generally be more sensitive to changes in interest rates
than funds with a shorter average portfolio duration. Fluctuations in interest rates may also
affect the yield and liquidity of fixed income securities and instruments held by the
Fund.
Large Shareholder
Transactions Risk. The Fund may experience adverse effects when certain large shareholders
purchase or redeem large amounts of shares of the Fund. Such large shareholder redemptions,
which may occur rapidly or unexpectedly, may cause the Fund to sell portfolio securities at times when it would not otherwise do so, which may negatively impact the Fund's NAV and liquidity. Similarly, large Fund share
purchases may adversely affect the Fund's performance to the extent that the Fund is delayed in investing new cash or otherwise maintains a larger cash position than it ordinarily would. These transactions may also
accelerate the realization of taxable income to shareholders if such sales of investments resulted in gains, and may also increase transaction costs. In addition, a large redemption could result in the Fund's
current expenses being allocated over a smaller asset base, leading to an increase in the Fund's expense ratio.
Market Risk. The value of the securities in which the Fund invests may go up or down in response to the prospects of
individual companies, particular sectors, governments or countries and/or general economic
conditions throughout the world due to increasingly interconnected global economies and
financial markets. Events such as war, military conflict, geopolitical disputes, acts of terrorism, social or political unrest, natural disasters, recessions, inflation, rapid interest rate changes, supply chain disruptions,
tariffs and other restrictions on trade, sanctions or the spread of infectious illness or other public health threats, or the threat or potential of one or more such events and developments, could also significantly
impact the Fund and its investments.
Mortgage-Backed and Other Asset-Backed Securities Risk. Mortgage-related and other asset-backed securities are subject to credit/default, interest rate and
certain additional risks, including “extension risk” (i.e., in periods of rising interest rates, issuers may pay principal later than expected) and “prepayment risk” (i.e., in periods of declining interest rates,
issuers may pay principal more quickly than expected, causing the Fund to reinvest proceeds at lower prevailing interest rates). Due to these risks, asset-backed securities may become more volatile in certain interest rate
environments. Mortgage-backed securities offered by non-governmental issuers are subject to other risks as well, including failures of private insurers to meet their obligations and unexpectedly high rates of default on the
mortgages backing the securities, particularly during periods of rising interest rates. Other asset-backed securities are subject to risks similar to those associated with mortgage-backed securities, as well as
risks associated with the nature and servicing of the assets backing the securities. Asset-backed securities may not have the benefit of a security interest in collateral comparable to that of mortgage
assets, resulting in additional credit risk.
The Fund may gain exposure to Agency Mortgage-Backed Securities by utilizing TBA agreements. TBA
agreements involve the risk that the other party to the transaction will not meet its obligation. If this occurs, the Fund could lose the opportunity to obtain a price or yield that it considers advantageous. In such
circumstances, the Fund may not be able to secure an alternative investment with comparable terms. TBA agreements may give rise to a form of leverage. The Fund’s use of TBA agreements may also result in
a higher portfolio turnover rate and/or increased capital gains for the Fund.
Other Investment Companies Risk. By investing in other investment companies (including ETFs) indirectly through the Fund, investors will incur a proportionate share of the
expenses of the other investment companies held by the Fund (including operating costs and investment
management fees) in addition to the fees regularly borne
by the Fund. In addition, the Fund will be affected by the investment policies, practices and
performance of such investment companies in direct proportion to the amount of assets the Fund
invests therein.
Portfolio Turnover Rate Risk. A high rate of portfolio turnover may involve correspondingly greater expenses which must be borne by the
Fund and its shareholders, and also may result in short-term capital gains taxable to shareholders.
Reverse Repurchase Agreements Risk.
Reverse repurchase agreements are a form of secured borrowing and subject the Fund to the
risks associated with leverage, including exposure to potential gains and losses in excess of
the amount invested. Reverse repurchase agreements involve the risk that the investment return earned by the Fund (from the investment of the proceeds) will be less than the interest expense of the transaction, that the market
value of the securities sold by the Fund will decline below the price the Fund is obligated to pay to repurchase the securities, and that the other party may fail to return the securities in a timely manner or at all.
Sovereign Default Risk. An issuer of non-U.S. sovereign debt, or the governmental authorities that control the repayment of the
debt, may be unable or unwilling to repay the principal or interest when due. This may result
from political or social factors, the general economic environment of a country, levels of borrowing rates, foreign debt, or foreign currency exchange rates.
U.S. Government Securities Risk. The U.S. government may not provide financial support to U.S. government agencies, instrumentalities
or sponsored enterprises if it is not obligated to do so by law. U.S. Government Securities
issued by the Federal National Mortgage Association (“Fannie Mae”), Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (“Freddie Mac”) and the Federal Home Loan Banks, are neither issued nor guaranteed by the U.S.
Treasury and, therefore, are not backed by the full faith and credit of the United States. The maximum potential liability of the issuers of some U.S. Government Securities held by the Fund may greatly exceed their
current resources, including any legal right to support from the U.S. Treasury. It is possible that issuers of U.S. Government Securities will not have the funds to meet their payment obligations in the future.
The bar chart and table below provide an indication of the risks of
investing in the Fund by showing: (a) changes in the performance of the Fund’s Class P
Shares from year to year; and (b) how the average annual total returns of the Fund’s Class P Shares compare to those of a broad-based securities market index. The Fund’s past performance, before and after taxes, is not necessarily an indication of how the
Fund will perform in the future. Updated performance information is available at no cost at am.gs.com or by calling the appropriate phone number on the back cover of the Prospectus.
Performance reflects applicable fee waivers and/or expense limitations in effect during the periods shown.