The Gabelli Global Content & Connectivity Fund
A series of GAMCO Global Series Funds, Inc.
SUMMARY PROSPECTUS April 29, 2020
Class AAA (GABTX), A (GTCAX), C (GTCCX), I (GTTIX)
Before you invest, you may want to review the Fund’s Prospectus and Statement of Additional Information (“SAI”), which contain more information about the Fund and its risks. You can find the Fund’s Prospectus and SAI and other information about the Fund online at www.gabelli.com. You can also get this information at no cost by calling 800-422-3554 or by sending an email request to info@gabelli.com. The Fund’s Prospectus and SAI, both dated April 29, 2020, are incorporated by reference into this Summary Prospectus.
Beginning on January 1, 2021, as permitted by regulations adopted by the Securities and Exchange Commission, paper copies of the Funds’ annual and semiannual shareholder reports will no longer be sent by mail, unless you specifically request paper copies of the reports. Instead, the reports will be made available on the Funds; website (https://gabelli.com/), and you will be notified by mail each time a report is posted and provided with a website link to access the report. If you already elected to receive shareholder reports electronically, you will not be affected by this change and you need not take any action. To elect to receive all future reports on paper free of charge, please contact your financial intermediary, or, if you invest directly with the Funds, you may call 800-422-3554 or send an email request to info@gabelli.com. Your election to receive reports on paper will apply to all funds held in your account if you invest through your financial intermediary or all funds held within the fund complex if you invest directly with the Funds.
Investment Objectives
The Global Content & Connectivity Fund primarily seeks to provide investors with appreciation of capital. Current income is a secondary objective of the Global Content & Connectivity Fund.
Fees and Expenses of the Global Content & Connectivity Fund:
Effective January 27, 2020 (the “Effective Date”), the Global Content & Connectivity Fund’s respective Class AAA, Class A, and Class C shares have been “closed to purchases from new investors.” “Closed to purchases from new investors” means: (i) with respect to Class AAA and Class A shares, no new investors may purchase shares of such classes, but existing shareholders may continue to purchase additional shares of such classes after the Effective Date, and (ii) with respect to Class C shares, neither new investors nor existing shareholders may purchase any additional shares of such class after the Effective Date. These changes will have no effect on existing shareholders’ ability to redeem shares of the Global Content & Connectivity Fund as described herein.
This table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold shares of the Global Content & Connectivity Fund. You may qualify for sales charge discounts on Class A shares if you and your family invest, or agree to invest in the future, at least $50,000 in Class A shares of the Gabelli family of mutual funds when and if initial investments into Class A shares are reopened. More information about these and other discounts is available from your financial professional and in the section entitled, “Classes of Shares” on page 56 of the prospectus and in Appendix A, “Sales Charge Reductions and Waivers Available through Certain Intermediaries,” attached to the Global Content & Connectivity Fund’s prospectus.
| Class AAA |
Class A |
Class C |
Class I | |||||||||||||||||
| Shareholder Fees |
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| (fees paid directly from your investment): |
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| Maximum Sales Charge (Load) Imposed on Purchases |
None | 5.75% | None | None | ||||||||||||||||
| Maximum Deferred Sales Charge (Load) (as a percentage of redemption price) |
None | None | 1.00% | None | ||||||||||||||||
| Maximum Sales Charge (Load) Imposed on Reinvested Dividends (as a percentage of amount invested) |
None | None | None | None | ||||||||||||||||
| Redemption Fee (as a percentage of amount redeemed for shares held 7 days or less) |
2.00% | 2.00% | 2.00% | 2.00% | ||||||||||||||||
| Exchange Fee |
None | None | None | None | ||||||||||||||||
| Annual Fund Operating Expenses |
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| (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment): |
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| Management Fees |
1.00% | 1.00% | 1.00% | 1.00% | ||||||||||||||||
| Distribution and Service (Rule 12b-1) Fees |
0.25% | 0.25% | 1.00% | None | ||||||||||||||||
| Other Expenses |
0.49% | 0.49% | 0.49% | 0.49% | ||||||||||||||||
| Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses |
0.02% | 0.02% | 0.02% | 0.02% | ||||||||||||||||
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| Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses(1) |
1.76% | 1.76% | 2.51% | 1.51% | ||||||||||||||||
| Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement(1) |
(0.84)% | (0.84)% | (1.59)% | (0.59)% | ||||||||||||||||
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| Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement |
0.92% | 0.92% | 0.92% | 0.92% | ||||||||||||||||
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| (1) | “Other Expenses” are based on estimated amounts for the current fiscal year. The Adviser has contractually agreed to waive its investment advisory fees and/or to reimburse expenses of the Global Content & Connectivity Fund to the extent necessary to maintain the Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver and Expense Reimbursement (excluding brokerage costs, acquired fund fees and expenses, interest, taxes, and extraordinary expenses) at no more than an annual rate of 0.90% for all classes of shares. Under this same arrangement, the Global Content & Connectivity Fund has also agreed, during the two year period following the year of any such waiver or reimbursement by the Adviser, to repay such amount, but only to the extent the Global Content & Connectivity Fund’s adjusted Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses would not exceed an annual rate of 0.90% for the applicable class of shares, after giving effect to the repayments. This arrangement is in effect through April 30, 2021, and may be terminated only by the Board of Directors of the Corporation (the “Board”) before such time. The Global Content & Connectivity Fund will carry forward any fees and expenses in excess of the expense limitation and repay the Adviser such amount provided the Global Content & Connectivity Fund is able to do so without exceeding the lesser of (1) the expense limit in effect at the time of the waiver or reimbursement, as applicable, or (2) the expense limit in effect at the time of recoupment after giving effect to the repayment. |
Expense Example
This example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Global Content & Connectivity Fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds.
The example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Global Content & Connectivity Fund for the time periods indicated and then redeem all of your shares at the end of those periods. The example assumes a waiver of expenses through the date of the expiration of the waiver, and reflects Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses following the date of the expiration of the waiver. The example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Global Content & Connectivity Fund’s 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 | 5 Years | 10 Years | |||||||||||||||||
| Class AAA Shares |
$ | 94 | $ | 472 | $ | 875 | $ | 2,004 | ||||||||||||
| Class A Shares |
$ | 663 | $ | 1,020 | $ | 1,400 | $ | 2,463 | ||||||||||||
| Class C Shares |
$ | 194 | $ | 629 | $ | 1,192 | $ | 2,726 | ||||||||||||
| Class I Shares |
$ | 94 | $ | 419 | $ | 768 | $ | 1,751 | ||||||||||||
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You would pay the following expenses if you did not redeem your shares of the Global Content & Connectivity Fund:
| 1 Year | 3 Years | 5 Years | 10 Years | |||||||||||||||||
| Class AAA Shares |
$ | 94 | $ | 472 | $ | 875 | $ | 2,004 | ||||||||||||
| Class A Shares |
$ | 663 | $ | 1,020 | $ | 1,400 | $ | 2,463 | ||||||||||||
| Class C Shares |
$ | 94 | $ | 629 | $ | 1,192 | $ | 2,726 | ||||||||||||
| Class I Shares |
$ | 94 | $ | 419 | $ | 768 | $ | 1,751 | ||||||||||||
Portfolio Turnover
The Global Content & Connectivity 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 the Global Content & Connectivity Fund’s shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in the annual fund operating expenses or in the example, affect the Global Content & Connectivity Fund’s performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Global Content & Connectivity Fund’s portfolio turnover rate was 14% of the average value of its portfolio.
Principal Investment Strategies
Under normal market conditions, the Global Content & Connectivity Fund will invest its net assets in common stocks of companies in the telecommunications, media, and information technology industries which Gabelli Funds, LLC, the Global Content & Connectivity Fund’s investment adviser (the “Adviser”), believes are likely to have rapid growth in revenues and earnings and potential for above average capital appreciation or are undervalued. The Global Content & Connectivity Fund invests primarily in common stocks of foreign and domestic small-capitalization, mid-capitalization, and large-capitalization issuers. As a “global” fund, the Global Content & Connectivity Fund invests in securities of issuers, or related investments thereof, located in at least three countries, and at least 40% of the Global Content & Connectivity Fund’s total net assets is invested in securities of non-U.S. issuers or related investments thereof. In selecting investments, the Adviser also considers the market price of the issuer’s securities, its balance sheet characteristics and the perceived strength of its management. In accordance with its existing concentration policy, the Global Content & Connectivity Fund will continue to invest at least 25% of the value of its total assets in the telecommunications-related industry, and not invest more than 25% of the value of its total assets in any other particular industry.
The companies in which the Global Content & Connectivity Fund may invest are engaged in the following products, services, or activities: telecommunications services (including data, video, voice, advanced IP-based services, corporate networking solutions, messaging and other communication and connectivity applications based on established and emerging technologies); telecommunications infrastructure and equipment; media & entertainment (including television; radio; cable networks; filmed, live, and digital entertainment; advertising; publishing; emerging forms of digital and interactive content; eSports; and eGaming); consumer electronics; e-commerce & information technology (including Internet software and services; application, systems, and home entertainment software; IT consulting, data processing, and technology hardware and equipment). Additional cross-industry investment focus areas include: cloud computing, The Internet of Things (“IoT”) (including solutions related to connected vehicle, connected home, smart city, smart grid), Big Data, artificial intelligence, machine learning, robotics, cybersecurity, virtual reality, augmented reality, digital convergence, biometric and wearable devices, eHealth, eGovernment, financial technology, over-the-top (“OTT”) content and applications, and software-as-a-service (“SaaS”).
Principal Risks
You may want to invest in the Global Content & Connectivity Fund if:
| • | you are a long term investor |
| • | you seek growth of capital |
| • | you seek to diversify your investments outside the U.S. |
The Global Content & Connectivity Fund’s share price will fluctuate with changes in the market value of the Global Content & Connectivity Fund’s portfolio securities. Stocks are subject to market, economic, and business risks that
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may cause their prices to fluctuate. An investment in the Global Content & Connectivity 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. When you sell Global Content & Connectivity Fund shares, they may be worth less than what you paid for them; you may lose money by investing in the Global Content & Connectivity Fund.
In addition to the risks generally applicable to all Funds set forth in the Prospectus and SAI, investing in the Global Content & Connectivity Fund will particular involve the following risks:
| • | Concentration Risk. Because the Global Content & Connectivity Fund will invest at least 25% of its total assets in securities of companies in the telecommunications related industry, and will otherwise focus its investments in the media and information technology industries, the Global Content & Connectivity Fund may be subject to greater volatility with respect to its portfolio securities than a fund that is more broadly diversified. Accordingly, the Global Content & Connectivity Fund is subject to the risk that its performance may be hurt disproportionately by the poor performance of relatively few securities. |
| • | Equity Risk. Equity risk is the risk that the prices of the securities held by the Global Content & Connectivity Fund will change due to general market and economic conditions, perceptions regarding the industries in which the companies issuing the securities participate and the issuer company’s particular circumstances. |
| • | Coronavirus (“COVID-19”) and Global Health Events. COVID-19 and concerns about its rapid spread and infections have severely impacted business activity in virtually all economies, markets, and sectors and negatively impacted the value of many financial and other assets. The duration of the COVID-19 outbreak and its effects cannot be determined with certainty. These events could have a significant impact on the Global Content & Connectivity Fund’s performance, as well as the performance and viability of issuers in which it invests. |
| • | Foreign Securities Risk. Investments in foreign securities involve risks relating to political, social, and economic developments abroad, as well as risks resulting from the differences between the regulations to which U.S. and foreign issuers and markets are subject. These risks include expropriation, differing accounting and disclosure standards, currency exchange risks, settlement difficulties, market illiquidity, difficulties enforcing legal rights, and greater transaction costs. These risks are more pronounced in the securities of companies located in emerging markets. |
| • | Emerging Market Risk. Foreign securities risks are more pronounced in emerging markets. Investments in emerging markets may experience sharp price swings, as there may be less government supervision and regulation of business in such markets, and may entail risks relating to political and economic instability and expropriation, nationalization, confiscation or the imposition of restrictions on foreign investment, lack of hedging instruments, and restrictions on repatriation of capital invested. Securities markets in emerging markets may be less liquid and developed than those in the United States, potentially making prices erratic. Economic or political crises may detrimentally affect investments in emerging markets. Emerging market countries may experience substantial rates of inflation or deflation. The economies of developing countries tend to be dependent upon international trade. There may be little financial information available about emerging market issuers, and it may be difficult to obtain or enforce a judgment against them. Other risks include a high concentration of investors, financial intermediaries, and market capitalization and trading volume in a small number of issuers and industries; vulnerability to changes in commodity prices due to overdependence on exports, including gold and natural resources, overburdened infrastructure and obsolete or unseasoned financial systems; environmental problems; less developed legal systems; and less reliable securities custodial services and settlement practices. For all of these reasons, investments in emerging markets may be considered speculative. |
| • | Currency Risk. Fluctuations in exchange rates between the U.S. dollar and foreign currencies may negatively affect an investment. Adverse changes in exchange rates may erode or reverse any gains produced by foreign currency denominated investments and may widen any losses. The Global Content & Connectivity Fund may, but is not required to, seek to reduce currency risk by hedging part or all of its exposure to various foreign currencies. In addition, the Global Content & Connectivity Fund’s investments could be adversely affected by delays in, or a refusal to grant, repatriation of funds or conversion of emerging market currencies. |
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| • | Depositary Receipts. The Global Content & Connectivity Fund may invest in non-U.S. equity securities through depositary receipts, including ADRs, EDRs, GDRs and other similar global instruments. While ADRs, EDRs and GDRs may not necessarily be denominated in the same currency as the securities into which they may be converted, many of the risks associated with foreign (non-U.S.) securities may also apply to ADRs, EDRs and GDRs. In addition, the underlying issuers of certain depositary receipts, particularly unsponsored or unregistered depositary receipts, are under no obligation to distribute shareholder communications to the holders of such receipts, or to pass through to them any voting rights with respect to the deposited securities. Depositary receipts that are not sponsored by the issuer may be less liquid and there may be less readily available public information about the issuer. |
| • | Industry Risk. Telecommunications — The telecommunications industry is subject to governmental regulation and a greater price volatility than the overall market, and telecommunications companies can be adversely affected by, among other things, changes in government regulation, intense competition, dependency on patent protection, significant capital expenditures, heavy debt burdens, rapid obsolescence of products and services due to product compatibility or changing consumer preferences and strong market reactions to technological developments throughout the industry, among other things. In addition, companies in which the Global Content & Connectivity Fund invests may be adversely affected by lack of commercial acceptance of a new product or process or by technological change and obsolescence. |
Media — Companies engaged in the design, production or distribution of goods or services for the media industry may become obsolete quickly. Media companies are subject to risks that include cyclicality of revenues and earnings, a decrease in the discretionary income of targeted individuals, changing consumer tastes and interests, fierce competition in the industry and the potential for increased government regulation. Additionally, intellectual property rights are very important to many media companies and the expiration of intellectual property rights or other events that adversely affect a media company’s intellectual property rights may materially and adversely affect the value of its securities.
Information Technology — The market prices of technology and technology-related stocks tend to exhibit a greater degree of market risk and price volatility than other types of investments. These stocks also may be affected adversely by changes in technology, consumer and business purchasing patterns, short product cycles, falling prices and profits, government regulation, lack of standardization or compatibility with existing technologies, intense competition, aggressive pricing, dependence on copyright and/or patent protection and/or obsolete products or services. As a result, these factors may negatively affect the performance of the Global Content & Connectivity Fund.
These risks may be heightened for telecommunications, media, and technology companies in foreign markets.
| • | Growth Stock Risk. Securities of growth companies may be more volatile since such companies usually invest a high portion of earnings in their business, and they may lack the dividends of value stocks that can cushion stock prices in a falling market. |
| • | Issuer Risk. The value of a security may decline for a number of reasons that directly relate to an issuer, such as management performance, financial leverage, and reduced demand for the issuer’s goods or services, as well as the historical and prospective earnings of the issuer and the value of its assets or factors unrelated to the issuer’s value, such as investor perception. |
| • | Management Risk. If the portfolio managers are incorrect in their assessment of the growth prospects of the securities the Global Content & Connectivity Fund holds, then the value of the Global Content & Connectivity Fund’s shares may decline. |
| • | Non-Diversification Risk. As a non-diversified mutual fund, more of the Global Content & Connectivity Fund’s assets may be focused in the common stocks of a small number of issuers, which may make the value of the Global Content & Connectivity Fund’s shares more sensitive to changes in the market value of a single issuer or industry and more susceptible to risks associated with a single economic, political, or regulatory event than a diversified fund. |
| • | Smaller Capitalization Risk. Risk is greater for the securities of smaller capitalization companies (including small unseasoned companies that have been in operation for less than three years) because they generally are more vulnerable than larger companies to adverse business or economic developments and they may have more limited resources. |
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Performance
The bar chart and table that follow provide an indication of the risks of investing in the Global Content & Connectivity Fund by showing changes in the Global Content & Connectivity Fund’s performance from year to year and by showing how the Global Content & Connectivity Fund’s average annual returns for one year, five years, and ten years compared with those of broad based securities market indices. As with all mutual funds, the Global Content & Connectivity Fund’s past performance (before and after taxes) does not predict how the Global Content & Connectivity Fund will perform in the future. Updated information on the Global Content & Connectivity Fund’s results can be obtained by visiting www.gabelli.com.
GLOBAL CONTENT & CONNECTIVITY FUND
(Total Returns for Class AAA Shares for the Years Ended December 31)
During the calendar years shown in the bar chart, the highest return for a quarter was 9.20% (quarter ended September 30, 2012), and the lowest return for a quarter was (17.46)% (quarter ended September 30, 2011).
| Average Annual Total Returns (for the years ended December 31, 2019 with maximum sales charge, if applicable) |
Past One Year |
Past Five Years |
Past Ten Years | ||||||||||||
| Global Content & Connectivity Fund Class AAA Shares: |
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| Return Before Taxes |
15.62 | % | 2.95 | % | 5.03 | % | |||||||||
| Return After Taxes on Distributions |
13.85 | % | 1.44 | % | 4.13 | % | |||||||||
| Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares |
10.33 | % | 2.22 | % | 4.08 | % | |||||||||
| Class A Shares Return Before Taxes |
8.99 | % | 1.71 | % | 4.39 | % | |||||||||
| Class C Shares Return Before Taxes |
13.81 | % | 2.19 | % | 4.25 | % | |||||||||
| Class I Shares Return Before Taxes |
16.42 | % | 3.50 | % | 5.44 | % | |||||||||
| MSCI AC World Communication Services Index |
25.09 | % | 4.97 | % | 6.72 | % | |||||||||
| MSCI AC World Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses, or taxes) |
26.60 | % | 8.41 | % | 8.79 | % | |||||||||
After-tax returns are calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes. In some instances, the “Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares” may be greater than the “Return After Taxes on Distributions” because the investor is assumed to be able to use the capital loss from the sale of Fund shares to offset other taxable gains. Actual after-tax returns depend on an investor’s tax situation and may differ from those shown. After-tax returns shown are not relevant to investors who hold their Fund shares through tax deferred arrangements, such as 401(k) plans or individual retirement accounts, including Roth IRAs and SEP IRAs (collectively, “IRAs”). After-tax returns are shown only for Class AAA shares. Actual after-tax returns for other classes will vary due to the differences in expenses.
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Management
The Adviser. Gabelli Funds, LLC
The Portfolio Managers. Sergey Dluzhevskiy, CPA, CFA, has served as associate portfolio manager of the Global Content & Connectivity Fund since 2006. Evan Miller, CFA, has served as associate portfolio manager of the Global Content & Connectivity Fund since 2002.
Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares
Effective January 27, 2020, the Global Content & Connectivity Fund’s respective Class AAA, Class A, and Class C Shares have been “closed to purchases from new investors,” as described above.
The minimum initial investment for Class AAA, Class A, and Class C shares will be $1,000 ($250 for IRAs or Coverdell Education Savings Plans) when and if initial investments into Class AAA, A, and C shares are reopened. When and if initial investments into Class AAA, A, and C shares are reopened, there will be no minimum initial investment for Class AAA, Class A, and Class C shares in an automatic monthly investment plan. Class I shares are available to investors with a minimum investment of $1,000 when purchasing shares directly through G.distributors, LLC, the Global Content & Connectivity Fund’s distributor (“G.distributors” or the “Distributor”), or investors purchasing Class I shares through brokers or financial intermediaries that have entered into selling agreements with the Distributor specifically with respect to Class I shares, and which have different minimum investment amounts. The minimum initial investment for Class I shares is waived for employee benefit plans with assets of at least $50 million. If you transact in Class I shares through a broker or financial intermediary, you may be required to pay a commission and/or other forms of compensation to the broker or financial intermediary. The Distributor reserves the right to waive or change minimum investment amounts. There is no minimum for subsequent investments.
Since the minimum initial investment amount for the Global Content & Connectivity Fund’s Class I shares purchased directly through the Distributor is the same as that for all other classes of the Global Content & Connectivity Fund’s shares, shareholders still eligible to purchase Class AAA and Class A shares of the Global Content & Connectivity Fund on or after the Effective Date should instead consider purchasing Class I shares since Class I shares carry no sales load and no ongoing distribution fees. Investors and shareholders who wish to purchase shares of the Global Content & Connectivity Fund through a broker or financial intermediary should consult their broker or financial intermediary with respect to the purchase of shares of the Global Content & Connectivity Fund. Please refer to the Global Content & Connectivity Fund’s statutory prospectus for additional information about share class conversions and exchanges among funds managed by the Adviser or its affiliates.
You can purchase or redeem shares of the Global Content & Connectivity Fund on any day the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) is open for trading (a “Business Day”). You may purchase or redeem Global Content & Connectivity Fund shares by written request via mail (The Gabelli Funds, P.O. Box 219204, Kansas City, MO 64121-9204), personal or overnight delivery (The Gabelli Funds, c/o DST Asset Manager Solutions, Inc., 430 W 7th Street STE 219204, Kansas City, MO 64105-1407), Internet, bank wire, or Automated Clearing House (“ACH”) system. You may also purchase Fund shares by telephone if you have an existing account with banking instructions on file at 800-GABELLI (800-422-3554).
Shares of the Global Content & Connectivity Fund can also be purchased or sold through registered broker-dealers or financial intermediaries that have entered into appropriate selling agreements with the Distributor. The broker-dealer or other financial intermediary will transmit these transaction orders to the Global Content & Connectivity Fund on your behalf and send you confirmation of your transactions and periodic account statements showing your investments in the Global Content & Connectivity Fund.
Tax Information
The Global Content & Connectivity Fund expects that distributions will generally be taxable as ordinary income or long term capital gains, unless you are investing through a tax deferred arrangement, such as a 401(k) plan or an IRA.
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Payments to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries
If you purchase shares of the Global Content & Connectivity Fund through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary (such as a bank), the Global Content & Connectivity Fund and its related companies may pay the intermediary for the sale of Global Content & Connectivity 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 Global Content & Connectivity Fund over another investment. For more information, turn to “Third Party Arrangements” on page 63 of the prospectus. Ask your salesperson or visit your financial intermediary’s website for more information.
401 multi 2020
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