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 forecasting the financial prospects of each security, also known as fundamental analysis. The adviser combines insights derived from these sources to conduct 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 issuers 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, trade wars, retaliatory trade measures, sanctions and other trade barriers, supply chain disruptions, 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 price of securities issued by such companies may be more sudden or erratic than the prices of other equity
securities, especially over the short term.
Derivatives Risk. Derivatives, including futures contracts, may be riskier than other types of investments and may increase the volatility of the Fund. Derivatives may be
sensitive to changes in economic and market conditions and may create leverage, which could
result in losses that significantly exceed the Fund’s original investment. The Fund may be more volatile than if the