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. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate was 32% of the average value of its
portfolio.
Principal Investment Strategies of the Fund
Under normal circumstances, the Fund invests at least 80% of its net assets (plus the amount of any borrowings for
investment purposes) in master limited partnership (MLP) investments of issuers that are engaged in the
transportation, storage, processing, refining, marketing, exploration, production, and mining of minerals
and natural resources and in derivatives and other instruments that have economic characteristics similar to such securities. The Fund seeks to achieve its investment objective by normally investing substantially all of its net assets
in the equity securities of MLP investments. The Fund’s MLP investments may include the following: MLPs
structured as limited partnerships (LPs) or limited liability companies (LLCs); MLPs that are taxed as
“C” corporations; businesses that operate and have the economic characteristics of MLPs but are organized and taxed as “C” corporations; securities issued by MLP affiliates; and private investments in public equities (PIPEs) issued by
MLPs.
The Fund invests in MLP investments that primarily derive their revenue from
businesses engaged in the gathering, processing, transporting, terminalling, storing, distributing, or marketing of natural gas, natural gas liquids, crude oil, refined products (including non-hydrocarbon based products) or other hydrocarbons (Midstream MLP
investments). While the Fund primarily invests in Midstream MLP investments, it also may invest in MLP
investments that primarily derive their revenue from businesses engaging in or supporting the acquisition, exploration and development, or extraction of crude oil, condensate, natural gas, natural gas liquids, or other hydrocarbons (Upstream MLP investments)
and businesses engaging in the processing, treating, or refining of crude oil, natural gas liquids or other
hydrocarbons (Downstream MLP investments). The Fund may invest in MLP investments of all market
capitalization ranges. The Fund is non-diversified, which means that it may invest in a limited number of issuers. At times, the Fund may hold fewer than 20 MLP investments. The Fund concentrates its investments in the instruments of the group of
industries that comprise the energy sector.
The Adviser relies on its disciplined investment process in determining investment
selection and weightings. This process includes a comparison of quantitative and qualitative value factors that are developed through the Adviser’s proprietary analysis and valuation models. To determine whether an investment meets its criteria, the
Adviser generally will perform a detailed fundamental analysis of the underlying businesses owned and operated by potential MLP and energy infrastructure portfolio companies. The Adviser seeks to invest in MLP investments that it
believes have, among other characteristics, sound business fundamentals, a strong record of cash flow
growth, distribution continuity, a solid business strategy, a respected management team and which are not
overly exposed to changes in commodity prices. The Adviser will sell investments if it determines that any
of the above-mentioned characteristics have changed materially from its initial analysis, or that
quantitative or qualitative value factors indicate that an investment is no longer earning a return commensurate with its risk.
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, such as real
or perceived adverse economic conditions, changes in the general outlook for revenues or corporate earnings, changes in interest or currency rates, regional or global instability, natural or environmental disasters, widespread disease or other public health
issues, war, military conflict, acts of terrorism, economic crisis or adverse investor sentiment generally. 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.
MLP Risk. The Fund invests in securities of MLPs, which are subject to the following risks:
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Limited Partner Risk. An MLP is a public limited partnership or limited liability company taxed as a partnership under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the Code). Although the characteristics of MLPs closely resemble a traditional limited
partnership, a major difference is that MLPs may trade on a public exchange or in the over-the-counter
market. The risks of investing in an MLP are similar to those of investing in a partnership, including more
flexible governance structures, which could result in less protection for investors than investments in a corporation. Investors in an MLP normally would not be liable for the debts of the MLP beyond the amount that the investor has contributed but
investors may not be shielded to the same extent that a shareholder of a corporation would be. In certain
circumstances, creditors of an MLP would have the right to seek return of capital distributed to a limited partner, which right would continue after an investor sold its investment in the MLP. In addition, MLP distributions may be reduced by
fees and other expenses incurred by the MLP.
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Equity Securities Risk. Investment in MLPs involves risks that differ from investments in common stock, including risks related to limited control and limited rights to vote on matters affecting the MLP, risks related to potential conflicts of
interest between the MLP and the MLP’s general partner, dilution risks and cash flow risks. MLP
common units can be affected by macroeconomic and other factors affecting the stock market in general,
expectations of interest rates, investor sentiment towards MLPs, changes in a particular issuer’s
financial condition, or unfavorable or unanticipated poor performance of a particular issuer.
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General Partner Risk. The holder of the general partner or managing member interest can be liable in certain circumstances for amounts greater than the amount of the
holder’s investment in the general partner or managing member.
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MLP Tax Risk. MLPs taxed as partnerships do not pay U.S. federal income tax at the partnership level, subject to the application of certain partnership audit rules. A change in current
tax law, or a change in the underlying business mix of a given MLP, however, could result in an MLP being
classified as a corporation for U.S. federal income tax purposes, which would have the effect of reducing the
amount of cash available for distribution by the MLP and, as a result, could result in a reduction of the
value of the Fund’s investment, and consequently your investment in the Fund and lower income. Each
year, the Fund will send you an annual tax statement (Form 1099) to assist you in completing your federal,
state and local tax returns. If an MLP in which the Fund invests amends its partnership tax return, the
Fund will, when necessary, send you a corrected Form 1099, which could, in turn, require you to amend your
federal, state or local tax returns. To the extent a distribution received by the Fund from an MLP is
treated as a return of capital, the Fund's adjusted tax basis in the interests of the MLP may be reduced, which will result in an increase in an amount of income or gain (or decrease in the amount of loss) that will be recognized by the Fund for tax purposes
upon the sale of any such interests or upon subsequent distributions in respect of such interests. Changes
in the laws, regulations or related