of its net assets and its
allocation to fixed income strategies may range from approximately 10%-30% of its net
assets.
When deciding upon overall allocations between stocks and fixed income securities, T. Rowe
Price Associates, Inc. (“T. Rowe Price”), the Portfolio’s subadviser, may favor fixed income securities if the economy is expected to slow sufficiently to hurt corporate
profit growth. When strong economic growth is expected, the subadviser may favor
stocks. The fixed income securities in which the Portfolio intends to invest are
primarily investment grade and are chosen from across the entire government and corporate markets. Maturities generally reflect the subadviser’s outlook for interest rates.
When selecting particular equity securities, T. Rowe Price will examine relative values and
prospects among growth- and value-oriented stocks, domestic and foreign stocks,
and small- to large-cap stocks. This process draws heavily upon the proprietary
stock research expertise of T. Rowe Price. While the Portfolio maintains a diversified portfolio, T. Rowe Price may, at any particular time, shift stock selection toward markets or market
sectors that appear to offer attractive value and appreciation potential.
A similar security selection process applies to fixed income securities. When deciding whether to adjust duration, credit risk exposure, or
allocations among the various sectors (for example, mortgage- and asset-backed
securities), T. Rowe Price weighs such factors as the outlook for inflation and the economy, corporate earnings, expected interest rate movements and currency valuations.
Securities may be sold for a variety of reasons, such as to effect a change in asset
allocation, secure a gain, limit a loss, or redeploy assets into more promising
opportunities.
The Portfolio places an emphasis on managing risk relative to its benchmark index, which is
comprised of the following: 58% S&P 500® Index, 3% S&P Midcap 400® Index, 3% Russell 2000® Index, 16% MSCI EAFE Index (net) and 20% Bloomberg U.S. Government/Credit Index (the “Blended Index”). To
manage the Portfolio’s risk relative to the Blended Index, T. Rowe Price intends to tactically adjust the Portfolio’s equity and fixed income allocation, if required by the
Portfolio’s risk management parameters. These risk management parameters include restrictions designed to limit how far the Portfolio’s returns are permitted to deviate
from those of the Blended Index. Such restrictions may result in the Portfolio having returns that track the Blended Index more consistently and more closely than would otherwise be the
case. These restrictions may prevent a significant deviation from the
returns of the Blended Index,
but may also limit the Portfolio’s ability to outperform the returns of the Blended
Index.
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.
Asset Allocation Risk. The Portfolio’s ability to achieve its investment goal depends in part on a subadviser’s skill
in determining the Portfolio’s investment strategy allocations. Although
allocation among different investment strategies generally reduces risk and exposure to any one strategy, the risk remains that a subadviser may favor an investment strategy that
performs poorly relative to other investment strategies.
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.
Large-Cap
Companies Risk. Large-cap companies tend to be less volatile than companies with smaller market
capitalizations. In exchange for this potentially lower risk, the
Portfolio’s value may not rise as much as the value of portfolios that emphasize smaller companies. Larger, more established companies may be unable to respond quickly to new competitive challenges,
such as changes in technology and consumer tastes. Larger companies also may not
be able to attain the high growth rate of successful smaller companies, particularly during
extended periods of economic expansion.
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