Principal Risks
It is possible to lose money on an investment in the
Fund. The Fund will be affected by
the investment decisions, techniques and risk analyses of the Fund’s Adviser and there is no guarantee that
the Fund will achieve its investment objective. Any of the following risks, among others, could affect Fund performance or cause the Fund to lose money or to underperform market averages of other funds.
Risks Associated with Investing in Equities. Equity securities, generally common stocks and/or
depositary receipts, held by the Fund may experience sudden, unpredictable drops in value or long periods of
decline in value. This may occur because of factors that affect the securities markets generally, such as adverse
changes in economic or political conditions, the general outlook for corporate earnings, interest rates or
investor sentiment. Sustained periods of market volatility, either globally or in any jurisdiction in which the
Fund invests, may increase the risks associated with an investment in the Fund. Equity securities may also lose value because of factors affecting an entire industry or sector, such as increases in production costs, or factors directly related
to a specific company, such as decisions made by its management. Equity securities generally have greater price
volatility than debt securities. The Fund’s shares are not bank deposits and are not guaranteed, endorsed
or insured by any financial institution, government authority or the FDIC.
Risks Associated with Investing in Large-Capitalization
Companies. Returns on investments
in securities of large capitalization companies could trail the returns on investments in securities of smaller
and mid-sized companies. Larger companies may be unable to respond as quickly as smaller and mid-sized companies
to competitive challenges or to changes in business, product, financial, or other market conditions. Larger companies may not be able to maintain growth at the high rates that may be achieved by well-managed smaller and mid-sized
companies.
Risks Associated with Investing in Smaller-Cap and
Mid-Cap Companies. The prices of securities of mid-cap and smaller-cap companies tend to fluctuate more widely than those of larger, more established companies. Mid-cap and smaller-cap companies may have limited product lines, markets or financial
resources or may depend on the expertise of a few people and may be subject to more abrupt or erratic market
movements than securities of larger, more established companies or market averages in general. In addition, these
companies often have shorter operating histories and are more reliant on key products or personnel than larger
companies. The securities of smaller or medium-sized companies are often traded over-the-counter, and may not be
traded in volumes typical of securities traded on a national securities exchange. Securities of such issuers may lack sufficient market liquidity to effect sales at an advantageous time or without a substantial drop in price.
Risks Associated with Investing in Non-U.S. Securities.
Non-U.S. investments (including depositary
receipts) can be riskier, more volatile and less liquid than investments in the United States. Adverse political,
social and economic developments or instability, or changes in the value of non-U.S. currency, can make it more
difficult for the Fund to sell its securities and could reduce the value of the Fund’s shares. Differences
in regulatory, tax and accounting standards and differences in reporting standards may cause difficulties in
obtaining information about non-U.S. companies and may negatively affect investment decisions. Investments in non-U.S. securities may be affected by restrictions on receiving investment proceeds from outside the U.S. confiscatory tax laws, and
potential difficulties in enforcing contractual obligations. Transactions may be
subject to less efficient settlement practices, including extended
clearance and settlement periods. In addition, global economies are increasingly interconnected, which increases
the possibility that conditions in one country, region or financial market might adversely impact a different
country, region or financial market.
Risks Associated with Investing in Emerging Markets.
The Fund’s investments in
non-U.S. issuers in developing or emerging market countries may involve increased exposure to changes in
economic, social and political factors as compared to investments in more developed countries. The economies of most emerging market countries are in the early stage of capital market development and may be dependent on relatively fewer
industries. As a result, their economic systems are still evolving. Their legal and political systems may also be
less stable than those in developed economies. Securities markets in these countries can also be smaller, and
there may be increased settlement risks. The Public Company Accounting Oversight Board, which regulates auditors of
U.S. companies, is unable to inspect audit work papers in certain foreign countries. Investors in emerging
markets often have limited rights and few practical remedies to pursue shareholder claims, including class
actions or fraud claims, and the ability of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, the U.S. Department of
Justice and other authorities to bring and enforce actions against foreign issuers or foreign persons is limited.
Emerging market countries often suffer from currency devaluation and higher rates of inflation. Due to these
risks, securities issued in developing or emerging countries may be more volatile, less liquid, and harder to
value than securities issued in more developed countries.
Market Risk. The market price of
investments owned by the Fund may go up or down, sometimes rapidly or unpredictably. Fund investments may decline
in value due to factors affecting the overall markets, or particular industries or sectors. The value of a holding
may decline due to general market conditions that are not specifically related to a particular issuer, such as
real or perceived adverse economic conditions, changes in the general outlook for an issuer’s financial
condition, changes in interest or currency rates, domestic or international monetary policy or adverse investor
sentiment generally. The value of a holding may also decline due to factors that affect a particular industry or
industries, such as competitive conditions within an industry or government regulations. The Fund may experience
heavy redemptions, which could cause the Fund to liquidate its assets at inopportune times or at a loss or
depressed value, which could cause the value of an investment in the Fund to unexpectedly decline. The Fund may rely on various third-party sources to calculate its net asset value. Errors or systems failures and other technological issues may
adversely impact the Fund’s calculation of its net asset value, and such net asset value calculation issues
may result in inaccurately calculated net asset values, delays in net asset value calculation and/or the
inability to calculate net asset values over extended periods. The Fund may be unable to recover any losses
associated with such failures.
Risks Associated with Value Investing. Value stocks, including those selected by the Portfolio Managers for the Fund, are subject to the risks that their intrinsic value may never be realized by the market and that their prices may go down. In
addition, value style investing may fall out of favor and underperform growth or other styles of investing during
given periods. The Fund’s value discipline may result in a portfolio of stocks that differs materially from
its benchmark index.
Securities selected by the Portfolio Managers using a value strategy may never reach their intrinsic value because the market fails to recognize what the Portfolio Managers consider to be the
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