FEATURE/Delaware Group launches mutual fund campaign.

PHILADELPHIA--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oct. 2, 1996--Delaware Group, one of the nation's oldest mutual fund families, has launched an awareness campaign designed to assist financial advisors in conducting a six-step check-up of client portfolios.

Under the banner "Certain Strategies for Uncertain Times,"

It theorizes that clients may now have more invested in aggressive fund strategies than may be appropriate for their investment objectives or risk tolerance, which could be the result of investors favoring these strategies as a result of market conditions during the past few years.

Delaware suggests that clients can reduce risk longer-term from market volatility through a program of broader diversification and disciplined asset allocation. Specifically, Delaware believes a conservative domestic equity strategy should be the core of an investor's portfolio, and that an international investment may help to reduce total portfolio risk.

In a brochure distributed to financial professionals nationwide, Delaware suggests a six-step check-up:

-- prudent asset allocation - check to see if investors have a sufficient percentage of assets in core portfolios and an over all strategy that fits their specific goals;

-- avoid yesterday's news - urge investors to look beyond short-term ratings to focus on sound, long-term strategies;

-- the role of dividends - point out the fact that dividends have historically been an important component of investing;

-- style diversity - ask that investors look at their "nest egg" to see if they have only one kind of egg in different colors; review the potential benefits of being invested in both growth and value funds;

-- going abroad - show that clients may invest 30% to 40% of a portfolio in international investments without adding risk to a diversified domestic equity portfolio; and

-- realistic expectations - emphasize that long-term wealth building requires time.

Delaware is best known for dividend-driven, value strategies in stocks, but also offers a full range of investment strategies, including growth funds, small cap funds, global funds, and domestic and foreign fixed-income funds.

The advice offered by the "check-up" campaign is simple: investors should consider a blend of investment styles, choose funds that fit their long-term goals, and diversify across several types of funds, and seriously consider increasing overseas investment.

International investing involves risks not found in domestic markets, such as: instability of foreign governments, currency fluctuation, and varying securities regulations and accounting standards.

The Delaware Group was founded in 1929 and offers 28 mutual fund and other investment programs for half a million shareholder accounts. Based in Philadelphia with an affiliate operation in London, the companies manage more than $11 billion in mutual fund assets.

The Delaware Group of companies are wholly-owned subsidiaries of Lincoln National Corp., a diversified financial services company headquartered in Ft. Wayne, Ind.

For additional information or to obtain a prospectus for any of the funds in the Delaware Group, which contain more information about charges and expenses, please call 800/523-4640. The prospectus should be read carefully before investing. The Delaware Group of Funds is distributed by Delaware Distributors L.P.

CONTACT: Delaware Group, Philadelphia

Joseph M. Barrett, VP, 215/255-1072