reflected, the expenses would be
higher. See the Variable Contract prospectus for information on such charges.
Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions and
the net expenses shown in the fee table, your costs would be:
The Portfolio pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities
(or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may
indicate higher transaction costs. These costs, which are not reflected in annual
portfolio operating expenses or in the Example, affect the Portfolio’s performance.
During the most recent fiscal year, the
Portfolio’s portfolio turnover rate was 56% of the average value of its portfolio.
Principal Investment Strategies of the Portfolio
The Portfolio attempts to achieve its goal by investing,
under normal circumstances, at least 80% of its net assets in equity securities
of companies with small and medium market capitalizations that the subadviser determines to be
undervalued.
The subadviser uses proprietary
quantitative research tools that balance valuation against quality factors and
fundamental research insights to identify the most attractive stocks in the
small- and mid-capitalization universe. It then performs rigorous fundamental company and industry research to determine the long term earnings power of those companies. Once a
stock’s expected return has been established from these quantitative and
fundamental perspectives, its risk penalty or benefit is assessed and the
portfolio is constructed with those companies with the most attractive risk adjusted returns.
The Portfolio may invest in convertible securities (up
to 20% of net assets), rights and warrants (up to 10% of net assets) and foreign securities (up
to 15% of net assets).
Principal Risks of Investing in
the Portfolio
As with any mutual fund, there can be no assurance that the Portfolio’s investment goal will be met or that the net return on an investment in
the Portfolio will exceed what could have been obtained through other investment or
savings vehicles. Shares of the Portfolio are not bank deposits and are not guaranteed or insured by any bank, government entity or the Federal
Deposit Insurance
Corporation. If the value of the assets of the Portfolio goes down, you could lose money.
The following is a summary of the principal risks of investing in the Portfolio.
Equity Securities Risk. The Portfolio invests principally in equity securities and is therefore subject to the risk that stock prices will fall and may
underperform other asset classes. Individual stock prices fluctuate from day-to-day and may
decline significantly.
Value Investing
Risk. The subadviser’s judgment that a particular security is undervalued in relation to
the company’s fundamental economic value may prove incorrect.
Small- and Mid-Cap Companies Risk. Companies with smaller market capitalizations (particularly under $1 billion depending on the market) tend to be at early stages of development with limited product lines,
operating histories, market access for products, financial resources, access to
new capital, or depth in management. It may be difficult to obtain reliable information and financial data about these companies. Consequently, the securities of smaller companies may not be as readily
marketable and may be subject to more abrupt or erratic market movements than
companies with larger capitalizations. Securities of medium-sized companies are also subject to
these risks to a lesser extent.
Convertible Securities Risk. The values of the convertible securities in which the Portfolio may invest will be affected by market interest
rates, the risk that the issuer may default on interest or principal payments and the value of the underlying common stock into which these securities may be converted.
Specifically, certain types of convertible securities may pay fixed interest and
dividends; their values may fall if market interest rates rise and rise if market
interest rates fall. Additionally, an issuer may have the right to buy back or “call” certain of the convertible securities at a time unfavorable to the Portfolio.
Foreign Investment Risk. The Portfolio’s investments in the securities of foreign issuers or issuers with significant exposure to foreign markets
involve additional risk. Foreign countries in which the Portfolio invests may have
markets that are less liquid, less regulated and more volatile than U.S. markets.
The value of the Portfolio’s investments may decline because of factors affecting the particular issuer as well as foreign markets and issuers generally, such as unfavorable
government actions, and political or financial instability and other conditions or
events (including, for example, military confrontations, war, terrorism,
sanctions, disease/virus, outbreaks and