Portfolio Turnover
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 59% 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
(common stocks, preferred stocks and convertible securities) of medium-sized
companies that the subadviser believes have above-average growth potential.
Medium-sized companies will generally include companies whose market
capitalizations, at the time of purchase, range from the market capitalization of
the smallest company included in the Russell Midcap® Index to the market capitalization of the largest company in the Russell Midcap® Index during the
most recent 12-month period.
The Portfolio may invest
up to 20% of its net assets in foreign securities, including securities of issuers located in emerging markets. The Portfolio may invest in fixed income securities, principally corporate
securities.
In managing the Portfolio, the subadviser employs a process that combines research, valuation
and stock selection to identify companies that have a history of above-average
growth or which the subadviser believes will achieve above-average growth in the future. Growth companies purchased for the Portfolio include those with leading competitive positions,
predictable and durable business models and management that can achieve sustained
growth. The subadviser makes specific purchase decisions based on a number of quantitative factors, including valuation and improving fundamentals, as well as the stock and industry
insights of the subadviser’s research and portfolio management teams.
Finally, a disciplined, systematic portfolio construction process is employed to
minimize uncompensated risks relative to the benchmark.
The subadviser sells a security for several reasons. The subadviser may sell a security due to a change in the company’s fundamentals, a change
in the original reason for purchase of an investment, or new investment
opportunities with higher
expected returns emerge to displace existing portfolio holdings with lower expected
returns. Finally, the subadviser may also sell a security which the subadviser no
longer considers reasonably valued.
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.
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.
Active Trading Risk. The Portfolio may engage in frequent trading of securities to achieve its investment goal. Active trading may result in
high portfolio turnover and correspondingly greater brokerage commissions and
other transaction costs, which will be borne directly by the Portfolio and could
affect its performance. During periods of increased market volatility, active trading may be more
pronounced.
Preferred Stock Risk. Preferred stockholders’ liquidation rights are subordinate to the company’s debt holders and creditors. If interest rates
rise, the fixed dividend on preferred stocks may be less attractive and the price of preferred stocks may decline. Deferred dividend