the Example, affect the Fund’s
performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate was
14% of the average value of its portfolio.
Principal Investment Strategies of the Fund
Under normal circumstances, the Fund invests at least 80% of its net assets (plus any borrowings for
investment purposes) in equity securities of small-capitalization issuers, and in derivatives and other instruments that have economic characteristics similar to such securities. The Fund considers a small-capitalization issuer to
be one that has a market capitalization no larger than the market capitalization of the largest
capitalized issuer included in the MSCI ACWI Small Cap Index during the most recent 11-month
period (based on month-end data) plus the most recent data during the current month. An issuer’s “market capitalization” is the value of its outstanding stock.
The principal types of equity securities in which the Fund invests are common and preferred stock. The Fund can also invest in depositary receipts, rights and warrants. The Fund may
invest up to 10% of its net assets in warrants.
The Fund can invest without limit in foreign securities in any country, including countries located in emerging markets (i.e., those that are generally in the early stages of their
industrial cycles), as well as in developed markets. Under normal circumstances, the Fund will provide exposure to investments that are economically tied to at least three different countries, including the U.S.
Under normal circumstances, the Fund will invest a percentage of its net assets in investments that are economically tied to countries other than the U.S. in an amount equal to at least the lesser of (a) 40%, unless market
conditions are not deemed favorable, in which case, at least 30%, or (b) the percentage of foreign issuers represented in the MSCI ACWI Small Cap Index minus 10%. The Fund may invest in securities denominated in U.S. dollars or
local foreign currencies.
The Fund may invest up to 10% of its net assets in China
A-shares (shares of companies based in mainland China that trade on the Shanghai Stock Exchange
and the Shenzhen Stock Exchange).
The Fund can invest in derivative instruments,
including forward foreign currency contracts. The Fund can use forward foreign currency contracts to hedge against adverse movements in the foreign currencies in which portfolio securities are
denominated.
In selecting investments for the Fund, the portfolio managers take a
long-term time horizon with a focus on a disciplined investment process and an emphasis on
balanced portfolio construction. The portfolio managers seek to achieve a balanced portfolio through the diversification of securities that are balanced between size, style and factor risk. The portfolio managers apply a bottom-up, fundamental
research investment process comprised of bottom-up due diligence and value analysis. Stock selection is based on a rigorous analytical process that seeks to select the right company (a quality business with a sustainable
financial framework, a competitive advantage and good governance), at the right time to buy (when the price is not reflective of the intrinsic value and there is potential for value creation over time), that is a right fit
for the portfolio (attractive relative to existing holdings, conducive to maintaining the balance of the overall portfolio and/or reduces portfolio risk).
The portfolio management team will typically sell a security when a more
attractive opportunity has been identified that the portfolio managers believe provide a better fit for the portfolio or where the portfolio managers lose confidence in the fundamentals or valuation.
Principal Risks of Investing in the Fund
As with any mutual fund investment, loss of money is a risk of investing. An investment in the Fund is not a deposit in a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other governmental agency. The risks associated with an investment in the Fund can increase during times of significant market
volatility. The principal risks of investing in the Fund are:
Market Risk. The market values of the Fund’s investments, and therefore the value of the Fund’s shares, will
go up and down, sometimes rapidly or unpredictably. Market risk may affect a single issuer, industry or section of the economy, or it may affect the market as a whole. The value of the Fund’s investments may
go up or down due to general market conditions that are not specifically related to the particular issuer. These market conditions may include real or perceived adverse economic conditions, changes in trade regulation or
economic sanctions, changes in the general outlook for revenues or corporate earnings, changes in interest or currency rates, regional or global instability and uncertainty, natural or environmental disasters,
widespread disease or other public health issues, war, military conflict, acts of terrorism, economic crisis or adverse investor sentiment generally, among others. Certain changes in the U.S. economy in particular, such as when the U.S.
economy weakens or when its financial markets decline, may have a material adverse effect on global financial markets as a whole, and on the securities to which the Fund has exposure. Increasingly strained relations
between the U.S. and foreign countries, including as a result of economic sanctions and tariffs, may also adversely affect U.S. issuers, as well as non-U.S. issuers.
During a general downturn in the financial markets, multiple asset classes
may decline in value. When markets perform well, there can be no assurance that specific investments held by the Fund will rise in value.
Investing in Stocks Risk. The value of the Fund’s portfolio may be affected by changes in the stock markets. Stock markets may experience significant short-term volatility and
may fall or rise sharply at times. Adverse events in any part of the equity or fixed-income markets may have unexpected negative effects on other market segments. Different stock markets may behave differently from each
other and U.S. stock markets may move in the opposite direction from one or more foreign stock markets.
The prices of individual stocks generally do not all move in the same
direction at the same time. However, individual stock prices tend to go up and down more
dramatically than those of certain other types of investments, such as bonds. A variety of factors can negatively affect the price of a particular company’s stock. These factors may include, but are not limited to: poor earnings
reports, a loss of customers, litigation against the company, general unfavorable performance of the company’s sector or industry, or changes in government regulations affecting the company or its industry. To the extent that
securities of a particular type are emphasized (for example foreign stocks, stocks of small- or mid-cap companies, growth or value stocks, or stocks of companies in a particular industry), Fund share values may fluctuate more in
response to events affecting the market for those types of securities.
Foreign Securities Risk. Investments in the securities of non-U.S. issuers involve risks beyond those associated with investments in U.S. securities. Foreign securities may have
relatively low market liquidity, greater market volatility, decreased publicly available information and less reliable financial information about issuers, and inconsistent and potentially less stringent accounting, auditing and
financial reporting requirements and standards of practice, including recordkeeping standards, comparable to those applicable to domestic issuers. Foreign securities also are subject to the risks of possible seizure,
expropriation, nationalization, political or social instability, changes in economic or taxation policies or other adverse political or economic developments (in which the Fund could lose its entire investments in a certain market) and the
difficulty of enforcing obligations in other countries, including the possible adoption of foreign governmental restrictions such as exchange controls. Investments in foreign securities also may be subject to dividend
withholding or confiscatory taxes, currency blockage and/or transfer restrictions and higher transactional costs. To the extent the Fund invests in securities denominated in foreign currencies, fluctuations in the value of the U.S.
dollar relative to the values of other currencies may adversely affect investments in foreign securities and may negatively impact the Fund’s returns, unless the Fund has hedged its foreign currency exposure. Currency
exchange rates may fluctuate significantly over short periods of time. Currency hedging strategies, if used, may not always