Apr. 30, 2026 |
| FRANKLIN GROWTH OPPORTUNITIES FUND
|
Risk Table - FRANKLIN GROWTH OPPORTUNITIES FUND
|
Risk [Text Block] |
| Principal Risks |
Principal
Risks You
could lose money by investing in the Fund. Mutual fund shares are not deposits or obligations of, or
guaranteed or endorsed by, any bank, and are not insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation,
the Federal Reserve Board, or any other agency of the U.S. government.
|
| Risk Lose Money [Member] |
You
could lose money by investing in the Fund.
|
| Risk Not Insured [Member] |
Mutual fund shares are not deposits or obligations of, or
guaranteed or endorsed by, any bank, and are not insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation,
the Federal Reserve Board, or any other agency of the U.S. government.
|
| Market |
Market:
The
market values of securities or other investments owned by the Fund will go up or down, sometimes rapidly
or unpredictably. The market value of a security or other investment may be reduced by market activity
or other results of supply and demand unrelated to the issuer. This is a basic risk associated with all
investments. When there are more sellers than buyers, prices tend to fall. Likewise, when there are more
buyers than sellers, prices tend to rise. In addition, the value of the Fund’s investments may
go up or down due to general market or other conditions that are not specifically related to a particular
issuer, such as: real or perceived adverse economic changes, including widespread liquidity issues and
defaults in one or more industries; changes in interest, inflation or exchange rates; unexpected
natural and man-made world events, such as diseases or disasters; financial, political or social disruptions,
including terrorism and war; and U.S. trade disputes or other disputes with specific countries that could
result in additional tariffs, trade barriers and/or investment restrictions in certain securities in
those countries. Any of these conditions can adversely affect the economic prospects of many companies,
sectors, nations, regions and the market in general, in ways that cannot necessarily be foreseen. Ongoing
or threatened armed conflicts throughout the world have caused and could continue to cause significant
market disruptions and volatility. The hostilities and sanctions resulting from those hostilities could
have a significant adverse impact on certain investments of the Fund as well as the Fund’s performance
and liquidity. Stock prices tend to go up and down more dramatically than those of debt securities.
A slower-growth or recessionary economic environment could have an adverse effect on the prices of the
various stocks held by the Fund.
|
| Growth Style Investing |
Growth Style Investing: Growth stock prices
reflect projections of future earnings or revenues, and can, therefore, fall dramatically if the company
fails to meet those projections. Growth stocks may be more expensive relative to their current earnings
or assets compared to value or other stocks, and if earnings growth expectations moderate, their valuations
may return to more typical norms, causing their stock prices to fall. Prices of these companies’
securities may be more volatile than other securities, particularly over the short term. In addition,
investment styles can go in and out of favor, which could cause additional volatility in the prices of
the Fund’s portfolio holdings.
|
| Focus |
Focus: To the extent that the Fund focuses on
particular countries, regions, industries, sectors or types of investments from time to time, the Fund
may be subject to greater risks of adverse developments in such areas of focus than a fund that invests
in a wider variety of countries, regions, industries, sectors or investments.
|
| Information technology companies |
Information
technology companies: Companies in the information technology sector have historically
been volatile due to the rapid pace of product change and development within the sector. For example,
their products and services may not prove commercially successful or may become obsolete quickly. In
addition, delays in or cancellation of the release of anticipated products or services may also affect
the price of an information technology company’s stock. Information technology companies are subject
to significant competitive pressures, such as new market entrants, aggressive pricing and tight profit
margins. The activities of these companies may also be adversely affected by changes in government regulations,
worldwide technological developments (including the development of artificial intelligence and machine
learning) or investor perception of a company and/or its
products
or services. The stock prices of companies operating within this sector may be subject to abrupt or erratic
movements.
|
| Semiconductors and semiconductor equipment companies |
Semiconductors
and semiconductor equipment companies: The risks inherent in the semiconductors industry include
competitive pressures, intense competition, aggressive pricing, technological developments, changing
demand, research and development costs, availability and price of components and product obsolescence.
Semiconductor design and process methodologies are subject to rapid technological change requiring large
expenditures for research and development in order to improve product performance and increase manufacturing
yields. The success of semiconductor companies largely depends on their ability to obtain and maintain
protection of certain proprietary technologies used in their principal products. Semiconductor companies
rely on a combination of patents, trade secret laws and contractual provisions to protect their technologies.
In addition, the semiconductors industry in general is characterized by frequent litigation regarding
patent and other intellectual property rights.
|
| Healthcare companies |
Healthcare companies:
The activities of healthcare companies may be funded or subsidized by federal and state governments.
If government funding and subsidies are reduced or discontinued, the profitability of these companies
could be adversely affected. Healthcare companies may also be affected by government policies on healthcare
reimbursements, regulatory approval for new drugs and medical products, and similar matters. They are
also subject to legislative risk, i.e., the risks associated with the reform of the healthcare system
through legislation.
|
| Communication services companies |
Communication services companies:
The value of the securities of communication services companies are particularly vulnerable to rapid
advancements in technology, the innovation of competitors, rapid product obsolescence, and government
regulation and competition, both domestically and internationally. Additionally, fluctuating domestic
and international demand, shifting demographics and often unpredictable changes in consumer tastes can
drastically affect a communication services company’s profitability. While all companies may be
susceptible to network security breaches, certain companies in the communication services sector may
be particular targets of hacking and potential theft of proprietary or consumer information or disruptions
in service, which could have a material adverse effect on their businesses.
|
| Industrials companies |
Industrials
companies: The stock prices of companies in the industrials sector are affected by supply
and demand both for their specific product or service and for industrials sector products in general.
Companies in the industrials sector may be adversely affected by changes in government regulation, world
events and economic conditions. In addition, these companies are at risk for environmental damage and
product liability claims. Companies in this sector could be adversely affected by commodity price volatility,
changes in exchange rates, imposition of
export
or import controls, increased competition, depletion of resources, technological developments and labor
relations.
|
| Small and Mid Capitalization Companies |
Small and Mid Capitalization Companies: Securities issued
by small and mid capitalization companies may be more volatile in price than those of larger companies
and may involve substantial risks. Such risks may include greater sensitivity to economic conditions,
less certain growth prospects, lack of depth of management and funds for growth and development, and
limited or less developed product lines and markets. In addition, small and mid capitalization companies
may be particularly affected by interest rate increases, as they may find it more difficult to borrow
money to continue or expand operations, or may have difficulty in repaying any loans. The markets for
securities issued by small and mid capitalization companies also tend to be less liquid than the markets
for securities issued by larger companies.
|
| Private Company/Private Placement Risk |
Private Company/Private Placement Risk:
Investments in the stocks of private companies, including companies that have not yet issued securities
publicly in an initial public offering ("IPO"), involve greater risks than investments in stocks of many
publicly traded companies. Compared to public companies, there is significantly less information available
about private companies and there is no assurance that the information obtained by the Fund is reliable.
Investments in private companies and private placements are generally considered to be illiquid and may
be difficult to sell at a desirable time or at the prices at which the Fund has valued the investments.
Investments in private companies and private placements are typically difficult to value since there
are no market prices and less overall financial information available. Difficulty in valuing such investments
may make it difficult to accurately determine a Fund's exposure to private investments, which could cause
the Fund to invest to a greater extent in illiquid investments and subject the Fund to increased risks.
The Fund’s NAV could be adversely affected if the Fund's determinations regarding the value of
the Fund's private investments were materially higher than the values that the Fund ultimately realizes
upon the disposal of such investments. In addition, private companies may have limited financial resources
and may be unable to meet their obligations. Investments in private companies and private placements
may involve a high degree of business and financial risk and may result in substantial losses. These
factors may have a negative effect on the Fund's performance.
|
| Liquidity |
Liquidity: The trading market
for a particular security or type of security or other investments in which the Fund invests may become
less liquid or even illiquid. Reduced liquidity will have an adverse impact on the Fund’s ability
to sell such securities or other investments when necessary to meet the Fund’s liquidity needs,
which may arise or increase in response to a specific economic event or because the investment manager
wishes to purchase particular investments or believes that a higher level of liquidity would be advantageous.
Reduced liquidity will also generally
lower the value of such securities or other investments. Market prices for such securities or other investments
may be relatively volatile.
|
| Management |
Management: The Fund is subject to management risk
because it is an actively managed investment portfolio. The Fund's investment manager applies investment
techniques and risk analyses in making investment decisions for the Fund, but there can be no guarantee
that these decisions will produce the desired results.
|
| Cybersecurity |
Cybersecurity:
Cybersecurity incidents, both intentional and unintentional, may allow an unauthorized party to gain
access to Fund assets, Fund or customer data (including private shareholder information), or proprietary
information, cause the Fund, the investment manager, and/or their service providers (including, but not
limited to, Fund accountants, custodians, sub-custodians, transfer agents and financial intermediaries)
to suffer data breaches, data corruption or loss of operational functionality or prevent Fund investors
from purchasing, redeeming or exchanging shares or receiving distributions. The investment manager has
limited ability to prevent or mitigate cybersecurity incidents affecting third party service providers,
and such third party service providers may have limited indemnification obligations to the Fund or the
investment manager. Cybersecurity incidents may result in financial losses to the Fund and its shareholders,
and substantial costs may be incurred in an effort to prevent or mitigate future cybersecurity incidents.
Issuers of securities in which the Fund invests are also subject to cybersecurity risks, and the value
of these securities could decline if the issuers experience cybersecurity incidents. Because
technology is frequently changing (including the development of artificial intelligence and machine learning),
new ways to carry out cyber attacks are always developing. Therefore, there is a chance that some risks
have not been identified or prepared for, or that an attack may not be detected, which puts limitations
on the Fund's ability to plan for or respond to a cyber attack. Like other funds and business enterprises,
the Fund, the investment manager, and their service providers are subject to the risk of cyber incidents
occurring from time to time. The rapid development and increasingly widespread use of artificial intelligence
technologies could increase the effectiveness of cyber attacks and exacerbate the risks.
|
|
| FRANKLIN SMALL CAP GROWTH FUND
|
Risk Table - FRANKLIN SMALL CAP GROWTH FUND
|
Risk [Text Block] |
| Principal Risks |
Principal Risks You could lose money by investing in the Fund. Mutual fund
shares are not deposits or obligations of, or guaranteed or endorsed by, any bank, and are not insured
by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, the Federal Reserve Board, or any other agency of the U.S.
government.
|
| Risk Lose Money [Member] |
You could lose money by investing in the Fund.
|
| Risk Not Insured [Member] |
Mutual fund
shares are not deposits or obligations of, or guaranteed or endorsed by, any bank, and are not insured
by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, the Federal Reserve Board, or any other agency of the U.S.
government.
|
| Market |
Market:
The
market values of securities or other investments owned by the Fund will go up or down, sometimes rapidly
or unpredictably. The market value of a security or other investment may be reduced by market activity
or other results of supply and demand unrelated to the issuer. This is a basic risk associated with all
investments. When there are more sellers than buyers, prices tend to fall. Likewise, when there are more
buyers than sellers, prices tend to rise. In addition, the value of the Fund’s investments may
go up or down due to general market or other conditions that are not specifically related to a particular
issuer, such as: real or perceived adverse economic changes, including widespread liquidity issues and
defaults in one or more industries; changes in interest, inflation or exchange rates; unexpected natural
and man-made world events, such as diseases or disasters; financial, political or social disruptions,
including terrorism and war; and U.S. trade disputes or other disputes with specific countries that could
result in additional tariffs, trade barriers and/or investment restrictions in certain securities in
those countries. Any of these conditions can adversely affect the economic prospects of many companies,
sectors, nations, regions and the market in general, in ways that cannot necessarily be foreseen. Ongoing
or threatened armed conflicts throughout the world have caused and could continue to cause significant
market disruptions and volatility. The hostilities
and
sanctions resulting from those hostilities could have a significant adverse impact on certain investments
of the Fund as well as the Fund’s performance and liquidity. Stock prices tend to go
up and down more dramatically than those of debt securities. A slower-growth or recessionary economic
environment could have an adverse effect on the prices of the various stocks held by the Fund.
|
| Small Capitalization Companies |
Small
Capitalization Companies: Securities issued by small capitalization companies may be more volatile in
price than those of larger companies and may involve substantial risks. Such risks may include greater
sensitivity to economic conditions, less certain growth prospects, lack of depth of management and funds
for growth and development, and limited or less developed product lines and markets. In addition, small
capitalization companies may be particularly affected by interest rate increases, as they may find it
more difficult to borrow money to continue or expand operations, or may have difficulty in repaying any
loans. The markets for securities issued by small capitalization companies also tend to be less liquid
than the markets for securities issued by larger companies.
|
| Growth Style Investing |
Growth Style Investing:
Growth stock prices reflect projections of future earnings or revenues, and can, therefore, fall dramatically
if the company fails to meet those projections. Growth stocks may be more expensive relative to their
current earnings or assets compared to value or other stocks, and if earnings growth expectations moderate,
their valuations may return to more typical norms, causing their stock prices to fall. Prices of these
companies’ securities may be more volatile than other securities, particularly over the short term.
In addition, investment styles can go in and out of favor, which could cause additional volatility in
the prices of the Fund’s portfolio holdings.
|
| Liquidity |
Liquidity: The trading market
for a particular security or type of security or other investments in which the Fund invests may become
less liquid or even illiquid. Reduced liquidity will have an adverse impact on the Fund’s ability
to sell such securities or other investments when necessary to meet the Fund’s liquidity needs,
which may arise or increase in response to a specific economic event or because the investment manager
wishes to purchase particular investments or believes that a higher level of liquidity would be advantageous.
Reduced liquidity will also generally lower the value of such securities or other investments. Market
prices for such securities or other investments may be relatively volatile.
|
| Focus |
Focus:
To the extent that the Fund focuses on particular countries, regions, industries, sectors or types of
investments from time to time, the Fund may be subject to greater risks of adverse developments in such
areas of focus than a fund that invests in a wider variety of countries, regions, industries, sectors
or investments.
|
| Healthcare companies |
Healthcare
companies: The activities of healthcare companies may be funded or subsidized by federal
and state governments. If government funding and subsidies are reduced or discontinued, the profitability
of these companies could be adversely affected. Healthcare companies may also be affected by government
policies on healthcare reimbursements, regulatory approval for new drugs and medical products, and similar
matters. They are also subject to legislative risk, i.e., the risks associated with the reform of the
healthcare system through legislation.
|
| Information technology companies |
Information technology companies:
Companies
in the information technology sector have historically been volatile due to the rapid pace of product
change and development within the sector. For example, their products and services may not prove commercially
successful or may become obsolete quickly. In addition, delays in or cancellation of the release of anticipated
products or services may also affect the price of an information technology company’s stock. Information
technology companies are subject to significant competitive pressures, such as new market entrants, aggressive
pricing and tight profit margins. The activities of these companies may also be adversely affected by
changes in government regulations, worldwide technological developments (including the development of
artificial intelligence and machine learning) or investor perception of a company and/or its products
or services. The stock prices of companies operating within this sector may be subject to abrupt or erratic
movements.
|
| Consumer discretionary companies |
Consumer discretionary companies: Companies in the consumer
discretionary sector could be affected by, among other things, overall economic conditions, interest
rates, consumer confidence, and disposable income.
|
| Industrials companies |
Industrials companies:
The stock prices of companies in the industrials sector are affected by supply and demand both for their
specific product or service and for industrials sector products in general. Companies in the industrials
sector may be adversely affected by changes in government regulation, world events and economic conditions.
In addition, these companies are at risk for environmental damage and product liability claims. Companies
in this sector could be adversely affected by commodity price volatility, changes in exchange rates,
imposition of export or import controls, increased competition, depletion of resources, technological
developments and labor relations.
|
| Private Company/Private Placement Risk |
Private Company/Private Placement Risk:
Investments in the stocks of private companies, including companies that have not yet issued securities
publicly in an initial public offering ("IPO"), involve greater risks than investments in stocks of many
publicly traded companies. Compared to public companies, there is significantly less information available
about private companies and there is no assurance that the information obtained by the Fund is reliable.
Investments in private companies and private placements are generally considered to be illiquid and may
be difficult to sell at a desirable time or at the prices at which the Fund has valued the investments.
Investments in private companies and private placements are
typically difficult to value since there are no market prices and less overall financial information
available. Difficulty in valuing such investments may make it difficult to accurately determine a Fund's
exposure to private investments, which could cause the Fund to invest to a greater extent in illiquid
investments and subject the Fund to increased risks. The Fund’s NAV could be adversely affected
if the Fund's determinations regarding the value of the Fund's private investments were materially higher
than the values that the Fund ultimately realizes upon the disposal of such investments. In addition,
private companies may have limited financial resources and may be unable to meet their obligations. Investments
in private companies and private placements may involve a high degree of business and financial risk
and may result in substantial losses. These factors may have a negative effect on the Fund's performance.
|
| Management |
Management:
The Fund is subject to management risk because it is an actively managed investment portfolio. The Fund's
investment manager applies investment techniques and risk analyses in making investment decisions for
the Fund, but there can be no guarantee that these decisions will produce the desired results.
|
| Cybersecurity |
Cybersecurity:
Cybersecurity incidents, both intentional and unintentional, may allow an unauthorized party to gain
access to Fund assets, Fund or customer data (including private shareholder information), or proprietary
information, cause the Fund, the investment manager, and/or their service providers (including, but not
limited to, Fund accountants, custodians, sub-custodians, transfer agents and financial intermediaries)
to suffer data breaches, data corruption or loss of operational functionality or prevent Fund investors
from purchasing, redeeming or exchanging shares or receiving distributions. The investment manager has
limited ability to prevent or mitigate cybersecurity incidents affecting third party service providers,
and such third party service providers may have limited indemnification obligations to the Fund or the
investment manager. Cybersecurity incidents may result in financial losses to the Fund and its shareholders,
and substantial costs may be incurred in an effort to prevent or mitigate future cybersecurity incidents.
Issuers of securities in which the Fund invests are also subject to cybersecurity risks, and the value
of these securities could decline if the issuers experience cybersecurity incidents. Because
technology is frequently changing (including the development of artificial intelligence and machine learning),
new ways to carry out cyber attacks are always developing. Therefore, there is a chance that some risks
have not been identified or prepared for, or that an attack may not be detected, which puts limitations
on the Fund's ability to plan for or respond to a cyber attack. Like other funds and business enterprises,
the Fund, the investment manager, and their service providers are subject to the risk of cyber incidents
occurring from time to time. The rapid development and increasingly widespread use of artificial intelligence
technologies
could increase the effectiveness of cyber attacks and exacerbate the risks.
|
|
| FRANKLIN SMALL-MID CAP GROWTH FUND
|
Risk Table - FRANKLIN SMALL-MID CAP GROWTH FUND
|
Risk [Text Block] |
| Principal Risks |
Principal Risks You could lose money by
investing in the Fund. Mutual fund shares are not deposits or obligations of, or guaranteed or endorsed
by, any bank, and are not insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, the Federal Reserve Board,
or any other agency of the U.S. government.
|
| Risk Lose Money [Member] |
You could lose money by
investing in the Fund.
|
| Risk Not Insured [Member] |
Mutual fund shares are not deposits or obligations of, or guaranteed or endorsed
by, any bank, and are not insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, the Federal Reserve Board,
or any other agency of the U.S. government.
|
| Market |
Market: The market values of
securities or other investments owned by the Fund will go up or down, sometimes rapidly or unpredictably.
The market value of a security or other investment may be reduced by market activity or other results
of supply and demand unrelated to the issuer. This is a basic risk associated with all investments. When
there are more sellers than buyers, prices tend to fall. Likewise, when there are more buyers than sellers,
prices tend to rise. In addition, the value of the Fund’s investments may go up or down due to
general market or other conditions that are not specifically related to a particular issuer, such as:
real or perceived adverse economic changes, including widespread liquidity issues and defaults
in one or more industries; changes in interest, inflation or exchange rates; unexpected natural and man-made
world events, such as diseases or disasters; financial, political or social disruptions, including terrorism
and war; and U.S. trade disputes or other disputes with specific countries that could result in additional
tariffs, trade barriers and/or investment restrictions in certain securities in those countries. Any
of these conditions can adversely affect the economic prospects of many companies, sectors, nations,
regions and the market in general, in ways that cannot necessarily be foreseen. Ongoing or threatened
armed conflicts throughout the world have caused and could continue to cause significant market disruptions
and volatility. The hostilities and sanctions resulting from those hostilities could have a significant
adverse impact on certain investments of the Fund as well as the Fund’s performance and liquidity. Stock
prices tend to go up and down more dramatically than those of debt securities. A slower-growth or recessionary
economic environment could have an adverse effect on the prices of the various stocks held by the Fund.
|
| Growth Style Investing |
Growth
Style Investing: Growth stock prices reflect projections of future earnings or revenues, and
can, therefore, fall dramatically if the company fails to meet those projections. Growth stocks may be
more expensive relative to their current earnings or assets compared to value or other stocks, and if
earnings growth expectations moderate, their valuations may return to more typical norms, causing their
stock prices to fall. Prices of these companies’ securities may be more volatile than other securities,
particularly over the short term. In addition, investment styles can go in and out of favor, which could
cause additional volatility in the prices of the Fund’s portfolio holdings.
|
| Small and Mid Capitalization Companies |
Small and
Mid Capitalization Companies: Securities issued by small and mid capitalization companies
may be more volatile in price than those of larger companies and may involve substantial risks. Such
risks may include greater sensitivity to economic conditions, less certain growth prospects, lack of
depth of management and funds for growth and development, and limited or less developed product lines
and markets. In addition, small and mid capitalization companies may be particularly affected by interest
rate increases, as they may find it more difficult to borrow money to continue or expand operations,
or may have difficulty in repaying any loans. The markets for securities issued by small and mid capitalization
companies also tend to be less liquid than the markets for securities issued by larger companies.
|
| Focus |
Focus:
To the extent that the Fund focuses on particular countries, regions, industries, sectors or types of
investments from time to time, the Fund may be subject to greater risks of adverse developments in such
areas of focus than a fund that
invests in a wider variety of countries, regions, industries, sectors or investments.
|
| Information technology companies |
Information
technology companies: Companies in the information technology sector have historically
been volatile due to the rapid pace of product change and development within the sector. For example,
their products and services may not prove commercially successful or may become obsolete quickly. In
addition, delays in or cancellation of the release of anticipated products or services may also affect
the price of an information technology company’s stock. Information technology companies are subject
to significant competitive pressures, such as new market entrants, aggressive pricing and tight profit
margins. The activities of these companies may also be adversely affected by changes in government regulations,
worldwide technological developments (including the development of artificial intelligence and machine
learning) or investor perception of a company and/or its products or services. The stock prices of companies
operating within this sector may be subject to abrupt or erratic movements.
|
| Industrials companies |
Industrials
companies: The stock prices of companies in the industrials sector are affected by supply
and demand both for their specific product or service and for industrials sector products in general.
Companies in the industrials sector may be adversely affected by changes in government regulation, world
events and economic conditions. In addition, these companies are at risk for environmental damage and
product liability claims. Companies in this sector could be adversely affected by commodity price volatility,
changes in exchange rates, imposition of export or import controls, increased competition, depletion
of resources, technological developments and labor relations.
|
| Consumer discretionary companies |
Consumer
discretionary companies: Companies in the consumer discretionary sector could be affected by, among other
things, overall economic conditions, interest rates, consumer confidence, and disposable income.
|
| Healthcare companies |
Healthcare
companies: The activities of healthcare companies may be funded or subsidized by federal
and state governments. If government funding and subsidies are reduced or discontinued, the profitability
of these companies could be adversely affected. Healthcare companies may also be affected by government
policies on healthcare reimbursements, regulatory approval for new drugs and medical products, and similar
matters. They are also subject to legislative risk, i.e., the risks associated with the reform of the
healthcare system through legislation.
|
| Liquidity |
Liquidity: The trading market
for a particular security or type of security or other investments in which the Fund invests may become
less liquid or even illiquid. Reduced liquidity will have an adverse impact on the Fund’s ability
to sell such securities or other investments when necessary to meet the Fund’s liquidity needs,
which may arise or increase in response to a specific economic event or because the investment manager
wishes to purchase particular investments or believes that a
higher level of liquidity would be advantageous. Reduced liquidity will also generally lower the value
of such securities or other investments. Market prices for such securities or other investments may be
relatively volatile.
|
| Private Company/Private Placement Risk |
Private Company/Private Placement Risk: Investments in
the stocks of private companies, including companies that have not yet issued securities publicly in
an initial public offering ("IPO"), involve greater risks than investments in stocks of many publicly
traded companies. Compared to public companies, there is significantly less information available about
private companies and there is no assurance that the information obtained by the Fund is reliable. Investments
in private companies and private placements are generally considered to be illiquid and may be difficult
to sell at a desirable time or at the prices at which the Fund has valued the investments. Investments
in private companies and private placements are typically difficult to value since there are no market
prices and less overall financial information available. Difficulty in valuing such investments may make
it difficult to accurately determine a Fund's exposure to private investments, which could cause the
Fund to invest to a greater extent in illiquid investments and subject the Fund to increased risks. The
Fund’s NAV could be adversely affected if the Fund's determinations regarding the value of the
Fund's private investments were materially higher than the values that the Fund ultimately realizes upon
the disposal of such investments. In addition, private companies may have limited financial resources
and may be unable to meet their obligations. Investments in private companies and private placements
may involve a high degree of business and financial risk and may result in substantial losses. These
factors may have a negative effect on the Fund's performance.
|
| Management |
Management: The Fund is subject
to management risk because it is an actively managed investment portfolio. The Fund's investment manager
applies investment techniques and risk analyses in making investment decisions for the Fund, but there
can be no guarantee that these decisions will produce the desired results.
|
| Cybersecurity |
Cybersecurity:
Cybersecurity incidents, both intentional and unintentional, may allow an unauthorized party to gain
access to Fund assets, Fund or customer data (including private shareholder information), or proprietary
information, cause the Fund, the investment manager, and/or their service providers (including, but not
limited to, Fund accountants, custodians, sub-custodians, transfer agents and financial intermediaries)
to suffer data breaches, data corruption or loss of operational functionality or prevent Fund investors
from purchasing, redeeming or exchanging shares or receiving distributions. The investment manager has
limited ability to prevent or mitigate cybersecurity incidents affecting third party service providers,
and such third party service providers may have limited indemnification obligations to the Fund or the
investment manager. Cybersecurity incidents may result in financial losses to the Fund and its shareholders,
and substantial costs may be incurred in an effort to prevent or mitigate future cybersecurity incidents.
Issuers
of securities in which the Fund invests are also subject to cybersecurity risks, and the value of these
securities could decline if the issuers experience cybersecurity incidents. Because technology is
frequently changing (including the development of artificial intelligence and machine learning), new
ways to carry out cyber attacks are always developing. Therefore, there is a chance that some risks have
not been identified or prepared for, or that an attack may not be detected, which puts limitations on
the Fund's ability to plan for or respond to a cyber attack. Like other funds and business enterprises,
the Fund, the investment manager, and their service providers are subject to the risk of cyber incidents
occurring from time to time. The rapid development and increasingly widespread use of artificial intelligence
technologies could increase the effectiveness of cyber attacks and exacerbate the risks.
|
|
| FRANKLIN BIOTECHNOLOGY DISCOVERY FUND
|
Risk Table - FRANKLIN BIOTECHNOLOGY DISCOVERY FUND
|
Risk [Text Block] |
| Principal Risks |
Principal
Risks You
could lose money by investing in the Fund. Mutual fund shares are not deposits or obligations of, or
guaranteed or endorsed by, any bank, and are not insured
by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, the Federal Reserve Board, or any other agency of the U.S.
government.
|
| Risk Lose Money [Member] |
You
could lose money by investing in the Fund.
|
| Risk Not Insured [Member] |
Mutual fund shares are not deposits or obligations of, or
guaranteed or endorsed by, any bank, and are not insured
by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, the Federal Reserve Board, or any other agency of the U.S.
government.
|
| Biotechnology Industry |
Biotechnology Industry: The biotechnology
industry is affected by government regulatory requirements, regulatory approval for new drugs and medical
products, patent considerations, product liability, and similar matters. In addition, this industry is
characterized by competition and rapid technological developments which may make a company’s products
or services obsolete in a short period of time. In the past, the biotechnology sector has experienced
considerable volatility in reaction to research and other business developments which may affect only
one, or a few companies within the sector. The market values of investments in the biotechnology industry
are often based upon speculation and expectations about future products, research progress, and new product
filings. In addition, a biotechnology company's valuation can be severely affected if a company's product
proves to be unsafe, ineffective or unprofitable. Also, there may be a thin trading market in biotechnology
securities, which could make the securities difficult to sell at an advantageous time.
|
| Concentration |
Concentration:
To the extent the Fund concentrates in a specific industry, a group of industries, sector or type of
investment, the Fund will carry much greater risks of adverse developments and price movements in such
industries, sectors or investments than a fund that invests in a wider variety of industries, sectors
or investments. There is also the risk that the Fund will perform poorly during a slump in demand for
securities of companies in such industries or sectors.
|
| Market |
Market: The market values of
securities or other investments owned by the Fund will go up or down, sometimes rapidly or unpredictably.
The market value of a security or other investment may be reduced by market activity or other results
of supply and demand unrelated to the issuer. This is a basic risk associated with all investments. When
there are more sellers than buyers, prices tend to fall. Likewise, when there are more buyers than sellers,
prices tend to rise. In addition, the value of the Fund’s investments may go up or down due to
general market or other conditions that are not specifically related to a particular issuer, such as:
real or perceived adverse economic changes, including widespread liquidity issues and defaults in one
or more industries; changes in interest, inflation or exchange rates; unexpected natural and man-made
world events, such as diseases or disasters; financial, political or social disruptions, including terrorism
and war; and U.S. trade disputes or other disputes with specific countries that could result in additional
tariffs, trade barriers and/or investment restrictions in certain securities in those countries. Any
of these conditions can adversely affect the economic prospects of many companies, sectors, nations,
regions and the market in general, in ways that cannot necessarily be foreseen. Ongoing or threatened
armed conflicts throughout the world have caused and could continue to cause significant market disruptions
and volatility. The hostilities
and
sanctions resulting from those hostilities could have a significant adverse impact on certain investments
of the Fund as well as the Fund’s performance and liquidity. Stock prices tend to go
up and down more dramatically than those of debt securities. A slower-growth or recessionary economic
environment could have an adverse effect on the prices of the various stocks held by the Fund.
|
| Growth Style Investing |
Growth
Style Investing: Growth stock prices reflect projections of future earnings or revenues, and can,
therefore, fall dramatically if the company fails to meet those projections. Growth stocks may be more
expensive relative to their current earnings or assets compared to value or other stocks, and if earnings
growth expectations moderate, their valuations may return to more typical norms, causing their stock
prices to fall. Prices of these companies’ securities may be more volatile than other securities,
particularly over the short term. In addition, investment styles can go in and out of favor, which could
cause additional volatility in the prices of the Fund’s portfolio holdings.
|
| Small Capitalization Companies |
Small Capitalization
Companies: Securities issued by small capitalization companies may be more volatile in
price than those of larger companies and may involve substantial risks. Such risks may include greater
sensitivity to economic conditions, less certain growth prospects, lack of depth of management and funds
for growth and development, and limited or less developed product lines and markets. In addition, small
capitalization companies may be particularly affected by interest rate increases, as they may find it
more difficult to borrow money to continue or expand operations, or may have difficulty in repaying any
loans. The markets for securities issued by small capitalization companies also tend to be less liquid
than the markets for securities issued by larger companies.
|
| Foreign Securities (non-U.S.) |
Foreign Securities (non-U.S.):
Investing in foreign securities typically involves different risks than investing in U.S. securities,
including risks related to currency exchange rates and policies, country or government specific issues,
less favorable trading practices or regulation and greater price volatility. Certain of these risks also
may apply to securities of U.S. companies with significant foreign operations. The risks of investing
in foreign securities are typically greater in less developed or emerging market countries.
|
| Liquidity |
Liquidity:
The trading market for a particular security or type of security or other investments in which the Fund
invests may become less liquid or even illiquid. Reduced liquidity will have an adverse impact on the
Fund’s ability to sell such securities or other investments when necessary to meet the Fund’s
liquidity needs, which may arise or increase in response to a specific economic event or because the
investment manager wishes to purchase particular investments or believes that a higher level of liquidity
would be advantageous. Reduced liquidity will also generally
lower the value of such securities or other investments. Market prices for such securities or other investments
may be relatively volatile.
|
| Non-Diversification |
Non-Diversification: Because the Fund is non-diversified,
it may be more sensitive to economic, business, political or other changes affecting individual issuers
or investments than a diversified fund, which may negatively impact the Fund's performance and result
in greater fluctuation in the value of the Fund’s shares.
|
| Management |
Management:
The Fund is subject to management risk because it is an actively managed investment portfolio. The Fund's
investment manager applies investment techniques and risk analyses in making investment decisions for
the Fund, but there can be no guarantee that these decisions will produce the desired results. As
an actively managed investment portfolio, the Fund’s investments do not track its benchmark. Overweighting
investments in an industry or group of industries relative to the Fund’s benchmark increases the
risk that the Fund will underperform its benchmark because a general decline in the prices of stocks
in that industry or group of industries will affect the Fund to a greater extent than its benchmark.
Price declines may result from factors that adversely affect a particular industry or group of industries,
such as labor shortages or increased production costs, competitive conditions, or negative investor perceptions.
Conversely, if the Fund underweights its investment in an industry or group of industries relative to
the Fund’s benchmark, the Fund will participate in any general increase in the prices of stocks
in that industry or group of industries to a lesser extent than the Fund’s benchmark.
|
| Cybersecurity |
Cybersecurity:
Cybersecurity incidents, both intentional and unintentional, may allow an unauthorized party to gain
access to Fund assets, Fund or customer data (including private shareholder information), or proprietary
information, cause the Fund, the investment manager, and/or their service providers (including, but not
limited to, Fund accountants, custodians, sub-custodians, transfer agents and financial intermediaries)
to suffer data breaches, data corruption or loss of operational functionality or prevent Fund investors
from purchasing, redeeming or exchanging shares or receiving distributions. The investment manager has
limited ability to prevent or mitigate cybersecurity incidents affecting third party service providers,
and such third party service providers may have limited indemnification obligations to the Fund or the
investment manager. Cybersecurity incidents may result in financial losses to the Fund and its shareholders,
and substantial costs may be incurred in an effort to prevent or mitigate future cybersecurity incidents.
Issuers of securities in which the Fund invests are also subject to cybersecurity risks, and the value
of these securities could decline if the issuers experience cybersecurity incidents. Because
technology is frequently changing (including the development of artificial intelligence and machine learning),
new ways to carry out cyber attacks are always
developing.
Therefore, there is a chance that some risks have not been identified or prepared for, or that an attack
may not be detected, which puts limitations on the Fund's ability to plan for or respond to a cyber attack.
Like other funds and business enterprises, the Fund, the investment manager, and their service providers
are subject to the risk of cyber incidents occurring from time to time. The rapid development and increasingly
widespread use of artificial intelligence technologies could increase the effectiveness of cyber attacks
and exacerbate the risks.
|
|
| FRANKLIN NATURAL RESOURCES FUND
|
Risk Table - FRANKLIN NATURAL RESOURCES FUND
|
Risk [Text Block] |
| Principal Risks |
Principal Risks You could lose money by
investing in the Fund. Mutual fund shares are not deposits or obligations of, or guaranteed or endorsed
by, any bank, and are not insured
by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, the Federal Reserve Board, or any other agency of the U.S.
government.
|
| Risk Lose Money [Member] |
You could lose money by
investing in the Fund.
|
| Risk Not Insured [Member] |
Mutual fund shares are not deposits or obligations of, or guaranteed or endorsed
by, any bank, and are not insured
by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, the Federal Reserve Board, or any other agency of the U.S.
government.
|
| Natural Resources Focus |
Natural Resources Focus: The securities of
companies in the natural resources sector may experience more price volatility than securities of companies
in other industries. Some of the commodities used as raw materials or produced by these companies are
subject to broad price fluctuations as a result of industry wide supply and demand factors. In addition,
companies in the natural resources sector may be subject to special risks associated with natural or
man-made disasters. Natural resources companies also can be significantly affected by events relating
to international political and economic developments, energy conservation, the success of exploration
projects, commodity prices, and tax and other government regulations.
|
| Concentration |
Concentration:
To the extent the Fund concentrates in a specific industry, a group of industries, sector or type of
investment, the Fund will carry much greater risks of adverse developments and price movements in such
industries, sectors or investments than a fund that invests in a wider variety of industries, sectors
or investments. There is also the risk that the Fund will perform poorly during a slump in demand for
securities of companies in such industries or sectors.
|
| Small Capitalization Companies |
Small Capitalization Companies:
Securities issued by small capitalization companies may be more volatile in price than those of larger
companies and may involve substantial risks. Such risks may include greater sensitivity to economic conditions,
less certain growth prospects, lack of depth of management and funds for growth and development, and
limited or less developed product lines and markets. In addition, small capitalization companies may
be particularly affected by interest rate increases, as they may find it more difficult to borrow money
to continue or expand operations, or may have difficulty in repaying any loans. The markets for securities
issued by small capitalization companies also tend to be less liquid than the markets for securities
issued by larger companies.
|
| Market |
Market: The market values of
securities or other investments owned by the Fund will go up or down, sometimes rapidly or unpredictably.
The market value of a security or other investment may be reduced by market activity or other results
of supply and demand unrelated to the issuer. This is a basic risk associated with all investments. When
there are more sellers than buyers, prices tend to fall. Likewise, when there are more buyers than sellers,
prices tend to rise. In addition, the value of the Fund’s investments may go up or down due to
general market or other conditions that are not specifically related to a particular issuer, such as:
real or perceived adverse economic changes, including widespread liquidity issues and defaults in one
or more industries; changes in interest, inflation or exchange rates; unexpected natural and man-made
world events, such as diseases or disasters; financial, political or social disruptions, including terrorism
and war; and U.S. trade disputes or other disputes with specific countries that could result in additional
tariffs,
trade barriers and/or investment restrictions in certain securities in those countries. Any of these
conditions can adversely affect the economic prospects of many companies, sectors, nations, regions and
the market in general, in ways that cannot necessarily be foreseen. Ongoing or threatened
armed conflicts throughout the world have caused and could continue to cause significant market disruptions
and volatility. The hostilities and sanctions resulting from those hostilities could have a significant
adverse impact on certain investments of the Fund as well as the Fund’s performance and liquidity. Stock
prices tend to go up and down more dramatically than those of debt securities. A slower-growth or recessionary
economic environment could have an adverse effect on the prices of the various stocks held by the Fund.
|
| Growth Style Investing |
Growth
Style Investing: Growth stock prices reflect projections of future earnings or revenues, and
can, therefore, fall dramatically if the company fails to meet those projections. Growth stocks may be
more expensive relative to their current earnings or assets compared to value or other stocks, and if
earnings growth expectations moderate, their valuations may return to more typical norms, causing their
stock prices to fall. Prices of these companies’ securities may be more volatile than other securities,
particularly over the short term. In addition, investment styles can go in and out of favor, which could
cause additional volatility in the prices of the Fund’s portfolio holdings.
|
| Foreign Securities (non-U.S.) |
Foreign
Securities (non-U.S.): Investing in foreign securities typically involves different risks than investing
in U.S. securities, including risks related to currency exchange rates and policies, country or government
specific issues, less favorable trading practices or regulation and greater price volatility. Certain
of these risks also may apply to securities of U.S. companies with significant foreign operations. The
risks of investing in foreign securities are typically greater in less developed or emerging market countries.
|
| Derivative Instruments |
Derivative
Instruments: The performance of derivative instruments depends largely on the performance
of an underlying instrument, such as a currency, security, interest rate or index, and such instruments
often have risks similar to their underlying instrument, in addition to other risks. Derivative instruments
involve costs and can create economic leverage in the Fund's portfolio which may result in significant
volatility and cause the Fund to participate in losses (as well as gains) in an amount that exceeds the
Fund's initial investment. Other risks include illiquidity, mispricing or improper valuation of the derivative
instrument, and imperfect correlation between the value of the derivative and the underlying instrument
so that the Fund may not realize the intended benefits. When a derivative is used for hedging, the change
in value of the derivative may also not correlate specifically with the currency, security, interest
rate or other risk being hedged. With over-the- counter
derivatives, there is the risk that the other party to the transaction will fail to perform.
|
| Management |
Management:
The Fund is subject to management risk because it is an actively managed investment portfolio. The Fund's
investment manager applies investment techniques and risk analyses in making investment decisions for
the Fund, but there can be no guarantee that these decisions will produce the desired results. As
an actively managed investment portfolio, the Fund’s investments do not track its benchmark. Overweighting
investments in an industry or group of industries relative to the Fund’s benchmark increases the
risk that the Fund will underperform its benchmark because a general decline in the prices of stocks
in that industry or group of industries will affect the Fund to a greater extent than its benchmark.
Price declines may result from factors that adversely affect a particular industry or group of industries,
such as labor shortages or increased production costs, competitive conditions, or negative investor perceptions.
Conversely, if the Fund underweights its investment in an industry or group of industries relative to
the Fund’s benchmark, the Fund will participate in any general increase in the prices of stocks
in that industry or group of industries to a lesser extent than the Fund’s benchmark.
|
| Cybersecurity |
Cybersecurity:
Cybersecurity incidents, both intentional and unintentional, may allow an unauthorized party to gain
access to Fund assets, Fund or customer data (including private shareholder information), or proprietary
information, cause the Fund, the investment manager, and/or their service providers (including, but not
limited to, Fund accountants, custodians, sub-custodians, transfer agents and financial intermediaries)
to suffer data breaches, data corruption or loss of operational functionality or prevent Fund investors
from purchasing, redeeming or exchanging shares or receiving distributions. The investment manager has
limited ability to prevent or mitigate cybersecurity incidents affecting third party service providers,
and such third party service providers may have limited indemnification obligations to the Fund or the
investment manager. Cybersecurity incidents may result in financial losses to the Fund and its shareholders,
and substantial costs may be incurred in an effort to prevent or mitigate future cybersecurity incidents.
Issuers of securities in which the Fund invests are also subject to cybersecurity risks, and the value
of these securities could decline if the issuers experience cybersecurity incidents. Because
technology is frequently changing (including the development of artificial intelligence and machine learning),
new ways to carry out cyber attacks are always developing. Therefore, there is a chance that some risks
have not been identified or prepared for, or that an attack may not be detected, which puts limitations
on the Fund's ability to plan for or respond to a cyber attack. Like other funds and business enterprises,
the Fund, the investment manager, and their service providers are subject to the risk of cyber incidents
occurring from time to time. The rapid development and increasingly widespread use of artificial intelligence
technologies
could increase the effectiveness of cyber attacks and exacerbate the risks.
|
|
| FRANKLIN CORE PLUS BOND FUND
|
Risk Table - FRANKLIN CORE PLUS BOND FUND
|
Risk [Text Block] |
| Principal Risks |
Principal
Risks You
could lose money by investing in the Fund. Mutual fund shares are not deposits or obligations of, or
guaranteed or endorsed by, any bank, and are not insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation,
the Federal Reserve Board, or any other agency of the U.S. government.
|
| Risk Lose Money [Member] |
You
could lose money by investing in the Fund.
|
| Risk Not Insured [Member] |
Mutual fund shares are not deposits or obligations of, or
guaranteed or endorsed by, any bank, and are not insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation,
the Federal Reserve Board, or any other agency of the U.S. government.
|
| Interest Rate |
Interest
Rate:
When interest rates rise, debt security prices generally fall. The opposite is also generally true:
debt security prices rise when interest rates fall. Interest rate changes are influenced by a number
of factors, including government policy, monetary policy, inflation expectations, perceptions of risk,
and supply of and demand for bonds. In general, securities with longer maturities or durations are more
sensitive to interest rate changes.
|
| Credit |
Credit: An issuer of debt securities may fail
to make interest payments or repay principal when due, in whole or in part. Changes in an issuer's financial
strength or in a security's or government's credit rating may affect a security's value.
|
| High-Yield Debt Instruments |
High-Yield
Debt Instruments: Issuers of lower-rated or “high-yield” debt instruments (also known
as “junk bonds”) are not as strong financially as those issuing higher credit quality debt
instruments. High-yield debt instruments are generally considered predominantly speculative by the applicable
rating agencies as their issuers are more likely to encounter financial difficulties because they may
be more highly leveraged, or because of other considerations. In addition, high yield debt instruments
generally are more vulnerable to changes in the relevant economy, such as a recession or a sustained
period of rising interest rates, that could affect their ability to make interest and principal payments
when due. The prices of high-yield debt instruments generally fluctuate more than those of higher credit
quality. High-yield debt instruments are generally more illiquid (harder to sell) and harder to value.
|
| Market |
Market:
The
market values of securities or other investments owned by the Fund will go up or down, sometimes rapidly
or unpredictably. The market value of a security or other investment may be reduced by market activity
or other results of supply and demand unrelated to the issuer. This is a basic risk associated with all
investments. When there are more sellers than buyers, prices tend to fall. Likewise, when there are more
buyers than sellers, prices tend to rise. In addition, the value of the Fund’s investments may
go up or down due to general market or other conditions that are not specifically related to a particular
issuer, such as: real or perceived adverse economic changes, including widespread liquidity issues and
defaults in one or more industries; changes in interest, inflation or exchange rates; unexpected natural
and man-made world events, such as diseases or disasters; financial, political or social disruptions,
including terrorism and war; and U.S. trade disputes or other disputes with specific countries that could
result in additional tariffs, trade barriers and/or investment restrictions in certain securities in
those countries. Any of these conditions can adversely affect the economic prospects of many companies,
sectors, nations, regions and the market in general, in ways that cannot necessarily be foreseen. Ongoing
or threatened armed conflicts throughout the world have caused and could continue to cause significant
market disruptions and volatility. The hostilities and sanctions resulting from those hostilities could
have a significant adverse
impact
on certain investments of the Fund as well as the Fund’s performance and liquidity.
|
| Mortgage Securities and Asset-Backed Securities |
Mortgage
Securities and Asset-Backed Securities: Mortgage securities differ from conventional debt securities
because principal is paid back periodically over the life of the security rather than at maturity. The
Fund may receive unscheduled payments of principal due to voluntary prepayments, refinancings or foreclosures
on the underlying mortgage loans. Because of prepayments, mortgage securities may be less effective than
some other types of debt securities as a means of "locking in" long-term interest rates and may have
less potential for capital appreciation during periods of falling interest rates. A reduction in the
anticipated rate of principal prepayments, especially during periods of rising interest rates, may increase
or extend the effective maturity and duration of mortgage securities, making them more sensitive to interest
rate changes, subject to greater price volatility, and more susceptible than some other debt securities
to a decline in market value when interest rates rise. Mortgage securities purchased on a delayed delivery
or forward commitment basis through the TBA (to-be-announced) market are subject to the risk that the
actual securities received by the Fund may be less favorable than anticipated, or that a counterparty
will fail to deliver the security. Issuers of asset-backed securities may have limited ability
to enforce the security interest in the underlying assets, and credit enhancements provided to support
the securities, if any, may be inadequate to protect investors in the event of default. Like mortgage
securities, asset-backed securities are subject to prepayment and extension risks.
|
| Collateralized Debt Obligations (CDOs) |
Collateralized
Debt Obligations (CDOs): The risks of an investment in a CDO, a type of asset backed security, and which
includes collateralized loan obligations, depend largely on the type of collateral held by the special
purpose entity (SPE) and the tranche of the CDO in which the Fund invests and may be affected by the
performance of a CDO's collateral manager. CDOs may be deemed to be illiquid and subject to the Fund’s
restrictions on investments in illiquid investments. In addition to the normal risks associated with
debt securities and asset backed securities (e.g., interest rate risk, credit risk and default risk),
CDOs carry additional risks including, but not limited to: (i) the possibility that distributions from
collateral securities will not be adequate to make interest or other payments; (ii) the quality of the
collateral may decline in value or quality or go into default or be downgraded; (iii) the Fund may invest
in tranches of a CDO that are subordinate to other classes; and (iv) the complex structure of the security
may not be fully understood at the time of investment. These risks are amplified in tranches of CDOs
that are subordinate to other tranches.
|
| Income |
Income: The Fund's distributions
to shareholders may decline when prevailing interest rates fall, when the Fund experiences defaults on
debt securities it holds or when the Fund realizes a loss upon the sale of a debt security.
|
| Variable Rate Securities |
Variable
Rate Securities: Because changes in interest rates on variable rate securities (including floating
rate securities) may lag behind changes in market rates, the value of such securities may decline during
periods of rising interest rates until their interest rates reset to market rates. During periods of
declining interest rates, because the interest rates on variable rate securities generally reset downward,
their market value is unlikely to rise to the same extent as the value of comparable fixed rate securities.
|
| Foreign Securities (non-U.S.) |
Foreign
Securities (non-U.S.): Investing in foreign securities typically involves different risks than investing
in U.S. securities, and includes risks associated with: (i) internal and external political and economic
developments – e.g., the political, economic and social policies and structures of some foreign
countries may be less stable and more volatile than those in the U.S. or some foreign countries may be
subject to trading restrictions or economic sanctions; diplomatic and political developments could affect
the economies, industries, and securities and currency markets of the countries in which the Fund is
invested, which can include rapid and adverse political changes; social instability; regional conflicts;
sanctions imposed by the United States, other nations or other governmental entities, including supranational
entities; terrorism; and war; (ii) trading practices – e.g., government supervision and regulation
of foreign securities and currency markets, trading systems and brokers may be less than in the U.S.;
(iii) availability of information – e.g., foreign issuers may not be subject to the same disclosure,
accounting and financial reporting standards and practices as U.S. issuers; (iv) limited markets –
e.g., the securities of certain foreign issuers may be less liquid (harder to sell) and more volatile;
and (v) currency exchange rate fluctuations and policies – e.g., fluctuations may negatively affect
investments denominated in foreign currencies and any income received or expenses paid by the Fund in
that foreign currency.
|
| Sovereign Debt Securities |
Sovereign Debt Securities: Sovereign debt securities
are subject to various risks in addition to those relating to debt securities and foreign investments
generally, including, but not limited to, the risk that a governmental entity may be unwilling or unable
to pay interest and repay principal on its sovereign debt, or otherwise meet its obligations when due
because of cash flow problems, insufficient foreign reserves, the relative size of the debt service burden
to the economy as a whole, the government’s policy towards principal international lenders such
as the International Monetary Fund, or the political considerations to which the government may be subject.
If a sovereign debtor defaults (or threatens to default) on its sovereign debt obligations, the indebtedness
may be restructured. Some sovereign debtors have in the past been able to restructure their debt payments
without the approval of some or all debt holders or to declare moratoria on payments. In the event of
a default on sovereign debt, the Fund may also have limited legal recourse against the defaulting government
entity.
|
| Emerging Market Countries |
Emerging
Market Countries: The Fund’s investments in securities of issuers in emerging market countries
are subject to all of the risks of foreign investing generally, and have additional heightened risks
due to a lack of established legal, political, business and social frameworks to support securities markets,
including: delays in settling portfolio securities transactions; currency and capital controls; greater
sensitivity to interest rate changes; pervasiveness of corruption and crime; currency exchange rate volatility;
and inflation, deflation or currency devaluation.
|
| Floating Rate Corporate Investments |
Floating Rate Corporate Investments:
Floating rate corporate loans and corporate debt securities generally have credit ratings below investment
grade and may be subject to resale restrictions. They are often issued in connection with highly leveraged
transactions, and may be subject to greater credit risks than other investments including the possibility
of default or bankruptcy. In addition, a secondary market in corporate loans may be subject to irregular
trading activity, wide bid/ask spreads and extended trade settlement periods, which may impair the ability
to accurately value existing and prospective investments and to realize in a timely fashion the full
value upon the sale of a corporate loan. A significant portion of floating rate investments may be “covenant
lite” loans that may contain fewer or less restrictive constraints on the borrower or other borrower-friendly
characteristics.
|
| Focus |
Focus: To the extent that the Fund focuses on
particular countries, regions, industries, sectors or types of investments from time to time, the Fund
may be subject to greater risks of adverse developments in such areas of focus than a fund that invests
in a wider variety of countries, regions, industries, sectors or investments.
|
| Derivative Instruments |
Derivative
Instruments: The performance of derivative instruments depends largely on the performance
of an underlying instrument, such as a currency, security, interest rate or index, and such instruments
often have risks similar to their underlying instrument, in addition to other risks. Derivative instruments
involve costs and can create economic leverage in the Fund's portfolio which may result in significant
volatility and cause the Fund to participate in losses (as well as gains) in an amount that exceeds the
Fund's initial investment. Other risks include illiquidity, mispricing or improper valuation of the derivative
instrument, and imperfect correlation between the value of the derivative and the underlying instrument
so that the Fund may not realize the intended benefits. When a derivative is used for hedging, the change
in value of the derivative may also not correlate specifically with the currency, security, interest
rate, index or other risk being hedged. With over-the-counter derivatives, there is the risk that the
other party to the transaction will fail to perform.
|
| Inflation |
Inflation: The market price of
debt securities generally falls as inflation increases because the purchasing power of the future income
and repaid principal is expected to be worth less when received by the Fund. Debt securities that pay
a fixed
rather than variable interest rate are especially vulnerable to inflation risk because variable-rate
debt securities may be able to participate, over the long term, in rising interest rates which have historically
corresponded with long-term inflationary trends.
|
| Currency Management Strategies |
Currency Management Strategies: Currency
management strategies may substantially change the Fund’s exposure to currency exchange rates and
could result in losses to the Fund if currencies do not perform as the investment manager expects. In
addition, currency management strategies, to the extent that they reduce the Fund’s exposure to
currency risks, also reduce the Fund’s ability to benefit from favorable changes in currency exchange
rates. Using currency management strategies for purposes other than hedging further increases the Fund’s
exposure to foreign investment losses. Currency markets generally are not as regulated as securities
markets. In addition, currency rates may fluctuate significantly over short periods of time, and can
reduce returns.
|
| Liquidity |
Liquidity: The trading market for a particular security
or type of security or other investments in which the Fund invests may become less liquid or even illiquid.
Reduced liquidity will have an adverse impact on the Fund’s ability to sell such securities or
other investments when necessary to meet the Fund’s liquidity needs, which may arise or increase
in response to a specific economic event or because the investment manager wishes to purchase particular
investments or believes that a higher level of liquidity would be advantageous. Reduced liquidity will
also generally lower the value of such securities or other investments. Market prices for such securities
or other investments may be relatively volatile.
|
| Mortgage Dollar Rolls |
Mortgage Dollar Rolls:
In a mortgage dollar roll, the Fund takes the risk that: the market price of the mortgage-backed securities
will drop below their future repurchase price; the securities that it repurchases at a later date will
have less favorable market characteristics; the other party to the agreement will not be able to perform;
the roll adds leverage to the Fund's portfolio; and, it increases the Fund's sensitivity to interest
rate changes. In addition, investment in mortgage dollar rolls may increase the portfolio turnover rate
for the Fund.
|
| Portfolio Turnover |
Portfolio Turnover: Active and frequent
trading may increase a shareholder’s tax liability and the Fund’s transaction costs, which
could detract from Fund performance.
|
| Management |
Management: The Fund is subject
to management risk because it is an actively managed investment portfolio. The Fund's investment manager
applies investment techniques and risk analyses in making investment decisions for the Fund, but there
can be no guarantee that these decisions will produce the desired results.
|
| Cybersecurity |
Cybersecurity:
Cybersecurity incidents, both intentional and unintentional, may allow an unauthorized party to gain
access to Fund assets, Fund or customer data (including private shareholder information), or proprietary
information, cause the Fund,
the investment manager, and/or their service providers (including, but not limited to, Fund accountants,
custodians, sub-custodians, transfer agents and financial intermediaries) to suffer data breaches, data
corruption or loss of operational functionality or prevent Fund investors from purchasing, redeeming
or exchanging shares or receiving distributions. The investment manager has limited ability to prevent
or mitigate cybersecurity incidents affecting third party service providers, and such third party service
providers may have limited indemnification obligations to the Fund or the investment manager. Cybersecurity
incidents may result in financial losses to the Fund and its shareholders, and substantial costs may
be incurred in an effort to prevent or mitigate future cybersecurity incidents. Issuers of securities
in which the Fund invests are also subject to cybersecurity risks, and the value of these securities
could decline if the issuers experience cybersecurity incidents. Because technology is
frequently changing (including the development of artificial intelligence and machine learning), new
ways to carry out cyber attacks are always developing. Therefore, there is a chance that some risks have
not been identified or prepared for, or that an attack may not be detected, which puts limitations on
the Fund's ability to plan for or respond to a cyber attack. Like other funds and business enterprises,
the Fund, the investment manager, and their service providers are subject to the risk of cyber incidents
occurring from time to time. The rapid development and increasingly widespread use of artificial intelligence
technologies could increase the effectiveness of cyber attacks and exacerbate the risks.
|
|