May 1, 2024
Prospectus
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Victory Global Energy Transition Fund | ||||||
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Class A |
Class C |
Class I |
Class R |
Class R6 |
Class Y |
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RSNRX |
RGNCX |
— |
— |
— |
RSNYX |
The Securities and Exchange Commission has not approved or disapproved these securities or determined whether this Prospectus is accurate or complete. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.
vcm.com
800-539-FUND (800-539-3863)
800-539-FUND (800-539-3863)
(fees paid directly from your investment)
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Class A |
Class C |
Class Y |
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Maximum Sales Charge (Load) Imposed on Purchases
(as a percentage of offering price) |
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Maximum Deferred Sales Charge (Load)
(as a percentage of the lower of purchase or sale price) |
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(expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)
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Management Fees |
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Distribution and/or Service (12b-1) Fees |
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Other Expenses |
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Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses |
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Fee Waiver/Expense Reimbursement3
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( |
( |
( |
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Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver and/or
Expense Reimbursement3
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1
2
3
1
Victory Global Energy Transition Fund Summary
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1 Year |
3 Years |
5 Years |
10 Years |
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Class A |
$ |
$ |
$ |
$ |
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Class C |
$ |
$ |
$ |
$ |
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Class Y |
$ |
$ |
$ |
$ |
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1 Year |
3 Years |
5 Years |
10 Years |
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Class C |
$ |
$ |
$ |
$ |
2
Victory Global Energy Transition Fund Summary
3
Victory Global Energy Transition Fund Summary
4
Victory Global Energy Transition Fund Summary
5
Victory Global Energy Transition Fund Summary
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6
Victory Global Energy Transition Fund Summary
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1 Year |
5 Years |
10 Years |
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CLASS A Before Taxes |
- |
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- |
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CLASS A After Taxes on Distributions |
- |
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- |
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CLASS A After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares |
- |
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- |
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CLASS C Before Taxes |
- |
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- |
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CLASS Y Before Taxes |
- |
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- |
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Indices | |||
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S&P 500® Index
reflects no deduction for fees, expenses, or taxes |
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MSCI World Commodity Producers Index
reflects no deduction for fees, expenses, or taxes |
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S&P North American Natural Resources Sector Index
reflects no deduction for fees, expenses, or taxes |
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1
Management of the Fund
Investment Adviser
Victory Capital Management Inc.
Investment Sub-Adviser
SailingStone Capital Partners LLC (“SailingStone”)
Portfolio Management
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Title |
Tenure with the Fund |
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MacKenzie B. Davis |
Managing Partner, SailingStone |
Since 2005 |
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Kenneth L. Settles Jr. |
Managing Partner, SailingStone |
Since 2007 |
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Brian Lively |
Partner, SailingStone |
Since 2020 |
7
Victory Global Energy Transition Fund Summary
Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares
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Investment Minimums |
Class A |
Class C |
Class Y |
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Minimum Initial Investment |
$2,500 |
$2,500 |
$1,000,000 |
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Minimum Subsequent Investments |
$50 |
$50 |
None |
For Class A and Class C shares a $1,000 minimum initial purchase amount and a $50 minimum subsequent purchase amount apply for Individual Retirement Accounts (IRAs), gift/transfer to minor accounts, and purchases through automatic investment plans.
Certain broker-dealers and other financial intermediaries (such as a bank) may establish higher or lower minimum initial and subsequent investment amounts to which you may be subject if you invest through them.
You may redeem your shares on any day the Fund is open for business. Redemption requests may be made by telephone (with prior appropriate approval) or by mail.
When you buy and redeem shares, the Fund will price your transaction at the next-determined net asset value (“NAV”) after the Fund receives your request in good order, which means that your request contains all the required documentation, and that all documents contain required signatures or signature guarantees from a financial institution.
Tax Information
The Fund’s distributions are taxable whether you receive them in cash, additional shares of the Fund, or you reinvest them in shares of another Victory Fund, and will be taxed as ordinary income or capital gains, unless you are investing through a tax-deferred arrangement, such as a 401(k) plan or an individual retirement account. Taxes may be imposed on withdrawals from tax-deferred arrangements.
Payments to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries
If you purchase the Fund through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary, the Fund and its related companies may pay the intermediary for the sale of Fund shares and related services. These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing the financial intermediary and its financial advisor to recommend the Fund over another investment. Ask your financial advisor or visit your financial intermediary’s website for more information.
8
Additional Fund Information
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Victory Capital Management Inc., which we refer to as the “Adviser”
throughout the Prospectus, manages the Fund. |
The Victory Global Energy Transition Fund (the “Fund”) is managed by the Adviser, who also manages other funds, each having distinct investment management objectives, strategies, risks, and policies. Together, these funds are referred to in this Prospectus as the “Victory Funds” or, more simply, the “Funds.”
The Fund’s investment objective is non-fundamental. In addition, the Fund's policy to invest under normal circumstances at least 80% of its assets in securities of companies considered to be principally engaged in natural resources industries that will be required for the Energy Transition is non-fundamental. The Board of Trustees (the “Board”) may change this policy without shareholder approval upon at least 60 days’ prior written notice to shareholders. For purposes of the Fund’s 80% investment policy, “assets” means the Fund’s net assets plus the amount of any borrowings for investment purposes, exclusive of collateral held from securities lending.
When selecting investments for the Fund, SailingStone also considers inventory of future projects that provide the basis for future value creation, management team quality to determine capital allocation discipline and history of value creation, and country risk.
SailingStone believes that investments in the securities of advantaged producers run by capable management teams can create value for long-term investors independent of commodity prices. SailingStone believes that this return stream is often mispriced in the public equity market. Thus, valuation is an important part of the investment process. SailingStone seeks to purchase interests in companies with these characteristics when it believes the stock price reflects a limited possibility of permanent capital impairment and where future value creation is not reflected in the stock price.
The following section describes additional information about the principal investment strategy the Fund will use under normal market conditions to pursue its investment objective, as well as any secondary strategies the Fund may use, and the related risks. This Prospectus does not attempt to describe all of the various investment techniques and types of investments that the Adviser may use in managing the Fund. The Statement of Additional Information (“SAI”) includes more information about the Fund, its investments, and the related risks.
Under adverse, unstable, or abnormal market conditions, the Fund may be unable to pursue or achieve its investment objective and, for temporary purposes, may invest some or all of its assets in a variety of instruments or assets, including high-quality fixed-income securities, cash, and cash equivalents. For cash management purposes, the Fund may hold all or a portion of its assets in cash, short-term money market instruments, or shares of other investment companies. These positions may reduce the benefit from any upswing in the market, cause the Fund to fail to meet its investment objective, and increase the Fund's expenses.
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If you would like to receive additional copies of any materials, please call the Victory Funds
at 800-539-FUND (800-539-3863) or please visit VictoryFunds.com. |
9
Investments
The following describes the types of securities the Fund may purchase under normal market conditions to achieve its principal investment strategy. The Fund will not necessarily buy all of the securities listed below.
U.S. Equity Securities
Can include common stock, preferred stock, and securities that are convertible or exchangeable into common stock of U.S. corporations.
Foreign Securities
Can include common stock and convertible preferred stock of non-U.S. companies. Also may include American Depositary Receipts (“ADRs”) and Global Depositary Receipts (“GDRs”), which are receipts issued by a bank or trust company and evidence ownership of underlying securities issued by foreign companies, and exchange-traded funds (“ETFs”) that invest in foreign companies.
Additional Fund Strategies. The Adviser may use other types of investment strategies in pursuing the Fund's overall investment objective. The following describes the types of securities or techniques that the Adviser may purchase or investment techniques the Adviser may employ that are not considered to be a part of the Fund's principal investment strategies. Additional securities and techniques are described in the Fund's SAI.
Forward Foreign Currency Exchange Contracts
Contracts that attempt to eliminate currency exposure between the time of a securities transaction and settlement of that transaction. A forward foreign currency exchange contract is an agreement to buy or sell a country’s currency at a specific price on a specific date, usually 30, 60, or 90 days in the future. In other words, the contract guarantees an exchange rate on a given date.
Investment Companies
The Fund may invest in securities of other investment companies, including ETFs, if those companies invest in securities consistent with the Fund's investment objective and policies. ETFs are investment companies the shares of which are bought and sold on a securities exchange.
Securities Lending
To enhance the return on its portfolio, the Fund may lend portfolio securities to brokers, dealers, and financial institutions to realize additional income under guidelines adopted by the Board. Each loan will be secured continuously by collateral in the form of cash, securities issued by the U.S. government or its agencies or instrumentalities.
10
Risk Factors
The following provides additional information about the Fund’s principal risks and supplements those risks discussed in the Fund Summary section of this Prospectus.
Cash Position Risk — The Fund may hold any portion of its assets in cash or cash equivalents at any time or for an extended time. The Fund’s portfolio manager will determine the amount of the Fund’s assets to be held in cash or cash equivalents at its sole discretion, based on such factors as it may consider appropriate under the circumstances. The portion of the Fund’s assets invested in cash and cash equivalents may at times exceed 25% of the Fund’s net assets. To the extent the Fund holds assets in cash and otherwise uninvested, the ability of the Fund to meet its objective may be limited.
Concentration Risk — When the Fund concentrates its investments in a particular sector or in a particular group of industries, financial, economic, business, and other developments affecting issuers in that sector or group of industries will have a greater effect on the Fund than if it had not concentrated its assets in that sector or group of industries. In addition, investors may buy or sell substantial amounts of the Fund's shares in response to factors affecting or expected to affect a sector or group of industries in which the Fund concentrates its investments, resulting in extreme inflows or outflows of cash into and out of the Fund. Such inflows or outflows might affect management of the Fund adversely, to the extent that they were to cause the Fund's cash position or cash requirements to exceed normal levels.
Emerging Markets Risk — All of the risks associated with investing in foreign securities are increased in connection with investments in securities associated with emerging markets. Generally, emerging market countries are less diverse and mature than those of developed countries and their political systems are less stable. These countries are more likely to experience high levels of inflation, deflation or currency devaluation, which could also hurt their economies and securities markets. The risks of investing in these markets also include the risks of illiquidity, increased price volatility, less government regulation, less extensive and less frequent accounting, financial and other reporting requirements, risk of loss resulting from problems in share registration and custody, and the nationalization of foreign deposits or assets. In addition, countries in emerging markets are more likely to experience instability in their markets due to social and political changes, as well as military interventions and war. Further, due to the smaller securities markets, lower trading volumes and less government regulation of securities markets in emerging market countries compared to those in developed countries, investments in emerging market securities generally are more illiquid and volatile and subject to a higher risk of settlement disruptions than investments in securities of issuers in developed countries. Consequently, emerging market securities may be subject to relatively more abrupt and severe price declines.
Equity Securities Risk — The market prices of equity securities, which may include common stocks and other stock-related securities such as preferred stocks may fluctuate, sometimes rapidly or unpredictably. The value of a security may decline for reasons that directly relate to the issuer, such as management performance, financial leverage, and reduced demand for the issuer’s goods or services or due to general market conditions, such as real or perceived adverse economic conditions, changes in the general outlook for corporate earnings, changes in interest or currency rates, or adverse investor sentiment generally. Unlike debt securities, which have preference to a company’s assets in case of liquidation, equity securities are entitled to the residual value after the company meets its other obligations. The Fund may continue to accept new subscriptions and to make additional investments in equity securities even under general market conditions that a Fund’s investment team views as unfavorable for equity securities.
Foreign Securities Risk
◼
Foreign Investments Risk — Foreign investments involve certain special risks. For example, compared to U.S. companies, there generally is less publicly available information about foreign companies and there may be less governmental regulation and supervision of foreign stock exchanges, brokers, and listed companies. Foreign issuers may not be subject to the
11
Risk Factors
uniform accounting, auditing, and financial reporting standards and practices prevalent in the United States. Certain of these risks may also apply to some extent to U.S. investments that are denominated in foreign currencies and to investments in U.S. companies that have significant foreign operations. Investments in depositary receipts (such as American Depositary Receipts and Global Depositary Receipts ) may also involve additional risks associated with the non-uniform terms that apply to depositary receipt programs, credit exposure to the depository bank and to the sponsors and other parties with whom the depository bank establishes the programs, currency risk and the risk of an illiquid market for depositary receipts.
◼
Political Risk — Foreign securities markets may be more volatile than their counterparts in the United States. Investments in foreign countries could be affected by factors not present in the United States, including expropriation, confiscation of property, and difficulties in enforcing contracts. Foreign settlement procedures may also involve additional risks, and foreign issuers can be impacted by changes to trade policies and trade disputes. These factors can make foreign investments more volatile than U.S. investments.
◼
Currency Risk — Fluctuations in the exchange rates between the U.S. dollar and foreign currencies may negatively affect an investment. Adverse changes in exchange rates, currency exchange control regulations, and restrictions or prohibitions on the repatriation of foreign currencies may erode or reverse any gains produced by investments denominated in foreign currencies and may widen any losses.
◼
Legal Risk — Legal remedies for investors in foreign countries may be more limited than the legal remedies available in the United States.
General Market Risk — Stock market risk refers to the fact that the prices of equity securities and other exchange traded investments typically fluctuate more than the values of debt and other types of securities, typically in response to changes in the particular company’s financial condition and factors affecting the market in general. Over time, the stock market tends to move in cycles, with periods when stock prices rise, and periods when stock prices decline. A slower-growth or recessionary economic environment could have an adverse effect on stock prices. Consequently, a broad-based market drop may also cause a stock’s price to fall. Portfolio securities may also decline in value due to factors affecting securities markets generally, such as real or perceived adverse economic, political, or regulatory conditions, inflation, changes in interest or currency rates or adverse investor sentiment, or due to factors affecting particular industries represented in the securities markets, such as competitive conditions. Changes in the financial condition of a single issuer can impact a market as a whole, and adverse market conditions may be prolonged and may not have the same impact on all types of securities. In addition, the markets may not favor a particular kind of security, including equity securities. Values of securities may fall due to factors affecting a particular issuer, industry, or the securities market as a whole.
Market turmoil may be reflected in perceptions of economic uncertainty, price volatility in the equity and debt markets, and fluctuating trading liquidity. In response, governments may adopt a variety of fiscal and monetary policy changes, including but not limited to, direct capital infusions into companies, new monetary programs, and changes in interest rates. These policies may not be successful and any unexpected or quick reversal of these policies could increase volatility in the equity and debt markets. Market conditions and economic risks could have a significant effect on domestic and international economies and could add significantly to the risks of increased volatility and decreased liquidity for the Fund's portfolio.
12
Risk Factors
◼
Geopolitical/Natural Disaster Risk — Global economies and financial markets are increasingly interconnected, which increases the possibilities that conditions in one country or region might adversely affect issuers in another country or region. Geopolitical and other risks, including war, economic sanctions, currency controls or other actions by countries or international bodies, terrorism, trade disputes, embargoes, political or economic dysfunction within some nations, public health crises and related geopolitical events, as well as environmental disasters such as earthquakes, fires, and floods, may add to instability in world economies and markets generally. Changes in trade policies and international trade agreements could affect the economies of many countries in unpredictable ways. Epidemics and/or pandemics, such as COVID-19, may result in, among other things, closing borders, disruptions to health care service preparation and delivery, quarantines, cancellations, disruptions to supply chains and consumer activity, as well as general concern and uncertainty. The impact may last for extended periods.
◼
Information Technology and Operational Risk — Markets and market participants are increasingly reliant upon both publicly available and proprietary information data systems. Data imprecision, software or other technology malfunctions, programming inaccuracies, unauthorized use or access, and similar circumstances may impair the performance of these systems and may have an adverse impact upon a single issuer, a group of issuers, or the market at large. The information technology and other operational systems upon which the Fund’s service providers rely may be subject to cyber-attack or other technological disruptions, and could otherwise disrupt the ability of these service providers to perform essential tasks for the Fund. In certain cases, an exchange or market may close or issue trading halts on either specific securities or even the entire market, which may result in the Fund being, among other things, unable to buy or sell certain securities or financial instruments or accurately price its investments.
Large Shareholder Risk — The Fund, like all investment companies, pools the investments of many investors. Actions by one shareholder or multiple shareholders may have an impact on the Fund and, therefore, indirectly on other shareholders. For example, significant levels of new investments in the Fund by shareholders may cause the Fund to have more cash than would otherwise be the case, which might have a positive or negative impact on Fund performance. Similarly, redemption activity might cause the Fund to sell portfolio securities, which may increase transaction costs and might generate a capital gain or loss, or cause it to borrow funds on a short-term basis to cover redemptions, which would cause the Fund to incur costs that, in effect, would be borne by all shareholders and not just the redeeming shareholders. Shareholder purchase and redemption activity also may affect the per share amount of the Fund's distributions of its net investment income and net realized capital gains, if any, thereby affecting the tax burden on the Fund's shareholders subject to federal income tax, and/or accelerate the realization of taxable income and cause the Fund to make taxable distributions to its shareholders earlier than the Fund otherwise would have. In addition, under certain circumstances, non-redeeming shareholders may be treated as receiving a disproportionately large taxable distribution during or with respect to such tax year. To the extent a larger shareholder (including, for example, an affiliated fund that operates as a fund-of-funds or 529 college savings plan) is permitted to invest in the Fund, the Fund may experience large inflows or outflows of cash from time to time. This activity could magnify these adverse effects on the Fund.
Liquidity Risk — Liquidity risk exists when particular investments cannot be disposed of quickly in the normal course of business. Market values for illiquid securities may not be readily available, and there can be no assurance that any fair value assigned to an illiquid investment at any time will accurately reflect the price the Fund might receive upon the sale of that investment. The ability of the Fund to dispose of illiquid securities or other instruments at advantageous prices may be greatly limited, and the Fund may have to continue to hold such securities or instruments during periods when the Adviser would otherwise have sold them (in order, for example, to meet redemption requests or to take
13
Risk Factors
advantage of other investment opportunities). Adverse market or economic conditions independent of any specific adverse changes in the conditions of a particular issuer, including rising interest rates, may adversely affect the liquidity of the Fund’s investments. Some securities held by the Fund may be restricted as to resale, and there is often no ready market for such securities. In addition, the Fund, by itself or together with other accounts managed by the Adviser, may hold a position in an investment that is large relative to the typical trading volume for that holding, which can make it difficult for the Fund to dispose of the position at an advantageous time or price. It may also be the case that other market participants may be attempting to liquidate a position at the same time as the Fund is attempting to liquidate the same investment, causing increased supply in the market, and contributing to liquidity risk and downward pricing pressure. In such cases the sale proceeds received by the Fund may be substantially less than if the Fund had been able to sell the securities in more-orderly transactions, and the sale price may be substantially lower than the price previously used by the Fund to value the securities for purposes of determining the Fund’s net asset value. On the whole, foreign exchanges are smaller and less liquid than U.S. exchanges.
Management Risk — The investment process used by the investment team may produce incorrect judgments about the value of a particular asset or the team may implement its investment strategy in a way that may not produce the desired results.
Natural Resources Investment Risk — Investments in companies in the natural resources industries (including those in the energy sector) can be significantly affected by (often rapid) changes in supply of, or demand for, various natural resources. They may also be affected by changes in energy prices, international political and economic developments, wars or conflicts, environmental incidents, energy conservation, the success of exploration projects, changes in commodity prices, and tax and other government regulations. For example, the COVID-19 pandemic drastically reduced the demand for various natural resources and has drastically increased the price volatility of natural resources and companies within the natural resources industry. An extended period of reduced (or negative) prices may significantly lengthen the time that companies within the natural resources industries would need to recover after a stabilization of prices. Markets generally and companies in the natural resources industries specifically, including MLPs in which the Fund invests, could be adversely impacted by reduced demand for energy commodities as a result of the slowdown in economic activity.
Investments in interests in oil, gas or mineral exploration or development programs, including pipelines, may be held through MLPs, which are limited partnerships in which ownership units are publicly traded. While MLPs often own or own interests in properties or businesses that are related to oil and gas industries, including pipelines, MLPs may invest in other types of industries, or in credit-related investments. Generally, an MLP is operated under the supervision of one or more managing general partners. Limited partners (including the Fund when it invests in an MLP) are not involved in the day-to-day management of the partnership. The Fund also may invest in companies that serve (or whose affiliates serve) as the general partner of an MLP.
Investments in MLPs are generally subject to many of the risks that apply to partnerships. For example, holders of the units of MLPs may have limited control and limited voting rights on matters affecting the partnership. There may be fewer corporate protections afforded investors in an MLP than investors in a corporation. Conflicts of interest may exist among unit holders, subordinated unit holders and the general partner of an MLP, including those arising from incentive distribution payments. MLPs that concentrate in a particular industry or region are subject to risks associated with such industry or region. MLPs holding credit-related investments are subject to interest rate risk and the risk of default on payment obligations by debt issuers. Investments held by MLPs may be illiquid. MLP units may trade infrequently and in limited volume, and they may be subject to more abrupt or erratic price movements than securities of larger or more broadly based companies.
The Fund may also hold investments in limited liability companies that have many of the same characteristics and are subject to many of the same risks as MLPs.
14
Risk Factors
The manner and extent of the Fund’s investments in MLPs and limited liability companies may be limited by its intention to qualify as a regulated investment company under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, and any such investments by the Fund may adversely affect the ability of the Fund to so qualify.
Non-Diversification Risk — A fund that is non-diversified may invest a greater percentage of its assets in a particular issuer or group of issuers than a diversified fund would. This increased investment in fewer issuers may result in the Fund being more sensitive to the economic results of those issuing securities, and, as a result, gains and losses on a single investment may have a greater impact on the Fund’s NAV and may make the Fund more volatile than more diversified funds.
Private Placement Risk — A private placement involves the sale of securities that have not been registered under U.S. or foreign securities laws to certain institutional and qualified individual purchasers. In addition to the general risks to which all securities are subject, securities received in a private placement generally are subject to strict restrictions on resale, and there may be no liquid secondary market or ready purchaser for such securities. Securities sold through private placements are not publicly traded and, therefore, are less liquid. Companies seeking private placement investments tend to be in earlier stages of development and have not yet been fully tested in the public marketplace.
Smaller-Capitalization Stock Risk — Small- or mid-sized companies often have more limited managerial and financial resources than larger, more established companies and, therefore, may be more susceptible to market downturns or changing economic conditions. In addition, such companies may have been recently organized and have little or no track record of success. Also, the Adviser may not have had an opportunity to evaluate such newer companies’ performance in adverse or fluctuating market conditions. The securities of smaller-sized companies may trade less frequently and in smaller volume than more widely held securities. Prices of small- or mid-sized companies tend to be more volatile than those of larger companies and small- or mid-sized issuers may be subject to greater degrees of changes in their earnings and prospects. Since smaller-company stocks typically have narrower markets and are traded in lower volumes than larger-company stocks, they may be often more difficult to purchase and sell.
Additional Risk Factors. The Adviser may use several types of investment strategies in pursuing the Fund's overall investment objective. The following risks are those that the Adviser does not consider to be principal risks of the Fund. Additional risks are included in the Fund's SAI.
Investment Company Risk — The Fund's ability to achieve its investment objective may be directly related to the ability of other investment companies (including ETFs) held by the Fund to meet their investment objectives. In addition, shareholders of the Fund will indirectly bear the fees and expenses of the underlying investment companies. Lack of liquidity in an ETF could result in an ETF being more
volatile than the underlying portfolio of securities.
15
Risk Factors
Securities Lending Risk — The risk in lending portfolio securities, as with other extensions of credit, consists of the possibility of loss to the Fund due to (1) the inability of the borrower to return the securities, (2) a delay in receiving additional collateral to adequately cover any fluctuations in the value of securities on loan, (3) a delay in recovery of the securities, or (4) the loss of rights in the collateral should the borrower fail financially. These events could trigger adverse tax consequences for the Fund. In addition, the Fund is responsible for any loss that might result from its investment of the borrower’s collateral. In determining whether to lend securities, the Adviser or the Fund’s securities lending agent will consider relevant facts and circumstances, including the creditworthiness of the borrower.
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An investment in the
Fund is not a complete
investment program. |
16
Impact on Returns Example
The following example is intended to help you assess the impact of the operating expenses of the Fund on the Fund’s potential returns. The example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for a 10-year period, and that your investment earns a 5% return each year. The example reflects the impact of sales loads and the impact of any fee waiver/expense reimbursement agreement in place for the Fund through its expiration date, as detailed in the Annual Fund Operating Expenses table of the Fund. Your actual costs may be higher or lower.
Based on these assumptions, the following table shows, for each year and cumulatively for all 10 years (1) the fees and the costs (the “Expenses”) associated with your investment and (2) the difference (the “Impact on Return”) between your return if the Fund had not incurred the Expenses and your return after giving effect to the Expenses.
Example of the Impact of Annual Fund Operating Expenses on Fund Returns
(based on a $10,000 investment and a 5% annual return)
(based on a $10,000 investment and a 5% annual return)
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Year 1 |
Year 2 |
Year 3 |
Year 4 |
Year 5 |
Year 6 |
Year 7 |
Year 8 |
Year 9 |
Year 10 |
Cumulative
10-Year |
|
Victory Global Energy Transition Fund | |||||||||||
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Class A Shares | |||||||||||
|
Expenses |
$717 |
$154 |
$159 |
$165 |
$170 |
$176 |
$182 |
$189 |
$195 |
$202 |
$2,309 |
|
Impact on Return |
$743 |
$188 |
$203 |
$219 |
$235 |
$253 |
$271 |
$291 |
$312 |
$334 |
$3,049 |
|
Class C Shares | |||||||||||
|
Expenses |
$231 |
$288 |
$294 |
$301 |
$307 |
$314 |
$321 |
$328 |
$189 |
$196 |
$2,769 |
|
Impact on Return |
$228 |
$296 |
$317 |
$339 |
$363 |
$388 |
$414 |
$442 |
$325 |
$348 |
$3,460 |
|
Class Y Shares | |||||||||||
|
Expenses |
$117 |
$128 |
$133 |
$138 |
$143 |
$149 |
$154 |
$160 |
$166 |
$173 |
$1,461 |
|
Impact on Return |
$115 |
$131 |
$143 |
$155 |
$168 |
$181 |
$196 |
$212 |
$228 |
$246 |
$1,775 |
17
Organization and Management of the Fund
The Fund's Board has the overall responsibility for overseeing the management of the Fund.
The Investment Adviser
The Adviser serves as the investment adviser to each of the Victory Funds pursuant to an investment advisory agreement and oversees the operations of the Fund according to investment policies and procedures adopted by the Board. The Adviser is a New York corporation that is registered as an investment adviser with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”). As of March 31, 2024, the Adviser managed and advised assets totaling in excess of $170.3 billion for individual and institutional clients. The Adviser’s principal address is 15935 La Cantera Parkway, San Antonio, TX 78256.
A discussion regarding the basis of the Board’s approval of the Fund's Advisory and Subadvisory Agreements is available in the Fund's most recent annual report to shareholders for the period ended December 31.
Advisory fees to be paid annually, before waivers, will be equal to an annual rate of 1.00% of the average daily net assets of the Fund.
See “Fund Fees and Expenses” for information about any contractual agreement agreed to by the Adviser to waive fees and/or reimburse expenses with respect to the Fund. From time to time, the Adviser also may voluntarily waive fees and/or reimburse expenses in amounts exceeding those required to be waived or reimbursed under any contractual agreement that may be in place with respect to the Fund.
The Sub-Adviser
The Adviser has entered into a Sub-Advisory Agreement with SailingStone. SailingStone is responsible for the day-to-day investment management of the Fund, which includes buying and selling securities and choosing broker-dealers. SailingStone is a Delaware limited liability company that has provided investment advisory services since 2014. SailingStone had approximately $458 million in assets under management as of March 31, 2024. The principal business address of SailingStone is 100 Waugh Drive, Suite 600, Houston, Texas 77007. For its services, the Adviser, not the Fund, pays SailingStone an annual fee out of the Adviser’s advisory fee.
See “Fund Fees and Expenses” for information about any contractual agreement by the Adviser to waive fees and/or reimburse expenses with respect to the Fund. From time to time, the Adviser also may voluntarily waive fees and/or reimburse expenses in amounts exceeding those required to be waived or reimbursed under any contractual agreement that may be in place with respect to the Fund.
Portfolio Management
MacKenzie B. Davis has been responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fund (including its predecessor fund) since 2005. Mr. Davis has been a Managing Partner of SailingStone since the commencement of its operations in 2014. Mr. Davis is a CFA charterholder.
Kenneth L. Settles Jr. has been responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fund (including its predecessor fund) since 2007. Mr. Settles has been a Managing Partner of SailingStone since the commencement of its operations in 2014. Mr. Settles is a CFA charterholder.
18
Organization and Management of the Fund
Brian Lively has been responsible for day-to-day management of the Fund since 2020. Mr. Lively has been a Partner of SailingStone since the commencement of its operations in 2014. He is currently an investment analyst and portfolio manager.
The Fund's SAI provides additional information about the portfolio managers' method of compensation, other accounts they manage, and any ownership interests they may have in the Fund.
19
Investing with the Victory Funds
|
All you need to get started is fill out an application. |
If you are looking for a convenient way to open an account or to add money to an existing account, we can help. The sections that follow will serve as a guide to your investment with the Victory Funds. These sections describe many of the share classes currently offered by the Victory Funds. The section Choosing a Share Class will help you decide which share class it may be to your advantage to buy.
Keep in mind that Class I, Class R, Class R6, and Class Y shares are available for purchase only by eligible shareholders. In addition, not all Victory Funds offer each class of shares described below, and therefore, certain classes may be discussed that are not necessarily offered by the Fund. The classes of shares that are offered by the Fund are those listed on the cover page designated with a ticker symbol. The Fund may also offer other share classes in different prospectuses. The Victory Funds may offer additional classes of shares in the future.
This section of the Prospectus also describes how to open an account, how to access information about your account, and how to buy, exchange, and sell shares of a Victory Fund. Note, this information may vary if you invest through a third party such as a brokerage firm and will be dependent on that firm's policies and practices. Consult your Investment Professional for specific details.
We want to make it simple for you to do business with us. If you have questions about any of this information, please call your Investment Professional or one of our customer service representatives at 800-539-FUND (800-539-3863). They will be happy to assist you.
|
An Investment Professional is an investment consultant, salesperson, financial planner,
investment adviser, or trust officer who provides you with investment information.
Your Investment Professional also can help you decide which share class is best for you.
Investment Professionals and other financial intermediaries may charge fees for their services. |
20
Share Price
|
The daily NAV is useful to you as a shareholder because the NAV,
multiplied by the number of Fund shares you own, gives you the value of your investment. |
The Fund calculates its share price, called its net asset value (“NAV”), each business day as of the close of regular trading on the New York Stock Exchange, Inc. (“NYSE”), which is normally 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time. The NAV takes into account the expenses and fees of the Fund, including management, administration, and distribution fees (if any), which are accrued daily. In the event of an emergency or other disruption in trading on the NYSE, the Fund’s share price will be determined based upon the close of the NYSE. You may buy, exchange, and sell your shares on any business day at a price that is based on the NAV that is next calculated after you place your order. A business day is a day on which the NYSE is open. The NYSE is closed on weekends, most national holidays, and Good Friday.
To the extent the Fund’s investments include securities that are traded primarily in foreign markets, the value of those securities may change on days when shareholders are unable to purchase and redeem the Fund’s shares, such as on weekends or other days when the Fund does not price its shares.
The Fund prices its investments based on market value when market quotations are readily available. When these quotations are not readily available, the Adviser will price the Fund’s investments at fair value in accordance with applicable regulatory requirements. A security will be fair valued when:
◼
Trading in the security has been halted;
◼
The market quotation for the security is clearly erroneous due to a clerical error;
◼
The security’s liquidity decreases such that, in the Adviser's opinion, the market quotation has become stale; or
◼
An event occurs after the close of the trading market (but before the Fund’s NAV is calculated) that, in the Adviser’s opinion, materially affects the value of the security.
The use of fair value pricing may minimize arbitrage opportunities that attempt to exploit the differences between a security's market quotation and its fair value. The use of fair value pricing may not, however, always reflect a security’s actual market value in light of subsequent relevant information, and the security’s opening price on the next trading day may be different from the fair value price assigned to the security.
Each Victory Fund calculates the NAV of each share class by adding up the total value of the investments and other assets of that class, subtracting its liabilities, and then dividing that figure by the number of outstanding shares of the class.
|
NAV= |
Total Assets - Liabilities |
|
Number of Shares Outstanding |
The Fund's NAV is available by calling 800-539-FUND (800-539-3863) or by visiting the Fund's website at vcm.com.
21
Choosing a Share Class
CLASS A
◼
Front-end sales charge, as described in this section. There are several ways to reduce or eliminate this charge as discussed under Sales Charge Reductions and Waivers for Class A Shares.
◼
A contingent deferred sales charge (“CDSC”) may be imposed if you sell your shares within 18 months of purchase. The CDSC may be waived or reduced in certain circumstances as discussed under CDSC Reductions for Class A and Class C Shares.
◼
Class A shares also pay ongoing distribution and/or service (12b-1) fees.
◼
Lower annual expenses than Class C or Class R shares.
CLASS C
◼
No front-end sales charge. All your money goes to work for you right away.
◼
A CDSC may be imposed if you sell your shares within 12 months of purchase. The CDSC may be waived or reduced in certain circumstances as discussed under CDSC Reductions for Class A and Class C Shares.
◼
Class C shares also pay ongoing distribution and/or service (12b-1) fees.
◼
Higher annual expenses than all other classes of shares.
CLASS I
◼
No front-end sales charge or CDSC. All your money goes to work for you right away.
◼
Class I shares do not pay any ongoing distribution and/or service (12b-1) fees.
◼
Class I shares are only available to certain investors.
◼
Typically lower annual expenses than all other classes of shares except Class R6 shares.
CLASS R
◼
No front-end sales charge or CDSC. All your money goes to work for you right away.
◼
Class R shares pay ongoing distribution and/or service (12b-1) fees.
◼
Class R shares are only available to certain investors.
◼
Higher annual expenses than all classes except Class C shares.
CLASS R6
◼
No front-end sales charge or CDSC. All your money goes to work for you right away.
◼
Class R6 shares do not pay any ongoing distribution and/or service (12b-1) fees.
◼
Class R6 shares are only available to certain investors.
◼
Typically lower annual expenses than all other classes of shares.
CLASS Y
◼
No front-end sales charge or CDSC. All your money goes to work for you right away.
◼
Class Y shares do not pay any ongoing distribution and/or service (12b-1) fees.
◼
Class Y shares are only available to certain investors.
◼
Typically lower annual expenses than Classes A, C, and R shares.
22
Choosing a Share Class
Share Classes
When you purchase shares of the Fund, you must choose a share class. The Victory Funds offer Class A, Class C, Class I, Class R, Class R6, and Class Y shares. Each share class represents an interest in the same portfolio of securities, but the classes differ in the sales charges, if any, and expenses that apply to your investment, allowing you and your Investment Professional to choose the class that best suits your investment needs.
Deciding which share class best suits your investment needs depends on a number of factors that you should discuss with your Investment Professional, including: how long you expect to hold your investment, how much you intend to invest, and the total expenses associated with each share class.
The Fund reserves the right to change the eligibility criteria for purchasing a particular share class. For example, a class of shares may be available to purchase only by retirement plans or by institutional investors. The Fund may also waive any applicable eligibility criteria or investment minimums at its discretion.
The Fund or any class may be closed at any time for failure to achieve an economical level of assets or for other reasons. Certain financial intermediaries who hold shares on behalf of their customers impose fees when the amount of shares of a particular class falls below a minimum threshold. To the extent that the amount of shares falls below that threshold, the Fund reserves the right to liquidate the shares held in accounts maintained by the financial intermediary.
Calculation of Sales Charges for Class A Shares
|
For historical expense information, see the “Financial Highlights”
at the end of this Prospectus. |
Class A shares are sold at their public offering price, which is the NAV plus any applicable initial sales charge, also referred to as the “front-end sales load.” The sales charge may be reduced or eliminated for larger purchases, as detailed below or as described under Sales Charge Reductions and Waivers for Class A Shares. The investment levels required to obtain a reduced sales charge are commonly referred to as “breakpoints.”
All Class A purchases are subject to the terms described herein except for those purchases made through an intermediary specified in Appendix A - Variations in Sales Charge Reductions and Waivers Available Through Certain Intermediaries.
In order to obtain a breakpoint discount, you must inform the Victory Funds or your Investment Professional at the time you purchase shares of the existence of the other Victory accounts or purchases of Victory Funds that are eligible to be linked for the purpose of calculating the initial sales charge. The Fund or your Investment Professional may ask you for records or other information about other Victory Funds held in your Victory accounts and any linked accounts, such as accounts opened with a different financial intermediary.
23
Choosing a Share Class
The current sales charge rates and breakpoint levels for Class A shares of the Fund are listed below:
|
Your Investment in the Fund |
Sales
Charge
as a % of
Offering
Price |
Sales
Charge
as a % of
Your
Investment |
|
Up to $49,999 |
5.75% |
6.10% |
|
$50,000 up to $99,999 |
4.50% |
4.71% |
|
$100,000 up to $249,999 |
3.50% |
3.63% |
|
$250,000 up to $499,999 |
2.50% |
2.56% |
|
$500,000 up to $999,999 |
2.00% |
2.04% |
|
$1,000,000 and above1
|
0.00% |
0.00% |
1 A contingent deferred sales charge (“CDSC”) of 0.75% may be imposed on certain redemptions of Class A shares purchased without an initial sales charge if any of those shares are redeemed within 18 months of purchase. This charge will be based on either the cost of the shares or NAV at the time of redemption, whichever is lower. No CDSC is imposed on shares representing reinvested distributions. You may be eligible for a reduction or waiver of this CDSC under certain circumstances. See CDSC Reductions for Class A and Class C Shares and Appendix A - Variations in Sales Charge Reductions and Waivers Available Through Certain Intermediaries for details.
Sales Charge Reductions and Waivers for Class A Shares
|
There are several ways you can combine multiple purchases of Class A shares of the Victory
Funds to take advantage of reduced sales charges or, in some cases, eliminate sales charges. |
There are a number of ways you can reduce or eliminate your sales charges, which we describe below. In order to obtain a Class A sales charge reduction or waiver, you must provide your financial intermediary or the Fund's transfer agent, at the time of purchase, with current information regarding shares of any Victory Funds held in other accounts. This information must include account statements or other records (including written representations from the intermediary holding the shares) that indicate any accounts (e.g., retirement accounts) established (i) with the Victory Funds and your Investment Professional; (ii) with other financial intermediaries; and (iii) in the name of immediate family household members (spouse or domestic partner and children under 21) with regard to Rights of Accumulation.
The availability of a sales charge reduction or waiver discussed below will depend upon whether you purchase your shares directly from the Fund or through a financial intermediary. If you are eligible for a sales charge reduction because you own shares of other Victory Funds, you must notify the Fund or your financial intermediary at the time of purchase of any relationship or other facts qualifying you for sales charge reductions or waivers. Some intermediaries impose different policies for sales charge waivers and reductions. These variations are described in Appendix A — Variations in Sales Charge Reductions and Waivers Available Through Certain Intermediaries. Except as described with respect to the intermediaries specified in Appendix A, all Class A shares are subject to the terms stated below. In order to obtain waivers and discounts that are not available through your intermediary, you must purchase Fund shares directly from the Fund or through another intermediary.
You can find additional information regarding sales charges and their reductions, free of charge, at vcm.com/policies, by clicking on Victory Funds Pricing Policies.
You may reduce or eliminate the sales charge applicable to Class A shares in a number of ways:
◼
Breakpoint - Purchase a sufficient amount to reach a breakpoint (see Calculation of Sales Charges for Class A Shares above);
◼
Letter of Intent - If you anticipate purchasing $50,000 or more of Class A shares of the Fund, including any purchase of other Victory Funds of any share class (except money market funds and any assets held in group retirement plans), within a 13-month period, you may qualify for a sales charge breakpoint as though you were investing the total amount in one lump sum. In order
24
Choosing a Share Class
to qualify for the reduced sales charge, you must submit a non-binding Letter of Intent (the “Letter”) within 90 days of the start of the purchases. Each investment you make after signing the Letter will be entitled to the sales charge applicable to the total investment indicated in the Letter. You must start with a minimum initial investment of at least 5.00% of the total amount you intend to purchase. A portion of the shares purchased under the Letter will be held in escrow until the total investment has been completed. In the event you do not complete your commitment set forth in the Letter in the time period specified, sufficient escrowed shares will be redeemed to pay any applicable front-end sales charges;
◼
Right of Accumulation - Whereas a Letter of Intent allows you to qualify for a discount by combining your current purchase amount with purchases you intend to make in the near future, a Right of Accumulation allows you to reduce the initial sales charge on a Class A investment by combining the amount of your current purchase with the current market value of prior investments made by you, your spouse (including domestic partner), and your children under age 21 in any class of shares of any Victory Fund (except money market funds and any assets held in group retirement plans). The value of eligible existing holdings will be calculated by using the greater of the current value or the original investment amount. To ensure that you receive a reduced price using the Fund’s Right of Accumulation, you or your Investment Professional must inform the Funds that the Right applies each time shares are purchased and provide sufficient information to permit confirmation of qualification;
◼
Reinstatement Privilege - You may reinvest at NAV all or part of your redemption proceeds within 90 days of a redemption of Class A shares of the Fund;
◼
Waiver - The Victory Funds will completely waive the sales charge for Class A shares in the following cases:
◼
Purchases of at least $250,000 for certain Funds or $1 million for others;
◼
Purchases by certain individuals associated with the Victory Funds or service providers (see “Eligibility of Individuals Associated with the Victory Funds and Fund Service Providers”);
◼
Purchases by registered broker-dealers, financial intermediaries or their agents or affiliates who have agreements with the Fund's distributor (the “Distributor”), if the shares are purchased for their own account, purchased for retirement plans of their employees or sold to registered representatives or full-time employees (or their immediate families), provided that such purchase is for one of the foregoing types of accounts;
◼
Purchases for trust or other advisory accounts established with a financial institution and fee-based investment products or accounts;
◼
Reinvestment of proceeds from a liquidation distribution of Class A shares of a Victory Fund held in a deferred compensation plan, agency, trust, or custody account;
◼
Purchases by retirement plans, including Section 401 and 457 plans sponsored by a Section 501(c)(3) organization and certain non-qualified deferred compensation arrangements that operate in a similar manner to qualified plans. Investors nonetheless may be charged a fee if they effect transactions in Class A shares through a broker or agent;
◼
Purchases by participants in no transaction fee programs offered by certain broker-dealers (sometimes referred to as “supermarkets”);
◼
Purchases by certain financial intermediaries who offer shares to self-directed investment brokerage accounts that may or may not charge a transaction fee to its customers;
◼
Shareholders investing directly with the Fund who do not have a third-party financial intermediary or registered representative assigned, or who invest directly in certain products sponsored by the Adviser or its affiliates;
◼
Purchases by CMS Energy employees participating in a Victory prototype Roth IRA plan by way of payroll deduction from CMS Energy; and
25
Choosing a Share Class
◼
Individuals who reinvest the proceeds of redemptions from Class I, Class R6, or Class Y shares of a Victory Fund within 60 days of redemption.
You should inform the Fund or your Investment Professional at the time of purchase of the sales charge waiver category which you believe applies.
CDSC for Class A Shares
A CDSC of 0.75% may be imposed on certain redemptions of Class A shares purchased without an initial sales charge if any of those shares are redeemed within 18 months of purchase. This charge will be based on either the cost of the shares or NAV at the time of redemption, whichever is lower. No CDSC is imposed on shares representing reinvested distributions.
More information is available in CDSC Reductions and Waivers for Class A and Class C Shares and Appendix A – Variations in Sales Charge Reductions and Waivers Available Through Certain Intermediaries. All Class A purchases are subject to the terms described herein except for those purchases made through the intermediaries specified in Appendix A.
CDSC for Class C Shares
You will pay a 1.00% CDSC on any Class C shares you sell within 12 months of purchase. The CDSC is based on the current value of the shares being sold or their NAV when purchased, whichever is less. There is no CDSC on shares you acquire by reinvesting your dividends or capital gains distributions. You may be eligible for reduction or waiver of this CDSC under certain circumstances. There is no CDSC imposed when you exchange your shares for Class C shares of another Victory Fund; however, your exchange is subject to the same CDSC schedule that applied to your original purchase.
An investor may, within 90 days of a redemption of Class C shares, reinvest all or part of the redemption proceeds in the Class C shares of any Victory Fund at the NAV next computed after receipt by the transfer agent of the reinvestment order. Class C share proceeds reinvested do not result in a refund of any CDSC paid by the shareholder, but the reinvested shares will be treated as CDSC exempt upon reinvestment. The shareholder must ask the Distributor for such privilege at the time of reinvestment.
To keep your CDSC as low as possible, each time you sell shares we will first sell shares in your account that are not subject to a CDSC. If there are not enough of these to meet your sale, we will sell the shares in the order they were purchased.
More information is available in CDSC Reductions and Waivers for Class A and Class C Shares and Appendix A – Variations in Sales Charge Reductions and Waivers Available Through Certain Intermediaries.
CDSC Reductions and Waivers for Class A and Class C Shares
No CDSC is imposed on redemptions of Class A and Class C shares in the following circumstances:
◼
To the extent that the shares redeemed:
◼
are no longer subject to the holding period for such shares;
◼
resulted from reinvestment of distributions; or
◼
were exchanged for shares of another Victory Fund as allowed by the Prospectus, provided that the shares acquired in such exchange or subsequent exchanges will continue to remain subject to the CDSC, if applicable, calculated from the original date of purchase until the applicable holding period expires. In determining whether the CDSC applies to each redemption, shares not subject to a CDSC are redeemed first;
◼
Following the death or post-purchase disability of:
◼
a registered shareholder on an account; or
26
Choosing a Share Class
◼
a settlor of a living trust, of shares held in the account at the time of death or initial determination of post-purchase disability;
◼
Distributions from individual retirement accounts, Section 403(b), Section 457 and Section 401 qualified plans, where redemptions result from:
◼
required minimum distributions with respect to that portion of such contributions that does not exceed 12% annually;
◼
tax free returns of excess contributions or returns of excess deferral amounts;
◼
distributions on the death or disability of the account holder;
◼
distributions for the purpose of a loan or hardship withdrawal from a participant plan balance; or
◼
distributions as a result of separation of service;
◼
Distributions as a result of a Qualified Domestic Relations Order or Domestic Relations Order required by a court settlement;
◼
In instances where the investor’s dealer or institution waived its commission in connection with the purchase and notifies the Distributor prior to the time of investment;
◼
When the redemption is made as part of a Systematic Withdrawal Plan (including dividends), up to an annual amount of 12% of the account value on a per fund basis, at the time the withdrawal plan is established; or
◼
Participant-initiated distributions from employee benefit plans or participant-initiated exchanges among investment choices in employee benefit plans.
Eligibility Requirements to Purchase Class I Shares
Class I shares may only be purchased by:
◼
Institutional and individual retail investors with a minimum investment in Class I shares of $2,000,000 who purchase through certain broker-dealers or directly from the transfer agent;
◼
Investors who purchase through advisory programs with an approved financial intermediary in which the financial intermediary typically charges the investor a fee based upon the value of the account (“Advisory Programs”). Such transactions may be subject to additional rules or requirements of the applicable Advisory Program;
◼
Retirement plans, including Section 401 and 457 plans, Section 403 plans sponsored by a Section 501(c)(3) organization and certain non-qualified deferred compensation arrangements that operate in a similar manner to qualified plans; or
◼
Brokers (and their sales representatives) where those brokers have agreements with the Distributor to sell shares of a Fund.
A Fund may allow a lower initial investment if, in the opinion of the Distributor, the investor has the adequate intent and availability of assets to reach a future level of investment of $2,000,000.
Eligibility Requirements to Purchase Class R Shares
Class R shares may only be purchased by:
◼
Retirement plans, including Section 401 and 457 plans, Section 403 plans sponsored by a Section 501(c)(3) organization and certain non-qualified deferred compensation arrangements that operate in a similar manner to qualified plans; or
◼
Investors who purchase through Advisory Programs with an approved financial intermediary.
27
Choosing a Share Class
Eligibility Requirements to Purchase Class R6 Shares
Class R6 shares may only be purchased by:
◼
Registered investment companies;
◼
Retirement plans, including Section 401 and 457 plans, Section 403 plans sponsored by a Section 501(c)(3) organization, employer sponsored benefit plans (including health savings accounts) and certain non-qualified deferred compensation arrangements that operate in a similar manner to qualified plans;
◼
Endowments and foundations; or
◼
Investors who purchase through Advisory Programs with an approved financial intermediary.
Eligibility Requirements to Purchase Class Y Shares
Class Y shares may only be purchased by:
◼
Institutional and individual retail investors with a minimum investment in Class Y shares of $1,000,000 who purchase through certain broker-dealers or directly from the transfer agent;
◼
Clients of state-registered or federally registered investment advisors (RIAs), where such RIAs trade through institutional trading platforms approved by a Fund, who invest at least $2,500;
◼
Brokerage platforms of firms that have agreements with the Distributor to offer such shares solely when acting as an agent for the investor. An investor transacting in Class Y shares through these programs may be required to pay a commission and/or other forms of compensation to the broker;
◼
Pension, profit sharing, employee benefit and other similar plans and trusts that invest in a Fund;
◼
Investors who purchase through Advisory Programs with an approved financial intermediary; or
◼
Purchases by:
◼
investment advisory clients of the Adviser; or
◼
investment advisors, consultants, broker-dealers and other financial intermediaries investing for their own accounts or for the accounts of their immediate family members.
The Fund may allow a lower initial investment if, in the opinion of the Distributor, the investor has the adequate intent and availability of assets to reach a future level of investment of $1,000,000.
Eligibility of Individuals Associated with the Victory Funds and Fund Service Providers
Current and retired Victory Fund trustees and the officers, directors, trustees, employees, and family members of employees of the Adviser or Affiliated Providers are eligible to purchase the lowest expense share class offered by the Fund. In the case of Class A shares, such purchases are not subject to a front-end sales charge. “Affiliated Providers” are affiliates of the Adviser and organizations that provide services to the Trust.
|
The Fund reserves the right to change the criteria for eligible investors and
the investment minimums. |
28
Information About Fees
Distribution and Service Plans
In accordance with Rule 12b-1 under the Investment Company Act of 1940, the Trust has adopted Distribution and Service Plans for Class A, Class C, and Class R shares.
Under the Class A Distribution and Service Plan, the Fund will pay to the Distributor a monthly fee at an annual rate of up to 0.25% of its average daily net assets of its Class A shares. Under the Class R Distribution and Service Plan, the Fund will pay to the Distributor a monthly fee at an annual rate of up to 0.50% of its average daily net assets of its Class R shares. The fee is paid for general distribution services and for providing personal services to shareholders. Distribution and selling services are provided by the Distributor or by agents of the Distributor and include those services intended to result in the sale of Fund shares. Personal services to shareholders are generally provided by broker-dealers or other intermediaries and consist of responding to inquiries, providing information to shareholders about their Fund accounts, establishing and maintaining accounts and records, providing dividend and distribution payments, arranging for bank wires, assisting in transactions and changing account information.
Under the Class C Distribution and Service Plan, the Fund will pay to the Distributor a monthly fee at an annual rate of 1.00% of the average daily net assets of its Class C shares. Of this amount, 0.75% of the Fund’s Class C shares average daily net assets will be paid for general distribution services and for selling Class C shares. The Fund will pay 0.25% of its Class C shares average daily net assets to compensate financial institutions that provide personal services to Class C shareholders of the Fund. Distribution and selling services are provided by the Distributor or by agents of the Distributor and include those services intended to result in the sale of the Fund’s Class C shares. Personal services to shareholders are generally provided by broker-dealers or other financial intermediaries and consist of responding to inquiries, providing information to shareholders about their Fund accounts, establishing and maintaining accounts and records, providing dividend and distribution payments, arranging for bank wires, assisting in transactions, and changing account information.
Because Rule 12b-1 fees are paid out of the Fund’s assets and 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.
29
Information About Fees
Other Payments to Financial Intermediaries
Except with respect to Class R6 shares, if you purchase Fund shares through an Investment Professional, a broker-dealer, or other financial intermediary, the Fund may pay for sub-transfer agent, recordkeeping and/or similar administrative services. In addition, the Adviser (and its affiliates) may make substantial payments out of its own resources, including the profits from the advisory fees the Adviser receives from the Fund, to affiliated and unaffiliated dealers or other Investment Professionals and service providers for distribution, administrative and/or shareholder servicing activities. The Adviser also may reimburse the Distributor (or the Distributor's affiliates) for making these payments. Some of these distribution-related payments may be made to dealers or other Investment Professionals for marketing, promotional or related expenses; these payments are often referred to as “revenue sharing.” The Adviser (and its affiliates) also may pay fixed fees for the listing of the Fund on a broker-dealer’s or financial intermediary’s system. Such payments are not considered to be revenue sharing payments.
In some circumstances, these types of payments may create an incentive for a dealer or Investment Professional or its representatives to recommend or offer shares of the Victory Funds to its customers. You should ask your dealer or Investment Professional for more details about any such payments it receives.
No compensation, administrative payments, sub-transfer agency payments or service payments are paid to broker-dealers or other financial intermediaries from Fund assets, or from the resources of the Adviser or its affiliates on sales of or investments in Class R6 shares.
30
How to Buy Shares
Opening an Account
If you would like to open an account, you will first need to complete an Account Application.
You can obtain an Account Application by calling Victory Funds Customer Service at 800-539-FUND (800-539-3863). You can also download an Account Application by visiting the Victory Funds’ website, VictoryFunds.com, and clicking on the Victory Funds Account Application link. Send the completed Account Application, along with a check made payable to the Victory Funds, at the following address:
Victory Funds
P.O. Box 182593
Columbus, OH 43218-2593
P.O. Box 182593
Columbus, OH 43218-2593
You can also obtain an Account Application by contacting your Investment Professional. When you invest through an Investment Professional, the procedures for buying, selling, and exchanging shares and the account features and policies may differ. In addition to any limitations described in this Prospectus, an Investment Professional or other intermediary may also place other limits on your ability to use the services of the Fund. Sometimes an Investment Professional will charge you for its services. This fee will be in addition to, and unrelated to, the fees and expenses charged by the Fund.
Mutual funds must obtain and verify information that identifies investors opening new accounts. If the Fund is unable to collect the required information, you may not be able to open your account. Additional details about the Fund's Customer Identification Program are available in the section “Important Fund Policies.”
If you participate in a retirement plan that offers one of the Victory Funds as an option, please consult your employer for information on how to purchase shares of the Victory Funds through the plan, including any restrictions or limitations that may apply.
Paying for Your Initial Purchase
If you wish to make an investment directly into the Victory Funds, make your check payable to the “Victory Funds.” All checks must be drawn on U.S. banks. If your check is returned as uncollectible for any reason, you will be charged for any resulting fees and/or losses. The Fund does not accept cash, money orders, traveler’s checks, credit card convenience checks, or third-party checks. Additionally, bank starter checks are not accepted for the shareholder’s initial investment into the Fund. All payments must be denominated in U.S. dollars.
Minimum Investments
If you would like to buy Class A or Class C shares, the minimum investment required to open an account is $2,500 ($1,000 for IRA accounts), with additional investments of at least $50. Different intermediaries may impose different minimum investments. These variations are described in Appendix A – Variations in Sales Charge Reductions and Waivers Available Through Certain Intermediaries. If you would like to buy Class I, Class R, Class R6, or Class Y shares, you must be an Eligible Investor, as discussed in the section Choosing a Share Class — Eligibility Requirements to Purchase. Eligible Investors may be subject to a minimum investment amount as detailed in that section.
For Class C shares, individual purchases of $1,000,000 and above will be made automatically in Class A shares.
If your account falls below the minimum investment amount, we may ask you to reestablish the minimum investment. If you do not do so within 60 days, we may close your account and send you the value of your account.
31
How to Buy Shares
The minimum investment required to open an account may be waived or lowered for employees and immediate family members of the employees, of the Adviser, the Administrator, and their affiliates. In addition, the minimum investment required may be waived when the Fund is purchased through an Advisory Program, within qualified retirement plans or in other similar circumstances. Although the Fund may sometimes waive the minimum investment, when it does so, it always reserves the right to reject initial investments under the minimum at its discretion.
There is no minimum investment required to open an account or for additional investments in Victory Simple IRAs.
The Fund reserves the right to change the criteria for eligible investors and the investment minimums.
Purchasing Additional Shares
Once you have an existing account, you can make additional investments at any time in any amount (subject to any minimums) in the following ways:
◼
By Mail
To ensure that your additional investment is properly credited to your account, use the Investment Stub attached to your confirmation statement and send it with your check to the address indicated.
◼
By Telephone
If you have an existing account that has been set up to receive electronic transfers, you can buy additional shares by calling Victory Funds Customer Service at 800-539-FUND (800-539-3863) between 8:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. (Eastern Time), Monday through Friday.
◼
By Exchange
You may purchase shares of the Fund using the proceeds from the simultaneous redemption of shares of another Victory Fund if it is eligible for an exchange with your Fund. You may initiate an exchange online (if you are a registered user of VictoryFunds.com), by telephone, or by mail. See the section “Exchanging Shares.”
◼
Via the Internet
If you are a registered user, you may request a purchase of shares through our website at VictoryFunds.com. Your account must be set up for Automated Clearing House (“ACH”) payment in order to execute online purchases.
◼
By ACH
Your account must be set up for ACH payment in order to execute purchases online or by telephone. It takes about 15 days to set up an ACH account and only domestic member banks may be used. After your account is set up, your purchase amount can be transferred by ACH. Currently, the Fund does not charge a fee for ACH transfers but it reserves the right to charge for this service in the future. Your originating bank may charge a fee for ACH transfers.
◼
By Wire
You may buy Fund shares by bank wire transfer of same day funds. Please call Victory Funds Customer Service at 800-539-FUND (800-539-3863) between 8:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. (Eastern Time), Monday through Friday for wiring instructions. Any commercial bank can transfer same-day funds by wire.
Although the transfer agent does not currently charge you for receiving same-day funds, it reserves the right to charge for this service in the future. Your bank may charge you for wiring same-day funds. You cannot buy shares for tax-qualified retirement plans by wire transfer.
32
How to Buy Shares
◼
By Systematic Investment Plan
To enroll in the Systematic Investment Plan, you should check this box on the Account Application or on the Account Maintenance Form. We will need your bank information and the amount ($50 or more) and frequency of your investment. You can select monthly, quarterly, semi annual, or annual investments. You should attach a voided personal check so the proper information can be obtained. You must first meet the minimum investment requirement before we will make automatic withdrawals from your bank account and invest it in shares of the Fund.
Other Purchase Rules You Should Know
The Fund reserves the right to refuse a purchase order for any reason, including if it believes that doing so would be in the best interest of the Fund or its shareholders. The Fund also reserves the right, without notice, to increase or decrease the minimum amount required to open, convert shares to, or maintain a Fund account, or to add to an existing Fund account.
|
Keep these addresses handy for purchases, exchanges, or redemptions. |
|
BY REGULAR U.S. MAIL |
Victory Funds
P.O. Box 182593
Columbus, OH 43218-2593 |
|
BY OVERNIGHT MAIL |
Use the following address ONLY for overnight packages:
Victory Funds
c/o FIS TA Operations
4249 Easton Way, Suite 400
Columbus, OH 43219
PHONE: 800-539-FUND (800-539-3863) |
|
BY WIRE |
Call 800-539-FUND (800-539-3863) BEFORE wiring money to notify the
Fund that you intend to purchase shares by wire and to verify wire
instructions. |
|
BY TELEPHONE |
800-539-FUND (800-539-3863) |
|
ON THE INTERNET |
VictoryFunds.com |
33
How to Exchange Shares
|
There may be limits on the ability to exchange between certain Victory Funds.
You can obtain a list of Victory Funds available for exchange by calling
800-539-FUND (800-539-3863) or by visiting VictoryFunds.com |
The shares of any class of the Fund may be exchanged for the shares of any other class offered by the Fund or the same class of any other class of any Victory Fund, either through your Investment Professional or directly through the Fund, subject to the conditions described below:
◼
Exchanges are subject to any CDSC, minimum investment limitation or eligibility requirements described in the applicable Prospectus and SAI. You may be required to provide sufficient information to establish eligibility to exchange into a new share class.
◼
To exchange with another Victory Fund, the other Victory Fund must be eligible for exchange with your Fund.
◼
Shares of the Victory Fund selected for exchange must be available for sale in your state of residence.
If you have questions about these, or any of the Fund's other exchange policies, please consult Victory Customer Service or your Investment Professional before requesting an exchange.
Before exchanging, you should read the Prospectus of the other Victory Fund you wish to exchange into, which may be subject to different risks, fees, and expenses.
Class C Share Conversion
Class C shares of the Fund will convert automatically to Class A shares in the month following the eight-year anniversary date of the purchase of the Class C shares. Your financial intermediary may have a conversion schedule that is shorter than eight years. Class C conversions will be effected at the relative NAV of each such class without the imposition of any sales charge, fee, or other charge.
You may be able to voluntarily convert your Class C shares before the stated anniversary to a different share class of the same Fund that has a lower total annual operating expense ratio provided certain conditions are met. This voluntary conversion feature is intended for shares held through a financial intermediary offering a fee-based or wrap fee program that has an agreement with the Adviser or the Distributor specific for this purpose. Generally, Class C shares are not eligible for conversion until the applicable CDSC period has expired. Please contact your financial intermediary for additional information.
Processing Your Voluntary Exchange/Conversion
If your exchange or conversion request is received and accepted by the Fund, an Investment Professional or other intermediary by the close of trading as described in the section titled, “Share Price,” then your request will be processed the same day. If received after the close of trading, your request will be processed on the next business day. Please contact your financial intermediary regarding the tax consequences of any exchange or conversion.
Exchanges will occur at the respective NAVs of the Fund's share classes involved in the exchange next calculated after receipt and acceptance of your exchange request in good order, plus any applicable sales charge described in the Prospectus. Share class conversions will be based on the respective NAV of each class as of the trade date of the conversion. Consequently, you may receive fewer shares or more shares than originally owned, depending on that day’s NAVs.
34
How to Exchange Shares
Requesting an Exchange
You can exchange shares of the Fund by telephone, by mail, or via the Internet. You cannot exchange into an account with a different registration or tax identification number.
◼
By Telephone
Unless you indicate otherwise on the account application, Victory Customer Service will be authorized to accept exchange instructions received by telephone.
◼
By Mail
Send a letter of instruction signed by all registered owners or their legal representatives to the Victory Funds.
◼
Via the Internet
You may also exchange shares via the Internet at VictoryFunds.com if you are a registered user.
Other Exchange Rules You Should Know
The Fund may refuse any exchange purchase request if the Adviser determines that the request is associated with a market timing strategy. The Fund may terminate or modify the exchange privilege at any time upon 60 days’ notice to shareholders.
An exchange of Fund shares for shares of another Victory Fund constitutes a sale for tax purposes unless the exchange is made within an IRA or other tax-deferred account.
For information on how to exchange shares of the Fund that were purchased through your employer’s retirement plan, including any restrictions and charges that the plan may impose, please consult your employer.
35
How to Sell Shares
|
There are a number of convenient ways to sell your shares. |
If your redemption request is received in good order by the close of trading on the NYSE, your redemption will be processed the same day. Your redemption will not be processed until the next business day if it is received after the close of trading on the NYSE. You cannot redeem your shares at VictoryFunds.com.
|
BY TELEPHONE |
The easiest way to redeem shares is by calling 800-539-FUND (800-539-3863). When you fill out your original application, be sure to check the box marked “Telephone Authorization.” You have the following options for receiving your redemption proceeds:
◼
Mail a check to the address of record;
◼
Wire funds to a previously designated domestic financial institution;
◼
Mail a check to a previously designated alternate address; or
◼
Electronically transfer your redemption via ACH to a previously designated domestic financial institution.
Victory Funds’ transfer agent records all telephone calls for your protection and takes measures to verify the identity of the caller. If the transfer agent properly acts on telephone instructions and follows reasonable procedures to ensure against unauthorized transactions, none of the Trust, its servicing agents, the Adviser, or the transfer agent will be responsible for any losses. If the transfer agent does not follow these procedures, it may be liable to you for losses resulting from unauthorized instructions.
If there is an unusual amount of market activity and you cannot reach the transfer agent or your Investment Professional by telephone, consider placing your order by mail.
|
BY MAIL |
Use the regular U.S. mail or overnight mail address to redeem shares. You can use the same mailing addresses listed for purchases. Send us a letter of instruction indicating your Fund account number, amount of redemption, and where to send the proceeds. A Medallion signature guarantee is required for the following redemption requests:
◼
Your account registration has changed within the last 15 business days;
◼
The check is not being mailed to the address on your account;
◼
The check is not being made payable to the owner of the account;
◼
The redemption proceeds are being transferred to another Victory Fund account with a different registration; or
◼
The check or wire is being sent to a different bank account than was previously designated.
You can get a Medallion signature guarantee from a financial institution — such as a commercial bank, broker-dealer, credit union, clearing agency, or savings bank — that is a member of a Medallion signature guarantee program.
|
BY WIRE |
If you want to receive your proceeds by wire, you must establish a Fund account that will accommodate wire transactions. If you call before the close of trading on the NYSE, your funds will be wired on the next business day.
|
BY ACH |
You may transfer your proceeds by ACH to a domestic bank. Normally, your redemption will be processed on the same day if your request is received before the close of trading on the NYSE. If your request is received after the close of trading it will be processed on the next business day.
36
How to Sell Shares
Systematic Withdrawal Plan
If you check this box on the Account Application or on the Account Maintenance Form, we will send monthly, quarterly, semi-annual, or annual payments to the person you designate. The minimum withdrawal is $25, and you must have a balance of $5,000 or more at the time you establish the Systematic Withdrawal Plan. If the payment is to be sent to an account of yours, we will need a voided check to activate this feature. If the payment is to be made to an address different from your account address, we will need a Medallion signature guaranteed letter of instruction. You should be aware that each withdrawal may be a taxable transaction. Also, each withdrawal reduces your account balance, and eventually your account balance may be depleted. However, you cannot automatically close your account using the Systematic Withdrawal Plan. If your balance falls below the initial purchase minimum, we may ask you to bring the account back to the minimum balance. If you decide not to increase your account to the minimum balance, your account may be closed and the proceeds mailed to you.
Additional Information About Redemptions
◼
Redemption proceeds from the sale of Fund shares purchased by a check or through ACH will be held until the purchase check or ACH has cleared, which will take up to 10 business days.
◼
We typically expect to send the proceeds from your share redemption within one business day after we execute your order, but we may take up to seven business days to send redemption proceeds, regardless of payment type. When you sell shares through your financial intermediary, you can ask the intermediary to tell you when you can expect to receive the proceeds of your redemption.
◼
The Fund may suspend your right to redeem your shares in the following circumstances:
◼
During non-routine closings of the NYSE;
◼
When the SEC determines either that trading on the NYSE is restricted or that an emergency prevents the sale or valuation of the Fund’s securities; or
◼
When the SEC orders a suspension to protect the Fund’s shareholders.
◼
The Fund typically uses cash and cash equivalents held in its portfolio or sells portfolio assets to meet redemption requests. In unusual circumstances or under stressed market conditions, the Fund may use other methods to raise cash to meet redemption requests. For example, the Fund may draw funds from a line of credit or borrow available cash held by other Victory Funds under an “interfund lending program” in reliance on an exemptive order from the SEC.
◼
The Fund will pay redemptions by any one shareholder during any 90-day period in cash up to the lesser of $250,000 or 1.00% of the Fund’s net assets. The Fund reserves the right to pay the remaining portion “in kind,” that is, in portfolio securities rather than cash. Securities received pursuant to an in-kind redemption are subject to market risk until sold and may be subject to brokerage and other fees.
◼
If you choose to have your redemption proceeds mailed to you and either the U.S. Postal Service is unable to deliver the redemption check to you or the check remains outstanding for more than six months, the Fund reserves the right to reinvest the check in shares of the Fund at its then current NAV until you give the Fund different instructions. No interest will accrue on amounts represented by uncashed redemption checks.
37
Distributions and Taxes
|
Buying a dividend. You should check the Fund's distribution schedule before you invest.
If you buy shares of the Fund shortly before it makes a distribution,
some of your investment may come back to you as a taxable distribution. |
As a shareholder, you are entitled to your share of net income and capital gains on the Fund's investments. The Fund passes its earnings along to investors in the form of dividends. Dividends paid by the Fund represent the net income from dividends and interest earned on investments after expenses. The Fund will distribute short-term gains, as necessary; and if the Fund makes a long-term capital gain distribution, it is normally paid once a year.
Ordinarily, the Fund declares and pays dividends annually. However, the Fund may not always pay a dividend or distribution for a given period. Each class of shares declares and pays dividends separately.
Distributions can be received in one of the following ways. Please check with your Investment Professional if you are unsure of which option is right for you.
Reinvestment Option
You can have distributions automatically reinvested in additional shares of your Fund. If you do not indicate another choice on your Account Application, you will be assigned this option automatically.
Cash Option
If you elect to receive your distributions by check, and the distribution amount is $25 or less, the amount will automatically be reinvested in the Fund. Otherwise, a check will be mailed to you no later than seven days after the dividend payment date. If you choose to have your distribution proceeds mailed to you and either the U.S. Postal Service is unable to deliver the distribution check to you or the check remains outstanding for at least six months, the distribution option on your account will default to the reinvestment option as described above. The Fund reserves the right to reinvest the check in shares of the Fund at its then current NAV until you give the Fund different instructions. No interest will accrue on amounts represented by uncashed distribution checks.
Income Earned Option
You can automatically reinvest your dividends in additional Fund shares and have your capital gains paid in cash, or reinvest capital gains and have your dividends paid in cash.
Directed Distributions Option
In most cases, you can automatically reinvest distributions in shares of another Victory Fund. If you reinvest your distributions in a different Victory Fund, you may pay a sales charge on the amount of reinvested distributions.
Directed Bank Account Option
In most cases, you can automatically transfer distributions to your bank checking or savings account. Under normal circumstances, the transfer agent will transfer your distributions within seven days of the dividend payment date. The bank account must have a registration identical to that of your Fund account.
|
Your choice of distribution should be set up on the original Account Application.
If you would like to change the option you selected, please call 800-539-FUND (800-539-3863). |
38
Distributions and Taxes
Important Information About Taxes
|
The tax information in this Prospectus is provided as general information. You
should review the more detailed discussion of federal income tax considerations
in the SAI and consult your tax adviser regarding the federal, state, local, or
foreign tax consequences resulting from your investment in the Fund. |
The Fund expects to pay no federal income tax on the earnings and capital gains it distributes to shareholders.
◼
Qualified dividend income received from the Fund by noncorporate shareholders will be taxed at long-term capital gain rates to the extent attributable to qualified dividend income received by the Fund, subject to certain holding period requirements. Nonqualified dividends, dividends received by corporate shareholders and dividends from the Fund’s short-term capital gains are taxable as ordinary income. Dividends from the Fund’s long-term capital gains are taxable as long-term capital gains.
◼
You will pay tax on dividends from the Fund whether you receive them in cash, additional shares of the Fund or you reinvest them in shares of another Victory Fund.
◼
Dividends from the Fund that are attributable to interest on certain U.S. government obligations, if any, may be exempt from certain state and local income taxes. The extent to which ordinary dividends are attributable to these U.S. government obligations will be provided on the tax statements you receive from the Fund.
◼
An exchange of the Fund’s shares for shares of another Victory Fund will be treated as a sale. When you sell or exchange shares of the Fund, you generally will recognize any gain or loss.
◼
An exchange of one class of the Fund’s shares for shares of another class of the same Fund generally constitutes a nontaxable exchange.
◼
Distributions from the Fund and gains from the disposition of your shares may also be subject to state and local income tax.
◼
An additional 3.8% Medicare tax will be imposed on certain net investment income (which includes dividends and gain recognized on a disposition of shares) of certain U.S. individuals, estates, and trusts.
◼
Certain dividends paid to you in January will be taxable as if they had been paid to you the previous December.
◼
Tax statements will be mailed from the Fund by mid-February showing the amounts and tax status of distributions made to you in the prior calendar year.
◼
Because your tax treatment depends on your purchase price and tax position, you should keep your regular account statements for use in determining your tax.
◼
The Fund is generally required by law to provide you and the Internal Revenue Service with certain cost basis information related to the sale or redemption of any of your shares in the Fund acquired on or after January 1, 2012 (including distributions that are reinvested in additional shares of the Fund).
◼
The Fund may be required to withhold tax from dividends and redemption proceeds if you fail to give your correct social security or taxpayer identification number, fail to make required certifications, or the Fund is notified by the Internal Revenue Service that backup withholding is required.
◼
If you are a nonresident alien individual, foreign trust or estate, foreign corporation, or foreign partnership, the Fund’s ordinary income dividends may be subject to a 30% U.S. withholding tax. See the section titled “TAXES—Foreign Shareholders” in the SAI for details.
39
Distributions and Taxes
◼
Under the “Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act,” unless certain foreign entities comply with certain IRS requirements that generally require them to report information regarding U.S. persons investing in, or holding accounts with, such entities, a 30% U.S. withholding tax may apply to dividends paid by the Fund to such entities. See the section titled “TAXES—Foreign Shareholders” in the SAI for details.
◼
The Fund may provide estimated capital gain distribution information through the website at vcm.com.
◼
Dividends and interest received by the Fund and capital gains recognized by the Fund may give rise to withholding and other taxes imposed by foreign countries. Tax conventions between certain countries and the United States may reduce or eliminate such taxes. You may be able to claim a credit or take a deduction for foreign taxes paid by the Fund if certain requirements are met.
40
Important Fund Policies
Customer Identification Program
To help the 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 a new account, and to determine whether such person’s name appears on government lists of known or suspected terrorists and terrorist organizations.
As a result, the Victory Funds must obtain the following information for each person who opens a new account:
◼
Name;
◼
Date of birth (for individuals);
◼
Residential or business street address (although post office boxes are still permitted for mailing); and
◼
Social security number, taxpayer identification number, or other identifying number.
You may also be asked for a copy of your driver’s license, passport, or other identifying document in order to verify your identity. In addition, it may be necessary to verify your identity by cross-referencing your identification information with a consumer report or other electronic database. Additional information may be required to open accounts for corporations and other entities. Federal law prohibits the Victory Funds and other financial institutions from opening a new account unless they receive the minimum identifying information listed above. After an account is opened, the Victory Funds may restrict your ability to purchase additional shares until your identity is verified. The Victory Funds may close your account or take other appropriate action if it is unable to verify your identity within a reasonable time. If your account is closed for this reason, your shares will be redeemed at the NAV next calculated after the account is closed.
Account Maintenance Information
For the following non-financial transactions, the Victory Funds require proof that your signature authorizing a transaction is authentic. This verification can be provided in all cases by either a Signature Validation Program (“SVP”) stamp or a Medallion signature guarantee (“MSG”). In some instances a Notary Public stamp is an acceptable alternative. As with an MSG, an SVP stamp can also be obtained from a financial institution that is a member of the SVP program.
|
|
Notary
Public |
SVP |
MSG |
|
Change of name |
x |
x |
x |
|
Add/change banking instructions |
|
x |
x |
|
Add/change beneficiaries |
x |
x |
x |
|
Add/change authorized account traders |
|
x |
x |
|
Adding a Power of Attorney |
x |
x |
x |
|
Add/change Trustee |
x |
x |
x |
|
Uniform Transfers to Minors Act/Uniform Gifts to Minors Act custodian
change |
x |
x |
x |
Market Timing
The Victory Funds discourage frequent purchases and redemptions of Fund shares (market timing). Market timing allows investors to take advantage of market inefficiencies, sometimes to the disadvantage of other shareholders. Market timing increases Fund expenses to all shareholders by increasing portfolio turnover. In addition, market timing could potentially dilute share value for all other shareholders by requiring the Fund to hold more cash than it normally would.
41
Important Fund Policies
The Fund's Board has adopted policies and procedures with respect to market timing. In order to prevent or minimize market timing, the Fund (or the Adviser, as appropriate) will:
◼
Employ “fair value” pricing, as described in this Prospectus under Share Price, to minimize the discrepancies between a security’s market quotation and its perceived market value, which often gives rise to market timing activity; and
◼
Monitor for suspected market timing based on “short-term transaction” activity, that is, a purchase or redemption of the Fund and, as applicable, a subsequent redemption or purchase of the same Fund, or an exchange of all or part of that same Fund.
In monitoring for market timing activity, we consider, among other things, the frequency of your trades and whether you acquired your Fund shares directly through the transfer agent or whether you combined your trades with a group of shareholders in an omnibus account or otherwise placed your order through a securities dealer or other financial intermediary.
Frequent trading by a shareholder is generally a characteristic of market timing. Therefore, any account in which Fund shares are acquired directly through the transfer agent, or where the Fund can adequately identify the shareholder, with a history of three short-term transactions within 90 days or less is suspected of market timing and the shareholder’s trading privileges (other than redemption of Fund shares) will be suspended.
We may make exceptions to the “short-term transaction” policy for certain types of transactions if, in the opinion of the Adviser, under the oversight of the Board, the transactions do not represent short-term or excessive trading or are not abusive or harmful to the Fund, such as, but not limited to, systematic transactions, required minimum retirement distributions, transactions initiated by the Fund or administrator, and transactions by certain qualified funds-of-funds.
If you acquired shares through an omnibus account or otherwise placed your order through a securities dealer, or other financial intermediary (such as investment advisers, broker-dealers, third-party administrators, or insurance companies), and market timing is suspected, different purchase and exchange limitations may apply. We may rely upon a financial intermediary’s policy to deter short-term or excessive trading (i) if we believe that the financial intermediary’s policy is reasonably designed to detect and deter transactions that are not in the best interests of the Fund, or (ii) if we receive an undertaking from the financial intermediary to enforce short-term or excessive trading policies on behalf of the Fund that provide a substantially similar level of protection for the Fund against such transactions. If you hold your Fund shares through a financial intermediary, you are advised to consult the intermediary to determine what purchase and exchange limitations apply to your account.
We reserve the right to reject or cancel a purchase or exchange order for any reason without prior notice. We will deny your request to purchase or exchange your shares if we believe that the transaction is part of a market timing strategy.
The Fund's market timing policies and procedures may be modified or terminated at any time under the oversight of the Board.
42
Important Fund Policies
Portfolio Holdings Disclosure
A description of the Fund's policies and procedures with respect to the disclosure of the Fund's portfolio securities is available in the Fund's SAI, which is available upon request and on the Fund's website at VictoryFunds.com.
Performance
The Victory Funds may advertise the performance of the Fund by comparing it to other mutual funds with similar objectives and policies. Performance information also may appear in various publications. Any fees charged by Investment Professionals may not be reflected in these performance calculations.
Advertising information may include the average annual total return of the Fund calculated on a compounded basis for specified periods of time. Total return information will be calculated according to rules established by the SEC. Such information may include performance rankings and similar information from independent organizations and publications.
Statements and Reports
You will receive a periodic statement reflecting any transactions that affect the balance or registration of Fund shares in your account. You will receive a confirmation after any purchase, exchange, or redemption. If your account has been set up by an Investment Professional, Fund activity will be detailed in that account’s statements. Share certificates are not issued. Twice a year, you will receive a financial report of the Fund. By February 15th of each year, you will be mailed an IRS form reporting distributions for the previous year, which also will be filed with the IRS.
Shareholder Communications
In order to eliminate duplicate mailings to an address at which two or more shareholders with the same last name reside, the Victory Funds may send only one copy of any shareholder reports, proxy statements, prospectuses and their supplements, unless you have instructed us to the contrary. You may request that the Victory Funds send these documents to each shareholder individually by calling the Victory Funds at 800-539-FUND (800-539-3863), and they will be delivered promptly.
While this Prospectus and the SAI of the Fund describe pertinent information about the Trust and the Fund, neither this Prospectus nor the SAI represents a contract between the Trust or the Fund and any shareholder.
43
Financial Highlights
The following financial highlights tables reflect historical information about shares of the Fund and are intended to help you understand the Fund's financial performance for the past five years, or, if shorter, the period of its operations. Certain information shows the results of an investment in one share of the Fund. To the extent the Fund invests in other funds, the Total Annual Operating Expenses included in the Fund's Fees and Expenses Table may not correlate to the ratio of expenses to average net assets in the financial highlights below. The total returns in the table represent the rate that an investor would have earned (or lost) on an investment in the Fund (assuming reinvestment of all dividends and distributions).
The information presented has been audited by Cohen & Company, Ltd., the Fund's independent registered public accounting firm, whose report, along with the Fund's financial statements, are included in the Fund's annual report to shareholders, which is available upon request.
44
Victory Global Energy Transition Fund
|
|
Class A | ||||
|
|
Year
Ended
12/31/23 |
Year
Ended
12/31/22 |
Year
Ended
12/31/21 |
Year
Ended
12/31/20 |
Year
Ended
12/31/19 |
|
Net Asset Value, Beginning of Period |
$30.30 |
$22.62 |
$12.36 |
$9.71 |
$12.86 |
|
Investment Activities: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net investment income (loss)(a) |
0.42 |
0.25 |
(0.04) |
(0.01) |
—(b) |
|
Net realized and unrealized gains (losses) |
(3.05) |
7.67 |
10.30 |
2.67 |
(3.15) |
|
Total from Investment Activities |
(2.63) |
7.92 |
10.26 |
2.66 |
(3.15) |
|
Distributions to Shareholders from: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net investment income |
(0.64) |
(0.24) |
— |
(0.01) |
— |
|
Total Distributions |
(0.64) |
(0.24) |
— |
(0.01) |
— |
|
Net Asset Value, End of Period |
$27.03 |
$30.30 |
$22.62 |
$12.36 |
$9.71 |
|
Total Return (excludes sales charge)(c) |
(8.68)% |
35.01% |
83.01% |
27.35% |
(24.49)% |
|
Ratios to Average Net Assets: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net Expenses(d) |
1.48% |
1.48% |
1.48% |
1.48% |
1.48% |
|
Net Investment Income (Loss) |
1.34% |
0.88% |
(0.21)% |
(0.15)% |
0.00%(e) |
|
Gross Expenses(d) |
1.55% |
1.53% |
1.58% |
1.79% |
1.69% |
|
Supplemental Data: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net Assets at end of period (000's) |
$62,033 |
$91,521 |
$78,317 |
$36,803 |
$32,630 |
|
Portfolio Turnover(f) |
47% |
64% |
79% |
46% |
24% |
(a)
Per share net investment income (loss) has been calculated using the average daily shares method.
(b)
Amount is less than $0.005 per share.
(c)
Assumes reinvestment of all net investment income and realized capital gain distributions, if any, during the period. Includes adjustments in accordance with U.S. Generally Accepted Accounting Principles and could differ from the reported return.
(d)
Does not include acquired fund fees and expenses, if any.
(e)
Amount is less than 0.005%.
(f)
Portfolio turnover is calculated on the basis of the Fund as a whole without distinguishing between the classes of shares.
45
Victory Global Energy Transition Fund (Continued)
|
|
Class C | ||||
|
|
Year
Ended
12/31/23 |
Year
Ended
12/31/22 |
Year
Ended
12/31/21 |
Year
Ended
12/31/20 |
Year
Ended
12/31/19 |
|
Net Asset Value, Beginning of Period |
$26.76 |
$19.98 |
$11.00 |
$8.71 |
$11.63 |
|
Investment Activities: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net investment income (loss)(a) |
0.15 |
0.01 |
(0.17) |
(0.07) |
(0.08) |
|
Net realized and unrealized gains (losses) |
(2.67) |
6.77 |
9.15 |
2.36 |
(2.84) |
|
Total from Investment Activities |
(2.52) |
6.78 |
8.98 |
2.29 |
(2.92) |
|
Distributions to Shareholders from: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net investment income |
(0.37) |
—(b) |
— |
— |
— |
|
Total Distributions |
(0.37) |
—(b) |
— |
— |
— |
|
Net Asset Value, End of Period |
$23.87 |
$26.76 |
$19.98 |
$11.00 |
$8.71 |
|
Total Return (excludes contingent deferred
sales charge)(c) |
(9.42)% |
33.94% |
81.64% |
26.29% |
(25.11)% |
|
Ratios to Average Net Assets: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net Expenses(d) |
2.28% |
2.28% |
2.28% |
2.28% |
2.28% |
|
Net Investment Income (Loss) |
0.54% |
0.03% |
(1.02)% |
(0.92)% |
(0.81)% |
|
Gross Expenses(d) |
2.77% |
2.64% |
2.41% |
3.32% |
2.75% |
|
Supplemental Data: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net Assets at end of period (000's) |
$1,355 |
$2,396 |
$3,240 |
$2,385 |
$2,949 |
|
Portfolio Turnover(e) |
47% |
64% |
79% |
46% |
24% |
(a)
Per share net investment income (loss) has been calculated using the average daily shares method.
(b)
Amount is less than $0.005 per share.
(c)
Assumes reinvestment of all net investment income and realized capital gain distributions, if any, during the period. Includes adjustments in accordance with U.S. Generally Accepted Accounting Principles and could differ from the reported return.
(d)
Does not include acquired fund fees and expenses, if any.
(e)
Portfolio turnover is calculated on the basis of the Fund as a whole without distinguishing between the classes of shares.
46
Victory Global Energy Transition Fund (Continued)
|
|
Class Y | ||||
|
|
Year
Ended
12/31/23 |
Year
Ended
12/31/22 |
Year
Ended
12/31/21 |
Year
Ended
12/31/20 |
Year
Ended
12/31/19 |
|
Net Asset Value, Beginning of Period |
$31.68 |
$23.64 |
$12.88 |
$10.11 |
$13.38 |
|
Investment Activities: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net investment income (loss)(a) |
0.54 |
0.38 |
0.02 |
0.02 |
0.03 |
|
Net realized and unrealized gains (losses) |
(3.20) |
8.00 |
10.75 |
2.78 |
(3.27) |
|
Total from Investment Activities |
(2.66) |
8.38 |
10.77 |
2.80 |
(3.24) |
|
Distributions to Shareholders from: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net investment income |
(0.76) |
(0.34) |
(0.01) |
(0.03) |
(0.03) |
|
Total Distributions |
(0.76) |
(0.34) |
(0.01) |
(0.03) |
(0.03) |
|
Net Asset Value, End of Period |
$28.26 |
$31.68 |
$23.64 |
$12.88 |
$10.11 |
|
Total Return(b) |
(8.37)% |
35.46% |
83.62% |
27.73% |
(24.25)% |
|
Ratios to Average Net Assets: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net Expenses(c) |
1.15% |
1.15% |
1.15% |
1.15% |
1.15% |
|
Net Investment Income (Loss) |
1.66% |
1.24% |
0.10% |
0.18% |
0.27% |
|
Gross Expenses(c) |
1.21% |
1.19% |
1.21% |
1.28% |
1.26% |
|
Supplemental Data: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net Assets at end of period (000's) |
$234,761 |
$314,108 |
$210,586 |
$119,237 |
$114,972 |
|
Portfolio Turnover(d) |
47% |
64% |
79% |
46% |
24% |
(a)
Per share net investment income (loss) has been calculated using the average daily shares method.
(b)
Assumes reinvestment of all net investment income and realized capital gain distributions, if any, during the period. Includes adjustments in accordance with U.S. Generally Accepted Accounting Principles and could differ from the reported return.
(c)
Does not include acquired fund fees and expenses, if any.
(d)
Portfolio turnover is calculated on the basis of the Fund as a whole without distinguishing between the classes of shares.
47
Appendix A — Variations in Sales Charge Reductions and Waivers Available Through Certain Intermediaries
The availability of certain initial and contingent deferred sales charge reductions and waivers may depend on the particular financial intermediary or type of account through which you purchase or hold Fund shares. The following information about variations in sales charge reductions and waivers is applicable only to investors who purchase Fund shares through a Merrill Lynch, Ameriprise Financial, Morgan Stanley Wealth Management, Raymond James, Janney Montgomery Scott LLC, Edward D. Jones & Co., Oppenheimer & Co. Inc., Stifel, Nicolaus & Company, Incorporated, Robert W. Baird & Co., or J.P. Morgan Securities LLC platform or account.
In all instances, it is your responsibility to notify the Fund or your financial intermediary at the time of purchase of any relationship or other facts qualifying you for sales charge reductions or waivers. For reductions and waivers unavailable through a particular intermediary, shareholders will have to purchase Fund shares directly from the Fund or through another intermediary to receive those reductions and waivers.
Merrill Lynch (“Merrill”)
Purchases or sales of front-end (i.e., Class A) or level-load (i.e., Class C) mutual fund shares through a Merrill platform or account will be eligible only for the following sales load waivers (front-end, contingent deferred, or back-end waivers) and discounts, which differ from those disclosed elsewhere in this Fund’s prospectus. Purchasers will have to buy mutual fund shares directly from the mutual fund company or through another intermediary to be eligible for waivers or discounts not listed below.
It is the client’s responsibility to notify Merrill at the time of purchase or sale of any relationship or other facts that qualify the transaction for a waiver or discount. A Merrill representative may ask for reasonable documentation of such facts and Merrill may condition the granting of a waiver or discount on the timely receipt of such documentation.
Additional information on waivers and discounts is available in the Merrill Sales Load Waiver and Discounts Supplement (the “Merrill SLWD Supplement”) and in the Mutual Fund Investing at Merrill pamphlet at ml.com/funds. Clients are encouraged to review these documents and speak with their financial advisor to determine whether a transaction is eligible for a waiver or discount.
Front-end Load Waivers Available at Merrill
◼
Shares of mutual funds available for purchase by employer-sponsored retirement, deferred compensation, and employee benefit plans (including health savings accounts) and trusts used to fund those plans provided the shares are not held in a commission-based brokerage account and shares are held for the benefit of the plan. For purposes of this provision, employer-sponsored retirement plans do not include SEP IRAs, Simple IRAs, SAR-SEPs or Keogh plans
◼
Shares purchased through a Merrill investment advisory program
◼
Brokerage class shares exchanged from advisory class shares due to the holdings moving from a Merrill investment advisory program to a Merrill brokerage account
◼
Shares purchased through the Merrill Edge Self-Directed platform
◼
Shares purchased through the systematic reinvestment of capital gains distributions and dividend reinvestment when purchasing shares of the same mutual fund in the same account
◼
Shares exchanged from level-load shares to front-end load shares of the same mutual fund in accordance with the description in the Merrill SLWD Supplement
◼
Shares purchased by eligible employees of Merrill or its affiliates and their family members who
48
Appendix A — Variations in Sales Charge Reductions and Waivers Available Through Certain Intermediaries
purchase shares in accounts within the employee’s Merrill Household (as defined in the Merrill SLWD Supplement)
◼
Shares purchased by eligible persons associated with the fund as defined in this prospectus (e.g., the fund’s officers or trustees)
◼
Shares purchased from the proceeds of a mutual fund redemption in front-end load shares provided (1) the repurchase is in a mutual fund within the same fund family; (2) the repurchase occurs within 90 calendar days from the redemption trade date, and (3) the redemption and purchase occur in the same account (known as Rights of Reinstatement). Automated transactions (i.e., systematic purchases and withdrawals) and purchases made after shares are automatically sold to pay Merrill’s account maintenance fees are not eligible for Rights of Reinstatement
Contingent Deferred Sales Charge (“CDSC”) Waivers on Front-end, Back-end, and Level Load Shares Available at Merrill
◼
Shares sold due to the client’s death or disability (as defined by Internal Revenue Code Section 22I(3))
◼
Shares sold pursuant to a systematic withdrawal program subject to Merrill’s maximum systematic withdrawal limits as described in the Merrill SLWD Supplement
◼
Shares sold due to return of excess contributions from an IRA account
◼
Shares sold as part of a required minimum distribution for IRA and retirement accounts due to the investor reaching the qualified age based on applicable IRS regulation
◼
Front-end or level-load shares held in commission-based, non-taxable retirement brokerage accounts (e.g., traditional, Roth, rollover, SEP IRAs, Simple IRAs, SAR-SEPs or Keogh plans) that are transferred to fee-based accounts or platforms and exchanged for a lower cost share class of the same mutual fund
Front-end Load Discounts Available at Merrill: Breakpoints, Rights of Accumulation & Letters of Intent
◼
Breakpoint discounts, as described in this prospectus, where the sales load is at or below the maximum sales load that Merrill permits to be assessed to a front-end load purchase, as described in the Merrill SLWD Supplement
◼
Rights of Accumulation (ROA), as described in the Merrill SLWD Supplement, which entitle clients to breakpoint discounts based on the aggregated holdings of mutual fund family assets held in accounts in their Merrill Household
◼
Letters of Intent (LOI), which allow for breakpoint discounts on eligible new purchases based on anticipated future eligible purchases within a fund family at Merrill, in accounts within your Merrill Household, as further described in the Merrill SLWD Supplement
Ameriprise Financial
Shareholders purchasing Fund shares through an Ameriprise Financial platform or account are eligible for the following front-end sales charge waivers and discounts, which may differ from those disclosed elsewhere in the Fund’s Prospectus or SAI.
Class A Shares Front-End Sales Charge Waivers Available at Ameriprise Financial:
The following information applies to Class A shares purchases if you have an account with or otherwise purchase Fund shares through Ameriprise Financial:
Shareholders purchasing Fund shares through an Ameriprise Financial brokerage account are eligible for the following front-end sales charge waivers, which may differ from those disclosed elsewhere in this Fund’s prospectus or SAI:
◼
Employer-sponsored retirement plans (e.g., 401(k) plans, 457 plans, employer-sponsored 403(b)
49
Appendix A — Variations in Sales Charge Reductions and Waivers Available Through Certain Intermediaries
plans, profit sharing and money purchase pension plans and defined benefit plans). For purposes of this provision, employer-sponsored retirement plans do not include SEP IRAs, Simple IRAs or SAR-SEPs.
◼
Shares purchased through reinvestment of capital gains distributions and dividend reinvestment when purchasing shares of the same Fund (but not any other fund within the same fund family).
◼
Shares exchanged from Class C shares of the same fund in the month of or following the 7-year anniversary of the purchase date. To the extent that this prospectus elsewhere provides for a waiver with respect to exchanges of Class C shares or conversion of Class C shares following a shorter holding period, that waiver will apply.
◼
Employees and registered representatives of Ameriprise Financial or its affiliates and their immediate family members.
◼
Shares purchased by or through qualified accounts (including IRAs, Coverdell Education Savings Accounts, 401(k)s, 403(b) TSCAs subject to ERISA and defined benefit plans) that are held by a covered family member, defined as an Ameriprise financial advisor and/or the advisor’s spouse, advisor’s lineal ascendant (mother, father, grandmother, grandfather, great grandmother, great grandfather), advisor’s lineal descendant (son, step-son, daughter, step-daughter, grandson, granddaughter, great grandson, great granddaughter) or any spouse of a covered family member who is a lineal descendant.
◼
Shares purchased from the proceeds of redemptions within the same fund family, provided (1) the repurchase occurs within 90 days following the redemption, (2) the redemption and purchase occur in the same account, and (3) redeemed shares were subject to a front-end or deferred sales load (known as Rights of Reinstatement).
Morgan Stanley Wealth Management
Shareholders purchasing Fund shares through a Morgan Stanley Wealth Management transactional brokerage account are eligible only for the following front-end sales charge waivers with respect to Class A shares, which may differ from and may be more limited than those disclosed elsewhere in the Fund's Prospectus or SAI.
Front-end Sales Charge Waivers on Class A Shares available at Morgan Stanley
◼
Employer-sponsored retirement plans (e.g., 401(k) plans, 457 plans, employer-sponsored 403(b) plans, profit sharing and money purchase pension plans and defined benefit plans). For purposes of this provision, employer-sponsored retirement plans do not include SEP IRAs, Simple IRAs, SAR-SEPs or Keogh plans
◼
Morgan Stanley employee and employee-related accounts according to Morgan Stanley's account linking rules
◼
Shares purchased through reinvestment of dividends and capital gains distributions when purchasing shares of the same fund
◼
Shares purchased through a Morgan Stanley self-directed brokerage account
◼
Class C (i.e., level-load) shares that are no longer subject to a contingent deferred sales charge and are converted to Class A shares of the same fund pursuant to Morgan Stanley Wealth Management’s share class conversion program
◼
Shares purchased from the proceeds of redemptions within the same fund family, provided (i) the repurchase occurs within 90 days following the redemption, (ii) the redemption and purchase occur in the same account, and (iii) redeemed shares were subject to a front-end or deferred sales charge
50
Appendix A — Variations in Sales Charge Reductions and Waivers Available Through Certain Intermediaries
Raymond James & Associates, Inc., Raymond James Financial Services, Inc. and each entity’s affiliates (“Raymond James”)
Shareholders purchasing fund shares through a Raymond James platform or account, or through an introducing broker-dealer or independent registered investment adviser for which Raymond James provides trade execution, clearance, and/or custody services, will be eligible only for the following load waivers (front-end sales charge waivers and contingent deferred, or back-end, sales charge waivers) and discounts, which may differ from those disclosed elsewhere in this Fund's Prospectus or SAI.
Front-End Sales Charge Waivers on Class A Shares available at Raymond James
◼
Shares purchased in an investment advisory program
◼
Shares purchased within the same fund family through a systematic reinvestment of capital gains and dividend distributions
◼
Employees and registered representatives of Raymond James or its affiliates and their family members as designated by Raymond James
◼
Shares purchased from the proceeds of redemptions within the same fund family, provided (1) the repurchase occurs within 90 days following the redemption, (2) the redemption and purchase occur in the same account, and (3) redeemed shares were subject to a front-end or deferred sales load (known as Rights of Reinstatement)
◼
A shareholder in the Fund's Class C shares will have their shares converted at net asset value to Class A shares (or the appropriate share class) of the Fund if the shares are no longer subject to a CDSC and the conversion is in line with the policies and procedures of Raymond James
CDSC Waivers on Classes A and C Shares available at Raymond James
◼
Death or disability of the shareholder
◼
Shares sold as part of a systematic withdrawal plan as described in the Fund's Prospectus
◼
Return of excess contributions from an IRA Account
◼
Shares sold as part of a required minimum distribution for IRA and retirement accounts due to the shareholder reaching the qualified age based on applicable IRS regulations as described in the Fund's prospectus
◼
Shares sold to pay Raymond James fees but only if the transaction is initiated by Raymond James
◼
Shares acquired through a Right of Reinstatement
Front-End Load Discounts Available at Raymond James: Breakpoints, Rights of Accumulation, and/or Letters of Intent
◼
Breakpoints as described in this Prospectus
◼
Rights of Accumulation which entitle shareholders to breakpoint discounts will be automatically calculated based on the aggregated holding of fund family assets held by accounts within the purchaser's household at Raymond James. Eligible fund family assets not held at Raymond James may be included in the calculation of rights of accumulation only if the shareholder notifies his or her financial advisor about such assets
◼
Letters of intent which allow for breakpoint discounts based on anticipated purchases within a fund family, over a 13-month time period. Eligible fund family assets not held at Raymond James may be included in the calculation of letters of intent only if the shareholder notifies his or her financial advisor about such assets
51
Appendix A — Variations in Sales Charge Reductions and Waivers Available Through Certain Intermediaries
Janney Montgomery Scott LLC (“Janney”)
Shareholders purchasing fund shares through a Janney brokerage account will be eligible only for the following load waivers (front-end sales charge waivers and CDSC, or back-end, sales charge waivers) and discounts, which may differ from those disclosed elsewhere in this Fund's Prospectus or SAI.
Front-End Sales Charge Waivers on Class A shares available at Janney
◼
Shares purchased through reinvestment of capital gains distributions and dividend reinvestment when purchasing shares of the same fund (but not any other fund within the fund family)
◼
Shares purchased by employees and registered representatives of Janney or its affiliates and their family members as designated by Janney
◼
Shares purchased from the proceeds of redemptions within the same fund family, provided (1) the repurchase occurs within ninety (90) days following the redemption, (2) the redemption and purchase occur in the same account, and (3) redeemed shares were subject to a front-end or deferred sales load (known as Right of Reinstatement)
◼
Employer-sponsored retirement plans (e.g., 401(k) plans, 457 plans, employer-sponsored 403(b) plans, profit sharing and money purchase pension plans and defined benefit plans). For purposes of this provision, employer-sponsored retirement plans do not include SEP IRAs, Simple IRAs, SAR-SEPs or Keogh plans
◼
Shares acquired through a Right of Reinstatement
◼
Class C shares that are no longer subject to a CDSC and are converted to Class A shares of the same fund pursuant to Janney’s policies and procedures
CDSC Waivers on Class A and C shares available at Janney
◼
Shares sold upon the death or disability of the shareholder
◼
Shares sold as part of a systematic withdrawal plan as described in the Fund’s Prospectus
◼
Shares purchased in connection with a return of excess contributions from an IRA account
◼
Shares sold as part of a required minimum distribution for IRA and retirement accounts due to the shareholder reaching the qualified age based on applicable Internal Revenue Service regulations as described in a Fund’s Prospectus
◼
Shares sold to pay Janney fees but only if the transaction is initiated by Janney
◼
Shares acquired through a Right of Reinstatement
◼
Shares exchanged into the same share class of a different fund
Front-End Load Discounts available at Janney: Breakpoints, Rights of Accumulation and/or letters of intent1
◼
Breakpoints as described in this Prospectus
◼
Rights of accumulation (“ROA”), which entitle shareholders to breakpoint discounts, will be automatically calculated based on the aggregated holding of fund family assets held by accounts within the purchaser’s household at Janney. Eligible fund family assets not held at Janney may be included in the ROA calculation only if the shareholder notifies his or her financial advisor about such assets
◼
Letters of intent (LOI) which allow for breakpoint discounts based on anticipated purchases within a fund family, over a 13-month time period. Eligible fund family assets not held at Janney may be included in the calculation of letters of intent only if the shareholder notifies his or her financial advisor about such assets
1 Also referred to as an “initial sales charge”
52
Appendix A — Variations in Sales Charge Reductions and Waivers Available Through Certain Intermediaries
Edward D. Jones & Co (“Edward Jones”)
The following information supersedes prior information with respect to transactions and positions held in fund shares through an Edward Jones systems. Clients of Edward Jones (also referred to as “shareholders”) purchasing fund shares on the Edward Jones commission and fee-based platforms are eligible only for the following sales charge discounts (also referred to as “breakpoints”) and waivers, which can differ from discounts and waivers described elsewhere in the Fund’s Prospectus or SAI or through another broker-dealer. In all instances, it is the shareholder’s responsibility to inform Edward Jones at the time of purchase of any relationship, holdings of the Victory Funds, or other facts qualifying the purchaser for discounts or waivers. Edward Jones can ask for documentation of such circumstance. Shareholders should contact Edward Jones if they have questions regarding their eligibility for these discounts and waivers.
Breakpoints
◼
Breakpoint pricing, otherwise known as volume pricing, at dollar thresholds as described in the prospectus.
Rights of Accumulation (“ROA”)
◼
The applicable sales charge on a purchase of Class A shares is determined by taking into account all share classes (except certain money market funds and any assets held in group retirement plans) of the Victory Funds held by the shareholder or in an account grouped by Edward Jones with other accounts for the purpose of providing certain pricing considerations (“pricing groups”). If grouping assets as a shareholder, this includes all share classes held on the Edward Jones platform and/or held on another platform. The inclusion of eligible fund family assets in the ROA calculation is dependent on the shareholder notifying Edward Jones of such assets at the time of calculation. Money market funds are included only if such shares were sold with a sales charge at the time of purchase or acquired in exchange for shares purchased with a sales charge.
◼
The employer maintaining a SEP IRA plan and/or SIMPLE IRA plan may elect to establish or change ROA for the IRA accounts associated with the plan to a plan-level grouping as opposed to including all share classes at a shareholder or pricing group level.
◼
ROA is determined by calculating the higher of cost minus redemptions or market value (current shares x NAV).
Letter of Intent (“LOI”)
◼
Through a LOI, shareholders can receive the sales charge and breakpoint discounts for purchases shareholders intend to make over a 13-month period from the date Edward Jones receives the LOI. The LOI is determined by calculating the higher of cost or market value of qualifying holdings at LOI initiation in combination with the value that the shareholder intends to buy over a 13-month period to calculate the front-end sales charge and any breakpoint discounts. Each purchase the shareholder makes during that 13-month period will receive the sales charge and breakpoint discount that applies to the total amount. The inclusion of eligible fund family assets in the LOI calculation is dependent on the shareholder notifying Edward Jones of such assets at the time of calculation. Purchases made before the LOI is received by Edward Jones are not adjusted under the LOI and will not reduce the sales charge previously paid. Sales charges will be adjusted if the LOI is not met.
◼
If the employer maintaining a SEP IRA plan and/or SIMPLE IRA plan has elected to establish or change ROA for the IRA accounts associated with the plan to a plan-level grouping, LOIs will also be at the plan-level and may only be established by the employer.
53
Appendix A — Variations in Sales Charge Reductions and Waivers Available Through Certain Intermediaries
Sales Charge Waivers
Sales charges are waived for the following shareholders and in the following situations:
◼
Associates of Edward Jones and its affiliates and other accounts in the same pricing group (as determined by Edward Jones under its policies and procedures) as the associate. This waiver will continue for the remainder of the associate's life if the associate retires from Edward Jones in good-standing and remains in good standing pursuant to Edward Jones' policies and procedures.
◼
Shares purchased in an Edward Jones fee-based program.
◼
Shares purchased through reinvestment of capital gains distributions and dividend reinvestment.
◼
Shares purchased from the proceeds of redeemed shares of the same fund family so long as the following conditions are met: the proceeds are from the sale of shares within 60 days of the purchase, the sale and purchase are made from a share class that charges a front load and one of the following:
◼
The redemption and repurchase occur in the same account.
◼
The redemption proceeds are used to process an: IRA contribution, excess contributions, conversion, recharacterizing of contributions, or distribution, and the repurchase is done in an account within the same Edward Jones grouping for ROA.
◼
Shares exchanged into Class A shares from another share class so long as the exchange is into the same fund and was initiated at the discretion of Edward Jones. Edward Jones is responsible for any remaining CDSC due to the fund company, if applicable. Any future purchases are subject to the applicable sales charge as disclosed in the prospectus.
◼
Exchanges from Class C shares to Class A shares of the same fund, generally, in the 84th month following the anniversary of the purchase date or earlier at the discretion of Edward Jones.
◼
Purchases of Class 529-A shares through a rollover from either another education savings plan or a security used for qualified distributions.
◼
Purchases of Class 529 shares made for recontribution of refunded amounts.
Contingent Deferred Sales Charge (“CDSC”) Waivers
If the shareholder purchases shares that are subject to a CDSC and those shares are redeemed before the CDSC is expired, the shareholder is responsible to pay the CDSC except in the following conditions:
◼
The death or disability of the shareholder.
◼
Systematic withdrawals with up to 10% per year of account value.
◼
Return of excess contributions from an Individual Retirement Account (IRA).
◼
Shares redeemed as part of a required minimum distribution for IRA and retirement accounts if the redemption is taken in or after the year the shareholder reaches qualified age based on applicable IRS regulations.
◼
Shares redeemed to pay Edward Jones fees or costs in such cases where the transaction is initiated by Edward Jones.
◼
Shares exchanged in an Edward Jones fee-based program.
◼
Shares acquired through NAV reinstatement.
◼
Shares redeemed at the discretion of Edward Jones for Minimum Balances, as described below.
Other Important Information Regarding Transactions Through Edward Jones
Minimum Purchase Amounts
◼
Initial purchase minimum: $250
◼
Subsequent purchase minimum: none
54
Appendix A — Variations in Sales Charge Reductions and Waivers Available Through Certain Intermediaries
Minimum Balances
◼
Edward Jones has the right to redeem at its discretion fund holdings with a balance of $250 or less. The following are examples of accounts that are not included in this policy:
◼
A fee-based account held on an Edward Jones platform
◼
A 529 account held on an Edward Jones platform
◼
An account with an active systematic investment plan or LOI
Exchanging Share Classes
◼
At any time it deems necessary, Edward Jones has the authority to exchange at NAV a shareholder's holdings in a fund to Class A shares of the same fund.
Oppenheimer & Co. Inc. (“OPCO”)
Shareholders purchasing Fund shares through an OPCO platform or account are eligible only for the following load waivers (front-end sales charge waivers and contingent deferred, or back-end, sales charge waivers) and discounts, which may differ from those disclosed elsewhere in this Fund’s Prospectus or SAI.
Front-End Sales Charge Waivers on Class A Shares available at OPCO
◼
Employer-sponsored retirement, deferred compensation and employee benefit plans (including health savings accounts) and trusts used to fund those plans, provided that the shares are not held in a commission-based brokerage account and shares are held for the benefit of the plan
◼
Shares purchased by or through a 529 Plan
◼
Shares purchased through an OPCO affiliated investment advisory program
◼
Shares purchased through reinvestment of capital gains distributions and dividend reinvestment when purchasing shares of the same fund (but not any other fund within the fund family)
◼
Shares purchased from the proceeds of redemptions within the same fund family, provided (1) the repurchase occurs within 90 days following the redemption, (2) the redemption and purchase occur in the same account, and (3) redeemed shares were subject to a front-end or deferred sales load (known as Rights of Restatement)
◼
A shareholder in the Fund’s Class C shares will have their shares converted at net asset value to Class A shares (or the appropriate share class) of the Fund if the shares are no longer subject to a CDSC and the conversion is in line with the policies and procedures of OPCO
◼
Employees and registered representatives of OPCO or its affiliates and their family members
◼
Directors or Trustees of the Fund, and employees of the Fund’s investment adviser or any of its affiliates, as described in this Prospectus
CDSC Waivers on A and C Shares available at OPCO
◼
Death or disability of the shareholder
◼
Shares sold as part of a systematic withdrawal plan as described in the Fund's Prospectus
◼
Return of excess contributions from an IRA Account
◼
Shares sold as part of a required minimum distribution for IRA and retirement accounts due to the shareholder reaching the qualified age based on applicable IRS regulations as described in the prospectus
◼
Shares sold to pay OPCO fees but only if the transaction is initiated by OPCO
◼
Shares acquired through a Right of Reinstatement
55
Appendix A — Variations in Sales Charge Reductions and Waivers Available Through Certain Intermediaries
Front-end load Discounts Available at OPCO: Breakpoints, Rights of Accumulation & Letters of Intent
◼
Breakpoints as described in this Prospectus
◼
Rights of Accumulation (“ROA”) which entitle shareholders to breakpoint discounts will be automatically calculated based on the aggregated holding of fund family assets held by accounts within the purchaser’s household at OPCO. Eligible fund family assets not held at OPCO may be included in the ROA calculation only if the shareholder notifies his or her financial advisor about such assets
Robert W. Baird & Co. (“Baird”)
Shareholders purchasing fund shares through a Baird platform or account will only be eligible for the following sales charge waivers (front-end sales charge waivers and CDSC waivers) and discounts, which may differ from those disclosed elsewhere in this Prospectus or the SAI.
Front-End Sales Charge Waivers on Class A Shares available at Baird
◼
Shares purchased through reinvestment of capital gains distributions and dividend reinvestment when purchasing shares of the same fund
◼
Shares purchase by employees and registers representatives of Baird or its affiliate and their family members as designated by Baird
◼
Shares purchased using the proceeds of redemptions from a Victory Fund, provided (1) the repurchase occurs within 90 days following the redemption, (2) the redemption and purchase occur in the same accounts, and (3) redeemed shares were subject to a front-end or deferred sales charge (known as Rights of Reinstatement)
◼
A shareholder in the Funds Investor C Shares will have their share converted at net asset value to Investor A shares of the same fund if the shares are no longer subject to CDSC and the conversion is in line with the policies and procedures of Baird
◼
Employer-sponsored retirement plans or charitable accounts in a transactional brokerage account at Baird, including 401(k) plans, 457 plans, employer-sponsored 403(b) plans, profit sharing and money purchase pension plans and defined benefit plans. For purposes of this provision, employer-sponsored retirement plans do not include SEP IRAs, Simple IRAs or SAR-SEPs
CDSC Waivers on Classes A and C Shares available at Baird
◼
Shares sold due to death or disability of the shareholder
◼
Shares sold as part of a systematic withdrawal plan as described in the Fund’s Prospectus
◼
Shares bought due to returns of excess contributions from an IRA Account
◼
Shares sold as part of a required minimum distribution for IRA and retirement accounts due to the shareholder reaching the qualified age based on applicable Internal Revenue Service regulations as described in the Fund’s Prospectus
◼
Shares sold to pay Baird fees but only if the transaction is initiated by Baird
◼
Shares acquired through a Right of Reinstatement
Front-End Load Discounts Available at Baird: Breakpoints, Rights of Accumulation, and/or Letters of Intent
◼
Breakpoints as described in this Prospectus
◼
Rights of accumulations which entitles shareholders to breakpoint discounts will be automatically calculated based on the aggregated holding of Victory Funds assets held by accounts within the purchaser’s household at Baird. Eligible Victory Funds assets not held at Baird may be included
56
Appendix A — Variations in Sales Charge Reductions and Waivers Available Through Certain Intermediaries
in the rights of accumulations calculation only if the shareholder notifies his or her financial advisor about such assets
◼
Letters of Intent (LOI) allow for breakpoint discounts based on anticipated purchases of the Victory Funds through Baird, over a 13-month period of time
J.P. Morgan Securities LLC
If you purchase or hold fund shares through an applicable J.P. Morgan Securities LLC brokerage account, you will be eligible for the following sales charge waivers (front-end sales charge waivers and contingent deferred sales charge (“CDSC”), or back-end sales charge, waivers), share class conversion policy and discounts, which may differ from those disclosed elsewhere in this fund’s prospectus or Statement of Additional Information.
Front-End Sales Charge Waivers on Class A Shares available at J.P. Morgan Securities LLC
◼
Shares exchanged from Class C (i.e. level-load) shares that are no longer subject to a CDSC and are exchanged into Class A shares of the same fund pursuant to J.P. Morgan Securities LLC’s share class exchange policy.
◼
Qualified employer-sponsored defined contribution and defined benefit retirement plans, nonqualified deferred compensation plans, other employee benefit plans and trusts used to fund those plans. For purposes of this provision, such plans do not include SEP IRAs, SIMPLE IRAs, SAR-SEPs or 501(c)(3) accounts.
◼
Shares of funds purchased through J.P. Morgan Securities LLC Self-Directed Investing accounts.
◼
Shares purchased through rights of reinstatement.
◼
Shares purchased through reinvestment of capital gains distributions and dividend reinvestment when purchasing shares of the same fund (but not any other fund within the fund family).
◼
Shares purchased by employees and registered representatives of J.P. Morgan Securities LLC or its affiliates and their spouse or financial dependent as defined by J.P. Morgan Securities LLC.
Class C to Class A Share Conversion
◼
A shareholder in the fund’s Class C shares will have their shares converted to Class A shares (or the appropriate share class) of the same fund if the shares are no longer subject to a CDSC and the conversion is consistent with J.P. Morgan Securities LLC’s policies and procedures.
CDSC Waivers on Class A and C Shares available at J.P. Morgan Securities LLC
◼
Shares sold upon the death or disability of the shareholder.
◼
Shares sold as part of a systematic withdrawal plan as described in the fund’s prospectus.
◼
Shares purchased in connection with a return of excess contributions from an IRA account.
◼
Shares sold as part of a required minimum distribution for IRA and retirement accounts pursuant to the Internal Revenue Code.
◼
Shares acquired through a right of reinstatement.
Front-end load Discounts Available at J.P. Morgan Securities LLC: Breakpoints, Rights of Accumulation & Letters of Intent
◼
Breakpoints as described in the Prospectus.
◼
Rights of Accumulation (“ROA”) which entitle shareholders to breakpoint discounts as described in the fund’s prospectus will be automatically calculated based on the aggregated holding of fund family assets held by accounts within the purchaser’s household at J.P. Morgan Securities LLC. Eligible fund family assets not held at J.P. Morgan Securities LLC (including 529 program
57
Appendix A — Variations in Sales Charge Reductions and Waivers Available Through Certain Intermediaries
holdings, where applicable) may be included in the ROA calculation only if the shareholder notifies their financial advisor about such assets.
Letters of Intent (“LOI”), which allow for breakpoint discounts based on anticipated purchases within a fund family, through J.P. Morgan Securities LLC, over a 13-month period of time (if applicable).
58
VF-RS-GET-PRO (05/24)
By mail:
Victory Funds
P.O. Box 182593
Columbus, OH 43218-2593
Victory Funds
P.O. Box 182593
Columbus, OH 43218-2593
P.O. Box 182593
Columbus, OH 43218-2593
Columbus, OH 43218-2593
Statement of Additional Information (“SAI”): The SAI contains more information about the Fund's operations, investment restrictions, policies and practices. The SAI is incorporated by reference into this Prospectus, which means that it is legally part of this Prospectus, even if you do not request a copy.
Annual and Semi Annual Reports: Annual and semi annual reports contain more information about the Fund's investments and the market conditions and investment strategies that significantly affected the Fund's performance during the most recent fiscal period.
How to Obtain Information: You may obtain a free copy of the SAI or annual and semi annual reports, and ask questions about the Fund or your accounts, online at VictoryFunds.com, by contacting the Victory Funds at the following address or telephone number, or by contacting your financial intermediary.
By telephone:
Call Victory Funds at
800-539-FUND (800-539-3863)
Call Victory Funds at
800-539-FUND (800-539-3863)
You also can get information about the Fund (including the SAI and other reports) from the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) on the SEC's Edgar database at sec.gov or, after paying a duplicating fee, by electronic request sent to the following e-mail address: publicinfo@sec.gov.
Investment Company Act File Number 811-4852
