adviser defines data science as the
discipline of extracting useful insights from collections of information, and the adviser
utilizes the insights as a part of its investment process. The adviser also utilizes proprietary
techniques to process, analyze, and combine a wide variety of data sources, including the
adviser’s multi-decade history of proprietary fundamental research, company financial
statements, and a variety of other data sources that the adviser finds relevant to conducting
fundamental analysis. The adviser combines insights derived from these sources to forecast the
financial prospects of each security, also known as fundamental analysis. Alongside its own
insights, the Fund’s portfolio management team uses the forecasts developed through data
science techniques to help to identify securities with attractive valuations that are priced
favorably relative to their associated levels of risk. The Fund’s portfolio management team
then constructs a portfolio that seeks to maximize expected future financial performance while
controlling for key risks to the underlying companies’ businesses identified by the
adviser’s analysis. The adviser assesses key risks by analyzing potential events or conditions that may have a negative impact on the adviser’s valuation of a particular security. Such key risks may include,
but are not limited to, sensitivity to changes in macroeconomic conditions, competitive risks
from existing companies or new entrants, and operational risks related to the companies’ business models. The adviser regularly evaluates the efficacy of the sources of information included within the investment process, and
seeks to identify new data sources that will be additive to the adviser’s forecasts and
portfolio construction, assessing the validity of its models and assumptions as new information becomes available and market conditions change.
As part of its investment process, the adviser seeks to assess the impact of environmental, social and
governance (ESG) factors on many issuers in the universe in which the Fund may invest. The
adviser’s assessment is based on an analysis of key opportunities and risks across industries to seek to identify financially material issues with respect to the Fund’s investments in securities and ascertain key
issues that merit engagement with issuers. These assessments may not be conclusive, and
securities of issuers that may be negatively impacted by such factors may be purchased and retained by the Fund, while the Fund may divest or not invest in securities of issuers that may be positively impacted by such
factors.
The adviser may sell a security for several reasons. A security may be sold due to a change in the
company’s fundamentals or if the adviser believes the security is no longer attractively
valued relative to its associated levels of risk. Investments may also be sold if the adviser
identifies a stock that it believes offers a better investment opportunity.
The Fund’s Main Investment Risks
The Fund is subject to management risk and may not achieve its objective if
the adviser’s expectations regarding particular instruments or markets are not met.
An investment in this Fund or any
other fund may not provide a complete investment program. The suitability of an investment in the Fund should be considered based on the investment objective,
strategies and risks described in this prospectus, considered in light of all of the other investments in your portfolio, as well as your risk tolerance, financial goals and time
horizons. You may want to consult with a financial advisor to determine if this Fund is suitable for you.
The Fund is subject to the main risks noted below, any of which may adversely affect the Fund’s net asset value (NAV), market price, performance and ability to meet its
investment objective.
Equity Market Risk. The price of equity securities may rise or fall because of changes in the broad market or changes in a
company’s financial condition, sometimes rapidly or unpredictably. These price movements
may result from factors affecting individual companies, sectors or industries selected for the
Fund’s portfolio or the securities market as a whole, such as changes in economic or
political conditions. When the value of the Fund’s securities goes down, your investment in the Fund decreases in value.
General Market Risk. Economies and financial markets throughout the world are becoming increasingly interconnected, which increases the likelihood that events or
conditions in one country or region will adversely impact markets or issuers in other countries
or regions. Securities in the Fund’s portfolio may underperform in comparison to securities in general financial markets, a particular financial market or other asset classes due to a number of factors, including inflation
(or expectations for inflation), deflation (or expectations for deflation), interest rates,
global demand for particular products or resources, market instability, financial system instability, debt crises and downgrades, embargoes, tariffs, sanctions and other trade barriers, regulatory events, other governmental
trade or market control programs and related geopolitical events. In addition, the value of the
Fund’s investments may be negatively affected by the occurrence of global events such as war, terrorism, environmental disasters, natural disasters or events, country instability, and infectious disease epidemics or
pandemics or the threat or potential of one or more such factors and occurrences.
Data Science Investment Approach Risk. The Fund relies on
a proprietary data science enabled selection approach that utilizes proprietary techniques to
process, analyze, and combine a wide variety of information, including the adviser’s multi-decade history of proprietary fundamental research, company financial statements, and other relevant data sources,
to forecast the financial prospects of each security and to assess key risks. There is no
guarantee that the use of the Fund’s proprietary data science approach will result in effective investment decisions for the Fund, specifically to the extent the approach does not perform as designed or as intended,
the Fund’s strategy may not be successfully implemented and the Fund may lose
value.
Mid Cap Company Risk. Investments in mid cap companies may be riskier, less liquid, more volatile and more vulnerable to economic, market and industry changes than investments in larger, more established companies. The securities
of smaller companies may trade less frequently and in smaller volumes than securities of larger
companies. As a result, changes in the