issuers in a particular capitalization
range. Under normal market conditions, it is currently expected that the Fund will invest a substantial percentage of its assets in large-capitalization issuers.
The Fund may invest up to 25% of its net assets in securities of foreign issuers, which may
include securities of issuers located in emerging markets countries, i.e., those that are generally in the early stages of their industrial cycles, and depositary receipts.
The Fund can invest in derivative instruments including forward foreign
currency contracts and futures contracts. The Fund can use forward foreign currency contracts to
seek to hedge against adverse movements in the foreign currencies in which portfolio securities are denominated. The Fund can use futures contracts, including index futures, to seek exposure to certain asset classes and to seek to
hedge against adverse movements in the foreign currencies in which portfolio securities are denominated.
The Fund is non-diversified, which means it can invest a greater percentage
of its assets in a small group of issuers or any one issuer than a diversified fund can.
In selecting securities for investment, the portfolio managers focus
primarily on a security’s potential for capital growth and income. The portfolio managers
emphasize a value style of investing, seeking well-established, undervalued companies that have identifiable factors that might lead to improved valuations.
The portfolio managers will consider selling a security if it meets one or
more of the following criteria: (1) the target price of the investment has been realized and the
portfolio managers no longer consider the company undervalued, (2) a better value opportunity is identified, or (3) research shows that the company is experiencing deteriorating fundamentals beyond the portfolio managers’
tolerable level and the trend is likely to be a long-term issue.
Principal Risks of Investing in the Fund
As with any mutual fund investment, loss of money is a risk of investing. An investment in the Fund is not a deposit in a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other governmental agency. The risks associated with an investment in the Fund can increase during times of significant market
volatility. The principal risks of investing in the Fund are:
Market Risk. The market values of the
Fund’s investments, and therefore the value of the Fund’s shares, will go up and down, sometimes rapidly or unpredictably. Market risk may affect a single issuer, industry or section of the economy, or it
may affect the market as a whole. The value of the Fund’s investments may go up or down due to general market conditions that are not specifically related to the particular issuer. These market conditions may include
real or perceived adverse economic conditions, changes in trade regulation or economic sanctions, changes in the general outlook for revenues or corporate earnings, changes in interest or currency rates, regional or
global instability and uncertainty, natural or environmental disasters, widespread disease or other public health issues, war, military conflict, acts of terrorism, economic crisis or adverse investor sentiment generally, among
others. Certain changes in the U.S. economy in particular, such as when the U.S. economy weakens or when its financial markets decline, may have a material adverse effect on global financial markets as a whole, and on the
securities to which the Fund has exposure. Increasingly strained relations between the U.S. and foreign countries, including as a result of economic sanctions and tariffs, may also adversely affect U.S. issuers, as well as
non-U.S. issuers.
During a general downturn in the financial markets, multiple
asset classes may decline in value. When markets perform well, there can be no assurance that
specific investments held by the Fund will rise in value.
Investing in Stocks
Risk. The value of the Fund’s portfolio may be affected by changes in the stock markets. Stock markets may experience significant short-term volatility and
may fall or rise sharply at times. Adverse events in any part of the equity or fixed-income markets may have unexpected negative effects on other market segments. Different stock
markets may behave differently from each other and U.S. stock markets may move in the opposite direction from one or more foreign stock markets.
The prices of individual stocks generally do not all move in the same direction at the same
time. However, individual stock prices tend to go up and down more dramatically than those of certain other types of investments, such as bonds. A variety of factors can negatively affect the price of a particular
company’s stock. These factors may include, but are not limited to: poor earnings reports, a loss of customers, litigation against the company, general unfavorable performance of the company’s sector or industry, or changes in government
regulations affecting the company or its industry. To the extent that securities of a particular type are emphasized (for example foreign stocks, stocks of small- or mid-cap companies, growth or value stocks, or stocks of companies
in a particular industry), Fund share values may fluctuate more in response to events affecting the market for those types of securities.
Small- and Mid-Capitalization Companies Risk. Investing in
securities of small- and mid-capitalization companies involves greater risk than customarily is
associated with investing in larger, more established companies. Stocks of small- and mid-capitalization companies tend to be more vulnerable to changing market conditions, may have little or no operating history or track record of
success, and may have more limited product lines and markets, less experienced management and fewer
financial resources than larger companies. These companies’ securities may be more volatile
and less liquid than those of more established companies. They may be more sensitive to changes in a company’s earnings expectations and may experience more abrupt and erratic price movements. Smaller companies’ securities
often trade in lower volumes and in many instances, are traded over-the-counter or on a regional securities exchange, where the frequency and volume of trading is substantially less than is typical for securities of larger
companies traded on national securities exchanges. Therefore, the securities of smaller companies may be subject to wider price fluctuations and it might be harder for the Fund to dispose of its holdings at an acceptable
price when it wants to sell them. Since small- and mid-cap companies typically reinvest a high proportion of their earnings in their business, they may not pay dividends for some time, particularly if they are newer companies. It may
take a substantial period of time to realize a gain on an investment in a small- or mid-cap company, if any gain is realized at all.
Foreign Securities
Risk. Investments in the securities of non-U.S. issuers involve risks beyond those associated with investments in U.S. securities. Foreign securities may have
relatively low market liquidity, greater market volatility, decreased publicly available information and less reliable financial information about issuers, and inconsistent and potentially less stringent accounting, auditing and
financial reporting requirements and standards of practice, including recordkeeping standards, comparable to those applicable to domestic issuers. Foreign securities also are subject to the risks of possible seizure,
expropriation, nationalization, political or social instability, changes in economic or taxation policies or other adverse political or economic developments (in which the Fund could lose its entire investments in a certain market) and the
difficulty of enforcing obligations in other countries, including the possible adoption of foreign governmental restrictions such as exchange controls. Investments in foreign securities also may be subject to dividend
withholding or confiscatory taxes, currency blockage and/or transfer restrictions and higher transactional costs. To the extent the Fund invests in securities denominated in foreign currencies, fluctuations in the value of the U.S.
dollar relative to the values of other currencies may adversely affect investments in foreign securities and may negatively impact the Fund’s returns, unless the Fund has hedged its foreign currency exposure. Currency
exchange rates may fluctuate significantly over short periods of time. Currency hedging strategies, if used, may not always be successful. Foreign companies generally may be subject to less stringent regulations than U.S. companies,
including financial reporting requirements and auditing and accounting controls, and may therefore be more susceptible to fraud or corruption. There may be less public information