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 64% 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 common stocks,
depositary receipts and other equity securities of companies primarily in emerging
markets outside the U.S., which the subadviser believes, when compared to
developed markets, have above average-growth prospects.
Emerging markets include most countries in the world except Australia, Canada, Japan, New
Zealand, the United Kingdom, the United States, and most of the countries of
Western Europe. An emerging market company is one: that is organized under the laws of, or has a principal place of business in an emerging market; where the principal securities market is
in an emerging market; that derives at least 50% of its total revenues or profits
from goods that are produced or sold, investments made, or services performed in an emerging market; or at least 50% of the assets of which are located in an emerging market. The Portfolio is not
required to allocate its investments in any set percentages to any particular
country. The Portfolio is not constrained by capitalization or style limits and
will invest across sectors. The Portfolio will invest in securities across all market capitalizations, although the Portfolio may invest a significant portion of its assets in companies of one
particular market capitalization category.
The Portfolio may overweight or underweight countries relative to its benchmark, the Morgan Stanley Capital International (“MSCI”)
Emerging Markets Index (net). In managing the Portfolio, the subadviser adheres to a disciplined process for stock selection and portfolio
construction. A proprietary multi-factor model is used to quantitatively rank securities in the Portfolio’s investment universe which the
subadviser uses to select securities. The Portfolio emphasizes securities that are ranked as undervalued, while underweighting or avoiding securities that appear overvalued.
The Portfolio may invest in securities denominated in U.S. dollars, major reserve currencies
and currencies of other countries in which it is permitted to invest. The Portfolio
typically maintains full currency exposure to those markets in which it invests.
However, the Portfolio may hedge a portion of its foreign currency exposure into the U.S.
dollar.
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.
Emerging Markets Risk. Risks associated with investments in emerging markets may include: delays in settling portfolio securities
transactions; currency and capital controls; greater sensitivity to interest rate
changes; pervasive corruption and crime; exchange rate volatility; inflation,
deflation or currency devaluation; violent military or political conflicts; confiscations and other government restrictions by the United States or other governments; and government
instability. As a result, investments in emerging market securities tend to be
more volatile than investments in developed countries.
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 epidemics). Lack of relevant data and reliable public