 | Brown Advisory – WMC Japan Equity Fund Class/Ticker: Institutional Shares (BAFJX) Investor Shares (BIJEX) Advisor Shares (Not Available for Sale) | ||||
Summary Prospectus | October 31, 2024 | |||||
Before you invest, you may want to review the Fund’s Prospectus, which contains more information about the Fund and its risks. You can find the Fund’s Prospectus, reports to shareholders, and other information about the Fund online at https://www.brownadvisory.com/mf/wmc-japan-equity-fund. You may also obtain this information at no cost by calling (800) 540-6807 or by sending an e-mail request to mutualfunds@brownadvisory.com. The Fund’s Prospectus and Statement of Additional Information, both dated October 31, 2024, are incorporated by reference into this Summary Prospectus.
Investment Objective
The Brown Advisory - WMC Japan Equity Fund (the “Fund”) seeks to achieve total return by investing principally in equity securities of companies which are domiciled in or exercise the predominant part of their economic activity in Japan.
Fees and Expenses
The following table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy, hold and sell shares of the Fund. You may pay other fees, such as brokerage commissions and other fees to financial intermediaries, which are not reflected in the table and example below.
Shareholder Fees (fees paid directly from your investment) | Institutional Shares | Investor Shares | Advisor Shares | ||||||||
Maximum Sales Charge (Load) imposed on Purchases (as a % of the offering price) | None | None | None | ||||||||
Maximum Deferred Sales Charge (Load) imposed on Redemptions (as a % of the sale price) | None | None | None | ||||||||
Redemption Fee (as a % of amount redeemed on shares held for 14 days or less) | 1.00% | 1.00% | 1.00% | ||||||||
Exchange Fee (as a % of amount exchanged on shares held for 14 days or less) | 1.00% | 1.00% | 1.00% | ||||||||
Annual Fund Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment) | |||||||||||
| Management Fees | 0.80% | 0.80% | 0.80% | ||||||||
| Distribution and Service (12b-1) Fees | None | None | 0.25% | ||||||||
| Shareholder Servicing Fees | None | 0.15% | 0.15% | ||||||||
Other Expenses(1) | 0.18% | 0.18% | 0.18% | ||||||||
Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses(2) | 0.01% | 0.01% | 0.01% | ||||||||
| Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses | 0.99% | 1.14% | 1.39% | ||||||||
(2) Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses are indirect fees and expenses that the Fund incurs from investing in the shares of other mutual funds, including money market funds and exchange traded funds, and are estimated for the current fiscal year.
Example
The example below is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. This example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated and then redeem all of your shares at the end of each period. The example also assumes that your investment has a 5% annual return each year and that the Fund’s
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operating expenses remain the same. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:
| 1 Year | 3 Years | |||||||
| Institutional Shares | $101 | $315 | ||||||
| Investor Shares | $116 | $362 | ||||||
| Advisor Shares | $142 | $440 | ||||||
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. No portfolio turnover rate is provided for the Fund because the Fund commenced operations after the fiscal year ended June 30, 2024.
Principal Investment Strategies
Under normal conditions, the Brown Advisory - WMC Japan Equity Fund seeks to achieve its investment objective by investing at least 80% of the value of its net assets (plus any borrowings for investment purposes) in equity securities of companies which are domiciled in or exercise the predominant part of their economic activity in Japan.
In determining whether a company is domiciled in or exercises the predominant part of its economic activity in Japan, the Fund will consider any one of the following four factors when making its determination: (i) country of organization; (ii) primary securities trading market; (iii) location of assets with respect to at least half of the company’s assets; or (iv) country where the company derives at least half of its revenue or profits.
The Fund may purchase equity securities of companies of any size capitalization. Equity securities in which the Fund may invest include common stock, preferred stock, equity-equivalent securities such as stock futures contracts or convertible securities, equity options, other investment companies, American Depositary Receipts (“ADRs”), Global Depositary Receipts (“GDRs”), real estate investment trusts (“REITs”), initial public offerings (“IPOs”), and exchange traded funds (“ETFs”).
The Fund may invest up to 20% of its net assets in securities of companies that are established or operating in countries outside of Japan, which may include less developed and emerging markets countries as well as other developed market countries.
The Fund may utilize options, futures contracts, currency forwards, swaps and options on futures. These investments will typically be made for investment purposes consistent with the Fund’s investment objective and may also be used to mitigate or hedge risks within the portfolio or for the temporary investment of cash balances. It is expected that the Fund will generally not hedge the portfolio’s Japanese yen exposure. However, the Fund reserves the right to partially or fully hedge the portfolio’s Japanese yen exposure in order to manage risk. The Fund may also opportunistically reduce equity exposure using futures contracts. In addition, the Fund may invest in participatory notes which are instruments that are used to replicate the performance of certain underlying issuers and markets. By investing in derivatives, the Fund attempts to achieve the economic equivalence it would achieve if it were to invest directly in the underlying security. Investments in derivatives may be counted towards the Fund’s 80% investment policy if they have economic characteristics similar to the other investments that are included in the Fund’s 80% investment policy.
The Fund may sell its portfolio securities for a variety of reasons, such as to secure gains, limit losses, or redeploy assets into more promising opportunities.
In order to respond to adverse market, economic, political or other conditions, the Fund may assume a temporary defensive position that is inconsistent with its investment objective and principal investment strategies and invest, without limitation, in cash or prime quality cash equivalents. A defensive position, taken at the wrong time, may have an adverse impact on the Fund’s performance. The Fund may be unable to achieve its investment objective during the employment of a temporary defensive measure.
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Principal Investment Risks
As with all mutual funds, there is the risk that you could lose all or a portion of your investment in the Fund. An investment in the Fund is not a deposit of a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency. The principal risks are presented in alphabetical order to facilitate finding particular risks and comparing them with other funds. Each risk summarized below is considered a “principal risk” of investing in the Fund, regardless of the order in which it appears. The following are the principal risks that could affect the value of your investment:
•American Depositary Receipts (“ADRs”) and Global Depository Receipts (“GDRs”) Risk. ADRs and GDRs may be subject to some of the same risks as direct investment in foreign companies, which includes international trade, currency, political, regulatory and diplomatic risks. In a sponsored ADR arrangement, the foreign issuer assumes the obligation to pay some or all of the depositary’s transaction fees. Under an unsponsored ADR arrangement, the foreign issuer assumes no obligations and the depositary’s transaction fees are paid directly by the ADR holders. Because unsponsored ADR arrangements are organized independently and without the cooperation of the issuer of the underlying securities, available information concerning the foreign issuer may not be as current as for sponsored ADRs and voting rights with respect to the deposited securities are not passed through. GDRs can involve currency risk since, unlike ADRs, they may not be U.S. dollar-denominated.
•Convertible Securities Risk. The value of convertible securities tends to decline as interest rates rise and, because of the conversion feature, tends to vary with fluctuations in the market value of the underlying securities.
•Currency and Exchange Rate Risk. Investments in currencies, currency futures contracts, forward currency exchange contracts or similar instruments, as well as securities that are denominated in foreign currency, are subject to the risk that the value of a particular currency will change in relation to one or more other currencies. In addition, the Fund may engage in currency hedging transactions. Currency hedging transactions are subject to the risk that a result opposite expectations occurs (an expected decline turns into a rise and conversely) resulting in a loss to the Fund.
•Derivatives Risk. The risk that an investment in derivatives will not perform as anticipated, cannot be closed out at a favorable time or price, or will increase the Fund’s volatility; that derivatives may create investment leverage; that, when a derivative is used as a substitute or alternative to a direct cash investment, the transaction may not provide a return that corresponds precisely with that of the cash investment; that a derivative will not perform in the manner anticipated by the Adviser, which may result in losses that partially or completely offset gains in portfolio positions; or that, when used for hedging purposes, derivatives will not provide the anticipated protection, causing the Fund to lose money on both the derivatives transaction and the exposure the Fund sought to hedge. The risks of investing in derivative instruments also include leverage, liquidity, market, credit, operational and legal risks. Additionally, any derivatives held by the Fund will have counterparty associated risks, which are the risks that the other party to the derivative contract, which may be a derivatives exchange, will fail to make required payments or otherwise fail to comply with the terms of the contract. The Fund potentially could lose all or a large portion of its investment in the derivative instrument.
•Emerging Markets Risk. The Fund may invest in emerging markets, which may carry more risk than investing in developed foreign markets. Risks associated with investing in emerging markets include limited information about companies in these countries, greater political and economic uncertainties compared to developed foreign markets, underdeveloped securities markets and legal systems, potentially high inflation rates, and the influence of foreign governments over the private sector. In addition, companies in emerging market countries may not be subject to accounting, auditing, financial reporting and recordkeeping requirements that are as robust as those in more developed countries, and therefore, material information about a company may be unavailable or unreliable, and U.S. regulators may be unable to enforce a company’s regulatory obligations. Emerging markets countries are also subject to potential expropriation or nationalization of private properties and other adverse political, economic and social events. Emerging markets countries are often particularly sensitive to market movements because their market prices tend to reflect speculative expectations. Low trading volumes may result in a lack of liquidity and in extreme price volatility. Investors should be able to tolerate sudden, sometimes substantial, fluctuations in the value of their investments. Emerging market countries may have policies that restrict investment by foreigners or that prevent foreign investors from withdrawing their money at will.
•Equity and General Market Risk. Common stocks are susceptible to general stock market fluctuations and to volatile increases and decreases in value. The stock market may experience declines or stocks in the Fund’s portfolio may not increase their earnings at the rate anticipated. The Fund’s NAV and investment return will fluctuate based upon changes in
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the value of its portfolio securities. Markets may, in response to economic, political (including geopolitical), social or market developments, governmental actions or intervention, natural disasters, epidemics, pandemics or other external factors, experience periods of high volatility and reduced liquidity. During those periods, the Fund may experience high levels of shareholder redemptions, and may have to sell securities at times when the Fund would otherwise not do so, potentially at unfavorable prices. Certain securities, particularly fixed income securities, may be difficult to value during such periods.
•ETF Risk. ETFs may trade at a discount to the aggregate value of the underlying securities and although expense ratios for ETFs are generally low, frequent trading of ETFs by the Fund can generate brokerage expenses. Shareholders of the Fund will indirectly be subject to the fees and expenses of the individual ETFs in which the Fund invests.
•Foreign Securities Risk. The Fund may invest in foreign securities and is subject to risks associated with foreign markets, such as adverse political, social and economic developments such as war, political instability, hyperinflation, currency devaluations, and overdependence on particular industries; accounting standards or governmental supervision that is not consistent with that to which U.S. companies are subject; limited information about foreign companies; less liquidity and higher volatility in foreign markets and less protection to the shareholders in foreign markets. In addition, investments in certain foreign markets that have historically been considered stable may become more volatile and subject to increased risk due to ongoing developments and changing conditions in such markets. The value of the Fund’s foreign investments may also be affected by foreign tax laws, special U.S. tax considerations and restrictions on receiving the investment proceeds from a foreign country. Dividends or interest on, or proceeds from the sale or disposition of, foreign securities may be subject to non-U.S. withholding or other taxes. Economic sanctions could, among other things, effectively restrict or eliminate the Fund’s ability to purchase or sell securities or groups of securities for a substantial period of time, and may make the Fund’s investments in such securities harder to value.
•Investments in Other Investment Companies Risk. Shareholders of the Fund will indirectly be subject to the fees and expenses of the other investment companies in which the Fund invests, and these fees and expenses are in addition to the fees and expenses that Fund shareholders directly bear in connection with the Fund’s own operations. In addition, shareholders will be exposed to the investment risks associated with investments in the other investment companies.
•Japanese Securities Risk. Because a significant portion of the assets of the Fund are invested in Japanese securities, the Fund’s performance is expected to be closely tied to the political, social and economic conditions within Japan. The Japanese economy has at times in the past been negatively affected by government intervention and protectionism, a deflationary macroeconomic environment, a heavy reliance on international trade and natural disasters. These factors, as well as an aging population, increases in government debt and changes to fiscal, monetary, or trade policies, may affect Japanese markets and the Fund’s performance. As such, the Fund’s performance may be more volatile than the performance of funds that are more geographically diverse.
•Large Capitalization Company Risk. Large capitalization companies may be unable to respond quickly to new competitive challenges like changes in consumer tastes or innovative smaller competitors. In addition, large capitalization companies are sometimes unable to attain the high growth rates of successful, smaller companies, especially during extended periods of economic expansion.
•Large Investor Risk. Ownership of shares of the Fund may be concentrated in one or more large investors. These investors may redeem shares in substantial quantities or on a frequent basis, which may negatively impact the Fund’s performance, may increase realized capital gains, may accelerate the realization of taxable income to other shareholders and may potentially limit the use of available capital loss carryforwards or certain other losses to offset any future realized capital gains. Large investor redemption activity also may increase the Fund’s brokerage and other expenses.
•Liquidity Risk: Certain securities held by the Fund may be difficult (or impossible) to sell at the time and at the price the Fund would like. As a result, the Fund may have to hold these securities longer than it would like and may forego other investment opportunities. There is the possibility that the Fund may lose money or be prevented from realizing capital gains if it cannot sell a security at a particular time and price.
•Management Risk. The Fund may not meet its investment objective based on the Adviser’s success or failure to implement investment strategies for the Fund.
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•Medium Capitalization Company Risk. Securities of medium sized companies may be more volatile and more difficult to liquidate during market down turns than securities of larger companies. Additionally, the price of medium-sized companies may decline more in response to selling pressures.
•New Fund Risk. The Fund is new with a limited operating history and there can be no assurance that the Fund will grow to or maintain an economically viable size.
•REIT and Real Estate Risk. The value of the Fund’s investments in REITs may change in response to changes in the real estate market such as declines in the value of real estate, lack of available capital or financing opportunities, and increases in property taxes or operating costs. In connection with the Fund’s investments in REITs, the Fund is also subject to risks associated with extended vacancies of properties or defaults by borrowers or tenants, particularly during periods of disruptions to business operations or an economic downturn.
•Smaller Company Risk. Securities of companies smaller than larger companies may be more volatile and as a result, the price of smaller companies may decline more in response to selling pressure.
•Valuation Risk. The prices provided by pricing services or independent dealers or the fair value determinations made by the Adviser may be different from the prices used by other mutual funds or from the prices at which securities are actually bought and sold. The prices of certain securities provided by pricing services may be subject to frequent and significant change and will vary depending on the information that is available.
Performance Information
Performance information for the Fund is not included because the Fund did not have a full calendar year of performance prior to the date of this Prospectus. Performance information will be available once the Fund has at least one calendar year of performance. Updated performance information is available online at www.brownadvisory.com/mf/wmc-japan-equity-fund or by calling 800-540-6807 (toll free) or 414-203-9064.
Management
Brown Advisory LLC is the Fund’s investment adviser. Wellington Management Company LLP is the Fund’s Sub-Adviser.
| Investment Sub-Adviser | Portfolio Manager | ||||
| Wellington Management Company LLP | Katsuhiro Iwai, CFA, CMA, has served as portfolio manager since the Fund’s inception in September 2024. | ||||
Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares
You may purchase, exchange or redeem Fund shares on any business day by written request via mail (Brown Advisory Funds, c/o U.S. Bank Global Fund Services, P.O. Box 701, Milwaukee, WI 53201-0701), by wire transfer, by telephone at 800-540-6807 (toll free) or 414-203-9064, or through the Internet at www.brownadvisory.com/client-login. Investors who wish to purchase, exchange or redeem Fund shares through a broker-dealer should contact the broker-dealer directly. The minimum initial and subsequent investment amounts for various types of accounts are shown below.
| Type of Account | Minimum Initial Investment | Minimum Additional Investment | ||||||
| Institutional Shares | ||||||||
•Standard Accounts | $1,000,000 | $100 | ||||||
| Investor Shares | ||||||||
•Standard Accounts | $100 | $100 | ||||||
•Traditional and Roth IRA Accounts | $100 | N/A | ||||||
•Accounts with Systematic Investment Plans | $100 | $100 | ||||||
| Advisor Shares | ||||||||
•Standard Accounts | $100 | $100 | ||||||
•Traditional and Roth IRA Accounts | $100 | N/A | ||||||
•Accounts with Systematic Investment Plans | $100 | $100 | ||||||
•Qualified Retirement Plans | N/A | N/A | ||||||
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The minimum investment requirements are waived for retirement plans that are qualified under Section 401(a) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (“IRC”) and tax-exempt under Section 501(a) of the IRC, and plans operating consistent with Section 403(a), 403(b), 408, 408A, 457 or 223(d) of the IRC.
Tax Information
The Fund’s distributions are taxed as ordinary income or capital gains, unless you are investing through a tax-deferred arrangement, such as a 401(k) plan or an individual retirement account. Such tax-deferred arrangements may be taxed later upon withdrawal of monies from those arrangements.
Payments to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries
If you purchase the Fund through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary (such as a fund supermarket), the Fund and its related companies may pay the intermediary for the sale of Fund shares and related services. These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing the broker-dealer or other intermediary and your salesperson to recommend the Fund over another investment. Ask your salesperson or visit your financial intermediary’s website for more information.
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