risk that another party could acquire an interest in the obligations superior to that of the holders of the asset-backed securities. Asset-backed securities entail prepayment risk and extension risk, which may vary depending on the type of asset. Securities subject to prepayment risk generally offer less potential for gains when interest rates decline, and may offer a greater potential for loss when interest rates rise. In addition, rising interest rates may cause prepayments to occur at a slower than expected rate, thereby effectively lengthening the maturity of the security and making the security more sensitive to interest rate changes. Other factors, such as changes in credit card use and payment patterns, may also influence prepayment rates. Asset-backed securities also involve the risk that various federal and state consumer laws and other legal and economic factors such as defaults on the underlying loans may result in the collateral backing the securities being insufficient to support payment on the securities. The risk of such defaults is generally higher in the case of mortgage pools that include sub-prime mortgages. There is also the possibility that recoveries on repossessed collateral may not, in some cases, be available to support payments on those securities.

Repurchase Agreements

Repurchase agreements are fixed-income securities in the form of agreements backed by collateral. These agreements typically involve the acquisition by the Funds of securities from the selling institution (such as a bank or a broker-dealer), coupled with the agreement that the selling institution will repurchase the underlying securities at a specified price and at a fixed time in the future (or on demand, if applicable). The underlying securities which serve as collateral for the repurchase agreements entered into by certain Funds may include U.S. government securities. These securities are marked-to-market daily in order to maintain full collateralization (typically purchase price plus accrued interest). The use of repurchase agreements involves certain risks. For example, if the selling institution defaults on its obligation to repurchase the underlying securities at a time when the value of the securities has declined, the Funds may incur a loss upon disposition of them. The risk of such loss may be greater when utilizing collateral other than U.S. government securities. In the event of an insolvency or bankruptcy by the selling institution, the Funds’ right to control the collateral could be affected and result in certain costs and delays. Additionally, if the proceeds from the liquidation of such collateral after an insolvency were less than the repurchase price, the Funds could suffer a loss. Fund procedures are followed that are designed to minimize such risks.

Additional Risks and Investment Strategies of the Funds

Investment Companies

The Funds may invest in investment companies, including money market funds, and may invest all or some of their short-term cash investments in any money market fund advised or managed by the Adviser or its affiliates (an “affiliated money market fund”). An investment in an investment company is subject to the underlying risks of that investment company’s portfolio securities. In addition to a Fund’s fees and expenses, the Fund generally would bear its share of the investment company’s fees and expenses other than advisory and administrative fees of affiliated money market funds.

Large Shareholder Transactions Risk

A Fund may experience adverse effects when certain large shareholders purchase or redeem large amounts of shares of the Fund. Such large shareholder redemptions may cause a Fund to sell portfolio securities at times when it would not otherwise do so, which may negatively impact the Fund’s NAV and liquidity. Similarly, large Fund share purchases may adversely affect a Fund’s performance to the extent that the Fund is delayed in investing new cash and is required to maintain a larger cash position than it ordinarily would. These transactions may also accelerate the realization of taxable income to shareholders if such sales of investments resulted in gains, and may also increase transaction costs. In addition, a large redemption could result in a Fund’s current expenses being allocated over a smaller asset base, leading to an increase in the Fund’s expense ratio. Although large shareholder transactions may be more frequent under certain circumstances, a Fund is generally subject to the risk that a large shareholder can purchase or redeem a significant percentage of Fund shares at any time.

Investment Discretion

In pursuing a Fund’s investment objective, the Adviser has considerable leeway in deciding which investments it buys, holds or sells on a day-to-day basis, and which trading strategies it uses. For example, the Adviser, in its discretion, may determine to use some permitted trading strategies while not using others. The success or failure of such decisions will affect a Fund’s performance.

Temporary Defensive Investments

When the Adviser believes that changes in market, economic, political or other conditions warrant, each Fund may invest without limit in cash or cash equivalents for temporary defensive purposes that may be inconsistent with a Fund’s principal investment strategies. If the Adviser incorrectly predicts the effects of these changes, such defensive investments may adversely affect a Fund’s performance and the Fund may not achieve its investment objective.

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Prospectus  |  Shareholder Information

Shareholder Information

The Trust is designed for institutional investors seeking maximum current income and convenient liquidation privileges. The Funds are particularly suitable for corporations, banks and other financial institutions that seek investment of short-term funds for their own accounts or for the accounts of their customers. Shares of the Government Portfolio are intended to qualify as eligible investments for federally chartered credit unions pursuant to the applicable provisions of the Federal Credit Union Act and the National Credit Union Administration. Shares of the Government Portfolio, however, may not qualify as eligible investments for particular state-chartered credit unions. A state-chartered credit union should consult qualified legal counsel to determine whether these Funds are permissible investments under the law applicable to it.

Share Class Arrangements

This Prospectus offers Select Class shares of the Government, Treasury and Treasury Securities Portfolios. The Trust also offers other classes of shares through separate prospectuses. Certain of these classes may be subject to different fees and expenses. For information regarding other share classes, contact the Trust or your financial intermediary.

Minimum Investment Amount

There is no minimum initial investment amount for Select Class shares of the Funds.

Distributor

Shares of the Funds are distributed exclusively through Morgan Stanley Distribution, Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Morgan Stanley. The Distributor has entered into arrangements with certain financial intermediaries (also referred to as service organizations) who may accept purchase and redemption orders for shares of each Fund on its behalf.

The Adviser and/or the Distributor may pay additional compensation (out of their own funds and not as an expense of a Fund) to selected affiliated or unaffiliated brokers or other service providers in connection with the sale, distribution, retention and/or servicing of Fund shares. Such compensation may be significant in amount and the prospect of receiving any such additional compensation may provide affiliated or unaffiliated entities with an incentive to favor sales of shares of the Fund over other investment options. Any such payments will not change the NAV or the price of Fund shares. For more information, please see the Funds’ SAI.

The Fund has adopted a Distribution Plan for each Fund’s Select Class shares pursuant to Rule 12b-1 under the 1940 Act (the “Distribution Plan”) to pay the Distributor to provide for, or to compensate certain financial intermediaries (also referred to as service organizations) for, providing distribution related services to the Fund. Under the Distribution Plan, each Fund pays the Distributor a monthly distribution fee which shall not exceed during any one year 0.55% of the Fund’s average daily net assets of Select Class shares, which are owned beneficially by the customers of such service organization during such period. The Distributor may waive distribution fees to enable each Fund to maintain a minimum level of daily net investment income. The Distributor may discontinue these voluntary fee waivers at any time in the future.

The Trust has also adopted a Shareholder Service Plan for each Fund’s Select Class shares to pay the Distributor to provide for, or to compensate service organizations for providing personal and account maintenance services and administrative services to shareholders (“Shareholder Service Plan”). Under this Shareholder Service Plan, each Fund pays the Distributor a monthly service fee which shall not exceed during any one year 0.25% of the Fund’s average daily net assets of Select Class shares, which are owned beneficially by the customers of such service organization during such period. The Distributor may waive distribution fees to enable each Fund to maintain a minimum level of daily net investment income. The Distributor may discontinue these voluntary fee waivers at any time in the future.

Because such distribution and service fees are paid out of a Fund’s assets on an ongoing basis, over time these fees will increase the cost of your investment and reduce your return and may cost you more than paying other types of sales charges.

Valuation of Shares

The price of each Fund’s shares is based on the amortized cost of the Fund’s securities. The amortized cost valuation method involves valuing a debt obligation in reference to its cost rather than market forces. If the Adviser determines that a valuation is not reflective of the security’s market value, such security is valued at its fair value as determined in good faith under procedures established by and under the general supervision of the Board.

The NAV of each Fund is determined once daily, normally at the times set forth below, on each day that the NYSE is open (the “Pricing Time”), except when the following federal holidays are observed: Columbus Day and Veterans Day.

Shares will generally not be priced on days that the NYSE is closed, although Fund shares may be priced on such days if the Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association (“SIFMA”) recommends that the bond markets remain open for all or part of the day. On any business day when SIFMA recommends that the bond markets close early, a Fund reserves the right to close at or prior to the SIFMA recommended closing time. If a Fund does so, it will cease granting same day credit for purchase and redemption orders received after the Fund’s closing time and credit will be given on the next business day. The Fund may, however, elect to remain

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Prospectus  |  Shareholder Information

Shareholder Information (Con’t)

open and price shares of each Fund on days where the NYSE is closed but the primary securities markets on which the Funds’ securities trade remain open.

Government Portfolio
Treasury Portfolio

As of 5:00 p.m. Eastern time

Treasury Securities Portfolio

As of 3:00 p.m. Eastern time

Pricing of Fund Shares

Shares of the Funds may be purchased or sold (redeemed) at the NAV next determined after the Fund receives your order in good order and State Street Bank and Trust Company (the “Custodian”) receives monies credited by a Federal Reserve Bank (“Federal Funds”) prior to the close of the Federal Reserve Wire Network (“Fedwire”). You begin earning dividends the same day your Select Class shares are purchased provided the Fund receives your purchase amount in Federal Funds that day as set forth above. Orders to purchase shares of a Fund must be received by the Fund prior to the following times to receive the NAV next determined: for the Government Portfolio and Treasury Portfolio—5:00 p.m. Eastern time and for the Treasury Securities Portfolio—3:00 p.m. Eastern time. On any business day that the NYSE closes early, or when SIFMA recommends that the securities markets close early, a Fund may close early and purchase orders received after such earlier closing times will be processed the following business day. If the NYSE is closed due to inclement weather, technology problems or any other reason on a day it would normally be open for business, or the NYSE has an unscheduled early closing on a day it has opened for business, a Fund reserves the right to treat such day as a business day and accept purchase and redemption orders until, and calculate its NAV as of, the normally scheduled close of regular trading on the NYSE for that day, or such time noted above, so long as the Adviser believes there generally remains an adequate market to obtain reliable and accurate market quotations. A Fund may elect to remain open on days when the NYSE is closed or closes early but on which SIFMA recommends that the bond markets remain open for all or part of the day. Purchase orders received by a Fund and not funded by 6:00 p.m. Eastern time on the trade date may be subject to an overdraft charge.

Portfolio Holdings

A description of the Trust’s policies and procedures with respect to the disclosure of each Fund’s portfolio securities is available in the Trust’s SAI.

How To Purchase Shares

Select Class shares of the Funds may be purchased directly from the Fund or through a financial intermediary.

Purchasing Shares Through a Financial Intermediary
You may open a new account and purchase Fund shares through certain authorized third-parties, such as brokers, dealers or other financial intermediaries that have entered into a selling agreement with the Distributor (each, a “Financial Intermediary”). Your Financial Intermediary will assist you with the procedures to invest in shares of the Fund. The Financial Intermediary will establish times by which such purchase orders and payments from customers must be received by the Financial Intermediary. Financial Intermediaries are responsible for transmitting purchase orders and payments to the Trust and the Trust’s Custodian in a timely fashion. Purchase orders placed with a Financial Intermediary and transmitted through a trading platform utilized by the Financial Intermediary may be transmitted by the trading platform after the deadlines established by the Trust for receipt of purchase orders, as set forth below; in such case, the purchase orders will receive a trade date of the next business day.

Investors purchasing Select Class shares through a Financial Intermediary may be charged a transaction-based or other fees by the Financial Intermediary for its services. If you are purchasing Select Class shares through a Financial Intermediary, please consult your intermediary for more information regarding any such fees and for purchase instructions.

With respect to sales through Financial Intermediaries, no offers or sales of Fund shares may be made in any foreign jurisdiction, except with the consent of the Distributor.

Purchasing Shares Directly From the Funds

Initial Purchase by Mail
You may open an account, subject to acceptance by the Fund, and purchase Select Class shares of a Fund by completing and signing a New Account Application which you can obtain by calling Morgan Stanley Services Company Inc. or the Fund at (888) 378-1630 (which is generally accessible weekdays 7:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m. Eastern time) and mailing it to Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds, c/o DST Asset Manager Solutions, Inc., P.O. Box 219804, Kansas City, MO 64121-9804 together with a check payable to Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds. Orders to purchase shares of a Fund must be received by the Fund prior to the applicable Fund’s final Pricing Time of that day. Orders received after such Pricing Time will be processed the following business day.

Please note that payments to investors who redeem shares of a Fund purchased by check will not be made until payment of the purchase has been collected, which may take up to 15 calendar days after purchase. You can avoid this delay by purchasing shares of a Fund by wire.

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Shareholder Information (Con’t)

Initial Purchase by Wire
You may purchase Select Class shares of each Fund by wiring Federal Funds (monies credited by a Federal Reserve Bank) to the Custodian. You must forward a completed New Account Application to the Transfer Agent in advance of the wire by following the instructions under “Initial Purchase by Mail.” You should instruct your bank to send a Federal Funds wire in a specified amount to the Custodian using the following wire instructions:

State Street Bank and Trust Company
One Lincoln Street
Boston, MA 02111-2101
ABA #011000028
DDA #00575399
Attn: Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Subscription Account
Ref: (Fund Name, Account Number, Account Name)
* For international investments into the US funds, BIC Code: SBOSUS33XXX must be referenced, as well as the information listed above.

If notification of your order is received prior to the time required by each respective Fund, as set forth above, and the Custodian receives the funds the same day prior to the close of the Fedwire, then your purchase will become effective and begin to earn income on that day. Otherwise, your purchase will be effective on the next business day.

Purchase by Internet
If you have properly authorized the Internet Trading Option on your New Account Application and completed, signed and returned to the Fund an Electronic Transactions Agreement, you may place a purchase order for additional shares online through Morgan Stanley’s Treasury Investment Portal service at www.morganstanley.com/liquidity. For more information, call Morgan Stanley Services Company Inc. at 1-888-378-1630.

You are responsible for transmitting payments for shares purchased via the Internet in a timely fashion, as set forth above.

Automatic Purchases
Selected accounts that utilize the Funds as their sweep vehicle will be reviewed on each business day to determine whether the account has a positive balance as a result of credits incurred that day. If an account has a positive (credit) balance, shares of the respective Fund will automatically be purchased. Any positive (credit) balance will be reduced by any debits to the account on that day and shares of the Fund will automatically be sold.

Additional Investments
You may make additional investments of Select Class shares at the NAV next determined after the request is received in good order or by wiring Federal Funds to the Custodian as outlined above. State Street Bank and Trust Company must receive notification of receipt of your Federal Funds wire by the time required by each respective Fund, as set forth above under “How To Purchase Shares.”

General

To help the U.S. Government fight the funding of terrorism and money laundering activities, federal law requires all financial institutions to obtain, verify and record information that identifies each person who opens an account. What this means to you is that when you open an account, we will ask your name, address, date of birth and other information that will allow us to identify you. If we are unable to verify your identity, we reserve the right to restrict additional transactions and/or liquidate your account at the next calculated NAV after your account is closed (less any applicable sales/account charges and/or tax penalties) or take any other action required by law. In accordance with federal law requirements, the Trust has implemented an anti-money laundering compliance program, which includes the designation of an anti-money laundering compliance officer.

How To Redeem Shares

You may process a redemption request by contacting your Financial Intermediary. Otherwise, you may redeem shares of a Fund by mail or, if authorized, by telephone, at no charge other than as described below. The value of shares redeemed may be more or less than the purchase price, depending on the NAV at the time of redemption. Shares of a Fund will be redeemed at the NAV next determined after we receive your redemption request in good order.

Redemptions by Letter
Requests should be addressed to Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds, c/o DST Asset Manager Solutions, Inc., P.O. Box 219804, Kansas City, MO 64121-9804.

To be in good order, redemption requests must include the following documentation:

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Prospectus  |  Shareholder Information

Shareholder Information (Con’t)

(a) A letter of instruction, if required, or a stock assignment specifying the account name, the account number, the name of the Fund and the number of shares or dollar amount to be redeemed, signed by all registered owners of the shares in the exact names in which the shares are registered, and whether you wish to receive the redemption proceeds by wire to the bank account we have on file for you;

(b) Any required signature guarantees if you are requesting payment to anyone other than the registered owner(s) or that payment be sent to any address other than the address of the registered owner(s) or pre-designated bank account; and

(c) Other supporting legal documents, if required, in the case of estates, trusts, guardianships, custodianship, corporations, pension and profit sharing plans and other organizations.

Redemptions by Telephone
You automatically have telephone redemption and exchange privileges unless you indicate otherwise by checking the applicable box on the New Account Application or calling the Fund to opt out of such privileges. You may request a redemption of shares of a Fund by calling the Fund at 1-888-378-1630 and requesting that the redemption proceeds be mailed or wired to you. Telephone redemptions and exchanges may not be available if you cannot reach the Fund by telephone, whether because all telephone lines are busy or for any other reason; in such case, a shareholder would have to use the Fund’s other redemption and exchange procedures described in this section. Telephone instructions will be accepted if received by the Fund between 7:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. Eastern time on any day the NYSE is open for business, except when the following federal holidays are observed: Columbus Day and Veterans Day. Orders to redeem or exchange shares of a Fund must be received by the Fund prior to the applicable Fund’s final Pricing Time of that day. Orders received after such Pricing Time will be processed the following business day. To opt out of telephone privileges, please contact the Fund at 1-888-378-1630.

Redemptions by Internet
You may redeem shares online through Morgan Stanley’s Treasury Investment Portal service at www.morganstanley.com/liquidity, provided you have a pre-established Internet trading account, as set forth above under “How To Purchase Shares.” For more information, call the Fund at 1-888-378-1630.

Automatic Redemptions
Selected accounts that utilize the Funds as their sweep vehicle will be reviewed on each business day to determine whether the account has any debits that were incurred that day and shares of the Funds will automatically be redeemed to cover the debits if such debits have not been reduced by any credits which may have accrued to the account on the same day.

Redemption Proceeds
You will not earn a dividend on the day your shares are sold. Orders to sell shares (redemption requests) will be processed on the day on which they are received, provided they are received prior to the following times to receive the NAV next determined: for the Government Portfolio and Treasury Portfolio—5:00 p.m. Eastern time and for the Treasury Securities Portfolio—3:00 p.m. Eastern time. On any business day that the NYSE closes early, the Fund may close early and redemption requests received after such earlier closing times will be processed the following business day. The Fund may elect to remain open on days when the NYSE is closed or closes early but on which SIFMA recommends that the bond markets remain open for all or part of the day. Generally, payment for Fund shares sold will be made on the day on which the order is processed, but under certain circumstances may not be made until the next business day. The Fund may postpone and/or suspend redemption and payment beyond one business day only as follows: (a) for any period during which there is a non-routine closure of the Fedwire or applicable Federal Reserve Banks; (b) for any period (i) during which the NYSE is closed other than customary week-end and holiday closings or (ii) during which trading on the NYSE is restricted; (c) for any period during which an emergency exists as a result of which (i) disposal of securities owned by the Fund is not reasonably practicable or (ii) it is not reasonably practicable for the Fund to fairly determine the NAV of shares of the Fund; (d) for any period during which the SEC has, by rule or regulation, deemed that (i) trading shall be restricted or (ii) an emergency exists; (e) for any period that the SEC may by order permit; or (f) for any period during which the Fund as part of a necessary liquidation of a Fund, has properly postponed and/or suspended redemption of shares and payment in accordance with federal securities laws. In addition, when SIFMA recommends that the securities markets close early, payments with respect to redemption requests received subsequent to the recommended close will be made the next business day (assuming that the Fund in fact closes).

Each Fund typically expects to meet redemption requests by using a combination of sales of securities held by a Fund and/or holdings of cash and cash equivalents. On a less regular basis, each Fund also reserves the right to use borrowings to meet redemption requests, and each Fund may use these methods during both normal and stressed market conditions.

If we determine that it is in the best interest of other shareholders not to pay redemption proceeds in cash, we may pay you in part by distributing to you readily marketable securities held by the Fund from which you are redeeming. Such in-kind securities may be illiquid and difficult or impossible for a shareholder to sell at a time and at a price that a shareholder would like. Redemptions paid in such securities generally will give rise to income, gain or loss for income tax purposes in the same manner as redemptions paid in

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Shareholder Information (Con’t)

cash. In addition, you may incur brokerage costs and a further gain or loss for income tax purposes when you ultimately sell the securities.

Exchange Privilege

You may exchange a Fund’s Select Class shares for Select Class shares of other available Funds of the Trust based on their respective NAVs. We charge no fee for exchanges. If you purchased Fund shares through a Financial Intermediary, certain other Funds of the Trust may be unavailable for exchange. Contact your Financial Intermediary to determine which Funds are available for exchange.

You can process your exchange by contacting your Financial Intermediary or online through Morgan Stanley’s Treasury Investment Portal service at www.morganstanley.com/liquidity provided you have a pre-established Internet trading account, as set forth above under “How To Purchase Shares.” You may also send exchange requests to the Fund’s transfer agent, DST Asset Manager Solutions, Inc. (“DST”), by mail to Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds, c/o DST Asset Manager Solutions, Inc., P.O. Box 219804, Kansas City, MO 64121-9804 or by calling the Fund at 1-888-378-1630.

When you exchange your shares for shares of another Fund, your transaction will be treated the same as an initial purchase. You will be subject to the same minimum initial investment and account size as an initial purchase. The Fund, in its sole discretion, may waive the minimum initial investment amounts in certain cases including, but not limited to, exchanges involving Fund shares purchased through a Financial Intermediary or when the Adviser anticipates the combined value of a client’s investments will meet or exceed the minimum. The Fund may terminate or revise the exchange privilege upon required notice or in certain cases without notice. The Fund reserves the right to reject an exchange order for any reason.

Telephone/Internet Transactions

For your protection, we will employ reasonable procedures to confirm that instructions communicated over the telephone/Internet are genuine. These procedures may include requiring various forms of personal identification (such as name, mailing address, social security number or other tax identification number and password/authorization codes, including PIN (Personal Identification Number)), tape-recording telephone communications and providing written confirmation of instructions communicated by telephone/Internet. If reasonable procedures are employed, none of Morgan Stanley, DST or the Fund will be liable for following telephone/Internet instructions which it reasonably believes to be genuine. During periods of drastic economic or market changes, it is possible that the telephone/Internet privileges may be difficult to implement, although this has not been the case with the Funds in the past.

Frequent Purchases and Redemptions of Fund Shares

We expect the Funds to be used by shareholders for short-term investing and by certain selected accounts utilizing the Funds as a sweep vehicle. Therefore, reasonably frequent purchases and redemptions of Fund shares by Fund shareholders do not present risks for other shareholders of a Fund, and the policies and procedures adopted by the Board of Trustees/Directors as applicable to other funds in the Morgan Stanley family of funds are generally not applicable with respect to frequent purchases and redemptions of Fund shares. However, frequent trading by shareholders can disrupt management of the Funds and raise their respective expenses. Therefore, we may not accept any request for a purchase or exchange when we think it is being used as a tool for market-timing, and we may bar a shareholder who trades excessively from making further purchases for an indefinite period.

Distributions

The Funds pass substantially all of their earnings along to their investors as “distributions.” The Funds earn interest from fixed-income investments. These amounts are passed along to Fund shareholders as “income dividend distributions.” Each Fund realizes capital gains whenever it sells securities for a higher price than it paid for them. These amounts may be passed along as “capital gain distributions.” The Adviser does not anticipate that there will be significant capital gain distributions.

The Funds declare income dividends daily on each business day and pay them monthly to shareholders. Dividends are based on estimates of income, expenses and shareholder activity for the Funds. Actual income, expenses and shareholder activity may differ from estimates and differences, if any, will be included in the calculation of subsequent dividends. Short-term capital gains, if any, are distributed periodically. Long-term capital gains, if any, are distributed at least annually. The Funds automatically reinvest all dividends and distributions in additional shares. However, you may elect to receive distributions in cash by giving written notice to your Financial Intermediary or by checking the appropriate box in the Distribution Option section on the Account Registration Form.

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Shareholder Information (Con’t)

Liquidity Fees and Redemption Gates
The Government Portfolio, the Treasury Portfolio and the Treasury Securities Portfolio are exempt from requirements that permit money market funds to impose a “liquidity fee” and/or a “redemption gate” that temporarily restricts redemptions. The Board of Trustees has opted not to subject the Government Portfolio, the Treasury Portfolio and the Treasury Securities Portfolio to a “liquidity fee” and/or a “redemption gate” but has reserved its right to change this determination in the future after providing appropriate notice to shareholders.

Taxes

The tax information provided in this Prospectus is provided as general information. You should consult your own tax professional about the tax consequences of an investment in a particular Fund.

It is each Fund’s intention to qualify as a regulated investment company and distribute all or substantially all of its taxable and tax-exempt income.

Except as noted below, dividends you receive will generally be taxable, whether you receive them in cash or in additional shares. Income dividend distributions and any short-term capital gain distributions are generally taxable to you as ordinary income. Any long-term capital gain distributions are taxable as long-term capital gains, no matter how long you have owned shares in a Fund. Distributions paid by the Funds are not expected to be eligible for lower tax rates applicable to qualified dividends.

An additional 3.8% Medicare tax is imposed on certain net investment income (including ordinary dividends and capital gain distributions 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) exceeds certain threshold amounts.

Shareholders who are not citizens or residents of the United States and certain foreign entities may be subject to withholding of U.S. tax on distributions made by a Fund of investment income and short-term capital gains at a rate of 30% (or a lower tax treaty rate, if applicable). Such shareholders may also be subject to United States estate tax with respect to their shares.

Dividends paid by a Fund to shareholders who are nonresident aliens or foreign entities that are derived from short-term capital gains and qualifying U.S. source net interest income (including income from original issue discount and market discount), and that are designated by the Fund as “interest-related dividends” or “short-term capital gain dividends,” will generally not be subject to U.S. withholding tax, provided that the income would not be subject to U.S. federal income tax if earned directly by the foreign shareholder. However, depending on the circumstances, a Fund may designate all, some or none of the Fund’s potentially eligible dividends as exempt.

A Fund is required to withhold U.S. tax (at a 30% rate) on payments of taxable 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 a Fund to enable the Fund to determine whether withholding is required.

U.S. investors will be sent a statement (Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”) Form 1099-DIV) by February of each year showing the taxable distributions paid to you in the previous year. The statement provides information on your dividends and any capital gains for tax purposes.

Sales, exchanges and redemptions of shares in a Fund are generally taxable events and may result in taxable gain or loss to you. Because each of Government Portfolio, Treasury Portfolio and Treasury Securities Portfolio intends to maintain a stable $1.00 NAV, shareholders will typically not recognize gain or loss when they sell or exchange their shares in these Funds because the amount realized will be the same as their tax basis in the shares.

When you open your account, you should provide appropriate tax documentation including your social security or tax identification number on your investment application. By providing this information, you generally will avoid being subject to federal backup withholding on taxable distributions and redemption proceeds at the applicable rate. Any withheld amount would be sent to the IRS as an advance payment of taxes due on your income for such year.

Potential Conflicts of Interest

As a diversified global financial services firm, Morgan Stanley, the parent company of the Adviser, engages in a broad spectrum of activities, including financial advisory services, investment management activities, lending, commercial banking, sponsoring and managing private investment funds, engaging in broker-dealer transactions and principal securities, commodities and foreign exchange transactions, research publication and other activities. In the ordinary course of its business, Morgan Stanley is a full-service investment banking and financial services firm and therefore engages in activities where Morgan Stanley’s interests or the interests of its clients may conflict with the interests of a Fund. Morgan Stanley has advised clients and has sponsored, managed or advised other investment funds and investment programs, accounts and businesses (collectively, together with any new or successor funds,

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Prospectus  |  Shareholder Information

Shareholder Information (Con’t)

programs, accounts or businesses, the ‘‘Affiliated Investment Accounts’’) with a wide variety of investment objectives that in some instances may overlap or conflict with a Fund’s investment objectives and present conflicts of interest. In addition, Morgan Stanley may also from time to time create new or successor Affiliated Investment Accounts that may compete with a Fund and present similar conflicts of interest. The discussion below enumerates certain actual, apparent and potential conflicts of interest. There is no assurance that conflicts of interest will be resolved in favor of Fund shareholders and, in fact, they may not be. Conflicts of interest not described below may also exist.

For more information about conflicts of interest, see the section entitled “Potential Conflicts of Interest” in the SAI.

Material Nonpublic Information. It is expected that confidential or material nonpublic information regarding an investment or potential investment opportunity may become available to the Adviser. If such information becomes available, the Adviser may be precluded (including by applicable law or internal policies or procedures) from pursuing an investment or disposition opportunity with respect to such investment or investment opportunity.

Investments by Morgan Stanley and its Affiliated Investment Accounts. In serving in multiple capacities to Affiliated Investment Accounts, Morgan Stanley, including the Adviser and the Investment team, may have obligations to other clients or investors in Affiliated Investment Accounts, the fulfillment of which may not be in the best interests of a Fund or its shareholders. A Fund’s investment objectives may overlap with the investment objectives of certain Affiliated Investment Accounts. As a result, the members of an Investment team may face conflicts in the allocation of investment opportunities among a Fund and other investment funds, programs, accounts and businesses advised by or affiliated with the Adviser. Certain Affiliated Investment Accounts may provide for higher management or incentive fees or greater expense reimbursements or overhead allocations, all of which may contribute to this conflict of interest and create an incentive for the Adviser to favor such other accounts.

Payments to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries. The Adviser and/or the Distributor may pay compensation, out of their own funds and not as an expense of a Fund, to certain Financial Intermediaries (which may include affiliates of the Adviser and Distributor), including recordkeepers and administrators of various deferred compensation plans, in connection with the sale, distribution, marketing and retention of shares of the Fund and/or shareholder servicing. The prospect of receiving, or the receipt of, additional compensation, as described above, by Financial Intermediaries may provide such Financial Intermediaries and their financial advisors and other salespersons with an incentive to favor sales of shares of a Fund over other investment options with respect to which these Financial Intermediaries do not receive additional compensation (or receives lower levels of additional compensation). These payment arrangements, however, will not change the price that an investor pays for shares of a Fund or the amount that the Fund receives to invest on behalf of an investor. Investors may wish to take such payment arrangements into account when considering and evaluating any recommendations relating to Fund shares and should review carefully any disclosures provided by Financial Intermediaries as to their compensation.

Morgan Stanley Trading and Principal Investing Activities. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, Morgan Stanley will generally conduct its sales and trading businesses, publish research and analysis, and render investment advice without regard for a Fund’s holdings, although these activities could have an adverse impact on the value of one or more of the Fund’s investments, or could cause Morgan Stanley to have an interest in one or more portfolio investments that is different from, and potentially adverse to, that of a Fund.

Morgan Stanley’s Investment Banking Activities. Morgan Stanley advises clients on a variety of mergers, acquisitions and financing transactions. Morgan Stanley may act as an advisor to clients, including other investment funds that may compete with a Fund and with respect to investments that a Fund may hold. Morgan Stanley may give advice and take action with respect to any of its clients or proprietary accounts that may differ from the advice given, or may involve an action of a different timing or nature than the action taken, by a Fund. Morgan Stanley may give advice and provide recommendations to persons competing with a Fund and/or any of a Fund’s investments that are contrary to the Fund’s best interests and/or the best interests of any of its investments.

General Process for Potential Conflicts. All of the transactions described above involve the potential for conflicts of interest between the Adviser, related persons of the Adviser and/or their clients. The Investment Advisers Act of 1940, the 1940 Act and ERISA impose certain requirements designed to decrease the possibility of conflicts of interest between an investment adviser and its clients. In some cases, transactions may be permitted subject to fulfillment of certain conditions. Certain other transactions may be prohibited. In addition, the Adviser has instituted policies and procedures designed to prevent conflicts of interest from arising and, when they do arise, to ensure that it effects transactions for clients in a manner that is consistent with its fiduciary duty to its clients and in accordance with applicable law. The Adviser seeks to ensure that potential or actual conflicts of interest are appropriately resolved taking into consideration the overriding best interests of the client.

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Prospectus  |  Fund Management

Fund Management

Adviser

Morgan Stanley Investment Management Inc. with principal offices at 522 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10036, conducts a worldwide portfolio management business and provides a broad range of portfolio management services to customers in the United States and abroad. Morgan Stanley (NYSE: “MS”) is the parent of the Adviser, who is the parent of the Distributor. Morgan Stanley is a preeminent global financial services firm engaged in securities trading and brokerage activities, as well as providing investment banking, research and analysis, financing and financial advisory services. As of December 31, 2019, the Adviser, together with its affiliated asset management companies, had approximately $552 billion in assets under management or supervision.

A discussion regarding the basis for the Board of Trustees approving the Trust’s Investment Advisory Agreement is available in the Funds’ Annual Report to shareholders for the fiscal year ended October 31, 2019.

Advisory Fees

The Adviser makes investment decisions for the Funds. Each Fund, in turn, pays the Adviser a monthly advisory fee calculated daily by applying an annual rate to each Fund’s daily net assets.

For the fiscal year ended October 31, 2019, the Adviser received from each Fund the advisory fee (net of fee waivers, if applicable) set forth in the table below.

Fund (as a percentage of average daily net assets)

Government Portfolio

0.11%

Treasury Portfolio

0.13%

Treasury Securities Portfolio

0.14%

Morgan Stanley Investment Management Inc., as the Adviser and the Administrator, has agreed to reduce its advisory fee, its administration fee and/or reimburse the Fund’s Select Class, if necessary, if such fees would cause the total annual operating expenses of such Fund’s Select Class to exceed the percentage of daily net assets set forth in the table below. In determining the actual amount of fee waiver and/or expense reimbursement for each Fund, if any, the Adviser and Administrator exclude from total annual operating expenses certain investment related expenses, taxes, interest and other extraordinary expenses (including litigation). The fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements will continue for at least one year or until such time as the Trust’s Board of Trustees acts to discontinue all or a portion of such waivers and/or reimbursements when it seems such action is appropriate.

A Fund’s annual operating expenses may vary throughout the period and from year to year. A Fund’s actual expenses for the most recent fiscal year may be different than the expenses listed in the Fund’s fee and expense table based upon the extent and amount of a fee waiver and/or expense reimbursement.

 

Expense Cap Select Class

Government Portfolio 

1.00% 

Treasury Portfolio 

1.00% 

Treasury Securities Portfolio 

1.00% 

The Distributor, Adviser and Administrator may also waive distribution fees, advisory fees, administration fees and/or reimburse expenses to enable a Fund to maintain a minimum level of daily net investment income. The Adviser and Administrator may make additional voluntary fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements. The Distributor, Adviser and Administrator may discontinue these voluntary fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements at any time in the future.

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Prospectus | Financial Highlights

Financial Highlights

The following financial highlights tables are intended to help you understand the financial performance of the Select Class shares of each Fund for the periods indicated. Certain information reflects financial results for a single Fund share. The total returns in the tables represent the rate that an investor would have earned (or lost) on an investment in each Fund (assuming reinvestment of all dividends and distributions).

The ratios of expenses to average net assets listed in the tables below for each Fund are based on the average net assets of the Fund for each of the periods listed in the tables. To the extent that a Fund’s average net assets decrease over the Fund’s next fiscal year, such expense ratios can be expected to increase, potentially significantly, because certain fixed costs will be spread over a smaller amount of assets.

Year (Period for 2016) Ended October 31,

 

Net Asset
Value,
Beginning of
Period

 

Net
Investment
Income

 

Net Realized
and Unrealized
Gain (Loss)
on Investments

 

Distributions
From Net
Investment
Income

Government Portfolio

2019

$

1.000

$

0.014
(2)

$

0.000
(3)

$

(0.014
)

2018

 

1.000

 

0.008
(2)

 

(0.001
)

 

(0.007
)

2017

 

1.000

 

0.000
(2)(3)

 

0.000
(3)

 

(0.000
)
(3)

2016(1)

 

1.000

 

0.001
(2)

 

(0.001
)

 

(0.000
)
(3)

Treasury Portfolio

2019

$

1.000

$

0.013
(2)

$

0.000
(3)

$

(0.013
)

2018

 

1.000

 

0.007
(2)

 

0.000
(3)

 

(0.007
)

2017

 

1.000

 

0.000
(2)(3)

 

0.000
(3)

 

(0.000
)
(3)

2016(1)

 

1.000

 

0.001
(2)

 

(0.001
)

 

(0.000
)
(3)

Treasury Securities Portfolio

2019

$

1.000

$

0.013
(2)

$

0.000
(3)

$

(0.013
)

2018

 

1.000

 

0.007
(2)

 

(0.000
)
(3)

 

(0.007
)

2017

 

1.000

 

0.000
(2)(3)

 

0.000
(3)

 

(0.000
)
(3)

2016(1)

 

1.000

 

0.001
(2)

 

(0.001
)

 

(0.000
)
(3)

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Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds Prospectus  |  Financial Highlights

The information below has been derived from the financial statements audited by Ernst & Young LLP, the Funds’ independent registered public accounting firm. Ernst & Young LLP’s report, along with each Fund’s financial statements, are incorporated by reference into the Funds’ SAI. The Annual Report to Shareholders (which includes each Fund’s financial statements) and SAI are available at no cost from the Trust at the toll free number noted on the back cover to this Prospectus.

Net Asset Value,
End of Period

 

Total
Return

 

Net Assets,
End of Period
(000)

 

Ratio of
Expenses
to Average Net
Assets

 

Ratio of Expenses
to Average
Net Assets Excluding
Non-Operating
Expenses

 

Ratio of Expenses
to Average
Net Assets
(Before Waivers/
Reimbursement)

 

Ratio of
Net Investment
Income (Loss)
to Average
Net Assets

 

Ratio of
Net Investment
Income (Loss)
to Average
Net Assets
(Before Waivers/
Reimbursement)

$    1.000

 

1.39
%

$

50

 

0.97
%
(4)

 

0.97
%
(4)

 

1.01
%

 

1.37
%

 

1.33
%
1.000

 

0.74
%

 

50

 

0.97
%
(4)

 

N/A

 

1.01
%

 

0.75
%

 

0.71
%
1.000

 

0.04
%

 

50

 

0.79
%
(4)

 

N/A

 

1.01
%

 

0.02
%

 

(0.20
)%
1.000

 

0.01
%
(6)

 

50

 

0.43
%
(4)(7)

 

N/A

 

1.01
%
(7)

 

(0.04
)%
(7)

 

(0.62
)%
(7)
$    1.000

 

1.36
%

$

50

 

0.99
%
(4)

 

N/A

 

1.01
%

 

1.35
%

 

1.33
%
1.000

 

0.74
%

 

50

 

0.99
%
(4)

 

N/A

 

1.01
%

 

0.73
%

 

0.71
%
1.000

 

0.04
%

 

50

 

0.78
%
(4)

 

N/A

 

1.01
%

 

0.01
%

 

(0.22
)%
1.000

 

0.00
%
(5)(6)

 

50

 

0.38
%
(4)(7)

 

N/A

 

1.01
%
(7)

 

(0.02
)%
(7)

 

(0.65
)%
(7)
$    1.000

 

1.30
%

$

50

 

1.00
%
(4)

 

N/A

 

1.01
%

 

1.29
%

 

1.28
%
1.000

 

0.70
%

 

50

 

1.00
%
(4)

 

N/A

 

1.01
%

 

0.71
%

 

0.70
%
1.000

 

0.02
%

 

50

 

0.76
%
(4)

 

N/A

 

1.01
%

 

0.02
%

 

(0.23
)%
1.000

 

0.00
%
(5)(6)

 

50

 

0.34
%
(4)(7)

 

N/A

 

1.01
%
(7)

 

(0.02
)%
(7)

 

0.69
%
(7)

Notes to Financial Highlights

(1)

Reflects prior period custodian out-of-pocket expenses that were reimbursed in September 2016. The amount of the reimbursement was immaterial on a per share basis and did not impact the total return of the Fund. The Ratio of Expenses to Average Net Assets and the Ratio of Net Investment Income (Loss) to Average Net Assets would be unchanged as the reimbursement of custodian fees was offset against expense waivers/reimbursements with no impact to net expenses or net investment income (loss).

(2)

Per share amount is based on average shares outstanding.

(3)

Amount is less than $0.0005 per share.

(4)

Ratios of Expenses to Average Net Assets before and after Maximum Expense Ratios may vary among share classes by more or less than the administration plan, service and shareholder administration plan, distribution plan and/or shareholder services plan (the “plans”) fees due to either (1) fluctuations in daily net asset amounts, (2) changes in the plans’ fees during the period for each share class, (3) changes in the Funds’ expense cap during the year, (4) waivers to the plans’ fees for each share class, or (5) a combination of the previous points.

(5)

Amount is less than 0.005%.

(6)

Not annualized.

(7)

Annualized.

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Where to Find Additional Information

In addition to this Prospectus, the Funds have an SAI, dated February 28, 2020 (as may be supplemented from time to time), which contains additional, more detailed information about the Trust and the Funds. The SAI is incorporated by reference into this Prospectus and, therefore, legally forms a part of this Prospectus.

The Trust publishes Shareholder Reports that contain additional information about the respective Fund’s investments. In each Fund’s Annual Report to Shareholders, you will find a discussion of the market conditions and the investment strategies that significantly affected such Fund’s performance during the last fiscal year. For additional Trust information, including information regarding the investments comprising each of the Funds, please call the toll-free number below.

You may obtain the SAI and Shareholder Reports without charge by contacting the Trust at the toll-free number below or on our Internet site at: www.morganstanley.com/liquidity. If you purchased shares through a Financial Intermediary, you may also obtain these documents, without charge, by contacting your Financial Intermediary.

Shareholder Reports and other information about the Funds are available on the EDGAR Database on the SEC’s Internet site at http://www.sec.gov, and copies of this information may be obtained, after paying a duplicating fee, by electronic request at the following e-mail address: publicinfo@sec.gov.

Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds
c/o DST Asset Manager Solutions, Inc.
P.O. Box 219804
Kansas City, MO 64121-9804

For Shareholder Inquiries,
call the Trust toll-free at 1-888-378-1630.

Prices and Investment Results are available at www.morganstanley.com/liquidity.

The Trust’s 1940 Act registration number is 811-21339.

© 2020 Morgan Stanley.

LFSCPPRO 2/20

 C: 

 

MORGAN STANLEY INSTITUTIONAL LIQUIDITY FUNDS

Statement of Additional Information

February 28, 2020

 

Share Class and Ticker Symbol

Fund Name

Institutional Class

Institutional Select Class

Investor
Class

Administrative Class

Advisory
Class

Participant
Class

Cash Management Class

Select
Class

ESG Money Market Portfolio

MPUXX

MMRXX

MIOXX

MANXX

MVSXX

MMNXX

MSHXX

Prime Portfolio

MPFXX

MPEXX

MPVXX

MPMXX

MAVXX

MPNXX

MSPXX

Government Portfolio

MVRXX

MGSXX

MVVXX

MGOXX

MAYXX

MPCXX

MSGXX

MSDXX

Government Securities
Portfolio

MUIXX

MSVXX

MVIXX

MGAXX

MVAXX

MGPXX

MCHXX

Treasury Portfolio

MISXX

MTSXX

MTNXX

MTTXX

MAOXX

MTCXX

MREXX

MSTXX

Treasury Securities Portfolio

MSUXX

MSSXX

MNVXX

MAMXX

MVYXX

MPRXX

MHSXX

MSEXX

Tax-Exempt Portfolio

MTXXX

MXSXX

MXIXX

MXAXX

MADXX

MXPXX

MTMXX

Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds (the “Trust”) is a mutual fund currently consisting of the following seven portfolios: the ESG Money Market Portfolio, the Prime Portfolio, the Government Portfolio, the Government Securities Portfolio, the Treasury Portfolio, the Treasury Securities Portfolio and the Tax-Exempt Portfolio (each a “Fund” and collectively the “Funds”). Each Fund offers the following classes of shares: Institutional Class, Institutional Select Class, Investor Class, Administrative Class, Advisory Class, Participant Class and Cash Management Class. The Government Portfolio, the Treasury Portfolio and the Treasury Securities Portfolio also offer Select Class shares. The Funds are designed to provide investors with a variety of liquidity options. This Statement of Additional Information (the “SAI”) sets forth information about the Trust and information applicable to the Funds. This SAI is not a prospectus but should be read in conjunction with the Funds’ Prospectuses relating to the Institutional Class, Institutional Select Class, Investor Class, Administrative Class, Advisory Class, Participant Class, Cash Management Class and Select Class dated February 28, 2020, as may be supplemented from time to time. To obtain any of these Prospectuses, please call Shareholder Services at the number indicated below. The Funds’ most recent Annual Report to Shareholders is a separate document supplied with this SAI.

The Funds’ Annual Report to Shareholders includes the Funds’ audited financial statements, including notes thereto, and the report of the Funds’ independent registered public accounting firm, which are incorporated by reference into this SAI. 

SHAREHOLDER SERVICES: 1-888-378-1630

PRICES AND INVESTMENT RESULTS: WWW.MORGANSTANLEY.COM/LIQUIDITY


 

Table of Contents

INVESTMENTS AND INVESTMENT STRATEGIES

1

INVESTMENT OBJECTIVES AND LIMITATIONS

7

DISCLOSURE OF PORTFOLIO HOLDINGS

8

PURCHASE AND REDEMPTION OF SHARES

10

ACCOUNT POLICIES AND FEATURES

11

MANAGEMENT OF THE TRUST

12

COMPENSATION

21

ADVISER

22

PRINCIPAL UNDERWRITER

24

SERVICE AND DISTRIBUTION OF SHARES

24

FUND ADMINISTRATION

28

OTHER SERVICE PROVIDERS

29

BROKERAGE TRANSACTIONS

29

GENERAL INFORMATION

32

TAXES

33

CONTROL PERSONS AND PRINCIPAL HOLDERS OF SECURITIES

35

PERFORMANCE INFORMATION

38

POTENTIAL CONFLICTS OF INTEREST

41

FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

45

Appendix A — Morgan Stanley Investment Management Proxy Voting Policy and Procedures

A-1

Appendix B — Description of Ratings

B-1


 

INVESTMENTS AND INVESTMENT STRATEGIES 

The following discussion of each Fund’s investments and risks should be read in conjunction with the sections of the Funds’ Prospectuses entitled “Principal Investment Strategies,” “Principal Risks,” “Approach,” and “Additional Information about the Funds’ Investment Strategies and Related Risks.” The Funds’ investments are limited by the quality, maturity and diversification requirements adopted under Rule 2a-7 of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (“Rule 2a-7” of the “1940 Act”). In addition, each Fund is “diversified” and, as such, each Fund’s investments are required to meet certain diversification requirements under federal securities laws.

Morgan Stanley Investment Management Inc. is the adviser (the “Adviser” or “MSIM”) to each Fund.

Agencies. Agencies refer to fixed-income securities issued or guaranteed by federal agencies and U.S. government sponsored instrumentalities. They may or may not be backed by the full faith and credit of the United States. If they are not backed by the full faith and credit of the United States, the investor must look principally to the agency or instrumentality issuing or guaranteeing the obligation for ultimate repayment, and may not be able to assert a claim against the United States itself in the event the agency or instrumentality does not meet its commitment. Agencies that are backed by the full faith and credit of the United States include the Export-Import Bank, Farmers Home Administration, Federal Financing Bank and others. Certain debt issued by Resolution Funding Corporation has both its principal and interest backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. Treasury in that its principal is backed by U.S. Treasury zero coupon issues, while the U.S. Treasury is explicitly required to advance funds sufficient to pay interest on it, if needed. Certain agencies and instrumentalities, such as the Government National Mortgage Association (“Ginnie Mae”), are, in effect, backed by the full faith and credit of the United States through provisions in their charters that they may make “indefinite and unlimited” drawings on the Treasury if needed to service their debt. Debt from certain other agencies and instrumentalities, including the Federal Home Loan Banks, the Federal National Mortgage Association (“Fannie Mae”) and the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (“Freddie Mac”), are not guaranteed by the United States, but those institutions are protected by the discretionary authority of the U.S. Treasury to purchase certain amounts of their securities to assist them in meeting their debt obligations. Finally, other agencies and instrumentalities, such as the Farm Credit System, are federally chartered institutions under U.S. Government supervision, but their debt securities are backed only by the credit worthiness of those institutions, not the U.S. Government. Some of the U.S. government agencies that issue or guarantee securities include the Export-Import Bank of the United States, Farmers Home Administration, Federal Housing Administration, Maritime Administration, Small Business Administration and the Tennessee Valley Authority.  

In September 2008, the U.S. Treasury Department announced that the U.S. Government would be taking over Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac and placing the companies into a conservatorship. In addition, the U.S. Treasury announced additional steps that it intended to take with respect to the debt and mortgage-backed securities (“MBS”) issued by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac in order to support the conservatorship. Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac are continuing to operate as going concerns while in conservatorship and each remains liable for all of its respective obligations, including its guaranty obligations, associated with its MBS. No assurance can be given that these initiatives will be successful. The maximum potential liability of the issuers of some U.S. government securities held by a Fund may greatly exceed their current resources, including their legal right to support from the U.S. Treasury. It is possible that these issuers will not have the funds to meet their payment obligations in the future. 

An instrumentality of the U.S. Government is a government agency organized under federal charter with government supervision. Instrumentalities issuing or guaranteeing securities include, among others, Federal Home Loan Banks, the Federal Land Bank, Central Bank for Cooperatives, Federal Intermediate Credit Banks and Fannie Mae.

U.S. Government Securities. U.S. government securities refer to a variety of fixed-income securities issued or guaranteed by the U.S. Government and its various instrumentalities and agencies. The U.S. government securities that certain Funds may purchase include U.S. Treasury bills, notes and bonds, all of which are direct obligations of the U.S. Government. In addition, certain Funds may purchase securities issued by agencies and instrumentalities of the U.S. Government that are backed by the full faith and credit of the United States. Among the agencies and instrumentalities issuing these obligations are Ginnie Mae and the Federal Housing Administration. Certain Funds may also purchase securities issued by agencies and instrumentalities that are not backed by the full faith and credit of the United States, but whose issuing agency or instrumentality has the right to borrow, to meet its obligations, from the U.S. Treasury. Among these agencies and instrumentalities are Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac and the Federal Home Loan Banks. Further, certain Funds may purchase securities issued by agencies and instrumentalities that are backed solely by the credit of the issuing agency or instrumentality. Among these agencies and instrumentalities is the Federal Farm Credit System.

Asset-Backed Securities. Certain Funds may invest in asset-backed securities. Asset-backed securities utilize the securitization techniques used to develop MBS. These techniques are also applied to a broad range of other assets. Various types of assets, primarily automobile and credit card receivables and home equity loans, are being securitized in pass-through structures similar to the mortgage pass-through structures. These types of securities are known as asset-backed securities. A Fund may invest in any type of asset-backed security. Asset-backed securities have risk characteristics similar to MBS. Like MBS, they generally decrease in value as a result of interest rate increases, but may benefit less than other fixed-income securities from declining interest rates, principally because of prepayments. Also, as in the case of MBS, prepayments generally increase during a period of declining interest rates although other

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factors, such as changes in credit use and payment patterns, may also influence prepayment rates. Asset-backed securities also involve the risk that various federal and state consumer laws and other legal, regulatory and economic factors may result in the collateral backing the securities being insufficient to support payment on the securities.

Bank Obligations. Bank obligations include certificates of deposit, commercial paper, unsecured bank promissory notes, bankers’ acceptances, time deposits and other debt obligations. Certain Funds may invest in obligations issued or backed by U.S. banks when a bank has more than $1 billion in total assets at the time of purchase or is a branch or subsidiary of such a bank. In addition, certain Funds may invest in U.S. dollar-denominated obligations issued or guaranteed by foreign banks that have more than $1 billion in total assets at the time of purchase, U.S. branches or subsidiaries of such foreign banks (Yankee obligations), foreign branches of such foreign banks and foreign branches of U.S. banks having more than $1 billion in total assets at the time of purchase. Bank obligations may be general obligations of the parent bank or may be limited to the issuing branch by the terms of the specific obligation or by U.S. government regulation. 

If a Fund invests more than 25% of its total assets in bank obligations (whether foreign or domestic), it may be especially affected by favorable and adverse developments in or related to the banking industry. The activities of U.S. and most foreign banks are subject to comprehensive regulations, which, in the case of U.S. regulations, have undergone substantial changes in the past decade. The enactment of new legislation or regulations, as well as changes in interpretation and enforcement of current laws, may affect the manner of operations and profitability of domestic and foreign banks. Significant developments in the U.S. banking industry have included increased competition from other types of financial institutions, increased acquisition activity and geographic expansion. Banks may be particularly susceptible to certain economic factors, such as interest rate changes and adverse developments in the real estate markets. Fiscal and monetary policy and general economic cycles can affect the availability and cost of funds, loan demand and asset quality and thereby impact the earnings and financial conditions of banks.

Investment Company Securities. Investment company securities are equity securities and include securities of other open-end, closed-end and unregistered investment companies, including foreign investment companies, hedge funds and exchange-traded funds. A Fund may, to the extent noted in the Fund’s non-fundamental limitations, invest in investment company securities as may be permitted by (i) the 1940 Act; (ii) the rules and regulations promulgated by the SEC under the 1940 Act; or (iii) an exemption or other relief applicable to the Fund from provisions of the 1940 Act. The 1940 Act generally prohibits an investment company from acquiring more than 3% of the outstanding voting shares of an investment company and limits such investments to no more than 5% of a Fund’s total assets in any one investment company and no more than 10% in any combination of investment companies. The 1940 Act also prohibits a Fund from acquiring in the aggregate more than 10% of the outstanding voting shares of any registered closed-end investment company. A Fund may invest in investment company securities of investment companies managed by the Adviser or its affiliates to the extent permitted under the 1940 Act or as otherwise authorized by the SEC. To the extent a Fund invests a portion of its assets in investment company securities, those assets will be subject to the risks of the purchased investment company’s portfolio securities, and a shareholder in the Fund will bear not only his proportionate share of the expenses of the Fund, but also, indirectly the expenses of the purchased investment company.

To the extent permitted by applicable law, each Fund may invest all or some of its short-term cash investments in any money market fund advised or managed by the Adviser or its affiliates. In connection with any such investments, each Fund, to the extent permitted by the 1940 Act, will pay its share of all expenses (other than advisory and administrative fees) of a money market fund in which it invests, which may result in the Fund bearing some additional expenses. The rules governing money market funds: (1) permit (and, under certain circumstances, require) certain money market funds to impose a “liquidity fee” (up to 2%), or a “redemption gate” that temporarily restricts redemptions from a money market fund, if weekly liquidity levels fall below the required regulatory threshold, and (2) require “institutional money market funds” to operate with a floating net asset value per share (“NAV”) rounded to a minimum of the fourth decimal place in the case of a fund with a $1.0000 share price or an equivalent or more precise level of accuracy for money market funds with a different share price (e.g., $10.000 per share, or $100.00 per share). These may affect the investment strategies, performance and operating expenses of money market funds. If a Fund invests in the Government Portfolio, the Government Securities Portfolio, the Treasury Portfolio or the Treasury Securities Portfolio, such requirements do not currently apply.

Corporates. Corporates are fixed income securities issued by private businesses. Holders, as creditors, have a prior legal claim over holders of equity securities of the issuer as to both income and assets for the principal and interest due to the holder. The Funds will buy corporates subject to any quality constraints set forth under Rule 2a-7.

Custodial Receipts. Certain Funds may invest in custodial receipts representing interests in U.S. government securities, municipal obligations or other debt instruments held by a custodian or trustee. Custodial receipts evidence ownership of future interest payments, principal payments or both on notes or bonds issued or guaranteed as to principal or interest by the U.S. Government, its agencies, instrumentalities, political subdivisions or authorities, by a state or local governmental body or authority, or by other types of issuers. For certain securities law purposes, custodial receipts are not considered obligations of the underlying issuers. In addition, if for tax purposes a Fund is not considered to be the owner of the underlying securities held in the custodial account, the Fund may

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suffer adverse tax consequences. As a holder of custodial receipts, a Fund will bear its proportionate share of the fees and expenses charged to the custodial account.

Industrial Development and Pollution Control Bonds. The Tax-Exempt Portfolio may invest more than 25% of its total assets in industrial development and pollution control bonds (two kinds of tax-exempt municipal bonds) whether or not the users of the facilities financed by such bonds are in the same industry. In cases where such users are in the same industry, there may be additional risk to the Fund in the event of an economic downturn in such industry, which may result generally in a lowered need for such facilities and a lowered ability of such users to pay for the use of such facilities.

Lease Obligations. Included within the revenue bonds category in which a Fund may invest are participations in lease obligations or installment purchase contracts (hereinafter collectively called “lease obligations”) of municipalities. State and local governments, agencies or authorities issue lease obligations to acquire equipment and facilities. Lease obligations may have risks not normally associated with general obligation or other revenue bonds. Leases, and installment purchase or conditional sale contracts (which may provide for title to the leased asset to pass eventually to the issuer), have developed as a means for governmental issuers to acquire property and equipment without the necessity of complying with the constitutional and statutory requirements generally applicable for the issuance of debt. Certain lease obligations contain “non-appropriation” clauses that provide that the governmental issuer has no obligation to make future payments under the lease or contract unless money is appropriated for such purpose by the appropriate legislative body on an annual or other periodic basis. Consequently, continued lease payments on those lease obligations containing “non-appropriation” clauses are dependent on future legislative actions. If such legislative actions do not occur, the holders of the lease obligation may experience difficulty in exercising their rights, including disposition of the property. 

In addition, lease obligations do not have the depth of marketability associated with more conventional municipal obligations, and, as a result, certain of such lease obligations may be considered illiquid securities. The Adviser, pursuant to procedures adopted by the Trustees, will make a determination as to the liquidity of each lease obligation purchased by the Funds. If a lease obligation is determined to be “liquid,” the security will not be included within the category “illiquid securities.”

Variable Rate and Floating Rate Obligations. A Fund may invest in variable rate and floating rate obligations. Subject to the conditions for using amortized cost valuation under the 1940 Act, a Fund may consider the maturity of a variable or floating rate obligation to be shorter than its ultimate stated maturity if the obligation is issued or guaranteed by the U.S. Government or its various instrumentalities and agencies, if the obligation has a remaining maturity of 397 calendar days or less or if the obligation has a demand feature that permits the Fund to receive payment at any time or at specified intervals not exceeding 397 calendar days. The interest rate payable, on a variable rate obligation, is adjusted at pre-designated periodic intervals and, on a floating rate obligation, whenever there is a change in the market rate of interest on which the interest rate payable is based. Other features may include the right whereby a Fund may demand prepayment of the principal amount of the obligation prior to its stated maturity and the right of the issuer to prepay the principal amount prior to maturity. The principal benefit of a variable rate obligation is that the interest rate adjustment minimizes changes in the market value of the obligation. As a result, the purchase of variable rate and floating rate obligations should enhance the ability of a Fund to maintain a stable NAV, as applicable, and to sell obligations prior to maturity at a price that is approximately the full principal amount of the obligations. The principal benefit to a Fund of purchasing obligations with a demand feature is that liquidity, and the ability of the Fund to obtain repayment of the full principal amount of an obligation prior to maturity, is enhanced. The payment of principal and interest by issuers of certain obligations purchased by a Fund may be guaranteed by letters of credit or other credit facilities offered by banks or other financial institutions. Such guarantees will be considered in determining whether an obligation meets a Fund’s investment quality requirements. A Fund may purchase variable or floating rate obligations from the issuers or may purchase certificates of participation, a type of variable or floating rate obligation, which are interests in a pool of debt obligations held by a bank or other financial institution. Certain of the variable rate obligations may be in the form of preferred shares of registered closed-end investment companies.

Adjustable Rate Government Securities. Adjustable rate government securities are variable rate securities where the variable rate of interest is readjusted no less frequently than every 397 calendar days and deemed to have a maturity equal to the period remaining until the next readjustment of the interest rate.

Promissory Notes. Promissory notes are generally debt obligations of the issuing entity and are subject to the risks of investing in corporate debt. Certain Funds may invest up to 5% of their net assets in illiquid securities, including unsecured bank promissory notes.

Funding Agreements. A funding agreement is a contract between an issuer and a purchaser that obligates the issuer to pay a guaranteed rate of interest on a principal sum deposited by the purchaser. Funding agreements will also guarantee the return of principal and may guarantee a stream of payments over time. A funding agreement has a fixed maturity and may have either a fixed, variable or floating interest rate that is based on an index and guaranteed for a fixed time period. The secondary market, if any, for these funding agreements is limited; thus, such investments purchased by the Funds may be treated as illiquid. Certain Funds may invest up to 5% of their net assets in illiquid securities, including funding agreements.

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Repurchase Agreements. Repurchase agreements are transactions in which a Fund purchases a security or basket of securities and simultaneously commits to resell that security or basket to the seller (a bank, broker or dealer) at a mutually agreed-upon date and price. The resale price reflects the purchase price plus an agreed-upon market rate of interest which is unrelated to the coupon rate or date of maturity of the purchased security. The term of these agreements usually ranges from overnight to one week, and never exceeds one year. Repurchase agreements with a term of over seven days are considered illiquid.

In these transactions, a Fund receives securities that have a market value at least equal to the purchase price (including accrued interest) of the repurchase agreement, and this value is maintained during the term of the agreement. These securities are held by the Trust’s custodian or an approved third party for the benefit of a Fund until repurchased. Repurchase agreements permit a Fund to remain fully invested while retaining overnight flexibility to pursue investments of a longer-term nature. If the seller defaults and the value of the repurchased securities declines, a Fund might incur a loss. If bankruptcy proceedings are commenced with respect to the seller, a Fund’s realization upon the collateral may be delayed.

While repurchase agreements involve certain risks not associated with direct investments in debt securities, each Fund follows procedures approved by the Trustees that are designed to minimize such risks. These procedures include effecting repurchase transactions only with large, well-capitalized and well-established financial institutions whose financial condition will be continually monitored by the Adviser. In addition, the value of the collateral underlying the repurchase agreement will be at least equal to the repurchase price, including any accrued interest earned on the repurchase agreement. In the event of a default or bankruptcy by a selling financial institution, the Funds will seek to liquidate such collateral. However, the exercising of a Fund’s right to liquidate such collateral could involve certain costs or delays and, to the extent that proceeds from any sale upon a default of the obligation to repurchase were less than the repurchase price, the Fund could suffer a loss. Certain Funds may invest in repurchase agreements backed by municipal securities and non-governmental collateral such as corporate debt obligations, convertible securities and common and preferred stock. Certain of these securities may be rated below investment grade.

Repurchase agreements involving obligations other than U.S. government securities may be subject to special risks. Repurchase agreements secured by obligations that are not eligible for direct investment under a Fund’s investment objectives and restrictions may require the Fund to promptly dispose of such collateral if the seller or guarantor becomes insolvent. A Fund may enter into repurchase agreements on a forward commitment basis. To the extent a Fund does so and the counterparty to the trade fails to effectuate the trade at the scheduled time, the Fund may be forced to deploy its capital in a repurchase agreement with a less favorable rate of return than it otherwise may have achieved or may be unable to enter into a repurchase agreement at all at the desired time.

A Fund will not invest in repurchase agreements that do not mature within seven days if any such investment, together with any other illiquid assets held by the Fund, amount to more than 5% of its net assets. A Fund’s investments in repurchase agreements may at times be substantial when, in the view of the Fund’s Adviser, liquidity or other conditions warrant.

Reverse Repurchase Agreements. The Funds may also use reverse repurchase agreements as part of their investment strategies. Reverse repurchase agreements involve sales by a Fund of portfolio assets concurrently with an agreement by the Fund to repurchase the same assets at a later date at a fixed price. Generally, the effect of such a transaction is that a Fund can recover all or most of the cash invested in the portfolio securities involved during the term of the reverse repurchase agreement, while it will be able to keep the interest income associated with those portfolio securities. Such transactions are only advantageous if the interest cost to a Fund of the reverse repurchase transaction is less than the cost of otherwise obtaining the cash. Opportunities to achieve this advantage may not always be available, and each Fund intends to use the reverse repurchase technique only when it will be to its advantage to do so. Each Fund will also earmark or segregate cash or liquid assets or establish a segregated account with its custodian bank in which it will maintain cash or liquid assets equal in value to its obligations in respect of reverse repurchase agreements. Reverse repurchase agreements are considered borrowings by a Fund and for purposes other than meeting redemptions may not exceed 5% of a Fund’s total assets. All forms of borrowing (including reverse repurchase agreements) are limited in the aggregate and may not exceed 33 1/3% of a Fund’s total assets, except as permitted by law. See “Leveraging,” below, for a description of leverage risk.

Private Placements. The Funds may invest in commercial paper issued in reliance on the so-called “private placement” exemption afforded by Section 4(a)(2) of the Securities Act of 1933 (the “1933 Act”) and which may be sold to other institutional investors pursuant to Rule 144A under the 1933 Act. Rule 144A permits the Funds to sell restricted securities to qualified institutional buyers without limitation. However, investing in Rule 144A securities could have the effect of increasing the level of Fund illiquidity to the extent a Fund, at a particular point in time, may be unable to find qualified institutional buyers interested in purchasing such securities. 

Section 4(a)(2) and Rule 144A securities may involve a higher degree of business and financial risk that can result in substantial losses. As a result of the absence of a public trading market for these securities, they may be less liquid than publicly traded securities. Although these securities may be resold in privately negotiated transactions, the prices realized from these sales could be less than those originally paid by a Fund or less than what may be considered the fair value of such securities. Furthermore, companies whose securities are not publicly traded may not be subject to the disclosure and other investor protection requirements which might be applicable if their securities were publicly traded. The illiquidity of the market, as well as the lack of publicly available information

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regarding these securities, may also adversely affect the ability to arrive at a fair value for certain securities at certain times and could make it difficult for a Fund to sell certain securities. If such securities are required to be registered under the securities laws of one or more jurisdictions before being sold, a Fund may be required to bear the expenses of registration. 

The Adviser, pursuant to procedures adopted by the Trustees, will make a determination as to the liquidity of each restricted security purchased by the Funds. If a restricted security is determined to be “liquid,” the security will not be included within the category “illiquid securities.”

Put Options. A Fund may purchase securities together with the right to resell them to the seller at an agreed-upon price or yield within a specified period prior to the maturity date of such securities. Such a right to resell is commonly known as a “put,” and the aggregate price which a Fund pays for securities with puts may be higher than the price which otherwise would be paid for the securities. The primary purpose of this practice is to permit a Fund to be fully invested in securities, the interest on which is exempt from federal income tax, while preserving the necessary flexibility and liquidity to purchase securities on a when-issued basis, to meet unusually large redemptions and to purchase at a later date securities other than those subject to the put. The Trust’s policy is, generally, to exercise the puts on their expiration date, when the exercise price is higher than the current market price for the related securities. Puts may be exercised prior to the expiration date in order to fund obligations to purchase other securities or to meet redemption requests. These obligations may arise during periods in which proceeds from sales of Fund shares and from recent sales of portfolio securities are insufficient to meet such obligations or when the funds available are otherwise allocated for investment. In addition, puts may be exercised prior to their expiration date in the event the Adviser revises its evaluation of the creditworthiness of the issuer of the underlying security. In determining whether to exercise puts prior to their expiration date and in selecting which puts to exercise in such circumstances, the Adviser considers, among other things, the amount of cash available to the Fund, the expiration dates of the available puts, any future commitments for securities purchases, the yield, quality and maturity dates of the underlying securities, alternative investment opportunities and the desirability of retaining the underlying securities in the Fund’s portfolio.

Each Fund values securities which are subject to puts at their amortized cost and values the put, apart from the security, at zero. Thus, the cost of the put will be carried on a Fund’s books as an unrealized loss from the date of acquisition and will be reflected in realized gain or loss when the put is exercised or expires. Since the value of the put is dependent on the ability of the put writer to meet its obligation to repurchase, the Trust’s policy is to enter into put transactions only with municipal securities dealers who are approved by the Trust’s Trustees. Each dealer will be approved on its own merits and it is the Trust’s general policy to enter into put transactions only with those dealers which are determined to present minimal credit risks. In connection with such determination, the Board of Trustees will review, among other things, the ratings, if available, of equity and debt securities of such municipal securities dealers, their reputations in the municipal securities markets, the net worth of such dealers and their efficiency in consummating transactions. Bank dealers normally will be members of the Federal Reserve System, and other dealers will be members of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (“FINRA”) or members of a national securities exchange. The Trustees have directed the Adviser not to enter into put transactions with, and to exercise outstanding puts of, any municipal securities dealer which, in the judgment of the Adviser, ceases at any time to present a minimal credit risk. In the event that a dealer should default on its obligation to repurchase an underlying security, a Fund is unable to predict whether all or any portion of any loss sustained could be subsequently recovered from such dealer.

In Revenue Ruling 82-144, the Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”) stated that, under certain circumstances, a purchaser of tax-exempt obligations which are subject to puts will be considered the owner of the obligations for federal income tax purposes.

Municipal Obligations. Municipal obligations are securities issued by state and local governments and their agencies. These securities typically are “general obligation” or “revenue” bonds, notes or commercial paper, including participations in lease obligations and installment purchase contracts of municipalities. These obligations may have fixed, variable or floating rates. To the extent a Fund invests in municipal obligations issued by state and local governments and their agencies, the Fund may be susceptible to political, economic, regulatory or other factors affecting issuers of these municipal obligations. Additionally, there is a risk that a security issued as tax-exempt may, as a result of a determination made by either the Internal Revenue Service or a state tax authority, be taxable. Additionally, future legislation, administrative or common law actions could adversely impact the characterization of income derived from a tax-exempt debt security as free from federal income tax. Such a determination or action could cause interest derived from an affected debt security to become taxable, possibly retroactively, subjecting shareholders of a Fund to an increased tax liability.

Tender Option Bonds. A tender option bond is a municipal obligation (generally held pursuant to a custodial arrangement) having a relatively long maturity and bearing interest at a fixed rate substantially higher than prevailing short-term tax-exempt rates. The bond is typically issued in conjunction with the agreement of a third party, such as a bank, broker-dealer or other financial institution, pursuant to which the institution grants the security holder the option, at periodic intervals, to tender its securities to the institution. A Fund holds the class of interest, or floating rate certificate, which receives tax-exempt interest based on short-term rates and has the ability to tender the certificate at par. As consideration for providing the tender option, the financial institution receives periodic fees equal to the difference between the bond’s fixed coupon rate and the rate, as determined by a remarketing or similar

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agent, that would cause the securities, coupled with the tender option, to trade at par on the date of such determination. Thus, after payment of this fee, the security holder effectively holds a demand obligation that bears interest at the prevailing short-term, tax-exempt rate. An institution will normally not be obligated to accept tendered bonds, and may collapse the tender option bond trust, in the event of certain defaults or a significant downgrading in the credit rating assigned to the issuer of the bond. The tender option will be taken into account in determining the maturity of the tender option bonds and a Fund’s average portfolio maturity. There is a risk that a Fund may not be considered the owner of a tender option bond for federal income tax purposes, and thus will not be entitled to treat such interest as exempt from federal income tax. Certain tender option bonds may be illiquid or may become illiquid as a result of a credit rating downgrade, a payment default or a disqualification from tax-exempt status. Additionally, the Dodd-Frank Act, including the Volcker Rule, among other regulatory changes, may affect the ability of bank-sponsored tender option bonds to continue to operate or remain cost-effective investments for a Fund.

Variable Rate Master Demand Notes. These are obligations that permit a Fund to invest fluctuating amounts, at varying rates of interest, pursuant to direct arrangements between the Fund, as lender, and the borrower. These obligations permit daily changes in the amounts borrowed. Because these obligations are direct lending arrangements between the lender and borrower, it is not contemplated that such instruments generally will be traded, and there generally is no established secondary market for these obligations, although they are redeemable at face value, plus accrued interest. Accordingly, where these obligations are not secured by letters of credit or other credit support arrangements, a Fund’s right to redeem is dependent on the ability of the borrower to pay principal and interest on demand.

When-Issued Securities. Certain fixed income securities are purchased on a “when-issued” basis. This means that the securities are purchased at a certain price, but may not be delivered for up to 90 days. No payment or delivery is made until a Fund receives payment or delivery from the other party to the transaction. Although a Fund receives no income from the above described securities prior to delivery, the market value of such securities is still subject to change. As a consequence, it is possible that the market price of the securities at the time of delivery may be higher or lower than the purchase price. A Fund will also earmark cash or segregate liquid securities or maintain with the custodian a segregated account consisting of cash or liquid securities in an amount at least equal to these commitments.

Eurodollar and Yankee Dollar Obligations. Certain Funds may invest in Eurodollar and Yankee dollar obligations provided that such obligations are U.S. dollar-denominated. Eurodollar and Yankee dollar obligations are fixed income securities that include time deposits, which are non-negotiable deposits maintained in a bank for a specified period of time at a stated interest rate. Eurodollar obligations may be issued by government and corporate issuers in Europe. Yankee dollar obligations, which include time deposits and certificates of deposit, are U.S. dollar-denominated obligations issued in the U.S. capital markets by foreign banks. Eurodollar bank obligations, which include time deposits and certificates of deposit, are U.S. dollar-denominated obligations issued outside the U.S. capital markets by foreign branches of U.S. banks and by foreign banks. The Funds may consider Yankee dollar obligations to be domestic securities for purposes of their investment policies. 

Eurodollar and Yankee dollar obligations are subject to the same risks as domestic issues, notably credit risk, market risk and liquidity risk. However, Eurodollar (and to a limited extent, Yankee dollar) obligations are also subject to certain sovereign risks. One such risk is the possibility that a sovereign country might prevent capital from flowing across its borders. Other risks include adverse political and economic developments; the extent and quality of government regulations of financial markets and institutions; the imposition of foreign withholding taxes; and the expropriation or nationalization of foreign issuers.

Zero Coupons. Zero coupons are fixed-income securities on which the holder does not receive periodic cash payments of interest or principal. Generally, these securities are subject to greater price volatility and lesser liquidity in the event of adverse market conditions than comparably rated securities paying cash interest at regular intervals. Although a Fund will not receive cash periodic coupon payments on these securities, the Fund may be deemed to have received interest income, or “phantom income” during the life of the obligation. A Fund may have to distribute such phantom income to avoid taxes at the Fund level, although it has not received any cash payment. 

Zero coupons are sold at a discount from their face value. The difference between a zero coupon’s issue or purchase price and its face value represents the imputed interest an investor will earn if the obligation is held until maturity. For tax purposes, a portion of this imputed interest is deemed as income received by zero coupon bondholders each year. Each Fund intends to pass along such interest as a component of the Fund’s distributions of net investment income. 

Zero coupons may offer investors the opportunity to earn a higher yield than that available on ordinary interest-paying obligations of similar credit quality and maturity. However, zero coupon prices may also exhibit greater price volatility than ordinary fixed-income securities because of the manner in which their principal and interest are returned to the investor.

Leveraging. Each Fund may borrow money from a bank in an amount up to 33 1/3% of its respective total assets (including the amount borrowed) less its liabilities (not including any borrowings but including the fair market value at the time of computation of any other senior securities then outstanding). Each Fund will maintain asset coverage in accordance with the 1940 Act. Leveraging portfolio assets has speculative characteristics. The use of leverage may cause a Fund to liquidate portfolio positions when it may not

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be advantageous to do so in order to satisfy its obligations or to maintain asset coverage. Leverage, including borrowing, may cause a Fund to be more volatile than if the Fund had not been leveraged. This is because leverage tends to exaggerate the effect of any increase or decrease in the value of a Fund’s portfolio securities.

Regulatory Matters. The Trust, on behalf of each Fund, has filed a notice of eligibility with the National Futures Association (“NFA”) claiming an exclusion from the definition of the term “commodity pool operator” (“CPO”) pursuant to CFTC Regulation 4.5, as promulgated under the Commodity Exchange Act, as amended (“CEA”), with respect to each Fund’s operations. Therefore, neither the Funds nor the Adviser (with respect to the Funds) is subject to registration or regulation as a commodity pool or CPO under the CEA. If a Fund becomes subject to these requirements, as well as related NFA rules, the Fund may incur additional compliance and other expenses.

Regulatory Risk. Governments, agencies or other regulatory bodies may adopt or change laws or regulations that could adversely affect a Fund or the issuer, or market value, of an instrument held by the Fund.

Special Risks Related to Cyber Security. The Trust and its service providers are susceptible to cyber security risks that include, among other things, theft, unauthorized monitoring, release, misuse, loss, destruction or corruption of confidential and highly restricted data; denial of service attacks; unauthorized access to relevant systems; compromises to networks or devices that the Trust and its service providers use to service the Trust’s operations; or operational disruption or failures in the physical infrastructure or operating systems that support the Trust and its service providers. Cyber attacks against or security breakdowns of the Trust or its service providers may adversely impact the Trust and its shareholders, potentially resulting in, among other things, financial losses; the inability of Fund shareholders to transact business and a Fund to process transactions; inability to calculate a Fund’s NAV; violations of applicable privacy and other laws; regulatory fines, penalties, reputational damage, reimbursement or other compensation costs; and/or additional compliance costs. The Trust may incur additional costs for cyber security risk management and remediation purposes. In addition, cyber security risks may also impact issuers of securities in which a Fund invests, which may cause a Fund’s investment in such issuers to lose value. There can be no assurance that the Trust or its service providers will not suffer losses relating to cyber attacks or other information security breaches in the future.

ESG Investment Risk. To the extent that a Fund considers environmental, social and governance (“ESG”) criteria and application of related analyses when selecting investments, the Fund’s performance may be affected depending on whether such investments are in or out of favor and relative to similar funds that do not adhere to such criteria or apply such analyses. Socially responsible norms differ by country and region, and a company’s ESG practices or the Adviser’s assessment of such may change over time. A Fund may invest in companies that do not reflect the beliefs and values of any particular investor. Additionally, a Fund’s adherence to its ESG criteria and application of related analyses in connection with identifying and selecting investments in non-U.S. issuers often require subjective analysis and may be relatively more difficult than applying the ESG criteria or related analyses to investments of other issuers because data availability may be more limited with respect to non-U.S. issuers. The exclusionary criteria related to a Fund’s ESG criteria may result in the Fund forgoing opportunities to buy certain securities when it might otherwise be advantageous to do so, or selling securities for ESG reasons when it might be otherwise disadvantageous for it to do so. A Fund’s investments in certain companies may be susceptible to various factors that may impact their businesses or operations, including costs associated with government budgetary constraints that impact publicly funded projects and clean energy initiatives, the effects of general economic conditions throughout the world, increased competition from other providers of services, unfavorable tax laws or accounting policies and high leverage.

LIBOR Risk. A Fund’s investments, payment obligations and financing terms may be based on floating rates, such as London Interbank Offer Rate (“LIBOR”), Euro Interbank Offered Rate and other similar types of reference rates (each, a “Reference Rate”). These Reference Rates are generally intended to represent the rate at which contributing banks may obtain short-term borrowings from each other within certain financial markets. On July 27, 2017, the Chief Executive of the UK Financial Conduct Authority (“FCA”), which regulates LIBOR, announced that the FCA will no longer persuade nor require banks to submit rates for the calculation of LIBOR and certain other Reference Rates after the end of 2021. Such announcement indicates that the continuation of LIBOR and other Reference Rates on the current basis cannot and will not be guaranteed after the end of 2021. In advance of 2022, regulators and market participants are currently engaged in identifying successor Reference Rates (“Alternative Reference Rates”). When a Reference Rate is discontinued, the Alternative Reference Rate may not have the same volume or liquidity and may be lower than market expectations, which could have an adverse impact on the value of preferred and debt securities with floating or fixed-to-floating rate coupons. In addition, any Alternative Reference Rate and any pricing adjustments imposed by a regulator or counterparties or otherwise may adversely affect a Fund’s performance or NAV. At this time, it is not possible to completely identify or predict the effect of any such changes, any establishment of Alternative Reference Rates or any other reforms to Reference Rates that may be enacted in the UK or elsewhere.

INVESTMENT OBJECTIVES AND LIMITATIONS 

Fundamental Objectives/Limitations. Each Fund’s investment objective has been adopted as fundamental and the Funds are subject to the following restrictions which are also fundamental policies and may not be changed without the approval of the lesser of

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(1) at least 67% of the voting securities of the respective Fund present at a meeting if the holders of more than 50% of the outstanding voting securities of the Fund are present or represented by proxy, or (2) more than 50% of the outstanding voting securities of the respective Fund.

As a matter of fundamental policy, each Fund will not change its investment objective and will not:

 

1 invest in physical commodities or contracts on physical commodities;

 

2 purchase or sell real estate, although it may purchase and sell securities of companies which deal in real estate, other than real estate limited partnerships, and may purchase and sell marketable securities which are secured by interests in real estate;

 

3 make loans except: (i) by purchasing debt securities in accordance with its investment objectives and policies, or entering into repurchase agreements, (ii) by lending its portfolio securities, and (iii) by lending Fund assets to other Funds of the Trust, so long as such loans are not inconsistent with the 1940 Act, or the rules and regulations, or interpretations or orders of the SEC thereunder;

 

4 with respect to 75% of its assets, purchase a security if, as a result, it would hold more than 10% (taken at the time of such investment) of the outstanding voting securities of any issuer;

 

5 purchase any securities other than obligations of U.S. regulated banks or of the U.S. Government, or its agencies or instrumentalities, and, with respect to the Tax-Exempt Portfolio, industrial development bonds, if immediately after such purchase, 25% or more of the value of the Fund’s total assets would be invested in the securities of issuers in the same industry; there is no limitation as to investments in bank obligations or in obligations issued or guaranteed by the U.S. Government, its agencies or instrumentalities, and, with respect to the Tax-Exempt Portfolio, to industrial development bonds where the users of the facilities financed by such bonds are in the same industry;

 

6 with respect to 75% of its assets, purchase securities of any issuer if, as a result, more than 5% of the Fund’s total assets, taken at market value at the time of such investment, would be invested in the securities of such issuer except that this restriction does not apply to securities issued or guaranteed by the U.S. Government or its agencies or instrumentalities;

 

7 borrow money, except (i) each Fund may borrow money from a bank in an amount up to 5% of its total assets; (ii) as a temporary measure for extraordinary or emergency purposes, or to meet redemption requests which might otherwise require the untimely disposition of securities; and (iii) in connection with reverse repurchase agreements, provided that (i), (ii) and (iii) in combination do not exceed 33 1/3% of the Fund’s total assets (including the amount borrowed) less liabilities (exclusive of borrowings);

 

8 issue senior securities as defined in the 1940 Act except insofar as the Trust may be deemed to have issued a senior security by reason of (a) entering into any repurchase agreements or reverse repurchase agreements; (b) purchasing any securities on a when-issued or delayed delivery basis; (c) borrowing money as set forth above; or (d) lending portfolio securities; and

 

9 underwrite the securities of other issuers (except to the extent that the Trust may be deemed to be an underwriter within the meaning of the 1933 Act in connection with the disposition of restricted securities).
 

In addition, as a non-fundamental policy, each Fund will not invest its assets in securities of any investment company, except as permitted by the 1940 Act or the rules, regulations, interpretations or orders of the SEC and its staff thereunder. Each Fund may invest substantially all of its assets in a single open-end investment company or series thereof that has substantially the same investment objectives, policies and restrictions as the Fund.

The percentage limitations contained in these fundamental and non-fundamental limitations apply at the time of purchase of securities. A later change in percentage resulting from changes in the value of a Fund’s assets or in total or net assets of the Fund will not be considered a violation of the restriction and the sale of securities will not be required unless otherwise noted or required. The foregoing does not apply to borrowings. Future series of the Trust may adopt different limitations.

The investment policies, limitations or practices of the Funds may not apply during periods of unusual or adverse market, economic, political or other conditions. Such market, economic, political or other conditions may include periods of abnormal or heightened market volatility, strained credit and/or liquidity conditions or increased governmental intervention in the markets or industries. During such periods, a Fund may not invest according to its principal investment strategies or in the manner in which its name may suggest, and may be subject to different and/or heightened risks. It is possible that such unusual or adverse conditions may continue for extended periods of time.

DISCLOSURE OF PORTFOLIO HOLDINGS

The Trust’s Board of Trustees and the Adviser have adopted policies and procedures regarding disclosure of portfolio holdings (the “Policy”). Pursuant to the Policy, the Adviser may disclose information concerning Trust portfolio holdings only if such disclosure is consistent with the antifraud provisions of the federal securities laws and the Trust’s and the Adviser’s fiduciary duties to Trust shareholders. In no instance may the Adviser or the Trust receive compensation or any other consideration in connection with the disclosure of information about the portfolio securities of the Trust. Consideration includes any agreement to maintain assets in the

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Trust or in other investment companies or accounts managed by the Adviser or by any affiliated person of the Adviser. Non-public information concerning portfolio holdings may be divulged to third parties only when the Trust has a legitimate business purpose for doing so and the recipients of the information are subject to a duty of confidentiality. Under no circumstances shall current or prospective Trust shareholders receive non-public portfolio holdings information, except as described below.

In order to comply with amendments to Rule 2a-7, information concerning the Trust’s portfolio holdings, as well as its daily weighted average portfolio maturity and weighted average life, is posted on its public website no later than five business days after the end of each month. It is also the current policy of the Trust to post this information on its website on a weekly basis. In addition, the Trust also discloses on its website its market-based NAV, daily and weekly liquid assets and daily net inflows and outflows as of each business day for the preceding six months, as of the end of the preceding business day. The market-based NAV is for informational purposes for each of the Government Portfolio, Government Securities Portfolio, Treasury Portfolio and Treasury Securities Portfolio, which currently use an amortized cost valuation methodology to value underlying securities, and the shares of these Funds generally transact at $1.00 per share. Each of the ESG Money Market Portfolio, Prime Portfolio and Tax-Exempt Portfolio currently price and transact in its shares at a NAV reflecting market-based values of its portfolio holdings (i.e., at a “floating NAV”). In the event that the Trust files information regarding certain material events with the SEC on Form N-CR, the Trust will disclose on its website certain information that the Trust is required to report on Form N-CR (e.g., the imposition or termination of a liquidity fee or redemption gate). The Trust provides a complete schedule of portfolio holdings for the second and fourth fiscal quarters in its Semi-Annual and Annual Reports. Also, the Trust files a complete schedule of portfolio holdings information with the SEC on Form N-MFP within five business days after the end of each month. The SEC makes Form N-MFP filings publicly available on its website at the same time as the filing and a link to the SEC filing is posted on the Trust’s website.

All other portfolio holdings information that has not been disseminated in a manner making it available generally as described above is non-public information for purposes of the Policy.

The Trust also makes its complete portfolio holdings available weekly on its website, at least two business days following the end of the prior week. In addition, prospective investors generally may obtain holdings information if they enter into an agreement or undertaking to keep the information confidential.

The Trust may make selective disclosure of non-public portfolio holdings information pursuant to certain exemptions set forth in the Policy. Third parties eligible for exemptions under the Policy and therefore eligible to receive such disclosures currently include clients/shareholders (such as redeeming shareholders in-kind), fund rating agencies, information exchange subscribers, proxy voting or advisory services, pricing services, consultants and analysts, portfolio analytics providers, transition managers and service providers, provided that the third party expressly agrees to maintain the disclosed information in confidence and not to trade portfolio securities or related derivative securities based on the non-public information. Non-public portfolio holdings information may not be disclosed to a third party pursuant to an exemption unless and until the third party recipient has entered into a non-disclosure agreement with the Trust and the arrangement has been reviewed and approved, as set forth in the Policy and discussed below. In addition, persons who owe a duty of trust or confidence to the Trust or the Adviser may receive non-public portfolio holdings information without entering into a non-disclosure agreement. Currently, these persons include (i) the Funds’ independent registered public accounting firm (as of the Trust’s fiscal year-end and on an as-needed basis), (ii) counsel to the Funds (on an as-needed basis), (iii) counsel to the Independent Trustees (on an as-needed basis) and (iv) members of the Board of Trustees (on an as-needed basis). Subject to the terms and conditions of any agreement between the Adviser or the Trust and the third party recipient, if these conditions for disclosure are satisfied, there shall be no restriction on the frequency with which Trust non-public portfolio holdings information is released, and no lag period shall apply (unless otherwise indicated below).

The Adviser may provide interest lists to broker-dealers who execute securities transactions for the Funds without entering into a non-disclosure agreement with the broker-dealers, provided that the interest list satisfies all of the following criteria: (1) the interest list must contain only the CUSIP numbers and/or ticker symbols of securities held in all registered management investment companies advised by the Adviser or any affiliate of the Adviser (the “Morgan Stanley Funds”) on an aggregate, rather than a fund-by-fund basis; (2) the interest list will not disclose portfolio holdings on a fund-by-fund basis; (3) the interest list must not contain information about the number or value of shares owned by a specified Morgan Stanley Fund; (4) the interest list may identify the investment strategy, but not the particular Morgan Stanley Funds, to which the list relates; and (5) the interest list may not identify the portfolio manager or team members responsible for managing the Morgan Stanley Funds.

The Trust may discuss or otherwise disclose performance attribution analyses (i.e., mention the effects of having a particular security in the portfolio(s)) where such discussion is not contemporaneously made public, provided that the particular holding has been disclosed publicly or the information that includes such holding(s) has been made available to shareholders requesting such information. Additionally, any discussion of the analyses may not be more current than the date the holding was disclosed publicly or the information that includes such holding(s) has been made available to shareholders requesting such information.

Portfolio holdings information may be provided to broker-dealers, prime brokers, futures commission merchants, or similar providers in connection with each Fund’s portfolio trading or operational processing activities; such entities generally need access to such

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information in the performance of their duties and responsibilities to fund service providers and are subject to a duty of confidentiality, including a duty not to trade on material non-public information, imposed by law or contract. Portfolio holdings information may also be provided to affiliates of MSIM pursuant to regulatory requirements or for legitimate business purposes, which may include risk management, or may be reported by each Fund’s counterparties to certain global trade repositories pursuant to regulatory requirements.

The Adviser, the Trust and/or certain Funds currently have entered into ongoing arrangements regarding the selective disclosure of complete portfolio holdings information with the following parties:

Name

Frequency1

Lag Time

Service Providers

 

 

State Street Bank and Trust Company

Daily basis

Daily

BlackRock Financial Management Inc.

Daily basis

2

KellyCo Marketing

Monthly basis and Quarterly basis

Varying lag times after the date of the information

R.R. Donnelley & Sons Company

Monthly basis and Quarterly basis

Varying lag times after the date of the information

Portfolio Analytics Providers

 

 

Bloomberg Finance, L.P.

Daily basis

2

1 Dissemination of portfolio holdings information to entities listed above may occur less frequently than indicated (or not at all).
2 Information will typically be provided on a real time basis or as soon thereafter as possible.

Further, certain entities such as municipalities, which may not be authorized to enter into a non-disclosure agreement, may enter into an undertaking to keep any non-public holdings information confidential.

All disclosures of non-public portfolio holdings information made to third-parties pursuant to the exemptions set forth in the Policy must be reviewed and approved by the Adviser, which will also determine from time-to-time whether such third-parties should continue to receive portfolio holdings information.

The Adviser shall report quarterly to the Board of Trustees (or a designated committee thereof) at the next regularly scheduled meeting: (i) any material information concerning all parties receiving non-public portfolio holdings information pursuant to an exemption; and (ii) any new non-disclosure agreements entered into during the reporting period. Procedures to monitor the use of such non-public portfolio holdings information may include requiring annual certifications that the recipients have utilized such information only pursuant to the terms of the agreement between the recipient and the Adviser and, for those recipients receiving information electronically, acceptance of the information will constitute reaffirmation that the third-party expressly agrees to maintain the disclosed information in confidence and not to trade portfolio securities based on the non-public information.

PURCHASE AND REDEMPTION OF SHARES

Purchase of Shares. The name of the Fund requested should be designated on the Account Registration Form. Each Fund reserves the right in its sole discretion (i) to suspend the offering of its shares, (ii) to reject purchase orders, and (iii) to reduce or waive the minimum for initial and subsequent investments. The officers of the Trust may from time to time waive the minimum initial and subsequent investment requirements in connection with investments in the Trust by certain investors, including but not limited to (a) employees of the Adviser and its affiliates, and (b) other investors with whom the Adviser wishes to develop a relationship or whose investments are expected, over a reasonable period of time, to exceed the minimum initial investment requirement. 

The Funds declare dividends daily and, therefore, at the time of a purchase, must have funds immediately available for investment. As a result, you must pay for shares of each Fund with Federal funds (monies credited to the Fund’s custodian by a Federal Reserve Bank). 

Investors purchasing and redeeming shares of the Fund through a financial intermediary may be charged a transaction-based fee or other fee for the financial intermediary’s services. Each financial intermediary is responsible for sending you a schedule of fees and information regarding any additional or different conditions regarding purchases and redemptions. Customers of financial intermediaries should read this SAI in light of the terms governing accounts with their organization. The Trust does not pay compensation to or receive compensation from financial intermediaries for the sale of Institutional Class Shares but does pay compensation in connection with other share classes. 

Neither Morgan Stanley Distribution, Inc. (the “Distributor”) nor the Trust will be responsible for any loss, liability, cost, or expense for acting upon facsimile instructions or upon telephone instructions that they reasonably believe to be genuine. In order to confirm that telephone instructions in connection with redemptions are genuine, the Trust and the Distributor will provide written confirmation of transactions initiated by telephone.

Redemption of Shares. Redemptions are not made on days during which the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) is closed or on the following federal holidays: Columbus Day and Veterans Day. Generally, payment for Trust shares sold will be made on the day

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on which the order is processed, but under certain circumstances may not be made until the next business day. The Trust may postpone and/or suspend redemption and payment beyond one business day only as follows: (a) for any period during which there is a non-routine closure of the Federal Reserve Wire Network or applicable Federal Reserve Banks; (b) or any period (i) during which the NYSE is closed other than customary weekend and holiday closings or (ii) during which trading on the New York Stock Exchange is restricted; (c) for any period during which an emergency exists as a result of which (i) disposal of securities owned by a Fund is not reasonably practicable or (ii) it is not reasonably practicable for a Fund to fairly determine the NAV of shares of a Fund; (d) for any period during which the SEC has, by rule or regulation, deemed that (i) trading shall be restricted or (ii) an emergency exists; (e) for any period that the SEC may by order permit; (f) the Board of Trustees has imposed a redemption gate that temporarily suspends the right of redemption; or (g) for any period during which the Trust as part of a necessary liquidation of a Fund, has properly postponed and/or suspended redemption of shares and payment in accordance with federal securities laws. In addition, when the Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association recommends that the securities markets close early, payments with respect to redemption requests received subsequent to the recommended close will be made the next business day. If the NYSE is closed due to inclement weather, technology problems or any other reason on a day it would normally be open for business, or the NYSE has an unscheduled early closing on a day it has opened for business, a Fund reserves the right to treat such day as a business day and accept purchase and redemption orders until, and calculate its NAV as of, the normally scheduled close of regular trading on the NYSE for that day, or such time as noted in a Fund’s Prospectus, so long as the Adviser believes there generally remains an adequate market to obtain reliable and accurate market quotations.

The Trust has made an election with the SEC pursuant to Rule 18f-1 under the 1940 Act to pay in cash all redemptions requested by any shareholder of record limited in amount during any 90-day period to the lesser of $250,000 or 1% of the net assets of a Fund at the beginning of such period. Such commitment is irrevocable without the prior approval of the SEC. Redemptions in excess of the above limits may be paid in whole or in part in investment securities or in cash, as the Trustees may deem advisable; however, payment will be made wholly in cash unless the Trustees believe that economic or market conditions exist which would make such a practice detrimental to the best interests of the Trust. If redemptions are paid in investment securities, such securities will be valued as set forth in the Funds’ Prospectuses under “Valuation of Shares” and a redeeming shareholder would normally incur brokerage expenses in converting these securities to cash.

No charge is made by the Funds for redemptions. Redemption proceeds may be more or less than the shareholder’s cost depending on the market value of the securities held by the Funds.

Transactions With Brokers/Dealers. The Trust has authorized certain brokers to receive on its behalf purchase and redemption orders. Some of these brokers are authorized to designate other intermediaries to receive purchase and redemption orders on the Trust’s behalf. For purposes of determining the purchase price of shares, the Trust will be deemed to have received a purchase or redemption order when an authorized broker, or if applicable, a broker’s authorized designee, receives the order in proper form. In other words, orders will be priced at the NAV next computed after such orders are received in proper form by an authorized broker or the broker’s authorized designee.

ACCOUNT POLICIES AND FEATURES

Transfer of Shares. Shareholders may transfer shares of the Funds to another person by written request to Shareholder Services at Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds, c/o DST Asset Manager Solutions, Inc., P.O. Box 219804, Kansas City, MO 64121-9804. If shares are being transferred to an existing account, the request should clearly identify the account and number of shares to be transferred and include the signature of all registered owners and all share certificates, if any, which are subject to the transfer. The signature on the letter of request, the share certificate or any stock power must be guaranteed in the same manner as described under “Redemption of Shares.” As in the case of redemptions, the written request must be received in good order before any transfer can be made.

Valuation of Shares. For the purpose of calculating the Government Portfolio’s, Government Securities Portfolio’s, Treasury Portfolio’s and Treasury Securities Portfolio’s NAV, securities are valued by the amortized cost method of valuation, which does not take into account unrealized gains or losses. This involves valuing an instrument at its cost and thereafter assuming a constant amortization to maturity of any discount or premium, regardless of the impact of fluctuating interest rates on the market value of the instrument. While this method provides certainty in valuation, it may result in periods during which value based on amortized cost is higher or lower than the price these Funds would receive if they sold the instrument.

The use of amortized cost and the maintenance of each applicable Fund’s NAV at $1.00 is based on its election to operate under the provisions of Rule 2a-7. As conditions of operating under Rule 2a-7, each Fund must maintain a dollar-weighted average Fund maturity of 60 days or less, purchase only instruments having remaining maturities of thirteen months or less and invest only in U.S. dollar-denominated securities which are determined by the Trustees to present minimal credit risks and which are of eligible quality as determined under the rule.

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The Board has established procedures reasonably designed, taking into account current market conditions and each applicable Fund’s investment objective, to stabilize the NAV as computed for the purposes of sales and redemptions at $1.00. These procedures include periodic review, as the Trustees deem appropriate and at such intervals as are reasonable in light of current market conditions, of the relationship between the amortized cost value per share and a NAV based upon available indications of market value. In such a review, investments for which market quotations are readily available are valued at the most recent bid price or quoted yield equivalent for such securities or for securities of comparable maturity, quality and type as obtained from one or more of the major market makers for the securities to be valued. Other investments and assets are valued at fair value, as determined in good faith by the Board.

For each of the applicable Funds, in the unlikely event that the Trust’s Board of Trustees are to determine pursuant to Rule 2a-7 that the extent of the deviation between a Fund’s amortized cost per share and its market-based NAV may result in material dilution or other unfair results to shareholders, the Board will cause a Fund to take such action as it deems appropriate to eliminate or reduce to the extent practicable such dilution or unfair results, including, but not limited to, considering suspending redemption of shares and liquidating the Fund under Rule 22e-3 under the 1940 Act.

If the Trustees determine that it is no longer in the best interests of the Trust and its shareholders to maintain a stable price of $1.00 per share or if the Trustees believe that maintaining such price no longer reflects a market-based NAV, the Trustees have the right to change from an amortized cost basis of valuation to valuation based on market quotations. The Trust will notify shareholders of an applicable Fund of any such change.

Each of the ESG Money Market Portfolio’s, Prime Portfolio’s and Tax-Exempt Portfolio’s investments will be valued using market-based prices provided by an approved pricing service/vendor and the share price of each rounded to the fourth decimal place.

Each Fund invests in eligible securities (“Eligible Securities”) as defined in Rule 2a-7. An Eligible Security means a security: (i) with a remaining maturity of 397 calendar days or less that a Trust’s Board determines presents minimal credit risks to the Fund, which determination must include an analysis of the capacity of the security’s issuer or guarantor (including for this paragraph the provider of a conditional demand feature, when applicable) to meet its financial obligations, and such analysis must include, to the extent appropriate, consideration of the following factors with respect to the security’s issuer or guarantor: (a) financial condition; (b) sources of liquidity; (c) ability to react to future market-wide and issuer- or guarantor-specific events, including ability to repay debt in a highly adverse situation; and (d) strength of the issuer’s or guarantor’s industry within the economy and relative to economic trends, and issuer’s or guarantor’s competitive position within its industry; (ii) that is issued by a registered investment company that is a money market fund; or (iii) that is a government security. As permitted by Rule 2a-7, the Board has delegated to the Trust’s Adviser the responsibility to make the above determinations pursuant to Rule 2a-7.

MANAGEMENT OF THE TRUST

Board of Trustees 

General. The Board of Trustees of the Trust oversees the management of the Trust, but does not itself manage the Trust. The Trustees review various services provided by or under the direction of the Adviser to ensure that the Trust’s general investment policies and programs are properly carried out. The Trustees also conduct their review to ensure that administrative services are provided to the Trust in a satisfactory manner. 

Under state law, the duties of the Trustees are generally characterized as a duty of loyalty and a duty of care. The duty of loyalty requires a Trustee to exercise his or her powers in the interest of the Trust and not the Trustee’s own interest or the interest of another person or organization. A Trustee satisfies his or her duty of care by acting in good faith with the care of an ordinarily prudent person and in a manner the Trustee reasonably believes to be in the best interest of the Trust and its shareholders.

Trustees and Officers. The Board of the Trust consists of 10 Trustees. These same individuals also serve as directors or trustees for certain of the funds advised by the Adviser and Morgan Stanley AIP GP LP. None of the Trustees have an affiliation or business connection with the Adviser or any of its affiliated persons or own any stock or other securities issued by the Adviser’s parent company, Morgan Stanley. They are the “non-interested” or “Independent” Trustees as defined under the 1940 Act.

Board Structure and Oversight Function. The Board’s leadership structure features an Independent Trustee serving as Chairperson and the Board Committees described below. The Chairperson participates in the preparation of the agenda for meetings of the Board and the preparation of information to be presented to the Board with respect to matters to be acted upon by the Board. The Chairperson also presides at all meetings of the Board and is involved in discussions regarding matters pertaining to the oversight of the management of the Trust between meetings.

The Board of Trustees operates using a system of committees to facilitate the timely and efficient consideration of all matters of importance to the Trustees, the Trust and Trust shareholders, and to facilitate compliance with legal and regulatory requirements and oversight of the Trust’s activities and associated risks. The Board of Trustees has established four standing committees: (1) Audit Committee, (2) Governance Committee, (3) Compliance and Insurance Committee and (4) Investment Committee, which are each

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comprised exclusively of Independent Trustees. Each committee charter governs the scope of the committee’s responsibilities with respect to the oversight of the Trust. The responsibilities of each committee, including their oversight responsibilities, are described further under the caption “Independent Trustees and the Committees.”

The Funds are subject to a number of risks, including investment, compliance, operational and valuation risk, among others. The Board of Trustees oversees these risks as part of its broader oversight of the Trust’s affairs through various Board and committee activities. The Board has adopted, and periodically reviews, policies and procedures designed to address various risks to the Funds. In addition, appropriate personnel, including but not limited to the Trust’s Chief Compliance Officer, members of the Trust’s administration and accounting teams, representatives from the Trust’s independent registered public accounting firm, the Trust’s Treasurer, portfolio management personnel, risk management personnel and independent valuation and brokerage evaluation service providers, make regular reports regarding the Trust’s activities and related risks to the Board of Trustees and the committees, as appropriate. These reports include, among others, quarterly performance reports, quarterly risk reports and discussions with members of the risk teams relating to each asset class. The Board’s committee structure allows separate committees to focus on different aspects of risk and the potential impact of these risks on some or all of the funds in the complex and then report back to the full Board. In between regular meetings, Trust officers also communicate with the Trustees regarding material exceptions and items relevant to the Board’s risk oversight function. The Board recognizes that it is not possible to identify all of the risks that may affect the Funds, and that it is not possible to develop processes and controls to eliminate all of the risks that may affect the Funds. Moreover, the Board recognizes that it may be necessary for the Funds to bear certain risks (such as investment risk) to achieve their respective investment objective.

As needed between meetings of the Board, the Board or a specific committee receives and reviews reports relating to the Trust and engages in discussions with appropriate parties relating to the Trust’s operations and related risks.

Management Information 

Trustees. The Trust seeks as Trustees individuals of distinction and experience in business and finance, government service or academia. In determining that a particular Trustee was and continues to be qualified to serve as Trustee, the Board has considered a variety of criteria, none of which, in isolation, was controlling. Based on a review of the experience, qualifications, attributes or skills of each Trustee, including those enumerated in the table below, the Board has determined that each of the Trustees is qualified to serve as a Trustee of the Trust. In addition, the Board believes that, collectively, the Trustees have balanced and diverse experience, qualifications, attributes and skills that allow the Board to operate effectively in governing the Trust and protecting the interests of shareholders. Information about the Trust’s Governance Committee and Board of Trustees nomination process is provided below under the caption “Independent Trustees and the Committees.”

The Trustees of the Trust, their birth years, addresses, positions held, length of time served, their principal business occupations during the past five years and other relevant professional experience, the number of portfolios in the Fund Complex (described below) overseen by each Trustee and other directorships, if any, held by the Trustees, are shown below (as of December 31, 2019). The Fund Complex includes all open-end and closed-end funds (including all of their portfolios) advised by the Adviser and any registered funds that have an adviser that is an affiliate of the Adviser (including, but not limited to, Morgan Stanley AIP GP LP) (the “Morgan Stanley AIP Funds”).

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Name, Address and Birth Year of Independent Trustee

Position(s) Held with Registrant

Length of
Time
Served*

Principal Occupation(s) During Past 5 Years and Other Relevant Professional Experience

Number of Funds
in Fund Complex Overseen by Independent Trustee

Other Directorships Held by Independent Trustee**

Frank L. Bowman
c/o Perkins Coie LLP
Counsel to the
Independent Trustees
1155 Avenue of the Americas
22nd Floor
New York, NY 10036
Birth Year: 1944

Trustee

Since August 2006

President, Strategic Decisions, LLC (consulting) (since February 2009); Director or Trustee of various Morgan Stanley Funds (since August 2006); Chairperson of the Compliance and Insurance Committee (since October 2015); formerly, Chairperson of the Insurance Sub-Committee of the Compliance and Insurance Committee (2007-2015); served as President and Chief Executive Officer of the Nuclear Energy Institute (policy organization) (February 2005-November 2008); retired as Admiral, U.S. Navy after serving over 38 years on active duty including 8 years as Director of the Naval Nuclear Propulsion Program in the Department of the Navy and the U.S. Department of Energy (1996- 2004); served as Chief of Naval Personnel (July 1994-September 1996) and on the Joint Staff as Director of Political Military Affairs (June 1992-July 1994); knighted as Honorary Knight Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire; awarded the Officier de l’Orde National du Mérite by the French Government; elected to the National Academy of Engineering (2009).

86

Director of Naval and Nuclear Technologies LLP; Director Emeritus of the Armed Services YMCA; Member of the National Security Advisory Council of the Center for U.S. Global Engagement and a member of the CNA Military Advisory Board; Trustee of Fairhaven United Methodist Church; Member of the Board of Advisors of the Dolphin Scholarship Foundation; Director of other various nonprofit organizations; formerly, Director of BP, plc (November 2010-May 2019).

Kathleen A. Dennis
c/o Perkins Coie LLP
Counsel to the
Independent Trustees
1155 Avenue of the Americas
22nd Floor
New York, NY 10036
Birth Year: 1953

Trustee

Since
August
2006

President, Cedarwood Associates (mutual fund and investment management consulting) (since July 2006); Chairperson of the Liquidity and Alternatives Sub-Committee of the Investment Committee (since October 2006) and Director or Trustee of various Morgan Stanley Funds (since August 2006); formerly, Senior Managing Director of Victory Capital Management (1993-2006).

86

Director of various non-profit organizations.

Nancy C. Everett
c/o Perkins Coie LLP
Counsel to the
Independent Trustees
1155 Avenue of the Americas
22nd Floor
New York, NY 10036
Birth Year: 1955

Trustee

Since
January
2015

Chief Executive Officer, Virginia Commonwealth University Investment Company (since November 2015); Owner, OBIR, LLC (institutional investment management consulting) (since June 2014); formerly, Managing Director, BlackRock, Inc. (February 2011-December 2013) and Chief Executive Officer, General Motors Asset Management (a/k/a Promark Global Advisors, Inc.) (June 2005-May 2010).

87

Formerly, Member of Virginia Commonwealth University School of Business Foundation (2005-2016); Member of Virginia Commonwealth University Board of Visitors (2013-2015); Member of Committee on Directors for Emerging Markets Growth Fund, Inc. (2007-2010); Chairperson of Performance Equity Management, LLC (2006-2010); and Chairperson, GMAM Absolute Return Strategies Fund, LLC (2006-2010).

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Name, Address and Birth Year of Independent Trustee

Position(s) Held with Registrant

Length of
Time
Served*

Principal Occupation(s) During Past 5 Years and Other Relevant Professional Experience

Number of Funds
in Fund Complex Overseen by Independent Trustee

Other Directorships Held by Independent Trustee**

Jakki L. Haussler
c/o Perkins Coie LLP
Counsel to the
Independent Trustees
1155 Avenue of the Americas
22nd Floor
New York, NY 10036
Birth Year: 1957

Trustee

Since
January
2015

Chairman, Opus Capital Group (since 1996); formerly, CEO, Opus Capital Group (1996-2019); Director, Capvest Venture Fund, LP (May 2000-December 2011); Partner, Adena Ventures, LP (July 1999-December 2010); Director, The Victory Funds (February 2005-July 2008).

87

Director of Cincinnati Bell Inc. and Member, Audit Committee and Chairman, Governance and Nominating Committee; Director of Service Corporation International and Member, Audit Committee and Investment Committee; Director of Northern Kentucky University Foundation and Member, Investment Committee; Member of Chase College of Law Transactional Law Practice Center Board of Advisors; Director of Best Transport; Director of Chase College of Law Board of Visitors; formerly, Member, University of Cincinnati Foundation Investment Committee; Member, Miami University Board of Visitors (2008-2011); Trustee of Victory Funds (2005-2008) and Chairman, Investment Committee (2007-2008) and Member, Service Provider Committee (2005-2008).

Dr. Manuel H. Johnson
c/o Johnson Smick
International, Inc.
220 I Street, NE
Suite 200
Washington, D.C. 20002
Birth Year: 1949

Trustee

Since
July 1991

Senior Partner, Johnson Smick International, Inc. (consulting firm); Chairperson of the Investment Committee (since October 2006) and Director or Trustee of various Morgan Stanley Funds (since July 1991); Co-Chairman and a founder of the Group of Seven Council (G7C) (international economic commission); formerly, Chairperson of the Audit Committee (July 1991-September 2006); Vice Chairman of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System and Assistant Secretary of the U.S. Treasury.

86

Director of NVR, Inc. (home construction).

Joseph J. Kearns
c/o Perkins Coie LLP
Counsel to the
Independent Trustees
1155 Avenue of the Americas
22nd Floor
New York, NY 10036
Birth Year: 1942

Trustee

Since
August
1994

Senior Adviser, Kearns & Associates LLC (investment consulting); Chairperson of the Audit Committee (since October 2006) and Director or Trustee of various Morgan Stanley Funds (since August 1994); Director, Rubicon Investments (since February 2019); formerly, Deputy Chairperson of the Audit Committee (July 2003-September 2006) and Chairperson of the Audit Committee of various Morgan Stanley Funds (since August 1994); CFO of the J. Paul Getty Trust (1982-1999).

87

Prior to August 2016, Director of Electro Rent Corporation (equipment leasing). Prior to December 31, 2013, Director of The Ford Family Foundation.

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Name, Address and Birth Year of Independent Trustee

Position(s) Held with Registrant

Length of
Time
Served*

Principal Occupation(s) During Past 5 Years and Other Relevant Professional Experience

Number of Funds
in Fund Complex Overseen by Independent Trustee

Other Directorships Held by Independent Trustee**

Michael F. Klein
c/o Perkins Coie LLP
Counsel to the
Independent Trustees
1155 Avenue of the Americas
22nd Floor
New York, NY 10036
Birth Year: 1958

Trustee

Since
August
2006

Managing Director, Aetos Alternatives Management, LP (since March 2000); Co-President, Aetos Alternatives Management, LP (since January 2004) and Co-Chief Executive Officer of Aetos Alternatives Management, LP (since August 2013); Chairperson of the Fixed Income Sub-Committee of the Investment Committee (since October 2006) and Director or Trustee of various Morgan Stanley Funds (since August 2006); formerly, Managing Director, Morgan Stanley & Co. Inc. and Morgan Stanley Dean Witter Investment Management and President, various Morgan Stanley Funds (June 1998-March 2000); Principal, Morgan Stanley & Co. Inc. and Morgan Stanley Dean Witter Investment Management (August 1997-December 1999).

86

Director of certain investment funds managed or sponsored by Aetos Alternatives Management, LP; Director of Sanitized AG and Sanitized Marketing AG (specialty chemicals).

Patricia Maleski
c/o Perkins Coie LLP
Counsel to the
Independent Trustees
1155 Avenue of the Americas
22nd Floor
New York, NY 10036
Birth Year: 1960

Trustee

Since
January
2017

Managing Director, JPMorgan Asset Management (2004-2016); Oversight and Control Head of Fiduciary and Conflicts of Interest Program (2015-2016); Chief Control Officer—Global Asset Management (2013-2015); President, JPMorgan Funds (2010-2013); Chief Administrative Officer (2004-2013); various other positions including Treasurer and Board Liaison (since 2001).

87

None

Michael E. Nugent
522 Fifth Avenue
New York, NY 10036
Birth Year: 1936

Chair of the Board and Trustee

Chair of the Boards since July 2006 and Trustee since July 1991

Chair of the Boards of various Morgan Stanley Funds (since July 2006); Chairperson of the Governance Committee (since January 2019) and Director or Trustee of various Morgan Stanley Funds (since July 1991); formerly, Chairperson of each of the Closed-End Fund Committee (until December 2019) and the Insurance Committee (until July 2006); General Partner, Triumph Capital, L.P. (private investment partnership) (1988-2013).

86

None

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Name, Address and Birth Year of Independent Trustee

Position(s) Held with Registrant

Length of
Time
Served*

Principal Occupation(s) During Past 5 Years and Other Relevant Professional Experience

Number of Funds
in Fund Complex Overseen by Independent Trustee

Other Directorships Held by Independent Trustee**

W. Allen Reed
c/o Perkins Coie LLP
Counsel to the
Independent Trustees
1155 Avenue of the Americas
22nd Floor
New York, NY 10036
Birth Year: 1947

Vice Chair of the Board and Trustee

Vice Chair of the Boards since January 2020 and Trustee since August 2006

Vice Chair of the Boards of various Morgan Stanley Funds (since January 2020); Chairperson of the Equity Sub-Committee of the Investment Committee (since October 2006) and Director or Trustee of various Morgan Stanley Funds (since August 2006); formerly, President and CEO of General Motors Asset Management; Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the GM Trust Bank and Corporate Vice President of General Motors Corporation (August 1994-December 2005).

86

Formerly, Director of Legg Mason, Inc. (2006-2019); and Director of the Auburn University Foundation (2010-2015).

* This is the earliest date the Trustee began serving the Morgan Stanley Funds. Each Trustee serves an indefinite term, until his or her successor is elected.
** This includes any directorships at public companies and registered investment companies held by the Trustee at any time during the past five years.

The executive officers of the Trust, their birth years, addresses, positions held, length of time served and their principal business occupations during the past five years are shown below (as of December 31, 2019).

Executive Officers 

Name, Address and Birth Year of Executive Officer

Position(s) Held with Registrant

Length of Time Served*

Principal Occupation(s) During Past 5 Years

John H. Gernon
522 Fifth Avenue
New York, NY 10036
Birth Year: 1963

President and Principal Executive Officer

Since September 2013

President and Principal Executive Officer of the Equity and Fixed Income Funds and the Morgan Stanley AIP Funds (since September 2013) and the Liquidity Funds and various money market funds (since May 2014) in the Fund Complex; Managing Director of the Adviser; Head of Public Markets Product Development (since 2006).

Timothy J. Knierim
522 Fifth Avenue
New York, NY 10036
Birth Year: 1959

Chief Compliance Officer

Since December 2016

Managing Director of the Adviser and various entities affiliated with the Adviser; Chief Compliance Officer of various Morgan Stanley Funds and the Adviser (since December 2016) and Chief Compliance Officer of Morgan Stanley AIP GP LP (since 2014). Formerly, Managing Director and Deputy Chief Compliance Officer of the Adviser (2014-2016).

Francis J. Smith
522 Fifth Avenue
New York, NY 10036
Birth Year: 1965

Treasurer and Principal Financial Officer

Treasurer since July 2003 and Principal Financial Officer since September 2002

Managing Director of the Adviser and various entities affiliated with the Adviser; Treasurer (since July 2003) and Principal Financial Officer of various Morgan Stanley Funds (since September 2002).

Mary E. Mullin
522 Fifth Avenue
New York, NY 10036
Birth Year: 1967

Secretary

Since June 1999

Managing Director of the Adviser; Secretary of various Morgan Stanley Funds (since June 1999).

Michael J. Key
522 Fifth Avenue
New York, NY 10036
Birth Year: 1979

Vice President

Since June 2017

Vice President of the Equity and Fixed Income Funds, Liquidity Funds, various money market funds and the Morgan Stanley AIP Funds in the Fund Complex (since June 2017); Executive Director of the Adviser; Head of Product Development for Equity and Fixed Income Funds (since August 2013).

* This is the earliest date the officer began serving the Morgan Stanley Funds. Each officer serves a one-year term, until his or her successor is elected and has qualified.

In addition, the following individuals who are officers of the Adviser or who are officers of its affiliates serve as assistant secretaries of the Trust: Princess Kludjeson, Kristina B. Magolis, Francesca Mead and Jill R. Whitelaw.

It is a policy of the Trust’s Board that each Trustee shall invest at least $250,000 in any combination of the Morgan Stanley Funds that the Trustee determines meets his or her own specific investment objectives, without requiring any specific investment in any particular Fund. Newly elected or appointed Trustees have three years to comply with this policy.

For each Trustee, the dollar range of equity securities beneficially owned by the Trustee in the Funds and in the Family of Investment Companies (Family of Investment Companies includes all of the registered investment companies advised by the Adviser and Morgan Stanley AIP GP LP) for the calendar year ended December 31, 2019 is set forth in the table below.

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Name of Trustee

Dollar Range of Equity Securities in the Funds (as of December 31, 2019)

Aggregate Dollar Range of Equity Securities in All Registered Investment Companies Overseen by Trustee in Family of Investment Companies (as of December 31, 2019)

Independent:

 

 

Frank L. Bowman

None

over $100,000

Kathleen A. Dennis

None

over $100,000

Nancy C. Everett

None

over $100,000

Jakki L. Haussler

None

over $100,000

Manuel H. Johnson

None

over $100,000

Joseph J. Kearns1

2

over $100,000

Michael F. Klein1

None

over $100,000

Patricia Maleski

2

over $100,000

Michael E. Nugent

None

over $100,000

W. Allen Reed1

None

over $100,000

1 Includes the total amount of compensation deferred by the Trustee at his election pursuant to a deferred compensation plan. Such deferred compensation is placed in a deferral account and deemed to be invested in one or more of the Morgan Stanley Funds (or portfolio thereof) that are offered as investment options under the plan.
2 Joseph J. Kearns—Treasury Securities Portfolio (over $100,000); and Patricia Maleski—Prime Portfolio (over $100,000).

As to each Independent Trustee and his or her immediate family members, no person owned beneficially or of record securities of an investment adviser or principal underwriter of the Trust, or a person (other than a registered investment company) directly or indirectly controlling, controlled by or under common control with an investment adviser or principal underwriter of the Trust.

As of February 1, 2020, the Trustees and officers of the Trust, as a group, owned less than 1% of any class of the outstanding shares of beneficial interest of each Fund.

Independent Trustees and the Committees. Law and regulation establish both general guidelines and specific duties for the Independent Trustees. The Board has four committees: (1) Audit Committee, (2) Governance Committee, (3) Compliance and Insurance Committee and (4) Investment Committee.

The Independent Trustees are charged with recommending to the full Board approval of management, advisory and administration contracts, Rule 12b-1 plans and distribution and underwriting agreements; continually reviewing fund performance; checking on the pricing of portfolio securities, brokerage commissions, transfer agent costs and performance and trading among funds in the same complex; and approving fidelity bond and related insurance coverage and allocations, as well as other matters that arise from time to time. The Independent Trustees are required to select and nominate individuals to fill any Independent Trustee vacancy on the board of any fund that has a Rule 12b-1 plan of distribution.

The Board of Trustees has a separately-designated standing Audit Committee established in accordance with Section 3(a)(58)(A) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “1934 Act”). The Audit Committee is charged with recommending to the full Board the engagement or discharge of the Trust’s independent registered public accounting firm; directing investigations into matters within the scope of the independent registered public accounting firm’s duties, including the power to retain outside specialists; reviewing with the independent registered public accounting firm the audit plan and results of the auditing engagement; approving professional services provided by the independent registered public accounting firm and other accounting firms prior to the performance of the services; reviewing the independence of the independent registered public accounting firm; considering the range of audit and non-audit fees; reviewing the adequacy of the Trust’s system of internal controls; and reviewing the valuation process. The Trust has adopted a formal, written Audit Committee Charter.

The members of the Audit Committee of the Trust are Jakki L. Haussler, Joseph J. Kearns, Michael F. Klein and W. Allen Reed. None of the members of the Trust’s Audit Committee is an “interested person,” as defined under the 1940 Act, of the Trust (with such disinterested Trustees being “Independent Trustees” or individually, an “Independent Trustee”). Each Independent Trustee is also “independent” from the Trust under the listing standards of the NYSE. The Chairperson of the Audit Committee of the Trust is Joseph J. Kearns.

The Board of Trustees of the Trust also has a Governance Committee. The Governance Committee identifies individuals qualified to serve as Independent Trustees on the Trust’s Board and on committees of such Board and recommends such qualified individuals for nomination by the Trust’s Independent Trustees as candidates for election as Independent Trustees, advises the Trust’s Board with respect to Board composition, procedures and committees, develops and recommends to the Trust’s Board a set of corporate governance principles applicable to the Trust, monitors and makes recommendations on corporate governance matters and policies and procedures of the Trust’s Board of Trustees and any Board committees and oversees periodic evaluations of the Trust’s Board and its committees. The members of the Governance Committee of the Trust are Kathleen A. Dennis, Manuel H. Johnson and Michael E. Nugent, each of whom is an Independent Trustee. In addition, Michael E. Nugent (as Chair of the Morgan Stanley

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Funds) may periodically attend other operating committee meetings. The Chairperson of the Governance Committee is Michael E. Nugent.

The Trust does not have a separate nominating committee. While the Trust’s Governance Committee recommends qualified candidates for nominations as Independent Trustees, the Board of Trustees of the Trust believes that the task of nominating prospective Independent Trustees is important enough to require the participation of all current Independent Trustees, rather than a separate committee consisting of only certain Independent Trustees. Accordingly, all the Independent Trustees participate in the selection and nomination of candidates for election as Independent Trustees for the Trust. Persons recommended by the Trust’s Governance Committee as candidates for nomination as Independent Trustees shall possess such experience, qualifications, attributes, skills and diversity so as to enhance the Board’s ability to manage and direct the affairs and business of the Trust, including, when applicable, to enhance the ability of committees of the Board to fulfill their duties and/or to satisfy any independence requirements imposed by law, regulation or any listing requirements of the NYSE. While the Independent Trustees of the Trust expect to be able to continue to identify from their own resources an ample number of qualified candidates for the Trust’s Board as they deem appropriate, they will consider nominations from shareholders to the Board. Nominations from shareholders should be in writing and sent to the Independent Trustees as described below under the caption “Shareholder Communications.”

The Board formed the Compliance and Insurance Committee to address insurance coverage and oversee the compliance function for the Trust and the Board. The Compliance and Insurance Committee consists of Frank L. Bowman, Nancy C. Everett and Patricia Maleski, each of whom is an Independent Trustee. The Chairperson of the Compliance and Insurance Committee is Frank L. Bowman.

The Investment Committee oversees the portfolio investment process for and reviews the performance of the Trust. The Investment Committee also recommends to the Board to approve or renew the Trust’s Investment Advisory and Administration Agreements. Each Independent Trustee is a member of the Investment Committee. The Chairperson of the Investment Committee is Manuel H. Johnson.

The Investment Committee has three Sub-Committees, each with its own Chairperson. Each Sub-Committee focuses on the Funds’ primary areas of investment, namely equities, fixed-income and alternatives. Within the Fund Complex, the Sub-Committees and their members are as follows:

 

  (1) Equity—W. Allen Reed (Chairperson), Frank L. Bowman, Nancy C. Everett and Michael E. Nugent.

 

  (2) Fixed Income—Michael F. Klein (Chairperson) and Jakki L. Haussler.

 

  (3) Liquidity and Alternatives—Kathleen A. Dennis (Chairperson), Joseph J. Kearns and Patricia Maleski.
 

In addition, Manuel H. Johnson (as Chairperson of the Investment Committee) periodically attends Sub-Committee meetings.

During the Trust’s fiscal year ended October 31, 2019, the Board of Trustees held the following meetings:

Board of Trustees/Committee/Sub-Committee

Number of Meetings

Board of Trustees

7

Audit Committee

4

Governance Committee

4

Compliance and Insurance Committee

4

Investment Committee

5

Equity Sub-Committee

5

Fixed Income Sub-Committee

5

Liquidity and Alternatives Sub-Committee

5

Experience, Qualifications and Attributes 

The Board has concluded, based on each Trustee’s experience, qualifications and attributes that each Board member should serve as a Trustee. Following is a brief summary of the information that led to and/or supports this conclusion.

Mr. Bowman has experience in a variety of business and financial matters through his prior service as a Director or Trustee for various funds in the Fund Complex, where he serves as Chairperson of the Compliance and Insurance Committee (and formerly served as Chairperson of the Insurance Sub-Committee of the Compliance and Insurance Committee). Mr. Bowman also serves as a Director of Naval and Nuclear Technologies LLP and Director Emeritus for the Armed Services YMCA, and formerly served as a Director of BP, plc. Mr. Bowman serves as a Trustee of the Fairhaven United Methodist Church. Mr. Bowman is also a member of the National Security Advisory Council of the Center for U.S. Global Engagement, a member of the CNA Military Advisory Board and a member of the Dolphin Scholarship Foundation Advisory Board. Mr. Bowman retired as an Admiral in the U.S. Navy after serving over 38 years on active duty including eight years as Director of the Naval Nuclear Propulsion Program in the Department of

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the Navy and the U.S. Department of Energy (1996-2004). Additionally, Mr. Bowman served as the U.S. Navy’s Chief of Naval Personnel (1994-1996) where he was responsible for the planning and programming of all manpower, personnel, training and education resources for the U.S. Navy, and on the Joint Staff as Director of Political Military Affairs (1992-1994). In addition, Mr. Bowman served as President and Chief Executive Officer of the Nuclear Energy Institute. Mr. Bowman has received such distinctions as a knighthood as Honorary Knight Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire and the Officier de l’Orde National du Mérite from the French Government, and was elected to the National Academy of Engineering (2009). He is President of the consulting firm Strategic Decisions, LLC.

Ms. Dennis has over 25 years of business experience in the financial services industry and related fields including serving as a Director or Trustee of various other funds in the Fund Complex, where she serves as Chairperson of the Liquidity and Alternatives Sub-Committee of the Investment Committee. Ms. Dennis possesses a strong understanding of the regulatory framework under which investment companies must operate based on her years of service to this Board and her position as Senior Managing Director of Victory Capital Management.

Ms. Everett has over 35 years of experience in the financial services industry, including roles with both registered investment companies and registered investment advisers. By serving on the boards of other registered funds, such as GMAM Absolute Return Strategies Fund, LLC and Emerging Markets Growth Fund, Inc., Ms. Everett has acquired significant experience with financial, accounting, investment and regulatory matters. Ms. Everett is also a Chartered Financial Analyst.

With more than 30 years of experience in the financial services industry, including her years of entrepreneurial and managerial experience in the development and growth of Opus Capital Group, Ms. Haussler brings a valuable perspective to the Trust’s Board. Through her role at Opus Capital and her service as a director of several venture capital funds and other boards, Ms. Haussler has gained valuable experience dealing with accounting principles and evaluating financial results of large corporations. She is a certified public accountant (inactive) and a licensed attorney in the State of Ohio (inactive).

In addition to his tenure as a Director or Trustee of various other funds in the Fund Complex, where he formerly served as Chairperson of the Audit Committee, Dr. Johnson has also served as an officer or a board member of numerous companies for over 20 years. These positions included Co-Chairman and a founder of the Group of Seven Council, Director of NVR, Inc., Director of Evergreen Energy and Director of Greenwich Capital Holdings. He also has served as Vice Chairman of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System and Assistant Secretary of the U.S. Treasury. In addition, Dr. Johnson also served as Chairman of the Financial Accounting Foundation, which oversees the Financial Accounting Standards Board, for seven years.

Mr. Kearns gained extensive experience regarding accounting through his experience on the Audit Committees of the boards of other funds in the Fund Complex, including serving as either Chairperson or Deputy Chairperson of the Audit Committee for nearly 20 years, and through his position as Chief Financial Officer of the J. Paul Getty Trust. He also has experience in financial, accounting, investment and regulatory matters through his position as President and founder of Kearns & Associates LLC, a financial consulting company. Mr. Kearns previously served as a Director of Electro Rent Corporation and previously served as Director of The Ford Family Foundation. The Board has determined that Mr. Kearns is an “audit committee financial expert” as defined by the SEC.

Through his prior positions as a Managing Director of Morgan Stanley & Co. Inc. and Morgan Stanley Dean Witter Investment Management and as President and a Trustee of the Morgan Stanley Institutional Funds, Mr. Klein has experience in the management and operation of registered investment companies, enabling him to provide management input and investment guidance to the Board. Mr. Klein also has extensive experience in the investment management industry based on his current positions as Managing Director and Co-Chief Executive and Co-President of Aetos Alternatives Management, LP and as a Director of certain investment funds managed or sponsored by Aetos Alternatives Management, LP. In addition, he also has experience as a member of the board of other funds in the Fund Complex.

Ms. Maleski has over 30 years of experience in the financial services industry and extensive experience with registered investment companies. Ms. Maleski began her career as a certified public accountant at Price Waterhouse LLP (“PW”) and was a member of PW’s Investment Company Practice. After a brief stint at the Bank of New York, Ms. Maleski began her affiliation with the JPMorgan Funds, at the Pierpont Group, and then with J.P. Morgan Investment Management Inc. From 2001-2013, Ms. Maleski held roles with increasing responsibilities, from Vice President and Board Liaison, Treasurer and Principal Financial Officer, Chief Administrative Officer and finally President and Principal Executive Officer for the JPMorgan Fund complex. Between 2013 and 2016, Ms. Maleski served as Global Head of Oversight and Control of JPMorgan Asset Management and then as Head of JPMorgan Chase’s Fiduciary and Conflicts of Interest Program. Ms. Maleski has extensive experience in the management and operation of funds in addition to regulatory and accounting and valuation matters.

Mr. Nugent has extensive experience with financial, accounting, investment and regulatory matters through his over 20 years of service on the boards of various funds in the Fund Complex, including time as the Chairperson of the Insurance Committee, Chairperson of the Closed-End Fund Committee and Chair of the Morgan Stanley Funds. Mr. Nugent also has experience as a former General Partner in Triumph Capital, L.P.

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Mr. Reed has experience on investment company boards and is experienced with financial, accounting, investment and regulatory matters through his prior service as a Director of iShares Inc. and his service as Vice Chair of the Board and as Trustee or Director of other funds in the Fund Complex. Mr. Reed also gained substantial experience in the financial services industry through his prior positions as a Director of Legg Mason, Inc. and as President and CEO of General Motors Asset Management.

The Trustees’ principal occupations and other relevant professional experience during the past five years or more are shown in the above tables.

Advantages of Having the Same Individuals as Trustees for the Morgan Stanley Funds. The Independent Trustees and the Trust’s management believe that having the same Independent Trustees for each of the Morgan Stanley Funds avoids the duplication of effort that would arise from having different groups of individuals serving as Independent Trustees for each of the funds or even of sub-groups of funds. They believe that having the same individuals serve as Independent Trustees of all the Morgan Stanley Funds tends to increase their knowledge and expertise regarding matters which affect the Fund Complex generally and enhances their ability to negotiate on behalf of each fund with the fund’s service providers. This arrangement also precludes the possibility of separate groups of Independent Trustees arriving at conflicting decisions regarding operations and management of the funds and avoids the cost and confusion that would likely ensue. Finally, having the same Independent Trustees serve on all fund boards enhances the ability of each fund to obtain, at modest cost to each separate fund, the services of Independent Trustees of the caliber, experience and business acumen of the individuals who serve as Independent Trustees of the Morgan Stanley Funds.

Trustee and Officer Indemnification. The Trust’s Declaration of Trust provides that no Trustee, officer, employee or agent of the Trust is liable to the Trust or to a shareholder, nor is any Trustee, officer, employee or agent liable to any third persons in connection with the affairs of the Trust, except as such liability may arise from his/her or its own bad faith, willful misfeasance, gross negligence or reckless disregard of his/her or its duties. It also provides that all third persons shall look solely to Trust property for satisfaction of claims arising in connection with the affairs of the Trust. With the exceptions stated, the Declaration of Trust provides that a Trustee, officer, employee or agent is entitled to be indemnified against all liability in connection with the affairs of the Trust.

Shareholder Communications. Shareholders may send communications to the Trust’s Board of Trustees. Shareholders should send communications intended for the Trust’s Board by addressing the communications directly to the Board (or individual Board members) and/or otherwise clearly indicating in the salutation that the communication is for the Board (or individual Board members) and by sending the communication to either the Trust’s office or directly to such Board member(s) at the address specified for each Trustee previously noted. Other shareholder communications received by the Trust not directly addressed and sent to the Board will be reviewed and generally responded to by management, and will be forwarded to the Board only at management’s discretion based on the matters contained therein.

Compensation 

Effective January 1, 2020, each Trustee (except for the Chair of the Boards) receives an annual retainer fee of $295,000 ($280,000 prior to January 1, 2020) for serving as a Trustee of the Morgan Stanley Funds.

The Audit Committee Chairperson receives an additional annual retainer fee of $80,000, the Investment Committee Chairperson receives an additional annual retainer fee of $50,000 and the Compliance and Insurance Committee Chairperson receives an additional annual retainer fee of $60,000. Each Sub-Committee Chairperson receives an additional annual retainer fee of $40,000. The aggregate compensation paid to each Trustee is paid by the Morgan Stanley Funds, and is allocated on a pro rata basis among each of the operational funds of the Morgan Stanley Funds based on the relative net assets of each of the funds. Michael E. Nugent receives a total annual retainer fee of $590,000 ($560,000 prior to January 1, 2020) for his services as Chair of the Boards of the Morgan Stanley Funds and for administrative services provided to each Board.

The Trust also reimburses such Trustees for travel and other out-of-pocket expenses incurred by them in connection with attending such meetings. Trustees of the Trust who are employed by the Adviser receive no compensation or expense reimbursement from the Trust for their services as a Trustee.

Effective April 1, 2004, the Trust began a Deferred Compensation Plan (the “DC Plan”), which allows each Trustee to defer payment of all, or a portion, of the fees he or she receives for serving on the Board of Trustees throughout the year. Each eligible Trustee generally may elect to have the deferred amounts credited with a return equal to the total return on one or more of the Morgan Stanley Funds that are offered as investment options under the DC Plan. At the Trustee‘s election, distributions are either in one lump sum payment, or in the form of equal annual installments over a period of five years. The rights of an eligible Trustee and the beneficiaries to the amounts held under the DC Plan are unsecured and such amounts are subject to the claims of the creditors of the Trust.

Prior to April 1, 2004, the Trust maintained a similar Deferred Compensation Plan (the “Prior DC Plan”), which also allowed each Independent Trustee to defer payment of all, or a portion, of the fees he or she received for serving on the Board of Trustees throughout the year. Generally, the DC Plan amends and supersedes the Prior DC Plan and all amounts payable under the Prior DC

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Plan are now subject to the terms of the DC Plan (except for amounts paid during the calendar year 2004, which remain subject to the terms of the Prior DC Plan).

The following table shows aggregate compensation payable to each of the Trust‘s Trustees from the Trust for the fiscal year ended October 31, 2019 and the aggregate compensation payable to each of the Trust‘s Trustees by the Fund Complex (which includes all of the Morgan Stanley Funds) for the calendar year ended December 31, 2019.

COMPENSATION1

Name of Independent Trustee:

Aggregate Compensation
From the Trust2

Total Compensation From Trust and Fund Complex Paid to the Trustees3

Frank L. Bowman

$243,555

$340,000

Kathleen A. Dennis

229,252

320,000

Nancy C. Everett

200,210

280,000

Jakki L. Haussler

200,210

280,000

Manuel H. Johnson

236,405

330,000

Joseph J. Kearns3

257,365

360,000

Michael F. Klein2,3

229,234

320,000

Patricia Maleski

200,210

280,000

Michael E. Nugent

401,123

560,000

W. Allen Reed2,3

229,234

320,000

1 Includes all amounts paid for serving as director/trustee of the funds, as well as serving as Chair of the Boards or a Chairperson of a Committee or Sub-Committee.
2 The amounts shown in this column represent the aggregate compensation before deferral with respect to the Trust’s fiscal year. The following Trustees deferred compensation from the Trust during the fiscal year ended October 31, 2019: Mr. Klein, $229,234 and Mr. Reed, $229,234.
3 The amounts shown in this column represent the aggregate compensation paid by all of the funds in the Fund Complex as of December 31, 2019 before deferral by the Trustee under the DC Plan. As of December 31, 2019, the value (including interest) of the deferral accounts across the Fund Complex for Messrs. Kearns, Klein and Reed pursuant to the deferred compensation plans was $651,838, $2,022,602 and $3,489,928, respectively. Because the funds in the Fund Complex have different fiscal year ends, the amounts shown in this column are presented on a calendar year basis.

Prior to December 31, 2003, 49 of the Morgan Stanley Funds (the “Adopting Funds”), not including the Trust, had adopted a retirement program under which an Independent Trustee who retired after serving for at least five years as an Independent Trustee of any such fund (an “Eligible Trustee”) would have been entitled to retirement payments, based on factors such as length of service, upon reaching the eligible retirement age. On December 31, 2003, the amount of accrued retirement benefits for each Eligible Trustee was frozen, and will be payable, together with a return of 8% per annum, at or following each such Eligible Trustee’s retirement as shown in the table below. 

The following table illustrates the retirement benefits accrued to the Trust’s Independent Trustees by the Adopting Funds for the calendar year ended December 31, 2019, and the estimated retirement benefits for the Independent Trustees from the Adopting Funds for each calendar year following retirement. Only the Trustees listed below participated in the retirement program.

Name of Independent Trustee

Retirement Benefits Accrued as Fund Expenses By All Adopting Funds

Estimated Annual Benefits Upon Retirement1 From All Adopting Funds

Manuel H. Johnson

$38,006

$57,237

Michael E. Nugent2

(17,908)

51,193

1 Total compensation accrued under the retirement plan, together with a return of 8% per annum, will be paid annually commencing upon retirement and continuing for the remainder of the Trustee’s life.
2 Mr. Nugent’s retirement expenses are negative due to the fact that his retirement date has been extended and therefore his expenses have been overaccrued.

Code of Ethics 

The Trust, the Adviser and the Distributor have each adopted a Code of Ethics pursuant to Rule 17j-1 under the 1940 Act. The Codes of Ethics are designed to detect and prevent improper personal trading. The Codes of Ethics permit personnel subject to the Codes of Ethics to invest in securities, including securities that may be purchased, sold or held by the Trust, subject to a number of restrictions and controls, including prohibitions against purchases of securities in an initial public offering and a preclearance requirement with respect to personal securities transactions.

ADVISER 

The Adviser is a wholly owned subsidiary of Morgan Stanley (NYSE: “MS”), a preeminent global financial securities firm engaged in securities trading and brokerage activities, as well as providing investment banking, research and analysis, financing and financial advisory services. The principal offices of Morgan Stanley are located at 1585 Broadway, New York, NY 10036, and the principal

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offices of the Adviser are located at 522 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10036. As of December 31, 2019, the Adviser, together with its affiliated asset management companies, had approximately $552 billion in assets under management or supervision.

The Adviser provides investment advice and portfolio management services pursuant to an Investment Advisory Agreement and, subject to the control and supervision of the Trust’s Board of Trustees, makes each Fund’s day-to-day investment decisions, arranges for the execution of portfolio transactions and generally manages each Fund’s investments.

As compensation for the services rendered by the Adviser under the Agreement and the assumption by the Adviser of the expenses related thereto (other than the cost of securities purchased for each Fund and the taxes and brokerage commissions, if any, payable in connection with the purchase and/or sale of such securities), each Fund pays the Adviser monthly compensation calculated daily by applying the annual rate of 0.15% to each Fund’s daily net assets.

Morgan Stanley Investment Management Inc., as the Adviser and the Administrator, has agreed to reduce its advisory fee, its administration fee and/or reimburse certain expenses to the extent necessary so that total annual operating expenses of each Institutional Class, Institutional Select Class, Investor Class, Administrative Class, Advisory Class, Participant Class, Cash Management Class and Select Class will not exceed 0.20%, 0.25%, 0.30%, 0.35%, 0.45%, 0.70% (0.45% with respect to Government Securities Portfolio, which includes a waiver in which the Fund’s Distributor has agreed to waive 0.15% of the 0.25% 12b-1 fee and 0.10% of the 0.25% Shareholder Service Fee that it may receive), 0.35% and 1.00% of their average daily net assets, respectively. In determining the actual amount of fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements for a Fund, if any, the Adviser and Administrator exclude from total annual fund operating expenses certain investment related expenses, taxes, interest and other extraordinary expenses (including litigation). If these expenses were included, each Fund’s total annual fund operating expenses after fee waivers and/or reimbursements would exceed the percentage limits stated above. These fee waivers and expense reimbursements will continue for at least one year or until such time as the Trust’s Board of Trustees acts to discontinue all or a portion of such waivers and/or reimbursements when it deems such action is appropriate. The Distributor, Adviser and Administrator may also waive distribution fees, advisory fees, administration fees and/or reimburse expenses to enable a Fund to maintain a minimum level of daily net investment income. Furthermore, the Adviser and Administrator may make additional voluntary fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements. The Distributor, Adviser and Administrator may discontinue these voluntary fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements at any time in the future.

The following table reflects for each Fund (i) the advisory fee paid; and (ii) the advisory fee waived and/or affiliated rebates for each of the past three fiscal years ended October 31, 2017, 2018 and 2019:

 

Advisory Fees Paid
(After Fee Waivers and/or Affiliated Rebates)

Advisory Fees Waived

Affiliated Rebates

Fund

2017
(000)

2018
(000)

2019
(000)

2017
(000)

2018
(000)

2019
(000)

2017
(000)

2018
(000)

2019
(000)

ESG Money Market Portfolio

$—1

$595

$2,399

$682

$1,053

$1,720

Prime Portfolio

1,567

5,294

10,413

3,564

4,100

5,470

Government Portfolio

59,489

58,262

64,095

16,615

18,872

21,284

Government Securities Portfolio

28,242

17,037

3,851

3,940

1,600

855

Treasury Portfolio

20,310

20,084

22,319

4,486

2,786

3,301

Treasury Securities Portfolio

24,310

27,705

31,718

4,584

1,372

1,539

Tax-Exempt Portfolio

1

23

193

221

414

674

1 Advisory fees waived during period.

The Trust bears all of its own costs and expenses, including but not limited to: services of its independent accountants, its administrator and dividend disbursing and transfer agent, legal counsel, taxes, insurance premiums, costs incidental to meetings of its shareholders and Trustees, the cost of filing its registration statements under federal and state securities laws, reports to shareholders and custodian fees. These Trust expenses are, in turn, allocated to each Fund, based on their relative net assets. Each Fund bears its own advisory fees and brokerage commissions and transfer taxes in connection with the acquisition and disposition of its investment securities.

The Agreement continues for successive one year periods only if each renewal is specifically approved by an in-person vote of the Trust’s Board, including the affirmative votes of a majority of the Trustees who are not parties to the agreement or “interested persons” (as defined in the 1940 Act) of any such party at a meeting called for the purpose of considering such approval. In addition, the question of continuance of the Agreement may be presented to the shareholders of the Funds; in such event, continuance shall be effected only if approved by the affirmative vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of each Fund. If the holders of a Fund fail to approve the Agreement, the Adviser may continue to serve as investment adviser to each Fund that approved the Agreement, and to any Fund that did not approve the Agreement until new arrangements have been made. The Agreement is automatically terminated if assigned, and may be terminated by a Fund without the payment of any penalty, at any time, (1) by vote

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of a majority of the entire Board or (2) by vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Trust on sixty (60) days’ written notice to the Adviser or (3) by the Adviser without the payment of any penalty, upon ninety (90) days’ written notice to the Trust.

Proxy Voting Policy and Proxy Voting Record 

The Board of Trustees believes that the voting of proxies on securities held by the Trust is an important element of the overall investment process. As such, the Trustees have delegated the responsibility to vote such proxies to MSIM. 

A copy of MSIM’s Proxy Voting Policy (“Proxy Policy”) is attached hereto as Appendix A. In addition, a copy of the Proxy Policy, as well as the Trust’s most recent proxy voting record for the 12-month period ended June 30, as filed with the SEC, are available without charge on our web site at www.morganstanley.com/liquidity. The Trust’s proxy voting record is also available without charge on the SEC’s web site at www.sec.gov.

PRINCIPAL UNDERWRITER

Morgan Stanley Distribution, Inc., an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of Morgan Stanley, with its principal office at 522 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10036, distributes the shares of each Fund. Under the Distribution Agreement, the Distributor, as agent of the Trust, agrees to use its best efforts as sole distributor of each Fund’s shares. The Distribution Agreement continues in effect so long as such continuance is approved at least annually by the Trust’s Board, including a majority of those Trustees who are not parties to such Distribution Agreement nor interested persons of any such party. The Distribution Agreement provides that each Fund will bear the costs of the registration of its shares with the SEC and various states and the printing of its prospectuses, statements of additional information and reports to shareholders.

SERVICE AND DISTRIBUTION OF SHARES 

Administration Plans 

The Trust has entered into an Administration Plan with respect to its Institutional Select Class Shares to pay the Distributor to compensate Service Organizations (defined below) who provide administrative services to shareholders. Under the Plan, the Trust, on behalf of the Institutional Select Class Shares, is authorized to pay the Distributor a monthly administration fee of 0.05% of each Fund’s average daily net assets of Institutional Select Class Shares owned beneficially by the customers of such Service Organizations during such period, to compensate Service Organizations for providing the following services: processing and issuing confirmations concerning shareholder orders to purchase, redeem and exchange shares of such class; receiving and transmitting funds representing the purchase price or redemption proceeds of such shares; and forwarding shareholder communications such as prospectus updates, proxies and shareholder reports.

For the fiscal year ended October 31, 2019, the ESG Money Market, Prime, Government, Government Securities, Treasury, Treasury Securities and Tax-Exempt Portfolios of the Institutional Select Class paid $26, $5,775, $228,132, $847, $132,037, $39,111 and $26, respectively, to compensate the Distributor pursuant to the Institutional Select Class Administration Plan and such payments reflect no waiver. These fees were used to reimburse third parties for various Fund administration activities performed on behalf of the Trust.

The Trust also has entered into an Administration Plan with respect to its Investor Class Shares to pay the Distributor to compensate Service Organizations who provide administrative services to shareholders. Under the Plan, the Trust, on behalf of the Investor Class Shares, is authorized to pay the Distributor a monthly administration fee of 0.10% of each Fund’s average daily net assets of Investor Class Shares owned beneficially by the customers of such Service Organizations during such period, to compensate Service Organizations for making available the following services: (a) acting, or arranging for another party to act, as recordholder and nominee of all shares of such class beneficially owned by shareholders of the Trust; (b) providing sub-accounting with respect to shares of such class of a Fund beneficially owned by shareholders or the information necessary for sub-accounting, including establishing and maintaining individual accounts and records with respect to shares of such class owned by each shareholder; (c) processing and issuing confirmations concerning shareholder orders to purchase, redeem and exchange shares of such class; (d) providing periodic statements to each shareholder showing account balances and transactions during the relevant period; and (e) processing dividend payments.

For the fiscal year ended October 31, 2019, the ESG Money Market, Prime, Government, Government Securities, Treasury, Treasury Securities and Tax-Exempt Portfolios of the Investor Class paid $0, $0, $2,653,651, $783, $14,895, $6,201 and $0, respectively, to compensate the Distributor pursuant to the Investor Class Administration Plan and such payments reflect no waiver. These fees were used to reimburse third parties for various Fund administration activities performed on behalf of the Trust.

The Trust has entered into an Administration Plan with respect to its Administrative Class Shares to pay the Distributor to compensate Service Organizations who provide administrative services to shareholders. Under the Plan, the Trust, on behalf of the Administrative Class Shares, is authorized to pay the Distributor a monthly administration fee which shall not exceed during any one

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year 0.15% of the average daily net assets of Administrative Class Shares owned beneficially by the customers of such Service Organizations during such period. An initial 0.10% of the average daily net assets of the Administrative Class Shares will be assessed for making available the services listed in (a) through (e) above; an additional 0.05% of the average daily net assets of the Administrative Class Shares will be assessed for making available the following shareholder administration services: (f) receiving, tabulating and transmitting proxies; (g) responding to shareholder inquiries relating to such class of shares or these services; and (h) providing sweep services (“Sweep Services”) which may include: (i) providing the necessary computer hardware and software which links the service organization to an account management system; (ii) providing software that aggregates a shareholder’s orders and establishes an order to purchase or redeem shares of a Fund based on established target levels for the shareholder’s demand deposit accounts; (iii) providing periodic statements showing a shareholder’s account balance and, to the extent practicable, integrating such information with other shareholder transactions otherwise effected through or with the Service Organization; and (iv) furnishing (either separately or on an integrated basis with other reports sent to a shareholder by the Service Organization) monthly and year-end statements and confirmations of purchases, exchanges and redemptions.

For the fiscal year ended October 31, 2019, the ESG Money Market, Prime, Government, Government Securities, Treasury, Treasury Securities and Tax-Exempt Portfolios of the Administrative Class paid $0, $0, $226,864, $77, $4,841, $5,077 and $0, respectively, to compensate the Distributor pursuant to the Administrative Class Administration Plan and such payments reflect no waiver. These fees were used to reimburse third parties for various Fund administration activities performed on behalf of the Trust.

Service Organizations include institutions that (i) act directly or indirectly as nominees and recordholders of shares of each class for their respective customers who are or may become beneficial owners of such shares; (ii) provide services to other Service Organizations intended to facilitate or improve a Service Organization’s services to shareholders of the Funds with respect to the Funds; and/or (iii) perform certain account administration services with respect to the shareholders pursuant to agreements between the Trust, on behalf of the respective class of each Fund, and such Service Organizations.

Service and Shareholder Administration Plan 

The Trust has also entered into a Service and Shareholder Administration Plan with respect to its Advisory Class Shares to pay the Distributor to compensate Service Organizations who provide administrative services to shareholders. Under the Plan, the Trust, on behalf of the Advisory Class Shares, is authorized to pay the Distributor a monthly service fee which shall not exceed during any one year 0.25% of the average daily net assets of Advisory Class Shares owned beneficially by the customers of such Service Organizations during such period. An initial 0.10% of the average daily net assets of the Advisory Class Shares will be assessed for making available the services listed in (a) through (e) above; an additional 0.05% of the average daily net assets of the Advisory Class Shares will be assessed for providing some or all of the services listed in (f) through (h) above; and an additional 0.10% of the average daily net assets of the Advisory Class Shares will be assessed for making available some or all of the following shareholder services: (i) providing facilities to answer inquiries and respond to correspondence with shareholders of the Trust and other investors about the status of their accounts or about other aspects of the Trust or the applicable Fund; (j) acting as liaison between shareholders and the Trust, including obtaining information from the Trust and assisting the Trust in correcting errors and resolving problems; (k) assisting shareholders of the Trust in completing application forms, selecting dividend and other account options and opening custody accounts with the Service Organization; and (l) displaying and making prospectuses available to existing shareholders on the Service Organization’s premises.

For the fiscal year ended October 31, 2019, the ESG Money Market, Prime, Government, Government Securities, Treasury, Treasury Securities and Tax-Exempt Portfolios of the Advisory Class paid $125, $125, $2,654,548, $89,072, $1,239,796, $82,533 and $0, respectively, to compensate the Distributor pursuant to the Advisory Class Service and Shareholder Administration Plan and such payments reflect no waiver. These fees were used to reimburse third parties for shareholder administration-related and personal and account maintenance services performed on behalf of the Trust.

Shareholder Service Plans 

The Trust has entered into a Shareholder Service Plan with respect to its Participant Class Shares to pay the Distributor to provide for, or to compensate Service Organizations for providing personal and account maintenance services and administrative services to shareholders. Under the Plan, the Trust, on behalf of the Participant Class Shares, is authorized to pay the Distributor a monthly service fee which shall not exceed during any one year 0.25% of the average daily net assets of Participant Class Shares owned beneficially by the customers of such Service Organizations during such period. Such service fee is assessed as follows: an initial 0.10% of the average daily net assets of the Participant Class Shares will be assessed for making available the services listed in (a) through (e) above; an additional 0.05% of the average daily net assets of the Participant Class Shares will be assessed for making available the services listed in (f) through (h) above; and an additional 0.10% of the average daily net assets of the Participant Class Shares will be assessed for making available some or all of the services listed in (i) through (l) above. With respect to the Government Securities Portfolio, the Trust’s Distributor has agreed to waive 0.10% of the 0.25% Shareholder Service Fee that it may receive. This waiver will continue for at least one year or until such time as the Trust’s Board of Trustees acts to discontinue all or a portion of such waiver when it deems such action is appropriate.

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For the fiscal year ended October 31, 2019, the ESG Money Market, Prime, Government, Government Securities, Treasury, Treasury Securities and Tax-Exempt Portfolios of the Participant Class paid $126, $0, $2,163,488, $4,544,269, $2,428,454, $840 and $0, respectively, to compensate the Distributor pursuant to the Participant Class Shareholder Service Plan and reflect a waiver of $0, $0, $0, $3,029,518, $0, $0 and $0, respectively. These fees were used to reimburse third parties for shareholder administration-related and personal and account maintenance services performed on behalf of the Trust.

The Trust has also entered into a Shareholder Service Plan with respect to its Cash Management Class Shares to pay the Distributor to compensate Service Organizations who provide administrative services to shareholders. Under the Plan, the Trust, on behalf of the Cash Management Class Shares, is authorized to pay the Distributor a monthly service fee which shall be assessed at an annual rate of 0.05% of the average daily net assets of Cash Management Class Shares owned beneficially by the customers of such Service Organizations during such period, to compensate Service Organizations for staffing and maintaining call centers and answering inquiries and addressing issues related to the Cash Management Share Class.

For the fiscal year ended October 31, 2019, the ESG Money Market, Prime, Government, Government Securities, Treasury, Treasury Securities and Tax-Exempt Portfolios of the Cash Management Class paid $6,263, $8,394, $3,635, $434, $9,630, $13,890 and $4,208, respectively, to compensate the Distributor pursuant to the Cash Management Class Shareholder Service Plan and such payments reflect no waiver. These fees were used to reimburse third parties for shareholder administration-related and personal and account maintenance services performed on behalf of the Trust.

The Trust has also entered into a Shareholder Service Plan with respect to its Select Class Shares to pay the Distributor to provide for, or to compensate Service Organizations for providing personal and account maintenance services and administrative services to shareholders. Under the Plan, the Trust, on behalf of the Select Class Shares, is authorized to pay the Distributor a monthly service fee which shall not exceed during any one year 0.25% of the average daily net assets of Select Class Shares owned beneficially by the customers of such Service Organizations during such period. Such service fee is assessed as follows: an initial 0.10% of the average daily net assets of the Select Class Shares will be assessed for making available the services listed in (a) through (d) above; an additional 0.05% of the average daily net assets of the Select Class Shares will be assessed for making available the services listed in (f) through (h) above; and an additional 0.10% of the average daily net assets of the Select Class Shares will be assessed for making available some or all of the services listed in (i) through (l) above.

For the fiscal year ended October 31, 2019, the Government, Treasury and Treasury Securities Portfolios of the Select Class paid $126, $125 and $125, respectively, to compensate the Distributor pursuant to the Select Class Shareholder Service Plan and such payments reflect no waiver. These fees were used to reimburse third parties for shareholder administration-related and personal and account maintenance services performed on behalf of the Trust.

Distribution Plans 

The Trust has also entered into a Distribution Plan with respect to its Participant Class Shares to pay the Distributor to provide for, or to compensate Service Organizations for providing distribution-related services. Under the Plan, the Trust, on behalf of the Participant Class Shares, is authorized to pay the Distributor a monthly distribution fee which shall not exceed during any one year 0.25% (which is assessed annually) of the average daily net assets of Participant Class Shares owned beneficially by the customers of such Service Organizations during such period. Distribution-related services for which the Distributor or a Service Organization may be compensated include any activities or expenses primarily intended to result in the sale of Participant Class shares, including, but not limited to: distribution of sales literature and advertising materials and compensation to broker-dealers who sell Participant Class shares. The Distributor may negotiate with any such broker-dealer the services to be provided by the broker-dealer to shareholders in connection with the sale of Participant Class shares, and all or any portion of the compensation paid to the Distributor pursuant to this Distribution Plan may be reallocated by the Distributor to broker-dealers who sell shares. The Trust, on behalf of the Participant Class Shares, has adopted this Plan in accordance with the provisions of Rule 12b-1 under the 1940 Act which regulates circumstances under which an investment company may directly or indirectly bear expenses relating to the distribution of shares. The Distributor may retain any portion of the fees it does not expend in meeting its obligations to the Trust. With respect to the Government Securities Portfolio, the Trust’s Distributor has agreed to waive 0.15% of the 0.25% 12b-1 Fee that it may receive. This waiver will continue for at least one year or until such time as the Trust’s Board of Trustees acts to discontinue all or a portion of such waiver when it deems such action is appropriate.

For the fiscal year ended October 31, 2019, the ESG Money Market, Prime, Government, Government Securities, Treasury, Treasury Securities and Tax-Exempt Portfolios of the Participant Class paid $126, $0, $2,163,488, $3,029,517, $2,428,454, $840 and $0, respectively, to compensate the Distributor pursuant to the Participant Class Distribution Plan and reflect a waiver of $0, $0, $0, $4,544,270, $0, $0 and $0, respectively. These fees were used to reimburse third parties for various Fund administration activities performed on behalf of the Trust.

The Trust has also entered into a Distribution Plan with respect to its Cash Management Class Shares to pay the Distributor to provide for, or to compensate Service Organizations for providing distribution-related services. Under the Plan, the Trust, on behalf of the Cash Management Class Shares, is authorized to pay the Distributor a monthly distribution fee which shall not exceed during

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any one year 0.10% (which is assessed annually) of the average daily net assets of Cash Management Class Shares owned beneficially by the customers of such Service Organizations during such period. Distribution-related services for which the Distributor may be compensated include any activities or expenses primarily intended to result in the sale of Cash Management Class Shares including, but not limited to, printing and distribution of sales literature and advertising materials, and compensation to broker-dealers who sell Cash Management Class Shares. The Distributor may negotiate with any such broker-dealer the services to be provided by the broker-dealer in connection with the sale of Cash Management Class shares, and all or any portion of the compensation paid to the Distributor pursuant to this Distribution Plan may be reallocated by the Distributor to broker-dealers who sell Shares. The Trust, on behalf of the Cash Management Class Shares, has adopted this Plan in accordance with the provisions of Rule 12b-1 under the 1940 Act which regulates circumstances under which an investment company may directly or indirectly bear expenses relating to the distribution of shares. The Distributor may retain any portion of the fees it does not expend in meeting its obligations to the Trust.

For the fiscal year ended October 31, 2019, the ESG Money Market, Prime, Government, Government Securities, Treasury, Treasury Securities and Tax-Exempt Portfolios of the Cash Management Class paid $12,525, $16,787, $7,270, $869, $19,260, $27,779 and $8,416, respectively, to compensate the Distributor pursuant to the Cash Management Class Distribution Plan and such payments reflect no waiver. These fees were used to reimburse third parties for various Fund administration activities performed on behalf of the Trust.

Finally, the Trust has entered into a Distribution Plan with respect to its Select Class Shares to pay the Distributor to provide for, or to compensate Service Organizations for providing distribution-related services. Under the Plan, the Trust, on behalf of the Select Class Shares, is authorized to pay the Distributor a monthly distribution fee which shall not exceed during any one year 0.55% (which is assessed annually) of the average daily net assets of Select Class Shares owned beneficially by the customers of such Service Organizations during such period. Distribution-related services for which the Distributor or a Service Organization may be compensated include any activities or expenses primarily intended to result in the sale of Select Class shares, including, but not limited to: distribution of sales literature and advertising materials and compensation to broker-dealers who sell Select Class shares. The Distributor may negotiate with any such broker-dealer the services to be provided by the broker-dealer to shareholders in connection with the sale of Select Class shares, and all or any portion of the compensation paid to the Distributor pursuant to this Distribution Plan may be reallocated by the Distributor to broker-dealers who sell shares. The Trust, on behalf of the Select Class Shares, has adopted this Plan in accordance with the provisions of Rule 12b-1 under the 1940 Act which regulates circumstances under which an investment company may directly or indirectly bear expenses relating to the distribution of shares. The Distributor may retain any portion of the fees it does not expend in meeting its obligations to the Trust.

For the fiscal year ended October 31, 2019, the Government, Treasury and Treasury Securities Portfolios of the Select Class paid $276, $276 and $276, respectively, to compensate the Distributor pursuant to the Select Class Distribution Plan and such payments reflect no waiver. These fees were used to reimburse third parties for various Fund administration activities performed on behalf of the Trust.

No interested person of the Trust nor any Independent Trustee has any direct financial interest in the operation of each Plan except to the extent that the Distributor, the Adviser, Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC, Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC or certain of their employees may be deemed to have such an interest as a result of benefits derived from the successful operation of a Plan or as a result of receiving a portion of the amounts expended thereunder by the Trust.

Continuance of each Plan must be approved annually by a majority of the Trustees of the Trust and the Trustees who are not “interested persons” of the Trust within the meaning of the 1940 Act. The Plans require that quarterly written reports of amounts spent under each respective Plan and the purposes of such expenditures be furnished to and review by Trustees. The Plans may not be amended to increase materially the amount which may be spent thereunder by each class without approval by a majority of the outstanding shares of each respective class. All material amendments of the Plans will require approval by a majority of the Trustees of the Trust and of the Trustees who are not “interested persons” of the Trust.

Revenue Sharing 

The Adviser and/or Distributor may pay compensation, out of their own funds and not as an expense of the Funds, to certain affiliated entities of the Adviser and the Distributor (“Affiliated Entities”) and to certain unaffiliated brokers, dealers and other financial intermediaries, including recordkeepers and administrators of various deferred compensation plans (“Intermediaries”) in connection with the sale, distribution, marketing and retention of shares of the Funds and/or shareholder servicing. For example, the Adviser or the Distributor may pay additional compensation to Affiliated Entities and other Intermediaries for, among other things, promoting the sale and distribution of Fund shares, providing access to various programs, mutual fund platforms or preferred or recommended mutual fund lists offered by the Affiliated Entity or other Intermediary, granting the Distributor access to the Affiliated Entity’s or Intermediary’s financial advisors and consultants, providing assistance in the ongoing education and training of the Affiliated Entity’s or Intermediary’s financial personnel, furnishing marketing support, maintaining share balances, and/or for sub-accounting, recordkeeping, administrative, shareholder or transaction processing services. The Adviser and/or Distributor will also reimburse certain investors, or make payments to certain third party vendors, to defray costs incurred by investors for the use of treasury management systems or other business-related software for investments in funds. Such payments are in addition to any

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distribution fees, shareholder servicing fees and/or transfer agency fees that may be payable by the Funds. The additional payments may be based on various factors, including level of sales (based on gross or net sales or some specified minimum sales or some other similar criteria related to sales of the Funds and/or some or all other Morgan Stanley Funds), amount of assets invested by the Affiliated Entity’s or Intermediary’s customers (which could include current or aged assets of the Funds), a Fund’s advisory fees, some other agreed upon amount, or other measures as determined from time to time by the Adviser and/or Distributor. The amount of these payments may be different for different Affiliated Entities and Intermediaries.

With respect to Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC, these payments may include the following amounts, which are paid in accordance with the applicable compensation structure:

(1) an ongoing annual fee in an amount of $566,000 in consideration of the Adviser’s participation at various Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC events, including seminars, conferences and meetings as determined by Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC; and

(2) an ongoing annual fee in an amount of $440,000 in consideration of Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC providing Adviser with access to distribution analytical data in relation to sales of the Funds and certain other products managed and/or sponsored by the Adviser or its affiliates.

With respect to Affiliated Entities, these payments, which are paid in accordance with the applicable compensation structure, may include an ongoing annual fee in an amount up to 0.10% of the total average NAV in respect of the applicable period of shares of the Funds held in the applicable accounts.

The prospect of receiving, or the receipt of, additional compensation, as described above, by Affiliated Entities or other Intermediaries may provide Affiliated Entities and such Intermediaries, and/or their financial advisers or other salespersons with an incentive to favor sales of shares of the Funds over other investment options with respect to which an Affiliated Entity or an Intermediary does not receive additional compensation (or receives lower levels of additional compensation). These payment arrangements, however, will not change the price that an investor pays for shares of a Fund or the amount that a Fund receives to invest on behalf of an investor. Investors may wish to take such payment arrangements into account when considering and evaluating any recommendations relating to Fund shares and should review carefully any disclosure provided by an Affiliated Entity or Intermediary as to its compensation.

FUND ADMINISTRATION 

The Adviser also provides administrative services to the Trust pursuant to an Administration Agreement. The services provided under the Administration Agreement are subject to the supervision of the officers and the Board of Trustees of the Trust and include day-to-day administration of matters related to the corporate existence of the Trust, maintenance of records, preparation of reports, supervision of the Trust’s arrangements with its custodian and assistance in the preparation of the Trust’s registration statement under federal laws. The Administration Agreement also provides that the Adviser, through its agents, will provide dividend disbursing and transfer agent services to the Trust. For its services under the Administration Agreement, the Trust pays the Adviser a monthly fee which on an annual basis equals 0.05% of the average daily net assets of each Fund. The Adviser may compensate other service providers for performing shareholder servicing and administrative services.

For the fiscal years ended October 31, 2017, 2018 and 2019, the Trust paid the following administrative fees;

 

Administrative Fees Paid

Fund

20171
(000)

20182
(000)

2019
(000)

ESG Money Market Portfolio

$ 25

$ 549

$ 1,373

Prime Portfolio

1,586

3,131

5,294

Government Portfolio

25,368

25,711

28,460

Government Securities Portfolio

10,727

6,212

1,569

Treasury Portfolio

8,265

7,623

8,540

Treasury Securities Portfolio

9,631

9,692

11,086

Tax-Exempt Portfolio

2

125

289

1 For the fiscal year ended October 31, 2017, the administration fees paid reflect waivers of approximately $202,000, $124,000 and $72,000 for the ESG Money Market, Prime and Tax-Exempt Portfolios, respectively.
2 For the fiscal year ended October 31, 2018, the administration fees paid reflect a waiver of approximately $21,000 for the Tax-Exempt Portfolio.

Sub-Administrator. Under an agreement between the Administrator and State Street Bank and Trust Company (“State Street”), State Street provides certain administrative services to the Trust. For such services, the Administrator pays State Street a portion of the administrative fee the Administrator receives from the Trust. The Administrator supervises and monitors the administrative and accounting services provided by State Street. Their services are also subject to the supervision of the officers and Board of Trustees of the Trust.

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OTHER SERVICE PROVIDERS 

Custodian. State Street, One Lincoln Street, Boston, MA 02111-2101, is the custodian of the Trust’s assets. Any of the Trust’s cash balances with the Custodian in excess of $250,000 are unprotected by federal deposit insurance. These balances may, at times, be substantial.

Transfer and Dividend Disbursing Agent. DST Asset Manager Solutions, Inc., 2000 Crown Colony Drive, Quincy, MA 02169-0953, serves as the Funds’ transfer agent and dividend disbursing agent.

Co-Transfer Agent. Morgan Stanley Services Company, Inc. (“MSSCI”), 522 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10036, is a registered transfer agent and operates the Trust’s call center. In connection therewith, MSSCI performs certain transfer agency services related to processing and relaying purchase and redemption orders to DST Asset Manager Solutions, Inc., the Funds’ transfer agent. MSSCI does not receive any direct compensation from the Funds for providing the call center or the related transfer agency services.

Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm. Ernst & Young LLP, located at 200 Clarendon Street, Boston, MA 02116-5021, serves as independent registered public accounting firm and provides audit and audit-related services, tax-related services and assistance in connection with various SEC filings.

Fund Counsel. Dechert LLP, located at 1095 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10036, acts as the Funds’ legal counsel.

BROKERAGE TRANSACTIONS

Brokerage Selection 

The Adviser is responsible for decisions to buy and sell securities for a Fund, for broker-dealer selection and for negotiation of commission rates. The Adviser is prohibited from directing brokerage transactions on the basis of the referral of clients or the sale of shares of advised investment companies. Purchases and sales of securities on a stock exchange are effected through brokers who charge a commission for their services. In the OTC market, securities may be traded as agency transactions through broker-dealers or traded on a “net” basis with dealers acting as principal for their own accounts without a stated commission, although the price of the security usually includes profit to the dealer. 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. When securities are purchased or sold directly from or to an issuer, no commissions or discounts are paid.

A Fund may purchase certain money market instruments directly from an issuer without payment of a commission or concession. Money market instruments are generally traded on a “net” basis with dealers acting as principal for their own accounts without a stated commission, although the price of the security usually includes a profit to the dealer.

The Trust anticipates that certain of its transactions involving foreign securities will be effected on foreign securities exchanges. There is also generally less government supervision and regulation of foreign securities exchanges and brokers than in the United States.

The Adviser selects broker-dealers for the execution of transactions for the Funds in accordance with its duty to seek “best execution” (i.e., the most favorable terms of execution). In seeking best execution, the Adviser is not obligated to choose the broker-dealer offering the lowest available commission rate if, in the Adviser’s reasonable judgment, (i) the total costs or proceeds from the transaction might be less favorable than may be obtained elsewhere; (ii) a higher commission is justified by the brokerage and research services provided by the broker-dealer that fall within the safe harbor of Section 28(e) of the 1934 Act or otherwise is permitted under applicable law; or (iii) other considerations, such as the order size, the time required for execution, the depth and breadth of the market for the security or minimum credit quality requirements to transact business with a particular broker-dealer. The research services received include services which aid the Adviser in fulfilling its investment decision-making responsibilities, including (a) furnishing advice as to the value of securities, the advisability of investing in, purchasing or selling securities, and the availability of securities or purchasers or sellers of securities; and (b) furnishing analyses and reports concerning issuers, industries, securities, economic factors and trends, portfolio strategy, and the performance of accounts.

When effecting transactions on behalf of the Funds, the Adviser may trade with any broker-dealer on their list of approved broker-dealers. Approved broker-dealers have met criteria as established by the Adviser’s Trading and Research Governance team (“TRG”). TRG reviews and approves broker-dealers periodically to determine whether broker-dealers on the approved list continue to meet such criteria. The approval lists are reported quarterly to the Adviser’s Counterparty Governance Committee. When selecting an approved broker-dealer (including an affiliate) to execute securities transactions, the following factors may be considered: (i) best available price; (ii) reliability, integrity and reputation in the industry (which may include a review of financial information and creditworthiness); (iii) execution capabilities, including block positioning, speed of execution and quality and responsiveness of its trading desk; (iv) knowledge of and access to the markets for the securities being traded; (v) potential ability to obtain price improvement; (vi) ability to maintain confidentiality; (vii) ability to handle non-traditional trades; (viii) commission and commission-equivalent rates; (ix) technology infrastructure; (x) clearance and settlement capabilities; (xi) the size of the trade relative to other trades in the same instrument; (xii) ability of a counterparty to commit its capital to a Fund’s trade and its access to liquidity;

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(xiii) counterparty restrictions associated with a portfolio, including regulatory trading, documentation requirement or any specific clearing broker-dealer requirements; (xiv) client-directed execution; (xv) client-specific restrictions; and (xvi) such other factors as may be appropriate.

Subject to the duty to seek best execution, the Adviser uses a portion of the commissions generated when executing client transactions to acquire brokerage and research services that aid in fulfilling investment decision-making responsibilities in accordance with Section 28(e) and applicable law. Commissions paid to broker-dealers providing brokerage and research services may be higher than those charged by other broker-dealers. Subject to applicable law, the Adviser receives a benefit when using client commissions to obtain brokerage and research services because the Adviser does not have to produce or pay for the brokerage research services itself. Therefore, the Adviser has an incentive to select or recommend a broker-dealer based on its interest in receiving brokerage and research services, rather than solely on its clients’ interest in obtaining the best price.

The Adviser has adopted policies and procedures designed to help track and evaluate the benefits received from brokerage and research services, as well as to track how much clients pay above the amount that broker-dealers from which the Adviser receives brokerage and research services may have charged solely for execution of such trades. The Adviser utilizes a voting system to assist in making a good faith determination of the value of brokerage and research services it receives in accordance with Section 28(e) and applicable law. In many cases, these involve subjective judgments or approximations. The Adviser has established a process for budgeting research costs and allocating such costs across client accounts.

The Adviser and certain other affiliated advisers have entered into commission sharing arrangements (“CSAs”) with executing brokers (“CSA Partners”) and a third-party vendor (“CSA Aggregator”). Pursuant to these arrangements, and under the Adviser’s supervision, the CSA Partners and CSA Aggregator track execution and research commissions separately and pool and distribute research credits in accordance with the policies and procedures discussed above to approved research providers (which may include executing brokerage firms or independent research providers (“Approved Research Providers”)) that provide brokerage and research services. The CSA Aggregator also reconciles research credits from trades with CSA Partners, and pays Approved Research Providers and provides other related administrative functions. In addition, a CSA Partner may provide the Adviser with proprietary research it has developed and, upon instruction, may retain research commission credits as compensation for the provision of such proprietary research services. The Adviser believes that these arrangements allow it to monitor the amount of trading costs that are attributable to execution services on the one hand and other brokerage and research services on the other.

Transactions that generate research credits include equity transactions executed on an agency basis or via a riskless principal transaction where the executing broker-dealer receives a commission. The Adviser does not use CSAs or otherwise have arrangements to pay for brokerage and research services with client commissions in connection with trading fixed-income securities. Consistent with long-standing industry practice in the fixed-income markets, however, the Adviser, subject to applicable law, may receive brokerage and research services and other information, including access to fixed-income trading platforms that dealers provide for no charge to their customers in the ordinary course of business. Fixed-income instruments typically trade at a bid/ask spread and without an explicit brokerage charge. While there is not a formal trading expense or commission, clients will bear the implicit trading costs reflected in these spreads.

The Adviser may receive “mixed use” products and services from an Approved Research Provider, where a portion of the product or service assists in its investment decision-making process in accordance with Section 28(e) and a portion may be used for other purposes. Where a product or service has a mixed use, the Adviser will make a reasonable allocation of its cost according to its use and will use client commissions to pay only for the portion of the product or service that assists in its investment decision-making process. The Adviser may have an incentive to allocate the costs to uses that assist in its investment decision-making process because the Adviser may pay for such costs with client commissions rather than its own resources. To the extent the Adviser receives “mixed use” products and services, the Adviser will allocate the anticipated costs of a mixed use product or service in good faith and maintain records concerning allocations in order to mitigate such conflicts.

Client accounts that pay a greater amount of commissions relative to other accounts may bear a greater share of the cost of brokerage and research services than such other accounts. The Adviser may use brokerage and research services obtained with brokerage commissions from some clients for the benefit of other clients whose brokerage commissions do not pay for such brokerage and research services. The Adviser may also share brokerage and research services with its affiliated advisers, and the clients of its affiliated advisers may receive the benefits of such brokerage and research services. These arrangements remain subject to the Adviser’s overall obligation to seek best execution for client trading.

The EU’s Markets in Financial Instruments Directive II (“MiFID II”), which became effective January 3, 2018, requires investment advisers regulated under MiFID II to pay for research services separately from trade execution services, either through their own resources or a research payment account funded by a specific charge to a client. Although the Adviser is not directly subject to the provisions of MiFID II, certain of its affiliated advisers are, such as Morgan Stanley Investment Management Limited; accordingly, as applicable, the Adviser makes a reasonable valuation and allocation of the cost of research services as between MiFID II client accounts and other accounts that participate in CSAs and will pay for research services received with respect to MiFID II client

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accounts from its own resources. The Adviser and affiliated advisers subject to MiFID II may separately pay for fixed-income research from their own resources.

When permitted under applicable law, portfolio managers generally will aggregate orders of their clients for the same securities in a single order so that such orders are executed simultaneously in order to facilitate best execution and to reduce brokerage costs. The Adviser effects aggregated orders in a manner designed to ensure that no participating client is favored over any other client.

In general, accounts that participate in an aggregated order will participate on a pro rata or other objective basis. Pro rata allocation of securities and other instruments will generally consist of allocation based on the order size of a participating client account in proportion to the size of the orders placed for other accounts participating in the aggregated order. However, the Adviser may allocate such securities and other instruments using a method other than pro rata if its supply is limited, based on differing portfolio characteristics among accounts or to avoid odd lots or small allocations, among other reasons. These allocations are made in the good faith judgment of the Adviser with a goal of seeking to ensure that fair and equitable allocation occurs over time. There may be times that the Adviser is not able to aggregate orders because of applicable law or other considerations when doing so might otherwise be advantageous.

Pursuant to an order issued by the SEC, the Trust is permitted to engage in principal transactions in money market instruments, subject to certain conditions, with Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC, a broker-dealer affiliated with the Trust’s Adviser.

During the fiscal years ended October 31, 2017, 2018 and 2019, the Trust did not effect any principal transactions with Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC.

Commissions Paid 

During the fiscal years ended October 31, 2017, 2018 and 2019, the Trust did not pay any commissions or concessions and did not pay any brokerage commissions to an affiliated broker or dealer.

Regular Broker-Dealers 

During the fiscal year ended October 31, 2019, the Funds purchased securities issued by the following issuers, which were among the ten brokers or ten dealers that executed transactions for or with the Trust or the Fund in the largest dollar amounts during the period:

Fund

Issuer

ESG Money Market Portfolio

Bank of New York Mellon
Bank of Nova Scotia
Citigroup Global Markets, Inc.
Credit Agricole Securities
Credit Suisse Group AG
JP Morgan Chase & Co.
Mizuho Securities USA Inc.
Natixis Global Asset Management, L.P.
Tullett Prebon Financial Services, LLC

Prime Portfolio

Bank of New York Mellon
Bank of Nova Scotia
Citigroup Global Markets, Inc.
Credit Agricole Securities
Credit Suisse Group AG
JP Morgan Chase & Co.
Mizuho Securities USA Inc.
Natixis Global Asset Management, L.P.
Tullett Prebon Financial Services LLC

Government Portfolio

None

Government Securities Portfolio

None

Treasury Portfolio

None

Treasury Securities Portfolio

None

Tax-Exempt Portfolio

None

At October 31, 2019, the Funds held securities issued by such brokers or dealers with the following market values:

Fund

Issuer

Approximate Market Value at October 31, 2019

ESG Money Market Portfolio

Bank of Nova Scotia
Credit Suisse Group AG

$41,407,000
20,002,000

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Fund

Issuer

Approximate Market Value at October 31, 2019

Prime Portfolio

Natixis Global Asset Management, L.P.
Mizuho Securities USA Inc.
Bank of Nova Scotia
Credit Suisse Group AG
Credit Agricole S.A
Citigroup Global Markets, Inc.
JP Morgan Chase & Co.

$622,815,000
325,000,000
179,975,000
179,772,000
175,010,000
129,352,000
49,636,000

GENERAL INFORMATION 

Trust History

Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds is an open-end, management investment company established under Massachusetts law as a Massachusetts business trust under a Declaration of Trust dated February 13, 2003 and amended as of July 25, 2005. Effective December 13, 2010, the Trust’s Service Class was renamed the Institutional Select Class. Effective October 31, 2019, the Trust’s Money Market Portfolio was renamed the ESG Money Market Portfolio.

Description of Shares and Voting Rights 

The shareholders of the Trust are entitled to a full vote for each full share of beneficial interest held. The Trust is authorized to issue an unlimited number of shares of beneficial interest. All shares of beneficial interest of each Fund are of $0.01 par value and are equal as to earnings, assets and voting privileges except that each class will have exclusive voting privileges with respect to matters relating to distribution expenses borne solely by such class or any other matter in which the interests of one class differ from the interests of any other class. The Institutional Select Class, Investor Class, Administrative Class, Advisory Class, Participant Class, Cash Management Class and Select Class bear expenses related to compensating service organizations who provide personal and account maintenance services and administrative services to shareholders and distribution related services to the Funds, as the case may be (see “Service and Distribution of Shares”).

The Trust’s Declaration of Trust permits the Trustees to authorize the creation of additional portfolios of shares (the proceeds of which would be invested in separate, independently managed portfolios) and additional classes of shares within any portfolio. The Trustees have not presently authorized any such additional portfolios or classes of shares other than as set forth in the Prospectuses.

The Trust is not required to hold annual meetings of shareholders and in ordinary circumstances the Trust does not intend to hold such meetings. The Trustees may call special meetings of shareholders for action by shareholder vote as may be required by the 1940 Act or the Declaration of Trust. Under certain circumstances, the Trustees may be removed by the actions of the Trustees. In addition, under certain circumstances, the shareholders may call a meeting to remove the Trustees and the Trust is required to provide assistance in communicating with shareholders about such a meeting. The voting rights of shareholders are not cumulative, so that holders of more than 50% of the shares voting can, if they choose, elect all Trustees being selected, while the holders of the remaining shares would be unable to elect any Trustees.

Under Massachusetts law, shareholders of a business trust may, under certain limited circumstances, be held personally liable as partners for the obligations of each Fund. However, the Declaration of Trust contains an express disclaimer of shareholder liability for acts or obligations of the Trust, requires that notice of such Trust obligations include such disclaimer, and provides for indemnification out of the Trust’s property for any shareholder held personally liable for the obligations of the Trust. Thus, the risk of a shareholder incurring financial loss on account of shareholder liability is limited to circumstances in which the Trust itself would be unable to meet its obligations. Given the above limitations on shareholder personal liability, and the nature of the Trust’s assets and operations, the possibility of the Trust being unable to meet its obligations is remote and thus, in the opinion of Massachusetts counsel to the Trust, the risk to the Trust’s shareholders of personal liability is remote.

The Trustees themselves have the power to alter the number and the terms of office of the Trustees (as provided for in the Declaration of Trust), and they may at any time lengthen or shorten their own terms or make their terms of unlimited duration and appoint their own successors, provided that always at least a majority of the Trustees has been elected by the shareholders of the Trust.

Dividends and Capital Gains Distributions 

The Trust’s policy is to distribute substantially all of the Funds’ net investment income, if any, together with any net realized capital gains in the amount and at the times that will avoid both income (including capital gains) taxes on it and the imposition of the federal excise tax on undistributed income and capital gains. The amounts of any income dividends or capital gains distributions cannot be predicted. 

Unless the shareholder elects otherwise in writing, all dividends and distributions are automatically reinvested in additional shares of the Funds at NAV (as of the business day following the record date). This will remain in effect until the Trust is notified by the

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shareholder in writing that either the income option (income dividends in cash and capital gains distributions in additional shares at NAV) or the cash option (both income dividends and capital gain distributions in cash) has been elected. It may take up to three business days to effect this change. An account statement is sent to shareholders whenever a dividend or distribution is paid. 

The Funds and any other portfolios which the Trust may establish from time to time are treated as separate entities (and hence, as separate “regulated investment companies”) for federal tax purposes. Any net capital gains recognized by a Fund are distributed to its investors and may generally not be offset (for federal income tax purposes) by any net capital losses of another Fund.

Special Considerations for the Funds. The Funds declare income dividends daily on each business day and pay them monthly to shareholders. Dividends are based on estimates of income, expenses and shareholder activity for the Funds. Actual income, expenses and shareholders activity may differ from estimates and differences, if any, will be included in the calculation of subsequent dividends.

Shareholders of record are those shareholders who have submitted a purchase order prior to the following times for each Fund and who have submitted payment for their shares prior to the close of Fed wire that day: for the Government Portfolio and Treasury Portfolio—5:00 p.m. Eastern time; for the ESG Money Market Portfolio, Prime Portfolio, Government Securities Portfolio and Treasury Securities Portfolio—3:00 p.m. Eastern time; and for the Tax-Exempt Portfolio—1:00 p.m. Eastern time. Shareholders who redeem prior to such respective times are not entitled to dividends for that day. Dividends declared for Saturdays, Sundays and holidays are payable to shareholders of record as of such respective times on the preceding business day on which the Fund was open for business. Net realized short-term capital gains, if any, of the Funds will be distributed whenever the Trustees determine that such distributions would be in the best interest of shareholders, but at least once a year. The Funds do not expect to realize any long-term capital gains. Should any such gains be realized, they will be distributed annually.

Duties of Financial Intermediaries under Rule 2a-7 with Respect to Funds Designated as “Institutional” Money Market Funds

Financial Intermediaries (as defined in each Fund’s Prospectus) will take such actions reasonably requested by a Fund to impose, lift or modify a liquidity fee or redemption gate, or assist a Fund in imposing, lifting or modifying a liquidity fee or redemption gate. 

If a Fund implements a liquidity fee, unless the Financial Intermediary will calculate and remit the liquidity fee in accordance with the Trust’s reasonable directions, the Financial Intermediary authorizes the Trust or the Distributor to calculate the liquidity fee owed to the Fund as a result of redemptions submitted through the Financial Intermediary (the “Fee Amount”) following the imposition of the liquidity fee and to withhold an amount equal to the Fee Amount from any redemption proceeds or other payments that the Fund owes to the Financial Intermediary in its sole discretion. 

To facilitate the Trust’s or the Distributor’s ability to calculate the Fee Amount, following such notification, the Financial Intermediary will provide the Trust or the Distributor, before each NAV calculation time (as detailed in each Fund’s Prospectus), with the gross dollar amount and number of Fund shares that the Financial Intermediary’s customers tendered for redemption before the NAV calculation time and, if requested by the Trust, after the time at which the liquidity fee was imposed or before the time at which the liquidity fee was terminated or modified, as applicable. 

Upon the reasonable request of the Distributor, the Trust or its authorized agent, Financial Intermediaries will provide (i) copies (or a summary) of the policies, procedures and internal controls covering the foregoing and (ii) information or certification as to the adequacy of such procedures and the effectiveness of their implementation, in such form as may be reasonably satisfactory to the Distributor and/or Trust (or its authorized agent). 

In the event that a Financial Intermediary cannot redeem shares as provided herein, the Financial Intermediary will promptly notify the Trust and will comply with any requests from the Trust or the Distributor relating to the involuntary redemption of such shares (including shares held in an omnibus account).

TAXES 

The Funds and any other portfolios which the Trust may establish from time to time each is or will each be treated as a separate entity for federal income tax purposes and intend to qualify for the special tax treatment afforded regulated investment companies under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”). As such, each Fund will not be subject to federal income tax to the extent it distributes its net investment company taxable income, net tax-exempt interest income and net capital gains to shareholders. The Trust will notify you annually as to the tax classification of all distributions.

The Funds intend to declare and pay dividends and capital gain distributions so as to avoid imposition of the federal excise tax. To do so, the Funds generally expect to distribute an amount at least equal to the sum of (i) 98% of its calendar year (taking into account certain deferrals and elections) ordinary income, (ii) 98.2% of its capital gain net income for the one-year period ending October 31st of that year, and (iii) 100% of any undistributed ordinary and capital gain net income from the prior year.

In order for a Fund to continue to qualify for federal income tax treatment as a regulated investment company, at least 90% of its gross income for a taxable year must be derived from qualifying income including, but not limited to, dividends, interest, income

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derived from loans of securities and gains from the sale of securities or foreign currencies, or other income derived with respect to its business of investing in such securities or currencies. In addition, (i) the Fund must distribute annually to its shareholders at least the sum of 90% of its net tax-exempt interest income and 90% of its investment company taxable income; and (ii) at the close of each quarter of the Fund’s taxable year, the Fund must diversify its assets, including a requirement that (a) at least 50% of its total assets must be represented by cash and cash items, U.S. government securities, securities of other regulated investment companies and other securities with limitations, and (b) at the close of each quarter of the Fund’s taxable year, not more than 25% of the value of its assets may be invested in securities of any one issuer, or of two or more issuers engaged in the same or similar businesses if the Fund owns at least 20% of the voting power of such issuers or in securities of certain “qualified publicly traded partnerships.” Net income derived from an interest in a “qualified publicly traded partnership,” as defined in the Code, will be treated as qualifying income. If a Fund fails to qualify for any taxable year as a regulated investment company, all of its taxable income will be subject to tax at regular corporate income tax rates without any deduction for distributions to shareholders, and such distributions generally will be taxable to shareholders as ordinary dividends to the extent of the Fund’s current and accumulated earnings and profits.

Each Fund will distribute to shareholders annually any net capital gains which have been recognized for federal income tax purposes. Such distributions will be combined with distributions of capital gains realized on the Fund’s other investments and shareholders will be advised of the nature of the payments.

The Trust may be required to withhold U.S. federal income tax at the applicable rate of reportable payments (which may include dividends and capital gains distributions) paid to shareholders. In order to avoid this backup withholding requirement, you must certify on your Account Registration Form that your social security number or taxpayer identification number is correct, that you are not subject to backup withholding and provide appropriate tax documentation.

Shareholders who are not citizens or residents of the United States and certain foreign entities may be subject to withholding of U.S. tax on distributions made by a Fund of investment income and short-term capital gains at a rate of 30% (or a lower tax treaty rate, if applicable). Such shareholders may also be subject to United States estate tax with respect to their shares. Dividends paid by a Fund to shareholders who are nonresident aliens or foreign entities that are derived from short-term capital gains and qualifying U.S. source net interest income (including income from original issue discount and market discount), and that are designated by the Fund as “interest-related dividends” or “short-term capital gain dividends,” will generally not be subject to U.S. withholding tax, provided that the income would not be subject to U.S. federal income tax if earned directly by the foreign shareholder. However, depending on the circumstances, a Fund may designate all, some or none of the Fund’s potentially eligible dividends as exempt.

A Fund is required to withhold U.S. tax (at a 30% rate) on payments of taxable 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 Funds to enable the Funds to determine whether withholding is required.

Although income received on direct U.S. Government obligations is taxable at the federal level, when received by a shareholder such income may be exempt from state tax, depending on the state. Each Fund will inform shareholders annually of the percentage of income and distributions derived from direct U.S. Government obligations. Shareholders should consult their tax advisers to determine whether any portion of dividends received from the Fund is considered tax-exempt in their particular states.

Dividends paid to shareholders of the Tax-Exempt Portfolio that are derived from municipal bond interest are expected to be designated as exempt-interest dividends that are generally excluded from gross income for tax purposes. Interest on indebtedness incurred or continued by a shareholder to purchase or carry shares of this Fund is not deductible to the extent it is deemed related to the Fund’s distributions of tax-exempt interest. Tax-exempt distributions received from this Fund are taken into account in determining, and may increase, the portion of social security and certain railroad retirement benefits that may be subject to federal income tax. Further, entities or persons who are “substantial users” (or persons related to “substantial users”) of facilities financed by industrial development or private activity bonds should consult their tax advisers before purchasing shares of these Funds. “Substantial user” is defined in applicable Treasury regulations to include a “non-exempt person” who regularly uses in its trade or business a part of a facility financed from the proceeds of industrial development bonds, and the same definition should apply in the case of private activity bonds.

Any gain or loss recognized on a sale or redemption of shares of a Fund by a shareholder will generally be treated as long-term capital gain or loss if the shares have been held for more than twelve months and short-term if held for twelve months or less. Under current law, the maximum rate on long-term capital gains available to non-corporate shareholders generally is 15 or 20%, depending on whether the shareholder’s income exceeds certain threshold amounts. If shares held for six months or less are sold or redeemed for a loss, a special rule applies. If shares on which a net capital gain distribution has been received are subsequently sold or redeemed, and such shares have been held for six months or less, any loss recognized will be treated as long-term capital loss to the extent of the long-term capital gain distributions.

An additional 3.8% Medicare tax is imposed on certain net investment income (including ordinary dividends and capital gain distributions received from a Fund and net gains from redemptions or other taxable dispositions of Fund shares) of U.S. individuals,

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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) exceeds certain threshold amounts.

Sales, exchanges and redemptions of shares in a Fund are generally taxable events and may result in taxable gain or loss to you. Because each of Government Portfolio, Government Securities Portfolio, Treasury Portfolio and Treasury Securities Portfolio (together, the “Stable NAV Funds”) intends to maintain a stable $1.00 NAV, shareholders will typically not recognize gain or loss when they sell or exchange their shares in these Funds because the amount realized will be the same as their tax basis in the shares. Because each of ESG Money Market Portfolio, Prime Portfolio and Tax-Exempt Portfolio does not maintain a stable share price, a sale of these Funds’ shares may result in capital gain or loss to you.

Gain or loss on the sale or redemption of shares of a Fund is generally measured by the difference between the amount of cash received (or the fair market value of any property received) and the tax basis of the shares. Shareholders should keep records of investments made (including shares acquired through reinvestment of dividends and distributions) so they can compute the tax basis of their shares. Under certain circumstances, a shareholder may compute and use an average cost basis in determining the gain or loss on the sale or redemption of shares. 

With respect to any gain or loss recognized on the sale or exchange of shares of a Fund, unless you choose to adopt a simplified “NAV method” of accounting (described below), the amount of any gain or loss and the rate of tax will depend mainly upon how much you paid for the shares, how much you sell them for, and how long you held them. In this case, any gain or loss generally will be treated as short-term capital gain or loss if you held your shares as capital assets for one year or less, and long-term capital gain or loss if you held your shares as capital assets for more than one year. The maximum individual tax rate applicable to long-term capital gains is generally 15% or 20%, depending on whether the individual’s income exceeds certain threshold amounts. Any loss realized upon a taxable disposition of Fund shares held for six months or less will be treated as a long-term capital loss, rather than a short-term capital loss, to the extent of any long-term capital gain distributions received (or deemed received) by you with respect to the Fund shares. 

If you elect to adopt the simplified “NAV method” of accounting, rather than compute gain or loss on every taxable sale or other disposition of shares of a Fund as described above, you would determine your gain or loss based on the change in the aggregate value of your Fund shares during a computation period (such as your taxable year), reduced by your net investment (i.e., purchases minus sales) in those Fund shares during the computation period. Under the simplified “NAV method,” any resulting capital gain or loss would be reportable on a net basis and would generally be treated as a short-term capital gain or loss. 

A liquidity fee imposed by a Fund will reduce the amount you will receive upon the redemption of your shares, and will generally decrease the amount of any capital gain or increase the amount of any capital loss you will recognize with respect to such redemption. There is some degree of uncertainty with respect to the tax treatment of liquidity fees received by money market funds, and such tax treatment may be the subject of future guidance issued by the IRS. If a Fund receives liquidity fees, it will consider the appropriate tax treatment of such fees to the Fund at such time. 

Exchanges of shares of a Fund for shares of another Fund are also subject to similar tax treatment. Such an exchange is treated for tax purposes as a sale of the original shares in the first Fund, followed by the purchase of shares in the second Fund. With respect to the stable NAV Funds, if a shareholder realizes a loss on the redemption or exchange of a Fund’s shares and receives securities that are considered substantially identical to that Fund’s shares or reinvests in that Fund’s shares within 30 days before or after the redemption or exchange, the transactions may be subject to the “wash sale” rules resulting in a postponement of the recognition of such loss for tax purposes. The ability to deduct capital losses may be subject to other limitations under the Code. 

Shareholders are advised to consult their own tax advisers with respect to the particular tax consequences to them of an investment in a Fund.

CONTROL PERSONS AND PRINCIPAL HOLDERS OF SECURITIES 

As of February 1, 2020, the following persons or entities own, of record or beneficially, 5% or more of the shares of any class of the following Funds’ outstanding shares:

INSTITUTIONAL CLASS

Fund

Name and Address

% of Class

ESG Money Market Portfolio

Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC 1300 Thames St Wharf 6th Fl. Baltimore, MD 21231-3496

69.37%

ESG Money Market Portfolio

BofA Securities Inc. 200 N College St. Fl. 3 Charlotte, NC 28202-2191

5.92%

ESG Money Market Portfolio

Morgan Stanley and Co. Inc 201 Harborside Financial Center, Plaza III, Floor 2 Jersey City, NJ 07311

5.16%

Prime Portfolio

Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC 1300 Thames St Wharf 6th Fl. Baltimore, MD 21231-3496

29.17%

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Prime Portfolio

Hare & Co. 2 111 Sanders Creek Pkwy East Syracuse, NY 13057-1382

9.38%

Prime Portfolio

Star Ohio 30 E Broad St. Fl. 9 Columbus, OH 43215-3414

6.55%

Prime Portfolio

BofA Securities Inc. 200 N College St. Fl. 3 Charlotte, NC 28202-2191

6.22%

Prime Portfolio

New York State Common Retirement Fund 1 Boston Place Floor 24 Boston, MA 02108

5.12%

Government Portfolio

Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC 1300 Thames St Wharf 6th Fl. Baltimore, MD 21231-3496

22.09%

Government Portfolio

Hare & Co. 2 111 Sanders Creek Pkwy East Syracuse, NY 13057-1382

14.71%

Government Securities Portfolio

Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC 1300 Thames St Wharf 6th Fl. Baltimore, MD 21231-3496

75.14%

Government Securities Portfolio

UMB Bank NA 928 Grand Blvd. PO Box 419260 Kansas City, MO 64141-6260

14.10%

Treasury Portfolio

Hare & Co. 2 111 Sanders Creek Pkwy East Syracuse, NY 13057-1382

18.59%

Treasury Portfolio

State Street Bank and Trust Co. 1776 Heritage Dr. North Quincy, MA

16.73%

Treasury Portfolio

Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC 1300 Thames St Wharf 6th Fl. Baltimore, MD 21231-3496

10.41%

Treasury Portfolio

Hare & Co. 2 B 111 Sanders Creek Pkwy East Syracuse, NY 13057-1382

6.15%

Treasury Portfolio

SEI Private Trust Company 1 Freedom Valley Drive Oaks, PA 19456

5.74%

Treasury Securities Portfolio

Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC 1300 Thames St Wharf 6th Fl. Baltimore, MD 21231-3496

42.32%

Treasury Securities Portfolio

Hare & Co. 2 111 Sanders Creek Pkwy East Syracuse, NY 13057-1382

9.49%

Treasury Securities Portfolio

Hare & Co. 2 B 111 Sanders Creek Pkwy East Syracuse, NY 13057-1382

5.55%

Tax-Exempt Portfolio

Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC 1300 Thames St Wharf 6th Fl. Baltimore, MD 21231-3496

83.36%

Tax-Exempt Portfolio

Hare & Co. 2 111 Sanders Creek Pkwy East Syracuse, NY 13057-1382

7.53%

Tax-Exempt Portfolio

Band & Co. c/o US Bank P.O. Box 1787 Milwaukee, WI 53201-1787

6.20%

INSTITUTIONAL SELECT CLASS

Fund

Name and Address

% of Class

ESG Money Market Portfolio

Morgan Stanley Investment Management 750 7th Ave. 12th Fl. New York, NY 10019-6835

100%

Prime Portfolio

Regions Bank 1900 5th Ave. N Fl. 14th Birmingham, AL 35203-2670

42.73%

Prime Portfolio

Regions Bank 1900 5th Ave. N Fl. 14th Birmingham, AL 35203-2670

27.96%

Prime Portfolio

Regions Bank 1900 5th Ave. N Fl. 14th Birmingham, AL 35203-2670

14.86%

Prime Portfolio

Regions Bank 1900 5th Ave. N Fl. 14th Birmingham, AL 35203-2670

14.07%

Government Portfolio

Band & Co. c/o US Bank P.O. Box 1787 Milwaukee, WI 53201-1787

48.27%

Government Portfolio

SEI Private Trust Company c/o Regions Bank 1 Freedom Valley Dr. Oaks, PA 19456-9989

35.01%

Government Securities Portfolio

Morgan Stanley Investment Management 750 7th Ave. 12th Fl. New York, NY 10019-6835

100%

Treasury Portfolio

Band & Co. c/o US Bank Corporate Trust 1555 N Rivercenter Dr. Ste 302 Milwaukee, WI 53212-3958

77.48%

Treasury Portfolio

Wells Fargo Bank 1525 West WT Harris Blvd. Charlotte, NC 28262-8522

20.29%

Treasury Securities Portfolio

Continental Stock Transfer & Trust 1 State Street Floor 30 New York, NY 10004

63.65%

Treasury Securities Portfolio

Continental Stock Transfer & Trust 1 State Street Floor 30 New York, NY 10004

23.63%

Treasury Securities Portfolio

Continental Stock Transfer & Trust 1 State Street Floor 30 New York, NY 10004

6.82%

Tax-Exempt Portfolio

Morgan Stanley Investment Management 750 7th Ave. 12th Fl. New York, NY 10019-6835

100%

INVESTOR CLASS

Fund

Name and Address

% of Class

ESG Money Market Portfolio

Morgan Stanley and Co. Inc 201 Harborside Financial Center, Plaza III, Floor 2 Jersey City, NJ 07311

100%

Government Portfolio

Regions Bank 2090 Parkway Office Circle Hoover, AL 35244-1805

97.16%

Government Securities Portfolio

Arbin Corporation 762 Peach Creek College Station, TX 77845-8704

92.96%

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Government Securities Portfolio

Morgan Stanley Investment Management 750 7th Ave. 12th Fl. New York, NY 10019-6835

7.04%

Treasury Portfolio

Gateway Arch Park Foundation 1 S Memorial Dr. Ste 700 Saint Louis, MO 63102-2439

47.06%

Treasury Portfolio

Manufacturers and Traders Trust Company 1100 Wehrle Dr. Williamsville, NY 14221-7748

47.03%

Treasury Portfolio

DBTCA As Agent 4353 N 1st Street Floor 4 San Jose, CA 95134-1259

5.52%

Treasury Securities Portfolio

Morgan Stanley Investment Management 750 7th Ave. 12th Fl. New York, NY 10019-6835

100%

ADMINISTRATIVE CLASS

Fund

Name and Address

% of Class

Government Portfolio

Zions First National Bank PO Box 30880 Salt Lake City, UT 84130-0880

59.09%

Government Portfolio

DBTCA As Agent 2000 Ave. of the Stars Ste 1000N Los Angeles, CA 90067-4734

8.36%

Government Portfolio

DBTCA As Agent 190 Elgin Ave. George Town, Grand Cayman KY1-9001

6.83%

Government Securities Portfolio

Morgan Stanley Investment Management 750 7th Ave. 12th Fl. New York, NY 10019-6835

100%

Treasury Portfolio

City of Marquette 300 W Baraga Ave. Marquette, MI 49855-4712

58.56%

Treasury Portfolio

Fred M. Luth & Sons Inc. 4516 McRee Ave. Saint Louis, MO 63110-2297

28.58%

Treasury Portfolio

Zions First National Bank PO Box 30880 Salt Lake City, UT 84130-0880

9.56%

Treasury Securities Portfolio

Zions First National Bank PO Box 30880 Salt Lake City, UT 84130-0880

96.91%

ADVISORY CLASS

Fund

Name and Address

% of Class

ESG Money Market Portfolio

Morgan Stanley Investment Management 750 7th Ave. 12th Fl. New York, NY 10019-6835

100%

Prime Portfolio

Morgan Stanley Investment Management 750 7th Ave. 12th Fl. New York, NY 10019-6835

100%

Government Portfolio

SEI Private Trust Company c/o Regions Bank 1 Freedom Valley Dr. Oaks, PA 19456-9989

54.15%

Government Portfolio

Zions First National Bank PO Box 30880 Salt Lake City, UT 84130-0880

13.22%

Government Portfolio

Hare & Co. 2 111 Sanders Creek Pkwy East Syracuse, NY 13057-1382

9.26%

Government Portfolio

State Street Bank and Trust Co. 1776 Heritage Dr. North Quincy, MA

7.82%

Government Securities Portfolio

UMB Bank NA 928 Grand Blvd. PO Box 419260 Kansas City, MO 64141-6260

99.84%

Treasury Portfolio

State Street Bank and Trust Company 1200 Crown Colony Dr. Quincy, MA 02169-0938

66.12%

Treasury Portfolio

SEI Private Trust Company c/o Regions Bank 1 Freedom Valley Dr. Oaks, PA 19456-9989

15.13%

Treasury Portfolio

CBNA FBO Taco Bell Franchisor Senior Interest Reserve Account 480 Washington Blvd Floor 30 Jersey City, NJ 07310-2053

6.60%

Treasury Securities Portfolio

CBNA FBO CMFT Corporate Credit Securities LLC 480 Washington Blvd Floor 30 Jersey City, NJ 07310-2053

82.90%

Treasury Securities Portfolio

Union Bank 530 B St. Ste 222 San Diego, CA 92101-4498

16.98%

PARTICIPANT CLASS

Fund

Name and Address

% of Class

ESG Money Market Portfolio

Morgan Stanley Investment Management 750 7th Ave. 12th Fl. New York, NY 10019-6835

100%

Government Portfolio

UMB Bank NA 928 Grand Blvd. PO Box 419260 Kansas City, MO 64141-6260

99.93%

Government Securities Portfolio

Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC 1300 Thames St. Wharf 6th Fl. Baltimore, MD 21231-3496

100%

Treasury Portfolio

UMB Bank NA 928 Grand Blvd. PO Box 419260 Kansas City, MO 64141-6260

100%

Treasury Securities Portfolio

Berkeley Point Capital LLC 225 Franklin St. 18th Fl. Boston, MA 02110-2845

63.47%

Treasury Securities Portfolio

Berkeley Point Capital LLC 225 Franklin St. 18th Fl. Boston, MA 02110-2845

18.99%

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Treasury Securities Portfolio

Morgan Stanley Investment Management 750 7th Ave. 12th Fl. New York, NY 10019-6835

17.54%

CASH MANAGEMENT CLASS

Fund

Name and Address

% of Class

ESG Money Market Portfolio

Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC 1300 Thames St Wharf 6th Fl. Baltimore, MD 21231-3496

99.60%

Prime Portfolio

Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC 1300 Thames St Wharf 6th Fl. Baltimore, MD 21231-3496

99.76%

Government Portfolio

Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC 1300 Thames St Wharf 6th Fl. Baltimore, MD 21231-3496

98.96%

Government Securities Portfolio

Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC 1300 Thames St Wharf 6th Fl. Baltimore, MD 21231-3496

100%

Treasury Portfolio

Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC 1300 Thames St Wharf 6th Fl. Baltimore, MD 21231-3496

100%

Treasury Securities Portfolio

Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC 1300 Thames St Wharf 6th Fl. Baltimore, MD 21231-3496

100%

Tax-Exempt Portfolio

Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC 1300 Thames St Wharf 6th Fl. Baltimore, MD 21231-3496

99.76%

SELECT CLASS

Fund

Name and Address

% of Class

Government Portfolio

Morgan Stanley Investment Management 750 7th Ave. 12th Fl. New York, NY 10019-6835

100%

Treasury Portfolio

Morgan Stanley Investment Management 750 7th Ave. 12th Fl. New York, NY 10019-6835

100%

Treasury Securities Portfolio

Morgan Stanley Investment Management 750 7th Ave. 12th Fl. New York, NY 10019-6835

100%

The persons listed above as owning 25% or more of the outstanding shares of a Fund may be presumed to “control” (as that term is defined in the 1940 Act) such Fund. As a result, those persons would have the ability to vote a majority of the shares of the Funds on any matter requiring the approval of shareholders of such Funds.  

The percentage ownership of shares of beneficial interest of each Fund changes from time to time depending on purchases and redemptions by shareholders and the total number of shares outstanding.

PERFORMANCE INFORMATION 

Calculation of Yield 

The tables below describe the current yields of each class of the Funds for the 7-day period ended October 31, 2019 and the effective yields of the Funds for the 7-day period ended October 31, 2019.

 

Subsidized Yields

 

Current Yield 7-Day Period Ended October 31, 2019

Effective Yield 7-Day Period Ended October 31, 2019

ESG Money Market Portfolio

Institutional Class

1.94%

1.96%

Institutional Select Class

1.89%

1.91%

Investor Class

N/A

N/A

Administrative Class

N/A

N/A

Advisory Class

1.69%

1.70%

Participant Class

1.44%

1.45%

Cash Management Class

1.79%

1.81%

Prime Portfolio

Institutional Class

1.95%

1.97%

Institutional Select Class

1.90%

1.92%

Investor Class

N/A

N/A

Administrative Class

N/A

N/A

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Subsidized Yields

 

Current Yield 7-Day Period Ended October 31, 2019

Effective Yield 7-Day Period Ended October 31, 2019

Advisory Class

1.70%

1.71%

Participant Class

N/A

N/A

Cash Management Class

1.80%

1.82%

Government Portfolio

Institutional Class

1.72%

1.74%

Institutional Select Class

1.67%

1.69%

Investor Class

1.62%

1.64%

Administrative Class

1.57%

1.58%

Advisory Class

1.47%

1.48%

Participant Class

1.22%

1.23%

Cash Management Class

1.57%

1.58%

Select Class

0.92%

0.93%

Government Securities Portfolio

Institutional Class

1.67%

1.69%

Institutional Select Class

1.62%

1.63%

Investor Class

1.57%

1.59%

Administrative Class

1.52%

1.53%

Advisory Class

1.42%

1.43%

Participant Class

1.42%

1.43%

Cash Management Class

1.53%

1.54%

Treasury Portfolio

Institutional Class

1.68%

1.69%

Institutional Select Class

1.63%

1.64%

Investor Class

1.58%

1.59%

Administrative Class

1.53%

1.54%

Advisory Class

1.43%

1.44%

Participant Class

1.18%

1.19%

Cash Management Class

1.53%

1.54%

Select Class

0.88%

0.88%

Treasury Securities Portfolio

Institutional Class

1.68%

1.69%

Institutional Select Class

1.63%

1.64%

Investor Class

1.57%

1.59%

Administrative Class

1.53%

1.54%

Advisory Class

1.43%

1.44%

Participant Class

1.18%

1.19%

Cash Management Class

1.53%

1.54%

Select Class

0.88%

0.88%

Tax-Exempt Portfolio

Institutional Class

1.06%

1.06%

Institutional Select Class

1.00%

1.01%

Investor Class

N/A

N/A

Administrative Class

N/A

N/A

Advisory Class

N/A

N/A

Participant Class

N/A

N/A

Cash Management Class

0.91%

0.91%

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Non-Subsidized Yields

 

Current Yield 7-Day Period Ended October 31, 2019

Effective Yield 7-Day Period Ended October 31, 2019

ESG Money Market Portfolio

Institutional Class

1.88%

1.90%

Institutional Select Class

1.83%

1.85%

Investor Class

N/A

N/A

Administrative Class

N/A

N/A

Advisory Class

1.63%

1.65%

Participant Class

1.39%

1.40%

Cash Management Class

1.73%

1.75%

Prime Portfolio

Institutional Class

1.90%

1.92%

Institutional Select Class

1.85%

1.87%

Investor Class

N/A

N/A

Administrative Class

N/A

N/A

Advisory Class

1.65%

1.67%

Participant Class

N/A

N/A

Cash Management Class

1.75%

1.77%

Government Portfolio

Institutional Class

1.69%

1.70%

Institutional Select Class

1.64%

1.65%

Investor Class

1.59%

1.60%

Administrative Class

1.54%

1.55%

Advisory Class

1.44%

1.45%

Participant Class

1.19%

1.19%

Cash Management Class

1.54%

1.55%

Select Class

0.89%

0.90%

Government Securities Portfolio

Institutional Class

1.65%

1.67%

Institutional Select Class

1.61%

1.62%

Investor Class

1.55%

1.57%

Administrative Class

1.51%

1.52%

Advisory Class

1.40%

1.41%

Participant Class

1.15%

1.16%

Cash Management Class

1.51%

1.52%

Treasury Portfolio

Institutional Class

1.66%

1.68%

Institutional Select Class

1.61%

1.63%

Investor Class

1.56%

1.58%

Administrative Class

1.51%

1.52%

Advisory Class

1.41%

1.42%

Participant Class

1.16%

1.17%

Cash Management Class

1.51%

1.52%

Select Class

0.87%

0.87%

Treasury Securities Portfolio

Institutional Class

1.67%

1.69%

Institutional Select Class

1.62%

1.64%

Investor Class

1.57%

1.58%

Administrative Class

1.52%

1.53%

Advisory Class

1.42%

1.43%

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Non-Subsidized Yields

 

Current Yield 7-Day Period Ended October 31, 2019

Effective Yield 7-Day Period Ended October 31, 2019

Participant Class

1.17%

1.18%

Cash Management Class

1.52%

1.53%

Select Class

0.88%

0.88%

Tax-Exempt Portfolio

Institutional Class

0.95%

0.95%

Institutional Select Class

0.91%

0.91%

Investor Class

N/A

N/A

Administrative Class

N/A

N/A

Advisory Class

N/A

N/A

Participant Class

N/A

N/A

Cash Management Class

0.80%

0.80%

The non-subsidized yield reflects what the yield would have been had a fee and/or expense waiver not been in place during the period shown. 

Taxable Equivalent Yields

Joint Return

Single Return

Federal Income Tax Brackets

Taxable Equivalent Rates Based on Tax-Exempt Yield of:

From

To

From

To

 

3%

4%

5%

6%

7%

8%

9%

10%

11%

$ —

$ 19,400

$ —

$ 9,700

10.00%

3.33%

4.44%

5.56%

6.67%

7.78%

8.89%

10.00%

11.11%

12.22%

$ 19,400

$ 78,950

$ 9,700

$ 39,475

12.00%

3.41%

4.55%

5.68%

6.82%

7.95%

9.09%

10.23%

11.36%

12.50%

$ 78,950

$168,400

$ 39,475

$ 84,200

22.00%

3.85%

5.13%

6.41%

7.69%

8.97%

10.26%

11.54%

12.82%

14.10%

$168,400

$321,450

$ 84,200

$160,725

24.00%

3.95%

5.26%

6.58%

7.89%

9.21%

10.53%

11.84%

13.16%

14.47%

$321,450

$408,200

$160,725

$204,100

32.00%

4.41%

5.88%

7.35%

8.82%

10.29%

11.76%

13.24%

14.71%

16.18%

$408,200

$612,350

$204,100

$510,300

35.00%

4.62%

6.15%

7.69%

9.23%

10.77%

12.31%

13.85%

15.38%

16.92%

$612,350

over

$510,300

over

37.00%

4.76%

6.35%

7.94%

9.52%

11.11%

12.70%

14.29%

15.87%

17.46%

Note: Net amount subject to 2019 Federal Income Tax after deductions and exemptions, not indexed for 2018 income tax rates. These rates are subject to change with any updates to the tax laws.

The tables below describe the taxable equivalent yields and the taxable equivalent effective yields of each class of the Tax-Exempt Portfolio for the seven days ended October 31, 2019, assuming the same tax rate.

 

Taxable Equivalent Yield
7-Day Period Ended October 31, 2019

Taxable Equivalent Effective Yield
7-Day Period Ended October 31, 2019

Tax-Exempt Portfolio

Institutional Class

1.68%

1.68%

Institutional Select Class

1.59%

1.60%

Investor Class

N/A

N/A

Administrative Class

N/A

N/A

Advisory Class

N/A

N/A

Participant Class

N/A

N/A

Cash Management Class

1.44%

1.44%

POTENTIAL CONFLICTS OF INTEREST

As a diversified global financial services firm, Morgan Stanley, the parent company of the Adviser, engages in a broad spectrum of activities, including financial advisory services, investment management activities, lending, commercial banking, sponsoring and managing private investment funds, engaging in broker-dealer transactions and principal securities, commodities and foreign

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exchange transactions, research publication and other activities. In the ordinary course of its business, Morgan Stanley is a full-service investment banking and financial services firm and therefore engages in activities where Morgan Stanley’s interests or the interests of its clients may conflict with the interests of a Fund. Morgan Stanley has advised clients and has sponsored, managed or advised other investment funds and investment programs, accounts and businesses (collectively, together with any new or successor funds, programs, accounts or businesses, the ‘‘Affiliated Investment Accounts’’) with a wide variety of investment objectives that in some instances may overlap or conflict with a Fund’s investment objectives and present conflicts of interest. In addition, Morgan Stanley may also from time to time create new or successor Affiliated Investment Accounts that may compete with a Fund and present similar conflicts of interest. The discussion below enumerates certain actual, apparent and potential conflicts of interest. There is no assurance that conflicts of interest will be resolved in favor of Fund shareholders and, in fact, they may not be. Conflicts of interest not described below may also exist.

Material Non-public Information. It is expected that confidential or material non-public information regarding an investment or potential investment opportunity may become available to the Adviser. If such information becomes available, the Adviser may be precluded (including by applicable law or internal policies or procedures) from pursuing an investment or disposition opportunity with respect to such investment or investment opportunity. The Adviser may also from time to time be subject to contractual ‘‘stand-still’’ obligations and/or confidentiality obligations that may restrict its ability to trade in certain investments on a Fund’s behalf. In addition, the Adviser may be precluded from disclosing such information to an Investment team, even in circumstances in which the information would be beneficial if disclosed. Therefore, the Adviser may not be provided access to material non-public information in the possession of Morgan Stanley that might be relevant to an investment decision to be made by a Fund, and the Adviser may initiate a transaction or sell an investment that, if such information had been known to it, may not have been undertaken. In addition, certain members of the Investment team may be recused from certain investment-related discussions so that such members do not receive information that would limit their ability to perform functions of their employment with Morgan Stanley unrelated to that of a Fund. Furthermore, access to certain parts of Morgan Stanley may be subject to third party confidentiality obligations and to information barriers established by Morgan Stanley in order to manage potential conflicts of interest and regulatory restrictions, including without limitation joint transaction restrictions pursuant to the 1940 Act. Accordingly, the Adviser’s ability to source investments from other business units within Morgan Stanley may be limited and there can be no assurance that the Adviser will be able to source any investments from any one or more parts of the Morgan Stanley network.

Investments by Morgan Stanley and its Affiliated Investment Accounts. In serving in multiple capacities to Affiliated Investment Accounts, Morgan Stanley, including the Adviser and the Investment team, may have obligations to other clients or investors in Affiliated Investment Accounts, the fulfillment of which may not be in the best interests of a Fund or its shareholders. A Fund’s investment objectives may overlap with the investment objectives of certain Affiliated Investment Accounts. As a result, the members of an Investment team may face conflicts in the allocation of investment opportunities among a Fund and other investment funds, programs, accounts and businesses advised by or affiliated with the Adviser. Certain Affiliated Investment Accounts may provide for higher management or incentive fees or greater expense reimbursements or overhead allocations, all of which may contribute to this conflict of interest and create an incentive for the Adviser to favor such other accounts.

Morgan Stanley currently invests and plans to continue to invest on its own behalf and on behalf of its Affiliated Investment Accounts in a wide variety of investment opportunities in North America, Europe and elsewhere. Morgan Stanley and its Affiliated Investment Accounts, to the extent consistent with applicable law and policies and procedures, will be permitted to invest in investment opportunities without making such opportunities available to a Fund beforehand. Subject to the foregoing, Morgan Stanley may offer investments that fall into the investment objectives of an Affiliated Investment Account to such account or make such investment on its own behalf, even though such investment also falls within a Fund’s investment objectives. A Fund may invest in opportunities that Morgan Stanley and/or one or more Affiliated Investment Accounts has declined, and vice versa. All of the foregoing may reduce the number of investment opportunities available to a Fund and may create conflicts of interest in allocating investment opportunities. Investors should note that the conflicts inherent in making such allocation decisions may not always be resolved to a Fund’s advantage. There can be no assurance that a Fund will have an opportunity to participate in certain opportunities that fall within its respective investment objectives.

It is possible that Morgan Stanley or an Affiliated Investment Account will invest in a company that is or becomes a competitor of a company of which a Fund holds an investment. Such investment could create a conflict between the Fund, on the one hand, and Morgan Stanley or the Affiliated Investment Account, on the other hand. In such a situation, Morgan Stanley may also have a conflict in the allocation of its own resources to the portfolio investment. Furthermore, certain Affiliated Investment Accounts will be focused primarily on investing in other funds which may have strategies that overlap and/or directly conflict and compete with a Fund.

In addition, certain investment professionals who are involved in a Fund’s activities remain responsible for the investment activities of other Affiliated Investment Accounts managed by the Adviser and its affiliates, and they will devote time to the management of such investments and other newly created Affiliated Investment Accounts (whether in the form of funds, separate accounts or other vehicles), as well as their own investments. In addition, in connection with the management of investments for other Affiliated

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Investment Accounts, members of Morgan Stanley and its affiliates may serve on the boards of directors of or advise companies which may compete with our portfolio investments. Moreover, these Affiliated Investment Accounts managed by Morgan Stanley and its affiliates may pursue investment opportunities that may also be suitable for a Fund.

The Adviser and its affiliates may give advice and recommend securities to other clients which may differ from advice given to, or securities recommended or bought for, a Fund even though such other clients’ investment objectives may be similar to those of the Fund.

Payments to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries. The Adviser and/or the Distributor may pay compensation, out of their own funds and not as an expense of the Funds, to certain Financial Intermediaries (which may include affiliates of the Adviser and Distributor), including recordkeepers and administrators of various deferred compensation plans, in connection with the sale, distribution, marketing and retention of shares of the Funds and/or shareholder servicing. For example, the Adviser or the Distributor may pay additional compensation to a Financial Intermediary for, among other things, promoting the sale and distribution of Fund shares, providing access to various programs, mutual fund platforms or preferred or recommended mutual fund lists that may be offered by a Financial Intermediary, granting the Distributor access to a Financial Intermediary’s financial advisors and consultants, providing assistance in the ongoing education and training of a Financial Intermediary’s financial personnel, furnishing marketing support, maintaining share balances and/or for sub-accounting, recordkeeping, administrative, shareholder or transaction processing services. Such payments are in addition to any distribution fees, shareholder servicing fees and/or transfer agency fees that may be payable by the Funds. The additional payments may be based on various factors, including level of sales (based on gross or net sales or some specified minimum sales or some other similar criteria related to sales of the Funds and/or some or all other Morgan Stanley Funds), amount of assets invested by the Financial Intermediary’s customers (which could include current or aged assets of the Funds and/or some or all other Morgan Stanley Funds), a Fund’s advisory fees, some other agreed upon amount or other measures as determined from time to time by the Adviser and/or the Distributor. The amount of these payments may be different for different Financial Intermediaries.

The prospect of receiving, or the receipt of, additional compensation, as described above, by Financial Intermediaries may provide such Financial Intermediaries and their financial advisors and other salespersons with an incentive to favor sales of shares of the Funds over other investment options with respect to which these Financial Intermediaries do not receive additional compensation (or receives lower levels of additional compensation). These payment arrangements, however, will not change the price that an investor pays for shares of the Funds or the amount that the Funds receive to invest on behalf of an investor. Investors may wish to take such payment arrangements into account when considering and evaluating any recommendations relating to Fund shares and should review carefully any disclosures provided by Financial Intermediaries as to their compensation.

Morgan Stanley Trading and Principal Investing Activities. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, Morgan Stanley will generally conduct its sales and trading businesses, publish research and analysis, and render investment advice without regard for a Fund’s holdings, although these activities could have an adverse impact on the value of one or more of the Fund’s investments, or could cause Morgan Stanley to have an interest in one or more portfolio investments that is different from, and potentially adverse to that of a Fund. Furthermore, from time to time, the Adviser or its affiliates may invest “seed” capital in a Fund, typically to enable the Fund to commence investment operations and/or achieve sufficient scale. The Adviser and its affiliates may hedge such seed capital exposure by investing in derivatives or other instruments expected to produce offsetting exposure. Such hedging transactions, if any, would occur outside of a Fund.

Morgan Stanley’s sales and trading, financing and principal investing businesses (whether or not specifically identified as such, and including Morgan Stanley’s trading and principal investing businesses) will not be required to offer any investment opportunities to a Fund. These businesses may encompass, among other things, principal trading activities as well as principal investing.

Morgan Stanley’s sales and trading, financing and principal investing businesses have acquired or invested in, and in the future may acquire or invest in, minority and/or majority control positions in equity or debt instruments of diverse public and/or private companies. Such activities may put Morgan Stanley in a position to exercise contractual, voting or creditor rights, or management or other control with respect to securities or loans of portfolio investments or other issuers, and in these instances Morgan Stanley may, in its discretion and subject to applicable law, act to protect its own interests or interests of clients, and not a Fund’s interests.

Subject to the limitations of applicable law, a Fund may purchase from or sell assets to, or make investments in, companies in which Morgan Stanley has or may acquire an interest, including as an owner, creditor or counterparty.

Morgan Stanley’s Investment Banking Activities. Morgan Stanley advises clients on a variety of mergers, acquisitions and financing transactions. Morgan Stanley may act as an advisor to clients, including other investment funds that may compete with a Fund and with respect to investments that a Fund may hold. Morgan Stanley may give advice and take action with respect to any of its clients or proprietary accounts that may differ from the advice given, or may involve an action of a different timing or nature than the action taken, by a Fund. Morgan Stanley may give advice and provide recommendations to persons competing with a Fund and/or any of a Fund’s investments that are contrary to the Fund’s best interests and/or the best interests of any of its investments.

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Morgan Stanley could be engaged in financial advising, whether on the buy-side or sell-side, or in financing or lending assignments that could result in Morgan Stanley’s determining in its discretion or being required to act exclusively on behalf of one or more third parties, which could limit a Fund’s ability to transact with respect to one or more existing or potential investments. Morgan Stanley may have relationships with third-party funds, companies or investors who may have invested in or may look to invest in portfolio companies, and there could be conflicts between a Fund’s best interests, on the one hand, and the interests of a Morgan Stanley client or counterparty, on the other hand.

To the extent that Morgan Stanley advises creditor or debtor companies in the financial restructuring of companies either prior to or after filing for protection under Chapter 11 of the Bankruptcy Code or similar laws in other jurisdictions, the Adviser’s flexibility in making investments in such restructurings on a Fund’s behalf may be limited.

Morgan Stanley could provide investment banking services to competitors of portfolio companies, as well as to private equity and/or private credit funds; such activities may present Morgan Stanley with a conflict of interest vis-a-vis a Fund’s investment and may also result in a conflict in respect of the allocation of investment banking resources to portfolio companies.

To the extent permitted by applicable law, Morgan Stanley may provide a broad range of financial services to companies in which a Fund invests, including strategic and financial advisory services, interim acquisition financing and other lending and underwriting or placement of securities, and Morgan Stanley generally will be paid fees (that may include warrants or other securities) for such services. Morgan Stanley will not share any of the foregoing interest, fees and other compensation received by it (including, for the avoidance of doubt, amounts received by the Adviser) with a Fund, and any advisory fees payable will not be reduced thereby.

Morgan Stanley may be engaged to act as a financial advisor to a company in connection with the sale of such company, or subsidiaries or divisions thereof, may represent potential buyers of businesses through its mergers and acquisition activities and may provide lending and other related financing services in connection with such transactions. Morgan Stanley’s compensation for such activities is usually based upon realized consideration and is usually contingent, in substantial part, upon the closing of the transaction. A Fund may be precluded from participating in a transaction with or relating to the company being sold under these circumstances.

Client Relationships. Morgan Stanley has existing and potential relationships with a significant number of corporations, institutions and individuals. In providing services to its clients, Morgan Stanley may face conflicts of interest with respect to activities recommended to or performed for such clients, on the one hand, and a Fund, its shareholders or the entities in which the Fund invests, on the other hand. In addition, these client relationships may present conflicts of interest in determining whether to offer certain investment opportunities to a Fund.

In acting as principal or in providing advisory and other services to its other clients, Morgan Stanley may engage in or recommend activities with respect to a particular matter that conflict with or are different from activities engaged in or recommended by the Adviser on a Fund’s behalf.

Transactions with Portfolio Companies of Affiliated Investment Accounts. The companies in which a Fund may invest may be counterparties to or participants in agreements, transactions or other arrangements with portfolio companies or other entities of portfolio investments of Affiliated Investment Accounts (for example, a company in which a Fund invests may retain a company in which an Affiliated Investment Account invests to provide services or may acquire an asset from such company or vice versa). Certain of these agreements, transactions and arrangements involve fees, servicing payments, rebates and/or other benefits to Morgan Stanley or its affiliates. For example, portfolio entities may, including at the encouragement of Morgan Stanley, enter into agreements regarding group procurement and/or vendor discounts. Morgan Stanley and its affiliates may also participate in these agreements and may realize better pricing or discounts as a result of the participation of portfolio entities. To the extent permitted by applicable law, certain of these agreements may provide for commissions or similar payments and/or discounts or rebates to be paid to a portfolio entity of an Affiliated Investment Account, and such payments or discounts or rebates may also be made directly to Morgan Stanley or its affiliates. Under these arrangements, a particular portfolio company or other entity may benefit to a greater degree than the other participants, and the Morgan Stanley Funds, investment vehicles and accounts (which may or may not include a Fund) that own an interest in such entity will receive a greater relative benefit from the arrangements than the Morgan Stanley Funds, investment vehicles or accounts that do not own an interest therein. Fees and compensation received by portfolio companies of Affiliated Investment Accounts in relation to the foregoing will not be shared with a Fund or offset advisory fees payable.

Allocation of Expenses. Expenses may be incurred that are attributable to a Fund and one or more other Affiliated Investment Accounts (including in connection with issuers in which a Fund and such other Affiliated Investment Accounts have overlapping investments). The allocation of such expenses among such entities raises potential conflicts of interest. The Adviser and its affiliates intend to allocate such common expenses among a Fund and any such other Affiliated Investment Accounts on a pro rata basis or in such other manner as may be required by applicable law.

Transactions with Affiliates. The Adviser might purchase securities from underwriters or placement agents in which an affiliate is a member of a syndicate or selling group, as a result of which an affiliate might benefit from the purchase through receipt of a fee or

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otherwise. The Adviser will not purchase securities on behalf of a Fund from an affiliate that is acting as a manager of a syndicate or selling group. Purchases by the Adviser on behalf of a Fund from an affiliate acting as a placement agent must meet the requirements of applicable law. Furthermore, Morgan Stanley may face conflicts of interest when the Funds use service providers affiliated with Morgan Stanley because Morgan Stanley receives greater overall fees when they are used.

General Process for Potential Conflicts. All of the transactions described above involve the potential for conflicts of interest between the Adviser, related persons of the Adviser and/or their clients. The Advisers Act, the 1940 Act and ERISA impose certain requirements designed to decrease the possibility of conflicts of interest between an investment adviser and its clients. In some cases, transactions may be permitted subject to fulfillment of certain conditions. Certain other transactions may be prohibited. In addition, the Adviser has instituted policies and procedures designed to prevent conflicts of interest from arising and, when they do arise, to ensure that it effects transactions for clients in a manner that is consistent with its fiduciary duty to its clients and in accordance with applicable law. The Adviser seeks to ensure that potential or actual conflicts of interest are appropriately resolved taking into consideration the overriding best interests of the client.

FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 

The Funds’ audited financial statements for the fiscal year ended October 31, 2019, including notes thereto, and the report of Ernst & Young LLP, an independent registered public accounting firm, are herein incorporated by reference to the Funds’ Annual Report to Shareholders. A copy of the Funds’ Annual Report to Shareholders must accompany the delivery of this SAI.

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APPENDIX A — MORGAN STANLEY INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT PROXY VOTING POLICY AND PROCEDURES 

I. POLICY STATEMENT 

Morgan Stanley Investment Management’s policy and procedures for voting proxies, the Proxy Voting Policy and Procedures (the “Policy”), with respect to securities held in the accounts of clients applies to those Morgan Stanley Investment Management (“MSIM”) entities that provide discretionary investment management services and for which a MSIM entity has authority to vote proxies. For purposes of this Policy, clients shall include: Morgan Stanley U.S. registered investment companies, other Morgan Stanley pooled investment vehicles, and MSIM separately managed accounts (including accounts for Employee Retirement Income Security (“ERISA”) clients and ERISA-equivalent clients). This Policy is reviewed and updated as necessary to address new and evolving proxy voting issues and standards.

The MSIM entities covered by this Policy currently include the following: Morgan Stanley AIP GP LP, Morgan Stanley Investment Management Inc., Morgan Stanley Investment Management Limited, Morgan Stanley Investment Management Company, Morgan Stanley Asia Limited, Morgan Stanley Investment Management (Japan) Co. Limited and Morgan Stanley Investment Management Private Limited (each, a “MSIM Affiliate” and collectively referred to as the “MSIM Affiliates” or as “we” below).

Each MSIM Affiliate will use its best efforts to vote proxies as part of its authority to manage, acquire and dispose of account assets.

 

With respect to the U.S. registered investment companies sponsored, managed or advised by any MSIM Affiliate (the “MSIM Funds”), each MSIM Affiliate will vote proxies under this Policy pursuant to authority granted under its applicable investment advisory agreement or, in the absence of such authority, as authorized by the Board of Directors/Trustees of the MSIM Funds.

 

For other pooled investment vehicles (e.g., UCITS), each MSIM Affiliate will vote proxies under this Policy pursuant to authority granted under its applicable investment advisory agreement or, in the absence of such authority, as authorized by the relevant governing board.

 

For separately managed accounts (including ERISA and ERISA-equivalent clients), each MSIM Affiliate will vote proxies under this Policy pursuant to authority granted under the applicable investment advisory agreement or investment management agreement. Where a MSIM Affiliate has the authority to vote proxies on behalf of ERISA and ERISA-equivalent clients, the MSIM Affiliate must do so in accordance with its fiduciary duties under ERISA (and the Internal Revenue Code).

 

In certain situations, a client or its fiduciary may reserve the authority to vote proxies for itself or an outside party or may provide a MSIM Affiliate with a statement of proxy voting policy. The MSIM Affiliate will comply with the client’s policy.
 

A MSIM Affiliate will not vote proxies unless the investment management agreement, investment advisory agreement or other authority explicitly authorizes the MSIM Affiliate to vote proxies.

MSIM Affiliates will vote proxies in a prudent and diligent manner and in the best interests of clients, including beneficiaries of and participants in a client’s benefit plan(s) for which the MSIM Affiliates manage assets, consistent with the objective of maximizing long-term investment returns (“Client Proxy Standard”) and this Policy. In addition to voting proxies of portfolio companies, MSIM routinely engages with the management or board of companies in which we invest on a range of environmental, social and governance issues. Governance is a window into or proxy for management and board quality. MSIM engages with companies where we have larger positions, voting issues are material or where we believe we can make a positive impact on the governance structure. MSIM’s engagement process, through private communication with companies, allows us to understand the governance structures at investee companies and better inform our voting decisions.

Retention and Oversight of Proxy Advisory Firms 

ISS and Glass Lewis (together with other proxy research providers as we may retain from time to time, the “Research Providers”) are independent advisers that specialize in providing a variety of fiduciary-level proxy-related services to institutional investment managers, plan sponsors, custodians, consultants, and other institutional investors. The services provided include in-depth research, global issuer analysis, and voting recommendations.

MSIM has retained Research Providers to analyze proxy issues and to make vote recommendations on those issues. While we review the recommendations of one or more Research Providers in making proxy voting decisions, we are in no way obligated to follow such recommendations. MSIM votes all proxies based on its own proxy voting policies in the best interests of each client. In addition to research, ISS provides vote execution, reporting, and recordkeeping services to MSIM.

As part of MSIM’s ongoing oversight of the Research Providers, MSIM performs periodic due diligence on the Research Providers. Topics of the reviews include, but are not limited to, conflicts of interest, methodologies for developing their policies and vote recommendations, and resources.

Voting Proxies for Certain Non-U.S. Companies 

Voting proxies of companies located in some jurisdictions may involve several problems that can restrict or prevent the ability to vote such proxies or entail significant costs. These problems include, but are not limited to: (i) proxy statements and ballots being written

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in a language other than English; (ii) untimely and/or inadequate notice of shareholder meetings; (iii) restrictions on the ability of holders outside the issuer’s jurisdiction of organization to exercise votes; (iv) requirements to vote proxies in person; (v) the imposition of restrictions on the sale of the securities for a period of time in proximity to the shareholder meeting; and (vi) requirements to provide local agents with power of attorney to facilitate our voting instructions. As a result, we vote clients’ non-U.S. proxies on a best efforts basis only, after weighing the costs and benefits of voting such proxies, consistent with the Client Proxy Standard. ISS has been retained to provide assistance in connection with voting non-U.S. proxies. 

Securities Lending - MSIM Funds or any other investment vehicle sponsored, managed or advised by a MSIM affiliate may participate in a securities lending program through a third party provider. The voting rights for shares that are out on loan are transferred to the borrower and therefore, the lender (i.e., a MSIM Fund or another investment vehicle sponsored, managed or advised by a MSIM affiliate) is not entitled to vote the lent shares at the company meeting. In general, MSIM believes the revenue received from the lending program outweighs the ability to vote and we will not recall shares for the purpose of voting. However, in cases in which MSIM believes the right to vote outweighs the revenue received, we reserve the right to recall the shares on loan on a best efforts basis. 

II. GENERAL PROXY VOTING GUIDELINES 

To promote consistency in voting proxies on behalf of our clients, we follow this Policy (subject to any exception set forth herein). The Policy addresses a broad range of issues, and provides general voting parameters on proposals that arise most frequently. However, details of specific proposals vary, and those details affect particular voting decisions, as do factors specific to a given company. Pursuant to the procedures set forth herein, we may vote in a manner that is not in accordance with the following general guidelines, provided the vote is approved by the Proxy Review Committee (see Section III) and is consistent with the Client Proxy Standard. Morgan Stanley AIP GP LP (“Morgan Stanley AIP”) will follow the procedures as described in Appendix A.

We endeavor to integrate governance and proxy voting policy with investment goals, using the vote to encourage portfolio companies to enhance long-term shareholder value and to provide a high standard of transparency such that equity markets can value corporate assets appropriately.

We seek to follow the Client Proxy Standard for each client. At times, this may result in split votes, for example when different clients have varying economic interests in the outcome of a particular voting matter (such as a case in which varied ownership interests in two companies involved in a merger result in different stakes in the outcome). We also may split votes at times based on differing views of portfolio managers.

We may abstain on matters for which disclosure is inadequate.

A. Routine Matters 

We generally support routine management proposals. The following are examples of routine management proposals:

 

Approval of financial statements and auditor reports if delivered with an unqualified auditor’s opinion.

 

General updating/corrective amendments to the charter, articles of association or bylaws, unless we believe that such amendments would diminish shareholder rights.

 

Most proposals related to the conduct of the annual meeting, with the following exceptions. We generally oppose proposals that relate to “the transaction of such other business which may come before the meeting,” and open-ended requests for adjournment. However, where management specifically states the reason for requesting an adjournment and the requested adjournment would facilitate passage of a proposal that would otherwise be supported under this Policy (i.e., an uncontested corporate transaction), the adjournment request will be supported. We do not support proposals that allow companies to call a special meeting with a short (generally two weeks or less) time frame for review.
 

We generally support shareholder proposals advocating confidential voting procedures and independent tabulation of voting results. 

B. Board of Directors 

 

1 Election of directors: Votes on board nominees can involve balancing a variety of considerations. In vote decisions, we may take into consideration whether the company has a majority voting policy in place that we believe makes the director vote more meaningful. In the absence of a proxy contest, we generally support the board’s nominees for director except as follows:

 

  a We consider withholding support from or voting against a nominee if we believe a direct conflict exists between the interests of the nominee and the public shareholders, including failure to meet fiduciary standards of care and/or loyalty. We may oppose directors where we conclude that actions of directors are unlawful, unethical or negligent. We consider opposing individual board members or an entire slate if we believe the board is entrenched and/or dealing inadequately with performance problems; if we believe the board is acting with insufficient independence between the board and management; or if we believe the board has not been sufficiently forthcoming with information on key governance or other material matters.

 

  b We consider withholding support from or voting against interested directors if the company’s board does not meet market
 

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  standards for director independence, or if otherwise we believe board independence is insufficient. We refer to prevalent market standards as promulgated by a stock exchange or other authority within a given market (e.g., New York Stock Exchange or Nasdaq rules for most U.S. companies, and The Combined Code on Corporate Governance in the United Kingdom). Thus, for an NYSE company with no controlling shareholder, we would expect that at a minimum a majority of directors should be independent as defined by NYSE. Where we view market standards as inadequate, we may withhold votes based on stronger independence standards. Market standards notwithstanding, we generally do not view long board tenure alone as a basis to classify a director as non-independent.

 

    i At a company with a shareholder or group that controls the company by virtue of a majority economic interest in the company, we have a reduced expectation for board independence, although we believe the presence of independent directors can be helpful, particularly in staffing the audit committee, and at times we may withhold support from or vote against a nominee on the view the board or its committees are not sufficiently independent. In markets where board independence is not the norm (e.g. Japan), however, we consider factors including whether a board of a controlled company includes independent members who can be expected to look out for interests of minority holders.

 

    ii We consider withholding support from or voting against a nominee if he or she is affiliated with a major shareholder that has representation on a board disproportionate to its economic interest.

 

  c Depending on market standards, we consider withholding support from or voting against a nominee who is interested and who is standing for election as a member of the company’s compensation/remuneration, nominating/governance or audit committee.

 

  d We consider withholding support from or voting against nominees if the term for which they are nominated is excessive. We consider this issue on a market-specific basis.

 

  e We consider withholding support from or voting against nominees if in our view there has been insufficient board renewal (turnover), particularly in the context of extended poor company performance. Also, if the board has failed to consider diversity, including but not limited to, gender and ethnicity, in its board composition.

 

  f We consider withholding support from or voting against a nominee standing for election if the board has not taken action to implement generally accepted governance practices for which there is a “bright line” test. For example, in the context of the U.S. market, failure to eliminate a dead hand or slow hand poison pill would be seen as a basis for opposing one or more incumbent nominees.

 

  g In markets that encourage designated audit committee financial experts, we consider voting against members of an audit committee if no members are designated as such. We also consider voting against the audit committee members if the company has faced financial reporting issues and/or does not put the auditor up for ratification by shareholders.

 

  h We believe investors should have the ability to vote on individual nominees, and may abstain or vote against a slate of nominees where we are not given the opportunity to vote on individual nominees.

 

  i We consider withholding support from or voting against a nominee who has failed to attend at least 75% of the nominee’s board and board committee meetings within a given year without a reasonable excuse. We also consider opposing nominees if the company does not meet market standards for disclosure on attendance.

 

  j We consider withholding support from or voting against a nominee who appears overcommitted, particularly through service on an excessive number of boards. Market expectations are incorporated into this analysis; for U.S. boards, we generally oppose election of a nominee who serves on more than five public company boards (excluding investment companies), or public company CEOs that serve on more than two outside boards given the level of time commitment required in their primary job.

 

  k We consider withholding support from or voting against a nominee where we believe executive remuneration practices are poor, particularly if the company does not offer shareholders a separate “say-on-pay” advisory vote on pay.

 

2 Discharge of directors’ duties: In markets where an annual discharge of directors’ responsibility is a routine agenda item, we generally support such discharge. However, we may vote against discharge or abstain from voting where there are serious findings of fraud or other unethical behavior for which the individual bears responsibility. The annual discharge of responsibility represents shareholder approval of disclosed actions taken by the board during the year and may make future shareholder action against the board difficult to pursue.

 

3 Board independence: We generally support U.S. shareholder proposals requiring that a certain percentage (up to 66⅔%) of the company’s board members be independent directors, and promoting all-independent audit, compensation and nominating/governance committees.

 

4 Board diversity: We consider on a case-by-case basis shareholder proposals urging diversity of board membership with respect to gender, race or other factors.

 

5 Majority voting: We generally support proposals requesting or requiring majority voting policies in election of directors, so long as there is a carve-out for plurality voting in the case of contested elections.
 

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6 Proxy access: We consider proposals on procedures for inclusion of shareholder nominees and to have those nominees included in the company’s proxy statement and on the company’s proxy ballot on a case-by-case basis. Considerations include ownership thresholds, holding periods, the number of directors that shareholders may nominate and any restrictions on forming a group

 

7 Reimbursement for dissident nominees: We generally support well-crafted U.S. shareholder proposals that would provide for reimbursement of dissident nominees elected to a board, as the cost to shareholders in electing such nominees can be factored into the voting decision on those nominees.

 

8 Proposals to elect directors more frequently: In the U.S. public company context, we usually support shareholder and management proposals to elect all directors annually (to “declassify” the board), although we make an exception to this policy where we believe that long-term shareholder value may be harmed by this change given particular circumstances at the company at the time of the vote on such proposal. As indicated above, outside the United States, we generally support greater accountability to shareholders that comes through more frequent director elections, but recognize that many markets embrace longer term lengths, sometimes for valid reasons given other aspects of the legal context in electing boards.

 

9 Cumulative voting: We generally support proposals to eliminate cumulative voting in the U.S. market context. (Cumulative voting provides that shareholders may concentrate their votes for one or a handful of candidates, a system that can enable a minority bloc to place representation on a board.) U.S. proposals to establish cumulative voting in the election of directors generally will not be supported.

 

10 Separation of Chairman and CEO positions: We vote on shareholder proposals to separate the Chairman and CEO positions and/or to appoint an independent Chairman based in part on prevailing practice in particular markets, since the context for such a practice varies. In many non-U.S. markets, we view separation of the roles as a market standard practice, and support division of the roles in that context. In the United States, we consider such proposals on a case-by-case basis, considering, among other things, the existing board leadership structure, company performance, and any evidence of entrenchment or perceived risk that power is overly concentrated in a single individual.

 

11 Director retirement age and term limits: Proposals setting or recommending director retirement ages or director term limits are voted on a case-by-case basis that includes consideration of company performance, the rate of board renewal, evidence of effective individual director evaluation processes, and any indications of entrenchment.

 

12 Proposals to limit directors’ liability and/or broaden indemnification of officers and directors: Generally, we will support such proposals provided that an individual is eligible only if he or she has not acted in bad faith, with gross negligence or with reckless disregard of their duties.
 

C. Statutory Auditor Boards 

The statutory auditor board, which is separate from the main board of directors, plays a role in corporate governance in several markets. These boards are elected by shareholders to provide assurance on compliance with legal and accounting standards and the company’s articles of association. We generally vote for statutory auditor nominees if they meet independence standards. In markets that require disclosure on attendance by internal statutory auditors, however, we consider voting against nominees for these positions who failed to attend at least 75% of meetings in the previous year. We also consider opposing nominees if the company does not meet market standards for disclosure on attendance. 

D. Corporate Transactions and Proxy Fights.

We examine proposals relating to mergers, acquisitions and other special corporate transactions (i.e., takeovers, spin-offs, sales of assets, reorganizations, restructurings and recapitalizations) on a case-by-case basis in the interests of each fund or other account. Proposals for mergers or other significant transactions that are friendly and approved by the Research Providers usually are supported if there is no portfolio manager objection. We also analyze proxy contests on a case-by-case basis. 

E. Changes in Capital Structure.

 

1 We generally support the following:

 

  Management and shareholder proposals aimed at eliminating unequal voting rights, assuming fair economic treatment of classes of shares we hold.

 

  U.S. management proposals to increase the authorization of existing classes of common stock (or securities convertible into common stock) if: (i) a clear business purpose is stated that we can support and the number of shares requested is reasonable in relation to the purpose for which authorization is requested; and/or (ii) the authorization does not exceed 100% of shares currently authorized and at least 30% of the total new authorization will be outstanding. (We consider proposals that do not meet these criteria on a case-by-case basis.)

 

  U.S. management proposals to create a new class of preferred stock or for issuances of preferred stock up to 50% of issued capital, unless we have concerns about use of the authority for anti-takeover purposes.

 

  Proposals in non-U.S. markets that in our view appropriately limit potential dilution of existing shareholders. A major consideration is whether existing shareholders would have preemptive rights for any issuance under a proposal for standing
 

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  share issuance authority. We generally consider market-specific guidance in making these decisions; for example, in the U.K. market we usually follow Association of British Insurers’ (“ABI”) guidance, although company-specific factors may be considered and for example, may sometimes lead us to voting against share authorization proposals even if they meet ABI guidance.

 

  Management proposals to authorize share repurchase plans, except in some cases in which we believe there are insufficient protections against use of an authorization for anti-takeover purposes.

 

  Management proposals to reduce the number of authorized shares of common or preferred stock, or to eliminate classes of preferred stock.

 

  Management proposals to effect stock splits.

 

  Management proposals to effect reverse stock splits if management proportionately reduces the authorized share amount set forth in the corporate charter. Reverse stock splits that do not adjust proportionately to the authorized share amount generally will be approved if the resulting increase in authorized shares coincides with the proxy guidelines set forth above for common stock increases.

 

  Management dividend payout proposals, except where we perceive company payouts to shareholders as inadequate.

 

2 We generally oppose the following (notwithstanding management support):

 

  Proposals to add classes of stock that would substantially dilute the voting interests of existing shareholders.

 

  Proposals to increase the authorized or issued number of shares of existing classes of stock that are unreasonably dilutive, particularly if there are no preemptive rights for existing shareholders. However, depending on market practices, we consider voting for proposals giving general authorization for issuance of shares not subject to preemptive rights if the authority is limited.

 

  Proposals that authorize share issuance at a discount to market rates, except where authority for such issuance is de minimis, or if there is a special situation that we believe justifies such authorization (as may be the case, for example, at a company under severe stress and risk of bankruptcy).

 

  Proposals relating to changes in capitalization by 100% or more.
 

We consider on a case-by-case basis shareholder proposals to increase dividend payout ratios, in light of market practice and perceived market weaknesses, as well as individual company payout history and current circumstances. For example, currently we perceive low payouts to shareholders as a concern at some Japanese companies, but may deem a low payout ratio as appropriate for a growth company making good use of its cash, notwithstanding the broader market concern.

F. Takeover Defenses and Shareholder Rights.

 

1 Shareholder rights plans: We generally support proposals to require shareholder approval or ratification of shareholder rights plans (poison pills). In voting on rights plans or similar takeover defenses, we consider on a case-by-case basis whether the company has demonstrated a need for the defense in the context of promoting long-term share value; whether provisions of the defense are in line with generally accepted governance principles in the market (and specifically the presence of an adequate qualified offer provision that would exempt offers meeting certain conditions from the pill); and the specific context if the proposal is made in the midst of a takeover bid or contest for control.

 

2 Supermajority voting requirements: We generally oppose requirements for supermajority votes to amend the charter or bylaws, unless the provisions protect minority shareholders where there is a large shareholder. In line with this view, in the absence of a large shareholder we support reasonable shareholder proposals to limit such supermajority voting requirements. Also, we oppose provisions that do not allow shareholders any right to amend the charter or bylaws.

 

3 Shareholders right to call a special meeting: We consider proposals to enhance a shareholder’s rights to call meetings on a case-by-case basis. At large-cap U.S. companies, we generally support efforts to establish the right of holders of 10% or more of shares to call special meetings, unless the board or state law has set a policy or law establishing such rights at a threshold that we believe to be acceptable.

 

4 Written consent rights: In the U.S. context, we examine proposals for shareholder written consent rights on a case-by-case basis.

 

5 Reincorporation: We consider management and shareholder proposals to reincorporate to a different jurisdiction on a case-by-case basis. We oppose such proposals if we believe the main purpose is to take advantage of laws or judicial precedents that reduce shareholder rights.

 

6 Anti-greenmail provisions: Proposals relating to the adoption of anti-greenmail provisions will be supported, provided that the proposal: (i) defines greenmail; (ii) prohibits buyback offers to large block holders (holders of at least 1% of the outstanding shares and in certain cases, a greater amount) not made to all shareholders or not approved by disinterested shareholders; and (iii) contains no anti-takeover measures or other provisions restricting the rights of shareholders.
 

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7 Bundled proposals: We may consider opposing or abstaining on proposals if disparate issues are “bundled” and presented for a single vote.
 

G. Auditors.

We generally support management proposals for selection or ratification of independent auditors. However, we may consider opposing such proposals with reference to incumbent audit firms if the company has suffered from serious accounting irregularities and we believe rotation of the audit firm is appropriate, or if fees paid to the auditor for non-audit-related services are excessive. Generally, to determine if non-audit fees are excessive, a 50% test will be applied (i.e., non-audit-related fees should be less than 50% of the total fees paid to the auditor). We generally vote against proposals to indemnify auditors. 

H. Executive and Director Remuneration.

 

1 We generally support the following:

 

  Proposals for employee equity compensation plans and other employee ownership plans, provided that our research does not indicate that approval of the plan would be against shareholder interest. Such approval may be against shareholder interest if it authorizes excessive dilution and shareholder cost, particularly in the context of high usage (“run rate”) of equity compensation in the recent past; or if there are objectionable plan design and provisions.

 

  Proposals relating to fees to outside directors, provided the amounts are not excessive relative to other companies in the country or industry, and provided that the structure is appropriate within the market context. While stock-based compensation to outside directors is positive if moderate and appropriately structured, we are wary of significant stock option awards or other performance-based awards for outside directors, as well as provisions that could result in significant forfeiture of value on a director’s decision to resign from a board (such forfeiture can undercut director independence).

 

  Proposals for employee stock purchase plans that permit discounts, but only for grants that are part of a broad-based employee plan, including all non-executive employees, and only if the discounts are limited to a reasonable market standard or less.

 

  Proposals for the establishment of employee retirement and severance plans, provided that our research does not indicate that approval of the plan would be against shareholder interest.

 

2 We generally oppose retirement plans and bonuses for non-executive directors and independent statutory auditors.

 

3 In the U.S. context, we generally vote against shareholder proposals requiring shareholder approval of all severance agreements but we generally support proposals that require shareholder approval for agreements in excess of three times the annual compensation (salary and bonus) or proposals that require companies to adopt a provision requiring an executive to receive accelerated vesting of equity awards if there is a change of control and the executive is terminated. We generally oppose shareholder proposals that would establish arbitrary caps on pay. We consider on a case-by-case basis shareholder proposals that seek to limit Supplemental Executive Retirement Plans (SERPs), but support such shareholder proposals where we consider SERPs excessive.

 

4 Shareholder proposals advocating stronger and/or particular pay-for-performance models will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis, with consideration of the merits of the individual proposal within the context of the particular company and its labor markets, and the company’s current and past practices. While we generally support emphasis on long-term components of senior executive pay and strong linkage of pay to performance, we consider factors including whether a proposal may be overly prescriptive, and the impact of the proposal, if implemented as written, on recruitment and retention.

 

5 We generally support proposals advocating reasonable senior executive and director stock ownership guidelines and holding requirements for shares gained in executive equity compensation programs

 

6 We generally support shareholder proposals for reasonable “claw-back” provisions that provide for company recovery of senior executive bonuses to the extent they were based on achieving financial benchmarks that were not actually met in light of subsequent restatements.

 

7 Management proposals effectively to re-price stock options are considered on a case-by-case basis. Considerations include the company’s reasons and justifications for a re-pricing, the company’s competitive position, whether senior executives and outside directors are excluded, potential cost to shareholders, whether the re-pricing or share exchange is on a value-for-value basis, and whether vesting requirements are extended.

 

8 Say-on-Pay: We consider proposals relating to an advisory vote on remuneration on a case-by-case basis. Considerations include a review of the relationship between executive remuneration and performance based on operating trends and total shareholder return over multiple performance periods. In addition, we review remuneration structures and potential poor pay practices, including relative magnitude of pay, discretionary bonus awards, tax gross ups, change-in-control features, internal pay equity and peer group construction. As long-term investors, we support remuneration policies that align with long-term shareholder returns.
 

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I. Social and Environmental Issues.

Shareholders in the United States and certain other markets submit proposals encouraging changes in company disclosure and practices related to particular social and environmental matters. As MSIM believes that relevant social and environmental issues can influence risk and return, we consider how to vote on proposals related to social and environmental issues on a case-by-case basis by determining the relevance of social and environmental issues identified in the proposal and their likely impacts on shareholder value. We generally support proposals that, if implemented, would enhance useful disclosure, such as disclosures aligned with SASB (Sustainability Accounting Standards Board) and the TCFD (Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures) and proposals that aim to reduce or mitigate a company’s impact on the global climate. We generally vote against proposals requesting reports or actions that we believe are duplicative, related to matters not material to the business, or that would impose unnecessary or excessive costs. In reviewing proposals on social and environmental issues, we consider a company’s current disclosures and our understanding of the company’s management of material social and environmental issues in comparison to peers. We seek to balance concerns on reputational and other risks that lie behind a proposal against costs of implementation, while considering appropriate shareholder and management prerogatives. We may abstain from voting on proposals that do not have a readily determinable financial impact on shareholder value and we may oppose proposals that intrude excessively on management prerogatives and/or board discretion.

J. Funds of Funds.

Certain MSIM Funds advised by an MSIM Affiliate invest only in other MSIM Funds. If an underlying fund has a shareholder meeting, in order to avoid any potential conflict of interest, such proposals will be voted in the same proportion as the votes of the other shareholders of the underlying fund, unless otherwise determined by the Proxy Review Committee. In markets where proportional voting is not available we will not vote at the meeting, unless otherwise determined by the Proxy Review Committee. Other MSIM Funds invest in unaffiliated funds. If an unaffiliated underlying fund has a shareholder meeting and the MSIM Fund owns more than 25% of the voting shares of the underlying fund, the MSIM Fund will vote its shares in the unaffiliated underlying fund in the same proportion as the votes of the other shareholders of the underlying fund to the extent possible.

III. ADMINISTRATION OF THE POLICY

The MSIM Proxy Review Committee (the “Committee”) has overall responsibility for the Policy. The Committee consists of investment professionals who represent the different investment disciplines and geographic locations of MSIM, and is chaired by the director of the Global Stewardship Team (“GST”). Because proxy voting is an investment responsibility and may affect shareholder value, and because of their knowledge of companies and markets, portfolio managers and other members of investment staff play a key role in proxy voting, although the Committee has final authority over proxy votes. The GST administers and implements the Policy, as well as monitoring services provided by the proxy advisory firms and other research providers used in the proxy voting process.

The GST Director is responsible for identifying issues that require Committee deliberation or ratification. The GST, working with advice of investment teams and the Committee, is responsible for voting on routine items and on matters that can be addressed in line with these Policy guidelines. The GST has responsibility for voting case-by-case where guidelines and precedent provide adequate guidance.

The Committee may periodically review and has the authority to amend, as necessary, the Policy and establish and direct voting positions consistent with the Client Proxy Standard.

GST and members of the Committee may take into account Research Providers’ recommendations and research as well as any other relevant information they may request or receive, including portfolio manager and/or analyst comments and research, as applicable. Generally, proxies related to securities held in client accounts that are managed pursuant to quantitative, index or index-like strategies (“Index Strategies”) will be voted in the same manner as those held in actively managed accounts, unless economic interests of the accounts differ. Because accounts managed using Index Strategies are passively managed accounts, research from portfolio managers and/or analysts related to securities held in these accounts may not be available. If the affected securities are held only in accounts that are managed pursuant to Index Strategies, and the proxy relates to a matter that is not described in this Policy, the GST will consider all available information from the Research Providers, and to the extent that the holdings are significant, from the portfolio managers and/or analysts.

A. Committee Procedures 

The Committee meets at least quarterly, and reviews and considers changes to the Policy at least annually. Through meetings and/or written communications, the Committee is responsible for monitoring and ratifying “split votes” (i.e., allowing certain shares of the same issuer that are the subject of the same proxy solicitation and held by one or more MSIM portfolios to be voted differently than other shares) and/or “override voting” (i.e., voting all MSIM portfolio shares in a manner contrary to the Policy). The Committee will review developing issues and approve upcoming votes, as appropriate, for matters as requested by GST.

The Committee reserves the right to review voting decisions at any time and to make voting decisions as necessary to ensure the independence and integrity of the votes.

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B. Material Conflicts of Interest 

In addition to the procedures discussed above, if the GST Director determines that an issue raises a material conflict of interest, the GST Director may request a special committee (“Special Committee”) to review, and recommend a course of action with respect to, the conflict(s) in question.

A potential material conflict of interest could exist in the following situations, among others:

 

1 The issuer soliciting the vote is a client of MSIM or an affiliate of MSIM and the vote is on a matter that materially affects the issuer.

 

2 The proxy relates to Morgan Stanley common stock or any other security issued by Morgan Stanley or its affiliates except if echo voting is used, as with MSIM Funds, as described herein.

 

3 Morgan Stanley has a material pecuniary interest in the matter submitted for a vote (e.g., acting as a financial advisor to a party to a merger or acquisition for which Morgan Stanley will be paid a success fee if completed).

 

4 One of Morgan Stanley’s independent directors or one of MSIM Funds’ directors also serves on the board of directors or is a nominee for election to the board of directors of a company held by a MSIM Fund or affiliate.
 

If the GST Director determines that an issue raises a potential material conflict of interest, depending on the facts and circumstances, the issue will be addressed as follows:

 

1 If the matter relates to a topic that is discussed in this Policy, the proposal will be voted as per the Policy.

 

2 If the matter is not discussed in this Policy or the Policy indicates that the issue is to be decided case-by-case, the proposal will be voted in a manner consistent with the Research Providers, provided that all the Research Providers consulted have the same recommendation, no portfolio manager objects to that vote, and the vote is consistent with MSIM’s Client Proxy Standard.

 

3 If the Research Providers’ recommendations differ, the GST Director will refer the matter to a Special Committee to vote on the proposal, as appropriate.
 

Any Special Committee shall be comprised of the GST Director, and at least two portfolio managers (preferably members of the Committee), as approved by the Committee. The GST Director may request non-voting participation by MSIM’s General Counsel or his/her designee and the Chief Compliance Officer or his/her designee. In addition to the research provided by Research Providers, the Special Committee may request analysis from MSIM Affiliate investment professionals and outside sources to the extent it deems appropriate.

C. Proxy Voting Reporting 

The GST will document in writing all Committee and Special Committee decisions and actions, which documentation will be maintained by the GST for a period of at least six years. To the extent these decisions relate to a security held by a MSIM Fund, the GST will report the decisions to each applicable Board of Trustees/Directors of those MSIM Funds (the “Board”) at each Board’s next regularly scheduled Board meeting. The report will contain information concerning decisions made during the most recently ended calendar quarter immediately preceding the Board meeting.

In addition, to the extent that Committee and Special Committee decisions and actions relate to a security held by other pooled investment vehicles, the GST will report the decisions to the relevant governing board of the pooled investment vehicle.

MSIM will promptly provide a copy of this Policy to any client requesting it. MSIM will also, upon client request, promptly provide a report indicating how each proxy was voted with respect to securities held in that client’s account.

MSIM’s Legal Department, in conjunction with GST and GST IT for MSIM Fund reporting and with the AIP investment team for AIP Closed-End 40 Act Fund reporting, is responsible for filing an annual Form N-PX on behalf of each MSIM Fund and AIP Closed-End 40 Act Fund for which such filing is required, indicating how all proxies were voted with respect to each such fund’s holdings.

Also, MSIM maintains voting records of individual agenda items at company meetings in a searchable database on its website on a rolling 12-month basis.

In addition, ISS provides vote execution, reporting and recordkeeping services to MSIM.

IV. RECORDKEEPING

Records are retained in accordance with Morgan Stanley’s Global Information Management Policy, which establishes general Firm-wide standards and procedures regarding the retention, handling, and destruction of official books and records and other information of legal or operational significance. The Global Information Management Policy incorporates Morgan Stanley’s Master Retention Schedule, which lists various record classes and associated retention periods on a global basis. 

Approved by the Board September 2015, September 27-28, 2016, September 27-28, 2017, October 3-4, 2018 and September 24-25, 2019.

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APPENDIX A 

Appendix A applies to the following accounts managed by Morgan Stanley AIP GP LP: (i) closed-end funds registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended; (ii) discretionary separate accounts; (iii) unregistered funds; and (iv) non-discretionary accounts offered in connection with AIP’s Custom Advisory Portfolio Solutions service.

Generally, AIP will follow the guidelines set forth in Section II of MSIM’s Proxy Voting Policy and Procedures. To the extent that such guidelines do not provide specific direction, or AIP determines that consistent with the Client Proxy Standard, the guidelines should not be followed, the Proxy Review Committee has delegated the voting authority to vote securities held by accounts managed by AIP to the Fund of Hedge Funds investment team, the Private Markets investment team or the Portfolio Solutions team of AIP. A summary of decisions made by the applicable investment teams will be made available to the Proxy Review Committee for its information at the next scheduled meeting of the Proxy Review Committee.

In certain cases, AIP may determine to abstain from determining (or recommending) how a proxy should be voted (and therefore abstain from voting such proxy or recommending how such proxy should be voted), such as where the expected cost of giving due consideration to the proxy does not justify the potential benefits to the affected account(s) that might result from adopting or rejecting (as the case may be) the measure in question.

Waiver of Voting Rights 

For regulatory reasons, AIP may either 1) invest in a class of securities of an underlying fund (the “Fund”) that does not provide for voting rights; or 2) waive 100% of its voting rights with respect to the following:

 

1 Any rights with respect to the removal or replacement of a director, general partner, managing member or other person acting in a similar capacity for or on behalf of the Fund (each individually a “Designated Person,” and collectively, the “Designated Persons”), which may include, but are not limited to, voting on the election or removal of a Designated Person in the event of such Designated Person’s death, disability, insolvency, bankruptcy, incapacity, or other event requiring a vote of interest holders of the Fund to remove or replace a Designated Person; and

 

2 Any rights in connection with a determination to renew, dissolve, liquidate, or otherwise terminate or continue the Fund, which may include, but are not limited to, voting on the renewal, dissolution, liquidation, termination or continuance of the Fund upon the occurrence of an event described in the Fund’s organizational documents; provided, however, that, if the Fund’s organizational documents require the consent of the Fund’s general partner or manager, as the case may be, for any such termination or continuation of the Fund to be effective, then AIP may exercise its voting rights with respect to such matter.
 

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APPENDIX B — DESCRIPTION OF RATINGS 

Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services 

An S&P Global Ratings issue credit rating is a forward-looking opinion about 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 opinion reflects S&P Global Ratings’ view of the obligor’s capacity and willingness to meet its financial commitments as they come due, and this opinion may assess terms, such as collateral security and subordination, which could affect ultimate payment in the event of default. 

Issue credit ratings can be either long-term or short-term. Short-term ratings are generally assigned to those obligations considered short-term in the relevant market. Short-term ratings are also used to indicate the creditworthiness of an obligor with respect to put features on long-term obligations. Medium-term notes are assigned long-term ratings.

I. S&P’s Long-Term Issue Credit Ratings

AAA: An obligation rated ‘AAA’ has the highest rating assigned by S&P Global Ratings. The obligor’s capacity to meet its financial commitments 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 commitments 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 commitments 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 weaken the obligor’s capacity to meet its financial commitments on the obligation. 

BB; B; CCC; CC; and C: 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 exposure 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 that could lead to the obligor’s inadequate capacity to meet its financial commitments 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 commitments on the obligation. Adverse business, financial, or economic conditions will likely impair the obligor’s capacity or willingness to meet its financial commitments 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 commitments 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 commitments on the obligation. 

CC: An obligation rated ‘CC’ is currently highly vulnerable to nonpayment. The ‘CC’ rating is used when a default has not yet occurred but S&P Global Ratings expects default to be a virtual certainty, regardless of the anticipated time to default. 

C: An obligation rated ‘C’ is currently highly vulnerable to nonpayment, and the obligation is expected to have lower relative seniority or lower ultimate recovery compared with obligations that are rated higher. 

D: An obligation rated ‘D’ is in default or in breach of an imputed promise. For non-hybrid capital instruments, the ‘D’ rating category is used when payments on an obligation are not made on the date due, unless S&P Global Ratings believes that such payments will be made within five business days in the absence of a stated grace period or within the earlier of the stated grace period or 30 calendar days. The ‘D’ rating also will be used upon the filing of a bankruptcy petition or the taking of similar action and where default on an obligation is a virtual certainty, for example due to automatic stay provisions. A rating on an obligation is lowered to ‘D’ if it is subject to a distressed exchange offer. 

NR: Indicates that a rating has not been assigned or is no longer assigned. 

Note: Ratings from ‘AA’ to ‘CCC’ may be modified by the addition of a plus (+) or minus (-) sign to show relative standing within the rating categories.

II. S&P’s Short-Term Issue Credit Ratings

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A-1: A short-term obligation rated ‘A-1’ is rated in the highest category by S&P Global Ratings. The obligor’s capacity to meet its financial commitments 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 commitments on these obligations is extremely strong. 

A-2: A 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 commitments 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 weaken an obligor’s capacity to meet its financial commitments on the obligation. 

B: A short-term obligation rated ‘B’ is regarded as vulnerable and has significant speculative characteristics. The obligor currently has the capacity to meet its financial commitments; however, it faces major ongoing uncertainties that could lead to the obligor’s inadequate capacity to meet its financial commitments. 

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 commitments on the obligation. 

D: A short-term obligation rated ‘D’ is in default or in breach of an imputed promise. For non-hybrid capital instruments, the ‘D’ rating category is used when payments on an obligation are not made on the date due, unless S&P Global Ratings believes that such payments will be made within any stated grace period. However, any stated grace period longer than five business days will be treated as five business days. The ‘D’ rating also will be used upon the filing of a bankruptcy petition or the taking of a similar action and where default on an obligation is a virtual certainty, for example due to automatic stay provisions. A rating on an obligation is lowered to ‘D’ if it is subject to a distressed exchange offer. 

NR: Indicates that a rating has not been assigned or is no longer assigned.

Moody’s Investors, Inc.

Ratings assigned on Moody’s global long-term and short-term rating scales are forward-looking opinions of the relative credit risks of financial obligations issued by non-financial corporates, financial institutions, structured finance vehicles, project finance vehicles, and public sector entities. Long-term ratings are assigned to issuers or obligations with an original maturity of one year or more and reflect both on the likelihood of a default on contractually promised payments and the expected financial loss suffered in the event of default. Short-term ratings are assigned to obligations with an original maturity of thirteen months or less and reflect both on the likelihood of a default on contractually promised payments and the expected financial loss suffered in the event of default.

I. Moody’s Global Long-Term Rating Scale

Aaa: Obligations rated Aaa are judged to be of the highest quality, subject to the lowest level of 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 judged to be upper-medium grade and are subject to low credit risk. 

Baa: Obligations rated Baa are judged to be medium-grade and subject to moderate credit risk and as such may possess certain speculative characteristics. 

Ba: Obligations rated Ba are judged to be speculative 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 speculative 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 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. Additionally, a “(hyb)” indicator is appended to all ratings of hybrid securities issued by banks, insurers, finance companies, and securities firms. 

II. Moody’s Global Short-Term Rating Scale

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. 

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NP: Issuers (or supporting institutions) rated Not Prime do not fall within any of the Prime rating categories. 

Fitch Ratings Inc. 

Fitch Ratings’ credit ratings relating to issuers are 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. Credit ratings relating to securities and obligations of an issuer can include a recovery expectation. Credit ratings are used by investors as indications of the likelihood of receiving the money owed to them in accordance with the terms on which they invested. The agency’s credit ratings cover the global spectrum of corporate, sovereign financial, bank, insurance, and public finance entities (including supranational and sub-national entities) and the securities or other obligations they issue, as well as structured finance securities backed by receivables or other financial assets.

I. Fitch’s Long-Term Issuer Credit Rating Scale

AAA: Highest credit quality. ‘AAA’ ratings denote the lowest expectation of default risk. They are assigned only in cases of exceptionally strong capacity for payment of financial commitments. This capacity is highly unlikely to be adversely affected by foreseeable events.

AA: Very high credit quality. ‘AA’ ratings denote expectations of very low default risk. They indicate very strong capacity for payment of financial commitments. This capacity is not significantly vulnerable to foreseeable events.

A: High credit quality. ‘A’ ratings denote expectations of low default risk. The capacity for payment of financial commitments is considered strong. This capacity may, nevertheless, be more vulnerable to adverse business or economic conditions than is the case for higher ratings.

BBB: Good credit quality. ‘BBB’ ratings indicate that expectations of default risk are currently low. The capacity for payment of financial commitments is considered adequate, but adverse business or economic conditions are more likely to impair this capacity.

BB: Speculative. ‘BB’ ratings indicate an elevated vulnerability to default risk, particularly in the event of adverse changes in business or economic conditions over time; however, business or financial flexibility exists that supports the servicing of financial commitments.

B: Highly speculative. ‘B’ ratings indicate that material default risk is present, but a limited margin of safety remains. Financial commitments are currently being met; however, capacity for continued payment is vulnerable to deterioration in the business and economic environment.

CCC: Substantial credit risk. Default is a real possibility.

CC: Very high levels of credit risk. Default of some kind appears probable.

C: Near default. A default or default-like process has begun, or the issuer is in standstill, or for a closed funding vehicle, payment capacity is irrevocably impaired. Conditions that are indicative of a ‘C’ category rating for an issuer include: a. the issuer has entered into a grace or cure period following non-payment of a material financial obligation; b. the issuer has entered into a temporary negotiated waiver or standstill agreement following a payment default on a material financial obligation; c. the formal announcement by the issuer or their agent of a distressed debt exchange; d. a closed financing vehicle where payment capacity is irrevocably impaired such that it is not expected to pay interest and/or principal in full during the life of the transaction, but where no payment default is imminent.

RD: Restricted default. ‘RD’ ratings indicate an issuer that in Fitch’s opinion has experienced: a. an uncured payment default or distressed debt exchange on a bond, loan or other material financial obligation, but b. has not entered into bankruptcy filings, administration, receivership, liquidation, or other formal winding-up procedure, and c. has not otherwise ceased operating. This would include: i. the selective payment default on a specific class or currency of debt; ii. the uncured expiry of any applicable grace period, cure period or default forbearance period following a payment default on a bank loan, capital markets security or other material financial obligation; iii. the extension of multiple waivers or forbearance periods upon a payment default on one or more material financial obligations, either in series or in parallel; ordinary execution of a distressed debt exchange on one or more material financial obligations.

D: Default. ‘D’ ratings indicate an issuer that in Fitch’s opinion has entered into bankruptcy filings, administration, receivership, liquidation or other formal winding-up procedure or that has otherwise ceased business.

Default ratings are not assigned prospectively to entities or their obligations; within this context, non-payment on an instrument that contains a deferral feature or grace period will generally not be considered a default until after the expiration of the deferral or grace period, unless a default is otherwise driven by bankruptcy or other similar circumstance, or by a distressed debt exchange.

Imminent default, categorized under ‘C’, typically refers to the occasion where a payment default has been intimated by the issuer and is all but inevitable. This may, for example, be where an issuer has missed a scheduled payment but (as is typical) has a grace

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period during which it may cure the payment default. Another alternative would be where an issuer has formally announced a distressed debt exchange, but the date of the exchange still lies several days or weeks in the immediate future.

In all cases, the assignment of a default rating reflects the agency’s opinion as to the most appropriate rating category consistent with the rest of its universe of ratings and may differ from the definition of default under the terms of an issuer’s financial obligations or local commercial practice.

Note: The modifiers “+” or “-“ may be appended to a rating to denote relative status within major rating categories. Such suffixes are not added to ‘AAA’ ratings and ratings below the ‘CCC’ category.

II. Fitch’s Short-Term Ratings Assigned to Issuers or Obligations in Corporate, Public and Structure Finance

F1: Highest Short-Term Credit Quality. Indicates the strongest intrinsic capacity for timely payment of financial commitments; may have an added “+” to denote any exceptionally strong credit feature. 

F2: Good Short-Term Credit Quality. Good intrinsic capacity for timely payment of financial commitments. 

F3: Fair Short-Term Credit Quality. The intrinsic capacity for timely payment of financial commitments is adequate. 

B: Speculative Short-Term Credit Quality. Minimal capacity for timely payment of financial commitments, plus heightened vulnerability to near term adverse changes in financial and economic conditions. 

C: High Short-Term Default Risk. Default is a real possibility. 

RD: Restricted Default. Indicates an entity that has defaulted on one or more of its financial commitments, although it continues to meet other financial obligations. Typically applicable to entity ratings only. 

D: Default. Indicates a broad-based default event for an entity, or the default of a short-term obligation. 

Note: The modifiers “+” or “-“ may be appended to a rating to denote relative status within major rating categories. For the short-term rating category of ‘F1’, a ‘+’ may be appended.

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 C: 

MORGAN STANLEY INSTITUTIONAL LIQUIDITY FUNDS

PART C

OTHER INFORMATION

 

ITEM 28. Exhibits

 

(a) (1)   Declaration of Trust of the Registrant, dated February 13, 2003, is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (a) to Post-Effective Amendment No. 5 to the Registration Statement on Form N-1A, filed on February 28, 2006.
     
     (2)   Amendment, dated July 25, 2005, to the Declaration of Trust of the Registrant, is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (a)(2) to Post-Effective Amendment No. 7 to the Registration on Form N-1A, filed on February 28, 2008.
     
     (3)   Instrument Establishing and Designating Additional Class of Shares (with respect to the Cash Management Class), dated April 28, 2005, is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (a)(3) to Post-Effective Amendment No. 7 to the Registration Statement on Form N-1A, filed on February 28, 2008.
     
     (4)   Amendment, dated December 13, 2010, to the Declaration of Trust of the Registrant (redesignating the Service Class as the Institutional Select Class), is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (a)(4) to Post-Effective Amendment No. 11 to the Registration Statement on Form N-1A, filed on February 28, 2011.
     
     (5)   Instrument Establishing and Designating Additional Class of Shares (with respect to the Select Class), dated March 29, 2016, is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (a)(5) to Post-Effective Amendment No. 25 to the Registration Statement on Form N-1A, filed on March 31, 2016.
     
     (6)   Amendment, dated September 30th, 2019, to the Declaration of Trust of the Registrant (renaming the Money Market Portfolio as the ESG Money Market Portfolio), is filed herein.
     
(b)   Amended and Restated By-Laws of the Registrant, dated October 23, 2003, is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (b) to Pre-Effective Amendment No. 1 to the Registration Statement on Form N-1A, is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (b) to Post-Effective Amendment No. 22 to the Registration Statement on Form N-1A, filed on February 26, 2016.
     
(c)   None.
     
(d)   Investment Advisory Agreement between the Registrant and Morgan Stanley Investment Management Inc., dated October 23, 2003, is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (d)(1) to Post-Effective Amendment No. 5 to the Registration Statement on Form N-1A, filed on February 28, 2006.
     
(e)   Distribution Agreement, dated April 29, 2005, between the Registrant and Morgan Stanley & Co. Incorporated, is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (e) to Post-Effective Amendment No. 6 to the Registration Statement on Form N-1A, filed on February 28, 2007.
     
(f)   Not applicable.
     
(g)   Custodian Contract between Registrant and State Street Bank and Trust Company, dated March 7, 2008, is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (g) to Post-Effective Amendment No. 191 to the Registration Statement on Form N-1A of Morgan Stanley Institutional Fund Trust, filed on December 19, 2018.
     
(h) (1)   Administration Agreement, dated October 23, 2003, between the Registrant and Morgan Stanley Investment Management Inc., is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (h)(1) to Post-Effective Amendment No. 5 to the Registration Statement on Form N-1A, filed on February 28, 2006.
 C: 
 

 

     (2)   Form of Call Center and Transfer Agency Services Amendment, dated July 1, 2013, to the Administration Agreement, dated October 23, 2003, between the Registrant and Morgan Stanley Investment Management Inc., is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (h)(2) to Post-Effective Amendment No. 17 to the Registration Statement on Form N-1A, filed on February 28, 2014.
     
     (3)   Transfer Agency and Service Agreement with Boston Financial Data Services, Inc., dated April 1, 2013, is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (h)(2) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 191 to the Registration Statement on Form N-1A of Morgan Stanley Institutional Fund Trust, filed on December 19, 2018.
     
     (4)   Amendment to the Transfer Agency and Service Agreement with Boston Financial Data Services, Inc., dated July 1, 2013, is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (h)(2) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 34 to the Registration Statement on Form N-1A of Morgan Stanley Limited Duration U.S. Government Trust, filed on September 26, 2014.
     
     (5)   Amendment to the Transfer Agency and Service Agreement with Boston Financial Data Services, Inc., dated May 23, 2017, is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (h)(4) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 33 to the Registration Statement on Form N-1A of Active Assets Prime Trust, filed on October 27, 2017.
     
     (6)   Addendum to the Transfer Agency and Service Agreement with Boston Financial Data Services, Inc., dated October 5, 2017, is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (h)(5) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 33 to the Registration Statement on Form N-1A of Active Assets Prime Trust, filed on October 27, 2017.
     
 (i) (1)   Opinion of Clifford Chance US LLP, dated July 26, 2005, is incorporated by reference to Exhibit (i)(1) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 4 to the Registration Statement on Form N-1A, filed on July 26, 2005.
     
     (2)   Opinion of Dechert LLP, Massachusetts counsel, dated July 26, 2005, is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (i)(2) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 4 to the Registration Statement on Form N-1A, filed on July 26, 2005.
     
     (3)   Opinion and Consent of Dechert LLP, with respect to Select Class shares, is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (i)(3) to Post-Effective Amendment No. 25 to the Registration Statement on Form N-1A, filed on March 31, 2016.
     
     (4)   Consent of Dechert LLP, filed herein.
     
(j)   Consent of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm, filed herein.
     
(k)   Not applicable.
     
(l)   Investment Letter of Morgan Stanley Investment Management Inc., is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (l) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 5 to the Registration Statement on Form N-1A, filed on February 28, 2006.
     
(m) (1)   Amended and Restated Administration Plan adopted by the Institutional Select Class, dated December 13, 2010, is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (m)(1) to Post-Effective Amendment No. 11 to the Registration Statement on Form N-1A, filed on February 28, 2011.
     
     (2)   Administration Plan adopted by the Administrative Class, dated April 25, 2006, is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (m)(2) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 6 to the Registration Statement on Form N-1A, filed on February 28, 2007.
 C: 
 

 

     (3)   Service and Shareholder Administration Plan adopted by the Advisory Class, dated April 25, 2006, is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (m)(3) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 6 to the Registration Statement on Form N-1A, filed on February 28, 2007.
     
     (4)   Administration Plan adopted by the Investor Class, dated April 25, 2006, is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (m)(4) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 6 to the Registration Statement on Form N-1A, filed on February 28, 2007.
     
     (5)   Shareholder Service Plan adopted by the Participant Class, dated April 25, 2006, is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (m)(5) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 6 to the Registration Statement on Form N-1A, filed on February 28, 2007.
     
     (6)   Shareholder Service Plan adopted by the Cash Management Class, dated April 25, 2006, is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (m)(6) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 6 to the Registration Statement on Form N-1A, filed on February 28, 2007.
     
     (7)   Amended and Restated Plan of Distribution, dated February 6, 2006, with respect to the Participant Class, is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (m)(2) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 5 to the Registration Statement on Form N-1A, filed on February 28, 2006.
     (8)   Amended and Restated Distribution Plan, dated June 14, 2010, with respect to the Cash Management Class, is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (m)(8) to Post-Effective Amendment No. 11 to the Registration Statement on Form N-1A, filed on February 28, 2011.
     
     (9)   Shareholder Service Plan adopted by the Select Class, dated March 31, 2016, is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (m)(9) to Post-Effective Amendment No. 25 to the Registration Statement on Form N-1A, filed on March 31, 2016.
     
   (10)   Distribution Plan, dated March 31, 2016, with respect to the Select Class, is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (m)(10) to Post-Effective Amendment No. 25 to the Registration Statement on Form N-1A, filed on March 31, 2016.
     
(n)   Multiple Class Plan Pursuant to Rule 18f-3, is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (n) to Post-Effective Amendment No. 25 to the Registration Statement on Form N-1A, filed on March 31, 2016.
     
(o)   Not applicable.
     
(p) (1)   Code of Ethics for Morgan Stanley Investment Management, dated December 12, 2019, is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (p)(1) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 204 to the Registration Statement on Form N-1A of Morgan Stanley Institutional Fund Trust, as filed on January 28, 2020.
     
     (2)   Code of Ethics of the Morgan Stanley Funds, filed herein.
     
(q)   Powers of Attorney of Trustees, dated March 8, 2017, are incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (q) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 42 to the Registration Statement on Form N-1A of Morgan Stanley Select Dimensions Investment Series, filed on April 11, 2017.
 C: 
 

 

ITEM 29. Persons Controlled by or Under Common Control with the Fund

 

None.

 

ITEM 30. Indemnification

 

State the general effect of any contract, arrangements or statute under which any director, officer, underwriter or affiliated person of the Fund is insured or indemnified against any liability incurred in their official capacity, other than insurance provided by any director, officer, affiliated person, or underwriter for their own protection.

 

Pursuant to Section 5.3 of the Registrant’s Declaration of Trust and under Section 4.8 of the Registrant’s By-Laws, the indemnification of the Registrant’s trustees, officers, employees and agents is permitted if it is determined that they acted under the belief that their actions were in or not opposed to the best interest of the Registrant, and, with respect to any criminal proceeding, they had reasonable cause to believe their conduct was not unlawful. In addition, indemnification is permitted only if it is determined that the actions in question did not render them liable by reason of willful misfeasance, bad faith or gross negligence in the performance of their duties or by reason of reckless disregard of their obligations and duties to the Registrant. Trustees, officers, employees and agents will be indemnified for the expense of litigation if it is determined that they are entitled to indemnification against any liability established in such litigation. The Registrant may also advance money for these expenses provided that they give their undertakings to repay the Registrant unless their conduct is later determined to permit indemnification.

 

Pursuant to Section 5.2 of the Registrant’s Declaration of Trust and paragraph 8 of the Registrant’s Investment Management Agreement, neither the Investment Manager nor any trustee, officer, employee or agent of the Registrant shall be liable for any action or failure to act, except in the case of bad faith, willful misfeasance, gross negligence or reckless disregard of duties to the Registrant.

 

Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act of 1933 (the “Act”) may be permitted to trustees, officers and controlling persons of the Registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions or otherwise, the Registrant has been advised 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. In the event that a claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by the Registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a trustee, officer, or controlling person of the Registrant in connection with the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted against the Registrant by such trustee, officer or controlling person in connection with the shares being registered, the Registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the Act, and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.

 

The Registrant hereby undertakes that it will apply the indemnification provision of its by-laws in a manner consistent with Release 11330 of the Securities and Exchange Commission under the Investment Company Act of 1940, so long as the interpretation of Sections 17(h) and 17(i) of such Act remains in effect.

 

The Registrant, in conjunction with the Investment Manager, the Registrant’s Trustees, and other registered investment management companies managed by the Investment Manager, maintains insurance on behalf of any person who is or was a Trustee, officer, employee, or agent of the Registrant, or who is or was serving at the request of the Registrant as a trustee, director, officer, employee or agent of another trust or corporation, against any liability asserted against him and incurred by him or arising out of his position. However, in no event will the Registrant maintain insurance to indemnify any such person for any act for which the Registrant itself is not permitted to indemnify him.

 

ITEM 31. Business and Other Connections of Investment Adviser

 

Describe any other business, profession, vocation or employment of a substantial nature in which the investment adviser and each director, officer or partner of the investment adviser, is or has been, engaged within the last two fiscal years for his or her own account or in the capacity of director, officer, employee, partner or trustee. (Disclose the name and principal business address of any company for which a person listed below serves in the capacity of director, officer, employee, partner or trustee, and the nature of the relationship.)

 C: 
 

 

See “Fund Management” in the Prospectus regarding the business of the investment adviser. The following information is given regarding directors and officers of Morgan Stanley Investment Management Inc. Morgan Stanley Investment Management Inc. is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Morgan Stanley.

 

Set forth below is the name and principal business address of each company for which directors or officers of Morgan Stanley Investment Management Inc. serve as directors, officers or employees:

 

Morgan Stanley Investment Management Inc.

Morgan Stanley Distribution, Inc.

Morgan Stanley Services Company Inc.

522 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10036

 

Listed below as of December 31, 2019 are the officers and Directors of Morgan Stanley Investment Management Inc.:

 

NAME AND POSITION WITH   OTHER SUBSTANTIAL BUSINESS,
MORGAN STANLEY INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT INC.   PROFESSION OR VOCATION
     

Dan Simkowitz

Managing Director and President

  Managing Director of Morgan Stanley.
     

Stefanie V. Chang Yu

Managing Director, Secretary and General Counsel

  Managing Director and Secretary of other entities affiliated with the Adviser.
     

Timothy J. Knierim

Managing Director and Chief Compliance Officer

  Chief Compliance Officer of the Morgan Stanley Funds.
     

John Hagarty

Managing Director and Director

   
     

Mary Alice Dunne

Managing Director and Director

   
     

Anita Rios

Executive Director and Treasurer

   
     

Anton Kuzmanov

Managing Director and Director

   
     

Tatiana Segal

Managing Director and Director

   
     

Thomas Velez

Executive Director and Chief Anti-Money Laundering Officer

  Executive Director and Anti-Money Laundering Officer of Morgan Stanley Distribution, Inc. and Morgan Stanley Services Company, Inc.

 

For information as to the business, profession, vocation or employment of a substantial nature of additional officers of the Adviser, reference is made to the Adviser’s current Form ADV (File No. 801-15757) filed under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, incorporated herein by reference.

 

ITEM 32. Principal Underwriters

 

(a) Morgan Stanley Distribution, Inc., a Delaware corporation, is the principal underwriter of the Registrant. Morgan Stanley Distribution, Inc. is also the principal underwriter of the following investment companies:

 

(1) Morgan Stanley California Tax-Free Daily Income Trust
 C: 
 

 

(2) Morgan Stanley European Equity Fund Inc.
   
(3) Morgan Stanley Global Fixed Income Opportunities Fund
   
(4) Morgan Stanley Institutional Fund, Inc.
   
(5) Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds
   
(6) Morgan Stanley Insight Fund
   
(7) Morgan Stanley Mortgage Securities Trust
   
(8) Morgan Stanley New York Municipal Money Market Trust
   
(9) Morgan Stanley Tax-Free Daily Income Trust
   
(10) Morgan Stanley U.S. Government Money Market Trust
   
(11) Morgan Stanley U.S. Government Securities Trust
   
(12) Morgan Stanley Variable Insurance Fund, Inc.
   
(13) Morgan Stanley Variable Investment Series

 

(b)    The following information is given as of December 31, 2019 regarding directors and officers of Morgan Stanley Distribution, Inc. The principal address of Morgan Stanley Distribution, Inc. is 522 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10036.

 

NAME AND PRINCIPAL BUSINESS   POSITIONS AND OFFICES WITH   POSITIONS AND OFFICES WITH
ADDRESS   UNDERWRITER   REGISTRANT
         
John Cooper   President, Director and Managing Director   None
         
Frederick McMullen   Director and Managing Director   None
         
Frank J. Famiglietti   Director and Managing Director   None
         
Robert Martini   Principal Financial Officer, Treasurer and Executive Director   None
         
Stefanie V. Chang Yu   Secretary, General Counsel and Managing Director   None
         
Ilene Shore   Chief Compliance Officer and Executive Director   None
         
Thomas Velez   Chief Anti-Money Laundering Officer and Executive Director   AML Officer
         
Rob Giegerich   Financial Operations Principal and Executive Director   None
         
Matthew Mistal   Principal Operations Officer and Executive Director   None
         
Nina Kimble   Deputy Anti-Money Laundering Officer and Vice President   Deputy AML Officer
         
Anita Rios   Treasurer and Executive Director   None
 C: 
 

 

(c) Not applicable.

 

ITEM 33. Location of Accounts and Records

 

State the name and address of each person maintaining physical possession of each account, book, or other document required to be maintained by section 31(a) [15 U.S.C. 80a-30(a)] and the rules under that section.

 

State Street Bank and Trust Company

One Lincoln Street

Boston, MA 02111

(records relating to its function as custodian and sub-administrator)

 

DST Asset Manager Solutions, Inc.

2000 Crown Colony Drive

Quincy, MA 02169-0953

(records relating to its functions as transfer agent and dividend disbursing agent)

 

Morgan Stanley Investment Management Inc.

1633 Broadway

New York, NY 10019

(records relating to its function as investment adviser and administrator)

 

ITEM 34. Management Services

 

Registrant is not a party to any such management-related service contract.

 

ITEM 35. Undertakings

 

None.

 C: 
 

 

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 Registration Statement pursuant to Rule 485(b) under the Securities Act of 1933 and has duly caused this Post-Effective Amendment to the Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the City of New York and State of New York on the 28th day of February, 2020.

 

  MORGAN STANLEY INSTITUTIONAL LIQUIDITY FUNDS
   
  /s/ John H. Gernon
  John H. Gernon
  President and Principal Executive Officer

 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this Post-Effective Amendment No. 34 has been signed below by the following persons in the capacities and on the dates indicated.

 

 

Signatures   Title   Date
         
(1) Principal Executive Officer   President and Principal Executive Officer   February 28, 2020
         
         
By: /s/ John H. Gernon        
  John H. Gernon        
         
         
(2) Principal Financial Officer   Principal Financial Officer   February 28, 2020
         
         
By: /s/ Francis J. Smith        
  Francis J. Smith        
         
         
(3) Majority of the Trustees        
         
Independent Trustees          
             
  Frank L. Bowman Joseph J. Kearns      
  Kathleen A. Dennis Michael F. Klein      
  Nancy C. Everett Patricia Maleski      
  Jakki L. Haussler Michael E. Nugent (Chairman)      
  Dr. Manuel H. Johnson W. Allen Reed        
         
         
         
By: /s/ Carl Frischling       February 28, 2020
  Carl Frischling        
  Attorney-In-Fact for the Independent Trustees        
           
 C: 
 

 

EXHIBIT INDEX

 

MORGAN STANLEY INSTITUTIONAL LIQUIDITY FUNDS

 

(a)(6) Amendment, dated September 30th, 2019, to the Declaration of Trust of the Registrant (renaming the Money Market Portfolio as the ESG Money Market Portfolio).
   
(i)(4) Consent of Dechert LLP.
   
(j) Consent of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm.
   
(p)(2) Code of Ethics of the Morgan Stanley Funds.
 C: 
 

Dates Referenced Herein   and   Documents Incorporated by Reference

This ‘485BPOS’ Filing    Date    Other Filings
1/1/21
Filed on / Effective on:2/28/20
2/1/20
1/28/20
1/1/20
12/31/19N-MFP2
12/12/19
10/31/1924F-2NT,  N-CEN,  N-CSR,  N-MFP2
1/1/19
12/19/18
10/31/1824F-2NT,  N-CEN,  N-CEN/A,  N-CSR,  N-MFP2
1/3/18
10/31/1724F-2NT,  N-CSR,  N-MFP2,  NSAR-B
10/27/17
10/5/17
7/27/17
5/23/17
4/11/17
3/8/17N-MFP2/A
3/31/16485BPOS,  CORRESP,  N-MFP
3/29/16
2/26/16485BPOS
9/26/14
2/28/14485BPOS,  N-MFP
12/31/13N-MFP
7/1/13
4/1/13
2/28/11485BPOS,  N-MFP
12/13/10497
6/14/10497
3/7/08
2/28/08485BPOS
2/28/07485BPOS
4/25/0640-6C
2/28/06485BPOS
2/6/06
7/26/05485BPOS
7/25/05
4/29/05
4/28/05
4/1/04
12/31/03
10/23/03
2/13/03
 List all Filings 


18 Subsequent Filings that Reference this Filing

  As Of               Filer                 Filing    For·On·As Docs:Size             Issuer                      Filing Agent

 4/26/24  Morgan Stanley Inst’l Liquid… Fds 485APOS                1:2.2M                                   Broadridge Fin’l… Inc/FA
 3/25/24  Morgan Stanley Inst’l Liquid… Fds 485BPOS     3/25/24   17:7M                                     Broadridge Fin’l… Inc/FA
 2/28/24  Morgan Stanley Inst’l Liquid… Fds 485BPOS     2/29/24   27:15M                                    Broadridge Fin’l… Inc/FA
 2/28/24  Morgan Stanley Inst’l Liquid… Fds 485BPOS     2/28/24   25:28M                                    Broadridge Fin’l… Inc/FA
 1/23/24  Morgan Stanley Inst’l Liquid… Fds 485APOS                1:4.1M                                   Broadridge Fin’l… Inc/FA
12/29/23  Morgan Stanley Inst’l Liquid… Fds 485APOS                1:7.2M                                   Broadridge Fin’l… Inc/FA
12/29/23  Morgan Stanley Inst’l Liquid… Fds 485APOS                1:3M                                     Broadridge Fin’l… Inc/FA
 2/27/23  Morgan Stanley Inst’l Liquid… Fds 485BPOS     2/28/23   24:25M                                    Broadridge Fin’l… Inc/FA
 1/23/23  Morgan Stanley Inst’l Liquid… Fds 485BPOS     1/23/23   25:10M                                    Broadridge Fin’l… Inc/FA
11/23/22  Morgan Stanley Inst’l Liquid… Fds 485APOS                1:5.3M                                   Broadridge Fin’l… Inc/FA
 9/30/22  Morgan Stanley Inst’l Liquid… Fds 485BPOS     9/30/22   15:2.8M                                   Broadridge Fin’l… Inc/FA
 8/01/22  Morgan Stanley Inst’l Liquid… Fds 485APOS                4:1.9M                                   Broadridge Fin’l… Inc/FA
 2/28/22  Morgan Stanley Inst’l Liquid… Fds 485BPOS     2/28/22   29:28M                                    Broadridge Fin’l… Inc/FA
12/28/21  Morgan Stanley Inst’l Liquid… Fds 485APOS                1:1.8M                                   Broadridge Fin’l… Inc/FA
12/28/21  Morgan Stanley Inst’l Liquid… Fds 485APOS                1:1.8M                                   Broadridge Fin’l… Inc/FA
 5/04/21  Morgan Stanley Inst’l Liquid… Fds 485BPOS     5/04/21   18:3.4M                                   Broadridge Fin’l… Inc/FA
 3/05/21  Morgan Stanley Inst’l Liquid… Fds 485APOS3/05/21    2:2M                                     Broadridge Fin’l… Inc/FA
 2/25/21  Morgan Stanley Inst’l Liquid… Fds 485BPOS     2/26/21   24:26M                                    Broadridge Fin’l… Inc/FA
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