v3.25.2
Sep. 26, 2025
ARBITRAGE FUND | ARBITRAGE FUND
Investment Objective

The Fund seeks to achieve capital growth by engaging in merger arbitrage.

Fund Fees and Expenses

This table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy, hold, and sell shares of the Fund. You may also pay other fees, such as brokerage commissions and other fees to financial intermediaries, which are not reflected in the table and example below. You may qualify for sales charge discounts on Class A Shares if you and your family invest, or agree to invest in the future, at least $50,000 in the Fund. More information about these and other discounts is available from your financial professional and in "How to Purchase Shares" beginning on page 42 of the statutory prospectus and in Appendix A to the prospectus, titled "Intermediary-Specific Sales Charge Reductions and Waivers."

Shareholder Fees (fees paid directly from your investment)
    Class R
Shares
  Class I
Shares
  Class C
Shares
  Class A
Shares
 
Maximum Sales Charge (Load) Imposed on Purchases
(as a percentage of offering price)
   

None

     

None

     

None

     

2.75

%

 
Maximum Deferred Sales Charge (Load)
(as a percentage of original purchase price)
   

None

     

None

     

1.00

%(1)     

1.00

%(2)

 
Annual Fund Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)
    Class R
Shares
  Class I
Shares
  Class C
Shares
  Class A
Shares
 

Management Fees

   

1.10

%

   

1.10

%

   

1.10

%

   

1.10

%

 

Distribution and/or Service (12b-1) Fees

   

0.25

%

   

None

     

1.00

%

   

0.25

%

 

Other Expenses:

   

0.26

%

   

0.26

%

   

0.26

%

   

0.26

%

 
Dividends on Short Positions and Interest
Expense on Short Positions and/or Borrowings
   

0.03

%

   

0.03

%

   

0.03

%

   

0.03

%

 

All Remaining Other Expenses

   

0.23

%

   

0.23

%

   

0.23

%

   

0.23

%

 

Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses(3)

   

0.10

%

   

0.10

%

   

0.10

%

   

0.10

%

 

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses(4)

   

1.71

%

   

1.46

%

   

2.46

%

   

1.71

%

 

(1)  ​This contingent deferred sales charge applies to Class C shares redeemed within 12 months of purchase.

(2)​  A deferred sales charge of up to 1.00% may be imposed on purchases of $250,000 or more of Class A shares purchased without a front-end sales charge that are redeemed within 18 months of purchase.

(3)  ​Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses are expenses incurred indirectly by the Fund through its ownership of shares in other investment companies.

(4)  ​The Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses in this fee table do not correlate to the expense ratio in the financial highlights because the expense ratios in the Financial Highlights do not reflect Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses.

Example

This Example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. It assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated and then redeem or hold all of your shares at the end of those periods. The Example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Fund's operating expenses remain the same. Class C shares automatically convert to Class A shares approximately eight years after purchase if the conversion is available through your financial intermediary. This Example reflects your costs as though Class C shares were held for the full 10-year period. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:

   

1 Year

 

3 Years

 

5 Years

 

10 Years

 

Class R Shares

 

$

174

   

$

539

   

$

928

   

$

2,019

   

Class I Shares

 

$

149

   

$

462

   

$

797

   

$

1,746

   

Class C Shares

 

Assuming Complete Redemption at End of Period

 

$

349

   

$

767

   

$

1,311

   

$

2,796

   

Assuming No Redemption

 

$

249

   

$

767

   

$

1,311

   

$

2,796

   

Class A Shares

 

$

444

   

$

799

   

$

1,178

   

$

2,239

   
   

1 Year

 

3 Years

 

5 Years

 

10 Years

 

Class R Shares

 

$

174

   

$

539

   

$

928

   

$

2,019

   

Class I Shares

 

$

149

   

$

462

   

$

797

   

$

1,746

   

Class C Shares

 

Assuming Complete Redemption at End of Period

 

$

349

   

$

767

   

$

1,311

   

$

2,796

   

Assuming No Redemption

 

$

249

   

$

767

   

$

1,311

   

$

2,796

   

Class A Shares

 

$

444

   

$

799

   

$

1,178

   

$

2,239

   
Portfolio Turnover

The Fund 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 and may result in higher taxes when Fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not

reflected in annual fund operating expenses or in the Example, affect the Fund's performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund's portfolio turnover rate was 162% of the average value of its portfolio.

Principal Investment Strategies

In attempting to achieve its investment objective, under normal market conditions the Fund will seek to invest at least 80% of its net assets (including borrowings for investment purposes) in equity securities of companies (both United States ((the "U.S.") and foreign) that are involved in publicly announced mergers, takeovers, tender offers, leveraged buyouts, spin-offs, liquidations, and other corporate reorganizations. Equity securities include common and preferred stock. The Fund may invest in equity securities of companies of any market capitalization. Merger arbitrage is a highly specialized investment approach designed to profit from the successful completion of mergers, takeovers, tender offers, leveraged buyouts, spin-offs, liquidations, and other corporate reorganizations. The Fund's investment adviser (the "Adviser") uses various investment strategies, including short selling and the purchasing and selling of options, in an attempt to preserve capital during times of market stress and to minimize market exposure, correlation, and volatility. The Adviser expects the Fund's assets to be invested across various industries; however, if for example, a large percentage (namely, at least 50%) of mergers or other corporate events taking place within the U.S. are within one industry over a given period of time, a large portion of the Fund's assets could be concentrated in that industry for that period of time.

The most common merger arbitrage activity, and the approach the Fund primarily uses, involves purchasing the shares of an announced acquisition target company at a discount to their expected value upon completion of the acquisition. The Fund may engage in selling securities short when the terms of a proposed acquisition call for the exchange of common stock and/or other securities. In such a case, the common stock of the company to be acquired may be purchased and, at approximately the same time, an amount of the acquiring company's common stock and/or other securities, as per the terms of the transaction, may be sold short. The purpose of the short sale is to protect against a decline in the market value of the acquiring company's securities prior to the acquisition's completion. The Fund may enter into equity swap agreements for the purpose of attempting to obtain a desired return on, or exposure to, certain equity securities or equity indices in an expedited manner or at a lower cost to the Fund than if the Fund had invested directly in such securities. The Fund may, but is not required to, seek to reduce currency risk by hedging part or all of its exposure to various foreign currencies. Furthermore, the Fund may invest in other investment companies, including other funds advised by the Adviser, and in exchange traded funds ("ETFs").

The Fund generally engages in active and frequent trading of portfolio securities to achieve its investment objective. The Fund will generally sell or close out a security when the securities of the companies involved in the transaction no longer meet the Fund's expected return criteria when gauged by prevailing market prices and the relative risks of the situation. The Fund may hold a significant portion of its assets in cash, money market or similar cash management funds, or short-term investments for defensive purposes, to preserve the Fund's ability to capitalize quickly on new market opportunities, or for other reasons, such as because the Adviser has determined to obtain investment exposure through derivative instruments instead of direct cash investments. The Fund may also hold a significant amount of cash or short-term investments immediately after a period in which several transactions in which the Fund has invested close in a similar timeframe, yet before capital is redeployed to other opportunities.

Performance Information

The following information provides some indication of the risks and variability of investing in the Fund by showing how the Fund's performance has varied from year to year and by showing how the Fund's average annual returns for the past one-, five-, ten-year and since inception periods compare with those of the Standard & Poor's 500® Index, ICE BofA U.S. 3-Month Treasury Bill Index and the Bloomberg U.S. Aggregate Bond Index.

The bar chart presents the calendar year total returns of the Fund's Class R Shares before taxes. Returns shown in the bar chart do not reflect sales charges applicable to other share classes, which would reduce performance results. The performance table reflects the performance of the Fund's Class R shares before and after taxes and the Fund's Class I, Class C and Class A shares before taxes. How the Fund has performed in the past (before and after taxes) is not necessarily an indication of how the Fund will perform in the future. Updated information on the Fund's performance can be obtained by visiting www.arbitragefunds.com.

Year-by-Year Annual Total Returns through December 31, 2024 – Class R Shares

  Year-by-Year Annual Total Returns through December 31, 2024 – Class R Shares
During the period shown in the bar chart, the highest return for a quarter was 3.66% during the quarter ended June 30, 2020 and the lowest return for a quarter was -2.90% during the quarter ended June 30, 2022.
The year-to-date return of the Fund's Class R shares through June 30, 2025 is 3.88%.
While the Class I, Class C, and Class A shares would have substantially similar annual returns to the Class R shares because the shares are invested in the same portfolio of securities, the performance of Class I, Class C, and Class A shares will differ from that shown since the Classes do not have the same expenses or inception dates.
 

During the period shown in the bar chart, the highest return for a quarter was 3.66% during the quarter ended June 30, 2020 and the lowest return for a quarter was -2.90% during the quarter ended June 30, 2022.

The year-to-date return of the Fund's Class R shares through June 30, 2025 is 3.88%.

While the Class I, Class C, and Class A shares would have substantially similar annual returns to the Class R shares because the shares are invested in the same portfolio of securities, the performance of Class I, Class C, and Class A shares will differ from that shown since the Classes do not have the same expenses or inception dates.

Average Annual Total Returns for Periods Ended December 31, 2024
Average Annual Total Returns

The table below shows the Fund's average annual total returns for Class R shares, Class I shares, Class C shares, and Class A shares compared with those of the Standard & Poor's 500® Index, ICE BofA U.S. 3-Month Treasury Bill Index and the Bloomberg U.S. Aggregate Bond Index. The returns in the table below reflect the maximum applicable sales charges for the relevant share class. The table also presents the impact of taxes on the returns of the Fund's Class R shares. After-tax returns are shown for Class R shares only, and after-tax returns for Class I, Class C, and Class A shares will vary. After-tax returns are calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes. Actual after-tax returns depend on an investor's tax situation and may differ from those shown, and after-tax returns shown are not relevant to investors who hold their Fund shares through tax-deferred arrangements, such as 401(k) plans or individual retirement accounts. Return after taxes on distributions measures the effect of taxable distributions, but assumes the underlying shares are held for the entire period. Return after taxes on distributions and sale of Fund shares shows the effect of both taxable distributions and any taxable gain or loss that would be realized if the underlying shares were purchased at the beginning and sold at the end of the period (for purposes of the calculation, it is assumed that income dividends and capital gain distributions are reinvested at net asset value and that the entire account is redeemed at the end of the period, including reinvested amounts).

Class C shares automatically convert to Class A shares approximately eight years after purchase if the conversion is available through your financial intermediary. In the table below, the performance for Class C shares does not reflect the conversion of Class C shares to Class A shares after eight years.

ARBITRAGE FUND

 

One Year

 

Five Years

 

Ten Years

  Since
Inception*
 

Class R Return Before Taxes

   

2.62

%

   

2.73

%

   

2.59

%

   

3.70

%

 

Class R Return After Taxes on Distributions

   

2.35

%

   

1.75

%

   

1.71

%

   

2.78

%

 

Class R Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares

   

1.68

%

   

1.75

%

   

1.68

%

   

2.61

%

 

Class I Return Before Taxes

   

2.95

%

   

2.99

%

   

2.84

%

   

3.03

%

 

Class C Return Before Taxes

   

0.92

%

   

1.97

%

   

1.82

%

   

1.54

%

 

Class A Return Before Taxes

   

-0.19

%

   

2.22

%

   

2.32

%

   

2.24

%

 

Standard & Poor's 500® Index**

   

25.02

%

   

14.53

%

   

13.10

%

   

7.91

%

 

ICE BofA U.S. 3-Month Treasury Bill Index***

   

5.25

%

   

2.46

%

   

1.77

%

   

1.80

%

 

Bloomberg U.S. Aggregate Bond Index****

   

1.25

%

   

-0.33

%

   

1.35

%

   

3.79

%

 

*  The inception date for Class R shares is September 18, 2000, the inception date for Class I shares is October 17, 2003, the inception date for Class C shares is June 1, 2012, and the inception date for the Class A shares is June 1, 2013. The "Since Inception" returns reflected for the Standard & Poor's 500®​ Index, the ICE BofA U.S. 3-Month Treasury Bill Index and the Bloomberg U.S. Aggregate Bond Index are based on the inception date for Class R shares.

**  Due to new regulatory requirements, effective May 31, 2024, the Standard & Poor's 500®​ Index became the Fund's broad-based securities market index. The Standard & Poor's 500®​ Index serves as the Fund's regulatory index and provides a broad measure of market performance. The Standard and Poor's 500®​ Index, or simply the S&P 500, is a stock market index tracking the performance of 500 large companies listed on stock exchanges in the U.S.

***  The ICE BofA U.S. 3-Month Treasury Bill Index tracks the performance of the U.S. Treasury Bills publicly issued in the U.S. domestic market with a remaining term to final maturity of less than 3 months.

****  The Bloomberg U.S. Aggregate Bond Index is a market value-weighted index of investment grade fixed-rated debt issues, including government, corporate, asset-backed and mortgage-backed securities with a maturity of one year or more.

The indexes are calculated on a total-return basis, are unmanaged and are not available for direct investment. The indexes reflect no deduction for fees, expenses, or taxes. The indexes are not intended to, and do not, parallel the risk or investment style of the Fund's investment strategy.

In calculating the federal income taxes due on redemptions, capital gains taxes resulting from redemptions are subtracted from the redemption proceeds and the tax benefits from capital losses resulting from the redemptions are added to the redemption proceeds. Under certain circumstances, the addition of the tax benefits from capital losses resulting from redemptions may cause the Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares to be greater than the Return After Taxes on Distributions or even the Return Before Taxes.